Teaching Technical Communication To Engineering Students: Design, Implementation, And Assessment For Project-Based Instruction, Yang Gao

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (Archived)

Through the project-based instruction (PBI) method, this paper described the design, implementation, and assessment of a technical communication course for engineering graduate students. The paper first addressed an increasing demand of engineering students with great communication skills through analyzing the existing literature and industry criteria. It then introduced concepts and characteristics of PBI and explained why PBI is a fit pedagogy in teaching technical writing to engineering students. Next, it elaborated components involved in the holistic design of the PBI course, including student sample, timeline, designed sections and units, and designing rationale and principles. This paper then reported the teaching …

Ignatian Colleagues Program Immersions: Formation In The ‘School Of The Poor’, Thomas Kelly

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Each year the Ignatian Colleagues Program, the premier leadership development program of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU), takes its participants on three or four different immersions throughout the world. The purpose of these immersions, framed through Ignatian spirituality and pedagogy, is to more deeply understand a “faith that does justice” and the meaning of Ignatian leadership. The inspiration for this approach comes directly from the life of St. Ignatius and the central role his own encounter with the poor played in his conversion and development as a person. This article summarizes the background, preparation, immersion, reflection and …

Exploring Early Childhood Teachers' Beliefs And Perceptions About The Use Of Technology In The Classroom, Sharron Hallanger

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how the professional beliefs and perceptions of teachers in early childhood education (ECE) influenced their acceptance for the use of interactive technology as a learning tool for children. Eight primary grade teachers at a rural school district in Washington State were interviewed. Of the eight ECE teachers, two had no student technology use in their classrooms. The second group of two teachers had some student technology use on a weekly basis, and the last group of four teachers utilized daily student technology use in their classrooms. The sample subjects were interviewed …

Administrators' Insights Into The Preparation And Performance Of New Teachers, Sarah J. Kaka, Jennifer A. Tygret

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

There are few studies that focus on the perceptions and experiences of school administrators toward new teachers; however, understanding of both are required for accreditation. Furthermore, the school administrators’ perceptions of the training, as well as teachers’ performance and impact on student learning during their first years of teaching is vital to determine how new teachers are performing in the classroom. This case study explored these perceptions and three main themes emerged: Indicators of New Teacher Effectiveness, Evidence of Impact on Student Learning, and Identified Areas for Growth. Insight for understanding ways to improve teacher preparation are included.

Factors Influencing Teacher Burnout And Retention Strategies, Sean Brady Scott

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Teacher attrition has become a significant problem within the field of education. Despite research reporting retention strategies and programs that can decrease this trend, teachers continue to burnout of the workforce due to stress and an inability to cope with teaching conditions. This research article explores the underlying problem of burnout, including the symptoms and extent in which they manifest, as well as possible strategies to decrease attrition and keep teachers in the classroom. By compiling research that suggests tested programs and supports that help retain teachers, both individuals and schools can explore these avenues further in hopes of combatting …

An Analysis Of Cooperating Teacher Feedback: A Qualitative Inquiry, Christopher J. Eck, Jon W. Ramsey

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Cooperating teachers are a key component to the success of student teaching internships, serving an integral part in “raising” a teacher. To effectively facilitate the student teaching internship, teacher preparation programs must identify cooperating teachers who align philosophically with the pedagogical training delivered by university programs (Korthagen & Kessels, 1999; Tom, 1997), specifically, cooperating teachers who can reinforce the theoretical framework underpinning the professional coursework pre-service teachers experience in university teacher preparation programs. This qualitative study sought to better understand the feedback provided to future school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers during their student teaching experience. Through initial and secondary coding, …

Does Waldorf Education Offer A Well-Rounded And Integrated Experience That Prepares Students For Higher Grades And Life In General?, Jacqueline A. Stratton

