<p> The purpose of this case study was to explore the quality enhancement plan (QEP) process and its influence on student learning of critical thinking and the institutional environment from the perspective of key stakeholders at two community colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (the Commission). Key stakeholders were defined as faculty, staff, and administrators who had direct and continuous involvement with the development and/or implementation of the QEP. This was accomplished through document reviews and analysis of interviews. The study was guided by intertwined quality assurance systems&mdash;accountability, accreditation, and assessment, and six of Deming&rsquo;s (1986) total quality management principles. These principles are: (1) customer, (2) training and development, (3) teamwork, (4) measurement, (5) improvement, and (6) leadership (Bosner, 1992; Deming, 1986; Marchese, 1991; Sallis, 2002).</p><p> The study suggests that as a result of accountability from multiple entities, quality in higher education and how the definition of quality includes student learning assessment, continues to be important to the Commission. The QEP process was developed to assist institutions with educational quality and improving effectiveness. Based on the study findings, the QEP process can have a positive influence on student learning of critical thinking and result in constructive and effective changes for an institution. The study also reveals the current QEP process could benefit from incorporating the strategy of identifying both internal and external direct measures of student learning within the QEP assessment plan and the Commission including a <i>use assessment results</i> section as a requirement for the QEP Impact Report.</p><p> The study confirms the importance of accountability, accreditation, and assessment, but the six TQM principles are not as significant as anticipated. Instead of all six principles surfacing as themes at the two public community colleges, teamwork was the only common theme. However, there was evidence of all six TQM principles at each college. Recommendations for the Commission, institutions of higher education, and recommendations for future research are presented.</p>

<p> High schools in the United States are charged with preparing students for citizenship and the knowledge, skills and experiences for success in postsecondary education and work. This study examines the problem of how to prepare students for college and work in a rural deindustrialized working-class community where jobs and careers that allow for upward economic mobility are scarce. </p><p> This ethnographic case study sought to understand the influences and interplay of school-based and non-school-based factors that influenced students&rsquo; decisions as they graduated and made the transition to college and work. Participants were two generational groups of alumni from working class families in the same high school. The first group was comprised of those who graduated in the decade that followed the closure of the railroad in Livingston, Montana in 1985. The second group was comprised of those who graduated a generation later, 20-30 years after deindustrialization. </p><p> The study found that the economic restructuring that occurred a generation after the deindustrialization altered the factors that affected the transition from high school to college and work for children in working class families. Financial stress and financial instability weighed more heavily on the present generation. College was seen as an investment in the 1985-1995 generational group, whereas college is a gamble for the 2005-2015 group. The 2005-2015 working class group saw themselves as &ldquo;too rich&rdquo; for grants, but &ldquo;too poor&rdquo; to afford college. While parent expectations for educational attainment remain the same for all participants, the latter group has fewer community ties and a greater reliance on educators in the high school. </p><p> The study concludes with recommendations that include interventions in the areas of college and career counseling, an examination of rural college and career readiness, critical pedagogical and collective impact approaches. The study calls upon school leadership to articulate competing discourses that shape educational practice and policy, and to be informed by the awareness that students&rsquo; subjective experiences of their lives are embedded within economic, political and social structures, as they attempt to intervene in the lives of young adults who will enter a precarious labor market.</p>

While the close investigation of teachers’ classroom practice received considerable attention in the 1960s and 1970s, fine-grained observational studies of classrooms have progressively disappeared from the research landscape. Research in recent decades has tended to have a restricted focus of attention, concentrating on the objective measurement of ‘effective’ teaching to identify forms of classroom practice that can raise educational standards. This research agenda has been increasingly critiqued for oversimplifying the complex nature of classroom life, but capturing a more complete picture presents a number of challenges. There is a need for researchers to provide a fine-grained account of teachers’ practices in the classroom while giving a sense of the purposes framing these actions together with an alertness to salient contextual influences. The study presented in this thesis set out to engage with all these challenges and provide a ‘fresh’ interpretation of teachers’ day-to-day practices in comparison to many past studies. Given the intent to capture both teachers’ practices and how they framed these actions, Robin Alexander’s definition of ‘pedagogy’, which highlights the need for researchers to adopt a ‘bigger picture’ perspective, was an appropriate heuristic guide for this study. Six teachers of physical education working in different secondary school contexts participated in this study and a key concern in sampling was the desire to recruit highly competent practitioners. A pilot study and conversations with a number of key informants ensured the participants chosen were highly skilled teachers. This study was conducted in two inter-related phases. The first phase of the research involved tracking these teachers in their school context and 88 lesson observations were conducted to view them ‘in action’ with classes. The second phase involved conducting a semi-structured interview with each teacher to explore the insights gained about their practice during the observation phase of the research. A theoretical framework – featuring five framing categories and a ‘teacher-pupil power dynamic’ element – was constructed to encapsulate the main findings from the observation and interview research. The five framing categories represent the patterns of classroom interaction identified in this study, i.e.: teacher-directed, teacher-guided, pupil-led, pupil-initiated, and teacher-pupil negotiated practice. There was a degree of variation in all the participant teachers’ practices that were observed in this study, contrasting markedly with research in the physical education literature reporting an over-use of ‘direct’ teaching. The ‘teacher-pupil power dynamic’ derived from observation and interview work and is composed of two related dimensions. The first dimension captures the ‘fine-tuned’, ‘negotiated’ and ‘responsive’ nature of these teachers’ practices and highlights how teachers and pupils simultaneously shape classroom events. The second dimension encapsulates the core factors – respect, familiarity, time, and context – shaping teacher-pupil relationships and the decisions made about classroom practice. The thesis sets out how the teachers in this study carefully enacted a repertoire of teaching approaches by: ‘fine-tuning’ practice in advance of lessons taking place; ‘responding’ to situations in the immediate act of teaching; ‘negotiating’ the learning intentions for lessons with the pupils; and making judgements about practice against the changeable nature of teacher-pupil relationships. These insights contribute to the education and physical education literature by presenting a dynamic picture of classroom life and suggest that a more responsive, interactive form of teaching was displayed by these teachers than is revealed in the majority of past research studies. The central insights gained from this study contribute to research on pedagogy by providing a close analysis of the micro-interactions that take place in school classrooms and the influences shaping these interactions. A related and equally important contribution to pedagogy emerged from the sustained period spent observing these teachers, which developed a deep understanding of their teaching actions over time and across different physical activities and stages of schooling. The teachers in this study both responded to, and shaped, the dynamics of the classroom; and the interactive forms of teaching that they displayed are not adequately captured in existing definitions of pedagogy. Accordingly the thesis presents an expanded version of Alexander’s definition of pedagogy that foregrounds the dynamic nature of teacher-pupil relationships.

