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Full-Text Articles in Teacher Education and Professional Development

Transformative Vocabulary: Fusing Vocabulary Instruction With Citizenship Education, Thomas Broderick Feb 2022

Transformative Vocabulary: Fusing Vocabulary Instruction With Citizenship Education, Thomas Broderick

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

This action research sought ways to maximize secondary social studies teachers’ instructional time and merge their core functions as literacy, content and social-justice instructors. Drawing on a wide literature demonstrating potent correlation between requisite vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension, this action research investigated the potential interface between explicit literacy instruction, particularly robust vocabulary instruction, and democratic citizenship, while keeping in mind the intent of the Common Core Standards. In other words: is it possible to fuse robust vocabulary instruction to achieve transformative citizenship? Data collection included multiple in-person and digital interviews with veteran K-12 teachers, administrators and university professors about …


The Journey To Improving Student Connectedness: Exploring Teacher Self-Efficacy, Use, And Perceptions Of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, Christopher F. Cipriano Jan 2022

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

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (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 …


"I Am Not Alone": Supporting Teachers Of Color Through Affinity Groups, Marissa J. White Jan 2022

"I Am Not Alone": Supporting Teachers Of Color Through Affinity Groups, Marissa J. White

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

While research has indicated that teachers of color need to be better supported by building and district administrators to retain higher numbers, the literature lacks the best practices for targeted support specifically for teachers of color. This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice utilizes a qualitative participatory social justice design to examine the efficacy of affinity groups as a viable practice to support and retain teachers of color. Through a Critical Race Theory (CRT) framework, this study also explores the reflections of teachers of color at a Pre-k – Grade 5 school in a large urban district in a Northeastern state. …


Analyzing The Effects Of Mathematical Mindsets And Self-Regulation Of Middle School Students To Overcome The Challenges Of Math Anxiety, Bardhyl Gjoka Jan 2022

Analyzing The Effects Of Mathematical Mindsets And Self-Regulation Of Middle School Students To Overcome The Challenges Of Math Anxiety, Bardhyl Gjoka

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

In the rapidly changing world, schools must prepare students for jobs and careers that may not exist today. Mathematics is one of the core subject areas that help students prepare to meet the demands of the 21st-century. When students are proficient in mathematics, they have the opportunity to build problem-solving skills. Learning mathematics helps students find solutions to a problem logically and develop analytical thinking skills. However, many students struggle with mathematical content and concepts during math lessons and learning activities. Teachers need to create practical age-appropriate lessons focusing on problem-solving skills to help students who fear math and experience …


Moving The Needle: Impacting Teachers' Practices That Support Students' Sel Development, Tammi Y. Dockett-Wilson Jan 2022

Moving The Needle: Impacting Teachers' Practices That Support Students' Sel Development, Tammi Y. Dockett-Wilson

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

Research has shown how students’ social-emotional development impacts their lives beyond school and the benefits social-emotional development has had on academic growth, as social-emotional development and academics, worked in unison (Locklear, 2020). Therefore, students should receive support in developing their social-emotional learning skills while they are receiving academic instruction (Yoder, 2014b). One suggested way to accomplish this goal is to provide teachers with the knowledge about social-emotional learning, followed by supporting them through their social-emotional learning implementations (Ferguson-Patrick, 2010). This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice utilized a convergent mixed methods intervention design to interact with the six research partners, who …


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 Jan 2022

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 in Educational Leadership (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 …


Our Words Matter: The Impact Of Professional Development On Positive Teacher Language, Jennifer L. Hilderbrand Jan 2022

Our Words Matter: The Impact Of Professional Development On Positive Teacher Language, Jennifer L. Hilderbrand

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

Research shows that quality student-teacher relationships contribute to students’ academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes. During phase 1 of this Improvement Science study, Buck Mountain Elementary School adults expressed concern with student-adult relationships. Specifically, adults indicated that connectedness with students has deteriorated since the onset of learning in a COVID 19 impacted context. Next, phase 2 investigated the impact of professional development on positive teacher language as an effective strategy to increase quality student-teacher relationships. Using a participatory-classroom action research method, participants engaged in a five-session intervention cycle of professional development focused on positive teacher language to support teachers in rebuilding …


