Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Teacher Preferences For Professional Development Delivery Models And Delivery Model Influence On Teacher Behavior In The Classroom, Eve R. Sauer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current trends and research in education indicated that teacher learning is a crucial link to student achievement. There is a void in the research regarding teacher preferences for delivery models in professional development Determining teacher preferences is an important component in professional development planning and the driving inquiry for this research. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to determine teacher preferences in delivery models for professional development and whether delivery models influenced teacher behaviors in the classroom. The primary theory for this study was based on andragogy, and the research was conducted under the conceptual framework of constructivist …

A Mixed Methods Program Evaluation On The Effectiveness Of A School Redesign Model On Teacher Empowerment And Student Achievement, Ann Marie Costa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A recent law in a New England state allowed public schools to operate with increased flexibility and autonomy through the authorization of the creation of Innovation Schools. This project study, a program evaluation using a convergent parallel mixed methods research design, allowed for a comprehensive evaluation of the first Innovation School (IS). Activity theory, which conceptualizes change in systems involving human interaction, was the theoretical foundation of this study. The research questions focused on the efficacy of the autonomous school redesign model in involving stakeholders in participatory decision making, improving teacher collaboration, expanding teacher empowerment, and increasing student achievement on …

A Qualitative Study Of Instructional Strategies Used By Elementary General Education Teachers In Inclusive Classrooms, Kristen Peterson

Dissertations

It has become evident in recent years that it is not the placement in the general education classroom that makes the difference for the education of students with disabilities, but it is the instructional strategies used by general education teachers (King- Sears, 1997; Vaughn & Schumm, 1995; Zigmond, 2003; Zigmond & Baker, 1995). In the last two decades, considerable progress has been made in designing, implementing, and evaluating effective interventions for students with learning disabilities. Although the research on effective instruction is abundant, studies continue to reveal general education teachers minimally change their instruction when students with learning disabilities are …

Skill Versus Will: An Investigation Of A Relationship Between Motivation To Read, Oral Reading Fluency, And Demographics For Third-Grade Elementary Students, Stephanie Lee Embrey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the demands of the No Child Left Behind legislation to utilize research-based instructional practices and teach all children to read by the end of third grade, teachers find themselves going beyond teachers' editions and curriculum guides to the research on best reading practices. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental cross-sectional correlational study was to examine the strength and direction of the relationship between motivation to read, oral reading fluency, and demographics for third-grade elementary students (N=112). An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to quantitatively analyze archival data to assess the relationship between motivation to read, oral reading fluency, …

The Effect Of Reading Test Mode Interchangeability And Student Assessment Preferences On Achievement, Tania M. Sterling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Computer-based testing (CBT) in education is on the rise; however, researchers question the interchangeability of CBT and pencil-based testing (PBT). Educators and leaders need to consider test mode interchangeability and student assessment preference prior to adopting CBT in K-8 schools. Following the new literacies theory, this mixed methods study examined test mode preference, the effect on achievement, and factors that influenced student preferences. Research questions investigated participants' computer attitudes and use to determine test mode preference, the impact of test mode and test mode preference on achievement, and factors that influence testing preferences. This sequential explanatory within-group design included 2 …

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Cross Grade Level Collaboration To Improve Collegial Interactions, Fidelia Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have connected student achievement to teacher collaboration; however, there is a paucity of studies conducted on how teachers use identified advantages and disadvantages of cross grade level collaboration to improve collegial interactions to achieve better student performance, professional development, teacher effectiveness, and job satisfaction. The purpose of this case study was to investigate how rural southeast Georgia elementary school teachers use identified advantages and disadvantages of cross grade level collaboration to improve collegial interactions. The theory of collegial coaching provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on improving teacher effectiveness and student learning via collaborative …

A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Unique Experience Of Male Elementary Teachers, Alberta N. Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The percentage of male teachers is at its lowest number in 40 years. The problem is that fewer males are choosing elementary teaching as a career choice. As a result, many elementary students rarely see a male teacher during their formative education years. This issue is a concern for superintendents, college of education deans, recruiters, school administrators, and parents whose children are not being exposed to a diverse teacher workforce that includes male elementary teachers. The purpose of this study was to better define and understand the unique experiences of male elementary teachers in today's classroom. The conceptual framework for …

