Education Commons^™

Culturally Relevant Professional Development: An Examination Of Race, Practice, And Self Through An Africa-American Teacher Study Group, Charnita V. West

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Dissertations

This naturalistic investigation examined how the implementation of a teacher study group assisted African-American teachers in instituting culturally relevant pedagogy. Ladson-Billings (1994) coined the term culturally relevant pedagogy to address the need for developing and implementing authentic methods for teaching African-American students. However, teachers also need opportunities to be engaged in learning experiences that will facilitate their growth in this area. Although teacher study groups are a popular form of professional development (Birchak et al., 1998), research on teacher study groups designed exclusively for African-American teachers is absent from the literature. Informed by tenets of sociocultural theory (Lave & Wenger, …

Acceptability, Integrity And Perceived Effectiveness Of Kinder Training, Natalya Ann Edwards

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

ABSTRACT ACCEPTABILITY, INTEGRITY AND PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF KINDER TRAINING by Natalya A. Edwards There has been limited research on the effectiveness of kinder training, but those studies that have been conducted show promising results. The majority of past kinder training studies utilized quantitative methods. The current study implemented a qualitative approach to examining the acceptability, integrity and perceived effectiveness of kinder training. The researchers explored the perceptions that a group of elementary school teachers had of the content and process of kinder training, including its impact on teaching beliefs and practices, student behavior, the teacher-child relationship, and classroom management skills. …

Exploring Current Practices Of Supervisors In Government Primary Schools In Karachi, Pakistan, Nilofar Vazir, Noor Hussain

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This paper explores the current practices of supervisors in Government Primary Schools in Karachi, Pakistan. Research participants included two supervisors, two head teachers and four primary school teachers. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, informal discussions, documents analysis. Findings suggest that since, the supervisors are not provided with the TORs by Education department their practices are influenced by the way they are appointed and the ways they learn about their roles and responsibilities in the schools. Since supervisory practices are mostly hanging between supervision and monitoring, these neither fulfill the criteria of Supervision nor of Monitoring and Evaluation. Their routine …

Multiple Paths To Critical Reflection: A Flexible Model Of Teacher Learning And Its Impact On Student Achievement, Susan B. Koba, Carol Mitchell

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This research evaluated impact of the Omaha Public Schools' Urban Systemic Program professional development model on mathematics and science teacher change and student achievement. The model offered various participation pathways, focused teachers' learning in three areas (beliefs, content, and pedagogy) and required teacher reflection during classroom strategy implementation. To determine teacher change, observations, interviews, action research, pre-post perception profiles, retrospective pre-post surveys (beliefs and understandings), and exit surveys were completed. Participants' action research determined impact . on students' understandings. Criterion Referenced· Tests, as well as leadership pre- and post- surveys, action research and interviews determined school change. To evaluate program …

Does Standards-Based Teacher Evaluation Improve Schools? An Investigation Of Teacher Perceptions Of Appraisal Systems, Joseph A. Batchelor

Master of Education Research Theses

Three years after implementing a standards-based teacher evaluation system in a private K-12 school, research was conducted to determine what attitudes and perceptions teachers had on the effectiveness of the system. The survey includes questions about the teacher evaluation process and the goals of the test school in implementing the process. The goals for adopting the standards-based teacher evaluation system were (1) increased student learning, (2) improving instruction, (3) developing a mentoring program, (4) focusing professional development, and (5) facilitating collegiality. The sample for the survey included 87 teachers (group AB) from schools in the Southeast, of which 21 (group …

Innovative Communication: Using Technology To Connect With Your Constituents, Larry D. Long

Larry D. Long

No abstract provided.

Problems For Teacher Education For Primary Schools In Nigeria: Beyond Curriculum Design And Implementation, Olusegun Akinbote

Essays in Education

Primary education is the core of development and progress sin modern societies. However the quality of teachers who are to ensure the realization of the aspirations we hold for our children has fallen below expectations. This study therefore investigated the entry qualifications, the mode of entry into and the reasons why students enroll in Colleges of Education. The findings showed that majority of the student teachers are not ‘good materials’ for teacher education and that only a few of them really have the genuine desire to become teachers. Recommendations are made on how to improve on the quality of entrants …

