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Sample records for high school teacher-researchers

  1. Training Elementary Teachers to Prepare Students for High School Authentic Scientific Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danch, J. M.

    2017-12-01

    The Woodbridge Township New Jersey School District has a 4-year high school Science Research program that depends on the enrollment of students with the prerequisite skills to conduct authentic scientific research at the high school level. A multifaceted approach to training elementary teachers in the methods of scientific investigation, data collection and analysis and communication of results was undertaken in 2017. Teachers of predominately grades 4 and 5 participated in hands on workshops at a Summer Tech Academy, an EdCamp, a District Inservice Day and a series of in-class workshops for teachers and students together. Aspects of the instruction for each of these activities was facilitated by high school students currently enrolled in the High School Science Research Program. Much of the training activities centered around a "Learning With Students" model where teachers and their students simultaneously learn to perform inquiry activities and conduct scientific research fostering inquiry as it is meant to be: where participants produce original data are not merely working to obtain previously determined results.

  2. An Engineering Research Program for High School Science Teachers: Year Two Changes and Results

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeJong, Brian P.; Yelamarthi, Kumar; Kaya, Tolga

    2016-01-01

    The research experiences for teachers program at Central Michigan University was initiated to team in-service and pre-service teachers with undergraduate engineering students and engineering faculty, in an engineering research setting. During the six-week program, teachers learn engineering concepts and develop high-school instructional material…

  3. High School Teacher Perceptions of Empowerment

    OpenAIRE

    Jacobs, Tricia Susan

    2014-01-01

    As the responsibilities of principals become more complex and as accountability becomes more evident in K-12 cultures, it becomes increasingly important that high school principals be trained to empower teachers. This paper examined the research concerning the conditions of the empowerment of teachers. More specifically, it measured high school teachers' perspectives concerning their levels of empowerment by their principals based on the four domains of empowerment: meaning, competence, sel...

  4. High School Teachers' Identities: Constructing Civic Selves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obenchain, Kathryn M.; Balkute, Asta; Vaughn, Erin; White, Shannon

    2016-01-01

    Research suggests that teachers play a role in the type of citizenship education implemented in schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how two high school teachers understood and enacted their civic identities as a dimension of their teacher identities. Findings suggest that factors contributing to an individual's civic…

  5. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-09-01

    Secondary School Feature Articles * Authentic Research within the Grasp of High School Students, by Annis Hapkiewicz, p 1212 * JCE Classroom Activity #19: Blueprint Photography by the Cyanotype Process, by Glen D. Lawrence and Stuart Fishelson, p 1216A Author Recognition A new program has been instituted to recognize high school teachers who are authors or coauthors of manuscripts published in the Journal. In May, letters were sent to teachers who wrote articles published in JCE beginning with Volume 74 (1997). If you were an author, you should have received a letter from us in late May or early June stating that your high school principal has been sent a Certificate of High School Author Recognition to be presented to you at a suitable occasion. Because the letters were sent late in the school year, you may not see the certificate until fall, or you may not receive your letter until then if we had only your school address. If you have authored or coauthored an article published in JCE and did not receive a letter, please contact me using the information about the Secondary School Chemistry Editor appearing on the Information Page in this issue. Syllabus Swap In the August issue, this column contained an invitation to exchange high school syllabi. The day after my copy of the August issue arrived, I received an email from a teacher indicating an interest in participating in an exchange. If you are interested, check the August "Especially for High School Chemistry Teachers" column for a brief discussion of the informal exchange program, or contact me. Research Conducted by High School Students In his June 1999 editorial "Learning Is a Do-It-Yourself Activity", p 725, John Moore wrote about the need to engage students actively in the learning process. As I have mentioned in this column previously, research conducted by students is one means of accomplishing this goal. In this issue, p 1212, Annis Hapkiewicz explains how she has drawn her Okemos [Michigan] High School

  6. Engaging High School Science Teachers in Field-Based Seismology Research: Opportunities and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, M. D.

    2015-12-01

    Research experiences for secondary school science teachers have been shown to improve their students' test scores, and there is a substantial body of literature about the effectiveness of RET (Research Experience for Teachers) or SWEPT (Scientific Work Experience Programs for Teachers) programs. RET programs enjoy substantial support, and several opportunities for science teachers to engage in research currently exist. However, there are barriers to teacher participation in research projects; for example, laboratory-based projects can be time consuming and require extensive training before a participant can meaningfully engage in scientific inquiry. Field-based projects can be an effective avenue for involving teachers in research; at its best, earth science field work is a fun, highly immersive experience that meaningfully contributes to scientific research projects, and can provide a payoff that is out of proportion to a relatively small time commitment. In particular, broadband seismology deployments provide an excellent opportunity to provide teachers with field-based research experience. Such deployments are labor-intensive and require large teams, with field tasks that vary from digging holes and pouring concrete to constructing and configuring electronics systems and leveling and orienting seismometers. A recently established pilot program, known as FEST (Field Experiences for Science Teachers) is experimenting with providing one week of summer field experience for high school earth science teachers in Connecticut. Here I report on results and challenges from the first year of the program, which is funded by the NSF-CAREER program and is being run in conjunction with a temporary deployment of 15 seismometers in Connecticut, known as SEISConn (Seismic Experiment for Imaging Structure beneath Connecticut). A small group of teachers participated in a week of field work in August 2015 to deploy seismometers in northern CT; this experience followed a visit of the

  7. High School Teacher Perceptions of Empowerment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Tricia S.

    2014-01-01

    As the responsibilities of principals become more complex and as accountability becomes more evident in K-12 cultures, it becomes increasingly important that high school principals be trained to empower teachers. This paper examined the research concerning the conditions of the empowerment of teachers. More specifically, it measured high school…

  8. High School Band Students' Perspectives of Teacher Turnover

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kloss, Thomas E.

    2013-01-01

    Teacher turnover remains an important issue in education. The least researched perspectives, though, are those of the students who experience teacher turnover. The purpose of this study was to examine how high school band students experience teacher turnover. A total of twelve students were interviewed, representing three schools that experienced…

  9. High School Science Teachers' Views on Science Process Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gultepe, Nejla

    2016-01-01

    The current research is a descriptive study in which a survey model was used. The research involved chemistry (n = 26), physics (n = 27), and biology (n = 29) teachers working in Science High Schools and Anatolian High Schools in Turkey. An inventory that consisted of seven questions was designed to ascertain what teachers' think about the…

  10. Interpretation Awareness of Creativity Mathematics Teacher High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mastuti, Ajeng Gelora; Nusantara, Toto; Purwanto; As'ari, Abdurrahman; Subanji; Abadyo; Susiswo

    2016-01-01

    The purposes of this study are: a) to investigate high school math teacher creativity equality, b) to investigate what factors can inhibit their creativity consciousness. The subjects of this study consisted of two high school math teacher who had a different experience academically. The results of the qualitative research show the relationship…

  11. Investigation of the Effect of Training on the Development of High School Teachers' Attitudes towards Scientific Research and Project Competitions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akçöltekin, Alptürk

    2016-01-01

    The main purpose of this study is to develop positive attitudes in high school teachers towards scientific research and project competitions by training them in scientific research and project preparation subjects. The study group consists of 90 high school teachers. As a result of the study, a significant difference was found in favor of…

  12. The Analysis of Social Teachers' Performance in the Senior High Schools of Ciamis Regency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulyadi, Endang; Yuniarsih, Tjutju; Disman; Supardan, Dadang

    2016-01-01

    This research is intended to analyze the principal's leadership, school cultures, teachers' welfare, achievement motivation and the competence of social teachers at Senior High Schools in Ciamis regency and their effects towards the teachers' performance. Population of this research are Social teachers at Senior High Schools in Ciamis regency,…

  13. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emory Howell, J.

    1999-11-01

    More Feature Articles This Month This issue contains a larger-than-usual number of Secondary School Chemistry feature articles (see side-bar). Mary Harris, who teaches in St. Louis, Missouri, and her student, Lauren Picard, contributed an account of student research on the cuprammonium rayon process (p 1512). In addition to being informative and interesting, the article provides a model for student-teacher interaction in carrying out an independent research project. Two North Carolina teachers, Charles Roser and Catherine McCluskey, describe how to use a Calculator Based Laboratory (interface) to measure the kinetics of the reaction that occurs when a lightstick is activated (p 1514). The method and the easy-to-construct device they made could be used with other systems, as well. Don't Throw Away the Carrier Sheet All areas of JCE Online are now accessible to all JCE subscribers. To find out how you can benefit, read the article appearing on p 1599, Now That I Have It, What Can I Do with It? Jon Holmes, Editor of JCE Online, explains in the article how you can use this resource most effectively. Access to several areas, such as full text access to articles, requires that you log in. The mailing label on the carrier sheet that accompanies your Journal each month contains a password that you need to log in. That is why you need to keep the carrier sheet, at least until you have logged in for the first time and either memorized the number or written it in a safe place. Detailed instructions for logging on are found by clicking on the "How to Log On" link, which appears near the upper left corner of the JCE Online Home Page, jchemed.chem.wisc.edu. If you read a school library copy you need to ask your librarian what password you need to log in. Congratulations Among the recipients of the most prestigious American Society Awards (p 1481) are two individuals who have given generously of their time and energy to the cause of chemical education. Both are familiar names to

  14. Credentialing high school psychology teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weaver, Kenneth A

    2014-09-01

    The National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula (American Psychological Association, 2013b) require a teacher with considerable psychology content knowledge to teach high school psychology courses effectively. In this study, I examined the initial teaching credential requirements for high school psychology teachers in the 50 states plus the District of Columbia. Thirty-four states (the District of Columbia is included as a state) require the social studies credential to teach high school psychology. An analysis of the items on standardized tests used by states to validate the content knowledge required to teach social studies indicates little or no presence of psychology, a reflection of psychology's meager presence in the social studies teacher preparation curricula. Thus, new teachers with the social studies teaching credential are not prepared to teach high school psychology according to the National Standards. Approval of The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History (National Council for the Social Studies, 2013) presents an opportunity to advocate for establishing a psychology credential in the 34 states. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  15. DOES MODERN SCHOOL NEED A TEACHER-RESEARCHER?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. A. Strokova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the publication is to draw attention of educatorsof all levels to the need of improving quality of teacher training in research field.Methods. Based on the results of observations, interviews and surveys of teachers aged between 23 and 30 years with teaching experience of 1 to 5–6 years, and analysis of teacher practice, the assessment of the current state of innovation processes in public school and quality of university training of pre-service teachers in research field is given.Results. Insufficient training of young teachers for independent research has been revealed. It was established that the research experience acquired by them while writing the final qualifying work is non-demanded in modern educational work, where innovation is pushed out due to mismatch of educational policy and the actual educational practice. The reasons of reluctance of young professionals to combine educational activities and research are the following: lack of innovation environment, academic overload, household and personal problems, and, most importantly, unwillingness and inability to carry out independent scientific and pedagogical search. Also, the problems of final qualifying works supervision and management of pedagogical practice of students have been found out.Scientific novelty. Self-assessment of young teachers, concerning their research activities, has been conducted; it included a cluster of research activities that constitute its subject matter. The point for the need to abandon the narrow,  focused specialization in high school training of pre-service teachers and enhance their methodological preparation has been developed. Practical significance. Different ways of organizing work with in-service teachers concerning combination of subject specific and research specific aspects of their professional activities have been presented.

  16. Correlational Study between Teacher Perceived High School Principal Leadership Style and Teacher Self-Efficacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riggs, Robert

    2017-01-01

    This quantitative correlational study addressed the concept that teacher-perceived high school principal leadership style correlated with teacher self-efficacy. A relationship existed between teacher self-efficacy and student outcomes and research indicated a relationship between leadership style and teacher self-efficacy. Also, the effect of…

  17. Relationship between Spiritual Intelligence and Job Satisfaction among Female High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamani, Mahmmood Reza; Karimi, Fariba

    2015-01-01

    The present paper aims to study the relationship between spiritual intelligence and job satisfaction among female high school teachers in Isfahan. It was a descriptive-correlation research. Population included all female high school teachers of Isfahan (2015) in academic year 2013-2014. Sample size calculated was 320 teachers by Krejcie and…

  18. The Cosmic Ray Observatory Project: Results of a Summer High-School Student, Teacher, University Scientist Partnership Using a Capstone Research Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shell, Duane F.; Snow, Gregory R.; Claes, Daniel R.

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports results from evaluation of the Cosmic Ray Observatory Project (CROP), a student, teacher, scientist partnership to engage high-school students and teachers in school based cosmic ray research. Specifically, this study examined whether an intensive summer workshop experience could effectively prepare teacher-student teams to…

  19. Pedagogical Stances of High School ESL Teachers: "Huelgas" in High School ESL Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    del Carmen Salazar, Maria

    2010-01-01

    This article presents a qualitative case study of the pedagogical stances of high school English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, and the subsequent responses of resistance or conformity by their English Language Learners (ELLs). The participants include three high school ESL teachers and 60 high school ESL students of Mexican origin. Findings…

  20. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    2001-05-01

    Literature Cited National Science Education Standards; National Academy Press: Washington, DC, 1996; http://www. nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/. Principles and Standards for School Mathematics; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Washington, DC, 2000; http://standards.nctm.org/. Visit CLIC, an Online Resource for High School Teachers at http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/HS/

  1. An Investigation of High School Social Studies Teachers' Understandings of Vocabulary Teaching and Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harmon, Janis; Antuna, Marcos; Juarez, Lucinda; Wood, Karen D.; Vintinner, Jean

    2018-01-01

    This qualitative study focused on high school social studies teachers' understandings of and perspectives about vocabulary acquisition and instruction. The research questions were the following: (1) What do high school social studies teachers understand about vocabulary instruction? and (2) How do high school social studies teachers support…

  2. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-10-01

    Writing Across the Curriculum The notion that student learning is enhanced through writing is widely accepted at all educational levels if the product is fairly assessed and the learner is provided with feedback. Finding the time to critically evaluate student papers is difficult at best and competes with time needed to prepare laboratory investigations. A few weeks ago a teacher who has extensive extracurricular responsibilities that include extensive interaction with parents and community members shared with me his frustration in not being able to grade written reports. This teacher is the head football coach at his school, but many readers experience the same difficulties due to a variety of duties. There are no easy or completely satisfying answers to this problem, but this issue contains an account of a successful approach (Writing in Chemistry: An Effective Learning Tool, pp 1399-1403). Although they are based on experience in college courses, several ideas described in the article could be applied in high school chemistry courses. In another article, the author of Precise Writing for a Precise Science (pp 1407-1408) identifies 20 examples of familiar, but incorrect, grammatical constructions and explains how to phrase each one correctly. Chemical Education Research: Improving Chemistry Learning The results from research on how students learn have greatly increased our understanding of cognition in recent years. However, the results are often published in the science education research literature and are not readily accessible to the classroom teacher. Additionally, the research reports are couched in specialized terminology. This issue contains a Viewpoints article (pp 1353-1361) that bridges the gap between research results and classroom application. It was written by two veteran chemical educators, Dudley Herron and Susan Nurrenbern. The shift from behaviorism to constructivism as the dominant theory of learning is described briefly to provide a context

  3. Teacher Turnover in Charter Schools. Research Brief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuit, David; Smith, Thomas M.

    2010-01-01

    The current study aimed to contribute to a deeper understanding of the organizational conditions of charter schools by examining teacher turnover. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) and the Teacher Follow-Up Survey (TFS), researchers from the National Center on School…

  4. TEACHER-STUDENTS DISCOURSE IN ENGLISH TEACHING AT HIGH SCHOOL (CLASSROOM DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alamsyah Harahap

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available English classroom's process of teaching and learning is an important aspect of successful English teaching and learning. The analysis of classroom discourse is a very important form which the classroom process research has taken place. The present study focuses on SMA (high school English classroom discourse. The microethnography of Spradley was the research method deployed. Through a detailed description and analysis of the collected data referring to Sinclair and Coulthard’s classroom discourse analysis model, the problem of patterns of the classroom discourse is made clear. On the basis of the discourse patterns' problem found, a few strategies for high school English teachers are put forward through the teacher training in order to improve English teaching and learning at high school in Indonesia. The research results showed that teacher talk highly dominated the English classroom discourse; 94% of teacher-students talk. IRF Model of Sinclair and Coulthard was not found in the English classroom (only IF pattern and no lesson achieved.

  5. Teacher Accountability at High Performing Charter Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguirre, Moises G.

    2016-01-01

    This study will examine the teacher accountability and evaluation policies and practices at three high performing charter schools located in San Diego County, California. Charter schools are exempted from many laws, rules, and regulations that apply to traditional school systems. By examining the teacher accountability systems at high performing…

  6. Determination of in-service needs of Turkish high school science teachers in Istanbul

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogan, Feral

    The purposes of this study were to identify the in-service needs of high school science teachers in Istanbul, Turkey according to the subgroups such as school type and gender and determine the priority obstacles preventing these science teachers from attendance at in-service programs. Moreover, this study aimed to find the other greatest needs of high school science teachers that are not mentioned in the survey instrument. The data for this research was gathered by conducting a survey in Istanbul, Turkey in Fall 2001 and Spring 2002 Semesters. Turkish translation of the modified version of a science teacher's needs inventory, Science Teacher Inventory of Need (STIN), entitled STIN-2 was used as the survey instrument. The subjects consisted of 75 high school science teachers who were selected from 369 high schools by using stratified random sampling in grades nine through eleven. By personally administering the survey, 422 science teachers from 75 high schools completed the survey and a 97% response rate was achieved. The results obtained in this study show that Turkish high school science teachers in Istanbul have a number of shared needs. One other indication is that they also have a number of needs, which are specific to subgroups of those science teachers.

  7. Do Technological and Vocational High Schools Differentiate between Male and Female Teachers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahayu, Y.; Abdullah, A. G.; Asfiyanur, E. P.; Putra, R. C.

    2018-02-01

    High Quality Vocational education is one way to create skilled and professional human resources. In the implementation of teaching and learning process there are many components that are very important one of them is the educator (teacher), where through the quality of teachers materials are expected to be well absorbed by students. Teachers generally consist of male and female teachers where in this era of teacher globalization teachers in vocational schools are not only dominated by male teachers, there are many women who serve as educators in unlimited vocational schools by selected majors. But the polemic is the issue of gender inequality that has been the subject of talks in various countries since 1979. Gender bias in education is the educational reality that benefits certain sexes, leading to gender inequality in which various forms of gender inequality occur in different regions. Female teachers in technology and engineering as a minority are deemed incompetent in understanding vocational materials and are deemed less able in the application of school practices than male teachers. But at this point it can be observed that the large number of female teachers who enter the world of teaching skills in vocational schools in Indonesia. Therefore, this research was conducted to find out the extent of gender differences in the influence of teaching styles on the learning process in SMK with the concentration of technique and technique. This research is planned to be implemented in a vocational high school in Indonesia with concentration of Department of Engineering and Technology which include the use of qualitative research collecting research data by using interview and survey technique

  8. Interpersonal relationships of high schools' teachers and teachers' profiles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Telli, S.; Cakiroglu, J.; Brok, den P.J.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examnine associations between Turkish high school students'perceptions of their teacher's interpersonal behavior and drawn attention to the relationship between students'affective outcomes and teachers' interpersonal behavior. The Questionnaire on Teacher

  9. Interpersonal relationship of high schools' teachers and teachers profile

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Telli, Sibel; Cakiroglu, Jale; den Brok, Perry

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine associations between Turkish high school students' perceptions of their teachers' interpersonal behavior and drawn attention to the relationship between students' affective outcomes and teachers' interpersonal behavior. The Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction

  10. Centauri High School Teacher Honored as Colorado Outstanding Biology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teacher Centauri High School Teacher Honored as Colorado Outstanding Biology Teacher For more information contact: e:mail: Public Affairs Golden, Colo., May 2, 1997 -- Tracy Swedlund, biology teacher at Centauri High School in LaJara, was selected as Colorado's 1997 Outstanding Biology Teacher and will be

  11. The Effect of Vocational High School Administrators' Leadership Behaviors on Teacher Job Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tas, Said

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of vocational high school administrators' leadership behaviors on teacher job satisfaction. The study group of the research consists of 21 technical teachers who work at vocational high schools in the city of Isparta. The data obtained have been analyzed by calculating the frequency,…

  12. The pathways of high school science teachers and policy efforts to alter the pipeline

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sass, Tim

    2012-03-01

    There is currently much interest in improving the quality of science education in K-12 schools and encouraging more students, particularly minorities and women, to pursue careers in STEM fields. Two interrelated issues are at the forefront: the quality of science teachers and the supply of science teachers. Education research in general finds that the single most important school-based factor affecting student achievement is teacher quality. While there is little evidence that teacher credentials matter for student achievement in the lower grades, there is at least some evidence that content knowledge is an important determinant of teacher quality in middle and secondary schools. However, little is known about the pre-service preparation of high school science teachers and how the training of science teachers affects their performance in the classroom. While there are many efforts underway to increase the supply of science teachers, little is known about the supply of science teachers from different pathways and the factors that lead science teachers to leave the profession. In this presentation I discuss recent work on the supply of teachers from alternative pathways, focusing on high school science teachers. I also summarize the literature on teacher quality and attrition, emphasizing the current state of knowledge on secondary school teachers. Finally, I present current policy initiatives and discuss the likelihood of their success given current research findings.

  13. RESEARCH CHALLENGES IN SCHOOLS TRAINING OF TEACHERS OF TLAXCALA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darney Mendoza-Morales

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available With the intention of keeping the status of educational research Forming Schools teachers in Tlaxcala, has initiated an diagnosis to define the challenges facing these institutions, mainly the Rural Normal School Lic Benito Juarez. This research is documentary, quantitative and qualitative, is still in process. area systematized information. Statistics of the Educational Services Unit of the State of Tlaxcala, the PEFEN 2011-2012 and Curriculum 2012 and also various policy documents, research data at national level and normal schools were reviewed. The first approach suggests that teacher training institutions face major challenges, which they can no longer delay therefore involves a reorganization of the activities developed by teachers and institutions.

  14. Teachers as Researchers: A Discovery of Their Emerging Role and Impact through a School-University Collaborative Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chow, Ken Chi Kin; Chu, Samuel Kai Wah; Tavares, Nicole; Lee, Celina Wing Yi

    2015-01-01

    This study explored the impact of the role of teacher-researchers on in-service teachers' professional development, as well as the reasons behind the lack of a teacher-as-researcher ethos in schools. In the study, teachers from four Hong Kong primary schools participated in a school-university collaborative research project that promotes…

  15. Factors Affecting the Retention of First-career and Second-career Science Teachers in Urban High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rak, Rosemary C.

    The turnover of high school science teachers is an especially troubling problem in urban schools with economically disadvantaged students. Because high teacher turnover rates impede effective instruction, the persistence of teacher attrition is a serious concern. Using an online survey and interviews in a sequential mixed-methods approach, this study investigates the perceptions of high school science teachers regarding factors that contribute to their employment decisions. The study also compares first-career and second-career science teachers' perceptions of retention and attrition factors and identifies conditions that urban school leaders can establish to support the retention of their science teachers. A purposeful sample of 138 science teachers from urban area New England public high schools with 50% or more Free and Reduced Price Lunch-eligible students participated in the survey. Twelve survey respondents were subsequently interviewed. In accord with extant research, this study's results suggest that school leadership is essential to fostering teacher retention. The findings also reveal the importance of autonomy, professional community, and adequate resources to support science instruction. Although mentoring and induction programs receive low importance ratings in this study, career-changers view these programs as more important to their retention than do first-career science teachers. Second-career interviewees, in particular, voice the importance of being treated as professionals by school leaders. Future research may examine the characteristics of mentoring and induction programs that make them most responsive to the needs of first-career and second-career science teachers. Future studies may also investigate the aspects of school leadership and professional autonomy that are most effective in promoting science teacher retention. Keywords: career-changers; school leaders; science teachers; second-career teachers; teacher retention; teacher turnover

  16. Examination of Job Satisfaction of the Medical Vocational High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayraktar, Hatice Vatansever; Güney, Burcu

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the job satisfaction level of Medical Vocational High School teachers and whether it differs according to different variables. The research was organized in accordance with the screening model. The population of the research was composed of vocational course teachers who worked in Medical Vocational High…

  17. High school physics teacher forms of thought about simple electric circuits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kucukozer, H.

    2005-01-01

    According to some researches on students and on science teachers, they have same conceptual difficulties about simple electric circuits and these affect their further learning or/and teaching. [2], [5], [8], [9], [11], [13]. The main aim of this study was to investigate in-service high school physics teachers form of thought about simple electric circuits. In this purpose a test that was developed by Kucukozer [7], contains eight questions related to simple electric circuits was applied to in-service physics teachers (25 subjects) in various Anatolian Teacher High School in Turkey. After analyzing and evaluating of their data, it was found that, the physics teachers have conceptual difficulties about simple electric circuits, especially the concepts about source of stationary current and current usage

  18. Parents' Perceptions of Teacher Support at a Cyber Charter High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borup, Jered; Stevens, Mark A.

    2016-01-01

    Despite high growth rates, cyber charter schools experience higher attrition rates than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. Students' reasons for failing an online course are complex and students may require a high level of teacher support to be successful online. Research examining effective teacher engagement has relied heavily on teacher…

  19. "Teachers' Voices for School Change": An Introduction to Educative Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Mary-Ellen

    1993-01-01

    Reviews a book, "Teachers' Voices for School Change" by Andrew Gitlin, on educative research and teacher voice, examining the educative research process which grounds reflection in the life histories of teacher researchers, presenting four case studies on educative research, and reflecting on the educative research process itself.…

  20. High School Physical Education Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching Students with Mild to Severe Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casebolt, Kevin M.; Hodge, Samuel R.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze high school physical education teachers' beliefs about teaching students with disabilities in inclusive physical education. The participants (3 men, 2 women) were certified physical education teachers at four suburban high schools. The research method was descriptive-qualitative using a case study approach…

  1. Promoting seismology education through collaboration between university research scientists and school teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunt, M. R.; Ellins, K. K.; Boyd, D.; Mote, A. S.; Pulliam, J.; Frohlich, C. A.

    2012-12-01

    Participation in the NSF-sponsored Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution teacher professional development project paved the way for several teachers to receive educational seismometers and join the IRIS Seismograph in Schools program. This, in turn, has led to secondary school teachers working with university seismologists on research projects. Examples are the NSF-EarthScope SIEDCAR (Seismic Investigation of Edge Driven Convection Associated with the Rio Grande Rift) project; field studies to compile felt-reports for Texas earthquakes, some which may have been induced by human activities; and a seismic study of the Texas Gulf Coast to investigate ocean-continent transition processes along a passive margin. Such collaborations are mutually beneficial in nature. They help scientists to accomplish their research objectives, involve teachers and their students in the authentic, inquiry-based science, promote public awareness of such projects, and open the doors to advancement opportunities for those teachers involved. In some cases, bringing together research scientists and teachers results in collaborations that produce publishable research. In order to effectively integrate seismology research into 7-12 grade education, one of us (Brunt) established the Eagle Pass Junior High Seismology Team in connection with IRIS Seismograph in Schools, station EPTX (AS-1 seismograph), to teach students about earthquakes using authentic real-time data. The concept has sparked interest among other secondary teachers, leading to the creation of two similarly organized seismology teams: WPTX (Boyd, Williams Preparatory School, Dallas) and THTX (Mote, Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, Austin). Although the educational seismometers are basic instruments, they are effective educational tools. Seismographs in schools offer students opportunities to learn how earthquakes are recorded and how modern seismometers work, to collect and interpret seismic data, and to

  2. Aspects of Teacher Education that Affect Student Success in Arizona Public High Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faith Elizabeth Andreasen

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available This study was designed to investigate what aspects of teacher education (if any affect student success. Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of high- and low-performing urban and rural public high schools across Arizona. Quantitative variables that were researched include the level of degree a teacher attains, the route a teacher chooses to achieve certification, teachers’ attendance at core-subject related workshops, teacher mentoring, and teacher collaboration using data based information to drive decision-making. Qualitative research enabled teachers to state a valuable skill learned in college that promotes student success and to reveal what they felt their current school does to promote student success. A mixed methodology approach was used to analyze the data; quantitatively through regression analysis and qualitatively through coded themes.A detailed explanation was presented with accompanying data to support the statements. The results of this research support teacher mentoring and attendance at core subject related workshops as vehicles to promote student success. This dissertation provides information for policy makers, administrators, and teachers who are invested in promoting student success.

  3. Chronic Teacher Turnover in Urban Elementary Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kacey Guin

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available This study examines the characteristics of elementary schools that experience chronic teacher turnover and the impacts of turnover on a school’s working climate and ability to effectively function. Based on evidence from staff climate surveys and case studies, it is clear that high turnover schools face significant organizational challenges. Schools with high teacher turnover rates have difficulty planning and implementing a coherent curriculum and sustaining positive working relationships among teachers. The reality of these organizational challenges is particularly alarming, given that high turnover schools are more likely to serve low-income and minority students. The negative relationship between teacher turnover and school functioning, and the fact that turbulent schools are disproportionately likely to serve lowincome and minority students have important implications for both district and school-level policies. Specifically: Teacher turnover rates are one indicator of school health, which school districts should consider when focusing on school improvements. Districts need to begin by developing the means to identify individual schools that experience high levels of teacher turnover. Current district policies in implementing professional development for teachers in low-performing schools are inefficient when teachers do not remain in the schools in which they are trained. In order for low-performing schools to improve, districts need to consider providing incentive programs so that high quality teachers apply for, and remain in, these schools. Future research is needed to address the causal link between turnover, organizational functioning and student outcomes. Additionally, there is a need for research examining district policies that may facilitate teacher turnover within a district, including how districts place and transfer teachers, as well as how teachers’ salaries are budgeted.

  4. Teacher Performance Trajectories in High- and Lower-Poverty Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Zeyu; Özek, Umut; Hansen, Michael

    2015-01-01

    This study explores whether teacher performance trajectory over time differs by school-poverty settings. Focusing on elementary school mathematics teachers in North Carolina and Florida, we find no systematic relationship between school student poverty rates and teacher performance trajectories. In both high- (=60% free/reduced-price lunch [FRPL])…

  5. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-07-01

    Secondary School Feature Articles * Super Science Connections, by Patricia B. McKean, p 916 * A pHorseshoe, by Roger Plumsky, p 935 National Conferences in Your Part of the Country For the past several months, considerable space in this column has been devoted to forthcoming national conferences and conventions and to highlights of conferences past. For some of us, location is fairly unimportant; but for most of us travel costs and time are both factors to consider when choosing a conference. The community of high school chemistry teachers is favored by the number of national conventions and conferences that are held each year in different locations. In 1999, for example, the spring National Meeting of the American Chemical Society was in Anaheim and the National Science Teachers Association National Convention was in Boston. This summer CHEMED '99 will be held in Fairfield, CT, August 1-5, and the fall National ACS Meeting will be in New Orleans. Teachers from the mid-South especially should consider attending the High School Program at New Orleans, described below by Lillie Tucker Akin, Chairperson of the Division's High School Program Committee. The event will be held on Sunday to minimize conflicts with the beginning of the school year. JCE at CHEMED '99 Stop by the JCE booth at CHEMED '99 in the exhibits area to learn more about the wide array of print and nonprint resources you can use in your classroom and laboratory. Members of the editorial staff will be on hand to talk with you. You are invited to participate in a workshop, "Promoting Active Learning through JCE Activity Sheets and Software", on Monday, August 1, 8:30-10:30. The free hands-on workshop is number WT11 and we encourage you to include it among your choices in the blanks provided on the third page of the registration form. We will also conduct an interactive session to listen to ideas for making the Journal more useful to you. Check the final program for location and time or inquire at the JCE

  6. A quantitative analysis of factors influencing the professional longevity of high school science teachers in Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridgley, James Alexander, Jr.

    This dissertation is an exploratory quantitative analysis of various independent variables to determine their effect on the professional longevity (years of service) of high school science teachers in the state of Florida for the academic years 2011-2012 to 2013-2014. Data are collected from the Florida Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress databases. The following research hypotheses are examined: H1 - There are statistically significant differences in Level 1 (teacher variables) that influence the professional longevity of a high school science teacher in Florida. H2 - There are statistically significant differences in Level 2 (school variables) that influence the professional longevity of a high school science teacher in Florida. H3 - There are statistically significant differences in Level 3 (district variables) that influence the professional longevity of a high school science teacher in Florida. H4 - When tested in a hierarchical multiple regression, there are statistically significant differences in Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 that influence the professional longevity of a high school science teacher in Florida. The professional longevity of a Floridian high school science teacher is the dependent variable. The independent variables are: (Level 1) a teacher's sex, age, ethnicity, earned degree, salary, number of schools taught in, migration count, and various years of service in different areas of education; (Level 2) a school's geographic location, residential population density, average class size, charter status, and SES; and (Level 3) a school district's average SES and average spending per pupil. Statistical analyses of exploratory MLRs and a HMR are used to support the research hypotheses. The final results of the HMR analysis show a teacher's age, salary, earned degree (unknown, associate, and doctorate), and ethnicity (Hispanic and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander); a

  7. Teacher Reflective Practice in Jesuit High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klug, Joseph H.

    2010-01-01

    Teachers who engage in reflective practice are more effective and may encourage higher student achievement. The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the methods that teachers use in order to engage in reflective practice. Further, it is essential to gain an understanding of how schools, including Jesuit high schools, promote reflective…

  8. High School Physical Education Teachers' Attitudes and Use of Fitness Tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mercier, Kevin; Phillips, Sharon; Silverman, Stephen

    2016-01-01

    Recommendations for using and implementing fitness tests have been extensively researched and teachers' attitudes toward fitness tests are beginning to be studied. Less understood is how high school teachers use fitness tests and the role their attitudes toward fitness tests affect students' attitudes toward physical activity. The purpose of this…

  9. Transformational Leadership and Teacher Motivation in Southwestern Arizona High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, Catherine L.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between transformational leadership and teacher motivation in Southwestern Arizona high schools. Teachers in a school district in Southwestern Arizona comprised of high schools were surveyed using two instruments, Leithwood and Jantzi's (1998) The Leadership and Management of Schools in…

  10. TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS FOR THE USE OF THE EDUCATIONAL TABLET: AN ACTION-RESEARCH

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    Elivelton Henrique Gonçalves

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed at understanding the importance of continuing development of CESEC’s (State Center of Continuing Education Augusta Raquel da Silveira High School teachers in Lagamar, in the state of Minas Gerais, as a form of enabling the adoption of new technologies, especially the Educational Tablet, to their pedagogical purposes. The action-research was chosen as the method of work. Thus, through the implementation of three actions – technical training, pedagogical training, and elaboration and development of a lesson plan using the Educational Tablet –, it was possible to present to the school teachers technical and pedagogical knowledge about the tablet, promoting its practical use with the necessary guidance and support for their educational routine. From the development of the actions, a body of knowledge concerning the Educational Tablet was constructed and systematized, which contributed for the teachers to get to know it and understand how relevant it is to employ it so as to explore its possibilities and resources that significantly subsidize the teaching work and the teaching-learning process.

  11. The Influence of the Antecedent Variable on the Teachers' Performance through Achievement Motivation in Senior High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dewi, Erni R.; Bundu, Patta; Tahmir, Suradi

    2016-01-01

    This study aims at analysing whether the antecedent variable directly affects the performance of the high school teachers or not. In addition, this research strives to find out whether the antecedent variable indirectly affects the teachers' performance through the achievement motivation of the high school teachers. It was a quantitative research…

  12. Effective Practices for Training and Inspiring High School Physics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magee-Sauer, Karen

    It is well-documented that there is a nationwide shortage of highly qualified high school physics teachers. Not surprising, institutions of higher education report that the most common number of physics teacher graduates is zero with the majority of institutions graduating less than two physics teachers per year. With these statistics in mind, it is critical that institutions take a careful look at how they recruit, train, and contribute to the retention of high school physics teachers. PhysTEC is a partnership between the APS and AAPT that is dedicated to improving and promoting the education of high school physics teachers. Primarily funded by the NSF and its partnering organizations, PhysTEC has identified key components that are common to successful physics teacher preparation programs. While creating a successful training program in physics, it is also important that students have the opportunity for a ``do-able'' path to certification that does not add further financial debt. This talk will present an overview of ``what works'' in creating a path for physics majors to a high school physics teaching career, actions and activities that help train and inspire pre-service physics teachers, and frameworks that provide the support for in-service teachers. Obstacles to certification and the importance of a strong partnership with colleges of education will be discussed. Several examples of successful physics high school teacher preparation programs will be presented. This material is part of the Physics Teacher Education Coalition project, which is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. 0808790, 0108787, and 0833210.

  13. GIS Adoption among Senior High School Geography Teachers in Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lay, Jinn-Guey; Chen, Yu-Wen; Chi, Yu-Lin

    2013-01-01

    This article explores the adoption of geographic information system (GIS) knowledge and skills through in-service training for high school geography teachers in Taiwan. Through statistical analysis of primary data collected from a census of Taiwan's high school geography teachers, it explores what motivates these teachers to undertake GIS…

  14. Teachers' and School Administrators' Attitudes and Beliefs of Teacher Evaluation: A Preliminary Investigation of High Poverty School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Linda A.; Dudek, Christopher M.; Peters, Stephanie; Alperin, Alexander; Kettler, Ryan J.; Kurz, Alexander

    2018-01-01

    This study examined attitudes and beliefs regarding teacher evaluation of teachers and their school administrators in the state of New Jersey, USA. The sample included 33 school administrators and 583 Pre-K through 12th grade teachers from four high-poverty urban school districts (22 schools). Participant attitudes and beliefs were assessed using…

  15. Burnout Syndrome in High School Teachers' in Bilecik, Bozuyuk

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    Ahmet Topuzoglu

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available AIM: Burnout syndrome is manifested by physical exhaustion, long lasting tiredness and feelings of hopelessness. And also it consists of individual’s negative attitudes towards to life, occupation and the other persons. Burnout frequently seen in the occupations who work face to face with people like doctors, polices, nurses and managers. Generally teachers’ burnout level is higher than other occupations. Our aim is to determine the burnout levels and related factors of teachers working in high school of Bilecik Bozuyuk. METHODS: Totally 228 teachers participated to this cross sectional study (participating rate is %90.4. To find out the burnout level in these teachers Maslach Burnout Inventory was used. RESULTS: Of the total participants 52.1% were women, median age of participants were 33.0 years (Quartiles: 28.0–40.0 years There was no relation between the burnout level and the years in the occupation, weekly working time and the school that they educated. Occupational high school teachers, unwilingly occupation choosing, bad physical work environment, violence experience in the school significantly had higher points from burn out scale. CONCLUSION: Burnout level was higher in high school teachers, who didn’t want to be a teacher and who were working at bad physical environment and who had violence experience. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2009; 8(3.000: 217-222

  16. Teachers' Experience in Implementing Cooperative Learning in the Classrooms (Phenomenological Research at Junior High School Classrooms in Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harjali

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the teachers' perception toward the implementation of cooperative learning in the classroom. The research applied a qualitative phenomenological design that used a purposeful sample of six teachers at Junior High School Classrooms in Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia. Data collected via in-depth interviews, participant…

  17. High school mathematics teachers' perspectives on the purposes of mathematical proof in school mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickerson, David S.; Doerr, Helen M.

    2014-12-01

    Proof serves many purposes in mathematics. In this qualitative study of 17 high school mathematics teachers, we found that these teachers perceived that two of the most important purposes for proof in school mathematics were (a) to enhance students' mathematical understanding and (b) to develop generalized thinking skills that were transferable to other fields of endeavor. We found teachers were divided on the characteristics (or features) of proofs that would serve these purposes. Teachers with less experience tended to believe that proofs in the high school should adhere to strict standards of language and reasoning while teachers with more experience tended to believe that proofs based on concrete or visual features were well suited for high school mathematics. This study has implications for teacher preparation because it appears that there is a wide variation in how teachers think about proof. It seems likely that students would experience proof very differently merely because they were seated in different classrooms.

  18. EPISTEMOLOGICAL PERCEPTION AND SCIENTIFIC LITERACY IN LEVEL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS

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    Ramiro Álvarez-Valenzuela

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Research in science education has helped to find some difficulties that hinder the teaching-learning process. These problems include conceptual content of school subjects, the influence of prior knowledge of the student and the teachers have not been trained in their university education epistemologically. This research presents the epistemological conceptions of a sample of 114 high school teachers university science area, which refer the ideas about the role of observation in scientific knowledge development and the work of scientists in the process of knowledge generation. It also includes the level of scientific literacy from the literature that is used as a source of information on the teaching. The result also identifies the level of scientific literacy in students and their influence on learning.

  19. Internal and External Factors Shaping Educational Beliefs of High School Teachers of "Sacred" Subjects to Girls

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    Iluz, Shira; Rich, Yisrael

    2009-01-01

    This research investigated pedagogical beliefs of teachers of "sacred" school subjects, curricular topics that the school community deems culturally valued, unassailable and inviolate. Two hundred and fifty-five teachers of girls only who taught sacred or secular subjects in Jewish modern religious high schools responded to questionnaires focusing…

  20. The High School Dropout Problem: Perspectives of Teachers and Principals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bridgeland, John M.; Dilulio, John J., Jr.; Balfanz, Robert

    2009-01-01

    To better understand the views of teachers and administrators on the high school dropout problem, focus groups and nationally representative surveys were conducted of high school teachers and principals. A focus group of superintendents and school board members was also included. To help interpret the results, the authors convened a colloquium…

  1. Authoritative school climate, aggression toward teachers, and teacher distress in middle school.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berg, Juliette K; Cornell, Dewey

    2016-03-01

    Aggression toward teachers is linked to burnout and disengagement from teaching, but a positive school climate may reduce aggression and associated teacher distress. Using authoritative school climate theory, the study examined whether schools with high disciplinary structure and student support were associated with less aggression and less distress. The sample of 9,134 teachers in 389 middle schools came from the Virginia Secondary School Climate Survey, a statewide survey administered to all public schools with 7th and 8th grade enrollment. The majority of teachers (75%) were female. More than half (53%) reported that they had more than 10 years of teaching experience; 23% reported 6 to 10 years; 24% reported 1 to 5 years. Students reported on the degree to which their schools were structured and supportive. Teachers reported on their experiences of aggression by students, their level of distress, and their feelings of safety. Staff-related infractions computed from Department of Education records were also used. Multilevel modeling revealed that teachers in authoritative schools experienced less aggression and felt safer and less distressed. Lower aggression by students mediated the association between more authoritative schools and lower distress such that more structured and supportive schools had greater teacher safety and, in turn, less distress. The findings support the idea that more structured and supportive schools relate to greater safety for teachers and, in turn, less distress. Research limitations and implications for practice are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. The relationship between whistleblowing and organizational citizenship behavior for high school teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abbas ERTÜRK

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between whistleblowing and organizational citizenship behaviors in high school teachers. The research was conducted using the screening model. A total of 381 teachers participated in the research from general and vocational high schools. 216 (56.7% of them were male and 165 (43.3% were female. The "Whistleblowing Scale" and "Organizational Citizenship Scale" were used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA were used in the data analysis. The Scheffe test was used for the comparison of multiple tests in order to determine the source of the difference for the F values. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the relation between the level of organizational citizenship behavior and whistleblowing. The results were tested at the level of p<.01 and p<.05. The survey findings indicate that the teachers’ level of whistleblowing behavior is moderate and that males are whistleblowers significantly more than females, and that there is no significant difference between the groups in terms of the type of school. The teachers’ level of organizational citizenship behavior was high and does not differ according to gender, but significantly differs according to the type of school in favor of vocational schools. In addition, correlation analysis indicates a positive and significant relationship between teachers' whistleblowing behavior and organizational citizenship behavior at a low level.

  3. iUTAH Summer Research Institutes: Supporting the STEM Pipeline Through Engagement of High School, Undergraduate and Graduate Students, Secondary Teachers, and University Faculty in Authentic, Joint Research Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stark, L. A.; Malone, M.

    2015-12-01

    Multiple types of programs are needed to support the STEM workforce pipeline from pre-college through graduate school and beyond. Short-term, intensive programs provide opportunities to participate in authentic scientific research for students who may not be sure of their interest in science and for teachers who may be unable to devote an entire summer to a research experience. The iUTAH (innovative Urban Transitions and Aridregion Hydro-Systainability) Summer Research Institute utilizes an innovative approach for a 5-day program that engages high school and undergraduate students as well as middle and high school teachers in conducting research projects led by graduate students and faculty members. Each Institute involves 3-4 half to full-day research projects. Participants collect (usually in the field) and analyze data for use in on-going research or that is related to a current research project. The participants work in groups with the graduate students to create a poster about each research project. They present their posters on the last day of the Institute at the state-wide meeting of all researchers and involved in this EPSCoR-funded program. In addition to introducing participants to research, one of the Institute's goals is to provide opportunities for meaningful near-peer interactions with students along the STEM pipeline from high school to undergraduate to graduate school. On the end-of-Institute evaluations, almost all students have reported that their discussions with other participants and with graduate students and faculty were a "Highly effective" or "Effective" part of the Institute. In response to a question about how the Institute will impact their course choices or their plans to pursue a career in science, many high school and undergraduate students have noted that they plan to take more science courses. Each year several undergraduates who were previously unsure about a career in science have indicated that they now intend to pursue a

  4. Science teachers' beliefs about teaching and reform: Case studies from a restructured high school

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Elizabeth A.

    A qualitative research study of the beliefs of three science teachers about teaching and educational reform was carried out at a restructured high school belonging to the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES), a nationally prominent restructuring movement. One problem of educational reform is to sustain change in the science classroom. A new wave of reform is shifting the focus away from curriculum changes and towards professionalism of teachers empowered to restructure schools. The beliefs of the teachers are key to decisions made in the classroom. The teachers and staff of Metro High School adopted the Ten Common Principles of CES as their guide to restructuring and sustaining change. Changes included increased authority for teachers in shared decision making, increased staff time for professional development, grouping students heterogeneously, grouping students and faculty in teams for extended time periods, and organizing instruction around small group and individual student study (student-centered). The theoretical framework centers on the constructivist theory of learning, particularly Vygotsky's socio-cultural model, and Bakhtin's dialogic function of language. Nespor's belief system model was used to describe the four characteristic features of beliefs: episodic memories, alternativity, existential presumption, and evaluative loading. My research questions were: What memories of teaching have influenced the teachers? What are the teachers' beliefs about the learning environment? What are the teachers' beliefs about their students? What are the teachers' beliefs about student activities? Interviews were the primary data source for the case studies of the three teachers, with additional data from lesson plans, photo-voice, and other artifacts. The teachers shared many common beliefs including that strong peer support is necessary for reform. The teachers' beliefs allied themselves to the majority of the common principles of CES, especially personalization and

  5. Introducing the USAYPT--Do Research in Your High School then Debate Your Results with Other Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oldaker, Bruce G.; Jacobs, Greg; Bibilashvili, Tengiz

    2010-01-01

    We introduce the USAYPT--the United States Association for Young Physicists Tournaments, Inc. Our motto is "Better teaching and learning by doing research in your high school." We believe that all high school teachers can improve their knowledge of physics by forming small groups that perform non-trivial--but not cutting edge--research. In order…

  6. The Organizational Health of Urban Elementary Schools: School Health and Teacher Functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Tara G; Atkins, Marc S; Frazier, Stacy L

    2013-09-01

    This study examined the factor structure of the Organizational Health Inventory-Elementary version (OHI-E; Hoy, Tarter, & Kottkamp, 1991) in a sample of 203 teachers working in 19 high-poverty, urban schools and the association of organizational school health with teacher efficacy, teacher stress, and job satisfaction. Results indicated a similar factor structure of the OHI-E as compared with the population of schools in the original sample (Hoy et al., 1991), and that specific components of organizational health, such as a positive learning environment, are associated with teacher efficacy, stress, and satisfaction. Overall, teachers' relations with their peers, their school leadership, and their students appear especially critical in high-poverty, urban schools. Recommendations for research and practice related to improving high-poverty, urban schools are presented.

