Education Commons^™

Virtual Learning Walks Assignment Description, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Learning Walks are structured walkthroughs with the purpose of professional development and growth. Learning Walks include multiple people so that immediate reflections may occur through collaboration. In higher education, model classrooms are not readily available for preservice teachers to practice and apply coursework knowledge. Virtual Learning Walks are a creative approach to resolve this challenge. This assignment asks preservice teachers to watch a recorded lesson with the mindset that they are visiting a colleague’s classroom to observe them for professional growth. Students take notes during the observation then analyze the observation for their own growth.

A Descriptive Qualitative Study Exploring Middle-School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development On Technology Integration, Dayana Núñez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Today’s teachers are being encouraged to incorporate technology into their classrooms. Technology integration became a worldwide focus for schools after remote learning was necessary to continue instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, research shows that technology-infused lessons improve student achievement and increase student engagement. Despite efforts to support teachers throughout the technology integration process, concerns have developed. Preparing highly qualified teachers ready to incorporate technology into their teaching repertoire has developed additional stress factors. In this descriptive qualitative study, the researcher wanted to address the problem of teacher attrition, possibly related to stress factors associated with technology integration. The …

Emergency Remote Teaching Versus Planned Remote Teaching: Narrowing The Gap With Targeted Professional Development, Bonnie J. Covelli, Sudipta Roy

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study reviews faculty members’ comfort level with remote teaching in the Fall 2020 semester to evaluate the effectiveness of the professional development workshops.

Method: Using survey research, we examined professional development activities and subsequent comfort level and ease of adjustment with remote teaching in Fall 2020.

Results: Following the training, faculty reported high planned usage of various online teaching tools and great comfort with using them. The data reveals some differences between part-time and full-time faculty members.

Conclusions: The experience gained in the emergency semester, combined with the targeted professional development workshops offered eased the stress of planned …

The Relationship Between Technology Readiness And Online Professional Development, Scott Farrell Ringkamp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study is to determine if there is a relationship between technology readiness and grades, the number of attempts taken, or the time it took to complete an online professional development. Because of the pandemic, much educator professional development has shifted online. When this occurred, many teachers were unprepared to make this shift. To study the relationship, the researcher surveyed 73 staff members of an LEA in central Pennsylvania using the Technology Readiness Index 2.0 instrument. Then, the researcher computed a correlation coefficient between each participant’s Technology Readiness Index score and their grades, number of …

Supporting A Statewide Policy Consideration: Virtual Advancing Educational Leadership Training, Hamada Elfarargy, Beverly J. Irby, Nahed Abdelrahman, Gwendolyn Carol Webb, Angela Abney, Susan Holley, Elsa Villarreal, Carl Fahrenwald

Faculty Publications

COVID-19 pandemic was and continues to be a shock and a challenge to the entire world. This health and safety challenge found its way into the world of higher education, even in programs that were already delivered in online environments. In this study, we examined the perceptions of 79 developing principals enrolled in a Master of Education Degree program in Educational Administration at Texas A&M University in the United States as they processed the efficacy of a virtual professional development (VPD) leadership for a state certificate in Advancing Educational Leadership (AEL). The state agency has required AEL as a 3-day …

“Drown[Ing] A Little Bit All The Time: The Intersections Of Labor Constraints And Professional Development In Hybrid Contingent Faculty Experiences, Courtney Adams Wooten, Brian Fitzpatrick, Lourdes Fernandez, Ariel M. Goldenthal, Jessica Matthews

Academic Labor: Research and Artistry

Faculty teaching during COVID-19 have been asked to adapt to a wide range of instructional modalities that have often increased the labor they experience without commensurate compensation. Hybrid courses, which were already popular pre-pandemic, have become even more common as schools and universities have rushed to adapt instruction to students’ needs. This article reports on interviews with faculty teaching hybrid courses to investigate their perceptions of the labor involved in teaching in this instructional modality, drawing connections to the labor many faculty are experiencing as they adapt to hybrid or other, similar instructional modalities. It then argues that targeted professional …

