Elementary Education and Teaching Commons^™

Theory Guided Professional Development In Early Childhood Science Education, Soo-Young Hong, Julia Torquati, Victoria J. Molfese

Soo-Young Hong

The importance of early and developmentally appropriate science education is increasingly recognized. Consequently, creation of common guidelines and standards in early childhood science education has begun (National Research Council (NRC), 2012), and researchers, practitioners, and policy makers have shown great interest in aligning professional development with the new guidelines and standard. There are some important issues that need to be addressed in order to successfully implement guidelines and make progress toward accomplishing standards. Early childhood teachers have expressed a lack of confidence in teaching science and nature (Torquati, Cutler, Gilkerson, & Sarver, in press) and have limited science and pedagogical …

Improving Consistency In Teacher Judgements : An Investigation For The Department Of Education, Victoria, Marion Meiers, Clare Ozolins, Phillip Mckenzie

Marion Meiers (1941-2018)

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) was commissioned by the Department of Education in Victoria to undertake an investigation of current best-practice approaches to ensuring consistency of teacher judgements against P-10 state-wide standards. The investigation encompassed national and international approaches that had been implemented or were under development. A key objective of the investigation was that the approaches identified should be based on current information, research and best practice, and that they should be supportive of the continued development of a learning and assessment culture in Victorian schools. The report of the investigation was required to provide key baseline …

Envisioning Education Reform In Khyber Pakhtun Khwa, Zulfiqar Ali Shah Zulfi

Zulfiqar Ali Shah Zulfi

No abstract provided.

Creative Arts: An Essential Element In The Teacher’S Toolkit When Developing Critical Thinking In Children, Caroline Nilson, Catherine M. Fetherston, Anne Mcmurray, Tony Fetherston

Tony Fetherston

This paper is a position paper, which argues the position that critical thinking is a crucial skill, which needs to be developed in the school curriculum and that the creative arts can do this. The paper explores the states of the Arts in the present curriculum and goes on to argue that knowing how to develop critical thinking is an important pedagogical skill that needs to be developed in our pre-service teachers. This position is supported through data gathered from an innovative project that explored teachers’ and mothers’ perceptions of children’s critical thinking.

First Graders Solving Problems, Mary H. Burke

Mary Ellen Burke

First graders become good problem solvers when given the opportunity to practice problem solving skills. It is necessary for such practice to take place in a risk-free environment that treats errors as valuable learning experiences rather than something to always avoid. This thesis integrates academic subject matter, school life interactions, and out of school experiences into the first graders' development of critical thinking skills and strategies necessary for them to become good problem solvers. The thesis explains in several different academic subject areas the implementation of critical and creative thinking pedagogy essential for the development of a sound foundation for …

Transforming Learning With New Technologies (Second Edition), Robert Maloy, Ruth-Ellen Verock-O'Loughlin, Sharon Edwards, Beverly Woolf

Robert W. Maloy

Transforming Learning with New Technologies is a book about how to create dynamic learning opportunities for students in K–12 schools using computers, the Internet, interactive websites, educational software and apps, digital games, blogs, wikis, social bookmarking, podcasts, multimedia, universal design for learning, electronic portfolios, classroom response systems, and other new and emerging technologies.

Designed as a text for educational technology or introduction to instructional technology courses, the contents are organized by learning goals first, and second by computer-based technologies that can be used to achieve those goals. Each chapter focuses on a particular aspect of learning with technology crucial for …

Learning To Teach Elementary Mathematics: Understanding The Sociocultural Experience Of The Preservice Teacher, Mary Grassetti

Mary Grassetti

No abstract provided.

What Happened To The National Statement For The Teaching Profession?, Lawrence C. Ingvarson

Dr Lawrence Ingvarson (Consultant)

In 2003, 15 teacher associations put together a National Statement from the Teaching Profession on Teacher Standards, Quality and Professionalism. It recommended that A nationally coordinated, rigorous and consistent system should be established to provide recognition to teachers who demonstrate advanced standards . . . The enterprise bargaining process between employers and unions will be an important mechanism for providing recognition for professional certification. All employing authorities should be encouraged to provide recognition and support for professional certification as the process comes to demonstrate its credibility and its effects on professional learning. (p. 4) The Statement was the culmination of …

Finding Your Voice Through Online Discussion, Ginger M. Bidell

Ginger M. Bidell

In this Action Research Project, students will utilize online discussion boards to interact with one another in order engage in critical literacy practices. Online discussions will be utilized to provide students with an opportunity to be “heard” in a manner that is often difficult in classroom discussions. Students will have an opportunity to think and compose thoughtful responses to texts. In addition, they will be able to read the responses of classmates to consider multiple perspectives. Most importantly, online discussions will allow students who are reluctant to participate in classroom discussions an opportunity to find their voice.