Digital Commons Network^™

Teacher Migration From High-Performing Middle Schools: A Case Study, Richard Conley

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

I recently conducted fieldwork to explore the dynamics of teacher migration and understand how it relates to teachers’ perceptions and attitudes. The research was conducted through the eyes of a sixth grade language arts/social studies’ teacher working in a middle school I will refer to as PLC (Professional Learning Community) Middle School. By spending extensive time and conducting multiple interviews with the teacher and other staff members, I was able to explore some of the reasons and conditions why teachers leave schools, particularly high-performing schools to teach in other high performing schools. Attending weekly meetings at all levels and content …

Telling Stories And Living Art: Making Room For Social Justice And Diversity In Graduate Education, Four Arrows

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Indigenous scholars discovered that indigenous knowledge is far more than the binary opposite of western knowledge. As a concept, indigenous knowledge benchmarks the limitations of Eurocentric theory — its methodology, evidence, and conclusions — reconceptualizes the resilience and self-reliance of indigenous peoples, and underscores the importance of their own philosophies, heritages, and educational processes. Indigenous knowledge fills the ethical and knowledge gaps in Eurocentric education, research, and scholarship (2002:5).

Nsu Fischler School Of Education And Human Services (Fsehs) Catalog And Student Handbook 2007–2008, Nova Southeastern University

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

No abstract provided.

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Shane Bevell, Grace Russell

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Nsu Fischler School Of Education And Human Services (Fsehs) Catalog And Student Handbook 2007–2008, Nova Southeastern University

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

No abstract provided.

Interactions With Highly Qualified Teachers, Charlotte J. Boling, Jill T. White

Essays in Education

Two faculty members walked to class on a Thursday evening. As they walked, they talked about the content of their respective courses. By the time the faculty members reached their classrooms, an action research project had evolved. The focus of the project wastwofold: 1) to increase the awareness of teacher education candidates of the responsibilities of classroom teachers and 2) to apply the research and/or theory the veteran teachers had acquired in their master’s culmination class. This article provides an overview of the events which developed as a result of the interactions between the practicing teachers and the pre-service teachers …

Transracialized Selves And The Emergence Of Post-White Teacher Identities, John Raible, Jason G. Irizarry

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

This article draws on two previous studies by the authors, both based on interviews with European-American individuals, to document white experiences with multiculturalism, race, and cultural differences. We consider recent developments in research on whiteness and offer a perspective on racial identities defined as discursively enacted identifications that are rooted in racialized discourse communities. We provide profiles of two white women who draw upon assets developed, in our view, largely through their successful negotiation of relationships with racially and culturally different members of multicultural discourse communities. Next, we demonstrate a methodology based on the narrative analytic tools of Stanton Wortham …

Retention Of First-Generation Mexican American Paraeducators In Teacher Education: The Juggling Act Of Nontraditional Students, Amanda Morales, Gabriela Díaz De Sabatés, Cristina Fanning, Kevin Murry

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

This paper discusses the dynamics and challenges encountered by culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) paraeducators who are participating in a 2+2, distance-delivered, teacher education program in the Midwest. The theoretical framework that serves as the basis of this case study is Thomas and Collier’s Prism Model (Collier, 19878: Collier & Thomas, 1989; Thomas & Collier, 1997), which focuses on the four essential dimensions of the student biography (linguistic, socio-cultural, academic, and cognitive). This case study should be understood as an account of the lived experiences of 30 CLD paraeducators in a unique recruitment and retention program designed to support all …

An Exploratory Investigation Of Third Graders' Perceptions Of Bullying, Laura N. Burns

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate students' views regarding a variety of topics related to bullying. Different methods were used to gather information regarding the students' opinions. The students shared their ideas through the use of surveys, writing samples, and interviews. This study's results determined students' beliefs about bullying as well as their awareness of its occurrence. Students were able to provide accurate definitions of bullying. Students were also able to discuss several appropriate ways to react to bullying. Results of this study contribute more to the understanding of students' perspectives about the topic of bullying in the …

