<p>Abstract Over 40 years of research, three categories of instructional practices are consistently shown to enhance student achievement, including (a) Evidence-based (EB) Strategy Instruction, (b) Feedback, and (c) Formative Assessment. It was the hypothesis of this study that Grade 9 Algebra 1 classrooms do not routinely use these EB practices to enhance their instruction. Data was collected from 12 Algebra 1 classrooms utilizing a researcher developed systematic observation tool featuring highly effective instructional practices from the 2001 Marzano, Pickering, and Pollack and 2009 Hattie meta-analyses. Study results suggested that the frequency of EB instructional practices varied remarkably among teachers. However, the preponderance of teaching time was spent in two forms of practice with little time devoted to other EB strategies and informal formative assessment practices often lacked variety and depth. Last, the frequency or type of EB instructional practices used did not differ between classes designed for students with average math skills compared to classes designed for lower skilled students. Recommended methods for increasing the widespread use of highly effective EB instructional practices included: (a) system-wide improvements in pre-service teacher training in highly effective instructional practices, (b) more effective on-the-job professional development and implementation practices, and (c) the use of structured professional learning communities focused on improving pedagogy.

<p> This study investigated the barriers and facilitators to general teacher implementation of Project GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) through the framework of expectancy-value theory. This research was a modified replication of a study by Foley (2011) which investigated the factors that impeded or supported teacher implementation of a different instructional innovation using expectancy-value theory as the theoretical framework. Quantitative data was gathered for this study through an online survey emailed to grade PreK-12 teachers throughout the United States that were trained in Project GLAD. Valid responses to the survey were provided by 173 teachers. The scaled independent variables studied were teacher self-reported perceptions of expectancy, value, cost, and certain types of support surrounding their use of Project GLAD. As in the study by Foley (2011) additional demographic and training independent variables were studied from teacher self-reported data on the survey including the level of Project GLAD training, the recency of Project GLAD training, current grade level taught, years teaching at current grade level, and old degree versus recent degree. The scaled dependent variable studied was teacher general implementation of Project GLAD in their instruction. Data from survey responses was analyzed using descriptive, linear, and multiple linear regression methodology. Teacher levels of expectancy, value and training were found significant positive predictors of general teacher implementation of Project GLAD. Similar to the study by Foley (2011), the findings indicate that increasing the level of particular types of school support to teachers, including coaching and earning higher certifications in Project GLAD will increase their levels of Project GLAD implementation. Areas recommended for further research include teacher implementation of specific Project GLAD strategies, the particular types of support that facilitate implementation, and specific barriers and facilitators to implementation at the secondary grade levels. The use of observational and qualitative methodologies to confirm and expand the findings of this study is also recommended.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine whether Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) for writing could be used as a Tier 2 intervention to improve the writing of fifth grade students identified as performing below the 50^th percentile on AIMSweb curriculum-based measures of correct writing sequences (WE-CBM CWS). Results of RMANOVA indicated that students in the SRSD Group made significant improvements in their WE-CBM mean score compared to the Control Group from pre- to post-test. Additional analyses using a modified WE-CBM that added one minute for students to organize their writing thoughts (EWE-CBM) did not show significant improvements to mean CWS scores. Qualitative analyses indicated that the intervention teacher and SRSD students found the intervention method to be easy to follow, helped improve their writing, and that they will use it again in the future. Evidence from this study suggests that SRSD can be effectively used as a Tier 2 writing intervention within a multi-tiered system of supports model. The limitations and implications for practice are discussed.</p>

<p> This instrumental, collective, targeted case study explores decisions elementary preservice teachers make with respect to culturally responsive teaching through the lens of dialogic teaching. Most candidates currently enrolled in elementary teacher education programs in the United States are young, white, and female. Meanwhile, the population of students in U.S. schools grows increasingly diverse, leading to a widening cultural gap between teachers and many of their students. Many preservice teachers opt not to use culturally responsive instructional strategies, particularly those related to communication, also known as dialogic teaching practices, despite research indicating such practices foster improved academic achievement for all students-but especially for students of color who are typically underserved in U.S. schools. Who the preservice teachers are when they enter teacher education programs, their experiences inside and outside of school, plus factors as broad as the context of schooling in the United States to as narrow as the impact of one particular student in a classroom, influence the choices a preservice teacher makes when faced with a lesson to teach, a room full of young children, and a ticking clock. Explicating decisions made by preservice teachers through direct classroom observations, followed by one-on-one interviews, provides a glimpse into factors promoting or inhibiting participants' use of dialogic teaching strategies. This study is part of the larger effort to support student discourse and teacher preparation through the use of one component of culturally responsive instruction as viewed through the lens of dialogic teaching, thus addressing the need to better serve all children in our nation's schools. </p>

