Elementary School Teachers' ICT Use in the Classroom and Their Motivators for Using ICT

Science.gov (United States)

Uluyol, Çelebi; Sahin, Sami

2016-01-01

Teachers play a significant role in integrating information and communication technology (ICT) in schools, and motivated teachers reflect higher levels of ICT use in their classroom. In this study, we used semistructured interviews to investigate elementary school teachers' ICT use and their motivators for doing so. The participants consisted of…

· Attitude towards Computers and Classroom Management of Language School Teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Jalali

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Computer-assisted language learning (CALL is the realization of computers in schools and universities which has potentially enhanced the language learning experience inside the classrooms. The integration of the technologies into the classroom demands that the teachers adopt a number of classroom management procedures to maintain a more learner-centered and conducive language learning environment. The current study explored the relationship between computer attitudes and behavior and instructional classroom management approaches implemented by English institute teachers. In so doing, a total of 105 male (n = 27 and female (n = 78 EFL teachers participated in this study. A computer attitude questionnaire adapted from Albirini (2006 and a Behavior and Instructional Management Scale (BIMS adopted from Martin and Sass (2010 were benefitted from for the purpose of collecting the data. The results of the Pearson Correlation Coefficient revealed that there were no significant relationships between attitude and behavior and instructional management across gender. However, it was found that the more male teachers experience tendency toward using computers in their classes, the more teacher-centered their classes become. In addition, the more female teachers are prone to use computers in their classes, the more student-centered and lenient their classes become.

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…

Teachers' use of classroom assessment in primary school mathematics education in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veldhuis, M.; van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, M.; Vermeulen, Jorine; Eggen, Theodorus Johannes Hendrikus Maria

2013-01-01

This paper reports on a survey of the classroom assessment practices of Dutch primary school teachers in mathematics education. We investigated, using an online questionnaire, how teachers collect information on their studentś progress and how teacherś assessment methods, purposes, and beliefs about

Teaching and nature: Middle school science teachers' relationship with nature in personal and classroom contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Nadine Butcher

2000-10-01

This qualitative study describes three middle-school science teachers' relationship-with-nature in personal and classroom contexts. Participating teachers had more than 7 years experience and were deemed exemplary practitioners by others. Interview data about personal context focused on photographs the teacher took representing her/his relationship-with-nature in daily life. Interview data for classroom context explored classroom events during three or more researcher observations. Transcripts were analyzed using a multiple-readings approach to data reduction (Gilligan, Brown & Rogers, 1990; Miles & Huberman, 1994, p. 14, 141). Readings generated categorical information focused on portrayals of: nature; self; and relationship-with-nature. Categorical data were synthesized into personal and teaching case portraits for each teacher, and cross case themes identified. Participants indicated the portraits accurately represented who they saw themselves to be. Additional readings identified sub-stories by plot and theme. Narrative data were clustered to highlight elements of practice with implications for the relationship-with-nature lived in the classroom. These individual-scale moments were compared with cultural-scale distinctions between anthropocentric and ecological world views. Cross case themes included dimensions of exemplary middle-school science teaching important to teacher education and development, including an expanded conception of knowing and skillful use of student experience. Categorical analysis revealed each teacher had a unique organizing theme influencing their interpretation of personal and classroom events, and that nature is experienced differently in personal as opposed to teaching contexts. Narrative analysis highlights teachers' stories of classroom pets, dissection, and student dissent, illustrating an interplay between conceptual distinctions and personal dimensions during moments of teacher decision making. Results suggest teachers

Investigating teacher and student effects of the Incredible Years Classroom Management Program in early elementary school.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Desiree W; Rabiner, David L; Kuhn, Laura; Pan, Yi; Sabet, Raha Forooz

2018-04-01

The present paper reports on the results of a cluster randomized trial of the Incredible Years® Teacher Classroom Management Program (IY-TCM) and its effects on early elementary teachers' management strategies, classroom climate, and students' emotion regulation, attention, and academic competence. IY-TCM was implemented in 11 rural and semi-rural schools with K-2 teachers and a diverse student sample. Outcomes were compared for 45 teachers who participated in five full day training workshops and brief classroom consultation and 46 control teachers; these 91 teachers had a total of 1192 students. A high level of teacher satisfaction was found and specific aspects of the training considered most valuable for early elementary teachers were identified. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated a statistically significant intervention effect on Positive Climate in the classroom (d=0.45) that did not sustain into the next school year. No main effects on student outcomes were observed, although a priori moderator analyses indicated that students with elevated social-behavioral difficulties benefitted with regard to prosocial behavior (d=0.54) and inattention (d=-0.34). Results highlight potential benefits and limitations of a universal teacher training program for elementary students, and suggest strategies for future delivery of the IY-TCM program and areas for future research. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing Beginning and Experienced Teachers' Perceptions of Classroom Management Beliefs and Practices in Elementary Schools in Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Unal, Zafer; Unal, Aslihan

2009-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether a difference in teachers' classroom management styles exists based on years of teaching experience. Data were collected from 282 elementary school teachers employed by 11 elementary schools in Turkey. The Attitudes and Beliefs on Classroom Control Inventory was used to collect the…

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,…

The Impact of Years of Teaching Experience on the Classroom Management Approaches of Elementary School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Unal, Zafer; Unal, Aslihan

2012-01-01

This study provided a basis for answering the following essential question: Does the years of experience affect teachers' classroom management approaches? Data were collected from 268 primary school teachers. The findings of this study demonstrated that experienced teachers are more likely to prefer to be in control in their classrooms than…

The Role of Classroom Teacher Social Capital in a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Michelle E.; Lorenz, Kent; Stylianou, Michalis; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges

2018-01-01

This study examined classroom teachers' involvement in a yearlong Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAP) implemented in one K-8 rural U.S. school district. Its purpose was to describe patterns of social interaction among teachers, administrators, and families associated with the intervention (i.e., social capital) and whether…

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

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…

Teacher Competency in Classroom Testing, Measurement Preparation, and Classroom Testing Practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Newman, Dorothy C.; Stallings, William M.

An assessment instrument and a questionnaire (Appendices A and B) were developed to determine how well teachers understand classroom testing principles and to gain information on the measurement preparation and classroom practices of teachers. Two hundred ninety-four inservice teachers, grades 1 through 12, from three urban school systems in…

Factors influencing teacher decisions on school, classroom, and curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Crocker, Robert K.; Banfield, Helen

This article describes a study designed to explore sources of influence on the judgments made by science teachers on school characteristics, classroom features, and properties of a science curriculum. The study had its theoretical basis in the concept that members of a social organization operate under certain functional paradigms, which govern their approach to events within the organization, and particularly to the implementation of innovations. Empirically, the study formed part of the Canadian contribution to the Second International Science Study, and was based on a survey of some 2000 Canadian teachers. The survey used an adaptation of policy capturing methodology, in which teachers were presented with variations in a hypothetical scenario designed to simulate a decision-making situation. Results suggest that teachers' judgments center around a number of factors, the primary ones being concern for student ability and interest, teaching methods, and school spirit and morale. On the other hand, variations in the scientific basis of a curriculum appear to exert little influence. The results are interpreted as indicators of the major elements of teacher functional paradigms.

Does perceived teacher affective support matter for middle school students in mathematics classrooms?

Science.gov (United States)

Sakiz, Gonul; Pape, Stephen J; Hoy, Anita Woolfolk

2012-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to explore the importance of perceived teacher affective support in relation to sense of belonging, academic enjoyment, academic hopelessness, academic self-efficacy, and academic effort in middle school mathematics classrooms. A self-report survey was administered to 317 seventh- and eighth-grade students in 5 public middle schools. Structural equation modeling indicated significant associations between perceived teacher affective support and middle school students' motivational, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The structural model explained a significant proportion of variance in students' sense of belonging (42%), academic enjoyment (43%), self-efficacy beliefs (43%), academic hopelessness (18%), and academic effort (32%) in mathematics classrooms. In addition to providing the basis for a concise new measure of perceived teacher affective support, these findings point to the importance of students' perceptions of the affective climate within learning environments for promoting academic enjoyment, academic self-efficacy, and academic effort in mathematics. Copyright © 2011 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intervention effects on kindergarten and first-grade teachers' classroom food practices and food-related beliefs in American Indian reservation schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Arcan, Chrisa; Hannan, Peter J; Himes, John H; Fulkerson, Jayne A; Rock, Bonnie Holy; Smyth, Mary; Story, Mary

2013-08-01

Prevalence of obesity among American Indian children is higher than the general US population. The school environment and teachers play important roles in helping students develop healthy eating habits. The aim of this prospective study was to examine teachers' classroom and school food practices and beliefs and the effect of teacher training on these practices and beliefs. Data were used from the Bright Start study, a group-randomized, school-based trial that took place on the Pine Ridge American Indian reservation (fall 2005 to spring 2008). Kindergarten and first-grade teachers (n=75) from 14 schools completed a survey at the beginning and end of the school year. Thirty-seven survey items were evaluated using mixed-model analysis of variance to examine the intervention effect for each teacher-practice and belief item (adjusting for teacher type and school as random effect). At baseline, some teachers reported classroom and school food practices and beliefs that supported health and some that did not. The intervention was significantly associated with lower classroom use of candy as a treat (P=0.0005) and fast-food rewards (P=0.008); more intervention teachers disagreed that fast food should be offered as school lunch alternatives (P=0.019), that it would be acceptable to sell unhealthy foods as part of school fundraising (P=0.006), and that it would not make sense to limit students' food choices in school (P=0.035). School-based interventions involving teacher training can result in positive changes in teachers' classroom food practices and beliefs about the influence of the school food environment in schools serving American Indian children on reservations. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

School Influence and Classroom Control: A Comparison of Career and Technical Education, Science, and Mathematics Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Bradley; Marx, Adam; Williams, Thomas; Napoleon, Larry, Jr.

2017-01-01

Teacher retention in the STEM fields is of national interest. Several factors, such as job satisfaction, classroom control, and school influence have been linked to teachers leaving the profession. By statistically analyzing various questions from the Schools and Staffing Survey Teacher Questionnaire, this study evaluated the current state of how…

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…

Teacher practices as predictors of children's classroom social preference.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikami, Amori Yee; Griggs, Marissa Swaim; Reuland, Meg M; Gregory, Anne

2012-02-01

Students who do not get along with their peers are at elevated risk for academic disengagement and school failure. Research has predominantly focused on factors within such children that contribute to their peer problems. This study considers whether teacher practices also predict social preference for children in that classroom. Participants were 26 elementary school teachers and 490 students in their classrooms followed for one school year. Results suggested that teachers who favored the most academically talented students in the fall had classrooms where children had lower average social preference in the spring after statistical control of children's fall social preference and externalizing behavior problems. Teachers who demonstrated emotionally supportive relationships with students in the fall had classrooms where children had greater possibility of changing their social preference from fall to spring. Although children with high externalizing behaviors tended to experience declining social preference over the course of the school year, teachers' learner-centered practices attenuated this progression. However, teachers' favoring of the most academically talented accentuated the negative relation between externalizing behaviors and social preference. Implications for school psychology practitioners are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teacher Attitudes, Perceived Influences, and Self-Reported Classroom Behaviors Related to School Nutrition Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Girard, Beverly Lawler

2010-01-01

This study determined attitudes of kindergarten through fifth grade teachers about school nutrition environments, their perceived influence on school nutrition environments, and self-reported classroom behaviors. Specific objectives were to: (a) identify perceived factors that influence the school nutrition environment, according to teachers…

Maternity Leave Provisions for Classroom Teachers in Larger School Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Educational Research Service Circular, 1966

1966-01-01

Maternity leave provisions for classroom teachers in 129 school systems having enrollments of 25,000 or more are reported for 1965-66 in this national survey. Tables contain information on compulsory absence prior to anticipated date of birth and earliest permissible return from maternity leaves. Brief descriptions of maternity leave practices are…

Building-related health symptoms and classroom indoor air quality: a survey of school teachers in New York State.

Science.gov (United States)

Kielb, C; Lin, S; Muscatiello, N; Hord, W; Rogers-Harrington, J; Healy, J

2015-08-01

Most previous research on indoor environments and health has studied school children or occupants in non-school settings. This investigation assessed building-related health symptoms and classroom characteristics via telephone survey of New York State school teachers. Participants were asked about 14 building-related symptoms and 23 classroom characteristics potentially related to poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between these symptoms and each classroom characteristic, controlling for potential confounders. About 500 teachers completed the survey. The most frequently reported classroom characteristics included open shelving (70.7%), food eaten in class (65.5%), dust (59.1%), and carpeting (46.9%). The most commonly reported symptoms included sinus problems (16.8%), headache (15.0%), allergies/congestion (14.8%), and throat irritation (14.6%). Experiencing one or more symptoms was associated most strongly with reported dust (relative risk (RR) = 3.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.62-5.13), dust reservoirs (RR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.72-2.65), paint odors (RR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.40-2.13), mold (RR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.39-2.11), and moldy odors (RR = 1.65 95% CI: 1.30-2.10). Stronger associations were found with increasing numbers of reported IAQ-related classroom characteristics. Similar results were found with having any building-related allergic/respiratory symptom. This research adds to the body of evidence underscoring the importance to occupant health of school IAQ. Teachers play an important role in educating children, and teacher well-being is important to this role. Health symptoms among New York teachers while at work are common and appear to be associated with numerous characteristics related to poor classroom IAQ. Improving school Indoor Air Quality may reduce sickness and absenteeism and improve teacher performance. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effective Classroom Management Techniques for Secondary Schools

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effective Classroom Management Techniques for Secondary Schools. ... engagement of students in activities, use of innovative instructional strategies by teachers, ... and teachers in their perception regarding the effects of teachers classroom ...

The Relationship between Critical Thinking Abilities and Classroom Management Skills of High School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Demirdag, Seyithan

2015-01-01

High school teachers experience difficulties while providing effective teaching approaches in their classrooms. Some of the difficulties are associated with the lack of classroom management skills and critical thinking abilities. This quantitative study includes non-random selection of the participants and aims to examine critical thinking…

Reconceptualizing Teacher-Student Relationships to Foster School Success: Working Alliance within Classroom Contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Toste, Jessica R.

2012-01-01

Teacher-student relationship has been shown to be a powerful predictor of students' classroom and school adjustment. Beyond the characteristics of warmth, trust, and bond that define an emotional connection, a positive working relationship also includes a sense of collaboration and partnership shared between the teacher and the student. Classroom…

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;

Student Perceptions regarding Vocational High School Teachers' Problem Solving Methods against Undesired Behaviors in Classroom Management

Science.gov (United States)

Gulcan, Murat Gurkan

2010-01-01

Teachers' classroom management approach varies depending on several factors such as the social, psychological, cultural and educational status of the student, classroom level, the physical conditions of the school, organization structure. There are different approaches in classroom management. These approaches are gathered under three headings in…

Understanding Teachers' Routines to Inform Classroom Technology Design

Science.gov (United States)

An, Pengcheng; Bakker, Saskia; Eggen, Berry

2017-01-01

Secondary school teachers have quite busy and complex routines in their classrooms. However, present classroom technologies usually require focused attention from teachers while being interacted with, which restricts their use in teachers' daily routines. Peripheral interaction is a human-computer interaction style that aims to enable interaction…

Authority in the classroom: Perception secondary school teachers in Córdoba (Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Daniela Giacobbe

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In educational institutions midlevel city of Córdoba is manifested as a recurring problem the apparent impossibility of building common meanings of the teaching authority, which seems evident in the malaise that often denounces educators. In this paper we present the product of research conducted during school cycles 2013 and 2014 in two public high schools of state management of the city of Córdoba. The objective was to know the opinions, beliefs and values (representations of teachers on the authority they hold and exercise in the classroom. We will present here the results of classroom observations and interviews with teachers. Our exploration allows us to see that the authority is a historical link which is linked to the existence of a hierarchical structure related to institutionalized systems that are constantly changing in the process of construction of social reality. In this sense, we dare to venture that the authority link teacher-students is not dying: representations around him could be in the process of transformation.

Undesirable Behaviors Elementary School Classroom Teachers Encounter in the Classroom and Their Reasons

OpenAIRE

E.G. Balcik; S. Gulec

2011-01-01

The present study aims to determine how often elementary school teachers encounter undesirable behaviors in the classroom and what their thoughts regarding possible reasons of these behaviors are. The teachers’ opininon about the prevalence of these behaviors and their possible reasons were evaluated according to gender, marital status, level of class being taught, size of class being taught and it was tried to be determined if there were significant differences between variables. The measure...

Teacher and student perspectives on motivation within the high school science classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Pickens, Melanie Turnure

The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher and student perspectives on the motivation of high school science students and to explore specific motivational strategies used by teachers as they attempt to enhance student motivation. Four science teachers took part in an initial audio-taped interview, classroom observations with debriefing conversations, and a final audio-taped interview to discuss findings and allow member checking for data triangulation and interpretation. Participating teachers also took part in a final focus group interview. Student participants from each teacher's class were given a Likert style anonymous survey on their views about motivation and learning, motivation in science class, and specific motivational strategies that emerged in their current science class. This study focused on effective teaching strategies for motivation commonly used by the four teachers and on specific teaching strategies used by two of these four teachers in different tracks of science classes. The intent was to determine not only what strategies worked well for all types of science classes, but also what specific motivational approaches were being used in high and low tracked science classes and the similarities and differences between them. This approach provided insight into the differences in motivating tracked students, with the hope that other educators in specific tracks might use such pedagogies to improve motivation in their own science classrooms. Results from this study showed that science teachers effectively motivate their students in the following ways: Questioning students to engage them in the lesson, exhibiting enthusiasm in lesson presentations, promoting a non-threatening environment, incorporating hands-on activities to help learn the lesson concepts, using a variety of activities, believing that students can achieve, and building caring relationships in the classroom. Specific to the higher tracked classroom, effective motivational

Professional Learning Communities' Impact on Science Teacher Classroom Practice in a Midwestern Urban School District

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, Dan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this reputation-based, multiple-site case study was to explore professional learning communities' impact on teacher classroom practice. The goal of this research was to describe the administrator and teachers' perceptions with respect to professional learning communities as it related to teacher practice in their school. Educators…

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

Pre-Service Teachers and Classroom Authority

Science.gov (United States)

Pellegrino, Anthony M.

2010-01-01

This study examined the classroom practices of five pre-service teachers from three secondary schools in a large southeastern state. Through classroom observations, survey responses, reviews of refection logs, and focus-group interview responses, we centered on the issue of developing classroom authority as a means to effective classroom…

Teacher Self-Efficacy and Classroom Management Styles in Jordanian Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Tineh, Abdullah M.; Khasawneh, Samar A.; Khalaileh, Huda A.

2011-01-01

Two main purposes guided this study. The first was to identify the degree to which Jordanian teachers practise classroom management styles in their classrooms and their level of teacher self-efficacy. The second purpose was to explore the relationships between classroom management styles and teacher self-efficacy. This study is quantitative in…

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

Classroom Teacher Leadership: Service-Learning for Teacher Sense of Efficacy and Servant Leadership Development

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Trae

2012-01-01

Improved student achievement requires the distribution of leadership beyond one individual. Given their daily connection to students, leadership opportunities distributed to classroom teachers are key to school improvement. Complicating the development of classroom teacher leaders are attrition rates and low teacher efficacy among novice…

Public School Teacher Autonomy in the Classroom across School Years 2003-04, 2007-08, and 2011-12. Stats in Brief. NCES 2015-089

Science.gov (United States)

Sparks, Dinah; Malkus, Nat

2015-01-01

This Statistics in Brief explores teacher autonomy in the classroom during the 2003-04, 2007-08, and 2011-12 school years. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), the Statistics in Brief examines a construct of teacher autonomy based on teachers' responses to six questions regarding…

Teachers'Perceptions of Teaching Grammar in Young Learners'Classroom%Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Grammar in Young Learners' Classroom

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

余媛

2016-01-01

The present essay studies the role of grammar in young learners' classroom, perceived by the English teachers in China. The study gives a detailed description of what the role of grammar is like in young learners' classroom, by interviewing primary school teachers both from a city in a developed coastal city and a less developed city in central China. It highlights the differences in the perceptions of teachers on the prominence of grammar in their classes. These differences may indicate regional disparity and potential factors for teachers' teaching approaches to grammar instruction.

Influence of Noise Resulting From the Location and Conditions of Classrooms and Schools in Upper Egypt on Teachers' Voices.

Science.gov (United States)

Phadke, Ketaki Vasant; Abo-Hasseba, Ahmed; Švec, Jan G; Geneid, Ahmed

2018-05-03

Teachers are professional voice users, always at high risk of developing voice disorders due to high vocal demand and unfavorable environmental conditions. This study aimed at identifying possible correlations between teachers' voice symptoms and their perception of noise, the location of schools, as well as the location and conditions of their classrooms. One hundred forty teachers (ages 21-56) from schools in Upper Egypt participated in this study. They filled out a questionnaire including questions about the severity and frequency of their voice symptoms, noise perception, and the location and conditions of their schools and classrooms. Questionnaire responses were statistically analyzed to identify possible correlations. There were significant correlations (P Egyptian schools. This study may help future studies that focus on developing guidelines for the better planning of Egyptian schools in terms of improved infrastructure and architecture, thus considering the general and vocal health of teachers. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Real-time continuous glucose monitoring systems in the classroom/school environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Benassi, Kari; Drobny, Jessica; Aye, Tandy

2013-05-01

Children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) spend 4-7 h/day in school with very little supervision of their diabetes management. Therefore, families have become more dependent on technology, such as use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM), to provide increased supervision of their diabetes management. We sought to assess the impact of RT-CGM use in the classroom/school environment. Children with T1D using RT-CGM, their parents, and teachers completed a questionnaire about RT-CGM in the classroom/school environment. The RT-CGM was tolerated well in the classroom/school environment. Seventy percent of parents, 75% of students, and 51% of teachers found RT-CGM useful in the classroom/school environment. The students found the device to be more disruptive than did their parents and teachers. However, all three groups agreed that RT-CGM increased their comfort with diabetes management at school. Our study suggests that RT-CGM is useful and not disruptive in the classroom/school environment. The development of education materials for teachers could further increase its acceptance in the classroom/school environment.

An exploratory study of the influence of national and state standards on middle school science teachers' classroom assessment practices

Science.gov (United States)

McWaters, Kathy Jean

2001-07-01

Classroom assessment practices of middle school science teachers were identified and the influence of national and state science standards on these practices was examined. In Phase I of this study a mail questionnaire was sent to 450 middle school (grades 5,6,7 and 8) science teachers in 17 parishes in Louisiana to obtain information about their classroom assessment practices. In Phase II, nine middle school teachers in eight departmentalized classrooms, two classes at each grade, participated in a qualitative study. Data were collected through questionnaires, classroom observations, interviews and document analysis. Data analysis revealed three major categories of classroom assessment targets: (a) student achievement, (b) student attitudes and, (c) student products. Results indicated that most teachers are using different assessment methods when assessing different achievement targets, as recommended by science reform documents. It was also determined that many teachers are using appropriate methods to assess student learning. While teachers reported that students spend an inordinate amount of time engaged in assessment activities, classroom observations suggested that the activities were not always written tests or graded activities. Another key finding is that there is a disconnect between the quality of teaching and the quality of assessment. Teachers who teach the material recommended by science reform documents and use recommended instructional strategies were observed to stop teaching and engage students in a "test rehearsal" geared towards rote memorization of factual information. Data suggest that the national and state science content standards are influencing the content and the format of teacher-made tests. Teachers' reported using the standards during assessment construction or selection in a wide variety of ways. The most direct use of the standards reported was to select content, format and cognitive level for test items. A more circumspect approach

Life Skills from the Perspectives of Classroom and Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtdede-Fidan, Nuray; Aydogdu, Bülent

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine classroom and science teachers' views about life skills. The study employed phenomenological method. The participants of the study were 24 teachers; twelve of them were classroom teachers and the remaining were science teachers. They were working at public schools in Turkey. The participants were selected…

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…

Mathematics Teachers' Readiness to Integrate ICT in the Classroom: The Case of Elementary and Middle School Arab Teachers in Israel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nimer F. Baya'a

2013-03-01

Full Text Available ICT integration in mathematics education provides mathematics teachers with integrative teaching methods that motivate students learning, support their independent learning and active participation in the discovery of mathematics concepts and topics, and, as a result, helps them have deeper understanding of the mathematical ideas. So, the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning of mathematics, as a result of ICT educational affordances, helps students have better achievement in mathematics. These potentialities of the ICT make its integration in the mathematics classroom a promising practice, but the success of this practice is dependent on various factors, among which are the following: teachers' perceptions of their ability in ICT, teachers' attitudes towards ICT contribution to the mathematics teaching, teachers' attitudes towards ICT contribution to students' mathematics learning, teachers' emotions towards the use of ICT in the mathematics classroom, teachers' feelings of self-esteem and control in the presence of ICT in the mathematics classroom, and teachers' intentions to actually integrate ICT in their teaching. The current research came to verify the readiness of Arab teachers in elementary and middle schools in Israel regarding the integration of ICT in the classroom, and hence its interest in the six above constructs. The research used a questionnaire that included statements related to each one of the above constructs. This questionnaire was administered to 475 Arab teachers in elementary and middle schools in the North, Center and Haifa regions in Israel. The research findings show that more than seventy percent of the participating teachers have positive perceptions of their competence in technology and technology integration in their teaching. Further, they have positive attitudes towards the integration of ICT in teaching and learning and of their self-esteem in the presence of technology, in addition to positive

Teachers, Classrooms, and the Effects of School Desegregation on Effort in School: A "Second Generation" Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawley, Willis D.

