Authors:Jihye Kim et al. Abstract: Depression, anxiety, and stress are common mental health problems among adolescents. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have found that students who suffer from mental health problems (e.g., ADHD, anxiety, or depression) tend to manifest school and social problems. It is urgent to identify and intervene early to help children with mental health problems to improve their life outcomes. Unfortunately, research has shown that a significant proportion of children who suffer from behavioral or emotional problems remain unidentified because their symptoms are too mild to be noticed through casual observation by caregivers and teachers. As a result, their symptoms continue to develop gradually and eventually become mental illnesses. When mild to moderate symptoms become a noticeable mental illness, treatment becomes long-term, more invasive, and expensive. Early detection of children who are at risk of behavioral or emotional problems is possible through universal mental health screening in the school setting. The present study focused on the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS; Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2007) to identify students who were at mild risk of mental health problems and to examine their academic trajectories over four years. The findings suggest that students at mild risk of behavioral and emotional problems showed similar academic performance as other students. As a result, students with mild to moderate symptoms can be easily overlooked if academic performance were relied on as an indicator of mental health risk. The current results lend support for conducting universal behavioral and emotional risk screening at schools. A brief screener, applied universally, appears to be an effective solution for identifying students at mild risk of behavioral and emotional problems and acting early to prevent these problems from worsening. PubDate: Thu, 10 Feb 2022 12:57:50 PST
Authors:David Glassmeyer et al. Abstract: Feedback is an essential form of communication between the student and teacher. Research has documented the importance of feedback in advancing student mathematical and critical thinking, with renewed recommendations to provide and use feedback in mathematical instruction during the era of COVID-19. Giving personalized feedback in an online environment can be a challenge – especially in a mathematics class. This article summarizes five core principles of feedback, associated strategies for mathematics teachers to provide students virtual feedback, and notes on how we have implemented these strategies in middle school mathematics classes. PubDate: Thu, 10 Feb 2022 12:57:37 PST
Authors:Sinem Arslan Dönmez et al. Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the views of lecturers about the effectiveness of the implementation of the peer-coaching practice conducted at the school of foreign languages of a foundation university. The lecturers who took part in the peer coaching practice in the academic year 2019-2020 acted as the participants in this case study. The qualitative data was collected via interviews and document analysis. Content analysis and descriptive analysis methods were used in the process of data analysis. The findings from the analysis showed that peer-coaching practice consisted of lesson observations, pre and post-observation meetings, and reflection stages. It was concluded that peer-coaching contributed to the instructional and classroom management skills of the lecturers as well as improving relations between colleagues and solidarity in the school. It was also concluded that providing sufficient time and resources and training lecturers about effective communication were essential for the peer-coaching practice to be effective. PubDate: Thu, 10 Feb 2022 12:57:26 PST
Authors:Njeri M. Pringle et al. Abstract: Mathematics anxiety is a reality for many students as a number of community college and four-year university students feel disconnected from math and struggle to pass mathematics courses. Using a case study and grounded theory approach, six remedial mathematics instructors were interviewed and observed to examine their instructional strategies and practices. During the interviews, participants expounded upon the changes in strategies and practices implemented when aiding students struggling with anxiety. The Instructional Triangle was applied across participants to compare and contrast their experiences. The analysis focused on environmental factors that could increase or exacerbate mathematics anxiety. In particular, a theme of creating connections emerged from how teachers assess for and adjust their strategies and practices to support remedial mathematics students struggling with anxiety. Based on the findings, interventions for assisting educators and students in mediating anxiety promoting perspective-taking and empathy are recommended. Such intervention could inform future strategy and practice development, implementation, and evaluation. PubDate: Thu, 10 Feb 2022 12:57:15 PST
Authors:Jennifer L. Brown et al. Abstract: With increased enrollment of non-traditional students and concerns about student retention and degree progression, the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education could serve as a tool for improving course design and delivery within the online learning environment. The participants in this concurrent mixed methods study included 40 education and 68 nursing students. The results of the web-based survey data indicated group differences with the Cooperation among Students and Prompt Feedback subscales. Given professional development, the Seven Principles could be implemented into online courses at little to no cost for an institution to improve student satisfaction, which could lead to increased retention, progression, and graduation. PubDate: Fri, 30 Jul 2021 09:11:12 PDT
