Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons^™

Saudi Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs And Practices Regarding Digital Technology In Early Years Education: A Qualitative Case Study, May Mohammed Alyaeesh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated Saudi pre-service teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding digital technology in early years classrooms. It sought to determine whether participants were prepared to employ such technology to meet the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 national development program. This topic was viewed through the lens of the TPACK framework. The study found that the student teachers were not sufficiently prepared to infuse digital technology. They held positive beliefs about digital technology infusion but were concerned about young children’s use of this technology. There was an absence of effective practices, participants’ technical competence was very basic, and their recognition …

Computational Thinking And Coding For Young Children: A Hybrid Approach To Link Unplugged And Plugged Activities, Daisuke Akiba

Publications and Research

In our increasingly technology-dependent society, the importance of promoting digital literacy (e.g., computational thinking, coding, and programming) has become a critical focus in the field of childhood education. While young children these days are routinely and extensively exposed to digital devices and tools, the efficacy of the methods for fostering digital skills in the early childhood classroom has not always been closely considered. This is particularly true in settings where early childhood educators are not digital experts. Currently, most of the efforts in standard early childhood settings, taught by teachers who are not digital experts, appear to revolve around “unplugged” …

Adapting The Montessori Method In Saudi Early Childhood Classrooms, Lila A. Alhashim

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how teachers have adapted the Montessori method in Saudi early childhood classrooms to align with Saudi socio-culture and Islamic practices. The study was framed using the socio-cultural theory. A qualitative multi-case study design was used to collect data from semi-structured interviews and on-site observations for four Saudi early childhood teachers in two Montessori classrooms in Saudi Arabia. The data were thematically analyzed manually and with NVivo software. The study results showed that the teachers encouraged children’s independence and freedom of choice in work time and during the classroom day, but limited their freedom during mini-lessons and circle …

All-Day Prekindergarten: Closing The Achievement Gap In Literacy, Theodore Clevenger Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative research study was to compare the impact that half-day and full-day prekindergarten had on economically disadvantaged students on Grade 3 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Reading test results. Data from students who previously attended a half-day and full-day prekindergarten program were analyzed to see which program had a greater impact on STAAR reading scores at the conclusion of third grade. The comparison included two urban school districts with an economically disadvantaged threshold of 70% or greater. Descriptive statistics to obtain frequencies were used to create data that showed how students performed …

Investigating The Relational Element Of Trust In Teacher-Principal Relationships: An Autoethnographic Case Study, Angela Bradley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This autoethnographic case study was designed to investigate the relational aspect of trust, a characteristic of servant leadership, in the teacher-principal relationship. This trusting bond is an often overlooked, foundational element of a school’s success. I examined the role that trust plays in enhancing a school’s culture and how trust is established and maintained among one principal and teachers under my supervision. In addition, as researcher, I sought to uncover specific indicators that trust was present on a school campus. Finally, I sought to examine trust’s effects on collaboration and organizational commitment.

Through weekly reflections, I sought to examine my …

Using Markup Languages For Accessible Scientific, Technical, And Scholarly Document Creation, Jason J.G. White

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

In using software to write a scientific, technical, or other scholarly document, authors have essentially two options. They can either write it in a ‘what you see is what you get’ (WYSIWYG) editor such as a word processor, or write it in a text editor using a markup language such as HTML, LaTeX, Markdown, or AsciiDoc.