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis research focuses on the study of Waldorf education and how it benefits the whole child. It begins by looking at Rudolf Steiner’s Waldorf educational program and its foundational history and then takes an in depth look at the key elements of its rich philosophy and pedagogy. The literature review focuses on the key question, ‘Does this 100 year-old teaching philosophy encourage a more well-rounded and integrated educational experience than traditional public schools?’ The review highlights four broad topics in relationship to Waldorf education. These include: Educating the Whole Child; Education for the Three Stages of Childhood; Early Childhood …

Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs In Relation To Perceived English Proficiency And Teaching Practices: An Investigation Of Chinese Primary English As A Foreign Language (Efl) Teachers, Yun Zhang

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Research on self-efficacy has been a productive field and abundant research has shown that teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs influence teachers’ actions and performances and thus affect students’ learning outcomes. However, there is a lack of literature on EFL teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and even less research was set in Chinese EFL contexts. On the one hand, this study was conducted to provide a general picture of the current status of EFL teachers’ perceived English proficiency, self-rated self-efficacy beliefs and self-reported teaching practices in terms of some demographic perspectives; On the other hand, it aimed to explore the correlations among Chinese primary EFL …

An Evaluation Of The Use Of An Online Demonstration School, Robert Whannell, Jane Lamb, Linley Cornish, Tim Bartlett-Taylor, Brenda Wolodko

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In 2016, a change was made to the approach taken for delivery of the first practicum placement experience for initial teacher education students at [the university]. Rather than the traditional 20-day in-school observation placement, an alternative 10-day online experience, called the Online Demonstration School (ODS), was developed. The ODS provided students with a fully online practicum experience involving viewing videos of a variety of classroom situations developed in conjunction with local schools. Subsequent reflection and collaboration with peers and academics allowed targeted aspects in the classroom situations to be examined in depth. This article summarises the literature supporting this change …

Early Career Teachers’ Intentions To Leave The Profession: The Complex Relationships Among Preservice Education, Early Career Support, And Job Satisfaction, Nick Kelly, Marcela Cespedes, Marc Clarà, Patrick A. Danaher

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper investigates the complex factors that lead to early career teachers (ECTs) deciding to leave the profession. It extends prior studies to show the associations that different elements of preservice education (PSE), early career support, and on-the-job satisfaction have with the intention to leave the profession. The study uses data from 2,144 Australian ECTs to explore these relationships. Results highlight the importance of teachers’ collegial relationships with their peers, and replicate prior findings showing the significance of mentoring and induction programs. Results show that elements of job satisfaction are strongly associated with intention to leave the profession, leading to …

Learning About Numeracy: The Impact Of A Compulsory Unit On Pre-Service Teachers' Understandings And Beliefs, Helen J. Forgasz, Jennifer Hall

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

: In 2015, a new Master of Teaching coursework unit, Numeracy for Learners and Teachers, was introduced at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. The drivers for the establishment of the unit were the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership numeracy standards for graduate teachers and the inclusion of numeracy as a general capability in the Australian Curriculum. In this article, we describe the content and organisation of the unit. An evaluation was conducted with students in each of the years 2015-2017. Data included pre- and post-unit surveys and interviews. Findings indicated that students had fairly good numeracy skills on …

The Next Chapter In The Stem Education Narrative: Using Robotics To Support Programming And Coding., Susan Blackley, Jennifer Howell

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

IIn this paper, we use our qualitative research notes and observations to portray a model for integrated STEM education and summarise primary school students’ typical and recurring ways in which they engaged with each new robot. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: first, to unpack key elements of the Australian Curriculum: Technologies in order to support teachers and pre- service teachers to implement these components, and second, to describe ways in which teachers can teach authentic integrated STEM education that also provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate 21^st century competencies. Based on data collected from …

