Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study On Teacher Perception Of Change In School Culture As A Result Of The Implementation Of Mindfulness, Justin Penley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore the phenomenon of teacher perception of change in school culture as a result of the implementation of mindfulness. This study used a phenomenological methodology, enabling the researcher to gather information by focusing on and describing the impact of mindfulness on school culture in a deep comprehensive manner.

The investigator was able to extract meaning and code data, leading to the emergence of themes that supported and aligned with the study’s research questions and thus led into a holistic understanding of the phenomenon. This was accomplished through data analysis of rich, in-depth interviews, onsite …

A School Of Choice: A Case Study Of An Instructional Learning Model In A Public School System, Samuel Mccord

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This case study focused on the understandings of the administration and teaching staff with regard to the implementation and student academic growth of the B-L Upward program. The understandings were formed from data collected through structured, face-to-face interviews. The questioning of the staff members assisted in determining an understanding of the instructional model of the B-L Upward program. The experimental nature of the B-L Upward program allowed students, primarily those graduating from eighth grade and heading into high school, to choose an alternative to the traditional secondary learning environment. The current case study is an examination of the B-L Upward …

To What Extent Do Teachers And Administrators Perceive They Impact Student Engagement In A Rural Southwest Georgia School System, Priscilla G. Yarbrough

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of engagement emerged to understand and improve outcomes for students whose academic performance in school was marginal or poor. The importance of student engagement for achieving success in school was proven in many studies. Lessons designed to engage students helped to improve student achievement at all levels including lower academic performing students and helped to create positive school cultures and classroom learning environments. Very little was known about how teacher beliefs (perceptions of student engagement) influenced student engagement within the classroom. There were only a few studies in which student engagement was examined from the teacher’s perspective. To …

Latina Women At Columbus State University: The Struggle To Persist, Sharon Seneca

Theses and Dissertations

The Hispanic population in the United States increased tremendously over the years and Latinos are now the largest ethnic minority in the United States. The growth of the Latino community changed the face of the nation. Latina women are projected to account for a third of the total female population by the year 2060.

This growing segment of society represented untapped human capital, much of which has yet to be discovered and utilized. The Latino population at Columbus State University has also increased over the years. While the numbers of Latino students continued to increase, the fact that Latino students …

Video Composition, Creative Discourse, And Facilitated Freedom: A Teacher's Journey To Reveal Student Potential, Michael A. Brinkmeyer

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This research project was conducted in response to students’ lack of engagement in traditional modes of instruction and composition in a high school English Language Arts course. In order to better understand students as creative composers of knowledge, this research project asked students to engage in the video production process in collaborative groups. The research was conducted over the course of eight class periods in three different sections of Junior-level English Language Arts courses. Analysis of the data from this study reveals three important findings: 1) students respond well to creative and relevant performance assessments; 2) students’ collaborative conversations, or …

A New Model For Creative Education, Carolina Schnapp R.

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project explored the design of a pedagogical model for the development of creativity, targeted for teachers and educational institutions. The development of creativity has become highly relevant over the past few decades, especially with the emphasis given to 21st Century Skills and the responsibility that schools have on fostering these skills. In this project, you will find the ideas based on research and experience, that were the foundation for the model, the creative process behind the design of the model, and the final version. The project was shared with experts who validated parts of the model and opened space …

A Sustainable “No Excuses” Charter School Model, Kelly Lerash

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

As a participant observer working in a charter school and researching charter schools, I critically examine a particular charter school in New York City. I begin with my educational journey and the challenge of being a participant observer. I transition to focus on a general overview of “No Excuses” charter schools in NYC, looking closely at Uncommon Charter Schools, Achievement First Charter Schools, KIPP NYC, Success Academy Charter Schools and Democracy Prep Charter Schools. Next, I share my experiences working for five years in a “No Excuses” Charter School, using a specific lens to examine what makes that school different …

Personal And Leadership Development In The Middle School Environment: The School Strong Initiative, Ashley Kunkle

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

Schools today are extremely focused on the academic rigor demands of standards and literacy that students aren’t learning the skills necessary to become self-initiating individuals and leaders. Through the School STRONG Initiative, students and teachers will have an outlet for community, technical skills enhancement, and leadership and coaching development. With this program in place, schools will transition from the traditional schooling approach, to an authentically led learning organization.

An Exploration Of The Perceptions Of Teachers And Administrators On The Relationship Between Professional Learning Community Practices And School Success, Lawrence L. Haggquist

Dissertations

Purpose: Professional learning communities (PLCs) have provided a popular means by which schools have used structured collaboration to improve student outcomes. For this reason, the PLC model for collaboration has a strong reputation for helping schools achieve success. However, teachers and administrators regard the PLC efficacy differently. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how high school teachers and administrators in Basic Aid funded school districts define success in relation to Professional Learning Community practices. A secondary purpose of this study was to explore the differences in perception between teachers and administrators in regard to defining success in …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

The Role Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In The Preparation Of Secondary Teacher Candidates For Successful Teaching Of Diverse Learners: A Multiphase Mixed Methods Case Study, Rosalyn Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

The dramatic demographic shift occurring in this country makes it essential that our nation examines its policies, practices, and values as they relate to culturally diverse learners. That this student population remains underserved needs immediate attention. One arena that can become a part of the solution to the underachievement of diverse learners is teacher education and preparation programming.

