<p> A mini-economy is an ongoing classroom project in which elementary school students apply for jobs, receive simulated income, go shopping at the classroom store, and ultimately create their own businesses. This study uses design-based research methodology to find out what classroom practices emerge when the College, Career, and Civic Life Framework for Social Studies State Standards (C3 Framework) (National Council for the Social Studies, 2013) is used by elementary teachers as the basis for instruction in the context of a classroom mini-economy, and how analysis of those practices can be used to improve instructional design. Design-based research seeks to simultaneously create and analyze teaching materials, with the purpose of improving both the materials themselves and the research literature on which the materials are based. In this case, the goal of the teaching materials was to improve the authenticity and rigor of the teacher-participants&rsquo; classroom mini-economies. Therefore, the study draws upon research literature in Authentic Intellectual Work, as well as inquiry teaching in social studies, particularly in economic education. </p><p> Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) is a way to think about curriculum, instruction, and assessment. It seeks &ldquo;to identify some kinds of intellectual work as more complex and socially or personally meaningful than others&rdquo; (King, Newmann, &amp; Carmichael, 2009). It consists of construction of knowledge, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school (Scheurman &amp; Newmann, 1998). Inquiry teaching in social studies has taken many forms, most currently in the C3 Framework, which was the approach used in this study. The C3 Framework conceptualizes inquiry as &ldquo;the disciplinary concepts and practices that support students as they develop the capacity to know, analyze, explain, and argue about interdisciplinary challenges in our social world&rdquo; (National Council for the Social Studies, 2013, p. 6). Classroom mini-economies in particular fall within the realm of the social science of economics, so the study pays special attention to the literature on K-12 economic education. </p><p> The study reveals ways in which teachers were able to use the C3 Framework to build authenticity in the mini-economy, though it also reveals that teachers were willing to dilute the quality of the inquiry process when it fit with their larger goals. The findings suggest that inquiry as conceived in the C3 Framework can be used as a powerful tool for equipping students for an increasingly complex social world. However, the inquiry process is at its best when lesson materials that use it are carefully designed to meet teachers&rsquo; desires to provide interdisciplinary and real-world experiences for their students.</p>

<p> Reading proficiently opens doors to college and career pathways. The success of children depends on this fundamental skill, yet students are failing to learn to read. This research investigated the relationship between teacher knowledge of phonemic awareness and the development of early literacy skills in kindergarten students. The study was conducted in a suburban school district of more than 20,000 students. This study sought to identify a kindergarten teacher profile linked to positive student achievement growth in phonemic awareness. Kindergarten student data was collected from 1,258 kindergarten students in 57 classrooms from 21 different elementary schools. Participants ranged between 5 and 7 years old who attended full-time kindergarten classes. The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS Next Edition, 2011) assessment was used to collect kindergarten student data on the First Sound Fluency measure. Kindergarten classroom teachers were assessed on their knowledge of phonemic awareness. The results of this study demonstrated a general lack of knowledge about phonemic awareness by kindergarten teachers, however, no clear kindergarten teacher profile correlated to student performance on the phonemic awareness measure. Findings may be useful when identifying effective instructional materials for teaching phonemic awareness to kindergarten students. A possible explanation for increased levels of student achievement may be the degree to which the kindergarten teacher utilized the provided phonemic awareness instructional materials. Recommendations for future studies include investigation into the relationship between the use of phonemic awareness instructional materials with fidelity and kindergarten student achievement. </p>

This thesis aims to investigate students’ qualitative experiences of assessment in art and design higher education using storytelling and visual representations. It aims to investigate whether collaborative storytelling can encourage students to reflect on, and learn from, each others’ experiences of assessment. In order to examine these aims, an on-line tool, ‘StoriesAbout… Assessment’ was designed and developed, based on an adapted model of storytelling as a reflective tool in higher education. Visual representations of students’ experiences were also used to identify the affective aspects of the assessment experience. In using these novel methods, the research aimed to highlight the whole student learning experience and how assessment affects that experience. Traditional methods of surveying and evaluation do not usually focus on this, nor do they provide a reflective, learning process for students. The analysis of stories led to a greater understanding of students’ experiences of assessment in art and design by identifying a number of key issues: the impact of negative experiences, the need for greater clarity of assessment criteria due to the subjective nature of the discipline, the tension students perceive between their role as creative practitioners in an educational setting and their role in the wider art world, the value of peer support and appropriate feedback. The storytelling model enabled students to view stories from different perspectives and to consider changes to their practice, and the model has demonstrated its efficacy in supporting reflective thinking and transformative learning. The emotional aspect to students’ experiences was particularly evident in their visual representations which often used strong imagery to depict how the stress of assessment affected them. The drawings also showed stereotypes of assessment, such as images of exams, indicating that these previous experiences had become synonymous with assessment, despite there being few formal exams in art and design. In summary, this thesis contributes two new methods for understanding and enhancing the student learning experience, which have been proven in the context of art and design higher education.

