Sample records for teacher enhancement project

  1. National Writing Project's Multimodal Literacies and Teacher Collaboration: Enhanced Student Learning on Global Social Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iyengar, Kalpana; Hood, Caleb

    2016-01-01

    Iyengar and Hood, both teacher consultants with the San Antonio Writing Project (SAWP), and instructors of an undergraduate society and social issues class, collaborated to enhance their undergraduate students' writing experiences using the National Writing Project model (Lieberman & Wood, 2003). Iyengar and Hood used strategies such as…

  2. Collaborative Teacher Learning: Findings from Two Professional Development Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Erickson, G.; Minnes Brandes, G.; Mitchell, I.; Mitchell, J.

    2005-01-01

    This article discusses two projects that were aimed at enhancing the opportunities for professional development of the participants through collaboration between classroom teachers and teacher educators. The two projects, the Australian Project for Enhancing Effective Learning (PEEL) and the Canadian Learning Strategies Group (LSG), focused on the…

  3. Enhancing Teacher and Student Engagement and Understanding of Marine Science Through Classroom Citizen Science Projects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goodale, T. A.

    2016-02-01

    Overview This paper presentation shares findings from a granted funded project that sought to expand teacher content knowledge and pedagogy within the fields of marine science and coastal resource management through the implementation of classroom citizen science projects. A secondary goal was to increase middle and high school student interest and participation in marine science and natural resources research. Background A local science & engineering fair has seen a rapid decline in secondary student participants in the past four years. Research has demonstrated that when students are a part of a system of knowledge production (citizen science) they become much more aware, involved and conscious of scientific concepts compared to traditional school laboratory and nature of science activities. This project's primary objectives were to: (a) enhance teacher content expertise in marine science, (b) enrich teacher professional learning, (c) support citizen science classroom projects and inspire student activism and marine science engagement. Methods Project goals were addressed through classroom and meaningful outdoor educational experiences that put content knowledge into field based practices. Teachers learned to apply thier expanded content knowlege through classroom citizen science projects that focus on marine resource conservation issues such as fisheries management, water quality, turtle nesting and biodiversity of coastal ecosystems. These projects would eventually become potential topics of citizen science research topics for their students to pursue. Upon completion of their professional development, participants were urged to establish student Marine Science clubs with the goal of mentoring student submissions into the local science fair. Supplemental awards were possible for the students of project participants. Findings Based on project measures participants significantly increased their knowledge and awareness of presented material marine science and

  4. Teacher Enhancement Institute

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Marshall-Bradley, Tina

    1994-01-01

    During the 1980's, a period of intense concern over educational quality in the United States, few indicators of U.S. student achievement garnered the interest of policy makers and pundits as successfully as the results of international testing in mathematics and science. This concern was so great that as a part of the Goals 2000 initiative, President George Bush indicated that 'By the year 2000, U.S. students should be first in the world in mathematics and science.' The Clinton Administration is placing a major emphasis, not only on rigorous academic standards and creating a new system for assessing students' progress, but also including professional development as a major focus. The argument being that teachers need more sustained, intensive training to prepare them to teach to higher standards. Executive order 12821 mandates that national laboratories 'assist in the mathematics and science education of our Nation's students, teachers, parents and the public by establishing programs at their agency to provide for training elementary and secondary school teachers to improve their knowledge of mathematics and science'. These and other issues led to the development of ideas for a project that addresses the need for excellence in mathematics, science and technology instruction. In response to these initiatives the NASA/LaRC Teacher Enhancement Institute was proposed. The TEI incorporated systemic reform perspectives, enhanced content knowledge for teachers, and teacher preparation. Emphasis was also placed on recruiting those educators who teach in impoverished urban school districts with at-risk student populations who have been traditionally under represented in science, mathematics, technology and engineering. Participants in the Teacher Enhancement Institute were 37 teachers from grades K-8, teaching in Region 2 in the state of Virginia, as well as 2 preservice teachers from Norfolk State University and one teacher from Dublin, Virginia, where a Science

  5. Enhancing Teacher Efficacy and Pedagogical Practices amongst General and Special Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coleman, Michael

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this action research project was to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to acquire information in teacher efficacy from the viewpoint of teachers themselves so that pedagogical practices could be enhanced to better serve the special needs student population. In this study, the relationship between teachers' perception of…

  6. A Phenomenological Research Study of the Experience of Teachers in the Virgin Islands Teacher Enhancement in Mathematics and Science Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thurland, Karen C.

    The purpose of conducting this study was to describe the experience of elementary teachers in a mathematics and science staff development project in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The focus of this study was to describe the meaning teachers attribute to their experience in this three year project, in which many of the national mathematics and science reform efforts were implemented. A phenomenological approach was used in order to develop a complete picture of the teachers' experiences. Data collection consisted of interviews with seven elementary teachers. The data were subjective descriptions of the teachers pertaining to the initial summer institute, the follow-up sessions, and the new innovative methods. The transcendental phenomenological model was used. The textural and structural themes included enhanced learning and changes in teaching practice, and interactions with colleagues. From these themes, individual and composite textual descriptions of the experience of the teacher participants were developed. The synthesis of those descriptions illuminated the meanings and essence of their lived experience. The findings indicate that the essence of the experience was the development of a positive attitude towards the teaching of math and science. The teachers gained confidence in their ability to motivate students with the inquiry method and taught more math and science. The implications for the Virgin Islands Department of Education include establishing a partnership with the local university to offer staff development training in mathematics and science and to conduct evaluations of its training efforts.

  7. The Electronic Enhancement of Supervision Project (EESP).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shea, Catherine; Babione, Carolyn

    To address the shortage of special education teachers in rural areas, Indiana University Southeast designed the Electronic Enhancement of Supervision Project (EESP) to integrate technology with supervision training of special education teachers. The goal of EESP is to strengthen the supply and quality of special education teachers through better…

  8. Teacher Enhancement and Preparation Programs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1995-01-01

    These two programs provide opportunities for K-12 teachers of mathematics, science, and technology to spend two weeks at a NASA center learning about aeronautics and space. Participants are selected by peer review from a contracting agent that assists NASA in administering the program. Each teacher receives a stipend that covers the cost of travel, housing, meals, and graduate credit. NEWMAST provides for approximately 100 secondary teachers, and NEWTEST is a program designed to meet the needs of approximately 125 elementary teachers each summer. Teachers are provided with a wide variety of experiences including research laboratory observations, presentations, and 'shadowships'. Individual and team projects are used to enhance the participants knowledge of space and aeronautics and to motivate the teachers to incorporate the summer workshop activities into their classrooms.

  9. Enhancing Scientific Inquiry Literacy of Prospective Biology Teachers through Inquiry Lab Project in Microbiology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kusnadi, K.; Rustaman, N. Y.; Redjeki, S.; Aryantha, I. N. P.

    2017-09-01

    The implementation of the inquiry laboratory based project to enhance scientific inquiry literacy of prospective biology teachers in Microbiology course has been done. The inquiry lab based project was designed by three stages were debriefing of basic microbiology lab skills, guided inquiry and free inquiry respectively. The Study was quasi experimental with control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were prospective biology teachers consists of 80 students. The scientific inquiry literacy instrument refers to ScInqLiT by Wenning. The results showed that there was significant difference of scientific inquiry literacy posttest scores between experiment and control (α 0,05) and was obtained N-gain score was 0.49 (medium) to experiment and 0.24 (low) to control. Based on formative assessment showed that development of student’s scientific attitude, research and microbiology lab skills during conducting project were increased. Student’s research skills especially in identification of variables, constructing a hypothesis, communicating and concluding were increased. During implementation of inquiry project also showed that they carried out mind and hands-on and so collaborative group investigation lab activities. Our findings may aid in reforming higher-education, particularly in microbiology laboratory activities to better promote scientific inquiry literacy, scientific attitude, research and laboratory skills.

  10. Teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nammungkhun, Wisanugorn; Satchukorn, Sureerat; Saenpuk, Nudchanard; Yuenyong, Chokchai; Chantharanuwong, Warawun

    2018-01-01

    This paper aimed to clarify teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning. The study applied the lens of sociocultural view of learning to discuss teachers' learning about research. Participants included teachers who participated in the project of thinking research schools: research for enhancing students' thinking skills. The project of thinking research schools provided participants chance to learn knowledge about research and thinking research, doing research and publication, and participate in the international conference. Methodology regarded ethnographic research. The tools of interpretation included participant observation, interview, and document analysis. The researchers as participants of the research project of thinking research schools tried to clarify what they learned about research from their way of seeing the view of research about enhancing students' thinking skills through participant observation. The findings revealed what and how teachers as apprenticeship learn about research through legitimate peripheral participation in the research project community of practice. The paper clarified teachers' conceptualization about research for enhancing students' thinking through the workshop, doing research, writing up research article with supported by experts, presenting research in the international conference, editing their research article on the way of publishing, and so on.

  11. The PISCES Project: How Teacher-Scientist Partners can Enhance Elementary Science Instruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reif, C.; Oechel, W.

    2003-12-01

    The PISCES Project (Partnerships Involving the Scientific Community in Elementary Schools www.sdsa.org/pisces) is an innovative program that brings high quality standards-based elementary science curriculum and hands-on laboratory materials into San Diego County's classrooms. The project is funded by the NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) program. The project was designed and is administered through cooperation among faculty at San Diego State University and the Science Department of the San Diego County Office of Education. Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in science programs in San Diego area universities including San Diego State University, California State University San Marcos, and University of California San Diego partner with elementary school teachers. Through this partnership, the scientist brings scientific expertise to the classroom while the teacher delivers the lesson using current pedagogic methods. This is accomplished during a 3 month partnership in which the scientist joins the teacher in the classroom a few days each week to complete professional kit-based curriculum such as that available from FOSS (Full Option Science System) and STC (Science and Technology for Children). The teachers remain in the program for two years during which they have continuous access to the kit-based curriculum as well as two to three partnership cycles. Teachers receive assistance outside of the classroom as well attending professional development institutes three times a year to establish and maintain effective science teaching methods. The San Diego Science Alliance and other community and industry supporters provide the additionalfunding necessary to provide this teacher professional development Currenty, PISCES is present in over 40 schools and is able to provide partnerships to over 100 classrooms each year. In addition to the work done in San Diego, the project has expanded to Barrow, Alaska with plans to expand to La Paz

  12. Effective Professional Development for Teacher Leaders: Lessons Learned from K-6 Mathematics Teacher Enhancement Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Friel, Susan N.; Bright, George W.

    The National Science Foundation (NSF) has supported a wide variety of teacher enhancement projects in order to identify and explore strategies that are effective in bringing genuine, long-term teacher change, and, ultimately, long-term systemic change in schools. In November 1994, with funding provided from NSF (Grant Number ESI-9452859), a small,…

  13. The Impact of a Teacher Education Culture-Based Project on Identity as a Mathematically Thinking Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owens, Kay

    2014-01-01

    Identity as a mathematics teacher is enhanced when a teacher explores the cultural setting of their mathematics. The reports of projects that link culture and mathematics were analysed to explore the impact of sociocultural situations together with affective and cognitive aspects of self-regulation on identity. The reports were written by…

  14. The Mwanje Project: Engaging Preservice Teachers in Global Service Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doppen, Frans H.; Tesar, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    This article reports the findings of a study that engaged preservice social studies teachers at two institutions of higher education in Ohio and West Virginia in a service learning to benefit the Mwanje school in Malawi. The findings suggest that despite some initial levels of apprehension the project enhanced the student teachers' global…

  15. Research Experiences in Teacher Preparation: Effectiveness of the Green Bank preservice teacher enhancement program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hemler, Debra A.

    1997-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the preservice teacher component of the Research Experiences in Teacher Preparation (RETP) project aimed at enhancing teacher perceptions of the nature of science, science research, and science teaching. Data was collected for three preservice teacher groups during the three phases of the program: (I) a one week institute held at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia where teachers performed astronomy research using a 40 foot diameter radio telescope; (II) a secondary science methods course; and (III) student teaching placements. Four Likert-type instruments were developed and administered pre and post-institute to assess changes in perceptions of science, attitudes toward research, concerns about implementing research in the classroom, and evaluation of the institute. Instruments were re-administered following the methods course and student teaching. Observations of classroom students conducting research were completed for seven preservice teacher participants in their student teaching placements. Analysis, using t-tests, showed a significant increase in preservice teachers perceptions of their ability to do research. Preservice teachers were not concerned about implementing research in their placements. No significant change was measured in their understanding of the nature of science and science teaching. Concept maps demonstrated a significant increase in radio astronomy content knowledge. Participants responded that the value of institute components, quality of the research elements, and preparation for implementing research in the classroom were "good" to "excellent". Following the methods course (Phase II) no significant change in their understanding of the nature of science or concerns about implementing projects in the classroom were measured. Of the 7 preservice teachers who were observed implementing research projects, 5 projects were consistent with the Green

  16. A Phenomenological Research Study of the Experience of Teachers in the Virgin Islands Teacher Enhancement in Mathematics and Science Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thurland, Karen C.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of conducting this study was to describe the experience of elementary teachers in a mathematics and science staff development project in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The focus of this study was to describe the meaning teachers attribute to their experience in this three year project, in which many of the national mathematics and science…

  17. Technology Education Professional Enhancement Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hughes, Thomas A., Jr.

    1996-01-01

    The two goals of this project are: the use of integrative field of aerospace technology to enhance the content and instruction delivered by math, science, and technology teachers through the development of a new publication entitled NASA Technology Today, and to develop a rationale and structure for the study of technology, which establishes the foundation for developing technology education standards and programs of the future.

  18. The SUPERCOMET 2 Project: Teacher Seminar and Teacher Guide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Engstrom, V.; Ireson, G.; Latal, H.; Mathelitsch, L.; Michelini, M.; Peeters, W.; Rath, G.

    2008-05-01

    The Leonardo da Vinci pilot projects SUPERCOMET (2001-2004) and SUPERCOMET 2 (2004-2007) developed and tested teacher training materials for active, minds-on learning of electromagnetism and superconductivity at the level of upper secondary school. New multimedia materials for the pupils supported the teacher materials, including a teacher seminar in 4 half-day modules detailing the scientific contents, teaching methods, using ICT in physics teaching and learning, online collaboration and further resources for exploring the selected topics. The aim of these projects were to improve the quality of physics teaching on a European level, involving a combined total of 45 partners in 16 countries, and conducting trials at 67 schools with approx. 230 teachers, 280 trainee teachers and 2200 pupils. New follow-up projects develop hands-on materials for carrying out the activities described in the teacher guide and seminars and additional teacher materials involving modelling, simulations and data logging.

  19. A Project to Enhance Superintendents' Knowledge and Application of Characteristics of High Quality Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pummill, Bret L.; Edson, Jerry C.; Loftin, Michelle M.; Robinson, Matthew A.

    2011-01-01

    This report describes a problem based learning project focusing on superintendents' knowledge of the characteristics of high quality teachers. Current research findings offer evidence teacher quality is an important school variable related to student achievement. School district leaders are faced with the problem of identifying the characteristics…

  20. MTU-pre-service teacher enhancement program. Final report, September 1992--May 1995

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Anderson, C.S.; Yarroch, W.J.

    1996-01-01

    The MTU Pre-Service Teacher Enhancement Program was a two year extended project designed to introduce a select group of science and engineering undergraduate students, with good {open_quotes}people skills,{close_quotes} to the teaching profession. Participants were paid for their time spent with area teacher/mentors and were involved in a variety of in school activities, projects and observations to illustrate the teaching profession. They were encouraged to consider the teaching profession as a future career option. The student participants, however, were under no obligation to enter the Teacher Education Program at the conclusion of the program.

  1. Teacher-Training Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greer, Leslie

    1977-01-01

    The Sociedade Brasileira de Cultura Inglesa of Sao Paolo, Brazil, is an English teaching center which also runs an introductory course to train teachers of English. This article describes some of the projects completed by prospective teachers; they include language games, pictures, cartoons, role-playing and writing creative dialogue. (CHK)

  2. A Study of NSF Teacher Enhancement Program (TEP) Participants and Principal Investigators: 1984-1989. Volume I: Summary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abt Associates, Inc., Cambridge, MA.

    The National Science Foundation (NSF) supported more than 600 inservice teacher training programs between 1984 and 1989 under its Teacher Enhancement Program (TEP). Two studies were undertaken of TEP: the first was a survey of the 600 Principal Investigators (PIs) who had operated inservice teacher enhancement projects and the second, a survey of…

  3. Enhancing Science and Mathematics Teacher Education: Evaluating an Enhancement Module for Science Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woolcott, Geoff; Whannell, Robert; Pfeiffer, Linda; Yeigh, Tony; Donnelly, James; Scott, Amanda

    2017-01-01

    Motivated and well-trained science and mathematics teachers are a requirement for sustaining an industrialised economy. The Australian government has funded several projects to satisfy this requirement designed to improve pre-service teacher (PST) education in regional and rural Australia. One such project uses a collaboration nexus model with…

  4. Report on the Partnership for Excellence in Teacher Education: An NSF Funded Project (NSF DUE-9343612).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blake, Sally; Tchoshanov, Mourat; Della-Piana, Connie Kubo; Pacheco, Arturo; Brady, Tom

    2001-01-01

    Reports on the Partnership for Excellence in Teacher Education (PETE), an NSF-funded project to promote reform in mathematics and science teacher preparation that features the redesign of teacher preparation to reflect current research on learning and teaching. Concludes that new tools of technology have the potential for enhancing education but…

  5. The TRUST Project: A Formal-Informal Teacher Education Partnership for the Promotion of Earth Science Teacher Certification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sloan, H.; Miele, E.; Powell, W.; MacDonald, M.

    2004-12-01

    The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in partnership with Lehman and Brooklyn Colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY) has initiated The Teacher Renewal for Urban Science Teaching (TRUST) project. TRUST combines informal and formal teacher education in a four-year initiative to enhance professional development and masters of science education programs, grades K-8 at Brooklyn College and 7-12 at Lehman College. This NSF-funded partnership brings together the resources of AMNH, CUNY, New York City school districts, New York City Department of Education-Museum Partnerships, and the expertise of scientists and teachers with research experiences. Following an initial planning year, TRUST will recruit and sustain 90 teachers over a period of 3 years as well as engage 30 school administrators in support of Earth science instruction. Program components include two new formal Earth systems science courses, intensive informal summer institutes, and a lecture and workshop series during which participants gain new Earth science content knowledge, develop action plans, and present their work on the local and national level. In addition, participants have access to ongoing resource and material support to enhance their learning and instruction. Continuous documentation and data collection by project investigators are being used to address questions regarding the impact various aspects of the TRUST participant experience on classroom instruction and learning, the acquisition of scientific knowledge in the new courses and institutes, and to examine the nature of the Museum experience in meeting certification goals. External formative and summative evaluation of the project is addressing issues surrounding the value of the program as a model for formal-informal partnership in urban Earth science teacher education and certification, analysis of policies that facilitate partnership arrangements, and how socialization of novices with experts affects retention and

  6. Enhancing Teacher Efficacy in Special Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDaniel, Elizabeth A.; McCarthy, Holly DiBella

    1989-01-01

    A special education teacher's sense of teaching efficacy and personal teaching efficacy influences teacher motivation and effort, teacher-student interactions, and student achievement. Methods for enhancing teachers' sense of efficacy are suggested. (JDD)

  7. Tools to Assess the Impact of Teacher Enhancement Programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heatherly, S. A.; Maddalena, R. J.; Govett, A.; Hemler, D.

    1997-05-01

    Beginning in 1994, the NRAO has hosted an NSF-funded program, ``Research Experience in Teacher Preparation (RETP),'' in which inservice and preservice science teachers participate in residential institutes lasting one or two weeks. While on site, they conduct open-ended investigations using a 40-foot diameter working radio telescope. The aim of RETP has been to deepen and personalize participants' understanding of the nature of science, and to assist them in applying their newfound knowledge to their classroom teaching. So far RETP, and the teacher enhancement programs from which it evolved, have trained 434 inservice and 69 preservice teachers. The impact of the research experience on teachers' perceptions of themselves as professionals and their views of science was initially assessed through open-ended questionnaires and participant journals. From teachers' responses we learned that the research experience has a profound, positive influence on participants' views of science and increased their confidence in using research-based teaching methods. However, determining what actually happens in the classroom is harder to evaluate and requires a more structured approach. Therefore, to determine what changes occurred in teachers and their students, five survey instruments were developed. The instruments: 1) assess changes in teachers' perceptions of their ability to conduct research; 2) gauge teachers' perceptions of three aspects of the institute; 3) measure changes in teachers' concerns about implementing classroom research projects; 4) evaluate the development of teachers' understanding into the nature of science; and 5) determine changes in their students' perceptions of science and science class. To increase the reliability of the instruments, the survey questions were tested for internal consistency. Early results show that the RETP program has significantly affected participants and their students. These instruments are useful not only for evaluating this

  8. Secretary's Discretionary Program: Planning Grant To Develop Teacher Incentive Projects. Final Report. Support for Innovative Teacher Projects.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gittman, Elizabeth; Gottlieb, Karen

    Support for Innovative Teacher Projects was a 12-month program implemented by the Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) of Nassau County, New York, designed to encourage and assist teachers in developing innovative projects in priority areas and in applying for funding. In collaboration with a university school of education, the project…

  9. Documentation Panels Enhance Teacher Education Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warash, Bobbie Gibson

    2005-01-01

    Documentation of children's projects is advantageous to their learning process and is also a good method for student teachers to observe the process of learning. Documentation panels are a unique way to help student teachers understand how children learn. Completing a panel requires a student teacher to think through a process. Teachers must learn…

  10. Teachers Teaching Teachers: The Belen Goals 2000 Professional Development Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norton, Priscilla; Sprague, Debra

    Belen Public Schools (New Mexico) received a Goals 2000 grant for teacher education and technology integration. The Belen Goals 2000 professional development project established two three-day teachers-teaching-teachers workshops. The first focused on using an integrated software package and the second focused on using e-mail and the Internet.…

  11. Enhancing Teachers' Technological Knowledge and Assessment Practices to Enhance Student Learning in Technology: A Two-year Classroom Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreland, Judy; Jones, Alister; Northover, Ann

    2001-02-01

    This paper reports on a two-year classroom investigation of primary school (Years 1-8) technology education. The first year of the project explored emerging classroom practices in technology. In the second year intervention strategies were developed to enhance teaching, learning and assessment practices. Findings from the first year revealed that assessment was often seen in terms of social and managerial aspects, such as teamwork, turn taking and co-operative skills, rather than procedural and conceptual technological aspects. Existing formative interactions with students distorted the learning away from the procedural and conceptual aspects of the subject. The second year explored the development of teachers' technological knowledge in order to enhance formative assessment practices in technology, to inform classroom practice in technology, and to enhance student learning. Intervention strategies were designed to enhance the development of procedural, conceptual, societal and technical aspects of technology for teachers and students. The results from this intervention were very positive. This paper highlights the importance of developing teacher expertise pertaining to broad concepts of technology, detailed concepts in different technological areas and general pedagogical knowledge. The findings from this research therefore have implications for thinking about teaching, learning and assessment in technology.

  12. Enhancing mathematics teachers' quality through Lesson Study.

    PubMed

    Lomibao, Laila S

    2016-01-01

    The efficiency and effectivity of the learning experience is dependent on the teacher quality, thus, enhancing teacher's quality is vital in improving the students learning outcome. Since, the usual top-down one-shot cascading model practice for teachers' professional development in Philippines has been observed to have much information dilution, and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization demanded the need to develop mathematics teachers' quality standards through the Southeast Asia Regional Standards for Mathematics Teachers (SEARS-MT), thus, an intensive, ongoing professional development model should be provided to teachers. This study was undertaken to determine the impact of Lesson Study on Bulua National High School mathematics teachers' quality level in terms of SEARS-MT dimensions. A mixed method of quantitative-qualitative research design was employed. Results of the analysis revealed that Lesson Study effectively enhanced mathematics teachers' quality and promoted teachers professional development. Teachers positively perceived Lesson Study to be beneficial for them to become a better mathematics teacher.

  13. Technology-Enhanced Science Partnership Initiative: Impact on Secondary Science Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ng, Wan; Fergusson, Jennifer

    2017-07-01

    The issue of student disengagement in school science continues to pose a threat to lifting the participation rates of students undertaking STEM courses and careers in Australia and other countries globally. In Australia, several science initiatives to reverse the problem have been funded over the last two decades. Many of these initiatives involve partnerships with scientists, science educators and with industries, as is the case in this paper. The research in this paper investigated a recent partnership initiative between secondary science teachers, scientists and an educational technology company to produce science e-modules on adaptive learning platforms, enabling students to engage in personalised, inquiry-based learning and the investigation of real-world problems. One of the objectives of the partnership project was to build theoretical and pedagogical skills in teachers to deliver science by exposing them to new ways of engaging students with new digital tools, for example analytics. Using a mixed methods approach, the research investigated science teachers' pedagogical involvement in the partnership project and their perceptions of the project's impact on their teaching and students' learning. The findings indicate that the teachers believed that new technology could enhance their teaching and students' learning and that while their students were motivated by the online modules, there was still a need for scaffolding for many of the students. The effectiveness of this would depend on the teachers' ability to internalise the new technological and content knowledge resulting from the partnership and realign them with their existing pedagogical framework. The research is significant in identifying elements for successful partnership projects as well as challenges that need to be considered. It is significant in facilitating continuous discourse about new evidence-based pedagogical approaches to science education in engaging students to learn STEM subjects in a

  14. Key Issue: Enhancing Teacher Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, 2007

    2007-01-01

    "Teachers are leaders when they function in professional communities to affect student learning; contribute to school improvement; inspire excellence in practice; and empower stakeholders to participate in educational improvement" (Childs-Bowen, Moller, & Scrivner, 2000, p. 28). Enhancing teacher leadership can help schools and districts reach the…

  15. Teacher-Researchers in the "Zone of Proximal Development": Insights for Teacher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torres, Myriam N.

    This study is part of a larger project on teacher research and professional development in the Teacher Enhancement Program (TEP), a master's degree mid-career collaborative program for inservice teachers. Research was initially planned and implemented as a new course which required teachers to do a Systematic Inquiry Project (SIP) in their…

  16. Teachers as Designers of Technology Enhanced Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kali, Yael; McKenney, Susan; Sagy, Ornit

    2015-01-01

    While the benefits of teacher involvement in designing technology enhanced learning are acknowledged in the literature, far less is known about shaping that involvement to yield those benefits. Research is needed to understand how teachers learn through design; how teacher design activities may be supported; and how teacher involvement in design…

  17. The Canada/China Teacher Education Project: A Chinese Initiative.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fahmy, Jane Jackson; And Others

    In 1991, Saint Mary's University (SMU) (Canada) and Beijing Normal University (BNU) (China) began an 18-month joint teacher education project intended to meet professional needs of BNU foreign language teachers. The project had three components: professional development of teachers; adaptation of the existing national curriculum to meet special…

  18. Teacher and Student Intrinsic Motivation in Project-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lam, Shui-fong; Cheng, Rebecca Wing-yi; Ma, William Y. K.

    2009-01-01

    In this study we examined the relationship between teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning. The participants were 126 Hong Kong secondary school teachers and their 631 students who completed evaluation questionnaires after a semester-long project-based learning program. Both teachers and students were asked to indicate…

  19. 34 CFR 461.33 - What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What are special experimental demonstration projects...? § 461.33 What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects? (a) In... personnel in programs designed to carry out the purposes of the Act; and (ii) Training professional teachers...

  20. 34 CFR 461.33 - What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What are special experimental demonstration projects...? § 461.33 What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects? (a) In... personnel in programs designed to carry out the purposes of the Act; and (ii) Training professional teachers...

  1. 34 CFR 461.33 - What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What are special experimental demonstration projects...? § 461.33 What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects? (a) In... personnel in programs designed to carry out the purposes of the Act; and (ii) Training professional teachers...

  2. 34 CFR 461.33 - What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are special experimental demonstration projects...? § 461.33 What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects? (a) In... personnel in programs designed to carry out the purposes of the Act; and (ii) Training professional teachers...

  3. 34 CFR 461.33 - What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What are special experimental demonstration projects...? § 461.33 What are special experimental demonstration projects and teacher training projects? (a) In... personnel in programs designed to carry out the purposes of the Act; and (ii) Training professional teachers...

  4. An in-depth study of a teacher engaged in an innovative primary science trial professional development project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watters, James J.; Ginns, Ian S.

    1997-03-01

    The implementation of effective science programmes in primary schools is of continuing interest and concern for professional developers. As part of the Australian Academy of science's approach to creating an awareness of Primary Investigations, a project team trialed a series of satellite television broadcasts of lessons related to two units of the curriculum for Year 3 and 4 children in 48 participating schools. The professional development project entitled Simply Science, included a focused component for the respective classroom teachers, which was also conducted by satellite. This paper reports the involvement of a Year 4 teacher in the project and describes her professional growth. Already an experienced and confident teacher, no quantitative changes in science teaching self efficacy were detected. However, her pedagogical content knowledge and confidence to teach science in the concept areas of matter and energy were enhanced. Changes in the teacher's views about the co-operative learning strategies espoused by Primary Investigations were also evident. Implications for the design of professional development programmes for primary science teachers are discussed.

  5. Teachers' Views about the Use of Tablet Computers Distributed in Schools as Part of the Fatih Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gökmen, Ömer Faruk; Duman, Ibrahim; Akgün, Özcan Erkan

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' views about the use of tablet computers distributed as a part of the FATIH (Movement for Enhancing Opportunities and Improving Technology) Project. In this study, the case study method, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The participants were 20 teachers from various fields…

  6. Style Is the Teacher. A Report of the Teacher Characteristics Project, 1967-68.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Augenstein, Mildred B.

    The Teacher Characteristics Project, one of the five undertaken as part of the design of an individualized instructional system for Dade County Schools, was set up to study the role of the teacher in the new system. A survey of literature, research, and projected strategies pointed up these trends and generalizations: (1) a shift in emphasis from…

  7. Project ESCAPE; A Performance-Based Teacher Education Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vigo County School Corp., Terre Haute, IN.

    Project ESCAPE is sponsored by the Vigo County School Corporation of Terre Haute, Indiana, with the cooperation of Indiana State University. The unique characteristic of this project is that it is a competency-based teacher education program that has been created, tested, and implemented by practicing professional teachers. It is based on the…

  8. Informal teacher communities enhancing the professional development of medical teachers: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    van Lankveld, Thea; Schoonenboom, Judith; Kusurkar, Rashmi; Beishuizen, Jos; Croiset, Gerda; Volman, Monique

    2016-04-14

    Informal peer learning is a particularly powerful form of learning for medical teachers, although it does not always occur automatically in the departments of medical schools. In this article, the authors explore the role of teacher communities in enhancing informal peer learning among undergraduate medical teachers. Teacher communities are groups of teachers who voluntarily gather on a regular basis to develop and share knowledge. Outside of medical education, these informal teacher communities have proved to be an effective means of enhancing peer learning of academic teachers. The processes underlying this outcome are, however, not known. This study therefore aims to explore the processes that make informal teacher communities effective in supporting peer learning of teachers. A qualitative study was performed at a Dutch medical school, where a student-centred undergraduate curriculum had recently been introduced. As part of this curriculum, tutors are segregated into separate specialty areas and thus have only limited opportunities for informal learning with other tutors. The authors followed two informal teacher communities aimed at supporting these tutors. They observed the interactions within the teacher communities and held semi-structured interviews with ten of the participants. The observation notes and interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. The informal teacher communities allowed the tutors to engage in a dialogue with colleagues and share questions, solutions, and interpretations. The teacher communities also provided opportunities to explicate tacit expertise, which helped the tutors to develop an idea of their role and form a frame of reference for their own experiences. Furthermore, the communities enhanced the tutors' sense of belonging. The tutors felt more secure in their role and they felt valued by the organisation due to the teacher communities. This study shows that informal teacher communities not only support the professional

  9. Teacher Learning of Technology Enhanced Formative Assessment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feldman, Allan; Capobianco, Brenda M.

    2008-02-01

    This study examined the integration of technology enhanced formative assessment (FA) into teachers' practice. Participants were high school physics teachers interested in improving their use of a classroom response system (CRS) to promote FA. Data were collected using interviews, direct classroom observations, and collaborative discussions. The physics teachers engaged in collaborative action research (AR) to learn how to use FA and CRS to promote student and teacher learning. Data were analyzed using open coding, cross-case analysis, and content analysis. Results from data analysis allowed researchers to construct a model for knowledge skills necessary for the integration of technology enhanced FA into teachers' practice. The model is as a set of four technologies: hardware and software; methods for constructing FA items; pedagogical methods; and curriculum integration. The model is grounded in the idea that teachers must develop these respective technologies as they interact with the CRS (i.e., hardware and software, item construction) and their existing practice (i.e., pedagogical methods, curriculum). Implications are that for teachers to make FA an integral part of their practice using CRS, they must: 1) engage in the four technologies; 2) understand the nature of FA; and 3) collaborate with other interested teachers through AR.

  10. Constructivist Teaching Strategies: Projects in Teacher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Jessie C., Ed.; Adams, Arlene, Ed.

    This book provides information from experienced teachers on constructivist teaching, offering examples of preservice teachers' projects, lesson plans, and real-life advice. The 11 chapters are: (1) "Writing Case Studies: Constructing an Understanding of Student and Classroom" (Bettejim Cates); (2) "Educating Children Who are Racial…

  11. Using the Project Approach in a Teacher Education Practicum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vasconcelos, Teresa

    2007-01-01

    This paper describes the early childhood teacher training program and the role of the Project Approach in the final practicum for student teachers in the Lisbon School of Education, Portugal. Student teachers, cooperating teachers, university supervisors, and instructors of teaching methods worked together to involve young children in interesting…

  12. Project Drive Teacher's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zook, Doris; And Others

    This Project Drive Teacher's Manual complements eight booklets designed for intermediate-level English-as-a-second-language students and low-level adult basic education/basic reading students. The goal of the booklets is to aid the student in developing the oral and sight vocabulary necessary for a basic driver training program. The guide begins…

  13. A Global Learning Wiki Project for Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuo, Chia-Ling

    2015-01-01

    In this study the author investigated 228 pre-service teachers' experiences with a global learning wiki project in an undergraduate educational technology course. The project connected pre-service teachers with students in 11 different countries on wiki sites, participants and their overseas partners posting questions about topics of interest to…

  14. Exploring the Impact of Telecollaboration in Initial Teacher Education: The EVALUATE Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Dowd, Robert

    2017-01-01

    This article provides an introduction to the EVALUATE project (Evaluating and Upscaling Telecollaborative Teacher Education). This project aims to gauge the impact of telecollaborative learning on student-teachers involved in Initial Teacher Education in various European countries and regions. The project is funded by the Erasmus+ KA3 programme…

  15. Teachers' Opinions about the Responsibilities of Parents, Schools, and Teachers in Enhancing Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Korkmaz, Isa

    2007-01-01

    Enhancing student learning is a complex process in itself and is related to a variety of factors. This study deals with the three of these factors (i.e., parents, schools, and teachers) based on teachers' perceptions. A short survey composed of three open-ended questions was administered to 148 teachers. The teachers were asked to write their…

  16. Certification for Teachers of the Visually Impaired: A Rural Teacher Training Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tweto-Johnson, Linda

    The goal of a 2-year vision teacher training project is to provide the coursework instruction and student teaching opportunities necessary for Oregon certification as teacher of the visually impaired. The program was designed in response to several conditions affecting services for visually impaired students living in seven eastern Oregon…

  17. Teacher Quality, Professionalism and Professional Development: Findings from a European Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hilton, Gillian; Flores, Maria Assunção; Niklasson, Laila

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents and discusses findings from a European project concerning strengthening the teacher's voice in defining professional quality. In the project tools were developed and evaluated to help teachers reflect on their professional quality. Twelve countries participated and twelve tools were tested with help of student teachers,…

  18. Teacher Learning of Technology Enhanced Formative Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feldman, Allan; Capobianco, Brenda M.

    2008-01-01

    This study examined the integration of technology enhanced formative assessment (FA) into teachers' practice. Participants were high school physics teachers interested in improving their use of a classroom response system (CRS) to promote FA. Data were collected using interviews, direct classroom observations, and collaborative discussions. The…

  19. [Profiles of factors enhancing teachers' occupational wellbeing and their use in health promoting schools].

    PubMed

    Woynarowska-Sołdan, Magdalena; Weziak-Białowolska, Dorota

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this article is to present the results of survey on general occupational being and factors contributing to the enhancement of teachers' occupational wellbeing. The authors also address the issue how to work out, analyze, present and use the survey results in health promotion at schools. Teachers of four selected health promoting schools (HPS) were surveyed and the results were analyzed. The Factors Enhancing Teachers's Occupational Wellbeing Scale was used. This instrument consisted of 45 statements on 5 subscales (working conditions, teachers' community, students' and parents' community, organization and workload, professional competences). They were measured from two points of view, the assessment of a current situation and the assessment of needs for the improvement. The scale was preceded by questions concerning the assessment of general occupational being and the assessment of general occupational being of other teachers at school. The self-assessment of the respondents' own and other teachers' occupational being was positive. The current situation related to factors influencing teachers' wellbeing was recognized by teachers as rather good and the need for change was rather low. There were differences between schools in the majority of analyzed factors. An easy method of analyzing data as numerical values and graphic profiles was proposed to be used in HPS. Factors influencing teachers' occupational wellbeing differed between schools. The results of their assessment should be analyzed in each school taking account of its individual context. The proposed instrument and method of data analysis are useful in the planning of teachers' health promotion projects, diagnosis of the initial status ("pre-test") and evaluation of their outcomes ("post-test").

