Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons^™

Promoting And Investigating Students’ Uptake Of Reflective Practice: A Pakistan Case, Jane Rarieya

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Today reflection is considered one of the essential principles underlying good teaching practice and teacher education. However, this tacit acknowledgement that teachers need to be reflective practitioners and the development of reflective practice has largely been in the West. Teachers in Pakistan and most of the developing world are generally unaware of what the term ‘reflective practice’ means. This article presents findings of a study that was undertaken to observe course participants' uptake of an alternate approach to engaging students in reflective practice during a module offered to students in the Masters programme at the Aga Khan University–Institute for Educational …

Current Special Educator And General Educator Perceptions Of Inclusion And Collaboration As A Service Delivery Model In A Middle School Educational Setting, Kathryn Wilkens, Peggy L. Tarpley, Ph.D.

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine, through quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection, current special educator and general educator perceptions of inclusion and collaboration as compared to similar perceptions examined in 1995 (Tarpley, 1995). A self-made survey was implemented to explore educator perceptions. Quantitative selective response items were analyzed using a Chi Square procedure. Methods of naturalistic inquiry (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) were used to analyze qualitative open-ended questions. Significant values were noted based on the Chi Square analysis across four demographic areas: (a) current teaching assignment, (b) area of training, (c) number of years teaching experience, …

Phases Of Web Based Curriculum Development, William Robertson

Selected Works Temporary Series

The Phases of Curriculum Development may be useful in helping educators facilitate this process of integrating computer technology and the Internet into classroom instruction and curriculum design. The method described is a synthesis of a personal process of discovery, teaching, and learning that has come from practical experience with teachers and students. To effectively utilize this five-phased approach, the instructor must first identify the final goal, whether it is a curriculum product, Web site, oral presentation, or some other form of demonstration of learning. Also, the basic concepts that are to be covered must be identified first and matched to …

Phases Of Web Based Curriculum Development, William Robertson

Departmental Papers (TE)

The Phases of Curriculum Development may be useful in helping educators facilitate this process of integrating computer technology and the Internet into classroom instruction and curriculum design. The method described is a synthesis of a personal process of discovery, teaching, and learning that has come from practical experience with teachers and students. To effectively utilize this five-phased approach, the instructor must first identify the final goal, whether it is a curriculum product, Web site, oral presentation, or some other form of demonstration of learning. Also, the basic concepts that are to be covered must be identified first and matched to …

Effects Of A School-Wide Behavior Intervention Plan On A Rural Middle School, Patricia H. Rousis

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to collect office referral data from seventh grade students at a rural middle school in order to assess the effectiveness of a school-wide Positive Behavior Support System (PBS). Pre and post implementation data was collected and evaluated.

The results of the paired samples t-test were mixed and allowed for multiple interpretations. The raw data showed that office referrals actually went up for the second half of the year once the PBS was put into action. The causation for this increase is discussed.

Highly Qualified Minority Teachers: Do High-Stakes Teacher Tests Weed Out Those We Need Most?, Julie Esparza Brown

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of standardized teacher tests as demonstration of licensure competencies for diverse candidates in Oregon and nationally. The following four areas and their accompanying questions guide the development of this paper: (1) Why would a diverse teacher workforce help close the achievement gap?; (2) What are the barriers that exist to meeting the need for diverse educators?; (3) What type of research will be needed to validate alternative assessments as viable options?; and (4) What qualities in leaders produce policies for equity? At the conclusion of this paper, the author provides …

Examining User Acceptance Of Computer Technology: An Empirical Study Of Student Teachers, Will W.K. Ma, Robert Andersson, Karl-Oslear Streith

Support & Other Units (THEi)

The use of computer technology in schools has made slow progress since the mid-1980s even though governments have been generous in funding. It is therefore important to understand how and when teachers use computer technology in order to devise implementation strategies to encourage them. This study investigates student teachers' perceptions of computer technology in relation to their intention to use computers. The purpose is to shed light on more effective ways to motivate the use of computer technology in schools. Based on an expanded variation of the Technology Acceptance Model, 84 completed surveys of student teachers were collected at …

Coaching For Metacognitive Instructional Practice, Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

One way to identify students who are becoming accomplished readers and writers is to observe the degree to which the examples of coaching presented in this chapter are taken from my research as a participant in a statewide literacy professional development initiative: the Literacy Specialist Project (Kinnucan-Welsch, 2003a, 2003b; Rosemary, Grogan, et al., 2002).

