Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Growth Mindset As An Approach For Improving Our Lives And Our Students' Lives (August 2017), Sarah Grison, Marsh Jones

Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Workshops

This interactive presentation expands on the concept of growth mindset, the concept that growth and learning can come from failure, and discusses the impact that adopting a growth mindset can have on ourselves and our students. Concludes with some concrete suggestions for cultivating a growth mindset and embracing the power of "yet."

Determinants And Outcomes Of Teachers’ Professional Identity And Organizational Identification: A Comparative Analysis In Charter And Regular Public Schools, Muhammed Fatih Bogrek

Theses and Dissertations

This empirical study compared the organizational identification and professional identity of teachers in charter and regular public schools. The purpose of study was three-fold, the first was to investigate whether charter school teachers differ from their regular public school peers in the study variables (i.e. self-efficacy, perceived organizational support, collective efficacy, organizational identification, professional identity, teacher retention, occupational commitment, and organizational commitment). The next aim was to examine whether teachers’ self-efficacy, collective efficacy, and perceived organizational support influence teachers’ organizational identification and professional identity in both regular public and charter schools. Finally, this study also explored whether teachers’ organizational identification …

Theological Foundations Of Pastoral Care In Catholic Universities, Thomas V. Gourlay

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

One defining element of life in any Catholic educational institution, whether it be primary, secondary, or tertiary, is the focus on pastoral care for staff and students. This paper provides a distinctly Catholic definition of the term ‘pastoral care’ and briefly examines the theological foundations that underpin this concept, particularly, in relation to its application in the Catholic university. The paper traces the motif of pastoral care through the Scriptures and, building on insights from St. Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities, Ex Corde Ecclesiae (1990) and the broader theological anthropology of the Vatican II Council. The …

An Examination Of The Effects Of Coaching And Reflection On Instructional Discourse: An Interrupted Time Series Study On Scaffolding Language Occurrences, Felecia Dotson Dotson

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examines the effects that a coaching intervention has on the occurrences of scaffolding language techniques in a teacher’s instructional delivery, in addition to the possible influences that a coaching intervention has on the teacher’s ability to reflect on scaffolding language. More importantly, the study considers whether students benefit academically when teachers use more scaffolding language techniques in their instructional delivery. An interrupted time series design with a between and within-subject variable was used to measure the impact of the coaching intervention on scaffolding language technique occurrences over a six-week period. An independent samples t test was applied …

Child Abuse Prevention Training: Introducing A Train-The-Teacher Manual For Child Safety Awareness, Kimmera Wilson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Introduction. In order for the San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center community education department to extend the outreach of the Child Safety Awareness (CSA) curriculum, a training manual was created for San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) K- 5th grade teachers. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of a train the teacher manual for the child safety lessons.

Methods. A five question tool was developed to survey Kindergarten through 5th grade teachers working at elementary schools in the San Francisco Unified School District. The questions were designed to better understand the needs of the population before creating a resource for them …

Facilitating The Transition From Military Instructor To Academic Educator: Cognitive Apprenticeship In Teacher Induction At The United States Air Force Academy, Thomas T. Swaim

The Qualitative Report

This article examines teacher induction in the military undergraduate education context. The U.S. Air Force Academy relies on approximately 520 military and civilian instructors to educate nearly 4000 future military officers each year. These educators must be highly skilled and unquestionably capable in their abilities to teach these future leaders. Many of these instructors derive from highly technical active duty operational career fields (such as pilot, missile operator, etc.). This article reveals how Collins’, Brown’s, and Newman’s (1989) theory of cognitive apprenticeship is manifested within teacher induction experiences at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Using a qualitative multiple-case study approach, …

Generational Shift: Why We Should Modify Our Instructional Strategies For The Next Generations Of Aviators, Mary Niemczyk

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Air transportation has proven to be an extremely safe, efficient and reliable means for travel – a testament to highly effective instruction and training. Airlines are forecasted to continue their rapid expansion over the next 20 years needing to hire more than 2 million aviation personnel (Boeing, 2015). As Baby Boomers retire, at the rate of 10,000 per day/4 million per year, a ‘generational replacement’ or shift will occur with Gen Y and Z members taking their places in the workforce.