A Study Of Southwest Florida High School Reading Teachers And The Implmentation Of Scientifically Based Reading Research Instruction, Virginia Harper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literacy mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) swiftly and directly have an impact on reading teachers. The literacy directives of the act constitute a paradigm shift in reading reform, especially at the secondary level. Literacy directives require state and district level administrator's to focus on secondary reading teacher pre and in service training. Effecive secondary reading teachers must be well versed in the foundation sof Scientifically Based Reading Research. Florida is among the first states to implement six comptencies of professional development that leads to endorsement in the teaching of reading. Florida teachers of secondary reading …

The Effects Of Professional Development Programs On Educational Outcomes In Mathematics And Sciences, William M. Craig

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Professional development programs are widely acknowledged for their success in determining outcomes in a variety of fields. These programs are particularly useful in education where new processes, methodologies, and curriculum need to be disseminated to vast numbers of administrators, educators, parents, and program analysts. Education is considered one of the top priorities for American policymakers, agencies, companies, and the general public. This fact has made educational outcomes progressively more important over time as larger expenditures are dedicated to providing positive educational effects. There has been a large body of research performed on what effects educational outcomes in the United States. …

Innovating Professional Development Standards: A Shift To Utilize Communities Of Practice, Teresa Foulger

Essays in Education

This paper is a report on the findings of an action research study that explored a non-traditional professional development process involving five elementary teachers and a professional developer working as a collaborative community. The interactions within the group focused on the creation and teaching of a three week thematic unit across grade levels and classrooms. Although technology integration was the proposed new learning, instructional strategies and innovative ways to collaborate were also explored. Qualitative data analysis indicated that when professional developers pay close attention to the social nuances and emotional needs of participants, communities of teachers coming together for a …

Addressing The Impact That Workshop Site Coordinators And Administrators Have On The Teaching Of Science In The Classroom, Valerie Elaine Mckenna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation studied the beliefs and practices of principals, workshop site coordinators, and science support personnel in two Central Florida school districts and compared those beliefs and practices to the literature on effective science in-service education. It is important to understand these beliefs and practices because they directly affect the content and pedagogical knowledge of classroom teachers, yet this aspect of instructional practices has been ignored in the science education literature. This study used a grounded theory methodology using open-ended individual interviews, participants observation, and documented analysis. Constant comparisons were built through analyzing the data. The research shows that in-service …

Tidewater Virginia Technology Education Teacher Professional Development Needs, Richard A. Nash

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The following objectives were established to answer this problem: 1. Determine the types of professional development being sought by Tidewater public school technology education teachers; 2. Recommend specific types of professional development that should be made available to Tidewater technology education teachers.

From Literacy Methods Classes To The Real World: Experiences Of Pre-Service Teachers, Francesca Pomerantz, Michelle Pierce

Francesca Pomerantz

Leadership Practices Of Veterans Health Administration Nurse Executives., Virginia Holt Bieber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transformational leadership has been linked to improved organizational performance and has been recognized as a possible solution to the challenges in Health Care. The role of Nurse Executives (NE) has become an influential leadership position in Health Care Organizations (HCO) and a factor in improving HCO. The purpose of this research was to explore self-reported leadership practices of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Medical Center NEs, examine leadership strengths of the NEs, and report professional development needs of the NEs.

The study population consisted of NEs employed in the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC’s) throughout the United States. The Leadership Practices …

Reading Excellence Act: Professional Development And Teacher Practice First Year Implementation In East Tennessee., Sherry Ellen Shroyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When the National Assessment of Educational Progress reported in 1998 that 70 percent of fourth grade children in the United States were reading just at (31%) or below the basic grade level (39%), this astounding fact resulted in national attention and political intervention. At the same time, the National Research Council published their 25 years of researched findings in their book, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The national reactions to these reports were strong and included new initiatives for overcoming this emerging national problem. One such initiative was the implementation of the national Reading …

How Teachers Change: A Study Of Professional Development In Adult Basic Education, Cristine Smith, Judy Hofer, Marilyn Gillespie, Marla Solomon, Karen Rowe

Center for International Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Tenure And Promotion Considerations: An Analysis Of Cultural Issues, June Ovington, Thomas Diamantes, Douglas Roby, Charles Ryan

Essays in Education

A purposive review of selected literature related to promotion and tenure in the university was conducted during the last year. From this literature review a constant comparative method of document data analysis was conducted. This method involves reviewing all documents, i.e. articles, handbooks, cases, field notes and interview data. The findings of our study suggest that the tenure and promotion process is impacted by differing values and literal interpretations after review of the candidates’ tenure file. We recommend that sustained review include senior colleagues and use of a productivity schematic to document professional activity over the tenure time frame.

