Education Commons^™

District-Funded Common Core Collaboration Grants Used For Teacher Professional Development, Stephanie Pratt Gregson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English language arts and mathematics by the State of California in 2010, a shift in instructional practices along with the level of rigor and expectations for students began. As a result of these changes, a local school district sought a way through district-funded Common Core Collaboration Grants (CCCG) to provide professional development that supported 4th-6th grade teachers in their implementation of the CCSS. The purpose of this qualitative program evaluation case study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of professional development funded by CCCG in supporting 4th-6th …

Professional Learning Communities In A Juvenile Correctional Facility, Altarene Wagner Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little evidence concerning the impact of professional learning communities (PLCs) at juvenile correctional facilities. This qualitative case study explored the implementation of a PLC at a juvenile correctional facility school that housed students 10 to 19 years of age in southeastern United States. The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of teachers and paraprofessionals about how the PLC supported their work as they designed, constructed, and delivered instruction at the correctional facility. The social interactions among engaged educators through collaboration, collective inquiry, reflections, and communication derived from constructivist learning theory. Qualitative methodology included document review …

Evaluating A Student Leadership Program's Impact On Elementary Students' Behavior And Academic Achievement, Stephanie Caracelo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Faculty members at a rural elementary school in a southeastern U.S. state have implemented a student leadership program called Leader in Me (LIM) in order to address increased behavioral disruptions and declining academic achievement scores and also better prepare students for the workforce. To determine the efficacy of the intervention, a mixed methods bounded case study of LIM was conducted. Watson's and Hull's theories of behaviorism support the objectives of the program. The focus of the research questions was on determining whether students' behavior, academic achievement, and leadership skills had changed based on their participation in the program. Quantitative data …

Addressing School Failure And Recidivism Among 10-13-Year-Old Incarcerated Juveniles: A Case Study, Beverly Savoy Nolan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early involvement in delinquent behavior coupled with large academic deficiencies increase the chances of long-term offending over a lifetime. A 2012 Texas report on recidivism rates and types of judicial-related programs offered showed that 1-year reoffense rates for youth in secure placement rose slightly from 41.9% in 2007 to 43.3% in 2010. The primary purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how a Texas-based juvenile probation department coordinated services to address the needs of incarcerated juveniles who are at risk of school failure and recidivism. Maslow's hierarchy of needs framework and Moffitt's developmental classification framework served as the …

Impact Of An Innovative Classroom On Bsn Students' Self-Efficacy And Academic Performance, Laurie Jo Singel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The critical shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States has led to increased enrollment in nursing schools, but the number of graduates is still decreasing, as nursing students struggle and fail in upper division courses. There is a significant gap in knowledge concerning students' self-efficacy (SE) as a factor directly influencing students' academic performance. The problem examined in this correlational study was the impact of collaborative learning in an innovative classroom setting on Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students' SE and academic performance. Framed by Bandura's theory of SE, the research questions examined the relationship between students' …

Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Learning Community Maturity In Catholic Schools, Jane-Marie Fetty Koelsch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many Midwestern Catholic schools have implemented professional learning communities (PLCs) to enhance teacher quality and attain school goals. However, not all schools have aligned practices essential to increase maturity in the five PLC dimensions, as defined by Hord. Guided by Hord's framework, this research study investigated teachers' perceptions of PLC maturity in select Catholic schools. A convenience sample allowed an examination of schools engaged in an initiative that included PLCs. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the Professional Learning Communities Assessment - Revised was administered to 42 teachers in 4 schools. Quantitative survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data …

Stress-Free Digital Activities For The First Days Of School, Rebekah Mcpherson, Haley Wallace

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

The first days of school are a busy time and it is easy for technology to take a back seat, but it does not have to. Whether classrooms are Bring Your Own Device, have an iPad cart, or computer lab, there are many digital activities that can assist teachers with getting the year off to a great start, without adding extra stress. Participants will examine a variety of web-based tools (e.g. Google forms, Infuse Learning, Socrative, Tagxedo, Todaysmeet, Voki, Symbaloo, Kahoot, Powtoon, Padlet, Celly and Easel.ly), apps (e.g. Tellagami, Kodable, Art of Glow, Speakazoo, Evernote, Sketchlot, Showme, and Mindmeister), and …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Influence Of Teacher Collaboration On Teacher Morale, Alison Goldstein

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Currently in secondary education, there is an impetus to have educators collaborate; however, teaching has often been perceived as a solitary occupation, and often logistics prevent collaboration from occurring. Furthermore, the stress of the job, teaching of different disciplines, and low morale can often prevent teachers from collaboration. The research problem addressed in this study reflects the challenges that teachers have with engaging in collaboration. The purpose of the qualitative case study was to understand how teachers are affected by collaboration, the barriers that prevent collaboration, and the possible benefits of collaboration. This case study is grounded in the constructivist …

Strategies For Developing Interpersonal Communication Skills For Business Students, Sharon A. Pope

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Strategies for Developing Interpersonal Communication Skills for Business Students

by

Sharon A. Pope

M.B.A., Cleveland State University, 1995

M.S.H.P/A., University of Cincinnati, 1983

B.Ed., University of Toledo, 1981

Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

Walden University

December 2015

Research has shown that interpersonal communication skills (ICS) are important for employment success, particularly if they are learned by students during college. A private university in Ohio identified the need to enhance students' ICS; however, the university's faculty lacked strategies to teach those required skills. The purpose of this qualitative case study …

