Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Inclusive Settings In Belizean Primary Schools: A Focus On Teacher Practices, Katherine A. Curry, Jentre Olsen, Ed Harris, Candy Garnett, Dian Danderson

Journal of Global Education and Research

Educators in Belize are charged with ensuring that all Belizeans are given an opportunity to acquire a quality education that promotes personal development and productive citizenship. Consequently, Belizean law now requires all children from ages five through fourteen to attend at least eight years of primary school. Students with special needs have historically not received accommodations in the education system, so many teachers struggle with meeting the needs of students with learning disabilities in these inclusive settings. This qualitative case study explored teaching strategies and contextual factors in inclusive primary classrooms in Belize and was conducted in the form of …

Nurturing A Global Ecojustice Consciousness Among Preservice Teachers Through Critical Place-Based Learning, Greer C. Burroughs, Marissa E. Bellino

Journal of Global Education and Research

Global environmental challenges brought on by over-consumption, limited resources, and climate change will task teacher education programs to prepare teacher candidates with new paradigms in problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation. Skills such as collaborating across cultures and borders, thinking critically and creatively, reflecting on deeply embedded assumptions, and negotiating uncertainty will all be needed to surmount these challenges. EcoJustice education addresses these needs. When combined with critical place-based pedagogies, skills, and attitudes associated with global citizenship may also develop. Four preservice teachers participated in a research trip to Lesvos, Greece, to learn about and aid in the refugee crisis there. Participants …

Facilitating Effective Mathematical Teaching Practices In Preschool, Funda Gonulates, Jasook Gilbert

Journal of Global Education and Research

Initial seeds for mathematics literacy are planted during early childhood. Children benefit when they are exposed to and provided with opportunities for math experiences that emphasize their holistic development and not just mathematics proficiency in isolation. This way of viewing and presenting mathematics to young children requires teachers who are equipped with strong mathematics teaching skills. This study examined a 21-hour professional development series for public school preschool teachers on early numeracy, geometry, mathematical reasoning, and teaching pedagogies. This professional development series aimed to help preschool teachers incorporate effective mathematical practices and increase their comfort level in teaching mathematics. Participants …

Weathering The Perfect Legal Storm: Novel Virus, Novel Instruction, Novel Course, Marissa Moran

Publications and Research

For this legal educator, in the spring and fall of 2020, three simultaneous and novel events-Corona virus, virtual synchronous instruction, and teaching a new interdisciplinary course for the first time, created an environment that could have resulted in the perfect legal storm. Instead, these events contributed to beneficial teaching and learning experiences from which arose many “first-ever” innovative faculty and student endeavors.

Secondary Educator And Administrator Perceptions Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports And Student Academic Achievement, Cynthia Everitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study addresses secondary educator perceptions of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and student academic achievement. PBIS is a proactive approach with a multitiered framework. When used properly, PBIS can be a tool for school faculty to establish behavioral expectations and procedures, prevent disruptive behavior, and improve the school climate and culture. This phenomenological study was conducted using two secondary schools in West Virginia. Participants were identified and chosen through purposive sampling techniques according to their years of experience teaching and utilizing PBIS interventions.

The data for this study included unstructured, open-ended interviews based on three research questions. …

The Relationship Between Discipline-Specific Subject Matter Knowledge And Discipline-Specific Science Teaching Efficacy Of Elementary Teachers, Douglas Ball

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Because a teacher's confidence in their ability to teach science is associated with instructional methods and their persistence in the face of challenges, improving science teaching confidence becomes critical for improving science teaching of young children. Science teaching confidence also varies by discipline for elementary teachers: physical science teaching confidence tends to measure lower than life science. This discrepancy leads to elementary teachers engaging in less effective science teaching practices with physical science than life science. A teacher's subject matter knowledge influences their confidence in their ability to teach that subject. Subject matter knowledge impacts science teaching confidence because when …

Teaching Mathematics To All Learners By Tapping Into Indigenous Legends: A Pathway Towards Inclusive Education, Nahid Golafshani

