The Manifestation Of Elementary Teachers’ Mathematical Identities: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study, Kyle Brun

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

In the most simplistic form, mathematical identities manifest in the statements, “I am good at math” or “I am not good at math”. Once established, individuals’ identities influence how they interact and approach mathematical problem-solving (Bishop, 2012; Boaler, 2013; Boaler & Selling, 2017). The purpose of this mixed-method explanatory sequential study is to explore a deeper understanding of how elementary teachers’ mathematical identities influence their beliefs about effective math instruction. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed-method design, a questionnaire was used for the initial quantitative analysis of teachers' mathematical identities. Analysis of survey submissions identified three unique mathematical identity profiles. Two …

Pennsylvania K-8 General Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of Preparedness For The Inclusion Of Students With Autism: A Mixed Methods Study, Erica Tate

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Abstract

This convergent mixed-methods study gathered insights from Pennsylvania kindergarten through eighth-grade general education teachers regarding their perceptions of preparedness for including students with autism. Utilizing Bandura's theory of self-efficacy (1962), which underscores the importance of continual opportunities for individuals to build confidence in their abilities, the study sought to understand teachers' viewpoints on their readiness for inclusion. To achieve educator insight, a combination of surveys and interviews was employed to understand better what preservice and in-service educators learned in their pre-professional and professional experiences. In the survey phase, (n=51) general educators responded to questions covering demographics, teacher education programming, …

Surviving Pandemic Practicum: Early Career Music Teachers' Perceived Self-Efficacy Following The Covid-19 Pandemic, Aubree Pacifico Windish

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This qualitative study examines early career music teachers’ perceived self-efficacy following teacher practicum during a global pandemic. I conducted focus group conversations with undergraduate music education alum (N=16) from Southeastern State University (SSU) at the end of 2023. Participants described the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their music teacher practicum and overall experiential learning at SSU. The focus group questions, and subsequent deductive coding of their answers, aligned with the four roles of Bandura’s (1977) Self-Efficacy Theory. Participants reported low perceived self-efficacy in their first year of in-service teaching, with variations based on the stages of the COVID-19 pandemic …

Equitable Funding For Trauma Informed Social Policy: A Critical Analysis Of The 2019-2020 Pennsylvania Department Of Education School Safety And Security Grant Program, Heather Bickley

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study is a critical analysis of the funding distribution of the 2019-2020 Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) School Safety and Security Grant (SSSG) to identify if there is evidence of inequity in the grant's funding distribution. It used a theoretical framework that includes a transformative paradigm with trauma informed social policy as a theoretical lens, with the conceptual lenses education debt and distributive justice, applied to a concurrent mixed methods design. The research followed a QuantCrit methodology, and the features of a critical policy analysis were used to present the findings.

The quantitative tests found several significant …

Innovating Education Through Design Thinking: A Case Study Of Problem-Solving Educators, Matthew Pimental

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study aimed to identify methodologies and practices that enable innovation to thrive in the public education system. Design thinking (DT) was selected for examination given its demonstrated ability to: (a) make people and teams more innovative , (b) change institutional cultures to be more creative and solution-oriented, and (c) create conditions necessary for innovation to thrive within established organizational structures. This intrinsic case study explored the experiences of a group of educators who used design thinking to innovate solutions to the intractable problems they faced. Participants in this study were teachers and administrators who received training in DT, and …

Trauma-Informed Educational Practices In The Middle School Classroom During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Loralynne Yost

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This collective case study used a mixed methods approach to examine how Trauma-Informed Educational Practices (TIEP) manifest in the middle school classroom. This study is important due to the trauma students experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teacher participants had district training in trauma-informed practices prior to this study.

Teacher participants took an initial survey to capture their conceptualization and perceived usage of the TIEP in the classroom. Teachers then used TIEP in their classrooms for two weeks. Teachers kept a checklist of which of the TIEP they used each day and commented on the context for the use of the …

More Than Just A Seat At The Table: Shared Governance For Graduate Student Mentorship, Katherine Canazzi

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Since its inception, public education in the United States has billed itself to the masses as an “equalizer” that “prepares the citizenry.” Although there are varying institutional types in higher education, Americans believe the myth that higher education is an extension of the same K-12 educational values. Despite higher education teaching the components of civic engagement separately, the skills are seldom combined for students to practice. Students do not learn how to transfer or combine these skills into their “real lives” outside of higher education. Since graduate students are electing to further their education, higher education has an increased responsibility …

Online Instructors’ Use Of The Cognitive Theory Of Multimedia Learning Design Principles: A Mixed Methods Investigation, Thomas C. Pantazes

