Education Commons^™

Northeast Tennessee Educators’ Perception Of Stem Education Implementation, Kristin Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A quantitative nonexperimental survey study was developed to investigate Northeast Tennessee K-8 educators’ perceptions of STEM education. This study was an examination of current perceptions of STEM education. Perceived need, current implementation practices, access to STEM resources, definition of STEM, and the current condition of STEM in Northeast Tennessee were also examined. The participating school districts are located in the Northeast Region of Tennessee: Bristol City Schools, Hamblen County Schools, Johnson City Schools, Johnson County Schools, Kingsport City Schools, Sullivan County Schools, and Washington County Schools. Educational professionals including both administrators and teachers in the elementary and/or middle school setting …

Language Arts Achievement Of Fourth Grade Students With Regard To Gender, Ethnicity, And Socioeconomic Status, Paula C. Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to see if a difference exists in the language arts proficiency levels of 2,080 fourth grade students with regard to gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status from 2010 through 2012 on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program. Specifically, this study considered the possibility that a difference existed in language arts proficiency levels between males and females.

A quantitative study was used to find differences in the language arts proficiency levels from 2010 through 2012 for males and females in the fourth grade in an upper East Tennessee urban school system. A quasi-experimental design was selected because preexisting data …

Summer School: Perceptions Of Summer School Teachers In A Northeast Tennessee School District, Kari Arnold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The requirements of various educational reform movements such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top have left public education systems searching for ways to make sure students are reaching their highest potential. Because of the importance of accountability issues to school systems, it is important to examine ways to help students reach their potential. One tool school districts use to aid in improving student achievement is summer school. This qualitative study provides an overview of the history of summer school. Additionally, it offers a synopsis of various types of summer programs and populations often targeted by summer …

Perceptions Of Tennessee School Principals About The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (Team), Carmen Belcher Bryant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the perceptions of Tennessee principals about the implementation of the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) and the impact of TEAM on teachers’ instructional practice and professional growth. Participants in this study were PK-12 public school principals from 12 districts in the First Region of Tennessee who were implementing TEAM in the 2011-2012 school year. Specifically this research was guided by 8 research questions on principal’s perceptions about TEAM providing appropriate and effective professional growth for teachers and the principal’s perception about their ability to adequately perform the requirements of TEAM. The …

Technology Implementation: Teacher Age, Experience, Self-Efficacy, And Professional Development As Related To Classroom Technology Integration, Stephanie Renee Tweed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the combination of factors that pertain to the implementation of new technologies in the classroom. Specifically, the study was an analysis of the age of the teacher, years of teaching experience, quality of professional development, and teacher self-efficacy as defined by Bandura (1997) to examine the manner in which these factors relate to implementing new technologies in the classroom. Participants in this study were located in 2 different school districts in East Tennessee. All data were collected through an online survey distributed to K-5 teachers by way of email from school …

Professional Development And Teacher Perception Of Efficacy For Inclusion, Susan E. Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed for the purpose of quantitatively examining the significant elements of reform-based professional development and their relationship to teachers’ self-efficacies for inclusion. The theoretical frameworks for this study were drawn from Bandura’s (1997) self-efficacy and social cognitive theory in addition to pre-existing research pertaining to professional development and teacher efficacy for inclusion.

A web based survey was developed and made available for voluntary participation to a total population of 385 elementary school teachers in one East Tennessee school district. Data were collected from 79 elementary school teachers in 14 of the district’s elementary schools.

Findings included no …

Teacher Induction Programs In North Carolina: Factors Relating To Job Satisfaction And The Intent To Remain In The Profession, Hannah S. Reeder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attrition rates continue to rise for beginning teachers. It is alarming that almost half of all new teachers leave the profession within their first 5 years. The “revolving door” that is created negatively affects student achievement. The most common solution to decreasing teacher turnover rates is implementing a comprehensive new teacher induction program. Comprehensive induction programs are designed to increase teacher efficacy, promote quality professional development, and facilitate a collaborative work environment among teachers (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2004).

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine beginning teacher induction programs in the state of North Carolina and the …

The Moral Oppression Of The Teaching Profession: Learning To Transcend, Rebecca Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is both descriptive and philosophical, and at its core, it justifies the need for social foundations of education courses and programs in the university setting. It begins by analyzing the meaning of oppression and the part knowledge plays in confining the individual. The analysis then draws upon Patricia Hill Collins' theory of intersecting oppressions to get at the complexities and restrictions of working in the public schooling institution. It works through the ways in which sexist, classist, and racist practices afflict everyone in the institution through the bureaucratic mechanism and collateral oppression. The four components that make up …

Beyond Survival To Thrival: A Narrative Study Of An Urban Teacher's Career Journey, Kristina Marie Valtierra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Teacher burn out contributes to the epidemic of early career exit. At least half of all new K-12 teachers leave the profession by the time they reach their fifth year of teaching. Conversely, there are urban teachers who survive burn out and thrive as career- long educators.

