The goal of this report is to synthesize my current understanding of teacher reflective practice as addressed in academic literature and to specifically examine the potentials and limitations of video recording in the reflective process of teachers. I trace my experience and growth in reflective practice as a bilingual elementary school teacher and consider how teachers as researchers/participants in reflective practice cohorts can contribute to the professionalism of teaching. As a result of my findings I make recommendations toward appropriate professional develop using video reflection as a key component in the development of novice teachers via the mentor/mentee framework. This report contributes to the knowledge base regarding reflective practice and to the growing literature on video recording in the reflective process of teachers. It also provides insights into the potential for action-based research by practicing teachers. Implications and recommendations for teachers and researchers are included. / text

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 219-241). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-125). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-125). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2002. / Title from title page screen, viewed March 2, 2006. Dissertation Committee: R. Kay Moss (chair), Barbara Nourie, Kathleen Crawford, Michelle Mueller, Barbara Heyl. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-199) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on October 10, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of the study was to determine if there is a difference in mathematics mean scale score growth on the MCT2 mathematics assessment between students taught by national board certified teachers (NBCTs) and those taught by non-NBCTs in a low socioeconomic, high minority, Title I school. For this study, a causal-comparative research design and a statistical analysis procedure of ANCOVA were used to answer two research questions: First, is there a statistically significant difference in mathematics mean scale score growth on the MCT2 mathematics assessment between fourth grade African American and Caucasian students taught by NBCTs and those taught by non-NBCTs, while controlling socioeconomic status and 3rd grade MCT2 mathematics scale scores? Second, is there a statistically significant difference in mathematics mean scale score growth on the MCT2 mathematics assessment between fourth grade students by socioeconomic status based on eligibility for free/reduced or full pay lunch taught by NBCTs and those taught by non-NBCTs, while controlling race and 3rd grade MCT2 mathematics scale scores? The results of the analysis for research question one indicated that there was not a statistically significant difference in mathematics mean score growth on the MCT2 mathematics assessment between students by race taught by NBCTs and those taught by non-NBCT. African American and Caucasian students taught by NBCTs had a comparable mathematics mean scale score growth with African American and Caucasian students taught by non-NBCTs. The results of the analysis for research question two indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in mathematics mean score growth on the MCT2 mathematics assessment between students by socioeconomic status based on eligibility for full pay lunch taught by NBCTs and those students taught by non-NBCTs. Students identified as full pay lunch taught by NBCTs had a higher mathematics mean scale score growth than those students identified as full pay lunch taught by non-NBCTs. Students identified as free/reduced lunch status taught by non-NBCTs had comparable mean scale score growth with those students identified as free/reduced lunch status taught by NBCTs, but not statistically significant.

This study examines the historical evolution and legislative valuation of the National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program and Fund in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This fund offers stipends to teachers who earn National Board Certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. This research project included three steps of data collection. First, the legislative history of Virginia's National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program and Fund, which covered the General Assembly Session in 1999, was reviewed. The second step was open-ended interviews with legislators and a representative from the Virginia Education Association who participated in the creation of the "Fund." The third step was to collect and report the incentives that are offered by the local education agencies for teachers who earn National Board Certification. The study reported that the initial plan devised by the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy in the report, A Nation Prepared (1986) that National Board Certification was not implemented with fidelity in the Commonwealth of Virginia, according to the intended design when it pertained to both how to strategically use the skills of NBCTs and how to ensure NBCTs are working with the students most in need of help. As supported by the interview data, the study shows those interviewed value great teachers and are willing to support them with financial incentives. / Ed. D.

Professional development is used by teachers to improve their teaching to enhance student learning, and research indicates that the National Board Certification (NBC) process contains high-quality professional development characteristics. Engagement in the NBC process can lead to professional growth by changing teachers’ knowledge, instructional practices, and students’ learning. This quantitative study investigated the extent to which characteristics of the NBC process influenced National Board Certified Teachers’ (NBCTs) professional growth. Using an online survey, the study collected responses from 119 NBCTs who participated in a specific NBC support program. Key findings included that all 20 high-quality professional development characteristics investigated had a perceived positive influence on professional growth, with some notable differences. The characteristics involving individual analysis of student work and teaching videos along with reflection were perceived to be most important, while those centering on collaboration with other candidates were perceived as less important. Second, characteristics that had the greatest perceived impact were those that focused on changing pedagogy rather than increasing content knowledge. Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between the perceived importance of duration in the experience and the length of time the candidate was in the process: NBCTs who achieved in one year, as compared to NBCTs who achieved in two or three years, had statistically significant lower ratings on the influence that the duration had on their professional growth. Additionally, those who engaged in the process for financial reasons, as compared to professional growth, had a lower rating of perceived importance when all characteristics were combined.

I problemdiskussionen lyfts att litteraturen och forskningen utgår från att en controller är en ekonom som arbetar med ekonomistyrning. Enligt min erfarenhet stämmer inte detta för verksamhetscontrollers i statliga myndigheter. Syftet med uppsatsen är att öka kunskapen om rollen som verksamhetscontroller i statliga myndigheter. Forskningsfrågorna är vilka krav ställer myndigheterna vid rekrytering av verksamhetscontrollers och hur beskriver de arbetsuppgifterna? Vad innehåller tertialuppföljningarna? Metoden har varit att genom en diskursanalys studera innehållet i tertialuppföljning på Socialstyrelsen, Statens institutionsstyrelse och Tullverket. Dessutom har myndigheternas rekryteringsannonser som avser verksamhetscontroller analyserats. Slutsatsen är att arbetsuppgifterna för verksamhetcontrollers på myndighetsnivå är likartade och det ingår inte ekonomiska arbetsuppgifter. De förefaller dock ha olika mandat. Arbetsuppgifterna på avdelnings-/ kompetenscenternivå skiljer sig mellan och inom myndigheterna och inte heller dessa verksamhetscontrollers har ekonomiska arbetsuppgifter. Kraven som ställs på utbildning och erfarenhet har stor spännvidd och ibland har man krav på att den sökande ska ha ekonomisk bakgrund. Min slutsats är att rollen som verksamhetscontroller på avdelnings-/ kompetenscenternivå är under utveckling och att rollen på myndighetsnivå är tydligare. / In literature and research the definition of a controller is an economist working with financial control. According to my knowledge this is not correct for controllers focused on operations management in government agencies The purpose of this thesis is to increase the knowledge of the role as a controller focused on operations management in state agencies. The questions to be answered are what demands does government agencies have when they recruit operations management controllers and how do they describe the  assignments? What is included in the four month follow ups? The method has been by discourse analysis study the content in the four month follow ups at the National Board of Health and Welfare, the National Board of Institutional Care and the Swedish Customs. In the thesis the agencies recruitment ads for controllers focused on operations management is also analyzed. The conclusion is that the assignments for controllers focused on operational management on the agency-wide level is similar between the agencies and few financial assignments are included. The assignments for the lower levels differ within and between the agencies and financial assignment are not included. The controllers at the agency-wide level seem to have different mandates between the agencies. The agencies demands for education and experience varies widely and some of the ads have demands for a background in  finances. My conclusion is that the controller at the department level is under development and the role at the agency-wide level is more distinct.