This study explores the critical issue of teacher preparation in university-based English education programs in the state of Florida. Numerous training programs and certification avenues currently exist in response to the growing concentration on teacher training, teacher quality, induction and retention, and teacher shortages. This study, an exploration of Florida's State University System undergraduate programs of initial English teacher preparation, examines how Florida universities are preparing pre-service middle and high school English teachers for induction into the profession. Of specific interest is the incorporation of the state-mandated Florida Educator Accomplished Practices into the programs preparing novice teachers for the classroom. Following a collaborative case study design, data were collected from three university-based English education programs in Florida. Interviews and focus groups targeted stakeholders from each baccalaureate program including faculty and administration at the university, current students, and recent graduates. Textual analyses were used to determine trends in course offerings, sequencing, requirements, and standards infusion. Findings from this study address the issues of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices, professional identity formation, field experience, induction support, and professional collaborations - all relevant components in the preparation of Florida's middle/secondary English language arts teacher preparation. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2013. / November 4, 2013. / Education, English, Language Arts, Preparation, Teacher / Includes bibliographical references. / Shelbie Witte, Professor Directing Dissertation; Kathleen Blake Yancey, University Representative; Pamela Carroll, Committee Member; Kathy Froelich, Committee Member; Elizabeth Jakubowski, Committee Member; Diana C. Rice, Committee Member.

This paper describes a qualitative case study designed to examine the challenges to effective science instruction faced by elementary teachers and examine the influence those challenges have on teachers' science teaching practices. Data were gathered through a questionnaire administered to over 240 teachers in a northern Florida school district including six teachers who were further interviewed and observed in their teaching setting. These six teachers, ranging from third to fifth grade shared their perceptions of the challenges to effective science instruction and opened their classrooms to allow the researcher to discover how much time was being spent teaching science and the methods of science instruction. Results showed that several factors governed the amount of time teachers in the study were able to devote to science and the method of science instruction. Eighty-two percent of teachers reported lack of time to teach science. Sixty-eight percent reported lack of teacher planning time. Sixty-four percent reported insufficient funding for purchasing materials and supplies. As a result, teachers reported using most of their science time teaching through traditional methods instead of innovative hands-on and inquiry methods. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2013. / October 22, 2013. / Education, Elementary, Science, Teaching Practices / Includes bibliographical references. / Diana Rice, Professor Directing Dissertation; Robert A. Schwartz, University Representative; Elizabeth Jakubowski, Committee Member; Angie Davis, Committee Member.

This study investigates the effects of group journal writing and sharing on women English as a Second Language (ESL) students at the Center for Intensive English Studies (CIES) at The Florida State University (FSU). More specifically, it examines the responses of participants to writing as a social act, with sociocultural implications. Eight women participated in this study; they were women of various ages and ethnic and cultural backgrounds who were studying ESL at CIES. The women met twice a week with the principle investigator and wrote in response to non-academic reflective and creative prompts. After writing each journal entry, the women took turns sharing aloud what they had written. Data were collected through interviews, the field notes of the principle investigator, and the journals themselves. Findings revealed that participants used their journals as a means of self-reflection and analysis. Findings regarding the effects of authentic audience on the writers were also evident in the use of self-scaffolding and scaffolding for the audience by the participants. Meaning-making was found to take place both through the journal writing itself and in the sharing presentations. Finally, it was found that participants perceived greater fulfillment, though not academic worth, in writing socially for an authentic audience than they found writing in the classroom context. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2013. / November 5, 2013. / Authentic Audience, ESL, Journal Writing, Sociocultural Theory, Women / Includes bibliographical references. / Rebecca Galeano, Professor Directing Thesis; Elizabeth Jakubowski, Committee Member; Lawrence C. Scharmann, Committee Member.