  20. Developing Multimedia Enhanced Content to Upgrade Subject Content Knowledge of Secondary School Teachers in Tanzania

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mtebe, Joel S.; Kibga, Elia Y.; Mwambela, Alfred A.; Kissaka, Mussa M.

    2015-01-01

    The failure rates and lack of interest amongst students in science and mathematics in secondary schools in Tanzania is a serious problem. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) implemented a project to enhance and upgrade the pedagogical knowledge and subject content knowledge of teachers in selected difficult topics in science…

  1. The Black Teacher Project: How Racial Affinity Professional Development Sustains Black Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mosely, Micia

    2018-01-01

    The Black Teacher Project (BTP) is an organization that supports, develops and sustains Black teachers for schools in the United States. The organization is building a Black teaching force that reflects the diversity and excellence of Black people in the United States. In our pilot year, BTP offered racial affinity-based professional development…

  2. [Health enhancing behaviors of teachers and other school staff].

    PubMed

    Woynarowska-Sołdan, Magdalena; Tabak, Izabela

    2013-01-01

    Any activity undertaken for the purpose of health enhancing behavior is an important element of taking care of one's health. The aim of this paper was to analyze the frequency of health enhancing behaviors and avoiding health-risk behaviors among teachers and other school staff by gender and age. The sample consisted of 750 teachers and 259 individuals of non-teaching staff of 22 health promoting schools. A questionnaire that included Positive Health Behaviors Scale for Adults and questions on avoiding risk behaviors were used as a research tool. Of the 32 analyzed health enhancing (positive) behaviors, only 11 were undertaken by teachers and 10 by non-teaching staff at a desirable frequency (always or almost always) in a group of more than 50% of respondents. Almost one third of health enhancing behaviors were under taken with this frequency by less than 20% of respondents. The highest deficits concerned physical activity, nutrition and mental health-related behaviors, and the lowest concerned safety. Deficits in all positive health behaviors were smaller in teachers than in non-teaching staff, in women than in men and in older than in younger teachers. The majority of respondents, mostly teachers, irrespective of gender and age did not undertake risk behaviors. There was a lot of deficits in the healthy lifestyle of teachers and other school workers what is alarming from the point of view of school workers' health, their tasks and their role in shaping positive health behavior in children and adolescents. There is a great need for taking actions to improve the situation, such as the development of health promotion programs addressed to teachers and other school staff, including issues concerning healthy lifestyles in teacher's pre- and in-service training, counselling in the area of healthy lifestyle in preventive health care of school staff.

  3. Teacher/Intern Partnerships in Isolated Areas: A Project Overview.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yarrow, Allan; Ballantyne, Roy; Hansford, Brian; Herschell, Paul; Millwater, Jan

    1998-01-01

    Describes a collaborative project designed to better prepare Australian preservice teachers for teaching in remote schools through six-week rural mentorship programs and joint preservice and inservice professional development. Discusses how development of partnerships among cooperating institutions and between teachers, student teachers, and the…

  4. Enhancing E-Learning through Teacher Support: Two Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaudioso, E.; Hernandez-del-Olmo, F.; Montero, M.

    2009-01-01

    Teachers in e-learning play a crucial role as facilitators of the students' learning experiences. To this end, a teacher needs to monitor, understand and evaluate the activity of the students in the course. What is more, e-learning can be enhanced if tools for supporting teachers in this task are provided. In this paper, two experiences are…

  5. Views of School Managers and Teachers regarding the School Councils Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yuksel, Sedat; Karadag, Engin

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine teachers' views regarding democracy education and the Project for School Councils which have been used in schools in Turkey. In the study, the researchers developed a perception scale for the project (PSPDA), which was administered to the teachers. Based on the results of this research, female teachers and…

  6. Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Programme: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Education Endowment Foundation, 2016

    2016-01-01

    The Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Programme (TEEP) is a CPD programme that aims to improve teachers' classroom practice. TEEP training is offered as a whole-school approach by the Schools, Students and Teachers Network (SSAT). All staff in a school received three days of training over a period of two terms. A smaller cohort of teachers, chosen…

  7. BUNTEP: The Profile of a Teacher Education Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robertson, D. A.; Loughton, A. J.

    Describing and evaluating the development of the Brandon University Northern Teacher Education Project (BUNTEP) in Manitoba, Canada, this document presents the following sections: (1) Historical Overview; (2) Project Implementation Strategy (emphasis upon coordination with past projects); (3) The Students (the average BUNTEP student is probably…

  8. Promoting Adoption and Adaptation. A Handbook for Teacher Corps Projects.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center for New Schools, Inc., Chicago, IL.

    This handbook was designed to assist local Teacher Corps projects to plan and implement the Teacher Corps'"Fourth Outcome:" the adoption or adaptation of the project's educational improvement activities by other educational agencies and institutions. Section I provides an overview of seven scenarios which might be applicable to local…

  9. Teacher Resource Guide, Project ECO.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ames Public Schools, IA.

    More than 100 outdoor education and field science projects are compiled in this teacher's resource book. Designed for use in grades K-9, the activities cover the areas of field taxonomy, laboratory taxonomy, autecology, synecology, adaptation, economic biology, conservation, museum methods, culturing, zoo keeping, gardening, and woodcraft. Each…

  10. Special Education Teacher Computer Literacy Training. Project STEEL. A Special Project To Develop and Implement a Computer-Based Special Teacher Education and Evaluation Laboratory. Volume II. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frick, Theodore W.; And Others

    The document is part of the final report on Project STEEL (Special Teacher Education and Evaluation Laboratory) intended to extend the utilization of technology in the training of preservice special education teachers. This volume focuses on the second of four project objectives, the development of a special education teacher computer literacy…

  11. The Impact of "Writing Project" Professional Development on Teachers' Self-Efficacy as Writers and Teachers of Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Locke, Terry; Whitehead, David; Dix, Stephanie

    2013-01-01

    This paper arises from a two-year project: "Teachers as writers: Transforming professional identity and classroom practice'" and draws on self-efficacy questionnaire data collected at the beginning and end of the project and interview data from five participating high-school teachers who were also co-researchers in the project.…

  12. Writing Projects and Writing Instruction: A Study of Teacher Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, David E.

    To examine the ways in which participation in the Iowa Writing Project influenced secondary English language arts teachers, a study surveyed and interviewed teachers who participated in the 1982 and 1985 Iowa Writing Project about their beliefs and practices concerning writing instruction. In addition, case studies and over 70 hours of classroom…

  13. Projections of California Teacher Retirements: A County and Regional Perspective. REL 2017-181

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fong, Anthony B.; Makkonen, Reino; Jaquet, Karina

    2016-01-01

    This report projects California teacher retirements at the state and county levels for 2014/15-2023/24, updating a previously published report that projected California teacher retirements for 2006/07-2015/16. The current study finds that 25 percent of California teachers who were teaching in 2013/14 are projected to retire over 2014/15-2023/24.…

  14. A case study of elementary teachers' conceptions of environmental literacy in relationship to a tall grass prairie restoration project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shume, Teresa Jayne

    The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe seven elementary teachers' conceptions of environmental literacy in relationship to a tall grass prairie restoration project and to explore ways in which the tall grass prairie restoration project for third grade contributed to enhancing educational learning experiences. The research questions were: 1. What are teachers' conceptions of environmental literacy for third grade students? 2. How does the prairie restoration trip contribute to teachers' capacity to teach for environmental literacy of third grade students? 3. What is the pedagogical value of the prairie restoration project? The theoretical frameworks underpinning this study were David Sobel's (1996) model for developmental progression in children's relationships with nature, and the North American Environmental Education Association's (2011) framework for environmental literacy. The first assertion derived from thematic data analysis of interviews, field trip observations, classroom observations, and artifacts was, The participating teachers' visions of environmental literacy for third grade students included components that spanned across a developmentally appropriate progression from cultivating empathy for living things, to fueling discovery of nature, to fostering a sense of responsibility toward the natural world . Components of environmental literacy described by teachers included being at ease in the natural environment, appreciation and respect, wonder and curiosity, awareness and interdependence, sense of agency, responsibility and service, and environmental knowledge. The second assertion stemming from thematic data analysis was, The prairie restoration project and related curriculum have pedagogical value that included and exceeded addressing state science standards. In addition to addressing state science standards identified by teachers, the curriculum related to the prairie restoration project served as an agent of curricular

  15. Developing Collaborative Approaches to Enhance the Professional Development of Primary Mathematics Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNeill, Jane; Butt, Graham; Armstrong, Andy

    2016-01-01

    This research project promoted a collaborative model of professional development between lead teachers from three schools, supported by a project coordinator and a researcher from a local university. Each lead teacher worked with their head teacher to design, lead, and evaluate an innovative, personalised, and school-based mathematics continuing…

  16. SEL/Project Language. Level II, Kindergarten, Teacher's Handbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valladares, Ann E.; Lynch, Helen C.

    The Teacher's Handbook is part of the publication series of the Southeastern Education Laboratory/Project Language (SEL/PL), an 8-year language-centered program designed to alleviate the language deficiencies of disadvantaged children between the ages of four and eleven. For teachers utilizing SEL/PL, the Handbook provides a research summary and…

  17. In-service teachers' perceptions of project-based learning.

    PubMed

    Habók, Anita; Nagy, Judit

    2016-01-01

    The study analyses teachers' perceptions of methods, teacher roles, success and evaluation in PBL and traditional classroom instruction. The analysis is based on empirical data collected in primary schools and vocational secondary schools. An analysis of 109 questionnaires revealed numerous differences based on degree of experience and type of school. In general, project-based methods were preferred among teachers, who mostly perceived themselves as facilitators and considered motivation and transmission of values central to their work. Teachers appeared not to capitalize on the use of ICT tools or emotions. Students actively participated in the evaluation process via oral evaluation.

  18. Teacher Education in England and Wales: Some Findings from the Mote Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitty, Geoff; And Others

    Perceptions vary between researchers and the British government as to the adequacy of initial teacher education in England and Wales. Based on the data from the Modes of Teacher Education (MOTE) project the researchers find a higher level of satisfaction from teachers than that claimed by the government. The MOTE project studied the origins,…

  19. Action Research and Project Approach: Journey of an Early Childhood Pre-Service Teacher and a Teacher Educator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wastin, Ellie; Han, H. Sophia

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to share an action research study conducted by an early childhood pre-service teacher in a Kindergarten classroom. There were dual goals for this action research: (a) to enhance preservice teacher's questioning and classroom management strategies, and (b) to enhance Kindergarten children's scientific inquiry and…

  20. Project ALERT: Forging New Partnerships to Improve Earth System Science Education for Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Metzger, E. P.; Ambos, E. L.; Ng, E. W.; Skiles, J.; Simila, G.; Garfield, N.

    2002-05-01

    Project ALERT (Augmented Learning Environment and Renewable Teaching) was founded in 1998, with funding from NASA and the California State University (CSU), to improve earth system science education for pre-service teachers. Project ALERT has formed linkages between ten campuses of the CSU, which prepares about 60 percent of California's teachers, and two NASA centers, Ames Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. ALERT has also fostered alliances between earth science and science education faculty. The combined expertise of Project ALERT's diverse partners has led to a wide array of activities and products, including: 1) incorporation in university classrooms of NASA-developed imagery, data, and educational resources; 2) creation and/or enhancement of several courses that bring earth systems science to pre-service teachers; 3) fellowships for CSU faculty to participate in collaborative research and education projects at the NASA Centers; 4) development of teaching modules on such varied topics as volcanoes, landslides, and paleoclimate; and 5) a central web site that highlights resources for teaching introductory Earth system science. An outgrowth of Project ALERT is the increased interest on the part of CSU earth scientists in education issues. This has catalyzed their participation in other projects, including NASA's Project NOVA, Earth System Science Education Alliance, and Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum, the Digital Library for Earth System Science Education, and the California Science Project. Project ALERT has also expanded to provide professional development opportunities for in-service teachers, as exemplified by its support of the Bay Area Earth Science Institute (BAESI) at San Jose State University. Each year, BAESI offers 10-15 full-day workshops that supply teachers and teachers-to-be with a blend of science concepts and classroom activities, free instructional materials, and the opportunity to earn inexpensive university credit. These

  1. Problem Solution Project: Transforming Curriculum and Empowering Urban Students and Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jarrett, Olga S.; Stenhouse, Vera

    2011-01-01

    This article presents findings of 6 years of implementing a Problem Solution Project, an assignment influenced by service learning, problem-based learning, critical theory, and critical pedagogy whereby teachers help children tackle real problems. Projects of 135 teachers in an urban certification/master's program were summarized by cohort year…

  2. Side Streets: A Local History Project for Colorado Teachers. Final Performance Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Downey, Matthew T.; Metcalf, Fay D.

    This description of a project to help secondary school social studies classroom teachers incorporate local history into the curriculum focuses on objectives, project development and activities, and outcome data. The specific intent of this project was to help classroom teachers in Colorado overcome some of the obstacles to the use of local history…

  3. Artist Teachers Exchange: Reflections on a Collaborative Sketchbook Project for Secondary School Art Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brass, Elinor; Coles, Susan M.

    2014-01-01

    This article is an account of a national project established to support secondary school art teachers to re-engage with their own artistic practice. It draws extensively upon the experiences of the participants and examines the value of teachers making time for their own practical work, both personally and professionally. Beginning in January…

  4. The Curious Schools Project: Capturing Nomad Creativity in Teacher Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunter, Mary Ann; Emery, Sherridan

    2015-01-01

    The Curious Schools project is a teacher professional learning initiative that aims to provide an insight into--and resource for--creativity in Tasmanian schools. It offers an alternative to conventional models of teacher professional learning by engaging teachers in multi-modal methods of documenting and reflecting on their work as the basis for…

  5. Using Online Case Studies to Enhance Teacher Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richman, Laila

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the impact interactive, online case studies have on learning for preservice teachers. More specifically, it evaluated whether the use of online case studies in instruction could enhance the level of knowledge the preservice teacher gained from the content material. This study utilized a nonequivalent group,…

  6. Ideas of and Attitudes towards Projects and Changing Practices: Voices of Four Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shome, Saurav; Natarajan, Chitra

    2013-01-01

    The paper reports a study of the project practices of four Indian middle school teachers, elicited through semi-structured interviews of individual teachers. The teachers also responded to a proposal to modify four aspects of existing project practices, viz. subject integration, assessment, group work, and management of resources. The aspects were…

  7. Energy: options for the future. Curriculum development project for high school teachers. Final report. [Packet

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Carroll, T.O.

    Recent state and regional energy crises demonstrate the delicate balance between energy systems, the environment, and the economy. Indeed, the interaction between these three elements of society is very complex. This project develops curriculum materials that would better provide students with an understanding and awareness of fundamental principles of energy supply, conversion processes, and utilization now and in the future. The project had two specific objectives: to transfer knowledge of energy systems, analysis techniques, and advanced technologies from the energy analyst community to the teacher participants; and to involve teachers in the preparation of modular case studies on energy issuesmore » for use within the classroom. These curriculum modules are intended to enhance the teacher's ability to provide energy-related education to students within his or her own academic setting. The project is organized as a three-week summer program, as noted in the flyer (Appendix A). Mornings are spent in seminars with energy and environmental specialists (their handout lecture notes are included as Appendix B); afternoons are devoted to high school curriculum development based on the seminar discussions. The curriculum development is limited to five areas: conservation, electricity demand scheduling, energy in the food system, new technologies (solar, wind, biomass), and environment. Appendix C consists of one-day lession plans in these areas.« less

  8. Promoting Mentalizing in Pupils by Acting on Teachers: Preliminary Italian Evidence of the "Thought in Mind" Project.

    PubMed

    Valle, Annalisa; Massaro, Davide; Castelli, Ilaria; Sangiuliano Intra, Francesca; Lombardi, Elisabetta; Bracaglia, Edoardo; Marchetti, Antonella

    2016-01-01

    Mentalization research focuses on different aspects of this topic, highlighting individual differences in mentalizing and proposing programs of intervention for children and adults to increase this ability. The "Thought in Mind Project" (TiM Project) provides training targeted to adults-teachers or parents-to increase their mentalization and, consequently, to obtain mentalization improvement in children. The present research aimed to explore for the first time ever the potential of training for teachers based on the TiM Project, regarding the enhancement of mentalizing of an adult who would have interacted as a teacher with children. For this reason, two teachers - similar for meta-cognitive and meta-emotional skills - and their classes (N = 46) were randomly assigned to the training or control condition. In the first case, the teacher participated in training on the implementation of promotion of mentalizing in everyday school teaching strategies; in the second case the teacher participated in a control activity, similar to training for scheduling and methods, but without promoting the implementation of mentalization (in both conditions two meetings lasting about 3 h at the beginning of the school year and two supervisions during the school year were conducted). The children were tested by tasks assessing several aspects of mentalization (second and third-order false belief understanding, Strange Stories, Reading the mind in the Eyes, Mentalizing Task) both before and after the teacher participate in the TiM or control training (i.e., at the beginning and at the end of the school year). The results showed that, although some measured components of mentalization progressed over time, only the TiM Project training group significantly improved in third order false belief understanding and changed - in a greater way compared to the control group - in two of the three components of the Mentalizing Task. These evidences are promising about the idea that the creation of

  9. Empowering Middle School Teachers with Portable Computers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weast, Jerry D.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    A Sioux Falls (South Dakota) project that supplied middle school teachers with Macintosh computers and training to use them showed gratifying results. Easy access to portable notebook computers made teachers more active computer users, increased teacher interaction and collaboration, enhanced teacher productivity regarding management tasks and…

  10. Enhancing of Self-Efficacy in Teacher Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malinauskas, Romualdas K.

    2017-01-01

    In this study, the effectiveness of training module on enhancing self-efficacy in teacher education students was investigated. Sixty-eight (68) teacher education students (M age = 22.74; SD = 0.57) participated in this study, 36 of whom were assigned to an experimental group and the other 32 were assigned to a control group. The training module on…

  11. Projection of Teachers' Salaries for Contract Negotiations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ott, Jack P.

    1982-01-01

    Lists and explains a computer program written in BASIC which calculates teacher salaries using a salary index. Modification of this payroll program is suggested as a student project in schools which teach computer programing. (JJD)

  12. Enhancing literacy practices in science classrooms through a professional development program for Canadian minority-language teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rivard, Léonard P.; Gueye, Ndeye R.

    2016-05-01

    Literacy in the Science Classroom Project was a three-year professional development (PD) program supporting minority-language secondary teachers' use of effective language-based instructional strategies for teaching science. Our primary objective was to determine how teacher beliefs and practices changed over time and how these were enacted in different classrooms. We also wanted to identify the challenges and enablers to implementing these literacy strategies and practices at the classroom, school, and district levels. Data collection involved both qualitative and quantitative methodologies: student questionnaires; interviews with teachers, principals, and mentor; and focus groups with students. The findings suggest that the program had an impact on beliefs and practices commensurate with the workshop participation of individual teachers. These language-enhanced teacher practices also had a positive impact on the use of talking, reading and writing by students in the science classroom. Finally, continuing PD support may be needed in certain jurisdictions for strengthening minority-language programs given the high teacher mobility in content-area classrooms evident in this study.

  13. Enhancing Advocacy Skills of Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holmes, Melissa A.; Herrera, Socorro G.

    2009-01-01

    This case study explores the dynamics of enhancing the capacities of teacher candidates in the Bilingual/Bicultural Education Students Interacting to Obtain Success (BESITOS) recruitment and retention program to advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Herrera and Murry's advocacy framework provides the theoretical…

  14. The Use of Digital Repositories for Enhancing Teacher Pedagogical Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cohen, Anat; Kalimi, Sharon; Nachmias, Rafi

    2013-01-01

    This research examines the usage of local learning material repositories at school, as well as related teachers' attitudes and training. The study investigates the use of these repositories for enhancing teacher performance and assesses whether the assimilation of the local repositories increases their usage of and contribution to by teachers. One…

  15. [The University of California Cooperative Teacher Preparation Project (UCCTPP)].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    California Univ., Berkeley. School of Education.

    The University of California Cooperative Teacher Preparation Project (UCCTPP) began in 1971 as an effort to improve the quality and effectiveness of teacher education programs. UCCTPP is currently implemented through the cooperative efforts of the School of Education at the University of California at Berkeley and the Mount Diablo and Vallejo…

  16. Project ASTRO: How-To Manual for Teachers and Astronomers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richter, Jessica; Fraknoi, Andrew

    Project ASTRO is an innovative program to support science education by linking teachers and students in grades 4-9 with amateur and professional astronomers with the overall goal being to increase students' interest in astronomy and science in general. This manual was designed for teachers, amateur and professional astronomers, youth group…

  17. Development of the Teachers Supporting Teachers in Urban Schools Program: What Iterative Research Designs Can Teach Us

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shernoff, Elisa S.; Frazier, Stacy L.; Marinez-Lora, Ane; Atkins, Marc S.; Keel, Joanna

    2011-01-01

    The "Teachers Supporting Teachers in Urban Schools Project" is a 3-year study funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (Development and Innovation Study) and designed to enhance new teachers' effectiveness around the two strongest empirical predictors of attrition--classroom management and engaging learners--and connectedness to…

  18. The Use of Tablet PC and Interactive Board from the Perspectives of Teachers and Students: Evaluation of the FATIH Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pamuk, Sonmez; Cakir, Recep; Ergun, Mustafa; Yilmaz, H. Bayram; Ayas, Cemalettin

    2013-01-01

    The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the early implementation results of the "Movement of Enhancing Opportunities and Improving Technology", abbreviated as FATIH project from the perspectives of participating teachers and students. Specifically, to investigate (a) whether or not Interactive Boards (IB) and Tablet Computers…

  19. Building Cultural Responsiveness in Rural, Preservice Teachers Using a Multicultural Children's Literature Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howrey, Shannon Tovey; Whelan-Kim, Kellie

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe the qualities of preservice early childhood teacher response to a multicultural children's literature project, and to evaluate the project as a means for developing culturally responsive teaching practices in preservice early childhood teachers. Surveys and reflection papers on the project from two reading…

  20. What I Learned from the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool Project: A Teacher's Reflections

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Derman-Sparks, Louise

    2016-01-01

    This article, written by one of the teachers in the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool Project (1962-1967), critically examines the prevailing narrative about the preschool project's relationship to the High/Scope Educational Foundation. It describes what the author and other teachers actually did, the principles that informed their practice, and…

  1. Primary Teachers Conducting Inquiry Projects: Effects on Attitudes towards Teaching Science and Conducting Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra I.; Walma van der Molen, Juliette H.; van Hest, Erna G. W. C. M.; Poortman, Cindy

    2017-01-01

    This study used an experimental, pretest-posttest control group design to investigate whether participation in a large-scale inquiry project would improve primary teachers' attitudes towards teaching science and towards conducting inquiry. The inquiry project positively affected several elements of teachers' attitudes. Teachers felt less anxious…

  2. Multiple Intelligences Theory, Action Research, and Teacher Professional Development: The Irish MI Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanafin, Joan

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents findings from an action research project that investigated the application of Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory in classrooms and schools. It shows how MI theory was used in the project as a basis for suggestions to generate classroom practices; how participating teachers evaluated the project; and how teachers responded to…

  3. Using the Project Method in Distributive Education. Teacher's Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maletta, Edwin

    The document explains how to integrate the project training methods into a distributive education curriculum for grades 10 or 11. The purpose of this teacher's manual is to give an overall picture of the project method in use. Ten sample projects are included which could apply to any distributive education student concentrating on the major areas…

  4. 34 CFR 611.1 - What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality... Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM General Provisions § 611.1 What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement...

  5. 34 CFR 611.1 - What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality... Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM General Provisions § 611.1 What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement...

  6. 34 CFR 611.1 - What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality... Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM General Provisions § 611.1 What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement...

  7. Enhancing Teachers' Motivation to Apply Humanist Information Technology Innovations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Assor, Avi

    2009-01-01

    This article focuses on the following issue: How can we build a training and support system that would enhance the motivation and capacity of teachers for high-quality implementation of information technology innovations guided by humanist ideas? That is, a system that would not only increase teachers' motivation to apply Humanist Information…

  8. Prospective Teachers' Views about Video-Enhanced General Biology Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Çetin, Gülcan

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the study is to determine the views of the prospective physics and chemistry teachers about the video-enhanced General Biology instruction. The participants included 19 second-year prospective teachers (10 in Physics and 9 in Chemistry Education) at Necatibey Faculty of Education, Balikesir University, Turkey in the 2011-2012 academic…

  9. What Is My Role? Establishing Teacher and Youth Worker Responsibilities in Social Action Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Epstein, Shira Eve

    2013-01-01

    In this research, I analyze the roles of teachers and youth workers from a community-based organization in the context of two high school social action projects. Both the teachers and the youth workers assumed distinct roles while working together during the civic project enactments. The teachers were largely positioned as responsible for…

  10. Community Based Education Activities in Southeastern Region Teacher Corps Projects.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Martha; Bonney, Nancy

    To gather information on the community councils mandated for each Teacher Corps project, this pilot study surveyed 34 project directors and council chairpersons in 24 southeastern projects initiated in 1978 and 1979. The study's questionnaires asked about community council elections, membership, training, leadership, meetings, procedures, interest…

  11. Using the R2D2 Model for Creating Collaboration among Practicing Teachers and Preservice Teachers during Reading Assessment Preparation at Four Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merkley, Donna; Duffelmeyer, Frederick; Beed, Penny; Jensen, Sharon; Bobys, Aileen

    2007-01-01

    It is essential that preservice teachers have successful experiences with infused technology during teacher preparation. This article describes a project in which collegial interaction among practicing teachers and preservice teachers at four participating institutions of higher education was enhanced by technological innovation. The Recursive,…

  12. Enhancing ICT Competency for Teachers in the Thailand Basic Education System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akarawang, Chaiya; Kidrakran, Pachoen; Nuangchalerm, Prasart

    2015-01-01

    Information and communications technologies (ICT) competency has been identified as a deficiency in teacher training in the basic education system of Thailand. This research aimed to study needs and training for enhancing ICT competency. Some 377 teachers from 35 schools and 12 school directors, supervisors and professional teachers were surveyed…

  13. Teachers' Reflections on an Education for Sustainable Development Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Villanen, Heli

    2014-01-01

    Sustainable development includes controversial values and complex issues such as energy consumption contra natural resources. This paper discusses a school project involving teachers from pre-schools to upper secondary schools in Sweden. The project aimed to support the teaching of energy issues and more generally sustainable development. During…

  14. Language Teachers' Target Language Project: Language for Specific Purposes of Language Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Korenev, Alexey; Westbrook, Carolyn; Merry, Yvonne; Ershova, Tatiana

    2016-01-01

    The Language Teachers' Target Language project (LTTL) aims to describe language teachers' target language use domain (Bachman & Palmer 2010) and to develop a language test for future teachers of English. The team comprises four researchers from Moscow State University (MSU) and Southampton Solent University.

  15. Teacher Perceptions of Project Based Learning in the Secondary Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacMath, Sheryl; Sivia, Awneet; Britton, Vandy

    2017-01-01

    This study examines teacher perceptions of their experiences with Project Based Learning (PBL) at a secondary school in Western Canada. This PBL initiative included English language arts, mathematics, science, and digital literacy courses and all the grade nines at this large secondary school. This article reports on two teacher focus group…

  16. New Zealand Teachers' Understanding of Childhood Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Investigating and Enhancing Teacher Knowledge and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Case, Rosalind Jane Leamy; Starkey, Nicola J.; Jones, Kelly; Barker-Collo, Suzanne; Feigin, Valery

    2017-01-01

    This two-phase study investigated New Zealand primary school teachers' knowledge and perceptions of childhood mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), and evaluated the effectiveness of a professional development workshop for enhancing teacher knowledge regarding mTBI. In phase one, 19 teachers from schools in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty engaged in…

  17. Video Processes in Teacher Education Programs; Scope, Techniques, and Assessment. Multi-State Teacher Education Project, Monograph III.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bosley, Howard E.; And Others

    "Video Processes Are Changing Teacher Education" by Howard Bosley (the first of five papers comprising this document) discusses the Multi-State Teacher Education Project (M-STEP) experimentation with media; it lists various uses of video processes, concentrating specifically on microteaching and the use of simulation and critical…

  18. Enhancing Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Knowledge and Practices: A Professional Development Model for Technology Teachers in Malawi

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chikasanda, Vanwyk Khobidi Mbubzi; Otrel-Cass, Kathrin; Williams, John; Jones, Alister

    2013-01-01

    This paper reports on a professional development that was designed and implemented in an attempt to broaden teachers' knowledge of the nature of technology and also enhance their technological pedagogical practices. The professional development was organised in four phases with each phase providing themes for reflection and teacher learning in…

  19. Understanding science teacher enhancement programs: Essential components and a model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spiegel, Samuel Albert

    Researchers and practioners alike recognize that "the national goal that every child in the United States has access to high-quality school education in science and mathematics cannot be realized without the availability of effective professional development of teachers" (Hewson, 1997, p. 16). Further, there is a plethora of reports calling for the improvement of professional development efforts (Guskey & Huberman, 1995; Kyle, 1995; Loucks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1997). In this study I analyze a successful 3-year teacher enhancement program, one form of professional development, to: (1) identify essential components of an effective teacher enhancement program; and (2) create a model to identify and articulate the critical issues in designing, implementing, and evaluating teacher enhancement programs. Five primary sources of information were converted into data: (1) exit questionnaires, (2) exit surveys, (3) exit interview transcripts, (4) focus group transcripts, and (5) other artifacts. Additionally, a focus group was used to conduct member checks. Data were analyzed in an iterative process which led to the development of the list of essential components. The Components are categorized by three organizers: Structure (e.g., science research experience, a mediator throughout the program), Context (e.g., intensity, collaboration), and Participant Interpretation (e.g., perceived to be "safe" to examine personal beliefs and practices, actively engaged). The model is based on: (1) a 4-year study of a successful teacher enhancement program; (2) an analysis of professional development efforts reported in the literature; and (3) reflective discussions with implementors, evaluators, and participants of professional development programs. The model consists of three perspectives, cognitive, symbolic interaction, and organizational, representing different viewpoints from which to consider issues relevant to the success of a teacher enhancement program. These

  20. The Vision Outreach Project: A Pilot Project to Train Teachers of Visually Impaired Students in Alabama.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanspree, M. J.; And Others

    1991-01-01

    This article describes the Vision Outreach Project--a pilot project of the University of Alabama at Birmingham for training teachers of visually impaired students. The project produced video modules to provide distance education in rural and urban areas. The modules can be used to complete degree requirements or in-service training and continuing…

  1. The Effect of Project Exhibition Event on Physics Success and Prospective Teachers' Opinions about Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Güven Yildirim, Ezgi; Köklükaya, Ayse Nesibe

    2018-01-01

    The purposes of this study were first to investigate the effects of the project-based learning (PBL) method and project exhibition event on the success of physics teacher candidates, and second, to reveal the experiment group students' views toward this learning method and project exhibition. The research model called explanatory mixed method, in…

  2. Project Physics Teacher Guide 6, The Nucleus.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

    Teaching procedures of Project Physics Unit 6 are presented to help teachers make effective use of learning materials. Unit contents are discussed in connection with teaching aid lists, multi-media schedules, schedule blocks, and resource charts. Brief summaries are made for transparencies, 16mm films, and reader articles. Included is information…

  3. Primary teachers conducting inquiry projects: effects on attitudes towards teaching science and conducting inquiry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra I.; Walma van der Molen, Juliette H.; van Hest, Erna G. W. C. M.; Poortman, Cindy

    2017-01-01

    This study used an experimental, pretest-posttest control group design to investigate whether participation in a large-scale inquiry project would improve primary teachers' attitudes towards teaching science and towards conducting inquiry. The inquiry project positively affected several elements of teachers' attitudes. Teachers felt less anxious about teaching science and felt less dependent on contextual factors compared to the control group. With regard to attitude towards conducting inquiry, teachers felt less anxious and more able to conduct an inquiry project. There were no effects on other attitude components, such as self-efficacy beliefs or relevance beliefs, or on self-reported science teaching behaviour. These results indicate that practitioner research may have a partially positive effect on teachers' attitudes, but that it may not be sufficient to fully change primary teachers' attitudes and their actual science teaching behaviour. In comparison, a previous study showed that attitude-focused professional development in science education has a more profound impact on primary teachers' attitudes and science teaching behaviour. In our view, future interventions aiming to stimulate science teaching should combine both approaches, an explicit focus on attitude change together with familiarisation with inquiry, in order to improve primary teachers' attitudes and classroom practices.

  4. Professional Development: Teachers Use of GIS to Enhance Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McClurg, Patricia A.; Buss, Alan

    2007-01-01

    This article explains a professional development experience of fifth to twelfth grade teachers in using geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) technologies to enhance classroom teaching and learning environments. A key challenge faced by the developers was whether teachers would value the technology tools enough…

  5. Enhancing Geoscience Education within a Minority-Serving Preservice Teacher Population

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellins, Katherine K.; Olson, Hilary Clement

    2012-01-01

    The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics and Huston-Tillotson University collaborated on a proof of concept project to offer a geoscience course to undergraduate students and preservice teachers in order to expand the scope of geoscience education within the local minority student and teacher population. Students were exposed to rigorous…

  6. Perform or Else: The Performative Enhancement of Teacher Professionalism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liew, Warren Mark

    2012-01-01

    The Singapore Ministry of Education's Enhanced Performance Management System (EPMS) was instituted in 2005 as a system of professional accountability to enhance the standards and stakes of teacher professionalism in schools. This essay explores how the EPMS, with its underlying paradigm of performance management, functions as a "technology of…

  7. Project Evidence: Responding to the Changing Professional Learning Needs of Mentors in Initial Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Jeanne Maree; White, Simone; Sim, Cheryl

    2017-01-01

    This positioning paper seeks to contribute to the knowledge base of the changing professional learning needs of supervising or mentor teachers in initial teacher education. To do so, we draw from the work of "Project Evidence," an Australian Office of Learning and Teaching funded project, designed to support teacher education through the…

  8. Mentoring: Findings from a Title II Teacher Quality Enhancement Grant.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suters, Leslie A.; Kershaw, Cheryl

    Urban Impact is a Title II Teacher Quality Enhancement Act partnership grant supporting the development of new strategies and structures to strengthen the preparation and development of beginning teachers in urban settings in Tennessee. This study evaluated the success of Urban Impact in establishing professional and social supports for the first…

  9. Application of E-Portfolio System to Enhance Teacher Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liao, Chin-Wen

    2011-01-01

    This study focuses on the meaning, applications and future development of e-teaching portfolios as an attempt to highlight the important role it plays in the "post-modern teaching practice mode". For the purpose of enhancing teacher professional development, application of the teaching portfolio system in the post-modern teacher qualification…

  10. Evaluation of Project Symbiosis: An Interdisciplinary Science Education Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altschuld, James W.

    1993-01-01

    The goal of this report is to provide a summary of the evaluation of Project Symbiosis which focused on enhancing the teaching of science principles in high school agriculture courses. The project initially involved 15 teams of science and agriculture teachers and was characterized by an extensive evaluation component consisting of six formal…

  11. Compulsory Project-Level Involvement and the Use of Program-Level Evaluations: Evaluating the Local Systemic Change for Teacher Enhancement Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Kelli; Weiss, Iris R.

    2011-01-01

    In 1995, the National Science Foundation (NSF) contracted with principal investigator Iris Weiss and an evaluation team at Horizon Research, Inc. (HRI) to conduct a national evaluation of the Local Systemic Change for Teacher Enhancement program (LSC). HRI conducted the core evaluation under a $6.25 million contract with NSF. This program…

  12. Promoting Mentalizing in Pupils by Acting on Teachers: Preliminary Italian Evidence of the “Thought in Mind” Project

    PubMed Central

    Valle, Annalisa; Massaro, Davide; Castelli, Ilaria; Sangiuliano Intra, Francesca; Lombardi, Elisabetta; Bracaglia, Edoardo; Marchetti, Antonella

    2016-01-01

    Mentalization research focuses on different aspects of this topic, highlighting individual differences in mentalizing and proposing programs of intervention for children and adults to increase this ability. The “Thought in Mind Project” (TiM Project) provides training targeted to adults—teachers or parents—to increase their mentalization and, consequently, to obtain mentalization improvement in children. The present research aimed to explore for the first time ever the potential of training for teachers based on the TiM Project, regarding the enhancement of mentalizing of an adult who would have interacted as a teacher with children. For this reason, two teachers – similar for meta-cognitive and meta-emotional skills - and their classes (N = 46) were randomly assigned to the training or control condition. In the first case, the teacher participated in training on the implementation of promotion of mentalizing in everyday school teaching strategies; in the second case the teacher participated in a control activity, similar to training for scheduling and methods, but without promoting the implementation of mentalization (in both conditions two meetings lasting about 3 h at the beginning of the school year and two supervisions during the school year were conducted). The children were tested by tasks assessing several aspects of mentalization (second and third-order false belief understanding, Strange Stories, Reading the mind in the Eyes, Mentalizing Task) both before and after the teacher participate in the TiM or control training (i.e., at the beginning and at the end of the school year). The results showed that, although some measured components of mentalization progressed over time, only the TiM Project training group significantly improved in third order false belief understanding and changed - in a greater way compared to the control group – in two of the three components of the Mentalizing Task. These evidences are promising about the idea that the

  13. Investigating Technology-Enhanced Teacher Professional Development in Rural, High-Poverty Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blanchard, Margaret R.; LePrevost, Catherine E.; Tolin, A. Dell; Gutierrez, Kristie S.

