Fundamental school reform continues to elude educators. Lessons from past reform efforts point to the influence of a school's culture in resisting reform efforts, leading reformers to adopt a cultural perspective of school change. The need for school reform is particularly alarming in economically poor minority communities where students are failing and dropping out of school in high numbers. One of the factors cited as contributing to this failure is the disconnection/differences between the student's home culture and school culture. These differences create a high degree of incongruity for these children resulting in confusion, resistance, and withdrawal--physically and/or mentally. This study examines a high minority, low SES urban elementary school that has been involved in a school cultural change project, the Educational and Community Change Project. This research sought to identify developments in the home-school-community relationship throughout the first four years of the project. Three dimensions of this home-school-community relationship were examined: the nature of activities in which parents and school personnel engaged, views teachers held about the families and community, and connection between the curricular and community lives of the children. The study involved an examination of multiple data sources gathered during the first year and fourth year of the project. A description was developed for each of these dimensions during these two time periods. Findings. The overall nature of the school's relationship with the families and community was shifting from one of disconnection to increased interactions and connections. This overall finding illustrates several significant developments in the nature of the school's relationship with the families and community. These developments indicate the need for further examination of this cultural approach to school change in relation to other aspects of the school. Further research on this approach to school reform may hold more clues for educators seeking to reform schools. Several conditions present throughout this process were weekly inquiry sessions with school staff, a third party serving as a critical friend in inquiry sessions and in the classroom, and the permission and support of school administration. These conditions also call for further exploration.

A contributing factor to children's lack of reading achievement in school is that there may be ineffective or no early literacy intervention programs at their school. A review of literature suggests that early literacy intervention is beneficial to help children be successful in school. This teacher-as-researcher study was designed to investigate six years of the development of the Reading Discovery program and to describe the process of reflecting on my practice and analyzing my results in order to improve my early literacy program, students' literacy, and teachers' literacy instruction. The instruments I used to assess student literacy were from Marie Clay's Observation Survey or my adaptations of them, consisting of letter identification, a word test, concepts about print, writing vocabulary, dictation, and text reading. My study included 324 first-grade students from two elementary schools, where I was a reading specialist over the last six years. There were 170 children who participated in the Reading Discovery Program. This program was enhanced by the assistance of 17 literacy volunteers. During the study, 145 children, identified as being at-risk, graduated from Reading Discovery. The longitudinal data showed that only three of the students who graduated from the program needed further reading intervention. Unlike some remedial programs, the children in this program spent 90% of their time actually reading and writing real texts. The rest of the time was spent reflecting on their work, doing word analysis, and taking care of bookkeeping. In conclusion, the Reading Discovery program had a positive effect on the literacy achievement of the participating first-grade children. Even those children not in the program benefited, because I provided their classroom teachers with instructional support, in-service training, and assessment data on every first-grade child. In addition, primary grade children regularly checked out appropriately leveled books from my library. As a result of this study, I have increased the number of students who participated in the program by providing individualized instruction, by using trained literacy volunteers, and by selecting the appropriate time for instruction. Reading Discovery program has significantly increased the number of children who can read and write without future remediation.

Children's responses to picture books are documented through this qualitative research involving a case study of three students in an intermediate elementary classroom. The study focuses on multiple ways of knowing through examining students' responses to these books through language and art. Specific research questions within this context are: How is the learning environment constructed to support children's responses to picture books? How do children respond to picture books?, What are the children's responses to the illustrations in picture books? and How do children create their own interpretations of the illustrations and written language in picture books? The theoretical frame for this study is based in semiotic theory and transactional theory as well as reader response research, picture books and response, visual literacy, children's responses to art, literary content analysis of picture books, reviews of picture book illustrations, interviews with illustrators, and illustrators reflecting on their artistic processes. The curriculum design developed of this study integrates children's literature and art. The curriculum cycle was an introduction of a picture book or textset, followed by a literature discussion, studio art experiences, and a reflective interview. The infusion of fine arts into the classroom curriculum more closely resembles the multiple ways children approach learning in the world outside school. The combination of written language and illustration in picture books can provide children with an introduction to literature and literacy. In the study, students were encouraged to read a variety of picture books and respond through literature discussion and art experiences. The findings related to the case study of three students were organized within two main areas: meaning making within a picture book and meaning making within the artwork. The picture book was defined as a unique art form that was central to the lives of students as they developed visual literacy. The students' responses were extremely sophisticated and showed that they were capable of complex understandings of art and literature.