The central aim of the Literacy Specialist Project, launched in 2000 by the Ohio Department of Education, is to provide professional development to educators in the state of Ohio that supports enhanced understanding in the teaching of reading and writing. The professional development incorporates foundational knowledge …

The Effects Of Inclusion On Mathematics Achievement Of General Education Students In Middle School, Shirley Brewton

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: A Retrospective Examination Of Social Skills, Linguistics, And Student Outcomes, John W. Hill, Kathy L. Coufal

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

A language-based social skills instruction intervention used to prepare middle and high school students with emotional/behavioral disorders for return to less restrictive public school placements was evaluated. The daily 50-minute intervention focused on repetitive readings, recitations, and role-playing of skill step procedures until students achieved mastery on each required task in five broad dimensions: peer relations, self-management, academic, compliance, and assertion. The students were divided into three groups according to the length of intervention (under 2 years, 2 to 3 years, and more than 3 years). Dependent t tests were used to test the effects of prolonged intervention on past …

The Influence Of Globalisation On The National Education Policies Of Developing Countries, Sajid Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Globalisation as the most powerful phenomenon of the present time is widely contested for its positive and negative outcomes. This article distinguishes between political, economic and cultural globalisation and argues that globalisation as a process is mostly led and appreciated by the developed countries to meet their desired objectives, whereby underdeveloped countries are hurled into this process. Less equipped and less informed, these underdeveloped countries often stand in q disadvantaged position. The article maintains that several supra national economic, cultural and political organisations are the manifestation of the process of globalisation, which has made the policy making, process a complex …

Review Of Best Books For Middle School And Junior High Readers, Kathyanne W. Dobda

Michael Schwartz Library Publications

This article is a book review of Best Books for Middle School and Junior High Readers by John T. Gillespie and Catherine Barr.

Teachers’ Conceptions Of The Nature Of Science: A Comparative Study From Pakistan And Uk, Nelofer Halai, Jane Mcnicholl

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Curriculum designers in both Pakistan and the UK accept that science education for today’s young people should not just be about learning science, it should also include learning about the nature of science. However, together with other research evidence, this article suggests that for many science teachers, teaching about the nature of science might be problematic as they do not have the necessary understanding of the nature of science themselves. This article also argues that there are benefits in teachers across cultural divides sharing their understandings about the nature of science.

How To Make The Teaching Of Transfer Of Heat More Effective, Muhammad Nabi Khan, Amos Ngugi

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Engagement Enhance Interest In Physics, Harcharan Pardhan

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Reflection On Learning About Forces, Mir Zaman Shah, Mahmood Ghaznavi, Mohammad Ibrahim Khan

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Force is a basic concept in the physical sciences. It is included in Pakistan’s national curriculum from the primary level through the higher levels. Because of the abstract nature of the concept of force, both students and teachers have alternative frameworks in this area. This was revealed in our classroom discussions on force during the Lower Secondary Science Module of the M.Ed. program at the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) in Karachi, Pakistan. In-depth discussions and a variety of activities we carried out while teaching about forces challenged our previous concepts and allowed us to think critically …

A Study Of Menarche In Athletes Participating In Common Public School Sports, Kristi R. Shirley

Graduate Theses

The number of women and young girls participating in sports has grown significantly since the passage of Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972. The female athlete derives many benefits from exercise; however, women are also a group that is at special risk because of the few negative effects of exercise on the reproductive and skeletal systems. Risks involved in increased physical activity include several forms of menstrual irregularities. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between athletic training, at a less intense level than those in previous studies such as ballet dancers …

The Effects Of The Use Of Dynamic Geometry Software On Student Achievement And Interest, Heidi B. Hansen

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This study examines the current research that exists on the effects that the use of dynamic geometry software has on student achievement and interest level in mathematics. Additional questions examined are whether using dynamic geometry software has a greater impact on high or low achievers, and what current methods of implementation are suggested by the research. A review of the relevant literature indicates that the use of dynamic geometry software does have a positive effect on student achievement, particularly achievement in areas of high-level thinking. Insufficient research has been done on the effect that the use of dynamic geometry software …

Process-Writing Instruction In One Teacher's Classes And Its Impact On The Writing Of Her Seventh Grade Students, Christine M. Dicicco

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the project was to determine whether process-writing instruction in the classroom was improving one group of seventh grade language arts students' writing. Students in three classes with the same language arts teacher were involved in the study. Over the course of the first three marking periods, writing samples were collected from each of the students involved. Each student's writing was assessed according to criteria on both the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards and the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. The teacher was also both observed and interviewed in order to determine what process-writing techniques she implemented …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Let Me Learn And Process Writing: A Qualitative Analysis, Grace D. Hagan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to examine the relationship between Let Me Learn and process writing. Christine A. Johnston's Let Me Learn Inventory was administered to a middle school class of 27 students, and 8 students were selected with use-first learning patterns in each of the four learning pattern categories. Once the 8 students were selected, the students participated in interviews with questions regarding their learning patterns and writing process style. The researcher then collected three writing samples from each student as well as a novel project. Upon completion of the data collection, the writing samples were analyzed …

