Education Commons^™

A Case Study Of The Mathematical Learning Of Two Teachers Acquiring Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching, David R. Hartman

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study offers an analysis of the learning of practicing teachers as they acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics. While some professional developers have shifted part of their focus to helping practicing teachers acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics (e.g., Stein & Silver, 1996), the results from studies often describe what translates from the professional development experience into classroom practice and measureable gains in student achievement (e.g., Desimone et al., 2002). Studies showing improvements in pedagogy and student learning are important. However, studying what teachers are learning and how they learn is important in developing understanding of the content and …

Evaluating And Improving The Quality Of Teacher’S Language Modeling In Early Childhood Classrooms, Lillian White Englund

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The relationship between pre-school teachers and the children in their classrooms directly influences the degree of success the children experience in school and in life. The emphasis on quality pre-K education in the U.S. has resulted in an increased need for highly qualified teachers who are capable of engaging in meaningful interactions with young children. An important component of high-level teacher-child interactions is the teacher's ability to model language for children as they acquire vocabulary and language context.

This mixed-methods study was designed to examine the effectiveness of a professional development intervention designed to improve the quality of language modeling …

The Metacognitive Approach To Computer Education: Making Explicit The Learning Journey, Renata Phelps

Dr Renata Phelps

This paper presents a theoretical and practical exploration of a metacognitive approach to computer education, developed through a three-year action research project. It is argued that the approach contrasts significantly with often-employed directive and competency-based approaches to computer education and is more appropriate in addressing the longer-term learning needs of professionals such as teachers. The metacognitive approach focuses on beliefs, attitudes and learning strategies and assists learners to come to terms with the nature of technological change and their own ability to confront this change by embracing life-long computer learning. In this paper, the metacognitive approach is presented through a …

Teacher Collaboration As Professional Development In A Large, Suburban High School, Marlie L. Williams

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative study explored the impact of teacher collaboration in a professional learning communities (PLC) school on teacher self-efficacy. Through the collection and analysis of personal interview data from 20 teachers in a large, suburban Midwestern high school, the impact of structured teacher collaboration was evaluated for its impact on changes in teachers’ instructional practices, their feelings of responsibility for student learning, positive adult interdependence, and changes in teacher self-efficacy. Experts in educational professional development identify the importance of sustained, collegial learning. This study explored the structure of one high school’s professional collaboration model, the measures in place for goal-setting, …

The Relationships Among Caregiver Training, Mentoring, And Turn-Taking Between Caregiver And Child In Family Child Care, Carrie L. Ota

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Basic communication skills are foundational for children's success in school and are dependent largely on their language experiences early in life. The purpose of this study was to examine two professional development models and family child care providers' use of turn-taking strategies that promote language in young children. The first professional development model consisted of a 10-hour nonformal training focused on supporting early language development. The second included the nonformal training and on-site mentoring. The 48 family child care programs were randomly assigned to one of the professional development models or a control group. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to …

Effects Of Professional Development On Infusing Engineering Design Into High School Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math (Stem) Curricula, Zanj Kano Avery

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of professional development (PD) on the infusion of engineering design into high school curricula. Four inservice teachers with backgrounds in physics, chemistry, industrial education, math, and electrical engineering participated in the 2006 National Center of Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE)-sponsored PD workshops at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) and provided three sources of data that were used to answer the research question, "What are the effects of PD on infusing engineering design into high school science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curricula"?

Three major themes emerged from the data. …

Investigating Efforts To Change Educator Attitudes And Teaching Strategies Through Professional Development Focused On The Use Of Backward Design Curriculum And The Principles Of Efficacy: Educator Beliefs And Attitudes, Alice Marie Jordan Aldridge

Dissertations

School districts continually face problems associated with student achievement. The 2001–2002 federal mandate contained in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act held schools accountable for success of all students in reading and mathematics. Standardized tests were employed to measure the success. The purpose of this study was to investigate efforts to change educator attitudes and teaching strategies through professional development focused on the use of backward design curriculum and the principles of efficacy. Participants completed a pre and post Likert survey. Three 45-minute professional development sessions were conducted incorporating discussions on the principles of efficacy and backward design curriculum. …

Investigating Efforts To Change Educator Attitudes And Teaching Strategies Through Professional Development Focused On The Use Of Backward Design Curriculum And The Principles Of Efficacy: Student Behavior, Feedback And Assessments, Gwendolyn Grooms

Dissertations

School districts continually face problems associated with student achievement. The 2001–2002 federal mandate contained in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act held schools accountable for success of all students in reading and mathematics. Standardized tests were employed to measure the success. The purpose of this study was to investigate efforts to change educator attitudes and teaching strategies through professional development focused on the use of backward design curriculum and the principles of efficacy. Participants completed a pre and post Likert survey. Three 45-minute professional development sessions were conducted incorporating discussions on the principles of efficacy and backward design curriculum. …

Evaluation Study Of C.A.R.E., The National Education Association's Culture, Abilities, Resilience, And Effort Professional Development Training, Noni Reis, Denise Alston, Linda Bacon, Brooke Whiting, Sheila Simmons

