Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Teacher And Coach Perspectives Regarding The Role Of Preschool Literacy Coaches In Developing Preschool Teachers’ Literacy Pedagogy, Marilyn Grigsby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAccording to the National Assessment of Education Progress, students in one state in the midwestern United States showed little change in reading scores despite the use of literacy coaches. The problem of focus in this study was inadequate primary students’ reading achievement in the focus state. Bandura’s social learning theory was used in this basic qualitative study to increase understanding regarding the perspectives of five preschool literacy coaches and five teachers regarding the role of preschool literacy coaches in developing teachers’ literacy pedagogy. The research questions focused on how preschool teachers and preschool literacy coaches each described the role of …

Experiences Of Teachers Using Student-Centered Approaches In China, Raven Roytblat

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Schoolteachers in China are required by the government to transition from teacher-centered to student-centered instruction. Researchers have shown the challenges of and successes in implementing the instructional changes; however, a gap exists surrounding the challenges and successes of reforms from the perspective of teachers. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to better understand the experiences of Chinese schoolteachers as the system of education in China transitions from teacher-centered to student-centered classroom instruction. The conceptual framework for this study included Schön’s concept of the reflective practitioner and Liu and Hallinger and Knapp et al.’s work on the role of …

Elementary Teachers’ Perspectives Of Direct Instruction With More Rigorous Mathematics Standards, Sharon Denise Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMajestic County Schools (pseudonym), a large southeastern school district, has implemented changes in instruction to align with more rigorous state and national mathematics standards. The rigor of the new standards has led to changes in instruction to help students master the standards with evidence from the state-wide standardized test. Although the district has made curricular changes, over one-third of the students in Grades 3-5 at Flint Elementary are not mastering grade-level standards. This basic qualitative study focuses on one elementary school within the district. The purpose was to understand how teachers implement direct instruction (DI) strategies in the classroom to …

Kindergarten Teachers' Perspectives On School Readiness In Children Who Attended Military Installation Childcare Centers, Juliana Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited literature exists on the effectiveness of prekindergarten programs located on military installations in the United States. The children who attend these programs may not receive school readiness preparation equivalent to that received by their peers who attend community-based prekindergarten programs, which follow different guidelines. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the kindergarten readiness of children who attended preschool on military installations as described by teachers in community-based kindergarten classrooms. Pianta's work on school readiness formed the conceptual framework of this basic qualitative study. The research question addressed how kindergarten teachers describe school readiness in children …

Elementary School Teachers' Perspectives Of Instructional Strategies To Enhance Reading For African American Male Students, Nakita Annette Foreman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some state mandated tests showed that many African American male students are not proficient readers. Teachers need to understand how to implement instructional strategies that will help enhance African American male students to read proficiently. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary school teachers’ perspectives of instructional strategies to enhance reading for African American male students in second through fifth grades. The conceptual framework for this study consisted of Ladson-Billing’s culturally responsive teaching and the theory of social constructivism. The focus of the research questions explored elementary school teachers’ perspectives of instructional strategies they use to …

The Cooperating Teacher’S Role Within The Context Of A Coteaching Clinical Practice Model, Brandi Marie Seither

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The School of Education at Walter Baxter College (WBC; a pseudonym), a private, 4-year, liberal arts college located in the Midwestern United States, has not integrated role conceptualization training for cooperating teachers who have partnered within a yearlong, coteaching clinical practice model. The problem was that cooperating teachers have demonstrated inconsistencies in providing mentorship as part of the coteaching model. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to provide information on how to support cooperating elementary education teachers in effectively understanding and executing their roles as mentors to teacher candidates when partnering within a coteaching clinical practice model. Two …

Life Experiences Of Head Start Teachers In A Midwestern Region Pursuing Higher Education, Jeanette O. Keyes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe 2007 Head Start Reauthorization Act mandated that all Head Start teachers have at least an associate degree and 50% of teachers within each Head Start program should have a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education. The problem addressed in this study was that Head Start teachers from a Midwestern region encountered barriers as they pursued higher education to meet mandated requirements to continue employment. The purpose of this study was to explore the life experiences, barriers, coping strategies and views of support needed by Head Start teachers who were completing their degrees. Tinto’s academic and social integration model and …

