Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Volume 16 Issue 1 Preliminary Pages, Jennifer Brown

Perspectives In Learning

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To What Extent Is There A Relationship Between Middle Grades Educator Stressors And Phases Of The Career Teacher?, Jessica Joy Morris

Theses and Dissertations

The issue of teacher stress is an international area of concern. The primary means of gathering this work-related stress data from educators however, has been quantitatively with participants in elementary or secondary sectors, with little comparative data recorded for middle grades teachers. Along with this shortage of middle school educator stress data, is the rarely investigated variable of phases of the career teacher as it relates to middle grades educator stress. The intention of this research is to investigate the relationship between middle grades educator stress and phases of the career teacher.

A sequential mixed methods research approach was utilized …

A Study Of The Effects Of Thinking Maps On The Achievement Of Students In Middle Grades Science, Lynn B. Hughes Akin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the usage of Thinking Maps® influenced the achievement scores of middle grades students in science on the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) over a period of two years. Science test scores for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years were analyzed by grade level and usage in SPSS and SAS, and after transformations were completed, non-parametric ANOVAs were conducted based on non-normal distributions. Science teachers were surveyed regarding their perceptions and usage of Thinking Maps®. The scores and surveys were then analyzed for simultaneous effects.

The results of the study for the …

Teacher Perceptions Of Response To Intervention And Its Core Components, And Its Implementation In Reading In The Primary Grades, Kelsey Hillard Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Since the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004), Response to Intervention (RTI) had been implemented in varied degrees due to lack of a national definition and framework. RTI was a general education initiative, however few studies focused on general education teachers and their perceptions of RTI. This was a qualitative descriptive study that utilized individual interviews and a focus group. First, individual interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview protocol. Interview data was coded for prominent themes using NVivo. The individual interview data was then used to write a semi-structured interview protocol for a focus group. …

Instructional Technology: An Alternative Solution To Promoting Achievement In Remote Rural High Schools, Eva Mitchner Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations

The inauguration of federal government policies assuring that all students attending public schools in the United States have equal access to a highly qualified education, sparked national attention on improving the performance of rural schools and districts. Consequently, one in ten students is educated in remote school districts, and a large number of remote rural districts serve students that are minorities and poor. In many instances, the talents and abilities of the students served in rural schools and districts are less likely developed or noticed when compared to urban and suburban school districts. For administrators of remote rural high schools, …

Special Education Teachers' Resiliency To Remain In The Field Of Special Education, India Bruton Eubanks

Theses and Dissertations

The field of education has endured a significant shortage of qualified teachers for several decades (Prather-Jones, 2011). Over the past 20 years, across the U.S, a shortage in special education teachers has existed (Major, 2012; Prather-Jones, 2011). Special education teachers left the field of education at a greater rate than regular education teachers (Major, 2012). In order to ensure students with disabilities received appropriate educational instruction, it was important to retain special education teachers who were knowledgeable educators in the field of special education. This research focused on gaining a better understanding of special education teacher resiliency of special education …

To What Extent Do General Education Elementary Teachers Perceive They Are Prepared To Teach Students With Disabilities?, Susan Fuller Elder

Theses and Dissertations

The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2010 brought many changes to classes but it did not bring changes to the way teachers were trained. Many teacher preparation programs only required one exceptional child course for general education teachers. This dissertation analyzed the data gathered from 12 elementary, general education teachers on their perception of their preparedness to teach students with disabilities in their general education classrooms. The participants’ perceptions of preparedness were evaluated in regards to their pre-service training and their post-service, in-service, and professional development. The interviewees responses to this study demonstrated the need for …

