Education Commons^™

Integration Of Art Tools In Calming Corners In Various Content Areas At The Secondary Level, Kathleen Petka

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This research study is a qualitative action research study that examines the best ways to support the emotional needs of students as they matriculate through high school. Specifically for this study, high school educators who teach in the four academic content areas (English, Math, Science, and Social Studies classes) implemented Calming Corners, an emotional support resource and intervention tool, in their classrooms. The teachers who participated in this study were able to assess if Calming Corners had a positive impact on students in their classrooms and in their own instructional practices. This study examined if the use of Calming Corners …

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In High School Science: Assessing The Implementation In Title 1 Classrooms, Micah Ducre

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy is defined as, using the cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse students as conduits for teaching them more effectively (Horowitz et al., 2018). Building relationships with students to understand their backgrounds and experiences to implement the best teaching practices such as accessing prior knowledge and making connections is imperative in a culturally diverse school with students with various learning styles, abilities, and interests. Moreover, the state of Georgia requires teachers to implement instructional practices relevant to students’ culture and learning abilities to receive proficient scores on their yearly evaluations. However, the state must provide its …

“We’Re All Teachers Here!”: The Role Peer Relationships Play In Teacher Leaders’ Influence In Schools, Tamara Bodrick

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Over the past decade, teacher leadership has become a critical component of igniting and sustaining local school improvement. Yet, the effectiveness of this distributed leadership model hinges on teacher leaders' ability to effectively influence the practices of their colleagues. The foundation of this influence, just as with students, is developing meaningful relationships. Since the clarity of roles and responsibilities of teacher leaders is not only murky, but also varies from school to school, teacher leadership can be perceived as an added layer of hierarchy or supervision which could hamper the relationship building process. The purpose of this study is to …

Classroom Teachers: Why The Mass Exodus?, Marybeth Sanders

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Abstract

This research study is a qualitative case study that sought to explore the perceptions of first-year teachers on the effectiveness of instructional support and the impact those supports had on their decision to remain in the classroom the following year. The study compared the various kinds of instructional support to the eight school organization characteristics that were the determinants for improving new teacher retention according to the review of the literature as well as aligning with the five levels of needs as presented in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The study included eight novice teachers in their first year of …

Exploring High School Students’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of Fine Arts Education On Academic Achievement, Samantha Fields

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This qualitative study aims to explore student perceptions of fine arts exposure on academic achievement in a southwestern Georgia high school. The study focuses specifically on exposure time and how it affects students academically. Qualitative research methods were used for this investigation. Information was collected through questionnaires, interviews, and artifacts analysis to better understand student perceptions of how fine arts education impacts their personal growth and academic success. This study’s findings provide insights about discovering students’ perceptions of fine arts exposure in relation to personal academic achievement. The results of this investigation can help educate stakeholders and policymakers as they …

The Impact Of A Design-Based Engineering Curriculum On High School Biology: Evaluating Academic Achievement And Student Perceptions Of Epistemology, Self-Efficacy, And Self-Determination In Life Science, Courtney Cox

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Integration of the engineering design process (EDP) into the high school biology classroom may improve academic achievement, alter epistemological beliefs about learning science, and positively influence student perceptions of science self-efficacy and self-determination. This quasi-experimental research study tested these claims by implementing an EDP curriculum within two honors biology classes (n=36) at an independent high school in a large urban city in the Southeastern United States. Two additional honors biology courses at the school (n=34) were instructed using the department's traditional curricular resources. Achievement data were collected from both groups and compared for statically significant differences using independent t-tests …

The Relationship Between Teacher Burnout And Physical Activity Among High School Teachers, Jonathan Davis

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Teaching at any level is a high-stress profession, and high levels of stress may result in increased rates of teacher burnout. The implications of teacher burnout are related to physical and emotional health problems for teachers, reduced student academic performance, and increased rates of teacher migration and attrition. One strategy for mitigating teacher burnout is to increase levels of physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between level of physical activity and teacher burnout among high school teachers. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT-23) were used to determine levels …

What Is The Effect Of Differentiated Instruction On Student Engagement In Learning?, Charlotte Lester

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING? The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of differentiated instruction on student engagement in learning. This mixed method study inspected the effectiveness of assigning different learning strategies to students according to their academic ability. One class received different assignments that addressed student’s specific learning needs while the other class received common assignments. Attendance, achievement, and behavior data were also collected from this study to determine the overall effectiveness of differentiated instruction. This study was conducted in a middle school located in Georgia. Both classes were …

