Digital Commons Network^™

Culture Of Growth: Teacher Collaboration For The Empowerment Of All Students, Kamilla Bahbahani

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

This dissertation documents an in-depth year long qualitative case study of three elementary school teachers to address the following research question: what characterizes, and what are the major influences on, an integrated, constructivist-oriented approach to elementary math instruction? The researcher, working collaboratively with the teachers, used a combination of interviews, observations, journaling, and informal discourse to learn about what they want to do in their classes, the various pressures they feel for performance and student learning, the forces they balance in making their instructional choices, and the ways in which they make instructional choices and change their approaches over time. …

How Reading Recovery Teaches The Five Essential Elements Of Reading Instruction And More: Second Of A Two-Part Series, Salli Forbes, Mary Anne Doyle

Curriculum & Instruction Faculty Publications

This article is the second in a two-part series that provides information about how Reading Recovery instruction fits the recommendations of the National Reading Panel (NRP; NICHD, 2000a, 2000b). In the first article, published in the fall 2003 issue of the Journal of Reading Recovery, we explained how and why the NRP was created and described its recommendations. The NRP investigated research in three areas of reading competence that were identified as essential for reading instruction: alphabetics, fluency, and comprehension. In relation to these three areas, the NRP detailed the five essential elements listed below:

A. Alphabetics

1. Phonemic …

A Comparative Study Of American-Born Chinese And Non American-Born Chinese Students' Language Learning Motivation, Language Acquisition, And Ethnic Identity Development In Chinese Language Schools, Sarah C. Tsai

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This dissertation is a non-experimental comparative and correlational study. It compares the three variables of language learning motivation, language acquisition, and ethnic identity between American-Born Chinese (ABC) and Adopted Chinese students (Non-ABC) at Association of Chinese language schools on the East Coast of the United States. One hundred and eighty-two ABC and 70 non-ABC students enrolled in Chinese language classes in the fall semester of 2004 participated in this study. Additionally, this study identifies the teaching categories that are most commonly applied in the Chinese language school classroom.

The data were collected through a survey method. The research instruments used …

Alternative Substantive Approaches To Advanced Legal Writing Courses, Michael R. Smith

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Moore Leads Adapt Workshop In Chile

ADAPT Program: Faculty Biographies and Links

Christopher J. Moore (M.S. 1992) presented a workshop on “College Teaching and the Development of Reasoning” to more than 30 faculty at the Universidad de Tarapacá in Arica, Chile during 14–15 November 2002. Moore’s invitation stemmed from the interest of the faculty at the University of Tarapacá to initiate a multidisciplinary program for college students patterned after the successful ADAPT (Accent for Developing Advanced Processes of Thought) program developed and taught at the University of Nebraska under the leadership of Professor Robert Fuller from 1975–1997. Moore worked with Fuller in the ADAPT program and also helped develop materials for undergraduate …

The Case For Change : A Review Of Contemporary Research On Indigenous Education Outcomes, Suzanne Mellor, Matthew Corrigan

Australian Education Review

AER 47 examines the research evidence underpinning current government policy developed over the last two decades in an attempt to improve the educational outcomes of indigenous students. It reviews and analyses existing educational research into the precursors and concomitant factors that contribute to educational achievement for students generally and for indigenous students in particular. It argues that current policy is insufficiently underpinned by substantive research, and that changes should be made, both to research methodology and to policy content.

Assessment In Early Childhood Education, Gwen R. Marra

Master of Education Program Theses

This study investigated assessment in early childhood education. The action research investigated the effect of familiarity of a test setting on screening scores of pre-kindergarten children. Thirty-two children participated in a pre-kindergarten screening at a local school that they did not attend as students. These same children participated in the same screening at the preschool that they regularly attend. After analyzing and comparing the test scores it was determined that there was a significant difference in the scores of students depending on their familiarity with the test setting.

A Rhetorical Approach To Theological Education: Assessing An Attempt To Re-Vision A Curriculum, Patrick R. Keifert, Donald Juel

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Providing Meaningful Alternatives To Senior Examinations, Mary Dirksen

Master of Education Program Theses

Christian educators have a unique calling to equip their students to become active disciples of Jesus Christ. In 2001, the staff of Unity Christian High School was challenged to examine its teaching practices in this light. After a review of the current literature, two goals were adopted: (1) to provide greater opportunities for students to “unwrap their gifts” and (2) to broaden the use of authentic assessment. The staff began by amending the graduation requirements of the 2002 graduating class. Second semester exams were no longer to be administered to the seniors, and students were required to make contributions to …

Reading Matters : A Case Study Of A Community Volunteer Tutoring Program, Leslie Clayberger Haynes

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The objective of this qualitative research was to study through a phenomenological approach Reading Matters, a community volunteer reading program to determine if students are demonstrating improvement, to uncover the characteristics of the program and the tutoring techniques used by volunteers, and to create a potential model by which administrators can design volunteer tutoring programs for other schools. One coordinator, one principal, eight classroom teachers, three volunteers, and five students participated in the study. Conclusions drawn indicate that the volunteer tutoring program was successful for the students not only for academic results but also for the mentoring relationship that the …

