Education Commons^™

The Knowledge And Utilization Of Trauma-Informed Care By Educational And Mental Health Professionals Who Serve Children In A Texas City, Mashelle Ancell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand the knowledge and utilization of trauma-informed care by professionals serving children within schools, social service agencies, or child therapy in a middle-sized Texas city. Previous studies acknowledged the prevalence of trauma and the need for systemic trauma-informed care in communities. The theoretical framework used to guide this study was attachment theory due to the emphasis on securely attached relationships, which is consistent with trauma-informed care. Data collection methods included an online open-ended questionnaire and semistructured personal interviews. Data analysis was completed using reflexive thematic analysis to develop themes from participant …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Using Video Modeling On Increasing Positive Social Interaction In Academic Settings In Students With Learning Disabilities In Saudi Arabia, Ayman Abdullah Alamri, Ayman Abdullah Alamri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Video Modeling (VM) is a widely used intervention strategy to promote academic learning and positive social interactions in children with disabilities by watching a video clip modeled by a peer (peers) demonstrating the desired behavior. Limited research has been conducted on this topic to examine VM’s effectiveness on promoting positive social interactions in academic settings involving children with learning disabilities (LD). This study employed a single subject research design, specifically, a multiple baseline across participant design, to fill the void in the literature. The researcher invited three elementary students between 4^th to 6^th grade who met the inclusion …

Professional Ethics, Decision-Making, And Interdisciplinary Collaboration: An Exploration Of Teacher Preparation Programs And Practice, Brittany Mccreary

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first purpose of this research was to explore the prevalence, methods of instruction, and perceived value of professional ethics, ethical decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration in teacher preparation programs throughout the U.S. These factors were addressed using the Ethics Training and Curriculum Survey (ETCS). Participants for the ETCS included teacher educators (n = 977) from CAEP accredited preparation programs. Survey results suggest that professional ethics is widely addressed throughout CAEP accredited programs, but that instruction in ethical decision-making varies considerably. To connect these findings with practice, a second purpose of this study was to explore how educators make ethical …

Action To Awareness: Surfacing Dysconscious Racism Through Focused Professional Development, Dorry Altman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Utilizing critical race theory (Ladson-Billings and Tate, 1995) and King’s (1991) theory of dysconscious racism, this dissertation aims to explore the beliefs and actions of teachers operating within an inherently racist society. Teachers struggle with many disadvantages from inadequate funding to lacking support structures. Yet these teachers continue to work hard to support their students. One external disadvantage these teachers may face and not even be aware of is dysconscious racism. Through a qualitative pilot study of journals and discussions of two middle school English Language Arts teachers, this research intends to explore how intentional classroom changes to encourage and …

Deciphering Climate-Driven Changes In Planktonic Diatom Communities In Lake Superior, Amy Kireta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is affecting lake systems throughout the world, including Lake Superior, the world’s largest lake by surface area. Climate-driven physical changes in Lake Superior are well documented, but there is still substantial uncertainty of how recent biological changes are related to climate change. This research addresses these uncertainties using a variety of approaches to understand the effects of modern climate-driven changes on Lake Superior diatom communities. First, I developed models for environmental variables related to diatom abundance using 10 years of summer monitoring data. Second, I investigated changes in fossilized diatom relative abundances before, during, and after the Medieval …

Improving The Accuracy Of Middle School Students' Self-Assessment, Peer Assessment, And Mathematics Achievement., Elizabeth Popelka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the documented advantages of formative assessment (FA) strategies in elevating student achievement, much of the relevant research is dated and undermined by questionable design and inattention to K-12 settings. In order to fill these voids, this quantitative study tested the effect of a self- and peer-assessment-training instructional sequence, developed with recommendations from past research and employing explicitly described assessment measures and criteria, on middle school students’ assessment accuracy and subsequent mathematics achievement. The researcher hypothesized a correlation between measurable growth in assessment accuracy and gains in achievement, as well as a reciprocal effect of self- and peer-assessment ability. The …

African American Parents’ Perceptions Of Public School: African American Parents’ Involvement In Their Childrens’ Educations, Eric D. Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goals for public schools are to educate all students so that they may attend colleges and/or develop relevant job and citizenship skills. African American students enrolled in American public schools struggle to keep up academically, revealing a so called “achievement gap.” Consequently, many African American children are unable to realize their potential and participate as successful contributing citizens. This study examined how African American parents might engage in their children’s schooling and how schools might support this participation to better meet the needs of these students.

