Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Making A Difference: Evidence Based Palliative Care Education For Neonatal Nurses, Sherry Elaine Pye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The death of a neonate is a life-changing and tragic experience for the individuals involved in the final moments of the infant's life. As the frontline provider in this clinical scenario, the bedside nurse supports the patient and family through their individual journey of loss. If the nurse does not possess the palliative care educational background and communication skills to support this unique care delivery process, the journey of death can evolve into a particularly negative experience for the parents and the nurse. This specific delivery of care concern was identified and gleaned from a parental bereavement exit interview after …

Utilizing Local Project Experts To Provide Professional Development For Early Childhood Educators : A Professional Development Project, Dawn Janette Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

This project consists of a series of professional development sessions designed to support early childhood educators in implementing Project Approach in their classrooms. The project utilizes local project experts of the Southeast Iowa Project Group. In addition, the project addresses the need of early childhood educators in rural southeast Iowa to have opportunities to attend professional development locally.

Research indicates that professional development is enhanced when educators are given opportunities to learn in authentic contexts, engage in problem-solving, practice new skills, and participate in extending learning experiences. Additionally, professional development greatly affects educators' abilities to provide children with high quality …

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Two Educational Interventions Developed To Teach Early Infant Hunger Cues To Junior Level Nursing Students., Melissa D. Gainer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Due to multiple learning styles, it can be difficult to teach to large groups of students. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two different educational interventions designed to teach infant hunger cues to undergraduate nursing students to increase the knowledge and confidence levels needed for the future teaching of infant hunger cues to new parents. Flemings VARK theory was used to guide this quasi-experimental study. A pretest posttest two-group design was used to evaluate both knowledge and confidence levels in the participants (N= 86). Data was analyzed utilizing a paired t-test. The results noted significant …

Classroom Management, Summer L. Emich

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project focused its research on how various teachers implement classroom management into their classrooms. The definition of classroom management used for this project is from The Glossary of Education Reform, which says classroom management refers to the “wide variety of skills and techniques that teachers and schools use to keep students organized, orderly, focused, attentive, on task, and academically productive during a class” (Great Schools Partnership, 2014, p. 1). The purpose of this project was to determine how various teachers incorporate classroom management into their classrooms. Two schools were used during this project where two principals were interviewed and …

Common Conversations About Teaching And Learning: Making An Impact, Clarence Maybee, Catherine Fraser Riehle, Michael Flierl

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This panel discussed the Instruction Matters: Purdue Academic Course Transformation (IMPACT) program from three perspectives: 1) IMPACT Management team member gauging campus-wide involvement, developer of lessons for the weekly faculty learning community meetings, and a leader of an IMPACT team comprised of three Purdue instructors and members from Purdue Libraries, Center for Instructional Excellence, and Information Technology at Purdue. The panel presentation was given on April 21, 2016 as part of the Visiting Scholar Lecture Series hosted by the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

A Design-Based Research Study Examining The Impact Of Collaboration Technology Tools In Mediating Collaboration, Kecia Johnese Waddell

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

A DESIGN-BASED RESEARCH STUDY EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF COLLABORATION TECHNOLOGY TOOLS IN MEDIATING COLLABORATION

by

KECIA J. WADDELL

December 2015

Advisor: Dr. Monica W. Tracey

Major: Instructional Technology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Interactive collaboration technologies have expanded users' capabilities to collaborate and have driven pedagogical paradigm shifts toward more learner-centered and interactive teaching and learning. Online learners may be not sufficiently prepared for the level of collaboration fluency expected by a globally competitive digital distributed knowledge economy. This is largely due in part by how collaboration technologies is used towards impacting learning goals and outcomes in practice by online …

Principals’ Perceptions Of Teacher-Student Interactions In Diversifying Suburban Middle Schools, Yolanda E. Bloodsaw

