Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Teachers' Perspectives And Suggestions For Improving Teacher Education To Facilitate Student Learning, Dina Linkenhoker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to give teachers a voice to express their self-efficacy beliefs, their opinions about the content and the effectiveness of their teacher preparation programs to facilitate student learning, and to hear their suggestions for improving teacher education to enable future educators to achieve that goal. The advent of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 2002, referred to as No Child Left Behind, has reframed the debate on teacher quality. Across the board, from scholars to government officials to private foundations, there is a call for reform of schools of …

Using Wikis To Promote Reflective Teaching And Collaboration Among Higher Education Institutions, Susan Griebling, Helene Harte, Karin Dyke, Lisa Bauer

Journal of Excellence in College Teaching and Learning

The purpose of this article is to describe how teacher educators from different higher education institutions used Web 2.0 technology to facilitate collaboration in a small pedagogy group. Faculty from three different institutions participated in monthly face-to-face group meetings. They used technology to facilitate reflection on practice and scholarship. In addition, they were engaged in interactive journaling and collaborative writing activities. Wikis provided useful supports, and enhanced their learning. The group used a hybrid format that allowed increased opportunities to meet group and individual goals and extend benefits to students. Some themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of reflections in …

Member Perceptions Of Informal Science Institutions Graduate Certificate Program: Case Study Of A Community Of Practice, Lois A. Ball

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This research attempted to understand the experiences of a cohort of informal and formal science educators and informal science institution (ISI) community representatives during and after completion of a pilot graduate certificate program. Informal science educators (ISEs) find limited opportunities for professional development and support which influence their contributions to America's science literacy and school science education. This emergent design nested case study described how an innovative program provided professional development and enabled growth in participants' abilities to contribute to science literacy. Data were collected through interviews, participant observations, and class artifacts. The program by design and constituency was …

Amy Leh Tssa Winter 2012, Amy Leh

Teaching Skills Study Awards (TSSA) Reports

Enhances faculty's teaching by attending a conference devoted to university teaching, a high-impact practice, evidence-based practice or a newly developing teaching practice.

An Examination Of Self-Directed Learning Readiness In Executive-Level Fire Officers, Steven G. Knight

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-directed learning readiness in executive fire officers in relation to the independent variables of personality type, educational attainment, and professional designation. This research utilized a quantitative design.

This study utilized the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) with a sample of 250 professional firefighters. The total sample was divided equally between executive-level fire officers and firefighters at 125 each from professional departments in the Southeastern United States. Results were that the mean SDLRS score for the executive-level fire officers was 233.7 and significantly higher than the …

Navigating The Changing Face Of Beginning Reading Instruction: Am I Right Back Where I Started?, Deanna M. Perry

Theses and Dissertations

This self-study explores my experience as a beginning reading teacher over a span of more than 30 years. It includes a brief look at theoretical models of reading and philosophical movements that impacted my experience as a classroom teacher and then lays my classroom experience and practice against the literature and historical background related to beginning reading instruction. The question studied is "How did the district-mandated curriculum in each era shape me as a literacy teacher and literacy instruction in my school context?" The purpose of the study is to unearth the impact of educational policies on my classroom practice. …

Preparing Middle Grades Teachers To Use Drawn Models For Developing Arithmetic With Rational Numbers, Andrew Izsak, Erik Jacobson

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

We will report on-going efforts to design a research-based content and methods course for future middle grades teachers focused on numbers and operations. A main theme of the course is to solve problems using drawn models and to develop general numeric methods. Attendees will work on activities used in the course that elicit difficulties future teachers experience with this content.

The Need To Teach Civility In Ece Classrooms, Michael Borders, Donna Borders

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

Methods for the teaching of civility to teacher education candidates—the why, what and how—are premised on the current societal need to emphasize altruistic behaviors. Survey results from 120 teacher candidates and 120 clinical supervisors within an eight- county Georgia area will be exhibited along with research literature reviews, lesson plans, and pre- and post-test data analyses.

Redesigning And Undergraduate Engineering Course, Elise Barrella

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

The presentation will consist of two parts: (1) description of the introductory engineering course and the experience of using a backwards design approach to create a more learner-centered and active course and (2) group discussion of simple, successful techniques for creating a more learner-centered course. The course was redesigned as part of a preparatory teaching program for graduate students.

A Medley Of Successful Active-Learning Methods, Sarah Formica

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

This workshop will present a medley of active-learning methods that have been implemented successfully in physics courses. The participants will engage in methods that include Just-in-Time Teaching, clicker questions, whiteboard activities, and virtual experiments. The workshop goal is to show how these active-learning methods can be applied in a STEM classroom to increase students’ conceptual understanding and problem solving skills.

