Education Commons^™

Fourth Grade Writing Instruction: A Case Study Of Three Teachers In Title I Schools, Elsa M. Anderson, Lisa S. Dryden

Journal of Research Initiatives

The purpose of this study was to explore writing instruction provided to students in fourth grade classrooms of two Title I schools. The researchers observed the writing instruction and classroom procedures of three fourth grade teachers at these two Title I campuses. The following three research questions guided this study: (1) How do fourth grade writing teachers in two Title I schools in Texas approach the teaching of writing? (2) How does the challenge of standardized testing impact writing instruction? (3) How do these fourth grade teachers perceive their effectiveness as teachers of writing? Analysis of data led to the …

Journals In The Field Of Higher Education: A Racial Analysis, Donald Mitchell Jr., Jamillya Hardley, Darius Jordan, Michael Couch

Journal of Research Initiatives

Too often, scholarship regarding the concept of race in the United States is absent from top-tier journals across fields. Yet, at some institutions, faculty, including scholars who explore race, are required to publish in top-tier journals to secure tenure. This article highlights the extent to which journals—of all tiers—within the field of higher education publish articles explicitly highlighting race in the study. The authors used Bray and Major’s article, “Status of Journals in the Field of Higher Education” as the data source for the sample. Using a systematic approach, the authors surveyed journals in the field of higher education to …

University Professors’ Perceptions About The Impact Of Integrating Google Applications On Students’ Communication And Collaboration Skills, Jacqueline L. Cahill

Journal of Research Initiatives

A qualitative research study was conducted and data were collected by interviewing university professors on their perceptions about the impact of integrating Google Apps, as a means of classroom instructional delivery, on students’ communication and collaboration skills. The participants consisted of eight university professors from a major university, who integrate, or had previously integrated at least two Google Apps Education Edition collaborative tools into their instructional strategies. The result of this study has the potential to benefit universities that are debating on whether utilizing teaching collaborative technology skills, as an instruction tool, would engage students and enhance their communication skills. …

Making Our Work Public: Best Practices For Teachers Filming Their Classes In K-12 Settings, Daniele M. Vingelli

Journal of Research Initiatives

Filming in the classroom is becoming a more common practice in part because of the many advantages found in viewing and sharing videos of instruction. As filming classes and using instructional videos for professional development occurs more frequently, educators may want to adopt methods to increase the accessibility of videotaping. This paper identifies problems and offers possible solutions to teachers in K-12 settings who want to film their classes. It includes challenges that teachers can anticipate when engaging in the process of filming, as well as tips for how to manage these issues.

Leaders In Journalism Education: Administrators At Acejmc Accredited Programs And Non-Accredited Hbcu Programs Critique The Standards, Jerry Crawford

Journal of Research Initiatives

Administrators of journalism and mass communication units have had to make decisions on how they would lead their units into the future. For over 70 years, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) has been the agency that provided leadership in this endeavor. This study surveyed administrators of programs of accredited and also non-accredited journalism programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), asking them to critique and discuss their thoughts on the nine standards. Nearly unanimously the administrators agreed that accreditation, or as those not accredited stated, “best practices”, are essential. The study focused on …

My Personal Teaching Philosophy: A Commentary, Sonya Curry

Journal of Research Initiatives

Beyond striving to ensure that students learn the fundamental content of the courses, the objectives as any professor should be: (a) to foster critical thinking skills; (b) to facilitate the acquisition of lifelong learning skills; and (c) to prepare students to function as highly skilled and competent communicators across the scope of their career. Furthermore, my overall teaching philosophy is based on two principles, which are supported extensively in the literature, constructivist, and social cognitive theory.

