Digital Commons Network^™

Conversations In The Classroom: Increasing Dialogic Inquiry To Dismantle Compliance-Based Teaching And Learning, Jill Rivera

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Verbal interpersonal communication has been diminishing from the teaching and learning process over the past decade in public-school classrooms. School district administrations mandate teachers to utilize digital learning platforms and standardized tests due to the ease at which this technology can quickly gather data. While the transition to digital platforms and test-based education may be well-intended, the result has often been a decrease in dialogic inquiry-based pedagogy which removes teacher autonomy, student agency, and has negative effects on students’ ability to critically think and effectively engage in communication and instruction. The over-emphasis on collecting data based solely on a digitized …

Researching English Teacher Development And Classroom Instruction In Indonesian Madrasahs And Pesantren, Anne-Coleman Webre, Editor, Donald Freeman, Editor, Gloria Romero, Abdul Syahid, Didin Nuruddin Hidayat, Lois Scott-Conley, Martha Epperson, Dedi Irwansyah, Siti Nurul Azkiyah, Atik Yuliyani, Agus Sufyan, Diana Erlina, Rahmah Firthriani, Hanung Triyoko, Faishal Zakaria, Anne Burns, Waliyadin Waliyadin, Nur'aeni Nur'aeni

World Learning Publications

This collection is an account of the research network, and resulting research studies, that were part of the English Language Teacher Training Project, organized by World Learning, a U.S-based non-governmental organization, with funding through the U.S. Embassy’s Regional English Language Office in Jakarta, and with the support of the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs. The network had a shared research focus—to examine the experiences of English language teachers in Indonesian madrasahs and pesantren in the Project. These teachers were completing National Geographic Learning’s ELTeach Program, a suite of two on-line courses, while also receiving support and coaching from local university-based …

Social Science In Early Childhood Education Open Syllabus, Denise Farrelly

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus provides a week-by-week outline of resources for teaching early childhood social studies for preservice teachers at the associate's level.

Vietnamese Efl Lecturers’ Perceptions Of The Role Of Chatgpt In Facilitating Language Acquisition Among Their Students, Thanh Thao Le, Phuong Hoang Yen Dr, Trut Thuy Pham, Ngoc Bao Chau Tran, Thi Thuy Linh Nguyen

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This qualitative study investigates the perceptions of Vietnamese EFL teachers regarding the role of ChatGPT in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Amidst the growing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, this research focuses on understanding how educators at different career stages perceive the effectiveness of ChatGPT in enhancing language learning experiences. Employing semi-structured interviews, the study engaged nine teachers from two educational institutions in Vietnam. Thematic analysis, guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Constructivist Theory of Learning, revealed multiple roles of ChatGPT in SLA. These include its use as a conversational partner, a tool for immediate feedback, …

Digital Storytelling Across Disciplinary Horizons: A Bibliometric Exploration Through Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, And Social Sciences, Desmin Davis, Manoj Praveen G, Ashna K

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study aims to know the key publication trends and patterns in digital storytelling research and to find the most influential papers, authors, journals, funding sponsors, sources, and countries that contributed to digital storytelling research from 2013 to 2023. This was examined through a systematic bibliometric analysis conducted on 508 documents collected from the Scopus database based on particular inclusion and exclusion criteria. Bibliometric patterns were obtained using the VOS viewer software. The findings indicated that the digital storytelling research field is emerging and shows growing interest in this particular field. The increasing citation trend shows its importance across various …

Analyzing Teachers' Perceptions Of Mobile Learning In Senior Secondary Schools: A Frame Model Perspective In Sub-Saharan Africa, Dennis Kealeboga Mabalane Junior

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The paper focuses on a systematic review of existing literature regarding the teachers’ perceptions toward mobile learning (mLearning) in public secondary schools across sub-Saharan Africa. It emphasizes that this research synthesizes previously published work rather than presenting original findings. The review identifies significant challenges and opportunities associated with mLearning implementation, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has accelerated the adoption of mobile technologies in education. Despite the growing body of literature on mLearning trends in sub-Saharan Africa, there remains a notable lack of systematic reviews specifically addressing stakeholder perceptions. This study aims to fill that gap by …