Wayne State University Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the kinds of troublesome teacher-student interactions that principals in a large Midwestern metro community manage. Personal interview data from nine suburban middle school principals as well as a group interview with four of the nine participants followed an interpretivist paradigm. This study found that the tense teacher-student interactions are triggered by conflicting perceptions held by students and teachers as a result of racial/cultural differences and socioeconomic status. Conflicting perceptions included stereotypes, cultural insensitivity, student motivation, student survival, loud Black kids, and tardiness. The bulk of the teacher-student interactions described by participants primarily concerned interactions between the …

Examining The Relationship Between Mental Health Professionals Knowledge And Beliefs As Predictors Of Attitudes Toward The Deaf, Pearl M. Weiss

Wayne State University Dissertations

Individuals who are D/deaf experience significant barriers and disparities when accessing mental health services. Factors associated with improving knowledge and beliefs could reduce these disparities among mental health professionals by incorporating cultural competence during professional training, academic curricular, and internship programs. The purpose of this study was to examined the relationship between mental health professionals’ knowledge and belief as predictors of attitudes toward individuals who are D/deaf. Variances in demographic data also were explored as predictors of attitudes regarding individuals who are D/deaf.

A nonexperimental, correlational research design was used for this study. The survey was completed by 65 mental …

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 …

Advisors As Leaders: An Explanatory Study Of The Perceptions That Professional Undergraduate Academic Advisors Have About Leadership Development Skills, Ebony Della Green

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

ADVISORS AS LEADERS: AN EXPLANTORY STUDY OF THE PERCEPTIONS THAT PROEFESSIONAL UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC ADVISORS HAVE ABOUT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SKILLS

by

EBONY D. GREEN

August 2016

Advisor: Dr. Michael Owens

Major: Educational Leadership and Policy

Degree: Doctor of Education

Literature is limited about the leadership skill(s) that Professional Undergraduate Academic Advisors (PUAAs) use in their daily practice. Research that addresses advisors and/or their performance appear to highlight them as a factor in studies that cover student retention, academic success, or student perception. Often studies focus on students, not advisors as practitioners. Advisors play a critical role in a student’s integration …

Meta-Synthesis Of Sampling Methods Using Coding Strategies And Social Media For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Nursing Students, Timberly Robinson Robinson

Wayne State University Dissertations

In 2010, the birth of an aggressive strategy began to emerge aimed to increase the number of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) individuals in professional healthcare fields. Employers and higher education admission officials desired more research. Data revealed that the field of nursing had a higher percentage of Deaf and Hard of Hearing professionals than other areas. Yet, there is a gap in the literature related to in-depth accounts about the learning experience and clinical training of D/HH nursing students. A phenomenological study was conducted to examine nursing experiences (homogenous sampling) compared to other clinical and non-clinical D/HH majors …

Montana K-8 Teacher Preparation In Stem, Jeanette Murnane

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The goal of this thesis is to find out how K-8 teacher education programs in Montana can

be improved to better prepare teachers to teach science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts. While research has been done on what types of courses best prepare teachers for the classroom, my study focuses on how well Montana colleges and universities prepare K-8 certified teachers to teach STEM concepts. A survey was sent out to K-8 certified teachers across Montana to determine how well new teachers can utilize the technology available in their classrooms and what concepts within Common Core Math and Next …

A Literacy Photostory: Improving Classroom Literacy Instruction, Melanie Goeddel

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

In rapidly changing times, students need to understand and utilize various types of literacies in order to be productive citizens and communicate with each other in a fast-paced world. Literacy is often simplified to the ability to read and write, only on some occasions including other topics such as speaking and listening skills, or computer literacies. The need for improved literacy instruction is apparent in high schools, and this study seeks to inform educators of different needs and hopes that students may have in the broad field of literacy. This study seeks to expand the definition of literacy while simultaneously …

Teachers' Perspectives: Face-To-Face And Computer-Based Instruction In Math, Carolyn Jones Sessoms