<p> This study explores the role of instructional design in the development of shared epistemic agency (SEA) when RN to BSN nursing students collaborate to complete a team project in an online course. Paavola &amp; Hakkarainen's (2005) trialogical model of learning is used to design a learning activity where teams create a shared knowledge object, a co-authored patient interprofessional care plan to support group knowledge creation. The study addresses the following research questions: 1. What patterns of SEA are evident at the team level as manifest through epistemic and regulative actions in online student discourse? 2a. How did each team's epistemic and regulative decisions contribute to their shared knowledge object? 2b. How did the instructor's online interaction enhance or constrain each team's epistemic and regulative decisions? 2c. How did each team's use of project technology tools affect the development of their shared knowledge object? 3. What contributed to supporting or suppressing SEA in each team? These questions examine SEA in relationship to research in shared knowledge construction pedagogies and instructional design within nursing education. </p><p> This study uses a convergent parallel mixed methods design, in which both quantitative and qualitative data are collected, analyzed separately, and then merged (Creswell &amp; Plano Clark, 2011). Quantitative content analysis is used to examine student discourse for evidence of student epistemic and regulative actions. This is combined with two forms of qualitative analysis. Thematic analysis is used to examine student artifacts and interviews with team members and their instructor to gain deeper insight into the meanings of their epistemic and regulative experiences within this six week collaborative activity. Case analysis is used to describe and synthesize differences among teams that supported or constrained the development of SEA. </p><p> The quantitative strand of research found higher levels of regulative actions compared to epistemic actions in both teams. The qualitative strand of research identified two areas which constrained each team's development of SEA overall. The first related to a series of uncertainties related to apprehensions about working with team members for the first time, concerns about the project and the instructor's expectations, and doubts about using technology for collaboration. The second related to a series of disjunctures associated with students' discordent beliefs about collaboration; contradictory views of conflict; and, discrepent views of leadership. </p><p> Synthesis of these results resulted in six factors that contributed to supporting or suppressing SEA in each team: team contracts, the team wiki, propensity for regulative over epistemic actions, narrow views of conflict, misconceptions about collaborative learning, and the instructor's role. In light of these findings, theoretical and practical implications and recommendations are detailed.</p>

<p> Public Montessori schools have grown in number significantly in the United States. This case study chronicles the journey of teachers as they navigate the tension of balancing the Montessori approach with an accountability Standards model. Although Montessori may be in demand among parents in the nation, exhibited by the increase in public Montessori schools, this approach remains in the niche, or boutique, versus the big box of standards education. In this case study, teachers from a large standards-based school in transition to becoming a public Montessori school answered self-reflective survey questions and were observed in their classrooms to verify their responses. Using this approach, the teachers' practice and reflections were compared and contrasted against the teachers' proclaimed continuum for balancing the dual curriculums of Montessori and Standards-based instruction. Twelve teachers were then interviewed and observed to examine their ability to change. The descriptive feedback from these teachers gave insight into the challenges and successes of implementing complex instructional change. Among significant findings was that some teachers in a short time were able to successfully balance the two curriculum mandates. This study's results revealed that given a complex criteria of support, motivated and experienced teachers could implement this change. This study opens the possibility that under certain circumstances, Montessori boutique education could be replicated in a public Big Box way.</p>

