Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Reflections Of “Use Of Comics In Social Studies Education” Course: The Opinion And Experiences Of Teachers, Genç Osman İlhan, Maide Şin

SANE journal: Sequential Art Narrative in Education

It is well known that a quality teacher education is necessary for qualified education. Teachers must be well-trained in multiple areas and have an open-minded structure. They must develop strategies based on the lesson and students, which needs effective material development and use. The materials to be used could be prepared by others and can be incorporated into the classroom setting or teachers could design and present them to students, which is essential for the quality of instruction. When a teacher creates and effectively employs instructional materials, his/her self-confidence will increase and teaching will be enriched and made easier. Comics …

Integral Or Vestigial? Kentucky P-12 Teacher Websites, Lesia Lennex

Department of Middle Grades and Secondary Education Research & Publication Archives

In what way does a P-12 classroom teacher communicate at-large with their parents or students? There are many forms of communication. A more effective means of communication is either an access-key based Google Classroom or open-access teacher website linked to the school web site. An available, published teacher website allows any person with internet access to view teacher proffered information. This study sought to determine to what extent Kentucky P-12 teachers in its 171 school districts were 1) publishing teacher websites connected to the school web page, 2) including essential elements for clear communication, and 3) Americans with Disability Act …

Pre-Service Teachers Notice Student Thinking: Then What?, Tara Barnhart, Heather J. Johnson, Miray Tekkumru-Kisa

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Research has demonstrated that pre-service teachers (PSTs) can learn to notice students’ thinking in sophisticated ways by analyzing videos of classroom interactions. What is less clear is how PSTs use what they notice about student thinking to inform how they respond. Secondary math and science PSTs from three teacher preparation programs were invited to analyze a video clip identifying noteworthy moments of student thinking and describing an instructional move they might make and why. A qualitative analysis of their responses indicates that the PSTs overwhelmingly noticed both the substance and the source of students’ ideas. However, the patterns in their …

Pisa Capacity Needs Assessment: Ecuador, Ian Teo

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)

This report presents detailed findings of a Capacity Needs Assessment (CNA) for Ecuador, carried out to gain information about Ecuador’s capacity assets and needs to implement the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 successfully. The capacity assets and needs are structured into three dimensions: the enabling environment, the organisational level, and the individual level. Questionnaires for each level are included.

Content Area Language And Literacy, Saadia Ali, Margaret A. Berg

Open Textbooks & Reviews

Content Area Literacy courses have long been a requirement in teacher education programs for pre-service teachers for the secondary level and, sometimes, for the elementary level. The 2020 World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Framework takes a genre approach that aligns well with the traditional Content Area Literacy courses in teacher preparation programs. WIDA argues for an educational approach that fosters (a) equity of opportunity and access, (b) integration of content and language, (c) collaboration among stakeholders, and (d) a functional approach to language development. This textbook examines the elements that make up the Simple View of Reading with adjustments …

Select The Right Tools: Composition In A Restricted Environment, Harrison T. L. Stone, Lesia Lennex

Department of Middle Grades and Secondary Education Research & Publication Archives

Alphasmart devices are keyboards with some word processing ability such as spell check (Simpkins, 2023). The bare bones device thwarts students’ ability to browse for games or mismanage the default settings in Word. Alphasmart products can be used to assist with typing skills for the GED or ever-increasing technology-conversant jobs. The Alphasmart can either store information or via USB so an instructor can review student writings. Importantly, student work, such as a resume, may be printed from the device. Where it can only display a few lines of text at a time it would work well with students who get …

Intentional Planning To Differentiate, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

The proficiency model expects all students to meet the same standards, regardless of their readiness nor ability. The essay discusses how Gentry’s (2014) 2 P’s, 2 C’s, and 2 F’s of Differentiation framework may help teachers plan lessons to meet the array of learning needs in their classroom.

