Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Identifying Practices That Facilitate Effective Implementation And Sustainability Of Research-Based Professional Development Strategies, Emily Victoria Bryan Kibodeaux

Dissertations

This study was designed to determine whether significant differences existed in the level of implementation of a professional development strategy, the attitude of teachers toward this professional development strategy, and the knowledge of teachers regarding this professional development strategy. After teachers were trained on the professional development strategy, three treatments were utilized in the project: administrative observations and feedback, participation in a professional learning community (PLC), or training follow-up. Twenty-four teachers from four different schools in a school district in South Mississippi participated in the project over an 8 week time period. This quasi-experimental study collected pre- and post-treatment data …

“Math Is Hard,” Said Mrs. Ford; “Not For Me,” Said Mrs. Honda: Does Culture Matter In Teaching And Learning In Elementary Mathematics?, Shamah Md-Yunus

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

This article is a discussion of the practices of teaching and learning in elementary mathematics from the perspectives of Eastern and Western cultures. It focuses on the differences in teaching pedagogy in math between the United States and three Asian countries: Singapore, Japan, and China.

Teacher Morale: The Magic Behind Teacher Performance, Michael Hess, Jerry Johnson

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Educational progress depends upon the quality of teachers. Unfortunately most of the persons who enter teaching profession do not like their jobs at all. They are here because they could not be selected for any other profession, Hence, quite a number of rejected and dejected university degree holders seek admission in training colleges and become teachers. Their inner-self never wanted to become a teacher. Many teachers take no pleasure in the teaching and simply pass their time. They do not care to set worthwhile goals before their pupils. They never care for what the students say about them. They are …

Teacher Perceptions Of Administrative Support For Democratic Practice: Implications For Leadership And Policy, Audrey Murphy

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

This paper reports results from a qualitative study that examined perceptions of administrative practice expressed by members of a grassroots teacher group committed to the practice of democratic education. The group (the Friday Roundtable) was comprised of K-12 public school teachers in rural Appalachian Ohio who spent considerable time together trying to answer the collective question how can we be better teachers? A key element of that dialogue involved consideration of increased state and national pressures that often included educational expectations of their building administrators that the teachers perceived as undemocratic. Using case studies of eleven individual teachers situated in …

Work Motivation Of Teachers : Relationship With Transformational And Transactional Leadership Behavior Of College Principals, Uma Devi, R.S. Mani

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The strength of an educational system largely depends upon the quality of its teachers. It is a teacher who helps to transform an individual into a person of imagination, wisdom, human love and enlightenment, and institutions into lampposts of posterity, and the country into a learning society. The National Policy on Education (1986) has rightly remarked “The status of the teacher reflects the sociocultural ethos of a society; It is in this context that today a teacher occupies a unique and significant place in any society.

Perceived Causes Of Teacher Dissatisfaction In Sekondi –Takoradi District Of Ghana., Dampson George

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

A teacher’s job satisfaction is one of the most essential issues for educational systems around the world. Next to pupils, teachers are the largest, most extensive, crucial and key to improving quality in any educational system (Afe, 2001; Stuart, 2002). This paper focuses on the third world country of Ghana where according to Bame 1992 and Akoto -Danso (2006) teachers are often in short supply. Akoto- Danso documented that enrolment into basic schools in Ghana has gone up by 17% from 3.7 million to a record of 4.3 million.

Improving Delivery Of Instruction Through Peer Coaching, James John Buckwalter

All Graduate Projects

Peer coaching models were studied to see if they improved teachers' delivery of instruction, and if they had a significant impact on student achievement. The research showed that peer coaching programs were successful when they were tied to a school's overall vision and mission, led by a strong principal, and kept separate from evaluation. Peer coaching was found to increase the accurate use of skills that teachers learned through professional development; however there was no evidence to show that peer coaching alone significantly effects student achievement.

