Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Perceptions Of Opportunities And Challenges, Shelby Eversole

Masters Theses

This study investigates the perspectives of opportunities and challenges of middle school mathematics’ teachers. To gain these perspectives, an ethnographic study was conducted by interviewing four middle school mathematics teachers in central Illinois. The results of this study imply that teachers of different backgrounds and teaching environments have varying perspectives about challenges and opportunities in the classroom. Limitations of this study include but are not limited to, the researcher having one year to conduct the research, only four teachers from two schools being interviewed, interviewees teaching different grade levels, no rural setting involvement, one educator having little teaching experience, teachers’ …

Gifted Education In Elementary Schools, Danielle Wilkinson

Masters Theses

Gifted students have enormous potential, yet there are few consistent opportunities for gifted students to receive challenging instruction. Drawing upon literature detailing the history of gifted education nationally and in Illinois, this study sought to find what services were currently offered to Illinois students, and if the opportunities for gifted students were related to a district’s state funding tier. Findings indicated that the elementary gifted services being offered and the ways in which eligibility is determined were inconsistent among districts. In addition, many districts who offer gifted services are using local/community funds in order to provide services regardless of their …

Peer And Self Reflective Evaluations; Benefits And Techniques Used In A Middle School Art Room Setting, Mary Garrod

Masters Theses

Students’ intentional development as independent learners is increased with the understanding of self efficacy, which contributes to motivation, persistence for learning, and future achievements. However, adolescence is a time when self efficacy and motivation in art often decline. Two effective teaching and learning practices that can aid middle school art educators in the development of adolescent student judgment skills and confidence as independent learners, are self assessment and peer assessment. This paper presents literature on the topics of peer assessment, self assessment, and their link to self efficacy beliefs in adolescents. It then provides applicable, research-based self and peer evaluation …

Preparing The Student For High School Band Leadership: A Praxial And Flipped-Classroom Method Based On Kolb's Learning Theory, Brandon Dennis Woods

Masters Theses

Today's educational climate is rapidly shifting. High stakes testing, both from the federal and state governments, have drastically altered the landscape of public education in America. Although all subjects are feeling the impact of these new educational initiatives, music education is suffering uniquely during this time. With music education so drastically different in modern education compared to what is was before the year 2001, because of the implementation of sweeping federal changes, it is important that we take a new and fresh look at band director education. Students are entering the job field as first year band directors with very …

Comparing Primary And Lntermediate Elementary Trade Books’ Historical Representation Of George Washington, Maria Anita Penn

Masters Theses

As teachers learn to adjust to the Common Core State Standards, they are left with little to no time for subjects like science and social studies. History is slowly falling by the wayside in elementary classrooms across the country, including the studies of the people who helped shape our nation. This study analyzes a data sample of 32 primary and intermediate level trade books about George Washington, our first president, in search of patterns and misrepresentations. Within the findings, patterns of omission and spiraling were seen across the board. This study allows teachers to see the importance of teaching history …

An Examination Of Teachers' Natural Praise-To-Reprimand Ratios And Teachers' Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy And Stress, Sara Hayn

Masters Theses

The current study examined teachers' natural use of praise and reprimand in middle and high school (sixth through twelfth grade) general education classrooms. In addition, the relations between praise and reprimand and teacher stress and self-efficacy were examined. Praise and reprimand data were collected via 20-minute, direct observation (940 total observation minutes). On average, middle and high school teachers delivered 11.7 total praises per hour and 10.4 total reprimands per hour (1.1 to 1 praise-to-reprimand ratio). Middle school teachers delivered 12.8 total praises per hour and 14.5 total reprimands per hour (0.9 to 1 praise-to-reprimand ratio) and high school teachers …

Student-Instructor Negotiations Of Vulnerability In Higher Education, Kelli A. Halfman

Masters Theses

Brené Brown, author of Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead states, "Vulnerability is not weakness, and the uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure we face every day are not optional" (p. 2). The purpose of this study is to examine student-instructor negotiations of vulnerability via acts of self-disclosure both inside and outside of the classroom. For the traditional student, college is a transitional period that prove challenging, leaving one feeling vulnerable. This study offers a unique perspective of vulnerability and expands our limited knowledge on how vulnerable self-expression manifests within …

The Relationship Between Stress, Preventive Coping Resources, And Burnout Among Elementary Teachers, Joseph Michael Mooney

