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University of Central Florida

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Professional development

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Five School District Mentor Models For Secondary Mathematics And Science Teachers In A Job Embedded University Teacher Preparation Program, Lisa Karcinski Jan 2015

Five School District Mentor Models For Secondary Mathematics And Science Teachers In A Job Embedded University Teacher Preparation Program, Lisa Karcinski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring was a component of the Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program (RTP3), a Race to the Top (RTTT) program funded project. RTTT funded efforts reward states that have demonstrated success in raising student achievement and have the best plans to accelerate learning in the future (U.S. Department of Education, 2014). Five Florida school districts implemented different variations of the RTP3 mentor model and due to the unique needs of each school district, context differences in effectiveness may have emerged. The purpose of the study was to determine the differences among the five mentor models, the extent to which these differences …


Understanding And Mitigating Sources Of Teacher Dissatisfaction, Carl Howard Jan 2015

Understanding And Mitigating Sources Of Teacher Dissatisfaction, Carl Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice focuses on a review of literature to answer the guiding question, what can teachers and other educational stakeholders do to help address their sources of dissatisfaction in order to build a positive school climate? The author used a modified frame analysis from Bolman and Deal, other published literature, and personal experience to identify seven different, but sometimes related, domains that affect teachers and school climate. These seven domains include operations/management, contract application, professional development, classroom management, interpersonal, financial, and unanticipated events. The modified frame analysis was used to help empower teachers to solve problems that affect …


The Effect Of Cognitively Guided Instruction On Students' Problem Solving Strategies And The Effect Of Students' Use Of Strategies On Their Mathematics Achievement, Nesrin Sahin Jan 2015

The Effect Of Cognitively Guided Instruction On Students' Problem Solving Strategies And The Effect Of Students' Use Of Strategies On Their Mathematics Achievement, Nesrin Sahin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of teachers attending Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) professional development on students' problem solving strategies and the effect of students' use of strategies on their mathematics achievement as measured by a standardized test. First, the study analyzed the differences in students' use of strategies between treatment and control groups. The treatment was CGI professional development, and the teachers in the treatment group attended CGI workshops whereas the teachers in the control group did not. Next, the study analyzed the differences in the mathematics achievement of students between different strategy groups. A …


Defining And Building Excellence: A Model For Professional Development At Arete Charter School, Shloe Kerness Jan 2014

Defining And Building Excellence: A Model For Professional Development At Arete Charter School, Shloe Kerness

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the U.S., there is increased awareness that what teachers know and are able to do play a significant role in the achievement of their students (Sanders & Rivers, 1996). Consequently, there is an unprecedented interest in improving instruction, a job that is normally assumed by the schools and school districts where teachers are employed. However, long-established professional development options provided by school districts usually fail to have any significant positive impact on teachers' instructional practices and often have the unintended consequence of making teachers feel more like workers on an assembly line than professionals doing emotionally complicated work (Borko …


Replacing The "Raise Your Hand To Speak" Rule With New Social And Sociomathematical Norms In An Elementary Mathematics Classroom, Lisa Brooks Jan 2014

Replacing The "Raise Your Hand To Speak" Rule With New Social And Sociomathematical Norms In An Elementary Mathematics Classroom, Lisa Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study documents the establishment of new social and sociomathematical norms in a second grade classroom. The teacher allowed students to speak directly to one another without having to raise their hands first during whole group mathematics instruction. Reform efforts in mathematics and the standards for mathematical practice contained in the Common Core State Standards call for students to discuss their reasoning with each other. Data were collected through interviews with the teacher and students, field notes, and video-recorded lessons over the course of 23 days. An online survey tool was utilized to share selected video of the teacher's …


Meeting The Needs Of Students Through A Targeted Professional Development, Anthony Copelin Jan 2014

Meeting The Needs Of Students Through A Targeted Professional Development, Anthony Copelin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study presents a complex problem of practice occurring at Primrose Elementary school [pseudonym]. A large portion of Primrose Elementary School's population has been unable to meet Florida's state reading proficiency standards over the last twelve years. Students of Primrose Elementary have a poor foundation in language on which to build vital reading skills. Consequently, students cannot overcome this deficiency because teachers lack the content knowledge to meet the students' language and subsequent reading deficiencies, in spite of 12 years of reading professional development. This dissertation in practice will propose the use of targeted professional development to address below grade …


