Restorative Justice & A Dean Of Students: An Auto-Criticism Of The Role Of Care In School Discipline In A Poverty Impacted Public High School, Alicia D. Vasquez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study is an auto-criticism, an approach that allows researchers to study themselves. This emergent methodology is derived from educational criticism and connoisseurship, which fits under the broader category of arts-based research. School discipline is a programmatic component of any secondary school’s educational framework and directly effects student engagement and academic achievement. An analysis of the dean role in relation to school discipline is central to this study. The main research question is what are the lived experiences of a dean who incorporates restorative justice practices in a poverty impacted public high school?

The author spent two years as …

Improving Classroom Climate And Engagement At The Secondary Special Education Level Through The Implementation Of Classroom Management Strategies, Pauline Mickavicz

Student Research Poster Presentations 2022

A lack of professional development, the complexity of interventions, and limited data to reflect upon have implemented successful classroom management strategies challenging for special educators. These barriers negatively impact classroom climate and achievement in special education rooms. Educators should receive support to execute classroom management strategies confidently to decrease problem behavior and increase student engagement. Best practice classroom management strategies should be narrowed down to hone in on interventions and simplify the complexity of the delivery. Data collection will play an integral role in the reflection process and provide insight into how classroom management can be examined at the high …

Teaching Writing To Middle School Students With Disabilities: A Merc Research Brief, David Naff, Jennifer Askue-Collins, Julie S. Dauksys

MERC Publications

This research brief by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium explores peer reviewed literature about effective strategies for teaching writing to middle school students with disabilities. It answers the following questions: 1) Why is it important to teach writing? 2) What is the nature of the challenge in teaching writing to middle school students with disabilities? 3) What interventions help with teaching writing to middle school students with disabilities? and 4) What strategies are utilized in the MERC region for teaching writing to middle school students with disabilities?

Maximizing Remote Learning: Activities, Ideas, & Resources For High School Math Teachers, Kelly W. Remijan

Publications & Research

High school teachers will discover activities, ideas, and resources for teacher maximizing the teaching of mathematics

Travel The World With Flags: Using Desmos To Explore Design With Equations & Inequalities, Kelly W. Remijan

Publications & Research

Explore and discover how to replicate flags of various countries using math concepts within Desmos such as: linear equations/Inequalities, absolute value equations/Inequalities, equations/Inequalities of circles, and domain/range.

Processing Equity Consciousness Through Cre Action Research Pd During Times Of Unrest, Uncertainty, And The Amplification Of Crt Disinformation, Robyn Lyn

Graduate Research Posters

Equity initiatives, such as culturally responsive education (CRE), are under attack through local school board demonstrations and state legislatures across the U.S. These public attacks are becoming a barrier to equitable education. This study began before the public outcry against critical race theory and documents a timeline of events during a CRE 2-year action research professional development (PD). Though studies have examined the benefits of CRE, few investigate equity consciousness (EC), an awareness of systemic (in)equity. My study examines EC during a longitudinal CRE action research PD observing how equity consciousness presents in dialogue with veteran in-service teachers as they …

Trauma-Informed Educational Practices In The Middle School Classroom During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Loralynne Yost

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This collective case study used a mixed methods approach to examine how Trauma-Informed Educational Practices (TIEP) manifest in the middle school classroom. This study is important due to the trauma students experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teacher participants had district training in trauma-informed practices prior to this study.

Teacher participants took an initial survey to capture their conceptualization and perceived usage of the TIEP in the classroom. Teachers then used TIEP in their classrooms for two weeks. Teachers kept a checklist of which of the TIEP they used each day and commented on the context for the use of the …

Vistas Y Experiencias: Exploring The Development Of Professional Self-Efficacy Of Nonnative Spanish Foreign Language Teachers, Tiffany A. Howell

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the experiences of self-efficacy development of three nonnative Spanish foreign language teachers who teach in north Georgia. All three participants taught at different schools and all had a minimum of 10 years teaching experience. I used interviews as my form of inquiry. Each participant participated in one in-depth interview. For clarification, a follow-up interview was also conducted with one of the participants. As a beginning researcher, I incorporated the Interview Protocol Refinement framework (Castillo-Montoya, 2016) in order to guide the development of my interview protocol. The theoretical framework for this study was self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1977a, …

Preparing Initial Teacher Education Students For Flexible Learning Programs, Jeff Thomas, Bianca Coleman, Ebba Herrlander Birgerson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In Australia, there is currently no official training pathway or qualification required for working in Flexible Learning Programs (FLPs). This causes a problem for both new teachers wishing to work in this area and for employers who have no way of knowing whether a new teacher has the appropriate skills or knowledge to teach in this alternative context. To address this problem, we designed and implemented a program during which Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students were given the opportunity to experience teaching in a FLP. Here we report on the experiences and perceptions of the preparation program from the perspectives …

