Education Commons^™

Edtpa As A Tool To Measure Teacher Readiness: A Case Study On First Year Teachers, Dr. Molly Zhou

Georgia Educational Researcher

Reference MS#1124

The case study intends to study edTPA as a measure for teacher readiness. The case study examined four first year teachers’ edTPA experience, performance, and their perspectives on edTPA as a tool to measure teacher readiness in light of their first year teaching experiences and TKES assessment results. Three research questions were used to guide the study: What were first year teachers’ edTPA experience and performance? What were first year teachers’ TKES assessment results? What were first year teachers’ perspectives on edTPA as a tool to measure teacher readiness? Four first year teachers in north GA participated in …

Stem Certification In Georgia’S Schools: A Causal Comparative Study Using The Georgia Student Growth Model, David E. Proudfoot, Ed.D., Michael Green, Ph.D., Jan W. Otter, Ph.D., David L. Cook, Ed.D.

Georgia Educational Researcher

The increase in demand for college and career ready students has driven the need for education reform to ensure K–12 schools can support student learning across all content areas and grade levels. A STEM Certification process was established by the Georgia Department of Education as part of an effort to reform public school STEM education. Additionally, an international STEM Certification procedure developed by AdvancED has been implemented in several Georgia schools. As a significant component of STEM certification guidelines, problem based learning has been incorporated to stimulate student interest in science, facilitate self-regulation, and increase pedagogical and content knowledge. As …

A Study On Science Achievement And Motivation Using Computer-Based Simulations Compared To Traditional Hands-On Manipulation, Stacey L. Hannel, Joshua Cuevas

Georgia Educational Researcher

This study was conducted to investigate whether or not computer-based simulations had a greater impact on science achievement compared to traditional hands-on methods for middle school students in an on-level science course. The study also sought to determine if either method had an impact on retention as well as motivation. The participants in the study were 6^th grade students attending a public middle school in suburban metro-Atlanta. A variety of statistical analyses were utilized to measure science achievement, retention, and motivation. Results indicated that there was no significant difference on science achievement between the traditional hands-on method and the …

Integrating Lego Robotics Into A 5th Grade Cross Curricular Unit To Promote The Development Of Narrative Writing Skills, Shelli L. Casler-Failing

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference (2017-2019)

This paper describes a unit designed to promote the development of narrative writing skills among 5^th grade students through the use of LEGO robotics. Over the course of four, two and one-half hour sessions (one day per week for four consecutive weeks), the students learned how to construct and program robots, write and present a proposal to complete a mission, and connected the learning to their personal experiences with Hurricane Irma. The students began the activity with prior knowledge of World War II and Hiroshima. After learning the basics of building and programming robots, they were presented with a …

Deepening Place Value Understanding In K-2 Through Explanation And Justification, Andria Disney, Heidi Eisenreich

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference (2017-2019)

This paper seeks to describe the importance of using the context of a candy shop and how focusing on discourse can deepen place value understanding in the base ten number system. Using the language of pieces (ones), rolls (tens), and boxes (hundreds) helps situate place value in a familiar context for K-2 students. Best practice in mathematics instruction is also addressed, including examining the progression of learning for place value concepts, using effective tools to support place value learning, and using explanation and justification to help students deepen their understanding of place value. The authors focus not only on content …

Integrating Lego Robotics Into A 5th Grade Cross Curricular Unit To Promote The Development Of Narrative Writing Skills, Shelli L. Casler-Failing

Department of Middle Grades and Secondary Education Faculty Publications

This paper describes a unit designed to promote the development of narrative writing skills among 5^th grade students through the use of LEGO robotics. Over the course of four, two and one-half hour sessions (one day per week for four consecutive weeks), the students learned how to construct and program robots, write and present a proposal to complete a mission, and connected the learning to their personal experiences with Hurricane Irma. The students began the activity with prior knowledge of World War II and Hiroshima. After learning the basics of building and programming robots, they were presented with a …

