Education Commons^™

An Exploratory Study Of Teacher Empowerment And Technical Education In Kentucky, Lee Ann Wall

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of empowerment and principal use of power within career and technical education in Kentucky. The researcher posits that, with the continual process of educational reform, principals need to understand what empowers teachers to perform as additional expectations and responsibilities are being mandated.

The researcher used a mixed methods design to examine power bases that career and technical education teachers perceived were used by their principals to identify teachers’ perceived empowerment, as well as influencers and barriers. Data were collected with a survey and two open-ended questions from …

Investigating Post-Graduate Athletic Training Education Student Perceptions Following A Purposefully-Implemented Peer-Assisted Learning Pedagogy, Dana K. Bates

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate graduates’ perceptions of a purposefully-implemented Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) pedagogy in their undergraduate athletic training education and the impact of that experience in their first job post-graduation. This was the first research in athletic training education that investigated how PAL impacted the students once they were practicing as athletic trainers. Previous research had investigated prevalence, benefits and athletic training student preference for PAL, however, no research had researched its impact on the graduate. Through one-on-one phone interviews with thirteen 2010 and 2011 graduates the researched aimed to investigate through the graduates perceptions …

Authentic Assessment : An Approach To Enhance And Assess Students’ Learning, Sher Azim

Professional Development Centre, Chitral

This paper underscores the process of using Authentic Assessment (AA) not only as a tool to assess learning but also as an approach to enhance learning in a school in the context of Pakistan. Data was collected through classroom observations, conducting interviews, analyzing relevant documents and maintaining person reflective diary. Findings indicate that AA helped in enhancing students’ learning such as knowledge about the noise pollution, planning, developing interview questions, interviewing people, preparing posters, giving presentation and responding to audience question. The study also revealed that in AA the student’s role changed from a passive test taker to an active …

A Study Of Primary School Teachers’ Professional Development Programme : The Translation Of Theory Into Practice In Schools, Tajuddin, Mohammad Khan

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Professional development programmes are criticized for not meeting the practical needs of teachers and teachers are blamed for going to their comfort zones despite their participations in professional development programmes. This qualitative case study explored effectiveness of the program of primary education certificate course looking into participant teachers’ new knowledge, skills and attitude gained from the programme and the implementation of their new learning into their respective classrooms. Nine teachers and 27 students participated in the study. Data was collected through semi-structured and open-ended interviews, classroom observations, documents analysis and focused group discussions with students.

The study reports a shift …

Students’ Views Of Impact Of Textbooks On Their Achievements, Riaz Hussain

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The history of curricula and textbooks development in Pakistan has remained contentious particularly during Zia Ul Haq era (1977- 1988) and after. There have been quite a few reviews of the curricula and textbooks undertaken both by Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan and independent researchers. These reviews have mainly employed document/textbook analysis methods and few of them explored teachers or students’ views of curricula and textbooks. This paper argues that since teachers and students are the ultimate users and beneficiaries of textbooks so their views are worth exploring before suggesting or initiating any change process including curricula and textbooks …

The Value Based Professional Development For Teachers’ Attitude, Behavior And Enhanced Professionalism : A School Based Intervention Through A Whole School Improvement Program (Wsip), Khush Funer Murtaza, Abida Begum, Sharifullah Baig

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

This paper highlights the strategies and approaches employed to bring about positive changes in the attitude and behavior of the teachers and enhance their sense of professionalism in a girl’s high school of Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan. In addition to that, it illuminates the successes, challenges and the influence of these strategies and approaches on the overall school environment. These interventions were part of the one year long whole school improvement program(WSIP) exercised by PDCN in the academic year 2009-10 of the particular school. The strategies started with vision building, team building and task delegation, distributing the leadership and teacher empowerment, …

The Role Perceptions Of Deos In Pakistan : Toothless Tigers Or Selfless Servants?, Jan-E-Alam Khaki, Zubeda Bana, Mir Afzal Tajik, Qamar Safdar

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The study of educational leadership and management in Pakistan is relatively a new territory – a road less travelled. This is truer when it comes to the study of District Education Officials’ (DEOs) ways of managing education. These officials actually bridge the government higher functionaries and policies in terms of policy implementation, monitoring and supervision of the schools in their respective districts. These officials theoretically should exercise significant control over the functioning of schools in their jurisdiction. Though on paper they have heavy responsibilities but actually they have limited arena to exercise; their power due largely to complex web of …

