Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Teacher Competencies Related To Family Engagement: The Impact On Families, Melissa Kay Williamson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although there is a large body of research that addresses the essential elements of family engagement, little information was available on the impact that a family engagement program had on teacher evaluation and familial self-efficacy. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to assess teacher competencies and family self-efficacy in a large urban district in West Texas. The research was conducted by gathering baseline data using questionnaires derived from the Measure of School, Family, and Community Partnerships survey and the 2015 Equitable Parent-School Collaboration Research Project University of Washington. In-depth interviews followed with both teachers and parents. Findings indicated …

Characteristics Of High Quality Teachers: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Kelli Barnett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore the characteristics of high quality teachers. This study used a phenomenological methodology, enabling the researcher to gather information from a purposeful selection of people directly identified as high quality teachers by their principals. This study employed processes of data collection commonly used in observational analysis and included the use of interviews found in qualitative design.

The researcher was able to extract meaning using the coding process and the constant comparative method. Information was sorted into themes that supported and aligned with the research questions leading to a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. This …

School Entry Age And School Readiness., Robin Berry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, there was a change in School Entry Age (SEA) legislation. This dissertation analyzed the relationship between SEA and school readiness after the enactment of the new legislation. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to control for student demographics to ascertain the relationship between SEA and school readiness. Findings were as follows: older students scored significantly lower than younger students on the BRIGANCE Kindergarten Screen (BKS), students who had exposure to private child care outside of the home fared much better than students who were kept at home the year prior to kindergarten, and female students …

Qualitative Content Analysis Of Policy As An Expression Of Educational Theory On Special Education Preschool Placement Options, Jennifer M. Dineen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a qualitative content analysis approach where the researcher collected policies and theories to analyze and interpret and to examine the relationship between developmental theories and Georgia preschool policies as they relate to inclusion using archived state policies found on the Georgia Department of Education and Department of Early Learning website. The theories of Vygotsky (1978), Piaget (1936), and Bronfenbrenner (1979) were examined, along with the public policies on Georgia preschool. These policies included Georgia Early Learning Development Standards, Bright from the Start operating guidelines, and Work Sampling System. The researcher found common themes and/or phrases in the …