Educational Methods Commons^™

A Qualitative Study Of Literacy Tutoring In Virtual Environments During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Instructional And Relational Practices To Support Learners With Dyslexia, Megan G. Hills

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This qualitative collective case study examined the relational and professional practices literacy tutors used to support learners with dyslexia in virtual learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through individual interviews, literacy tutors who rapidly transitioned to online teaching described their lived experiences during this historic time. Three themes were identified through cross-case analysis: adapting instructional practices to virtual environments, caring for students and parents, and reflecting on professional practice. The results of this study described evidence which suggests implications for future practice, including teacher preparation, virtual tutoring, and reflective teaching.

Reflection On “The Autobiography Of An Amaryllis”, Juana Reyes

Education Department Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Establishing A Transformative Social Emotional Learning Evaluation Plan To Support All Students Within A Targeted School District, Tia Coleman, Angela Blackwell, Tiffany Lee

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Social and emotional learning (SEL) refers to the process through which individuals acquire social and emotional competencies (Geesa et al., 2022). This capstone project aimed to enhance education by developing a transformative SEL evaluation plan in a school district. The school district presented a commitment to fostering SEL but recognized the need for more targeted and transformative actions. This initiative arises from the acknowledgment that the existing SEL program did not meet the district's specific needs of inclusivity and equity, potentially impacting overall student performance, participation, and well-being. To address this gap, the district incorporated insights from occupational therapy practice …

A Occupational Therapy Guidebook For Teachers On Sensory Processing And Sensory Integration, Kaitlyn Stanley, Keisa Boykin, Heidi Woolley

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Children with sensory processing (SP) challenges find simple classroom tasks overwhelming and can present with deficits in behavior management, emotional regulation, and occupations due to the inability to self-regulate the sensory input from their environment. In addition, deficits in SP may impact a child's ability to maintain engagement and participation in the learning process. If these SP needs are not met through the school, the child lacks the adequate tools to be successful in learning, which is considered occupational injustice (AOTA, 2020). By providing teachers with the adequate educational tools to understand sensory processing and sensory integration (SP-SI), identify and …

Educative Curricular Supports Used To Improve High Cognitive Demand Task Implementation In High-Dosage Mathematics Tutorial, Halley Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

This study used a holistic case study to explore obstacles tutors faced when implementing high cognitive demand (HCD) tasks and the possibility of using embedded educative curricular supports to overcome them. Much prior research has explored using educative supports in classrooms with teachers (Davis et al., 2017), but more research is needed on using educative supports in tutorial. Similarly, prior research has shown that HCD tasks lead to significant mathematical learning but are challenging to facilitate (Stein et al., 1996). Little research explores the use of HCD tasks in tutorials. This study used the theoretical framework that educators and curricular …

Building Leadership Capacity To Support International Educators: A Professional Learning Series, Amanda Hajji Minnillo

Theses and Dissertations

Due to teacher shortages, school districts across the country are hiring international educators to fill their staffing needs. This is particularly the case for world language and dual language immersion programs that seek to hire multilingual individuals. Educators who come from different countries need differentiated support in their acculturation process to the American education system. Rarely does training for instructional coaches or educational leaders provide the cross-cultural knowledge and content-specific training needed to support international educators. The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study is to understand international educators’ experiences coming to teaching in an American school district and leverage …

Strengthening Teacher Efficacy: An Improvement Science Journey To Support Teachers Post Covid-19 School Closures, Ada Odet Sindab

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the findings of a qualitative improvement science study aimed at identifying an effective professional development structure to enhance teacher efficacy in the context of post-COVID-19 education. The study's approach was guided by a systematic exploration of the problem, facilitated by a driver diagram, which led to the identification of three potential change ideas. Among these ideas, the second change, involving the design of a school master schedule with dedicated time for teacher planning, emerged as the initial step towards achieving the research goal. To operationalize this change, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were employed iteratively to develop a tailored …

Elementary Teachers’ Perception Of Digital Resources Based On Student Achievement, Tanya R. Small

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Many factors impact teachers’ decisions about when and how to implement technology during instruction. However, a gap exists in understanding teachers’ motivations for technology integration and face-to-face instruction. Therefore, this qualitative case study explored how teachers’ perceptions of student achievement, motivation, classroom behaviors, and digital challenges influenced their decisions about using technology or direct instruction in the classroom setting. A group of 20 teachers from two southern Florida public elementary schools completed anonymous Likert-scale surveys; six teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings determined via descriptive statistics and thematic analysis revealed that teachers’ inclusion of technology and traditional resources is …

