Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Inclusion: A View From Students And Teachers, Elizabeth A. Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine students' and teachers' opinions on the inclusion model and its implementation in classrooms today. This study was conducted in an elementary school (grades one through five) in a K-12 public school district in Roosevelt Township, New Jersey. The participants were 27 second and third grade multiage students as well as 7 second and third grade teachers with varied teaching experiences and certifications. Teacher participants completed open-ended questionnaires while student participants completed surveys in which they used a rating scale to assign their comfort level with varied example situations. Data from the surveys …

Response To Gender In The Classroom: A Look At A Teacher's Reaction To Her Students And Its Effect, Victoria A. Henwood

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to understand a teacher's response to boys and girls in the classroom and determine whether this has an effect on students' perceptions of gender. Using a qualitative study and analyzing interviews, observations, and a gender activity through a data analysis spiral (Creswell 1998) in a first grade classroom with a female teacher, I discovered a teacher's perception of gender influences her interactions with students. Through the gender activity, I found this interaction can help shape a student's perception of gender.

No More Worksheets: A Pre-Service Teacher's Look At Manipulatives, Kathren Field Barraclough

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of manipulatives during math. This is done by examining manipulatives in reference to student interest, diverse learners, student response, and student opinions. The study was conducted in an elementary school in the Winslow Township school district located in the Camden County region of South Jersey. All seventeen participants were taken from a collaboratively taught first grade classroom. Collection of data was done through the use of video tape, student journals, tests and my personal observations. Data was triangulated through the examination of multi-sources (video, journals, tests, observations), and themes, scores …

The Effects Of Small Group Mathematical Instruction, Theresa A. Storms

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of small group mathematical instruction when compared to whole group mathematical instruction. The participants of the study consisted of 35 first grade students from two intact classes from a suburban school district in New Jersey. The control group included 21 students who received whole group mathematical instruction. The experimental group included 14 students who received small group mathematical instruction. All students were pre-tested, instructed in mathematics, and post-tested in their respective groups.

This study hypothesized that first grade students who received small group mathematical instruction would show a higher significant …

A Study Examining The Effect Of Multi-Sensory Stimulation On The Descriptive Writing Of Fourth Grade Students, Karen L. Scott

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if multi-sensory stimulation during writing exercises would increase the number of descriptive elements used by fourth grade students. Thirty-five students in two intact classrooms participated in the nonequivalent control group design study. A learning styles questionnaire was administered to both groups to ensure that all modality preferences were represented in each classroom. Two pretests in the form of writing prompts were given to each group. Two weeks later posttests identical to the pretests were administered to each group. During posttest writing exercises, the experimental group was exposed to multi-sensory stimulation. The control …

The Effects Of Collaborative Strategic Reading Among Third Grade Students, Inez Lee Barberio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of Collaborative Strategic Reading in a third grade class significantly improved test scores in vocabulary and comprehension in a given social studies unit exam. Two third grade classes were researched. The use of CSR was compared to the testing results of another third grade class that was taught through the use of traditional "textbook" teaching methods. The researcher taught the experimental group through the use of CSR while the control class was taught by their regular classroom teacher. Each class was tested using the same pretest and post-test. Mean …

Teachers' Insights On Character Education, Meghan Kristin Salowe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore teachers' thoughts and concerns regarding the practice of teaching Character Education programs in elementary school. The subjects for this study are twenty-one elementary school teachers and the school's guidance counselor. This study used a survey instrument with closed-ended responses (Likert scale) as well as teacher interviews. A qualitative approach was utilized to analyze the data, which showed varying teacher perceptions on Character Education. A need for consistent teacher training and opportunities for teacher dialogue are some implications that emerged from my study.

Exploring The Effect Of Literature Circles On Reading Comprehension And Motivation, Christina Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of literature circles on elementary school children. It was hypothesized that a third grade class that read independently through the use of the literature circle structure will show greater gains in reading comprehension and reading motivation than when the same third grade class does not experience the literature circle structure. The sample included a predetermined class of 24 third-grade students, which consists of 9 females and 15 males.

The non-treatment conditions consisted of small group guided reading lessons. The treatment conditions consisted of the implementation of literature circles. Student reading …

Reading Comprehension Evaluated Through Electronic Storybooks And Traditional Print Storybooks, Erika Lynn Crescenzo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether electronic text storybooks, when compared to printed storybooks, affect students' comprehension skills. Reading comprehension is a process by which the reader constructs meaning with the text. With electronic texts, the computer is able to control the number of words that are displayed to allow the student to read at their own pace. Dramatization along with special text features used in electronic storybooks presents the text in a way that differs from the traditional printed storybook. These changes grasp the readers' attention both visually and verbally. Eliminating the decoding of the text …

Action Research For Female Science Teacher Development: Case Pakistan, Harcharan Pardhan

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

What Effect Might The No Child Left Behind Act Have On Administrators' And Teachers' Decisions To Promote Or Retain The Low Achieving Student In The Elementary Grades?, April M. Maska

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to determine how this Act impacts professional educators in their decisions regarding promotion or retention of the low achieving student. Regular Educators in the West Deptford School District were asked to participate to show whether NCLB impacts the professional educators within this district when deciding whether to promote or retain the low achieving student. A Likert survey was designed and'distributed to 51 professional educators within the district. Of the educators asked, 21 responded. The survey results were graphed and analyzed. The scores of the West Deptford School District participants were compared to a hypothetical school district of …

Computer Use In Preschool: Effects On Social Interactions, Teresa Hartner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the impact of computers on the social behavior of preschoolers, specifically, (a) to study the frequency and level of peer interactions in the computer center, (b) compare these to interactions when the computer center was not available, and (c) investigate gender differences in the computer center.