The purpose of this research study was to give attention to this issue and to understand what an urban teacher education program (UTEP) with an educational equity and social justice mission does to prepare its secondary teacher candidates (STCs) to work successfully …

News From The Graduate School - Education, Otterbein Office Of Graduate Programs

Graduate School

Newsletter that provides updates from the Graduate School and the Education Graduate Program.

Social And Emotional Learning In Portland Public High Schools, Makenzie Thompson

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) can be defined as, “the capacity to recognize and manage emotions, solve problems effectively, and establish positive relationships with others; competencies that clearly are essential for all students. Thus, SEL targets a combination of behaviors, cognitions, and emotions to better students in school and prepare them for the world after”(Zins et al., 2003,p.1). Emerging evidence suggests that schoolwide and teacher-focused interventions involving a social and emotional learning framework are among the most effective approaches for improving student behavioral outcomes and student success in school (Anyon, et al., 2016). The aim of this study was to …

Practitioner Research In Schools: Revealing The Efficacy Agency Cycle, Edward Resnick

Educational Studies Dissertations

Years of high stakes testing and managerial directives to improve student test scores created a trend of teachers’ declining sense of efficacy and agency. Researchers have yet to examine the perceptions of teachers following requirements to improve student engagement and school climate in an effort to improve academic performance following the authorization of local and national educational accountability reforms. The purpose of this study is to examine how teachers perceive their efficacy and agency in response to the addition of nonacademic measures and the requirement of documented input from teachers and other stakeholders into educational policy planning procedures. Veteran K-12 …

Perceptions Of Relationship‐Oriented Leadership Behaviors: A Descriptive Case Study, Akeishia J. Patterson

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship-oriented leadership behaviors teachers and principals perceive as being most important to the role of principal leadership. The study also focuses on how the perceptions between teachers and principals differ. Research indicates principals as being the catalyst behind and building and maintaining effective relationships with teachers. The Professional Standards for Educational Leaders serve as a framework for principals by providing them with standards that convey relationship-oriented characteristics leaders need to possess in order to be effective. The following study uses a mixed methods research design to collect data through online surveys and interviews. The surveys and …

Charter School Teacher Satisfaction And The Factors That Contribute To And Predict Satisfaction, Dylan Barnes

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this study was to identify the overall job satisfaction level and the most robust predictors of overall satisfaction of K-12 charter school teachers. Understanding the overall satisfaction level of charter school teachers and what makes up their overall satisfaction may assist charter school leaders in being more informed to address teacher attrition, mobility, and retention in charter schools. This quantitative study utilized a survey research method to address five research questions. Teachers in K-12 charter schools located in the state of Florida were invited to complete a survey on teacher satisfaction which included the 20 items of …

Chicago Public Schools (Cps) Systems To Support Administrators Plan, Jeffrey Alstadt

Dissertations

Wagner et al.’s (2010) change leadership model was used to assess culture, context, conditions, and competencies of a large, diverse urban school district to create a systemic plan for supporting building level administrators. Interviews were conducted with former building level administrators, teachers, and staff who worked with building level administrators within the district. Results indicated overwhelming support for the building level administrators in the district. Strategies for implementation included: creating professional learning communities, leading adult learning, and developing leadership capacity. To achieve the much-needed changes, CPS personnel must be ready for a complete change in thinking, and it will take …

Alternative Seating In Middle School Math: Effects On Student Motivation, Kirk Whitfield Renegar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The use of alternative classroom seating has recently become a topic of interest in education. Many teachers have redesigned their classrooms to include many forms of classroom seating aside from traditional student desks. These forms of seating include but are not limited to: therapy balls, therapy cushions, and beanbag chairs. While this movement has certainly caused a buzz, little research has been completed that speaks to its educational impact on students when multiple forms of seating are available to students. Most critically, the potential impact of alternative classroom seating on students’ motivation and self-efficacy has also yet to be studied. …

Supports Provided To Improve Schools In Need Of Intensive Supports In Chicago Public Schools (Cps) Evaluation, Jeffrey Alstadt

Dissertations

The program evaluation examined systems provided to schools in the city of Chicago which needed intensive supports. This was done by evaluating qualitative and quantitative data. Much of the qualitative data was derived from interviews, while the majority of the quantitative data was compiled through Chicago Public Schools’ publically accessible data system. There were many advantages to looking at only the schools needing intensive supports. There were many similarities in these schools which helped strengthen and align with the qualitative data produced from the individuals interviewed. There were also publically released studies that validated the qualitative data from this study. …

Structuring A Short-Term Study Abroad Experience To Foster Professional Identity Growth In Undergraduate Education And Social Work Students, David M. Tack, Jeremy Carney

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This paper explores the emerging themes in the development and implementation of a short-term study abroad tour of Ireland and Northern Ireland by education and social work majors. The twenty-two student participants were invited to take part in a post-travel focus group process to discover how the experience impacted their developing professional identities. As the researchers reviewed the focus group transcripts and reflected on the experience, powerful ideas regarding the development of a successful study abroad experience emerged. The following four themes emerged: instructors need to purposefully schedule the experience to meet the social and learning needs of the students; …

2018 Ijbe Front Matter, Tamra Connor

International Journal for Business Education

1. Editorial Board
2. President's Letter
3. SIEC-ISBE International

2018 Research & Scholarship Schedule, University Of Southern Maine

1st Annual USM Research & Scholarship Symposium

Symposium schedule and workshop descriptions.