    2016-01-01

    This 3-year, mixed-methods study investigated the effects of teacher technology-enhanced professional development (TPD) on 20 teachers' beliefs and practices. Teachers in two middle schools located in neighboring rural, high-poverty districts in the southeastern United States participated in reform-based lessons and learned how to integrate…

  14. The Maury Project 2011 Annual Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-30

    inservice teacher enhancement courses, which have trained thousands of other teachers. IMPACT/APPLICATIONS Maury Project summer workshop participants...of pre-college teachers on the physical foundations of oceanography. This is accomplished through a peer- training process of training the trainers...objectives: (a) Master teachers will be trained to be peer trainers and resource persons on the physical foundations of selected oceanographic

  15. Urban schools' teachers enacting project-based science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tal, Tali; Krajcik, Joseph S.; Blumenfeld, Phyllis C.

    2006-09-01

    What teaching practices foster inquiry and promote students to learn challenging subject matter in urban schools? Inquiry-based instruction and successful inquiry learning and teaching in project-based science (PBS) were described in previous studies (Brown & Campione, [1990]; Crawford, [1999]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, Bass, & Fredricks, [1998]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, & Solloway, [1994]; Minstrell & van Zee, [2000]). In this article, we describe the characteristics of inquiry teaching practices that promote student learning in urban schools. Teaching is a major factor that affects both achievement of and attitude of students toward science (Tamir, [1998]). Our involvement in reform in a large urban district includes the development of suitable learning materials and providing continuous and practiced-based professional development (Fishman & Davis, in press; van Es, Reiser, Matese, & Gomez, [2002]). Urban schools face particular challenges when enacting inquiry-based teaching practices like those espoused in PBS. In this article, we describe two case studies of urban teachers whose students achieved high gains on pre- and posttests and who demonstrated a great deal of preparedness and commitment to their students. Teachers' attempts to help their students to perform well are described and analyzed. The teachers we discuss work in a school district that strives to bring about reform in mathematics and science through systemic reform. The Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools (LeTUS) collaborates with the Detroit Public Schools to bring about reform in middle-school science. Through this collaboration, diverse populations of urban-school students learn science through inquiry-oriented projects and the use of various educational learning technologies. For inquiry-based science to succeed in urban schools, teachers must play an important role in enacting the curriculum while addressing the unique needs of students. The aim of this article is to

  16. Teacher Candidates Implementing Universal Design for Learning: Enhancing Picture Books with QR Codes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grande, Marya; Pontrello, Camille

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate if teacher candidates could gain knowledge of the principles of Universal Design for Learning by enhancing traditional picture books with Quick Response (QR) codes and to determine if the process of making these enhancements would impact teacher candidates' comfort levels with using technology on both…

  17. Assessment Component of the California New Teacher Project: Second Year Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Estes, Gary D.; And Others

    The California New Teacher Project (CNTP) commissioned pilot tests of assessment instruments during 1990. This document is the final report and analysis of the administration and scoring of these assessment instruments. The document, organized into 11 chapters, begins with an introduction describing research on new and experienced teachers,…

  18. Evaluating Retirement Income Security for Illinois Public School Teachers. Public Pension Project Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Richard W.; Southgate, Benjamin G.

    2014-01-01

    The financial problems afflicting the Illinois teacher pension plan have grabbed headlines. An equally important problem, though underappreciated, is that relatively few teachers benefit much from the plan. This report evaluates the pension benefits provided to Illinois public school teachers. The researchers project annual and lifetime pension…

  19. The droso4schools project: Long-term scientist-teacher collaborations to promote science communication and education in schools.

    PubMed

    Patel, Sanjai; DeMaine, Sophie; Heafield, Joshua; Bianchi, Lynne; Prokop, Andreas

    2017-10-01

    Science communication is becoming an increasingly important part of a scientist's remit, and engaging with primary and secondary schools is one frequently chosen strategy. Here we argue that science communication in schools will be more effective if based on good understanding of the realities of school life, which can be achieved through structured participation and/or collaboration with teachers. For example, the Manchester Fly Facility advocates the use of the fruit fly Drosophila as an important research strategy for the discovery processes in the biomedical sciences. To communicate this concept also in schools, we developed the 'droso4schools' project as a refined form of scientist-teacher collaboration that embraces the expertise and interests of teachers. Within this project, we place university students as teaching assistants in university partner schools to collaborate with teachers and develop biology lessons with adjunct support materials. These lessons teach curriculum-relevant biology topics by making use of the profound conceptual understanding existing in Drosophila combined with parallel examples taken from human biology. By performing easy to implement experiments with flies, we bring living organisms into these lessons, thus endeavouring to further enhance the pupil's learning experience. In this way, we do not talk about flies but rather work with flies as powerful teaching tools to convey mainstream curriculum biology content, whilst also bringing across the relevance of Drosophila research. Through making these lessons freely available online, they have the potential to reach out to teachers and scientists worldwide. In this paper, we share our experiences and strategies to provide ideas for scientists engaging with schools, including the application of the droso4schools project as a paradigm for long-term school engagement which can be adapted also to other areas of science. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All

  20. Preparing Teachers to Train the Next Generation of Scientists with the AMS DataStreme Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abshire, W. E.; Geer, I. W.; Weinbeck, R. S.; Mills, E. W.; Nugnes, K. A.; Stimach, A. E.

    2016-12-01

    K-12 teacher professional development rich in content and pedagogical methods and materials for implementation of STEM concepts in the classroom will enhance teacher preparation and practice, and ultimately student learning is the purpose of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) DataStreme Project. DataStreme Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth's Climate System (ECS) are offered each fall and spring semester by Local Implementation Teams across the country in coordination with AMS Education Program scientists and educators. Participants may receive 3 tuition-free graduate credits through State University of New York's The College at Brockport upon completion of each course and construction of a Plan of Action for peer-training. Peer training is a key focus of DataStreme. Based on survey results, a DataStreme participant impacts an average of up to 10 other teachers and over 350 students within two years of training. Therefore, the 220 teachers who completed a DataStreme course in fall 2015 will likely reach over 2000 teachers and close to 77,000 students within two years. Further, DataStreme improves teachers' pedagogical abilities. According to the fall 2015 pre-survey of DataStreme ECS participants, approximately 15% of participants rated their pedagogical abilities in the Superior or Exemplary levels (highest rankings). On the post-survey, 59% of participants fell in these categories, clearly highlighting the positive shift. This survey also revealed teachers' ability to use climate-science content to stimulate student interests. The AMS looks to further this success with redevelopment of a previously offered K-12 teacher professional development course focused on water. From 2001-2008, AMS offered DataStreme Water in the Earth System, training 3145 teachers on the global water cycle. AMS is eager to continue helping teachers and students improve their understanding of water processes and overall environmental science literacy.

  1. The Hemingway Project: A Collaborative School-based Program for Teacher Certification.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Shannon K.; And Others

    At Weber State University (Utah), teacher educators have collaborated with English faculty to design a pilot program (Hemingway Project) which serves as an initial effort to restructure the teacher education program. The program, funded by the Hemingway Foundation, is intended to provide greater integration of the university experience with actual…

  2. Exploring Teacher Knowledge and Actions Supporting Technology-Enhanced Teaching in Elementary Schools: Two Approaches by Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Figg, Candace; Jamani, Kamini Jaipal

    2011-01-01

    Two approaches to teaching with technology to highlight practice-based teacher knowledge and actions for teaching technologically enhanced lessons are presented. Participants were two elementary pre-service teachers teaching during practicum. Qualitative data sources included verbatim transcripts of participant interviews, field notes of planning…

  3. [What Enhances Teachers' Health at Inclusive Primary Schools? A Mixed-Methods Approach].

    PubMed

    Riechmann-Wolf, Merle; Claus, Matthias; Kimbel, Renate; Schöne, Klaus; Claus, Annika; Letzel, Stephan; Rose, Dirk-Matthias

    2018-02-01

    Teachers' suggestions to enhance their health at inclusive primary schools ("Schwerpunktgrundschulen") were analyzed by quantitative content analysis taking personal or job-related parameters of effort and strain into consideration. The paper and pencil cross-sectional study was conducted by Institut für Lehrergesundheit (IFL) between August 2013 and April 2015 at 14 schools in Rhineland-Palatinate. Overall response rate was 46.3% (143/309 teachers). The answers to the open-ended question "Which concrete job-related measures would enhance your wellbeing or health situation at your work place?" was categorized and quantified. An analysis of the item-non-response was undertaken. The aim was to identify by logistic regression, personal or job-related parameters of effort or strain associated with a specific category. Data from 143 teachers were analyzed. 79 teachers made 362 suggestions to enhance the health situation at their work place. Making a suggestion was not related to socio-demographic parameters. 33.6% of the teachers addressed physical environmental conditions of work, e. g., climatic or acoustic conditions or the availability of space for recreation. 29.4% of the teachers made suggestions concerning human resource strategy (e. g., "double teaching"). 9.1% of the teachers referred to aspects of relationships with colleagues. After regression analysis, there were relationships between suggestions of single categories and specific job-related parameters of effort. Furthermore, teachers under (high) strain - here: teachers who (very) strongly experienced their work as hazardous to health - showed significantly higher odds to make suggestions of the categories "Colleagues" (aOR 3.71; 95%CI 1.00-13.76) or "External Support" (e. g., "supervision") (aOR 3.92; 95%CI 1.15-13.41) than teachers experiencing less stress. Teachers of inclusive primary schools are ready to take active part in health-related organizational development. The development of problem

  4. Project Physics Teacher Guide 1, Concepts of Motion.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

    Teaching procedures of Project Physics Unit 1 are presented in this manual to help teachers make effective use of learning materials. Curriculum objectives are discussed in connection with instructional materials, suggested year time schedules, multi-media schedules, schedule blocks, resource charts, and experiment summaries. Brief analyses are…

  5. Exploring Digital Literacy in Student-Teacher ICT Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Christopher; Richardson, David

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on the evaluation of student teacher information and communications technology (ICT) projects in English language didactics in accordance with recently proposed frameworks of digital literacy in both language-teaching and wider working and educational contexts (Dudeney, Hockly, & Pegrum, forthcoming; Hockly, 2012; Pegrum,…

  6. Using Multi-Media Projects to Foster Teacher Candidates' Multiple Literacy Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawrence, Salika A.

    2010-01-01

    This article describes the strategies used to incorporate multi-modal technology literacy experiences into a graduate level course for literacy specialists. The candidates created a multi-media project in response to literature. Their projects revealed that the teacher candidates used a variety of sources to create the project but the Internet was…

  7. Developing and Evaluating Interventions Aimed at Increasing Retention of Special Education Teachers (Teacher Support & Retention Project). Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooley, Elizabeth

    This final report describes the activities and outcomes of a 3-year federally funded project that developed and evaluated interventions aimed at increasing retention of special education teachers. The interventions developed and evaluated consisted of: (1) a series of stress management workshops aimed at preventing or alleviating teacher burnout,…

  8. An Action Research Project's Impact on Teachers' Leadership Attitudes and Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myers, Nancy; Dillard, Benita R.

    2013-01-01

    California Lutheran University is a regional site for the California Reading and Literature Project (CRLP). In 2010, CRLP began a two-year longitudinal study to examine the effects of participating in an institute called Reframing Teacher Leadership: Action Research Study Group had on PreK-12 teachers' attitudes and perceptions. The foundation…

  9. 34 CFR 611.1 - What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program? 611.1 Section 611.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT...

  10. The Family Writing Project: Creating Space for Sustaining Teacher Identity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKinney, Marilyn; Lasley, Saralyn; Holmes-Gull, Rosemary

    2008-01-01

    Family writing projects can change the nature of classroom writing instruction and rejuvenate teachers. Marilyn McKinney, Saralyn Lasley, and Rosemary Holmes-Gull report on their study of one such project in an urban school district. Using the concept of "third space," they describe the influence of this family literacy program on…

  11. Massachusetts Study of Teacher Supply and Demand: Trends and Projections

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levin, Jesse; Berg-Jacobson, Alex; Atchison, Drew; Lee, Katelyn; Vontsolos, Emily

    2015-01-01

    In April 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) commissioned American Institutes for Research (AIR) to develop a comprehensive set of 10-year projections of teacher supply and demand in order to inform planning for future workforce needs. This included state-level projections both in the aggregate, as well…

  12. Teachers' learning on the workshop of STS approach as a way of enhancing inventive thinking skills

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ngaewkoodrua, Nophakun; Yuenyong, Chokchai

    2018-01-01

    To improve science teachers to develop the STS lesson plans for enhancing the students' inventive thinking skills, the workshop of improving science teachers to develop the STS lesson plans for enhancing the Inventive thinking skills were organized. The paper aimed to clarify what teachers learn from the workshop. The goal of the activity of the workshop aimed to: 1) improve participants a better understanding of the relationship between the Inquiry based learning with STS approach, 2) understand the meaning and importance of the STS approach and identify the various stages of Yuenyong (2006) STS learning process, 3) discuss what they learned from the examples of Yuenyong (2006) lesson plan, 4) develop some activities for each stage of Yuenyong (2006) STS approach, and 5) ideas of providing STS approach activities for enhancing inventive thinking skills. Participants included 3 science teachers who work in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Methodology regarded interpretive paradigm. Teachers' learning about pedagogy of enhancing the students' inventive thinking skills will be interpreted through participant observation, teachers' tasks, and interview. The finding revealed that all participants could demonstrate their ideas how to generate the STS lesson plans as a way of enhancing inventive thinking skills. Teachers could mention some element of inventive thinking skills which could be generated on their STS learning activities.

  13. Definitions and Uses: Case Study of Teachers Implementing Project-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tamim, Suha R.; Grant, Michael M.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore inservice teachers' definitions of project-based learning (PjBL) and their accounts on the meaning of their PjBL implementations. A purposive sample of six teachers from grades four through twelve in public and private schools participated. Three themes evolved from inductive analysis: (1)…

  14. Place of Instructional Supervision in Enhancing Public Primary School Teachers' Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nwambam, Aja Sunday; Eze, Prisca Ijeoma

    2017-01-01

    The study examined the place of instructional supervision in enhancing teachers' effectiveness in public primary schools in Ebonyi State. Four research questions were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consists of all the 462,186 teachers including the…

  15. Project Physics Teacher Guide 4, Light and Electromagnetism.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

    Teaching procedures of Project Physics Unit 4 are presented to help teachers make effective use of learning materials. Unit contents are discussed in connection with teaching aid lists, multi-media schedules, schedule blocks, and resources charts. Brief summaries are made for transparencies, 16mm films, and reader articles. Included is information…

  16. A Case Study on Project Led Education in Engineering: Students' and Teachers' Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lima, Rui M.; Carvalho, Dinis; Flores, Maria Assuncao; Van Hattum-Janssen, Natascha

    2007-01-01

    This paper explores the extent to which students and teachers are able to acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses of a shift in the approach to teaching and learning from a traditional, teacher-centred perspective towards project- and learner-centred education. It reports on a case study aimed at exploring students' and teachers' perceptions of a…

  17. Carroll County Competency Based Teacher Certification Project. Librarian's Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coker, Homer; Coker, Joan G.

    Reference materials, slides, cassettes, books, pamphlets, materials from other states, and articles used in the Carroll County, Georgia, Competency Based Teacher Certification Project, 1973-74, are listed. Brief annotations are included for both the reference materials and articles. (MJM)

  18. Scribliotherapy: Enhancing Communication among Students, Parents, and Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fine, Joyce C.

    Researchers have long noted the psychologically-liberating effects of expressive language. This paper explores how a writing technique, scribliotherapy, enhances communication among students, parents, and teachers. Scribliography is the technique of matching children with books on the topics of their emotional concerns and writing their response…

  19. Identifying Professional Development Environment for Mentor Teachers at a Learning Centre

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheng, May May-hung; Yeung, Yau-Yuen

    2010-01-01

    This paper argues with evidence that conditions for teacher professional development can be enhanced for mentor teachers through a Learning Centre (LC) project which has been introduced in Hong Kong as a collaborative project between the government, a primary school, a secondary school, and the Hong Kong Institute of Education. The LC teachers…

  20. Enhancing the Capabilities of Associate Teachers in the Practicum: A New Zealand Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sewell, Alison; Hansen, Sally; Weir, Kama

    2017-01-01

    The practicum is critically important in initial teacher education. Yet too often, student-teachers are placed in schools where the associate teacher does not understand the mentoring component of their supervisory role. This study explores the impact of a school-university project on the associate teachers' mentoring in the practicum and in their…

  1. New Zealand Teachers Respond to the "National Writing Project" Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Locke, Terry; Whitehead, David; Dix, Stephanie; Cawkwell, Gail

    2011-01-01

    This article draws on early data from a two-year project (2009-11) being undertaken in the New Zealand context by the authors entitled: "Teachers as Writers: Transforming Professional Identity and Classroom Practice". Based on the National Writing Project in the USA (and in New Zealand in the 1980s) its hypothesis is that when teachers…

  2. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of the Experience of Teacher-Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bechtel, Patricia L.

    2011-01-01

    Teachers who choose to participate in professional development to acquire new instructional methods or enhance their content knowledge are teacher-learners. For this study, data consisted of the reflective writings of 19 secondary mathematics and science teacher-learners in an 11-month professional development project. These writings provided a…

  3. A Discussion Project on High School Adolescents' Perceptions of the Relationship between Students and Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Ronald J.

    1976-01-01

    Describes a small group discussion project involving students and teachers in two large white suburban high schools. The project's intention was to focus discussion on the social quality of the relationship between students and teachers, and to assess the impact of the discussions on student perceptions. (Author/RK)

  4. Teachers' tendencies to promote student-led science projects: Associations with their views about science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bencze, J. Lawrence; Bowen, G. Michael; Alsop, Steve

    2006-05-01

    School science students can benefit greatly from participation in student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects. For various possible reasons, however, students tend not to be engaged in such inquiries. Among factors that may limit their opportunities to engage in open-ended inquiries of their design are teachers' conceptions about science. To explore possible relationships between teachers' conceptions about science and the types of inquiry activities in which they engage students, instrumental case studies of five secondary science teachers were developed, using field notes, repertory grids, samples of lesson plans and student activities, and semistructured interviews. Based on constructivist grounded theory analysis, participating teachers' tendencies to promote student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects seemed to correspond with positions about the nature of science to which they indicated adherence. A tendency to encourage and enable students to carry out student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects appeared to be associated with adherence to social constructivist views about science. Teachers who opposed social constructivist views tended to prefer tight control of student knowledge building procedures and conclusions. We suggest that these results can be explained with reference to human psychological factors, including those associated with teachers' self-esteem and their relationships with knowledge-building processes in the discipline of their teaching.

  5. Physics Teachers' Professional Development in the Project "physics in Context"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mikelskis-Seifert, Silke; Duit, Reinders

    2013-06-01

    Developing teachers' ways of thinking about "good" instruction as well as their views of the teaching and learning process is generally seen as essential for improving teaching behaviour and implementation of more efficient teaching and learning settings. Major deficiencies of German physics instruction as revealed by a nationwide video-study on the practice of physics instruction are addressed. Teachers participating in the project are made familiar with recent views of efficient instruction on the one hand and develop context-based instructional settings on the other. The evaluation resulted in partly encouraging findings. However, it also turned out that a number of teachers' ways of thinking about good instruction did only develop to a somewhat limited degree. The most impressive changes occurred for teachers who enjoyed the most intensive coaching.

  6. Physics Teachers' Professional Development in the Project "physics in Context"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mikelskis-Seifert, Silke; Duit, Reinders

    2012-12-01

    Developing teachers' ways of thinking about "good" instruction as well as their views of the teaching and learning process is generally seen as essential for improving teaching behaviour and implementation of more efficient teaching and learning settings. Major deficiencies of German physics instruction as revealed by a nationwide video-study on the practice of physics instruction are addressed. Teachers participating in the project are made familiar with recent views of efficient instruction on the one hand and develop context-based instructional settings on the other. The evaluation resulted in partly encouraging findings. However, it also turned out that a number of teachers' ways of thinking about good instruction did only develop to a somewhat limited degree. The most impressive changes occurred for teachers who enjoyed the most intensive coaching.

  7. Project-Based Learning Environments: Challenging Preservice Teachers to Act in the Moment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilhelm, Jennifer; Sherrod, Sonya; Walters, Kendra

    2008-01-01

    In this design study, the authors documented means by which preservice teachers experienced mathematics and science associated with understanding the Moon and sky as they participated in project work within their mathematics and science methods course. The authors examined the way preservice teachers applied mathematics needed to accomplish…

  8. Studying Teachers' Degree of Classroom Implementation, Teachers' Implementation Practices, and Students' Learning as Outcomes of K-12 STEM Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Peiyi

    2013-01-01

    With a growing demand for an enhanced K-12 education for strengthening students' conceptual learning, interest, and career awareness in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, teacher professional development projects have been viewed as an efficient approach. However, a variety of external and teacher factors may prevent such projects…

  9. Teacher Development Program for ATP 2000. Project Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sutphin, Dean; And Others

    Agri Tech Prep 2000 (ATP 2000) is a 4-year tech prep program linking high school and postsecondary curricula designed to prepare New York students for careers in agriculture or acceptance into a college program in agriculture. Because teacher development was designated an integral project component for fiscal year 1991-1992, a weeklong teacher…

  10. Perceptions of Teacher Candidates Regarding Project-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baysura, Ozge Deniz; Altun, Sertel; Yucel-Toy, Banu

    2016-01-01

    Problem Statement: Project-based learning (PBL) is a learning and teaching approach that makes students search for new knowledge and skills, helps them overcome real-life questions, and makes them design their own studies and performances. Research in Turkey reveals that teachers are not well-informed about PBL, can not guide students in this…

  11. Effective teaching in the contexts of Internet science projects: American and Russian teachers' perspectives of best practices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mumma, Brian

    Statement of the problem. Science education literature had agreed that an important goal in students' learning is the development of scientific and technological literacy. One effort that teachers have integrated into their practices for addressing this goal has been teaching within the contexts of Internet Science Projects. Greater awareness of teachers' perspectives of their best practices and their beliefs and reasons for these practices in the contexts of Internet Science Projects can improve the quality of science education programs. Methods. A series of pilot interviews was conducted during the 2000--2001 school year to develop the guiding questions for inquiring into teachers' perspectives of their best practices within the contexts of Internet Science Projects. This series of interviews resulted in the understanding of the need to select teachers with experiences with Internet Science Projects and to conduct in-depth phenomenological interviews for learning from their voices. Two teachers were purposefully selected as the participant-informants for this study, one an American elementary teacher from Walker County, Georgia, and one a Russian teacher from St. Petersburg, Russia. The study was conducted from October through December 2001. The data collected for this qualitative study consisted of a series of in-depth phenomenological interviews, classroom observations, and the collection and analysis of various artifacts including teacher journals, student products, and e-mail/bulletin board transcripts. The interview structure was based upon a modification of expanding Seidman's (1998) three interview series into multiple interviews concluded upon the determination of saturation of the topic. The series of interviews were composed of (1) life history focus; (2) the details of the experience of teaching within the contexts of Internet Science Projects; and (3) reflection on the meanings. The data analysis consisted of applying Strauss & Corbin's (1990) open

  12. SOAP in Practice: Learning Outcomes of a Cross-Institutional Innovation Project Conducted by Teachers, Student Teachers, and Teacher Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seezink, Audrey; Poell, Rob; Kirschner, Paul

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports on a case study investigating learning outcomes at the individual and organisational level of a cross-institutional innovation project based on the SOAP approach. SOAP integrates "S"chooling of teachers, "O"rganisational development of schools, "A"ction- and development-oriented research, and…

  13. Utilizing Community Resources To Enhance Creativeness and Aesthetic Awareness in Head Start Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Irving, Virginia

    The primary goal of this practicum study was to provide opportunities for Head Start teachers to become knowledgeable of community resources that would encourage their aesthetic awareness and enhance their creative growth. A total of 16 teachers and teacher aides visited a local Dali Museum, a fine arts museum, a planetarium, a historical museum,…

  14. Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning: An Online Wiki Experience in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biasutti, Michele; EL-Deghaidy, Heba

    2015-01-01

    In the current research study the use of Wikis as an online didactic tool to apply project-based learning in higher education was reported. The study was conducted in university teacher education programmes. During the online activities, participants developed interdisciplinary projects for the primary school working collaboratively in small…

  15. Collaborative innovations with rural and regional secondary teachers: enhancing student learning in mathematics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pegg, John; Panizzon, Debra

    2011-06-01

    When questioned, secondary mathematics teachers in rural and regional schools in Australia refer to their limited opportunities to engage and share experiences with peers in other schools as an under-utilised and cost-effective mechanism to support their professional learning and enhance their students' learning. The paper reports on the creation and evaluation of a network of learning communities of rural secondary mathematics teachers around a common purpose—enhancement and increased engagement of student learning in mathematics. To achieve this goal, teams of teachers from six rural schools identified an issue hindering improved student learning of mathematics in their school. Working collaboratively with support from university personnel with expertise in curriculum, assessment and quality pedagogy, teachers developed and implemented strategies to address an identified issue in ways that were relevant to their teaching contexts. The research study identifies issues in mathematics of major concern to rural teachers of mathematics, the successes and challenges the teachers faced in working in learning communities on the issue they identified, and the efficacy of the professional learning model.

  16. Using the Integrative Research Project Approach to Facilitate Early Childhood Teacher Planning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nell, Marcia

    2009-01-01

    One way to help preservice teachers to articulate and advocate their teaching stance is by developing their knowledge, skills, and confidence in their ability to carefully, didactically, and strategically plan for instruction. The Integrative Research Project (IRP) is a planning process that enables the preservice teacher to incorporate not only…

  17. Supporting Teachers to Automatically Build Accessible Pedagogical Resources: The APEINTA Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iglesias, Ana; Moreno, Lourdes; Jiménez, Javier

    Most of the universities in Europe have started their process of adaptation towards a common educational space according to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The social dimension of the Bologna Process is a constituent part of the EHEA and it is a necessary condition for the attractiveness and competitiveness of the EHEA. Two of the main features of the social dimension are the equal access for all the students and the lifelong learning. One of the main problems of the adaptation process to the EHEA is that the teachers have no previous references and models to develop new pedagogical experiences accessible to all the students, nevertheless of their abilities, capabilities or accessibility characteristics. The APEINTA project presented in this paper can be used as a helpful tool for teachers in order to cope with the teaching demands of EHEA, helping the teachers to automatically build accessible pedagogical resources even when the teachers are not accessibility experts. This educational project has been successfully used in 2009 in two different degrees at the Carlos III University of Madrid: Computer Science and Library and Information Science.

  18. Teacher Retraining and Directed Exchange (T.R.A.D.E.): Pilot Project Documentation and Evaluation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bragg, Debra D.; Miller, Aaron J.

    The Teacher Retraining and Directed Exchange (TRADE) project was conducted during the 1984-85 school year at five vocational schools in Ohio. During this period, a total of six teacher-employee exchanges were conducted with large and small businesses and industries. An evaluation of the project showed that, generally, the cost of implementing…

  19. Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Project: Student Responses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodrigue, Christine M.; Wechsler, Suzanne P.; Whitney, David J.; Ambos, Elizabeth L.; Ramirez-Herrera, Maria Teresa; Behl, Richard; Francis, Robert D.; Larson, Daniel O.; Hazen, Crisanne

    This paper describes an interdisciplinary project at California State University (Long Beach) designed to increase the attractiveness of the geosciences to underrepresented groups. The project is called the Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Project (GDEP). It is a 3-year program which began in the fall of 2001 with funding from the National Science…

  20. Technology Enhanced Teacher Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Teter, Richard B.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this research and development study was to design and develop an affordable, computer-based, pre-service teacher assessment and reporting system to allow teacher education institutions and supervising teachers to efficiently enter evaluation criteria, record pre-service teacher evaluations, and generate evaluation reports. The…

  1. Supporting Teachers' Use of a Project-Based Learning Environment in Ocean Science: Web-Based Educative Curriculum Materials

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duncan, Ravit Golan; El-Moslimany, Hebbah; McDonnell, Janice; Lichtenwalner, Sage

    2011-01-01

    The development of inquiry and project-based materials is challenging in many ways, not the least of which is the design of supports for teachers implementing such materials. We report on the design of educative and just-in-time teacher supports for an online project-based unit in ocean science. The teacher supports were visible as tabs on the…

  2. Computer-Based Cognitive Tools in Teacher Training: The COG-TECH Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Orhun, Emrah

    2003-01-01

    The COG-TECH (Cognitive Technologies for Problem Solving and Learning) Network conducted three international projects between 1994 and 2001 under the auspices of the European Commission. The main purpose of these projects was to train teacher educators in the Mediterranean countries to use computers as effective pedagogical tools. The summer…

  3. Transforming ESL Teachers' Perspective on Media Literacy: An Action Research Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodriguez Sanchez, Doralis

    2017-01-01

    Transforming ESL teachers' perspective on media literacy: An action research project was carried out at a Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE) public high school in the Metropolitan area. The participants of the study were five ESL teachers. Professional development was the intervention used in this study. The participants were introduced to…

  4. Final Report on the Mississippi Project CLEAR Voice Teacher Working Conditions Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berry, Barnett; Fuller, Ed

    2008-01-01

    In 2007, the state of Mississippi conducted a web-based survey of all school-based licensed educators in which they were asked to share their perceptions of the state of teacher working conditions in Mississippi. This report of the Mississippi Teacher Working Conditions Survey, Project CLEAR Voice (Cultivate Learning Environments to Accelerate…

  5. Teacher change in implementing a research-developed representation construction pedagogy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hubber, Peter; Chittleborough, Gail

    2016-05-01

    The Representations in Learning Science (RiLS) project developed a representation construction approach to teaching and learning in science, which has successfully demonstrated enhanced student learning through sustained engagement with ideas, and enhancement of teachers' pedagogical knowledge and understandings of how knowledge in science is developed and communicated. The current Constructing Representations in Science Pedagogy (CRISP) project aims at wider scale implementation of the representation construction approach. This paper explores a range of issues that confronted four Year-8 teachers in implementing this research-developed approach, such as: preparedness of the teacher in terms of epistemological positioning and positioning as a learner, significant support for planning and modelling by the university expert, and a team ethos where teachers share ideas and plan jointly. The Year-8 teachers implemented a representation construction approach to the teaching of the topic of astronomy. The Interconnected Model of Teacher Growth (IMTG) (Clarke and Hollingworth, Teach. Educ., 18 (2001) 947) was used to analyse the teachers' experience in planning and delivering the teaching sequence. This model was found to be flexible in identifying the experiences of teachers in different situations and useful in identifying issues for implementation of a research-developed pedagogy.

  6. Interactive Whiteboards: Do Teachers Really Use Them Interactively?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tatli, Cemal; Kiliç, Eylem

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this quantitative study is to examine high school teachers' use of specific features of interactive whiteboards (IWBs). During the 2012-2013 academic school year, 535 teachers in pilot schools from 10 provinces under the FATIH Project (Movement of Enhancing Opportunities and Improving Technology) participated. Data were collected…

  7. Enhanced digital mapping project : final report

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2004-11-19

    The Enhanced Digital Map Project (EDMap) was a three-year effort launched in April 2001 to develop a range of digital map database enhancements that enable or improve the performance of driver assistance systems currently under development or conside...

  8. Information, Vol. 1, Number 4. Teacher Corps Dissemination Project Bulletin.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenau, Fred S., Ed.

    Guidelines are provided for disseminating information on teacher corps projects. Information is given on experienced disseminators such as existing networks that are available to help in planning. Suggestions are made on targeting information and marketing. (JD)

  9. Payload Documentation Enhancement Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brown, Betty G.

    1999-01-01

    In late 1998, the Space Shuttle Program recognized a need to revitalize its payload accommodations documentation. As a result a payload documentation enhancement project was initiated to review and update payload documentation and improve the accessibility to that documentation by the Space Shuttle user community.

  10. Exploring the Malaysian Rural School Teachers' Professional Local Knowledge in Enhancing Students' Thinking Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jamil, Hazri; Arbaa, Rohani; Ahmad, Mohamad Zohir

    2017-01-01

    This paper discussed a qualitative research findings on the case of Malaysian teachers employed their professional local knowledge for enhancing students' thinking skills in classroom practices. In this paper, a teacher's professional local knowledge is viewed as a teacher's professional knowledge and skills developed through the combination of…

  11. Enhancing Cross-Cultural Competence in Multicultural Teacher Education: Transformation in Global Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seeberg, Vilma; Minick, Theresa

    2012-01-01

    Teacher education needs to engage teacher candidates in developing cross-cultural competence so that they may be able to transmit global learning to their future students. This study theorizes cross-cultural competence (CCC) from the perspectives of multicultural and global education. During a four-year project at a mid-western US university,…

  12. Preservice Teachers' Conceptions and Enactments of Project-Based Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Jill A.; Petrosino, Anthony J.; Martin, Taylor

    2010-01-01

    We present results of an investigation of preservice secondary mathematics and science teachers' conceptions of project-based instruction (PBI) and their enactments of PBI in apprentice (student) teaching. We evaluated their thinking and implementations within a composite framework based on the work of education researchers. We analyzed survey…

  13. EIA--A Teacher Education Project in Bangladesh: An Analysis from Diversified Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karim, Abdul; Mohamed, Abdul Rashid; Rahman, Mohammad Mosiur

    2017-01-01

    English in Action (EIA) is an ongoing teacher education project which places mobile technology at the centre of its action. Most of the studies carried out focused on the changes EIA brought in teachers' classroom actions. Along with this, they also explored the classroom to observe whether the input given during training program is implemented in…

  14. The Perspectives of Elementary Teachers Regarding the Integration of the JASON Project into the Science Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    George, Belinda Chantelle Richardson

    2015-01-01

    This phenomenological narrative study was to explore nine elementary teachers' perspectives of the integration of the JASON Project virtual field trip into the science curriculum. Study findings indicated that the teachers saw an increase in student participation when implementing the JASON Project virtual field trip. The most significant findings…

  15. Development and Validation of a Measure of Elementary Teachers' Science Content Knowledge in Two Multiyear Teacher Professional Development Intervention Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maerten-Rivera, Jaime Lynn; Huggins-Manley, Anne Corinne; Adamson, Karen; Lee, Okhee; Llosa, Lorena

    2015-01-01

    Using data collected from two multiyear teacher professional development projects employing randomized control trials, this study describes the development and validation of a paper-based test of elementary teachers' science content knowledge (SCK). Evidence of construct validity is presented, including evidence on internal structural…

  16. Teacher Competences for Telecollaboration: The Role of Coaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Melchor-Couto, Sabela; Jauregi, Kristi

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the role of coaching in enhancing teachers' key competences for integrating Telecollaboration (TC) in their language course. A total of 23 secondary school teachers participated in this case study as part of the EU-funded project TILA. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered via two surveys, the first one measuring…

  17. Inquiry projects in science teacher education: What can investigative experiences reveal about teacher thinking and eventual classroom practice?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Windschitl, Mark

    2003-01-01

    Science education reform documents emphasize the importance of inquiry experiences for young learners. This means that teachers must be prepared with the knowledge, skills, and habits of thinking to mentor their students through authentic investigations. This study examines how preservice teachers' inquiry experiences, in a science methods course, influenced and were influenced by their conceptions of inquiry. The study also assesses how these experiences were associated with eventual classroom practice. Six preservice secondary teachers were observed during a 2-month inquiry project and then followed into the classroom as they began a 9-week teaching practicum. Data revealed that participants' preproject conceptions of the inquiry process were related to the conduct and interpretation of their own inquiry project, and that the project experience modified the inquiry conceptions of those participants who already had sophisticated understandings of scientific investigations. Perhaps most importantly, the participants who eventually used guided and open inquiry during their student teaching were not those who had more authentic views of inquiry or reflected most deeply about their own inquiry projects, but rather they were individuals who had significant undergraduate or professional experiences with authentic science research. Finally, this article advocates that independent science investigations be part of preservice education and that these experiences should be scaffolded to prompt reflection specifically about the nature of inquiry and conceptually linked to ways in which inquiry can be brought into the K-12 classroom.

