Staff Development And Leadership Roles Related To Response To Intervention Levels Of Implementation In Rural Schools,
2010
Walden University
Staff Development And Leadership Roles Related To Response To Intervention Levels Of Implementation In Rural Schools, Karin A. Strohmyer
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The concepts of professional learning communities and organizational disciplines support staff development and leadership that lead to sustainable systems. Little research has examined the ability of rural schools to achieve sustainable systems. This quantitative design study considered the relationships between predictor variables of administrative roles and staff development and the criterion variable of Response to Intervention (RtI) implementation level. Administrator roles included planning and scheduling training, participating in training, planning implementation, building knowledge and commitment, selecting RtI teams, participating on teams, promoting parental involvement, evaluating RtI, and implementing follow-up and targeted training. Staff development practices addressed commitment and support, team …
The Dissemination Of Teacher Learning: A Study Of The Similarities And Differences Between Public School Levels And Locations,
2010
Walden University
The Dissemination Of Teacher Learning: A Study Of The Similarities And Differences Between Public School Levels And Locations, Jacqueline M. Krohn
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Teacher learning, whether in-service, continued education, or experience based, is a key component of school reform. Specific research on the use of teacher learning to improve student achievement and instructional practices in and across schools is limited. The research questions addressed in this study were: (a) the degree to which teacher learning is disseminated throughout a school organization to improve student learning and instructional practices, and (b) differences and similarities in the dissemination of teacher learning between schools. Watkins and Marsick's learning organization theory, Senge's system theory, and Dewey's constructivist learning theory were used as the theoretical framework. A variation …
Making Sense Of Exit Exam Policies: A Phenomenological Study Of English Language Development Teachers,
2010
Walden University
Making Sense Of Exit Exam Policies: A Phenomenological Study Of English Language Development Teachers, Scott N. Forrest
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
There is a lack of understanding regarding how sensemaking could be incorporated into a professional development program to improve teacher quality and student achievement. The lived experiences of high school English language development teachers as they interpret English language development and one state's high school exit exam instructional policies were explored in this phenomenological study. The conceptual framework that supported this study is based on the theory of sensemaking, the processes by which educators interpret and implement policies. The participants were English language development teachers of English learners who have not yet passed the exit exam. Data were collected through …
High School Teachers' Perspectives On Effective Approaches For Teaching Biology To Students With Special Needs,
2010
Walden University
High School Teachers' Perspectives On Effective Approaches For Teaching Biology To Students With Special Needs, Agnieszka Kos
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The demands of national educational reforms require high school biology teachers to provide high quality instruction to students with and without special needs. The reforms, however, do not provide teachers with adequate teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students in the same context. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand high school biology teachers' perspectives, practices, and challenges in relation to teaching students with special needs. This approach was used to develop a substantive model for high school biology teachers who are challenged with teaching students with and without special needs. Data were collected via …
Empowering Adolescents: A Multiple Case Study Of U.S. Montessori High Schools,
2010
Walden University
Empowering Adolescents: A Multiple Case Study Of U.S. Montessori High Schools, Wendy J. Larue
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The standards-based, teach-and-test methods that have come to proliferate secondary education since the inception of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) fail to adequately prepare students for higher education and employment. This system lacks opportunities for developing 21st century skills such as higher-level thinking, problem solving, and group dynamics, as well as opportunities for fostering spiritual growth and personal development. This problem impacts graduates of U.S. high schools because they are unprepared for higher education and the 21st century workplace. Using qualitative multiple case study methodology, this study examined five U.S. Montessori high schools through the lens of cultural-historical …
The Effects Of A High Quality Teaching Professional Development Program On Fourth Grade Student Achievement,
2010
Walden University
The Effects Of A High Quality Teaching Professional Development Program On Fourth Grade Student Achievement, Ethel J. Hasty
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In many states, local school systems are under pressure to implement educational programs to help students pass the statewide Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (ASK) in science, mathematics, and language arts literacy. The school district in which this study was conducted implemented a high quality teaching professional development (HQTPD) program for grade four teachers in 2008. The research problem was that, at the data site, fourth grade students were not making academic progress, and elementary schools were failing to make adequate yearly progress (AYP). The HQTPD program intervention was grounded in social learning theory. The main research question that guided …
The Experiences Of Alternately Certified Teachers With Teacher Mentoring, Teacher Effectiveness, And Student Achievement,
2010
Walden University
The Experiences Of Alternately Certified Teachers With Teacher Mentoring, Teacher Effectiveness, And Student Achievement, Charyl L. Pace
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Alternately certified teachers (ACTs) are teachers who receive teacher training in an accelerated program provided by alternate certification programs (ACPs). Induction/mentoring programs are provided to ACTs as a source of additional training. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine ACTs' perceptions of their effectiveness as teachers in relation to their students' achievement and the support provided to them as new teachers by their induction/mentoring training. The research question explored if there was a relationship between the amount of support provided to the ACTs from their induction/mentoring programs and the ACTs' perception of their effectiveness in relation to …
Ethnic Differences In Alcohol Use: A Comparison Of Black And White College Students In A Small Private University Setting,
2010
University of North Florida
Ethnic Differences In Alcohol Use: A Comparison Of Black And White College Students In A Small Private University Setting, Kristie S. Gover
UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations
An identified gap in the literature associated with college student alcohol use is the exploration of the problem based on ethnicity, specifically possible differences in use between Black and White college students. The purpose of the present study was to examine differences in alcohol use for Black and White college students at a small private university in the southeast United States. The study was conducted using the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey Long Form, which is designed to collect data related to self reported use of alcohol and perceptions of alcohol use among college students. A quantitative methodology was employed …
