Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Student Voices In School-Based Assessment, Siu Yin Annie Tong, Bob Adamson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The value of student voices in dialogues about learning improvement is acknowledged in the literature. This paper examines how the views of students regarding School-based Assessment (SBA), a significant shift in examination policy and practice in secondary schools in Hong Kong, have largely been ignored. The study captures student voices through a survey of 423 Secondary 5 students and interviews with 45 students in 3 schools concerning the use of SBA in the high-stakes assessment for the English Language subject. Results suggest a wide range of student perceptions of, and responses to SBA and related feedback. In general, students indicated …

Getting Ready For The Profession: Prospective Teachers’ Noticing Related To Teacher Actions, Aslihan Osmanoglu, Mine Isiksal, Yusuf Koc

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The aim of this study was to investigate what the prospective elementary mathematics teachers noticed and how their noticing changed in an environment in which they discuss on video cases. To achieve this aim, we asked senior elementary mathematics prospective teachers to watch and discuss videos depicting real elementary mathematics classrooms. In this qualitative study, the main data sources were the participants’ reflection papers and interviews with the focus participants. The online discussions among the focus participants were also analyzed. For the analysis, the Learning to Notice framework (van Es & Sherin, 2002) was used. The findings suggested that prospective …

Teaching For Democracy: Towards An Ecological Understanding Of Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs, Babak Dadvand

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Due to the significance of beliefs in giving direction to the activities of educators, the present study examined the beliefs of 12 Iranian pre-service teachers about democratic education. Overall, the findings of focus group discussion and semi-structured interviews pointed to a technicist and often an apolitical view of teaching held by most of the participants. While these findings can be explained with reference to a constellation of factors in Iran’s education policy, this study concludes by pointing to the need for an ecological understanding of teachers’ belief systems. Such an approach identifies teachers’ agency embedded within a matrix of structural …

“To Get A Foot In The Door”: New Host Country Educated Immigrant Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Employability In Finland, Kaisa Hahl, Heini Paavola

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article sets out to find factors that promote or hinder employment opportunities for immigrant teachers educated in the host country. The data were collected through online questionnaires and focus group discussions among two student cohorts. After a year of graduating from English-medium teacher education in Finland, the employment situations ranged from full-time permanent teaching posts in Finland to unemployment. Although the majority was successful in securing at least some work, no one was teaching in mainstream classrooms in a Finnish-medium school. The scope of teaching qualifications and references from substitutions were considered factors for employment. Lacking “strong enough” Finnish …

Learning To See, Seeing To Learn: The Learning Journey Of Three Pre-Service Teachers In A Video Club Setting, Catherine Moore

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study sought to develop a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of professional growth in pre-service teachers during their final practicum. The research was situated in a primary school and involved three pre-service teachers with widely differing backgrounds who brought differing experiences to the practicum. The study identified personal and contextual variables that affected the pre-service teachers’ professional growth and explored how professional discourse within a learning community of peers, informed by multiple perspectives on teaching practice that were facilitated by video, influenced professional growth.

This qualitative research project used a broad phenomenological approach in that the methods used were …

Supporting Education, Research, And Training In The 21st Century, Glynis M. Bradfield, Adam Fenner, Petr Činčala

Faculty Publications

The expanding array of digital devices accessing the Internet around the globe provides new opportunities to collaborate in educating Adventist teachers and educational leaders to continue the teaching ministry of Jesus Christ in the 21st century. Partnerships among the Curriculum and Instruction Resource Center Linking Educators (CIRCLE), the Adventist Learning Community (ALC), and the Institute of Church Ministry (ICM) now connect more Adventists to education and training resources electronically than ever before.

Managing Conflict By School Leadership : A Case Study Of A School From Gilgit-Biltistan, Darvesh Karim

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

Managing conflict at school has been an age-old challenge for educators. Conflicts are a natural part of life and therefore a natural part of school life. Learning to deal constructively with conflict is a life-skill need for educational leaders. This paper reports a case study of a private English medium school of Gilgit-Baltistan about exploration of the conflict management which advocates two approaches to manage conflicts at school level i.e. to follow strict rules and regulations and penalizing on violation and secondly, empowering the stakeholders to resolve their own problems by their-selves.These approaches have proved that competence in conflict resolution …

Scholars Of Distinction And The Development Of Educational History In The United States, Karl M. Lorenz

Education Faculty Publications

The paper describes the accomplishments of a select number of distinguished scholars who advanced the cause of the history of education. The evolution of this field of study and inquiry followed its own unique path in the United States, and that at certain moments its trajectory was influenced by the thoughts and actions of celebrated professionals. Each individual contributed in a distinctive way, by either deepening or broadening the study of educational history in educator preparation programs, or by encouraging disciplined research and research-related activities in the area. In this latter endeavor, scholarship was often enhanced by making resources available …

