View All Items

Title: Preservice teachers' developing beliefs about diversity as revealed through reflection and discourse.
Creator: Schaub, Cynthia R., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to analyze the development of preservice teachers' beliefs in regard to diversity concepts and issues. The current study finds a positive development in preservice teacher candidates' professional beliefs about diversity as shown through observations, interviews, and document analysis at the beginning and end of upper division coursework in an elementary education degree program that infuses diversity throughout the program. Reflection is at the core of the goals...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to analyze the development of preservice teachers' beliefs in regard to diversity concepts and issues. The current study finds a positive development in preservice teacher candidates' professional beliefs about diversity as shown through observations, interviews, and document analysis at the beginning and end of upper division coursework in an elementary education degree program that infuses diversity throughout the program. Reflection is at the core of the goals of the college of education in which this program resides. Findings from this study revealed that through reflection and discourse, a majority of the senior students did show development in their professional beliefs about diversity concepts and issues. These findings may add to literature on program evaluation in the study of diversity concepts and infusion throughout upper division coursework. This study was limited due to an extremely low response rate and other spurious factors.
Show less
Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362566
Subject Headings: Teachers, Training of, Teachers, Attitudes, Teaching, Sociological aspects, Teacher-student relationships, Multicultural education
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Principal leadership: the missing link in teacher retention.
Creator: Cornella, Janet A., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this research study was to identify practices that principals utilize that are believed to influence teacher retention. Teacher turnover is a major problem facing principals and school systems today. Much of the present research focuses on why teachers leave the field, but there is little research on the principals' perceptions of what they do to stem the flow of educators leaving the classroom. To accomplish this purpose, a case study was conducted, focused on identifying the...
Show moreThe purpose of this research study was to identify practices that principals utilize that are believed to influence teacher retention. Teacher turnover is a major problem facing principals and school systems today. Much of the present research focuses on why teachers leave the field, but there is little research on the principals' perceptions of what they do to stem the flow of educators leaving the classroom. To accomplish this purpose, a case study was conducted, focused on identifying the principals' role in teacher retention and their perceptions of the most important strategies utilized to stimulate high teacher retention. Qualitative research methods including individual interviews, open-ended questionnaires, and focus groups enabled the researcher to identify, compare, and contrast the perceptions, beliefs, and practices used by the nine study participants. The research design produced interviews filled with rich narratives describing the practices used by principals at schools with high teacher retention. The focus group discussion elucidated the common behaviors that were perceived to support teacher retention. The study yielded evidence that high-performing principals with high teacher retention rates clearly and consistently identified specific practices they believe support teacher retention; that principals play a vital role in teacher retention and that their leadership, support, and daily practices influence a teacher's decision to remain in teaching. The data collected indicates the centrality of creating a positive school culture and a sense of belonging. All the other identified principal practices are intertwined with and contribute to this outcome., Choosing, supporting, and valuing faculty and encouraging shared decision-making appear to be the central practices in building teacher retention; and these practices are supported by and integrated with principals' modeling of positive personal characteristics, exercising fairness and equity, being visible and approachable, and communicating in an open two-way manner. Congruence of findings from all data collection methods provided an updated list of common practices identified by these highly successful principals that may inform principal preparation and a professional development model for present and future educational leaders interested in maintaining a stable teaching faculty.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2683125
Subject Headings: Teacher turnover, School prinicipals, Training of, Teachers, Recruiting, School management and organization, Educational leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Increasing Learn Units by special education teachers: Supervision via bug-in-ear technology.
Creator: Goodman, Janet I., Florida Atlantic University, Brady, Michael P.
Abstract/Description: Preparing teachers for diverse populations in the 21st century is a daunting task that must be addressed systematically. Because society requires strict accountability measures (Danielson, 1996; NCLB, 2002), educators must ensure that students achieve at high levels. Teacher education literature increasingly addresses the need for standards and accountability (Hardeman, McDonald, & Welch, 1998) and stresses the importance of well-researched, teacher preparation methods. While teacher...
Show morePreparing teachers for diverse populations in the 21st century is a daunting task that must be addressed systematically. Because society requires strict accountability measures (Danielson, 1996; NCLB, 2002), educators must ensure that students achieve at high levels. Teacher education literature increasingly addresses the need for standards and accountability (Hardeman, McDonald, & Welch, 1998) and stresses the importance of well-researched, teacher preparation methods. While teacher education institutions face the challenges of preparing a greater quantity and higher quality of teachers, a teacher shortage continues to exist (SREB, 2001). Several researchers have focused on efficient and effective means of preparing teachers who can reach these higher standards and remain in the teaching profession. Coaching is a positive means of providing support to teachers while improving teachers' instructional effectiveness (Fieman-Nemser, 2001). Sheeler, McAfee, and Ruhl (2004) determined that teachers' instruction improved when a coach provided specific, immediate, corrective feedback. Giebelhaus (1994), Lindell (2001), and Scheeler and Lee (2002) demonstrated that "bug-in-ear" (BIE) technology permitted coaches to provide immediate, corrective feedback without interrupting instruction. The present study was designed to examine the effects of using BIE technology on novice teachers' rate and accuracy of Learn Unit delivery and to determine if improved rates continued when prompts were removed. Learn Units are a definable measure of teaching, and the smallest unit through which the act of teaching can be presented (Greer, 2002). In this study, using BIE technology the coach delivered immediate, corrective feedback to three teachers regarding delivery of Learn Units. A multiple-baseline design across teachers was used. Data were collected during baseline, intervention, fading, and maintenance phases. The independent variable was the prompts delivered by the coach, and the dependent variables were the rate and accuracy of Learn Units. The results showed that novice teachers did increase both their rate and accuracy of Learn Unit delivery during the intervention and these increases remained when prompts were faded or removed. This study extended Scheeler and Lee's (2002) research on Learn Units and immediate feedback through BIE technology, and demonstrated the efficacy of this coaching method with various individuals, groups of students, and instructional formats.