Authentic Instruction And Achievement Of Fifth Grade Charter School Students, Novea Mcintosh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students' performance on standardized tests continues to dominate the discourse in the educational arena as it reflects student growth and teacher performance. The low performance index scores of 5th grade students at 2 elementary charter schools in urban southwestern Ohio has been a major concern of the school district. Guided by social constructivism, the purpose of this research study was to identify curricular practices that influence student academic achievement. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 4 reading teachers and 2 administrators; curriculum maps, tests scores, and lesson plan documents were also reviewed. Interview, test score, and lesson plan documents were analyzed …

Parent Involvement In Children's Schooling: An Investigation Of Measurement Equivalence Across Ethnic Groups, Heather Marie Scott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Epstein et al.'s Theory of Overlapping Spheres of Influence focuses on the interaction and communication, or partnerships, among families, schools, and the community to bring the three closer together. The theory works in conjunction with Epstein's typology of parental involvement, which focuses on six types of involvement that are instrumental to a child's development and his/her school and educational success. These serve as the framework for the study and support the construct of parent's involvement in children's schooling.

The purpose of the current study was to conduct further validation analyses of an inventory designed to measure the construct of parent …

A Reflective Exploration Of A Multiyear Elementary School Learning Community Experience, Susan Jean Ganley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study reports a reflection upon the experience of a multiyear elementary school learning community designed for improved teaching and learning. The exploration uses interview data to describe the perceptions and reflections of the principal and teachers directly engaged in this project of educational reform. The goal of this process is to gain a deeper understanding of the experience and to determine to what factors the participants attribute the outcomes of this project.

Through an auto-ethnographic reflective critical practice inquiry and extended interviews, this study describes the context and environment of this learning community and how the participants reflect on …

The Impact Of Student Created Slowmation On The Teaching And Learning Of Primary Science, Jeffrey Brown

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Current research indicates that although innovations in science teaching are having a positive impact on science education in many Australian schools, national and international assessments show that student achievement is not improving (Hackling & Prain, 2008; Thomson, Wernet, Underwood, & Nicholas, 2008). Furthermore, there is little or no increase in the number of students choosing science as a post-compulsory study option or as a career path. There remains a need to further develop innovative teaching methods that promote the development of students‟ scientific literacy, engenders a joy of science learning through student engagement and encourages a desire to pursue further …

The Impact Of Content Courses On Pre-Service Elementary Teachers’ Mathematical Content Knowledge, Michael Matthews, Janice Rech, Neal Grandgenett

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

In response to research documenting the mathematical deficiencies of pre-service elementary teachers, many teacher preparation programs are requiring mathematical content courses specifically focusing on the mathematics taught at the elementary level. This study considers what impact two such courses (one course focusing on Arithmetic, and the other course focusing on Geometry and Measurement) had on the mathematical content knowledge and attitude towards mathematics by comparing a group of pre-service elementary teachers who took these courses to a group of pre-service elementary teachers who took only a more general mathematics course (such as College Algebra). Results indicated that those teachers who …

Educators' Attitudes Toward Outdoor Classrooms And The Cognitive Benefits In Children, Carlie Speedlin

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

A case study was organized at a K-5 elementary school in Lincoln, Nebraksa. This school is Saratoga Elementary School and is a United States Title I Distinguished School1 under No Child Left Behind. It has a population of 266 students, with 47% being minority, 1% gifted, and 28% special education (LPS School Profile Brochure). 80% of the student population is eligible for free/reduced meals, implying that it’s a school with a lower socioeconomic status. At this school a garden space was constructed and an after school garden club was implemented for this case study. The club had been running since …

Developing Mathematical Content Knowledge For Teaching Elementary School Mathematics, Eva Thanheiser, Christine A. Browning, Meg Moss, Tad Watanabe, Gina Garza-Kling

Faculty Articles

In this paper the authors present three design principles they use to develop preservice teachers' mathematical content knowledge for teaching in their mathematics content and/or methods courses: (1) building on currently held conceptions, (2) modeling teaching for understanding, (3) focusing on connections between content knowledge and other types of knowledge. The authors share results of individual research projects and teaching approaches focusing on helping preservice elementary teachers develop such knowledge. Specific examples from different content areas (whole number, fractions, angle, and area) are discussed.