Enhancing University Students’ Listening Comprehension Using The Toefl Learning English Application (Mall) : A Quantitative Study, Andrian Nuriza Johan, Sri Wuli Fitriati, Januarius Wuli Mujiyanto, Widhiyanto Wuli Widhiyanto

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study investigates the effectiveness of the TOEFL Learning English Application in enhancing the listening comprehension skills of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners and explores students’ perceptions of its use. A descriptive quantitative design was employed involving 45 English Education students at Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo. Pre- and post-tests measured listening comprehension gains, while a questionnaire based on the Technology Acceptance Model assessed student perceptions. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in listening scores, as well as generally positive perceptions regarding the application’s accessibility, usability, and ability to reduce learning anxiety. These findings support using the TOEFL Learning English …

From Heuristic Approach To Agile Mindset, Miloslava Cerna, Anna Borkovcová, Simon K.S. Cheung

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Agile learning applies agile principles to education and fits the creation of the learning content. This article discusses ways to incorporate agile learning in undergraduate programs. It investigates the adaptation of the didactic scenario that utilizes the principles of agile learning, based on a case study conducted in an undergraduate program on tourism management in a Czech university. Through the case study, a variety of ways in cognition is explored, from a heuristic approach to an agile mindset, and from a tried-and-true scheme to agile ways. Didactic scenarios of content creation scheme are designed, visualized, and compared. Promising results are …

Reducing Transactional Distance In A Hybrid-Flexible Learning Environment In Higher Education: Interaction And Engagement Despite Asynchronous Communication, Natalie C. Nussli, Kevin Oh

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study explores the implementation of an asynchronous video-based guest lecture in an undergraduate teacher education program in Switzerland. It describes how the guest lecture was delivered to foster an interactive and engaging environment for learners and to mimic two-way communication. The study applies the tenets of the Theory of Transactional Distance in examining the student-teacher interaction in a hybrid-flexible learning environment to promote quality dialogue, participation, critical reflection, and to foster a caring relationship. It describes the instructional process and the use of video splicing to mimic interaction between the students, who were physically present on campus, and the …

Pre-Service Teacher Preparation In Over-/Underrepresentation Of Students From Culturally Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds In Special Education: A Systematic Review Of State-Level Policies, Enos Yushu Liu

Honors Theses

Students from culturally linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds require equitable access to special education services to support success in school. Overrepresentation and underrepresentation of students from CLD backgrounds are two issues that policymakers and school leaders need to address, and having teachers knowledgeable in these issues is essential. To determine if pre-service teachers are being trained in understanding over-/ underrepresentation issues, researchers conducted a systematic review of state-level teacher competency policies. Pre-service teacher competencies were coded for the presence of nine key elements related to culturally responsive special education identification practices. The results show that relatively few states require comprehensive pre-service …

Language And Literacy In Childhood Education, Ele203, Spring 2022 Syllabus, Natalie Willens

Open Educational Resources

Language and Literacy in Childhood Education is a designated capstone course. This writing intensive course provides a comprehensive overview of the development, learning, and teaching of literacy from grades one through six.

This course is designed to promote students’ understanding of the importance of issues concerning language and literacy in childhood education and their relevance to classroom practices. Topics covered throughout the semester include the relationship between written and spoken language and oral language development in children in culturally, academically, and linguistically diverse groups; literacy assessment; emergent literacy; phonemic awareness; fluency; reading comprehension; and literacy across the curriculum. We …

Effectiveness Of Multimodal Communicative Practices In Higher Artistic Education: An Analysis Of Contemporary Approaches, Mariia Tkach, Alla Kozyr, Mykhailo Mymryk, Nadiia Holubytska, Iryna Khomych

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The relevance of the study is driven by the fact that in today’s world, higher education is increasingly oriented towards interactivity and the utilization of various resources. The aim of this article is to explore various aspects of multimodality and formulate key communicative practices in higher artistic education. Addressing the stated problem is based on theoretical methodology, including methods such as surveys, analytical approaches including historical and hermeneutic analysis, comparative methods, and systematization. Research findings demonstrate that multimodality effectively enriches the learning process, fosters critical thinking, and deepens understanding of subjects. Digital technologies contribute to enhancing students’ technological literacy, preparing …