Exploring The Current Practices And Perceptions Of Ecd Teachers For The Implementation Of High Scope Curricular Teaching Approach, Sultana Qamar, Arisha Qayyum, Seema Laasi, Dilshad Ashraf

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Early Childhood of human life is crucial in terms of holistic development of children. In this regard, the teachers of early years need to play a significant role in the teaching and learning process. Currently educators and teachers are using a number of curricular teaching approaches. High Scope is one of the mostly used curricular teaching approaches in the context of Gilgit Baltistan, of Pakistan.

The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions and practices of early childhood teachers to implement High Scope curricular teaching approach.

The findings suggest that prior training on curricular teaching approaches provided the …

Darya Dino K Daryan : Promoting A Optimistic Learning Milieu In The Primary School, Yasmin Sultana Memon, Sardar Khalid Mahmood

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Traditionally, girls in most government schools remain inactive in the classroom and are shy to speak and express their views. They have been given very few chances to be recognized or to participate actively in the classroom. This tendency seems to be changing in one girls’ primary school situated in an urban part of district. Most of the students belongs to the poor and lower middle class families. Few years ago, their school was in a poor physical and learning condition, but when the current head teacher was hired, she tackled the problems of the school’s including physical condition. As …

Assessing Impact Of Aga Khan Academy Mombasa’S (Aka, M) Outreach Programme On Students’ Learning Outcomes – An Example Of English Language Classrooms, Sadia Muzaffar Bhutta, Anthony Gioko

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

AKA, M has been offering professional development programmes to English teachers and headteachers as part of its outreach activities since 2009. The Academy invited AKU-IED to develop AKA, M capacity in the area of monitoring and evaluation with a specific focus on outreach programmes. In response to this invitation, a small scale study was carried out to pilot teachers’ and students’ assessment tools developed as part of the capacity building workshop held in Mombasa, Kenya. The evaluation study aimed to examine the impact of AKA, M outreach programmes on students’ (grades 4 to 6) learning outcomes in English language in …

A Journey Of Transformation : A Reflective Recount Of The Evolution Of Akes,P, Sadrudin Pardhan, Aien Shah, Samina Saad, Karim Panah, Mir Zaman, Khadija Khan

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This paper presents an overall picture of the evolution of the Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKES,P) over a century. Reaching out to the remotest areas of Pakistan, AKES,P, has been providing quality education for over a hundred years. The first school of AKES,P, was established in 1905 in Gwadar, Balochistan. Over a century later, AKES,P, now operates 179 schools and 5 hostels in Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Punjab and Sindh, mostly in rural areas. These represent very diverse schools, ranging from a rural school with less than 30 children to a large urban school with over 3000 children. AKES,P, places special …

Mother-Child Interaction And Emotional Development Of A Child : Exploring The Connections, Salima Moosa Sadruddin Sewani

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This study explores the perceptions of mothers (working and stay-at-home) about their role in the emotional development of their children in early years (4-6 years). It also explores the impeding factors in mother-child interaction during the emotional development in early years of the children. The qualitative design was used to explore the effects of stay-at-home and working mothers‟ interaction on their children‟s early year (focusing 4-6 years) emotional growth and development. Through a purposive sampling, four participants (two working and two stay-at-home mothers) were selected whose children were 4-6 years of age and were enrolled in Kindergarten I and II. …

Gender Equality And Social Cohesion : Reflection On The Experiences Of Strengthening Teacher Education In Pakistan, Dilshad Ashraf, Kausar Waqar

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Parental Perceptions Of School Quality : Contesting The Notion Of Quality, Dilshad Ashraf

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Knower’S Roles Of Autonomy For Knowledge Construction : A Case Of International Baccalaureate (Ib) Curriculum, Raheel Tajuddin Lakhani

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Building Capacity Of Teacher Educators To Implement Action Research : Feasibility Of A Local Model, Nahid Parween Anwar

