Education Commons^™

A Qualitative Case Study Of Natural Storytelling Strategies Used At The Nantahala School., Nancy J. Reeder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study identifies what 8 teachers naturally do with storytelling at a K-12 school in western North Carolina. Through observations, interviews, field notes, document reviews, and artifact reviews, I used the constant comparison analysis method to discover themes from their formal and informal storytelling strategies. From these themes, I created a framework of 7 suggestions to enhance storytelling awareness. They are: sharing personal stories, developing voice control and body expression, connecting story to school culture, modeling well-developed stories with beginnings, middles, and ends, introducing stories with a pause, expressing the word "imagine" often during instruction, and finally, making …

The Effect Of Classroom Management Training And Active Or Information-Based Follow -Up On Inexperienced Teachers' Perceived Classroom Behavior Management Effectiveness, Diana L. Casey

Student Work

Inexperienced teachers' perceived classroom effectiveness of their planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities domains were analyzed to determine the effects of active follow-up compared to information-based follow-up of classroom management training ( N = 50). Inexperienced teachers enrolled in I Can Do It Classroom Management Training were randomly assigned to active follow-up to the training (n = 24) or information-based follow-up to the training ( n = 26). As reflected by the pretest and posttest evaluation form measuring their perceived effectiveness in the domains of planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities, teachers participating in …

The Effectiveness Of A School-Wide Differentiated Home Room Academic Extension Re-Teaching Initiative On The Achievement And Proficiency Categories Of 8th-Grade Students With Varying Levels Of Cognitive Skills, Tamara J. Williams

Student Work

The purpose of the study was to measure the effectiveness of a school-wide differentiated home room academic extension re-teaching initiative on the academic achievement and criterion-referenced assessment proficiency categories of 8th-grade students with varying levels of measured cognitive skills. Achievement measures were reading and math criterion-referenced assessment scores, core subject grades, and the reading and math Terra Nova Normal Curve Equivalent Norm Referenced Achievement Test subtest scores. At the conclusion of the research year 20 students moved into the highest measured criterion referenced reading test proficiency group (beyond proficient) and 33 students moved into the highest measured criterion referenced math …

Turning A Small Residential Farm Into A Non-Profit Educational Organization, Thomas John Anderson

Agribusiness

This study was undertaken to determine whether Felicity’s Farm could become a non-profit organization for education. In order to determine the feasibility of turning Felicity’s Farm into a non-profit organization, interviews were conducted and financial statements were collected. In addition, a Certificate of Incorporation was completed based on the interview and financial data. It was concluded that Felicity’s Farm could become a non-profit organization; however, better organization of finances, fund-raising and the use of volunteers was recommended.

Utilizing Concept Mapping As A Teaching And Learning Tool To Prepare For The Science Taks Test, Rosa Linda Zuniga

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Concept mapping was used with Donna High School students to determine its effect on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. Concept mapping was used with models such as the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol model (SIOP), the 5- E model, and the Learning Groups model. This measure was taken because the models used have not helped students improve their TAKS scores significantly. The findings of this research reveals that using the process of concept mapping together with the SIOP model helps students clearly see related concepts and motivates them to think more deeply. Students quickly realize what concepts …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Implementation Of Quality Staff Development And Campus Success, Cindy Hays Sadler

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to explore what proportion of staff development as measured by the National Staff Development Council’s Standard Assessment Inventory (SAI) contributes to campus success as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). Two exploratory null hypotheses were generated and tested in an attempt to explore outcomes using the SAI and TAKS scores. H0 Campus Success (Y) based on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills is not a function of implementation of the National Staff Development Council Standards (X) based on Standard Assessment Inventory. H0 Campus success (Y) is not a function …

Teacher Leadership Practices In Large Texas High Schools With Different Accountability Ratings: A Mixed Methods Study, Cynthia Molina Saldivar

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

A promising strategy for improving education is to use the energy of teacher leaders as agents of school change. According to Katzenmeyer and Moller (2001), teaching and learning improve where shared leadership exists, and when there is no expectation of “heroic leadership” from one person. Therefore, this mixed methods study was designed to examine teacher leadership and the leadership styles and practices of principals in large Texas high schools with different accountability ratings. Two hundred and fifteen participants consisting of teachers, teacher leaders, and leadership team members from 24 high schools were surveyed; and personal interviews were held with principals …

The Second Language Acquisition Of English Prepositions, Patricia J. Boquist

Senior Honors Theses

The acquisition of English prepositions is especially difficult for students learning English as a second language. This paper briefly discusses how prepositions are used in English and a few of the reasons prepositions cause problems for English language learners. It also analyzes the underlying system that governs prepositions and how this system might be represented to English language learners. Finally, it analyzes the current pedagogy and suggests a possible alternative to the status quo.