Students’ Assessment Of Biology Education At Marshall University, Chris A. Barker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis research was to evaluate the quality of scientific education offered in the College of Science’s Department of Biology at Marshall University. The objectives of this study were to emphasize the important aspects of higher education assessment, point out that a scientifically literate citizenry is imperative for society to function effectively, and to determine what factors contribute to differences among students with regard to their perception of the quality of scientific education they are receiving at Marshall. A survey questionnaire was administered to students in eleven biological science courses during the Fall semester of 2003 and …

Faculty Perceptions Of The Effects Of Student Evaluations Of Teaching On Higher Education Instructional Practices And Instructor Morale, Annette Rashid Gall

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The perceived consequences of student evaluations of teaching (SET) on higher education instructional practices and instructor morale were investigated. Participants were randomly selected from the 2002-2003 faculty of West Virginia’s eight public colleges, n= 274. The researcher developed self-report survey, the Gall Faculty Response to Evaluations of Teaching (FRET), was inspired by research literature. Research questions investigating the relationship between four independent variables and perception of changes in instructional practices were significant indicating that faculty consider information from student evaluations when changing teaching strategies. Research questions investigating the relationship between four independent variables and perception of changes in instructor morale …

Engaging Faculty In New Forms Of Teaching And Learning, Paul Hagner

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

This essay explores the importance of the motivational state of the faculty member in the success or failure of systematic efforts to transform teaching and learning.

Addressing Diversity Through The Utilization Of Team-Teaching In Teacher Education Field Experiences, Rita Mitchell, Bonita Williams, Paulina Kuforiji

Perspectives In Learning

The inclusion model for the delivery of special education services, the services of support personnel, reading, media, and technology specialists for example, and the use of paraprofessionals and volunteers in the classroom are common structures in place in elementary and middle schools today. Pre-service teachers should be prepared to work in such increasingly more collaborative settings. The growing diversity of the student population in public schools also sets the stage for team-teaching and other collaborative models if indeed we achieve the educational goal of “no child left behind”. In an age of specialization and individualization, some form of teacher collaboration …

“O.Henry’S American Scenes” And The Accompanying Language Activities To Use In The Efl And Esl Classes, Tamila Mehtiyeva

MA TESOL Collection

“O.Henry’s American Scenes” is a Ladder Edition book at the 1,000-word level published by the English Language Programs Division in Washington D.C. The Ladder Series of books are specially prepared editions of well-known American books. They have been shortened and simplified to use for ESL and EFL students. Though the stories have been shortened, they remain enjoyable and engaging to read. The author uses these stories in her classes at Baki State University.

This thesis shows how the teachers of ESL and EFL can use these stories as an effective teaching tool in their classes. Included are 7 stories taken …

Project-Based Learning: Five Projects That Stimulated Student Learning, Asuka Kitano

MA TESOL Collection

This paper, based from a classroom research project, examines a variety of projects which can help students become positive learners. The first chapter gives relevant background information and introduces the reasoning behind and implementation of five particular projects, which I used in the classroom. The following five chapters each focus on one particular project (skit festivals, textbooks, poster presentations, class visuals, and response papers), and each chapter describes and analyzes each project, and also includes student feedback. The appendices, which follow each of the five projects, include photos of the students and their output, and this should help demonstrate the …

Teaching Adult Efl Learners In Japan From A Japanese Perspective, Patricia Jean Gage

MA TESOL Collection

This paper presents teaching materials that were developed for adult EFL learners in Japan. The author’s primary purpose for developing these materials was to create lessons that would utilize content from a Japanese perspective and the students’ personal interests. The author asserts that students are able to communicate more effectively when the topic and the content of the lessons are familiar to the students. Developed around topics chosen by the students, these lessons contain anecdotes written by the students along with activities that integrate listening, reading, speaking, and writing. The five lessons and the rationale for designing them are included …

Enhancing A Student Exchange With A Day-By-Day Activities Folder, Anne Cottagnoud

MA TESOL Collection

This paper reviews the use of a Folder to document series of activities designed to enhance and maximize learning during a student exchange. Swiss high school students visited their American partners and conducted activities before, during and after the exchange. The Folder was a teacher-prepared booklet that engaged students in the four phases of Kolb’s (1984) Experiential Learning Cycle: experience, observation and reflection, abstract thinking and generalizing, and testing learned concepts. It also encouraged the Swiss students to ask questions of American host families and American students in order to learn more about American culture. The Folder made use of …

Language And Cultural Learning Through Student Generated Photography, David M. Cosgrove

MA TESOL Collection

This paper examines and discusses the unique teaching context and the inherent problems faced by foreign English teachers in the Japanese University System. It contains a personal account of the process the author went through to develop a new and interesting curriculum to overcome these problems. This curriculum is based on student-generated photographs of their lives and is an effective method of both language learning and culture learning. Included in the paper is a step-by-step course description of twenty-four lesson plans based on the photographs.

