Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Opportunities Preschool Teachers Use To Offer High Quality Instruction: Investigating Experiences Of Professional Development, Hannah B. Mudrick

Master's Theses

This study identified the professional development opportunities Connecticut pre-kindergarten teachers found helpful for improving their teaching and how this information was related to their personal characteristics and their level of high quality instruction and supports for early literacy. Participants were 16 female teachers from eight different centers across central and eastern Connecticut. High quality instruction and supports for early literacy were assessed observationally, and teachers’ ideas about professional development and their personal characteristics were assessed through semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that although teachers did mention multiple different professional development opportunities, discussion was overwhelmingly identified as the most helpful opportunity. …

Team-Teaching Experiences Of A Mathematician And A Mathematics Teacher Educator: An Interpretative Phenomenological Case Study, Sarah K. Bleiler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, experts and organizations involved in mathematics education have emphasized the importance of collaboration between mathematicians and mathematics teacher educators as a means of improving the professional preparation of mathematics teachers. While several such collaborative endeavors have been documented in the extant literature, most research reports have focused on the products, rather than the process, of collaboration. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological case study is to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of a mathematician and a mathematics teacher educator as they engaged in a team-teaching collaboration within the context of prospective secondary mathematics teacher preparation. …

Factors Influencing Teachers' Technology Self-Efficacy: A Case Study, Amy Farah

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Factors influencing teachers` levels of technology self-efficacy were examined through a qualitative multi-site, multi-subject case study research design. An initial survey was administered to all full-time, certified teachers at three school sites in order to gauge teachers` current level of technology self-efficacy. From that population, purposive and systematic samplings were used to draw the participants for the case study. A group of nine teachers with varying levels of technology self-efficacy was interviewed and participated in one of three focus groups to better understand factors influencing their current level of self-efficacy. A document analysis was also performed of local school professional …

Portfolio: A Professional Development And Learning Tool For Teachers, Babar Khan, Salima Begum

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

Professional development of teachers is considered a source to enhance teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. To meet this purpose teacher education institutions use a variety of ways for teachers’ development programs. Mostly these ways and strategies are used in short and long programs where teachers are provided opportunities to learn knowledge and skills outside classroom and schools. The purpose of these courses is to enhance the teachers’ capacity and improve students’ learning outcomes. However, most of these learning and strategies are limited to the training centers and teachers face challenges while implementing the learning in their respective schools. Teachers …

A Workshop On Foreign Language Methods For Chinese English Language Teachers, Jennifer Crafton Parette

Theses and Dissertations

Currently in China, the demand for proficient English speakers in the work place continues to grow exponentially. In both China and America the need for educating students in foreign languages is a complicated, monumental undertaking. Both countries must find ways to work within their present governing systems to bring students to proficiency in foreign languages. This study was done to ask the question, "Can the American emphasis on communicative language competence in foreign language study be helpful to the Chinese system of foreign language instruction?" This thesis provides an overview of the historical as well as the current philosophy of …

A Study Of K–12 Music Educators' Attitudes Toward Technology-Assisted Assessment Tools, Lance D. Nielsen

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

The purpose of this study was to examine K-12 music educators’ attitudes regarding the use of technology in the assessment of music learning. There is a considerable range of musical behaviors with different levels of complexity that can be assessed (Boyle & Radocy, 1987). A variety of software and web-based assessment tools are available for music educators. However, it is unclear how many teachers are taking advantage of incorporating these technological assessment tools into their instructional practice. This study provided current data about the demographics of teachers using technology to assess musical growth and the variables that might motivate a …

Evaluation Of A High School Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (Siop) Implementation, Samuel L. Ray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many school systems across the USA have implemented sheltered instruction observation protocol (SIOP) strategies to help their English language learners (ELLs) master core content while they learn English. Most studies have reported positive results from using SIOP strategies with ELLs. Elementary and middle school studies were available, but studies of SIOP implementation in a comprehensive high school were lacking. This action research project was initiated by teacher leaders (department chairs) and the school principal. It included a year of combined SIOP training and implementation. After the first academic year of utilizing SIOP school-wide, an anonymous electronic survey was used to …

