Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of School Culture On Science Education At An Elementary School: An Ethnographic Case Study, Lori Meier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This ethnographic case study investigated one elementary school to understand how the school's culture influenced its science curriculum design and instruction. The main data was formal and informal semi-structured interviews with key teachers to understand their values, beliefs, practices, materials, and problems with science instruction. To triangulate these data, the researcher observed classroom practice, school-wide activities, and collected artifacts and documents. Data were analyzed using a theoretical framework that emphasizes that culture cannot be reduced to beliefs, values, practices, materials or problems, but rather each aspect of culture is interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The main finding suggests that the school's …

An Examinition Of Competencies, Roles, And Professional Development Needs Of Community College Distance Educators Who Teach Mathematics, Falecia Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study describes the perceptions of both distance education administrators and faculty who teach mathematics online in a Florida community college setting with regard to the relative importance of core competencies and roles in teaching online courses and the need for professional development that is supportive of these competencies and roles. The perceptions of administrators and online faculty for level of importance indicated for core competencies and skill area needs for faculty development when teaching an online course were examined. Results of these perceptions by group were re-examined in relation to gender, age, ethnicity, years of community college teaching experience, …

Metacognitive Self-Regulation, Self-Efficacy For Learning And Performance, And Critical Thinking As Predictors Of Academic Succe, Edie Gaythwaite

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether metacognitive self-regulation, self-efficacy for learning and performance, and critical thinking could be identified as predictors of student academic success and course retention among community college students enrolled in online, telecourses, and traditional Fundamentals of Speech (public speaking) courses. The study was conducted during the Fall 2005 semester at Valencia Community College (VCC). Data for this study were collected from participating students enrolled in either one of the two online, two telecourse, and two traditional face-to-face public speaking courses chosen for analysis. Fifty-seven participants answered Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, and McKeachie (1991) Motivated …

Class Size Reduction: Is It Worth The Cost?A Meta-Analysis Of The Research, Christopher Camacho

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether ethnicity, gender, grade level and content area mediate the relationship between class size and student achievement. Twenty six educational research studies were collected for this meta-analysis. A meta-analytical approach using like data sets were used to report the most accurate information. Fixed and random effect models were used to ensure the distribution across different studies. A total of three studies were meta-analyzed for this research. The studies included in this research examined class size and student achievement for students in grades K-7. This research examined whether there was a mediating effect …

Constructs Unique To Two Volusia County Elementary Writing Programs, Kathleen Holt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This case study sought to examine constructs of two fourth-grade elementary writing programs in Volusia County, Florida. With only the Sunshine State Standards as a guide, each district, school, or teacher must design a writing curriculum that addresses those standards, develops writers, and provides accountability. Fourth-grade classrooms were selected because students at that grade level are required to participate in the FCAT Writing +, a two-day state assessemnt that requires students to compose an essay on a designated topic within a 45-minute period. A second part of the assessment consists of multiple-choice items covering editing and revising, graphic organizers, and …

Science Self-Efficacy In Tenth Grade Hispanic Female High School Students, Maria Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historical data have demonstrated an underrepresentation of females and minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions. The purpose of the study considered the variables of gender and ethnicity collectively in relationship to tenth grade Hispanic females' perception of their self-efficacy in science. The correlation of science self-efficacy to science academic achievement was also studied. Possible interventions for use with female Hispanic minority populations might help increase participation in STEM field preparation during the high school career. A population of 272 students was chosen through convenience sampling methods, including 80 Hispanic females. Students were administered a 27-item questionnaire taken …

4 Practical Resources For Linking Service Learning And The Florida Sunshine State Standards, Florida Learn & Serve

Curriculum

In the 1990s, the Florida Department of Education (FLDoE) and other state education agencies established and adopted education standards to cover major curricular areas in K-12 public education. Florida's standards are linked with statewide assessments in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. The statewide assessment, termed the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test, or FCAT, is a primary tool used to evaluate student and school performance. Student promotion and graduation are based partly on FCAT scores. In addition, schools receive a grade each year, from A-F, based on their students' FCA T performance and other weighted factors.

