Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Graduate Session: Presentation 2 - Informed And Equipped: 7 Strategies For Building Your Trauma-Responsive Classroom, Mallory Bricker, Shanda Jones

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

This presentation will introduce you to seven trauma informed strategies which will aid in classroom management and can be implemented immediately.

Engaging Students With Disabilities In Virtual Learning, Timothy Adams, Jessie Kong, Mike Lefko, Rachelle Peterson

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This professional learning module was designed to help teachers of students with disabilities (SWDs) who are navigating the issues related to virtual learning. The authors have experience in being teachers of SWDs, administrators, and lead teachers. We witnessed the struggles teachers had during the pandemic in engaging SWDs and their parents in virtual learning. This module was designed to help teachers alleviate some of those struggles. Districts might find it beneficial to use this PLM in training all teachers about engaging SWDs virtually as the world of education is leaning in the direction of blended learning, virtual academies, and traditional …

Grit In The Performing Arts: A Mixed-Methods Study Of High School Theatre Student Perceptions Of Grit, Kelsey Gibson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Previous grit research has not yet studied how the performing arts may have an impact on student grit scores and perceptions of grit. Grit is defined by two main characteristics: consistency of interest and perseverance of effort. Continued participation in an extracurricular theatre production requires students to maintain interest and sustain effort throughout the rehearsal and performance period. This mixed methods interpretivist research study examined how high school students from three groups (performing arts, non-performing arts, and non-arts) measured on Duckworth and Quinn’s (2009) Grit-S scale, as well as how performing arts students perceived their own grit after participation in …

What Teachers Say Versus What They Do: Examining The Relationship Of Teacher Dispositions And Teacher Behaviors As It Impacts Learning Environments, Carrie Mckeown

Doctor of Education Dissertations

When focusing on the teacher as the key variable in the classroom, professional dispositions are the greatest factor impacting student achievement (Diez & Raths, 2007; Haberman; 2004; Marzano; 2001). The intent of this study was to answer three questions: What professional dispositions impact student success in the learning environment as measured by North Carolina End-of-Grade Assessments (NCFE) data? What observed behaviors do effective practicing teachers demonstrate that stimulate student success as measured by NCFE data? To what extent do observed behaviors correlate between teacher self-professed dispositions and observations of an administrator? A key element was whether dispositions teachers indicated they …

Multi-Tiered System Of Supports: A Case Study Examining Effective Mtss Implementation At The Middle School Level, Amy Marlowe

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This dissertation was designed to examine the effectiveness of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) implementation at the middle school level. MTSS is a comprehensive framework for targeting educational support for all learners, providing academic, behavioral, and social services. A case study design was used to analyze the stakeholder experiences of the impact of MTSS implementation on a group of sixth- and seventh-grade students. Qualitative data were collected to analyze the personal experiences of the teachers’ professional development, collaboration, implementation, and understanding of their roles in regards to the MTSS process. This case study provides insight into a middle school making …

Program Evaluation Of The J-1 Visa Teacher Exchange Program From The Perspective Of Exchange Teachers Within A Rural School District, Gradesa Lockhart

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Teacher shortages have had a significant impact on student learning outcomes in a time of immense testing accountability; yet, the way rural school districts handle the teacher shortage varies, from policies to incentive pay, to the use of international teachers. International teachers have become a significant resource for some rural districts to address teacher shortages. This study focused on the lived experiences of a subset of international teachers who are working in United States schools via the Exchange Visitor Program (EVP). The findings of the study authenticated the purpose of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1946, more commonly known as the …

The Role Of Math Anxiety And Math Self-Efficacy Levels On High School Equivalency Student Math Performance, Barbara A. Clarke

Doctor of Education Dissertations

One of the most predominant measures of a community’s appeal is the high school graduation rate. National “best places to live” ratings utilize educational statistics to rank the quality of life in a community (Morse & Brooks, 2020). Additionally, an individual’s future prospects depend on a high school credential (HSC) as the minimum needed for postsecondary academics or gainful employment. One hindrance high school equivalency (HSE) students encounter is the inability to perform math sufficiently to earn an HSC due to the affective state of math anxiety and reduced math self-efficacy, particularly under pressure on tests/assessments. This quantitative study, using …

Perceptions Of Classroom Teachers On Read-Aloud Practices Implemented Within The Elementary Setting, Kimberly J. Perry

Doctor of Education Dissertations

A problematic imbalance of academic discrepancies continues to exist within our schools today, leading to school failure for many of our students. Teachers must be prepared to provide effective instructional methods that increase the reading outcomes for all students. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the perceptions of elementary teachers, as compared to observable data, regarding the implementation of teacher read-aloud opportunities within the classroom setting. This dissertation analyzed and compared how elementary classroom teachers described their read-aloud practices to the tangible practices implemented in their classrooms, in order to determine a relationship between perception and …

Digital Literacy: The Impact Of A Blended Learning Model On Student Motivation And Achievement, Jennifer Miller

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Educators continue to search for a balance between preparing students for a marketable future and integrating face-to-face instruction. Many factors influence various educational models related to best instructional methodologies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between student perceptions regarding student motivation to read and the corresponding effect on student achievement within a blended learning environment. This mixed methods study determined whether the use of digital collaborative learning, as it applies to literacy, within a blended learning environment would have any corresponding effects on student motivation and achievement. Participants included fifth-grade students at the elementary level and …

A Program Evaluation: Implementing A Dual Language Immersion Program, Jennifer Hall

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The research study evaluated the implementation of a kindergarten Spanish dual language immersion program (DLI) using Stufflebeam’s (2003) context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model of program evaluation. The study aimed to determine specific strategies to best implement a learning initiative not just in a stable year but also in a time of duress such as COVID-19. Interviews with the superintendent, chief academic officer, director of global studies, principal, teacher, and teacher assistant and head of household surveys informed the following research questions.

