Digital technology is becoming increasingly affordable and schools are engaging in 1:1 implementations faster than research can support. Laptop implementations in a 1:1 ratio promise personalized instruction and more access to enriched curriculums and information. As schools transition, it is imperative they know and can predict what the impact on measures of student achievement will be. This is especially so for more “at‐risk” student populations. During the 2010‐2011 school year, a Utah junior high school implemented a 1:1 laptop program to investigate the demands of 1:1 implementation prior to other area schools making similar transitions. Exploratory research was conducted on science classes to investigate the initial reaction of different demographic groups to a 1:1 laptop implementation. Four measures of student outcomes were evaluated (academic credits gained, class grades, attendance, and incidents of discipline referral). After 5 months of 1:1 implementation in science, it was found that: Most demographic groups experienced little or no change in measured outcomes after the laptop was introduced 1:1. There were no demographic groups that performed significantly better with laptops than they did previously without them. Low‐income White students performed relatively worse on academic measures than did all other demographic groups after laptops were introduced. Low‐income ethnic minority students measured slight improvement on class grades after laptops were introduced, and this reaction appeared to be different from the lowincome White students. Students who participated in a laptop computer class that was in addition to their science class achieved slightly better grades in science than did students who only used the laptop in science. The introduction of laptops appeared to have little or no consistent influence on student attendance or discipline referral although teachers did state classroom management required adjustments after laptop introduction. Because of the different responses by the more “at‐risk” student populations to 1:1 implementation, it is important that additional research be conducted on the different reactions of demographic subpopulations in the 1:1 setting. This exploratory study helped provide a referential foundation and questions from which additional research and more effective laptop implementations can begin.

Creating a scientifically literate society appears to be the major goal of recent science education reform efforts (Abd-El-Khalick, Boujaoude, Dushl, Lederman, Hofstein, Niaz, Tregust, & Tuan, 2004). Recent national reports in the U.S, such as Shaping the Future, New Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology (NSF,1996), Inquiry in Science and In Classroom,. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 2001), Pursuing excellence: Comparison of international eight-grade mathematics and science achievement from a U.S. perspective (NCES, 2001), and Standards for Science Teacher Preparation (NSTA 2003) appear to agree on one thing: the vision of creating a scientifically literate society. It appears from science education literature that the two important components of being a scientifically literate individual are developing an understanding of nature of science and ability to conduct scientific inquiries. Unfortunately, even though teaching science through inquiry has been recommended in national reports since the 1950's, it has yet to find its way into many science classrooms (Blanchard, 2006; Yerrick, 2000). Science education literature identfies several factors for this including: 1)lack of content knowledge (Anderson, 2002; Lee, Hart Cuevas, & Enders, 2004; Loucks-Horsely, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1998; Moscovici, 1999; Smith & Naele, 1989; Smith, 1989); 2)high stake tests (Aydeniz, 2006); 3) teachers' conflicting beliefs with inquiry-based science education reform (Blanchard, 2006; Wallace & Kang, 2004) ; and, 4) lack of collaboration and forums for communication (Anderson, 2002; Davis, 2003; Loucks-Horsely, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1998; Wallace & Kang, 2004). In addition to the factors stated above this study suggest that some of the issues and problems that have impeded inquiry instruction to become the primary approach to teaching science in many science classrooms might be related to teachers NOS conceptions. Developing desired understanding of nature of science conceptions and having an adequate experience with inquiry learning is especially important for science teachers because science education literature suggests that the development of teachers' nature of science conceptions is influenced by their experiences with inquiry science (Akerson et. al. 2000) and implementation of science lessons reflect teachers' NOS conceptions (Abd-EL-Khalick & Boujaoude, 1997; Matson & Parsons, 1998; Rosenthal, 1993; Trowbridge, Bybee & Powell, 2000; Turner & Sullenger, 1999). Furthermore, the impediments to successful integration of inquiry based science instruction from teachers' perspective are particularly important, as they are the implementers of inquiry based science education reform. The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between the teachers' NOS conceptions and their inquiry beliefs and practices in their classrooms and how this relationship impedes or contributes to the implementation of inquiry based science education reform efforts. The participants of this study were in-service teachers who were accepted into the online Masters Program in science education program at a southern university. Three online courses offered in the summer semester of 2005 constituted the research setting of this study: (1) Special Problems in the Teaching of Secondary School Science: Nature of Science & Science Teaching, (2) Curriculum in Science Education, and (3) Colloquium. Multiple data sources were used for data triangulation (Miles & Huberman, 1984; Yin, 1994) in order to understand the relationship between participants' NOS views and their conceptions and beliefs about inquiry-based science teaching. These include: (1) VNOS questionnaire, (2) Electronic postings, (3) Semi-structured interviews, (4) email correspondence, and (5) videotapes. The study revealed that the relationship between the teachers' NOS conceptions and their inquiry beliefs and practices is far from being simple and linear. Data suggests that the teachers' sophistication of NOS conceptions influence their perception of inquiry science instruction in variety of ways. In a nutshell, these include: 1) The teachers become more confident in their ability to implement inquiry-based science classes; 2) Better understanding of NOS conceptions assists the teachers develop a higher appreciation of inquiry science instruction; 3) The teachers' misconceptions about nature of science appear to be connected to their misconceptions about inquiry science instruction; 4) A better understanding of NOS concepts seems to have stimulate the teachers to put more emphasis on some aspects of inquiry more than others; and 5) Sophistication of teachers' NOS conceptions influences their decisions about the type of inquiry they plan to incorporate in their instruction. This study also suggests that enhancing teachers' NOS conceptions should be among the main objectives of inquiry-based professional development programs and courses that are taught in science education programs. Science education literature suggests that teachers' resistances to adopting inquiry-based science instruction may be related to their inadequate or inappropriate knowledge of the nature of science (Lederman & O' Malley, 1990; Lederman, 1992; Ryan & Aikenhead, 1992). This study reveals that enhancing NOS conceptions helps teachers in their efforts to integrate inquiry into their instruction by boosting their confidence in their abilities to teach science through inquiry. This study reveals that especially teachers who lack strong science backgrounds and prior experience with inquiry science are at risk. Not having a strong background in science and lacking extensive experience with inquiry science negatively influences the teachers' confidence and thus delays their efforts to implement inquiry-based science lessons. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Middle & Secondary Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Fall Semester 2007. / Date of Defense: June 21, 2007. / Nature of Science Conceptions, Reform in Science Education, Professional Development, Online learning, Inquiry learning / Includes bibliographical references. / Alejandro J. Gallard, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jeff Chanton, Outside Committee Member; Nancy Davis, Committee Member; Janice Flake, Committee Member.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003.

