Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

To What Extent Do General Education Elementary Teachers Perceive They Are Prepared To Teach Students With Disabilities?, Susan Fuller Elder

Theses and Dissertations

The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2010 brought many changes to classes but it did not bring changes to the way teachers were trained. Many teacher preparation programs only required one exceptional child course for general education teachers. This dissertation analyzed the data gathered from 12 elementary, general education teachers on their perception of their preparedness to teach students with disabilities in their general education classrooms. The participants’ perceptions of preparedness were evaluated in regards to their pre-service training and their post-service, in-service, and professional development. The interviewees responses to this study demonstrated the need for …

Examining The Career Transitions And Transformations Of An Urban Educator, Frank E. Penick Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the critical career transitions that transformed who I am on both personal and professional levels during my fifteen-year teaching career as an urban educator. This autoethnographic research approach systematically analyzed and described personal experiences within the broader cultural context (Ellis, Adams, & Bochner, 2010), utilizing Scholssberg's (1995) Transition Theory, as an analytical framework. I found that engaging in this autoethnographic study increased my awareness of the situations, self, support, and strategies (Schlossberg, 1995) impacting the career transitions I navigated throughout my career. I also found that this narrative examination fostered a deeper …

Enhancing Teacher Efficacy And Pedagogical Practices Amongst General And Special Education Teachers, Michael E. Coleman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research project was to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to acquire information in teacher efficacy from the viewpoint of teachers themselves so that pedagogical practices could be enhanced to better serve the special needs student population. In this study, the relationship between teachers' perception of their pedagogical knowledge and beliefs and teachers' sense of self-efficacy was examined. This particular study was aimed at helping general and special education teachers understand, develop, and implement pedagogical practices that would increase their ability to educate students with special needs. The findings from this study revealed a substantial …

Grouping Structures Of Gifted And High Achieving Middle School Students: Teacher Perceptions And Data Analysis Of The Impact Of Grouping, April Leigh Smith

Theses and Dissertations

In this mixed methods study on teacher perceptions and data related to the impact of grouping structures on middle school gifted and high achieving students, the researcher addresses the gap in literature relating to recent gifted grouping research in rural areas. The study took place in two middle schools of a rural school district in Georgia. A sequential explanatory design was applied to survey responses and focus group data regarding teacher perception of grouping; a comparative ex post facto design was applied to state-issued end of year assessment results and analyzed for trends regarding grouping for gifted and high achieving …

"Reading Is Boring": A Qualitative Study On Motivating First Grade Students Through Reading Workshop, Lisa Marie Papandrea

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to document changes in student motivation, self-perception, and comprehension as readers. The specific aim was to determine the impact of one-to-one conferencing and flexible strategy groups on the comprehension of first graders. Pre- and post- reading motivation surveys, conversational excerpts, and work samples have been analyzed. The focus group of students demonstrated gradual positive changes in reading motivation and reading achievement. The implications for using the components of reading workshop in a first grade classroom are discussed.

Academics And The Student Athlete: A Mixed Methods Study On The Role Of Athletics In The High School Educational Setting, Meredith Mcgee

Theses and Dissertations

Athletics are a strong component in the educational experiences of students. Without the proper social support, student athletes are presenting academically through a deficit lens (Cohen & Wills, 1985; Comeaux & Harrison, 2011; House, Umberson, & Landis, 1988; Sarason, Sarason,& Pierce, 1990). Coaches, teachers, and administrators must work collaboratively to enhance the education of student athletes. As a result, high schools can better prepare their student athletes for post-secondary life specifically through the significant relationships formed between athletic personnel and their athletes.

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore athletic administrators' and coaches' practices related to fostering …

Parent Perception Of Systemic Success In Physical Education: A Study Of Advocacy In Action, Rachel Valletta Griffiths

Theses and Dissertations

In a search to discover effective means of reversing the marginalization in the field of physical education (PE), researchers have been studying exceptional PE programs that have not only broken down the growth-impeding barriers formed by changes in education, but have also successfully and consistently prevented new program barriers from developing. One such PE program, located in the southwestern United States, has been identified in former studies as having achieved and sustained Systemic Success in Physical Education (SSPE) for over four decades. Embedded in the SSPE model that this district uses to maintain dynamic growth and program sustainability are advocacy …

Examining Fifth-Grade In-School Physical Activity Patterns And How Many Days Of Monitoring Are Needed, Tyler R. Langosch

