Education Commons^™

Changing Minds And Changing Practice: Barriers And Facilitators To The Use Of Methods Associated With Popular Musicianship, And Strategies Music Teachers Use To Navigate Them, Rhiannon Simpson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to identify factors which impede or facilitate teacher initiated changes to practice, and the ways in which these factors were strategically navigated by secondary school music educators employing methods associated with popular music education [PME] and/or informal music pedagogy [IMP]. The research was framed using a theoretical framework informed by Bourdieu’s (2000) concept of ‘hysteresis’ and Schmidt’s (2020) concept of ‘policy knowhow’. This served to highlight the dialectic relationship between the beliefs, values, agency and dispositions of individuals, and the presence of complex policy networks across macro, meso, and micro levels.

The research utilised …

Hiring Criteria And Employability Of Esl/Efl Instructors In The Tesol Job Market In Canada And The United Arab Emirates, Shaden S. Attia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study investigated the hiring criteria and employability of ESL/EFL instructors in Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in higher education. It also explored challenges facing instructors and program administrators in today’s global TESOL job market, and how they both tackled these challenges. The study drew on intersectionality and Critical Race Theory and a qualitative methodological approach to answer the research questions. The research methods included an online questionnaire, analyses of online job advertisements and instructors’ journal reflections, and interviews with instructors and program administrators.

The findings indicate that educational qualifications, and teaching experience and certification constituted the primary …

Factors That Contribute To Teachers' Self-Efficacy For Inclusive Teaching: :A Thematic Analysis, Evan Charles

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Having a strong sense of self-efficacy for teaching has been shown to be associated with numerous positive benefits for both teachers and the students that they teach. As such, researchers have been interested in identifying factors and experiences that contribute to a strong sense of self-efficacy for teaching. However, very few studies have investigated these factors qualitatively and even fewer have compared the experiences of pre-service and early career teachers. This study examines the life experiences of pre-service and early career teachers, and how these experiences contribute to their self-efficacy for teaching within inclusive classrooms. Forty-nine pre-service and 86 early …

Moments Of Meeting: 'Intersubjective Encounters' And ‘Emancipatory’ Experiences Of Individuals With (Intellectual) Disabilities In Inclusive Musical Contexts, Caroline Blumer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to explore an intersubjective framework to better understand the relational aspects of two inclusive musical programs in London, ON. I focused on mutual recognition moments, called moments of meeting (MoM), researching how they are formed and manifested while music is shared, created, or experienced within these two environments. Approaching such programs as potentially intersubjective spaces, this study investigated the impact of MoM and intersubjective experiences on the participation of individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) in music making as well as on their perceptions of themselves as subjects. Equally significant, this study looked at emerging …

English Literacy Curricula In A Sino-Canadian Transnational Education Program: Teachers’ Implemented Curriculum, Rong Hai

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This case study explored the English literacy curricula in a Sino-Canadian Transnational Education Program that is accredited by British Columbia (BC). Underpinned by nested pedagogical orientations and critical multimodal literacies, this study focuses on how the BC English literacy curricula were implemented in three English literacy teachers’ classes. Data show that two pedagogical orientations (i.e., transmission and social constructivist) were used by English literacy teachers in the transnational education program. This study also found little evidence of transformative pedagogy in all three teachers’ English literacy teaching. The implications include missed opportunities to engage students to critically analyze and evaluate the …

The Implementation Of Tes: A Case Study, Ahlam Ayoub

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including Palestine, the current teaching reforming trend towards international accountability, standards adoption and borrowing for presumed “best practice” in teacher education (development and teaching is grounded by economic globalization. The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has been committed towards attaining such a movement and objectives. Within the aim of qualifying teachers, a number of substantial policies have been launched, including the most important initiation of the national “Teacher Education Strategy” (TES). This study analyzes TES implementation process for reforming teacher education, particularly the rationality, dynamism, and complexity of …