Teachers' Perceptions Of An Inclusive Stem High School, Carlon Scholz

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This qualitative case study focused on teachers’ perceptions of a Title I suburban inclusive STEM high school (ISHS) in southeastern United States. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the barriers, challenges, and successes teachers encounter in an ISHS. The theoretical framework that informed this study draws on ten critical components of inclusive STEM high schools across three dimensions: design, implementation, and outcomes (Peters-Burton et al., 2014). Interviews, observations, a focus group, and reflection logs were utilized to understand the participants’ experiences at the ISHS. From the data collected, several themes emerged such as the barriers …

Student Engagement In Junior High World Languages Classes, John Brittain

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This study is a qualitative case study that sought to explore the perspectives of World Languages students and teachers on student engagement in relation to the teachers’ instructional choices. Five kinds of engagement and three components of Self Determination Theory were studied in relation to student behavior. The study involved eighth and ninth grade students who are currently taking a course in a World Language in a junior high school. The researcher used interviews, classroom observations, and focus groups to collect data. The data was analyzed using a combination of computer software and analysis by hand. The findings showed that …

Service Learning- It’S Elementary! Teacher Initiated Service Learning At An Independent School, Kate Burton

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Service learning involves specific and intentional academic and learning goals that are achieved through service to a community and reflection. Often the responsibility for ensuring that service learning in schools is meaningful and successful falls to teacher leaders with little specific training on organizing such efforts. This research inquiry examined the experiences of nontraditional teacher leaders and the choices they made while designing and implementing service learning projects for their elementary students. This research also examined the setting and structures that were in place to facilitate these service learning initiatives. Data analysis found the themes of ties to the curriculum, …

Teachers’ Burnout Experience In A Title I Suburban Elementary School, Shakoiya Aiken

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This qualitative case study focused on the experiences of Title I suburban elementary school teachers in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the reasons why teachers in Title I suburban schools experience burnout and how their burnout manifests. I also conducted this study to fill the gap in the literature and gain insight on the specific supports and strategies that Title I suburban school teachers need to help manage or eliminate their burnout. The theoretical framework that informed this study was the Burnout Theory. Several data gathering techniques (interview, reflective …

Exploring The Effects Of Teachers' Motivation To Read On Students' Motivation To Read, Clarice K. Shuman

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Middle school students often lack the motivation to read, and middle school reading teachers often complain of this lack of motivation. Students’ lack of motivation to read seriously affects students’ ability to achieve in their academic classes at the secondary level. This study was based on surveys and interviews from 310 middle school students and their six ELA teachers to explore the relationship between teacher and student motivation to read at the middle school level as well as surveying how do teachers and students at the middle school level describe their motivation to read. Based on the relationship between teacher …

Effects Of A Professional Learning Experience On Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions, Experiences, And Implementation Of Curricular-Embedded Self-Regulated Learning And Motivation, Samuel Baillie

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

During the middle school transitional years, students face potential obstacles that can affect their achievement and motivation. It is essential that they learn how to self-regulate their learning and motivation so that they can persevere in an increasingly challenging academic environment. Teachers may support students directly or indirectly by embedding various practices and strategies into extant curricula. This two-phase qualitative case study provided four purposively selected teachers with a professional learning (PL) experience on self-regulated learning (SRL) and self-regulated motivation (SRM). The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions and experiences of middle school teachers regarding the training …

Teacher Perceptions Of Collaborative Practices In A Rural High School Setting: Case Study, Leah Slimp

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of the qualitative case study was to investigate how teachers in a rural high school setting perceived collaborative practices. The case study examined and analyzed the outcomes of teachers’ learning through a personal connection to professional growth through weekly collaborative planning meetings and professional learning communities. Four collaborative groups of SPED and general education teachers from Geometry, 9^th Grade Literature, and Biology, and U.S. History within Rural High School originally were asked to participate in the study. The study concluded with participants in the content areas from Geometry, 9^th Grade Literature, and Biology. A total of …

Perceptions Of School Through The Lens Of Black Male Elementary Students: A School Climate Study, Erica Peek