Effects Of Developing Edtpa As A Teaching Portfolio On Pre-Service Teachers' Self-Efficacy In A Teacher Preparation Program, Pam Wetherington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of developing edTPA as a teaching portfolio on pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy, specifically their perceptions of confidence related to the edTPA’s constructs of planning, instruction, and assessment within a tied-to-licensure state. The researcher employed a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach to study the effects and experiences for developing edTPA as a teaching portfolio. Three repeated measures ANCOVAs were conducted to determine the change in pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy after developing the edTPA teaching portfolio while controlling for the cooperating teachers’ support of pre-service teachers’ planning, instruction, and assessment decisions and practices. The …

Novice Teachers: Using Professional Development To Discover Whether They Continue To Use The Behavior Management Strategies Taught In The Undergraduate Program, Katherine O. Barnetson

Theses and Dissertations

The need for supporting novice teachers is not a theoretical concept, it is a real concept. Teacher education programs are preparing and graduating new teachers at a fast rate, however; these new teachers are also leaving the profession at staggering rates (Clark, 2012). According to Ingersoll (2012), between 40% and 50% of all new teachers in the United States leave the profession in the first five years. This research was designed to study teacher professional development with novice special education teachers as they move from a teacher preparation program to a full-time teaching position. The participants for this study included …

Effects Of A Collegiate Employee Wellness Program On Participant Perceived Wellness And The Transtheoretical Model Of Change: Voices Of Participants, Amy Jeanette Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

With rising costs of healthcare, due to high counts of obesity and chronic diseases, employers are exploring ways to have healthier and more productive employees by implementing wellness programs. Previous studies conducted on wellness programs and physical activity interventions took place at worksites, in the general public or at four-year universities (Butler, Clark, Brulis, Castillo, & Racette, 2015; Haines, et al., 2007; Rongen, et al., 2014a). These intervention programs focused primarily on the physical dimension of wellness to the exclusion of the other dimensions. The purpose of this mixed methods wellness program study was to investigate the effects of an …

To What Extent Does A Relationship Exist Between Nonsupport And Support Students When They Are Grouped Homogeneously And Heterogeneously In The Student's Mathematics Course At Lee County High School, Karen Lynn Hancock

Theses and Dissertations

Societal concerns and revolving federal initiatives linked State assessment scores to accountability measures which determined school success. In Southwest Georgia, one rural high school manipulated student schedules and provided an additional support course for individuals demonstrating documented mathematical deficiencies. The researcher examined the impact of three different grouping practices on the student’s 2014-15 Georgia Milestone Analytic Geometry End-of-Course assessment. This State assessment served as the dependent variable and the student grouping practice served as the independent variable for this quasi-experimental design study. Student schedules were examined and the three groups investigated during this study included 1) a group of students …

Middle And High-School Teacher Perceptions Of The Mathematics Georgia Standards Of Excellence, Marnie Dutcher

Theses and Dissertations

Public education in the United States had frequent curriculum changes throughout history. The curriculum initiatives of the past had a focus on improving education in schools based on one of four topics: (a) common standards, (b) preparing students for post-secondary education, (c) improving the quality of education, and (d) increasing the rigor of the content (Wallender, 2014). In February 2015, the Georgia State Board of Education approved revisions to the Common Core Mathematics Curriculum, which was the third set of mathematics curriculum standards implemented in Georgia since 2012. The standards were named The Georgia Standards of Excellence Mathematics Curriculum (GSE). …

To What Extent Does Instructor Interaction Impact Adult Learner Satisfaction In An Online Environment, Sarah G. Brinson

Theses and Dissertations

Distance and online learning has rapidly becoming the wave of the future in the present educational environment (Herbold, 2012). Advancements in technology have created more opportunities for instructors and educators in higher education to expand the educational process. This expansion has pushed education out of the traditional classroom and into cyberspace where audiences locally, nationally and even internationally can be reached (Herbold, 2012). In this changing environment, instructors and their interaction, continue to be the key element in the teaching and learning process of the adult learner. For the purpose of this study, the researcher proposed to examine the influence …

An Investigation Of Perceived Principal Stress And Its Impact On Principals In Southwest Georgia, Dorothy Young Ingram