Graduation date: 1963

The study was designed to (1) identify perceptions of teachers about actual and desired level of need fulfillment; (2) identify deficiency of need fulfillment of teachers; (3) examine the leader behavior of principals as perceived by teachers; and (4) investigate the relationship between teacher perceptions of principal leader behavior and teacher perceptions of deficiencies in need fulfillment.Two questionnaires were used in the study. The Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire--Form XII was utilized to obtain teacher perceptions of principal leader behavior. Four of the twelve subscales of the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire--Form XII were used: Tolerance of Uncertainty, Tolerance of Freedom, Consideration, and Initiating Structure. Teacher perceptions of actual and desired level of need fulfillment were obtained by use of a questionnaire developed by Porter for industrial research and adapted by Sergiovanni for use in schools. The difference between desired level of need fulfillment and actual level of need fulfillment provided a score for deficiency of need fulfillment. Statements on the questionnaire assessing need levels were grouped according to an adaption of the Maslow Hierarchy. Need categories represented on the questionnaire were: Security, Social, Esteem, Autonomy, and SelfActualization.The population of teachers for the study was middle/junior high teachers in schools in East Central Indiana with enrollments between 150 and 500 students per grade. A random sample of twenty schools was obtained for use in the study. Teachers in the selected schools completed both questionnaires. Twelve questionnaires were randomly selected from the group of returned questionnaires from each school. Only nineteen schools were represented in the final sample because fewer than twelve questionnaires were returned by the teachers of one school.Twenty null hypotheses were generated for the study. Each hypothesis was concerned with the relationship between a leader behavior and the deficiency of need fulfillment of a need category. Hypotheses were tested statistically by use of Pearson Product-Moment Correlations. Decisions about significance were made at the .05 level.Among the teachers in the sample, Social needs were most satisfied. Security needs were next in order of satisfaction. Esteem needs were least satisfied. Autonomy and Self -Actualization needs were found to be rated closer to the low satisfaction level given Esteem needs than to the rating given Security needs.The range of mean scores of actual need fulfillment was greater than the range of mean scores for desired need fulfillment. Greater agreement existed among teachers in the sample about desired level of need fulfillment than the level of actual need fulfillment.Correlations significant beyond the .05 level were found between teacher perceptions of principal leader behavior in each of four areas --Consideration, Tolerance of Freedom, Tolerance of Uncertainty, and Initiation of Structure--and teacher satisfaction in each of four need categories--Security, Esteem, Autonomy, and Self-Actualization. No significant correlation was found between teacher satisfaction of Social needs and teacher perceptions of principal leader behavior.The set of principal leader behaviors was found to be predictive of teacher satisfaction of Security, Esteem, Autonomy, and Self-Actualization needs. Including Tolerance of Freedom in the predictive equation resulted in a statistically significant increase in the multiple R between the set of principal leader behaviors and teacher satisfaction of Security and Autonomy needs. Including Consideration in the predictive equation resulted in a statistically significant increase in the multiple R between the set of principal leader behaviors and teacher satisfaction of Esteem needs. The person-oriented principal exhibiting behaviors perceived by teachers as Considerate and Tolerant of Freedom may be most effective in bringing about teacher satisfaction of higher order needs and thus creating a high level of staff motivation.