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction offers opportunities to improve student academic performance, specifically in students with learning disabilities. However, teachers' perceptions of which differentiated-instruction program works best to support differently abled students were unknown. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers' perceptions on whether face-to-face instruction using response to intervention or computer-based learning using TenMarks works best in improving the academic performance of students who are differently abled in mathematics, specifically geometry. Constructivism, social disability theory, and Bandura's social learning theory formed the study's theoretical framework. Research questions guiding the study focused on teachers' perceptions of the advantages and …

Technology Integration: A Community Of Practice To Support Learning, Claudette W. Stone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract This qualitative case study examined teachers' perceptions that contributed to a lack of

technology integration in their K-8 classrooms. The purpose of the study was to determine why teachers of a K-8 and K-5 school underused or failed to integrate technology to support learning. The theoretical framework for this study was provided by Dewey's constructivist theory, Lave and Wenger's situated learning theory and communities of practice, and Kolb's experiential learning theory principles of teaching and learning. The research questions addressed teachers' perceptions of technology integration as a curriculum strategy and teachers' perceptions of how technology affected professional practices to …

Case Study On How High School Teachers Incorporate Technology In The Classroom To Meet 21st Century Student Learning Needs, Sara Sharick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students are not adequately prepared to contribute to the workforce or engage in global citizenship in the 21st century. Research indicates proper education of students cannot be accomplished without teachers' acceptance of technology in the classroom, engagement in effective professional development, and ability to transform their curricula. Although there is an abundance of research supporting the use of technology in the classroom, little research has examined how to incorporate the technology into student-centered learning. The research questions in this study examined teachers' use and acceptance of technology in the classroom and how teachers incorporate technology to meet the 21st century …

Integration Of Place-Based Education Into Science Classes From Prekindergarten Through Grade 5, Terri Adele Wade-Lyles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a large urban district in Ohio, 29.2% of Grade 5, 28.7% of Grade 8, and 45.7% of Grade 10 students passed the state test in science. School district administrators formed a community partnership with local science institutions in order to provide students with hands-on place-based learning experiences intended to improve science academic achievement in PK-Grade 5. The purpose of this qualitative program evaluation was to determine the level of implementation of that place-based program by examining the efficacy of the teachers' embedded professional development and their experiences with the training components. Bruner's theory of cognitive development was used to …

Unique Barriers Faced By First-Generation Adult Learners, Paulette Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There has been an increase in the number of first-generation adult learners in higher education institutions. However, literature has revealed limited information on the experiences of first-generation adult learners and their perception of the barriers they face in higher education. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of 6 first-generation adult learners attending a higher education institution and their perception of the barriers they faced. The theoretical foundations were andragogy theory and social-cognitive career theory. Data were collected using purposeful interviews and data were analyzed using iinterpretative pphenomenological aanalysis. Five detailed patterns were identified: (a) students …

Effectiveness Of Early Childhood Programs On The Literacy Achievement Of Kindergarten Children, Lashia Cox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood development programs enhance children's development of knowledge, skills, and processes. Despite efforts to improve early childhood education in the United States, poor student performance in early literacy and kindergarten achievement is still occurring, and questions remain unanswered about the utility of early childhood education programs. Drawing from the theory of constructivism, the purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental, retrospective study was to determine the effectiveness of early childhood programs on the literacy achievement of kindergarten children. The research question addressed the differences in literacy achievement of kindergarten children based on the early childhood programs they attended. Using repeated measures …

Facilitating The Acquisition Of Social Skills Through Service Learning, Becky J. Hendrickson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Deficits in communication affect individuals with autism regarding the ability to access a free and appropriate education as well as quality of life. This research study explored the effects of a service-learning project on acquisition of social skills and reduction of problem behaviors for students who have autism. The conceptual framework for this study was based on Maslow's theory of motivation and Erickson's 8 stages of personality development. A mixed-methods design with sequential transformative strategy was used to collect quantitative data from 5 elementary students who have autism during involvement in service learning; the Social Skills Improvement System was used …