Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

The Schooled Heart: Moral Formation In American Higher Education, D. Andrew Parker, Kimberly S. Parker

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Contributing Factors To Persistence Among African-American And Hispanic Students In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study At A Diverse Small Institution On The East Coast, W. Bernt King

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The purpose for this phenomenological study is to understand the persistence of academically successful African-American and Hispanic students in an ethnically diverse higher education context where services and support targeting minority students do not formally exist. The research for this study has been conducted on campuses where the student body demographics are largely mono-ethnic. It would seem that as institutions of higher education become increasingly diverse, contributing factors to success for students of color may change. Themes that emerged include having a spiritual perspective, having a sense of purpose or the big picture, having support from family, having support from …

Residential Learning Communities: Facilitating Seamless Learning, Polly Graham

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Research has shown that residential learning communities positively affect student outcomes. This study looked at the literature, finding a basis for this trend and uncovering the current impact residential learning communities are having on higher education. This study sought to challenge Christian higher education administrators and faculty to consider whether residential learning communities fit within their institution’s mission and vision.

Student Affairs Reconsidered: A Look Back, A Response To Barry Loy, David M. Johnstone

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

On the tenth anniversary of David Guthrie’s Student Affairs: Reconsidered (SAR), Barry Loy wrote an article entitled: “Student Affairs Reconsidered: A Look Back.” He observed, after identifying a number of seminal works, that many in Christian Student Development have not really engaged or grappled with what it means to be an educator outside of the classroom. In letter format, I have chosen to interact with Barry in his observations with the hope that this is a conversation which is not ignored or forgotten by our colleagues. My purpose is not to disagree but continue the conversation which was started a …

The Church: A Salient Support System For African-American College Students, Odelet Nance

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

This article builds on a previous qualitative study examining the role of religion in the lives of five African-American college students at a Predominately White Institution (PWI). Through a constructivist lens, the stories of first-year students revealed how their church informed their college experiences. This article describes how churches provided support for students through the theoretical frameworks illustrated by Alexander Astin, Jacqueline Mattis, and Robert Jagers. Churches and Predominately White Institutions are encouraged to form partnerships to strengthen and enhance support systems for African-American college students.

Research has shown that having an effective support system affects social and academic integration …

Assessment Of Living Learning Communities: Models For Campus Collaboration, Anita Henck, Jeffrey Jones

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens After High School, Donald D. Optiz

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Fostering Student Success In The Campus Community, Mary Ann Searle

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Education's End: Why Our Colleges And Universities Have Given Up On The Meaning Of Life, Leslie C. Poe

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The State Of The University: Academic Knowledges And The Knowledge Of God, David S. Guthrie

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Passionate Intellect: Incarnational Humanism And The Future Of University Education, David M. Johnstone

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Deeper Learning In Leadership: Helping College Students Find The Potential Within, Kathryn A. Tuttle

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Small College Dean: New Directions For Student Services, No. 116, Mark J. Troyer

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Moral Idea Of A University: A Case Study, Todd C. Ream, Perry L. Glanzer

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

A common moral idea is necessary for not only providing shape to a particular college or university community but also for the cultivation of the virtues amongst students. However, what are the characteristics of an institution that models this type of approach? In order to answer this question, this article describes what we believe is the best exemplar from our study of 156 different Christian colleges and universities. Such a determination was made based upon an analysis of documents (academic catalogs, admissions view books, and student handbooks) gathered from all 156 institutions and then site visits made to nine institutions …

Growth No. 8 (2009) - Full Issue

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The full issue of the eighth edition of Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development.

The First Year: A Journey Of Meaning, Formation, And Substance, Brad A. Lau

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Excellence Without A Soul: How A Great University Forgot Education, Rebecca A. Owen

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Beyond Student Ratings: “A Whole New World, A New Fantastic Point Of View”, Ronald A. Berk

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

Unfortunately, student ratings have dominated as the primary and, frequently, only measure of teaching performance at colleges and universities for the past four decades (Seldin, 2006). In fact, the evaluation of teaching has been in a metaphorical cul-de-sac with student ratings as the universal barometer. Only recently has there been a trend toward augmenting those ratings with other data sources to broaden and deepen the evidence base (Arreola, 2007; Berk, 2006b; Braskamp and Ory, 1994; Centra, 1993; Knapper and Cranton, 2001; Seldin, 2006).

Although much has been learned over the 60-year history of faculty evaluation and the 50-year his- tory …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Attending An Electronic Technology Rich Program On The Teaching Styles Of Senior Student Teachers, Joseph J. Martinelli

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether attending an electronic technology rich program had an impact on the teaching styles of senior student teachers. It is clear from this research that senior student teachers have benefits from attending such a program. Three research questions were used to guide this study: what ways teachers are currently using technology; how are teachers in this study using technology in their planning of the learning experience; how teachers' technology attitudes, understandings and skills change over time. A web based survey tool, which was delivered electronically to senior student teachers both in elementary …

Exploring The Factors That Influence Attitudes And Achievement When Students Take Computerized Tests, Jessie E. Kilgore Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Currently, a problem exists in K-12 education related to the use of technology for the assessment of student learning. Specifically, due to the lack of access to and infrequent use of computers for middle school students, the rise in the use of high stakes computer-based tests may negatively impact student test scores in poor, urban schools. The conceptual framework of this study was informed by Albert Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, the work of The National Center for Fair and Open Testing regarding ending the misuses and flaws of standardized testing, and James Popham's research on quality assessment. The central research …