“Math Is Hard,” Said Mrs. Ford; “Not For Me,” Said Mrs. Honda: Does Culture Matter In Teaching And Learning In Elementary Mathematics?, Shamah Md-Yunus

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

This article is a discussion of the practices of teaching and learning in elementary mathematics from the perspectives of Eastern and Western cultures. It focuses on the differences in teaching pedagogy in math between the United States and three Asian countries: Singapore, Japan, and China.

A Self-Study Of Virtual Teaching: Making The Leap From Distance Face-To-Face To Wimba Technology, Susan A. Turner

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

How do I best make the shift from teaching a graduate course currently using distance face-to-face technology to WIMBA technology?

Developing Critical Thinking Skills Of Pre-Service Teachers In Ghana: Teaching Methods And Classroom Ecology, Charles Owu-Ewie

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The study sought to answer these questions: How do the teaching strategies employed by Ghanaian initial teacher educators and the classroom ecology they create affects the thinking skills of pre-service teachers? And what can be done to improve pre-service teachers’ thinking through teaching methods and classroom ecology? The study employed a qualitative case study approach to investigate the problem at Akatakyiman Teacher Training College (a pseudonym) in Ghana. Teachers in science, mathematics and social studies and students were interviewed and observed.

Students' Perceptions Of Integration Of Faith And Learning And Intentional Teaching Strategies At A Christian University, Terry Anne Lawrence

Dissertations

Purpose

This study examined Christian graduate students’ perceptions of integration of faith and learning (IFL) in an instructional context where intentional integrative strategies were used to enable IFL for students.

Method

This study used a case study design that relied primarily on qualitative sources. The case investigated included 28 graduate education students in a summer “institute” at a Christian university. The instructors and most students were of the same denomination that the university is affiliated with. Most students were experienced teachers and expressed strong personal faith. The instructors support institutional goals for faith- learning integration. Descriptive statistics from a survey …

Faculty Development In Instructional Technology: A Multiple Case Study, Robson Moura Marinho

Faculty Publications

Employing the descriptive multiple case study method, this qualitative study explores the experiences of ten faculty members involved in learning about technology at a Major Pubic University in the United States. Participants shed light on the learning process in instructional technology by sharing their personal experiences, perspectives, ideas and behaviors. This paper summarizes the results of the study, making comparisons with related literature, and then discussing its practical implications and recommendations for faculty development. The findings indicate the need of a more holistic approach to faculty development programs in instructional technology.

Examples: What Teachers Are Doing With Poetry, Penny Miller, Sarah Duffer, Carole Damin, Libby Duggan

Articles

In November, 112 teachers from across Indiana attended a full-day professional development workshop with renowned poet Georgia Heard. Here is a sampling of the things these teachers are now doing in their schools and classrooms as a result of that workshop.

Grounded Technology Integration In Mathematics, Neal Grandgenett, Judi Harris, Mark Hofer

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Teachers today can choose from a variety of technologies for teaching mathematics. Drill-and-practice software, virtual manipulatives, real-life data sets, interactive geometry programs, graphing calculators, robots, and computer-based laboratories are just a few of the options available. But it can be difficult for mathematics teachers to know just which technologies to choose to support student learning in particular lessons.

One way to help teachers integrate technologies effectively is to match technology integration strategies to how teachers plan, rather than asking teachers to plan instruction that exploits the opportunities offered by particular educational technologies. For more information, see our previous article ( …

Developing Processes And Criteria For External Reviews Of Scholarly Teaching, Paul Savory, Amy M. Goodburn

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This workshop explores theoretical questions and practical strategies for how to develop peer reviewers for faculty required to document their scholarly teaching. After reading two mini case-studies of how faculty have documented the intellectual work of their teaching, participants will engage in guided discussion about reviewing and assessing such work and about developing faculty communities equipped to do such work. Presenter(s) also will seek feedback on guidelines that they have developed for external reviewers of SOTL work.