The focus of this inquiry is on the commitment students have to academic achievement. The model on which this analysis is based assumes that student effort in school is the product of several factors relating to parental influences, classroom structure, teacher behavior and peer norms and characteristics. In assessing the possibility of a linkage…

The perception of science teachers on the role of student relationships in the classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Mattison, Cheryl Ann

With the increased accountability of educators comes the responsibility of the entire educational community to find ways in which we can help our students succeed in the classroom. In addition, it is important to discover what it takes to keep those students in school Many science teachers enter the profession unprepared to handle the regular classroom routine. Classroom management, grading, lesson planning, setting up labs, and the myriad of other obligations, can leave teachers overwhelmed and sometimes can get in the way of actually helping students be successful. This study investigated how science teachers viewed the importance of developing strong teacher/student relationships to the increase of student success in a science classroom. I attempted to answer 4 major questions: · How do science teachers in a select high school community view the role of interactive relationships in their classrooms and how that might impact their students? · How do science teachers in a select high school community believe they establish successful interactive relationships with their students? · What do science teachers in a select high school community believe are some of the outcomes of those relationships? · What do science teachers suggest to increase the teacher's ability to form good relationships with their students? A qualitative research method was used including observations, interviews and group discussions of 5 high school science teachers in a small urban school.

Establishing Scientific Discourse in Classroom Interaction Teacher Students' Orientation to Mundane versus Technical Talk in the School Subject Norwegian

Science.gov (United States)

Skovholt, Karianne

2018-01-01

This article reports a case study on classroom interaction in teacher education in Norway. It addresses how teacher students in the school subject Norwegian constitute scientific talk in a student-led discussion. First, the analysis reveals tension in the classroom conversation between "mundane talk"--that is, where students make claims…

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…

Classroom Listening Conditions in Indian Primary Schools: A Survey of Four Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gayathri Sundaravadhanan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Background noise affects the listening environment inside classrooms, especially for younger children. High background noise level adversely affects not only student speech perception but also teacher vocal hygiene. The current study aimed to give an overview of the classroom listening conditions in selected government primary schools in India. Materials and Methods: Noise measurements were taken in 23 classrooms of four government primary schools in southern India, using a type 2 sound level meter. In each classroom measurements were taken in occupied and unoccupied conditions. Teacher voice level was measured in the same classrooms. In addition, the classroom acoustical conditions were observed and the reverberation time for each classroom was calculated. Results: The mean occupied noise level was 62.1 dBA and 65.6 dBC, and the mean unoccupied level was 62.2 dBA and 65 dBC. The mean unamplified teacher speech-to-noise ratio was 10.6 dBA. Both the occupied and unoccupied noise levels exceeded national and international recommended levels and the teacher speech-to-noise ratio was also found to be inadequate in most classrooms. The estimated reverberation time in all classrooms was greater than 2.6 seconds, which is almost double the duration of accepted standards. In addition, observation of classrooms revealed insufficient acoustical treatment to effectively reduce internal and external noise and minimize reverberation. Conclusion: The results of this study point out the need to improve the listening environment for children in government primary schools in India.

According to Candidate Teachers Views Classroom Management Problems of Teachers in Traditional and Technology-Supported Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Tas, Said

2017-01-01

In this research, it is aimed to investigate classroom management problems of middle school 6th and 7th grade teachers in traditional and technology-supported classrooms and differences between them. For this purpose the opinions of the students in the 4th grade of Primary Education Department in Faculty of Education of Süleyman Demirel University…

A Comparison of Middle School Teachers' Pupil Control Ideology

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Paul; Garner, Arthur E.

1978-01-01

Compares pupil control ideology--discipline policy--of middle school classroom teachers with the intent of finding what attributes are needed for middle school teachers and the particular type classroom environment that facilitates optimum learning conditions for middle school children. (Author/RK)

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.

Classroom Assessment in Malawi: Teachersâ Perceptions and Practices in Mathematics

OpenAIRE

Susuwele-Banda, William John

2005-01-01

This study investigated teachersâ perceptions of classroom assessment in mathematics and their current classroom assessments practices. Specifically, the study sought to gain an understanding of the extent to which teachers use different classroom assessment methods and tools to understand and to support both the learning and teaching processes. The following three questions guided the study: 1) How do primary school teachers perceive classroom assessment in mathematics? 2) What kinds of a...

Effortful control and school adjustment: The moderating role of classroom chaos.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Rebecca H; Valiente, Carlos; Eisenberg, Nancy; Hernandez, Maciel M; Thompson, Marilyn; Spinrad, Tracy; VanSchyndel, Sarah; Silva, Kassondra; Southworth, Jody

2017-11-01

Guided by the person by environment framework, the primary goal of this study was to determine whether classroom chaos moderated the relation between effortful control and kindergarteners' school adjustment. Classroom observers reported on children's ( N = 301) effortful control in the fall. In the spring, teachers reported on classroom chaos and school adjustment outcomes (teacher-student relationship closeness and conflict, and school liking and avoidance). Cross-level interactions between effortful control and classroom chaos predicting school adjustment outcomes were assessed. A consistent pattern of interactions between effortful control and classroom chaos indicated that the relations between effortful control and the school adjustment outcomes were strongest in high chaos classrooms. Post-hoc analyses indicated that classroom chaos was associated with poor school adjustment when effortful control was low, suggesting that the combination of high chaos and low effortful control was associated with the poorest school outcomes.

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD: Primary school teachers' knowledge of symptoms, treatment and managing classroom behaviour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beryl Topkin

2015-05-01

Full Text Available ADHD is one of the most common chronic conditions of childhood. Teachers are a valuable source of information with regard to referral and diagnosis of the disorder. They also play a major role in creating an environment that is conducive to academic, social and emotional success for children with ADHD. The aim of this study was to examine primary school teachers' knowledge of the symptoms and management of children in their classrooms who were diagnosed with ADHD. The participants were 200 South African primary school teachers (178 female, 22 male; mean age = 43 years of children enrolled in Grades One to Four. A self-administered questionnaire, the Knowledge of Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale (KADDS, which measures the misperceptions and understanding of the disorder, was used to collect the data. The results indicated that overall, 45% of the teachers correctly identified the responses to the items asked in the questionnaire. The "don't know responses" accounted for 31% of responses, while 22% of the responses were incorrectly identified. Furthermore, teachers were more knowledgeable of the general associated features of ADHD than of symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. A majority of teachers indicated that they had received training. These findings suggest a need to consider improving evidenced-based classroom interventions for ADHD among South African teachers.

The Elementary School Classroom. The Study of the Built Environment Through Student and Teacher Responses. The Elementary School and Its Population, Phase 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Artinian, Vrej-Armen

An extensive investigation of elementary school classrooms was conducted through the collection and statistical analysis of student and teacher responses to questions concerning the educational environment. Several asepcts of the classroom are discussed, including the spatial, thermal, luminous, and aural environments. Questions were organized so…

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

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...

Exploring paraprofessional and classroom factors affecting teacher supervision.

Science.gov (United States)

Irvin, Dwight W; Ingram, Paul; Huffman, Jonathan; Mason, Rose; Wills, Howard

2018-02-01

Paraprofessionals serve a primary role in supporting students with disabilities in the classroom, which necessitates teachers' supervision as a means to improve their practice. Yet, little is known regarding what factors affect teacher supervision. We sought to identify how paraprofessional competence and classroom type affected the levels of teacher direction. We administered an adapted version of the Paraprofessional Needs, Knowledge & Tasks Survey and the Survey for Teachers Supervising Paraprofessionals to teachers supervising paraprofessionals in elementary schools. Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine the link between paraprofessional competence and classroom factors affecting the level of teacher supervision. Our results indicated that when teachers perceived paraprofessionals as being more skilled, they provided more supervision, and when more supervision was provided the less they thought paraprofessionals should be doing their assigned tasks. Additionally, paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with mild disabilities received less supervision than paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with moderate-to-severe disabilities. Those paraprofessionals in classrooms serving mostly children with mild disabilities were also perceived as having lower levels of skill competence than those serving in classrooms with students with more moderate-to-severe disabilities. By understanding the factors that affect teacher supervision, policy and professional development opportunities can be refined/developed to better support both supervising teachers and paraprofessionals and, in turn, improve the outcomes of children with disabilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teacher characteristics, social classroom relationships, and children's social, emotional, and behavioral classroom adjustment in special education.

Science.gov (United States)

Breeman, L D; Wubbels, T; van Lier, P A C; Verhulst, F C; van der Ende, J; Maras, A; Hopman, J A B; Tick, N T

2015-02-01

The goal of this study was to explore relations between teacher characteristics (i.e., competence and wellbeing); social classroom relationships (i.e., teacher-child and peer interactions); and children's social, emotional, and behavioral classroom adjustment. These relations were explored at both the individual and classroom levels among 414 children with emotional and behavioral disorders placed in special education. Two models were specified. In the first model, children's classroom adjustment was regressed on social relationships and teacher characteristics. In the second model, reversed links were examined by regressing teacher characteristics on social relationships and children's adjustment. Results of model 1 showed that, at the individual level, better social and emotional adjustment of children was predicted by higher levels of teacher-child closeness and better behavioral adjustment was predicted by both positive teacher-child and peer interactions. At the classroom level, positive social relationships were predicted by higher levels of teacher competence, which in turn were associated with lower classroom levels of social problems. Higher levels of teacher wellbeing were directly associated with classroom adaptive and maladaptive child outcomes. Results of model 2 showed that, at the individual and classroom levels, only the emotional and behavioral problems of children predicted social classroom relationships. At the classroom level, teacher competence was best predicted by positive teacher-child relationships and teacher wellbeing was best predicted by classroom levels of prosocial behavior. We discuss the importance of positive teacher-child and peer interactions for children placed in special education and suggest ways of improving classroom processes by targeting teacher competence. Copyright © 2014 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of Teachers Regarding Technology Integration in Classrooms: A Comparative Analysis of Elite and Mediocre Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Zehra, Rida; Bilwani, Anam

2016-01-01

The primary purpose and objective of this study was to examine and compare the perceptions of teachers in elite and mediocre schools in Karachi. The secondary objectives included comparing the use of technology in classrooms by teachers and the challenges and barriers that they face in the integration of technology. This study was designed as a…

The Most Common Patterns of Classroom Dialogue Used by Science Teachers in Omani Cycle Two Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Alshaqsi, Hanan; Ambusaidi, Abdullah

2018-01-01

This study aimed to identify the patterns of classroom dialogue used by science teachers in science classes at Omani schools with respect to their gender. The study sample consisted of science teachers: three males and three females. To achieve the aims of the study, mixed methods with three instruments were used. These are an observation card or…

Turkish preservice science teachers' socioscientific issues-based teaching practices in middle school science classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Genel, Abdulkadir; Sami Topçu, Mustafa

2016-01-01

Background: Despite a growing body of research and curriculum reforms including socioscientific issues (SSI) across the world, how preservice science teachers (PST) or in-service science teachers can teach SSI in science classrooms needs further inquiry. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the abilities of PSTs to teach SSI in middle school science classrooms, and the research question that guided the present study is: How can we characterize Turkish PSTs' SSI-based teaching practices in middle school science classrooms (ages 11-14)? Sample: In order to address the research question of this study, we explored 10 Turkish PSTs' SSI-based teaching practices in middle school science classrooms. A purposeful sampling strategy was used, thus, PSTs were specifically chosen because they were ideal candidates to teach SSI and to integrate SSI into the science curricula since they were seniors in the science education program who had to take the field experience courses. Design and method: The participants' SSI teaching practices were characterized in light of qualitative research approach. SSI-based teaching practices were analyzed, and the transcripts of all videotape recordings were coded by two researchers. Results: The current data analysis describes Turkish PSTs' SSI-based teaching practices under five main categories: media, argumentation, SSI selection and presentation, risk analysis, and moral perspective. Most of PSTs did not use media resources in their lesson and none of them considered moral perspective in their teaching. While the risk analyses were very simple and superficial, the arguments developed in the classrooms generally remained at a simple level. PSTs did not think SSI as a central topic and discussed these issues in a very limited time and at the end of the class period. Conclusions: The findings of this study manifest the need of the reforms in science education programs. The present study provides evidence that moral, media

Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Social Studies Classrooms: Middle School Teacher Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Lisa; Hsieh, Wu-Ying; Lopez-Reyna, Norma; Servilio, Kathryn

2016-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the perceptions of general education middle school social studies teachers related to their teaching practices and the inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in their classrooms. More specifically, an in-depth exploration of general education social studies teachers'…

"Unwalling" the Classroom: Teacher Reaction and Adaptation

Science.gov (United States)

Deed, Craig; Lesko, Thomas

2015-01-01

Modern open school architecture abstractly expresses ideas about choice, flexibility and autonomy. While open spaces express and authorise different teaching practice, these versions of school and classrooms present challenges to teaching routines and practice. This paper examines how teachers adapt as they move into new school buildings designed…

Teachers' Facility with Evidence-Based Classroom Management Practices: An Investigation of Teachers' Preparation Programmes and In-Service Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Ficarra, Laura; Quinn, Kevin

2014-01-01

In the present investigation, teachers' self-reported knowledge and competency ratings for the evidence-based classroom management practices were analysed. Teachers also reflected on how they learned evidence-based classroom management practices. Results suggest that teachers working in schools that implement Positive Behavioural Interventions and…

Classroom Noise and Teachers' Voice Production

Science.gov (United States)

Rantala, Leena M.; Hakala, Suvi; Holmqvist, Sofia; Sala, Eeva

2015-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to research the associations between noise (ambient and activity noise) and objective metrics of teachers' voices in real working environments (i.e., classrooms). Method: Thirty-two female and 8 male teachers from 14 elementary schools were randomly selected for the study. Ambient noise was measured during breaks…

Interactions of Chemistry Teachers with Gifted Students in a Regular High-School Chemistry Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Benny, Naama; Blonder, Ron

2018-01-01

Regular high-school chemistry teachers view gifted students as one of several types of students in a regular (mixed-ability) classroom. Gifted students have a range of unique abilities that characterize their learning process: mostly they differ in three key learning aspects: their faster learning pace, increased depth of understanding, and…

Transforming classroom practices through teachers' learning of TPACK: The case of in-service teachers at Kibasila Secondary School in Tanzania

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kafyulilo, Ayoub; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke; Resta, P.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the extent to which teachers’ learning of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) has an impact on their technology use and classroom practices. The study involved 12 in-service teachers and 40 students from Kibasila secondary school in Tanzania. During the study,

The Teacher Technology Integration Experience: Practice and Reflection in the Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dana Ruggiero

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Previous studies indicated that the technology integration practices of teachers in the classroom often did not match their teaching styles. Researchers concluded that this was due, at least partially, to external barriers that prevented teachers from using technology in ways that matched their practiced teaching style. Many of these barriers, such as professional support and access to hardware and software, have been largely diminished over the last twenty years due to an influx of money and strategies for enhancing technology in primary and secondary schools in the United States. This mixed-methods research study was designed to examine the question, “What technology do teachers use and how do they use that technology to facilitate student learning?” K-12 classroom teachers were purposefully selected based on their full-time employment in a public, private, or religious school in a Midwestern state in the United States, supported by the endorsement of a school official. There were 1048 teachers from over 100 school corporations who completed an online survey consisting of six questions about classroom technology tools and professional development involving technology. Survey results suggest that technology integration is pervasive in the classroom with the most often used technology tool identified as PowerPoint. Moreover, teachers identified that training about technology is most effective when it is contextually based in their own classroom. Follow-up interviews were conducted with ten percent (n=111 of the teachers in order to examine the relationship between teachers’ daily classroom use of technology and their pedagogical practices. Results suggest a close relationship; for example, teachers with student-centric technology activities were supported by student-centric pedagogical practices in other areas. Moreover, teachers with strongly student-centered practices tended to exhibit a more pronounced need to create learning

Attitudes and Perspectives of Teacher Performers on Pedagogy and Perceived Student Learning in the Elementary and Secondary School Music Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Vitale, John L.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the lives of three active music teacher performers and how their performing experience impacted pedagogy and perceived student learning in the classroom. At the time of data collection, one participant was a full-time elementary school music teacher, and the other two participants were full-time secondary school music…

Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Teaching in Tanzanian Classrooms: Insights from Teachers' Classroom Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Mmasa, Mussa; Anney, Vicent Naano

2016-01-01

The study investigated the literacy teaching practices in Tanzanian classrooms in the provision of Primary education. It comprehensively assessed why primary school leavers are graduating without skills of reading, writing and numeracy competencies. Three objectives guided this study, first, was to explore teachers classroom practices in the…

Question Asking in the Science Classroom: Teacher Attitudes and Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Eshach, Haim; Dor-Ziderman, Yair; Yefroimsky, Yana

2014-02-01

Despite the wide agreement among educators that classroom learning and teaching processes can gain much from student and teacher questions, their potential is not fully utilized. Adopting the view that reporting both teachers' (of varying age groups) views and actual classroom practices is necessary for obtaining a more complete view of the phenomena at hand, the present study closely examines both cognitive and affective domains of: (a) teachers' views (via interviews) concerning: (1) importance and roles of teacher and student questions, (2) teacher responses, and (3) planning and teacher training; and (b) teachers' actual practices (via classroom observations) concerning: (1) number and (2) level of teacher and student questions, as well as (3) teachers' responses to questions. The data were collected from 3 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high school science teachers and their respective classroom students. The findings lay out a wide view of classroom questioning and teachers' responses, and relate what actually occurs in classes to teachers' stated views. Some of the study's main conclusions are that a gap exists between how science researchers and teachers view the role of teacher questions: the former highlight the cognitive domain, while the latter emphasize the affective domain.

Classroom Climate among Teacher Education Mathematics Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Polemer M. Cuarto

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Classroom climate has gained prominence as recent studies revealed its potentials as an effective mediator in the various motivational factors as well as an antecedent of academic performance outcome of the students. This descriptive-correlational study determined the level of classroom climate dimensions among teacher education students specializing in Mathematics at Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology. Employing a self-structured questionnaire adapted to the WIHIC (What Is Happening In this Class questionnaire, the surveyed data were treated statistically using Pearson’s r. Result showed that there was high level of classroom climate among the respondents in their Mathematics classes in both teacher-directed and student-directed dimensions specifically in terms of equity, teacher support, cohesiveness, involvement, responsibility and task orientation. Also, it revealed that equity and teacher support were both positively related to the students-directed classroom climate dimensions. With these results, teachers are seen to be very significant determinants of the climate in the classroom. Relevant to this, the study recommended that faculty should develop effective measures to enhance classroom climate dimensions such as equity and teacher support to address the needs of diverse studentsdespite large size classes. Moreover, faculty should provide greater opportunitiesfor the students to achieve higher level of responsibility, involvement, cohesiveness, and task orientation as these could motivate them to develop positive learning attitude, perform to the best of their ability, as well as maximize their full potential in school.

Washback Effects of a High-Stakes Exam on Lower Secondary School English Teachers' Practices in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Kilickaya, Ferit

2016-01-01

The aim of the article is to investigate the effects of the foreign language section of TEOG (Transition Examination from Primary to Secondary Education) on language teacher practices in the classroom. The participants of the study include 30 English language teachers working at lower secondary schools in Turkey. The results of the study indicate…

Teachers' Perspectives and Experiences of the Contexts of Social Inclusion within Elementary School Classrooms in Canada and China

Science.gov (United States)

Dyson, Lily

2014-01-01

This study examined the contexts of social inclusion within elementary school classrooms in Canada and China. Based on interviews, classroom teachers in two metropolitan cities in Canada and China reported their perspectives and experiences with regard to: (a) the state of social inclusion in general; (b) places where social inclusion took place…

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…

Examining the Knowledge and Capacity of Elementary Teachers to Implement Classroom Physical Activity Breaks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danae M. DINKEL

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study examined teachers’ zone of proximal development for classroom physical activity breaks by assessing teachers’ knowledge and capacity for implementing classroom physical activity breaks. Five school districts of various sizes (n=346 teachers took part in a short online survey. Descriptive statistics were calculated and chi-square analyses were used to identify differences between districts. Almost all teachers utilized classroom physical activity to some extent. A third of teachers who stated they implemented classroom physical activity, experienced barriers to implementation. A majority of teachers were interested in learning more about classroom physical activity. There were significant differences between districts on the number of days per week classroom physical activity was integrated, the frequency of collaboration that occurred between teachers, the percentage of teachers who experienced barriers, and preferred delivery method of professional development. These findings support the importance of identifying teachers’ zone of proximal development to increase the use of classroom physical activity breaks. Understanding teachers’ knowledge and capacity for implementing classroom physical activity breaks can allow educational professionals to shift the implementation of classroom physical activity beyond sporadic use by isolated teachers and schools to a more systematic and consistent delivery across classrooms and throughout districts.

Implementation of National Science Education Standards in suburban elementary schools: Teachers' perceptions and classroom practices

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Rubina Samer

2005-07-01

This was an interpretive qualitative study that focused on how three elementary school science teachers from three different public schools perceived and implemented the National Science Education Standards based on the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol and individual interviews with the teachers. This study provided an understanding of the standards movement and teacher change in the process. Science teachers who were experienced with the National Science Education Standards were selected as the subjects of the study. Grounded in the theory of teacher change, this study's phenomenological premise was that the extent to which a new reform has an effect on students' learning and achievement on standardized tests depends on the content a teacher teaches as well as the style of teaching. It was therefore necessary to explore how teachers understand and implement the standards in the classrooms. The surveys, interviews and observations provided rich data from teachers' intentions, reflections and actions on the lessons that were observed while also providing the broader contextual framework for the understanding of the teachers' perspectives.

The Flipped Classroom: Primary and Secondary Teachers' Views on an Educational Movement in Schools in Sweden Today

Science.gov (United States)

Hultén, Magnus; Larsson, Bo

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to contribute to an increased understanding of the flipped classroom movement. A total of 7 teachers working in school years 4-9 and who both actively flipped their classrooms and had been early adopters in this movement were interviewed. Two research questions were posed: "What characterizes flipped classroom…

Examining small "c" creativity in the science classroom: Multiple case studies of five high school teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Lasky, Dorothea Shawn

As the US continues to strive toward building capacity for a workforce in STEM fields (NSF, 2006), educational organizations and researchers have constructed frameworks that focus on increasing competencies in creativity in order to achieve this goal (ISTE, 2007; Karoly & Panis, 2004; Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2007). Despite these recommendations, many teachers either do not believe in the relevance of nurturing creativity in their students (Kaufman & Sternberg, 2007) or accept the importance of it, but do not know how best to foster it in their classrooms (Kampylis et al., 2009). Researchers conclude that teachers need to revise their ideas about the kind of creativity they can expect from their students to reflect the idea of small 'c' versus large 'C' creativity. There is a dearth of literature that looks closely at teacher practice surrounding creativity in the US and gives teachers a set of practical suggestions they can follow easily. I examined five case studies of teachers as they participated in and implemented a large-scale, NSF-funded project premised on the idea that training teachers in 21 st century pedagogies, (for example, problem-based learning), helps teachers create classrooms that increase science competencies in students. I investigated how teachers' curricular choices affect the amount of student creativity produced in their classrooms. Analysis included determining CAT scores for student products and continua scores along the Small 'c' Creativity Framework. In the study, I present an understanding of how teachers' beliefs influence practice and how creativity is fostered in students through various styles of teacher practice. The data showed a relationship between teachers' CAT scores, framework scores, and school context. Thus, alongside CAT, the framework was determined to be a successful tool for understanding the degree to which teachers foster small 'c' creativity. Other themes emerged, which included teachers' allotment of

A phenomenological study on middle-school science teachers' perspectives on utilization of technology in the science classroom and its effect on their pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Rajbanshi, Roshani

With access to technology and expectation by the mainstream, the use of technology in the classroom has become essential these days. However, the problem in science education is that with classrooms filled with technological equipment, the teaching style is didactic, and teachers employ traditional teacher-centered methods in the classroom. In addition, results of international assessments indicate that students' science learning needs to be improved. The purpose of this study is to analyze and document the lived experience of middle-school science teachers and their use of technology in personal, professional lives as well as in their classroom and to describe the phenomenon of middle-school science teachers' technological beliefs for integration of digital devices or technology as an instructional delivery tool, knowledge construction tool and learning tool. For this study, technology is defined as digital devices such as computer, laptops, digital camera, iPad that are used in the science classroom as an instructional delivery tool, as a learning tool, and as a knowledge construction tool. Constructivism is the lens, the theoretical framework that guides this qualitative phenomenological research. Observation, interview, personal journal, photo elicitation, and journal reflection are used as methods of data collection. Data was analyzed based on a constructivist theoretical framework to construct knowledge and draw conclusion. MAXQDA, a qualitative analysis software, was also used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that middle-school science teachers use technology in various ways to engage and motivate students in science learning; however, there are multiple factors that influence teachers' technology use in the class. In conclusion, teacher, students, and technology are the three sides of the triangle where technology acts as the third side or the bridge to connect teachers' content knowledge to students through the tool with which students are

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

A Classroom Observational Study of Qatar's Independent Schools: Instruction and School Reform

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Douglas J.; Sadiq, Hissa M.; Lynch, Patricia; Parker, Dawn; Viruru, Radhika; Knight, Stephanie; Waxman, Hersh; Alford, Beverly; Brown, Danielle Bairrington; Rollins, Kayla; Stillisano, Jacqueline; Abu-Tineh, Abdullah M. Hamdan; Nasser, Ramzi; Allen, Nancy; Al-Binali, Hessa; Ellili, Maha; Al-Kateeb, Haithem; Al-Kubaisi, Huda

2016-01-01

Qatar initiated a K-12 national educational reform in 2001. However, there is limited information on the instructional practices of the teachers in the reform schools. This project was an observational study of classrooms with a stratified random sample of the first six cohorts of reform schools. Specifically, 156 classrooms were observed in 29…

Using Theory to Support Classroom Teachers as Physical Activity Promoters

Science.gov (United States)

Egan, Catherine A.; Webster, Collin A.

