...According to Avery’s (2014) dissertation, School district professional learning: Teachers' perceptions of instructional leadership, teacher practice, and student learning, evaluates a school district’s model of professional development that is specifically geared towards improving school administrators' instructional leadership skills and teacher practices with the intention of positively impacting student learning. The model for professional development used was a formative assessment of administrator and teacher practices. Throughout the study Avery (2014) used a survey instrument that measured professional learning standards. The study was quantitative. There were 281 participants in the study. Avery’s (2014) research study included descriptive...
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...Chapter Three: Methodology This chapter describes and explains the methodology deployed in this study and at the research methods reading which informed my choice of methods. This study is a practical project of field study type. Chapter One introduced the subject of this dissertation, i.e. to investigate the nature and impact of national and local initiatives on geography teaching in schools with ICT (Information and Communication Technology). The focus is particularly the significant factors that influence and facilitate teachers’ ability to embrace ICT and incorporate it in their geography teaching and use it with pupils. I am interested in discovering what the main barriers are to teachers who do not integrate ICT in the geography curriculum. This had to be “doable within the time, space and resources available” (Blaxter, et. al., 1999, p.25) and was refined from the early rather ambitious aims to being more focused. The are many models of the research process, most of them devised according to a series of stages. Cohen and Manion (1994) identify eight stages of action research, which appeared rather too scientific in approach, as I was seeking to “understand individuals’ perceptions of the world” (Bell, 1999, p.7). Other representations of the research process, including one with five stages of research shown in diagrammatic form showing design, sampling, data collection, data analysis and the report are presented by Blaxter et. al. (1999, p.8). This seems to...
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...Climate Perceptions from Teachers and Principals Name Institution Date Organizational Climate Various academic reformers and researchers have advanced differing definitions of organizational climate yet in all the advanced definitions, the components of an organizational climate seem to be similar. Freiberg and Stein (1999) points to thesis that school climate is the soul and the heart of a learning institution, that is the component of a school that motivates the principal, teachers and the students to be allured to the school and love to stay and always be associated by the school and its environment. The metaphorical reference to a school climate underscores its significance; it gratifies and motivates the school members a feeling of comfort with and without the college, and thus any attributes regarding the school. In lieu of this, the school climate is the aspect of the school that offers it life as well as revealing cherished values of the college. The concepts of organizational climate deals with the perception of the members of the staff about the environment in which they work (Grayson & Alvarez, 2008). This surrounding is influenced and affected by the administration skills projected by the school management which is in turn translated to the motivation and the demeanor of the whole staff membership (Loukas & Murphy, 2011). In a more straight forward way, a climate would refer to the teachers’ quality...
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...Kothari commission (1964-66) says “the destiny of India is being shaped in her class room”, for teachers play a crucial role to mould the students. Due to the low enrolment and high dropout, the quality and the future development become a serious problem confronting the country’s education system. However, the teacher believes they can make difference, change is possible and it is essential to develop an accurate understanding of the factors that influences the dropout of rural students at college level. Christenson & Thurlow (2004) and Dweck (1986) reveal that student dropout is an outcome derived from multiple factors that encompass student, institutional and socioeconomic aspects. Dweck (1986) also found that students perceive dropout as...
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...1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY Attitude as a concept is concerned with an individual way of thinking, acting and behaving. It has very serious implications for the learner, the teacher, the immediate social group with which the individual learner relates and the entire school system. Attitudes are formed as a result of some kind of learning experiences. They may also be learned simply by following the example of opinion of parent, teacher or friend., this is mimicry or imitation, which also has a part to play in the teaching and learning situation. In this respect, the learner draws from his teacher’s education to inform his own attitude which may likely affect his earning outcomes. In his observational theory, Bandura (1971) demonstrated that behavior are acquire by watching another (the model, teacher parent, monitor, friend) that performs the behavior. The model display it and the learner observes and tries to imitate it. Teachers are invariably, role models whose behaviours are easily copied by students. What teachers like or dislike, appreciate and how they feel about their learning or studies could have a significant effect on their students. Unfortunately, however, many teacher seldom realize that how they teach how they behave and how they interact with students can be more paramount than what they interact with students can be attitudes directly what they teach. In a nut shell, teachers’ attitudes directly affect students’ attitudes. Teachers attitude are in turn,...
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...Nicole Reyes Reyes1 Professor Peggy Ingram EDUU 512 12 March 2013 Teaching Case Assignment: “The Case of Cassie Brown” The assigned teaching case is based on a female, African American high school student by the name of Cassie Brown. Cassie is a senior at Jefferson High School right before the turning of the new millennium. The story takes place not far from a very poor inner city. Cassie has found that after many years of wanting to become a mathematics teacher, she is now questioning her dream. The reason Cassie has become uncertain of her goal is from an encounter she had with her mathematics teacher, Mr. Tempe. Cassie was unable to understand how to solve a calculus problem which Mr. Tempe tried twice to explain to her. After the second attempt, he informed her that she might want to reconsider becoming a math teacher: “There are not many minorities in this field and you are also female and African American” (Taylor and Whittaker, 210). There are several issues arising from this case, primarily the perception that the people in the case impose upon the female, African American minority. This perception is that black women are not equal in capability and intelligence and therefore unlikely to be successful in the fields of mathematics and science. Cassie made reference to the fact that she was among only 5 other African American girls in her class, accounting for just one Reyes2 ...
