Attracting and Retaining Quality Teachers through Incentives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelking, Jeri L.

1987-01-01

Discusses problems in recruiting and retaining high-ability teachers and the need to provide motivation for teachers. Provides a listing of incentives to enhance and professionalize the teaching profession. (MD)

Are Elementary Teacher Education Programs the Real Problem of Unqualified Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weitman, Catheryn J.; Colbert, Ronald P.

This paper describes 10 factors that impact misguided perceptions of teacher preparation and teacher quality, especially elementary teachers prepared in highly-structured, university-based teacher preparation programs: (1) the offshoot of P-12 preparation, prior to attending postsecondary programs; (2) alignment of certification tests to state…

Positive Teacher Affect and Maternal Support Facilitate Adjustment after the Transition to First Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiuru, Noona; Laursen, Brett; Aunola, Kaisa; Zhang, Xia; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina

2016-01-01

This longitudinal study, conducted among a sample of Finnish primary-school children, examined the proposition that a single high-quality relationship (either with a teacher or a parent) can buffer against adjustment problems. Teachers rated the externalizing problems and prosocial behaviors of 378 children in Grade 1 and again in Grade 2.…

Some Possible Effects of Behaviour Management Training on Teacher Confidence and Competence: Evidence from a Study of Primary School Teachers in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Paul; Yan, Zi

2015-01-01

This study aims to explore the relationships between the extent and perceived quality of teachers' experience of training in behaviour management (BM), and their awareness of the nature and extent of behavioural problems among school students, and their confidence in their own competence to deal with such problems. Teachers (n = 183) from Hong…

Misdiagnosing the Teacher Quality Problem. CPRE Policy Briefs. RB-49

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingersoll, Richard M.

2007-01-01

This issue of CPRE Policy Briefs summarizes the findings on issues related to teacher quality in the chapter by the author in the book, "The State of Education Policy Research" (Cohen, Fuhrman, Mosher, Eds., 2007). This report also draws on discussions that took place during a summer, 2006, policy briefing on teacher labor-market issues…

Perceived Quality of Teacher Education Programs in Turkey: Basic Issues and Their Application to Turkish Public Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gok, Enes

2013-01-01

The Turkish education system has confronted radical changes over the last few years, as well as problems associated with it. In this context, the Turkish teacher education system attracts a lot of attention due to its role as the main teacher provider. Specifically, the quality of the teachers and the programs used to train them are being…

Teacher Burnout: Stylish Fad or Profound Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, William G.

1982-01-01

Evidence suggests that teacher burnout has significant impact on the quality of education and on teacher job satisfaction. Its causes include job stress and organizational structures or professional relationships. Reduction of burnout may come from such strategies as increased teacher role differentiation, greater teacher support, and improved…

Teacher Pay and Teacher Aptitude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leigh, Andrew

2012-01-01

Can changes in teacher pay encourage more able individuals to enter the teaching profession? So far, studies of the impact of pay on the aptitude distribution of teachers have provided mixed evidence on the extent to which altering teacher salaries represents a feasible solution to the teacher quality problem. One possible reason is that these…

Developing Evidence & Gathering Data about Teacher Education Program Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of State Colleges and Universities, 2007

2007-01-01

Linking teacher practice to pupil outcomes has proven challenging for teacher educators. Methodological problems occur when linking individual teacher actions with subsequent pupil performance, including substantial intervening variables, questions about appropriate measures of student learning, issues regarding the lack of test standardization…

"It's a Difficult Matter": Historical Perspectives on the Enduring Problem of the Practicum in Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vick, Malcolm

2006-01-01

Current reviews of teacher education pay considerable attention to problems associated with the practicum, and often claim to propose major changes in order to improve the quality of new graduates. Many of the problems they address concerning the practicum and its relation to the "theoretical" component of programs are longstanding, and…

Language development in the early school years: the importance of close relationships with teachers.

PubMed

Spilt, Jantine L; Koomen, Helma M Y; Harrison, Linda J

2015-02-01

This longitudinal study examined developmental links between closeness in teacher-child relationships and children's receptive language ability from the end of the preschool years into the early elementary years, while controlling for changes in peer interaction quality and child behavioral functioning. The sample included children and their parents and teachers (N = 4,983) participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) at ages 4-5, 6-7, and 8-9 years (3 waves). Teachers reported on levels of closeness in relationships with individual children. Independent assessments of receptive language were employed. Parents and teachers reported on peer interaction problems and child conduct problems. Results indicated reciprocal associations between close teacher-child relationships and receptive language development above and beyond associations with peer interaction quality and child behavioral functioning. However, the effects were only modest. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Getting It Together in Teacher Education: A "Problem-Centered" Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleinfeld, Judith; Noordhoff, Karen

1988-01-01

This article describes the Teachers for Alaska program, University of Alaska. This fifth-year certification program is a response to the teacher education reform movement and is designed to prepare high quality secondary teachers. The program emphasizes preparation of teachers for small high schools in remote Eskimo and Indian villages. (IAH)

Problems Faced by Preservice Special Education Teachers in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Hiary, Ghaleb M.; Almakanin, Hisham A.; Tabbal, Suha A.

2015-01-01

One of the most important factors in the success of educating children with special needs is the quality of the special education teacher. While teachers are responsible for a plethora of duties, it is important that teacher preparation programs provide adequate training to ensure teachers are well prepared for the teaching profession. However,…

Detecting effects of the indicated prevention Programme for Externalizing Problem behaviour (PEP) on child symptoms, parenting, and parental quality of life in a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hanisch, Charlotte; Freund-Braier, Inez; Hautmann, Christopher; Jänen, Nicola; Plück, Julia; Brix, Gabriele; Eichelberger, Ilka; Döpfner, Manfred

2010-01-01

Behavioural parent training is effective in improving child disruptive behavioural problems in preschool children by increasing parenting competence. The indicated Prevention Programme for Externalizing Problem behaviour (PEP) is a group training programme for parents and kindergarten teachers of children aged 3-6 years with externalizing behavioural problems. To evaluate the effects of PEP on child problem behaviour, parenting practices, parent-child interactions, and parental quality of life. Parents and kindergarten teachers of 155 children were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 91) and a nontreated control group (n = 64). They rated children's problem behaviour before and after PEP training; parents also reported on their parenting practices and quality of life. Standardized play situations were video-taped and rated for parent-child interactions, e.g. parental warmth. In the intention to treat analysis, mothers of the intervention group described less disruptive child behaviour and better parenting strategies, and showed more parental warmth during a standardized parent-child interaction. Dosage analyses confirmed these results for parents who attended at least five training sessions. Children were also rated to show less behaviour problems by their kindergarten teachers. Training effects were especially positive for parents who attended at least half of the training sessions. CBCL: Child Behaviour Checklist; CII: Coder Impressions Inventory; DASS: Depression anxiety Stress Scale; HSQ: Home-situation Questionnaire; LSS: Life Satisfaction Scale; OBDT: observed behaviour during the test; PCL: Problem Checklist; PEP: prevention programme for externalizing problem behaviour; PPC: Parent Problem Checklist; PPS: Parent Practices Scale; PS: Parenting Scale; PSBC: Problem Setting and Behaviour checklist; QJPS: Questionnaire on Judging Parental Strains; SEFS: Self-Efficacy Scale; SSC: Social Support Scale; TRF: Caregiver-Teacher Report Form.

Problems and Trends Regarding Vocational Teachers in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuang, Ying

2014-01-01

At present, China's vocational education system is undergoing a transition process from growing in size to improving in quality. Teacher and teaching force issues are a bottleneck and critical factor that will determine whether the transformation will be successful. The real-world problems of the number, deployment, capacity, and training systems…

Professionalism and Partnership: Panaceas for Teacher Education in Scotland?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Aileen; Doherty, Robert

2012-01-01

A critical reading of the Donaldson Report on teacher education in Scotland reveals what might be termed a "panacea approach" to addressing perceived current problems in relation to the quality of teacher education. In particular, the essence of the Donaldson Report is that teachers need to embrace "twenty-first century…

University Support of Secondary STEM Teachers through Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaudoin, Colleen R.; Johnston, Pattie C.; Jones, Leslie B.; Waggett, Rebecca J.

2013-01-01

Problems associated with recruiting, supporting and retaining quality teachers in the STEM areas have been well documented in the literature. Specifically, findings suggest STEM teachers have indicated a need for pedagogy and increased content knowledge. These needs may be attributed to the fact that more STEM teachers have been alternatively…

Shortchanging Rural Teachers. Teaching Quality: RESEARCH MATTERS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southeast Center for Teaching Quality, Chapel Hill, NC.

This brief examines problems staffing rural schools and discusses the importance of teacher education in producing effective reading teachers. Over 31 percent of public schools are in rural areas, comprising over 49 percent of public school systems. Rural districts have difficulty recruiting teachers because they generally have lower salaries,…

The Relationship between Teachers' Perceptions about Job-Embedded Professional Development and Teacher Efficacy in Implementing Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Calvin H., Jr.

2014-01-01

Consistent with a recognized challenge across the United States, the local problem addressed in this study was teachers' inability to implement new technologies in the classroom. Professional development is the channel through which teachers improve, and high-quality professional development has been shown to enhance teacher efficacy. Professional…

Identifying Personal and Contextual Factors that Contribute to Attrition Rates for Texas Public School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sass, Daniel A.; Flores, Belinda Bustos; Claeys, Lorena; Perez, Bertha

2012-01-01

Teacher attrition is a significant problem facing schools, with a large percentage of teachers leaving the profession within their first few years. Given the need to retain high-quality teachers, research is needed to identify those teachers with higher retention rates. Using survival analyses and a large state dataset, researchers examined…

Assessing Teaching Skills Linked to Student Achievement in Candidate Teachers during the Teacher Hiring Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortner, Dale

2011-01-01

The purpose of this project study was to assist school principals in hiring quality teachers by examining existing hiring processes and research-based criteria on teacher practices that influence student achievement. The superintendent in one school district identified a problem of low student achievement and high teacher turnover. The theoretical…

Quality professional development for secondary science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mchazlett, Dwight Henry, Jr.

This record of study (ROS) explores the perceptions of three high school biology teachers who implemented a form of the Japanese originated Lesson Study Professional Development (LS PD) model. Additionally, this ROS reports on the perceptions of the internal stakeholders with regard to the model's viability as a potential solution to a proposed problem of practice where there was a lack of quality professional development for secondary biology teachers. The audience of internal stakeholders includes district administrators, high school teachers, and science teachers from the elementary and middle school grade levels. Participants of this study collaboratively explored the problem of practice in the fall semester of 2015, then implemented the LS PD model in the spring semester. The participants completed three cycles of LS that focused on collaboratively designing research-based lessons, teaching the lessons with peer observations, revising and re-teaching the lessons with peer observations, and reflecting on the participants' growth experiences. Four research questions were addressed: (a) What are the perceptions of the participants in regard to their own professional growth as a result of participating in the LS initiative? (b) What improvements to the LS PD model might facilitate future implementation? and (c) What are the perceptions of the LS dissemination audience toward LS as a viable solution to a lack of quality PD for secondary biology teachers? Results of the study suggested that LS PD may be a viable solution to the proposed problem of practice where there is a lack of quality professional development for secondary biology teachers. Long-term implications posit that LS PD can be adapted and scaled up to benefit all content areas and grade levels.

Quality Problem-Based Learning Experiences for Students: Design Deliberations among Teachers from Diverse Disciplines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Susan McAleenan

This qualitative study, investigating the claims, concerns, and issues arising within the design stages of problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum units, was conducted during two masters-level classes during the summer of 1999. A hermeneutic dialectic discourse among veteran teachers (who were novice PBL curriculum designers) was facilitated by…

Improving Teacher Quality and Effectiveness. Issues for the '80s. Planning Grant for the Development of an Institutional Grant Proposal to Establish an NIE Research and Development Center for Teacher Quality and Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawley, Willis D.; And Others

This paper presents an overview of several of the problems and conditions of the teaching profession and discusses different issues related to the development and implementation of policies, programs, and practices designed to address them. The opening section examines the conditions of teaching--employment opportunities, teacher evaluation,…

A Non-bipartite Propensity Score Analysis of the Effects of Teacher-Student Relationships on Adolescent Problem and Prosocial Behavior.

PubMed

Obsuth, Ingrid; Murray, Aja Louise; Malti, Tina; Sulger, Philippe; Ribeaud, Denis; Eisner, Manuel

2017-08-01

Previous research suggests a link between the quality of teacher-student relationships and the students' behavioral outcomes; however, the observational nature of past studies makes it difficult to attribute a causal role to the quality of these relationships. In the current study, therefore, we used a propensity score analysis approach to evaluate whether students who were matched on their propensity to experience a given level of relationship quality but differed on their actual relationship quality diverged on their concurrent and subsequent problem and prosocial behavior. Student/self, teacher, and parent- (only waves 1-3) reported data from 8 waves of the Zurich Project on the Social Development of Children and Youths (z-proso), a longitudinal study of Swiss youth among a culturally diverse sample of 7- to 15-year-olds were utilized. The initial sample included 1483 (49.4 % female) students for whom information relevant for this study was available. The sample represented families from around 80 different countries, from across all the continents; with approximately 42 % of the female primary caregivers having been born in Switzerland. Following successful matching, we found that students who reported better relationships with their teachers and whose teachers reported better relationships with them evidenced fewer problem behaviors concurrently and up to 4 years later. There was also evidence for an analogous effect in predicting prosocial behavior. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to prevention and intervention practices.

A Study On School Practice Of Students In Field Teaching Master Of Arts Without Thesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzel, Hatice

2007-04-01

Teacher training and the quality of the trained teachers include a large number of problems about the education system and practices that are constantly on agenda in Turkey. Teacher candidates should be well trained in order to possess certain qualifications.