During the past few decades, there have been significant social changes affecting children and their families. Fathers are assuming a more active role in child rearing, primarily as a result of increases in the numbers of women in the work force, and numbers of children in non-parental care. Fathers as well as mothers play a significant role in young children's development. Findings from research studies conducted in North America suggest that there are several positive effects of father involvement on young children. However, father involvement is a relatively recent topic in early childhood education in Turkey, and little is known about the extent of Turkish fathers' involvement. The present study examined Turkish fathers' involvement in the lives of their preschool aged children. The amount of time that fathers and children spend together, the types of activities they engage in, and factors that could be related to father involvement (e.g., age, education, income, working hours) were investigated. Participating in the study were 84 fathers of 3-6 year old children enrolled in four public early childhood education settings in Istanbul, Turkey. An instrument titled, "Father Involvement Questionnaire", was used to measure father involvement. Findings indicated that father's occupation type, monthly income, number of marriage years, numbers of children in the family, and fathers' work hours affected their involvement. Findings are discussed with reference to fathers' accessibility, responsibility and engagement. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2013. / November 1, 2013. / Early Childhood Education, Father and Child, Father Involvement, Preschool Children, Turkey, Turkish fathers / Includes bibliographical references. / Ithel Jones, Professor Directing Thesis; Diana Rice, Committee Member; Lindsay Dennis, Committee Member.

This quantitative study examined the mathematics achievement gap between students who were economically disadvantaged and economically advantaged. The influence of instructional practices aligned with reform-oriented mathematics principles on student achievement was examined using NAEP 2011 data. Findings suggested there is a positive relationship between the use of instructional practices aligned with reform-oriented mathematics principles and student achievement. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2014. / June 23, 2014. / Reform Mathematics Principles / Includes bibliographical references. / Diana Rice, Professor Directing Dissertation; Robert A. Schwartz, University Representative; Angela Davis, Committee Member; Elizabeth Jakubowski, Committee Member.

The research presented here was designed to explore the relationship of informal experiences and the development of science identity as well as characterize these science learning experiences. This research was conducted through mixed methods, including five data sources 1) a survey, 2) participant drawings, 3) interviews transcripts, 4) concept webs and 5) artifacts collected from 196 science and non-science degree-seeking college students enrolled at an urban research intensive university located in the southeastern United States. The analytical approach relied heavily on the qualitative data (participant drawings and interviews) and was augmented by information provided by the survey. A comparison of survey results and activities depicted in the drawings revealed inconsistencies in the activities portrayed. Although drawings depicted many of the activities listed including sports and cooking, a large portion of the activities listed on the survey were not represented in the drawings. This suggested that the participants did not view many of the activities identified on the survey (i.e., bike riding, video games, board games, Legos, care of animals, museum visits) as scientific. This calls into question the ability of the 'Science Background Experiences Survey' (Bulunuz & Jarrett, 2009) to capture engagement with activities the participants perceive as scientific. Drawing results identified characteristics of out-of-school science experiences including: those identified as biological (animals, plants, health), outdoor locations (beach, forest, ocean) and activities that were performed with or without others. In addition, making observations and sense making techniques were two practices commonly employed during the activities depicted in the drawings. The two activities most commonly identified in the drawings were cooking and sports. The identification of these two activities suggests that although significant informal science educational research focuses on designed spaces (i.e., museums), the activities participants in most frequently were truly "free-choice". Results indicated two primary enactments of science identity: consumer and interest. Evidence of being a science consumer included use of tools and processing of ideas. Demonstrations of interest were identified through expressions that indicated curiosity. Although the science identity literature indicates the role of science critic as an additional demonstration of science identity, there was only limited evidence of this practice in these data. Interview participants indicated enactment of science identity on three levels: low moderate and high. Patterns of activity for these three levels of science identity followed patterns of enactment, i.e., participants who demonstrated higher levels of identity demonstrated greater science interest and consumption verses those demonstrating moderate and low levels of identity. Six selected case studies are presented; two for each level and one each from both majors and non-majors science courses. The majority of the participants who demonstrated the highest levels of science identity had a mentor (i.e., a person with whom the participant engaged in science or science-adjacent recognition work). These high level science identity cases also demonstrated an overt desire to be recognized as scientifically savvy through their discussions. The outcomes of this research indicate these participants see themselves as engaging in science primarily during "free-choice" science activities such as cooking and sports, rather than through more formal, structured places and events (e.g., museums, aquaria). These "free-choice" activities are portrayed as personally relevant and suggest that participants identify themselves as being interested or proficient in these activities. The relevance and interest that participants identify with these activities suggest these are promising avenues expanding, refining and improving science education curriculum development. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2013. / June 19, 2013. / Free Choice, Identity, Informal Learning, Science Education / Includes bibliographical references. / Sherry Southerland, Professor Directing Dissertation; Paul Cottle, University Representative; Victor Sampson, Committee Member; Lawrence Scharmann, Committee Member.

