Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Making Connections Between General Education Information Literacy Classes And Upper-Level Writing Courses: An Exploration Of Faculty And Student Perceptions, Lucinda Rush, D.E. Wittkower, Narketta Sparkman-Key

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

This presentation will describe a collaborative project between University faculty and a librarian that connected faculty who teach general education information literacy courses to those who teach upper-level writing intensive courses. The project provided an opportunity for these faculty to participate in a focus group discussion to explore how the courses are aligned and how information literacy courses can support and prepare students for upper-level writing courses. Following the focus group discussion the presenters provided an opportunity for writing and information literacy faculty to take action on what they learned from each other by participating in an assignment redesign workshop. …

A Warm Welcome: Restructuring Reference Services With New Library Faculty, Sara M. Whisnant, Evan Schmoll

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

East Tennessee State University, located in Johnson City, Tennessee, serves a growing number of students from various backgrounds. Sherrod Library serves as the main campus library and is located at the heart of campus. The library contains other services such as Information Technology Services, tutoring, and is the temporary home of numerous university support services. This past Fall, Sherrod repurposed a first-floor space to serve as walk-in reference. This new service model is staffed by two new faculty librarians, Evan Schmoll and Sara Maeve Whisnant, both with prior reference experience at other institutions.

Prior to Fall 2019, Sherrod Library did …

Conference Program 2020, Georgia International Conference On Information Literacy

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Conference Program

Developing And Transitioning Faculty To Online Teaching, Barbara Serianni

SoTL Commons Conference

In the midst of decreasing trend in postsecondary enrollment, enrollment in fully online programs continues to trend upward (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). Given the persistent growth of online learning in higher education as the result of adding fully online courses to traditional on-campus programs of study and the persistent development of new fully online programs, the question of instructional effectiveness must be asked. Are faculty in traditional 4-year public universities prepared to effectively deliver online instruction and support the needs of online students? If they are, how were they prepared? If they are not, how can they be prepared?

Critical Teaching Behaviors: What Does "Good" Teaching Look Like?, Lauren M. Barbeau, Claudia Cornejo Happel

SoTL Commons Conference

How can faculty and administrators identify and document evidence of “good” teaching? Defining “good” teaching as the implementation of evidence-based practices proven to foster success, we developed a Critical Teaching Behaviors framework consisting of six categories of observable behaviors: alignment, assessment, inclusive learning environment, student engagement, educational technology, and reflective practice. We will present an overview of the meta-analysis conducted to construct the framework, participants will then use the framework to reflect on their teaching practice before providing feedback on its design and usefulness in documenting effective teaching behaviors at their institutions.

Conference Program 2020, Sotl Commons Conference

SoTL Commons Conference

Conference Program

A Story To Tell… How To Integrate The Three Modes Of Communication Through A Story Time Program In French, Frederique Grim

The Coastal Review: An Online Peer-reviewed Journal

Bilingual story time programs found in local community libraries not only benefit children, they can also serve a need for L2 college students: the development of their communicative skills in an authentic environment. In addition to linguistic benefits, experiential learning has proven to prepare students for real-world skills, such as networking, mock professional experience and a sense of community engagement. This paper recounts how a world language story time program supports L2 learners’ three modes of communication, as articulated by ACTFL, and necessary for language development. Based on students’ perceptions, this study highlights their increase in motivation and confidence in …

The Impact Of An Intensive Blended Learning Reading Intervention On Standardized Assessment Scores, Ashley M. Snyder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study documents the effects of the Language! Live intensive, blended learning reading intervention on the Georgia Milestones Assessment Lexile Scores. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of an intensive blended learning reading intervention on the standardized assessment scores of middle school students who were at least two grade levels behind in reading at a Title I school in Georgia and aimed to establish if students who were significantly below grade level could make growth with the assistance of an intensive blended learning reading intervention. The study included the data of 133 students in two …

Perceptions Of The Impact Mathematics Support Classes Have On Student Achievement, Cordaryl Charles Middleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many students today struggle with mastering grade-level mathematics standards. School leaders have implemented mathematics support classes as a possible solution; however, not all students are showing significant improvement. The challenge is determining an effective mathematics support class that has the most positive impact on student achievement. As a result, the purpose of this research study was to examine the perceptions of principals, mathematics teachers, and mathematics support teachers on the impact mathematics support classes had on student achievement. This study employed a qualitative case study research design that consisted of one overarching research question and three sub-research questions that framed …