A Balancing Act: Analyzing The Effects Of Embedded Versus Isolated Self-Regulation Breathing Techniques On Inattention And Phonemic Segmentation Skill Acquisition In Kindergartners, Kimberly A. Atkinson Jan 2022

A Balancing Act: Analyzing The Effects Of Embedded Versus Isolated Self-Regulation Breathing Techniques On Inattention And Phonemic Segmentation Skill Acquisition In Kindergartners, Kimberly A. Atkinson

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

Using a mixed-methods convergent design within an Improvement Science framework, this Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice analyzed the effects of embedding self-regulation breathing techniques into the phonemic segmentation lesson versus conducting the techniques prior to the lesson or not at all. The project was conducted across two elementary schools, using six kindergarten educators and classes. The research began with a pre-assessment, followed by two days of applying or withholding the intervention across three groups (no intervention, isolated intervention, embedded intervention), and concluded with a post-assessment. The researcher conducted the academic lessons while the educators conducted inattention behavioral observations. After each …


Addressing High School Student Stress: Exploring Student And Teacher Perceptions Of A Modified Dbt Steps-A Curriculum, Greg C. Hatzis Jan 2022

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

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (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 …


Building Emotionally Skilled Teachers: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring The Impact Of Mbi On Perceptions Of Self-Management, Enhanced Mindfulness, Well-Being, And Stress, Emily Coffin Daigle Jan 2022

Building Emotionally Skilled Teachers: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring The Impact Of Mbi On Perceptions Of Self-Management, Enhanced Mindfulness, Well-Being, And Stress, Emily Coffin Daigle

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) aimed to understand to what extent mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) designed for the school setting aided in the development of middle school teachers’ perceptions of self-management skills and what impact MBIs had on participants’ perceptions of enhanced mindfulness, well-being, and stress. Additionally, the study reported on the indirect impact participation in the mindfulness program had on teachers’ perceptions of classroom management, climate, and relationships with students. Using a mixed-methods design, the researcher investigated the impact of a two-phase mindfulness program designed to provide high-quality professional learning and structured intervention to a group of 20 …


Put Your Own Mask On First: A Supportive Group-Based Experience For Teachers Developing Competence In Employing Sel In The Classroom, Karolyn S. Dahlstrom Jan 2022

Put Your Own Mask On First: A Supportive Group-Based Experience For Teachers Developing Competence In Employing Sel In The Classroom, Karolyn S. Dahlstrom

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

The demands for teachers to integrate social-emotional concepts into the classroom have never been higher, yet there is little formal or informal professional development dedicated to developing competence in this domain. This mixed-methods study examined the impact of an ongoing, professional development series on the confidence and competence of teachers to integrate social-emotional instructional strategies into the classroom. Although a small sample size, participants reported increased confidence in integrating SEL concepts, noted the overall quality of their instruction improved, perceived increased support from school administration, and reported the model of professional development delivery as effective. This study suggests the merits …


The Effects Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy On Middle School Teachers' Sel Self-Efficacy And Instructional Practices, Caitlin A. O'Keefe Jan 2022

The Effects Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy On Middle School Teachers' Sel Self-Efficacy And Instructional Practices, Caitlin A. O'Keefe

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice investigated the impact professional learning in Culturally Responsive Pedagogy had on teacher SEL self-efficacy and instructional practices in a middle school. Educators faced many new challenges with the onset of a global pandemic, increased political polarization, and social unrest fueled by system racism. In the blink of an eye, teachers adapted their instructional practices to teach in full remote, hybrid, and, eventually, in-person instruction with strict COVID-19 guidelines. Teachers noted a decrease in student connectedness and higher disengagement from school. Students’ social and emotional needs grew, and classroom teachers became the triage nurses in …


Unlocking Classroom Discourse: Supporting Early Career Teachers In Their Development Of Culturally Inclusive Social-Emotional Teaching Practices, Kelly L. Falvey Jan 2022

Unlocking Classroom Discourse: Supporting Early Career Teachers In Their Development Of Culturally Inclusive Social-Emotional Teaching Practices, Kelly L. Falvey

