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Incorporating Environmental Education Guidelines Within The Common Core State Standards, Marni Friedman

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

In 2010, the Common Core State Standards provided an opportunity for states throughout the nation to prepare their students equally for the real world environment. South Carolina is one of the 46 states that voluntarily adopted the new standards and is currently in the process of implementation. The national No Child Left Inside act passed in 2011 with the hopes to integrate environmental education throughout all subjects taught in schools (Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 2012). The goal of environmental education is to increase environmental awareness and concern for the environment as well as to foster positive environmental behaviors. This paper discusses …

Full Issue: Volume 6, 2013, Christopher Burkett

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Mathematics Anxiety: Understanding Its Concept, Impact On Secondary Students’ Academic Performance And Career Prospects, And Effective Intervention Strategies, Sabiruddin Molla, Safwana Rashid, Saba Sultana

Numeracy

This study investigates the influence of mathematics anxiety on secondary school students’ academic performance and career pathway selection. Mathematics, often perceived as abstract and challenging, can evoke high levels of anxiety that affect both learning outcomes and career-related decisions. Data were collected from 106 students across two urban secondary schools in Kolkata. Findings revealed that students possessed a significant understanding of the concept of mathematics anxiety (t (105) = 8.48, p < .001, d = 0.82). A strong positive correlation was observed between mathematics anxiety and academic performance (r = .686, p < .001), indicating that elevated anxiety levels correspond with lower achievement. Additionally, a significant positive correlation (r = .475, p < .001) showed that mathematics anxiety influences students’ career pathway selection, with higher anxiety leading to avoidance of mathematics-related careers. The study highlights that negative attitudes toward mathematics often stem from perception rather than actual difficulty. Overall, the findings emphasize the need for innovative teaching strategies and targeted interventions to reduce mathematics anxiety and enhance students’ academic and career outcomes.

The Cultural Symphony In Schools: Effectively Teaching African American And Latino High School Students, Dionne V. Mclaughlin

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This mixed methods case study examines the perceptions that 24 African American and Latino students at one North Carolina high school have of effective classroom instruction in their favorite teacher's class. Six teachers were also interviewed and asked to reflect on student feedback and 1,003 anonymous students were surveyed (secondary data source). Critical Race Theory (CRT) was utilized to examine the racial context of this high school, students' counter stories, the existence of deficit thinking, and the presence of bias (Marshall, C. 2010; and Yosso, T. 2006). The data from this study indicate that effective teachers of African American and …

Middle-Level Principals’ Perception Of The Scheduling Configuration Needed For Social Studies Instruction, Kenneth E. Vogler, Audrey Allan, Susan Schramm-Pate

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Principals' perceptions of curriculum and instruction issues are particularly relevant in today's era of testing and accountability. Using a survey instrument given to a representative sample of South Carolina public school middle-level principals, the study explored principals' perception of the type of scheduling configuration needed for social studies instruction. Results of this study suggest that there is no relationship between principals' perception of scheduling configurations used for social studies instruction and the schedule configuration used in their school. But, an association was found between principals' perception of how well students are prepared for next grade level in social studies and …

Mathematics And Science Observation Instrument For New Standards, William R. Veal, Alice A. Sorensen

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Various national journals have published articles on mathematics and science teaching. However, assessment of these teachers is a topic that is not commonly published. This article discusses a science and mathematics partnership that the College of Charleston has successfully implemented with four local districts, which improves the content knowledge of their teachers that participate. The purpose of this article is to show how the Reformed Observation Teaching Protocol (RTOP) can be used as an appropriate assessment device to observe how teachers may adjust instruction to match new national mathematics and science standards. The 11 grant-participating teachers that were observed for …

Transitioning To The Common Core Standards In South Carolina, Howard V. Coleman, Jeremy Dickerson

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Large-scale planning is currently underway for school systems preparing to adopt the Common Core Standards for K-12 education. The adoption of these standards requires effort and coordination by all stakeholders in the educational system and places significant pressure on teachers and school leaders to ensure that the transition is efficient and effective. This article provides a brief context for the Common Core Standards, gives an overview of the transition process many schools are undertaking and concludes by describing how this transition is relevant to the preparation of new teachers and school leaders who are in university-level educator preparation programs.