The segregation and racism historically practiced in public schools has led to negative …

Don’T Let Me Down: An Autoethnography Of An Urban Teacher, Jacqueline R. Arriaga

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students in urban schools who are negatively impacted need stability and continuity the most. However, at least half of new teachers leave their profession within five years. In order for this situation to change, support is needed for new teachers and encouragement is needed for experienced teachers.

The purpose of the study is to offer a first-hand description of factors that affect the profession of teaching and especially teachers who may be wondering how to stay in teaching for more than five years. Veteran teachers gain the opportunity to reflect, validate, and (probably) celebrate their own journey through this profession. …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Natural Storytelling Strategies Used At The Nantahala School., Nancy J. Reeder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study identifies what 8 teachers naturally do with storytelling at a K-12 school in western North Carolina. Through observations, interviews, field notes, document reviews, and artifact reviews, I used the constant comparison analysis method to discover themes from their formal and informal storytelling strategies. From these themes, I created a framework of 7 suggestions to enhance storytelling awareness. They are: sharing personal stories, developing voice control and body expression, connecting story to school culture, modeling well-developed stories with beginnings, middles, and ends, introducing stories with a pause, expressing the word "imagine" often during instruction, and finally, making …

An Exploration Of Common Domain Skills Necessary For Intraschool And Classroom Success, Phillip A. Hatch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study is on teachers' perceptions of those classroom skills and intraschool skills needed for success in schools currently engaged in the implementation of a model of school reform. An instrument was developed based on the skills identified by the Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (1992) and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (1989). Faculty in schools currently engaged with a model of reform responded to survey items based on two scenarios: one describing a classroom environment; the other describing an intraschool environment. Data were collected from 495 faculty members in 22 schools in …

Perceived Barriers To The Teaching Of Critical Thinking Skills By Nursing Faculty In Generic Bsn Programs In Tennessee, Renee C. Shell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teaching critical thinking is a national education goal. The ability to think critically is considered an essential skill of nursing graduates and is a necessary component of competent nursing practice. Therefore, nursing programs must address critical thinking for accreditation. The literature reports that teachers in all areas of education are having difficulties infusing critical thinking teaching strategies into their current teaching practices and critical thinking is lacking in new nursing graduates. This research study sought to identify barriers to the implementation of critical thinking teaching strategies as perceived by nursing faculty in generic, BSN programs in Tennessee. Data were collected …

A Qualitative Study Of A Team-Teaching Classroom And A Traditional One-Teacher Classroom In An Elementary School Setting, Johnny D. Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study describes two heterogeneously grouped second-grade classrooms during the 1998-99 school year. One class featured collaborative team teaching, and the second class was taught by a traditional single teacher. There were 33 regular education students and nine at-risk students in the team classroom and 14 regular education students and eight at-risk students in the one-teacher classroom. One hundred three interviews were conducted with 21 students in the team classroom and 18 students in the one-teacher classroom, with 13 parents, with three teachers, and with the school principal. The researcher observed the two classes 61 times from September to May. …

Staff Development Programs In Public Elementary Schools In Northeast Tennessee, Richard A. Mcinturf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to collect and report on the perceptions of elementary school teachers as to the quality of staff development programs being offered in schools and school systems throughout Northeast Tennessee. A second purpose was to study the relationship between certain school district characteristics and teacher perception scores related to the staff development programs. The National Staff Development Council's Self-Assessment and Planning Tool was used to collect data related to teacher perceptions. Mean scores were calculated and t-test analysis completed for each variable named in the study. Conclusions of the study are consistent with most findings …

Identifying Catalysts For Sustained Innovation Of Inclusion Teachers, Laura J. Switzer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher examined nine areas of support that can be of assistance to sustaining innovative methodology in four school systems in Upper East Tennessee. Five types of innovation were examined. This study looked at nine supports as well as years of involvement by the practicing educator. The research design was a comparative study with forty hypotheses used to test differences in perceived degree of assistance to commitment. Teachers were surveyed and asked to rate supports for sustained innovation. Teachers also rated actual and ideal involvement. The research questions were tested and statistically analyzed using t-test and analysis of variance. Significant …

The Nature, Scope, And Consequences Of Drug And Alcohol Use Of Students Enrolled At Three Southern Appalachian Community Colleges, Jewel D. Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the nature, scope, and consequences of drug and alcohol use by students enrolled at three southern Appalachian community colleges: Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) in Virginia, Northeast State Technical Community College (NSTCC) in Tennessee, and Southwestern Community College (SCC) in North Carolina. An additional purpose was to use this information to formulate recommendations for new and improved preventive substance-abuse programs. The design for this study was descriptive research. The Core Alcohol and Drug Survey (CORE) was selected as the appropriate instrument for use in this study. The 23-item questionnaire was designed …