Show less
Date Issued: 2005
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FADT12131
Subject Headings: Special education teachers--Training of, Classroom management, Teacher effectiveness--United States, School supervision--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Faculty development centers in higher education: Incorporating diversity and technology.
Creator: Torrey, Evelyn Jeanne, Florida Atlantic University, Decker, Larry E.
Abstract/Description: This descriptive study on faculty development centers, diversity, and technology was conducted by distributing e-mail surveys to 484 four-year colleges and graduate institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Responses to the 25-item instrument were submitted electronically into a database and merged with institutional data on state, enrollment, tuition, affiliation, highest degree awarded, and selectivity ranking. Although pedagogical...
Show moreThis descriptive study on faculty development centers, diversity, and technology was conducted by distributing e-mail surveys to 484 four-year colleges and graduate institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Responses to the 25-item instrument were submitted electronically into a database and merged with institutional data on state, enrollment, tuition, affiliation, highest degree awarded, and selectivity ranking. Although pedagogical training has always been an integral component of teacher education, disciplinary expertise has generally been the sole prerequisite for college teaching. Most universities offer travel support for faculty to attend professional conferences and provide sabbatical leave. Some academic units organize their own training activities. Consulting specialists may conduct specialized training. An individual or committee may voluntarily coordinate faculty development efforts. Since 1960, an increasing number of campuses have established faculty development centers with their own identities and reporting relationships, staff, budgets, and designated space, often with assistance from federal, state, or foundation funding. Centers focus on classroom instruction (instructional development), on faculty and their needs (faculty development), the overall needs of the institution (organizational development), and/or research. Of 185 respondents, 65 have faculty development centers, 5 have centers devoted to instructional technology, and 27 have active programs without formal centers; most belong to organizations or networks. Most centers have staff, budgets, and dedicated space. Centers are more likely found at large public institutions, report to the chief academic officer, and offer voluntary training to faculty, adjuncts, new faculty, and teaching assistants. Services focused more on andragogy and technology than on diversity. Most have Web sites, limited forms of evaluation, and expansion plans. Eight are women's colleges, 24 are Historically Black Colleges or Universities, and 9 are Hispanic Serving Institutions. Significant differences were found for enrollment, tuition, affiliation, and highest degree awarded and the scope of centers and programs. The study confirmed the value of faculty development centers and programs, the need to increase diversity and technology training, and the importance of evaluation and documentation of the contributions made by faculty development programs to the mission of the institution.
Show less
Date Issued: 2002
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11987
Subject Headings: College teachers--Training of--United States, Multicultural education--United States, Educational technology--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The relationship between professional development and the changing reading practices of teachers in low-performing elementary schools.
Creator: Vaughan, Michelle., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this multi-case study was to identify the influence of professional development experiences on the changing reading practices of third-grade teachers in low-performing schools. Schools were chosen to participate based upon a steady increase in reading achievement scores despite failing to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and being placed within the Corrective Action Phase of No Child Left Behind. Six teachers from 4 schools were chosen as participants based on the changing...
Show moreThe purpose of this multi-case study was to identify the influence of professional development experiences on the changing reading practices of third-grade teachers in low-performing schools. Schools were chosen to participate based upon a steady increase in reading achievement scores despite failing to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and being placed within the Corrective Action Phase of No Child Left Behind. Six teachers from 4 schools were chosen as participants based on the changing reading practices they reported on an initial survey of 13 teachers. Interviews, observations, focus groups, and collection of archival data was completed over the course of 5 months in order to determine the influence of professional development on their reading practices. It was determined that teacher change following professional development is heavily influenced by the domain of power the directive or development is coming from. A continuum was developed to illustrate the relationship between these varying domains of power and their influence on changes made within reading practice. The changes were categorized as tending toward self-propelled or compelled changes. Teachers within this study reported higher levels of change when they were personally vested in professional development experiences and when those experiences met the immediate needs of their own personal growth or the growth of the students in their classroom.
Show less
Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/227978
Subject Headings: Teachers, Training of, Educational change, Language arts (Elementary), Reading, Study and teaching (Elementary)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Teacher quality and teaching quality of 7th-grade Algebra 1 Honors teachers.
Creator: Perez, Barbara., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: With more and more focus on accountability, algebra achievement has become a major focus of math curriculum developers. In many states, students are expected to pass standardized Algebra achievement tests in order to satisfy graduation requirements. The purpose of this study was to identify teacher qualities and teaching qualities linked to teacher effectiveness in 7th-grade Algebra I Honors. This study examined two aspects of teachers, teacher quality and teaching quality. Teacher quality...
Show moreWith more and more focus on accountability, algebra achievement has become a major focus of math curriculum developers. In many states, students are expected to pass standardized Algebra achievement tests in order to satisfy graduation requirements. The purpose of this study was to identify teacher qualities and teaching qualities linked to teacher effectiveness in 7th-grade Algebra I Honors. This study examined two aspects of teachers, teacher quality and teaching quality. Teacher quality refers to the characteristics that teachers possess and teaching quality refers to what teachers do in the classroom to foster student learning. For this study, teacher quality included teacher professional preparation characteristics and teacher knowledge. Also, aspects of teaching quality that promote conceptual understanding in Algebra were examined. The difference between more and less effective teachers in this study lies in teaching quality, what teachers do in the classroom, as opposed to teacher quality, what those teachers bring with them to the classroom. The findings of this study indicate that elements of teaching quality are more indicative of teacher effectiveness than elements of teacher quality among teachers in the study. Although there was some evidence of a relationship between elements of teacher quality and teacher effectiveness, there were clear differences in teaching quality among more effective and less effective teachers in this study.