Full Issue: Volume 5, 2012, Christopher Burkett

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Comparing Elementary And Middle School Classrooms: Teachers Make The Difference, Emma Savage-Davis, Richard H. Costner, Nancy J. Ratcliff, Cathy R. Jones, Heather Sheehan, Michelle Scott, Gilbert H. Hunt

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This paper investigates the differences found n elementary grade classrooms compared to middle grade classrooms. Based on a comparative research design with quantitative analysis conducted over three consecutive academic semesters, the study found that individual teaching skills had far greater impact on classroom climate than grade level had. Research findings provide implications for effective teaching and learning across the curriculum.

Beyond The Survey: Performance Assessments For Higher-Order Sustainability Literacy In Higher Education, Gregory Vincent Massara, Courtney B. Ryan, Mary Ellen Mallia

Educational Policy & Leadership Other Graduate Student Scholarship

Purpose This study explores how a performance-based assessment measures students’ higher-order sustainability competencies in ways that multiple-choice or scaled-survey tools, common ways to assess sustainability literacy, may not.

Design/Methodology/Approach This exploratory case study created a performance task for a first-year honors writing and critical inquiry course. Students (n=9) analyzed a scenario across environmental, social, and economic domains. A rubric measured students’ abilities to address all three domains and articulate a feasible and balanced solution supported by credible evidence.

Findings Students demonstrated proficiency in defining the three sustainability domains but tended to struggle to balance them. Choosing scenarios in familiar local …

Parents Engaging In Early Literacy (Peel): Outcomes From A Shared Reading Program Implemented Via Text Messaging, Victoria Henbest, Brenda L. Beverly, Gina M. Mejia

Victoria S. Henbest Publications

Purpose: Investigators delivered an asynchronous parent education for improving early literacy skills of typically developing preschoolers. The home-based shared-book reading program, PEEL, consisted of strategies modeled via videos and sent as text messages.

Method: Twenty parent-child dyads were randomly assigned to one of two 8-week programs targeting evidence-based early literacy strategies. One parent group was taught strategies to support print-related knowledge for learning to read, and the other learned skills to promote vocabulary and story knowledge underlying comprehension.

Results: The asynchronous parent education resulted in more frequent parental use of taught strategies compared to non-taught strategies during …

“I’M So Hungry”: Assessing Stem Sensemaking Through Data-Informed Writing, Bailey Nafziger, Alesia Mickle Moldavan, Katie Brkich

Elementary & Special Education: Faculty Publications

To engage elementary learners in the complex task of STEM sensemaking, teachers must entice and inspire learners to ask questions, explore, and communicate their findings. This article shares a 5E/3D lesson designed and taught in our elementary science methods courses to model how preservice teachers can integrate literacy and mathematics into a science investigation for STEM sensemaking. We modified a traditional lesson on bird beak adaptations to have a differentiated, interdisciplinary writing component justified by data. We discuss why data-supported literacy is a non-negotiable in science education reforms and how teachers can differentiate tasks to make scientific writing more approachable …

From Recruitment To Retention: An Administrator Resource Toolkit For Supporting Industry-To-Classroom Cte Teachers, Lisa M. Rudzinski

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Lisa M. Rudzinski Salvisa on March 24, 2026.

20260324: Education Department, 1910-1991, College Of Education And Professional Development

Guides to University Archives

These items include materials from the College of Education and Professional Development at Marshall University from 1910-1991. Items were received in the 1990s and were processed in 2026 and includes: WV Economic Profiles (Volumes 1 and 2 from 1991); Manual for teaching home economics in education (1949); Information from the Department of Home Economics at Marshall; Mathematics Department materials; Department of Music Materials and programs; Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; A publication called Baseball in Huntington in the early 1900s; and a publication called "The Black Quarterback." Please download the finding aid for a full list of contents, …

The Classroom Assessment Self-Efficacy Survey For Preservice Teachers: A Validation Study, Yiyun Fan, Timothy Folger, Connor Sondergeld, Toni A. May, Gregory E. Stone