A Comparison Of Teachers' Beliefs Of The Use Of Inquiry Teaching, Origin Of Knowledge Of Inquiry Teaching, And Student Achievement Between International Baccalaureate And Non-International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme Schools, Lucy Haddock Jan 2014

A Comparison Of Teachers' Beliefs Of The Use Of Inquiry Teaching, Origin Of Knowledge Of Inquiry Teaching, And Student Achievement Between International Baccalaureate And Non-International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme Schools, Lucy Haddock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of improving student achievement is of paramount interest to all public schools. The focus of this research was to determine the difference between inquiry based teaching strategies and student achievement. Additionally, the researcher investigated the origin of inquiry based teaching knowledge and International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) affiliation. IBPYP affiliation was studied due to the nature of the IBPYP as an inquiry based philosophy of teaching. The McGill Strategic Demands of Inquiry Questionnaire (MSDIQ) was used to determine teacher beliefs of inquiry based teaching strategies. Student achievement was measured using Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test 2.0 (FCAT 2.0) …


Building Educator Capacity In Support Of Student Achievement On Florida's United States History End-Of-Course Assessment, Stacy Skinner Jan 2014

Building Educator Capacity In Support Of Student Achievement On Florida's United States History End-Of-Course Assessment, Stacy Skinner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Florida's United States History End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment performance outcomes are scheduled to impact student course grades, educator evaluation scores, and school grades. A professional learning plan to improve teaching and learning in support of student achievement on the Assessment does not exist. Neither Florida Statute nor the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) facilitate or fund professional learning in support of these influences. This dissertation in practice proposes the use of the U.S. History EOC Assessment Professional Learning Series to build educator capacity in support of student achievement on the Assessment. Implementation of professional learning could address the disparity between the …


Volusia System For Empowering Teachers (Vset): Influence On Teacher Practice And Student Achievement, Lesley Sileo-Robinson Jan 2013

Volusia System For Empowering Teachers (Vset): Influence On Teacher Practice And Student Achievement, Lesley Sileo-Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study provides an empirical analysis of the primary assumptions of a newly implemented teacher evaluation system, namely that the specific teaching practices evaluated are related to student achievement, and that teacher-directed professional growth plans effectively shape teacher practices in a particular domain. Results of the study are intended to inform the interpretation and the refinement of the Volusia System for Empowering Teachers (VSET), which aims to build capacity in the Volusia teacher work force and ultimately to improve student performance (School Board of Volusia County Team Volusia, Race to the Top application, 2011). This study focused on 14 pilot …


An Analysis Of Student Achievement Outcomes Of Teachers Who Have Earned The Reading Endorsement Offered Through Brevard Public Schools Compared To Those Who Earned The Reading Endorsement Through Other Means, And Those Who Have Not Earned A Reading Endorsement, Carrie Chancellor Jan 2013

An Analysis Of Student Achievement Outcomes Of Teachers Who Have Earned The Reading Endorsement Offered Through Brevard Public Schools Compared To Those Who Earned The Reading Endorsement Through Other Means, And Those Who Have Not Earned A Reading Endorsement, Carrie Chancellor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to determine relationships between the independent variables of teaching years of experience and participation in Reading Endorsement professional development offered through Brevard Public Schools and the dependent variables of student outcome measures, as determined through teacher aggregated reading Value Added Model (VAM) scores. The significance of the study was that it will add to the literature by being the first study of its kind for the Brevard Public School District. This study will also provide information as to the reading instruction preparation effectiveness examined through student performance outcomes. This study used multiple statistical procedures to analyze the …


An Exploration Of Secondary Science Grade Teachers' Written Artifacts About Their Experiences With An Online Professional Development In Reading Research And Instruction: A Grounded Theory Study, Carmen Woodhall Jan 2012