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...worthy home membership, vocation, citizenship, worthy use of leisure and ethical conduct. Although neither science nor any of the other school subjects was included as one of the seven principles, the role and importance of science in achieving the seven cardinal principles is obvious. The world is fast becoming scientific in thinking and behaviors that without good knowledge of science, it might be difficult for people to adequately function in it. The purpose of exposing children to science instruction right from primary school level is not necessarily to turn them into scientist per se but to provide favorable scientific attitudes of ‘finding out’ and ‘hands-on‘ and to enable them raise questions about things that intrigue them. In a study on the impact of science on the society, Bertrand & Russell (1952) have shown that our time is an age of science. Science affects every aspect of our lives; what we eat and what we wear, what we do as work and what we do as play; what we think and what we feel; even how we are born and how we die. Few moments in our lives, we are touched by the products and processes of science. Because of the scientific nature of our society and the individual needs of its members, every person, in order to function...
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...HOW TEACHERS DEVELOP SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS THE CONTEXT AND MEASUREMENT OF TEACHER EFFICACY HOW TEACHER EFFICACY AFFECTS CLASSROOM LEARNING IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHERS The concept of self-efficacy was pioneered by Albert Bandura (1925–) who characterized self-efficacy as the extent to which individuals believe they can organize and execute actions necessary to bring about a desired outcome. Self-efficacy is fundamentally concerned with the execution of control rather than the outcome action produces. In 1984, Patricia Ashton (1946–) published a groundbreaking study that fundamentally expanded the concept of efficacy to include the extent to which teachers feel confident they are capable of bringing about learning outcomes. Ashton identified two dimensions of teaching efficacy: general, the extent to which a teacher believes her students can learn material; and personal, the extent to which a teacher believes her students can learn under her instruction. Ashton argued that teachers' beliefs Figure 1ILLUSTRATION BY GGS INFORMATION SERVICES. CENGAGE LEARNING, GALE. about their ability to bring about outcomes in their classrooms, and their confidence in teaching in general, play a central role in their abilities to effectively serve their students. Since then, studies of teaching efficacy and its inclusion in studies of teacher effectiveness have grown exponentially. Subsequent understandings of teaching efficacy have refined Ashton's understanding of personal efficacy. In a...
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...Case Study Method The case method of teaching is widely used in business and science education today. By definition, a case is a written account of an actual condition that has occurred. This account is used as a real life example of a situation that can be analyzed by the students to teach concepts related to course study. Most often teaching with the case method requires facilitation and discussion of the account by the students (Foran, 2002). The aim is to analyze and apply the various course concepts as they pertain to the events in the case study. Some of the tools used by the teacher in the case method may be debate, or collaboration by placing students in groups. William Perry is a psychologist professor at Harvard and has commented on what is known as the Perry model for student learning. During early education students learn in what is called the dualist mode, where educators are the authority figures that students model and accept as 100% accurate in everything they say (Herreid, 2004). These authority figures lecture them on what is right and wrong and the students do not question this authority. The answers given by the teachers are the only correct ones and so the student learns to memorize these answers. During tests these answers are the only ones accepted as correct. Perry notes that this lecture mode only emphasizes the dualist mode where students are not allowed to think for themselves. He also makes the point that this is not how science works (Herreid...
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...TEACHERS ATTITUDE TOWARD THE USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) AS A PEDAGOGICAL TOOL IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS. INTRODUCTION The U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment (OTA, 1995) has re-ported that helping teachers “effectively incorporate technology into the teaching and learning process is one of the most important steps the nation can take to make the most of past and continuing investments in educational technology” (p. 8). Most researchers agree that the successful use of computers and ICT in the classroom is dependent on positive teacher attitudes toward computers AND ICT (Lawton & Gerschner, 1982; Woodrow, 1992). Successful classroom practice also includes fostering positive perceptions of information technology among students (Knezek, Miyashita, & Sakamoto, 1993) Teacher is an effective and dominating factor among the ones contributing to educational improvements. The teacher effectiveness depends mainly on the teachers' attitude, characteristics and the classroom phenomena such as environment and climate, organisation and management. Various commissions and committees have recommended methods of bringing about qualitative improvements in education. As a result, the teachers are motivated, inspired and endured to develop better curriculum, text books and teaching aids. But, all the efforts are meaningless unless teachers are not having the positive attitude towards educational technology. The teaching learning...