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study explored the use of Indigenous storytelling in the planning and teaching of mathematical content. In collaboration with Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators, a culturally inclusive mathematical lesson was developed, implemented, and reviewed in an elementary school in Northern Ontario. This study used a culturally authentic approach to address the current educational issue of diversity within the Ontario curriculum and education system. The results of this study suggested that utilizing Indigenous storytelling for teaching mathematical curricular expectations could benefit both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Storytelling can allow students to relate abstract mathematical concepts to their own lived experiences, to be …

Teacher Candidate Self-Efficacy And Ability To Teach Literacy: A Comparison Of Residency And Traditional Teacher Preparation Models, Doreen L. Mazzye, Michelle A. Duffy, Richard L. Lamb

Journal of Global Education and Research

This comparative study explored self-efficacy and ability for scientifically-based literacy instruction between a traditional and residency model of teacher preparation. Pre-/post-survey data was collected using the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy for Literacy Scale. Mentor teachers completed a modified version of the survey on candidates’ abilities. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-tests, independent sample t-tests, and a trend analysis. Results revealed that candidates in the Residency Model held higher levels of self-efficacy for literacy instruction than in the Traditional Model. Mentor teachers rated candidates in the Residency Model as more able to teach literacy than those in the …

Meet Me In The Middle: A Scoping Review On Understanding Adolescent Needs In Climate Communication, Gwendolyn Monica Hoff Anderson

Master's Projects and Capstones

The greatest effects of climate change are likely to be felt by youth. Young people are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their critical developmental stage and lack of power, and they experience both higher severity and prevalence of mental health issues related to climate change. Strong emotions have long been recognized as potential catalysts for action, or they may lead to paralyzing feelings of being overwhelmed. Climate communication is a critical tool to spark climate concern and encourage action. Activism, in turn, may help youth manage their anxiety about climate change. This scoping review examines emerging evidence on …

How Does A School Support Students Who Experience Social, Emotional, And Behavioral Challenges?, Hannah Steely

University Honors Theses

This qualitative study identified how educators and administrators support elementary school students who experience social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Semi-structured interviews were used to understand how students are supported through Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in an elementary school. We interviewed six participants, including one administrator, two general educators, one literacy specialist, and two learning specialists. The results revealed the frequent use of common strategies within MTSS that included Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) and Behavioral Support Plan (BSP) tools and strategies. These strategies included: (a) zones of regulation, (b) in-class or out-of-class support from education specialists, (c) check …

Políticas De Formação Em Nível Superior De Professores Da Educação Infantil E Fundamental No Brasil: História E Atualidade, Amanda Oliveira Rabelo

Actualidades Pedagógicas

Resumen: La educación superior para profesores de educación básica es una realidad reciente en Brasil, ya que las discusiones sobre el tema ganaron espacio en las últimas tres décadas, especialmente después de la Ley de Directrices y Bases de la Educación Nacional (LDBEN) publicada en 1996. Esta ley inicialmente Estableció que todos los docentes deben tener formación de educación superior. Así, el objetivo del presente estudio es analizar los cambios y las discusiones sobre la formación superior de los docentes desde la promulgación de esta ley. La investigación realizada aquí se basó en el análisis de documentos, en la …

Infographic: School Leader Attraction And Retention, Jo Earp

Teacher infographics

The Australian School Education Leaders Sentiment Index, by Slade Group, explores the priorities and drivers for school leaders when considering a new role. It draws on findings from interviews and a survey with 60 principals, from which 5 key themes emerged. Find out more in our latest infographic.

Preparing The Future, Healing The Past, & Being In The Moment With Teachers As They Indigenize The Way They Teach, Ramona Halcomb

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

This research study will interview participants from the first cohort of the Indigenizing Pedagogy Institute at the University of Washington Tacoma. The current educational system is failing to adequately serve American Indian/Alaska Native Students' Educational needs. Education creates knowledge, develops our political and civic goals, and systemically influences socialization and how we see ourselves and others; it determines our economic future and well-being. We must modify our pedagogy if we are to meet the needs of American Indian/Alaska Native Students.

