Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-133). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-133). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--Bowling Green State University, 2009. / Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 122 p. : col. maps. Includes bibliographical references.

This action research study examined the effects of professional development on teaching for conceptual understanding in Algebra I. “Conceptual knowledge refers to knowledge of the underlying structure of mathematics - the relationships and interconnections of ideas that explain and give meaning to mathematical procedures” (Eisenhart et al., 1993). Conceptual knowledge is “explicit or implicit understanding of the principles that govern a domain and of the interrelations between pieces of knowledge in a domain” (Rittle-Johnson & Wagner, 1999). The study took place in a large metropolitan school district. The participants for the study were two Algebra I instructors with varying pedagogical experiences. Participant #1 is a novice teacher with seven months of classroom experience at the start of this study. The participant holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics and a professional mathematics teaching license. Participant #2 is a tenured teacher with five years of classroom experience at the start of this study. The participant does not hold an undergraduate degree in mathematics and is licensed in special education, not mathematics. The study was formulated in response to the growing difficulty in recruiting qualified mathematics teachers, and the increasing number of mathematics teachers with limited studies in mathematics. Concept-based instruction techniques were presented to participants through a series of six professional development workshops, the first three of which followed classroom observations, and the second three after a second round of observations. The study was qualitative in nature and the collected data were used to develop responses to two research questions. After classroom observations, a concept-based instruction checklist and scoring criteria was used to note evidence of concept-based instruction, as well as any changes to instructional strategies following professional development workshops. Student artifacts were also examined to note evidence of conceptual understanding. Study participants engaged in a semi-structured interview where they were asked to describe changes, if any, to their instructional practices as a result of participating in professional development on teaching for conceptual understanding. The research findings suggested that effective professional development positively affects pedagogical practices in mathematics. After participating in a series of professional development workshops, the researcher observed shifts in participant pedagogical practices that included emphasis on using appropriate math language and encouraging explanations and justifications through questioning as tools for fostering conceptual understanding. Responses to semi-structured interviews suggest that teachers most value professional development that leads to positive impacts on student performance. An analysis of student artifacts demonstrated growth in student written responses and problem-solving approaches. Participant #1 stated: “Participating in this research has allowed me to wonder about the misconceptions and problems within my classroom; I am able to go over student coursework and come up with a solution to better help students with common errors.”

Enhancing teacher learning in inclusion is an action research study which researched how two New Zealand classroom teachers were facilitated to enhance their pedagogy and become more inclusive. An examination of the international literature suggested that contextual professional development, classroom action research, and a collaborative relationship with a critical friend would facilitate inclusive pedagogy. However, there were no published studies of New Zealand primary teachers engaged in classroom-centred action research on inclusion involving an educational psychologist. A two phase action research design was used, firstly negotiated and modelled by an outside researcher, second order action research, and secondly by empowering the teachers to become action researchers, first order action research. Some inclusive practices were evident but two major barriers to inclusive practice in New Zealand classrooms were highlighted. These were an independent and autonomous teacher practice and limited use of individual student assessment data to inform teaching for individual learning. Active reflective thinking through reflection journals and teacher action research of teacher chosen classroom learning challenges occurred in two cycles of second order action research. Results established increased teacher focus on individual student learning, collaboration between themselves and the researcher, knowledge and skills of action research and its effectiveness in solving learning challenges within the teaching programme, use of student assessment data to inform subsequent teaching and learning, and critical awareness of the effect of their beliefs, knowledge and actions on student learning. Whilst literature suggests that schoolwide re-culturing is necessary, this research has demonstrated that two teachers engaging in practitioner action research, supported by a small community of practice, reflective thinking and critical dialogue, can improve their pedagogical and inclusive practice.

The students and teachers who provided data for this study were participants in school dropout prevention programs in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. The research was initiated to identify the strategies used by those teachers who are viewed to be effective in their work with students in at-risk situations. The study evolved as an interpretative account of the teachers' reflections. The multiple roles of the researcher in the pursuit of action research were explored, and the reciprocal interaction of the researcher with the research was recognized. The processes used to formulate and examine themes in the teachers' stories were given detailed explanations. These approaches were compared with the methodologies reported in the literature on qualitative research. In addition to using the techniques of grounded theorizing, biographical readings were undertaken to present a holistic perspective of the stories given by individual teachers. An emphasis on the teachers' stories precluded extensive examination of the students' accounts, but illustrations were provided of the students' statements corroborating the teachers' reflections. As well as references to the substantive literature on students in at-risk situations, the data were considered in respect to psychological, sociological, anthropological and philosophical theories. The theories that developed from this study were presented in relation to formal theories. The noted implications included actual classroom applications as well as suggestions for teacher preservice and inservice training and proposals for future research.