Authors:Regina Rahimi et al. Abstract: While the concept of trauma-informed care has been developed in other fields, its development within the field of Education is relatively new (Thomas, Crosby, & Vanderhaar, 2019), However, as the educational field is becoming more and more aware of this approach, we recognize there is a critical need for teachers and other educational professionals to recognize the symptoms of trauma in students, the associated behaviors of trauma-affected students, and instructional and environmental strategies for addressing these to support student success (trauma informed pedagogy). This paper outlines a study examining the extent to which teachers in the region of southeast Georgia are aware of trauma- informed strategies, the theory undergirding the approach, and the resources available to them for addressing issues related to adverse childhood experiences. With participation from over 500 educators in our study, it is clear that there is a strong need to support teachers and provide resources to support trauma-informed practice. PubDate: Fri, 30 Jul 2021 09:10:57 PDT
Authors:Kristen N. Dickens et al. Abstract: Phenomenological analysis was used to explore Georgia rural school principals’ lived experiences of effective school leadership preparedness. Four overarching themes were found: productive/favorable leadership preparation program culture, bridge theory and practice in educational leadership preparation program, multicultural competencies for practice, and recommendations for effective principal preparation. The findings revealed that school leaders need increased experiential learning opportunities, increased assignments applicable to daily leader tasks, and increased cultural awareness and diversity training in their preparation programs. Principal preparation programs should work with school districts to provide purposeful, collaborative, and sustainable professional learning to prepare competent school leaders. Further research includes recruiting more rural school principals to share their experiences and perceptions with principal preparation program providers in an effort to advance aspiring principal training. Implications for practice include equipping aspiring principals with the knowledge and skills to lead for equity to continue to have a pipeline of effective school leaders to serve in Georgia’s traditionally underserved areas. PubDate: Fri, 30 Jul 2021 09:10:44 PDT
Authors:David G. Buckman et al. Abstract: This study aimed to contribute to the empirical literature related to student discipline's influence on teacher job satisfaction. Further, this research aimed to explore the correlation between student discipline and teacher job satisfaction while controlling for the contributing factors of job satisfaction). Also, this research study's results were interpreted through the lens of the Affective Events Theory indicating a person's emotions and behaviors for the workplace may influence their job satisfaction. An Ordinary Least Squares regression found that the correlation between student discipline and teacher job satisfaction was not statistically significant. However, the directionality of the relationship between student discipline and teacher job satisfaction was negative. By studying student discipline and teacher job satisfaction, this research determined that student discipline does harm teacher job satisfaction. PubDate: Fri, 30 Jul 2021 09:10:29 PDT
Authors:Ruchi Bhatnagar et al. Abstract: Most teacher education assessments are criticized for lacking validity and reliability. This study describes the process of developing the Observation of Field Performance rubric to assess initial teacher candidates’ classroom performance and establishing the content validity as well as reliability of the rubric. A panel of content area experts determined that 10 out of 12 items of the rubric were essential and the CVR was above the acceptable range for all 12 items, indicating that the rubric had a strong content validity. Additionally, the analysis of instructors’ ratings on the rubric showed that the rubric had good level of internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Thus, this study determined that the OFP is a reliable and valid measure of candidate performance during field practice. Establishing validity and reliability not only enables teacher education programs to collect high quality assessment data, it is also crucial for program approval and accreditation decisions by national and state agencies. PubDate: Fri, 30 Jul 2021 09:10:15 PDT
Authors:Lisa McNeal et al. Abstract: Many college students struggle with technical difficulties when enrolled in an online or hybrid class. Sometimes students do not even have a choice about online options, such as in the COVID-19 era, when the shift to remote instruction has happened and could happen at any time. Students need support for success in the online environment, yet many support models focus on the immediate problem rather than deeper root causes for the problem or misunderstanding. Traditional support models may use a ticket-based system that strives to quickly resolve the issue at hand. While the ticket-based system has some merit, there is a need for additional support via a technology coaching approach, which was influenced by writing center philosophies. This type of approach can focus on teaching students proper netiquette, appropriate techniques, and basic computer skills, which will enable them to succeed not just in a single online course but also in an online program or an eventual work environment. The article concludes with a discussion of collaboration and the importance of slow thinking, a concept inspired by the Slow Food movement which actively encourages problem solving and reflection. PubDate: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:17:31 PST