Masters Theses

This study explored the relationship between stress outcomes, preventive coping, and burnout in a sample of 68 elementary teachers. Teacher training in behavioral modification was also examined due to its established role in teacher stress. Results showed that teachers who had greater demands relative to coping resources were more likely to experience two aspects of burnout; emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. A significant relationship was not found with the third component of burnout, personal accomplishment. Preventive coping resources were found to be associated in the expected direction with all three components of burnout. Those individuals with fewer preventive coping resources exhibited …

Examining 8th Grade Students Disciplinary Literacy Of Science Material, Chelsie P. Doughty

Masters Theses

Education standards are shifting to reflect a skills-based, rather than a content-centered, curriculum that focuses on students being literate across all disciplines. This study focuses on the skills of critical thinking, close reading, and text-based writing as it applies to the scientific and historical disciplines. Eighth grade students engaged in a text-based writing assignment that required evaluation of multiple sources to support their claims. Student responses were analyzed textually and verbally as it related to the content. Findings included the ability to identify students' struggles and successes with close reading, writing claims, evaluating evidence for importance, and connecting documents to …

An Analysis Of General Education Teachers' Use Of Diverse Praise, Shelby L. Beschta

Masters Theses

Teacher praise is a strategy that effectively reduces student disruptive and off-task behavior. Although teacher praise has been studied for more than five decades, most research has looked at general and behavior specific praise. There may be other aspects of praise, beyond specificity, that could inform consultation. Examining teachers' diverse use of praise may inform how to maximize this strategy and improve upon teacher training. The purpose of this study was to determine whether teachers' diverse use of praise could be measured. Once it was determined, the data were analyzed to determine how many diverse praise categories teachers used on …

Evaluating Student Responses To Young Adult Literature Based On Group Dynamic Within The Literature Circle Setting, Abigail J. Schmitz

Masters Theses

The push of the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) standards encourages teachers to assist students with overcoming personal obstacles in the classroom. In the middle grades, young adult literature can be an outlet for students by allowing them to connect with characters similar to themselves and their life experiences. Within the middle level classroom, literature circles can address SEL needs and state standards while allowing students to work closely with their peers sharing in a discussion format in response to the same young adult novel. This research analyzed two groups of students and their oral and written responses to the …

The Impact Of A Student Device Technology Integration Professional Development Program On K-6 Performance Data, Peter Grostic

Masters Theses

When schools choose to secure devices for their students to integrate into class, they are engaging in a student device technology integration initiative. Results of such initiatives so far have been inconsistent (Bebell & Kay, 2010, Gulek & Demirtas, 2005). These inconsistencies may be, in part, due to poor professional development and/or incomplete data collection. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a professional development program for teachers on the effectiveness of a student device technology integration initiative. “Effectiveness” will be defined by standardized test data as well as student attendance data and student behavior referral …

Preparing For 1:1 Technology: Impact On Collaboration, Instruction, And Student Learning, Pamela R. Schwallier

Masters Theses

The purpose of this action research project was to examine how the preparation of a 1:1 technology initiative, through professional development and early access to devices, in secondary (6-12) schools affected personal computing skills of teachers as well as collaboration, instruction, and student learning. This study takes place at West Ottawa Public Schools where district educators received personal Chromebooks and had ongoing professional development throughout the 2015-2016 school year to prepare specifically for the successful adoption of the 1:1 technology model in the 2017-2018 school year. The district is able to provide personal Chromebooks for all students entering grades 7-12 …

Strengthening Tier 1 Elementary Reading Within A Multi-Tiered System Of Support, Carla N. Osborn

Masters Theses

Training teachers about the foundational reading skills is an important step in creating students who are proficient readers. However, training is not enough. Teachers need support through instructional coaching. Even with coaching support, sustainability of these practices will be a challenge if systems are not in place throughout the district to support ongoing implementation. By combining the processes of creating a Multi-Tiered System of Support, reading training, and instructional coaching, sustainability of practices can be possible. Research does not currently exist as to whether the combination of these efforts has increased student achievement in reading at the elementary level. This …

"Boys Learn The Teacher, And Then They Learn The Subject": The Importance Of The Teacher-Student Relationship In Engaging High School Boys In The Writing Classroom, Leslie Ellis

Masters Theses

This thesis explores methods for engaging high school boys in the writing classroom. Chapter one describes the differing beliefs scholars have about boys' educational situation, specifically in English language arts. Several researchers and scholars describe boys' situation as dire because boys have failed to improve as girls have over the last sixty years. These researchers cite various reasons for boys' academic stagnation, such as learning styles, hormones, brain structure and development, the feminization of the classroom, motivation, engagement, and teaching styles. These factors may contribute to the gender gap in writing. Other scholars deny the urgency of boys' lack of …