A Case Study Of The Mathematical Learning Of Two Teachers Acquiring Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching, David R. Hartman

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study offers an analysis of the learning of practicing teachers as they acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics. While some professional developers have shifted part of their focus to helping practicing teachers acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics (e.g., Stein & Silver, 1996), the results from studies often describe what translates from the professional development experience into classroom practice and measureable gains in student achievement (e.g., Desimone et al., 2002). Studies showing improvements in pedagogy and student learning are important. However, studying what teachers are learning and how they learn is important in developing understanding of the content and …

“You Can Pick Really Good Literature That Will Lead Them There”: Investigating The Instructional Roles Teachers Utilize When Conducting Literature Discussions, Sophie M. Ladd

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this multi-case study was to investigate the instructional roles teachers utilize in whole group and small group discussion. This study highlights the questioning and response strategies two elementary teachers used during read alouds and literature discussions. Data sources included whole group and small group discussions, interviews, teachers' reflection journals, classroom observations, researcher field notes, and Informal correspondence. Data were analyzed using Merriam's (1998) analytic framework for case study. A within-case analysis was conducted for each case, followed by a cross-case analysis. Through with-in case analysis questioning and response categories were developed. These categories included: appealing, prompting, examination, …

Effects Of Comprehensive Education On Elementary School Student Performance On Standardized Exams, Kenneth Vaughn Higbee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose if this study was to compare math and reading Criterion Reference Test (CRT) scores of 3rd and 5th grade students using two distinct educational models: a comprehensive educational curriculum (CEC) model and a No Child Left Behind (NCLB) curricular model. While the CEC curricular model focuses on a combination of core and non-core curriculum, the NCLB curricular model focused on a combination of intense core remediation and the reduction of some non-core curriculum. Students were from two demographically similar frontier Nevada elementary schools. Test scores were compared in 2004 when both schools used identical curricular approaches, and then …

A Dire Need, Mohammad Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Magic, Monsters, And Merlin: An Exploration Of The Fantasy Genre In A Fifth Grade Setting, Traci Bowles

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this exploratory investigation were to determine how fantasy literature helps children explore, process, and discuss real world issues and topics and what other applications the genre had in the classroom. This study was conducted by implementing a genre study in a fifth grade classroom. Seventeen students participated in the research model. Data collected included audiotaped discussions, student projects and artifacts, and my personal teacher research journal. The data was analyzed recursively across all data sets to determine patterns and themes. Data was coded according to the four main patterns and counted across data sets. If the pattern …

The Relationship Of Personality Traits To Satisfaction With The Team: A Study Of Interdisciplinary Teacher Teams In Rhode Island Middle Schools, Michele D. Humbyrd, Robert K. Gable

Teacher Education

Shared practice in schools has emerged; teachers are moving from isolation to team collaboration where personality traits could be related to quality interactions. Team personality traits and team satisfaction were examined. A survey and interview approach was used for N = 244 full-time teachers from N = 49 interdisciplinary teams at N = 7 middle schools. Descriptive, correlational, multiple regression analyses and coded themes about team members’ personalities and interactions were employed. No significant relationships were found between the BFI traits and Satisfaction with the Team. Team-level analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between Satisfaction with theTeam and Extraversion and …

How Do First Graders Define A Family?, Kelly Ann Mcgrail

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to determine how first grade students define a family. Qualitative research was used as the methodology for this inquiry. The participants were thirteen first grade inclusion students in a school that is located in Southern New Jersey. An instructional unit depicting various family constellations was implemented along with authentic discussions, a student survey, an interactive bulletin board, a classroom library containing family books, and writing prompts contained in My Family Journal. The data collected and analyzed was from student discussion, the subjects' work, direct observation of pupils, the instructional unit, and a teacher research …

Student Motivation: The Impact Intrinsic Motivation And Extrinsic Rewards Have On Elementary Students, Renee Tybus

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to determine what happens when intrinsically motivating strategies and an extrinsic reward program are implemented in a fifth-grade inclusion classroom. The intrinsic strategies of enthusiasm, incorporating student choice into the lessons, and cooperative learning groups were used to help teach students during their literacy block. Additionally, an extrinsic reward program was put into effect once the three strategies had already been conducted. Qualitative inquiry strategies such as student motivation surveys, teacher observation checklists, focus group discussions, student written feedback, and observations recorded in my own teacher research journal, were all used to facilitate …