Authors:Fuat Findikoglu et al. Abstract: This study aims to review and provide new perspectives for academic goal orientation. The study introduces first chronological history of goal orientation and depicts how goal orientation evolved into a new construct in learning from the discussion on motivational factors. At first, this study isolates goal orientation from motivation and provides novel insights into goal orientation as a separated factor affecting learning. Then, this study provides analyses of the adaptation work of the academic goal orientation questionnaire into the Turkish language. The translated scale was applied to a sample of 729 undergraduate students, 376 (51.6%) of which were female and 353 (48.4%) of which were male students at a state university in Turkey. For the structure validity of the translated scale, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a three-factor structure of thirteen items accounting for 66.5% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis results suggested that the tested model of the translated scale yielded satisfactory goodness of fit. The total score of the translated academic goal orientation instrument is reliable (Cronbach’s α = .84). The literature and the results from the application of the instrument suggest that the translated instrument offers valuable input into the curricula and syllabi in higher education in addition to providing insights to lecturers about the perceptions of the students towards the courses. PubDate: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:08:56 PST
Authors:Sheffield L. Dacia et al. Abstract: The following autoethnography was completed by two graduate students at University A learning to enact teaching for social justice while building content underpinnings in statistics at University B. The authors present a research base for teaching for social justice followed by a description of their lesson, observations during enactment, and reflection of change in beliefs about teaching for social justice afterward. Findings in this study are shared from the authors’ personal perspectives through the enactment of teaching a lesson for social justice in an undergraduate statistics course at University B. Implications provide encouragement that the inclusion of social justice topics in undergraduate and graduate level teacher educator coursework may improve teacher attention to equity in practice. PubDate: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:08:40 PST
Authors:Juliann Sergi McBrayer et al. Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of undergraduate management students at one Georgia institution of higher education regarding the importance of academic qualifications and professional experiences possessed by their management faculty. The study addressed the importance of these attributes to include relevant practical experience, traditional academic training, scholarly productivity, higher education institutions attended, and level of engagement with the business community. This quantitative study surveyed 70 upper-level management students using Likert categories to provide an exploratory view of attributes that today’s students view as important in faculty. The findings ranked attributes of relevant professional experience more important than academic qualifications such as scholarly research activities across all demographics as related to their importance of gaining a quality management education. This study may provide insight into the attributes that students deem important in faculty in an effort to support student success, as well as inform accreditation mandates, determine faculty ratios of academic versus professional faculty, make hiring decisions, and address compensation issues of academic versus professional faculty. As well, this study and extended research may provide insight into improving outcomes for higher education’s community stakeholders to meet the dynamic demands of business. Additionally, this research could extend to varied types of industry that require professional experiences such as educational leadership and nursing to better prepare students for the workforce. PubDate: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:08:23 PST
Authors:Alison Johnson et al. Abstract: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effect of teacher professional development for working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and teacher (N = 56) self-efficacy in the general education classroom. A pretest/posttest quasi-experimental research design was implemented. Teachers in one randomly assigned school received professional development training on research-based practices in working with students with autism to determine if the training had any effect on their perceived self-efficacy ratings and teachers in the other school were randomly assigned to serve as the control (i.e., no additional professional development training was provided during the research phase). Results showed that the training had a large positive effect on teacher self-efficacy ratings regarding working with students with autism in the inclusion classroom. Findings tentatively show the need and importance for the provision of more professional development training to general education teachers for working with students with autism to improve teacher self-efficacy and to provide the most effective and inclusive educational experience possible. PubDate: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:08:09 PST