Each generation is impacted by significant events during their developmental adolescent years. For Gen Y members, technological and K-12 …

Clearing The Pathway To Chemotherapy Certification For Inpatient Nurses, Shari Lee Kellen Rn, Ocn, Onn

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

A clinical nurse leader (CNL) project was conducted, in a medical-surgical oncology unit in a community-based hospital, to evaluate and improve upon the decreasing number of chemotherapy certified nurses. A Likert survey of the nurses provided a self-assessment of competency in handling chemotherapy patients, and perceived barriers to achieving chemotherapy certification. The surveys revealed that nurses felt fearful of exposure to hazardous medications, that chemotherapy assignments were too stressful, and that there was minimal chemotherapy competency amongst leadership. An education program was implemented, covering proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safe handling, practicing resilience to mitigate stress, …

The Impact Of Student Abroad On Intercultural Competence As A Professional Disposition: Narrative Stories From Student Affairs Professionals, Dare Chronister

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student affairs professionals (SAP) have been tasked to educate students and provide opportunities to develop skills to live in a culturally diverse and global society. The shortage of culturally competent SAP could hinder students’ abilities to gain intercultural competence. The purpose of this narrative non-fiction study was to understand how SAP’ study abroad experiences helped them to grow and develop intercultural competence. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify how intercultural competence shaped their practices and strategies to provide students with safe environments to gain knowledge and understanding about different cultures. Data collection included three levels of semi-structured interviews. Identified themes …

5 Tech Tools Every Professor Should Use Now, Norman Eng

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Barriers To Oer Adoption (And Possible Solutions), Amanda Hovious

Texas Conference on Institutional Repositories

Type of presentation: Full Session

ABSTRACT

In 2012, at the World Open Educational Resources Congress in Paris, UNESCO declared that governments within their powers should develop strategies and policies that promote open educational resources (OER) as an avenue toward the universal right of equity of access to education. Though OER has increased exponentially in availability since that time, there remain confounding factors that act as barriers to OER adoption, such as ease of discovery, ease of adaptability and re-use, and uncertainty regarding quality and sustainability. Numerous studies have examined these barriers, and these studies should be of concern to librarians …

Student Demographic And Academic Characteristics That Predict Community College Student Success In Online Courses, Jennifer L. Davidson

Theses and Dissertations

Online student success is a concern for higher education institutions especially community colleges with open enrollment admission. This study analyzed online student success using online GPA (dependent variable) and both demographic and academic characteristics of online students (independent variables) to determine which characteristics significantly correlated to and predicted student success in online courses. The sample included an unduplicated count of 4,046 online students enrolled in at least one online course during fall 2015 and spring 2016 at a public, Midwestern community college. Six research questions and twelve hypotheses were used to determine which independent variables led online students to a …

Forms Of Science Capital Mobilized In Adolescents’ Engineering Projects, Amy Wilson-Lopez, Christina M. Sias, Allen Smithee, Indhira María Hasbún

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify the forms of science capital that six groups of adolescents mobilized toward the realization of their self-selected engineering projects during after-school meetings. Research participants were high school students who self-identified as Hispanic, Latina, or Latino; who had received English as a Second Language (ESL) services; and whose parents or guardians had immigrated to the United States and held working class jobs. The research team used categories from Bourdieusian theories of capital to identify the forms of science capital mobilized by the participants. Data sources included transcripts from monthly interviews and …

Teacher Self-Efficacy In Writing And Instructional Choices: A Correlational Study, Beth Burke

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This quantitative study focused on examining the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and their use of writing practices in teaching writing. Participants included elementary kindergarten through fifth grade teachers in a large school district in northeastern United States. The following research questions guided this study: Is there a statistically significant relationship between overall teacher self-efficacy and the amount of time teachers spend using specific practices in writing instruction? Is there a statistically significant relationship between teaching self-efficacy factor of personal self-efficacy and the amount of time teachers spend using specific practices in writing instruction? Is there a statistically significant relationship between …

Rigor And Relevance: A Teacher Research Study On Using Young Adult Literature In Detracked Secondary English Language Arts Courses, Kathleen Colantonio-Yurko, Cody Miller, Jennifer Cheveallier

Journal of Practitioner Research

This article explores how three students who would not have qualified for honors-level curriculum under a tracked model performed in detracked English Language Arts (ELA) courses. Our teacher research study was guided by the following question: How can the incorporation of young adult literature (YAL) in a detracked ELA honors course affect the experiences of students who would not have qualified for honors curriculum under a tracked model? We found that the incorporation of YAL helped students explore diverse ideas and expanded their capacity to think, read, and write critically. This study has implications for broader conversations relating to detracking …

