Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Can Education Improve The Environment? Applying The Pressure-State-Response Environmental Indicator Framework To Environmental Education Program Outcomes, Brian Johnson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which environmental education (EE) programs are contributing to environmental quality (EQ) improvement. The research applied the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) environmental indicator framework to the reported outcomes of 103 EE programs in order to 1) determine the extent to which existing EE programs are reporting EQ improvement outcomes; and 2) examine the extent to which these programs are impacting indicators in the three areas of the PSR framework. The study consisted of three research phases: evaluation synthesis, semi-structured interviews, and multiple-case study. The study found that 42 of 103 programs (41%) …

Predicting Registered Health Information Administrator Examination Scores, James Condon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences existed among candidates for the Registered Health Information Administrator certification examination that may have characterized the likelihood of acquiring professional certification upon graduation from accredited health information administration education programs. The research was conducted using data acquired from accredited health information administration education programs located across the United States. A total of 197 former student records were obtained and used in the statistical analyses; 118 were employed in correlation analysis and to develop a Registered Health Information Administrator certification examination success prediction model and to establish a 95% Approximate Prediction …

The Cultural Studies Of Science Education, Karen D. Chassereau

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In an age of accountability, the demands and constraints placed on science teachers seem insurmountable. Teachers are challenged to provide students with authentic scientific experiences, yet the need to prepare students for high-stakes tests remains. The problem of attrition and job stress in the field of science teaching is growing. As pressures rise, it becomes necessary to understand what the culture of science education is like from the perspective of the science teacher. This study sought to define the culture of science education and determine how this culture informs teacher practice in the secondary science classroom. This qualitative case study …

Curriculum Gatekeeping In Global Education: Global Educators' Perspectives, Robert Wayne Bailey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teaching social studies from a global perspective has been resisted by many since its inception (Kirkwood, 2009). Critics have labeled the theory anti-American and unpatriotic (Schlafly, 1986; Burack, 2001). Others are concerned with its shifting perspectives and apparent lack of core facts (Finn, 1988). Over time, some critics have changed their stance on global teaching and now endorse the idea (Ravitch, 2010). This qualitative case study sought to identify the barriers seven self-proclaimed global educators faced while teaching global themes and to identify the effective gatekeeping strategies for circumventing such obstacles. The goal was to provide a rich, compelling account …

Teachers' Beliefs, Knowledge, And Implementation Of Disciplinary Literacy Pedagogy In Three Advanced Placement United States History Classrooms, Stephanie Bennett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this inquiry, I investigated three Advanced Placement United State History teachers' beliefs, knowledge, and implementation of disciplinary literacy pedagogy in their Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) classrooms. My interest in disciplinary literacy evolved from my own experiences as a high school social studies teacher and middle school intensive reading teacher. With the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, whose emphasis is, in part, on discipline-specific literacy, across the United States in 2014-2015, I recognize the need for research relevant to discipline-specific practices in the classroom. I want to contribute further to the understandings of disciplinary literacy pedagogy. …

Predictors Of Student Enrollment Patterns In High School Career Academies, E. Daniel Cox

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe participation patterns at the district level of students enrolled in career academies and determine whether participation in career academies is a function of demographic and/or prior learning experience and prior performance variables. Ex-post facto data was used to determine six-year enrollment trends. In addition, both binary logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression methods were employed to determine the extent demographic along with prior learning experience and prior performance variables could be used to predict participation within career academies. Trend data results indicated slight increases in the proportions of students of color (including …

Adolescent Literacy Practices And Positive Youth Development Through Fink's Taxonomy Of Significant Learning, Paula Taylor-Greathouse

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was not to disprove the effects of the current, common remedial literacy course design and the literacy practices within that help adolescent RLLs pass statewide assessment tests, but to describe the potential long-term impact of an innovative comprehensive approach to literacy (CAL) framed through an integrated course design model. In this study I sought to determine if the 2012 CAL design with a particular demographic of student produced "significant" or lasting learning as defined by Fink (2003). In other words, did the 2012 CAL design promote sustained or increased practices of literacy and PYD over …

The Teaching And Learning Of Word Problems In Beginning Algebra : A Nigerian (Lagos State) Study, Omolola A. Ladele

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

At both the junior and senior secondary school levels in Nigeria, student performance in mathematics examinations has been poor. Within the context of large classes, with inadequate facilities, and teaching and learning in a second language, algebra and algebra word problems are introduced to students during their first year of junior secondary school. The transition from primary school arithmetic to the use of the algebraic letter is challenging to students and it is important that teachers should know the likely difficulties and misconceptions students may have as they begin algebra (Welder, 2012).

