Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Exploring Early Childhood Teachers' Beliefs And Perceptions About The Use Of Technology In The Classroom, Sharron Hallanger

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how the professional beliefs and perceptions of teachers in early childhood education (ECE) influenced their acceptance for the use of interactive technology as a learning tool for children. Eight primary grade teachers at a rural school district in Washington State were interviewed. Of the eight ECE teachers, two had no student technology use in their classrooms. The second group of two teachers had some student technology use on a weekly basis, and the last group of four teachers utilized daily student technology use in their classrooms. The sample subjects were interviewed …

Talking About How: Variation In The Use Of How And Its Definition, Maili Jonas

All Master's Theses

This study identified the patterns that represent the unconventional ways that students used how in academic essays, determined the frequency of each pattern, and for the sake of comparison, searched for those patterns in the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), in both the spoken and academic written registers. The results showed that a sample of first-year students at Central Washington University (CWU) used the complementizer how as that in their essays, a usage more common in spoken registers. However, there was some evidence of how as that in academic COCA searches, showing that the usage may be in the …

The Discourse Of Written And Audio Feedback, Zachary Dalton

All Master's Theses

Most teachers provide feedback for students daily. Whether it be a word of encouragement or a lengthy written comment in the margin of an essay, feedback is essential in first-year writing courses. This study investigates two distinct types of feedback, audio (a subset of oral feedback) and written (marginal comments and end comments). For this analysis, two instructors produced samples of audio feedback for students in their English 101 class sections (39 students total). The comments were then transcribed and compared with written comments left for the student by the same teacher on the same assignments. Students completed a follow-up …

Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate And Pbis, Douglas Periman

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between perceptions of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a behavior change system implemented in schools, length of teaching experience, and teacher perceptions of school climate. The sample for this study was made up of certified teachers in schools that had implemented PBIS, and from schools that had not implemented PBIS, located in Washington State. Data were collected from two surveys, one of which measured teacher perceptions of PBIS and the other measured teacher perceptions of school climate. A simultaneous multiple regression analysis was performed to determine if there was …

Do Homework Trackers Affect Students’ Academic Performance?, Luisdaniel Barrera

All Master's Theses

With new state assessment requirements for high school graduation, teachers are focusing on different strategies to assist students to achieve those goals. Many teachers state that students who complete homework perform better academically. The current study analyzed whether homework planners (trackers) had any positive effect on the academic performance of 16 seventh grade students in a very small and rural school district. This was a mixed study (quantitative and qualitative). Students’ grades, district assessments, state assessments, and teacher surveys were analyzed. The results showed that students improved their math and English Language Arts (ELA) district assessment scores when compared from …

Literary Devices: Effects Of Classroom Management On Student Engagement With 1:1 Devices, Elizabeth Parker

All Master's Theses

The study compares two different classroom management strategies in a 5th and 6th grade classroom using an iPad based intervention. The students participated in 10 sessions of a language and grammar intervention on the Moby Max program. During five of the sessions, the teacher actively monitored the classroom, walking around the room, and redirecting students as necessary. For the other five sessions, the teacher used data from the intervention and monitored and redirected students from her computer screen. The data collected included the number of corrections given to each student by the teacher, the number of minutes the program considered …

Obtaining Cultural Competency Skills: Perceptions From Supervisors In Higher Education, Veronica Gomez Vilchis

All Master's Theses

A program evaluation was done on the supervisor training at Central Washington University to obtain the perceptions of supervisors on cultural competency. Eighteen supervisors were interviewed. The results demonstrated supervisors’ support of incorporating cultural competency as part of their professional development. However, supervisors indicated the current supervisor training does not give them tools to interact effectively with diverse populations. Implications for including cultural competency skills for supervisors in higher education are discussed.