2018-01-01

Recently, there has been growing attention on the importance of the staff involvement component of a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP). In particular, classroom teachers (CTs) are increasingly being called upon to promote physical activity (PA) in their classrooms as part of the PA during school component of a CSPAP.…

Where Do I Look? Preservice Teachers' Classroom Observation Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Teresa; Bender-Slack, Delane

2011-01-01

During field experiences, preservice teachers are typically required to observe mentor teachers in schools, but what exactly are they seeing? This research examined the patterns and variations that existed with regard to preservice teachers' classroom observations during recent field experiences. Data were collected from 24 preservice teachers…

The Role of Physical Educators in Helping Classroom Teachers to Promote Physical Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Russ, Laura

2015-01-01

Elementary classroom teachers are an increasingly important constituency in school-based physical activity promotion. This article situates the need for classroom teacher physical-activity promotion at the intersection of what we know about teacher actions, what informs those actions, and what recent research has uncovered. Recommendations are…

Differences in the classroom: learning about practices of two science teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaine Soares França

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In this research, a case study, we adopted ethnography as logic of inquiry to learn about teaching for diverse groups in middle school science classrooms. Multiple data sources were used: participant observation, video and audio records, field notes and semi-structured interviews. We analyzed interviews with two teachers, as well as classroom episodes to construct, through contrast, a characterization of two types of practice involving diversity in the classroom. The first teacher show concerns with introducing students in school culture. She tried to “translate” terms that students do not understand, explaining their meanings. In this process, teaching subject matter knowledge (SMK is a secondary goal. The other teacher emphasized SMK, trying to establish connections between science content and students’ everyday life experiences. Both teachers do not acknowledge significant influences in science learning related to gender, social class, and ethnicity.

Engaging Nature of Science to Preservice Teachers through Inquiry-Based Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Nuangchalerm, Prasart

2013-01-01

Inquiry-based classroom is widely distributed in the school science based on its useful and effective instruction. Science teachers are key elements allowing students to have scientific inquiry. If teachers understand and imply inquiry-based learning into science classroom, students will learn science as scientific inquiry and understand nature of…

A Cross-Cultural Study of Teachers' Beliefs and Strategies on Classroom Behavior Management in Urban American and Korean School Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Sunwoo; Koh, Myung-Sook

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' beliefs on classroom behavior management strategies for students in urban public high schools between teachers in the United States and the Republic of Korea. This study incorporates data collected from teacher self-reported survey questionnaire, which is the Attitudes and Beliefs on Classroom…

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.

The 21st Century Physics Classroom: What Students, Teachers, and Classroom Observers Report

Science.gov (United States)

Sunal, Dennis W.; Dantzler, John A.; Sunal, Cynthia Szymanski; Turner, Donna P.; Harrell, James W.; Simon, Marsha; Aggarwal, Mohan D.

2016-01-01

Before we can effectively apply specific interventions through professional development, it is important to determine what is occurring in our high school physics classrooms. This study investigated common professional practices in physics teaching among a representative sample group of schools and teachers from a diverse, geographically large…

High Possibility Classrooms as a Pedagogical Framework for Technology Integration in Classrooms: An Inquiry in Two Australian Secondary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Jane

2017-01-01

Understanding how well teachers integrate digital technology in learning is the subject of considerable debate in education. High Possibility Classrooms (HPC) is a pedagogical framework drawn from research on exemplary teachers' knowledge of technology integration in Australian school classrooms. The framework is being used to support teachers who…

Examining classroom influences on student perceptions of school climate: the role of classroom management and exclusionary discipline strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Mary M; Bradshaw, Catherine P

2013-10-01

There is growing emphasis on the use of positive behavior supports rather than exclusionary discipline strategies to promote a positive classroom environment. Yet, there has been limited research examining the association between these two different approaches to classroom management and students' perceptions of school climate. Data from 1902 students within 93 classrooms that were nested within 37 elementary schools were examined using multilevel structural equation modeling procedures to investigate the association between two different classroom management strategies (i.e., exclusionary discipline strategies and the use of positive behavior supports) and student ratings of school climate (i.e., fairness, order and discipline, student-teacher relationship, and academic motivation). The analyses indicated that greater use of exclusionary discipline strategies was associated with lower order and discipline scores, whereas greater use of classroom-based positive behavior supports was associated with higher scores on order and discipline, fairness, and student-teacher relationship. These findings suggest that pre-service training and professional development activities should promote teachers' use of positive behavior support strategies and encourage reduced reliance on exclusionary discipline strategies in order to enhance the school climate and conditions for learning. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Good character at school: positive classroom behavior mediates the link between character strengths and school achievement.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Lisa; Ruch, Willibald

2015-01-01

Character strengths have been found to be substantially related to children's and adolescents' well-being. Initial evidence suggests that they also matter for school success (e.g., Weber and Ruch, 2012). The present set of two studies aimed at replicating and extending these findings in two different age groups, primary school students (N = 179; mean age = 11.6 years) and secondary school students (N = 199; mean age = 14.4 years). The students completed the VIA-Youth (Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth), a self-report measure of the 24 character strengths in the VIA classification. Their teachers rated the students' positive behavior in the classroom. Additionally, school achievement was assessed: For the primary school students (Study 1), teachers rated the students' overall school achievement and for the secondary school students (Study 2), we used their grades as a measure of school achievement. We found that several character strengths were associated with both positive classroom behavior and school achievement. Across both samples, school achievement was correlated with love of learning, perseverance, zest, gratitude, hope, and perspective. The strongest correlations with positive classroom behavior were found for perseverance, self-regulation, prudence, social intelligence, and hope. For both samples, there were indirect effects of some of the character strengths on school achievement through teacher-rated positive classroom behavior. The converging findings from the two samples support the notion that character strengths contribute to positive classroom behavior, which in turn enhances school achievement. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for future research and for school interventions based on character strengths.

Good character at school: Positive classroom behavior mediates the link between character strengths and school achievement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa eWagner

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Character strengths have been found to be substantially related to children’s and adolescents’ well-being. Initial evidence suggests that they also matter for school success (e.g., Weber and Ruch, 2012. The present set of two studies aimed at replicating and extending these findings in two different age groups, primary school students (N = 179; mean age = 11.6 years and secondary school students (N = 199; mean age = 14.4 years. The students completed the VIA-Youth, a self-report measure of the 24 character strengths in the VIA classification. Their teachers rated the students’ positive behavior in the classroom. Additionally, school achievement was assessed: For the primary school students (Study 1, teachers rated the students’ overall school achievement and for the secondary school students (Study 2, we used their grades as a measure of school achievement. We found that several character strengths were associated with both positive classroom behavior and school achievement. Across both samples school achievement was correlated with love of learning, perseverance, zest, gratitude, hope, and perspective. The strongest correlations with positive classroom behavior were found for perseverance, self-regulation, prudence, social intelligence, and hope. For both samples, there were indirect effects of most of the character strengths on school achievement through teacher-rated positive classroom behavior. The converging findings from the two samples support the notion that character strengths contribute to positive classroom behavior, which in turn enhances school achievement. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for future research and for school interventions based on character strengths.

Movement integration in elementary classrooms: Teacher perceptions and implications for program planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Webster, Collin A; Zarrett, Nicole; Cook, Brittany S; Egan, Cate; Nesbitt, Danielle; Weaver, R Glenn

2017-04-01

Movement integration (MI), which involves infusing physical activity (PA) into regular classroom time in schools, is widely recommended to help children meet the national guideline of 60min of PA each day. Understanding the perspective of elementary classroom teachers (ECTs) toward MI is critical to program planning for interventions/professional development. This study examined the MI perceptions of ECTs in order to inform the design and implementation of a school-based pilot program that focused in part on increasing children's PA through MI. Twelve ECTs (Grades 1-3) from four schools were selected to participate based on their responses to a survey about their use of MI. Based on the idea that MI programming should be designed with particular attention to teachers who integrate relatively few movement opportunities in their classrooms, the intent was to select the teacher who reported integrating movement the least at her/his respective grade level at each school. However, not all of these teachers agreed to participate in the study. The final sample included two groups of ECTs, including eight lowest integrating teachers and four additional teachers. Each ECT participated in an interview during the semester before the pilot program was implemented. Through qualitative analysis of the interview transcripts, four themes emerged: (a) challenges and barriers (e.g., lack of time), (b) current and ideal resources (e.g., school support), (c) current implementation processes (e.g., scheduling MI into daily routines), and (e) teachers' ideas and tips for MI (e.g., stick with it and learn as you go). The themes were supported by data from both groups of teachers. This study's findings can inform future efforts to increase movement opportunities for children during regular classroom time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Target Inquiry: Changing Chemistry High School Teachers' Classroom Practices and Knowledge and Beliefs about Inquiry Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Herrington, Deborah G.; Yezierski, Ellen J.; Luxford, Karen M.; Luxford, Cynthia J.

2011-01-01

Inquiry-based instruction requires a deep, conceptual understanding of the process of science combined with a sophisticated knowledge of teaching and learning. This study examines the changes in classroom instructional practices and corresponding changes to knowledge and beliefs about inquiry instruction for eight high school chemistry teachers.…

Investigating EFL Classroom Interaction Process in Iraqi Intermediate Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muna Mohammed Abbas Alkhateeb

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In recent times, the traditional interaction structures of English both language classrooms and roles of teachers and students are gradually changing. This marks the shift from the teacher-centered classrooms to student-centered classrooms; moving towards ‘student-centered learning’ and‘collaborative working modes’. The contemporary educational world views teachers and students as communicators. In such situations students get more opportunity to ‘participate’, ‘observe’, ‘reflect on’ and ‘practice social ways’. These opportunities expose the students to a more ‘meaning-making’ and ‘knowledge construction processes’. The shift from traditional teaching and learning process to the contemporary one has posed great challenges for teachers, who are always working under pressure to complete the syllabus designed for the academic year. In such a situation it is very important to ascertain if this idea of student-centered classroom is present in the recent classroom. Educationally oriented research into classroom interaction makes it essential for further studies into the classroom interaction in the modern classroom. Hence, this study aims to observe the interaction process that takes place in English classrooms of four government schools in Hilla (Centre of Babylon Governorate. This paper also suggests measures to improve classroom interaction and language learning in the English classes. The main findings from the study are as follows: (a the classroom interaction is teacher-centered, (b teachers partially facilitate learning, the classrooms are controlled by teachers (c the ratio of the teacher-talk is more than student-talk."

Seeing Eye to Eye: Predicting Teacher-Student Agreement on Classroom Social Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Neal, Jennifer Watling; Cappella, Elise; Wagner, Caroline; Atkins, Marc S.

2010-01-01

This study examines the association between classroom characteristics and teacher-student agreement in perceptions of students’ classroom peer networks. Social network, peer nomination, and observational data were collected from a sample of second through fourth grade teachers (N=33) and students (N=669) in 33 classrooms across five high poverty urban schools. Results demonstrate that variation in teacher-student agreement on the structure of students’ peer networks can be explained, in part, by developmental factors and classroom characteristics. Developmental increases in network density partially mediated the positive relationship between grade level and teacher-student agreement. Larger class sizes and higher levels of normative aggressive behavior resulted in lower levels of teacher-student agreement. Teachers’ levels of classroom organization had mixed influences, with behavior management negatively predicting agreement, and productivity positively predicting agreement. These results underscore the importance of the classroom context in shaping teacher and student perceptions of peer networks. PMID:21666768

Conceptual systems and teacher attitudes toward regular classroom placement of mildly mentally retarded students.

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, D; Altman, R

1985-01-01

The effects of a teacher personality construct (abstract vs. concrete conceptual system) and two pupil variables (race, school behavior) on 454 regular classroom teachers' attitudes toward mainstreaming were determined. Following administration of the Conceptual Systems Test, teachers were randomly assigned a profile of a mildly mentally retarded student that held pupil IQ and school achievement constant while varying pupil's race and school behavior. Subjects responded on an integration inventory comprised of three subscales: social-psychological classroom environment, self-actualization, and classroom cohesiveness. Results revealed a significant main effect on the behavior variable and a significant Personality X Race interaction on all inventory dimensions, suggesting that these teachers perceived maladaptive behavior of mainstreamed retarded students as a significant threat to a conducive instructional atmosphere and the capability of nonretarded students to achieve to their potential. These results have implications for inservice training for teachers based on the pupil race and teacher conceptual system findings.

Evaluation of Teachers' Opinions About Effective Classroom Management Practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soner DOĞAN

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to evaluate teacher behaviour in creating an effective classroom management process with regard to the views of the teachers working in primary and secondary schools. This is a qualitative study in which the case study design was used. The related literature was scanned and 9 open-ended questions were prepared. These questions that based on maximum variation sampling method were posed to 18 teachers. The data were collected by interview forms and were examined by descriptive and content analysis methods. According to the findings obtained, teachers have stated that pre-determination of classroom rules, asking for students' advices, lecturing in a planned manner, planned teaching, various methods, communication skills, time management, being a model and transitions between activities affect the process of classroom management positively; while punishment affects it in a partly positive way and the differences among the discipline perceptions affect the classroom management negatively

Do United States’ Teachers Know and Adhere to the National Guidelines on Asthma Management in the Classroom? A Systematic Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yudilyn Jaramillo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Proper asthma management in schools is important in achieving optimum asthma control in children with asthma. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI has developed guidelines on classroom asthma management. We conducted a systematic review to examine teacher knowledge of the NHLBI guidelines on asthma management in the classroom. We searched PubMed and EMBASE using search terms “asthma management,” “teacher(s,” “school teacher,” and “public school.” The inclusion criteria were articles published in English from 1994 to May 2014 that focus on schools in the United States (US. From 535 titles and abstracts, 9 studies met inclusion criteria. All studies reported that school teachers did not know the policies and procedures of asthma management. Teachers relied on school nurses to handle medical emergencies. Some studies identified that lack of full-time school nurses was a barrier to asthma management. Only one study showed directly that classroom teachers were not following the NHLBI guidelines on asthma management. Our literature review revealed that US teachers do not know the NHLBI guidelines on asthma management in the classroom. Future research should focus on interventions targeted toward training classroom teachers on asthma management as per NHLBI guidelines to ultimately improve asthma management in schools.

Transformative practices in secondary school science classrooms: Life histories of Black South African teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Jita, Loyiso Currell

1999-11-01

This study investigated the construction of teaching practices that are aimed at including all students in learning the key ideas of science and helping them to develop a voice for participating in the discourses in and outside of the science classroom. Such practices define what in this study is referred to as transformative practice. The study tells the stories of three Black secondary school teachers in South Africa who have worked to construct a transformative practice in their biology and physical science classrooms. Using a life history perspective, the study explored the relationships between teachers' identities and the changes in their classroom practices. Data were collected mainly through periodic interviews with the teachers and observations of their teaching practices over a period of 18 months. An important finding of the study was that the classroom practices of all three teachers were defined by three similar themes of: (1) "covering the content" and preparing their students to succeed in the national examinations, (2) developing deep conceptual understandings of the subject matter, and (3) including all students in their teaching by constructing what other researchers have called a "culturally-relevant" pedagogy. This finding was consistent despite the observed variations of context and personal histories. A major finding of this study on the question of the relationship between identity and teaching practice was that despite the importance of context, subject matter, material and social resources, another category of resources---the "resources of biography"---proved to be crucial for each of the teachers in crafting a transformative pedagogy. These "resources of biography" included such things as the teachers' own experiences of marginalization, the experiences of growing up or living in a particular culture, and the experiences of participating in certain kinds of social, political, religious or professional activities. The study suggests that it

Impacts of Professional Development in Classroom Assessment on Teacher and Student Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Randel, Bruce; Apthorp, Helen; Beesley, Andrea D.; Clark, Tedra F.; Wang, Xin

2016-01-01

The authors describe an impact study of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (CASL), a widely used professional development program in classroom and formative assessment. Researchers randomly assigned 67 elementary schools to receive CASL materials or continue with regularly scheduled professional development. Teachers in CASL schools formed…

Secondary science teachers' view toward and classroom translation of sustained professional development

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Elizabeth Blake

This study concerns the phenomenon of secondary science teacher learning and enacting instructional strategies learned at the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) teacher professional development events, as well as teacher perception of, and relationship to, this year-long professional development program. The CISIP program teaches science teachers how to build scientific classroom discourse communities with their students. Some of the science teachers were previous participants in the professional development, and acted as mentor teachers. The research design employed an integrated conceptual framework of situated learning theory with an analytical lens of teachers' professional, institutional and affinity, identities. A multi-method approach was used to generate data. Throughout the 2007-2008 academic year, the teachers' fidelity to the professional development model was measured using a classroom observation instrument aligned with the professional development model. From these observation data a longitudinal model, using hierarchical linear modeling, was constructed. In addition, surveys and interview data were used to construct both whole group and case studies of two high school science teachers who taught biology at the same school. The results indicated that there was a significant difference between previous and new participants; specifically, the longer teachers had participated in the professional development, and adopted a mentorship role, the greater their fidelity of classroom instruction to the CISIP model. Additionally, the case study teacher who developed a CISIP model-aligned affinity identity implemented more of the instructional strategies than the teacher who maintained his school-based institutional identity.

School Effectiveness at Primary Level of Education in Relation to Classroom Teaching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manas Ranjan Panigrahi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The study aims to investigate the relationship of School Effectiveness with regard to classroom teaching at primary level of education. The objectives of the study were to identify the more-effective and less-effective schools; to find out the differences between more-effective and less-effective schools in relation to physical facilities, Head Master and Teachers’ performance and Students’ performance; to find out the relationship between the school effectiveness and classroom teaching. The descriptive survey method was used to carry out this study. A Total number of 27 more-effective and 35 less-effective primary schools were included in the sample of the present study. And also all principals of selected schools and from each school 2 teachers were selected to know their classroom teaching in the classroom situation. The selection of teachers was based on their teaching the classes (III, IV and V, to investigate their participation in school activities. The findings of the present study on school effectiveness and classroom teaching find adequate support from similar or related studies. Thus, the above discussion reflects that there is no simple combination of factors, which can produce effective school. The study has, however, revealed that school effectiveness has emerged as related to classroom teaching.

Language Genre Transitions in a Secondary School Physics Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Bower, M. W.; Ellerton, N. F.

2007-01-01

The research reported in this paper addressed the nature of transitions between language genres in school physics. In this qualitative study, quasi-ethnographic methods were employed to understand the culture of one secondary school physics classroom in the USA. One teacher and his physics students were the participants. The teacher was…

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

Teachers beliefs and technology use in kindergarten and elementary classrooms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majedah Fawzi Abu Al Rub

2015-12-01

Full Text Available With the increased availability of technology in today’s schools, concerns arise over whether teachers are effectively incorporating technology tools into their instruction in order to advance student learning and engagement. This project was designed to examine the types of educational technology practices that kindergarten and elementary teachers in Denver, Colorado, USA, implement in their classrooms and their beliefs concerning the implementation of educational technology in their classrooms. Teacher participants were interviewed to evaluate the types of technology they utilize in their lessons and their beliefs concerning the implementation of technology. The researcher found that teacher participants integrate a variety of technology into their classrooms. The results also showed that the participants are committed to utilize technology because they strongly believe that it benefits students. However, the results showed that there is a distinct difference concerning how technology is utilized in the classroom among the participants.

The Problems of Novice Classroom Teachers having Regular and Alternative Certificates

OpenAIRE

Taneri, Pervin Oya; Ok, Ahmet

2014-01-01

The purposes of this study are to understand the problems of classroom teachers in their first three years of teaching, and to scrutinize whether these problems differ according to having regular or alternative teacher certification. The sample of this study was 275 Classroom Teachers in the Public Elementary Schools in districts of Ordu, Samsun, and Sinop in the Black Sea region. The data gathered through the questionnaire were subject to descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Res...

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…

THE USE OF EDUCATIONAL MODELS OF DNA IN CLASSROOM BY TEACHERS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F.M. Chiari

2007-05-01

Full Text Available The importance of the teaching of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology is evidenced by the progress of those areas and it generates a demand in the updating of science and biology teachers. In that sense, a project was proposed inside of the Public Education Program of FAPESP, in partnership with CBME.The goal was evaluate, among other educational tools, the contribution of the plastic models "Building the molecules of the life: DNA and RNA" in the teaching and learning of these concepts. Nine science teachers of public elementary schools had an updating course after which they elaborated a diagnosis questionnaire in order to subsidize the application of the activities in the classroom. The activities were planned seeking contextualize the subject in classroom, taking into account the difficulties detected in the diagnosis questionnaire. A sheet of notes was elaborated, where the teachers could record their observations and thoughts after the application of the activities, as well as their possibilities and the students' difficulties. These registers indicated that the teachers were satisfied with the use of the material, which made possible a deepened study on the content and a greater interest and participation of the students. It also allowed a reflection on their practice, glimpsing new ways to teach.

Teachers' Conflict Management Styles: The Role of Attachment Styles and Classroom Management Efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Morris-Rothschild, Britta K.; Brassard, Marla R.

2006-01-01

Constructive conflict management strategies are important in maintaining a positive classroom environment yet little is known about interpersonal or school variables associated with teachers' use of such strategies with students. Teachers high in self-reported classroom management efficacy (CMEFF) and security of attachment (low on avoidance,…

Korean EFL Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of EFL Teacher Education upon Their Classroom Teaching Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Yook, Cheongmin; Lee, Yong-hun

2016-01-01

This study employed qualitative data collection and analysis methods to investigate the influence of English as a foreign language teacher education programme on Korean teachers' classroom teaching practices. Six in-service secondary-school teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was applied to the data collected…

Bringing Global Climate Change Education to Alabama Middle School and High School Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, M.; Mitra, C.; Percival, E.; Thomas, A.; Lucy, T.; Hickman, E.; Cox, J.; Chaudhury, S. R.; Rodger, C.

2013-12-01

A NASA-funded Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) Program has been launched in Alabama to improve high school and middle school education in climate change science. The overarching goal is to generate a better informed public that understands the consequences of climate change and can contribute to sound decision making on related issues. Inquiry based NICE modules have been incorporated into the existing course of study for 9-12 grade biology, chemistry, and physics classes. In addition, new modules in three major content areas (earth and space science, physical science, and biological science) have been introduced to selected 6-8 grade science teachers in the summer of 2013. The NICE modules employ five E's of the learning cycle: Engage, Explore, Explain, Extend and Evaluate. Modules learning activities include field data collection, laboratory measurements, and data visualization and interpretation. Teachers are trained in the use of these modules for their classroom through unique partnership with Alabama Science in Motion (ASIM) and the Alabama Math Science Technology Initiative (AMSTI). Certified AMSTI teachers attend summer professional development workshops taught by ASIM and AMSTI specialists to learn to use NICE modules. During the school year, the specialists in turn deliver the needed equipment to conduct NICE classroom exercises and serve as an in-classroom resource for teachers and their students. Scientists are partnered with learning and teaching specialists and lead teachers to implement and test efficacy of instructional materials, models, and NASA data used in classroom. The assessment by professional evaluators after the development of the modules and the training of teachers indicates that the modules are complete, clear, and user-friendly. The overall teacher satisfaction from the teacher training was 4.88/5.00. After completing the module teacher training, the teachers reported a strong agreement that the content developed in the NICE

Anxiety in the Classroom: Implications for Middle School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Kristen

2016-01-01

Anxiety is a prevalent mental health concern in children and adolescents that can have a negative effect on their personal relationships as well as their academics. Teachers are in a position to assist in recognizing the signs of anxiety and supporting students in the classroom. Practical suggestions on how teachers can support middle school…

How Do School-Based Prevention Programs Impact Teachers? Findings from a Randomized Trial of an Integrated Classroom Management and Social-Emotional Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Domitrovich, Celene E; Bradshaw, Catherine P; Berg, Juliette K; Pas, Elise T; Becker, Kimberly D; Musci, Rashelle; Embry, Dennis D; Ialongo, Nicholas

2016-04-01

A number of classroom-based interventions have been developed to improve social and behavioral outcomes for students, yet few studies have examined how these programs impact the teachers who are implementing them. Impacts on teachers may affect students and therefore also serve as an important proximal outcome to examine. The current study draws upon data from a school-based randomized controlled trial testing the impact of two prevention programs. In one intervention condition, teachers were trained in the classroom behavior management program, PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG). In a second intervention condition, teachers were trained to use an integrated program, referred to as PATHS to PAX, of the PAX GBG and a social and emotional learning curriculum called Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS©). This study aimed to determine whether both interventions positively impacted teachers, with a particular interest in the teachers' own beliefs and perceptions regarding self-efficacy, burnout, and social-emotional competence. The sample included 350 K-5 teachers across 27 schools (18 schools randomized to intervention, 9 to control). Multilevel latent growth curve analyses indicated that the PATHS to PAX condition generally demonstrated the most benefits to teachers, relative to both the control and PAX GBG conditions. These findings suggest that school-based preventive interventions can have a positive impact on teachers' beliefs and perceptions, particularly when the program includes a social-emotional component. Several possible mechanisms might account for the added benefit to teachers. Additional research is needed to better understand how these programs impact teachers, as well as students.

