Students were performing below grade level in reading, fluency, and comprehension in a suburban school in South Carolina. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of teachers about their preferred differentiated instruction approach (face-to-face vs. computer-based) to meet the needs of at-risk students in 2nd grade. The underlying theoretical framework was drawn from constructivist theory, observation theory, and social development theory. The study questions were on teachers' perceptions of the best form of differentiation, improved reading based on peer socialization in face-to-face instruction, and benefits and limitations of a computer-based approach. The study was a single case study design, with qualitative data from 10 participants; the tools included an attitudinal questionnaire, focus groups, and interviews. Data sources were triangulated and analyzed for emergent themes. The results showed that teachers perceived differentiation as a positive approach to meeting students' needs with a preference for a face-to-face approach because it provided direct contact with the student, but computer-based approach had an advantage in compiling data. The teachers faced challenges using face-to-face instruction, including time management, planning, administrative support, and lack of professional development opportunities. The challenges led to a recommendation for professional development. This study supports positive social change in that educators may apply the results to their efforts to develop student skills in reading, fluency, and comprehension, thus increasing students' opportunities for success and productivity in society.

Education reform in schools has focused on inclusion of all students in general education environments and accountability measures. Students with cognitive impairments are mandated to participate in standards-based alternate assessments. Special education teachers in a school district in a southeastern state in this study have been faced with the challenge of implementing these assessments. A bounded case study design was used to examine their perceptions of the use of standards-based alternate assessments for students with cognitive impairments. Guiding research questions focused on the nature and process of implementing alternate assessments. Resistance to change was the conceptual framework. The bounded case included 3 elementary, 1 middle school, and 4 high school special education teachers who have taught students with mild to moderate cognitive disabilities in self-contained classrooms in the district. Teachers were interviewed and data were coded and analyzed for common themes. Results included implementation concerns such as time for administration, scoring issues, lack of usefulness of assessment results, inappropriate expectations for performance, and lack of validity of assessments for cognitively impaired students. Recommendations included decision makers' reconsideration of the procedures for implementation and establishing validity and usefulness of standards-based alternate assessments. Findings in this study reflected teachers' resistance to change, but were informative in providing local decision makers with an opportunity for social change that includes examination of where current policy fails to accommodate students with cognitive impairments and creation of appropriate policy and assessments that actually benefit those students.

With the implementation of more rigorous reading standards nationwide, teachers are feeling less secure about their abilities to teach students to become proficient readers. Utilizing Bandura's theory of self-efficacy as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how teachers perceived their self-efficacy to teach complex reading standards to struggling readers. Seven middle school English language arts teachers from 2 schools in a southern school district participated in this study. The research questions addressed teachers' understanding of the recent Common Core literacy standards and perceptions of their own self-efficacy to teach mastery of these standards to struggling readers. Semi-structured interviews with teacher study participants were recorded, transcribed, coded, and then analyzed in search of common themes. Findings showed that teachers perceived themselves to be knowledgeable about the literacy standards but, believed themselves unprepared to teach mastery of the standards to students who read significantly below grade level. Middle school teachers in this study claimed they had received no training that emphasized effective strategies for struggling readers and believed that training in such strategies and more collaboration with colleagues would increase their self-efficacy to enhance reading skills of struggling students. The resulting project created from the findings was a series of professional development sessions for middle school teachers to explain reading strategies that support the reading development of struggling readers. This study could affect positive social change by identifying ways in which middle school teachers may become more empowered to teach struggling readers. When teachers are empowered, their confidence and self-efficacy levels increase, and students benefit from effective instruction.

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The purpose of this study was to identify the existing relationships of the elementary school principals' and teachers' perceptions of the elementary school principal's role behavior in Ubon Province, Thailand. This study answers four questions: Are there significant differences in perceptions of teachers in each of the thirty-four surveyed schools of the principal's role behavior; Are there significant differences in perceptions of all teachers among the thirty-four surveyed schools of the principal's role behavior; Are there significant differences in perceptions of all principals of the principal's role behavior; Are there significant differences in perceptions of all teachers and principals of the principal's role behavior?