Show less
Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3360970
Subject Headings: Mathematics, Study and teaching (Middle school), Educational tests and measurements, Teachers, Training of, Communication in mathematics
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Approaching Authentic Assessment: Using Virtual School Teachers’ Expertise to Develop an Understanding of Full Time K-8 Virtual School Teacher Practices.
Creator: Seamster, Christina Lambert, Weber, Roberta K., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: According to Molnar (2014), full time virtual school education lacks a measurement tool that accurately measures effective virtual teacher practice. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the current study sought to understand the common practices among full time K-8 virtual school teachers, the extent to which teachers believed such practices impacted student learning, as well as the methods in which current standards, recommendations and practices were implemented in the full time...
Show moreAccording to Molnar (2014), full time virtual school education lacks a measurement tool that accurately measures effective virtual teacher practice. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the current study sought to understand the common practices among full time K-8 virtual school teachers, the extent to which teachers believed such practices impacted student learning, as well as the methods in which current standards, recommendations and practices were implemented in the full time K-8 virtual school setting. The relationship between virtual school teacher practices and their Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) was also explored. Using the standards, practices and recommendations developed for online learning from International Association for K–12 Online Learning (iNACOL), National Education Association (NEA), Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) a team of focus group members gave input on the common practices for teaching students in the full time K-8 virtual school environment. The results included 11 general virtual school teacher practices, 12 teacher practices relating to evaluation and three practices relating to special needs and diverse learners. Qualitative and quantitative findings indicated that teachers most frequently meet the established practices through the following strategies: phone conferences, live sessions with students, feedback on assessments, webmail communication, professional development, collaborating with peers/teacher collaboration, professional learning communities, curriculum based assessments on the phone, communicating with family stakeholders, and determining students in the bottom quartile. A framework for K-8 full time virtual school pedagogy which includes evaluating student learning and individualizing instruction through technology tools and collaborative methods was developed. Finally, the quantitative findings indicated that of the three virtual school teacher practice categories (teacher practice, evaluation and special needs and diverse learners), evaluation was the leading predictor of teacher TPACK scores. Specifically, collaboration, having an online voice and presence, and using data from assessments to modify instruction were found to significantly predict a teacher’s Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge. Using virtual school teachers’ expertise on the practices which most impact student learning and the methods for implementing virtual school teacher practices, the researcher created a draft full time K-8 virtual school teacher evaluation rubric.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004741, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004741
Subject Headings: Teachers--Training of--Evaluation., Teachers--Rating of., Public schools--Effect of technological innovations on., Educational change--United States--Evaluation., Educational technology--United States--Evaluation., Pedagogical content knowledge., Computer-assisted instruction.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Technology and fifth grade teaching: a study of teacher reported classroom practice, professional development, access, and support.
Creator: Beaudry, Debbie., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: This mixed methods study investigated 5th-grade teachers' reported use of computer technology and variables that have been identified by researchers as affecting teachers' use of technology, including professional development activities, physical access to computer technology, and technical and instructional support provided for teachers. Quantitative data were collected from 80 5th-grade teachers from a Florida public school district through an online survey in which teachers reported how...
Show moreThis mixed methods study investigated 5th-grade teachers' reported use of computer technology and variables that have been identified by researchers as affecting teachers' use of technology, including professional development activities, physical access to computer technology, and technical and instructional support provided for teachers. Quantitative data were collected from 80 5th-grade teachers from a Florida public school district through an online survey in which teachers reported how frequently they used and had their students use computer technology for 27 different purposes. The teachers also reported the amount of emphasis those 27 different topics received during their technology-related professional development experiences, the number of hours they participated in technology-related professional development, the number of months they participating in a technology coaching/mentoring program, the access their students had to computers in the classroom and in a one-to-one co mputing environment, and the frequency that they received technical and instructional support. Information from the school district's technology plan provided a context for the study. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with seven of the survey participants. The findings indicated that for 18 different purposes of technology, there was a significant correlation between how frequently teachers used and had their students use technology and the teacher-reported emphasis those topics received during technology related professional development. Self-reported frequency of support, student-to-computer ratio in the classroom, hours of professional development, and months of mentoring did not moderate the relationship between frequency of technology use and the content of professional development., The relationship between having students use technology to work cooperatively or collaboratively and the reported emphasis that topic received in professional development strengthened if teachers reported that their students had access to a one-to-one computing environment. An additional finding was that the teachers' reported frequency of use of technology and reported emphasis of content of technology-related professional development leaned toward direct instruction and test preparation and leaned less toward innovative uses of technology. Implications and suggestions for future research are offered for technology integration and professional development for teachers at the elementary school level.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3329831
Subject Headings: Classroom management, Internet in education, Education, Elementary, Computer-assisted instruction, Curriculum planning, Teachers, Training of, Evaluation, Active learning, Evaluation
Format: Document (PDF)

