<p> The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to investigate if and to what extent Northeast PA middle school principals&rsquo; use of a Transformational Leadership (TL) style related to their teachers&rsquo; perceptions of self-efficacy. TL includes four specific leadership behaviors: intellectual stimulation, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, and individual consideration. The sample included 217 middle-grade teachers (4^th&ndash;8^th) from six middle schools in four school districts. Instruments included: the Multi-Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) on Transformational Leadership (TL) behaviors, and Bandura&rsquo;s Teacher Self-Efficacy Scales (TSES). Transformational leadership and teacher self-efficacy were the theories used to undergird the study. Results indicated that principals&rsquo; TL style did have a statistically significant relationship with teacher self-efficacy in regard to total score (<i>r_s</i> = .331, p &lt; .001), and a statistically significant relationship with each of the four components of transformational leadership: intellectual stimulation (<i>r_s</i> = .301, p &lt; .001); idealized influence (<i>r_s</i> = .273, p &lt; .001); inspirational motivation (<i> r_s</i> = .289, p &lt; .001); and individual consideration (<i>r_s</i> = .243, p &lt; .001). Results revealed that teacher perceptions of their principals&rsquo; TL were related to higher levels of teacher self-efficacy. These results offer new insight and add to the existing body of knowledge on how principals can build higher performing schools by transforming teacher self-efficacy through attitudes of empowerment, growth, and improvement. The results of this study have implications for school leaders of all levels, educational researchers, and teachers in regard to facilitating teacher self-efficacy development by engaging in transformational leadership behaviors.</p><p>

<p> American schools are becoming increasingly diverse, with an estimated 17 million first- and second-generation refugee and immigrant children residing in the United States. English learners navigate the challenges of learning how to read, write, and speak a new language, all while being expected to stay on grade level. Classroom teachers nationwide are looking for engaging ways to meet the needs of their students, despite resource and budget deficits. The purpose of this study was to explore the role that student-created vodcasts, or video podcasts, may play in the English acquisition of a Haitian learner. This research question morphed to focus on the perceptions and practices of this student&rsquo;s middle school teacher of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in using vodcasting and other technologies to facilitate his English acquisition. A second research question explored the role of sociocultural learning regarding the learner&rsquo;s creation of vodcasts. Guiding bodies of research in this work included second language acquisition research, particularly regarding identity formation involving brain-compatible teaching, sociocultural learning, and culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP). Data collection occurred between January 2015 and May 2015. The student and his teacher shared their perspectives in six interviews each during the data collection process. Other data sources included 2 student-created vodcasts, 1 created in a group and 1 created by the student alone, a writing sample, and results from the previous school year of the state English as a Second Language Achievement Test (ESLAT). The teacher found that the vodcasts, in combination with other factors, helped the student reflect on his writing, particularly regarding punctuation, and that he overcame an error with comma splices immediately after recording a vodcast. The student found that the practice of vodcasting, in combination with other factors, helped him practice academic language, as required by his teacher for the assignment. The teacher allowed the student to work individually for the second vodcast assignment, and stated that the result was of much higher quality overall, particularly noting an increase in the amount of time the student spent speaking. The data indicated that vodcasting, in conjunction with other strategies supporting language acquisition, might have played a positive role in the student&rsquo;s progress in his ESOL class. Furthermore, according to both the student and the teacher, independent creation of the video was more effective for him than collaborative group work, which the teacher explained may have had causes rooted in the student&rsquo;s home culture.</p><p>

<p> Purpose. This study sought to identify, understand, and describe the decision-making processes used by school districts to determine the middle school science course sequence as part of the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards. Additionally, this study explored and described the expressed comments, feelings, and beliefs of participants involved in the decision process about their experience in the decision-making process and the outcome. </p><p> Methodology. This multiple case study focused on four cases&mdash;three school districts that chose the integrated approach and one district that chose the discipline approach. Ten participants represented the four school districts. Data were collected from each participant utilizing personal face-to-face interviews. </p><p> Findings. Significant findings included: Administrators tended to defer to teachers, because of their expertise, to promote consensus and teacher buy-in; prolonged discussions led to expressions of demoralization among teachers; each of the four school districts used a different approach to the decision&mdash;one depended on expertise of a dedicated science education leader to make a command decision, while three districts included a broad set of participants to promote consensus; conceptual structuring devices facilitated decision making; science teachers with discipline-specific backgrounds tended to prefer the discipline model and were more reluctant to adopt the integrated approach; the professional identity of the science teacher influenced their preference and their feelings about the outcome; and each participant expressed unique perceptions of who was involved in the decision&mdash;teachers tended to downplay the importance of their own influence and to describe the ultimate decision as being in the hands of administrators. </p><p> Conclusions. There is no best approach to selecting a middle school science course sequence. Multiple decision-making approaches resulted in acceptable outcomes, but any approach can be improved by taking steps to promote levels of trust among constituents. </p><p> Recommendations. Educational leaders must understand how the <i> professional identity</i> and <i>science content expertise</i> of science teachers influence their preferences of curricular sequencing. Leaders interested in developing consensus should take careful steps to promote transparency and trust. Participants in the decision should be provided professional development to limit ambiguity, provide guidelines, and promote structuring devices to facilitate the decision.</p><p>

