Educational Methods Commons^™

Students’ Attitudes About Peer-Led Team Learning Workshops In General Chemistry: A Critical Incident Study, A.E. Dreyfuss, Janet Liou-Mark

Publications and Research

How would students respond to open-ended questions regarding their experiences with PLTL workshops? This paper will present the results of a two-semester qualitative study on how students view workshop in their introductory chemistry courses, using Brookfield’s (1995) Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ). The five questions probe what stands out in the affirmative and negative, using key words: engaged, distanced, affirmed, puzzled or confused, and surprising. Collecting key moments from students in workshop, after several weeks of meeting, allow a grounded sense of how students view the workshop experience.

Revitalizing Grammar Instruction For High School Juniors: Toward A Contextual, Student-Driven, And Minimalistic Method, Heather L. Lindenmeyer

Masters Theses

In this thesis, I explore best practices in grammar instruction for high school juniors. Practicing English teachers have been engaging in the great grammar debate for years, essentially arguing if and how grammar is best taught. Thoughts on teaching grammar greatly differ in the professional community, but most scholars call for a middle ground to be sought in the great grammar debate. In other words, very few scholars think traditional methods that isolate grammar instruction from the writing process are best, but even fewer scholars call for teachers to entirely rid their curriculum of all grammar instruction. I conclude that …

Beyond High School Readiness In The 21st Century: A Multi-Case Study Of The Perspectives Of African American High School Students In Accelerated Learning Programs And Their Experiences Of Success In Terms Of Efficacy, Ethnicity, And Future Aspirations, Phyllis Findley Pearson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Secondary Education reform efforts have focused on perpetual achievement gaps for more than a decade, highlighting the essence of state level standardized test scores in reading and math, among diverse student groups in relation to their white peers. The reauthorization of ESEA (2013), is a reform effort described as the Student Success Act, whereby the expectation of student success is described in terms of all students graduating from high school, both college and career ready. The concept of no child left behind remains at the base of the law, which designates federal funds for education programs designed to ensure equal …

An Investigation Of Special Education Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of A Systematic 7-Step Virtual Worlds Teacher Training Workshop For Increasing Social Skills, Natalie Christina Nussli

Doctoral Dissertations

This study describes how a systematic 7-Step Virtual Worlds Teacher Training Workshop promoting inquiry, experiential learning, and sociocultural theory guided the enculturation of 18 special education teachers into three-dimensional virtual worlds. The main purpose was to enable these teachers to make informed decisions about the usability of virtual worlds for students with social skills challenges, such as students with autism. Mixed-methods data analysis and triangulation were based on the analysis of seven instruments. Six of the seven steps of the intervention received high ratings indicating its viability for teachers' professional development opportunities

Assessing Student Learning With Technology: A Descriptive Study Of Technology-Using Teacher Practice And Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack), Lara Elaine Ervin-Kassab

Doctoral Dissertations

In 2013, a majority of states in the US had adopted Common Core State Standards under the Race to the Top initiative. With this adoption came the opportunity to utilize computer-delivered and computer-adaptive testing. Although the computer-based assessments were intended to assist teachers in designing classroom assessments and using student data to inform instructional practice, teacher-reported data indicated that the areas in which teachers are most unprepared, lack confidence, or are in need of development were assessment (DeLuca, 2012; Wayman et al., 2007) and technology (Brush & Saye, 2009; Kramarski & Michalsky, 2010).

The Technology Assessment Practices Survey (TAPS) study …

Integration Of Technology Into A Nursing Curriculum Using A Mixed Method Approach, Susan Ramnarine-Singh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2011, the Institute of Medicine and 2010 Affordable Care Act addressed the need to use technology in nursing programs. The purpose of this study was to understand faculty perceptions of technology use and integration into the nursing curriculum at a college located in Texas. Lewin’s change theory acted as the theoretical framework to explore organizational dynamics involved in effective strategies. The guiding research questions explored faculty perceptions of technology use, types of technology used, and correlation to teaching experience using a convergent mixed-method approach. Thirty faculty members completed the Teacher’s Intention to Use Technology survey and 15 faculty members …

