The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify the perceptions of educators regarding the potential impact of technology as a motivator to elicit desirable behaviors within students that have been identified with an educational diagnosis of emotional disturbance at the elementary school level. A review of the literature focused on key words such as (a) technology, (b) emotional disturbance, and (c) behavior management. The perceptions of educators were collected through the use of an on-line questionnaire, in addition to individual, face-to-face interviews. The study intended to collect the perceptions of classroom teachers to determine whether or not educators who work closely with elementary-aged students with emotional disturbance are more likely to exhibit desirable behaviors at school when the student is aware that access to technology is an option as a reward or even if the technology is available for general use in the classroom. The implications of the study show that the majority of teachers who participated do perceive that technology plays a role in promoting desirable behaviors within their students. Future studies can look at the role specific types of technology play in behavior management. It can be stated that the implications from this study promote the use of technology in emotional support classrooms at the elementary level. Ensuring that teachers have access to technology is an important factor that school districts will want to examine. / Educational Leadership

Interactive whiteboards have become an emergent technology in K-12 education in the United States as well as other countries throughout the world (Johnson & Türel, 2012). There have been studies conducted on the perceived effectiveness of the SMART Board® (Beauchamp & Prakinson, 2005; Brown, 2004; Dolan, 2010; Erduran & Tataroðlu, 2010; Hennessy, Deaney, Ruthven, & Winterbottom, 2007; Johnson & Türel, 2012; Jones, 2004; Manzo, 2010; Marzano & Haystead, 2009; Şad, 2012; Saltan & Arslan, 2009; Schachter, 2011; Smith, Higgins, Wall, & Miller, 2005; Türel, 2011; Wood & Ashfield, 2008). There has also been a study on the correlation between the SMART Board and student achievement (Marzano & Haystead, 2009). The purpose of this qualitative case study was to observe the methods that teachers, who are above proficient with technology, use to integrate the SMART Board® into their daily lessons and interactively engage the students. A descriptive case study was conducted on four different teachers from four different elementary schools in a suburban mid-Atlantic school district in the United States. One teacher from grades second through fifth was observed. The use of multiple-cases helped strengthen the conclusions of the study (Yin, 2009). The data was collected through pre-observation and post-observation interviews with the teachers, a triple-journal written by the researcher, a parent questionnaire, and a student questionnaire. All of this data contributed to the conclusion that these teachers were in fact above proficient users of the SMART Board®, who would fall into Rogers (2003) adopter categories of innovator and early adopter. They also adopted at an appropriation level where they have successfully integrated a new technology into all daily activities (Whitehead, Jensen, & Boschee, 2003). The study found that the SMART Board® was perceived to be effective by the parents, teachers, and students from these schools in this one school district. 92% of the parents who responded to the parent questionnaire noted using a SMART Board® is beneficial to their child's education. All four teachers reflected in the post conference that the SMART Board® helped the students understand the concept of each observed lesson better than had they not used a SMART Board®. 81% of the students responded that they would remember these lessons better because the SMART Board® was used. These four teachers demonstrated skillful pedagogy with integrating the SMART Board® into their daily lessons. They used many different media and many different methods to interactively engage their students with the content. A major question that arose from the research was the definition of interactive. Is physical interaction with the SMART Board® required to cognitively interact with the content of the lesson? / Educational Leadership

No description available.

The primary purpose of this study was to describe the administrative development of the Elementary School Guidance Program in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1973 to 1976. The secondary purpose was to present methods and procedures that could be used by school systems to implement and evaluate an elementary school guidance program. / Ed. D.

This sequential explanatory mixed methods study explores elementary mathematics teachers' perceptions regarding their mathematical self-efficacy, how teachers describe their perceptions about their prior mathematical learning experiences and their impact on their instructional practice in the elementary mathematics classroom. In support of this purpose, it is essential also to examine school leaders' role in developing elementary teachers' mathematics self-efficacy. The quantitative data was collected using the Mathematics Teaching and Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MTMSE) online survey. A total of 60 elementary teachers in Grades 3, 4, and 5 were analyzed by descriptive statistics and correlations. A focus group of 6 elementary teachers was conducted, and analysis was explored to provide a more in-depth understanding of the quantitative results about teachers' prior experiences, beliefs, attitudes, and confidence levels around elementary mathematics. The last part of qualitative data collection and analysis was from eight individual campus administrator interviews. These interviews explored how support by campus administrators can increase elementary mathematics teachers' self-efficacy. From the teacher focus group and administrator individual interviews, it is clear that with experience and the correct level of support, teachers' levels of self-efficacy are increased. Experience and available support were shown to positively impact the self-efficacy of elementary mathematics teachers, according to the findings. The data indicated that as elementary mathematics teachers accumulate experience and utilize collaborative support to expand their knowledge of mathematical concepts and ideas, they experience a gradual surge in self-confidence and a heightened sense of assurance when instructing mathematics to their students.

