Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons^™

Extreme Math Makeover: Mathematics Assessment And Reporting In The Era Of The Common Core Standards, Glenn W. "Max" Mcgee

Publications & Research

This presentation discusses the need to develop high quality performance based assessments of the Common Core Mathematical Standards and Mathematical Practices. Several examples of performance assessments from high achieving countries as well as from the 2009 PISA test are included.

Measuring The Impact Of A Mentoring Program: Preparing African American Males For Success Beyond High School, Cornell Gray

Theses and Dissertations

The academic struggles befalling countless African American male youth have been the source of consternation in many homes, schools, and communities across America. When compared to males from other ethnic groups, as well as females, Black males often lag behind in many academic categories from elementary school through college. As a result of their educational failures, parents, educators, and even government officials have been exploring ways to resolve this dilemma. While a number of solutions have been proposed and even implemented by a variety of stakeholders, too few seem to offer reasonable rates of success to address what appears to …

State Of The Nation: K–12 Online Learning In Canada, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

A variety of initiatives are driving online and blended learning in each of Canada’s provinces and territories. From teachers’ unions in Nova Scotia fighting to ensure online learning is an accepted method of educational delivery, to Ontario’s College of Teachers creating an e-learning endorsement for teachers or the British Columbia government creating policies to expand the growth and opportunities online learning provides, there are multiple, isolated initiatives happening across the country.

State of the Nation: K-12 Online Learning in Canada is now in its fourth year of publication and can be seen as a national guide for understanding the field …

Students' Learning Style Preferences And Teachers' Instructional Strategies: Correlations Between Matched Styles And Academic Achievement, Mary L. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the current study was to identify the extent to which learning styles influence the educational process as well as the outcome of students, particularly elementary-age students, in terms of academic achievement. This study examined the potential relationship between the degree of match (as determined by comparing learning style preferences of students with instructional strategies of teachers) and the academic achievement of fourth grade students as shown by Palmetto Assessment of State Standards scores in four academic content areas, namely English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The researcher collected data from a sample of approximately 200 …

The Unforgettable Experience Of A Workshop On Pythagoras Theorem, Salima Shahzad Arwani

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

The Seminarts Experience: Restructuring A Ninth Grade Transitional Program In A Whole School Arts Academy, Mari Celi Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

The potential problem with a student's high school experience may begin as soon as he/she enters the high school. Freshmen students experience increased changes in school environment, as well as new friends, teachers, rules and regulations, and challenging courses. They need to maneuver all of these experiences with complex social-emotional and physiological upheavals associated with adolescence. For some students, this transition to high school has negative consequences that lead to achievement loss and dropping out of school. Because of this, effective transitional programs that assist new ninth grade students into high school are needed. Freshmen require procedural, social, and academic …

Exploring Leadership Practices In Rural Context Of A Developing Country, Ali Nawab

Professional Development Centre, Chitral

The success or failure of any institution has closely been linked with the leadership practices exercised in the institution. Whereas the number of private schools is rapidly increasing in the rural context of Pakistan, the leadership practices of these institutions are interesting and timely questions to ponder upon. Drawing upon the data of a qualitative case study, this paper discusses the leadership practices in a private school in rural Pakistan. It is found that the school leaders in this context have still traditional approach to leadership with little possibilities of shared or distributed leadership. Since the private schools are owned …

Do Teachers Learn In School Contexts? Some Perspectives From Pakistan, Ayesha Bashiruddin

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Comparing The Reading Performance Of High-Achieving Adolescents: Computers-Based Testing Versus Paper/Pencil, Linda P. Eno

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Inclusive Co-Teaching In The Secondary Schools: A Study In Sustainable Change, Marnee Sirolli

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research project was to change the current implementation of inclusion and co-teaching in the secondary grades at one school in southern New Jersey. Through professional development, establishing core communication strategies, and the development of a common lesson plan template for each teaching partner, teachers were provided with the opportunity to use survey data and participatory action research to develop a new model for inclusive co-teaching that integrated best practices and established cohesion and clarity among co-teaching partners. The data were collected through surveys, interviews, observations, discussions, and reflective journals. The first conclusion was that teacher's …

Implementation Of Cross-Disciplinary Projects To Improve Student Engagement: A Leadership Study In Building Capacity For Collaboration Between Middle School Teachers, Barbara Horner

Theses and Dissertations

Most students, including at-risk students, enter school engaged in the process and eager to learn, like school, and comply with school routines (Alexander, Entwisle, & Horsey, 1997; Nystrand & Gamoran, 1991). Over time students' interest in school declines and they fail to connect within the school context and curriculum (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004). Disconnected and disinterested students exhibit off-task behaviors and apathetic attitudes toward school, which often result in student disengagement. The effects of disengagement manifest in the form of poor academic achievement, disciplinary problems, and poor attendance records (Lee & Smith, 1995; Miller, Leinhardt, & Zigmond, 1988). Research …

What Works In Education In Pakistan, And Why? The Case Of Pdcn’S Whole School Improvement Program In Gilgit-Baltistan Of Pakistan, Mola Dad Shafa, Darvesh Karim, Sultan Alam