Teacher Retention In Zimbabwe: Love For Teaching Or Incentives?, Clifford Gomba

Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative interpretive study investigated the lived experiences of qualified teachers who have remained in teaching for more than 10 years in Zimbabwean rural secondary schools. In understanding how teachers make meaning of their remaining in teaching, the focus is also on the role and place of teachers in society. The experiences were investigated using a dialoguing unhu theoretical framework based on the writing of Lortie (1975) and unhu philosophy. Teacher participants were drawn from three rural secondary schools in Chirumhanzu district in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe. In addition, two teachers who left teaching in Zimbabwe and are resident …

Lessons Learned While Escaping From A Zombie: Designing A Breakout Edu Game, Wendy L. Rouse

Faculty Publications, Social Sciences

I discovered Breakout EDU over a year ago while researching innovative teaching methods that spark student engagement. Firmly believing in the importance of play and the value of games in history education, I found the Breakout EDU idea intriguing and wanted to try it in my own classroom.

Educating Our Parkland Students In The 21st Century, Julie Weishar, Midge Siem, Patti Verstrat, Sarah Grison

Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Workshops

Characteristics of incoming college students are shared with this interactive slide presentation. Additionally, general learning outcomes and development in students of important skill sets (academic, personal, and professional) are used to guide participants to identifying the most effective techniques to improve student learning.

Knowledge And Practices Of Faculty At Nasm Accredited Institutions In The Southeast Region Regarding Standards-Based Instruction, Jonathan Leon Nelson

Dissertations

In 1993, Congress passed the mandate Goals 2000: Educate America Act, which established standards for K-12 education that outlined the core benchmarks of student achievement for individuals who have mastered the core curricula required to earn a high school diploma (Mark, 1995). Unfortunately, these curricular requirements did not include any criteria for music education, nor did they consider the curricular implications for higher education in providing NSME Standards based training for music educators.

The aim of this study was to determine if and to what extent music education faculty engage in NSME Standards-based instruction within the higher education classroom. Questionnaires …

An Examination Of The Factors That Influence The Transfer Of Learning Among K-12 Educators Participating In Professional Learning Communities, Charcelor C. Mccullum

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify the factors that either support or inhibit learning transfer among educators within K-12 professional learning communities (PLCs) as well as to obtain a better understanding of how adult education principles relate to teacher learning and job satisfaction within this environment. Although research regarding professional learning for educators within the K-12 setting is available, much of this research is not focused directly on adult education principles and often fails to examine learning transfer. The present study addresses both areas using a two-phase exploratory sequential mixed methods approach to obtain both qualitative …

Ua41 University College Connection, University College

UC Publications

Newsletter created by and about WKU University College.

• George, Dennis. Message from the Dean
• Jennifer Brinkley Travels to Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Sara McCaslin Provides Workshop
• School of Professional Studies BIS
• Diversity & Community Studies
• New DCS Assistant Professor - Dana Cuomo
• African American Studies
• Gender & Women's Studies
• Center for Citizenship & Social Justice
• School of University Studies - Embedded English Tutors
• LAC Tutors - Alice Rowe Learning Assistance Center
• WKU 2017 Part Time Faculty Award Recipient - Diana McQuady
• University Experience Research Awards
• Student Support Programs Summer Early Entry

Facing Diversity In Early Childhood Education: Teachers’ Perceptions, Beliefs, And Teaching Practices Of Anti-Bias Education In Korea, Yerim Hong

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The changing composition of early childhood classrooms challenges teachers to be more responsive to the diverse needs of all children. This study explores the challenges and successes early childhood teachers experience with facing diversity in their classrooms. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to investigate kindergarten teachers’ perceptions, beliefs, and teaching practices concerning anti-bias education in Seoul, South Korea. There were two groups of in-service kindergarten teachers, four teachers in each group, who participated in one-on-one interviews with structured and open-ended questions. The teachers in one group had more experience with teaching in diverse classroom settings than the …

A Case Of Fragmented High School Earth And Space Science Education In The Great Plains: Tracing Teacher Certification Policy To Students' Access, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Jia Lu

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

While U.S. high school students’ access to Earth and space science (ESS) varies widely from state to state, nationally ESS content is the most neglected area of science education and scientific literacy. States have been considering if they will formally adopt, or less formally adapt, the new national science education standards, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which have been carefully developed and articulated in conjunction with state educational leaders. However, there are many challenges with which states, school districts, and teachers must grapple in order to enact standards-aligned ESS science lessons. This study of one Great Plains state investigated …

American Indian Professionals: Educational Decision-Making And Persistence, Colleen M. Burke