  7. High School Physics Textbooks, Resources and Teacher Resourcefulness: Results from the 2012-13 Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers. Focus On

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tesfaye, Casey Langer; White, Susan

    2014-01-01

    What textbooks are physics teachers using? How highly do they rate those textbooks? What other types of materials do teachers use? The textbooks and other resources used by high school physics teachers in the US have evolved along with the changing demands of physics classes and the evolving set of options available to teachers. In this report,…

  8. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    2000-01-01

    Classroom Activity #23 (pp 40A-40B) and in an article by Robert Goldsmith (p 41). The 1999 Nobel Prize in chemistry and the research that led to the awards are discussed in an article beginning on p 14. An account of the 1998 winners appeared in last January's issue (5), providing the basis for another convenient resource file. Water droplets on a surface of Magic Sand. For many students electrochemistry is among the least favorite of the topics included in first- or second-year high school chemistry - despite the many interesting applications that students encounter every day. There are many reasons why students find the topic difficult, but misconceptions about current flow seem to present the largest obstacle to developing a conceptual understanding of electrochemical processes. Two university faculty members and a high school teacher, Huddle, White, and Rogers, have developed a teaching model to help students confront and overcome their misconceptions (pp 104-110). They have conducted studies of the impact of the model's use on student learning in both high school and introductory college chemistry courses. Particularly encouraging were the learning gains made by students with weak academic backgrounds. An action research project focused on student perspectives of small-group learning is described by Towns, Kreke, and Fields (pp 111-119). Although the project involved upper-division undergraduate university students, action research can be useful to any chemistry teacher who wishes to systematically examine and improve instructional methods and strategies. This article may be especially interesting to readers who frequently employ small-group learning techniques in their classroom. Advances in the technology of multimedia delivery are having an impact on the format in which new JCE Software releases are available. In particular, CD-ROM and Internet browsers are becoming increasingly important as the medium and method of access respectively. To better understand what is

  9. Professionality of Junior High School (SMP) Science Teacher in Preparing Instructional Design of Earth and Space Sciences (IPBA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marlina, L.; Liliasari; Tjasyono, B.; Hendayana, S.

    2017-02-01

    The teacher is one important factor in the provision of education in schools. Therefore, improving the quality of education means we need to enhance the quality and the professionalism of teachers. We offer a solution through education and training of junior high school science teachers in developing the instructional design of Earth and Space Sciences (IPBA). IPBA is part of the science subjects which is given to students from elementary school to college. This research is a preliminary study of junior high school science teacher professionalism in creating instructional design IPBA. Mixed method design is used to design the research. Preliminary studies conducted on junior high school science teacher in one MGMPs in South Sumatera, and the respondent are 18 teachers from 13 schools. The educational background of science teachers who teach IPBA not only from physical education but also biology and agriculture. The result of preliminary study showed that the ratio of teachers who teach IPBA are 56% from physic education, 39% from biology, and 5% from agriculture. The subjects of IPBA that considered difficult by teachers are the distribution of sun, moon, and satellite motion; specific processes in lithosphere and atmosphere; and the correlation between lithosphere and atmosphere with the environment. The teachers also face difficulty in preparing media, choosing the right methods in teaching IPBA.

  10. Joint Inquiry: Teachers' Collective Learning about the Common Core in High-Poverty Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stosich, Elizabeth Leisy

    2016-01-01

    Recent research on the relationship between standards and teachers' practice suggests that teachers are unlikely to make changes to practice without extensive opportunities for learning about standards with colleagues. This article extends this line of research, using a comparative case study of three high-poverty urban schools to examine the…

  11. One High School English Teacher: On His Way to a Flipped Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaffer, Shelly

    2016-01-01

    This article describes a qualitative case study, conducted at a high school in the Southwestern United States, that follows a veteran teacher as he develops and implements a two-week unit on "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald using flipped classroom methods. The researcher collected data while the teacher used this method for the…

  12. Engaging Students in the Research Process: Comparing Approaches Used with Diverse Learners in Two Urban High School Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrence, Salika A.; Jefferson, Tiffany; Osborn, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    This paper describes instructional choices used by two high school teachers to engage students in the research process. Working with diverse learners in large urban high schools, the teachers used different approaches to support students' through the research process. The teachers' intentional teaching helped to engage students through structured…

  13. Promoting Learner Autonomy Through Teacher-Student Partnership Assessment in an American High School: A Cycle of Action Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edgar Picón Jácome

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available In this article I present some findings of an action research study intended to find out to what extent a teacher-student partnership in writing assessment could promote high school students’ autonomy. The study was conducted in a U.S. school. Two main action strategies in the assessment process were the use of symbols as the form of feedback and the design of a rubric containing criteria negotiated with the students as the scoring method. Results showed that the students developed some autonomy reflected in three dimensions: ownership of their learning process, metacognition, and critical thinking, which positively influenced an enhancement of their writing skills in both English and Spanish. Likewise, the role of the teacher was found to be paramount to set appropriate conditions for the students’ development of autonomy.

  14. Scientist-teacher collaboration: Integration of real data from a coastal wetland into a high school life science ecology-based research project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagan, Wendy L.

    Project G.R.O.W. is an ecology-based research project developed for high school biology students. The curriculum was designed based on how students learn and awareness of the nature of science and scientific practices so that students would design and carry out scientific investigations using real data from a local coastal wetland. This was a scientist-teacher collaboration between a CSULB biologist and high school biology teacher. Prior to implementing the three-week research project, students had multiple opportunities to practice building requisite skills via 55 lessons focusing on the nature of science, scientific practices, technology, Common Core State Standards of reading, writing, listening and speaking, and Next Generation Science Standards. Project G.R.O.W. culminated with student generated research papers and oral presentations. Outcomes reveal students struggle with constructing explanations and the use of Excel to create meaningful graphs. They showed gains in data organization, analysis, teamwork and aspects of the nature of science.

  15. Rural Teacher's Perceptions of Safety on Texas High School Campuses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Ronald J., Jr.

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological research study used narrative inquiry to explore the perceptions of safety of rural Texas high school teachers as it related to a campus intruder or active shooter. The investigator utilized Creswell's (2012) six steps in analyzing and interpreting the qualitative data. The results of the study showed that…

  16. Teaching science to English Language Learners: Instructional approaches of high school teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, Betty-Vinca N.

    Students who are English Language Learners (ELLs) form the fastest growing segment of the American school population. Prompted by the call for scientific literacy for all citizens, science educators too have investigated the intersection of language and science instruction of ELLs. However these studies have typically been conducted with elementary students. Few studies have explored how high school science teachers, particularly those who have not received any special training, approach science instruction of ELLs and what supports them in this endeavor. This was a qualitative case study conducted with five science teachers in one small urban high school that predominantly served ELLs. The purpose of this study was to examine instructional approaches used by teachers to make science accessible to ELLs and the factors that supported or inhibited them in developing their instructional approaches. This goal encompassed the following questions: (a) how teachers viewed science instruction of ELLs, (b) how teachers designed a responsive program to teach science to ELLs, (c) what approaches teachers used for curriculum development and instruction, (d) how teachers developed classroom learning communities to meet the needs of ELLs. Seven instructional strategies and five perceived sources of support emerged as findings of this research. In summary, teachers believed that they needed to make science more accessible for their ELL students while promoting their literacy skills. Teachers provided individualized attention to students to provide relevant support. Teachers engaged their students in various types of active learning lessons in social contexts, where students worked on both hands-on and meaning-making activities and interacted with their peers and teachers. Teachers also created classroom communities and learning spaces where students felt comfortable to seek and give help. Finally, teachers identified several sources of support that influenced their instructional

  17. Metacognitive Ability Relationship with Test Result of Senior High School of Biology Teacher Competence in Sijunjung District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardi, A.; Fadilah, M.; Ichsani, W.

    2018-04-01

    This research aimed to reveal how the relationship between metacognitive ability and the test result of biology teacher competence in Sijunjung District. The population of this descriptive research were all high school biology teachers in Sijunjung District, and sample is all teachers who are members of the population, which is 23 biology teachers. The instrument used in this research are a questionnaire of research on teacher's metacognitive ability and document about teacher competence test result. The questionnaire was validated first by two lecturers of biology and one lecturer of English. Data analysis using Pearson Product Moment's. Based on the results of research and discussion that have been described, it can generally be concluded that there is a low relationship between metacognitive ability with competence test results of high school biology teachers in Sijunjung District. Partially, the relationship of metacognitive ability with the test result of professional competence of biology teacher showed significant result, with correlation coefficient 0,46 and t table 1,72 while titung 2,37. The contribution of metacognitive ability to the competence test result of the teacher is 21.6%, while the other 78.4% have not been revealed in this research.

  18. Australian Lesbian Teachers--A Reflection of Homophobic Harassment of High School Teachers in New South Wales Government Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferfolja, Tania

    1998-01-01

    Examines the homophobic harassment of lesbian teachers working in government high schools in Sydney (Australia). The experiences of six lesbian teachers show that harassment based on sexual orientation is often an invisible issue in schools, as is homosexuality in general. Recommendations are made for teaching about homosexual tolerance. (SLD)

  19. An Investigation of Factors Related to Teachers' Organizational Commitment in Rural High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Victoria LaShawn

    2013-01-01

    Relevant literature indicates that teachers who are not committed to their organization do not perform, do not provide a quality education for their students, and do not remain members of the organization; thus, making staffing, retaining, and maintaining highly qualified teachers problematic for rural schools. Limited research has been conducted…

  20. Teacher Identity and Self-efficacy Development in an Alternative Licensure Program for Middle and High School Math and Science Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Robert J.

    This mixed-method case study focused on the phenomenon of the transition from student to teacher. The educational system in the United States is constantly shifting to provide the correct number of teachers for our nations' schools. There is no simple formula for this process and occasionally an area of need arises that is not being met. Recently, the demand for science and math teachers in the K-12 system has outpaced the supply of new teachers (Business-Higher Education Forum, 2011). To complicate the problem further, teachers are leaving the field in record numbers both through retirement and attrition (National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, 2007). Particularly hard hit are poor rural schools with low-performing students, such as the schools of Appalachia (Barley, 2009; Goodpaster, Adedokun, & Weaver, 2012). Out of this need, alternative licensure programs for teachers have developed. The alternative teacher-training program studied in this research is the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship (WWTF) website, "The Woodrow Wilson Ohio Teaching Fellowship seeks to attract talented, committed individuals with backgrounds in the STEM fields---science, technology, engineering, and mathematics---into teaching in high-need Ohio secondary schools" (para. 2) . The researcher was interested in the formation of teacher identity and self-efficacy as these constructs have been shown to manifest in highly effective teachers that are likely to remain in the field of teaching (Beaucamp & Thomas 2009; Klassen, Tze, Betts, & Gordon, 2010). The research method included in-depth interviews, mixed with pretest/posttest administrations of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy 2001) given during the teacher-training period and again following the first year of professional teaching. Results from both the TSES and the interviews indicate that the participants had a successful transition into teaching. They both felt and demonstrated that

  1. Teacher training in Chile: perceptions of teachers in the school system and university teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio H. Díaz Larenas

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the results of research on perceptions of teacher training. The study design is transactional and descriptive, for which an ad hoc survey of two groups was developed: the school sysrtem teachers and academics in the region of Bio Bio in Chile. Its aim is to analyze the perception of these groups on six themes: evaluation, learning, innovation, research, development and relationship university / school / community. The main results show a high evaluation of assessment practices, introducing innovations in the classroom and refinement. The reasearch is carried out by both teachers and university profressors in the school system, although at different frequencies. The university / school / community relations are considered relevant but are not consolidarted. Finally some thoughts arise that link the themes discussed in terms of improving teacher education.

  2. Exploring the positional identities of high school science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackwell, Edith Lavonne

    The identity of the teacher has been determined to influence classroom practices. Positional identity is defined as one's perception of self relative to others. This qualitative research study investigates the positional identity of five high school science teachers of different ethnicities and how their positional identities influence their classroom practices. Positional identity is thought to be determined by one's perception of how one's race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion and socioeconomic status position one relative to others. The methods of data collection included classroom observations, structured and semi-structured interviews, book club meetings, teacher journals, and researcher journals, demographic and online questionnaires. The teachers that overcame stereotypes based on race/ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status felt empowered in their positional identities and were able to empower their students. The data also identified those teachers that struggle the most with finding their power within their positional identities were the immigrants that were not able to merge their personal identities within the pre-determined social positions they encountered in this society. The empowerment or powerlessness of the science teachers' positional identities impacted instruction and practices within the science classroom.

  3. Some Factors That Affecting the Performance of Mathematics Teachers in Junior High School in Medan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manullang, Martua; Rajagukguk, Waminton

    2016-01-01

    Some Factor's That Affecting The Mathematic Teacher Performance For Junior High School In Medan. This research will examine the effect of direct and indirect of the Organizational Knowledge towards the achievement motivation, decision making, organizational commitment, the performance of mathematics teacher. The research method is a method of…

  4. Humor in High School and the Role of Teacher Leaders in School Public Relations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosiczky, Bonnie; Mullen, Carol A.

    2013-01-01

    How can public schools improve public relations strategies, particularly in communications between teachers and students? The purposes of this study were to investigate teacher leaders' perceptions of the use of humor in the high school classroom and discover how humor might bridge instruction to student learning and strengthen teacher-student…

  5. CERN High School Teachers Training Programme meets DG

    CERN Multimedia

    Brice, Maximilien

    2014-01-01

    CERN's DG Rolf Heuer met with the participants of the High School Teachers Training Programme on 23 July 2014 for a Q&A Session. Following the interaction, he met with the HST Working Group collaborating on a lesson plan for teaching SESAME in high schools.

  6. Student-Teacher Relationships As a Protective Factor for School Adjustment during the Transition from Middle to High School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longobardi, Claudio; Prino, Laura E; Marengo, Davide; Settanni, Michele

    2016-01-01

    A robust body of research has identified school transitions during adolescence, and in particular the transition from middle to high school, as one of the riskiest phases for school failure, being characterized by significant social, emotional and behavioral changes. This transition is critical even with respect to academic achievement: in Italy, the highest frequency of school dropout can be observed in the 9th and 10th grades, partly as a consequence of poor adjustment to the new school context. The impact of students' relationships with their teachers may be particularly relevant during critical developmental periods. Indeed, student-teacher relationships have been widely recognized as protective factors in school adjustment and, in case of negative relationships, also as a factor that increases the risk of maladjustment. Positive and affective student-teacher relationships may play an important role in students' adaptation to the school environment, favoring both academic achievement and adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the quality of teacher-student relationships, as perceived by pupils, on academic achievement, and problem and prosocial behaviors during the relevant school transition. The sample consisted of 122 students (55% female). We employed a self-report questionnaire to collect information on: demographic characteristics, quality of the relationship with teachers, problem and prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement. Students filled in the questionnaires twice: once during the 8th grade and 1 year later, during their first year of high school (9th grade). Regression analyses indicated that both average and varying levels of closeness with teachers significantly predicted changes in academic achievement: A perceived increase in closeness in 9th grade, as well as a higher mean closeness level, was associated with an increase in academic achievement. In turn, an increase in the level of perceived conflict

  7. Responding to the Challenge of Providing Stronger Research Base for Teacher Education: Research Discourses in the Norwegian National Research School for Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Østern, Anna-Lena

    2016-01-01

    Background and purpose: The purpose of this article is to shed light on how the research projects of 140 PhD candidates in the National Research School for Teacher Education in Norway (NAFOL) respond to the challenges faced by Norwegian teacher education regarding the demand for higher competence and a stronger research base. The concept of NAFOL…

  8. Internet Literacy of Vocational High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vernanda, D.; Abdullah, A. G.; Rohendi, D.

    2018-02-01

    Internet literacy is needed to know the development of the world in various things quickly and precisely, as well as in the world of education, especially teachers. Seeing the importance of internet literacy, there is an interest to discuss and analyze the level of internet literacy of teachers. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The sample of research is vocational school teacher (SMK) as many as 99 respondents. Data are collected through questionnaires. The theory used is adopted from Suitable Learning Object Type (LRE APV4.7) and Three Elements of Literacy Digital. The result data of the questionnaire is processed and analyzed using Capability Maturity Model theory, the result of the research shows that the level of internet literacy of vocational teachers is at level 2, meaning that SMK teachers have used the internet many times to assist their daily activities and have pattern of repetition in internet utilization. The use of internet by teachers of SMK with various needs that support the process of teaching, communicating, sharing knowledge, but the most dominant is to communicate through social media. Factors affecting internet usage include age, gender, and employment status.

  9. The Organizational Health of Urban Elementary Schools: School Health and Teacher Functioning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Tara G.; Atkins, Marc S.; Frazier, Stacy L.

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the factor structure of the Organizational Health Inventory-Elementary version (OHI-E; Hoy, Tarter, & Kottkamp, 1991) in a sample of 203 teachers working in 19 high-poverty, urban schools and the association of organizational school health with teacher efficacy, teacher stress, and job satisfaction. Results indicated a similar factor structure of the OHI-E as compared with the population of schools in the original sample (Hoy et al., 1991), and that specific components of organizational health, such as a positive learning environment, are associated with teacher efficacy, stress, and satisfaction. Overall, teachers’ relations with their peers, their school leadership, and their students appear especially critical in high-poverty, urban schools. Recommendations for research and practice related to improving high-poverty, urban schools are presented. PMID:23935763

  10. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-08-01

    Ocean-Stating the Case for Chemistry, by Paul J. Scheuer, p 1075 * Distillation Apparatuses Using Household Items, by Danielle R. D. Campanizzi, Brenda Mason, Christine K. F. Hermann, p 1079 New Orleans Concurrent Workshops, High School Program 8:30 a.m.-9:20 a.m. A. A Teaching Resource for You: The Journal of Chemical Education, J. E. Howell, J. W. Moore, and A. M. Sarquis B. Electrical Conductivity, J. M. Manion and P. F. Krause, and The Properties of Gases, J.-M. Whitfield and K. A. Woodling C. Chemistry with Calculators for Beginners, P. Sconzo (3 hours) D. Spectrum of Activities for Chemistry Teachers, Carolina Biological Supply, S. Mitchell, F. Cherry, and L. Akin (3 hours) 9:30 a.m.-10:20 a.m. A. Applying Chemical Education Research to the Classroom, L. Akin and J. Valasek B. Another Look at the Deflection of Falling Liquids, H. H. Harris and J. Newstrum, and Encouraging Students to Investigate Acids and Bases Using Plant Indicators, P. K. Kerrigan C. Chemistry with Calculators (continued) D. Spectrum of Activities (continued) E. Science Education for Public Understanding (SEPUP) and Chemistry, Health, Environment, and Me, M. Koker and L. Akin (2 hours) 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. A. Increasing Aptitude and Interest of High School Students through Summer Camp, C. E. Fulton, and Energy Teaching Introduction to High School Chemistry, L.-M. Trejo B. Chemistry in Science Museum Exhibits: Opportunities and Challenges and Cooking with Chemistry, D. Katz C. Chemistry with Calculators (continued) D. Spectrum of Activities (continued) E. SEPUP (continued) 12:00 noon-1:15 p.m., High School Luncheon Educating High School Teachers for the 21st Century, Glenn Crosby 1:30 p.m.-2:20 p.m. A. Customized Mastery Learning in First-Year Chemistry and Computer Software for Chemistry Teachers Who Require Mastery Learning of Their Students, J. Bedenbaugh and A. Bedenbaugh B. Can One Teach Chemistry with Everyday Substances? A. Sae, and SourceBook Activities Using Everyday Substances, C

  11. The Effect of School Supervisors Competence and School Principals Competence on Work Motivation and Performance of Junior High School Teachers in Maros Regency, Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arman; Thalib, Syamsul Bachri; Manda, Darman

    2016-01-01

    This study aims at analyzing the effect of the competence of school supervisors and school principals on work motivation and performance of Junior High School teachers in Maros Regency. This research was a quantitative research by using survey approach. This approach was used because it is adjusted to the nature and assumptions of the study in…

  12. Do Teachers Leave Their Ethics at the School Gate? Social Practice Research in a Danish Primary School

    OpenAIRE

    Karen-Lis Kristensen

    2013-01-01

    This study addresses teachers' ethical dilemmas in everyday participation in school structures in a Danish Primary School. It focuses in particular on their relations with 'disturbing children'. The author and four first grade teachers work in a research team, documenting and analysing the teachers’ interactions in the classroom. This paper focuses on the interactions between two of the teachers and one of the students. The research team focuses on the teachers’ struggles with stress and burn...

  13. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-12-01

    experiments if desired, discuss their findings, and make a recommendation regarding which of two road deicers should be used on the bridge. The article Pesticides in Drinking Water: Project-Based Learning within the Introductory Chemistry Curriculum (pp 1673-1667) describes class involvement in field data collection and analysis. Since more sophisticated instrumentation than is possessed by many schools is required, 6th grade science and high school chemistry classes work with a college class to obtain and analyze data. Everyone involved in this approach wins. The 6th graders, high school students, and college students all gain experience in sampling, preparing samples for analysis, determining pollutant levels, and drawing conclusions, each at an appropriate level of understanding. Plus, the high school students are exposed to instrumentation that otherwise would not be accessible, such as gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Although the project described was started by the college faculty members who wrote the article, such an approach to many interesting environmental chemistry problems could be initiated by a high school teacher by seeking out a nearby college or university with whom to partner. An article that probably would not have received the SSC mark had I not noticed that two of the coauthors are high school students, is titled Remediation of Water Contaminated with an Azo Dye (pp 1680-1683). In addition to being interesting, the article is a good reminder that research opportunities for high school students exist. Still another article that received the SSC mark because of a high school connection is Chemical Analysis of Soils (pp 1693-1694). The authors mention that with modification their techniques could be used in high school chemistry. They cite a reference to an article published several years ago, titled Soil Analysis for High School Chemistry Students (J. Chem. Educ. 1980, 57, 897-899). It was published in a feature titled the 50

  14. Predictors of Teachers' Use of ICT in School--The Relevance of School Characteristics, Teachers' Attitudes and Teacher Collaboration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drossel, Kerstin; Eickelmann, Birgit; Gerick, Julia

    2017-01-01

    This paper is based on the research question of what predictors (school characteristics, teachers' attitudes, teacher collaboration and background characteristics) determine secondary school teachers' frequency of computer use in class. The use of new technologies by secondary school teachers for educational purposes is an important factor…

  15. Exploratory Research on the Attitudes and Behaviors of Teachers from Chile in the Immigrant Student School Setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan Valeria Sanhueza

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The research assesses the opinion of elementary and high school students (n=339 on the instructional attitudes and behaviors of teachers at schools in Chile that enroll children and young foreigners. For this purpose, we used the Teacher Attitude and Behavior Towards Diversity Scale (Sanhueza, 2010, whose exploratory factor analysis groups 16 items on two factors, enabling the distinction between the teachers Attitude of Respect and their Fair Treatment towards students, including 12 items, and the Teachers Instructional Behavior, including four items. The results reveal that respondents perceived their teachers’ attitudes and behaviors largely inclusive and they greatly value the respect, careful listening and support teachers show them when they have learning difficulties. Regarding gender, there were statistically significant differences in the responses on female students’ favor, while comparing responses depending on educative stage, high school students find more inclusive attitudes and practices in their teachers.

  16. Promoting Original Scientific Research and Teacher Training Through a High School Science Research Program: A Five Year Retrospective and Analysis of the Impact on Mentored 8th Grade Geoscience Students and the Mentors Themselves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danch, J. M.

    2015-12-01

    In 2010 a group of 8th grade geoscience students participated in an extracurricular activity allowing them to conduct original scientific research while being mentored by students enrolled in a 3 - year high school Science Research program. Upon entering high school the mentored students themselves enrolled in the Science Research program and continued for 4 years, culminating with their participation in Science Research 4. This allowed them to continue conducting original scientific research, act as mentors to 8th grade geoscience students and to provide teacher training for both middle and high school teachers conducting inquiry-based science lessons. Of the 7 Science Research 4 students participating since 2010, 100% plan on majoring or minoring in a STEM - related field in college and their individual research projects have been been granted over 70 different awards and honors in science fair and symposia including a 3rd and 4th place category awards at two different international science fairs - the International Sustainable Energy Engineering and Environment Project (iSWEEP) and the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Science Research 4 students developed and conducted a Society for Science and the Public affiliated science fair for middle school students enrolled in an 8th grade honors geoscience program allowing over 100 students from 5 middle schools to present their research and be judged by STEM professionals. Students with research judged in the top 10% were nominated for participation in the National Broadcom MASTERS program which they successfully entered upon further mentoring from the Science Research 4 students. 8th grade enrollment in the Science Research program for 2015 increased by almost 50% with feedback from students, parents and teachers indicating that the mentorship and participation in the 8th grade science fair were factors in increasing interest in continuing authentic scientific research in high school.

  17. The perceptions and practices of selected high school teachers in special admission schools regarding writing across the curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Rebecca Hayward

    The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) measured the writing achievement of 55,000 American school children. The students performed at the basic or lower level. In 1988, "The Writing Report Card of the NAEP," and in 1996, the Pennsylvania Mathematics and Reading Assessment along with the Stanford 9 Exam concluded that students, of all racial/ethnic backgrounds, are unable to write well except in response to the simplest tasks. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions and practices of math, science, and social studies high school teachers in special admission schools regarding writing across the curriculum (WAC). Specifically, this study attempted to answer: (1) Do math, science, and social studies teachers differ in their perceptions and practices regarding student writing in their classrooms? (2) Are teacher characteristics related to the perceptions and practices of math, science, and social studies teachers regarding the need for student writing in their classrooms? The questions led to the following null hypotheses: (1) There is no significant difference among math, science, and social studies teachers regarding their perceptions and practices for student writing in their classrooms. (2) There is no significant relationship between the highest degree earned, the length of teaching experience, and the level of grades taught by math, science, and social studies teachers and their perceptions and practices regarding the need for student writing in their classrooms. A review of the literature since 1992 using ERIC and Dissertation Abstracts revealed that there were no studies concerned with the focus of this particular study. A cross sectional survey of School District of Philadelphia math, science, and social studies high school teachers in special admission schools was conducted. A questionnaire was developed to obtain the data. A panel of experts was selected to establish validity of the instrument. Thirty-two usable

  18. High School Physical Sciences Teachers' Competence in Some ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Teachers' lack of competence in cognitive skills and strategies would be an important limiting factor in the successful implementation of the Physical Sciences curriculum. An urgent need ... Keywords: Cognitive skills, thinking skills, questions testing skills, problem solving, teacher training, high school physical science ...

  19. Integrating Reading and Writing Instruction in Middle and High School: The Role of Professional Development in Shaping Teacher Perceptions and Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doubet, Kristina J.; Southall, Gena

    2018-01-01

    This study examined the extent to which middle and high school English teachers integrate reading and writing instruction as complementary processes. Using qualitative research methods, researchers investigated the following: (a) Do middle and high school English teachers conceive of and enact the teaching of reading and writing as integrated…

  20. Preparing prospective physics teachers to teach integrated science in junior high school

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiyanto; Hartono; Nugroho, S. E.

    2018-03-01

    The physics education study program especially prepares its students to teach physics in senior high school, however in reality many its graduates have become science teachers in junior high school. Therefore introducing integrated science to prospective physics teachers is important, because based on the curriculum, science in the junior high school should be taught integratedly. This study analyzed integrated science teaching materials that developed by prospective physics teachers. Results from this study showed that majority of the integration materials that developed by the prospective physics teachers focused on topic with an overlapping concept or theme as connecting between two or three subjects.

  1. Impact of Texas high school science teacher credentials on student performance in high school science

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Anna Ray Bayless

    A study was conducted to determine the relationship between the credentials held by science teachers who taught at a school that administered the Science Texas Assessment on Knowledge and Skills (Science TAKS), the state standardized exam in science, at grade 11 and student performance on a state standardized exam in science administered in grade 11. Years of teaching experience, teacher certification type(s), highest degree level held, teacher and school demographic information, and the percentage of students who met the passing standard on the Science TAKS were obtained through a public records request to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). Analysis was performed through the use of canonical correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicate that a larger percentage of students met the passing standard on the Science TAKS state attended schools in which a large portion of the high school science teachers held post baccalaureate degrees, elementary and physical science certifications, and had 11-20 years of teaching experience.

  2. Classroom Management Strategies of Highly Effective Teachers in Diverse Middle Schools: Be Strict and Calm, Not Mean

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGregor, Katheryne L.

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative research study investigated and identified the classroom management strategies of 12 highly effective middle school teachers who served diverse student populations at two different school sites. In addition, this research explored the beliefs and experiences of 305 diverse middle school students regarding their experiences with…

  3. The Art of Teaching the Arts: A Workshop for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annenberg Media, 2005

    2005-01-01

    "The Art of Teaching the Arts: A Workshop for High School Teachers" is an eight-part professional development workshop for use by high school dance, music, theatre, and visual art teachers. The workshop examines how principles of good teaching are carried out in teaching the arts at the high school level. In the eight one-hour video programs,…

  4. Exploring Knowledge Processes Based on Teacher Research in a School-University Research Network of a Master's Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornelissen, Frank; van Swet, Jacqueline; Beijaard, Douwe; Bergen, Theo

    2013-01-01

    School-university research networks aim at closer integration of research and practice by means of teacher research. Such practice-oriented research can benefit both schools and universities. This paper reports on a multiple-case study of five participants in a school-university research network in a Dutch master's program. The research question…

  5. Urban High School Teachers' Beliefs Concerning Essential Science Teaching Dispositions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda, Rommel

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study addresses the link between urban high school science teachers' beliefs about essential teaching dispositions and student learning outcomes. The findings suggest that in order to help students to do well in science in urban school settings, science teachers should possess essential teaching dispositions which include…

  6. Teacher Use of Constructivism in High School Science Courses: Perception versus Reality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Alisha M.

    With all of the research devoted to the use and effectiveness of constructivist learning principles in high school science classes, it is somewhat surprising to find that there is very little research devoted to constructivism's use in international settings. The problem that this lack of research poses is that classrooms are increasingly diverse as families are more and more frequently choosing to live in countries that they do not share a cultural background with. This means that there is an increasingly diverse range of cultural norms and expectations within a classroom, both of which are known to affect the effectiveness of learning strategies in general as the students will approach the problems in different ways. The purpose of this study, then, was to begin looking at whether teachers of international classrooms believe in the ideas of constructivism and whether those beliefs translate into classroom practice. A multiple case study approach was used to determine whether the beliefs of seven high school science classroom teachers and one high school administrator are consistent with constructivism and to what extent constructivist learning principles are being used to empower and engage students. The interview data suggested that most of the participants have some beliefs consistent with constructivism but do not fully embrace the learning theory. The observational evidence supported this by failing to provide evidence of constructivist activities in the classrooms. It was concluded that most of the participants in the study do not hold beliefs consistent with constructivism and that they are not using the learning theory to empower and engage students in the learning of science. Recommendations for future study include: exploring why teachers are not using constructivism to empower and engage students; provide training and support to help teachers successfully implement constructivism to engage and empower students; and expanding this study to determine

  7. Analysis of ICT Literacy Competence among Vocational High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurhabibah; Setiawan, A.; Yanti, H.; Miraj, Y. Z.; Yannuar

    2018-02-01

    To realize learning quality in Vocational Secondary School, and to achieve educational goal, teacher competence is needed. The application of ICT Literacy in vocational secondary school is intended to upgrade teachers’ knowledge, skill and competence in ICT. This paper is aimed to describe the process of teachers’ competence adaptation to ICT integrity in learning in Vocational Secondary School. This study use descriptive method with literature study and documentation technique. The source in this study is research journal and research report book. The study result showed that teachers lack of self-confident in using ICT, and gender factor influence ICT integration in which the level of ICT literacy in male is higher than female. The group of young teachers aged 21-40 have higher level of ICT literacy compared with the older group. Demographic factor in ICT literacy competence are gender, education level and age. This study suggest that teachers enhance the ability in ICT literacy competence, increase their knowledge and knowledge creation in each aspect of ICT literacy competence.

  8. The Survey and Analysis of Excellent Senior High School Physics Teachers' Professional Growth Actuality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Haibin; Liu, Tingting

    2010-01-01

    Excellent senior high school physics teachers are the backbone power in the new course reform of physics in China. The excellent senior high school physics teachers' professional growth actuality in Shandong is surveyed in this article by the self-made "Questionnaire of Excellent Senior High School Physics Teachers' Professional Growth",…

  9. The Relationship of High School Teachers' Job Satisfaction to Principal Support

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bressler, Kathleen M.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between high school teacher job satisfaction, using an instrument that measures Herzberg's Two Factor Theory and principal support, using an adapted instrument from House's theory of administrative support. Data were collected by a team of researchers from 34 self-selected public Virginia…

  10. Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link. Research Brief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooney, Sondra; Bottoms, Gene

    This research brief describes a study of the readiness for high school of eighth-graders who participated in the Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB) Middle Grades Assessment in spring 2000. The assessment included testing in reading, math, and science, and surveys of students and teachers. Following the 2000-01 school year, SREB gathered…

  11. On the Front Lines of Schools: Perspectives of Teachers and Principals on the High School Dropout Problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bridgeland, John M.; Dilulio, John J., Jr.; Balfanz, Robert

    2009-01-01

    Teachers and administrators in public high schools recognize there is a dropout problem, know they are confronted with daunting challenges in classrooms and in schools, and express strong support for reforms to address high dropout rates. Yet, less than one-third of teachers believe that schools should expect all students to meet high academic…

  12. Characteristics of High School Students' and Science Teachers' Cognitive Frame about Effective Teaching Method for High School Science Subject

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Duk Ho; Park, Kyeong-Jin; Cho, Kyu Seong

    2016-04-01

    We investigated the cognitive frame of high school students and inservice high school science teachers about effective teaching method, and we also explored how they understood about the teaching methods suggested by the 2009 revised Science Curriculum. Data were collected from 275 high school science teachers and 275 high school students. We analyzed data in terms of the words and the cognitive frame using the Semantic Network Analysis. The results were as follows. First, the teachers perceived that an activity oriented class was the effective science class that helped improve students'' problem-solving abilities and their inquiry skills. The students had the cognitive frame that their teacher had to present relevant and enough teaching materials to students, and that they should also receive assistance from teachers in science class to better prepare for college entrance exam. Second, both students and teachers retained the cognitive frame about the efficient science class that was not reflected 2009 revised Science Curriculum exactly. Especially, neither groups connected the elements of ''convergence'' as well as ''integration'' embedded across science subject areas to their cognitive frame nor cognized the fact that many science learning contents were closed related to one another. Therefore, various professional development opportunities should be offered so that teachers succinctly comprehend the essential features and the intents of the 2009 revised Science Curriculum and thereby implement it in their science lessons effectively. Keywords : semantic network analysis, cognitive frame, teaching method, science lesson

  13. Technology teachers as researchers : philosophical and empirical technology education studies in the Swedish TUFF Research School

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Skogh, I.B.; Vries, de M.J.

    2013-01-01

    This book presents the scientific output of the TUFF research school in Sweden. In this school, a group of active teachers worked together on a series of educational research studies. All of those studies were related to the teaching about technology and engineering. The research program consisted

  14. High School General Education English Teachers' Perception of IEP Accommodations for Students with Asperger Syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krones, Mary Patricia

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative design study was to better understand the experiences of high school general education English teachers who have students with Asperger Syndrome in their classes. More specifically, this researcher wanted to better understand the teacher's perception of the IEP-denoted accommodations the general education teachers…

  15. Georgia Teachers in Academic Laboratories: Research Experiences in the Geosciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrett, D.

    2005-12-01

    The Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) is a collaborative effort designed to enhance mathematics and science experiences of Georgia teachers and their students through summer research internships for teachers. By offering business, industry, public science institute and research summer fellowships to teachers, GIFT provides educators with first-hand exposure to the skills and knowledge necessary for the preparation of our future workforce. Since 1991, GIFT has placed middle and high school mathematics, science and technology teachers in over 1000 positions throughout the state. In these fellowships, teachers are involved in cutting edge scientific and engineering research, data analysis, curriculum development and real-world inquiry and problem solving, and create Action Plans to assist them in translating the experience into changed classroom practice. Since 2004, an increasing number of high school students have worked with their teachers in research laboratories. The GIFT program places an average of 75 teachers per summer into internship positions. In the summer of 2005, 83 teachers worked in corporate and research environments throughout the state of Georgia and six of these positions involved authentic research in geoscience related departments at the Georgia Institute of Technology, including aerospace engineering and the earth and atmospheric sciences laboratories. This presentation will review the history and the structure of the program including the support system for teachers and mentors as well as the emphasis on inquiry based learning strategies. The focus of the presentation will be a comparison of two placement models of the teachers placed in geoscience research laboratories: middle school earth science teachers placed in a 6 week research experience and high school teachers placed in 7 week internships with teams of 3 high school students. The presentation will include interviews with faculty to determine the value of these experiences

  16. Teacher Leaders' Perceptions of the Use of Humor in the High School Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosiczky, Bonnie

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher leaders' perceptions of the use of humor in the high school classroom. For the purposes of this qualitative research the case study method was used. The question of what makes teachers successful with their use of humor in the classroom has been divided into four categories: climate,…

  17. Middle school science teachers' reaction and pedagogical response to high stakes accountability: A multiple case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tse, Kenneth

    The purpose of this study was to understand how science teachers reacted to the high stakes accountability and standardized testing in California. In a multiple case study of middle and intermediate schools in Southern California, four research questions focused on the perceptions of secondary science teachers and how they responded to the changes in the accountability specifically geared towards science as a content area, the pedagogical skills teachers were using both outside and inside of the classroom that impact instruction, the pedagogical training received that related specifically to the content standards, the tools or impediments that existed for teachers to successfully utilize these pedagogical methods and types of support and assistance the school site administration and/or school district offered in learning about the California Science Standards and the STAR test. Interviews were conducted with multiple middle/intermediate school teachers, science department chairpersons and school site administrators to gather information about what the classroom teachers were doing pedagogically to improve student performance on the STAR tests. Moreover, the study described the issues that supported the professional development of the teacher and what schools and districts were doing to support them.

  18. The effect of authentic leadership, organizational justice, and achievement motivation on teachers' performance in vocational high school seventeen Temanggung

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugi, Slamet, Achmad; Martono, S.

    2018-03-01

    Teachers' performance in Temanggung in 2016 did not show maximal result. It was shown from many indicators. The low score of UN, UKG and PKB result. Individual performance was different. Achievement motivation could be seen through their attitude and behavior performances. The purpose of this research is to know the effect of authentic leadership, organizational justice, and achievement motivation on teachers' performance. The objects of this research are authentic leadership, organizational justice, achievement motivation and teachers' performance in Vocational High School Seventeen in Temanggung. The research method used is quantitative. Data collection was done by questioners. Then, the data were analyzed by using Path SPSS 16. The result of this research showed that authentic leadership, organizational justice, achievement motivation had significant effect on teachers' performance in Vocational High School Seventeen in Temanggung.

  19. Adventures in supercomputing: An innovative program for high school teachers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oliver, C.E.; Hicks, H.R.; Summers, B.G. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Staten, D.G. [Wartburg Central High School, TN (United States)

    1994-12-31

    Within the realm of education, seldom does an innovative program become available with the potential to change an educator`s teaching methodology. Adventures in Supercomputing (AiS), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is such a program. It is a program for high school teachers that changes the teacher paradigm from a teacher-directed approach of teaching to a student-centered approach. {open_quotes}A student-centered classroom offers better opportunities for development of internal motivation, planning skills, goal setting and perseverance than does the traditional teacher-directed mode{close_quotes}. Not only is the process of teaching changed, but the cross-curricula integration within the AiS materials is remarkable. Written from a teacher`s perspective, this paper will describe the AiS program and its effects on teachers and students, primarily at Wartburg Central High School, in Wartburg, Tennessee. The AiS program in Tennessee is sponsored by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

  20. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    2000-02-01

    Secondary School Feature Articles JCE Classroom Activity: #24. The Write Stuff: Using Paper Chromatography to Separate an Ink Mixture, p 176A Teaching Chemistry in the Midwinter Every year, forecasters around the world provide us with long-range predictions of what the seasons will afford us in the coming year. And each year, the weather provides a few surprises that the forecasters did not predict - such as a record amount of snow or record heat indexes, depending on where you live. Although the weatherman didn't predict it, we still must pull out our snow shovels or sun block and take the necessary steps to adapt to the situation. As teachers, we make predictions of teaching and learning goals that we aspire to achieve during a given year, and like the weather, the year brings surprises that aren't in line with our predictions. With that in mind, I would like to offer JCE as the scholastic snow shovel or sun shield you need to jump-start your class and reach the goals you have set. So find a warm (or cool) place, get comfortable, and spend some time with the February issue of JCE. Articles of General Interest in This Issue For readers living where snow falls, Williams's article on page 148 offers some historical background on the use of calcium chloride as a deicer. A diver that depends for its buoyancy upon gas given off by a chemical reaction is described by Derr, Lewis, and Derr in the article beginning on page 171. In her article appearing on pages 249-250, Wang describes a laboratory exercise that makes the mastery of solution preparation skills fun. The students' skill is tested by using the solutions they make to carry out the Briggs-Rauscher oscillating reaction. For high school class applications I recommend use of 3% hydrogen peroxide, described as an option in the article. A well-organized approach to separating an ink mixture, with some possibly new twists, is laid out in the student- and teacher-friendly format of JCE Classroom Activity: #24, pages

  1. The Frequency and Affecting Factors of Smoking Among the High School Teachers in Konya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruhusen Kutlu

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available This study was carried out to describe the prevalence of smoking and analyze the affecting factors on smoking among the high school teachers. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed among 213 high school teachers working at 6 high schools selected among 37 high schools in Konya randomly between 20 February 2006-30 May 2006. Of 213 high school teachers who participated in the study, 152 (71.4% were men, 61 (28.6% were women, the lowest age was 22, the highest age was 60 and the mean age was 41,45±8,20. The prevalence of current smokers was [ (every day smokers 38.0% (n=81 plus occasional smokers 4.7% (n=10] 42.7% (n=91, former smokers 21.6% (n=46, never smokers 35.7% (n=76, quit ratio [quit ratio is defined as the number of former smokers divided by the number of ever smokers (current and former smokers] was 33.6%, respectively. The lowest age at starting smoking was 10, the highest age was 40 and the median age was 18 years old. The median value of Fagerstrom dependence was 3 and 73.7% (n=67 was placed at a low and very low addiction degree. When the correlation between smoking behavior and socio-demographic characteristics was investigated, being 15-19 aged was statistically regarded as important to start smoking (X2=47.8, p0.05. There was a smoking room (96.4% for teachers in the high schools who participated in the research. However, this restriction was obeyed by the rate of 57.4%, and it was sometimes (62.8% possible that somebody could see the smoker teachers in the corridors of the school. Of the smokers, 65.3% smoked in their houses and 90.6% stated that smoking adversely affected their children. [TAF Prev Med Bull. 2007; 6(4: 273-278

  2. High School Teachers' Openness to Adopting New Practices: The Role of Personal Resources and Organizational Climate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Stacy R; Pas, Elise T; Loh, Deanna; Debnam, Katrina J; Bradshaw, Catherine P

    2017-03-01

    Although evidence-based practices for students' social, emotional, and behavioral health are readily available, their adoption and quality implementation in schools are of increasing concern. Teachers are vital to implementation; yet, there is limited research on teachers' openness to adopting new practices, which may be essential to successful program adoption and implementation. The current study explored how perceptions of principal support, teacher affiliation, teacher efficacy, and burnout relate to teachers' openness to new practices. Data came from 2,133 teachers across 51 high schools. Structural equation modeling assessed how organizational climate (i.e., principal support and teacher affiliation) related to teachers' openness directly and indirectly via teacher resources (i.e., efficacy and burnout). Teachers with more favorable perceptions of both principal support and teacher affiliation reported greater efficacy, and, in turn, more openness; however, burnout was not significantly associated with openness. Post hoc analyses indicated that among teachers with high levels of burnout, only principal support related to greater efficacy, and in turn, higher openness. Implications for promoting teachers' openness to new program adoption are discussed.

  3. QED's School Market Trends: Teacher Buying Behavior & Attitudes, 2001-2002. Research Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quality Education Data, Inc., Denver, CO.

    This study examined teachers' classroom material buying behaviors and trends. Data came from Quality Education Data's National Education Database, which includes U.S. K-12 public, private, and Catholic schools and districts. Researchers surveyed K-8 teachers randomly selected from QED's National Education Database. Results show that teachers spend…

  4. Towards a high quality high school workforce: A longitudinal, demographic analysis of U.S. public school physics teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gregory T. Rushton

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Efforts to improve the number and quality of the high school physics teaching workforce have taken several forms, including those sponsored by professional organizations. Using a series of large-scale teacher demographic data sets from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, this study sought to investigate trends in teacher quality at the national level in the two and a half decades between 1987 and 2012. Specifically, we investigated (i details about the degree backgrounds, main teaching assignments, and experience levels of those assigned to teach physics; (ii whether the proportion of those with certifications in physics as a fraction of the entire physics teaching workforce had changed; and (iii if workforce diversity (with respect to race and gender had changed over time. Our data indicate that trends in these domains have generally been positive, but still fall short of having a highly qualified physics teacher in each classroom. Additionally, the population of physics teachers has more novices and fewer veterans than it did 10 years ago, although veteran physics teachers are not as rare as those in other branches of high school STEM fields. We also analyzed trends in physics teacher race and gender diversity and found them to lag behind other STEM and non-STEM teacher communities. High school physics is still mostly taught by white males with backgrounds from outside of physics. Implications for future policy decisions at the local and national levels are discussed, including attending to the specific needs of degree-holding and non-degree-holding physics teachers separately and localizing teacher recruitment and preparation efforts in regional centers.

  5. Towards a high quality high school workforce: A longitudinal, demographic analysis of U.S. public school physics teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rushton, Gregory T.; Rosengrant, David; Dewar, Andrew; Shah, Lisa; Ray, Herman E.; Sheppard, Keith; Watanabe, Lynn

    2017-12-01

    Efforts to improve the number and quality of the high school physics teaching workforce have taken several forms, including those sponsored by professional organizations. Using a series of large-scale teacher demographic data sets from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), this study sought to investigate trends in teacher quality at the national level in the two and a half decades between 1987 and 2012. Specifically, we investigated (i) details about the degree backgrounds, main teaching assignments, and experience levels of those assigned to teach physics; (ii) whether the proportion of those with certifications in physics as a fraction of the entire physics teaching workforce had changed; and (iii) if workforce diversity (with respect to race and gender) had changed over time. Our data indicate that trends in these domains have generally been positive, but still fall short of having a highly qualified physics teacher in each classroom. Additionally, the population of physics teachers has more novices and fewer veterans than it did 10 years ago, although veteran physics teachers are not as rare as those in other branches of high school STEM fields. We also analyzed trends in physics teacher race and gender diversity and found them to lag behind other STEM and non-STEM teacher communities. High school physics is still mostly taught by white males with backgrounds from outside of physics. Implications for future policy decisions at the local and national levels are discussed, including attending to the specific needs of degree-holding and non-degree-holding physics teachers separately and localizing teacher recruitment and preparation efforts in regional centers.

