The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that are related to students&rsquo / science achievement in TIMSS-R. Basically instructional activities, affective characteristics of students and socioeconomic status (SES) were taken as the variables of the model proposed within the Linear Structural Modeling (LSM) framework. This study examined the TIMSS data for Turkish students with the sample size of 7841 through the analysis of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Resulting path diagram showed that the largest relationship existed between science achievement and SES of students. It was also observed that students&rsquo / enjoyment of science did not seem to have a significant contribution on science achievement. In addition, science achievement had a negative relationship with the classroom activities considered as student-centered. On the other hand, the activities considered as teacher-centered had a positive impact on the science achievement scores of the TIMSS tests. It was also observed that science achievement and perception of success/failure in science were highly related with each other. The results were interpreted within the framework of Turkish educational system, and some suggestions for future research studies were proposed.

This study was conducted in order to determine how mathematics teachers allocate their time in the classroom and the factors that influence teacher priorities in that time allocation. Research has indicated that math teachers may choose not to do certain activities in their classroom because of the amount of time that they take, but other underlying reasons may exist. In order to study this idea, six math teachers were interviewed on their current time allocation and rationale for that allocation, and the results from these interviews were used to create a survey that was sent to 581 math teachers in Utah. The results from the 224 completed surveys showed that many teachers allocate their classroom time in a fairly traditional manner, with an average of about 10% of class time being spent on student-centered activities. 40.63% of teachers spent 0% of their class time on student-centered activities. There is variation in time allocation and influencing factors based on a teacher's schedule, level of teaching, experience, and how student-centered their teaching methods are. Also, the results support the claim that there are factors, other than limited class time, that affect how teachers choose whether or not to do certain activities. Some of the most significant deciding factors found are whether the activities will help students with their end of level tests, if they will keep students working hard mathematically, whether others are using those activities or not, how the activities affect classroom rowdiness. It was also found that teachers who are more teacher-centered tended to choose activities based on how easy they were to implement, including their personal comfort level, ease of preparation, and ease of management with student behavior. More student-centered teachers tended to care more about keeping the students working hard mathematically.

The past decade has seen a significant increase in the emergence of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States. Nationally, a disparity in achievement exists between ELLs and non-ELLs. Relatedly, this problem was evident in a northeastern school district, where ELLs had not made Adequate Yearly Progress 2 years in a row. The purpose of this study was to examine how much time English as Second Language (ESL) teachers spend on a variety of best instructional practices. Constructivism, Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, and Tomilinson's differentiated instruction were the frameworks used to guide this research. A within-group design was utilized to identify how much time 25 ESL educators spent on 5 types of instructional practices. The Survey of Instructional Practices for ESL/ELD Teachers for Grades K-12 was used to collect data. A 1-way analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences between the amounts of time ESL teachers spent on the 5 instructional practices. The greatest time was spent on individualized instructional activities and a variety of educational tasks. Less time was spent on small group activities, and the least amount of time was spent on inquiry-based activities and technology activities. Findings supported the creation of a professional development for ESL teachers at the local site focusing on (a) best instructional practices for teaching ESL students, (b) professional learning community network of support, and (c) resources to support educators in their lesson planning of instructional activities. The study findings and culminating project may positively affect social change by improving ESL instruction at the local site and ultimately decreasing the disparity in achievement between ELL and non-ELL students.

The past decade has seen a significant increase in the emergence of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States. Nationally, a disparity in achievement exists between ELLs and non-ELLs. Relatedly, this problem was evident in a northeastern school district, where ELLs had not made Adequate Yearly Progress 2 years in a row. The purpose of this study was to examine how much time English as Second Language (ESL) teachers spend on a variety of best instructional practices. Constructivism, Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, and Tomilinson's differentiated instruction were the frameworks used to guide this research. A within-group design was utilized to identify how much time 25 ESL educators spent on 5 types of instructional practices. The Survey of Instructional Practices for ESL/ELD Teachers for Grades K-12 was used to collect data. A 1-way analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences between the amounts of time ESL teachers spent on the 5 instructional practices. The greatest time was spent on individualized instructional activities and a variety of educational tasks. Less time was spent on small group activities, and the least amount of time was spent on inquiry-based activities and technology activities. Findings supported the creation of a professional development for ESL teachers at the local site focusing on (a) best instructional practices for teaching ESL students, (b) professional learning community network of support, and (c) resources to support educators in their lesson planning of instructional activities. The study findings and culminating project may positively affect social change by improving ESL instruction at the local site and ultimately decreasing the disparity in achievement between ELL and non-ELL students.

