Classroom discipline is often a primary concern of teachers. Little is known, however, about the extent of teachers' knowledge, training, and skills with behavior management issues. This study was conducted to examine teachers' training with specific behavioral strategies, their personal level of proficiency in resolving these problems, and to determine if teachers consider the function of aberrant behaviors when deciding upon treatment interventions. A survey was developed to address these issues. The survey was distributed to teachers in four south-central Kentucky counties and two western Kentucky counties. Of the 350 surveys distributed, 209 were returned for a 59.7% return rate. There were 177 regular education teachers and 32 special education teachers included in the sample. Results of this study indicated a relatively high percentage of students exhibited problematic behaviors to the point that an intervention was necessary to resolve the problem. The highest percentage of teachers received training in behavior management strategies through a workshop/in-service. The majority of teachers reported they received training in a variety of behavioral methods, with the training perceived as only moderately helpful. When asked to rate their skills in resolving specific behavior problems, teachers reported their skills to be at a moderate level. The majority of special education teachers had heard of the term functional assessment although less than half received any training in this procedure. Most of the regular education teachers indicated no knowledge of functional assessment. Most teachers did not consider the function of the problematic behaviors when deciding upon treatment interventions. The results revealed a strong need for improved training in classroom management strategies. Future research is needed to determine more effective strategies to train teachers in classroom management.

This dissertation was an exploratory investigation of the residual effect of novice primary teachers on reading achievement scores. The study employed the theory of pedagogical content knowledge as a basis for understanding teacher expertise and comparing the expert teacher to the novice teacher. The research sought to answer two major questions; (a) Is there a statistically significant difference between the reading achievement, (measured two years later) of students taught by teachers of differing experience levels in primary grades and the state mean for the appropriate grade level? and (b) Is there a statistically significant difference among the two-year-later reading achievement of the groups of students based on teacher experience levels? This study used student reading achievement test scores from the CTBS/5 Achievement Test published by CTB/McGraw Hill. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) using a series of nine Mests and three analysis of variance tests (ANOVAs). While the findings of this study indicated that there were no statistically significant differences among the groups, the author discussed several limitations to the study. In addition, proposals for future research in the area were presented. The final pages of the dissertation posit that school system administrators must use the information on novice teachers available to them to implement and strengthen programs of teacher recruitment, placement, training, and retention.

The major purpose of the study was to analyze the role of the normal universities in China in the field of teacher professional development. In order to achieve this purpose, the following two questions guided this research: 1) What efforts are normal universities in China making in continuing teacher education? 2) What are the factors that support or inhibit normal universities in these endeavors? The research includes case studies of four Chinese normal universities as well as a comparison to the work of universities in Ontario, Canada. In-depth interviews were utilized as the major data collecting method, and document review was used as a supplementary method. The participants included university administrators, university teacher educators and government administrators. The study outlined the current state of normal universities’ work in the field of in-service teacher education by reviewing the larger policy context around teacher development in China and how it contributes to the development of this work. In addition, the study identified key issues and major challenges normal universities face in taking part in in-service teacher education system. The study found that government policy on in-service teacher education in China is currently dominating the work of provincial governments and normal universities. The training programs delivered by normal universities are often university-based, intensive teacher learning and result from contracts between universities and either central or provincial governments. Normal universities often feel poorly prepared in terms of institutional structure, promotion standards, and the number of well-qualified teacher training experts. Although willing to take an important position in the overall in-service teacher training system, normal universities lack confidence that they will be given consistent policy and financial support and are unclear about the direction of in-service teacher education reform in the future. Key findings of this study can be used to inform the role that Chinese Normal Universities might play in in-service teacher education that could lead to higher quality teaching and learning both at the university and school levels.