Digital technology has not become commonplace in teaching and learning despite the considerable growth, availability and use in society. Moreover, when digital technology is used in education, the digital technology itself seems to take precedence over pedagogy. In physical education (PE), research shows that there is little knowledge as to how and why teachers in the UK use digital technology in their teaching. Subsequently, the purpose of this thesis is to explore PE teachers understanding and experiences regarding how and why they use digital technology in their practice. Guided by an appreciative inquiry (AI) philosophy, this thesis employs a case study methodology in order to explore how and why PE teachers use digital technology. This study pays particular attention to the teachers perspective and the previously under-considered factors that enable, develop and influence their use of DigiTech, rather than the often-reported barriers and constraints. Data were gathered over a 12-month period, involving four teachers from schools across England. Methods of data gathering include AI interviews, interviews with headteachers, senior leadership team members, PE staff, heads of department and IT Managers, and lesson observations, document analysis and field notes. The collected data were analysed using a constructivist approach to grounded theory and the findings collated into four chapters; each of which explores the views, experiences and uses of digital technology by one of the four teachers. These chapters are structured by the three themes constructed from the data analysis. The first theme, developing an embedded culture , explores the teachers perceptions of developing an individual, department and whole school approach towards how digital technology is used. This theme explores the factors promoting the teachers use of DigiTech and the role of the school in shaping their digital technology use. The second theme, keeping tasks simple , details the simple techniques and practices the teachers used to aid their teaching with digital technology. The third theme, establishing routines , describes the ways in which the teachers sought to develop and sustain their use of digital technology, to ensure regularity of use and confidence with digital technology. Drawing on the work of Casey et al. (2017a), this thesis concludes by suggesting that the three-dimensional categorisation of pedagogy (in the form of teachers and teaching, learners and learning and knowledge in context - Armour, 2011) should be used as a lens for further discussion about digital technology use in PE. By using pedagogy as the starting point, we can begin to unpick and formulate future ways in which digital technology can support teachers delivery of PE.

<p> Active learning, an engaging, student-centered, evidence-based pedagogy, has been shown to improve student satisfaction, engagement, and achievement in college classrooms. There have been numerous calls to reform teaching practices, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); however, the utilization of active learning is still underwhelming. The lack of implementation points to a scarcity of effective professional development. While the majority of studies have focused on four-year colleges and universities, this study examined the impact of active learning professional development at a community college. Community colleges, which have open admissions policies, serve nearly 13 million students annually. Many community college students are first generation or underprepared students, many of whom have been shown to benefit from the use of active learning. </p><p> This study sought to determine the impact that active learning professional development has on the pedagogical values and practices of science faculty, and its subsequent impact on student perceptions and achievement at a community college. Through the use of faculty surveys, teaching practices and perceptions were analyzed pre-workshop and post-workshop. Student focus groups provided further insight. Student achievement was measured by means of test scores on common final exams pre-workshop and post-workshop. Faculty surveys showed that faculty do have a favorable opinion of active learning; however, lecture remained the dominant teaching method even after the training. Post-workshop, faculty felt active learning could increase student motivation and retention of material. Both faculty and students agreed that more class time should be devoted to active learning. The main barrier to active learning identified by faculty was the lack of time, both in terms of class time and time to develop materials. Students identified fearfulness, being accustomed to lecture, and lack of time as possible barriers. Students overwhelmingly agreed that active learning increased their engagement, interest, and achievement in the classroom. Two courses showed increased student achievement based on exam scores; however, other classes saw a decline in scores post-workshop. The findings suggest that a single professional development may not be enough to create a complete reform. However, faculty were interested in learning more, which could open the door to sustainable approaches.</p><p>

Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl / The purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of an Information Literacy intervention administered to first year Faculty of Business students at Rosebank College Cape Town. The exponential nature of information has led to students having access to abundant information which often comes unfiltered. This requires them to be in possession of life long competencies to find and apply this information to solve problems. Recent shifts in pedagogy and curricula have also precipitated the importance of independent learners who are capable of constructing their own knowledge. Student centred methods of teaching employed in tertiary institutions such as, problem based learning, evidence based learning and inquiry learning have necessitated the importance of Information Literacy training towards the development of independent learners. The study assesses the baseline incoming skills of the Faculty of Business students. Two intervention workshops are conducted for the experimental cohort and a post-test is administered. After the post-test the results of the control and experimental group are compared. The study uses the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Standards for higher education as a theoretical foundation. The standards are applied as benchmarks when assessing the Information Literacy competencies. The study explores the following research questions • Are the Information Literacy interventions administered to the first year business faculty students effective and do they meet the proposed outcomes? • What are the existing Information Literacy competencies of the incoming students in the Faculty of Business? • How should Information Literacy programmes be delivered? • Are the ACRL standards a reliable tool to assess Information Literacy skills and the effectiveness of the interventions administered? The study found out that offering Information Literacy interventions would result in students accumulating these skills. This is supported by the difference in scores between the control group and the experimental cohort. However it must be noted that Information Literacy training is not an event but rather an on-going process.

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