The Perceptions Of School Safety And Discipline And How These Perceptions Affect Teaching Methods And Strategies, James J. Lapsley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions teachers have concerning safety and discipline within their school and how these perceptions affect teaching methods and strategies. The study took place in a large rural area high school with a diverse multi-cultural background of students. This particular school has increasingly been scrutinized for the disruptive behavior of the students and the ability of the administration to handle these problems among the majority of teachers in the school. This study focused on the perceptions the teachers have about their school policies and procedures and the ability the school has in …

Mathematics Teachers’ Knowledge Base: Preliminary Results, Guershon Harel, Kien Lim

Departmental Papers (Math)

Student learning depends on the teacher’s actions, which are, in turn, dependent on the teacher’s knowledge base—defined here by three components: knowledge of mathematics content, knowledge of student epistemology, and knowledge of pedagogy. The purpose of this study is to construct models for teachers’ knowledge base and for their development in an on-site professional development project.

A Study To Determine If Multimedia Technologies In A Regular Classroom Enhance Learning And Motivation, Carol Murphy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of infusing multimedia technologies in a regular classroom. The purpose of this study was also to demonstrate that with the use of technology, the students would better understand the important concepts covered in the social studies unit, as well as be motivated to learn.

Thirty sixth grade students conducted research using wireless laptops to find information about a prominent African-American who has made a positive contribution to our society. The control group created an oral presentation and constructed a replica in the form of a doll to represent their person. …

A Study Examining The Effects Of Athletics On Females' Mathematical Achievement, Genevieve M. Bieg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of a correlation between females who actively participated in athletics and a high achievement in mathematics. A comparison of females who actively participated in athletics and females who did not actively participate in athletics was made using an independent samples t-test.

The design for this study was the use of a survey, data collection and an independent samples t-test. This study used the sample of forty-one sixth grade females. Each female attended the same middle school and had the same math teacher. Each participant filled out a survey that determined …

Young Learners Of Modern Foreign Languages And Their Transition To The Secondary Phase: A Lost Opportunity?, Allison Bolster, Christine Balandier-Brown, Pauline Rea-Dickins

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Following publication of the National Languages Strategy on 18 December 2002 the teaching of foreign languages (FL) in the primary school is again high on the agenda in England as in other parts of Europe. Research has shown in the past (Burstall et al., 1974) that an early start in FL does not necessarily result in any long-term advantage in terms of proficiency. However, the above study also draws other conclusions, less widely reported, which remain significant. These include insufficient liaison between primary and secondary schools, lack of continuity in foreign language learning across phases, inadequate training of teachers, …

Impact : Making A Difference, Anjum Halai, Jane Rarieya

Books

No abstract provided.

Action Research To Study Classroom Impact: Is It Possible?, Anjum Halai

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

In recent years, a discourse is emerging in education that emphasises the study of the impact of in-service teacher education on student outcomes (more often than not student outcomes are seen in the form of test scores of academic achievement). Implicit in this discourse is the view that the impact of in-service teacher education is directly observable on students' outcomes, suggesting that the variables in a school or classroom are connected in some kind of a causal link. However, it is problematic to view variables in a social setting such as a school or a classroom as being in causal …

Munazza’S Story: Shedding Light On A Science Teacher’S Conceptions Of The Nature Of Science Through A Life History Study, Nelofer Halai, Derek Hodson

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Life history research creates a broader understanding of teaching by providing illustration of the relationships among various aspects of teachers’ lives and their teaching practice, both inside and beyond the classroom. This article focuses on the life history of Munazza, a young science teacher at the Karachi Model Secondary School (KMSS), a private, co‐educational, English‐medium school for children from middle‐income families. Its purpose is to gain insight into a female science teacher's understanding of teaching science in a school in Pakistan, ascertain what aspects of this science teacher's conceptions of the nature of science are explicit in her practice, and …

The Impact Of Direct Reading Instruction For Middle School Students At Newfield Middle School, Newfield, New York, Robert R. Ike

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Health Action Schools Pakistan: Towards School Improvement, Parvez Pirzado, Health Education Team

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

Health education and promotion is a key determinant of quality education particularly in primary schools in Pakistan. This has been affirmed by an action research project entitled Health Action Schools (HAS) headed by Dr. Tashmin Khamis, based at Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED). The HAS project began initially as a three-year (1998-2001) action research project using the Child-to-Child approach in partnership with Save the Children, UK. The objective of the project was to develop prototypes of health-promoting schools in different social and educational contexts in Pakistan. Initially the HAS project was launched in five pilot schools from …