Education Commons^™

Practice-Based Coaching And Early Childhood Professional Standards In A Diverse Field, Julie Betthauser

Graduate Teacher Education

Abstract

The field of early childhood education has long relied on professional development strategies to support teachers with varying degrees of education who enter the field from a variety of disciplines. Research indicated educators needed intensive and individualized professional development efforts that were integrated into daily practice (Rodgers, Kennedy, VanUitert, & Myers, 2019). Practice-based coaching has been used as a professional development strategy in early childhood classrooms to develop educators’ knowledge and skills in best practices for young children. Thirty-two empirical studies conducted since 2011 on the process, effectiveness, and assessment of practice-based coaching were reviewed to identify coaching components, …

Academic Librarians’ Motivation Toward Professional Development In The United Arab Emirates Federal Higher Education Institutions, Asma Othman Alkatheeri

Foundations of Education Theses

This thesis is investigating the status of professional development (PD) for academic librarians in the United Arab Emirates. The first objectives of the thesis is to investigate the current Professional Development in terms of activities, organization and effectiveness of the programs for academic librarians in Federal Higher Education Institutions in the United Arab Emirates, from the point of view of the librarians. The second objective is to explore the extent to which academic librarians are motivated toward Professional Development in the United Arab Emirates Federal Higher Education Institutions. Qualitative research method has been utilized and data are collected via interviews …

Pd In International Schools: Getting The Right Message Out, Niall Johnson

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

This Organisational Improvement Plan aims to outline how to improve the organisation and delivery of professional development at a for-profit international school in the Middle East. It examines the organisational context of the school, and the structure of the greater system of which it is part. The role of its regional context is discussed, with the effect on the operation of the school made plain. As a vision for change must rest on solid theoretical foundations, the conceptual lens through which the problem of practice is explored, as are appropriate issues that arise in relevant literature. It then examines the …

The Training Of Elementary Assistant Principals, Nailya Jarocki

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the most important professional development topics and practices for preparing teachers to become elementary assistant principals, as perceived by panel of experts. An additional purpose was to identify strategies for implementing the most important practices for the preparation of teachers to become elementary assistant principals.

Methodology: A classical Delphi method was utilized to collect perceptual data from a panel of California elementary school principals and administrators at county, district offices of education, and at the university level in California that met specific criteria regarding their education, years of experience, completion …

The Principal’S Impact On The Success Of Mathematics Professional Development, Michael Chad Staheli

Theses and Dissertations

Principal involvement is recognized as a key component to success in professional development implementation. Both the principal efforts undertaken, and the visions stated influence teacher development and student achievement. Using the instructional, transformational, and learning-centered models of leadership, as well as frameworks in vision, and organizational theory, this research sought to clarify the impact of principal involvement on student performance. Interview data was collected from 16 principals participating in a mathematics professional development program entitled the Comprehensive Mathematics Initiative. Of the participants, 9 of the principals were from schools that achieved high levels of student performance on standardized mathematics tests …

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Integration Of Technology Into Pedagogy, Joe George Gerez

All Theses And Dissertations

The aim of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of the integration of technology into pedagogy. Data collection occurred from analyzing middle school teacher’s experiences, observations, and motivation following a technological implementation initiative into pedagogy. The evaluation of the study data included the analysis of surveys and interpretation of in-depth interviews of teachers. A pedagogical focus on teacher integration of technology supported by the self-determination theory as the research study’s theoretical framework examining human motivation was appropriated to the case study. As educational leaders face significant challenges in understanding the impact of teachers’ perceptions …

District Leadership Building Principal Capacity In Improving Teacher Quality: Implementing Effective Professional Development, Karen Mitterling Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This article focuses on lessons learned from district implementation of Utah Senate Bill 64 passed in 2012, which requires large-scale reform in evaluating teacher quality. This statemandated reformation effort requires all principals to evaluate teacher performance using new state teacher standards adopted in 2011. District implementation efforts used effective professional development that included peer collaboration and practicum experiences as evidenced by successfully certifying all principals in the evaluation of teacher performance. Twenty-seven principals representing nine districts were selected for this qualitative study. Data was collected during a one-on-one interview with each principal to gather insights about district efforts to prepare …

Student And Teacher Attitudes Toward Giftedness In A Two Laboratory School Environment: A Case For Conducting A Needs Assessment, Jennifer Riedl Cross, Tracy Cross, Andrea D. Frazier

Jennifer Cross

Providing effective professional development in laboratory schools around topics that can be divisive, such as preparing a school environment for expansion of gifted education services, can be quite difficult. However, doing so based on data collected through a needs assessment can be invaluable to the planning process. As part of a needs assessment in preparation to enroll 100 new gifted students, students and teachers (N=171) from a unique setting in which a residential school for gifted high school students is housed within a laboratory school were surveyed using F. Gagné and L. Nadeau’s (1991) Opinions about the Gifted …

Peer Observation As A Job-Embedded Professional Development Tool, Daniel J. Breiman

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Teacher professional development is typically provided outside of the workplace, and is therefore disconnected to daily classroom practices. An alternative model of professional development is peer observation, which is contextualized through coaching and collaboration in the classroom. To date, research and investigation into the practice of peer observation is lacking. To fill that gap, this study examined the influence of peer observation on teacher practice, while identifying factors that were most beneficial and challenging about peer observation and its influence on workplace collegiality.