The Culture Of Poverty: How It Affects Middle School Students, Kaycie Anne Tuttle

All Graduate Projects

In education, teachers are seeing more impoverished students than ever before. With that understanding, teachers need to know how to identify and assist these students so that they are successful in school. The War on Poverty has been going on for years, and with a failing economy, teachers are seeing more impoverished students in their classrooms. To counteract this situation, teachers will be shown a pamphlet, power point presentation, and a workshop on poverty which will help show teachers what their students may be experiencing when away from school. In addition, the pamphlet will provide information of what to look …

What Does It Mean To Be Highly Qualified?, Diana Brannon

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) seems to be one of the most talked about and controversial educational reforms in decades. NCLB is an elementary and secondary education act signed into law January 8, 2002 designed to help close the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their peers. It requires that teachers be considered “highly qualified” in the core academic subjects they teach. A highly qualified teacher according to NCLB is one who has a bachelor’s degree, full state certification and licensure, and has demonstrated competency in the subject area he or she teaches (U. S. Department of Education, 2004). However, …

Quick Listening Activities To Improve Phonological Awareness In The Kindergarten Classroom, Jill Florence Stephens

All Graduate Projects

Current research shows phonological awareness plays an important role in a kindergarten student's ability to read. Phonological awareness (PA) is identifying and manipulating parts of spoken language, such as words, syllables, onsets and rimes, and rhyming. Recent research also indicates a kindergartener's level of phonological awareness is connected to his or her ability to decode words, recognize vocabulary and comprehend text. Students lacking a sense of phonological awareness struggle learning to read. The good news is that kindergarteners' phonological awareness can improve with 10-15 minutes of focused instruction each day. This project guides kindergarten teachers through phonological awareness listening activities, …

How Do You Go From ‘Good’ To ‘Outstanding’?, Rima Aboudan

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Many college educators receive a rating of ‘good’ on their teaching delivery. Following teaching evaluations, usually, raters highlight some clear areas for improvement in their rating reports. The challenge for the educator is to characterize what needs to be done and work on the pedagogy advice to gain an ‘outstanding’ rating in the final verdict of the college rating – satisfy those criteria they say, and outstanding you will be. But how? That is the question.

Preparing Students For The College Experience, Stefanos Gialamas, Peggy Pelonis

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Preparing students for College life and most importantly for life beyond high school is a key challenge for many educators and secondary education institutions. Above all, today more than ever, educators must prepare students for the unknown and the unpredictable; careers not yet known to us, opportunities that we can not imagine, and for a world so different that we have no idea what it will look like in thirty or forty years. Hence some of the questions that arise are as follows: what shall we teach our students? What skills do we expect them to develop; and which processes …

Stress Levels Of School Administrators And Teachers In November And January, Robert Moody, James Barrett

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Teaching today’s young people is not only arduous work, but can be dangerously stressful. Anxiety due to school reform efforts, minimal administrative support, poor working circumstances, lack of involvement in school decision making, the encumbrance of paperwork, and lack of resources have all been identified as factors that can cause stress among educators (Hammond & Onikama, 1997). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and its subsequential mandated standardized assessments, family responsibilities, continuing education, low salaries, and poor working conditions can also create stress.

A New Model Of 4-H Volunteer Development In Science, Engineering, And Technology Programs, Bradley S. Barker, Neal Grandgenett, Gwen Nugent

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

New initiatives centered on science, engineering, and technology (SET) in 4-H may be moving away from the long-established adult volunteer delivery model. This shift in delivery may be due to a lack of availability of adult volunteers who possess the necessary SET competencies to effectively lead 4-H clubs. One way to offset this trend may be to blend traditional face-to-face training with continuous training efforts that include asynchronous on-line training modules, synchronous Web-based meetings, and self-directed learning. This new 4-H SET Volunteer Competencies Training Model is being tested in the Nebraska 4-H Robotics and GPS/GIS program.

Chapter 4: Teaching Civic And Governement, And Economics, Andrew P. Johnson

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

This chapter examines the teaching of civics and government, and of economics. Below are listed the NCSS teacher expectations in each of these content areas as well as ideas for teaching. This chapter ends with a description of global education, a newer area of social studies that incorporates a variety of disciplines and their global impact.