Alternative Seating And Students' Perceptions: Implications For The Learning Environment, Alicia Stapp

Georgia Educational Researcher

Expectations placed on educators to improve academic performance continue to increase across the United States. One reason for this rise in expectancy is the enactment of The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. Replacing the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2002, the ESSA mandates that “all students are taught to high academic standards” (ESSA, 2015). Subsequently, educators constantly seek best practices that foster effective learning environments. A component of the learning environment oftentimes excluded from research is the physical structure of a classroom, such as the type of seating in a classroom. Research suggests that students who …

Data Management Services Newsletter

Data Management Services Newsletter (2016-2018)

No abstract provided.

Library Annual Report, W. Bede Mitchell

Library Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

University Honors Program Newsletter, Honors Program, Georgia Southern University

Honors College Newsletters (2014-2019)

• Digging into the Collection
• Alumni Update: Alex Allmond Joins Ronald McDonald House Charities
• Balancing Student and Parent Life

A Georgia's School Districts Grades 3-5 Teachers' And Principals' Perceptions Regarding On-Line Georgia Milestones Testing, Doriastino Cheely Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Georgia Milestones, High stakes testing, On-line testing grades 3 – 5 teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of online Georgia Milestones testing on (a) curriculum, (b) teaching, (c) accountability, and (d) stress. Data were collected via survey. Sixty teachers and eight administrators completed the survey. Surveys were analyzed by school, administrator, and domain. Open-ended questions at the end of the survey were analyzed individually by question for teacher and administrator themes. Survey analyses found that teachers and administrators, in the curriculum domain, believed that on-line high-stakes testing led teachers to reassess beliefs about subject matter that is important to teach. The survey …

Examining The Collegiate Experiences Of African American Males With Same Race Mentors, Crystal L. Locke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African American males have a more meaningful college experience when they are mentored with people with whom they can culturally relate (Brown, 2013; Moore & Tolliver, 2010). Although studies indicate African American males who had same race mentors display higher self-efficacy (Stefon, 2011), improved graduation rates (U.S. Department of Education, 2017), and a more positive college experience (Chen, Ingram & Davis, 2014), additional research in this area is needed.

Using a phenomenological approach, this qualitative study sought to determine the impact having a same race mentor had on the collegiate experiences of five African American males who successfully graduated from …

Collegiate Recreation Participation And Student Retention, Progression, And Graduation, Gabriela Mccollum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between collegiate recreation participation and students’ retention, progression, and graduation (RPG) rates. This study employed a quantitative, ex post facto research design along with descriptive analyses of two research questions. Archival data were gathered for an incoming first-year cohort of 3,516 students at a research-intensive university in the Southeast United States. The present study found that participants within the cohort who were classified as high participation in collegiate recreation were more likely to be retained from the first to the second year. Evidence of this finding was presented with statistical …

"I'M Done!" Stories Of Veteran Teachers Driven Out Of The Profession, Jill L. Stassie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation inquiry builds upon the works of Nancy Hoffman (1977/2003), Madeleine Grumet (1981, 1988) and Dana Goldstein (2014) to examine the enduring effects of the feminization of teaching on the profession. My research question asks, “How do former teachers describe the emotional, social-political conditions that contributed to their exit of their teaching in public schools?” Utilizing narrative inquiry as the methodology, I interviewed four teachers who recently left the profession. I also collected archival data to provide the history and context of teaching.

This study provides a detailed account of what teachers face daily in their classrooms and schools …

Using School Choice To Connect To Mathematics Learning In A Statistics And Probability Course For K-8 Pre-Service Teachers, Ha Nguyen, Heidi Eisenreich

Georgia Educational Researcher

This pilot qualitative study explored K-8 pre-service teachers (PSTs)’ learning experience in a Statistics and Probability course and their ability to make connections between mathematics and their everyday lives when given opportunities to investigate mathematics through a social issue. Data from student surveys, assessments, and written reflections will be reported, analyzed, and discussed. The researchers also describe approaches and reflect upon experiences for PSTs while studying school choice voucher programs.

