Current Search: Action research in education. (x)
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- Title
- Development of an Undergraduate Preceptor Model of Practice Education for Nursing Students Utilizing Participatory Action Research.
- Creator
- Blum, Cynthia Ann, Thomas, Debera J., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
In the nursing education practice setting, preceptors are a valuable link to assist students in making the connection between nursing theory and its application to patient care. Usually used in the final semester of study, nurse preceptors could be utilized throughout all nursing practice experiences. Nurse preceptors provide a reality based experience for the student caring for patients. Yet, little is known about what is important to the preceptor in this role. The purpose of this study was...
Show moreIn the nursing education practice setting, preceptors are a valuable link to assist students in making the connection between nursing theory and its application to patient care. Usually used in the final semester of study, nurse preceptors could be utilized throughout all nursing practice experiences. Nurse preceptors provide a reality based experience for the student caring for patients. Yet, little is known about what is important to the preceptor in this role. The purpose of this study was to generate a new model of nursing practice education reflecting the voice of the participants in the research. Using participatory action research methods, the emergent model focused on preceptors as the critical link to student practice education in their first year of a baccalaureate nursing program and answered the question, "What is the process of developing a preceptor led clinical practice experience for undergraduate nursing students through participatory action research?" The study was conducted at a hospital in south Florida where students received the majority of their practice experiences. Semi-structured interviews with 15 participants, program notes, and various data sources were analyzed consistent with grounded theory analysis. Grounded in this data is the emergent Theory of Empowering Preceptors, which accounts for the process through which preceptors formulated the practice model. The contributors to the development of this model of nursing practice education identified three key categories that empowered them to assume their role. The context in which nurse preceptors were educated helped them relate to students and to understand student concerns. Creating a 'comfortable' learning experience for the student occurred next, as the preceptor sought to create environments where learning was viewed as a process. Finally, the opportunity to shape student practice experience was where preceptors used their specialized knowledge in a variety of methods without faculty constraints. The support and contributions from this education/practice partnership were identified as integral to the support of these three categories, accounting for the partnership model. Here, nurse preceptors expressed the value of coming to know the student, became involved in the student evaluation, and offered ways to communicate what the students learned.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000618
- Subject Headings
- Nursing--Study and teaching (Preceptorship), Action research in education, Nursing--Research
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Possible Futures for Teacher Education Programs: Meta-Theory Orientation.
- Creator
- Svendsen, Jared C., Bogotch, Ira, Schoorman, Dilys, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study problematizes teacher education, and its accreditation guidelines as set forth by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. The analysis herein conceptualizes teacher education as contextually contingent on sociocultural metanarratives, as functioning paradigmatically through consensus and gatekeeping mechanisms, and as a structure existing within a matrix of discipline and surveillance that is designed to perpetuate status quo power dynamics. This...
Show moreThis study problematizes teacher education, and its accreditation guidelines as set forth by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. The analysis herein conceptualizes teacher education as contextually contingent on sociocultural metanarratives, as functioning paradigmatically through consensus and gatekeeping mechanisms, and as a structure existing within a matrix of discipline and surveillance that is designed to perpetuate status quo power dynamics. This conceptualization grounds dominant teacher education modalities within a specific meta-theory orientation. Through this analysis, the author also explores an alternative conceptualization of teacher education that appeals to the educative power of contextual awareness, ontological sensitivity, and democratically recursive pedagogical and relational processes. Such a conceptualization reflects an alternative meta-theory orientation. For the purposes of this analysis, the author employed textual analysis of sampled website literature from Teacher Education Programs in six geographic regions within the United States. This textual analysis was grounded in the aforementioned conceptualizations and was intended to reveal meta-theory orientations as expressed in a program’s official text.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004679, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004679
- Subject Headings
- Action research in education, Education -- Philosophy, Educational leadership, Effective teaching, Teacher effectiveness, Teachers -- Training of -- Evaluation
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Missed Opportunities and Connections in Teacher Learning.
- Creator
- Ferris, Deborah Melchers, Hyslop-Margison, Emery, Weber, Roberta K., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
The current qualitative study focused on understanding the process of learning to teach. Using interviews of teacher educators, the study explored the importance of a set of teaching activities developed as part of the Teacher Self Efficacy Survey (Tschannen- Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) as well as the inclusion of instructional and assessment strategies for the teaching activities and the quality of beginning teacher performance of the activities. Data were collected from interviews of 15...
