Education Commons^™

Defining, Operationalizing, Developing, And Assessing Candidate Dispositions In Teacher Education, Alan John Zenkert Jr.

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This inquiry seeks to identify the beliefs of college students prior to their entry into a teacher education program (pre-program students), teacher educators, practicing P-12 teachers, and practicing P-12 administrators (teacher education professionals) related to the construct “dispositions” in teacher education. Grounded in a social constructivist understanding of teaching and learning, this primarily phenomenological study utilizes the analysis of survey data to uncover and explore multiple perspectives on beliefs about dispositions in teacher education in an effort to identify implications for teacher education research and practice.

Findings suggest that pre-program students and teacher education professionals believe that dispositions are an …

Examining Instructional Supervision In A Leadership Preparation Program: A Comparison Of Supervision Experiences In Different Internship Structures, Robin David Winslow

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Instructional leadership is an essential role for school leaders. School leaders must be equipped with the skills to directly improve instruction. This study focused on how a leadership preparation program can prepare aspiring school leaders in instructional supervision skills during an internship. The study compared different instructional supervision structures with interns in the same program. One group of interns practiced instructional supervision skills with pre-service teachers and the other group practiced instructional supervision skills with teachers in their respective schools. Interns were assessed on the quality of supervision, beliefs about supervision, and the knowledge of the supervision process. The results …

Identifying Formative Assessment In Classroom Instruction: Creating An Instrument To Observe Use Of Formative Assessment In Practice, Steven G. Oswalt

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Is formative assessment observable in practice? Substantial claims have been made regarding the influence of formative assessment on student learning. However, if researchers cannot be confident whether and to what degree formative assessment is present in instruction, then how can they make claims with confidence regarding the efficacy of formative assessment? If it is uncertain whether and to what degree formative assessment is being used in practice, then any claims regarding its influence are difficult to support. This study aims to provide a vehicle through which researchers can make stronger, more substantiated reports about the presence and impact of formative …

Implementing The Universal Tier Of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports, Katie Bubak

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Public schools are confronted with establishing productive teaching and learning environments. Not only can students’ challenging behavior soak up educators’ time and resources, but these behaviors may also rob the pupils of critical academic instructional time. Schools need the tools and skills to identify and implement effective solutions to problem behavior. Schoolwide Positive Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) has been shown to optimize the capacity of schools to address schoolwide, classroom, and individual student problem behavior through research-validated practices.

This multiple-case study investigated the practices that have led one school to execute the SWPBIS’s critical features as they were intended to …

Education, Print Culture, Social Literacy, And Religiosity: A Multi-Grounded Theory Of Textual Mediation Found In Early And Contemporary Mormonism, Ezra G. Gwilliam

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This study is a multi-grounded theory (Goldkuhl & Cronholm, 2010) approach to identify potential relationships between print culture, uses of social literacy, and education found in historical Mormonism (1830-1844) and the contemporary church, which has a reported parity between education and religiosity (Cooperman, 2012). Through the theoretical model of multi-grounded theory, scholars of Mormon history were identified and interviewed to help establish what relationship may have existed and if there is relevance between the past and present church in the context of print, literacy, religiosity and education. Two literacy theories, Venezky’s (1996) theory of literacy expansion and Barton and Hamilton’s …

Classroom Teachers Learning To Navigate The Internet For Increasing Student Critical Reading And Writing Skills: A Mixed Methods Study, Meleah S. Mcculley

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this mixed methods case study was a three-month professional development workshop designed to guide junior high school classroom teachers as they learned to integrate new literacies skills into their curriculum. The participants were all educators in one district that was in the process of transitioning to the Common Core State Standards and the SMARTER Balanced Assessments. Significant gains were obtained in teachers’ self-reported personal technology knowledge and technology experiences during the study. Along with the gains, factors were seen that might impede teachers from learning about or using the Internet for academic purposes.

Teacher Efficacy, Preparedness, And Empathy In Working With Refugee Students, Kelley Jo Moneymaker-Lamson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

One of the most difficult pedagogical challenges Sawtooth School District elementary teachers are currently facing is the influx of refugee students and the uncertainty as to how to best assist them in becoming both academically successful as well as comfortable in a new social milieu. The purpose of this mixed method study is to evaluate teacher efficacy, sense of preparedness and empathy in relation to working with refugee students. Teachers' sense of self-efficacy has been linked to student achievement, student motivation and students' own sense of self-efficacy. However, there is a gap in research that explores teacher efficacy, preparedness and …

Relationships Between F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Participants’ Roles And Their Educational And Degree Choices, Christine T. Chang

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The annual robotics competition that is held by the non-profit organization For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (better known as FIRST) implicitly requires that the multifaceted teams subdivide in order to ensure that sufficient team resources are committed to all areas of the competition. The self-stated goal of FIRST is to inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study examines the relationship between FIRST participants’ specific roles on their teams and their subsequent academic and career pursuits. Study participants (N = 174) consisting of FIRST Robotics Competition alumni responded to an …

Promoting Authentic Instruction Through Second-Career Educators, J. Eian Harm

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Newmann, Secada, and Wehlage (1995) has shown that student achievement can be gained through the use of what is described as authentic instructional styles. These types of pedagogy maintain a focus on building knowledge through real-world application of subject matter and discussion of topics that are relevant to students’ lives. Studies have shown that an ongoing process of socialization into the school system occurs throughout a teacher’s career leading them into the use of more objectivist methods of teacher-centered instruction and rote learning of information (Hoy & Woolfolk, 1990; Staton & Hunt, 1992; Wattenburg, 2001; Zeichner, 1980). This study sought …

