This study was an experimental design, using twenty-two variables, twelve covariates, and six criterion measures. The purpose of the study was the effect of the use of selected transcription drills in beginning shorthand on the ability of students to produce both typewritten copy and mailable letters from shorthand notes. The bases for comparison were five minute timed transcription tests, three-minute dictation tests, and thirty-minute mailable letter production tests, of both previewed and unpreviewed material.

This study investigates various factors related to North Texas State University graduates who were certified to teach and obtains those graduates’ appraisal of the extent to which the teacher education program is meeting their needs. The purposes of this study are to determine the extent to which North Texas State University teacher education graduates are carrying out the personal and professional activities for which they were prepared and to determine the effectiveness of selected aspects of the teacher education program. It is also the purpose of this study to solicit opinions of the graduates concerning the strengths and weaknesses of the program. The findings of the study support the following conclusions: 1. A majority of the graduates are well prepared by the teacher education program to enter the teaching profession. 2. Teacher education graduates have a positive self-concept concerning their success as teachers and they are highly satisfied with teaching as a profession. 3. Student teaching is considered by the graduates to be the strongest and most important course in their preparation for the teaching profession. It was also considered to be the most valuable course by those who are now teaching. 4. Earlier and more frequent classroom observations and experiences should be provided for teacher education students prior to their student teaching experience, especially those who are seeking secondary certification. 5. Graduates indicated a need for upgrading experiences associated with student teaching. Additional time spent in the actual student teaching experience, and more personal observation and feedback by the university student teaching coordinator were areas identified for consideration. 6. Graduates were satisfied with the overall professional education program. Early, basic required education courses drew the greatest amount of criticism from graduates. Only one upper-level professional course failed to meet an adequate mean value rating. Various courses offered composed the weakest or least desirable feature of the program, as revealed by over one-fourth of the graduates.

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the Texas Drug and Alcohol Driving Awareness Program (TDADAP) in relation to alcohol-related offenses among young drivers. Participants in this study were students in pre-license programs for young beginning drivers who either received or did not receive TDADAP instruction as part of their curriculum. Based on the examination and statistical analysis of Texas Department of Public Safety driving record data, findings indicate that TDADAP participation did positively influence subsequent alcohol-related traffic convictions. Participants that received TDADAP instruction had a total of 5601 records, 231 of which were alcohol-related convictions. Participants who did not receive TDADAP instruction had a total 5945 records with 376 alcohol-related convictions. Promising results came from findings associated with TDADAP participation and the total number of alcohol-related offenses attributed to a group, the number of ALR offenses, MIP offenses, PI offenses and DUI/DWI offenses attributed to a group. When adjusted for group size, participants who did not receive TDADAP instruction had 53% more convictions than the TDADAP participants. With regard to alcohol-related accidents, findings were mixed in that the test group had a higher-than-expected number of participants with at least one accident, while the control group frequency was less than expected. The reverse was found when considering participants with two alcohol-related accidents. When taken as a whole, results from this study indicate that while TDADAP participation may influence alcohol-related traffic convictions and some alcohol-related accidents, it is a more accurate predictor of alcohol-related traffic convictions and a less accurate predictor of all alcohol-related accidents.

Research is emerging that documents the use of the Tribes process in elementary and secondary schools. Inquiry into the use of Tribes in beginning-teacher-education programs has not been conducted. This study investigated teacher candidates’ perceptions of the effectiveness of Tribes training in enhancing their learning, their concerns about implementing the Tribes process, and their levels of use of Tribes during the beginning-teacher-education program and their first years of teaching. A mixed-method research design was employed to collect data to determine the value of Tribes training during the beginning-teacher-education program. The Concerns Based Adoption Model provided a conceptual framework to measure, describe, and explain the process of change experienced by teachers implementing Tribes in their classrooms as well as how that change process was affected by the leadership and collegial support in the schools. The findings describe a belief in Tribes that was developed during the training in the beginning-teacher-education program. This belief in the value of Tribes and the importance of creating learning communities helped to solidify the teacher candidates’ belief systems about teaching and provided them with a vision of their future classrooms and a framework for their philosophies of education. The findings reveal that the knowledge and skills gained during the training in the beginning-teacher-education year were transferred into the practice of all graduates. The interviews and the questionnaires indicated an array of concerns. The data revealed that high-intensity informational and personal concerns were most evident in the profiles of the newest graduates. The profiles of the some of the most experienced teachers indicated lower self and task concerns, and increased impact concerns. All groups identified collaboration concerns related to resistance from colleagues and a perceived lack of leadership for change. The findings from the interviews revealed that all but two teachers were using the Tribes process with their classes from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 Calculus. Participants highlighted the importance of school culture as well as leadership style and behaviours as important factors in the implementation of Tribes.

