This study investigated the effects of an explicit individualized phonemic awareness intervention administered by a speech-language pathologist to 4 prekindergarten children with phonological speech sound disorders. Research has demonstrated that children with moderate-severe expressive phonological disorders are at-risk for poor literacy development because they often concurrently exhibit weaknesses in the development of phonological awareness skills (Rvachew, Ohberg, Grawburg, & Heyding, 2003). The research design chosen for this study was a single subject multiple probe design across subjects. After stable baseline measures, the participants received explicit instruction in each of the three phases separately and sequentially. Dependent measures included same-day tests for Phase I (Phoneme Identity), Phase II (Phoneme Blending), and Phase III (Phoneme Segmentation), and generalization and maintenance tests for all three phases. All 4 participants made substantial progress in all three phases. These skills were maintained during weekly and biweekly maintenance measures. Generalization measures indicated that the participants demonstrated some increases in their mean total number of correct responses in Phase II and Phase III baseline while the participants were in Phase I intervention, and more substantial increases in Phase III baseline while the participants were in Phase II intervention. Increased generalization from Phases II to III could likely be explained due to the response similarities in those two skills (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). Based upon the findings of this study, speech-language pathologists should evaluate phonological awareness in the children in their caseloads prior to kindergarten entry, and should allocate time during speech therapy to enhance phonological awareness and letter knowledge to support the development of both skills concurrently. Also, classroom teachers should collaborate with speech-language pathologists to identify at-risk students in their classrooms and successfully implement evidence-based phonemic awareness instruction. Future research should repeat this study including larger groups of children, children with combined speech and language delays, children of different ages, and ESOL students

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Preservice teachers (PSTs) bring a plethora of knowledge and experiences to their educator preparation courses. The PSTs have also formed ideas about how to teach based on their observations during the thousands of hours they spent as students in the classroom from kindergarten through high school graduation. This phenomenon, coined by Lortie, is called the apprenticeship of observation. Past research has focused on the apprenticeship of observation in general while neglecting to specifically explore how this phenomenon influences PSTs in regards to writing. Guiding this study were three research questions: (1) what are the PSTs' beliefs about writing instruction and themselves as writers, (2) how have PSTs' experiences as students affected their beliefs about themselves as writers, and (3) how do PSTs' experiences as students influence their plans to teach writing? After conducting a thematic analysis, there are four findings that stemmed from the data. First, PSTs come to their educator preparation programs with beliefs about themselves as writers. Particularly, the PSTs believe they are either writers or non-writers, Next, PSTs believe that writing instruction should be high-quality and foster student interest. Additionally, data suggested that PSTs' past experiences as students in a writing classroom influenced the PSTs' beliefs. Particularly, the PSTs' experiences around feedback and the control they had over writing were the most discussed. Lastly, past experiences stemming from the PSTs' apprenticeship of observation formed the basis for the plans the PSTs had about teaching writing. These findings have implications for both teacher educators and the PSTs they teach. It is imperative that teacher educators take steps to uncover the beliefs and past experiences of the PSTs as these serve as a lens through which the PSTs look through during their writing methods courses. Teacher educators must also use this information as a springboard for instruction. Finally, teacher educators must challenge the apprenticeship of observation to ensure that the plans PSTs have for teaching writing are not simply a conservative recreation of past experiences devoid of a theoretical basis.

The Framework for 21st-Century Learning (The Framework) is focused on the mastery of core subjects and been found to be essential to student success. Teachers in a suburban school district in Ohio were struggling to address the challenges associated with the implementation of The Framework. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how teachers implemented the program in their classrooms. Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development guided the exploration of how elementary teachers were implementing critical elements of The Framework to scaffold literacy instruction. A qualitative case study design was used to allow the researcher to examine the ways elementary teachers were addressing the challenges of The Framework. Nine elementary teachers (grades K-3) with varying levels of experience from 2 elementary schools similar in demographics in a school district were selected to participate in the study. Each completed a questionnaire pertaining to The Framework and was observed in the classroom using a checklist based on The Framework, guided by Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning, and focused on best-practice literacy principles. Axial coding was used to identify patterns and themes from the questionnaires, observations, and public documents. Results indicated that educators were implementing The Framework, but were using outdated terminology, were creating misconceptions and confusion about some literature principles, and were not using student-driven assessment strategies. The findings informed creation of a professional development project that will provide elementary teachers in the district with support while integrating The Framework. This study affects positive social change by providing increased understanding of literacy instruction to enhance student learning within The Framework.

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<p>  </p> <p>The rapid growth of the English Language Learner (ELL) population in Indiana has raised challenges for English language arts (ELA) instruction. This research adopts collective case studies and mixed-methods studies to explore the quality and quantity of ELA instruction (time allocation to literacy components and group configuration) for ELLs in Indiana elementary classrooms. Study one aims to further the understanding of the quality and quantity of ELL literacy instruction in Indiana first-grade classrooms through a collective case study. Then, a sequential mixed methods study is designed to examine the effect of professional development on ELL literacy instruction in second-grade classrooms (Study 2). To gain a deeper understanding of how Indiana schools have been coping with the COVID pandemic, another sequential mixed-methods study is designed to explore how the pandemic has impacted the quality and quantity of literacy instruction compared with the pre-pandemic era in K-5 classrooms (Study 3). These serial inquiries hold important implications for literacy educators with ELL students on how best to structure and plan for their English language arts (ELA) instruction. Also, they will inform schools on how to select professional development that yields significant transformations in teachers’ literacy practices, as well as how to better address ELL needs during the pandemic.</p>