In this study, the impact of a teacher …

Exceptional Connections : A Cross-Cultural Exploration Of The Actual Teacher Behaviours That Contribute To Positive Relationships With Gifted Secondary Students And Secondary Students With Emotional/Behavioural Disorders, Trevor Capern

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This cross-cultural study examined the teacher behaviours that contributed to positive student-teacher relationships with gifted secondary students and secondary students with Emotional/Behavioural Disorders (EBD) in Western Australia and Canada. The study also examined which categories of social support (emotional, instrumental, informational, appraisal) were considered most important in developing positive relationships according to the exceptional students and their teachers. Behaviours were identified through a mixedmethods approach that included surveys, teacher interviews, and student focus groups. Participants included gifted secondary students (N = 133) and their teachers (N= 49), and secondary students with EBD (N = 89) and their teachers (N=23) in …

Development Of Information And Communication Technology In Education In Tanzania: How Is Duce Playing Its Role?, Josta L. Nzilano, Ayoub C. Kafyulilo

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper presents the ICT integration situation in Tanzania, and the efforts that are being made by the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), as a teacher training institution, to have ICT integrated in the education system at the college and country at large. Over 60 articles and reports were gathered and read in the process of writing the paper. However, through rigorous review of each article only 35 were found to match best with the goal of this study. Results from literature indicate that technology integration in the country was still at an infant stage. Most educational …

Effectiveness Of Basic Mathematics Continuous Assessment Feedback In Secondary Schools In Tanzania: The Case Of Schools In Coast And Dar Es Salaam Regions, Florence Kyaruzi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper assesses the effectiveness of Basic Mathematics Continuous Assessment (CA) feedback in selected high performing (HP) and low performing (LP) secondary schools in Coast and Dar es Salaam regions, Tanzania. Various aspects that constitute an effective CA feedback were scrutinised. The paper is based on research. In this research, a mixed research approach of the concurrent triangulation design was employed where stratified, simple random and purposeful sampling techniques were used. The study was informed by documentary review, questionnaires and classroom observations. Data were both qualitatively and quantitatively analysed using content analysis and Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS), version …

Perceptions Of Indiana’S Engineering/Technology Education Classroom Teachers As Measured By The Characteristics Of Technology Education Survey, Steve E. Rogers

Purdue Polytechnic Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine Engineering/Technology Education (ETE) teachers’ perceptions of Project Lead The Way’s (PLTW) pre-engineering program in the state of Indiana utilizing the Characteristics of Technology Education Survey (CTES) (Daugherty, Hill, & Wicklein, 1996). The study focused on the perceptions of teachers who were and were not teaching PLTW’s pre-engineering curriculum as they related to curriculum content, teaching methodology, curriculum integration, and fit of curriculum in school environment. Two hundred and eighty two or 51.3% of Indiana high school ETE teachers responded to the 46 question CTES. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of …

The Mathematics Of Skateboarding: A Relevant Application Of The 5es Of Constructivism, William Robertson

Selected Works Temporary Series

lives is a challenge for educators. As part of a weeklong mathematics summer enrichment program held in the summer of 2010 at a southern university in the United States (US), eighty-five high school students participated in a unique set of activities designed to integrate mathematics concepts and skateboarding. Project leaders used a constructivist framework to design student-centered experiences implemented in the outdoor setting of a local skatepark and in campus classrooms. The activities designed for students in “The Mathematics of Skateboarding” demonstrated innovative and creative ways to engage students in content and skills mapped to state requirements for high school …

The Mathematics Of Skateboarding: A Relevant Application Of The 5es Of Constructivism, William Robertson

Departmental Papers (TE)

lives is a challenge for educators. As part of a weeklong mathematics summer enrichment program held in the summer of 2010 at a southern university in the United States (US), eighty-five high school students participated in a unique set of activities designed to integrate mathematics concepts and skateboarding. Project leaders used a constructivist framework to design student-centered experiences implemented in the outdoor setting of a local skatepark and in campus classrooms. The activities designed for students in “The Mathematics of Skateboarding” demonstrated innovative and creative ways to engage students in content and skills mapped to state requirements for high school …

Making Room For Formative Assessment Processes: A Multiple Case Study, Rob Mcentarffer