This paper gives an overview of the latter approach, focusing on both the non-visual accessibility of the writing process, and that of the documents produced. Currently popular markup languages and established tools associated with them are introduced. Support for mathematical notation is considered. In …

A Qualitative Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Of Color In Predominately White K–12 Environments, Torine S. Champion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the lived experiences of teachers of color and identify commonalities within the lived experiences of teachers of color employed in predominately White K–12 schools. This study utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis as viewed through the White racial frame lens. There were 15 participants that were included in this research study. Participants were teachers of color with at least 5 years of teaching experience in predominately White K–12 environments. Data collection procedures included confidential virtual, semistructured interviews that included specific information the researcher wanted to explore. Six themes were revealed: (a) cultural advocacy, …

Utilizing Counter Narratives To Develop Culturally Sustaining, Critically Conscious Preservice Teacher Practitioners, David Wolff

Essays in Education

The content areas that get most attention in an elementary classroom include mathematics and English/Language Arts (ELA), and little time is devoted to other content areas like social studies. Preservice elementary teachers can learn to maximize instructional time by integrating social studies content in the ELA block. Using counternarratives, preservice teachers can learn to use children’s literature to teach multiple perspectives to the dominant narrative in the textbooks. This article shares strategies to present counternarratives and examples of children’s literature that can be used in an elementary classroom.

A Pedagogy Of Play: How Pre- And In-Service Early Childhood Teachers’ Perceptions Of Play Are Influenced As A Result Of Practicum Experience In A Play-Based Environment, E. B. Nygard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

There is a growing body of research behind the play-based movement in education today – a topic that is somewhat controversial (Nicolopoulou et al., 2010; Overstreet, 2018). While some are steeped in a more classical approach to early education, advocating learning should be painful (Adler & Van Doren, 1988), others are paving the way for a more progressive approach, suggesting play to be the premier window into a child’s development (Paley, 1979-2014; Wohlwend & Peppler, 2015). The purpose of this study was to look at how the perceptions of pre- and in-service teachers changed regarding play and storytelling after participating …

Implementing Tactile Learning To Aid Students Understanding Of The Bohr Model, Christin B. Monroe, Andrew B. Stein, Cindy Tolman

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

It is essential for introductory level chemistry students to understand atomic models and how atoms interact to form chemical bonds. The tactile model in this article utilizes marbles to represent subatomic particles, a cup to represent the nucleus and wooden rings to simulate the electron orbitals. These inexpensive items can be combined to construct models in which students can build foundational knowledge of atomic structure and how subatomic particles interact. Students were asked to provide feedback comparing the use of this tactile model to atomic computer simulations, videos and their textbook regarding the method they felt was most useful to …

A Framework For Coaching In Early Childhood Settings: Drawing On Bank Street College Of Education’S Developmental-Interaction Approach (Dia), Virginia Casper, Milenis Gonzalez, Tarima Levine, Emily Sharrock, Annie Schaeffing

Bank Street Education Center

Coaching helps teachers activate and better articulate their previous knowledge, skills, values, and belief systems, along with new concepts, to construct and continually refine an approach that is meaningful in their everyday work. This framework captures some commonalities of a positive coaching stance across contexts while allowing enough flexibility to make use of these ideas in ways that will serve that setting and teachers best.

Effectiveness Of Music-Infused Aba Strategies On Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Josephine A. Sodano

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Given the nationwide increase in the diagnosis of autism, particularly in the pediatric population, there is obvious value in examining the effectiveness of intervention methods. This research sought to examine the effectiveness of a music-infused approach combined with Applied Behavioral Analysis methodology. The exploratory mixed method design pilot study examined and comprehended the narratives of special education early childhood teachers assigned and trained to deliver a music-infused intervention program within a natural self-contained Applied Behavioral Analysis program, five days a week, 20 minutes a day, for a duration of 6 weeks to a population of ten preschool students, ages 3-5, …

A Phenomenological Study Of Contributing Factors And Common Trends Related To Teacher Attrition In Western North Carolina, Preston Clarke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A phenomenological approach was used to identify contributing factors and common trends related teacher attrition by conducting interviews with teachers who decided to exit a North Carolina School District located in Western North Carolina. A qualitative approach allowed the researcher to gain valuable insight into the decision-making process of the 15 research participants. Data collection involved conducting one on one telephone interviews with participants by asking a series of open-ended questions that allowed for probing and follow-up questions. Analysis of researcher notes, evaluation of textual data produced by interviews, and observations allowed the qualitative investigator to identify emerging themes and …

