Elementary Education and Teaching Commons^™

Scrutinizing And Supplementing Children’S Trade Books About Child Labor, John Bickford, Cynthia Rich

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

State and national initiatives place an increased emphasis on both students’ exposure to diverse texts and teachers’ integration of English/language arts and history/social studies. The intent is for students to critically examine diverse accounts and perspectives of the same historical event or era. Critical examination can be accomplished through teachers’ purposeful juxtaposition of age-appropriate, engaging trade books and relevant informational texts, such as primary source materials. To guide interested elementary and middle level teachers, researchers can evaluate trade books for historical representation and suggest divergent or competing narratives that compel students to scrutinize diverse perspectives. Researchers can locate germane primary …

Using History-Based Trade Books As Catalysts For Historical Writing, Speaking, And Listening In Elementary Curricula, John H. Bickford Iii, Dylan Dilley, Valerie Metz

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

State and national initiatives have aligned to compel change in elementary classroom curricula and instructional practice (Council of Chief State School Officers [CCSSO], 2012; National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers [NGA & CCSSO], 2010; Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers [PARCC], 2012). An increased focus on informational texts and content area literacy are two significant changes intended to both facilitate and integrate historical thinking and historical content. For a subject that has struggled to maintain relevancy in elementary curricula, the social studies has a new, stronger position (Center on …

What Do Elementary School Librarians Know And Believe About Students With Color Vision Deficiencies?, Karla Collins

Education & Human Services Faculty Publications

Colour vision deficiencies affect approximately eight percent of the male population, yet the condition is often overlooked in the educational setting despite the pervasiveness of colour in the school. The purpose of this study was to explore how elementary school librarians provide instruction and prepare the library environment to meet the needs of students with colour vision deficiencies. Findings indicate that elementary school librarians in Virginia did not feel knowledgeable about colour vision deficiencies but were interested in knowing more and expressed a desire to make changes. The case study participants'ʹ knowledge increased from pre-­‐‑test to post-­‐‑test. There were noticeable …

Effects Of Teacher Prompting Techniques On The Writing Performance Of Fourth And Fifth Graders, Mindy S. Allenger

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study was a quantitative research investigation to determine the effects of teacher prompting techniques on the writing performance of 137 fourth and fifth graders from two parochial schools in West Virginia. Over a two-week period from March, 2014, to April, 2014, researchers collected writing samples with three typologies of prompting; no prompting, general prompting, and content specific prompting. The major outcome variables included were the numbers of words, number of sentences, and average sentence length, and writing ease and complexity level using the Flesch Kincaid Readability and The Flesch Reading Ease. Data analysis was accomplished by applying several types …

Creating Opportunities For Learning: Play As A Scaffold For Format Based Informational Text Features, Susan Fisher Dandalides

Wayne State University Dissertations

Abstract

A play intervention was used with second grade students to help them develop a deeper understanding of format based informational text features. On Day 1 of the intervention, groups of students role played as reporters as they observed classmates at play. During Days 2 - 5 of the intervention, the same students wrote an informational book about the play they had observed. A pre-interview was used to determine which format based informational text features were noticed and/or explained by the students in an informational trade book. The text features that were included in the trade book were: table of …

The Impact Of A Professional Development Program On Teachers' Practice And How Context Variables Influenced Such Practice: A Case Study, Sandra Lynn Yarema

Wayne State University Dissertations

This case study investigated how context variables influenced the impact of a state-funded longitudinal professional development (PD) program on the participant teachers' practice. Data was collected to compare differences in Science Content Knowledge, Science Pedagogical Content Knowledge, and the teachers' practice over the course of the PD program. Contextual variables related to district restructuring and school implementation of district policy evidence a direct effect on time spent on science instruction, specific instructional strategies used, and on the development of a professional community among the participants. This case study substantiates the implication that districts and school policies must provide adequate support …

Elementary Teachers Committed To Actively Teaching Science And Engineering, Julianne Radkowski Opperman Phd

All Student Scholarship

Committed elementary teachers of science and engineering, members of a professional learning community called Collaborative Conversations in STEM, were studied to elicit their perceptions of experiences that influenced their commitment to, and their pedagogical content knowledge of, STEM teaching and learning.

Introduction To The Case Studies 2015 : A Compendium Of Cases & Voices From The Field, Mola Dad Shafa, Khadija Khan

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

No abstract provided.