The Influence Of Effective Leadership On Teaching And Learning, Catherine Barrett, Robert Breyer

Journal of Research Initiatives

Principals and educators are challenged with meeting the increased demands of teaching and learning, which becomes difficult in environments filled with negative undercurrents, such as poverty, teacher satisfaction, salary, and instruction. Administrators must instill passion in teachers and provide effective leadership to motivate teachers to engage and energize students. The primary focus of this study was to determine how modeling instructional strategies by principals influence teachers’ implementation of strategies that promote greater student engagement and learning. Sustaining teachers’ passion for teaching and providing educators with the motivation to engage students in lessons through effective leadership and modeling were addressed in …

Each One, Teach One: A Blackprint For Mentoring Postsecondary “Twice Exceptional” Student Scholars In “Search Of Education, Elevation And Knowledge”, Selena T. Rodgers, Tiffany Cudjoe

Journal of Research Initiatives

Through the prism of a faculty-student mentoring relationship, this article highlights best practices to gain insight into resources for “twice exceptional” student scholars. Practical application stands at a position of intersecting domains—changing the tapestry of scholarly service and undergraduate research mentoring, and as an Each One, Teach One black-print model for mentoring. The article concludes with recommendations for best practices for post secondary mentors, educators, and counselors invested in developing student scholars in Search of Education, Elevation, and Knowledge.

Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers’ Perceptions Of Using Web 2.0 Technology For Instruction And Achievement In A College Euclidean Geometry Course, Md Mokter Hossain, Robert Quinn

Journal of Research Initiatives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of pre-service mathematics teachers’ attitudes toward and perceived effectiveness of a blogging activity included as a regular component of a college Euclidean Geometry course. Descriptive statistics regarding participants’ attitudes toward and perceived effectiveness of the blogging activity were gathered using a researcher developed instrument. Additionally, an inferential statistical test was performed to determine if a relationship exists between pre-service teachers’ attitude toward the blogging activity and their performance in the course as measured by the eight in-class quizzes administered throughout the semester. Similarly, an inferential statistical test was performed to …

Special Educators Speak Out On Co-Teaching Knowledge And Skills, Cynthia Shamberger, Kendra Williamson-Henriques, Noran Moffett, Yolanda Brownlee-Williams

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study explored practices and attitudes of special educators from various states around the country regarding what they consider to be the most important elements for effective co-teaching. Results indicated that co-planning, communication skills, and shared instruction were the most critical factors in effective co-teaching. Professional development was found to be the most common way that participants gained co-teaching knowledge and skill. Future implications for research suggest that teacher preparation programs and districts use e-learning to support pre-service and in-service programs and initiatives related to co-teaching.

Future implications for research suggest that teacher preparation programs and districts use e-learning to …

Culturally Competent Common Core Practices: A Delphi Study, Katherine Sprott

Journal of Research Initiatives

Research has shown that standards and benchmarks lack guidance for diverse learners with regard to the lesson planning and practice. The Common Core Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, a national state-led crusade, seeks to safeguard rigorous grade level content to prepare all students for college and career readiness. This study identifies five Culturally Competent Common Core Practices that can provide anchors for informing the instructional process in culturally contextualized ways. The Delphi study shows that the educator’s self-awareness fosters the level of cognitive consciousness that facilitates effect interaction with diverse populations.

Creative Destruction Of Higher Education Institutions, Ronald Ben Johnson

Journal of Research Initiatives

Creative destruction is the phenomena of constant change through technological and/or process innovations in any given industry. Without strategy and commitment to continuous development, the process of constant change threatens any firm’s ability to establish and sustain competitive advantage over competition. Creative destruction can turn the biggest giants of today into tomorrow’s distant memories. Institutions of higher education cannot escape the tentacles of creative destruction as they are now witnessing their own industry rapidly changing. Some institutions of higher education have responded by strategically adapting while others have remained fiercely intransigent. Dr. Michael E. Porter’s five forces analysis provides …

Loving The Academy: Helping Educators Understand Characteristics Of Black College Students’ Romantic Relationships, Miriam Chitiga

Faculty Working Papers from the School of Education

The paper presents the results of a survey on the characteristics of black college students’ romantic relationships, including types of relationships, the reasons for beginning and ending relationships and the elements of successful relationships. The anonymous electronic survey was voluntarily completed and included questions that allowed for both qualitative and quantitative assessment. The findings of the study reveal that students, who may be involved in stable and committed relationships, begin relationships for emotional needs and romance but acknowledge that compatible personality traits are the key to successful relationships. They cite cheating, partner abuse, and control as major causes of break-ups. …