Show moreThe current qualitative study focused on understanding the process of learning to teach. Using interviews of teacher educators, the study explored the importance of a set of teaching activities developed as part of the Teacher Self Efficacy Survey (Tschannen- Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) as well as the inclusion of instructional and assessment strategies for the teaching activities and the quality of beginning teacher performance of the activities. Data were collected from interviews of 15 teacher educators. A process of open, axial, and substantive coding was applied to the data to inductively identify and categorize data relevant to the purpose of the study and to allow comparisons among and between categories. Findings suggested that teaching activities are critically important to and a comprehensive description of effective teaching, and that beginning teachers struggle with differentiation and applying their learning to their practice. Further, findings suggested that the source of beginning teacher struggles was found within the teacher education program, within school contexts, and between the two institutions. In addition, findings suggested that beginning teachers perform the student engagement activities and those related to instructional strategies more proficiently than classroom management activities, and that all three teaching activity categories were included in the curriculum, but to different degrees and not all as part of curriculum design. A variety of pedagogies were used to prepare preservice teachers; however, there was no reported knowledge of assessment instruments used to measure preservice teachers’ readiness for teaching and to obtain data on the performance of their graduates. Lastly, this study revealed that teacher education program leaders were reluctant to participate in a study that sought to draw direct connections between the skills taught in the program and how well beginning teachers perform them. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends further studies to determine the viability of the teaching activities as a comprehensive and accurate definition of effective teaching. Further the researcher recommends that teacher education programs and school districts adopt the teaching activities as a consistent framework for providing preservice education, for setting school district expectations, and for conducting teacher evaluations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004676, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004676
- Subject Headings
- Action research in education, Educational leadership, Effective teaching, Pedagogical content knowledge, Teacher effectiveness, Teachers -- Training of
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Sizing up the principalship: the relationship between school size and principal leadership in elementary and middle schools.
- Creator
- Kaplan, Mark J., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study examined the issue of school size and the potential impact that school size has on the leadership behaviors of principals. Contextual factors were also considered as potential moderators of the relationship between transformational/ transactional/laissez-faire leadership behavior and school size. Data were collected and analyzed using quantitative methods. A survey was conducted based on a chosen model to gather the data. Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) surveys were...
Show moreThis study examined the issue of school size and the potential impact that school size has on the leadership behaviors of principals. Contextual factors were also considered as potential moderators of the relationship between transformational/ transactional/laissez-faire leadership behavior and school size. Data were collected and analyzed using quantitative methods. A survey was conducted based on a chosen model to gather the data. Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) surveys were distributed electronically to school staff in elementary and middle schools in Sunshine County, Florida for input regarding their principal's behavior. Using one-way and two-way analysis of variance tests for the main and moderating factors, the survey results indicated that while the main effect of size has no direct impact on principal leadership behavior, contextual factors (socio-economics, principal gender, and principal experience) do moderate the relationship between specific transformational principal leadership behaviors and school size.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3171397
- Subject Headings
- School management and organization, Educational leadership, School principals, Action research in education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Principal Leader Actions and Their Influence on School Culture and School Performance.
- Creator
- Featherstone, Ginger L., Pisapia, John, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
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This quantitative, non-experimental study was conducted to determine whether there is a link between the principal’s behavioral agility, the organization’s culture, and school performance as defined by the state’s Value Added Measure (VAM). Additionally, this study examined if there was a moderator influence of contextual factors to behavioral agility and school culture and school culture and school performance. Data collection was obtained through the use of two validated scales, the...
Show moreThis quantitative, non-experimental study was conducted to determine whether there is a link between the principal’s behavioral agility, the organization’s culture, and school performance as defined by the state’s Value Added Measure (VAM). Additionally, this study examined if there was a moderator influence of contextual factors to behavioral agility and school culture and school culture and school performance. Data collection was obtained through the use of two validated scales, the Strategic Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ) and the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI). Multiple regression was conducted to determine the extent each independent variable predicts school performance. Hayes’s (2012) PROCESS macro for SPSS was completed to determine if school culture mediated the relationship between behavioral agility and school performance and school culture and school performance. Significant correlations were found between and within the two instruments measured unidimensionally and multidimensionally. The OCAI findings included significant, high effect correlations with the four culture types, although market was not correlated with clan or adhocracy. All subscales of the SLQ had positive significant correlations within the instrument. School size was significantly negatively correlated with clan and adhocracy culture types. School performance was found to be significantly correlated with hierarchy culture type and school level. The contribution this study makes is both theoretical and practical. Theoretically, this study offers insights into school level and its moderation of culture and school performances as well as the influence culture types have on school performance. Practically, the study could identify a new culture type valuable to principals for improving school performance.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004885, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004885
- Subject Headings
- School principals., Educational leadership., Education--Research--Methodology., School management and organization., School improvement programs., Action research in education.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Impact of Collaborative Work Analysis Professional Development in Teacher Practice and Student Writing.
