The purpose of this study was to analyze the extent of instructors at TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Department of Foreign Languages regard in-service training programs crucial for their professional development. Another aspect of the study was to identify the professional needs of the instructors teaching preparatory classes as well as to determine the preferred instructional methods of an INSET program. The final aim of the study was to determine whether there are statistically significant differences between novice and experienced instructors regarding their needs and expectation of an in-service training program.The study was conducted among thirty-nine instructors who are teaching preparatory classes at TOBB ETU, DFL. The chairperson of the DFL also took part in the study. Data from the 39 instructors were collected through questionnaires which were developed to uncover the opinions of instructors in terms of the characteristics of effective in-service training programs, to identify the needs of the instructors and determine the instructional methods preferred in-service training program. The questionnaires included both Likert scale and open-ended items. Moreover, 50-minute lessons of 10 instructors were video recorded. Video recordings aimed to identify the needs of the instructors that should be addressed through an in-service training program. Finally, interviews were conducted with 10 instructors whose classes were video recorded. The aim of the interviews was to enable the instructors to reflect on the findings of the questionnaires and the video recordings. Another interview was conducted with the chairperson of the DFL to uncover to what extent his perceptions about in-service training activities correlate with those of the instructors. Data collected through the instruments were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Close-ended items were analyzed via the SPSS program and mean scores for each item were calculated besides an independent sample t-test. The qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The results of the study revealed that the instructors believe INSET is crucial for their professional development, they would like to keep on track with new developments in the field of ELT and participate in seminars and conferences as part of INSET programs. In terms of the professional needs, it was found that instrcutors need to be trained on teaching speaking skills and pronunciation, written and oral correction, promoting student autonomy, dealing with classroom management problems, teaching mixed-ability groups, raising language awareness of students and reflecting on their own experience. The t-test results demonstrated that there was a statistical significance between the answers of novice and experienced instructors concerning being trained in &lsquo / teaching vocabulary,&rsquo / &lsquo / teaching grammar&rsquo / and &lsquo / improving in written and oral correction strategies.&rsquo / It was found that experienced teachers are particularly interested in training sessions on teaching grammar, teaching vocabulary, and improving written and oral correction strategies. As a result of the findings, an ongoing INSET program model was proposed for the Department of Foreign Languages at TOBB ETU.

This qualitative study investigated the urgent need for business and public schools to design a comprehensive system for preparing all students for a technological workplace, while giving them the necessary academic foundation for functioning effectively in a work environment. Businesses and communities need to participate with schools, regardless of where the schools are located. Schools, businesses and communities must explore and work together to create new methods for supporting technology in schools and in the workplace. The interviewees who participated in the study consisted of 21 teachers and administrators from four high schools located within four districts in San Antonio, Texas. Two of the high schools were located in southern San Antonio and were classified as lower socioeconomic institutions. The other two high schools were located in northern San Antonio and were classified as upper socioeconomic institutions. Also, seven business leaders were interviewed from (1) grocery, (2) San Antonio city government, (3) military, (4) large retail chain, (5) technology organization and business, (6) telecommunications, and (7) a youth-oriented organization. The major conclusions of the study were that businesses believe that a skill-deficient workplace hampers economic growth and productivity, and a knowledge-deficient high school graduate limits his or her opportunities for an extended academic experience. Few businesses in San Antonio supported or contributed to technology competencies in the selected schools in San Antonio by participating in curriculum development or as partnerships within the schools. All teachers had a high level of understanding about the importance of technology competencies for students. Furthermore, they believed that teachers and administrators must have a well-organized and fluid technology training program that will help integration of technology into the curriculum. Schools within the lower socioeconomic classification did not have many opportunities for training or access to technology; therefore, the teachers did not have the opportunity for building their competencies. In comparison, the schools located in northern San Antonio had more than adequate opportunities for training and access to technology. Educational, business, and community organizations must be concerned with all aspects of student learning and their ability to utilize technology. It is not enough to supply hardware and software to schools.

Representations of mathematical ideas serve as a foundation for understanding mathematical concepts. Using and translating among a variety of representations promotes deep conceptual understanding and connections between mathematics topics, in addition to providing contexts for more advanced mathematics concepts. The importance placed on mathematical representations led to an examination of sixth grade middle school mathematics textbooks’ representation of fraction concepts. The chapters included in this thesis represent a portion of the work completed during the examination and an example of how representations of fractions can impact topics in secondary mathematics.