  18. Implications from the Use of ICT by Language Teachers--Participants of International Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gajek, Elzbieta

    2015-01-01

    Telecollaboration in international school projects requires various competences from the participating teachers. A combination of intercultural, linguistic, technical and subject competences builds ground for successful team work with foreign partners. This article presents a survey on the use of ICT by language teachers, their attitudes to ICT…

  19. What Makes Professional Development Coherent? Uncovering Teacher Perspectives on a Science Literacy Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kohnen, Angela M.; Whitacre, Michelle P.

    2017-01-01

    In this study, the authors sought to uncover the characteristics of professional development (PD) that were identified by teacher-participants as being important to their implementation of project ideas. Using phenomenological interviewing, the authors talked with nine teacher-participants about changes to their teaching practices after they…

  20. From Teacher Professional Development to the Classroom: How NLP Technology Can Enhance Teachers' Linguistic Awareness to Support Curriculum Development for English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burstein, Jill; Shore, Jane; Sabatini, John; Moulder, Brad; Lentini, Jennifer; Biggers, Kietha; Holtzman, Steven

    2014-01-01

    This article reports on two studies using "Language Muse[superscript SM]" (LM), a web-based, teacher professional development (TPD) application designed to enhance teachers' linguistic awareness and to support teachers in the development of language-based instructional scaffolding for English language learners (ELL). In Study 1,…

  1. Supporting the Technology-Enhanced Collaborative Inquiry and Design Project: A Teacher's Reflections on Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Viilo, Marjut; Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, Pirita; Hakkarainen, Kai

    2011-01-01

    In this study, we argue that a teacher has a crucial role in leading students into collaborative inquiry-learning practices. While many studies have given the impression that students are able to engage in inquiry processes on their own, the role of social practices and teacher guidance often remains unexplained. However, even when the pedagogical…

  2. Project Physics Teacher Guide 3, The Triumph of Mechanics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

    Teaching procedures of Project Physics Unit 3 are presented to help teachers make effective use of learning materials. Unit contents are discussed in connection with teaching aid perspective, multi-media schedules, schedule blocks, and resource charts. Brief analyses are made for transparencies, 16mm films, and reader articles. Included is…

  3. Project Physics Teacher Guide 5, Models of the Atom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

    Teaching procedures of Project Physics Unit 5 are presented to help teachers make effective use of learning materials. Unit contents are discussed in connection with teaching aid lists, multi-media schedules, schedule blocks, and resource charts. Brief summaries are made for transparencies, 16mm films, and reader articles. Included is information…

  4. Project Physics Teacher Guide 2, Motion in the Heavens.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

    Teaching procedures of Project Physics Unit 2 are presented to help teachers make effective use of learning materials. The unit contents are discussed in connection with teaching aid perspectives, multi-media schedules, schedule blocks, and resource charts. Analyses are made for transparencies, 16mm films, and reader articles. Included is…

  5. The perceptions of pre-service and in-service teachers regarding a project-based STEM approach to teaching science.

    PubMed

    Siew, Nyet Moi; Amir, Nazir; Chong, Chin Lu

    2015-01-01

    Whilst much attention has focused on project-based approaches to teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, little has been reported on the views of South-East Asian science teachers on project-based STEM approaches. Such knowledge could provide relevant information for education training institutions on how to influence innovative teaching of STEM subjects in schools. This article reports on a study that investigated the perceptions of 25 pre-service and 21 in-service Malaysian science teachers in adopting an interdisciplinary project-based STEM approach to teaching science. The teachers undertook an eight hour workshop which exposed them to different science-based STEM projects suitable for presenting science content in the Malaysian high school science syllabus. Data on teachers' perceptions were captured through surveys, interviews, open-ended questions and classroom discussion before and at the end of the workshop. Study findings showed that STEM professional development workshops can provide insights into the support required for teachers to adopt innovative, effective, project-based STEM approaches to teaching science in their schools.

  6. Developing Pedagogical Practices to Enhance Confidence and Competence in Science Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garbett, Dawn

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this self-study research was to deepen my understanding of pedagogy for teacher education and the factors that enhanced and hindered my confidence and competence as a teacher educator. I recorded my impressions and descriptions of events, discussions, and interpretations as a result of studying my practice in an electronic journal.…

  7. In-Service Secondary School Teachers' Technology Integration Needs in an ICT-Enhanced Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adegbenro, Janet B.; Gumbo, Mishack T.; Olakanmi, Eunice Eyitayo

    2017-01-01

    The use of information and communication technology (ICT) is becoming an essential skill for teachers to enhance teaching and learning. Teachers' training on ICT utilisation in higher education institutions in South Africa has emerged as an important issue. However, limited research has been done on a needs analysis for teachers who plan to make…

  8. The Use of Radio in an In-service Teacher-Training Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahrens, Patricia; Ghodiwala, Adam

    1987-01-01

    Describes the background and structure of an inservice project which offered primary school teachers in India support in the teaching of English as a foreign language through radio broadcasts. (Author/CB)

  9. Native Americans as Teacher Trainers: Anatomy and Outcomes of a Cultural Immersion Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mahan, James M.

    1982-01-01

    Describes the results of a nine-year field project designed to provide multicultural education to student teachers through intensive immersion in Navajo and Hopi cultures. Emphasizes the impact of intensive teacher preparation experiences in a cultural community where the trainee must function in the role of a minority person. (Author/MJL)

  10. Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Forms of the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities Project for Promoting Cooperative Conflict Resolution Education in Australian Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trinder, Margot; Wertheim, Eleanor H.; Freeman, Elizabeth; Sanson, Ann; Richardson, Shanel; Hunt, Sue

    2010-01-01

    This study evaluated the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities (ERIS) Project which aimed to promote constructive conflict resolution (CR) in Australian primary school communities through professional development for core teams of three-five staff (n = 33 teachers). Twelve schools were randomly assigned to a full intervention (FI) group or…

  11. Enhanced Teacher Training Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrington, Ingrid

    2013-01-01

    Teacher preparation and preparedness have been the focus of much research connecting quality teaching and learning, retention, and teacher satisfaction (Halsey, 2005; Hayes, Mills, Christie, & Lingard, 2006; MCEETYA, 2006). The successful recruitment and retention of teachers to rural and remote schools Australia-wide has been problematic for…

  12. Genethics: project accountability via evaluation of teacher and student growth.

    PubMed

    Hendrix, J R; Mertens, T R

    1992-10-01

    Accountability through demonstrated learning is increasingly being demanded by agencies funding science education projects. For example, the National Science Foundation requires evidence of the educational impact of programs designed to increase the scientific understanding and competencies of teachers and their students. The purpose of this paper is to share our human genetics educational experiences and accountability model with colleagues interested in serving the genetics educational needs of in-service secondary school science teachers and their students. Our accountability model is facilitated through (1) identifying the educational needs of the population of teachers to be served, (2) articulating goals and measurable objectives to meet these needs, and (3) then designing and implementing pretest/posttest questions to measure whether the objectives have been achieved. Comparison of entry and exit levels of performance on a 50-item test showed that teacher-participants learned a statistically significant amount of genetics content in our NSF-funded workshops. Teachers, in turn, administered a 25-item pretest/posttest to their secondary school students, and collective data from 121 classrooms across the United States revealed statistically significant increases in student knowledge of genetics content. Methods describing our attempts to evaluate teachers' use of pedagogical techniques and bioethical decision-making skills are briefly addressed.

  13. The Teacher's Role When Pupils Work on Task Using ICT in Project Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Postholm, May Britt

    2006-01-01

    Background: ICT (information and communication technology) and project work are challenging issues for many teachers to deal with in the classroom. For years there were predictions that teachers, textbooks and even schools would be replaced by new teaching and learning technology. This prediction does not appear to have come about. Cuban has…

  14. Supporting On-Site Teacher-Consultants: New York City Writing Project's Community of Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osterman, Ed

    2008-01-01

    This monograph describes and analyzes the particular processes and structures that the New York City Writing Project (NYCWP) directors and on-site teacher-consultants have developed that enable them to support and learn from each other and to reflect critically upon the work they do with teachers, students, and administrators. Over time the…

  15. Preparing teachers to address climate change with project-based instructional modules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Powers, S. E.; DeWaters, J.; Small, M.; Dhaniyala, S.

    2012-12-01

    Clarkson University's Project-Based Global Climate Change Education project funded by NASA has created and disseminated several instructional modules for middle and high school teachers. The modules were developed by a team of teachers and university students and faculty. Fundamental to these inquiry-based modules are questions about climate change or mitigation efforts, use of real-world data to explore historical climate changes, and review of IPCC model results to understand predictions of further changes over the next century. As an example, the Climate Connections module requires middle school students to investigate a geographic region, learn about the culture and likely carbon footprint, and then acquire and analyze data sets of historical and predicted temperature changes. The findings are then interpreted in relation to the impact of these changes on the region's culture. NOAA, NASA, IPCC and DOE databases are used extensively. The inquiry approach and core content included in these modules are well aligned with the new Framework for K-12 Science Education. The climate change science in these modules covers aspects of the disciplinary core subjects (dimension 3) and most of the cross cutting concepts (dimension 2). Our approach for inquiry and analysis are also authentic ways to include most of the science and engineering practices (dimension 1) included in the framework. Dissemination of the modules to teachers in New York State has been a joint effort by NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) and Clarkson. Half-day and full-day workshops and week-long institutes provided opportunities to either introduce the modules and the basics of finding and using temperature data, or delve into the science concepts and integration of the modules into an instructional plan. A significant challenge has been identified by the workshop instructors - many science teachers lack the skills necessary to fully engage in the science and engineering

  16. Effective Collaboration in Teacher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Roger V.; And Others

    1992-01-01

    Describes the collaboration between Bowling Green city schools and Bowling Green State University. Higher education faculty and K-12 teachers work in each other's classrooms to improve instruction, facilitate curriculum development, and enhance faculty development. The article describes partnership projects, elaborates one case study, and…

  17. Collaborative Design of Technology-Enhanced Learning: What Can We Learn from Teacher Talk?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKenney, Susan; Boschman, Ferry; Pieters, Jules; Voogt, Joke

    2016-01-01

    The collaborative design of technology-enhanced learning is seen as a practical and effective professional development strategy, especially because teachers learn from each other as they share and apply knowledge. But how teacher design team participants draw on and develop their knowledge has not yet been investigated. This qualitative…

  18. Elementary Teachers' Perception of Language Issues in Science Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seah, Lay Hoon

    2016-01-01

    Although the importance of language in science learning has been widely recognized by researchers, there is limited research on how science teachers perceive the roles that language plays in science classrooms. As part of an intervention design project that aimed to enhance teachers' capacity to address the language demands of science, interview…

  19. TESOL in Context: Authentic Workplace Learning for Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomsett, Janeen; Leggett, Bridget; Ainsworth, Sharon

    2011-01-01

    The action research project entitled "Engaging pre-service TESOL teachers in authentic workplace learning" aimed to enhance the TESOL practicum experience of pre-service teachers in the Graduate Diploma of Education at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia. Integrated into the relevant TESOL curriculum unit was the…

  20. An Educational Leadership Doctoral Project: Teacher Evaluation Policies and Practices at the District Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manchion, Kyrie L.; Bonsignore, Matt; Haley, Tina L.

    2012-01-01

    This report describes a project focused on quality teacher evaluation practices. Many scholars described the relationship between quality teaching and student learning. Literature suggests a connection between teaching practices and teacher evaluation practices. In addition, scholars recommend educational leaders conduct a periodic review of…

  1. Science Teaching Orientations and Technology-Enhanced Tools for Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Todd; Longhurst, Max; Duffy, Aaron M.; Wolf, Paul G.; Shelton, Brett E.

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative study examines teacher orientations and technology-enhanced tools for student learning within a science literacy framework. Data for this study came from a group of 10 eighth grade science teachers. Each of these teachers was a participant in a professional development (PD) project focused on reformed and technology-enhanced…

  2. Enhancing Science Teacher Training Using Water Resources and GLOBE

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Falco, James W.

    2002-01-01

    Heritage College, located on the Yakama Indian Reservation in south central Washington state, serves a multicultural, underserved, rural population and trains teachers to staff the disadvantaged school districts on and surrounding the reservation. In-service teachers and pre-service teachers in the area show strength in biology but have weak backgrounds in chemistry and mathematics. We are addressing this problem by providing a 2-year core of courses for 3 groups of 25 students (15 pre-service and 10 in-service teachers) using GLOBE to teach integrated physical science and mathematics. At the conclusion of the program, the students will qualify for science certification by Washington State. Water resources are the focal point of the curriculum because it is central to life in our desert area. The lack or excess of water, its uses, quality and distribution is being studied by using GIS, remote sensing and historical records. Students are learning the methodology to incorporate scientific protocols and data into all aspects of their future teaching curriculum. In addition, in each of the three years of the project, pre-service teachers attended a seminar series during the fall semester with presentations by collaborators from industry, agriculture, education and government agencies. Students used NASA educational materials in the presentations that they gave at the conclusion of the seminar series. All pre- and in-service teachers continue to have support via a local web site for Heritage College GLOBE participants.

  3. National Writing Project. 2011-2012 Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Writing Project (NJ1), 2012

    2012-01-01

    This National Writing Project 2011-2012 Report describes how Writing Project teacher-leaders study and share effective practices that enhance student writing and learning, work collaboratively with other educators, design resources, and take on new roles in effecting positive change. It includes a financial summary for years ended September 30 for…

  4. Enhancing elementary-school mathematics teachers' efficacy beliefs: a qualitative action research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Katz, Sara; Stupel, Moshe

    2016-04-01

    Individuals and societies that can use mathematics effectively in this period of rapid changes will have a voice on increasing the opportunities and potentials which can shape their future. This has brought affective characteristics, such as self-efficacy, that affect mathematics achievement into focus of the research. Teacher efficacy refers to the extent to which a teacher feels capable to help students learn, influence students' performance and commitment, and thus plays a crucial role in developing the student in all aspects. In this study, we used two sources of efficacy beliefs, mastery experiences and physiological and emotional states, in an interesting and challenging seven month workshop, as tools to foster teacher efficacy for six elementary-school teachers who were frustrated and wanted to leave their job. Our aim was to study the nature of these teachers' efficacy in order to change it. In this qualitative action research, we used open interviews, non-participant observations and field notes. Results show that these teachers became efficacious, their students' achievements and motivation were enhanced, and the school climate was changed. Qualitative inquiry of this construct sheds light on efficacy beliefs of mathematics teachers. Nurturing teacher efficacy has borne much fruit in the field of mathematics in school.

  5. Preparing teachers to create a mainstream science classroom conducive to the needs of English-language learners: A feminist action research project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buck, Gayle; Mast, Colette; Ehlers, Nancy; Franklin, Elizabeth

    2005-11-01

    A feminist action research team, which consisted of a science educator, an English-language learner (ELL) educator, a first-year science teacher, and a graduate assistant, set a goal to work together to explore the process a beginning teacher goes through to establish a classroom conducive to the needs of middle-level ELL learners. The guiding questions of the study were answered by gathering a wealth of data over the course of 5 months and taken from the classroom, planning sessions, and researchers and students. These data were collected by observations, semistructured interviews, and written document reviews. The progressive analysis ultimately revealed that: (a) successful strategies a beginning teacher must utilize for teaching middle-level ELL children in a mainstream classroom involve complex structural considerations that are not part of the teacher's preparation; (b) learning increases for all children, but there are differences in learning achievement between ELL and non-ELL children; and (c) student and peer feedback proved to be an effective means of enhancing the growth of a beginning teacher seeking to increase her skills in teaching ELL learners. The experiences and findings from this project have implications for teacher preparation programs committed to preparing educators to teach science to all children.

  6. Assessing Teacher and Student Effects of the Research Goes to School Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kararo, Alex T.

    There have been calls by the Federal government and policymakers for improvements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education through the development of excellent teachers with the content knowledge and skills to teach and motivate students. A shared goal among teacher professional development (PD) programs is to improve students' learning outcomes through changes in teachers' classroom practices. One way to address classroom practice is by studying pedagogical content knowledge and skill (PCK&S), which is the way teachers incorporate both subject matter and teaching strategies to transform the way they teach content to support student learning. PCK&S includes the knowledge and planning as well as the act of teaching. The NSF-funded Research Goes to School (RGS) project sought to impact teachers' PCK&S through the introduction of a current scientific research topic simultaneously with an evidence-based teaching strategy. As part of the RGS project, high-school STEM teachers from Indiana applied to attend summer PD workshops. At these workshops, aspects of nanoscience taken from the Big Ideas of Nanoscale Science and Engineering book and project-based learning (PjBL) were taught. Nanoscience was chosen due to the rapid growth of this field and the call by scientists and policymakers for the development of standards and curricula focused on nanoscience within K-12 education. Introduction of fundamental nanoscience concepts can expose students to current research within what is considered the next industrial revolution. PjBL was chosen since within this teaching strategy, scientific processes are used to address unstructured authentic problems. As part of PjBL, the students are required to synthesize ideas, collect and analyze data, and work with peers to develop an answer to the authentic question. Teachers who attended the workshops developed a nanoscience-based PjBL unit that aligned with Indiana state standards and implemented these units

  7. [Subtainable health promotion via organisational development--a model project for teachers in professional training schools].

    PubMed

    Schumacher, L; Nieskens, B; Bräuer, H; Sieland, B

    2005-02-01

    The goal of this project is the development, implementation and evaluation of a concept designed for sustainable health promotion among occupational and trade school teachers. We assume that for sustainable health promotion -- along with a behavioral prevention program -- a change is necessary in the structure, as well as, the working and communication processes within schools. The realization of early teacher participation and self regulated cooperative groups initiates comprehensive and goal-oriented developmental processes in the project schools. The organizational development process was accomplished in the following way: At the beginning we conducted a diagnosis of school-specific and individual health risks and the resources available to the project schools. The results were reported for both the individual and for the teacher group. This was intended to clarify the potential for improvement and, thus, strengthen the teachers' motivation toward processes of change. Following the diagnosis, the teachers chose areas of stress-related strain and then worked in groups to develop and implement behaviour and working condition-oriented intervention strategies for health promotion. The diagnosis results confirm the necessity of school-specific health promotion: the schools demonstrate very different demand and resource profiles. Furthermore, is has become evident that the central success factor for health promotion in schools is the teachers' willingness for change. The individual and group reports of the diagnosis results seem to have made clear how essential individual and organisational changes are.

  8. Students as 'catalysts' in the classroom: the impact of co-teaching between science student teachers and primary classroom teachers on children's enjoyment and learning of science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murphy, Colette; Beggs, Jim; Carlisle, Karen; Greenwood, Julian

    2004-08-01

    This study is an investigation of the impact of collaborative teaching by student-teachers and classroom teachers on children's enjoyment and learning of science. The paper describes findings from a project in which undergraduate science specialist student-teachers were placed in primary schools where they 'co-taught' investigative science and technology with primary teachers. Almost six months after the student placement, a survey of children's attitudes to school science revealed that these children enjoyed science lessons more and showed fewer gender or age differences in their attitudes to science than children who had not been involved in the project. The authors discuss how this model of collaborative planning, teaching and evaluation can both enhance teacher education and improve children's experience of science.

  9. The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Pre-Service Teachers' Technology Attitudes and Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alexander, Curby; Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda; Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Bull, Glen

    2014-01-01

    Researchers in this study looked at the effect of content-specific, technology-rich project-based learning activities on EC-8 pre-service teachers' competencies and skills, as well as pre-service teacher's attitudes toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Researchers employed a quantitative design involving participants in…

  10. Does Teacher Evaluation Improve School Performance? Experimental Evidence from Chicago's Excellence in Teaching Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steinberg, Matthew P.; Sartain, Lauren

    2015-01-01

    Chicago Public Schools initiated the Excellence in Teaching Project, a teacher evaluation program designed to increase student learning by improving classroom instruction through structured principal-teacher dialogue. The pilot began in forty-four elementary schools in 2008-09 (cohort 1) and scaled up to include an additional forty-eight…

  11. Teachers' Use of Research Evidence in Practice: A Pilot Study of Feedback to Enhance Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    See, Beng Huat; Gorard, Stephen; Siddiqui, Nadia

    2016-01-01

    Background: There is worldwide interest in improving the effectiveness of teachers and teaching. This paper considers two strands of that interest. It revisits the impact of using enhanced feedback from teachers to pupils as a way of improving attainment, and it looks at the feasibility of teachers using research evidence to create their own…

  12. Student-Teacher Collaboration: A Skateboard Project that Really Rocks!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Tim

    2005-01-01

    As a teacher, the author gets his biggest charge from seeing students' eyes light up when he asks them a question related to a topic on which they are the experts and he is the novice. Skateboarding provides a prime example. Since most of his students have a personal interest and involvement in skateboarding, he introduced a skateboard project to…

  13. Enhancing students' moral competence in practice: Challenges experienced by Malawian nurse teachers.

    PubMed

    Solum, Eva Merethe; Maluwa, Veronica Mary; Tveit, Bodil; Severinsson, Elisabeth

    2016-09-01

    Nurses and student nurses in Malawi often encounter challenges in taking a moral course of action. Several studies have demonstrated a need for increased awareness of ethical issues in the nursing education. To explore the challenges experienced by nurse teachers in Malawi in their efforts to enhance students' moral competence in clinical practice. A qualitative hermeneutic approach was employed to interpret the teachers' experiences. Individual interviews (N = 8) and a focus group interview with teachers (N = 9) from different nursing colleges were conducted. Ethical approval was granted and all participants signed their informed consent. Two overall themes emerged: (1) authoritarian learning climate, with three subthemes: (a) fear of making critical comments about clinical practice, (b) fear of disclosing mistakes and lack of knowledge and (c) lack of a culture of critical discussion and reflection that promotes moral competence; and (2) discrepancy between expectations on learning outcome from nursing college and the learning opportunities in practice comprising three subthemes: (a) gap between the theory taught in class and learning opportunities in clinical practice, (b) lack of good role models and (c) lack of resources. Our findings indicated that showing respect was a central objective when the students were assessed in practice. A number of previous studies have enlightened the need for critical reflection in nursing education. Few studies have linked this to challenges experienced by teachers for development of moral competence in practice. This is one of the first such studies done in an African setting. There is a clear relationship between the two themes. A less authoritarian learning climate may enhance critical reflection and discussion between students, teachers and nurses. This can narrow the gap between the theory taught in college and what is demonstrated in clinical practice. Moral competence must be enhanced in order to ensure patients' rights

  14. Pre-Service Science Teachers' Understandings of Classroom Research and the Problems in Conducting Classroom Research Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jantarakantee, Ekgapoom; Roadrangka, Vantipa; Clarke, Anthony

    2012-01-01

    This research paper explores pre-service science teachers' understandings of classroom research, problems in conducting classroom research and the supports that pre-service science teachers need from their cooperating teachers to help them conduct a classroom research project during the internship period. The participants in this study are 19…

  15. Students' and teachers' perceptions: initial achievements of a Project-Based Engineering School

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Terrón-López, María-José; Velasco-Quintana, Paloma-Julia; García-García, María-José; Ocampo, Jared R.

    2017-11-01

    A unified academic model based on the project-based learning (PBL) methodology was implemented, in the 2012-2013 period, in the School of Engineering at Universidad Europea de Madrid. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether teachers and students participating in the capstone projects feel that the objectives for which this methodology was designed for are being achieved. The data were collected through interviews to participants at the end of the PBL experience. The results are encouraging, as students seem to be more motivated, and they say that they are experiencing deeper learning, and have developed key competitive skills required for their professional lives. Findings also suggest that teachers face positively the PBL as a learning approach since they perceive that students obtain a deeper learning, develop transversal skills with the projects and are more engaged with their studies. Implications and recommendations for the future of the model are also discussed.

  16. ANDRILL: INVOLVING TEACHERS IN FIELD RESEARCH ENHANCES THE TRANSFER OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE TO CLASSROOMS AND TO OTHER EDUCATORS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cattadori, M.; Huffman, L. T.; Trummel, B.

    2009-12-01

    For most educators, the end of a field research experience is truly the beginning. From the knowledge gained and the excitement of living and working in a harsh environment like Antarctica, ARISE (ANDRILL Research Immersion for Science Educators) participants create enhanced learning experiences and resources for their students and for the professional development of other teachers. ANDRILL (Antarctic geological DRILLing) is an multi-national and interdisciplinary research project involving Italy, Germany , New Zealand, and USA. The core concept of its Education and Public Outreach Program is to embed educators as integral members on the science research teams, allowing them to participate in every phase of the mission. Their primary goal is to develop effective and innovative educational approaches for the communication of the scientific and technical aspects of the drilling program. ANDRILL has developed an exemplary teacher research experience model that differs from most by supporting a collaborative team of international educators rather than just one teacher. During the first two years of drilling projects, 2006 and 2007, ANDRILL took 16 educators from 4 countries to Antarctica. From those experiences, a growing collaborative network of polar science educators is nurtured, many valuable resources and examples of professional development have been created, and lessons have been learned and evaluated for future teacher research immersion experiences. An Italian ARISE participant and ANDRILL’s Education and Outreach Coordinator will present how ARISE has been at the core of developing transformational programs and resources in both countries including: [1] Flexhibit, a digital series of climate change materials designed for informal and formal learning environments that have been translated into Italian, German, French, Arabic, Spanish, and New Zealand English, (2) C2S2: Climate Change Student Summits, which provide professional development and resources for

  17. Adoption of ICT in Science Education: A Case Study of Communication Channels in a Teachers' Professional Development Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Juuti, Kalle; Lavonen, Jari; Aksela, Maija; Meisalo, Veijo

    2009-01-01

    This paper analyses the use of various communication channels in science teachers' professional development project aiming to develop versatile uses for ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in science teaching. A teacher network was created specifically for this project, and the researchers facilitated three forms of communication…

  18. Learning with Technology for Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Anne; Scotellaro, Grazia

    2009-01-01

    This paper describes an innovative pilot project at the University of Canberra aimed at providing pre-service early childhood teachers with the skills, confidence and ideological change required to include technology-enhanced learning as part of the early childhood curriculum. The impact of the project was evaluated through participant…

  19. Professional Development Tools to Enhance the Abilities of Veteran Teachers in Pre-K through Eighth Grades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuykendall, Salvatrice Domenica

    2017-01-01

    "Professional Development Tools to Enhance the Abilities of Veteran Teachers in Pre-K Through Eighth Grades" examined the variety of professional development tools available to veteran educators. The quasi-experimental study allowed veteran teachers to participate in a pretest survey consisting of questions about teachers' desire for…

  20. Authentic Learning for Pre-Service Teachers in a Technology-Rich Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Latham, Gloria; Carr, Nicky

    2012-01-01

    This paper shares the findings from a three year Participatory Action Research Study around the selection, implementation and effectiveness of educational technologies for enhancing learning in a Teacher Education subject for second year pre-service primary teachers. The innovative Project-Based subject is described using a critical lens. The…

  1. Accomplished Story Telling: English Teachers Write about Their Professional Lives (The Standards for Teachers of English Language and Literacy in Australia Project)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doecke, Brenton

    2004-01-01

    This paper draws on research that has recently been conducted in Australia on the possibility of formulating professional standards for teachers of English in primary and secondary schools. English teachers around the country have played a vital role in the project, writing stories in an effort to capture "accomplished" English teaching,…

  2. A Fingerprint Pattern of Supports for Teachers' Designing of Technology-Enhanced Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Svihla, Vanessa; Reeve, Richard; Sagy, Ornit; Kali, Yael

    2015-01-01

    Teachers often find themselves in a position in which they need to adapt technology-enhanced materials to meet the needs of their students. As new technologies--especially those not specifically designed for learning--find their way into schools, teachers need to be able to design learning experiences that use these new technologies in their local…

  3. Exploring Student Teachers' Views on ePortfolios as an Empowering Tool to Enhance Self-Directed Learning in an Online Teacher Education Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Wyk, Micheal M.

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores Economics student teachers' views on ePortfolios as an empowering tool to enhance self-directed learning in an online teacher education course. An interpretive phenomenological research approach was employed for data collection and a purposive convenient sampling technique was selected to collect data. Only Postgraduate…

  4. Enhancing Intercultural Understanding for Pre-Service Teachers through Developing and Sustaining Education Abroad Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marcus, Alan S.; Moss, David M.

    2015-01-01

    This article discusses two education abroad programs that afford pre-service teachers with purposeful opportunities to enhance their intercultural competence through immersion in teaching internships in British schools. The programs, in London and Nottingham, provide pre-service teachers with direct experiences that engage them with diverse…

  5. Design and implementation of two two-week Teacher Enhancement Institutes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lambert, Lynn

    1994-01-01

    During this summer, I have been part of a four team effort that planned and executed two two-week Teacher Enhancement Institutes (TEI) for 40 K-8 teachers from this area. The TEI was designed to enhance teachers' background in aeronautics and technology so that they would be better equipped to encourage and to train students in the mathematics, science, and technology fields. The teachers were given a stipend and three graduate credits from Christopher Newport University for their participation in this program. The four ASEE fellows worked together to develop objectives and a schedule of activities for each two-week session based on the program outline given in the grants that were funding this effort. We divided the responsibilities in coordinating and implementing each part of the TEI based on the specific strengths and background of each ASEE fellow. My specific responsibilities were: (1) to develop the course syllabus and generally handle all matters involved with the graduate course; (2) coordinate the follow-up sessions; and (3) design and manage half of the technology sessions that we had scheduled (approximately 30% of the TEI was devoted to technology). Because the first two responsibilities were primarily administrative in nature, I will address only the last. The technology sessions were divided into computer-only and other technologies (e.g., television and digital technology including scanning, digital photography and CD-ROM). I had responsibility for the computer-only technology sessions. The emphasis of these sessions was on use of the Internet specifically to locate and use educational resources. To maximize learning, these sessions were hands-on with two teachers at each computer. Each teacher received instruction in, and actually used, the most popular tools available on the Internet: email (they were given temporary accounts at NASA LaRC), anonymous ftp and archie, gopher and veronica, mosaic, and telnet. Teachers participated in hands

  6. The creation of science projects in the physics teachers preparation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horváthová, Daniela; Rakovská, Mária; Zelenický, Ľubomír

    2017-01-01

    Terms - project, projecting and the method of projecting - are nowadays frequently used in different relations. Those terms, especially as methods (of a cognitive process), are also transferred to the educational process. Before a new educational method comes to practice, the teacher should be familiar with it and preferably when it is done so during his university studies. An optional subject called Physics in a system of science subjects has been included into physics curricula for students of the fourth year of their studies at the Faculty of Science of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. Its task is to make students aware of ways how to coordinate knowledge and instructions presented in these subjects through analysis of curricula and textbooks. As a part of their seminars students are asked to create integrated tasks and experiments which can be assessed from the point of view of either physics or chemistry or biology and which can motivate pupils and form their complex view on various phenomena in the nature. Therefore the article discusses theoretical and also practical questions related to experience that originates from placing the mentioned method and the subject Physics in a system of science subjects into the preparation of a natural sciences teacher in our workplace.

  7. An Examination of Oregon Writing Project Teachers: A Qualitative Study of Professional Development Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Obery, Angela D.

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study examined the influence of the 2011 Oregon Writing Project (OWP) Summer Institute (SI) on the professional development of six teachers in the following ways: 1. The development of case descriptions of teachers' personal and professional backgrounds relevant to their teaching of writing. 2. An examination of the effects of the…

  8. Learning from Follow Up Surveys of Graduates: The Austin Teacher Program and the Benchmark Project. A Discussion Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Thomas E.

    This paper describes Austin College's (Texas) participation in the Benchmark Project, a collaborative followup study of teacher education graduates and their principals, focusing on the second round of data collection. The Benchmark Project was a collaboration of 11 teacher preparation programs that gathered and analyzed data comparing graduates…

  9. The Effects of a College Teacher Training Project with Emphases on Mexican American Cultural Characteristics. An Evaluation Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valencia, Atilano A.

    The major purpose of the Sacramento State College Mexican American Educational Project is to provide prospective teachers with an in-depth understanding of the cultural heritage, acculturation problems, and other behavioral characteristics found among Mexican American children. Components of the project include (1) a teacher-training program; (2)…

  10. Elementary school science teachers' reflection for nature of science: Workshop of NOS explicit and reflective on force and motion learning activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patho, Khanittha; Yuenyong, Chokchai; Chamrat, Suthida

    2018-01-01

    The nature of science has been part of Thailand's science education curriculum since 2008. However, teachers lack of understanding about the nature of science (NOS) and its teaching, particularly element school science teachers. In 2012, the Science Institute of Thailand MOE, started a project of Elementary Science Teacher Professional Development to enhance their thinking about the Nature of Science. The project aimed to enhance teachers' understanding of NOS, science teaching for explicit and reflective NOS, with the aim of extending their understanding of NOS to other teachers. This project selected 366 educational persons. The group was made up of a teacher and a teacher supervisor from 183 educational areas in 74 provinces all Thailand. The project provided a one week workshop and a year's follow up. The week-long workshop consisted of 11 activities of science teaching for explicit reflection on 8 aspects of NOS. Workshop of NOS explicit and reflective on force and motion learning activity is one of eight activities. This activity provided participants to learn force and motion and NOS from the traditional toy "Bang-Poh". The activity tried to enhance participants to explicit NOS for 5 aspects including empirical basis, subjectivity, creativity, observation and inference, and sociocultural embeddedness. The explicit NOS worksheet provided questions to ask participants to reflect their existing ideas about NOS. The paper examines elementary school science teachers' understanding of NOS from the force and motion learning activity which provided explicit reflection on 5 NOS aspects. An interpretive paradigm was used to analyse the teachers' reflections in a NOS worksheet. The findings indicated that majority of them could reflect about the empirical basis of science and creativity but few reflected on observation and inference, or sociocultural embeddedness. The paper will explain the teachers' NOS thinking and discuss the further enhancing of their understanding

  11. Enhancing Diversity In The Geosciences; Intensive Field Experience In USA And Mexico For Middle And High School Teachers Serving Large Hispanic Populations.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leal-Bautista, R. M.; Kitts, K. B.; Velazquez Oliman, G.; Perry, E. C.

    2008-12-01

    To encourage Hispanic participation and enrolment in the geosciences and ultimately enhance diversity within the discipline, we recruited ten middle and high school science teachers serving large Hispanic populations (60-97%) for a paid three-week field experience supported by an NSF Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences grant. In 2006, the field experiences focused on volcanic events and the water problems of the Central part of Mexico. In 2008, the field experiences focused on karstic and hydrogeological conditions of the Yucatan Peninsula. In addition to the geological aspects of the fieldwork experience, the trip to Mexico exposed the teachers to a social environment outside of their community where they interacted with a diverse group of scientists from the Universidad National Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Centro de Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan (CICY) and Centro Nacional de Desastres (CENAPRED). A key part of this project was the encounter between American and Mexican teachers that included a day of presentations, panel discussion and some class-room activities. Direct interaction between the cooperating teachers and the American and Mexican geoscientists provided actual scientific research experiences to educate and to help dispel misconceptions the teachers themselves may have had about who geoscientists really are and what they do. Teachers of the 2006 group produced educational materials from their field experiences and presented these materials at professional conferences. We measured the efficacy of these activities quantitatively via pre- and post-tests assessing confidence levels, preconceptions and biases, NIU staff observations of participants in their home institutions, and evaluations of participants' field books and pedagogical materials. We present these data here and identify specific activities that are both effective and efficient in changing teacher behaviours and attitudes enabling them to better connect with their

  12. Linking Our Worlds: A Collaborative Academic Literacy Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vann, Roberta J.; Fairbairn, Shelley B.

    2003-01-01

    Describes a project that a middle school ESOL teacher and a university professor designed to challenge middle school ESOL students--immigrants from Bosnia and Mexico--to enhance their academic literacy through social interaction by sharing their own expertise as ESOL learners with a group of future ESOL teachers enrolled in a TESL literacy methods…

  13. Professional Development through Teacher Collaboration: An Approach to Enhance Teaching and Learning in Science and Mathematics in Tanzania

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kafyulilo, Ayoub Cherd

    2013-01-01

    This study introduces "teachers' collaboration" as an approach to teachers' professional development geared at enhancing science and mathematics teaching in Tanzania secondary schools. Teachers' professional development through teachers' collaboration has been reported to be effective for the improvement of schools' performance and…

  14. Examining Preservice Teachers' Beliefs about Disciplinary Literacy in History through a Blog Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colwell, Jamie

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative case study explored preservice teachers' (PSTs) beliefs about disciplinary literacy as they engaged in a blog project with middle-school students to discuss historical texts. Twenty-eight PSTs, enrolled in a semester-long social studies methods course and participating in the blog project as a course assignment, constituted the…

  15. Using Disciplinary Literacy to Develop Coherence in History Teacher Education: The Clinical Rounds Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bain, Robert B.