Engaging First Year Students In Assessment Rubrics: Three Personal Experiences, Katherine Ashman, Kristina Turner, Dona Martin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In a direct effort to build a greater understanding of higher education teaching and learning opportunities, this study shares the journey of three university lecturers working to ensure best practice outcomes from criterion-referenced assessment [CRA]. The work was built on a belief that our respective higher education undergraduate students did not fully value the design structure or feedback outcomes inherent in CRA. Using a collaborative autoethnographic lens we pooled experiences, outcomes, challenges, assumptions, and accounts of unconscious biases from across our different tertiary education schools and subjects. Our examination enriched our understanding, our teaching, and our student outcomes. In sharing …

Integrated Curriculum Approaches To Teaching In Initial Teacher Education For Secondary Schooling: A Systematic Review, Terri Bourke, Lyra L’Estrange, Jill Willis, Jennifer Alford, James Davis, Deborah Henderson, Mallihai Tambyah, Senka Henderson, Tricia Clark-Fookes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Demands that Initial Teacher Education (ITE) prepare teachers who can equip students to be agile real-world problem solvers are frequent. Guidance about ITE integrated curriculum approaches to achieve this aim is harder to find, a significant gap given increasing time and policy pressures for ITE educators. Drawing from an Australian context, this systematic review investigates how integrated curriculum is conceptualised and enacted in secondary schooling ITE courses. Three conceptions of integrated curriculum for ITE are highlighted – Interdisciplinary, Disciplinary Literacy, and Transdisciplinary approaches – alongside benefits and barriers to enacting integrated curriculum. Recommendations for further research and practice around integrated …

Supporting Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers Reflection With 360degree Video And The Knowledge Quartet, Lisa O'Keeffe, Bruce White

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Secondary mathematics teaching is often characterised by teacher-led pedagogies centred on practice and memorising formula which can dominate incoming pre-service teachers’ perceptions of mathematics teaching. Hence, creating opportunities for pre-service teachers (PSTs) - particularly those who have not experienced student-centered pedagogies – to see the power of alternative pedagogical approaches is crucial in the early experiences of their teacher training. This paper explores the potential of 360degree video recordings of micro teaching of PSTs to enhance initial reflections using the Knowledge Quartet. Drawing on four PSTs’ 360degree video reflections using the Knowledge Quartet framework we unpack the different ways that …

Tough Teachers Actually Care: An Ethnographic Look Into The ‘Problematic’ Role Of Teachers As Figures Of Authority Under Learner-Centered Education, Julie Lucille Haber Del Valle

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teacher authority is culturally valued among Filipinos. This authority however poses a threat to the fundamental principles of learner-centred education as it arguably perpetuates ‘teacher-centered’ instruction and obstructs positive student-teacher relationships which are necessary for student learning. This problematic role of teacher authority is examined in this study by investigating what constitutes good pedagogy in one class within a rural school in the Philippines. With this research problem, this study used ethnographic research approach to examine what students and teachers understand about ‘classroom authority’ and its perceived value in good pedagogy within a specific and cultural place. Ethnographic data in …

Developing Mathematics And Science Teachers’ Ability To Design For Active Learning: A Design-Based Research Study, Steven Kickbusch, Les Dawes, Nick Kelly, Katherine Nickels

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper describes an approach to working with secondary preservice mathematics and science (M&S) teachers to develop their ability to design for active learning. It presents the design of a studio-style intervention that augments existing teacher education. It describes the way that these studios can be organised, with specific suggestions that a specialised learning designer, a subject matter expert, and administrative support be included to aid in the design for learning—on the justification that this can both improve the learning design as well as advance teacher learning. It describes a study in which 10 secondary M&S preservice teachers experienced this …

Using Formative Assessment To Build Coherence Between Educational Policy And Classroom Practice: A Case Study Using Inquiry In Science, Connie Cirkony, John Daniel Kenny

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In this paper we argue that the complexity of education systems can lead to a lack of coherence in the implementation of policy. More effective educational change requires policy-makers and researchers to pay more attention to supporting teachers in classrooms. As an example, we consider decades of research attempts in STEM education to implement learning through inquiry and note there has been little change in teaching practices in classrooms. Using formative assessment in science education as a case study, we developed a rubric for teachers that embeds key aspects of the desired pedagogy. We argue this builds teachers’ confidence to …