Snakes or Ladders? An Examination of the Experiences of Two Teacher Leaders Returning to Classroom Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Munroe, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Teachers who have held leadership roles at the school, district, or provincial level have the potential to contribute to student and school success when they return to classroom teaching. The contrasting experiences of two teacher leaders who returned voluntarily to classroom teaching are analyzed using Owens's (2004) social constructivist theory…

Expanding the Reach of the Coastal Ocean Science Classroom to Teachers through Teleducation

Science.gov (United States)

Macko, S.; Szuba, T.

2007-12-01

In a first of its kind connectivity, using high speed internet connections, a summer class in Oceanography was live, interactively broadcast (teleducation) to Arcadia High School on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, allowing teachers in the Accomack County School District to receive university credit without leaving their home classrooms 250 miles from UVA. This project was an outreach and education program with a partner in the K-12 schools on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. It endeavored to build a community knowledgeable of the importance the ocean plays daily in our lives, and our own impact on the ocean. By establishing teleducation linkages with the Eastern Shore High Schools we were rigorously testing the live-Internet-based classroom with earth science teachers enabling them to remotely participate in University of Virginia classes in Oceanography. The classes were designed on a faculty development basis or to allow the teachers to acquire NSTA certification in Earth Science Education. While not without small problems of interruptions in connectivity or the occasional transmission of hardcopies of materials, the approach was seen to be extremely successful. The ability to reach school districts and teachers that are in more remote locations and with fewer resources is clearly supported by this venture. Currently we are planning to link multiple classrooms in the next iteration of this work, intending to offer the expanded classroom in more distant college-based classrooms where Ocean Sciences is a desired portion of the curriculum, but is presently only occasionally offered owing to limited resources.

The Lions Quest Program in Turkey: Teachers' Views and Classroom Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Gol-Guven, Mine

2016-01-01

This is a pilot study to explore the classroom implementation of the Lions Quest Program in Turkey. Teachers of first through eighth grades at two elementary schools who applied the program were interviewed about the program and their classroom practices while they were also observed and their classrooms were also observed. Considerable program…

Student and teacher perceptions of school climate: a multilevel exploration of patterns of discrepancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Mary M; Bradshaw, Catherine P; Leaf, Philip J

2010-06-01

School climate has been linked with improved academic achievement and reduced discipline problems, and thus is often a target of school improvement initiatives. However, few studies have examined the extent to which student and teacher perceptions vary as a function of individual, classroom, and school characteristics, or the level of congruence between teachers' and their students' perceptions of school climate. Using data from 1881 fifth-grade students and their 90 homeroom teachers, we examined parallel models of students' and teachers' perceptions of overall school climate and academic emphasis. Two additional models were fit that assessed the congruence between teacher and student perceptions of school climate and academic emphasis. Multilevel analyses indicated that classroom-level factors were more closely associated with teachers' perceptions of climate, whereas school-level factors were more closely associated with the students' perceptions. Further analyses indicated an inverse association between student and teacher ratings of academic emphasis, and no association between student and teacher ratings of overall climate. Teacher ratings were more sensitive to classroom-level factors, such as poor classroom management and proportion of students with disruptive behaviors, whereas student ratings were more influenced by school-level factors such as student mobility, student-teacher relationship, and principal turnover. The discrepancy in ratings of academic emphasis suggests that while all of the respondents may have shared objectively similar experiences, their perceptions of those experiences varied significantly. These results emphasize the importance of assessing both student and teacher perceptions in future research on school climate.

Supporting teachers and children in schools: the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Incredible Years teacher classroom management programme in primary school children: a cluster randomised controlled trial, with parallel economic and process evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Tamsin; Edwards, Vanessa; Sharkey, Siobhan; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Byford, Sarah; Norwich, Brahm; Logan, Stuart

2012-08-30

Childhood antisocial behaviour has high immediate and long-term costs for society and the individual, particularly in relation to mental health and behaviours that jeopardise health. Managing challenging behaviour is a commonly reported source of stress and burn out among teachers, ultimately resulting in a substantial number leaving the profession. Interventions to improve parenting do not transfer easily to classroom-based problems and the most vulnerable parents may not be easily able to access them. Honing teachers' skills in proactive behaviour management and the promotion of socio-emotional regulation, therefore, has the potential to improve both child and teacher mental health and well-being and the advantage that it might potentially benefit all the children subsequently taught by any teacher that accesses the training. Cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) of the Incredible Years teacher classroom management (TCM) course with combined economic and process evaluations.One teacher of children aged 4-9 years, from 80 schools in the South West Peninsula will be randomised to attend the TCM (intervention arm) or to "teach as normal" (control arm). The primary outcome measure will be the total difficulties score from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) completed by the current class teachers prior to randomisation, and at 9, 18 and 30 months follow-up, supplemented by parent SDQs. Secondary measures include academic attainment (teacher report supplemented by direct measurement in a sub-sample), children's enjoyment of school, and teacher reports of their professional self-efficacy, and levels of burn out and stress, supplemented by structured observations of teachers classroom management skills in a subsample. Cost data for the economic evaluation will be based on parental reports of services accessed. Cost-effectiveness, using the SDQ as the measure of effect, will be examined over the period of the RCT and over the longer term using decision

Japanese Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers' Lived Experiences: Self-Disclosure in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Katadae, Ayako

2008-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Japanese family and consumer sciences teachers' self-disclosure in the classroom. Twelve secondary school teachers were interviewed, beginning with this primary question, "Think about a specific time and space when you self-disclosed in the classroom. Would you…

Teacher's Approaches in Teaching Literature: Observations of ESL Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Mustakim, Siti Salina; Mustapha, Ramlee; Lebar, Othman

2014-01-01

This study aimed to identify the approaches employed by teachers in teaching Contemporary Children's Literature Program to upper primary school. Using classroom observations and interview as research instruments, this paper evaluates the approaches of five ESL teachers teaching Year 5 students and examines the various challenges faced by them in…

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.

Food-related practices and beliefs of rural US elementary and middle school teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Findholt, Nancy E; Izumi, Betty T; Shannon, Jackilen; Nguyen, Thuan

2016-01-01

Childhood obesity disproportionately affects rural populations; therefore, promoting healthy eating among rural children is essential. Teachers are important role models for children and can influence children's eating behaviors through their own behaviors and beliefs about food. This study examined the food-related practices and beliefs of rural elementary and middle school teachers. Data were used from the SNACZ study, a school- and community-based trial conducted in rural Oregon. Kindergarten through eighth-grade teachers (n=87), teaching students usually aged 5-14 years, from eight rural school districts completed a baseline survey in November 2012 concerning their classroom food practices, eating behaviors at school, beliefs about the school food environment, and nutrition knowledge. Frequencies of responses to each item were calculated. Nearly all teachers (97.6%) agreed that a healthy school food environment is important, but fewer agreed that teachers' behaviors and the foods available at school influence students' eating behaviors (71.0% and 67.0%, respectively). Nearly 86% of teachers used candy as a reward for students, while 78.2% consumed unhealthy snacks and 42.5% consumed sweetened beverages in the classroom. The results suggest that most rural teachers recognize that having a healthy school food environment is important, but are less aware of factors within the school that influence students' eating behaviors - including their own eating behaviors and classroom food practices - and, perhaps for this reason, many rural teachers engage in classroom practices and behaviors that do not promote healthy eating. Teacher training and expanded school policies that focus on teacher behavior may be needed to ensure a healthier rural school food environment.

A Comparative Study of Elementary Teachers' Beliefs and Strategies on Classroom and Behavior Management in the USA and Korean School Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Myung-sook; Shin, Sunwoo

2014-01-01

The purpose of this cross-cultural study is to investigate elementary teachers' beliefs and inter-cultural perspectives in classroom management (instructional environment and behavior management) for students in public schools of the U.S. and Korea. The results supported that the two groups of teachers showed similar beliefs in instructional…

Teachers' Preparation Needs for Integrating Technology in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Barcus C.

2013-01-01

School districts across the country are charged with preparing the next generation for competing in a global economy and have spent billions of dollars on technology acquisition and Internet use. However, teachers do not feel prepared to integrate technology in the classroom. To prepare teachers for technology integration, the most common approach…

Impact of a Checklist on Principal-Teacher Feedback Conferences Following Classroom Observations. REL 2018-285

Science.gov (United States)

Mihaly, Kata; Schwartz, Heather L.; Opper, Isaac M.; Grimm, Geoffrey; Rodriguez, Luis; Mariano, Louis T.

2018-01-01

Most states' teacher evaluation systems have changed substantially in the past decade. New evaluation systems typically require school leaders to observe teachers' classrooms two to three times a school year instead of once (Doherty & Jacobs, 2015). The feedback that school leaders provide to teachers after these observations is a key but…

Two Heads Are Better than One: Influencing Preservice Classroom Teachers' Understanding and Practice of Classroom-Library Collaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Moreillon, Judi

2008-01-01

Two Heads Are Better than One: The Factors Influencing the Understanding and Practice of Classroom-Library Collaboration proposed to identify the factors involved in educating future K-8 classroom teachers about collaboration for instruction with school library media specialists (SLMSs). This longitudinal study monitored the growth of teacher…

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…

"This Has to Be Family": Humanizing Classroom Management in Urban Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Ullucci, Kerri

2009-01-01

Classroom management in urban schools is frequently steeped in mythology. Students are seen as difficult and disrespectful, needing highly structured discipline policies in order to function. However, a different reality exists. This study looks at the way well-respected teachers in urban schools utilize their classroom space, manage their…

Teacher Learning in the Workplace: A Study of the Relationship between a Novice EFL Teacher's Classroom Practices and Cognition Development

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Yan; Cheng, Xiaotang

2014-01-01

This article reports on an in-depth case study of a novice middle school EFL teacher's cognition development during the process of learning to teach in the workplace. Data was collected mainly through classroom observations and interviews. Results indicate that the teacher exhibited a considerable amount of change in her classroom practices, which…

Leadership for Differentiating Schools & Classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomlinson, Carol Ann; Allan, Susan Demirsky

Differentiation is simply a teacher attending to the learning needs of a particular student or small group of students, rather than teaching a class as though all individuals in it were basically alike. This book explores in 10 chapters how school leaders can develop responsive, personalized, and differentiated classrooms: (1) "Understanding…

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD): Primary school teachers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Hennie

The participants were 200 South African primary school teachers (178 female, 22 male; mean age = 43 years) of children enrolled in ... education reforms would be the training of teachers in classroom management. ..... Assistive technology.

Supporting teachers and children in schools: the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the incredible years teacher classroom management programme in primary school children: a cluster randomised controlled trial, with parallel economic and process evaluations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ford Tamsin

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Childhood antisocial behaviour has high immediate and long-term costs for society and the individual, particularly in relation to mental health and behaviours that jeopardise health. Managing challenging behaviour is a commonly reported source of stress and burn out among teachers, ultimately resulting in a substantial number leaving the profession. Interventions to improve parenting do not transfer easily to classroom-based problems and the most vulnerable parents may not be easily able to access them. Honing teachers’ skills in proactive behaviour management and the promotion of socio-emotional regulation, therefore, has the potential to improve both child and teacher mental health and well-being and the advantage that it might potentially benefit all the children subsequently taught by any teacher that accesses the training. Methods/Design Cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT of the Incredible Years teacher classroom management (TCM course with combined economic and process evaluations. One teacher of children aged 4–9 years, from 80 schools in the South West Peninsula will be randomised to attend the TCM (intervention arm or to “teach as normal” (control arm. The primary outcome measure will be the total difficulties score from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ completed by the current class teachers prior to randomisation, and at 9, 18 and 30 months follow-up, supplemented by parent SDQs. Secondary measures include academic attainment (teacher report supplemented by direct measurement in a sub-sample, children’s enjoyment of school, and teacher reports of their professional self-efficacy, and levels of burn out and stress, supplemented by structured observations of teachers classroom management skills in a subsample. Cost data for the economic evaluation will be based on parental reports of services accessed. Cost-effectiveness, using the SDQ as the measure of effect, will be examined

Teachers' perceptions of effective science, technology, and mathematics professional development and changes in classroom practices

Science.gov (United States)

Boriack, Anna Christine

The purpose of this study is to examine teachers' perceptions of professional development and changes in classroom practice. A proposed conceptual framework for effective professional development that results in changes in classroom practices was developed. Data from two programs that provided professional development to teachers in the areas of technology, mathematics, and science was used to inform the conceptual framework. These two programs were Target Technology in Texas (T3) and Mathematics, Science, and Technology Teacher Preparation Academies (MSTTPA). This dissertation used a multiple article format to explore each program separately, yet the proposed conceptual framework allowed for comparisons to be made between the two programs. The first study investigated teachers' perceptions of technology-related professional development after their districts had received a T3 grant. An online survey was administrated to all teachers to determine their perceptions of technology-related professional development along with technology self-efficacy. Classroom observations were conducted to determine if teachers were implementing technology. The results indicated that teachers did not perceive professional development as being effective and were not implementing technology in their classrooms. Teachers did have high technology self-efficacy and perceived adequate school support, which implies that effective professional development may be a large factor in whether or not teachers implement technology in their classrooms. The second study evaluated participants' perceptions of the effectiveness of mathematics and science professional development offered through a MSTTP academy. Current and former participants completed an online survey which measured their perceptions of academy activities and school environment. Participants also self-reported classroom implementation of technology. Interviews and open-ended survey questions were used to provide further insight into

Educating English Learners: What Every Classroom Teacher Needs to Know

Science.gov (United States)

Nutta, Joyce W.; Strebel, Carine; Mokhtari, Kouider; Mihai, Florin M.; Crevecoeur-Bryant, Edwidge

2014-01-01

In "Educating English Learners," Joyce W. Nutta and her colleagues offer practical tools for helping schools and teachers successfully integrate English learners into mainstream classrooms. Drawing on the One Plus model presented in their award-winning book, "Preparing Every Teacher to Reach English Learners," the authors now…

Child Behavior Problems, Teacher Executive Functions, and Teacher Stress in Head Start Classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman-Krauss, Allison H; Raver, C Cybele; Neuspiel, Juliana M; Kinsel, John

2014-01-01

The current article explores the relationship between teachers' perceptions of child behavior problems and preschool teacher job stress, as well as the possibility that teachers' executive functions moderate this relationship. Data came from 69 preschool teachers in 31 early childhood classrooms in 4 Head Start centers and were collected using Web-based surveys and Web-based direct assessment tasks. Multilevel models revealed that higher levels of teachers' perceptions of child behavior problems were associated with higher levels of teacher job stress and that higher teacher executive function skills were related to lower job stress. However, findings did not yield evidence for teacher executive functions as a statistical moderator. Many early childhood teachers do not receive sufficient training for handling children's challenging behaviors. Child behavior problems increase a teacher's workload and consequently may contribute to feelings of stress. However, teachers' executive function abilities may enable them to use effective, cognitive-based behavior management and instructional strategies during interactions with students, which may reduce stress. Providing teachers with training on managing challenging behaviors and enhancing executive functions may reduce their stress and facilitate their use of effective classroom practices, which is important for children's school readiness skills and teachers' health.

ACE: A Collaborative School Consultation Program for Secondary School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Couture, Caroline; Massé, Line

2014-01-01

This article presents a description of ACE (Accompagnement collaboratif des enseignants (Collaborative teacher accompaniment)), a new program designed to guide secondary school teachers in integrating students with behavioral problems in their classrooms. ACE proposes collaborative accompaniment inspired by behavioral and mental health…

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.

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…

Teachers' Perceptions of Computer Use in Education in the TRNC Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Silman, Fatos; Gundogdu, Kerim

2007-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the perceptions of the classroom teachers on the computer use in the TRNC schools. A questionnaire was applied to 84 classroom teachers in 5 schools in Nicosia, the capital city of the TRNC. The answers to the first part of the questionnaire with five subsections were analysed. Descriptive statistics were used…

The Impact of Professional Development Schools on Teacher Leadership

Science.gov (United States)

Cosenza, Michael N.

2010-01-01

Although there is no common definition for teacher leadership, the concept is continually advanced as a key component for both the success of schools and professionalization of teachers. Studies have shown that teachers who feel empowered as leaders are more effective in the classroom. Professional development schools (PDSs) provide multiple…

Primary School Environment Trend, Class-Ratio and Head Teachers Overcrowded Classrooms Management Strategies in Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Babatunde, Ehinola Gabriel

2015-01-01

Primary school Enrolment Trend, Class-Ratio and Head Teachers overcrowded classrooms management strategies in Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State, Nigeria was investigated. The purpose of the study is to examine the current enrolment trend in public primary schools in northern senatorial District of Ondo State. Also, is to ascertain the…

Connected to Learn: Teachers' Experiences with Networked Technologies in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Matthew; Riel, Richard; Germain-Froese, Bernie

2016-01-01

To get a better understanding of how networked technologies are impacting teachers and their teaching practices, in 2015 MediaSmarts partnered with the Canadian Teachers' Federation to survey 4,043 K-12 teachers and school administrators who were teaching in classroom settings across the country. The survey explored the extent to which networked…

Speaking comfort and voice use of teachers in classrooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brunskog, Jonas; Pelegrin Garcia, David

2010-01-01

Teachers suffer from voice problems more often than the rest of the population, as a consequence of the intensive use of their voices during teaching. Noise and classroom acoustics have been defined as hazards eventually leading to voice problems. In order to make a good classroom acoustic design...... to preserve the teachers’ voices and maximize their comfort, it is necessary to understand the underlaying relationship between classroom acoustics and teachers’ voice production. This paper presents a brief summary of investigations looking into this relationship. A pilot study, carried out in different...... located at various distances, in rooms with very different acoustics. A field study in schools of southern Sweden found out that teachers with and without voice problems, during actual teaching, are affected differently by the support of the classroom. A last laboratory experiment was carried out...

The influence of fidelity of implementation on teacher-student interaction quality in the context of a randomized controlled trial of the Responsive Classroom approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Abry, Tashia; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E; Larsen, Ross A; Brewer, Alexis J

2013-08-01

This study examined the direct and indirect effects between training in the Responsive Classroom® (RC) approach, teachers' uptake of RC practices, and teacher-student interaction quality, using a structural equation modeling framework. A total of 24 schools were randomly assigned to experimental or control conditions. Third- and fourth-grade teachers in treatment schools (n=132) received training in the RC approach, whereas teachers in control schools (n=107) continued "business as usual." Observers rated teachers' fidelity of implementation (FOI) of RC practices 5 times throughout the year using the Classroom Practices Observation Measure. In addition, teachers completed self-report measures of FOI, the Classroom Practices Teacher Survey and Classroom Practices Frequency Survey, at the end of the school year. Teacher-student interactions were rated during classroom observations using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System. Controlling for teachers' grade level and teacher-student interaction quality at pretest, RC training was expected to predict posttest teacher-student interaction quality directly and indirectly through FOI. Results supported only a significant indirect effect, β=0.85, p=.002. Specifically, RC teachers had higher levels of FOI of RC practices, β=1.62, pteacher-student interaction quality, β=0.52, p=.001, R2=.32. Discussion highlights factors contributing to variability in FOI and school administrators roles in supporting FOI. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unveiling the Teachers' Profiles through an INSET (In Service Training) Course of Greek Primary School Teachers in the Pedagogy of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) In-Classroom Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Amanatidis, Nikolaos

2015-01-01

To meet the increasing demand for change in the infusion of ICT pedagogy in education a nationwide project was launched in Greece on May 2008. An INSET course for primary school teachers in the pedagogy of ICT in classroom instruction. The writer, aimed to study the teachers' views about certain aspects of the training experience in terms of the…

Are elementary school teachers prepared to tackle bullying? : A pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oldenburg, Beau; Bosman, Rie; Veenstra, Rene

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate to what extent elementary school teachers were prepared to tackle bullying. Interview data from 22 Dutch elementary school teachers (M age=43.3, 18 classrooms in eight schools) were combined with survey data from 373 students of these teachers (M

Classroom-Based Professional Expertise: A Mathematics Teacher's Practice with Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Bozkurt, Gulay; Ruthven, Kenneth

2017-01-01

This study examines the classroom practice and craft knowledge underpinning one teacher's integration of the use of GeoGebra software into mathematics teaching. The chosen teacher worked in an English secondary school and was professionally well regarded as an accomplished user of digital technology in mathematics teaching. Designed in accordance…

The Potential of General Classroom Observation: Turkish EFL Teachers' Perceptions, Sentiments, and Readiness for Action

Science.gov (United States)

Merç, Ali

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine Turkish EFL teachers' attitudes towards classroom observation. 204 teachers from different school settings responded to an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed according to three types of attitudes towards classroom observation: perceptions, sentiments, and readiness for action. The findings revealed…

Fear and Efficacy Appeals in the Classroom: The Secondary Teachers' Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Putwain, David W.; Roberts, Christine M.

2012-01-01

Previous research has examined the use of classroom fear and efficacy appeals from a student perspective, but little is known about teachers' views towards fear and efficacy appeals. In this preliminary study, we conducted a survey of 234 secondary school teachers. Results showed that teachers held mixed views towards the use of fear appeals and…

Understanding and Facing Discipline-Related Challenges in the English as a Foreign Language Classroom at Public Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josefina Quintero Corzo

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Complying with school regulations and teachers' instructions is a basic principle of an excellent class; both novice and experienced teachers face challenging situations when getting into real classrooms, especially those related to classroom management. There are various reasons that explain discipline problems in public schools, as well as varied strategies beginning teachers create and try when coping with those challenges. This article reports an action research study on how this methodology helped a group of teacher-trainees overcome indiscipline in English as a foreign language classrooms at public schools, and align with professional development initiatives which focus on reflection and decision-making processes that the new Colombian policies demand from new teachers seeking a higher quality of education.

Teaching controversial issues in the secondary school science classroom

Science.gov (United States)

van Rooy, Wilhelmina

1993-12-01

A sample of fourteen secondary school biology teachers chosen from twelve schools were interviewed. The purpose was to determine their views on how controversial issues in science might be handled in the secondary school science classroom and whether the issues of surrogacy and human embryo experimentation were suitable controversial issues for discussion in schools. In general, teachers indicated that controversial issues deserve a more prominent place in the science curriculum because they have the potential to foster thinking, learning, and interest in science. The issues of surrogacy and human embryo experimentation were seen as appropriate contexts for learning, provided that teachers were well informed and sensitive to both the students and to the school environment.

Science in the Elementary School Classroom: Portraits of Action Research.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Jane B., Ed.; Gilmer, Penny J., Ed.

Teacher knowledge and skills are critical elements in the student learning process. Action research serves as an increasingly popular technique to engage teachers in educational change in classrooms. This document focuses on action research reports of elementary school teachers. Chapters include: (1) "First Graders' Beliefs and Perceptions of…

PUPIL-TEACHER ADJUSTEMENT AND MUTUAL ADAPTATION IN CREATING CLASSROOM LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.

Science.gov (United States)

FOX, ROBERT S.; AND OTHERS

AN ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMICS OF THE LEARNING SITUATIONS IN A VARIETY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS WAS UNDERTAKEN. THE PROJECT MADE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PATTERNS OF COOPERATION OR ALIENATION AMONG PARENTS, TEACHERS, PEERS, AND INDIVIDUAL PUPILS. THE PATTERNS CREATE LEARNING CULTURES OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTIVITY IN VARIOUS CLASSROOMS. THE DATA…

Listening to teachers: Views on delivery of a classroom based sensory intervention for students with autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Caroline; Chapparo, Christine

2018-02-01

Occupational therapists consider the impact of autism spectrum disorder on occupational performance at school. Occupational therapists work with teachers to support student participation. Atypical sensory processing is common in children with autism. Therefore, collaborating with teachers to enable students with autism to appropriately process sensory information within classrooms may be necessary. This qualitative pilot study aimed to capture teachers' perceptions of using a Sensory Activity Schedule, a sensory based intervention, in the classroom. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to analyse semi-structured interview responses from 19 qualified teachers who taught children with autism from seven different autism specific special schools in NSW. Teachers were asked about their motivation to complete the intervention as well as helpful and difficult aspects of the intervention. Three main categories and eight sub-categories were identified from the 19 respondents who reported that helping their students was an important motivation for using a Sensory Activity Schedule as well as the opportunity to evaluate whether sensory based intervention was beneficial. Teachers reported that learning new ideas, working with an occupational therapist and seeing an increase in concentration and a reduction in undesired behaviours were positive aspects of utilising the intervention. Timing, staffing and fidelity of the intervention were areas of concern. Collaboration with classroom teachers is an essential part of school-based occupational therapy. Insights from teachers who implemented a sensory based intervention in the classroom assist occupational therapists to better support students with autism spectrum disorder in schools. © 2017 Occupational Therapy Australia.

"Real Teaching" in the Mathematics Classroom: A Comparison of the Instructional Practices of Elementary Teachers in Urban High-Poverty Schools

Science.gov (United States)

McKinney, Sueanne E.; Robinson, Jack; Berube, Clair T.

2013-01-01

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics" outlines fundamental elements that are crucial for creating a problem-solving and inquiry-driven classroom learning environment that highlights conceptual understandings of mathematics ideas. Even though this document outlines…

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.