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This qualitative case study focused on the perceptions of 5^th grade black males at a suburban neighborhood elementary school in the southeastern United States. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how the participants felt about their teachers and school community. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were Critical Race Theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Several data gathering techniques (qualitative questionnaire, focus group meeting, and student journals) were utilized and analyzed to describe the participants’ experiences regarding school climate at TES. From the data collected, several themes emerged such as Building Relationships & …

Cultivating Culturally Responsive Elementary Teachers In A Suburban Title I School, Angela L. Mack

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Research suggests increased enrollment of students with diverse cultural, racial, linguistic, and social backgrounds will continue in schools across the United States over the coming years; thereby, imposing a challenge for some teachers with differing backgrounds to instruct culturally and linguistically diverse students. Without adequate professional development focused on culturally responsive teaching, it has been purported teachers will continue to adopt deficit perceptions and subpar practices that negatively impact students of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Thus, this study aimed to explore how a series of in-service professional development focused on culture, race, and pedagogy may influence teacher perceptions and …

Examining Teachers’ Practices And Perspectives Of Family Engagement In A Rural High School Setting, Meredith Gulledge

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Once considered an additional support for schools, family engagement became a more essential aspect of education to help connect teachers with family members in an effort to increase positive academic outcomes among students. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the current practices and perspectives of family engagement practices promoted by classroom teachers who currently teach at a high school in a rural setting. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and the Teacher Efficacy Theory based on Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory were two influences of the theoretical framework for this study. The two research questions examined teachers’ current practices …

Hospital Home-Bound Education: Are Teachers Prepared To Implement Transition Plans Post-Hospitalization For Student Success?, Katherine Kimbro-Vincent

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Homebound instruction presents many challenges for teachers. Teachers are frequently not prepared to provide such services. Teachers are frustrated in recognizing that homebound services do not provide sufficient depth and intensity of instruction that some students may need. The purpose of this study was to bring awareness of what happens during the transition of a hospital homebound student post-hospitalization and their academic success. A qualitative case study allowed me to gather and analyze students’ needs that addressed their medical conditions. These important aspects included not only the hospital homebound teachers, students, and staffs’ behaviors/views on the overall program, but also …

Family Perceptions Of Family Engagement: A Qualitative Study To Assist Stakeholders, Candis Ervin

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This qualitative study sought to understand how professional working families with elementary age children perceive family engagement. Through one-on-one interviews, the researcher gained insight on how families define and perceive family engagement. The open-ended, one-on-one, semi-structured interviews included a purposeful sample of 8 participants. An analysis of data included a system of coding to link thoughts across data after reviewing, reflecting, and transcribing interviews. Their rich descriptions provide detailed information that is extremely useful to understanding the complexities of family engagement and its ability to support teachers, students, families and schools.

Findings from the study revealed the importance of families, …

From Teacher To Teacher-Leader: A Phenomenographic Study Of Transition, Jennifer Santi

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

As Education evolves, the roles within traditional teaching and learning also evolve. School structures change and leadership roles within those structures change as well, creating and recreating the educational experience for students and practitioners alike. As these structures change the nature of education, the roles found within them also transform what it means to be a professional educator. Increases in teacher-leadership positions have led to more instructional coaching roles for teachers and it is necessary to understand how those roles are perceived by those that are now changing the nature of their chosen work. As teachers leave the classroom to …

Are Teachers’ Formative Assessment Practices Reliable Indicators Of Students’ Mastery Of Standards?, Olivia Hall

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Some students, parents, and teachers are concerned over the apparent disparity between a student’s classroom grades and his/her proficiency levels reported from criterion-referenced standardized assessments, such as the Georgia Milestones. The purpose of this research project was to determine if teachers’ formative assessment practices were reliable indicators of students’ mastery of grade-level standards. This study was a mixed-methods study with an explanatory research design. Qualitative data were collected through observations and interviews that analyzed teachers’ perceptions of the meaning of formative assessments and how they are impacted by the summative assessment system. Also, samples of teacher-selected assessments were analyzed to …

The Impact Of Gamification On The Mathematics Achievement Of Elementary Students, Tamisha Kimble

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This study explores the use of gamification in elementary math. Living in a Global society requires students to use technology in classes daily. Students are using technology to complete a task that is aligned to state standards. These tasks are geared to help students master grade-level skills. So often, teachers are finding that students are completing the task just to comply. Teachers are seeking problems that will help with student engagement and prepare students for mastery of grade-level skills. Teachers are looking for a problem that serves the purpose of both. Teachers are looking for programs that engage students as …

