Education Commons^™

Language, Culture, And Identity Negotiation: Perspectives Of Adolescent Japanese Sojourner Students In The Midwest, Usa, Reiko Akiyama

Open Access Dissertations

This qualitative research highlights the voices and lived experiences of adolescent Japanese sojourner students and their mothers residing in the Midwest. The central goals of this research are to understand what adolescent Japanese sojourner students’ school experiences in the U.S. are like—particularly in areas with small Japanese populations—and how their experiences in the U.S. shape their current identities as cultural and linguistic minority students. This research also aims to learn how the students’ sojourning experiences influenced their mindsets as future returnee students. I conducted an in-depth case study with a phenomenographic approach as the theoretical framework to deeply investigate the …

Self-Study Of A Supervisor Making Connections In An Integrated Instructional Third Space In Elementary Mathematics And Field Experience, Katie Arndt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Too often teachers see mathematics as a culturally neutral subject. Teacher educators need to be aware of their own practice and how it impacts the facilitation of preservice teacher learning, in particular in relation to elementary mathematics and culturally responsive teaching. This qualitative self-study focused on understanding a teacher educator’s enactment of an espoused platform in an integrated instructional third space of an elementary field experience and an elementary mathematics methods course in relation to culturally responsive teaching and mathematics. The research questions guiding this self-study were: (1) In the context of the selfstudy, to what extent do I enact …

Fostering The Mobilization Of Knowledge From Professional Development To The Classroom, Robert J. Williams

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study examined the extent to which professional knowledge, acquired from professional development programs in education, was mobilized in elementary school classrooms. The author investigated the alignment of participants’ perceptions and actions with the aims of professional development providers, studied teachers' in-depth experiences of that professional development, and noted the key aspects of professional development that related to knowledge mobilization. The project acquired data from four elementary school teachers employing semi-structured interviews, multiple classroom observations and teacher-generated and published documents. Participants’ perceptions of professional development were influenced by the following factors: impact on income, personal/professional growth and professional collaboration. Additionally, …

An Effort Toward Collaborative Problem Solving In Teacher Candidates’ Practicum: Reflection In Action, Jerome Christopher Bollato

Dissertations

This qualitative study explores my role as the clinical educator of a university practicum field experience at a public elementary and middle school. Nine teacher candidates participated in this action research that focused on changes implemented over the course of a semester to improve collaborative problem-solving inquiry and discussion. The primary data sources include audio-taped transcripts of purposely selected seminars, pre and post observation conferences, online student discussion board posts on the Learning Management System (LMS) and researcher’s field notes. Findings reveal that, through integration of multiple sources of student input, a clinical educator may develop a more complete feedback …

Experiences Of Agricultural Education Preservice Teachers Engaging In Critical Friendships, Sable Sellick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Like educators in other disciplines, agricultural education preservice teachers must find ways to improve as teachers using methods such as reflection or peer observation. Critical friendship combines both, promoting reflection through the use of a critical friend who observes an individual’s teaching and provides constructive criticism to help the individual advance their practice. This qualitative study sought to use the critical friendship concept to assist agricultural education preservice teachers in reflecting on their teaching techniques. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups; one group selected a critical friend in agricultural education, and the other group selected a critical …

Preservice Teachers Engaged In Professional Learning Community To Explore Critical Literacy, Vanessa Casciola

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As demographics change, our school populations are ever changing. Preservice teachers (PSTs) need to be aware of how to meet the needs of all of their future students. Teacher education programs have been charged with the duty of preparing these PSTs for the diverse school population they will encounter. This qualitative multiple case study focused on the influence of specific work with PSTs in the inquiry process within a learning community to make sense of critical literacy. The following research questions guided this study: (1) How do elementary PSTs engaged in practitioner inquiry make meaning of critical literacy instruction within …

A Pedagogy Of Multiliteracies Into Practice: A Case Study In One Grade One Literacy Classroom, Xing Meng Ms.

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

With the rise of technology, literacy concepts in the 21^st century have challenged traditional literacy practices that have relied primarily on print media. Recent research has alerted early-years educators to the new understandings and significance of multiliteracies. These new understandings will better prepare classroom practices that purposefully design learning opportunities to accommodate diverse young learners in an era of evolving education.

This qualitative case study responds to these imperatives by showcasing a lived story of a grade one teacher who has implemented multiliteracies pedagogy in her classroom. Multiliteracies pedagogy has facilitated her effort in creating meaningful learning opportunities for …

Inconsistent Conceptions Of Acceleration Contributing To Formative Assessment Limitations, Gregory D. Kranich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become a national priority in light of measures indicating marginal student interest and success in the United States. Just as evidence is integral to policy decisions, so too do teachers depend on evidence to inform instructional choices. Classroom assessment remains a touchstone means of gathering such evidence as indicators of students’ progress, and increasingly, teachers are designing, implementing, and interpreting assessments in collaboration with one another.