A Study Of The Attitudes Of Veteran Teachers Toward Professional Development, Johanna Silane Ruberto

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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How Teachers Change: A Study Of Professional Development In Adult Basic Education, Cristine A. Smith, Judy Hofer, Marilyn Gillespie, Marla Solomon, Karen Rowe

Cristine Smith

No abstract provided.

University/School Partners Receive Grant To Expand Alternative Teacher Certification Project, Kay Hyatt

General University of Maine Publications

A $1.035 million U.S. Department of Education grant will allow the University of Maine to expand its innovative alternative teacher certification program to Aroostook and Washington counties. Funded over five years, the Transition to Teaching grant is based on the success and promise of the model developed and piloted by the UMaine College of Education and Human Development in partnership with the Mid-Coast Superintendents' Association, comprised of school districts from Searsport to Bath.

“Been There---Ah, Haven’T Tried It That Way”: A Professional Effort To Differentiate Instruction, Donna M. Sobel

Essays in Education

It goes without saying that the most critical component of preparing educators lies in their ability to competently teach. Differentiation provides a framework to develop classrooms where realities of genuine student variance can be addressed with curricular realities. The author describes a professional development project that differentiated a series of teacher workshops that were designed to increase teachers’ perceived competency to differentiate instruction. The purpose here is to describe a collaboratively created and implemented professional development program designed to train staff in ways to differentiate instruction for all learners. Sample training activities, along with perceptions from participants and suggestions for …

Defining Preparation And Professional Development For The Future., Richard Andrews, Margaret Grogan

Education Faculty Articles and Research

This paper reports on the current thinking about the position of principal and superintendent in America's schools. The positions of school principal and district superintendent have been undergoing changes in definition and scope over the last century and a half. As America undergoes significant societal transformation, the definition of these two positions has to evolve to meet the complex demands the country puts on its schools. The history of the development of the principalship and superintendency is given to provide context for the challenges aspiring education leaders will face in the new millennium. A noted systemic problem in higher education …

The Effect Of A Teacher Enhancement Project Designed To Promote Interactive-Constructivist Teaching Strategies In Elementary School Science On Students' Perceptions And Attitudes., John Dunkhase, Brian Hand, James Shymansky, Larry Yore

Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works

This study takes place within the context of the Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALS) project and examines elementary school students' reactions to instruction implemented by teachers participating in this special problem-centered professional development program. The study focuses on student perceptions of their science instruction and student attitudes toward science learning as a function of their exposure to interactive, constructivist teaching strategies designed to focus on student ideas, utilization of literature connections, and incorporation of parents as partners. Using student perceptions and attitudes as dependent variables, teacher participation as the main independent variable, and grade levels and student gender …

Selected Roles/Functions Of Technical/Vocational Education Administrators In Barbados And The Need For Further Preparation And Continuing Professional Development, Cecil I. Cummins

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the roles/functions of technical/vocational education (TVE) administrators in Barbados and to ascertain their personal needs for further preparation and continuing professional development.

The population for the study consisted of 115 TVE administrators from the Ministry of Education, tertiary institutions, vocational centers, Grammar schools, and Newer secondary schools. The survey method was used to gather the data. All respondents were asked to complete a 87-item questionnaire which described various roles/functions associated with the administration of TVE programs under eight major categories. For each role descriptor, respondents were asked to indicate how important it …

Recruitment Of Minority Teachers Through Future Educators Of America, Sharon F. Frieze

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was concerned with the need for recruitment of minorities into the teaching profession. The problem exists that there is a shortage of minority educators while, at the same time a growing minority school population. This discrepancy was documented by a national survey of the states' Department of Education, the narrative responses and research. Although the duration of the implementation period lasted for six months, response to the implementation is still ongoing. Respondents were asked to indicate if the state had a critical teacher shortage. Sixty-eight percent of the states responded to the survey. Eighteen States (53 percent) replied …