The main aim of this study was to examine the nature of literary discussions in an advanced level English literature class in a Turkish EFL (English as a Foreign Language)setting. The focus of the study was the discursive features of a foreign language literature course offered in a Turkish university. Natural and systematic video recordings of the class sessions for one semester, field notes taken as a non-participant observer and semi-structured interviews constituted the primary data sources. In this study, the following research questions have been addressed: (1) What is the nature of literary discussions in an advanced level literature course in a Turkish EFL setting based on the analyses of (a) discursive structure of the discussion, (b) types of the questions, (c) learner uptake, and (d) revoicing move of the teacher? (2) How do the issues of teacher control and features of teacher' and students' roles emerge in the analysis of the above mentioned constructs and interview data? Based on the findings of the study, it was difficult to claim that literary discussions in this course reached high levels of student engagement and students freely discussed any topic in their minds, as it was not fair to say students spoke too little and did not find any chance to elaborate their ideas because of tight teacher control. Overall interpretations were parallel with Akyel and Yalcin's (1990) comments about the place of literature in English education in the Turkish context: The Turkish educational system was "wavering between modern and traditional practices" (p. 174). Other than some methodological limitations that most other qualitative studies have to face, the effects of camera on the teacher and students, and difficulties in coding were acknowledged as limitations. Prolonged engagement and utilizing outside raters, respectively, were the measure taken to tackle with these limitations. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Middle and Secondary Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2007. / Date of Defense: April 20, 2007. / Turkish Higher Education, Classroom Discourse, Bakhtin, Vygotsky / Includes bibliographical references. / Deborah J. Hasson, Professor Directing Dissertation; Alysia Roehrig-Bice, Outside Committee Member; Jeffrey Brooks, Committee Member; Pamela S. Carroll, Committee Member.

Teacher educators are tasked with defining and assessing the learning of pre-service teachers. These seemingly straightforward tasks are complicated by the varied definitions of teacher learning and lack of consensus regarding the most effective way to assess that learning. Increasingly, teacher educators turn to the Interstate New Teacher Assessment Support Consortium (INTASC) standards to define the knowledge, dispositions, and performances that constitute teacher learning. Teacher Work Samples (TWSs) hold promise as a set of documents that allow teacher educators to assess pre-service teachers' learning in terms of the INTASC standards. This study examined the teacher learning made visible in pre-service English teachers' initial work samples. TWSs from five undergraduate pre-service teachers were collected and analyzed. Because these were initial work samples, as opposed to the more practiced work samples studied elsewhere, the data was aggregated to create a picture across the participants. First analyzed inductively, the data was then compared to the INTASC principles and standards to determine which were evidenced. Four findings emerged from this examination of pre-service English teachers' initial work samples. First, the teacher learning made visible closely resembled the frameworks in the general teacher education literature. Second, creating a teacher work sample provided pre-service teachers an opportunity to make visible the INTASC principles and standards, especially the knowledge standards. Third, the teacher work samples did not illustrate the theoretical understanding in the INTASC principles. Fourth, the participants did not make apparent the knowledge, dispositions, or performance standards necessary to support students in taking responsibility for their own learning. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Middle and Secondary Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2004. / November 8, 2004. / Evaluation Method, Pre-service Teacher, Teacher Education / Includes bibliographical references. / Pamela Sissi Carroll, Professor Directing Dissertation; Susan Lynn, Outside Committee Member; Elizabeth Jakubowski, Committee Member; Susan Nelson Wood, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived level of synergistic supervision received, job satisfaction, and intention to turnover of new professionals in the profession of student affairs administration. This investigation examined the relationships between new professionals' scores on the Synergistic Supervision Scale (SSS), and measures of job satisfaction and intention to turnover, taken from the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire (MAOQ) and selected demographic variables. Four hundred and thirty-five respondents, members of the American College Personnel Association participated in the study. A positive significant correlation was found between perceived level of synergistic supervision received and job satisfaction. A negative significant correlation was found between perceived level of synergistic supervision received and intention to turnover. Significant correlations were found for both gender and race among supervisor/supervisee dyad pairs for perceived level of synergistic supervision received, job satisfaction and intention to turnover, as well as other identified exploratory variables. The findings of this study will advance the body of knowledge in the area of staff supervision, job satisfaction and retention in student affairs administration, particularly for new professionals. This study provides a greater understanding of the supervisory needs of new professionals and how supervisory style can enhance job satisfaction and retention of new professionals in the profession of student affairs administration. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education. / Summer Semester, 2004. / April 15, 2004. / Student Affairs Administration, New Professionals, Intention To Turnover, Job Satisfaction, Supervision / Includes bibliographical references. / Jon C. Dalton, Professor Directing Dissertation; Pamela Perrewe, Outside Committee Member; Beverly Bower, Committee Member; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member.