  6. Enablers and Inhibitors to English Language Learners' Research Process in a High School Setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sung Un

    2015-01-01

    This researcher sought to examine enablers and inhibitors to English language learner (ELL) students' research process within the framework of Carol C. Kuhlthau's Information Search Process (ISP). At a high school forty-eight ELL students in three classes, an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, and a biology teacher participated in the…

  7. The support gap: New teachers' early experiences in high-income and low-income schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan Moore Johnson

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available In this article, the authors consider three sources of support for new teachers—hiring practices, relationships with colleagues, and curriculum—all found in earlier research to influence new teachers’ satisfaction with their work, their sense of success with students, and their eventual retention in their job. They find that a "support gap" exists: new teachers in low-income schools are less likely than their counterparts in high-income schools to experience timely and information-rich hiring, to benefit from mentoring and support by experienced colleagues, and to have a curriculum that is complete and aligned with state standards, yet flexible for use in the classroom. Such patterns of difference between high-income and lowincome schools warrant careful consideration because they reveal broad patterns of inequity, which can have severe consequences for low-income students. Survey data for this study were collected from random samples of teachers in five states. One survey, focusing on hiring practices and teachers’ relationships with colleagues, was administered to 374 first-year and secondyear teachers in Florida, Massachusetts, and Michigan. A second survey, focusing on curriculum, was administered to 295 second-year elementary school teachers in Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Washington. The inequitable patterns of support for teachers reported here have important implications for the work of state policymakers, school district administrators, and principals. The authors describe these and offer recommendations for policy and practice in the conclusion.

  8. High School Spanish Teachers' Attitudes and Practices toward Spanish Heritage Language Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, Brittany D.; Kuriscak, Lisa M.

    2015-01-01

    This case study uses survey data to examine the attitudes and pedagogical practices of preservice and current high school Spanish teachers toward Spanish heritage language learners (HLLs). The research questions addressed were (1) the extent to which participants were aware of the challenges facing Spanish HLLs who are enrolled in traditional…

  9. Teachers' and Administrators' Perceptions of Knowledge Management Competence of High School Administrators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Memisoglu, Salih Pasa

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to determine the teachers' and administrators' perceptions of knowledge management competence in high school administration. The study was conducted using the screening model and the study group consisted of 162 teachers and 35 administrators working at eight high schools in Turkey. Administrators' knowledge management competence…

  10. Do Teachers Leave Their Ethics at the School Gate? Social Practice Research in a Danish Primary School

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen-Lis Kristensen

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available This study addresses teachers' ethical dilemmas in everyday participation in school structures in a Danish Primary School. It focuses in particular on their relations with 'disturbing children'. The author and four first grade teachers work in a research team, documenting and analysing the teachers’ interactions in the classroom. This paper focuses on the interactions between two of the teachers and one of the students. The research team focuses on the teachers’ struggles with stress and burnout symptoms that they impute to students’ misbehaviour. Through their work together, documenting what happens in the classroom, and then working together in collective biography workshops, the research team reveals the contradictory conditions of teachers’ work. They find that following current guidelines for good classroom management, and accepting without question current discourses on ADHD, places the teachers in a double-bind, with teachers and children in opposition to each other, and both teachers and children being judged and found wanting.  The paper seeks new ways of thinking/doing classroom interaction that challenges some of the binds of current management practices.

  11. Prospective High School Physics Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching Practices: From Traditionalist to Constructivist

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirci, Neset

    2015-01-01

    The main aim of this study was to determine the teaching practices of prospective high school physics teachers with respect to their preference for teaching as a traditionalist or as a constructivist. To study the beliefs of prospective high school physics teachers on this subject, firstly, the Teacher Belief Survey was administered to 135…

  12. Latina Spanish High School Teachers' Negotiation of Capital in New Latino Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colomer, Soria Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    Based on a qualitative study documenting how Spanish teachers bear an especially heavy burden as unofficial translators, interpreters, and school representatives, this article documents how some Latina high school Spanish teachers struggle to form social networks with Latino students in new Latino school communities. Employing social frameworks,…

  13. The effects of experience and attrition for novice high-school science and mathematics teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henry, Gary T; Fortner, C Kevin; Bastian, Kevin C

    2012-03-02

    Because of the current high proportion of novice high-school teachers, many students' mastery of science and mathematics depends on the effectiveness of early-career teachers. In this study, which used value-added models to analyze high-school teachers' effectiveness in raising test scores on 1.05 million end-of-course exams, we found that the effectiveness of high-school science and mathematics teachers increased substantially with experience but exhibited diminishing rates of return by their fourth year; that teachers of algebra 1, algebra 2, biology, and physical science who continued to teach for at least 5 years were more effective as novice teachers than those who left the profession earlier; and that novice teachers of physics, chemistry, physical science, geometry, and biology exhibited steeper growth in effectiveness than did novice non-science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teachers.

  14. The effects of job crafting on subjective well-being amongst South African high school teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio Peral

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Orientation: Job crafting can result in a number of positive outcomes for teachers, such as increased meaningfulness and engagement at work. Increased work engagement and psychological meaningfulness may yield positive benefits for the practice of teaching, thus highlighting the pivotal role of job crafting. Research purpose: The study’s aim was to investigate the relationship between job crafting and subjective well-being amongst South African high school teachers. Subjective well-being comprises psychological meaningfulness and work engagement. The potential mediating effect that psychological meaningfulness had on this relationship was further explored. Motivation for the study: Being in a highly stressful occupation, teachers need to continuously find ways to craft their working practices in order to deal effectively with their job demands and to capitalise on their available job resources. Furthermore, South Africa’s current education system calls for serious proactive measures to be taken to improve and rectify the current status, such as job crafting. Research approach, design and method: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used and administered to a sample of South African high school teachers situated in Gauteng, South Africa (N = 251. Main findings: A positive relationship was found between job crafting (increasing structural resources and challenging job demands and work engagement. Furthermore, psychological meaningfulness mediated the relationship between job crafting and work engagement amongst the sampled high school teachers. Practical/managerial implications: Teachers who craft their work to better suit their preferences and needs will obtain greater meaning in their work and experience increased levels of work engagement. Training programmes and/or group-based interventions targeted around job crafting techniques may be particularly useful in the South African teaching context. Contribution/value-add: This

  15. Mental health first aid training for high school teachers: a cluster randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jorm, Anthony F; Kitchener, Betty A; Sawyer, Michael G; Scales, Helen; Cvetkovski, Stefan

    2010-06-24

    Mental disorders often have their first onset during adolescence. For this reason, high school teachers are in a good position to provide initial assistance to students who are developing mental health problems. To improve the skills of teachers in this area, a Mental Health First Aid training course was modified to be suitable for high school teachers and evaluated in a cluster randomized trial. The trial was carried out with teachers in South Australian high schools. Teachers at 7 schools received training and those at another 7 were wait-listed for future training. The effects of the training on teachers were evaluated using questionnaires pre- and post-training and at 6 months follow-up. The questionnaires assessed mental health knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, confidence in providing help to others, help actually provided, school policy and procedures, and teacher mental health. The indirect effects on students were evaluated using questionnaires at pre-training and at follow-up which assessed any mental health help and information received from school staff, and also the mental health of the student. The training increased teachers' knowledge, changed beliefs about treatment to be more like those of mental health professionals, reduced some aspects of stigma, and increased confidence in providing help to students and colleagues. There was an indirect effect on students, who reported receiving more mental health information from school staff. Most of the changes found were sustained 6 months after training. However, no effects were found on teachers' individual support towards students with mental health problems or on student mental health. Mental Health First Aid training has positive effects on teachers' mental health knowledge, attitudes, confidence and some aspects of their behaviour. ACTRN12608000561381.

  16. Exploring Teaching Satisfaction of Public High School Teachers: Empirical Evidence from Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Büyükgöze, Hilal; Gün, Feyza

    2017-01-01

    The current paper primarily investigates teaching satisfaction of teachers working in public high schools of Ankara. The latter aim of this study is to determine whether teachers' satisfaction levels vary in relation to some demographic variables such as gender, education, type of high school, tenure, marital status, and membership to an…

  17. High school science teachers' perceptions of telecommunications utilizing a Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slough, Scott Wayne

    The purpose of this study was to describe high school science teachers' perceptions of telecommunications. The data were collected through open-ended ethnographic interviews with 24 high school science teachers from five different high schools in a single suburban school district who had been in an emerging telecommunications-rich environment for two and one-half years. The interview protocol was adapted from Honey and Henriquez (1993), with the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) (Bailey & Palsha, 1992) providing a conceptual framework for data analysis. For this study, the emerging telecommunications-rich environment included a district-wide infrastructure that had been in place for two and one-half years that included a secure district-wide Intranet, 24 network connections in each classroom, full Internet access from the network, four computers per classroom, and a variety of formal and informal professional development opportunities for teachers. Categories of results discussed include: (a) teacher's profession use of telecommuunications; (b) teachers' perceptions of student's use of telecommunications; (c) teachers' perceptions of barriers to the implementation of telecommunications; (d) teachers' perceptions of supporting conditions for the implementation of telecommunications; (e) teachers' perceptions of the effect of telecommunications on high school science instruction; (f) teachers' perceptions of the effect of telecommunications on student's learning in high school science; and (g) the demographic variables of the sex of the teacher, years of teaching experience, school assignment within the district, course assignment(s), and academic preparation. Implications discussed include: (a) telecommunications can be implemented successfully in a variety of high school science classrooms with adequate infrastructure support and sufficient professional development opportunities, including in classes taught by females and teachers who were not previously

  18. Teacher and Student Perceptions on High School Science Flipped Classrooms: Educational Breakthrough or Media Hype?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunley, Rebecca C.

    For years educators have struggled to ensure students meet the rigors of state mandated tests. Challenges that often impede student success are student absences, school closings due to weather, and remediation for students who need additional help while advanced students can move ahead. Many educators, especially secondary math and science teachers, have responded to these issues by implementing a teaching strategy called the flipped classroom where students view lectures, power points, or podcasts outside of school and class time shifts to allow opportunities for collaborative learning. The purpose of this research was to evaluate teacher and student perceptions of high school flipped science classrooms. A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to observe 3 high school science teachers from Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee selected through purposeful sampling who have used the flipped classroom method for a minimum of 2 years. Analysis of data from an online survey, direct observation, teacher interviews, and student focus groups helped to identify challenges and benefits of this teaching and learning strategy. Findings indicated that teachers find the flipped classroom beneficial to build student relationships but requires a significant amount of time to develop. Mixed student reactions revealed benefits of a flipped classroom as a successful learning tool for current and future endeavors for college or career preparation.

  19. A private school leadership perspective on highly qualified middle school science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogaski, Carolyn Siniscalchi

    The purpose of this study was to determine how Florida (FL) private, middle school (MS) leaders define highly qualified (HQ) MS science teachers, and how congruent their definitions are. The study also determines how congruent these leaders' definitions are with FL, national, and National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) definitions. Lastly, the study determines the major challenges these private MS leaders have in hiring MS science teachers who meet the NSTA definition of HQ. A convergent mixed methods survey design (Creswell, 2014) was used, in which qualitative and quantitative data were collected in parallel, analyzed separately, and then merged. Participants in the survey consisted of 119 leaders. A congruency rubric separated responses by religious affiliation and socioeconomic status (SES) level and matched responses with the percentage of congruency with the existing FL, national, and NSTA definitions of HQ. Descriptive statistics, paired samples t-test, and chi-squared test were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data. Qualitative data were coded into preliminary and final codes. Final codes were converted into magnitude codes, which allowed the researcher to analyze further the qualitative data statistically. Survey responses received were definitely congruent, except in ranking the importance of a candidate having an out-of-field degree with state certification, and in ranking the importance of a candidate being fully qualified to teach science in their state with a strong knowledge of science content. Segregating the survey responses into registered religious affiliations and SES levels found that the definition of a HQ MS science teacher was mostly congruent among all demographics, with only a couple of exceptions. The study found that these private school leaders' common definition of a HQ MS science teacher is one with adequate science content knowledge, pedagogy including engagement in laboratory activities, ability to relate to

  20. An Analysis of Metaphors Used by High School Students to Describe Physics, Physics Lesson and Physics Teacher

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çetin, Ali

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe high school students' "physics", physics lesson" and "physics teacher" conceptions by using metaphors. 313 students participated in the study from different high school types in Siirt, Turkey. A metaphorical perception form constructed by researcher was individually conducted,…

  1. Teacher Characteristics and School-Based Professional Development in Inclusive STEM-focused High Schools: A Cross-case Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spillane, Nancy Kay

    Within successful Inclusive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-focused High Schools (ISHSs), it is not only the students who are learning. Teachers, with diverse backgrounds, training, and experience, share and develop their knowledge through rich, embedded professional development to continuously shape their craft, improve their teaching, and support student success. This study of four exemplars of ISHSs (identified by experts in STEM education as highly successful in preparing students underrepresented in STEM for STEM majors in college and future STEM careers) provides a rich description of the relationships among the characteristics of STEM teachers, their professional development, and the school cultures that allow teachers to develop professionally and serve the needs of students. By providing a framework for the development of teaching staffs in ISHSs and contributing to the better understanding of STEM teaching in any school, this study offers valuable insight, implications, and information for states and school districts as they begin planning improvements to STEM education programs. A thorough examination of an existing data set that included site visits to four ISHSs along with pre- and post-visit data, provided the resource for this multiple case study with cross-case analysis of the teachers and their teacher professional development experiences. Administrators in these ISHSs had the autonomy to hire teachers with strong content backgrounds, philosophical alignment with the school missions, and a willingness to work collaboratively toward achieving the schools' goals. Ongoing teacher professional development began before school started and continued throughout the school day and year through intense and sustained, formal and informal, active learning experiences. Flexible professional development systems varied, but aligned with targeted school reforms and teacher and student needs. Importantly, collaborative teacher learning

  2. A framework for high-school teacher support in Geosciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bookhagen, B.; Mair, A.; Schaller, G.; Koeberl, C.

    2012-04-01

    To attract future geoscientists in the classroom and share the passion for science, successful geoscience education needs to combine modern educational tools with applied science. Previous outreach efforts suggest that classroom-geoscience teaching tremendously benefits from structured, prepared lesson plans in combination with hands-on material. Building on our past experience, we have developed a classroom-teaching kit that implements interdisciplinary exercises and modern geoscientific application to attract high-school students. This "Mobile Phone Teaching Kit" analyzes the components of mobile phones, emphasizing the mineral compositions and geologic background of raw materials. Also, as geoscience is not an obligatory classroom topic in Austria, and university training for upcoming science teachers barely covers geoscience, teacher training is necessary to enhance understanding of the interdisciplinary geosciences in the classroom. During the past year, we have held teacher workshops to help implementing the topic in the classroom, and to provide professional training for non-geoscientists and demonstrate proper usage of the teaching kit. The material kit is designed for classroom teaching and comes with a lesson plan that covers background knowledge and provides worksheets and can easily be adapted to school curricula. The project was funded by kulturkontakt Austria; expenses covered 540 material kits, and we reached out to approximately 90 schools throughout Austria and held a workshop in each of the nine federal states in Austria. Teachers received the training, a set of the material kit, and the lesson plan free of charge. Feedback from teachers was highly appreciative. The request for further material kits is high and we plan to expand the project. Ultimately, we hope to enlighten teachers and students for the highly interdisciplinary variety of geosciences and a link to everyday life.

  3. Talking about science: An interpretation of the effects of teacher talk in a high school science classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moje, Elizabeth B.

    This paper builds on research in science education, secondary education, and sociolinguistics by arguing that high school classrooms can be considered speech communities in which language may be selectively used and imposed on students as a means of fostering academic speech community identification. To demonstrate the ways in which a high school teacher's language use may encourage subject area identification, the results of an interactionist analysis of data from a 2-year ethnographic study of one high school chemistry classroom are presented. Findings indicate that this teacher's uses of language fell into three related categories. These uses of language served to foster identification with the academic speech community of science. As a result of the teacher's talk about science according to these three patterns, students developed or reinforced particular views of science. In addition, talking about science in ways that fostered identity with the discipline promoted the teacher as expert and built classroom solidarity or community. These results are discussed in light of sociolinguistic research on classroom competence and of the assertions of science educators regarding social and ideologic implications of language use in science instruction.Received: 23 September 1993; Revised: 15 September 1994;

  4. Teachers' Perspectives on Online Virtual Labs vs. Hands-On Labs in High School Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohr, Teresa M.

    This study of online science teachers' opinions addressed the use of virtual labs in online courses. A growing number of schools use virtual labs that must meet mandated laboratory standards to ensure they provide learning experiences comparable to hands-on labs, which are an integral part of science curricula. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the quality and effectiveness of high school virtual labs. The theoretical foundation was constructivism, as labs provide student-centered activities for problem solving, inquiry, and exploration of phenomena. The research questions focused on experienced teachers' perceptions of the quality of virtual vs. hands-on labs. Data were collected through survey questions derived from the lab objectives of The Next Generation Science Standards . Eighteen teachers rated the degree of importance of each objective and also rated how they felt virtual labs met these objectives; these ratings were reported using descriptive statistics. Responses to open-ended questions were few and served to illustrate the numerical results. Many teachers stated that virtual labs are valuable supplements but could not completely replace hands-on experiences. Studies on the quality and effectiveness of high school virtual labs are limited despite widespread use. Comprehensive studies will ensure that online students have equal access to quality labs. School districts need to define lab requirements, and colleges need to specify the lab experience they require. This study has potential to inspire positive social change by assisting science educators, including those in the local school district, in evaluating and selecting courseware designed to promote higher order thinking skills, real-world problem solving, and development of strong inquiry skills, thereby improving science instruction for all high school students.

  5. Teacher Mathematical Literacy: Case Study of Junior High School Teachers in Pasaman

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, D.; Suherman, S.; Maulana, H.

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this paper was to examine the ability of junior high school mathematics teachers to solve mathematical literacy base Problems (PISA and PISA-like problems) for the case Pasaman regency. The data was collected by interviews and test. As the results of this study, teacher ability in solving mathematical literacy base problems for level 1 until 3 has been good, but for level 4 or above is still low. It is caused by teacher knowledge about mathematical literacy still few.

  6. The Figured Worlds of High School Science Teachers: Uncovering Three-Dimensional Assessment Decisions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ewald, Megan

    As a result of recent mandates of the Next Generation Science Standards, assessments are a "system of meaning" amidst a paradigm shift toward three-dimensional assessments. This study is motivated by two research questions: 1) how do high school science teachers describe their processes of decision-making in the development and use of three-dimensional assessments and 2) how do high school science teachers negotiate their identities as assessors in designing three-dimensional assessments. An important factor in teachers' assessment decision making is how they identify themselves as assessors. Therefore, this study investigated the teachers' roles as assessors through the Sociocultural Identity Theory. The most important contribution from this study is the emergent teacher assessment sub-identities: the modifier-recycler , the feeler-finder, and the creator. Using a qualitative phenomenological research design, focus groups, three-series interviews, think-alouds, and document analysis were utilized in this study. These qualitative methods were chosen to elicit rich conversations among teachers, make meaning of the teachers' experiences through in-depth interviews, amplify the thought processes of individual teachers while making assessment decisions, and analyze assessment documents in relation to teachers' perspectives. The findings from this study suggest that--of the 19 participants--only two teachers could consistently be identified as creators and aligned their assessment practices with NGSS. However, assessment sub-identities are not static and teachers may negotiate their identities from one moment to the next within socially constructed realms of interpretation known as figured worlds. Because teachers are positioned in less powerful figured worlds within the dominant discourse of standardization, this study raises awareness as to how the external pressures from more powerful figured worlds socially construct teachers' identities as assessors. For teachers

  7. Mental health first aid training for high school teachers: a cluster randomized trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorm Anthony F

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Mental disorders often have their first onset during adolescence. For this reason, high school teachers are in a good position to provide initial assistance to students who are developing mental health problems. To improve the skills of teachers in this area, a Mental Health First Aid training course was modified to be suitable for high school teachers and evaluated in a cluster randomized trial. Methods The trial was carried out with teachers in South Australian high schools. Teachers at 7 schools received training and those at another 7 were wait-listed for future training. The effects of the training on teachers were evaluated using questionnaires pre- and post-training and at 6 months follow-up. The questionnaires assessed mental health knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, confidence in providing help to others, help actually provided, school policy and procedures, and teacher mental health. The indirect effects on students were evaluated using questionnaires at pre-training and at follow-up which assessed any mental health help and information received from school staff, and also the mental health of the student. Results The training increased teachers' knowledge, changed beliefs about treatment to be more like those of mental health professionals, reduced some aspects of stigma, and increased confidence in providing help to students and colleagues. There was an indirect effect on students, who reported receiving more mental health information from school staff. Most of the changes found were sustained 6 months after training. However, no effects were found on teachers' individual support towards students with mental health problems or on student mental health. Conclusions Mental Health First Aid training has positive effects on teachers' mental health knowledge, attitudes, confidence and some aspects of their behaviour. Trial registration ACTRN12608000561381

  8. “I am a Teacher”: Early Career Teachers in High Needs Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tabitha Dell'Angelo

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available As many as half of the new teachers who begin each year will leave either the school or the profession of teaching within five years. In underperforming districts and in schools with low resources, the retention among teachers is even worse (Ingersoll, 2010; Ingersoll & May, 2011. This comic examines a group of early career teachers; their experiences demonstrate the challenges and opportunities that are the reality for many new teachers entering high needs schools. The major themes that were uncovered included culture, success and failures, and work satisfaction. We conclude that the use of the comic representation is important in conveying the thoughts and feelings of these teachers.

  9. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES PRACTICE OF HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS OF THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT: A STATUS RESEARCH.

    OpenAIRE

    Pooja. S.

    2018-01-01

    The present study aims to find out the awareness of Higher Secondary School English teachers on Multiple Intelligences. Each teacher needs to be aware of different forms of intelligences. The objectives of the study are to find out the level of awareness of Higher Secondary School teachers on Multiple Intelligences and to compare the awareness on Multiple Intelligences among Higher Secondary School teachers based on gender and locality. Survey method is used for collecting data from 150 highe...

  10. Evaluating the High School Lunar Research Projects Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaner, A. J.; Shipp, S. S.; Allen, J.; Kring, D. A.

    2012-12-01

    The Center for Lunar Science and Exploration (CLSE), a collaboration between the Lunar and Planetary Institute and NASA's Johnson Space Center, is one of seven member teams of the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI). In addition to research and exploration activities, the CLSE team is deeply invested in education and outreach. In support of NASA's and NLSI's objective to train the next generation of scientists, CLSE's High School Lunar Research Projects program is a conduit through which high school students can actively participate in lunar science and learn about pathways into scientific careers. The objectives of the program are to enhance 1) student views of the nature of science; 2) student attitudes toward science and science careers; and 3) student knowledge of lunar science. In its first three years, approximately 140 students and 28 teachers from across the United States have participated in the program. Before beginning their research, students undertake Moon 101, a guided-inquiry activity designed to familiarize them with lunar science and exploration. Following Moon 101, and guided by a lunar scientist mentor, teams choose a research topic, ask their own research question, and design their own research approach to direct their investigation. At the conclusion of their research, teams present their results to a panel of lunar scientists. This panel selects four posters to be presented at the annual Lunar Science Forum held at NASA Ames. The top scoring team travels to the forum to present their research. Three instruments have been developed or modified to evaluate the extent to which the High School Lunar Research Projects meets its objectives. These three instruments measure changes in student views of the nature of science, attitudes towards science and science careers, and knowledge of lunar science. Exit surveys for teachers, students, and mentors were also developed to elicit general feedback about the program and its impact. The nature of science

  11. Teacher Salaries and the Shortage of High-Quality Teachers in China's Rural Primary and Secondary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xuehui, An

    2018-01-01

    Teacher salary level and structure are not only important factors affecting the supply of primary and secondary school teachers, but they are also crucial to attracting, training, and retaining high-quality teachers, thereby impacting the overall quality of education and teaching in schools. The reform of China's basic education management system…

  12. Organizational Commitment among High School Teachers of India and Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joolideh, Faranak; Yeshodhara, K.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the organizational commitment of teachers in India and Iran. It is an attempt to understand how these perceptions vary by demographic variables such as age and subject taught by teachers. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 721 high school teachers in Bangalore (India) and Sanandaj (Iran).…

  13. High school Physical Sciences teachers' competence in some basic cognitive skills

    OpenAIRE

    Selvaratnam, Mailoo

    2011-01-01

    The successful implementation of the national high school Physical Sciences curriculum in South Africa, which places strong emphasis on critical thinking and reasoning abilities of students, would need teachers who are competent in cognitive skills and strategies. The main objectives of this study were to test South African high school Physical Sciences teachers' competence in the cognitive skills and strategies needed for studying Physical Sciences effectively and also to identify possible r...

  14. Assessing Teacher and Student Effects of the Research Goes to School Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kararo, Alex T.

    There have been calls by the Federal government and policymakers for improvements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education through the development of excellent teachers with the content knowledge and skills to teach and motivate students. A shared goal among teacher professional development (PD) programs is to improve students' learning outcomes through changes in teachers' classroom practices. One way to address classroom practice is by studying pedagogical content knowledge and skill (PCK&S), which is the way teachers incorporate both subject matter and teaching strategies to transform the way they teach content to support student learning. PCK&S includes the knowledge and planning as well as the act of teaching. The NSF-funded Research Goes to School (RGS) project sought to impact teachers' PCK&S through the introduction of a current scientific research topic simultaneously with an evidence-based teaching strategy. As part of the RGS project, high-school STEM teachers from Indiana applied to attend summer PD workshops. At these workshops, aspects of nanoscience taken from the Big Ideas of Nanoscale Science and Engineering book and project-based learning (PjBL) were taught. Nanoscience was chosen due to the rapid growth of this field and the call by scientists and policymakers for the development of standards and curricula focused on nanoscience within K-12 education. Introduction of fundamental nanoscience concepts can expose students to current research within what is considered the next industrial revolution. PjBL was chosen since within this teaching strategy, scientific processes are used to address unstructured authentic problems. As part of PjBL, the students are required to synthesize ideas, collect and analyze data, and work with peers to develop an answer to the authentic question. Teachers who attended the workshops developed a nanoscience-based PjBL unit that aligned with Indiana state standards and implemented these units

  15. Is Participatory Action Research an innovative pedagogical alternative for training teachers as researchers? The training plan and evaluation for normal schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paredes-Chi, Arely Anahy; Castillo-Burguete, María Teresa

    2018-06-01

    Normal schools in Mexico train teachers for basic level education. Classified as Higher Education Institutions, part of their mandate is to conduct scientific research to improve educational quality. Currently, normal school students can meet graduation requirements by either writing a thesis or reporting on professional practice using Participatory Action Research (PAR). Teachers at normal schools have only limited experience in conducting and supervising PAR projects. With the aim of analyzing the situation and addressing this paradox, we used PAR to develop a plan to train normal school teachers in application of PAR methodology. We present the training proposal and evaluate its results in a pilot phase. These suggest that PAR represents an innovative option for training teachers to conduct research and therefore fulfill part of their responsibilities at normal schools in Mexico. Changes in institutional culture and structure would be required for successful implementation of PAR in this context. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Instructional decision making of high school science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carver, Jeffrey S.

    The instructional decision-making processes of high school science teachers have not been well established in the literature. Several models for decision-making do exist in other teaching disciplines, business, computer game programming, nursing, and some fields of science. A model that incorporates differences in science teaching that is consistent with constructivist theory as opposed to conventional science teaching is useful in the current climate of standards-based instruction that includes an inquiry-based approach to teaching science. This study focuses on three aspects of the decision-making process. First, it defines what factors, both internal and external, influence high school science teacher decision-making. Second, those factors are analyzed further to determine what instructional decision-making processes are articulated or demonstrated by the participants. Third, by analyzing the types of decisions that are made in the classroom, the classroom learning environments established as a result of those instructional decisions are studied for similarities and differences between conventional and constructivist models. While the decision-making process for each of these teachers was not clearly articulated by the teachers themselves, the patterns that establish the process were clearly exhibited by the teachers. It was also clear that the classroom learning environments that were established were, at least in part, established as a result of the instructional decisions that were made in planning and implementation of instruction. Patterns of instructional decision-making were different for each teacher as a result of primary instructional goals that were different for each teacher. There were similarities between teachers who exhibited more constructivist epistemological tendencies as well as similarities between teachers who exhibited a more conventional epistemology. While the decisions that will result from these two camps may be different, the six step

  17. Teacher Attitudes on Including Students with Behavior Intervention Plans in a High-School Inclusive Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Thurman D.

    2017-01-01

    This research examined attitudes to determine factors influencing teachers' attitudes toward including students with behavior intervention plans in inclusive high-school classrooms. For Research Question 1 one-way ANOVAs analyzed quantitative data with no significant differences found and qualitative data discovered common patterns that BIPs are…

  18. Antecedent and Consequence of School Academic Optimism and Teachers' Academic Optimism Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Fu-Yuan

    2017-01-01

    The main purpose of this research was to examine the relationships among school principals' transformational leadership, school academic optimism, teachers' academic optimism and teachers' professional commitment. This study conducted a questionnaire survey on 367 teachers from 20 high schools in Taiwan by random sampling, using principals'…

  19. Authoritative School Climate, Aggression toward Teachers, and Teacher Distress in Middle School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berg, Juliette K.; Cornell, Dewey

    2016-01-01

    Aggression toward teachers is linked to burnout and disengagement from teaching, but a positive school climate may reduce aggression and associated teacher distress. Using authoritative school climate theory, the study examined whether schools with high disciplinary structure and student support were associated with less aggression and less…

  20. How Many Teachers Does It Take to Support a Student? Examining the Relationship between Teacher Support and Adverse Health Outcomes in High-Performing, Pressure-Cooker High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conner, Jerusha O.; Miles, Sarah B.; Pope, Denise C.

    2014-01-01

    Although considerable research has demonstrated the importance of supportive teacher-student relationships to students' academic and nonacademic outcomes, few studies have explored these relationships in the context of high-performing high schools. Hierarchical linear modeling with a sample of 5,557 students from 14 different high-performing…

  1. Occupational low back pain in primary and high school teachers: prevalence and associated factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohseni Bandpei, Mohammad A; Ehsani, Fatemeh; Behtash, Hamid; Ghanipour, Marziyeh

    2014-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for low back pain (LBP) in teachers and to evaluate the association of individual and occupational characteristics with the prevalence of LBP. In this cross-sectional study, 586 asymptomatic teachers were randomly selected from 22 primary and high schools in Semnan city of Iran. Data on the personal, occupational characteristics, pain intensity, and functional disability as well as the prevalence and risk factors of LBP were collected using different questionnaires. Point, last month, last 6 months, annual, and lifetime prevalence rates of LBP were 21.8%, 26.3%, 29.6%, 31.1%, and 36.5%, respectively. The highest prevalence was obtained for the high school teachers. The prevalence of LBP was significantly associated with age, body mass index, job satisfaction, and length of employment (P teachers appears to be high. High school teachers were more likely to experience LBP than primary school teachers. Factors such as age, body mass index, length of employment, job satisfaction, and work-related activities were significant factors associated with LBP in this teacher population. Copyright © 2014 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Evaluation of the Program Effectiveness of Research Competence Development in Prospective Elementary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Natalya N.; Kolumbayeva, Sholpan Zh.; Karsybayeva, Raissa K.; Nabuova, Roza A.; Kurmanbekova, Manshuk B.; Syzdykbayeva, Aigul Dzh.

    2016-01-01

    To develop research competence in prospective teachers, a system of methods for diagnostics and formation of this competence in prospective elementary school teachers in the training process is designed. To diagnose the research competence, a series of techniques were used that allow subtle evaluation of each competence research component:…

  3. Integration of Engineering Education by High School Teachers to Meet Standards in the Physics Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kersten, Jennifer Anna

    In recent years there has been increasing interest in engineering education at the K-12 level, which has resulted in states adopting engineering standards as a part of their academic science standards. From a national perspective, the basis for research into engineering education at the K-12 level is the belief that it is of benefit to student learning, including to "improve student learning and achievement in science and mathematics; increase awareness of engineering and the work of engineers; boost youth interest in pursuing engineering as a career; and increase the technological literacy of all students" (National Research Council, 2009a, p. 1). The above has led to a need to understand how teachers are currently implementing engineering education in their classrooms. High school physics teachers have a history of implementing engineering design projects in their classrooms, thus providing an appropriate setting to look for evidence of quality engineering education at the high school level. Understanding the characteristics of quality engineering integration can inform curricular and professional development efforts for teachers asked to implement engineering in their classrooms. Thus, the question that guided this study is: How, and to what extent, do physics teachers represent quality engineering in a physics unit focused on engineering? A case study research design was implemented for this project. Three high school physics teachers were participants in this study focused on the integration of engineering education into the physics classroom. The data collected included observations, interviews, and classroom documents that were analyzed using the Framework for Quality K-12 Engineering Education (Moore, Glancy et al., 2013). The results provided information about the areas of the K-12 engineering framework addressed during these engineering design projects, and detailed the quality of these lesson components. The results indicate that all of the design

  4. INFLUENCE OF STUDENT ENGLISH UTILITY AND TEACHER EFFICACY ON ENGLISH PROFICIENCY OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth A. ORTEGA-DELA CRUZ

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Learning second language considers a number of factors that influence the manner in which the language is taught. Understanding of the learners’ goals and motivation for learning is one. Using descriptive-correlational research design, this study determined the influence of student English utility and teacher efficacy on the students’ English proficiency. A total of 101 students from first year to fourth year level served as the respondents of the study. The study quantified the students’ perception towards English utility and their evaluation of English teacher efficacy which employed a researcher-made survey questionnaire. Results revealed high positive perceptions of students towards English utility. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences in the perceptions of high school students on the efficacy of their English teachers. Correlation coefficients indicated a positive linear relationship among the given variables. The p-value revealed significant relationship of teacher efficacy (r = .691, p-value = .000 and English utility (r = .467, p-value = .000 to students’ English proficiency. Results of regression statistics revealed that English utility has no significant influence on the student English proficiency. Therefore, the main factor that must still be considered then should be the teacher. Finally, there is an explicit indication that high level of teachers’ efficacy performing in teaching has much powerful influence on the English proficiency of high school students. Thus improving the methods of teaching English provides a better way of motivating students to achieve higher levels of proficiency in the future.

  5. Help provided by school counsellor to teachers and students in behaviour management at secondary school

    OpenAIRE

    Atıcı, Meral; Çekici, Ferah

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the views of teachers, school counsellors, and students on counsellor help for dealing with misbehaviour at school. Qualitative data were collected from counsellors, teachers and students using interviews to address the research questions. Five counsellors, 20 teachers and 35 students in five high schools with a low socioeconomic level in Adana, Turkey, participated in the study. Data were analysed by using a content analysis technique. Results sho...

  6. Teacher beliefs, teacher characteristics, and school contextual factors: what are the relationships?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubie-Davies, Christine M; Flint, Annaline; McDonald, Lyn G

    2012-06-01

    There is a plethora of research around student beliefs and their contribution to student outcomes. However, there is less research in relation to teacher beliefs. Teacher factors are important to consider since beliefs mould thoughts and resultant instructional behaviours that, in turn, can contribute to student outcomes. The purpose of this research was to explore relationships between the teacher characteristics of gender and teaching experience, school contextual variables (socio-economic level of school and class level), and three teacher socio-psychological variables: class level teacher expectations, teacher efficacy, and teacher goal orientation. The participants were 68 male and female teachers with varying experience, from schools in a variety of socio-economic areas and from rural and urban locations within New Zealand. Teachers completed a questionnaire containing items related to teacher efficacy and goal orientation in reading. They also completed a teacher expectation survey. Reading achievement data were collected on students. Interrelationships were explored between teacher socio-psychological beliefs and the teacher and school factors included in the study. Mastery-oriented beliefs predicted teacher efficacy for student engagement and classroom management. The socio-economic level of the school and teacher gender predicted teacher efficacy for engagement, classroom management, instructional strategies, and a mastery goal orientation. Being male predicted a performance goal orientation. Teacher beliefs, teacher characteristics, and school contextual variables can result in differences in teacher instructional practices and differing classroom climates. Further investigation of these variables is important since differences in teachers contribute to differences in student outcomes. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

  7. High School Teachers' Perceptions of Cyberbullying Prevention and Intervention Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stauffer, Sterling; Heath, Melissa Allen; Coyne, Sarah Marie; Ferrin, Scott

    2012-01-01

    Recent meta-analyses indicate that bully prevention programs produce minimal change in student behavior. This study examined 66 high school teachers' perceptions regarding the effect of cyberbullying on students, which intervening strategies teachers would use when dealing with cyberbullying, and which prevention strategies would assist in…

  8. Online Resources for High School Teachers--A CLIC Away

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes, Jon L.

    2000-04-01

    "I'm a high school teacher. I don't have time to sift through all of JCE to find what I need. I don't have enough time as it is!" If you need to find things in a hurry, go to JCE HS CLIC, the JCE High School Chemed Learning Information Center, http://JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu/HS/. You will find good solid, reliable information, and you will find it fast. CLIC is open 24 hours every day, all over the world. What You Will Find at JCE CLIC We know teachers are pressed for time. During the few minutes between classes or at the end of the day, information needs to be found very quickly. Perhaps you are looking for a demo that illustrates electrochemistry using Cu, Mg, orange juice, and a clock; or a student activity on chromatography that is ready to copy and hand out; or a video to illustrate the action of aqua regia on gold, because you can't use aqua regia and can't afford gold. You can find each of these quickly at CLIC. The Journal has always provided lots of articles designed with high school teachers in mind. What the new JCE HS CLIC does is collect the recent materials at one address on JCE Online, making it quicker and easier for you to find them. Information has been gathered from both print and online versions of the Journal, from JCE Software, and from JCE Internet. It is organized as shown at the bottom of the page. Getting Access to Information You have located something that interests you, perhaps a list of tested demonstrations that pertain to consumer chemistry. Now it is time to get it. JCE subscribers (individuals and libraries) can read, download, and print the full versions of the articles as well as all supplemental materials, including student handouts and instructor's notes. You will need the username and password that are on the mailing label that comes with your Journaleach month. JCE HS CLIC home page: http://JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu/HS/ Your Suggestions, Please Our plans for JCE HS CLIC do not end with what you find now. Other resources and features

  9. Psychiatric Symptoms in Teachers from Danwon High School after Exposure to the Sinking of the Motor Vessel Sewol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Mi-Sun; Bhang, Soo-Young; Lee, Cheol-Soon; Chang, Hyoung Yoon; Kim, Ji-Youn; Lee, Ju-Hyun; Kim, Eunji; Bae, Seung-Min; Park, Jang-Ho; Kim, Hye-Jin; Hwang, Jun-Won

    2017-11-01

    The goal of this study was to describe the psychiatric symptoms in the teachers from Danwon High School who were exposed to the sinking of the Motor Vessel Sewol. Data were collected from 32 teachers who underwent psychiatric interventions by 16 volunteer psychiatrists for 3 months after the sinking of the Motor Vessel Sewol. The most commonly diagnosed clinical diagnosis in the teachers were normal reaction, acute stress disorder and adjustment disorder. Psychiatric symptoms including anxiety, depressed mood and sleep disturbances were also observed. In the acute aftermath of the Sewol Ferry sinking on April 16, 2014, psychiatrists volunteered to provide professional psychiatric interventions to Danwon High School teachers. These results suggest the importance of crisis intervention focused on the teachers who are exposed to disasters. The implications for future research and interventions are discussed.

  10. Research and development in technology enriched schools: a case for cooperation between teachers and researchers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beishuizen, J.J.; Beishuizen, J.J.; Moonen, J.C.M.M.

    1993-01-01

    Technology-enriched schools offer unique opportunities for research into the use of information technology in education. As in every applied educational research project, some concerns should be carefully considered. One of them is teacher involvement. Another issue of concern is finding a proper

  11. Measuring the Level of Effectiveness of the High School Assistant Principal and the High School Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) in Preparing Their English I, II, and III Teachers and Students for End of Course/TN Ready Assessments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black, Rhonda

    2016-01-01

    This research study addressed measuring the level of instructional leadership effectiveness of the high school assistant principal and the high school instructional leadership teams (ILT) at over forty (40) Shelby County Schools. More specifically, this research study examined their impact on teacher effectiveness and student achievement in their…

  12. Teaching and Learning in High School Reading Classes: Perspectives of Teachers and Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harmon, Janis; Wood, Karen; Smith, Kassandra; Zakaria, Nauff; Ramadan, Kimberly; Sykes, Melissa

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative study investigated high school reading programs and participants focusing on the insider perspectives of teachers and their students. The study occurred in two sites, one in a Southern state and the other in an Eastern state. The participants, five high school reading teachers and two to three students in each of their reading…

  13. Gender Inequality among Japanese High School Teachers: Women Teachers' Resistance to Gender Bias in Occupational Culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyajima, Tomomi

    2008-01-01

    This study explores gender inequality in the occupational culture of Japanese high school teachers with special focus on women teachers' resistance to gender-biased practices. It examines the effectiveness of official and informal teacher training programmes in raising awareness of gender issues. Through an ethnographic case study conducted in…

  14. "Partners in Science": A Model Cooperative Program Introducing High School Teachers and Students to Leading-Edge Pharmaceutical Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woska, Joseph R., Jr.; Collins, Danielle M.; Canney, Brian J.; Arcario, Erin L.; Reilly, Patricia L.

    2005-01-01

    "Partners in Science" is a cooperative program between Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and area high schools in the community surrounding our Connecticut campus. It is a two-phase program that introduces high school students and teachers to the world of drug discovery and leading-edge pharmaceutical research. Phase 1 involves…

  15. Leadership that promotes teacher empowerment among urban middle school science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard-Skipper, Joni

    In this study, the focus was on determining leadership strategies that promote teacher empowerment among urban middle school science teachers. The purpose of the paper was to determine if leadership strategies are related to teacher empowerment. The emphasis was on various forms of leadership and the empowerment of teachers in context in restructuring the democratic structure. An effective leadership in science education entails empowering others, especially science teachers. In this regard, no published studies had examined this perspective on empowering teachers and school leadership. Therefore, this study determined if a relationship exists between leadership strategy actions and teacher empowerment. The significance of the study is to determine a relationship between leadership strategies and teacher empowerment as a positive approach toward developing successful schools. Empowerment is essential for implementing serious improvements. Empowering others in schools must form a major component of an effective principal's agenda. It is becoming clearer in research literature that complex changes in education sometimes require active initiation. For this study, a quantitative methodology was used. Primary data enabled the research questions to be answered. The reliability and validity of the research were ensured. The results of this study showed that 40% of the administrators establish program policies with teachers, and 53% of teachers make decisions about new programs in schools. Furthermore, the findings, their implications, and recommendations are discussed.

  16. Ending Isolation: The Payoff of Teacher Teams in Successful High-Poverty Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Susan Moore; Reinhorn, Stefanie K.; Simon, Nicole S.

    2018-01-01

    Background/Context: Many urban schools today look to instructional teams as a means to decrease professional isolation, promote teachers' ongoing development, and substantially reduce well-documented variation in teachers' effectiveness across classrooms. Recent research finds that teams can contribute to teachers' development and increased…

  17. Intersecting Domains of Assessment Knowledge: School Typologies Based on Interviews with Secondary Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howley, Marged D.; Howley, Aimee; Henning, John E.; Gillam, Mary Beth; Weade, Ginger

    2013-01-01

    This study used qualitative interviewing with teachers at three high schools to answer research questions about teachers' assessment knowledge, school-specific assessment cultures, and teachers' perceptions of the assessment literacy of other key stakeholders. Data analysis revealed shared knowledge and practices across schools--use of formative…

  18. Job Satisfaction, Stress and Coping Strategies among Moroccan High School Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benmansour, Naima

    1998-01-01

    Studied job stress, job satisfaction, and coping strategies through self-report measures from 153 Moroccan high school teachers. Results show that 45% of the teachers were satisfied with their jobs, but over half reported high levels of stress, negatively correlated with job satisfaction. Factor analysis of 16 coping strategies produced four…

  19. Reading Aloud in High Schools: Students and Teachers across the Curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warner, Lionel; Crolla, Caroline; Goodwyn, Andy; Hyder, Eileen; Richards, Brian

    2016-01-01

    Reading aloud is apparently an indispensible part of teaching. Nevertheless, little is known about reading aloud across the curriculum by students and teachers in high schools. Nor do we understand teachers' attitudes towards issues such as error correction, rehearsal time, and selecting students to read. A survey of 360 teachers in England shows…

  20. Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) 2010 - Engaging Teachers in Space Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boice, D. C.; Reiff, P. H.

    2010-12-01

    During the past 18 years, Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) has been a community partnership between local high schools in San Antonio, Texas (USA), and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The goals of YES are to increase the number of high school students, especially those from underrepresented groups, seeking careers in science and engineering, to enhance their success in entering the college and major of their choice, and to promote teacher development in STEM fields. This is accomplished by allowing students and teachers to interact on a continuing basis with role models at SwRI in real-world research experiences in physical sciences (including space science), information sciences, and a variety of engineering fields. A total of 239 students have completed YES or are currently enrolled. Of these students, 38% are females and 56% are ethnic minorities, reflecting the local ethnic diversity, and 67% represent underserved groups. Presently, there are 21 students and 9 secondary school teachers enrolled in the YES 2010/2011 Program. YES consists of an intensive three-week summer workshop held at SwRI where students and teachers experience the research environment and a collegial mentorship where they complete individual research projects under the guidance of SwRI mentors during the academic year. YES students develop a website (yesserver.space.swri.edu) for topics in space science (this year was ESA's Rosetta Mission) and high school STEM teachers develop space-related lessons for classroom presentation. Teachers participate in an in-service workshop to share their developed classroom materials and spread awareness of space-related research. At the end of the school year, students publicly present and display their work, spreading career awareness to other students and teachers. Partnerships between research institutes, local high schools, and community foundations, like the YES Program, can positively affect students’ preparation for STEM careers via real

  1. Relations between Teachers' Classroom Goals and Values: A Case Study of High School Teachers in Far North Queensland, Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pudelko, Claudia E.; Boon, Helen J.

    2014-01-01

    To date, there is an empirical gap in the evidence of the relations between teachers' classroom goals and values, two key variables linked to students' achievement motivation. The purpose of this study was to investigate this relationship in an Australian teacher sample. We surveyed 102 high school teachers from seven schools in Cairns, Queensland…

  2. The Effects of Teacher and Teacher-librarian High-end Collaboration on Inquiry-based Project Reports and School Monthly Test Scores of Fifth-grade Students

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    Hai-Hon Chen

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was twofold. The first purpose was to establish the high level collaboration of integrated instruction model between social studies teacher and teacher-librarian. The second purpose was to investigate the effects of high-end collaboration on the individual and groups’ inquiry-based project reports, as well as monthly test scores of fifth-grade students. A quasi-experimental method was adopted, two classes of elementary school fifth graders in Tainan Municipal city, Taiwan were used as samples. Students were randomly assigned to experimental conditions by class. Twenty eight students of the experimental group were taught by the collaboration of social studies teacher and teacher-librarian; while 27 students of the controlled group were taught separately by teacher in didactic teaching method. Inquiry-Based Project Record, Inquiry-Based Project Rubrics, and school monthly test scores were used as instruments for collecting data. A t-test and correlation were used to analyze the data. The results indicate that: (1 High-end collaboration model between social studies teacher and teacher-librarian was established and implemented well in the classroom. (2There was a significant difference between the experimental group and the controlled group in individual and groups’ inquiry-based project reports. Students that were taught by the collaborative teachers got both higher inquiry-based project reports’ scores than those that were taught separately by the teachers. Experimental group’s students got higher school monthly test scores than controlled groups. Suggestions for teachers’ high-end collaboration and future researcher are provided in this paper.

