Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Improving The Retention Rate In The Introductory Programming Courses At Georgia Southwestern State University, Karen S. Cook, Sai K. Mukkavilli, Satyaki Nan

Perspectives In Learning

Post COVID, the incoming students in CS and IT programs have seen a significant increase in the fail, withdrawal rate. Though some of it is associated with the lack of classes and changes in modalities during COVID and the initial years that followed, most of it is due to the lack of proper foundation after high school and before introducing the programming courses. In this paper we identify the major reasons for the low retention rate and how it can be mitigated by introducing a logic course in the curriculum.

Aligning Higher Education Preparation Programs With Workforce Needs: An Interdisciplinary Approach, Jeffrey M. Warren

Perspectives In Learning

While institutes of higher education are highly dynamic, academic programs and faculty within them often operate in an isolated, independent manner. As a result, the training they deliver can lack the interdisciplinary perspectives students need to navigate a diverse and evolving workforce successfully. This editorial explores the importance of interdisciplinary training and discusses the challenges college students who lack exposure to collaborative, integrative learning face as they transition to their respective professions. Finally, faculty are encouraged to consider strategies to enhance training in preparation programs and best position their graduates for success in interdisciplinary contexts.

Literacy Intervention At The Middle Level: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of The Implementation Of Thinking Maps, Ashley Chantal Choice

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the implementation of Thinking Maps® as a literacy instructional intervention for students in grades four and five. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study investigated the effect of Thinking Maps® on student achievement, changes in students’ literacy-related work products, and teachers’ perceptions of the strategy. The study was conducted at a rural Title I elementary school in the southeastern United States and included nine teachers and 150 students across English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies during an eight-week intervention period. Quantitative data included unit pretest and posttest scores from standards-aligned assessments and teacher perception …

Leadership Traits Which Improve School Climate Star Ratings And Ccrpi Single Scores In Georgia K-12 Urban Schools: A Mixed-Methods Study, Rodney D. Jordan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship between the self prescribed leadership styles of principals with the teacher perceptions of those leadership styles and how that difference may impact school climate ratings and College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI) single scores in Georgia urban K-12 schools. The quantitative method was used to examine quantitative differences related to these two components of Georgia’s state accountability model. The qualitative method was used to explore teachers’ perceptions of the influence of leadership style on climate star ratings and CCRPI single scores. Quantitative data was collected through the …

How Do School Counselors And School Social Workers Support High School Bullying Victims: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study, Dalentina N. Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

Bullying and student aggression are increasing in public high schools. Bullying and cyberbullying are a safety concern, and victims of bullying have shown a decline academically and emotionally. Additionally, high schools need increased support with bullying behaviors. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore school counselors’ and school social workers’ insights and perspectives regarding the support they provided to bullying victims in two school districts in rural Georgia. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory was the framework used to focus research on understanding how environmental systems influence an individual’s development. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from a purposeful sample of …

Women Of Color In K-12 Educational Leadership Pursuing Higher-Level District Advancement In Public Education, Telicia R. Leonard

Theses and Dissertations

This paper focuses on the inequities in leadership along with gender and racial intersections that may contribute to barriers for Women of Color who have already acquired mid-level leadership positions and are seeking opportunities to acquire positions deemed as senior district-level positions. This qualitative case study was explored through the lens of feminist poststructuralist and equity theories. The objective was to research the participants and ascertain participant perspectives on the role that race, and gender constructs have played in their ability to attain their current positions and how any barriers encountered impact their attempts at new levels of career advancement …

Cultivating Mindsets And Transformative Practices Of Beginning Alternative Certified Teachers: A Teacher Perception Study, Rodney Keith Wilkerson

Theses and Dissertations

The shortage of qualified teachers in the United States has been a persistent issue for decades. The number of qualified candidates to fill teaching vacancies has fallen short as the number of teachers needed to educate today continues to increase (Carothers et al., 2019). Traditionally, teacher preparation programs were the primary source of certified teachers. However, these programs have been decimated by declining student enrollment and by criticisms that they do not meet the needs of prospective teaching candidates today (Darling-Hammond, 2020). In recent years, the shortage has become even more acute, with some regions facing severe teacher shortages (Carothers …

The Impact Of Pre-Kindergarten Programs On Literacy Achievement In Primary Grades In Rural Southeast Alabama Title I Schools, Courtney Sonntonya Thorton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how pre-kindergarten impacts the literacy achievement of students in Alabama Title I schools. This quantitative study employed a causal-comparative (ex post facto) research design to examine the impact of Alabama’s First-Class Pre-K (FCPK) program on early literacy and school readiness, as measured by the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and the Alabama Early Learning Inventory (AL ELI). The design was selected due to its appropriateness for studying naturally occurring groups and its capacity to explore potential cause-and-effect relationships without researcher-controlled intervention.