Effects Of Professional Development Delivered In A Blended Format On General Education Elementary Teachers' Knowledge Of The Response To Intervention Process, Laura Jensen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Research within the last decade suggests that in-service general education elementary teachers’ understanding of and skills in administering Response to Intervention (RtI) practices are limited. A review of literature revealed a shortage of professional publications investigating the effects of RtI training for these teachers on their knowledge and skills. This project examined the effects of professional development delivered in a blended format on elementary general education teachers’ knowledge of the response to intervention process. Participants included female general education teachers with a current teaching assignment in grades one or two with a range of teaching experience from preschool through sixth …

Rapid Review Of Effective Practice Principles In The Design And Delivery Of Digital Resources For Teachers, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Pru Mitchell, Jenny Trevitt

Wellbeing

This rapid review, commissioned by Life Education Australia (LEA), gathered evidence about effective practice in the design and delivery of digital professional learning for teachers. Its goal was to inform development of principles to guide the design and delivery of LEA’s own digital resources for teachers. The key research question for the review was: What does the research evidence say about the design and delivery of digital / online resources for teachers and what practice implications and recommendations could be made based on this research evidence?

Teacher Perceptions Of Blended Learning To Support 21st Century Learners, Nikki Hensley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand teacher perceptions of blended learning as an instructional methodology for addressing the needs of diverse learners. The researcher explored the perceptions of teachers who were participating in an ongoing professional development program within their school district. This program focused on improving teaching and learning through the implementation of a blended learning approach. The researcher examined the experiences of teachers as they learned to adapt pedagogical practices to address the learning needs of 21st century students through blended learning. The researcher sought to gain a better understanding of how teachers perceived that …

Raising The Bar With Professional Development In The Use Of Distance Learning Tools, Victoria Brown, Jillian Powers, Ann Musgrove Dr., Daria Olden

FDLA Journal

Abstract: Strategic plans to increase online student enrollment and distance learning (DL) enrollment are driving professional development centers to change their approach to faculty preparation for designing, developing, and facilitating online courses. As it takes approximately three to five years to achieve change in teaching attitudes toward technology (Hall & Hord, 2014), understanding factors that influence faculty adoption of technology, their self-efficacy, and attitudes toward technology becomes indispensable. This paper describes a study that explored how different professional development (PD) options affect faculty self-efficacy and attitudes toward adopting distance learning tools for online instruction. The authors welcome a discussion on …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 4, Issue 2

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full Fall 2020 issue (Volume 4, Issue 2) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence.

Digital Development: What It Means For Teachers, Amy Lightfoot

Teacher India

Technology can be leveraged for teachers’ professional development. Amy Lightfoot explains how.

What’S In Your Gifted Education Online Teacher Professional Development? Incorporating Theory- And Practice-Based Elements Of Instructional Learning Design, Matthew J. Edinger

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Faculty Publications

This paper examined six theory- and practice-based elements of instructional learning design in online teacher professional development (oTPD), how these elements were implemented into Edinger’s (2017) PACKaGE model of gifted education oTPD, and how teachers evaluated each element. Elements were based on Berge’s (1995) instructor roles model theory and gifted education research. Each element was evaluated by teachers (N=184) who completed oTPD designed from the PACKaGE model. Self-report survey findings suggest that teachers considered most elements, such as asynchronous discussion board and article review assignments, to be useful to a great extent to their gifted education learning and pedagogy. However, …

Corporate E-Learning: Perceptions Of Persistence And Satisfaction, Staci Bain

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

This study examined eLearning perception factors of persistence and satisfaction in a for-profit business setting. The input of 32 company leaders, eLearning content designers, and course participants was investigated to identify the convergent and divergent eLearning beliefs of stakeholders. Using the Delphi consensus-building method, results suggested three salient course elements influenced eLearning persistence and satisfaction. Findings highlight the importance of being cognizant to include specific factors in eLearning courses when designing and implementing online learning, while also acknowledging and navigating the divergent eLearning beliefs of corporate stakeholders.