Teachers' perspective of technology integration with pedagogical practices and their perceptions of the correlation with student success were examined in this study. One hundred and ninety-two southwestern elementary school teachers volunteered to be a part of the study. Quantitative and Qualitative research methods were conducted. Relationships between teachers' attitude toward computers and computer usage were considered. Regression analysis was employed to examine the results of the two part survey. Telephone interviews were conducted to augment the study. While most of the findings were not statistically significant, they provided insight into how teachers used computers at elementary schools. The results suggest that effective instructional computer use at the elementary school level should implement effective teaching practices. Data were drawn from elementary school teachers completing surveys and interviews. Data includes information on computer usage in the classroom, access to computers in school, and the kinds of instructional uses of computers in the schools. The results of this study find evidence that teachers were using computers regularly, and the ways in which they are used. There were differences in the frequency of computer use in elementary classrooms. The major barriers to curriculum integration by elementary teachers were time and lack of upgraded computers in classrooms. The findings also indicate that computers are not a panacea for problems facing the schools. When used adequately computers may serve to enhance the educational environment and improve student success. Findings from this study offer practical implication for school districts and teacher education college programs working toward supporting and promoting change in teaching roles and practice that use new technologies.

The identification of students who are gifted traditionally has been grounded in criteria with an emphasis on unitary measures of intellectual ability. Recently, multiple intelligences [MI] theory has been embraced as an alternative perspective with promise for addressing concerns about groups in which children seldom are identified as gifted when traditional methods are used. The purpose of this research was to compare the performance over a period of four years, on North Carolina's statewide mandatory end of grade tests, of elementary school children, who are identified as gifted with an assessment process based on MI theory, and a group of elementary school children referred for assessment, but not identified as gifted. The Problem Solving Assessment Process, which represents an application of MI theory, was used as an assessment for identification to the gifted program, and the North Carolina End of Course Tests was used as a standardized measure to evaluate progress of black and white students at the end of grades 3, 4, and 5. An analysis of data, over a four-year period, was used to ascertain whether the Problem Solving Assessment [PSAI] Process, designed to assess intellectual strengths in multiple intelligences is an accurate assessment for identification of students when compared to student performance on a traditional, standardized approach to achievement. Results show that black and white students identified as gifted using an alternative measure of assessment consistently do well consistently on mandatory statewide tests. The results are discussed with regard to ongoing practices and future implications for identification and education of gifted children.

This study was designed to investigate perceived levels of involvement and training needs of elementary principals in special education. Perceptions of 133 elementary principals, 13 special education directors and 33 university faculty members were examined and compared regarding principals' role in special education. Participant responded to a survey developed and pilot-tested for this study that examined principals' involvement in thirty-six special education activities; ideal level of involvement; and types of training needed to best support principals in managing special education programs in their schools. Inferential analyses included Mixed Model MANOVAs to determine: the relationship between the three groups and three areas of activities; the ideal levels of involvement; and differences in gender. General Linear Models were utilized to determine the effects of principals' training in special education. Mixed-Model and One-Way ANOVAs determined desired areas of training for principals. Results suggest that the more course work that principals take in special education, the greater is their involvement in special education. Principals perceived that they are more involved in special education programs than was perceived by both directors and university faculty. Twice the number of significant differences were seen between principals and faculty than between principals and directors. There were no significant differences between male and female principals. Principals believed that they were currently functioning at their ideal level. Conversely, directors believed that principals need to increase their involvement to reach an ideal level. No significant differences were found between principals and directors as to an ideal level of involvement. Faculty perceived that principals need to significantly expand their involvement to attain an ideal level. Principals selected Emerging Legal Issues in Special Education, Procedures for Special Education Discipline, and Proper Special Education Documentation as administrative areas for additional training. Principals indicated that they favored supplementary training in managing Behaviorally Disordered, Chronically Disciplined and Emotionally Disabled students. Results have implications for the need to more clearly define the role of principals in special education activities and to develop a standard for principals' involvement. In addition, results indicate a need for more adequate pre-service/in-service preparation of principals in the areas of special education.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a tangible goal on students' on-task behavior and the perception of their classroom climate. The tangible goal examined in this study was an audio CD. Also examined were the interactions of grade, group, gender, and time of test. The My Class Inventory was used to measure students' perceptions of their learning environment. Two hundred and fifty-one students from twelve intact classes in two elementary and two middle schools of three school districts were chosen for the study. The intact classes were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups for a four-week experiment. The study utilized a pretest/posttest two group quasi-experimental design to answer six research questions. Four-way ANOVAs with repeated measures were conducted to measure mean differences and interactions. Group and time of test were the principal variables of this study. Results of the study found significant differences between experimental and comparison groups of off-task behavior scores.