In this dissertation the relationships among teachers' classroom contexts, teaching practices, personal practice theories and their learning from reform-based professional development were examined. This study is based on the cases of three high school science teachers whose participation in the Information Technology in Science (ITS) Center's professional development experience (PDE) resulted in different perceptions and interpretations. Qualitative and quantitative data, including classroom observations, in-depth interviews, teacher-generated written work from the PDE, and student classroom perceptions were analyzed and compared. The within-case analyses revealed that each teacher's thoughts, actions and perceptions were highly congruent. The cross-case analysis illuminated variations among the cases. Bandura's (1999) model of triadic reciprocal causation was applied as an interpretive frame. This frame was used to connect five indicators used in the study to coherently compare and evaluate the alignment of each teacher's thoughts, actions, and perceptions with the vision of reformbased teaching promoted by the ITS Center's PDE. Results of this interpretation show that the differences among the cases stemmed from the different problems the teachers believed reform-based teaching methods addressed. Recommendations for the design of PDEs include the importance of (a) focusing on flexible learning goals that can be meaningful and appropriate for all teachers, (b) understanding and engaging teachers' prior knowledge, (c) making changes in teachers' thinking visible and (d) keeping in mind the challenges involved in changing practice to reflect the recommendations of reform. Recommendations for future research include the development of learning trajectories for teachers with different orientations toward reform and deepening our current understandings of teacher educator expertise.

Culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) has become increasingly used within academe. There has not been much research, however, into how much CRP is being used within the public school system. I am particularly interested in the area of professional development. This report seeks to answer the questions, how have issues of diversity influenced professional development in the past, and how is the theoretical framework of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) used within professional development today? I begin with the reasoning behind my exploration of these questions and the problems that we are facing today within the educational system. I then provide an in-depth description of what I understand to be culturally relevant pedagogy. A historical survey of culturally-centered professional development is then presented, followed by a look at current research and writing on culturally relevant professional development. / text

With numerous opportunities for professional development, teachers are inundated with a variety of workshop styles to choose from. In the development of the Life Through Time workshop, we have made every attempt to consider recent research that outlines the most effective methodologies in professional development implementation including consideration of existing conceptions, teacher motivation, and highly reflective engagement. The intention of this long-term professional development is to motivate teachers to implement changes in the delivery of content related to evolution in the science classroom. After reviewing the strategies implemented in this professional development opportunity, practices that were used can be extended to future teacher training programs. / text

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The advent of the internet has changed the mode of delivery for many courses in the tertiary sector and courses are now offered in an online learning environment with variable success. There has been a range of studies concerning online learning however there is little research about the role of information technologies in promoting professional learning for teaching practitioners. Initially courses were posted online using the resources from a face-to-face course for the course members to download. Now the capabilities of the internet allow for a range of technologies to be used to enhance the learning in an online learning environment. Educational practitioners undertake professional development to either develop their skills and knowledge to improve student learning in their classrooms or for promotional reasons. Educational practitioners want to be inspired by their teachers when undertaking professional development. Some researchers point to the relationship between the teacher and the course members as being an important factor in the success of a course. As many professional development courses are being delivered in an online learning environment the course members never meet the teacher and the teacher needs to develop strategies to allow these relationships to develop. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of educational practitioners who are undertaking an online professional development course. It sought to understand the teaching practitioners’ expectations of the teacher in the online environment. A range of strategies was used to collect the data including questionnaires, data gained from the online learning environment, email correspondence and semi-structured interviews. The findings from this study identify the importance of the teacher designing an online learning environment to enhance learning, by having tasks and assignments related to the course members’ own practice, and by having a range of interactions that provide reflection opportunities to enhance thinking and learning. Other important findings included the importance of the teacher taking an active role in the interactions. .

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This research begins with an argument for the implementation of a professional development model that would empower mathematics teachers to make changes to their mathematical teaching practices. As this argument evolves so does the need for further investigation into what key components are necessary for effective professional development. What emerges from this investigation is the discovery of a Japanese professional development model known as Lesson Study. This research includes a case study that allows for an exploration of mathematics teachers as they, using the Japanese Lesson Study process, collaboratively research, implement, and reflected upon how this alternative professional development model influences changes in their mathematical teaching practices. The three mathematics teachers in this case study provide evidence and support for how Lesson Study can be used as an effective professional development model while providing the opportunity for teachers to be the professionals in their professional development.