Research is emerging that documents the use of the Tribes process in elementary and secondary schools. Inquiry into the use of Tribes in beginning-teacher-education programs has not been conducted. This study investigated teacher candidates’ perceptions of the effectiveness of Tribes training in enhancing their learning, their concerns about implementing the Tribes process, and their levels of use of Tribes during the beginning-teacher-education program and their first years of teaching. A mixed-method research design was employed to collect data to determine the value of Tribes training during the beginning-teacher-education program. The Concerns Based Adoption Model provided a conceptual framework to measure, describe, and explain the process of change experienced by teachers implementing Tribes in their classrooms as well as how that change process was affected by the leadership and collegial support in the schools. The findings describe a belief in Tribes that was developed during the training in the beginning-teacher-education program. This belief in the value of Tribes and the importance of creating learning communities helped to solidify the teacher candidates’ belief systems about teaching and provided them with a vision of their future classrooms and a framework for their philosophies of education. The findings reveal that the knowledge and skills gained during the training in the beginning-teacher-education year were transferred into the practice of all graduates. The interviews and the questionnaires indicated an array of concerns. The data revealed that high-intensity informational and personal concerns were most evident in the profiles of the newest graduates. The profiles of the some of the most experienced teachers indicated lower self and task concerns, and increased impact concerns. All groups identified collaboration concerns related to resistance from colleagues and a perceived lack of leadership for change. The findings from the interviews revealed that all but two teachers were using the Tribes process with their classes from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 Calculus. Participants highlighted the importance of school culture as well as leadership style and behaviours as important factors in the implementation of Tribes.

In October 2009, United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan declared in a speech to Columbia University’s Teacher’s College that many university teacher preparation programs are outdated and must undergo major reform in order to produce high quality teachers needed to improve academic achievement for all students (U.S. Department of Education, 2009). Duncan stated that “America’s university-based teacher preparation programs need revolutionary change – not evolutionary tinkering” (U.S. Department of Education, 2009, p.2). To improve student success in the classroom, policy makers must understand the key role well-trained teachers play in achieving this goal (Boyd, Lankford, Clothfelter, Ladd & Vigdor, 2004; Loeb, Rockoff, & Wyckoff, 2007; Provasnik & Young, 2003; Rice, 2003; Rivers & Sanders, 2002). This study examined the specific aspects of an English teacher preparation program that beginning teachers implement and rely on in their classrooms on a consistent basis. In addition, this study examines how administrators/department chairs view the pedagogical competence of graduates from the English teacher preparation program. The research questions that guided this study are: (1) How do beginning teachers perceive their preparation for teaching in the urban English Language Arts classroom? (2) How do school administrators perceive the teaching ability of graduates? The participants were graduates of Southern Urban University’s English Education Master’s level program from 2005 – 2008. Data sources included Beginning Teacher Questionnaires, Administrator/Department Chair Questionnaires, in-depth phenomenological interviews with select teachers, observations of select teachers’ practice, “card sort” activity/interview, teacher artifacts and photographs. Data were analyzed inductively using the constant comparative method to determine categories and themes (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Trustworthiness was established through research methods that confirm credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). This study provides insight into how to better educate high quality teachers through the examination of an English teacher preparation programs’ daily effect and impact on their graduates and an examination of school administrators’/department chairs perception of these graduates’ performance in the classroom.

To date, no studies have established the relationship between early communication characteristics for young children with significant disabilities and later language development. This study characterized communication for toddlers (n = 60) fitting this profile and their parents prior to a language intervention utilizing an observational coding scheme and tested whether child and parent communication characteristics were predictive of performance on oral language measures. Language transcripts were coded for child mode and pragmatic function and parent response to the utterance child utterances. Results indicated that children used contact gestures, answering and commenting at the highest rates relative to other communication characteristics. Parents utilized a related response type for 52% of child utterances. Hierarchical regressions revealed that sophisticated gesture usage, word usage, and sophisticated function rate were predictive of expressive oral language performance. Sophisticated gesture usage, sophisticated function rate, and parent MLU were predictive of receptive oral language performance.

