Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Hb1245: A Case Study Of The Process That Rescinded Nd's Nursing Education Requirements, Wanda Fisher Rose

Theses and Dissertations

A case study approach was used to examine House Bill1245 (HB1245, 2003) introduced by the ND Nurses Association (NDNA) in the 2003 58th ND Legislative Session. The purpose of this study was to trace the events and debates that rescinded the nursing education for entry-into-practice that existed since 1987. The study was designed to answer the following questions: (a) What events prompted the introduction of House Bill1245? (b) Who were the key actors during the legislative process? (c) What was the understanding ofHB1245 by nurses? (d) What factors influenced the outcome of HB1245? and, (e) Why did NDNA introduce HB1245? …

Implementation Of A Life-Skill Centered Token Economy: The Experience Of A Peer Teacher, Joseph Fredrick Bellak

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how a peer teacher implemented, evaluated, and modified a life-skill centered token economy (LSCTE) model. The LSCTE is a hybrid of various components of token economy models that I have researched and observed. It is a classroom management model designed to help students participate in various roles/jobs that prepare them for community involvement and employment by giving them simulated experiences within a micro-society in the classroom. A peer teacher volunteered to implement the LSCTE. The findings demonstrated the participant's success with teaching children responsibility and accountability. Some of the benefits of the model reported by the …

Case Study Of A Middle School Reader Attending A Separate Reading Class, Amy A. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the prevalence of separate reading classes in middle-level schools across the country, there is much debate about the effectiveness of these courses. Many researchers advocate content-area literacy or interdisciplinary teaming instead, claiming that students do not transfer the skills they learn in reading classes to other subjects. This qualitative case study of one middle school student is an intensive description of a biracial Navajo and Piute teenager who attended a separate reading class. The case study looked at three specific areas of the student's reading in regards to this class: comprehension, motivation, and perception. The student did not transfer …

Is Social Studies Being Taught?: A Study Of One District, Katie Sorensen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of social studies in elementary classrooms in a local school district. Status was determined by assessing the amount of instructional time that was devoted to social studies, its perceived importance in the curriculum, and challenges associated with teaching social studies. Three research questions were identified in order to examine the status of social studies in Apple School District (pseudonym): (1) To what degree is social studies being taught in the elementary grades one through five? (2) How important is social studies compared to other areas of the curriculum? (3) What …

Readers Theater: A Key To Fluency Development, Rachel Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents a multicase study that looked at the fluency development of three fourth grade readers of varying reading abilities. The participants were chosen based on two scores, their words correct per minute (WCPM) score and their Multidimensional Fluency Scale score (MFS). The three students participated in an eight-week intervention in which readers theaters were used for fluency instruction and practice. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used as the researcher observed the students during the literacy block of the day; interviewed the three participants three times; one-on-one, gathered self-report sheets that the participants filled out weekly; and recorded …

Teacher Efficacy In Relation To Mathematics Reform: A Look At A Collaborative Group Of Elementary Teachers, Kerri Lee Hundley

Theses and Dissertations

A number of recent efforts to improve mathematics instruction have focused on professional development activities designed to promote changes in teachers' practice that are consistent with the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM]. Since teacher beliefs can have a significant influence on what teachers do in their classroom, this study investigated the impact of an alternative form of professional teacher development designed to impact both general and personal teacher efficacy beliefs toward the use of Standards-based mathematics. A professional teacher development study group [PDSG] was formed that consisted of a facilitator/participant and six elementary teachers who …

Improving The Learning Approach Of College Freshmen And Future Teachers Through Curricular Intervention, Lynna Betty Shin

Theses and Dissertations

Students who exercise a deep approach to learning connect classroom content to real-life experiences. To help first-year students develop a deep approach to learning, Brigham Young University offers a program called Freshman Academy. Participants join a "learning community" based on their intended major. As part of this learning community, participants take recommended first-year courses together and engage in service-learning and problem-solving activities. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore changes in learning approach that followed participation in a Freshman Academy learning community for prospective elementary education majors. These changes were explored through a survey that asked students how …

Children's Literature In The Elementary Schools: Which Books Are Being Chosen For Literacy Instruction?, Shauna Rae Raby

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown the value of using children's literature for reading instruction. As teachers incorporate more children's literature into their programs, questions arise as to the choices they are making about which books to use for literacy instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of children's literature in two literacy activities, teacher read aloud and literature circles, in grade four through six classrooms in Central School District. Teachers from this group were asked to complete a survey for each children's literature book they used for teacher read aloud and literature circles during one school year. A …

Reading And Writing In Science: How Do The Reform Documents Attend To The Fundamental Sense Of Science Literacy?, Kimberly J. Frandsen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and describe fundamental literacy messages found within three major science reform documents: Science for all Americans: Project 2061 (AAAS, 1990), Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS, 1993), and the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996). A qualitative content analysis was performed in an effort to reveal any messages or statements supporting fundamental science literacy. Results from this study indicate that key science reform documents do in fact contain multiple messages supporting the fundamental sense of science literacy, however, the nature of these messages, the quantity, placement and presence of negative literacy statements may …