This qualitative study is an in-depth look into one 40-year veteran teacher's career narrative, answering the question: How did this teacher not only survive but also thrive as a career-long urban teacher? Additionally, the following sub-questions are explored: a) How is her spirit sustained throughout her teacher lifecycle? b) How can her …

Exploring Mathematical Knowledge In Elementary Teacher Candidates With The Use Of Classroom-Based Artifacts, Erica Paige Gillentine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Faculty Engagement With Learning Outcomes Assessment: A Study Of Public Two-Year Colleges In Colorado, Jennifer Lynn Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was the assumption that faculty at the postsecondary level in the U. S. are not sufficiently or effectively engaged with student learning outcomes assessment (LOA) activities and/or practices. This issue emerged in two primary ways within the Scholarship of Assessment (SoA) body of literature: (1) as a misalignment of learning outcomes assessment practices between faculty and their institutions, and (2) as a lack of transparency concerning what faculty are, in fact, doing with respect to LOA activities. Two-year colleges reportedly have particular difficulty in discerning whether or not these issues impact institutional efforts to …

Astronomy Week: An Investigation Of The Implementation And Identity Formation Of Participants, Carl Matthew Dewitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract: our society has a great need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals and educational institutions are currently having difficulty keeping up with society's demand (Carnevale, 2011). Outreach efforts are a key strategy to encouraging young people to pursue STEM careers and evaluation methods need to be used to ensure that this outreach is efficient and effective in helping young students see themselves as prospective STEM professionals (Moskal, 2011). The purpose of this dissertation study was to investigate the implementation of an astronomy week supported by the center for mathematics and science education (CMSE) and its impact on …

Predicting Registered Health Information Administrator Examination Scores, James Condon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences existed among candidates for the Registered Health Information Administrator certification examination that may have characterized the likelihood of acquiring professional certification upon graduation from accredited health information administration education programs. The research was conducted using data acquired from accredited health information administration education programs located across the United States. A total of 197 former student records were obtained and used in the statistical analyses; 118 were employed in correlation analysis and to develop a Registered Health Information Administrator certification examination success prediction model and to establish a 95% Approximate Prediction …

Teachers' Perceptions And Satisfaction With Pbis In A Southeast Georgia School District, Deidra C. Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In today’s educational system, an important concern is student behavior. Problem behaviors can affect students’ academic learning as well as teachers’ instructional time. Many programs and approaches are available to improve student behavior in schools. One school-wide program known as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is designed to help schools create and sustain effective behavioral supports for students. PBIS is a national framework schools can use to help them design and implement behavioral practices for students. It involves all the faculty, staff, and students in a school system. Teachers are important stakeholders in implementing PBIS. If they do not …

The Cultural Studies Of Science Education, Karen D. Chassereau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In an age of accountability, the demands and constraints placed on science teachers seem insurmountable. Teachers are challenged to provide students with authentic scientific experiences, yet the need to prepare students for high-stakes tests remains. The problem of attrition and job stress in the field of science teaching is growing. As pressures rise, it becomes necessary to understand what the culture of science education is like from the perspective of the science teacher. This study sought to define the culture of science education and determine how this culture informs teacher practice in the secondary science classroom. This qualitative case study …

Inquiry, Efficacy, And Science Education, Heather Christa Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Developing learners who are equipped to think critically about the vast information circulating around them is essential in their preparation for a role in society today. The use of effective inquiry-based instruction is not a widespread practice among K-12 classrooms. Many secondary and post-secondary science instructors see the valuable link between students asking questions and the development of critical thinking. Inquiry-based instruction provides student opportunities to ask questions, design methods of investigation, gather information, and finally reach conclusions based on evidence. However, this instruction style is rarely used in the classroom, particularly in elementary classrooms. This study examines the relationships …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Development Activities Which Result In Successful Integration Of Classroom Instructional Technologies, Lisa Blackmon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent research demonstrates the expectation of the use of technology in schools. Advances in technology often require teachers to learn new methods of teaching while trying to keep up with rapidly increasing technological changes. Unfortunately, many teachers report being inadequately prepared to utilize instructional technologies in their classrooms. School leaders have the complex task of providing effective training that meets their teachers’ needs. In this quantitative study, the author sought to determine teachers’ perceptions of professional development activities which result in successful classroom integration of instructional technologies in schools. Teachers from two school districts in Georgia were surveyed. Data were …

Transferability And Alignment Of Program Exemplars In Teacher Preparation, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Public charter schools are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates and staffing difficulties in a rapidly growing sector, as well as obstacles for teachers to obtain certification. Thus, charter school teachers are seeking a “choice” in teacher preparation to meet the innovative needs of the sector. To address critical shortages of highly effective teachers, states are offering both traditional and nontraditional teacher preparation to earn licensure. The goal of this study was to determine if program exemplars from traditional teacher preparation were transferable to, and …

Two Small Rural Schools Under Siege: An Oral History 1969-2012, Deborah Costlow Cartee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is an oral history of the small rural community of Portal, Georgia, its two local schools, and its residents’ successful fight to keep these community schools. Guided by the theoretical framework of critical theory and the works of critical researchers, namely Paulo Freire (1998), Michael Apple (2006), Jean Anyon (2005), and Henry Giroux (2001), one purpose of this study was to discover what we can learn from the experiences of citizens in one small rural community who have been affected by consolidation. Since the account of the relationship between the Portal community and its hometown schools remains untold, …