Digital Commons Network^™

Implementing Active Learning Strategies: Tales From Two New Life Science Professors At Research Universities, Nichole Barger, Stuart Grandy

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Past research examining the effects of lectures on student learning suggests that they limit interactions in the classroom, place the responsibility for learning solely with the instructor, and do not provide an environment that compliments a range of learning styles (Silverthorn 1998; Landis et al. 1998; Aboudan 2009). Fortunately, there are many different active learning techniques such as role playing and group activities to more directly engage students and develop their ability to synthesize information, communicate clearly, and adapt to changing knowledge (e.g. Mason 2005; Colley 2008; Cornelius- White 2007). In this paper, we share our experiences implementing active learning …

Psychological Correlates Of Job Satisfaction Among Selected Secondary School Counselors In Ogun State, Nigeria., J.T.B. Oluwatimilehin

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The purpose of the study is to give school counselors in Ogun State Secondary Schools an opportunity to express their opinions about their work as counselors with a view to assessing their level of job satisfaction. It has been observed that the rate of counselors’ turnover is high. The need therefore arises to find out the problems encouraging the turnover in the bid to reduce or eradicate the phenomena especially now that there is need for more school counselors to handle the guidance roles in the school curriculum.

The Influence Of Assertive Classroom Management Strategy Use On Student-Teacher Pedagogical Skills, Annette Barnabas, Clifford S., Joseph D.

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

This quantitative study examined the influence of teacher-educators’ use of assertive classroom management strategies on English as a foreign language (EFL) student-teacher generic-education and language-teaching skills. Concerns have been voiced that many teachers fail to communicate target skills and information to their students though they possess abundant subject-content and pedagogical-content knowledge. Traditionally, teacher-educators have been concerned with assisting students to grasp a defined body of knowledge through information transmission. Currently, teacher educators face the challenge of assisting student-teachers to learn how to learn so that they can face political, social and economic uncertainties and to become independent lifelong learners. This …

Work Motivation Of Teachers : Relationship With Transformational And Transactional Leadership Behavior Of College Principals, Uma Devi, R.S. Mani

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The strength of an educational system largely depends upon the quality of its teachers. It is a teacher who helps to transform an individual into a person of imagination, wisdom, human love and enlightenment, and institutions into lampposts of posterity, and the country into a learning society. The National Policy on Education (1986) has rightly remarked “The status of the teacher reflects the sociocultural ethos of a society; It is in this context that today a teacher occupies a unique and significant place in any society.

Bridging The Mathematics Achievement Gap In Struggling Urban Schools, Marcia Heiman

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

As a result of school reform efforts, many school districts report that gains have been made in students’ math scores in the elementary years. But America’s high-poverty middle and high schools remain in crisis. Beyond the elementary years, students in the nation’s high-poverty schools are failing. For example, despite years of school reform, math achievement in Detroit has declined in the last five years. For example, 25% of Detroit’s high school students scored proficiently on statewide math tests in 2004 – as compared with only 16% in the most recent reports. ( www.schoolmatters.com). At the end of high school, Hispanic …

Chinese Women Administrators In Higher Education: Developing Leadership Throughout Life, Susan Madsen

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The development of leadership has been a critical concern of many organizational leaders in various sectors (public, private, and social) across the globe. To better understand this complex phenomenon, researchers (e.g., Bass, 1990; Bennis, 1989) have been conducting leadership studies for decades in various disciplines (e.g., education, management, psychology). Yet, studies in these disciplines on developing women leaders are just emerging as an important focus of researchers and practitioners in many countries throughout the world. In many regions it has become evident that the process of developing women leaders is particularly multifaceted and challenging. There are numerous complexities inherent in …

Fundamental Issues In L2 Classroom Assessment Practices, Esmael Hamidi

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The purpose of this paper is to provide L2 teachers with a succinct, conceptual framework of implementing the assessment forms to facilitate the relevant practical issues in L2 classrooms while focusing the current theories and views of assessment issues in L2 classrooms. I begin with giving a good rinse-out to assessment by distinguishing it from testing and evaluation. Then, following a brief account of the pedagogical history of assessment with a major focus on its ‘authentic’ aspect as the current concern to the educators of the field, I will discuss four criteria regarding the quality of assessment. The paper will …

Perceived Causes Of Teacher Dissatisfaction In Sekondi –Takoradi District Of Ghana., Dampson George

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

A teacher’s job satisfaction is one of the most essential issues for educational systems around the world. Next to pupils, teachers are the largest, most extensive, crucial and key to improving quality in any educational system (Afe, 2001; Stuart, 2002). This paper focuses on the third world country of Ghana where according to Bame 1992 and Akoto -Danso (2006) teachers are often in short supply. Akoto- Danso documented that enrolment into basic schools in Ghana has gone up by 17% from 3.7 million to a record of 4.3 million.