Responsive O.E.R. Programming At City Tech, Cailean Cooney, Elvis Bakaitis, Sarah Nguyen

Publications and Research

This presentation discusses the multifaceted approach to professional development for faculty around open educational resources.

Professional Development Support For The Online Instructor: Perspectives Of U.S. And German Instructors, Florence Martin, Chuang Wang, Kiran Budhrani, Robert L. Moore, Annika Jokiaho

STEMPS Faculty Publications

With the increase in number of courses being offered online, there is an increase in the need for professional development support for instructors to teach online. The purpose of this study is to examine faculty perceptions on professional development needs for online teaching, specifically in the U.S. and in Germany. Based on a qualitative open-ended survey, four themes emerged on the professional development needs of instructors for administrative support, personnel support, pedagogical support and technology support. This study discusses specific areas of support in these themes and provides implications for administrators, faculty, and support staff.

Exploring Perceptions Of Advanced Online Faculty Professional Development Needs: A Case Study, Keisha Kidan

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Over the last 10 years, funding for higher education has steadily declined. Illinois public institutions had to make many adjustments, particularly because higher education funds were cut by 50% in some cases, and on-campus enrollments declined by as much as 25%. Despite these issues, institutions with online enrollments sustained steady enrollment. The goal of this qualitative, descriptive, single case study was to examine the types of training participated in by online faculty, what training they perceive they need, and to inquire if they perceive their feedback is incorporated into PD offerings. Data collection consisted of a PD observation, survey, and/or …

Learning To Teach Online: An Investigation Of The Impacts Of Faculty Development Training On Teaching Effectiveness And Attitudes Toward Online Instruction, Karen Elizabeth Brinkley

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between one approach to training for online faculty and the ways in which the program influenced the participants’ teaching effectiveness and attitudes toward online instruction. Two research questions guided this study: (1) how did participating in an intensive course redesign intervention influence instructors’ teaching effectiveness in the online environment? and (2) how did participating in the training influence instructors’ beliefs or attitudes about online teaching? The theoretical framework guiding this study was the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model, developed by Mishra and Koehler (2005). Using a concurrent, mixed-methods design, …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Instructional Practices In An Online New Teacher Induction Program: A Case Study, Dennis Joseph Large

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the perceptions of new teachers regarding an online version of a new teacher induction program. The need for the study is based on (a) the increased need to train new teachers, (b) the limitations of traditional new teacher induction programs, and (c) the affordances of an online version of an induction program. Although teacher induction programs have been studied for two decades, online versions of these specific programs are appropriate for current study because they are relatively new and those who implement such programs would benefit from knowing more about their best practices. In 2013, …

Constructing Online Communities Of Practice, Marvin Cohen, Babette Moeller, Michelle Cerrone

Occasional Paper Series

The authors document the ways in which online communities of practice enable teachers to have meaningful conversations sharing practices and discussing the nuances of teaching math.

Activating Emotional & Analytic Engagement In Blended Learning: A Multicultural Teacher Education Example, Ramona Maile Cutri, Erin Feinauer Whiting, Stefinee E. Pinnegar

Occasional Paper Series

The authors share their experience in designing a blended multicultural education course that they hoped would increase the likelihood that the teachers they were educating would take up socially just dispositions. They examined their own learning using a critical friend relationship with a colleague experienced in developing technological responses that honor relational aspects of teacher education within a framework of sociocultural theory.

Teaching Science Teachers In An Online Context With A Constructivist Approach, Frederick W. Freking, Jenny D. Ingber

Occasional Paper Series

The authors discuss the development of an online STEM-based teacher education program, providing a template for the inclusion of constructivist practices, such as course activities and student teaching.