Teacher Perceptions And Understanding Of Human Trafficking, Laura E. Riggleman

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Awareness of human trafficking is key to prevention and intervention, and it is important for educators to have an awareness of it in the classroom. Conducting a quantitative study, the researcher surveyed 40 teachers from various counties throughout the state of Florida. The teachers were surveyed to determine awareness levels and their perception of effectively addressing all matters associated with human trafficking. The internal reliability level of participant responses was considered excellent. Results showed higher levels of awareness when evidence of human trafficking training was provided and was statistically significant. Results also revealed an increase in confidence when evidence of …

An Evaluation Of Parent Engagement Amongst Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Families Of Haitian Descent, Jeptha V. Petit Frere

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Empirical research on family-school partnerships highlights family engagement as a motivating force for educational success. However, the concept of family engagement is an obstacle as the notion of family-school partnerships differs amongst stakeholders. Mutual understanding of the beliefs sustaining family engagement is fundamental to building effective partnerships between educators, families, and the community. The quantitative, non-experimental study aimed to evaluate the cultural and linguistic factors that may influence parental engagement among culturally and linguistically diverse families, especially those of Haitian descent. The findings demonstrated that the study’s demographic identifier variables, such as primary language, child birthplace, parent birthplace, relationship to …

Beyond The Acronym Of Stem: Experiential Learning Professional Development For Integrative Stem Education, Christine Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

STEM education and integrative STEM education are increasingly popular in the K-12 domain. However, there is not a consensus on their definitions, nor a sufficient amount of instructional support to help teachers that are unfamiliar with these learning approaches. This study examined how an intentionally designed experiential professional development model impacted the application of integrative STEM practices and teachers’ perceptions of this student-centered approach. A qualitative approach allowed for an integration of various perspectives over multiple cycles of professional development, reflection, and application. Data was collected from a focus group discussion, pre- and post- classroom observations, teacher reflection journals, and …

Impact Of The Engineering Design Process On Rural Female Students’ Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Whitney Lowery Oberndorf

Theses and Dissertations

Nearly one-fifth of U.S. children attend rural schools; however, these students have fewer opportunities for high-quality STEM learning. Rural students are also less likely to attend college and less likely to enroll in STEM majors than their urban and suburban peers. In conjunction with these factors, female students are also less likely to pursue STEM degrees and work in STEM fields. Broadening access and exposure to these areas, as well as improving female perceptions about STEM fields, is critical to closing the gap. This mixed-methods action research study was an effort to increase female achievement and self-efficacy in science and …

Critical Literacy And Self Efficacy Among Secondary Students Repeatedly Engaged In Literacy Intervention, Haley Rowles

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study investigated how critical literacy questioning impacted the self-efficacy of secondary students who had been repeatedly engaged in literacy intervention because of failed standardized assessments as well as the teacher experience in using critical literacy questioning. The study was conducted over four and a half weeks in a secondary literacy intervention classroom. Data was collected using surveys, observations, and interviews, which were analyzed through inductive coding. The results of the study indicate that critical literacy questioning, on average, increased student self-efficacy under certain conditions. It also illustrated that the use of critical literacy questioning, which sometimes leads to …

The Effect Of Instructionally Embedded Cognitive Reframing On Students’ Self-Beliefs Of Their Mathematical Competence, Kelly Eyre Frazee

Theses and Dissertations

Many students lack the ability to maintain positive perceptions of their mathematical self-belief, resulting in undesirable social, emotional, and academic outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a cognitive reframing strategy on third and fourth grade math intervention students’ perceptions of their mathematical competence. This study sought to understand the impact of this emotional regulation strategy on students’ ability to autonomously regulate their negative or irrational thoughts related to their mathematics abilities, as well as the impact on their self-beliefs. Data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews with students, student reflections, and researcher …

The Integration Of Simulation-Enhanced Interprofessional Education Into Undergraduate Clinical Laboratory Science Curriculum, Dana Powell Baker

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study aimed to integrate simulation-enhanced interprofessional education (Sim-IPE) into the undergraduate clinical laboratory science (CLS) program curriculum. The undergraduate CLS curriculum was comprised of didactic coursework and hands-on learning experiences in the student laboratory. This traditional CLS curriculum model was uniprofessional in its design and educated students in silos rather than on interprofessional teams with other health professions students. Lack of collaboration on healthcare teams has led to increased medical errors and decreased patient safety in clinical settings. Recent studies have indicated that effective communication and teamwork among healthcare professionals has led to improved patient outcomes and …

Supporting Self-Efficacy Through Mindset: The Impact Of A Growth Mindset Innovation On The Self-Efficacy Of Middle School Students In A Teen Leadership Course, Shannon J. Kojah

