This study aimed at determining whether classroom teachers&lsquo / attitudes toward change correlate with their perceptions of constructivist curriculum change and implementation of constructivist teaching and learning activities in class at primary school level. Through a questionnaire, data were collected from 236 classroom teachers teaching in all public primary schools in the city center of Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. Demographical data of the participants, their attitudes toward change, perceptions of constructivist curriculum change, and implementation of constructivist teaching and learning activities were reported in terms of frequencies, percentages, and means. Bivariate correlations were employed to understand the relations among classroom teachers&lsquo / attitudes toward change, perceptions of constructivist curriculum change and implementation of constructivist teaching and learning activities at primary school level. The results revealed that classroom teachers were open to change and often implemented constructivist teaching and learning activities in class whereas they had mixed perceptions about constructivist curriculum change carried out in Turkey in 2004-2005 academic year. Classroom teachers&lsquo / attitudes toward change were significantly but moderately correlated with their perceptions of constructivist curriculum change and implementation of constructivist teaching and learning activities at primary school level. Besides, classroom teachers&lsquo / perceptions of constructivist curriculum change were significantly but moderately related to their implementation of constructivist teaching and learning activities.

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The problem of this study was to determine which of a list of forty-seven art competencies designed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for K-12 art specialists were most essential for early childhood and intermediate elementary classroom teachers. Four-point Likert-type scaled instruments were designed and sent to three types of North Carolina educators: (a) 200 elementary classroom teachers, stratified into two equal subgroups of early childhood and intermediate teachers; (b) 100 K-12 art specialists; and (c) all art teacher educators employed at colleges and universities with state approved programs in art education. These subjects were asked to respond to the relevance of each competency for the elementary classroom teacher.

Response to intervention (RTI) is a federal program created to improve student learning and reduce the number of students misidentified as needing special education services. Differing interpretations of how best to implement RTI between campuses and districts have resulted in teachers' confusion and misperceptions of the program. The purpose of this study was to understand how elementary classroom teachers' perceptions of RTI affect classroom instruction. Based on Gagne's instructional theory and Bruner's theory of constructivism, the study examined the perceptions of 10 classroom teachers in 2 low socio-economic elementary schools. The study examined how RTI forms and protocols, administrative leadership, and professional development impacted participants' perceptions of RTI and their classroom instructional practices. Data collected from group and individual interviews were transcribed and coded using open and axial coding to create categories. Participants' progress monitoring logs and the researcher's field notes corroborated interview results. Findings showed that teachers' limited knowledge of RTI resulted in frustration or indifference and that erudite administrative leadership and professional development are needed to improve classroom implementation. A district-wide, digital professional development plan based on the study's findings was recommended to improve educators' and administrators' understandings of the RTI program. Results add to the limited body of qualitative research exploring teachers' perceptions of RTI. Implications could improve teachers' and administrators' understandings and perceptions, foster collaboration leading to social change, and ultimately improve student learning.

