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Full-Text Articles in Educational Leadership
Rural Elementary Teachers And The Impact Of Professional Development On Mathematics Instruction, Heather Rockwell
Rural Elementary Teachers And The Impact Of Professional Development On Mathematics Instruction, Heather Rockwell
All Theses And Dissertations
Rural elementary math teachers often lack a background in mathematics and even those with a strong mathematics background can sometimes struggle to model elementary math concepts (Holm & Kajander, 2019). Professional development (PD) provides teachers with an opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills while in the field. Although there are clear guidelines of what constitutes high-quality PD, not all PD achieves the same outcomes for teachers and students. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to understand PD experiences from the viewpoint of the rural elementary teachers, specifically the ways the PD experiences impact teacher efficacy and …
Covid-19: Descriptive Case Study Of A K-8 School District’S Abrupt Transition To Remote Learning From A Traditional In-Person Model, Matthew C. Ferreira
Covid-19: Descriptive Case Study Of A K-8 School District’S Abrupt Transition To Remote Learning From A Traditional In-Person Model, Matthew C. Ferreira
All Theses And Dissertations
COVID-19 resulted in many changes worldwide in how humans and organizations interact and operate. One such significant adjustment was the closure and transition from a classroom instruction model to a remote instruction model across the United States. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore student achievement, teacher preparation and instructional hours, and student attendance levels for grades kindergarten through eighth grade (K-8) at four schools in a single school district. The study examined these datasets at a school administrative unit (SAU) comprising of three terms during the 2019-20 school year, comparing pre-COVID-19 levels with post-COVID-19 levels. The …
The Value Of Food: A Small Rural School Cafeteria Budget Case Study, Rosie Rochelle Slentz
The Value Of Food: A Small Rural School Cafeteria Budget Case Study, Rosie Rochelle Slentz
All Theses And Dissertations
This mixed-methods case study was used to examine a small school district in a rural setting that operates a child nutrition program without encroaching on the general fund, while still serving organic, made-from-scratch meals. Current research confirms that school districts are challenged to balance the requirements of the National School Lunch Program while maintaining quality. School lunch programs, particularly small rural ones, are operating at a deficit. This researcher addressed an important gap by providing a comprehensive account of a fiscally sound cafeteria budget in a rural area for a small school, serving 150 lunches per day. In this study, …
Examining The Relationship Between Teacher Stress And Disruptive Student Behavior, Sidney Crudup Ii
Examining The Relationship Between Teacher Stress And Disruptive Student Behavior, Sidney Crudup Ii
All Theses And Dissertations
This phenomenological research study was conducted at one inner-city elementary school in a Central Florida district. The intent of this research was to examine the lived experiences of certified elementary-level inner-city teachers who had experienced stress and burnout while dealing with continuing disruptive student behavior in their classroom. The study addressed three research questions: (a) What perceptions do inner-city, elementary-level teachers have regarding the role of student behavior and teacher stress and burnout? (b) How do inner-city, elementary-level teachers perceive the ways in which student behavior contributes to teacher stress and burnout? (c) How do inner-city, elementary-level teachers perceive the …
Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Reaching Struggling Learners In An Elementary School Mathematics Classroom, Colleen Kelleher
Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Reaching Struggling Learners In An Elementary School Mathematics Classroom, Colleen Kelleher
All Theses And Dissertations
Elementary school is a critical educational period during which students develop early mathematics skills and build a foundation for future academic success. The purpose of this study was to document the instructional practices and interventions teachers use to identify and meet the needs of struggling learners in a K-3 mathematics classroom. Specific areas of focus included how K-3 teachers identify areas of need and plan for interventions, the resources they rely on in that process, and their own self-efficacy regarding addressing students’ specific needs. Results from online surveys and semi-structured, one-on-one interviews indicated that teachers identify a range of student …
Teacher Beliefs On Balanced Literacy And Collective Efficacy In Kindergarten, Dominic Depatsy
Teacher Beliefs On Balanced Literacy And Collective Efficacy In Kindergarten, Dominic Depatsy
All Theses And Dissertations
The research problem of this study was teacher beliefs about early literacy pedagogy. Research over the past 15 years had made significant strides in studying the complex relationships between teacher beliefs and practices (Fang, 2006). Teacher beliefs play an important role in teachers’ work (Biesta, Prestly, and Robinson, 2015). The purpose of the study was to understand how kindergarten teachers’ beliefs about early literacy instruction influenced how they integrated direct instruction and whole language approaches into their teaching and support of language acquisition in the classroom. The subjects were fourteen kindergarten teachers (participants) who currently teach in three different elementary …
Blended Learning In Elementary Schools: An Interdependent Enterprise, Carrie J. Pratt
Blended Learning In Elementary Schools: An Interdependent Enterprise, Carrie J. Pratt
All Theses And Dissertations
