Education Commons^™

Culturally Responsive Community Of Practice: A Multiple Case Study Of Instructional Support Teams, Andrea Horowitz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to understand how culturally responsive actions, behaviors and practices of school building leaders, teachers and support staff during the Instructional Support Team (IST) process impact equitable outcomes for all students within the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process. The participants of the study are the members of two Instructional Support Teams (IST); one elementary team and the other a middle school team. Data was collected through interviews, collected documents, and audio-visual materials. There is little guidance on how to address equitable outcomes of the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) process and …

Implications For Instructional Coaching Using Mindset Theory And Multiplier Model, Kathryn Murphy Breedlove

Theses and Dissertations

The role of an instructional coach varies slightly from location to location, but the commonalities of instructional coaching include job-embedded professional development that supports classroom-based, individualized partnerships of collaboration. In an effort to further investigate implications for instructional coaching using the multiplier model and mindset theory, a qualitative multicase study was conducted in an effort to answer the following questions: 1) How does receiving multiplier traits feedback when having an overall multiplier factor of greater than zero affect instructional coaches' perspectives of their influence? 2) What commonalities and differences do the cases studied share within their responses to their Multipliers …

Tenured Teacher Motivation For Self-Directed Professional Development In Literacy, Jennifer Lynn Brady

Theses and Dissertations

After receiving tenure, experienced teachers may choose to not participate in professional development opportunities. In fact, tenured teachers may only complete the minimum professional development hours required by their school districts. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the factors that motivated tenured elementary school teachers (grades 3-6) to participate in self-directed professional development (SD-PD) in literacy. This study consisted of six tenured teachers (grades 3-6) who were recruited from three different schools in a suburban elementary school district in Nassau County, New York. Data were collected through one-on-one online interviews, a collection of participants’ written …

Exploring How Faculty Motivations And Professional Development Strategies Influence Digital Literacy Practices In A Study Abroad Program In Italy: A Case Study, Paolo Bartolini

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to explore the multifaceted motivations, perceptions and attitudes that influence digital literacy practices in a small group of study abroad faculty and how professional development can help inspire them to act to innovate their digital literacy practices within a study abroad context. The role of study abroad programs in the U.S. has grown significantly in recent decades. As the number of students participating in these programs continues to increase, so have questions about the role of digital literacy practices in foreign education. Digital literacy embodies a way of learning that focuses …

Perceptions Of Untenured Teachers On The Effectiveness Of District Induction Programs, Sam Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore how induction programs impact untenured teachers’ overall experiences and perceptions. This study focused on stories, experiences, and values that were explicitly discussed by each participant related to their district’s induction program. In general, strong induction programs provide an intense level of professional development to all untenured teachers on content, instruction, and best practices related to students and classrooms (Danielson, 2008). Albert Bandura’s social learning theory (1977) explicitly discusses how we learn from our surrounding peers through observation and imitation.

A descriptive case study through interpretive inquiry was used to help uncover data …

Staff Development For Direct Support Professionals: Perspectives On The Usefulness Of A Literacy-Based Social Skill Strategy, Pattiann Laveglia

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover Direct Support Professionals’ (DSPs) perceptions of a staff development session for creating a literacy-based social skills strategy known as social stories or story-based instruction. The participants in this study were six DSPs employed by a non-profit agency in the Mid-Hudson Region of New York State which provides community-based residential services to children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Three data collection methods were used in this study: a questionnaire, written reflections, and two in-depth interviews. This study was guided by four research questions exploring the perceived self-efficacy of …

Exploring The Impact Of Diversity Training On The Development And Application Of Cultural Competence Skills In Higher Education Professionals, Kendra Cabler

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the terms diversity and inclusion have become major buzzwords across industries and fields of study. Within the field of education broadly, and higher education in particular, a shifting student demographic can be seen across the country. Issues of equity and inclusion have become central complexities for present day educational strategists, and organizations committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion must do so with intentionality. In the context of higher education, this often requires the intentional development of professionals within a particular college or university. There has been a great deal of research concerning the development of cultural …

A Case Study Of A Technical College's Faculty Perceptions Regarding The Value Of Professional Development Activities, Kermelle D. Hensley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate technical college faculty members' perceptions of the professional development. Most of the literature was focused on four-year higher educational institutions. For the purposes of this qualitative case study, the researcher addressed the limited amount in the literature about professional development in two-year technical colleges. The researcher investigated faculty perceptions concerning the usefulness of professional development in a two-year higher education institution through survey research design with 8 participants. The main themes were 1) technical college faculty desired professional development; 2) technical college faculty needed for follow up from the professional …

A Comparative, Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of Teacher Participation In Virtual Communities Of Practice On The Level Of Professional Capital Within Their Respective Organizations, John Patrick Klocek

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this comparative, phenomenological, qualitative study is to evaluate the perceptions of expert teacher practitioners and their administrators on the impact that their participation in VCOPs has had on what Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) coined the Professional Capital of their organizations. How has the teachers’ development of a PLN or their participation in a VCOP fostered their growth as individuals or their Human Capital? How, in turn, has the expert teachers’ increased knowledge base furthered instructional practices, promoted the development of next practices, and enhanced their organization’s Social Capital? Finally, how has this new knowledge impacted the decisions …