Changing student demographics in the state of Texas as well as across the nation make it imperative for educators in K-12 public school settings to develop instructional strategies to meet the needs of increasingly diverse students in multicultural classrooms. To develop greater understandings of this complex issue, culturally responsive teaching was considered through the lens of the instructional coaching professional development model. For purposes of this research study, the culturally responsive/relevant theoretical frameworks of Geneva Gay (2000, 2001, 2004), Ana Maria Villegas & Tamara Lucas (2002), and Gloria Ladson-Billings (1994, 1995) were foundational. Instructional coaching is a job-embedded professional development model for teachers which is gaining increasing attention in K-12 educational settings (Bloom, Castagna, Moir, & Warren, 2005; Kise, 2006; Knight, 2007; Lindsey, Martinez, Lindsey, 2007; Showers, 1984; West & Staub, 2003). Proponents of instructional coaching suggest that coaching is a way to support the reflective practice of educators through a coaching cycle of planning, observation, and reflection. Lindsey, Martinez & Lindsey (2007) further propose a culturally proficient coaching model focused on teachers being responsive to diverse populations of students, and they assert that “coaching and cultural proficiency are integrated sets of tools for guiding individuals and groups to meet cross-cultural issues as opportunities and assets rather than as challenges and deficits” (p. 4). To implement culturally responsive teaching in multicultural classrooms, teachers must develop many skills including the ability to analyze the curriculum-in-use and the ability to implement instructional practices that are efficacious in diverse cultural settings. To support this work, it is further essential that teachers examine their own beliefs and values regarding cultural diversity to enhance their ability to meet the needs of increasingly diverse students. There is strong evidence (Payne & Allen, 2006; Neufeld & Roper, 2003) that instructional coaching contributes to improved teaching and student learning, however, it should be noted that instructional coaching must also be accompanied by rigorous curriculum, on-going formative assessment and feedback for students, strategic planning, and strong local, state and national leadership if educators are to eliminate existing gaps in opportunities to learn between White students and students of color. / text

Research shows the choices a teacher makes in the classroom are grounded in more than pedagogy, technical skill, and formal preparation through acquisition of teaching methods, materials and techniques. A teacher’s professional decisions are shaped by personal and professional histories, life experiences, current endeavors, and expectations for the future (Clandinin & Connelly, 1995). In this qualitative narrative study, I focused on the ways art making might be utilized as a professional development tool for reflection on the intersection of teacher identity and practice. During the summer of 2012, in collaboration with the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas, six Austin Independent School District art teachers and I shared personal and professional reflections inspired by our art making. I used narrative analysis and coding to interpret and reveal the ways teachers used art to reflect on their identity and professional practice. In addition to these findings, this study revealed that teachers have a desire and need to reflect on the intersection of identity and practice. The lack of current research on identity as a shaping force of professional practice was the primary motivator in pursuing this research. Identity and the internal lives of teachers play a powerful role in the way they educate young people. Research such as this study emphasizes identity as a valuable and integral part of teaching work. Our perspective of the teaching profession needs to expand beyond an occupational sum of its parts: curriculum, management and learning assessment. Recognizing and addressing the ways teachers’ dispositions shape their teaching practice (Hansen, 2005) through future research can boldly expand definitions of professional development and the teaching profession to include teachers’ internal lives. / text

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of job-embedded professional development, with coaching, on teachers' of ELLs content knowledge and instructional practice in the area of reading and how teachers perceived this type of professional development. Professional development in reading was provided to first grade teachers of English Language Learners at one urban elementary school. The following research questions guided this study: (a) How does job-embedded professional development in reading influence individual teacher's knowledge about reading instruction for English Language Learners? (b) How does job-embedded professional development in reading influence individual teacher's reading instruction for English Language Learners? (c) How do teachers perceive a job-embedded approach to professional development in reading instruction? This study employed a mixed methods design using both quantitative and qualitative data to allow for a comprehensive examination of the phenomenon from various perspectives. Results indicate that teachers changed their content knowledge and instructional practices, and perceived the training as beneficial. Job-embedded professional development offers an effective method for delivery of professional development to teachers of ELLs that meets their diverse learning needs and varying levels of content knowledge and experience. / text