Women Of Faith In Science: The Double Glass Ceiling, K. Y. Michael

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

The majority of female pre-service elementary school teachers pursuing licensure is choosing English as their cognate rather than mathematics or science. The reason females are not choosing science as their cognate may be due to the fact that science has long been considered a masculine pursuit. To complicate the issue, pre-service female teachers of deep religious faith are further challenged to navigate the dichotomy of science and religion. As a result, women, and especially women of deep religious faith, are at risk of not participating in science studies. The author suggests that there is room in the science classroom for …

Analyzing The Gender Gap On An Entrance Exam For Mathematically Talented Students, J. Butterfield, H. Keynes, J. Rogness, J. Sukiennik

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

We investigate the qualifying entrance exam for the University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP), a five-year accelerated program covering high school- and undergraduate-level mathematics. The exam is used to assess the computational, numerical reasoning, and geometric skills of hundreds of fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-grade students annually. It has accurately identified qualified students in past years, but female participants consistently have had lower overall scores. Based on our belief that they are equally well qualified, in 2011 we began an extensive investigation into the structure and content of the exam to determine the possible sources for these differences. After …

Title Page, In Memory Of Donna Sterling, Ph.D.

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

New Vistas In Science Education, K. Waite, B. Healy

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

In the summer of 2012, a colleague and I attended the four-week Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement (VISTA) Elementary Summer Science Institute where we were trained to conduct inquiry-based science teaching in a problem-based learning setting. We then implemented our training in our own academic classrooms by developing a Problem-Based Learning unit meeting the objectives of our Virginia standards-based science curriculum and selecting a topic with tics to our local community. Toward demonstrating that students, teachers, and educational systems stand to benefit from the implementation of this methodology, this article clarifies the following aspects: 1) outlines the problem, …

Stemteach: Preparing The Next Generation Of Mathematics And Science Teachers, G. Bunn, D. Dailey, A. Cotabish

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

With an increasing demand for individuals prepared in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), one university responded to this call by changing its teacher preparation program. Better-prepared mathematics and science teachers have the opportunity to engage and excite students, thereby preparing and promoting more of them to enter the STEM professions. The described program is a replication of the national UTeach model that recruits content majors in mathematics and science to explore the teaching profession during a first-semester course that includes an early field experience in the elementary grades. This field experience is designed to be engaging for both the …

Views Of Coaching Practice Expressed By School-Based Coaches, D. A. Yopp, E. A. Burroughs, A. Barlow, J. T. Sutton

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

This study reports on the views of coaching expressed by school-based coaches and coaching experts in response to observing the practice of a novice coach featured in a video. Researchers hypothesized that a coach participant's observations about another coach's practice would be a useful tool for examining participants' beliefs about coaching. Researchers compared responses from school-based coaches to the responses of coaching experts and views expressed in leading coaching literature in order to examine the variation in school-based coaches' views. Analysis of responses from both practicing coaches and coaching experts revealed eight themes that describe components of the videotaped coaching …

Educational Pathways Of Teachers And The Effects On Students' Performance On High-Stakes Testing In Texas, Patrizia Antoinette Grigsby

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Meeting the needs of placing "highly-qualified teachers" in the classroom is becoming more challenging every year. One option that many states are using involves certifying potential teaching candidates through alternative pathways, which differs from traditional certification programs. In this study, teacher certification routes were examined to determine if there is a difference in student performance on state standardized tests based on the teacher certification routes. This study compared student test scores of traditionally-certified teachers with test scores from students of alternatively-certified teachers on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) during the 2011-2012 administration of the test. The …

The Effectiveness Of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies For Teaching English Reading Skills To Hispanic English Language Learners, Michelle Watson

Masters Theses

The present study was designed to assess the effectiveness of the Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) for teaching English reading skills to Hispanic English language learners (ELL) in the third grade. The current literature shows a rapid increase of Hispanic students in the U.S., however, due to a lack of exposure to the English language at an early age, many ELL students are behind their non-ELL peers in academic achievement, especially in reading. The PALS program was designed as an alternative approach to teacher-led instruction to help ameliorate reading difficulties, and although its effectiveness has been demonstrated with a variety …

Accommodating Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In The Writing Center, Rebekah Barton

Masters Theses

This thesis explores how collegiate writing centers could better serve the needs of students with autism. As there is so little research that involves writing centers and college students with autism, scholarship was pulled from traditional writing center pedagogy, research concerning adults with autism, and the information that was available about teaching students with autism in the college composition classroom. A mixed methods approach was used to conduct my own research: my study involved surveys, interviews, visits, and website analysis. It became clear that not only are writing centers not ready to accommodate students with autism, but some writing center …

Researching The Historical Representations Of Andrew Jackson In Trade Books, Steven K. Sakowicz

