Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

The Development Of A Model Of Culturally Responsive Science And Mathematics Teaching, Cecilia M. Hernandez, Amanda Morales, Gail Shroyer

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

This qualitative theoretical study was conducted in response to the current need for an inclusive and comprehensive model to guide the preparation and assessment of teacher candidates for culturally responsive teaching. The process of developing a model of culturally responsive teaching involved three steps: a comprehensive review of the literature; a synthesis of the literature into thematic categories to capture the dispositions and behaviors of culturally responsive teaching; and the piloting of these thematic categories with teacher candidates to validate the usefulness of the categories and to generate specific exemplars of behavior to represent each category. The model of culturally …

A Phenomenological Study Of Indonesian Cohort Group's Transformative Learning, Markus Budiraharjo

Dissertations

This study was set to investigate how a cohort of ten Indonesian teachers experienced transformations in their teaching professionalism upon receiving an assignment of instructional leadership training to other school leaders. These ten teachers, who came from three different Indonesian Jesuit high schools and one archdiocese-based educational foundation in Jakarta, belonged to an initiative called Indonesia Secondary Education Development Program (ISEDP) intended to develop instructional leadership skills among school administrators in Indonesia. This six-year initiative (2006-2012) involved three international institutions, namely Loyola University Chicago (LUC), Indonesian Jesuit High Schools Association (IJSA), and Sanata Dharma University (SDU), Indonesia. The goal was …

Preparing Teachers For Use Of Impact Activities: An Exploratory Study, Jeremy Lee Ramirez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The iMPaCT project team has developed three modules of activities that use programming on TI-83/84 calculators as a means to engage students to explore foundational concepts in Algebra I. The developers conducted a 3-day summer Professional Development Program (PDP) for teachers to become familiar with the objectives, pedagogy, assessments, and resources of the three modules of iMPaCT activities. I have collected and analyzed various forms of data such as videotapes of workshop sessions, teachers' written work and a pre-post assessment. The purpose of this study is to provide the program coordinators with information about the PDP for planning of future …

The Relationship Between Curriculum-Based Measures In Oral Reading Fluency And High-Stakes Tests For Seventh Grade Students, Sawyer Hunley, Susan C. Davies, Christina R. Miller

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between oral reading fluency and performance on a statewide reading achievement test for middle grades students. Participants in this study were 75 seventh-grade students. One month before the students were administered the state test, each student read three probes from their current basal reader to determine an oral reading fluency rate. The Ohio Grade 7 Reading Test scores were correlated with oral reading fluency rates to determine the extent of the relationship between the results. Results support the use of oral reading fluency assessment as a valid tool for identifying …

Librarians In Your Midst: The Embedded Librarian Program At Pvcc, Laura C. Skinner

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

The easy availability of Internet information has caused many to question the future of libraries. However, librarians, as experts of information science, are even more necessary to help students navigate the Internet. An embedded librarian provides assistance at the most critical point – exactly when it is needed.

First Day Of Public Speaking Class And Student Expectations, Oli Mohammadi Phd, Crystal L. Swift Phd

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

On the first day of class, what should an instructor do? What do the students expect? What might ruin the first day of class? The author asked 270 students these questions, and their answers apply to any class’s first day.

Shutting Up In Class: The Zen Of Silence, Doug Thiele

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

This author discovered that his most powerful tool in the classroom was not to lecture, but to stop speaking at all. The effect of the resulting silence was even more positive than he could have imagined.

Personalizing The Material Leads To College Students' Better Understanding Of Concepts, Charles J. Huffman Phd

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

In this study, students completed two different projects about personality. The results showed that while the students learned more about themselves, personalizing the material also increased their ability to understand core concepts.

Why We Write The Way We Do: A Study Of Composition Teaching Through Writing Style Translation, Yuemin He Phd

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

This author used translation in the classroom to increase student awareness of audience. However, this translation was not between different languages; it was translation from an informal to a formal writing style, and vice versa.

A Cross-Cultural Teaching Model For Community College Teachers: Considerations For Service-Delivery And Implications For The Teaching-Learning Process, Christopher T. Arra Phd

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

Community college classes are increasingly diverse, both culturally and ethnically, but how can teachers best educate students concerning cross-cultural issues? This author proposes a cross-cultural teaching model that focuses on a personalized approach.

Partnership For Math Success: Development Of A Mathematics Readiness Class For High School Students, Yvonne Jessee

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

To implement the developmental mathematics redesign, this author’s College partnered with two public school systems to establish early placement testing and a capstone readiness course, to be administered in the high school students’ senior year.

Educational Exigencies Of The 21st Century: Implications For Teacher Education Programmes In East Africa, Peter Kajoro, Hellen Chirure, Irene Simiyu

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Questions about what constitutes effective teacher education compatible with today’s changing educational demands have been frequently raised. This article is an overview of ideas about the elements of effective teacher education in view of the 21st century demands. Drawing on literature and the authors' knowledge of teacher education in the East African context, the article argues the case for the different elements of effective teacher education program that would help the region, and perhaps, by extension, other developing countries, meet their educational obligations in the 21st century. The paper also highlights the theoretical underpinnings of these elements and their implications …

What Work Samples Reveal About Secondary Pre-Service Social Studies Teachers' Use Of Literacy Strategies, Susan J. Lenski, Gayle Y. Thieman

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article discusses a study which aims to answer the research questions of whether secondary social studies pre-service teachers incorporate literacy strategies in their work samples during student teaching, and the extent and conditions secondary social studies pre-service teachers use higher levels of literacy strategies in their work samples. The study is framed within 3 areas of research namely activity theory, work sample methodology and disciplinary literacy.