This is a study to examine and describe of elementary teachers' beliefs regarding the use of the Internet in K-5 classrooms and the impact of the use of the Internet on their teaching practices. Primary participants were drawn from a pool of 277 teachers from 15 sites selected for convenience from a large urban school district in the southwestern United States. Data included a semi-structured and an open-ended interview. Participants also completed the Stages of Concern Questionnaire, a thirty-five item Likert scale from the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). Quantitative data was collected in the form of a paper/pencil survey and questionnaire. The selected literature review covered the use of the Internet in schools, teacher professional development, motivation, and the diffusion of educational innovations.

This multiple-case study examines the Literacy Assistance Project, an early intervention reading program for "at-risk" students in the Tucson Unified School District. First, this study seeks to thoroughly describe the programmatic, administrative, theoretical and pedagogical framework of LAP and document how these concerns are reflected in the context of LAP lessons. The LAP program claims to be a holistic, or constructivist, reading program. Cambourne's (1988) eight conditions of learning are descriptors of literacy events and activities that are consistent with a constructivist perspective of learning. As a second goal, the study determines the extent to which LAP meets Cambourne's eight conditions of learning, and thirdly, the ways that two LAP teachers' beliefs and practices are consistent with those eight conditions. Whole language proponents are often concerned with aspects of Reading Recovery and other reading intervention programs. In Chapter 1 whole language concerns with reading intervention programs such as Reading Recovery and LAP are addressed and responses to those concerns by Reading Recovery and LAP follow. Data for the study was collected in two elementary schools over a five-month period. They include researcher field notes of lesson observations, interviews with two LAP teachers, eight LAP students, one principal, the LAP designer, and current director. They also include audiotaped transcriptions of lessons and children's writing samples. Analysis of the data was conducted by observing Glaser and Strauss's (1967) grounded theory technique. The data indicate that, notwithstanding the constructivist nature of the reading intervention program, teachers themselves determine how holistic, or constructivist, LAP lessons are. Both teachers reported constructivist teaching and learning beliefs about literacy, but only one teacher practiced those beliefs consonant with Cambourne's (1988) eight constructivist conditions. This finding evidences the critical importance of understanding how teacher beliefs shape teachers' classroom practice. Because teacher beliefs about language, learning, and literacy in great part determine the nature of teachers' practices, and because teachers' reported claims about teaching, reading, and writing strategies may not actually be what they practice due to the influence of those beliefs, it is recommended that pre-service and continuing teacher education programs and in-services carefully examine the foundation and efficacy of teacher beliefs. It is further recommended that educators who instruct pre-service and continuing teacher education coursework make the examination and understanding of teacher beliefs a major curricular emphasis.

Models for science education, rather than paralleling the process of scientific discovery, have traditionally involved the dissemination of information through texts and controlled lab experiences. These have had limited effect in the development of science concepts. Therefore, the focus of this study was to investigate alternative avenues, such as the use of narrative, for science conceptualization. Despite the potential for narrative as an avenue for science conceptualization, for the most part studies involving literature have not explored this relationship. The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of science conceptualization, with a specific focus on narrative. This was done through a fifth grade classroom based study where learning experiences were created, focused on the concept of interdependence in relationship to water. These experiences included open-ended, hands-on science experiences, literature discussion groups, self-selected research projects and the creation of narrative pieces based on those research projects. Data sources included: (a) audio and videotaped literature discussion group sessions; (b) audio and videotaped study group interviews and curricular sessions; (c) individual interviews; (d) learning log entries and reflections; and (e) student narratives. Data analysis was conducted within a semiotic theoretical framework and involved the process of retroduction. Retroduction entails a kind of spiraling dialectic between theoretical considerations and data incidences, from which are generated possible explanations. These possible explanations or abductions, provide direction for further forays into the data. The process of retroduction lends itself to the creation of data analysis chapters that highlight theoretical issues in relationship to the data or "theoretical memos". Three theoretical memos emerged from this process. Theoretical memo one explores the role of experience in conceptualization; theoretical memo two focuses on the role of analogy and narrative experiences in relationship to intertextuality in conceptualization; and theoretical memo three highlights metaphor in relationship to the intertextual process of transmediation, whereby conceptualization is symbolized through student generated narratives. Together, these memos provide some insights into aspects of the process of conceptualization that are often ignored both in "real" science as well as science instruction. The implications of the study findings are summarized in light of what is known about the discovery process, as compared to what happens in traditional science instruction.