This study addressed the problem of low student achievement in elementary school mathematics and investigated the level of knowledge held by the teachers. Previous studies have shown that students who succeed in mathematics are more successful during their school years, including college, and earn a higher income level as adults. A theoretical framework of andragogy framed three research questions for investigation. The first question focused on the current professional development needs of the teachers. The other two questions investigated whether the mathematical knowledge relating to teaching (MKT) correlates with the socioeconomic level of the school or correlates with annual yearly progress (AYP) status. Randomly selected elementary teachers from 12 schools participated by completing a survey and taking an online assessment to determine their MKT level. There was no significant correlation between the teachers' MKT scores and the socioeconomic level of their school or the AYP status of the school. Results indicated the need for professional development in mathematical progressions and instructional techniques. Data also suggested that this professional development be adapted to meet the individual needs of the participating teachers. These data informed the creation of 45 professional development training modules for teachers. This study, with the recommended training modules, can initiate social change by providing teachers with individualized training and new instructional strategies to implement in their classrooms with their students, thereby promoting higher levels of student achievement in mathematics.

Research examining instruction in geometry and standardized tests suggests that students have difficulty grasping geometry concepts and developing problem solving skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the use of inquiry-based strategies in a geometry class and achievement on the end of course test (EOCT) and to analyze qualitatively the implementation of inquiry-based instruction. Embedded in the theoretical framework of constructivism, inquiry-based instruction gives students skills to become independent learners. Addressing an issue in mathematics education, the primary research question focused on how to improve scores on a standardized geometry test. This mixed methods study utilized the t test to analyze the EOCT scores of 2 groups of geometry students in a Title I school. The results indicated that students taught using inquiry-based instruction scored higher on the EOCT. Lesson plans, field notes, observation notes and other artifacts were analyzed using categorical aggregation. The results indicated that the predominant instructional strategy in the implementation process was guided inquiry and that formal instruction included models of the inquiry process. Social change will be impacted by pointing to instructional strategies that will help students develop positive attitudes to problem solving through inquiry and increased understanding of the mathematical content. The development of critical thinking skills in problem solving will contribute to success in high school, in college and in the workplace.

Institutions of higher learning have been tracking student course-drop rates as a measure of student success along with faculty performance data. However, there is a lack of understanding as to how faculty performance data influences drop rates. The purpose of this study was to determine whether faculty knowledge of performance data creates a difference in drop rates. This study combined theories of performance measurement, decision support, self-determination theory (SDT), and personal decision making (PDM) as a conceptual foundation that linked faculty knowledge to student success. The specific research question addressed if data can be used to assist faculty efforts in reducing student attrition. This experimental longitudinal study tested the effect of faculty knowledge of personal performance measures on student course-drop rates. A sample of 32 subjects from a major university were randomly selected and assigned to equivalent-groups that included an experimental group, which received performance feedback and instruction, and an uninformed control group. Paired sample t-tests indicated a significant 32.8% reduction in student attrition for faculty in the experimental group, compared to a 10.3% increase in attrition observed for the control group faculty. Results suggest that providing faculty access to performance data via a decision support system will result in a reduction of student course drop rates. The key social value for this study is to provide a blueprint in collecting, structuring, and disseminating data that assist faculty and institutions in addressing student persistence. Students who persist in their courses have a greater potential of completing their studies and thus gaining access to better paying careers, higher levels of self-esteem, and an overall improved quality of life.

Reading comprehension is a multidimensional process and a key component of this process is the activation of prior knowledge in the comprehension of text. This study utilized video clips as a means to anchor instruction and assist struggling middle-level readers in comprehending text. Participants in this study were 17 seventh- and eighth-grade students from a rural middle school. The study used a single-subject reversal design. During the baseline phase of the study, students read four different titles before a stable baseline could be established. The data collected were the combined mean scores of the teacher-created comprehension assessments and commercially produced computer-based assessments at the completion of reading each title during all phases of the study. In the second and fourth phases (books 5 and 7), no treatment was used and the regular instructional routine was followed. In the third and fifth phase (books 6 and 8), the treatment (video clips) was introduced to assist the reader with background knowledge pertinent to the content of the book being read. Books 6 and 8 were taught in combination with the viewing of video clips, class discussion of the materials viewed, and the regular instructional routine. Findings from the study were analyzed to explore (a) what effect did viewing video clips as a means to anchor instruction have on the mean classroom scores of combined teacher-developed and commercially developed comprehension assessments for remedial, struggling middle-level readers; and (b) how did viewing video clips related to text topics affect individual student scores on combined teacher-developed and commercially developed end-of-book comprehension questions. The findings indicated that the use of video clips as a means of either activating or developing background knowledge may have a positive effect on struggling middle-level readers' comprehension test scores. This combined condition (regular instructional routine and the viewing of video clips) was better than the regular instructional routine alone; the addition of the video clips appeared to contribute to higher mean comprehension scores.