How science teachers balance religion and evolution in the science classroom: A case study of science classes in a Florida Public School District

Science.gov (United States)

Willems, Pierre Dominique

The purpose of this case study was to research how science teachers balance both religion and evolution in the science classroom with as little controversy as possible. In this study I attempted to provide some insight on how teachers are currently teaching evolution in their science classes in light of the religious beliefs of the students as well as their own. The case study was conducted in a school district in Florida where I attempted to answer the following questions: (a) How do science teachers in the Florida School District (FSD) approach the religion--evolution issue in preparing students for a career in a field of science? (b) How do science teachers in the FSD reconcile the subject of evolution with the religious views of their students? (c) How do science teachers in the FSD reconcile their own religious views with the teaching of evolution? (d) How do science teachers in the FSD perceive the relationship between religion and science? The data was collected through interviews with two high school teachers, and one middle school teacher, by observing each participant teach, by collecting site documents and by administering an exploratory survey to student volunteers. Analysis was conducted by open coding which produced four themes from which the research questions were answered and the survey answers were counted to produce the percentages displayed in the tables in chapter four. The teachers avoided discussion on religiously oriented questions or statements by the students and did not reveal their own religious orientation. The topic of microevolution appeared to reduce stress in the classroom environment, as opposed to addressing macroevolution.

Early-Adolescents' Reading Comprehension and the Stability of the Middle School Classroom-Language Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Gámez, Perla B.; Lesaux, Nonie K.

2015-01-01

This study examined teachers' language use across the school year in 6th grade urban middle-school classrooms (n = 24) and investigated the influence of this classroom-based linguistic input on the reading comprehension skills of the students (n = 851; 599 language minority learners and 252 English-only) in the participating classrooms. Analysis…

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.

A psychotherapeutic approach with elementary school teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Multari, G

1975-01-01

The tradional "lectures delivering" approach to classroom teachers used by mental health practitioners is investigated in the present study. An attempt is made to demonstrate the validity of preventative work in helping elementary school teachers as important agents in the promotion of more positive mental hygiene in the classroom and by adding to the lectures the variable of group therapy--"ego-sparing" techniques type. The latter approach seems to promote a teacher's own sense of security in dealing the pupils, an easier acceptance of differences in others, and, finally, it tends to stimulate the development of a teacher's own ability to deal sensibly, more conscientiously, and more realistically with daily problems.

Chinese Teachers' Perceptions of Students' Classroom Misbehaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Meixia; Li, Yeping; Li, Xiaobao; Kulm, Gerald

2008-01-01

This study focuses on Chinese teachers' perceptions of students' classroom misbehaviour. A questionnaire was designed to assess teachers' general concerns about classroom management, teachers' perceptions of the most frequent and troublesome types of misbehaviour, and teachers' perceived needs for help with improving classroom management. A total…

Small-group, computer-mediated argumentation in middle-school classrooms: the effects of gender and different types of online teacher guidance.

Science.gov (United States)

Asterhan, Christa S C; Schwarz, Baruch B; Gil, Julia

2012-09-01

Research has shown the importance of careful teacher support during collaborative group work to promote productive discourse between students (Webb, 2009). However, this research has traditionally focused on face-to-face communication. The role of online teacher guidance of small-group computer-mediated discussions has received little attention, especially in secondary school classroom settings. Researchers of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), on the other hand, have traditionally focused on software-embedded features, such as scripts, to support a-synchronous peer dialogue, and less so on human guidance of synchronous group discussions. The main aim of the present in vivo, experimental study is to examine whether online teacher guidance can improve the quality of small-group synchronous discussions, and whether different types of guidance (epistemic or interaction guidance) affect these discussions differently, when compared to an unguided condition. The second goal of this study is to explore potential differences between all-female and all-male discussion groups. Eighty-two 9th graders (three classrooms) and six teachers from a rural high school in Israel. Whereas epistemic guidance only improved aspects of the argumentative quality of the discussion, interaction guidance only improved aspects of collaboration. Discussions of all-girls groups scored higher on aspects of collaboration and argumentative quality, compared to all-boys groups. The findings show that teacher guidance of synchronous, online discussions in classrooms is realizable and reasonably reaches its intended goals. Training should be focused on acquiring various guidance strategies to augment their beneficial effects. Furthermore, future research should pay more attention to potential gender differences in peer-to-peer argumentation. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Relating Teacher PCK and Teacher Practice Using Classroom Observation

Science.gov (United States)

Barendsen, Erik; Henze, Ineke

2017-09-01

Science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) has been researched in many studies, yet little empirical evidence has been found to determine how this knowledge actually informs teachers' actions in the classroom. To complement previous quantitative studies, there is a need for more qualitative studies to investigate the relationship between teacher knowledge (as formulated by the teacher) and classroom practice, especially in the context of an educational innovation. In this study we explored a possible way to investigate this relationship in an in-depth and systematic fashion. To this end, we conducted a case study with a chemistry teacher in the context of the implementation of a context-based science curriculum in The Netherlands. The teacher's PCK was captured using the Content Representation form by Loughran, Mulhall, and Berry. We used an observation table to monitor classroom interactions in such a way that the observations could be related to specific elements of teachers' PCK. Thus, we were able to give a detailed characterization of the correspondences and differences between the teacher's personal PCK and classroom practice. Such an elaborate description turned out to be a useful basis for discussing mechanisms explaining the relationship between teachers' knowledge and teachers' actions.

Assessment of Teacher Perceived Skill in Classroom Assessment Practices Using IRT Models

Science.gov (United States)

Koloi-Keaikitse, Setlhomo

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess teacher perceived skill in classroom assessment practices. Data were collected from a sample of (N = 691) teachers selected from government primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary schools in Botswana. Item response theory models were used to identify teacher response on items that measured their…

Attitudes towards Teachers' Motivation, and Classroom Strategy, in English Language Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Pahlavanpoorfard, Samira; Soori, Afshin

2014-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the attitudes of Iranian EFL students towards teachers' motivation and classroom strategy in English classroom. The subjects of the study included a sample of 235 students in their classes. The findings of this study revealed that teachers' motivation and classroom strategy used by teachers have effects on the…

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.

Does a Teacher's Classroom Observation Rating Vary across Multiple Classrooms?

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Xiaoxuan; Li, Hongli; Leroux, Audrey J.

2018-01-01

Classroom observations have been increasingly used for teacher evaluations, and it is important to examine the measurement quality and the use of observation ratings. When a teacher is observed in multiple classrooms, his or her observation ratings may vary across classrooms. In that case, using ratings from one classroom per teacher may not be…

Teachers and Students Poised to Use Mobile Phones in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

O'Bannon, B. W.; Waters, S.; Lubke, J.; Cady, J.; Rearden, K.

2017-01-01

This study examined the perceptions of 15 teachers and 103 middle school students at a progressive private school located in Mumbai, India to determine their support for the use of mobile phones in the classroom, their perceptions of the mobile phone features that are beneficial for school-related work, and the instructional benefits and barriers…

The role of the teacher in classroom peer relations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendrickx, M.M.H.G.

2017-01-01

The classroom is a fundamentally social setting, which can foster students’ learning but can also seriously hamper students’ functioning in school. Positive relationships with the teacher and peers are essential for students’ social and academic adjustment. To connect these two social agents, this

Examining Teacher Framing, Student Reasoning, and Student Agency in School-Based Citizen Science

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Emily Mae

This dissertation presents three interrelated studies examining opportunities for student learning through contributory citizen science (CS), where students collect and contribute data to help generate new scientific knowledge. I draw on sociocultural perspectives of learning to analyze three cases where teachers integrated CS into school science, one third grade, one fourth grade, and one high school Marine Biology classroom. Chapter 2 is a conceptual investigation of the opportunities for students to engage in scientific reasoning practices during CS data collection activities. Drawing on science education literature and vignettes from case studies, I argue that the teacher plays an important role in mediating opportunities for students to engage in investigative, explanatory, and argumentative practices of science through CS. Chapter 3 focuses on teacher framing of CS, how teachers perceive what is going on (Goffman, 1974) and how they communicate that to students as they launch CS tasks. Through analysis of videos and interviews of two upper elementary school teachers, I found that teachers frame CS for different purposes. These framings were influenced by teachers' goals, orientations towards science and CS, planning for instruction, and prior knowledge and experience. Chapter 4 examines how students demonstrate agency with environmental science as they explore their personal interests across their third grade classroom, school garden, and science lab contexts, through the lens of social practice theory (Holland, Lachicotte, Skinner, & Cain, 1998). Through analysis of classroom observations, student interviews, teacher interviews and important moments for three focal students, I found that student agency was enabled and constrained by the different cultures of the classroom, garden, and science lab. Despite affordances of the garden and science lab, the teachers' epistemic authority in the classroom permeated all three contexts, constraining student agency. In

Factors Influencing Fluid Milk Waste in a Breakfast in the Classroom School Breakfast Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Blondin, Stacy A; Goldberg, Jeanne P; Cash, Sean B; Griffin, Timothy S; Economos, Christina D

2018-04-01

To determine predictors of fluid milk waste in a Breakfast in the Classroom School Breakfast Program. Cross-sectional with 3 repeated measures/classroom. Elementary schools in a medium-sized, low-income, urban school district. Twenty third- through fourth-grade classrooms across 6 schools. Dependent variables include percentage of total and served milk wasted. Independent variables included observed daily menu offerings, program factors, and teacher and student behavior. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize variables across classrooms and schools. Multilevel mixed-effects models were used to test associations between predictors and outcomes of interest. P ≤ .05 was considered statistically significant. Total milk waste increased 12% when juice was offered and 3% for each additional carton of unserved milk. Teacher encouragement to take and/or consume breakfast was associated with a 5% and 9% increase in total and served milk waste, respectively. When students were engaged in other activities in addition to eating breakfast, total milk waste decreased 10%. Beverage offerings were predictive of greater total milk waste. Teacher and student behavior also appeared to influence milk consumption. Findings suggest that specific changes to School Breakfast Program implementation policies and practices could have an important role in waste mitigation. Copyright © 2018 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Company Men: Tracing Learning from Divergent Teacher Education Pathways into Practice in Middle Grades Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Conklin, Hilary G.

2012-01-01

In this comparative, longitudinal case study, the author investigates the two different pathways that have been most strongly advocated for certifying middle school social studies teachers: the specialized middle school and subject-specific secondary pathways. Drawing on classroom observations, interviews, documents, teacher and student work…

Understanding Pupil Behaviour: Classroom Management Techniques for Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Ramon

2009-01-01

This book describes a system of successful classroom behaviour management techniques developed by the author over more than twenty-five years. It outlines the difficulties confronting teachers trying to manage pupils' misbehaviour in schools and describes four types of pupil who can be helped to behave responsibly. In "Understanding Pupil…

Teaching Students with Special Educational Needs in Inclusive Music Classrooms: Experiences of Music Teachers in Hong Kong Primary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Marina Wai-yee; Chik, Maria Pik-yuk

2016-01-01

It has been a decade since the implementation of Hong Kong's policy of inclusion, that mainstream schools should admit students with special educational needs (SEN). This study reports on music teachers' experiences of teaching SEN students in inclusive music classrooms. Data were derived from a qualitative multiple case study comprising 10…

Classroom planning and organizing as tasks for the home economics teacher at secondary schools / Lesley Ann Greyvenstein

OpenAIRE

Greyvenstein, Lesley Ann

1986-01-01

Classroom management, as part-discipline of Educational Management, is a function of the teacher in his role of teacher-manager, consisting of the specific regulative tasks or actions performed by the teacher to facilitate the achievement of effective education within the classroom. The four major classroom managerial tasks for the teacher are the planning, organizing, leading and controlling actions, each consisting of numerous sub-tasks, which, although researched as separ...

School Turnaround Teachers: Competencies for Success. Part of the School Turnaround Collection from Public Impact

Science.gov (United States)

Public Impact, 2008

2008-01-01

Individual teachers have the largest single school effect on student performance. Documented experience also indicates that individual teachers in high-poverty schools can effect rapid, dramatic student learning improvements within their own classrooms. Organization-wide change of a similar magnitude takes a broader effort with daring leadership…

In-Service Training of Teachers in Multicultural Urban Schools: A Systematic Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Nickolai-Mays, Susanne; Davis, Jerry L.

1986-01-01

Presents seven guidelines for developing effective teacher in-service training programs. Describes a training model for multicultural urban schools which addresses these topics: instructional methods; curriculum; interpersonal relations in the classroom; classroom management and discipline; parent-teacher-student involvement; and multicultural…

Socio-emotional correlates of a schooldog-teacher-team in the classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea eBeetz

2013-11-01

Full Text Available A growing number of teachers in Europe regularly take their dogs with them into the classroom. Limited research points at positive socio-emotional effects of this practice. In this study the effects of a schooldog-teacher-team on socioemotional experiences in school, depression and emotion regulation strategies were investigated in a classroom of third-graders (male n=12, female n=13, which had a schooldog present for one day per week in comparison with a control class (male n=11, female n=10. In contrast to the control class, the dog-class students reported a stronger improvement with regard to positive attitude towards school (repeated measures ANOVA; F=10.769, df=1, p=.002 and positive emotions related to learning (F=4.479, df=1, p=.042 over the course of the year. Since a prerequisite of all kinds of effective learning is a positive attitude and mood towards school and learning, the presence of a schooldog-teacher team thus has the potential to support learning.

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…

Strategies for Teachers to Manage Stuttering in the Classroom: A Call for Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Davidow, Jason H; Zaroogian, Lisa; Garcia-Barrera, Mauricio A

2016-10-01

This clinical focus article highlights the need for future research involving ways to assist children who stutter in the classroom. The 4 most commonly recommended strategies for teachers were found via searches of electronic databases and personal libraries of the authors. The peer-reviewed evidence for each recommendation was subsequently located and detailed. There are varying amounts of evidence for the 4 recommended teacher strategies outside of the classroom, but there are no data for 2 of the strategies, and minimal data for the others, in a classroom setting. That is, there is virtually no evidence regarding whether or not the actions put forth influence, for example, stuttering frequency, stuttering severity, participation, or the social, emotional, and cognitive components of stuttering in the classroom. There is a need for researchers and speech-language pathologists in the schools to study the outcomes of teacher strategies in the classroom for children who stutter.

Competencies of Teachers Regarding School-Parent Relations: A Case of Antalya

Science.gov (United States)

Eres, Figen

2016-01-01

Aim of the study is to determine competence of classroom teachers and branch teachers regarding school-parent relations according to the opinions of school principals and supervisors. This study is based on a survey model. The population of this study consists of school principals who work in public primary and middle schools in the central…

Changing teachers practices from within classrooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meyer, Bente Tobiesen

2013-01-01

The paper focuses on how teachers’ professional development was initiated in connection with a project where iPads were given to seven graders and their teachers for an entire school year. The paper discusses the ways in which the presence of these mobile technologies in classrooms generated new ...... discusses how changes initiated by tablets as mediators of teachers’ practices and reflections on practices can be understood as respectively augmenting and transforming practice....

Teacher coaching supported by formative assessment for improving classroom practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabiano, Gregory A; Reddy, Linda A; Dudek, Christopher M

2018-06-01

The present study is a wait-list controlled, randomized study investigating a teacher coaching approach that emphasizes formative assessment and visual performance feedback to enhance elementary school teachers' classroom practices. The coaching model targeted instructional and behavioral management practices as measured by the Classroom Strategies Assessment System (CSAS) Observer and Teacher Forms. The sample included 89 general education teachers, stratified by grade level, and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions: (a) immediate coaching, or (b) waitlist control. Results indicated that, relative to the waitlist control, teachers in immediate coaching demonstrated significantly greater improvements in observations of behavior management strategy use but not for observations of instructional strategy use. Observer- and teacher-completed ratings of behavioral management strategy use at postassessment were significantly improved by both raters; ratings of instructional strategy use were significantly improved for teacher but not observer ratings. A brief coaching intervention improved teachers' use of observed behavior management strategies and self-reported use of behavior management and instructional strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Cross-Cultural Comparison of Teachers' Views upon Integration and Use of Technology in Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Kayalar, Fethi

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study is to compare teachers' views upon integration and use of technology in classroom. To make cross-cultural comparison of teachers' views, we interviewed with nine teachers in a primary school in city of Erzincan, Turkey and compared the views of the teachers with those of the teachers living in foreign countries. To obtain…

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…

Satisfaction of Teachers' Need for Autonomy and Their Strategies of Classroom Discipline

Science.gov (United States)

Tadic, Aleksandar

2015-01-01

This paper points to the necessity to conduct researches of contextual conditions of teachers' behavior in classroom, using the framework of the self-determination theory, according to which styles of teachers' behavior toward students is correlated with their satisfaction of psychological need for autonomy in school. We analyzed different…

Pre-School Teachers' Classroom Management Competency and the Factors Affecting Their Understanding of Discipline

Science.gov (United States)

Buyuktaskapu Soydan, Sema; Alakoc, Pirpir; Ozturk Samur, Ayse; Angin, Duriye Esra

2018-01-01

Purpose: This research was carried out to determine the classroom management competency and the levels of perception of understanding of discipline among preschool teachers, the effect of their classroom management competency and understanding of discipline on child-teacher relationship, the relationship between interpersonal problem-solving and…

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.

Practical microbiology in schools: a survey of UK teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Redfern, James; Burdass, Dariel; Verran, Joanna

2013-11-01

A survey of secondary school teachers investigated practical microbiology in the classroom. The results were heartening (practical microbiology was common), but concerns were expressed regarding equipment, time, cost, and expertise. Microbiologists should engage more with school education to support teachers and maintain the health of microbiology for future generations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Connections between voice ergonomic risk factors in classrooms and teachers' voice production.

Science.gov (United States)

Rantala, Leena M; Hakala, Suvi; Holmqvist, Sofia; Sala, Eeva

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate if voice ergonomic risk factors in classrooms correlated with acoustic parameters of teachers' voice production. The voice ergonomic risk factors in the fields of working culture, working postures and indoor air quality were assessed in 40 classrooms using the Voice Ergonomic Assessment in Work Environment - Handbook and Checklist. Teachers (32 females, 8 males) from the above-mentioned classrooms recorded text readings before and after a working day. Fundamental frequency, sound pressure level (SPL) and the slope of the spectrum (alpha ratio) were analyzed. The higher the number of the risk factors in the classrooms, the higher SPL the teachers used and the more strained the males' voices (increased alpha ratio) were. The SPL was already higher before the working day in the teachers with higher risk than in those with lower risk. In the working environment with many voice ergonomic risk factors, speakers increase voice loudness and use more strained voice quality (males). A practical implication of the results is that voice ergonomic assessments are needed in schools. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Child Behavior Problems, Teacher Executive Functions, and Teacher Stress in Head Start Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman-Krauss, Allison H.; Raver, C. Cybele; Neuspiel, Juliana M.; Kinsel, John

2017-01-01

Research Findings The current article explores the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of child behavior problems and preschool teacher job stress, as well as the possibility that teachers’ executive functions moderate this relationship. Data came from 69 preschool teachers in 31 early childhood classrooms in 4 Head Start centers and were collected using Web-based surveys and Web-based direct assessment tasks. Multilevel models revealed that higher levels of teachers’ perceptions of child behavior problems were associated with higher levels of teacher job stress and that higher teacher executive function skills were related to lower job stress. However, findings did not yield evidence for teacher executive functions as a statistical moderator. Practice or Policy Many early childhood teachers do not receive sufficient training for handling children’s challenging behaviors. Child behavior problems increase a teacher’s workload and consequently may contribute to feelings of stress. However, teachers’ executive function abilities may enable them to use effective, cognitive-based behavior management and instructional strategies during interactions with students, which may reduce stress. Providing teachers with training on managing challenging behaviors and enhancing executive functions may reduce their stress and facilitate their use of effective classroom practices, which is important for children’s school readiness skills and teachers’ health. PMID:28596698

Teaching planetary sciences to elementary school teachers: Programs that work

Science.gov (United States)

Lebofsky, Larry A.; Lebofsky, Nancy R.

1993-01-01

Planetary sciences can be used to introduce students to the natural world which is a part of their lives. Even children in an urban environment are aware of such phenomena as day and night, shadows, and the seasons. It is a science that transcends cultures, has been prominent in the news in recent years, and can generate excitement in young minds as no other science can. Planetary sciences also provides a useful tool for understanding other sciences and mathematics, and for developing problem solving skills which are important in our technological world. However, only 15 percent of elementary school teachers feel very well qualified to teach earth/space science, while better than 80 percent feel well qualified to teach reading; many teachers avoid teaching science; very little time is actually spent teaching science in the elementary school: 19 minutes per day in K-3 and 38 minutes per day in 4-6. While very little science is taught in elementary and middle school, earth/space science is taught at the elementary level in less than half of the states. It was pointed out that science is not generally given high priority by either teachers or school districts, and is certainly not considered on a par with language arts and mathematics. Therefore, in order to teach science to our youth, we must empower our teachers, making them familiar and comfortable with existing materials. In our earlier workshops, several of our teachers taught in classrooms where the majority of the students were Hispanic (over 90 percent). However, few space sciences materials existed in Spanish. Therefore, most of our materials could not be used effectively in the classroom. To address this issue, NASA materials were translated into Spanish and a series of workshops for bilingual classroom teachers from Tucson and surrounding cities was conducted. Our space sciences workshops and our bilingual classroom workshops and how they address the needs of elementary school teachers in Arizona are

Cell Phones in the Classroom: Preservice Teachers' Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Kevin; O'Bannon, Blanche

2013-01-01

This study employed a survey to examine the perceptions of 92 preservice teachers enrolled at a small Midwestern liberal arts university regarding their support of the use of cell phones in the classroom, the benefits of specific cell phone features for school-related work, and the instructional benefits of and barriers to using cell phones in the…

Assessment Training: A Precondition for Teachers' Competencies and Use of Classroom Assessment Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Koloi-Keaikitse, Setlhomo

2016-01-01

Student assessment, particularly at classroom level, remains an integral part of teaching and learning and is a driving force for the implementation of educational policies and practices in many countries. Nevertheless, problems associated with teachers' classroom assessment practices continue to exist in schools and research shows that teachers…

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…

Teachers' perceptions and actions in carrying out communication policies in a public school for the deaf.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsing, M H; Lowenbraun, S

1997-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' opinions on school communication policies in a public school for the Deaf in Taipei, Taiwan. Specifically, the authors examined how teachers carried out communication policies, and examined possible discrepancies between teachers' perceptions of their communication methods and the methods they actually used in the classroom. Questionnaires were distributed to all 120 teachers at Taipei Municipal School for the Deaf. Thirteen of the 85 respondents were selected as subjects for personal interviews followed by direct classroom observation and videotaping. Sixteen deaf high school seniors at the school were interviewed concerning their opinions about the teachers' communication modes and abilities, and about the communication modes the students experienced.

On the Way of Educational Reform: Thai High School Physics Teachers' Conceptions of the Student-Centered Approach and Their Perceptions of Their Classroom Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Chaumklang, Kawin

During the past two decades, the student-centered approach has been widely promoted and accepted by the educational community as one of the most effective instructional approaches. It has been continually developed and revised to match our current understanding of how humans learn (American Psychological Association, 1997). It is based upon the belief that students should take responsibility for their own learning. Thus, curriculum, instruction, and assessment should be carefully designed to stimulate, facilitate, and accelerate students' learning as much as possible. In order to do so, the teacher needs to take the following factors into consideration: students' cognitive structures, metacognitive and regulative skills, motivation and affective states, developmental and individual differences, and social supports. However, the term student-centered has been defined and described by researchers and scholars in many different ways. Little is known about how practicing teachers conceptualize this term and how they perceive their classroom practices in relation to these conceptions. The purpose of this study was to utilize a qualitative multiple-case study approach to investigate teachers' conceptions of the student-centered approach and their perceptions of their classroom practices. Four Thai high school physics teachers, who were considered products of the current student-centered educational reform movement in Thailand, participated in this study. Data were collected for one learning unit (three to eight weeks) through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The data analysis revealed that teachers' conceptions of student-centered curriculum, instruction, and assessment had three common characteristics: (a) students' active participation; (b) special emphasis on students' background knowledge, understanding, motivation, affective states, and learning capability; and (c) benefits to students. The results also indicated that there

An ongoing collaborative teacher training through action research. A way of changing classroom practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raúl A. Barba-Martín

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The ongoing education training for teachers can be done through different models that could only report or also accompany the process of implementing innovations. The training through reflection processes is presented as essential to make changes in the classroom; also, if it is done collectively with other teachers or between centers, transformations will not only occur in the classroom, but in the whole context. One way leading to a collaborative ongoing education is through action research groups, considering a set of ethical practices whose characteristics allow participants to be trained according to their needs, and through support with other teachers, in order to transform the context. The research we present here is framed in a Teaching Innovation Project, University of Valladolid, through which teachers from three schools that have been trained in inclusive education through action research implementing in their classrooms interactive groups. This collaborative process played by teachers themselves has changed the thinking of teachers, their classroom and their educational contexts in which they work.

Classroom Interaction in Teaching English as Foreign Language at Lower Secondary Schools in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanna Sundari

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to develop a deep understanding of interaction in language classroom in foreign language context. Interviews, as major instrument, to twenty experienced English language teachers from eight lower secondary schools (SMP were conducted in Jakarta, completed by focus group discussions and class observation/recordings. The gathered data was analyzed according to systematic design of grounded theory analysis method through 3-phase coding. A model of classroom interaction was formulated defining several dimensions in interaction. Classroom interaction can be more comprehended under the background of interrelated factors: interaction practices, teacher and student factors, learning objectives, materials, classroom contexts, and outer contexts surrounding the interaction practices. The developed model of interaction for language classroom is notably to give deep descriptions on how interaction substantially occurs and what factors affect it in foreign language classrooms at lower secondary schools from teachers’ perspectives.