Case-In-Point Methodology: Creating A Studio-Laboratory Environment In Every Classroom, Emily Carlson, Kari Gibbs Prouty

Andrews University Teaching and Learning Conference

Participants will explore the unique approach of case-in-point methodology which utilizes student experiences to transform the academic space, harness failure, and process life’s challenges. Emphasis will be given to designing tasks that promote problem solving, communication, and self-reflection across all age groups and disciplines. Borrowing from best practices utilized at Harvard Business School, the University of Minnesota, and Andrews University’s Undergraduate Leadership Program, attendees will learn how to create tasks designed to make use of both the explicit and underlying issues that surface in the day-to-day lives of students and connect those issues to course content.

The Influence Of The Heritage Language On The Cultural Integration Of Second-Generation Hispanic Adolescents: A Phenomenological Study, Camille Schuler

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the influence of the heritage language on the cultural integration of 10 second-generation Hispanic adolescents, ages 15-19. Data were collected using in-depth interviews that asked participants to share their experiences with their heritage language, and in what situations they found themselves feeling more Hispanic, more American, and more bicultural, when speaking their heritage language. Participants also shared the formal course of language study they chose, such as Spanish, Heritage Spanish, and AP Spanish Language, why they chose it, and how that choice influenced their perceptions of the heritage language and their cultural integration. Berry’s (2005) Acculturation …

History Of Journalism Education: An Analysis Of 100 Years Of Journalism Education, Hilary Akers Dunn

LSU Master's Theses

This quantitative content analysis uses course descriptions to find changes in journalism education at the University of Missouri, Louisiana State University, and the University of North Carolina over 100 years. This study found that there are two influencing factors that are inherent to the journalism profession: advances in technology and the maturity of the profession itself. These two influencing factors produced changes in technology used in curriculum, course focus (e.g. skill, theory, general knowledge, and history), and course topics (e.g. advertising, broadcasting, public relations, etc.) This study also found that leadership is the most influential factor of change in journalism …

An Instrumental Case Study On Testing An Integrated Framework For Tutoring Sessions, Alicia L. Holland, Chris Grant, Reshma Donthamsetty

The Qualitative Report

The objective for the current qualitative case study was to examine participants’ perceptions on the tutor coaching and session review frameworks. The location of the study was at the tutor coach’s place of business. At the beginning of the study, both tutor coach and tutors were trained on how to implement the specific frameworks associated with their roles in the tutoring process. Tutors who participated in the study kept weekly reflection journals regarding their tutoring experiences. After 6 weeks, the tutor coach participated in 30-minute open-ended phone interviews related to the tutor-coaching framework. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Tutors …

Franklincovey Leader In Me Program: The Impact On Title 1 Students - A Positive Social Climate For All Children And Youth, Ronny Green, Paula Tench, Lantry Brockmeier, William Truby, Rudo Tsemunhu, Kathy Nobles

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Brief Description:

What was the impact on Title 1 students when the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program was implemented to foster a positive social climate for all children and youth in a North Georgia school?

Building A Better Risk Prevention Model, Steven Hornyak

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation chronicles the work of Houston County Schools in developing a risk prevention model built on more than ten years of longitudinal student data. In its second year of implementation, Houston At-Risk Profiles (HARP), has proven effective in identifying those students most in need of support and linking them to interventions and supports that lead to improved outcomes and significantly reduces the risk of failure.

Bull's Eye - Hitting The Target For Every Student!, Dianne M. Connolly Mrs., Sara Hastings Mrs.

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Hitting the reading target for every student requires precision, skill and practice. Learn how a dedicated Professional Learning Community of teachers, support staff, administration, and specialist created a targeted Tiered Reading System for all students. Shared mission + shared responsibility = shared success. Pentucket Lake school was recognized by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education for their extensive turnaround work and closing the achievement gap. Participants will leave this session with the tools, videos, and training to implement this targeted instruction.

A Look At Emotional Intelligence: A Qualitative Study Of Peer Mentorship Via Circle Of Friends, Christopher De Loach

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of former Circle of Friends (CoF) nondisabled peer mentors of students with multiple disabilities to discover how this mentorship program impacted Daniel Goleman’s four dimensions of emotional intelligence.

Methodology: This study employed a qualitative phenomenological design. In qualitative designs, the researcher seeks to welcome the subject’s voice into a chorus that contributes to the summative ballad of the sample. The researcher must seek to be a neutral conduit that captures those voices. Thus, the researcher in this study interviewed 14 former peer friends from the CoF program …