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how the disposition of a student interacts with or influences a behavior plays a central role in cognitive theories. Middle school years have been accounted for as being difficult, awkward, and sometimes downright stressful. The overall purpose of this action research was to examine the impact of a growth mindset innovation using a digital portfolio on the self-efficacy of middle school students in a leadership course. The research questions were: (1) How can a growth mindset intervention using a digital portfolio support self-efficacy improvement in middle school students taking a leadership course? (2) What are students’ perceptions on their …

How Do The Students Feel? Long-Term English Learners And Their Experience Under The Esl Label, Molly M. Staeheli

Theses and Dissertations

Far too many English learners in my district enter elementary school as non-native speakers, gradually developing skills only to plateau at early intermediate levels as determined by the annual proficiency exam. As these students become long-term English learners (LTELs) in junior high, the pattern of failing and retaking the test wears on them, likely exacerbated by the district-mandated curriculum for English language development (ELD) classes. Unit topics such as money matters and U.S. national monuments at advanced levels fail to tap into students’ lived experiences. I responded to this problem of practice through mixed-methods action research, beginning with a quantitative …

Using Critical Reflection To Mitigate Racial Implicit Bias And Enhance Cultural Humility: A Nursing Faculty Action Research Study, Teresa Stafford Cronell

Theses and Dissertations

Formal American nursing education has existed since the late 19th century, but its historically deep-seated white framing continues to influence how current nurses are educated, enculturated, and professionalized. Insufficient inclusivity and diversity deficit have endured despite decades-long demands to do otherwise. To most nursing educators, the white frame is invisible. This unseen framing allows ongoing harmful implicit biases and microaggressions towards underrepresented nursing students and colleagues to persist. Nursing students are taught to provide culturally humble, unbiased patient care. Should not nursing faculty likewise demonstrate the same unbiased attitudes and humility towards their students? Faculty risk perpetuating the white frame …

Instructional Hub: Bridging The Gap In Teacher Preparation For Online Instruction, Charity Beth Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

In the spring of 2020, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) reached pandemic status in the United States, leading to extended educational disruption and posing significant obstacles for teachers who were unprepared to teach in a virtual environment. Educators adjusted curricular materials, delivery, and assessment methods to accommodate and engage students while maintaining academic objectives and minimizing stress. Few teachers in District 8705, South Carolina, had experience with distance instruction; thus, they had little to no adaptive knowledge on which to depend. The purpose of this dissertation was to find a solution that could significantly enhance teacher preparation for virtual teaching through …

The Use Of Project-Based Learning To Scaffold Student Social And Emotional Learning Skill Development, Science Identity, And Science Self-Efficacy, Michelle Sutton Spigner

Theses and Dissertations

Project-based learning (PBL) offers an ideal approach for cultivating a robust STEM workforce, empowering students to actively construct their knowledge. This process has the potential to enhance science identity and self-efficacy. Furthermore, because PBL is inherently collaborative, it fosters the development of 21st-century skills, many of which align with social and emotional learning (SEL). While past studies have explored the relationship between PBL, SEL, science identity, and self-efficacy, there is a research gap in examining all three variables collectively within a high school context. Thus, this mixed-methods action research study aimed to determine if the implementation of a PBL unit, …

Decentering The White Gaze: The Effects Of Involving African-American Students In Curricular Decision-Making In An Independent School Library, Michelle Efird Rosen

Theses and Dissertations

Many Black students at independent schools across the nation spend most of their educational lives with few classmates or teachers who look like them. This isolation is exacerbated by a curriculum that historically has taught to a White standard of excellence. Long the bastion of wealthy, White families, independent schools have generally failed to make headway in their efforts to recruit Black families to their campuses. This has left Black students with the burden of finding their own methods of adapting to a predominantly White school environment. This study sought to determine how involving four African-American fourth-grade students in a …

Perspectives, Motivations, And Resistance: Investigating Employee Responses To Employer-Sponsored Diversity Training, Robert Kerlin

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative action research study investigated employee reactions, motivations, and perspectives toward employer-sponsored diversity training programs. Through a qualitative exploratory case study, this research study explored the perceptions of how a diverse sampling of people individually, negotiate identities in corporate and education fields where those in control must both accommodate and placate in order to maintain institutional objectives. In order to further explore this topic, a theoretical framework consisting of self-determination theory and culturally relevant pedagogy served as the primary method to guide the research question, literature reviews, and data design, collection, and analysis process. Self-determination theory provided the primary …