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Preservice teachers often lack confidence in classroom assessment, highlighting the need for robust tools to measure assessment self-efficacy. The Classroom Assessment Self-Efficacy Survey (CASES) was designed to address this need. It comprises 24 items across two subscales: Evaluating Others’ Confidence (EOC) and Personal Performance Confidence (PPC). This study examined the psychometric properties of CASES using 223 responses from preservice teachers. Rasch modeling and other statistical techniques were applied to evaluate validity evidence based on response processes, internal structure, and relations to other variables. Results showed that CASES functioned as intended. Rating scale use was consistent with expectations, and reliability and …

Project Create: State-Wide Partnership For Producing Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers, Joe P. Sutton, Holly A. Pae, Shirley C. Bausmith, Dava M. O'Connor, Susan D. Rurant

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The highly qualified teacher mandate introduced under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 exacerbated the already well-documented shortage of special educators nationwide. With almost 40% of its special education teachers holding emergency/provisional licenses at the time, South Carolina faced a great challenge in meeting new accreditation requirements. This article examines how Project CREATE (Centers for the Re-education and Advancement of Teachers in special Education), a personnel preparation initiative funded by the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE), refortified the State’s special education teacher force. Project success attributed chiefly to collaboration among SCDE, local education agencies, and institutions of …

Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Scientists At Work, Tenisha L. Powell, Susan Green

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Early childhood teachers play a vital role in creating young children’s perceptions about science and scientists. Stereotypical perceptions of scientists and science may be detrimental to young children because these beliefs limit the possibility that science is accessible to all. To assist children in broadening their thinking about science, teachers must first gain knowledge about their own beliefs and perceptions. Several researchers have found that "teachers tend to teach in the same ways in which they were taught when they were students" (Finson, Thomas & Pedersen, 2006). In this study, 33 early childhood pre-service teachers were asked to "draw a …

Toward Equity Pedagogy For School Mathematics: An Investigation Of Preservice Teachers' Conceptions, Delayne Y. Johnson

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice teachers’ conceptions of equity in the context of school mathematics. Findings indicate that preservice teachers hold narrow conceptions of equity and require support from their teacher education programs in developing the knowledge-base and skills to be prepared to provide instruction that addresses extant disparities in diverse students’ mathematics experience, achievement, and performance. Considerations for integrating equity in mathematics teacher preparation are discussed.

Career Pathways: Accountability For Secondary Students With Learning Disabilities, Gayle Disney

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The career pathways mandate in South Carolina schools is especially important for students with specific learning disabilities (SLD or LD). The majority of students with LD need extra support throughout the postsecondary planning process, a point that is often inadvertently overlooked by their teachers and support personnel. This paper will elaborate on the career preparation needs of high school students with LD; outline similarities in federal and state mandates regarding career awareness and preparation for students in South Carolina; and discuss the importance of collaboration in teacher education programs and in schools to prepare students with learning disabilities for transition …

Full Issue: Volume 3, 2010, Christopher Burkett

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

The Boys Like Action And The Girls Like Emotion: Teaching Social Studies In Single-Sex Classrooms, Timothy Lintner

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The State of South Carolina has embraced single-sex education to a greater degree (and at a quicker pace) than any other state in the union. Yet, given this push for single-sex classrooms, there is scant research that specifically addresses what instructional practices “work best” when teaching boys and girls separately. This study focuses on the practices and perceptions of teaching social studies within select single-sex elementary classrooms.

I Needed A Seventh Grader To Teach Me That: Science And Engineering Graduate Students' Experience In A Middle School Classroom, Michelle Maher, Stephen Thompson

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Experiences of graduate level scientists immersed in middle school science classrooms over a year served as a unique lens through which to view students, teachers, and teaching processes defining these classrooms. In depth interviews with scientists revealed they were struck by the range of student diversity and the resulting need for teachers to adapt quickly to suit a situation. Scientists further realized that their experience in this fluid, unpredictable learning environment, while more challenging than expected, brought unanticipated benefits including increased skills in time management, communication, leadership, instruction, and increased confidence. Scientists developed a new appreciation for the work and …

Clicking From College To K-12 Schools: Engaging Preservice Teachers With Technology, David Marlow, Pamela Wash, Jeannie Chapman, Timothy Dale

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This article details the classroom use of personal response systems in four different disciplines. It highlights the versatility of these systems, the effect on student learning and how their use in college classrooms may influence preservice teachers in their future classrooms.