Teacher Time Spent on Student Health Issues and School Nurse Presence

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Nina Jean; Hollis, Marianne

2012-01-01

Elementary school teacher time spent on student health issues and the relationship to school nurse services was the focus of this 2-year study. A cross-sectional design was used to survey traditional and exceptional (special needs) classroom teachers about the time they spent on health issues and their perception of school nurse presence. The…

Too Many Pieces: A Study of Teacher Fragmentation in the Elementary School.

Science.gov (United States)

Klugman, Edgar; And Others

Fragmentation of elementary school teachers' time and attention is an almost universal problem. Frequent coming and going of children to and from the classroom for legitimate purposes disrupts and distracts the teacher and other students. Children receiving special education services frequently leave the classroom for half-hour periods, thus…

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…

Acoustic comfort in high-school classrooms for students and teachers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

G.E. Puglisi; L.C. Cantor Cutiva (Lady Catherine); L. Pavese; A. Castellana; M. Bona; S. Fasolis; V. Lorenzatti; A. Carullo; A. Burdor; F. Bronuzzi; A. Astolfi

2015-01-01

textabstractThis work focuses on the evaluation of acoustical quality in high-school classrooms through in-field measurements and self-reports. Two school buildings that differ in location and typology, were considered. In-field measurements included sound insulation, room acoustics and

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.

Coping Styles with Student Misbehavior as Mediators of Teachers' Classroom Management Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Van Dat

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to identify how teachers' use of various coping styles with student misbehavior, and the extent to which these relate to their classroom management techniques -- punishment, recognition and reward, hinting, discussion, and aggression. It examines data from 397 junior high school teachers in Vietnam. The results…

Bullying and Victimization among Students with Disabilities: Effective Strategies for Classroom Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Chad A.; Monda-Amaya, Lisa E.

2012-01-01

Bullying has come to be recognized as a pervasive problem in schools today. Frequently bullying is not immediately recognized or viewed by classroom teachers as problematic behavior. As more students experience bullying, questions arise as to how well teachers understand the bullying dynamic and are aware of strategies for intervening when those…

Intervention effects on kindergarten and 1st grade teachers’ classroom food practices and food-related beliefs in American Indian reservation schools

Science.gov (United States)

Arcan, Chrisa; Hannan, Peter J.; Himes, John H.; Fulkerson, Jayne A.; Rock, Bonnie Holy; Smyth, Mary; Story, Mary

2013-01-01

Prevalence of obesity among American Indian (AI) children is higher than the general US population. The school environment and teachers play important roles in helping students develop healthy eating habits. The aim of this prospective study was to examine teachers’ classroom and school food practices and beliefs and the effect of teacher training on these practices and beliefs. Data were used from the Bright Start study, a group-randomized, school-based trial on the Pine Ridge AI reservation (Fall 2005 to Spring 2008). Kindergarten and first grade teachers (n=75) from 14 schools completed a survey at the beginning and end of the school year. Thirty-seven survey items were evaluated using mixed-model analysis of variance to examine the intervention effect for each teacher-practice and belief item (adjusting for teacher type and school as random effect). At baseline, some teachers reported classroom and school food practices and beliefs that supported health and some that did not. The intervention was significantly associated with lower classroom use of candy as a treat (p=0.0005) and fast food rewards (p=0.008); more intervention teachers disagreed that fast food should be offered as school lunch alternatives (p=0.019), that it would be acceptable to sell unhealthy foods as part of school fund-raising (p=0.006), and that it would not make sense to limit students’ food choices in school (p=0.035). School-based interventions involving teacher training can result in positive changes in teachers’ classroom food practices and beliefs about the influence of the school food environment in schools serving AI children on reservations. PMID:23885704

A comparative study of teacher's opinions relating to inclusive classrooms in Indonesia and Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pennee Kantavong

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This research compared the work and opinions of regular school teachers teaching in inclusive classrooms in Indonesia and Thailand. These teachers were drawn from schools participating in an in-service training program to enhance the capacity of students with special needs in regular classrooms. A sample of 172 teachers in primary schools in Thailand and 165 from Indonesia answered a questionnaire based on Friedmen's concept of teacher burnout. Eighty percent of the Thai teachers had bachelor's degrees, but only 1 percent were in special education, whereas 77 percent of the Indonesian teachers had bachelor's degrees and 13 percent were in special education. Teachers' opinions on four areas were investigated: inclusion, support from various parties, work environment, and exhaustion. There was no correlation between background variables and teachers' exhaustion and fulfillment. There was a correlation between the number of students in a class and a teacher's de-personalization at the .01 level. When considering social dimensions and exhaustion, there was a correlation at the .01 level. There was a correlation between self-fulfillment and exhaustion at the .01 level. There was no correlation between the organizational, psychological, structural and support dimensions, and exhaustion. In general, teachers reported that they received support from various parties. Most of them expressed positive opinions of students with special needs.

Relationship between Academic Optimism and Classroom Management Styles of Teachers--Case Study: Elementary School Teachers in Isfahan

Science.gov (United States)

Moghtadaie, L.; Hoveida, R.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between classroom management styles of the teachers and their academic optimism. In this study, three types of classroom management styles (interventionist style, interactionist style, and non-interventionist style) have been considered. Research community is all public primary school…

Influences on students' assistive technology use at school: the views of classroom teachers, allied health professionals, students with cerebral palsy and their parents.

Science.gov (United States)

Karlsson, Petra; Johnston, Christine; Barker, Katrina

2017-09-07

This study explored how classroom teachers, allied health professionals, students with cerebral palsy, and their parents view high-tech assistive technology service delivery in the classroom. Semi-structured interviews with six classroom teachers and six parents and their children were conducted. Additionally, two focus groups comprising 10 occupational therapists and six speech pathologists were carried out. Ethical and confidentiality considerations meant that the groups were not matched. Results revealed that it is often untrained staff member who determine students' educational needs. The participants' experiences suggested that, particularly in mainstream settings, there is a need for support and guidance from a professional with knowledge of assistive technology who can also take a lead and guide classroom teachers in how to meet students' needs. Students' motivation to use the technology was also found to be critical for its successful uptake. The study points to the need for classroom teachers to be given sufficient time and skill development opportunities to enable them to work effectively with assistive technology in the classroom. The participants' experiences suggest that such opportunities are not generally forthcoming. Only in this way can it be ensured that students with disabilities receive the education that is their right. Implications for Rehabilitation Classroom teachers, allied health professionals, students, parents need ongoing support and opportunities to practise operational, strategic and linguistic skills with the assistive technology equipment. System barriers to the uptake of assistive technology need to be addressed. To address the lack of time available for training, programing and other support activities around assistive technology, dedicated administrative support is crucial. Professional development around the use of the quality low cost ICF-CY checklist is recommended for both school and allied health staff.

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…

Effects of a Play-Based Teacher Consultation (PBTC) Program on Interpersonal Skills of Elementary School Teachers in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Sarah E.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a play-based teacher consultation (PBTC) program on individual teachers' interpersonal classroom behaviors and teacher-child relationships. The research questions addressed the application of child-centered play therapy principles and PBTC increasing teacher responsiveness, decreasing…

What Can You Learn about Writing in School?: A Case Study in an Elementary Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Florio, Susan; And Others

A two-year study investigated writing in the elementary school. Data collected included field notes from observation of a second/third grade classroom, videotapes of selected classroom activities, weekly journals kept by the teacher reflecting her thoughts on teaching in general and on writing in particular, interviews with the teacher about the…

Classroom Research by Classroom Teachers, 1992.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, Michael, Ed.

1992-01-01

This volume celebrates teachers as life-long learners of the art of teaching, by presenting 21 action research studies designed and implemented by classroom teachers. A "How To Get Started" section outlines action research steps and offers worksheets. Descriptions of the research studies begin with ethnographic studies, which include "Adopt a…

Teacher perceptions of usefulness of mobile learning devices in rural secondary science classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Tighe, Lisa

The internet and easy accessibility to a wide range of digital content has created the necessity for teachers to embrace and integrate digitial media in their curriculums. Although there is a call for digital media integration in curriculum by current learning standards, rural schools continue to have access to fewer resources due to limited budgets, potentially preventing teachers from having access to the most current technology and science instructional materials. This dissertation identifies the perceptions rural secondary science teachers have on the usefulness of mobile learning devices in the science classroom. The successes and challenges in using mobile learning devices in the secondary classroom were also explored. Throughout this research, teachers generally supported the integration of mobile devices in the classroom, while harboring some concerns relating to student distractability and the time required for integrating mobile devices in exisiting curriculum. Quantitative and qualitative data collected through surveys, interviews, and classroom observations revealed that teachers perceive that mobile devices bring benefits such as ease of communication and easy access to digitial information. However, there are perceived challenges with the ability to effectively communicate complex scientific information via mobile devices, distractibility of students, and the time required to develop effective curriculum to integrate digital media into the secondary science classroom.

Thinking Styles of Primary School Teachers in Beijing, China

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying; Pang, Nicholas Sun-Keung

2013-01-01

Previous studies on teachers' thinking have usually related to teaching and learning, and concentrated on classroom-level outcomes. In this study, an organizational and administrative perspective was adopted in examining teachers' thinking style. Data collected were from a sample of 268 in-service teachers from 6 primary schools in Beijing, China.…

Teachers' Views about the Education of Gifted Students in Regular Classrooms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neşe Kutlu Abu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate classroom teachers’ views about the education of gifted students in regular classrooms. The sample of the study is composed of ten primary school teachers working in the city of Amasya and had gifted students in their classes. In the present study, phenomenological research design was used. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed descriptively in the QSR N-Vivo package program. The findings showed that teachers did not believe a need for differentiating curriculum for gifted students; rather they expressed that regular curriculum was enough for gifted students. Based on the findings, it is clear that teachers need training both on the need of differentiated education for gifted students and strategies and approaches about how to educate gifted students. Teachers’ attitudes towards gifted students in regular classrooms should be investigated so that teachers’ unsupportive beliefs about differentiation for gifted students also influence their attitudes towards gifted students.

Making the Invisible Visible: Disciplinary Literacy in Secondary School Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Mac Mahon, Brendan

2014-01-01

In Ireland, policy on literacy now aims to expand the role that post-primary teachers of all subjects have in developing students' literacy skills. This paper draws on data from a wider research study carried out in secondary schools in 2010 and focuses on the classroom support with disciplinary literacy provided by subject teachers for students…

The Impact of Every Classroom, Every Day on High School Student Achievement: Results from a School-Randomized Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Early, Diane M.; Berg, Juliette K.; Alicea, Stacey; Si, Yajuan; Aber, J. Lawrence; Ryan, Richard M.; Deci, Edward L.

2016-01-01

Every Classroom, Every Day (ECED) is a set of instructional improvement interventions designed to increase student achievement in math and English/language arts (ELA). ECED includes three primary components: (a) systematic classroom observations by school leaders, (b) intensive professional development and support for math teachers and…

The Impact and Feasibility of Introducing Height-Adjustable Desks on Adolescents’ Sitting in a Secondary School Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rick Baldock

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Children spend over 60% of their school day sitting; much of this occurs in the classroom. Emerging research has examined the impact of environmental interventions on classroom sitting. While this research is promising, it has predominantly focused on the primary school setting. This study examined the impact and feasibility of height-adjustable desks on time spent sitting/standing during classroom lessons in a secondary school. Traditional desks in a Melbourne secondary school classroom were replaced with 27 height-adjustable desks (intervention classroom. Forty-three adolescents (51% male; mean age 13.7 ± 1.4 years from Grades 7, 9 and 10 wore an inclinometer and accelerometer for schooldays and completed a survey after using the desks during lessons for seven weeks. Ten teachers (50% male completed a survey. Time spent sitting, standing, and the length of sitting bouts were compared between periods when adolescents were in the intervention classroom versus traditional classrooms (matched on teacher and subject. Compared to the traditional classroom, adolescents spent 25% less time sitting and 24% more time standing in the intervention classroom (effect size > 0.8, and had a greater frequency of short sitting bouts and fewer longer bouts. The majority of teachers (71% and students (70% reported wanting to continue to use the height-adjustable desks. When standing during lessons, adolescents reported working well (69%; however, a third reported difficulties paying attention (28% and becoming distracted (36%. Few teachers reported negative influences on adolescents’ ability to work (14% and concentrate (14%. Half the adolescents reported leg, or back pain with standing. Introducing height-adjustable desks resulted in lower levels of sitting compared with traditional classrooms, was acceptable and had some adverse effects on concentration and discomfort. The study provides preliminary evidence that height-adjustable desks may help reduce

The Teacher as Co-Creator of Drama: A Phenomenological Study of the Experiences and Reflections of Irish Primary School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

McDonagh, Fiona; Finneran, Michael

2017-01-01

Classroom drama in the Irish primary school context remains a relatively new endeavour and is largely under-researched. The knowledge base for all aspects of teacher education should be informed by rigorous reflection on teachers' experiences in the classroom. This paper reports on a phenomenological study conducted with seven Irish primary school…

The Effect of Teacher-Support Programs on Teacher Attrition in a Rural Pre-Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade Public School System

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Carol R.

2013-01-01

Many new teachers are leaving the profession during their first 3 years in a rural pre-kindergarten through 12th grade public school classroom in the southeastern United States. This study reviewed the teacher-support programs typically used in this school that assisted new teachers and encouraged their retention. This work is important because…

Pre-Service Science Teachers' Views on Their Online Argumentation about What Is Happening in Middle School Science Classrooms during Their Practicum Period

Science.gov (United States)

Kaya, Osman Nafiz; Dogan, Alev; Kilic, Ziya; Ebenezer, Jazlin

2004-01-01

In this study, Pre-service Science Teachers' (PSTs) views about the potential benefits and existing barriers of their argumentation on the World Wide Web about what is happening in middle school science classrooms during two semesters of their practicum experiences were investigated. "Special Web Group" called the "Collaborative…

Interactive Whiteboard Integration in Classrooms: Active Teachers Understanding about Their Training Process

Science.gov (United States)

Pujol, Meritxell Cortada; Quintana, Maria Graciela Badilla; Romaní, Jordi Riera

With the incorporation in education of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), especially the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB), emerges the need for a proper teacher training process due to adequate the integration and the didactic use of this tool in the classroom. This article discusses the teachers' perception on the training process for ICT integration. Its main aim is to contribute to the unification of minimum criteria for effective ICT implementation in any training process for active teachers. This case study begins from the development of a training model called Eduticom which was putted into practice in 4 schools in Catalonia, Spain. Findings indicated different teachers' needs such as an appropriate infrastructure, a proper management and a flexible training model which essentially addresses methodological and didactic aspects of IWB uses in the classroom.

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.

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

"It's a Lot of Hectic in Middle School": Student-Teaching in an Urban Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Jim

1999-01-01

Relates the experience of a college professor who spent two months as a student teacher in an eighth-grade language arts classroom in an urban public school. Discusses middle school teaching verses college teaching, coming to know the students, discipline, student testing, accountability, teaching writing, the failure of teacher-training programs,…

Arctic research in the classroom: A teacher's experiences translated into data driven lesson plans

Science.gov (United States)

Kendrick, E. O.; Deegan, L.

2011-12-01

Incorporating research into high school science classrooms can promote critical thinking skills and provide a link between students and the scientific community. Basic science concepts become more relevant to students when taught in the context of research. A vital component of incorporating current research into classroom lessons is involving high school teachers in authentic research. The National Science Foundation sponsored Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program has inspired me to bring research to my classroom, communicate the importance of research in the classroom to other teachers and create lasting connections between students and the research community. Through my experiences as an RET at Toolik Field Station in Alaska, I have created several hands-on lessons and laboratory activities that are based on current arctic research and climate change. Each lesson uses arctic research as a theme for exemplifying basic biology concepts as well as increasing awareness of current topics such as climate change. For instance, data collected on the Kuparuk River will be incorporated into classroom activities that teach concepts such as primary production, trophic levels in a food chain and nutrient cycling within an ecosystem. Students will not only understand the biological concepts but also recognize the ecological implications of the research being conducted in the arctic. By using my experience in arctic research as a template, my students will gain a deeper understanding of the scientific process. I hope to create a crucial link of information between the science community and science education in public schools.

Observing Emotional Interactions between Teachers and Students in Elementary School Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Elizabeth M.; Evans, Ian M.; Harvey, Shane T.

2011-01-01

Fostering emotional skills in the elementary (primary) school classroom can lead to improved learning outcomes, more prosocial behavior, and positive emotional development. Incorporating emotional skill development into the naturalistic and implicit teaching environment is a key feature of what is meant by the emotional climate of the classroom.…

Teacher and Peer Support for Young Adolescents' Motivation, Engagement, and School Belonging

Science.gov (United States)

Kiefer, Sarah M.; Alley, Kathleen M.; Ellerbrock, Cheryl R.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to investigate teacher and peer support for young adolescents' academic motivation, classroom engagement, and school belonging within one large, urban, ethnically diverse middle school. In the initial quantitative phase, associations among aspects of teacher support (autonomy,…

Reading comprehension in South African schools: Are teachers getting it, and getting it right?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pretorius, Elizabeth J.

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Much research exists about South African learners’ low literacy and numeracy levels and about poorly performing schools. In contrast, there are far fewer detailed descriptions of instructional practices and what teachers are actually doing in their classrooms, and far less evidence exists of in-depth research attempts to understand in what way and why teachers may experience problems with the teaching of reading literacy, particularly reading comprehension. This article aims to contribute to narrowing that gap by reviewing recent South African research on classroom comprehension instruction and obtaining information from teachers about how they perceive themselves as readers, what their teaching context is, what they claim to be doing about reading in their classrooms, and to match these responses with ANA results at their schools. Data were obtained through a quantitative questionnaire from 159 teachers at 30 schools across three provinces. The results show that many teachers are not themselves immersed in rich reading practices, many teachers claim to be doing more than is reflected in their schools’ literacy results, and in general teachers don’t seem to have a clear understanding of reading concepts, reading development and reading methodology.

Classroom Resources | Argonne National Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Center Community Outreach Learning Experiences School Competitions Teacher Programs Classroom Resources Learning Center Community Outreach Learning Experiences School Competitions Teacher Programs Classroom every student and that is free from harassment and discrimination based upon race, color, religion

A Professor Returns to the Classroom in a Professional Development School.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyman, Lawrence

This paper describes one professor's sabbatical leave, when he returned to a third/fourth grade classroom as a teacher. It examines logistical arrangements necessary for success and insights gained. He worked in a Professional Development School (PDS) for 1 year, mentoring a PDS intern, 2 student teachers in the traditional preservice program, and…

Technology Integration in EFL Classrooms: A Study of Qatari Independent Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Chaaban, Youmen; Ellili-Cherif, Maha

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of teachers' individual characteristics and perceptions of environmental factors on the extent of technology integration into EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms. To this end, a national survey examining EFL teachers' perceptions was conducted at Qatari Independent Schools. A total of…

Challenging Racism through Schools: Teacher Attitudes to Cultural Diversity and Multicultural Education in Sydney, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, James; Lean, Garth; Dunn, Kevin

2016-01-01

How school teachers act to challenge racism in schools is a vital concern in an immigrant society like Australia. A 10% response from a self-administered online survey of government (public) primary and secondary school teachers across Sydney, Australia's largest EthniCity, examines attitudes of classroom teachers towards cultural diversity, goals…

Integrating animals in the classroom: The attitudes and experiences of Australian school teachers toward animal-assisted interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bradley P Smith

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The introduction of animals into school classrooms has been posited as a beneficial intervention for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD. Whilst evidence that animal-assisted interventions or activities can positively influence classroom behaviour and learning outcomes is emerging, little is known about the experiences and attitudes of those who implement it. We presented a series of open and close-ended questions via an online survey to Australian school teachers working with students on the autistic spectrum. Whether teachers had experienced companion animals in the classroom or not, companion animals were believed to provide a means for improving social skills and engagement within the classroom, as well as decreasing stress, anxiety, and the occurrence of problematic behaviours. Yet, despite an overall positive attitude, and 68% having had animals or pets in their classroom, only 16% of respondents had experience with ‘formal’ animal-assisted interventions. Explanations for why both formal and informal animal-assisted interventions were either not being adopted, or was not currently being considered, included a lack of knowledge, lack of support and resources, reactions of the student in relation to allergies and behaviour, and issues relating to animal welfare. It was also acknowledged that the evidence-base for animal-assisted interventions for students with ASD is currently lacking, and that such interventions were not suitable for all students, or all classroom situations. Moving forward, it is important that the inclusion of companion animals and more formal based animal intervention programs in classrooms be adequately designed and evaluated, because implementing or promoting time consuming and financially costly strategies without the evidence is problematic.

Neuroscience in middle schools: a professional development and resource program that models inquiry-based strategies and engages teachers in classroom implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

MacNabb, Carrie; Schmitt, Lee; Michlin, Michael; Harris, Ilene; Thomas, Larry; Chittendon, David; Ebner, Timothy J; Dubinsky, Janet M

2006-01-01

The Department of Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota and the Science Museum of Minnesota have developed and implemented a successful program for middle school (grades 5-8) science teachers and their students, called Brain Science on the Move. The overall goals have been to bring neuroscience education to underserved schools, excite students about science, improve their understanding of neuroscience, and foster partnerships between scientists and educators. The program includes BrainU, a teacher professional development institute; Explain Your Brain Assembly and Exhibit Stations, multimedia large-group presentation and hands-on activities designed to stimulate student thinking about the brain; Class Activities, in-depth inquiry-based investigations; and Brain Trunks, materials and resources related to class activities. Formal evaluation of the program indicated that teacher neuroscience knowledge, self-confidence, and use of inquiry-based strategies and neuroscience in their classrooms have increased. Participating teachers increased the time spent teaching neuroscience and devoted more time to "inquiry-based" teaching versus "lecture-based teaching." Teachers appreciated in-depth discussions of pedagogy and science and opportunities for collegial interactions with world-class researchers. Student interest in the brain and in science increased. Since attending BrainU, participating teachers have reported increased enthusiasm about teaching and have become local neuroscience experts within their school communities.

A Case Study of the Common Difficulties Experienced by High School Students in Chemistry Classroom in Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takbir Ali

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This article reports a research study conducted with four chemistry teachers in three high schools (two government schools and one private school in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The study investigated questions concerning common difficulties high school (Grades 9 and 10 students experience in chemistry classroom, the possible reasons for these difficulties, and the ways in which teachers help students overcome these difficulties. A qualitative case study method was used to investigate the questions, which used in-depth interviews with teachers, classroom observation, and postobservation discussion with the teachers, as main data collection tools. The key findings of the study allude to a huge gap between what is intended in the National Curriculum in terms of students’ learning in chemistry and what actually happens in the classroom where students learn chemistry. Promoting in-depth learning appeared to be an uphill task for the teachers. The main hurdle lies in students’ inability to demonstrate a good understanding of very basic concepts of the subject. Despite faced with such a challenge, the teachers appear to be committed to teaching their subject. The implications of the results of the study are explained in the context of schools, teachers, and other educational stakeholders by emphasizing the need for synchronization and integration of efforts on the part of schools.

Kissing Brides and Loving Hot Vampires: Children's Construction and Perpetuation of Heteronormativity in Elementary School Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Caitlin L.

2016-01-01

This paper explores notions of (hetero)sexuality circulating in elementary school classrooms through an analysis of students' own talk and interactions. Data collected during a multi-site ethnography in a diverse set of elementary schools demonstrate that while curricular silences and teachers contribute to heteronormative classroom environments,…

Common Core Math in the K-8 Classroom: Results from a National Teacher Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Bay-Williams, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Successful implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) should result in noticeable differences in primary and middle school math classrooms across the United States. "Common Core Math in the K-8 Classroom: Results from a National Teacher Survey" takes a close look at how educators are implementing the…

Teachers' Beliefs, Perceived Practice and Actual Classroom Practice in Relation to Traditional (Teacher-Centered) and Constructivist (Learner-Centered) Teaching (Note 1)

Science.gov (United States)

Kaymakamoglu, Sibel Ersel

2018-01-01

This study explored the EFL teachers' beliefs, perceived practice and actual classroom practice in relation to Traditional (teacher-centered) and Constructivist (learner-centered) teaching in Cyprus Turkish State Secondary Schools context. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews and structured observations were employed with purposively…

Middle School Teachers' Expectations of Organizational Behaviors of Students with Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

McMullen, Rebecca C.; Shippen, Margaret E.; Dangel, Harry L.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the specific classroom organizational behaviors that middle school inclusive teachers report as expectations for students with learning disabilities. Practicing middle school science and social studies teachers (n = 12) responded to a survey about organization behaviors of students with learning…

The Effects of a School-Based Functional Analysis on Subsequent Classroom Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Tonya N.; Durand, Shannon; Fuentes, Lisa; Dacus, Sharon; Blenden, Kara

2014-01-01

In this study we analyzed the effects of conducting a school-based functional analysis on subsequent classroom behavior. Each participant was observed in the classroom during activities that were reported by teachers to result in high levels of challenging behavior. Participants were observed during (a) baseline, prior to the administration of a…

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.

Classroom Performance Evaluation: Stages and Perspectives for Professional Development of Secondary Teachers in Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

Pham, Huy Q.; Roberts, Stacey B.

