The purpose of this study was to (1) ascertain the perceptions of teachers using volunteer aids and (2) to investigate the effect use of volunteer aids have on student achievement when comparing anticipated achievement with actual academic achievement. The population for this study included the teachers at Sahuarita Elementary School and students from both Sahuarita Elementary School and Sopori Elementary School in the Sahuarita Unified School District No. 30 system at Sahuarita, Arizona. From these groups, all teachers at Sahuarita Elementary School were used in the sample study and one class from each grade level, two to five, from each school was selected to be representative of the total grade level. Faculty members from Sahuarita Elementary School were given an opinion questionnaire constructed to indicate teacher effectiveness as a result of using volunteer aides. The teachers from Sopori elementary School were not given the opinion questionnaire because they did not utilize the services of volunteer aides. The Volunteer Aide Teacher Opinion Questionnaire was validated by using Aiken's Index of Content Validity and the information gathered on it was analyzed by a simple tally method. The mean scores of teacher responses were graphically illustrated on a profile chart. Classrooms of students were selected, one from each grade level, two to five, and were administered the Short Form Test of Academic Aptitude and the California Achievement Test at both Sahuarita Elementary School and at Sopori Elementary School. From the data collected, linear regressions utilizing residuals were graphically constructed for each class of students in the control and experimental groups. Significant levels of student achievement were noted based on analysis of variance of potential vs. performance. Intelligence Quotient (I.Q.), sex and ethnic background were investigated to determine cause and effect relationships and for future investigative research.

Implementing the educational model of inclusion for students with diverse learning needs into mainstream classrooms requires skilled teamwork amond parents, classroom teachers, special education teachers, and teacher assistants. Teacher assistants, a fundamental part of the school system, are essential participants in the individualized programming for students with diverse learning needs. These individuals, the front line workers, are significant adults in students' lives; they can positively transform attitudes, skills, and learning for students with diverse learning needs. Subtle messages of devaluation and hierarchical divisions can make teacher assistants cognizant of "their place" in the school. Additionally, a perceived lack of educational and behaviour management strategies can exacerbate feelings of insecurity and, or, incompetence. It is essential that teacher assistants receive the necessary training, professional development, and opportunities for collegiality to become effective educational partners. An "empowering" environment for teacher assistants respects the needs of adult learners and employs mentoring qualities for on-the-job training. Finally, an empowering environment provides a safe learning climate through transformational practice. The metamorphosis into increased learning and appropriate risk-taking evident in teacher assistants can enhance the lives of students with diverse learning needs. In this study, six teacher assistants from a rural southern Alberta school district were interviewed to identify and explore factors in an "empowering" work environment that may positively contribute to individuals becoming effective, committed teacher assistants. / ix, 138 leaves ; 28 cm.

Thesis (MEd) -- University of South Australia, 1994

Thesis (MHSc--Health Science) -- Auckland University of Technology, 2003. / Appendices A, B and C not included in e-thesis. Also held in print (173 leaves, 30 cm.) in Akoranga Theses Collection (T 317.14124 TUT)

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [110]-121).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (May 2, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose was to outline how the role of an "assisting teacher" in curriculum implementation can be defined. The role of the "assisting teacher" was defined because it is an implementation strategy used within the British Columbia context. Four sources were used to define the role of the assisting teacher in this study. 1. Research literature on implementation roles, 2. Evaluation or needs assessment reports, 3. Current and proposed curricula, and 4. A selected school district context. Because the purpose of this study was to demonstrate how these sources could be used concretely to define a role, the present (1968) and the proposed (1983) secondary social studies curricula in British Columbia, the province-wide social studies assessment (1977), and School District No. 41 (Burnaby) were analyzed selectively. The following questions guided the research: 1. What is the role of the assisting teacher as implied by selected research literature? 2. What is the role of the assisting teacher as implied by the 1977 British Columbia Social Studies Assessment 3. What is the role of the teacher and the assisting teacher as implied by the proposed (1983) social studies curriculum for British Columbia? 4. What is the role of the assisting teacher as perceived in the Burnaby School District? 5. What role description do these four sources help define? Selected research literature, social studies assessment documents, and social studies curricula were analyzed. To determine the actual and/or ideal role of the assisting teacher as perceived in the Burnaby School District, interviews were conducted with five assisting teachers, as well as their supervisor and coordinator, and with eight secondary social studies department heads. The study concluded with generalizations and a process for defining the role of the assisting teacher in curriculum implementation. This process may have generalizability for defining the role of the assisting teacher in curriculum areas other than social studies. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

