Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Website Blocked: Filtering Technology In Schools And School Libraries, Jennifer M. Overaa

School of Information Student Research Journal

This paper investigates the impact of filtering software in K-12 schools and school libraries. The Children's Internet Protection Act, or CIPA, requires that public schools and school libraries use filtering technology in order to receive discounted rates on technology. As a result, nearly all public elementary and secondary schools today use filtering technology. While the provisions of CIPA narrowly define the content to be blocked, filters are often set to block much more than is required. Filtering technology is often ineffective, and many unobjectionable sites end up being blocked, including Web 2.0 sites and tools needed to educate students in …

Tech Edge Use Of New Literacies In Elementary Classrooms Today: A Partnership To Enhance Student Learning Through Teacher Preparation And Professional Development, Qizhen Deng, Laurie A Friedrich, Guy Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

Tech EDGE has been able to capitalize on past funding to create significant impact across multiple public and private schools. Support from UNL’s resources have enabled us to operate far beyond the official end date so we can keep building on our successes and the energy the project provided for school change. We have trained hundreds of practicing and new teachers to integrate technology and while the work is not done it did a lot to boost the capacity in all the participating districts and teacher education programs. We would like to thank the Post Secondary Commission for the generous …

Successful Approaches To Encourage Family Involvement In A School Division Located In Southeastern Virginia With Varying Income Levels, Katelyn Elizabeth Montague

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The purpose of this project was to identify successful approaches that teachers use to encourage involvement of all families. Following a review of professional and research literature, a survey of Pre-kindergarten through fifth grade teachers was distributed in a school division located in southeastern Virginia with varying income levels.

The findings in this survey suggested that participating teachers encouraged family involvement by inviting families into the classroom and explaining to them how they could help their children at home. The teachers utilized weekly communication in various forms such as printed material, electronic formats, and classroom websites. Teachers were also flexible …

Teacher Guidebook For Esl Students, Ashley Ramo

Honors Theses

Language is the core of one’s identity, as it is essential in order to competently communicate and interact with other humans. Language preserves culture, and when educators are able to effectively teach English-as-a-Second-Language to students, it conveys respect for that culture. American society is highly culturally pluralistic which brings many languages into the classroom. Students bring their own experiences with them to school, including various native languages and a vast array of levels in English; some may not know a single word in English. Educators will encounter ESL students no matter what the location in the United States may be, …

An Exploratory Study Of Teachers' Uses Of Data To Understand Students' Cognitive And Affective Engagement, Nicole Van Gasse

Dissertations and Theses

Since its introduction in the 1980's, student engagement has been a popular topic in educational research. In the beginning, engagement was thought of as a simple construct; however, it is now believed that student engagement involves four separate, but equally important components (Appleton, 2012; Christenson, Reschly, Appleton, Berman, Spanjers, & Varro, 2008). The components of academic, behavioral, affective and cognitive engagement are each vital to the ongoing educational success of students, and ideally, these would remain high throughout all of the years that students are in school. Unfortunately, research shows that most students' engagement levels continuously decrease from elementary school …

Program Evaluation Of Behavior Management Training For Preschool Teachers: Teacher Outcomes, Danielle Marie Young

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Teachers are required to manage difficult behaviors within their classrooms with limited support and resources. Additionally, there is not a lot of research that has been completed looking at teacher attitudes or how children’s behavior impacts them personally. The current study looks at teacher outcomes based upon an evidence-based teacher training program. The teacher training was implemented at the Western Kentucky Head Start. Teachers’ job stress and self-efficacy were measured before the training, after the training, in the fall, and in the spring. In addition, standardized observations were completed, looking at classroom climate and management, in the fall and spring …

Implementando La Educación Sexual Integral En El Conurbano: Interpretaciones, Practicas, Y Dificultades De Los Docentes De La Esi En La Escuela Secundaria / Implementing Integral Sexual Education In Grand Buenos Aires: Interpretations, Practices, And Difficulties Of High School Sexual Education Teachers, Alexcia Chambers