The purpose of this action research study was to examine strategies that lead to effective and efficient band rehearsals at the junior high level. Participants in the study were 28 grade 8 band students, 11 males and 17 females, as well as one music teacher researcher. Of 35 grade 8 band students, 28 or 80% chose to participate in the study. The school is located in a relatively high social-economic suburban junior high school. The research questions addressed were: 1. What proportion of instructional time do I spend on: teaching musical concepts and skills; conducting active music making; classroom management; waiting or wasting time? 2. How can I change my rehearsal practice to spend more time engaging students in active musical learning, and less time on non-musical tasks, thus improving the effectiveness and efficiency of my middle years band rehearsals? 3. How do students perceive and respond to their band rehearsals? During a 10-week block, from January to March, 2006, specific teaching innovations, drawn from the research and pedagogical literatures, were implemented with an aim to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the band class. Music classes were video taped and later analyzed using rehearsal frames. Students responded to the instructional innovations by completing exit slips daily and attitudinal surveys at the beginning and completion of the research project. The teacher tracked her perceptions through daily journal entries and reflecting on the classes videotaped. Qualitative data were unitized and then sorted by thematic codes while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pre- and Post-survey mean scores were calculated and compared using T-tests. The following conclusions were drawn: 1) The majority of class time was spent in active music making followed by “waiting” and “instruction” time; 2) The innovations introduced were effective and improved the efficiency of the band classes; 3) Students strongly agreed that they were involved during band rehearsals conducted throughout the project; and 4) The overwhelming majority of students responded positively to all survey items related to band rehearsals. / October 2006

The study aims to explore the current conditions of teachers¡¦ attitudes toward teachers¡¦ professional evaluation in Kaohsiung junior high schools, and to apply the results of the study to provide suggestions to be references in the future. The study was conducted by means of questionnaire survey with ¡§Questionnaire on ¡§Teachers¡¦ Attitudes toward Teacher Evaluation in Kaohsiung Junior High Schools.¡¨ 600 teachers were randomly sampled from 34 public junior high schools in Kaohsiung County and Kaohsiung City. Among the collected questionnaires, 529 were valid, yielding a return rate of 88%. The collected data was analyzed by statistical methods, including mean, Standard Deviation, t-Test, one-way ANOVA. Based on the analyzed results, the followings were concluded: 1. The evaluation purposes are to help teachers improve their teaching approach and promote their professional development. The teachers of different positions and school locations have different opinions about the evaluation purposes. 2. The best evaluation method is self-evaluations by the teachers themselves. The teachers of different teaching course subjects, years of expericences, and positions have significant difference on the evaluation method. 3. The best criteria of teacher evaluation is ¡§study and learning¡¨. The teachers of different background have different opinions about the criteria of teacher evaluation. 4. The best methods of evaluation data collection are from class observations and using the teacher self-evaluation sheets. The teachers of different teaching course subjects, years of experiences, and positions have different opinions about the methods of evaluation data collection. 5. An ideal application of evaluation results is to provide teachers with a mean of improving themselves. The teachers of different positions and school locations have significant difference on the application of evaluation results. According to the conclusions mentioned above, a number of suggestions were proposed to the educational authorities, teacher training institutions, junior high school teachers and future educational researchers.