High-Stakes Testing And Teacher Burnout In Public High School Teachers, Gail Tucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Demands associated with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 contribute to the risk of teacher burnout; however, the relationship between teacher burnout and specific teaching assignments is unclear. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to investigate if burnout is greater for high-stakes subject area public high school teachers than for low-stakes subject area public high school teachers and to ascertain teachers' perceptions about difficulties associated with teaching a high-stakes subject area. The job demands-resources model and the multidimensional model of burnout provided the theoretical framework. The concurrent mixed methods design included quantitative tests of differences in burnout …

A Phenomenological Study Of Assessment Methods In The Inquiry -Based Science Classroom: How Do Educators Decide?, Gina G. Tash

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of science educators as they select and develop assessment methods for inquiry learning. Balancing preparations for standardized tests and authentic inquiry assessment experiences can be challenging for science educators. The review of literature revealed that current research focused on instructional methods and assessment, students' assessment experiences, and teachers' instructional methods experiences. There remains a gap in current literature regarding the experiences of science educators as they select and develop assessment methods for inquiry learning. This study filled the gap by providing a description of the experiences of science educators …

Promoting Parent Partnership In Head Start: A Qualitative Case Study Of Teacher Documents From A School Readiness Intervention Project., Carolyn P. Edwards, Tara Hart, Kelly Rasmussen, Y. M. Haw, Susan M. Sheridan

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

To advance the field of children’s services, implementation and generalization studies are needed to help us reveal the inner workings of intervention projects and how they do (or do not) achieve their outcomes. This paper provides a case study of Head Start teachers’ uptake of the Getting Ready school readiness intervention, intended to strengthen professionals’ capacity to support parental engagement in young children’s development and learning. The qualitative method of document review was used in scrutinizing home visit reports and classroom newsletters as a source of authentic evidence about teachers’ implementation and generalization of an early intervention model. Home visits …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Michelle Mouton, Cate Weeks, Stephanie Strow

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Master Teachers’ Critical Practice And Student Learning Strategies: A Case Study In An Urban School District, Greg G. Paulmann

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Job embedded professional development in the K-12 education setting has long been discussed and debated. This study builds on standards of critical reflection and thinking using the National Institute for Excellence in Education’s Teacher Advancement Program’s master teacher model as a conduit between theory and practice. A study of professional development design based on student learning strategies became worthy of review. The master teacher, through field testing and critical reflection, isolates critical elements necessary to transform teaching practice around student learning strategies. The work of the master teacher is situated as a leader of change within a professional learning community. …

Stakes Increase For End Of Course Exams In 2009-10, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

As of the 2009-10 academic year, high school students in Arkansas will be required to pass so called “End of Course” (or “EOC”) examinations in Algebra I, Biology, Geometry, and English. Students who fail to meet the requisite passing standard will be required to retake the class or to pass “an appropriate alternative exit course in order to receive credit for the course on his or her transcript and in order to graduate.” In other words, these four EOC tests will become high school exit exams. Thus, as of 2009-10, Arkansas will join some 23 other states that have high …

The Principal's Role In Teacher Retention, Sametra Danyal Chisolm

Dissertations

As efforts are made to identify factors contributing to teachers leaving or staying in the teaching profession, teacher retention continues to pose a challenge for school administrators. Factors such as principal behaviors, principal leadership, school climate/teacher morale, professional development opportunities, and teacher mentoring programs seem to positively impact teachers' decisions to remain in the profession.

The purpose of this study was to gather data to determine whether principal behaviors, principal leadership, school climate/teacher morale, professional development opportunities, and teacher mentoring programs affect teacher retention. A questionnaire, adapted from the Mecklenburg Citizens for Public Education (formally Charlotte Advocates for Education) research …

Making The Grade: Authentic Assessment Through Music Portfolios, Kendra June S. Aylor

Theses & Honors Papers

Research shows assessment is an important part of education. However, information on assessment in music is often limited to secondary education leaving elementary music teachers to devise their own systems of evaluation students. This teacher research addresses elementary music assessment by examining the implementation of student portfolios as a way to manage the data that is created in the music classroom. The portfolios were compiled using fourth grade student work which was divided into section that mirror the MENC National Standards. This research shows that student portfolios provide tangible evidence of student understanding to be shared with teachers, parents, and …

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

K-12 Education

A questionnaire was administered to school principals (N=88). The questionnaire data, along with student data, were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to investigate the relationships among leadership preparation practices, self rated leader behavior, the school learning environment, and student achievement. After controlling for demographic variables, the amount of variance explained was incremented a statistically significant degree between: preparation practices and leader behaviors ( R2 = 5%); preparation practices and student achievement ( R2 = 5%); preparation practices and leaders’ instructional knowledge ( R2 = 6%); and leaders’ instructional knowledge and instructional practices in schools ( R2 = 5%).

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

Teacher Education

A questionnaire was administered to school principals (N=88). The questionnaire data, along with student data, were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to investigate the relationships among leadership preparation practices, self rated leader behavior, the school learning environment, and student achievement. After controlling for demographic variables, the amount of variance explained was incremented a statistically significant degree between: preparation practices and leader behaviors (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and student achievement (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and leaders’ instructional knowledge (R2 = 6%); and leaders’ instructional knowledge and instructional practices in schools (R2 = 5%).