Analysis Of Middle Level Trade Books With Gender And Sexual Minority Content, Jena Borah

Masters Theses

Middle school is often the time students become aware of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and in many schools, perceived nonheteronormative behavior is penalized through bullying. One way schools can reduce bullying and increase successful learning environments is to include trade books that feature gender and sexual minorities. State and national standards set expectations for social and emotional learning as well as critical analysis of high quality reading materials. This research analyzed trade books from the 2013 and 2014 Rainbow Lists which were chosen by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table of the American Library Association as …

Holography In The Secondary Physics Curriculum, Stephen P. Hogan

Masters Theses

This paper presents a unit plan for effective implementation of a holography learning activity in the secondary science physics classroom. The study of holography has traditionally been limited to collegiate optics courses due to financial and physical constraints. Recent developments in the technology of holographic film has eliminated these two limiting factors. Recent secondary educators who have introduced holography with their secondary science classes have completed the activities, without much discussion or explanation regarding the scientific principles that allow the phenomenon to occur. In this paper we develop a foundational unit plan that finishes with holography as the pinnacle activity, …

The Effectiveness Of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies For Teaching English Reading Skills To Hispanic English Language Learners, Michelle Watson

Masters Theses

The present study was designed to assess the effectiveness of the Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) for teaching English reading skills to Hispanic English language learners (ELL) in the third grade. The current literature shows a rapid increase of Hispanic students in the U.S., however, due to a lack of exposure to the English language at an early age, many ELL students are behind their non-ELL peers in academic achievement, especially in reading. The PALS program was designed as an alternative approach to teacher-led instruction to help ameliorate reading difficulties, and although its effectiveness has been demonstrated with a variety …

Accommodating Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In The Writing Center, Rebekah Barton

Masters Theses

This thesis explores how collegiate writing centers could better serve the needs of students with autism. As there is so little research that involves writing centers and college students with autism, scholarship was pulled from traditional writing center pedagogy, research concerning adults with autism, and the information that was available about teaching students with autism in the college composition classroom. A mixed methods approach was used to conduct my own research: my study involved surveys, interviews, visits, and website analysis. It became clear that not only are writing centers not ready to accommodate students with autism, but some writing center …

Researching The Historical Representations Of Andrew Jackson In Trade Books, Steven K. Sakowicz

Masters Theses

State and national standards compel teachers to introduce historical topics through multiple diverse texts, emphasizing the use of informational texts. Trade books allow teachers to meet these standards while also meeting the needs of diverse students. Primary sources serve as an additional curricular resource that fill the gaps in information covered by textbooks and trade books, allowing students to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of historical figures and events. Standards leave the selection and implementation of appropriate trade books, primary sources, and other curricular resources to the classroom teacher. In this research I qualify and quantify how Andrew …

Researching The Historical Representations Of Ancient Egypt In Trade Books, Lieren Schuette

Masters Theses

State and national education initiatives require that historical information be introduced in the classroom through the utilization of multiple diverse texts. The role of non-fiction in the English/language arts classroom, as well as informational texts in the history/social studies classroom, increased considerably. The use of trade books allows teachers to connect the two curricula, while also meeting the standards. Primary sources can assist in filling the informational gap left by trade books and textbooks, which allow students to gain a more balanced view of historical events. Teachers, however, are not given direction as to which specific curricular materials are most …

A Suryey Of Music Therapists' Use Of Music To Facilitate Reading Development In Children, Cynthia Cross

Masters Theses

This study utilized Naturalistic Inquiry methods to investigate how music therapists use music elements to impact reading development in school-aged children. Eleven Board-Certified Music Therapists were interviewed providing information regarding music therapy interventions, reading skills targeted, theoretical influences, and professional influences. Transcripts of interviews were analyzedto determine themes, coÍtmon use of language related to the subject, common perceptions, and techniques and uses for music to impact reading development. In general subjects did not report specifically using music elements to target reading behavior. Rather, most subjects identified reading objectives determined by classroom teachers and developed music interventions to accommodate those objectives. …

Emerging Technologies In Art Education, Molly A. Marshall

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the emerging technologies in visual arts education and the impact they will make on the future of visual arts education in a K-12 setting. Research was done through a literature review. As a result, it was found that integrating technology into the visual arts is beneficial to both student and teacher on many levels.