This research aimed to study the academic adjustment of Kaohsiung county junior high PE class students. The goal was to understand the students¡¦ adjustment in school and further to explore whether there were remarkable differences when various backgrounds changed. The research adopted survey research methodology, using ¡§Academic Adjustment Scales¡¨ compiled by the researcher as an overall survey to the PE class students in Kaohsiung county junior high schools. 1435 copies had been sent out and 1064 valid questionnaires were received, with a valid return rate of 74%. Data were analyzed by the package software SPSS 14, using £\¡Õ.05 as a remarkable level, and the analytical methods included descriptive statistics, t-test, and one-way ANOVA etc. The findings of the research are as follows: 1.The overall academic adjustment of the Kaohsiung county junior high PE class students indicated in a fine condition. 2.The total scale and sub scales of the first-year (7th grader) junior high PE class students showed remarkable higher scores. 3.The total scale of academic adjustment and sub scale of learning adjustment indicated remarkable higher scores for female students. 4. For elementary graduates of non-PE classes, the total scale of academic adjustment and sub scale of learning adjustment demonstrated remarkable higher scores. 5.The total scale of academic adjustment and sub scale of learning adjustment for students who received more than five-day specialty training in a week showed remarkable lower scores. 6.The total scale of academic adjustment and sub scale of learning adjustment for students who received less than three-class specialty training in a day showed remarkable higher scores. 7.The total scale of academic adjustment and sub scales of learning adjustment and of teacher-student relationship were remarkable lower for students who had participated more than 11 competitions for this semester. 8.Students spent less than one hour afterschool study showed remarkable lower scores on the total scale of academic adjustment and each sub scale of all categories. 9.Students having five study classes showed remarkable lower scores on the total scale of academic adjustment, sub scales of learning adjustment and of physical training adjustment.

The Study of Problems Relating to Lunch Program In Junior High Schools in Kaohsiung County Abstract The purposes of this study were to understand the current state of the lunch programs of junior high schools in Kaohsiung county, to analyze the present school lunch programs (SLP) in other cities of Taiwan, in the United States, and in Japan and then to discuss some relevant problems about the SLP of junior high schools in Kaohsiung County. Questionnaires were developed to survey the best modes ¡® management of the SLP, the best ways to enhance the quality of the SLP and the difficulties in the management of the SLP. The data of questionnaires were analyzed by Chi-square test. The following conclusions were drawn from the results of this study: 1. Modes of the SLP (1) For large-sized schools: the school authorities (SA) regarded public-owned and public-managed mode as the best mode of the SLP; the representatives of parents (ROP) regarded the public-owned and private-managed mode as the best mode of the SLP. (2) For medium-sized schools: the SA and the ROP both regarded public-owned and public-managed mode as the best mode of the SLP. (3) For small-sized schools: the SA regarded the co-managed mode as the best mode of the SLP; the ROP regarded public-owned and public-managed mode as the best mode of the SLP. 2. The management of the SLP ¡]1¡^For large-sized and medium-sized schools: the SA and the ROP both regarded the common management as the best mode. (2) For small-sized schools: the SA and the ROP both regarded the simple management as the best mode. 3. Relevant factors for improving the quality of the SLP (1) The SA considered the design of menu the most important factor for improving the SLP. The ROP considered the practice of lunch-time education the most important factor and the design of menu the second one. (2) The SA and the ROP both agreed that the most important task of kitchen management is the sanitation of kitchen environment, and the second one is the maintenance of cooking equipment. (3) Both the SA and the ROP agreed that the most important requirement of cooks is good cooking skills and the second one is good personal hygiene. (4) The SA thought that the most important factor of the effectiveness of the SLP lay in the effective management and the second one was the staff's professional ability. The ROP regarded the staff's professional ability as the most important factor and effective management as the second one. 4. The difficulties in the SLP (1) The difficulties in the staff's professional ability: both the SA and the ROP agreed that the main difficulties lay in lack of professional recipe designers and the insufficient experience of the SLP supervisors. (2) The difficulties in the budget of the SLP: both the SA and the ROP regarded that the SLP subsidies from the government and the lunch fee paid by students were quite insufficient. (3) The difficulties for the staff who are in charge of the SLP: both the SA and the ROP regarded that the difficulties lay in the staff's unwillingness to do the job under the heavy workload of their teaching and administrative duties. (4) The difficulties in the school cooking equipment: the SA and the ROP have different viewpoints. The SA regarded the major difficulties were insufficiency of lunch equipments and the cooking staff's insufficient ability to use the cooking equipments. The ROP pointed out that the difficulties lay in insufficiency of cooking equipments and discard of the cooking equipments. (5) The difficulties in the implementation of lunch-time education: both the SA and the ROP observed that the administrative unit in charge of the SLP did not take the lunch-time education seriously and the homeroom teachers did not carry it out completely. According to the conclusions of this study, the researcher presented the following suggestions for the reference of the education authorities and schools to improve the SLP: 1. To add a nutritionist to the cooking staff and provide relevant training for the SLP staff members to increase the personnel¡¦s professionalism. 2. To increase the government subsidies to solve the fisical difficulties of the SLP. 3. To reduce the workload of the staff members and increase their allowances in order to promote their willingness to work. 4. The SA should select the best mode of the SLP based on the school size. 5. To put emphases on the sanitation of the kitchen so as to ensure the safety and cleanness of food. 6. To put emphases on cooks' and the staff members' personal hygiene to ensure the good quality of the food they served. 7. To be down-to-earth with lunch-time education and to make students acquire good dietetic habits.