Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Exploring K-3 Teachers' Implementation Of Comprehension Strategy Instruction (Csi), Laura Slack Foley

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This study surveyed teacher implementation of strategy instruction for improved comprehension. The inquiry positions teachers, administrators, and teacher educators to better understand current levels of implementation of comprehension strategies and suggests ideas for meeting the challenges of increasing and/or sustaining their use.

Deliberation Of Controversial Public School Curriculum: Developing Processes And Outcomes That Increase Legitimacy And Social Justice, Steve P. Camicia

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

Public schools in the United States are charged with facilitating public deliberation of controversial school curriculum. This often entails managing the negotiations between multiple stakeholders who have very different positions on the proper design and implementation of curriculum. To maintain legitimacy as caretakers of the public interest in a liberal democracy, public schools are asked to recognize all legitimate perspectives in such disputes. But what happens when a perspective is not considered legitimate or in the public interest by the dominant community? When disputes over curriculum ensue, the rights of individuals to have their perspectives included in the curriculum must …

A Self-Study Of Virtual Teaching: Making The Leap From Distance Face-To-Face To Wimba Technology, Susan A. Turner

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

How do I best make the shift from teaching a graduate course currently using distance face-to-face technology to WIMBA technology?

Critical Conversations: Tensions And Opportunities Of The Dialogical Classroom, B. Fecho, N. D. Collier, E. E. G. Friese, Amy Wilson-Lopez

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

English teachers and educators of English teachers should work within rather than against the tensions present in their classrooms. For us, nothing could be more key. Until university teacher educators construct and enact classrooms that embrace the dialogical tensions and possibilities within those settings, new and veteran teachers in the profession will have few if any sustained experiences upon which to base their own dialogical classrooms. Moreover, to either deny that tensions exist or to struggle to eradicate them is to misunderstand the purpose and possibility of tension. Learners caught between stabilizing and destabilizing tensions enter a state of wobble, …

Student Characteristics, Pre-College, College, And Environmental Factors As Predictors Of Persisting In And Earning A Stem Degree: An Analysis Of Students Attending A Hispanic Serving Institution, Gloria Crisp, Amanda Taggart, Amaury Nora

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This study examined the demographic, pre-college, environmental, and college factors that impact students’ interests in and decisions to earn a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degree among students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Results indicated that Hispanic students were well represented among STEM majors, and students’ decisions to declare a STEM major and earn a STEM degree were uniquely influenced by students’ gender, ethnicity, SAT math score, and high school percentile. Earning a STEM degree was related to students’ first-semester GPA and enrollment in mathematics and science “gatekeeper” courses. Findings indicate that HSIs may be an important point …

Teacher Educators' Computer Technology Integration At Utah State University, Jiayi Wan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research is to develop a deep understanding of Utah State University teacher educators' perceptions and lived experience with computer technology integration. Ten methods course instructors in secondary education participated. Data were collected using the phenomenological research method: (1) conducting one-on-one in-depth interviews, (2) classroom observations of the four participants, and (3) examining artifacts, such as syllabi and presentation evaluation forms used by the participants.

The findings of this research show that the subjects regard computer technology as a powerful instructional tool. They also realize it is important to prepare preservice teachers with computer technology for their …

A Comparative Analysis Of Elementary Education Preservice And Novice Teachers' Perceptions Of Preparedness And Teacher Efficacy, Sarah K. Clark

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The focus of this study was threefold. First, the study sought to determine the validity and reliability of an instrument being used to measure teacher efficacy. After psychometric analysis, the Utah Teacher Efficacy Scale (UTES) was deemed as both a valid and reliable instrument for the purpose of measuring preservice and novice elementary school teacher efficacy.

Second, this study analyzed teacher self-efficacy of preservice and novice elementary school teachers at two different points in a time – once at the end of their teacher preparation program, and again after they had taught for one academic year. The sample (N …

The Effects Of Fluency Training On Implementation Fidelity Of A Reading Intervention Conducted By Paraprofessionals, Breda Victoria O'Keeffe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Improving educational outcomes involves many variables, including identifying effective interventions and ensuring that they are effectively implemented in schools. Within a "response to intervention" model, treatment integrity of academic interventions has become increasingly important. However, recent research has suggested that ensuring treatment integrity by instructional staff may require intensive coaching, including daily or weekly performance feedback. This system may be unsustainable in typical schools because of limited resources for supervision. Some studies have found that treatment integrity can be achieved with intense prior training that includes extensive practice followed by feedback in the training setting. Fluency-based instruction has the advantage …

Effectiveness Of Graduate Teaching Assistants, Sarah S. Tulane

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify in which areas of teaching assistant responsibilities graduate teaching assistants, professors, and students viewed TAs as knowledgeable, and in which areas of teaching assistant responsibilities graduate teaching assistants, professors, and students viewed TAs as utilized. Specifically, the purpose of the study was to determine whether teaching assistants were utilized or perceived as knowledgeable in curriculum development, course maintenance, teaching responsibilities, and mentoring. Teaching assistants, students, and instructors (N = 233) were administered a survey purposed to measure TAs' effectiveness based on their utility and knowledge in four areas of TA responsibilities: …