I Am A Teacher Walking A Mile In Her Shoes: A Narrative Study Of Teacher Identity, Amy Parmenter

Educational Studies Dissertations

Using an adapted life story interview process, narratives of six female mid-career elementary teachers were collected and analyzed. The stories describe the values and beliefs of these educators as they reflect on their experience being a teacher employed in one of three public elementary schools undergoing reform. Findings suggest professional development for teachers that cultivates a collaborative school culture and develops reflective dialogue and evaluative thinking is beneficial for schools in the midst of change. Author keywords: teacher identity; community of practice; learning community; life story; public school; professional development; reflective dialogue; evaluative thinking; change; elementary education; educational change; teachers--in-service …

The Social Intelligence Of Principals: Links To Teachers' Continuous Improvement, Joan Mcquade

Educational Studies Dissertations

Despite multiple efforts to reform 21st education to better meet the needs of all students, school improvement successes have been sporadic and debatable. Research suggests that significant improvement lies within the purview of teachers and principals, and this current research provided the underpinnings for the study. Based on neuroscience research and the continuous improvement concept, I examined linkages between principals' social intelligence and teachers' continuous improvement. Using a mixed method sequential explanatory research approach, the study consisted of four phases that employed both quantitative and qualitative measures. Massachusetts' principals (127) and teachers (331) were contacted by email to participate in …

Ready, Eager, & Well-Prepared: A Mantra For Military Personnel And Teachers, Connie Schaffer

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

It is a scene which most Armed Services personnel can recall with great detail. The stage is a training room on a military installation. Conversations about an upcoming exam intermingle with discussions about sports and fill the air of the room. The camaraderie of the soldiers provides a nervous distraction from the individual plots about to unwind for each soldier. Over the course of the next several days, one-by-one, the soldiers will open their first set of orders. The first post or base assignments which will follow their technical training are scheduled to be distributed in the upcoming days.

The Never Ending Story Of Language Policy In Puerto Rico, Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This literature review addresses some of the issues discussed in the literature written about the controversial topic of English teaching in Puerto Rico. A deeper look into the language policies established in Puerto Rico since the island became a U.S. colony (1898) could lead us to understand why after more than a century of U.S. occupation, the majority of Puerto Ricans are still not bilingual in English and Spanish.

Experiences Of Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students: An Exploratory Phenomenological Study, Anysia J. Ensslen

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

Within the past decade little research has been conducted in the United States to examine the preparedness of beginning speech-language pathologists; the seminal article used for this research study comes from the United Kingdom (Horton, Byng, Bunning, & Pring, 2004). Literature from the past few decades indicates that there may be deficiencies in the way that beginning speech-language pathologists are being trained clinically.

The review of the literature suggests that the field may lack a clear and broadly supported learning theory or framework for the clinical supervision and training of speech-language pathology graduate students. The literature further supports the importance …

Examining The Influence Of Parents, Teachers, And Neighborhood Safety On African American Adolescents’ Motivation And Achievement, Clarissa R. Roan-Belle

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Guided by the theoretical frameworks of Baumrind’s parenting style theory, interpersonal expectations, Self Determination Theory, and self-efficacy, this study examines factors that influence African American students’ GPA and motivation, specifically associations between parents’ and teachers’ control, warmth, and educational expectations and African American adolescents’ GPA, self-efficacy, and intrinsic motivation were examined. The moderating effects of neighborhood safety on the aforementioned associations were also assessed. Using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, this study found that parents’ warmth and expectations were positive predictors of all educational variables, while parents control was a negative predictor of GPA and intrinsic motivation. …

Identifying Risk And Protective Factors Of Preparatory And Non-Preparatory Students In Agricultural Education Programs Of A Rural Kentucky High School, Randy J. Adams

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Today there is an increased demand for secondary agriculture education programs to prepare students to be college and career ready through a program of study. The purpose of this study was to identify risk and protective factors of preparatory and non-preparatory students within an agriculture education program at Anderson County High School in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The results of this study did not determine that there was a difference in risk and protective factors between preparatory and non-preparatory students within agriculture education courses. The study concluded that students among both categories were equally exposed to risks such as family conflict and …

Evaluation Of Motivation And Professional Development Of Curriculum For Agricultural Science Education (Case) Lead And Master Teachers, Miranda Rose Chaplin

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education™ (CASE) is an instructional system of support that provides professional development, curriculum, and assessments to agricultural educators. Through the CASE model, two CASE Lead or Master Teachers facilitate professional development, known as a CASE Institute. This study utilizes three sets of surveys to describe the motivation for CASE certified teachers applying to become CASE Lead and Master Teachers, determine the effectiveness of the professional development provided to Lead and Master Teachers during the Lead Teacher Orientation, and determine the Lead and Master Teachers’ demographic information.