The Effects Of Learner-Centered Professional Development And Supporting Effective Teaching Practices In Elementary-Level Professional Learning Communities, Lisa Suther Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study identified the effects of learner-centered professional development (PD) and continuous support of effective teaching practices during professional learning communities (PLCs). This study focused on four specific areas – 1) building the teacher’s content knowledge through PD, 2) providing support for the implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy during PLCs, 3) providing support for the creation of equitable learning environments with learner-centered instruction, and 4) reducing the math anxiety experienced by the teachers. This mixed-methods research design used pre- and post-survey data of third-grade teachers and students, instructional coach interview responses, and students’ post-assessment data to examine how …

Noticing Instructional Challenges In Artifacts Of Teaching, Tara Barnhart, Elizabeth A. Van Es

Education Faculty Articles and Research

This study investigates challenges of enactment teachers notice when analyzing artifacts of teaching in a professional development focused on supporting the enactment of NGSS-aligned modeling instruction. Five secondary science teachers participated in a semester-long video club. Transcripts of the segments of their meetings in which they analyzed artifacts of practice were coded to characterize what they noticed in videos and student work samples from their own and others’ classrooms of students engaging in sensemaking. Through an inductive and iterative approach, three main linguistic challenges were identified related to the teachers’ noticing of students’ disciplinary thinking: learning how to communicate with …

Social Emotional Learning Practices And Learning Spaces, Yanira Oliveras, Dalane Bouillion, Sara Koprowski

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Daniel Goleman, journalist and author, popularized the idea of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) based on his work surrounding emotional intelligence (Hargreaves & Shirley, 2022). Although recognized as a new approach, SEL was well-established during the early 1990s in American education. Since then, SEL “has emerged as a major thematic and programmatic emphasis in American education” (Hoffman, 2009, p. 533). “Well-being in education” (Hargreaves & Shirley, 2022, p. 26) has become a succinct description of SEL. Generally, SEL is learning focused on “social, emotional, behavioral, and character skills that support success in school, the workplace, relationships, and the community” (Frey …

Using L1 Student Narratives And Peer Teaching To Increase Secondary Education Mathematical Understanding, Marco Antonio Martinez Leandro

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This phenomenological study research presents an option to use both discourse in the native language and technology as an alternative to improve the understanding of mathematics in secondary education. 13 students whose native language is Spanish attended a high school in a large urban school district in the Southwest of the United States, participated in this study.

The study's main objective was to observe the effects of using students' discourse in their language and the support of technology to increase their academic literacy in mathematics. Solution-based pedagogy was central to helping students achieve the Development of Academic Literacy in Mathematics …

Qi In Resident Leadership Workshop, Heidi Y. Pareja, Chelsea H. Chang, Daniel Aragon, Deepu George

Research Symposium

Background: Many residency programs provide some type of leadership training for chief residents. As these emerging leaders transition into their role, it is imperative to provide them with skills and knowledge to help them develop their leadership style. UTRGV’s department of Graduate Medical Education (GME) organized their first “Resident Leader Workshop” for all rising Chiefs and GME Resident Leadership Council (RLC) members. Using a pre and post survey, participants provided feedback on the effectiveness of knowledge and skills presented during the workshop.

Methods: All residency and fellowship rising Chiefs and GME RLC members were invited. The workshop took place …

Trauma-Informed Gatherings: What Does It Mean And What Does It Take?, Chelsea Williams, Jamie Bain

Journal of Extension

As community members continue to experience racial trauma at both individual and community levels, our Extension team responded by adapting an anti-racism leadership training program to be more trauma-informed. Our team designed a tool using Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s trauma-informed principles to support public health practitioners to facilitate trauma-informed meetings. This tool can be a starting point for Extension professionals to create more trauma-informed gathering spaces in all areas of their work.

The Case For Direct Instruction, Marcy Stein, Kristen Rolf

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

For over 50 years, the best way to educate children has been heatedly debated by those who favour what might be described as ‘teacher-directed instruction’ and those who favour ‘student-centred instruction’. In this article, we contend that Direct Instruction (DI), a teacher-directed approach, offers educators, by several important measures, the most effective approach to meeting the academic needs of underperforming students.

Soft Skills Don’T Have To Be Hard: Embedding Soft Skills Instruction In Moroccan Secondary Schools, Dc Lambert

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

In an increasingly diverse and interconnected world, the need for the development and mastery of soft skills has perhaps never been greater. Schools can play a key role in soft skills education, but implementation in the classroom has faced a range of challenges that have impeded instruction. One solution is embedding soft skills within an extant academic curriculum, with the advantages that the academic infrastructure is already in place, and few additional materials or time are needed. This field study found that embedding soft skills had excellent outcomes, even with limited resources, materials, and training, a notable first step in …