Leaders We Have A Problem! It is Teacher Retention...What Can We Do About It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, La'Shonte; Kritsonis, William Allan

2007-01-01

This article examines the schoolwork environment and how to combat the major problem of teacher retention. Leaders within an organization have the important task of motivating their employees. Various organizations will spend extra money every year developing new programs to keep quality employees. Still, leaders are wondering why so many of their…

Time's Up: Applying Teacher Management Skills to Solving Philadelphia's Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lax, Zach

2013-01-01

Teachers are natural problem solvers, and they should be using this quality to their advantage when it comes to solving the systemic issues that plague Philadelphia's education system. Many of the articles in this issue have already gone into great detail about what is happening in Philadelphia. Torch Lytle has provided a summary of the recent…

Addressing the Missing Instructional Data Problem: Using a Teacher Log to Document Tier 1 Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurz, Alexander; Elliott, Stephen N.; Roach, Andrew T.

2015-01-01

Response-to-intervention (RTI) systems posit that Tier 1 consists of high-quality general classroom instruction using evidence-based methods to address the needs of most students. However, data on the extent to which general education teachers provide such instruction are rarely collected. This missing instructional data problem may result in RTI…

Perspectives on Teacher Quality: Bilingual Education and ESL Teacher Certification, Test-Taking Experiences, and Instructional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemberger, Nancy; Reyes-Carrasquillo, Angela

2011-01-01

This descriptive exploratory study looked at the certification process, test-taking experiences, and instructional practices of a group of graduate bilingual education (BE) and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers to understand why some had problems passing teacher certification tests after completing their degrees. The study surveyed 63 BE…

Teacher Professionalism under the Recent Reform of Performance Pay in Mainland China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lijia; Lai, Manhong; Lo, Leslie Nai-Kwai

2014-01-01

In 2009, a reform in teachers' pay, linking remuneration to performance, was implemented in China. The intention was to improve the quality of education by making teachers more diligent and creative and removing the inequality in pay between teachers in different schools. A review of this reform reveals that it has resolved the problem of…

Revisiting the Trajectories of Special Teacher Education in China through Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yan; Mu, Guanglun Michael

2014-01-01

The preparation, recruitment, work, and career of teachers are important in education. This is no exemption for special education. However, the shortage of qualified teachers serving students with disabilities has long been an international problem. In China, both the quantity and the quality of special education teachers are of concern. This…

Financial Incentives to Promote Teacher Recruitment and Retention: An Analysis of the Florida Critical Teacher Shortage Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feng, Li; Sass, Tim R.

2015-01-01

Staffing problems are pervasive in certain subject areas, such as secondary math and science and special education, where the combination of training requirements and relatively high alternative wages makes it difficult to attract and retain high-quality teachers. This project evaluated the impacts of the Florida Critical Teacher Shortage Program…

The Impact of Collective Bargaining on Teacher Transfer Rates in Urban High-Poverty Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, F. Howard

2006-01-01

Data in this report reveals that collectively bargaining agreements are not the source of the teacher quality problem in urban school districts. The data shows that collective bargaining agreements are associated with reduced teacher transfer activity, especially in high-poverty schools, and less reliance on first-year teachers to staff…

Callous-Unemotional Traits, Behavior Disorders, and the Student-Teacher Relationship in Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crum, Kathleen I.; Waschbusch, Daniel A.; Willoughby, Michael T.

2016-01-01

Mental health research demonstrates that children with conduct problems (CP) and callous-unemotional (CU) traits differ in important ways from children with CP alone, including differences in primary caregiver attachment quality. This research suggests CU may also influence the quality of attachment between children with CP and their teachers.…

Teacher Resistance against School Reform: Reflecting an Inconvenient Truth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terhart, Ewald

2013-01-01

In this article, the contexts, forms and consequences of teacher resistance against school reforms based on quality assurance policies are discussed. The problems are demonstrated by recurring on research devoted to the acceptance and/or resistance of (German) teachers against standards-based accountability policies. These results demonstrate that…

In Search of Quality Student Teachers in a Digital Era: Reframing the Practices of Soft Skills in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadiyanto; Mukmimnin, Amirul; Failasofah; Arif, Nely; Fajaryani, Nunung; Habibi, Akhmad

2017-01-01

The purpose of this current study was to examine and document the practices of soft skills (communication, IT, numeracy, learning how to learn, problem solving, working with others, and subject-specific competencies) among English as foreign language (EFL) student teachers at one public university teacher education program in Jambi, Indonesia. The…

Funding Disparities and the Inequitable Distribution of Teachers: Evaluating Sources and Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamson, Frank; Darling-Hammond, Linda

2012-01-01

The inequitable distribution of well-qualified teachers to students in the United States is a longstanding issue. Despite federal mandates under the No Child Left Behind Act and the use of a range of incentives to attract teachers to high-need schools, the problem remains acute in many states. This study examines how and why teacher quality is…

Job Stressors and Teacher Job Satisfaction in Programs Serving Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adera, Beatrice A.; Bullock, Lyndal M.

2010-01-01

Teacher turnover is problem that continues to plague the field of special education, given the associated costs when a teacher leaves his or her job. The challenges associated with recruitment and retention of quality teachers, especially in programs serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) have been attributed to a variety…

The Association between Preschool Classroom Quality and Children's Social-Emotional Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohamed, Ahmed Hassan Hemdan; Marzouk, Samah Abd Al Fatah Mohamed

2016-01-01

This study examined the association between early childhood classroom quality and preschool children's social skills and emotional problems. Teachers completed the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) and the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment-Clinical Form (DECA-C). Participants included 141 preschool children from 10…

Semantic Features of Math Problems: Relationships to Student Learning and Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slater, Stefan; Baker, Ryan; Ocumpaugh, Jaclyn; Inventado, Paul; Scupelli, Peter; Heffernan, Neil

2016-01-01

The creation of crowd-sourced content in learning systems is a powerful method for adapting learning systems to the needs of a range of teachers in a range of domains, but the quality of this content can vary. This study explores linguistic differences in teacher-created problem content in ASSISTments using a combination of discovery with models…

Policy Reform: Testing Times for Teacher Education in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Tanya; Knipe, Sally

2016-01-01

In Australia as well as elsewhere, initial teacher education has become centre stage to a political agenda that calls for global competitiveness in the knowledge economy. The common problem cited has been declining educational standards linked with the quality of teaching and teacher education. The avalanche of review and policy reform has exposed…

Principals' Responses to the Teacher Quality Provision of the No Child Left behind Act of 2001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Michael Lawrence

2012-01-01

Since the passage of the No Child Left Behind legislation in 2002, principals have been held accountable for fulfilling a segment of it known as the Teacher Quality provision. This study examines how principals with varying levels of capacity to address the problem were either successful or unsuccessful in meeting the mandate using a wide variety…

From Policy to Practice: The Challenges of Providing High Quality Physical Education and School Sport Faced by Head Teachers within Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rainer, Paul; Cropley, Brendan; Jarvis, Stuart; Griffiths, Rob

2012-01-01

Background: Despite considerable investment in UK government initiatives (e.g., the Physical Education School Sport [PESS] plan) aimed at improving the delivery and quality of physical education (PE) in primary schools, many remaining problems have been highlighted (e.g., facilities; staff training). It is suggested that the head teacher (school…

Educational Quality in Economic Development: Ten Propositions and an Application to the South Pacific.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gannicott, Ken; Throsby, C. David

1992-01-01

Reviews recent research on educational quality and its application to South Pacific island economies. Demonstrates the pervasive nature of school quality problems in the region despite national variations. Influences on educational quality include teacher quality, learning material availability, initial instruction in mother tongues, management…

Digital Discourses in Early Childhood Educator Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Emily Brown

2017-01-01

Active, dialogic participation is a necessary component of high quality teacher professional learning (Dunst, Bruder, & Hamby, 2015). However, logistical problems arise when implementing cooperative learning opportunities for early childhood educators, as preschool teachers are habitually separated from peers both institutionally and…

Teachers' Expectations and School Administration: Keys of Better Communication in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslanargun, Engin

2015-01-01

Problem Statement: The quality of education carried out in schools depends largely on the performance of teachers and school principals in cooperation. It is possible to say that a qualified education of students depends on the performance and compliance degree of these two groups. In this process, teachers' having the primary responsibility for…

Spiritual Practices as a Means of Coping with and Ameliorating Stress to Reduce Teacher Attrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartwick, James M. M.; Kang, Shin Ji

2013-01-01

Teacher attrition has been a serious problem in maintaining quality education in the United States. Although the research produced extensive documentation on teachers' stress and attrition, little attention has been paid to their spiritual stress coping strategies. This article documents various spiritual practices as a means of coping with…

The Teacher and the World: A Study of Cosmopolitanism as Education. Teacher Quality and School Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, David

2011-01-01

Teachers over the world over are seeking creative ways to respond to the problems and possibilities generated by globalization. Many of them work with children and youth from increasingly varied backgrounds, with diverse needs and capabilities. Others work with homogeneous populations and yet are aware that their students will encounter many…

The Relationship between Teachers' Attitudes toward Measurement and Evaluation and Their Perceptions of Professional Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildirim, Kamil; Arastaman, Gökhan; Dasci, Elif

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: The quality of teaching at schools mostly depends on the teachers' competencies. One of these competencies is measurement and evaluation (MaE). Evaluation of the students' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development requires skills and knowledge about various measuring tools and techniques. It is essential for a teacher to…

When Districts Encounter Teacher Shortages: The Challenges of Recruiting and Retaining Mathematics Teachers in Urban Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Edward; Rosenstein, Joseph G.; Swan, Aubrie E.; Khalil, Deena

2008-01-01

Administrators in six urban districts were interviewed to understand the nature and extent of their problems with recruiting and retaining high quality mathematics teachers. Findings suggest that the math staffing challenge is quite complex, and administrators have had to make difficult compromises because of deficiencies in the quantity and…

The Spatial Geography of Teacher Labor Markets: Evidence from a Developing Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaramillo, Miguel

2012-01-01

An unequal distribution of teacher quality is a problem underlying the unequal distribution of educational outcomes in developing countries. However, we know little about how the labor market produces such a distribution. Using data from two regions in Peru, we investigate whether there is a national teacher market or smaller regional markets. We…

Reforming Public School Systems through Sustained Union-Management Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubinstein, Saul A.; McCarthy, John E.

2011-01-01

For most of the past decade the policy debate over improving U.S. public education has centered on teacher quality. In this debate, teachers and their unions have often been seen as the problem, not part of the solution. Further, current discourse often assumes that conflicting interests between teacher unions and administration is inevitable.…

The Persistent Problems and Confounding Challenges of Educator Incentives: The Case of TIF in Prince George's County, Maryland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Jennifer King; Malen, Betty; Baumann, Paul; Chen, Elke; Dougherty, Amy; Hyde, Laura; Jackson, Cara; Jacobson, Reuben; McKithen, Clarissa

2012-01-01

While education accountability systems emphasize teacher quality as a prerequisite for student learning, education administrators have struggled to staff low-performing schools with effective teachers. Fueled in part by the federal Teacher Incentive Fund, compensation reforms have gained center stage status among strategies aimed at improving…

Reflection: A Renewed and Practical Focus for an Existing Problem in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Pauline

2016-01-01

Reflection has been a component of teacher education programs for many years. The introduction of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Standard (NQS) into Western Australian schools appear to have brought a renewed focus to this. For universities involved in teacher education, reflection remains a complex construct…

The Inchworm and the Nightingale: On the (Mis)use of Data in Music Teacher Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Mitchell

2015-01-01

The music education profession is faced with two serious problems regarding the (mis)use of data in music teacher evaluation. The first has to do with the quality and kinds of data that music teachers have been forced to use; the second is concerned with how these data are being used in the music teacher evaluation process. The evidence I will use…

Strengthening the Assessment Trajectory: Engaging Educators in the Policy Process. Making a Measurable Difference: Case Studies from the High-Quality Assessment Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClellan, Catherine; Snyder, Rebecca; Woods-Murphy, Maryann; Basset, Katherine

2018-01-01

Great teachers recognize great assessments. As policy and education leaders work to make sure state tests are measuring the problem-solving, writing, and critical-thinking skills students need for success, they should convene and rely on teachers to review test quality and help answer the question: Do the questions on our state test reflect…

The Early Mother-to-Child Bond and Its Unique Prospective Contribution to Child Behavior Evaluated by Mothers and Teachers.

PubMed

Fuchs, Anna; Möhler, Eva; Reck, Corinna; Resch, Franz; Kaess, Michael

Maternal bonding has been described as the quality of the affective tie from a mother to her infant. This early bond's mental components and its longitudinal impact on child outcome have been markedly understudied. Although most researchers assume impaired maternal bonding to have a negative impact on child development, there is a lack of prospective studies evaluating this hypothesis. Since maternal mental health problems may negatively affect both bonding quality and child development, it is still to be determined whether there is a unique contribution of bonding quality to child behavior problems over and above maternal psychopathology. We examined a community sample of 101 mother-child dyads at the child's age of 2 weeks (t1) and 6 weeks (t2), 4 months (t3), 14 months (t4), and 5.5 years (t5). Maternal bonding and psychopathology were assessed at time points t1-t4 using the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ-16) and the Symptom Checklist Revised (SCL 90-R). Child behavior problems were rated in a multi-informant design by mothers and teachers at t5 using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). In the case of maternal judgment of child behavior problems, bonding at 14 months (t4) proved to be a significant predictor (β = 0.30; p = 0.011). Teacher-rated child behavior problems were significantly predicted by maternal bonding at 2 weeks (t1; β = 0.48; p = 0.025). Our results indicate a prospective influence of the early mother-infant bond on child development and underline the unique contribution of bonding quality to child behavior problems over and above the impact of maternal psychopathology in a community sample. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Pay, working conditions, and teacher quality.