O objeto deste trabalho é o programa de formação continuada Letra e Vida, oferecido pela Secretaria Estadual de Educação de São Paulo a professores alfabetizadores da rede entre 2003 e 2006. Os objetivos da pesquisa foram avaliar os impactos do Programa nos resultados de desempenho dos alunos de 1ª série mensurados por meio do Sistema de Avaliação do Rendimento Escolar do estado de São Paulo (Saresp), considerada a aferição de 2007, e também seus possíveis efeitos sobre concepções e práticas de alfabetização dos professores que dele participaram. Para o desenvolvimento do estudo, aplicou-se o método misto, que integra abordagens quantitativa e qualitativa. Assim, realizaram-se entrevistas em três escolas, com coordenadores, diretores e professores de 1ª a 4ª série que tivessem participado do Programa, com prioridade dos professores do Ciclo 1. Os dados provenientes do Questionário para os Professores de 1ª e 2ª série do Ensino Fundamental e os resultados dos alunos na prova de 1ª série, ambos instrumentos do Saresp 2007, foram reorganizados e reinterpretados para as análises baseadas em técnicas de árvores de decisão e de regressão linear múltipla e para a comparação entre grupos de escolas com diferentes proporções de professores que participaram do Programa. Concluiu-se que o Letra e Vida influenciou o discurso dos docentes, sobretudo em sua concepção de alfabetização, embora nem sempre se tenham percebido, nas visitas às escolas, evidências da transposição desse discurso para a prática da sala de aula. No que tange aos impactos do Programa sobre o desempenho dos alunos, pode- -se afirmar que, em alguns contextos e em conjunto com outras características estudadas, o Letra e Vida se destacou na explicação dos resultados dos alunos, mas, sozinho, não teve impactos significativos. / This dissertation focuses on the continued literacy teacher education program called Letra e Vida, offered by the Sao Paulo state Department of Education during the period of 2003 to 2006. The research objectives were to assess the impact of the Program in the first grade students performance and also its possible effects on concepts and practices of teaching literacy from teachers who participated in it. To achieve these goals the São Paulo Education Achievement Assessment System (Saresp) was used, considering the evaluation of 2007 and a mixed method study was developed to integrate qualitative and quantitative approaches complementarily. Thus, interviews in three schools were conducted with coordinators, principals and 1st to 4th grade teachers with priority given to teachers of 1st and 2nd grades who attended the program. The data from the questionnaire for teachers of 1st and 2nd grades, and the results of students in the 1st grade, both collected by SARESP 2007, were reorganized and reinterpreted to be used in statistical analysis using multiple linear regression, decision trees and comparison between groups of schools with different proportions of teachers who participated in the Program. It was possible to conclude that the effects of the program in teachers discourse were considerable, although evidence of implementation of such discourse was not always possible to observe during visits to schools. With regard to the impact of the Program on student performance, it is clear that in some contexts the Letra e Vida in conjunction with other variables were able to offer some explanation to the student outcomes, but its effects are not significant when standing alone.

O Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência (PIBID), cujas atividades iniciaram-se em Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) Federais em 2009, é um programa voltado para formação inicial de professores e tem como principal característica a aproximação entre a universidade e a escola de educação básica (EB). Tal parceria é concretizada por meio de subprojetos dos quais fazem parte licenciandos, professores das escolas de EB (supervisores) e professores da IES (coordenadores de área). Muitos trabalhos recentes (relatos de experiência e trabalhos de investigação) apontam impactos significativos do programa, principalmente, na formação inicial dos licenciandos e na formação continuada dos supervisores (GATTI et al., 2014; NASCIMENTO, 2014). Neste trabalho concentramos a atenção nos coordenadores de área de subprojetos PIBID que envolvem cursos de licenciatura em Física de IES públicas do estado de São Paulo e buscamos responder à seguinte questão de pesquisa: Quais são os impactos da participação no PIBID para o desenvolvimento profissional de coordenadores de área de subprojetos que envolvem cursos de licenciatura em Física? Foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com onze coordenadores de área. O instrumento utilizado para a coleta de dados teve como base as contribuições de diversos autores para o entendimento sobre o desenvolvimento profissional docente (MARCELO GARCÍA, 1999; DAY, 2001; PONTE, 1994, 1998; PERRENOUD, 2000; entre outros). Essas contribuições foram sintetizadas em seis dimensões do desenvolvimento profissional e adequadas para o coordenador de área do PIBID: carreira acadêmica e profissional, atualização científica e profissional, condução de ensino, sustentação da aprendizagem, gestão universitária e imagem dos sujeitos. Os dados foram apresentados por meio de análises narrativas (FREITAS; FIORENTINI, 2007) organizadas em quatro categorias que emergiram desses dados. São elas: a parceria universidade-escola, as articulações com a pesquisa, a relação com a instituição universitária e os impactos na própria prática como formador de professores. Após um aprofundamento da análise, encontramos como principais resultados que a participação no PIBID abre a possibilidade aos coordenadores de área de repensar a formação que oferecem aos licenciandos, tanto no contexto de suas próprias práticas quanto no contexto institucional; transformar suas práticas formativas a partir dessas reflexões; e incorporar resultados obtidos por meio das ações do PIBID em seus trabalhos de pesquisa. Pudemos inferir que as mudanças que levaram ao desenvolvimento profissional para a maioria dos coordenadores foram provocadas principalmente pelo trabalho colaborativo realizado com os supervisores e pelo conhecimento sobre a realidade das escolas de EB. Concluímos, portanto, que a parceria com as escolas de EB foi o principal motor de desenvolvimento profissional para os coordenadores. / The Institutional Scholarship Program for Teaching Initiation (Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência - PIBID), whose actions began in brazilian Federal Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in 2009, is a program devoted to the initial teacher education that has as its main feature promote the approach between the university and the basic education (BE) school. This partnership is realised in subprojects in which participate undergraduate students, BE school teachers (supervisor) and undergraduate degree courses professors (coordinators). Many recent works (whether experience reports or research) indicate significant impacts of the program, mainly in the initial training of future teachers and continued training of supervisors (GATTI et al., 2014; NASCIMENTO, 2014). We focus, in this research, on PIBID subprojects coordinators that envolve undergraduate degree courses in Physics from the state of São Paulo public HEI. We aim to respond to the following research question: what are the impacts of participation in PIBID for the professional development of coordinators from subprojects envolving undergraduate degree courses in Physics? We conducted semi-structured interviews with eleven coordinators. Our data collection instrument was based on the contributions of several authors for the understanding of teachers professional development (MARCELO GARCÍA, 1999; DAY, 2001; PONTE, 1994, 1998; PERRENOUD, 2000; among others). These contributions were summarized in six professional development dimensions and were suited to the PIBID coordinators: academic and professional career, scientific and professional development, teaching conduction, learning support, university management and individuals image. The data were reported using narratives analysis (FREITAS; FIORENTINI, 2007) that were organized within four categories that emerged from the data. They are: the university-school partnership, the links with research, the relationship with the university and the impact on their own practice as a teachers trainer. After futher analysis, we found out, as the main results, that the participation in PIBID provides to the coordinators the opportunity to rethinkthe training they offer to undergraduates, both in the context of their own practices as in their institutional context; transform their training practices based in these reflections; and incorporate the PIBID actions\" results in their research works. We deduced that the changes that led the majority of coordinators to professionnal development were mainly caused by the collaborative work did with the supervisors and by the knowledge about BE schools\" reality. Thus, we conclude that the partnership with the BE schools was the main promoter for the coordinators professional development.

O Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência (PIBID), cujas atividades iniciaram-se em Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) Federais em 2009, é um programa voltado para formação inicial de professores e tem como principal característica a aproximação entre a universidade e a escola de educação básica (EB). Tal parceria é concretizada por meio de subprojetos dos quais fazem parte licenciandos, professores das escolas de EB (supervisores) e professores da IES (coordenadores de área). Muitos trabalhos recentes (relatos de experiência e trabalhos de investigação) apontam impactos significativos do programa, principalmente, na formação inicial dos licenciandos e na formação continuada dos supervisores (GATTI et al., 2014; NASCIMENTO, 2014). Neste trabalho concentramos a atenção nos coordenadores de área de subprojetos PIBID que envolvem cursos de licenciatura em Física de IES públicas do estado de São Paulo e buscamos responder à seguinte questão de pesquisa: Quais são os impactos da participação no PIBID para o desenvolvimento profissional de coordenadores de área de subprojetos que envolvem cursos de licenciatura em Física? Foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com onze coordenadores de área. O instrumento utilizado para a coleta de dados teve como base as contribuições de diversos autores para o entendimento sobre o desenvolvimento profissional docente (MARCELO GARCÍA, 1999; DAY, 2001; PONTE, 1994, 1998; PERRENOUD, 2000; entre outros). Essas contribuições foram sintetizadas em seis dimensões do desenvolvimento profissional e adequadas para o coordenador de área do PIBID: carreira acadêmica e profissional, atualização científica e profissional, condução de ensino, sustentação da aprendizagem, gestão universitária e imagem dos sujeitos. Os dados foram apresentados por meio de análises narrativas (FREITAS; FIORENTINI, 2007) organizadas em quatro categorias que emergiram desses dados. São elas: a parceria universidade-escola, as articulações com a pesquisa, a relação com a instituição universitária e os impactos na própria prática como formador de professores. Após um aprofundamento da análise, encontramos como principais resultados que a participação no PIBID abre a possibilidade aos coordenadores de área de repensar a formação que oferecem aos licenciandos, tanto no contexto de suas próprias práticas quanto no contexto institucional; transformar suas práticas formativas a partir dessas reflexões; e incorporar resultados obtidos por meio das ações do PIBID em seus trabalhos de pesquisa. Pudemos inferir que as mudanças que levaram ao desenvolvimento profissional para a maioria dos coordenadores foram provocadas principalmente pelo trabalho colaborativo realizado com os supervisores e pelo conhecimento sobre a realidade das escolas de EB. Concluímos, portanto, que a parceria com as escolas de EB foi o principal motor de desenvolvimento profissional para os coordenadores. / The Institutional Scholarship Program for Teaching Initiation (Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência - PIBID), whose actions began in brazilian Federal Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in 2009, is a program devoted to the initial teacher education that has as its main feature promote the approach between the university and the basic education (BE) school. This partnership is realised in subprojects in which participate undergraduate students, BE school teachers (supervisor) and undergraduate degree courses professors (coordinators). Many recent works (whether experience reports or research) indicate significant impacts of the program, mainly in the initial training of future teachers and continued training of supervisors (GATTI et al., 2014; NASCIMENTO, 2014). We focus, in this research, on PIBID subprojects coordinators that envolve undergraduate degree courses in Physics from the state of São Paulo public HEI. We aim to respond to the following research question: what are the impacts of participation in PIBID for the professional development of coordinators from subprojects envolving undergraduate degree courses in Physics? We conducted semi-structured interviews with eleven coordinators. Our data collection instrument was based on the contributions of several authors for the understanding of teachers professional development (MARCELO GARCÍA, 1999; DAY, 2001; PONTE, 1994, 1998; PERRENOUD, 2000; among others). These contributions were summarized in six professional development dimensions and were suited to the PIBID coordinators: academic and professional career, scientific and professional development, teaching conduction, learning support, university management and individuals image. The data were reported using narratives analysis (FREITAS; FIORENTINI, 2007) that were organized within four categories that emerged from the data. They are: the university-school partnership, the links with research, the relationship with the university and the impact on their own practice as a teachers trainer. After futher analysis, we found out, as the main results, that the participation in PIBID provides to the coordinators the opportunity to rethinkthe training they offer to undergraduates, both in the context of their own practices as in their institutional context; transform their training practices based in these reflections; and incorporate the PIBID actions\" results in their research works. We deduced that the changes that led the majority of coordinators to professionnal development were mainly caused by the collaborative work did with the supervisors and by the knowledge about BE schools\" reality. Thus, we conclude that the partnership with the BE schools was the main promoter for the coordinators professional development.

The overarching theme of this thesis is the establishment of a moral community in schools. Several areas of interest were identified as this theme developed. These included moral community building, school leadership, and the professional development needs of teachers. Each area is examined through documented research work, published articles and conference presentations. All areas are intertwined within the concept of moral community and the need for school leaders to engage community members in the establishment of a moral community. Three conceptual theories underpin the work of this thesis and form a significant part of the overarching theme. These are the interrelated theories of transformative learning, transformational leadership, and moral community. / Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)