Introduction, Amanda Wall

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

This is the first issue of Becoming in a digital format. Middle level educators are invited to share best practices, research, and reviews in the journal. The three articles in this issue are based on presentations during the Georgia Professors of Middle Level Education Best Practices Session at the 2018 Georgia Middle School Association conference in Valdosta.

Getting Students To Think Critically And Visibly, Alanna Bowie

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

Students can sometimes find the classroom to be an uncomfortable environment; hence, it can be difficult to persuade them to voice their thinking in front of their peers. Students’ fear of accidentally recalling incorrect answers in a classroom setting may set a domino effect of instant ridicule from their classmates, which can consequentially inhibit many of them from participating in future classroom discourse. To reduce fears, educators should foster an environment of support that encourages students to think visibly and more critically. The purpose of this article is to explore the literature, which suggests an environment that promotes creative learning …

Honors @ Georgia Southern, University Honors Program Students And Staff, Georgia Southern University

Honors@Georgia Southern

• Bob Mikell and Darin Van Tassell
• Honors Students ‘Fight Dirty’
• Honors Travels to D.C.
• 2017-2018 Graduates

Using Cartoons To Make Connections And Enrich Mathematics, Janet St. Clair

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference (2017-2019)

The article discusses the integration of cartoons into a finite mathematics college course. However, cartoon integration is appropriate for any educational level STEM course. Students and the author used an online comic strip creator, MakeBeliefsComix.com, to create cartoons that connected concepts to the real world and history. Following Cho, Osborne, and Sanders (2015), students wrote a paragraph about their cartoon and its mathematics. In addition to connecting mathematics to art and writing and unearthing students’ creative side, cartoons helped show the humanistic side of mathematics and promote communication and excitement about mathematics. The author developed a rubric to evaluate students’ …

2018 Fall Commencement, Georgia Southern University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

A Multicultural Education Praxis: Integrating Past And Present, Living Theories, And Practice, Peggy A. Shannon-Baker

Department of Curriculum, Foundations, & Reading Faculty Publications

In our current climate of heightened conservatism and criticism, multicultural education is as important as ever. This article argues for the need to reframe multicultural education as a praxis based on its social justice- oriented principles, values, and practices. Using practitioner action research, I examine my implementation of such a praxis in a college course. I discuss critical reflections on demonstrating the interconnections between current and historical social movements, theory and lived experiences, and the students’ and my learning. I conclude by arguing that reframing multicultural education as a praxis could encourage more coalitions within and beyond schools.

Eagle Educator, Georgia Southern University

Eagle Educator (2012-2019)

• Changes in the College of Education
• Join Bruce Field ...
• Synovus Lends EAGLE Academy More Than Just Financial Assistance
• Institute hosts several opportunities for regional involvement
• School Psychology Program Receives NASP Approval
• Year-Long Field Placement Offers New Benefits To Student Teachers
• Educator Brings Federal-Level Training to Statesboro-Bulloch County Law Enforcement
• Faculty Awards, Honors and Promotions
• Fox Receives 2017 COE Staff Award
• Two COE Faculty Named University Excellence Award Recipients
• Four Faculty Members Recognized for Jack Miller Awards
• Georgia Southern and Synovus recognize educators during football season
• Cartee Honored as College of Education Alumna of the Year
• Student Veteran Finds Second …

Online Teaching Module: Council For The Accreditation Of Educator Preparation (Caep) Key Assessment Example, Stacie K. Pettit, Susan Edwards

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

The Augusta University Online Teaching Module is a key assessment administered once during one specified course in each educator preparation program. Augusta University teacher candidates are required to show proficiency in ISTE standards and CAEP standard 1.5. The online teaching model measures candidates’ ability to apply technology standards in order to design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning. In order to pass the Online Teaching Module, candidates must score 3 out of 4 possible points on at least five of the six indicators. If a candidate does not pass this assessment, goals will be created …

Encouraging Teacher Candidates To Cultivate Habits Of Reflection, Amanda Wall

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

The conceptual framework for the College of Education at Georgia Southern University is: Reflective Practitioners for a Diverse World. Three of the five Middle Level Teacher Preparation Standards from the Association of Middle Level Education (AMLE, 2012) also specify reflection as a habit. Standard 5 on Middle Level Professional Roles, for example, states: “Middle level teacher candidates understand, reflect on, and are successful in their unique roles as middle level professionals.” In order for teacher candidates to become reflective, they need multiple opportunities to engage in reflection.

