Education Commons^™

Teacher Perceptions On The Impact Of Changes In Educational Practices And Student Learning For A Covid-19 Post-Pandemic Classroom: A Mixed Methods Study, Laine Smith

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted educational practices around the world, changed the instructional interface of the classroom and impacted student learning. The purpose of this research study was to identify teacher perceptions of this change, understand how teachers addressed those changes in the classroom, and determine what teachers saw as the next best steps to address student learning disparities going forward.

A mixed methods approach was used to conduct this research. Participants who completed the survey and/or mini focus groups were teachers in County X during the 2019-2022 school years. A thematic analysis was conducted for each mini focus group, quantitative …

Middle School Parent Involvement: Perceptions In Two South Carolina School Districts, Jessica Vanvalkenburgh

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study was created to explore the parent involvement perceptions of teachers and parents of middle school students in two South Carolina districts. The study is grounded in Epstein et al.’s (2019) theory of overlapping spheres and six typologies of parent involvement. An exploratory mixed methods study was used to gather research. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to determine the perceptions of teachers and parents at five different sites. Cronbach’s alpha was used to test reliability, and a MANOVA test was used to test for mean differences of dependent variables. Univariate ANOVA tests were used to further explore differences …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of A Freshman/Success Academy Program Through The Perceptions Of Educators In An Urban High School, Michelle Pettiford

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of educators regarding the effectiveness of an academic success program for ninth- and 10^th-grade students who are at-risk males. The term at risk has often been utilized to describe students who have low academic performance as well as social and emotional concerns observed during the transitioning process from middle to high school. The foundation of this study centered on past and current educational initiatives, achievement gaps, and pedagogical and cultural awareness for at-risk minority students as they entered high school. I used a 2-phase process that included …

Educating Our Educators: How Teachers Understand Themselves As Adult Learners And Perceive Their Professional Learning Experiences, Desirae` Khampanya

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated how teachers understand themselves as adult learners and perceive their professional learning experiences within a rural school district in North Carolina. This study was a replication of Fitzgerald’s (2014) dissertation and sought to extend the generalizability of the original study. An explanatory mixed-methods design was used, and the two sources of data collected included an online survey and virtual interviews. The results from this study indicated that almost all participating teachers learned best when the core adult learning principles (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2015) were applied to their professional learning experiences, but less than half of those …

The Teacher's Role In Student Engagement, Anita Grove

Education Dissertations and Projects

This research study examines teacher expectations and perceptions and provides an understanding of the teacher’s role in student engagement. A wide array of factors—both within and beyond the classroom—can influence student engagement. To begin the process of improving student engagement, it is essential for educators to reflect on the elements that contribute to student engagement. Research questions addressed associations between the variables of teacher expectations, teacher perceptions, and student engagement measured by a Likert Item Teacher Survey; Teacher Expectations, Perceptions and Instructional Practices Questionnaire; and a Student Engagement Observation Tool. The results indicate there is a need for resources and …

Elementary Teacher Perceptions Of Eureka Math, Lindsay Harmon Walker

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of elementary teachers teaching the Eureka Math program using a mixed methods approach. The participants were Grades K-5 elementary teachers from 10 elementary schools within the same school district located in the southwestern region of North Carolina. Quantitative data were collected via a 4-point Likert scale survey distributed via Google Forms. Qualitative data were collected via an open-ended question from the survey and an interview group. The data were collected to answer the research question, “How do elementary teachers experience teaching mathematics using the Eureka Math program?” The researcher designed …

Teacher Perceptions Of Formative Assessments On Student Learning In K-12 Classrooms, Stacey Robinson

Education Dissertations and Projects

A mixed methods design was utilized to examine teacher perceptions of formative assessments and its impact on student motivation. Teachers from 32 public schools in a southeastern school district were invited to participate in a formative assessment survey using a Likert scale to share their perceptions of their understanding and use of formative assessments in the classroom. The survey and interview items addressed teachers’ own self-efficacy values as they relate to their implementation of formative assessments and their relationship with motivating students to learn. Data analysis indicated most teachers had a strong understanding of formative assessments, but some of their …

A Study Of Teacher Perceptions Of 21st Century Student Learning In A One-To-One Instructional Environment, Laura Michelle Brooks

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine teacher perceptions of the extent to which they promoted student acquisition of 21st century skills in a one-to-one laptop program. Many proponents of one-to-one learning suggest that 21st century learning skills are best acquired in a student-centered, constructivist learning environment; therefore, constructivist learning theory was the conceptual framework for this study. The researcher also sought to discover any benefits or challenges that teachers encountered while implementing the laptop program. Eighty-six teachers at a southeastern state public high school responded to a survey, and 10 of those teachers were interviewed. The researcher …

Middle School Teacher Perspectives Toward Classroom Practices And Groupings Of Academically Gifted Students, Bethany Settlemyre

Education Dissertations and Projects

This mixed-method research study was designed to examine middle school teacher perspectives toward the classroom practices and groupings of academically gifted students. The Classroom Practices Questionnaire (Archambault et al., 1993) was used to survey middle school teachers on their use of instructional strategies with gifted students. Focus groups were then held to gain insight on teacher perceptions of differentiation practices for gifted students and homogenous and heterogeneous groupings of gifted students.