2012-01-01

This study examined classroom performance evaluation of secondary teachers in Vietnam. Specially, it sought to determine the possibility of applying supervision into the evaluation for teaching development. Data were collected from interviews with 34 (n=34) participants: ten evaluators and 24 teachers in different school contexts: rural areas,…

Early Childhood Teachers' Perspectives on Social-Emotional Competence and Learning in Urban Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Humphries, Marisha L.; Williams, Brittney V.; May, Tanginia

2018-01-01

The promotion of social-emotional competence and implementation of social-emotional learning programs have increased substantially in schools; however, little is known about teachers' perceptions of such programs. This qualitative study explored early childhood (3 to 8 years old) teachers' perceptions of classroom-based social-emotional learning…

Inclusive Education in Government Primary Schools: Teacher Perceptions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Itfaq Khaliq Khan

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The perceptions of primary school teachers towards inclusive education was investigated in mainstream government schools of Islamabad capital territory where inclusive education was being supported by Sight savers and other international organizations. The study was carried out involving 54 teachers in six randomly selected primary schools. The sampled group comprised both, teachers trained in inclusive education and teachers working in same schools, but not trained in inclusive education. Purposive sampling method was used to select the teachers. Structured questionnaire (Likert Scale and structured interview method was used for data collection. The results of the study revealed that inclusive education is considered to be a desirable practice. The teachers believed that all learners regardless of their disabilities should be in regular classrooms and they showed more favorable attitude towards children with mild disabilities, but were not very optimistic about children with severe disabilities. The study also recognized teachers’ capacity as an essential component of inclusive education and recommends that inclusive education should be a part of pre and in-service teacher education.

What works for you? Using teacher feedback to inform adaptations of pivotal response training for classroom use.

Science.gov (United States)

Stahmer, Aubyn C; Suhrheinrich, Jessica; Reed, Sarah; Schreibman, Laura

2012-01-01

Several evidence-based practices (EBPs) have been identified as efficacious for the education of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, effectiveness research has rarely been conducted in schools and teachers express skepticism about the clinical utility of EBPs for the classroom. Innovative methods are needed to optimally adapt EBPs for community use. This study utilizes qualitative methods to identify perceived benefits and barriers of classroom implementation of a specific EBP for ASD, Pivotal Response Training (PRT). Teachers' perspectives on the components of PRT, use of PRT as a classroom intervention strategy, and barriers to the use of PRT were identified through guided discussion. Teachers found PRT valuable; however, they also found some components challenging. Specific teacher recommendations for adaptation and resource development are discussed. This process of obtaining qualitative feedback from frontline practitioners provides a generalizable model for researchers to collaborate with teachers to optimally promote EBPs for classroom use.

Conflicts at Schools and Their Impact on Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Göksoy, Süleyman; Argon, Türkan

2016-01-01

Based on teacher views, the study was set out to identify school conflicts, reasons behind them, their impact and responses to conflicts. The study undertaken via survey model utilized a qualitative research method. Study group of the study was composed of 57 classroom and subject matter teachers employed in Bolu central district during 2014-2015…

Translanguaging in a middle school science classroom: Constructing scientific arguments in English and Spanish

Science.gov (United States)

Licona, Peter R.

This dissertation investigates translanguaging in an English/Spanish dual language middle school science classroom as the teacher and students worked through a curriculum unit focusing on socioscientific issues and implementing a scientific argumentation framework. Translanguaging is the process in which bilingual speakers fluidly and dynamically draw from their full linguistic repertoire to perform a communicative act. Using ethnographically informed data collection in conjunction with discourse analysis, teacher translanguaging was examined for its related functions in the science classroom and how teacher translanguaging afforded opportunities for framing and supporting scientific argumentation. Results suggest that the functions of teacher translanguaging fell into three main themes: maintaining classroom culture, facilitating the academic task, and framing epistemic practices. Of the three categories of translanguaging, framing epistemic practices proved to be of paramount importance in the teacher presenting and supporting the practice of scientific argumentation. Implications from this study are relevant for pre-service science teacher preparation and in-service science teacher professional development for teachers working with emergent bilingual students.

Science Specialists or Classroom Teachers: Who Should Teach Elementary Science?

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Abigail Jurist; Jia, Yueming; Marco-Bujosa, Lisa; Gess-Newsome, Julie; Pasquale, Marian

2016-01-01

This study examined science programs, instruction, and student outcomes at 30 elementary schools in a large, urban district in the northeast United States in an effort to understand whether there were meaningful differences in the quality, quantity and cost of science education when provided by a science specialist or a classroom teacher. Student…

Student-teacher relationships matter for school inclusion: school belonging, disability, and school transitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Crouch, Ronald; Keys, Christopher B; McMahon, Susan D

2014-01-01

For students with disabilities, the process of school inclusion often begins with a move from segregated settings into general education classrooms. School transitions can be stressful as students adjust to a new environment. This study examines the adjustment of 133 students with and without disabilities who moved from a school that served primarily students with disabilities into 23 public schools in a large urban school district in the Midwest. These students and 111 of their teachers and other school staff rated the degree that students felt they belonged in their new schools and the quality of their social interactions. Results show that students who experienced more positive and fewer negative social interactions with school staff had higher school belonging. Teachers accurately noted whether students felt they belonged in their new settings, but were not consistently able to identify student perceptions of negative social interactions with staff. Implications for inclusion and improving our educational system are explored.

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

Sexual Harassment in the Classroom: Teacher as Target.

Science.gov (United States)

Tochterman, Suzanne; Barnes, Fred

1998-01-01

Discusses teachers as victims of sexual harassment in their classrooms. Includes examples involving preservice and new teachers. Discusses the impact of harassment on teachers themselves and on classroom performance. Offers strategies to support and intervene with new teachers who have been victims of sexual harassment. (MKA)

Project NANO (nanoscience and nanotechnology outreach): a STEM training program that brings SEM's and stereoscopes into high-school and middle-school classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Cady, Sherry L.; Blok, Mikel; Grosse, Keith; Wells, Jennifer

2014-09-01

The program Project NANO (Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Outreach) enables middle and high school students to discover and research submicroscopic phenomena in a new and exciting way with the use of optical and scanning electron microscopes in the familiar surroundings of their middle or high school classrooms. Project NANO provides secondary level professional development workshops, support for classroom instruction and teacher curriculum development, and the means to deliver Project NANO toolkits (SEM, stereoscope, computer, supplies) to classrooms with Project NANO trained teachers. Evaluation surveys document the impact of the program on student's attitudes toward science and technology and on the learning outcomes for secondary level teachers. Project NANO workshops (offered for professional development credit) enable teachers to gain familiarity using and teaching with the SEM. Teachers also learn to integrate new content knowledge and skills into topic-driven, standards-based units of instruction specifically designed to support the development of students' higher order thinking skills that include problem solving and evidence-based thinking. The Project NANO management team includes a former university science faculty, two high school science teachers, and an educational researcher. To date, over 7500 students have experienced the impact of the Project NANO program, which provides an exciting and effective model for engaging students in the discovery of nanoscale phenomena and concepts in a fun and engaging way.

Teachers of young children (3-5 years old and their interaction with pupils: approaching positive classroom management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fryni Paraskevopoulou

2006-04-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the social and emotional development of children between three to five years old, the factors that affect their in-school behaviour and strategies for positive teacher classroom management. It is suggested that teachers need to reflect upon children’s development in order for an effective classroom management to be achieved. Aspects of teachers’ expectations about interaction between children and teachers will also be exemplified. Literature research was employed as a method to explore the relevant issues.

Exploring the relationship between classroom type and teacher ıntervention fidelity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica Suhrheinrich

2016-12-01

Full Text Available As special education enrollment for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD has increased, school-based programs and providers have been challenged to expand the scope and quality of services. Researchers and school-based providers are aligned in the goal of providing high-quality services to students with ASD, however current literature does not address how training and implementation needs may differ by the age of children served. The current study evaluates variability in teacher fidelity of Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching (CPRT, an evidence-based naturalistic behavioral intervention based on the principals of applied behavior analysis. Data included 479 individual video units collected from 101 teacher and 221 student participants. Videos were coded using behavioral coding definitions and student demographic information was collected from parents of participating children. Analyses explored differences in fidelity of CPRT by age of students. Results indicate a significant relationship between classroom type (preschool/elementary and teachers’ fidelity of CPRT, suggesting the possibility of targeted training based on student age.

Online collaboration, teachers training and ICT in the classroom: a case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Risoleta DE JESUS PINTO

2013-12-01

Full Text Available ICT is changing not only ways of life, but also the individuals’ minds and cultures of different social groups.  For these reason, it is supposed that schools appear as innovation centers focused on the network society. However, previous research accomplished under the Network of Municipal Observatories for Literacy and Digital Inclusion has revealed that despite teachers in primary schools acknowledge the importance of digital technologies and the Internet, they occasionally use these technologies, justifying this low level of use on a lack of pedagogical skills. Additionally, the single teacher in primary schools has led to cultures of professional isolation that hinder the dynamics of networking, a fundamental dimension to the promotion of digital literacy.Given these facts and the theoretical review about learning in virtual environments, we offered an online teachers training course about ICT to primary schools teachers, in Santarém, Portugal. The results enhance the positive value of joint dynamics among teachers, which contributes to their professional development, as well as leads to the inclusion of ICT in the classroom.

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.

A Defense of Using Pop Media in the Middle-School Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Witkin, Mitzi

1994-01-01

Discusses the ways that middle school English teachers can use popular teen culture within the context of general English instruction. Suggests bringing television, film, comics, advice columns, and teen magazines into the English classroom. (HB)

Senior science teachers' experience of teaching in a changing multicultural classroom: A case study

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Mark

Demographic changes within the US are bringing significant changes in the cultural make-up of the classrooms in our schools. Results from national and state assessments indicate a growing achievement gap between the science scores of white students and students from minority communities. This gap indicates a disconnect somewhere in the science classrooms. This study examines the teacher's perspective of the changing learning environment. The study focuses on senior teachers with traditional Midwestern backgrounds and little multicultural experience assuming these teachers had little or no education in multicultural education. Senior teachers are also more likely to have completed their science education within a traditional Universalist perspective of science and likewise have little or no education in multicultural science. The research method was comparative case studies of a purposeful sample of nine science teachers within a community experiencing significant demographic change, seven core senior teachers and two frame of reference teachers. The interviews examined the teachers' awareness of their own cultural beliefs and the impact of those beliefs on classroom practices, the teachers' understanding of cultural influences on the students' academic performance, and the relationships between the teachers' understanding of the cultural aspects of the nature of science and their classroom practices. Analysis of the interview data revealed that the teachers maintain a strong, traditional Midwestern worldview for classroom expectations and they are generally unaware of the impact of those standards on the classroom environment. The teachers were supportive of minority students within their classroom, changing several practices to accommodate student needs, but they were unaware of the broader cultural influences on student learning. The teachers had a poor understanding of the nature of science and none of them recognized a cultural element of NOS. They maintained a

Instructional strategies in science classrooms of specialized secondary schools for the gifted

Science.gov (United States)

Poland, Donna Lorraine

This study examined the extent to which science teachers in Academic Year Governor's Schools were adhering to the national standards for suggested science instruction and providing an appropriate learning environment for gifted learners. The study asked 13 directors, 54 instructors of advanced science courses, and 1190 students of advanced science courses in 13 Academic Year Governor's Schools in Virginia to respond to researcher-developed surveys and to participate in classroom observations. The surveys and classroom observations collected demographic data as well as instructors' and students' perceptions of the use of various instructional strategies related to national science reform and gifted education recommendations. Chi-square analyses were used to ascertain significant differences between instructors' and students' perceptions. Findings indicated that instructors of advanced science classes in secondary schools for the gifted are implementing nationally recognized gifted education and science education instructional strategies with less frequency than desired. Both students and instructors concur that these strategies are being implemented in the classroom setting, and both concur as to the frequency with which the implementation occurs. There was no significant difference between instructors' and students' perceptions of the frequency of implementation of instructional strategies. Unfortunately, there was not a single strategy that students and teachers felt was being implemented on a weekly or daily basis across 90% of the sampled classrooms. Staff development in gifted education was found to be minimal as an ongoing practice. While this study offers some insights into the frequency of strategy usage, the study needs more classroom observations to support findings; an area of needed future research. While this study was conducted at the secondary level, research into instructional practices at the middle school and elementary school gifted science

Digital Libraries in the Classroom: Secondary School Teachers' Conception

Science.gov (United States)

Abrizah, A.; Zainab, A. N.

2011-01-01

This paper presents findings from a case study investigating secondary school teachers' understanding of the term digital libraries and their relationship with learning. The study addresses two research questions: (1) How do teachers conceptualize digital libraries, their relevance and issues relating to their integration into the curriculum? and…

Mapping Science in Discourse-based Inquiry Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Yeneayhu, Demeke Gesesse

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate how discourse-based inquiry science lessons provided opportunities for students to develop a network of semantic relations among core ideas and concepts in science. It was a naturalistic inquiry classroom lessons observation study on three science teachers--- a middle school science teacher and two high school physics teachers in an urban school district located in the Western New York region. Discourse and thematic analysis drawn from the theory of Systemic Functional Linguistics were utilized as guiding framework and analysis tools. Analysis of the pre-observation and post-observation interviews of the participant teachers revealed that all of the three teachers participated in at least one inquiry-based science teaching teacher professional development program and they all thought their classroom teaching practice was inquiry-based. Analysis of their classroom lesson videos that each participant teacher taught on a specific science topic revealed that the middle school teacher was found to be a traditional teacher-dominated classroom whereas the two high school physics teachers' classroom teaching approach was found to be discourse-based inquiry. One of the physics teachers who taught on a topic of Magnetic Interaction used relatively structured and guided-inquiry classroom investigations. The other physics teacher who taught on a topic of Color Mixing utilized open-ended classroom investigations where the students planned and executed the series of classroom science investigations with minimal guidance from the teacher. The traditional teacher-based classroom communicative pattern was found to be dominated by Triadic Dialogue and most of the science thematics were jointly developed by the teacher and the students, but the students' role was limited to providing responses to the teacher's series questions. In the guided-inquiry classroom, the common communicative pattern was found to be True Dialogue and most

Improving Teacher Education for Disadvantaged Youth: What University Professors Can Learn from Classroom Teachers. Conference Proceedings, May 15-17, 1966. Project Beacon.

Science.gov (United States)

Koenigsberg, Shelly P., Ed.

These conference proceedings report the discussions of classroom teachers and university professors relating to the problems of teaching disadvantaged students. Topics treated were the inadequacies of teacher training, need for self-analysis during training, teaching of reading, grouping students for instruction, and the relation of the schools to…

Assertive Classroom Management Strategies and Students' Performance: The Case of EFL Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Aliakbari, Mohammad; Bozorgmanesh, Bafrin

2015-01-01

Ample research findings support the effective role that classroom management strategies play in enhancing students' learning. Drawing upon Iranian high school teachers' classroom management strategies, this article is intended to examine the extent to which these teachers follow assertive classroom management strategies and if these strategies…

Classroom management: Teachers’ skills and differentiation according to posts held at school – A research study with primary school teachers

OpenAIRE

Valente, Sónia; Veiga, Feliciano

2016-01-01

Conceptual framework: The concept of classroom management emerges as a relevant and contemporary study area, since due to a shortage of empirical studies, there is a clear need for deeper explanatory theoretical models. Teachers use strategies for classroom management but still encounter barriers when defining conditions which may enhance the teaching and learning process. Objective: the present research intended to answer the following research questions: «How are teachers ...

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.

Teacher classroom practices and Mathematics performance in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Mathematics teacher questionnaire, administered as part of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011, comprised questions pertaining to the classroom practices of Teacher Clarity, Classroom Discussion, Feedback, Formative Assessment, Problem Solving and Metacognitive Strategies, ...

Teacher Absence as a Factor in Gender Inequalities in Access to Primary Schooling in Rural Pakistan

Science.gov (United States)

Ghuman, Sharon; Lloyd, Cynthia

2010-01-01

The presence of a teacher in the classroom is central to the provision of schooling, with accumulating evidence showing that teacher absence compromises student learning. Teacher absence is common in schools in low- and middle-income countries. With much of the developing world making rapid progress in achieving universal primary school enrollment…

Rural School Math and Science Teachers' Technology Integration Familiarization

Science.gov (United States)

Kalonde, Gilbert

2017-01-01

This study explored the significance of technology integration familiarization and the subsequent PD provided to rural middle school teachers with several opportunities to gain technological skills for technology use in rural middle school math and science classrooms. In order to explore the use of technology in rural schools, this study surveyed…

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

Promoting School Success: Developing Social Skills and Early Literacy in Head Start Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Gunn, Barbara; Feil, Ed; Seeley, John; Severson, Herb; Walker, Hill M.

2006-01-01

This article reports the results of a pilot intervention to improve the social skills and literacy preparation of behaviorally at-risk Head Start children. Teachers in eight Head Start classrooms in two Oregon communities participated during the 2002-03 school year. Children in eight classrooms were screened and identified for participation using…

Comparing levels of school performance to science teachers' reports on knowledge/skills, instructional use and student use of computers

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, Rebecca

The purpose of this descriptive quantitative and basic qualitative study was to examine fifth and eighth grade science teachers' responses, perceptions of the role of technology in the classroom, and how they felt that computer applications, tools, and the Internet influence student understanding. The purposeful sample included survey and interview responses from fifth grade and eighth grade general and physical science teachers. Even though they may not be generalizable to other teachers or classrooms due to a low response rate, findings from this study indicated teachers with fewer years of teaching science had a higher level of computer use but less computer access, especially for students, in the classroom. Furthermore, teachers' choice of professional development moderated the relationship between the level of school performance and teachers' knowledge/skills, with the most positive relationship being with workshops that occurred outside of the school. Eighteen interviews revealed that teachers perceived the role of technology in classroom instruction mainly as teacher-centered and supplemental, rather than student-centered activities.

Pre-Service Teachers: An Analysis of Reading Instruction in High Needs Districts Dual Language Classrooms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Whitacre

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Pre-service teachers need opportunities to apply theory and connect to best practices as they teach in classroom settings be it, whole or small group. For many pre-service teachers often times their experience is limited to simply watching instruction or working with small groups of students (Pryor & Kuhn, 2004. The student teaching experience is a critical component of the teacher preparation program. Through the use of the English Language Learner Classroom Observation Instrument (ELLCOI, and researcher observation the hope is that these will aid in bringing to light the instructional activities used by pre-service teachers during reading instruction with ELLs. This study explores how pre-service bilingual teachers connect theory into practice by examining their instruction in the following categories: Instructional Practices, Interactive Teaching, English-Language Development, and Content Specific to Reading as listed in The English Language Learner Classroom Observation Instrument (ELLCOI developed by Haager, Gersten, Baker, and Graves (2003. To capture these instructional events video tape recordings of eight South Texas pre-service teachers were taken during a reading language arts lesson in order to observe instruction in high need districts’ dual language/bilingual classrooms. Data were compiled to capture the nature and quality of instruction on key essential elements, as well as reading instructional practices specific to the teaching/learning process in the dual language classroom. The findings portray the results of the ELLCOI with bilingual/ESL pre- service teachers and how they make sense of their instructional practices as a means to instruction in one-way dual language public school classrooms.

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...

Teachers Exploring Mobile Device Integration: A Case Study of Secondary Teachers’ Responses to iPads in the Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stella Erbes

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This qualitative study seeks to understand and resolve the difficulties that teachers encounter when integrating mobile devices in classrooms. To address the issue of teacher receptiveness, three undergraduate researchers collaborated with an education professor in spring 2012 to complete a qualitative study with a two-fold purpose: 1 to investigate how two secondary teachers in an independent school responded when adopting a class set of iPads throughout one school cycle (six school days; and 2 to elucidate what a school could do better to support teachers who are piloting mobile device integration. Although previous studies have commonly focused on the impact of 1:1 programs on student achievement, this study focuses on the role of the instructor when designing and delivering instruction with or without iPads. Qualitative data were collected and recorded after a series of observations and interviews with the teachers and the information technology director. All interviews were roughly transcribed and coded systematically so that patterns could be noted. Results found that both instructors commented about their instructional philosophy, instructional objectives, technology support, teacher efficacy, and classroom. At the conclusion of the experiments, the teachers had favorable impressions of the technology, despite initial misgivings and early technical issues.

The influence of professional teachers on Padang vocational school students' achievement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramli Bakar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study determined: (1 the competency of professional teachers teaching in the classroom, (2 students' achievement in vocational schools in Padang, and (3 the influence of professional teachers on vocational school students' achievement in Padang. The population was 2,647 students in vocational schools. The sample, consisting of 160 students, was selected using a multistage, random sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaires and documentation, and then analyzed and presented using the SPSS software. The results showed: (1 overall, the professional teachers of vocational schools in Padang had good qualifications in pedagogical competence, professional competence, social competence, and personal competence, (2 the learning process of vocational schools in Padang was going well and in general, student achievement was at a good level of performance, and (3 there was a significant influence of professional teachers on vocational school students' achievement in Padang. Keywords: professional teacher, student achievement, vocational school

K-12 STEM Educator Autonomy: An Investigation of School Influence and Classroom Control

Science.gov (United States)

Ernst, Jeremy V.; Williams, Thomas O.; Clark, Aaron C.; Kelly, Daniel P.; Sutton, Kevin

2018-01-01

Over the past decade, teacher autonomy within the formal educational system has been a central topic of discussion among educational stakeholders. This study explored influence over school policy and classroom control (teacher autonomy) among in-service science, technology, and mathematics (STM) educators within the United States. The National…

Elementary and Middle School Teacher Perceptions of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Prevalence

Science.gov (United States)

Fabiano, Gregory A.; Pelham, William E., Jr.; Majumdar, Antara; Evans, Steven W.; Manos, Michael J.; Caserta, Donald; Girio-Herrera, Erin L.; Pisecco, Stewart; Hannah, Jane N.; Carter, Randy L.

2013-01-01

Background: Estimates of ADHD diagnosis and stimulant medication use vary across studies. Few studies ascertain the teacher perspective on these rates. Objective: To ascertain teachers' perceptions of ADHD prevalence and medication treatment within their classrooms. Method: The present school survey collected teacher report of identified children…

Comparative Study of Teachers in Regular Schools and Teachers in Specialized Schools in France, Working with Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Stress, Social Support, Coping Strategies and Burnout

Science.gov (United States)

Boujut, Emilie; Dean, Annika; Grouselle, Amélie; Cappe, Emilie

2016-01-01

The inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in schools is a source of stress for teachers. Specialized teachers have, in theory, received special training. To compare the experiences of teachers dealing with students with ASD in different classroom environments. A total of 245 teachers filled out four self-report questionnaires…

["Flipped classroom" teaching model into the curriculum of Theories of Different Schools of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:exploration and practice].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Mailan; Yuan, Yiqin; Chang, Xiaorong; Tang, Yulan; Luo, Jian; Li, Nan; Yu, Jie; Yang, Qianyun; Liu, Mi

2016-08-12

The "flipped classroom" teaching model practiced in the teaching of Theories of Different Schools of Acupuncture and Moxibustion curriculum was introduced. Firstly, the roles and responsibilities of teachers were clarified, indicating teachers provided examples and lectures, and a comprehensive assessment system was established. Secondly, the "flipped classroom" teaching model was split into online learning, classroom learning and offline learning. Online learning aimed at forming a study report by a wide search of relevant information, which was submitted to teachers for review and assessment. Classroom learning was designed to communicate study ideas among students and teachers. Offline learning was intended to revise and improve the study report and refined learning methods. Lastly, the teaching practice effects of "flip classroom" were evaluated by comprehensive rating and questionnaire assessment, which assessed the overall performance of students and overall levels of paper; the learning ability was enhanced, and the interest and motivation of learning were also improved. Therefore, "flipped classroom" teaching mode was suitable for the curriculum of Theories of Different Schools of Acupuncture and Moxibustion , and could be recommended into the teaching practice of related curriculum of acupuncture and tuina.

Achievement goals in the classroom and their possible influence on motivational patterns for chemistry learning in two Brazilian high schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denilson Mendes de Oliveira

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Classroom structures constitute motivational aspects to learn, which can be easily manipulated by teachers during mediation of scientific knowledge to ensure students’ engagement. Organization of learning activities, evaluation and autonomy are some examples of such structures. Two types of goals may be developed in classrooms due to different instructional strategies: performance goals and mastery goals. This work’s objectives were to compare instructional strategies of two high school chemistry teachers (Teacher A and Teacher B from two public schools located in Viçosa (Brazil and infer possible motivational patterns found among students. The comparison was based on the achievement goal theory and organized within the three classroom structures. Data were gathered through field notes from participant observation in two Chemistry classes and semi-structured interviews with both of the teachers. It was verified that Teacher A utilized strategies aligned with mastery goals, while Teacher B utilized instructional strategies that were consistent with the two types of goals. It is concluded that this can influence student engagement during Chemistry classes, considering that teachers have an important role in the orchestration of classroom structures, articulating instructional strategies that favor learning and mediation of the scientific knowledge.

An Avenue for Challenging Sexism: Examining the High School Sociology Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaylene Mae Stevens

2016-03-01

Full Text Available 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 sociology as different from other social studies courses, because it serves as a more intentional way to reduce sexism and gender stratification. As such, the teachers saw the sociology classroom as a place for students to grapple with issues of gender stratification and inequity.  Teachers’ beliefs related to gender and sexism strongly influenced what they saw as the purpose of sociology class, and it influenced the instructional practices that they used.  Recommendations are made related to professional development around issues of gender equity.

