Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Reading Pedagogy In Today's Classroom, Maria Beeman-Rygalski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the phenomenon of successful primary classroom teachers' instruction, in the area of reading pedagogy. All children who are capable of reading must be taught how to read; such is the essential responsibility of American schooling. Moats (1999) describes reading as the most basic, yet critical responsibility of schooling. Haycock (1998), Marzano (2003), and Nye, Konstantopulos, and Hedges (2004) determined that the influence of an effective teacher has the biggest impact on student achievement, independent of anything else that happens in school. There is little research linking evidence of teacher perceptions, knowledge …

"What Does This Graph Mean?" Formative Assessment With Science Inquiry To Improve Data Analysis, Andrea Dawn Leech

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigated the use of formative assessment to improve three specific data analysis skills within the context of a high school chemistry class: graph interpretation, pattern recognition, and making conclusions based on data. Students need to be able to collect data, analyze that data, and produce accurate scientific explanations (NRC, 2011) if they want to be ready for college and careers after high school. This mixed methods study, performed in a high school chemistry classroom, investigated the impact of the formative assessment process on data analysis skills that require higher order thinking. We hypothesized that the use of evaluative …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Higher Education Students With Disabilities, Allen J. Heindel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Distance education has the potential to offer a meaningful alternative for students with disabilities. Colleges and universities have opportunities to provide quality online courses to students with disabilities; yet data show these students may often choose to discontinue higher education pursuits. Little is currently known about how students with disabilities experience the distance learning environment or how institutions of higher education. This phenomenological study focuses on the quality of the learning experiences and learner satisfaction of students with disabilities in distance education courses.

The purpose of this study is to investigate 1) how online learning is experienced by students with …

Instructional Learning Teams: A Case Study, Jonathan L. Brendefur, Brian Whitney, Roger A. Stewart, Joshua Pfiester, Julia Zarbnisky

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Changing teacher practices to improve student learning is a challenge. For teachers’ practices to change, faculties within schools must build communities of practice. However, supporting teachers’ collaborative learning within a Professional Learning Team can be an elusive challenge. We found through the Instructional Learning Team (ILT) model of professional development that teachers have a focused model to make effective changes to their practice. ILTs promote school improvement by providing a process through which teachers collaboratively focus on sustained reflection about student learning tasks, instruction, and student work using the Japanese Lesson Study and critiquing their work using Newmann’s (1996) Intellectual …

Academic Hiring Gatekeeper & Employer Perceptions Of Online Degrees And The Acceptability Of Online Degrees For Faculty And Administrator Employment In Higher Education, Renee Sinow-Mandelbaum

Theses and Dissertations

Due to its flexibility and convenience, online education has become a feasible alternative for degree seeking students who are unable to attend a traditional higher education institution. Although online courses and programs have their benefits, there remains an ongoing debate on issues related to credibility, quality, and acceptability among certain stakeholders including faculty, administrators, and employers. The current study focuses on one group of academic stakeholders-namely, academic hiring gatekeepers and employers; that is, those who are directly involved in the hiring process of faculty and administrators. Specifically, the objective is to explore hiring gatekeeper and employer acceptability of online degrees …

Comparison Of Academic Achievement For A Rn-Bsn Program Course Using Online And Traditional Face-To-Face Classroom Learning Environment Delivery Methods, Misty Lilley, Donell Murray

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

An applied project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Education Specialist at Morehead State University by Misty Lilley and Donell Murray on January 9, 2016.

Instructional Practices Of Teachers And The Academic Success Of African American Males At The Elementary Level, Donna D. Lewis

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

How can teachers improve instructional practices during interactions with African American males, a demographic where reform initiatives have tried to reduce an achievement gap? This qualitative study will examine this issue from the perspective of African American male students and the teachers who teach African American male students. It will specifically focus on what instructional methods and overall beliefs contribute to the academic success of African American male students. Findings indicated that relationship building and culturally responsive teaching strategies were both critical components of improving achievement.

Pbl Every Drop Counts: Improving The Health Of The Lake Michigan, Lindsey Herlehy, Nicole Ross

Teacher Resources

"Every Drop Counts" is a sample Problem Based Learning (PBL) lesson focused on improving the health of Lake Michigan waters and shoreline. This sample problem focuses on habitats, pollution, and properties of water.

Faculty Perceptions Of Teacher Professionalism In Christian Schools, James A. Swezey, Donald E. Finn

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Able school administrators understand that teachers are their most valuable asset. If Christian schools are to effectively serve the families who entrust their children to their care, teachers must demonstrate both professional competency and godly character. This study was an investigation of faculty perceptions of teacher professionalism at ten Christian schools in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. An online survey of 24 items was completed by 230 teachers (males=30; females=200). The survey instrument was a modified version of Tichenor and Tichenor’s (2009) four dimensions of teacher professionalism. Data were analyzed using a multivariate analysis-of-variance (MANOVA) …

Teaching Christian Integration In Psychology And Counseling Courses, Fernando L. Garzon, M. Elizabeth Lewis Hall, Jennifer S. Ripley

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of A Remedial Reading Program For Middle-Grade Students In A Southeastern State Public School, Susan S. Nichols

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on reading achievement for middle school students after participation in a remedial reading program, Xtreme Reading, at a southeastern state public school. The researcher used Stufflebeam's (2003) context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model to guide the study. A mixed-method research design was used to examine data collected from 80 students in Grades 6 through 8 participating in reading interventions spanning a 1-year period from 2013 through 2014.