The research will cover how these technologies affect best practices in teaching. Also how these technologies influence student learning. You will find the history of how technology has been implemented in art education, to give the reader and …

Chemistry Graduate Teaching Assistants: A Comparison Of The Classroom Discourse Within Expository And Problem-Based Learning Laboratories, Kelley M. Current

Masters Theses

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) commonly function as instructors within undergraduate chemistry laboratories. This study sought to explore and describe GTA classroom discourse within two distinct instructional modes, using discourse analysis as the theoretical framework. Theclassroom discourse within a series of verification style labs was comparedto the classroom discourse produced within a set of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) labs. The results suggest three primary findings: (1) the apparent relationship between the instructional mode and form of GTA classroom discourse, (2) the patterns in classroom discourse observed within a given instructional mode repeat, irrespective of content, and (3) the classroom discourse observed within …

Investigation Of The Development Of Educational Ict Courses On Pre-Service Teachers’ Education Curricula, Sayuri Kojima

Masters Theses

Considering the 21^st - century children’s characteristics and needs, teachers need to realize the importance and necessity of educational technology integration, and understand how to use technology to facilitate student-centered instruction and achieve meaningful outcomes. Also, teacher education colleges need to provide pre-service teachers with practical activities using educational technologies prior to their teaching career. This will encourage new generation learners to learn with technology.

This study was conducted at a national university in Japan with 67 pre-service teacher participants. The five central research questions of this study were specifically focused assessing the course takers’ learning expectations in educational …

Common Core Standards' Preparation For Vocational Careers In Rural Illinois Public High Schools, Emily Fultz

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research study was to contribute to a better understanding of Common Core Math and Reading/Language Arts Standards for high school students in preparation for post-graduation vocational careers. This research study collected data regarding rural Illinois high school administrator, school board, and teacher perceptions of the Common Core Standards' applicability to students pursuing vocational careers. Data was collected through an online survey and analyzed using Qualtrics and SPSS, version 22. The results of the research revealed that the large majority of the Common Core Standards prepare students for college and not for vocational careers. Recommendations for practice …

The Risks And Rewards Of Personal Writing In The High School Classroom, Dannette L. Williamson

Masters Theses

In light of the Common Core State Standards, more research is needed on the importance and transfer value of personal writing high school classrooms. These standards have brought a more rigorous focus to student learning. With a stronger emphasis on argument and source-based writing, high school educators need to reexamine if or how personal writing should fit into curricula. For this study, approximately thirty students from each grade at Effingham High School were surveyed. The entire English department, as well as staff members from other disciplines at Effingham High School, were also surveyed. Prominent findings of the data show that …

Response To Intervention: A District’S And School’S Implementation, Michelle L. Carter

Masters Theses

This paper demonstrates how the Response to Intervention (RTI) system was implemented in one district and school, and may serve as a model for others to follow. The RTI framework has the capacity to push participating schools to examine the quality of instruction and, more importantly, to use ongoing student assessments to determine the instruction each student needs to be academically successful. The leadership and policy literature as well as legislative and other reforms such as RTI, systematic assessment, instructional strategies, is reviewed. The results of the RTI implementation at the district and building level are shared. For example, in …

Teaching World Music In An Elementary Setting: Effective Teaching Strategies And Classroom Materials, Calyna Mc Allister

Masters Theses

The world we live in today is increasingly a global society. As such, the various cultures of the world come into contact with one another more often. Students today need to have experiences with different cultures in order to participate effectively in this globally minded world. An excellent way to expose children to these cultures is through the use of world music in the general music classroom. The need for world music from a music education standpoint has been addressed over the past few decades. However, little has been done to address the teaching methods associated with world music or …

Explicit Teacher-Implemented Phoneme Awareness Instruction: Preschool Effects, Heather M. Osterhouse

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the impact of explicit, concentrated, teacher-implemented phonological awareness instruction for ―at risk‖ 4- year-olds. Early childhood educators were trained to implement a 10-week program delivered for 20-minute sessions, four times a week, in their classrooms. The program focused on phonological awareness beginning at the level of letter-sound knowledge and advancing to blending and segmenting constituent phonemes in words. Pre- to post-treatment comparisons of phonological awareness and letter knowledge skills indicated that children in the experimental group made significant gains in comparison to the control group in phoneme blending and letter knowledge. …