    2012-01-01

    Since 2005, the author and Elizabeth Moje have been engaged in a project to create a more coherent and cohesive program to prepare secondary teachers at the University of Michigan, a project they call the Clinical Rounds Project. Central to this effort has been their use of "disciplinary literacy" to build connections and enhance…

  16. Prospective Elementary School Teacher's Ways of Internet Use while Preparing Their Projects and Homeworks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ersoy, Ali; Aktay, Sayim

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the level of internet use by prospective elementary school teachers in preparation of projects and assignments. The findings of the study indicated that internet use of prospective teachers is at the average level and gender is not a significant variable. Moreover, personal internet access and frequency of…

  17. The Slippery Slope to Efficiency? An Australian Perspective on School/University Partnerships for Teacher Professional Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mockler, Nicole

    2013-01-01

    Large-scale school/university partnerships for the enhancement of teacher professionalism and teacher professional learning have been part of the teacher development landscape in Australia for the past two decades. This paper takes a historical perspective on Australian school/university partnerships through detailing three national projects over…

  18. Agency and Choice in Education: Does School Choice Enhance the Work Effort of Teachers?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rapp, Geoffrey C.

    2000-01-01

    Investigates effects of school-choice laws on U.S. teachers' work incentives, using 1993-94 Schools and Staffing Survey data. Examines whether school system competitiveness works to solve the principal-agent problem in education. Results are mixed, but suggest that one type of choice policy--intradistrict choice--enhances teacher motivation.…

  19. Jmol-Enhanced Biochemistry Research Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saderholm, Matthew; Reynolds, Anthony

    2011-01-01

    We developed a protein research project for a one-semester biochemistry lecture class to enhance learning and more effectively train students to understand protein structure and function. During this semester-long process, students select a protein with known structure and then research its structure, sequence, and function. This project…

  20. ePortfolios beyond Pre-Service Teacher Education: A New Dawn?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boulton, Helen

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the efficacy of using ePortfolios to enhance career skills for newly qualified teachers (NQTs). The context is the final phase of a longitudinal action research project investigating whether an ePortfolio, created as a pre-service teacher to evidence a digital story of developing professional identity, could…

  1. Teaching Inquiry to High School Teachers through the Use of Mathematics Action Research Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Nathaniel

    2017-01-01

    This paper describes the use of Mathematics Action Research Projects (ARPs) as a capstone experience in lieu of a Master's Thesis in a Master's program for in-service secondary teachers. The ARPs include two primary components: (i) each teacher participant conducts mathematical research that is new to them on a topic that is connected in some way…

  2. NAESA Augmentation Pilot Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hoover, John J.

    1998-01-01

    This project was one project within the Native American Earth and Space Academy (NAESA). NAESA is a national initiative comprised of several organizations that support programs which focus on 1) enhancing the technological, scientific and pedagogical skills of K-14 teachers who instruct Native Americans, 2) enhancing the understanding and applications of science, technology, and engineering of college-bound Native Americans and teaching them general college "survival skills" (e.g., test taking, time management, study habits), 3) enhancing the scientific and pedagogical skills of the faculty of tribally-controllcd colleges and community colleges with large Native American enrollments, and 4) strengthening the critical relationships between students, their parents, tribal elders, and their communities. This Augmentation Pilot Project focused on the areas of community-school alliances and intemet technology use in teaching and learning and daily living addressing five major objectives.

  3. Teachers and Technology Use in Secondary Science Classrooms: Investigating the Experiences of Middle School Science Teachers Implementing the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schulz, Rachel Corinne

    This study investigated the intended teacher use of a technology-enhanced learning tool, Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE), and the first experiences of teachers new to using it and untrained in its use. The purpose of the study was to learn more about the factors embedded into the design of the technology that enabled it or hindered it from being used as intended. The qualitative research design applied grounded theory methods. Using theoretical sampling and a constant comparative analysis, a document review of WISE website led to a model of intended teacher use. The experiences of four middle school science teachers as they enacted WISE for the first time were investigated through ethnographic field observations, surveys and interviews using thematic analysis to construct narratives of each teachers use. These narratives were compared to the model of intended teacher use of WISE. This study found two levels of intended teacher uses for WISE. A basic intended use involved having student running the project to completion while the teacher provides feedback and assesses student learning. A more optimal description of intended use involved the supplementing the core curriculum with WISE as well as enhancing the core scope and sequence of instruction and aligning assessment with the goals of instruction through WISE. Moreover, WISE projects were optimally intended to be facilitated through student-centered teaching practices and inquiry-based instruction in a collaborative learning environment. It is also optimally intended for these projects to be shared with other colleagues for feedback and iterative development towards improving the Knowledge Integration of students. Of the four teachers who participated in this study, only one demonstrated the use of WISE as intended in the most basic way. This teacher also demonstrated the use of WISE in a number of optimal ways. Teacher confusion with certain tools available within WISE suggests that there may be a

  4. The I-Cleen Project (inquiring on Climate & Energy). Enhancing AN Enquiry-Based Approach to Earth System Sciences in Italian Classrooms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cattadori, M.

    2010-12-01

    In the last years, the world of Italian school underwent some slow but deep transformation processes. One of the negative consequences - documented by specific studies - was the further weakening of the use of inquiring educational practices (or kinds of lessons) by science teachers. This occurred in a scholastic framework already traditionally little inclined to those. The I-CLEEN project (Inquiring on CLimate & Energy, www.icleen.museum ) was born in 2008 with the intent to react to (and contrast) this process (trend) by initiative of a staff of science teachers from different regions, all with many years’ experience, coordinated and supported by the local museum, the Natural Science Museum of Trento - Trento, Italy. I-CLEEN is a free instrument of cooperation for Italian teachers, aimed to support and enhance the practice of the inquiring education in explaining themes in range of Climate and Energy and generally about Earth System Sciences. This project is a consequence of what has been experienced and done in Italy by its creators within the Educational and Outreach program of ANDRILL (ANtarctic geological DRILLing). The core of the project is a database of resources potentially useful to a teacher preparing an inquiring lesson. These are selected by a staff following a specific selection policy. There are also lessons ready to be used in the classrooms, prepared according to a specific editorial standard. These are composed by a paper for the teacher and a paper for the student. The database is technically an information gateway and it is constantly enriched thanks to a job of critical research in the teachers’ practices or the worthiest international educational web projects. These are published in Italian or in bilingual format (Italian-English), always through explicit authorization by the authors and under a Creative Commons license when possible. This contribution illustrates details about this service which is on-line since December 2009 and is

  5. MTFeedback: Providing Notifications to Enhance Teacher Awareness of Small Group Work in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez-Maldonado, Roberto; Clayphan, Andrew; Yacef, Kalina; Kay, Judy

    2015-01-01

    The teacher has very important roles in the classroom, particularly as manager of most resources for learning activities and in providing timely feedback that can enhance learning. But teachers need to be aware of students' achievements and weaknesses to decide how to time feedback. We present MTFeedback, a system that harnesses the new…

  6. From Monologue to Dialogue: A Teacher Training to Enhance Effective Student Engagement and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dopson, Brian G.

    2010-01-01

    Many high schools are encouraging teachers to enhance the level of student engagement by having teachers interact more productively with students. Effective questioning, efficient use of wait time, use of high-quality examples, a clear goal, equitable distribution, and a balance of open and closed questions correlate with higher levels of student…

  7. Insights from a Subject Knowledge Enhancement Course for Preparing New Chemistry and Physics Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inglis, Michael; Mallaburn, Andrea; Tynan, Richard; Clays, Ken; Jones, Robert Bryn

    2013-01-01

    A recent Government response to shortages of new physics and chemistry teachers is the extended subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course. Graduates without a physics or chemistry bachelor degree are prepared by an SKE course to enter a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programme to become science teachers with a physics or chemistry…

  8. Teaching as Improvisational Experience: Student Music Teachers' Reflections on Learning during an Intercultural Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westerlund, Heidi; Partti, Heidi; Karlsen, Sidsel

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative instrumental case study explores Finnish student music teachers' experiences of teaching and learning as participants in an intercultural project in Cambodia. The Multicultural Music University project aimed at increasing master's level music education students' intercultural competencies by providing experiences of teaching and…

  9. 34 CFR 611.2 - What management plan must be included in a Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program application?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM General Provisions § 611.2 What management plan must be... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What management plan must be included in a Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program application? 611.2 Section 611.2 Education Regulations of the Offices...

  10. Social Studies Teachers' In-Service Training Needs towards Project Tasks: A Comparative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uyar, Melis Yesilpinar; Karakus, Fatma

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to determine in-service training needs of novice and professionally experienced social studies teachers regarding the planning, implementation and assessment processes of project tasks. The study was carried out using comparative case study from qualitative research patterns as base. Eight social studies teachers who were…

  11. Merging Regular and Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs: The Integrated Special Education-English Project (ISEP).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Darcy E.

    1991-01-01

    Describes the Integrated Special Education-English Project (ISEP) which facilitated the gradual integration of special education and English teacher preparation programs. A description of the ISEP model and a case study are included. The case study indicated student teachers who participated in the ISEP improved special education and English…

  12. The Mentored Multigenre Project: Fostering Authentic Writing Interactions between High School Writers and Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    West, Jessica A.; Saine, Paula

    2017-01-01

    This article describes the Mentored Multigenre Project, a virtual writing collaboration experience between high school writers and teacher candidates. Our goal was to create an authentic opportunity for our high school students to receive writing feedback from virtual writing mentors, while also creating an opportunity for our teacher candidates…

  13. Idaho Dance Project. Creative Movement/Dance: A Model Program for Idaho K-6 Elementary Teachers 1990-1993.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neely, Hilarie

    This report outlines and evaluates the Idaho Dance Project, a series of creative movement workshops designed for elementary school classroom teachers, physical education teachers, and music specialists. For three years, the workshops, conducted at various sites throughout the state, provided an introductory course for teachers who had little or no…

  14. Science Teaching Orientations and Technology-Enhanced Tools for Student Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Campbell, Todd; Longhurst, Max; Duffy, Aaron M.; Wolf, Paul G.; Shelton, Brett E.

    2013-10-01

    This qualitative study examines teacher orientations and technology-enhanced tools for student learning within a science literacy framework. Data for this study came from a group of 10 eighth grade science teachers. Each of these teachers was a participant in a professional development (PD) project focused on reformed and technology-enhanced science instruction shaped by national standards documents. The research is focused on identifying teacher orientations and use of technology-enhanced tools prior to or unaffected by PD. The primary data sources for this study are drawn from learning journals and classroom observations. Qualitative methods were used to analyze learning journals, while descriptive statistics were used from classroom observations to further explore and triangulate the emergent qualitative findings. Two teacher orientation teacher profiles were developed to reveal the emergent teacher orientation dimensions and technology-enhanced tool categories found: "more traditional teacher orientation profile" and "toward a reformed-based teacher orientation profile." Both profiles were founded on "knowledge of" beliefs about the goals and purposes for science education, while neither profile revealed sophisticated beliefs about the nature of science. The "traditional" profile revealed more teacher-centered beliefs about science teaching and learning, and the "towards reformed-based" profile revealed student-centered beliefs. Finally, only technology-enhanced tools supportive of collaborative construction of science knowledge were found connected to the "towards reformed-based" profile. This research is concluded with a proposed "reformed-based teacher orientation profile" as a future target for science teaching and learning with technology-enhanced tools in a science literacy framework.

  15. Connecting Changes in Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge to Their Experiences in a Professional Development Workshop

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boston, Melissa D.

    2013-01-01

    This investigation describes secondary mathematics teachers' learning and instructional change following their participation in a professional development workshop, the Enhancing Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation Project (ESP) (2004-2005), specifically focused on the selection and implementation of cognitively challenging mathematical…

  16. Teacher Supply and Demand in the ACT Schools Authority: Implications of Enrollment Projections 1981-1986. Research Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burkhardt, Geoffrey

    An analysis of policy options concerning teacher supply and demand in the A.C.T. [Australian Capital Territory] Schools Authority from 1981 to 1986 is presented. Projections have indicated declining demand for primary school teachers, fewer promotions in primary schools, and the necessity of relocating teachers to areas of expansion. However,…

  17. The Teacher-Scholar Project: how to help faculty groups develop scholarly skills.

    PubMed

    Heinrich, Kathleen T; Hurst, Helen; Leigh, Gwen; Oberleitner, Melinda Granger; Poirrier, Gail P

    2009-01-01

    Nursing education's challenge in the new millennium is to prepare all nurses as scholars. With many nurse educators feeling like impostors when it comes to scholarship, this is no small task. Turning the millenial challenge into an opportunity, this article describes how a collaborative faculty development initiative is turning a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence school's "scholar-impostors" into teacher-scholars. This Teacher-Scholar Project will interest those in teaching intensive schools of nursing or in teaching tracks in research-intensive institutions.

  18. Preparing Biology Teachers to Teach Evolution in a Project-Based Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Kristin; Buck, Gayle; Park Rogers, Meredith

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates a project-based learning (PBL) approach to teaching evolution to inform efforts in teacher preparation. Data analysis of a secondary biology educator teaching evolution through a PBL approach illuminated: (1) active student voice, which allowed students to reflect on their positioning on evolution and consider multiple…

  19. College MOON Project Australia: Preservice Teachers Learning about the Moon's Phases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mulholland, Judith; Ginns, Ian

    2008-01-01

    This paper is a report of the Australian segment of an international multi-campus project centred on improving understanding of the Moon's phases for preservice teachers. Instructional strategies adopted for a science education subject enabled Australian participants to make extended observations of the Moon's phases and keep observational data…

  20. Technology to Support Teachers Using Evidence from Student Work to Customize Technology-Enhanced Inquiry Units

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matuk, Camillia F.; Linn, Marcia C.; Eylon, Bat-Sheva

    2015-01-01

    Teachers' involvement in curriculum design is essential for sustaining the relevance of technology-enhanced learning materials. Customizing--making small adjustments to tailor given materials to particular situations and settings--is one design activity in which busy teachers can feasibly engage. Research indicates that customizations based…

  1. Student Teachers' Collaborative Research: Small-Scale Research Projects during Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dobber, Marjolein; Akkerman, Sanne F.; Verloop, Nico; Vermunt, Jan D.

    2012-01-01

    Teacher research is increasingly described as an important aspect of professional development. In response, teacher education programs incorporate teacher research in their curricula. We report on the collaborative research processes of two groups of student teachers in a university teacher education program, focussing on elaboration and decision…

  2. The HER Project: Homebound English for Refugee Women. Teacher's Manual and Student Book of Illustrations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reck, Deborah L.

    The Homebound English for Refugee Women project was designed to address the daily communication needs of homebound refugee women illiterate in their native languages. The curriculum presented here is for use by volunteers with little or no formal teacher training. The teacher's manual consists of two main parts: (1) suggestions to the volunteer…

  3. Teacher Pay for Performance: Experimental Evidence from the Project on Incentives in Teaching. [Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Springer, Matthew G.; Hamilton, Laura; McCaffrey, Daniel F.; Ballou, Dale; Le, Vi-Nhuan; Pepper, Matthew; Lockwood, J. R.; Stecher, Brian M.

    2013-01-01

    The Project on Incentives in Teaching (POINT) was a three-year study conducted in the Metropolitan Nashville School System from 2006-07 through 2008-09, in which middle school mathematics teachers voluntarily participated in a controlled experiment to assess the effect of financial rewards for teachers whose students showed unusually large gains…

  4. Developing Intercultural Competence of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language through an International Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strugielska, Ariadna; Piatkowska, Katarzyna

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports an international project which took place at Nicolaus Copernicus University, where students and teachers from four European universities met for a two-week summer school. The main objective was to develop intercultural competence of teachers of English as a foreign language and their ability to demonstrate this skill during an…

  5. Determining Teachers' Educational Needs Regarding School Education Projects within the Scope of Erasmus+ Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karakus, Fatma; Uyar, Melis Yesilpinar; Balbag, Nur Leman

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine teachers' educational needs regarding school education projects within the scope of Erasmus+ programme. In the study, the case study method, one of qualitative research designs, was used. The participants were determined using the snowball sampling method, and eight secondary school teachers took part in…

  6. The Development of Future Technology Teachers' Artistic-Projective Abilities: Foreign Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kurach, Mykola

    2016-01-01

    The necessity to form and develop future technology teachers' creative abilities has been stressed in the article. The psychologic-pedagogical researches of the leading specialists from Europe, the USA and Japan in the field of creative work and creativity have been analyzed. The main problems of the creative artistic-projective abilities…

  7. Working with Teachers to Develop Fair and Reliable Measures of Effective Teaching. MET Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2010

    2010-01-01

    In fall 2009, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project to develop and test multiple measures of teacher effectiveness. The goal of the MET project is to improve the quality of information about teaching effectiveness available to education professionals within states and districts--information…

  8. The Judgement Processes Involved in the Moderation of Teacher-Assessed Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crisp, Victoria

    2017-01-01

    Classroom-based assessments have the potential to enhance validity by facilitating the assessment of important skills that are difficult to assess in written examinations. Such assessments tend to be marked by teachers. To ensure consistent marking standards, quality assurance procedures are needed. In the context of continued debate over the…

  9. INTERACT: Building a Virtual Community of Practice to Enhance Teachers' Intercultural Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hajisoteriou, Christina; Karousiou, Christiana; Angelides, Panayiotis

    2018-01-01

    This project focuses on the design and implementation of an online professional development platform tailored to teachers' needs to improve and promote their intercultural knowledge. Drawing upon the framework of virtual communities of practice, the project escapes from traditional professional development programmes. Although a total of 103…

  10. Applied aerodynamics experience for secondary science teachers and students

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abbitt, John D., III; Carroll, Bruce F.

    1992-01-01

    The Department of Aerospace Engineering, Mechanics & Engineering Science at the University of Florida in conjunction with the Alachua County, Florida School Board has embarked on a four-year project of university-secondary school collaboration designed to enhance mathematics and science instruction in secondary school classrooms. The goals are to provide teachers with a fundamental knowledge of flight sciences, and to stimulate interest among students, particularly women and minorities, toward careers in engineering, mathematics, and science. In the first year of the project, all thirteen of the eighth grade physical science teachers and all 1200 of the eighth grade physical science students in the county participated. The activities consisted of a three-day seminar taught at the college level for the teachers, several weeks of classroom instruction for all the students, and an airport field trip for a subgroup of about 430 students that included an orientation flight in a Cessna 172 aircraft. The project brought together large numbers of middle school students, teachers, undergraduate and graduate engineering students, school board administrators, and university engineering faculty.

  11. Project SMART: A Social Approach to Drug Abuse Prevention. Teacher's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, C. Anderson; And Others

    This document presents the teacher's guide for an experimental research and demonstration project which focuses on the prevention of drug abuse among youth through self-management and resistance training. The major purpose of the curriculum described in this document is to prevent and reduce the incidence of habitual cigarette smoking and of…

  12. Promoting Pre-Service Teachers' Reflections through a Cross-Cultural Keypal Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wach, Aleksandra

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports the results of an action research-based study that investigated participants' reflections on EFL learning and teaching in a computer-mediated communication (CMC)-based project. Forty pre-service teachers from two universities, in Poland and in Romania, exchanged emails on class-related topics; the email exchange was followed by…

  13. Project Success Environment: A Positive Contingency Program for Elementary Teachers Management.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson, Marion; And Others

    The third year of the project, funded under Elementary Secondary Education Act Title III, was essentially a replication of Year Two. Second Year results indicated that the success technique had provided inner-city teachers with both an effective classroom management system, and an effective program for the acceleration of academic performance.…

  14. Teacher's Guide to Animal Camouflage: The MATCH Box Project; Prototype Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Standring, Gillian; Bernath, Robert

    The Materials and Activities for Teachers and Children (MATCH Box) project was developed in 1965 to provide for the relatively intensive treatment of a subject over a short period through materials geared to the elementary school level. Each MATCH Box contains materials, equipment, and activities that work together to foster the teaching/learning…

  15. Mathematics Teachers' Take-Aways from Morning Math Problems in a Long-Term Professional Development Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sevis, Serife; Cross, Dionne; Hudson, Rick

    2017-01-01

    Considering the role of mathematics-focused professional development programs in improving teachers' content knowledge and quality of teaching, we provided teachers opportunities for dealing with mathematics problems and positioning themselves as students in a large-scale long-term professional development (PD) project. In this proposal, we aimed…

  16. Factors affecting secondary science teachers' appraisal and adoption of technology-rich project-based learning environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luehmann, April Lynn

    We are learning much about how to design project-based curriculum that leverages technology, but we know less about the everyday needs of teachers and the implicit and explicit factors that influence their curriculum adoption decisions. Given that teachers are the gatekeepers of their classrooms, it is essential that designers and reformers understand the criteria teachers use to support their judgments regarding the appraisal and adoption of innovative curricula if they wish to see widespread use of their designs. Toward this end, this dissertation examines the perceptions of teachers as they appraise and consider the adoption of one innovative, technology-rich, project-based curriculum. Thirty secondary science teachers in Indiana were recruited. This study took place in two phases. During the first phase, data consisted of teachers' comments in the form of "think aloud's" and observations as teachers interacted with an Internet-based science program: Web-Based Inquiry Science Environment. Through an examination of these data, six implicit factors were identified: Trust, Identity, Self-Efficacy, Process Goals, Situational Constraints, and Contextual Idiosyncrasies. Examination of the content related to these categories suggests that curricular adoption is not simply an academic process but is also a personal one. Also, trust between the teacher and both the change facilitator and the innovation plays an influential role. Data collected during the second phase included item analysis of factors that emerged during semi structured interviews and rated by the teachers in terms of their importance in influencing their adoption of the WISE-water quality program. Teacher identified factors were collapsed into 26 explicit factors and analyzed using cluster analysis, resulting in five clusters of teacher profiles: Logistically Focused, Subject-Matter Focused, Scaffolded Optimists, Accountability Focused, and Pedagogically Savvy. This study reveals that factors affecting

  17. Project-Based Teaching: Helping Students Make Project Connections

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Heather Jo Pusich

    Project-based curriculum materials are designed to support students in engaging with scientific content and practices in meaningful ways, with the goal of improving students' science learning. However, students need to understand the connections between what they are doing on a day-to-day basis with respect to the goals of the overall project for students to get the motivational and cognitive benefits of a project-based approach. In this dissertation, I looked at the challenges that four ninth grade science teachers faced as they helped students to make these connections using a project-based environmental science curriculum. The analysis revealed that in general when the curriculum materials made connections explicit, teachers were better able to articulate the relationship between the lesson and the project during enactment. However, whether the connections were explicit or implicit in the materials, enactments of the same lesson across teachers revealed that teachers leveraged different aspects of the project context in different ways depending on their knowledge, beliefs, and goals about project-based teaching. The quantitative analysis of student data indicated that when teacher enactments supported project goals explicitly, students made stronger connections between a lesson and the project goal. Therefore, a teacher's ability to make clear connections during classroom instruction is essential. Furthermore, when students made connections between each lesson and the larger project goals their attitudes toward the lesson were more positive and they performed better on the final assessment. These findings suggest that connections between individual lessons and the goals of the project are critical to the effectiveness of project-based learning. This study highlights that while some teachers were able to forge these connections successfully as a result of leveraging cognitive resources, teachers' beliefs, knowledge and goals about project-based teaching are

  18. Supporting Teachers Learning Through the Collaborative Design of Technology-Enhanced Science Lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kafyulilo, Ayoub C.; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke

    2015-12-01

    This study used the Interconnected Model of Professional Growth (Clarke & Hollingsworth in Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 947-967, 2002) to unravel how science teachers' technology integration knowledge and skills developed in a professional development arrangement. The professional development arrangement used Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge as a conceptual framework and included collaborative design of technology-enhanced science lessons, implementation of the lessons and reflection on outcomes. Support to facilitate the process was offered in the form of collaboration guidelines, online learning materials, exemplary lessons and the availability of an expert. Twenty teachers participated in the intervention. Pre- and post-intervention results showed improvements in teachers' perceived and demonstrated knowledge and skills in integrating technology in science teaching. Collaboration guidelines helped the teams to understand the design process, while exemplary materials provided a picture of the product they had to design. The availability of relevant online materials simplified the design process. The expert was important in providing technological and pedagogical support during design and implementation, and reflected with teachers on how to cope with problems met during implementation.

  19. Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project TPACK Survey: Summary of the Key Findings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finger, Glenn; Jamieson-Proctor, Romina; Cavanagh, Rob; Albion, Peter; Grimbeek, Peter; Bond, Trevor; Fitzgerald, Robert; Romeo, Geoff; Lloyd, Margaret

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a summary of the key findings of the TTF TPACK Survey developed and administered for the Teaching the Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project implemented in 2011. The TTF Project, funded by an Australian Government ICT Innovation Fund grant, involved all 39 Australian Higher Education Institutions which provide initial teacher…

  20. Evaluating the Fatih Project Applications in the Turkish Educational System According to Teachers' Viewpoints (Turkey)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sozen, Erol; Coskun, Mücahit

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze teachers' perspectives on the usage of smart boards and Tablet PCs in the Fatih Project using some variables (gender, branches, school types, educational status etc). The measurement scale of the study was developed and applied with the high school teachers in Düzce. Quantitative research methods were used…

  1. The Impact of a Standards Guided Equity and Problem Solving Institute on Participating Science Teachers and Their Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huber, Richard A.; Smith, Robert W.; Shotsberger, Paul G.

    This study examined the effect of a teacher enhancement project combining training on the National Science Education Standards, problem solving and equity education on middle school science teachers' attitudes and practices and, in turn, the attitudes of their students. Participating teachers reported changes in their instructional methods that…

  2. Penn State's Comprehensive Bilingual Early Childhood Teacher Training Project. Results of Three Project Years, 1987-1990. Volume 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Soto, Lourdes Diaz; Negron, Lillian

    The results of a bilingual teacher training project developed to serve the needs of young limited-English-proficient children are presented. The report contains a program description, a rationale for program implementation, and program goals. Particular attention is focused on the following: demographic information, goal setting, course work,…

  3. Design as a Focus for Technology Integration: Lessons Learned from a PT3 Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, Wayne A.; Thomeczek, Melissa

    2007-01-01

    Plugging in to L.I.T.E.S. project (Leaders in Technology Enhanced Schools--a previously funded Technology Innovation Challenge grant project) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) has been very successful in its attempts to enhance the technology integration skills of teacher education students, and to improve the capabilities of our…

  4. Enhancing Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Skills of Using the Geometer's Sketchpad through Lesson Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meng, Chew Cheng; Sam, Lim Chap

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to enhance pre-service secondary mathematics teachers' skills of using the Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP) through Lesson Study. Twenty-four Lesson Study groups each comprising four or five pre-service secondary mathematics teachers who attended a mathematics teaching methods course in a local public university were set up…

  5. Initiatives in US Science Education to Enhance Partnerships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Sophia

    This presentation examines some successful examples in partnerships between science teachers, industries, business and scientists to promote science education locally and nationally. Star night VIII is a cooperative project conducted by high school teachers and elementary teachers for elementary students and their families. Service-learning strategy is applied to high school students. Summary of the past eight years' activities will be presented. Partnership is established between industry/ business and schools to promote science education. Several local industries such as Hawaii Electric Company and Atlantis submarine have sponsored various projects for schools in Hawaii. Students' activities will be presented. DataStreme project is a National Science Foundation-supported teacher enhancement program conducted by the American Meteorological Society in cooperation with the U.S. National Weather Service and the State University of New York at Brockport. K-12 teachers have the opportunities to study the principles of meteorology based on the simultaneous delivery of real-time environmental data and learning activities which can be used in the classroom. Details of the partnership between teachers and scientists will be shown by brochures and websites. For 5 years, meteorologists at NWS and at UH, with one high school science teacher have formed a Local Implementation Team (LIT) to mentor k-12 teachers. More than 40 teachers from Hawaii and three from Micronesia have successfully completed this weather course.

  6. Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences and Views on Project-Based Learning Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dag, Funda; Durdu, Levent

    2017-01-01

    Project-based learning (PjBL) has been promoted as an effective and frequently used student-centered learning approach for various learning environments. To have various learning experiences with PjBL is an important requirement for pre-service teachers (PSTs). The purpose of the study was to investigate the experiences PSTs had with group work…

  7. The Impact of the Type of Projects on Preservice Teachers' Conceptualization of Service Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seban, Demet

    2013-01-01

    This paper discusses the effects of the type of project undertaken for a community practice course on preservice teachers' conceptualization of service learning. The goal of the projects is to enable participants to engage with service practice in a reflective manner. Through the examination of the reflective logs kept by students using Butin's…

  8. Students' and Teachers' Perceptions: Initial Achievements of a Project-Based Engineering School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terrón-López, María-José; Velasco-Quintana, Paloma-Julia; García-García, María-José; Ocampo, Jared R.

    2017-01-01

    A unified academic model based on the project-based learning (PBL) methodology was implemented, in the 2012-2013 period, in the School of Engineering at Universidad Europea de Madrid. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether teachers and students participating in the capstone projects feel that the objectives for which this methodology was…

  9. Technology-enhanced teacher development in rural Bangladesh: A critical realist evaluation of the context.

    PubMed

    Jamil, Md Golam

    2018-08-01

    This study arose in response to the complexity of implementing technology-enhanced learning for teacher development in a developing country. Bangladesh is a country with growing technological capacity including mobile phone network coverage, yet it faces vast challenges of utilising these facilities in the education sector. As educational change and technological innovation do not happen in a vacuum, the researcher used a critical realist approach to understand the layers of the rural Bangladesh context where technology-enhanced learning will take place. Findings have been drawn from survey data (n = 207) and a series of six focus group sessions with the same six stakeholders, informing future technology-enhanced teacher development programmes. The implications of the study are to suggest principles for pedagogical change and a methodological approach which attends to context. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Guided Inquiry for Teacher Enhancement Utilizing Internet-Delivered Geophysical Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clark, J.; Weinbeck, R. S.; Geer, I. W.; Moran, J. M.

    2002-12-01

    The Education Program of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) designed and nationally implemented two distance-learning courses for K-12 teacher enhancement that model scientific inquiry through investigations written that employ Internet-delivered geophysical data. DataStreme Atmosphere, launched in 1996, has introduced almost 6000 teachers nationwide to the basics of meteorology. DataStreme Water in the Earth System (WES), now in its fourth semester offering, employs the global water cycle as a vehicle to explore the flow and transformations of water and energy in the Earth system. By Spring 2003 almost 1000 teachers will have completed DataStreme WES. In both 12-week courses, participants complete two investigations per week and submit their work to a mentor on their Local Implementation Team (LIT) for discussion and evaluation. AMS staff scientists write part of each investigation to a current or archived situation utilizing specially formatted meteorological, hydrological, or oceanographic data. This component of the investigation is posted to the course homepage and has proven to be an exciting and highly motivational aspect of the DataStreme courses. In many cases, teachers learn scientific concepts by investigating a case (e.g., hurricane, flash flood) as it is happening, in near real-time. Participants who successfully complete a DataStreme course agree to serve their schools and school districts as a resource teacher and to offer peer training on the use of Internet-delivered geophysical data to upgrade science in the classroom.

  11. Introduction to the Science Teacher Training in an Information Society (STTIS) project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pinto, Roser

    2002-03-01

    The cluster of papers in this Special Issue, contains some results from the Science Teacher Training in an Information Society (STTIS) project, which was funded by the European Commission. Five European universities were involved: Universite´ Denis Diderot-Paris 7 (France), Universita¤ 'Federico II da Napoli' (Italy), University of Oslo (Norway), Universitat Auto¤noma de Barcelona (Spain), and the University of Sussex (UK). The names of those involved are given in the Appendix. The following brief description of the aims and structure of the project sets the work reported here (in this cluster) in the context of the whole project. The project dealt with general questions and challenges that the Information Society poses to science educators.

  12. Case Studies of the Urban Mathematics Collaborative Project: Program Report 91-3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Popkewitz, Thomas S.; Myrdal, Sigurjon

    The Urban Mathematics Collaborative (UMC) project has the goal of contributing to the improvement of mathematics education in the inner-city schools by identifying models to enhance the professional lives of teachers and encouraging the entry of high school mathematics teachers into a larger mathematics community including mathematicians from…

  13. Teacher's Guide to the Algonquins: The MATCH Box Project; Prototype Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Eva; And Others

    What better way is there to learn about something than to hold it, examine it, and take it apart? The Match Box Project (Materials and Activities for Teachers and Children) loans to schools a series of boxes which contain materials, equipment, supplies, and activities designed as a unit to foster the teaching/learning of specific subjects at the…

  14. Final Evaluation Report of Teacher Training Projects Sponsored by Law in a Changing Society.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Denton, Jon J.; Kracht, James B.

    The report is an assessment of law-focused education projects located in selected cities in Texas during the 1975-76 academic year. The projects were undertaken to positively affect the attitudes and understanding of students toward the role of law in today's society and the influences of law on crime and corruption. Teacher training programs and…

  15. Physics Teachers' Education (PTE): Problems and Challenges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sassi, Elena; Michelini, Marisa

    A vast majority of the research results acknowledge the crucial role of teacher's education, as a vital tool in enhancing the quality of physics education. The projects like PISA, ROSE and TIMMS showcase the impact of teacher's education as a qualitative improvement in the physics learning environment. In Physics Education Research (PER), the impact of teacher's education had been addressed for the its role in the enhancement of positive interest among the students. The current world-wide state of the art characterizes a large variety of boundary conditions, traditions and practices that are being followed. In our present context, we foucus and discuss on the multidimensional challanges such as competencies needed, degrees required, problems encountered, support to be provided and the basic pre-requirements of Teacher's education for the secondary schools. We present some of the teaching methods and practices followed in coherent with, both, the Student centered and open learning environments along with some of the useful didactical indicators. Also, we potray a couple of research-based examples successfully experimented in Italy. Finally we propose some useful recommendations along with the criteria to be followed in the teachers education for the overall improvement.

  16. ASPIRE: Teachers and researchers working together to enhance student learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yager, P. L.; Garay, D. L.; Warburton, J.

    2016-02-01

    Given the impact of human activities on the ocean, involving teachers, students, and their families in scientific inquiry has never been more important. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines have become key focus areas in the education community of the United States. Newly adopted across the nation, Next Generation Science Standards require that educators embrace innovative approaches to teaching. Transforming classrooms to actively engage students through a combination of knowledge and practice develops conceptual understanding and application skills. The partnerships between researchers and educators during the Amundsen Sea Polynya International Research Expedition (ASPIRE) offer an example of how academic research can enhance K-12 student learning. In this presentation, we illustrate how ASPIRE teacher-scientist partnerships helped engage students with actual and virtual authentic scientific investigations. Scientists benefit from teacher/researcher collaborations as well, as funding for scientific research also depends on effective communication between scientists and the public. While contributing to broader impacts needed to justify federal funding, scientists also benefit by having their research explained in ways that the broader public can understand: collaborations with teachers produce classroom lessons and published work that generate interest in the scientists' research specifically and in marine science in general. Researchers can also learn from their education partners about more effective teaching strategies that can be transferred to the college level. Researchers who work with teachers in turn gain perspectives on the constraints that teachers and students face in the pre-college classroom. Crosscutting concepts of research in polar marine science can serve as intellectual tools to connect important ideas about ocean and climate science for the public good.

  17. Designing Summer Research Experiences for Teachers and Students That Promote Classroom Science Inquiry Projects and Produce Research Results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    George, L. A.; Parra, J.; Rao, M.; Offerman, L.

    2007-12-01

    Research experiences for science teachers are an important mechanism for increasing classroom teachers' science content knowledge and facility with "real world" research processes. We have developed and implemented a summer scientific research and education workshop model for high school teachers and students which promotes classroom science inquiry projects and produces important research results supporting our overarching scientific agenda. The summer training includes development of a scientific research framework, design and implementation of preliminary studies, extensive field research and training in and access to instruments, measurement techniques and statistical tools. The development and writing of scientific papers is used to reinforce the scientific research process. Using these skills, participants collaborate with scientists to produce research quality data and analysis. Following the summer experience, teachers report increased incorporation of research inquiry in their classrooms and student participation in science fair projects. This workshop format was developed for an NSF Biocomplexity Research program focused on the interaction of urban climates, air quality and human response and can be easily adapted for other scientific research projects.

  18. Enhancing Literacy Practices in Science Classrooms through a Professional Development Program for Canadian Minority-Language Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rivard, Léonard P.; Gueye, Ndeye R.

    2016-01-01

    'Literacy in the Science Classroom Project" was a three-year professional development (PD) program supporting minority-language secondary teachers' use of effective language-based instructional strategies for teaching science. Our primary objective was to determine how teacher beliefs and practices changed over time and how these were enacted…

  19. A.D.E.L.A.N.T.E. Alliance for Developing and Enhancing Latino Awareness and Needs in Teacher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Montoya, Alicia L.

    ADELANTE (Spanish for Forward), Alliance for Developing and Enhancing Latino Awareness and Needs in Teacher Education, is a program designed to enhance the cultural sensitivity and teaching skills of experienced teachers. Developed cooperatively by Harrison-Morton Middle School, Kutztown University, and the community-based organization, Casa…

  20. Supporting Primary and Secondary Beginning Teachers Online: Key Findings of the Education Alumni Support Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maxwell, T. W.; Harrington, I.; Smith, H. J.