In rural Maine, the work of the Maine Physical Sciences Partnership (MainePSP) has enabled science educators to come together as a supportive professional community. We focused …

Self-Directed Learning: A Potential Predictor Of Technology Integration Confidence Among Preservice Teachers, Jeffrey L. Beard

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between self-directed learning (SDL) and the confidence to integrate technology into the classroom among preservice K-12 teachers enrolled at a large southeastern university. The intent was to determine the extent to which SDL is related to technology integration confidence and, further, to what extent SDL predicts technology integration confidence. In this study, the Personal Responsibility Orientation—Self-Directed Learning Scale (PRO-SDLS) (Stockdale, 2003; Stockdale & Brockett, 2010) was used to measure levels of learner self-direction. Additionally, the Technology Integration Confidence Scale (TICS) (Browne, 2009) was revised (TICS-R) and was used to measure …

The Importance Of Linguistic Diversity Instruction Within Teacher Education Programs, Rhiannon L. Finney

Honors College Theses

The United States is continuously growing, and as it grows it has become more and more diverse. As diversity increases, awareness of culture becomes a more pressing and important manner. So, while schools have often worked to include and encourage multiculturalism and diversity within their boundaries, one major section has been left out of the equation. The importance of linguistic diversity is vastly misunderstood and left out of teacher education programs, negatively impacting young students, particularly those of traditionally marginalized groups. In order to better prepare prospective teachers and to help provide a real social change in an inherently racialized …

An Examination Of Elementary Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs For Teaching Reading, Michele Miller Schaich

Education Dissertations and Projects

In the United States, an alarming number of students cannot read proficiently, though there is best-practice research on how to effectively teach readers at all levels. This study examined the impact teacher preparation courses as well as the student teaching experience had on preservice teachers’ self-efficacy for literacy instruction. An extensive review of the literature revealed there is not a large body of research that is literacy content-specific and focused on the preservice teacher efficacy. This study is significant in that the process of teacher preparation in universities is one of continuous improvement. Professors of teacher preparation courses must rely …

Understanding Through Narrative Inquiry : Storying A National Writing Project Initiative., Amy Renee Vujaklija

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This narrative inquiry study informed the understanding of a professional development planning process within the National Writing Project Assignments Matter initiative sponsored by the Literacy Design Collaborative. Because little has been written about teacher-leaders in the roles of planning professional development for colleagues, this narrative inquiry used the three dimensions of situation, continuity, and interaction (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Dewey, 1938) to explore interviews, large and small group meeting recordings, and email communications among leadership team members during an initiative to plan professional development. Qualitative data analysis included coding of attributes, process, in vivo, and patterns (Saldaña, 2013). Pattern coding …

The Curriculum Orientations Of Secondary Stem Teachers And Their Beliefs About Sound Grading, Nathan D. Dean

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This study explored two questions: 1) In what ways are the curriculum orientations of STEM teachers predictive of their beliefs regarding sound grading practices? and 2) How do STEM teachers who have received formal training in assessment differ in their grading beliefs from those who have not? A survey instrument was issued to a sample of secondary science and mathematics teachers (n=89) taken from a metropolitan, northwestern school district. The subsequent analyses showed a significant relationship between the self-actualization orientation and the inclusion of non-academic factors when assigning grades. It was also found that participants who had received formal assessment …

Teachers' Preparation To Teach English Language Learners (Ells): An Investigation Of Perceptions, Preparation, And Current Practices, Pamela K. Correll

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

This qualitative case study examined the perceptions of 79 elementary teachers regarding their preparation to teach students learning English as a second language (ELLs). The focus of this inquiry centered on factors related to the preparation of teachers for serving non-native English speaking students. The research questions that guided this study are: (a) What are teachers’ perceptions of their preparation for teaching English learners?; (b) What types of preparatory experiences do teachers perceive as supportive of their preparation for teaching ELLs?; and (c) How do teachers’ perceptions of their preparation shape their practices with ELL students?

