Digital Commons Network^™

How Does The Teacher Know? One Teacher's Search For Authenticity In The Classroom, Ellen Catherine M. Eberly

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

The author, a master teacher of secondary language arts, shares her reflections on how she uses CCT skills to synthesize her insights and observations of her own learning, teaching, and investigative experiences - past and present -- in order to make VALID choices about what is worth knowing and teaching in a classroom preparing students for the 21st Century. In general, the thesis emphasizes the importance of AUTHENTICITY in determining whether a curriculum or teacher's instructional methodology is VALID for today's students. AUTHENTICITY is determined by the degree of personal connectivity experienced by both student and teacher with the subject …

Using Hands-On Manipulatives To Teach Problem Solving, Cynthia A. Greenwood

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

As educators we share a link with the classic story of the "Velveteen Rabbit", as we also seek what is real. In education "real" is what holds meaning for the students and connects their world to the world of the classroom. As teachers we continually ask for the students' active participation, involvement and commitment to the learning task, but too often we teach only from the textbook. Classroom tasks that do go beyond textbook mastery may spark the students' interest, but sometimes appear to have no link to the reality of the students' world. Cognitive research reminds educators of the …

Nsu National Ed.D. Program For Educational Leaders Catalog 1996-1997 (Includes Application And Admission Forms), Nova Southeastern University

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

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Administrators And Teachers Regarding The Relevancy And Frequency Of Occurrence Of Program Characteristics Of Alternative High School Programs In North Carolina, Deborah D. Wiseman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to (1) determine which characteristics of alternative schools exist in North Carolina public alternative high schools for at-risk/potential dropouts, (2) determine the degree to which North Carolina alternative school administrators and teachers perceive each characteristic as important, (3) determine if there was a significant difference between administrators' and teachers' perceptions regarding the frequency of occurrence of program characteristics to alternative high school's, (4) determine if there was a significant difference between administrators' and teachers' perceptions regarding the relevancy of program characteristics to alternative high schools, and (5) determine if there was a significant …

Meanings Underlying Student Ratings Of Faculty, Carolyn Ridenour, Stephen J. Blatt

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine how undergraduate students interpret the items on a faculty evaluation instrument. Most research on faculty evaluation is quantitative (Marsh and Bailey 1993). Our first study was also quantitative. After we produced a profile of quantitative ratings of faculty by students across all departments in our university in an earlier study, we wanted to go beneath the numbers to their meaning. We designed the present qualitative study to investigate what the items on that form meant to students.

Nsu Graduate Teacher Education Program Master's And Educational Specialist Degrees And Graduate Courses In Education Catalog 1996-1997 (Includes Application And Admission Forms), Nova Southeastern University

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

No abstract provided.

Grading Teaching: An Evaluation Of Teaching Techniques Used By California Community College Introduction To Sociology Instructors, Lynette Ann Osborne-Estes

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Research on teaching techniques used in higher education report that instructors who use a mixed repertoire of styles promote optimal student learning. However, previous research also indicates that many college professors continue to use the less effective traditional lecture instead of implementing more student-centered methods of instruction. This thesis investigates two general research questions. (1) To what extent do community college instructors utilize teaching techniques that have been shown to promote optimal student learning? (2) What factors, if any, increase the probability of an instructor using the teaching techniques that promote optimal student learning? In order to address these questions …

A Study Of The Effects Of Shared Peer Reading On Students' Reading Attitudes, Christine Ellen Arsenis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of shared peer reading on students' reading attitudes. It was hypothesized that students who participate in shared peer reading would show significant reading attitude improvements, as measured by the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, over students who do not participate in shared peer reading. The study was a quasi-experimental design consisting of students in two first grade classrooms. Twenty students from each classroom participated in the study. One class was identified as the "participation group" and the other class was identified as the "nonparticipation" group. Both groups were first pretested using …