Fourteen preschool children of various ethnic backgrounds were videotaped or observed for 15 minutes a day for two three week periods. During the first three weeks the computer, housekeeping, block and art centers were observed. During the second three weeks the computer center was not used. …

The Effects Of A Word Study Spelling Program In A Differentiated Classroom, Lauren M. Cassano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementing a word study spelling program in a differentiated classroom could improve students' long-term retention of spelling words. This study compared a word study program with a more traditional spelling approach. The findings of the experiment indicated that no significant difference existed between the two different methods of instruction.

After receiving parental permission, the study began in a third grade classroom with 20 students. A pretest/posttest design was used in two phases. Phase I of the study used a traditional spelling approach using basal words obtained from the Scholastic reading series. …

A Study Of The Academic Achievement Of Fifth Grade Bilingual Students In English-Only Classes, Karen Pritchard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine whether or not the length of time spent in a bilingual program had any effect on the academic achievement of students when they were placed in English-only classes. Six fifth grade Hispanic students and three classroom teachers participated in the study. Brief classroom observations were conducted. Testing results were collected for three different tests along with report card grades. All data were recorded and interpreted by the researcher. Narrative explanations were provided along with tables for clarification. Results indicated that although the majority of the subjects received passing report card grades, …

The Effective Use Of Manipulatives And Color Coding In The Achievement And Application Of Music Reading Skills Of Third Grade Recorder Students, Kathy J. Gunsallus-Donachy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover the positive effect on sight-reading ability of 100 third grade recorder students reading music notation when color-coding was applied to notes and manipulatives were used in note value instruction.

The problem was to compare effects on the learning and application of music reading skills between color-coded notes and monochromatics when students sight-read music playing their recorders.

The classes were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The researcher, also the music teacher, taught each class once a week for 50 minutes. The treatment extended approximately 23 weeks. The experimental classes …

Wisdom, Intelligence, And Creativity Synthesized., Susan Daniels

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Wisdom, as explored by Sternberg is the application of successful intelligence and creativity. For thirty years, Dr. Sternberg has been a vocal critic of narrow conceptions of intelligence. In this recent work, he argues that a more comprehensive view of intelligence must go beyond the psychometrically based, IQ-driven views predominant in the last century.

High-Stakes Testing And Special Populations, Gary H. Sherwin, Todd Jennings

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This opinion paper critically examines the use of high-stakes testing on special populations. Without appropriate accommodations, standardized exams are not valid for some students with special needs. Unfortunately, many classroom teachers who must initiate testing accommodations lack knowledge of appropriate accommodations and regularly fail to provide the necessary testing accommodations. The deficit understanding of testing accommodations makes comparisons between classrooms, schools, and districts invalid since some scores loose validity. Solutions specific to standardized testing and students with special needs are offered and a more encompassing solution to the problems incurred from these tests when used for high-stakes is suggested.

High-Stakes Testing And Assessment: One Is Not The Other, Enrique Murillo, Alayne Sullivan

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Since the institution of the common school and the advent of universal education, Americans have placed tremendous faith in public schools. Public education cultivates an informed citizenry, one of the pillars of a liberal democracy. But more importantly, schools are a repository for our common dreams of human potential and individual self-actualization. Because they so thoroughly shape the lives and life-chances of our youth, school issues are freighted with an emotional charge. Education remains the last fully public American institution, one in which millions of students cast their common lot daily and strive to become better readers, better citizens, better …

A Qualitative Study Of Instructional Teams In An Elementary School, Rebecca Courtney Lane

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Working in teams is common throughout all areas of American society and research by Senge, Kleiner, Roberts, Ross, and Smith (1994), Bensimon and Neumann (1993), Buckley (2000), DiPardo (1999), Erb (1997), and others have described its use in business and secondary schools. Since the implementation of Public Law 221 in Indiana, general education teachers and special education teachers have been working together to better instruct students with Individual Education Plans (Gable & Manning, 1999; Gately & Gately, 2001). However, very little has been written on the elementary instructional team and the interaction of its teammates. Analyzing data collected during the …

A Study Investigating The Comparative Effects Of An Audiation Pause In Tonal Pattern Training On Fourth And Fifth Grade Children, Melodey A. Kleva-Forchic

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine variations of response time in tonal pattern training. The problem of the study is twofold. 1) To determine the comparative effect of fourth and fifth grade students who echoed tonal patterns immediately and students who echoed after a pause, and 2) to examine how the variations in response time in tonal pattern training effects the performance of high and low aptitude students.

