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Full-Text Articles in Education

Professional Development Needs Of Early Childhood Providers: A Focus Group Study, Cristin Caparotta May 2012

Professional Development Needs Of Early Childhood Providers: A Focus Group Study, Cristin Caparotta

Honors Scholar Theses

Research indicates that the quality of early childhood (EC) education and care influence child development. While the developmental and educational needs of young children are clear, the characteristics of quality programs are known, and school readiness goals are well articulated, the field lacks a coherent, coordinated approach to preservice training; additionally, the ongoing professional development (PD) needs and priorities of providers are not known. This occurs amidst significant changes in the structure, funding, teacher preparation, and program objectives for CT EC programs. This study employed focus groups to explore the extent to which EC providers feel prepared to address the …


Interactive Whiteboard Transition: A Case Study, Jason S Beach May 2012

Interactive Whiteboard Transition: A Case Study, Jason S Beach

Doctoral Dissertations

This case study examined the process teachers use when incorporating interactive whiteboards in the classroom and daily curriculum. Participants were drawn from a small group of three elementary and three high school teachers who received an interactive whiteboard, but no formal training. The school system purchased over 300 interactive whiteboards and was not able to adequately train all of the teachers before the beginning of the school year. Findings were compared to relevant models of andragogy, TPACK, and CBAM. The results indicate that a teacher’s prior technological ability aids in the implementation of new technologies in the classroom. The findings …


Opportunities Preschool Teachers Use To Offer High Quality Instruction: Investigating Experiences Of Professional Development, Hannah B. Mudrick Apr 2012

Opportunities Preschool Teachers Use To Offer High Quality Instruction: Investigating Experiences Of Professional Development, Hannah B. Mudrick

Master's Theses

This study identified the professional development opportunities Connecticut pre-kindergarten teachers found helpful for improving their teaching and how this information was related to their personal characteristics and their level of high quality instruction and supports for early literacy. Participants were 16 female teachers from eight different centers across central and eastern Connecticut. High quality instruction and supports for early literacy were assessed observationally, and teachers’ ideas about professional development and their personal characteristics were assessed through semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that although teachers did mention multiple different professional development opportunities, discussion was overwhelmingly identified as the most helpful opportunity. …


Team-Teaching Experiences Of A Mathematician And A Mathematics Teacher Educator: An Interpretative Phenomenological Case Study, Sarah K. Bleiler Apr 2012

Team-Teaching Experiences Of A Mathematician And A Mathematics Teacher Educator: An Interpretative Phenomenological Case Study, Sarah K. Bleiler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, experts and organizations involved in mathematics education have emphasized the importance of collaboration between mathematicians and mathematics teacher educators as a means of improving the professional preparation of mathematics teachers. While several such collaborative endeavors have been documented in the extant literature, most research reports have focused on the products, rather than the process, of collaboration. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological case study is to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of a mathematician and a mathematics teacher educator as they engaged in a team-teaching collaboration within the context of prospective secondary mathematics teacher preparation. …


Factors Influencing Teachers' Technology Self-Efficacy: A Case Study, Amy Farah Feb 2012

Factors Influencing Teachers' Technology Self-Efficacy: A Case Study, Amy Farah

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Factors influencing teachers` levels of technology self-efficacy were examined through a qualitative multi-site, multi-subject case study research design. An initial survey was administered to all full-time, certified teachers at three school sites in order to gauge teachers` current level of technology self-efficacy. From that population, purposive and systematic samplings were used to draw the participants for the case study. A group of nine teachers with varying levels of technology self-efficacy was interviewed and participated in one of three focus groups to better understand factors influencing their current level of self-efficacy. A document analysis was also performed of local school professional …


Portfolio: A Professional Development And Learning Tool For Teachers, Babar Khan, Salima Begum Jan 2012

Portfolio: A Professional Development And Learning Tool For Teachers, Babar Khan, Salima Begum

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

Professional development of teachers is considered a source to enhance teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. To meet this purpose teacher education institutions use a variety of ways for teachers’ development programs. Mostly these ways and strategies are used in short and long programs where teachers are provided opportunities to learn knowledge and skills outside classroom and schools. The purpose of these courses is to enhance the teachers’ capacity and improve students’ learning outcomes. However, most of these learning and strategies are limited to the training centers and teachers face challenges while implementing the learning in their respective schools. Teachers …