This study used qualitative methods and action research that allowed teachers to be part of the research …

Providing A Platform: An Examination Of How Teachers Utilize And Practice Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Hannah Storm

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

For this study, I posed the following question to guide my research: How do elementary teachers reshape and change curriculum and/or teaching practices when provided the opportunity through professional development? Specifically, the study examined K-2 teachers at two different elementary schools in Minnesota. The study aimed to determine how teachers implemented and redesigned curriculum material when provided optional professional development sessions, focused on educational equity, multiracial/multicultural read aloud(s), and culturally responsive teaching strategies. Further, this study focused on how these teachers successfully or unsuccessfully reshaped components of curriculum and teaching practice in order to be more equitable, relevant, and responsive. …

Corporate E-Learning: Perceptions Of Persistence And Satisfaction, Staci Bain

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

This study examined eLearning perception factors of persistence and satisfaction in a for-profit business setting. The input of 32 company leaders, eLearning content designers, and course participants was investigated to identify the convergent and divergent eLearning beliefs of stakeholders. Using the Delphi consensus-building method, results suggested three salient course elements influenced eLearning persistence and satisfaction. Findings highlight the importance of being cognizant to include specific factors in eLearning courses when designing and implementing online learning, while also acknowledging and navigating the divergent eLearning beliefs of corporate stakeholders.

Exploring The Capacity Development Of Novice School Administrators: It's Not Only Where Capacity Sources Are Accessed But Also How, Aaron Ross Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

Although many school districts provide inservice professional development to build the capacities of novice principals, some of these supports are proving inadequate in recruiting or retaining qualified leaders. Research on capacity development for novice principals is scarce, yields mixed results, and employs methodology which has invited participant response bias. Reflecting the school level, gender, and Title I experience of novice principals within a large school district in the mid-Western United States, a sample of 24 novice principals respond to semi-structured interview questions. Iterations of transcription coding, member-checking, and analysis yield findings that help school districts better understand the capacity development …

Building Capacity Through Facilitated Conversations, Sarah Edwards

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

While there is a national call for more training and support for department chairs who are positioned to have direct impact on faculty quality, only 3-4% report having received any type of formal training. Collectively sharing resources and facilitating conversations is a fiscally responsible way to support the development of all chairs and directors on a campus. This presentation will provide one institution’s journey and model for providing necessary training and support to chairs and directors.

Administrator Perceptions Of The Teacher Evaluation Process And Professional Development Programming In New Jersey Independent Schools, Marissa C. Muoio

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examines administrator perceptions of the teacher evaluation process and professional development programming in New Jersey independent schools. Despite the contentious topic of teacher evaluation within the national landscape today, there is currently little research available concerning administrator perceptions of teacher evaluation and professional development within independent schools. In this study, I ask a) What teacher evaluation processes or tools are being used in the independent schools in the state of New Jersey? b) What types of professional development programs are provided for teachers in these schools? and c) How do independent school administrators perceive the relationship between the …

Challenges With Academic Achievement For Esl Students At The Elementary Level From A Teacher’S Perspective, Julie Xu

All Theses And Dissertations

English language learners (ELLs) are currently one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. As growth of the ELL population has surpassed predictions over the years, there a great need to adequately train teachers to effectively serve these students. This pilot study sought to understand the challenges with academic achievement for ESL students at the elementary level from a teacher’s perspective. This case study research was conducted to answer four research questions: 1) What current challenges do teachers have with serving ELLs? How are they currently addressing these challenges? 2) What (if any) current instructional strategies are currently …

Developing A Community Of Academic Success Through A Teacher Preparation Initiative, Elizabeth T. Murakami, Ann Marie Smith

Diversity, Social Justice, and the Educational Leader

This study reflects the experiences of professors of education at a 4-year Hispanic-Serving institution in a pilot program to collaboratively develop a curriculum alignment. The professional development opportunity, Teacher Preparation Initiative (TPI), focuses on preparing faculty in a college of education to use concepts which student-teachers could incorporate in their teaching. The study was designed as an ethnographic descriptive single-site case study, and reports on one of two nationwide pilot initiatives. For the purpose of this study, we observed the transformative potential for change in higher education institutions.

Educating Our Educators: How Teachers Understand Themselves As Adult Learners And Perceive Their Professional Learning Experiences, Desirae` Khampanya

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated how teachers understand themselves as adult learners and perceive their professional learning experiences within a rural school district in North Carolina. This study was a replication of Fitzgerald’s (2014) dissertation and sought to extend the generalizability of the original study. An explanatory mixed-methods design was used, and the two sources of data collected included an online survey and virtual interviews. The results from this study indicated that almost all participating teachers learned best when the core adult learning principles (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2015) were applied to their professional learning experiences, but less than half of those …

The Call For Department Chair Leadership: Why Chairs Serve, What They Do, How They Develop, How Long They Serve, And Is There Life After Chairing?

International Journal of Leadership and Change

No abstract provided.