Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Elementary Teacher Perceptions Of Eureka Math, Lindsay Harmon Walker

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of elementary teachers teaching the Eureka Math program using a mixed methods approach. The participants were Grades K-5 elementary teachers from 10 elementary schools within the same school district located in the southwestern region of North Carolina. Quantitative data were collected via a 4-point Likert scale survey distributed via Google Forms. Qualitative data were collected via an open-ended question from the survey and an interview group. The data were collected to answer the research question, “How do elementary teachers experience teaching mathematics using the Eureka Math program?” The researcher designed …

A Descriptive Phenomenological Exploration Of Resiliency Through Math Curriculum Changes From The Perspectives Of Elementary Educators, Shanna Good

Education Dissertations and Projects

Phenomenological research in education, especially regarding curriculum, is rare. Curriculum change in the state has occurred seven times since 2002, and more so in each district with material adoption. This descriptive phenomenological research study describes the experiences of elementary educators through changing math curriculums. To collect data, the researcher interviewed 10 elementary math teachers including a pilot interview. Using a purposeful, convenience sample, three participants from three different schools participated in this study to ensure validity and reliability. After conducting semi-structured interviews, the researcher followed protocol for descriptive phenomenological research and analyzed the data for meaning units that described how …

A Case Study Of The Impact Of Reading Intervention In Early Elementary School Grade Levels, Bonnie S. Smith

Education Dissertations and Projects

This case study examined the impact of small class size using small group instruction with ability grouping for early literacy intervention. In this study, data were analyzed to determine the impact small class size, paired with small group instruction for intervention, had on students in terms of attaining grade-level proficiency standards. DIBELS data and facilitator interviews were analyzed from first and second grade intervention and traditional classes to determine the effectiveness of small class size and ability grouping for students to achieve grade-level proficiency in literacy. Results show that using direct instruction in small groups with Title I inclusion helped …

The Impact Of Instructional Rounds Professional Development On Teacher Self-Efficacy, Melessa B. Widener

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of instructional rounds professional development on teacher self-efficacy. The scope of this study was a qualitative case study including interviews with teachers who had participated in instructional rounds professional development in a rural district in the foothills of North Carolina. The methodology included interviews with two teacher leaders from all elementary schools implementing Responsiveness to Instruction (RtI) and teachers at the Early College who participated in instructional rounds professional learning through the New Schools Project. The findings include teachers' quotes from the transcriptions of the interviews as supporting the research …

Attitudes And Beliefs Of Upper Elementary Teachers Regarding The Teaching Of Cursive Handwriting, Dorothy Myers

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study surveyed current third-, fourth- and fifth-grade teachers in two small school districts in the southeast. One school district has initiated a technology initiative in its elementary schools. The other school district involved in the study incorporates technology but does not have a specified technology initiative. This dissertation was designed to provide information about the attitudes and beliefs of current third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade teachers about the necessity of teaching cursive handwriting. Many schools today either no longer teach cursive handwriting or do not spend the amount of time teaching cursive handwriting as in years past. With the age …

Program Fidelity And Teacher Decisions: A Case Study Of The Renaissance Learning Program, Jennifer D. Putnam

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the degree to which the fidelity of implementation of the Renaissance Learning program impacts teacher instruction, as well as teacher perception of student reading motivation and achievement. The teachers at a western North Carolina elementary school used the Renaissance Learning program for over 15 years, with little training. The school's end-of-grade test scores in reading were below the state and district averages, indicating that many of the students were struggling readers. At the start of the 2010-2011 school year, the teachers attended a professional development seminar and were trained on the best uses of …

Gifted Education And National Standards: A K--5 Program Evaluation, Debra A. Harwell-Braun

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation of a K-5 Gifted Education Program. Program evaluation addressed how well the gifted education program studied met the National Association of Gifted Children standards. In addition, this study included stakeholder perceptions of the current gifted education program K-5.

This program evaluation utilized the Accreditation Approach as well as the Logic Model for program planning and evaluation. Instruments used included surveys, interview groups, and classroom observations. Review of district evidence to address the standards was completed.

Analyses of the data by geographical region of the district studied provided minimal differences …

The Impact Of Teacher Self-Efficacy In Writing On Instruction And Evaluation Of Writing In A School District In Western North Carolina, Deanna Berrier

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the writing strategies and scoring practices of fourth-grade teachers on the North Carolina Fourth Grade Writing Assessment and local, county-wide writing assessments by collecting data from 13 elementary schools located in rural, western North Carolina.

Both qualitative and quantitative means of data collection were implemented. Inter-rater reliability was used to determine reliability of the fourth-grade teachers' scoring using the North Carolina Fourth Grade Writing Assessment Rubric. Qualitative data was collected through the use of two surveys administered to the fourth-grade teachers in the county. Interviews and a focus group were also used to determine …