Student Ethnicity And Teacher Expectations, Daisy Mercado

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between student ethnicity and teacher expectations and how these expectations were communicated to students through the types of questions they were asked. The subjects for this study were twenty-two second grade students. The first phase of the study consisted of observations in which the questions asked by the teacher and the ethnicity of the student were recorded. They were later categorized as low order and high order questions. Finally, a Chi square test was used to determine if there was a significant relationship between ethnicity and teacher expectations. The study revealed that no significant relationship …

Correlational Study Of Self-Concept, Social Self-Perception, Academic Self-Concept And Behavior Problems Among Elementary School Children, Malthi Lingaraju

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships, if any, between General Self-Concept, Social Self-Perception, Academic Self-Concept, and Behavior Problems among elementary school children. Twenty-two third grade students participated in this study. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory was used to measure self-concept. Social Self-Perception and Academic Self-Concept were measured by subscales of the Coopersmith Inventory. The Connors' Teacher Rating Scales-39 was used to measure the general dimension of behavior problems. Findings from these two measures indicated a significant positive correlation between General Self-Concept and Social Self-Perception; General Self-Concept and Academic Self-Concept, and Social Self-Perception and Academic Self-Concept. There was, …

A Study Of Television Violence And Its Effects On Elementary School Children's Social Interactions, Shari Lonker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the amount of antisocial and aggressive television shows a child views and the occurrence of negative social interactions in which that child is involved while under school supervision. One hundred 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders in a southern New Jersey school district were given television viewing questionnaires to take home and fill out with their parents. Upon completion, the questionnaires were scored according to the child's habit of watching specific television shows targeted with violent content. Each student's teacher then rated the frequency of the child's antisocial or aggressive …

The Status Of Middle Level Schools In Berrien County, Michigan Following Michigan Public Act 25, Judith A. Burns

Dissertations

Michigan Public Act 25 of 1990 mandated public school reform. One of 4 components of Public Act 25 is the development of a 3 to 5 year School Improvement Plan (SIP). The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine middle level school improvement in Berrien County, Michigan, for evidence that developmentally appropriate middle level education is promoted.

This 2-part investigation involved analyzing SIPs submitted for 1992-93 school year using a content analysis format and interviews with each building principal or designee. The content analysis format was developed by Sweeney and Cooper in 1992 to analyze SIPs of Wayne County, …

Teaching/ Learning Experiences: Meanings Constructed By Participants Ini A Degree Completion Program For Adult Students, Natalie K. Manbeck

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning that teachers and their adult students construct of their classroom experiences and to see how those meanings impact the teaching/ learning process. Because of the multiple factors affecting an educational experience, this study took the view that this should be explored in a holistic way. Most educational research focuses on the teacher's perspective, with students and their learning considered as the result of the educational process. In order to more fully understand what is occurring in classrooms and what students are actually learning, it is important to ascertain student perceptions …

The Effect Of Parental Remediation On The Musical Literacy Of Elementary School Students As Measured Through Their Music Aptitude, Margaret Davis Clement

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to study the effect of parental intervention on the music literacy of children in grades Kindergarten through Third Grade. The problem of the study was to determine if parental remediation at home could have an effect on the music literacy of children as measured through their music aptitude.

The entire population of a Kindergarten through Third Grade school participated in the study. Six classes were excluded for practical reasons. A parent survey was sent home. Some families were randomly asked to participate as the experimental group. At the same time, the Primary Measures of …

A Survey Of The State Of Teacher Effectiveness In Four South Jersey High Schools, Maryanne A. Knudsen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' subjective perception of their teaching effectiveness and the factors that facilitate and/or inhibit their sense of efficacy in four South Jersey high schools. In addition, two problems were examined as to the impact of class size on teaching efficacy and does experience in teaching affect a teacher's sense of effectiveness?