While media displays exist in every mathematics classroom, these displays may have been taken for granted by teachers and researchers in terms of their potential use and impact on learning. This study looks at how three practicing mathematics teachers with differing teaching styles and experience levels view and use these media displays in their classrooms. This research shows how the relationship between a teachers' perceptions of media displays for showing mathematics are closely tied to their own beliefs regarding teaching and learning. Findings for this study can provide researchers with a starting place to see how teachers perceive and talk about public records in their classes.

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of parents and teachers regarding effective parental involvement with elementary students based on Epstein et al.'s (2009) 6 typologies of parental involvement. The population consisted of 77 teachers in a particular east Tennessee school district and the parents of 889 students enrolled in kindergarten through 6th grade. Parents and teachers were asked to indicate the effectiveness of 4 activities within each of the 6 parental involvement categories: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community. Parents and teachers were asked to rank each activity numerically with 1 indicating not effective and 5 indicating highly effective. A ranking of 2, 3, or 4 indicated an activity between not effective and highly effective. In a separate section, parents and teachers were asked to rank the 5 most important activities from a list of specific parental involvement activities. Findings indicated that parents and teachers in this study have some similar views and some differing views regarding effective parental involvement. Parents and teachers in this study shared similar perspectives by ranking the top 5 specific parental involvement activities from a list of 10 specific activities. Parents and teachers used a Likert scale to indicate the effectiveness of activities from Epstein et al.'s (2009) 6 typologies: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community. The t-test indicated significant differences in the perceptions of parents and teachers regarding effective parental involvement in 5 of the 6 typologies. ANOVA and post hoc analysis revealed significant differences among the parent population based on age, education level, gender, and race. No significant differences were identified among the teacher population based on the 4 demographic areas examined: age, education level, teaching experience, and gender. This study revealed that parents and teachers surveyed had some similar perceptions and some differing perceptions regarding effective parental involvement, but both groups identified communicating as the most important typology from Epstein et al.'s (2009) 6 major types of involvement.

The purpose of this study was to compare the perception scores and action scores of teachers in a northeast Tennessee school system in terms of parent involvement. Also, this study examined the relationship between perception scores and action scores of administrators and teachers across the district. Lastly, this study determined if significant differences existed in the perception scores and action scores between elementary, middle, and high school teachers. Data were collected by questionnaires containing sections for demographic information, perceptions of parent involvement, and actions involving parent involvement. The population consisted of 437 certified teachers and 24 building level administrators. From that population, 298 teachers and 18 administrators responded. Independent-samples t tests were used to compare the action scores of teachers in a high perception group and a low perception group. As a whole, teachers in the low perception group tended to have lower action scores than those in the high perception group. However, when analyzed by grade level, no significant differences were noted between the high perception and low perception groups. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing was used to test for differences in the perception scores and action scores of teachers by grade level. Significant differences were noted in the perception scores and action scores between the elementary, middle, and high school groups. A post hoc Tukey procedure clearly indicated that elementary school action scores were significantly different from middle action scores, and middle school action scores were significantly different from high school action scores. A post hoc LSD procedure clearly indicated that elementary school perception scores were significantly different from middle perception scores, and middle school perception scores were significantly different from high school perception scores. Single-sample t tests revealed a significant difference in the perception scores and action scores of teachers and administrators across the district. In each single-sample t test, the mean administrator score was used as the test value. Each test confirmed that the sample mean was significantly lower than the test value. This study was important in uncovering information about the perception scores and action scores of teachers and administrators in the area of parent involvement. Parent involvement has been consistently shown to have positive benefits on students but is still an underused resource. Recommendations are made with the intention of helping schools better understand how to serve their students and communities more effectively.