The Use Of Graphic Organizers On The Reading Comprehension Of High School Students, Beckylee Ramos Lorenzo

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This study seeks to identify correlation in the use of graphic organizers in reading comprehension of twelfth grade English language arts students. Specifically, this study seeks to determine if the use of graphic organizers in the teaching of reading has impacts on the reading comprehension of 12th grade English language arts students. The study intends to contribute to closing an information gap surrounding the effects of using instructional strategies such as graphic organizers in reading comprehension in a twelfth-grade English class. The research questions helped to guide this study in identifying descriptive statistics within PSAT reading comprehension scores during the …

Pk-12 Faculty And Staff Capacity To Support Student Mental Health, Chin-Chih Chen, David B. Naff, Xun Liu, Jennifer Murphy, Margaret Wallace, Sunny Shin, Kade Goldin, Shenita Williams, Caleb Armwood, Riley Jenkins, Marlene Gooding

MERC Publications

This report from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) depicts findings from a regional survey of PK-12 faculty and staff exploring their professional capacity to meet the mental health needs of their students. Based on responses from approximately 1,000 educators in the MERC region, there were six dimensions of capacity: mental health knowledge, mental health training and confidence, multi-tiered systems of support, positive mental health culture, supportive policies and practices, and responsibility and impact. Findings in the report include position comparisons along these six dimensions as well as an exploration of how capacity varies by school size and demographic composition. …

Preservice Eal/D Teachers’ Relational Agency During Online Paired Practicum, Hongzhi Yang, Andrew Ross

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

There is scant research on preservice English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) teachers’ paired practicums in an online context. Underpinned by Cultural Historical Activity Theory, this paper explores how preservice EAL/D teachers exercise their relational agency during online paired practicums. Data were collected from five preservice EAL/D teachers’ weekly journals written during their paired practicums and interviews after they completed their paired practicums. Following the key components of relational agency, the thematic analysis highlights the dialectical relationship between preservice teachers’ relational agency and different types of collaboration, evidenced by the formation of mutual objects, tool mediation, and shared …

Listen Up: Perceptions Of Audiobooks By Teachers, Librarians, And Parents, Megan Bright

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Reading is a critical component of education. From learning to read, to eventually reading to learn, students and teachers rely upon texts to help make sense of the world around them. Methods and tools vary, but teachers, librarians, and parents can all agree that reading is a fundamental skill their students need. However, students are sometimes told to limit their use of audiobooks in favor of reading with their eyes. These limitations may prevent students from finding the books they love and also limit students’ opportunities to use books to learn about the world around them. This study sought to …

The Effect Of Extracurricular Involvement On Teacher Job Satisfaction And Self-Efficacy, Andrew Entrekin

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the effect of teachers' extracurricular involvement on their job satisfaction and self-efficacy. It analyzes a single school district in Alabama and investigates potential factors in the declining teacher graduation rates and high teacher turnover in Alabama. This study addresses the gap in the existing research on how these extracurricular roles influence teachers’ professional well-being and self-efficacy.

The research implemented a quantitative approach, using abbreviated versions of Bandura’s Teacher Self-Efficacy Survey and the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire to measure how those metrics are affected by coaching a sport or sponsoring an extracurricular club or organization. Analysis of Variance …

Alternatively Certified Educators’ Impact On The Nation’S Current Teacher Shortage, Allison Heald

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The teacher shortage experienced across the United States within the K-12 system has garnered the attention of policymakers nationwide. While the alternative certification route made a way for potential new educators to enter the field through abbreviated certification program requirements, the school systems that offered positions to this group of educators had to be willing to take extra steps to ensure their success. Alternatively certified educators within all subject areas specified the need for additional support within the following areas: catered professional development opportunities, reduced extracurricular expectations, mentor/mentee programs, and extended planning time. Based on data collected through previous research, …

Early-Career Georgia Agriculture Teachers' Agricultural Mechanics Professional Development Needs, Christopher Crump

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Agricultural mechanics is a prominent topic in Georgia Agricultural Education, as it is the agricultural subject matter area with the second-largest enrollment across all school systems in the state. However, with Georgia agricultural teacher preparation programs only requiring three credit hours in the subject matter area, questions arise as to whether Georgia agriculture teachers are properly prepared to teach this subject matter area, especially if those teachers did not complete a traditional teacher preparation program. This nonexperimental, quantitative study assessed early-career Georgia agriculture teachers’ professional developmental (PD) needs in agricultural mechanics. Qualtrics was utilized to collect responses to a research …

A Statewide Examination Of Racial Equity, Culturally Responsive Teaching, And Career Technical Education Outcomes In Kentucky, Reginald L. Mcdaniel Jr.

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the implementation of Racial Equity Policies (REP) and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) practices in Career and Technical Education (CTE) across the Commonwealth of Kentucky's public school districts. This quantitative research incorporates perspectives from district leaders, educators, and administrators, exploring the interplay between racial equity policies and teaching practices. The study highlighted the influential role of district leaders in shaping positive perceptions and awareness of the tools available to support equity work. The study also revealed disparities among districts, with urban areas leading integration, while rural districts express confidence in their commitment to racial equity.