Identifying Instructional Design Strategies In Differentiated Instruction In China: A Systematic Review, Haizhi Fu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Differentiated instruction (DI) is defined as an approach that allows teachers to strategically and proactively plan and vary curriculum design and delivery to address students’ individual needs and to create meaningful student experiences. Since China’s New Curriculum Reform in 2001, DI has been extensively employed to motivate teachers to be curriculum developers and researcher practitioners. Teachers were encouraged to develop a diverse curriculum by connecting students’ and teachers’ life experiences and prior knowledge to the course content. Despite this popularity, the DI practice has been met with great difficulties and challenges in China, and few studies have identified instructional design …

Evaluating The Impact Of A Mental Health Literacy Course On Pre-Service Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Attitudes Toward Trauma-Informed Care, Classroom Management, And Relationship Building, Samir Boulazreg

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Youth mental health distress has increased in recent years, creating a sense of urgency among teachers regarding preparation, knowledge, and a need for education. To address this need, this program evaluation study evaluated a 12-week mental health literacy course offered as part of a mandatory curriculum at a large Canadian university’s Faculty of Education. The goals of the course include amplifying preservice teachers’ sense of school mental health awareness, confidence, and relationship building through a trauma and violence and culturally informed approach. Results indicate that incorporating a mental health informed curriculum can positively influence perceived self-efficacy in providing mental health …

The Development, Short-Term Efficacy, And Pilot Implementation Of An E-Learning Course In Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviour For Pre-Service Early Childhood Educators, Brianne Bruijns

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overarching purpose of this dissertation was to develop an e-Learning course in physical activity and sedentary behaviour and test its short-term efficacy and implementation among pre- and in-service early childhood educators (ECEs). The Delphi approach was adopted for Study 1, wherein a panel of international experts in physical activity and sedentary behaviour suggested topics for the course and, together with a panel of ECE experts, rated their importance. Study 2 employed a pre-post design to explore the changes in pre- and in-service ECEs’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour-related knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioural intention, and perceived behavioural control following course completion. …

Teacher Professionalism, Embodiment, And Surveillance: An Autoethnographic Study, Melanie Cloutier-Bordeleau

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This autoethnographic study entails using my own situated knowledge and experience as a white bisexual secondary school teacher from a low socioeconomic background as a basis for data generation and analysis. Attention is given to examining the current enforcement of specific norms governing behavioural and physical conduct, and the role these norms play in constructing and reinforcing hierarchical structures of identity related to race, gender, socioeconomic status and sexuality. The main question the study explores is: How does the performativity and performance of educator “professionalism” contribute to constructing/reinforcing hierarchies of identity with respect to gender, sexuality, social class and race? …

Muslim Girls' Experiences With Islamophobia, Sexism, And Anti-Black Racism In Ontario Secondary Schools: A Case Study, Sarah Halabi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This qualitative case-study explored the experiences of 20 Muslim girls who attended public secondary schools in Ontario, Canada. The main objective of this research was to understand how Muslim girls’ intersecting identities shaped their school, family, and community experiences. Drawing on anti-racist and postcolonial feminism, this study builds upon existing research conducted on Muslim girls by exploring how other categories of social difference, in addition to gender and religion, converge and influence their educational experiences.

The findings from this study uncovered the impact of racial diversity in Muslim girls’ school and community experiences. Namely, anti-Black racism was central to some …

Ontario High School Science Word List (Ohswl), Mohamed Mahfouz

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This research aims to explain the development of an Ontario High School Science Corpus and subsequently an Ontario High School Science Word List (OHSWL). The OHSWL is a list of the most frequent technical words in the Ontario high school science curriculum. The science corpus was compiled from Ontario science textbooks and public written lecture material. A total of 803 lemmas were identified as part of the OHSWL. The coverage of the OHSWL in the science corpus vs non-science corpus is 7.79% and 1.52% respectively. The high frequency vocabulary (top 3,000 words) of the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) …