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

This qualitative instrumental multiple case study (Stake, 2005) explored how teachers made room for formative assessment processes in their classrooms, and how thinking about assessment changed during those formative assessment experiences. Data were gathered from six teachers over three months and included teacher interviews, student interviews, participant-observation notes, videos of classroom experiences, and classroom artifacts. These data were analyzed using a category construction method (Merriam, 2009) that involved open coding, axial coding, and finally a cross-case analysis that grouped axial codes according to themes relating to the two research questions. Four case studies describe the process of co-created work with …

Inquiry-Based Instruction In The Social Studies: Successes And Challenges, Crystal Maree Beshears

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions, understanding, and use of inquiry-based instruction in the Social studies, to assess the impact of inquiry-based units on instruction, to detail implementation successes and challenges reported by teachers when implementing inquiry-based instruction, and to provide recommendations for future efforts. Teachers' perceptions of teaching and learning, particularly their beliefs about inquiry-based instruction, changed during the study. Throughout the study, teachers' perceptions and beliefs about teaching Social studies had an impact on how they planned, implemented and reflected on inquiry-based instruction. Many of the teachers changed their perceptions and began regularly teaching …

The Lived Experience Of The Parents Of High School Dropouts: A Phenomenological Study, Christine Ann Silano

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to describe the experiences and perceptions of parents whose children did not receive a high school diploma. This subpopulation has been rarely studied. The central question is, "What are the perceptions and experiences of the parents of public high school dropouts as they pertain to schools, their children, and themselves?"

This phenomenological study examined the lived experience of the parents of high school dropouts. Five women and one man participated in the study by sitting for interviews. The collected interview data was transcribed and analyzed using qualitative methodology including open and axial coding as …

Authentic Assessment : An Approach To Enhance And Assess Students’ Learning, Sher Azim

Professional Development Centre, Chitral

This paper underscores the process of using Authentic Assessment (AA) not only as a tool to assess learning but also as an approach to enhance learning in a school in the context of Pakistan. Data was collected through classroom observations, conducting interviews, analyzing relevant documents and maintaining person reflective diary. Findings indicate that AA helped in enhancing students’ learning such as knowledge about the noise pollution, planning, developing interview questions, interviewing people, preparing posters, giving presentation and responding to audience question. The study also revealed that in AA the student’s role changed from a passive test taker to an active …

Darya Dino K Daryan : Promoting A Optimistic Learning Milieu In The Primary School, Yasmin Sultana Memon, Sardar Khalid Mahmood

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Traditionally, girls in most government schools remain inactive in the classroom and are shy to speak and express their views. They have been given very few chances to be recognized or to participate actively in the classroom. This tendency seems to be changing in one girls’ primary school situated in an urban part of district. Most of the students belongs to the poor and lower middle class families. Few years ago, their school was in a poor physical and learning condition, but when the current head teacher was hired, she tackled the problems of the school’s including physical condition. As …

The Value Based Professional Development For Teachers’ Attitude, Behavior And Enhanced Professionalism : A School Based Intervention Through A Whole School Improvement Program (Wsip), Khush Funer Murtaza, Abida Begum, Sharifullah Baig

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

This paper highlights the strategies and approaches employed to bring about positive changes in the attitude and behavior of the teachers and enhance their sense of professionalism in a girl’s high school of Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan. In addition to that, it illuminates the successes, challenges and the influence of these strategies and approaches on the overall school environment. These interventions were part of the one year long whole school improvement program(WSIP) exercised by PDCN in the academic year 2009-10 of the particular school. The strategies started with vision building, team building and task delegation, distributing the leadership and teacher empowerment, …

Building Capacity Of Teacher Educators To Implement Action Research : Feasibility Of A Local Model, Nahid Parween Anwar

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

In the area of in-service professional development programmes, action research is considered to be a tool for generating practical knowledge and bringing improvement in practices. Teacher could use action research as a process for professional learning, and to improve classroom practices, where students could be one of the beneficiaries. However, the task is challenging in a developing country like Pakistan, where the concept of classroom research is not well recognized. Therefore, responding to the demands of the changing world and knowing the significance of action research, AKU-IED had offered Action Research course to two cohort of participant under Strengthening Teacher …

The Role Perceptions Of Deos In Pakistan : Toothless Tigers Or Selfless Servants?, Jan-E-Alam Khaki, Zubeda Bana, Mir Afzal Tajik, Qamar Safdar

