Education Commons^™

A Qualitative Case Study: Exploring Elementary Principals’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teacher Leadership, Cathy De Leon

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the perceptions of one principal and 10 teachers from a school district in the Rio Grande Valley regarding how leadership is distributed in their schools through the lens of distributed leadership. This study contributes to the small body of literature regarding teacher leadership to foster dialogue and potentially provide opportunities for teachers to take on leadership roles. Recently, the expectations for schools have increased to the extent that leaders are now expected to ensure all students are learning at prominent levels. Today’s public-school principals may benefit from the support of teacher leaders. Results of …

Assessing The Implementation Of Egypt’S Education 2.0 Reform: The Case Of Sohag, Norhan Zahran

Theses and Dissertations

Education is a key component contributing to a country’s socioeconomic status. Accordingly, countries that seek better economic development focus on the quality of education. Egypt realized that and started a series of educational reforms, none of which delivered the desired objectives. Regrettably, this was clear in Egyptian students' poor performance on international tests in the years 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 (World Economic Forum 2013; 2014). In 2018, the Egyptian Ministry of Education announced the launch of Education 2.0 (EDU 2.0) reform which adopted transformative, multidisciplinary, student-centered educational pedagogies to enhance the quality of education. This study presents the results of an …

Fifth Grade Teachers Use Of Cooperative Learning In Science, Liza Ramos

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore Cooperative Learning theories and practice by examining the relationships among three aspects: Experience, Practice and Perceptions. The data were from interview records from eight science teachers.

As a student-centered active pedagogical trend, cooperative learning has become part of one of the most effective and efficient educational trends that has illuminated constructivist science classrooms in South Texas. This method is conducive in the field of education. Students, in general, are encouraged to cooperatively get involved and to collaboratively participate in problem solving, discussions, and/or productions in group sessions to build a sense of community with the …

Navigating The Unfamiliar: The Lived Experience Of Elementary School Teachers As They Navigate The Use Of New Literacies During A Global Pandemic, Sydney Boyer

Theses and Dissertations

New literacies within schools is supported by both education policy and research; despite this, new literacies have yet to enter and transform the classroom. The COVID-19 pandemic offered an unprecedented opportunity to study teachers' experiences as they are required to navigate new literacies while teaching online. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of three upper elementary school teachers as they navigated the use of new literacies in a Title I school during a global pandemic. Data sources included three in-depth interviews and were analyzed through a thematic approach. Data analysis resulted in identifying …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Use And Implementation Of Online Learning In Secondary Career And Technical Education Programs, Jared C. Morris

Theses and Dissertations

The Covid-19 pandemic fundamentally altered the course of education and this is no more evident than in the world of Career and Technical Education (CTE). When the education world was thrust into the remote learning environment, CTE instructors were forced to discover ways to provide students in their programs with high-quality learning experiences without the ability to conduct the hands-on learning experiences that are the hallmark of CTE programs. As we have moved into an endemic stage, a significant opportunity exists in finding ways to create improved methods of instruction in CTE programs that provide students with enhance learning experiences …

Deficit Thinking In Teacher Course Level Recommendations, Andrew Hogan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze teacher perceptions of the impact of deficit thinking in student course level placement to derive greater insight into the causes of the over-representation of students of color in lower-tracked classes. This study was conducted as a virtual focus group using Google Meet that took place across 3 meetings in which 6 teachers participated in activities designed to promote dialogue around the impact of deficit thinking in the placement of students into course levels.

This study found that teachers perceived deficit thinking in institutional deficiencies in meeting the needs of students and the …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Chronically Absent Students, Programs And Interventions: A Mixed Method Study, Claudia Lisi Laplante

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine the relationships between teachers' academic department, years of experience, tenure status, and their knowledge of chronically absent students and the existing programs and interventions to support absent students in their schools. The study utilized a district of five junior-senior high schools in a suburb of New York, which is ethnically and economically diverse. Participants of this study took a survey composed of questions from two different surveys from the organization Attendance Works (an organization dedicated to the improvement of school attendance nationwide). Interviews followed to better interpret and triangulate the …

Exploratory Case Study Of Teachers Finding Support From The Global Educator Facebook Group During The Emergency School Closures Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Maureen A. Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

The emergency school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic impacted students and teachers across the globe. This study explored how the Global Educator Collaborative Facebook group, with over 125,000 members, supported teachers as they adapted to distance learning instruction amid emergency school closures. Through the Facebook group, teachers built a community to share questions, challenges, and seek support from their peers. This study explored how teachers participated in the Facebook group between February 2020 and December 2021 and whether their participation represented Wenger’s criteria for a community of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998). An exploratory case study design …