Authors:Alyssa Martin Abstract: This teacher reflection includes tips on family communication during a crisis. The reflection includes notes from the field on the transition to digital learning due to COVID and how to increase family communication when students are not able to be physically present in school. PubDate: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:53:47 PDT
Authors:Tori Nagle Abstract: This piece summarizes one teacher's experiences during the abrupt move to digital learning due to COVID 19. This is not a full research study. PubDate: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:53:37 PDT
Authors:Elizabeth Hendy et al. Abstract: This research examined the effectiveness that the Instructional Conversations (ICs) teaching method had on elementary-aged English Language Learning (ELLs) students. Specifically, how ICs impact student academic achievement, academic language usage, and student engagement. The study compared two first grade classrooms, 39 participants, consisting of majority ELL students. The experimental group received math instruction through Instructional Conversation activities while the comparison group was taught using traditional math instruction and centers. After controlling for initial ability in math, results indicated that ICs did not lead to an increase of academic achievement or academic language usage when compared to students taught through traditional instruction. Results did show that engagement increased when taught using ICs. With an increase in engagement combined with a decrease in academic acquisition, results suggest that ICs should be used with caution when teaching content related material. PubDate: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:53:26 PDT
Authors:Valeisha Ellis et al. Abstract: This mixed-methods study sought to examine teacher education candidates’ practice-based field experiences and relationships with a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and an urban P-12 school. As informed by the Networked Improvement Community (NIC) and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) conceptual frameworks, the three phases of data collection indicated highly favorable results of desired objectives for an innovative, authentic field experience for local pre-service teacher candidates and P-12 partners. The study also evidences a positive effect on students’ achievement as a result of this field experience. Recommendations for future research, education preparation programs, and building partnerships with P-12 schools are discussed. PubDate: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:53:12 PDT
Authors:Anna Hart Abstract: Clinical field experience is recognized by many as the most influential and beneficial component of pre-service teacher education. The present article represents part of a larger qualitative meta-synthesis, the purpose of which was to explore the influence of the interpersonal dynamics of the supervisory triad—comprised of the pre-service teacher candidate, the mentor teacher, and the university supervisor—on pre-service candidates’ clinical experiences. Positioning theory was chosen to frame this investigation, as it employs distinct definitions for role and position, the delineation of which is of critical importance in the context of pre-service clinical relationships. Findings of the larger study reveal three primary factors of influence, four primary patterns of communication, and many modes of positioning of self and others as influential to pre-service teachers’ clinical experiences. This article addresses those findings regarding factors of influence and modes of positioning, the implications of which are discussed through the lens of positioning theory and in connection to practice in the field. PubDate: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:53:01 PDT
Authors:Scarlet Hughes et al. Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency with which students use math word problem strategies during and after schema-based instruction. It examines the extent to which students increase their ability to correctly solve word problems. It compares students’ attitudes toward mathematics problem solving before and after schema-based instruction. The study was conducted in a resource class with seven second-grade students on individualized education programs (IEPs). A single-subject research design was used. The schema-based instruction was implemented by the special education teacher in a small group setting. Students showed an increase in attempted and correct strategy use during instruction. Three students increased their attempts of strategy use from pretest to posttest, but only one student used the strategy correctly on all attempts. The mean problem-solving accuracy increased from 22 percent to 34 percent from pretest to posttest. Students showed minimal change in their attitude toward math word problems. PubDate: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:52:50 PDT
Open Access journal
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