Evaluating A Ninth Grade Transition Program : Link Crew,
2014
University of Lynchburg
Evaluating A Ninth Grade Transition Program : Link Crew, Luke Saechao
Graduate Dissertations and Theses
For U.S. students, ninth grade is a critical year in the educational pipeline, often dictating a school-to-school transition period. The author evaluates the ramification on achievement following such a school-to-school transition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a ninth grade transition program called Link Crew, which was implemented by a large comprehensive urban high school. Do transition programs assist in maintaining achievement and readiness? Participants in the study were transitioning grade nine students from two high schools in central Virginia, in which only one received treatment via the Link Crew transition program. The quantitative study utilized school division …
In Defense Of Idea Due Process,
2014
DePaul University College of Law
In Defense Of Idea Due Process, Mark Weber
College of Law Faculty
Due Process hearing rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are under attack. A major professional group and several academic commentators charge that the hearings system advantages middle class parents, that it is expensive, that it is futile, and that it is unmanageable. Some critics would abandon individual rights to a hearing and review in favor of bureaucratic enforcement or administrative mechanisms that do not include the right to an individual hearing before a neutral decision maker. This Article defends the right to a due process hearing. It contends that some criticisms of hearing rights are simply erroneous, and …
Blended Learning : A Program Evaluation In A Central Virginia K-12 School District,
2014
University of Lynchburg
Blended Learning : A Program Evaluation In A Central Virginia K-12 School District, Edward A. Hoisington
Graduate Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a general education course offered in a blended learning environment in a Central Virginia public school district. Three research questions were addressed in this study: How satisfied are students with a blended learning environment in a general education Economics and Personal Finance course? Is a student’s course grade affected by the following: Technology, self-efficacy, course organization, quality of instruction, and student satisfaction in a blended learning course? Is a student’s grade on a credential test affected by the following: Technology, self-efficacy, course organization, quality of instruction, and student satisfaction in a blended …
Outliers In Educational Achievement Data: Their Potential For The Improvement Of Performance,
2014
Aga Khan University, Examination Board
Outliers In Educational Achievement Data: Their Potential For The Improvement Of Performance, Tooba Farooqui, Isba Mustafa, Thomas Christie
Examination Board
Statistical outliers (Barnett and Lewis, 1994) have customarily been identified as either potential threats to data integrity (Cook, 1977) or as potential distortions of estimates of central tendency (Strutz, 2010). In both circumstances outliers are treated as having nuisance value. On the other hand, Gladwell (2008) views outliers as success stories. The study adopts the latter approach to reach to classrooms and teachers which add value in student’s academic capabilities. Scores of 86207 students from 423 government schools in 2010 middle school (Grade VI to VIII) promotion examinations are analysed to explore the possibility of identifying gifted teachers.
The study …
Beyond The Content And Pedagogy : A Step Forward Towards Value Based Teacher’S Professional Development,
2014
Aga Khan University
Beyond The Content And Pedagogy : A Step Forward Towards Value Based Teacher’S Professional Development, Sharifullah Baig
Professional Development Centre, Gilgit
This paper reviews the contemporary literature of human values and valuation processes, and proposes a re-conceptualized model of a teacher’s professional development. This paper suggests a thorough analysis of the teacher’s personality and devises alternative, well thought-out strategies and approaches to alter self-knowledge, values, valuation processes, and beliefs to imbed the desired impact on their teaching practices. This paper supports the use of deliberate attempts to alter the basic motivation level of teachers and to deliberately expose them to available knowledge to modify their values, attitudes, and actions in their respective professions, organizations, and formal associations. Hence, such professional development …
Middle School Teachers' Experiences Regarding The Influence Of Data On Instruction,
2014
Walden University
Middle School Teachers' Experiences Regarding The Influence Of Data On Instruction, Anne Marie Gwizdak
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This research addressed the data-driven process that teachers utilized to increase student scores on state tests, a process brought forth from a national concern with increased accountability. According to the district website, there is no consistent direction for data use and informal teacher interviews demonstrated varying levels of proficiency and understanding in using available data. Constructivism and learning styles from Vygotsky, Bandura, and Gardner informed this qualitative case study's theoretical framework, which centered on data-driven decision making for instruction. The research questions explored the experiences of middle school teachers in collecting and analyzing data, how the school supported the teachers' …
The Relationship Between Family, Personal, And School Variables And The Math Achievement Of Elementary Students,
2014
Walden University
The Relationship Between Family, Personal, And School Variables And The Math Achievement Of Elementary Students, Regina Wicker Kerr
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
School administrators and teachers must determine the factors most associated with academic success in order to meet the academic needs of all students. Researchers have identified general risk factors such as student socioeconomic status (SES), but there may be additional unidentified factors correlated to student achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a set of school, family, and personal demographic variables and students' math achievement. Bandura's social learning theory, Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, and Feurestein's mediated learning experience served as the guiding frameworks for this study. A descriptive correlational design was used to examine …