The sample was selected from high school teachers in a two county area in southern New Jersey. Teachers were given a questionnaire to complete which was designed to identify important attitudes toward teaching efficacy. A total of 275 questionnaires were distributed …

An Investigation Of The Association Between The Musical Aptitude Of Elementary Students And The Musical Aptitude Of Their Biological Parents, Susan Guerrini

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a hereditary link between the musical aptitude of elementary students and the musical aptitude of their biological parents.

The problem of the study was to determine if three age specific tests, created by the same author, could be equalized to measure the association of the musical aptitude of students and their biological parents.

Eighty-eight students from Grades 1 through 5 and eighty-one volunteer parents took part in the study, totaling 169 participants. The students from these families attended the same suburban, middle class elementary school, where they received fifty …

Volume 09, Number 02, Richard F. Welch Editor

Reaching Through Teaching

Full text of Volume 09, Number 02 of Reaching Through Teaching.

Interpretations Of Progressive Education: A Comparative Study Of The Philosophies Of Education Of The Municipal Early Childhood Schools Of Reggio Emilia And The Bank Street College Of Education, Monica Della Croce

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Compares the progressive philosophies of education of the municipal infant-toddler centers and preprimary schools of Reggio Emilia, and Bank Street College of Education and its School for Children. The histories and theoretical origins of each philosophy of education are introduced. Elaborations on the fundamental principles of each are provided, including discussions of the creation of learning environments, the perception of children's learning, the roles of teachers, and the place of the community. Throughout the text, cultural frameworks are made evident, in order to reflect on the influence that culture and history have on the ways in which progressive philosophies of …

Perceptions And Hiring Practices Of Tennessee Superintendents And Directors Of Schools Relating To The Desired Technological Skills Of High School Principals, J. M. Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to reveal what technological skills are inquired about by superintendents/directors of schools in the state of Tennessee when hiring high school principals. The study further reveals perceptions that superintendents/directors of schools have for the desirability of high school principals to possess technological skills and their perceptions of how capable current high school principals are for possessing those skills. The study was based on a total population of 139 school superintendents in the state of Tennessee. Surveys were mailed in early Nov, 1995. One hundred-two surveys were completed and returned. Findings were divided into two …

A Case Study Of An Elementary School-Based Health Clinic, Sheila K. Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to perform a qualitative analysis of an elementary school-based health clinic (SBHC). This situational analysis was performed to further understand the impact of accessible primary health care on an elementary school population. Data were collected through 30 participant interviews of parents, educators and medical personnel. Additional data were collected through the clinic files, and a t-test was used to compare the attendance and achievement data of clinic consumers for the clinic year against records from the previous year. The researcher presented information on the steps of SBHC development to include community campaign procedures. The …

The Woman High School Principal In Tennessee: A Qualitative Study, Doris W. Vanhuss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to give an indepth and insightful description of the personal and professional worlds of the women high school principals of grades 9-12 in Tennessee in 1993. Specific areas which were addressed in the study included: (1) personal background information, (2) career paths and goals, (3) personal influences upon the women (4) possible barriers, (5) the role(s) of the woman high school principal, and (6) job demands. The data were gathered through a demographic questionnaire and the process of the long interview with open-ended questions with all seventeen of the women high school principals …

Homework, An Educational Instructional Technique Used In The Middle School Special Education Classroom, Charles R. Murphy

Theses & Honors Papers

The assignment patterns, frequency, and perceptions of homework as an educational instructional device was investigated in middle school special education classroom teachers. A general topic questionnaire was generated and administered to each of the middle school special education teachers who volunteered for this study. A population sample was used in the survey to represent, determine, and investigate the application of homework as an instructional technique. The survey also referenced specific questions on teachers' attitudes and perspectives on whether homework should be employed as a device to improve learning, comprehension, and retention of materials being presented in the classroom. The results …

A Need For A Paradigm Shift In Today's Race Relations And Diversity Education, Franklin Titus Thompson

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Although the ranks of human relations change agents have been temporarily depleted, there is training available for front-line diversity educators. “Changeagents do not have to always be born. They can also be taught.”