Co-Design For Curriculum Planning: A Model For Professional Development For High School Teachers, Nick Kelly, Natalie Wright, Les Dawes, Jeremy Kerr, Amanda Robertson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper describes a model for teacher professional development as co-design for curriculum planning in which facilitators with design and pedagogical expertise iteratively work with groups of secondary school teachers, one school at a time, to plan whole terms of work, as a form of teacher professional development. It contains preliminary results from a design-based research study involving co-design with digital technologies teachers in two Australian secondary schools. It describes two phases of design involving workshops, strategies and instruments that work to facilitate effective co-design with teachers. Results from this pilot study suggest that the co-design for curriculum planning model …

The Use Of Blog Activities To Promote Reflection In An Elt Practicum, Esra Bener, Senem Yıldız

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Informed by the theories of critical reflection and community of practice, this study aimed to explore the integration of blogs to promote reflection among eighteen pre-service English language teachers registered in a practicum course at a public university in Turkey. Fourteen blog activities were designed and implemented to guide the reflective process of student teachers. Data were collected through archival documents of participants’ blog entries, two focus group interviews and two surveys. A total of 457 entries were analysed in terms of depth of reflection and the analysis revealed evidence of medium or high level reflection in most (61%) of …

How Teachers Find Meaning In Their Work And Effects On Their Pedagogical Practice, Kristina Turner, Monica Thielking

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study addresses a gap in current literature by applying a qualitative phenomenological approach to understand how teachers with a calling orientation perceive meaning in their work. A calling orientation has been defined by Wrzesniewski, et al. (1997) as a commitment to one’s work as it contributes to the greater good and makes the world a better place. Individuals’ perception of participation in meaningful work has been closely linked to subjective wellbeing. The current study revealed that teachers’ reported that they found meaning in their work through having an impact on their students’ lives and through positive relationships with students …

Social Media Use In Initial Teacher Education: Lessons On Knowing Where Your Students Are, Narelle Lemon, Siobhan O'Brien

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The use of social media in initial teacher education offers connection to a community of learners. As teacher educators we planned to use Twitter with pre-service teachers (PSTs). But at the end of the semester it was revealed that PSTs insisted on using a different platform; offering valuable perspectives and insights into the boundaries that are set by PSTs when moving from personal to professional use of social media. Through this paper we share our voices as initial teacher educators who valued the voices of PSTs in navigating the integration of Twitter into a semester of study. Revealed are insights …

Revealing The Human Resource Development Discourse: A Mixed Methods Study Of Similarities And Differences In Academic And Practitioner Language, Or Labels-In-Use, Holly D. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Woven within the pages of HRD’s historical literature, a variety of scholarly voices can be found drawing attention to the increasing inconsistency in the language of the field. Within the literature, we also find evidence of a long-standing discord and debate regarding the field’s definition and identified boundaries. This is the first study that attempts to elevate the conversation of HRD’s definition to that of an exploration of what is shared, and what makes the discipline’s members unique. Utilizing Li’s (2009) lens of disciplinary identity and elements of Gee’s (1999) theory of Discourse, this study presents a concept of what …

Well-Trained Mentors: The Missing Component Of The Comprehensive New Teacher Induction Program In The Silver Oak Area School, Daniel Bosnic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“If well-trained, competent, caring teachers were present in every classroom, we would witness a staggering increase in student achievement, motivation, and character improvement along with a marked decrease in discipline problems” (Breaux & Wong, 2003, p.22). If school districts do not take the initiative to design and implement effective induction programs with embedded mentoring, they are essentially setting their teachers and students up for failure. Regardless of educator training programs, new teachers are unprepared to face the diverse and challenging needs of education today (Bartell, 2005). All individuals entering education need assistance in applying their prior knowledge and experience to …

Call For Manuscripts

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Copyright And Open Access

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Is There Hope For Teacher Burnout?, Ami Houston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The nation’s educational system is faced with an ongoing issue as teachers are choosing to leave the profession in staggering numbers. Teacher attrition affects not only teachers who have already left the field and those currently still in it but also those who would potentially enter the teacher pipeline and students in the care of these teachers. While several factors are at fault for this phenomenon, one of the most pressing contributors to teacher attrition is teacher burnout, as teachers are exposed to exhaustion, cynicism, and decreasing self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between the dimensions …

My Experience Teaching General Chemistry To A Student Who Is Visually Impaired, Katherine M E Stewart

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This paper summarizes my experience with teaching a first-year, General Chemistry course to a visually impaired student. This includes accommodations and modifications for both the lecture material and the laboratory. Included are also examples of formats and syntax for txt-based quizzes, tests, and laboratory reports, as well as other general accommodations for both the student and the service dog.