An analysis of the data revealed that teachers held positive perceptions of teaching AIG students. Data also revealed that teachers believe that homogenous groupings are more beneficial for AIG …

Case Study Of Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Their Current Grading Practices, Shavondra Danyelle Parker

Education Dissertations and Projects

Traditional grading represents typical grading practices including the traditional way grades have been calculated since the conception of grades. Before traditional grading, there was a time when mastery of content was not measured by grades at all. In recent years, educators have begun to explore other methods of grading in search of better ways to determine student mastery of content. Many educators use standards-based grading methods that focus instruction and grading around the standards students are expected to learn. Although many researchers support the use of standards-based grading, it has not replaced traditional grading methods. Grading practices should yield accurate …

Teacher Perceptions Of African American English And Its Impact On Teacher Expectations, Sabrina Keith Rhoden

Education Dissertations and Projects

This applied dissertation was designed to examine teacher attitudes toward African-American English (AAE) and how those attitudes influence teacher expectations for students who speak AAE. Previous exposure to AAE as well as differences between teacher interaction with AAE speaking students and non-AAE speaking students was investigated. Teacher expectations are more strongly related to the later achievement of children from stigmatized groups, i.e., children from minority and/or low socioeconomic backgrounds; and teacher expectations have lasting effects on these students’ performances (Jussim & Harber, 2005). Since it is estimated that up to 80% of African-Americans living in the continental United States speak …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching, Factored By Experience And Levels Of Education, Tina Hicks Whitten

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate elementary teachers’ perceptions of instructional coaching compared to their years of experience and their levels of education. This researcher worked cooperatively with one rural school district in north, central North Carolina and used an online survey instrument with both open- and closed-ended questions to gather data. Two hundred sixty-three elementary classroom teachers were asked to complete the survey; 131 teachers did so with a response rate of 49.8%. Chi square statistical tests were run for the Likert responses on the quantitative portion, and open-ended coding was used for the qualitative piece. …

Elementary Principals And Teachers: Perception Alignment Of Leadership Behaviors, Carol F. Montague

Education Dissertations and Projects

A large urban public school system in the piedmont of North Carolina was the setting for this study. Individual school data as well as aggregated data from 25 studied schools were analyzed in order to form overall conclusion of perceptions of leadership for the elementary schools within the system. The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to examine principal perceptions of their leadership behaviors and determine if they aligned with teacher perceptions of these same behaviors using the five practices of exemplary leadership of The Leadership Challenge. The researcher disaggregated the data to identify areas of strength and weakness …

Effective Leadership: Perceptions Of Principals And The Teachers They Lead, Pamela Murphy Helms

Education Dissertations and Projects

A small public school system in the piedmont of North Carolina was the setting for this study. Individual school data, as well as aggregated data from studied schools were analyzed in order to form overall conclusions of perceptions of leadership within the district. Schools were grouped according to the age of the student (elementary K-5, secondary 6-12) in an effort to provide the opportunity for further data analyses.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the principals' self-reported leadership behaviors and the teachers' perceptions of the principals' leadership behaviors using Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Practices Inventory …

The Impact Of Preschool Education On Students' Kindergarten Readiness And Subsequent Kindergarten Performance, Kelsey Musselman Carroll

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of preschool education on students' kindergarten readiness and subsequent kindergarten performance in a low socioeconomic primary school. There are several factors that influence a child's readiness for school, including the children's natural talents and abilities, their families, their early environments, their schools, and their communities.

The setting for this research was a primary school located within a small, urban school district in the piedmont area of North Carolina. For the purpose of this study, all kindergarten students were placed into three subgroups: kindergarten students who attended the prekindergarten program at …

The Effects Of Teacher Stability On Third Grade Student Achievement As Measured By The North Carolina End-Of-Grade Tests In Reading And Mathematics, Juddson W. Starling

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the effects of teacher stability on student achievement as measured by the North Carolina End-of-Grade tests in reading and mathematics for third grade students. The perceptions of third grade teachers and elementary school principals concerning issues with teacher stability were also examined. Accountability for public schools in North Carolina has driven educators to find ways to increase student achievement. Teacher stability is a variable that can be controlled by educators in an attempt to increase student achievement.

The writer gathered test data from a target school district and analyzed test scores by the number …