Emotional Intelligence And Teachers’ Performance In The Classroom In Cairo, Egypt, Wessam Refat

Theses and Dissertations

Effective teachers continue to be in demand in the workforce. Schools and universities need professional teachers who show passion for their jobs and high work performance. This research will investigate the association among teachers’ age, gender, tenure, emotional intelligence (EI) scores, perception of emotional intelligence application in classroom, and perception of any potential impact on their prior year’s self-reported annual teaching evaluations in Madinaty National School in Egypt. For this study, the researcher will utilize mixed methods for data collection based on concurrent design (Creswell, 2014; Kummar, 2014). For additional data collection of teachers’ perspectives on emotional intelligence (EI), the …

Voices From The Field: A Critical Incident Study Of Teachers' Perspectives On What Helps And Hinders The Implementation Of Behavior Intervention Plans In The Classroom, Emily Anne Cragun

Theses and Dissertations

Student problem behavior continues to be a major issue in schools for both teachers and students. Teachers often feel they are not provided with enough resources to help them manage this problem behavior. Students who engage in problem behavior tend to struggle socially and academically. When classified with an emotional disturbance, students are especially at risk due to the severity of the problem behavior they exhibit (Brauner & Stephens, 2006). This study examined how function-based interventions can help both teachers and students better manage the effects of problem behavior. There are several factors believed to hinder the effectiveness of function-based …

An Exploration Of Latinx Generation Z Secondary Teachers’ Lived Experiences, Motivations, And Retention Factors To Teach In The Rio Grande Valley, Kimberly B. Banda

Theses and Dissertations

Generation Z teachers have encountered pivotal events in their lives that have empowered them into becoming change agents in society. They have entered the classrooms during a time of great change in education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing teacher shortages in schools. Generation Z teachers have had to adapt to the changes in education and endure the challenges of transitioning back to face-to-face instruction. As school districts prepare for the post-pandemic era, it is important to capture the lived experiences of Latinx Generation Z secondary teachers to understand the motivation and retention factors that influence their decision …

An Examination Of Attachment And Aspirations In Diverse Rural Youth: The Role Of Peers And Teachers, Gresi Bonomo Irdam

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three studies that examined diverse rural youths’ educational and rural aspirations. These studies have the potential to inform rural communities, educators, and parents by providing novel understandings of how peers and teachers in mathematics and science classrooms influence diverse rural youths’ rural attachment, and aspirations (i.e., educational, rural residential, community, and proximity). Thus, the purpose of this dissertation was to investigate rural teachers and their diverse students from White, African American, Hispanic, and Native American backgrounds. In particular, the studies within this dissertation examine how teachers’ social connectedness to their rural communities relates to their teacher …

A Descriptive Analysis Of An Instructional Coaching Process And Its Impact On Student Reading Learning Outcomes, Frederico Leon Rowe

Theses and Dissertations

Instructional coaching has become a widely used method that focuses on improving teacher effectiveness and enhancing professional growth that might help teachers focus on individual needs, growth in teaching and learning, and sharing best practices with others. Instructional coaches have the potential to bridge that gap. The mixed methods study was conducted to describe the instructional coaching process among grades 2 through 5 teachers. The qualitative differences were similarities between the literacy coach’s and the mathematics coach’s procedures and processes in goal setting, observations, meetings, conferences, and feedback. For grades 2 and 3, the non-coaching group had lower pre-reading scores …

Peer Observation And Feedback As A Professional Development Structure, Malisa Dawn Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

In American schools, teachers seldomly have time to see each other teach resulting in missed opportunities to learn and grow from one another. Participants engaged in peer observation and feedback in order to determine the effectiveness of this professional development structure on practitioner growth, teacher efficacy, and overall teacher satisfaction. Data was collected from multiple sources that indicated several themes of growth resulting from the peer observation and feedback cycles including an increase in flexibility and willingness to have others in classrooms, new practitioner thinking and application to classroom practice, and the expansion of influence on highly effective teachers on …

A Descriptive Mixed-Methods Study Examining Teachers’ Needs And Preferences For Technology Integration Professional Development, Amber Birden

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ needs and preferences for technology integration professional development (PD). To guide the study, three research questions were developed: (1) What are teachers’ needs and preferences for technology integration professional development in K-12 schools?, (2) How are teachers currently integrating technology for teaching and learning in their classroom?, and (3) How do teachers perceive technology benefits and usefulness of technology integration for teaching and learning?

