Education Commons^™

Funds Of Knowledge Of Arab Immigrant Families: An Examination Of The Perceptions Of High School Students, Parents, And Teachers, Hiba Kahil Elhajj

Wayne State University Dissertations

With the growing numbers of English learners in American schools, the Federal Government has mandated special services and programs to meet the needs of this population which increased research about the best strategies that would help close the gap between ELs and their peers. Nonetheless, the current education system still views ELs from a deficit lens which focuses on closing the gaps in students’ education instead of focusing on the assets that they have. Therefore, there is a specific need to bridge the home and school environments together so that teachers can build on the skills that students bring from …

The Impact Of Classroom Observations And Collaborative Feedback On Evaluation Of Teacher Performance, Based On The Danielson Framework For Teaching, Christine L. Hofer

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE IMPACT OF CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS AND COLLABORATIVE FEEDBACK ON EVALUATION OF TEACHER PERFORMANCE, BASED ON THE DANIELSON FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHING

by

CHRISTINE L. HOFER

December 2016

Advisor: Dr. Thomas Edwards

Major: Education

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Teacher evaluation systems in Michigan are undergoing major reforms driven by recent legislation at both the federal and state levels. Multiple teacher observations, as well as student achievement data, are now required to be a major indicator of teacher effectiveness for evaluative purposes. The reformed system is high-stakes, as employment decisions such as layoffs and termination rest squarely on evaluation results. Implementation has …

The Importance Of Maintaining A Heritage Language While Acquiring The Host Language, Anna L. Vallance

Honors College Theses

Few issues are as relevant to modern education as the topic of bilingual students. As the school-age population in the United States becomes increasingly diverse, teachers and other educational professionals need to know how they can best serve their English learners (students who speak a first language other than English). A common question that many educators grapple with is what role a student’s heritage language (native language) ought to play in the classroom. Specifically, how important is it that students maintain their heritage language? By critically reviewing the existing literature relating to the subject, this article strives to answer that …

Calculator Usage In Secondary Level Classrooms: The Ongoing Debate, Nicole Plummer

Honors College Theses

With technology becoming more prevalent every day, it is imperative that students gain enough experience with different technological tools in order to be successful in the “real-world”. This thesis will discuss the debate and overall support for an increased usage of calculators as tools in the secondary level classroom. When the idea of calculators in the classroom first came to life, many educators were very apprehensive and quite hesitant of this change. Unfortunately, more than 40 years later, there is still hesitation for their usage; and rightfully so. While there are plenty of advantages of calculator use in the classroom, …

How Students From Non-Dominant Cultures Perceive Their Social And Cultural Experiences In Relation To School Success, Margaret Cooley

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study explores the shared narratives of males who are African American, come from low-income families, struggled with school success, and may have been identified as needing specialized instructional services or having learning disabilities. This study includes three participants' narratives on the obstacles and supports they faced during their high school years and when transitioning beyond. It identifies shared themes of sports, reputation, and instruction, transitioning, and mentoring -- including the relationship between each and how it impacted their school success.

The development of these thematic elements are related to developing networks and resources related to culture values, identities, and …

Promoting Stem Literacy In 21st Century Education, Emily V. Martin

Honors College Theses

This research paper focuses on the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Literacy in American Education. Specifically, the research paper focuses on different strategies that can be used to incorporate literacy into the science and math classrooms. There are five different strategies presented for each content area and they were all suggested by a variety of Educational Journals. Along with literacy strategies, there is another part of the research paper that focuses on the importance of innovative experiences in the science and math classrooms that incorporate principles of engineering and technology. The importance of this is not only to …

Remembering Thespis: How Former Student Actors Value Their Experiences In High School Plays, Michael Edgar Butterworth

Wayne State University Dissertations

The high school play is an iconic pastime in many schools across the United States. Historically, educators, and scholars often characterize the school play as a performance of a script by an established playwright presented in a school in a manner that replicates the standards of professional theatre. Current scholars and educators discuss the school play as the latter part of a continuum that runs from informal dramatic play to formal presentation in front of an audience. Although scholarship in theatre education regularly discusses the school play as one of the most prevalent forms of theatre education, scholarly studies of …

A Phenomenological Study To Engage African-American Youth Voice In Deliberations Regarding Their Response To Schooling, Donna Michelle Coulter

Wayne State University Dissertations

To examine disparities in education, the researcher utilized a naturalistic approach to uncover how youth think, talk, and feel about their response to schooling. Findings are based on in-depth conversations with 12 inner city African-American kids enrolled in Urban, USA middle and high schools, rarely heard from in the scholarly literature. Students conveyed a belief system that schooling was the route to upward mobility, however, their responses to academic exercises seem to suggest an indifference. Primary findings suggest that students' (a) sense of safety and family tradition were key factors of student school selection; (b) understanding of how levels of …

Engagement, Capacity, And Continuity: A Study Of The Impact Of Participation In Alternative Pre-Student Teaching Placements, Jodie Lynn-Smant Rose

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

ENGAGEMENT, CAPACITY, AND CONTINUITY: A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATION IN ALTERNATIVE PRE-STUDENT TEACHING PLACEMENTS

by

JODIE ROSE

December, 2013

Advisor: Dr. Thomas Edwards

Major: Education Curriculum and Design

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The training and preparation of prospective teachers includes an important phase where the future teachers begin to make a transition from learner to teacher. During this time, prospective teachers begin to utilize the knowledge they have gained through coursework and life experience to begin teaching students of their own. During this time, assignments and activities that prospective teachers undergo become less about conveying personal knowledge …