PubMed

Hanushek, Eric A; Rivkin, Steven G

2007-01-01

Eric Hanushek and Steven Rivkin examine how salary and working conditions affect the quality of instruction in the classroom. The wages of teachers relative to those of other college graduates have fallen steadily since 1940. Today, average wages differ little, however, between urban and suburban districts. In some metropolitan areas urban districts pay more, while in others, suburban districts pay more. But working conditions in urban and suburban districts differ substantially, with urban teachers reporting far less administrator and parental support, worse materials, and greater student problems. Difficult working conditions may drive much of the difference in turnover of teachers and the transfer of teachers across schools. Using rich data from Texas public schools, the authors describe in detail what happens when teachers move from school to school. They examine how salaries and student characteristics change when teachers move and also whether turnover affects teacher quality and student achievement. They note that both wages and student characteristics affect teachers' choices and result in a sorting of teachers across schools, but they find little evidence that teacher transitions are detrimental to student learning. The extent to which variations in salaries and working conditions translate into differences in the quality of instruction depends importantly on the effectiveness of school personnel policies in hiring and retaining the most effective teachers and on constraints on both entry into the profession and the firing of low performers. The authors conclude that overall salary increases for teachers would be both expensive and ineffective. The best way to improve the quality of instruction would be to lower barriers to becoming a teacher, such as certification, and to link compensation and career advancement more closely with teachers' ability to raise student performance.

Exploring Teachers' Depressive Symptoms, Interaction Quality, and Children's Social-Emotional Development in Head Start

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Amy; LoCasale-Crouch, Jennifer; Hamre, Bridget; DeCoster, Jamie

2016-01-01

Research Findings: This study explored the role Head Start teachers' (n = 355) depressive symptoms play in their interactions with children and in children's (n = 2,203) social-emotional development, specifically changes in children's problem behaviors and social skills as reported by parents and teachers during the preschool year. Results of the…

The Grim Situation in China with Regard to Building a Teacher Base and Rejuvenating the Higher Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yao

2005-01-01

China's problems with the quantity, quality, and educational concepts of teachers in institutions of higher education, as well as with relevant managerial systems, are in urgent need of resolution. We should start by making innovations to the system and constructing a modernized teacher base that is compatible with the marketplace. We must strive…

Flood Tides and Aging Swimmers: An Exploration into the Supply and Demand for Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerchner, Charles T.

The teacher supply and demand problem is considered along three dimensions: (1) the aggregate balance between supply and demand, and the balance in different education specialties and different areas of the country; (2) the composition of the teacher work force, its age, and level of training; and (3) the apparent quality of the work force and the…

What Is the Problem? The Challenge of Providing Effective Teachers for All Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murnane, Richard J.; Steele, Jennifer L.

2007-01-01

Richard Murnane and Jennifer Steele argue that if the United States is to equip its young people with the skills essential in the new economy, high-quality teachers are more important than ever. In recent years, the demand for effective teachers has increased as enrollments have risen, class sizes have fallen, and a large share of the teacher…

Voice Problems in New Zealand Teachers: A National Survey.

PubMed

Leão, Sylvia H de S; Oates, Jennifer M; Purdy, Suzanne C; Scott, David; Morton, Randall P

2015-09-01

This study determined the prevalence and nature of voice problems in New Zealand (NZ) teachers using a national self-report questionnaire. Epidemiological cross-sectional survey. Participants were 1879 primary and secondary teachers (72.5% females). Three prevalence timeframes were estimated. Severity of voice problems, recovery time, days away from work, symptoms, health assistance, and voice education were also investigated. Prevalence of self-reported vocal problems was 33.2% during their teaching career, 24.7% over the teaching year, and 13.2% on the day of the survey. Primary teachers (P<0.001; odds ratio [OR]=1.74; confidence interval [CI]=1.33-2.40), females (P=0.008; OR=1.63; CI=1.13-2.37), and those aged 51-60 years (P=0.010; OR=1.45; CI=1.11-3.00) were more likely to report problems. Among teachers reporting voice problems during the year, 47% were moderate or severe; for 30%, voice recovery took more than 1 week. Approximately 28% stayed away from work 1-3 days owing to a vocal problem and 9% for more than 3 days. Women reported longer recovery times and more days away. Symptoms associated with voice problems (P<0.001) were voice quality alteration (OR=4.35; CI=3.40-5.57), vocal effort (OR=1.15; CI=0.96-1.37), voice breaks (OR=1.55; CI=1.30-1.84), voice projection difficulty (OR=1.25; CI=1.04-1.50), and throat discomfort (OR=1.22; CI=1.02-1.47). Of the teachers reporting voice problems, only 22.5% consulted a health practitioner. Only 38% of the teachers with chronic voice problems visited an otolaryngologist. Higher hours of voice training/education were associated with fewer self-reported voice problems. Voice problems are of concern for NZ teachers, as has been reported for teachers in other countries. There is still limited awareness among teachers about vocal health, potential risks, and specialized health services for voice problems. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In Defense of Teacher Professionalism as a Policy Choice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sykes, Gary

1991-01-01

Whereas democracy institutionalizes distrust, professionalism relies on trust. Responding to Berbules and Densmore, this article identifies strong normative reasons, grounded in the interests of children, for promoting teacher professionalism. Exorcising the evils of classic professionalism will eliminate neither equity nor quality problems.…

Conceptual problem solving in high school physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Docktor, Jennifer L.; Strand, Natalie E.; Mestre, José P.; Ross, Brian H.

2015-12-01

Problem solving is a critical element of learning physics. However, traditional instruction often emphasizes the quantitative aspects of problem solving such as equations and mathematical procedures rather than qualitative analysis for selecting appropriate concepts and principles. This study describes the development and evaluation of an instructional approach called Conceptual Problem Solving (CPS) which guides students to identify principles, justify their use, and plan their solution in writing before solving a problem. The CPS approach was implemented by high school physics teachers at three schools for major theorems and conservation laws in mechanics and CPS-taught classes were compared to control classes taught using traditional problem solving methods. Information about the teachers' implementation of the approach was gathered from classroom observations and interviews, and the effectiveness of the approach was evaluated from a series of written assessments. Results indicated that teachers found CPS easy to integrate into their curricula, students engaged in classroom discussions and produced problem solutions of a higher quality than before, and students scored higher on conceptual and problem solving measures.

Student–Teacher Relationship Stability Across Early School Years for Children With Intellectual Disability or Typical Development

PubMed Central

Blacher, Jan; Baker, Bruce L.; Eisenhower, Abbey S.

2009-01-01

Student–teacher relationships of 37 children with moderate to borderline intellectual disability and 61 with typical cognitive development were assessed from child ages 6–8 years. Student–teacher relationship quality was moderately stable for the typical development group, but less so for the intellectual disability group. At each assessment these relationships were poorer for children with intellectual disability. Child behavior problems consistently predicted more conflict, whereas social skills predicted more closeness. Accounting for these child characteristics reduced the status group difference to nonsignificance. Earlier student–teacher relationships predicted subsequent changes in child behavior problems and social skills. Student–teacher relationships in the intellectual disability group were significantly lower for children in regular than special classes by age 8. PMID:19928015

The role of context in preschool learning: a multilevel examination of the contribution of context-specific problem behaviors and classroom process quality to low-income children's approaches to learning.

PubMed

Domínguez, Ximena; Vitiello, Virginia E; Fuccillo, Janna M; Greenfield, Daryl B; Bulotsky-Shearer, Rebecca J

2011-04-01

Research suggests that promoting adaptive approaches to learning early in childhood may help close the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children. Recent research has identified specific child-level and classroom-level variables that are significantly associated with preschoolers' approaches to learning. However, further research is needed to understand the interactive effects of these variables and determine whether classroom-level variables buffer the detrimental effects of child-level risk variables. Using a largely urban and minority sample (N=275) of preschool children, the present study examined the additive and interactive effects of children's context-specific problem behaviors and classroom process quality dimensions on children's approaches to learning. Teachers rated children's problem behavior and approaches to learning and independent assessors conducted classroom observations to assess process quality. Problem behaviors in structured learning situations and in peer and teacher interactions were found to negatively predict variance in approaches to learning. Classroom process quality domains did not independently predict variance in approaches to learning. Nonetheless, classroom process quality played an important role in these associations; high emotional support buffered the detrimental effects of problem behavior, whereas high instructional support exacerbated them. The findings of this study have important implications for classroom practices aimed at helping children who exhibit problem behaviors. Copyright © 2010 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teaching Online across State Lines. Keeping Pace with K-12 Digital Learning. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, John; Murin, Amy; Pape, Larry

2014-01-01

Among the ways in which states attempt to ensure quality in K-12 education is by requiring that most teachers in public schools be licensed via state-level requirements that vary by state. This patchwork of requirements has not been a problem for most teachers over the last century, because so few teachers taught in multiple states concurrently.…

Student-Teacher Relationships As a Protective Factor for School Adjustment during the Transition from Middle to High School

PubMed Central

Longobardi, Claudio; Prino, Laura E.; Marengo, Davide; Settanni, Michele

2016-01-01

A robust body of research has identified school transitions during adolescence, and in particular the transition from middle to high school, as one of the riskiest phases for school failure, being characterized by significant social, emotional and behavioral changes. This transition is critical even with respect to academic achievement: in Italy, the highest frequency of school dropout can be observed in the 9th and 10th grades, partly as a consequence of poor adjustment to the new school context. The impact of students' relationships with their teachers may be particularly relevant during critical developmental periods. Indeed, student-teacher relationships have been widely recognized as protective factors in school adjustment and, in case of negative relationships, also as a factor that increases the risk of maladjustment. Positive and affective student-teacher relationships may play an important role in students' adaptation to the school environment, favoring both academic achievement and adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the quality of teacher-student relationships, as perceived by pupils, on academic achievement, and problem and prosocial behaviors during the relevant school transition. The sample consisted of 122 students (55% female). We employed a self-report questionnaire to collect information on: demographic characteristics, quality of the relationship with teachers, problem and prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement. Students filled in the questionnaires twice: once during the 8th grade and 1 year later, during their first year of high school (9th grade). Regression analyses indicated that both average and varying levels of closeness with teachers significantly predicted changes in academic achievement: A perceived increase in closeness in 9th grade, as well as a higher mean closeness level, was associated with an increase in academic achievement. In turn, an increase in the level of perceived conflict with teachers significantly predicted an increase in conduct problems and hyperactive behaviors. This study supports the significance of student-teacher relationships as a protective factor during students' transition to high-school. Our findings also highlight the importance of relationship quality in preventing students' risk of school failure. PMID:28066305

Student-Teacher Relationships As a Protective Factor for School Adjustment during the Transition from Middle to High School.

PubMed

Longobardi, Claudio; Prino, Laura E; Marengo, Davide; Settanni, Michele

2016-01-01

A robust body of research has identified school transitions during adolescence, and in particular the transition from middle to high school, as one of the riskiest phases for school failure, being characterized by significant social, emotional and behavioral changes. This transition is critical even with respect to academic achievement: in Italy, the highest frequency of school dropout can be observed in the 9th and 10th grades, partly as a consequence of poor adjustment to the new school context. The impact of students' relationships with their teachers may be particularly relevant during critical developmental periods. Indeed, student-teacher relationships have been widely recognized as protective factors in school adjustment and, in case of negative relationships, also as a factor that increases the risk of maladjustment. Positive and affective student-teacher relationships may play an important role in students' adaptation to the school environment, favoring both academic achievement and adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the quality of teacher-student relationships, as perceived by pupils, on academic achievement, and problem and prosocial behaviors during the relevant school transition. The sample consisted of 122 students (55% female). We employed a self-report questionnaire to collect information on: demographic characteristics, quality of the relationship with teachers, problem and prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement. Students filled in the questionnaires twice: once during the 8th grade and 1 year later, during their first year of high school (9th grade). Regression analyses indicated that both average and varying levels of closeness with teachers significantly predicted changes in academic achievement: A perceived increase in closeness in 9th grade, as well as a higher mean closeness level, was associated with an increase in academic achievement. In turn, an increase in the level of perceived conflict with teachers significantly predicted an increase in conduct problems and hyperactive behaviors. This study supports the significance of student-teacher relationships as a protective factor during students' transition to high-school. Our findings also highlight the importance of relationship quality in preventing students' risk of school failure.

Leadership and Pedagogy: Rethinking Leadership in Professional Schools of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, J. Dan; And Others

1989-01-01

Analyzes cultural dimensions of Calvin College's Bridenthal Internship in Teaching program for improving the quality of public school teachers; explores how problems encountered by interns as classroom teachers relate to cultural dimensions of the program's industrial leadership orientation and style of leadership modeled by mentor John Wright.…

Accountability and Control in American Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingersoll, Richard M.; Collins, Gregory J.

2017-01-01

One of the most controversial and significant of contemporary education reforms has been the teacher accountability movement. From this perspective, low-quality teachers and teaching are a major factor behind inadequate school performance, and a lack of accountability and control in schools is a major factor behind the problem of low-quality…

Analysis of Seattle Contract Proposals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council on Teacher Quality, 2010

2010-01-01

The proposal by the Seattle Public Schools (SPS) for its new teachers' contract is an excellent first step in improving the quality of teachers in the school district. The district's proposal targets many of the problems identified in the October 2009 report "Human Capital in Seattle Public Schools". Most notably it addresses two key…

Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Deborah

2014-01-01

Professional development is a recognized approach to improving the quality of instruction in schools. The goal of professional development is to increase teachers' knowledge and improve their practices, which lead to enhanced student learning. The problem with providing staff development is the high cost incurred by presenters' fees, and…

Teachers as Researchers: A "Fair Dinkum" Learning Legacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comber, Barbara

2013-01-01

As educators encounter a policy landscape where increasingly the education lexicon includes keywords such as data, evidence, quality, and standards, it is interesting to revisit Garth Boomer's contribution regarding teachers as researchers. In "Fair Dinkum Teaching and Learning," Boomer (1985) clearly named at least two key problems that…

Water Quality Indicators Guide [and Teacher's Handbook]: Surface Waters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrell, Charles R.; Perfetti, Patricia Bytnar

This guide aids in finding water quality solutions to problems from sediment, animal wastes, nutrients, pesticides, and salts. The guide allows users to learn the fundamental concepts of water quality assessment by extracting basic tenets from geology, hydrology, biology, ecology, and wastewater treatment. An introduction and eight chapters are…

Indoor Air Quality: Maryland Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Education, College Park. Office of Administration and Finance.

Less than adequate indoor air quality in schools can lead to a higher risk of health problems, an increase in student and teacher absenteeism, diminished learning, and even hazardous conditions. An indoor air quality program that addresses the planning, design, maintenance, and operation of public school buildings should be implemented at the…

They need to be recognized as a person in everyday life: Teachers' and helpers' experiences of teacher-student relationships in upper secondary school.