The study's practical …

Exploring Teachers’ Perspectives On Integrating Gaming Into Agriculture Education Through Nasef Farmcraft, Carrie Settles Livers

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

With a growing population and a decrease in arable land, it is vital to prepare the next generation of agriculturalists. However, enrollment in agricultural education programs has been on the decline. Incorporating digital games into the classroom could serve to engage future students and encourage careers in agriculture. This study explored how Georgia agriculture teachers' technological and pedagogical knowledge influences their willingness to adopt digital games, specifically Georgia Farmcraft and Minecraft for Education, in their teaching. Additionally, it sought to identify demographic factors that might impact adoption and to determine effective professional development strategies to support teachers in using these …

5e Instructional Model: A Constructivist Approach To Teaching & Learning, Munira Amirali, Javed Ahmad, Shella Asad, Sadam Hussain, Syed Sardar Hussain, Tahira Jabeen, Tajun Nisa, Wahid Murad

Books

I taught ‘Curriculum Teaching and Learning’ as one of the master-level courses that enables course participants to broaden their understanding of curriculum models, teaching, learning and assessment approaches. The assignment required participants to choose a topic in their subject area, review relevant literature, and identify challenges faced by teachers and students during teaching and learning that topic.
In addition, course participants were asked to list misconceptions students possess regarding the relevant topics and explore possible solutions and recommendations to address the identified challenges and misconceptions. Thus, the course participants developed learning resources (lesson plans) using the 5E model (Engage, Explore, …

Assessing Teachers’ Dispositions Towards Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In Northwest Arkansas High Schools, Rylie Ford

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) entails the use of cultural knowledge, prior experiences, and learning styles of ethnically and culturally diverse students to make instruction more relevant and effective for them. Furthermore, practices within this pedagogy are validating, inclusive, emancipatory, and ethical, and help diverse students succeed academically while maintaining their cultural identity. Numerous studies have indicated that using culturally responsive pedagogy increases student academic achievement, sense of self, and emotional well-being (Ladson-Billings, 1995a; Gay, 2018). Considering the varying degrees of cultural and linguistic diversity in Northwest Arkansas (NWA) schools and the lack of reported professional development relating to CRP, this …

Sel Walkthroughs: Promoting Practices That Foster Social And Emotional Learning, Garrett Podgorski

Dissertations of Practice

The concept of social and emotional learning (SEL) has been around Illinois since the early 2000s and a part of legislation for schools to implement since 2003. This dissertation focuses on the extant data of 483 observations from the Municipal Nashville Public School (MNPS) SEL walkthrough tool, which was utilized to investigate SEL implementation in select Illinois schools. Data were collected in the South Cook County area of Illinois.

This dissertation provides a review of literature in the areas of SEL that should be taught in K-12 schools and provides an in-depth review of best practices for utilizing walkthrough observations …

Surviving Pandemic Practicum: Early Career Music Teachers' Perceived Self-Efficacy Following The Covid-19 Pandemic, Aubree Pacifico Windish

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This qualitative study examines early career music teachers’ perceived self-efficacy following teacher practicum during a global pandemic. I conducted focus group conversations with undergraduate music education alum (N=16) from Southeastern State University (SSU) at the end of 2023. Participants described the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their music teacher practicum and overall experiential learning at SSU. The focus group questions, and subsequent deductive coding of their answers, aligned with the four roles of Bandura’s (1977) Self-Efficacy Theory. Participants reported low perceived self-efficacy in their first year of in-service teaching, with variations based on the stages of the COVID-19 pandemic …

Investigating Preservice Secondary Teachers’ Understanding And Enactment Of The Standards‑Based Practices During Microteaching, Deepika Menon, Diana S. Chang, Rosetta W. Ngugi

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

Reform efforts in K–12 science education have been gaining pace ever since the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The new vision calls for reconsidering teacher preparation programs to prepare future teachers who are confident and competent in delivering NGSS-based instruction. This study investigated the development of 27 preservice secondary science and mathematics teachers’ (PSTs’) knowledge and skills as they understand, interpret, and implement the NGSS, particularly science and engineering practices (SEPs), within the context of microteaching during a STEM methods course. Primary data sources include 12 videos of 40-minute-long microteaching lessons, self-reflections, semistructured and focus-group interviews, and …

