In today's society it is necessary to have good literacy to even manage in life. When it comes to school, reading is important for success in all subjects and to acquire new knowledge. It is therefore of great importance that reading education works well in school and that student’s literacy development stimulates. The purpose of this study is to examine individualized reading education based on how three teachers in grade 2 describe their activity. The study also aims to examine the importance of formative assessment of students' reading skills before individualized reading education.   Through qualitative studies consisting interviews and observations with the teachers have three research questions been answered. The questions of the study are; how do the teachers say that they individualize reading education? How do teachers relate to individualized education? Which formative assessments are made by teachers before individualizing reading education and how do they reflect on them?   Based on, among other things, Vintereks individualization types and Sandler's theory of formative assessment, the results have shown that the teachers adapt their individual students' reading education based on their needs and circumstances. The result also shows that teachers are positive to individualize education for the students, but they believe it may be difficult when students have different needs appearing on different times as well as the time spent on the administration of the work instead of on the students. This means that circumstances in the classroom and the school's structural conditions put obstacles for teachers to individualize the education for the students completely. The teachers believe that it is important to do formative assessments of students to know where they are in their reading development and how to move forward to achieve their goals.

This study was focused on what differentiated instruction is, what it takes to have a differentiated classroom, and if differentiated instruction really helps increase student motivation, engagement, and learning. Two classes of eighth grade students were taken through the process of differentiating assignments using four ways differentiation can take place: variety, choice, relevance, and centers.

The technology acceptance model (TAM) has been widely used to assess technology adoption in business, education, and health care. The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) launched a web-based Individualized Educational Program (IEP) system for school psychologists to use in conducting evaluations and reviews. This quantitative study examined the relationship between school psychologists' TAM factors associated with the web-based IEP system's perceived usability and usefulness measured by a TAM Instrument with individual job performance assessed by the Job Performance Ratings Measure. A random sample of 69 NYCDOE school psychologists participated in this study, and a regression analysis addressed the research questions. The results showed no positive effects of perceived ease of use in job performance. In addition, there were no positive effects of perceived usefulness in job performance. The results of this study might benefit administrators and districts to see the need to explore additional resources. As ease of use and usefulness are vital to technology acceptance, providing resources to school psychologists are key to the overall success of the IEP process. Future research should take a qualitative approach to illuminate why and how school psychologists accept technology, especially when it involves the IEP process.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Technikon Southern Africa defined its role as distance learning institution with the implementation of the Integrated Learner Centred Distance Learning (ILCDE) model. This model implied the establishment of regional offices as well as the implementation of a tutor system. The tutor system implied the appointment of tutors at the different regional offices. In an attempt to take the distance out of distance learning the following functions of tutors were identified: • Telephone tutoring • Conducting contact sessions • Assessing assignments The focal point of this study was tutor development within a flexible learning system as no structured learning programmes for tutors exist at TSA. The purpose was to investigate and analyse the learning needs of tutors in a flexible learning system. Various critical questions stimulated this study. However, the following three questions formed the basis of this study: • What is the role of training and development in the tutor system? • Do tutors have a need for continuing professional learning programmes? If so, what . should the nature of such learning programmes be? • What should the criteria be to evaluate and monitor the development oftutors? A qualitative research approach was followed and the data was obtained by means of interviews and participative observation sessions. The subjects of the study were the tutors of the Subject Group: Management Leadership: Policing appointed for the registration period May 1998 - May 1999. One of the conclusions of the study was that the following processes regarding the tutor system need attention: • Recruitment and selection • Interviewing and appointment • Job descriptions • Orientation, training and development programmes • Evaluation and monitoring programmes • Role clarification • Marketing strategy The following recommendations were formulated: • A guide for the recruitment and appointment processes of its tutors should be compiled. • An assessment of the support needs of learners should be performed. • Establishing a continuing professional learning unit should be considered. • A proposal for learning interventions for continuing professional learning should be developed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: DIE ROL VAN TUTORONTWIKKELING IN 'N PLOOffiARE LEERSTELSEL Die Technikon Suider-Afrika het sy rol as afstandsonderriginstansie gedefinieer toe die Geïntegreerde Leergesentreerde Afstandsonderrigmodel (lLeD£) geïmplementeer is. Hierdie model het die daarstelling van streekkantore asook die implementering van 'n tutorstelsel veronderstel. Die tutorstelsel het die aanstelling van tutors by die onderskeie streekkantore tot gevolg gehad. Om die afstand uit afstandsonderrig te haal, is die volgende drie funksies van tutors geïdentifiseer: • Telefoonbegeleiding • Fasilitering van kontaksessies • Assessering van werkopdragte Die fokuspunt van hierdie studie was tutorontwikkeling binne 'n plooibare leerstelsel, aangesien geen gestruktureerde leerprogramme vir tutors by TSA bestaan nie. Die doel was om die leerbehoeftes van tutors in so 'n plooibare leerstelsel te ondersoek en te ontleed. Verskeie kritiese vrae het aanvanklik hierdie studie gestimuleer, maar die volgende drie vrae het die basis van die studie gevorm: • Wat is die rol van opleiding en ontwikkeling in die tutorstelsel? • Is daar 'n behoefte aan deurlopende professionele leerprogramme? Indien ja, wat behoort die aard van die programme te wees? • Wat behoort die kriteria te wees om die ontwikkeling van tutors te evalueer en te monitor? 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering IS gevolg en die data IS deur middel van onderhoudvoering en deelnemende waarnemingsessies ingesamel. Die tutors wat aangestel is vir die registrasietydperk Mei 1998 - Mei 1999, van die Vakgroep: Bestuursleierskap: Polisiëring is vir die studie gebruik. Een van die gevolgtrekkings van die studie IS dat die volgende prosesse lil die daarstelling van die tutorstelsel aandag vereis: • Werwing en keuring • Onderhoudvoering en aanstelling • Posbeskrywings • Oriënterings-, opleidings- en ontwikkelingsprogramme • Evaluerings- en moniteringsprogramme • Roluitklaring • Bemarking Die volgende aanbevelings is geformuleer: • 'n Handleiding vir die werwing en keuring van tutors behoort saamgestel te word. • 'n Behoeftebepaling van die ondersteuningsbehoeftes van die leerders behoort gedoen te word. • Die vestiging van 'n deurlopende professionele leereenheid behoort oorweeg te word. • 'n Voorstel vir leerintervensies vir personeelontwikkeling behoort ontwikkel te word.