The independent variable was Pre-K attendance (attendee vs. …

Check The Rhyme Y’All; Life As A Shorty Shouldn’T Be So Rough: How Hip-Hop Songs Can Be Used As Pedagogical Tools To Teach Grammar/Culture And Ease Comprehension In A French As A Second Language Classroom, Scooter Pégram

Perspectives In Learning

Language learning can be stressful endeavour for students. To address this, educators of foreign languages often search for new and exciting pedagogical tools that will enable them to reach their learners in meaningful ways. Since both hip-hop music and culture are omnipresent throughout contemporary society in many facets, some teachers are incorporating elements of this ever-expanding and integral part of global pop culture into their lesson plans. This study explores the unique educational approach that is known as a Hip-Hop Based Education (HHBE); one where rap music and lyrics can be integrated into classroom instruction and learning. After first introducing …

Educator Preparation Assessment: An Alignment Of The Gapsc Standards And Intasc Standards, Jessica Vanvalkenburgh, Aaron R. Gierhart, Thomas Dailey, Jennifer Vanslander

Faculty Bibliography

To create the crosswalk between the InTASC and Georgia performance standards, each faculty member used a spreadsheet with rows containing 174 InTASC indicators and columns containing all 75 CAPS indicators. Faculty members worked independently without consulting each other to consider the 15,640 points of alignment between both sets of standards and their indicators. After a complete review, the group met as a whole to discuss the alignment, eventually agreeing on 674 points of alignment between the two sets of standards and their indicator. Additionally, the team found 10,455 points of alignment with the MAP assessment and 3,145 points of alignment …

Educator Preparation Assessment: An Alignment Of The Gapsc Standards And Intasc Standards, Jessica Vanvalkenburgh, Aaron R. Gierhart, Thomas Dailey, Jennifer Vanslander

Faculty Bibliography

To create the crosswalk between the InTASC and Georgia performance standards, each faculty member used a spreadsheet with rows containing 174 InTASC indicators and columns containing all 75 CAPS indicators. Faculty members worked independently without consulting each other to consider the 15,640 points of alignment between both sets of standards and their indicators. After a complete review, the group met as a whole to discuss the alignment, eventually agreeing on 674 points of alignment between the two sets of standards and their indicator. Additionally, the team found 10,455 points of alignment with the MAP assessment and 3,145 points of alignment …

Teachers’ Conceptions Of Students’ Data Literacy In Life Science And Physical Science Classes, Bridget Nicole Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Data literacy in science is an evolving field of study as students need to be able to collect, analyze, interpret, and make inferences from different sources of data. Much research centers on teachers' use of data to improve instructional practices, but less focus on teachers' conceptions of student data literacy and strategies used to foster data literacy in life and physical science high school classes. Thus, there is a need to address this area as recent Georgia assessments reveal that over 50% of students are performing below proficiency level in science. Consequently, this research sought to understand teachers’ conceptions of …

Preliminary Pages, Jennifer L. Brown

Perspectives In Learning

Preliminary Pages for Volume 20, Issue 2

Lessons Learned: Using Faculty Learning Communities To Foster Pedagogical Skills And Cultivate Community, Caitlin Brez, Linda Behrendt

Perspectives In Learning

Academic expertise has traditionally served as the measure of faculty’s effectiveness in the classroom. Twenty-first century changes in the landscape of higher education have brought the need for sound pedagogy as a foundational tool in the college classroom. Faculty learning communities (FLCs) are an effective method to facilitate the development of pedagogy, which, in turn, has shown to have a direct effect on student success and graduation rates. This article examines the experiences of two faculty members at a Midwestern university who developed a 10-week inter-disciplinary FLC that was offered over 5 semesters, as well as participant feedback.