PubMed

Krane, Vibeke; Karlsson, Bengt; Ness, Ottar; Binder, Per-Einar

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore how teachers and helpers experience that teacher-student relationship (TSR) is developed and promoted in upper secondary school.We also explored their experiences of qualities of TSR with students with mental health problems or at risk of dropping out. The study used a qualitative and participative approach; key stakeholders were included as co-researchers. Focus group interviews were held with 27 teachers and helpers. A thematic analysis was conducted. The participants' descriptions of important experiential dimensions of TSR were clustered around four themes: (1) to be recognized as a person with strengths and challenges in everyday life, (2) collaborative relationships between students and teachers, (3) flexible boundaries in the relationship between teachers and students and (4) organization of classes and procedures set the stage for TSR. Collaborative, emotional and contextual qualities were found important to the development of TSR in upper secondary school. Experiences of negative qualities of TSR can contribute to push students out of school. Teachers and helpers experience that TSR may have the potential to play a role in promoting mental health in students' everyday life.

Teachers' Perspectives on Online Virtual Labs vs. Hands-On Labs in High School Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohr, Teresa M.

This study of online science teachers' opinions addressed the use of virtual labs in online courses. A growing number of schools use virtual labs that must meet mandated laboratory standards to ensure they provide learning experiences comparable to hands-on labs, which are an integral part of science curricula. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the quality and effectiveness of high school virtual labs. The theoretical foundation was constructivism, as labs provide student-centered activities for problem solving, inquiry, and exploration of phenomena. The research questions focused on experienced teachers' perceptions of the quality of virtual vs. hands-on labs. Data were collected through survey questions derived from the lab objectives of The Next Generation Science Standards . Eighteen teachers rated the degree of importance of each objective and also rated how they felt virtual labs met these objectives; these ratings were reported using descriptive statistics. Responses to open-ended questions were few and served to illustrate the numerical results. Many teachers stated that virtual labs are valuable supplements but could not completely replace hands-on experiences. Studies on the quality and effectiveness of high school virtual labs are limited despite widespread use. Comprehensive studies will ensure that online students have equal access to quality labs. School districts need to define lab requirements, and colleges need to specify the lab experience they require. This study has potential to inspire positive social change by assisting science educators, including those in the local school district, in evaluating and selecting courseware designed to promote higher order thinking skills, real-world problem solving, and development of strong inquiry skills, thereby improving science instruction for all high school students.

Long working hours and sleep problems among public junior high school teachers in Japan.

PubMed

Bannai, Akira; Ukawa, Shigekazu; Tamakoshi, Akiko

2015-01-01

Long working hours may impact human health. In Japan, teachers tend to work long hours. From 2002 to 2012, the number of leaves of absence due to diseases other than mental disorders, or mental disorders among public school teachers increased by 1.3 times (from 2,616 to 3,381), or 1.8 times (from 2,687 to 4,960), respectively. The present study aimed to investigate the association between long working hours and sleep problems among public school teachers. This cross-sectional study was conducted from mid-July to September 2013 in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Questionnaires were distributed to 1,245 teachers in public junior high schools. Information about basic characteristics including working hours, and responses to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were collected anonymously. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the association between long working hours and sleep problems separately by sex. The response rate was 44.8% (n=558). After excluding ineligible responses, the final sample comprised 515 teachers (335 males and 180 females). Sleep problems was identified in 41.5% of males and 44.4% of females. Our results showed a significantly increased risk of sleep problems in males working >60 hours per week (OR 2.05 [95% CI 1.01-4.30]) compared with those working ≤40 hours per week. No significant association was found in females. There is a significant association between long working hours and sleep problems in male teachers. Reducing working hours may contribute to a reduction in sleep problems.

Impact of problem finding on the quality of authentic open inquiry science research projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labanca, Frank

2008-11-01

Problem finding is a creative process whereby individuals develop original ideas for study. Secondary science students who successfully participate in authentic, novel, open inquiry studies must engage in problem finding to determine viable and suitable topics. This study examined problem finding strategies employed by students who successfully completed and presented the results of their open inquiry research at the 2007 Connecticut Science Fair and the 2007 International Science and Engineering Fair. A multicase qualitative study was framed through the lenses of creativity, inquiry strategies, and situated cognition learning theory. Data were triangulated by methods (interviews, document analysis, surveys) and sources (students, teachers, mentors, fair directors, documents). The data demonstrated that the quality of student projects was directly impacted by the quality of their problem finding. Effective problem finding was a result of students using resources from previous, specialized experiences. They had a positive self-concept and a temperament for both the creative and logical perspectives of science research. Successful problem finding was derived from an idiosyncratic, nonlinear, and flexible use and understanding of inquiry. Finally, problem finding was influenced and assisted by the community of practicing scientists, with whom the students had an exceptional ability to communicate effectively. As a result, there appears to be a juxtaposition of creative and logical/analytical thought for open inquiry that may not be present in other forms of inquiry. Instructional strategies are suggested for teachers of science research students to improve the quality of problem finding for their students and their subsequent research projects.

Impact on quality of life in teachers after educational actions for prevention of voice disorders: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Pizolato, Raquel Aparecida; Rehder, Maria Inês Beltrati Cornacchioni; Meneghim, Marcelo de Castro; Ambrosano, Glaucia Maria Bovi; Mialhe, Fábio Luiz; Pereira, Antonio Carlos

2013-02-27

Voice problems are more common in teachers due to intensive voice use during routine at work. There is evidence that occupational disphonia prevention programs are important in improving the quality voice and consequently the quality of subjects' lives. To investigate the impact of educational voice interventions for teachers on quality of life and voice. A longitudinal interventional study involving 70 teachers randomly selected from 11 public schools, 30 to receive educational intervention with vocal training exercises and vocal hygiene habits (experimental group) and 40 to receive guidance on vocal hygiene habits (control group control). Before the process of educational activities, the Voice-Related Quality of Life instrument (V-RQOL) was applied, and 3 months after conclusion of the activities, the subjects were interviewed again, using the same instrument. For data analysis, Prox MIXED were applied, with a level of significance α < 0.05. Teachers showed significantly higher domain and overall V-RQOL scores after preventive intervention, in both control and experimental groups. Nevertheless, there was no statistical difference in scores between the groups. Educational actions for vocal health had a positive impact on the quality of life of the participants, and the incorporation of permanent educational actions at institutional level is suggested.

Impact on quality of life in teachers after educational actions for prevention of voice disorders: a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Voice problems are more common in teachers due to intensive voice use during routine at work. There is evidence that occupational disphonia prevention programs are important in improving the quality voice and consequently the quality of subjects’ lives. Aim To investigate the impact of educational voice interventions for teachers on quality of life and voice. Methods A longitudinal interventional study involving 70 teachers randomly selected from 11 public schools, 30 to receive educational intervention with vocal training exercises and vocal hygiene habits (experimental group) and 40 to receive guidance on vocal hygiene habits (control group control). Before the process of educational activities, the Voice-Related Quality of Life instrument (V-RQOL) was applied, and 3 months after conclusion of the activities, the subjects were interviewed again, using the same instrument. For data analysis, Prox MIXED were applied, with a level of significance α < 0.05. Results: Teachers showed significantly higher domain and overall V-RQOL scores after preventive intervention, in both control and experimental groups. Nevertheless, there was no statistical difference in scores between the groups. Conclusion Educational actions for vocal health had a positive impact on the quality of life of the participants, and the incorporation of permanent educational actions at institutional level is suggested. PMID:23445566

Policy Debate in Ethiopian Teacher Education: Retrospection and Future Direction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shishigu, Aweke; Gemechu, Eyasu; Michael, Kassa; Atnafu, Mulugeta; Ayalew, Yenealem

2017-01-01

Though, Ethiopia registered an extraordinary achievement in terms of increasing student enrolment, still quality of education remains a challenge and is becoming a bottleneck. One of the problems might be the structure and nature of teacher education itself. The purpose of this study therefore was to critically examine the existing literature and…

Class Size: A Battle between Accountability and Quality Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Januszka, Cynthia; Dixon-Krauss, Lisbeth

2008-01-01

A substantial amount of controversy surrounds the issue of class size in public schools. Parents and teachers are on one side, touting the benefits of smaller class sizes (e.g., increased academic achievement, greater student-teacher interaction, utilization of more innovative teaching strategies, and a decrease in discipline problems). On the…

Factors Associated with Teacher Delivery of a Classroom-Based Tier 2 Prevention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutherland, Kevin S; Conroy, Maureen A; McLeod, Bryce D; Algina, James; Kunemund, Rachel L

2018-01-01

Teachers sometimes struggle to deliver evidence based programs designed to prevent and ameliorate chronic problem behaviors of young children with integrity. Identifying factors associated with variations in the quantity and quality of delivery is thus an important goal for the field. This study investigated factors associated with teacher…

ADHD, Parent Perspectives and Parent-Teacher Relationships: Grounds for Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gwernan-Jones, Ruth; Moore, Darren A.; Garside, Ruth; Richardson, Michelle; Thompson-Coon, Jo; Rogers, Morwenna; Cooper, Paul; Stein, Ken; Ford, Tamsin

2015-01-01

Educational policy and the school effectiveness movement often involve rhetoric about the benefit of parent involvement in schools, but high-quality relationships between parents and teachers are not always straightforwardly achieved, and this may be particularly true in the case of parents of children presenting with academic problems and/or…

Training the Speaking Voice through Singing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sipley, Kenneth L.

Speech teachers and singing teachers have much in common. Both attempt in their teaching to develop the most powerful and effective instrument possible while trying to avoid vocal problems. Both have studied the physiology of the vocal mechanism to assist them in their teaching. Both are concerned with the expressive qualities of the voice as well…

Teacher-Student Perspectives of Invisible Pedagogy: New Directions in Online Problem-Based Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barber, Wendy; King, Sherry

2016-01-01

Universities and institutions of higher education are facing economic pressures to sustain large classes, while simultaneously maintaining the quality of the online learning environment (Deming et al., 2015). Digital learning environments require significant pedagogical shifts on the part of the teacher. This paper is a qualitative examination of…

The Effects of Project-and Activity-Supported Practices on Mathematics Education Achievement and Student Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tertemiz, Nese

2012-01-01

Problem Statement: Preservice teachers acquire the knowledge and skills needed for elementary mathematics education by themselves obtaining quality university educations and by being actively involved in mathematics. Thus, it is essential to make room in teacher education for student-centered projects and activities. Purpose of Study: This study…

Forming Artistic-Design Competency of Vocational Design Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falco, Vera P.; Fedorov, Vladimir A.; Dorozhkin, Evgenij M.; Merkushova, Nina I.; Bakanach, Olga V.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the problem under study is based on the necessity to achieve effectiveness of the learning process aimed at forming a competent specialist and ensuring the quality of training of vocational teacher of a certain subject (design). The aim of the article is to provide theoretical substantiation, to elaborate and to test the…

Improving the Quality of Evidence-Based Writing Entries in Electronic Portfolios

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denton, David W.

2012-01-01

The problem investigated in this study was whether entries written to an electronic portfolio by preservice teachers improved in quality after an intervention was deployed. The study also compared portfolio metadata to writing quality scores to determine whether there was a relationship. Participants included a convenience sample of 11…

Breaking the Mold on Air Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NEA Today, 2001

2001-01-01

Indoor air quality is a growing problem in aging school buildings. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers an Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools kit which is being used at schools nationwide to improve school maintenance. Profiles an aging school in Connecticut in which teachers were becoming ill to illustrate the use of the kit to…

A Comparative Study of Iranian Female Primary School Teachers' Quality of Life With and Without Voice Complaints.

PubMed

Aghadoost, Ozra; Moradi, Negin; Aghadoost, Alireza; Montazeri, Ali; Soltani, Majid; Saffari, Ali

2016-11-01

As the largest group of professional voice users, teachers are more likely to face voice disorders because of their specific job conditions. This study aimed to compare the quality of life in female teachers with and without voice complaints. This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. This was a cross-sectional study of samples of primary school female teachers with (n = 60) and without (n = 60) voice disorders. All teachers were serving in Tehran, Iran. Professional background information was obtained through interviews, and quality of life was measured using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire. A comparison was made between the study groups to analyze the data. The mean age of teachers was 44 (standard deviation = 3.95) years. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding their professional background. However, significant differences were observed between the two groups in all subscales of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, including physical and social functioning, role limitations because of either physical or emotional problems, bodily pain, general health, vitality, and mental health (P < 0.05). Findings of this study point to the effect of voice complaint on quality of life and showed that teachers with voice complaints suffer from poor health-related quality of life. Therefore, both voice-specific and unspecific assessment methods are required for clinical diagnostics. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Vision Screening of School Children by Teachers as a Community Based Strategy to Address the Challenges of Childhood Blindness.

PubMed

Kaur, Gurvinder; Koshy, Jacob; Thomas, Satish; Kapoor, Harpreet; Zachariah, Jiju George; Bedi, Sahiba

2016-04-01

Early detection and treatment of vision problems in children is imperative to meet the challenges of childhood blindness. Considering the problems of inequitable distribution of trained manpower and limited access of quality eye care services to majority of our population, innovative community based strategies like 'Teachers training in vision screening' need to be developed for effective utilization of the available human resources. To evaluate the effectiveness of introducing teachers as the first level vision screeners. Teacher training programs were conducted for school teachers to educate them about childhood ocular disorders and the importance of their early detection. Teachers from government and semi-government schools located in Ludhiana were given training in vision screening. These teachers then conducted vision screening of children in their schools. Subsequently an ophthalmology team visited these schools for re-evaluation of children identified with low vision. Refraction was performed for all children identified with refractive errors and spectacles were prescribed. Children requiring further evaluation were referred to the base hospital. The project was done in two phases. True positives, false positives, true negatives and false negatives were calculated for evaluation. In phase 1, teachers from 166 schools underwent training in vision screening. The teachers screened 30,205 children and reported eye problems in 4523 (14.97%) children. Subsequently, the ophthalmology team examined 4150 children and confirmed eye problems in 2137 children. Thus, the teachers were able to correctly identify eye problems (true positives) in 47.25% children. Also, only 13.69% children had to be examined by the ophthalmology team, thus reducing their work load. Similarly, in phase 2, 46.22% children were correctly identified to have eye problems (true positives) by the teachers. By random sampling, 95.65% children were correctly identified as normal (true negatives) by the teachers. Considering the high true negative rates and reasonably good true positive rates and the wider coverage provided by the program, vision screening in schools by teachers is an effective method of identifying children with low vision. This strategy is also valuable in reducing the workload of the eye care staff.