Science Instruction For Secondary Students With Emotional Or Behavioral Disorders: A Guide For Curriculum Development, Tal Slemrod, Leah Wood, Shelley Hart, William Coleman

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This article provides a step-by-step guide for the organization and development of science lessons and units, to support the academic and behavioral performance of secondary students with challenges with related disabilities. This clinical practice guide provides a process for curriculum development for students with emotional or behavior disorders (EBD) in the science classroom. Steps include recommendations, goals, and examples for administrators and educators to discover appropriate plans and interventions to promote engagement and learning, including supporting success on State mandated High Stakes Assessments.

Implications Of 3-D Printing For Teaching Geoscience Concepts To Students With Visual Impairments, Karen E. Koehler, Tiffany A. Wild, Sean Tikkun

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This article presents the results of a study on the use of 3-D printed models in a science classroom for students with visual impairments and examines whether the use of these models impacts student conceptual understanding and misconceptions related to geosciences concepts, specifically plate tectonics.

Data were collected one week prior to instruction, one week after instruction and throughout the 3-week instructional period. Results showed that students with visual impairments held many of the same misconceptions about plate tectonics as students who are typically sighted. All students in this study had fewer misconceptions after the instructional period than they held …

Writing To Heal: Viewing Teacher Identity Through The Lens Of Autoethnography, Erin Parke

The Qualitative Report

This autoethnographic work explores my experience with illness (specifically anti-N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis), recovery, and career change all in the span of a few months. Through reflexive interviews and a first-person narrative, I analyzed the shifting nature of my identity, specifically my teacher identity as I moved from struggling teacher, to patient, and back to teacher again. I also analyzed how the act of writing, and writing the narrative of this autoethnography, assisted in the healing process. My story shows that in moving from pre-illness to post-illness, I shifted from a strict, content-based teacher to a constructivist facilitator with …

The Nature Of Teaching: Connecting K-5 Teachers And Students With Nature, Rebecca Busse

Engagement & Service-Learning Summit

No abstract provided.

Mentee And Mentor Teacher Perspectives On The Effectiveness Of School-Based Mentorship In High-Poverty, Low-Performing Schools., Amanda Leigh Santos-Colon, Carlisha Smith Kent

College of Education & Human Development Capstone Projects

This capstone intends to seek a teacher’s perspective on the effectiveness of school-based mentorship in a high-poverty, low-performing school setting. The first study investigates the perspectives of new teachers, while the second study focuses on the perspectives of the mentor teachers. When new teachers complete the undergraduate program, they become certified teachers but have never actually had the opportunity to be alone in a classroom with up to thirty students. New teachers are often prepared to teach the curriculum but unprepared for the student behavior and classroom management. Furthermore, teachers may be assigned a mentor, but the mentor may lack …

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 …

Creating A Virtual World For Mathematics, Young Rae Kim, Mi Sun Park

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications (Archived)

A virtual world was created using the popular sandbox game Minecraft to support the development of preservice teachers’ knowledge for teaching mathematics. Preservice teachers explored the virtual world for a geometry activity involving area and volume problems. They then discussed how this integration of technology could support students’ effective learning of mathematics in a meaningful way. The findings of the study demonstrated that to a certain extent the Minecraft activity supported the transfer of knowledge from preservice teachers’ mathematics content knowledge to their mathematics pedagogical and instructional practice knowledge. Preservice teachers appreciated the usefulness and effectiveness of the Minecraft activity …

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.