Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-127). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-116). Also available in print.

The purpose of the current study is to add to existing research on the effectiveness of the SRSD RAP strategy on reading comprehension. This study describes a single-subject research design involving professional development in the RAP metacognitive strategy and a teacher’s implementation in her high-school history courses. The study aims to assess the strategy’s effectiveness in the high school general education setting with inclusive instruction and without pull out sessions to learn that strategy. The current study explores RAP strategy research and uses a week-long unit of instruction for teaching the RAP strategy. The results of the RAP strategy on the reading comprehension of high school students were found by using the scores of the reading comprehension probes.

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Much research has been done to explore social media on students and instructors and their perceptions of social media use in higher education, but little research has been done on teachers in secondary education and their perceptions of social media use in the classroom. Due to the lack of research, the purpose of the study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of social media use to improve students’ learning and students’ engagement and if their perceptions varied by selected demographic variables. The study was conducted in three northeast Mississippi secondary schools, a 6th and 7th grade school, 8th and 9th grade school, and 10th thru 12th grade school, during the spring semester of 2021. A survey instrument, Social Media Survey for Secondary Teachers, was used in the study. The study was completed by 53 participants (44 females and 9 males). The research design for this study was descriptive and causal comparative. The study found that teachers’ perceptions of social media use for classroom instruction to improve students’ learning and students’ engagement was neutral. Also, a statistically significant difference was found between teachers’ current position (e.g., special education teachers and other teachers) and the use of social media in the classroom to improve students’ learning. However, there was no statistically significant difference found between teachers’ perceptions of the use of social media in the classroom to improve students’ engagement and the demographics: gender, age, race, teacher certification, years taught, years at current school, teachers’ current position, number of subject(s) taught, years at current position, number of grade levels taught, and number of social media used. The findings of this study provide information for teachers, administrators, and school districts so they may determine if they will use social media. Further research is recommended using more school districts, which can provide more data for comparison and a better understanding of teachers’ perceptions of social media use in the classroom for students’ learning and students’ engagement. In addition, further research should be done on teachers’ current position and their perceptions of using social media to improve students’ learning.

The purpose of this thesis is to research, analyze, and curate methods of effective classroom management at the secondary level and create a handbook for teachers. Often classroom management strategies are left behind in secondary classrooms due to the fast-paced nature of the content. The benefits of classroom management can be too easily ignored in the world of academia. Effective management techniques do not only benefit teachers, but they also teach students a sense of discipline. Utilizing qualitative research methods, this thesis delves into the multifaceted realm of effective classroom management at the secondary level. The approach involves meticulous analysis of studies from educators, psychologists, and behaviorists, aiming to create successful classroom management strategies. By examining diverse perspectives, this thesis navigates the intricacies of secondary classroom dynamics, considering both the academic demands and the need for disciplined environments. The qualitative research methodology employed allows for a nuanced exploration of existing materials and the identification of gaps in resources tailored for secondary educators. The handbook guide will provide different classroom management strategies, the philosophies upon which these strategies are based, accompanying plans for implementation in the classroom, syllabi, and supporting materials to use in classrooms.

<p> The purpose of this study is to provide a descriptive analysis of high school choral teachers&rsquo; inclusion of popular music in current teaching practices by (a) determining the frequency of inclusion, (b) developing a profile of teachers, schools, and choral programs that include popular music in the curriculum, (c) determining which demographic characteristics affected the amount of popular music included, and (d) developing a profile of popular music implementation details. The <i>Popular Music Survey,</i> a researcher designed online survey, was developed to collect demographic data and information concerning the participants&rsquo; inclusion of popular music in their high school choral classrooms. Participants were high school choral teachers in the Commonwealth of Virginia (<i>n</i> = 104). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Macintosh, Version 22.0. </p><p> Results of the study revealed that 100% of participants include popular music in the choral curriculum as performance literature and/or instructional materials. Descriptive statistics of demographic data of the teacher, school, choral program, and ensemble were used to develop a profile to describe the typical high school choral teacher who includes popular music. Descriptive statistics were also used to develop a profile to describe how high school choral teachers included popular music in the choral classroom. </p><p> The majority of participants (n = 91, 87.4%) responded that the percentage of popular music performed was 30% or less of their total performance literature. Pearson Chi-square and one-way analysis of variance were used to determine the extent to which popular music was included in the high school choral curriculum. The achievement of a master&rsquo;s degree was the only teacher characteristic that significantly affected the amount of popular music included in the high school choral curriculum (p = .028). Participants with a master&rsquo;s degree included more popular music than participants who did not have a master&rsquo;s degree. </p><p> Implications for music education were discussed in relation to the findings of the current study. Recommendations were made for future research regarding the inclusion of popular music in choral classrooms, as well as in other areas of music education.</p>

<p> This study explored with high school choral directors and singers, their experiences of musical expression in the choral classroom setting. A phenomenological approach to a collective case study was used to address the notions of &ldquo;what&rdquo;, &ldquo;why&rdquo;, and &ldquo;how&rdquo; in regard to the relationships and interactions between choral directors, singers, their personal experiences and musical texts as they pertain to musical expression. Four high school choral programs participated in this study. One choral director and a focus group of 4-7 students from each program participated in open-ended, semi-structured, interviews. Video recorded observations of choral rehearsals provided media for additional stimulated recall interviews that used both open-ended and framing techniques. These interviews served as the primary method of data collection to help examine how the participants conceptualized and practiced musical expression. </p><p> The high school choral directors and singers of this study described musical expression in broad terms but agreed that it can be understood as both a means of conveying and understanding meanings and emotions. The participants addressed considerations and conditions such as engagement, their emotional response to the repertoire, composer intent, the classroom environment and obstacles such as the difficulty of the score or external distractions. They described specific approaches such as collaborative meaning making of musical contexts, formal elements of a score, and text. Implications are addressed for the ways choral directors approach repertoire selection, classroom configuration, rehearsal strategies, building relationships, delivering content, helping students to develop vocal skills and techniques and the use of collaborative learning and dialog to encourage ensemble interpretations. Participants also described optimal experiences of musical expression in regard to enjoyment, release of tension and perceived time and space. This study helped to uncover some of the ways high school choral directors and singers attempt to acknowledge each member&rsquo;s individuality while working toward a unified ensemble expression. The data revealed that collectively, the four participating programs shared many common ideas and yet each ensemble had a unique and nuanced approach to musical expression that reflected the values, beliefs and experiences of the choir and its members.</p>