Examining High School Mathematics Teachers' Research-Based Instructional Practices And Their Relationship To Students' Learning Outcomes: A Convergent Parallel Mixed-Method Study, Isiaka Busari

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

This convergent parallel mixed-methods study examines the relationship between high school mathematics teachers' research-based instructional practices and students' learning outcomes in Algebra 1 classrooms at a high school in a central region of a Southern U.S. State. The research addresses improving mathematics proficiency in the United States, where national performance remains below average. Guided by psychological and social constructivism, the study involved three Algebra 1 teachers and 171 students. Data were collected through classroom observations using the Mathematics Classroom Observation Protocol for Practices (MCOP²), teacher interviews, and student pre-and post-tests. Quantitative data from tests and MCOP² were …

Exploring Teachers’ Views Of The Nature Of Science And Their Beliefs And Understanding About Viruses And Covid-19: A Multiple Case Study Of Three Secondary Science Teachers At A Rural High School In The Southeastern United States, Jeffrey Chalfant

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

Over the past several decades, science education reforms have called for students to develop appropriate views of the nature of science and have a comprehensive understanding of subject matter. Additionally, education research has demonstrated that teachers must have appropriate views of the nature of science and strong content knowledge as necessary conditions for appropriate instruction on the nature of science. However, research has consistently shown that teachers hold naïve or inadequate views of the nature of science. This is problematic as teachers are tasked with teaching science to students that is aligned with current education standards. Therefore, teachers need to …

School Culture: Identifying The Barriers To Belonging At Boarding Schools And Shifting The Culture, Kyle Connolly

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

School Culture: Identifying the Barriers to Belonging at Boarding Schools and Shifting the Culture is a theoretical application of sociological concepts to boarding school social spaces. The social environment in schools is a venue where students are subjected to endless influences that play a major role in shaping their social realities. Though much debate in education focuses on the curriculum in public school settings, there is far less attention given to small boarding school communities and even less attention on the culture of belonging, or the obstacles to belonging that exist within it. As American society grows more diverse, economically …

The Impact Of Transformational Leadership On Writing Across The Curriculum, Amie M. Wright

Dissertations

This research study examined the relationship between school leadership style and the use of writing across the curriculum (WAC) in secondary classrooms. Writing practices and the use of writing as a form of assessment in subject areas other than ELA is thought to be a way to better prepare students to meet the literacy expectations of the 21st century. For writing practices to be integrated across the curriculum in secondary environments, school leadership support is essential. This study aimed to answer the following questions: How can school leaders in secondary educational settings support writing across the curriculum? What are the …

Living Library Assignment Description, David Wolff, Hannah Andrews, Kim Ballew, Alexis Durman, Macayla Mcclure, Lexi Nowlin, Rachel Pace, Brecca Peter, Lauren Shinn

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

The goal of this assignment is for preservice teachers to articulate their WHY. Having a strong ‘why’ can help you figure out ‘how’. In the case of resilience, if one knows why they are doing what they are doing, why they want or desire something, or why they are on this planet at this given time, they are likely to feel more confident about their purpose as well as have a core belief to rely on to overcome adversity and move towards their goals. We all have a story. Our stories are valuable and worthy to be heard. This assignment …

The Apprenticeship Of Observation In Gifted Education, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

The ‘Apprenticeship of Observation’ is described as one’s perception of ‘good teaching’ as informed by our own experiences as a student observing teaching for thirteen years in a K-12 school system. Perception of gifted education is susceptible of the ‘apprenticeship of observation’ and often influencing teachers’ actions and beliefs about the needs of gifted learners.

Supporting New Colleagues In Gifted Education: Finding Your Starting Point, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Newly hired teachers and administrators often lack experience with gifted learners. The goal of this essay is to share four books to act as primers to introduce new teachers and administrators to gifted education and understanding gifted learners.

Higher Order Thinking ‘On The Go’, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Educators of gifted learners often teach in non-traditional spaces and need to be adaptable. This essay shared five cognitive models that support higher order thinking which can be implemented anywhere and with few materials.

Dueling Abilities, Behaviors, And Characteristics Of Gifted Learners, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Using the Star Wars’ characters, R2-D2 and C-3PO as analogies, educators can better conceptualize the diverse ability, behaviors, and characteristics of gifted learners. Gifted learners do not fit a single profile and this essay aims to help challenge stereotypes teachers may have of gifted learners and highlight the diverse cognitive, social, and emotional needs gifted learners may have.