Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Sample Mou For Residency Partnerships, Bank Street College Of Education

All Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

This sample document reflects Prepared To Teach's best learning to date. Partners can proceed in their work without a formal MOU in place, and develop one at an appropriate time to best support their needs and partnership.

Collaborative Teacher-Driven Professional Development : The Documented Journey Of A Practitioner Action Research Teacher Study Group, Brenna D. Bohny

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Laws such as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the Every Student Succeeds Act have shaped the landscape of education in many ways, including how professional development is structured. As a result, professional development has become increasingly limited to training teachers to carry out top-down mandated reforms based on subject-knowledge rather than concentrating on teacher learning efforts focused on the growth of adults as learners (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2006, 2009; Hirsch, 2006; Mertler, 2010). Organic, teacher-driven professional development, such as action research, provide teachers with opportunities to disrupt the often paternalistic power structures that currently exist. …

In Their Own Words: Teachers Make Meaning Of Participation In A Community Of Practice, Laura Lee Ripley

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Recent studies on effective professional development in schools have paid attention to the concept of learning done in professional communities, but ignore teacher recommendations and voices. This case study focused on the meaning teachers made from participation in a community of practice in a school implementing reforms.

Founded in Wenger and Lave’s concept of the community of practice, defined as groups of people who come together routinely and who learn to do things better as a result, this study follows a community of practice in the face of a significant school reform where very little other professional development had been …

Examining World Language Teachers' Maximized Target Language Use In The Teaching Of Novice Learners, Viviana Mirian Monica Muriel De Bonafede

Wayne State University Dissertations

Current research in second language acquisition and best practice recommendations for world language teaching emphasize to importance of maximized Target Language (TL) use in the classroom. The purpose of this mixed method sequential explanatory design was to examine maximized TL use in the classroom with novice learners via implementing effective strategies. Chapter 1 provides an understanding on current world languages perspectives in the United States and the increasing and ongoing shift from the traditional ways to teaching languages to more communicative, meaningful language education. Chapter 2 unpacks the main constructs of Vygostky’s SCT (1978), which is the theoretical perspective that …

An Evaluation Of Co-Teaching Models And Best Practices To Meet The Needs Of Providing Equitable Educational Opportunities For English Language Learners, Sophie M. Ly

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and evaluate best practices in a co-teaching setting between two licensed educators, one being the content teacher and the other an English Language Learner (ELL) specialist. The focus is on mainstream classrooms that are not sheltered; in this setting English language learners (ELLs) are able to remain in the classroom with their non-ELL peers while receiving equitable content instruction directly from a credentialed content specialist with differentiation and accommodation provided by the ELL specialist. With the move away from traditional pull-out methods, many schools and districts with high ELL population now look …

A Campus Model For Student Development: Program Review And Prioritization, C. Skip Trudeau, Britney Graber

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

The current financial climate for higher education is one of constrained and declining resources, causing many institutions to turn towards a retrenchment strategy that often includes reducing expenses and, in more extreme cases, eliminating programs. A review of existing literature reveals few models colleges can utilize in conducting comprehensive analyses of programs to determine how to proceed with these cost cutting measures. Additionally, the authors could not find any existing approaches focused on student development or other nonacademic programs. In this article, the authors provide a review of relevant literature, a review of the Dickeson Model (2010), and build the …

Diversity Matters: Race, Ethnicity, And The Future Of Christian Higher Education, Cassie Isaacson

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

No abstract provided.

The Undergraduate Experience: Focusing Institutions On What Matters Most, David M. Johnstone

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

No abstract provided.

Growth No. 17 (2018) - Full Issue

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

The full issue of the seventeenth edition of Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development.