Session D-2: Including World Religions In World History, Christian D. Nokkentved

Professional Learning Day

The major religions of the world are fascinating and belong in world history curricula, but can be challenging; especially if students are to be given the opportunity to read in the scriptures of diverse religions. This presentation will provide participants with a structure and suggested resources for setting up learning experiences that will facilitate student discussion of basic texts.

Session E-1: Self-Paced Proficiency Based Physics – Updates And Extensions, Brooke Schmidt, Eric Hawker

Professional Learning Day

This presentation will cover how a typical introductory physics course has been transformed into one that is self-paced and proficiency graded. The changes were made so that each student would be challenged at his/her level and therefore be more engaged in the course. This structure allows the teacher to individualize instruction of the students. The presentation will also cover adjustments that were made to this model based on student feedback and experiences. The model used to make this course self-paced and proficiency graded should be transferable to other courses.

Session E-5: Anatomy Of A Learning Network, Tracy Miller

Professional Learning Day

In recent news articles, debates have challenged the quality of online classes vs. face-to-face. Participants will “storyboard” an online experience based off a typical classroom lesson and discover if they can create their own online extension activity. Get ready to work your creativity muscle in hopes of navigating the online frontier. March 2^nd, be part of a learning network! If you liked “Putting the ‘e’ in Learning” from last year, consider this your next step.

Session C-1: The U .S. Civil War: Global Perspectives, Steven Buenning

Professional Learning Day

In Lincoln’s words, the Civil War would preserve the United States as “the last, best hope of earth”. A crucial turning point in U.S. history, the Civil War, was also an important global event. Viewed from broader economic, political, cultural, and social perspectives, the causes and consequences of the Civil War resonated worldwide. By using recent scholarship, this session will provide a context for helping students understand the place of the Civil War in global history. An original, document-based question will be presented, along with teaching methods developed by an AP history exam reader.

Session C-2: Social Media And Crowdsourcing For Educators, Shawn Mccusker

Professional Learning Day

What if you had the ability to brainstorm with the best educators from around the country, sharing ideas, materials and strategies to create the best lessons possible? This is a reality. Using social media like Twitter and various web technology, teachers from all fields are generating peer reviewed and "crowd-sourced" resources that are available for free online. This process has recently been featured in the New York Times and the Washington Post as the leading edge in educational professional development. Most importantly it will save you time. Find the best resources faster and have more time for student instruction. Learn …

Session D-6: Teaching Modern Physics, Peter Dong

Professional Learning Day

Modern physics is an excellent way to get students interested in physics – the “weirdness” of relativity and quantum mechanics captures the imagination. This presentation discusses how to teach the subject in a way that encourages this interest. This year’s session will focus on teaching quantum mechanics in a way that is interesting to students and avoids common misconceptions.

Session D-3: Discrete Mathematics: A Great Curriculum Connector, Donald Porzio

Professional Learning Day

Many topics that fall under the umbrella of Discrete Mathematics cut across the traditional high school curriculum areas of algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus. Come try some classroom-ready hands-on Discrete Mathematics activities that illustrate the true interconnectedness of mathematics.

Session B-1: The Prize: Teaching Early Illinois History To Secondary School Students, Claiborne A. Skinner Jr.

Professional Learning Day

This presentation will outline ways in which Illinois can be placed at the center of the story of colonial America and the events which triggered the Revolutionary War. The discussion will be accompanied by a bibliography of relevant secondary readings for instructors, lists of public domain primary sources for students, websites where these can be obtained, lists of Illinois historical sites connected to these materials, and suggestions as to how to interpret these sites for students.

Session B-2: Docsteach – An Online Tool For Teaching With National Archives Documents, Kristina Maldre

Professional Learning Day

The latest National Archives web site, DOCSTEACH, invites teachers to explore thousands of documents in a variety of media from the National Archives holdings – items such as George Washington’s draft of the Constitution, photographs capturing WPA and Civil Rights activities across the country, and Ronald Reagan’s “Evil Empire” speech. This session will provide educators with an overview of DOCSTEACH and help prepare them to create and use primary-source based, interactive learning activities with their students.

Session C-1: What Goes Up Must Come Down – Are All Parachutes Created Equal, Mary Lou Lipscomb, Elizabeth Martinez

Professional Learning Day

Participants engage in a guided inquiry: making a parachute and investigating its falling behavior; then develop a list of questions about the behaviors and determine which are testable. Next, small groups each choose one question to test and do so. Finally participants reflect on the process skills used. Although designed as a professional development activity, the lesson may be used with students to focus on testable questions or process skills necessary for scientific investigation.