Stress And The Chinese Key Middle School, Ping Wang

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The Chinese key middle school is different from the non-key middle school in several ways. First, the key middle school enrolls students with higher examination scores. The students study in smaller classes—ordinarily there are 50 students in one key middle school class, fewer than the non-key middle school. Accordingly, each individual in the key middle school can get more attention from teachers. Second, outstanding graduate students from advanced normal universities are assigned to teach in the key middle schools. Third, better teaching facilities are provided to help the students with their studies.

Parental Involvement In Home Work For Children’S Academic Success. A Study In The Cape Coast Municipality, Dampson George

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Traditionally, parental involvement in education included contribution to their children’s home-based activities (helping with home-work, encouraging children to read, and promoting school attendance) and school-based activities (attending Parent-Teachers’ Association meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and participating in fun raising activities). Hixson (2006) explained that involvement of parents and families in decision making is often cited as one of the most important ways to improve public schools. Parental involvement makes an enormous impact on the student’s attitude, attendance, and academic achievement and promotes better cooperation between parents and school. It also allows parents and teachers to combine efforts to help the children succeed …

The Opinions Of The Undergraduate Students And Faculty Members On Factors That Affect Student Learning And Academic Achievement, James Satterfield, Chris Croft, Michael Godfrey, Tony Franklin

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Teaching in higher education is a very complicated and detailed subject. Good teaching encourages high quality student learning. One of the key principle of effective teaching in higher education is the concern and respect for student learning. Learning style, learning dimensions and academic belief systems as significant factors contributing to academic achievement. The quality of student learning in higher education should be improved and can be improved. How can it best be improved?. The answer is nearer to home :it lies in the connection between students’ learning of particular content and quality of our teaching of that content. Through listening …

Table Of Contents - Spring 2010, Fort Hays State University College Of Education

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Academic Leadership Journal Spring 2010 table of contents

Bilingual-Bicultural Teachers' Cultural Competence Development Blueprint In Predominantly Subtractive Bilingualism Contexts: Insights From Research Literature, Valentin Ekiaka Nzai,, Jenelle Reeves

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

Recent studies on quality education for diverse classrooms suggest cultural competence as a prerequisite for culturally responsive teaching. A critical analysis of teacher education strategies aimed at increasing pre-service teachers’ cultural competence, in mostly white-serving and traditional teacher education programs, reveals that such approaches generally situate white teacher candidates only as closely as the periphery of bilingual students’ cultures. Further, while a number of diversity-oriented educational programs have been designed for white pre-service teachers, there currently exists no coherent and comprehensive framework for developing U.S.-born bilingual pre-service teachers’ bilingual-bicultural competences in predominantly white-serving and traditional teacher education programs. This paper …

Student Perception Of Professional Education Organizations, Amanda Mcmillian

Senior Honors Theses

Topics covered in this thesis include the development of qualities of effective teachers, field experiences within teacher preparation programs, the definition of professionalism, pre-service teachers and professionalism, the perceptions of in-service teachers of professional development, education organizations, the psychological details of organizational dynamics, benefits of membership in professional education organizations for both pre-service and in-service teachers, and community involvement. Topics also include current research on teacher satisfaction with professional organizations and Liberty University’s professional education organizations. The investigation of the aforementioned topics will reveal the correlation between professional education development training and undergraduate professional education organization involvement. This thesis will …

Supporting Early Childhood Educational Provision Within A Cluster Of Deis Preschool And Primary School Settings With A Specific Focus On Transition Between The Two Educational Settings., Mary O'Kane, Noirin Hayes

Reports

No abstract provided.