A Redeeming Obligation For Christian Administrators: Advocating For Student Affairs-Academic Affairs Collaborations, Ryan W. Erck

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

The larger purpose of a Christian college education is to guide students towards developing a love for God and neighbor. One way to articulate such a vision is to focus on the development of the whole person as student. A practical method for this holistic education is to promote and practice student affairs-academic affairs collaborations. As such, Christian administrators have a unique obligation to promote a culture of collaboration on their campuses. While partnerships are healthy for student success, they serve an additional purpose in Christian higher education: a redeeming purpose. This paper will address this redemptive opportunity for administrators …

Tradition With A Captial "T": The Value Of Campus Traditions, Morgan K. Morris

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

Tradition with a Capital “T” explores the value of campus traditions in higher education. Literature regarding tradition and campus traditions answers the question “what is tradition?” and investigates the role of tradition in higher education. Original research sought to survey student, personnel, and general perceptions of the value of campus traditions in higher education through a qualitative, phenomenological approach focused on a single campus tradition. In order to obtain a holistic perspective, the researcher conducted a review of archival resources and interviews with students, faculty, staff, and administrators connected to the campus tradition. Three themes surfaced from the archival research …

"It Feels A Bit Like Imposter Syndrome": Examining The Issue Of Masculinity And Depression In Male College Students, Wildon Story

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

This research seeks to examine the intersectional relationship between depression and identity development of male students at a liberal arts institution. The present study focused on the statistics of male students attending the university counseling center alongside multiple conversations with three counselors who help depressed male students and two students whose personal accounts detailed the interaction between their depression and male gender identity. The findings suggest male students’ depression may be rooted in the incongruence between students’ self-perceived identity and the culturally-demanding narratives of male behaviors and thought patterns. Students detailed their experience navigating shame, loneliness, comparison, and their hesitancy …

The Motivation Of Students Of Color For Pursuing Leadership Positions At Faith-Based Universities, Grant Burns, Jenny Elsey, David M. Johnstone

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

As faith-based universities increasingly diversify the culture of their student body, student leadership roles also diversify. While there is literature on barriers and challenges students of color experience in these roles, there is little to help understand their motivation in pursuing these roles. Using conversations, interviews, and surveys this research was conducted to start such a conversation. The researchers’ goal was to go beyond conventional wisdom and begin gathering data reflecting the experiences of students of color on our campuses. While compensation is definitely a motivation, this research suggested there might be a variety of reasons to pursue these roles.

Impact Of Monastic Practices And Spiritual Disciplines On Student Leader Development, Haley B. Williamson

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

The purpose of this study is to understand if practicing monasticism and spiritual disciplines impact the development of student leaders. The research was conducted through grounded theory qualitative interviews with eight student leaders who participated in a monastic trip for the duration of January 2016. Therefore, the present study seeks to answer the question:

What impact does monasticism and spiritual disciplines have on the development of student leaders at a private Christian liberal arts institution?

The eight students were interviewed before and after their monastic trip, answering questions about monasticism and spiritual disciplines, student leadership, and trip expectations/ experiences. Themes …

The Slow Professor: Challenging The Culture Of Speed In The Academy, Kirsten D. Riedel, Joshua P. Riedel

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

No abstract provided.

Dimensions Of Work Engagement And Teacher Burnout: A Study Of Relations Among Iranian Efl Teachers, Arefe Amini Faskhodi, Masood Siyyari

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Among different teacher-related variables burnout can have irrevocable effects on the whole educational system. Due to the importance of considering all positive and negative related variables, and also lack of attention to positive criteria in the area of work-related factors, this study is the first attempt in Iran in the field to include engagement as a positive factor involved. The purpose of the present study is to investigate any possible relationship between work engagement and teachers’ sense of burnout, as well as associations between work engagement, burnout, and teachers’ years of experience. The correlational analyses indicate a significant and negative …

An Investigation Of Preservice Teachers’ Beliefs About The Certainty Of Teaching Knowledge, Leila E. Ferguson, Jo Lunn Brownlee

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Beliefs about the certainty of teaching knowledge may influence how preservice teachers engage with and learn from knowledge sources in teacher education, and their subsequent practice. In light of inconsistencies in prior findings that mainly employ epistemic questionnaires, we extended research focusing on a contextual analysis. Sixty-six elementary and lower-secondary preservice teachers in Norway responded to the Beliefs about the Certainty of Teaching Knowledge (BECK) scale in the first and second year of study, respectively. Participants believed knowledge about teaching and learning was more tentative and evolving at T2 than at T1 (t (65) = 2.0, p = .049, Cohen’s …