  3. THE OPINION OF MANAGERS AND TEACHERS ON DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

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    Latife KABAKLI ÇİMEN

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available This research was conducted to analyse the approach of secondary school teachers to disciplinary problems. The controlled group of the research, which was made with the model of screening, was formed by 240 teachers. The data of the research we re gained by personal data form, which was prepared by the researcher , and reasons of discipline questionnaire designed by Cerci (2009. Collected data was coded and analyzed by SPSS programme. Due to the results of the research; the approach to disciplinary problems of managers and teachers, w ho work in high schools, do not differentiate regarding their sex, whether they hold bachelors or postgraduate degree. The opinions of managers and teachers, who work in secondary schools, regarding disciplinary problems depending on whether they are manag ers or teachers, are similar for 21 out of 24 items and different for 3 items. The opinions of managers and teachers, who work in high schools, regarding disciplinary problems with the variable of what type of school they work, are similar for 20 o ut of 24 items and different for 4 item s, with the variable of age their disciplinary opinions are similar for 22 out of 24 items and different for 2 item s. The opinions of managers and teachers, who work in secondary schools, regarding disciplinary problems with the variable of experience, are similar for 21 out of 24 items and different for 3 item s; with the variable of which school they graduated their disciplinary opinions are similar for 19 out of 24 items and different for 5 item s.

  4. Action Research as a School-Based Strategy in Intercultural Professional Development for Teachers

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    Sales, Auxiliadora; Traver, Joan A.; Garcia, Rafaela

    2011-01-01

    Teacher professional development is a key factor for transforming professional and school culture. This article describes a case study undertaken in a Spanish school during the 2007-2008 academic year. Our aim is to explain how action research methodology was applied to encourage professional and school culture towards an intercultural and…

  5. Towards a High Quality High School Workforce: A Longitudinal, Demographic Analysis of U.S. Public School Physics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rushton, Gregory T.; Rosengrant, David; Dewar, Andrew; Shah, Lisa; Ray, Herman E.; Sheppard, Keith; Watanabe, Lynn

    2017-01-01

    Efforts to improve the number and quality of the high school physics teaching workforce have taken several forms, including those sponsored by professional organizations. Using a series of large-scale teacher demographic data sets from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), this study sought to investigate trends in teacher quality…

  6. Still Motivated to Teach? A Study of School Context Variables, Stress and Job Satisfaction among Teachers in Senior High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skaalvik, Einar M.; Skaalvik, Sidsel

    2017-01-01

    This study explored how teachers' working conditions or school context variables (job demands and job resources) were related to their teaching self-concept, teacher burnout, job satisfaction, and motivation to leave the teaching profession among teachers in Norwegian senior high school. Participants were 546 teachers in three counties in central…

  7. High school teachers' perspectives on effective approaches for teaching biology to students with special needs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kos, Agnieszka

    The demands of national educational reforms require high school biology teachers to provide high quality instruction to students with and without special needs. The reforms, however, do not provide teachers with adequate teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students in the same context. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand high school biology teachers' perspectives, practices, and challenges in relation to teaching students with special needs. This approach was used to develop a substantive model for high school biology teachers who are challenged with teaching students with and without special needs. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 15 high school teachers in a Midwestern school district. The data were analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding procedures in accordance with the grounded theory approach. Essential model components included skills and training for teachers, classroom management strategies, teaching strategies, and student skills. The emergent substantive theory indicated that that teacher preparation and acquired skills greatly influence the effectiveness of inclusion implementation. Key findings also indicated the importance of using of a variety of instructional strategies and classroom management strategies that address students' special needs and their learning styles. This study contributes to social change by providing a model for teaching students and effectively implementing inclusion in regular science classrooms. Following further study, this model may be used to support teacher professional development and improve teaching practices that in turn may improve science literacy supported by the national educational reforms.

  8. Research and Rhetoric on Teacher Certification

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    Linda Darling-Hammond

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available In October, 2001, the Baltimore-based Abell Foundation issued a report purporting to prove that there is "no credible research that supports the use of teacher certification as a regulatory barrier to teaching" and urging the discontinuation of certification in Maryland. The report argued that large inequities in access to certified teachers for poor and minority students are not a problem because research linking teacher education to student achievement is flawed. In July, 2002, the U.S. Secretary of Education cited the Abell Foundation paper in his Annual Report on Teacher Quality as the sole source for concluding that teacher education does not contribute to teacher effectiveness. The Secretary's report then recommended that requirements for education coursework be eliminated from certification standards, and attendance at schools of education and student teaching be made optional. This article documents the many inaccuracies in the Abell Foundation paper and describes the actual findings of many of the studies it purports to review, as well as the findings of other studies it ignores. It details misrepresentations of a number of studies, including inaccurate statements about their methods and findings, false claims about their authors' views, and distortions of their data and conclusions. The article addresses methodological issues regarding the validity and interpretation of research. Finally, the article presents data challenging the Abell Foundation's unfounded claims that uncertified teachers are as effective as certified teachers, that teacher education makes no difference to teacher effectiveness, that verbal ability is the most important determinant of teaching effectiveness, that private schools staffed by uncertified teachers are more effective than public schools, and that untrained teachers are more qualified than prepared teachers. It concludes with a discussion of the policy issues that need to be addressed if all students are

  9. Public high school teachers opinions on school administrators supervision duty in Turkey

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    Nurhayat Celebi

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Supervision that has been conducted by public high school administrators plays a major role in the effectiveness of a school.Lack of having well defined criteria is thought to be causing some major problems in the educational environment. Subjectivity,administrative policy constraints, lack of teacher motivation and lack of job satisfaction are only a few examples of those kindsof problems. The study, which is based on the scanning model and a descriptive research, was performed on 303 teachersworking in randomly chosen high schools in the Bakırköy district of İstanbul. The data collection instrument was developed bythe researcher. The confirmatory factor analysis test was used to determine whether the scale confirm to the factor structureor not. It was noticed that the factor structure could be explained with 5 factor sub-dimensions, and accordingly, the measuringscale, which had been originally prepared in 45 items, was modified and reduced to 32 items. As a result of factor analysis, thefactors were confirmed as follows; “the leadership, supervision techniques, effective supervision, efficacy of administration andteaching quality”. All these factors are explain about 48 % for total test variance. Cronbach alpha internal consistency factorwhich has been calculated according to the reliability analysis and it’s value was ,90. Factor loadings of sub- dimensions arebetween ,41 and ,81. In accordance with the results, training programs must be applied regularly to the administrators in orderto enable them to acquire more supervision attitude and to increase the efficiency and quality levels of the schools

  10. The Impact of Collective Bargaining on Teacher Transfer Rates in Urban High-Poverty Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, F. Howard

    2006-01-01

    Data in this report reveals that collectively bargaining agreements are not the source of the teacher quality problem in urban school districts. The data shows that collective bargaining agreements are associated with reduced teacher transfer activity, especially in high-poverty schools, and less reliance on first-year teachers to staff…

  11. A STUDY OF TEACHER-PUPIL INTERACTION IN HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY CLASSES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    PARAKH, JAL SOHRAB

    A CATEGORY SYSTEM FOR SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATION OF HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY LABORATORY AND LECTURE-DISCUSSION-RECITATION CLASSES WAS DEVELOPED AND USED TO QUANTIFY, ANALYZE, AND DESCRIBE OBSERVED CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR. THE CATEGORY SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED BY OBSERVING EIGHT HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY TEACHERS ONCE EACH MONTH FOR FOUR SUCCESSIVE MONTHS. THE OBSERVER…

  12. Characteristics of Israeli School Teachers in Computer-based Learning Environments

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    Noga Magen-Nagar

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to investigate whether there are differences in the level of computer literacy, the amount of implementation of ICT in teaching and learning-assessment processes and the attitudes of teachers from computerized schools in comparison to teachers in non-computerized schools. In addition, the research investigates the characteristics of Israeli school teachers in a 21st century computer-based learning environment. A quantitative research methodology was used. The research sample included 811 elementary school teachers from the Jewish sector of whom 402 teachers were from the computerized school sample and 409 were teachers from the non-computerized school sample. The research findings show that teachers from the computerized school sample are more familiar with ICT, tend to use ICT more and have a more positive attitude towards ICT than teachers in the non-computerized school sample. The main conclusion which can be drawn from this research is that positive attitudes of teachers towards ICT are not sufficient for the integration of technology to occur. Future emphasis on new teaching skills of collective Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge is necessary to promote the implementation of optimal pedagogy in innovative environments.

  13. Emotional Experience, Expression, and Regulation of High-Quality Japanese Elementary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosotani, Rika; Imai-Matsumura, Kyoko

    2011-01-01

    The present study investigates the emotional experience, expression, and regulation processes of high-quality Japanese elementary school teachers while they interact with children, in terms of teachers' emotional competence. Qualitative analysis of interview data demonstrated that teachers had various emotional experiences including self-elicited…

  14. The Meaning(s) of Teacher Leadership in an Urban High School Reform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scribner, Samantha M. Paredes; Bradley-Levine, Jill

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the meaning of teacher leadership from teachers' perspectives. The authors examine teachers' practice of and talk about legitimate sources of power and influence in the context of an urban high school reform. Design: This is an interpretive study of teacher leadership situated in one small high…

  15. Determination of the High School Students’ Attitudes towards Their Teachers

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    Yücel Gelişli

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available In the current study, the aim is to determine the high school students’ attitudes towards their teachers depending on some variables and the relationship between their attitudes and achievements. Thus, the study was designed according to relational survey model. The population of the study, which was specified based on the purposive sampling method, was comprised of 220 ninth and twelfth graders attending a state high school in the city of Ankara. In the current study, “The Scale of Students’ Attitudes towards the Teacher (SOSATT” was used as a data collection instrument to elicit the students’ attitudes towards their teachers. The reliability co-efficient of the scale was 0.886. A positive and moderately significant correlation was found between the ninth grade students’ achievement scores and their attitude scores taken from the sub-dimensions of the scale and from the whole scale. Finally, teachers can be suggested to establish more effective communication with their students and to use methods and strategies that can enhance academic achievement.

  16. High School Astronomical Research at the Army and Navy Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyce, Pat; Boyce, Grady

    2016-06-01

    Establishment of a high school astronomy and research program is a difficult task to accomplish in an environment of state mandated high school educational curricula and the task saturation for many teachers today created by their class room and administrative requirements. This environment is most challenging for public schools. The astronomy program we will describe seems to be better suited at least at the present time for private or specialized schools. We will outline how a broad astronomy program was developed over two years at the Army and Navy Academy (ANA), a private boarding school in Carlsbad, California. Starting with no astronomy program in 2013, the Academy now has an astronomy club, a University of California a-g certified two semester high school course, and a college accredited astronomy research seminar with over 20 published high school authors.At ANA the development followed this path: finding a strong proponent at the school who can make actionable decisions; building interest and perceived value to other staff and faculty members; establishing an astronomy club to generate student interest and future student leaders; and designing the a-g certified high school course including the course length, structure and balance of teaching elements. Building on these foundations, the college level astronomy research seminar was then added to provide an avenue for inspired students to undertake actual research and publication of their work in scientific journals in their free time for college credit.Creating a sustainable program with supporting infrastructure comes next. Success with the three foundation steps builds confidence in the program with faculty and staff. Published, tangible successes highlight the value and enable advanced placement and scholarship opportunities for graduates. These successes build enthusiasm. The further keys to sustainability include addressing course credit, instructor compensation and rewards, and integration into the

  17. Profiles of classroom behavior in high schools: associations with teacher behavior management strategies and classroom composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pas, Elise T; Cash, Anne H; O'Brennan, Lindsey; Debnam, Katrina J; Bradshaw, Catherine P

    2015-04-01

    Although there has been considerable attention to the issue of classroom management and processes in educational reform models, there has been relatively limited research on these factors in high schools. The current study utilized observational data from 1262 classrooms in 52 high schools to examine teacher classroom management strategies and ratings of student compliance, engagement, and social disruption. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to examine specific patterns of classroom-wide student behavior in relation to teachers' use of classroom management strategies and classroom composition. The LPA revealed three distinct classroom behavioral profiles where students consistently met behavioral expectations (71%), inconsistently met expectations (23%), and were noncompliant (6%). Analyses indicated a functional association between patterns of student behavior and teachers' classroom management. In classrooms where students consistently met expectations, teachers provided more opportunities to respond and less disapproval and reactive behavioral management. Classrooms with noncompliant students had teachers who used the most disapproval and reactive behavior management. In addition, classrooms characterized as consistent had fewer males and more White students than classrooms characterized by inconsistent and noncompliant behaviors. These findings highlight the link between student patterns of behavior and teacher classroom management and have important implications for screening and professional development. Copyright © 2014 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Teacher-led relaxation response curriculum in an urban high school: impact on student behavioral health and classroom environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, H Kent; Scult, Matthew; Wilcher, Marilyn; Chudnofsky, Rana; Malloy, Laura; Drewel, Emily; Riklin, Eric; Saul, Southey; Fricchione, Gregory L; Benson, Herbert; Denninger, John W

    2015-01-01

    Recent data suggest that severe stress during the adolescent period is becoming a problem of epidemic proportions. Elicitation of the relaxation response (RR) has been shown to be effective in treating anxiety, reducing stress, and increasing positive health behaviors. The research team's objective was to assess the impact of an RR-based curriculum, led by teachers, on the psychological status and health management behaviors of high-school students and to determine whether a train-the-trainer model would be feasible in a high-school setting. The research team designed a pilot study. The setting was a Horace Mann charter school within Boston's public school system. Participants were teachers and students at the charter school. The team taught teachers a curriculum that included (1) relaxation strategies, such as breathing and imagery; (2) psychoeducation regarding mind-body pathways; and (3) positive psychology. Teachers implemented this curriculum with students. The research team assessed changes in student outcomes (eg, stress, anxiety, and stress management behaviors) using preintervention/postintervention surveys, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Form Y (STAI-Y), the stress management subscale of the Health-promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Locus of Control (LOC) questionnaire, and the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOTR). Classroom observations using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)-Secondary were also completed to assess changes in classroom environment. Using a Bonferroni correction (P management behaviors at that point. Using a Bonferroni correction (P management behaviors (P classroom productivity (eg, increased time spent on activities and instruction from pre- to postintervention). This study showed that teachers can lead an RR curriculum with fidelity and suggests that such a curriculum has positive benefits on student emotional and behavioral

  19. The Competence Readiness of the Electrical Engineering Vocational High School Teachers in Manado towards the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint in 2025

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    Fid Jantje Tasiam

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the competence readiness of the electrical engineering vocational high school teachers in Manado towards ASEAN Economic Community blueprint in 2025. The objective of this study is to get the competencies readiness description of the electrical engineering vocational high school teachers in Manado towards ASEAN Economic Community blueprint in 2025. Method used quantitative and qualitative approach which the statistical analysis in quantitative and the inductive analysis used in qualitative. There were 46 teachers of the electrical engineering vocational high school in Manado observed. The results have shown that the competencies readiness of the electrical engineering vocational high school teachers in Manado such as: pedagogical, professional, personality, and social were 13.04%, 19.56%, 19.56%, and 19.56% respectively. The results were still far from the focus of the ASEAN economic community blueprint in 2025, so they need to be improved through in-house training, internship programs, school partnerships, distance learning, tiered training and special training, short courses in educational institutions, internal coaching by schools, discussion of educational issues, workshops, research and community service, textbook writing, learning media making, and the creation of technology and art.

  20. How Effective are Schools According to Teachers?

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    Hasan Basri MEMDUHOĞLU

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to determine the perceptions of teachers about the effectiveness of the schools they work in based on various variables. The research was designed in the descriptive scanning model. The sample of the study is composed of 316 teachers working at Turkish high school in the Ağrı provincial center and local districts during the 2015-2016 academic years. The “Effective School Scale” developed by Abdurrezzak (2015 was used to collect data in the study. The data of the study were analyzed by descriptive statistics and parametric tests. According to the findings of the study, teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the schools they work in are at a “medium” level. While teachers’ perceptions of effective school administrators, teachers and school atmosphere sub-dimensions are at a “medium” level, their perceptions on effective school students, and parents were determined as at a “low” level. It was determined that teachers’ perceptions of school effectiveness were not significantly different according to gender, marital status, education status and duration of service variables. However, significant differences were found between the perceptions of teachers about the dimensions of effective schools according to the type of school they worked in and the branch variable.

  1. High School Teachers' Conceptions of Engineers and Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoh, Yin Kiong

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes a workshop activity the author has carried out with 80 high school science teachers to enable them to overcome their stereotypical perceptions of engineers and engineering. The activity introduced them to the biographies of prominent women in engineering, and raised their awareness of these female engineers' contributions to…

  2. Meeting the Needs of High School Science Teachers in English Language Learner Instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Seonhee; McDonnough, Jacqueline T.

    2009-08-01

    This survey study explored high school science teachers’ challenges and needs specific to their growing English language learning (ELL) student population. Thirty-three science teachers from 6 English as a Second language (ESL)-center high schools in central Virginia participated in the survey. Issues surveyed were (a) strategies used by science teachers to accommodate ELL students’ special needs, (b) challenges they experienced, and (c) support and training necessary for effective ELL instruction. Results suggest that language barriers as well as ELL students’ lack of science foundational knowledge challenged teachers most. Teachers perceived that appropriate instructional materials and pedagogical training was most needed. The findings have implications for science teacher preservice and inservice education in regard to working with language minority students.

  3. Diploma in Seismology for High-School Teachers in Mexico Through an Open-Source Learning Plataform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez-Campos, X.; Bello, D.; Dominguez, J.; Pérez, J.; Cruz, J. L.; Navarro Estrada, F.; Mendoza Carvajal, A. D. J.

    2017-12-01

    The high school Physics programs in Mexico do not consider the immediate application of the concepts learned by the students. According to some pedagogical theories many of the acquired knowledge are assimilated when experimenting, expressing, interacting and developing projects. It is in high school when young people are exploring and looking for experiences to decide the area in which they want to focus their studies. The areas of science and engineering are chosen, mainly motivated by technology and outer space. There is little interest in Earth science, reflected by the number of students in those areas. This may be due mainly to the lack of exposure and examples at the high school level. With this in mind, we are working on a project that seeks, through the preparation of teachers of this level, to bring their students to seismology and awaken in them their curiosity in issues related to it. Based on the above, and taking as examples the successful programs "Seismographs in Schools" from IRIS and "Geoscience Information For Teachers" from EGU, the Mexican National Seismological Service has launched a project that contemplates three stages. The first one consists of the design and delivery of a diploma addressed to high school teachers. The second contemplates the installation of short-period seismographs in each of the participating faculty facilities. Finally, the third one involves the active participation of teachers and their students in research projects based on the data collected in the instruments installed in their schools. This work presents the first phase. The diploma has been designed to offer teachers, in 170 hours, an introduction to topics related to seismology and to provide them with tools and examples that they can share with their students in their classroom. It is offered both online through Moodle, an open-source learning plataform, and in 12 classroom sessions. The first class started on June 2017 and will finish on November 2017. We

  4. High School Students' Perceptions of and Attitudes towards Teacher Power in the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koutrouba, Konstantina; Baxevanou, Eleni; Koutroumpas, Athanasios

    2012-01-01

    The present study examines Greek High School students' perceptions of and attitudes towards their teachers' power, from findings produced during a questionnaire-based study conducted in the period 2010-2011, with the participation of 1076 students attending 68 schools across Greece. Greek students provided information on how their teachers exert…

  5. Teaching schools as teacher education laboratories

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    Sarah Gravett

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study emanated from the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa. This Framework proposes that teaching schools should be established in the country to improve the teaching practicum component of pre-service teacher education. A generic qualitative study was undertaken to explore the affordances of a teaching school to enable student teacher learning for the teaching profession. The overarching finding of the study is that a teaching school holds numerous affordances for enabling meaningful student teacher learning for the teaching profession. However, the full affordances of a teaching school will not be realised if a teaching school is viewed merely as a practicum site. Foregrounding a laboratory view of practice work in a teaching school could enable true research-oriented teacher education. A teaching school as a teacher education laboratory would imply a deliberate inclusion of cognitive apprenticeship and an inquiry orientation to learning in the schoo

  6. Difficulties to implement interdisciplinary practices in state schools, appointed by Science teachers

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    Thaís Gimenez da Silva Augusto

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Teachers who try to introduce interdisciplinarys practices at São Paulo public schools, still find many difficulties. On present research, teachers from area of Sciences from Nature, participants by formation in service indicated which the difficulties for introduce of that practices into the High School. The analysis from the answers of this teachers shows that the main difficulties are: there is not time enough to be together with others teachers, research and dedicate the reading; the lack of knowledge in relation to contents of another disciplines; the difficulties of relationship with the school administration and absence of pedagogical coordination among the teachers´actions, beyond of the disinterest and undisciplined from the students.

  7. Effectiveness of health education teachers and school nurses teaching sexually transmitted infections/human immunodeficiency virus prevention knowledge and skills in high school.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borawski, Elaine A; Tufts, Kimberly Adams; Trapl, Erika S; Hayman, Laura L; Yoder, Laura D; Lovegreen, Loren D

    2015-03-01

    We examined the differential impact of a well-established human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted infections (STIs) curriculum, Be Proud! Be Responsible!, when taught by school nurses and health education classroom teachers within a high school curricula. Group-randomized intervention study of 1357 ninth and tenth grade students in 10 schools. Twenty-seven facilitators (6 nurses, 21 teachers) provided programming; nurse-led classrooms were randomly assigned. Students taught by teachers were more likely to report their instructor to be prepared, comfortable with the material, and challenged them to think about their health than students taught by a school nurse. Both groups reported significant improvements in HIV/STI/condom knowledge immediately following the intervention, compared to controls. Yet, those taught by school nurses reported significant and sustained changes (up to 12 months after intervention) in attitudes, beliefs, and efficacy, whereas those taught by health education teachers reported far fewer changes, with sustained improvement in condom knowledge only. Both classroom teachers and school nurses are effective in conveying reproductive health information to high school students; however, teaching the technical (eg, condom use) and interpersonal (eg, negotiation) skills needed to reduce high-risk sexual behavior may require a unique set of skills and experiences that health education teachers may not typically have. © 2015, American School Health Association.

  8. Ready to Lead, but How? Teachers' Experiences in High-Poverty Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Susan Moore; Reinhorn, Stefanie K.; Charner-Laird, Megin; Kraft, Matthew A.; Ng, Monica; Papay, John P.

    2014-01-01

    Background/Context: Many strategies to improve failing urban schools rest on efforts to improve leadership within the school. Effective school-based leadership depends not only on the activities of the principal, but also on teachers' efforts to address school-wide challenges. Research has shown that the principal is pivotal in such ventures,…

  9. Antecedents of Teachers' Educational Beliefs about Mathematics and Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching among In-Service Teachers in High Poverty Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corkin, Danya M.; Ekmekci, Adem; Papakonstantinou, Anne

    2015-01-01

    This paper examines the antecedents of three types of educational beliefs about mathematics among 151 teachers predominantly working in high poverty schools. Studies across various countries have found that teachers in high poverty schools are less likely to enact instructional approaches that align with mathematics reform standards set by…

  10. High School Teachers' Perspectives on the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards: An Exploratory Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ajayi, Lasisi

    2016-01-01

    This was an exploratory study that examined high school teachers' perspectives about their early experiences with the English language arts Common Core State Standards. The sources of data for the study included a survey and structured interviews. Twenty-three high school ELA teachers from one unified school district in Southern California…

  11. Arabic Language Teachers' Engagement with Published Educational Research in Kuwait's Secondary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alhumidi, Hamed A.; Uba, Sani Yantandu

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates Arabic language teachers' engagement with published educational research in Kuwait's secondary schools. The study employs 170 participants across six educational regions in the country by using a quota sampling strategy. It used a questionnaire in eliciting their engagement with published educational research. The data were…

  12. A museum-based urban teacher residency program's approach to strengthening the STEM pipeline: Channeling highly qualified Earth Science teachers into high needs schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ustunisik, G. K.; Zirakparvar, N. A.

    2015-12-01

    Channeling better prepared Earth Science teachers into secondary schools with low achievement rates in STEM subjects is essential to ensuring that the students attending these schools are ultimately afforded the opportunity to take advantage of projected growth in the global geoscience workforce. Here, a museum-based urban teacher residency (UTR) program's approach to building subject specific content knowledge and research experience in Earth Science teacher candidates is described. In the museum-based program, graduate-level science courses and research experiences are designed and implemented specifically for the UTR by active Earth and Space research scientists that account for almost half of the program's faculty. Because these courses and research experiences are designed specifically for the teacher candidates, they are different than many science courses and research experiences available to pre-service teachers in a university setting. At the same time, the museum-based program is the only UTR to incorporate such a rigorous science curriculum, and some possible advantages and disadvantages of the program's approach are also considered here. While the impact of the program's approach on student achievement rates has yet to be evaluated, there is promise in the well documented links between a teacher's own experience with the practice of science and that teacher's ability to leverage effective pedagogical content knowledge in the teaching of science. Because the museum-based program's science curriculum is balanced against the educational coursework and teaching residencies that necessarily form the program's backbone, the museum's approach to strengthening the teacher candidate's science background may also inform the faculty and administration of other UTRs in cases where one of their program goals is to further expand their teacher candidate's content knowledge and practical subject matter experience.

  13. HIV prevention through drugs and sex education in junior high schools in Bandung West Java: the teachers' perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinduan, Zahrotur R; Riyanti, Eka; Tasya, Irma A; Pohan, Mawar N; Sumintardja, Elmira N; Astuti, Sri R; Jabar, Bambang A; Pinxten, Lucas Wj; Hospers, Harm J

    2009-07-01

    to explore the teacher perspective on needs (in terms of knowledge, skills and curriculum content), attitudes, beliefs and self-efficacy related to teaching and implementation of a reproductive health (RH)/drug education (DE) program at their own junior high school. one hundred and thirty-three teachers participated in a survey, from February to April 2009, measuring: socio demographic, behavioral intention, perceived behavior control, content knowledge, school climate, reproductive health knowledge and school drug education. all teachers had a high intention to teach RH and DE, especially the younger RH teachers had a high intention to teach about teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. DE teachers had a high intention facts/effects of drugs, first-time drug use dealing with peer pressure. Perceived beliefs of teachers, parents, school management and perceived self-efficacy were strong predictors for the intention of RH teaching and DE. the high intention of the RH and DE teacher offers a great opportunity to build and implement a DE and RH curriculum in junior high school. Before a curriculum is developed and implemented there is a need to assess and strengthen the teacher's skills and effectiveness in teaching RH and DE.

  14. Competence and competency of high school teacher as the components of his innovative development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. K. Yarmola

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Priority direction of state policy concerning the development of higher education inUkraineis to prepare qualified and competitive staff in the labor market. The high level of competence and scientific competence along with pedagogical craftsmanship and psychological culture of teachers is condition for improving the efficiency of the educational process in higher education. Aim of research was theoretical justification importance of competence and competency of high school teacher for the establishment his innovation potential. In the article the analysis of interpretation of the terms competence and competency in various scientific sources and scientific works of individual authors were presented. Moreover important are ability to creativity, solving of problem’s tasks, ingenuity, flexibility and criticality mind, intuition, originality and self-confidence; ability to formulate and solve non-standard tasks; ability to analyse, synthesis and combination, to share experiences, predictions, etc.. Emotionally-shaped quality represented by the following components as spirituality, the emotional upsurge in creative situations; associativity, imagination, sense of novelty, sensitivity to contradictions, empathy; insight, ability to see the familiar in an unfamiliar; overcome the stereotypes; risk appetite, desire for freedom. The general regularities of formation of research competence have been detected. In particular, the formation carried out through the development of competencies invariant character and increasing of specialized skills. It is proved that scientific and research competence is determined primarily by the system of teacher's professional education and self-education. The most important objective characteristics that reflect the competence of teachers in the field R & D is the total number of publications, number of scientific articles, monographs, and also won grants, competitions, etc. Moreover the level of competence in the

  15. Lesson plan profile of senior high school biology teachers in Subang

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohayati, E.; Diana, S. W.; Priyandoko, D.

    2018-05-01

    Lesson plan have important role for biology teachers in teaching and learning process. The aim of this study was intended to gain an overview of lesson plan of biology teachers’ at Senior High Schools in Subang which were the members of biology teachers association in Subang. The research method was descriptive method. Data was collected from 30 biology teachers. The result of study showed that lesson plan profile in terms of subject’s identity had good category with 83.33 % of average score. Analysis on basic competence in fair category with 74.45 % of average score. The compatibility of method/strategy was in fair category with average score 72.22 %. The compatibility of instrument, media, and learning resources in fair category with 71.11 % of average score. Learning scenario was in good category with 77.00 % of average score. The compatibility of evaluation was in low category with 56.39 % of average score. It can be concluded that biology teachers in Subang were good enough in making lesson plan, however in terms of the compatibility of evaluation needed to be fixed. Furthermore, teachers’ training for biology teachers’ association was recommended to increasing teachers’ skill to be professional teachers.

  16. Peer-led versus teacher-led AIDS education for female high-school students in Yazd, Islamic Republic of Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baghianimoghadam, M H; Forghani, H; Zolghadr, R; Rahaei, Z; Khani, P

    2012-04-01

    Peer-led programmes on AIDS prevention have shown a good level of effectiveness when tested among high-risk populations. This study compared peer-led and teacher-led methods of education about HIV/AIDS among female high-school students in Yazd city, Islamic Republic of Iran. In 2009 students in 3 high schools were trained by their classmates (peer-led), by the research team (teacher-led) or had no education (controls); 180 students completed a specially designed questionnaire based on the health belief model, before and after the intervention. Post-intervention mean knowledge scores increased 2-fold in the peer-led group, and this was significantly higher than the increase in the teacher-led group scores (1.5-fold). Control group scores were unchanged. In the peer-led programme all of the components of the model were significantly improved whereas in the teacher-led programme, only perceived severity and perceived barriers scored significantly higher after the intervention.

  17. Teachers' Views about Educational Research: A Qualitative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bas, Gökhan; Kivilcim, Zafer Savas

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this case study is to examine the views of teachers' about educational research. The present research is designed as a qualitative case study. The group of this study is consisted of teachers (n = 27), working in primary, middle, and high schools in the province of Nigde in Turkey. An extensive literature review was made on…

  18. Three Southern high school biology teachers' perspectives on teaching evolution: Sociocultural influences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyzer, Peggy Mckewen

    Organizations in science and science education call for students to have a thorough understanding of the theory of evolution. Yet many high school biology teachers do not teach evolution and/or include creationism in their instruction (National Academy of Science, 1998). Historically, the controversy surrounding evolution has created tension for teachers. This case study explored the sociocultural influences related to teaching evolution in three Southern 10th-grade public high school biology classrooms. It also explored the socially and culturally embedded influences on teachers' instructional goals and personal perspectives toward evolution as well as modification of instruction when evolution is taught. Theoretically framed using symbolic interactionism and sociocultural theory, data were collected between October 2003 and April 2004 and included classroom observations two to three times per week, artifacts, and in-depth interviews of the participating teachers, their science department chairpersons, their students, and a Protestant minister. The classroom teachers were unaware of the focus of the study until after evolution was taught. The analysis used in this study was an inductive, interpretative approach that allowed exploration of the sociocultural influences that affect how teachers teach evolution. The sociocultural influences and the lived experiences of each teacher created a continuum for teaching evolution. One of the participating teachers who was heavily involved in the community and one of its fundamentalist churches elected to avoid teaching evolution. Another participating teacher at the same school integrated the theory of evolution in every unit. The third teacher who taught in another school elected to teach evolution in a superficial manner to avoid conflict. The data revealed that the participating teachers' sociocultural situatedness influenced their decisions and instruction on evolution. The influence of strong religious beliefs within

  19. School Culture's Influence on Beginning Agriculture Teachers' Job Satisfaction and Teacher Self-Efficacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasselquist, Laura; Herndon, Kevin; Kitchel, Tracy

    2017-01-01

    This study explored first and second year agriculture teachers' job satisfaction and teacher selfefficacy through their perceived levels of school culture support. Prior research indicated one possible contributor to poor teacher retention is a lack of belonging teachers feel to their schools. Data were collected from beginning teachers in three…

  20. High School Students' Reasons for Their Science Dispositions: Community-Based Innovative Technology-Embedded Environmental Research Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebenezer, Jazlin; Kaya, Osman Nafiz; Kasab, Dimma

    2018-05-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to qualitatively describe high school students' reasons for their science dispositions (attitude, perception, and self-confidence) based on their long-term experience with innovative technology-embedded environmental research projects. Students in small groups conducted research projects in and out of school with the help of their teachers and community experts (scientists and engineers). During the 3-year period of this nationally funded project, a total of 135 students from five schools in a mid-west State participated in research activities. Of the 135 students, 53 students were individually interviewed to explore reasons for their science dispositions. Students' reasons for each disposition were grouped into categories, and corresponding frequency was converted to a percentage. The categories of reasons were not only attributed to the use of innovative technologies in environmental research but also the contexts and events that surrounded it. The reasons that influenced students' science dispositions positively were because engaging in environmental research projects with technology contributed to easing fear and difficulty, building a research team, disseminating findings, communicating with the community, researching with scientists, training by teachers, and acknowledging teachers' knowledge. These results advanced how and why students develop science dispositions in the positive direction, which are as follows: building science teacher capacity, developing a community of inquirers, and committing to improve pedagogical practices.

  1. Reforming a middle school for educational equity : implications for teacher interaction

    OpenAIRE

    Edwards, Barbara

    2007-01-01

    A growing body of research concludes that teacher knowledge is critical for high levels of student achievement. One mechanism for improving teacher knowledge is the development of "professional communities" of teachers at a school site. Indeed, many policy-makers and educators have placed considerable faith in these communities without a detailed understanding of the efficacy or dynamics of teacher interaction in the workplace. This research study examined teacher professional interactions at...

  2. Studying Teachers and Schools: Michael Pressley's Legacy and Directions for Future Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohan, Lindsey; Lundeberg, Mary A.; Reffitt, Kelly

    2008-01-01

    Much of Michael Pressley's work during the past decade focused on the nature of highly effective, engaging literacy instruction. Michael Pressley believed that studying effective teachers and schools had the potential to influence more engaging and effective teaching, especially in underresourced schools. First, we describe the grounded…

  3. Bringing Earth Magnetism Research into the High School Physics Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smirnov, A. V.; Bluth, G.; Engel, E.; Kurpier, K.; Foucher, M. S.; Anderson, K. L.

    2015-12-01

    We present our work in progress from an NSF CAREER project that aims to integrate paleomagnetic research and secondary school physics education. The research project is aimed at quantifying the strength and geometry of the Precambrian geomagnetic field. Investigation of the geomagnetic field behavior is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of field generation, and the development of the Earth's atmosphere and biosphere, and can serve as a focus for connecting high-level Earth science research with a standard physics curriculum. High school science teachers have participated in each summer field and research component of the project, gaining field and laboratory research experience, sets of rock and mineral samples, and classroom-tested laboratory magnetism activities for secondary school physics and earth science courses. We report on three field seasons of teacher field experiences and two years of classroom testing of paleomagnetic research materials merged into physics instruction on magnetism. Students were surveyed before and after dedicated instruction for both perceptions and attitude towards earth science in general, then more specifically on earth history and earth magnetism. Students were also surveyed before and after instruction on major earth system and magnetic concepts and processes, particularly as they relate to paleomagnetic research. Most students surveyed had a strongly positive viewpoint towards the study of Earth history and the importance of studying Earth Sciences in general, but were significantly less drawn towards more specific topics such as mineralogy and magnetism. Students demonstrated understanding of Earth model and the basics of magnetism, as well as the general timing of life, atmospheric development, and magnetic field development. However, detailed knowledge such as the magnetic dynamo, how the magnetic field has changed over time, and connections between earth magnetism and the development of an atmosphere remained largely

  4. Results of a Master's degree program for high-school teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cocke, W. J.

    1993-05-01

    Starting in the summer of 1990, the Astronomy Department at the University of Arizona began a 3-year summer program for upgrading the skills of high-school and middle-school science teachers. The program granted Master's degrees in Astronomy to the 33 teachers that completed the program this past summer. The teachers received tuition waivers and stipends to cover living expenses. The funding came mostly from the National Science Foundation, but the University of Arizona cost-shared at the 15% level. About half of the teachers were from Arizona, and the rest came from out-of-state. Although minorities were encouraged to apply, we had few minority applicants, and there were no Afro-Americans and only one Hispanic in the program. The content of the courses was heavily slanted towards mathematics and the physical sciences. The math level went up to vector calculus and linear partial differential equations, and there was a heavy emphasis on physics and astrophysics. Astronomy turned out to be a good umbrella under which to strengthen the teachers' knowledge of the physical sciences. One of the weak points in the program was the pace at which we introduced new material to the teachers. The summer sessions were short and very intense, and the teachers often found themselves with insufficient time to digest the information. This was offset to some degree by the high rate of cooperative learning that the teachers exhibited. The program seems to have been a great success, and the teachers report that their higher level of understanding is very useful to them in the classroom, and the astronomy content provided an excellent source of new demonstrations and projects. We present the results of a final survey, in which we ask the teachers to summarize their thoughts about the program and its effectiveness.

  5. Comparative Study of Mental Health of High School Teachers and Educational Counselors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mansour Shakiba

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Teachers have an important effect on mental health and development of students. Teaching and counseling may be stressful jobs. The objective of this study was to compare psychological status of high school teachers and educational counselors measured by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI.Materials and Method: In a cross-sectional study 60 teachers (20 male and 40 female and 60 educational counselors (20 male and 40 female from high schools of Zahedan city were recruited randomly and asked to complete Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (Iranian short form of MMPI. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t test.Results: The results showed significant differences between teachers and educational counselors in 6 clinical scales of MMPI so that the teachers had higher scores than educational counselors in D (depression, Pd (psychopathy, Pa (paranoid, Pt (Psychastenia, Sc (schizophrenia and Ma (hypomania scales of MMPI. Mean scores of Male counselors in hysteria and psychopathy were higher than female's scores and also female teachers had higher mean scores in hypochondria, hysteria, paranoid, psychastenia and schizophrenia than male teachers.Conclusion: Although the profiles of both teachers and educational counselors were normal but teachers had higher mean scores than counselors, thus, efforts need to be made to explore possible factors associated to those differences

  6. Leadership styles in secondary school science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawson, Michael A.

    A comparison of United States secondary school science teachers who mentor high quality student research and teachers who do not mentor research was conducted using a demographic survey and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-Form 5X. The major demographic difference between the two groups was a significantly greater number of years of teaching experience in the research group, a factor that correlated significantly with Extra Effort in students. Research group teachers self-reported higher mean scores than non-research group teachers on the five transformational leadership scales plus the transactional scale of Contingent Reward; however, a Multivariate Analysis of Variance found no significant difference between the groups. Independent t-tests found no significant difference between the groups based upon the remaining transactional scales. The research group was found to be significantly higher on the outcome variable of Extra Effort generated by students while the non-research group rated themselves significantly higher on Satisfaction of students. Transformational leadership in teachers should be addressed by future studies as a possible method of identifying motivational teachers.

  7. Attitude of teachers towards musically gifted students in grammar schools and vocational high-schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milošević Ivana

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Besides parents and schools, the teachers as well have a major role in identification of gifted students, in their acquisition of basic knowledge, improving skills, improving self-esteem and capability of solving various tasks. Attitude of teachers towards gifted students is based on the role which is imposed on the teacher and his ability to take advantage of his role maximally. The success in implementing this role is directly related to the personal traits of a teacher. They should be different from the routine teachers and have personal qualities. They are extremely capable, distinguished by open-mindness, flexibility and high self-respect, being involved in personal and professional development. They are enthusiastic (highly motivated and devoted to their professional call, having a talent for establishing social relations with children (patience, sensitivity, sense of humour and good communication skills.

  8. [Professional burnout among university and high school teachers--comparative study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swietochowski, Waldemar

    2011-01-01

    Professional burnout is a set of negative emotional and behavioral symptoms, observed in workers of widely understood human service occupations, including teachers. In spite of the considerable number of studies of burnout in teachers, a few of them concern university teachers. The aim of the article was to estimate the degree of burning threat in this professional group and to analyze individual determinants and dynamics of burning out in academic teachers. Gender, age, personality traits and temperament traits were given the status of main factors in the study. The role of the perceived social support was also analyzed. 97 academic workers of three state universities (University, Medical University and Technical University) in Łódź took part in the study; 100 teachers of high schools formed a comparative group. MBI General Survey was applied to measure dependent variables (burnout and its three components: Emotional Exhaustion, Cinicism and Professional Efficacy). The level of factors was measured with standard psychological tests: NEO-FFI and FCZ-KT. The Scale of Perceived Social Support was also applied. The results show considerably lower threat of the burning out syndrome in university than in high school teachers. Among individual factors only two temperament traits (emotional reactivity and perseveration) and one personality trait (extroversion) seem to be important determinants of professional burnout. The perceived social support does not prevent the progress of burnout syndrome. Based on the obtained results several practical conclusions were formulated. They refer mainly to preventive training for beginners in teaching and changes in the organization of academic teachers' work.

  9. The effect of leadership, organizational culture, and competency on teachers' performance in Ibu Kartini vocational high school Semarang

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toha, Mohamad; Katoningsih, Sri

    2018-03-01

    The low performance of teachers in organization is influenced many factors. Organizational culture could be the key of organization success; hence many researches were done to identify the value and the attitude norm that gave big contribution for organization success. Competency is a part of employee they perform during work as kind of behavior. Competency depends on the aspects process of teachers' performance. The purpose of this research is to know the effect of leadership, organizational culture and competency on teachers' performance. The objects of this research are leadership, organizational culture, competency and teachers' performance in Ibu Kartini vocational high school. This research is quantitative. To collect the data, questionnaire was used. Then, the data were analyzed by using Path analysis in SPPS 16. The result of this research showed that leadership, organizational culture, competency and performance run well and had significant effect on teachers' performance.

  10. Understanding a High School Physics Teacher's Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Argumentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jianlan; Buck, Gayle A.

    2016-08-01

    Scientific argumentation is an important learning objective in science education. It is also an effective instructional approach to constructivist science learning. The implementation of argumentation in school settings requires science teachers, who are pivotal agents of transforming classroom practices, to develop sophisticated knowledge of argumentation. However, there is a lack of understanding about science teachers' knowledge of argumentation, especially the dialogic meaning of argumentation. In this case study, we closely examine a high school physics teacher's argumentation-related pedagogic content knowledge (PCK) in the context of dialogic argumentation. We synthesize the teacher's performed PCK from his argumentation practices and narrated PCK from his reflection on the argumentation practices, from which we summarize his PCK of argumentation from the perspectives of orientation, instructional strategies, students, curriculum, and assessment. Finally, we describe the teacher's perception and adaption of argumentation in his class. We also identity the barriers to argumentation implementation in this particular case and suggest solutions to overcome these barriers.

  11. Knowledge and Attitude of Secondary School Teachers towards ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Knowledge and Attitude of Secondary School Teachers towards Reproductive Health Education in Schools. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... A study was carried out among secondary school teachers in Ilorin, Kwara ...

  12. Parent-Teacher Partnership and High School Students' Development in Mainland China: The Mediating Role of Teacher-Student Relationship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Linyuan; Zhou, Nan; Nie, Ruihong; Jin, Peipei; Yang, Mengxi; Fang, Xiaoyi

    2018-01-01

    Parent-teacher partnership is associated closely with adolescents' development. However, little is known about the association between parent-teacher partnership and Chinese high school students' development. Therefore, this study examines whether and how parent-teacher partnership (objective contacts and subjective relationship quality) relates…

  13. Teacher Support, Instructional Practices, Student Motivation, and Mathematics Achievement in High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Rongrong; Singh, Kusum

    2018-01-01

    The authors examined the relationships among teacher classroom practices, student motivation, and mathematics achievement in high school. The data for this study was drawn from the base-year data of High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. Structural equation modeling method was used to estimate the relationships among variables. The results…

  14. In-Service Teacher Training to Provide Psychosocial Support and Care in High-Risk and High-Need Schools: School-Based Intervention Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebersöhn, Liesel; Loots, Tilda; Eloff, Irma; Ferreira, Ronél

    2015-01-01

    This article uses a South African case study to argue that postcolonial, emerging economy societies in transition often contain schools characterised as high risk and high need. Such schools require teachers to adapt to roles other than facilitating learning, such as psychosocial support and care, and which requires additional professional…

  15. Teacher Methods in Teaching Arabic: A Case Study of One Senior High School in Jambi City

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamad Muspawi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This research was conducted in one state senior high school in Jambi city aiming to get the whole picture about the methods of teachers in teaching Arabic vocabulary. We used a qualitative study with a case study approach. The participants of this research were teachers who taught Arabic vocabulary. The data were collected through interviews, documentation, and observation. The results showed that the methods used by the teachers in teaching Arabic vocabulary were mostly lecturing and demonstration. The obstacles faced by the teachers in Arabic vocabulary teaching were covered in several points namely, limited time allocation, teacher education background, infrastructure and lack of student interest in religious learning and expanding Arabic knowledge. We also presented the efforts by teachers to overcome the obstacles such as to motivate the students by telling them the importance of Arabic in international community as one of international students, to give practice tasks implementation, to sustainable evaluation and task.

  16. The Contribution of Extracurricular Coaching on High School Teachers' Job Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocchi, Meredith; Camiré, Martin

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to explore the contribution of extracurricular coaching on high school teachers' job satisfaction. Specifically, the study looked at how perceptions of the coaching environment (athlete relationships, colleague relationships and opportunities through coaching) influenced teachers' perceptions of stressors…

  17. SCHOOL VIOLENCE: THE PRACTICE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEAVING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luz María Esperanza Alegría-Rivas

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article, result of research from ethnography for peace, we reflect on the manifestations of violence in the educational practices in School Education in the State of Mexico which may be determining the school leaving. The purpose of this research is based on the idea that teachers can give a full sense of their teaching practices, opening spaces where teachers analyze whether there are demonstrations of violence in their teaching practice, and amend them to practice peace, which could positively influence learning processes of students with low valuations and thus reduce dropouts. Methodologically starts from ethnography to peace around context and manifestations of violence that occur in the classroom between teacher-student.

  18. Reducing teacher stress and burnout in high-risk secondary schools in South Africa using transactional analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharon Mary Johnson

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available One of a number of articles arising from PhD research, this paper focuses on the results of applying transactional analysis as one of three approaches to reducing stress and burnout for teachers in high-risk secondary schools in the gangland areas of the Cape Flats, Western Cape, South Africa. The other approaches were Trauma Release Exercises (TRE and Transpersonal Psychology (TP, and related articles on these and on the quantitative statistical analysis elements of this research are being disseminated elsewhere. A total of 43 teachers in three different schools took part in one intervention held weekly over 10 weeks for one and a half hours (15 hours in total at their school as part of staff development, with a control group of 20 teachers at a fourth school. Qualitative TA intervention questionnaire coding analysis and focus group post-intervention thematic analysis of the mixed-methods study are presented. Coding analysis focused on the intra- and inter-individual tools that impacted teachers, and it was found that TA generated self-awareness, self-help tools and a strong group connection. Thematic analysis gave insights into the physical, emotional and cognitive responses to stress and burnout interventions on the individual, interpersonal and organisational levels and revealed new perspectives on classroom competency, with teachers taking more responsibility for discipline in the classroom. The study gave insights into the well-being and coping of educators who survive in these challenging contexts, and it is proposed that TRE, TP and TA approaches can be incorporated, and possibly combined, into integrative and eclectic ways of dealing with complex psychological challenges of stress and burnout reduction in traumatic environments.

  19. Job Satisfaction among Secondary Teachers in Korea: Effects of Teachers' Sense of Efficacy and School Culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    You, Sukkyung; Kim, Ann Y.; Lim, Sun Ah

    2017-01-01

    This study applied multilevel modeling to examine how individual characteristics, such as gender and teaching experience, and contextual characteristics, such as principal leadership and perceived colleague support, influenced Korean secondary school teachers' sense of job satisfaction. Previous research identified teachers with high job…

  20. The Relationships between Teachers' Perceptions of Principal Leadership and Teachers' Perceptions of School Climate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pulleyn, Janet L.