Syftet med denna vetenskapliga essä är att skapa en bredare och djupare förståelse kring problematiken med samverkan mellan fritidshemslärare och klasslärare. I läroplanen finns brister om vad samverkan ska innehålla och hur den bör utformas och vår gemensamma uppfattning är att det fortfarande finns brister i hur arbetet med samverkan sker. Denna vetenskapliga essä vilar på en hermeneutisk metod, vilket beskrivs som en lära för tolkning och metoden används för att skapa förståelse för våra erfarenheter och dilemman. Vi är två studerande till grundlärare i fritidshem som skrivit essän, vi delar liknande arbetslivserfarenhet inom skolvärlden och liknande uppfattning om problematiken kring samverkan. Fritidshemmet skall komplettera skolan, men i det vardagliga arbetet har vi under många år erfarit hur klasslärarens behov och önskemål har prioriterats under skoltiden och vi som fritidspersonal fått lämna våra arbetsuppgifter för att agera därefter. Erfarenheten vi besitter i samband med teorier och olika synsätt från forskare ger oss förutsättningar att tolka våra dilemman och genom dessa olika perspektiv reflektera över tolkningen av begreppet samverkan samt varför bristfälliga samarbeten uppstår mellan klasslärare och fritidspersonal. Vidare visar vår undersökning på hur vi kan samverka utifrån ett pedagogiskt synsätt snarare än att agera hjälpredor och assistenter åt klassläraren. Vi undersöker även vilka faktorer som skapar en problematisk samverkan samt vilka möjligheter som finns för en godtagbar struktur för samverkan, en struktur som pedagogerna följer och en struktur som ledningen ansvarar över. Resultatet visar på att det behöver skapas tid, samhörighet, samt gemensamma mål mellan pedagogerna för att samverkan skall fungera. Vi har med denna essä skapat oss en större förståelse för begreppet samverkan, fått insyn i klasslärarens perspektiv samt insett att samverkan inte vilar på oss enskilda individer att utföra utan att man som en enhet behöver samarbeta för att nå gemensamma mål för eleverna. / The purpose of this scientific essay is to create a broader and deeper understanding of the issues surrounding collaboration between after-school care teachers and class teachers. There are gaps in the curriculum about what collaboration should include and how it should be designed, and our common understanding is that there are still gaps in how collaboration is carried out. This scientific essay is based on a hermeneutic method, which is described as a doctrine of interpretation and is used to create understanding of our experiences and dilemmas. We are two people who have written the essay and we share similar work experience within the school world and similar understanding of the issues of collaboration. The leisure-time centre should complement the school, but in daily work we have experienced for many years how the class teacher's needs and wishes have been prioritized during school time and we as after-school care staff have had to leave our work tasks to act accordingly. The experience we possess in connection with theories and different viewpoints from researchers gives us the conditions to interpret our dilemmas and through these different perspectives reflect on the interpretation of the concept of collaboration and why inadequate collaborations arise between class teachers and after-school care staff. Furthermore, our study shows how we can collaborate from a pedagogical perspective rather than acting as helpers and assistants to the class teacher. We also investigate what factors create problematic collaboration and what opportunities there are for an acceptable structure for collaboration, a structure that the teachers follow and a structure that the management is responsible for. The result shows that time, solidarity, and common goals need to be created between the teachers in order for collaboration to work. With this essay, we have created a greater understanding of the concept of collaboration, gained insight into the class teacher's perspective, and realized that collaboration does not rest on us as individuals to perform, but that we need to cooperate as a unit to achieve common goals for the students.

The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of technological literacy for high school graduates. A panel of experts in technological literacy was used to formulate the list of characteristics and make judgments on each. The design of the study was the Delphi Method, using the Q-Sort Technique, with the Thurstone and Chave Method of Equal Appearing Intervals. Using the Method of Equal Appearing Intervals, median scores and Q-Values were calculated for each characteristic. The 80th percentile was used to determine when a characteristic reached consensus. A panel of experts was chosen from among seven groups: (a) philosophers of education, (b) technology educators, (c) engineering educators, (d) scientists, (e) science educators, (f) classroom teachers, and (g) business and education support. The results of the study provide a clearer focus on what is meant by technological literacy. This study identified a list of 24 consensus items to be used as minimum characteristics of technological literacy for high school graduates. / Ed. D.

Inclusive education requires of teachers, as managers and facilitators in classrooms, to deal with all aspects regarding effectively addressing barriers to learning. Of specific concern are the cognitively gifted learners who are not taught in their mother tongue but who attend schools where the language of learning and teaching is English. This qualitative study deals with the support provided by Grade Four teachers to cognitively gifted English Second Language (ESL) underachievers. The research indicates that the teachers are aware of English Second Language (ESL) learners who show behaviours associated with cognitive giftedness but who,when considering their potential, underachieve. These learners do however not receive support in the classroom to address their specific barrier to learning, which is the dual exceptionality of cognitive giftedness co-occurring with poor English proficiency. Support for all aspects of the cognitively gifted Grade Four English Second Language (ESL) learner’s needs is recommended. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Inclusive education requires of teachers, as managers and facilitators in classrooms, to deal with all aspects regarding effectively addressing barriers to learning. Of specific concern are the cognitively gifted learners who are not taught in their mother tongue but who attend schools where the language of learning and teaching is English. This qualitative study deals with the support provided by Grade Four teachers to cognitively gifted English Second Language (ESL) underachievers. The research indicates that the teachers are aware of English Second Language (ESL) learners who show behaviours associated with cognitive giftedness but who,when considering their potential, underachieve. These learners do however not receive support in the classroom to address their specific barrier to learning, which is the dual exceptionality of cognitive giftedness co-occurring with poor English proficiency. Support for all aspects of the cognitively gifted Grade Four English Second Language (ESL) learner’s needs is recommended. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

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No description available.