Education Commons^™

On-Site, Ongoing, And Individualized Professional Development: A Case Study At Rural Charter School, Ashley Funderburke

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The current model of mass professional development for all teachers does not address the individual needs of each teacher (Berckenmeyer, 2014; Darling-Hammond et al., 2009; DeMonte, 2013). This case study research focused on reaching a deeper understanding of an on-site, ongoing, individualized professional development innovation implemented at Rural Charter School for eight primary teachers as they began to apply a new instructional model; the integration of English-Language Arts standards into the science, social studies, and mathematics. My role within the study fluctuated between that of the researcher, an informant, and a teacher leader in delivering the personalized professional development.

Two …

Sustaining Change Through Individualized Coaching, Jody Worth

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This study reveals educators’ journey through a change process as an innovation was being infused throughout their instructional practices. Traditional professional learning is not fashioned to address the ongoing concerns teachers have and the structure to sustain change. There is evidence to suggest that teachers are resistance to change due to the lack of attention placed on individualized change. This research investigates the topics of organizational change, individual change, evolution of professional development, teacher resistance, and individual coaching to lead to a deep understanding of the structural components of teacher support in order for change to transpire. This research is …

Digital Fluency: Necessary Competence For Teaching And Learning In Connected Classrooms, Agnes Chigona

The African Journal of Information Systems

Educators’ digital fluency has been noted as one of the most important skill required for effective curriculum delivery in connected classrooms. Research and anecdotal evidence show that even though many Western Cape classrooms have internet connectivity, many of the educators are unable to take advantage of the connectivity for teaching and learning. Hence, this paper focuses on the educators’ digital fluency as a necessary competence for effective curriculum delivery in connected classrooms. The study was done qualitatively. Randomly selected educators from public schools participated in the one-on-one and focus group interviews. Results show that most educators perceive their digital fluency …

Zero Tolerance, Zero Justice: Teacher Perceptions Of Using Restorative Justice, Ajayi Monell

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

While many schools are spending millions on instructional programming, new technology, and colorful chart paper for data walls, an area that often takes a back seat to improving achievement is the social and emotional learning of students (SEL). Until the education community starts focusing on the well-being of our students, closing the achievement gap will continue to be a nice catch phrase and not a reality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of K-8 teachers to determine how they felt about the use of Restorative Justice, with a focus on Peace Circles. This study explored this …

Cognitively Guided Instruction In Elementary Mathematics: Understanding Factors That Influence Classroom Implementation, Teresa A. Conowal

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This study focused on the teaching technique known as cognitively guided instruction (CGI), through which teachers explore the individual learning styles of their students and use the information they gather to teach more complex concepts more effectively. The focus of this study was on 10 elementary mathematics teachers, with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of the reasons they are making limited use of CGI techniques in their classrooms. The study used interviews and classroom observations of the 10 participants to identify the factors influencing their willingness or reluctance to apply CGI techniques to their instructional practices. The study …

Exploring The Interpersonal Dynamics Of The Supervisory Triad Of Pre-Service Teacher Education: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis, Anna E. Hart

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Clinical field experience is recognized by many as the most influential and beneficial component of pre-service teacher education (Borko & Mayfield, 1995). At the core of this experience is the supervisory triad, consisting of the pre-service teacher, mentor teacher, and university supervisor. Utilizing positioning theory as its theoretical framework, this qualitative meta-synthesis synthesized eleven pieces of empirical research focused on the interpersonal dynamics of the supervisory triad. The findings of this study reveal three primary factors of influence, four primary patterns of communication, and many modes of positioning of self and others as influential to pre-service teachers’ clinical experiences. The …