Subject and learning support librarianship first began in African university libraries in the 1960s, but became more prevalent in the 1980s. Subject librarians, who were known by different titles in various universities, were responsible for one or more subjects, departments, schools or faculties, in terms of providing a subject-based information service, and performing subject-based collection development, user education, and liaison functions. They were organised according to specific models or structures which determined whether or not they performed only subject duties in the library. They formed a core part of the university library, and with each major technological advance, they had to reassess their roles, titles, functions, duties, educational qualifications and skills, so as to adapt to the new information environment. Unfortunately, the inception, development, re-assessment and adaptation of subject librarianship on the African continent did not follow a standard path, and no standards guidelines were compiled that could be utilised by new subject services. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles, responsibilities and skills of subject librarians in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) region. The target population consisted of subject librarians in this region and a census method was used to determine participants. The quantitative research approach employing a survey design was used by the study. Data was collected using questionnaires, and results were clarified by interviews with a selection of library managers. Data was analysed using SPSS, MS-Excel and content analysis. The research found that the main models of subject librarianship in place were the dual and hybrid models. It determined the main titles that subject librarians were known by, and that their role, involved providing teaching, learning and research support to faculty members, staff, students and researchers. It also determined the main functions and related duties performed, and the main educational qualifications and skills held by, or required by subject librarians. Since the study found that no guidelines, specifically targeted at subject librarians in the region, were available, as one of its outcomes it provided guidelines, in the form of an appendix, for new subject services to adapt or adopt if they desired. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

過去研究指出因為欠缺基礎數位素養，敏銳度不足造成國內學生面對大量網路訊息時，降低了過濾資訊的能力，因此建立起資訊篩選與評估的機制，培養數位閱讀能力與資訊素養，成為近幾年來熱門的議題。本研究以「閱讀知識合作標註學習系統」結合網路探究式學習，發展「合作式標註工具輔助網路探究式學習模式」，期望能創新資訊素養教學，為學生找到有效提升資訊尋求能力的新方法。 研究採用準實驗研究法，以新北市某國小五年級兩班共50名學生為研究對象，進行「網路資訊評估與判斷」的主題合作探究學習，其中一班25名學生被隨機分派到採用「合作式標註工具輔助網路探究式學習模式」為實驗組，另一班25名學生被隨機分派到採用「討論版工具輔助網路探究式學習模式」為控制組，以先備知識及認知風格作為背景變項，探討兩種不同學習模式的學生在學習成效、認知負荷、科技接受度與學習滿意度的影響與差異。 研究結果發現，相較於「討論版工具輔助網路探究式學習模式」，採用「合作式標註工具輔助網路探究式學習模式」對於中、低先備知識者以及場地獨立型風格學生的學習成效有很大助益；不論是採用哪一種學習模式的學習者在學習中，並不會產生過大的認知負荷；而在評估科技接受度以及學習滿意度上，低先備知識的學生認為採用「合作式標註工具」比採用「討論版工具」輔助網路探究式學習的幫助更大，同時在學習滿意度也更為顯著。 最後基於研究結果，提出發揮工具的優勢發展系列推廣課程，以及延伸應用批判性思考學習對教師進行教學的建議，以及未來可深入長時間發展、探究式學習的互動歷程行為、學習遷移等相關探討與研究，希望能作為資訊素養教育推廣下，研究領域探討議題的新方向。 / The past studies have suggested that the lack of basic digital literacy and acuteness has reduced Taiwanese students’ ability to filter information when facing a vast amount of Internet information. As a result, establishing a mechanism for selecting and assessing information, as well as cultivating digital reading ability and information literacy have been the hot topics in recent years. By combing the Reading Knowledge Collaborative Annotation Tool (CAT) with the Web-based inquiry-based learning, this study has developed the “Web-based Inquiry-based Learning Model with the Collaborative Annotation Tool,” hoping to innovate the information literacy instruction and find new ways to effectively improve students’ information search capabilities. In this study, a quasi-experimental study method was adopted, and 50 fifth-graders from two classes in a certain elementary school in New Taipei City were selected as the research subjects to conduct the collaborative inquiry-based learning on the theme of “Internet Information Assessment and Judgment.” Among them, 25 students from one class were randomly assigned to the experimental group of adopting the “Web-based Inquiry-based Learning Model with the Collaborative Annotation Tool,” while 25 students from another class were randomly assigned to the control group of adopting the “Web-based Inquiry-based Learning Model with the Discussion Board Tool.” With prior knowledge and cognitive style as background variables, the influences and differences in students’ learning effectiveness, cognitive load, technology acceptance, and learning satisfaction in two different learning models were thoroughly explored. The research results found that compared to the “Web-based Inquiry-based Learning Model with the Discussion Board Tool,” the “Web-based Inquiry-based Learning Model with the Collaborative Annotation Tool” showed much higher benefits in the learning effectiveness for students with middle and low prior knowledge and with field independence. Both of these two models produce would not produce excessive cognitive load on students during the learning process. As for the assessments on technology acceptance and learning satisfaction, students with low prior knowledge considered that the Web-based Inquiry-based Learning Model with the Collaborative Annotation Tool was more helpful for them than the one with the Discussion Board Tool, and they also showed a higher significant level of learning satisfaction. Lastly, based on the research results, this study suggests that the advantages of the tool can be used to further develop a series of promotion courses, and the use of critical thinking learning can be extended to the teaching for teachers. Also, this study suggests that the long-term in-depth explorations of the interactive course behavior of inquiry-based learning, transfer of learning, and other relevant studies can be conducted in the future, hoping to provide as new directions of topics for the research field when promoting information literacy instruction.