The underrepresentation of women and minorities in science is an extensively studied yet persistent concern of our society. Major reform movements in science education suggest that better teaching, higher standards, and sensitivity to student differences can overcome long-standing obstacles to participation among women and minorities. In response to these major reform movements, researchers have suggested teachers transform their goals, science content, and instructional practices to make science more attractive and inviting to all students, particularly young women and minorities (Barton, 1998; Brickhouse, 1994; Mayberry & Rees, 1999; Rodriguez, 1999; Roychoudhury, Tippins, & Nichols, 1995). One of the more dominant approaches currently heralded is the use of feminist pedagogy in science education. The purpose of this study was to examine the ways eleven middle and high school science teachers worked collaboratively to engage in systematic, self-critical inquiry of their own practice and join with other science teachers to engage in collaborative conversations in effort to transform their practice for a more equitable science education. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews, whole group discussions, classroom observations, and review of supporting documents. Data analysis was based on grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) and open coding (Miles and Huberman, 1994). This study described the collective processes the science teachers and university researcher employed to facilitate regular collaborative action research meetings over the course of six months. Findings indicated that engaging in collaborative action research allowed teachers to gain new knowledge about feminist science teaching, generate a cluster of pedagogical possibilities for inclusive pedagogy, and enhance their understanding for science teaching. Additional findings indicated dilemmas teachers experienced including resistance to a feminist agenda and concerns for validity in action research. This study revealed that there are no uniform solutions or standard methods to address issues of equity and accessibility in science education. This study recommends teachers be given time, support, and freedom to collaborate with other teacher-researchers, enact decisions for change, and reflect on and make public the results of their work. Additional implications suggest science teacher educators collaborate with practicing science teachers to devise practical applications and feasible resources for a wider audience.

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No description available.

While research in gifted education has been conducted in specific curriculum areas such as language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and fine arts, there is a paucity of literature connecting gifted and world language education. While world languages historically were elective courses at the high school level, attracting college bound students, world language credit requirements for high school graduation or college admission have expanded, encouraging enrollment in Advanced Placement world language courses for a broader range of learners. Since Advanced Placement options are still the current face of gifted services at the secondary level, there is a need for differentiated pedagogy in AP classrooms for secondary gifted learners, a need often not addressed (Hertberg-Davis, Callahan, & Kyburg, 2006). In most states AP teachers are not required to be trained in gifted education instructional practices, and their perceptions toward gifted students are unknown. This survey research study collected data from Advanced Placement world language teachers regarding their perceptions of high ability world language students and self-assessed use of differentiated instructional approaches. Instrumentation included the Gagne and Nadeau (1991) scale of teacher perceptions toward gifted students, the William and Mary Classroom Observation Scale-Revised (VanTassel-Baska, Avery, Struck, Feng, Bracken, Drummond, & Stambaugh, 2005) which assessed teacher behaviors with respect to differentiation practices, and a researcher-created questionnaire which collected participant demographic data. In this descriptive study, findings indicated teachers held somewhat positive attitudes toward providing needs and support for gifted students and the social value of gifted persons in society. Teachers held ambivalent attitudes about the instructional practice of ability grouping, the rejection of gifted students by others, and the practice of actively advocating for gifted learners. Teachers reported somewhat negative attitudes toward the instructional practice of appropriate acceleration. Findings further revealed limited teacher use of differentiated strategies in the AP classroom, limited teacher training in gifted education pedagogy, yet a positive relationship between high and low student achievement and teachers' training background in gifted education. Implications for practice from this study focus on the need for gifted education training for Advanced Placement world language teachers on the characteristics of high ability students and differentiated instructional practices that are found to be effective for increased student achievement. Specifically, professional development is needed for teachers that address (1) differentiated curriculum for the gifted with an emphasis on remodeling AP curriculum to meet high ability student needs, and (2) the use of advanced instructional practices with specific information regarding effective delivery and classroom management techniques. Implications for research include the need for more studies on AP teachers' attitudes and practices in relation to gifted learners and a set of studies focusing on effective instructional practices for teaching world languages.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of freshmen, as measured by cumulative GPA, who received developmental preparation at the college level with those who were prepared by the secondary school systems. The author's intention was to obtain data for accountability of institutional performance and provide public officials with a program effectiveness base.;Data were obtained from the institutional research office of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia on all entering freshmen students for the years 1988 and 1989. The data base was sanitized for confidentiality and contained information on the sex, age, ethnic background, high school GPA, SAT scores, cumulative academic GPA at the end of the freshmen year, and whether they required developmental courses to begin college level courses. The data were placed in an ASCII file and analyzed by three different computer packages.;The question was reformatted into a null hypothesis which declared that there would be no difference in the performance of the two groups. Further, subsidiary null hypotheses were formed to declare that the performance would be the equal when gender, age, ethnic background, SAT scores and high school GPAs were considered.;It was concluded that there is, indeed, a small but statistically significant difference in the performance of the two groups. However, it was also concluded that the parameters selected in this case had little predictive value in forecasting performance. The best predictors of performance were high school GPAs, and they were not statistically significant. All other parameters, including SAT Scores, proved to be poor predictors of performance, but they may explain the small difference in cumulative GPA.;Further research is needed to find predictors of performance, and to explore the complex ethnic background--gender--GPA matrix discovered during the study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between placement in inclusive and pull-out special education programs and academic and behavior outcomes for students with learning disabilities. Demographic data such as age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, IQ, education level of the mother, years receiving special education services, and years in the school district established comparability of two groups of middle school students. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to describe two schools and their special education service delivery models, one inclusive and the other pull-out. IEP goals and objectives, classroom accommodations, and teacher collaboration were examined to provide functional definitions of the models. Results indicated that the two programs differed significantly. Further, students with learning disabilities served in inclusive classrooms earned higher grades, achieved higher or comparable scores on standardized tests, committed no more behavioral infractions, and attended more days of schools than students with learning disabilities served in pull-out special education programs.