Browsing by Subject "Professional Development"
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Item A Case Study of Five Urban Middle School Teachers Involved In A Culturally Responsive Teaching Teacher Study Group(2011-08-08) Kerr, Alicia AnnThis qualitative study examined urban middle school teachers' participation in a teacher study group (TSG) focused on culturally responsive teaching (CRT) content. Specifically, the researcher investigated the professional development experiences of five urban middle school teachers participating in a TSG on CRT and examined how these urban middle school teachers described their learning experiences of the CRT content. A purposeful sample of five teachers was used. Data collection was done with open-ended surveys, semi-structured interviews and field notes during the interviews and TSG sessions. The data were transcribed and analyzed using constant comparison. Data were continuously shuffled, sorted and re-organized as part of the constant comparative method. Through this method, key themes about TSGs and teachers' learning experiences emerged and were reported. The data analysis for research question one produced three overarching themes: changes in perception of staff development, building relationships and impact on instruction. Each theme had descriptors that further explain more specific aspects of the data results. The second research question was designed so the researcher could report descriptions of each participant's learning experiences of CRT content from the TSG experience. Two major themes emerged for research question two: personal and professional development. The discussion offers considerable support for the findings of existing research on TSGs and the positive attitude towards this design of professional development. The importance of building relationships in TSGs and the impact this TSG had on instruction are contributed to the literature. In this study the findings are reported in the voices of the participants, which is lacking in the current literature. Also, two major themes of the participants' learning of CRT are presented, personal and professional responsibilities, which are new to the existing literature. In conclusion, this research produced two important results for the educational realm: 1) the tremendous need for schools and school districts to offer our current practitioners better and more meaningful staff development, 2) Trained and certified teachers have little to no understanding of the tenets of culturally responsive teaching methods. CRT practices that are proving meaningful, validating and effective need to be further studied and reported.Item A longitudinal trend study of a university-based teacher induction program: observable behaviors of urban teachers and their perceptions of program components five years after participation(Texas A&M University, 2006-10-30) Moon Merchant, Vickie VThis longitudinal trend study (Gall, Borg & Gall, 1996) examined the effectiveness of a one-semester university-based teacher induction program as compared to a two-semester university-based teacher induction program based on the observation scores of classroom teaching behaviors urban novice teachers exhibited during the first year of teaching. These scores were further analyzed in relation to the socio-economic level of the school and the grade level taught. Additionally, the study explored the past participants?????? perceptions of the teacher induction program components of a one-semester program and a two-semester program during their fifth year of teaching. Their perceptions were also examined in relation to the socio-economic level of the school and the grade level taught. The study examined the observation scores of classroom teaching behaviors of 145 urban novice teachers participating in either a one-semester or two-semester universitybased teacher induction program. The urban novice teachers demonstrated growth over time as measured by the first and final observation scores of classroom teaching behaviors. However, the length of the university-based teacher induction program did not affect the observation scores of classroom teaching behaviors. Further, neither the socio-economic level of the school nor the grade level taught affected the observation scores of classroom teaching behaviors. Although the three components of the university-based teacher induction program received high means, 82 past participants of a one-semester or a two-semester teacher induction program responding to the Teacher Induction Program Participant Survey (TIPPS) recognized formative observation as the most effective component. Peer support and professional development were perceived second and third respectively. No statistical significant differences of the one-semester or two-semester past participants?????? perceptions of peer support, professional development or formative observation were found related to the socio-economic level of the school or the grade level taught.Item A study to determine if in-depth professional development provided to extension educators on program development has an effect on planning, implementing, and evaluating extension educational programs(Texas A&M University, 2007-09-17) Dromgoole, Darrell AllenProgram excellence in Extension is contingent on an Extension educator??????s ability to identify issues, prioritize these issues, implement educational programs to address these issues and resulting in measurable outcomes, evaluate these issues and utilize the results of these evaluations to redirect educational programs, and utilize these evaluation results as the foundation for program interpretation. The future success of Extension programs is dependent on the capacity of Extension to retain highly qualified Extension educators and the ability of these Extension educators to implement the process of Extension program development. A comprehensive professional development intervention, entitled the ??????South Region Excellence in Programming Academy,?????? was designed and implemented from May 2006 to November 2006 to provide early to mid-career Extension educators with comprehensive instruction related to program planning, program implementation and evaluation and interpretation. A Pre-experimental research, One-Group pre-test-post test, involved the administration of a pre-test (O1) to research subjects followed by the Academy (X) and then followed by a post-test (O2) to determine if Extension educators?????? knowledge in program development increased as result of participation in the Academy. Extension educators perceive that their proficiency in the