Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Healthy Use Of Technology & The Internet Among University Students, Stefano Cueto

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focused on technology and internet use among university students. The focal issue is unhealthy use of technology and the internet, as in overuse on a daily basis. What is constituted as overuse of technology and internet use are reduction of physical activity and poor posture, eye strain, poor sleep habits, and anxiety. Given this issue, there is a need for a service that detoxes from overuse of technology, gauges relationships with technology, and informs alternative, mindful means of technology/internet use in everyday lives. This service was a one-time workshop service conducted in fall, 2023, intended to detox …

Teacher Professional Dialogue For Justice-Oriented Practice: A Qualitative Action Research Study, Megan Leigh Normandin

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study used a qualitative action research approach to engage a group of secondary English teachers in a collective inquiry to determine the best model for transformative teacher reflexivity and dialogue. Through solution-focused conversation, the goal was to design a sustainable framework for professional development that fosters creative, just, and compassionate instruction. The primary question explored was: What is an effective structure for sustained reflective dialogue among teachers in a comprehensive public high school? The action research model provided the context for a cyclical process of reflection, discovery, and growth. Findings of this study will form both a blueprint for …

Intercultural Competency Development Model For Extension Professionals: Expert Consensus Using The Delphi Technique, John M. Diaz, Cody Gusto, K.S.U Jayaratne, Lendel Narine, Colby Silvert, Cecilia Suarez, Celina Wille

Journal of Extension

To address concerns about the applicability of existing intercultural competence models to the Extension context, we aimed to develop a systematic intercultural competence framework tailored for Extension professionals through a collaborative and consensual process. A three-phased Delphi approach was utilized with a panel of 36 intercultural competence experts in Extension across academic disciplines to identify and finalize competencies thought to be necessary across career phases. The panel agreed upon 54 competencies in total with 13 competencies to develop in the first year, 37 competencies to develop in the first three years and four competencies in years two through seven.

Childcare Organizations: A Qualitative Study On Childcare Leaders’ Perceptions Of The Elements That Promote The Work They Do In The Childcare Industry, Paula S. Polito Mrs.

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Research has often highlighted the positive effects of high-quality early care and education on children's development and the economy. However, the challenge of ensuring access to quality care for all children and understanding the perspectives of leaders doing crucial work on the ground remains. Given the strong associations between high-quality early childhood education, brain development, and positive economic outcomes for those who access high-quality care, my paper introduces a theory of change. This theory outlines a pathway from understanding the determinants of quality in childcare centers, as seen through the eyes of industry leaders, to the implementation of policy changes. …

Transforming Mathematics Education With Creativity, Natalie M. Zielinski

Masters Projects

Mathematics achievement in elementary and middle school students has decreased across the United States since 2019. Research has shown that moving away from traditional lecture-style teaching and implementing creative and application based learning can result in higher academic achievement and engagement. By utilizing challenging curricular tasks, Project Based Learning, and arts integration, students can be presented with more authentic and engaging academic content to deepen mathematical understanding and success. This project explores the benefits and effects of integrating creative teaching strategies into the mathematics classroom as an equitable teaching approach. Through the use of non-scripted curricular tasks, Project Based Learning, …

New Teacher Induction Programs: Effective Support Through Mentoring Programs And Coaching Practices, Katrina Morris

Dissertations

With the current teacher shortage and the numerous reported accounts of new teachers feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and ill prepared, the United States is in a dangerous situation that could result in even more of a teacher shortage if leaders do not find a way to better support new teachers and decrease the teacher attrition rate in the nation’s schools. This study involved an analysis of first-year teachers’ experiences with the new teacher induction program in District A (a pseudonym). Participants of this study were new teachers to District A, both novice and experienced teachers new to the district; building administrators; …

The Examination Of A Teacher Mentorship Intervention On Junior Teachers' Stress And Self-Efficacy, Cagla Cobek

Master's Theses

This study examined a daily Check-In/Check-Out mentorship intervention for junior teachers. Changes in junior teachers’ stress level and their sense of self-efficacy were measured. Researchers collected data from three junior teachers and mentor dyads in a Southeastern school district. A Multiple Baseline Design across three teachers was used in this study to examine the impact of the daily mentorship intervention. The results suggested that daily Check-Ins and Check-Outs with mentor teachers decreased all three junior teachers’ daily stress. The intervention did not impact significantly on junior teachers’ perceived stress and their sense of self-efficacy. Overall, this study supports a promising …

Educator Perceptions Of The Care And Instruction Of Trauma Exposed Students In A Small, Urban, Christian School., Mitzi L. Phelan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is the endeavor of this research project to investigate how a gap in understanding and communication of an advisory program’s fundamental purpose could potentially impact the thoughts and beliefs of teachers in shaping their perceptions of an advisory program’s efficacy. To this end, the purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of twelve teacher-advisors in two high schools in Shelby County, Kentucky to understand their concepts of an advisory program’s efficacy. Using convenience sampling, twelve teacher-advisors participated in semi-structured interviews, providing insight into three research questions regarding teachers’ beliefs, intentionality, and challenges of implementing a …

