Browsing by Subject "Teacher professional development"
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Item Effective professional development practices to elicit changes in teaching evolution(2011-08) Jarrott, Tricia Marie; Theriot, Edward C. (Edward Claiborne), 1953-; Walker, MaryWith numerous opportunities for professional development, teachers are inundated with a variety of workshop styles to choose from. In the development of the Life Through Time workshop, we have made every attempt to consider recent research that outlines the most effective methodologies in professional development implementation including consideration of existing conceptions, teacher motivation, and highly reflective engagement. The intention of this long-term professional development is to motivate teachers to implement changes in the delivery of content related to evolution in the science classroom. After reviewing the strategies implemented in this professional development opportunity, practices that were used can be extended to future teacher training programs.Item Game on : redesign of a teacher professional development platform for use with the serious game alien rescue(2016-05) Stamets, Sara E.; Liu, Min,Ed. D.; French, KarenThis report explores the design and development process of a teacher professional development platform and digital teacher’s manual for use with the serious game Alien Rescue. It begins with a comprehensive overview of current best practices informing professional development, specifically for use with serious educational games and other educational technologies. The design considerations, methods, layout, and goals of the platform, called the Alien Rescue Teacher Portal (the Portal), are described. Evaluation methods and subsequent revisions made to the Portal are then detailed. Finally, overall evaluation of the process and product in light of best practices and future directions are discussed.Item Opening Pandora's box : Texas elementary campus administrators use of educational policy and highly qualified classroom teachers professional development through data-informed decisions for science education(2009-08) Brown, Linda Lou; Barufaldi, James P.Federal educational policy, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, focused attention on America’s education with conspicuous results. One aspect, highly qualified classroom teacher and principal (HQ), was taxing since states established individual accountability structures. The HQ impact and use of data-informed decision-making (DIDM) for Texas elementary science education monitoring by campus administrators, Campus Instruction Leader (CILs), provides crucial relationships to 5th grade students’ learning and achievement. Forty years research determined improved student results when sustained, supported, and focused professional development (PD) for teachers is available. Using mixed methods research, this study applied quantitative and qualitative analysis from two, electronic, on-line surveys: Texas Elementary, Intermediate or Middle School Teacher Survey© and the Texas Elementary Campus Administrator Survey© with results from 22.3% Texas school districts representing 487 elementary campuses surveyed. Participants selected in random, stratified sampling of 5th grade teachers who attended local Texas Regional Collaboratives science professional development (PD) programs between 2003-2008. Survey information compared statistically to campus-level average passing rate scores on the 5th grade science TAKS using Statistical Process Software (SPSS). Written comments from both surveys analyzed with Qualitative Survey Research (NVivo) software. Due to the level of uncertainty of variables within a large statewide study, Mauchly’s Test of Sphericity statistical test used to validate repeated measures factor ANOVAs. Although few individual results were statistically significant, when jointly analyzed, striking constructs were revealed regarding the impact of HQ policy applications and elementary CILs use of data-informed decisions on improving 5th grade students’ achievement and teachers’ PD learning science content. Some constructs included the use of data-warehouse programs; teachers’ applications of DIDM to modify lessons for differentiated science instruction, the numbers of years’ teachers attended science PD, and teachers’ influence on CILs staffing decisions. Yet CILs reported 14% of Texas elementary campuses had limited or no science education programs due to federal policy requirement for reading and mathematics. Three hypothesis components were supported and accepted from research data resulted in two models addressing elementary science, science education PD, and CILs impact for federal policy applications.Item Perspectives through play : playbuilding as participatory action research in arts-based professional development(2013-05) Martin, Noah James; Dawson, KathrynThis thesis document presents a case study of a professional development playbuilding process at a public elementary school located in Austin, Texas. The study argues that playbuilding is a form of participatory action arts-based research particularly when positioned within the professional development setting. This qualitative study uses a narrative thematic analysis of the playbuilding process and workshop performance to examine how reflective and reflexive practice is situated within playbuilding as professional development. The document concludes with a discussion of the limitations and transformative potential of playbuilding and argues for the creation of critical pedagogical professional learning communities for teachers in school settings.Item Video reflection in teacher professional development(2013-08) Bell, Randy Clinton; Callahan, Rebecca M.The goal of this report is to synthesize my current understanding of teacher reflective practice as addressed in academic literature and to specifically examine the potentials and limitations of video recording in the reflective process of teachers. I trace my experience and growth in reflective practice as a bilingual elementary school teacher and consider how teachers as researchers/participants in reflective practice cohorts can contribute to the professionalism of teaching. As a result of my findings I make recommendations toward appropriate professional develop using video reflection as a key component in the development of novice teachers via the mentor/mentee framework. This report contributes to the knowledge base regarding reflective practice and to the growing literature on video recording in the reflective process of teachers. It also provides insights into the potential for action-based research by practicing teachers. Implications and recommendations for teachers and researchers are included.