With so many paraeducators working in special education, it is important for teachers, administrators, and researchers to know how paraeducators are being utilized, supervised, and managed in order to create the most effective programs for students with special needs. Research is needed regarding current practices in supervising paraeducators. The purposes of this study were to (a) delineate the current practices being utilized by special education teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) who supervise paraeducators that work with students with EBD in the general education classroom and (b) determine how effective the supervised paraeducators perceive those practices to be. Current practices were revealed by answering the following questions: (1) According to special education teachers and paraeducators, what procedures and practices are being utilized to supervise paraeducators who work in the general education environment with students with EBD? (2) In what ways do teachers and paraeducators see these supervision practices as being effective? (3) What is the relationship between actual supervision practices and accepted best practices? There were 60 participants in all, 30 professional teachers and 30 paraeducators. All 60 participants completed a survey; of these 60, 5 teachers and 5 paraeducators were individually interviewed Findings from the study indicate that actual supervision practices of teachers do not represent the best practices found in the literature. The study found that each of the seven executive functions of supervision (orientation, planning, scheduling, delegating, training/coaching, monitoring/feedback, and managing the workplace) need additional attention from school districts in order to maximize paraeducator effectiveness.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In England, education settings have embraced the philosophy that it is the human right of pupils to be taught in inclusive schools with their peers. Part of the school's readiness and willingness to accept all pupils requires that it adopt a whole-school philosophy, which includes support staff provision, for example in the form of teaching assistants. Taking the above into account, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of participation in the NCFE Level 2 programme for teaching assistants on the professional development of teaching assistants working as support staff in inclusive classrooms. The research design is evaluative in nature and both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection are used. The in-service programme was delivered during weekly three hour sessions over a period of thirty weeks. The programme consisted of five units: • Developing professional skills and knowledge • Understanding legal and national requirements • Supporting the teacher in relation to pupils' learning • Exploring the management of pupils' behaviour • Supporting pupils with special educational needs. Analysis of qualitative data such as observations and interviews indicates that participants benefited from programme participation and that, by the completion of the prgramme, there was a marked increase in confidence, knowledge and application of newly acquired skills. Analysis of quantitative data such as the pre and post self-assessment questionnaires indicate a significant difference between the pre and post scores on all the sections confirming improvement of participants' levels of confidence, knowledge and application of practical skills. It seems that programme participants benefitted significantly from participating in this in-service training programme. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Opvoedkundige instellings is Engeland ondersteun die filosofie dat dit die mensereg van leerders is om binne inklusiewe skole, saam met hulle portuurgroep, onderrig te ontvang. As deel van skole se gereedheid en bereidheid om alle leerders te aanvaar, is die implementering van 'n geheelskool filosofie wat onder andere ondersteunings personeel byvoorbeeld leerondersteunings assistente insluit. In aansluiting by bogenoemde was dit die doel met hierdie studie om die effek van programdeelname aan die 'NCFE Level 2 Certificate for Teaching Assistants' te evaluaeer ten opsigte van die professionele ontwikkeling van leerondersteunings assistente in inklusiewe skole. Die navorsingsontwerp was evaluerend van aard en het beide kwantitatiewe sowel as kwalitatiewe metodes van data insameling ingesluit. Die indiensopleidingsprogram is weekliks aangebied in drie-uur sessies oor 'n tydperk van dertig weke. Die program het die volgende vyf eenhede ingesluit: • ontwikkeling van professionele vaardigheidskennis; • begrip van nasionale beleidstukke en regsaspekte; • ondersteuning van onderwysers met verwysing na leer; • verkenning van die gedragshantering van leerlinge • ondersteuning van leerders met spesiale onderwysbehoeftes. Kwalitatiewe data analise dui daarop dat programdeelname bygedra het tot 'n verhoging in die vlak van selfvertroue, 'n verbetering in die toepassing van nuutaangeleerde vaardighede en 'n vermeerdering van kennis vir leerondersteunings assistente. 'n Kwantitatiewe analise van voor en na programdeelname vraelyste, dui op 'n beduidende verskil tussen die twee evaluerings metings en ondersteun bogenoemde aanname ten opsigte van 'n verhoogde vlak van selfvertroue, 'n verbetering in die toepassing van nuutaangleerde vaardighede en 'n toename in kennis vir leerondersteunings assistente. Uit bogenoemde kan dit afgelei word, dat leerondersteunings assistente beduidend baat gevind het by deelname aan hierdie spesifieke indiensopleidings program.

The study is concerned with the change in mathematical conceptual understanding and computational skills of elementary school pupils during an academic period of twelve months in selected schools using mathematics resource personnel. Researching instructional techniques for mathematics concepts being taught in the elementary school and assisting in the implementation of the research into classroom procedure were the functions of the resource personnel. A total evaluation of the data was used to form the following conclusions confined to the population used in the study and the experimental procedure which was followed: 1. The use of mathematics resource personnel did not prove effective in improving the computational skills of the first or third grade elementary school pupil. 2. The use of mathematics resource personnel did not prove effective in improving the conceptual understanding of the first grade elementary school pupil. 3. The use of mathematics resource personnel did prove effective in improving the conceptual understanding of the third grade elementary school pupil following a six month period of treatment. 4. The use of mathematics resource personnel did not prove effective in improving the conceptual understanding of the third (now fourth) grade elementary school pupil following a twelve month period of treatment.