Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Planting The Seeds Of Computational Thinking: An Introduction To Programminsuitable For Inclusion In Stem Curriculag, Eric Freudenthal, Art Duval, Sarah Hug, Alexandria Ogrey, Kien Lim, Catherine Tabor, Rebeca Gonzalez, Alan Siegel

Selected Works Temporary Series

Inadequate math preparation discourages many capable students – especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups – from pursuing or succeeding in STEM academic programs. iMPaCT is a family of―"Media Propelled" courses and course enrichment activities that introduce students to―"Computational Thinking." iMPaCT integrates exploration of math and programmed computation by engaging students in the design and modification of tiny programs that render raster graphics and simulate familiar kinematics. Through these exercises, students gain experience and confidence with foundational math concepts necessary for success in STEM studies, and an understanding of programmed computation.

This paper presents early results from our formal evaluation of …

Acms 18th Biennial Conference Proceedings, Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2011

Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences 18th Biennial Conference Proceedings, June 1-4, 2011, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA.

A Study Of K–12 Music Educators' Attitudes Toward Technology-Assisted Assessment Tools, Lance D. Nielsen

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

The purpose of this study was to examine K-12 music educators’ attitudes regarding the use of technology in the assessment of music learning. There is a considerable range of musical behaviors with different levels of complexity that can be assessed (Boyle & Radocy, 1987). A variety of software and web-based assessment tools are available for music educators. However, it is unclear how many teachers are taking advantage of incorporating these technological assessment tools into their instructional practice. This study provided current data about the demographics of teachers using technology to assess musical growth and the variables that might motivate a …

A New 'Star' In The Firmament--Teaching Space And Telecoms Law As A Post-Graduate Ll.M. Programme, Frans G. Von Der Dunk

Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law Program: Faculty Publications

Contents

I. Congratulatory message to Professor Doo-Hwan Kim on his 77th anniversary

II. Teaching space law: the beginnings

III. Teaching space law: broadening the picture

IV. Teaching space law and telecommunications law

Extensiveness And Perceptions Of Lecture Demonstrations In The High School Chemistry Classroom, Daniel S. Price

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

            While lecture demonstrations have been conducted in chemistry classrooms for hundreds of years, little research exists to document the frequency with which such demonstrations are employed or their effect on learners’ motivation and performance.  A mixed-methods research study was performed, using quantitative and qualitative survey data, along with qualitative data from follow-up interviews and structured correspondence, to determine the extent to which lecture demonstrations are used in high school chemistry instruction, and the perceived effects of viewing such demonstrations on students’ performance on course assignments and on motivation to excel in current and future chemistry courses.  Fifty-two randomly selected chemistry …

Planting The Seeds Of Computational Thinking: An Introduction To Programminsuitable For Inclusion In Stem Curriculag, Eric Freudenthal, Art Duval, Sarah Hug, Alexandria Ogrey, Kien Lim, Catherine Tabor

Departmental Papers (Math)

Inadequate math preparation discourages many capable students – especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups – from pursuing or succeeding in STEM academic programs. iMPaCT is a family of―"Media Propelled" courses and course enrichment activities that introduce students to―"Computational Thinking." iMPaCT integrates exploration of math and programmed computation by engaging students in the design and modification of tiny programs that render raster graphics and simulate familiar kinematics. Through these exercises, students gain experience and confidence with foundational math concepts necessary for success in STEM studies, and an understanding of programmed computation. This paper presents early results from our formal evaluation of …

A Comprehensive Inventory Of The Orfalea And Asi Children's Center Library, Allison J. Biggers

Psychology and Child Development

No abstract provided.