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science research study investigates how school districts can support educators with one to three years of experience in developing culturally inclusive social-emotional teaching practices (CISEL). This mixed-methods study aimed to understand the early career teacher experience and their perspectives on CISEL to identify structures that support this area of pedagogical development during the transition from preparation to employment. First, an initial root cause analysis exposed the need for more explicit integration of cultural inclusivity into educator preparation and early career teacher professional learning in the state and district that employs the scholarly practitioner. Secondly, the root cause analysis …


See Me, Hear Me, Teach Me: Addressing Equity, Diversity, And Student Engagement Through Culturally Responsive Teaching, Diana Diiorio Jan 2022

See Me, Hear Me, Teach Me: Addressing Equity, Diversity, And Student Engagement Through Culturally Responsive Teaching, Diana Diiorio

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice aimed to investigate how teachers' cultural backgrounds and potential cultural biases were manifested in their teaching and determine the degree to which student engagement is impacted as a result of teachers' proficiency in the use of Cultural-linguistic Responsiveness (CLR). Additionally, this study aims to intervene in the problem of practice (lack of use of Cultural-linguistic Responsiveness strategies) through assessment of the impact of training to increase Cultural-linguistic Responsiveness strategies. By utilizing a convergent mixed-method approach, this study follows a team of devoted school community members as they planned, implemented, studied, and reflected on the …


Writing: The Lost Literacy… Found!, Tahlya Stevenson Dec 2021

Writing: The Lost Literacy… Found!, Tahlya Stevenson

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

According to the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP, 2012), writing proficiency across the country has been stagnant for the past generation. This “writing crisis” has the potential to impact job preparedness, reading development, and the future of our nation’s students. Additionally, teachers are ill-prepared with the knowledge and time to best teach writing. The purpose of this study was to identify best practices in elementary narrative writing and to explore the effectiveness of implementation in a grade 2 classroom. Experts agree that process writing, use of mentor text, explicit instruction in text structure, and peer feedback increase student writing …


Cultivating Classroom Libraries That Promote Multicultural Literature: Helping Our Students See Themselves In The Books That They Read, Kori Krafick Dec 2020

Cultivating Classroom Libraries That Promote Multicultural Literature: Helping Our Students See Themselves In The Books That They Read, Kori Krafick

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

The purpose of this study, focusing on diversity in children’s literature, was to assist teachers in choosing quality multicultural literature for students. Quality multicultural literature lacks bias, avoids discrimination, racism, prejudice and sexism, and accurately portrays social issues, historical details, and dialects in both the words and the illustrations. The goal of this project was to provide teachers with criteria to use when evaluating multicultural literature. Howlett and Young’s (2019) instrument for evaluating multicultural literature, Literary Criticism and the Absence of Bias, was used to assess multicultural literature. The survey included questions pertaining to inherent racism, bias, prejudice, and discrimination, …


Spotlight On Using Mentor Texts In Writing Instruction: Turning To Books For Ideas, Dana Sudhoff May 2019

Spotlight On Using Mentor Texts In Writing Instruction: Turning To Books For Ideas, Dana Sudhoff

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Researchers have found a connection between reading and writing instruction and the benefits the instruction has on students’ reading comprehension and writing expression. The purpose of this action research study was to explore the effectiveness of the use of mentor texts on the writing of 22 students in grade 3. Curricular methodology consisted of selected trade books used as mentor texts to represent the various genres and natural language structures inherent within children’s books so that students had consistent models of good writing as they attempted to emulate various authors’ styles of writing. Data collection consisted of a teacher-made questionnaire …


The Role Of Discourse And Its Effects On Reading Comprehension In The Ela Classroom, Laurie Coville Apr 2018

The Role Of Discourse And Its Effects On Reading Comprehension In The Ela Classroom, Laurie Coville

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Researchers have consistently found a link between quality classroom discourse and the increase in student reading comprehension. Classroom discussions help students make sense of fiction and nonfiction texts while deepening their understanding. Incorporating the principles of Vygotsky’s social constructivism as the theoretical framework, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the use of accountable talk sentence stems and the quality of discussion using the fishbowl discussion strategy as a means of increasing student comprehension of a text. Observation of the effects of student discourse of 18 students over the duration of six weeks yielded measurable differences …


Engaging The Disengaged: Using Every Trick In The Book, Brooke Prusaczyk Apr 2018

