This qualitative research study explored the influence of collaborative analysis of student work (CASW) as professional development on teacher practice, specifically during lessons and on written teacher feedback on student work. Additionally, teachers' perceptions about the influence of CASW sessions and three 2-week instructional cycles on student writing, including the professional development sessions, lessons, and teacher written feedback, were investigated. Qualitative data were collected including teacher interviews, CASW observations, classroom observations, and document analysis. Findings indicated that teachers felt that CASW influenced their increased awareness of teaching and student learning, and implications for future teaching for the whole group as well as ideas for next steps for individual students emerged. Teachers supported CASW being job-embedded and practical to daily work; they voiced concerns over the time and scheduling facilitating the professional development required. Teachers responded that they felt that CASW helped them question their assessment of student writing, consistency within and across grade levels and subjects, and the appropriate level of difficulty of their curriculum. Teachers expressed their desire to be able to meet with students more regularly to go over their teacher written feedback and felt that CASW may possibly influence student work over time. Two teachers felt that the CASW professional development could have influenced their written feedback; four teachers felt that it did not. Implications for professional development, public policy, and further research are given. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The current qualitative study focused on understanding the process of learning to teach. Using interviews of teacher educators, the study explored the importance of a set of teaching activities developed as part of the Teacher Self Efficacy Survey (Tschannen- Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) as well as the inclusion of instructional and assessment strategies for the teaching activities and the quality of beginning teacher performance of the activities. Data were collected from interviews of 15 teacher educators. A process of open, axial, and substantive coding was applied to the data to inductively identify and categorize data relevant to the purpose of the study and to allow comparisons among and between categories. Findings suggested that teaching activities are critically important to and a comprehensive description of effective teaching, and that beginning teachers struggle with differentiation and applying their learning to their practice. Further, findings suggested that the source of beginning teacher struggles was found within the teacher education program, within school contexts, and between the two institutions. In addition, findings suggested that beginning teachers perform the student engagement activities and those related to instructional strategies more proficiently than classroom management activities, and that all three teaching activity categories were included in the curriculum, but to different degrees and not all as part of curriculum design. A variety of pedagogies were used to prepare preservice teachers; however, there was no reported knowledge of assessment instruments used to measure preservice teachers’ readiness for teaching and to obtain data on the performance of their graduates. Lastly, this study revealed that teacher education program leaders were reluctant to participate in a study that sought to draw direct connections between the skills taught in the program and how well beginning teachers perform them. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends further studies to determine the viability of the teaching activities as a comprehensive and accurate definition of effective teaching. Further the researcher recommends that teacher education programs and school districts adopt the teaching activities as a consistent framework for providing preservice education, for setting school district expectations, and for conducting teacher evaluations. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This study problematizes teacher education, and its accreditation guidelines as set forth by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. The analysis herein conceptualizes teacher education as contextually contingent on sociocultural metanarratives, as functioning paradigmatically through consensus and gatekeeping mechanisms, and as a structure existing within a matrix of discipline and surveillance that is designed to perpetuate status quo power dynamics. This conceptualization grounds dominant teacher education modalities within a specific meta-theory orientation. Through this analysis, the author also explores an alternative conceptualization of teacher education that appeals to the educative power of contextual awareness, ontological sensitivity, and democratically recursive pedagogical and relational processes. Such a conceptualization reflects an alternative meta-theory orientation. For the purposes of this analysis, the author employed textual analysis of sampled website literature from Teacher Education Programs in six geographic regions within the United States. This textual analysis was grounded in the aforementioned conceptualizations and was intended to reveal meta-theory orientations as expressed in a program’s official text. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This study explored the factors expert teachers reported as influences in the development and sustainment of their expertise as well as those that challenge it. Through one-on-one interviews with 15 expert teachers, the generated data were scrutinized using a grounded theory approach. The analysis protocol followed a multi-step process of three stages – exploration, amalgamation, and conceptualization. In each of those stages, the data were examined using a cyclical and recursive process of investigation-interpretationintegration- illustration. By the completion of the conceptualization stage, a theory was developed to describe the interdependence of the four influential factors that shape and sustain teacher expertise. Among the findings, the study revealed that both endogenous and exogenous elements are necessary to develop and sustain teacher expertise. The endogenous factors are more intrinsic and include energy (a teacher’s drive, commitment, and ability to extend past her/his comfort zone) and examination (reflection and goal-setting), while the exogenous factors are more environmental and include encouragement (the succor a teacher receives through collaboration and school leadership) and erudition (professional learning that influences a teacher’s knowledge and skills). The theory proposes that the evolution of expertise is neither chronological nor linear; rather, each of the four factors plays an integral role and is interconnected and synergistic with the others. In addition, when one or more influences is lacking or is compromised, expertise is impeded. Impedances represent the challenges the participants reported as their expertise evolved. These challenges interfere with their energy, examination, encouragement, or erudition and, ultimately, their expertise. Furthermore, a diagram depicting a quaternary gear system was created to illustrate teacher expertise in motion. This is especially relevant at a time when teacher quality is the prominent discourse in the field and at the forefront of educational policy. Understanding the interdependent factors that shape and sustain teacher expertise can inform pre-service teachers, developing and expert teachers, educational leaders, and decision-makers on the nuances of teacher expertise as a way to optimize teacher growth and maximize student success. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Employment coaching is essential for performing job duties and for developing and enhancing skills. Coaching in the school setting typically follows the traditional format of pre-conference, observe, and post-conference, where feedback on teaching performance is shared but often delayed. Professional development provides teachers with skills to enhance their teaching practice with little to no follow-up or support. The most effective way to produce change in the school setting is to show the connection between professional development and student performance, and iCoaching can help to bridge the gap. Research shows that effective feedback is immediate, systematic, positive, constructive, and detailed (Scheeler & Lee, 2002). Bug-in-ear (BIE) coaching is a way to provide immediate feedback so correction can be made live, and errors are reduced. iCoaching uses iPods as a BIE device with a coach serving as a remote observer providing coaching prompts or immediate feedback to the teacher to allow the teacher to implement ideas or make corrections immediately. Increasing opportunities to respond (“Increasing Opportunities to Respond,” 2015) is a way to increase academic achievement and on task behavior (Sutherland, Alder, & Gunter, 2003). This study utilized a multiple probe across participants design to investigate the effect of iCoaching on teacher-delivered OTR. Four teacher participants and their students participated in the study, where the teachers completed a teacher preparation session and live iCoaching sessions to increase their OTR. Data were collected on OTR (including the type of OTR), coaching comments, student responses, and student curricular performance. The results indicate that iCoaching was effective in increasing teacher-delivered OTR and increasing student responses and academic performance. Implications for future research are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The purpose of this study was to determine if middle school student scientific understanding could be predicted by the variables: standardized 5th grade score in science, standardized 5th grade score in mathematics, standardized 5th grade score in reading, student attitude towards science, socioeconomic status, gender, and ethnicity. The areas of the comprehensive literature review were trends in science learning and teaching, research in the K-12 science education arena, what factors have influenced K-12 science education, scientific understanding, what research has been done on K-12 scientific understanding, and what factors have influenced science understanding in the K-12 arenas. Based on the results of the literature review, the researcher of this study examined a sample of middle school 8th grade students. An Attitude Towards Science Survey (SATS) Simpson & Oliver (1990) and a Survey of Scientific Understandings (Klapper, DeLucia, & Trent, 1993) were administered to these 116 middle school 8th grade students drawn from a total population of 1109 who attend this middle school in a typical county in Florida during the 2010- 2011 school year. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test each sub-hypothesis and to provide a model that attempted to predict student scientific understanding. Seven null sub-hypotheses were formed to determine if there were significant relationships between student scientific understanding and the abovementioned variables. The results of the tests of the seven null sub-hypotheses showed that the sub-hypothesis that involved socioeconomic status was rejected, which indicated that the socioeconomic status of a family does influence the level of scientific understanding of a student. / Low SES students performed lower on the scientific understanding survey, on average, than high SES students. This study can be a source of information for teachers in low-income schools by recognizing potential areas of concern for low-income students in their science classrooms. The study is also a guide for administrators in developing science curriculum that is designed to remediate critical science content. Recommendations, further research, and implications for stakeholders in the science education process are then identified in order to focus on the concerns that these stakeholders need to address through a needs assessment. / by Joshua Matthew Strate. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The reality of changing state and federal policy, as well as the process of program improvement across teacher preparation programs has prompted a line of research into the exploration of an alternative curriculum-based value-added model (VAM). Based upon a thorough review of VAMs as they have been applied to education policy and decision-making, this line of inquiry focused on a curriculum-based approach to increasing our understanding of how the instructional efforts of our candidates affect the learning gains of the K-12 students they teach. Designed to conform to the fundamental principles of evidence-based practice, candidate and program level data for 109 student teachers between 2013 and 2017 were analyzed. Results indicate that variation in K-12 students’ learning gains can likely be attributed to the instructional efforts of our special education teacher preparation program (TPP) completers. Limitations, implications, and directions for future inquiry across policy, practice, and scholarship are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