Caring For Teachers: Exploring Pre-Service Teacher Well-Being, Self-Efficacy, And Vicarious Trauma, Bernadette Yeo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Teachers play an integral role in the lives and development of the students they teach. Many students are exposed to trauma and can experience mental health problems that can show up in the classroom context, making the school a natural environment for detection and response of these concerns. Unfortunately, the lack of appropriate teacher education on supporting students of diverse mental health needs can leave them feeling helpless and ill-equipped. In this current study, 236 teacher candidates enrolled in an online mental health course completed a survey examining their self-efficacy, well-being, and vicarious trauma. Correlation results indicated significant associations between …

Exploring Effectiveness Of Implementation Of The Mindup Program Through Implementor Perspectives, Maria Jelic

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Developing feasible universal school-based programs that help children develop social and emotional competencies is crucial for the development of improved mental health in children, especially those who have been exposed to trauma. Educators need to be motivated to implement such programs with high quality so that intended outcomes are more likely to occur, but a variety of both internal and external factors can affect implementation. The present study explores these factors by inviting the perceptions of implementers and support staff who were involved in an SEL program called MindUP. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants, the interviews were transcribed …

Digital Literacies And Competencies: Examining Teacher Candidates’ Achievement, Engagement, Attitudes, And Personalized Learning In Technology Enhanced Environments, Stefano Vacca

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Teachers and students are increasingly operating in classrooms where the presence of digital technology impacts both parties across numerous facets related to teaching and learning. In an attempt to comprehend this dynamic, the current research aimed to understand the relationship from the perspective of the educator, acknowledging that today’s teachers are tasked with guiding students to become global, 21st century citizens who are capable of appropriately engaging with the opportunities and challenges put forth by digital technology. Therefore, this research aimed to examine teacher candidates’ (TCs’) a) attitudes towards digital technology, b) ability to manifest personalized learning experiences, and c) …

Becoming A Cosmopolitan Teacher: Empirical And Theoretical Inquires, James S. Budrow

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The contemporary conditions of the world are largely defined by global interconnectivity, heightened mobilities and super-diversity. Teachers and students are increasingly immersed in these conditions that prompt the heightened calls for internationalization of curricula and culturally relevant and inclusive school pedagogies. Teachers are also mobile, taking on positions beyond their local educational jurisdiction, where they must learn to navigate the intercultural and/or transnational conditions of unfamiliar locales and school communities. In turn, teacher education must respond by preparing teachers for both the super-diversity they may encounter in ‘local’ schools as well as for teaching ‘beyond their local.’ To better understand …

Exploring Elementary School Principals’ Perceptions Of Implementing Lighter Intensity Classroom-Based Physical Activity Following The "Step" Section Of The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines For Children And Youth, Madison Page

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Given evidence surrounding the benefits of light-intensity physical activity (LPA) and the amount of time that Canadian children spend at school, the aim of this study was to explore elementary school principals’ perceptions of implementing lighter intensity classroom-based physical activity (CBPA) outlined in the "Step" section of the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines. Implementation science suggests that elucidating stakeholder perceptions is an important step in promoting uptake. Principals (n=8) participated in semi-structured interviews to discuss perceptions around implementing CBPA as LPA in their schools. Data was analyzed using a thematic analysis. All principals were unaware of the Movement …

"Over The Years I'Ve Come To Realize That Every Student Has The Right To Learn": An Exploration Of The Experiences That Influence Beginning Teachers' Beliefs About Diverse Learners And Inclusive Education, Jessica Delorey

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The current study explored the experiences that influence beginning teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning in diverse classrooms. Teachers’ beliefs inform their instructional practice, which in turn has direct bearing on their students’ success. Interview data was collected as part of a larger study by the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education. Fifteen pre-service teachers and 13 new teachers sorted the data using Trochim’s (1989) group concept mapping method to identify themes. Pre-service teachers identified four distinct themes: (a) education, (b) practicum/collaboration, (c) work experience, and (d) personal experience with diversity. New teachers identified eight distinct themes: (a) education/training, (b) …

Project-Based Learning (Pbl) In Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics (Stem): Perspectives Of Students With Special Education Needs (Sens), Kayla Lambie

