Education Commons^™

Middle School Teachers’ Experiences Implementing The Workshop Model In Their Classroom, Patience Ndidi Onyegwara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Due to the increasing diversity in U.S. schools, there is a need for differentiated and individualized educational models for these learners to be successful in the future. However, little is known about innovative educational models allowing differentiation and individualized education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of middle school teachers implementing the innovative Workshop Model (WSM) of teaching and learning. The conceptual framework for this study included the diffusion of innovation, sociocultural, and andragogical theories, and the principles of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). The participants were 10 middle school teachers …

Examining Teacher Decision Making And Instructional Practice In Data Teams, Kelly Jo Moffett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Administration in a mid-Atlantic elementary school in the United States mandated implementation of the Data Wise improvement process (DWIP) to address accountability and student achievement concerns. Leaders were unsure if elementary educators used the approved DWIP within their data teams and how the data were used to support instructional practices. The purpose of this bounded qualitative descriptive single case study was to explore teachers’ collaboration and planning using DWIP in data teams, teachers’ perceptions of the influence of data team participation on their instructional practices, and how teachers demonstrated the use of data in planning for classroom instruction. The data-driven …

Using Formative Assessment Of Map Data To Shape Instructional Practices, Jeremy Wagner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A school district in the Southwestern United States identified gaps in student performance on 3rd grade math standards and implemented the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) provided by the Northwest Evaluation Association so that K-2 teachers might better inform their instruction of math standards. The problem was that the district needed to determine the ways in which MAP has changed formative assessment practices. A qualitative case study was conducted using the 5 components of formative assessments identified by Laud and Patel as a conceptual framework. The research questions asked about how formative assessment of students reflects the 5 components in …

Exploring The Use Of Learner-Centered Instruction With English Language Learners In Social Studies Classrooms, Taraneh Sabouri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLearner-centered instructional strategies in social studies are currently ineffective in meeting the learning needs of the ELL population in an urban school in the northeastern United States. Despite English language learner (ELL) supplemental instruction on Saturdays and evenings and professional development for teachers, strategies being used to deliver curriculum have had a marginal effect on learning for ELL students, and the local school board supported the importance of exploring this problem. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore the learner-centered instructional practices used at the study site and how teachers are using Weimer’s learner-centered framework to engage …

High School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Jeffrey Allen Hinton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem at the local site was a gap in practice in that teachers were not using culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) in their delivery of lessons, which may have contributed to an achievement gap between European American and Asian American students and African American and Latinx students. This problem was important because local ACT results indicated that a significant achievement gap existed between these student populations. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ use of CRP, which may serve to mitigate the achievement gap. The conceptual framework for this study was self-determination theory. The research questions focused on …

Instructors’ Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction At Four Universities In The United States, Brandy Waldron

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to a 2015-2016 fall term end-of-course survey at a university in the southern United States, differentiated instruction (DI) was minimal and student participants reported that they may have performed better on coursework if given a variety of learning options. The purpose of this study was to determine how instructors at 4 U.S. universities perceive use of DI and their ideas about the necessary tools and strategies to practice it. Research needed to be conducted so instructors could successfully meet the diverse needs of students by having the necessary tools to practice differentiation. Tomlinson’s theory that focuses on the need …

Teachers’ Use Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports With Social Studies Instruction, Constance Michelle Davenport

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem at a rural Title I elementary school in a southern state is that it is unknown how teachers integrate Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) with social studies. A qualitative descriptive case study was conducted to explore teachers’ perceptions of integrating PBIS within social studies classes to facilitate instruction and engage students in learning. The conceptual framework that grounded the study was the PBIS structure, an evidence based intervention practice and organizational system, used to support and improve behavioral and academic outcomes for students. The research questions concerned how teachers integrate PBIS with social studies to facilitate instruction …

How High School Teachers In Guam Use Facebook For Instructional Purposes To Promote Interactions, Sanjay Sharma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the popularity of Facebook amongst students and teachers for personal use, the problem is a lack of understanding of how high school teachers use Facebook for instructional purposes to promote learner-learner and learner-instructor interactions. Focusing on how and why some high school teachers incorporate Facebook in their teaching practice may broaden the range of teachers' instructional tools to use Facebook. The purpose of this case study was to explore the mastery experiences of how and why high school teachers decide to use Facebook activities for instruction. Vygotsky's social constructivism theory and Bandura's self-efficacy form the conceptual framework for types …

Middle School Science Teachers’ Experience With The Change To Inquiry-Based By Instruction, Patricia Adams-Gouthro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Middle school science teachers in a Northeastern urban school district incorporated an inquiry-based curriculum (IBC) using the full option science system (FOSS) to improve instruction; however, the teachers struggled to change their teaching practices. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers’ experiences with and their changes in instructional practices using the FOSS curriculum. The concerns-based adoption model was the framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on identifying the levels of use, stages of concern, and experiences and needs teachers had using the FOSS curriculum. A purposeful sample of 14 middle school science teachers, …