Education Commons^™

The Effects Of Authentic Assessment In Elementary School Science, Timothy L. Trow

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of authentic assessments on Bells Elementary School students' understanding of science concepts. In this study the Washington Township Public Schools' Elementary School Science Committee created open-ended authentic assessments to enhance the district's science curriculum. The subjects of the study were of various ethnic and economic backgrounds. They were heterogeneously grouped members of self-contained fourth grade classrooms. Surveys of the classroom teachers at Bells Elementary School found that the teachers believed their instruction had changed as a result of the new assessments. They also felt that students were better able to …

Implementing A Bully Prevention Program At The Sixth Grade Level, Janis E. Gansert

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine bully-victim behaviors and intervention strategies using case study research design in order to develop and implement a bully prevention program. Participants in this study were limited to students, parents, and teachers on one of three sixth grade teams. A program was presented including a survey for students to determine the level of bullying, questionnaires for students and teachers to evaluate program effectiveness, and interviews with teachers, the guidance counselor, and the assistant principal. Survey data was analyzed by tabulating responses and determining percentages of students experiencing bullying. Student questionnaire data was analyzed …

Enhancing Teacher Education Through The Use Of Technology, Tracey Reed

Theses and Dissertations

With the need for teachers in this decade well documented, state policymakers have directed much attention to programs aimed at retaining new teachers. States, school districts, and schools can ill afford to lose good teachers at a time when pressure to improve student achievement is increasing. Some states are using induction programs to help new teachers from both traditional and alternative preparation programs, make a successful transition to the classroom and stay in the profession.

The New Teacher mentoring program at Powell School offers support and guidance to new teachers through mentoring, workshops, additional training, and on-the-job assessments. The New …

Service Learning – Facilitating Academic Learning And Development Of Social Skills, Kathleen E. White

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a service learning project in raising the civic responsibility, social skills, and academic skills of special education students, while meeting the needs of homeless individuals living in Callalily County, New Jersey. Service learning provided an opportunity for student growth. Students learned to be dependable, solve problems, and learned cooperation and teamwork, while increasing their academic skills.

The study involved three classrooms of special education students: one elementary class of students with behavioral disabilities, one middle school class of students with behavioral disabilities, and one high school class of students …

Integrating The Ti-83 Plus Calculator Into The Classroom: A Workshop For Teachers, Jonathan Scott Strong

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of a technology workshop involving the TI-83 Plus graphing calculator on an existing math curriculum and on teaching methodology. The workshop was developed with three goals in mind: 1) to inform teachers of the many functions of the TI-83 Plus, 2) to inform the teachers of how it could be integrated into their classroom, and 3) to promote student-based classrooms instead of teacher-based classrooms.

The entire math department was used as a sample for this project. The intern administered surveys both before and after the workshop was implemented to see …

Measuring The Sense Of Community In A Magnet School, Marianne Dell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure covenantal climate within a magnet high school, and to determine if specific professional development (Project SPARC) enhanced staff commitment to the magnet school's focus. The Royal and Rossi Measures of Sense of Community were administered in the form of a questionnaire to all staff within the school both before and after Project SPARC was offered as a professional development program during the summer of 2001.

The questionnaires consisted of sixty-four statements requiring Likert-type responses. Data were grouped according to length of respondent membership on the staff of the school as well as …

Implementing A Teacher Mentor Program, Nan L. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to develop a mentor program for novice teachers that will ease the inevitable anxiety that occurs during the first year and increase the retention rate of new teachers to the profession and at Camden High School. The intern monitored this program as its coordinator and conducted mentor training through regular workshops.

Management decisions related to mentoring influenced the quality of instruction and learning of both mentors and novices. Camden High School transmitted the school culture to novice teachers in a well-developed program. Through interviews, surveys, classroom visitations, reflective journals, and personal contact with a …

Teacher Efficacy And Student Achievement Quantitative Research Study, Norma Jean Weatherly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of high teacher self-efficacy, both teaching and personal, had upon student achievement. First, the 7th grade academic math teachers at the XYZ Middle School were asked to complete the 30-item Teacher Efficacy Scale (Gibson 1983), in order to obtain both a teacher with high efficacy (teacher-A), and a teacher with low efficacy (teacher-B). Second, ten pairs of students (ten from both teacher-A and teacher-B) of equal caliber/academic ability (based upon their Stanford 9 math score, and average in math, for 6th grade) were chosen from the two academic math classes. …

Teacher Mentoring: The Needs Of First Year Teachers, Susan E. Barkowski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify the needs of the first year teachers in one public school district for the 2001-2002 school year. The intern distributed two surveys over the course of the study. The first survey was distributed in the beginning of the school year and the second survey at the end of January. The purpose of the surveys was to determine if the needs of the first year teachers changed over the course of the school year.

All of the first year teachers in the intern's school district were identified and sent a survey asking them …

Design A Discipline Code With Staff That Reflects Board Policy And Provides A Framework For The Change Of A School From K-5 To K-4, Margaret L. Haynes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an acceptable set of discipline guidelines developed by the teachers for the new K-4 structure to begin the next school year. The intern wanted to determine whether a discipline code created by the teachers as stakeholders was more acceptable to the staff because it helps to improve the learning environment. The committee was comprised of one teacher from each of the K-4 levels as well as a resource teacher. The intern served as facilitator. The principal was also invited to attend the meetings. This project took about seven months to complete. The …