Building Community With Adolescent English Language Learners, Jill Antal

MA TESOL Collection

This paper examines a year of teaching in which the author used social and emotional learning strategies to build community in her classroom of English Language Learners at Macfarland Middle School in Washington, DC in 2001-2002. The author’s adaptations to components of Northeast Foundation for Children’s Responsive Classroom model are discussed. The conception and implementation of the author’s own project, Passport Partners, is included. The major research supporting Social and Emotional Learning is briefly presented, as well as the wider implications of addressing or not addressing students’ social and emotional needs.

Connecting Language And Culture Through Storytelling: A Materials Development Project, Sarah M. Anderson

MA TESOL Collection

This materials development project presents a Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) unit created around an authentic Mexican legend. The author wrote and taught ten mini-stories in preparation for using the legend as the main story of the unit.

The author first discusses the theory behind the TPRS approach and its effectiveness in regards to language teaching and learning. An overview of how the TPRS process works, including examples specific to the author’s teaching context, is also described.

The paper then presents the rationale and design of the project itself. The author incorporated an authentic legend with the intention of connecting …

Southern Adventist University Graduate Catalog 2004-2005, Southern Adventist University

Catalog, Graduate

Southern Adventist University's graduate catalog for the academic year 2004-2005.

Southern Adventist University Undergraduate Catalog 2004-2005, Southern Adventist University

Catalog, Undergraduate

Southern Adventist University's undergraduate catalog for the academic year 2004-2005.

On Reflection, James Anthony Gibbons

Shannon Research Press

This book commences with a criticism of constructivism as the basis for curriculum design followed by an attempt to argue an alternative. It is possible to proceed to criticise constructivism as the basis for curriculum design by illustrating the issues with references to extracts from curricula used by various countries and Departments of Education. This book takes a different route. The assumption is made that criticism will be clearer if related to a substantial part of a curriculum rather than extracts from a variety of curricula from a variety of countries. The focus is on the recently developed, and currently …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the 7th edition of the Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. This particular edition is devoted to the papers presented at the Oxford Roundtable: Addressing the Special Education Needs of Children, convened in March 2003 at Oxford University in Oxford, England. The Oxford Roundtable is a think tank gathering of administrators, college professors, and teachers who come together by invitation to present research and conduct conversations about issues and trends in the field of Special Education. This international assembly provokes thought, shares ideas, and engages in, sometimes spirited, discourse concerning the needs of children with special needs. The following …

Ec04-469 When Words Are Used As Weapons: The Signs Of Verbal Abuse (Part 2 Of A Four Part Series), Kathy Bosch

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Verbal abuse finally is being recognized as a form of domestic violence and as the behavior that usually precedes physical violence. There has been little support for individuals who are verbally abused because it's not as readily visible as a black eye or bruise. However, many individuals, particularly women, suffer with verbal assaults from their partners.

Maryland's Best Practices: An Improvement Guide For School-Based Service-Learning, Maryland Student Service Alliance

Curriculum

We are pleased to present a new tool for service-learning. Students can make a tremendous difference in their schools and communities if they are given the opportunity to use their enthusiasm, energy and ideas.

Maryland is a leader in the field of service-learning. We believe it is important for our students not only to understand the concept of citizenship but also to be good citizens by providing needed service to their communities. Teachers around the state have found service-learning to be a highly effective teaching method, adding relevancy to classroom learning.

As the first state to require that all students …

Local Aquatic Environment Exploration And Girl Scouts, Patricia Marie Foy

Theses Digitization Project

Activities were developed to provide partial completion of water-related Junior badges and Brownie Try-It awards for Girl Scouts. The activities are specific to the Glendora Conservancy Environmental Discovery Center located in the San Gabriel foothills above Glendora, California.

The Development Of A Computer Literacy Curriculum For California Charter Schools, Barbara Ann Mobarak

Theses Digitization Project

To develop leaders for the 21st century, schools must be able to prepare students to meet the high academic, technical and workforce challenges. Charter schools are increasingly attempting to meet these challenges by educating students through innovative means and by creating effectual educational programs that are more conducive to the needs of the student. This document provides a computer literacy curriculum, which will facilitate student learning of computer literacy skills.

The Effect Of Student Satisfaction On Freshman Retention In Undergraduate Athletic Training Education Programs, Valerie W. Herzog

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Student retention is an issue facing higher education administrators that cannot be ignored. Program directors of athletic training education programs (ATEP) must become aware of the factors which influence retention and develop strategies to reduce attrition. Because the majority of attrition occurs during the freshman year, the focus of retention programs should be on the first year of the students’ college experience. To better understand why they persist in undergraduate ATEPs, freshman students (n = 603) were surveyed to determine their level of satisfaction with various aspects of the program as well as whether or not they chose to apply …