The purpose of this study was to examine academic and social experiences of students who participated in a two-year intensive dual enrollment program housed on a community college campus. The academic experiences were examined through an analysis of community college and university data for 275 dually enrolled students and a comparison group of 258 traditional community college transfer students. An independent test of means was used to compare dual enrollment students to traditional community college transfer students. The findings were significant and found that dually enrolled students had higher community college GPAs, higher associate's and bachelor's degree completion rates, and shorter time periods to associate's degree completion. The social experiences were examined through the use of a survey from 93 students who participated in the intensive dual enrollment program. / Repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine the students' experiences while participating in the dual enrollment program compared to their regular high school and compared to the university. The analysis revealed that the dually enrolled students had significantly higher ratings of overall satisfaction with the dual enrollment program and better quality ratings for relationships with students, faculty, and administration while participating in the dual enrollment program, compared to their experiences while at the high school and university. Qualitative analysis of open-ended survey questions revealed that the dually enrolled students typically missed their friends and extracurricular activities of their regular high school, but many positive aspects of the dual enrollment experience made up for "missing out" on a traditional high school experience. Initially, students opted to participate in dual enrollment in order to get a free head start on college. / Many survey respondents indicated that the small size of the program was crucial to their success by providing a close-knit family environment. Recommendations are provided for policymakers to support dual enrollment programs and for high school, community college, and university advisors to provide guidance to address the unique concerns of dual enrollment students. / Laura A. Heath. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, FL : 2008 Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Many students and their families do not understand the impact of students’ involvement in gifted or advanced academics educational programs and their potentially positive effects and challenges. Nationally African American students are underrepresented in gifted and advanced academics courses in high schools; however, African American students and families often do not advocate for their inclusion in these educational pathways. A survey of literature supporting this study of voices of African American families concerning gifted and advanced academics participation focused on (1) the historical underpinnings for equity and excellence for African American and for gifted and advanced academics learners, (2) how the lack of an agreed upon definition of gifted and advanced academics by the professional field might contribute to the problem, and (3) how African American parents made educational decisions for and with their children, especially concerning college. Employing semi-structured interviews and a focus group, this qualitative case study examined how four students from each of three groups, gifted and talented, advanced academics, and neither, and a representative group of their parents perceived these programs and their children’s involvement in them within the framework provided by a single school district. African American families in this study asked for a partnership to support their children in building resiliency to choose and remain in gifted and advanced academics programs. Students reported that they could access more rigorous coursework if they were supported by mentoring peers, in addition to informed family and educators. The matching intonations and word choices of the children and parents suggested academic success pathways as students carried the voices of their families with them.

This paper focuses on the much discussed topic of media literacy. Rather than focussing on the education of pupils, it turns to the possibilities of education primarily of high school teachers in the area of media education. It briefly presents the issue of media education and media literacy, and its historical tradition in the Czech lands. It focuses on the principles and rules of adult education from the point of view of andragogy. It analyses the offer of training programs, seminars, professional literature and specialized websites from non-profit organizations, private companies, the state and universities. A separate chapter provides an overview of the subjects taught with media themes at faculties of education. The research focuses on educational strategies and approaches to teaching media skills among several teachers from grammar schools in Plzen. It not only evaluates the amount and type of used forms of education, but takes a closer look at the motivation of teachers for further professional self-development, their relationship to the media and individual capabilities in the implementation of cross-cutting topics at individual schools. In the conclusion, the paper tries to show the positives and negatives of the current situation, to critically evaluate the situation in the area of...

This mixed methods study of teachers' beliefs about Advanced Placement (AP) equity and access policies occurred in Sunshine County School District, a large south Florida school district that had received accolades for leading the nation in access and equity in AP. Drawing on social reconstructionism, this study framed AP as an acceleration mechanism with the potential to increase students' prospects for social advancement. These policies have resulted in a more diverse classroom experience through nontraditional student participation in AP courses. The purpose of this embedded case study was to examine the relationship between beliefs held by AP teachers in regard to the implementation of equity and access policies, as well as to what extent these beliefs may support or hinder the execution of such policies and procedures. The study occurred in three phases and consisted of document analysis, a survey and interviews. Surveys collected from 176 AP teachers in the district yielded quantitative data on AP teachers' beliefs regarding equity and access and the subsequent implementation of equity and access policies. Qualitative data regarding beliefs surrounding equity and access policies and the potential challenges these policies may pose were collected through open-ended survey questions, document analysis, and interviews with eight teachers at two selected high schools representing the highest and the lowest access rates to AP in the district. The findings indicated that AP teachers support equity and access policies in AP. Despite these beliefs, there is evidence that such policies are not consistently implemented across schools and particularly in STEM-related content areas. The analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data led to the conclusion that the historic tension between elitism and equity that surrounds the AP program currently is fueled primarily through state accountability measures. Implications and suggestions for future research are related to policy changes regarding the revision of the state of Florida grading system and district-level procedural changes in relation to the design of school-based professional development and development of clear AP pathways that support access among underrepresented students. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

