Education Commons^™

Teachers’ Integration Of Writing In Career, Technical, And Agricultural Education Classrooms, Caryn L. Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers’ instructional practices of integrating writing into their courses can improve students’ writing abilities and better prepare students for postsecondary education and career success. At ABC College and Career Academy (pseudonym), career, technical, and agricultural education (CTAE) teachers were required by the Common Core State Performance Standards to integrate writing into their courses, but 60% of teachers were not complying with that requirement. The purpose of this study was to explore how CTAE teachers at ABC College and Career Academy integrated writing into their courses, their challenges regarding integrating writing, and needed aids for integrating writing. The conceptual framework for …

Core Subject Area Vocabulary Instructional Strategies For Middle School English Language Learners, Tiffany N. Waller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic vocabulary is one of the most important skills needed in language learning, but it may be difficult for students whose native language is not English. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate how classroom core subject teachers at Middle School 55 (pseudonym) perceive their ability to implement specific instructional model strategies to support explicit academic vocabulary building for ELL students. This study was grounded in Becker and Engelmann’s direct instruction framework for effective and efficient teaching and involved providing research-based principles for teachers supporting ELLs in middle school who are developing academic vocabulary skills. Open-ended semistructured interviews …

Perspectives On Professional Development On Common Core Standards For English Language Arts, Martin W. Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Middle school teachers at a rural site in a western state have faced problems in implementing Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts (ELA), as well as in resolving achievement gaps in ELA between regular education students, special education (SPED) students, English language learners (ELL), and at-risk students. The purpose of this case study was to obtain teachers’ and school leaders’ perspectives on how CCSS for ELA can be used to enhance learning for all populations of students using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The CCSS for ELA and UDL comprised the frameworks employed in this …

Middle School Teachers’ Experiences Implementing The Workshop Model In Their Classroom, Patience Ndidi Onyegwara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Due to the increasing diversity in U.S. schools, there is a need for differentiated and individualized educational models for these learners to be successful in the future. However, little is known about innovative educational models allowing differentiation and individualized education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of middle school teachers implementing the innovative Workshop Model (WSM) of teaching and learning. The conceptual framework for this study included the diffusion of innovation, sociocultural, and andragogical theories, and the principles of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). The participants were 10 middle school teachers …

How Teachers And Counselors Collaborate Formally And Informally To Improve The Precollege Curriculum, Amanda Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers and counselors in a large suburban district in the Southeastern United States strive to collaborate to equip students with key skills needed to succeed in their first year of college. The problem is that little was known about the collaborative challenges teachers and counselors faced as they implemented the precollege curriculum in secondary schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how teachers and counselors collaborate formally and informally to improve the precollege curriculum as recommended by the guidelines of the American School Counselor Association and adopted by the local district. Knowles’s theory of andragogy provided …

Perceptions Of English Teachers About Professional Development For Evidence-Based Writing Practices, Julie Nicole Bollich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Writing teachers in a southern school district have not consistently implemented evidence-based practices (EBPs) in writing instruction as indicated by students not meeting proficiency levels on state and campus writing assessments. Despite professional development (PD) provided to writing teachers, writing assessment scores remained lower than state level scores between 2012 and 2019 at the target campus. Teachers’ perceptions of their competence related to the implementation of writing strategies in the classroom, their perceptions of how district and campus PD supported their skill development, and their efficacy in designing and implementing lesson plans focused on teaching writing strategies were explored in …

Vocational Instructors Experience And Practice Teaching In The Hybrid Environment, Christine Cusano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a technical post-secondary school in the Northeast United States, campus leaders lacked formative data of faculty skills and knowledge needed for instruction in a hybrid format involving both face-to-face instruction and on-line instruction. Therefore, the delivery of appropriate professional development (PD) programs for faculty whose duties include hybrid format instruction has not been provided. The purpose of this study was to identify the faculty experiences of teaching in a hybrid-learning environment, and their perceived PD needs to provide effective instruction in a hybrid-learning environment. This study explored vocational teachers' experiences and perceived PD needs related to teaching in a …

College Teachers' Implementation Of Instructional Strategies To Support Students' English Language Skills, Ayman Mohammad Alhalawany

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The instructional strategies implemented by the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in an international technical college in Saudi Arabia did not prepare students at an intermediate level of proficiency on the Common European Framework of Reference. As a result, more than 77% of the first-year students were not progressing to the specialized diploma studies in the second and third years of their learning journey. Thus, the purpose of this exploratory case study was to better understand the instructional strategies adopted by instructors and the barriers to students developing their English skills. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD) served …

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Teaching Science To Improve Student Content Knowledge, Robert Louis Stephenson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of Grade 5 students demonstrate limited science knowledge on state assessments. This trend has been documented since 2010 with no evidence of improvement. Because state accountability formulas include proficiency scores and carry sanctions against districts that fail to meet proficiency thresholds, improved student performance in science is an important issue to school districts. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary teachers' perceptions about their students' science knowledge, the strategies used to teach science, the barriers affecting science teaching, and the self-efficacy beliefs teachers maintain for teaching science. This study, guided by Vygotsky's social constructivist theory and …

Moving From Theory To Practice: Integrating Mobile Devices In Elementary Reading Instruction, Lisa Marie Bald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology integration continues to be a professional development concern, especially in elementary schools. It remains unclear why there is a difference between how teachers talk about using technology and how they apply it in teaching reading. The purpose of this study was to explore professional development options that would help teachers connect theory to practice by studying their decision-making process. The conceptual framework was based on elements of the knowing-doing gap and reflective practices. The research questions explored (a) the decision-making process, (b) reflective practices used during decision-making, (c) professional development that facilitates closing the knowing-doing gap, and (d) recommendations …