Nefdc Exchange, Volume 22, Number 1, Spring 2010, New England Faculty Development Consortium

New England Faculty Development Consortium Exchange

Contents

Message from the President: Where would you be - Tom Thibodeau, New England Institute of Technology

From the editors -

Spring 2010 Conference, Friday, May 21, 2010, Westford, Massachusetts, United States; theme: Teaching for Learning; keynotes speaker: D. Christian Jernstedt, Dartmouth College, "How Learning Changes Brains"

A Book and Readings List for Thinking about the Human Mind - G. Christian Jernstedt, Dartmouth College

Embracing the Intimidating: Assessing Student Learning in a Non-major Online Science Course - Kristine Larsen, Central Connecticut State University

Save the date! 2010 Fall Conference, November 19, 2010, Westford, Massachusetts, United States; theme: Better Teaching, Better …

Reflective Practice: The Teacher In The Mirror, Celes Raenee Rayford

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, administrators have faced extreme pressure to provide professional development to teachers to enhance their skill and knowledge base, make school improvements, and increase student achievement. Research indicated that critical reflection leads to lasting school change and professional growth of teachers. However, few studies examined reflection using the principles of adult learning and reflective practice theory. In this study, this perspective was explored using three distinct ways of reflecting in combination with various reflective practice models.

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of elementary administrators …

The Efficacy Of Emotional And Instructional Support (Eis) Training And Consultation On Head Start Teacher-Child Interactions, Rory Brown Sipp

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There is an increased need for quality in the field of early care and education and, teachers interactions with his or her students are the catalyst for providing and ensuring quality within early childhood environments (La Paro, Pianta, & Hamre, 2008). The study examined the effect of training and consultation on Head Start teacher and child interactions as measured by the Classroom Assessment Scoring System, also known as the CLASS.

Twenty-one Head Start teachers located in Southern Nevada served as participants in the study where non-threatening and evidence based training and consultation was provided over six weeks. Trainings were provided …

Adjunct Faculty Organizational Sense Of Belonging And Affective Organizational Commitment, Constance L. Merriman

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

In recent years all public higher education institutions have increased their reliance on adjunct faculty. Adjuncts provide expertise in key areas, are available at times that meet the needs of the changing student demographic, and cover an increasing number of introductory courses. It has been suggested that adjunct faculty may be more weakly linked to their students, colleagues, and institution. This may, in turn, be detrimental to the organizational health of the institution. Prior research has indicated that adjunct faculty have different motivations and expectations from teaching that impact the connections they form in the higher education workplace. This study …

The Experiences Of Secondary Social Studies Teachers With Historical Thinking Skills, Denise Lorraine Trombino

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

In this descriptive, mixed methods study, the researcher investigated secondary social studies teachers' college course experiences with and classroom use of historical thinking skills (HTS). Questionnaires were distributed to 160 teachers in a large public school system in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Forty percent of the questionnaires were returned. From the 40%, a purposeful sample was created. Observations, interviews, and analysis of instructional documents were used to gather data from the purposeful sample. The results showed that high school social studies teachers reported a range of experiences with and use of HTS. Teachers reported more exposure to …

Experiences Of Foreign Language Teachers And Students Using A Technology-Mediated Oral Assessment, Jeannie Ducher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The development of the speaking skill at the lower levels of proficiency is seldom assessed as a matter-of-fact in the foreign language classroom, for reasons of impracticality and difficulty of implementation. Although the practice of the speaking skill is an important part of current approaches to the teaching of foreign languages, issues of time and logistics often prohibit the direct evaluation of the skill in a manner consistent with best practices, which purport that practice and assessment must be closely aligned, and that students benefit from self-evaluation and teacher feedback. Classroom research has shown that a skill that is not …

Establishing Reliability Of Reading Comprehension Ratings Of Fifth-Grade Students' Oral Retellings, Laura Elizabeth Bernfeld

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to rate the oral retellings of fifth-grade students to determine to what degree passages, raters, and rating occasions affect those ratings, and to identify what combination of those elements will produce reliable retelling ratings. Thirty-six fourth-grade students read and orally retold three contemporary realistic fiction passages. Two raters rated these retellings on two separate occasions using the Reader Retelling Rating Scale. These ratings were analyzed quantitatively using generalizability software. Two research questions were answered by the generalizability (G) and decision (D) studies. The G study answers the first question regarding the percentages of the …