Off The Rez: Witnessing Indigenous Knowledges Through Social Media, Deborah Hales

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

The term “Off the Rez” is used, in the title, to mean research that is not done on a reservation or in urban areas. This study aims to discover if social media can be used as an innovative option for non-Indigenous allies to conduct respectful research. The study research questions were, (1) can social media be used as a research tool, to witness Indigenous Knowledges? (2) Can social media be used as research, by non-Indigenous research allies, to have the least impact on Indigenous communities?

This research was conducted using social media, with selected Indigenous participants who were 18, identified …

Examination Of Training On Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Views On Socio-Scientific Issues And Nature Of Science, Aylin Çam

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Science continuously interacts with the social environment. Science develops with social needs, and society develops and changes with scientific advances. These changes and developments may cause dilemmas in society. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the improvements among pre-service science teachers in terms of socio-scientific issues and nature of science after explicit theoretical and practical training. The participants in this case study were 16 voluntary pre-service science teachers. In-depth views of the pre-service science teachers on nature of science and socio-scientific issues were examined with open-ended questions and reflective diaries. After the training, the understanding of the …

Lgbtq+ Youth Experiences In Education: What It Means To Be Queer, Alysa Schafer-Garcia

M.Ed. Literature Reviews

This research explores the existing literature on the experiences of LGBTQ+ students in schools. Three themes were identified: the effects of school climate on LGBTQ+ students, the health, wellness, and survivability of LGBTQ+ students, and how curriculum affects LGBTQ+ students. The paper goes on to examine how practices at Generic Sound School Name could be aligned with research and then explores the implications for future research and transformed practice.

Changing Teacher Perceptions And Actions Through Trauma-Responsive Professional Development, Jason A. Smith, Marilynn Quick

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Most teachers are not trained on how to support students who struggle with trauma. Childhood trauma not only impacts a teacher’s ability to teach, but also threatens their students’ futures. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions and actions when they participated in trauma professional development. Interviews were conducted with 5 teachers and 10 students in a Midwestern urban intermediate/middle school. By the end of the study, teachers stated that they had begun responding to disruptions in more child-centered approaches, and students noticed that their teachers began treating all students more equitably in trauma-informed manners. The …

Three Rs For Middle Level Education: The 2022 Ncpomle John Vanhoose Lecture, David C. Virtue

Middle Grades Review

The author contends the most prominent challenges and conditions facing middle level education now and in the near future point to three imperatives for the field: middle level education must be relevant, resilient, and robust. After conceptualizing the field of middle level education as an interdisciplinary, applied field of study concerned with the formal education of young adolescent learners in school settings, the author discusses each of the three imperatives and provides recommendations for scholars to move forward alongside professionals in middle level schools and classrooms to achieve a bright educational future for young adolescents.

How Are Senior Citizens Capable To Cope With The World Of Digital Natives?, Hely Westerholm, Pirjo Takanen-Körperich

International Journal for Business Education

This study discusses the continuously growing threat to the senior citizens*), later called seniors, who can be isolated from the society if their digital competences and experiences are too poor in today’s digital world. It has been noted that to cope with one’s pursuits seniors need to actively construct and maintain their capabilities in ways that are flexible in the world of the digital devices, in response to the changing vicissitudes of life. Thus, the claim above illuminates the issue that the ability to learn from experiences is highly valued in the digital world.

The seniors are obliged to closely …

Portfolio For Soci 346: Environmental Sociology, Gwendwr Meredith

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

Environmental sociology, SOCI 346, is the study of how social systems interact with ecosystems. As such, it is a very broad course that is tasked with understanding complex and often controversial questions about the social causes, consequences, and responses to environmental disruption. In this teaching portfolio, I enumerate how I use a backward design for crafting assessments that cater to my specific teaching goals and learning objectives for the course. In the first stage of this process, I reflected on what learning outcomes I wished to achieve and determined that structuring the course in modules aligned with the learning objectives …