Student Experiences, Attitudes, And Perceptions Toward Online Collaborative Tools: A Case Study, Jeremy Easley

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Abstract

This case study (Merriam, 1998) describes the experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of four twelfth-grade students at Bob Jones High School (pseudonym) with literacy deficiencies as they used collaborative technology tools in an online after-school tutoring program that focused on reading and writing skills. Leveraging the sociocultural theory of reading (Freebod & Luke, 1990), participants worked collaboratively to strengthen skills while completing tasks. In addition, students used online collaborative tools, based on the principles of the New Literacies Studies (Gee, 2010), to construct and share meaning. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, participant observation and student artifacts. The data from these …

Evidence-Based Instructional Practices For Teachers Of Children With Rett Syndrome – A Case Study, Todd Geren

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

ABSTRACT

EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES FOR TEACHERS

OF CHILDREN WITH RETT SYDNROME

by

Todd L. Geren

Kennesaw State University, 2020

In this study, evidence-based practices (EBP) utilized for children with Rett syndrome (RTT) by a team of special educators in a rural elementary school was examined. Using a case study approach, three teachers in a severe classroom setting who teach a student with RTT were observed and interviewed. The researcher addressed the following:

1. What evidence-based practices, if any, are currently being utilized by local educators to educate a student with RTT?

2. What professional development is needed for teachers and …

The Twilight Program: A Phenomenographic Study, Chanda Crawley

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Alternative schools are an important concept in current education. This research describes the qualitatively different ways in which student’s experienced an alternative program, like Twilight. In these phenomenographic inquiry two current students, two Twilight graduates, and four Twilight teachers discuss the qualitatively different ways that students’ experience Twilight. The analysis yielded an outcome space of three qualitatively different ways of experiencing Twilight 1. Culture, 2. Self-efficacy, and 3, Teacher impact. Based on the findings of this research, the recommendation includes studying the shifting role of administrators in alternative education.

Exploring The Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Plcs By Teachers In A Rural Middle/High School, Erin Beasley

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This mixed methods study sought to explore how effective teachers perceive their PLCs to be. Of particular interest was the possible effects that the teachers’ years of experience and/or the level of certification had on those perceptions. The researcher sought to determine how the teacher population of one rural Georgia school felt about their PLCs as well as get a more candid, in-depth picture from a selective number of those teachers via interviews. The purpose of this study was to then use these findings to improve PLC practices and build a sustainable PLC environment in this particular school.

Examine The Mediating Effect Of Coaching Mentoring Programs On Teacher Burnout, Crystal Wright

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The World Health Organization has included “Burnout” in the International Classification of Diseases as an occupational phenomenon (World Health Organization, 2019). This phenomenon in teaching profession has created devastating attrition that urgently needs attention. The purpose of this study is to provide insight on how to address the negative issue of teacher attrition through examining how teacher leaders may affect teacher burnout during the coaching mentoring experience. An online questionnaire was employed to collect data from 82 teachers in a coastal Georgia school district; including teachers who had participated in a coaching mentoring program (n=51), teachers who hadn’t participated in …

The Use Of E-Books, Computers, And Tablets To Enhance Reading Skills, Nicole B. Ingram

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify teacher’s opinions of technology and its usage with reading instruction. The study explored teachers’ use of e-books, computers (reading programs), and tablets to enhance reading skills. Specifically, the researcher wanted to investigate elementary teachers’ beliefs regarding the use of e-books (electronic books), computers (reading programs), and tablets for enhancing reading skills with students who struggle with reading. To determine the impact of e-books, computers, and tablets on reading practices, data were collected from four urban elementary teachers in a southeastern school district. The research was conducted using surveys, interviews, and observations.

Impact Of Teacher Perceptions In The Disproportionality Of Black People In Special Education, Chenita Jarrett-Evans

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

If you walk into any special education classroom in America, you will see that Black students are overrepresented. The issue of disproportionality of Black students in special education has been a longstanding concern. Although students can be referred to special education through parent request, students are most likely referred by their general education teacher. The referral requirements for students with emotional disabilities or learning disabilities can be subjective to the beliefs of the referral teacher, as the U.S. Department of Education does not outline the definition of “teacher referral”. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore whether teacher …