Disrupting Childhood Trauma With Holistic Health Practices In Low Ses Elementary Schools, Unna G. Burns, Ketzia Kogan, Sarah M. Wingerden, Hannah Meck

Psychology and Child Development

It is evident that adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are a large challenge to tackle in the U.S., with 61% of adults reporting that they’ve experienced one ACE and 16% reporting four or more ACEs by age 18 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). ACE score items include, but are not limited to experiencing verbal, physical, sexual abuse, physical and/or emotional neglect, having a mentally ill family member, witnessing violence in the home towards a parent, and/or having a family member in prison. Such experiences serve as a public health threat that, without early intervention, bring about long-term effects biologically, …

Special Education Teachers’ Emotional Well-Being And Work-Related Stressors In The School Environment, Mallory J. Laravie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is little to no research regarding novice elementary special education teachers (SETs) and their emotional well-being while in the school environment. The goal of this work is to illuminate special education teacher’s voices missing in previous research. Additionally, this research examines the impact of work-related stressors on novice elementary SETs' emotional well-being in the school environment. The theoretical perspective of heuristics is used to illuminate a problem or answer a question about the lived experience of the researcher. Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) transactional theory of stress and coping framework guided the research question development, data analysis, and presentation of …

The Fraternity And Sorority Experiences Of Students At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Victoria Suttmiller

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In 2021 the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) jointly published recommendations for higher educational professionals on the future of fraternity and sorority life. Among these recommendations was a focus on the communication between campus leaders and students and the need to better understand the beliefs, motivations, and chapter culture. In addition, AFA pillars include advancing the research of the fraternity and sorority community to engage in and provide scholarly work to higher education professionals.In the fall of 2021, the University of Texas at El Paso hosted the Piazza Center for Fraternity …

Secondary Administrators' Perceptions Of Truancy Decriminalization In Texas: House Bill 2398, Mae Read

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Seven Campus Truancy Administrator's perceptions and lived experiences were investigated as they responded to mandated changes in Texas truancy policy and how effective the implemented Truancy Prevention Measures would be perceived on high school campuses located in Far West-Texas. Campus Truancy Administrators provided insight as to interpretation of policy on their individual campus; challenges associated with enforcement of truancy policy; the effectiveness of Truancy Prevention Measures; and how implementation of these measures resulted in additional changes pertaining to loss of credit; changing graduation rates; and enforcement of Truancy Prevention Measures on student groups exempted from court proceedings.The study found Campus …

Language As The Catalyst Between The Relationship Of Subordinates' Communicative Competence And Supervisors' Communicative Behavior: A Canonical Correlation Analysis, Lindsey N. Tan

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

Communicative competence could be understood as the ability to effectively use language in different contexts, and one of these contexts is the intricate framework of the supervisor-subordinate relationship (SSR). However, studies on SSR are mostly based on supervisors’ communicative behavior (SCB), and there is a scarcity of studies that investigate the role of subordinates’ organizational communication competence (SOCC) on SSR. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the relationship between SOCC and SCB in the SSR framework. Using the canonical correlation analysis, two sets of facets were used to analyze the relationship. The first set is the SOCC, which includes communicative …

A Phenomenological Study Of Disciplinary Alternative Education Program "Enforcers" On The U.S-Mexico Border: Administrators, Teachers, Coaches, Substitutes, And Campus Patrols, Jair Alejandro Munoz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Stemmed from zero-tolerance policies, Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs/Classrooms (DAEPs) in Texas are disciplinary spaces designed to house students deemed at risk, while schools continue to serve students’ educational needs of (Aron 2006, Tajalli & Garba, 2014). Once there, students are stereotyped with analogous carceral-framed personas that taint who they are, how they are perceived, and/or how they are treated in alternative classrooms (Dunning-Lozano, 2015; 2018). As a result, the programs/classrooms are fundamental bastions of the school-to-prison-nexus involving a culmination of practices, and policies, along with institutional enforcements that push youths from school to the legal system (Fernandez, Kirshner & Lewis, …

Building Efficacy In Special Educators: An Examination Of Basic Readiness Factors, Clarice Wright Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the perceptions of self-efficacy of elementary special education teachers (SETs) providing services for students with disabilities (SWD) in the general education classroom setting. Additionally, this study explored the effect of job-embedded supports and the skill sets deemed essential to meet the needs of SWDs. Understanding methods that can enhance the skill sets and pedagogical knowledge of SETs beyond teacher preparation can provide schools and school districts with opportunities to build highly efficacious teachers and improve student outcomes. Participants were asked about the perceived impact of teacher preparation programs on the self-efficacy of practicing SETs and about …

