Education Commons^™

A Content Analysis Of Cultural Sensitivity Within K-5 English Language Arts Common Core Fictional Exemplar Texts, Kevin D. Starks

Dissertations

In this study, the researcher investigated cultural sensitivity within the mandated English Language Arts Common Core exemplar fictional texts that “serve as useful guideposts in helping educators select texts of similar complexity, quality and range” (Common Core State Standards, n.d., p. 2) for kindergarten through fifth grade, for the state of Missouri. The researcher utilized a modified version of Frances Ann Day’s children’s literature evaluation framework, “Evaluating Children’s Books for Bias,” an adaptation of the Council on Interracial Books for Children’s, “Guidelines for Selecting Bias-Free Textbooks and Storybooks,” to test for cultural sensitivity within 50 of the 90 suggested fictional …

Effective Leadership For The Implementation Of The Common Core State Standards: Principal Behaviors That Develop Professional Capital To Create Conditions For Positve Change, Eileen Beth Brett

Dissertations

Identifying specific leadership behaviors of elementary school principals that create conditions for positive change is critical to implementing educational reform. The purpose of this research is to identify specific leadership behaviors of principals that have positively impacted the implementation of the Common Core State Standards through the development of professional capital.

The Common Core Standards represent a recent movement to create national standards, founded on the belief that schools have an obligation to ensure that all students are college and career ready (McLaughlin & Overturf, 2012; Conley; 2014a). Implementing the Common Core has challenged principals to develop leadership skills to …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Implementation Of The Common Core State Standards In The Schools Of The Florida Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists: A Qualitative Case Study, Rose J. Thomas

Dissertations

Problem

This qualitative case study focused on educators who teach in the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and their perceptions regarding the adequacy of the Professional Development to support the implementation of the CCSS; how they are implementing the CCSS in the classroom in terms of planning, teaching, and assessing; and their perceptions regarding the impact of the CCSS on student learning.

Method

The study included six participants who taught in six different schools from the various regions where the Florida Conference schools are located. The participants varied in age, ethnicity, number of years in the classroom, and the size …

Exploring The Strategic Implementation Of Common Core State Standards In Small School Districts Of Northern California, Michael A. Gulbransen Dr.

Dissertations

This Delphi study involved examining the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in small school districts of Northern California. This dissertation presents an overview of CCSS implementation, a review of the literature, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, significance, and the anticipated methodology for the intended qualitative research design. The review of literature explores the historical context of education in the United States and increasingly focuses on the new national Common Core State Standards and their implementation in small school districts.

The Delphi study uses the participants’ opinions to identify CCSS implementation strategies and related …

What Concerns Are Secondary Mathematics Teachers Experiencing With The Implementation Of The Common Core State Standards For Mathematics And Is There A Relationship Between The Concerns And Professional Development Received?, Suzanne Therez Jennings

Dissertations

Using the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) as the theoretical framework, this mixed-methods study utilized three research methods, quantitative, profile interpretation, and qualitative to answer the research questions to investigate the concerns teachers were experiencing during the first year of implementing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) and to determine if professional development affected those concerns. The Stage of Concern questionnaire which included two open-ended questions was employed to survey 88 secondary Mississippi mathematics teachers. MANOVA was used to investigate any differences in the means of the relative levels of intensity present within the subgroups which are inconclusive. …

The Relationship Between Teacher Collaboration And Teachers' Level Of Knowledge, Implementation, And Confidence Related To Common Core State Standards For Literacy In History/Social Studies, Science And Technical Subject Areas, Talia Shaunte' Lock

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between elements of teacher collaboration and teachers’ level of knowledge, level of implementation, and level of confidence related to CCSS for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subject Areas in grades 6-12. The study included an extensive literature that included an introduction, pertinent literature and research regarding literacy in the 21^st century, CCSS, cross curriculum, teacher collaboration, the role of leadership, and the theoretical framework. The study also included the methodology, research results, the conclusions, recommendations for policymakers and practitioners, and recommendations for further research.

It was discovered …

Zoom: The Changing Nature Of Middle School Shared Instructional Leadership On The Way To The Common Core, Ann M. Yanchura

Dissertations

The complexities, diversity, and nuances of schools today require the shared leadership of the best and brightest that education has to offer. All across the country, school districts are embarking on the challenging journey toward higher and better standards and performance found in the adoption of the Common Core State Standards. This dissertation describes the early CCSS implementation efforts of the middle schools in a Midwest suburban district. In particular, it examines the instructional leadership that was shared among the administrators and literacy coaches who led the adoption and implementation of the new Standards. The research was conducted during their …

Project-Based Learning As A Means For Meeting The Needs Of 21st Century Students In Common Core States, Scott Ragsdale

Dissertations

The call for the reform of public education in the United States of America has come from stakeholders of all kinds. This study compares two seemingly opposing approaches to the reform of public education. The bureaucratic approach is represented by the mass adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The grassroots approach is represented by the International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Students (ISTE Standards-S). It was important to identify and analyze an instructional practice with enough potential rigor to meet the demands of both the CCSS and the ISTE Standards-S. The study analyzed the potential ability …

Effectiveness Of Reading And Writing Across The Curriculum On Middle School Reading Comprehension And Preparation For Common Core State Standards, Paula J. Wuebbels

Dissertations

This research study was conducted to determine the impact of determine the perception of classroom teachers and building principals as to the effectiveness of required Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum in both core and non-core subject areas. Both core and non-core classes are presently required within the study school district to incorporate reading and writing strategies in their content areas. The researcher wanted to study the process to prepare administrators and teachers to work successfully with the advent of required common core standards for curriculum development. Strategies used in the study will help gather information to inform the preparation …

How Do District Level And Building Level Leaders Collaborate To Implement Mandated Change?, Gwendolyn Zimmermann

Dissertations

This research study examined how school leaders, in particular the associate superintendent of curriculum and a junior high school principal, in the same district collaborated to plan for and implement mandated change. In this research study, the mandated change was that of the State's adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

This study utilized a case study methodology. The case study included one case of an associate superintendent of curriculum for the district and a junior high school principal located in suburban Cook County bounded within the timeframe of August 2012 to October 2013. The district identified had …

Prekindergarten And Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions Of Demographic Determinants And Academic Success, Melanie Ellen Boyle

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine kindergarten and prekindergarten teachers' perceptions of academic success for children based on the type of care children received prior to beginning kindergarten, as well as other demographics, which could cause variations in academic success. The researcher used a seven section multi-method survey instrument, which included teacher demographic questions, Likert-scale perception questions, and one open-ended question. Sections of inquiry included: Common Core, general academic risk factors for students, barriers to overall academic success, student demographics, and promotion of academic success for students. The survey instrument was distributed to prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers in …

A Quantitative Content Analysis Of The Common Core State Standards Compared To Missouri’S Grade-Level Expectations Using The Revised Bloom’S Taxonomy Framework, Toni Gallia

Dissertations

With the pressure in education to develop a 21st century learner with higher-level thinking skills, many educators connected previous state curriculum to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Missouri’s Department of Education experts paired the previous state’s curriculum known as the Missouri Grade Level Expectations (MO GLEs) with a corresponding CCSS based on Webb’s depth-of-knowledge model in a document commonly referred to as the Missouri Crosswalk. This quantitative content analysis study compared the MO GLEs and CCSS by quantifying the language using an adapted and revised Bloom’s taxonomy framework. This study tested for a cognitive difference in means and for …