A Student-Driven Approach To Reduce Bullying In Elementary School Classrooms, Jennifer Lee Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to see if a student-driven approach reduced bullying episodes in two elementary school classrooms. The subjects for this study are thirty-seven fifth grade students at the Thomas E. Bowe School in Glassboro, New Jersey. This study used two anonymous surveys, audio-taped discussions with small groups of students, students' projects and artifacts, and a teacher research journal to develop and access a student-driven approach to reduce bullying in elementary school classrooms. A qualitative and quantitative approach was utilized to analyze the data, which showed a decrease in the frequency of bullying episodes in these two …

How Can Learning Centers Be Used To Support Classroom Instruction And Promote Critical Thinking In A Kindergarten Classroom?, Amelia M. Pellegrino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how learning centers can be used in the Kindergarten classroom to support regular classroom instruction and encourage students to think critically. This qualitative study used observations, interviews, surveys, student work samples, photographs, and discussions to collect information about the effectiveness of learning centers in the classroom. Sixteen Kindergarten students participated in learning center activities planned and implemented by the researcher to examine how the learning centers related the curriculum and whether the activities encouraged students to think critically about the content. The researcher found that the Kindergarten students showed improvement in their …

Polly Holloway, Polly Holloway, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Polly Holloway grew up on a farm in Tasewell County, Virginia. After graduating from a two-room high school, she went on to Virginia Tech, where she earned a degree in Home Economics in 1956. After a brief career as an Assistant Extension Agent, she moved to Roanoke, where she taught Special Ed for Roanoke County Schools. She was soon persuaded to take on the role of Cafeteria Supervisor and credits her state agency with offering valuable training. She returned to Virginia Tech in 1972 and earned her Masters in Nutrition. By now a firm believer in the value of training, …

A Personalized Art Curriculum That Promotes Art Advocacy, Nicole Marie Walters

All Graduate Projects

The following project shows the development of a personalized drawing curriculum that will encourage students to become art advocates. The curriculum is based upon art history and is designed for students to relate historical ideas to their own lives. This personalization will help students learn more about art as a form of communication. Through this art experience, students will see the value of art in their own education and it is hoped that in the future, when these students are adults they will be advocates for the arts.

Assessing Formatively In The English Language Classroom, Sherwin Rodrigues

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The area of ‘assessment’ – and particularly that of ‘formative assessment’ – has attracted the increasing attention of educational researchers within the last decade. This article presents the findings of a qualitative research study that was conducted in a primary school in Oxford, UK. Data were gathered through classroom observations that were videotaped. The assessment strategies used by the teacher were the foci of observations. It was found that questioning and feedback were two key elements characteristics of a teacher’s formative assessment practice in the English Language primary classroom. Extensive questioning for assessment purposes invited pupils to contribute ideas, checked …

The Importance Of Effective Instruction In Determining Student Success: Background For Defining The Role Of Faculty Development At Unm, Gary A. Smith

Office for Medical Educator Development (OMED)

The purpose of this briefing report is to summarize the research literature that documents the importance of effective instruction for student success as a premise for future planning, including but not limited to faculty development, that strives to improve UNM student success.

The key conclusions, based on this review, are:

1. Classroom instructional effectiveness is widely viewed as a core ingredient in planning for student success.

2. Faculty development is essential in order to improve instructional effectiveness.

The Learning Space: A Study Of The Suggested Principles And Practices In Designing The Classroom Environment, Theodore J. Colanduno

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated learning space design and its suggested effect upon the learning process. The study also evaluated and compared existing classrooms in the southern New Jersey area by looking for the presence or absence of certain elements of design. Data were collected by reviewing previous research on the topic of classroom design and student achievement, and in field testing at eight educational facilities in southern New Jersey. Research has shown that the design of learning spaces has a direct influence upon students' attitudes towards learning and positive outcomes are attributed to these designs. Field testing, using a sound level …