Making Pedagogy Tangible: Developing Skills And Knowledge Using A Team Teaching And Blended Learning Approach, Renée Crawford, Louise E. Jenkins

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In an era of accountability government and industry bodies are mandating that teacher education programs provide evidence of their impact. This paper provides an example of evidence-based practice, exploring how a team teaching and blended learning approach influenced the development of pre-service teachers (PSTs) competency skills and knowledge. This approach was introduced to an initial teacher education (ITE) specialist music secondary methods unit to ensure that the tertiary learning context aligned with contemporary innovations in schools and provided authentic learning and teaching opportunities. Using an embedded advanced mixed methodology, this research had two phases. Phase 1 explored the development of …

Making Headway: Developing Principals’ Leadership Skills Through Innovative Postgraduate Programs, Susan Simon, Michael Christie, Deborah Heck, Wayne Graham, Kairen Call

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Effective school leadership preparation has been regarded as desirable if not mandatory in Australia and globally for decades. Schools and school systems, higher education institutions and education jurisdictions have attempted with varying degrees of success to encourage teachers aspiring to become principals to prepare well for the complex role ahead. Research involving postgraduate education students identified that peer support, collaboration and collegial professional learning contributed towards self-development, strengthening the required Personal qualities, social and interpersonal skills of contemporary school leaders.

Issues Arising From The Use Of University Ilectures: A Case Study Of One Australian Campus, Toni J. Dobinson, Tatiana Bogachenko

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Australian universities have moved towards greater reliance on technology as a learning tool. The use of podcasts or recorded lectures (sometimes called ilectures) is now common practice in both on-campus and online modes. Using a qualitative approach to data collection which included recorded interviews, an online survey of open-ended questions and the researcher’s own reflections on using ilectures, this study investigated 1) the impact of ilectures on the teaching and learning practices of both academics and students 2) student attendance in recorded lectures and 3) the responses of lecturers and students to being recorded. Findings highlighted a mix of reactions …

Culturally And Linguistically Diverse School Environments – Exploring The Unknown, Lyn Gilmour, Dr Helen Klieve, Dr Minglin Li

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract: Australian education policies aspire to meet the unique needs of all students including those from linguistically diverse backgrounds; however, a first step in achieving this aim is clear identification of such students. Many children from previous migrant families and new arrivals to Australia come from homes where at least one parent speaks a language other than English. This exploratory research utilises survey and interview responses from students and staff in five Queensland state high schools. Results showed that 79.5% of the 2,484 students surveyed were from English-only homes with only 10.5% classified as having English as Another Language/Dialect. …

Teacher Knowledge And Learning In-Situ: A Case Study Of The Long Division Algorithm, Shikha Takker, K. Subramaniam

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The aim of the study reported in this paper was to explore and enhance experienced school mathematics teachers’ knowledge of students’ thinking, as it is manifested in practice. Data were collected from records of classroom observations, interviews with participating teachers, and weekly teacher-researcher meetings organized in the school. In this paper, we discuss the mathematical challenges faced by a primary school teacher as she attempts to unpack the structure of the division algorithm, while teaching in a Grade 4 classroom. Through this case study, we exemplify how a focus on mathematical knowledge for teaching ‘in situ’ helped in triggering a …

Student And Staff Perceptions Of A Learning Management System For Blended Learning In Teacher Education, Kathryn A. Holmes, Elena Prieto-Rodriguez

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Higher education institutions routinely use Learning Management Systems (LMS) for multiple purposes; to organise coursework and assessment, to facilitate staff and student interactions, and to act as repositories of learning objects. The analysis reported here involves staff (n=46) and student (n=470) responses to surveys as well as data collected in interviews and focus groups. The research focuses on participants’ perceptions of two broad affordances of the LMS: accessibility and interactivity. Differences were found between student and staff views in relation to accessibility of online materials, with students rating its contribution to their learning more highly than staff. However, the two …

Professional Teaching Standards: A Comparative Analysis Of Their History, Implementation And Efficacy, Kairen Call