Extension program development process increases as a result of their participation in the Academy. Extension educators incorporate principles covered during the Academy and were satisfied with the Academy in terms of providing skills that will enhance their ability to execute the Texas Cooperative Extension Program Development Model. This study showed that as an Extension educator??????s knowledge of the program development process increased, and their perception of the elements of program development increased, Extension educators will incorporate the principles of program development covered during the Academy, and Extension educators were satisfied with the Academy. Recommendations are offered to improve future professional development interventions focusing on program planning, implementation, evaluation, and interpretation. The results of this study will contribute to the body of knowledge that will enhance the ability of personnel to provide quality professional development related to program development.Item An investigation of a professional development program using industry partnerships and student achievement(Texas A&M University, 2008-10-10) Sullivan, Helen GraceThis investigation examined the impact on student achievement of teachers who participated in a professional development program using industry partnerships. One treatment and one non-treatment school in a large urban school district served as the sites for this inquiry with teacher participation in a professional development program and the achievement data of their science students being collected during the 2001-2002 school period. The impact of a teacher professional development program with industry partnerships such as Education for the Energy Industry (EEI) on student achievement in science was determined. National and state standardized tests were analyzed using extant data obtained from administering the fourth through the eighth grade Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) test and the eighth grade Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) test. The differential influence of a professional development program for teachers on the achievement of students of diversity was determined by the TAAS scores and ITBS scores, which were partitioned by treatment condition and student ethnicity. Findings from this quantitative investigation suggest enhanced student achievement in science if teachers participated in a professional development program involving industry partnerships.Item Implications for Integrating the Interactive Whiteboard and Professional Development to Expand Mathematics Teachers TPACK in an Urban Middle School(2012-10-19) Young, Jamaal RashadThe Federal Government is dedicated to improving student achievement through technology. This dedication is most apparent in the area of federal spending. One explanation for the lack of results in student achievement is that teachers need appropriate training to effectively teach with technology. This study integrates the interactive whiteboard and professional development in order to develop middle school mathematics teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content knowledge (TPACK) in an urban school. Teacher TPACK is measured on a modified version of Survey of Teacher Knowledge to Teach with Technology. Student achievement is measured on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), a standardized mathematics assessment. Teachers in this study receive three weeks of professional development during their team planning periods to help them integrate the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) into their mathematics instruction. Mean difference effect sizes are used to measure teacher gain in TPACK. Student achievement scores before and after the professional development are analyzed by Multi-way ANOVA after propensity scores are used to match participant students to a separate group of control students for comparison. The results indicate that the professional development increased teacher TPACK and that student achievement is differentiated across ethnicities. Implications for the technology professional development design and IWB integration in urban settings are provided.Item Instructional coaching : a K-12 professional development model to support implementation of culturally responsive teaching(2010-12) Burke, Suzanne Wattenbarger; Field, Sherry L.; Brown, Keffrelyn; Jackson, Julie K.; Salinas, Cynthia; Shiring, JoanChanging student demographics in the state of Texas as well as across the nation make it imperative for educators in K-12 public school settings to develop instructional strategies to meet the needs of increasingly diverse students in multicultural classrooms. To develop greater understandings of this complex issue, culturally responsive teaching was considered through the lens of the instructional coaching professional development model. For purposes of this research study, the culturally responsive/relevant theoretical frameworks of Geneva Gay (2000, 2001, 2004), Ana Maria Villegas & Tamara Lucas (2002), and Gloria Ladson-Billings (1994, 1995) were foundational. Instructional coaching is a job-embedded professional development model for teachers which is gaining increasing attention in K-12 educational settings (Bloom, Castagna, Moir, & Warren, 2005; Kise, 2006; Knight, 2007; Lindsey, Martinez, Lindsey, 2007; Showers, 1984; West & Staub, 2003). Proponents of instructional coaching suggest that coaching is a way to support the reflective practice of educators through a coaching cycle of planning, observation, and reflection. Lindsey, Martinez & Lindsey (2007) further propose a culturally proficient coaching model focused on teachers being responsive to diverse populations of students, and they assert that “coaching and cultural proficiency are integrated sets of tools for guiding individuals and groups to meet cross-cultural issues as opportunities and assets rather than as challenges and deficits” (p. 4). To implement culturally responsive teaching in multicultural classrooms, teachers must develop many skills including the ability to analyze the curriculum-in-use and the ability to implement instructional practices that are efficacious in diverse cultural settings. To support this work, it is further essential that teachers examine their own beliefs and values regarding cultural diversity to enhance their ability to meet the needs of increasingly diverse students. There is strong evidence (Payne & Allen, 2006; Neufeld & Roper, 2003) that instructional coaching contributes to improved teaching and student learning, however, it should be noted