Impact Of Technology On K-8 Students' Learning Post-Covid-19, Vincent Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This research project aims to examine the impact of technology on K-8 students' learning post-COVID-19 and how technology in the classroom helps students achieve academic success. With the difficulties that the COVID-19 pandemic had on students, this study will dive deep into the depths of technology's use in today's education system. Through the use of a literature review, interviews with teachers, and surveys from 7th & 8th-grade students, the findings indicated that technology plays a crucial role in students learning and teaching. We are moving away from the traditional classroom of books and paper and into a new era of …

Math Anxiety Research Paper, Daniella M. Tartaro

Transformations

Math anxiety can be characterized as feelings of apprehension or distress that individuals experience when faced with tasks or activities associated with mathematics. Due to its prevalence, math anxiety is a growing issue for teachers who seek to uplift and prioritize the comfort, well-being and success of their students. Failure to address math anxiety can significantly hinder a student’s learning, lower their academic performance, and negatively cloud their overall attitude towards mathematics. In gathering and sorting resources associated with prevailing positions regarding math apprehension, this paper aims to explore math anxiety’s impact on students' learning, and the benefit of collaborative …

Exploring Nursing Faculty Perceived Individual And Organizational Readiness To Use Online Simulation As A Teaching Strategy, Luz-Patricia Torres

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Problem: Academic institutions have employed online simulations in nursing education to meet the needs of the growing nursing student population and demands for distance learning. While some nursing educators have been trained to use simulation learning experiences, few have specific training in applying online simulation as a teaching strategy. With a dearth of evidence in the literature specific to the use of online simulation in nursing education, exploring nursing faculty's perceived individual and organizational readiness to do so is warranted to optimize the use of this innovation.

Purpose: This study explored the nursing faculty's perceived individual and organizational readiness …

“I Became Myself”: Exploring Cultural Learning Through Stories And Storytelling., Leah Halliday-Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite broad acknowledgement in education that culturally responsive teaching is essential to meeting learners’ needs, defining and operationalizing culturally responsive teaching remains a challenge. Along with being designed to meet the needs of students from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds who have traditionally been underserved, one commonly identified feature of culturally responsive teaching is building on students’ cultural assets to promote their learning. And while stories and storytelling are among the most common teaching tools, storytelling pedagogies tend to use stories to deliver content or to assess student learning. This dissertation explores collaborative story sharing as an approach to helping …

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Students In The School Setting: The Adaptations Needed For Tiered Supports, Eleni M. Gajewski

Dissertations

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students in the school setting and identify necessary adaptations needed, particularly through a tiered system of support. The research aims for two primary objectives by employing a constructivist framework utilizing mixed methods for data collection. Firstly, it aims to provide districts with a foundation for understanding the social-emotional and academic consequences of the pandemic on students. Secondly, its purpose is to empower districts to leverage this comprehensive evaluation as a proactive approach to cater to the diverse needs of all students. This includes responding to the challenges posed …

Perceptions Of Inspire: Training For Idaho Alternatively Certified Cte Teachers, Scott Straub, John Cannon, Carol Billing

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This study aimed to assess the level of preparedness of alternatively licensed teachers who completed the Idaho CTE InSpIRE Educate program. A survey was distributed to 67 program completers, and the data were analyzed using statistical tools. The research found that participants believed InSpIRE provided adequate training to meet the Idaho requirements for new CTE teachers, indicating a perception of preparedness and self-efficacy. Higher self-efficacy was associated with participation in the program. However, the study also revealed room for improvement in the training, aligning with previous research that emphasized the unique needs of CTE teachers. Further research was recommended to …

21st Century Skills Required In Eswatini's Higher Agricultural Education Curriculum, Zanele Muntu Gule Ms, Edwards A. Alademerin Prof, Marietta P. Dlamini Prof

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The skills gap between agricultural education graduates from the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) and what employers are searching for is growing. Literature informs that this is mostly owing to the world's rapid changes, with ICT serving as the primary change engine, necessitating new sets of abilities from graduates as well as up-to-date teaching and evaluation methodologies in higher education institutions. These demands prompted the researchers to first establish the set of 21^st century skills that UNESWA graduates must acquire in order to thrive and participate fully in today's market. The study's purpose, therefore, was to develop a set of …

Purposeful Stem Integration In School-Based Agricultural Education Programs, Christopher J. Eck, Kristopher Rankin Iii, J. Shane Robinson

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The emphasis for STEM integration in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) classrooms is imperative, resulting in a need for teacher educators to generate a positive view on the integration. Specifically, SBAE teacher aspirants need to be prepared to deliver relevant agricultural curriculum grounded in STEM. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the content knowledge and interest in STEM-related careers for secondary students enrolled in SBAE programs in Oklahoma. Pre-service SBAE teachers from Oklahoma State University were charged with delivering a sustainable bioenergy unit of instruction to their students. This study resulted in a statistically significant improvement in students’ STEM …