Perceptions Of Recent Teacher Education Graduates Regarding Their Preparation To Teach, Julie Marie Barrett

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of. this study was to investigate how recent graduates of a special education and an elementary education program perceived their preparation to teach. Sixty-five recent graduates responded to a twenty-two item Teacher Perception Likert-Scale questionnaire regarding their perceptions about their education. The results were analyzed by calculating means for three separate indices within the questionnaire to provide information on overall satisfaction. A t-test indicated no significant differences at the .OS level for each index between special education and elementary education graduates . Elementary education subjects more frequently chose "strongly disagreed" or "disagreed" than did special education graduates as …

A Comparison Of The Learning Styles Of Community College Versus Four-Year College And Male Versus Female College Students, Michele M. Booth

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the learning styles of community college versus four year college General Psychology students and male versus female college students from the combined groups, to ascertain if differences in learning style existed between the groups. The study identified David Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory elements that were important to the males/females and community college/four-year college students.

The sample included 16 General Psychology students from Salem Community College, and 29 General Psychology students from Rowan College. There were 27 female and 18 male students who participated from Salem Community College and Rowan College combined.

All …

Koinonia, Miriam Sallers, Ron L. Coffey, Becky Leithold, Dennis W. Perry Jr.

Koinonia

The Purpose of Higher Education

President's Corner

The Editor's Disk

CoCCA: Volunteer Service...Required? & Hot Ideas

New Professionals Retreat, ACSD Archives Announcement

Book Preview: "What on Earth Are We Doing?"

ACSD Northwest Regional Activity

Career Development: Much More Than Placement

Correlates Among Teachers’ Anxieties, Demographics, And Telecomputing Activity, Judith B. Harris, Neal Grandgenett

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Are educators' anxiety levels or demographics related to their voluntary use of networked resources? In this study, one year of logins and online time for 189 randomly selected educators with accounts on Tenet (Texas Education Network) were correlated with six interval-level subject attribute variables: (a) writing apprehension, (b) oral communication apprehension, (c) computer anxiety, (d) age, (e) teaching experience, and (f) telecomputing experience. The usage data were also correlated with three nominal-level subject attribute variables: (a) gender, (b) professional specialty, and (c) teaching level. Results indicated that writing apprehension was significantly and negatively correlated with network use, and that telecomputing …

Attacking Ideas, Not People: Using Structured Controversy In The College Classroom, Barbara L. Watters

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

In my version of structured controversy. students choose a controversial issue related to the course in which they are enrolled. prepare pro and con arguments based on course material. debate the issue formally in class, and engage in small-group discussions to discover common values and solutions. Although I have used structured controversy only with college students in psychology courses, it could be adapted easily for other age groups and academic subjects (Johnson and Johnson, 1979; Johnson and Johnson. 1987; Johnson. Johnson, and Holubec, 1993). Using structured controversy involves three steps: preparations, argumentation, and collaboration.

Integrating Research And Undergraduate Teaching, Anne Bezuidenhout

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

I would like to describe some of the benefits and difficulties I have encountered in my attempt to integrate my research and teaching in an introductory logic course. My introductory logic students work in groups on semester-long research projects. The research that these students are involved in belongs to the scholarship of integration, rather than the scholarship of discovery (Boyer, 1990). It is highly unlikely that most instructors will ever teach a student who will break new ground in their field. However, what most students can begin to do is to think about what role one body of knowledge or …

Teaching With Style: The Integration Of Teaching And Learning Styles In The Classroom, Anthony F. Grasha

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

Teaching with style demands that instructors explore "Who I am as a teacher?" and "What do I want to become?" The integrated model provides one vehicle for doing so. The payoff is that we move away from blindly teaching as we were taught or simply repeating how we taught the course the last time. Instead. instructional strategies become grounded in a conceptual base of knowledge about teaching and learning styles. Like scholarly methods in our disciplines, instructional strategies then begin to serve broader philosophical, theoretical, and conceptual goals.