Understanding Brigham Young University's Technology Teacher Education Program's Sucess In Attracting And Retaining Female Students, Katrina M. Cox

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to attempt to understand why Brigham Young University Technology Teacher Education program has attracted and retained a high number of females. This was done through a self-created survey composed of four forced responses, distributed among the Winter 2006 semester students. Likert-scale questions were outlined according to the five theoretical influences on women in technology, as established by Welty and Puck (2001) and two of the three relationships of academia, as established by Haynie III (1999), as well as three free response questions regarding retention and attraction within the major. Findings suggested strong positive polarity …

Characteristics Of An Existing Third Grade Social Studies Curriculum And Students' Views On An Alternative Instructional Strategy, Stefanie R. Whitefield

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) explore Social Studies as it takes place in a third grade classroom at an elementary school in Southern New Jersey and (b) to implement a Social Studies unit using an alternative instructional strategy and determine whether this method is more favorable among students as compared to the traditional teaching method. The researcher observed the cooperating teacher delivering Social Studies lessons, took field notes, recorded her thoughts in a teacher research journal, interviewed four teachers, interviewed students in the cooperating classroom, and implemented a Social Studies unit using scripted plays as an alternative …

How Does Being Placed In A Special Education Setting Affect A Student's Self-Concept?, Kristin Fastiggi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the self-concept of classified and non-classified students. Twenty-four students, twelve classified and twelve non-classified, all from Gloucester County, were given the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The test consisted of ten statements related to overall feelings of self-worth or self-acceptance. The students were tested away from their peers and the test was administered by the researcher. Once the study had been carried out the scores were analyzed by the researcher. The non-classified group had an average score of 15.83 (a normal self-esteem is within the range of 15-25). The non-classified group had an average …

The Effects Of Using Children's Literature To Teach Positive Character Traits To Elementary Students, Christopher M. Dimakos

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this investigation were to determine (a) the effects of using children's literature to increase positive character traits in elementary students; and (b) how character education can be taught to elementary students through the use of children's literature. The researcher chose six character traits to be used throughout the study. Each week a variety of children's literature pertaining to that week's trait was read to the class. After readings, class discussions and role playing activities were held. Students were given a pre/post assessment to judge student learning of positive character traits throughout the study. The results of this …

Using Reinforcement And Self Management In Classrooms To Increase Motivation, Sherri Aitken

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study is to investigate the implementation of classroom management strategies in a Team Approach to Mastery (TAM) classroom which will include both regular and special education students. This research study will identify the most effective strategies in terms of ease of implementation, time, effort, generalization, reliance upon the system, and personal ratings. Small focus groups will also be conducted with the students in order to have a clearer view of student motivation and their likes or dislikes of the current system. A successful plan must be motivating and enjoyed by both students and teachers within the …

The Effect Of Positive Reinforcement On The Achievement Of 3rd Grade Students' Spelling, Leandra Pintel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of positive reinforcement in the form of rewards on the achievement of 3^rd grade students' end of the week post spelling test. The study was conducted on fourteen 3^rd grade students in a kindergarten through sixth grade school in southern New Jersey. The researcher collected the students' grades for four weeks during which positive reinforcements in the form of rewards were not used and the grades for four weeks during which the students received positive reinforcements in the form of rewards every time the student earned a grade …

Test Anxiety: Effects On Standardized Testing, Average Classroom Assessments, And Fourth Grade Students, Elysia J. Ochs

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of both standardized testing and average classroom assessments on the levels of test anxiety. The study was a correlation study. with a sample of 42 fourth grade students. The students came from four separate classrooms within the same elementary school. This study adapted Wren and Benson's (2004) Children's Test Anxiety Scale (CTAS). The subjects in this study were administered two identical questionnaires entitled, "How I Feel About Tests." The first CTAS was administered in the week following the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK). The second CTAS …

The Effects Of Critical Literacy According To Bloom's Taxonomy Cognition, Jennifer L. Virelli

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to accept the hypothesis that kindergarten students who were introduced to critical literacy lessons could learn and increase their higher level thinking skills according to Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognition than kindergarten students who were not instructed in critical literacy. The experimental group consisted of fifteen kindergarten students and the control group included eighteen kindergarten students. The demographics of the experimental classroom included seven Caucasian students, six African American students, and two Hispanic students. Five of the students received free lunch. The specific classroom in which the study was performed was a general education kindergarten …

The Effect Of A Constructivist Social Studies Unit On Student Attitudes Toward Social Studies, Kristi L. Arruzzo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a constructivist social studies unit on student attitudes towards social studies. It was hypothesized that students who experienced constructivist based social studies lessons would display a greater interest in social studies topics in the classroom than those who did not experience constructivist based social studies lessons. The subjects in this study were fifty, fourth grade students from a southern New Jersey school district. The study consisted of an experimental and a control group, both of which received a pre-test. While the control group received no difference in teaching style, …