This was a descriptive mixed methods study. The research study included 33 educators from six different U.S. states. Quantitative data was collected from the technology needs assessment …

Pursuing Perceptions: Exploring Ease Of Use, Usefulness, Relevance, Self-Efficacy, And Past Experiences To Describe Influences On Elementary Teachers’ Acceptance Of Digital Game-Based Materials, Andrew L. Simpson

Theses and Dissertations

There are many acceptance factors that might influence teachers’ intent to create instruction supplemented or enhanced with digital game-based materials (DGBM). A mixed-methods exploration of five research questions was used to describe how teachers’ perceived ease of use, self-efficacy beliefs, opinions about usefulness, perceptions of relevance, and past experiences informed their acceptance of digital game-based materials. This research study took place at Hill Street Elementary School, which is a suburban K-5 school within the Kaia County School District. Data collection was conducted using a survey, one-on-one interviews, and fieldnotes. A purposeful sample of nine interview participants from grades K-4, and …

Teachers' Values For The Reduction Of Teacher Attrition In Utah Public Schools, Forrest Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attrition is a major concern of educational systems. Research has investigated causes of attrition but have primarily neglected the role of teachers' values. The aim of this study is to explore how teachers prioritize four different factors: salary, administrative support, medical benefits, and teaching difficulty. Teachers (448) responded to a survey that asked them to (a) order the four factors by importance, (b) decide between job offers that differed with regards to these factors (e.g., a job with better salary or better administrative support), and (c) report information about teachers' characteristics. Data analysis involved exploring how teachers with differing …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teaching Literacy To English Language Learners (Ells) Who Struggle With Reading And Who Are In A Suburban District In New York State, Kara A. Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP; National Center for Education Statistics, 2020) have shown that despite efforts to raise the literacy skill levels of students in elementary school, the average reading scores for fourth-grade students in 2019 were still cause for concern. The NAEP data showed the reading scores in four percentiles (i.e., 10th, 25th, 50th, and 75th) from 2019 dropped in comparison with the corresponding data garnered in 2017 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020). In addition, the number of students whose first language is not English has soared by 105% in the last decade (i.e., …

Teacher Perceptions Of Special Education And Race Disproportionality Within Special Education Classifications, Debra J. Daly

Theses and Dissertations

The lack of involvement of students with disabilities in a regular classroom has remained a major concern in education. Every year, the number of special students escalates. For instance, in the United States, students with disabilities accounted for 13.7% of all students between the ages of three to 21 by 2018 (Kositsky, 2019). According to several reports, it is evident that the lack of inclusion of these students in normal school curricula causes emotional distress, depression, withdrawal from society or suicide in some cases. Every child has the right to access quality education. Institutional leaders know that it is not …

Attrition, Mobility, And Retention Patterns Of Public-School Teachers, Matthew Hise

Theses and Dissertations

Attracting and retaining teachers may be a problem in many rural school districts. According to previous research, teacher attrition is greater in rural regions due to various demographic and other factors. Retention was also cited as a key issue in these rural school districts. The number of teachers quitting their professions before they can retire has risen drastically. In addition, teachers in rural schools and in some suburban and urban places confront obstacles such as lack of resources, little support, poor pay, inconsistent professional development opportunities, and inadequate preparation that cause them to lose their enthusiasm for teaching. Therefore, this …

Teacher Knowledge, Perceptions, And Language Orientations Towards Oral Language Instruction In A Dual Language Classroom, Lucy A. Montalvo

Theses and Dissertations

Dual language (DL) schools provide literacy in students’ native languages; however, it is unknown if there is a focus on oral language (OL) development, an essential component for emergent bilinguals’(EB) literacy development. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study is to understand what DL teachers in Virginia know about OL instruction when providing literacy instruction to EB students. This study also explored DL teachers’ perceptions and language orientations towards OL instruction in a DL classroom. The Holistic Biliteracy Framework by Escamilla et al. (2014) provided a research-based pedagogical model to compare teachers’ knowledge on OL instruction. The Language Orientation Framework …

#Blackfemaleteachersmatter: The Experiences Of Three African American Female Teachers Who Left The Classroom During Their Induction Years, Ashlye Victoria Wilkerson

Theses and Dissertations

This study captured the lived experiences of three African American, female classroom teachers who left the profession within three years of beginning their careers. The main goal that led this research was to center the perspectives of African American women in the conversation about teacher retention, turnover, and attrition percentages that plague the field of education. The primary questions that guided this study were: (1) “What can be learned from the life stories of former African American female teachers who left the teaching profession from South Carolina public classrooms during their induction years?”, (2) “What do their life stories reveal …