The purpose of this study is to determine, in the light of available data, which of two methods of grouping students for instructional purposes is best suited to the needs of the Hobbs Elementary Schools, Hobbs, New Mexico.

Recognizing the important role that classroom teachers play in the referral of students for possible gifted education in many U. S. schools, this study questioned elementary classroom teachers in grades K through 5 to learn about their perceptions of what "giftedness" is. Teachers responded to two questionnaires to define both their general and their specific perceptions of giftedness. Early in the school year the teachers chose from a list of twenty recognized giftedness traits the four that best defined the term for them In the spring, after the same teachers had referred specific students for testing for the gifted program, they selected the four most prominent gifted traits shown by each referred student. Results showed a teacher efficiency rate of 43.4%, equal to or above that of previous research. Among the four traits teachers most often selected as the ones indicating either general or specific giftedness to them, three were identical. Teacher years of experience, grade level taught by the teacher, and the presence or absence of gifted classes at the teacher's school did not significantly affect teacher perceptions of important traits. Student gender was a significant variable in selection of traits. The #1 trait for boys was advanced logic and problem solving ability; for girls it was advanced reading and/or writing ability. School socioeconomic level was also a significant variable. Teachers judged advanced logic and problem solving ability more important for the high or middle SES student than for the low SES student, whether they considered traits of giftedness in general or specific children. Student race/ethnicity was a significant factor also. Racial and ethnic minorities were referred and, generally, passed the screening in such relatively small numbers that the data did not lend themselves to further analysis. Teachers demonstrated consistency and efficiency in gifted identification. It was recommended that this school system address issues of possible gender and SES bias that might be influencing teachers' perceptions and that the system consider a method other than an IQ score as the final qualifying instrument for entry into the program for gifted students.

The purpose of the creative approach in music education is to furnish the child with opportunities for originality of expression and for freedom and adventure. This thesis examines the goals and purposes of using creativity in music eduction.

The government of Lesotho and the parent expect all learners to attend school daily to receive the best education so that they can have a bright future. Education prepares the learner for life; if the learner drops out, he/she will struggle to succeed in life. The ever increasing rate of primary school dropouts in Lesotho is of great concern as it has negatively impacted on education in the area. The education system as well as the Basotho community has over the years been affected in various ways. For example, school dropouts become liabilities to the community as they are not able to contribute maximally to nation building. In most cases the dropouts engage in anti-social criminal activities. They also cause educational wastage in the form of resources. For these reasons, it was of paramount importance to determine the reasons for dropouts and establish the possible solutions to this national problem. This study has examined factors influencing learners to dropout. It employed a qualitative research design, using focus group interviews and field notes to succeed in investigating the causal factors of learner dropouts. Purposive sampling was used for the research because it was convenient for the research in terms of time. By using purposive sampling, the researcher was able to include participants according to the relevant criteria based on the emerging research question: What are the factors influencing learner dropout? The main objective was to identify the factors influencing primary school learner dropouts in Teyateyaneng, Lesotho. The focus group interviews were made up of one principal and five educators from each of the three primary schools which are located in Teyateyaneng in the Berea district of Lesotho. This type of sampling was used because the researcher wanted rich information from participants regarding the reasons for learners dropping out of school. It has emerged from the empirical findings of the study that learner dropout is inter alia caused by school and home related factors. The study revealed that some learners dropped out of school because they were orphans, while others dropped out of school after being absent for a number of weeks. Mainstream classrooms were also found to encourage dropping out because educators are not fully trained to address problems that learners with disabilities bring to the classrooms. Lack of parental involvement was found to drive learners away from schools and into the streets. Due to poor financial situations learners leave school and are forced into child labour to better their families‟living conditions. Student educators were found to be a factor because they lack the necessary skills in developing learners. Other learners decided to stop schooling totally after repeating a grade.Due to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS many learners are taken out of school to take care of their ill relatives. Some learners drop out of school after being abused and neglected. Due to the high unemployment rate and poverty in Lesotho, many learners quit school to support their families. All the above causes for learners dropping out of school have been discussed in detail in chapter four. These factors are complex issues, which should be handled by trained people. As learners spend a great ideal of time in their school environments, the educators play an integral part in alleviating the learners' social problems. It is essential that learners with social problems seek professional help at an early stage. Educators are obliged to help these learners although they are not necessarily equipped to give the required assistance. Suggestions and recommendations are mentioned to alleviate the situation. The study recommends that primary school learners should be encouraged to complete their primary level education. The Ministry of Education and Training should develop policy guidelines on inclusive education, facilitate legislation on compulsory basic education, improve teaching and learning conditions in all schools, abolish child labour, create employment opportunities for parents to prevent child labour, regulate traditional circumcision and solicit parental support. All the above suggestions hoped to be solutions to the problems of learner dropouts as discussed in detail in chapter two. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007. / Additional advisors: Lois M. Christensen, Lynn D. Kirkland, Maryann Manning, Dorothy Riley. Description based on contents viewed June 12, 2008; title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-126).