Does Fidelity of Implementation Account for Changes in Teacher-Child Interactions in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Banking Time?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LoCasale-Crouch, Jennifer; Williford, Amanda; Whittaker, Jessica; DeCoster, Jamie; Alamos, Pilar

2018-01-01

This study examined fidelity of implementation in a randomized trial of Banking Time, a classroom-based intervention intended to improve children's behavior, specifically for those at risk for developing externalizing behavior problems, through improving the quality of teacher-child interactions. The study sample comes from a randomized controlled…

Problems with Coursebooks in EFL Classrooms: Prospective Teachers' Opinions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arikan, Arda

2009-01-01

In today's classrooms, coursebooks remain as the major instructional instrument and resource and effectiveness and quality of coursebooks must be studied in their actual classroom use. In this study, opinions of future teachers of English are collected and analyzed to shed light on what happens in Turkish EFL classrooms in regards to the use of…

Preparing Special Educators for Work in Rural Areas: Two Field-Based Programs That Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minner, Sam; Prater, Greg

In response to a problem in recruiting and retaining special education teachers on the Navajo Reservation, the Rural Special Education Project (RSEP) was designed to prepare special education teachers to deliver quality services to Navajo children with handicapping conditions. The RSEP is a partnership between Northern Arizona University and the…

Inclusivity: An Effective Tool for Achieving Quality Mathematics Classroom Instruction in Nigerian Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bature, Iliya Joseph; Atweh, Bill; Treagust, David

2016-01-01

Mathematics classrooms instruction in Nigeria secondary schools has been termed a major problem to both teachers and their students. Most classroom activities are teacher-centred with students as mere listeners and recipients of knowledge rather than being active initiators of their knowledge. This paper seeks to investigate the effects of…

Indoor Air Quality: Tools for Schools Action Kit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Indoor Air Div.

Good indoor air quality contributes to a favorable learning environment for students, productivity for teachers and staff, and a sense of comfort, health, and well-being for all school occupants. The goal of this kit is to provide clear and easily applied guidance that will help prevent Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) problems and resolve such problems…

The Chasm Remains.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Paul T.; Guin, Kacey; Celio, Mary Beth

2003-01-01

Argues that "A Nation at Risk" failed to address adequately problems of urban education, and thus the achievement gap between minority and white students still exists. Describes several problems that still plague low-performing urban schools, such as bureaucratic aversion to change, high levels of poverty, and low teacher quality and…

Developing Great Administrators One Teacher at a Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Kristen

2010-01-01

Principal shortages have become a nationwide issue, with education publications frequently discussing the devastating problem of not having enough high-quality candidates apply for administrative positions. The conundrum begs the question: Where have all the instructional leaders gone? To meet the challenge of keeping high-quality principal…

How do teachers with self-reported voice problems differ from their peers with self-reported voice health?

PubMed

Lyberg Åhlander, Viveka; Rydell, Roland; Löfqvist, Anders

2012-07-01

This randomized case-control study compares teachers with self-reported voice problems to age-, gender-, and school-matched colleagues with self-reported voice health. The self-assessed voice function is related to factors known to influence the voice: laryngeal findings, voice quality, personality, psychosocial and coping aspects, searching for causative factors of voice problems in teachers. Subjects and controls, recruited from a teacher group in an earlier questionnaire study, underwent examinations of the larynx by high-speed imaging and kymograms; voice recordings; voice range profile; audiometry; self-assessment of voice handicap and voice function; teaching and environmental aspects; personality; coping; burnout, and work-related issues. The laryngeal and voice recordings were assessed by experienced phoniatricians and speech pathologists. The subjects with self-assessed voice problems differed from their peers with self-assessed voice health by significantly longer recovery time from voice problems and scored higher on all subscales of the Voice Handicap Index-Throat. The results show that the cause of voice dysfunction in this group of teachers with self-reported voice problems is not found in the vocal apparatus or within the individual. The individual's perception of a voice problem seems to be based on a combination of the number of symptoms and of how often the symptoms occur, along with the recovery time. The results also underline the importance of using self-assessed reports of voice dysfunction. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of Risk Factors for Development of Voice Disorders and its Impact on the Quality of Life of School Teachers in Mangalore, India.

PubMed

Alva, Arati; Machado, Megna; Bhojwani, Kiran; Sreedharan, Suja

2017-01-01

School teachers are most prone to the development and detrimental effects of voice disorders as a consequence of their work. The risk factors for development of dysphonia in teachers are multifactorial. The primary aim of our study was to investigate the various risk factors that influence the onset and progression of voice disorders in school teachers in the Indian context. We wanted to assess the effect of voice problems on the physical, psychosocial and functional aspect of a teacher's life. It was a cross-sectional study conducted across three English medium institutions. A total of 105 teachers consented to participate in the study and they had to answer a semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire, which included demographic details, living habits (drug intake, smoking and alcohol intake) health condition [any Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), stress, etc., or any history of surgery], teaching characteristics, voice symptoms and physical discomforts and quality of life assessment. The completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed based on the responses obtained. It was found that 81% of the study population had voice problems at some point of their career. A total of 26% of them fell into the voice disorder category. The association of upper respiratory infections DNS and GERD with voice disorders was found to be statistically significant. We also found that a significant number of teachers with voice disorders had changed their teaching styles and were planning to opt for an early retirement. Most importantly, it was also seen that teachers with voice disorders were more likely to have a poorer quality of life as compared to those without a voice disorder (p<0.001). Voice disorders had a significant bearing on all the spheres of a school teacher's life. The affected teachers were more likely to take sick leaves, change overall job opinions, retire early, reduce overall communiations, repeat statements and avoid talking to people in person as well as over the telephone. It reduced their overall social abilities and made them avoid social activities. They got easily upset and were dissatisfied with their job performance. All these in turn deteriorate the quality of life in these individuals.

Educational Environment Risks: Problems of Identification and Classification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kayumova, Leysan R.; Zakirova, Venera G.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the research problem is determined by the multidimensionality of educational environment, that is the system of business and interpersonal relationships of educational process subjects. The maintenance of these relations defines quality and nature of risks for teachers and their pupils. The article aims to identify and justify the…

Some Problems in the Aesthetics of Dance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Best, David N.

1975-01-01

Author considered the two-horned dilemma the teacher of dance is faced with concerning the aesthetic quality of her art; in the first case is the insistence on the importance of individual emotional response and secondly is the problem of being rational in one's approach to teaching dance. (Author/RK)

Historians and Film: Some Problems and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, John E.

1973-01-01

The growing interest towards using film in history classes and by historians developing a methodology for research into film is discussed in this article. Problems of using films for teachers focus on cost and poor quality. Difficulties for historical researchers concern the treatment of historical documents in film medium -- recording,…

Public Education: Special Problems in Collective Negotiations--An Overview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberer, Walter E.

Because of the advent of collective negotiations, public education will never again be completely in control of local school boards. Collective negotiations will probably improve the quality of education to the extent that quality (higher salaries, smaller classes, better working conditions, etc.) coincides with the self-interest of teachers. The…

The Qualities of Teachers Who Instruct Peace Education: Views of Prospective Teachers' Who Attended the Peace Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polat, Soner; Arslan, Yaser; Günçavdi, Gizem

2016-01-01

The concept of peace can be described as the values including respecting features such as race, gender, religion, physical appearance, and age; appreciating diversities, unity, cooperation, tolerance and being fair. Related to this, the concept of peace education can be defined as an educational process during which peaceful problem-solving…

The Development of Professional Mobility of Teachers in Supplemental Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valeeva, Roza A.; Amirova, Lyudmila A.

2016-01-01

Actual continuity of the problems stated in this article caused by the fact that modern education is directed at the formation of a mobile person of the teacher, who is able to transform the educational reality and himself in accordance with the requirements of a developing society, and to provide not only high-quality mastering studying the…

La Formacion Docente y la Educacion Primaria en Una Propuesta de Cambio (Teacher Training on Education: A Proposal for Change).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Enrique Alonso, Ed.

In order to raise the quality of teaching and teacher education in Uruguay, a program of innovation and change was considered at a 1986 educational conference. Conference goals included identifying ways to: (1) increase opportunities to promote innovation and change; (2) search for strategies to encourage creative problem solving; (3) increase…

An Evaluation of the Evidence Base for Performance Feedback to Improve Teacher Praise Using CEC's Quality Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweigart, Chris A.; Collins, Lauren W.; Evanovich, Lauren L.; Cook, Sara Cothren

2016-01-01

Despite a rich body of empirical evidence that supports the use of teacher praise to improve student outcomes, it continues to be underused in practice. One method of ameliorating this problem is the use of performance feedback. Although some studies have indicated that the use of performance feedback is an effective approach for increasing…

The Research of Software Engineering Curriculum Reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuang, Li-Qun; Han, Xie

With the problem that software engineering training can't meet the needs of the community, this paper analysis some outstanding reasons in software engineering curriculum teaching, such as old teaching contents, weak in practice and low quality of teachers etc. We propose the methods of teaching reform as guided by market demand, update the teaching content, optimize the teaching methods, reform the teaching practice, strengthen the teacher-student exchange and promote teachers and students together. We carried out the reform and explore positive and achieved the desired results.

A Survey of Turkish Pre-Service Science Teachers' Attitudes toward the Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özsoy, Sibel

2012-01-01

Problem Statement: Increasing global population and unrestrained consumption of natural resources has resulted in increasing pollution, poor air and water quality and the extinction of animal and plant species. Today, environmental problems are experienced worldwide and threatening the continuity of human life. For the sake of human beings,…

The Role of Classroom-Level Child Behavior Problems in Predicting Preschool Teacher Stress and Classroom Emotional Climate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman-Krauss, Allison Hope; Raver, C. Cybele; Morris, Pamela A.; Jones, Stephanie M.

2014-01-01

Research Findings: Despite the abundance of research suggesting that preschool classroom quality influences children's social-emotional development, the equally important and related question of how characteristics of children enrolled in a classroom influence classroom quality has rarely been addressed. The current article focuses on this…

Preparing Early Childhood Practitioners for Work in Multiple Settings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roderick, Jessie A.

A number of professional qualities might be developed in a program designed to prepare early childhood teachers to function in multiple settings. Solving problems, assessing situations, communicating with a range of people, and being flexible and innovative are such qualities. But one can also view prepararing educators to function in multiple…

Adjustment problems in the family and school contexts, attitude towards authority, and violent behavior at school in adolescence.

PubMed

Musitu Ochoa, Gonzalo; Estévez Lopez, Estefania; Emler, Nicholas P

2007-01-01

This study analyzed the role of different but interrelated variables in the family and school contexts in relation to problems of violent behavior at school during adolescence. Participants were 1,068 students aged 11 to 16 (47% male) drawn from secondary schools in the Valencian Community (Spain). Statistical analyses were carried out using structural equation modeling. The model accounted for 32% of the variance in school violence. Results showed a direct association between quality of communication with father and teacher's expectations of the student with the adolescent's involvement in violent behavior at school. Moreover, findings showed indirect paths by which adolescents' self-concept (family and school domains), acceptance by peers, and attitude toward authority, seemed to be influenced by the quality of interactions with parent and teachers, and also were closely associated with violent behavior at school. Findings are discussed in relation to previous research on adolescent psychosocial adjustment and behavioral problems at school.

On Reflective Teaching of EFL Teachers in Local Universities of China--A Case Study of Leshan Normal University, Sichuan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Zou; Ye, Zhou

2016-01-01

Presently, China plays a vital role in the world. Therefore, Chinese passion for English has reached an unprecedented level. Nevertheless, various problems occur in EFL teaching. Thus, EFL teachers must make the teaching qualities better by reflective teaching, an effective way to improving EFL teaching. The paper is to study the definitions,…

Improvement of Faculty's Qualities in Medical Colleges and the Construction of a "Five-in-One" Cultivation System under the Pattern of PBL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Qin; Li, Hang; Zeng, Fancai; Zeng, Xiaorong; Zheng, Lige; Li, Xiang

2009-01-01

The instructional pattern of Problem-based Learning, which requires teachers to be "organizers, guides and cooperators" of their students' learning, is now becoming a trend in the development of medical education around the world. In order to be competent in all the above mentioned roles, teachers need to be equipped with corresponding…

Differential Outcomes of Sleep Problems in Children with and Without Special Health Care Needs: Australian Population Study.

PubMed

Quach, Jon; Mensah, Fiona K; Hiscock, Harriet

2016-06-01

In a nationally representative sample of Australian children at ages 4 to 5, 6 to 7, 8 to 9, 10 to 11, and 12 to 13 years, we aim to examine the (1) prevalence of sleep problems in children with and without special health care needs (SHCN); (2) association of sleep problems with child behavior, health-related quality of life, learning and parent mental health outcomes; and (3) whether associations between sleep problems and outcomes among children with SHCN are larger in magnitude than among children without SHCN. Biennial data from 5 waves of the Growing Up in Australia Study. Child SHCN as defined by the Children Special Health Care Needs Screener and parent report of child sleep problem. Child: parent-reported health-related quality of life; parent-reported and teacher-reported behavior; nonverbal and verbal cognition and teacher-reported learning. Parent: self-report mental health. Logistic and linear regression, adjusted for family socioeconomic position. Children with SHCN were more likely to have sleep problems, odds ranging from 2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-2.5) at 4 to 5 years to 3.9 (95% CI, 3.0-5.2) at 8 to 9 years. Compared with children who had neither condition, those with either sleep problems or SHCN had similarly poor child and maternal outcomes. Children with both SHCN and sleep problems had the poorest outcomes at every age (all p < .001). Tests of interaction found sleep problems are more strongly associated with poorer behavior and health-related quality of life among children with SHCN than those without during the preschool and early school years. Sleep problems in children with SHCN are common and are associated with poorer child and maternal outcomes. These associations are stronger for poorer behavior and health-related quality of life among children with SHCN than those without during the preschool and early school years.

