Education Commons^™

Mindfulness Activities In Teacher Spiritual Preparation, Suzette Quiros

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project examined the effects of mindfulness activities on teacher spirituality. It was conducted during a two-month Early Childhood Montessori teacher training course with eight female teachers between the ages of 25 and 50. Data was collected with the use of attitude scales, self-reflection journals, field notes and conversations. Conclusions showed participants perceived an increase in spirituality and gained inner peace, patience, kindness, humility, self-respect. They also showed they gained the ability to let go of negative energy, achieving calmness and positivism. Further research could be conducted to see the effects of teacher spirituality on the classroom environment …

Current Trends In Psychological And Educational Approaches For Training And Teaching Students With Autism In California, Trisha Sugita

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Within the United States, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has seen a dramatic increase over the past twenty years. As the prevalence rate of ASD increases, an increased need for expertise in the field of education has become apparent. Psychological and educational practices for training and teaching students with ASD continue to evolve in California however, a significant gap between theory and practice remains. This article provides a historical perspective of ASD and its prevalence rates. In addition, this article examines the current shifts in teacher training and provides an overview of evidence-based strategies to support students with ASD.

“A Course No One Wants To Teach”: A Brief History Of The Undergraduate Writing Methods Course, Christine E. Tulley

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

In this essay, I untangle two historically embedded challenges within the undergraduate writing methods course that continually reestablish divisions between theory and pedagogy (and often English and education departments by association) for preservice teachers. The two issues are:

1. The lack of status of the undergraduate writing methods course within English departments, entrenched by the historically marginalized reputations of both rhetoric and composition and English education programs; and

2. Internal disputes within the field of rhetoric and composition over a theoretical versus pedagogical emphasis for the undergraduate writing methods course, and external debates between the fields of rhetoric and composition …

Acquisition Of Cultural Awareness In Pre-Service Teachers, Peter W. Kilgour

Peter Kilgour

It is the desire of teacher educators in Australia that their mandated unit of study on multiculturalism and indigenous studies produces a cultural awareness in future teachers of the issues faced by multicultural and indigenous students. This paper reports a study where one cohort of 119 pre-service teachers was surveyed in the first and last lectures of the unit on what they believed would be the factors affecting their teaching in multicultural and indigenous classrooms. A significant perception change (p=0.05) of the students was measured between the first lecture and the last lecture. Students moved from a perception that physical, …

Hiring The Most Effective Teachers: An Examination Of Policy And Practice In Pennsylvania, Barbara Launi Powers

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Hiring the most effective teachers not only has an impact on America’s children, but on America’s economic future as well. For two decades, much research about the failings of America’s schools has been conducted. Since the advent of No Child Left Behind (2002), never has more focus been applied to teaching quality. Hiring the best teachers for our children leverages the single largest in-school influence on achievement. James Coleman, in his seminal work, The Coleman Report (1967), notes that a child’s home socio-economic status and race are more significant influences than any in-house school influence. Subsequent research on teacher quality …

Empowering English Language Teachers Through History, Eun-Young Julia Kim

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

TESOL training programs typically offer courses in methods and pedagogy, along with other classes to equip future English language teaching (ELT) professionals with essential teaching skills and knowledge. Not as frequently offered or required, however, is a course focusing on critically examining political and philosophical aspects of ELT. This article discusses why I believe it is important for TESOL curriculums to include topics on the diachronic development and synchronic variations of the English language and to engage students in topics that would allow them to critically examine embedded power relations in ELT. By reflecting on my own classroom experience as …

The Achievement Gap And Students Living In Poverty: The Role Of Core Self-Evaluation And Transformational Leadership In Teachers, India Harris

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Research has shown that the combination of locus of control, self-efficacy, self-confidence, and emotional stability is a good predictor of life success. Until now, this second order factor, called core self-evaluations (CSE) has only been studied in adults. Findings from this study, showed levels of CSE were significantly and positively connected with academic achievement for middle and elementary aged students. CSE appears to play to a similar role between students and academic achievement as it plays with adults and job performance. In this study, the dimensions of transformational leadership were applied to teacher behaviors and students were grouped based on …

The Effect Of Multimedia Cases On Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Prospective Teachers In Kenya, Peter Rugano Nthiga

Dissertations - ALL

This study examined the effects of multimedia cases on science teaching self-efficacy beliefs of prospective teachers in Kenya using mixed methods in data collection and analysis. Collaborating with two teacher educators at Central University, I designed and implemented two multimedia case-based intervention lessons, one with prospective chemistry teachers and the other with prospective physics teachers. I determined the changes in self-efficacy beliefs using a pretest and posttest with the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI) for N=41 participants. I also collected data using a worksheet during the intervention lesson. When the prospective teachers went for their field practice, I sampled …

Training Early Childhood Educators To Identify Behavior Function And Select Function-Matched Interventions, Laura V. Cox

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Problem behavior in the classroom can have a negative impact not only on the student’s learning but on his or her social interactions and the child may risk rejection by teachers and peers. This study evaluated the effects of a training package delivered to preschool teachers on their ability to identify what may be causing the problem behavior and identify strategies that may reduce problem behavior.

Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of this training package in older age groups or grade levels as well as to other professionals who work with children with problem behavior. Results from this study …

Advocating For The Development Of The Whole Child: How Public Urban Preschool Teachers Overcome The Pressure Of More Academics In Their Classrooms, Grizel Lopez

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Preschool teachers must overcome the pressure to become more academic in lieu of a whole child development curriculum approach in order to preserve developmentally appropriate practices and shape well-adjusted future citizens of society. In order to achieve this, it is important to give a voice to preschool teachers to better understand their struggle and to find effective resolutions. This is only possible through a qualitative case study that employs observations, interviews, and a focus group with an inductive analysis approach to the data. The development of the whole child will only be attainable through national policies that are supported by …

Researching And Reshaping Literacy Learning: Three Urban K-6 Teachers’ Ongoing Transformations Through Everyday Action Research, Kristin N. Rainville, Grace Enriquez

Education Faculty Publications

Given the vast range of diversity among children’s backgrounds and needs, literacy educators must consider multiple ways in which children learn and interact with texts. Moreover, policies that increasingly require frequent assessments of children’s literacy achievement place pressure on educators to find immediate ways to impact children’s learning. This qualitative inquiry explores three graduate students’ yearlong engagement in literacy-related action research within ethnically and socioeconomically diverse, urban K-6 classrooms. Grounded in a social practice perspective on literacy and a sociocultural perspective on literacy learning, we examined participants’ constructions of action research as they developed research questions, entered various research sites, …

Algebraic Content And Pedagogical Knowledge Of Sixth Grade Mathematics Teachers, Mariyam Shahuneeza Naseer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Algebra test scores of the Maldivian students from grade 6 through 12 are the lowest compared to any other area of mathematics. Algebra is a fundamental topic in mathematics and lays the foundation for mathematical reasoning and complex problem-solving. Research shows that strengthening algebra instruction could improve student achievement. This concurrent mixed methods study examined the algebraic content and pedagogical knowledge of 5 sixth grade mathematics teachers who teach in 5 different schools across the Maldives. Shulman's major categories of teacher knowledge and Ball, Thames, and Phelps' domains of mathematical knowledge for teaching guided this study. The research questions examined …

Creativity From Two Perspectives: Prospective Mathematics Teachers And Mathematician, Gönül Yazgan-Sağ, Elçin Emre-Akdoğan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Although creativity plays a critical role in mathematics, it remains underestimated in the context of a mathematics classroom. This study aims to explore the views and differences creativity displays in prospective teachers and one of their lecturers with respect to the characteristics and practices of creative teachers and the characteristics of creative students. We collected data through interviews with four prospective mathematics teachers and one mathematics lecturer. The study results revealed that their perspectives on creativity varied greatly and were mostly influenced by the characteristics of their diverse backgrounds and teaching practices. The views of the prospective mathematics teachers with …

Teacher Perceptions And Attitudes Of Classroom Technology Integration Related To Ipad Training, Theresa Marie Pepe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While professional development on the use of technology in the classroom aids educators to implement new teaching strategies, little is known about teachers' concerns with professional development specifically for adopting mobile technologies like iPads in their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to discover teachers' attitudes and perceptions toward teacher training for integration of the iPad into their classroom instruction. Using a case study approach and the concerns-based adoption model as a framework, this study examined teachers' concerns about their training for using the iPads in the classroom. Participants were 7 teachers from a small, suburban, Catholic K-8 school …

Professional Development Needs Of Faculty Members In An International University In Thailand, Loïse M. Jeannin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an international university in Thailand, with students coming from 92 different

countries, faculty members reported a need for professional development (PD). The purpose of this study was to understand faculty members' needs and preferences in the undergraduate department to help the administration offer appropriate PD programs. In accordance with the situated cognition theory, professional learning was approached as a social process embedded in workplace interactions. Research questions pertained to teachers' perceptions about their learning needs, program preferences, and the relationship between PD and student learning outcomes. In this descriptive case study, data were collected from fulltime faculty members via …

Successful Strategies Used To Increase The Reading Comprehension Of Second Graders, Patricia Reda Reda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A southeastern elementary school evidenced many students with a consistent decrease in oral reading fluency (ORF) rates as the 2nd grade year progressed, leading to weakness in reading comprehension in the 3rd grade. Reading comprehension is critical for academic success, as students who merely decode words do not gain knowledge from the text. This qualitative case study explored the successful strategies, both inside and outside of the classroom, used by parents and teachers of this southeastern elementary school to positively impact the reading comprehension rates of 2nd grade students. Constructivism and transactional learning served as the conceptual frameworks for this …