Predicting Teacher Participation in a Classroom-Based, Integrated Preventive Intervention for Preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Courtney N; Kupersmidt, Janis B; Voegler-Lee, Mary Ellen; Arnold, David H; Willoughby, Michael T

2010-01-01

Preschools provide a promising setting in which to conduct preventive interventions for childhood problems, but classroom programs can only be effective if teachers are willing and able to implement them. This study is one of the first to investigate predictors of the frequency of teacher participation in a classroom-based, randomized controlled trial of an integrated prevention program for preschoolers. The intervention was designed to promote school readiness with an integrated social and academic program, to be implemented by teachers with the support of classroom consultants. The current study is part of a larger project conducted with Head Start and community child care centers that serve primarily economically disadvantaged families; 49 teachers from 30 centers participated in this study. Overall, teachers conducted approximately 70% of the program activities. Participation decreased significantly over time from the first to the final week of the intervention, and also decreased within each week of the intervention, from the first to the final weekly activity. Teachers working at community child care centers implemented more intervention activities than did Head Start teachers. Teacher concerns about the intervention, assessed prior to training, predicted less participation. In addition, teachers' participation was positively related to their perception that their centers and directors were supportive, collegial, efficient, and fair, as well as their job satisfaction and commitment. Teacher experience, education, ethnicity, and self-efficacy were not significantly related to participation. In multi-level models that considered center as a level of analysis, substantial variance was accounted for by centers, pointing to the importance of considering center-level predictors in future research.

Teacher Candidates' Experiences with Clinical Teaching in Reading Instruction: A Comparison between the Professional Development School Environment and the Non-Professional Development School Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Hopper, Cynthia J.

2016-01-01

Teacher candidates experience a variety of school settings when enrolled in teacher education methods courses. Candidates report varied experiences when in public school classrooms. This dissertation investigated clinical experiences of teacher candidates when placed in two different environments for clinical teaching. The two environments were a…

Multicultural science education in Lesotho high school biology classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Nthathakane, Malefu Christina

2001-12-01

This study investigated how Basotho high school biology students responded to a multicultural science education (MCSE) approach. Students' home language---Sesotho---and cultural experiences were integrated into the teaching of a unit on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) abuse. The focus was on students whose cultural background is African and who are English second language users. The study was conducted in three high school biology classrooms in Lesotho where the ATOD unit was taught using MCSE. A fourth biology classroom was observed for comparison purposes. In this classroom the regular biology teacher taught ATOD using typical instructional strategies. The study was framed by the general question: How does a multicultural science education approach affect Basotho high school biology students? More specifically: How does the use of Sesotho (or code-switching between Sesotho and English) and integration of Basotho students' cultural knowledge and experiences with respect to ATOD affect students' learning? In particular how does the approach affect students' participation and academic performance? A qualitative research method was used in this study. Data were drawn from a number of different sources and analyzed inductively. The data sources included field-notes, transcripts of ATOD lessons, research assistant lesson observation notes and interviews, regular biology teachers' interviews and notes from observing a few of their lessons, students' interviews and pre and posttest scripts, and other school documents that recorded students' performance throughout the year. Using the students' home language---Sesotho---was beneficial in that it enabled them to share ideas, communicate better and understand each other, the teacher and the material that was taught. Integrating students' cultural and everyday experiences was beneficial because it enabled students to anchor the new ATOD ideas in what was familiar and helped them find the relevance of the unit by

Relationship among science teacher personality characteristics and degree of teacher classroom implementation after in-service workshop

Science.gov (United States)

Sechler, Phares Lochiel Coleman

State departments of public instruction require that teachers periodically update their licenses throughout their teaching careers. Various professional development events such as in-service workshops, university offerings, and special innovative programs provide opportunities for novice and experienced teachers to grow professionally. The "Team Science" workshop was designed from models supported by research that described guidelines for successful workshop strategies. In evaluating the workshop, the question was asked "Why did not all teachers implement the ideas from the workshop in their science classrooms?" This study investigates the possible relationship between teacher personality characteristics and implementation of technology innovations. Team Science was an extensive workshop program planned to develop science teachers' expertise in using computer and video technology to teach in physical science, chemistry, and physics classrooms in rural school in North Carolina. Upon evaluating the four-year effort, it was found that the 23 participants implemented the technological strategies at various levels. At the higher end of the range of technology use, some teachers exhibited complete integration of the computers and interfacing devices into both the laboratory work and the classroom inquiry. At the lower end of the range, some teachers used the technology very little. The resulting question emerged from the data collected: Do specific teacher personality characteristics (independent variables) correlate with the degree of implementation (dependent variable) of the innovative ideas and tools used in the teacher's science classroom after the in-service workshop? To determine if there were any significant personality traits, each teacher was given five personality tests. The tests were Hunt's Conceptual Development Test, the Paragraph Completion Test; James Rest's Defining Issues Test; Simmons Personal Survey, an emotional tendency test; the Myers-Briggs Type

Foreign Language Teaching in Rudolf Steiner Schools. Guidelines for Class-Teachers and Language Teachers. First Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Stott, Michael

This book is intended for foreign language teachers interested in the approaches used in Rudolf Steiner schools, and also classroom teachers who teach foreign languages. Chapters address these issues: what the language lesson is to achieve; how the language lesson differs from other lessons; lesson design; examples of actual lessons; avoiding the…

Enhancing Students' Engagement: Report of a 3-Year Intervention with Middle School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Julianne C.; Christensen, Andrea; Kackar-Cam, Hayal Z.; Trucano, Meg; Fulmer, Sara M.

2014-01-01

All teachers (N = 32) at one middle school participated in a university-led intervention to improve student engagement. Teachers discussed four principles of motivation and related instructional strategies. Teachers enacted instructional strategies in their classrooms. We observed six randomly selected teachers and their students over 3 years.…

Promoting Academic Achievement in the Middle School Classroom: Integrating Effective Study Skills Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Thorpe, Christin

2010-01-01

This study aimed to discover what study skills are most useful for middle school students, as well as strategies for integrating study skills instruction into the four main content area classrooms (English, math, science, and social studies) at the middle school level. Twenty-nine in-service middle school teachers participated in the study by…

What Do Primary and Secondary School Teachers Know About ADHD in Children?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mohr-Jensen, Christina; Steen-Jensen, T.; Bang-Schnack, Maria

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To identify what primary and secondary school teachers know about ADHD in children and, furthermore, to identify which factors predict their knowledge. METHOD: A 29-item questionnaire about ADHD was distributed to a random, nationwide, and representative sample of Danish primary...... and secondary school teachers. Data were analyzed descriptively and by hierarchical regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 528 teachers were included. Most teachers identified the symptoms of ADHD (79%-96%) and effective classroom intervention strategies (75%-98%). However, knowledge about other...... knowledge about ADHD to successfully include and manage children with ADHD and, additionally, to ensure positive working environments for teachers and support constructive school-home working collaborations....

Ways to Prepare Future Teachers to Teach Science in Multicultural Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Billingsley, Berry

2016-01-01

Roussel De Carvalho uses the notion of superdiversity to draw attention to some of the pedagogical implications of teaching science in multicultural schools in cosmopolitan cities such as London. De Carvalho makes the case that if superdiverse classrooms exist then Science Initial Teacher Education has a role to play in helping future science…

Restructuring Teachers' Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa Kirtman

2002-05-01

Full Text Available Despite repeated attempts to reform schools, teachers' work has remained surprisingly stable. The purpose of this study was to investigate implementation of a state-funded restructuring initiative that intended broad changes in teachers' professional roles. Sponsors of the founding legislation reasoned that changes in teachers' roles would contribute to higher student achievement. This study examined the question of whether and how this program of comprehensive whole-school change promoted changes in teachers' roles in school governance, collegial relations, and the classroom. Further, the study traced the relationship of these changes to one another, and weighed the likelihood that they had the capacity to affect core educational practices. Theoretically, this study is situated in the available literature on teachers' collegial relations; participation in shared decision making; and classroom roles, relationships and practice. Three elementary schools served as the sites for intensive qualitative data collection completed over a two-year period. The schools differed in geographic location (two urban, one rural, but all enrolled a racially, ethnically and linguistically diverse population of students, and more than half of the students in each school qualified for free or reduced price lunch. The study resulted in multiple types and sources of data on teachers' professional roles, including: observations in classrooms, collegial interactions, and governance situations; interviews with teachers (including teacher leaders, parents, administrators, and students; and documents pertaining to the restructuring plans and process. Findings show that changes in the three areas were achieved unevenly in the three schools. All three schools introduced changes in classroom practice and roles, ranging from the adoption of multi-age classrooms to more modest innovations in curriculum or instruction. In only one case were changes in professional roles outside

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…

Teacher Professional Development for Technology Integration in a Primary School Learning Community

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shih-Hsiung

2013-01-01

Teacher professional development (TPD) can benefit teachers in classrooms. This study contributes to an understanding of TPD processes where there is sufficient technology integration through teacher participation in a school-based community. It assesses the effectiveness of TPD and its potential problems. Qualitative research methods are used to…

Five Approaches to Avoid When Managing the Middle School Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Englehart, Joshua M.

2013-01-01

Too often, teachers encountering difficulties with classroom management focus only on the students rather than critically examining the influence of their own approaches on student behavior. Given the particular challenges that middle school students present, certain practices and expectations exacerbate management issues, and a lack of awareness…

Technology Integration in Science Education: A Study of How Teachers Use Modern Learning Technologies in Biology Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Gnanakkan, Dionysius Joseph

This multiple case-study investigated how high school biology teachers used modern learning technologies (probes, interactive simulations and animations, animated videos) in their classrooms and why they used the learning technologies. Another objective of the study was to assess whether the use of learning technologies alleviated misconceptions in Biology documented by American Association for the Advancement of Science. The sample consisted of eight teachers: four rural public school teachers, two public selective enrollment school teachers, and two private school teachers. Each teacher was followed for two Units of instruction. Data collected included classroom observations, field notes, student assignments and tests, teacher interviews, and pre-and post-misconception assessments. Paired t-tests were done to analyze the pre-post test data at a significance level of 0.05 and the qualitative data was analyzed using the constant comparative method. Each case study was characterized and then a cross-case analyses was done to find common themes across the different cases. Teachers were found to use the learning technologies as a tool to supplement instruction to visualize abstract processes, collect data, and explore abstract concepts and processes. Teachers were found to situate learning, use scaffolding and questioning and make students work in collaborative groups. The genetics, photosynthesis, and evolution misconceptions were better alleviated than cellular respiration. Student work that was collected demonstrated a superficial understanding of the concepts under discussion even when they had misconceptions. The teachers used the learning technologies in their classrooms for a variety of reasons: visual illustrations, time-saving measure to collect data, best way to collect data, engaging and fun for students and the interactive nature of the visualization tools and models. The study's findings had many implications for research, professional development

What Are the Influences on Teacher Mobile Technology Self-Efficacy in Secondary School Classrooms?

Science.gov (United States)

Tilton, Jo; Hartnett, Maggie

2016-01-01

As digital technologies develop and change, so do the ways these tools are integrated into classrooms. In particular, as mobile digital technologies become ubiquitous there is a need to investigate how teachers engage with these tools--both personally and professionally. Research has consistently shown that teachers' underlying beliefs and…

Are All Program Elements Created Equal? Relations Between Specific Social and Emotional Learning Components and Teacher-Student Classroom Interaction Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Abry, Tashia; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E; Curby, Timothy W

2017-02-01

School-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are presented to educators with little understanding of the program components that have the greatest leverage for improving targeted outcomes. Conducted in the context of a randomized controlled trial, the present study used variation in treatment teachers' (N = 143) implementation of four core components of the Responsive Classroom approach to examine relations between each component and the quality of teachers' emotional, organizational, and instructional interactions in third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms (controlling for pre-intervention interaction quality and other covariates). We also examined the extent to which these relations varied as a function of teachers' baseline levels of interaction quality. Indices of teachers' implementation of Morning Meeting, Rule Creation, Interactive Modeling, and Academic Choice were derived from a combination of teacher-reported surveys and classroom observations. Ratings of teacher-student classroom interactions were aggregated across five observations conducted throughout the school year. Structural path models indicated that teachers' use of Morning Meeting and Academic Choice related to higher levels of emotionally supportive interactions; Academic Choice also related to higher levels of instructional interactions. In addition, teachers' baseline interaction quality moderated several associations such that the strongest relations between RC component use and interaction quality emerged for teachers with the lowest baseline interaction quality. Results highlight the value of examining individual program components toward the identification of program active ingredients that can inform intervention optimization and teacher professional development.

Understanding an Elementary School Teachers' Journey of Using Technology in the Classroom from Sand Table to Interactive Whiteboard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Ersoy

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to understand an elementary teachers’ experiences about using interactive whiteboard (IWB in the classroom. Narrative inquiry were adopted to conduct the study. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the teacher and analysed through narrative analysis. In the study, two major stories emerged. The first story was about the characteristics and difficulties of being an innovative and transformative teacher. In the second story, the use of technology in the classroom were cited. Second story consisted of such sub-stories as changing student profiles, teaching-learning process, measurement and evaluation process, infrastructural adequacy, stakeholder interaction, facilitator role of the technology and challenges of using IWB in the classroom. In all these stories, the examples and advantages of effective use of IWB in the classroom were explained. We can have the following suggestions from the words of the classroom teacher who has been using various technological tools in his classroom for about 40 years, including 10-year IWB use: Teachers should be open-minded for innovation in the sense of professional development, consider the interests of students, reduce the prejudice about the use of technology, utilize the processes that increase and facilitate the learning.

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

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.

Using Technology to Break Gender Barriers: Gender Differences in Teachers' Information and Communication Technology Use in Saudi Arabian Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Wiseman, Alexander W.; Al-bakr, Fawziah; Davidson, Petrina M.; Bruce, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

How does teachers' gender influence their information and communication technology-based instruction in Saudi Arabian government schools? Using unique data collected in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2014, the analyses presented here show that male and female teachers in intermediate school classrooms differently use information and communication…

"Lesson Study" as Professional Culture in Japanese Schools: An Historical Perspective on Elementary Classroom Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Arani, Mohammad Reza Sarkar; Keisuke, Fukaya; Lassegard, James P.

2010-01-01

This research examines "lesson study" as a traditional model of creating professional knowledge in schools. "Lesson study," typically defined as teachers' classroom based collaborative research, has a long history in Japan as a shared professional culture with potential for enhancing learning, enriching classroom activities and…

The development of the classroom social climate during the first months of the school year

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mainhard, M.T.; Brekelmans, J.M.G.; Brok, den P.J.; Wubbels, Th.

2011-01-01

In this study the mean stability of classroom social climates during the first months of the school year and the deviation of individual classrooms (N = 48) and students (N = 1208) from this general trend were investigated by taping students’ interpersonal perceptions of their teachers. Multilevel

Teacher cognition and the teaching of EFL reading in Norwegian upper primary classrooms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trine Mathiesen Gilje

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This article is about a qualitative study of teacher cognition and the teaching of EFL reading in Norwegian upper primary classrooms. Teacher cognition, defined by Borg (2003, p.81 as ‘what teachers think, know, and believe and the relationships of these mental constructs to what teachers do in the language teaching classroom’, is a relatively new field of research, with few studies focussing on its link to the teaching of EFL reading skills in state schools or in young language learner classrooms. The study therefore aimed to explore upper primary EFL teachers’ reading-related materials and practices, what knowledge, attitudes and beliefs formed the basis of their choices, and the role of teacher education in this context. The method was semi-structured interviews with eight randomly selected 6th grade EFL-teachers. The study showed that the teachers primarily based their teaching of EFL reading on textbooks, used them in similar ways, but also used additional reading materials to varying extents. The teachers thus appeared to be heavily guided by their textbooks, in addition to intuition and routines. The impact of formal teacher education varied from teacher to teacher. Nevertheless, it was argued that pre-service and in-service teacher education will play an important role in helping future EFL teachers make and understand the choices they make about reading materials and pracices, so that they can meet the demands of increasingly diverse classrooms due to differences in linguistic, social and national backgrounds between pupils.

Bringing Reality to Classroom Management in Teacher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenman, Gordon; Edwards, Susan; Cushman, Carey Anne

2015-01-01

Learning how to manage a classroom effectively is a difficult task for preservice teachers. This is compounded by the lack of attention that classroom management receives in many teacher preparation programs and in the field of education in general. This article offers a rationale for the lack of attention to classroom management in teacher…

Using Information and Communication Technology in Italian Language Learning and Teaching: from Teacher Education to Classroom Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Viale

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the in-service teacher education activities carried out by the research unit from the University of Bologna involved in the European project E-LENGUA. This project focuses on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs in teaching Italian in the multilingual classroom. The paper opens with a description of the Italian educational context, characterised by an increasing presence of non-native speakers of Italian. Taking into consideration the linguistic needs of students with different sociolinguistic backgrounds is a significant challenge for teachers. ICTs may be helpful for teachers facing such challenges, even though there are contrasting opinions about their usage in the classroom. The paper presents some case studies on the use of ICTs in the classroom, developed within in-service teacher education activities and implemented in the classroom. These studies aim to examine the use of ICTs as a teaching resource in order to elaborate generalizable guidelines for best practices in the Italian school system.

Undesired Behaviors Faced in Classroom by Physics Teachers in High Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Bayar, Adem; Kerns, James H.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to define undesired behaviors in the classroom, to better understand the reasons of these undesired behaviors, and to offer strategies to overcome these behaviors. The researchers have used a qualitative research approach in this study. For this aim, the researchers have purposefully selected 12 physics teachers who work…

A Case Study of Classroom Management Practices and the Influence on Classroom Disruptions

Science.gov (United States)

Rusk, Robert Brian

2016-01-01

This qualitative case study explored how the classroom management practices of sampled teachers in a private school in central Oregon influenced classroom disruptions. Through the study, the researcher was able to provide insight on the differences in specific classroom management processes between teachers who had a high number of Positive…

Assertive classroom management strategies and students’ performance: The case of EFL classroom

OpenAIRE

Mohammad Aliakbari; Bafrin Bozorgmanesh

2015-01-01

Ample research findings support the effective role that classroom management strategies play in enhancing students’ learning. Drawing upon Iranian high school teachers’ classroom management strategies, this article is intended to examine the extent to which these teachers follow assertive classroom management strategies and if these strategies affect students’ performance. Conducting a survey including 123 female students, it was found out that Iranian teachers apply classroom management stra...

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…

The School-Community Integrated Learning Pathway: Exploring a New Way to Prepare and Induct Final-Year Preservice Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Suzanne; Hudson, Peter; Adie, Lenore

2015-01-01

Universities and teacher employment bodies seek new, cost-effective ways for graduating classroom-ready teachers. This study involved 32 final-year preservice teachers in an innovative school--university partnership teacher education programme titled, the School-Community Integrated Learning (SCIL) pathway. Data were collected using a five-part…

Secondary School Teachers' Conceptions and Their Teaching Practices Using Graphing Calculators

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jane A.; McDougall, Douglas E.

2010-01-01

This article investigates secondary school teachers' conceptions of mathematics and their teaching practices in the use of graphing calculators in their mathematics classrooms. Case studies on three teacher participants were developed using quantitative and qualitative data that consisted of self-assessments on beliefs in mathematics,…

Managing Your Classroom for Success

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Harry; Wong, Rosemary; Rogers, Karen; Brooks, Amanda

2012-01-01

Effective teachers view classroom management as a process of organizing and structuring classroom events for student learning. Creating a well-managed classroom with established procedures is the priority of a teacher the first two weeks of school. In an elementary classroom where each day may have a different array of subjects and at different…

Teacher Pupil Contact in Junior Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Boydell, D.

1974-01-01

The purpose of the exploratory study reported here was to examine the nature of teacher-pupil contact in informal junior classrooms in terms of the teacher's method of talking to children and the teacher's conversational approach. (Author/RK)

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.

Classroom-Level Teacher Professional Development and Satisfaction: Teachers Learn in the Context of Classroom-Level Curriculum Development

Science.gov (United States)

Shawer, Saad

2010-01-01

This qualitative study examined the impact of classroom-level teacher professional development (CTPD) and curriculum transmission on teacher professional development and satisfaction. Based on work with English-as-a-foreign-language college teachers and students, data analysis showed that CTPD significantly improved student-teacher subject,…

The Pivotal Role of Adolescent Autonomy in Secondary School Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Joseph P.; Mikami, Amori Yee; Gregory, Anne; Hamre, Bridget; Pianta, Robert C.

2012-01-01

Student engagement is an important contributor to school success, yet high school students routinely describe themselves as disengaged. Identifying factors that alter (increase) engagement is a key aspect of improving support for student achievement. This study investigated students’ perceptions of autonomy, teacher connection, and academic competence as predictors of changes in student engagement within the classroom from the start to the end of a course. Participants were 578 (58% female) diverse (67.8% White, 25.2% African American, 5.1% Hispanic, 1.2% Asian American) high school students from 34 classrooms who provided questionnaire data both at the start and the end of a single course. Novel results from a cross-lagged model demonstrated that students who perceived their classrooms as allowing and encouraging their own autonomy in the first few weeks increased their engagement throughout the course, rather than the typical decline in engagement that was demonstrated by students in other classrooms. This finding is unique in that it extended to both students’ perceptions of engagement and observations of student engagement, suggesting a fairly robust pattern. The pertinence of this finding to adolescent developmental needs and its relationship to educational practice is discussed. PMID:22198156

The pivotal role of adolescent autonomy in secondary school classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Hafen, Christopher A; Allen, Joseph P; Mikami, Amori Yee; Gregory, Anne; Hamre, Bridget; Pianta, Robert C

2012-03-01

Student engagement is an important contributor to school success, yet high school students routinely describe themselves as disengaged. Identifying factors that alter (increase) engagement is a key aspect of improving support for student achievement. This study investigated students' perceptions of autonomy, teacher connection, and academic competence as predictors of changes in student engagement within the classroom from the start to the end of a course. Participants were 578 (58% female) diverse (67.8% White, 25.2% African American, 5.1% Hispanic, 1.2% Asian American) high school students from 34 classrooms who provided questionnaire data both at the start and the end of a single course. Novel results from a cross-lagged model demonstrated that students who perceived their classrooms as allowing and encouraging their own autonomy in the first few weeks increased their engagement throughout the course, rather than the typical decline in engagement that was demonstrated by students in other classrooms. This finding is unique in that it extended to both students' perceptions of engagement and observations of student engagement, suggesting a fairly robust pattern. The pertinence of this finding to adolescent developmental needs and its relationship to educational practice is discussed.

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.

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

Relationship between Beliefs and Basic School Teachers’ Coping with Negative Emotions in the Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zita Šimonka

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Clinging excessively to the myths about the ideal teacher leads into teacher’s excessive expectations, which in consequence leads to burnout and the emergence of negative feelings (Bečaj, 1990. The purpose of this paper is to examine the connection between agreeing with the myths about good teacher and negative emotional experiences and the correlation between self-assessed fitness to the myth of the good teacher and negative emotional experiences. The study involved 137 teachers in basic school. The results showed that teachers excessively cling to myths about good teacher and that on average they all to a certain extent experience negative emotions in the classroom. They most frequently look for reasons of the negative emotions in student behaviour. In the discussion we have suggested some possible solutions that could help teachers cope with negative emotions in the classroom.

Are classroom internet use and academic performance higher after government broadband subsidies to primary schools?

OpenAIRE

Hyland, Marie; Layte, Richard; Lyons, Sean; McCoy, Selina; Silles, Mary

2013-01-01

This paper combines data from a government programme providing broadband access to primary schools in Ireland with survey microdata on schools', teachers' and pupils use of the internet to examine the links between public subsidies, classroom use of the internet and educational performance. Provision of broadband service under a government scheme was associated with more than a doubling of teachers' use of the internet in class after about a two year lag. Better computing facilities in school...

Turkish Preservice Science Teachers' Socioscientific Issues-Based Teaching Practices in Middle School Science Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Genel, Abdulkadir; Topçu, Mustafa Sami

2016-01-01

Background: Despite a growing body of research and curriculum reforms including socioscientific issues (SSI) across the world, how preservice science teachers (PST) or in-service science teachers can teach SSI in science classrooms needs further inquiry. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the abilities of PSTs to teach SSI in middle…

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

"You Are Confusing!": Tensions between Teacher's and Students' Discourses in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyu-Yong

2008-01-01

This article concludes that a "pedagogic discourse" is legitimized in school practices when power in society is actualized and exercised through the use of language as symbolic power. Under these circumstances, the classroom becomes an arena where teachers' discourse as "the regulator" collides with students' discourse as "the regulated".…

Frameworks Shaping an Online Professional Development Program for K-12 Teachers of ELLs: Toward Supporting the Sharing of Ideas for Empowering Classroom Teachers Online

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Sedef Uzuner

2014-01-01

In efforts to maintain America's global competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy, teacher professional development has moved to center stage. With increasing numbers of English language learners (ELLs) in U.S. schools, several states have adopted mandatory professional development for classroom teachers to equip them with the knowledge…

More Willingly to School : Tools for teachers to cope with linguistically diverse classrooms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broeder, Peter; Kistemaker, Mariska

2015-01-01

Students’ lack of school success often lies in the differences between the language used at home and the ‘school language’ they are required to use at school. A better insight into the domains in which the school language register is used can yield important information for classroom practice. A

Classroom Profiling Training: Increasing Preservice Teachers' Confidence and Knowledge of Classroom Management Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Cliff; Simoncini, Kym; Davidson, Mark

2013-01-01

Classroom management is a serious concern for beginning teachers including preservice teachers. The Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) has developed the Essential Skills for Classroom Management (ESCM), a system of positive and pro-active strategies for maintaining supportive learning environments. In addition, the…

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Programs in the Classroom: Teacher Use, Equity, and Learning Tools