The Impact Of The Resource Room On Peer Relationships, Jennifer Howells

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain if resource room attendance for classified students had an impact on social relationships with their non-classified, general education peers. Specifically, the study sought to establish trends in the following two areas: if resource room students were in fact less likely to be accepted by their general education peers, and the most likely reason why resource room peer non-acceptance would occur. Using student interviews, which consisted of a peer nomination rating, and a Teacher/Faculty Survey, which consisted of three open-ended items and one forced-choice item, data was collected. Using a chi-square analysis of …

A Correlational Study On How Reading Scores Are Affected By Complementing Learning And Teaching Styles In Multiple Kindergarten Settings, Leslie-Ann D. Monforto

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this correlational study were to (a) observe the learning styles of groups of kindergarten students and the teaching styles of their corresponding teachers; and (b) determine the effects that the matching of similar learning and teaching styles had on students' reading performances. It was hypothesized that students whose learning styles matched that of their teachers' teaching styles would do significantly better on their reading scores than those students whose learning styles did not match that of their teachers' teaching styles. Teacher and students were assessed using an adaptation of Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Test to determine their …

The Impact Of Positive Reinforcement And Self-Recording On The On-Task Behavior Of Third Grade Students, Shannon L. Bishop

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of positive reinforcement and self-recording on the on-task behavior of third grade students. It was hypothesized that third grade students, within a learning community, who employ self-recording strategies and experience positive reinforcement rewards will be on-task a significantly longer length of time than third grade students who do not utilize those strategies. The study consisted of an experimental and a control group. Both groups were observed to determine baseline data. The experimental group was then asked to record their own on-task behavior and received rewards for being on-task a high …

The Effectiveness Of Non-Traditional Vocabulary Instruction In A Second-Grade Inclusion Classroom, Stephanie Marie Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental study was to determine if non-traditional vocabulary instruction would significantly raise the scores of second-grade students in an inclusion classroom compared to second-grade students whom were taught vocabulary words in a traditional manner. Students were tested in matching vocabulary words to definitions as well as using vocabulary words in a meaningful context. Analysis of the data obtained from the pretest and posttest scores showed that while students in both settings improved in their performances, students who were taught vocabulary words in a non-traditional way, scored slightly higher. Further analysis was conducted to portray that this …

How Critical Is Fluency For The Struggling Reader?, Lisa Dilts

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study is to look at the importance of fluency to the struggling reader. The research sets out to look for answers to the following questions: How critical is fluency for the struggling reader? What effect does fluency have on the reading experience? What strategies work to improve fluency? The research was conducted on three struggling fifth grade readers, all with different ability levels. One student is placed in a self-contained special education class, one student goes to the resource room for literacy, and one student receives help from the basic skills teacher. Students were …

What Happens When A Fifth Grade Class Takes An Inquiry Stance Into Their Own Wellness Through A Critical Literacy Lens?, Casey Shalhoub

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to teach wellness to students in a fifth grade class using inquiry and critical literacy books. I taught lessons that incorporate the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Health to find out how this knowledge affected the students' lives. I worked with twenty-four students in a fifth grade class for a sixteen week period during my student teaching. I used a student questionnaire to gather information and also analyzed the student participation during lessons and responses to what was taught. I found that through the teaching of wellness through inquiry and critical literacy …

Partnering In Practice: A Look At Collaborative Student Teaching, Cynthia J. Horrocks

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the experience of two student teachers as they partnered during their student teaching assignment. The relationship which developed between the pair was critical to the success of their experience and allowed them to enjoy several benefits of paired student teaching as well as overcome potential stumbling blocks. The successful experience described in this study demonstrates that paired student teaching can be an effective alternative to traditional student teaching.

Anti-Bullying Laws And Policies In Southern New Jersey, Joanna M. Wardrop

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover the anti-bullying laws set by New Jersey legislatures. It was also to discover whether school districts in the five southern-most counties of New Jersey are following these laws. Finally, this study attempted to discover which, if any, anti-bullying services are being utilized by school districts in these counties.

This study consisted of a survey which was sent to the 110 superintendents in school districts in the five southern-most counties of New Jersey. The survey contained multiple choice, yes/no, and open-ended questions. The goal of the survey was to find the percentages of …

The Prevalence And Function Of Mathematics Specialists Across Southern New Jersey, Susan M. Eith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine current practices regarding math specialists in the eight southern counties of New Jersey. Additionally, information on training opportunities offered by several universities was presented and compared to the certification requirements of other states. A written survey was mailed to a proportional stratified random sample (n=45), categorized by county and socioeconomic status. Both simple percentages and tests of significance (t-test and chi-squared) were used in analyzing the data. This study found there were no significant differences in the number of math specialists working in economically disadvantaged districts compared to other, more affluent …

Computer Use And Integration Of Elementary School Teachers, Samuel L. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The problem in this study asks: Could it be that teachers who have high frequency of computer use in the classroom have recognizable characteristics than teachers who have a low frequency of computer use in the classroom?

A data collection instrument was develop and distributed to 23 classroom teachers at H. B. Wilson Elementary School in Camden, New Jersey. The 47 questions on the survey assessed computer knowledge and uses in the classroom, and a score was given to each category. Some of recognizable characteristics of teachers who had high frequency of computer use in the classroom were the fact …