The problem is to describe, analyze, and evaluate three approaches to the teaching of reading in grades one through six in selected school districts in a California county. The three approaches are 1) the Basic Reading Approach, 2) the Individualized Reading Approach, and 3) the Language Experience Approach to reading.

The problem of this study was to determine what changes, if any, take place in student teachers' attitudes toward individualization of instruction and any changes in their philosophical beliefs concerning Experimentalism, during, or as a result of the student teaching experience.

The purpose of this study was to compare the achievement and attitudes of students who experienced two different methods of intermediate typewriting teaching at Utah State University. This experimental research was conducted in the Department of Business Education and Office Administration at Utah State University, Logan, Utah, during the winter quarter of 1973. The statistical population included forty-two control group students and eighteen experimental group students. An instructional model was developed to allow the control group to move through the instructional model as a traditional structured group while the experimental group proceeded through the instructional model on an individualized progress basis. The design of the model included eight learning units, videotaped instruction, individual and group testing, and group administered skill building. Two teachers were used in the study. Each teacher taught a control and experimental group. To evaluate the effectiveness of the model, two major categories of mll hypotheses were tested. They were: (1) hypotheses testing the overall effects of the experiment, and (2) hypotheses testing the effects of each individual learning unit. Teacher-made pretests and posttests were developed to measure the overall achievement in typewriting theory, straight-copy, five-minute timed writing speed, accuracy, and proofreading. Also, pretests and posttests were developed to measure typewriting theory, production speed, and production accuracy for each of the learning units used in the study. Sixteen selected questions from the Illinois Course Evaluation. Form 66, 1965, were used to measure the attitudes of students. A report was made by each teacher stating the number of days it took etch student to complete the course requirements. Two-way regression analysis of covariance was employed to test the hypotheses related to the achievement of students on theory tests, straight copy timed writing tests, and unit production tests. The hypothesis related to the attitudes of students was tested by two-way regression analysis of variance on each of the sixteen questions. The following findings were reported: There were no significant differences with respect to treatment groups, teachers, and method-teacher interaction on all overall achievement measures, 01 four of the six learning units tested, or on twelve of the sixteen attitude questions. There was a significant difference between teachers in favor of Teacher One but not treatment groups nor method-teacher interaction on each of these questions: "The instructor seemed to be interested in students as a person." "The instructor had a thorough knowledge of his subject matter." "The instructor seemed to consider teaching a chore or routine act." There was a significant difference between treatment groups in favor of the control group but not teachers nor method-teacher interaction on the question, "It was a very worthwhile course," although both groups agreed that the course was worthwhile. There was a significant difference between treatment groups in favor of the control group on manuscript production speed. No other significant differences in the manuscript unit were found. There was a significant difference between teachers in favor of Teacher One on simple tables production speed. No other significant differences in the simple tables unit were found. The control group had thirty-nine students who completed the course requirements at the end of the normal quarter and had three students who finished late. The experimental group had eight students who completed the course requirements early, nine students who finished at the end of the normal quarter, and one student who finished later. The major recommendations were: Business educators should consider the individualized progress method of instruction as a viable alternative to the traditional structured-group method of instruction in all areas of intermediate typewriting achievement except on manuscript production speed development. Business educators should consider the individualized progress method of instruction as a viable alternative to the traditional structured-group method of instruction when favorable attitudes toward intermediate typewriting are important. To utilize the current typewriting facilities at Utah State University more efficiently and to accommodate the needs of individual students, a minimum of two sections of intermediate typewriting should be offered in the typewriting curriculum of Utah State University. One of these sections should be a traditional structured-group method of instruction and the other should be an individualized progress method of instruction.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: James Raths, School of Education. Includes bibliographical references.