Teacher Resilience, Kristen Whipple

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The main purpose of this quantitative research study was to explore the influences that impact teacher resilience. Seven factors that potentially protect teacher resilience were chosen: competency, self-efficacy, agency, relationships, organizational culture, altruism, and sense of humor. These factors were tested against years of service categories and self-perceived resilience scores to determine if relationships exist. A two-part online survey gathered demographic information, self-perceived resilience scores, and resilience factor data from American PreK-12 teachers. To answer the three guiding research questions, the statistical tests of multiple linear regression, Pearson’s r correlation coefficient, and chi-square test of independence were utilized. The …

The Impact Of A Gencyber Camp On In-Service Teachers’ Tpack, Kevin M. Thomas, Jessica Ivy, Kristin Cook, Robert R. Kelley

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a GenCyber camp curriculum on teachers’ technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK). The camp was designed to engage participants in developing the knowledge and skills to incorporate GenCyber Cybersecurity First Principles and GenCyber Cybersecurity Concepts (GenCyber, 2019) into their curriculums. Participants (37 middle and high school teachers from a variety of disciplines) attended one of two weeklong camps held at a Midwestern liberal arts university. Using the TPACK Self-Reflection and TPACK Self-Assessment Surveys, pre- and post-camp data were collected from participants. Findings indicate that participants demonstrated an increase in …

Assessing Teachers’ Pedagogical Practices And Students’ Learning Outcomes In Science And Mathematics Across Primary And Secondary School Level: A Nationwide Study (2018-21), Sadia Muzaffar Bhutta, Nusrat Fatima Rizvi

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Education And The Gender Spectrum: Addressing Gender Identity Needs In The High School Environment, Donna Eason

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the experiences of teachers and administrators in addressing the needs of transgender and nonbinary students. Because most current research focuses mostly on the experiences of students, this study specifically investigated the beliefs, behaviors, challenges, and successes of educators. By analyzing the data provided by the participants, teachers and administrators could be made aware of how best to create and maintain inclusive school environments. The qualitative methodology included interviews with teachers and administrators from a charter school and a private school and focused on their thoughts, feelings, and actions regarding interactions with students who identify as transgender …

Breaking Barriers: Creating Inclusive Dance Spaces For High School Students With Cerebral Palsy, Samantha Michelle Barnewolt

Dance (MFA) Theses

Abstract This thesis explores the power of positive mindsets as it relates to creative movement development in dance for students living with Cerebral Palsy (CP) who also use motorized wheelchairs. This research dives into the development of movement mantras used to break negative mindsets and create thinking strategies that encourage movement development for varied bodies. As a result of collaborative efforts between the researcher, a student living with CP, and students living without CP, this study reveals that through the removal of mental barriers which complicate the accessibility of intentional movement in dance, students with CP may overcome obstacles that …

Exploring Algebraic Thinking: In-Service Teacher Experiences, Outcomes, And Perceptions From An Algebra For All Capstone Unit Plan Project, Alexander J. Lord, Tallin Lamonaca

Publications and Research

Taking algebra is often noted as a key component for student preparation for college and career success. However, this course often serves as a barrier for secondary students to overcome due to their lack of preparation for such abstract contexts and due to a lack of meaningful professional experiences available to assist teachers develop those concepts. Initiatives such as Algebra for All were started to help educators at all grade levels develop methods to expose their students to algebraic thinking. In New York City, a five-course Algebra for All sequence was created for in-service public school educators at a local …

The Journey To Improving Student Connectedness: Exploring Teacher Self-Efficacy, Use, And Perceptions Of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, Christopher F. Cipriano

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Dissertation in Practice investigated to what extent professional learning impacted teacher perceptions, instruction, and self-efficacy of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) at a Catholic high school. The dissertation followed an Improvement Science framework to address a specific problem of practice: a lack of universal student connectedness at the high school level. As students begin ninth grade, the connectedness to school many experienced on the elementary level often wanes, with academic, social, and emotional impacts. To build connectedness, the researcher selected a specific change idea focused upon CSP. The intervention consisted of two professional development (PD) sessions and several opportunities for …

Transforming Educators' Social Emotional Learning (Sel): A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring The Impact Of A Trauma-Informed Sel Intervention To Mitigate Educator Implicit Bias, Kemen Holley

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

While research has indicated that social emotional learning (SEL) approaches promote essential, long-lasting individual and collective development for students, the literature indicates a lack of evidence that educators are implementing SEL approaches to affirm the assets, lived experiences, and identities of students, particularly those belonging to minoritized groups. This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) employed a mixed-methods pragmatic, researchintervention process model that utilized a community-based action research approach to evaluate a trauma-informed SEL professional learning (PL) intervention as a viable practice to mitigate high school educators’ implicit biases. Through an anti-racist, anti-oppression framework, this study sought to determine the …