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine in-school physical activity patterns among fifth-grade students residing in a Midwestern community. Variables observed were minutes of vigorous + activity, vigorous activity, moderate activity, easy activity and very easy activity along with steps and calories expended. A secondary purpose of this study was to determine the minimum number of days necessary to estimate mean physical activity levels, as both moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and steps per day, in fifth-grade students using objective physical activity monitors across two semesters. METHODS: Activity patterns were assessed during two school semesters, spring (N = 82 …

Faculty Role In Curriculum Delivery At An International Branch Campus, Edith Pfeifer List

Theses and Dissertations

Focusing on faculty and curriculum at international branch campuses (IBCs), this study uses a qualitative case study method to examine faculty role in and perception of curriculum delivery. Interviews and observations were conducted at a midwestern institution and it’s European IBC. The areas of investigation include faculty involvement in curricular decision making, modifications for curricular delivery at the course and program level, communication between campuses, perceived differences and similarities between campuses, and professional development opportunities through the institution. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the program-level curriculum and course decision-making and delivery at international branch campuses …

The Impact Of Mathematics, Science And Language Arts Writing To Learn Strategies On The Culture Of Learning In Primary And Secondary Students, Ronnie Tarchichi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to institute student growth and achievement in standardized test scores in the district with the use of writing to learn strategies. The objective of the study was to ensure growth and comfort for students with standardized testing and to train teachers to implement an approach to pedagogy (writing to learn strategies) centered on skills needed to increase standardized test scores. Using experimental research embodied in an action research design, five teachers were asked to take on different experimental and control groups of students in remediation periods known as either the twilight period (after …

The Power Of Performance: Using Songs And Poetry To Motivate English Language Learners To Read In A Third Grade Classroom, Dana Nelson Reilly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to find out more about what motivates students to read, and how they can experience success in reading. This study aimed to learn more about this topic by investigating how using poetry and songs during reading instruction in a third grade classroom would impact English Language Learners' attitude and motivation for reading. Data was collected through surveys, interviews, reading assessments, and observations, and I was able to determine how both the students' reading fluency and over reading achievement was effected by singing and reciting poetry. All students showed different levels of growth in the …

Background Knowledge: A Study Of The Effects Background Knowledge Has On Comprehension, Jacqueline Murtha

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers can never assume student come to their classrooms with background knowledge needed to contextually understand a book read in class. Students in low socioeconomic areas often do not have the experiences to build schema about certain topics. Field trips are one way to build students background and schema, however, they can be expensive. Teachers need to find multiple ways to build background knowledge prior to reading a book. This thesis explores the impact background knowledge has on students' reading comprehension.

How Does Reciprocal Teaching Scaffold Reading Comprehension Of Non-Fiction Text?, Mary Delaney-Beane

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted in a suburban fourth grade class in New Jersey. Its purpose was to examine how Reciprocal Teaching scaffolds comprehension when reading non-fiction text. Students were evaluated prior to the study. Teacher modeling preceded students' application of the strategies. Throughout the study, students were evaluated on whether they were using the four strategies, predicting, questioning, clarifying, summarizing, in a manner that made sense and was related to the text. Rubrics were used to evaluate each of the four strategies. Additional data came from the discussions among students while reading text together. Data analysis showed the use of …

An Exploration Of Close Reading Strategies And 3rd Grade Comprehension, Loretta Cecilia Houck

Theses and Dissertations

The research case study was conducted to explore how Close Reading Strategies support 3rd grade Basic Skills students' comprehension. The purposes of the study were to first determine if utilizing the rereading and text questioning strategies would support students' comprehension while reading complex texts. Secondly, to determine if annotating in the margins of the text would support comprehension as the students reflected on their thinking. The students were of varying abilities of below grade level readers and one student was an ELL below grade level and challenged by language meaning difficulty. The students were reading on an end first grade …

Reading With Choice Of Texts In The First Grade Classroom, Erine Lloyd

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how first grade students would respond to reading when provided with the opportunity to select their own texts to read. More specifically, I was curious to see if offering students choice of reading materials would engage them in reading, motivate them to want to read, and have an impact on reading growth. The first grade students' reading logs, reading response journals, reading attitude surveys, and interviews were analyzed. Offering students the opportunity to self-select their own texts to read transformed the literacy classroom. When choice was afforded to the learners, most students …