Teachers (3)	+ -
Training of (3)	+ -
Classroom management (2)	+ -
Teachers, Training of (2)	+ -
Active learning (1)	+ -

Attitudes (1)	+ -
College teachers--Training of--United States (1)	+ -
Communication in mathematics (1)	+ -
Computer-assisted instruction (1)	+ -
Computer-assisted instruction. (1)	+ -
Curriculum planning (1)	+ -
Education, Elementary (1)	+ -
Educational change (1)	+ -
Educational change--United States--Evaluation. (1)	+ -
Educational leadership (1)	+ -
Educational technology--United States (1)	+ -
Educational technology--United States--Evaluation. (1)	+ -
Educational tests and measurements (1)	+ -
Evaluation (1)	+ -
Internet in education (1)	+ -
Language arts (Elementary) (1)	+ -
Mathematics (1)	+ -
Multicultural education (1)	+ -
Multicultural education--United States (1)	+ -
Pedagogical content knowledge. (1)	+ -
Public schools--Effect of technological innovations on. (1)	+ -
Reading (1)	+ -
Recruiting (1)	+ -
School management and organization (1)	+ -
School prinicipals (1)	+ -

United States (5)	+ -
Florida (1)	+ -

College of Education (6)	+ -
Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry (5)	+ -
Florida Atlantic University (3)	+ -
Beaudry, Debbie. (1)	+ -
Brady, Michael P. (1)	+ -

Cornella, Janet A. (1)	+ -
Decker, Larry E. (1)	+ -
Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology (1)	+ -
Goodman, Janet I. (1)	+ -
Perez, Barbara. (1)	+ -
Schaub, Cynthia R. (1)	+ -
Seamster, Christina Lambert (1)	+ -
Torrey, Evelyn Jeanne (1)	+ -
Vaughan, Michelle. (1)	+ -
Weber, Roberta K. (1)	+ -

Search In

Sort Results By:

Narrow results by:

Collection

Topical Subject

Geographic Subject

Genre

Type of Resource

Language

Creator

Format

Owner