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This study analyzes the engagement of students with SENs when a STEM Project Based Learning ( STEM PBL) method of teaching was implemented. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected to ascertain students’ and the teacher’s perspectives of STEM subjects, understanding and engagement in a STEM PBL approach, and changes in STEM skills. The results revealed that students had improved perceptions of some STEM subjects after the study. Results also showed that students were academically successful, engaged, and enjoyed the STEM PBL environment. Some STEM skills, both the teacher and students, improved throughout the study. The teacher showed improvements in some …

Mental Health Literacy And Initial Teacher Education: A Program Evaluation, Jasprit K. Pandori-Chuckal

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Utilizing a program evaluation framework, this study explored the effectiveness of a 10-week, mandatory, online mental health literacy course for 275 teacher candidates in a large central Canadian faculty of education. Shifts in teacher candidates’ mental health literacy (using the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire; Rodger Johnson, & Weston, 2017), attitudes toward mental health (Opening Minds Scale; Modgill, Patten, Knaak, & Szeto, 2014), and two types of coping skills, seeking social support and self-control (Ways of Coping Scale; Folkman & Lazarus, 1985), were examined. The findings indicated that the course demonstrated efficacy in positively shifting teaching candidates’ mental health knowledge, stigma …

Music Education In A Liquid Social World: The Nuances Of Teaching With Students Of Immigrant And Refugee Backgrounds, Gabriela Ocádiz Velázquez

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This integrated-article dissertation explores the multiple ways in which music teachers, community facilitators, and students engage in music teaching and learning in social contexts prone to change due to human mobility. Drawing upon Bauman’s sociological understanding of modern societies as liquid and the larger implications of processes of human mobility in schools and communities, this research focuses on exploring music education as it happens within an increasingly diversifying Canadian society.

In the first article, a philosophical research study, I conceptualize the notion of coping with discomfort as a form of response possibly experienced by music teachers. Here, I draw from …

The Experiential Learning Connections Between University And Community: Recent Ontario Experience, Emmanuel Asafo-Adjei

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Experiential Learning (EL), including a range of pedagogical approaches such as co-ops and community service learning, connect the university and its external community. Universities are considering such approaches to meet a number of needs and priorities both on and off-campus. As it unfolds rapidly at the present time, EL becomes the connection between the university and the community beyond its gates, both locally and more extensively. However, university-community or so-called town-gown (TG) connections traditionally focus on research and/or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This thesis focuses on the teaching and learning connections, especially in Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences …

Teacher Professional Learning In Multiliteracies Pedagogy: Exploring The Lived Curriculum Of Preservice And In-Service Educators, Joelle Nagle

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this exploratory case study is to examine the lived curriculum (Aoki, 1993) of preservice teachers enrolled in a Bachelor of Education language arts course and in-service teachers enrolled in an online graduate program, both with a focus on multiliteracies pedagogy. Through this study, the rationale is to understand how these formal professional learning experiences shape teachers’ perceptions of their literacy pedagogy. Specifically, the aim is to gain insight into how to promote multiliteracies pedagogy in preservice and in-service professional learning. This dissertation research builds upon two qualitative exploratory case studies (Stake, 2010; Yin, 2012) rooted in a …

Promoting Mentally Healthy Classrooms: Evaluation Of Online Mental Health Literacy Instruction In Pre-Service Teacher Education, E. Robyn Masters

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

To better understand how to prepare large numbers of pre-service teachers for their role in creating and leading mentally healthy classrooms, this program evaluation explores outcomes related to an online mental health literacy course at a large central Canadian university. The course was delivered to 275 teacher education students simultaneously over 10-weeks and 20-hours of online instruction and professional reflection. Results indicated significant improvement in self-reported levels of mental health literacy, stigma toward mental illness, and self-efficacy for teaching students with diverse challenges. Qualitative reviews of participant feedback identified the most valuable aspects of the course and the ways in …

Cognitive, Neural, And Educational Contributions To Mathematics Performance: A Closer Look At The Roles Of Numerical And Spatial Skills, Zachary C.K. Hawes

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The principal aims of this thesis were to (1) provide new insights into the cognitive and neural associations between spatial and mathematical abilities, and (2) translate and apply findings from the field of numerical cognition to the teaching and learning of early mathematics.