New Beginnings: A Phenomenology Of The Lived Experiences Of Novice Secondary Teachers Who Have Completed The Induction And Mentorship Requirements Of Utah's Early Years Enhancement (Eye) Program, Philip D. Armstrong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is estimated the national teacher shortage will be approximately two million by the year 2010. Thirty to 50% of new teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years. In an effort to improve teacher quality and retain teachers, many states and local school districts have instituted induction and mentoring programs. The state of Utah's Early Years Enhancement (EYE) induction and mentoring program went into effect January 1, 2003. This purpose of this study was to examine how secondary novice teachers experience the mentorship requirement of the EYE program. A phenomenological approach was used to illustrate the lived experience …

Factors Affecting The Longevity Of The Department Of Industrial Technology And Education At Utah State University 1985-2005: A Case Study, Jerry Cloward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A qualitative case study method was used to discover the factors involved with the longevity of the Technology Education program at Utah State University. The problem was that while there were studies reporting the many Technology Education programs that have been closed there had been no studies on individual programs that have remained open. This study also contains a consolidation of relative information on the program. The primary data was obtained from interviews with the professors involved with the program during the timeframe of the study. The data obtained from the interviews was evaluated and set into themes. The factors …

Instructional Architect Teacher Professional Development Handouts, Mimi Recker, Andrew Walker, M. Brooke Robertshaw, Linda Sellers, Heather M. Leary

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Research

Three handouts for the teacher professional development workshops on the Instructional Architect (IA). Starting spring 2009 the face-to-face workshop was changed to be three different days of learning about how to use the IA, inquiry based and problem based learning, evaluation of IA projects with a rubric, and creating IA projects.

Teaching Research To Teachers: A Self-Study Of Course Design, Student Outcomes, And Instructor Learning, Susan A. Turner

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Intergenerational Differnces: Adult And Teacher Development; Adults As Learners, Susan A. Turner

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of The Perceived Value Of Teacher Portfolios In The Early Years Enhancement (Eye) Program By Primary And Secondary Teachers In Utah's Schools, Teresa J. Denison

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of the teacher portfolio as an evaluation of professional development in Utah's new teacher licensing--the Early Year's Enhancement (EYE) program. This study explored teacher perceptions of the value of the portfolio. Results of the study identified the perceived value of teacher portfolios related to: (a) accuracy as an evaluation tool, (b) usefulness with respect to teacher professional growth, (c) feasibility with regard to teacher time, and (d) appropriateness related to the effect of portfolios on teaching practices. It also identified the relationship of the teacher's perceived value and the required …

Introduction To The Msp-Pe Special Issue On Math And Science Partnership Program: A First Comprehensive Evaluation, Kenneth K. Wong, Robert K. Yin, Patricia S. Moyer-Packenham, Jennifer Scherer

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

The United States faces significant challenges in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (often collectively referred to as STEM). Numerous reports from governmental, scientific, and civic communities have raised concerns over the quality of STEM education at all levels of the educational system, the shortage in the STEM labor force, and the decreasing competitiveness of student performance in STEM fields at the international level.

What We Do Best: Quality Collections Care Practices In Small Museums In Utah, Pamela Wilder Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Small museums occupy a distinctive niche in the world of museums. They hold unique objects in their collections, exhibit them, and educate the public about them. All museums have the challenge to care for collections in a manner that will enhance their preservation for future generations. Large museums have paid staff and budgets for collections care. Small museums, as used in this study, have one full-time staff person or less, who are often inadequately trained in caring for collections. Nevertheless, they still must work to preserve their collections for the future. In this qualitative study, the grounded theory method was …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Developing Teacher Identity Among American Indian Secondary Teachers From The Ute Teacher Training Program, Virginia Norris Exton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this foundational study was to explore the factors that contributed to developing teacher identity among new American Indian teachers. Multifaceted research into the history of American Indian education, the design of American Indian teacher training programs, and the beliefs and experiences of four American Indian secondary teachers gave this study a richly detailed context.

Three overarching patterns emerged during the process of analyzing the data: (a) solidarity and independence, (b) habit and change, and (c) tradition and invention. From these patterns, six factors were identified as contributing to developing teacher identity. School-based experiences that affected developing teacher …

Triad Experiences: The Impact Of Joint Professional Development Forpre- And In- Service Science Teachers On Triad Dynamics, Todd Campbell, Kimberly H. Lott

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This presentation focuses on the results of in-depth phenomenological interviewing of triads involved in a pilot professional development project.

The Activist Wpa: Changing Stories About Writing And Writers, Linda Adler-Kassner

All USU Press Publications

One wonders if there is any academic field that doesn't suffer from the way it is portrayed by the media, by politicians, by pundits and other publics. How well scholars in a discipline articulate their own definition can influence not only issues of image but the very success of the discipline in serving students and its other constituencies. The Activist WPA is an effort to address this range of issues for the field of English composition in the aftermath of No Child Left Behind and the Spellings Commission. Drawing on recent developments in framing theory and the resurgent traditions of …

Science Excel: An Effective Teacher Recruitment Program For Rural Schools?, Kimberly H. Lott

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This study explored the possibility of using an Excel program to identify and recruit teachers into the profession at the secondary level.