    2010-01-01

    During 2005, the Education Alumni Support Project (EdASP) (Maxwell, Smith, Baxter, Boyd, Harrington, Jenkins, Sargeant & Tamatea 2006) provided online support for University of New England (UNE) graduand, and later, graduate, teachers as they commenced their careers. The project was based on research which reported that many beginning teachers…

  1. Teacher and Student Attitudes to Affective Education: A European Collaborative Research Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Puurula, Arja; Neill, Sean; Vasileiou, Lisa; Husbands, Chris; Lang, Peter; Katz, Yaacov J.; Romi, Shlomo; Menezes, Isabel; Vriens, Lennart

    2001-01-01

    Reports on the outcomes of a comparative research project examining teacher and student attitudes about affective education across Europe. Defines affective education as concern for feelings, values, beliefs, attitudes, and emotional well-being of learners. Considers some of the conceptual issues in affective education as a basis for stressing…

  2. Changing Teachers' Attitudes Towards ICT-Based Language Learning Tasks: The ETALAGE Comenius Project (the Portuguese Case)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lopes, Antonio

    2011-01-01

    Many foreign and second language teachers are reluctant about shifting from traditional language instruction to TBLT. Another challenge has been the use of ICT in the classroom, a problem addressed in previous Comenius projects. The ETALAGE project aimed to build on the achievements of such projects and to address these challenges, by collecting,…

  3. Mutual Adaptation: Enhancing Longer-Term Sustainability of Cross-Cultural In-Service Teacher Training Initiatives in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yan, Chunmei

    2008-01-01

    This paper reports on a study that examines decisive factors for longer-term sustainability of cross-cultural teacher training initiatives in China. It focuses on teacher trainees' perspectives of a Sino-British adult education English language teaching project based in Central China. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were employed to…

  4. Holistic Approach to Secondary Earth Science Teacher Professional Development: the Triad of Project-based Instruction, Earth Science Content, and GIS Technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rubino-Hare, L.; Sample, J. C.; Fredrickson, K.; Claesgens, J.; Bloom, N.; Henderson-Dahms, C.; Manone, M.

    2011-12-01

    We have provided two years of professional development for secondary and middle school teachers with a focus on project-based instruction (PBI) using GIS. The EYE-POD project (funded by NSF-ITEST) involved pairs of teachers from Arizona and the surrounding region in two-week institutes during Summer, 2010, and an advanced institute in Summer, 2011. The NAz-POD project (funded by Arizona Department of Education and administered by Science Foundation Arizona) provided similar PD experiences, but the institutes occurred during weekends in the academic year. The institutes were led by a team with expertise in Earth science content, professional development and pedagogy, and GIS. The teachers developed learning modules using the project based learning instructional model. Pedagogy, content, and GIS skills were combined throughout the professional development activities. Academic year follow up by NAU personnel included classroom observations and technical support. For assessing student work we provided a rubric, but learned that teachers were not prepared to assess GIS products in order to determine the level of student understanding. In year two of the project we incorporated strategies for assessment of student products into the professional development. Teacher-participants and their students completed several pre- and post- assessments. Teacher assessments included a geospatial performance assessment, classroom observations, and content tests. Student data collection included attitude and efficacy questionnaires, content tests, and authentic assessments including products using GIS. Content tests were the same for teachers and students and included spatial reasoning, data analysis, and Earth science content. Data was also collected on teacher perception of professional development delivery and self-reported confidence in teaching with PBI and geospatial technology. Student assessments show that improvement occurred in all areas on the content test. Possible factors

  5. Generative Learning in a Service-Learning Project and Field-Base Teacher Education Program: Learning to Become Culturally Responsive Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Assaf, Lori Czop; López, Minda Morren

    2015-01-01

    Research on literacy tutoring such as working in an after-school reading or writing club, situated as a service-learning project, suggests that such work can foster culturally responsive teaching for prospective teachers by increasing additive perspectives toward students from diverse backgrounds and transforming views of diversity. The purpose of…

  6. Self regulated learning trough project base learning on the prospective math teacher

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laelasari

    2018-03-01

    Development of planning, strategy, and learning activities is strongly influenced by metacognition ability, knowledge of learning strategy, and understanding of context is the most important thing to be mastered by a prospective teacher. Self-regulation owned by the individual can control behavior, and manipulate a behavior by using the ability of his mind so that individuals can react to their environment. Self-regulation is the basis of the socialization process as it relates to the entire domain of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. This research is a qualitative research with research subject of the fourth-semester student of class A, at one of a university in Cirebon City, West Java. In this research, the lecture material discussed is The Development of Teaching Materials, which is the subject matter that must be mastered by prospective teachers, especially teachers of mathematics education. The instrument used is the questionnaire. The results showed that through project based learning, can grow student’s self-regulated learning especially the prospective math teacher, and can be used as an alternative to the delivery of lecture materials.

  7. Using collaborative technology to enhance pre-service teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donnelly, Dermot Francis; Hume, Anne

    2015-01-01

    Background:Supporting pre-service teacher (PT) collaboration as a means of professional learning is a challenging but essential task for effective practice. However, teacher placements or practicums in schools, which is common practice within teacher education programmes, can often isolate PTs from sharing their experiences with each other. Further, the articulation of effective pedagogical practices by high-quality teachers is limited, restricting PTs' ability to access such professional knowledge. Purpose:This study investigates how the introduction of a collaborative technology, a wiki, may enhance existing and new opportunities for pre-service teachers' (PTs) to develop pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Sample:Seven PT chemistry teachers of varied backgrounds participated in this study. Design and method:The PTs were learning to collaboratively formulate and document their early topic-specific teaching knowledge using a pedagogical tool known as Content Representation (CoRe) design. Once scaffolded into this process, the PTs continued and extended this collaborative work online through the introduction of a wiki. Data were collected for qualitative analysis through the CoRe artefacts, a semi-structured focus group interview, and PTs' reflective essays about their collaborative experiences representing their teaching knowledge in CoRes through the wiki. Results:Data analysis highlighted that while wiki use showed some potential for collaborative representation when participants were not face-to-face, the PTs were hesitant in critiquing each other's work. As such, the online representations remained relatively static without face-to-face interaction. However, developing artefacts online was favoured over established practice and the access to artefacts of their peers on the wiki enhanced PTs' consideration for their own PCK. Conclusion:Wikis show some potential in the hosting of CoRes, but issues in simultaneous posting and lack of chat functionality may

  8. The nature of science and the preservice elementary teacher: Changes in understanding and practice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rivas, Michael Gerald

    This action research project studies preservice elementary teachers in a science methods course. The purpose of this research project was to enhance preservice teachers' understanding of specific nature of science (NOS) tenets so as to promote equity and access within the elementary science classroom. In particular, I chose five NOS tenets that were listed in the first chapter of the AAAS (1989) document titled, "The Nature of Science," and connected them to equitable educational goals and practices. The theoretical framework guiding this study came from bodies of scholarship relating to the NOS, social constructivism, and action research. This study addressed the following three questions: (1) What opportunities were provided the preservice teachers so that they could enhance their understandings of the NOS? (2) What were the changes in preservice teachers' understanding of the NOS as a result? (3) How did the prospective teachers' understandings of the NOS translate into their classroom practice? The analysis revealed that the science methods course's operational curriculum consisted of implicit and explicit teaching of the NOS, as well as intended and untended NOS tenets. The prospective teachers initially held a limited view of the NOS, but by the end of the course their view had been enhanced. In addition, the participants made direct connections between their new understandings of the NOS and equity and access in the science classroom. In their teaching, the preservice teachers as a group implicitly taught all five of the NOS tenets. In fact, a majority taught three of the five intended tenets. Explicitly, only one tenet was taught, but it was taught with a direct connection to making the science classroom more inclusive. The findings of this study indicate that preservice teachers can have their views of the NOS enhanced even though they may have experienced years of deficient science instruction. They pointed out that this enhanced view of the NOS can be

  9. Investigation of the Effect of Training on the Development of High School Teachers' Attitudes towards Scientific Research and Project Competitions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akçöltekin, Alptürk

    2016-01-01

    The main purpose of this study is to develop positive attitudes in high school teachers towards scientific research and project competitions by training them in scientific research and project preparation subjects. The study group consists of 90 high school teachers. As a result of the study, a significant difference was found in favor of…

  10. Combining Project-based Instruction, Earth Science Content, and GIS Technology in Teacher Professional Development: Is this Holistic Approach Sustainable?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rubino-Hare, L.; Bloom, N.; Claesgens, J.; Fredrickson, K.; Henderson-Dahms, C.; Sample, J. C.

    2012-12-01

    From 2009-2011, with support from the National Science Foundation (ITEST, DRL-0929846) and Science Foundation Arizona (MSAG-0412-09), educators, geologists and geographers at Northern Arizona University (NAU) partnered to offer professional development for interdisciplinary teams of secondary and middle school teachers with a focus on project-based instruction (PBI) using geospatial technologies (GST). While participating in professional development teachers received support and were held accountable to NAU staff. They implemented activities and pedagogical strategies presented, increased knowledge, skills, and confidence teaching with project-based instruction integrating GST, and their students demonstrated learning gains. Changes in student understanding are only observed when teachers continue to implement change, so the question remained: did these changes in practice sustain after official project support ended? In order to determine what, if anything, teachers sustained from the professional development and the factors that promoted or hindered sustained use of teaching with GST and PBI, data were collected one to two years following the professional development. Research questions included a) what pedagogical practices did teachers sustain following the professional learning experiences? and b) what contexts were present in schools that supported or limited the use of geospatial technologies as a teaching and learning tool? Findings from this study indicate that teachers fall into three categories of sustaining implementation - reformed implementers, mechanical implementers and non-implementers. School context was less of a factor in level of implementation than teachers' beliefs and philosophy of teaching and teachers' understanding of technology integration (teaching with technology vs. teaching technology). Case studies of teacher experiences will be presented along with implications for future professional development.

  11. Napa River Sediment TMDL Implementation and Habitat Enhancement Project

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Information about the SFBWQP Napa River Sediment TMDL Implementation and Habitat Enhancement Project, part of an EPA competitive grant program to improve SF Bay water quality focused on restoring impaired waters and enhancing aquatic resources.

  12. Cultivating Preservice Secondary Teachers for Project-Based Learning: A Four-Step Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Gaoming; Ridgway, Angelia J.; Sachs, Deb

    2015-01-01

    This article describes four different mechanisms for preparing teacher candidates from a liberal arts institution to teach in project based learning (PBL) classrooms: Observe it, Experience it, Create it, and Become it. For each of the four mechanisms, the authors also provide concrete examples of candidates' PBL experiences and candidates'…

  13. Examining Factors Affecting Beginning Teachers' Transfer of Learning of ICT-Enhanced Learning Activities in Their Teaching Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agyei, Douglas D.; Voogt, Joke

    2014-01-01

    This study examined 100 beginning teachers' transfer of learning when utilising Information Communication Technology-enhanced activity-based learning activities. The beginning teachers had participated in a professional development program that was characterised by "learning technology by collaborative design" in their final year of…

  14. A case study of the Physics Enhancement Project for Two Year Colleges, its effects and outcomes on the teaching of undergraduate physics at two year colleges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leif, Todd Robert

    This dissertation reports on a naturalistic evaluation study of a series of NSF grant projects collectively known as PEPTYC -- Physics Enhancement Project for Two Year College Physics Instructors. The project encompassed seven different cycles of professional development occurring during the 1990's via May Institutes, held at Texas A&M University. Follow-up meetings were held at American Association of Physics Teachers - Texas Section Meetings. The research was conducted post hoc. The research evaluated the characteristics of effective professional development under an evaluation frame work designed by D.L. Kirkpatrick (1959) and adapted by the researcher to address issues that are pertinent to the professional development of faculty. This framework was adapted to be viewed through an educator's eye in an effort to ascertain the long term affects of the program and determine how the program affected the participants' attitudes, pedagogical knowledge, and instructional practices. The PEPTYC program philosophy was based on the premise, supported by research, that professional development programs addressing specific teaching practices are more successful than generic programs. Furthermore, professional development is more effective in helping teachers use alternative approaches when teachers are engaged in active learning experiences rather than passively listening to lectures or presentations. The naturalistic study was based on surveys and semi-structured interviews with 14 individuals who participated in PEPTYC workshops, as well as presenters of the PEPTYC program. The interviews were analyzed to describe how the PEPTYC project influenced the participants long after they had completed their training. This project can inform the development of similar evaluation studies of other professional development programs.

  15. Does Documenting the Regulation Process on a Blog Enhance Pre-Service Teachers' Self- and Co-Regulation in a Collaborative Project?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cho, Moon-Heum; Lim, Seongmi; Lee, Kyeonghwa

    2017-01-01

    Students often complain about unsatisfactory experiences resulting from disproportionate contributions to collaborative projects. To improve the experience, we applied regulation theory to design a process to document regulation on a blog and examined whether such documentation enhanced students' self-regulation and co-regulation skills while…

  16. Pre-Service Science Teachers and ICT: Communities of Practice?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cleaves, Anna; Toplis, Rob

    2008-01-01

    The practices and justifications of 15 pre-service science teachers in using ICT were explored by survey, observation and interview. Interactive whiteboards are frequently employed, although predominantly as projection screens for presentations, whilst datalogging and spreadsheets are used infrequently. Trainees incorporate ICT to enhance pupil…

  17. Teacher Use of Evidence to Customize Inquiry Science Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gerard, Libby F.; Spitulnik, Michele; Linn, Marcia C.

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated how professional development featuring evidence-based customization of technology-enhanced curriculum projects can improve inquiry science teaching and student knowledge integration in earth science. Participants included three middle school sixth-grade teachers and their classes of students (N = 787) for three consecutive…

  18. How Professional Development in Project Lead the Way: Changes High School STEM Teachers' Beliefs about Engineering Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nathan, Mitchell J.; Atwood, Amy K.; Prevost, Amy; Phelps, L. Allen; Tran, Natalie A.

    2011-01-01

    This quasi-experimental study measured the impact of Project Lead the Way (PLTW) instruction and professional development training on the views and expectations regarding engineering learning, instruction and career success of nascent pre college engineering teachers. PLTW teachers' initial and changing views were compared to the views exhibited…

  19. 1977 Teacher Intern Project. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Resnick, Harold S.

    A need for better understanding between industry and education prompted development of a program to employ eight teachers in industry on a full-time basis during the summer to broaden the teachers' understanding of the nature and scope of the industrial process. Weekly seminars were held in which the teachers shared their experiences with each…

  20. Many Treasure Soup: A School-Based Project for Pre-Service Teacher Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Godinho, Sally; White, Julie; Hay, Trevor; St. Leger, Pamela

    2007-01-01

    This paper narrates the development of a project developed by four researchers with differing approaches to qualitative research. The aim of the study was to examine the value of a school-based approach to pedagogy and curriculum subjects for pre-service teachers. What emerged from our collaboration was the accommodation of significant differences…

  1. Individualized Inservice Teacher Education (Project In-Step). Evaluation Report. Phase III.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thurber, John C.

    This is a report on the third phase of Project IN-STEP, which was intended to develop a viable model for individualized, multi-media in-service teacher education programs. (Phase I and II are reported in ED 033 905, and ED 042 709). The rationale for Phase III was to see if the model could be successfully transferred to an area other than teaching…

  2. Site-Based Teacher Education for Enhanced Community Knowledge and Culture: Creating the Conditions for "Philosophical Project Knowledge"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arnold, J.; Edwards, T.; Hooley, N.; Williams, J.

    2013-01-01

    Teacher education is in a state of uncertainty around the world including the more wealthy and less wealthy countries. If it is generally accepted that teacher education can make a difference in the educational lives of all students regardless of cultural and educational background, then how exactly to arrange the detail of schooling is not. Under…

  3. Enhancing the metalinguistic abilities of pre-service teachers via coursework targeting language structure knowledge.

    PubMed

    Purvis, Caralyn J; McNeill, Brigid C; Everatt, John

    2016-04-01

    Low metalinguistic knowledge of pre-service and in-service teachers is likely to restrict the provision of evidence-based literacy instruction in the classroom. Despite such concerns, relatively few studies have examined the effects of teacher preparation coursework in building pre-service teachers' language structure knowledge. This study examined the effects of 7 h of language structure coursework, delivered over 7 weeks, on 121 New Zealand pre-service teachers in their initial year of study. Changes in participants' phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and orthographic knowledge were tracked across the teaching period. The impact of the coursework for participants who presented with strong spelling (n = 24) and poor spelling (n = 24) ability was also compared. The cohort demonstrated significant gains across all measures. Strong spellers responded more favourably to the teaching than poor spellers, even when accounting for initial levels of meta-linguistic knowledge. Implications for the development of teacher preparation programmes that enhance the provision of effective literacy instruction are discussed.

  4. Tropics in Antarctica? Crustal Evaluation Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  5. Negotiating the Inclusion of Nanoscience Content and Technology in Science Curriculum: An Examination of Secondary Teachers' Thinking in a Professional Development Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wells, Jennifer Gayle

    The Next Generation Science Standards represent a significant challenge for K--12 school reform in the United States in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines (NSTA, 2012). One important difference between the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996) and the Next Generation Science Standards (Achieve, 2013) is the more extensive inclusion of nanoscale science and technology. Teacher PD is a key vehicle for implementing this STEM education reform effort (NRC, 2012; Smith, 2001). The context of this dissertation study is Project Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Outreach (NANO), a secondary level professional development program for teachers that provides a summer workshop, academic year coaching and the opportunity for teacher participants to borrow a table-top Phenom scanning electron microscope and a research grade optical microscope for use in their classrooms. This designed-based descriptive case study examined the thinking of secondary teachers in the 2012 Project NANO cohort as they negotiated the inclusion of novel science concepts and technology into secondary science curriculum. Teachers in the Project NANO 2012 summer workshop developed a two-week, inquiry-based unit of instruction drawing upon one or more of nine big ideas in nanoscale science and technology as defined by Stevens, Sutherland, and Krajcik (2011). This research examined teacher participants' metastrategic thinking (Zohar, 2006) which they used to inform their pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman, 1987) by focusing on the content knowledge teachers chose to frame their lessons, their rationales for such choices as well as the teaching strategies that they chose to employ in their Project NANO unit of instruction. The study documents teachers various entry points on a learning progression as teachers negotiated the inclusion of nanoscale science and technology into the curriculum for the first time. Implications and recommendations for teacher

  6. We Make This Road as We Walk Together: Sharing Teacher Authority in a Social Action Curriculum Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schultz, Brian D.; Oyler, Celia

    2006-01-01

    This article investigates issues of teacher authority and student initiations in a classroom-based social action curriculum project. A teacher (the first author of this article) and his fifth-grade, African-American students conceptualized, designed, and carried out a seven-month-long integrated curriculum and campaign to lobby for a sorely needed…

  7. The Philosophy and Approach on Which the PROFILES Project Is Based

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holbrook, Jack; Rannikmäe, Miia

    2014-01-01

    This article sets out to describe the PROFILES project, a European Commission FP7 science and society project, addresses problems and issues in science education by guiding teachers to embrace a range of teaching factors, such as a context-based approach, motivational constructivist learning; student centred inquiry teaching; enhancing cognitive…

  8. Evaluating success criteria and project monitoring in river enhancement within an adaptive management framework

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    O'Donnell, T. K.; Galat, D.L.

    2008-01-01

    Objective setting, performance measures, and accountability are important components of an adaptive-management approach to river-enhancement programs. Few lessons learned by river-enhancement practitioners in the United States have been documented and disseminated relative to the number of projects implemented. We conducted scripted telephone surveys with river-enhancement project managers and practitioners within the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) to determine the extent of setting project success criteria, monitoring, evaluation of monitoring data, and data dissemination. Investigation of these elements enabled a determination of those that inhibited adaptive management. Seventy river enhancement projects were surveyed. Only 34% of projects surveyed incorporated a quantified measure of project success. Managers most often relied on geophysical attributes of rivers when setting project success criteria, followed by biological communities. Ninety-one percent of projects that performed monitoring included biologic variables, but the lack of data collection before and after project completion and lack of field-based reference or control sites will make future assessments of ecologic success difficult. Twenty percent of projects that performed monitoring evaluated ???1 variable but did not disseminate their evaluations outside their organization. Results suggest greater incentives may be required to advance the science of river enhancement. Future river-enhancement programs within the UMRB and elsewhere can increase knowledge gained from individual projects by offering better guidance on setting success criteria before project initiation and evaluation through established monitoring protocols. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

  9. Individualized In-Service Teacher Education. (Project IN-STEP). Evaluation Report, Phase II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thurber, John C.

    Phase 2 of Project IN-STEP was conducted to revise, refine, and conduct further field testing of a new inservice teacher education model. The method developed (in Phase 1--see ED 003 905 for report) is an individualized, multi-media approach. Revision activities, based on feedback provided for Phase 1, include the remaking of six videotape…

  10. User-Centered Digital Library Project Phase 2: User Testing with Teachers and Students with Disabilities. Evaluation Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moeller, Babette

    2010-01-01

    The goal of the User-Centered Digital Library Project, conducted by the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) at WGBH, was to adapt the Teachers' Domain online digital library to enable teachers and students with disabilities to more readily use the resources in science classrooms. NCAM added accessibility features such as captions and audio…

  11. The Invisible Universe Online for Teachers - A SOFIA and SIRTF EPO Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gauthier, A.; Bennett, M.; Buxner, S.; Devore, E.; Keller, J.; Slater, T.; Thaller, M.; Conceptual Astronomy; Physics Education Research CAPER Team

    2003-12-01

    The SOFIA and SIRTF EPO Programs have partnered with the Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education Research (CAPER) Team in designing, evaluating, and facilitating an online program for K-12 teachers to experience multiwavelength astronomy. An aggressive approach to online course design and delivery has resulted in a highly successful learning experience for teacher-participants. Important aspects of the Invisible Universe Online will eventually be used as a part of SOFIA's Airborne Ambassadors Program for pre-flight training of educators. The Invisible Universe Online is delivered via WebCT through the Montana State University National Teacher Enhancement Network (http://btc.montana.edu/). Currently in its fourth semester, the course has served 115 K-12 teachers. This distance learning online class presents our search for astronomical origins and provides an enhanced understanding of how astronomers use all energies of light to unfold the secrets of the universe. We cover the long chain of events from the birth of the universe through the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets by focusing on the scientific questions, technological challenges, and space missions pursuing this search for origins. Through textbook and internet readings, inquiry exploration with interactive java applets, and asynchronous discussions, we help our students achieve the following course goals: develop scientific background knowledge of astronomical objects and phenomena at multiple wavelengths; understand contemporary scientific research questions related to how galaxies formed in the early universe and how stars and planetary systems form and evolve; describe strategies and technologies for using non-visible wavelengths of EM radiation to study various phenomena; and integrate related issues of astronomical science and technology into K-12 classrooms. This course is being developed, evaluated, and offered through the support of SOFIA and SIRTF EPO Programs, two NASA infrared missions

  12. Collaborative Action Research as a Tool for Generating Formative Feedback on Teachers' Classroom Assessment Practice: The KREST Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrison, Christine

    2013-01-01

    This paper sets out to explore science teachers' classroom assessment practices and outlines some of the tensions and synergies in changing assessment practices. It describes episodes from a collaborative action research project with science teachers designed to support the strengthening of classroom assessment practices--the King's Researching…

  13. Virginia Statewide Program To Endorse Teachers of Students with Severe and Profound Handicaps. The Endorsement Project. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snell, Martha E.; And Others

    The Virginia Statewide Program To Endorse Teachers in Severe and Profound Handicaps was a 5-year personnel preparation project which selected and trained teachers currently unendorsed but employed to teach students with severe disabilities in schools across Virginia. Participating universities included the University of Virginia (UVA), George…

  14. Long-Term Teacher Orchestration of Technology-Mediated Collaborative Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Viilo, Marjut; Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, Pirita; Hakkarainen, Kai

    2018-01-01

    This explorative case study longitudinally examines teacher orchestration of an inquiry learning process in a technology-enhanced elementary classroom. A 13-month investigative study on cultural artifacts was conducted on 32 fourth grade students who progressed to the fifth grade during the project. The activities were mediated and documented…

  15. Looking Across and Within: Studying Ourselves as Teacher Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tannehill, Deborah; Parker, Melissa; Tindall, Daniel; Moody, Brigitte; MacPhail, Ann

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe the ongoing self-study of a community of physical education teacher educators (PETE) striving to enhance their research capacity and program effectiveness. The underpinnings of the project reside within professional development/professional learning and self-study. Engaging in self-study projects…

  16. A Project-Based Learning Approach to Teaching Physics for Pre-Service Elementary School Teacher Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldstein, Olzan

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes the impact of the project-based learning (PBL) approach on learning and teaching physics from the perspective of pre-service elementary school teacher education students and an instructor. This approach promoted meaningful learning (mainly in the scope of projects), higher motivation, and active involvement of students in…

  17. The MarsQuest Education Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dusenbery, P. B.; Lee, S. W.

    1998-09-01

    The upcoming decade of Mars exploration will provide numerous opportunities for a variety of educational efforts. One of these, MarsQuest, is a travelling exhibition being developed by the Space Science Institute with partial funding from NSF and NASA. MarsQuest's Education and Outreach Program will take advantage of the many Mars-related educational resources currently available, as well as those in the planning stages. Materials reflecting the exhibit content will be disseminated to teachers at sites where the exhibit is visiting and via presentations at annual and regional meetings of the National Science Teachers Association, and via a web site containing interactive educational resources. The goals of the MarsQuest Education Program are to: 1) Make use of the rich educational resources and coincident occurrence of ongoing Mars missions; 2) Captivate broad public interest in Mars exploration and use it to promote scientific literacy; 3) Provide opportunities for teachers, students, and families to connect in real-time to the Mars missions, the people involved, and the science experiments underway; 4) Enhance the overall education experience of the MarsQuest exhibition. The MarsQuest Education Program is focused on teacher training/enhancement and parental involvement. The main mechanism for teacher enhancement and encouragement of parental participation will be through two education workshops organized by MarsQuest personnel at each host site. The first will target museum staff and "master" K-12 teachers. The second will target local K-12 teachers. The MarsQuest Education Program will also provide museum staff, exhibit liaisons, and astronomy volunteers information on offering one-day workshops designed for family groups. The MarsQuest project will provide a wide ranging dissemination effort, ultimately reaching an estimated two to three million people during its three-year tour.

  18. Four Practical Principles for Enhancing Vocabulary Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manyak, Patrick C.; Von Gunten, Heather; Autenrieth, David; Gillis, Carolyn; Mastre-O'Farrell, Julie; Irvine-McDermott, Elizabeth; Baumann, James F.; Blachowicz, Camille L. Z.

    2014-01-01

    This article presents four practical principles that lead to enhanced word-meaning instruction in the elementary grades. The authors, a collaborative team of researchers and classroom teachers, identified and developed these principles and related instructional activities during a three-year vocabulary instruction research project. The principles…

  19. Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School (PASS) Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Coleman, Clarence D.; Hathaway, Roger (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    The Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School Project (PASS) Project was granted a one-year no cost extension for 2001-2002. In year three of the project, objectives and strategies were modified based on the previous year-end evaluation. The recommendations were incorporated and the program was replicated within most of the remaining elementary schools in Portsmouth, Virginia and continued in the four middle schools. The Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School Project is a partnership, which includes Norfolk State University, Cooperating Hampton Roads Organizations for Minorities in Engineering (CHROME), NASA Langley Research Center, and the City of Portsmouth, Virginia Public Schools. The project seeks to strengthen the knowledge of Portsmouth Public Schools students in the field of atmospheric sciences and enhance teacher awareness of hands on activities in the atmospheric sciences. The project specifically seeks to: 1) increase the interest and participation of elementary and middle school students in science and mathematics; 2) strengthen existing science programs; and 3) facilitate greater achievement in core subjects, which are necessary for math, science, and technical careers. Emphasis was placed on providing training activities, materials and resources for elementary students (grades 3 - 5) and middle school students (grades 6 - 8), and teachers through a CHROME club structure. The first year of the project focused on introducing elementary students to concepts and activities in atmospheric science. Year two of the project built on the first year's activities and utilizes advanced topics and activities appropriate for middle school students. During the third year of the project, in addition to the approaches used in years one and two, emphasis was placed on activities that enhanced the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL).

  20. Motivating Teachers to Enact Free-Choice Project-Based Learning in Science and Technology (PBLSAT): Effects of a Professional Development Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fallik, Orna; Eylon, Bat-Sheva; Rosenfeld, Sherman

    2008-01-01

    We investigated the effects of a long-term, continuous professional development (CPD) model, designed to support teachers to enact Project-Based Learning (PBLSAT). How do novice PBLSAT teachers view their acquisition of PBLSAT skills and how do expert PBLSAT teachers, who enacted the program 5-7 years, perceive the program? Novice teachers…

  1. Evaluation of Green Dot's Locke Transformation Project: From the Perspective of Teachers and Administrators. CRESST Report 824

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herman, Joan L.; Wang, Jia; Ong, Christine; Straubhaar, Rolf; Schweig, Jon; Hsu, Vivian

    2013-01-01

    With funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CRESST researchers conducted a multi-year evaluation of a major school reform project at Alain Leroy Locke High School, historically one of California's lowest performing secondary schools. We found the one-year teacher retention rate at GDL in 2010-2011 was 79%; Green Dot Locke teachers,…

  2. Efficient 3M PBS enhancing miniature projection optics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yun, Zhisheng; Nevitt, Timothy; Willett, Stephen; Mortenson, Dave; Le, John; McDowell, Erin; Kent, Susan; Wong, Timothy; Beniot, Gilles J.; Ouderkirk, Andrew

    2016-09-01

    Over the past decade, 3M has developed a number of mobile projectors, with a goal towards providing the world's smallest, most efficient projection systems. Compact size and efficiency are required characteristics for projection systems used in mobile devices and more lately, in augmented reality systems. In this paper we summarize the main generations of 3M light engine optical designs. We present the optical architectures of four light engines, including the rationale behind the illumination designs and the projection systems. In particular, we describe various configurations relating to the 3M polarizing beam splitter (PBS) which is key to enhanced efficiency of the miniature projection systems.

  3. A System for Providing Relevant Metrics Education for Vocational Teachers in Kentucky. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crosby, Richard K.

    A project conducted in four vocational regions of Kentucky developed a system for providing vocational teachers with relevant metrics education and developed and identified materials to support and enhance the system. Ten occupational training areas selected as a focus of the project were air conditioning, auto body, auto mechanics, diesel…

  4. Challenges in Mentoring Software Development Projects in the High School: Analysis According to Shulman's Teacher Knowledge Base Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meerbaum-Salant, Orni; Hazzan, Orit

    2009-01-01

    This paper focuses on challenges in mentoring software development projects in the high school and analyzes difficulties encountered by Computer Science teachers in the mentoring process according to Shulman's Teacher Knowledge Base Model. The main difficulties that emerged from the data analysis belong to the following knowledge sources of…

  5. Teachers as Participatory Designers: Two Case Studies with Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cober, Rebecca; Tan, Esther; Slotta, Jim; So, Hyo-Jeong; Könings, Karen D.

    2015-01-01

    Teachers are not typically involved as participatory designers in the design of technology-enhanced learning environments. As they have unique and valuable perspectives on the role of technology in education, it is of utmost importance to engage them in a participatory design process. Adopting a case study methodology, we aim to reveal in what…

  6. Using Sociotransformative Constructivism to Create Multicultural and Gender-Inclusive Classrooms: An Intervention Project for Teacher Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zozakiewicz, Cathy; Rodriguez, Alberto J.

    2007-01-01

    Maxima was an intervention project that focused on assisting teachers to establish more inquiry-based, gender-inclusive, and culturally relevant learning environments. The authors grounded the project by using sociotransformative constructivism as a theoretical framework to steer the implementation of three guiding concepts for professional…

  7. A Program to Train Apprentices to Lead Inservice Workshops for Secondary Teachers of Basic Skills. Developer/Demonstration Project. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stallings, Jane A.

    The Development and Demonstration project has trained interns to lead Effective Use of Time inservice workshops for secondary school teachers of basic reading and mathematical skills. These interns then returned to their home bases and trained teachers who could in turn train other teachers to use the Stallings Effective Use of Time methods. The…

  8. The Acadia Learning Project: Lessons Learned from Engaging High School Teachers and Students in Citizen Science Supporting National Parks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nelson, S. J.; Zoellick, B.; Davis, Y.; Lindsey, E.

    2009-12-01

    In 2007 the authors initiated a citizen science research project, supported with funding from the Maine Department of Education, designed to extend research at Acadia National Park to a broader geographic area while also providing high school students and teachers with an opportunity to engage in authentic research in cooperation with working scientists. The scientific focus of the work has been on providing information about the mercury burden of organisms at different trophic levels across different geographic and environmental settings. The pedagogical focus has been on providing students with immersion in a substantial, field-based project, including background research, hypothesis formulation, data collection and analysis, and presentation of research findings. Starting work with 6 teachers in two schools the first year, the project expanded to involve more than 20 teachers and 350 students in a dozen schools in its second year. In coming years, with support from NOAA and cooperation from other National Parks in the region, the project will expand to include work in other states along the coast of the Gulf of Maine. In this paper the authors describe evolution in the use of the Internet over the first two years of the project, a sharpened focus on professional development for teachers, survey results regarding student views of the nature of science, the importance of focusing on rigorous, useful data collection from an educational perspective, success in establishing that samples collected by students are useful in research, the disjuncture between scientific and pedagogical outcomes, an assessment of the value of student poster presentations, and lessons learned about preparation and use of curriculum support materials. The authors also describe future directions, which include an increased focus on professional development and student work with graphs, a narrower focus in sample collection, and increased use of the Internet to provide participating teachers

  9. A Practice-Centered Approach to Professional Development: Teacher-Librarian Collaboration in Capstone Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harada, Violet H.

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports on a professional development initiative that targeted teams of teachers and librarians working with high school students on strengthening an inquiry approach to capstone projects. While much has been written about student-focused models for information search and use, little has been reported on how training for the…

  10. Native Americans as Teacher Trainers: Anatomy and Outcomes of a Cultural Immersion Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mahan, James M.

    Data spanning the nine year life of a culturally-oriented field project sponsored by Indiana University indicated the feasibility and productive impact of intensive teacher preparation experiences in a cultural community (Native American) where the trainee (Anglo) functioned in the role of a minority person. For 9 consecutive years, 291 preservice…

  11. The Rationale for Consuming Cognitive Enhancement Drugs in University Students and Teachers

    PubMed Central

    Sattler, Sebastian; Sauer, Carsten; Mehlkop, Guido; Graeff, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Cognitive enhancement (CE) is the pharmaceutical augmentation of mental abilities (e.g., learning or memory) without medical necessity. This topic has recently attracted widespread attention in scientific and social circles. However, knowledge regarding the mechanisms that underlie the decision to use CE medication is limited. To analyze these decisions, we used data from two online surveys of randomly sampled university teachers (N = 1,406) and students (N = 3,486). Each respondent evaluated one randomly selected vignette with regard to a hypothetical CE drug. We experimentally varied the characteristics of the drugs among vignettes and distributed them among respondents. In addition, the respondent’s internalization of social norms with respect to CE drug use was measured. Our results revealed that students were more willing to enhance cognitive performance via drugs than university teachers, although the overall willingness was low. The probability of side effects and their strength reduced the willingness to use CE drugs among students and university teachers, whereas higher likelihoods and magnitudes of CE increased this propensity. In addition, the internalized norm against CE drug use influenced decision making: Higher internalization decreased the willingness to use such medications. Students’ internalized norms more strongly affected CE abstinence compared with those of university teachers. Furthermore, internalized norms negatively interacted with the instrumental incentives for taking CE medication. This internalization limited the influence of and deliberation on instrumental incentives. This study is the first to provide empirical evidence regarding the importance of social norms and their influence on rational decision making with regard to CE. We identified previously undiscovered decision-making patterns concerning CE. Thus, this study provides insight into the motivators and inhibitors of CE drug use. These findings have implications

  12. The rationale for consuming cognitive enhancement drugs in university students and teachers.

    PubMed

    Sattler, Sebastian; Sauer, Carsten; Mehlkop, Guido; Graeff, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Cognitive enhancement (CE) is the pharmaceutical augmentation of mental abilities (e.g., learning or memory) without medical necessity. This topic has recently attracted widespread attention in scientific and social circles. However, knowledge regarding the mechanisms that underlie the decision to use CE medication is limited. To analyze these decisions, we used data from two online surveys of randomly sampled university teachers (N = 1,406) and students (N = 3,486). Each respondent evaluated one randomly selected vignette with regard to a hypothetical CE drug. We experimentally varied the characteristics of the drugs among vignettes and distributed them among respondents. In addition, the respondent's internalization of social norms with respect to CE drug use was measured. Our results revealed that students were more willing to enhance cognitive performance via drugs than university teachers, although the overall willingness was low. The probability of side effects and their strength reduced the willingness to use CE drugs among students and university teachers, whereas higher likelihoods and magnitudes of CE increased this propensity. In addition, the internalized norm against CE drug use influenced decision making: Higher internalization decreased the willingness to use such medications. Students' internalized norms more strongly affected CE abstinence compared with those of university teachers. Furthermore, internalized norms negatively interacted with the instrumental incentives for taking CE medication. This internalization limited the influence of and deliberation on instrumental incentives. This study is the first to provide empirical evidence regarding the importance of social norms and their influence on rational decision making with regard to CE. We identified previously undiscovered decision-making patterns concerning CE. Thus, this study provides insight into the motivators and inhibitors of CE drug use. These findings have implications for

  13. Strategies for Enhancing Quality Assurance in Business Teacher Education Programme in Nigerian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okoro, James

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the strategies for enhancing quality assurance in business teacher education programme in Nigerian universities. Two research questions and four hypotheses guided the study. This study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised 129 Business Education lecturers in state and federal…

  14. Rural Textile Workers Literacy Enhancement Project. Final Performance Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Enterprise State Junior Coll., AL.