Bridging Professional Development And Context: Integrating Mathematics And Academic Language In A District Facing Takeover, Patricia Swanson, David Whitenack

Faculty Publications

This quasi-experimental, multi-phase study uses mixed methods to evaluate a professional development initiative focused on integrating mathematics and academic language. The context is a highly diverse urban district facing state takeover. The professional development focused on the understanding of key mathematics concepts and developing content-specific academic language. It linked explicitly to district-adopted texts and prescribed lesson formats. Teachers perceived the strategies to be feasible and beneficial to student learning, and had high rates of implementation. Nonetheless, pacing guides pressuring teachers to quickly cover content pose challenges for continued implementation. Implications for (1) professional development focusing on integrating subject-matter content and …

The Revelation Of Teacher Identity In The Process Of The "Descriptive Review Of A Child", Deven Lynn Horne

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Teaching is a complex relationship of the "I", the "Thou" and the "It" as described by David Hawkins (1974). This study examines the "I", a teacher's professional identity, as it is revealed in a specific professional development activity focused on examining students and student work known as the "Descriptive Review of a Child". Using a phenomenological case study approach, I followed four individual teachers throughout their engagement in the inservice as well as conducted post-interviews to the activity. The theoretical frameworks of the "I", "thou" and "it" by Hawkins and the "core reflection" by Korthagen provided the constructs used to …

Effectiveness Of An Inquiry Based Professional Development Program, Lynne Beyah El-Amin Muhammad

Dissertations

Pre-service and in-service teacher education programs are designed to disseminate large quantities of knowledge in a short period of time (Deng, 2004). However, they have been found to be ineffective with implementing teacher change (Deng, 2004). To increase the level of effective implementation, as measured by the ability of teachers to utilize what they have learned, designers of pre-service and in-service programs for teachers should include cognitively engaging activities (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999). This study explored the relationship between student achievement and the level of teacher participation while attending an inquiry-based professional development program. Six teachers at a private school …

A Case Study Of The Mathematical Learning Of Two Teachers Acquiring Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching, David R. Hartman

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study offers an analysis of the learning of practicing teachers as they acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics. While some professional developers have shifted part of their focus to helping practicing teachers acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics (e.g., Stein & Silver, 1996), the results from studies often describe what translates from the professional development experience into classroom practice and measureable gains in student achievement (e.g., Desimone et al., 2002). Studies showing improvements in pedagogy and student learning are important. However, studying what teachers are learning and how they learn is important in developing understanding of the content and …

Evaluating And Improving The Quality Of Teacher’S Language Modeling In Early Childhood Classrooms, Lillian White Englund

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The relationship between pre-school teachers and the children in their classrooms directly influences the degree of success the children experience in school and in life. The emphasis on quality pre-K education in the U.S. has resulted in an increased need for highly qualified teachers who are capable of engaging in meaningful interactions with young children. An important component of high-level teacher-child interactions is the teacher's ability to model language for children as they acquire vocabulary and language context.

This mixed-methods study was designed to examine the effectiveness of a professional development intervention designed to improve the quality of language modeling …

Teacher Collaboration As Professional Development In A Large, Suburban High School, Marlie L. Williams

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative study explored the impact of teacher collaboration in a professional learning communities (PLC) school on teacher self-efficacy. Through the collection and analysis of personal interview data from 20 teachers in a large, suburban Midwestern high school, the impact of structured teacher collaboration was evaluated for its impact on changes in teachers’ instructional practices, their feelings of responsibility for student learning, positive adult interdependence, and changes in teacher self-efficacy. Experts in educational professional development identify the importance of sustained, collegial learning. This study explored the structure of one high school’s professional collaboration model, the measures in place for goal-setting, …

The Relationships Among Caregiver Training, Mentoring, And Turn-Taking Between Caregiver And Child In Family Child Care, Carrie L. Ota

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Basic communication skills are foundational for children's success in school and are dependent largely on their language experiences early in life. The purpose of this study was to examine two professional development models and family child care providers' use of turn-taking strategies that promote language in young children. The first professional development model consisted of a 10-hour nonformal training focused on supporting early language development. The second included the nonformal training and on-site mentoring. The 48 family child care programs were randomly assigned to one of the professional development models or a control group. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to …