Curricular Development For A Desert Learning Center, Angie Lara, Michael Reiland

Curriculum materials (RRLC)

The Red Rock Desert Learning Center, formerly known as Oliver Ranch, is a 300-acre parcel acquired by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1993 and incorporated into the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The Desert Learning Center is being designed to teach participants about the natural world through inquiry-based experiential and interdisciplinary methods in a residential outdoor setting in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, located outside metropolitan Las Vegas, Nevada. The intent is for students, teachers, and researchers to gain an appreciation of desert ecosystems and to begin to apply and connect their knowledge to world ecological …

Nsu Fischler School Of Education And Human Services (Fsehs) Catalog And Student Handbook 2006–2007, Nova Southeastern University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

The Americans With Disabilities Act And How It Affects Post-Secondary Education, Annette Louise Beck

Graduate Research Papers

The Americans with Disabilities Act and how it affects post-secondary education is what this literature review addresses. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination against someone with a disability in places of employment and public places. In 1973, the United States Congress passed Section 504 and The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was passed in 1990. Both helped solidify regulations regarding discrimination by any entity that receives federal funding including educational institutions. The law requires employers or schools to make a change or adjustment in a work or educational setting, program, or job that makes it …

The Corporate University : Effective Strategies Used To Create A Productive Corporate Training Program, Eduardo Calderon

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review describes the strategies utilized in creating a successful corporate training program. There has been an evolution in the corporate training sector within the past decade that has encouraged the development of the corporate university. Many of our world's top companies are teaching content that is used to motivate employees to ensure a higher level of corporate success. This review suggests that by following the components established by effective training and instructional design, other entities can produce the same prosperous outcomes.

Vocabulary Development Through Math Journaling Using Technology Resources In An Elementary Math Classroom, Debbie Hansel

Graduate Research Papers

An action research study was conducted in a second grade classroom in a nonpublic elementary school with student seven-to-eight years of age. The purpose of the research was to determine if the use of computer-based content journaling leads to a better understanding of the mathematical vocabulary being focused on and to establish if the use of computer-based reflective journal entries has a positive impact on the students' attitude toward mathematics.

The comparison of scores from the pre-assessment and post-assessment of vocabulary knowledge demonstrated an increase in accuracy. Journaling helped students arrive at the generalization relating the size of what is …

Developing A Web-Based Video Tutorial On Using Hyperstudio, Sangsun Kim

Graduate Research Papers

The goal of this project was to provide an effective way for students to learn how to use an authoring language, HyperStudio, through an efficient interactive on-line environment. The author begins by identifying the necessary components for effective web-based tutorials and exploring video's impact on delivering web-based tutorials. The process used to plan, design, develop and implement this project was explained. This project demonstrates how a web-based tutorial can be created to assist the traditional classroom as a supplementary medium.

Best Practices In Middle Level Mathematics Teaching And Learning, Wendy Sue Korte

Graduate Research Papers

The added pressure on students and teachers to do well in mathematics has placed a new emphasis on how best to teach math. This paper discusses the standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and how those standards can be implemented into classrooms in order to help students to increase their mathematical power. Although teaching to the standards would be a drastic change for many teachers with the proper professional development, standards-based math classes could be a reality that will help our students' mathematical understanding.

Constructivist Education : Exploring The Constructivist Theory And No Child Left Behind To Develop An Effective Kindergarten Program, Leigh M. Siegert

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is a literature review of Constructivist Education Theories and how they can be incorporated into a No Child Left Behind (NCLB) classroom. The focal point of this paper will be the theories of Constructivist Education. In addition, will be discussed, the benefits of and problems concerning Constructivist Education. Also, guidelines for incorporating Constructivist Education into a NCLB classroom will be established. The conclusion of this paper will share which theories work and which do not. Also, recommendations for additional research are included.