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine to what extent southwest Georgia principals perceive they are stressed, identify principal stressors and how the stressors impact the principals’ work. Principals are leaders of school building who are experiencing increased stress. Therefore; it is important to understand what causes principal stress as well as how the stressors impact principal work. Principals are expected to maintain building safety, student safety, student achievement, retention of quality teachers, as well as act as instructional leaders. The mixed method study of public elementary school principals was conducted in four southwest Georgia school districts. The researcher …

Assessment Coordinators’ Perceptions Of The Impact Of Using Electronic Assessment Systems In Accreditation, Saoussan Maarouf

Theses and Dissertations

Systematic data collection is a fundamental requirement for the accountability of teacher preparation programs since it has been strongly associated with accreditation standards and the need to drive continuous improvement. Electronic assessment systems have become increasingly valuable for colleges of education since it provided a non-biased evaluation of competency, more reliable scoring, and scientific judgment to drive improvement. However, teacher preparation programs are having difficulties to implement effective assessment systems that are powerful enough to drive a change and to meet standards

The researcher in this study extended previous research in relation to the subject of electronic assessment systems, their …

Educational Guide: Refugee Children's Storytelling Across Curriculum, Laurie Dishman

Theses and Dissertations

The United States is facing a continuous increase in the amount of refugees seeking refuge in the States. This continuous increase places a strain on the current education system that is underequipped to handle an influx of students with very special and unique needs. This thesis discusses these needs and one method of addressing these needs in a way beneficial to refugee students. The method involves traditional storytelling in refugee family's homes being used in the classroom. This method was put into practice into a classroom without any refugee students and is also discussed in this thesis.

Heads Up! Georgia Teacher Preparation Programs Threats, Sallie Miller

Perspectives In Learning

This article explores the changing landscape for the evaluation of Georgia Teacher Preparation Programs (GaTPPs). The author presents disconcerting perceptions driving changes which could threaten some of Georgia’s programs and will certainly result in significant reforms. A summary is provided of the known reform proposals that will be required of the GaTPPs. The paper concludes with a recap of the threats and some defensive opportunities to neutralize them. The information contained in the article will highlight that it’s not business as usual.

Is The Executioner Wrong? How Controversy And Creativity Can Enhance College Students’ Written Performance, Frederick Gordon

Perspectives In Learning

College is one of the most significant watershed moments in a person’s life. We measure students’ ability to master classes through grades, yet how actual learning occurs is often complex and unchartered. The selected class for this study was Introduction to American Government. Students were introduced to the highly controversial topic of whether or not lethal injection is a form of cruel and unusual punishment. The class took pre- and post-test surveys to measure their comfort level in writing. The study reveals that students are receptive to controversial topics which could be used as a tool to enhance student writing …

Foundations For The Health Care Workforce: The Future Of Health Science Education, Allison Kabel, Ying Hsiu Liu, Jessica Dimka

Perspectives In Learning

Increasing demand for health sector jobs has resulted in unprecedented growth in health science undergraduate education. The rapid pace of growth in this area has left many unanswered questions about the requirements for educating tomorrow’s health care workforce. In this study, 122 undergraduate health science programs in the United States are examined, providing information on basic aspects and current status of health science education, such as education delivery format (face-to-face or on-line), curriculum focus, and identified occupational targets. Program characteristics are also explored. This study illustrates the big picture regarding health sciences education. Critical issues are raised about how to …

Teaching In Times Of Changing Administrations And Stringent Budgets, Kimberly Gill, David Kerr, Kyle Christensen

Perspectives In Learning

This paper explores the organizational and administrative changes occurring at Columbus State University as a result of changes in the University System of Georgia occurring from a progression and degree completion emphasis. Developments in this paper focus on changes at the departmental level to promote and enhance student learning in the context of reduced financial support. These efforts include the use of mentoring, peer tutoring, and improved pedagogical techniques in the online and traditional in-class settings for both undergraduate and graduate education. The goal of this paper is to highlight best practices and lessons learned for other institutions facing similar …