Addressing High School Student Stress: Exploring Student And Teacher Perceptions Of A Modified Dbt Steps-A Curriculum, Greg C. Hatzis

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

The problem of practice investigated is high school student stress and the many detrimental effects. The setting is a public high school in Southwestern Connecticut in a community that places a high value on academic achievement and college acceptance. A root cause analysis identifies two actionable drivers of change in teacher practices and the lack of student self-management skills. A review of scholarly knowledge and local practices leads to an investigation of strategies to mitigate the problem. This review identifies Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A) as a high leverage strategy to address …

The Impact Of Freewriting On Writing Teachers' Self-Perceptions, Katherine A. Busch

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

I present a study of eight graduate assistants who teach introductory composition courses as part of their graduate assistantships. Each participant was asked to freewrite for ten minutes a day, five days a week, for ten weeks. Participants were interviewed about their teacher and writer identities prior to the freewriting, at week five, and at week ten. Graduate assistants offer a unique perspective, as many of them are neither professional writers nor trained teachers, yet they are hired to teach writing. Using Peter Elbow’s Embracing Contraries (1986) as a theoretical framework, I determine that freewriting offered the participants a space …

Counterstories Of High School Black Males And Their Experiences Of The Mainstream Curricula, Kayla Turner

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This is an inquiry into the experiences Black males have with the current high school curricula. Theoretically drawing on critical race theory (Bell, 1992; Delgado, 1995; Dixson & Rousseau, 2006; Ladson-Billings, 2009; Solórzano & Yosso, 2001, 2004), I explore how high school Black males’ suggestions and ideas can be used to shift the current curricula to a curricula that is more culturally sustaining. I challenge deficit research on Black male learners by focusing on the educational successes of Black males. Methodologically, I utilize counterstorytelling (Delgado, 2017; Solórzano & Yosso, 2002) to illustrate the experiences of three academically successful high school …

Trauma-Informed Performance Art Education, Yvonne Houy, Kymberly Mellen, Alethea Inns, Morgan Iommi

Creative Collaborations

Trauma is the emotional response to a disturbing event or series of events, and can cause symptoms such as unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, headaches, and nausea, according to the American Psychological Association (2022). Learning activities in the performing arts - such as adjusting the body through touch, or the emotional content of scenes - can retraumatize students unintentionally. In contrast, creating the conditions for emotional states that enhance learning is a science, and an art, that can support conditions for optimal performance including Flow states

Performing arts educators can proactively support students and performances by becoming trauma-informed and actively using intimacy …

Effects Of A Video Based Intervention On Job Interview Skills Of Youth With Autism, Kelsey T. Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I conducted a multiple-probe-across-participants design to examine the impact of a video-based intervention on interview skills of youth with autism. First, I conducted a systematic literature review of interview interventions. Results were used to guide the development of this study’s measure and procedures. Finding that previous literature relied on rubric measures to rate interview skill behaviors, I developed and piloted a primary measure for examining direct speech production. Using transcripts and video analysis, this study captures the construct of interview skills using both quantity (frequency of relevant/irrelevant c-units) and quality (interview skills rubric score). The intervention consisted …

Are High Levels Of Educator Bias Associated With The Disproportionate Discipline Of Black Students?, Melissa Ann Ramos

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Data on school discipline inequities have shown disproportionate numbers of Black students suspended and expelled compared to their non-Black counterparts. Despite the implementation of evidence-based solutions such as positive behavior supports and intervention, educator professional development, and restorative practices aimed at closing the racial discipline gap, little to no change has occurred. Critical Race Theory is used as a lens for viewing racial hierarchies as a socially constructed tool to oppress people of color. This oppression can be seen in various aspects of society and in education, especially in school discipline. It is fueled by biases, both implicit and explicit. …

Possible Paths Forward For A Practice-Based Teacher Education Centered On Justice, Joshua Harlan Karr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation seeks to address limitations of Practice-Based Teacher Education (PBTE) in relation to (1) narrow conceptions of practice and teacher learning, and (2) peripheralization of equity and justice. After aiming to understand the landscape of limitations in PBTE, this study situates itself within specific manifestations of these limitations that exist in common conceptualizations of teacher learning and practice-based pedagogies. To (re)emphasize the situated nature of practice and center equity and justice in PBTE, I theorize an expanded notion of teacher learning, develop design features for contextually situated pedagogies of practice (Grossman et al., 2009), and implement the design with …