<p> Computer algebra systems (CAS) have been available for over 20 years and yet minimal CAS-rich opportunities present themselves formally to high school students. CAS tools have become readily accessible through free or inexpensive versions. Educators are emboldened to integrate essential mathematical tools in the reasoning and sense making of mathematical knowledge for students. It is the teacher that is at the heart of technology instruction, creating authentic environments for all learners. </p><p> This study investigated two secondary teachers pedagogy in classes that exploited CAS in the development of mathematical knowledge. A qualitative within-site case study design was used to explore each teacher&rsquo;s instructional practices. Teachers that exemplified qualities of CAS-infused instruction were purposively selected. Rich descriptive lesson vignettes as captured from classroom observations, written reflections, and interviews revealed participants&rsquo; pedagogy. The pedagogical map framework guided the identification of participant pedagogical affordances of the utilization of CAS. Eight opportunities were observed as exploited by the participants that included subject level adjustments; classroom interpersonal dynamics with students; and mathematical tasks. Data revealed several emergent themes in operation as the teacher participants oriented their mathematics instruction: viewing CAS as a mathematical consultant, verifying answers, applying multiple representations, regulating access, providing guidance, and outsourcing procedures. The components interlock with one another to form a cohesive depiction of pedagogical decisions in the presence of CAS-rich classroom instruction. The schema of CAS-oriented instruction serves as a methodology for educators to create opportunities that enrich the development of mathematical content knowledge. </p><p>

<p> Issues of instruction and assessment at community colleges are influenced by the high percentage of classes taught by adjunct faculty. In 2014 for the Virginia Community College System, part-time instructors comprised 70.3% of instructional faculty. This dissertation describes the instruction and assessment technique choices of adjunct instructors in humanities and social sciences at five Virginia community colleges, identified through survey, interview, and observation data, and what influences instructors in this study make choices about what techniques to use. Profiles of observed instructors provide examples of specific instructor experiences. Four themes are identified: 1) personal dedication of instructors; 2) instructors&rsquo; practice of teaching how they learned; 3) constant revision of courses taught; and, 4) limited availability of collegial interaction or professional development opportunities. With the increasing importance that adjuncts play in providing undergraduate education, understanding how these instructors teach and assess student learning informs college practices in decisions about using adjuncts, appropriate professional development, and processes for hiring and evaluation.</p><p>

<p> I conducted this autoethnographic research study to explore how I as a freshman orientation instructor meandered into college teaching through writing, which I used to develop my pedagogical content knowledge. Focusing my research as college faculty development, I reached back in the past and also in the present to select particular experiences to portray as vignettes, thus creating a kaleidoscopic lens. This kaleidoscopic lens serves to provide insight into my perspective of how my teaching philosophy based on the use of writing prompts developed. By connecting the personal experiences that had established my teaching philosophy using writing prompts to the classroom culture of first year students in a northeastern Alabama public two-year community college, the scholarly significance will be perused through integrating the theoretical framework of Lee S. Shulman&rsquo;s (1986, 1987) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) with additions of Otto and Everett&rsquo;s (2013) context knowledge and Zepke&rsquo;s (2013) threshold concepts. </p><p> I as a differently-abled instructor-researcher self-narratively depict how writing prompts supported my teaching experience as pedagogical content knowledge. Thus, my use of writing prompts as pedagogical content knowledge is purposefully intended for providing significant learning experience for my students, improving their readiness for writing college papers and also for communication skills as a potential employee and productive citizen. Over the course of spring and fall 2015 terms totaling four different seventy-five minute Orientation 101 courses, the data purposefully sampled from the students&rsquo; written responses to the prompts given and also from dyadic interviews with several peers ranging from active and retired faculty to acquaintances serve to support my own perspectives and experiences that determine use of writing prompts as effective pedagogical content knowledge.</p>