Purpose Of Attending College: A Factor For Success?, Amanda Andrews, Jeniffer Brown

Perspectives In Learning

As higher education accountability increases and financial resources decrease, concerns over student retention rates and the reasons why students remain at a post-secondary institution have moved to the forefront. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on freshman students’ performance at a university in the southeastern region of the United States. The researchers conducted an exploratory observational study using pre-existing data from the Freshman Orientation Survey (Brown, 2012), which included a sample of 209 participants. A series of descriptive and frequency analyses were conducted. Then, a series of correlational analyses were conducted …

Essential Skills For Success: Feedback From Beginning Teachers Of Students With Emotional / Behavioral Disorders, Jane Finn, Vicky Lynn Holmes

Perspectives In Learning

This exploratory, case study used qualitative measures to investigate the perceptions of recent college graduates who were teaching students with emotional impairments / behavioral disorders on their preparedness to teach in the field. Structured open-ended interviews were conducted to explore how well their teacher education programs prepared them to work with this population and to meet the mandate of preparing students for entry in a global society. Findings garnered positive comments regarding global competencies and suggestions for improvements in teacher preparation. Effective communication and collaboration with school personnel and parents, organizing paperwork and data collection, decision making, and more relevant …

Table Of Contents

Perspectives In Learning

Table of Contents

Reviewers For Volume 15

Perspectives In Learning

Reviewers for Volume 15

Teaching The Presidential Debates: Helping Students To Understand And Overcome Biases During Presidential Election Campaigns David J. Lanoue Columbus State University Gregory Domin Columbus State University Abstract, David Lanoue

Perspectives In Learning

In this paper, we propose ideas for teaching presidential debates within the university classroom setting. In particular, we explore methods for helping students to break through partisan and ideological barriers that might inhibit their understanding of and ability to analyze candidates’ messages. If debates are to fulfill their original purpose of creating a more informed and responsible electorate, it is first essential that viewers give each nominee a full and fair hearing. We begin our discussion with a brief history of presidential debates, emphasizing both the presentations of the candidates and how those presentations have been distorted by media analysis, …

Improving Online Teaching Effectiveness Through Reflection And Collaboration, Dee Fabry, Donna Elder

Perspectives In Learning

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of active reflection and collaboration as a method to improve teacher effectiveness in the online environment in higher education. While there is no universally accepted definition of effective teaching for higher education, there is research that supports effective online teaching. These principles, paired with research on active reflection and collaboration, provided a foundation for this case study that resulted in determining that active reflection during teaching improved practice.

Influence Of Different Teaching Strategies On Physical Activity Levels In A Collegiate Swim Class, Derrick Bass, Ellen Martin

Perspectives In Learning

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the number of teaching strategies used during instruction on the physical activity levels of students. Observations were conducted during a collegiate intermediate swimming class taught by an assistant professor at a university in the southeast United States. The class consisted of 16 undergraduate students from varying backgrounds and major fields of study. The professor was observed for the use of Graham’s (2001) 16 teaching strategies. Teaching behaviors were observed using a simple event recording sheet to allow for the occurrence or lack of occurrence of certain teaching strategies to …

Book Reviews

Perspectives In Learning

Book Reviews

Facebook As A Learning Tool, Rebecca Toland

Perspectives In Learning

Facebook is a social network that has been used by hundreds of people around the world. The network started as a technologically infused meeting place for college students to communicate socially. Since the inception, the network has blossomed into a global sensation. Such growth has spurred many uses for the site including the opportunity to add to the learning experiences for college students. Facebook is a tool in a learning revolution that incorporates the ease of technology and communication efforts between students and between teachers and students. This essay focuses on how Facebook can be used as a learning tool …

Reviewers For Volume 14

Perspectives In Learning

Reviewers for Volume 14