Assessing Middle School Teachers' Digital Innovation Skills In Bisha Province: A Comprehensive Study, Ahmad Mohammad Aldaleel

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study aims to assess the digital innovation skills of 400 middle school teachers in the Bisha Province and evaluate their significance in the educational process. The survey reveals that instructors exhibit a high level of technological expertise and proficiency, namely in utilising search engines and databases to locate information. Nevertheless, their proficiency in using artificial intelligence applications in school is deficient. In terms of digital security, instructors are competent at generating strong passwords, but they lack understanding of cybercrimes and prevention solutions. Teachers have exceptional communication and cooperation abilities, emphasising ongoing learning and active involvement in professional development programs. …

Analyzing The Effectiveness Of The Readi System In Helping Non-Native English-Speaking Preschoolers In Sarawak Learn The Alphabet: A Pilot Study., Yen Vee Tan, Julia Ai Cheng Lee, Rehman Ullah Khan, Chwen Jen Chen, Kartini Abdul Ghani, Sarah Flora Samson Juan, Brian Chung Shiong Loh

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

In Sarawak, Malaysia, many children come from multicultural backgrounds and are predominantly non-native English speakers making preschool education essential for developing early literacy skills in English. However, high teacher-child ratios can impede effective learning. The READi system—a module-based, multisensory, web-based early literacy intervention—was introduced as a supplementary classroom tool to address this challenge. This pilot study specifically evaluated the effectiveness of the "Alphabet Adventure" module within the READi system on enhancing alphabet knowledge, with a focus on letter recognition and letter name knowledge. The research design employed a pretest-posttest control group approach grounded in the positivist paradigm. [YT1] Participants were …

Teacher Perceptions Of A Mindful-Based Social Emotional Group Drumming Curriculum: A Collective Case Study, Kristin Lewis

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Educational researchers have discovered a connection between educator and student well-being. Educators need to cultivate these skills to effectively model social emotional learning (SEL). However, there is a shortage of resources for elementary general music educators that intentionally embed social emotional competencies in tandem with adhering to the National Core Arts Standards.

Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine elementary music educators’ perceptions of a Mindfulness-Based Social Emotional Learning (MBSEL) group drumming curriculum and its impact on their own and their students’ social emotional competencies (SECs). The research questions were: (1) What are elementary music educators’ perceptions of …

Designing A Behavior-Supportive Literacy Block Using Ufli Phonics For First Grade Students With Behavioral Challenges, Julia Lynne Pugh

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Students with behavioral challenges tend to struggle while engaging with structured academic instruction, particularly in foundational literacy blocks. In fact, in 2021, it was reported that 27.7% of children aged 3-17 struggle with a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder. (Leeb et al., 2024) While programs such as UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) offer highly effective phonics instruction, these programs typically lack embedded support for individuals struggling with self-regulation, attention, and task persistence. As a result, these students are presented with a higher risk of falling behind in their reading skills. In this project, the author aims to develop a …

Technology-Enhanced Professional Development For Early Literacy: A Comparative Study Of Online Teacher Learning Models In Kenya, Constanza Uribe-Banda

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Growing recognition of early literacy as essential for lifelong learning, along with evidence that teachers’ mastery of foundational literacy instruction influences student outcomes (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017; UNESCO, 2020), has led to increased investment in teacher professional development. Despite these efforts, many educators face significant challenges in accessing high-quality training, particularly in resource-constrained settings where geographical barriers and limited institutional support persist. This is especially true in rural Kenyan communities, where teachers often work in under-resourced schools with unreliable electricity and internet connectivity yet bear responsibility for laying critical literacy foundations. The present study examines the potential to deliver effective …

The Integration Of Artificial Intelligence And Ontologies: Transformations In Knowledge Representation And Application, Grazia Serratore, Julaine Clunis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of knowledge representation. There is an increasingly strong bidirectional relationship, between AI techniques and ontologies. AI techniques revolutionized traditional, manual ontology development and contribute to automated ontology construction, while ontologies enhance the performance of AI systems and their semantic accuracy. Through a comprehensive review of current literature, this paper aims to examine: i) how Machine Learning (ML) techniques contribute to the automated construction, refinement, and validation of ontologies; ii) the most widely used and effective ML approaches for ontology construction; iii) how domain-specific requirements influence the selection and adaptation of AI techniques for …