    This document consists of the final report and sample curricula from the Rural Textile Workers Literacy Enhancement Project. The final report details how the project was initiated in April 1993 to help employees of five textile and apparel manufacturing companies in southeastern Alabama improve their literacy and numeracy skills. A second…

  15. Enhancing Teacher Efficacy for Urban STEM Teachers Facing Challenges to Their Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seals, Christopher; Mehta, Swati; Berzina-Pitcher, Inese; Graves-Wolf, Leigh

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores challenges of teaching in relation to teachers' efficacy for 49 teachers who were part of a year-long teacher development program (PD) called the UrbanSTEM program. This program took place in an urban school district that serves over 300,000 students. This research asked if there are common challenges that urban teachers face…

  16. Looking at Earth from Space: Teacher's Guide with Activities for Earth and Space Science

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Steele, Colleen (Editor); Steele, Colleen; Ryan, William F.

    1995-01-01

    The Maryland Pilot Earth Science and Technology Education Network (MAPS-NET) project was sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to enrich teacher preparation and classroom learning in the area of Earth system science. This publication includes a teacher's guide that replicates material taught during a graduate-level course of the project and activities developed by the teachers. The publication was developed to provide teachers with a comprehensive approach to using satellite imagery to enhance science education. The teacher's guide is divided into topical chapters and enables teachers to expand their knowledge of the atmosphere, common weather patterns, and remote sensing. Topics include: weather systems and satellite imagery including mid-latitude weather systems; wave motion and the general circulation; cyclonic disturbances and baroclinic instability; clouds; additional common weather patterns; satellite images and the internet; environmental satellites; orbits; and ground station set-up. Activities are listed by suggested grade level and include the following topics: using weather symbols; forecasting the weather; cloud families and identification; classification of cloud types through infrared Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) imagery; comparison of visible and infrared imagery; cold fronts; to ski or not to ski (imagery as a decision making tool), infrared and visible satellite images; thunderstorms; looping satellite images; hurricanes; intertropical convergence zone; and using weather satellite images to enhance a study of the Chesapeake Bay. A list of resources is also included.

  17. Choice is good, but relevance is excellent: autonomy-enhancing and suppressing teacher behaviours predicting students' engagement in schoolwork.

    PubMed

    Assor, Avi; Kaplan, Haya; Roth, Guy

    2002-06-01

    This article examines two questions concerning teacher-behaviours that are characterised in Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) as autonomy-supportive or suppressive: (1) Can children differentiate among various types of autonomy-enhancing and suppressing teacher behaviours? (2) Which of those types of behaviour are particularly important in predicting feelings toward and engagement in schoolwork? It was hypothesised that teacher behaviours that help students to understand the relevance of schoolwork for their personal interests and goals are particularly important predictors of engagement in schoolwork. Israeli students in grades 3-5 (N = 498) and in grades 6-8 (N = 364) completed questionnaires assessing the variables of interest. Smallest Space Analyses indicated that both children and early adolescents can differentiate among three types of autonomy enhancing teacher behaviours - fostering relevance, allowing criticism, and providing choice - and three types of autonomy suppressing teacher behaviours - suppressing criticism, intruding, and forcing unmeaningful acts. Regression analyses supported the hypothesis concerning the importance of teacher behaviours that clarify the personal relevance of schoolwork. Among the autonomy-suppressing behaviours, 'Criticism-suppression' was the best predictor of feelings and engagement. The findings underscore the active and empathic nature of teachers' role in supporting students' autonomy, and suggest that autonomy-support is important not only for early adolescents but also for children. Discussion of potential determinants of the relative importance of various autonomy-affecting teacher actions suggests that provision of choice should not always be viewed as a major indicator of autonomy support.

  18. Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fsh Habitat Enhancement Project : 2000 Annual Report.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shaw, R. Todd

    2001-12-31

    The Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fish Habitat Enhancement Project continued to identify impacted stream reaches throughout the Umatilla River Basin for habitat improvements during the 2000 project period. Public outreach efforts, biological and physical monitoring, and continued development of a Umatilla River Basin Watershed Assessment assisted the project in fostering public cooperation, targeting habitat deficiencies and determining habitat recovery measures. Habitat enhancement projects continued to be maintained on 44 private properties, four riparian easements and one in-stream enhancement agreement were secured, two new projects implemented and two existing projects improved to enhance anadromous fish habitat and natural fisheries production capabilitiesmore » in the Umatilla River Basin. New project locations included sites on the mid Umatilla River and Buckaroo Creek. Improvements were implemented at existing project sites on the upper Umatilla River and Wildhorse Creek. A stream bank stabilization project was implemented at approximately River Mile 37.4 Umatilla River to stabilize 760 feet of eroding stream bank and improve in-stream habitat diversity. Habitat enhancements at this site included construction of six rock barbs with one large conifer root wad incorporated into each barb, stinging approximately 10,000 native willow cuttings, planting 195 tubling willows and 1,800 basin wildrye grass plugs, and seeding 40 pounds of native grass seed. Staff time to assist in development of a subcontract and fence materials were provided to establish eight spring sites for off-stream watering and to protect wetlands within the Buckaroo Creek Watershed. A gravel bar was moved and incorporated into an adjacent point bar to reduce stream energy and stream channel confinement within the existing project area at River Mile 85 Umatilla River. Approximately 10,000 native willow cuttings were stung and trenched into the stream channel margins and stream banks, and

  19. Projects in Technology Education and Fostering Learning: The Potential and Its Realization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barak, Moshe; Shachar, Ahron

    2008-06-01

    The current study aimed at examining the efficacy of technological projects as learning tools by exploring the following questions: the extent to which projects in technology develop students as independent learners; the types of knowledge the students deal with in working on their projects; the role of problem-solving in technological projects; and how projects integrate into traditional schooling. The subjects were 53 high school (12th grade) students who prepared graduating projects in technology under the supervision of nine teachers. Data were collected by observing the students in the laboratory, administrating two questionnaires to both the students and the teachers, and analyzing 25 portfolios prepared by the students of their projects. The findings indicate that projects in technology provide a good opportunity to engage students in challenging tasks that enhance their learning skills. To maximize this potential, it is necessary to employ the project method from the early stages of learning technology. It is especially important that teachers having a strong engineering orientation also acquire pedagogical knowledge on issues such as fostering independent learning, creativity, peer learning and reflective practice in the technological classroom.

  20. The development of pedagogical content knowledge in science teachers: New opportunities through technology-mediated reflection and peer-exchange

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madeira, M. Cheryl-Ann

    This design-based research study investigates the development of pedagogical content knowledge among nine teacher-participants (N = 9) in three design phases. PCK is a particular type of teacher knowledge that addresses not only the teacher's understanding of the content to be instructed, but also ways of how to teach that content effectively. This knowledge has been well documented over several decades, and is seen as central to teacher expertise. However, its actual development has been difficult for researchers to investigate. This study offers a detailed perspective on how teachers developed PCK with their engagement in lesson planning and enactment of a project-based technology-enhanced lesson. The study includes two specific interventions designed to enhance teachers' development of PCK: (1) scaffolded reflection that occurs throughout the practices; and (2) peer-exchange of lesson plans, enactment ideas, and completed reflections. The findings demonstrate that teachers improve their planning and enactment of project-based technology-enhanced lessons with scaffolded reflection and peer exchange. Positive correlations were seen between teachers' engagement in the reflections and the quality of their lesson planning. Teachers who participated more deeply in the scaffolded reflections were able to understand how their lesson plans and enactment patterns fostered student understanding of relevant science concepts. Positive correlations were also seen between community influence and teacher lesson plans and enactment. Additionally, positive correlations were confirmed between teachers' level of participation in the peer exchange activities and the quality of their lesson planning and enactments. Teachers who contributed more deeply within the online and face-to-face peer community meetings benefited from the different perspectives of their peers about student learning and the best ways to succeed with project-based instruction. This study allowed some insight into

  1. The Cosmic Ray Observatory Project: Results of a Summer High-School Student, Teacher, University Scientist Partnership Using a Capstone Research Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shell, Duane F.; Snow, Gregory R.; Claes, Daniel R.

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports results from evaluation of the Cosmic Ray Observatory Project (CROP), a student, teacher, scientist partnership to engage high-school students and teachers in school based cosmic ray research. Specifically, this study examined whether an intensive summer workshop experience could effectively prepare teacher-student teams to…

  2. Exploring teachers' beliefs and knowledge about scientific inquiry and the nature of science: A collaborative action research project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fazio, Xavier Eric

    Science curriculum reform goals espouse the need to foster and support the development of scientific literacy in students. Two critical goals of scientific literacy are students' engagement in, and developing more realistic conceptions about scientific inquiry (SI) and the nature of science (NOS). In order to promote the learning of these curriculum emphases, teachers themselves must possess beliefs and knowledge supportive of them. Collaborative action research is a viable form of curriculum and teacher development that can be used to support teachers in developing the requisite beliefs and knowledge that can promote these scientific literacy goals. This research study used a collective case study methodology to describe and interpret the views and actions of four teachers participating in a collaborative action research project. I explored the teachers' SI and NOS views throughout the project as they investigated ideas and theories, critically examined their current curricular practice, and implemented and reflected on these modified curricular practices. By the end of the research study, all participants had uniquely augmented their understanding of SI and NOS. The participants were better able to provide explanatory depth to some SI and NOS ideas; however, specific belief revision with respect to SI and NOS ideas was nominal. Furthermore, their idealized action research plans were not implemented to the extent that they were planned. Explanations for these findings include: impact of significant past educational experiences, prior understanding of SI and NOS, depth of content and pedagogical content knowledge of the discipline, and institutional and instructional constraints. Nonetheless, through participation in the collaborative action research process, the teachers developed professionally, personally, and socially. They identified many positive outcomes from participating in a collaborative action research project; however, they espoused constraints to

  3. Teacher Pay for Performance: Experimental Evidence from the Project on Incentives in Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Springer, Matthew G.; Hamilton, Laura; McCaffrey, Daniel F.; Ballou, Dale; Le, Vi-Nhuan; Pepper, Matthew; Lockwood, J. R.; Stecher, Brian M.

    2010-01-01

    In an effort to explore the impact of performance incentives in education, the National Center on Performance Incentives (NCPI) partnered with the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) to conduct the Project on Incentives in Teaching, or POINT. The study examines the effects on student outcomes of paying eligible teachers bonuses of up to…

  4. Eisenhower Pre-Service Teacher Education Project, Higher Education Consortium Region III. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wozniak, Jacci

    The Eisenhower Pre-Service Teacher Education Project was developed by the University of Central Florida, the five community colleges in Region III of the Higher Education Consortium, and the private college and universities in the same region to design curriculum changes to improve the preparation of elementary and secondary math and science…

  5. STAR Follow-Up Studies, 1996-1997: The Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pate-Bain, Helen; Boyd-Zaharias, Jayne; Cain, Van A.; Word, Elizabeth; Binkley, M. Edward

    The Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project first investigated the effect of small class size on student achievement with over 6,000 Tennessee primary students in 1985 through 1989. The study found a consistent and significant benefit of small classes for all students, with the greatest advantages for minority, inner-city students from…

  6. Merging Beliefs of Classroom Teachers and Teacher Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milner, Joseph O.

    2010-01-01

    Joseph O. Milner explores a narrowing of differences between English teacher educators and classroom teachers. Using North Carolina as a national barometer for his action research, Milner cites the shifting attitudes of classroom teachers toward the shared values of English teacher educators, and he opens the door for similar research projects in…

  7. Inspiring Instructional Change in Elementary School Science: The Relationship Between Enhanced Self-efficacy and Teacher Practices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sandholtz, Judith Haymore; Ringstaff, Cathy

    2014-10-01

    This longitudinal study examined the extent to which teachers' participation in a 3-year professional development program enhanced their self-efficacy and prompted changes in science instruction in the early elementary grades. The study used a mixed-methods design, and included 39 teachers who taught in kindergarten, first grade, or second grade classrooms in rural school districts. Data sources, administered pre-program and at the end of each year, included a self-efficacy assessment and teacher survey. Interviews and classroom observations provided corroborating data about teachers' beliefs and science instruction. Results showed significant increases in teachers' overall self-efficacy in teaching science, personal efficacy, and outcome expectancy efficacy during the 3 years. Gains in self-efficacy were correlated with changes in reported instructional practices, particularly student participation activities. However, changes in self-efficacy tended not to be correlated with changes in instructional time. Contextual factors beyond teachers' direct control, such as curricular and testing requirements in mathematics and language arts influenced time allotted to science instruction.

  8. John Day River Subbasin Fish Habitat Enhancement Project, 2002 Annual Report.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Powell, Russ M.; Jerome, James P.; Delano, Kenneth H.

    2003-03-01

    Work undertaken in 2002 included: (1) Seven new fence projects were completed thereby protecting 6.0 miles of stream (2) Completion of 0.7 miles of dredge tail leveling on Granite Creek. (3) New fence construction (300ft) plus one watergap on Indian Creek/ Kuhl property. (4) Maintenance of all active project fences (58.76 miles), watergaps (56), spring developments (32) and plantings were checked and repairs performed. (5) Restoration and Enhancement projects protected 3 miles of stream within the basin. (6) Since the initiation of the Fish Habitat Project in 1984 we have 67.21 miles of stream protected using 124.2 miles of fence.more » With the addition of the Restoration and Enhancement Projects we have 199.06 miles of fence protecting 124.57 miles of stream.« less

  9. Teachers, Research, and Advocacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fruchter, Norm; Price, Janet

    1993-01-01

    Illustrates how teacher action research can be the ammunition for teacher advocacy and the cornerstone of empowerment through the example of the New York City Accountability Project. The goal of the project is to support teachers' efforts to introduce better assessment strategies that support instruction. (SLD)

  10. Project C.H.A.N.G.E.: Concepts of Handicaps and Attitudes Need Guidance and Education. Teacher Training Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, M. Sherry; And Others

    The first of six volumes about Project CHANGE (Concepts of Handicaps and Attitudes Need Guidance and Education), a curriculum designed to improve elementary aged children's attitudes toward the disabled, presents information on installation and management of the inservice teacher training component, audiovisual materials for the teacher training…

  11. Teacher's Guide to Paddle-to-the-Sea: The MATCH Box Project; Prototype Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bever, Buz; Kresse, Frederick H.

    The Materials and Activities for Teachers and Children (MATCH Box) project provides for a two-week intensive treatment of a subject on the elementary school level. Each MATCH Box contains materials, equipment and activities that work together to foster the teaching/learning of the particular subject matter. PADDLE-TO-THE-SEA is a social studies…

  12. Volcanoes: Where and Why? Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  13. Earthquakes and Plate Boundaries. Crustal Evaluation Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  14. Which Way is North? Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  15. Quake Estate (board game). Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  16. Examining of the Predictors of Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of the Quality of the Science Fair Projects in Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tortop, Hasan Said

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed at examining the predictors of quality of science fair (SF) projects in the light of pre-service teachers' evaluation of SF rubric' domains. These projects were selected by judges in A city for the A Regional Exhibition of Science and Mathematics Project Study for Primary School Students: The SF projects were evaluated by thirty…

  17. Authentic Project-Based Design of Professional Development for Teachers Studying Online and Blended Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dabner, Nicki; Davis, Niki; Zaka, Pinelopi

    2012-01-01

    Online learning and teaching is rapidly increasing in many countries, including high schools in the USA and teacher education worldwide. Online and blended approaches to professional and organizational development are, therefore, becoming essential to enable effective and equitable education. Authentic project-based learning to support the…

  18. The Action--Reflection--Modelling (ARM) Pedagogical Approach for Teacher Education: A Malaysia-UK Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jarvis, Joy; Dickerson, Claire; Thomas, Kit; Graham, Sally

    2014-01-01

    This article presents the Action--Reflection--Modelling (ARM) pedagogical approach for teacher education developed during a Malaysia-UK collaborative project to construct a Bachelor of Education (Honours) degree programme in Primary Mathematics, with English and Health and Physical Education as minor subjects. The degree programme was written…

  19. Enhancing Moral and Ethical Judgment through the Use of Case Histories: An Ethics Course for Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mc Danel de García, Mary Anne

    2013-01-01

    This article refers to an action research project involving pre-service teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine if specific learning outcomes could be successfully employed as objectives for an ethics course for preservice teacher preparation. Real life case histories were used by students to identify and reflect upon moral and…

  20. Can Teachers Lead Teachers?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mihans, Richard

    2009-01-01

    The numbers are in, and they are not rosy. According to the "Schools and Staffing Survey," 64,954 public schools reported vacancies during the 2003-04 school year. Projections suggest teacher attrition rates will continue to soar, while student enrollments climb. American schools have an urgent challenge: the retention of teachers.…

  1. The Relationship between the Fidelity of Project-Based Curriculum Implementation and Foreign Language Teachers' Beliefs in Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Fur, Karen

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between fidelity of project-based curriculum implementation and foreign language teachers' beliefs in teaching and learning as constructivist or behaviorist. Quantitative data on teachers' beliefs was collected using a self-administered survey. Quantitative data on fidelity of…

  2. Teachers Engaged in Authentic EarthScope Research: Challenges and Successes (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richardson, E.

    2013-12-01

    Since 2010, eight teachers from five different states who are enrolled in the Master of Education in Earth Sciences program at Penn State University have collaborated with research scientists at Penn State and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in an NSF-funded research effort focused on EarthScope data. We have investigated the connection between seismic strain transients and earthquake swarms in the western United States using a combination of Plate Boundary Observatory global positioning system data and earthquake catalog data. The participating teachers have not only taken an active role in the research but have designed classroom-ready lessons and activities they have taught to their own students. Here I discuss the challenges and successes of this project, emphasizing those I believe to be applicable to any scientist hoping to develop a similar project. Foremost, university scientists are largely unfamiliar with mentoring teachers (or any adult learners who are not planning to become researchers) in the process of doing science. Therefore, project design requires careful planning, as the background knowledge and quantitative skills of the participating teachers can vary considerably. It is important to strike a balance between manageable scope and likelihood of achieving worthwhile scientific results. Furthermore, PSU's M.Ed. in Earth Sciences program is fully online--the teacher participants are all at a distance. We prevailed over this challenge largely because the project involved analysis of digital data, making it naturally suited for asynchronous electronic collaboration and communication. The other important basis of success of this project involved distribution of labor. We analyzed data from different geographic regions and over different time periods, so each teacher participant had ownership of and gained expertise about a specific portion of the project, and the parts naturally summed to the whole. The teachers who participated in this

  3. Enhancement Process of Didactic Strategies in a Degree Course for Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcias, Adolfina Pérez; Marín, Victoria I.

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents a study on the enhancement of didactic strategies based on the idea of personal learning environments (PLE). It was conducted through three iterative cycles during three consecutive academic years according to the phases of design-based research applied to teaching in a university course for pre-service teachers in the…

  4. Learning to Design and Implement Educational Web Sites within Pre-Service Training: a Project-Based Learning Environment and its Impact on Student Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papastergiou, Marina

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports on a project-based learning (PBL) environment targeted towards introducing student teachers to the design and development of educational web sites. The participants were 46 student teachers who constructed 16 web sites for primary school. A survey of their views, before and after the projects, and an evaluation of the web sites…

  5. Learning to Design and Implement Educational Web Sites within Pre-Service Training: A Project-Based Learning Environment and Its Impact on Student Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papastergiou, Marina

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports on a project-based learning (PBL) environment targeted towards introducing student teachers to the design and development of educational web sites. The participants were 46 student teachers who constructed 16 web sites for primary school. A survey of their views, before and after the projects, and an evaluation of the web sites…

  6. Where the Sun Breezes Don't Stop Shining. Teachers' Journals and Students' Writings on First-Time Homebuying from the New American Homeowners Project, February-June 1997.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Catherine, Ed.

    The writings of both teachers and students participating in the New Americans Homeowners Project, a project combining English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction and information on first-time home-buying for immigrants in language minority groups are presented. The project provided training and technical assistance to ESL teachers, and reached…

  7. E-Mentoring: Enhancing Special Education Teacher Induction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Sean J.; Israel, Maya

    2010-01-01

    Teaching in 21st-century schools cannot easily be separated from technology-based solutions. Instead, technology is increasingly becoming an essential tool for any teacher's toolbox, especially the new teacher who is often considered a digital native. In teacher education and professional development, technology-based learning, or…

  8. Blogs: Enhancing Links in a Professional Learning Community of Science and Mathematics Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loving, Cathleen C.; Schroeder, Carolyn; Kang, Rui; Shimek, Christine; Herbert, Bruce

    2007-01-01

    Anyone who can access the Internet can be part of the knowledge-access, knowledge-building, information-exchanging culture, regardless of location. The research presented in this article is about blogs and their use in a new teacher professional development project. Weblogs were first named and described in 1997 by Jorn Barger (Blood, 2000) and…

  9. Project HITE (health individualization and teacher education): a health curriculum for 3-, 4- and 5-year olds.

    PubMed

    Davis, A P

    1983-09-01

    South Carolina has been a national leader in such health problems as cardiovascular disease, syphillis and gonorrhea. Since many of the problems could be attributed to poor health habits, education of the state's residents seemed in order. The education/re-education of inaccessible adults with firmly established health habits--poor or otherwise--was not feasible, but the education of impressionable, readily accessible three-, four- and five-year olds was possible. Through a grant from the federal government, an individualized health curriculum that could accommodate the differences of the learners and include vital health content was developed. This project of developing and distributing the health curriculum to teachers of young children was called Project HITE (Health Individualization and Teacher Education).

  10. R-NEST: Design-Based Research for Technology-Enhanced Reflective Practice in Initial Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson Long, Bonnie; Hall, Tony

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports research into developing digital storytelling (DST) to enhance reflection within a specific professional learning context--that of a programme of teacher education--while concomitantly producing a transferrable design framework for adaption into other, similar post-secondary educational contexts. There has been limited…

  11. Enhancing Professional Development for Teachers: Potential Uses of Information Technology, Report of a Workshop

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Academies Press, 2007

    2007-01-01

    Teachers, like other professionals, need to stay informed about new knowledge and technologies. Yet many express dissatisfaction with the professional development opportunities made available to them in schools and insist that the most effective development programs they have experienced have been self-initiated. "Enhancing Professional…

  12. An Action Research Project by Teacher Candidates and Their Instructor into Using Math Inquiry: Learning about Relations between Theory and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Betts, Paul; McLarty, Michelle; Dickson, Krysta

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports on what two teacher candidates and their instructor learned from an action research project into the use of inquiry to teach mathematics. We use a model of the relation between theory and practice in teacher education to interpret what we learned about inquiry. This model describes three modes for teacher candidates to learn…

  13. The SMORE Project: A Model for Transforming Authentic Research into Classroom Curricula

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abmayr, V.

    2016-12-01

    The SMORE (Students Monitoring Ocean Response to Eutrophication) Project is the direct result of a partnership between marine scientist Dr. Patricia Yager (UGA) and Lollie Garay, a middle school classroom teacher from Texas. Partnered by PolarTREC on an expedition to the Southern Ocean in 2007, they have since traveled together building not only a lasting teacher/scientist collaboration, but also a tri-state student collaboration based on authentic fieldwork. Inspired by Dr. Yager's research, this student -driven project has generated biogeochemical data from Alaska, Texas, and Georgia. Moreover, it has enhanced student understanding of ocean science topics traditionally underemphasized in classrooms. Engaging students in scientific practices and application benefits not only the students and teachers, but also the scientists.

  14. Mediating Artifact in Teacher Professional Development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Svendsen, Bodil

    2015-07-01

    This article focuses on teacher professional development (TPD) in natural science through the 5E model as mediating artifact. The study was conducted in an upper secondary school, grounded in a school-based intervention research project. My contribution to the field of research on TPD is founded on the hypothesis that teachers would be best facilitated to make their practice more inquiry based if they are provided with a mediating artifact. In this study the artifact is a model 5E, which is a conceptual way of thinking, to help teachers reflect on their practice. The aim is to encourage teachers to make changes themselves, by applying extended use of inquiry into their practice. This mediated artifact could thus be used across different national contexts. The main research question is; how can the 5E model as a mediating artifact enhance TPD? The article addresses the processes of the use of the 5E model and its influence on teachers' perception of the model. This is in order for teachers to conceptualize their goals related to inquiry and scientific thinking, and to solve the problems involved in achieving those goals in their own contexts. The study concludes that, after the intervention, the teachers' approaches and strategies demonstrate greater emphasis on learning.

  15. Community Connections to Enhance Undergraduate International Business Education: An Example of Business Consulting Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Annavarjula, Madan; Trifts, Jack W.

    2012-01-01

    Practical project experience as a means of augmenting traditional classroom learning has long been viewed as a value adding curricular exercise. While students participating in the projects gain valuable skills that will enhance their personal marketability, successful projects also benefit the client companies involved and help enhance the image…

  16. Incorporating Concept Mapping in Project-Based Learning: Lessons from Watershed Investigations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rye, James; Landenberger, Rick; Warner, Timothy A.

    2013-06-01

    The concept map tool set forth by Novak and colleagues is underutilized in education. A meta-analysis has encouraged teachers to make extensive use of concept mapping, and researchers have advocated computer-based concept mapping applications that exploit hyperlink technology. Through an NSF sponsored geosciences education grant, middle and secondary science teachers participated in professional development to apply computer-based concept mapping in project-based learning (PBL) units that investigated local watersheds. Participants attended a summer institute, engaged in a summer through spring online learning academy, and presented PBL units at a subsequent fall science teachers' convention. The majority of 17 teachers who attended the summer institute had previously used the concept mapping strategy with students and rated it highly. Of the 12 teachers who continued beyond summer, applications of concept mapping ranged from collaborative planning of PBL projects to building students' vocabulary to students producing maps related to the PBL driving question. Barriers to the adoption and use of concept mapping included technology access at the schools, lack of time for teachers to advance their technology skills, lack of student motivation to choose to learn, and student difficulty with linking terms. In addition to mitigating the aforementioned barriers, projects targeting teachers' use of technology tools may enhance adoption by recruiting teachers as partners from schools as well as a small number that already are proficient in the targeted technology and emphasizing the utility of the concept map as a planning tool.

  17. Chapter 4: Teachers' and Administrators' Perceptions of the Saber-Tooth Project Reform and of Their Changing Workplace Conditions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doutis, Panayiotis; Ward, Phillip

    1999-01-01

    Describes changing workplace conditions encountered by middle school physical education teachers and administrators engaged in the Saber-Tooth Project, sharing data from interviews about their perspectives of this project. Findings are organized around the themes of collegiality, planning and assessment, and professionalism, all of which empowered…

  18. Project SETT-UP: Special Education via Telecommunications, Teacher Upgrade. Five Year Report, June 1, 1976-August 31, 1981.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curtis, John A.

    The 5 year report on Project SETT-UP (Special Education via Telecommunications--Teacher Upgrade), a two way telecommunications inservice training project in southeastern Virginia, is presented. The report is organized into three sections concerned with personnel involved in the program, achievement of program objectives, and special program…

  19. Teacher Action Research Teams: Building Collaborative Structures for Schools: A Report from the Schools Reaching Out Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krasnow, Jean H.

    A teacher action research study, undertaken as part of the larger Schools Reaching Out (SRO) project, sponsored by the Institute for Responsive Education, is described in this report. The project is based on the concept of the urban school, family, and community partnership as a means to improve all children's academic achievement and social…

  20. [Project to enhance bone bank tissue storage and distribution procedures].

    PubMed

    Huang, Jui-Chen; Wu, Chiung-Lan; Chen, Chun-Chuan; Chen, Shu-Hua

    2011-10-01

    Organ and tissue transplantation are now commonly preformed procedures. Improper organ bank handling procedures may increase infection risks. Execution accuracy in terms of tissue storage and distribution at our bone bank was 80%. We thus proposed an execution improvement project to enhance procedures in order to fulfill the intent of donors and ensure recipient safety. This project was designed to raise nurse professionalism, and ensure patient safety through enhanced tissue storage and distribution procedures. Education programs developed for this project focus on teaching standard operating procedures for bone and ligament storage and distribution, bone bank facility maintenance, trouble shooting and solutions, and periodic inspection systems. Cognition of proper storage and distribution procedures rose from 81% to 100%; Execution accuracy also rose from 80% to 100%. The project successfully conveyed concepts essential to the correct execution of organ storage and distribution procedures and proper organ bank facility management. Achieving and maintaining procedural and management standards is crucial to continued organ donations and the recipient safety.

  1. World Class Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, Rosalita

    1998-01-01

    School communities are challenged to find ways to identify good teachers and give other teachers a chance to learn from them. The New Mexico World Class Teacher Project is encouraging teachers to pursue certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This process sharpens teachers' student assessment skills and encourages…

  2. Teachers' Tendencies to Promote Student-Led Science Projects: Associations with Their Views about Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bencze, J. Lawrence; Bowen, G. Michael; Alsop, Steve

    2006-01-01

    School science students can benefit greatly from participation in student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects. For various possible reasons, however, students tend not to be engaged in such inquiries. Among factors that may limit their opportunities to engage in open-ended inquiries of their design are teachers' conceptions about…

  3. Teacher Professional Development through a Collaborative Curriculum Project--An Example of TPACK in Maine

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allan, Walter C.; Erickson, Jeryl L.; Brookhouse, Phil; Johnson, Judith L.

    2010-01-01

    Maine's one-to-one laptop program provides an ideal opportunity to explore conditions that optimize teacher integration of technology-focused curriculum into the classroom. EcoScienceWorks (ESW) is an ecology curriculum that includes targeted simulations and a code block programming challenge developed through an NSF-ITEST grant. The project was…

  4. A Case Study Examining Change in Teacher Beliefs Through Collaborative Action Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vaino, Katrin; Holbrook, Jack; Rannikmäe, Miia

    2013-01-01

    The main goal of this study was to explore the role of collaborative action research in eliciting change in teacher beliefs. The beliefs were those of five chemistry teachers in implementing a new teaching approach, geared to enhancing students' scientific and technological literacy (STL). The teacher beliefs were analysed based on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour (2005) by looking at the teacher's (a) attitude towards implementing STL modules, (b) perceived subjective norms, and (c) behavioural control regarding the new teaching approach. After an introductory year, when teachers familiarised themselves with the new approach, a collaborative action research project was initiated in the second year of the study, helping teachers to minimise or overcome initially perceived constraints when implementing STL modules in their classroom. The processes of teacher change and the course of the project were investigated by teacher interviews, teacher informal commentaries, and meeting records. The formation of positive beliefs towards a STL approach increased continuously, although its extent and character varied depending on the teacher. The close cooperation, in the format of collaborative action research and especially through teacher group reflections and perceived collegial support, did support teacher professional development including change in their beliefs towards the new teaching approach. Additionally, positive feedback gained from other teachers through running a two-day in-service course in year three helped to strengthen all five teachers' existing beliefs towards the new approach. The current research demonstrated that perceived constraints, where identified, can be meaningfully addressed by teachers, through undertaking collaborative action research.

  5. Developing a Theoretical Framework to Inform the Design of a Teacher Professional Development Program to Enable Foundation to Year 2 Teachers of Mathematics to Build on Indigenous and Low-SES Students' Cultural Capital

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Robyn; Stütz, Alexander; Cooper, Tom; Nason, Rod

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports on the early stages of the conceptualisation and implementation of the Accelerated Inclusive Mathematics-Early Understandings (AIM EU) project, a project whose major goals are to advance theory and practice in the improvement of Foundation to Year 2 (F-2) teachers' capacity to teach mathematics and through this to enhance F-2…

  6. The Construction Site Project: Transforming Early Childhood Teacher Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNaughton, Kathryn; Krentz, Caroline

    2007-01-01

    The work of Malaguzzi (in Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 1998; Fraser, 2006) has made the fundamentals of the preschools of Reggio Emilia familiar to many early childhood educators. The article describes an authentic project that enhanced undergraduate and postgraduate participants' understanding of the impact of collaboration, conversation, and…

  7. Challenging, Eye-Opening, and Changing U.S. Teacher Training in Korea: Creating Experiences That Will Enhance Global Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oh, Kevin; Nussli, Natalie

    2014-01-01

    This case study explored the short-term international experience of pre-service teachers to create and enhance global perspectives. These teachers (n = 5), all female graduate students at a university in the U.S., were fully immersed in a foreign culture for three weeks while teaching English to primary and secondary students in Korea. Pre-,…

  8. Using sunshine for elementary space science education: A model for IHY scientist teacher partnerships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moldwin, M. B.; Fiello, D.; Harter, E.; Holman, G.; Nagumo, N.; Pryharski, A.; Takunaga, C.

    2008-12-01

    An elementary science education professional development partnership between Culver City Unified School District teachers and UCLA has been formed. The project was designed to assist teachers to comfortably present introductory space science concepts, to support them in their efforts, and to aid them in encouraging their students to develop inquiry skills related to space sciences. The project encourages teacher use of observational science techniques in their classrooms, the use of NASA solar mission images and enhanced use of astronomical observation to facilitate discovery learning. The integrated approach of the project has fostered collegial learning activities among the participating teachers and offered them opportunities for continued renewal and professional development of teacher competencies in astronomy and space science. The activities used in the classroom were developed by others, classroom tested, and specifically address National Science Education and California Science Content Standards. These activities have been sustained through on-going collaboration between the scientist and the teachers, a summer Research Experience for Teachers program, and on-going, grade-specific, district-sponsored workshops. Assessment of the value of the program is done by the school district and is used to continuously improve each workshop and program component. Culver City (California) Unified School District is a small urban school district located on the Westside of Los Angeles. This paper describes the program and the plans for incorporating IHY-themed science into the classroom.

  9. BIOINFORMATICS IN THE K-8 CLASSROOM: DESIGNING INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHER IMPLEMENTATION

    PubMed Central

    Shuster, Michele; Claussen, Kira; Locke, Melly; Glazewski, Krista

    2016-01-01

    At the intersection of biology and computer science is the growing field of bioinformatics—the analysis of complex datasets of biological relevance. Despite the increasing importance of bioinformatics and associated practical applications, these are not standard topics in elementary and middle school classrooms. We report on a pilot project and its evolution to support implementation of bioinformatics-based activities in elementary and middle school classrooms. Specifically, we ultimately designed a multi-day summer teacher professional development workshop, in which teachers design innovative classroom activities. By focusing on teachers, our design leverages enhanced teacher knowledge and confidence to integrate innovative instructional materials into K-8 classrooms and contributes to capacity building in STEM instruction. PMID:27429860

  10. A questionnaire for teachers to improve training activity and students on environmental science in the frame of ENVRIPLUS project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    D'Addezio, Giuliana; Marsili, Antonella; Beranzoli, Laura

    2017-04-01

    ENVRIplus is a Horizon 2020 project bringing together Environmental and Earth System Research Infrastructures, projects and networks together with technical specialist partners to create a more coherent, interdisciplinary and interoperable cluster of Environmental Research. One of the aims of this project is to disseminate knowledge on environmental topics, focusing attention on European secondary schools. We elaborated actions to design an e-Training Platform for multimedia education of secondary school level teachers and students. The purpose is to favor teacher training and consequently students training on selected scientific themes faced within the ENVRIPLUS Research Infrastructures. In particular we address major thematic research areas and challenges on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Greenhouse effect and Earth Warming, Ocean acidifications and Environmental sustainability. To realize the training platform we start detailed study and analysis of teaching and multimedia information materials already available. We plan the realization of an appealing and usable portal/digital repository, to stimulate learning of STEM topics and which also includes opportunities to develop original content. To better project the actions and to catch teacher needs, we prepare a questionnaire that will be administered to a large sample of international school audience to collect input directly from the potential users. The first part focused on objective information about the formal, quantitative and qualitative position of science class in schools and the content and methods of teaching in different countries. The second part investigates subjective teacher experiences, views and proposals on what can improve training offer for environmental science lessons and courses.

  11. Transforming Readers: Teachers and Children in the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education Power of Reading Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Sullivan, Olivia; McGonigle, Sue

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents findings from a national project in England, The Power of Reading (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education), which has involved to date 41 projects over 5 years, in 16 Local Authorities nationally, with 900 schools and 1,350 teachers. The paper presents findings for the first 4 years. Our data demonstrate how professional…

  12. Projections: From a Graduate TELL Class to the Practical World of L2 Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ebsworth, Miriam Eisenstein; Kim, Alexis Jeong; Klein, Tristin J.

    2010-01-01

    Our action research study used a mixed design to explore the experiences of 90 pre- and in-service ESL, foreign language (FL), and bilingual teachers in studying and incorporating technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) in their classrooms. Through focus on a TELL graduate course, we considered participants' expectations, experiences, and…

  13. Teacher Training in Myanmar: Teachers' Perceptions and Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ulla, Mark B.