The sample for this study consisted of approximately 140 fourth and fifth grade students who attended an elementary school located in a Southern New Jersey suburban community. The sample included …

The Relationship Between Home Music Environment, Including Both Parent And Sibling Responses, And Enrollment In An Elementary Instrumental Program, Jill Melamed

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the home musical environment on participation in the elementary instrumental program. The problem of the study was to compare the musical home environment of fourth and fifth grade students who are enrolled in an elementary instrumental program versus those who are not.

Surveys were sent home with all 195 children in the fourth and fifth grade at an elementary school in southern New Jersey. The first section of the survey, which used a Likert-type scale, was completed by a parent. The second section of the survey, which used semantic …

Physical Activity Preferences Of Elementary Children, Mike Griffis

Graduate Theses

The current study investigated activity preferences of elementary-age students. It was hypothesized that gender differences would exist, with boys preferring competitive activities and girls preferring more cooperative activities. The results proved a significant relationship did exist between male students and activity type, as nearly 80 % of male students preferred competitive or elimination games over fitness and cooperative games. There was no significant relationship, however, between female students and activity type, as females didn’t show a preference between the two activity types. The present study also provides practical information for those physical educators wishing to avoid being gender-biased when designing …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Professionalism In Government Primary Schools In Karachi, Pakistan, Meher Rizvi, Bob Elliot

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This paper examines teachers’ perceptions of their professionalism under conditions of educational reforms in government primary schools in Karachi, Pakistan. Conceiving teacher professionalism in terms of four dimensions (teacher efficacy, teacher practice, teacher leadership and teacher collaboration) it reports a quantitative survey research study of teachers in these schools, where educational reforms have been initiated. One conclusion from the study is that such teachers do perceive themselves as professionals—a finding that is counter to the often-held beliefs about these teachers. The paper argues that it is important to regard teachers as professionals, capable of further enhancing their own professionalism, for …

Collaborating With Colleagues To Improve Student Learning Using The Connected Mathematics Project, Margaret D. Seifer

Graduate Student Independent Studies

I am a teacher of mathematics at Millburn Middle School, Millburn, New Jersey. During my nine years at Millburn, I have taught using the Connected Mathematics Program (CMP) for seven years to eighth graders and before that, I taught CMP in it's pilot stage to sixth graders.

This guide is a result of my thinking and learning during my time at Bank Street College. The guide is based on a journey through my learning as a professional developer. It is a tool which, I hope, will be of some use to other CMP leaders. It is hoped that if such …

Primary Teacher Work Study Report, Jenny Wilkinson, Lawrence Ingvarson, Elizabeth Kleinhenz, Adrian Beavis

Teacher workforce and careers

This research was conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in 2005. The study was a result of the New Zealand Primary Teachers Collective Agreement 2004-2007 which specified that a workload study be complete to consider how the work of a teacher could be better structured, resourced and organised to support more effective classroom teaching. The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of the nature and patterns of primary teachers' work. The research was commissioned by the New Zealand Ministry of Education.

Spicing Up Motor Skill Performance For All, Scott M. Ronspies

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Spicing Up Motor Skill Performance For All, Scott Ronspies

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Direct Instruction Reading On The Behavior Referral Rates Of Rural Elementary Students, David Jarman

Theses & Honors Papers

What exactly is effective instruction? This heavily debated question is still at forefront of educational reform. Many factors contribute to effective instruction in the classroom, but it is critical to define effective instruction prior to describing its components. To understand the concept of effective instruction we must operationally define effective instruction as summarized by Rosenshine and Berliner (1978). they viewed effective instruction as those teacher characteristics that had a positive relationship on student achievement. We know that providing students with the most effective instruction will lead to an increase in student academic achievement. We also know these characteristics can be …

Highly Qualified Minority Teachers: Do High-Stakes Teacher Tests Weed Out Those We Need Most?, Julie Esparza Brown

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of standardized teacher tests as demonstration of licensure competencies for diverse candidates in Oregon and nationally. The following four areas and their accompanying questions guide the development of this paper: (1) Why would a diverse teacher workforce help close the achievement gap?; (2) What are the barriers that exist to meeting the need for diverse educators?; (3) What type of research will be needed to validate alternative assessments as viable options?; and (4) What qualities in leaders produce policies for equity? At the conclusion of this paper, the author provides …

Coaching For Metacognitive Instructional Practice, Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

One way to identify students who are becoming accomplished readers and writers is to observe the degree to which the examples of coaching presented in this chapter are taken from my research as a participant in a statewide literacy professional development initiative: the Literacy Specialist Project (Kinnucan-Welsch, 2003a, 2003b; Rosemary, Grogan, et al., 2002).

The central aim of the Literacy Specialist Project, launched in 2000 by the Ohio Department of Education, is to provide professional development to educators in the state of Ohio that supports enhanced understanding in the teaching of reading and writing. The professional development incorporates foundational knowledge …