Observations of Effective Teacher–Student Interactions in Secondary School Classrooms: Predicting Student Achievement With the Classroom Assessment Scoring System—Secondary

PubMed Central

Allen, Joseph; Gregory, Anne; Mikami, Amori; Lun, Janetta; Hamre, Bridget; Pianta, Robert

2017-01-01

Multilevel modeling techniques were used with a sample of 643 students enrolled in 37 secondary school classrooms to predict future student achievement (controlling for baseline achievement) from observed teacher interactions with students in the classroom, coded using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System—Secondary. After accounting for prior year test performance, qualities of teacher interactions with students predicted student performance on end-of-year standardized achievement tests. Classrooms characterized by a positive emotional climate, with sensitivity to adolescent needs and perspectives, use of diverse and engaging instructional learning formats, and a focus on analysis and problem solving were associated with higher levels of student achievement. Effects of higher quality teacher–student interactions were greatest in classrooms with fewer students. Implications for teacher performance assessment and teacher effects on achievement are discussed. PMID:28931966

Does the University-Industry Link Affect Solving Challenges of the Job Market? Lessons From Teacher Education and the Ministry of Education in Malawi

PubMed Central

Mkandawire, Matthews Tiwaone; Luo, Zubing; Maulidi, Felix Kondwani

2018-01-01

About half of the secondary school teachers in Malawi are professionally unqualified. Furthermore, the net enrolment of eligible pupils in secondary schools is at 36% per year. Hence, this study sought to establish factors affecting access to quality and relevant secondary education in Malawi with reference to coordination, collaboration, and feedback between secondary school teacher education institutions and the Ministry of Education. Officials from the Ministry of Education and secondary school teacher training colleges participated in the study. Findings suggest that there is weak collaboration, coordination, and feedback between teacher training institutions and the Ministry of Education which is affecting the quality and relevance of education in Malawi. The study has also established that the weak linkage has resulted into perceived mismatches between expectations of the ministry and those of the education institutions about the problem in question. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed in this article. PMID:29417093

They need to be recognized as a person in everyday life: Teachers’ and helpers’ experiences of teacher–student relationships in upper secondary school

PubMed Central

Krane, Vibeke; Karlsson, Bengt; Ness, Ottar; Binder, Per-Einar

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore how teachers and helpers experience that teacher–student relationship (TSR) is developed and promoted in upper secondary school. We also explored their experiences of qualities of TSR with students with mental health problems or at risk of dropping out. The study used a qualitative and participative approach; key stakeholders were included as co-researchers. Focus group interviews were held with 27 teachers and helpers. A thematic analysis was conducted. The participants’ descriptions of important experiential dimensions of TSR were clustered around four themes: (1) to be recognized as a person with strengths and challenges in everyday life, (2) collaborative relationships between students and teachers, (3) flexible boundaries in the relationship between teachers and students and (4) organization of classes and procedures set the stage for TSR. Collaborative, emotional and contextual qualities were found important to the development of TSR in upper secondary school. Experiences of negative qualities of TSR can contribute to push students out of school. Teachers and helpers experience that TSR may have the potential to play a role in promoting mental health in students’ everyday life. PMID:27707451

Attitude Change as a Result of a Short Course on Environmental Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milson, James L.

This study was conducted to determine what attitude changes take place in a group of secondary school teachers as a result of participation in a short course on the environmental problems of air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, population problems and the use of natural resources. A secondary purpose was to determine if the teachers…

The Problem of Correspondence of Educational and Professional Standards (Results of Empirical Research)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piskunova, Elena; Sokolova, Irina; Kalimullin, Aydar

2016-01-01

In the article, the problem of correspondence of educational standards of higher pedagogical education and teacher professional standards in Russia is actualized. Modern understanding of the quality of vocational education suggests that in the process of education the student develops a set of competencies that will enable him or her to carry out…

Study of Risk Factors for Development of Voice Disorders and its Impact on the Quality of Life of School Teachers in Mangalore, India

PubMed Central

Machado, Megna; Bhojwani, Kiran; Sreedharan, Suja

2017-01-01

Introduction School teachers are most prone to the development and detrimental effects of voice disorders as a consequence of their work. The risk factors for development of dysphonia in teachers are multifactorial. Aim The primary aim of our study was to investigate the various risk factors that influence the onset and progression of voice disorders in school teachers in the Indian context. We wanted to assess the effect of voice problems on the physical, psychosocial and functional aspect of a teacher’s life. Materials and Methods It was a cross-sectional study conducted across three English medium institutions. A total of 105 teachers consented to participate in the study and they had to answer a semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire, which included demographic details, living habits (drug intake, smoking and alcohol intake) health condition [any Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), stress, etc., or any history of surgery], teaching characteristics, voice symptoms and physical discomforts and quality of life assessment. The completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed based on the responses obtained. Results It was found that 81% of the study population had voice problems at some point of their career. A total of 26% of them fell into the voice disorder category. The association of upper respiratory infections DNS and GERD with voice disorders was found to be statistically significant. We also found that a significant number of teachers with voice disorders had changed their teaching styles and were planning to opt for an early retirement. Most importantly, it was also seen that teachers with voice disorders were more likely to have a poorer quality of life as compared to those without a voice disorder (p<0.001). Conclusion Voice disorders had a significant bearing on all the spheres of a school teacher’s life. The affected teachers were more likely to take sick leaves, change overall job opinions, retire early, reduce overall communiations, repeat statements and avoid talking to people in person as well as over the telephone. It reduced their overall social abilities and made them avoid social activities. They got easily upset and were dissatisfied with their job performance. All these in turn deteriorate the quality of life in these individuals. PMID:28273984

Marital Quality, Maternal Depressed Affect, Harsh Parenting, and Child Externalising in Hong Kong Chinese Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Lei; Lansford, Jennifer E.; Schwartz, David; Farver, Joann M.

2004-01-01

The present study used a family systems approach to examine harsh parenting, maternal depressed affect, and marital quality in relation to children's externalising behaviour problems in a sample of 158 Hong Kong primary school children. At two time points, peers and teachers provided ratings of children's externalising behaviours, and mothers…

Quality Psychological Advice for Teachers, Parents/Carers and LEA Decision-Makers with Respect to Children and Young People with Special Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, R. J. (Sean); Monsen, Jeremy J.

2005-01-01

The main aim of this paper is to describe a working protocol which can offer practising educational psychologists a rational framework within which to investigate and understand the complex problems of children and young people in school and to provide appropriate advice to teachers, parents/carers and LEA decision makers on how they can best…

Design and Evaluation of a Real-Time Video Conferencing Environment for Support Teaching: An Attempt to Promote Equality of K-12 Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiong, Caiping; Ge, Jun; Wang, Qiyun; Wang, Xuejun

2017-01-01

Imbalanced allocation of teacher resources is a major factor causing inequality in K-12 education in China. Traditional ways to solve this problem, such as on-site support teaching and recorded lectures of quality teachers, have posed many defects. It is suggested that information and communication technology should be employed to deal with the…

Implementing a Primary Prevention Social Skills Intervention in Urban Preschools: Factors Associated with Quality and Fidelity

PubMed Central

Wenz-Gross, Melodie; Upshur, Carole

2012-01-01

Research Findings Preschool behavior problems are of increasing concern to early childhood educators. Preventive interventions are being developed, but implementation in under-resourced child care programs is challenging. This study describes the implementation of an adapted Second Step curriculum to increase children’s social skills and decrease behavior problems in preschool classrooms. Teacher training/coaching, organizational supports, and procedures for sustainability are described. Measures included baseline classroom characteristics, lesson completion and fidelity, and teacher satisfaction. Teachers completed 88% of the lessons across two years. Follow-up monitoring in Year 3, once all training was terminated, found 95% of lessons were delivered with higher fidelity than the first two years. Teachers were satisfied with training, felt the curriculum improved children’s social skills, and stated they would continue to use the curriculum. Lesson completion and fidelity were associated with various teacher characteristics, training attendance, classroom characteristics, teacher and child turnover, and the percent of children with developmental delays in the classroom. Practice Results support the implementation strategy and suggest that paying attention to teacher morale, general skill development, and a period of on-going support for training is important and will lead to sustainable and high implementation rates. PMID:22791957

Is This Your Child's World? How You Can Fix the Schools and Homes That Are Making Your Children Sick.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapp, Doris J.

The Federal Government reports that one-third of the nation's public schools are environmentally unsafe in ways that cause health problems to teachers and students and detract from educational quality. Environmentally induced diseases jeopardize those who already have health problems and deteriorates student learning ability. This book addresses a…

An Analysis of Teacher Investment in the Context of a Family-School Intervention for Children with ADHD.

PubMed

Power, Thomas J; Soffer, Stephen L; Mautone, Jennifer A; Costigan, Tracy E; Jones, Heather A; Clarke, Angela T; Marshall, Stephen A

2009-09-01

Intervention researchers have often failed to assess treatment integrity; when integrity is examined, the focus is typically on whether the steps of intervention have been applied and not on quality of implementation. In the few studies that have investigated intervention quality, the emphasis has been on how intervention is delivered and not how it is received or the degree of participant engagement. This study was designed to examine participant engagement, specifically teacher investment, in the context of family interventions for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that were linked with the school. The interventions included Family-School Success (FSS), a program that engages families and schools in a problem solving partnership, and Coping with ADHD through Relationships and Education (CARE), a program designed to provide education and support to families. Participants included the families and teachers of children in grades 2 through 6; 45 sets of families and teachers participated in FSS and 48 were in CARE. The Teacher Investment Questionnaire (TIQ) was designed to assess teacher engagement in intervention. The TIQ is a rating scale for clinicians to be completed during and after treatment. The findings provided support for the reliability and validity of the TIQ. Level of teacher involvement was demonstrated to decline with advancing grade level for FSS, but not CARE. Parent ratings of the quality of the family-school relationship as well as the level of teacher support for homework, assessed at baseline, were shown to be significantly related to clinician ratings of teacher investment post intervention. The findings highlight the importance of assessing participant engagement in intervention. Strategies to refine the assessment of teacher investment were discussed.

An Analysis of Teacher Investment in the Context of a Family-School Intervention for Children with ADHD

PubMed Central

Power, Thomas J.; Soffer, Stephen L.; Mautone, Jennifer A.; Costigan, Tracy E.; Jones, Heather A.; Clarke, Angela T.; Marshall, Stephen A.

2009-01-01

Intervention researchers have often failed to assess treatment integrity; when integrity is examined, the focus is typically on whether the steps of intervention have been applied and not on quality of implementation. In the few studies that have investigated intervention quality, the emphasis has been on how intervention is delivered and not how it is received or the degree of participant engagement. This study was designed to examine participant engagement, specifically teacher investment, in the context of family interventions for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that were linked with the school. The interventions included Family-School Success (FSS), a program that engages families and schools in a problem solving partnership, and Coping with ADHD through Relationships and Education (CARE), a program designed to provide education and support to families. Participants included the families and teachers of children in grades 2 through 6; 45 sets of families and teachers participated in FSS and 48 were in CARE. The Teacher Investment Questionnaire (TIQ) was designed to assess teacher engagement in intervention. The TIQ is a rating scale for clinicians to be completed during and after treatment. The findings provided support for the reliability and validity of the TIQ. Level of teacher involvement was demonstrated to decline with advancing grade level for FSS, but not CARE. Parent ratings of the quality of the family-school relationship as well as the level of teacher support for homework, assessed at baseline, were shown to be significantly related to clinician ratings of teacher investment post intervention. The findings highlight the importance of assessing participant engagement in intervention. Strategies to refine the assessment of teacher investment were discussed. PMID:20011679

Gender differences in sleep habits and quality and daytime sleepiness in elementary and high school teachers.

PubMed

de Souza, Jane Carla; Oliveira, Maria Luiza Cruz de; de Sousa, Ivanise Cortez; Azevedo, Carolina V M de

2018-04-01

The extensive workload of teachers inside and outside the classroom may contribute to sleep problems. Such problems may occur more frequently in women due to the combination of professional demands, domestic tasks, and their relatively greater sleep needs compared to men. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the influence of gender on sleep habits and quality, and daytime sleepiness in a sample of 243 teachers (77 men and 166 women) using questionnaires. Linear regression models were used to examine the effect of gender on sleep measures; the unadjusted model considered only gender and the adjusted model considered chronotype and work characteristics as potential confounders. Bedtimes of women were significantly earlier than men during the week, but not on weekends, in the unadjusted and adjusted models. Time in bed was longer for women throughout the week and weekend in the unadjusted model. However, in the adjusted model, this statistical significance disappeared, and longer time in bed during the week was associated with teaching in one shift and for both levels of education. In addition, the female gender was associated with higher sleepiness scores compared to males in both models, and worse sleep quality in the adjusted model. Also, sleep quality was worse in subjects working in three shifts and in both types of schools (public and private). The tendency to eveningness was associated with later bedtimes and wake up times during both week days and weekends, higher irregularity of bedtimes and wake up times, and higher sleepiness scores in the adjusted model. Therefore, we suggest that female teachers do not fulfill their sleep needs and show higher levels of diurnal sleepiness and poor sleep quality that can be modulated by chronotype and some work characteristics. More studies are needed to evaluate the role of double workload on this pattern.

Evaluation of knowledge and attitude of school teachers about emergency management of traumatic dental injury.