The Impact Of Blogs In The Classroom: A Qualitative Analysis Of Elementary Students Using Blogs To Respond To Texts, Jessica Bakan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how students in a fourth grade classroom used blogging when responding to texts. Students were required to write a blog post about the fictional text that they were currently reading. In the posts, I encouraged students to incorporate details and well-developed responses. Students were given freedom to write without a prompt to guide their responses. After the students wrote their initial posts, they had the freedom to read their classmates' entries and comment, developing an online community. Throughout this study, I have analyzed student engagement, motivation, writing skills, quality of responses, and …

A Qualitative Case Study Describing The Relationship Of Physical Activity And Classroom Behaviors Expectations For Elementary Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Steven Robert Wehrle

Theses and Dissertations

This case study examined the relationship of elementary age students' participation in a before-school physical activity program and their adherence to the behavioral expectations in the morning homeroom period. Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) demonstrate behaviors such as impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention. One theory that as to the cause of these behaviors is the lack of a synaptic connection in the Executive Functioning brain area, which is caused by the lack of dopamine and norepinephrine which increase during physical activity.

This case study was conducted using three student participants diagnosed with ADHD and their classroom teacher. Data collection …

Impact Of Mindset On Literacy: What Happens To Literacy Skills When A Growth Mindset Is Taught To First Graders, Katherine Saia

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the type of mindsets held by first graders and to determine what happens when they are exposed to ways to have a growth mindset. The goal is to see what happens when children use a growth mindset when asked to engage in challenging literacy activities. First graders were first evaluated using a mindset survey and reading levels were determined. Logic puzzles were given and timed to determine if work effort matched that of the mindset survey. Students showed a change in mindset and growth in reading abilities. Implications for future research are …

The Effects Of Text-To-Speech On Reading Comprehension Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Mary Cece Young

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I implemented the use of technology to investigate the effectiveness of text-to-speech (TTS) on the reading comprehension of students with learning disabilities (LD). In a freshman self-contained classroom, I used the classroom-based text and TTS on four participants during a 48-min English class period for 16 weeks. An A-B-A-B withdrawal design evaluated the effectiveness of TTS on reading comprehension, the dependent variable, measured through accuracy of participants’ responses to reading comprehension questions from curriculum-based measures (CBMs). Following intervention, I assessed maintenance of the effect of TTS on reading comprehension for 4 weeks. Additionally, I measured participants’ perspectives …

A Little Help From Our Friends: The Benefits And Challenges Of Mandatory Teacher Collaboration, Jesse Leahn Barrett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore secondary English teachers’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of professional learning communities (PLCs), with particular focus on what they considered to be characteristics of effective PLCs. Through a qualitative study in grounded theory using individual interviews among a subgroup of ten secondary English teachers, various factors distinguishing successful professional learning communities emerged. Examining what these teachers have learned from personal experience created a better understanding of what high schools can do to improve the effectiveness of teacher collaboration and, consequently, the academic success of high school students. The study determined that …

Identity Politics, State Standards, And On The Ground Realities: A Critical Policy Analysis Of Teaching/Learning Gender/Sexuality In A Virginia Elementary School, Stefanie Hudson

Theses and Dissertations

Even though America has seen an increase in the level of acceptance for people who identify as LGBTQ and/or gender non-conforming, certain aspects within society continue to hinder their rights, especially within public education. Specifically, there are insufficiencies regarding content of and attitudes toward including LGBTQ issues in teaching and leadership training programs. Add to that, the deficits in most Family Life Education (FLE) programs in elementary schools as they lack adequate coverage of developmentally appropriate teaching and learning about gender and sexuality. Taken together, it remains questionable whether the needs of LGBTQ and/or gender non-conforming children can truly be …

How Master Teachers Conceptualize Student Engagement: A Comparison Of Theoretical And Practitioner Perspectives, Andrew D. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past twenty years, an increasing amount of research has been devoted to the study of student engagement within the field of educational psychology. This led to a growing body of research touting the benefits of engaged learning—from increased student achievement to more positive school experiences for learners. However, the literature is characterized by competing theoretical frameworks and multiple definitions of the construct of student engagement. Additionally, few works seek to capitalized on the expertise of classroom teachers to hone and develop what is known about engagement from the theoretical perspective.