The Relations Among School Status Variables, Teacher Academic And Arts Curricular Emphases, And Student Academic Achievement In Grades 1, 3, And 5, Browning Michael Neddeau

Doctoral Dissertations

The National Center of Education Statistics' Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K) data were used to explore the curricular emphasis in schools of varying socioeconomic status in both public and private schools. Data collected between 1998 and 2003 were used in the secondary analyses of curricular emphasis in nine curriculum areas identified in the Teacher Questionnaire were grouped into academic, arts, or physical education.

The results from descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple regressions at each grade indicated differences in academic, arts, and physical education emphases based on public or private schools and school socioeconomic status (SES). Although …

Shaping The Journey Of Emerging Adults: Life-Giving Rhythms For Spiritual Transformation, Jeff Strietzel

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Library Paraeducators' Training: Assumptions Or Facts?, Virginia H. Knapp

Graduate Research Papers

Paraeducators seem to be in a quandary. State officials, administrators, teachers, special education teachers, librarians, local educational agencies, community colleges and school boards all have perceptions of what training paraeducators need but few consider the special expectations for a library paraeducator.

The current study seeks responses to the following research questions:

1. How well qualified for their positions do library paraeducators feel?

2. How do library paraeducators describe their job training?

3. What are perceptions-of teacher librarians and administrators regarding the training of paraprofessionals to work in school libraries?

The researcher will examine the requirements of the Iowa Department of …

An Exploration Of Student Focused Initiatives To Support Recognition Of Prior Learning (Rpl) Case Preparation, Phil O'Leary

Theses

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is recognition given for relevant learning, regardless of how or where it was gained, prior to starting on a programme or module. This research explores a number of student focused initiatives to support RPL case preparation. An action research methodology was used where existing RPL procedures in an Institute of Technology setting were examined and evaluated. The aim of the research was to create a positive environment for RPL case preparation. A mixed method using both qualitative and quantitative approaches such as questionnaires and focus groups was used to gather data. The initial survey captured …

Variable Appropriation Of An Online Resource Discovery And Sharing Tool, Victor R. Lee, Mimi Recker, Tamara Sumner

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Even when following best practices for participatory design, the appropriation of tools in formal education settings can be hampered by a number of factors. Drawing from a case of a web tool built to help teachers in five school districts find and share free resources in an educational digital library, we describe patterns of tool use and provide some explanations for variability in tool appropriation. We also suggest that future research consider school districts as complex systems of professionals whose interactions and inter-relationships may yield unexpected technology adoption behaviors.

The Evolving Role Of Department Chair: Leading Faculty Through Times Of Change, Domenick Pinto

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

How does one manage conflict and change in a very volatile economic climate where academia is experiencing greater accountability, increased emphasis on outcome assessment, declining enrollment and great uncertainty for the future? The role of department chair has, in many cases, become one entrenched in conflict between the role of faculty and administrator and has experienced a tremendous evolution over the last 25 years.

The role of department chair has changed as economic, social and student climates have changed. This paper will summarize collected data from chairs of departments of various sizes and types in order to discuss and understand …

Two Small Rural Schools Under Siege: An Oral History 1969-2012, Deborah Costlow Cartee

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study is an oral history of the small rural community of Portal, Georgia, its two local schools, and its residents’ successful fight to keep these community schools. Guided by the theoretical framework of critical theory and the works of critical researchers, namely Paulo Freire (1998), Michael Apple (2006), Jean Anyon (2005), and Henry Giroux (2001), one purpose of this study was to discover what we can learn from the experiences of citizens in one small rural community who have been affected by consolidation. Since the account of the relationship between the Portal community and its hometown schools remains untold, …

Changes In Perceived Teacher Self-Efficacy And Burnout As A Result Of Facilitated Discussion And Self-Reflection In An Online Course Designed To Prepare Teachers To Work With Students With Autism, Monica Boomgard

Doctoral Dissertations

A growing number of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who display complex learning needs present challenges to educators who struggle to meet their educational needs. Teaching is stressful and additional instructional challenges may increase teacher vulnerability to burnout, leading to a greater likelihood of attrition. Increasing teachers' knowledge of strategies specific to students with ASD within online professional development may create needed support networks increasing self-efficacy and decreasing perceived stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the changes special and general education teachers' perceived self-efficacy and burnout as a result of facilitated discussion and self-reflection embedded in …

The Effect Of Dynamic Assessment On Adult Learners Of Arabic: A Mixed-Method Study At The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Mohsen Mahmoud Fahmy

Doctoral Dissertations

Dynamic assessment (DA) is based on Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural theory and his Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). ZPD is the range of abilities bordered by the learner's assisted and independent performances. Previous studies showed promising results for DA in tutoring settings. However, they did not use proficiency-based rubrics to measure students' progress and did not mention the method of using DA practically in classrooms. The literature showed that task-based language instruction (TBLI) is effective in adult classrooms. This study combined DA with TBLI to answer four questions. What is the change in the structural control of Arabic speaking based on …