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The growing use of digital video for online learning among US higher education instructors accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic raising questions about instructors’ knowledge of video creation principles (Bétrancourt & Benetos, 2018; Chorianopoulos, 2018; Kay, 2012; McCormack, 2020; Seaman, et al, 2018). This explanatory sequential mixed methods research describes the extent to which higher education instructors who create digital instructional video for online learning applied 11 multimedia design principles of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML). The case study triangulated self-reported survey data from 55 online instructors, interview data from five instructors with the highest implementation …

Restoring Self-Efficacy In Learning: A Critical Examination Of The Modern Test-Centric Educational Environment And Its Impact On The Psychology Of Underachieving Students, Scott Liacouras

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Throughout education in the U.S., students are many lessons. Most are designed to help them succeed on a slate of standardized tests that are claimed to measure and predict their ability and future success in the global market. This narrow view of the role of education in society creates an environment passing on many other messages to students. These messages, the hidden curriculum, has a significant impact on students beliefs in their ability to participate and thrive in learning, and so often it goes overlooked. This thesis will attempt to examine the effect of the hidden curriculum on one core …

Challenges And Successes Teachers Experience Educating Incarcerated Youth: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Morgan Crozier

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study explores the educators’ perspectives on their experiences providing academic services and supports to incarcerated youth placed in short-term juvenile detention centers and how they perceive success and challenges in this environment. The study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design while incorporating tools such as a questionnaire, interviews, and reflective journal activities to get a deeper understanding of the experiences educators encounter in this role. The questionnaire consisted of 38 questions designed to address the demographics of the teachers participating in the study, their teaching experience with incarcerated youth, professional development received, and the challenges and successes they …

The Importance Of Peer Engagement And Peer Support Groups On Persistence Of Online Law Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Larasz Moody

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

There is a lack of research on peer support and peer engagement in online graduate programs, particularly in online law schools where the research is practically non-existent. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to examine how important peer support is to first-year online law students. There is extensive research that posits the efficacy of peer support on online students in undergraduate programs (Tinto, 1975; Astin, 1984) but not enough attention is given to how peer support impacts adult online students with significant external and internal compounding factors (Kember, 1989; Rovai, 2003; Redmond, 2018). This mixed-methods study will help to …

Mindful Matters; The Efficacy Of An Eight-Week Mindfulness Intervention On Boarding School Teacher Burnout, Nicole Campbell

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Teacher burnout is a serious issue. Studies show that burnout decreases teacher instruction efficacy, increases absenteeism, interferes with student/teacher relationships, and causes attrition, which costs the system millions of dollars each year (Suh, 2015). While there is ample research on traditional teachers and burnout, boarding school teachers are a largely understudied population. These teachers educate students in residential school settings, housing students on evenings and weekends throughout the school year. Many boarding school teachers must work additional hours stretching into evenings and weekends and fulfill multiple roles beyond a classroom teacher. Therefore, most of these teachers work well beyond a …

A Mixed Methods Examination Of Elementary Teachers’ Conceptions Of Benchmark Reading Assessments, Marie N. Derby Ed. D.

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Abstract

This study examined the case of 22 mid-Atlantic K-5 public school teachers’ conceptions of the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Reading Assessment Systems 1-3. The Namaste School District delivers ELA curriculum through reader’s and writer’s workshop. Triangulated data showed that participants held varying conceptions of the F&P. Specifically, they shared similar conceptions regarding the importance of one-on-one time with students, the amount of time it takes to administer the assessment, and the subjectivity of the F&P results. Results of this study provided similar results to other studies of teachers’ conceptions of assessment and adds to the literature debate regarding …

Cultivating Teachers When The School Doors Are Shut: Two Teacher-Educators Reflect On Supervision, Instruction, Change And Opportunity During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Crystal C. Loose, Michael G. Ryan

Early & Middle Grades Education Faculty Publications

Seven weeks into our Spring 2020 semester, the Covid-19 pandemic was wreaking havoc on the world. The pandemic caused immediate shutdowns to schools and universities fundamentally changing how we plan for, teach, guide, and work with students. This paper explores how two first-year Assistant Professors navigated the challenges we faced and the learning opportunities we embraced while continuing our work as teacher educators amid a pandemic-induced shutdown. We employed collective self-study to examine our experiences while transitioning to remote learning with pre-service teachers using Moore's (2012, 1993, 1989) transactional distance theory as an analytical framework to review our work as …

Moments Of Reflection: A Phenomenological Study Of Preservice Teacher Reflection, Jane Ferris

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Transitioning from their training programs to their own classrooms, new teachers may feel a disconnect between what they learned and what they experience. To help with this transition and to promote teachers’ abilities to respond to the varying and unique needs of their students and schools, teacher training programs, beginning in the 1980s, have incorporated the use of reflective practice. Reflection provides teachers an opportunity to engage with their experiences in such a way that prereflective understandings, assumptions, biases, and beliefs may be identified. Reviewed literature suggests that teacher training programs do not clearly define and implement reflection instruction into …