Teachers' Perspectives About Infusing Music Into Language Arts Instruction, Demetria Lucille Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading and writing curricula in more than 50% of America's schools have not been successful in assisting students to meet mandated academic performances for a number of reasons, including lack of student motivation and self-esteem. Research studies indicated that music can influence student motivation and academic performance in subjects such as language arts and that a music-infused curriculum could generate the positive difference between academic failure and academic success. For this qualitative case study with a constructivist paradigm, the purpose was to observe, document, and analyze music-infused lessons used by 4 teachers from prekindergarten to 5th grade with the goal …

The Influence Of Educational Technology On Affective Education In Maritime Education And Training (Met), Rani Unnab Aziz Khan

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Academic Staff’S Access And Use Of Technological Tools: A Challenge To Blended Learning Implementation In Tanzania’S Tertiary Institutions, Luka Mkonongwa

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper explores academic staff’s access to and ability to use technological tools in the course of implementing blended learning system in higher education. In a study, a survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 46 respondents. The results revealed that although academic staff had high self-efficacy towards learning and using technological tools, their access to and use of many technological tools were too limited. This affected their competence and confidence to use such technological tools to teach, and deterred the successful implementation of the blended learning approach. The study concluded that the success of blended learning will depend …

Senioritis -- Or An Opportunity For Growth?, Lori Desautels

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

Walking into the kitchen, she spots the community college acceptance letter on top of a stack of mail. Early in December, the Marine Corps notifies him that basic training starts in six months. She's dreamed about attending her mom's alma mater for the last few years, and admissions has responded positively. The auto shop where he's had an afterschool job since junior year has just promised full-time employment beginning two weeks after graduation.

Now what?

This question concerns me as an educator of K-12 and higher education.

An Investigation Into Instructional Support For Data Analysis In High School Science Inquiry, Anika Rae Baker-Lawrence

Dissertations and Theses

The implementation of scientific inquiry in the high school classroom has proven to be not only relevant and exploratory, but challenging and engaging as well. This style of curriculum design has been recognized as a primary means of achieving the goals and objectives set by the National Resource Council (NRC, 1996). While much research has shown that science inquiry helps students to gain understanding of content knowledge, little research has been conducted to assess gains in higher order thinking skills, specifically those related to data analysis (Anderson, 2002; Germann and Aram, 1996; Hofstein, Navon, Kipnis, and Mamlok-Naaman, 2005; Miner, Levy, …

Learning To Teach Mathematics And To Analyze Teaching Effectiveness: Evidence From A Video- And Practice-Based Pre-Service Course, Rossella Santagata, Cathery Yeh

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Although emerging consensus exists that practice-based approaches to teacher preparation assist in closing the distance between university coursework and fieldwork experiences and in assuring that future teachers learn to implement innovative research-based instructional strategies, little empirical research has investigated teacher learning from this approach. This study examines the impact of a video- and practice-based course on prospective teachers’ mathematics classroom practices and analysis of their own teaching. Two groups of elementary prospective teachers participated in the study—one attended the course and one did not. Findings reveal that the course assisted participants in making student thinking visible and in pursuing it …

The Creation And Implementation Of Interprofessional Simulation Leadership Scenarios, Angeline C. Delucas

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Healthcare is in a historical state of change creating an era that requires superior leadership skills. Leaders face burgeoning challenges in a competitive environment ensconced in reform. Today’s dynamic healthcare environment demands that nurse and interprofessional leaders be astute in a variety of areas including: fiscal responsibility and accountability, organizational politics, interpersonal skills, human resources, communication, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence. Some areas such as fiscal management are considered hard skills, or skills which can be taught, while others such as conflict resolution are referred to as soft skills, or skills that are learned through experience. Though soft …

How Does Student Understanding Of A Concept Change Throughout A Unit Of Instruction? Support Toward The Theory Of Learning Progressions, Brian Jay Dyer

Dissertations and Theses

This study documented the changes in understanding a class of eighth grade high school-level biology students experienced through a biology unit introducing genetics. Learning profiles for 55 students were created using concept maps and interviews as qualitative and quantitative instruments. The study provides additional support to the theory of learning progressions called for by experts in the field. The students' learning profiles were assessed to determine the alignment with a researcher-developed learning profile. The researcher-developed learning profile incorporated the learning progressions published in the Next Generation Science Standards, as well as current research in learning progressions for 5-10th grade students …

Moral Turbulence And The Infusion Of Multimodal Character Education Strategies In American Elementary Schools, Mark A. Lamport, Ph.D., Kristi L. Cobb, M.A.