Effects Of External Rewards On Elementary Students' Motivation To Read Independently, Benjamin David Olsen

Graduate Research Papers

In an age of increased accountability, even down to how well, and how much, students read independently, teachers are looking for ways to motivate students to read. One popular way schools and teachers have looked to increase motivation is with reading incentive programs. Despite this widespread enthusiasm for such programs there has not been solid, replicable research that has supported the continued use of incentive programs to increase students' future motivation to read. This study examined how a reading incentive program affected students' motivation and attitudes toward reading and the time they spent reading. Research was guided by the following …

Revision Of The Carlisle Elementary Preschool Standards Based On The Iowa Early Learning Standards, Marne M. Sievers

Graduate Research Papers

This paper describes the process of evaluating current standards and benchmarks for the Carlisle Elementary Preschool, revising them using the Iowa Early Learning Standards, which were completed in May 2005, revising a teacher-created assessment tool and progress report, and investigating the curriculum that is used and how it aligns with the newly created standards and benchmarks. Standards and benchmarks have been a focus in the educational field due to the implementation of the Federal "No Child Left Behind" Act.

Many standards and benchmarks have been created for kindergarten through twelfth grade but few programs have adopted standards and benchmarks prior …

The Importance Of Vocabulary In The Classroom, Sherri Neofotist

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this review of the literature focused on two primary areas: (a) to examine the research findings as they related to vocabulary acquisition and instruction and (b) to determine the importance of the research findings regarding students' reading comprehension.This study also sought to provide educators with information as to what a comprehensive program of vocabulary instruction consists of as well as research-based vocabulary teaching strategies to use in the classroom to help students recognize and know words and word meanings and to improve students' comprehension.

The review examines the following three questions: (a) What is the relationship between …

Fundamentals For Student Success In The Middle Grades, Mike Muir, Vincent A. Anfara Jr., P. Gayle Andrews, Micki M. Caskey, Steven B. Mertens, David Hough

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Determining how to provide the best education possible for young adolescents begins with the answers to three essential questions: Who are young adolescents? What do we know about them, their abilities, interests and strengths? Based on what we know about young adolescents, what should schools do to provide a quality education for each and every student? And finally, is there evidence that these recommended practices improve student achievement? How do we know programs and practices designed specifically with young adolescents in mind make a difference? To answer these questions, we will first outline some of the developmental characteristics of young …

The Design Of An Undergraduate Degree Program In Computer & Digital Forensics, Gary C. Kessler, Michael E. Schirling

Security Studies & International Affairs - Daytona Beach

"Champlain College formally started an undergraduate degree program in Computer & Digital Forensics in 2003. The underlying goals were that the program be multidisciplinary, bringing together the law, computer technology, and the basics of digital investigations; would be available as on online and oncampus offering; and would have a process-oriented focus. Success of this program has largely been due to working closely with practitioners, maintaining activity in events related to both industry and academia, and flexibility to respond to ever-changing needs. This paper provides an overview of how this program was conceived, developed, and implemented; its evolution over time; and …

Teacher Experiences Of Culture In The Curriculum, Elaine Chan

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

In this study, I examined the experiences of two middle-school-level teachers as they attempted to acknowledge the ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity of their students in their curriculum and through their teaching practices, to identify the kinds of complications and challenges they encountered in the process. I presented one particular curriculum event to explore ways in which diverse beliefs and values intersected as the teachers implemented the event.

I employed a narrative inquiry approach with an emphasis on stories to learn about the experiences of my participants. I took part in all aspects of school life, including staff meetings and …

Can Blending Face-To-Face Teaching With E-Learning Support The Development Of Phase 4 Apprentices In Mathematics? A Formative Evaluation Research Study., Peter Hinch

Theses

This thesis is a formative evaluation research study. Its purpose is to establish if blending face-to-face and e-learning delivery methods can support the development of Phase 4 apprentice plumbers in mathematics in the Department of Construction Skills in the Technologicl University Dublin. The study also included the design, development and evaluation of a mathematics web site called Plumatics 4 U which is grounded in established theoretical criteria for effective blended delivery within third level education. This web site is currently in use by Phase 4 apprentice plumbers and is delivered through WebCT. The CD accompanying this thesis contains a short …

About The Authors, Volume 24 (2006)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

About the editors and authors of volume 24 (2006) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.