A Systematic Examination Of Data-Driven Decision-Making Within A School Division: The Relationships Among Principal Beliefs, School Characteristics, And Accreditation Status, Beth Teigen

Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental, census survey included the elementary, middle, and high school principals at the comprehensive schools within a large, suburban school division in Virginia. The focus of this study was the factors that influence building administrators in using data to make instructional decisions. The purpose was to discover if there is a difference in the perceptions of elementary, middle, and high school principals of data use to make instructional decisions within their buildings. McLeod’s (2006) Statewide Data-Driven Readiness Study: Principal Survey was used to assess the principals’ beliefs about the data-driven readiness of their individual schools. Each principal indicated the …

Aligning Nietzsche's "Genealogical" Philosophy With Democratic Educational Reform, James Magrini

James M Magrini

No abstract provided.

Family Sources Of Educational Gender Inequality In Rural China: A Critical Assessment, Emily C. Hannum, Peggy A. Kong, Yuping Zhang

Emily C. Hannum

In this paper, we investigate the gender gap in education in rural northwest China. We first discuss parental perceptions of abilities and appropriate roles for girls and boys; parental concerns about old-age support; and parental perceptions of different labor market outcomes for girls' and boys' education. We then investigate gender disparities in investments in children, children's performance at school, and children's subsequent attainment. We analyze a survey of nine to twelve year-old children and their families conducted in rural Gansu Province in the year 2000, along with follow-up information about subsequent educational attainment collected seven years later. We complement our …

Perceptions Of School Civility: A Survey Of School Of Education Alumni, Keely Marie Swanson

Theses and Dissertations

Very little empirical data exists on the topic of civility in schools, although much theory and philosophy are proffered in the literature. Literature on moral education and character education also informs the study of civility. Many of the philosophical theories mention education as a way of increasing civility in society. Some schools have attempted to implement various civility interventions and research supports the use of similar interventions to teach social skills; however, none have systematically collected data for these interventions to evaluate their effectiveness for teaching civility. The present research systematically gathered data on perceptions of civility and incivility in …

Through Support Of Mothers, Khush Funer Murtaza

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

No abstract provided.

Learning Effects Of Examples Applied To College Algebra Student Interests, Carrie A. Campbell

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed-methods investigation studied the learning effects of example problems based on college algebra student interests. The study spanned two semesters and included three groups of students. The first group was presented with algebraic procedural examples and assessments without context. The second group was presented with algebraic class examples in contexts related to student majors and hobbies, but assessments without context. The third group was presented with class examples in contexts related to student majors and hobbies and also assessments with context.

Learning growth as measured by performance scores on examinations was analyzed quantitatively. Student comments regarding learning progress were …

Aligning Nietzsche's "Genealogical" Philosophy With Democratic Educational Reform, James Magrini

Philosophy Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Signaling The Competencies Of High School Students To Employers, John H. Bishop

John H Bishop

[Excerpt] The fundamental cause of the low effort level of American students, parents, and voters in school elections is the absence of good signals of effort and accomplishment and the consequent lack of rewards for learning. In most other advanced countries mastery of the curriculum is assessed by examinations that are set and graded at the national or regional level. Grades on these exams signal the student's achievement to employers and colleges and influence the jobs that graduates get and the universities and programs to which they are admitted. Exam results also influence school reputations and in some countries the …

Secondary Education In The United States: What Can Others Learn From Our Mistakes?, John H. Bishop , Ferran Mane, Michael Bishop

John H Bishop

Secondary schools are the least successful component of the U.S. education system. Students learn considerably less than in other industrialized nations and dropout rates are significantly higher. This paper provides an explanation for this failure, describes the standards based reforms strategies that many states are implementing to attack these problems, and evaluates the success of these efforts.

Student, Staff, And Employer Incentives For Improved Student Achievement And Work Readiness, John H. Bishop

John H Bishop

“This article proposes a strategy for banishing mediocrity and building in its place an excellent American system of secondary education. Before a cure can be prescribed, however, a diagnosis must be made.”

In Search Of A Niche, John H. Bishop

John H Bishop

"As enrollment in secondary vocational education programs declines and employers re-evaluate the attributes needed for success in today’s job market, some observers of the U.S. education system have called for schools to limit – or even eliminate – the teaching of occupational skills. Does this mean employers don’t reward such training?"

The Role Of End-Of-Course Exams And Minimum Competency Exams In Standards-Based Reforms, John H. Bishop, Ferran Mane, Michael Bishop, Joan Moriarty

John H Bishop

[Excerpt] Educational reformers and most of the American public believe that most teachers ask too little of their pupils. These low expectations, they believe, result in watered down curricula and a tolerance of mediocre teaching and inappropriate student behavior. The result is that the prophecy of low achievement becomes self-fulfilling. Although research has shown that learning gains are substantially larger when students take more demanding courses2, only a minority of students enroll in these courses. There are several reasons for this. Guidance counselors in many schools allow only a select few into the most challenging courses. While most schools give …

Vocational And Academic Education In High School: Complements Or Substitutes, Suk Kang, John H. Bishop

John H Bishop

[Excerpt] A number of blue ribbon-panels have called for increases in the number academic courses required for graduation from high school and for lengthening the school day and the school year. Most states have adopted the first of these recommendations but not the second. With the amount of time a student spends in school remaining constant, increases in the number of required academic courses force reductions elsewhere. Which activities should be reduced? Should the reduction be made in study halls, music and fine arts,physical education, and life skills courses or should it come in vocational education? The answer to this …

Making Vocational Education More Effective For At-Risk Youth, John H. Bishop

John H Bishop

"Occupationally specific vocational training pays off for disadvantaged students, but only if graduates work in the jobs they were trained for. Implication: Vocational educators must help make sure that the skills they teach are used."