Destabilizing The Ivory Tower: An Autoethnography, Chelsea Mcfadden

Theses and Dissertations

The education system of the western world is a tool of hegemony used to command replication of an ontology rooted in oppression. Teachers interested in combating oppression must work toward decolonizing their praxis, a nuanced task accomplished with the help of critical inquiry done through autoethnography. I seek to synthesize literature that validates and confirms autoethnography as a mechanism of critical inquiry. I will explore the following research questions: How does autoethnography function as a tool of decolonization? Are there ways in which it reifies colonizing practices? How might autoethnography be used in the classroom to encourage nontraditional discourse? Themes …

Making A Difference By Being Different: An Examination Of Factors That Contribute To Student Success In Alternative Education Programs, Elizabeth Dragone

Theses and Dissertations

Alternative education can provide a pathway to success for students who require a nontraditional approach. Alternative education is neither general education nor special education; rather, it is a setting or program where instruction is provided outside of the traditional school setting, with modifications made to class size, school day and/or delivery of instruction. Research on alternative programs is limited, and further investigation of factors that contribute to the success of students in alternative settings is warranted. New York State has lagged behind many other states in defining alternative education and providing alternative education options for students. The purpose of this …

Flatten The Hierarchy To Elevate The Profession: The Need For Teacher Leadership To Reinstate Educators As Professionals, Sarah Wasser

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to discover how flattening the educational hierarchy by creating career ladders for teachers as teacher leaders can help elevate teachers to a professional status and elevate their professional self-perceptions. A historical look at education yields a field that has been embattled by politicians, philanthropists, intellectuals, business leaders, social scientists, media outlets, activists, and the public (Goldstein, 2015; Mehta, 2013b, 2013a). Isolation is an ingrained factor that is inherent in the profession itself. There is very little emphasis on sustained learning and growth. Teaching, like nursing, social work, and other highly feminized fields, does not …

Bullying Prevention And Social Justice: Recommendations For Teachers, Anna Grigorian-Routon

Theses and Dissertations

Though bullying was once considered a "rite of passage," in recent years experts have begun to re-conceptualize bullying as an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim and to recognize the deleterious mental health outcomes that are often the result of having experienced or having participated in bullying. This phenomenon is also coming to be viewed more broadly as a human rights violation as it creates and perpetuates barriers for specific student populations to equal access to education. Historically, teachers have been among the most outspoken advocates of social justice issues and are on the front lines of …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports And Its Influence On Effective Implementation, Tiffany J. Baskin-Downs

Theses and Dissertations

The use of a multi-tiered system of supports framework has been of growing interest in addressing issues related to disruptive behaviors and school suspensions. The purpose of this mixed-methods sequential, explanatory study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions (behavioral expectations defined, behavioral expectations taught, and an ongoing system for rewarding behavioral expectations) of their efforts toward implementing Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports with fidelity in two middle schools within an urban school district located in Georgia. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, homogeneity of variance Levene’s test, t-tests, factorial analysis, a one-way analysis of variance, post-hoc tests, frequencies and …

African American Teachers’ Perspectives On Principals’ Leadership Styles And The Influence On Teacher Morale, Ernestine Young

Theses and Dissertations

Morale is a concept that denotes how workers feel about their work and the environment in which they work (Robbins, 2003). Low teacher morale is not a new problem; however, with increasing frequency of low morale, teachers are affected all over the nation because of the financial and academic toll it has on education. Low morale typically impedes the achievement of the organization’s desired outcome and corresponds with unresolved grievances, attrition, and high absenteeism. Low morale is associated with billions of dollars spent per year. Low morale is due to effects such as stress, teacher burnout, absenteeism, attrition, and small …

African American Teachers’ Perspectives On Principals’ Leadership Styles And The Influence On Teacher Morale, Ernestine Young

Theses and Dissertations

Morale is a concept that denotes how workers feel about their work and the environment in which they work (Robbins, 2003). Low teacher morale is not a new problem; however, with increasing frequency of low morale, teachers are affected all over the nation because of the financial and academic toll it has on education. Low morale typically impedes the achievement of the organization’s desired outcome and corresponds with unresolved grievances, attrition, and high absenteeism. Low morale is associated with billions of dollars spent per year. Low morale is due to effects such as stress, teacher burnout, absenteeism, attrition, and small …

Perceptions Of Elementary Teachers Towards The Effectiveness Of Community Resources For Reducing Achievement Gap, Carl L. Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Studies indicate that school-community partnerships have positive impacts on the learners and reducing the educational achievement gap is one of the identified benefits. This study sought to examine the development of educational partnerships from the perspective of the teachers. The researcher assumed that teachers play a significant role in the formation and continuation of the partnerships, thereby influencing their success. Consequently, this study sought to explore teachers’ experiences with educational partnerships regarding improving academic performance and reducing achievement gaps.

The study used purposive sampling to select 7 teachers from Title I Elementary school in Central Florida. The school was targeted …