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Since the publication of results from the first iteration of testing within the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the ensuing media consternation and political rhetoric about teacher quality in education systems around the world, professional standards for teachers have been considered, developed and implemented globally in various forms. Justified by the argument that they raise teacher quality which in turn raises student outcomes, professional standards for teachers are being considered as an integral part of the solution to current deficits in education. This article explores the forces driving and restraining professional standards for teachers within international and Australian …

Getting The Most From Google Classroom: A Pedagogical Framework For Tertiary Educators, Keith R. Heggart, Joanne Yoo

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Many tertiary institutions have embraced digital learning through the use of online learning platforms and social networks. However, the research about the efficacy of such platforms is confused, as is the field itself, in part because of the rapidly evolving technology, and also because of a lack of clarity about what constitutes a learning platform. In this study, two early career academics and instructors examined the effectiveness of using Google Classroom for final year primary teacher education students to encourage student voice and agency, and to consider how the platform might influence future pedagogies at the tertiary level. The data …

Freedom And Constraint In Teacher Education: Reflections On Experiences Over Time, Amanda Mcgraw

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teacher education programs in Australia increasingly comply with new and narrowing accountabilities so that they can be approved by diverse regulatory authorities and accredited. This is an auto-biographical narrative study which draws upon the memories of a teacher educator who contrasts her experience of learning to teach in the early 1980s with her recent experience as a Program Leader working with colleagues to design a new Master of Teaching program. She interviews Professor Bernie Neville who was responsible for the design and implementation of the teacher education program she completed in 1983. He reflects on the principles guiding his practice …

Teaching Chemistry In A Spiral Progression Approach: Lessons From Science Teachers In The Philippines, Joymie R. Orbe, Allen A. Espinosa, Janir T. Datukan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

As the Philippines moves towards implementing the K-12 curriculum, there has been a mismatch in teacher preparation in science. The present teacher education curriculum prepares science teachers to specialise in a specific field (e.g. integrated science, biology, chemistry, and physics). However, in the K-12 curriculum, they are required to teach all the sciences in a spiral progression approach. Hence, this study analysed the experiences of science teachers in teaching chemistry in the K-12 curriculum in order to identify their challenges and how they are overcoming them. Findings suggest that the teacher’s content, pedagogy, and assessment in chemistry are problematic; specifically, …

Factors Associated With Technology Integration To Improve Instructional Abilities: A Path Model, Öner Uslu

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Today, students are expected to access, analyse and synthesise information, and work cooperatively. Their learning environment, therefore, should be equipped with appropriate tools and materials, and teachers should have instructional abilities to use them effectively. This study aims to propose a model to improve teachers’ instructional abilities through technology integration. To this end, data on variables that affect technology integration were collected from 600 teachers and analysed by using path analysis. The results revealed an acceptable fit between the model and the data. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, attitude towards technology use in education, gender, frequency of computer use, seniority, duration …

Language Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs: A Review Of The Literature (2005-2016), Mark Wyatt

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Research into language teachers’ self-efficacy (LTSE) beliefs, a domain-specific branch of research into teachers’ self-efficacy (TSE) beliefs in general education, has emerged in the past 16 years. To date, though, this emergent domain-specific research field has not been described in depth, with most accounts of it summarised very briefly, even in published research that provides empirical data relating to the specific topic of LTSE beliefs. Guided by a synthetic research ethic, this literature review aims to explore the gap. It highlights the characteristics of this LTSE beliefs research field, discussing the methodology employed by various studies that have elicited LTSE …

Exploring Teachers’ Assessment Literacy: Impact On Learners’ Writing Achievements And Implications For Teacher Development, Morteza Mellati, Marzieh Khademi

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teacher-mediated classroom assessment might have significant impacts on learners’ academic achievements and teachers’ development. The current study investigated teachers’ assessment literacy and its impact on their current assessment practices and learners’ writing outcomes. The study sought to gain an understanding of the extent to which teachers’ assessment literacy affects their practices and their learners’ outcomes. To conduct the study and gather the required data, the researchers employed teachers’ assessment literacy inventory, semi-structured interview, non-participatory observation, and Writing Competence Rating Scale (WCRS). Ten male EFL instructors and 75 male sophomores from Iranian EFL contexts were selected from four language schools in …