<p> The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was threefold. First, this study compared the effects of two different simulation-based instructional strategies on athletic trainers&rsquo; clinical competence in performing cardiovascular screening with cardiac auscultations. Second, this study identified the athletic trainers&rsquo; perceptions of learning through simulation-based instructional strategies. Third, this study attempted to identify and offer instructional recommendations based on the outcomes. </p><p> The quantitative phase analyzed cognitive and diagnostic reasoning knowledge and history-taking and clinical skills specific to cardiovascular screenings with cardiac auscultations as it was taught to athletic trainers (ATs) at a continuing professional education (CPE) course. The quantitative results found that high-fidelity and low-fidelity simulation-based instructional strategies significantly increased cognitive and diagnostic reasoning knowledge and history-taking and clinical skill from pre-test to post-test assessment on all dependent variables. When comparing the two fidelity types to each other, the analysis found that the participants in the high-fidelity simulation group gained significantly more skill when compared to the low-fidelity group. </p><p> In the qualitative analysis of this study, three themes emerged specific to the perceptions of the athletic trainers&rsquo; experiences as they learn through simulation-based instructional strategies. The first theme that emerged was a clear indication that participants&rsquo; exhibited positive perceptions of learning through simulation-based instructional strategies. The second theme that emerged was that the high-fidelity simulation experience during the pre-assessment and post-assessment raised an awareness of the deficit of knowledge and skills in performing a comprehensive cardiovascular screening with cardiac auscultations. Lastly, the third theme that emerged was specific to the perceived limitations in the effectiveness of low-fidelity simulation and the perceived strengths in the effectiveness of high-fidelity simulation. </p><p> A few instructional recommendations emerged from this dissertation study. Simulation-based instructional strategies are an ideal teaching method to utilize during continuing professional education courses with athletic trainers. Specifically, this study identified that both, high-fidelity and low-fidelity simulation, are effective in teaching cardiovascular screening with cardiac auscultations. Additionally, the participants perceived influences of a pre-test on the identification of their knowledge and skills deficit suggests that there are benefits of utilizing an authentic simulation pre-test as part of CPE courses.</p>

<p>Traditional classroom educators face the challenge of teaching online due to the increasing demand of online courses at higher education institutions. Educators who transition from the traditional classroom to online instruction experience the need to incorporate different skills and strategies in order to become an effective online instructor. This qualitative study sought to investigate the difficulties experienced by traditional classroom instructors who are attempting to transition to an online classroom format and what strategies can be used to overcome these difficulties. A qualitative meta-synthesis design was used for this research study because the research questions and approach position towards the appropriateness of meta-synthesis research. Four themes presented themselves from the meta-synthesis of eight research studies. The following four themes captured the experience of educators transitioning from traditional instruction to online instruction: increased workload, changing roles and skills, enhanced support and training, and various communication and engagement strategies. The findings from this study found that traditional educators transitioning to online instruction face many challenges as they attempt to create an engaging classroom environment that echoes engagement in a traditional classroom. The results of this study can assist educators in developing their online teaching skills.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 48-51).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-51). Also available in print.

<p> Many math students, both EL and non-EL, struggle to reach the level of proficiency on California state tests which is required since the passage of NCLB in 2002 (California Department of Education, 2012). In California only 34% of students scored at the level of proficiency or above in 2011 (National Assessment for Educational Progress, 2012). The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to determine the degree of achievement, similarities, and differences in learning fourth-grade math for ELs and non-ELs when sentence frames are used as the method of instruction and when sentence frames are not used as the method of instruction in a southern California school district. The instructional method of using sentence frames with all students, non-ELs and ELs, may assist all students to become successful and reach the level of proficiency in fourth-grade mathematics. A group of approximately 23 teachers with approximately 30 students each for a total of 700 fourth-grade math students, will teach two lessons, one lesson that primarily uses sentence frames as the method of instruction and one lesson that does not use sentence frames in the method of instruction. Pre and post tests for each lesson was taken and data was analyzed to identify patterns, similarities, differences, and diverging themes associated when the use of sentence frames are used as the method of instruction and when sentence frames are not used as the method of instruction with ELs and non-ELs.</p><p>

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 45-47).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-47). Also available in print.