Moral Purposes Of Successful Teachers, Richard H. Aubrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the moral purposes of successful teachers. Moral purpose was defined as the values and beliefs associated with serving society and serving individuals other than oneself Key informant interviews were conducted with the 18 finalists for Tennessee Teacher of the Year. Interviewees, were asked four basic questions: (1) Why did you choose teaching as a career? (2) How would you describe your moral purpose in teaching? (3) Has your moral purpose changed over time? (4) How would you describe the teacher's role in society? Data were analyzed qualitatively. Detailed profiles of each of …

A Study Of Faculty Development At Fourteen Community Colleges In The Tennessee Board Of Regents System, James C. Lefler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of and need for faculty development in the 14 community colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents System. The study examined the status of faculty development, importance of scholarship, perceived needs, preferred faculty development topics, and methods of instruction. A review of demographic characteristics was conducted to develop a profile of TBR community college faculty and to assess the relationship between these demographic variables and the need for and selection of faculty development topics. Data collection was conducted using the Faculty Development Questionnaire . A selective random sample was drawn …

A Qualitative Study Of Four University Teaching And Learning Centers: Activities, Funding, And Evaluation Of Professional Development For Faculty, Melba L. Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the activities, funding, accountability, and evaluation of selected teaching and learning centers relative to the professional development of faculty in four-year public institutions of higher education. Using a qualitative research design, in-depth interviews were conducted with directors of four teaching and learning centers. In accordance with the concept of purposeful sampling, the centers chosen for study were located in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The following research questions were investigated: (1) What is the primary mission or purpose of teaching and learning centers relative to faculty development? (2) What types of activities …

New Teacher Induction Programs In Tennessee: Formal, Informal, And Influential Practices, Peggy A. Goodson-Rochelle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher examined beginning teacher induction programs in large and small districts in Tennessee for the 1997-1998 school year. Types of induction, formal and informal, were examined. The study looked at the teacher attitudes of job satisfaction, job adjustment, and socialization into the profession of teaching. The research design included five questions with two hypotheses used for testing differences between teacher attitudes in large and small systems. Beginning first-year teachers were surveyed and asked to rate their induction program as to best practices. Teachers rated the occurrence of activities in seven areas and how supportive activities were in their roles …

High School Block Scheduling As A Stimulus: A Multiple-Site Case Study, William H. Phelps

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the processes that have been used for implementing the alternative scheduling plan of block scheduling in high schools. The study attempted to discover what professional development activities were used for the change, if teachers altered instruction, and what additional staff development was needed. The qualitative method of case study research was selected for the study. The investigator chose five public high schools, representing city and county systems and different professional development budgets and types of instructional support. Central office administrators who were responsible for the implementation of block scheduling, principals, and a …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Multiage Program At Kingsley Elementary School In Sullivan County, Tennessee, Sandra G. Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how teachers at Kingsley Elementary School feel about the multiage program now as compared to when the program was first implemented. There were 28 teachers and two administrators interviewed to determine their perceptions of the positive and negative influences of the multiage program. The purpose of the study is to reveal the success or failure of the multiage program at Kingsley Elementary School and to explore the process used by the school to implement the process. The approach to this study is qualitative and uses interview data from both former and current Kingsley staff. Five research questions …

Ideal And Actual Mentor Teacher Characteristics As Perceived By Second-Year And Non-Returning First-Year Public School North Carolina Teachers, Barbara D. Tipton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher examined non-returning first-year teachers and second year teachers who taught during the 1994-95 school year. The research design included five research questions with six null hypotheses testing for differences among second year teachers' perceptions and non-returning teachers' perceptions of their mentor teachers. After calculating ratings on desired and demonstrated scales by 464 subjects, criteria were ranked on mentor characteristics on 12 tasks. The extent to which each task was demonstrated during their first year's teaching experience was also calculated. Participants indicated that the ideal mentor would advocate for the novice and would demonstrate a sensitive approach in assisting. …

Block Scheduling: From Possibility To Reality?, Frederic M. Muse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines teacher practices and student learning as perceived by teachers within public high schools that have implemented block scheduling. Comparisons are made between the possibilities advanced by block scheduling advocates and the actual results as interpreted from the data gathered. Comparisons are made between teaching and learning with the traditional schedule and the manner in which it takes place with block scheduling. Open-ended questionnaires were developed for use with voluntary participants who had worked with traditional scheduling and now taught with some form of block scheduling. Participants recorded observations based solely upon personal perceptions of experiences with students …