There were significant differences in reading achievement scores of students during the 1-year implementation of Xtreme Reading. The findings in this study …

Professorial Reflection And Practical Pedagogical Suggestions For Increasing Guided Reflection For Students In A Service-Learning Class, Kevin D. Lo

Organization, Leadership, and Communication

Service-learning is an experiential pedagogy that encourages students to understand academic content through performing direct service at a community organization. While research supports the benefits of service-learning pedagogy for students, there are fewer articles to guidance to faculty on how to teach service-learning, especially to faculty who have no prior experience. As guided reflection is a central component to service-learning pedagogy, this article shares both professorial reflection on the author’s learning trajectory as well as reflections ideas from the author’s service-learning class geared towards incorporating a more reflection oriented methodology for students. Even in a class that is not service-learning …

Learner Perceptions On The Use Of Mobile Learning Strategies And Devices For Team E-Portfolio Content Creation, Devshikha Bose, Krishna Pakala

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2014

This study intended to determine student perceptions on the efficacy of using mobile learning strategies and devices to create electronic content for inclusion in an engineering team/group e-portfolio. Sixty four students from an undergraduate engineering thermodynamics class, created multimedia videos and produced content demonstrating course content summaries, problem solving techniques, and written work on concept question solutions. Results from a post course completion anonymous survey and focus group meeting indicated that the majority of the students found this to be a very useful exercise in learning, communicating with their instructor, completing homework and assignments as well as to prepare for …

A Perfect Match: Partnering With Education Faculty For Pedagogical Professional Development, Hilary Kraus, Rudolf V. Kraus

Library Staff Publications

A persistent challenge for many librarians is a lack of formal training in pedagogical techniques. In addition to lacking academic coursework in this area, librarians seldom look beyond their professional community for opportunities to develop these vital skills. Given the obvious parallels in mission and responsibilities, the field of education seems a natural fit. This chapter explores the benefits of crossdisciplinary professional development in the context of a collaboration between a librarian and an educational studies professor. Through alternating points of view, it presents the motivation for the partnership, the challenges it presented, and the positive outcomes for each participant. …

A Study Of Kindergarten Teachers' Ability To Teach The Kindergarten Informational Text Common Core Standards In Fifteen West Virginia School Districts, Shelly Ann Ratliff

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study sought to determine kindergarten teachers’ perceived knowledge of the informational text Common Core State Standards within the population of 185 kindergarten teachers in 15 West Virginia counties.

A four part researcher-developed survey was mailed to each participant. Subjects were also given the option of participating in a follow-up telephone interview and interviewees were asked a series of questions based on a researcher-developed interview protocol. Subjects that participated in the interviews were asked if they were willing to be observed by the researcher for 30 minutes during reading instruction and an observation checklist was used to guide the time …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Teachers' Perceptions Of The Impact Of The Common Core State Standards On Elementary Students' Abilities To Think Critically, Chris Blanton

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation employed a mixed-methods design to ascertain the perceptions of elementary schoolteachers in relation to the impact the Common Core State Standards had on their students' abilities to think critically. The participants were teachers from three schools within the same district in western North Carolina. Quantitative data were collected via a 5-point Likert scale survey distributed via Survey Monkey. Qualitative data were collected via open-ended questions and focus group interviews. The data were collected to answer the research question, "What is the impact of the Common Core State Standards on the critical thinking abilities of students?" The researcher designed …

The Relationship Between Mclass Reading 3d Assessment And The North Carolina End-Of-Grade Assessment Of Reading Comprehension In An Elementary School, Amy S. Bowles

Education Dissertations and Projects

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) instituted the Reading Diagnostic Initiative in 2009 in which select elementary schools across the state were piloting the reading diagnostic tool mClass Reading 3D. This study investigated the relationship between results from the North Carolina End-of-Grade (NCEOG) Assessment of Reading Comprehension and the results from the mClass Reading 3D assessment in a North Carolina elementary school's third, fourth, and fifth grades, especially examining the degree to which mClass Reading 3D predicts scores on the reading comprehension measures of the NCEOG.

The quantitative, correlational study utilized a predictive design to determine if the …

The Impact Of The South Carolina Initial Mentor Training On Mentor Teacher Efficacy, Bryan K. Hullender

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the impact of the South Carolina Initial Mentor Training on the self-efficacy of mentor teachers. The study discussed the current training program for mentors in South Carolina and the expected outcomes the training is supposed to produce. The South Carolina Initial Mentor Training was studied in a cohort of nine school districts in the midlands and upstate of South Carolina in partnership with Winthrop University. The expected outcomes of the program were creating professional growth environments for new teachers grounded in the norms of continuous inquiry, ongoing assessment, and problem-solving; recognizing and practicing the …

Eury Value-Added Experience Model: A Case Study On The Collective Learning Culture Of A Suburban Middle School In The Southeastern Region Of The United States, Timothy Merrell Reed

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to test the Eury Value-Added Experience Model as a theoretical model to measure and evaluate the collective learning culture of a school organization. The Eury Value-Added Experience Model is based upon five domains of the theoretical model: (1) dispositions, (2) professional experiences, (3) structure, (4) shared decision making, and (5) assessment and reflection skills. This mixed-method case study used the five domains to focus on the collective learning culture of a suburban middle school in the western region of the State of North Carolina. Limited research exists on the use of the Eury Value-Added Experience Model …

A Program Evaluation Of A Hiring Process In A School District, Charles Westley Wood

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this program evaluation was to analyze the effects of the Ventures for Excellence program on the hiring process of a northwestern North Carolina school district. The perceived problem was that in this particular school district there was a need for a hiring instrument that provided a large applicant pool of quality teachers and created an efficient hiring system. There was also a need to have a hiring system that would protect the school district from any legal issues that might arise from the interviewing of teacher applicants.

The setting for this project was a school district located …