Middle School Teachers' Experiences With Teaching Self-Regulation Skills To Adolescents With Disabilities, Jessica Traylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that adolescents with disabilities often lack self-regulated learning skills. Current research further indicates that explicit teaching of self-regulation skills is beneficial to adolescents with disabilities. The site of this study was a local middle school in rural Georgia that did not assess whether or not teachers were explicitly teaching self-regulation skills to adolescents with disabilities. It was unknown, therefore, whether adolescents with disabilities were learning self-regulation skills in school and whether teachers faced problems in teaching these skills. The study sought to explore this gap in knowledge and practice. Zimmerman's self-regulated learning theory and Bandura's self-efficacy theory served …

The Correlates Of Turkish Preschool Preservice Teachers’ Social Competence, Empathy And Communication Skills, Emine Ahmetoglu, Ibrahim H. Acar

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The purpose of the current study was to examine the associations between Turkish preschool pre-service teacher’s personal and educational characteristics, and their social competence, empathy, and communication skills. A total of 385 state university Turkish pre-service teachers (age range 18 to 32 years) from the early childhood education field completed a Demographic Information Form on personal and educational characteristics, the Social Skills Inventory (SSI) Scale measuring their social competence, The Scales of Empathic Tendency for measuring empathy skills, and a Communication Skills Evaluation Scale measuring communication skills. Bivariate Pearson-correlations, independent t tests, and one-way ANOVAs were used to test study …

Understanding Attrition Among English As A Foreign Language Teachers In Online Training, Joseline Castaños

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attrition among students in online courses worldwide is well-documented at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels. However, little is yet known about the reason for attrition among in-service teachers in online training. Online education aims to provide access to education for the masses, but with higher attrition rates, it may be viewed as less effective than traditional education. This study explored factors that influenced attrition and persistence among teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in an online teacher training environment. Tinto's Community of Inquiry framework and Short, Williams, and Christie's Social Presence Model provided the conceptual framework for …

Creating Shared Norms In Schools - A Theoretical Approach, Maryanne Macdonald, Eyal Gringart, Jan Gray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Whilst some improvements to Indigenous education outcomes have occurred in recent years, there remains considerable inequity in the educational experiences and long-term engagement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. One of the factors contributing to the challenging environment for Indigenous students is dissonance of social norms, as a result of ethnic and socioeconomic differences between teacher and student. Many hegemonic culture teachers are unaware of Standpoint Theory and the way in which normative beliefs impact on classroom interactions and student outcomes at the cultural interface. This paper draws on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TBP) to illustrate ways in which schools …

Stakeholders' Knowledge Impacting The Academic And Social-Emotional Needs Of Twice-Exceptional Students In Kentucky, Katrina Ann Sexton

Online Theses and Dissertations

Decades worth of studies have documented the role of teacher training in identifying children with exceptional needs. Yet, none have investigated the differences between teacher training, teacher knowledge, and teacher roles in relation to the identification of twice-exceptional (2E) children. There is a need to understand the factors that affect teachers’ knowledge and abilities to identify 2E students, specifically during the early formative years [primary and middle grades] when identification commonly occurs. Supported by the Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory, Autonomous Learner Model (ALM), and Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM), the purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if teacher education …

“It’S About Improving My Practice”: The Learner Experience Of Real-Time Coaching, Erica J. Sharplin, Garth Stahl, Ben Kehrwald

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article reports on pre-service teachers’ experience of the Real-Time Coaching model, an innovative technology-based approach to teacher training. The Real-Time Coaching model uses multiple feedback cycles via wireless technology to develop within pre-service teachers the specific skills and mindset toward continual improvement. Results of this qualitative study suggest that pre-service teachers experienced an improved pedagogic practice, found the Real-Time Coaching process supportive and stress relieving, and valued its focus on practice, the explicitness of the teaching and the ability to implement feedback immediately.

Exploring Quality Teaching In The Online Environment Using An Evidence-Based Approach, Elena Prieto-Rodriguez, Jennifer Gore, Kathryn Holmes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Online learning is increasingly ubiquitous in higher education. However, research regarding online teaching often focuses on the affordances of the online environment rather than on the quality of pedagogy. In this paper we consider how online learning could be enhanced using rich pedagogical models that are consistent with a wealth of existing knowledge on pedagogy for face-to-face settings. To do so, we apply an established framework, the Quality Teaching model, to explore pedagogy in the online environment and illustrate its potential benefits using a case study of 60 students in a tertiary mathematics teacher education program. We conclude that the …

Empowering English Language Teachers Through History, Eun-Young Julia Kim

Faculty Publications

TESOL training programs typically offer courses in methods and pedagogy, along with other classes to equip future English language teaching (ELT) professionals with essential teaching skills and knowledge. Not as frequently offered or required, however, is a course focusing on critically examining political and philosophical aspects of ELT. This article discusses why I believe it is important for TESOL curriculums to include topics on the diachronic development and synchronic variations of the English language and to engage students in topics that would allow them to critically examine embedded power relations in ELT. By reflecting on my own classroom experience as …