This qualitative case study, bounded by a scope of leadership, was one way to analyze how leaders encouraged teachers to leverage blended learning in the public elementary school. The theoretical framework lending to cognitivism included sociocultural cognition and contingency theory. With the central phenomenon and research question, “What leadership aspects encourage teachers to leverage blended learning in elementary schools?” the researcher sought to understand the power of leadership and teacher perceptions as change occurs in the public elementary school, integrating blended learning. Subquestion 1 was used to pursue information about teacher identified leadership support that teachers perceived to be helpful …
Place-Based Learning As An Effective Methodology For Developing Self-Efficacy Skills In Students With Learning Disabilities, Melodee Carter-Guyette
Place-Based Learning As An Effective Methodology For Developing Self-Efficacy Skills In Students With Learning Disabilities, Melodee Carter-Guyette
All Theses And Dissertations
Research shows that place-based learning is a proven methodology in supporting students in achievement of their academic and social needs. There are inconsistencies related to documenting its success with learning disabled students, especially in the area of self-efficacy. This study attempted to fill this gap in the literature by exploring the perception of educators regarding self-efficacy of students with learning disabilities who have experienced environmental science place-based programs. Elementary educators were recruited from a broad pool of participants via social media. One hundred seventy surveys were received from educators in the six New England states. Five participants provided in-depth information …
“We’Re Trying To Have A Childhood”: Parent Notions Of Kindergarten Readiness, Isabel F. Johnson
“We’Re Trying To Have A Childhood”: Parent Notions Of Kindergarten Readiness, Isabel F. Johnson
All Theses And Dissertations
In response to the chronic third-grade achievement-gap, public school kindergartens have abandoned Froëbel’s traditional child-centered pedagogy in favor of an early academic preparation model that promotes the idea of kindergarten readiness. But top-down implementation of readiness curriculum has not led to sustainable gains and may result in poorer student outcomes. The bioecological repercussions of early academic expectations on young children and their families are not well understood, and parent perspectives on the topic are often marginalized. This qualitative case study explored parent notions of kindergarten readiness using word coding analysis of eight kindergarten and preschool parent interviews. Findings from thematic …
Teachers’ Self-Efficacy When Differentiating Between Language Acquisition Difficulties Or Possible Learning Disabilities In English Language Learners, Elizabeth Hallett
Teachers’ Self-Efficacy When Differentiating Between Language Acquisition Difficulties Or Possible Learning Disabilities In English Language Learners, Elizabeth Hallett
All Theses And Dissertations
This multiple-case study examines teachers’ self-efficacy, or perceptions of their effectiveness, when differentiating between typical language acquisition difficulties and possible learning disabilities in English Language Learners (ELLs) who are challenged academically. Five mainstream elementary teachers from a mid-sized urban school district in the northeastern United States participated in the study. Data from individual interviews, meeting observations and artifacts were collected from each of the participants. Meeting observations occurred during each participant’s Integrated Learning Team meetings. During interviews, participants described their experiences working with ELLs who struggled more than typical ELLs and presented an artifact representing experiences teaching such students. Across …
Professional Growth: Informal Peer Observation, Carolyn A. Clark
Professional Growth: Informal Peer Observation, Carolyn A. Clark
All Theses And Dissertations
The practice of peer observation has recently gained attention as educational and political leaders examine teacher effectiveness. Prior research studies about peer observation were mostly conducted in secondary universities or in schools where this practice was voluntary. Since this practice has recently become mandated, this qualitative case study examined how teachers perceived the experience of informal peer observation in relation to their professional growth. The study was conducted in a Pre-K-8 public school for three months while teachers participated in informal peer observation rounds. When teachers completed their informal peer observation, they filled out the peer observation documentation forms and …
The Impact Of Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students With High Functioning Autism On The Student’S Learning Environment, Corleigh Donati
The Impact Of Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students With High Functioning Autism On The Student’S Learning Environment, Corleigh Donati
All Theses And Dissertations
This qualitative research study examines, explores, and describes teachers' perceptions towards high functioning autistic (ASD) students and its impact on the student's learning environment in suburban elementary school inclusion classrooms. Significant themes and subthemes emerged while analyzing the data. The emergent themes categorized were 1) enriching experiences, 2) classroom challenges, 3) preparedness and knowledge, 4) accommodations, and 5) needed supports. Based on the data I concluded that teachers perceived students with ASD to positively impact the learning environment their classroom. Participants reported that ASD students are challenging to work with due to their disruptive behaviors and lower level of functioning, …
The Impact Of A Standards-Based Approach On Student Motivation, Aimee Frechette
The Impact Of A Standards-Based Approach On Student Motivation, Aimee Frechette
All Theses And Dissertations
The purpose of this individual case study was to investigate students’ perspectives on levels of motivation to reach mastery on identified standards when provided a standards-based approach to instruction, assessment, and reporting as compared to a traditional approach that utilized number and letter grades. The site studied is a rural elementary school located within a district that is beginning initiation of a standards-based approach. Resting on the foundation of motivational theory, this study sought to answer the question, how does the implementation of a standards-based approach to instruction and assessment impact the students’ perception of their level of motivation to …