Engaging The Disengaged: Using Every Trick In The Book, Brooke Prusaczyk

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Researchers have affirmed a connection between students’ engagement in reading to their academic achievement. Struggling readers in particular are generally not engaged or motivated to read. While the construct of reading engagement is difficult to measure, a student’s motivation seems to be the driving force behind reading development. Additionally, today’s students are involved in and more motivated by the many different activities outside of school, which poses challenges for both teachers and parents. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of instructional techniques on student engagement in reading. To measure the academic progress of 21 fifth grade …


Meaningful Vocabulary Instruction: Bridging The Way To Comprehension, Joanne Riback Apr 2018

Meaningful Vocabulary Instruction: Bridging The Way To Comprehension, Joanne Riback

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Beginning with Hart and Risley’s study that brought to the forefront a significant gap in word knowledge in students from a lower socioeconomic status, the importance of vocabulary instruction has been emphasized. Extensive research has long acknowledged that vocabulary knowledge plays a crucial role in reading comprehension. With the rigorous expectations of the CCSS, vocabulary has become an essential component of instruction. Consequently, this study, utilizing social constructivism as the theoretical framework, focused on determining the most effective strategies to enhance vocabulary instruction in order to bridge the gap between students who struggle with vocabulary learning and those who do …


Fluency: What Does It Really Mean?, Jacquelyn E. Depierro Apr 2018

Fluency: What Does It Really Mean?, Jacquelyn E. Depierro

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Shared and repeated readings are assumed to reflect influence on increasing oral reading fluency abilities through accuracy, rate, expression, and phrasing. The purpose of the study was to examine how repeated reading increased students’ oral reading scores across the six-dimensions of fluency transferring phonics instruction to oral reading. Specifically, we tested the repeated reading process that focused on improving early fluency skills on 6-7-year-old students in a first grade classroom who were reading at or below grade level expectations and received a score of 2 or below in terms of their oral reading fluency as measured by the Fountas and …


The Mania Of Morphemic Analysis: Multisyllabic, Meaningful, Magical, Jennifer Fritz Apr 2018

The Mania Of Morphemic Analysis: Multisyllabic, Meaningful, Magical, Jennifer Fritz

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

As academic expectations have increased in recent years due to the rigors of the Common Core State Standards, students are encountering a greater rate of multisyllabic words earlier in their schooling. Proficiency in reading has not paralleled this upward trend. Students are not receiving sufficient instruction to enable them to successfully decode and derive meaning from the multisyllabic words in their texts. To ascertain the effects of multisyllabic instruction on student performance in upper elementary students, we formulated an instructional model to teach syllabication and word morphology to determine if explicit instruction in syllabication and structural analysis had an effect …


Vocabulary Acquisition For Els, Sarah Johnson Apr 2018

Vocabulary Acquisition For Els, Sarah Johnson

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Researchers have shown a gap in the vocabulary development of children based on socioeconomic status, as well as an increase in the number of students in American public schools that qualify as English Learners (ELs). Based on previous studies showing that vocabulary acquisition is related to increased reading comprehension and academic success, the aim of the present study was to determine for the most effective strategies for vocabulary acquisition using an interactive read aloud routine. Using Vygotsky’s social constructivism as the theoretical framework, we examined the effectiveness of these strategies in an action research project with seven second grade ELs, …


Reading Strategies In Content Area Math, Jennifer Bachman O’Brien Apr 2018

Reading Strategies In Content Area Math, Jennifer Bachman O’Brien

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Since the introduction of the CCSS, expectations in math have placed greater responsibility for problem-solving on students. No longer is computation the primary focus of elementary math instruction; instead the goal has shifted to student understanding of the mathematical contexts. The aim of this action research study, guided by Vygotsky’s theory of social constructivism, was to determine the effectiveness of integrating reading and content area math, while deepening students’ skills in vocabulary, journaling, and visualizing. Nine fifth-grade students receiving Tier 2 math intervention were selected to participate in the study. Data collection consisted of pre and post measures including criterion-referenced …