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The study of educational leadership and management in Pakistan is relatively a new territory – a road less travelled. This is truer when it comes to the study of District Education Officials’ (DEOs) ways of managing education. These officials actually bridge the government higher functionaries and policies in terms of policy implementation, monitoring and supervision of the schools in their respective districts. These officials theoretically should exercise significant control over the functioning of schools in their jurisdiction. Though on paper they have heavy responsibilities but actually they have limited arena to exercise; their power due largely to complex web of …

Strengthening The Professional Development For Teachers At Uc-Trc Level – A Hub For Teachers Professional Development, Rakhshinda Meher

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Professional development is a continuous improvement process, on job training and support needed to improve teaching, it encompasses the processes that educators engage in to initially prepare themselves, continuously update themselves, and review and reflect on their own performance. The experiences suggest that continuing professional development is needed to reinforce learning and support educational change process. This paper encompass on strengthening the professional development for teachers at Union Council Tehsil Resource Center (UC-TRCs). Teacher Mentors, developed by AKU-IED, STEP Project initiated the Cluster-based Mentoring Programme (CBMP) and also providing teachers follow-up support through Schools visits. Teachers professionally support each other, …

Parental Perceptions Of School Quality : Contesting The Notion Of Quality, Dilshad Ashraf

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Preparing High School Students For A Bright Future, Ann Marie Smeraldi

Michael Schwartz Library Publications

Librarians have been lighting the way to college and career readiness for decades. With the implementation of the Common Core Standards on the horizon, school librarians have a fresh opportunity to breathe new life into their library instruction programs and enlighten students’ minds. During this session the presenter will compare the AASL and ACRL information literacy standards and illuminate their presence in the new Common Core. Using all three standards as a framework, the presenter will share lesson plans designed to teach high school students essential information literacy skills that will help them sparkle and shine in college and the …

El Metro De Madrid, Mark K. Warford

Spanish Model Lesson Plans

This lesson can be carried out in one class period. It centers on the symbolic competencies necessary for navigating the Madrid Metro. Targeted level would be second year of secondary-level study or second semester of college study.

Characteristics Of At-Risk Students, Michael Sollitto, Robert K. Gable

K-12 Education

This study focused on a major problem facing today’s educators: high school dropouts. Research questions addressed differences in teacher perspectives of the characteristics of struggling students. Differences in teachers’ perspectives based on teaching level (elementary & secondary) were examined. The researcher conducted focus groups with a total of 12 teachers. The research was conducted in two suburban districts. Focus group questions were designed following a survey administered to 108 suburban public school teachers. The survey responses reported previously identified four dimensions of characteristics of at-risk students: behavior, achievement, family involvement, and family background. The data from the focus groups can …

Former Juvenile Offenders Re-Enrolling Into Mainstream Public Schools, Thomas Richardson, Thomas Dipaola, Robert K. Gable

K-12 Education

This study examined school re-enrollment procedures employed by two school systems for N=578 former juvenile offenders re-enrolling from secured supervised settings to urban mainstream secondary public schools and alternative schools and programs in New England. Quantitative data regarding student demographics and qualitative data from interviews with 19 support personnel and selected documents were used to evaluate which program elements enhanced or disengaged former offenders from secondary urban schools. The characteristics of former juvenile offenders’ lack of school involvement with respect to truancy, school suspension and expulsion, learning, behavior, and emotional disabilities, as well as family, economic, and social disadvantages were …

Using Inquiry To Teach Microscope Skills, Susan Styer

Faculty Publications & Research

One of the first lab activities often done in a high school biology course is learning to use the microscope. As it is typically described in laboratory manuals, there is no inquiry involved in this activity. Students learn the parts of the microscope and information explaining its operation. There may be a review of the metric system. Then students examine cells, often to observe the difference between plant and animal cells. Students may be instructed to prepare wet mounts and do simple staining. All of these are important skills to have in order to use the microscope correctly, but it …

Actores Secundarios En El Movimiento Estudiantil Chileno En 2011 Y 2012: Un Análisis Comparativo De La Asamblea Coordinadora De Estudiantes Secundarios Y La Coordinadora Nacional De Estudiantes Secundarios., Carly Brook

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Chilean student movement, intermittently present in Chile since the beginning of the 20th Through the conduction of personal interviews, utilization of student proposals for a new system of education, occupation of the concepts of social movements of Alain Touraine and concepts of student movements of Manuel Garretón, revision of current news sources, and participant observation, this investigation concludes the dynamic between the ACES and the CONES to be an antagonistic one characteristic of two social actors in competition over control of the definition of the same social resource, a new education system for Chile. It then identifies this antagonism …