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The enactment of Law 26, 150—Argentina’s national Integral Sexual Education (ESI) program—in 2006 gave all Argentine teachers the opportunity, and the responsibility, to teach sexual education in the classroom. Although it has been eight years since the passing of this national law, it has not been universally implemented, and high school teachers in Greater Buenos Aires have yet to receive training on the new curriculum. Analyzing the opinions and experiences of seven high school teachers in the Greater Buenos Aires area, this study seeks to show the reality of sexual education in the Argentine classroom today through the teacher’s eyes. …

The Game Of Chess: A Conduit To Increase Student Academic Achievement In Pinellas County: A Policy Advocacy Document, Douglas Williams

Dissertations

The research about chess and education is very compelling. The usefulness of chess as an educational activity is particularly valid among children whose minds are entering the cognitive phase of abstract thinking. However, chess is useful among all age groups. Chess has been shown to improve cognitive abilities among educationally low-functioning students, and it has been shown to help students academically when traditional methods have failed to produce the desired outcome. Most people think of chess as a game, and I think the time has come for educators to think about chess in a different light. It is a game, …

Collaborative Teaching: A Delivery Model To Increase Responsiveness To The Needs Of All Learners Through Academic And Social Inclusion, Dayna Reilly

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Students with special needs often miss out on classroom curricula for specialized instruction. While these services are valued for educational benefits, this instruction method often has negative impacts on social-emotional development and targets students for their differing needs.

Integrated collaborative teaching models include collaborative teaching among general and special educators in an inclusive environment. In this descriptive study, the author examined integrated collaborative teaching as a delivery model to increase responsiveness to the needs of all learners through academic and social inclusion.

This study involved students with a wide range of disabilities from two different grade leveled collaborative classrooms, who …

Communication: The Key To Collaboration Between Special And General Education Teachers, Alexandra Slatoff

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Teachers often do not communicate with one another when working to meet the needs of their students. The purpose of this study is to examine and analyze the need, nature and manner by which general and special education teachers communicate and collaborate to address the educational needs of their students.

A review of the educational literature reveals that a burden is placed on the educational community given the often conflicting statutory obligations to: fully include special needs students in the general classroom, comply with State mandated general education curriculum requirements and implement instructional guidelines required by Individual Educational Plans (IEP) …

Beware: Teachers Who Blog, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

A recent case from Pennsylvania, Munroe v. Central Bucks School District (2014), raises fresh questions about the free speech and expression rights of public school teachers as they use the Internet. In Munroe, when a board terminated a high school teacher’s employment for making controversial postings about her students and colleagues on her personal blog—postings that proved disruptive—a federal trial court rejected the educator’s claim that she was dismissed in retaliation for exercising her right to free speech.

Before reviewing the facts and judicial opinion in Munroe, it is worth noting that blogs (a term coined in the late 1990s …

The Relationship Between The Growth Score And The Overall Team Observation Rating For Teachers In Tennessee, Joshua B. Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the TVAAS growth score given by the Tennessee Department of Education and the overall Tennessee Educator Assessment Model (TEAM) observation rating for teachers in grades 3 through 8. The participating county public school system for this study is located in Northeast Tennessee. Participants were teachers in the school system teaching Math, English/Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies in grades 3 through 8 in 10 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 2 K-8 schools. Specifically, this research examined the relationship between the TEAM observation scores and overall TVAAS growth score …

The Lived Experiences Of Veteran Elementary Urban School Teachers: Why And How They Stay, Cynthia A. Anthony

Dissertations

Longevity in teaching careers depends on many things, including job satisfaction, the work environment, career stages, and strategies to manage stress and avoid burnout. Teachers who have high levels of job satisfaction are more likely to stay in the profession. Job satisfaction is dependent on the motivators in a job: administrative support, collegiality, recognition, advancement, and growth. The work environment, job demands, career development, empowerment, and bureaucracy, plays an important role in retaining teachers.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine factors that enabled and encouraged a sample of 12 veteran elementary school teachers in a small urban …

At The Core Of School Reform: A Culture Of Commitment, Collaboration, And Collective Leadership, Lari Ann Nelson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Public education in America today is a product of more than a century of reform. Innovators of each era have attempted to transform the education system to match their ideals and beliefs. Educational reform efforts to improve learning for all students have been an issue of debate since the founding of America – seeking for equality and quality of education. The most recent educational initiative an emphasis on accountability via high-stakes tests, many schools are now branded as “failing” and requiring program improvement. As such, leaders search for reform models that will save their school from further sanctions.