Editorial Board

Perspectives In Learning

This is the document on the editorial board

Improving Delivery Of Instruction Through Peer Coaching, James John Buckwalter

All Graduate Projects

Peer coaching models were studied to see if they improved teachers' delivery of instruction, and if they had a significant impact on student achievement. The research showed that peer coaching programs were successful when they were tied to a school's overall vision and mission, led by a strong principal, and kept separate from evaluation. Peer coaching was found to increase the accurate use of skills that teachers learned through professional development; however there was no evidence to show that peer coaching alone significantly effects student achievement.

Optimistic Bias In The University Classroom, Harvey Richman Ph.D.

Perspectives In Learning

This research investigated the prevalence of “optimistic bias” (unrealistic performance expectations) among low scoring students. Possible causes and remediations are discussed. Two hundred seventy four undergraduate students were surveyed after their first course exam, and again after their second exam, to assess the effects of optimistic bias. At both survey points, each student provided (1) a performance estimate for the recently taken exam, (2) actual score for that exam after receiving it, and (3) an estimate of future exam performance. The sample was divided into quartiles based on first exam actual scores. Lowest quartile students were overly optimistic regarding their …

Considerations Regarding Leadership Training In A Tofflerian Era Of Change, Thomas Mccormack, Paul Hackett

Perspectives In Learning

In 1970, sociologist and futurist Alvin Toffler predicted a future characterized by experience and information overload. This overload, said Toffler, would be caused by an exponential increase in the amount of knowledge being produced and our inability to cope with both the volume of information and the rate at which knowledge was being produced. In this article, the authors make the case that we are presently living in a Tofflerian Era that includes constant change in terms of amount of knowledge and the rate at which it is transmitted and collected due to the proliferation of new technologies. In this …

Publish Or Perish: Can Scholarship And Teaching Coexist?, Jan Burcham, Kimberly Shaw

Perspectives In Learning

Faculty at institutions of higher education are experiencing constant requests to increase teaching loads and class sizes while, at the same time, continuing to meet the demands for scholarship and service. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) can serve as one way in which faculty can simultaneously focus on improving their teaching and their students’ learning as well as meeting the rigorous demands for peer review and publication. The systematic approach of asking questions about one’s teaching, designing and conducting appropriate research methodologies to investigate those questions, analyzing the results, and subjecting the entire process and findings to peer …

Multiple Intelligences: Theory And Application, Hope Phillips

Perspectives In Learning

Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences has challenged the historical view of intelligence as a fixed quantity since he first published Frames of Mind in 1983. Gardner prefers to describe cognitive ability as a set of eight intelligences. Once merely a theoretical perspective, Gardner’s view of intelligence can be seen in a new light with the advances in brain research in the field of neuroscience. The connection between how the mind is organized and the education of students suggests a need for additional classroom teaching and testing applications. A focus on traditional linguistic and logical teaching and testing strategies must …

The Implementation Of A Conceptually Coherent Curriculum Within A Constructivist Preschool Environment, Heather Jones, Sarah Post

Psychology and Child Development

Creating a learning environment that enchants children’s curiosity and sparks exploration, discovery, and thought does not require a great amount of financial resources. Rather, one must concentrate on observation and focus on building on children’s existing interests in the natural world. The research and theories of Swiss psychologist and philosopher, Jean Piaget, and Russian Psychologist, Lev Vygotsky provide a concrete look into a child’s cognitive and social development and can be informative in creating such environments. Using the developmental knowledge presented in these theories, programs such as the Reggio Emilia program, the Preschool Pathways to Science program (PrePS), and the …

The Phenomenon Of Character Development In A Distance Education Course, Michael C. Johnson, Richard Osguthorpe, David D. Williams

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rarely are character development-related aims espoused by higher education reflected in the design and delivery of distance education programs. Further, literature exploring the character development aspects of distance education is sparse. This study finds that the instructor and students in a fantasy literature distance course perceived myriad kinds of character development related to performance, moral, relational, and spiritual character traits and strengths. This paper considers implications for character development in distance education and directions for future research.