Supporting Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Design Of Differentiated Instruction With A Transparent Lesson Plan Template, Charlotte A. Mundy-Henderson, Aaron Gierhart, Saoussan Maarouf

Perspectives In Learning

Planning and differentiation are key components of elementary teachers’ work in classrooms. Therefore, teacher education programs must prepare their preservice teachers for this future responsibility. This study examines how the integration of a more targeted lesson plan template and increased explicit in-class instruction impacts preservice teachers’ knowledge and implementation of differentiated instruction in an Elementary Education teacher certification program. Findings indicate that the new, more targeted lesson plan template and increased time dedicated to explicit differentiated instruction across the Elementary Education program led candidates to feel more knowledgeable about differentiated instruction and how to design and implement instruction for diverse …

A Preliminary Investigation Into The Impact Of A First-Year Stress Management Seminar, Lisa B. Smith, Mary E. Ignagni

Perspectives In Learning

Research reveals that high stress levels in undergraduate students may negatively impact their emotional and physical well-being. Short-term approaches to introducing stress management on college campuses have been explored. The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine whether a first-year stress management seminar course helped students reduce their stress a year after completing the course, identify which stress management skills students preferred, and assess the effectiveness of specific teaching techniques on student learning. Participants included students enrolled in two sections of a first-year stress management course. A survey was administered in 4 waves during the 2020 to 2021 academic …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Implementation Of Differentiated Instruction With Grade 3 Students In A School District In Central Georgia, Letasha Pope

Theses and Dissertations

It is a promotional requirement for grade 3 students to pass the Reading Georgia Milestones Assessment. Teachers are also expected to implement Differentiated Instruction (DI) with their students. The problem addressed in the study was to examine third grade teachers’ perceived effectiveness of Differentiated Instruction with students who must pass the Reading Georgia Milestones Assessment. The purpose of this bounded, case study was to describe teachers’ perceptions of implementing DI with grade 3 students in a school district located in central Georgia. The research paradigm that was used in this study was qualitative. This study included semi structured interviews of …

The Effects Of Inservice Science Teachers’ Self-Efficacy On Science Achievement Using The 5e Model Of Instruction., O'Tessa Nicole Pelham

Theses and Dissertations

Science achievement has been a major focus in our educational system. While several learning models effectively increase science achievement, the nation is still not progressing adequately. A gap in the literature shows the need to find the effects of teachers’ self-efficacy, specifically with in-service science teachers. A pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group, quasi-experimental research design was used in Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 to find the effects of in-service science teachers’ self-efficacy on science achievement, using the 5E Instructional Model. The study included 38 in-service science teachers who rated items on the pretest/posttest STEBI-A. Teachers in the experimental group consisted of …

Facilitating Tilting As A Faculty Community, Debra Palmer, Carrie Bachhofer, Allen Brown, Alaina Kaus, Michele Mckie, Thelma Sexton

Perspectives In Learning

In this paper, we describe our perspectives and experiences working as one of several small groups within a campus-wide program at our university to help implement transparency in learning and teaching (TILT) principles. Faculty were asked to implement TILT into lower-and upper-level courses, as well as co-curricular activities, by transforming some aspect of their course or activities to be more "transparent," meaning students would be able to better understand its purpose and value and how it relates to their major, future career, and personal lives. The program followed a faculty learning community (FLC) model, where members supported one another through …

Can Tilt Be Used To Teach Study Tactics? A Case Study In A Biology Classroom, Anne Jacobs

Perspectives In Learning

Recently, there has been a movement encouraging instructors in higher education to use the Transparency in Teaching and Learning (TILT) framework when designing assignments. This framework helps instructors clarify their expectations and evaluation criteria. Making assignments more transparent may result in greater student success. However, it is less clear how this framework can be applied to classes that use exams as a main method of assessing student learning. One option might be to use a TILTed assignment to introduce students to learning tools to improve their studying. I did this by giving students in an introductory biology class an assignment …

The Impact Of Transparent Instructions Upon Academic Confidence And Writing Performance, Ellen Cotter, Kerri Ann Battle, Cedarian Holsendolph, Jonathan Nguyen, Annabelle P. Smith