1. Context: What factors were considered when the district implemented the DLI program?
2. Input: What specific resources were …

A Correlational Study Of Teacher Self-Efficacy And Culturally Responsive Teaching, Lashaunda Plain-Mamon

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) focuses on equity and mandates high academic standards for all students. The achievement of diverse students is significantly below their counterparts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between culturally responsive teaching (CRT) and teacher self-efficacy (TSE). Additional research focused on teacher perspectives regarding their self-efficacy around CRT practices and how their experiences with CRT can be described. Quantitative data were analyzed independently and then merged to test the theory of a correlation between culturally responsive teaching techniques (CRTT) and TSE. Qualitative data were analyzed, coded, and then collapsed into themes. …

Competitive Edge Teaching: A Comparison Of Differentiated Reading Instruction In The K-3 Elementary Classroom To The Sports Psychology Behind High School Athletic Coaching Methods, Lindsay W. Lee

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study explored the similarities between the philosophies and techniques used by select high school athletic coaches and select elementary reading teachers. The study shows parallels between the psychology behind coaching methodology within high school athletics and differentiated instruction within the elementary reading classroom. The purpose of this research was to develop a pathway to influence the increased implementation of differentiated instruction in elementary schools by determining and highlighting these parallels. The design of the study is a triangular analysis of interview questions conducted in a face-to-face interview format, document analysis, and surveys to show the parallels between the planning …

Culture Change: Examining The Impact Of Professional Learning Communities And Trust On School Culture, Jessica Floyd

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact professional learning community (PLC) implementation and collegial trust have at the organizational level and the effect these elements have on the positive school culture that nurtures academic achievement in select rural Title I elementary schools located in southeastern North Carolina. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used to design the study. The study occurred in two phases. Phase 1 was the collection of quantitative data from the Learning Community Culture Indicator (LCCI) 4.0 survey (Williams et al., 2007) and the Team Trust Inventory (Costa & Anderson, 2011). Phase 2 …

Conceptual Math For The Math-Anxious Teacher, Rebecca Chapman, Heather Thomas, Barbara Clarke

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

In this module we will explore many concepts supporting conceptual instruction of math from middle-elementary levels to lower-secondary level math. We help you teach not just how the math concepts work but why they work so students are empowered to engage! (Boaler, 2016)

View professional learning module.

Compassionate Care: Working With Students With Aces, Leah Massey Huttlinger, Andrea Gardner Nordberg

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This Professional Learning Module (PLM) was created for educators to learn more about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the negative impact trauma has on student learning. Participants in the PLM will learn about ACEs, the brain science related to trauma, behaviors associated with ACEs in the classroom, strategies to help mitigate the impact of ACEs in the classroom. Participants will have the opportunity to apply these strategies to real-life situations within the PLM. The PLM was meant to be completed independently, in small groups, or as whole-group faculty training. The option to submit a certificate for CEUs is provided upon …

Student-Led Conferences, Kendra Alston, Tabitha Boyd-Collins, Lucia K. Jacobs, Phyllis Marshall

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This professional learning module is designed to lead educators through the process of successfully developing and implementing effective student-led conferences to improve student ownership in their learning and to increase family engagement. The goal is to determine what structures need to be in place in classrooms and schools, to define the key components of student-led conferences, and to explain the impact of implementing student-led conferences on the school community and overall school structure. The module presents current research and resources supporting student-led conferences in school. Resources include activities, videos, and assessments. Educators are presented potential barriers to student-led conferences and …

Designing Online Learning To Increase Student Engagement, Stacy Fuentes, Mary Newton, Jennifer Reed

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

The purpose of this adaptive VPLM is to familiarize educators with how to design online learning to encourage student engagement. The VPLM is designed for secondary education or higher education professionals. The VPLM features three levels geared toward varying ability and comfort levels of educators with designing online learning. Glickman et al. (2018) highlighted the importance of offering differentiated choices to adult learners. Participants are encouraged to complete one or more levels based on their comfort and ability with designing online learning to improve their online learning environments and foster increased student engagement. Each level requires a different amount of …

Trauma Informed Leadership: Leading Through The Chaos, Christina Ruegamer, Joan T. Dorsey, Laine Smith, Megan G. Robertson

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

The purpose of this professional learning module is to create and promote trauma-informed leadership. Throughout the module, leaders will also learn about the six trauma-informed principles on establishing a trauma-informed site. The design of this professional learning module is to prepare leaders in addressing situations involving trauma at their site. This module can be used individually for leadership training and/or professional development. It should take one to two hours to complete. Once the training is completed, an assessment will be given. Upon successful completion of the assessment with a score of 80% or higher, a certificate will be provided via …

Wise Feedback, Mary Newton

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

The purpose of this Virtual Professional Learning Module (VPLM) is to familiarize educators with what wise feedback is and how to provide wise feedback to students. It was created to offer professional learning to secondary English Language Arts (ELA) educators participating in a dissertation research study about the impact of wise feedback on students, teachers, and classrooms. Despite being geared toward educators in a 9-12 English Language Arts setting, wise feedback and the VPLM can be applicable to educators in other 9-12 content areas.

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A Guide To Standards-Based Learning, Geneva Bell, Sarah Rector, Elizabeth Schrecengost, Beth Washle

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This learning module educates parents/guardians and teachers new to the practice to understand what standards-based learning is, why a school system would use it, how to know when students are learning the standards, and the difference from traditional learning.

View professional learning module.