A variety of computing devices are available in today’s classrooms, but they have not guaranteed the effective integration of technology. Nationally, teachers have ample devices, applications, productivity software, and digital audio and video tools. Despite all this, the literature suggests these tools are not employed to enhance student learning according to best practices. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe and understand perceptions of a technology integration professional development (TIPD) experience of elementary teachers at a suburban, independent school. The TIPD was an ongoing, 40-minute class led by a technology specialist, taking place in teachers’ classrooms, engaging teachers and their students in a 1:1 Chromebook environment. Data collected were through classroom observations, teacher written reflections, school documents, and face-to-face interviews. The results of multiple cycles of coding wrought findings in regard to teachers’ perceptions of effective technology integration, technology class as professional development (PD), and technology class as enabling effective technology integration. The findings showed teachers perceived technology integration to be effective if it benefited the skills or productivity of themselves or their students and if it directly related to their curriculum. Teachers required the support of their colleagues, technology specialist, IT department, as well as traditional and alternative forms of PD to overcome internal and external barriers to integration. Five of the seven teachers explicitly conveyed the technology class to be effective TIPD and all seven learned about a technology tool or resource, technical knowledge or skills, or ideas for integration during the technology classes. Findings also showed the technology class enabled reflection, which led to ideas for integration; the class enabled integration when the content was related to or the tools were useful for their subject area; the class provided the collaboration necessary for integration to occur. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The purpose of this research study was to determine K-12 school leaders' concepts of ability and technology readiness. The Theories of Intelligence Scale (TIS) was used to analyze concepts of ability and the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) 2.0 was used to analyze the technology readiness of K-12 school leaders. Data from the two instruments were used to determine if there was any relationship between K-12 school leaders' concept of ability and technology readiness. This analysis filled a blank spot in the research contributing to the literature on leadership, Mindset Theory (Dweck, 2006; Dweck, Chiu, & Hong, 1995), and Technology Readiness (Lin & Hsieh, 2012; Parasuraman, 2000). Furthermore it helped to determine the state of K-12 school leaders' status as 21st century leaders. The sample consisted of the school leaders of School District of Palm Beach County (SDPBC). This included 158 principals from 104 elementary, 31 middle, and 23 high schools. The researcher was a school district employee and therefore had access to the participants. Each of the four null hypotheses were rejected as SDPBC school leaders scored significantly higher on the TIS (p < .05) and TRI 2.0 (p < .01), there was a significant (p < .0125) positive relationship between TIS and the TRI 2.0, and that relationship was affected (p < .05) by gender, race, and experience. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:53:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MARY AURORA DA COSTA MARCON.pdf: 1463558 bytes, checksum: b5a2b4b0828589f4ad9c6e42bd6e447a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-02 / The present work is linked to the Research "Theories of Education and Pedagogic Processes" of the Posgraduate Program in Education of the Catholic University of Goiás - PUC-GO and aims to analyze how the relation between technology and education is being discussed in the academic productions about the teacher´s training at Proinfo. The bibliographical survey refers to the scientific productions published at the national periodic, on the Post Graduate Program in Education and on the Coordination of Improvement for People with Higher Education´s website (CAPES). The research originates from the following question: How is de development of the academic research in which the theme is the teacher´s training at ProInfo, regarding its relation between the technology and education? Based on the speculation, a bibliographic search of the type executor-descriptive has been conducted, through systematic analysis of theses, dissertations and articles from the period of 2000 to 2012. For the bibliographical survey of the theses starting from the states of knowledge held by Barreto (2006) and Araujo (2008) and complementing with the Bank of CAPES portal data by using the descriptors "ProInfo" and "Teacher´s Training" There has been mapped 8 (eight) articles, 19 (nineteen) dissertations and two (2) theses that discuss the teacher´s training for ProInfo. We based the research on the theoretical approaches of Barreto (2001, 2003), Alonso (2008), Cysneiros (2001), that discuss the training of teachers for the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). As for the educational theories, it was taken as reference Saviani (2011, 2013). The analysis of data was based on emerging categories of study of Feenberg (2010, 2012) on the technologies, and Peixoto (2012, 2015) on the relation between technology and education. There has been identified the prevalence of studies based on instrumental and deterministic approaches and the trend toward the use of a postmodern kind of speech in the aspect regarding the conceptions of technology and education in the academic productions about teacher´s training at ProInfo. / O presente trabalho, vincula-se à Linha de Pesquisa Teorias da Educação e Processos Pedagógicos do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás PUC-GO e tem por objetivo analisar como são abordadas as relações entre tecnologias e educação nas produções acadêmicas sobre a formação de professores no Proinfo. O levantamento bibliográfico refere-se às produções científicas publicadas nos periódicos nacionais, nos Programas de Pós- Graduação em Educação e no portal da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). A pesquisa parte do seguinte questionamento: Como se caracteriza a produção acadêmica que possui como tema a formação de professores no ProInfo, no que diz respeito às relações entre tecnologias e educação? Com base na problematização, realizamos uma pesquisa bibliográfica do tipo inventariantedescritiva, por meio da análise sistemática das teses, dissertações e artigos no período de 2000 a 2012. Para o levantamento bibliográfico das teses partimos dos estados do conhecimento realizados por Barreto (2006) e Araújo (2008) e complementamos com o Banco de dados do portal da CAPES, utilizando os descritores ProInfo e Formação de Professores . Foram mapeados 8 (oito) artigos, 19 (dezenove) dissertações, 2(duas) teses que discutem a formação de professores para o ProInfo. Fundamentamos a pesquisa nas abordagens teóricas de Barreto (2001, 2003), Alonso (2008), Cysneiros (2001), que discutem a formação de professores para o uso das Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TIC). Quanto às teorias educacionais, tomamos como referência Saviani (2011, 2013). A análise dos dados se baseou em categorias emergentes dos estudos de Feenberg (2010, 2012) sobre as tecnologias e Peixoto (2012, 2015) sobre a relação entre tecnologias e educação. Identificamos a predominância de estudos fundamentados nas abordagens instrumental e determinista e a tendência à adoção do discurso de caráter pós-moderno no aspecto quanto às concepções de tecnologias e educação nas produções acadêmicas sobre formação de professores no ProInfo.