Christian Perspectives in Education

Pockets of American society are marked by increase in violent crime with concurrent decline in moral character. This phenomenon is infiltrating the nation’s school system as evidenced by growing numbers of aggressive incidents in the classroom. As a result, there is an increasingly accepted need for effective character education programs in the schools as a means to help change the décolleté trajectory of the behavior of the nation’s school children. While more money and growing numbers of legislation have been put forth to support such an endeavor, research is still lacking as to what activities, skills, goals, and approaches would …

I'M Gonna Write That Down: Research On Bullying And Recognition Of Perception Toward Initiation Of Intervention A Whole-School Approach To Bringing All Stakeholders' Perceptions On Bullying In Line And Training Students To Distinguish Tattling From Reporting In Grades 3-6, Brad Tassell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research on whole-school bullying programs shows some effectiveness in creating awareness and a reduction in overall bullying with vigilant supervision. Roleplaying games repeatedly taught to students help them deal with bullying in specific situations, but all these interventions leave a great deal to be desired when conditions are not in line with the training, most of which most are not (Smith, Schneider, Smith, & Ananiadou, 2004). In addition, student perceptions can differ from the staff and administration. A wide gap exists between how students, parents, teachers, and administrators perceive bullying. Students remain confused and flounder in the moment when they …

The Effects Of Standards-Based Grading On Student Performance In Algebra 2, Rachel Beth Rosales

Dissertations

The use of standards-based grading in American public schools is increasing, offering students, parents, and teachers a new way of measuring and communicating about student achievement and performance. Parents indicate an appreciation for this method of grading, and students at the elementary grades (K-6) have improved standardized test scores in reading and math as a result of its implementation. This study seeks to determine whether standards-based grading has the same effect on students at the high school level (grades 9-12) by comparing end-of-course test scores and posttest scores of Algebra 2 students enrolled in a standards-based graded classroom with to …

Improvement Of Pedagogical Laboratory Based Learning: Multimedia Enhanced Instructional Methods, Sumbul Khan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In engineering technology and other scientific-based education, lab-based courses play a crucial role (Ma & Nickerson, 2006). Even though laboratory experience in student learning is crucial, it faces some problems. Due to insufficient laboratory conditions that lead to overcrowding and inability to view demonstrations, the effectiveness of hands on experience declines (Tiwari & Singh, 2011; Tuysuz, 2010). Considering the limitations that constrain lab experience, investigating and implementing alternatives to enhance pedagogical laboratory based learning becomes inevitable. This study investigates multimedia enhanced pedagogical teaching methods for delivering laboratory instruction to students. The purpose of this study was to improve pedagogical laboratory …

The Development Of A Comprehensive Adhd Program For Elementary School Educators, Angie Lee Echoles

Doctoral Projects

On average, teachers will teach at least one student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in any given school year without receiving any instructions at all on ADHD. ADHD affects 3% to 7% of school-age students and one in every twenty children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2010). It is classified as one of the most common mental health disorders affecting school-age students. The American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2013) defines ADHD as a hereditary, non-curable, common childhood disorder. A triad of symptoms is associated with this disorder: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which all have a major impact on …

Developing Presence In Online Undergraduate Courses, Rae L. Casey

Faculty Publications - George Fox Digital

The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study (Merriam, 2009) was to understand the factors that excellent online faculty perceived as important to the development of presence in their online courses. Eight faculty members at two institutions in the northwest region of the United States participated in the study. Data were collected through interviews, syllabus reviews, and field notes. The data were coded and categorized, resulting in seven categories that described the findings. The seven categories were: Course Development, Course Facilitation, Assessment, Student Self Direction, Teachers as Learners, Learning Relationships, and Teacher Workload Management.