    2012-01-01

    This research considered relationships among teachers' perceptions of principal leadership and teachers' perceptions of school climate by using the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) survey and the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire (Revised) for Middle Schools (OCDQ-RM) survey. Teachers from six middle schools in the same district…

  1. Program Development for Primary School Teachers' Critical Thinking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boonjeam, Waraporn; Tesaputa, Kowat; Sri-ampai, Anan

    2017-01-01

    The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the elements and indicators of primary school teachers' critical thinking, 2) to study current situation, desirable situation, development technique, and need for developing the primary school teachers' critical thinking, 3) to develop the program for developing the primary school teachers'…

  2. Exposure to Mobbing: Perceptions of Primary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çeliköz, Mine; Çeliköz, Nadir

    2017-01-01

    The general purpose of the present research is to examine teachers' perceptions of being exposed to Mobbing. The population of the research, in which the screening model is used, consists of teachers working in private and public elementary schools during the 2015-2016 school year. The study group is formed with 305 teachers who were voluntarily…

  3. An examination of the perceived teaching competencies of novice alternatively licensed and traditionally licensed high school science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shea, Kathleen A.

    In most states, there are two routes to teacher licensure; traditional and alternative. The alternative route provides an accelerated entry into the classroom, often without the individual engaging in education coursework or a practicum. No matter the route, teaching skills continue to be learned by novice teachers while in the classroom with the guidance of a school-based mentor. In this study, the perceptions of mentor teachers of traditionally and alternatively licensed high school science teachers were compared with respect to mentees' science teaching competency. Further, the study explored the novice teachers' self-perception of their teaching competency. A survey, consisting of 56 Likert-type questions, was completed by mentors (N = 79) and novice high school science teachers (N = 83) in six northeastern states. The results revealed a statistically significant difference in the perceptions of the mentors of traditionally and alternatively licensed novice high school science teachers in the areas of general pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and professional growth, with more favorable perceptions recorded by mentors of traditionally licensed science teachers. There were no differences in the perceptions of the mentors with respect to novice high school teachers' content knowledge. There was no statistical difference in the self-perceptions of competency of the novice teachers. While alternative routes to licensure in science may be a necessity, the results of this study indicate that the lack of professional preparation may need to be addressed at the school level through the agency of the mentor. This study indicates that mentors must be prepared to provide alternatively licensed novice teachers with different assistance to that given to traditionally licensed novice teachers. School districts are urged to develop mentoring programs designed to develop the teaching competency of all novice teachers regardless of the route that led them

  4. Problem Solving Strategies among Primary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yew, Wun Thiam; Lian, Lim Hooi; Meng, Chew Cheng

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this article was to examine problem solving strategies among primary school teachers. The researchers employed survey research design to examine their problem solving strategies. The participants of this study consisted of 120 primary school teachers from a public university in Peninsula Malaysia who enrolled in a 4-year Graduating…

  5. Teacher Quality and School Improvement: What Is the Role of Research?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mincu, Monica Elena

    2015-01-01

    In a rapidly changing world, students' success depends upon the schools' capacity to deal with their specific instructional needs. Thus, effective teaching plays the role of a unique protective factor that may reduce and even close the achievement gap. Two broad questions structure this study: What is the research contribution to teacher quality…

  6. SOURCES OF PROFESSIONALISM, A STUDY OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    COLOMBOTOS, JOHN L.

    AN INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED OF THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AS CONTRASTED WITH THEIR PEERS IN A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION. THE EFFECT OF THIS DISTINCTIVENESS ON THE PERSONAL NATURE OF TENSIONS AND CONFLICTS ASSOCIATED WITH JOB PERFORMANCE, CAREER GOALS, AND CAREER PATTERNS WAS ALSO STUDIED. ITS GENERAL OBJECTIVE WAS TO…

  7. Physics Teachers Programme or how to bring modern physics to school

    CERN Multimedia

    2002-01-01

    A new programme for teachers took place last weekend at CERN. Fifty high school teachers sacrificed their weekend and plunged into CERN physics to find new inspirations for exciting physics lessons.   The fifty participants in the Physics Teachers programme in the Microcosm garden. High school students are often convinced that physics is a boring and useless subject, and physics teachers have a hard time presenting interesting lessons. To help them, CERN has inaugurated the Physics Teachers Programme, whose goal is to present CERN and its activities, so that teachers can get an idea of what kind of physics research is going on at the frontier of science. 'Our philosophy is to show them today what they will read in textbooks of the future', says Antonella Del Rosso, responsible for this course, 'so that they can inspire their pupils'. This programme can be considered the younger brother of the High School Teachers Programme, since it has a similar aim, but instead of being three-weeks long, it las...

  8. Teacher Use of Brain-Based Research, Response to Intervention, and Teacher Efficacy in Elementary Schools with High and Low Individual Education Plan Growth for English Language Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, Nicole

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the possible causes that might contribute to the disproportionate percentage of English language learners ELLs with special education individual education plans (IEPs). Elementary school classroom teachers from school districts that exhibited high growth in the percentage of ELLs with IEPs during 2007-2010…

  9. Theorizing Teachers' Perspectives on an EFL Textbook for Public High Schools of Iran: A Grounded Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namaghi, Seyyed Ali Ostovar; Moghaddam, Mohammad Reza Saboor; Tajzad, Maryam

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to explore language teachers' perspectives on Iranian third grade senior high school EFL textbook, which is prescribed by the Ministry of Education. In data collection and analysis, the researchers used theoretical sampling and the coding schemes presented in grounded theory. Final analysis yielded "Negative…

  10. Computer Processing 10-20-30. Teacher's Manual. Senior High School Teacher Resource Manual.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Mel; Lautt, Ray

    Designed to help teachers meet the program objectives for the computer processing curriculum for senior high schools in the province of Alberta, Canada, this resource manual includes the following sections: (1) program objectives; (2) a flowchart of curriculum modules; (3) suggestions for short- and long-range planning; (4) sample lesson plans;…

  11. Head Teachers and Teachers as Pioneers in Facilitating Dyslexic Children in Primary Mainstream Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fahima Salman Jaka

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This study explores the perceptions of school heads and teachers in facilitating young dyslexic children in primary mainstream schools of Pakistan. Through purposive sampling, the researcher selected eight participants: Four primary school heads and four primary teachers from elite schools of Karachi. The research instrument selected for this study was in-depth interviews to get a deeper insight of school heads and teachers perceptions regarding the facilitation of dyslexic children. The findings revealed that children with dyslexia face many emotional and academic problems and only a few elite schools provide policy to facilitate them in mainstream education. Findings showed that some schools hired remedial teaching services or special education services and the school heads and primary teachers put in immense effort in preparing intervention plans and evaluation plans to suit individual and young dyslexic children needs. It was also suggested that positivity of the learning environment depends upon the teachers. The findings further disclosed that unlike the more developed nations, apart from a few elite schools in Pakistan, there is no importance paid to professional training related to dyslexia.

  12. Examining the Relationship among High-School Teachers' Technology Self-Efficacy, Attitudes towards Technology Integration, and Quality of Technology Integration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzales, Stacey

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative study explored the relationships among high-school teachers' (n = 74) technology self-efficacy, teachers' attitudes towards technology integration, and quality of teachers' technology integration into instruction. This study offered the unique perspectives of in-service high-school teachers as they have first-hand experience…

  13. Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) 2009 - Engaging Students and Teachers in Space Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boice, D. C.; Reiff, P. H.

    2009-12-01

    During the past 17 years, Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) has been a community partnership between local high schools in San Antonio, Texas (USA), and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The goals of YES are to increase the number of high school students, especially those from underrepresented groups, seeking careers in science and engineering, to enhance their success in entering the college and major of their choice, and to promote teacher development in STEM fields. This is accomplished by allowing students and teachers to interact on a continuing basis with role models at SwRI in real-world research experiences in physical sciences (including space science), information sciences, and a variety of engineering fields. A total of 218 students have completed YES or are currently enrolled. Of these students, 37% are females and 56% are ethnic minorities, reflecting the local ethnic diversity, and 67% represent underserved groups. Presently, there are 20 students and 3 teachers enrolled in the YES 2009/2010 Program. YES consists of an intensive three-week summer workshop held at SwRI where students and teachers experience the research environment and a collegial mentorship where they complete individual research projects under the guidance of SwRI mentors during the academic year. At the end of the school year, students publicly present and display their work, spreading career awareness to other students and teachers. Teachers participate in an in-service workshop to share classroom materials and spread awareness of space-related research. YES students develop a website (yesserver.space.swri.edu) for topics in space science (this year was NASA's MMS Mission) and high school science teachers develop space-related lessons for classroom presentation. Partnerships between research institutes, local high schools, and community foundations, like the YES Program, can positively affect students’ preparation for STEM careers via real-world research experiences with

  14. Teacher Self-Concept and Teacher Effectiveness as Perceived by Teachers of English and Students of Senior High Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chuzaimah Dahlan Diem

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate whether self-concept of EFL teachers influenced their effectiveness in teaching English as a foreign language, as perceived by both teachers and students. The study involved 275 EFL teachers and 88 senior high school students in South Sumatra. Variables of education, teaching experience, and age were analyzed using multiple regression analysis, and specific hypotheses were tested to see whether the addition of the other independent variables could add to the effectiveness of the teacher. The results showed significant relationships between self-concept and all the four factors used to define teacher effectiveness. The combination of self-concept and experience serves as the first salient factor influencing the four factors of teacher effectiveness in addition to self-concept alone. Education was also found to be a factor which influenced teacher effectiveness

  15. Using Solution Strategies to Examine and Promote High-School Students' Understanding of Exponential Functions: One Teacher's Attempt

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brendefur, Jonathan

    2014-01-01

    Much research has been conducted on how elementary students develop mathematical understanding and subsequently how teachers might use this information. This article builds on this type of work by investigating how one high-school algebra teacher designs and conducts a lesson on exponential functions. Through a lesson study format she studies with…

  16. Teachers' Perspectives of the Principals' Invitational Leadership Behaviors, Teacher Job Satisfaction and Principal Effectiveness in High-Poverty Rural Elementary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Younis, Matthew Christopher Zadin

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Invitational Leadership behaviors on school teacher satisfaction, teacher perceptions of the school principal's performance, and to identify if there was a difference between the levels of inviting behaviors of principals at high-achieving and low-achieving rural schools in North Carolina. The…

  17. VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE TEACHER MORALE STUDY--A COMPARISON OF SELECTED FACTORS IN SCHOOLS WHERE THE MORALE OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE TEACHERS IS "HIGH" WITH SCHOOLS WHERE THE MORALE OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE TEACHERS IS "LOW".

    Science.gov (United States)

    BENTLEY, RALPH R.; REMPEL, AVERNO M.

    A STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE WHETHER DIFFERENCES EXISTED WITH RESPECT TO STUDENT ATTITUDE TOWARD THEIR TEACHER, FEELINGS ABOUT SCHOOL WORK PROBLEMS, AND ACADEMIC APTITUDE BETWEEN VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENTS IN WHICH TEACHER MORALE WAS HIGH AND THOSE IN WHICH TEACHER MORALE WAS LOW. THE TEACHER SAMPLE INCLUDED 21 WITH THE HIGHEST…

  18. The Impact of High School Science Teachers' Beliefs, Curricular Enactments and Experience on Student Learning during an Inquiry-Based Urban Ecology Curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNeill, Katherine L.; Pimentel, Diane Silva; Strauss, Eric G.

    2013-01-01

    Inquiry-based curricula are an essential tool for reforming science education yet the role of the teacher is often overlooked in terms of the impact of the curriculum on student achievement. Our research focuses on 22 teachers' use of a year-long high school urban ecology curriculum and how teachers' self-efficacy, instructional practices,…

  19. The teach-learning process of high school students: a case of Educational Biology for teachers formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marisa Laporta Chudo

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To analyze the teach-learning process of high school students, in the scope of Educational Biology. To plan and to develop a methodology with lesson strategies that facilitate the learning. To analyze, in the students vision, the positive and negative points in the process. Method. A research was developed -- of which had participated students of the first semester of the Pedagogy of a high school private institution in São Paulo city -- of the type action-research, with increased qualitative character of quantitative instruments; as a way of data collect, had been used questionnaires and field diary; the results had been converted in charts; after that, the data collected by the questionnaires had been analyzed according to the technique of the collective subject analysis. Results. The results had supplied important information to high school teachers reflection about teach-learning process, showing that the used strategies allowed student envolvement and participation, proximity with personal and professional reality, bigger interaction in the interpersonal relations and critical reflection. Conclusions. The theoretical referencial about adult learning, the active methodologies and the interpersonal relationship between professor and pupils, with the analysis of the students vision about the positive and negative points in the teach-learning process, had provided subsidies to believe a methodology and specific didactic strategies for adults and that must contemplate the teachers motivation and the pedagogical communication, including elements like creativity, up to date technician content and formative content to the future profession, experiences exchange, that allow an affective relationship teacher-student, with interaction and dialogue.

  20. Evaluating the High School Lunar Research Projects Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaner, A. J.; Shupla, C.; Shipp, S.; Allen, J.; Kring, D. A.

    2013-01-01

    The Center for Lunar Science and Exploration (CLSE), a collaboration between the Lunar and Planetary Institute and NASA s Johnson Space Center, is one of seven member teams of the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI). In addition to research and exploration activities, the CLSE team is deeply invested in education and outreach. In support of NASA s and NLSI s objective to train the next generation of scientists, CLSE s High School Lunar Research Projects program is a conduit through which high school students can actively participate in lunar science and learn about pathways into scientific careers. The objectives of the program are to enhance 1) student views of the nature of science; 2) student attitudes toward science and science careers; and 3) student knowledge of lunar science. In its first three years, approximately 168 students and 28 teachers from across the United States have participated in the program. Before beginning their research, students undertake Moon 101, a guided-inquiry activity designed to familiarize them with lunar science and exploration. Following Moon 101, and guided by a lunar scientist mentor, teams choose a research topic, ask their own research question, and design their own research approach to direct their investigation. At the conclusion of their research, teams present their results to a panel of lunar scientists. This panel selects four posters to be presented at the annual Lunar Science Forum held at NASA Ames. The top scoring team travels to the forum to present their research in person.

  1. Secondary school teachers' attitudes towards and beliefs about ability grouping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallam, Susan; Ireson, Judith

    2003-09-01

    Internationally and historically considerable research has been undertaken regarding the attitudes of secondary school teachers towards different types of ability grouping. There has been no recent research taking account of the changing educational context in the UK. This paper aims to explore secondary school teachers' attitudes and beliefs about ability grouping taking account of school type, gender, experience and qualifications. The sample comprised over 1,500 teachers from 45 schools divided into three groups based on their ability grouping practices in years 7-9 (the students were aged 11-14). The sample included all the lower school teachers of mathematics, science and English and a random sample of teachers from other subjects in each school. Teachers responded to a questionnaire which explored their attitudes towards ability grouping through the use of rating scales and open-ended questions. The findings showed that the teachers' beliefs broadly reflected research findings on the actual effects of ability grouping, although there were significant differences relating to the type of school they taught in and the subject that they taught. Separate analysis of school types showed that length of time teaching, individual school differences and teacher qualifications were also significant predictors of attitudes. Teachers' beliefs about ability grouping are influenced by the type of groupings adopted in the school where they work, the subject that they teach, their experience and qualifications. As pedagogical practices are known to be influenced by beliefs these findings have important implications for teacher training.

  2. Bringing Seismological Research into the School Setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlis, G. L.; Hamburger, M. W.

    2004-12-01

    One of the primary goals of educational seismology programs is to bring inquiry-based research to the middle- and high-school classroom setting. Although it is often stated as a long-term goal of science outreach programs, in practice there are many barriers to research in the school setting, among them increasing emphasis on test-oriented training, decreasing interest and participation in science fairs, limited teacher confidence and experience for mentoring research, insufficient student preparedness for research projects, and the short term of university involvement (typically limited to brief one-day encounters). For the past three+ years we have tried to address these issues through a focused outreach program we have called the PEPP Research Fellows Program. This is treated as an honors program in which high school teachers in our group nominate students with interests in science careers. These students are invited to participate in the program, and those who elect to take part participate in a one-day education and training session in the fall. Rather than leave research projects completely open, we direct the students at toward one of two specific, group-oriented projects (in our case, one focusing on local recordings of mining explosions, and a second on teleseismic body-wave analysis), but we encourage them to act as independent researchers and follow topics of interest. The students then work on seismic data from the local educational network or from the IRIS facilities. Following several months of informal interaction with teachers and students (email, web conferencing, etc.), we bring the students and teachers to our university for a weekend research symposium in the spring. Students present their work in oral or poster form and prizes are given for the best papers. Projects range from highly local projects (records of seismic noise at school X) to larger-scale regional projects (analysis of teleseismic P-wave delays at PEPP network stations) From 20 to

  3. High School Teacher Perspectives and Practices: Second Language Writing and Language Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilliland, Betsy

    2015-01-01

    Teachers' understandings of second language learning influence their practices in the classroom. This paper analyzes interview and classroom data collected during a year-long ethnographic study of two high school English language development classes to identify (1) what the teachers understood about second language (L2) development and L2 academic…

  4. Relationship between Leadership Behaviors of High School Principals and Teacher Retention in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiken, Debra L.

    2010-01-01

    The study investigated the relationship between leadership behaviors of high school principals and teacher retention in Texas. A total of 88 Texas high school principals participated in the survey. Leadership behaviors were measured using the Culturally Adapted Leadership for Inspired Business Excellence and Results (CALIBER) Leadership Assessment…

  5. "The Norm Is a Flux of Change": Teachers' Experiences in International Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hacohen, Caroline

    2012-01-01

    This article explores teachers' perceptions of the effects of high student turnover in international schools in the UK. The research used a "grounded theory" approach for qualitative data collection and analysis, based on interviews with eight teachers in four international primary schools. The results of the grounded theory suggest that a process…

  6. Re-training High School Teachers of English in Brazil: The Experience of the Instituto de Idiomas Yazigi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes de Matos, Francisco

    The Yazigi Project for the Teaching of English in Brazilian High Schools, a 2-year, nationwide program for the retraining of high school teachers of English as a foreign language, involved 2,210 teachers and a team of 60 teacher trainers and retrainers. Each training session lasted 6 days and totalled a minimum of 30 hours, with a maximum of 50…

  7. The Characteristics of a Good Mathematics Teacher in Terms of Students, Mathematics Teachers, and School Administrators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yesildere-Imre, Sibel

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative research aims to examine the opinions of school administrators, teachers, and middle school students about what makes a good mathematics teacher. Interviews were conducted with thirty-five participants: ten school administrators, ten mathematics teachers, and fifteen middle school students. A semi-structured interview form…

  8. A Model for Undergraduate and High School Student Research in Earth and Space Sciences: The New York City Research Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scalzo, F.; Johnson, L.; Marchese, P.

    2006-05-01

    The New York City Research Initiative (NYCRI) is a research and academic program that involves high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, and high school teachers in research teams that are led by college/university principal investigators of NASA funded projects and/or NASA scientists. The principal investigators are at 12 colleges/universities within a 50-mile radius of New York City (NYC and surrounding counties, Southern Connecticut and Northern New Jersey), as well as the NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS). This program has a summer research institute component in Earth Science and Space Science, and an academic year component that includes the formulation and implementation NASA research based learning units in existing STEM courses by high school and college faculty. NYCRI is a revision and expansion of the Institute on Climate and Planets at GISS and is funded by NASA MURED and the Goddard Space Flight Center's Education Office.

  9. Towards a high quality high school workforce: A longitudinal, demographic analysis of U.S. public school physics teachers

    OpenAIRE

    Gregory T. Rushton; David Rosengrant; Andrew Dewar; Lisa Shah; Herman E. Ray; Keith Sheppard; Lynn Watanabe

    2017-01-01

    Efforts to improve the number and quality of the high school physics teaching workforce have taken several forms, including those sponsored by professional organizations. Using a series of large-scale teacher demographic data sets from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), this study sought to investigate trends in teacher quality at the national level in the two and a half decades between 1987 and 2012. Specifically, we investigated (i) details about the degree backgrounds, ma...

  10. Melinda: De Facto Primary School Music Teacher

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vries, Peter

    2013-01-01

    A series of reviews dating back to the 1960s and a body of research literature points to the inadequate delivery of music education by generalist primary school teachers in Australian schools. Despite recommendations for specialist music teachers to teach music in all Australian primary schools to counter this ongoing trend, such an approach has…

  11. K-12 Teachers' Perceptions of School Policy and Fear of School Violence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricketts, Melissa L.

    2007-01-01

    Since the 1990s, schools have focused their attention on policies designed to improve school safety. Most researches on school violence policies have concentrated on the needs of students and administrators. This study investigated the impact of school violence policies on K-12 teachers' fear. Using self-report data from 447 K-12 teachers from a…

  12. High School Teachers’ Perceptions of Trust in Organization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Çiğdem Öztürk

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research is to determine the organizational trust level of the teachers working in the High School. Research’s universe includes 662 teachers who worked in the town of Bolu at high schools in education year 2008-2009. In the research no sampling was used because scales were distributed to all the teachers in town. 390 of the scales distributed were returned but 86 of them had insufficient data. The research data were extracted with 304 valid scales. In analyzing the data depending on the sub-problems, teachers’ organizational trust perceptions depending on the first sub-problem; percentage, frequency, arithmetic mean, standard deviation were used. In the research t-test was performed to determine whether there was significant difference between the scales depending on the second sub-problem factors like twocategory of gender, status of the union membership, kind of school. One-way analysis of variance (Anova was used for the data of teachers, who have more than two sub-categories, namely branch, seniority, education status variations and data were analyzed with Tukey-b to determine the source of significant difference between the variations. Research results show high school teachers have a high level of trust in their institutions. It appeared that in the sub–dimension of sensitivity to employees, there is less trust when compared with other dimensions. In communication sub–dimension, trust is at the highest level. With respect to gender variable, women’s organizational trust is higher than men’s. In sensitivity to employees, this difference is more explicit. With respect to variable of branch, there isn’t significant difference in teachers’ views about the dimension of sensitivity to employees. In the dimension of trust to the manager, there is significant difference between social sciences branch teachers and vocational branches teachers. There is significant difference between views of vocational course

  13. Creating Authentic Research Centers In Secondary Classrooms And Retaining The Best Science Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, D.; McHenry, R. M.

    2006-12-01

    My name is David Rodriguez. I am a middle school science teacher with 18 years of teaching experience both in Leon County, Florida and in Guinea West Africa, and South Africa. I am a National Board Certified Teacher. Richard McHenry is a high school Chemistry Advance Placement teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience, also in Leon County, Florida. Rich is a National Board Certified Teacher as well. We participated in a Research Experience For Teachers (RET) program at the National High Magnetic Field Lab in Tallahassee, Florida in 2001 and 2002. This experience has had a profound impact on our teaching, and on our student's learning. During our experience, it became clear to us that there is great importance in how scientists approach their research. We discussed this approach with teams of scientists, and asked them how they thought it could be modeled in classrooms. As teachers, we have been convinced of the value of cooperative learning for years, but to assign roles in cooperative groups similar to the roles that are created in a research science setting has improved student learning. Each team of students is assigned a project manager, data analyst, engineer, and principal investigator. The role of each scientist is specific. As a result of our RET experience, Rich also created a new program in his high school class in which students write scientific papers at the end of each grading period that outline the achievements and lab experiences completed during that period. The importance of publishing research and communicating with the greater scientific community are highlighted through this unique experience. These papers go through a peer review process within the school, and are then sent to the National High Magnetic Field Lab for further review provided by scientists and educators. I was also involved in an atmospheric research project during my RET program that utilized teachers and students throughout the state in the collection of data

  14. Teachers' participation in research programs improves their students' achievement in science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silverstein, Samuel C; Dubner, Jay; Miller, Jon; Glied, Sherry; Loike, John D

    2009-10-16

    Research experience programs engage teachers in the hands-on practice of science. Program advocates assert that program participation enhances teachers' skills in communicating science to students. We measured the impact of New York City public high-school science teachers' participation in Columbia University's Summer Research Program on their students' academic performance in science. In the year before program entry, students of participating and nonparticipating teachers passed a New York State Regents science examination at the same rate. In years three and four after program entry, participating teachers' students passed Regents science exams at a rate that was 10.1% higher (P = 0.049) than that of nonparticipating teachers' students. Other program benefits include decreased teacher attrition from classroom teaching and school cost savings of U.S. $1.14 per $1 invested in the program.

  15. Classroom implementation of the practices learned in the Master of Chemistry Education program by the School District of Philadelphia's high school chemistry teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayaraman, Uma Devi

    This dissertation reports the results of an exploratory case study utilizing quantitative and qualitative methodologies intended to ascertain the extent and differences of implementation of research-based instructional practices, learned in an intensive 26-month professional development, in their urban classrooms. Both the extent and differences in the implementation of practices were investigated in relation to the lesson design and implementation, content, and classroom culture aspects of research-based practices. Additionally, this research includes the concerns of the teachers regarding the factors that helped or hindered the implementation of research-based practices in their classrooms. Six graduates of the Master of Chemistry Education Program who were teaching a chemistry course in a high school in the School District of Philadelphia at the time of the study (2006-8), were the case. The teachers completed a concerns questionnaire with closed and open-ended items, and rated their perceptions of the extent of implementation of the practices in their urban classrooms. Additionally, the teachers were observed and rated by the researcher using a reform-teaching observation protocol and were interviewed individually. Also, the teachers submitted their lesson plans for the days they were observed. Data from these sources were analyzed to arrive at the findings for this study. The research findings suggest that the group of teachers in the study implemented the research-based practices in their classrooms to a low extent when compared to the recommended practices inherent to the MCE Program. The extents of implementation of the practices differed widely among the teachers, from being absent to being implemented at a high level, with inconsistent levels of implementation from various data sources. Further, the teachers expressed the depth of knowledge (gained in the MCE Program), formal laboratory exercises and reports, administrative support, self

  16. The analysis of the physical education teacher candidates’ attitudes towards school experience course: the case of Batman University

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enes IŞIKGÖZ

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study is to analyse the attitudes of the physical education teacher candidates towards ‘Teacher Classroom Practice’ course present in programs for training teachers for sport high schools and for teachers of physical education. Material and Methods: The study group of this research was compiled of 60 students from 2015-2016 school year in Batman University, Physical Education and Sport High school Physical Education Department and Department for Sport High school Teachers, which attended the course “Teacher Classroom Practice”. The results of the research were collected with “Course for Teacher Classroom Practice Attitude Scale”. Besides descriptive statistics used for the analysis, Mann Whitney U test was used for the comparison between the results of different groups. Results: According to the results of the study, even though physical education teacher candidates’ attitudes towards the course showed positive results, an inconsistence was observed between the high school and practice school results. It was also observed that there are no significantly different reactions to the attitude of teacher candidates according to the gender or schools that participated the study. In the light of these results. Conclusion: It is observed that the general attitude levels of pre-service physical education teachers towards the school experience course are positively high. This is an expected and desired result in terms of showing that school experience course is a very important course in providing experience and chance of observing the profession of teaching beforehand in field.

  17. An Alternative Collaborative Supervision Practice between University-Based Teachers and School-Based Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, Annfrid R.

    2017-01-01

    There is an increased focus in teacher education on research-based teaching as a means to develop a more research-based professional knowledge. However, research from several Western countries shows that neither school-based nor university-based teachers are familiar with how to integrate research-based knowledge in professional teacher practice.…

  18. Model program for the recruitment and preparation of high ability elementary mathematics/science teachers: A collaborative project among scientists, teacher educators and classroom teachers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1993-12-01

    This teacher education program will provide a model for recruiting, educating and retaining high ability students to become mathematics and science lead teachers in elementary schools. The quality experiences and support provided these students will help them develop the knowledge and attitudes necessary to provide leadership for elementary mathematics and science programs. Students will have research experiences at the Ames Laboratory, high quality field experiences with nationally recognized mathematics and science teachers in local schools and opportunities to meaningfully connect these two experiences. This program, collaboratively designed and implemented by scientists, teacher educators and classroom teachers, should provide a replicatable model for other teacher education institutions. In addition, materials developed for the project should help other laboratories interface more effectively with K-8 schools and help other teacher education programs incorporate real science and mathematics experience into their curriculum.

  19. Investigating the Challenges for Adopting and Implementing of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT by Isfahan High Schools Teachers: Based On the Model of Barriers in ICT Usage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bibi Eshrat Zaman

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Relevance and usefulness of information and communication technologies (ICT have been investigated in many researches. There are many challenges for ICT users, especially for teachers that act as inhibitor factors for using ICT in their jobs. The main purpose of this paper was to investigate these challenges in the view point of high school teachers in Isfahan city based on ICT use barriers model. In the model, barriers have divided into four groups: organizational, managerial, educational, and financial-instrumental. The research was based on qualitative method. For analyzing data descriptive-analysis method was used. For gathering data, researcher made questionnaire including 5 open ended had been used. Survey population included teachers of all high schools in Isfahan city in 1387-88 academic years. 110 teachers were selected by using cluster random sampling method. For data analysis, content analysis method was used to calculate the mean and frequencies. Findings indicated that most teachers have explained the lack of proper in-service training programs for their use of ICT as the most important obstacles for using ICT in teaching. Lack of suitable managerial strategies for implementing ICT in curriculum, lack of organizational support and lack of financial resources and equipments in schools, respectively, were other barriers in using ICT in Iranian high schools.

  20. Perceptions of High School Principals about Teacher Motivation in in the Metropolitan Area of Medellin, 2015

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hernán López-Arellano

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This study is an exploratory research with the purpose of measuring perceptions High School principals have about teachers’ motivation in four specific areas: facilities and institutional resources, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and social impacts. In this article, perceptions of principals working in public and private schools are compared. The authors designed and applied a five Likert-scale questionnaire to determine the perceptions of principals about motivation in their teacher staffs; the tool was implemented in fifty-one schools of the Metropolitan Area of Medellín, Colombia. Data show a higher favorability (i.e., categories with a better score in private schools than in public ones.

  1. Developing Inclusive Pre-Service and In-Service Teacher Education: Insights from Zanzibar Primary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juma, Said; Lehtomäki, Elina; Naukkarinen, Aimo

    2017-01-01

    Developing inclusive teacher education to improve learning and schooling for all children is attracting increasing interest worldwide. This study examined teachers' insights into the development of inclusive teacher education by drawing on collaborative action research conducted by 20 primary school teachers in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The data were…

  2. CRITERIA OF FORMATION OF SOCIAL-PEDAGOGICAL COMPETENCE OF FUTURE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN INCLUSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoia Shevtsiv

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The article aims to justify the formation of criteria and indicators of social-pedagogical competence of the future teachers of primary school of inclusive comprehensive school and to determine its level of development. The objectives are to determine the status of the development problems of professional competence of teachers in inclusive education; essence and structural components of social-pedagogical competence of future primary school teacher of inclusive comprehensive school; criteria, indicators and levels of social-pedagogical competence of future primary school teacher of inclusive comprehensive schools. The education system in Ukraine is gradually transition to inclusive education. Inclusive comprehensive school is being created. It requires a highly qualified primary school teacher who co-teaches regulatory children and children with disability. The article is grounded the necessity of social-pedagogical competence of future teachers of primary school of inclusive comprehensive schools. The essence of social-pedagogical competence of future primary school teacher of inclusive comprehensive schools is defined. The structural components of social-pedagogical competence are characterized. Scientific papers on the issue of formation of competence of experts in various fields are analyzed. The pronunciation for selection and justification criteria and parameters of formation of professional competence is overviewed. The group of the criteria suggested by various scientists from the evaluation of the formation of professional competence of specialists in different fields is considered. The criteria and parameters of evaluating the levels of social-pedagogical competence of future teachers of primary school in inclusive comprehensive schools are selected on the base of the analysis of modern achievements of scientists. Future prospects of research is in developing of a method of diagnosing the levels of social-pedagogical competence of

  3. Doing Better: Illuminating a Framework of Equitable Science Pedagogy through a Cross- Case Analysis of Urban High School Science Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheth, Manali J.

    Students of color are routinely asked to participate in science education that is less intellectually rich and self-affirming. Additionally, teachers have trouble embarking on professional growth related to issues of equity and diversity in science. The purpose of this dissertation research is to develop a multi-dimensional framework for equitable science pedagogy (ESP) through analyzing the efforts and struggles of high school science teachers. This study is grounded in a conceptual framework derived from scholarship in science education, multicultural education, critical science studies, and teacher learning. The following questions guide this research: 1) What visions and enactments emerge in teachers' practices towards equitable science pedagogy? 2) How are teachers' practice decisions towards ESP influenced by their personal theories of race/culture, science, and learning and sociocultural contexts? 3) Why are there consistencies and variances across teachers' practices? This study employs a qualitative multiple case study design with ethnographic data collection to explore the practices of three urban high school science teachers who were identified as being committed to nurturing the science learning of students of color. Data include over 120 hours of classroom observation, 60 hours of teacher interviews, and 500 teacher- and student-generated artifacts. Data analysis included coding teachers' practices using theory- and participant generated codes, construction of themes based on emergent patterns, and cross-case analysis. The affordances and limitations of the participants' pedagogical approaches inform the following framework for equitable science pedagogy: 1) Seeing race and culture and sharing responsibility for learning form foundational dimensions. Practices from the other three dimensions--- nurturing students' identities, re-centering students' epistemologies, and critiquing structural inequities---emerge from the foundation. As emergent practices

  4. Effect of Nanotechnology Instructions on Senior High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Chow-Chin; Sung, Chia-Chi

    2011-01-01

    In this research, we cooperate with senior high school teachers to understand current nanotechnology model of senior high school nanotechnology curriculum in Taiwan. Then design senior high school nanotechnology (nano-tech) curriculum to teach 503 senior high school students. After teaching the nano-tech curriculum we use the "Nanotechnology…

  5. Perceptions of elementary school teachers of their pupils\\' eye ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Perceptions of elementary school teachers of their pupils\\' eye health in ilorin, nigeria. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... roles that school teachers are expected to play in school eye health programmes, their perceptions ...

  6. High School Mathematics Teachers' Levels of Achieving Technology Integration and In-Class Reflections: The Case of Mathematica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardiç, Mehmet Alper; Isleyen, Tevfik

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the levels of high school mathematics teachers in achieving mathematics instruction via computer algebra systems and the reflections of these practices in the classroom. Three high school mathematics teachers employed at different types of school participated in the study. In the beginning of this…

  7. The Impact of Principal Leadership Behaviors on the Efficacy of New and Experienced Middle School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Jeffrey A.

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated characteristics and behaviors of middle school principals that enhance the efficacy of new and experienced middle school teachers. Existing research has established a positive relationship between high levels of teacher efficacy and increased student achievement. Prior research has also demonstrated a positive link between…

  8. Why Rural Schools Are Important for Pre-Service Teacher Preparation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanks, Brooke; Robbins, Holly; Rose, Dana; Beasley, Loren; Greene, Michelle; Kile, Melissa; Broadus, Allison

    2013-01-01

    Rural schools are often overlooked in educational research. At least one in five children in the United States attends a rural school and one-third of all public schools are located in rural areas. Research on the effects of teacher education in rural schools on teacher candidates and the rural schools themselves is almost nonexistent. This…

  9. Professional Development Urban Schools: What Do Teachers Say?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Tanya R.; Allen, Mishaleen

    2015-01-01

    This quantitative causal-comparative study compared perceptions of professional development opportunities between high-achieving and low-achieving elementary-middle school teachers in an urban school district using the Standards Assessment Inventory (SAI). A total of 271 teachers participated including 134 (n = 134) teachers from high-achieving…

  10. The Effects of Teacher Perceptions of Administrative Support, School Climate, and Academic Success in Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Lakishia N.

    2015-01-01

    Teacher turnover refers to major changes in teachers' assignments from one school year to the next. Past research has given an overview of several factors of teacher turnover. These factors include the school environment, teacher collaborative efforts, administrative support, school climate, location, salary, classroom management, academic…

  11. Readiness of primary school teachers to accept disabled children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đević Rajka

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the results of the research with the basic goal to study the readiness of primary school teachers to accept disabled students. Research participants were 205 teachers from primary schools at the territory of Serbia. The goal was accomplished through: (a studying attitudes towards joint education of disabled students and their peers; (b studying teachers' experiences in working with disabled students; and (c studying teachers' readiness to accept disabled students, depending on their involvement/non-involvement in projects of inclusive education. Teachers express supportive attitudes towards joint schooling, but more than one half of them think that a selective approach is necessary in that process, according to the kind and degree of developmental disability. They support joint schooling from the humanistic point of view, but express concerns about the academic achievement of classes that include disabled students. The majority of teachers had experience in working with disabled students and based on that provided interesting suggestions for improving joint schooling. Higher readiness for accepting disabled students was demonstrated by teachers whose schools were involved in the projects of inclusive education. That implies the need for involving schools in similar projects and enabling teachers' immediate contact with students with developmental disabilities.

  12. Implementing Action Research and Professional Learning Communities in a Professional Development School Setting to Support Teacher Candidate Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanks, Joyce

    2016-01-01

    The paper reviews teacher candidates' use of action research and the Professional Learning Community (PLC) concept to support their work in their pre-student teaching field experience. In this research study, teacher candidates are involved in a professional development school relationship that uses action research and PLCs to support candidate…

  13. A Multilevel Analysis of Teacher and School Academic Optimism in Taiwan Elementary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Jason Hsinchieh; Lin, Chunn-Ying

    2018-01-01

    Research on teacher and school academic optimism has abounded ever since these two constructs were confirmed and shown to have positive effects on student achievement. However, one overlooked research question is the nested association between teacher and school academic optimism. This study intends to fill this gap by using hierarchical linear…

  14. Curriculum Orientations and Educational Philosophies of High School Arabic Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alsalem, Abeer Saleh

    2018-01-01

    This study aims to investigate the curriculum orientations of High school Arabic teacher in Riyadh city and to examine the relationship between curriculum orientation and their educational philosophies. The quantitative method (descriptive study) was adopted in this questionnaire survey-based study. Mean and standard deviation for the overall of…

  15. The School Research Lead

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Tom

    2015-01-01

    The researchED movement has generated a new debate about the role of research in schools. Of course there have always been teachers interested in undertaking research and applying the research findings of others. However, involvement in research has tended to be the personal enthusiasm of the individual teacher rather than a coordinated whole…

  16. Psychological and biographical differences between secondary school teachers experiencing high and low levels of burnout.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierce, C M; Molloy, G N

    1990-02-01

    A total of 750 teachers from 16 government and non-government schools from areas of contrasted socio-economic status (SES) responded to a questionnaire designed to investigate associations between selected aspects of burnout among teachers working in secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. By comparing high and low burnout groups on biographic, psychological and work pattern variables, differences between teachers experiencing high and low levels of burnout were identified. Multiple regression analyses assessed the relative importance of these variables in accounting for the variance in each of the three burnout subscales. School type was related to perceptions of stress and burnout. Higher levels of burnout were associated with poorer physical health, higher rates of absenteeism, lower self-confidence and more frequent use of regressive coping strategies. Teachers classified as experiencing high levels of burnout attributed most of the stress in their lives to teaching and reported low levels of career commitment and satisfaction. Further, teachers who recorded high levels of burnout were characterised by lower levels of the personality disposition of hardiness, lower levels of social support, higher levels of role stress and more custodial pupil control ideologies than their low-burnout counterparts. Psychological variables were found to be more significant predictors of burnout than biographical variables.

  17. Principals' instructional management skills and middle school science teacher job satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibbs-Harper, Nzinga A.

    The purpose of this research study was to determine if a relationship exists between teachers' perceptions of principals' instructional leadership behaviors and middle school teacher job satisfaction. Additionally, this study sought to assess whether principal's instructional leadership skills were predictors of middle school teachers' satisfaction with work itself. This study drew from 13 middle schools in an urban Mississippi school district. Participants included teachers who taught science. Each teacher was given the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS; Hallinger, 2011) and the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (TJSQ; Lester, 1987) to answer the research questions. The study was guided by two research questions: (a) Is there a relationship between the independent variables Defining the School's Mission, Managing the Instructional Program, and Developing the School Learning Climate Program and the dependent variable Work Itself?; (b) Are Defining the School's Mission, Managing the Instructional Program, and Developing the School Learning Climate Program predictors of Work Itself? The Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analysis were utilized to examine the relationship between the three dimensions of principals' instructional leadership and teacher satisfaction with work itself. The data revealed that there was a strong, positive correlation between all three dimensions of principals' instructional leadership and teacher satisfaction with work itself. However, the multiple regression analysis determined that teachers' perceptions of principals' instructional management skills is a slight predictor of Defining the School's Mission only.

  18. Using an adaptive expertise lens to understand the quality of teachers' classroom implementation of computer-supported complex systems curricula in high school science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Susan A.; Koehler-Yom, Jessica; Anderson, Emma; Lin, Joyce; Klopfer, Eric

    2015-05-01

    Background: This exploratory study is part of a larger-scale research project aimed at building theoretical and practical knowledge of complex systems in students and teachers with the goal of improving high school biology learning through professional development and a classroom intervention. Purpose: We propose a model of adaptive expertise to better understand teachers' classroom practices as they attempt to navigate myriad variables in the implementation of biology units that include working with computer simulations, and learning about and teaching through complex systems ideas. Sample: Research participants were three high school biology teachers, two females and one male, ranging in teaching experience from six to 16 years. Their teaching contexts also ranged in student achievement from 14-47% advanced science proficiency. Design and methods: We used a holistic multiple case study methodology and collected data during the 2011-2012 school year. Data sources include classroom observations, teacher and student surveys, and interviews. Data analyses and trustworthiness measures were conducted through qualitative mining of data sources and triangulation of findings. Results: We illustrate the characteristics of adaptive expertise of more or less successful teaching and learning when implementing complex systems curricula. We also demonstrate differences between case study teachers in terms of particular variables associated with adaptive expertise. Conclusions: This research contributes to scholarship on practices and professional development needed to better support teachers to teach through a complex systems pedagogical and curricular approach.

  19. Partners in Science: A Model Cooperative Program Introducing High School Teachers and Students to Leading-Edge Pharmaceutical Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woska, Joseph R., Jr.; Collins, Danielle M.; Canney, Brian J.; Arcario, Erin L.; Reilly, Patricia L.

    2005-12-01

    Partners in Science is a cooperative program between Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and area high schools in the community surrounding our Connecticut campus. It is a two-phase program that introduces high school students and teachers to the world of drug discovery and leading-edge pharmaceutical research. Phase 1 involves a series of lectures, tours, and demonstrations given by scientists within our research and development division (R&D). Phase 2 involves the selection of a small group of participants to intern for the summer in a research laboratory, working side by side with a scientist within R&D. In this manuscript, the specific aims, goals, and development of the Partners in Science program are described, as well as the syllabus/agenda, the logistics surrounding the operation of the program, and our shared personal experiences with students and teachers who have participated. Some of the pitfalls/problems associated with the program will be presented, and finally, the future direction of the program including areas of improvement and expansion are described.

  20. Out of School Learning Environments in Social Studies Education: A Phenomenological Research with Teacher Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topçu, Ersin

    2017-01-01

    In this study, it was aimed to determine the remarks of teacher candidates on the place and importance of out of school learning environments in Social Studies education. Phenomenological method, which is one of the qualitative research designs, was used in this study. The work group of the study consists of 73 teacher candidates who conduct out…

  1. Content knowledge of prospective elementary school teacher for fractional concepts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pattimukay, N.; Juniati, D.; Budiarto, M. T.

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the content knowledge especially the concept of fraction of prospective elementary school teacher. The purpose of this study is to describe the content knowledge, especially the concept of fraction of prospective elementary school teacher. The subject of the study was one of prospective elementary school teacher of Pattimura University. This research is qualitative research. Data were collected through the provision of tests to explore the knowledge content of primary school teacher candidates about fractional concepts. Then continued with qualitative data analysis. The results of this study are as follows: that the prospective primary school teacher defines fractions as part of the whole if an object is divided into equal parts, so that the part that has been divided is part of the whole. Furthermore, the prospective elementary school teacher understood the fractions as division shown in two ways, namely the prospective elementary school teacher understood the fraction as a division operation, the primary school teacher candidate interpreted the fraction as a division when an object is divided be part of the same. Meanwhile, the fraction as a ratio is interpreted as the relationship between a pair of numbers. Then, the denominations are interpreted as a ratio between the numerator and the denominator of the same value. The prospective elementary school teacher also understands fractions of value when simplifying fractions. Primary school teacher candidates understand the concept of fractional operations.

  2. Fear and Trembling in the American High School: Educational Reform and Teacher Alienation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Jeffrey S.; Hughes, Roxanne M.; Brooks, Melanie C.

    2008-01-01

    This article reports findings from a two-year case study of teachers in a single public high school. Data were gathered and analyzed using a conceptual framework that conceived of alienation as a set of five sub-constructs: powerlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, isolation, and estrangement. Findings suggested that teachers experienced each…

  3. Translating child development research into practice: Can teachers foster children's theory of mind in primary school?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianco, Federica; Lecce, Serena

    2016-12-01

    Translating research findings into practice should be one of the objectives of developmental psychology. Recently, research demonstrated the existence of individual differences in theory of mind (ToM) during middle childhood that are crucial for children's academic and social adjustment. This study aims to transfer the results of recent experimental studies on ToM interventions into primary-school teachers' practices. It examines whether a ToM training programme, based on conversations about mental states, can be effective under real-world school conditions and if it can be translated in such a way that it becomes suitable for primary-school teachers. Seventy-two 8- to 9-year-old children took part in the study. A total of four classes were recruited and randomly assigned to the experimental (34 children, 18 boys) or to the control condition (38 children, 18 boys). The ToM group and the control group were matched at pre-test for age, ToM, socio-economic background, verbal ability, working memory, and planning. Teachers were trained in four teacher-training sessions; the classroom-training programme was delivered by teachers in four sessions (each 50 min long). Children were assessed before the intervention, after the end of the programme, and 2 months later. The ToM group improved ToM skills significantly more than the control group both in the short and in the long term. Teachers can successfully promote their pupils' ToM development during their regular teaching hours. Results are discussed in the light of the importance of ToM promotion for children's school adjustment. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

  4. Teacher Effectiveness of Secondary School Teachers with High Tacit Knowledge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mumthas, N. S.; Blessytha, Anwar

    2009-01-01

    To be a great teacher, more than content knowledge, teacher also needs practical and technical knowledge that contribute to teacher effectiveness. A teacher with high tacit knowledge is usually considered an expert teacher. The purpose of this study is to find out whether teachers with high tacit knowledge give equal preference to the various…

  5. Design of an assessment to probe teachers' content knowledge for teaching: An example from energy in high school physics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Etkina, Eugenia; Gitomer, Drew; Iaconangelo, Charles; Phelps, Geoffrey; Seeley, Lane; Vokos, Stamatis

    2018-06-01

    Research into teacher learning and practice over the last three decades shows that the teachers of a specific subject need to possess knowledge that is different from the knowledge of other content experts. Yet this specialized version of content knowledge that teachers need to plan instruction, respond to student ideas, and assess student understanding in real time is a theoretically elusive construct. It is crucial for the fields of precollege teacher preparation, teacher professional education, and postsecondary faculty professional development to (a) clarify the construct that underlies this specialized content knowledge, (b) operationalize it in some domain, (c) measure it in both static contexts and as it is enacted in the classroom, and (d) correlate its presence with "richness" of classroom instruction and its effect on student learning. This paper documents a piece of a multiyear, multi-institutional effort to investigate points (a)-(d) in the domain of energy in the first high school physics course. In particular, we describe the framework that we developed to clarify content knowledge for teaching in the context of high school energy learning. We then outline the process through which we developed, tested, and refined a "paper-and-pencil" assessment administered on a computer and discuss the substantive and psychometric features of several items based on a field test of the final form of the assessment. We choose to discuss these items for a dual purpose: to illustrate the application of our general framework and to present performance findings from a sample of 362 practicing high school teachers of physics.