Social Studies Teachers' Use Of Twitter And #Edchats For Collaboration, Eric Langhorst

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past studies have indicated that teachers in the United States have limited opportunities to collaborate with peers; this limitation has been found to be particularly problematic for social studies teachers. An increasing number of educators are using the social media application Twitter to collaborate. Little research exists concerning social studies teachers' use of #edchats, a weekly recurring Twitter session. The focus of this qualitative case study was the collaboration that exists among social studies teachers participating in Twitter edchats. The theoretical framework was communities of practice. Transcripts of 10 edchat sessions in 2013 were coded with an a priori strategy, …

Improving Instruction For English Language Learners Through The Development Of Coteaching, Anna Parrish

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have described how a missing element in instructional services for English language learners is effective collaboration between general education and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teachers. This collaboration is vital to the success of English language learners. This multisite case study was designed to gain insight into current practices and how to improve collaboration between educators in a way that improves instructional services for English language learners. Knowles' theory of andragogy, the transfer of learning theory, and constructivism were used as a basis for analyzing educators' perspectives and instructional practices. Two sites were selected for the study-one …

Impact Of Professional Learning Community On Coteaching, Lalita Karpen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A professional learning community (PLC) is designed to increase pedagogical knowledge and encourage collaboration amongst teachers. Many schools are using a variety of PLCs to increase collaboration and improve teaching and learning. The study school implemented a PLC, but collaboration and effective coteaching practice have not improved. Guided by social constructivism and social cognitive learning theories, the goal of this research was to explore coteachers' perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about the overall effectiveness of the PLC coteaching model to improve instructional strategies. A qualitative case study with semistructured interviews to collect data and a narrative analysis for reporting was utilized. …

Promoting Information Literacy Through Teacher - School Library Media Specialist Collaboration, Pamela Denise Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Schools that support collaboration between teachers and school library media specialists (SLMS) outperform those that do not. Teachers at a rural Georgia middle school were not using the library media program or being trained on how to collaborate with the SLMS to promote student achievement. Guided by Bruner's socioconstructivist theory of learning, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to investigate teachers' experiences with integrating technology and information literacy into the curriculum and to examine the collaborative services the SLMS could provide to enhance integration. Eight teachers in Grades 6th through 8th comprised the sample. Data sources included teacher …

College Leve Inqury Learning's Influence On Later Science Thinking Behavior, Eric Gordon Chesloff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Society needs scientists who can collaborate to become keener analysts so that they might better inform citizens. College students who are well educated in science are likely to become better analysts. The purpose of this grounded theory constructivist-oriented study was to illuminate the influence of undergraduate freshman inquiry learning on thinking skills in science courses during the senior college year. The conceptual framework involved the 3 components of the cognitive learning cycle: exploration, concept invention, and application. Research questions concerned college seniors' perceptions of their freshman process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) experience in general chemistry and its influence on their …

The Effectiveness Of Professional Learning Communities As Perceived By Elementary School Teachers, Quonias Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School districts in a southeastern state have faced the challenge of choosing an effective professional development model that assists teachers in improving student achievement. Some school districts have implemented professional learning communities (PLCs) as a means of addressing teachers' professional development. Guided by the social learning theories of Bandura, Vygotsky, and Wenger, the research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of the use of PLC experiences for making classroom decisions and their value for enhancing teacher learning, teacher collaboration, and student learning. Data for this case study were collected from 7 certified elementary teachers in 1 school who had participated in …

Collaborative And Creative Thinking Skill Development Through The Design Of Wearable Technologies, Laurie E. Korte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Skills inherent in the creative thinking process such as reflecting and collaborating are needed for success in many careers. However, a focus on standardized testing in K-12 schools in the United States has resulted in the restructuring, reduction, and in some cases, elimination of arts in the curriculum to the detriment of students' creative thinking process. The purpose of this study was to discover whether creative thinking and collaborative skills were positive unintended consequences of a curriculum that includes the design of wearable technologies. Jonassen's modeling using Mindtools for conceptual change and Rosen's culture of collaboration provided the conceptual framework. …

The Story Of Mentoring Novice Teachers In New York, Kimberly A. Roff

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This case study addressed a gap in literature by focusing on how teachers perceived the impact of mentoring programs on the support and collaboration of teachers. A qualitative case study design was conducted using semistructured interviews and documents. A sample of 16 teachers from two different school districts in New York State participated. The main findings indicated that mentoring benefitted all of those involved in the program. Mentees and mentors in both school districts benefitted from lesson planning, collaborating, and supporting each other. Findings of this study may foster additional support and collaboration for mentees and mentors and possible improvements …

Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research For Professional Academic Development In Higher Education, Elizabeth Johnston, Cheryl Burleigh, Andrea Wilson

Higher Learning Research Communications

Although faculties are more diverse, decentralized, and increasingly isolated in technology-supported modern universities, effective technology use can also foster faculty professional academic development and collegiality. This scoping literature review applied Cooper’s systemic review model and a categorical content analysis technique targeting decentralized collaborative research teams in higher education. Findings indicate technology supports formal and informal university and nonuniversity networks, as well as various collaborative research structures; all contributing to professional academic development. Shared attributes of successful collaborative online teams include a sense of social presence, accountability, institutional and team leadership. Collaborative teams are integral to research and allow more faculty …