Links Between Screen Tim, Montessori Preschool Exposure, And Working Memory, Paula Lyn Larsen Mamani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A high-quality, foundational education offers lifelong benefits for young children. The problem is that working memory in pre-school-aged children is declining and could be impaired by the extraneous cognitive load imposed during engagement with screen media apps and/or preschool programs. Although the pedagogical practices associated with Montessori preschool programs have been found supportive of cognitive load germane to learning and improved working memory, they have not been fully considered in relation to preschoolers' screen media use. The cognitive load created by screen media apps could affect their usefulness as learning tools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to discover …

Links Between Screen Time, Montessori Preschool Exposure, And Working Memory, Paula Lyn Larsen Mamani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A high-quality, foundational education offers lifelong benefits for young children. The problem is that working memory in pre-school-aged children is declining and could be impaired by the extraneous cognitive load imposed during engagement with screen media apps and/or preschool programs. Although the pedagogical practices associated with Montessori preschool programs have been found supportive of cognitive load germane to learning and improved working memory, they have not been fully considered in relation to preschoolers' screen media use. The cognitive load created by screen media apps could affect their usefulness as learning tools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to discover …

Early Childhood Educators’ Perspectives On Executive Function Of Children In Poverty, Randi Dezaray Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 20% of children living in the United States are growing up in poverty. Children experiencing poverty, especially during early childhood, are more vulnerable to the negative effects of socioeconomic disadvantage, such as difficulties in cognitive development, social-emotional growth, and educational outcomes. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand prekindergarten and kindergarten teacher perspectives on their ability and self-efficacy in supporting children living in high poverty areas who demonstrate poor executive function. The conceptual framework for this study was Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy. Data were collected through interviews with 11 prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers working in Title …

Tech-Savvy Educators’ Perceptions Of Using Smartphones For Self-Directed Professional Development, Matinga E. Ragatz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The proliferation of the smartphone has encouraged educators, particularly the tech savvy, to seek personalized learning options in lieu of the absence of individualized professional development (PD) offerings provided by their academic institutions that are not based on short-term whole group instruction. Although smartphone use has attracted the attention of researchers, not much has been examined about how educators use the device to enhance their learning. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions of tech-savvy educators regarding smartphone use for informal self-directed PD. The conceptual framework of the study was the 3 x 3 model …

Early Childhood Directors’ Perspectives Regarding Barriers To Childcare Quality Improvement, Charlotte Richards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood childcare program directors face barriers that impede program quality, but there is a lack of research exploring these barriers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore perspectives of early childhood childcare center directors regarding barriers they encounter as they attempt to implement quality improvements to rate at the highest, 3-star level in the state quality rating and improvement system (QRIS). This study was grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, which notes the influence of environmental systems on the development of young children. The research question explored the perspectives of early childhood childcare center directors’ regarding …

Links Between Screen Tim, Montessori Preschool Exposure, And Working Memory, Paula Lyn Larsen Mamani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A high-quality, foundational education offers lifelong benefits for young children. The problem is that working memory in pre-school-aged children is declining and could be impaired by the extraneous cognitive load imposed during engagement with screen media apps and/or preschool programs. Although the pedagogical practices associated with Montessori preschool programs have been found supportive of cognitive load germane to learning and improved working memory, they have not been fully considered in relation to preschoolers' screen media use. The cognitive load created by screen media apps could affect their usefulness as learning tools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to discover …

Early Hearing Screening Policy And Deaf Children’S Language Acquisition, Marla Hatrak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The federal Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act (EHDI) guarantees medical and communication interventions for deaf children and audiological, medical, and language intervention data collection. However, the policy and its implementation have not been analyzed in regard to policy goal attainment of deaf children’s language acquisition. A qualitative case study was conducted to analyze seven federal- and state-level early hearing screening policy websites and implementation and intermediary documents to assess the federal and state policy formation and implementation of EHDI. In addition to the document assessment, data were collected from interviews to obtain the perspectives of two early childhood educational …

Second- And Third-Grade Educators’ Perspectives On Technology Integration And Implementation In Early Childhood Literacy Classrooms, Renee Kenny

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that educators integrate technology based on their perspectives. Despite the increased expectation for educators to integrate technology into the daily academic environment, there has not been a significant improvement in outcomes in the critical area of literacy. In this basic qualitative study, the research questions were designed to explore second- and third-grade educators’ perspectives on the challenges they face when integrating technology and how technology implementation influences literacy outcomes. A total of eight purposefully selected participants, educators who had taught second or third grade within the last 3 years with 2 to 3 years of experience teaching …