My Search For A Meaningful Information Literacy Course: A Drama In Three Acts, Jan Coe

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

My synthesis project began as a personal and professional mission to help students decipher their library assignments and learn how to do research in general. In pursuing this goal, I learned a lot about 'information literacy' but I also learned about the reasons being information literate is important to me: it is a gestalt of a critical thinker. I discovered that - beyond becoming adept in the mechanics of information retrieval - what I really wanted for my students are the very things I value and enjoy doing myself: learning about communities of discourse; mulling over and asking questions about …

“Like Produces Like”: John Heyl Vincent And His 19th Century Theory Of Character Education, Catherine Ganiere, Scott L. Howell, Richard Osguthorpe

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

An examination of late 19th century writings about character development by popular educator and revered Methodist bishop John Heyl Vincent (1832–1920) sheds additional insight on early character education theory. Vincent is best known as the cofounder of the Chautauqua movement in 1874. However, his theoretical constructs for character development merit not only acknowledgment in the discipline’s official history but also further investigation and discussion by today’s scholars. The constructs identified from early writings suggest that effective character education occurs in both the home and the school and requires parents and teachers who model good moral character. This article posits the …

No Child's Intelligence Left Behind: The Impact Of Instrumental Enrichment Training On Teacher Belief Systems, Jeanne Marie Zehr

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods research project provided quantitative and qualitative assessments on the impact of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment (F.I.E.) training on the belief systems of American educators, specifically on the extent of belief in the modifiability of intelligence. The two-way ANOVA conducted for the quantitative research portion of the study compared the results of five groups of educators with various training experiences with Instrumental Enrichment. The second independent variable, years of experience in teaching, had three levels: 0 to 5, 6 to 30, and 31 +. The dependent variable consisted of epistemological belief in learning ability on a continuum from na'ive …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Shane Bevell, David Ashley, Mamie Peers, Grace Russell, Lisa Shawcroft

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Interactive And Textbook Lessons In Science Instruction: Combining Strategies To Engage Students In Learning, Christina Puentes

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Students in elementary classrooms are not receiving science instruction that is engaging and challenging. The review of the literature indicates that the way that the information is presented has more of an impact on the students than simply whether they comprehend the information. Studies show that hands-on science instruction allows success beyond the classroom, hands-on activities excite students about leaning and science in general, and that the hands-on activities create confidence in the children. Research also indicates that students who receive textbook based lessons earn scores similar to students who learn through hands-on lessons. This study explores the effects of …

Students Sharing Feelings Of Grief: An Elementary Curriculum On Loss, Kristen Gloumakoff

Senior Honors Projects

“It is only natural that we and our children find many things that are hard to talk about. But anything human is mentionable and anything mentionable is manageable.The mentioning can be difficult, and the managing too, but both can be done if we’re surrounded by love and trust.” ~Fred Rogers This quote could be talking about many different things that parents find difficult to talk to their children about, such as smoking, drinking, drugs, divorce, and sex. I was introduced to this quote as a one about parents talking to their children about death. Death is a part of life, …

Associations Between Age At School Entry And Academic Performance: Using Data From A Nationally Representative, Longitudinal Sample, Dawn Fleischman

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between age at school entry and academic performance in kindergarten through the fifth grade. The study utilized the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K) dataset that includes a nationally representative sample that was collected over a six year period and compiled by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES).
Even when controlling for the variables of gender, race, socioeconomic status, and disability, the analyses revealed that the youngest students did not perform as well in reading and math as their school entry peers through the fifth grade. …

Problem-Based Learning In Early Childhood And Primary Pre-Service Teacher Education: Identifying The Issues And Examining The Benefits, Susan Edwards, Marie Hammer