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

This inquiry is part of a country-wide study conducted to explore What Works in Education in Pakistan, and Why? The Whole School Improvement Programme (WSIP) of Aga Khan University-Professional Development Center, North (AKU-PDCN) offered in Gilgit-Baltistan is one of the seven cases chosen based on its best practices in teacher professional development and school improvement in the mountainous and rural Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan. Three schools representing the public, private and AKESP systems were selected for this study. The findings emanating from the three cases have been structured and discussed under the themes of „Teachers Professional Development,‟ „School-Community Relations,‟ „Monitoring and …

Role Of Head Teachers In Managing The Forces Emanating From The External World Of Schools In Gilgit-Baltistan Of Pakistan, Mola Dad Shafa

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

This paper reviews the nature and intensity of some external forces that shape and re-shape headteachers’ school improvement efforts in the mountainous and rural Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan. The external forces emanating from the outside world of the schools are categorized under three themes: divisions within the school community, influences of the district office, and issues of communication with parents. The divisions within the school community were clear and deep. The major divisions included the uneven socioeconomic levels, the various tribal systems, the sense of local and non-locals, and the different religious denominations. The challenges related to the District Office were: …

Reflective Leadership: Effects Of Peer Mentoring On Minority Students Within An Urban School Setting, Sean Mccarron

Theses and Dissertations

The extent to which school and community resources are utilized by partially proficient students affects their academic and social proficiency (Anderson & Pellicer, 1998; Shann, 2001). All too often a school system will initiate new programs and resources without adequately targeting the students who would benefit most, or not provide the management and leadership necessary, causing the support systems to be ineffective (Munoz, Ross, & McDonald, 2007). Regardless of the varying support systems in place at Wayside Middle School, four subgroups of students have not been achieving academic proficiency as identified by the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge …

Utilizing Teacher's Perceptions Of Professional Development To Inform District Level Programming, Gina Friedman

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers' beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes toward professional development initiatives have a powerful impact on the effectiveness of those programs after implementation. Specifically, teachers in first order change schools perceive inhibiting factors (i.e. lack of faculty buy-in, scheduling conflicts, limited time for trainings within the calendar, lack of leadership support, etc.) as a hindrance to the success of program implementation. Concurrently, Cedar Creek teacher's perceptions identify many of the same inhibiting factors to effective professional development that are found on a national level. These perceptions suggest a first order mental model perspective. This mixed methods action research study identified a second …

An Investigation On Whether Creating A Culture Of Respect Can Reduce Disruptive Behaviors By Influencing The Social Skills Development Of Four Year Old Children In An Urban Setting, Ruth Cummings-Hypolite

Theses and Dissertations

This investigation explored the impact of a culture of respect on disruptive behaviors of four year old children in an urban setting. A curriculum on respect was implemented, and teachers' and students' views on respect were measured before and after delivering the curriculum. Family involvement was part of the curriculum. The research questions identified teachers' knowledge and attitudes regarding teaching social skills and respect, the influence of teaching respect on children's social skills, and effective strategies for teaching respect. A pilot study and principal study were conducted in a total of 9 preschool classrooms. A mixed research methodology was used …

Connecting Brain Research With Teaching Practice Among Middle School Teachers, Irene Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

The discipline of mind, brain, and education science is the merger of psychology, neuroscience, and education. Its focus is to address complex problems in education and provide evidence-based solutions. One facet of this mixed methods action research study expanded middle school teachers' knowledge of brain function and brain-based strategies through a five-part workshop series and created a ten session professional learning community. Participants selected strategies such as relaxation, working memory tasks, or taught students about their brains to increase academic achievement, and tracked two groups' progress. Strategy implementation was judged to be too time consuming except for relaxation exercises. Alternate …

A Study To Examine Teacher Perceptions Of Leadership Characteristics That Middle School Principals Should Have To Be An Effective Instructional Leader., Gary Dail Mccann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate teachers' perceptions of the role middle school principals played as instructional leaders in 2 rural schools in southwest Virginia. The 2 middle school participants in the study included only teachers in schools classified Fully Accredited by the accountability standards of the No Child Left Behind for changing the academic status of their schools from Needs Improvement in 2005 to Fully Accredited for 2006 to 2009 inclusive. This study examined teachers' perceptions of the principal's role as an instructional leader for school improvement in changing the status of the schools from Needs Improvement to Fully …

Professionalizing Practice: How Plc Development Enhances Teaching And Learning, Kelly Roselle

Theses and Dissertations

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are groups of professionals who work collaboratively to meet expressly stated goals. The groups analyze data and make decisions based upon that analysis. All parties closely monitor student achievement. A true PLC is focused on a specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, time-bound (SMART) goal. In this study, the PLC is designed to increase teacher use of research-based best practices, which is referred to as "professionalizing practice". This study focuses on a group of volunteer high school teachers who met regularly before and after school to discuss students, share ideas, collaboratively implement strategies, and gather and analyze data. …

The Preferred Principal: Leadership Traits, Behaviors, And Gender Characteristics School Teachers Desire In A Building Leader, Troy Dan Costellow

Dissertations

This study of 2,802 teachers and 129 school administrators sought to determine the gender, leadership traits, and leadership behaviors most preferred by teachers in Kentucky. Principals were also surveyed to establish which traits they felt were most important for a school leader to possess, and to determine the frequency at which they practiced various leadership behaviors.

Participants were from 194 public elementary, middle, and high schools in thirty-two Kentucky school districts. Leadership traits were based on Marzano, Waters, and McNulty’s (2005) twenty-one responsibilities of school leaders. Teachers and principals were asked to indicate the level of importance for school administrators …