This article is an excerpt from Johnson, A. (2009). Making connections in elementary and middle school social studies (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Teaching Research To Teachers: A Self-Study Of Course Design, Student Outcomes, And Instructor Learning, Susan A. Turner

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

To What Degree Will Differentiated Instruction Impact Student Grades In A Middle School Classroom?, Maureen K. Wilke

Mathematics Graduate Theses

The middle school student population encompasses one of the widest ranges of diversity in the educational system. Besides cultural, religious, educational, economical diversity, the middle school student copes with physical and psychological changes as well. It is important to understand that reaching students successfully is not teaching one way, but providing a learning experience based on students’ needs. The five key differentiated strategies in the classroom are: knowing the student, the environment, meaningful lessons, tiered assignments, and assessment. Gather as much information on the students, such as data from past standardize tests, conversation with students, student journals about success and …

Interaction Patterns In Mathematics Classrooms In Ogun State Secondary Schools, Adebole Ifamuyiwa, Abisola Lawani

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Interaction among people plays some vital roles in the life of individuals. This is evident in the way people relate with one-another at home, in the school, within the society, and among peer groups. In particular, the relationship between students and their teachers is expected to have a great effect on their lives. The way students learn any subject, Mathematics inclusive, will depend on the teacher’s pattern of classroom interaction. Teacher-student interaction in the classroom is a two-way process. Each participant influences the other’s behaviour; that is, the students condition their teachers’ behaviour and vice- versa. The concept of classroom …

Total Quality Management Culture And Productivity Improvement In Ethiopia Higher Institutions, B.J Ojo

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The desire of all parents is to have qualitative and functional educational programs for their children from nursery school to the university level. This is in conformity with the general belief that a sound education is the only permanent legacy that parents can pass on to their children to ensure their future. However, what we see nowadays is that many countries’ education system is turning out unemployable illiterates. Hallak (1990) emphasized that the quality of the education system depends on the quality of its teachers. Alloy Ejiogu (1990) stated that the quality of education in any given society depend considerably …

Evolution Of Teaching And Learning Through Technology, Phyllis K. Adcock

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The profession of education has undergone many changes in teaching approaches, course assessments, roles of teachers and students, mainly through the integration of technology. Programs of Teacher Preparation, therefore, are being challenged to prepare their teacher candidates to use technology effectively. Research shows that technology has become an integral part of the teaching and learning environment making technology a stable part of the teaching and learning experience. Teacher educators must prepare teacher candidates to teach content and to use technology effectively so that all students will benefit in a world that depends on technology.

Pilot Project: Technology Integration In Underserved Schools Using Thinkfinity, Spring 2008, Final Report, Sylvia Russakoff

Cornerstone 1 Reports : Expansion and Enhancements of the Thinkfinity Platform

The Pace Computer Learning Center has been involved in helping teachers learn to integrate technology using Internet resources since 1997, when, under a grant from the then Bell Atlantic Corporation, over 900 teachers were trained over a three year period.

Since that initial project, PCLC has continued this work with New York City and Westchester private and public schools. Most recently, funding has come from the Facilitator Center, an organization serving non-public schools in New York City and the Hudson Valley.

This pilot project was conceived as a way in which PCLC could use its experience and expertise to present …

Erin Gruwell: Catalyst For Change, Lisa Penrod, Jennifer Edmond

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

On the evening of February 19^th, 2008, we had the distinct honor and pleasure of meeting Ms. Erin Gruwell, teacher, motivational speaker and author of The Freedom Writers’ Diary and Teach With Your Heart. Upon being introduced, Ms. Gruwell focused the attention of the audience on her greatest passion, the students. After asking the teenagers to stand and be recognized, she ardently requested that the adults in the room purchase a copy of her book The Freedom Writers’ Diary, for every student present so that they might be inspired by students like themselves.