The Competency-Based Program For Preparation And Certification Of School Principals At Central Washington University: An Analysis Of Costs Incurred In Development, Implementation, And Maintenance Phases--1975-1980, Glenda Sue Shannon

All Master's Theses

Preparation and certification of school principals at Central Washington University have developed according to the requirements of the Washington State Standards. This study determined the real and estimated costs for the development, implementation, and operation of the competency-based, principal preparation program. A questionnaire elicited data from participants and revealed that professional time devoted to the project incurred the greatest costs. The developmental period was determined to be the most expensive phase. An instrument for future data collection was devised and recommended.

An Evaluation Of Central Washington University In Meeting The Objectives Of The Degree Program In Teacher Education, John Harold Dallum

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a descriptive study of the findings from a questionnaire designed to evaluate the achievements of Central Washington University in meeting the expressed objectives in the Undergraduate Catalog as a statement of responsibility. The study was accomplished by a survey limited to the Central graduates in teacher education. The essential direction of the study was to compare the stated and implied objectives applicable to the program in teacher education at Central Washington University. The achievement of stated goals was indicated by rating to the questionnaire by graduates of Central Washington University Department of Education.

A Comparison Of Competencies Required By Special Education Prevocational Teachers In The State Of Washington, George Edward Harris

All Master's Theses

This study is a report of an attempt to identify the competencies which are important for teachers in special education prevocational programs in the state of Washington. The competencies, as listed by the authorities, were placed in rank order and then compared with their rank order as listed by the teachers, using the Spearman rank order correlation coefficient. The correlation of .284 was considered to be significant, therefore the null hypothesis was rejected.

Personal characteristics also were listed and rated as to whether they were more or less important to special education teachers than to regular classroom teachers. Three characteristics …

Development Of Guidelines Related To Auxiliary Personnel In The Public School Media Centers Of Washington State, Velma Irene Morris Koziuk

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a study of the present use of auxiliary personnel in media centers in Washington State public schools. These findings along with documents received from school districts, the review of literature, and related knowledge of the field were used as a basis for the development of guidelines relating to selecting, employing, assigning, training, and evaluating of media aides.

The proposed guidelines are presented to aid school district administrators in developing their own policies and procedures relating to media auxiliary personnel.

Recommendations included a more extensive study incorporating a total population study, a study of existing training programs available …

A Survey Of Elementary School Principals Attitudes Regarding The Effectiveness Of The Association Of Washington School Principals In Professional Negotiations, David Holmes Adams

All Master's Theses

This study was made to gain information pertinent to assessing the effectiveness of the Association of Washington School Principals in meeting the needs of its members who are elementary school principals. The study indicated that a majority of the respondents felt that Association was doing an adequate job. However, a significant relationship was found to exist between principals from small districts and the feeling of inadequate representation.

Due to the newness of this Association, it is recommended that a similar study be done in the future.

A Study Of The Middle School Principal And Principals' Associations, Laverne James Burlingame

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to discover which professional organization structure would best provide optimum conditions for Washington State's middle school principals to develop the middle school concept.

A questionnaire was used to determine if middle school principals desired the formation of a separate middle school principals' association. These principals indicated that they did not desire such an association. By majority, the middle school principals chose the Washington Association of Junior High & Middle School Principals to represent them.

A Study Of Professional Negotiation Court Cases In The State Of Washington: Part Ii, David E. Lieb

All Master's Theses

This paper presents briefs designed from court case materials found in the Washington Education Association legal files. The court cases resulted from the 1965 Professional Negotiations Law. This paper is intended for the use of Washington educators who are concerned about this State's future collective negotiation laws. Each case is briefed so the readers can determine: the facts leading tot he specific problems, the problems, the decisions of the court, and the rationale behind the court decisions.

A Comparative Analysis Of Head Start Graduates Their Disadvantaged Peers, And Children Above-Poverty Guidelines, Rodger William Debritz

All Master's Theses

This study investigated the impact of a Head Start program upon its participants and compared the performance of these children to their disadvantaged peers and children above poverty-level guidelines. The results of the study indicated there were no significant differences in the school readiness skills attained by the Head Start and disadvantaged peers groups. Both groups evidenced significantly weaker school readiness skills than did their more advantaged counterparts.