A Different Way To Approach The Future: Using Chaos Theory To Improve Planning, Marc Cutright

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Strategic planning is a good idea that gets a bad name from dubious efforts carrying the title. Much of this rap comes from half-hearted exercises, but some of it comes from efforts that founder due to faulty or limited conceptions of how the future “works.” Chaos theory is an alternative approach and metaphor with potential to let us see the future and its dynamics in new ways. Cognizance of chaos’s nature and underlying structure might help us do planning in new, nonintuitive, and more successful ways.

Preparing Faculty For Pedagogical Change: Helping Faculty Deal With Fear, Linda C. Hodges

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

How receptive faculty are to changing their pedagogical approach is a complex issue, but one factor that impedes change is the fear of taking a risk. Underlying this fear may be the fear of loss, fear of embarrassment, or fear of failure. Addressing these issues can empower faculty to be more innovative in their teaching. Drawing on research literature, personal teaching narratives, and my own work in faculty development, I discuss some of these underlying fears. I then offer concrete strategies for working with faculty to enable them to overcome these emotional barriers and embrace change.

An Electronic Advice Column To Foster Teaching Culture Change, Donna M. Qualters, Thomas C. Sheahan, Jacqueline A. Isaacs

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

First-year engineering students receive most of their teaching from instructors outside of engineering. As a result, these instructors are typically not a teaching community with a shared commitment to engineering student learning. Retention of engineering students is strongly tied to the quality of teaching, thus addressing collective teaching quality is important. This chapter describes the development of a carefully crafted, electronically distributed advice column on teaching developed by an interdisciplinary editorial team, written under the pseudonym Jonas Chalk. Surveys of Chalk Talk readers indicate that this is an effective means to promote teaching culture change.

Practicing What We Preach: Transforming The Ta Orientation, Patricia Armstrong, Peter Felten, Jeffrey Johnston, Allison Pingree

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Brookfield (1995), Schön (1983), and others articulate the necessity and complexity of being critically reflective in our work. Indeed, the value of critical reflection is inherent to educational development as a field in that we frequently encourage such thinking in our consultations with instructors. But practicing what we preach can be difficult. This chapter reflects on an experiment in the transformation of a teaching assistant orientation, a central event of our teaching center. We not only describe and assess the process of revising this orientation, but we also reflect on the implicatiom of this case for broader programming issues in …

Faculty Competency By Design: A Model For Institutional Transformation, Helen M. Clarke, Philip E. Bishop

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

For a decade, Valencia Community College has striven for a faculty development program with direct impact on student learning. The college succeeded by designing faculty learning with the same logic we apply to student learning. Valencia’s program for new tenure-track faculty focuses on significant faculty learning outcomes, a learning-centered pedagogy, high standards of scholarship, and continuous program assessment. The college’s Teaching/Learning Academy and a coordinated tenure process have cultivated new learning leaders and created a fresh partnership among deans and faculty members. This developing process of new-hire faculty development has been pivotal to Valencia’s learning-centered transformation.

Bibliography, Volume 24 (2006)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Bibliography for volume 24 (2006) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.

Impact Of Music Education In Early Childhood Classrooms, Melissa J. Wolf

Graduate Research Papers

Music is a universal language that connects all students regardless of age, background, or social status. In our school's today, music instruction can offer many academic benefits to our students, especially in the areas of reading and mathematics. However, elementary school music teacher positions are being cut each year because of the lack of funds in the school district's budget. When this happens, classroom teachers are required to teach this subject to their students, according to Iowa Code-Chapter 12. These teachers may not be educated enough to give the students the instruction that is needed. This literature review examined the …