The Impact Of Common Core Professional Development On Teaching Practices,
2014
Walden University
The Impact Of Common Core Professional Development On Teaching Practices, Elisabeth S. Kannenberg
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in Mathematics represents a challenge for public educators due to the broad scope of required instructional change. This case study investigated the implementation of a professional development (PD) series across 11 elementary schools, designed to address the problem of insufficient teacher preparation in CCSS pedagogical shifts. Grounded in Vygotsky's social learning theory and constructivism, the training was intended to enhance teacher skills through collaborative, inquiry-based learning. The research questions included in the study examined math teaching practices before and after the implementation of the district training. Through questionnaires and interviews, perceptions …
Implementing A Generic School Improvement Framework: Experience Of The National School Improvement Tool In Australian Settings,
2014
Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)
Implementing A Generic School Improvement Framework: Experience Of The National School Improvement Tool In Australian Settings, Elizabeth Hartnell-Young, Robert Marshall, Robert Hassell
School and system improvement
This is a collection of three papers presented at a symposium ‘Implementing a generic school improvement framework: experience of the National School Improvement Tool in Australian settings’ at the 27th International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) , Yogyakarta Indonesia, 27 January 2014. Paper A: Development of a school improvement framework with broad application in different contexts by Dr Elizabeth Hartnell-Young, ACER. School improvement has been a focus of attention in Australia for some time, but the publication of results in international testing such as PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study), TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science …
Investigating The Literacy, Numeracy And Ict Demands Of Primary Teacher Education,
2014
University of New England, Armidale NSW
Investigating The Literacy, Numeracy And Ict Demands Of Primary Teacher Education, Helen De Silva Joyce, Susan Feez, Eveline Chan, Stephen Tobias
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
The pre-service programs delivered in Australian teacher education institutions are expected to graduate students who meet externally determined standards, including standards in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. These programs are also expected to educate future teachers in professional knowledge and practice, as well as prepare them to engage in professional learning continuously throughout their careers. This paper reports on the first phase of a project that investigated the literacy, numeracy and ICT demands of assessment tasks across the four years of the Bachelor of Education (Primary) program at a regional university.
Student Behavior Management : School Leader’S Role In The Eyes Of The Teachers And Students,
2014
Karachi Grammar School, Karachi
Student Behavior Management : School Leader’S Role In The Eyes Of The Teachers And Students, Shirin Nooruddin, Sharifullah Baig
Professional Development Centre, Gilgit
This study explored the perspectives and viewpoints of the teachers and students in relation to the influence of the head teacher and senior leadership team on students’ behavior management in the form of policies, procedures and support mechanisms in a secondary school in Karachi Pakistan. Two surveys were developed and employed, one for the entire teaching staff (N=43) and one for a sample of students (n=120). The majority of teachers (97%) and students (83%) reported that school leadership influences students’ behavior management through policies and procedures. A large number of the teachers are of the view that sharing of personal …
Grade Retention Rates: Impact Of Standards-Based Grading As Compared To A Traditional Grading System In 3rd And 5th Grades,
2014
Liberty University
Grade Retention Rates: Impact Of Standards-Based Grading As Compared To A Traditional Grading System In 3rd And 5th Grades, Mishea Dean
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Student retention is a contentious issue that has spawned considerable debate among school leaders and policymakers. NCLB's accountability requirement has led to the development of a standards-based grading system to ensure students master content and so schools can meet AYP goals. This causal comparative study examined whether a change from a traditional grading system to a standards-based system affected the student retention frequency rate. Convenience sampling was used to collect retention data on third and fifth grade students who attended four Title 1 schools in northeast Georgia during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years when the grading system changed. A …
Development Of An Instrument To Measure The Attitudes Of Christian School Leaders Towards Factors That May Influence Their Decisions To Implement Special Education Programs,
2014
Liberty University
Development Of An Instrument To Measure The Attitudes Of Christian School Leaders Towards Factors That May Influence Their Decisions To Implement Special Education Programs, Julia Elliott
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this study is to develop and field-test the School Leader's Special Education Decision-Making Scale and to determine its validity and reliability for use with Christian school leaders. This 11-item scale, derived from the literature, measures the attitudes of Christian school leaders towards decisions to implement a special education program based on four factors: shared vision, parental considerations, teacher input, and religious concerns. This study was exploratory in nature and sought to extend a previous qualitative study by determining a way to quantify six intangible factors identified in that study. Three panels of experts in the fields of …