that instructional coaching must also be accompanied by rigorous curriculum, on-going formative assessment and feedback for students, strategic planning, and strong local, state and national leadership if educators are to eliminate existing gaps in opportunities to learn between White students and students of color.Item Knowledge and Characteristics of Emerging Mathematics Teacher Leaders: Becoming a School-based Middle School Teacher Leader(2012-04-19) Siegmyer, Maryann; Chauvot, Jennifer; Lee, Mimi; Li, Xiaobao; Horn, Catherine; Culpepper, SheaSiegmyer, Maryann. “Knowledge and Characteristics of Emerging Mathematics Teacher Leaders: Becoming a School-based Middle School Teacher Leader.” Unpublished Doctor of Education Dissertation, University of Houston, May, 2011. Abstract Mathematics teacher leaders and their capacity to facilitate significant change within secondary mathematics classrooms on a campus is affected by mathematics, pedagogical content, curricular, and contextual knowledge. It is also influenced by teacher leadership characteristics that support clear communication, reflective practices, and the building and maintenance of collegial relationships with peers. Deep understanding of instructional content, of effective practices that foster improved student achievement, and of the coaching process and its practices aids their work with peer teachers. The study’s purpose was to describe perceptions about leadership characteristics held by novice mathematics teacher leaders participating in a middle school master mathematics teacher program. The study participants were candidates from a 17-member cohort in a major urban southwestern university’s 24-month master middle school mathematics teachers program, a collaboration between the departments of curriculum and instruction and mathematics at the university to provide graduate courses and associated embedded practicum-hours for this certification program. Qualitative methodologies were used to infer what characteristics and dispositions do emerging middle school mathematics teacher leaders perceive as important to their work with peer teachers in a school-based learning situation, and the alignment of these perceptions with state and national standards for mathematics educational leaders. The study found that characteristics that all of the participants valued for their future work as school-based teacher leaders were approachable, collaborative, and reflective. Aspects of these three attributes were cited by all, but several also commented about their understanding and valuation of others. These perceptions were in alignment with several of the characteristics prominent in the state’s recommendations regarding the work of mathematics teacher leaders. The participants indicated that other characteristics might develop or be of more value later in their careers. Their understanding of the principles and the action indicators of national standards for mathematics teacher leaders was not as clear. The study provides information of potential value about the development of emerging mathematics teacher leaders to state and national agencies and researchers, to professional development providers, to universities working with pre-service and inservice mathematics teachers, and to individual campuses and school districts.Item Mathematics TEKS Connections Program in Texas: Follow-Up Analysis of Teacher Trainers' Attitudes and Systematic Observation of Elementary Mathematics Instruction(2012-08-22) Woods, MelanieThe purpose of this study is to examine two components of a statewide professional development program designed to improve mathematics instruction in Texas: perceptions of train-the-participants and mathematics classroom processes during mathematics instruction. The dissertation utilized a multiple journal article format to explore each component as a stand-alone, yet connected, study using data from an evaluation of the statewide professional development program. The first study explored the impact of the train-the-trainer model used in the professional development program. An online survey was administered to participants to determine their attitudes about a new mathematics curriculum, as well as the potential impact of the curriculum on teacher knowledge and student achievement in mathematics. Descriptive statistics identified the number of trainers who provided professional development in Texas. Independent sample t-tests revealed no statistically significant differences in the attitudes of the participant groups. A content analysis identified themes related to conceptual knowledge, instructional strategies, and classroom interaction as possible impact on teacher content knowledge and student achievement. The second study examined the long-term effects of the statewide professional development program on mathematics classroom processes from one elementary school district in Texas. Quantitative analysis of the systematic classroom observation indicated significant differences in the classroom processes of teachers who participated versus those who did not participate in the professional development program. Descriptive statistics identified the most frequently observed Setting, Instructional Orientation, and Instructional Practice used by teachers, and t-test identified significant different in the classroom processes of teachers who participated versus those who did not participate in the professional development program. The findings from this dissertation have implications on mathematics education research. First, curriculum developers should monitor trainers' attitudes about curriculum materials on an on-going basis to establish differences over time. Second, classroom observations should follow professional development to determine the long term effects of the strategies used by teachers during mathematics instruction.Item Mentored Engagement of Secondary Science Students, Plant Scientists, and Teachers in an Inquiry-Based Online Learning Environment(2012-10-19) Peterson, CherylPlantingScience (PS) is a unique web-based learning system designed to develop secondary students' scientific practices and proficiencies as they engage in hands-on classroom investigations while being mentored online by a scientist. Some students' teachers had the opportunity to attend PS professional development (PD). In this dissertation, I developed a process of assessing student learning outcomes associated with their use of this system and evaluated inquiry engagement within this system. First, I developed a valid and reliable instrument (Online Elements of Inquiry Checklist; OEIC) to measure