Does Inquiry Instruction Abet Standardized Test Score Increases?, Rachel Teller, Meta Van Sickle, Dennis Kombe, Michelle Comen, George Tempel

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The effectiveness of a local systemic effort in meeting the goal of improved science literacy through the integration of inquiry teaching methods in classroom instruction was assessed. Science graduate students and K-12 teachers were partnered and engaged in a long-term professional development emphasizing inquiry practices. Data reported are the result of the investigation of one teacher/graduate student pair. The study examined the effectiveness of professional development implementation by assessing the ability of 100 of the participating teacher's students to use content gained through inquiry-based instruction to answer questions on state mandated tests. Results suggest that this inquiry teaching resulted in …

Assessing The Whole Child—Beyond The Borders Of Testing, Dolores Stegelin, Paula Schubert

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The issue of assessment continues to be significant; this article focuses on the evolving definition of assessment, risks associated with assessing younger learners, and strategies for assessing the whole child. The focus of the article is the younger learner and the strategies described are presented as a helpful tool to teacher educators of pre-service students. Assessment strategies presented here reflect best practices in the U.S., other countries, and educational settings that value developmental and cultural differences.

Investigation Of Screening Instruments In K-5 Programs, Mary Steppling, Mihaela Sabo Sweeney

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This study compared two speech and language screening instruments (The SpeechEase and the South Carolina Curriculum Screener) to determine which screening protocol was more accurate in identifying preschoolers at risk for academic delays in elementary school. Ninety-six children were administered both of the screenings and received either a Pass or Fail score. The screening results were compared with the students' academic performance as recorded on subsequent report cards. Statistics were performed to evaluate correlations between the students' screening results and their academic performance. Statistical measures showed that both screening instruments have moderate ability to predict academic outcomes in kindergarten children. …

Adding Citizenship Preparation To A Classroom Organization Plan, Rebecca Stevens

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

There are two areas of content in schools, academic and social. The academic content is driven by standards, the social content by public education's mission to prepare young people for citizenship. A dilemma for teachers is how to teach all that needs to be covered in class. "How can education for citizenship and democracy be added to an already overburdened school curriculum?" Education for democracy includes the acquisition of a body of knowledge, intellectual and participatory skills (National Assessment Governing Board, n.d.) and civic dispositions (Carnegie Corporation of New York & CIRCLE, 2003). This paper describes why and how this …

Student Voice Practices In Kentucky Schools, Cassandra D. Adams

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Cassandra D. Adams on March 23, 2026.

Making Sense Of The Body: Cognitive Science, Disability, And Embodiment, Cheyne L. Joslin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to analyze different methodological approaches in the philosophy of cognitive science, with the goal of determining their usefulness for explaining and understanding bodily awareness and skill-acquisition over time. The examples of skill-acquisition are limited to motor control, impaired by various kinds of disability—but then acquired over time, via technological or rehabilitative means. These phenomena of motor learning are then viewed through the lens of two competing theoretical approaches in cognitive science: neuromechanical cognitive science, and radical enactivist cognitive science.

The strengths of the neuromechanical framework are found in its historical pedigree, and in the …

Advancing Environmental Justice Through Chemical Education: Perspective From New Orleans’ Water And Air Quality Challenges, Ja’Lynn Keller, Sita Aggarwal, Rami A. Al-Horani, Morewell Gasseller, Navneet Goyal

Faculty and Staff Publications

New Orleans, Louisiana, faces profound environmental vulnerabilities arising from the convergence of industrial pollution, urban runoff, and climate change–driven weather events. This paper examines systemic challenges affecting water and air quality in the region, with particular focus on low-income and marginalized communities disproportionately burdened by environmental degradation. Drawing on educational and community-based monitoring initiatives at Xavier University of Louisiana and Southeastern Louisiana University, we highlight the integration of student learning with real-time data collection of contaminants such as fecal coliforms, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina revealed significant fecal contamination in sediment layers, …