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the Texas Drug and Alcohol Driving Awareness Program (TDADAP) in relation to alcohol-related offenses among young drivers. Participants in this study were students in pre-license programs for young beginning drivers who either received or did not receive TDADAP instruction as part of their curriculum. Based on the examination and statistical analysis of Texas Department of Public Safety driving record data, findings indicate that TDADAP participation did positively influence subsequent alcohol-related traffic convictions. Participants that received TDADAP instruction had a total of 5601 records, 231 of which were alcohol-related convictions. Participants who did not receive TDADAP instruction had a total 5945 records with 376 alcohol-related convictions. Promising results came from findings associated with TDADAP participation and the total number of alcohol-related offenses attributed to a group, the number of ALR offenses, MIP offenses, PI offenses and DUI/DWI offenses attributed to a group. When adjusted for group size, participants who did not receive TDADAP instruction had 53% more convictions than the TDADAP participants. With regard to alcohol-related accidents, findings were mixed in that the test group had a higher-than-expected number of participants with at least one accident, while the control group frequency was less than expected. The reverse was found when considering participants with two alcohol-related accidents. When taken as a whole, results from this study indicate that while TDADAP participation may influence alcohol-related traffic convictions and some alcohol-related accidents, it is a more accurate predictor of alcohol-related traffic convictions and a less accurate predictor of all alcohol-related accidents.

This study explores one aspect of the professional preparation of students graduating from teacher education institutions. A case study of one of the University of Canterbury College of Education’s initial teacher education programmes (the BTchLn (Primary) qualification) is the focus for this study. The purpose of the study is to illustrate what school employers from the Canterbury region, and BTchLn (Primary) graduates and teacher educators from the University of Canterbury, consider as important practices when preparing graduating-year students for the beginning-teacher employment process. This study addresses the lack of systematic research into the employment of beginning teachers within a New Zealand setting. The study employs a case study approach and involves two stages of data gathering. Quantitative data is collected in Stage One to identify potential participants for the case study. More substantive qualitative data are collected in Stage Two through semi-structured interviews conducted with samples of school principals, graduates and initial teacher education lecturers from the Canterbury region. The findings suggest that the decentralised system of employment in operation in New Zealand has made the employment process complex for teachers entering the profession because schools have developed their own individual practices and preferences in the employment-related area and advertise their beginning-teacher positions while students are still completing their programme of study. The findings also suggest that lecturers at the University of Canterbury perform an important and valued function when they prepare their graduating-year students for employment, although there are both strengths and weaknesses in their current employment-related programme and practices. This case study will inform course and qualification reviews planned at the University of Canterbury, and will be of interest to other teacher education organisations in New Zealand that prepare their graduating-year students for employment.

Teachers are perceived by society and in law to be in a position of trust. As a result of the daily interaction with their students, educators have the opportunity to be influential and they are expected to behave in a responsible, ethical and moral manner. Being viewed as a moral compass of society is a significant responsibility and the implications of such a statement are substantial upon not only teachers but also impact on teacher education programs. This study investigates how educational law impacts on beginning teachers in light of the many legal and ethical boundaries that educators will experience throughout their career. The literature review discusses the delicate balance between an educator’s mission and the requirement to follow policies and procedures; documented court cases, which have an impact on educators; and, finally, the educational law component within the teacher education framework. Six participants were interviewed in this study of which two are teachers in their first three years of teaching, two recent graduates, a principal and an official with a teacher union who is a member from the Counseling department. All four of the teachers completed a two-year initial teacher education program. In addition, the principal is a member of the Partnership Advisory Council of the program. Maintaining the delicate balance between an educator’s mission and the law will continue to be a challenge. The direct and indirect statutory rules and regulations which impact on the education system and the supporting landmark court case decisions clearly bring to question the level of preparedness of teacher candidates and indicate a need to examine the role teacher education programs play in preparing future teachers. The major themes include the impact of educational law on the professional and personal lives of beginning teachers, the role of initial teacher education programs, and the legal enablers and barriers for educators. The key findings for each of the themes are discussed. Educators find themselves in a very complex role. The teacher education programs in Ontario need to examine the importance of including meaningful and insightful dialogue about the legal and ethical aspects of being a teacher.