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

In the area of in-service professional development programmes, action research is considered to be a tool for generating practical knowledge and bringing improvement in practices. Teacher could use action research as a process for professional learning, and to improve classroom practices, where students could be one of the beneficiaries. However, the task is challenging in a developing country like Pakistan, where the concept of classroom research is not well recognized. Therefore, responding to the demands of the changing world and knowing the significance of action research, AKU-IED had offered Action Research course to two cohort of participant under Strengthening Teacher …

Strengthening The Professional Development For Teachers At Uc-Trc Level – A Hub For Teachers Professional Development, Rakhshinda Meher

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Professional development is a continuous improvement process, on job training and support needed to improve teaching, it encompasses the processes that educators engage in to initially prepare themselves, continuously update themselves, and review and reflect on their own performance. The experiences suggest that continuing professional development is needed to reinforce learning and support educational change process. This paper encompass on strengthening the professional development for teachers at Union Council Tehsil Resource Center (UC-TRCs). Teacher Mentors, developed by AKU-IED, STEP Project initiated the Cluster-based Mentoring Programme (CBMP) and also providing teachers follow-up support through Schools visits. Teachers professionally support each other, …

Transforming Pedagogies In Early Childhood Education Through The Early Childhood Development Project, Balochistan, Almina Pardhan, Cassandra Fernandes Faria, Noor Bano, Nighat Fatima, Rehana Jaffer, Mumtaz Murani, Salima Rajput

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

The Concept And Perception Of Peace Education In Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan: A Comparative Case Study, Abida Begum

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

In the geographically remote culture and context of Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan, this study explores the perceptions and practices of peace education by two secondary school head teachers (one in a relatively urban area and another in a rural area), as well as three additional teachers from each school. A qualitative, interview-based research approach is employed. The concept of peace education is related by the interviewed teachers to the inculcation and development of positive thinking and positive attitude among students. This positivity is seen as instrumental for the holistic development of the children, and ultimately, for the cultivation of a peaceful …

Blaine It On Politics: The (Non-) Effect Of Anti-Aid Amendments On Private School Choice Programs In The U.S. States, Patrick J. Wolf, Richard D. Komer, Michael Q. Mcshane

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

James G. Blaine was a prominent American politician of the late 19th Century. Although Blaine was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for President in 1884, U.S. Secretary of State, Speaker of the House, and a Senator from Maine, his primary legacy was the enshrinement of "anti-aid" amendments in the constitutions of 39 U.S. states. These so-called "Blaine Amendments" were designed to prohibit government funds from supporting "sectarian" religious organizations such as schools and charities. In Blaine's day, "sectarian" was widely understood to be a euphemism for "Catholic". Nondenominationally Protestant organizations such as the public schools of the day were considered to …

When Rights, Incentives, And Institutions All Clash: The Case Of School Vouchers And Special Education In Milwaukee, Patrick J. Wolf, John F. Witte, David J. Fleming

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Two highly controversial issues in the field of K-12 education in the U.S. are special education and parental school choice. Those two policy concerns converge surrounding the question of what proportion of students in school voucher programs compared to public schools have education-related disabilities, and whether or not the two school sectors are properly classifying and serving students with special education needs. We might expect private voucher-receiving schools to serve fewer students with disabilities than local public school systems due to the legal framework and institutional incentives surrounding special education and private schools. Most federal disability laws do not apply …

A Study Of The Job Satisfaction Of Nebraska School Superintendents, Troy L. Unzicker

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of job satisfaction of superintendents in the state of Nebraska. The study investigated the relationship between levels of job satisfaction with gender, age, compensation, experience, degree attainment, and school size. This study replicated the work of Dr. Kenneth Nelson (1987) to determine the degree of job satisfaction for current superintendents working in the state of Nebraska.

This study answered the degree to that superintendents in Nebraska are satisfied with their jobs. The study also determined the areas which bring the greatest satisfaction to superintendents. These factors of satisfaction will help …

Induced Entry Into The Social Security Disability Program: Using Past Sga Changes As A Natural Experiment, Nicole Maestas, Kathleen J. Mullen, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

The number of American adults receiving benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program has increased dramatically over the past several decades. A proposed solution to rising program costs is to change program rules to encourage fully or partially recovered SSDI beneficiaries to return to work. One such option is a benefit offset policy, which would reduce SSDI benefits by $1 for every $2 of earned income. While a benefit offset could generate savings from increased labor supply and program exit among current beneficiaries, it could also generate unintended costs if the more generous work rules induce significant numbers …

The Lived Experiences Of Faculty Who Use Instructional Technology: A Phenomenological Study, Heath V. Tuttle

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative phenomenological study was designed to gain an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of university faculty who adopt technology for teaching and learning purposes and to determine if adoption affected the way a person taught, worked, and lived. A review of the literature found a gap in the understanding of the lived experiences of faculty who teach with technology, and this study was designed to help fill that gap.

