Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Teachers’ Beliefs, In The Context Of Policy Reform, Helenrose Fives, Michelle M. Buehl

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

Teachers’ beliefs shape their practice. Beliefs, conceptions held with enough personal conviction to be considered true, serve as helpful heuristics for teachers embedded in the complex, ever-changing contexts of classrooms and schools. Three sets of beliefs appear essential to teaching practice, namely, beliefs about teaching, knowledge (epistemic beliefs), and students’ ability. Empirical research about these beliefs is reviewed in light of current U.S. policy documents of curriculum standards, the Common Core State Standards initiative and the Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Teachers’ beliefs filter, frame, and guide their perceptions and implementation of the new …

What's Our Position? A Critical Media Literacy Study Of Popular Culture Websites With Eighth-Grade Special Education Students, Ted Kesler, Pablo Tinio, Brian T. Nolan

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

This article reports on an action research project with 9 eighth-grade special education students in a self-contained classroom in an urban public school. The 1st author, in collaboration with the classroom teacher (3rd author), taught the students a critical media literacy framework to explore popular culture websites. Students learned to analyze these sites for issues of authorship; design; intended audience; ideology; and political, social, and profit motive agendas. Based in theories from new literacies, multiliteracies, multimodal literacy, and critical media literacy, the article addresses the following questions: What understandings as critical readers of popular culture websites did the students exhibit? …

Promoting Access Through Segregation: The Emergence Of The "Prioritized Curriculum" Class, Jessica Bacon, Carrie E. Rood, Beth A. Ferri

Department of Teaching and Learning Scholarship and Creative Works

The continuously evolving standards-based reform (SBR) movement is one of the most prominent features of today's educational policy landscape. As SBR has continued to drive educational policy, local schools and districts have adopted many approaches to comply with legal mandates. This article critically examines one particular resultant phenomenon of the SBR movement-the emergence of a new track of self-contained classes called Prioritized Curriculum classes, designed to provide students with disabilities access to standards-based general education curriculum, but in a segregated class. In this article we document the emergence of such courses and critically analyze the rationales and policy loopholes that …

The Politics And Practice Of Literacy Pedagogy: Ideology And Outcomes In Two Racially Diverse Settings, Margaret Freedson, Wayne Eastman

Department of Teaching and Learning Scholarship and Creative Works

Discussing ideologically opposing views of beginning reading, the authors trace the politics of reading curriculum in two racially diverse New Jersey school districts working to raise the literacy achievement of traditionally underserved students through socially just literacy education.

Oral Communication Competency Across The Virginia Community College System: A Faculty-Designed Assessment, Lindsey Interlante Mpa, Ma, Cynthia De Riemer Phd, Philip Tirpak Ma, Araceli Palomino Ma

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

A full-scale oral communication assessment was conducted by the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) during the academic year 2013-14. Key components of this assessment included faculty involvement at all stages of assessment and collaboration with assessment coordinators and lead staff personnel. The VCCS Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness partnered with CST faculty experts to design the assessment. The Competent Speaker Speech Evaluation Form, a standardized and tested instrument used to assess public speaking competency in higher education, was used to evaluate student speeches. Designed by the National Communication Association, this instrument identifies eight competencies for measurement. The results of …

An Examination Of The Predictive Relationship Between Mode Of Instruction And Student Success In Introductory Biology, Lynette Hauser Ms

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

Community colleges, including those in Virginia, continue to increase online course offerings in an effort to provide access and cost effective education to a growing student population. With increased student demand for online learning, community colleges should explore further the possibility of offering more science courses online. This research study investigated the success of non-science major Virginia Community College System (VCCS) students in BIO 102 who had previously completed BIO 101 online. This multi-institutional, multi-semester study of community college online biology students collected data from the VCCS and found that the mode of instruction in BIO 101 was not predictive …

Perceived Barriers To Higher Education In Stem Among Disadvantaged Rural Students: A Case Study, Lisa Henley Med, Ma, Phyllis Roberts Ma

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

This case study examined the perceptions of scholarship recipients participating in Southwest Virginia Community College’s (SWCC’s) S-STEM scholarship program which examined whether the program helped remove barriers to students’ educational goals and STEM career aspirations. The study used a focus group and a survey to elicit responses from student participants in the SWCC S-STEM program. Participants were low-income residents of rural Appalachia, and many were first generation college students. Results indicated that students in the SWCC S-STEM program experienced a wide variety of barriers to STEM educational and career success, including economic, geographic, social, and educational barriers, and that the …

Ballroom Dance: An Education Like No Other, Carrie Pledger Ms, Mat

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

As a disciplinary program, dance falls between the arts and physical education. As a result, it can often be overlooked or sidelined by either program, to the determent of its great value for community college students. Dance and its attention to movement, mental focus, and physical control provide important neurological benefits that affect both the mind and the body. This study examines research studies that identify the neurological benefits of dance and evaluates student perceptions of its value on physical and mental well-being. The research on student perceptions was conducted at Piedmont Virginia Community College.

Plagiarism In The Community College Classroom, William Mccarter Ma, Michael Murphy Ma

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

No abstract provided.

Notes In Brief

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

No abstract provided.

Called To Serve: A Choice To Teach In A High-Need School, Bradley Lichtfuss

Student Presentations

This project examined the current intent of undergraduate students here at St. Norbert College, specifically looking at where they intend to teach. It also examined how they would respond to financial incentives to join an urban education program and go and teach in a high-need school for three years.