Students’ Attitude Towards Science In Lower Secondary Classes : Comparison Across Regions,
2014
Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development, Karachi
Students’ Attitude Towards Science In Lower Secondary Classes : Comparison Across Regions, Nahid Parween Anwar, Sadia Muzaffar Bhutta
Institute for Educational Development, Karachi
Science education is an area of interest for long and has gained a lot of attention from science educators. Keeping this in view, the current study explored the attitude of grade VI-VIII students towards science in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan. This research study was conducted as part of a 5-year project titled ‘USAID-LINKS to learning: Education Support to Pakistan’ (USAID-EDLINKS). A 5-point rating scale, Science Attitude Scale (SAS) was adapted from previous research. SAS has 32 items arranged under five constructs: learning science in school, self-concept in science, science outside of school, future participation in science and importance …
International Perspectives On Education, Religion And Law,
2014
University of Dayton
International Perspectives On Education, Religion And Law, Charles J. Russo
Educational Leadership Faculty Publications
From publisher: This volume examines the legal status of religion in education, both public and non-public, in the United States and seven other nations. It will stimulate further interest, research, and debate on comparative analyses on the role of religion in schools at a time when the place of religion is of vital interest in most parts of the world. This interdisciplinary volume includes chapters by leading academicians and is designed to serve as a resource for researchers and educational practitioners, providing readers with an enhanced awareness of strategies for addressing the role of religion in rapidly diversifying educational settings. …
Evaluation And Approval Constructs For Online And Blended Courses And Providers,
2014
Sacred Heart University
Evaluation And Approval Constructs For Online And Blended Courses And Providers, Michael K. Barbour, Tom Clark, Kristen Debruler, Justin Bruno
Education Faculty Publications
The report released by the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute™ at MVU examines existing policies and practices related to the evaluation and approval of online and blended learning in the 50 states as well as relevant international examples, such as those arising from Canada’s province-based K-12 education systems.
Instructional Technology Integration And Situational Interest In Math,
2014
Georgia Southern University
Instructional Technology Integration And Situational Interest In Math, James A. Thompson Iv
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
Motivating students to be engaged in learning, especially in math, has been a perennial challenge for educators. Over the past 20 years, instructional technology has become an increasingly prevalent teaching tool that, according to many educational observers and researchers, can have a transformative effect on teaching and learning because of the way that it engages today’s students. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship between students’ perceptions of technology integration and situational interest in middle school math so that educational planners will be better informed when making instructional decisions concerning the use of technology in the …
The School District Superintendent In The United States Of America,
2014
University of Kentucky
The School District Superintendent In The United States Of America, Lars G. Björk, Theodore J. Kowalski, Tricia Browne-Ferrigno
Educational Leadership Faculty Publications
Public education is one of the main forces that make a healthy and democratic society. It strives to educate and to provide the younger generation knowledge and skills that allow children to become contributing citizens in their society. Public education is considered highly significant in consolidating the society and establishing its cultural and economic strength. For those reasons, governments choose to invest a significant portion of the state’s national resources in public schooling.
Taking into account the costs and political significance attributed to public education, it is not surprising that governments establish some formal mechanism responsible for the monitoring of …
Practitioner Strategies For Effective Advocacy Engagement In The Usa,
2014
Old Dominion University
Practitioner Strategies For Effective Advocacy Engagement In The Usa, Elizabeth Ann Burns
STEMPS Faculty Publications
Increased defunding and destaffing of school libraries in public schools in the United States makes advocating for school library programs increasingly important. Practicing school librarians must develop an understanding of advocacy so they will know how and when to act for their program. Additionally, it is important to identify advocacy strategies so that strong advocacy plans may be developed. This study identifies the activities and practices of advocacy within the library programs of a group of practicing librarians. Findings suggest successful strategies of advocacy follow three themes: building awareness for the school library program, engagement of the librarian in the …
A Case Study Of Teachers’ And Administrators’ Experiences Integrating Project-Based Learning,
2014
Walden University
A Case Study Of Teachers’ And Administrators’ Experiences Integrating Project-Based Learning, Gastrid Harrigan
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Implementation of project-based learning (PBL) has contributed to increases in students’ retention of concepts, engagement, and academic success. The problem for this study is that teachers’ and administrators’ experiences and perceptions have not been sought regarding the integration of PBL in the classroom at the school district. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to gain a deeper insight into the experiences of teachers and administrators implementing PBL. Centered on the theory of constructivism, the research questions focused on 10 teachers’ and 5 administrators’ experiences integrating PBL. Face-to-face interviews with participants and 10 classroom observations were conducted. Inductive …