Rural Title I School Teachers' And Parents' Perspectives On Parent Involvement At Home During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Delceina Anita Layne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractParent involvement has a positive influence on academic performance of students. However, the level and experiences of parent involvement in rural Title I schools serving kindergarten through third (K-3) grade students during the COVID-19 pandemic was unknown. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore early childhood teachers’ and parents’ perspectives on parent involvement in the home during the COVID-19 pandemic for two rural Title I schools serving K-3 students in the southern United States. Bronfenbrenner's bioecological systems theory of human development and two of Epstein's six types of parent involvement (communication, learning at home) framed this study. …

Prekindergarten Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Kindergarten Readiness And Challenges To Readiness Achievement, Felicia Nicole Chapman Farr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe problem that was the focus of this study is that only half of the students entering kindergarten in the United States are considered kindergarten ready. This problem is important because children who are successful in kindergarten are more likely to continue to be successful in elementary school. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of prekindergarten teachers regarding lack of kindergarten readiness in students who completed a district-approved prekindergarten program and the challenges the teachers believe affected the level of kindergarten readiness. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the need for …

Leadership Experiences With Organizational Infrastructure In Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs, Latia Greer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of buy-in is a critical factor when initiating organizational change. Although changes are necessary for growth and sustainability, leadership can be met with resistance. Early childhood mental health consultation is a solution-focused intervention to support early childcare providers and educators to improve child outcomes. The implementation of the program requires a well-defined operational model to have greater effectiveness and efficiency. The present case study explored the leadership experience of buy-in to change during the implementation of an early childhood mental health consultation school-based program in a nonprofit organization in the Midwest region of the United States. The Baldrige Excellence …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Factors Affecting Racial Minority Students’ Reading And Language Arts Performance, Dominique Heyward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem was the low reading level and language arts performance of Hispanic American and African American elementary school students, compared to European American students. The problem was addressed because it affects students’ academic achievement and overall education as they progress further in school. Teachers, administrators, and district leaders will benefit from this study as it provides an insight on what could be changed to alleviate the problem. The purpose of this study was understanding teachers’ perceptions regarding factors that may be influencing African American and Hispanic American students’ low reading and language arts performance and the effectiveness of current …

The Impact Of Instructor Workload On The Use Of Written Corrective Feedback, Juanita Hutchison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The personal and professional feedback instructors provide impact of their workload. Moore’s theory of transactional distance was the theoretical foundation for this study. The purpose of this study to is to examine whether number of students, number of classes, and years of online teaching experience determine what written corrective feedback types (direct and indirect feedback) instructors use. There was a gap in literature concerning number of students, number of classes, and years of online teaching experience among university instructors. The questionnaire along with demographics were distributed to 40 university instructors who were members of an accredited university. The findings determined …

Teacher And Parent Perception Of A Middle School After School Tutoring Program, Latisha Monique Jones-Russell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Education

This is to certify that the doctoral study by

Latisha Jones-Russell

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,

and that any and all revisions required by

the review committee have been made.

Review Committee

Dr. Mary Lou Morton, Committee Chairperson, Education Faculty

Dr. Antoinette Myers, Committee Member, Education Faculty

Dr. Marcia Griffiths, University Reviewer, Education Faculty

Chief Academic Officer and Provost

Sue Subocz, Ph.D.

Walden University

2022Abstract The problem in the 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) afterschool program was that 40% of the students enrolled performed below the proficiency level …

Early Childhood Teachers’ Perspectives Of Job-Related Stressors And Decisions To Remain In Or Leave The Profession, Michelle Mertic

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood teachers are leaving the profession at high rates, citing job-related stress as the reason for their departure. These vacancies have a detrimental effect on the children enrolled in these programs and their future school readiness. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore early childhood teachers’ perspectives of job-related stressors and how those stressors impact their decisions to remain in or leave the teaching profession. The conceptual framework used in the study was the coping-competence-context theory of teacher stress. The research questions addressed early childhood teachers’ perspectives of job-related stressors and how those stressors impacted teachers’ decisions …

Early Childhood Teachers' Perspectives Of Their Relationships With Students With Emotional Behavioral Disorders, Tyesha Greene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