  6. Physics teachers' perspectives on High School national curriculum policies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gleice Ferraz

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to identify, in the context of an activity developed in online course for continuing education and from the theoretical approach of Mikhail Bakhtin, the discursive appropriation of PCNEM by high school physics teachers who work in different regional realities. The analysis indicated a positive perspective by teachers related to PCNEM, in addition to full accordance with the main path indicated by the legislation: the contextualized teaching. Despite the differences between educational regions we could not identify explicit signs of how these differences impacted the appropriation of terms found in PCNEM. The silence of teachers in relation to non-methodological aspects of physics teaching shapes their perspectives and also emphasizes the concern for didactic transposition of the content required by the curriculum, leaving out the question of why we have this curriculum and not other.

  7. Survey and Research on Continuing Education Curriculum Construction for Primary and Secondary School Teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Chao

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Continuing education curriculum construction is the key work to complete the teachers’ continuing education system, it is also an important part of the teachers’ specialization. This study aims to master the main problems of the current primary and secondary school teachers’ continuing education curriculum construction and put forward the corresponding improvement countermeasures. Research in Yunnan province of China as a case, through the Questionnaire Method, Interview Method and Factors Analysis Method, this study make an thorough analysis on the prominent questions of the curriculum resources informationization level, curriculum structure, curriculum practicability, curriculum management and curriculum evaluation mechanism of the primary and secondary school teachers continuing education curriculums construction. Study found that the curriculum construction should also increase the intensity of curriculum resources informatization, develop diversified curriculum resources, complete six modules, carry out a standardized and scientific management and diversified curriculum evaluation mechanism. Research data and conclusions both enrich the theory of the con-struction of the teachers continuing education curriculum, and also provide a practical reference for the admin-istrative department of education and teacher training institutions to formulate measures.

  8. Rural Elementary School Teachers' Technology Integration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howley, Aimee; Wood, Lawrence; Hough, Brian

    2011-01-01

    Based on survey responses from more than 500 third-grade teachers, this study addressed three research questions relating to technology integration and its impact in rural elementary schools. The first analyses compared rural with non-rural teachers, revealing that the rural teachers had more positive attitudes toward technology integration. Then…

  9. Teachers' Learning in School-Based Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Postholm, May Britt; Waege, Kjersti

    2016-01-01

    Background and purpose: Many researchers agree that teachers' learning processes are social and that teachers need to be brought together to learn from each other. Researchers have also stated that intellectual and pedagogical change requires professional development activities that take place over a period of time in school. The purpose of the…

  10. High school science fair and research integrity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalley, Simon; Shepherd, Karen; Reisch, Joan

    2017-01-01

    Research misconduct has become an important matter of concern in the scientific community. The extent to which such behavior occurs early in science education has received little attention. In the current study, using the web-based data collection program REDCap, we obtained responses to an anonymous and voluntary survey about science fair from 65 high school students who recently competed in the Dallas Regional Science and Engineering Fair and from 237 STEM-track, post-high school students (undergraduates, 1st year medical students, and 1st year biomedical graduate students) doing research at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Of the post-high school students, 24% had competed in science fair during their high school education. Science fair experience was similar overall for the local cohort of Dallas regional students and the more diverse state/national cohort of post-high school students. Only one student out of 122 reported research misconduct, in his case making up the data. Unexpectedly, post-high school students who did not participate in science fair anticipated that carrying out science fair would be much more difficult than actually was the case, and 22% of the post-high school students anticipated that science fair participants would resort to research misconduct to overcome obstacles. No gender-based differences between students’ science fair experiences or expectations were evident. PMID:28328976

  11. School Ethical Climate and Teachers' Voluntary Absence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapira-Lishchinsky, Orly; Rosenblatt, Zehava

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to offer a theoretical framework for linking school ethical climate with teachers' voluntary absence. The paper attempts to explain this relationship using the concept of affective organizational commitment. Design/methodology/approach: Participants were 1,016 school teachers from 35 high schools in Israel. Data were…

  12. A Graduate Student's Perspective on Engaging High School Students in Research Outside of the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaess, A. B.; Horton, R. A., Jr.; Andrews, G. D.

    2014-12-01

    The southern San Joaquin basin is one of the United States' most prolific oil producing regions but also one facing numerous problems including low high school graduation rates, low college enrollments, high college dropout rates, low wages, and higher than average unemployment. Investment in STEM education experiences for high school students has been emphasized by California State University Bakersfield as a means to improving these metrics with programs such as the Research Experience Vitalizing Science-University Program (REVS-UP). Now in its seventh year, the REVS-UP (funded by Chevron) forms teams of high school students, a high school teacher, a CSUB graduate student, and a CSUB professor to work for four weeks on a research project. For the past two summers student-teacher teams investigated the diagenesis and mineralogy of the Temblor Formation sandstones in the subsurface of the San Joaquin basin oil fields that are potential CO2 sequestration sites. With a graduate student leading the teams in sample preparation and analysis by scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDS) and cathode luminescence system (SEM-CL) data was gathered on diagenetic processes, detrital framework grains, and authigenic cements. Typically students are introduced to the project in a series of brief seminars by faculty and are then introduced to the techniques and samples. During the second week the students are usually capable of preparing samples and collecting data independently. The final week is focused on developing student-authored research posters which are independently presented by the students on the final day. This gives high school students the opportunity to learn advanced geologic topics and analytical techniques that they would otherwise not be exposed to as well as to gain research and presentation skills. These types of projects are equally important for the graduate students involved as it allows them the

  13. Relationship between the Religious Attitude, Self-Efficacy, and Life Satisfaction in High School Teachers of Mahshahr City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bigdeloo, Masoomeh; Bozorgi, Zahra Dasht

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to investigate the relationship between the religious attitude, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction in high school teachers of Mahshahr City. To this end, 253 people of all high school teachers in Mahshahr City, in Iran were selected as the sample using the multistage cluster sampling method. For data collection, Glock and Stark's…

  14. The Characteristics of the Effective Teacher in Cyprus Public High School: The Students' Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koutsoulis, Michalis

    This study examined the teacher characteristics that students considered important in defining teacher effectiveness, focusing on human characteristics, communication skills, and teaching and production characteristics. Students from 25 high schools in Cyprus completed the Classroom Culture Description Questionnaire. Overall, students listed 94…

  15. High School STEM Teachers' Perceptions of the Work Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedersen, Daphne E.; West, Robert R.

    2017-01-01

    How do secondary STEM teachers perceive the environments in which they teach? To what degree is STEM teaching at the secondary level situated in a gendered workplace organization? Using data from the 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey, we examined how men and women who were full-time secondary school teachers in STEM fields (N = 5,617)…

  16. An Investigation of Middle School Teachers' Perceptions on Bullying

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waters, Stewart; Mashburn, Natalie

    2017-01-01

    The researchers in this study investigated rural middle school teachers' perspectives regarding bullying. The researchers gathered information about the teachers' definitions of bullying, where bullying occurs in their school, and how to prevent bullying. Peer-reviewed literature associated with this topic was studied in order to achieve a broader…

  17. The perceptions of teachers and principals toward providing additional compensation to teachers in high-need subject areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longing, Jeffrey Lucian

    The purpose of this study was to determine possible differences in the perceptions of teachers teaching in high-need areas (i.e., math, science, special education, etc.) and teachers not teaching in high-need areas, (i.e., business education, physical education, etc.) as defined by the states of Arkansas and Louisiana, regarding higher compensation for high-need teachers. In addition, possible perception differences among principals and teachers were determined. The independent variables consisted of gender, position held, years of certified experience, and certification areas. The dependent variable was the perceptions of the participants on providing higher compensation for high-need teachers in order to attract and retain them. The data for all variables were collected using the Teacher Compensation Survey. The sample for this study was limited to teachers, grades 9 through 12, and principals of public high schools in south Arkansas and north Louisiana. Forty-four school districts in south Arkansas (Arkansas Department of Education, 2008a) and north Louisiana (Louisiana Department of Education, 2008a) met the criteria for this study. Twenty-two superintendents gave permission for their districts to participate in the research. A sample of 849 teachers and 38 principals were identified in these districts. Surveys were returned from 350 teachers, creating a 41% response rate. When the 31 principals that returned surveys were added to the total population, the response rate increased to 43% with 381 of the 887 surveyed responding. However, 42 of the teachers and two of the principals skipped some of the questions on the survey and were not included in the study. The researcher used a One-Way ANOVA and independent t-tests to determine the presence of statistical differences at the .05 level. The data showed that most math and science teachers agreed that high-need teachers should be compensated at a higher rate than teachers not teaching in high-need areas. The data

  18. School Competition and Teacher Labor Markets: Evidence from Charter School Entry in North Carolina

    OpenAIRE

    C. Kirabo Jackson

    2011-01-01

    I analyze changes in teacher turnover, hiring, effectiveness, and salaries at traditional public schools after the opening of a nearby charter school. While I find small effects on turnover overall, difficult to staff schools (low-income, high-minority share) hired fewer new teachers and experienced small declines in teacher quality. I also find evidence of a demand side response where schools increased teacher compensation to better retain quality teachers. The results are robust across a va...

  19. A Case Study of High School Teachers' Technology Use through Social Studies Data Teams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson-Cortez, Lauretta

    2013-01-01

    Many schools placed under Program Improvement because they have not met the AYP requirements of the NCLB mandate are required to build in time during the school day for teachers' professional collaboration to improve their performance in the classrooms. A lack of research exists to explore how professional collaboration improves teaching and…

  20. Academic Instruction at a Distance: An Examination of Holistic Teacher Perceptions in a Virtual High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flores, Serena; Walters, Nicole McZeal; Kiekel, Jean

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine holistic perceptions of teachers in a virtual high school who deliver secondary instruction using an online format. The demand for equitable learning spaces to support both teachers and students have led to the increased demand of virtual schools. The questionnaire administered to eight online…

  1. Presbyopia among public senior high school teachers in the Kumasi ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objectives: The aim was to determine the uptake of correction and prescription for presbyopia of presbyopic teachers of public Senior High School (S.H.S.). Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods: The study was conducted in 12 public S.H.S. in the Kumasi, with a total sample size of 298. Questionnaire was ...

  2. The Tyranny of Surveillance: Male Teachers and the Policing of Masculinities in a Single Sex School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martino, Wayne; Frank, Blye

    2006-01-01

    This paper draws on research into male teachers in one single sex high school in the Australian context to highlight how issues of masculinity impact on their pedagogical practices and relationships with boys. The study is situated within the broader international field of research on male teachers, masculinities and schooling in Australia, the UK…

  3. Perceptions about the Influence of Instructional Leadership Practices of Elementary Principals on Teachers' ELA Pedagogical Changes in High-Poverty NYC Elementary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Linda D.

    2017-01-01

    This quantitative study examined the relationships between instructional leadership practices of elementary school principals in high-poverty schools and changes in teachers' ELA instructional practices. This research sought to identify principals' perceptions about their use of instructional leadership practices and the teaching practices used in…

  4. Mastery of Content Representation (CoRes) Related TPACK High School Biology Teacher

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasution, W. R.; Sriyati, S.; Riandi, R.; Safitri, M.

    2017-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the mastery of Content Representation (CoRes) teachers related to the integration of technology and pedagogy in teaching Biology (TPACK). This research uses a descriptive method. The data were taken using instruments CoRes as the primary data and semi-structured interviews as supporting data. The subjects were biology teacher in class X MIA from four schools in Bandung. Teachers raised CoRes was analyzed using a scoring rubric CoRes with coding 1-3 then categorized into a group of upper, middle, or lower. The results showed that the two teachers in the lower category. This results means that the control of teachers in defining the essential concept in the CoRes has not been detailed and specific. Meanwhile, two other teachers were in the middle category. This means that the ability of teachers to determine the essential concepts in the CoRes are still inadequate so that still needs to be improved.

  5. Vocabulary Instruction and Mexican-American Bilingual Students: How Two High School Teachers Integrate Multiple Strategies to Build Word Consciousness in English Language Arts Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ajayi, Lasisi

    2015-01-01

    Despite the significance of vocabulary knowledge to student learning, limited studies have examined English language arts (ELA) teachers' skills and practices that may be effective for building word consciousness in high school Mexican-American bilingual students. The research objective of the present study is to examine how two high school ELA…

  6. Teacher Research as Professional Development for P-12 Music Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conway, Colleen; Edgar, Scott; Hansen, Erin; Palmer, C. Michael

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of seven music educators who conducted teacher research in their classrooms and to document whether the teachers and the local school district considered the project as professional development. Research questions included: (1) How do these music educators describe the experience of planning…

  7. Factors That Influence Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Willingness to Collaborate with School Librarians

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnabel, Stephanie L.

    2017-01-01

    Collaboration between school libraries and classroom teachers can have a powerful impact on student learning. School librarians routinely collaborate with English language arts and social studies curriculum and less frequently with areas in STEM education. This research examines middle school mathematics teachers' extent of or willingness to…

  8. "Cancer--Educate to Prevent"--high-school teachers, the new promoters of cancer prevention education campaigns.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Barros

    Full Text Available Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and thus represents a priority for national public health programs. Prevention has been assumed as the best strategy to reduce cancer burden, however most cancer prevention programs are implemented by healthcare professionals, which constrain range and educational impacts. We developed an innovative approach for cancer prevention education focused on high-school biology teachers, considered privileged mediators in the socialization processes. A training program, "Cancer, Educate to Prevent" was applied, so that the teachers were able to independently develop and implement prevention campaigns focused on students and school-related communities. The program encompassed different educational modules, ranging from cancer biology to prevention campaigns design. Fifty-four teachers were empowered to develop and implement their own cancer prevention campaigns in a population up to five thousands students. The success of the training program was assessed through quantitative evaluation--questionnaires focused on teachers' cancer knowledge and perceptions, before the intervention (pre-test and immediately after (post-test. The projects developed and implemented by teachers were also evaluated regarding the intervention design, educational contents and impact on the students' knowledge about cancer. This study presents and discusses the results concerning the training program "Cancer, Educate to Prevent" and clearly shows a significant increase in teacher's cancer literacy (knowledge and perceptions and teachers' acquired proficiency to develop and deliver cancer prevention campaigns with direct impact on students' knowledge about cancer. This pilot study reinforces the potential of high-school teachers and schools as cancer prevention promoters and opens a new perspective for the development and validation of cancer prevention education strategies, based upon focused interventions in restricted

  9. The Acadia Learning Project: Lessons Learned from Engaging High School Teachers and Students in Citizen Science Supporting National Parks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, S. J.; Zoellick, B.; Davis, Y.; Lindsey, E.

    2009-12-01

    In 2007 the authors initiated a citizen science research project, supported with funding from the Maine Department of Education, designed to extend research at Acadia National Park to a broader geographic area while also providing high school students and teachers with an opportunity to engage in authentic research in cooperation with working scientists. The scientific focus of the work has been on providing information about the mercury burden of organisms at different trophic levels across different geographic and environmental settings. The pedagogical focus has been on providing students with immersion in a substantial, field-based project, including background research, hypothesis formulation, data collection and analysis, and presentation of research findings. Starting work with 6 teachers in two schools the first year, the project expanded to involve more than 20 teachers and 350 students in a dozen schools in its second year. In coming years, with support from NOAA and cooperation from other National Parks in the region, the project will expand to include work in other states along the coast of the Gulf of Maine. In this paper the authors describe evolution in the use of the Internet over the first two years of the project, a sharpened focus on professional development for teachers, survey results regarding student views of the nature of science, the importance of focusing on rigorous, useful data collection from an educational perspective, success in establishing that samples collected by students are useful in research, the disjuncture between scientific and pedagogical outcomes, an assessment of the value of student poster presentations, and lessons learned about preparation and use of curriculum support materials. The authors also describe future directions, which include an increased focus on professional development and student work with graphs, a narrower focus in sample collection, and increased use of the Internet to provide participating teachers

  10. Report on Action Research: An Analysis of the Effects of Selected Instructional Strategies on Student Achievement at Terre Haute North Vigo High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haystead, Mark W.

    2010-01-01

    This report describes the findings of an analysis of a series of action research projects conducted by Vigo County School Corporation at Terre Haute North Vigo High School. During the 2009-2010 school year, 17 teachers participated in independent action research studies regarding the extent to which selected instructional strategies enhanced the…

  11. How Junior High School English Teachers in Bengkulu City Utilise Published Textbooks in the Classroom: A Classroom Observation Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Safnil Safnil

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to find out: (1 how the junior high school English teachers in Bengkulu city exploited the commercially published textbooks for classroom use; (2 if there was a difference in the way the experienced and the inexperienced English language teachers exploited the commercially published textbooks in the classroom; and (3 whether the teachers adapted textbooks or produced their own materials for classroom use. Twelve English teachers (6 experienced and 6 inexperienced teachers from four different junior high schools or SMPs (2 favourite and 2 non-favourite in Bengkulu city were the participants in this study. Data were obtained through a questionnaire, classroom observations, and sample lesson plans. The results of the study revealed that: first, the junior high school English language teachers (ET and IT; (1 used the commercially prescribed textbooks to a large extent; (2 there was not much difference between the way experienced teachers and inexperienced teachers exploited the textbooks; (3 both groups of teachers adapted the textbooks or produced their own teaching materials.

  12. Education for university students, high school teachers and the general public using the Kinki University Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuruta, T.

    2007-01-01

    Atomic Energy Research Institute of Kinki University is equipped with a nuclear reactor which is called UTR-KINKI. UTR is the abbreviation for University Teaching and Research Reactor. The reactor is the first one installed in Japanese universities. Though the reactor is owned and operated by Kinki University, its use is widely open to scientists and students from other universities and research institutions. The reactor is made the best of teaching instrument for the training of high school teachers. In addition, the reactor is utilized for general public education concerning atomic energy. (author)

  13. Authoritative school climate and high school dropout rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Yuane; Konold, Timothy R; Cornell, Dewey

    2016-06-01

    This study tested the association between school-wide measures of an authoritative school climate and high school dropout rates in a statewide sample of 315 high schools. Regression models at the school level of analysis used teacher and student measures of disciplinary structure, student support, and academic expectations to predict overall high school dropout rates. Analyses controlled for school demographics of school enrollment size, percentage of low-income students, percentage of minority students, and urbanicity. Consistent with authoritative school climate theory, moderation analyses found that when students perceive their teachers as supportive, high academic expectations are associated with lower dropout rates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. UWHS Climate Science: Uniting University Scientists and High School Teachers in the Development and Implementation of a Dual-Credit STEM-Focused Curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertram, M. A.; Thompson, L.; Ackerman, T. P.

    2012-12-01

    The University of Washington is adapting a popular UW Atmospheric Sciences course on Climate and Climate Change for the high school environment. In the process, a STEM-focused teaching and learning community has formed. With the support of NASA Global Climate Change Education 20 teachers have participated in an evolving professional development program that brings those actively engaged in research together with high school teachers passionate about bringing a formal climate science course into the high school. Over a period of several months participating teachers work through the UW course homework and delve deeply into specific subject areas. Then, during a week-long summer institute, scientists bring their particular expertise (e.g. radiation, modeling) to the high school teachers through lectures or labs. Together they identify existing lectures, textbook material and peer-reviewed resources and labs available through the internet that can be used to effectively teach the UW material to the high school students. Through this process the scientists learn how to develop teaching materials around their area of expertise, teachers engage deeply in the subject matter, and both the university and high school teachers are armed with the tools to effectively teach a STEM-focused introductory course in climate science. To date 12 new hands-on modules have been completed or are under development, exploring ice-cores, isotopes, historical temperature trends, energy balance, climate models, and more. Two modules have been tested in the classroom and are ready for peer-review through well-respected national resources such as CLEAN or the National Earth Science Teachers Association; three others are complete and will be implemented in a high school classroom this year, and the remainder under various stages of development. The UWHS ATMS 211 course was piloted in two APES (Advanced Placement Environmental Science classrooms) in Washington State in 2011/2012. The high school

  15. Examining Teachers' Motivation Level According to School Principals' Humor Styles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Recepoglu, Ergun; Kilinc, Ali Cagatay; Cepni, Osman

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to examine the motivation level of teachers according to school principals' humor styles. The humor styles survey and job motivation scale were used to gather data from 305 randomly selected teachers employed in primary schools in Karabuk. Results indicated that 141 of the teachers claimed school principal had…

  16. Teacher community in elementary charter schools.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marisa Cannata

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available The organizational context of charter schools may facilitate the formation of a strong teacher community. In particular, a focused school mission and increased control over teacher hiring may lead to stronger teacher professional communities. This paper uses the 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey to compare the level of teacher community in charter public and traditional public schools. It also estimates the effect of various charter policy variables and domains of school autonomy on teacher community. Charter school teachers report higher levels of teacher community than traditional public school teachers do, although this effect is less than one-tenth of a standard deviation and is dwarfed by the effect of a supportive principal, teacher decision-making influence, and school size. Charter public schools authorized by universities showed lower levels of teacher community than those authorized by local school districts. Teachers in charter schools that have flexibility over tenure requirements and the school budget report higher levels of teacher community. This study reveals that charter schools do facilitate the formation of strong teacher communities, although the effect is small. The analysis also suggests that the institutional origin of the charter school and specific areas of policy flexibility may influence teacher community.

  17. Where Will Urban High School Teachers for the 21st Century Come From?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Follo, Eric; Hoerr, Bill; Vorheis-Sargent, Ann

    2002-01-01

    Describes urban teacher supply problem in Oakland County, Michigan. Reviews literature on urban teacher supply problem nationally. Describes Michigan's alternative teacher-certification program and Oakland University's partnership with the Pontiac School District to prepare teachers for teaching in urban schools. (Contains 50 references.) (PKP)

  18. Key Elements of a Good Mathematics Lesson as Seen by Japanese Junior High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebaeguin, Marlon; Stephens, Max

    2016-01-01

    This study makes a comparison between what literature on Japanese Lesson Study suggests are key elements of a good mathematics lesson and what junior high school mathematics teachers in Japan value in planning their lessons. The teachers' strong consensus in their endorsements of these key elements explains why Japanese teachers strongly support…

  19. Teaching the Federal Budget, National Debt, and Budget Deficit: Findings from High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marri, Anand R.; Ahn, Meesuk; Crocco, Margaret Smith; Grolnick, Maureen; Gaudelli, William; Walker, Erica N.

    2011-01-01

    The issues surrounding the federal budget, national debt, and budget deficit are complex, but not beyond the reach of young students. This study finds scant treatment of the federal budget, national debt, and budget deficit in high schools today. It is hardly surprising that high school teachers spend so little time discussing these topics in…

  20. Teachers' Perception of Team Teaching Middle School Mathematics in Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serrano, Vanessa

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions of team teaching middle school mathematics in urban schools. The research questions focused on student academic performance and the impact that team teaching may have from the perspective of teachers. The theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bruner formed the theoretical foundation…

  1. Classroom management at the university level: lessons from a former high school earth science teacher

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazar, C.

    2009-12-01

    Just a few days before my career as a fledgling science teacher began in a large public high school in New York City, a mentor suggested I might get some ideas about how to run a classroom from a book called The First Days Of School by Harry Wong. Although the book seemed to concentrate more on elementary students, I found that many of the principles in the book worked well for high school students. Even as I have begun to teach at the university level, many of Wong’s themes have persisted in my teaching style. Wong’s central thesis is that for learning to occur, a teacher must create the proper environment. In education jargon, a good climate for learning is generated via classroom management, an array of methods used by elementary and secondary school teachers to provide structure and routine to a class period via a seamless flow of complementary activities. Many college professors would likely consider classroom management to be chiefly a set of rules to maintain discipline and order among an otherwise unruly herd of schoolchildren, and therefore not a useful concept for mature university students. However, classroom management is much deeper than mere rules for behavior; it is an approach to instructional design that considers the classroom experience holistically. A typical professorial management style is to lecture for an hour or so and ask students to demonstrate learning via examinations several times in a semester. In contrast, a good high school teacher will manage a class from bell-to-bell to create a natural order and flow to a given lesson. In this presentation, I will argue for an approach to college lesson design similar to the classroom management style commonly employed by high school and elementary school teachers. I will suggest some simple, practical techniques learned during my high school experience that work just as well in college: warm-up and practice problems, time management, group activities, bulletin boards, learning environment

  2. Teacher Preferences for Alternative School Site Administrative Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hewitt, Paul M.; Denny, George S.; Pijanowski, John C.

    2012-01-01

    Public school teachers with high leadership potential who stated that they had no interest in being school principals were surveyed on their attitudes about six alternative school site administrative organizational models. Of the 391 teachers surveyed, 53% identified the Co-Principal model as the preferred school site administrative structure. In…

  3. Report on Action Research: An Analysis of the Effects of Selected Instructional Strategies on Student Achievement at Terre Haute South Vigo High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haystead, Mark W.

    2010-01-01

    This report describes the findings of an analysis of a series of action research projects conducted by Vigo County School Corporation at Terre Haute South Vigo High School (hereinafter referred to as South Vigo). During the 2009-2010 school year, 20 teachers at South Vigo participated in independent action research studies regarding the extent to…

  4. Relationship Between Teacher ICT Competency And Teacher Acceptance And Use Of School Management System (SMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leong Mei Wei

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available This study aims at examining the relationship between teacher ICT competency and teacher acceptance and use of SMS in Negeri Sembilan secondary schools in Malaysia. This is a non-experimental quantitative research using survey technique through the administration of a set of questionnaire that comprised teacher demographic variables, teacher ICT competency and teacher acceptance and use of SMS. Some 417 returned questionnaires have been analyzed. The findings showed that teachers in Negeri Sembilan secondary schools rated themselves as having high level of ICT competency, and acceptance and use of SMS. Furthermore, data indicated that there was a statistically significant moderately strong positive correlation between teacher ICT competency and teacher acceptance and use of SMS. In addition, multiple regression analysis showed that smart pedagogy, professional growth and leadership, and digital citizenship were the three teacher ICT competency dimensions that are statistically significant predictors of teacher acceptance and use of SMS. The fitness indexes of the proposed structural model do not achieve the level of fitness required for RMSEA, GFI, and Ratio Chisq/df. Thus, a re-specified structural model was established for this study.

  5. Career Mobility Patterns of Public School Teachers

    OpenAIRE

    Vera, Celia Patricia

    2013-01-01

    One issue that has pervaded policy discussions for decades is the difficulty that school districts experience in retaining teachers. Almost a quarter of entering public school teachers leave teaching within the first three years and empirical evidence has related high attrition rates of beginner teachers to family circumstances, such as maternity or marriage. I examine female teachers' career choices and inquire about the effects that wage increases and child care subsidies have on their empl...

  6. Effective Use of Digital Technologies of High School Teachers as Digital Immigrants in Six Rural Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pattee, Andy

    2012-01-01

    Problem: A widening experiential gap of effective use of technology in K-12 schools between "digital immigrants" and "digital natives" (Prensky, 2001) is becoming more evident as digital natives become classroom teachers and showcase pedagogical strategies with digital technologies. There is a dearth of research on digital…

  7. Students' Evaluation of Professional Personality Competencies of Physical Education Teachers Working in High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demir, Erdal

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between professional personality competencies of physical education teachers working in high schools and gender, school type, and class variables of students. The study was organised according to the screening model. The study was carried out in a total of 17 schools, 16 state and one…

  8. Science and Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs of Pre-School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aydogdu, Bülent; Peker, Murat

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this research was to examine science and mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-school teachers in terms of some variables. The sample of the study was comprised of 191 pre-school teachers working in a city in Aegean Region of Turkey. Since it attempted to define self-efficacy beliefs of pre-school teachers toward science and…

  9. Impact of Teacher Supports and Workplace Settings on Retaining Teachers in New Jersey Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheasty, Michelle E.

    2011-01-01

    Teacher turnover in New Jersey public schools continues to grow every year. As a result, schools and school districts are continuously seeking ways to ensure that every position available is staffed with highly qualified teachers. In addition, schools seek to provide familiarity and stability to those involved with the schools. In an effort to…

  10. Equity Sensitivity in Illinois Public School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossi, Robert G.

    2013-01-01

    Research supports the importance of teacher quality on effective student learning. School districts recognize this fact and focus extensively on hiring quality teachers and improving teaching skills through professional development programs. Amazingly, despite common sense and a vast amount of research that reflects that employee performance is a…

  11. Urban Teacher Academy Project Toolkit: A Guide to Developing High School Teaching Career Academies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berrigan, Anne; Schwartz, Shirley

    There is an urgent need not only to attract more people into the teaching profession but also to build a more diverse, highly qualified, and culturally sensitive teaching force that can meet the needs of a rapidly changing school-age population. This Toolkit takes best practices from high school teacher academies around the United States and…

  12. [Psycho-social sources of stress and burnout in schools: research on a sample of Italian teachers].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedditzi, Maria Luisa; Nonnis, M

    2014-01-01

    Numerous studies show the existence of stress and burnout among teachers. The psycho-social sources of stress and burnout in teachers cover many aspects, often of conflictual nature, affecting the relationship with the school organization, colleagues, parents, students, and many other variables. This study aimed at exploring the incidence of burnout among teachers in primary and secondary schools and to describing the characteristics of burnout taking into account the educational level, the location of the school and the teacher's length of service. Another objective of this study was to identify, among the principal sources of teachers' job stress, those sources that are more able to predict the occurrence of burnout. Among these predictors of stress we considered the personal image of the teacher with respect to the work-family interface and the gap between professional and social status. 882 teachers from the cities of Rome, Bari, Cagliari and Sassari completed the Maslach burnout Inventory (MBI), and an adaptation to the school environment of the OSI (Organizational Stress Indicator, Cooper, Sloan & Williams). The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and analysis of the multivariate variance. 29.9% of the teachers surveyed presented high levels of emotional exhaustion, 33.8% had the highest scores of depersonalization; 28.3% had a low level of professional achievement; 8.2% of the teachers were in burnout. Interpersonal conflict and personal image were included among the predictors of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. The study highlights the existence of burnout among teachers and the need for prevention, particularly against depersonalization, that affects the quality of both the teacher-student relationship and the teaching-learning process.

  13. Guidelines for preparing high school psychology teachers: course-based and standards-based approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Psychology is one of the most popular elective high school courses. The high school psychology course provides the foundation for students to benefit from psychological perspectives on personal and contemporary issues and learn the rules of evidence and theoretical frameworks of the discipline. The guidelines presented here constitute the second of two reports in this issue of the American Psychologist (January 2013) representing recent American Psychological Association (APA) policies that support high-quality instruction in the teaching of high school psychology. These guidelines, aligned to the standards presented in the preceding report, describe models for the preparation of preservice psychology teachers. The two reports together demonstrate the rigor and competency that should be expected in psychology instruction at the high school level.

  14. Stress Causing Factors Among Teachers in Elementary Schools and Their Relationship with Demographic and Job Characteristics

    OpenAIRE

    Agai–Demjaha, Teuta; Minov, Jordan; Stoleski, Sasho; Zafirova, Beti

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Once high levels of work-related stress among teachers were confirmed many studies concentrated on identifying and investigating key stress factors among school teachers. Unfortunately there are very few researches made on stress causing factors among teachers in Republic of Macedonia. AIM: To determine the most frequent stress causing factors among teachers in elementary schools and to investigate their relationship with demographic and job characteristics. METHODOLOGY: W...

  15. Coaching and engaging. Developing teaching with CAS in High School

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bang, Henrik Peter; Grønbæk, Niels; Larsen, Claus Richard

    The extensive use of CAS at upper secondary school in Denmark provides a laboratory for research on the development of standards for CAS teaching. The poster focuses on action research into teachers developing lessons and student activities in an ongoing collaboration between university and high ...... schools on use of CAS in mathematics teaching. Coaches1 mediate design processes, reflection and documentation, and enable sharing. We discuss coaching as a valuable part of action research, and how to draw findings from the collaboration.......The extensive use of CAS at upper secondary school in Denmark provides a laboratory for research on the development of standards for CAS teaching. The poster focuses on action research into teachers developing lessons and student activities in an ongoing collaboration between university and high...

  16. Secondary school teachers' experiences of teaching pregnant ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... learners, and this requires a health facilitation model to enable teachers to assist pregnant learners such that they might better benefit from their schooling, and experience a positive health outcome. Key words: high risk pregnancy; learner pregnancy; school health services; teacher experiences; teenage pregnancy ...

  17. Examining High School Anatomy and Physiology Teacher Experience in a Cadaver Dissection Laboratory and Impacts on Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattheis, Allison; Ingram, Debra; Jensen, Murray S.; Jackson, Jon

    2015-01-01

    This article describes the results of a study that investigated the experiences of a group of high school anatomy and physiology teachers who participated in a cadaver dissection laboratory workshop organized through a university-school partnership. Teacher feedback was collected before, during, and after the workshop through pre-arrival surveys,…

  18. At-risk high school seniors: Science remediation for Georgia's High School Graduation Test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Carolyn M.

    State departments of education have created a system of accountability for the academic achievement of students under the mandate of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The Georgia Department of Education established the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) as their method of evaluating the academic achievement of high school students. The GHSGT consist of five sections and students must pass all five sections before students they are eligible to receive a diploma. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of teacher-lead and computer based remediation for a group of high school seniors who have been unsuccessful in passing the science portion of the GHSGT. The objectives of this study include (a) Identify the most effective method of remediation for at-risk students on the science section of the GHSGT, and (b) evaluate the methods of remediation for at-risk students on the science section of GHSGT available to high school students. The participants of this study were at-risk seniors enrolled in one high school during the 2007-2008 school year. The findings of this research study indicated that at-risk students who participated in both types of remediation, teacher-led and computer-based, scored significantly higher than the computer-based remediation group alone. There was no significant relationship between the test scores and the number of times the students were tested.

  19. An Exploration of Teacher Attrition and Mobility in High Poverty Racially Segregated Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Djonko-Moore, Cara M.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the mobility (movement to a new school) and attrition (quitting teaching) patterns of teachers in high poverty, racially segregated (HPRS) schools in the US. Using 2007-9 survey data from the National Center for Education Statistics, a multi-level multinomial logistic regression was performed to examine the…

  20. Student and Teacher Responses to Prayer at a Modern Orthodox Jewish High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, Devra

    2010-01-01

    This article presents the attitudes of students and teachers to prayer at an American Modern Orthodox Jewish high school. Relevant data, based on observation and interviews, emerged from a larger study of the school's Jewish and secular worlds. A significant gap in responses became apparent. Students viewed prayer as a challenge to their autonomy,…

  1. Young Engineers & Scientists (YES) - Engaging Teachers in Space Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boice, D. C.; Reiff, P. H.

    2011-12-01

    The Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) Program is a community partnership between Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and local high schools in San Antonio. It provides talented high school juniors and seniors a bridge between classroom instruction and real world, research experiences in physical sciences, information sciences, and engineering. YES consists of two parts: 1) An intensive three-week summer workshop held at SwRI where students experience the research environment first-hand; develop skills and acquire tools for solving scientific problems, attend mini-courses and seminars on electronics, C++ programming, the Internet, careers, science ethics, social impact of technology, and other topics; and select their individual research project with their mentor (SwRI staff member) to be completed during the academic year; and 2) A collegial mentorship where students complete individual research projects under the guidance of their mentors and teachers during the academic year and earn honors credit. At the end of the school year, students publicly present and display their work, acknowledging their accomplishments and spreading career awareness to other students and teachers. YES has been highly successful during the past nineteen (19) years. A total of 258 students have completed or are currently enrolled in YES. Of these students, 38% are females and 57% are ethnic minorities, reflecting the local diversity of the San Antonio area. All YES graduates have entered college, several work or have worked for SwRI, two businesses have formed, and three scientific publications have resulted. Sixteen (16) teacher participants have attended the YES workshop and have developed classroom materials based on their experiences in research at SwRI in the past three (3) years. In recognition of its excellence, YES received the Celebrate Success in 1996 and the Outstanding Campus Partner-of-the-Year Award in 2005, both from Northside Independent School District (San Antonio

  2. Middle School Teachers' Views and Approaches to Implement Mathematical Tasks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yesildere-Imre, Sibel; Basturk-Sahin, Burcu Nur

    2016-01-01

    This research examines middle school mathematics teachers' views regarding implementation of mathematical tasks and their enactments. We compare their views on tasks and their implementation, and determine the causes of difference between the two using qualitative research methods. We interview sixteen middle school mathematics teachers based on…

  3. School Culture: Teachers' Beliefs, Behaviors, and Instructional Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hongboontri, Chantarath; Keawkhong, Natheeporn

    2014-01-01

    This mixed-methods research project documents the school culture of Hope University's Language Institute and reveals the reciprocal relationship between the school culture and the instructional practices of the English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in this particular institute. Altogether, 62 EFL teachers agreed to complete a questionnaire.…

  4. Implementation of municipal health promoting projects in primary schools: teachers perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordin, Lone Lindegard

    2013-01-01

    . The project is funded by the Danish Ministry of Science, University of Aarhus and Silkeborg municipality, and involves 5 primary schools, 23 teachers and 233 pupils from 7th to 9 class. The project is positioned within the critical approach to school health education and health promotion, developed......Implementation of municipally health promoting projects' in primary schools: teachers perspective Research question This paper discusses the findings from a qualitative research, that aimed to investigate how teachers in primary schools implemented municipal health promoting projects focusing...... that there is a “gap” between policy and practice according to aim, content and methods, and that teachers practice can be explained as coping mechanism. The key findings include: • Teachers practice is closer to traditional health education than critical health education. • Teachers priorities the mandatory teaching...

  5. [Nurses' image perceived by academic and vocational high school teachers in Korea].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Hae-Young; Go, Mi-Hye; Yang, Jin-Ju; Kim, Sun-Mi

    2003-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify nurses' image and its related factors to make nurses' image among academic and vocational high school teachers in Korea. Study samples were composed of 470 teachers who were from 12 high schools in G and J city located in southwestern part of Korea. Data were collected from August 26 to October 4, 2002. The internal consistency of the total scale was Cronbach's a =.940. In order to make nurses' image, 76.4% of respondents were influenced by the experience of their hospitalization in visiting hospitals. The mean score of nurses' image in general was 3.19+/-0.55; in four subcategories, 3.46+/-0.60 for professional image, 3.28+/-0.69 for traditional image, 2.93+/-0.70 for social image, and 2.91+/-0.64 for vision of nursing career. The mean score of nurses' image in general was more positive significantly in the 50's age group (F=6.43, p=.002) and in male groups (t=2.92, p=.002). On the basis of these findings, nursing professionals need to improve their working conditions, aspiration in job, and autonomy of nurses in their practice fields, monitor the mass media and other publishing materials continuously, and share the appropriate information on nursing profession to the school teachers and the public.

  6. Changing Perceptions of Teacher Candidates in High-Needs Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeJarnette, Nancy K.

    2016-01-01

    Candidates enter teacher education programs with established beliefs about diversity and urban education. These belief systems impact decisions that teacher candidates make both now and in the future. Providing opportunities for candidates to spend quality time in an urban Professional Development School (PDS) setting with the support and guidance…

  7. Awareness of Societal Issues among High School Biology Teachers Teaching Genetics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazarowitz, Reuven; Bloch, Ilit

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate how aware high school biology teachers are of societal issues (values, moral, ethic, and legal issues) while teaching genetics, genetics engineering, molecular genetics, human heredity, and evolution. The study includes a short historical review of World War II atrocities during the Holocaust when…

  8. Teachers' participation in school policy: Nature, extent and orientation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jongmans, C.T.; Sleegers, P.J.C.; Biemans, H.J.A.; Jong, F.P.C.M. de

    2004-01-01

    Against the background of several large-scale innovations in secondary agricultural education, this study explores the relation between teachers' professionality and their participation in school policy. For the research into this, 1,030 teachers of 98 schools for preparatory and secondary

  9. Unraveling Gender Bias from Student Evaluations of their High School Physics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazari, Zahra; Potvin, Geoff; Tai, Robert; Sadler, Philip

    2009-05-01

    In this talk, the evaluation of high school physics, chemistry, and biology teachers by their students is examined according to the gender of the student and the gender of the teacher. Female teachers are rated significantly lower than male teachers by male students in all three disciplines, while female students under-rate female teachers only in physics. Interestingly, physics is also the field that suffers the greatest lack of females and has been criticized most for its androcentric culture. The gender bias in teacher ratings persists even after accounting for academic performance, classroom experiences, and family support. Further, male and female teachers in each discipline appear equally effective at preparing their students for future science study in college, suggesting that students have a discipline-specific gender bias. Such a bias may negatively impact female students and contribute to the loss of females in STEM fields.

  10. Instructional Materials Commonly Employed by Foreign Language Teachers at Elementary Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İsmail Çakır

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to determine the teachers’ choices of instructional materials in teaching English at elementary schools. The reasons behind preferring or not preferring some certain instructional materials specified within the research were analysed. To this end, during the course of School Experience, 68 prospective English teachers observed 38 teachers of English working at 14 elementary schools on a weekly basis, and they completed a questionnaire. A semi-structured interview was also conducted with five randomly selected teachers to identify their reasons for choosing certain instructional materials. The descriptive results revealed that most of the teachers were reluctant to use many of the highly beneficial materials due to reasons including overcrowded classes, limited technological knowledge, lack of time for preparation, curricular time constraints, heavy work load, burnout etc. The study suggests that apart from course-books teachers should be encouraged to use other instructional materials to motivate learners and offer an interactive foreign language teaching atmosphere.

  11. Instructional materials commonly employed by foreign language teachers at elementary schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İsmail Çakır

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to determine the teachers’ choices of instructional materials in teaching English at elementary schools. The reasons behind preferring or not preferring some certain instructional materials specified within the research were analysed. To this end, during the course of School Experience, 68 prospective English teachers observed 38 teachers of English working at 14 elementary schools on a weekly basis, and they completed a questionnaire. A semi-structured interview was also conducted with five randomly selected teachers to identify their reasons for choosing certain instructional materials. The descriptive results revealed that most of the teachers were reluctant to use many of the highly beneficial materials due to reasons including overcrowded classes, limited technological knowledge, lack of time for preparation, curricular time constraints, heavy work load, burnout etc. The study suggests that apart from course-books teachers should be encouraged to use other instructional materials to motivate learners and offer an interactive foreign language teaching atmosphere.

  12. Morale of Teachers in High Poverty Schools: A Post-NCLB Mixed Methods Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrd-Blake, Marie; Afolayan, Michael O.; Hunt, John W.; Fabunmi, Martins; Pryor, Brandt W.; Leander, Robert

    2010-01-01

    This study tested how well Fishbein and Ajzen's Theory of Reasoned Action predicted the attitudes and morale of urban teachers in high poverty schools under the pressures of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB forced local administrators to target schools that had not made adequately yearly progress (AYP) for two or more consecutive years.…

  13. The First-Year Urban High School Teacher: Holding the Torch, Lighting the Fire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinberg, Paul J.; Weinberg, Carl

    2008-01-01

    The book tracks co-author Paul Weinberg during his first year of teaching as he is introduced to the daily tribulations of an urban Los Angeles high school. Paul's father Carl Weinberg, who fifty years earlier himself began his career in education an urban secondary school teacher, shares his experiences side-by-side with those of his son.…

  14. Summer Research Experiences for Science and Art Teachers to Explore Astrobiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cola, J.; Gaucher, E.; Snell, T.; Greenwood, J.; Angra, A.; Zimmerman, C.; Williams, L. D.

    2012-12-01

    The Georgia Tech Center for Ribosomal Origins and Evolution, a center funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute, developed an educational program titled, "Life on the Edge: Astrobiology." The purpose of the program was to provide high school educators with the exposure, materials, and skills necessary to prepare our future workforce and to foster student interest in scientific discovery on Earth and throughout the universe. In an effort to promote and encourage entry into teaching careers, Georgia Tech paired teachers in the Georgia Intern-Fellowship for Teachers (GIFT) program with undergraduate students interested in becoming a teacher through the NSF Pre-Teaching REU program. The GIFT and Pre-Teaching fellows investigated extremophiles, which became the focus of a week-long, "Life on the Edge: Astrobiology " summer program developed by three high school educators, two undergraduate students and faculty in the Schools of Biology, and Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech. Twenty high school students were introduced to hands-on activities, such as astrobiology inspired art and techniques such as genomic DNA purification, gel electrophoresis, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The impact of the Astrobiology program on the GIFT researchers, Pre-Teaching REU students, high school students, and faculty are discussed.

  15. Organizational Justice Perceptions of Virginia High School Teachers: Relationships to Organizational Citizenship Behavior and Student Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burns, William R. Travis

    2012-01-01

    An emergent research base suggests that teacher perceptions of fairness with respect to interactions with school administrators, decision-making processes, and decision outcomes have much to contribute to our understanding of effective schools. This study focused on the relationship between organizational justice and organizational citizenship…

  16. A Study on Technical High School Teachers' Views Concerning Corporal Punishment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tas, Said

    2016-01-01

    Corporal punishment is defined as inflicting pain on body of someone who presents undesired behavior or does not present expected behavior. In the developed world, experiencing information society, corporal punishment is still in the agenda in educational system in Turkey. In this study, it was aimed to determine technical high school teachers'…

  17. A Graduate Student's Experience and Perspective on a Student-Teacher-Researcher Partnership

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bostic, J.; Stylinski, C.; Doty, C.

    2017-12-01

    Teachers and their K-12 students lack firsthand experience in science research and often harbor misconceptions about science practices and the nature of science. To address this challenge, the NOAA-funded Student-Teacher-Researcher (STAR) partnership that provides rural high school students with authentic research experiences investigating the amount and sources of nitrate in schoolyard runoff. Teachers received training, guiding curricular materials aligned with NGSS and in-classroom support. With a focus on evidence-based reasoning skills, students actively participate in the research process through sample collection, data analysis, and an in-person discussion of conclusions and implications with our scientist team. As a member of this team, I assisted with refining the study design, analyzing nitrate isotope runoff samples, and sharing insights and feedback with students during the in-person discussion session. Assessment results indicate student gained an understanding of nitrate pollution and of science practices. As a graduate student, young scientist, and possessor of a B.S. in Science Education, I already recognized the value of involving K-12 students and teachers in authentic research experiences, as these experiences expose students to the nature of science while also improving content knowledge. During the STAR partnership, I learned firsthand some of the obstacles presented during outreach involving partnerships between a research institution and schools, such as inflexibility of school scheduling and the need for flexibility with research questions requiring complex lab analysis. Additionally, I discovered the challenge of working systemically across a school district, which can have broad impact but limit student experiences. Highlights of my experience included interactions with students and teachers, especially when students have unexpected answers to my questions, providing novel explanations for patterns observed in the data. Despite the

  18. A Research-Based Science Teacher Education Program for a Competitive Tomorrow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clary, R. M.; Hamil, B.; Beard, D. J.; Chevalier, D.; Dunne, J.; Saebo, S.