Countering Student Apathy To Increase Student Engagement, Rebecca Ann Schou

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a suburban elementary school in Maryland, 3 years of data revealed that the school is grappling with the problem of student apathy. While there is a growing body of research on apathy and its effects on student achievement, few researchers have examined the problem from the perspective of the apathetic student. The purpose of this qualitative case study, grounded in the social learning and cognitive development theories of Vygotsky and Piaget, was to explore student apathy and the learning environment at the target school through the perspectives of 8 former students and their parents. The research questions focused on …

A Comparison Of Preservice Teachers' Responses To Bullying Scenarios, Cynthia Louise Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This nonexperimental study was conducted to determine differences that exist between PreK to 4th grade preservice teachers' beliefs about the severity of bullying, their empathy with victims of bullying, beliefs about their ability to cope with bullying in the classroom, and their ability to intervene in bullying issues. Bandura's self-efficacy theory and Ajzen's theory of planned behavior provided the study's theoretical base and demonstrated a connection between participants perceived ability to cope with bullying behavior and willingness to intervene. The participants (N = 112) were students in a 2-year community college PreK to 4th grade education transfer degree program. Data …

Elementary School Teachers' Perception Of Art Integration To Improve Student Learning, Lynn Maxey Fagan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers are seeking effective teaching strategies to support an array of student learning needs. The arts hold the potential to transform the learning experience for students; however, the use of art integration is limited and unknown to many educators. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to interview and observe 8 elementary school teachers who were identified by the school administration as successfully having integrated art into the curricula, defined by teaching with and through the arts across all content areas. The intent of this study was to explore the participants' perceptions about the use of art integration in …

A Program Evaluation Of My MathTm: Improving Student Computational Fluency Through Inquiry-Based Instruction, Andrea Townsend

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This program evaluation study addressed a critical deficiency in early childhood math proficiency for a local urban school district. To strengthen students' skills in mathematics, the district adopted the Common Core State Standards and piloted an inquiry-based instructional program called My Math. The purpose of this project study was to determine the extent to which My Math met the goals of improving Grades K-2 students' math proficiency. The conceptual framework was based on theories of multiple intelligences, social learning, and foundations of social development. The National Program Evaluation Standards were used to guide the program evaluation. The research questions centered …

Elementary (K-5) Teachers' Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Christopher Maddox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction is a pedagogical method used by classroom teachers to enhance student learning. Researchers have described how students benefit from differentiated lessons, but have not explored the relationship between teachers' perceptions of differentiation and student success. This gap is problematic because teachers' instruction directly affects student achievement. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore how elementary (K-5) teachers define, familiarize, use, and perceive differentiation. The conceptual framework was rooted from a synthesis of ideas found in current refereed literature, and the educational concepts and constructionist theories of Piaget and Vygotsky. Purposeful sampling identified 12 participants for …

Diffusion Of E-Textbooks In K-12 Education: A Delphi Study, Sheila Cartwright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This basic interpretive qualitative study was conducted to discover why e-textbooks had not been adopted extensively in K-12 education as a replacement for printed textbooks. The objective was to determine the barriers and challenges being confronted by state educational technology directors when introducing this innovative technology in a formal learning environment that could greatly impact teaching, learning, and creative analysis. This research was based on diffusion of innovation theory using a Delphi method of inquiry. The Delphi panel consisted of 12 experts who had knowledge of digital text technologies and were the most influential when making purchasing decisions when introducing …

Icontact: The Digital Feedback Process In A University Setting, Kathleen M. Wilson, Laurie A. Friedrich

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

This practitioner research in the form of a case study examined the digital feedback process related to teacher growth in learning and instruction. Graduate students fulfilled course requirements utilizing iPad applications to generate assignments, coach undergraduate preservice teachers, and tutor low performing readers. Course instructors provided online written feedback on all written assignments. An analysis of data through the perspective of the formative process allowed four themes to emerge: (a) teacher learning through iContact, (b) immediate digital feedback and enduring learning, (c) creating an affinity space, and (d) transfer with a ripple effect.