<p> Economic forecasts predict an unprecedented shortage of STEM workers in the United States. This study examined the vocational anticipatory socialization factors and classroom stratagems influencing middle school students&rsquo; science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) career development. Student attitudes towards STEM content areas and related career aspirations were measured. Parental, peer, media, out-of-school time activities and physical school environmental influences were examined along with teacher and school counselor capacities. The results showed middle schools were not actively engaging in STEM identity formation and career development practices nor were they providing out-of-school time STEM activities for their students. Parents, peers and the use of the online learning platform, Learning Blade did, however, have significant influences on students&rsquo; STEM career development.</p><p>

<p> <i>Professional Development Tools to Enhance the Abilities of Veteran Teachers in Pre-K Through Eighth Grades</i> examined the variety of professional development tools available to veteran educators. The quasi-experimental study allowed veteran teachers to participate in a pretest survey consisting of questions about teachers&rsquo; desire for continued professional development, learning preferences, tools and ideas, and demographic information. An intervention in the form of PowerPoint was then presented to the veteran teachers outlining the adult learning theory and a variety of professional development tools. After the intervention, a posttest was conducted and compared using an ANOVA. </p><p> The results in the study indicate that while there is not a significant difference in the pretest and posttest following the intervention, veteran teachers are interested in learning, growing, and enhancing their classroom. Veteran teachers would like to be actively involved in the planning and expansion of professional development opportunities and would like to learn from their peers in how to make their classroom more effective. Veteran teachers also feel that their peers can learn from watching them teach in the classroom and would like to use the peer coaching model and Instructional Rounds to be able to learn from their colleagues. Veteran teachers feel that tools such as observations and feedback are helpful in the classroom and would like to learn more about student engagement, instructional strategies, classroom management, differentiation techniques, Instructional Rounds, growth mindset, and subject specific programs. </p><p> The results from the teachers&rsquo; survey were given to administrators for feedback about how to use the responses to develop effective professional development opportunities in schools. The interview results from the administrators revealed that teacher observation and collaboration are optimal for teachers to grow professionally. The one-on-one interviews also resulted in the overwhelming need to include teachers in the creation of professional development opportunities. </p><p>

<p> This case study explored dog-assisted reading with three middle-school special education students in a self-contained alternative school. Data collection conducted over a 15-month period included observations, interviews, and artifacts. In this study, reading with therapy dogs and their handlers, helped three adolescent readers with their reading motivation, engagement, and literacy processes/behaviors. The students&rsquo; engagement with the dog, the role of the dog handler, and the role of the context all impacted students in different and multiple ways. </p><p> The students read to the dogs and liked engaging with them&mdash;this calmed and interested each student and created a purpose for reading. Concurrently, through the handler&rsquo;s vocabulary supports, questions, comments, and book choices, the students also became more attentive to their own reading performance. Students began to self-monitor, self-correct, and discuss stories. As the study transitioned from an office setting to the classroom, the dog and handler continued as reading partners, now with a growing audience of additional students and staff. Students talked and interacted with books in a way that bypassed reading level, behavior issues and computer-based comprehension questions, ultimately forming a community of readers. </p><p> Recommendations encourage school personnel to intentionally structure and integrate dog-assisted reading teams for literacy learning, with training sessions for handlers to learn how to engage with books, listen carefully to readers, and notice when students need additional support. Professional development can help classroom teams better integrate dog-assisted reading and literature-based instructional approaches. Importantly, providing a wide range of reading materials during dog-assisted time can support students to engage as readers in multiple ways.</p><p>

No description available.