    2009-12-01

    A united commitment between the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences at Mississippi State University, in partnership with local high-need school districts, has the goal of increasing the number of highly qualified science teachers through authentic science research experiences. The departments of Geosciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Physics offer undergraduate pre-service teachers laboratory experiences in science research laboratories, including 1) paleontological investigations of Cretaceous environments, 2) NMR studies of the conformation of tachykinin peptides, 3) FHA domains as regulators of cell signaling in plants, 4) intermediate energy nuclear physics studies, and 5) computational studies of cyclic ketene acetals. Coordinated by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, these research experiences involve extensive laboratory training in which the pre-teacher participants matriculate through a superior education curriculum prior to administrating their individual classrooms. Participants gain valuable experience in 1) performing literature searches and reviews; 2) planning research projects; 3) recording data; 4) presenting laboratory results effectively; and 5) writing professional scientific manuscripts. The research experience is available to pre-service teachers who are science education majors with a declared second major in a science (i.e., geology, biology, physics, or chemistry). Students are employed part-time in various science university laboratories, with work schedules arranged around their individual course loads. While the focus of this endeavor is upon undergraduate pre-service teachers, the researchers also target practicing science teachers from the local high-need school districts. A summer workshop provides practicing science teachers with a summative laboratory experience in several scientific disciplines. Practicing teachers also are provided lesson plans and ideas to transform their classrooms into

  19. The Roles of Teachers' Work Motivation and Teachers' Job Satisfaction in the Organizational Commitment in Extraordinary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tentama, Fatwa; Pranungsari, Dessy

    2016-01-01

    Teachers' work motivation and teachers' job satisfaction are the factors influencing the organizational commitment. This research is aimed to empirically examine the roles of teachers' work motivation and teachers' job satisfaction in the commitment of the organization in extraordinary schools. The subjects of the research are the teachers in…

  20. Violence in public school: reports of teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Carneiro Ferreira

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To assess the perception of violence from the reports of teachers of elementary and high school in a public state school in Fortaleza, Ceará. Method: A qualitative descriptive study conducted with 26 teachers, in the period from January to May 2006. To collect the data we adopted the following procedures: the discussion on school violence during the meetings of the teacher training week; the reading of the school regulations and the distribution of an instrument with the guiding question about the concept of violence as from the school reality, among the participants of the study. Afterwards, the thematic analysis of the reports was carried out. Results: Through the reports of teachers emerged the following categories: physical aggression, verbal aggression and fights as the most cited; to hide personal belongings, cursing, shoving and disrespect for the teacher and pranks were also mentioned. Conclusion: From the reports it appears that violence is perceived in physical, dimension moral and symbolic, and these “typologies” corroborate the descriptions found in literature as bullying or incivility, which dominate the school context.

  1. She's Strict for a Good Reason: Highly Effective Teachers in Low-Performing Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poplin, Mary; Rivera, John; Durish, Dena; Hoff, Linda; Kawell, Susan; Pawlak, Pat; Hinman, Ivannia Soto; Straus, Laura; Veney, Cloetta

    2011-01-01

    A study of 31 high-performing teachers in low-performing urban schools found that these teachers had certain traits in common. They were strict; they taught in traditional, explicit ways; there was little time in their classrooms when instruction was not occurring; and they moved around the room helping their students. They used very few…

  2. What Do Upper Secondary School Teachers Want to Know from Research on the Use of ICT and How Does This Inform a Research Design?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olofsson, Anders D.; Lindberg, J. Ola; Fransson, Göran

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates what teachers taking part in a longitudinal research project on the use of ICT for teaching and learning in three upper secondary schools in Sweden want to learn more about. At the beginning of the project eighty-four teachers were invited to respond to a questionnaire relating to what teachers wanted to learn more about…

  3. Perceptions of High School Biology Teachers in Christian Schools on Relationships between Religious Beliefs and Teaching Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mangahas, Ana Marie E.

    2017-01-01

    This mixed method study explored Christian teachers' beliefs in religious schools on evolution, their attitudes toward evolution, and their perceptions on the effect of those beliefs on the teaching of evolutionary content. Teachers (N = 52) from Association for Christian Schools International (ACSI) accredited schools in California and Hawaii…

  4. Preparing Secondary Stem Teachers for High-Need Schools: Challenges of an Urban Residency Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garza, Rubén; Duchaine, Ellen L.; Reynosa, Raymond

    2013-01-01

    Teaching residency programs that blend coursework with clinical experiences have emerged nationwide to prepare aspiring teachers for the demanding reality of teaching in high-need urban schools. The Teaching Residency Program for Critical Shortage Areas was created to help urban school districts with the challenge of recruiting and retaining…

  5. Comparison of public and private school teachers and school principals’ opinions in Abuja, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deniz Ozcan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to examine public and private school teachers’ opinions on different aspects of their professional associations and provisions and also asks principals about teachers’ conduct and their views on the Nigerian curriculum. To conduct this study, qualitative and quantitative research models were used to investigate differences between the two organizations. Quantitative data was collected by distributing questionnaires to 118 teachers in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC, Nigeria. To conduct the qualitative analysis, 15 teachers from two schools were selected (a total of 30 teachers to answer 5 discussion questions concerning their views on the Nigerian educational system. The findings revealed that private school teachers are at an advantage when it comes to provision of resources and technology, professional development and to some degree salaries. Both public and private school teachers felt being a teacher did not bring them respect in their community. Government policy makers need to study private schools and how they operate to see how they can make changes to produce the revolutionary reform needed in education. 30 principals’ interviews revealed that public school teachers are not easily held accountable for misconduct due to the structure of leadership, while private school teachers are held accountable and any form of unprofessionalism easily leads to termination of employment.

  6. Pedagogical Practice of Training Teachers in Elementary School and Social Impact

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miraida Josefina-Linares

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In educational practice of training teachers of elementary school, in Venezuela, it emphasizes meaningful interactions in teaching learning process; which they do not always answer to the demands of reflexive educational practice to make teachers redefine their role, functions and learn training to their students. The objective of this research consists of assessing socio-educative contradictions of pedagogical practice of the training teachers in elementary school and its social impact. As a result of it, the training teachers achieved sensitization for its educative practical ; an organized and qualified plan of Learning Projects; going through three levels of training: low, middle and high, as well as, discreet transformations in way of thinking, feeling, and acting, corresponding with contexts.

  7. Work schedule influence on sleep habits in elementary and high school teachers according to chronotype

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jane Carla de Souza

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The influence of work schedule on sleep habits and quality, and daytime sleepiness according to individual preferences in sleep schedules was assessed in 131 elementary and high school teachers through questionnaires. Teachers who initiate classes around 7:00 hr wake up earlier and show more frequency of poor sleep quality than those who start classes in the afternoon. Between them, those who have a preference for intermediate or later hours for sleep are more irregular in their wake up schedules and increase their sleep duration on the weekend compared to those with earlier sleep preferences. On the other hand, working only in the afternoon seems to provide better sleep/awake conditions for teachers, because they keep the same sleep duration during the week and on the weekend, and they are diagnosed with less daytime sleepiness. Therefore, the discussion of school start times, originally proposed for adolescents, needs to be magnified to teachers, contributing to improvement of sleep habits and life quality in school environments.

  8. The Black Cultural Ethos and science teachers' practices: A case study exploring how four high school science teachers meet their African American students' needs in science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strachan, Samantha L.

    The underachievement of African American students in science has been a persistent problem in science education. The achievement patterns of African American students indicate that researchers must take a closer look at the types of practices that are being used to meet these students' needs in science classrooms. Determining why science teachers decide to employ certain practices in their classrooms begins with a careful examination of teachers' beliefs as well as their instructional approaches. The purpose of this study was to explore four urban high school science teachers' beliefs about their African American students' learning needs and to investigate how these teachers go about addressing students' needs in science classrooms. This research study also explored the extent to which teachers' practices aligned with the nine dimensions of an established cultural instructional theory, namely the Black Cultural Ethos. Qualitative research methods were employed to gather data from the four teachers. Artifact data were collected from the teachers and they were interviewed and observed. Believing that their students had academic-related needs as well as needs tied to their learning preferences, the four science teachers employed a variety of instructional strategies to meet their students where they were in learning. Overall, the instructional strategies that the teachers employed to meet their students' needs aligned with five of the nine tenets of the Black Cultural Ethos theory.

  9. How static media is understood and used by high school science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirata, Miguel

    The purpose of the present study is to explore the role of static media in textbooks, as defined by Mayer (2001) in the form of printed images and text, and how these media are viewed and used by high school science teachers. Textbooks appeared in the United States in the late 1800s, and since then pictorial aids have been used extensively in them to support the teacher's work in the classroom (Giordano, 2003). According to Woodward, Elliott, and Nagel (1988/2013) the research on textbooks prior to the 1970s doesn't present relevant work related to the curricular role and the quality and instructional design of textbooks. Since then there has been abundant research, specially on the use of visual images in textbooks that has been approached from: (a) the text/image ratio (Evans, Watson, & Willows, 1987; Levin & Mayer, 1993; Mayer, 1993; Woodward, 1993), and (b) the instructional effectiveness of images (Woodward, 1993). The theoretical framework for this study comes from multimedia learning (Mayer, 2001), information design (Pettersson, 2002), and visual literacy (Moore & Dwyer, 1994). Data was collected through in-depth interviews of three high school science teachers and the graphic analyses of three textbooks used by the interviewed teachers. The interview data were compared through an analytic model developed from the literature, and the graphic analyses were performed using Mayer's multimedia learning principles (Mayer, 2001) and the Graphic Analysis Protocol (GAP) (Slough & McTigue, 2013). The conclusions of this study are: (1) pictures are specially useful for teaching science because science is a difficult subject to teach, (2) due this difficulty, pictures are very important to make the class dynamic and avoid students distraction, (3) static and dynamic media when used together can be more effective, (4) some specific type of graphics were found in the science textbooks used by the participants, in this case they were naturalistic drawings, stylized

  10. The influence of school leadership on teachers' perception of teacher evaluation policy

    OpenAIRE

    Tuytens, Melissa; Devos, Geert

    2010-01-01

    The understanding of teachers' perception of new educational policy is crucial since this perception shapes the policy's implementation. However, quantitative research in this area is scarce. This article draws on empirical data to investigate whether the school leader might influence his teachers' perception of the new teacher evaluation policy. The conceptualisation of teachers' perception consists of three policy characteristics: practicality, need and clarifying function. Our results indi...

  11. The Teach for America RockCorps, Year 2: Using Authentic Research Experiences in Geophysics for STEM Teachers to Inspire Earth Science-Themed Lessons in High School Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsons, B.; Kassimu, R.; Borjas, C. N.; Griffith, W. A.

    2016-12-01

    Brooke Parsons1, Rahmatu Kassimu2, Christopher Borjas3, and W. Ashley Griffith31Uplift Hampton Preparatory High School, Dallas, TX, 75232 2H. Grady Spruce High School, Dallas, TX, 75217 3Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019 As Earth Science courses appear in fewer high school curricula, we seek to find creative ways to integrate Earth Science themes as contextual examples into other K-12 STEM courses in order to develop (A) Earth Science literacy, and (B) a pipeline of young talent into our field. This presentation details the efforts of the 2nd year Teach for America (TFA) Rock Corps, a five year NSF-sponsored partnership between TFA and the University of Texas at Arlington designed to provide STEM teachers with genuine research opportunities using components that can be extrapolated to develop dynamic Geophysics-themed lesson plans and materials for their classrooms. Two teachers were selected from the Dallas-Fort Worth region of TFA to participate in original research modeling off-fault damage that occurs during earthquakes in a lab setting using a Split-Hopkinson-Pressure Bar (SHPB). In particular, we simulate a coseismic transient stress perturbation in a fault damage zone by combining traditional SHPB with a traveling harmonic oscillator: Two striker bars attached by an elastic spring are launched with a gas gun allowing us to create the double stress pulse expected during an earthquake rupture. This research affords teachers inspiration to implement Geophysics-themed lesson plans for their courses, Physics/Pre-AP Physics and Chemistry. The physics course will adopt principles of seismic wave propagation to teach concepts of impulse, momentum, conservation of energy, harmonic motion, wave velocity, wave propagation, and real world applications of waves. The chemistry course will implement geochemistry themed techniques into applying the scientific method, density, isotopic composition, p

  12. Everybody's Problem: Novice Teachers in Disadvantaged Mexican Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez, Nora H.

    2014-01-01

    This paper explores the difficulties that novice teachers confront at two economically, socially, and academically disadvantaged schools in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The researchers employed the action research tradition. Problems were identified using participant observation during reflexive workshops conducted with novice teachers and…

  13. DEMOCRATIC ATTITUDES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Müge TAÇMAN

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available The primary aim of this study was to determine the democratic attitudes of the classroomteachers. This study is a descriptive research. In this research, democratic attitude scala which was developed by“published for the attitude research labaratory” and adapted to Turkish educational system by Gözütok (1995 wasused. Research group consisted fifty teachers from four private primary schools in Ankara. The data were analyzed byone way ANOVA. According of the results of the research, democratic attitudes of teachers have been discriminated onteachers’ sexuality, seniority and graduate level

  14. Teachers' Performance Motivation System in Thai Primary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasathang, Sarojn; Tesaputa, Kowat; Sataphonwong, Pattananusron

    2016-01-01

    This research aims to: 1) study the present conditions and desirable condition of the motivation systems as well as how to find methods for motivating the performance of teachers in primary schools, 2) develop a motivation system for the performance of teachers in primary schools, 3) study the effects of using the motivation system for compliance…

  15. Teacher Job Satisfaction and Student Achievement: The Roles of Teacher Professional Community and Teacher Collaboration in Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banerjee, Neena; Stearns, Elizabeth; Moller, Stephanie; Mickelson, Roslyn Arlin

    2017-01-01

    Studies have not conclusively established whether teacher job satisfaction improves student achievement or whether the advantages to students from having satisfied teachers vary with the broader school culture. In this article, we investigate two research questions: (1) Is there a relationship between teacher job satisfaction and students' math…

  16. Confronting Challenges at the Intersection of Rurality, Place, and Teacher Preparation: Improving Efforts in Teacher Education to Staff Rural Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amy Price Azano

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers in rural schools is a persistent struggle in many countries, including the U.S. Salient challenges related to poverty, geographic isolation, low teacher salaries, and a lack of community amenities seem to trump perks of living in rural communities. Recognizing this issue as a complex and hard to solve fixture in the composition of rural communities, we sought to understand how teacher preparation programs might better prepare preservice teachers for successful student teaching placements and, ideally, eventual careers in rural schools. In this study, we explore teacher candidates’ perceptions of rurality while examining how specific theory, pedagogy, and practice influence their feelings of preparedness for working in a rural school. Using pre- and post- questionnaire data, classroom observations, and reflections, we assess the effectiveness of deliberate efforts in our teacher preparation program to increase readiness for rural teaching. In our analysis and discussion, we draw on critical and sociocultural theories to understand the experiences of a cohort of teacher candidates as they explore personal histories, the importance of place, expectations, and teaching strategies for rural contexts. While rural education researchers have long lamented the struggle to recruit and retain teachers, there is relatively little known about intentional efforts to prepare teachers specifically for rural classrooms. We conclude our article with recommendations for enhancing teacher preparation programs in ways that might result in significant progress toward the goal of staffing rural schools with the highly skilled teachers all students deserve.

  17. Beyond the City Lights: A Multiple-Case Study of Successful, Experienced Secondary Science Teachers in Rural Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeVore-Wedding, Beverly R.

    Recruitment and retention concerns for teachers, particularly in rural school districts and in science, fill the daily news and research literature. The shortage of STEM workers is also another concern as well. Then why do nationally recognized secondary science teachers remain in rural schools with lower salaries, increased responsibilities beyond teaching content, and multi-preparations, stay in those schools? How do they overcome challenges in their schools? This multiple case study focuses on Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) awardees who have taught secondary science in rural school districts 10 years or more. Eight rural PAEMST high school science teachers were identified in Nebraska and the six contiguous states; four consented to participate in this study. Interviews of these teachers and a colleague, principal, and or students were conducted to answer the research questions. Using a lens of resiliency, similarities were identified that show how these teachers overcome adversity and thrived in their rural school and communities. Resilient themes that emerged from this study are adaptability, autonomy, collaborative, competency, connectedness, problem-solvers, and resourcefulness. Common themes of success for teaching in rural schools for the four teachers were autonomy and relationships. Common themes of challenges for teaching in rural schools were diversity, funding, professional isolation, and teaching assignments. These characteristics and strategies may help schools with their recruitment and retention of teachers as well as teachers themselves benefiting from hearing other teachers' stories of success and longevity.

  18. Research on Job Satisfaction of Elementary and High School Teachers and Strategies to Increase Job Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuming, Xu; Jiliang, Shen

    2007-01-01

    Job satisfaction is an important topic in teacher education research. Exploring the issue of teacher job satisfaction helps us gain a deeper understanding of teachers' mental state, such as their occupational attitudes, zeal for teaching, and work enthusiasm, which affects the quality of teaching and education. From an examination of teachers' job…

  19. The Influence of University Coursework on Pre-service Middle and High School Teachers' Experiences with Multicultural Themes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Geeta

    2009-08-01

    The study explored the influence of university-based teacher education courses on pre-service middle and high school teachers’ experiences with multicultural themes in a secondary science alternative certification program. Eight participants ( N = 8), six women and two men, volunteered to be a part of the study that took place over a period of four semesters. Qualitative data was collected, coded and analyzed to make meaning of the participants’ experiences. Data comprised of participants’ reflective journals, personal and group interviews, and classroom observations done in middle school practicum and high school student teaching placements. The findings indicated that while the participants became more familiar with the themes of multicultural education, many did not demonstrate fluency with these themes and struggled with balancing their responsibilities as a science teacher and a culturally competent teacher.

  20. Astronomy Education Project for Guangdong High Schools F. P. Pi ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Guangzhou University, ... an astronomy education project for high school teachers and students was initiated ... ipality, universities and research institutes, professional and amateur astronomical.

  1. Science Teachers' Misconceptions in Science and Engineering Distinctions: Reflections on Modern Research Examples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antink-Meyer, Allison; Meyer, Daniel Z.

    2016-10-01

    The aim of this exploratory study was to learn about the misconceptions that may arise for elementary and high school science teachers in their reflections on science and engineering practice. Using readings and videos of real science and engineering work, teachers' reflections were used to uncover the underpinnings of their understandings. This knowledge ultimately provides information about supporting professional development (PD) for science teachers' knowledge of engineering. Six science teachers (two elementary and four high school teachers) participated in the study as part of an online PD experience. Cunningham and Carlsen's (Journal of Science Teacher Education 25:197-210, 2014) relative emphases of science and engineering practices were used to frame the design of PD activities and the analyses of teachers' views. Analyses suggest misconceptions within the eight practices of science and engineering from the US Next Generation Science Standards in four areas. These are that: (1) the nature of the practices in both science and engineering research is determined by the long-term implications of the research regardless of the nature of the immediate work, (2) engineering and science are hierarchical, (3) creativity is inappropriate, and (4) research outcomes cannot be processes. We discuss the nature of these understandings among participants and the implications for engineering education PD for science teachers.

  2. Biodiesel and Integrated STEM: Vertical Alignment of High School Biology/Biochemistry and Chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burrows, Andrea C.; Breiner, Jonathan M.; Keiner, Jennifer; Behm, Chris

    2014-01-01

    This article explores the vertical alignment of two high school classes, biology and chemistry, around the core concept of biodiesel fuel production. High school teachers and university faculty members investigated biodiesel as it relates to societal impact through a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Teachers. Using an action…

  3. A Discussion Project on High School Adolescents' Perceptions of the Relationship between Students and Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Ronald J.

    1976-01-01

    Describes a small group discussion project involving students and teachers in two large white suburban high schools. The project's intention was to focus discussion on the social quality of the relationship between students and teachers, and to assess the impact of the discussions on student perceptions. (Author/RK)

  4. Middle School Teacher Misconceptions and Anxieties Concerning Space Science Disciplinary Core Ideas in NGSS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, Kristine

    2017-01-01

    The Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI) of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are grouped into the broad disciplinary areas of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth and Space Sciences, and Engineering, Technology and Application of Science, and feature learning progressions based on endpoint targets for each grade band. Since the Middle School DCIs build on the expected learning achievements to be reached by the end of Fifth Grade, and High School DCI similarly build on the expected learning achievements expected for the end of Eighth Grade, the Middle School grade band is of particular importance as the bridge between the Elementary and High School curriculum. In states where there is not a special Middle School Certification many of these science classes are taught by teachers prepared to teach at the Elementary level (and who may have limited content background). As a result, some pre-service and in-service teachers have expressed reduced self-confidence in both their own science content knowledge and their ability to apply it in the NGSS-based classroom, while decades of research has demonstrated the pervasiveness of science misconceptions among teachers. Thus the adoption of NGSS has the potential to drive talented teachers out of the profession who feel that they are ill-prepared for this sweeping transition. The key is providing rigorous education in both content and pedagogy for pre-service teachers and quality targeted professional development for in-service teachers. This report focuses on the Middle School Space Sciences grade band DCIs and presents research on specific difficulties, misconceptions and uncertainties with the material demonstrated by pre-service education students over the past four years in a required university science content course, as well as two year-long granted workshop series for current Middle School teachers. This information is relevant to the development of both new content courses aligned with NGSS for pre

  5. School memories: the role of schooling in the constitution of math teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roseli Araújo Barros Costa

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This article appeared as a result of a study on the understanding of the professional development of mathematics teachers have developed as a dissertation at UFPA. This, in particular, the results of an analysis of selected categories, the teacher’s experiences as students in elementary and high school (EHS. To better understand this development was adopted as a qualitative research method, focusing on narrative, based on semi-structured interviews. Building on a concept of professional development perspective taken continuously, conceived in a broader context of teaching, permeating crises and conflicts, the analysis shows that teachers bring in to their teaching practice "brands" of meaningful experiences as students in the EHS. It was also possible to verify that some realized early on the desire to be teachers and others realized that later influenced by faculty or bystanders. The early stage of their education were influenced by striking teachers, whose way of teaching was often a point of support in the early years of teaching. The influence of striking teachers has been highlighted as possibly important factor in undergraduate courses. Moraes (1991 in their study reveals that the presence of these remarkable teachers, perhaps, is even more important stages in the school prior to graduation, ie, teaching EHS. We now point out that teacher education starts before the academic education and continues throughout their careers

  6. A Study of Teacher Stereotypes: How Do Tuition-Free Teacher Candidates and General Undergraduates Think about Middle School and University Teachers in China?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Youxia; Zhao, Yufang; Peng, Chunhua; Chen, Youguo

    2017-01-01

    A tuition-free teacher candidate is an undergraduate who receives tuition-free teacher education and must work as a teacher in a middle school after their graduation. Tuition-free candidates are of the focus of many researchers; however, no study reports how tuition-free teacher candidates think about teachers. The present study explored stereotypes about middle school and university teachers held by teacher candidates. Specifically, we looked for the differences between the stereotypes held by the teacher candidates and general undergraduates. This study attempted to provide a potential tool to predict the actual willingness of teacher candidates to work as middle school teachers. University and middle school teachers were evaluated using descriptive phrases or words on a five-point Likert scale by 116 tuition-free teacher candidates and 155 general undergraduates. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a three-factor stereotype model including occupational cognition, occupational personality, and occupational emotion. Compared with general undergraduates, teacher candidates held more positive occupational personality and emotions toward middle school teachers; they held more negative occupational emotions toward university teachers. Further, the undergraduates' willingness to be middle school teachers positively correlated with positive occupational emotions and negatively correlated with negative occupational personality and emotions toward middle school teachers. This supported previous studies that individuals' professional willingness were influenced by their stereotypes about professions. PMID:28469587

  7. A Study of Teacher Stereotypes: How Do Tuition-Free Teacher Candidates and General Undergraduates Think about Middle School and University Teachers in China?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Youxia; Zhao, Yufang; Peng, Chunhua; Chen, Youguo

    2017-01-01

    A tuition-free teacher candidate is an undergraduate who receives tuition-free teacher education and must work as a teacher in a middle school after their graduation. Tuition-free candidates are of the focus of many researchers; however, no study reports how tuition-free teacher candidates think about teachers. The present study explored stereotypes about middle school and university teachers held by teacher candidates. Specifically, we looked for the differences between the stereotypes held by the teacher candidates and general undergraduates. This study attempted to provide a potential tool to predict the actual willingness of teacher candidates to work as middle school teachers. University and middle school teachers were evaluated using descriptive phrases or words on a five-point Likert scale by 116 tuition-free teacher candidates and 155 general undergraduates. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a three-factor stereotype model including occupational cognition, occupational personality, and occupational emotion. Compared with general undergraduates, teacher candidates held more positive occupational personality and emotions toward middle school teachers; they held more negative occupational emotions toward university teachers. Further, the undergraduates' willingness to be middle school teachers positively correlated with positive occupational emotions and negatively correlated with negative occupational personality and emotions toward middle school teachers. This supported previous studies that individuals' professional willingness were influenced by their stereotypes about professions.

  8. Science and Mathematics Teachers Working Toward Equity Through Teacher Research: Tracing Changes Across Their Research Process and Equity Views

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brenner, Mary E.; Bianchini, Julie A.; Dwyer, Hilary A.

    2016-12-01

    We investigated secondary science and mathematics teachers engaged in a two-and-a-half-year professional development effort focused on equity. We examined how teachers conducting research on their own instructional practices—a central learning strategy of the professional development project—informed and/or constrained their views related to three strands of equity: teachers and teaching, students and learning, and students' families and communities. Data collected included recordings of professional development seminars and school-site meetings, three sets of individual interviews with teacher researchers, and drafts and final products of the classroom research teachers conducted. From our qualitative analyses of data, we found that most teachers addressed at least two of the three equity strands in researching their own practice. We also found that most transformed their understandings of teachers and students as a result of their teacher research process. However, teachers' views of families and communities changed in less substantive ways. We close with recommendations for other researchers and professional developers intent on supporting science and mathematics teachers in using teacher research to work toward equity.

  9. Strengthening the Creative Transformational Leadership of Primary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kallapadee, Yadapak; Tesaputa, Kowat; Somprach, Kanokorn

    2017-01-01

    This research and development aimed to: 1) study the components and indicators of creative transformational leadership of primary school teachers; 2) study the existing situation, and the desirable situation of creative transformational leadership of primary school teachers in the northeastern region of Thailand; 3) develop a program to strengthen…

  10. Does 1:1 Computing in a Junior High-School Change the Pedagogical Perspectives of Teachers and their Educational Discourse?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yehuda Peled

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Transforming a school from traditional teaching and learning to a one-to-one (1:1 classroom, in which a teacher and students have personal digital devices, inevitably requires changes in the way the teacher addresses her role. This study examined the implications of integrating 1:1 computing on teachers’ pedagogical perceptions and the classroom’s educational discourse. A change in pedagogical perceptions during three years of teaching within this model was investigated. The research analyzed data from 14 teachers teaching in a junior high school in the north of Israel collected over the course of three years through interviews and lesson observations. The findings show that the 1:1 computing allows teachers to improve their teaching skills; however, it fails to change their fundamental attitudes in regard to teaching and learning processes. It was further found that the use of a laptop by each student does not significantly improve the classroom’s learning discourse. The computer is perceived as an individual or group learning technology rather than as a tool for conducting learning discourse. An analysis of the data collected shows a great contribution to collaboration among teachers in preparing technology-enhanced lessons. The findings are discussed in terms of Bruner’s (Olson & Bruner, 1996 “folk psychology” and “folk pedagogy” of teachers and “the new learning ecology” framework in 1:1 classroom (Lee, Spires, Wiebe, Hollebrands, & Young, 2015. One of the main recommendations of this research is to reflect on findings from the teaching staff and the school community emphasizing 1:1 technology as a tool for significant pedagogical change. It seems that the use of personal technology per se is not enough for pedagogical changes to take place; the change must begin with teachers’ perceptions and attitudes.

  11. Linking Theory and Practice: Teacher Research in History and Geography Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Admiraal, Wilfried; Buijs, Maartje; Claessens, Wout; Honing, Terence; Karkdijk, Jan

    2017-01-01

    The impact of scholarly research in education on the educational practice in secondary school is low. Academics examine problems that teachers in school perceive as irrelevant, want to publish in peer-reviewed journals instead of disseminate their work, and aim at generalizing insights rather than improving school practice. Teacher research might…

  12. Opinions of Secondary School Science and Mathematics Teachers on STEM Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yildirim, Bekir; Türk, Cumhur

    2018-01-01

    In this study, the opinions of middle school science teachers and mathematics teachers towards STEM education were examined. The research was carried out for 30 hours with 28 middle school science and mathematics teachers who were working in Istanbul during the spring semester of 2016-2017 academic year. 75% of these teachers are female teachers…

  13. Understanding Ethics in School-Based Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryan, Hazel; Burstow, Bob

    2018-01-01

    The notion of the "teacher as researcher" has been in the education lexicon since the mid-1970s. School-based research, we suggest, is currently enjoying something of a renaissance, flourishing within the emerging, complex school landscape. This empirical research engages with 25 school leaders to explore the ways in which…

  14. Bringing ethnomathematics to elementary school teachers in Papua New Guinea: A design-based research project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kay Owens

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available After 40 years of ethnomathematics research in Papua New Guinea and policies encouraging ethnomathematics in schools, it was time to look at professional learning for teachers so they could effectively implement the policies. Within a design-based research methodology, we designed a set of interlinked principles, tried them in several workshops for teachers, and revised the principles to take account of needs based on reflexivity and evaluations. We developed a manual to use in the workshops. We are continuing this research through several different phases, moving from direct delivery of the professional learning to teachers in various provinces and ecologies to delivery to trainers who then teach the teachers in three provinces, and finally by technology delivery. Early evaluation data suggest that the key principles showing the importance of culture, language and mathematical thinking in the teaching of early mathematics are sound. Workshops have been well received as teachers inquire into the mathematics of their own cultures. The need for a stronger understanding of early mathematics learning in general has been identified. The use of video of cultural practice and of young children learning to count and investigate has had a significant impact.

  15. Bringing ethnomathematics to elementary school teachers in Papua New Guinea: A design-based research project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kay Owens

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available After 40 years of ethnomathematics research in Papua New Guinea and policies encouraging ethnomathematics in schools, it was time to look at professional learning for teachers so they could effectively implement the policies. Within a design-based research methodology, we designed a set of interlinked principles, tried them in several workshops for teachers, and revised the principles to take account of needs based on reflexivity and evaluations. We developed a manual to use in the workshops. We are continuing this research through several different phases, moving from direct delivery of the professional learning to teachers in various provinces and ecologies to delivery to trainers who then teach the teachers in three provinces, and finally by technology delivery. Early evaluation data suggest that the key principles showing the importance of culture, language and mathematical thinking in the teaching of early mathematics are sound. Workshops have been well received as teachers inquire into the mathematics of their own cultures. The need for a stronger understanding of early mathematics learning in general has been identified. The use of video of cultural practice and of young children learning to count and investigate has had a significant impact.

  16. Summer workshops for high-school science teachers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Young, H.H.; Kohl, J.

    1975-01-01

    A total of 52 summer workshops attended by over 1700 high-school science teachers have been given by 27 universities in the period of 1971 to 1974. These workshops are funded by ERDA to provide factual material through educational channels so that the public could obtain an informed perspective of the role of nuclear energy as an electrical power source. The workshops have included lectures, panel discussions, laboratories, and field trips, and have emphasized providing teachers with materials for use in their classrooms. Actual use of workshop material has been monitored through workshop reports, meetings, and visits. Participants have used their workshop experience for classroom presentations, talks to the public, and for assembly programs. The material developed and the experience of presenting it has proved valuable for the nuclear engineering faculty members giving the workshops. They have used their experience in other courses, for public lectures, and for other workshops. And they have gained personal experience in methods of dealing with the nuclear power controversy. A review of these workshops indicates that they offer at a reasonable cost a productive method of presenting factual information on the various solutions to the complex electrical generation problem

  17. Exploring personality traits and well-being among pre-school and primary school teachers in Croatia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanja Tatalović Vorkapić

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background Pre-school and primary school teachers are directly involved in the education of children. In addition to teachers’ competences, the quality of their work is significantly influenced by their psychological well-being. It is therefore important to focus on their well-being as well as on personality traits they have. The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between life satisfaction, happiness, optimism and personality traits of pre-school and primary school teachers in Croatia. Participants and procedure The study was conducted on a sample of 103 pre-school teachers and 117 primary school teachers who completed self-evaluated scales on personality traits, life satisfaction, happiness and optimism. Results The results demonstrated high levels of all personality traits in both samples. High levels of life satisfaction were positively associated with happiness and optimism. Personality traits were also positively associated with life satisfaction, happiness and optimism. There were no differences in life satisfaction, happiness, optimism or personality traits between pre-school and primary school teachers, except for openness to experience being higher in pre-school teachers. Emotional stability was a significant predictor of teachers’ well-being. Conclusions The results have significant implications for improvement of teaching practice at primary school and pre-school levels. The findings highlight the importance of teachers’ personality traits and their well-being for the quality of their work with children.

  18. STEM Career Cluster Engineering and Technology Education pathway in Georgia: Perceptions of Georgia engineering and technology education high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crenshaw, Mark VanBuren

    This study examined the perceptions held by Georgia Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Career Cluster Engineering and Technology Education (ETE) high school pathway teachers and Georgia's Career, Technical and Agriculture Education (CTAE) administrators regarding the ETE pathway and its effect on implementation within their district and schools. It provides strategies for ETE teaching methods, curriculum content, STEM integration, and how to improve the ETE pathway program of study. Current teaching and curricular trends were examined in ETE as well as the role ETE should play as related to STEM education. The study, using the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey, was conducted to answer the following research questions: (a) Is there a significant difference in the perception of ETE teaching methodology between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? (b) Is there a significant difference in the perception of ETE curriculum content between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? (c) Is there a significant difference in the perception of STEM integration in the ETE high school pathway between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? and (d) Is there a significant difference in the perception of how to improve the ETE high school pathway between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? Suggestions for further research also were offered.

  19. Stewart and Ray's Big Adventure: A Research Experience for Teachers at UMASS/Amherst

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarthy, Ray

    2011-01-01

    Late in the winter of 2010, teachers across Massachusetts received invitations to apply for six- to eight-week Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in which middle or high school teachers in STEM subjects would work alongside scientists and their graduate students as they sought to solve real-world problems. This country-wide effort was funded…

  20. Engaging High School Students in Investigative STEM Activities Based on Field Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevens, J.; Sheriff, M. M.; Washington, D. S.; Putnam, A. E.; Strand, P.; Radue, M. J.

    2017-12-01

    The lead author, an Environmental Science teacher at Gary Comer High School (GCHS), a public charter on the South Side of Chicago, accompanied two students over the course of two summers to conduct field research in remote mountain ranges of interior Asia. The expeditions were funded by the National Science Foundation and orchestrated collaboratively with PI Putnam with the purposes of bringing along high school students and teachers (1) to introduce students from urban areas to practical Earth Science and (2) to bolster the Environmental Science curriculum at GCHS by providing real world events to relate to classroom learning. During the first field trip, a student from GCHS and the lead author traveled to western Mongolia to participate in collecting samples for cosmogenic-nuclide dating of glacial landforms. The student performed all parts of sample collection and used the data to create a poster analyzing the rate of recession of the Potanin Glacier. She went on to present her findings at the AGU Fall Meeting 2016. At GCHS, she assisted the teacher in lessons about climate change. Next year she will be attending the University of Vermont to pursue a major in a STEM field. The second student traveled to the Tibetan Plateau in China and also participated fully in sampling activities. She plans on presenting her project on creating 3D models of sample boulders at the AGU Meeting in 2017. She will present her findings to the rest of the student body at GCHS, assist with pertinent Environmental Science lessons for Freshmen, and explain her experience at the Gary Comer Middle School. The lead author faced several restrictions in the classroom due to standardized testing requirements, leading to more focus on testing skills rather than investigative learning. Next year the focus will switch from ACT to SAT standards, allowing more freedom to pursue investigative lessons. The success of adding information on the field experience will be assessed at the end of the 2017

  1. An Assessment of Teacher Retention on Job Security in Private Secondary Schools in Ogun State, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.F. Faremi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study assessed the relationship between teacher retention and job security in private secondary schools in Ogun state, Nigeria. The study assessed ade-quacy in teaching and learning infrastructure, evaluated mode of recruitment of teachers, the factors responsible for high teacher turnover and teachers retention strategies employed in private secondary schools. Descriptive research of the survey design was employed in this study. Data were collected using questionnaire. Multistage sampling technique was used for data collection among 200 teachers including the school principals. Data collected were analyzed with a mixture of descriptive and inferential statistics. Percentages, mean and frequency counts were used to answer the research questions raised while Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient and t-test analysis were used to test the formulated hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings from this study revealed that teaching and learning infrastructure were inadequate in most of the schools. It was observed that books, classroom and teachers were very adequate in some of the schools. However, few of the schools had internet facility for knowledge transfer and student exposure to the worldwide web. The study also showed that the proprietors were primarily responsible for staff recruitment although there were instances where formal advertisement for recruitment was made. The study further revealed a significant relationship between teacher retention strategies and job security in private secondary schools in Osun state. The study also showed a significant relationship between teacher turnover and job security in the schools. In addition, the findings showed a significant relationship between teacher turnover and job security in private secondary schools in Osun state. Lastly, the study revealed a significant difference in the mean rate and female teachers' turnover in the selected private secondary schools. Based on the

  2. A study of school mathematics curriculum enacted by competent teachers in Singapore secondary schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Berinderjeet; Tay, Eng Guan; Toh, Tin Lam; Leong, Yew Hoong; Lee, Ngan Hoe

    2018-03-01

    A study of school mathematics curriculum enacted by competent teachers in Singapore secondary schools is a programmatic research project at the National Institute of Education (NIE) funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore through the Office of Education Research (OER) at NIE. The main goal of the project is to collect a set of data that would be used by two studies to research the enacted secondary school mathematics curriculum. The project aims to examine how competent experienced secondary school teachers implement the designated curriculum prescribed by the MOE in the 2013 revision of curriculum. It does this firstly by examining the video recordings of the classroom instruction and interactions between secondary school mathematics teachers and their students, as it is these interactions that fundamentally determine the nature of the actual mathematics learning and teaching that take place in the classroom. It also examines content through the instructional materials used—their preparation, use in classroom and as homework. The project comprises a video segment and a survey segment. Approximately 630 secondary mathematics teachers and 600 students are participating in the project. The data collection for the video segment of the project is guided by the renowned complementary accounts methodology while the survey segment adopts a self-report questionnaire approach. The findings of the project will serve several purposes. They will provide timely feedback to mathematics specialists in the MOE, inform pre-service and professional development programmes for mathematics teachers at the NIE and contribute towards articulation of "Mathematics pedagogy in Singapore secondary schools" that is evidence based.

  3. The Effect of the Courses of School Experience and Teaching Practice on Primary School Mathematics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huseyin, Aksu Hasan

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine elementary mathematics teachers' thoughts and feelings on the courses of school-experience and teacher-practice. In this study was used the qualitative research method. Those involved in the study were 20 mathematics teachers employed in formal/government primary schools in the Province of Giresun and in the…

  4. Parent-Teacher Relationships in Elementary School: An Examination of Parent-Teacher Trust

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santiago, Rachel T.; Garbacz, S. Andrew; Beattie, Tiffany; Moore, Christabelle L.

    2016-01-01

    Trust is an important dimension of parent educational involvement and parent-teacher relationships. Preliminary research suggests that parent trust in teachers and schools is associated with student learning and behavior. However, examinations of parent trust in children's education are limited. The present study investigated the influence of…

  5. Transformational School Leadership and Teacher Self-Efficacy as Predictors of Perceived Collective Teacher Efficacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ninkovic, Stefan R.; Kneževic Floric, Olivera C.

    2018-01-01

    Although scholars have acknowledged the role of collaborative relationships of teachers in improving the quality of instruction, teacher collective efficacy continues to be a neglected construct in educational research. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relations between transformational school leadership, teacher self-efficacy and…

  6. A comparison of teacher stress and school climate across schools with different matric success rates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen Milner

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Our aim was to investigate differences in teacher stress and perceptions of school climate among teachers from schools with differing matriculation success rates in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Two schools with matric pass rates of 100% and two schools with matric pass rates of less than 25% were selected from a list of schools provided by the province's Educational District Circuit. The schools were matched in terms of area, size, resources, and equipment. Thirty-three teachers from the high performing schools and forty-two teachers from the poor performing schools participated in the study. Student's t tests were used to assess the differences between the schools on the variables under investigation, and the results showed the teachers' experience of stress across the different schools was not significantly different, but significant differences did emerge with regard to school climate. The implications of these findings for the study population are discussed.

  7. Quietly Sharing the Load? The Role of School Psychologists in Enabling Teacher Resilience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beltman, Susan; Mansfield, Caroline F.; Harris, Annabelle

    2016-01-01

    Teacher resilience is associated with positive student outcomes and plays an important role in teacher retention and well-being. School ecologies can enable the resilience of teachers, with prior research illustrating the importance of supportive colleagues, strong leadership, and positive school culture. There is limited research, however,…

  8. Implementing Concepts of Pharmaceutical Engineering into High School Science Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimmel, Howard; Hirsch, Linda S.; Simon, Laurent; Burr-Alexander, Levelle; Dave, Rajesh

    2009-01-01

    The Research Experience for Teachers was designed to help high school science teachers develop skills and knowledge in research, science and engineering with a focus on the area of pharmaceutical particulate and composite systems. The experience included time for the development of instructional modules for classroom teaching. Results of the…

  9. Integrating E-Books into Science Teaching by Preservice Elementary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Ching-San

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to discuss the issues of integrating e-books into science teaching by preservice elementary school teachers. The study adopts both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In total, 24 preservice elementary school teachers participated in this study. The main sources of research data included e-books produced by preservice…

  10. From Permission to Partnership: Participatory Research to Engage School Personnel in Systems Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blitz, Lisa V.; Mulcahy, Candace A.

    2017-01-01

    Data collected from teachers in a racially diverse, high-poverty high school were used to inform the initial steps in developing a school-university partnership to create a culturally responsive trauma-informed community school. The project utilized community-based participatory research to explore sensitive areas of school system functioning.…

  11. Two Contrasting Approaches to Building High School Teacher Capacity to Teach About Local Climate Change Using Powerful Geospatial Data and Visualization Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zalles, D. R.

    2011-12-01

    The presentation will compare and contrast two different place-based approaches to helping high school science teachers use geospatial data visualization technology to teach about climate change in their local regions. The approaches are being used in the development, piloting, and dissemination of two projects for high school science led by the author: the NASA-funded Data-enhanced Investigations for Climate Change Education (DICCE) and the NSF funded Studying Topography, Orographic Rainfall, and Ecosystems with Geospatial Information Technology (STORE). DICCE is bringing an extensive portal of Earth observation data, the Goddard Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Infrastructure, to high school classrooms. STORE is making available data for viewing results of a particular IPCC-sanctioned climate change model in relation to recent data about average temperatures, precipitation, and land cover for study areas in central California and western New York State. Across the two projects, partner teachers of academically and ethnically diverse students from five states are participating in professional development and pilot testing. Powerful geospatial data representation technologies are difficult to implement in high school science because of challenges that teachers and students encounter navigating data access and making sense of data characteristics and nomenclature. Hence, on DICCE, the researchers are testing the theory that by providing a scaffolded technology-supported process for instructional design, starting from fundamental questions about the content domain, teachers will make better instructional decisions. Conversely, the STORE approach is rooted in the perspective that co-design of curricular materials among researchers and teacher partners that work off of "starter" lessons covering focal skills and understandings will lead to the most effective utilizations of the technology in the classroom. The projects' goals and strategies for student

  12. Leaving School — learning at SEA: Regular high school education alongside polar research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gatti, Susanne

    2010-05-01

    Against the background of unsatisfactory results from the international OECD study PISA (Program for International Student Assessment), Germany is facing a period of intense school reforms. Looking back at a tradition of school culture with too few changes during the last century, quick and radical renewal of the school system is rather unlikely. Furthermore students are increasingly turning away from natural sciences [1]. The AWI aims at providing impulses for major changes in the schooling system and is offering solid science education not only for university students but also for a larger audience. All efforts towards this goal are interconnected within the project SEA (Science & Education @ the AWI). With the school-term of 2002/03 the Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research started HIGHSEA (High school of SEA). The program is the most important component of SEA. Each year 22 high school students (grade 10 or 11) are admitted to HIGHSEA spending their last three years of school not at school but at the institute. Four subjects (biology as a major, chemistry, math and English as accessory subjects) are combined and taught fully integrated. Students leave their school for two days each week to study, work and explore all necessary topics at the AWI. All of the curricular necessities of the four subjects have been rearranged in their temporal sequencing thus enabling a conceptual formulation of four major questions to be dealt with in the course of the three-year program [2]. Students are taught by teachers of the cooperation schools as well as by scientists of the AWI. Close links and intense cooperation between both groups are the basis of fundamental changes in teaching and learning climate. We are organizing expeditions for every group of HIGHSEA-students (e. g. to the Arctic or to mid-Atlantic seamounts). For each student expedition we devise a "real" research question. Usually a single working group at the AWI has a special interest in the

  13. Strengthening Leadership Competencies of Thai Secondary School Teachers

    OpenAIRE

    Chaiyot Wanutha; Kowat Tesaputa; Anan Sri-Ampai

    2017-01-01

    The research aimed 1) to investigate components and indicators of the leadership competencies of secondary school teachers, 2) to explore the existing situations and desirable situations of secondary school teachers’ leadership competencies, 3) to study the techniques to strengthen teachers’ leadership competencies, 4) to develop the teacher-leadership competencies strengthening program, and 5) to find out the results of implementing the program to improve the teacher’s ...

  14. Job Motivation Level for Elementary School Teachers Who Made Field Changes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erdener, Mehmet Akif; Dalkiran, Merve

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this research is to determine the job motivation levels of primary school teachers who have made or have had to make field changes due to the new education system (4+4+4). The sample of the research consists of 512 teachers working in primary and secondary schools in Balikesir province in 2016-2017. The data needed for the research were…

  15. STEM Education through the Perspectives of Secondary Schools Teachers and School Administrators in Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çevik, Mustafa; Özgünay, Esma

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to explore the views of science, mathematics and information technologies teachers working in secondary schools and administrators of the schools, in which these teachers are working, regarding STEM. This research is based on a survey model in which quantitative data tools were used to directly obtain the opinions of…

  16. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-04-01

    Secondary School Feature Articles * Amino Acid Wordsearch, by Terry L. Helser, p 495. Games, Puzzles, and Humor In honor of April Fools' Day this issue contains 22 pages devoted to games and puzzles that can be used to teach aspects of chemistry. Most are designed for high school and first-year college students. The lead article, p 481, contains an annotated bibliography of chemistry games, complete with a vendor list. Many of the annotated games must be purchased, but the other articles that follow in this issue describe some games and puzzles that require minimal preparation using a word processor and readily available materials. Actually, JCE has a long tradition of publishing games and puzzles for chemistry teachers and their students. Read the letter by Helser and the Editor's response, p 468, for some recent background. Not having counted articles over past years, I became curious and turned to the online index, accessed by way of http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/. Because I wanted to search the entire 75-year life of the Journal, I searched titles for the words "game", "puzzle", and "humor" and obtained a total of 85 hits from the three searches. After eliminating titles of articles that were not applicable, I found that at least 25 games, 48 puzzles, and 5 humor articles have appeared during the past 75 years. At an average of one per year, the JCE editors hardly can be accused of frivolity, but game, puzzle, and humor articles have been published. The term "game" did not appear in any titles during 1945-1970, "puzzle" did not appear from 1927 to 1953, and there was no mention of humor (in the titles) prior to 1974. What appears to be the earliest article (1929) about a game was authored by an undergraduate student at the University of Colorado (1). It was titled "Chemical Bank", and the game pieces were tokens cut from cork stoppers. Wire hooks were inserted in the side of the token to represent valence electrons available for bonding. Carbon contained 4 hooks

  17. Grounding formative assessment in high-school chemistry classrooms: Connections between professional development and teacher practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cisterna Alburquerque, Dante Igor

    This study describes and analyzes the experiences of two high-school chemistry teachers who participated in a team-based professional development program to learn about and enact formative assessment in their classrooms. The overall purpose of this study is to explain how participation in this professional development influenced both teachers' classroom enactment of formative assessment practices. This study focuses on 1) teachers' participation in the professional development program, 2) teachers' enactment of formative assessment, and 3) factors that enabled or hindered enactment of formative assessment. Drawing on cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) and using evidence from teacher lessons, teacher interviews, professional development meetings as data sources, this single embedded case study analyzes how these two teachers who participated in the same learning team and have similar characteristics (i.e., teaching in the same school, teaching the same courses and population of students, and using the same materials) differentially used the professional development learning about formative assessment as mediating tools to improve their classroom instruction. The learning team experience contributed to both teachers' development of a better understanding of formative assessment---especially in recognizing that their current grading and assessment practices were not appropriate to promote student learning---and the co-creation of artifacts to gather evidence of students' ideas. Although both teachers demonstrated understanding about how formative assessment may serve to promote student learning and had a set of tools available to utilize for formative assessment use, they did not enact these tools in the same way. One teacher appropriated formative assessment as mediating tool to verify if the students were following her explanations, and to check if the students were able to provide the correct response. The other teacher used the mediating tool to promote

  18. Teachers' Perceptions about the School Principals' Ethical Leadership Behaviours: A Study from Turkish Vocational High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katranci, Ihsan; Sungu, Hilmi; Saglam, Mehmet

    2015-01-01

    The importance of ethical dimension of leadership is a fact accepted by everyone. In spite of this, very few empirical studies have been carried out on this issue in the field of educational administration considering the significance of ethical values in leadership. This study was carried out to investigate vocational high school teachers'…

  19. Primary Physical Education (PE): School Leader Perceptions about Classroom Teacher Quality Implementation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, Timothy; Soukup, Gregory J., Sr.