The current study used qualitative methodology to observe …

A Case Study Of Collaboration Between General Education Teachers And Special Education Teachers In A Southern Rural High School, Oassie Jean Daniels

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was framed around issues associated with the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom as these issues related to teacher collaboration. Specifically, the problem on which this study focused was that according to the principal at the research site, the general education teachers and special education teacher needed to collaborate more successfully in order to be more helpful to the students. The purpose of this case study was twofold. First, the researcher wished to determine how and to what extent collaboration practices occurred between general education teachers and special education teachers in a southern …

An Investigation Into The Self-Efficacy Of Jamaican Preservice Teachers For Working In Inclusive Classrooms, Sharon A. Anderson Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this applied dissertation was to examine changes in the self-efficacy of preservice teachers on completion of a special needs course and to determine whether there is a correlation between self-efficacy and several demographic variables. Studies conducted in several countries revealed that, despite participation in a special needs course, preservice teachers often expressed low levels of confidence for the inclusion of students with special needs in their general education classrooms. Because there is not much research in the Caribbean on this subject, this study sought to further explore this issue within a different cultural context. The case study, …

Evaluating The Attitudes Of Preservice Teachers Toward Multicultural Competence, Angela D. Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

Changes in the ethnicity of the student population across the nation necessitated a change in teacher education curricula. This explanatory, sequential, mixed-method study examined how a group of preservice teachers viewed the importance of multicultural competence before and after student teaching. Specifically, an evaluation of preservice teachers’ attitudes about their own multicultural preparedness was made prior to and after being given full responsibility for an ethnically diverse classroom.

The study employed quantitative and qualitative measures to assess preservice teachers’ levels of multicultural competence as well as their awareness of self-perceptions of multicultural competence that contribute to attitudes toward teaching an …

Using Differentiated Instructional Strategies To Improve Early Elementary Comprehension Skills, Deborah S. Cirincione

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide information to educators about teaching strategies used in the classroom. The researcher opened up a survey to Early Elementary Reading teachers so
they can provide their input in an anonymous manner so as to get as much information as possible so others can find this narrative, qualitative research useful in their careers. The writer researched scholarly and peer-reviewed journals, as well as, commonly used resources such as government websites to acquire and report recent practices of early elementary reading strategies used in classrooms. The study was of qualitative nature, and the survey was …

Pathways To A Brighter Future: Narratives Of Latino Students’ Perceptions At Community College, Columba Myra Gaytan-Morales

Theses and Dissertations

Helping Latino students into leadership roles begins with a college experience. Latino students are the largest and fastest growing student population within community colleges, yet they are less likely to graduate. Blame is often placed on minority students and their families for the students’ poor academic performance. Deficit thinking models have impacted this way of thinking and this adds to the variety of factors that prevent students’ from successfully completing a college degree. An analysis of nine Latino students’ college experiences was examined to determine the types of barriers that were evident. Critical Race Theory and Latino Critical Race narrative …

Invisible Students: A Case Study Of Friendless Students During The First Year Of Junior High, Rachel E. Neeley

Theses and Dissertations

This is a case study that investigates the experiences of eight friendless seventh grade students as they transition from elementary school to junior high. In an effort to examine the wide-range of experiences of friendless students, I explored and compared the experiences of students who have high social self efficacy and students who have low self-efficacy. Each student was interviewed two times and both interviews were analyzed using a priori codes of when and where students felt isolated and distressed. The interviews were also analyzed using an open coding method looking for emergent codes. The study highlights and illustrates what …

An Analysis Of Support For Elementary Engineering Education Offered In The Science Teacher Journal Science And Children, Tawnicia Meservy Stocking

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers use professional journals such as Science and Children for ideas to incorporate into their own teaching. As such the purpose of this study was to investigate the support offered for integrating engineering education into science instruction. The research methodology for this was a qualitative content analysis inferring categories based on the information presented. Twenty-three issues of the journal were read, spanning two and a half volume years. The categories that emerged were mentioning, implementing, and integrating. Deeper examples of integration were found to match the mapping and infusion strategies presented by the National Academy of Engineering and National Research …

Exploring Student Interaction And Reflection Through The Use Of Digital Backchannel Discussions, Heather J. Donnelly

Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative multicase study utilizing content analysis and qualitative coding techniques was conducted to explore the influence of the use of digital backchannels on student interaction and reflection during an in-class discussion. Data were collected from six front channel transcripts and twenty backchannel transcripts, which resulted from six backchannel discussions that were conducted in three different teacher education courses. Additional data were gathered from participant interviews of seven students who were enrolled in the participating courses. The outcome of the research indicates two main themes developed in regards to the influence of digital backchannels on student interactivity: (1) The content …