Vocational Education And At-Risk Youth In The United States, John H. Bishop

John H Bishop

[Excerpt] Educationally disadvantaged youth in the United States have great difficulty finding steady jobs providing real training and advancement opportunities. In October 1994 only 43 percent of the young people who had dropped out of high school the previous year were employed. Of recent (previous spring) graduates who had not gone college, only 64 percent were employed (BLS 1995). Those who obtained employment accepted jobs paying 10 to 15 percent less than in 1980.

La Educación Secundaria En Los Estados Unidos. ¿Qué Pueden Aprender Otros De Nuestros Errores?, John H. Bishop, Ferran Mane, Michael Bishop

John H Bishop

[Excerpt] El ritmo de los estudiantes estadounidenses para adquirir nuevas habilidades se desacelera durante la educación secundaria.

Chemistry In Second Life, Andrew Lang, Jean-Claude Bradley

College of Science and Engineering Faculty Research and Scholarship

This review will focus on the current level on chemistry research, education, and visualization possible within the multi-user virtual environment of Second Life. We discuss how Second Life has been used as a platform for the interactive and collaborative visualization of data from molecules and proteins to spectra and experimental data. We then review how these visualizations can be scripted for immersive educational activities and real-life collaborative research. We also discuss the benefits of the social networking affordances of Second Life for both chemists and chemistry students.

Beyond Research: Opencourseware In The Institutional Repository, Heather Leary, Brett E. Shelton, Marion Jensen

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Presentation given at the 2009 LITA National Forum in Salt Lake City, Utah on archiving OpenCourseWare in the Institutional Repository.

The main function of OpenCourseWare is to provide open access to collections of educational materials used in formal courses. The main function of an Institutional Repository is to collect, preserve, and disseminate intellectual output of an institution. Since OCW is a significant portion of the intellectual output of a university, archiving OCW in an institutions repository seems a perfect marriage of means and opportunity.

Using The Sixth Edition Of The Apa Manual: A Guide For Students, John H. Hummel, Mark A. Whatley, David M. Monetti, Deborah S. Briihl, Katharine S. Adams

Georgia Educational Researcher

Teachers, school counselors, and educational leaders should learn, or become familiar with, APA style because of their important role as consumers and authors of research. By consuming and sharing the results of research in a standardized format, educators are able to efficiently share best practices to a broad audience which in turn helps other educators meta-analyze results and use those findings to coordinate their efforts in improving student learning. The sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2010) provides the means by which students and educators can communicate. This manual contains considerable information for the student …

A Few Drops Of Oil Will Not Be Enough, Stephen James

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn provide a rich description of the various kinds of violence, deprivation, depredation and exploitation that women experience on a vast scale in the developing world. They write of sex trafficking, acid attacks, “bride burning,” enslavement, spousal beatings, unequal healthcare (something the USA still struggles with), insufficient food, gendered abortions and infant and maternal mortality. They are right to identify the education of women and girls as part of the solution to the widespread “gendercide.” However, their approach focuses too much on the capacity, indeed the virtue or heroism, of individual women. It does not take …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Selected Teacher Variables On Student Achievement, Comfort O. Okpala

Georgia Educational Researcher

The relationship between selected teacher variables and high school student achievement was analyzed. Using the Pearson Correlation analysis, this paper tries to: 1) determine the relationship between teachers’ teaching experience and high school student achievement, 2) determine the relationship between teacher turnover rate and high school student achievement, 3) determine the relationship between teachers with advanced degree and high school student achievement, and 4) determine the relationship between teachers with National Board certification and high school student achievement. Results from the analysis showed that teachers’ teaching experiences and teachers with National Board certification were significant in explaining changes in high …

Poverty: A Constraint To Sustainable Development Of The Niger Delta Region Of Nigeria’S Socio-Economic Resources During The 21st Century, John Inyang

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

Poverty has become a major socio-economic problem in present day Nigeria. A disturbing observation about poverty in Nigeria is that it is on the increase, both in incidence and intensity despite the wide variety of national and international measures undertaken to eradicate it during the last three decades. The failure of these measures have been attributed to a multiplicity of causes, of which the most frequently mentioned and emphasized include: inadequate conceptualizations of poverty and development; failure to identify the root causes of the problem; lack of adequate organizational requirement for effective program implementation, wrong prescriptions given as solution to …