Perspectives In Learning

Recent demographic changes in college enrollment have led to an increased emphasis on retaining students. High-impact practices such as transparent assignments are one possible way to encourage student retention, but more empirical data related to student outcomes are needed. In this quasi-experimental study, students received either transparent or standard instructions for written assignments and completed a survey of academic confidence. A pre-test/post-test design was used to examine potential differences associated with instruction type. Results indicated no significant differences in essay scores or survey responses between conditions, and there were no consistent trends indicating improved performance in the transparent condition. Implications …

Promoting Student Success With Tilt In Asynchronous Online Classes, Sabrina Wengier, Lorraine Dubuisson

Perspectives In Learning

Research has shown that the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TiLT) framework is an equitable practice that promotes student success by emphasizing the purpose and real-world applicability of academic work (Winkelmes et al., 2019). Most of the research on TiLT has focused on in-person instruction. In this article, we chronicle our implementation of TiLT as a “guiding philosophy” (Carpenter et al., 2021) to (re)design our asynchronous, online classes. As instructors, we noted that TiLT made a tangible, positive difference in student ownership and engagement in classroom tasks. To understand TiLT’s impact on students, we conducted a small-scale study in which …

Making Composition-I Count: “Tilt-Ing” The Course To Better Aim At Student Learning, Anish Dave

Perspectives In Learning

This article is being submitted on behalf of the author for consideration in the TILT special-topics issue. An abstract was not included with the manuscript.

Preliminary Pages, Jennifer Brown

Perspectives In Learning

preliminary pages

Introduction To Transparency In Learning And Teaching, Mary-Ann Winkelmes

Perspectives In Learning

Introduction to Transparency in Learning and Teaching

Positive Impacts Of Tilt: Two Professors’ Journeys In Creating More Student-Centered Teacher Education Courses, Michael Crosby, Rebecca Short

Perspectives In Learning

As the K-12 classroom changes to support the needs of our every-changing society, so should the teacher education courses change on the university level. Additionally, the focus on higher education has become more student-centered with an emphasis on transparency in teaching and learning (TILT). The purpose of this article is to highlight the positive experiences two teacher education professors had using TILT to examine assignments and course syllabi. The journey of developing transparent assignments and student-centered syllabi is time-consuming, challenging, and on-going, but the benefits of a student-centered classroom are invaluable.

Institutionalizing Tilt Across A University, Judy O. Grissett

Perspectives In Learning

Transparency of learning and teaching (TILT) is key to student success, as it allows students to understand directions and make concrete steps toward completing a set of tasks. The present paper outlines the early stages of a campus-wide program at one institution that infuses TILT practices across campus in the classroom as well as non-academic units. TILT practices make the purpose, required tasks, and criteria for success clear to students in everyday campus interactions with faculty and staff. TILT programming for faculty and staff is described, including strengths, challenges, and future directions.

Facing The Crises Of Higher Education: Reflections On A State University’S Experiment With Tilt, John Lejeune, Judy O. Grissett

Perspectives In Learning

Facing the Crises of Higher Education:

Reflections on a State University’s Experiment with TILT

Improving The Academic Success Of Technical College Students With Disabilities: A Multisite Descriptive Case Study, Andrea Colwell Ingram

Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities in higher education have lower retention and graduation rates than students without disabilities. While postsecondary administrators are attempting to meet the needs of students by implementing necessary reforms, barriers remain like issues with disclosure, transition planning, and faculty knowledge. This present qualitative descriptive case study sought to explore the instructional practices that were implemented by technical college educators to accommodate students with learning challenges, including students with disabilities, utilizing the Universal Design for Learning framework to determine which current technical college faculty instructional accommodations practices intersect with or diverge from Universal Design for Learning principles. The participants …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Implementation Of Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Swpbis) In A Rural Southwest Georgia School District, Angela E. Bell

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined teacher perspectives of SWPBIS and how those perceptions impacted school discipline in a rural, Title I middle school located in southwest Georgia. This paper reviewed the history of school discipline policies and discipline practices. The focus was on teacher perceptions of SWPBIS and how those perceptions impacted school discipline in a rural, Title I middle school in a southwest Georgia county. Results were obtained using a quantitative survey and focus groups. Overall, the findings discovered that all respondents believed that SWPBIS had helpful benefits.