The Induction Process Of Newly Hired Teachers Into The Existing School Culture Of Niles Community Schools, Zechariah Matthew Hoyt

Dissertations

Problem

Schools, like other organizations, provide capital resources and experiences that promote the professional development of their employees. Professional learning and skill development are essential for educators as they work to improve student achievement. However, conventional professional development often fails to provide a collaborative social construction of knowledge that supports educators in transforming their schools into a strong culture of shared learning. This is especially evident when induction programs do not provide collaborative environments for new teachers to work with each other and other experienced teachers. This study explored the induction of newly hired personnel within a district located in …

The Process And Impact Of Professional Collaboration In An Arts Integration Education, Rachel Marina Chambers

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In the fall of 20 14, I began student teaching at Wallace School of Integrated Arts in Kokomo, Indiana. Under the guidance of my cooperating teacher, Lashaya Williams, and our co-teacher, Abigail McClure, I was given the chance to educate fifth grade students and further develop my personal understanding of authentic arts integration (AAI), which is defined by the Kennedy Center as follows: "Arts Integration is an approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate understanding through an art form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject area and meets evolving objectives …

Managing Conflict By School Leadership : A Case Study Of A School From Gilgit-Biltistan, Darvesh Karim

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

Managing conflict at school has been an age-old challenge for educators. Conflicts are a natural part of life and therefore a natural part of school life. Learning to deal constructively with conflict is a life-skill need for educational leaders. This paper reports a case study of a private English medium school of Gilgit-Baltistan about exploration of the conflict management which advocates two approaches to manage conflicts at school level i.e. to follow strict rules and regulations and penalizing on violation and secondly, empowering the stakeholders to resolve their own problems by their-selves.These approaches have proved that competence in conflict resolution …

The Effectiveness Of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies For Teaching English Reading Skills To Hispanic English Language Learners, Michelle Watson

Masters Theses

The present study was designed to assess the effectiveness of the Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) for teaching English reading skills to Hispanic English language learners (ELL) in the third grade. The current literature shows a rapid increase of Hispanic students in the U.S., however, due to a lack of exposure to the English language at an early age, many ELL students are behind their non-ELL peers in academic achievement, especially in reading. The PALS program was designed as an alternative approach to teacher-led instruction to help ameliorate reading difficulties, and although its effectiveness has been demonstrated with a variety …

Researching The Historical Representations Of Andrew Jackson In Trade Books, Steven K. Sakowicz

Masters Theses

State and national standards compel teachers to introduce historical topics through multiple diverse texts, emphasizing the use of informational texts. Trade books allow teachers to meet these standards while also meeting the needs of diverse students. Primary sources serve as an additional curricular resource that fill the gaps in information covered by textbooks and trade books, allowing students to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of historical figures and events. Standards leave the selection and implementation of appropriate trade books, primary sources, and other curricular resources to the classroom teacher. In this research I qualify and quantify how Andrew …

The Impact Of Math Anxiety In The Primary Grades, Amanda R. Anderson-Mix

Mathematics Graduate Theses

Math anxiety is an increasingly common occurrence among individuals when working with mathematical concepts. While researching math anxiety the author came across common gender stereotypes implying: women do not perform as well as men in the field of mathematics, women experience a much higher level of math anxiety than men, and most women do not appreciate performing mathematical tasks. Although the concept of math anxiety is an interesting topic to the author, it's important to look deeper than simply the question, “What is math anxiety?” Seeing these stereotypical assumptions that women have higher math anxiety levels, it made this author …

Reading In The Digital Era: Using Video Self-Modeling To Improve Reading Fluency In At-Risk Students, Monica Anestin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reading fluency bridges the concepts of word recognition and reading comprehension, both of which are vital skills needed to become a successful reader. This study evaluated the impact of video self-modeling (VSM) on oral reading fluency in four upper elementary students at-risk for failing in reading. A multiple-baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the outcomes of the VSM intervention. The results indicate that VSM may have a positive impact on reading fluency of students at-risk for reading failure; the use of VSM was positively associated with increases in reading fluency in three of the four participants. The participant …

Transforming Pedagogies: Emerging Contexts And Texts Of Teaching Learning, Dilshad Ashraf

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This brief offers recommendations for policy and practice around ensuring continuity of education in emergency situations. It also aims at engaging important stakeholders to assert the need for education in emergencies in countries like Pakistan, which frequently confront natural and human-led disasters. This brief also discusses the need for ‘education in emergencies’ in a ‘low HDI’ developing nation such as Pakistan, where being exposed to natural and human-led disasters seems to be a way of life. It provides an initial platform for those who are interested in understanding the scope of this theme, as well as designing and delivering educational …

Chronicles Of Change : Strengthening Teacher Education In Pakistan, Nida Dossa

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

A step towards improving education in Pakistan; being able to sit in a classroom, feel safe, learn about how the world works: being able to read a book, make up stories and discover new ideas - these are the basic rights of every child. however, millions of children in Pakistan have never seen a classroom or attended a lesson. Here, educational challenges are innumerable and oftentimes seem insurmountable. STEP - Strengthening Teacher Education in Pakistan works to improve the quality and delivery of elementary education services appropriate to the poor in the country, particularly women and children in Pakistan.