    2017-01-01

    The British Council introduced the English for Education College Trainers (EfECT) Project in Myanmar. This program aims to improve the English language proficiency and teacher training methodologies of all state teacher trainers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate teacher perceptions and attitudes towards this program. The methods…

  14. Early Career Teachers' Emotion and Emerging Teacher Identities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nichols, Sharon L.; Schutz, Paul A.; Rodgers, Kelly; Bilica, Kimberly

    2017-01-01

    The goal of our project was to develop an understanding of the connections among emotional episodes and emerging professional teacher identities of first year teachers. We interviewed eight first year mathematics and science teachers. We asked them to reflect on emotional episodes and talk about how those emotions informed their teaching…

  15. Project-Based Learning and Pedagogy in Teacher Preparation: Staking out the Theoretical Mid-Ground

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roessingh, Hetty; Chambers, Wendy

    2011-01-01

    In this article, we advance a model of project-based learning (PJBL) offering eight guiding principles to support a pragmatic and principled approach to teacher preparation at the undergraduate and graduate levels. We provide a template for structuring PJBL, and we include illustrative exemplars that demonstrate that the ideological mid-ground can…

  16. ICT Training of University Teachers in a Personal Learning Environment. Project DIPRO 2.0.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cabero Almenara, Julio; Marín Díaz, Verónica

    2012-01-01

    Developing an information and knowledge society involves the incorporation of technological tools into education. This can only happen if teachers are properly qualified to include such tools into the classroom dynamics. The present article brings to the forefront a training proposal framed within an R&D project funded by the Spanish Ministry…

  17. Factors Influencing Teachers' Implementation of an Innovative Tobacco Prevention Curriculum for Multiethnic Youth: Project SPLASH

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sy, Angela; Glanz, Karen

    2008-01-01

    Background: The effectiveness of school-based tobacco use prevention programs depends on proper implementation. This study examined factors associated with teachers' implementation of a smoking prevention curriculum in a cluster randomized trial called Project SPLASH (Smoking Prevention Launch Among Students in Hawaii). Methods: A process…

  18. Student Teacher Experiences in a Service-Learning Project for Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilkinson, Shawn; Harvey, William J.; Bloom, Gordon A.; Joober, Ridha; Grizenko, Natalie

    2013-01-01

    Background: Service learning (SL) is a collaborative relationship between university professors, their students, and community partners who combine academic learning and active participation to address community issues. Previous studies in SL and physical education teacher education (PETE) found SL projects increased opportunities for learning and…

  19. Teacher Evaluation To Enhance Professional Practice.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Danielson, Charlotte; McGreal, Thomas L.

    This book shows how a school district's local teacher evaluation committee can design evaluation systems in which educators can achieve the dual purposes of accountability and professional development and even merge these purposes. A structural framework for designing the evaluation is proposed that locates teachers in one of three tracks: the…

  20. Examining teacher self-efficacy about best practices in science during a professional development series

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Menez, Jessica L.

    Using extant data that were collected as part of a larger project, the current study examined teacher self-efficacy and the teachers' intentions to implement workshop content throughout the course of a six-week professional development workshop focused on enhancing science motivation for students through the adoption of specific instructional strategies. There were a total of 20 middle and high school teacher participants. Results indicated teacher self-efficacy changed significantly from pre to post. Teachers showed higher teacher self-efficacy after the professional development, in particular for influencing student engagement. In addition, we found a moderate correlation between the level of confidence after the implementation of a strategy and teachers intention of trying the strategy again. Finally, new direction for future research topics made possible by this study are presented.

  1. San Pablo Bay Tidal Marsh Enhancement and Water Quality Improvement Project

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Information about the SFBWQP San Pablo Bay Tidal Marsh Enhancement and Water Quality Improvement Project, part of an EPA competitive grant program to improve SF Bay water quality focused on restoring impaired waters and enhancing aquatic resources.

  2. Interactive Peer Coaching/Mentoring Project for Preparing Teachers of Students with Severe Behavioral Disorders Final Report. Volume 1: Project Narrative and Briefing Papers [and] Volume 2: Appendices.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities, Minot.

    This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of the Interactive Peer Coaching/Mentoring (IPCM) Project, a program designed to prepare teachers of students with severe behavioral disorders (SED) residing in a rural, remote area in North Dakota. The IPCM project was conducted from July 1997 through July 2000 and developed an…

  3. From Freshman Student to Upper-Secondary School Teacher in Chemistry: A New Approach with Projects and Group Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Josephsen, Jens

    1985-01-01

    A special five and one-half year program for training upper secondary school chemistry teachers has been developed and tested over the past decade at Roskilde University near Copenhagen. The program (which emphasizes project work) and a student project on epoxy glue are described. Program graduates are generally problem-oriented and…

  4. The Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP): A Project to Enhance Scientific Literacy through the Creation of Science Classroom Discourse Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Dale R.; Lewis, Elizabeth B.; Purzer, Senay; Watts, Nievita Bueno; Perkins, Gita; Uysal, Sibel; Wong, Sissy; Beard, Rachelle; Lang, Michael

    2009-01-01

    This study reports on the context and impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) professional development to promote teachers' and students' scientific literacy through the creation of science classroom discourse communities. The theoretical underpinnings of the professional development model are presented and key professional…

  5. ScienceFEST: Preservice Teachers link Math and Science in Astronomy Lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    DeMuth, N. H.; Kasabian, J.

    2005-05-01

    Funded by the National Science Foundation, Science FEST (Science for Future Elementary School Teachers) aims to develop the science content and pedagogy for project participants by connecting their college coursework to the science they will eventually teach. Working individually and in pairs, future elementary and middle school teachers design a comprehensive module in astronomy that is inquiry-based and reflects the national and state science standards. Project participants then teach their modules in local elementary or middle school classrooms. Science FEST project participants report gaining a deep understanding of the science they are teaching, learning to engage all students to explore science concepts, and reflecting on their teaching and how it can be improved. The session presenters will share some of the instructional materials developed by the college students and how their experiences in Science FEST have enhanced their pre-professional development. The project's website can be found at www.science-fest.org.

  6. The enhancement model of ICT competence for the teachers of SMP Terbuka in Central Java to support long distance learning program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Widowati, Trisnani; Purwanti, Dwi

    2017-03-01

    ICT-based learning for SMP Terbuka is a manifestation of the first pillar of DEPDIKNAS Strategic Plan 2005-2009, about the use of ICT as the facility of long distance learning. By implementing ICT-based learning, the communication between the teacher and the students is possible to happen although both parties are in differnet places. The problem in implementing ICT-based learning for SMP Terbuka is the low competence of the teachers in ICT mastery, because this research is aimed to formulate the enhancement model of ICT competence for the teachers of SMP Terbuka in Central Java to support long distance learning program. This research shows that Supervised-Teachers and Tutor Teachers Competence in ICT is still low with the average of Supervised-Teachers competence in operating Ms.Word application of 59.6%, Ms.Excel 55.40%, Power Point 43.40% and internet mastery of 41.8%; while the competence of Tutor Teachers is lower with the average of 40.40% in operating Ms. Word, 35.20% in Ms.Excel, 28.00% in Power Point, and 29% in internet mastery. It means that Supervised-Teachers understand ICT, but they do not master it; while Tutor Teachers have just understood ICT and have a low mastery in Ms.Word. The output of this research is: The new findings of the enhancement model of ICT competence for the teachers of SMP Terbuka in Central Java to support long distance learning program.

  7. Reducing Teacher Stress.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Docking, R. A.; Docking, E.

    1984-01-01

    Reports on a case study of inservice training conducted to enhance the teacher/student relationship and reduce teacher anxiety. Found significant improvements in attitudes, classroom management activities, and lower anxiety among teachers. (MD)

  8. Developing Partnerships between Higher Education Faculty, K-12 Science Teachers, and School Administrators via MSP initiatives: The RITES Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caulkins, J. L.; Kortz, K. M.; Murray, D. P.

    2011-12-01

    The Rhode Island Technology Enhanced Science Project (RITES) is a NSF-funded Math and Science Partnership (MSP) project that seeks to improve science education. RITES is, at its core, a unique partnership that fosters relationships between middle and high school science teachers, district and school administrators, higher education (HE) faculty members, and science education researchers. Their common goal is to enhance scientific inquiry, increase classroom technology usage, and improve state level science test scores. In one of the more visible examples of this partnership, middle and high school science teachers work closely with HE science faculty partners to design and teach professional development (PD) workshops. The PD sessions focus on technology-enhanced scientific investigations (e.g. use of probes, online simulations, etc.), exemplify inquiry-based instruction, and relate expert content knowledge. Teachers from these sessions express substantial satisfaction in the program, report increased comfort levels in teaching the presented materials (both via post-workshop surveys), and show significant gains in content knowledge (via pre-post assessments). Other benefits to this kind of partnership, in which K-12 and HE teachers are considered equals, include: 1) K-12 teachers are empowered through interactions with HE faculty and other science teachers in the state; 2) HE instructors become more informed not only about good pedagogical practices, but also practical aspects of teaching science such as engaging students; and 3) the PD sessions tend to be much stronger than ones designed and presented solely by HE scientists, for while HE instructors provide content expertise, K-12 teachers provide expertise in K-12 classroom practice and implementation. Lastly, the partnership is mutually beneficial for the partners involved because both sides learn practical ways to teach science and inquiry at different levels. In addition to HE faculty and K-12 science teacher

  9. Mobile Learning, Teacher Education, and the Sociomaterial Perspective: Analysis of the SMS Story Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koole, Marguerite

    2018-01-01

    This article is primarily a theoretical piece that uses a model of mobile learning, the FRAME model (Koole 2009), to explore a mobile teacher-training project that took place in Papua New Guinea: the SMS Story. The author takes a sociomaterial perspective, drawing upon Barad's agential realism and Sørensen's multiplicity perspective. As the author…

  10. Drifting Continents and Wandering Poles. Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  11. What Happens When Continents Collide? Crustal Evaluation Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  12. How Do Continents Split Apart? Crustal Evaluation Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  13. Plate Boundaries and Earthquake Prediction. Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  14. Introduction to Lithospheric Plate Boundaries. Crustal Evaluation Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  15. Drifting Continents and Magnetic Fields. Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  16. Why Does Sea Level Change? Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  17. Imaginary Continents: A Geological Puzzle. Crustal Evaluation Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  18. Enhancing Social Competence and the Child-Teacher Relationship Using a Child-Centred Play Training Model in Hong Kong Preschools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Chi-hung

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine whether a child-centred play training model, filial play therapy, enhances child-teacher relationship and thereby reduces children's internalising problems (such as anxiety/depression and withdrawal) and externalising problems (such as aggressive and destructive behaviour). Sixty teachers (n = 60) and 60…

  19. Enhancing Phonological Awareness and Orthographic Knowledge of Preservice Teachers: An Intervention through Online Coursework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westerveld, Marleen F.; Barton, Georgina M.

    2017-01-01

    The teaching of reading is a core priority across the education sector. In an attempt to better prepare our next generation of professional teachers of reading, academic staff at an Australian university implemented coursework changes that were designed to enhance the phonological awareness and orthographic knowledge of first-year preservice…

  20. Blog-Enhanced ICT Courses: Examining Their Effects on Prospective Teachers' ICT Competencies and Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goktas, Yuksel; Demirel, Turgay

    2012-01-01

    Blogs are used as a technology support tool in teaching-learning processes in contemporary schools, especially in higher education. This paper examines the effects of using blogs on prospective teachers' perceived ICT competencies and perceptions in blog-enhanced ICT courses. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used in the…

  1. Teacher Perceptions of Their Curricular and Pedagogical Shifts: Outcomes of a Project-Based Model of Teacher Professional Development in the Next Generation Science Standards.

    PubMed

    Shernoff, David J; Sinha, Suparna; Bressler, Denise M; Schultz, Dawna

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we conducted a model of teacher professional development (PD) on the alignment of middle and high school curricula and instruction to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSSs), and evaluated the impact of the PD on teacher participants' development. The PD model included a 4-day summer academy emphasizing project-based learning (PBL) in the designing of NGSS-aligned curricula and instruction, as well as monthly follow-up Professional Learning Community meetings throughout the year providing numerous opportunities for teachers to develop and implement lesson plans, share results of lesson writing and implementation (successes and challenges), provide mutual feedback, and refine curricula and assessments. Following the summer academy, six female teachers were interviewed about their current conceptualizations of NGSS, the extent of curricular shifts made that are required by NGSS, their self-perceptions regarding their level of accomplishment in curriculum writing, and the benefits of the PD in reaching their goals related to NGSS. Interviews were supplemented with an analysis of lesson plans written while participating in the PD program. The interviewed teachers suggested that they had made important conceptual and pedagogical shifts required by NGSS as they participated in the PD, and also noted a variety of challenges as they made this shift. While all teachers were relative novices at NGSS curriculum writing before the PD, most of the teachers interviewed felt that they had achieved the status of an "accomplished novice" following the summer academy. An analysis of their written lessons suggested a great range in the extent to which teachers effectively applied their understanding of NGSS to write lessons aligned to NGSS. Interviewed teachers believed that the PD model was helpful to their development as science teachers, and all reported that there were no aspects of the PD that were not helpful. Even though most teachers obtained a basic

  2. Teacher-Led Reforms Have a Big Advantage--Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stanulis, Randi N.; Cooper, Kristy S.; Dear, Benita; Johnston, Amanda M.; Richard-Todd, Rhonda R.

    2016-01-01

    Becoming a better teacher by learning and implementing new ways of teaching requires time, effort, persistence, and a belief that new strategies will enhance student learning. But when educational leaders try to improve teachers and teaching from the outside, by bringing in reformers to transform how teachers engage in the core business of…

  3. Effective Teaching of Able Pupils in the Primary School: The Findings of the Oxfordshire Effective Teachers of Able Pupils Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eyre, Deborah; Coates, David; Fitzpatrick, Mary; Higgins, Chris; McClure, Lynne; Wilson, Helen; Chamberlin, Rosemary

    2002-01-01

    A review of British research on effective teaching of able students leads to a report on the Oxfordshire Effective Teachers of Able Pupils Project. This study found effective teachers shared similar beliefs about learning, had empathy with the needs of able children, created a secure classroom environment, held high expectations, used…

  4. Fifteenmile Basin Habitat Enhancement Project: Annual Report FY 1988.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Smith, Roger C.; Marx, Steven D.

    1989-04-01

    The goal of the Fifteenmile Creek Habitat Enhancement Project is to improve wild winter steelhead in the Fifteenmile Creek Basin under the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The project is funded by through the Bonneville Power Administration. Cooperators in the habitat enhancement project include the USDA Forest Service, Wasco County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Confederated Tribes of the Warms Springs. Installation of instream fish habitat structures was completed on four miles of Ramsey Creek and on one mile of Fifteenmile Creek. One hundred thirty-five structures were installed in treatment areas. Construction materials included logs andmore » rock. Riparian protection fencing was completed on Dry Creek and Ramsey Creek worksites. Five and one-half miles of new fence was added to existing fence on Ramsey Creek to afford riparian protection to four miles of stream. Six miles of stream on Dry Creek will be afforded riparian protection by constructing 4.5 miles of fence to complement existing fence. 2 refs., 5 figs.« less

  5. Teacher training

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-06-14

    Mississippi educators participated in a variety of hands-on activities, including rocketry, robotics, and NASA's BEST (Beginning Engineering, Science, and Technology) during a pair of during a pair of professional development workshops conducted by Stennis Space Center educators in June. On June 14, Stennis educators presented workshops to 96 kindergarten-through-12th-grade science teachers and eight Jackson State University faculty, as part of JSU's Project MAST (Mississippi Academy for Science Teaching) Project. On June 21, educators presented workshops in Starkville to 43 fourth-through-eighth-grade science teachers as part of Mississippi State University's Advancing Teachers of Middle School Science initiative.

  6. Teacher Professional Development to Support Teacher Professional Learning: Systemic Factors from Irish Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King, Fiona

    2016-01-01

    Teacher professional learning is widely accepted as a mediating factor for enhancing student outcomes. While many teachers across the world engage in professional development (PD) to enhance their professional learning, what is less evident is how to support that learning to result in change following teacher PD. Acknowledging that not all teacher…

  7. Foreign Language/Area Studies Enhancement Project. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Felker, William; Fuller, Clark

    The Foreign Language/Area Studies Enhancement Program at Central State University (Ohio) is an experience-centered work and study program in Africa designed to give students training in language, culture, and technology. It parallels and supports the university's northern Senegal water management project designed to promote self-sufficiency among…

  8. The ECCO Logo Project: Materials for Classroom Teachers and Teacher Trainers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tempel, Michael; And Others

    In the fall of 1985, the Educational Computer Consortium of Ohio (ECCO) presented an extensive series of workshops on Logo. The workshops were divided into two categories: those for teacher-trainers and those for classroom teachers. This booklet presents materials developed by a core of five participants in the workshops for trainers using Logo…

  9. Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fish Habitat Enhancement Project : 2001 Annual Report.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shaw, R. Todd; Sexton, Amy D.

    The Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fish Habitat Enhancement Project continued to identify impacted stream reaches throughout the Umatilla River Basin for habitat improvements during the 2001 project period. Public outreach efforts, biological and physical monitoring, and continued development of a Umatilla Subbasin Watershed Assessment assisted the project in fostering public cooperation, targeting habitat deficiencies and determining habitat recovery measures. Projects continued to be maintained on 49 private properties, one 25-year Non-Exclusive Bureau of Indian Affairs' Easement was secured, six new projects implemented and two existing project areas improved to enhance anadromous fish habitat. New project locations included sites on themore » mid Umatilla River, upper Umatilla River, Mission Creek, Cottonwood Creek and Buckaroo Creek. New enhancements included: (1) construction of 11,264 feet of fencing between River Mile 43.0 and 46.5 on the Umatilla River, (2) a stream bank stabilization project implemented at approximately River Mile 63.5 Umatilla River to stabilize 330 feet of eroding stream bank and improve instream habitat diversity, included construction of eight root wad revetments and three boulder J-vanes, (3) drilling a 358-foot well for off-stream livestock watering at approximately River Mile 46.0 Umatilla River, (4) installing a 50-foot bottomless arch replacement culvert at approximately River Mile 3.0 Mission Creek, (5) installing a Geoweb stream ford crossing on Mission Creek (6) installing a 22-foot bottomless arch culvert at approximately River Mile 0.5 Cottonwood Creek, and (7) providing fence materials for construction of 21,300 feet of livestock exclusion fencing in the Buckaroo Creek Drainage. An approximate total of 3,800 native willow cuttings and 350 pounds of native grass seed was planted at new upper Umatilla River, Mission Creek and Cottonwood Creek project sites. Habitat improvements implemented at existing project sites

  10. Promoting "Social and Emotional Learning" through Service-Learning Art Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russell, Robert L.; Hutzel, Karen

    2007-01-01

    This article intends to encourage teachers to explore ways "social and emotional learning" (SEL) and art education can enhance each other. Service-learning art projects were presented as one example, employing collaborate-and-create, asset-based methods integrated with SEL instruction. Advantages anticipated from combining these methods result…

  11. Enhancing Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Conceptual Understanding of Solution Chemistry with Conceptual Change Text

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calik, Muammer; Ayas, Alipasa; Coll, Richard Kevin

    2007-01-01

    This paper reports on the use of a constructivist-based pedagogy to enhance understanding of some features of solution chemistry. Pre-service science teacher trainees' prior knowledge about the dissolution of salts and sugar in water were elicited by the use of a simple diagnostic tool. The test revealed widespread alternative conceptions. These…

  12. Enhancing Mathematics (STEM) Teacher Education in Regional Australia: Pedagogical Interactions and Affect

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woolcott, Geoff; Yeigh, Tony

    2015-01-01

    This article reports on initial findings, including the mathematics components, of a multi-institutional Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) project, "It's part of my life: Engaging university and community to enhance science and mathematics education." This project is focussed on improving the scientific and…

  13. Project-Based Learning and Design-Focused Projects to Motivate Secondary Mathematics Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Remijan, Kelly W.

    2017-01-01

    This article illustrates how mathematics teachers can develop design-focused projects, related to project-based learning, to motivate secondary mathematics students. With first-hand experience as a secondary mathematics teacher, I provide a series of steps related to the engineering design process, which are helpful to teachers in developing…

  14. Increasing Mentoring Skills of Cooperating Teachers to Enhance Support for Pre-Service Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borden, Ryen

    2014-01-01

    Mentor teachers have a significant impact on pre-service teachers. Unfortunately, mentors are often underprepared for their role, and thus, the potential learning from a student teaching experience is not maximized. Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University provides training to mentors who host pre-service teachers during their…

  15. Industrial Sponsor Perspective on Leveraging Capstone Design Projects to Enhance Their Business

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weissbach, Robert S.; Snyder, Joseph W.; Evans, Edward R., Jr.; Carucci, James R., Jr.

    2017-01-01

    Capstone design projects have become commonplace among engineering and engineering technology programs. These projects are valuable tools when assessing students, as they require students to work in teams, communicate effectively, and demonstrate technical competency. The use of industrial sponsors enhances these projects by giving these projects…

  16. Closing the Gap Between Attitudes and Perceptions About ICT-Enhanced Learning Among Pre-service STEM Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barak, Miri

    2014-02-01

    The goal of this study was to examine pre-service STEM teachers' attitudes and perceptions about the effectiveness of various learning methods and, in specific, the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as means for enhancing progressive education. The study was conducted among two cohorts of pre-service STEM teachers (N = 103) in the years 2006 and 2012. The mixed method approach was used to compile data from two research tools: an attitudes questionnaire and reflective drawings. The findings of the first cohort indicated a conflict between the participants' declared attitudes and their perceptions, suggesting a gap between their inclination to coincide with educational trends, and their actual views about the use of ICTs in the classrooms. The first cohort's drawings illustrated ICTs as distractive technologies, ineffective tools for teaching and learning, impairing teachers' authority, and distancing teachers and students from each other. Findings of the second cohort indicated that the gap between attitudes and perceptions was narrowed in such a way that preservice STEM teachers did not see ICTs as threatening, but they perceived them as instrumental for leveraging progressive education.

  17. Project Method in Preparation of Future Preschool Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anisimova, Ellina; Ibatullin, Rinat

    2018-01-01

    This article covers the issue of formation of information competence of future preschool teachers. Efficiency of using information technologies in educational process depends on the level of information competence of a teacher. A modern teacher has to use information technologies reasonably, that contribute to enriching of development of cognitive…

  18. Ten-College Conference on Implications of the Bureau of Research Teacher Education Project for Developing Institutions (July 11-12, 1969).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1969

    This document reports an initial conference of ten small developing colleges which are contracted to study the feasibility of instituting all or parts of the nine teacher education program models developed in the Teacher Education Project of the U.S. Office of Education (USOE). Included in the report are summaries of prepared statements by each…

  19. Investigating and Stimulating Primary Teachers' Attitudes Towards Science: Summary of a Large-Scale Research Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walma van der Molen, Juliette; van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra

    2013-01-01

    Attention to the attitudes of primary teachers towards science is of fundamental importance to research on primary science education. The current article describes a large-scale research project that aims to overcome three main shortcomings in attitude research, i.e. lack of a strong theoretical concept of attitude, methodological flaws in…

  20. REPORTS ON "TEACH," TEACHER EDUCATION FOR ADVANCING THE CULTURALLY HANDICAPPED. PROJECT REPORT--IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    HANNA, LYLE; AND OTHERS

    A DETAILED SUMMARY OF PROJECT "TEACH" (TO IMPROVE PREPARATION OF TEACHERS FOR INNER-CITY SCHOOLS) PRESENTS THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS--(1) SPECIAL TRAINING AND FIELD EXPERIENCE SHOULD BEGIN IN THE FRESHMAN YEAR AND CONTINUE ON THROUGH GRADUATE WORK. (2) THE ENTIRE PROGRAM SHOULD RELATE TO THE "LABORATORY" OF THE URBAN COMMUNITY.…

  1. Exploring Teacher Professional Learning for Future-Oriented Schooling: Working Paper 1 from the Back to the Future Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gilbert, Jane; Bull, Ally

    2014-01-01

    This working paper sets out some of the early findings from a pilot project to explore the qualities that future-oriented teachers might need and how those qualities might be developed. The work began under a New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) project called Back to the Future and is now part of a Teaching & Learning Research…

  2. A Study of Teacher-Mediated Enhancement of Students' Organization of Earth Science Knowledge Using Web Diagrams as a Teaching Device

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anderson, O. Roger; Contino, Julie

    2010-10-01

    Current research indicates that students with enhanced knowledge networks are more effective in learning science content and applying higher order thinking skills in open-ended inquiry learning. This research examined teacher implementation of a novel teaching strategy called “web diagramming,” a form of network mapping, in a secondary school earth science class. We report evidence for student improvement in knowledge networking, questionnaire-based reports by the students on the merits of web diagramming in terms of interest and usefulness, and information on the collaborating teacher’s perceptions of the process of implementation, including implications for teacher education. This is among the first reports that teachers can be provided with strategies to enhance student knowledge networking capacity, especially for those students whose initial networking scores are among the lowest.

  3. Enhancing Teacher Education in Primary Mathematics with Mobile Technologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schuck, Sandy

    2016-01-01

    A challenge of teacher education is to produce graduate primary school teachers who are confident and competent teachers of mathematics. Various approaches to primary school teacher education in mathematics have been investigated, but primary teacher education graduates still tend to be diffident in their teaching of mathematics. In an age where…

  4. Enhancing Biology Instruction with the Human Genome Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buxeda, Rosa J.; Moore-Russo, Deborah A.

    2003-01-01

    The Human Genome Project (HGP) is a recent scientific milestone that has received notable attention. This article shows how a biology course is using the HGP to enhance students' experiences by providing awareness of cutting edge research, with information on new emerging career options, and with opportunities to consider ethical questions raised…

  5. An Approach To Enhance Kindergarten Transition. NCEDL Spotlights, No. 17.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Center for Early Development & Learning, Chapel Hill, NC.

    The Kindergarten Transition Project at the National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) has developed a school-based approach designed to enhance connections among children, families, teachers, and peers during the transition to kindergarten. This report excerpts from a paper describing this approach to ease transition. The paper…

  6. Enhancing Astronomy Major Learning Through Group Research Projects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGraw, Allison M.; Hardegree-Ullman, K.; Turner, J.; Shirley, Y. L.; Walker-Lafollette, A.; Scott, A.; Guvenen, B.; Raphael, B.; Sanford, B.; Smart, B.; Nguyen, C.; Jones, C.; Smith, C.; Cates, I.; Romine, J.; Cook, K.; Pearson, K.; Biddle, L.; Small, L.; Donnels, M.; Nieberding, M.; Kwon, M.; Thompson, R.; De La Rosa, R.; Hofmann, R.; Tombleson, R.; Smith, T.; Towner, A. P.; Wallace, S.

    2013-01-01

    The University of Arizona Astronomy Club has been using group research projects to enhance the learning experience of undergraduates in astronomy and related fields. Students work on two projects that employ a peer-mentoring system so they can learn crucial skills and concepts necessary in research environments. Students work on a transiting exoplanet project using the 1.55-meter Kuiper Telescope on Mt. Bigelow in Southern Arizona to collect near-UV and optical wavelength data. The goal of the project is to refine planetary parameters and to attempt to detect exoplanet magnetic fields by searching for near-UV light curve asymmetries. The other project is a survey that utilizes the 12-meter Arizona Radio Observatory on Kitt Peak to search for the spectroscopic signature of infall in nearby starless cores. These are unique projects because students are involved throughout the entire research process, including writing proposals for telescope time, observing at the telescopes, data reduction and analysis, writing papers for publication in journals, and presenting research at scientific conferences. Exoplanet project members are able to receive independent study credit for participating in the research, which helps keep the project on track. Both projects allow students to work on professional research and prepare for several astronomy courses early in their academic career. They also encourage teamwork and mentor-style peer teaching, and can help students identify their own research projects as they expand their knowledge.

  7. Enhancement and creation of secondary channel habitat: Review of project performance across a range of project types and settings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Epstein, J.; Lind, P.

    2017-12-01

    Secondary channels provide critical off-channel habitat for key life stages of aquatic species. In many systems, interruption of natural processes via anthropogenic influences have reduced the quantity of secondary channel habitat and have impaired the processes that help form and maintain them. Creation and enhancement of secondary channels is therefore a key component of stream rehabilitation, particularly in the Pacific Northwest where the focus has been on enhancement of habitat for ESA-listed salmonids. Secondary channel enhancement varies widely in scope, scale, and approach depending on species requirements, hydrology/hydraulics, geomorphologic setting, sediment dynamics, and human constraints. This presentation will review case studies from numerous secondary channel projects constructed over the last 20 years by different entities and in different settings. Lessons learned will be discussed that help to understand project performance and inform future project design. A variety of secondary channel project types will be reviewed, including mainstem flow splits, year-round flow through, seasonally activated, backwater alcove, natural groundwater-fed, and engineered groundwater-fed (i.e. groundwater collection galleries). Projects will be discussed that span a range of project construction intensities, such as full excavation of side channels, select excavation to increase flow, or utilizing mainstem structures to activate channels. Different configurations for connecting to the main channel, and their relative performance, will also be presented. A variety of connection types will be discussed including stabilized channel entrance, free-formed entrance, using bar apex jams to split flows, using `bleeder' jams to limit secondary channel flow, and obstructing the main channel to divert flows into secondary channels. The performance and longevity of projects will be discussed, particularly with respect to the response to sediment mobilizing events. Lessons

  8. Teacher in Space Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC.

    The materials in this guide were designed to help teachers and other adults maximize the learning experiences and other educational events scheduled on space shuttle Mission 51-L. They include: (1) a description of the live lessons to be conducted by Christa McAuliffe; (2) teaching-related events of Mission 51-L; (3) a list of key mission-related…

  9. Why Teach? A Project-Ive Life-World Approach to Understanding What Teaching Means for Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Landrum, Brittany; Guilbeau, Catherine; Garza, Gilbert

    2017-01-01

    Previous literature has examined teachers' motivations to teach in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic motives, personality dimensions, and teacher burnout. These findings have been cast in the rubric of differences between teachers and non-teachers and the linear relations between these measures among teachers. Utilizing a phenomenological approach…

  10. The CoRe of the Matter: Developing Primary Teachers' Professional Knowledge in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hume, Anne

    2016-01-01

    In an educational landscape of primary teachers' underdeveloped professional knowledge and low feelings of self-efficacy around science teaching, the prospects for science losing status in the primary school curriculum seems grim. This paper reports positive findings from a New Zealand research project designed to support and enhance primary…

  11. What Makes Things Happen? Teacher's Guide. Unit B. ZIM-SCI, Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dube, Peter

    The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide, designed to be read in…

  12. "It Reminded Me of What Really Matters": Teacher Responses to the Lessons from Auschwitz Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maitles, Henry; Cowan, Paula

    2012-01-01

    Since 2007, the Lessons from Auschwitz Project organised by the Holocaust Education Trust, has taken groups of Scottish senior school students (between 16 and 18 years) and where possible an accompanying teacher from their school, to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum as part of a process of increasing young people's knowledge and…

  13. Looking at Life. Teacher's Guide. Unit A2. ZIM-SCI, Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hosking, Bunty

    The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide, designed to be read in…

  14. [Nebraska 4-H Wheat Science School Enrichment Project, Teacher/Leader Guides 213-222 and 227.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nebraska Univ., Lincoln. Inst. of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

    Through the 4-H Wheat Science project, students learn the importance of wheat from the complete process of growing wheat to the final product of bread. The curriculum is designed to include hands-on experiences in science, consumer education, nutrition, production economics, vocabulary, and applied mathematics. Teachers can select those units out…

  15. Particles in Action. Teacher's Guide. Unit C2. ZIM-SCI, Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stocklmayer, Sue

    The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide, designed to be read in…

  16. Teachers Know Best: Making Data Work for Teachers and Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2015

    2015-01-01

    As part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's broader efforts to improve educational opportunities for all students, the "Teachers Know Best" research project seeks to encourage innovation in K-12 education by helping product developers and those who procure resources for teachers better understand teachers' views. The original…

  17. Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) Courses for Creating New Chemistry and Physics Teachers: Do They Work?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tynan, Richard; Mallaburn, Andrea; Jones, Robert Bryn; Clays, Ken

    2014-01-01

    During extended subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) courses, graduates without chemistry or physics bachelor degrees prepared to enter a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programme to become chemistry or physics teachers. Data were gathered from the exit survey returned by Liverpool John Moores University SKE students about to start…

  18. Exploring the mathematical confidence of Indigenous preservice teachers in a remote teacher education program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thornton, Steve; Giles, Wendy; Prescott, Debbie; Rhodes, David

    2011-06-01

    This paper reports on the efficacy of an accelerated teacher education program ( Growing Our Own) focused in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. The program is a joint initiative of Charles Darwin University and the Northern Territory Catholic Education Office, providing an intensive two-year program designed to educate Indigenous Teacher Assistants to full teacher status. We describe the growth in knowledge and confidence that has occurred through the program using the story of one of the students in the project, Philomena, as an evocative representation of the experiences of the participants in the program. This growth is particularly evident in one lesson that Philomena taught towards the end of the program in which she was able to challenge her previously accepted role as subservient to the non-Indigenous teacher. Our discussion highlights some key issues for improving outcomes for Indigenous children, including the potential mismatch between Western and Aboriginal ways of thinking in mathematics and developing the mathematical capacity of Indigenous teacher assistants in remote settings. We suggest that the mutual respect of the participants at various levels of Growing Our Own, the situated and purposeful nature of the learning, and the capacity of students to engage in that learning without abandoning their community responsibilities have been pivotal in enhancing educational outcomes in remote communities and in providing opportunities for Indigenous people.

  19. Teacher Perceptions of Their Curricular and Pedagogical Shifts: Outcomes of a Project-Based Model of Teacher Professional Development in the Next Generation Science Standards

    PubMed Central

    Shernoff, David J.; Sinha, Suparna; Bressler, Denise M.; Schultz, Dawna

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we conducted a model of teacher professional development (PD) on the alignment of middle and high school curricula and instruction to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSSs), and evaluated the impact of the PD on teacher participants’ development. The PD model included a 4-day summer academy emphasizing project-based learning (PBL) in the designing of NGSS-aligned curricula and instruction, as well as monthly follow-up Professional Learning Community meetings throughout the year providing numerous opportunities for teachers to develop and implement lesson plans, share results of lesson writing and implementation (successes and challenges), provide mutual feedback, and refine curricula and assessments. Following the summer academy, six female teachers were interviewed about their current conceptualizations of NGSS, the extent of curricular shifts made that are required by NGSS, their self-perceptions regarding their level of accomplishment in curriculum writing, and the benefits of the PD in reaching their goals related to NGSS. Interviews were supplemented with an analysis of lesson plans written while participating in the PD program. The interviewed teachers suggested that they had made important conceptual and pedagogical shifts required by NGSS as they participated in the PD, and also noted a variety of challenges as they made this shift. While all teachers were relative novices at NGSS curriculum writing before the PD, most of the teachers interviewed felt that they had achieved the status of an “accomplished novice” following the summer academy. An analysis of their written lessons suggested a great range in the extent to which teachers effectively applied their understanding of NGSS to write lessons aligned to NGSS. Interviewed teachers believed that the PD model was helpful to their development as science teachers, and all reported that there were no aspects of the PD that were not helpful. Even though most teachers obtained a

  20. The GalileoMobile Project: sharing astronomy with students and teachers around the world

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benitez Herrera, Sandra; Del Sordo, Fabio; Spinelli, Patricia; Ntormousi, Eva

    2015-08-01

    Astronomy is an inspiring tool that can be used to motivate children to learn more about the world, to encourage critical thinking, and engage them in different scientific disciplines. Although many outreach programs bring astronomy to the classroom, most of them act in developed countries and rely heavily on internet connection. This leaves pupils and teachers in remote areas with little access to the latest space missions and the modern astronomical advances. GalileoMobile is an itinerant astronomy education initiative aiming to bridge this gap by donating educational material and organizing activities, experiments and teacher workshops at schools in rural areas. The initiative is run on a voluntary basis by an international team of astronomers, educators, and science communicators, working together to stimulate curiosity and interest in learning, to exchange different visions of the cosmos and to inspire a feeling of unity "under the same sky" between people from different cultures. Since the creation of the project in 2008, we have travelled to Chile, Bolivia, Peru, India, Uganda, Brazil and Colombia, and worked with about 70 schools. From our experiences, we learnt that 1) bringing experts from other countries is very stimulating for children and encourages a collaboration beyond borders; 2) inquiry-based methods are important for making the learning process more effective; 3) involving local educators in our activities helps the longstanding continuation of the project. We are incorporating these lessons learned into a new concept of the project. Constellation 2015, aims to establish a South American network of schools committed to the long-term organisation of astronomical outreach activities amongst their pupils and local communities. Constellation was declared Cosmic Light Project by the International Year of Light 2015 and awarded funding by the OAD. At this Focus Meeting, we will present the outcomes from our latest expeditions in Brazil and Colombia in

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