This curriculum project provides instructional activities and materials to be used in teaching decomposition and flowcharting skills to students in grades 5-7. It is indicated and supported by research that the use of a variety of activities geared toward problem solving are of great value to students who will make use of decomposition and flowcharting. This project is specifically designed for teachers in grades 5-7 who wish to prepare their students for programming activities on the microcomputer. The criteria for selection of activities and materials are included. This project includes activities categorized under one of the following headings: sequencing activities, selecting information activities, flowcharting activities, and working with computer activities. Finally, the materials and activities used in this project are listed by source so that teachers might find other references that could be helpful in teaching decomposition and flowcharting to students in grades 5-7.

This study is a two part research project that describes and evaluates the efforts of the researcher to bring change in Cyprus' educational system, in the field of simple electric circuits. The objective of the first part was the assessment and evaluation of Cypriot STVE students' perceptions about simple electric circuits. The objective of the second part was to measure the effectiveness that conceptual change model-based instructional activities designed by the researcher had on changing students' misconceptions about simple electric circuits towards scientifically accepted ideas. Transformative mixed methods research design was used consisting mainly from an one-group pre-test post-test design with Determining and Interpreting Resistive Electric Circuits Concepts Test 1.2 as a research instrument, while interviews and field notes were used for triangulation. The findings showed that there was a significant improvement in students' understanding of simple electric circuit concepts that were taught using conceptual change model-based instructional activities. / Science and Technology Education / M. Sc. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

This study is a two part research project that describes and evaluates the efforts of the researcher to bring change in Cyprus' educational system, in the field of simple electric circuits. The objective of the first part was the assessment and evaluation of Cypriot STVE students' perceptions about simple electric circuits. The objective of the second part was to measure the effectiveness that conceptual change model-based instructional activities designed by the researcher had on changing students' misconceptions about simple electric circuits towards scientifically accepted ideas. Transformative mixed methods research design was used consisting mainly from an one-group pre-test post-test design with Determining and Interpreting Resistive Electric Circuits Concepts Test 1.2 as a research instrument, while interviews and field notes were used for triangulation. The findings showed that there was a significant improvement in students' understanding of simple electric circuit concepts that were taught using conceptual change model-based instructional activities. / Science and Technology Education / M. Sc. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

This item contains the agenda, minutes, and attachments for the Faculty Senate meeting on this date. There may be additional materials from the meeting available at the Faculty Center.