Dual Language K-2 Latina Teachers: Juxtaposing Linguistic Identities And Pedagogical Practices On The U.S.-Mexico Frontera, Brenda Oriana Fuentes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This ethnographic study explored the linguistic identities and pedagogical practices of Latina bilingual-certified K-2 teachers in a dual language (DL) program in the U.S.-Mexico border area. Drawing on sociocultural theory, methods of data collection and analysis focused on linking DL Latina teachers' identity formation with both their conceptions of teaching and their actual pedagogical practices related to language use. The findings from this study painted a portrait of how DL teachersâ?? languages, literacies, and identities intertwined to shape their pedagogical practice. The linguistic backgrounds of DL teachers on the border were shaped by country of origin and languages, schooling experiences, …

A Study Of Assistive Technology Competencies Of Specialists In Public Schools, Betsy B. Burgos

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Despite the rapid proliferation of assistive technology implementation, studies have revealed that a number of professionals that provide assistive technology services do not have adequate competencies to recommend and deliver assistive technologies in school settings. The purpose of the study was to examine the competencies of assistive technology specialists in Florida K-12 public schools, and identify training opportunities that may have helped them achieve professional competence in the evaluation and provision of assistive technology devices and services across AT service providers from different preparations.

The study applied quantitative and qualitative methods to determine answers to the following six research questions: …

The Effects Of Microteaching On The Critical Thinking Dispositions Of Pre-Service Teachers, Zeki Arsal

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of microteaching on pre-service teachers’ critical thinking dispositions. The participants of the study consisted of 70 pre-service teachers (64.3% females, 35.7% males) in the Turkish Language teacher education program at a public university in the North of Turkey. In the study, an experimental and a control group with a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used to determine the impact of microteaching training on the critical thinking dispositions of the pre-service teachers in the teacher education programme. The results revealed that the pre-service teachers in the experimental group showed a statistically …

Should Educators Be ‘Wrapping School Playgrounds In Cotton Wool’ To Encourage Physical Activity? Exploring Primary And Secondary Students’ Voices From The School Playground, Brendon P. Hyndman, Amanda Telford

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Physical activity in school playgrounds has changed considerably over recent decades to reflect a climate of ‘surplus safety’. A growing culture of surplus safety can be attributed to a desire of parents and teachers responsible for children to protect school students from danger. The aim of this research was to examine students’ perceptions of playground safety influences on physical activity during school breaks from the perspectives of the ‘users’ of school playgrounds. Data collection consisted of seven focus groups (4 primary school & 3 secondary school) conducted across four schools (2 primary & 2 secondary). During this study, the focus …

Preparing Elementary English Teachers: Innovations At Pre-Service Level, Mochamad Subhan Zein

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The teaching of English for Young Learners has become a global phenomenon, but many countries are facing dilemma in terms of teacher preparation (Nunan, 2003; Kaplan, Baldauf, & Kamwangamalu, 2011). Indonesia is of no exception. Its pre-service system has not been adequate to sufficiently prepare elementary English teachers with knowledge and skills pertaining to their occupational needs. Moreover, systematic ways to overhaul the pre-service system remain yet to be seen. This study investigated the perceptions of English teachers and language teacher educators on educational policy measures for the improvement of pre-service education to better prepare elementary English teachers. The findings …

Exploring Turkish Social Studies Student Teachers’ Development Of Identity, Banu Çulha Özbaş

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The aim of this study was to explore professional identity development among social studies student teachers in four-year teacher education program in Turkey. Fifty-five student teachers participated in the study. Data were collected about their metaphorical images about teachers and social studies teachers and a series of in-depth interviews was conducted with five of them. All data were analysed across different study years in the teacher education program using inductive content analysis. In the light of this analysis, the experiences of the five student teachers’ were examined in detail to gain a deeper understanding of how they had become social …