Education Commons^™

Effective Practices Of Feedback Of Elementary School Administrators During The Post-Observation Conference, Michael Galvin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research identifies two purposes for teacher evaluation: measurement and professional growth; however, the literature provides limited research on the impact of the post-observation conference in teacher evaluation on professional growth (Marzano, 2012). The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study is to examine the perceptions of Indiana public elementary school principals on the impact of the post-observation conference on professional growth of teachers. The study uses an Elementary Administrators’ Background Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to gather an in-depth understanding of administrators’ perceptions.

Four research questions framed this study as I examined public elementary school administrators’ perceptions of post-observation feedback within the …

The Effectiveness Of Professional Development On The Literature-Based Chinese Teaching, Gracelynn G. Knapp

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The surge in Chinese language learning as CSL/CFL increases needs for quality teacher professional development training. Although researchers report advantages of employing literature and confirm the value of literature in teaching foreign language, few studies focused on CSL/CFL teacher training, specifically, for the use of literature-based Chinese language teaching for CSL/CFL classes. Professional Development (PD) provided opportunities for Chinese teachers to learn and practice strategies that are necessary to teach CSL/CFL with literature-based teaching. The researcher conducted the PD training evaluation to determine the significant effect on the Chinese teachers’ confidence, attitude, and overall preparedness for teaching literature to non-Chinese …

Exploring The Experiences And Perceptions Of 21st Century Leadership Academy Participants, Scott R. Bartholomew, Douglas Lecorchick, Mark Mahoney, Geoffrey Albert Wright

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

The 21st Century Leadership Academy grew out of an effort by the Council of Technology Teacher Education’s (CTTE) Leadership Development Committee to prepare future leaders for the field of Technology & Engineering Education (TEE). Efforts by Drs. Roger Hill (University of Georgia) and Bill Havice (Clemson University) led to the creation, and subsequent implementation, of this leadership academy with support from CTTE (later renamed the Council on Technology & Engineering Teacher Education [CTETE]) and the International Technology & Engineering Education Association (ITEEA). Initially, participation in the leadership academy was focused on early-career university faculty but recruitment was later expanded to …

A Blueprint For A Collaborative Learning Organization: Lean Methodology As A Framework For Secondary Teacher Teams, Brandon Willcox

Graduate Teacher Education

Abstract

Teacher teams such as Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and similar cooperative teams, have been identified as instrumental in improving student outcomes. At the same time, the importance of a collaborative approach to evaluating data and refining practice has been recognized (Graham, 2007; Sigurðardóttir, 2010). Often however, teacher teams do not have the resources available to them to ensure their success. This paper examined current research regarding several internal and external factors that impact the success of teacher teams such as PLCs. A review of the literature suggested that within teams, trust amongst team members is a predominant indicator of …

A Shared Language: An Examination Of School Interaction Experiences Of Hispanic Ell Students In Northwest Arkansas, Tricia Tice

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

A SHARED LANGUAGE: AN EXAMINATION OF SCHOOL INTERACTION EXPERIENCES OF HISPANIC ELL STUDENTS IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Tricia Dawn Tice

Arkansas has one of the fastest-growing Latino populations in the country (Garcia Mont, 2015; Brown & Lopez, 2013). The Northwest Arkansas corridor has the largest concentration of Latinos to date due to the area being host to some of the largest companies in the United States (Garcia Mont, 2015; Brown & Lopez, 2013). Hispanic immigration into Arkansas has greatly increased since the late 1980s (Monroe, 1999). As a result of the area growth, public schools have seen tremendous increases in the …

The Challenges And Rewards Of Co-Chairing A Department: Lessons Learned From Leaders In The Middle, Laura Trujillo-Jenks, Gina Anderson