General education early childhood (EC) teachers may find it challenging to build positive teacher-student relationships (TSRs) with students with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD). There is a gap in practice regarding general education EC teachers’ TSRs with students with EBD and the support they need when teaching these students. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of general education EC teachers regarding their TSRs and the support they need when teaching students with EBD. The conceptual framework was Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory of human development. Participants were nine general education EC teachers who were currently …

Using Reflection To Promote Success In Community College Mathematics, Sherilin Ruth Heise

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community college mathematics faculty have instituted changes to address inadequate preparation of incoming students to learn college-level mathematics. However, they could do more to develop student cognitive capabilities to enable underprepared students to successfully learn college mathematics. This basic qualitative study examined the perceptions of community college mathematics instructors who made their classrooms more reflective, including using reflection as an instruction activity for students entering college underprepared to learn college-level mathematics. The conceptual framework consisted of Baxter Magolda’s epistemological reflection model of college student development and Schoenfeld’s theoretical model for teaching mathematics. Open coding of interviews with 10 community college …

Nigerian Teachers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Integrating Literacy Strategies Into Science Instruction, Joy Oghogho Isa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading problems among students in Nigeria prompted the implementation of a literacy across the curriculum initiative in a cluster of schools within a district, where all teachers were required to integrate literacy strategies into their lessons. The problem investigated in this study was that the teachers’ instruction of science at Beta Schools had not produced the expected results with respect to integrating literacy strategies into the science lessons. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the teachers experiences and perceptions of literacy integration in science lessons. Grounded in the content area literacy conceptual framework, the research questions …

How Teachers Learn About Using Teacher-Student Relationships In Urban Schools, Cheryl Krapohl

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The teacher-student relationship (TSR) is an important component of instruction that can lead to improved student outcomes, especially in urban schools. Researchers have suggested that instruction in using TSRs is lacking in teacher preparation programs, but there are limited studies examining this claim. The problem addressed in this study is the perceived lack of instruction in using positive TSRs provided by teacher preparation programs. Using Gay’s theory of culturally responsive teaching and Milner’s concept of relationship-centered teaching as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ viewpoints about the instruction received in innovative methods …

Barriers To Technology Integration Perceived By Kindergarten Through Second-Grade Teachers, Jessica Levine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem exists in southeastern United States where technology integration is limited in classrooms. Although researchers have found benefits for integrating technology, it was unknown why teachers were not integrating technology into instruction. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of teachers of kindergarten through second-grade students about the barriers for integrating technology into instruction and the support needed to effectively integrate technology. There have been studies about the barriers to technology integration experienced by teachers; however, it was uncertain what these barriers were for kindergarten through second-grade teachers. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory was the conceptual …

Perspectives Of Kindergarten Through Second Grade Teachers Regarding Methods To Promote Student Engagement In Learning, Laura O'Hayer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this basic qualitative study was low levels of engagement in learning exhibited by kindergarten through second (K-2) grade students in rural schools located in the southern region of the United States. The purpose of this study was to explore how K-2 teachers promoted student engagement in learning. The conceptual framework combined constructivist theory and the attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) model. Two research questions guided exploration of how teachers incorporated active instructional practices and provided frameworks for learning; and how teachers incorporated questioning strategies, hands on learning activities, and problem solving exercises. Data were collected …

How Teachers Promote Academic Success Of Primary Grade Students In Rural Schools By Supporting Their Resilience, Miranda Kay Teston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low levels of academic success for primary grade students attending rural schools located in the southern region of the United States may be related to student resilience. Researchers have found that educators can support the development of students’ resilience, which can result in improved academic success, but little is known about how teachers in rural schools promote their students’ academic success by supporting the development of their resilience. Guided by a conceptual framework that combined ecological systems theory with resilience theory, this basic qualitative study explored how rural-school teachers promoted the academic success of primary grade students by supporting the …

Bmi Screening Tool To Identify Elementary School Children At Risk For Obesity, Talia S. Thompson-Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a public health epidemic and is as relevant in the pediatric population as it is in adults. The purpose of this DNP project was to develop a clinical practice guideline (CPG) that would use existing evidence to support the development of body mass index (BMI) screening in primary schools for the early detection of childhood obesity. Globally, more than 41 million children were obese or overweight by 2018. Due to incidence rates, developing an effective strategy to address childhood obesity is critical. The practice-focused question asked whether the evidence supported the development of a CPG for implementing BMI …