The Effects Of Professional Development On Online Adjunct Faculty Job Satisfaction In A Community College Setting, Marie Ferguson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal comparative research study, guided by Herzberg’s (1964) Two Factor Theory of Motivation, and conducted with 106 online adjunct faculty members teaching at a community college in a Southeastern state, examined the effects of four types of professional development (PD) training for online instruction (i.e., fully online, fully face-to-face, blended [online and face-to-face], and none) on online adjunct faculty members’ levels of motivation and hygiene job satisfaction. Data were analyzed using two one-way MANCOVAs. The first one-way MANCOVA addressed the first research question, which inquired if there were significant differences across online instruction PD training groups on the …

A Roadmap To Transform Learning From Face-To-Face To Online, Nagwa Abou El-Naga, Dalya Abdulla

Publications and Scholarship

Online learning offers a flexible learning environment, allowing colleges to attain a global presence and provide a higher caliber of student learning experiences. The implementation of online learning, however at the educational institution can lead to various challenges across three main clusters: students, faculty, and management. An overview of these challenges, based on the review of the current literature, is provided in this paper along with appropriate mitigation strategies. A generalized roadmap is established in this article that illustrates how the transition from face-to-face to online courses can be managed using a series of key steps in three critical phases …

Course Shell For Introduction To Oer Class, Steven Ovadia

Open Educational Resources

This is the course shell for the fully online OER class used to train CUNY faculty in OER implementation. It includes five modules plus a final project. The modules are:

• Class introduction
• An Introduction to Open Education Resources
• Finding and Evaluating Open Education Resources
• Using Open Education Resources in Your Class
• Creating and Hosting Your Own Open Education Resources

Discussion prompts are included as a separate document.

Evolution Of The Blendkit Course: Fine-Tuning A Professional Development Mooc, Kelvin Thompson, Patsy Moskal

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

While many MOOCs modeled on traditional university curricula may be undertaken as sources of professional development, the University of Central Florida has released open courseware and a series of MOOCs specifically for the professional development of higher education faculty and designers preparing to design and teach blended learning courses. This article details experiences with offering multiple iterations of the BlendKit Course in order that others interested in professional development MOOCs may benefit from the authors' successes and lessons learned. The article addresses: background influences on the design of the BlendKit Course; the evolution of the BlendKit Course from its initial …

Connecting With The Caribbean, Sueanne Mckinney, Linda Irwin-Devitis, Brenda Scanelli, Sharon Thomas, Andrew Casiello, Heather Huling

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

Teaching and learning mathematics can be a universal language. Our session will focus on the collaborative efforts of Old Dominion University and the Caribbean schools on the islands of St. Kitts, Dominica, Nevis and Anguilla in order to provide professional development learning opportunities in the area of mathematics. Specifically, the learning opportunity sessions concentrate on the use of manipulatives to teach conceptual understandings of mathematical ideals for the participating Caribbean schools and teachers. Preliminary data will be presented and discussed that includes the technical process, teacher understanding and participation, and mathematics self-efficacy.

Effectiveness Of Professional Development In Teaching Mathematics And Technology Applications, Taralynn Hartsell, Sherry Herron, Houbin Fang, Avinash Rathod

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study investigated whether a four-week professional development workshop for math teachers helped improve their ability to integrate technology into instruction and teach math concepts. Instruments for data collection included four different types of surveys that asked questions concerning their technology skills and confidence in teaching various math topics. Results of the study revealed that the professional development workshop did improve their technology skills in using graphing calculators and different software programs, as well as increasing their overall confidence in teaching different math topics such as fractions, percentages, real numbers, etc.

Charting A New Course: Professional Development Strategies For Improving Literacy Education Across The Curriculum, Vikki K. Collins, Dawn Upshaw, H. Marguerite Yates

Perspectives In Learning

This paper reviews the effects of a program of professional development for literacy teachers in an urban, southeastern elementary school. During academic year 2002-2003, only 67% of fourth grade students met or exceeded state standards for achievement in reading as measured by the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), and only 77% of fourth grade students met or exceeded state standards for achievement in English/language arts as measured by the CRCT (Georgia Department of Education, 2005).