Of the …

Remembering Evelyn, Lisa K. Miller

DLPS Faculty Publications

This is a Powerpoint presentation shown at the November 21, 2014 Evelyn Thurman Young Readers Book Award Luncheon held in the Kentucky Building at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The travel slides were loaned to WKU Libraries by Miss Thurman's nephews, Jeff Newton and Steve Newton.

The Effect Of A Summer Oral Language And Literacy Intervention On The Literacy Acquisition Of At-Risk First Grade Emergent Readers, Mary Beth Stevens

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

The persistent achievement gap between children from low-socioeconomic and mid- to upper-socioeconomic homes is evident in both national and statewide literacy assessments. Although the summer months away from school are part of the problem, they also hold the potential for an effective solution. Interventions that accelerate literacy development during summer vacation, particularly for children of low-socioeconomic status, have the potential to shift the educational trajectory of our most at-risk students. We investigated the effect of a four-week summer oral language and literacy intervention on the literacy development of rising first grade students from at-risk elementary schools in Jefferson County Public …

Each One, Teach One: A Blackprint For Mentoring Postsecondary “Twice Exceptional” Student Scholars In “Search Of Education, Elevation And Knowledge”, Selena T. Rodgers, Tiffany Cudjoe

Journal of Research Initiatives

Through the prism of a faculty-student mentoring relationship, this article highlights best practices to gain insight into resources for “twice exceptional” student scholars. Practical application stands at a position of intersecting domains—changing the tapestry of scholarly service and undergraduate research mentoring, and as an Each One, Teach One black-print model for mentoring. The article concludes with recommendations for best practices for post secondary mentors, educators, and counselors invested in developing student scholars in Search of Education, Elevation, and Knowledge.

Culturally Competent Common Core Practices: A Delphi Study, Katherine Sprott

Journal of Research Initiatives

Research has shown that standards and benchmarks lack guidance for diverse learners with regard to the lesson planning and practice. The Common Core Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, a national state-led crusade, seeks to safeguard rigorous grade level content to prepare all students for college and career readiness. This study identifies five Culturally Competent Common Core Practices that can provide anchors for informing the instructional process in culturally contextualized ways. The Delphi study shows that the educator’s self-awareness fosters the level of cognitive consciousness that facilitates effect interaction with diverse populations.

University Of New England Center For Excellence In Neuroscience K-12 Outreach Program, Alexandria D'Ambruoso, Kelsey Schwarz, Alex Deal, Kristen Erickson, Edward Bilsky, Michael Burman

Posters

Research poster describing UNE's Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences (CEN) K-12 outreach program. Founded in 2009 with three main areas of focus—research, scholarship and community outreach—CEN includes over 40 faculty members affiliated with neuroscience research and/or education. The Neuroscience Outreach Program was established in 2009 with the goal of bringing fun, interactive neuroscience lessons to schools to engage students in learning about neuroscience. UNE undergraduate and professional students present the lessons in classrooms with support from UNE faculty and staff.

In Search Of Relevance And Sustainability Of Educational Change : An International Conference At Aga Khan University Institute For Educational Development, Aga Khan University, Institute For Educational Development

Books

No abstract provided.

Design Practices Of Preservice Elementary Teachers In An Integrated Engineering And Literature Experience, Kristen Bethke Wendell

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

The incorporation of engineering practices and core ideas into the Next Generation Science Standards at the elementary school level provides exciting opportunities but also raises important questions about the preparation of new elementary teachers. Both the teacher education and engineering education communities have a limited literature base on the resources that novice elementary teachers bring to learning and teaching engineering. The purpose of this descriptive exploratory research study was to characterize the design practices used by preservice elementary teachers during an integrated engineering and literature experience. Using a modification of the Design Activity Coding Scheme (Atman et al., 2007), we …

Today's Dream Keepers: Exploring The Personal And Professional Beliefs Of Teachers Who Successfully Provide Literacy Instruction To African American Males In Grades 3-5, Lateshia Warren