How Can Educators Distinguish Special Education Accommodations/Modifications From General Education Differentiation To More Effectively Support All Learners, Olivia R. Nelson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers often use the terms differentiated instruction, accommodations, and modifications, but research shows that these words are not always understood or used correctly. This thesis reviews current studies to examine how these differences affect teaching decisions, teamwork between general and special education teachers, and students’ access to grade-level learning. The literature shows that when definitions are unclear, teachers may provide the wrong type of support or lower expectations, which reduces students’ opportunities to learn challenging material. The review also points to the need for a common language, better teacher preparation, and continued collaboration. Understanding the differences among these supports is …

Mentors’ Experiences Supporting Beginning Teachers Of Students In High-Needs, Urban Schools, Guy Lamont Ollison

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Research has consistently demonstrated the positive impact of mentoring on beginning teachers. However, it has also been revealed that teachers serving students in highly-diverse, high-needs, urban, low-income schools often receive inadequate, inconsistent, and low-quality support. In fact, studies indicate that the overall quality of support provided to beginning teachers is closely linked to the income level of the student population they serve (Alkins et al., 2006; Mizrav & Lachlan-Hache, 2019). A lack of meaningful mentor support can negatively affect the learning outcomes of marginalized students of color.

The purpose of this basic qualitative study, guided by a phenomenological approach, was …

How Have Teacher Candidates Learned To Use Evidence? A Systematic Review Of Research, J. S. Beck, D. R. Riddle, J. J. Morgan, H. Whitesides, N. Brown

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The purpose of the current manuscript was to provide a systematic review of the literature regarding how preservice teachers learn to use evidence to evaluate student learning. To that end, we operationalize the terms data literacy for teachers, data-driven decision making, and assessment literacy before outlining the methods of our systematic review. Our review produced 36 relevant articles situated within the United States. Based on these articles, we describe how teacher candidates learn to use data including relevant interventions and instructional methods. We also expand on the types of research methods used in these studies. We conclude with implications for …

Exploring Collaboration In Interdisciplinary Ei/Ecse Programs: A Qualitative Study On Service Provider Preparation, Meagan Dayton

Theses and Dissertations

Interdisciplinary preparation is critical for early childhood special education professionals, yet few programs are designed to support such collaboration across disciplines. This study aimed to explore how interdisciplinary EI/ECSE preparation programs support collaboration. The study was guided by the following research questions: (1) How are program components designed to support the development of collaboration skills? (2) What is the student experience of collaboration in the program? (3) What connections exist between program components, student experiences, and the development of collaboration skills? Using a qualitative multiple-case study approach grounded in ecological systems theory, data were collected from program documents and interviews …

Volunteer Teachers’ Experience In Hospitality In Church-Based Esl Ministries, Susan M. Russo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In adult ESL empirical studies addressing a variety of problems of practice, the concepts of welcome, hospitality, or inclusion are frequently mentioned as important by teachers and learners. An absence of empirical studies on the experience of hospitality has been noted by researchers, hence the need for exploratory studies. Additionally, this study served to contribute to the limited body of research on church-based ESL ministries, and more future studies are needed to provide a better research-driven picture of their challenges and impacts.

The purpose of this mixed methods, constructivist grounded theory study was to develop a grounded theory consistent …

Raising Information Literacy Of Biology Pre-Service Teachers: Study On Three Problem Solving Methods, Muhammad Saefi, Hadi Suwono, Rifka Fachrunnisa, Widi Cahya Adi, Herawati Susilo, Ahmad Kamal Sudrajat

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Integrating information literacy teaching methods with subject-content curricula to develop prospective biology teacher students' abilities is still problematic. This quasi-experimental research, with a nonrandomized pretest-posttest control group design, intends to compare the influences of challenge-based learning (CBL), problem-based learning (PBL), and problem-solving through classroom discussion (PCD) – as the control- in improving information literacy. This study involved 183 students from three classes of freshmen and three sophomores in the biology education program. The results showed that CBL significantly improved students' information literacy compared to PBL and PCD across five indicators: 1) identifying the required information, 2) attaining the required information …

Teacher Resilience In South Africa: The Self-Efficacy And Teacher Efficacy Of Pre-Service Teachers Preparing To Teach In A Challenged Context, Carine Jonker, Marien Alet Graham, Liesel Ebersöhn