Evaluation Study Of C.A.R.E., The National Education Association's Culture, Abilities, Resilience, And Effort Professional Development Training, Noni Reis, Denise Alston, Linda Bacon, Brooke Whiting, Sheila Simmons

Faculty Publications

This was an evaluation study of C.A.R.E., National Education Association's Culture, Abilities, Resilience and Effort (C.A.R.E.): Strategies for Closing Achievement Gaps. The training is based on culturally relevant pedagogy and on the Center for Research on Educational Diversity and Excellence standards. The research questions for the study were: 1.Did the training lead to changes in instructional practices? 2.Were the tools and materials provided by the C.A.R.E. guide used? 3.Did the strategies lead to changes in student behavior and school practices Participants (n-275) completed an on-line survey and/or a telephone interview. Two-thirds (66%) of the participants noticed improvements in student achievement, …

Let Faculty Members Do Your Marketing, Michelle B. Goodwin, Deanna L. Keith, Esther Alcindor

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This presesntation provides a Power Point and a corresponding handout to assist local chapters of Kappa Delta Pi in utilizing faculty professors to publicize the benefits of membership and active participation in KDP.

School-Based Coaching: An Interpretive Study Of One Model Of Professional Development, Michele De Bellis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A trend developing over the last decade in professional development has been to provide teachers with support and guidance through engaging and interactive experiences (Boston Plan for Excellence, 2004). The assumption is that teachers who are provided with hands-on professional development experiences will make connections and add meaning to new content or pedagogy being taught and increase the likelihood of transfer of those practices to the classroom. Another current approach to professional development, known as school-based, delivers support to teachers in the eye of the storm, at the school site and in the classroom (Barkley, 2005). Proponents of school-based professional …

Cultural Competence: Developing And Assessing Multicultural Proficiency For Teachers And School Personnel In Hawaii, Caryl H. Hitchcock, Mary Anne Prater, Chuan Chang

Faculty Publications

Teachers were recruited from the mainland of the United States to work in rural areas in the State of Hawaii to meet the high demand for personnel. But often there is a mismatch between the culture of the island residents and that of the new teachers. To alleviate this mismatch, a workshop was developed to promote multicultural proficiency of school personnel focusing on Asian/Pacific cultures. One hundred teachers, administrators and staff (including custodians and cafeteria workers) from four rural elementary schools participated in a three hour workshop. The workshop consisted of three activities: (a) self-awareness, (b) awareness of Asian/Pacific Island …

Multiple Paths To Critical Reflection: A Flexible Model Of Teacher Learning And Its Impact On Student Achievement, Susan B. Koba, Carol Mitchell

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This research evaluated impact of the Omaha Public Schools' Urban Systemic Program professional development model on mathematics and science teacher change and student achievement. The model offered various participation pathways, focused teachers' learning in three areas (beliefs, content, and pedagogy) and required teacher reflection during classroom strategy implementation. To determine teacher change, observations, interviews, action research, pre-post perception profiles, retrospective pre-post surveys (beliefs and understandings), and exit surveys were completed. Participants' action research determined impact . on students' understandings. Criterion Referenced· Tests, as well as leadership pre- and post- surveys, action research and interviews determined school change. To evaluate program …

Exploring Current Practices Of Supervisors In Government Primary Schools In Karachi, Pakistan, Nilofar Vazir, Noor Hussain

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This paper explores the current practices of supervisors in Government Primary Schools in Karachi, Pakistan. Research participants included two supervisors, two head teachers and four primary school teachers. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, informal discussions, documents analysis. Findings suggest that since, the supervisors are not provided with the TORs by Education department their practices are influenced by the way they are appointed and the ways they learn about their roles and responsibilities in the schools. Since supervisory practices are mostly hanging between supervision and monitoring, these neither fulfill the criteria of Supervision nor of Monitoring and Evaluation. Their routine …

The Effects Of Professional Development Programs On Educational Outcomes In Mathematics And Sciences, William M. Craig

