The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) method incorporates active learning pedagogies into space designed to facilitate effective active learning. Methods predominately used to demonstrate the effectiveness of active learning in STEM fields do not generally account for differences in student characteristics; furthermore, there is a lack of data sources that measure student-centered educational practices. This study examined the impact of SCALE-UP on student achievement in introductory biology, as evidenced by course grades. A regression framework was used to account for student characteristics. Course syllabi, classroom observation data, and an instructor interview were examined to gain deeper understanding of teaching practices across classes being compared. Findings indicate the SCALE-UP classroom did not directly impact biology course grades; however, it did impact the nature of active learning techniques used during the course. Implications for practice and future research were discussed.

The problem of this study was to determine whether teachers' attitudes as revealed by responses to an attitude instrument reflect teachers' classroom behaviors as implied by a behavior record of verbal comments to pupils. This research, in effect, was a check on the predictive validity of the attitude instrument used in the study, the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory.

The problem of this study was to determine the effectiveness of student-centered teaching in producing significant changes in certain critical thinking abilities among selected freshmen students at North Texas State College.

This study provides a framework to guide educators and researchers within departments of mathematics at institutions of higher education involved in reform efforts for undergraduate mainstream calculus. It does so by using motivational constructs from Self-Determination Theory to define and measure student-centeredness within both traditional and reformed calculus learning environments within a large-scale, quasi-experimental study. Motivational inventories assessing students’ perceived satisfaction of basic psychological needs and self-determined motivation were analyzed together with demographic variables, course outcomes, and prior math knowledge within traditional and reformed conditions in both Calculus I and Calculus II courses. Results include 1) positive correlates among students’ perceptions of satisfaction of basic psychological needs, intrinsic motivation, and achievement; 2) overall increased student perception of BPN-satisfaction in the reformed condition; and 3) directional variation in achievement and perception of BPN-satisfaction between conditions across subpopulations. The results demonstrate how student-centered calculus learning environments operate through motivational processes to improve academic outcomes and how learning environments may differentially affect demographic categories at institutions of higher education. Specifically, learning environments are not culturally or socially neutral and may, despite good intentions, be centered about privileged populations to the detriment of historically disenfranchised groups.

Students at the college level need good instruction and active learning has been shown to improve student retention and learning. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Faculty Institution (STEMFI) aims to assist faculty in implementing active learning in the classroom. This qualitative case study sought to understand faculty perspectives two years after completion of STEMFI in the areas of active learning implementation, methodology and student attitudes and impact. Data collected reported that the faculty participants still use active learning strategies in their classrooms two years after exiting the STEMFI program. The faculty also felt the need for a refresher course and felt that overall students respond well to active learning techniques. Faculty suggested a few improvements to STEMFI involving scheduling and the relevance of workshops and seminars. Overall, faculty were pleased with STEMFI and it was encouraging that faculty still use certain techniques taught during the program which can engage students as well as improve student retention and learning. With the suggestion from the faculty to have a refresher course, it would be advantageous to narrow down where the STEMFI program has been the most effective so that refresher courses could be designed as well as similar programs instituted in other departments, colleges, or at other universities. Although this professional learning program is focused on STEM faculty, it would be important for a university to consider how the main tenants of this program could also be used with faculty in other disciplines. This could provide needed and important knowledge for faculty in humanities, arts, education, and business to make changes in their classroom practice as well as additional avenues of research.

This study was conducted in order to determine how mathematics teachers allocate their time in the classroom and the factors that influence teacher priorities in that time allocation. Research has indicated that math teachers may choose not to do certain activities in their classroom because of the amount of time that they take, but other underlying reasons may exist. In order to study this idea, six math teachers were interviewed on their current time allocation and rationale for that allocation, and the results from these interviews were used to create a survey that was sent to 581 math teachers in Utah. The results from the 224 completed surveys showed that many teachers allocate their classroom time in a fairly traditional manner, with an average of about 10% of class time being spent on student-centered activities. 40.63% of teachers spent 0% of their class time on student-centered activities. There is variation in time allocation and influencing factors based on a teacher's schedule, level of teaching, experience, and how student-centered their teaching methods are. Also, the results support the claim that there are factors, other than limited class time, that affect how teachers choose whether or not to do certain activities. Some of the most significant deciding factors found are whether the activities will help students with their end of level tests, if they will keep students working hard mathematically, whether others are using those activities or not, how the activities affect classroom rowdiness. It was also found that teachers who are more teacher-centered tended to choose activities based on how easy they were to implement, including their personal comfort level, ease of preparation, and ease of management with student behavior. More student-centered teachers tended to care more about keeping the students working hard mathematically.