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The aim of this study was to explore how gender is perceived in classroom instructional activities and how it is represented in the Grade 9 English textbook in Ethiopia. To do this, the constructivist paradigm was used as a way of viewing the educational world. Underpinned by the Sociocultural Theory (SCT) and Gender Schema Theory (GST), the study was qualitative and used a multiple case study inquiry. The selection of participants was through purposive sampling and data were collected through interviews, observations and textbook review. The study was undertaken at four government high schools, and the focus was on Grade 9 at Chacha, Minjar, DebreSina and Mekoy Districts of North Shoa Zone in Amhara Region. Sixteen learners, four teachers and four principals were interviewed. The findings concluded in two significant findings: 1) improper gender treatment in classroom instructional activities, and 2) imbalance of gender representation in Grade 9 English textbook. The first finding generated emerging themes, for instance (a) imbalanced allocation of roles and responsibilities between girls and boys; (b) girls’ embarrassment by others; (c) girls’ incapability to manage group and use given opportunity in classroom; (d) male domination and female subordination; (e) gender policy implementation gap at school; (f) impediment of girls’ participation due to patriarchal thinking; (g) challenges of traditional gender thinking in classroom; (h) parents’ practices and experiences affected learners’ practices and experiences in classroom; (i) lack of girls’ recognition by others; and (j) self-overestimation seen by boys and self-underestimation seen by girls. The themes for the second major finding include: (a) men overrepresentation and women underrepresentation; (b) presence of gender-marked vocabularies to enhance women’s passive role; (c) encouragement of traditional gender representation by assigning women in baby-sitting, and domestic chores, such as cleaning, cooking or shopping; (d) manifestation of man first-ness; and (e) imbalance of pictorial representation between women and men. The study recommends that teaching gender equality to the school community and society could be used to discourage gender stereotyped and biased engagements. Female teachers should be role models for girls. Educators should use gender-sensitive materials for the development of a gender-free awareness by the young generation. / Die doel van hierdie studie was om te ondersoek hoe gender in klaskameronderrigaktiwiteite ervaar word en hoe dit in die Graad 9 Engelse handboek in Etiopië voorgestel word. Ten einde dit te doen, is die kontruktivistiese paradigma as beskouingswyse van die opvoedkundige wêreld gebruik. Die studie was kwalitatief, onderlê deur sosiokulturele teorie en genderskemateorie, en die ondersoekmetode van veelvuldige gevallestudies is gebruik. Deelnemers is met behulp van doelbewuste steekproefneming geselekteer en data is deur middel van onderhoude, observasies en 'n handboekoorsig ingesamel. Die studie is by vier regeringshoërskole onderneem, en die fokus was op Graad 9 in die Chacha, Minjar, DebreSina en Mekoy distrikte van die Noord-Shoa sone in die Amhara streek. Onderhoude is gevoer met sestien leerders, vier onderwysers en vier skoolhoofde. Daar was twee beduidende bevindings: 1) onvanpaste genderbehandeling in klaskameronderrigaktiwiteite, en 2) 'n wanbalans in gendervoorstelling in die Graad 9 Engelse handboek. Verskillende temas het uit die eerste bevinding voortgespruit, byvoorbeeld (a) die ongebalanseerde toekenning van rolle en verantwoordelikhede tussen seuns en dogters; (b) die vernedering van dogters deur ander; (c) die onvermoë van dogters om groepe te beheer en van gegewe geleenthede in die klaskamer gebruik te maak; (d) manlike oorheersing en vroulike ondergeskiktheid; (e) 'n leemte in die implementering van genderbeleid op skool; (f) belemmering van dogters se deelname deur patriargale denke; (g) die uitdagings van tradisionele genderdenke in die klaskamer; (h) die invloed wat ouers se praktyke en ervarings op leerders se praktyke en ervarings in die klaskamer het; (i) gebrekkige erkenning van dogters deur ander; en (j) self-oorskatting onder die seuns en self-onderskatting onder die dogters. Die temas van die tweede hoofbevinding het ingesluit: (a) die óórverteenwoordiging van mans