Session C-2: Putting The “E” In Learning, Tracy Miller

Professional Learning Day

Find out about web resources you can use with your class. Think creatively in designing an interactive environment to help foster collaborative teamwork. Wikis, blogs and electronic portfolios: what it all means, and how to meet students’ learning objectives.

Session A-1: Environmental Chemistry – Chemistry In Context, Branson Lawrence

Professional Learning Day

The use of the ACS curriculum combined with group and individual projects to teach entry level chemistry through the context of environmental chemistry.

Session A-1: The Cuban Missile Crisis: Understanding The Impact Of Personality On Leadership, Lee Eysturlid

Professional Learning Day

This session will explore the impact of the various types of personalities that were involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis. These differences had a direct impact on the way each leader reacted to the stresses and demands of the crisis as well as their own political objectives. Attendees will come away with an immediately teachable topic on world leadership and the Cuban Crisis as an event.

Session A-2: Leaders In World History: Role Play And Essay Writing, Steven Buenning

Professional Learning Day

Costumed students role-play world leaders in a classroom-tested simulation. This extended exercise builds skills in critical thinking, research, essay writing, oral communication, small group interaction and technological application. In the process, students develop their own ideas about the characteristics of a good leader.

Development Of A Measure Assessing Knowledge And Use Of Internal Punctuation To Signal Syntactic Relationships, Pamela S. Van Horn Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A literary debate has been ongoing from the early 1900s regarding not only the place of grammar instruction in the classroom but even of the veracity of a grammatical standard, such as Standard American English, by which grammar skills may be measured. Very little empirical research has been attempted to compare the effectiveness of teaching methods because grammar assessment has been given even less attention. Therefore, to address this gap in the literature and to explore whether objective testing is suitable for assessing grammar skills, a 51-item measure was constructed to test the use of internal punctuation (commas, semicolons, and …

Helping Primary School Teachers In The Mountainous Valley Of Chitral Pakistan To Enhance Students’ Learning Through Questioning, Mohammad Khan

Professional Development Centre, Chitral

This paper highlights efforts being made to help two primary school teachers introduce questioning as a teaching strategy to maximize learning capacity of their students. Findings of the study indicate that provision of constant technical support is essential in getting the teachers conceptualized and internalized the importance, types and techniques of effective classroom questioning. It further indicates positive changes in the classroom practices of the research participants, as they started planning and executing more interactive lessons through incorporating questions of various levels for the learners. Change in teachers’ attitude towards questioning was also visible. They started believing that questioning is …

Spring 2012 E-Certi Newsletter, Center For Educational Research And Teaching Innovation

CAFE Faculty Newsletters

Hello S&T instructors! It’s definitely Spring outside and that means another semester is winding to a close. In this issue, we’re sharing about the new eStudio and what it can do, how to apply for mini-grant funding for educational research, and a tool for helping students read for understanding. Additionally, enjoy an article about Reza Zoughi sharing what he likes to do best.

Obstacles To Addressing Race And Ethnicity In The Mathematics Education Literature, Amy Noelle Parks, Mardi Schmeichel

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This Research Commentary builds on a 2-stage literature review to argue that there are 4 obstacles to making a sociopolitical turn in mathematics education that would allow researchers to talk about race and ethnicity in ways that take both identity and power seriously. The obstacles discussed are (a) the marginalization of discussions of race and ethnicity; (b) the reiteration of race and ethnicity as independent variables; (c) absence of race and ethnicity from mathematics education research; and (d) the minimizing of discussions of race and ethnicity, even within equity-oriented work.

Is It The Way To Teach Language The Way We Teach Language? English Language Teaching In Rural Pakistan, Ali Nawab

Professional Development Centre, Chitral

With the growing importance and need of English language in the global context, efforts are being made in the developing context to improve the quality of teaching English with the assumption that teaching of English facilitates the acquisition of English Language. What is Pakistani teachers approach to the teaching of English language and does the way they teach English facilitate the language acquisition? The current study explores this question at secondary level in the context of Chitral, a remote district of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province Pakistan. The researcher visited the randomly selected secondary schools and consulted English teachers interviewing them and …

An Analysis Of Factors Expected To Impact Student End-Of-Course Grades In Introductory College Science Classes, Kimberly Shaw, Pinar Gurkas, Zodiac Webster

Perspectives In Learning

Research shows brain-based learning is achieved best when the students are in an active, low-stress state (Jensen, 2008), and people have unique learning styles that facilitate the assimilation of new knowledge (Gardner, 1983). However, current testing practices hinder the creation of an optimal learning environment, because teachers feel they have to build test-taking skills and spend valuable educational time teaching in ways they believe are not best practices. Changes in the brain can be seen with highly sophisticated imaging technology such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET) (Drevets & Raichle, 1998). This imaging technology …