Exploring Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education Personnel Preparation For Teaching Social Emotional Skills And Addressing Challenging Behavior, Melissa Yarczower

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Social emotional development is crucial for all young children. Children who develop age-appropriate social emotional skills engage in positive peer relationships, establish friendship skills, and have competent problem-solving skills. Without adequate social emotional skills, young children are at risk for detrimental long and short-term consequences such as academic failure, exclusionary practices, and school dropout. Interventions and support from well-trained teachers are essential for young children to acquire these skills. Using an explanatory mixed method approach, this study investigated how early childhood (EC) and early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers were trained to teach social emotional skills and address challenging behavior. …

Efficacy Meets Inquiry: Impact Of Lesson Study And Reflective Inquiry On The Development Of Novice Teacher Self-Efficacy, Taylor B. Hering

All Dissertations

Novice teachers often struggle to meet the demands of an expansive workload in their first years in the classroom. As reality sets in, district, school, parent, and communal needs often diminish the excitement of their first classroom, thus leading to low rates of teacher efficacy and early-career burnout. This is an educational dilemma because teacher vacancies are rising in schools such as Mockingbird High, a southeastern school with high poverty rates and varying racial demographics. This study aimed to determine if Lewis and Hurd’s (2011) lesson study model, an instructional intervention, influences novice teacher efficacy during the transitional period from …

The Power Of Play: The Role Of Children’S Museums In Kindergarten Readiness, Catie Davis

All Dissertations

This study explores the transformative potential of play in preparing young children for Kindergarten, focusing on the intersection of children's museums, caregiver interactions, and school readiness. The study, conducted over an eight-week Pop-Up Classroom program at The Flowerfield Children's Museum, included 52 participants, primarily from low-income backgrounds. Through a mixed-methods approach, including participant observations and caregiver surveys, the research aimed to answer the fundamental question: What is the role of play in preparing children for Kindergarten?

Two significant findings emerged. Firstly, the study illuminated the pivotal role of play in nurturing social-emotional development and communication skills among children. Structured observations …

The Use Of The South Carolina School Improvement Model - Quick Cycles In Sixth-Grade Science Classrooms, Jennifer Gnann

All Dissertations

Using data to make informed decisions about instruction strengthens a teacher’s delivery of content within the classroom. However, many teachers have not been taught how to properly use a model of rapid improvement cycles to analyze data and apply it to their classroom instruction. I modified the South Carolina School Improvement Model so that it could be used in short cycles to see how teachers used it to plan for, monitor, and adjust instruction in their classrooms.

I conducted a single case study over a six-week period in which I instructed two sixth-grade science teachers on how to use the …

A Correlational Study Of Teacher Technology Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, And Job Satisfaction In K-12 Classrooms, Michele W. Collier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The COVID-19 global pandemic created challenges for educators across the United States and worldwide. Without the skills, prior experience, or preparational training, educators were tasked with continuing to provide instruction (and support) for their students while teaching remotely. Due to these challenges in education, the researcher chose to investigate the relationships between online teaching self-efficacy (OTSE), teachers’ technology knowledge (TTK), and job satisfaction (JS) in K-12 classrooms. Using the adaptive versions of the TPACK survey (Mishra & Koehler, 2006); Teachers'’’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES: Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001); and Teacher Satisfaction Scale (TSS: Ho & Au, 2006), quantitative data …

Parent Choice: Learning Pods Or Public Education During Covid-19 Pandemic, Shari Kinney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the decision-making process of K-12 parents living in the Appalachian Highlands who chose to remove their children from traditional public schools to join learning pods (sometimes referred to as pandemic pods) during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to answer this overarching question, the researcher focused her study on two areas: first, what were the possible push factors that influenced parents to remove their children from public schools, and secondly, what were the pull factors that lead parents to choose learning pods over other school choice options. Through the data collected …

Exploration Of Privilege And Preschool Teachers’ Demographics Associated With Teachers’ Self-Efficacy In Culturally Responsive Classroom Management, Katherine Madison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every child in America is entitled to a free public education; however, racial disparities in academics and discipline continue to grow in America’s school system (Glock et al., 2019; Muñiz, 2019). These racial disparities begin in preschool, following the students throughout their school years. African American students, specifically African American males, are three times more likely than their Caucasian peers to be suspended in preschool (CRDC, 2016; Musu-Gillette et al., 2016). Suspension at an early age correlates with students entering juvenile detentions, prisons and incompletion of schooling (Love, 2014; Meek & Gilliam,2016; Muñiz, 2019). Culturally responsive teaching and classroom management …