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian graduate students are experiencing a higher matriculation rate in higher education today; however, those rates are still lower than other underrepresented minority groups’ rates. The purpose of this study is to conduct exploratory research to investigate the decision-making process of American Indian/Alaskan Native professionals who persisted to graduation from their graduate programs. This study explores the participants’ graduate school experiences relating to education, tribal values, decisions, their social support, and perseverance. The theoretical framework of decisionmaking theory, i.e. Prospect Theory, was used to evaluate the educational decisions of the participants. Decision-making theorists include corporate culture in their discussions; …

The Anatomy Of Virtual Manipulative Apps: Using Grounded Theory To Conceptualize And Evaluate Educational Apps That Contain Virtual Manipulatives, Jennifer M. Boyer-Thurgood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This exploratory qualitative study used grounded theory to investigate the anatomy of educational apps that contain virtual manipulatives. For this study 100 virtual manipulatives within educational apps designed for the iPad were observed by the researcher in order to expand the explanations of and build theory about virtual manipulatives within apps. Affordance theory was used to frame all six phases of the study in which the researcher identified virtual manipulatives situated within educational apps, conducted observer-as-participant structured and unstructured observations, analyzed component data including field notes and memos using open and axial coding, created a conceptual framework, developed an evaluation …

Modeling Inquiry-Oriented Instruction Of Beginning Secondary Science Teachers, Lyrica Lucas, Elizabeth B. Lewis

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

New national science education standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, in the United States (US) promote inquiry-based instruction through an integrated emphasis on scientific practices and disciplinary content. Thus, it is important for beginning science teachers to reach proficient implementation of reformed teaching practices by the end of their induction phase in order to become effective science teachers. Yet, extant science education research studies on development of beginning teachers’ classroom practices is rare. In this study, we collected data from a longitudinal study of science teachers from two teacher preparation programs - a bachelor’s program with teacher candidates who had …

An Analysis Of The Model And Enacted Curricula For A History Of Science Course In A Nationwide Teacher Education Program, Noushin Nouri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The UTeach program, a national model for undergraduate teacher preparation, includes Perspectives on Science and Mathematics, a class designed to share content about the History of Science (HOS) with preservice teachers. UTeach provides a model curriculum as a sample for instructors teaching Perspectives. The purpose of this study was (a) to describe and evaluate the model science lessons provided; (b) to compare the relationship of the various versions of the Perspectives class with the model curriculum; (c) to determine the factors that led to instructors’ success or failure in implementation of the model curriculum; and (d) to highlight the instructors’ …

A Study Of Strengthening Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Knowledge Of Statistics And Probability Via Professional Development, Lina Devaul

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A professional development program (PSPD) was implemented to improve in-service secondary mathematics teachers’ content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and self-efficacy in teaching secondary school statistics and probability. Participants generated a teaching resource website at the conclusion of the PSPD program. Participants’ content knowledge change and self-efficacy change were measured. After PSPD, three participants were selected to represent three types of change. Teachers’ classroom instructions were video-taped and analyzed to explore the enactment of PSPD components, such as activities and concepts. Interviews were conducted to assess factors that facilitated teachers’ change and the enactment of PSPD components. Preservice teachers who majored in …

The Good Behavior Game: Effects On And Maintenance Of Behavior In Middle-School Classrooms Using Class Dojo, Komila Dadakhodjaeva

Dissertations

Classroom management is one of the key components for successful instruction and affects both instructors and learners. Although most frequent discipline strategies in schools involve punitive actions, research suggests that using positive statements to teach and reinforce desirable behaviors is more appropriate and effective. A form of a group-oriented contingency that focuses on desirable behaviors is a positive variation of the Good Behavior Game (GBG). The GBG has been used widely in its original form, focusing on undesirable behaviors, and more research is needed on its positive version. Another strategy that can be used within classrooms is Class Dojo, a …

The Effect Of Instructional Strategies On Math Anxiety And Achievement: A Mixed Methods Study Of Preservice Elementary Teachers, Janelle K. Lorenzen

Dissertations

This study addressed how different instructional strategies affected preservice elementary teachers’ levels of math anxiety and their achievement in a math content course while considering descriptions of their experiences in the course in relation to their math anxiety and achievement. The instructional strategies used were traditional teaching methods and inquiry-based learning (IBL). A mixed methods embedded design was used in which the major design of the study is a nonequivalent control group design, where the collection of data occurred before, during, and after the intervention. There were 103 participants who were elementary education preservice teachers with 58 of them being …