Faculty Publications

This was an evaluation study of C.A.R.E., National Education Association's Culture, Abilities, Resilience and Effort (C.A.R.E.): Strategies for Closing Achievement Gaps. The training is based on culturally relevant pedagogy and on the Center for Research on Educational Diversity and Excellence standards. The research questions for the study were: 1.Did the training lead to changes in instructional practices? 2.Were the tools and materials provided by the C.A.R.E. guide used? 3.Did the strategies lead to changes in student behavior and school practices Participants (n-275) completed an on-line survey and/or a telephone interview. Two-thirds (66%) of the participants noticed improvements in student achievement, …

Effects Of Professional Development On Teachers’ Cultural Awareness, Marion Wilson-Brooks

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of professional development on educators’ cultural awareness. Twelve teachers and six administrators from two different school districts participated in eight weeks of professional development in an attempt to improve their relationships with minority students. During eight weeks of professional development, participants took part in dialogue designed to increase their cultural awareness. The content of these sessions included (a) reading the book, The Dream Keepers (Ladson-Billings, 1994), which is about culturally relevant teachers of African American students; (b) discussing the book’s content with peers; (c) discussing topics with guest speakers; (d) …

Evaluation Of 6 + 1 Trait Writing And The Professional Development Training Used To Implement The Program, Bruce E. Werkmeister

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the 6 + 1 Trait Writing program on student achievement and to explore the teacher perceived effectiveness of the 6 + 1 Trait Writing program on student achievement. This study concentrated on student achievement, as determined by the Missouri Assessment Program test, and the teachers’ perception of the impact 6 + 1 Trait Writing had on the curriculum. The study also focused on the perceived effectiveness of the 6 + 1 Trait Writing professional development opportunities provided to teachers as determined by surveys and roundtable discussions. The 2007, …

Using Questioning To Facilitate Discussion Of Science Teaching Problems In Teacher Professional Development, Meilan Zhang, Mary Lundeberg, Tom J. Mcconnell, Matthew J. Koehler, Jan Eberhardt

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Previous research has shown that questioning is a key strategy that facilitators use to promote discussion in Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Yet, there is a lack of detailed understanding on what questions facilitators ask and how those questions affect discussion. In this study we examined different types of questions that experienced facilitators asked to promote discussion of teaching problems in professional development for science teachers. We videotaped six PBL sessions facilitated by three pairs of experienced facilitators. Data analysis showed that facilitators asked a set of questions to initiate and advance PBL discourse, including questions to solicit ideas, to reframe ideas, …

Pedagogy And Primary Sources: Outcomes Of The Library Of Congress' Professional Development Program, Teaching With Primary Sources At Loyola, Michelle Fry

Dissertations

Until recently, few K-12 teachers outside of social studies have integrated primary sources in classroom instruction. Integrating primary sources in educational practice does require an uncommon pedagogical understanding. Addressing this K-12 educator need is the Library of Congress. Recently, the Library implemented a national educator professional development program, Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS).

The TPS program operates at multiple universities and colleges, including Loyola University Chicago. This program aims to educate K-12 educators of all subject-areas to integrate online, digitized primary sources into classroom practices. This study addressed questions related to the outcomes of teacher participants' classroom practices after completing …

Free Technology Tools To Develop Professionally And Collaboratively, Laura L. Needs, Larry D. Long

Larry D. Long

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Sustained, Job-Embedded Professional Development On Elementary Teachers' Math Teaching Self-Efficacy And The Resulting Effects On Their Students' Achievement, Krista Louise Althauser

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of a district-wide mathematics professional development program on elementary teachers' general and personal efficacy. It also explored connections among teacher efficacy and socioeconomic status with student achievement.

Using a quantitative approach, a job-embedded professional development initiative sustained over a 2-year period with 35 teachers was found to increase teachers' general and personal efficacy in teaching mathematics. The investigation of the professional development work was based on the principles of effective mathematics professional development, efficacy theory, and student achievement. To measure perceptions of teachers' general and personal efficacy, teachers of third graders in 10 Kentucky elementary …

Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes, And Beliefs Of Teachers In Alabama Concerning Comprehensive Hiv Education, Steven Brent Powell

All ETDs from UAB

The Alabama State Department of Education has guidelines for educators to insure HIV information is taught by teachers starting in fifth grade (Alabama Course of Study: Health Education, 2009). As assessed by The School Health Profile (Profiles), 55% of Alabama teachers received professional development on HIV/AIDS. In addition, less than half of grades 9-12 teachers taught how condoms work, the importance of consistent condom use, and how to obtain condoms (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009). The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS) administered to grades 9-12 determined that 57% of youth in Alabama are sexually active, with …

Investigating Efforts To Change Educator Attitudes And Teaching Strategies Through Professional Development Focused On The Use Of Backward Design Curriculum And The Principles Of Efficacy: Educator Behavior, Anissa Rochelle Harris

Dissertations

School districts continually face problems associated with student achievement. The 2001–2002 federal mandate contained in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act held schools accountable for success of all students in reading and mathematics. Standardized tests were employed to measure the success. The purpose of this study was to investigate efforts to change educator attitudes and teaching strategies through professional development focused on the use of backward design curriculum and the principles of efficacy. Participants completed a pre and post Likert survey. Three 45-minute professional development sessions were conducted incorporating discussions on the principles of efficacy and backward design curriculum. …