Uncovering And Responding To The Professional Development Needs Of Afterschool Program Leaders Across Rural Nebraska, Kimberly K. Larson

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

An effective state-level professional development system designed for Nebraska 21^stCentury Community Learning Centers (21^stCCLC) program leaders should consider both the unique characteristics of the program leaders themselves, as well as the rural communities where the afterschool programs are implemented. Some of these differentiating characteristics include background of the program leader and their years of experience, the size of the community, availability of staff and frequency of staff turnover, availability of potential community partners, and the quality of the relationship with the school administration and teachers where the afterschool program is implemented. Ultimately, the state-level system must …

Professional Learning Through Professional Learning Communities, Mentorship, And Shared Leadership, Stephen Juracka

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This Policy Advocacy paper focuses on expanding the District ABC Staff Development policy to include Drago-Severson’s (2009) pillars of adult learning. Research indicates the inclusion of a mentorship program, professional learning communities, and teacher leadership opportunities, will increase teacher collaboration, engagement, and professional capacities. There are significant educational, economic, political, social, legal and moral implications associated with the proposed staff development policy. Additionally, the staff development policy requires careful planning, implementation, and assessment, as will be addressed in this Policy Advocacy paper.

Delphi Study Identifying Future Technical Competencies For Architecture And Construction Educators, Jon Richard Jones

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this modified Delphi study was to identify the dominant technical competencies needed to effectively teach architecture and construction at the secondary and post-secondary level and to determine if there are differences of opinion among educators, recent graduates and business and industry personnel as to what those competencies should be.

At the time of publication, the menu of technical workshops offered by the Kansas Center for Career and Technical Education (KCCTE) was determined by the workshop administrator and the director of the KCCTE. To ensure that these workshops provide instructors with the knowledge and skills that align with …

Developing Teachers’ Funds Of Knowledge Of Diverse At-Risk Adolescents Through Young Adult Literature., Paula Greathouse, Joan Kaywell

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

If teachers want to be successful in reaching and teaching all learners, the development of funds of knowledge must continue throughout an entire teacher’s career, as classroom demographics are continually changing. In this session we spotlight the reading of YA literature to develop teachers’ funds of knowledge of diverse at-risk adolescents and how this experience can lead to culturally relevant pedagogies.

The Role Of Professional Development On Secondary Special Educators Self-Efficacy Regarding The Use Of Evidence-Based Transition Practices, Lauren P. Bruno

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how transition specific professional development influenced secondary special educators’ knowledge and perceived self-efficacy regarding the use of evidence-based transition practices. Past research has suggested that secondary special educators enter the profession with limited knowledge and skills to provide effective evidence-based transition practices to students with disabilities. Based on Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, and Desimone’s framework for effective professional development, this study identified how different variables related to professional development can influence teacher self-efficacy in terms of delivering evidence-based transition practices. Specifically, a correlational research design was used to investigate teacher self-efficacy to …

Analysis Of A Stem Education Professional Development Conference For Pre-Service Educators, Keeta Holmes, Pamela Atkinson-Hamilton, Tiffanni Durham, Gloria Hardrict-Ewing, Deborah Heisler, Christina Hughes, Rosalinda Williams, Lane Walker, Christopher Young-El, Amy Dooley

Dissertations

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines are attracting increased attention in education. The iSTEM 2017 conference was a professional development program designed to acquaint pre-service teachers with interdisciplinary, research-based STEM instructional strategies that can transform traditional classroom instruction into dynamic learning environments.

The STEM Education Scholars (STEMES) is a Learning Community of Practice, housed in the College of Education, at a midsized mid-western public research university. The program of study focused on designing a professional development program for future Pre-K12 teachers. The iSTEM 2017 conference presented by the STEMES Community of Practice sought to inform pre-service teachers of STEM …

Measuring Our Impact: What Did Our Attendees Think Of Our Conference?, Louisa Kramer-Vida, Karen Meier

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

Peers evaluated conference presentations at an annual conference that is sponsored by two professional organizations of literacy educators in one geographic location in New York State. Conference sessions dealt with innovations and programs in schools that encouraged literacy learning. Comments from conference attendees indicated that the presenters seemed to be empowered by the ideas and strategies they were disseminating and the conference attendees themselves were inspired to try innovative uses of new technologies and other means of supporting language and literacy development in their own classrooms. All presentations were congruent with the then current New York State Common Core Learning …

Do The Arts Play An Essential Role In Stem Subjects? How Steam Professional Development Affects Teacher Intent To Teach Subjects In An Integrative Manner., Stacy N. Young

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

STEAM, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, is an approach to teaching that integrates these subjects together for deeper inquiry and innovation. I surveyed teachers prior to the region 1 STEAM conference in January 2017 and after to determine if they intended to change their teaching practices to integrate what they learned at the conference. Follow-up interviews were conducted to clarify survey results. Research suggests that professional development is a key component to changing teacher practices. This study seeks to extend the assertion that a conference can be the catalyst professional development tool to change teacher practice. …

Experiences With Teaching Nuclear Security Professional Development Courses For Health Physicists, Edward Waller, Jason Timothy Harris, Craig Marianno