- Creator
- Shealy, Kristin L., Burnaford, Gail, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
This qualitative research study explored the influence of collaborative analysis of student work (CASW) as professional development on teacher practice, specifically during lessons and on written teacher feedback on student work. Additionally, teachers' perceptions about the influence of CASW sessions and three 2-week instructional cycles on student writing, including the professional development sessions, lessons, and teacher written feedback, were investigated. Qualitative data were...
Show moreThis qualitative research study explored the influence of collaborative analysis of student work (CASW) as professional development on teacher practice, specifically during lessons and on written teacher feedback on student work. Additionally, teachers' perceptions about the influence of CASW sessions and three 2-week instructional cycles on student writing, including the professional development sessions, lessons, and teacher written feedback, were investigated. Qualitative data were collected including teacher interviews, CASW observations, classroom observations, and document analysis. Findings indicated that teachers felt that CASW influenced their increased awareness of teaching and student learning, and implications for future teaching for the whole group as well as ideas for next steps for individual students emerged. Teachers supported CASW being job-embedded and practical to daily work; they voiced concerns over the time and scheduling facilitating the professional development required. Teachers responded that they felt that CASW helped them question their assessment of student writing, consistency within and across grade levels and subjects, and the appropriate level of difficulty of their curriculum. Teachers expressed their desire to be able to meet with students more regularly to go over their teacher written feedback and felt that CASW may possibly influence student work over time. Two teachers felt that the CASW professional development could have influenced their written feedback; four teachers felt that it did not. Implications for professional development, public policy, and further research are given.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004547, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004547
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement -- Evaluation, Action research in education, Educational tests and measurements, Effective teaching, Teachers, Training of -- Evaluation
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An examination of the role and career paths of chief research administrators in selected major research universities in the United States.
- Creator
- Nash, Julie., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The Chief Research Administrator (CRA), also known as the Vice President, Vice Provost, or Vice Chancellor for Research, plays a key role in the research university. It is a position of power and not only affects the mission of the institution, but also controls a very large and vital percentage of external funding. The lack of information on how to prepare for the position makes it difficult to plan a career path for those who aspire to the position. This study was designed to obtain...
Show moreThe Chief Research Administrator (CRA), also known as the Vice President, Vice Provost, or Vice Chancellor for Research, plays a key role in the research university. It is a position of power and not only affects the mission of the institution, but also controls a very large and vital percentage of external funding. The lack of information on how to prepare for the position makes it difficult to plan a career path for those who aspire to the position. This study was designed to obtain information to define the persona and career path(s) of the CRA at research universities in the United States. Survey data related to career pathways resulted in the emergence of four main pathways; Faculty/Academic, Administrative, Private Industry, and a Combination of the first three pathways. The results indicated that the most highly cited pathway to the position of the CRA was the Faculty/Academic (83%). The least traveled pathway to the position of CRA was found to be Administrative, that is, beginning at the lowest levels of a research office or administrative position and progressing through the ranks of the research office.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3360957
- Subject Headings
- Universities and colleges, Administration, College administrators, Training of, United States, Educational leadership, United States, Action research in education, United States
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- District Leadership and Systemic Inclusion: A Case Study of One Inclusive, Effective School District.
- Creator
- Jekanowski, Elizabeth C., Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
Inclusion is a federal education policy in the United States that challenges educational leaders. Despite U.S. federal laws requiring an inclusive education for students with disabilities (SWD), educators continue to struggle to implement inclusion. Some scholars argue that leadership is the key to inclusion, with most studies focused on principal leadership. Successful inclusive districts are rare, as are studies of these districts. The purpose of this in-depth case study was to describe and...