Hitting The Trifecta: A Professional Development Model For Creating, Using And Disseminating Open Education Resources., Sarah Giersch, Andrew Walker, Mimi Recker, Rena Janke

The Instructional Architect Research Group

This session presents a teacher professional development model developed by the Digital Libraries go to School project. Presenters will discuss the curriculum, which utilizes the Instructional Architect and the National Science Digital Library. Presenters will share preliminary data, lessons learned, and discuss future work including evaluation and scaling.

Windows To The World, Amy Wilson-Lopez

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

Using an Around the World unit to introduce students to over 30 nations, Wilson proposes "trail mix" over "melting pot" as a metaphor for multiculturalism. Students kept a travel journal as they explored different cultures, and a schoolwide celebration of diversity included trying out the dress, music, and language of each

Learning To Question: Categories Of Questioning Used By Preservice Teachers During Diagnostic Mathematics Interviews, Patricia S. Moyer-Packenham, Elizabeth Milewicz

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

Developing appropriate questioning techniques is an important part of mathematics teaching and assessment. This study examined the questioning strategies used by 48 preservice teachers during one-on-one diagnostic mathematics interviews with children. Each participant conducted an audiotaped interview with one child, followed by an analysis and reflection of the interview. Data were analyzed to develop general categories of questions used by the preservice teachers. These categories included: 1) checklisting, 2) instructing rather than assessing, and 3) probing and follow-up questions. The analyses and reflections completed by preservice teachers indicated that using the diagnostic interview format allowed them to recognize and reflect …

Noise From The Writing Center, Elizabeth H. Boquet

All USU Press Publications

In Noise from the Writing Center, Boquet develops a theory of "noise" and excess as an important element of difference between the pedagogy of writing centers and the academy in general. Addressing administrative issues, Boquet strains against the bean-counting anxiety that seems to drive so much of writing center administration. Pedagogically, she urges a more courageous practice, developed via metaphors of music and improvisation, and argues for "noise," excess, and performance as uniquely appropriate to the education of writers and tutors in the center. Personal, even irreverent in style, Boquet is also theoretically sophisticated, and she draws from an eclectic …

Teaching Tolerance Of Sexual Orientation In Schools, Amanda Marie Mcfarland

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

All students deserve the chance to learn in an environment where they feel safe from both physical and verbal abuse. Also, all students must learn how to work with a variety of people, including people of different cultures, religious beliefs, ability levels, and race in order to prepare them for a diverse world. This also includes people of different sexual orientations, which heretofore will be referred to as gay. Skills to get along with others are important for everybody. Learning how to respect people with various sexual orientations is as important as respecting people of various cultures, races and genders. …

An Evaluation Of Teton Science School's Journeys Place-Based Education Program As Effective Environmental Education Teacher Training, John Hayes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis is an analysis of survey research data evaluating Journeys, a place-based environmental education teacher inservice training program developed and administered by Teton Science School. Information gleaned from stakeholder interviews was used to develop the specific evaluation questions. A self-administered mail survey was then sent to all teachers known to have received Journeys training.

Nearly all trained teachers go on to use Journeys with their classes, and show a commitment to making Journeys a permanent part of their classroom. Teachers generally agreed that their involvement with Journeys has had positive effects on their teaching behaviors and attitudes towards teaching. …

Grade Level Files For Third And Fifth Grades, Courtney Rasband

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

For my Associate Teaching and Honors project, I decided to do different grade level files. I thought this would be an appropriate project in the event that I get hired to teach in a grade other than first. I am glad that I was able to do this project because it expanded my ideas for teaching not only in the grades that I researched, but also in other grades because I will be able to adapt the ideas that I found.

Developing Patriotism Among Middle Level Students, Melissa Ann Scott

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Patriotism, what is it? When someone is patriotic, what does it mean? For me, patriotism means a feeling of responsibility to the well being of country, state, and home. This feeling is evidenced in the actions of people when they vote, take care of their environment, show respect for the flag and numerous other ways. Unfortunately it seems that there has been a decrease in these actions, and I'm afraid a decrease in the feeling of patriotism. This affects not only the current generation, but also the generation of children being raised today. If we want the feeling of patriotism …

Tools For Cognition: Student Free Access To Manipulative Materials In Controlversus Autonomy-Oriented Middle Grades Teachers’ Classrooms, Patricia S. Moyer-Packenham, Gail M. Jones

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This study investigated how middle grades students provided with free access to manipulative materials use these mathematical tools in classrooms where their teachers are identified as Control-Oriented and Autonomy-Oriented. Also of interest in this investigation was how Control-Oriented and Autonomy-Oriented teachers administered the free access treatment in their classrooms. A Pre -- Post -1 Post -2 design was used with two treatments. During Treatment 1, teachers used the manipulatives for mathematics instruction using the strategies learned in the summer professional development workshop. During Treatment 2, teachers provided students with free access to the manipulative materials. Results indicated teachers' control orientations--control …