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Professional development programs are widely acknowledged for their success in determining outcomes in a variety of fields. These programs are particularly useful in education where new processes, methodologies, and curriculum need to be disseminated to vast numbers of administrators, educators, parents, and program analysts. Education is considered one of the top priorities for American policymakers, agencies, companies, and the general public. This fact has made educational outcomes progressively more important over time as larger expenditures are dedicated to providing positive educational effects. There has been a large body of research performed on what effects educational outcomes in the United States. …

Innovating Professional Development Standards: A Shift To Utilize Communities Of Practice, Teresa Foulger

Essays in Education

This paper is a report on the findings of an action research study that explored a non-traditional professional development process involving five elementary teachers and a professional developer working as a collaborative community. The interactions within the group focused on the creation and teaching of a three week thematic unit across grade levels and classrooms. Although technology integration was the proposed new learning, instructional strategies and innovative ways to collaborate were also explored. Qualitative data analysis indicated that when professional developers pay close attention to the social nuances and emotional needs of participants, communities of teachers coming together for a …

Reading Excellence Act: Professional Development And Teacher Practice First Year Implementation In East Tennessee., Sherry Ellen Shroyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When the National Assessment of Educational Progress reported in 1998 that 70 percent of fourth grade children in the United States were reading just at (31%) or below the basic grade level (39%), this astounding fact resulted in national attention and political intervention. At the same time, the National Research Council published their 25 years of researched findings in their book, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The national reactions to these reports were strong and included new initiatives for overcoming this emerging national problem. One such initiative was the implementation of the national Reading …

A Study Of The Attitudes Of Veteran Teachers Toward Professional Development, Johanna Silane Ruberto

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Reasons For Low Participation In Professional Development By East Arkansas Teachers, Susan L. Luebke

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers in east Arkansas have been less willing to participate in professional development activities beyond those that are required for continued licensure than those in other areas of the state. The Arkansas Legislature has passed legislation that will create a professional development institute in east Arkansas to assist teachers in gaining access to quality programs. This study sought to identify reasons for low participation in professional development by east Arkansas teachers in order to provide guidance in the design of the institute. An investigation of research in the principles of andragogy, characteristics of effective professional development, motivating learning, and the …

“Been There---Ah, Haven’T Tried It That Way”: A Professional Effort To Differentiate Instruction, Donna M. Sobel

Essays in Education

It goes without saying that the most critical component of preparing educators lies in their ability to competently teach. Differentiation provides a framework to develop classrooms where realities of genuine student variance can be addressed with curricular realities. The author describes a professional development project that differentiated a series of teacher workshops that were designed to increase teachers’ perceived competency to differentiate instruction. The purpose here is to describe a collaboratively created and implemented professional development program designed to train staff in ways to differentiate instruction for all learners. Sample training activities, along with perceptions from participants and suggestions for …

Persepsi Guru Terhadap Peranan Pengetua Dalam Melaksanakan Program Pembangunan Staf Di Sekolah Menengah Daerah Bachok Kelantan, Wan Mohd. Nor Kadir

Student Works (2000-2009)

This research is carried out to view teachers perception of the school principals' role in implementing staff development programmes. A few sets of questionnaires were distributed to 55 teachers from 2 secondary schools in Bachok. Based on the descriptive statistic and chi-square test it shows that most of the teachers (respondents) have positif perceptions toward their principal's role in staff development programmes. Factor such as sex, age, academic achievement, length of service and teachers interest did not have any influence to their perception. A conclusion and some suggestions are forwarded in this research.

Selected Roles/Functions Of Technical/Vocational Education Administrators In Barbados And The Need For Further Preparation And Continuing Professional Development, Cecil I. Cummins

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the roles/functions of technical/vocational education (TVE) administrators in Barbados and to ascertain their personal needs for further preparation and continuing professional development.

The population for the study consisted of 115 TVE administrators from the Ministry of Education, tertiary institutions, vocational centers, Grammar schools, and Newer secondary schools. The survey method was used to gather the data. All respondents were asked to complete a 87-item questionnaire which described various roles/functions associated with the administration of TVE programs under eight major categories. For each role descriptor, respondents were asked to indicate how important it …