The Effects Of Coaching Provided Via Video-Conferencing To Caregivers Of Children With Asd, Kendra L. Antill

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The ability to communicate effectively to others is a pivotal skill necessary to get one’s needs and wants met; however, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have significant delays in communication skills. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices provide an alternative means for children with complex communication needs to express their needs and wants. Communication interventions involving AAC have been largely conducted in school and clinical settings, despite young children spending a significant amount of their time at home and in the community. Family involvement plays a critical role in improved outcomes for young children with disabilities. Recent shifts …

The Root Of The Growing Mental Illness Epidemic In Elementary Children, Rayanne Brown

University Honors Program

This research determined important contributions to the mental illness epidemic in elementary children to find if mental illness in current American society is based on bias or science. Some of the researched contributions include use of technology, family dynamics, proper use of medical terminology, physical health, and the diagnosis process, and more. Many recent articles supported the possibility that mental health awareness has become too common, resulting in overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment in elementary children. In all, society views mental illness through a different lens to encourage victims of mental illness to reach out for treatment, but the added attention …

Virtual Literacy Coaching: A Response To Time, Space, And Resources, Kimberly Peters

Michigan Reading Journal

Athletes use video all the time to carefully breakdown their physical performance while also selecting areas to improve based on video footage. Why should teachers be any less engaged in their instructional performance? Applying these same principles in education has potential to create an awareness in a teacher’s literacy instructional performance. Virtual literacy coaching is a job embedded professional learning model and it was one rural educational district's answer to time, space, and resources.

The Magic Of The Morning Message: Literacy Strategies Used In Preschool Classrooms, Jill B. Claxton, Tomoko Wakabayashi, Katherine Homant, Beth Hardin, Shun Takai

Michigan Reading Journal

Monthly in-depth, dynamic, ethnographic video recordings of preschool teaching practices were gathered in state-funded preschool programs in Michigan. We identified and coded teaching practices used by lead teachers during three parts of the daily routine using the Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy - Prekindergarten (MAISA-GELN, 2016). Using a mixed methods approach, the findings indicate that morning message time may be one of the most literacy rich times of the day. Preschool teachers engaged in literacy promoting strategies more during morning message time than even during small group time or read alouds. Co-occurrences of literacy strategies were also found most …

Overview Of The Proceedings Of The 2021 Inclusion In Science, Learning A New Direction, Conference On Disability (Island), Cary Supalo, Jasodhara Bhattacharya, Daniel Steinberg

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Remote Learning - The Future Of Education: Effective Instructional Strategies Used By Parent Educators And Recommendations For Building Capacity, Raelene Ferguson Haugen

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods Delphi study was to identify the remote learning instructional strategies used by expert Southern California parent educators for implementing the anticipatory set, modeling, checking for understanding, and guided practice elements of Madeline Cheek Hunter’s Instructional Theory Into Practice (ITIP) framework. The study sought to identify how expert Southern California parent educators rated the effectiveness of the remote learning instructional strategies in the aforementioned elements of Hunter’s ITIP framework. Additionally, the purpose was to generate recommendations from expert Southern California parent educators to build capacity in the identified effective instructional strategies.

Methodology: The classical …

Trauma-Informed Practices In Early Childhood Education, Michelle King

Graduate Teacher Education

Young children who have experienced trauma risk falling behind peers academically, and socially, and may have lifelong mental and physical impairments (Bartlett, 2021). Half of the young children in the United States have been victims of early childhood trauma (Bartlett, et al., 2017). Findings analyzed for this paper show that trauma-informed care (TIC) can increase children’s chance of recovering and thriving, despite trauma (Bartlett, 2021). The following studies showed how early childhood teachers can best prepare themselves for students of trauma in their classrooms. Preparation included TIC that focused on strong social-emotional development (SED), helping build resilience, and preparing for …