Using a purposeful sampling method with a reputational technique, I targeted 20 faculty members who used technology to teach. The phenomenological method provided an understanding of their experiences as …

Alternate Pedagogy For Developing Transformational Leadership, Zubeda Bana

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

As the growing concern for educational reforms worldwide is on developing transformational leadership that is responsive to the needs of the local as well as the global contexts, teacher educators are still searching for pedagogies, which could help them to develop transformational leaders. This paper offers some scope to teacher educators to critically analyze current teaching learning pedagogies while preparing transformational leaders for the 21st Century. Utilizing the allegoric approach as an alternate pedagogy for developing transformational leadership, this paper deliberates upon the relevance and efficacy of the role of aesthetic tradition of learning in leadership development programmes. The paper …

Perceived Efficacy Of Beginning Teachers To Differentiate Instruction, Michelle K. Casey, Robert K. Gable

Teacher Education

A two-phase, sequential mixed-methods design was used to assess perceptions of teacher efficacy (10 item survey, alpha = .90) to differentiate instruction for N = 36 graduates from one MAT teacher preparation program. Research questions addressed levels of self-efficacy, perceptions of preparedness, teaching tenure, and number of certifications held. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and t-test procedures. A focus group with N = 10 purposively selected 2010 graduates and interviews with N = 2 graduates each from the 2008 and 2009 classes, and N = 2 faculty were conducted. No significant relationships were found for tenure and …

Authentic Assessment: An Instructional Tool To Enhance Students Learning, Sher Azim, Mohammad Khan

Professional Development Centre, Chitral

This paper underscores the process of using authentic assessment as a learning tool in a school the context of Pakistan. Data was collected through classroom observations, conducting interviews, analyzing relevant documents and maintaining person reflective diary. Findings indicate desirable changes in the perception as well as practices of teachers and students. Replacement of traditional paper-pencil test with authentic assessment resulted in active participation of teachers and students in teaching and learning process. Study finding also reveal considerable improvement in high order skills of the students. They were actively engaged in planning, collecting information and disseminating it to the community. Use …

Introducing Reflective Practice To Teachers In An English Medium Lower Secondary Private School In Chitral, Tajuddin Sharar

Professional Development Centre, Chitral

This paper reports insight from an action research conducted to introduce and improve the reflective practice among teachers working in a secondary private school in rural Pakistan. It was found that though very challenging to familiarize the teachers with the concept and practice of reflection, this concept is a power school based teacher learning model especially in a context where teachers have nominal exposure to in-service professional development. However, the low capacity of teachers in pedagogy, their traditional beliefs on professional development as well as the shortage of time are the factors hindering reflective practice. It is suggested that instead …

Comparison Of Academic Achievement, College Readiness, And Perception Between Students From Traditional High Schools And The Gatton Academy, Tim Gott

Dissertations

Secondary education in the United States has been evolving from the early days of Latin grammar schools to the present broad spectrum of high school structures. This study focuses on one of the latest types of high school models – specialized secondary schools. In particular, the intent of this study was to assess whether high ability students in one such program, the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, demonstrate between-group differences from their high ability peers in traditional high schools in the areas of academic achievement, college readiness, and perceptions on the high school experience.

To determine whether these differences …

Negotiating In School Districts When Times Are Tough, David Alan Dolph

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

When the economy is depressed, resources are limited, mandates are overwhelming, and the organizational climate in the district is souring, education leaders and teachers union officials often brace themselves for contentious negotiations. Poor economic conditions affect the district’s ability to offer raises, maintain current benefit levels, and provide adequate instructional programs, supplies, and equipment. Some districts are forced to cut staff positions to balance their budgets.

Amidst this turmoil in education and an already- heightened public awareness and concern about accountability and transparency, recent legislative attempts have attacked the rights of public workers to bargain collectively.