Study 1 investigated the structure and interrelations amongst cognitive constructs related to numerical, spatial, and executive function (EF) skills and mathematics achievement in 4- to 11-year old children (N=316). Results revealed evidence of highly related, yet separable, cognitive constructs. Together, numerical, spatial, and EF skills explained 84% of the variance in mathematics achievement (controlling for chronological age). …

Inclusion And Policy Enactment In Teacher Education: A Focus On Pre-Service Teacher Preparation For The Inclusive Classroom, Ayman Massouti

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Preparing pre-service teachers to enact inclusive teaching practices in the inclusive classroom has become a concern for national and international educational organizations. Adding to these concerns, research on inclusive educati­on policy enactment in teacher education programs, particularly in a continuously growing and recognized diverse society such as Ontario, Canada, is scarce. In order to provide insight to address these issues, this study aimed to examine the enactment of the policy document titled Equity and Inclusive Education in Ontario Schools: Guidelines for Policy Development and Implementation (OME, 2014) in one Ontario teacher education program. In particular, the study focused on exploring …

A Critical Narrative Inquiry Of English Teachers’ Experiences Of Enacting A Pedagogy Of Multiliteracies In China, Lin Sun

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

When China’s Ministry of Education issued a series of curriculum change policies in 2011, major curriculum reform was initiated. Given the significant role that teachers play in curriculum reform, it is critically important to understand their experiences in their professional knowledge landscapes so that intentional and meaningful support for changes can be provided. This information will enrich the scholarly conversation on the theoretical and practical application of a pedagogy of multiliteracies in China and remind policy makers to consider the needs of teachers charged with implementing changes.

Situated in the global and local scholarship of multiliteracies, this empirical study explored …

Teachers’ Professional Practice, Policy Enactment, And Indigenous Education In Ontario: A Case Study, Natalie Currie-Patterson

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This qualitative case study investigates the research question: How do educators understand and enact government policies on Indigenous education in Ontario? The case study explores the content of The Ontario First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework, the foundational policy document for Indigenous education in Ontario released by the Ministry of Education in 2007 and a series of associated ministry publications as well as the responses of secondary school teacher participants to these policy efforts. In doing so, the case study draws on the scholarly literature about decolonizing education, as well as work on anti-colonial, anti-oppressive and critical …

An Exploration Of The Nursing Leaders’ Experiences Addressing Indigenous Health In University Undergraduate Nursing Programs In Ontario, Danae Coggins

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Introduction. Although there are serious health inequities experienced by Indigenous people compared to non-Indigenous people in Canada and racism and discrimination continues to be rife in health care environments, there remains a general lack of attention to Indigenous health (IH) in health professional education programs. In response, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has recommended this be addressed within health profession education, including nursing (Truth and Reconciliation Canada, 2015). However, there is a paucity of evidence describing the challenges and facilitators to incorporating IH into nursing education.

Methodology and Methods. This qualitative study employs interpretive description approaches informed by …

Pre-Service Teachers' Science And Web 2.0 Affect And Aspiration: A Survey Study, Yu Song

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Teachers’ affect and aptitude towards science and technology influence their students through their teaching, other activities, and informal interactions. The study explored and understand Ontario pre-service teachers’ affects toward science and Web 2.0 by designing and validating a questionnaire that includes demographic, usage, and scale questions; and by surveying 134 B.Ed. students. The science part of the survey was validated and analyzed, the Web 2.0 scale items were excluded because of low correlation.

The results indicate that: (1) Pre-service teachers have overall high motivation, high self-efficacy, a positive attitude, and medium aspiration towards science. (2) Science motivation, self-efficacy, attitude, and …