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Newly appointed Department Chairs are often on their own to learn “on the job” the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed. One way to mitigate the challenges of this high-stakes approach is to identify a second leader who can serve in the role of mentor, coach or Co-Chair alongside the new Chair. The Co-Chair may be a leader who has served as a Department Chair in the past and/or who is serving in another middle-management position such as a Chair from a different department, Director, or Associate Dean. During a time of tremendous change and uncertainty, the Co-Chair …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Teachers In Addressing The Social And Emotional Learning Needs Of Students, Justin Allen Whittenbarger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of teachers related to social and emotional learning (SEL) in a rural public school district in Tennessee. This study examined individual, explicit experiences of educators related to addressing the SEL needs of students. Bandura’s social cognitive theory primarily guided this study as it relates closely to the behavioral, personal, and environmental factors that all play a role in the way a teacher responds to professional learning. The data collection involved a qualifying survey, a questionnaire, interviews with participants (novice teachers and veteran teachers), and a focus group. Data …

An Examination Of Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Online, On-Demand Professional Development For West Virginia Educators, Anna Shreve

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This research investigated West Virginia teachers’ perceptions of online, on-demand professional development. The researcher used a mixed-methods, nonexperimental study that utilized a 16-item survey and a six-item follow-up survey to examine teacher perceptions. A convenience sample was used and was comprised of participants of the West Virginia Behavior/Mental Health Technical Assistance Center at Marshall University’s 2021 online, on-demand professional development, Keynotes for Key People. The purpose of the study was to determine if effectiveness characteristics of in-person professional development could be embodied by online, on-demand professional development. The premise of the study was that if the effectiveness characteristics of in-person …

How Principals Influence, Facilitate, And Support Instructional Coaching Programs, Nadine Y. Norris

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative, multicase study examined how principals perceived the role of instructional coaches and how they facilitated, influenced, and supported teachers’ professional learning through the instructional coaching program. Including the researcher as a participant, 16 participants from three suburban school districts—including district-level administrators, principals, instructional coaches, and teachers—engaged in semistructured interviews. This study was framed by Desimone’s core conceptual framework for professional development and Spillane’s distributed leadership model. Data analysis revealed principals viewed instructional coaches as their partners in instructional leadership and professional learning facilitators. Principals facilitated and influenced the instructional coaching program by empowering teachers, promoting collaboration, and establishing …

The Sadie Alexander Project: A Professional Development Mandate For Student Affairs Professionals, Lauren Sealy

West Chester University Master’s Theses

In this thesis, I address the lack of professional development and the absence of resources provided for student affairs professionals. By utilizing critical action research, I propose an intervention of creating a professional development mandate for all student affairs professionals called the Sadie Alexander Project. The Sadie Alexander Project uses holistic and collaborative division efforts with a focus on supporting and advocating for student affairs professionals. The proposed intervention also promotes continuous education initiatives for student affairs professionals and ensuring that institutions have up-to-date resources for students in need. I emphasize the importance of evaluating employee satisfaction and highlight the …

Exploring The Relationship Between Reported Instructional Leadership Behaviors And High-Quality Professional Development Factors, Shelby Lea Daeschner

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

With the reauthorization of the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a focus has been placed on the principal as an instructional leader to improve school culture and student achievement. Professional Development (PD) can improve teacher capacity and student outcomes through long-term, job-embedded, coherent, collaborative, and focused activities. This correlational study explored the relationship between principals’ reported behaviors and rankings of the importance of high-quality PD factors. Through a self-reported survey, elementary school principals across the United States were asked to report the frequency of instructional leader behaviors as measured via the Principal Instructional Management Scale (PIMRS) and rank the …

Identifying The Impact Of Online Toolkit Training On Paraprofessionals In Two Rural States, Kyle William Laughlin

Dissertations and Theses

The need for more paraprofessionals is growing due to the increasing number of students who are qualifying for specialized educational support. In addition, paraprofessionals have been called upon to provide support in the general education setting in schools. This research study was designed to determine the impact of online paraprofessional training on paraprofessionals’ knowledge and perceived knowledge around supporting students with disabilities. The paraprofessional toolkit was first developed by using survey data and feedback from districts and building administrators, special education and general education teachers, and paraprofessionals. This study helped identify what numerous content areas that resulted in paraprofessionals knowledge …