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Problem Based Learning (PBL) has been used with increased frequency in Higher Education settings since first introduced by Barrows and Tamblyn during the 1980’s. Since this time PBL has been used in medical, engineering and education faculties to support pre-service students in the acquisition of skills and content knowledge relevant to their disciplines. This paper explores the perceptions early childhood and primary pre-service teachers held regarding their participation in a unit of study structured around the use of a PBL scenario. The paper examines the frustrations pre-service teachers experienced within the PBL scenario as well as the perceived benefits regarding …

Teachers Professional Knowledge And The Teaching Of Reading In The Early Years, Sarah Ohi

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

What are the sources of teachers’ professional knowledge for the teaching of reading? This paper reports findings from a study that investigated the role of teachers in the current Research-Policy-Praxis Nexus (RPPN). This was achieved by a specific focus upon constructions of reading in the early years in Victoria, Australia. All of the teacher participants either implemented or coordinated the Victorian Early Years Literacy Program (EYLP) in the primary school setting. These teachers were interviewed in order to hear their views on reading development and reading pedagogy and to identify the sources of this professional knowledge. The findings from this …

Initial Preparation Of Secondary Teachers: Implications For Australia, Penny Collett

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Observation of secondary art teacher education in the United Kingdom and Australia has revealed a range of differences, including a greater role for schools in initial teacher education (ITE) in UK. The literature reporting on research into preparation of teachers in UK indicates a general satisfaction among students regarding their experiences in schools. However some issues of concern arise which need to be considered if there is a move towards greater involvement of schools in ITE in Australia.

A School Art Therapy Group: Helping Eighth Grade Students Decrease Disruptive Behaviors And Increase Coping Skills Before The Transition To High School, Erin Spier

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The transition to high school can be difficult for adolescents, especially those exhibiting disruptive behaviors and poor coping skills. This study was concerned with developing conducting a group art therapy intervention that would help increase coping skills and decrease disruptive behaviors in eighth grade students preparing for the transition to high school. Two girls and four boys from a private school in southeastern Virginia participated in the study after the start of their final semester in eighth grade. The study consisted of 8 sessions conducted on alternating days, twice a week for a four-week period.

During the group art therapy …

Delgadina En La Frontera, Sara Soledad Garcia

Teacher Education

Es posible que "Delgadina", el romance popular español medieval más divulgado en los países de habla hispana, llegara a los terrenos fronterizos de lo que son ahora los Estados Unidos y los estados de Texas, Nuevo México y Arizona, con Ia expedición colonizadora de Juan de Oñate, Ia cual arribó al Río Grande en abril de 1598. Como corrido se divulgó mucho por esas tierras y por el Norte de México y ha seguido oyéndose y cantándose hasta Ia actualidad. En los años 30 y 40,la cantante de Texas, Lydia Mendoza conocida como "Ia flor de Texas", le dio una …

Koinonia, Julianna Hutchins, Darcia Narvaez, Donald Miller, David Walsh, Todd Ream, Glen Kinoshita, Steve Morley

Koinonia

Spotlight Feature
The Implications of What We Hold in Common: Restoring the Meaning of Christian Community, Julianna Hutchins

Conference Keynote Previews
Taking Full Advantage of the College Experience to Cultivate Moral Character, Darcia Narvaez

The Gospel of Jesus: Why WIlliam Shakespeare was a Prophet, Donald Miller

A Bad Cause, David Walsh

Thinking Theologically
Thinking Theologically: The Seasons of Hope's Redemption, Part III, Todd Ream

Student Voices
Got Mail? Diversity Dialogues Across the Digital Divide, Glen Kinoshita

Book Review
Generation Me, reviewed by Steve Morley

Features
The President's Corner; Editor's Desk; Regional Updates

Motivation Of Asian Americans To Study Medicine: A Pilot Study, Ralitsa Akins

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

In the Background section, major trends in medical school population diversity are explored in regard to Asian American cultural values for success, Asian educational values and traditions, and relatedness to immigration laws fostering professional workforce immigration. This background exploration, presenting the diverse forces forming the environment for Asian American immigrants and their cultural roots, will help the understanding of the results of the pilot study on motivation of Asian Americans to study medicine.