Masters Theses

State and national standards compel teachers to introduce historical topics through multiple diverse texts, emphasizing the use of informational texts. Trade books allow teachers to meet these standards while also meeting the needs of diverse students. Primary sources serve as an additional curricular resource that fill the gaps in information covered by textbooks and trade books, allowing students to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of historical figures and events. Standards leave the selection and implementation of appropriate trade books, primary sources, and other curricular resources to the classroom teacher. In this research I qualify and quantify how Andrew …

The Impact Of Math Anxiety In The Primary Grades, Amanda R. Anderson-Mix

Mathematics Graduate Theses

Math anxiety is an increasingly common occurrence among individuals when working with mathematical concepts. While researching math anxiety the author came across common gender stereotypes implying: women do not perform as well as men in the field of mathematics, women experience a much higher level of math anxiety than men, and most women do not appreciate performing mathematical tasks. Although the concept of math anxiety is an interesting topic to the author, it's important to look deeper than simply the question, “What is math anxiety?” Seeing these stereotypical assumptions that women have higher math anxiety levels, it made this author …

Praisesong: One (Worn) Path Through Aepl, Libby F. Jones

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

A longtime member takes a poetic look at AEPL's history, philosophy, activities, and her ongoing participatory role in the organization.

Stepping Beyond, In, And With Jaepl: Twenty Years Of Hope, Kristie S. Fleckenstein

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Treating readers to a detailed tour through JAEPL’s pages, the journal’s coeditor of 10 years touches on high points, also remembering the conference that initiated her relationship with its authors and readers.

Drawing Is Learning, Laurence Musgrove, Myra Musgrove

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

JAEPL’s guru of visual pedagogy visits the origins of his strategy for teaching through “handmade thinking,” which gives students the freedom to re-conceptualize how they read and write.

Connecting, Helen Walker, Wanda Njoya, Ann Wachira, David Bedsole, W. Keith Duffy

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Helen Walker - Widening Circles

Wanda Njoya - Miracles Happen

Ann Wachira - Using a Model

David Bedsole - To the Dog Next Door Who Barks All Day

W. Keith Duffy - Aisle Four: Ice Cream, TV Dinners, Humility

Jaepl, Vol. 20, Winter 2014-2015, Joonna Smitherman Trapp, Bradley T. Peters

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Essays

Libby Falk Jones - Praisesong: One (Worn) Path through AEPL

Alice Brand - Twenty Years: Reflections and Questions

Tom Gage - Hitchhiking the Labyrinth

Susan Schiller - The Dance of Spirit in AEPL

Kristie S. Fleckenstein - Stepping Beyond, In, and With JAEPL: Twenty Years of Hope

Paul Heilker - Coming to Nonviolence

Beth Daniell - To the Contrary

John Creger - The Personal Creed Project: Portal to Deepened Learning

Jessica Jones - "Put Your Ear Close to the Whispering Branch..." Deep Listening in the English Classroom

Out of the Box

Laurence Musgrove & Myra Musgrove - Drawing is …

Coming To Nonviolence, Paul Heilker

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

A contributor to the second book that marked AEPL’s influence on scholarship traces the growth of his personal commitment to one of the organization’s foundational principles.

Back Matter

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Back Matter

To The Contrary, Beth Daniell

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Author of one of the most important volumes on literacy and spiritual practice finds that four key insights have guided her work, all of them consonant with AEPL members’ practices.

Book Reviews, Judy Halden-Sullivan, Elizabeth French, Brad Lucas, Candace Walworth, Caleb Corkery

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Judy Halden-Sullivan - Embracing the "Beginner's Mind"

Elizabeth French - Richardson, Scott. eleMENtary School—(Hyper) Masculinity in a Feminized Context. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers, 2012. Print.

Brad Lucas - Ryden, Wendy and Ian Marshall. Reading, Writing, and the Rhetorics of Whiteness. NY: Routledge, 2012. Print.

Candace Walworth - Kroll, Barry. The Open Hand: Arguing as an Art of Peace. Logan, UT: Utah State UP, 2013. Print.

Caleb Corkery - Conway, Jeremiah. The Alchemy of Teaching: The Transformation of Lives. Boulder, CO: Sentient Publications, 2013. Print.

"Put Your Ear Close To The Whispering Branch..." Deep Listening In The English Classroom, Jessica Jones

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Taking her cue from Guy Murchie’s Song of the Sky, the author discovers a method for reaching at-risk children, whose ventures into poetry engage them deeply in the natural world and make them part of it.

Reading In The Digital Era: Using Video Self-Modeling To Improve Reading Fluency In At-Risk Students, Monica Anestin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reading fluency bridges the concepts of word recognition and reading comprehension, both of which are vital skills needed to become a successful reader. This study evaluated the impact of video self-modeling (VSM) on oral reading fluency in four upper elementary students at-risk for failing in reading. A multiple-baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the outcomes of the VSM intervention. The results indicate that VSM may have a positive impact on reading fluency of students at-risk for reading failure; the use of VSM was positively associated with increases in reading fluency in three of the four participants. The participant …