D.Phil. / Schools are sites of values education. This thesis argues that teachers need to be prepared systematically in a programme for the infusion of values into the curriculum. The inquiry investigated such a programme of teacher development in which teachers‘ participation was examined with a view of examining the design of the programme and to make recommendations for revision and refinement of the programme. The main research question that guided this inquiry was, ―How do teachers engage with the ACE programme and how is this engagement1 made visible in their practice and their discourse?‖ This research question addresses both teachers‘ understanding (personal meaning making) or ―internalisation‖ in Vygotskian parlance (Vygotsky, 1986), their transfer from their own understanding to action in learning environments and the activation of specific values that they hold dear. Ultimately this research question pertains to how design principles are activated in the programme for teacher development and also how they may need to be amended as a result of the understanding that comes from the inquiry. The object of the inquiry was thus the teachers and their interaction with this ACE programme, the design principles of which were the elements of the ACE programme that were ultimately examined as they played out in the teachers‘ learning and practice. I employed a design-based research process, using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The sources of data included questionnaires, observations, interviews, journals and photographs.

This mixed methods study investigated the self-reported frequency of professional development experiences mentors have had with their mentees and with other mentors and identified the self-reported beliefs they hold about mentoring. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey of teachers from one school district that had mentored at least one time within the past 2 years. Specifically, mentors were asked to report how often they engaged in specific activities with their mentees and with other mentors. Mentors were also asked to report the degree to which they believed given statements were true about mentoring (a) as a professional development experience for the mentors themselves; (b) as a way to improve mentors' own classroom teaching practice; and (c) as an avenue for leadership roles in schools. Qualitative data were collected through face-to-face interviews with mentors to better understand the quality of their experiences and to identify those experiences that were more powerful in terms of shaping their beliefs. In addition, data were analyzed to determine the relationship between the frequency of mentors' experiences and their beliefs. The results show that the frequency of experiences mentors have had with their mentees and with other mentors was positively and significantly related to their beliefs in 5 out of 6 cases. Mentors reported strong beliefs about mentoring as professional development for themselves, as a way to improve their own classroom teaching practice, and as a vehicle for leadership in schools. This study sought to put mentors in the forefront by exploring their experiences and their beliefs about mentoring. This focus on the mentor teacher and not just the mentee places this research at the core of improving teaching practice and viewing mentoring as an educative experience for veteran and novice alike. / by Tammy L. Bresnahan. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Photocopy of typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

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Focusing on teacher learning, this study follows fifteen teachers in the crux of comprehensive school reform. These "regular" classroom teachers are the ubiquitous players of this theatre of school reform. "Regular" teacher is defined as a typical classroom teacher who is not actively involved in the district's school reform project or one who hasn't taken an active leadership role. The teachers in this study work in the challenging environment of a poor, diverse urban school district that was in its third year of a comprehensive school reform program, the Accelerated Schools Project. Fifteen teachers volunteered to take part in a teaching laboratory where they met, planned, taught, assessed and reflected on their practice. The study tells, analyzes and speculates about their journey. The Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) is a national comprehensive school improvement model that provides professional development to schools. The study described the experiences of regular classroom teachers who engaged in a yearlong professional development program that is part of the ASP service to schools. This study employs qualitative research methods in a multiple case study analysis. By examining the teaching practices of regular classroom teachers who are often depicted as "closing the door" to the outside influences of school, district, state or federal policy, the study seeks to fully understand the planning, teaching, assessing and reflecting of classroom teachers who are caught in the center of school reform. The key findings of this study suggest teacher practice for all teacher cohorts (novice, mid-career and veteran) was influenced by participation in the Powerful Learning Laboratory. Each aspect of teaching (planning, teaching, assessing and reflection) was influenced, with differing emphasis by each cohort. The findings suggest the Powerful Learning Lab is a positive professional development experience for teachers, and that teacher learning labs should remain an integral part of the Accelerated Schools Project.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether or not The Basic Communication Skills Program, a consultant developed and staff determined writing program, still had an impact on all program participants two years after its completion. The secondary aim of the study was to describe the strengths and weaknesses of the consultant developed and staff determined approach. The approach involved a consultant training teams of principals and teachers from sixteen elementary schools in the writing and writing instructional processes. The teams then determined a program for their staffs.There were four components of the study: team teacher surveys, principal surveys, interviews of school teams and professional consultants' surveys on inservice methods. Responses on surveys were tallied, percentages calculated, and interviewees responses categorized to verify assumptionsFindings1. More than half of the team teachers frequently or sometimes continued to use the writing program's ideas in their classrooms.2. Approximately half of the teachers affected by the team used the program ideas frequently or sometimes in their classrooms in the judgment of the team members.3. Sixty-three percent of the team teachers responded that their staff could not have developed a writing program without the assistance of a consultant, and eighty-six percent of the principals agreed.4. Professional consultants did not agree with team teachers and principals on the necessity of a consultant in helping a school to develop a writing program.Conclusions1. The use of a consultant to inform teachers and principals before they design their writing programs is beneficial.2. The consultant developed and staff determined approach can have a continuing impact on school teams and nearly half of their staffs.3. More than a team of a principal and two teachers from a school needs to participate in training sessions conducted by a consultant in order to have a continuing impact on the entire staff.

The purpose of the study was to compare the perceptions of professors of teacher education, building level administrators, and elementary classroom teachers regarding the need for specific areas of inservice training for elementary teachers. Using the Teacher Needs Assessment Survey, perceived needs of elementary teachers were obtained from 208 elementary teachers, 35 administrators, and 66 professors.The following null hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance:1. No significant difference exists among the perceptions of professors of teacher education, building level administrators, and elementary classroom teachers regarding teacher inservice needs as measured by items included in Developing Pupil Self (DPS), Individualizing Instruction (II), Discipline (DISC), Diagnosing Learning Difficulties (DLD), Subject Matter Knowledge (SMK), and Gifted and Talented (GT) categories of the Teacher Needs Assessment Survey2. No significant multivariate interaction exists between the level of teacher assignment and the years of teaching experience3. No significant difference exists in the inservice perceptions of teachers with one to five years of teaching experience, six to ten years of experience, and over ten years of experience as measured by the inservice categories of Developing Pupil Self (DPS), Individualizing Instruction (II), Discipline (DISC), Diagnosing Learning Difficulties (DLD), Subject Matter Knowledge (SMK), and Gifted and Talented (GT) categories of the Teacher Needs Assessment Survey4. No significant difference exists in the inservice perceptions of teachers assigned to primary and intermediate classrooms as measured by the DPS, II, DISC, DLD, SMK,and GT categories of the Teacher Needs Assessment SurveyA one-MANOVA was used to test hypothesis one. The Scheffe post hoc procedure was used to make pair-wise comparisons of the educator groups for the outcome measures determined to contribute to the rejection of hypothesis one. Hypothesis two was tested using a 3 X 2 MANOVA. Hypotheses three and four were tested based upon the non-rejection of hypothesis two.Hypothesis one was rejected: professors perceived the need for teacher inservice training in all selected areas as greater than did teachers. Hypothesis two was not rejected. Tests of associated main effects indicated that no significant difference existed between years of teaching experience and level of assignment.Suggestions for future research include: assessing parent perceptions of teacher inservice needs and investigating the influences on teacher perceptions of inservice needs.

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published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Education