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This publication addresses a gap in high-quality, quantitative studies on teacher resilience within the less-researched context of the Global South. Specifically, it examines the self-efficacy and teacher efficacy of three cohorts of final-year pre-service teachers in South Africa (N = 1,193). This article aimed to contribute evidence on teacher resilience from an under-researched African context and population. Despite contextual challenges, the pre-service teachers indicated high intrapersonal resilience-enabling pathways, with a statistically significant relationship between their self-efficacy and teacher efficacy. The authors propose an evidence-based framework of how high levels of self-efficacy and teacher efficacy may enable prospective teachers to teach …

Supporting Students In Transition To And From High School, David Naff, Jamelle Simmons, Meleah Ellison, Shelby Garofalo, Laura Thoene, Kim Dupre, Sooyeon Moon, Karli Johanson, Paul Harris, Martin Darby, William L. Parker, Tracy Booker, Janel Miley, Mysia Perry, Xun Liu, Maggie Szydlowski, Ahmed Abbas

MERC Publications

This report is part of a two-part series focused on supporting students in transition across PK-12 education. Specifically, it explores transitions into and out of high school school. The report includes a synthesis of recent peer-reviewed literature, analysis of publicly available data (with a specific focus on Virginia and the metropolitan Richmond region), and summary of relevant federal, state, and school division-level policies. It answers the following questions:

1. What are key considerations for supporting students in transition to and from high school in the MERC region?

2. How do federal, state, and division policies guide support for student transitions …

Community Immersion For Homegrown Teachers: Learning “There Are Never Just Negatives…”, Elizabeth A. Skinner, Apryl Riley

Faculty Publications - College of Education

The authors describe an initiative between an urban public school district, a city college, and a college of education to establish a pipeline of teachers of color from and for the school district. The qualitative research occurred during the teacher candidates’ participation in a community immersion program. Centering the teacher candidates’ experiences and reactions to the community immersion highlights their identity, commitment to teaching, and the importance of exposing homegrown teachers to communities beyond their own. The authors discuss community-based curriculum in the preparation of teachers and consider how the experiences of teacher candidates of color impact program implementation.

Restoring Wonder: Play, Inquiry, And Humanizing Pedagogies In Early Childhood Teacher Education, Christie Angleton, Xiaoying Zhao, Robby Anggriawan

Faculty Publications - College of Education

At a writing retreat in the middle of the woods, we considered the trees. Inspired by our surroundings, we discussed possibilities for how we might demonstrate an inquiry cycle with our undergraduate teacher candidates. We considered our spaces: the buildings in which we teach our classes, the university campus, and the broader community. We reminded one another of our campus quad and its status as an arboretum, owing to the diverse variety of trees there, representing myriad species and varieties. We posed questions. “What do we have available within our reach? What do we have that students can literally touch? …

Drawing On International Pre-Service Teachers’ Funds Of Knowledge To Enhance Professional Experience, Fiona Boylan, Karen Nociti, Gillian Kirk

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Following the COVID- 19 pandemic, international student enrolments in Australia's initial teacher education (ITE) programs have sharply increased. ITE courses are obligated to comprehensively support international students, particularly during professional experiences (PEx). These students often face challenges due to cultural and linguistic differences, and universities typically address these through intervention programs and workshops aimed at developing communicative and work-based skills. This pilot study adopted a unique Funds of Knowledge (FoK) and Funds of Identity (FoI) lens to enhance culturally responsive communication between pre-service teachers and various stakeholders (mentor teachers, supervisors and unit coordinators) during PEx. An ethnographic visual methodology, employing …

Effects Of Parent Involvement In Their Children’S Academic And Behavioral Performance, Megan Menozzi

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to investigate the best practices to increase parental involvement in their children’s school activities by recording and scribing the experiences of certified teachers. Prior to this study, the current school experienced a decrease in parental involvement with their child’s scheduled school activities. As the school carry on with planning scheduled events for parental involvement, teachers were still expected to be prepared to implement curriculum in the classrooms, while ensuring children’s needs were being met by way of continuous communication with families.

The researcher developed a qualitative phenomenological approach. The design allowed the researcher to interview …