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

Despite science education reform efforts stressing the importance of understanding evolution, many students receive little to no exposure to the most important unifying concept in biology. Since evolution is basic to the study of biology, its study should begin with the introduction of the life sciences to students in elementary school. However, many teachers lack sufficient evolutionary content knowledge, have limited acceptance of evolution, and have little confidence to effectively teach it. Better teacher preparation is needed to meet the challenges of ensuring students develop conceptual understanding of evolution. While research shows the general public typically accepts microevolution while rejecting macroevolution, few studies have focused on peoples’ understanding of macroevolution. Additionally, little research exists examining the effects of an intervention on elementary and middle school teachers’ acceptance, understanding, and teaching of macroevolution. Using a conceptual framework based on the Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model, this study reports the effects of a sustained professional development program on 4th through 8th grade teachers’ acceptance of evolution; understanding of macroevolution; and approach to teaching evolution in schools, awareness of challenges to teaching evolution, and pedagogical content knowledge about teaching macroevolution. This study also explores the relationship between teachers’ understanding of macroevolution and acceptance of evolution. Various data sources, including the Measurement of the Understanding of Macroevolution (Nadelson & Southerland, 2010), the Measure of the Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (Rutledge & Warden, 1999), teacher interviews, and teacher workshop reflections, were used to answer the research questions. Results from the study revealed that after attending the professional development series, teachers’ understanding of macroevolution and acceptance of evolution significantly increased. Acceptance of evolution was positively correlated to understanding of macroevolution. Teachers’ prior understanding of macroevolution was a significant positive predictor of their subsequent acceptance of evolution. Teachers’ prior acceptance of evolution was a significant predictor of their understanding of macroevolution, but only after teachers participated in at least half of the sustained professional development. Finally, teachers demonstrated having increased macroevolutionary pedagogical content knowledge. This effect was strong in those teachers who were initially low acceptors of evolution. The significance of these findings is discussed. / text

This mixed-methods case study centered on an online professional development (PD) event targeting university-level teacher educators and higher education discipline-specific instructors. The topic of the online PD was disciplinary literacy and the promoted use of metacognitive modeling via think-aloud as an instructional strategy for secondary students in various discipline areas. The study aimed to understand how the use of the same instructional strategy by the PD facilitators affected participants in terms of changes to (a) their knowledge about and attitudes towards reading instruction in the disciplines (e.g., mathematics, social studies, science, the arts); (b) their beliefs regarding learner-centered/non learner-centered classrooms; (c) their general teaching philosophies; and (d) their self-efficacy to use and teach the strategy to others. Specifically, it looked for any relationships between these changes, their intention to apply the same instructional strategy in their own classes and/or teach their pre- and in-service teachers the strategy, and participant perceptions on the importance of the strategy to their learning. The online PD was accessible over a period of four weeks in the winter/spring of 2012. Ten participants from various institutions took part in this study by completing surveys, submitting metacognitive modeling samples pre- and post- PD, and participating in interviews. All participants experienced change during this PD event through the acquisition of new knowledge, while many showed resultant changes to their attitudes and beliefs. Changes in knowledge were most evident in the pre- and post- metacognitive modeling samples the participants provided, with increased scores indicating improvement in their ability to use the instructional strategy. Most evidence of other change is found throughout their interviews. Overall, the participants rated and ranked the metacognitive modeling example videos provided by the PD facilitators as nearly integral to their learning. The largest limitation of the study was the small number of participants. Discussion discerns the nature of teacher change, provides suggestions for future PD design/research, and asserts that the goal of PD, traditionally to result in changed teaching practices in the classroom, instead be to provide the knowledge and initial experience educators can use as a foundation to change in all areas. / text

One way in which higher education is responding to technology advances, demographics changes, and economic pressures is through the development of distance learning. Distance learning represents one of the most prominent trends in higher education today. Understanding the impact of this technologically driven change on student outcomes is unmistakably important. One example of this trend in higher education is the distance learning internship in dietetic training programs. The purpose of this study was to compare student outcomes in distance learning dietetic internships to student outcomes in traditional dietetic internships. The pass rate of the registration exam for dietitians, levels of perceived preparation for practice, and evaluation of curricular experiences were compared. The study was divided into three phases. The first phase of the study was the recruitment of dietetic internship directors and program information, including registration exam pass rate. The second phase of the study consisted of surveys on preparedness for practice to the graduates and supervisors. The third phase of the study involved interviews of traditional and distance program graduates, their supervisors, and internship directors on curricular experience and preparation. No significant difference was found in pass rates for the registration exam. Significant differences were found in constructs of dietetic practice based on surveys with graduates and their supervisors. Common themes from interviews with graduates, their supervisors, and program directors confirmed survey results showing graduates of traditional dietetic internship were prepared at a higher level of practice, competence and clinical judgment. The results of this research do not support equivalency in preparation for practice between distance and traditional dietetic internships.