This thesis investigates how students are prepared for work in schools in the context of post-communism in Russia. It aims to gain an understanding of what theories and processes constitute preparation for work in Russian schools. In the light of how they have changed as a result of the fall of communism in 1991, the thesis seeks to explore the ways in which students are prepared to enter the world of work. The socio-cultural and activity theory is employed to explore the relationship between students’ engagement in pedagogic practices and macro historical transformations in Russia that have affected it. <br /> The methodology includes a documentary analysis of teacher-training textbooks, which were used in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s and a case study of preparation for work in a secondary school in Perm, Russia, which involved a group of thirty teachers and thirty students. Biographical interviews were conducted with thirty individuals who lived through the economic and social transformations caused by the events of 1991. <br /> The analysis of the data demonstrates that preparation for work in Russian schools is a combination of two pedagogic processes – vospitanie, which refers to the overall up-bringing of children, and ‘professional orientation’, which provides career guidance. The literature review and documentary analysis have revealed that the events of 1991 have influenced the ideological underpinning of vospitanie and professional orientation, especially in terms of humanisation of pedagogic processes. However, with regard to the conceptual framework, vospitanie and professional orientation have remained relatively intact. These pedagogic concepts emphasise a dialogic relationship between students and teachers. The case study analysis shows that the teachers’ conceptualisation of vospitanie and professional orientation reflect the findings from the documentary analysis, but the teachers have interpreted the theory in the ways that reflect their various, historically formed views of preparation for work. Some of these views, expressed by the teachers who were trained in the Soviet time, do not support the new humanistic approach advocated in the literature; instead, the focus is on differentiation by ability and on academic achievement. Combined with the fact that the case study school does not offer practical vocational experience, this provides some explanation of why only those students who receive support from outside the school are better prepared than others to overcome the challenges of the new market economy. Those students who do not receive relevant support outside the school are developing dispositions towards employment, which are less likely to help them progress in the context of the market economy.

Thesis (M.A.)--Eastern Illinois University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-116).

<p> Active learning, an engaging, student-centered, evidence-based pedagogy, has been shown to improve student satisfaction, engagement, and achievement in college classrooms. There have been numerous calls to reform teaching practices, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); however, the utilization of active learning is still underwhelming. The lack of implementation points to a scarcity of effective professional development. While the majority of studies have focused on four-year colleges and universities, this study examined the impact of active learning professional development at a community college. Community colleges, which have open admissions policies, serve nearly 13 million students annually. Many community college students are first generation or underprepared students, many of whom have been shown to benefit from the use of active learning. </p><p> This study sought to determine the impact that active learning professional development has on the pedagogical values and practices of science faculty, and its subsequent impact on student perceptions and achievement at a community college. Through the use of faculty surveys, teaching practices and perceptions were analyzed pre-workshop and post-workshop. Student focus groups provided further insight. Student achievement was measured by means of test scores on common final exams pre-workshop and post-workshop. Faculty surveys showed that faculty do have a favorable opinion of active learning; however, lecture remained the dominant teaching method even after the training. Post-workshop, faculty felt active learning could increase student motivation and retention of material. Both faculty and students agreed that more class time should be devoted to active learning. The main barrier to active learning identified by faculty was the lack of time, both in terms of class time and time to develop materials. Students identified fearfulness, being accustomed to lecture, and lack of time as possible barriers. Students overwhelmingly agreed that active learning increased their engagement, interest, and achievement in the classroom. Two courses showed increased student achievement based on exam scores; however, other classes saw a decline in scores post-workshop. The findings suggest that a single professional development may not be enough to create a complete reform. However, faculty were interested in learning more, which could open the door to sustainable approaches.</p><p>

Contemporary Hip-Hop scholarship has revealed that Hip-Hop is a racially diverse, youth-driven culture, that is intimately connected to prior as well as on-going social justice movements (Chang, 2004; Kitwana, 2002). This study explores its Afro-Diasporic and activist origins, as well as the impact of Hip-Hop culture on the identity development of educators belonging to the Hip-Hop generation(s). This qualitative study also examines how Hip-Hop culture impacts educators' identity politics and personal pedagogy, while seeking to create a new model of Social Justice Hip-Hop Pedagogy. This study was produced through twenty-three in-depth interviews with influential Hip-Hop educators or “elites” (Thomas, 1993; Aberbach & Rockman, 2002; Becker & Meyers, 1974; Zuckerman, 1974) from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations. There are currently limited theoretical and conceptual frameworks in the literature supporting the use of Hip-Hop as Social Justice Pedagogy, yet is currently being used in K-16 educational contexts throughout the United States and abroad (Duncan-Andrade & Morrell, 2008). The results of this study reveal the foundational basis consisting of four primary functions and seven practical tenets, necessary to negotiate and implement a new and innovative model for Social Justice Hip-Hop Pedagogy.