Schools For Profit Or Schools For Education? A Christian School Principal’S Perspectives, Michael A. Crosby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a series of speculative essays (Schubert, 1991) that address the forces of neoliberalism on schools today– both public and private. While there have been studies on the detrimental effects of high-stakes testing on public schools (e.g., Au, 2015; Giroux, 2014; Wacquant, 2000) as well as the associated harmful effects of school to prison pipeline (e.g., Saltman, 2016; Taubman, 2009), there remains little research associated with the damaging impacts of neoliberalism on Christian schools. Building upon the theoretical framework of critical pedagogy (e.g., Friere, 1970; Kincheloe, 2008; McLaren, 2015), I undertake a critical examination of neoliberalism’s calculated efforts …

The Relationship Between Co-Teaching Partnerships And Student Achievement, Tikki N. Middleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to legislative mandates schools are required to educate SWDs in the least restrictive environment alongside SWODs, which lead to the rise of co-teaching. However, enhancing the quality of co-teaching partnerships to impact student achievement poses a challenge for many school leaders due to the absence of quantitative data involving the impact of co-teaching on student achievement. The purpose of this study was to identify correlations among the qualities of co-teaching partnerships in grades six through eight as measured by The Colorado Assessment of Co-teaching (CO-ACT), and student growth percentiles from Spring 2019 Georgia Milestones Assessment (GMAS) data in middle …

Best Practices In Middle Level Quaranteaching: Strategies, Tips And Resources Amidst Covid-19, Christi Pace, Stacie K. Pettit, Kim S. Barker

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

School closings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have forced teachers across the world to scramble to shift their face-to-face classes online. This rapid transition to what we call “quaranteaching” has left teachers little time to prepare for virtual teaching and learning. Acknowledging this challenge, in this article we share steps, strategies, tips, and resources to support and empower middle grades educators to successfully continue the online instruction (more accurately called “crisis teaching) they have begun. We offer approaches to implementing collaboration, differentiation, and personalized learning, as well as approaches for authentically assessing student learning in a virtual learning environment. Issues …

Strengthening Middle School Students’ Commitment To Social Justice Issues: Building Connections With Teacher Education Candidates, Anne Katz

Department of Curriculum, Foundations, & Reading Faculty Publications

This article was published in Dragon Lode.

Introduction And Remembrance, Amanda Wall

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

Introduction to the issue and remembrance for Dr. Lounsbury

Quaranteaching In The Time Of Covid-19: Exemplar From A Middle Grades Virtual Classroom, Amanda Woods, Stacie K. Pettit, Christi Pace

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

The COVID-19 pandemic dropped educators across the world straight into remote learning with little time to prepare. As some have inevitably struggled, other middle grades educators have overcome beginning hurdles to not only survive, but thrive amidst this new challenge. One teacher in particular, despite being in her first year, has found innovative ways to connect and motivate her middle grades students in a virtual environment. This article extends the steps, tips, and resources article (Author 3, Author 2, & Barker, K. S. also in this issue?) to provide a personal example of the successes (and yet still challenges) that …

Dare We Speak Of It: The Teaching Of Evolution In Private Schools Of An Urban Middle Georgia Setting, Eric J. Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions, experience, and thinking of teachers at three private schools in Middle Georgia to determine how different private schools approach the teaching of evolution. For this project three private schools were included representing a secular, non-religiously affiliated private school, a Catholic affiliated private school, and an independent, Christian private school. The research was designed to answer one research question and three sub-questions. The primary research question was: How do private schools of the Middle Georgia area teach the theory of evolution? The three sub-questions were (2) Does the type of …

Between And Behind The Lines: The Life Of High School Coaches, Mary Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I write about the emotional journey of high school athletic coaches’ experiences as they move through their day as teachers, coaches, and spouses/parents. The examination of the emotions and transitions high school coaches experience has been largely unresearched. There have been examinations of teachers, the impact coaches have on athletes, and a coach as a parent, but there is not extensive research on all three roles experienced by one person. High school athletics is a tremendous part of high school, and coaches have a tremendous impact not only on their players, but on the students they teach …

Student's Perceptions Of Smartphone Use At Home And At A High School Regarding A New Smartphone Policy: A Case Study, Ana Zurita

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The new generation raised in the digital era continues to present unresolved challenges for both parents and teachers. The purpose of this case study is to analyze students' usage of their smartphones in their lives, and understand the success of a new school policy on smartphone use at an arts school in the U.S. For this qualitative research, I interviewed ten participants from the high school. The literary review informs us that smartphones are potentially addictive, with negative effects for healthy mental, emotional and social child development, as well as a source of misleading information. As a consequence, smartphones in …