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...Running Head: PERCEPTIONS OF BRAIN-BASED LEARNING 2 Brain-based learning theory has devised a new discipline known by some as educational neuroscience, or by others as mind, brain, and education science (Duman, 2010). It is a broad and comprehensive approach to instruction using current research from neuroscience. Brain-based education emphasizes the manner in which the brain learns naturally and is based on what is currently known about the structure and function of the human brain. This theory is a concept that includes an eclectic mix of teaching techniques. BBL practices call for teachers to connect learning to students’ real lives and emotional experiences, as well as combining strategies like problem based and mastery learning and considers learning styles of individual students. Opponents of brain-based learning strategies argue that neuroscience alone cannot provide usable knowledge that translates into positive teaching strategies (Clement & Lovat, 2008). However, teachers and researchers who are implementing, and testing BBL strategies, contend that a working knowledge of neural functioning is paramount as educators look for successful ways to address individual learning needs. Balil Duman ((2010) shares that several educators and brain researchers have conducted and produced research that reveals that individuals learn in different ways thus multi-dimensional teaching models should be used to transmit information to students. Caine and Caine...
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...Perceptions of Grade VII Pupils: Tablet PC as a Replacement for Mathematics Textbook Ms. Irene Mae L. Manabat/ Dr. Juanita M. Cruz/ Marlon I. Tayag Systems Plus College Foundation, Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines irenemaemanabat@gmail.com/ juanitacruz2004@yahoo.com/ lonskee2000@yahoo.com Abstract Tablet PC for mathematics was introduced this school year to the SPCF Grade VII pupils. This study assessed their perception on its use as a replacement for the mathematics textbook. Forty-eight pupils answered a 25-item Likert-scaled questionnaire adapted from several related researches. Eight factors were generated namely: Time-saving (loading=0.66, mean= 5.16); Instructional tool for learning mathematics (loading= 0.61, mean= 5.04); Interactive technological tool (loading= 0.65, mean= 5.53); More interesting way to learn mathematics (loading= 0.76, mean= 5.10); Minimal school bag load (loading= 0.73, mean= 5.85); Extended tablet usage (loading= 0.60 mean= 5.08); Visual learning of mathematics (loading= 0.72,mean= 5.95); Usability in higher mathematics (loading= 0.89, mean= 5.5). Cronbach alpha= 0.75 and 73% dependent variable variance is explained by independent variable variance. T-test in the final grades revealed no significant difference between all sections and between 2 best sections that used and did not use the tablet. Significance was indicated between 2 regular sections that used and did not use the tablet. Overall mean (5.30) indicated a moderately agreeable response...
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...synchronization on a teacher’s perceptions of disruption. A case study of an African American middle- school classroom. Journal of Teacher Education, 55, 256-268. I. Statement of the Problem a. Ressearch Topic The topic is how to discipline students. The authors state, “student responses to teachers’ disciplinary techniques can be unpredictable and require quick reactions on the part of the teacher.” This sets the context for the more specific research problem. b. Research Problem As the title of the article suggests, cultural synchronization between the teacher and the students can be influential in discipline. This is illustrated in the authors’ transcription of an interaction among students and the teacher along with commentary. More specifically, the authors note that Ms. Simpson (the teacher) has shifted her language to include dialect that is non-standard English but is closer to the students’ own language. The authors state “Ms. Simpson’s comments, undoubtedly, have altered her professional image from one of “effective educator” to “unprofessional teacher” in the eyes of many teacher educators.” They go on to note “conventional wisdom fails to account for the importance of cultural context when analyzing teacher behaviors.” c. Research Questions/Hypotheses No specific research question or hypothesis is noted, but the authors do address the overall context for their qualitative study. They state that “we argue that researchers and teacher educators must carefully...
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...A Report on Marketing Department: Students’ Expectations & Perceptions University of Chittagong Submitted to Submitted By Mr. Md. Akteruzzaman Group: Abacus (4) Associate Professor Session: 2007- 2008 Department of MSIM Department of MSIM University of Chittagong University Of Chittagong ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Date of submission: 4th May, 2013. Group Details ...
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...promoted as the educational pedagogy of the future. Some experts have gone as far as to predict that the "residential based model," that is, students attending classes at prearranged times and locations will disappear in the near future (Blustain, Goldstein, & Lozier 1999; Drucker 1997). However, one overriding question that must be addressed is how will these new educational delivery approaches that move away from the basic face to face relationship between a professor and students impact student learning and student perceptions of learning. Online learning can be defined as an approach that utilizes Internet technologies to communicate and collaborate in an educational context. This includes technology that supplements traditional classroom training with web-based components and learning environments where the educational process is experienced online. OL is a form of education that is conducted through indirect student teacher interaction and independent study via a variety of media. OL course can be carried out by mail, radio, television and –increasingly nowadays – by way of online learning over the internet. OL is becoming more common with...
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