Recommendations include more activities for developing readiness skills and suggestions for additional research.

The Student And The Law: Implications For The Administrative Intern, Robert S. Degabriele

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a documented study concerning students' rights and the law with implications for the administrative intern. Many problems resultant from the changing role of the student make it imperative that the prospective administrator be conversant with the interpretation and the application of school district policies and due process of the law.

This study comprises a brief historical background of the civil rights and student rights movements, explanations of legal parameters and due process and interpretations of legal aspects of school policies.

Recommendations include mandatory school law courses for administrative intern candidates and teachers and a state controlled student …

Study Of The Extent Assistance Is Given Substitute Teachers As Perceived By Regular Teachers, Administrators, And Substitute Teachers In The Puyallup Public Schools, Gary Wayne Floyd

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a study of perceptions by Puyallup regular teachers, administrators, and substitute teachers of the extent assistance is provided Puyallup substitutes. The writer believed results of this study would indicate the groups would differ in their perceptions.

A questionnaire was sent to random samples of the three groups. Analysis of variance and t-test were statistics used.

Results indicated significant differences existed between compared groups. Recommendations included study of all mean ratings and suggestions for additional research.

The Vocational Preference Inventory As A Measure Of Probable Teaching Effectiveness, Landon A. Fitch

All Master's Theses

This paper is a report of a study investigating the potential of the Vocational Preference Inventory as an instrument to predict the probable effectiveness of students preparing to be teachers. The Vocational Preference Inventory was given to effective teachers and to student teachers who were rated most and least effective by their college supervisors. The resultant profiles from the Vocational Preference Inventory scores were compared. The profiles and the profile interpretations of the effective teachers and the most effective student teachers were much more similar than those of the effective teachers and the least effective student teachers.

It is strongly …

Reprographic Media Education, Ross H. Regan

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a comparative investigation of five basic processes in the duplicating field that are readily available to teachers in British Columbia. Forty teachers from fourteen schools, kindergarten through grade twelve, were surveyed to determine present practices and needs for this method of communication. Cost, efficiency, and quality comparison are included.

Recommendations include the need for teacher in-service, guidelines for determining the most suitable means of reproducing learning materials on paper, and suggestions for additional research.

Career-Vocational Education Feasibility Study For The Prescot School District, Glen L. Hillsten

All Master's Theses

This paper presents the opinion of employers, parents and students concerning career and vocational education in the Prescott School District. The study was conducted as a means of acquiring opinions other than those of educators.

Recommendations include further examination of career and vocational education programs now in operation in neighboring districts, contact with the State Departments of Career and Vocational Education for assistance, and a cooperative, objective approach to these programs by the administration and faculty as a possible means of giving education significance.

Preparation Of Middle School Teachers, David T. Lyle

All Master's Theses

This paper pre sents a study undertaken to determine what recommendations

middle school principals would make regarding the training

of prospective. middle school teachers.. A questionnaire was used to

gather recommendations from the princ pals regarding the desired academic preparation and attitudes, and on possible changes in teacher

certification practices.

A Study On Differentiated Staffing In The First Class Districts Of Washington State, Edward C. Tiegs

All Master's Theses

It was the purpose of this study (1) to examine the literature on differentiated staffing; (2) to determine the status of differentiated staffing in the first class districts of Washington State; (3) to compare the authorities' description of differentiated staffing to an actual pilot program implemented in Washington; (4) to determine the attitude of the certificated staff towards differentiated staffing in each building included in the study; (5) to determine if teachers and administrators in the buildings included in the study felt the differentiated staffing utilization of teachers improved instruction significantly more than was the case under traditional staffing; (6) …

A Comparison Of Emphasis Of Training And On-The-Job Effectiveness Of Media Personnel, Roy E. Williams

