Education Commons^™

Teaching As Reflective Practice: Papers By Teacher Researchers, Merc Teacher Researchers

MERC Publications

This is a collection of papers by Teacher researchers in different county public school systems put together by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC). Papers in this report include:

- "Why Do They Hide Their Hands?" by Rebecca Miller and Tracy Pausic of Bailey Bridge Middle School, Chesterfield County Public Schools

- "The Fourth "C" of Motivation - Competition" by Sharon P. Eshler of Cold Harbor Elementary School, Hanover County Public Schools

- "A Study of the Implementation of a Math Buddy Program Between Kindergarten Students and Third Graders In An Attempt to Improve Communication Skills" by Melinda Jenkins and …

The Efficacy Of The Collaborative Teaching Model For Academically-Able Special Education Students: A Research Report, Paul J. Gerber

MERC Publications

Collaborative teaching is a model of teaching students with disabilities who are academically-able in general classes. This service delivery model is unlike paradigms of the past that denoted least restrictive place (i.e. resource room instruction and mainstreaming). This model is predicated on direct services in general classrooms where both special education and general education teachers team teach in order to meet the needs of students with disabilities. The model is being used more and more across the country, and it is gaining favor in school divisions in the greater Richmond area. The purpose of this study was to investigate the …

Parental Involvement In Schools: Case Studies Of Three High Schools In A Southeastern Metropolitan Area, Maike Philipsen

MERC Publications

The purpose of this study is to unearth both degree and nature of parental involvement at three high schools. A brief survey of school personnel - distributed at faculty meetings - was used as an indicator of the degree of parental involvement at each school. Furthermore, teachers and staff were asked to nominate "involve" parents as well as parents who seem to perceive barriers to school involvement. Once the surveys has been analysed, a total number of 52 in-depth interviews - lasting between 30 minutes and 2 hours - were conducted with teachers, school administrators, staff, and "involved" as well …

Alternative High School Schedules, John Pisapia, Amy Westfall, Tony Hubert

MERC Publications

Currently there are four scheduling models being used in Chesterfield County Public High Schools. Manchester, Midlothian, Thomas Dale and Meadowbrook High Schools use the traditional six period day which evenly divides the school day into six periods of approximately 51 minutes in length that meet for the full year. Matoaca High School uses a seven period schedule which divides the school day into seven periods of approximately 45 minutes in length that meet for the full year. Clover Hill and L.C. Bird High Schools use a seven period alternating block schedule which divides the school day into three periods of …

Successful Literacy Passport Test Remediation Strategies For Elementary And Middle School Students: A Research Report, James H. Mcmillan

MERC Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine instructional strategies teachers and other school personnel have employed to successfully remediate students who have failed the reading and writing parts of the Virginia Literacy Passport Test (LPT), or the LPT Predictor Test. The intent was to determine if specific approaches seem to work best for different types of students, and if particular materials, teaching strategies, scheduling, and other factors are associated with successful remediation.

A qualitative research design was employed to gather and analyze information related to successful remediation. Classroom and resource teachers who had experience in remediating students who had …

Teaching As Reflective Practice: Papers By Teacher Researchers, Merc Research Teachers

MERC Publications

This is a research report on "Teaching as Reflective Practice" put together by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium. The research papers in this report include:

"Expectation and Innovations: A Nation At Risk; Shopping Mall High School; Horace's Compromise" by Angela Pickels and Brettina Sanchez of Monacan High School, Chesterfield County Public Schools.

"The Successful Interdisciplinary Class Must Secede From the Traditional" by Puck Snidow and Margaret Flanagan of Clover Hill High School, Chesterfield County Public Schools.