participants' (students, scientists, and teachers) engagement in scientific practices and proficiencies embedded within an inquiry cycle I collaborated with an expert-group to establish the OEIC's construct and content validities. An inter-rater reliability coefficient of 0.92 was established by scientists and a split half analysis was used to determine the instruments' internal consistency (Spearman-Brown coefficient of 0.96). Next, I used the OEIC to evaluate inquiry cycle engagement by the participants who used the PS online platform designed by the Botanical Society of America which facilitated communication between participants. Students provided more evidence of engagement in the earlier phases of an inquiry cycle. Scientists showed a similar trend but emphasized experimental design and procedures. Teachers rarely engaged online. Exemplary students' outcomes followed similar inquiry cycle trends, but with more evidence of engagement with one notable difference. Exemplary students provided evidence for extensive engagement in immersion activities, implicating immersion as a crucial component of successful inquiry cycle engagement. I also compared engagement outcomes of students whose teachers attended the PD experience to the students of teachers who did not attend PD. Differences found between the two groups occurred throughout the inquiry cycle, typically associated with experiences provided during the PD. As a result of this research I have several recommendations about revisions to the PS online platform and use of approaches to assure students development of scientific practices and proficiencies. The recommendations include additional scaffolding of the platform, explicit inquiry cycle instruction, and continued opportunities for teachers to engage in PD experiences provided by PS.Item Professional development for high school teachers : an investigation of its effect on student achievement and long term effect on teacher knowledge and practice(2015-05) Vega, Tina Louise; Delgado, Cesar; Marshall, Jill; Barufaldi, James; Empson, Susan; Travis, BettyIntuitively, providing teachers with high-quality professional development that focuses on research-based strategies should improve teacher practice that in turn would positively affect student outcomes. Displaying and translating this pathway is much harder than it seems. Even though there are recommendations in abundance for high-quality teacher professional development to be provided in order to meet ambitious reforms (i.e. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000; "No Child Left Behind Act," 2001), “we are only beginning to learn…exactly what and how teachers learn from professional development, or about the impact of teacher change on student outcomes” (Borko, 2004, p. 3). The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the effects and longevity of professional development (PD) on secondary mathematics teachers’ knowledge and practice while investigating student achievement. This research was intended to further the field by providing a description of changes in teacher knowledge and practice as a result of PD of high school teachers looking for plausible links that could influence student achievement therefore working to establish “links among professional development, teacher learning and practice and student learning” (Yoon et al., 2007, p. 3). This investigation utilized teacher and student data from the program years, as well as data collected two years after the professional development, providing a unique look at the longevity of effects on the teachers. This results from this dissertation demonstrated the longevity of changes in teachers from the PD, a need for PD research according to Kazemi and Hubbard (2008). Indeed, teacher knowledge and practice changed from the PD according to the data and the effect of the PD continued and/or expanded in many teachers. The change in teachers’ practice and knowledge during the PD, however, was not found to have significantly affected student achievement. Additionally, data from this dissertation supported the idea in prior literature that content, active learning, collaboration, and leadership are key components of long-term, effective PD. It further revealed the interconnections between the theoretical framework pieces describing ways teachers learn and develop from PD experiences.Item Skill development among student affairs professionals in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Region III(Texas A&M University, 2004-09-30) Roberts, Darby MichelleStudent affairs practitioners develop a variety of skills in order to serve students and the institutions in which they work. This research study used a newly developed instrument to assess the perceived performance of a variety of skills and the methods that student affairs professionals use to develop those skills. The population included professional affiliates of Region III of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. Faculty members and those not practicing in student affairs were excluded from the surveyed population. The professional affiliates were identified as new professionals, mid-managers, and senior student affairs officers. The instrument identified 72 skill statements in ten categories: leadership; student contact; communication; personnel management; fiscal management; professional development; research, evaluation, and assessment; legal issues; technology, and diversity. For each skill category, fifteen learning methods were identified. A usable response rate of 61.6% was obtained. The data supported the stage theory of student affairs professional development for nine of the ten categories: senior student affairs officers rated their mastery of skills greater than did mid-managers, and mid-managers rated themselves higher than did new professionals. All groups rated their communication skills high. In several categories, there were statistically significant differences between the administrative levels. The exception was for the technology category. There was not a statistically significant difference between the groups. Professionals use a wide variety of methods to gain competence in the skill areas. The most common methods involved interaction with other practitioners and included mentoring, discussion with colleagues, and professional conference program sessions. Very few professionals have taken a sabbatical or on-line course to develop the identified skills. Several skill categories revealed differences between administrative levels, although the student contact category did not reveal any statistically significant differences.