All Master's Theses

It has long been recognized in our society that formal training plays a strong role in the development of attitudes, and that attitudes are important determinants of behavior. Consequently, the behavior of one whose formal training has been oriented in a particular direction is often somewhat different from the behavior of one whose training has been oriented in a different direction. Does the training orientation of instructional materials personnel affect their on-the-job effectiveness? Will a person who is primarily oriented toward print materials be more or less effective in promoting the use of instructional materials than one whose orientation is …

A Study Of Health Misconceptions Among Elementary And Secondary Teachers, Robert Clyde Davidson

All Master's Theses

During the past few years a limited number of studies have been completed related to health misconceptions. Some have investigated health and safety misconceptions, while others have reported various testing procedures. Studies involving all populations {general public, elementary, secondary, and college students) have pointed out existing inadequacies in health knowledge and the prevalence of health misconceptions. As a result, the writer felt the need to investigate and measure the prevalence of health misconceptions among teachers.

Clarification Of Photographic Training Needed By The Instructional Media Specialist, William Carl Holland

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine what photographic training is needed by the instructional media specialist in high schools of the State of Washington. In order to make such determination, both the need and the photographic training had to be clarified. This investigation attempted to make such clarifications by (1) specifying school personnel who provide photographic services to high schools in the State of Washington; (2) specifying the source, extent and adequacy of training of such personnel in photography; (3) specifying present utilization of photography by high schools in the State of Washington; and (4) ascertaining what the …

Attitudes Of Freshmen In The Pre-Professional Preparation Program At Central Washington State College, Fredrick Newton Paul

All Master's Theses

This study investigated the effect of the Central Washington State College pre-planned quarter on prospective teacher's attitudes toward pupil-teacher relations. For this study, "attitudes toward pupil-teacher relations" was operationally defined as the score gained on the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory. A key concept introduced by the Pre-Professional Preparation Program at Central Washington State College (in addition to the group living concept) was the actual classroom experience afforded the participants. This was one of the main experiences provided in the pre-planned quarter. If prospective teachers were going to leave college with skills which would give them the best opportunity for teaching …

The Program Development For An Air Force Educational Technology Generalist, Dennis L. Primoli

All Master's Theses

This study will design, delineate, and develop a guideline program for the training of an Air Force Educational Technology Generalist.

A Comparison Of Seven Teaching Traits Between Experienced Special Education Teachers And Experienced Regular Education Teachers, James Edward Thomas

All Master's Theses

There seems a need for educational research to find if special education teachers have unique behavioral traits in dealing with children in the classroom. Many studies have been conducted with this general goal in mind. Unfortunately, most of the studies have dealt with such things as personality traits, attitudes, and characteristics. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are any significant differences among experienced special education teachers and experienced regular classroom teachers on seven teaching traits. It was hoped that this investigation would point out some behaviors unique to special education teachers since it is believed by …

A Study Of Curriculum Methods And Materials Students' (Education 314) Performance At Central Washington State College And Teaching Competence, John Pauline Uhrich Jr.

All Master's Theses

It was the purpose of this study (1) to determine the relationship between present performance of teachers and past performance in Education 314 classes at Central Washington State College; and (2) to gather field data related to the objectives of the Education 314 course on campus.

A Survey Of The Background And Training Of Personnel Working In Resident Outdoor Education Camps In Ten School Districts In Washington State, Caetone Lester Domingos

All Master's Theses

School districts throughout the State of Washington are providing an Outdoor Education Program for children. For over twenty years, teachers in Washington have educated children in Outdoor Education. In addition, training for teachers in Outdoor Education has been offered for most of this time. Teachers working in Outdoor Education hope that more curriculum changes can be made to help better prepare teachers for this type of Outdoor Education. The primary purpose of this study is to survey public school personnel working in resident Outdoor Education camps in ten school districts in Washington, and to ascertain the amount and type of …