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

The purpose of this study was to describe the personal and professional beliefs of teachers who were successful with providing literacy instruction to elementary school African American males in a Title I elementary school. This study examined the literacy practices of teachers and their beliefs about African American males. It also investigated their use of culturally relevant teaching practices. It was hypothesized that by exploring the beliefs and practices of successful teachers with African American males, this research could provide evidence of effective strategies, which could be used to impact the literacy achievement of African American males. A qualitative case …

The Identification Of Variables And Factors Related To Preservice Teacher Candidates’ Passing A State Teacher Certification Examination At An Hbcu, Melanie Frizzell, Noran L. Moffett

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

This study sought to examine the outcome of teacher education candidates’ performance on a state content exam. Seventeen participants from the class of 2012 were identified for the study of which 12 participants fully participated in the study. This study utilized data collected from the participants through the Teacher Quality Enhancement Subcontract Grant Summer/Fall/Spring 2011-2012 Workshop Series held at the private HBCU. The research design used a QUAN- QUAL-QUAN to triangulate the data through three methods of data collection: GACE early childhood education (ECE) data, GACE ECE survey questionnaire and class of 2012 member interviews. The findings from the survey …

Examining The Flipped Classroom Model Through Literacy And Math Integration: Lessons Learned From A Teacher Quality Professional Development Grant Initiative, Anne Katz Ph.D., Jackie Heeyoung Kim Ed.D.

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

This presentation will discuss results from a professional development initiative designed to equip primary and elementary grade educators with information and research-based practices to expand teachers’ repertoire of literacy instructional strategies and deepen their math content knowledge through a flipped classroom model. The presentation will define and describe the flipped learning model, briefly note its historical foundations, and address common misconceptions. We discuss learning theories that underlie the model and describe current research findings from our professional development initiative with teachers. We also describe concerns that have emerged as we have worked to develop the flipped learning model. An additional …

Tech Edge Student Rubric Grades 2-3, Laurie A. Friedrich, Guy Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

This rubric can be used to evaluate formative and summative assessments of technology integrated products across the curriculum for grades 2-3.

Tech Edge Student Rubric K-1, Laurie A. Friedrich, Guy Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

This rubric can be used to evaluate formative and summative assessments of technology integrated products across the curriculum for grades K-1.

Tech Edge Student Rubric Grades 4-5, Laurie A. Friedrich, Guy Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

This rubric can be used to evaluate formative and summative assessments of technology integrated products across the curriculum for grades 4-5.

The Business Of Learning To Teach: A Critical Metaphor Analysis Of One Teacher’S Journey, Lauren Gatti, Theresa Catalano

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This article analyzes the learning to teach process of one novice teacher, Rachael, enrolled in an Urban Teacher Residency (UTR) in Harbor City, United States. Building on Loh and Hu’s (2014) scholarship on neoliberalism and novice teachers, we employ Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) to make visible the ways in which Rachael contends with conflicting frames of learning to teach—TEACHING IS A JOURNEY vs. TEACHING IS A BUSINESS— within her program. Rachael encounters three primary obstacles: programmatic incompatibility, pedagogical paralysis, and, ultimately, programmatic abandonment. The discussion explores the potential consequences of learning to teach in neoliberal contexts.

Includes Supplementary appendices (Interview …

Developing A Culture Of Citizenship In Elementary School Classrooms: How Democratic Schools Teach Children About Rules, Rights And Responsibilities, Mindi Reich-Shapiro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore development of civic participation in children in primary grade (K-2) classrooms. Young children are accorded neither the rights nor responsibilities of adolescents or adults, nor given many opportunities to participate meaningfully in the decisions that directly impact their lives. The public school classroom is, in a sense, the first opportunity for children to develop a sense of how to participate in a diverse community organized to address the needs of many. As such, it is a microcosm of the larger society within which children are learning to engage as active participants. The …

The Use Of Ipads To Facilitate Growth In Reading Comprehension Skills Of Second Grade Students, Joy Reichenberg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The increased accessibility of technological devices has made it easier for educators to make use of multimodal tools in the classroom. Although educational technology has been vastly researched, one area that is not reflected in the literature is the use of eBooks that are read on mobile digital reading devices and their impact on the performance of literacy skills of lower elementary age students. This quasi-experimental, nonrandom, pretest/posttest control group study examined the results of reading an eBook on an Apple iPad and its impact (if any) on reading comprehension skills of second grade students. This quasi-experiment included a treatment …