"What Has Been the Impact of Beaverdam Elementary Schools's Computer Network on Teachers?" by Katherine W. Benkert and Donna Kouri of Beaverdam Elementary School, …

The Efficacy Of The Collaborative Teaching Model For Serving Academically-Able Special Education Students: A Review Of Liturature, Paul J. Gerber

MERC Publications

Collaborative teaching is the latest attempt by the field of education to address the instructional needs of students with disabilities in at least restrictive environment. It is distinctive in design because of the focus of the collaborative teaching concept is keeping students with disabilities in regular classes to be educated alongside their non-disabled peers (a "keep in" program versus a "pull out" program. In a collaborative teaching arrangement both regular and special educators use their coincidental and complementary skills to teach students with disabilities. Because of the diversity of learning arrangement needed in classrooms with students with disabilities, collaborative teaching …

Scheduling Secondary Schools: Questions And Answers, Lynn Westfall

MERC Publications

Some researchers believe scheduling techniques have changed frequently and dramatically since the early 1960's. And, there is no doubt that changes have occurred in education. Changes such as the development of computerized scheduling techniques in the 1960's; the increase in the number of courses offered; the concern for equal opportunity; the individualization of instruction; and the increase in the variety and flexibility of scheduling models available to schools, led to a growing awareness of accountability by the 1970s (Dempsey * Traverso, 1983). The quality of individual opportunity prompted educators to revitalize conventional scheduling, and to consider diverse options.

Though such …

Parent Involvement In Public Education: A Review Of The Literature, Cifford Fox

MERC Publications

At the direction of the Policy and Planning Council, A MERC Study Group began meeting in September, 1994 for the purpose of planning and directing a study of parental involvement in public schools. This literature review represents the first product of that process. Research over the past several decades has shown that involving parents in the process of educating their children provides substantial advantages for their education (e.g., Stevenson and Baker, 1987; Henderson, 1987; Moles, 1982; et.al.). In a representative statement, Rebecca Crawford Burns summarizes the literature on the benefits of parent involvement to the education process as follows:

"Meaningful …

State-Of-The-Art Technology Applications, Amanda Parks, John Pisapia

MERC Publications

This document provides information on descriptions of state-of-the-art technology using schools across the country. It is a resource that can be used by teachers, school administrators, and researchers who are investigating the varying applications of technology in the classroom. It should be helpful in: 1) learning how other schools have implemented similar technology and integrated in within specific curricula, 2) planning, purchasing, adopting, or implementing technology in a classroom or entire school, and 3) it serves as a valuable resource to identify such schools already engaged in exceptional educational technology usage.

Performance-Based Assessment: Lessons Learned From Leading School Districts, John Seyfarth

MERC Publications

There is a strong sentiment among educators in the United States to change traditional methods of measuring student achievement. Many of those who favor such a change advocate the adoption of performance assessment. This project examines practices in three school districts that are recognized as leaders in the development and implementation of performance assessment programs in schools. Data were collected by interviews with district administrators and from documents. The finds of the study are presented in this report.

Performance assessment refers to a process for appraising learning that requires students to perform tasks designed for the purpose of demonstrating specified …

The Nctm Standards: Implementation, Kathleen M. Cauley, John Van De Walle, William T. Hoyt

MERC Publications

In 1989 the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics published the "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics." The NCTM standards provides benchmark statements about specific aspects of the curriculum and about evaluation against which school divisions can judge their own specific curricula. The Standards has been a major focus of mathematics education since 1990.

In the fall of 1992 the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium undertook a study to determine the extent to which local schools were implementing the NCTM Standards. The study of the schools in the Consortium focused on the broad themes of the Standards document: mathematics as …

Audit Of Internal Communication Practices Among Special Education Personnel In The Virginia Department Of Education, John Pisapia

MERC Publications

The overall goal of this study was to provide recommendations and a mechanism to assist the DOE in providing proper communication of issues and coordination of activities involving the provision of services for children with disabilities. The research team employed a case study approach centered around a modified communications audit.

The study addressed the following three questions: 1) what is the current communication and coordination system for internal personnel involved with special education issues? 2) what are the strengths, weaknesses and barriers to use of the system? 3) what recommendations can be offered to improve internal communications and coordination among …

Learning Technologies In The Classroom: Case Studies, John Pisapia

MERC Publications

These case studies were commissioned by the Virginia Department of Education during the development of the State Master Plan for Technology. The case studies complement an exhaustive review of the literature also conducted during the development of the Master Plan for Technology. The information found in these case studies makes it possible to approach technology decisions at the school level with a healthy blend of informed instinct and analytical deliberation.