The Importance Of Clarity In Educational Leadership Program Goals, Matthew V. Featherstone

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Goal Setting Theory suggests specific and difficult goals when accompanied by high self-efficacy are essential to produce high levels of motivation and task performance. Goal Setting Theory has proven to be one of the most valid and robust motivational theories developed to date. Although the majority of the research on Goal Setting Theory is conducted at the individual level, many features that hold for individuals also hold for groups. For example, clearly stated goals improve performance for individuals and groups. The present research examined whether three regional educational leadership programs differ in the clarity of their stated goals, and whether …

Exploring Critical Literacy Through Teachers’ Professional Learning, Christina Marie Ramirez-Nava

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

With a huge focus on professional development as a method to increase knowledge and skills, one-shot initiatives or flyby in-services bombard the teaching field. Moreover, with the increase of diversity, such as second language needs, children of poverty and other social issues in schools, a focus should be on implementing a critical stance through teacher collaboration

Critical literacy aims to make the unknown known and fight injustices, but many teachers are not aware of this ideology. Simply reading articles and books about critical literacy will not necessarily lead to a critical stance, pedagogical revolution, or engaging learning for students. Working …

The Neglected Canon: The Use Of Speech In Composition Courses, Rebecca Rae Jolley

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

All college students are required to take basic courses in certain core subjects; this includes the universal requirement of composition. In composition instruction, the rhetorical canons of invention, arrangement, and style are the only skills taught in most writing programs. However, there are two other canons, both related to public speech: memory and delivery. This thesis will focus only on the canon of delivery and defines it as speaking in person before an audience of any size.

The ability to communicate through speech is no less important than the ability to communicate through writing. However, the education system, both collegiate …

A Comparison Of The Perceptions Of Music Educators And School Administrators Regarding Trends In Secondary Curricular Offerings And Implications On Student Body Participation, Leigh Falconer

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand the perceptions of music educators and school administrators regarding current practices in curricular offerings as they pertain to music education. These included experienced and anticipated changes to the music curriculum, music education participation rates, barriers to music participation, and school and music course ethnic composition. From a regional perspective, music teachers and administrators were surveyed to determine if perceptions regarding any of the above items varied significantly between the groups. Total potential subjects were selected through random stratified sampling (in Washington) or all music educators (Oregon and Idaho) (n = 922). …

The Idaho Statewide System Of Support: Scaling Up Whole-System Reform In A Rural Western State, Steven M. Underwood

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The Idaho Statewide System of Support (SSOS) assists schools in meeting state standards for all students. In 2009, it created and implemented a revised theory of action which emphasized improvement planning and capacity-building support programs. This study examined the impact of the SSOS in general and its Idaho Building Capacity (IBC) Project in particular on Reading and Mathematics outcomes for students who are economically disadvantaged in Title I funded schools. A Pooled Interrupted Times Series design was employed to examine possible changes in the level of achievement or rate of improvement in schools. Within-subjects comparisons of trends before the intervention …

Examining Influences Of A University Writing Course On Teachers' Dispositions, Knowledge, And Literacy Practices, Cheryle Anne Dismuke

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Lack of progress in student writing achievement has been linked to the variability in teachers' instructional practice. This mixed-methods study examines the links between university coursework in writing instruction and the dispositions, skills, and knowledge of twelve practicing teachers, grades 1-6; six of which participated in the course and six who did not. Data from response-guided interviews, daily logs, structured classroom observations, and follow-up interviews have been analyzed, compared, and integrated. Analyses found significant differences between groups for instruction in the writing processes, self-regulation skills, use of social interaction, and writing in multiple genres across the curriculum. Further analysis found …

Examining Leadership Preparation That Makes A Difference: A Comparison Of Graduate Effectiveness And Identification Of Program Components Most Valued, Randy David Lance

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The role of the school principal has radically changed over the past half century. Many colleges of education are trying to develop alternative approaches to not only meet the needs of the adult learners who enroll in educational leadership preparation programs, but also to equip future school leaders with strategies for meeting the expectations set forth by the implementation and accountability of the No Child Left Behind legislation.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a difference, if any, exists between individuals who graduated from the Boise State University (BSU) nontraditional educational leadership preparation program and a sample …

Using Learner-Generated Examples To Support Student Understanding Of Functions, Martha Ottelia Dinkelman

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of Common Core State Standards motivated K-12 teachers to look for ways to engage students in thinking differently about mathematics. Asking students to generate their own examples is one strategy that has proven to be beneficial to student learning for students in advanced math courses. This study was designed to determine if asking students to generate their own examples would be beneficial to student learning for high school students in a slower paced second year Algebra course.

This study occurred during a two week unit of instruction focused on the concept of function. The participants were Juniors and …

The Assignment Packet Grading System, Sarah Nichole Bruce

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The Assignment Packet Grading System is a form of choice-based learning that may be a valuable strategy to increase both motivation in students and their self-efficacy, which in return could result in higher levels of student achievement. The study was of an experimental design, carried out in Geometry classes at the high school level. Data were gathered regarding students’ mathematics self-efficacy and their academic achievement for two groups: one using the Assignment Packet Grading System and the other using a traditional classroom grading system.

The analysis of the data gathered in the study did not show a statistically significant difference …