In AP Biology, the course goal, with respect to scientific acts and reasoning, has recently shifted toward a reform goal of science practice, where the goal is for students to have a scientific perspective that views science as a practice of a community rather than a body of knowledge. Given this recent shift, this study is interested in the gaps that may exist between an individual teacher’s instructional goal and the goals of the AP Biology course. A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) methodology and perspective is used to analyze four teachers’ knowledge, practice, and learning. Teachers have content knowledge for teaching, a form of knowledge that is unique for teaching called specialized content knowledge. This specialized content knowledge (SCK) defines their instructional goals, the student outcomes they ultimately aim to achieve with their students. The study employs a cultural-historical continuum of scientific acts and reasoning, which represents the development of the AP Biology goal over time, to study gaps in their instructional goal. The study also analyzes the contradictions within their teaching practice and how teachers address those contradictions to shift their instructional practice and learn. The findings suggest that teachers have different interpretations of the AP Biology goals of science practice, placing their instructional goal at different points along the continuum. Based on the location of their instructional goal, different micro-communities of teachers exist along the continuum, comprised of teachers with a shared goal, language, and culture of their AP Biology teaching. The in-depth study of one teacher’s AP Biology teaching, using a CHAT perspective, provides a means for studying the mechanisms that connect SCK to classroom actions and ultimately to instructional practice. CHAT also reveals the nature and importance of contradictions or cognitive dissonance in teacher learning and the types of support teachers need to recognize contradictions and to internalize and set their instructional goal, facilitating their learning. Without recognition of contradictions, some of these micro-communities are not aware that their instruction is not in line with the AP Biology goal of science practice. An in-depth look at teacher learning revealed the criticality of reflective practice and the need for an “expert” within a teacher’s community to facilitate = learning and develop SCK to incorporate science practice in classroom instruction.

The purpose of this study was to determine the current status of the educational media programs in six teachers' colleges in Bangkok by analyzing the educational media programs as they are perceived by teachers, educational media teachers, and administrators with regard to utilization, administration, and personnel. The survey instrument was distributed to the 120 teachers, thirty-seven educational media teachers, and sixty administrators in the six major teachers* colleges in Bangkok. The total number of responses was 185, or 85.25 per cent of the population of teachers, educational media teachers, and administrators. The data were tabulated, and categories of availability and usage of educational media were established. The t test was applied to the data obtained from teachers and administrators to determine if significant differences existed at the 0.05 level with regard to the ranking of qualifications needed by educational media teachers. The findings from this study indicate that the teachers, educational media teachers, and administrators surveyed are basically in agreement regarding the utilization of educational media. Teachers and administrators agree on the qualifications of educational media teachers who serve in the teachers" colleges and in the majority of teachers' colleges the educational media center is a separate entity. Recommendations with regard to the training of educational media teachers and classroom teachers and suggestions for further study of the us. of educational media in other types of institutions of higher learning in Thailand are made.

Thesis--University of California, Los Angeles. / Spine title: Nursing programs in the United States and Canada. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 227-234).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1999. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 27, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Elizabeth Lugg (chair), Paul Baker, Amee Adkins, Ramona Lomeli. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-189) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1996. / Title from title page screen, viewed May 31, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Robert Arnold (chair), Paul Baker, Kenneth Strand, Norman Durflinger. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-74) and abstract. Also available in print.

M.Ed. (Media Integration) / The curriculum cycle constitutes a simultaneously continuous and interactive teaching design for the training of primary school teachers. Educational theory, as well as educational training, should be presented within this context to ensure that a measure of practical vocational direction is achieved. This is the task of every lecturer at a college of education. The situation analysis, aim and choice of learning content form the leading introduction which culminates in the creation of the learning opportunity. The learning gain is, however, closely linked to the learning experience within the learning opportunity. A learning opportunity in which educational-media are used, can be an effective opportunity if the media are effectively integrated in the teaching situation, so that a two-directional channel of communication is created. The type of learning-experiences acquired by student teachers during learning experiences must therefore be carefully considered, so that the necessity for meaningful media-integration in the teaching and learning situation, and the important functions that this media integration can fulfil, is both witnessed and experienced. This should result in the creation of technological teaching thought processes in the student teacher. The primary school child is still very much bound to concrete ideas and the student teacher needs to be made constantly aware of this. Even the student who functions on an abstract level, has a need of concrete experiences, for example in Pedagogical Studies, to aid and support him during learning occasions. Indirect (concrete) learning experiences are created by the integration of educational media so that a person can also acquire learning experience through symbols, images, et cetera. The creation of learning opportunities is an important aspect of curriculum design. They must, however, be effective learning opportunities that must define the learning gain during evaluation.