A threaded discussion forum has been used in fully online or blended courses at institutions of higher education in the United States. However, how advanced adult ESL learners interact with peers collaboratively to complete assigned tasks is still uninvestigated. The aim of this study was to investigate social interaction emerging in a threaded discussion forum, particularly when adult ESL learners were assigned to argue about controversial issues. This study also investigated learners' word appropriation strategies when encountering unknown words during task engagement. Grounded in sociocultural theory, the study was conducted to investigate how adult ESL learners could benefit from postings by more capable peers and use text-based communication as thinking devices (Harasim, 1990; Lotman, 1988; 1990; vanLier, 2000; Warschauer, 1997; Wells, 2000) to complete the assigned tasks. The investigation regarding social interaction focused on three aspects: 1) the roles of expert and novice emerging during task engagement; 2) the functions of the postings composed to sustain arguments; and 3) multiple voices emerging in arguments for meaning construction. Lotman's (1988) notion of functional dualism of texts, Wertsch's (1998; 2000) notion of interaction in social space, and Bakhtin's (1979) notion of awareness of otherness were employed to analyze how multiple voices in texts illustrated the process of how participants borrowed, adopted, and transformed other voices into voices of their own. The participants in the study were assigned to read two controversial articles about assisted suicide and the mandatory school uniform policy and then were divided into two groups to argue for or against the assigned topics. They were instructed to fill in a pre- and a post-task vocabulary knowledge scale to indicate their vocabulary knowledge from the assigned readings. After a preliminary analysis of the pre- and post-task vocabulary knowledge scale as well as posted messages, the researcher conducted post-task interviews with individual participants to clarify questions arising during the preliminary analysis. Results of the study suggested that during task engagement the roles of expert and novice fluctuated, depending upon different circumstances. Individual participants were able to 1) initiate threads to start arguments; 2) provide arguments to transform the developing discussion into a new direction; and 3) embed words identified as unknown in postings to provide contextual assistance for the novice to infer word meanings and compose responses. The analysis of the functions of the postings revealed that they served as dual functions for knowledge transmission as well as knowledge co-construction. Questions were embedded in postings for various purposes, especially for challenging rather than expecting answers, and uptake played a crucial role in engendering extended argument. Multiple voices in the threaded discussion allowed the participants opportunities to expand arguments as well as meaning construction regarding unknown words encountered during task engagement. With regard to word appropriation strategies to maintain the flow of interaction, the participants flexibly employed various strategies to infer word meanings before they were able to compose responses. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Middle and Secondary Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2005. / June 17, 2005. / Advanced Adult ESL Learners, Multiple Voices, Threaded Discussion Forum, Vocabulary Appropriaton, Social Interaction / Includes bibliographical references. / Frank B. Brooks, Professor Directing Dissertation; Vanessa Dennen, Outside Committee Member; Elizabeth Platt, Committee Member; Frederick L. Jenks, Committee Member.