PubMed

Singh, Mala; Ingle, Navin Anand; Kaur, Navpreet; Yadav, Pramod

2015-01-01

Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) are widespread in the population and are a serious dental public health problem among children. Dental trauma may cause both functional and esthetic problems, with possible impacts on the patient's quality of life. To investigate teacher's knowledge and attitudes of Mathura city about emergency management of TDIs in children. A total of 352 teachers from total 23 schools of Mathura city were included in the study. Data were collected through a survey, which included a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three major parts containing multiple-choice questions. Among the teachers 51.1% were males and 48.9% were females. Majority of the respondents, that is, 33.5% were between 31 and 40 years of age. Most respondents (34%) had more than 10 years of teaching experience. Majority of the teachers (39.2%) had educational qualification other than B.Ed. and M.Ed. degrees. Physical education teachers comprised the largest group of school teachers. Regarding knowledge and attitude, the teachers with 10-20 years of teaching experience, physical education teachers, and the teachers other than B.Ed. and M.Ed. qualifications had given more correct answers to the questions when compared with other groups. For the teachers having a low level of knowledge, there is a need for greater awareness to improve teachers' knowledge and attitudes related to the emergency management of TDIs in children by organizing educative and motivational programs.

Experimental impacts of a teacher professional development program in Chile on preschool classroom quality and child outcomes.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Leyva, Diana; Snow, Catherine E; Treviño, Ernesto; Barata, M Clara; Weiland, Christina; Gomez, Celia J; Moreno, Lorenzo; Rolla, Andrea; D'Sa, Nikhit; Arbour, Mary Catherine

2015-03-01

We assessed impacts on classroom quality and on 5 child language and behavioral outcomes of a 2-year teacher professional-development program for publicly funded prekindergarten and kindergarten in Chile. This cluster-randomized trial included 64 schools (child N = 1,876). The program incorporated workshops and in-classroom coaching. We found moderate to large positive impacts on observed emotional and instructional support as well as classroom organization in prekindergarten classrooms after 1 year of the program. After 2 years of the program, moderate positive impacts were observed on emotional support and classroom organization. No significant program impacts on child outcomes were detected at posttest (1 marginal effect, an increase in a composite of self-regulation and low problem behaviors, was observed). Professional development for preschool teachers in Chile can improve classroom quality. More intensive curricular approaches are needed for these improvements to translate into effects on children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

How interdisciplinary teams can create multi-disciplinary education: the interplay between team processes and educational quality.

PubMed

Stalmeijer, Renee E; Gijselaers, Wim H; Wolfhagen, Ineke H A P; Harendza, Sigrid; Scherpbier, Albert J J A

2007-11-01

Many undergraduate medical education programmes offer integrated multi-disciplinary courses, which are generally developed by a team of teachers from different disciplines. Research has shown that multi-disciplinary teams may encounter problems, which can be detrimental to productive co-operation, which in turn may diminish educational quality. Because we expected that charting these problems might yield suggestions for addressing them, we examined the relationships between team diversity, team processes and course quality. We administered a questionnaire to participants from 21 interdisciplinary teams from 1 Dutch and 1 German medical school, both of which were reforming their curriculum. An adapted questionnaire on team learning behaviours, which had been validated in business contexts, was used to collect data on team processes, team learning behaviours and diversity within teams. We examined the relationship between the team factors and educational quality measures of the courses designed by the teams. A total of 84 teachers (60%) completed the questionnaire. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that several aspects of diversity, conflict, working climate and learning behaviour were correlated with course quality. The negative effects of the diversity measures, notably, value diversity, on other team processes and course quality and the positive association between psychological safety and team learning suggest that educational quality might be improved by enhancing the functioning of multi-disciplinary teams responsible for course development. The relationship between team processes and educational quality should be studied among larger study populations. Student ratings should also be considered in measuring educational quality.

A Blended Professional Development Program to Help a Teacher Learn to Provide One-to-One Scaffolding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belland, Brian R.; Burdo, Ryan; Gu, Jiangyue

2015-04-01

Argumentation is central to instruction centered on socio-scientific issues (Sadler & Donnelly in International Journal of Science Education, 28(12), 1463-1488, 2006. doi: 10.1080/09500690600708717). Teachers can play a big role in helping students engage in argumentation and solve authentic scientific problems. To do so, they need to learn one-to-one scaffolding—dynamic support to help students accomplish tasks that they could not complete unaided. This study explores a middle school science teacher's provision of one-to-one scaffolding during a problem-based learning unit, in which students argued about how to optimize the water quality of their local river. The blended professional development program incorporated three 1.5-h seminars, one 8-h workshop, and 4 weeks of online education activities. Data sources were video of three small groups per period, and what students typed in response to prompts from computer-based argumentation scaffolds. Results indicated that the teacher provided one-to-one scaffolding on a par with inquiry-oriented teachers described in the literature.

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.

Pre-service Science Teacher Education in Africa: Prospects and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogunniyi, M. B.; Rollnick, Marissa

2015-02-01

Since the independence era in the 1950s and 1960s, many African countries have recognised the important role that science plays in the socio-economic development of any country. As a result, various African governments have enacted policies and allocated a large proportion of their gross national product to the science and science education sector of the economy. For instance, many African countries introduced universal primary education and to cater for the bulging student population increased the number of their secondary schools considerably. However, the rapid expansion of educational facilities has to some degree compromised the quality of the science teaching in many African schools. Among the various problems facing science education in Africa since the independence era, however, the most frequently mentioned has been the shortage of qualified science teachers. Science teachers play a critical role in laying the foundation of scientific literacy of a country. Indeed, no education system can outperform the quality of its teachers.

Local Production: Principles and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittell, J. M. S.

1975-01-01

Presents the problems of Third World countries in acquiring science equipment to augment their science curriculum development plans. Outlines an attempt by Kenya Science Teachers College to produce and supply science equipment. Describes the approach to production, quality control, and costing and sales. (GS)

Evaluation of knowledge and attitude of school teachers about emergency management of traumatic dental injury

PubMed Central

Singh, Mala; Ingle, Navin Anand; Kaur, Navpreet; Yadav, Pramod

2015-01-01

Introduction: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) are widespread in the population and are a serious dental public health problem among children. Dental trauma may cause both functional and esthetic problems, with possible impacts on the patient's quality of life. Aim: To investigate teacher's knowledge and attitudes of Mathura city about emergency management of TDIs in children. Materials and Methods: A total of 352 teachers from total 23 schools of Mathura city were included in the study. Data were collected through a survey, which included a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three major parts containing multiple-choice questions. Results: Among the teachers 51.1% were males and 48.9% were females. Majority of the respondents, that is, 33.5% were between 31 and 40 years of age. Most respondents (34%) had more than 10 years of teaching experience. Majority of the teachers (39.2%) had educational qualification other than B.Ed. and M.Ed. degrees. Physical education teachers comprised the largest group of school teachers. Regarding knowledge and attitude, the teachers with 10–20 years of teaching experience, physical education teachers, and the teachers other than B.Ed. and M.Ed. qualifications had given more correct answers to the questions when compared with other groups. Conclusion: For the teachers having a low level of knowledge, there is a need for greater awareness to improve teachers’ knowledge and attitudes related to the emergency management of TDIs in children by organizing educative and motivational programs. PMID:25992335

Teacher Education and National Development. International Perspectives on the Role of Teacher Education in Nation Building. Proceedings of the International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) World Assembly (26th, Seoul, Korea, August 6-10, 1979).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leavitt, Howard B., Ed.; Klassen, Frank H., Ed.

The first section of this book deals with the concept of education as a developmental tool for the individual and for social institutions. Educational development is perceived as directed towards the problems of poverty and deprivation, social equality, quality of the environment, and participation in political processes. Section Two deals with…

The Organization of Schools as an Overlooked Source of Underqualified Teaching. Teaching Quality Policy Briefs. Number 7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy, 2002

2002-01-01

The study reported in this policy brief focuses on one aspect of unequal distribution of quality teaching--out-of-field placement. In schools serving primarily low-income and/or minority students, out-of-field teaching is an acute problem and occurs even though the causes have little to do with the lack of certified teachers. Rather, school…

The North East Regional Conference on Quality Educational Standards in Teaching. Summary Findings (Albany, March 7-8, 1969). QuEST Report Series, #1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Federation of Teachers, Washington, DC.

This booklet reports a workshop conference sponsored by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Council for Quality Educational Standards in Teaching (QuEST) to involve delegates from locals in clarifying and solving professional problems. Summary of the workshop on "The Diffuclut Child" includes description of the effects of disruptive children…

The challenges of staffing urban schools with effective teachers.

PubMed

Jacob, Brian A

2007-01-01

Brian Jacob examines challenges faced by urban districts in staffing their schools with effective teachers. He emphasizes that the problem is far from uniform. Teacher shortages are more severe in certain subjects and grades than others, and differ dramatically from one school to another. The Chicago public schools, for example, regularly receive roughly ten applicants for each teaching position. But many applicants are interested in specific schools, and district officials struggle to find candidates for highly impoverished schools. Urban districts' difficulty in attracting and hiring teachers, says Jacob, means that urban teachers are less highly qualified than their suburban counterparts with respect to characteristics such as experience, educational background, and teaching certification. But they may not thus be less effective teachers. Jacob cites recent studies that have found that many teacher characteristics bear surprisingly little relationship to student outcomes. Policies to enhance teacher quality must thus be evaluated in terms of their effect on student achievement, not in terms of conventional teacher characteristics. Jacob then discusses how supply and demand contribute to urban teacher shortages. Supply factors involve wages, working conditions, and geographic proximity between teacher candidates and schools. Urban districts have tried various strategies to increase the supply of teacher candidates (including salary increases and targeted bonuses) and to improve retention rates (including mentoring programs). But there is little rigorous research evidence on the effectiveness of these strategies. Demand also has a role in urban teacher shortages. Administrators in urban schools may not recognize or value high-quality teachers. Human resource departments restrict district officials from making job offers until late in the hiring season, after many candidates have accepted positions elsewhere. Jacob argues that urban districts must improve hiring practices and also reevaluate policies for teacher tenure so that ineffective teachers can be dismissed.

Parent-school relationships and children's academic and social outcomes in public school pre-kindergarten.

PubMed

Powell, Douglas R; Son, Seung-Hee; File, Nancy; San Juan, Robert R

2010-08-01

Two dimensions of parent-school relationships, parental school involvement and parents' perceptions of teacher responsiveness to child/parent, were examined in state-funded pre-kindergarten classrooms in a large urban school district. Children's social and academic outcomes were individually assessed in the fall and spring. Hierarchical Linear Modeling analyses revealed that parental school involvement positively predicted children's social skills (d=.55) and mathematics skills (d=.36), and negatively predicted problem behaviors (d=.47). Perceived teacher responsiveness to child/parent was positively related to children's early reading (d=.43), and social skills (d=.43), and negatively to problem behaviors (d=.61). All analyses controlled for quality of teacher interaction with children in the classroom, parental home involvement, parental education level, and child race/ethnicity. Copyright 2010 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Problems with science teaching and learning for English Language Learners in one diverse elementary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, Karen Margaret

This qualitative study centered on science instruction and learning that occurred in a Title I elementary school in a suburban district in southeast Texas. Twelve teachers were interviewed in order to understand their perceptions of their classroom practices in terms of science instruction and learning for English Language Learners (ELL). This study also analyzed information gathered from teacher lesson plan and classroom observations. The participants’ awareness of the instructional practices necessary for ELL student achievement in science was evident through analysis of interview transcripts. However, after observation of actual classroom instruction, it became apparent that the teaching and learning in most classrooms was not reflective of this awareness. This study proposes that this disconnect may be a result of a lack of quality professional development available to the teachers. The study also outlines and describes the characteristics of quality professional development and its relationship to focused instruction and continuous student improvement.

Links between sleep and daytime behaviour problems in children with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Esbensen, A J; Hoffman, E K; Beebe, D W; Byars, K C; Epstein, J

2018-02-01

In the general population, sleep problems have an impact on daytime performance. Despite sleep problems being common among children with Down syndrome, the impact of sleep problems on daytime behaviours in school-age children with Down syndrome is an understudied topic. Our study examined the relationship between parent-reported and actigraphy-measured sleep duration and sleep quality with parent and teacher reports of daytime behaviour problems among school-age children with Down syndrome. Thirty school-age children with Down syndrome wore an actigraph watch for a week at home at night. Their parent completed ratings of the child's sleep during that same week. Their parent and teacher completed a battery of measures to assess daytime behaviour. Parent reports of restless sleep behaviours on the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire, but not actigraph-measured sleep efficiency, was predictive of parent and teacher behavioural concerns on the Nisonger Child Behaviour Rating Form and the Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scales. Actigraph-measured sleep period and parent-reported sleep duration on the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire was predictive of daytime parent-reported inattention. Actigraph-measured sleep period was predictive of parent-reported hyperactivity/impulsivity. The study findings suggest that sleep problems have complex relationships to both parent-reported and teacher-reported daytime behaviour concerns in children with Down syndrome. These findings have implications for understanding the factors impacting behavioural concerns and their treatment in school-age children with Down syndrome. © 2017 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Professional Learning Communities That Initiate Improvement in Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royer, Suzanne M.

2012-01-01

Quality teaching requires a strong practice of collaboration, an essential building block for educators to improve student achievement. Researchers have theorized that the implementation of a professional learning community (PLC) with resultant collaborative practices among teachers sustains academic improvement. The problem addressed specifically…

Differential Susceptibility to Rearing Experience: The Case of Childcare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pluess, Michael; Belsky, Jay

2009-01-01

Background: Inconsistencies regarding developmental effects of non-maternal childcare may be caused by neglecting the possibility that children are differentially susceptible towards such experiences. Method: Interactions between difficult/negative child temperament and childcare type, quantity, and quality on teacher-rated behavior problems and…

The Maps in Medicine program: An evaluation of the development and implementation of life sciences curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Malley, Jennifer

There has been a downward trend in both science proficiency and interest in science in the United States, especially among minority students and students of a disadvantaged background. This has led to a downturn in the number of individuals within these groups considering a career in the sciences or a related field. Studies have identified many potential causes for this problem including the current structure of science curriculum, lack of teacher preparedness, and the lack of quality education and support for those students currently underrepresented in the sciences. Among the solutions to this problem include redesigning the science curriculum, offering high-quality professional development opportunities to teachers, and creating programs to give support to individuals currently underrepresented in the sciences, so that they may have a better chance of pursuing and obtaining a science career. The Maps in Medicine program (MiM) has been designed to incorporate all of the aforementioned solutions and apply them to the current science education problem. The Maps in Medicine (MiM) program was established at the University of Missouri -- Columbia, and is funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Newly developed MiM curricula and student activities are intended to promote positive attitude changes in those students who are currently underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, with the program also providing professional development to high school science teachers. It was important to determine if the MiM program's solution to the science education problem has been successful, and so the program evaluation piece was integral. A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate the MiM program. Formative evaluation results indicated a positive response from teachers and students regarding curriculum and professional development, and student activities. These results have also lead to the identification of appropriate improvements for the program, and will assist with the program's overall goal of national dissemination of MiM curriculum.