en onderverteenwoordiging van vroue; (b) die teenwoordigheid van gendergekleurde woordeskat om vroue se passiewe rol te beklemtoon; (c) die aanmoediging van tradisionele genderverteenwoordiging deur huishoudelike take soos skoonmaak, kook en inkopies doen aan vroue toe te ken; (d) die manifestering van manlike uitnemendheid/"eerste wees"; en (e) 'n wanbalans in die verteenwoordiging van vroue en mans in illustrasies. Die studie beveel aan dat die skoolgemeenskap en die gemeenskap in gendergelykheid onderrig word ten einde genderstereotipering en bevooroordeelde optredes te ontmoedig. Vroulike onderwyseres behoort 'n rolmodel vir dogters te wees. Onderwysers moet gendersensitiewe materiaal gebruik om gendervrye bewustheid onder die jong geslag te kweek / Inhloso yocwaningo bekuwukubheka ukuthi ubulili bubonwa kanjani kwimisebenzi efundiswa emakilasini, nokuthi ubulili bukhonjiswa kanjani ezincwadini zesiNgisi ezibekelwe ukufundwa ebangeni lika-Grade 9 ezweni lase Ethiopia. Kulolu cwaningo kusetshenziswe i-constructivist paradigm njengendlela yokubheka ezemfundo. Ngokulandela ithiyori yezenhlalo namasiko i-sociocultural theory (SCT) kanye nethiyori i-gender schema theory (GST), ucwaningo lube yi-qualitative research kanti kusetshenziswe nocwaningo olubheka amacala amaningi i-multiple case study inquiry. Ababambe iqhaza bakhethwe ngokusebenzisa amasampula akhethwe ngenhlososo i-purposive sampling, kanti ulwazi luqoqwe ngokukuxoxisana ama-interviews, ukubhekisisa okwenzekayo (observations) kanye nokubuyekeza izincwadi zesiNgisi ezibekelwe ukufundwa ama-textbook. Ucwaningo lwenziwe ezikoleni eziphakeme ezine zikahulumeni, kanti kwagxilwa kakhulu ebangeni lika-Grade 9 ezifundazweni zasezweni lase Ethiopia okuyi-Chacha, eMinjar, eDebreSina, kanye namaDistrikhthi aseNorth Shoa Zone kanye nasezifundazweni zase Amhara. Kuxoxiswene ngama-interviews nabafundi abayishumi nesithupha, othisha abane kanye nothishanhloko abane. Kutholakale imiphumela emibili esemqoka: 1) ukungaphathwa kahle kodaba lobulili kwimisebenzi yokufundisa emaklasini, kanye 2) nokungabekwa kahle ngokulingalingana kodaba lobulili ezincwadini zesiNgisi ezibekelwe ukufundwa kubanga lika -Grade 9. Umphumela wokuqala uveze izingqikithi (themes) ezilandelayo, isibonelo, (a) ukungabiwa kahle ngokulingana ngendlela ehlelekile kwemisebenzi ngokubulili phakathi kwamantombazane kanye nabafana; (b) ukuhlazwa kwamantombazane okwenziwa ngabanye; (c), ukungabi nekhono kwamantombazane ukuhola amaqembu kanye nokusebenzisa amathuba emaklasini; (d) ukubhozomela kwabesilisa kanye nokuzithoba kwabesifazane; (e) igebe elikhona ngokusetshenziswa kwemigomo ebhekene nezobulili ezikoleni; (f) izihibe ezivimbela amantombazane ukubamba iqhaza ngenxa yemibono ebeka ukuthi abesilisa yibona ababalulekile (patriarchal thinking); (g) izinselele ezikhona ngezinkambiso zakudala maqondana nokucabanga ngezobulili emaklasini; (h) izindlela zezinkambiso zabazali zibe nomthelela kwizindlela zokwenza kanye nezipiliyoni zabafundi emaklasini; (i) ukungamukelwa kwamantombazane ngabanye; kanye (j) nokuzibeka phambili kakhulu kwabafana kanye nokuzibeka ezingeni eliphansi kwamantombazane. Izingqikithi (themes) zomphumela wesibili zibandakanya okulandelayo (a) ukumelwa kakhulu ngokweqile kwabesilisa kanye nezinga eliphansi lokumelwa kwabesifazane; (b) ubukhona besilulumagama i-vocabulary ephawula ngobulili nephakamisa nokungadlali ndima kwabesimame; (c) ukukhuthazwa kwezinkambiso zakudala zokumelwa kobulili ngokunikeza abesimame imisebenzi yokunakekela izingane kanye nokwenza imisebenzi yasendlini, efana nokuhlanza izindlu, ukupheka kanye nokuyothenga ezitolo; (d) umqondo wokubeka abesilisa phambili; kanye (e) nokungahleleki ngokufanele nokulingalingana ngokukhombisa ngezithombe phakathi kwabesimame nabesilisa. Ucwaningo luncoma ukuthi ukufundisa ngokulingana kwabafundi besilisa nabesifazane ezikoleni kanye nakwisizwe sonkana kungasetshenziswa ukudumaza umqondo wokubeka ubulili obuthile ngendlela nomqondo othize (gender-stereotyped) kanye nokwenza ukuthi abobulili obuthile kuphela okumele benze noma bangenzi imisebenzi ethile. Othisha besifazane kumele bebeyisibonelo kumantombazane. Abafundisi kumele basebenzise izincwadi zokufundisa ezingenabandlululo ngokobulili ukuze isizukulwane esisha bsiondisise ngezokulingana ngokobulili. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Phil. (Education in the subject Curriculum Studies)