    2017-01-01

    Quality physical education (QPE) in primary school optimises children's well-being. However, international research indicates that the preparation of classroom teachers is impeded by systemic barriers, resulting in low-classroom teacher confidence, competence and subsequent interest. This empirical research investigates school principal…

  20. THE REALIZATION OF E-BOOKS FOR TEACHING AS REFLECTED BY EFL TEACHERS OF ISLAMIC JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL (MTs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nana Priajana

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This study was aimed at processing empirical data to know the realization e-book program in EFL teaching and learning process as reflected by English teachers of Islamic Junior High School (MTs in Indonesia. It is a descriptive research of which the approach is a cross sectional survey. The result of this study was expected to be the basis for the government to re-evaluate the implementation of the national project of School Electronic Books (BSE. Based on the result of data analysis, the program of e-books should be revised as considering several factors affecting its insufficient use by the EFL teachers of MTs. The use of E-book in teaching and learning in Indonesia EFL classroom had been beyond the teachers’ outlook. It revealed that e-book and its advantages were not well recognized by many teachers of MTs in Indonesia because of lack awareness of rapid growth of technology and information in this case the use of internet. Keywords: e-book, teaching and learning, program, implementation

  1. Burnout amongst urban secondary school teachers in Namibia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dap Louw

    2011-11-01

    Motivation for the study: The study focused on the magnitude and nature of burnout amongst Namibian teachers as well as the influence of biographical factors on their levels of burnout. Another aim was to determine the extent to which the results of this study correlate with research findings in other countries. Research design, approach and method: The researchers used a non-experimental research method. The study involved more than 300 secondary school teachers from the Windhoek region of Namibia. They administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI and a biographical questionnaire to achieve the goals of the study. Main findings: The main findings of the study were that the participants experienced similar levels of burnout compared to teachers in other countries. This was especially true for emotional exhaustion. Teaching experience was the biographical variable that yielded the most significant positive correlation with burnout. Practical/managerial implications: The education authorities should address the emotional needs of secondary school teachers in Namibia urgently. They should introduce effective burnout intervention and prevention programmes. These programmes could result in higher levels of job satisfaction and educational effectiveness. They could also lead to increased general fulfilment and better teacher retention.

  2. Remote Research Mentoring of Virginia High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corby, Joanna; Dirienzo, W. J.; Beaton, R.; Pennucci, T.; Zasowski, G.

    2013-01-01

    Graduate students at the University of Virginia (UVa) are volunteering as research advisors on astronomy projects for Virginia's science and technology high schools. In previous years, we have worked with more than a dozen students through a research class at Central Virginia Governor's School in Lynchburg to develop an astronomy research curriculum that teaches background concepts and terminology, guides students in data analysis, and prepares them to present material in poster and oral forums. In our fourth year of operation, we are continuing to work with Central Virginia Governor's School and adapting the research curriculum to an independent course at Roanoke Valley Governor's School in Roanoke. Because both schools are far from UVa in Charlottesville, the program operates remotely; graduate advisors and high school students interact through "virtual" means, establishing a successful framework for meaningful remote mentoring. In the current year, six students will complete projects on astrophysical topics including megamasers, astrochemistry, and pulsars using data taken by the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). Students at Roanoke Valley were directly trained on the GBT as part of a separate outreach program called the Pulsar Search Collaboratory, and all six students will receive hands-on experience in handling GBT data. The current projects are components of larger research efforts by graduate student and professional level researchers, so that the projects contribute to high-level projects only possible with the GBT. This stands as a rare outreach program that uses the principle of “deliberative practice” to train high school students in the development of skills that are crucial to success in science. Furthermore, it provides graduate students with an opportunity to plan and advise research projects, developing a skill set that is required in more advanced academic positions. Our poster discusses the implementation of our online curriculum in two distinct

  3. Opinions of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers on Mathematical Modelling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tutak, Tayfun; Güder, Yunus

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study is to identify the opinions of secondary school mathematics teachers about mathematical modelling. Qualitative research was used. The participants of the study were 40 secondary school teachers working in the Bingöl Province in Turkey during 2012-2013 education year. Semi-structured interview form prepared by the researcher…

  4. Teachers' and School Administrators' Perceptions and Expectations on Teacher Leadership

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Semra Kıranlı

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study it is aimed to find out primary school teachers’ and principals’ expectations and perceptions related to teachers’ leadership. The population of this survey consists of primary school teachers and principals in Odunpazarı, one of the two central municipalities in Eskişehir, in 2011-2012 educational year. Teachers and principals of eight primary schools were taken as a sample among low, middle, high socio-economic level primary schools in Odunpazarı. 195 teachers and principals participated in this study. In this study a data device which consisted of two sections was used to accomplish the purpose of the study. A personal information form to define teachers’ and principals’ demographical features made the first section, whereas “The Questionnaire of Expectations and perceptions of Teacher Leadership Roles” developed by Beycioğlu (2009 and consisting of 25 items made the second section. Each item in the questionnaire has a five scale Lykert type evaluation and belongs to one of the three dimensions of both perception and expectation. These dimensions are institutional development, professional development and collaboration with colleagues.

  5. Reforming High School Science for Low-Performing Students Using Inquiry Methods and Communities of Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolden, Marsha Gail

    Some schools fall short of the high demand to increase science scores on state exams because low-performing students enter high school unprepared for high school science. Low-performing students are not successful in high school for many reasons. However, using inquiry methods have improved students' understanding of science concepts. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate the teachers' lived experiences with using inquiry methods to motivate low-performing high school science students in an inquiry-based program called Xtreem Science. Fifteen teachers were selected from the Xtreem Science program, a program designed to assist teachers in motivating struggling science students. The research questions involved understanding (a) teachers' experiences in using inquiry methods, (b) challenges teachers face in using inquiry methods, and (c) how teachers describe student's response to inquiry methods. Strategy of data collection and analysis included capturing and understanding the teachers' feelings, perceptions, and attitudes in their lived experience of teaching using inquiry method and their experience in motivating struggling students. Analysis of interview responses revealed teachers had some good experiences with inquiry and expressed that inquiry impacted their teaching style and approach to topics, and students felt that using inquiry methods impacted student learning for the better. Inquiry gave low-performing students opportunities to catch up and learn information that moved them to the next level of science courses. Implications for positive social change include providing teachers and school district leaders with information to help improve performance of the low performing science students.

  6. High school students as science researchers: Opportunities and challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, W. R.; Grannas, A. M.

    2007-12-01

    Today's K-12 students will be the scientists and engineers who bring currently emerging technologies to fruition. Existing research endeavors will be continued and expanded upon in the future only if these students are adequately prepared. High school-university collaborations provide an effective means of recruiting and training the next generation of scientists and engineers. Here, we describe our successful high school-university collaboration in the context of other models. We have developed an authentic inquiry-oriented environmental chemistry research program involving high school students as researchers. The impetus behind the development of this project was twofold. First, participation in authentic research may give some of our students the experience and drive to enter technical studies after high school. One specific goal was to develop a program to recruit underrepresented minorities into university STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs. Second, inquiry-oriented lessons have been shown to be highly effective in developing scientific literacy among the general population of students. This collaboration involves the use of local resources and equipment available to most high schools and could serve as a model for developing high school- university partnerships.

  7. Learning Context When Studying Financial Planning in High Schools: Nesting of Student, Teacher, and Classroom Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danes, Sharon M.; Rodriguez, Michael C.; Brewton, Katherine E.

    2013-01-01

    Grounded in social construction theory, the current study investigates the learning context when studying financial planning in high school by analyzing the nesting of student, teacher and classroom characteristics. Key findings were that three student characteristics (initial financial knowledge, gender, senior grade level), one teacher variable…

  8. Professional Development and Teacher Self-Efficacy: Learning from Indonesian Modern Islamic Boarding Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azam Othman

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This study highlights teachers’ involvement in professional development (PD activities teachers in the Darussalam Modern Islamic Boarding School (DMIBS, East Java, Indonesia. It evaluates the implementation of PD programs by identifying teachers` perception toward PD they participated in. The study used a survey research approach to investigate professional development and the level of teacher`s self-efficacy at the boarding school. The majority of teachers have a high level of satisfaction toward the implementation of PD activities in DMIBS in terms of course content, instructor, relevancy to teaching practice and course management. Also, teachers reported that the school had given them an adequate opportunity to participate in different types of PD activities. However, the study did not find significant differences between the length of teaching experience and teachers’ academic qualifications in teachers` perceptions towards PD activities. Some studies found that teachers with higher levels of academic qualification, showed higher and increased levels of efficacy. However, the current study did not show similar results as teachers with degrees and DMIBS qualifications respectively showed no significant differences in their levels of efficacy. This indicates that having different academic qualifications did not affect the increase in teachers` efficacy.

  9. Comprehending Elementary School Teachers' Classroom Management Approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahin, Ali E.

    2015-01-01

    This study intends to determine elementary school teachers' degree of classroom control, which constitutes the consistency in their classroom management and discipline-related behaviour. The major research question was as follows: Is the control approach adopted by teachers related to certain variables (gender, age, subject area, experience)? The…

  10. School Health Promotion and Teacher Professional Identity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jourdan, Didier; Simar, Carine; Deasy, Christine; Carvalho, Graça S.; McNamara, Patricia Mannix

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Health and education are inextricably linked. Health promotion sits somewhat uncomfortably within schools, often remaining a marginal aspect of teachers' work. The purpose of this paper is to examine the compatibility of an HP-initiative with teacher professional identity. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research design was…

  11. Teachers' Attitudes towards Inclusive Education in Jordanian Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Zyoudi, Mohammed

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education in Jordan, and the factors that influenced such attitudes. Qualitative research was used to gather information from all general education and special education teachers. The sample consisted of 90 teachers at 7 schools. The results of this study showed…

  12. The conditions of school learning, youth cultures and the use of ICTs in entering high school: the problem of transmission among young people and teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Villa

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In the present paper that comprises the problems of the relation between young cultures and learning are studied, as well as the transmission problems between young people and teachers, in the first year of Middle School. It is a qualitative research which studied deeply some cases. The research makes a comparison among young students and teachers. We use two techniques of research: the semi structured interview and the discussion group. The general objectives are explore and describe the meanings that the incorporation of mass media of communication gets for the for young identities, as well as the consumption and production of young cultures and the impact which introduces their meanings into the generational transmition process between teachers and young people. From our results, we propose three discussion axes: the massification which involves for young people the consumption of young cultures in the first year of Middle School, does not allow visualize, and it could cover up interpersonal violence relations and inequality among themselves as well as their positions of cultural producers; it does exist for young people a marked dissociation in the classroom: on one side, there are the interactions between the group members and consumption/production of young cultures, and, on the other side, the school culture, and the learning process; the problem of attention/inattention of young people in the learning process in the class, is linked to the transmission process, which is produced between teachers and students in the entry into the Middle School. Keywords: Pedagogy. Youth Cultures. Middle School.

  13. High School Teachers' Problem Solving Activities to Review and Extend Their Mathematical and Didactical Knowledge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos-Trigo, Manuel; Barrera-Mora, Fernando

    2011-01-01

    The study documents the extent to which high school teachers reflect on their need to revise and extend their mathematical and practicing knowledge. In this context, teachers worked on a set of tasks as a part of an inquiring community that promoted the use of different computational tools in problem solving approaches. Results indicated that the…

  14. The Changing Distribution of Teacher Qualifications Across Schools: A Statewide Perspective Post-NCLB

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen J. DeAngelis

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available A number of recent policy initiatives, including NCLB's highly qualified teacher provisions, have sought to improve the qualifications of teachers and their distribution across schools. Little is known, however, about the impact of these policies. In this study, we use population data on teachers and schools in Illinois to examine changes in the level and distribution of teacher qualifications from 2001 to 2006. We find that schools in Chicago, especially those serving the highest percentages of low-income and minority students, experienced the greatest improvements in teacher qualifications during the period. In addition, high-poverty schools in most other locales in the state registered small to moderate improvements, which narrowed the gap in teacher qualifications between high- and low-poverty schools across Illinois. Improvements in the certification status of experienced teachers and the recruitment of new teachers with stronger academic qualifications both contributed to these gains. The results reveal a tradeoff for disadvantaged schools seeking to improve both teacher qualifications and teacher experience levels, thereby calling into question the near-term feasibility of NCLB provisions that aim to simultaneously eliminate inequities across schools in both.       

  15. The Impact of Personality, Goal Orientation and Self-Efficacy on Participation of High School Teachers in Learning Activities in the Workplace

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Daal, Tine; Donche, Vincent; De Maeyer, Sven

    2014-01-01

    This study examines the influence of personality traits, goal orientation and self-efficacy on high school teachers' participation in learning activities in the workplace (i.e. experimentation, informal interaction with colleagues, self-regulation and avoidance behaviour). A convenience sample of 95 teachers from six high schools in Flanders…

  16. Action Research in Schools: The Practitioners' Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Liyan; Kenton, Jeffrey M.

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a study on the effectiveness of an action research model from the perspectives of school educators as action researchers. The study design followed seven action researchers--inservice teachers and school library media specialists--as they completed research projects in their schools. Data came from three different sources:…

  17. At-Risk Programs for Middle School and High School: Essential Components and Recommendations for Administrators and Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bateman, Susan; Karr-Kidwell, PJ

    This paper provides an extensive literature review concerning at-risk students and their needs, identifies the essential components necessary for effective at-risk programming, and describes successful at-risk programs and recommendations for administrators and teachers at the middle- and high-school levels. The literature review presents research…

  18. Re-Engineering Primary School Teachers for Sustainable ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    engineer primary school teachers for sustainable development in Onitsha North Local Government Area. Three research questions and a hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was used. 300 primary ...

  19. A Case Study on Mathematical Literacy of Prospective Elementary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suharta, I. Gusti Putu; Suarjana, I. Made

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to describe Mathematical Literacy (ML) of Prospective Elementary School Teachers with attention to aspects of mathematical skills and gender. The type of research is qualitative with the research design of Case Study. Respondents are assigned 12 Prospective Elementary School Teachers, consisting of 6 men and 6 women.…

  20. Communities of practice: Participation patterns and professional impact for high school mathematics and science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Printy, Susan M.

    Improving the quality of teachers in schools is a keystone to educational improvement. New and veteran teachers alike need to enhance their content knowledge and pedagogical skills, but they must also examine, and often change, their underlying attitudes, beliefs, and values about the nature of knowledge and the abilities of students. Best accomplished collectively rather than individually, the interactions between teachers as they undertake the process of collaborative inquiry create "communities of practice." This dissertation investigates the importance of science and mathematics teachers' participation in communities of practice to their professional capabilities. The study tests the hypothesis that the social learning inherent in community of practice participation encourages teachers to learn from others with expertise, enhances teachers' sense of competence, and increases the likelihood that teachers' will use student-centered, problem-based instructional techniques aligned with national disciplinary standards. The researcher conceptualizes communities of practice along two dimensions that affect social learning: legitimate participation in activities and span of engagement with school members. Differences in teachers' subject area and the curricular track of their teaching assignment contribute to variation in teachers' participation in communities of practice along those dimensions. Using data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study, first and second follow-up, the study has two stages of multi-level analysis. The first stage examines factors that contribute to teachers' participation in communities of practice, including teachers' social and professional characteristics and school demographic and organizational characteristics. The second stage investigates the professional impact of such participation on the three outcome variables: teacher learning, teacher competence, and use of standards-based pedagogy. Hierarchical linear models provide

  1. Teachers' Perceptions about School Violence in One Turkish City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yavuzer, Yasemin; Gundogdu, Rezzan; Dikici, Ayhan

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the types and frequencies of violence encountered by teachers in primary and high schools in Nide province in Turkey, and, in addition, to determine the perceptions of teachers regarding the reasons for and methods of prevention of violent actions at schools. One hundred forty-two teachers were chosen for this…

  2. Perception of primary school teachers to school children's mental health problems in Southwest Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerebih, Habtamu; Abrha, Hailay; Frank, Reiner; Abera, Mubarek

    2016-11-12

    Teachers perception of child mental health problems and their attitude to school-based mental health services helps in designing early intervention strategies aimed at promoting the service. However, little is known in this regard among primary school teachers in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study assessed perceptions and attitude of primary school teachers to child mental health problem and school-based mental health programs in Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia in 2013. A cross-sectional study design was implemented among 568 primary school teachers in Jimma town, from 1 to 30 October 2013. Perceptions and attitude of teachers to children with mental health problems and school mental health related information were assessed using a structured self- administered questionnaire. About 40% of teachers recognized the list of psychopathology items presented to them as child mental health problems while 54.4% of them rated child mental health problem as severe. Externalizing behaviors were perceived as the most severe problems. Teaching experience and teaching in public schools were significantly associated with the perception of severe type of child mental health problems. About 95% of teachers acknowledged that school-based mental health programs are important but limited availability was reported. Despite the high problem severity ratings, teachers' perception of the psychopathology as a mental health problem in children was low. There was also a favorable attitude on the importance and the need of school-based child mental health programs. Thus, creating mental health awareness for teachers and establishing school mental health services to intervene in child mental health problem is crucial.

  3. Technological pedagogical content knowledge of junior high school mathematics teachers in teaching linear equation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wati, S.; Fitriana, L.; Mardiyana

    2018-04-01

    Linear equation is one of the topics in mathematics that are considered difficult. Student difficulties of understanding linear equation can be caused by lack of understanding this concept and the way of teachers teach. TPACK is a way to understand the complex relationships between teaching and content taught through the use of specific teaching approaches and supported by the right technology tools. This study aims to identify TPACK of junior high school mathematics teachers in teaching linear equation. The method used in the study was descriptive. In the first phase, a survey using a questionnaire was carried out on 45 junior high school mathematics teachers in teaching linear equation. While in the second phase, the interview involved three teachers. The analysis of data used were quantitative and qualitative technique. The result PCK revealed teachers emphasized developing procedural and conceptual knowledge through reliance on traditional in teaching linear equation. The result of TPK revealed teachers’ lower capacity to deal with the general information and communications technologies goals across the curriculum in teaching linear equation. The result indicated that PowerPoint constitutes TCK modal technological capability in teaching linear equation. The result of TPACK seems to suggest a low standard in teachers’ technological skills across a variety of mathematics education goals in teaching linear equation. This means that the ability of teachers’ TPACK in teaching linear equation still needs to be improved.

  4. Burnout among Low and High Experienced Teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyedehhava Mousavy

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Burnout is a serious psychological syndrome that can affect not only an individual’s well-being, but also the functioning of whole organisations, such as schools. It is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased personal accomplishment.The level of burnout among teachers in the field of education has a negative impact on student success. The present investigation examines the level of burn out among high and low experienced teachers. It focused on a group of English teachers from different nationalities: Iranian, and Malaysian at UPM to examine if there is any relation between burnout and experience level. The sample consisted of 30 English teachers. Two instruments namely, The Maslach Burnout Inventory and Demographic Questionnaire were used to collect data. Data analysis revealed that there is no significant difference in depersonalization and personal accomplishment scores between low and high experienced teachers. But the result of this study also revealed that there is a significant difference in Emotional Exhaustion scores between low and high experienced teachers. Further research is required to explore the roots and the causes of burnout.

  5. High School Science Teachers' Perceptions of the Effects of Oneto- one Computing Devices on Student Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bocchino, Herbert S., III

    The identified problem of practice for the present action research study centers on ways in which teacher-participants in a working class poor, rural, southern high school can use the iPads in daily science classroom activities to more effectively to engage these students in their classrooms and make the curriculum meaningful. Data in the form of classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and teacher in-service seminars was collected over a six week period. The results of the present action research study indicate a need for more professional development for incorporating iPads into science coursework for these teacher-participants at RHS despite their claim that they are well prepared to use the iPads in their science curriculum and pedagogy. The Action Plan that resulted from the present study is in the form of professional development for teachers that focuses on how iPads can be used in a constructivist pedagogy to enable better equity of historically marginalized groups of students such as young women, people of color, rural people, and working class poor people to access higher level science courses and post-secondary careers. The Action Plan details tools for iPad use with project-based learning that lends itself to student discovery, the creation of products, and personal meaning-making.

  6. Elementary-school teachers' motivation for changes in the teaching process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šefer Jasmina

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The teacher's motivation is the first condition for a successful introduction and maintenance of changes in the teaching process. The paper is aimed at presenting the results of a research on teachers' motivation for changes which were introduced during one academic year project named 'Trefoil' in one elementary school in Belgrade. The aim of the experiment was to examine whether the practice of using plays, research, dialogues, problem solving, group work, and work on projects stimulate incentive, cooperation and creative work of students and which problems may arise during such activities. We used summative and formative evaluation of qualitative and quantitative type and, within it, interviews by which the data about the teachers' motivation to use the mentioned teaching methods were gathered by teachers, school psychologists and pedagogues. The results fluctuate, slightly grow, and show that average motivation is relatively high. Motivation is aided by facilitators, too, as well as by the experience of reflexive practice at teachers' meetings. The problems that hinder teachers' motivation are: fear from the unknown, lack of external stimuli, technical conditions and time; insufficient coordination of novelties with curricular contents, students' age and curricula which are oriented to reproduction. What is nededed is better initial teacher training, more teaching materials, practical presentations and visiting classes of other colleagues, improving curricula and the status of teachers, reduction of administration and papirology. The changes should be implemented gradually and maintained after the experiment.

  7. Motivation for Math in Rural Schools: Student and Teacher Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardre, Patricia L.

    2011-01-01

    Rural schools, students, teachers, administrators, families and community leaders face unique challenges from those of their urban and suburban counterparts. This paper investigates motivation in rural secondary schools, with a particular focus on mathematics, from teacher and student perspectives. It integrates recent research on math learning…

  8. Identity of the teacher-researcher in collaborative action research: concerns reflected in a research journal

    OpenAIRE

    Banegas, Darío Luis

    2012-01-01

    In this paper I report the insights of my personal research journal as part of a collaborative action research project I facilitated in a secondary school where I teach English as a foreign language. I kept a journal so as to offer the natural history of my research towards my doctoral degree. In this project I worked together with four participating teachers but I assumed a complex identity as I was a teacher-researcher i.e. doctoral researcher and a teacher. This entailed differe...

  9. Principals' Leadership Practices and Mathematics Pass Rate in Jamaican High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmer, David; Hermond, Douglas; Gardiner, Carl

    2014-01-01

    This research was intended to explore the degree to which leadership practices impacted Jamaican schools' mathematics achievement. More specifically, the researchers examined Jamaica's high school students' CSEC mathematics performance in relation to principals' instructional leadership behaviors as measured by teachers' perceptions, using Kouzes…

  10. The relationship between primary school teachers extrinsic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study investigated the relationship between primary school teacher's extrinsic motivation and pupils' academic performance in Cross river State, Nigeria. Ex Post Facto research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of 17,221 teachers and 68,201 Primary Six Pupils in the three ...

  11. The development of mini project interactive media on junior statistical materials (developmental research in junior high school)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fauziah, D.; Mardiyana; Saputro, D. R. S.

    2018-05-01

    Assessment is an integral part in the learning process. The process and the result should be in line, regarding to measure the ability of learners. Authentic assessment refers to a form of assessment that measures the competence of attitudes, knowledge, and skills. In fact, many teachers including mathematics teachers who have implemented curriculum based teaching 2013 feel confuse and difficult in mastering the use of authentic assessment instruments. Therefore, it is necessary to design an authentic assessment instrument with an interactive mini media project where teacher can adopt it in the assessment. The type of this research is developmental research. The developmental research refers to the 4D models development, which consist of four stages: define, design, develop and disseminate. The research purpose is to create a valid mini project interactive media on statistical materials in junior high school. The retrieved valid instrument based on expert judgment are 3,1 for eligibility constructions aspect, and 3,2 for eligibility presentation aspect, 3,25 for eligibility contents aspect, and 2,9 for eligibility didactic aspect. The research results obtained interactive mini media projects on statistical materials using Adobe Flash so it can help teachers and students in achieving learning objectives.

  12. INDIGENOUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS OPINION ON SEX EDUCATION IN A SCHOOL OF DOURADOS - MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosaldo de Albuquerque Souza

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available A large portion of the population consists of adolescents aged by 12 to 19 years. During this period of human life occur several behavioral factors involving sexuality that intrigues many researchers, teachers and parents and according to the Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais (PCNs, sex education must be taught in schools as a crosscutting theme. The aim of this study was to investigate perceptions and attitudes towards sexual education among elementary school Indigenous teachers in a rural school in Dourados-MS. Data collection was conducted through a questionnaire completed by individual teachers. The results show that teachers consider important to work with sex education in elementary schools involving different areas of knowledge and with the help of health professionals. Most teachers work or have worked this theme in his classes, and consider the students receptive and interested, however, some teachers have difficulty in approaching the subject. One of the difficulties encountered are related to the low acceptance of their parents, highlighting the need for guidance on the same theme. The Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais ensures that the sex education should begin in early school years.

  13. From teacher education to primary school

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Rene B

    2014-01-01

    such as Kathy Charmaz and later works by Strauss and Glaser. Phenomenography forms the other meth-odological part of the dissertation. Phenomenography is defined here as “ … research which aims at description, analysis, and understanding of experiences; that is, re-search which is directed towards experimental...... teachers. This dissertation has been written and constructed around two research ques-tions. The first research question asked the following: How does new teachers ex-perience being new? How do they experience possibilities and barriers when trying to carry out their intentions as teachers? The other...... question examined was this: “How is ac-cess possible to the everyday practice of schools and how can this everyday practice be under-stood”? Throughout the dissertation both questions has been examined both theoretically and empirically. The first research question deals with the aspects of professions...

  14. Long working hours and sleep problems among public junior high school teachers in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bannai, Akira; Ukawa, Shigekazu; Tamakoshi, Akiko

    2015-01-01

    Long working hours may impact human health. In Japan, teachers tend to work long hours. From 2002 to 2012, the number of leaves of absence due to diseases other than mental disorders, or mental disorders among public school teachers increased by 1.3 times (from 2,616 to 3,381), or 1.8 times (from 2,687 to 4,960), respectively. The present study aimed to investigate the association between long working hours and sleep problems among public school teachers. This cross-sectional study was conducted from mid-July to September 2013 in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Questionnaires were distributed to 1,245 teachers in public junior high schools. Information about basic characteristics including working hours, and responses to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were collected anonymously. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the association between long working hours and sleep problems separately by sex. The response rate was 44.8% (n=558). After excluding ineligible responses, the final sample comprised 515 teachers (335 males and 180 females). Sleep problems was identified in 41.5% of males and 44.4% of females. Our results showed a significantly increased risk of sleep problems in males working >60 hours per week (OR 2.05 [95% CI 1.01-4.30]) compared with those working ≤40 hours per week. No significant association was found in females. There is a significant association between long working hours and sleep problems in male teachers. Reducing working hours may contribute to a reduction in sleep problems.

  15. White Teachers/Diverse Classrooms: A Guide to Building Inclusive Schools, Promoting High Expectations, and Eliminating Racism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landsman, Julie, Ed.; Lewis, Chance W., Ed.

    2006-01-01

    For African Americans, school is often not a place to learn but a place of low expectations and failure. In urban schools with concentrations of poverty, often fewer than half the ninth graders leave with a high school diploma. In this book, Black and White teachers provide an insightful approach to inclusive and equitable teaching and illustrate…

  16. Job stressors, personality and burnout in primary school teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kokkinos, Constantinos M

    2007-03-01

    Teaching is considered a highly stressful occupation. Burnout is a negative affective response occurring as a result of chronic work stress. While the early theories of burnout focused exclusively on work-related stressors, recent research adopts a more integrative approach where both environmental and individual factors are studied. Nevertheless, such studies are scarce with teacher samples. The present cross-sectional study sought to investigate the association between burnout, personality characteristics and job stressors in primary school teachers from Cyprus. The study also investigates the relative contribution of these variables on the three facets of burnout - emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment. A representative sample of 447 primary school teachers participated in the study. Teachers completed measures of burnout, personality and job stressors along with demographic and professional data. Surveys were delivered by courier to schools, and were distributed at faculty meetings. Results showed that both personality and work-related stressors were associated with burnout dimensions. Neuroticism was a common predictor of all dimensions of burnout although in personal accomplishment had a different direction. Managing student misbehaviour and time constraints were found to systematically predict dimensions of burnout. Teachers' individual characteristics as well as job related stressors should be taken into consideration when studying the burnout phenomenon. The fact that each dimension of the syndrome is predicted by different variables should not remain unnoticed especially when designing and implementing intervention programmes to reduce burnout in teachers.

  17. Classroom interactions: exploring the practices of high- and low-expectation teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubie-Davies, Christine M

    2007-06-01

    Early research exploring teacher expectations concentrated on the dyadic classroom interactions of teachers with individual students. More recent studies have shown whole class factors to have more significance in portraying teachers' expectations. Recently teachers having high or low expectations for all their students have been identified. The aim of the current investigation was to explore whether the classroom exchanges of high- and low-expectation teachers differed substantially and might be considered a mechanism for teachers' expectations. The participants were 12 primary school teachers from eight schools who had been identified as having expectations for their students' learning that were either significantly above or below the children's achievement level. The teachers formed three groups called high-expectation, low-expectation and average-progress teachers. The participants were observed twice in the academic year during half-hour reading lessons. Two people observed each lesson, one completing a structured observation protocol and the other a running record and audiotape. In contrast to the average progress and low expectation teachers, the high-expectation teachers spent more time providing a framework for students' learning, provided their students with more feedback, questioned their students using more higher-order questions, and managed their students' behaviour more positively. There appear to be important differences in the classroom environments for the students of high-expectation, average-progress and low-expectation teachers. The differences apply to both the instructional and socioemotional environments of the classroom. Such disparities may act as mechanisms for teacher expectation effects.

  18. An Increasing of Primary School Teachers' Competency in Brain-Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waree, Chaiwat

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to develop a powerful and empowering guide (CBT) of elementary school teachers, to compare the ability of elementary school teachers. Management learning uses brain as a base. The experimental group with a control group the experimental group used in this research was a teacher at the grade level. 4-6 in province By…

  19. Creating a "Third Space" in the Context of a University-School Partnership: Supporting Teacher Action Research and the Research Preparation of Doctoral Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arhar, Joanne; Niesz, Tricia; Brossmann, Jeanette; Koebley, Sarah; O'Brien, Katherine; Loe, David; Black, Felicia

    2013-01-01

    The focus of the Education Works Personalization Project was to facilitate teams of teacher action researchers whose goal was to personalize their teaching with the support of university partners including doctoral students in education. The subsequent apprentice-like research experience within this university-school partnership provided an…

  20. Creating an In-School Pastoral System for Student Teachers in School-Based Initial Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philpott, Carey

    2015-01-01

    Recent developments in initial teacher education (ITE) have produced a number of school-centred models. These mean that student teachers may now spend more of their time in schools than has historically been the case. In some of these models, student teachers are more clearly part of the school as an institution than might be the case in more…

  1. Teacher Classroom Practices, Student Motivation and Mathematics Achievements in High School: Evidence from HSLS:09 Data

    OpenAIRE

    Yu, Rongrong

    2015-01-01

    The present study explored the direct influences of teacher classroom practices, including teacher support, conceptual teaching, and procedural teaching, on 9th grade students' mathematics achievement, and the indirect influences of these teacher variables on student mathematics achievement through students' mathematics self-efficacy and interest in mathematics courses. The base year data of High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS: 09) was used for this study. Structural equation modelin...

  2. An Avenue for Challenging Sexism: Examining the High School Sociology Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevens, Kaylene Mae; Martell, Christopher C.

    2016-01-01

    In this interpretative qualitative study, the researchers investigated the beliefs and practices of six high school sociology teachers in relation to the teaching of gender. Using a feminist lens, this study employed mixed methods, analyzing teacher interviews, observations, and classroom artifacts. The results showed that the teachers viewed…

  3. Teachers Supporting Teachers in Urban Schools: What Iterative Research Designs Can Teach Us.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shernoff, Elisa S; Maríñez-Lora, Ane M; Frazier, Stacy L; Jakobsons, Lara J; Atkins, Marc S; Bonner, Deborah

    2011-12-01

    Despite alarming rates and negative consequences associated with urban teacher attrition, mentoring programs often fail to target the strongest predictors of attrition: effectiveness around classroom management and engaging learners; and connectedness to colleagues. Using a mixed-method iterative development framework, we highlight the process of developing and evaluating the feasibility of a multi-component professional development model for urban early career teachers. The model includes linking novices with peer-nominated key opinion leader teachers and an external coach who work together to (1) provide intensive support in evidence-based practices for classroom management and engaging learners, and (2) connect new teachers with their larger network of colleagues. Fidelity measures and focus group data illustrated varying attendance rates throughout the school year and that although seminars and professional learning communities were delivered as intended, adaptations to enhance the relevance, authenticity, level, and type of instrumental support were needed. Implications for science and practice are discussed.

  4. Teacher's evaluation

    OpenAIRE

    Šuranská, Ivana

    2014-01-01

    This bachelor theses focuses on the research of the teacher's attitudes towards several issues such as introducing professional standards, new carreer structure of teacher's and it's supporting systems. It has been created on the bases of theoretical resources and the research among teachers of kindergartens, elementary schools and high schools in Moravskoslezský and Středočeský region. The theoretical part provides a summary of the current state of teacher evaluation, proffesional standards,...

  5. Prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and its relations with the occupational performance among public high school teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Ferreira Calixto

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To investigate the frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms and identify their relationships with functional capacity for daily living and working activities among public high school teachers in Ceilândia/DF. Methodological procedures: This was a cross-sectional study with 61 teachers from four different schools. An initial questionnaire covering sociodemographic, clinical and occupational characteristics was used for initial assessment, with the Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire (musculoskeletal disorders and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (upper limb disorders. Descriptive and comparative statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The body areas most affected by musculoskeletal symptoms in the last 12 months were: upper back (42.6%, lower back (41.7% and neck (39.3%. Greater impairment in the daily activities performance was observed among teachers who had some musculoskeletal symptom in the neck (p=.0001, shoulders (p=.001, back (p=.002, elbows (p=.002 or wrist and hand (p=.018. Additionally, it was observed greater interference in work activities among teachers who had some musculoskeletal symptom in the shoulders (p=.023 or elbows (p=.003. Conclusion: This scenario highlights the importance of including regular programs of health promotion and disorders prevention in high schools for correct orientation and to maintain these professionals functional capacity.

  6. The Influence of Teacher Education on Mentor Teachers' Role Perception in Professional Development Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klieger, Aviva; Oster-Levinz, Anat

    2015-01-01

    Apprenticeship and professional development schools (PDSs) are two models for teacher education. The mentors that are the focus for this research completed their initial teacher training through one of these models and now mentor in PDSs. The paper reports on how the way in which they were trained as student teachers influenced their role…

  7. Becoming a science teacher: The competing pedagogies of schools and teacher education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozelle, Jeffrey J.

    A culminating student teaching or internship experience is a central component of nearly every teacher education program and has been for most of teacher education's history. New teachers cite field experience and student teaching as the most beneficial, authentic, or practical aspect of teacher education. Teacher educators, however, have cause to view student teaching skeptically; student teachers often move away from the reform-minded practices espoused in teacher education. This multi-site ethnographic study investigated a full-year internship experience for six science interns at three diverse high schools as part of a teacher preparation program at a large state university. In taking an ecological perspective, this study documented the dynamic and evolving relationships between interns, cooperating teachers, teacher educators, and the school and classroom contexts. The goals of the study were to describe the changes in interns throughout the course of a year-long internship as a science teacher and to determine the relative influences of the various aspects of the ecology on interns. Data include fieldnotes from 311 hours of participant observation, 38 interviews with interns, cooperating teachers, and teacher educators, and 190 documents including course assignments, evaluations, and reflective journals. Interns' teaching practices were strongly influenced by their cooperating teachers. During the first two months, all six interns "used their mentor's script." When teaching, they attempted to re-enact lessons they witnessed their cooperating teachers enact earlier in the day. This included following the lesson structure, but also borrowing physical mannerisms, representations, anecdotes, and jokes. When interns could no longer follow their cooperating teacher due to an increased teaching load, they "followed their mentors' patterns"---implementing instruction that emphasized similar strategies---regardless of whether they were experiencing success in the

  8. Authoritative School Climate and High School Dropout Rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Yuane; Konold, Timothy R.; Cornell, Dewey

    2016-01-01

    This study tested the association between school-wide measures of an authoritative school climate and high school dropout rates in a statewide sample of 315 high schools. Regression models at the school level of analysis used teacher and student measures of disciplinary structure, student support, and academic expectations to predict overall high…

  9. New Mexico High School Supercomputing Challenge, 1990--1995: Five years of making a difference to students, teachers, schools, and communities. Progress report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Foster, M.; Kratzer, D.

    1996-02-01

    The New Mexico High School Supercomputing Challenge is an academic program dedicated to increasing interest in science and math among high school students by introducing them to high performance computing. This report provides a summary and evaluation of the first five years of the program, describes the program and shows the impact that it has had on high school students, their teachers, and their communities. Goals and objectives are reviewed and evaluated, growth and development of the program are analyzed, and future directions are discussed.

  10. The Examination of the Views of Primary School Teachers and Pre-Service Primary Teachers on European Union Citizenship from the Point of Different Variables

    Science.gov (United States)

    Üner, Sadik Selman; Yesil, Rüstü

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the view of primary school teachers and pre-service primary teachers on European Union citizenship. This study is a descriptive and quantitative research in survey methodology. The data of the research was collected from 207 primary school teachers teaching in 22 primary school in the city center of Kirsehir…

  11. Teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nammungkhun, Wisanugorn; Satchukorn, Sureerat; Saenpuk, Nudchanard; Yuenyong, Chokchai; Chantharanuwong, Warawun

    2018-01-01

    This paper aimed to clarify teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning. The study applied the lens of sociocultural view of learning to discuss teachers' learning about research. Participants included teachers who participated in the project of thinking research schools: research for enhancing students' thinking skills. The project of thinking research schools provided participants chance to learn knowledge about research and thinking research, doing research and publication, and participate in the international conference. Methodology regarded ethnographic research. The tools of interpretation included participant observation, interview, and document analysis. The researchers as participants of the research project of thinking research schools tried to clarify what they learned about research from their way of seeing the view of research about enhancing students' thinking skills through participant observation. The findings revealed what and how teachers as apprenticeship learn about research through legitimate peripheral participation in the research project community of practice. The paper clarified teachers' conceptualization about research for enhancing students' thinking through the workshop, doing research, writing up research article with supported by experts, presenting research in the international conference, editing their research article on the way of publishing, and so on.

  12. Making the transition to middle schooling: A case study of experienced science teachers coping with change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strong, Donna Dorough

    The increasing popularity of the middle school movement necessitates a need for more interpretive research in middle level education. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore science teachers' perceptions of the transition to a new middle school and the meanings they attached to this new experience. The participants were three eighth grade science teachers, each with 20 plus years of teaching experience. The primary data for analysis was a series of five interviews with each participant. Data collection also included weekly participant observation of team meetings. Findings revealed that the science teachers all had positive feelings attached to the ability to keep track of students' academic progress and behavior problems as a result of teaming. The changes associated with the first year were very stressful for all three, primarily the loss of the traditional junior high departmentalized structure. The two participants who transferred directly from the junior high school were very skeptical of any benefits from an interdisciplinary curriculum, the appropriateness of the middle school philosophy for eighth grade students, and the move to heterogeneously grouped science classes. In contrast, the former junior high teacher who had spent the past ten years teaching sixth grade at the elementary school had positive beliefs about the potential benefits of an interdisciplinary curriculum and heterogeneous grouping. Teacher stress associated with a change in the school setting and the science teachers' constraints to actualizing a meaningful middle schooling experience are illuminated. Teachers' lack of ownership in the reform decision making process, loss of time with their science teacher peers, diminished compliments from high school counterparts, and need for more empirical evidence supporting proposed changes all served as barriers to embracing the reform initiatives. The participants found taking a very slow approach to be their most useful means of

  13. A Path Analysis Study of School Culture and Teachers' Organisational Commitment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karadag, Engin; Baloglu, Nuri; Cakir, Abdullah

    2011-01-01

    In this study, the direct and indirect relations between school culture and the organisational commitment of primary school teachers were analyzed. The subjects of the research consisted of primary school teachers who worked at a district in Istanbul in the academic year 2007-2008. The sampling group was defined by the cluster sampling method. In…

  14. When a Teacher Switches Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaSalle, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    In this article, northeast Philadelphia teacher Daniel LaSalle describes the transition and struggle of leaving his past students and adjusting to a new school. He concludes that the highly contextualized knowledge of how to navigate, and be accepted in, a school culture is not something found in the latest journal articles or books on education.…

  15. Teacher-student relationship climate and school outcomes: implications for educational policy initiatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barile, John P; Donohue, Dana K; Anthony, Elizabeth R; Baker, Andrew M; Weaver, Scott R; Henrich, Christopher C

    2012-03-01

    In recent discussions regarding concerns about the academic achievement of US students, educational policy makers have suggested the implementation of certain teacher policies. To address the limited empirical research on the putative educational impact of such policies, this study used multilevel structural equation models to investigate the longitudinal associations between teacher evaluation and reward policies, and student mathematics achievement and dropout with a national sample of students (n = 7,779) attending one of 431 public high schools. The student sample included an equal number of boys and girls averaging 16 years of age, and included a White (53%) majority. This study examined whether associations between teacher policies and student achievement were mediated by the teacher-student relationship climate. Results of this study were threefold. First, teacher evaluation policies that allowed students to evaluate their teachers were associated with more positive student reports of the classroom teaching climate. Second, schools with teacher reward policies that included assigning higher performing teachers with higher performing students had a negative association with student perceptions of the teaching climate. Lastly, schools with better student perceptions of the teaching climate were associated with lower student dropout rates by students' senior year. These findings are discussed in light of their educational policy implications.

  16. Teachers' Perception of African American Middle School Girls' Interest in Mathematics and Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Best, Bonnie M.

    Research into African American female underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields has become an area of interest due to the fact that a majority of African American middle school females do not possess the high levels of mathematics and science knowledge because of social and cultural barriers both inside and outside school that challenge their academic success. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was to explore teachers' shared, lived experiences of teaching mathematics and science to African American middle school girls. Delgado and Stefancic's critical race theory, Pratt-Clarke's critical race feminism, and Baker-Miller's relational-cultural theory were used to guide this study. Research questions focused on the perceptions and experiences of teachers' lived experiences teaching mathematics and science to African American middle school females. Criterion, purposive, and maximum variation sampling techniques were used to recruit 10 teachers who have 3 or more years' experience teaching African American middle school girls. Semistructured face-to-face interviews were the primary data collection source. First cycle and second cycle coding methods were used to support the analysis of this study. Findings suggest that there is a connection between a positive student-teacher relationship and academic success. The results of this study contribute to positive social change by providing empirical evidence policymakers and teachers can use to improve the mathematics and science instruction and practices that are needed to meet the needs of African American middle school females and reduce the underrepresentation and underachievement of African American females in mathematics and science.

  17. Wanted, A National Teacher Supply Policy for Education:The Right Way to Meet The "Highly Qualified Teacher" Challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda Darling-Hammond

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available Teacher quality is now the focus of unprecedented policy analysis. To achieve its goals, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB requires a “highly qualified teacher” in all classrooms. The concern with teacher quality has been driven by a growing recognition, fueled by accumulating research evidence, of how critical teachers are to student learning. To acquire and retain high-quality teachers in our Nation’s classrooms will require substantial policy change at many levels. There exists longstanding precedent and strong justification for Washington to create a major education manpower program. Qualified teachers are a critical national resource that requires federal investment and cross-state coordination as well as other state and local action. NCLB provides a standard for equitable access to teacher quality that is both reasonable and feasible. Achieving this goal will require a new vision of the teacher labor market and the framing of a national teacher supply policy. States and local districts have vital roles to play in ensuring a supply of highly qualified teachers; however, they must be supported by appropriate national programs. These programs should be modeled on U.S. medical manpower efforts, which have long supplied doctors to high- need communities and eased shortages in specific health fields. We argue that teacher supply policy should attract well-prepared teachers to districts that sorely need them while relieving shortages in fields like special education, math and the physical sciences. We study the mal-distribution of teachers and examine its causes. We describe examples of both states and local school districts that have fashioned successful strategies for strengthening their teaching forces. Unfortunately, highly successful state and local program to meet the demand for qualified teachers are the exception rather than the rule. They stand out amid widespread use of under-prepared teachers and untrained aides, mainly for

  18. Job satisfaction of Jamaican elementary school teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodgers-Jenkinson, Fay; Chapman, David W.

    1990-09-01

    This study investigated correlates of job satisfaction among public (N=190) and private (N=100) Jamaican elementary school teachers. Emphasis was on the identification of factors that could be affected through administrative intervention. Results indicated that the quality of school working conditions and respondents' relationships with other teachers were significantly related to satisfaction for both public and private school teachers. School prestige and parental encouragement were also significant predictors for public school teachers; leadership style, organizational structure, and teacher-parent relationships predicted job satisfaction for private school teachers. Implications of these findings for Jamaican education are discussed.

  19. News Quantum physics: German Physical Society spring meeting Journal access: American Physical Society's online journals will be available for free in all US high schools Award: High-school physics teacher receives American award for excellence Teacher training: Fobinet offers coordination of teacher-training activities Astronomy: Astronomy fans see stars at Astrofest Conference: Delegates enjoy the workshops and activities at CPD conference Forthcoming events

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-01

    Quantum physics: German Physical Society spring meeting Journal access: American Physical Society's online journals will be available for free in all US high schools Award: High-school physics teacher receives American award for excellence Teacher training: Fobinet offers coordination of teacher-training activities Astronomy: Astronomy fans see stars at Astrofest Conference: Delegates enjoy the workshops and activities at CPD conference Forthcoming events

  20. Science Teachers' Beliefs about the Influence of Their Summer Research Experiences on Their Pedagogical Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda, Rommel J.; Damico, Julie B.

    2013-01-01

    This study sought to determine the beliefs that tenured, in-service high school science teachers hold about how their participation in a large mid-Atlantic university's 6-week summer research experiences for teachers (RET) program might influence their pedagogical practices. The findings show a number of factors that teachers believed helped them…