Deficient Policy Communication Deficient Outcomes – Capacity Building Policy Under Education Reforms In Sindh, Pakistan, Sajid Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Education decentralisation in Pakistan started from 2001 through an all-out devolution programme of the government across sectors. To strengthen the decentralisation reform and build capacity of district educational managers a USAID sponsored programme Education Sector Reform Assistance (ESRA) was launched in 2003. In order to assess the impact of these capacity building initiatives, a research study was carried out during 2005-2006. The research used qualitative design and was carried out in one of the ESRA target districts in Sindh province. The paper argues the improper communication of policy severely compromised the achievement of intended policy objectives. The research noted that …

Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge Of Science Teachers Through Action Research: A Case Study From Pakistan, Nelofer Halai, Manzoor Ali Khan

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The aim of this study is to analyze the action research undertaken by Khan as a teacher researcher in a private school as part of the degree requirement of his M.Ed. program in Teacher Education at the Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development. The purpose of this analysis undertaken by the first author and supervisor of the study in collaboration with Khan was to understand the development of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of the teacher researcher through action research in a science classroom in the context of Pakistan. Khan taught the concepts of heat and temperature using an inquiry …

Exploring Students’ Learning Difficulties In Secondary Mathematics Classroom In Gilgit-Baltistan And Teachers’ Effort To Help Students Overcome These Difficulties, Takbir Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This article sets out to describe and explain how four high school teachers, identified as improvement-oriented teachers (IOTs), in their day-to-day teaching, try to use pedagogical remedies to help their students overcome the difficulties that hinder in-depth learning in secondary mathematics classrooms. Providing reflective accounts from the IOTs’ experiences and presenting illustrative examples from their classrooms, the study provides a broad picture of the context in which students learn mathematics. The study recognizes the factors that constrain students from gaining in-depth understanding into subject matter knowledge; it highlights the possibilities of fostering in-depth learning by establishing the primacy of the …

International Faculty's Perceptions Of Their Professional Experiences: Results From A Recent Survey, Ginny Qin Zhan, May Hongmei Gao

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

The current study examined international faculty's perceptions of their professional experiences at a regional university in the Southeastern United States. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Overall, results present a very positive picture of how these foreign born faculty members are functioning at the university. Most are satisfied with a number of areas in their professional responsibilities; are confident about their English skills; enjoy positive interaction with their students and colleagues; and view their international experiences and global perspectives as valuable assets in their professional life.

Giving My Heart A Voice: Reflection On Self And Others Through The Looking Glass Of Pedagogy: An Autoetnography, Vera L. Neyman

Dissertations

To improve students academic outcomes this auto-ethnographic dissertation examines my teaching practice in the Ukraine and in the United States, and the similarities and differences between the two educational systems. This study, designed in the form of auto-ethnographic vignettes, explores the effect of my personal and professional metamorphosis on the academic advancement of my students, and investigates the conditions that molded me into a teacher I am today. Through the reflections on the process of self-development as an individual and a teacher, I discovered that building the relationship of trust between school and family is an underlying condition for improving …

The Classroom Environment: The Silent Curriculum, Brittany Allen, Katie Hessick

Psychology and Child Development

This senior project focused on the physical environment of elementary school classrooms, with a particular emphasis on how environmental factors influence behavior and academic achievement. Such environmental factors included lighting, color, acoustics, temperature, seating arrangements, space and crowding, and living kinds such as plants and animals. Previous research has demonstrated a connection between student behavior and the classroom environment. Taylor and Vlastos (2009) developed a theory regarding the relationship between environment and design within the classroom. They referred to the physical environment of the classroom as the “silent curriculum” and hold strongly to the belief that understanding the physical environment …

The Role Of Situated Learning In Experiential Education: An Ethnographic Study Of The Knowledge-Construction Process Of Pharmacy Students During Their Clinical Rotations, Paul Difrancesco

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore learning through the social construction of new knowledge by pharmacy students engaged in experiential learning. Academic leaders and practitioners are responding to calls for the redesign of experiential education that will better prepare future pharmacists for practice. This has broad implications for educational programs and health care delivery.