Perceptions Of Year-Round Principals: The Effect Of Year-Round Education In Fulfilling The Recommendations Of The National Commission On Excellence In Education And Goals 2000, Sharon C. O'Dell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to answer research questions designed to determine principals' perceptions of the effect of year-round education (YRE) on students, teachers, and parents. These perceptions were then used to determine if YRE is fulfilling the recommendations of the National Commission on Excellence in Education and Goals 2000. There were 27 null hypotheses used to answer eight research questions that guided the study. Analysis of the data revealed that year-round principals perceive YRE as having a significantly positive impact on 25 variables in areas relating to educational opportunities/content, standards and expectations, time/flexibility and operational costs, teaching, and school/parent relations. Analysis …

Identifying Industrial Education And Training Needs: Developing A Community College Custom Program, Don H. Lovelace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined manufacturing firms' characteristics and environmental factors and their relationships to the perceived importance of basic workplace skills and the preferences of employers toward customized training partnerships with community colleges. Key individuals in the human resource departments responsible for planning and decision making of employing companies were surveyed. The Workplace Education Survey was used to collect data on the employers' perceptions about the importance of basic skills groups, about workplace-based customized training as the preferred means of delivering training in each of seven basic skills groups to their employees, and to determine their preferences for providers of the …

The Relationship Of Experience, Education, And Tennessee Career Ladder Status To Teachers' Perceptions Of Staff Development Needs In Block Scheduled Programs, Rita S. Mullins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem related to this study was to develop a clearer understanding of the staff development needs of high school classroom teachers implementing block scheduled programs. The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers' perceptions of staff development needs differed when teaching experience, education (highest degree earned), and Tennessee Career Ladder status were considered. Four levels of each independent variable were analyzed by six categories of perceptions, the dependent variables. The categories were: (a) Planning, (b) Knowledge, (c) Satisfaction with staff development, (d) Adult learning strategies, (e) Level of involvement, and (f) Impact on student testing and grades. …

The Relationship Between Personality Traits And Transformational Leadership Among North Carolina Elementary Public School Principals, Robert J. Mcgrattan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between personality traits as identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and transformational leadership as measured by The Nature of School Leadership. The subjects were 74 North Carolina public school elementary principals. The principals completed the MBTI. Principals also provided pertinent demographic information. Selected teachers in each school were asked to give their perception of the principal as a transformational leader by completing The Nature of School Leadership. Data were analyzed to look for significant relationships between personality and demographics as they related to transformational leadership. The analysis of demographic information yielded gender as a significant …

Teachers' Expressed Beliefs And Practices About Developmentally Appropriate Education Of Multi-Age And Single-Age Classrooms, Dale P. Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the expressed beliefs and practices about developmental education from early childhood teachers in Tennessee's First Educational District. A questionnaire measuring expressed beliefs and practices was administered to teachers (kindergarten through third grade) in public schools with both multi-age and single-age classrooms. The area of teaching specialization along with the number of years taught within the organization structure are paramount in the study. Teachers' expressed beliefs concerning the amount of outside influences with planning and implementing instruction are also noted. Educators were asked to respond to 36 likert-type items regarding their beliefs about …

Assessing Professional Development Needs Of Elementary Teachers Implementing Inclusion Of Children With Disabilities In General Education Classrooms, Patricia D. Burgess

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A descriptive study was conducted to identify authentic professional development needs of elementary teachers preparing, implementing, and maintaining inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classrooms in Northeast Tennessee. The purpose of this study was to contribute information of identified professional development needs of elementary teachers to current research on responsible inclusive education. Data were collected from 325 elementary teachers randomly assigned to the sample using a 65-item survey designed for this study. Three subsections of the survey, Assessing Professional Development Needs of Teachers Implementing Inclusion in Grades PreK-8, assessed the perceived needs of conditions, areas, and foundations …

Stages Of Implementation Of Block Scheduling: Perceptions Of School Climate In High Schools In The First Tennessee Regional District, Chele L. Dugger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A descriptive study was conducted to identify teachers' and principals' perceptions of school climate in four stages of a change to block scheduling: Initiation, the first year of Implementation, the second year of Implementation, and the third year of Implementation or Institutionalization. Data were collected from 442 teachers and principals in nine high schools in the First Tennessee Regional District in a stratified purposeful random sample using the Organizational Health Index (OHI), a 44-item survey, and a demographic information sheet. The survey has seven dimensions: Institutional Integrity, Initiating Structure, Consideration, Principal Influence, Resource Support, Morale, and Academic Support. These dimensions …