An Exploration Of Secondary Science Grade Teachers' Written Artifacts About Their Experiences With An Online Professional Development In Reading Research And Instruction: A Grounded Theory Study, Carmen Woodhall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Classroom teachers deal with numerous pressures in their classrooms including students’ difficulty with reading at the middle and high school levels. Often, teachers can identify the problems, but are often unable to rectify them because of a lack of understanding and support in incorporating reading as part of their content area instruction. This research was conducted to investigate the impact of a sustained, online reading professional development on the teaching practice of middle school and high school science teachers who took the 14-week course. This grounded theory research used the reflective assignment, a comprehensive, 10-week, job-embedded assignment of 62 science …


The Relationship Of 10th-Grade District Progress Monitoring Assessment Scores To Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Scores In Reading And Mathematics For 2008-2009, Marilyn Underwood Jan 2010

The Relationship Of 10th-Grade District Progress Monitoring Assessment Scores To Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Scores In Reading And Mathematics For 2008-2009, Marilyn Underwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to investigate the use of a district created formative benchmark assessment in reading to predict student achievement for 10th-grade students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in one county in north central Florida. The purpose of the study was to provide information to high school principals and teachers to better understand how students were performing and learning and to maximize use of the formative district benchmark assessment in order to modify instruction and positively impact student achievement. This study expanded a prior limited study which correlated district benchmark assessment scores to FCAT scores …


An Exploratory Case Study Comparing The Teaching Practices Of Reading Endorsed Vs. Non-Reading Endorsed Secondary English Language Arts Teachers, Sabrina Greenwell Jan 2009

An Exploratory Case Study Comparing The Teaching Practices Of Reading Endorsed Vs. Non-Reading Endorsed Secondary English Language Arts Teachers, Sabrina Greenwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This comparative case study investigated the teaching practices of secondary English language arts teachers who are reading endorsed versus secondary English language arts teachers who are not reading endorsed. Florida Department of Education mandated that all reading teachers, and strongly encouraged all English language arts teachers be reading endorsed to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind ("Just Read, Florida!" 2008). We now need research to see if this surge of reading endorsed teachers is using their training in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to explore and to compare the teaching practices of two secondary standard …


The Effects Of The Attainment Of Functional Assessment Skills By Preschool Teachers And Their Assistants On Students' Classr, Karen Wagner Jan 2008

The Effects Of The Attainment Of Functional Assessment Skills By Preschool Teachers And Their Assistants On Students' Classr, Karen Wagner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of teaching functional assessment skills to three Prekindergarten teachers and their teaching assistants. The effects were measured by examining the behavior of the teachers and assistants, as well as the behaviors of the students; before, during and after the delivery of three, two-hour functional assessment classes. The teaching staff videotaped themselves and their students during a regular class time, predetermined by the researcher and each teacher prior to the onset of baseline data collection, over an approximate nine-week period. The video was taken in twelve-minute segments every day. Later, the …


Faculty Development In Member Institutions Of The Florida Faculty Development Consortium: Strategic Plans, Evaluation Models, Organization, And Funding, Laura Ross Jan 2006

Faculty Development In Member Institutions Of The Florida Faculty Development Consortium: Strategic Plans, Evaluation Models, Organization, And Funding, Laura Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine strategic plans and evaluation models in light of organizational structures and funding to determine if member institutions in the Florida Faculty Development Consortium were investing in faculty development based on strategic and measurable criteria. Data were gathered through a mixed method survey mailed electronically to the individuals responsible for faculty development at 31 member institutions of the Florida Faculty Development Consortium. Even though the Consortium was comprised of public and private four-year institutions and public two-year institutions, faculty development programs in these institutions had similarities. Most programs had strategic plans, centralized faculty …


An Investigation Of Principals' Attitudes Toward The Knowledge And Use Of Learning Styles In Therapeutic Settings, Renee Pancoast Jan 2006

An Investigation Of Principals' Attitudes Toward The Knowledge And Use Of Learning Styles In Therapeutic Settings, Renee Pancoast

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In March, 2006 the Principal's Attitudes Toward the Knowledge, Value, and Application of Learning Styles with Students in Therapeutic Settings survey developed by the author was distributed to 120 principals belonging to the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. Two mailings yielded a return of 68 (56.6%) usable survey instruments from which principals' self-reporting on knowledge, value and application of learning styles was examined. Focus for this study was provided through three research questions: (a) to determine to what extent principals in therapeutic settings self-reported general knowledge of learning style applications, (b) to determine to what extent principals exhibit …