Situated learning theory served as the theoretical framework for this study. The previous research of Lave and Wenger (1991); Bailey, Hughes, and Moore (2004); and others guided this research. Situated learning theory informed the research questions, which focused on understanding how students constructed knowledge …

An Exploratory Survey Of The Enrollment Decisions Of Parents And Guardians In Four Catholic Urban Elementary Schools, Sheila Lombard Kukstis

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

As competition from tuition-less local charter and public schools increases, urban parents and guardians have more options for educating their children. Many struggle financially yet still choose to pay tuition for their children to attend an urban Catholic school. This exploratory study looks at the reasons why these parents and guardians choose a Catholic education for their children.

Over the course of six months in 2010, 850 surveys were sent to four Catholic urban elementary schools. One hundred and ninety-six parents and guardians in four urban Boston Catholic elementary schools completed surveys and participated in two focus groups. Two of …

Locating Child Protection In Preservice Teacher Education, Kerryann Walsh, Louise Laskey, Elspeth Mcinnes, Ann Farrell, Ben Mathews, Freda Briggs

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

A recent report delivered by the Australian Centre for Child Protection has highlighted the need for empirical evidence of effective pedagogies for supporting teaching and learning of child protection content in Australian teacher education programs (Arnold & Maio-Taddeo, 2007). This paper advances this call by presenting case study accounts of different approaches to teaching child protection content in University-based teacher education programs across three Australian States. These different cases provide a basis for understanding existing strategies as an important precursor to improving practice. Although preschool, primary and secondary schools have been involved in efforts to protect children from abuse and …

The Social Context Of Urban School Reform: Collective Efficacy And Student Achievement, Carla E. Ellis

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if between-school variance in school-level student achievement is related to collective teacher efficacy in 10 urban elementary schools in Chicago. It also examined the effects of teacher leaders’ implementation of a School-University partnership and the leadership characteristics of principals on school collective efficacy. Collective teacher efficacy was measured using Goddard’s (1998) 6-point 21-item Likert Collective Teacher Efficacy scale. There were 280 teachers and 53 teacher leaders who completed the scale. The Collective Teacher Efficacy scale results were analyzed and examined in relationship to school-level Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) test …

Stories And Cultural Humility: Exploring Power And Privilege Through Physical Therapists' Life Stories, Marjorie Hilliard

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how life experiences, set within their social, cultural, and historical contexts, shape the development of cultural humility in physical therapists (PTs). Cultural humility involves health professionals being actively engaged in an ongoing process with patients, colleagues, communities, and themselves to make sense of the complexities of social and culture differences within relationships in practice. Given demographic trends and health care disparities, it has become critically important to better understand the dynamics of developing trusting relationships to provide quality care. This study was influenced by relationship-centered care, sociocultural, and insurgent multiculturalism theories. A …

A Guest In Someone's House: Exploring The Role Of African-American Student-Faculty/Staff Interactions In A Community College Setting, Yolanda Isaacs

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

African-American students are enrolling in four-year universities and community colleges in the hope of receiving a degree; however, their rate of degree attainment at the latter institutions in particular continues to be troubling. Although community colleges are making efforts to improve the graduation rates of African-American students, more institutional strategies are needed to address this concern. The purpose of the study was to explore how the role of African-American faculty and staff can affect the success of African-American students in a community college setting. The researcher investigated African-American students’ perceptions and experiences regarding how African-American faculty and staff members have …

The Effects Of An Advisory Program On Middle-Level Student Learning, Jeffrey Stawick

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore if a middle school advisory program significantly effected student learning. Educators who advocate for the middle school concept for middle-level education claim that purposefully designed advisory programs can have specific beneficial effects. However, a limited body of knowledge and little empirical evidence supports this assumption. This study uses an ex-post facto quasi-experimental design comparing three consecutive eighth grade classes in a middle school where such an advisory program was developed. The program was designed to improve student learning through improved relationships, interventions, and additional instruction time. The first eighth grade class had …