Findings of this study …

Captivating College Classrooms: Applications Of Aesthetic Themes For Higher Education, Amanda Lynne Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the intentions and practices of aesthetically-minded college educators and their use of aesthetic themes (CRISPA) in the classroom. These topics were explored through interviewing and observing participants under the qualitative framework of educational connoisseurship and criticism. Three research questions guided this study: (a) What are the intentions of aesthetically-minded educators who purposefully utilize CRISPA in higher education? (b) How do the aesthetic themes (CRISPA) operationalize in college classrooms? And (c) what is the significance of the intentions and practices of aesthetically-minded educators for higher education and for education in general? The findings show that the intentions of …

Bringing The Best And Brightest To Teacher Education, Mary Ann Parker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research discusses historical, societal, and educational contexts leading to negative perceptions of public school education in the United States. The qualitative phenomenological research study explored the lived experiences of students participating in a unique scholarship program for high achieving students in teacher education. The study focused on fellows participating in the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program (METP), a full scholarship opportunity allowing top performers to study secondary education at either Mississippi State University or the University of Mississippi. The study focused on University of Mississippi METP scholarship recipients and explored the conflict fellows experienced as a result of pursing …

Contextual Experiences Of Overseas Trained Teachers Before And After Obtaining A Teaching Position In A Public Secondary School Of Western Australia And South Australia In Reference To Their Cultural Perspectives, Sushmita Datta Roy

Theses

The focus of this research was an exploration of the experiences of overseas trained teachers in the public secondary schools of Western Australia and South Australia, in reference to their cultural perspectives. Due to ongoing teacher shortage in the Australian public secondary schools (Weldon, 2015) many overseas trained teachers opt to migrate to Australia in the hope of establishing a new teaching career in the country. In the process, overseas trained teachers often undergo a range of contextual experiences, some that are challenging and some rewarding. It becomes meaningful, therefore, to explore the contextual experiences of overseas trained teachers and …

Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Reading And Language Arts Preparation And Preparedness For The State Subject Area Test, Ingrid Ahrens Massey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since changes to the reading/language arts State Subject Area Test (SSAT) in late 2010, elementary education teacher candidates at a teacher training college in the Southern United States have experienced declining scores resulting in test failure and delaying student teaching and graduation. The purpose of this case study was to identify factors that students and faculty perceived as most beneficial in preparing students to pass the SSAT. Constructivism served as the conceptual framework for this study addressing the effects of collaboration, hands-on learning, and application of knowledge. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 6 elementary education students who had taken …

Professional Development Of Head Start Teachers In Emotional And Instructional Support, Marilyn Mcleod Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the southwest region of Tennessee, a local Head Start program classroom assessment scoring system's (CLASS) scores fell in the lowest 10% among national Head Start programs in emotional and instructional support. Since 2012, the Office of Head Start has released reports showing that the average Head Start program has low performance CLASS emotional and instructional support scores. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to investigate the professional development of local Head Start teachers with low CLASS scores in emotional and instructional support. Knowles's adult learning theory of andragogy was the overall conceptual framework and the concentrated theory …

Developing The Whole Teacher: A Phenomenological Case Study Of Student Teachers' Emotional Experiences In One Teacher Education Program, Kathleen M. Crawford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student teaching serves as the culminating field experience in the majority of teacher education programs, and studies have revealed the need to investigate the connection between pre-service teachers and the emotions they experience, express, and manage. Therefore, the overarching purpose of this phenomenological case study was to examine how one Early Childhood (PreK-5^th) Education Program addressed and prepared teachers for the emotional dimensions of teaching, as well as to examine the emotional experiences of the student teachers. The results of this study revealed the need for teacher education programs to amend the ways in which they prepare pre-service …

A Survey Of Preservice Teachers' Attitudes On Integrating Students With Disabilities In Inclusive Education Classrooms, Kelsey K. Mcnamee

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are more than 2.4 million American public school students identified with learning disabilities who are served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). General education preservice teachers are expected to effectively teach all students, including those with disabilities. However, most teacher preparation programs only require a single course in teaching students with disabilities. Research shows that that teachers’ attitudes regarding inclusion are the greatest predictor of a successful inclusion classroom. This study explored the attitudes of preservice elementary and preservice secondary teachers regarding integrating students with disabilities into general education classrooms. A quantitative research design with a survey …

Teacher Educators' Use Of Research-Based Literature In Their Pedagogical Practice, Leigh Yannuzzi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Teacher education programs are situated at a critical point of intersection between the worlds of P-12 education, higher education, and educational policy. However, description and analysis of teacher educator programs, and specifically teacher educator practice, has yet to consider the role research literature plays in faculty work with pre-service teachers. This study provides an exploratory examination of knowledge dissemination in teacher education and analyzes mechanisms for, challenges to, and influences on the use of research literature with pre-service teachers. It contributes to scholarship by providing new knowledge about how teacher education faculty use the dissemination mechanism of course syllabi to …