The Impact Of Training And Development On Employees In The Northeast Region Of Florida State Government: An Evaluation Of The Northeast Region Professional Development Training Program, Sandy Beaumont

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Critical positions in state government are oftentimes understaffed. Researches have studied the factors that lead to staff shortage such as low salary, high caseloads, and a stressful environment. Therefore, it is challenging to keep those positions filled at maximum capacity. In state government, employees are the organization’s human capital requiring investment to retain a quality workforce. Investment of training and professional development in addition to training of normal work duties are vital to the endurance of employees. Government seeks for ways to improve its workforce and to obtain long-term quality employees without salaries and other financial incentives that are comparable …

Reframing Professional Learning To Analyze Teacher Practice And Promote System-Wide Change, Jennifer Smerecky

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The present study examined teachers’ perceptions of targeted professional learning experiences offered within their educational agency. This study focused on teachers' perceptions of the planning, delivery, and follow-up support from teacher professional learning sessions. The teacher participants shared their perceptions of professional learning, implementation of new strategies, barriers to implementation, and support needed from their administration in order to grow as educators. This focus of this study aims to reframe professional learning by forming cooperation between administrators and teachers within education organizations to reform professional learning opportunities. This study advocates for further development in the collaboration of a system-wide change …

I Don’T Really Work Here: Part-Time Faculty And The Adjunctification Of Higher Ed., Maggie Cawley

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This critical action research thesis will explore the 40-year rise of adjunctification, the term coined to describe the increased reliance on adjunct and contingent labor in institutions of higher education. This thesis will examine adjunctification’s detrimental effects on teaching in higher education as a profession, on adjuncts and contingent teachers, and on students. Institutional overreliance on adjunct faculty as cheap, ad hoc labor flies in the face of the role that education should play in society: to develop student potentiality and capacity for critical thought. I believe that the casualization of teaching and the subsequent rise of adjunctification preclude these …

New State Of Mind: A Living Learning Community For Out-Of-State Students, Molly Rorick

West Chester University Master’s Theses

The term out-of-state resonates with any person who does not permanently live in a particular state but has visited from across state lines multiple times. In this case it is in relation to students who have decided to pursue their education at an institution that is located in a different state. This thesis examines the lack of resources for OOS students living within the university's walls using the lens of transition theory. With the lack of resources, this creates a barrier between the student and their potential for their success. New State of Mind is a proposed intervention, which opens …

Deschooling Deficit Perspectives: An Exploration Of Culture And Place For Educators, Madison Dorschutz

West Chester University Master’s Theses

The purpose of this critical action research is to increase awareness of deficit perspectives that damages the academic outcomes of diverse students while offering approaches to address them. Theories of decolonialism, culturally responsive pedagogy, and place-based education will be discussed as they are able to pull back the raciallyinformed curtain of bias development. These theories come together in a 4-day series of workshops that seeks to inform educators of their damaging thinking in an effort to negate it before they enter their classrooms. Through reflection, cultural-perspective taking, and relationship building, educators can gain skills to acknowledge systems of oppression that …

Relationships Between Mathematics Teacher Preparation And Graduates' Analyses Of Classroom Teaching, James Hiebert, Emily Miller, Dawn Berk

Mathematics Faculty Publications

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate the relationships between mathematics teacher preparation and graduates’ analyses of classroom teaching. Fifty three graduates from an elementary teacher preparation program completed 4 video-based, analysis-of-teaching tasks in the semester before graduation and then in each of the 3 summers following graduation. Participants performed significantly better on the 3 tasks focused on mathematics topics studied in the program than on the task focused on a mathematics topic not studied in the program. After checking several alternative hypotheses, we conclude that a likely explanation for the performance differences is the mathematical knowledge for …

Breaking The Silence: Preservice Teachers Use Reflective Journals To Express Personal Experiences Related To Diversity, Katherine E. L. Norris

Early & Middle Grades Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Editorial: New Voices And . . . Familiar Voices, Jeff Sommers

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Editorial: The Complexities Of “College Success”, Jeff Sommers

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Editorial: A Horse Is A Horse, Of Course?, Jeff Sommers

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Integrating Service Learning Into A Course On Teaching English Language Learners And Looking At Preliminary Data, Sara Lamb Kistler, Cate Crosby

Early & Middle Grades Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Editorial: A Middle Ground, Jeff Sommers

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Emerging Questions: K–3 Teachers’ Reflections On Action Research Questions, Connie Dilucchio, Heather Leaman, Yvonne Eglinton, Lauren Candace Watson

Early & Middle Grades Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Teacher Research At The Middle Level: Strengthening The Essential Attributes Of Education For Young Adolescents, Connie Dilucchio, Heather Leaman, Kathleen Elicker, Denise Mathisen

Early & Middle Grades Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Editorial: Understanding Backwards, Looking Forwards, Jeff Sommers

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.