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Health physicists are professionals that are experts in the recognition, evaluation, and control of health hazards to permit the safe use and application of radiation. They typically have broad knowledge in radiation (ionizing and non-ionizing), biology, ecology and safety. With this wealth expertise we believe the health physicists would be useful partners in an effective security culture. As such over three years, a total of seven professional enrichment courses have been offered by the authors to health physics and radiation protection professionals, both nationally and internationally. Five have been through the Health Physics Society meetings, one through the International Radiation …

Adjunct Faculty Perceptions On Professional Development Offered And Needed By Institution Type And Career Cluster, Mark Parrish

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the perceptions of adjunct faculty in higher education to gather their opinion on professional development that was offered and the professional development they feel is needed and whether institution type or career cluster was significant in determining their perception. This causal-comparative, quantitative research study utilized an online survey and included 220 adjuncts from within the United States. The study utilized one-way ANOVA to determine if there were statistically significant differences in means between the institution types and career clusters of adjunct faculty related to professional development offered and needed. It was found that there were statistically significant …

Enhancing Esl Instruction Through Reflective Teaching: A Resource Guide For Administrators Of Intensive English Programs, Wesley Weston

Master's Projects and Capstones

Reflective teaching practices are meaningful and practical ways for administrators to support and encourage ongoing professional development among ESL teachers. Today, the global demand for English instruction has greatly surpassed the supply of qualified and experienced teachers. Many ESL teachers, therefore, can benefit significantly from continuous professional development, especially at Intensive English Programs preparing international students for higher education in the US.

Administrators can help further teacher development through the implementation of microteaching, peer observations, and surveys. These methods effectively foster professional growth by stimulating reflective inquiry, which promotes personal learning, behavior modification, and better performance. Furthermore, these practices help …

Implications Of Teacher Motivation And Renewal Indicators In Arkansas Toward Professional Growth And Achievement, Lary D. Whitten

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was designed to determine if the teaching population in the state of Arkansas had a more favorable attitude toward specific motivational theories and practices; and to determine if that attitude significantly affected the teacher retention rate and the quality of work produced. The literature reviewed included the role of the school leader, motivational theory, and other relevant studies on teacher motivation. Eight National Board Certified teachers in Arkansas were interviewed about motivation as it related to professional improvement and development. The interviews focused on characteristics that serve as intrinsic motivators toward professional improvement and development and their …

Professional Development In Cte Data Driven Methods: Development Of A Research-Based Intervention, John Foster, Carol L. Hodes, Patricia Kelley, Sandra Pritz

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

An initial survey conducted by the authors in 2009 determined the amount and type of preparation career technical educators (CTE) had regarding the use of assessment data for program and instructional improvement; this survey was the basis for development of an intervention for teachers on interpretation of assessment data for improvement of classroom instruction. The intervention, titled Career and Technical Educators Using a Data Driven Improvement Model or CTEDDI, was developed and successfully piloted in five states during spring semester 2010; the results of the pilot study have been used to revise the materials and process to produce a professional …

A Case Study Of The Mathematical Learning Of Two Teachers Acquiring Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching, David R. Hartman

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study offers an analysis of the learning of practicing teachers as they acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics. While some professional developers have shifted part of their focus to helping practicing teachers acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics (e.g., Stein & Silver, 1996), the results from studies often describe what translates from the professional development experience into classroom practice and measureable gains in student achievement (e.g., Desimone et al., 2002). Studies showing improvements in pedagogy and student learning are important. However, studying what teachers are learning and how they learn is important in developing understanding of the content and …

Teacher Collaboration As Professional Development In A Large, Suburban High School, Marlie L. Williams

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative study explored the impact of teacher collaboration in a professional learning communities (PLC) school on teacher self-efficacy. Through the collection and analysis of personal interview data from 20 teachers in a large, suburban Midwestern high school, the impact of structured teacher collaboration was evaluated for its impact on changes in teachers’ instructional practices, their feelings of responsibility for student learning, positive adult interdependence, and changes in teacher self-efficacy. Experts in educational professional development identify the importance of sustained, collegial learning. This study explored the structure of one high school’s professional collaboration model, the measures in place for goal-setting, …

Reasons For Low Participation In Professional Development By East Arkansas Teachers, Susan L. Luebke

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers in east Arkansas have been less willing to participate in professional development activities beyond those that are required for continued licensure than those in other areas of the state. The Arkansas Legislature has passed legislation that will create a professional development institute in east Arkansas to assist teachers in gaining access to quality programs. This study sought to identify reasons for low participation in professional development by east Arkansas teachers in order to provide guidance in the design of the institute. An investigation of research in the principles of andragogy, characteristics of effective professional development, motivating learning, and the …

Selected Roles/Functions Of Technical/Vocational Education Administrators In Barbados And The Need For Further Preparation And Continuing Professional Development, Cecil I. Cummins

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the roles/functions of technical/vocational education (TVE) administrators in Barbados and to ascertain their personal needs for further preparation and continuing professional development.

The population for the study consisted of 115 TVE administrators from the Ministry of Education, tertiary institutions, vocational centers, Grammar schools, and Newer secondary schools. The survey method was used to gather the data. All respondents were asked to complete a 87-item questionnaire which described various roles/functions associated with the administration of TVE programs under eight major categories. For each role descriptor, respondents were asked to indicate how important it …