Schools face the problem of recruiting and retaining students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees. One reason that students leave STEM fields is because their introductory classes are too hard or not engaging. These introductory classes are typically taught using a lecture-heavy, instructor-centered approach, contrary to current evidence based pedagogy. Many who call for teacher reform put the blame on the way teachers are educated, which is often not student-centered, citing that because ‘teachers teach the way they were taught,’ current education is also not student-centered. The idea that ‘teachers teach the way they were taught’ is commonly used to promote an agenda for improved teaching training and accepted as fact in the scientific literature. However, little empirical data has been collected to support this conclusion. We aimed first to determine empirically if teachers teach the way they were taught, and second to determine the influences behind teaching practices. We observed, surveyed, and interviewed a sample of 44 instructors at seven colleges and universities throughout the state of Utah who taught select STEM introductory courses. Instruments used included observational, survey, and interview protocols developed specifically for this study during preliminary trials, and inspired by the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP). A paired t-test was used to compare the professors’ teaching practices with their own educational experiences. Interview responses were then grouped into common categories and used to determine the influences behind teaching practices. We discovered that there is a significant difference between how teachers teach and how they were taught during their own educational experience. This finding does not support our hypothesis that teachers teach the way they were taught. Qualitative data from interviews introduces a new hypothesis that teachers teach the way they themselves preferred to be taught, or the way they think students learn best, demonstrating that teachers are taking a much more metacognitive approach to teaching than is suggested by that famous quote, ‘teachers teach the way they were taught.’ Our results suggest that reform classes and workshops develop a more metacognitive approach to exposing future teachers to current, evidence based pedagogy, allowing teachers to reflect on their own learning and experience for themselves the benefits of student-centered learning. These future teachers will then apply what they learn if they are convinced it is a better way to teach students. They will teach the way they were taught because they experienced a positive experience when leaning.

This dissertation argues for the importance of prioritizing the student experience in music theory discourse, both in teaching practice and content. To achieve this, a student centered curriculum and methodology are proposed, using learning objectives that align with student experiences. The concept of music literacy is defined as the sum of undergraduate music theory experience. Bloom's Taxonomy is proposed as a means of delivery to ensure a student centered experience. The methodology and curriculum are based on the principles of student centered learning with an emphasis on personalized instruction and collaborative learning. The use of Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for instruction and assessment ensures that learning objectives are aligned with student experiences. This approach aims to promote student success, enhance the relevancy of undergraduate music theory for contemporary students, and facilitate interdisciplinary learning from cognate disciplines. The dissertation concludes by highlighting the importance of prioritizing the student experience in music theory discourse and suggests further research to explore the potential of student centered learning in music theory education. / Music Theory

The intent of this two-phase, sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to examine the role teachers' beliefs play when making instructional decisions. The population included in-service teachers representing four Career and Technical Education disciplines located within the commonwealth of Virginia. Using a stratified random sample, 622 teachers were selected for the quantitative strand, and employing a system of four contacts, quantitative data were collected from 292 participants. Dweck's Theories of Intelligence scale assessed the nature of in-service teachers' beliefs about intelligence, and the Epistemic Belief Inventory was used to measure their epistemological beliefs. Finally, the participants rated their use of teacher-centered and student-centered teaching methods. In the second phase, qualitative data were collected from nine participants to further understand how in-service teachers' beliefs are related to the teaching practices they use. The quantitative and qualitative data were combined to determine if the descriptions of teaching method used, beliefs about intelligence, and epistemological beliefs aligned with the outcomes of the quantitative questionnaire. Significant correlations existed between the Theories of Intelligence scale and the Epistemic Belief Inventory. A significant positive relationship existed between the Epistemic Beliefs Inventory and the overall teaching practices score, indicating in-service teachers' advanced epistemological beliefs are related to the use of student-centered teaching practices. A regression analysis indicated that teaching discipline, epistemological beliefs, teaching experience, and highest level of education completed predicted the teaching practices in-service teachers' select. The qualitative data supported the claim that beliefs about intelligence and epistemological beliefs influence teaching practices. Six themes emerged from the qualitative data, and the themes were used as a framework for organizing the findings. The researcher acknowledges that teachers possess a variety of beliefs, and those beliefs influence how teachers teach. The researcher recommends that teacher educators attempt to identify the beliefs pre-service teachers hold, and if modifications of beliefs are needed, facilitate interventions to modify those beliefs. While some have labeled the direct relationship between teacher beliefs and teaching practices as "messy", the evidence indicates the two, are in fact, related. / Ph. D.

This qualitative study followed the classroom practices of a second grade teacher across the course of a school year. Data collection methods used included interviews, fieldnotes, observations, various site artifacts and photographs. Informants were the classroom teacher, thirteen second grade students, the building principal, and several colleagues, family members and friends identified by the teacher. The study used literature in the fields of critical pedagogy and democratic educational practice to interpret the teacher's work. Analysis suggested that the second grade class group evolved toward a sense of democratic community as the teacher: 1) provided the foundations of relationship, high expectations and belief in her students; 2) created classroom structures that supported the growth of moral intelligence amongst class members; and 3) extended opportunities for students to regularly contribute to and actively participate in class experiences. Findings suggest that a sense of democratic community can not be quickly or easily realized. As this teacher sought to foster its development through building foundations, creating support structures and extending opportunities to her students, she experienced unpredictability, risk and struggle. Significantly, however, she perceived her daily struggles as opportunities to reflectively reconsider her teaching practices. As she continually assessed and refined her practices, she and her students grew as a mutually supportive community. / Ph. D.