Schools in New Jersey are beginning to transform their middle school music programs from a general music based curriculum to an elective, performance-based curriculum. These changes bring new challenges to music educators as they work to expand their performance-based curriculums to include what was taught in general music. Adding to the work that needs to be done to adapt performance-based classes, teachers are beginning to feel frustrated that their needs and the needs of their students are getting lost with the added addition of assessment guidelines and other administrative requirements,. The aim of this research project was to work within the framework of Paulo Freire’s Culture circle to support teachers during scheduled Professional Learning Community meetings. Through a series of eight bi-weekly meetings, a group of four music teachers and a dance instructor works to identify generative themes present in their teaching practice. Through problem posing dialogue they worked to understand their generative theme. The teachers in this Professional Learning Community worked together to create and implement individual action plans to address their generative theme. This group of teachers work together in support of each other while they were working within their separate contexts and classrooms. This collaborative action research study positioned the researcher as a facilitator, one who supported the needs of the group and questioned long standing beliefs that help propel the conversation forward. Teachers reflected that they saw a change in what they believed the purpose of these meetings was. They found in impactful to focus on their teaching practices rather than the more administrative tasks involved in teaching. Teachers also reported that by dialoguing about their teacher and the action plans they were working on, they felt more successful in its implementation. Through their action plans, this group of teachers began to see possibilities to have their students create and work in small groups that was not evident before. While the teachers in this study felt an impact of the culture circle, there is more to learn from this group of teachers, and the possibilities culture circles have to effect positive change in teachers and student learning.

Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) in the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training outlines access, participation and barriers as critical issues in post-school education (DHET, 2013). The main aim of this research paper was to investigate the relationships between access, barriers to participation and success among adult students registered for the National Accredited Technical Diploma (NATED) specialisation in Early Childhood Development (ECD) at a TVET College in the Western Cape. Although I concentrated on the interplay between the adult students’ experiences related to access, participation and barriers, my primary interest relates to how and why adult students succeed despite the barriers that they encounter.

Orientador: Denis Domeneghetti Badia / Resumo: Nossa pesquisa transposta nesta narrativa aborda a experiência escolar de jovens do Ensino Médio, numa escola do interior paulista. A partir de uma perspectiva ancorada nas elaborações de Walter Benjamin e Jorge Larrosa, buscamos compreender quais são as sobras das narrativas possíveis destes jovens que experienciam a estrutura e o desenvolvimento de um modelo pedagógico positivista e iconoclasta. Tratamos dos usos do tempo na escola e da formação enquanto projeção para o futuro e a relação com o mundo do trabalho. Investigamos os programas educativos materializados no Currículo do Estado de São Paulo. Procuramos, também, entender as interferências das tecnologias da informação no cotidiano escolar e a produção de conhecimento. Por fim, verificamos as sobras nas palavras. Em sua multiplicidade de relações e entrelaçamentos, as experiências juvenis, dentro e fora da escola, apresentam o movimento criativo em direção ao resgate da imaginação ruminante dos poetas. A capacidade narrativa é resgatada nas fissuras da educação menor, naquilo que não é do institucionalizado, mas, ao contrário, pertence aos acolhimentos, às trocas e às relações afetivas. As experiências podem ser comunicadas e transmitidas nas sobras das narrativas dos jovens noutro registro pedagógico, quando os viventes dotados de palavra ultrapassam a reprodução e tornam-se territórios de passagem, para que algo lhes aconteça. / Abstract: Our research transposed in this narrative approaches the school experience of young people of the High School, in a school of the interior of São Paulo. From a perspective anchored in the elaborations of Walter Benjamin and Jorge Larrosa, we try to understand what are the leftovers of the possible narratives of these young people who experience the structure and development of a positivist and iconoclastic pedagogical model. We deal with the uses of time in school and training as a projection for the future and the relationship with the world of work. We investigate the educational programs materialized in the Curriculum of the State of São Paulo. We also try to understand the interferences of information technologies in the daily school life and the production of knowledge. Finally, we check the leftovers in the words. In their multiplicity of relationships and intertwining, youth experiences, both inside and outside of school, present the creative movement toward the rescue of the ruminant imagination of poets. Narrative capacity is rescued in the fissures of minor education, in what is not institutionalized, but, on the contrary, it belongs to the receptions, the exchanges and the affective relations. The experiences can be communicated and transmitted in the leftovers of the narratives of the young people in another pedagogical record, when the living beings endowed with words surpass the reproduction and become territories of passage, so that something happens to them. / Doutor