Show moreInclusion is a federal education policy in the United States that challenges educational leaders. Despite U.S. federal laws requiring an inclusive education for students with disabilities (SWD), educators continue to struggle to implement inclusion. Some scholars argue that leadership is the key to inclusion, with most studies focused on principal leadership. Successful inclusive districts are rare, as are studies of these districts. The purpose of this in-depth case study was to describe and understand the leadership practices of SSSD (pseudonym), an inclusive (based on LRE ≥75% for three consecutive years) and effective district (based on district grades of As and Bs, state measures of student achievement) in Southeast Florida. Within SSSD, a purposeful sample of 31 participants was selected that included eight district leaders, three principals, 15 teachers, and five parents located at four sites and observed across three events over the span of one semester with multiple supporting documents analyzed. Four findings describing district leadership practices emerged from the data analysis; 1) a shared inclusive mission, 2) collaborative efforts, 3) formal and informal professional development (PD), and 4) acknowledging and addressing challenges. The practices of district leaders found in this study resonate with other findings in the literature and contribute two of the new findings in this study: 1) the superintendent’s attitudes, beliefs, and experiences as a special educator were described as key to her district’s inclusive focus and success and extends previous research connecting principal leadership to school site inclusion; and 2) informal versus formal PD was more beneficial to teachers in building collective capacity for inclusive service delivery—marking a new distinction within related PD literature. Recommendations to district leaders, policy makers, and scholars are included. The study concludes by encouraging educational leaders to cultivate a shared inclusive mission implemented through collaborative efforts. There is hope for inclusion, not only in theory, but in practice, mirroring the call of other district leadership studies of successful, systemic inclusion.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004815, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004815
- Subject Headings
- Educational leadership--Case studies., Inclusive education--Case studies., Children with disabilities--Education--United States--Case studies., School management and organization--Case studies., Action research in education--Case studies., Mainstreaming in education--Case studies.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Impact of “Real World” Experiences through Academic Service Learning on Students’ Success Rate, Attitudes, and Motivation in Intermediate Algebra at a Public University.
- Creator
- Toussaint, Mario J., Furner, Joseph M., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
A report issued in 2012 by the United States Government Accountability Office (US Government Accountability Office, 2012) concluded that the United States is not producing enough graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to meet the demands of its economy. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2001), fewer than fifty percent of students nationally possess a solid command of mathematical content. This study tested whether the insertion of...
Show moreA report issued in 2012 by the United States Government Accountability Office (US Government Accountability Office, 2012) concluded that the United States is not producing enough graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to meet the demands of its economy. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2001), fewer than fifty percent of students nationally possess a solid command of mathematical content. This study tested whether the insertion of Academic Service Learning (ASL) into intermediate algebra courses improved students’ performance, their motivation to learn the subject, and attitudes towards mathematics learning. ASL is an educational strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities (Duffy, Barrington, West, Heredia, & Barry, 2011). The subjects in this study were thirty-four students enrolled in intermediate algebra at a large public university in southeast Florida. The participant group consisted of fifteen students who completed the requirements of the ASL program and the comparison group consisted of nineteen students who initially showed interest in the program but dropped out of the study early in the semester. Through a mixed method analysis, the study found that the proportion of students who passed the course in the ASL group was greater than the proportion of students in the non-ASL group. Similarly, the mean final course grade in the ASL group was higher than the mean final course grade in the non-ASL group. The results of the qualitative analyses showed that all the participants enjoyed the ASL experience. In addition, some participants felt that the ASL project raised their motivation to learn mathematics and increased their competence in mathematics. However, both quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed that the students’ participation in the ASL project did not affect their attitudes towards mathematics learning. The study concluded that Academic Service Learning has the potential to help improve students’ success rates in developmental mathematics courses as well as increase their motivation to learn the subject.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004739, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004739
- Subject Headings
- Action research in education., Service learning., Universities and colleges--Public services., Teacher-student relationships., Algebra--Study and teaching (Higher), Educational technology--Evaluation., Motivation in education., Academic achievement.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A Case Study of the Reported Use of Metacognitive Reading Strategies by Postsecondary Instructors of Developmental Reading Courses With Struggling Adult Readers to Increase Comprehension.
- Creator
- Drayton, Audrita, Baxley, Traci P., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
This qualitative research study examined developmental reading instructors' reported use of metacognitive reading strategies as well as what other approaches they used to improve and increase the reading comprehension of their struggling adult readers. The researcher collected data using two interviews per participant and document analyses. Although studies have deemed metacognitive reading strategies effective in increasing the reading comprehension of struggling readers, the results...
Show moreThis qualitative research study examined developmental reading instructors' reported use of metacognitive reading strategies as well as what other approaches they used to improve and increase the reading comprehension of their struggling adult readers. The researcher collected data using two interviews per participant and document analyses. Although studies have deemed metacognitive reading strategies effective in increasing the reading comprehension of struggling readers, the results indicated that the participants did not typically instruct their struggling adult readers in the use of metacognitive reading strategies. The implications for the study were related to instructional practice in developmental reading courses, policy changes, and struggling readers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004586, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004586
- Subject Headings
- Metacognition--Case studies., Reading comprehension--Case studies., Learning strategies--Case studies., Motivation in education--Case studies., Action research in education--Case studies., Cognitive learning--Case studies.
- Format
- Document (PDF)