Discourse In The Elementary Classroom, Kathryn Hardy Apr 2018

Discourse In The Elementary Classroom, Kathryn Hardy

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

As literacy standards across the country grow more rigorous, literacy practices need to follow suit. With the implementation of the Common Core Speaking and Listening Standards in 2010, classroom instruction in the facilitation of student discourse has become not only beneficial, but required. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an instructional framework for student discourse called Statement Stem Discourse/Accountable Talk (SSD/AT). This instructional frame included discussion stems, teacher prompts, and guidelines for student responses. This study observed the impacts of discourse on 19 students over the course of six weeks. With a focus on questions …


Employing Engagement To Enhance Literacy Learning, Kerry Zrenda Apr 2018

Employing Engagement To Enhance Literacy Learning, Kerry Zrenda

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Numerous studies have identified a symbiotic relationship between student engagement and academic achievement. However, over the last three years, nearly half of Connecticut’s students have failed to meet the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts. Social constructivism and metacognitive theories frame this study, which aimed to examine instructional techniques that positively impacted student engagement. Specifically, we used engagement inventories to record student behaviors before, during, and after a six-week instructional period, throughout which we implemented several different engagement techniques. We coded student behaviors in order to analyze the effects that heightened student choice, structured peer discourse tools, and …


Abc: It’S As Easy As 1, 2, 3 – The Importance Of A Multisensory Approach In Phonological Awareness Instruction, Chelsey Marsh Apr 2018

Abc: It’S As Easy As 1, 2, 3 – The Importance Of A Multisensory Approach In Phonological Awareness Instruction, Chelsey Marsh

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Currently, more than 20% of kindergarten and first grade students struggle with an aspect of phonological awareness. Further, 80% of struggling readers exhibit weaknesses in phonological processing, which is the basis for grappling with unfamiliar words. Students whose reading achievement is not at grade level by third grade are at risk for not catching up to their more-capable peers. Using social constructivism as the theoretical framework in this action research study, we examined the effect of a multisensory, explicit, and systematic approach in phonological awareness for students in the primary grades. From the larger school population, this study focused on …


The Perceived Efficacy Of Tier I Intervention Strategies As A Precursor To Tier Ii Pull-Out Mathematics Intervention For Students With Add/Adhd By Elementary Classroom Teachers, Dawn Campbell Jan 2018

The Perceived Efficacy Of Tier I Intervention Strategies As A Precursor To Tier Ii Pull-Out Mathematics Intervention For Students With Add/Adhd By Elementary Classroom Teachers, Dawn Campbell

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The core purpose of this study was to provide insight to the staff at Orchard Hill Elementary School in South Windsor, Connecticut into effective ways to address the challenges that students with ADHD face in the math classroom. By first identifying which research-based instructional strategies and behavior interventions are being used, as well as the perceived efficacy of the strategies and interventions by those implementing them day-to-day, the school community could begin to understand the efficacy of Tier I intervention for students with ADHD and identify potential needs for further research or professional development or capitalize on successful strategies and …


Relationships Between Self-Concept, Teacher Expectation, And Academic Achievement: An Analysis Of Social-Emotional Well Being And Its Relation To Classroom Performance, Katherine E. Stearns Nov 2017

Relationships Between Self-Concept, Teacher Expectation, And Academic Achievement: An Analysis Of Social-Emotional Well Being And Its Relation To Classroom Performance, Katherine E. Stearns

EDL Sixth Year Theses

As a current teacher at McAlister Intermediate School in Suffield, Connecticut, I am interested in analyzing the relationship between a student’s self-concept, their academic achievement, and the expectations that their teacher holds for them within the classroom. My personal interests lead to a literature review and subsequent study examining existing research surrounding self-concept, teacher expectation, and their relationships to academic achievement.


Teacher Attitudes On Assessing Student Effort, Catherine A. Egan Jul 2017

Teacher Attitudes On Assessing Student Effort, Catherine A. Egan

EDL Sixth Year Theses

Research indicates that there are classroom practices teachers can implement to help students develop non-cognitive skills such as the ability to persevere and tackle challenging work. After consulting the literature, there is a clear lack of research measuring teacher attitudes and beliefs about pedagogical practices that promotes resilience and perseverance. Research suggests that teachers’ beliefs and attitudes shape the learning environment and impact student outcomes (Brackett et al., p. 232). Therefore, it is critical to understand teacher comfort and commitment to initiatives, as well as their perceptions on how school culture supports such practices. Understanding teacher attitudes and beliefs can …