Toward A Framework For Reading Lived Experiences As Texts: A Four-Year Self-Study Of Teacher Education Practices, Abby Cameron-Standerford, Christi U. Edge, Bethney M. Bergh

Book Sections/Chapters

No abstract provided.

Function Concept: Learning From History, Ruthmae Sears, Dung Tran, Seoung Woo Lee, Amanda Thomas

Transformations

The importance of functions in school mathematics has grown tremendously within the past century. Functions have progressed from being scantly represented in school mathematics to being a core mathematical topic. C.B. Boyer (1946) acknowledged “The development of the function concept has revolutionized mathematics in much the same way as did the nearly simultaneous rise of non-Euclidean geometry. It has transformed mathematics from a pure natural science- the queen of the sciences- into something vastly large. It has established mathematics as the basis of all rigorous thinking – the logic of all possible relations” (Markovits, Eylor, & Bruckheimer, 1986, p. 18). …

Winter 2016, Transformations

Transformations

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Collaborative Teaching On K-12 Mathematics And Science Learning, Tonya D. Jeffery, Cherie A. Mccollough, Kim Moore

Faculty Publications

A national effort is underway to transform teacher education program practices and produce effective and highly qualified teachers for 21st century classrooms. This effort prescribes providing preservice teachers (PSTs) with authentic field-based experiences that connects what is taught in teacher preparation programs with what they do in the K-12 classroom. Bridging the gap between theory and practice requires that teacher education programs collaborate with schools districts, redesigning teacher training to better serve prospective teachers and their students (NCATE, 2010). This paper describes a mixed-methods study examining the impact of a STEM site-based professional development program (TEX) on the math and …

Nebraskans Speak About Early Care And Education: Buffett Early Childhood Institute/Gallup Survey On Early Childhood Care And Education In Nebraska, Gallup, Inc.

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

The Buffett Early Childhood Institute/Gallup Survey on Early Childhood Care and Education in Nebraska demonstrates that the vast majority of Nebraskans recognize the importance of high-quality early care and education. However, Nebraskans also report its lack of availability and affordability across the state. Most Nebraskans agree that the state should make early care and education a higher priority than it currently is today. Results from this study are based on questionnaires completed by more than 7,100 Nebraska residents. Gallup conducted the survey in English and Spanish via mail in late August through September 2015. The following represent key findings from …

Understanding The In-School Literacies Of African American Males Through A Sociocultural Paradigm: Implications For Teacher Professional Development, Aaron M. Johnson

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

UNDERSTANDING THE IN-SCHOOL LITERACIES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES THROUGH A SOCIOCULTURAL PARADIGM: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

by

AARON M. JOHNSON

May 2016

Advisor: Dr. Gina DeBlase

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

There has been great debate about the reasons why African American male students reject the institution of school and school related content. Furthermore, data from multiple sources, including, national and local assessments and governmental studies, document a gap in achievement and school retention rates between African American students and their White counterparts. The data substantiates the notions that African American males have an aversion …

Balanced Literacy Activities In Ontario Jk - Grade 8 Comprehensive Literacy Classrooms: Examining Self-Reported Frequency Of Classroom Activities, Elizabeth Louise Pearsall

Wayne State University Dissertations

Balanced Literacy Activities in Ontario JK – Grade 8

Comprehensive Literacy Classrooms:

Examining Self-Reported Frequency of Classroom Activities

By

Elizabeth Louise Pearsall

August 2015

Advisor: Dr. G. Oglan

Major: Reading, Language & Literature

Degree: Doctor of Education

The purpose of this study was to discover the Frequency of Use rates for balanced/ comprehensive literacy activities as described in 46 survey statements across the four Ontario elementary school divisions (Early Years, JK/SK; Primary Division, Grades 1, 2, & 3; Junior Division, Grades 4, 5, & 6; and Intermediate Division, Grades 7 & 8). In addition another purpose of this study was …

The Face Of Feedback: Exploring The Use Of Asynchronous Video To Deliver Instructor Feedback In Multidisciplinary Online Courses, Naimah N. Wade

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE FACE OF FEEDBACK: EXPLORING THE USE OF ASYNCHRONOUS VIDEO TO DELIVER INSTRUCTOR FEEDBACK IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY ONLINE COURSES

by

NAIMAH NOELLE WADE

November 2015

Advisor: Dr. Monica Tracey

Major: Instructional Technology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this qualitative, design-based research study was to design, implement, and explore the use of an asynchronous video feedback protocol in higher education online courses. Bannan’s (2013) Integrative Learning Design Framework guided the design and implementation strategy for this study by dictating its three core phases; 1) Informed Exploration, 2) Enactment, and 3) Local Impact Evaluation. The video feedback intervention cycled through …

Saudi Parents’ Perceptions About Their Role In Their Children’S Education In American Elementary Schools, Ebtesam Saleh Alhabeeb

Wayne State University Dissertations

This mixed-methods research study examines the influence of cultural mismatches on minority parents’ involvement in their children's education. Particularly, how Saudi families in the United States perceive their role in their children’s education in American elementary schools. Data were collected from 212 completed self-administered surveys and 20 Saudi mothers’ participation in four focus group interviews. Exploratory statistical analysis for the numerical data and qualitative template analysis for the raw data were utilized. Triangulation of the findings reveals great agreements with few areas of conflicts between the two data sets indicating that Saudi parents understanding of the way of being in …