Facilities Forum, Georgia Southern University Facilities Services

Facilities Forum Newsletter (2014-2019)

• Welcome Kathryn Harrison
• Congratulations Bryan Rountree, Director, Building Operations
• Congratulations Matthew Shingler, Director, Facilities Planning, Design, and Construction
• Topping out IAB
• Facilities Services Promotes Sustainability
• GSU Receives Award for Climate Leadership
• Eagles Help Beautify Their Campus
• EHS Participates in Benefits Fair
• DFS Employees at Work
• Lighting of Sweetheart Circle

Facilities Forum, Georgia Southern University Facilities Services

Facilities Forum Newsletter (2014-2019)

• Green Ribbon School Award Winner
• Warm Welcomes - New DFS Team Members
• Staff Spotlight
• Eagle Expansions
• "True Blue" Custodial Staff Members
• Holiday Helper Tree
• DFS Fall Potluck Picnic

Novice Teachers' Perception Of Mentoring And Teacher Retention, Alissa Sasser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Acclimating to the field of education, particularly during the first five years, is significantly challenging for novice teachers. In order to ease the transition into the field with the hopes of supporting retention, novice teachers are usually assigned a mentor. Typically, mentors are veteran teachers who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency as an educator and are assigned to the novice teacher in order to provide technical support in areas such as classroom management and lesson planning, as well to provide social and emotional support to novice teachers. An abundance of research exists to support the effectiveness of mentoring …

We Shall Not Be Moved: Finding Hope In The Stories Of Elementary School Teachers In Rural Georgia, Allison Beasley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many perceive education and teaching as hopeless, so why do some teachers stay in the profession? This dissertation is focused on the stories of veteran public elementary school teachers in rural Georgia who continue to teach in spite of the current seemingly hopeless state of education at the local, state and national level.

The theoretical framework of this inquiry builds upon a wide array of works such as the work of Freire (1994, 1998) and Fromm (2010) on critical hope, as well as, multiple theorists’ work on versions of hope (West, 2004; Giroux, 2013; Duncan-Andrade, 2009; Lear, 2006); the work …

The Formation And Promulgation Of Institutional Ethos By New University Presidents, Charles F. Ziglar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

New university presidents face many challenges when leading an institution, and it seems a daunting professional effort to prepare for the contextual problems they will face (Alexander, 2014; Siegel, 2011). Recent episodes dealing with presidential tensions at universities illustrate the difficult issues new presidents face when entering an institution. Birnbaum (1992) stated that new university presidents are most effective when they seek to offer an interpretation of institutional life using language, symbolism, and ritual. Research by Trachtenberg, Kauvar, and Bogue (2013) and Vyas (2013) noted that understanding the ethos of an institution is essential for effective presidential leadership. This research …

Carving My Own Bench By The Road: Examining The Seats Of Power For Black Women Educators Through Playwriting, Dawn C. Whipple

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In my dissertation inquiry, I explore the seats of power held by Black women educators in secondary education public schools in Georgia. Theoretically building upon such works as Black feminist thought (Hill Collins, 2000, e.g., hooks, 1981;), womanism (Walker, 2004; Phillips, 2006), critical race theory (Bell, 1992; Delgado, 1989), and engaged pedagogy (hooks, 1994), I create a play explore the oppression experienced by Black women educators who empower themselves for the benefit of students, in some cases abdicate their power, and in a few instances use their power to oppress others (Freire, 1970). The play is crafted based upon government …