The case studies collected information under three broad categories; an organizational profile, technology profile, and resource profile. Each of these areas were further broken down into sub areas to organize …

Implementation Of The Nctm Standards By District: Chesterfield County Public Schools, Summary Of Results, William T. Hoyt

MERC Publications

This report summarizes the responses of Chesterfield County teachers to "Mathematics Instructional Practices in the Richmond Metropolitan Area," a survey which was distributed in March, 1993. This document is a supplement to the fall MERC report entitled "Implementation of the NCTM STANDARDS in the Metropolitan Area: Final Report," and is intended for the use of Chesterfield administrators. Although designated to be self-explanatory, this supplement will likely be most useful to readers who are familiar with the full report.

Technology: Review Of Literature Executive Summary, John Pisapia

MERC Publications

This literature review focuses on the application of technology (primarily the computer) to education. It is organized to present background information to familiarize the reader with basic issues relevant to teaching with technology, the restructuring of American schools, and the performance one could expect from the infusion of technology into schools and classrooms. Furthermore, it summarizes findings regarding access and equity, in-service and pre-service education, and funding and facilities.

After the decade of enthusiasm, there still is no single compelling vision driving the infusion of technology into the schools; four have been projected.

1. The Social Rationale. Policy makers want …

Increasing The Academic Pool Of Minority Students For Higher Education, Diane J. Simon

MERC Publications

The review of the literature on "Increasing the Academic Pool of Minority Students for Higher Education" was conducted in response to a request from the Virginia Department of Education R.F.P. #92-3 Team. The paper examines the factors that have an impact on increasing the number of minority students prepared to attend and succeed in college and reviews a number of successful programs, many of which are supported by business and industry. In addition to these two basic areas of inquiry, the R.F.P. #92-3 Team requested that the problem of increasing the minority student pool for college be examined in the …

Performance-Based Assessment: Questions And Answers, John T. Seyfarth

MERC Publications

A number of states, schools and school districts are engaged in efforts to develop and implement new forms of assessment. These efforts are known by several names. Performance assessment, the term used in this paper, refers to tasks that require students to construct responses or take actions to demonstrate specified knowledge or skills. Performance assessment tasks appear in a variety of formats ranging from open-ended questions to demonstrations of skills or comprehensive collections of bodies of work over time. The tasks focus on higher order skills are non-routine and are sometimes loosely structured. Students may be called upon to make, …

Learning Technologies In The Classroom: Review Of Literature, John Pisapia, Jeanne Schlesinger, Amanda Parks

MERC Publications

This literature review focuses on the application of technology (primarily the computer) to education. It is organized to present background information to familiarize the reader with basic issues relevant to teaching with technology, the restructuring of American Schools, and the performance one could expect from the infusion of technology into schools and classrooms. Furthermore, it summarizes findings regarding access and equity, in-service and pre-service education, and funding and facilities.

After a decade of enthusiasm, there still is no single compelling vision driving the infusion of technology into the schools; four have been projected.

1. The Social Rationale. Policy makers want …

Learning Technologies In The Classroom: A Study Of Results, John Pisapia

MERC Publications

The Research reported in this paper focuses primarily on the shot term question, "Do learning technologies effect student learning?" It utilizes a meta analytic technique to review comparative studies of differing technologies under different conditions.

A study had to meet the following criteria to be included in this analysis: It 1) took place in a classroom; 2) had a control and treatment group structure; 3) was free of major methodological flaws, and 4) provided either an effect size or the data to calculate one. The 184 studies selected for this review represent a diverse array of district and vendor evaluations, …

National Assessment Of Educational Progress In Mathematics: Analysis And Interpretive Remarks Of Teh State Of Mathematics Achievement, John Pisapia, Ena Gross

MERC Publications

The National Assessment of Educational Progress's Mathematics assessment (hereafter the report) provides the national, educational policy makers, and practitioner the opportunity to stop pretending not to know. The report plainly confronts our own professional knowledge regarding mathematics education. In many instances it conforms much of what research has all ready described and what we have feared regarding mathematics education.

In some instances the report agrees with Carol Glickman's view that "professionals have gone about the business of teaching and operating schools in ways they privately admit are not in the best interests of students." From this view one of the …