Culturally Relevant Texts And Reading Assessment For English Language Learners, Ann E. Ebe

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article reports on a study that explored the relationship between reading proficiency and cultural relevance of text for third-grade English Language Learners (ELLs). The author presents the Cultural Relevance Rubric that helps define and determine cultural relevance of texts. Participants used the rubric to rate the cultural relevance of two stories from a standardized assessment. While the two stories were identified as being the same reading level, the participants differed in their reading of each story. Reading accuracy scores for both stories suggest that the participants were within their instructional or independent reading levels. However, miscue analysis and retelling …

The Effect Of Props On Story Retells In The Classroom, Marie A. Stadler, Gay Cuming Ward

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of props on children’s narrative retells. Forty-two children in two comparable K/1 classrooms heard and practiced the same stories over eight weeks. This study found that the props had a positive effect on the children’s use of descriptive language, but there was no effect on the number of story grammar elements or cohesive devices used, nor for the length and complexity of the stories. Results support a balanced literacy program where children practice retelling stories with and without props.

Educating Children About Global Issues, Ali Nawab

Professional Development Centre, Chitral

No abstract provided.

Using Insects To Promote Science Inquiry In Elementary Classrooms, Douglas A. Golick, Tiffany M. Heng-Moss, Marion D. Ellis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska public schools created Bugs in the Classroom, a professional development initiative with the goal of empowering teachers to use insects in science inquiry instruction in elementary classrooms. The initiative included workshops for elementary educators on science inquiry and teaching with insects. This paper includes a description of the workshop as well as an evaluation of the impact of the workshop on participating teachers' knowledge of scientific inquiry, entomology knowledge, and inquiry practice. Also included are recommendations for similar professional development activities.

What Happens When Writing Notebooks Are Used In A First Grade Classroom?, Shelley Kole

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate what happened when writing notebooks are implemented in a first-grade regular education classroom. Writing notebooks were used along with the Writer's Workshop curriculum in which students learned how to revise, edit, and use professional literature as examples for writing techniques. Qualitative inquiry strategies such as student surveys, student written work, and observations were used to collect data. The data revealed that the students gained an ownership of their writing notebooks which enabled students to take risks in their writing and led to an increased motivation and interest among students to write. …

Early Intervention In Conflict Resolution For Lower Elementary Students In A Self-Contained Classroom, Colleen Roughgarden

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate the effects of teaching conflict-resolution strategies to lower elementary students in a self-contained classroom. The students received conflict-resolution strategies and social skill development through an instructional unit involving children's literature along with student self-evaluations, appropriate outlets for tattletales, and the formation of a classroom club against bullying. This qualitative research study was conducted in a kindergarten and first grade self-contained classroom located in southern New Jersey. In order to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of the students, all names have been altered. There were seven students in the class who …

A Nonverbal Signal System: Minimizing The Effects Of Student Interruptions, Maximizing Instructional Time, And Sustaining Momentum While Teaching, Mallory Heimlich

Theses and Dissertations

With instructional time being interrupted by both in and out-of-class disturbances, research shows that approximately 30% of instructional day is wasted. Students are more likely to be unengaged and off-task when the teacher is interrupted than at other times and most classroom interruptions are initiated by the students themselves. The goal of this study was to decrease student interruptions and transition time by implementing a nonverbal signal system as a component of the classroom management plan. Student interruptions were tallied and student transitions were timed during social studies and science in a fourth grade classroom. Reflections of the study were …

An Exploratory Investigation On How Authentic Writing Affects Students' Attitudes Towards Writing, Kerri Colletto

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to determine how students' attitudes towards writing are affected when authentic writing activities are implemented into the traditional writing curriculum. The students kept Lifebooks for a period of three weeks and there was an emphasis placed on writing that was personal and meaningful. Qualitative inquiry strategies such as my teacher research journal, student surveys, individual interviews, discussion groups and student work were used to collect data. Sorting and categorizing data within and between data sources revealed that the freedom to choose a topic affects what is written, that having a personal connection affects …