Teachers-Problems-Teachers' Problems: What is Considered as a Problem, among the Main Teacher Activities, by Hungarian Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mrazik, Julianna

2009-01-01

This paper is about a research focusing on recent problems of Hungarian teachers. The aim of the study is to reveal the real troubles of Hungarian pedagogues, on the basis of their answers to a questionnaire, the nature of these problems and how they affect the role of the teacher. Supposedly, the nucleus of the problems of the teachers is…

Educational Applications on the World Wide Web: An Example Using Amphion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedman, Jane

1998-01-01

There is a great deal of excitement about using the internet and the World Wide Web in education. There are such exciting possibilities and there is a wealth and variety of material up on the web. There are however many problems, problems of access and resources, problems of quality -- for every excellent resource there are many poor ones, and there are insufficiently explored problems of teacher training and motivation. For example, Wiesenmayer and Meadows report on a study of 347 West Virginia science teachers. These teachers were enrolled in a week-long summer workshop to introduce them to the internet and its educational potential. The teachers were asked to review science sites as to overall quality and then about their usefulness in their own classrooms. The teachers were enthusiastic about the web, and gave two-thirds of the sites high ratings, and essentially all the rest average ratings. But alarmingly, over 80% of these sites were viewed as having no direct applicability in the teacher's own classroom. This summer I was assigned to work on the Amphion project in the Automated Software Engineering Group under the leadership of Michael Lowry. I wished to find educational applications of the Amphion system, which in its current implementation can be used to create fortran programs and animations using the SPICE libraries created by the NAIF group at JPL. I wished to find an application which provided real added educational value, which was in line with educational curriculum standards and which would serve a documented need of the educational community. The application selected was teaching about the causes of the seasons -- at the approximately the fourth, fifth, sixth grade level. This topic was chosen because it is in line with national curriculum standards. The fourth, fifth, sixth grade level was selected to coincide with the grade level served by the Ames Aerospace Encounter, which services 10,000 children a year on field trips. The hope is that eventually the Ames Aerospace Encounter could be used as a test bed for the lessons developed. The topic is one which is difficult to teach and the necessity for new methods is documented in the educational literature. Current educational standards indicate that seasons should be part of the elementary school curriculum.

Teaching adolescents with learning disabilities to generate and use task-specific strategies.

PubMed

Ellis, E S; Deshler, D D; Schumaker, J B

1989-02-01

The effects of an intervention designed to enhance students' roles as control agents for strategic functioning were investigated. The goal was to increase the ability of students labeled learning disabled to generate new strategies or adapt existing task-specific strategies for meeting varying demands of the regular classroom. Measures were taken in three areas: (a) metacognitive knowledge related to generating or adapting strategies, (b) ability to generate problem-solving strategies for novel problems, and (c) the effects of the intervention on students' regular classroom grades and teachers' perceptions of the students' self-reliance and work quality. A multiple baseline across subjects design was used. The intervention resulted in dramatic increases in the subjects' verbal expression of metacognitive knowledge and ability to generate task-specific strategies. Students' regular class grades increased; for those students who did not spontaneously generalize use of the strategy to problems encountered in these classes, providing instruction to target specific classes resulted in improved grades. Teacher perceptions of students' self-reliance and work quality did not change, probably because baseline measures were already high in both areas. Implications for instruction and future research are discussed.

Bullying Victims' Perceptions of Classroom Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Havik, Trude

2017-01-01

This study investigated bullying victims' perceptions of their teachers' support and monitoring when controlling for level of mental health problems, peer relationships, gender, and grade level. Given the nested structure of the data, multilevel analyses were employed to examine these associations. The quality of classroom interaction is highly…

The effectiveness of a voice treatment approach for teachers with self-reported voice problems.

PubMed

Gillivan-Murphy, Patricia; Drinnan, Michael J; O'Dwyer, Tadhg P; Ridha, Hayder; Carding, Paul

2006-09-01

Teachers are considered the professional group most at risk of developing voice-problems, but limited treatment effectiveness evidence exists. We studied prospectively the effectiveness of a 6-week combined treatment approach using vocal function exercises (VFEs) and vocal hygiene (VH) education with 20 teachers with self-reported voice problems. Twenty subjects were randomly assigned to a no-treatment control (n = 11) and a treatment group (n = 9). Fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation was carried out on all subjects before randomization. Two self-report voice outcome measures were used: the Voice-Related Quality of Life (VRQOL) and the Voice Symptom Severity Scale (VoiSS). A Voice Care Knowledge Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), developed specifically for the study, was also used to evaluate change in selected voice knowledge areas. A Student unpaired t test revealed a statistically significant (P < 0.05) improvement in the treatment group as measured by the VoiSS. There was not a significant improvement in the treatment group as measured by the V-RQOL. The difference in voice care knowledge areas was also significant for the treatment group (P < 0.05). This study suggests that a voice treatment approach of VFEs and VH education improved self-reported voice symptoms and voice care knowledge in a group of teachers.

The socio-behavioral development of children with symptoms of attachment disorder: An observational study of teacher sensitivity in special education.

PubMed

Spilt, Jantine L; Vervoort, Eleonora; Koenen, Anne-Katrien; Bosmans, Guy; Verschueren, Karine

2016-09-01

Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) have serious socio-behavioral problems and often rely on socially abnormal, aggressive, and manipulative forms of communication. Little is known, however, about the influence of teachers on the socio-behavioral development of children with symptoms of RAD. This longitudinal study examined the influence of teacher sensitivity on the socio-behavioral development of children with symptoms of RAD across one school year. The sample included 85 Belgian children and 70 teachers from special education schools. In the previous school year, teachers rated Inhibited and Disinhibited RAD symptoms. In the next school year, teacher Sensitivity was observed in interactions with individual children in the first trimester. Teacher-rated Overt aggression, Relational aggression, and Prosocial behavior was assessed in the first, second, and third trimester. We found no effects of Sensitivity on Prosocial behavior. Also, no effects were found for children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms. For children with Inhibited RAD symptoms, increases in Overt and Relational aggression were observed when Sensitivity was low, whereas decreases were observed when Sensitivity was high. The results suggest that teacher sensitivity is associated with the socio-behavioral development of children with Inhibited RAD symptoms but not with the socio-behavioral development of children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms. Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) exhibit socio-behavioral problems that hinder their school adjustment. These socio-behavioral problems appear relatively stable and it is not known what influence special education teachers might have on the development of these problems across a school year. This study suggests that teacher sensitivity is associated with changes in the socio-behavioral development of children with Inhibited RAD symptoms. Whereas high sensitivity was associated with improvements, low sensitivity appeared to exaggerate the socio-behavioral problems of these children. As children with Inhibited RAD symptoms have difficulties communicating their needs and wishes in socially adaptive ways, it may not be easy for teachers to understand these children. Teachers may misinterpret a child's behavior and consequently will fail to respond to the child's underlying needs. This may reinforce the child's socio-behavioral problems and increase the child's reliance on egocentric and aggressive means in interactions with others. This study therefore highlights the need to support teachers in interactions with children with Inhibited RAD symptoms in order to help them understand how the children's observable behaviors in the classroom may convey their underlying socio-emotional needs and how they can respond to these needs. Importantly, teacher sensitivity was not associated with the socio-behavioral development of children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms (e.g., indiscriminate friendliness). Consistent with previous research, this study suggests that children with Inhibited RAD symptoms are more susceptible to the quality of the caregiving environment than children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms and extends this finding to the school context. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Presence and Quality of Kindergarten Children’s Friendships: Concurrent and Longitudinal Associations with Child Adjustment in the Early School Years

PubMed Central

Engle, Jennifer M.; McElwain, Nancy L.

2010-01-01

The presence and quality of friendships are posited to have developmental significance, yet little is known about the extent to which children without friends versus low-quality friendships compare on socioemotional adjustment. The current study utilized data from a subsample of 567 children (289 boys) participating in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Based on maternal reports at kindergarten, four friendship groups were formed: no friends, low quality, average quality, and high quality, and these groups were used to predict teacher-reported behavior problems and social skills concurrently (in kindergarten) and longitudinally (in first and third grade). Concurrently, low-quality friendships were associated with greater externalizing behavior, whereas high-quality friendships were associated with greater social skills. Longitudinally, having no friends in kindergarten was associated with higher levels of externalizing behavior for boys, but lower levels for girls. Children without friends also showed more internalizing problems at first grade. Lastly, having a high-quality friendship in kindergarten was associated with greater social skills in first and third grades, but only for boys. Results underscore high-quality friendship as a context for the development of social skills and indicate different trajectories of problem behavior for kindergarten children with no friends versus low-quality friendships. PMID:21822401

Multidimensional assessment of homework: an analysis of students with ADHD.

PubMed

Mautone, Jennifer A; Marshall, Stephen A; Costigan, Tracy E; Clarke, Angela T; Power, Thomas J

2012-10-01

Homework can have beneficial effects for students; however, it presents challenges, particularly for students with attention problems. Although effective homework interventions exist, intervention development and evaluation has been hampered by the lack of psychometrically sound measures. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of the Homework Performance Questionnaire (HPQ), Parent and Teacher Versions, in a sample of children with ADHD. A secondary purpose was to examine variations in homework performance as a function of individual characteristics, such as academic achievement, quality of the family-school relationship, and child's diagnostic status. The sample included 91 children (34% female) with ADHD in Grades 2 to 6. Measures included parent and teacher ratings of homework performance and the quality of the parent-teacher relationship as well as direct assessment of child academic achievement and homework performance (i.e., samples of completed assignments). Correlational analyses were used to examine construct validity, and ANOVAs were used to evaluate group differences. Each factor of the HPQ had a significant relationship with other measures of relevant constructs. There were no significant differences in homework performance between groups for ADHD subtype, medication status, or comorbidity, with the exception of learning disability. Children with ADHD and learning disabilities had significantly lower teacher ratings of academic competence. Results of the present study suggest that HPQ scores may be used to make valid inferences about the homework performance of children with attention problems. These rating scales may be helpful in progress monitoring and evaluating intervention effectiveness.

Walking Outdoors during Seminars Improved Perceived Seminar Quality and Sense of Well-Being among Participants

PubMed Central

Hedin, Björn; Tobiasson, Helena; Toivanen, Susanna

2018-01-01

Low levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour are a growing health problem globally. Physical inactivity is associated with increased risk of numerous ailments, cardiovascular disease and mortality. Our primary aim was to perform a feasibility study on how to incorporate physical activity among students and teachers in regular teaching activities. The second aim was to investigate how students and teachers perceived the differences between outdoor walking seminars and regular indoor seminars. By transforming an on-campus course into a blended course, we were able to conduct seminars outdoors in nearby nature while walking. These walking seminars were evaluated among 131 students and nine teachers leading the walking seminars. The responses to the student survey and teacher interviews indicate that discussions, sense of well-being and the general quality of the seminar improved, regardless of how physically active participants were the rest of the time. The study shows one way to increase physical activity with small means; in our case, a reorganization of how we prepared for the seminars which allowed for walking discussions. PMID:29425171

Parent-Teacher Communication about Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Examination of Collaborative Problem-Solving

PubMed Central

Azad, Gazi F.; Kim, Mina; Marcus, Steven C.; Mandell, David S.; Sheridan, Susan M.

2016-01-01

Effective parent-teacher communication involves problem-solving concerns about students. Few studies have examined problem solving interactions between parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a particular focus on identifying communication barriers and strategies for improving them. This study examined the problem-solving behaviors of parents and teachers of children with ASD. Participants included 18 teachers and 39 parents of children with ASD. Parent-teacher dyads were prompted to discuss and provide a solution for a problem that a student experienced at home and at school. Parents and teachers also reported on their problem-solving behaviors. Results showed that parents and teachers displayed limited use of the core elements of problem-solving. Teachers displayed more problem-solving behaviors than parents. Both groups reported engaging in more problem-solving behaviors than they were observed to display during their discussions. Our findings suggest that teacher and parent training programs should include collaborative approaches to problem-solving. PMID:28392604

Parent-Teacher Communication about Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Examination of Collaborative Problem-Solving.

PubMed

Azad, Gazi F; Kim, Mina; Marcus, Steven C; Mandell, David S; Sheridan, Susan M

2016-12-01

Effective parent-teacher communication involves problem-solving concerns about students. Few studies have examined problem solving interactions between parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a particular focus on identifying communication barriers and strategies for improving them. This study examined the problem-solving behaviors of parents and teachers of children with ASD. Participants included 18 teachers and 39 parents of children with ASD. Parent-teacher dyads were prompted to discuss and provide a solution for a problem that a student experienced at home and at school. Parents and teachers also reported on their problem-solving behaviors. Results showed that parents and teachers displayed limited use of the core elements of problem-solving. Teachers displayed more problem-solving behaviors than parents. Both groups reported engaging in more problem-solving behaviors than they were observed to display during their discussions. Our findings suggest that teacher and parent training programs should include collaborative approaches to problem-solving.

Factors Associated with Teacher Delivery of a Classroom-Based Tier 2 Prevention Program.

PubMed

Sutherland, Kevin S; Conroy, Maureen A; McLeod, Bryce D; Algina, James; Kunemund, Rachel L

2018-02-01

Teachers sometimes struggle to deliver evidence-based programs designed to prevent and ameliorate chronic problem behaviors of young children with integrity. Identifying factors associated with variations in the quantity and quality of delivery is thus an important goal for the field. This study investigated factors associated with teacher treatment integrity of BEST in CLASS, a tier-2 prevention program designed for young children at risk for developing emotional/behavioral disorders. Ninety-two early childhood teachers and 231 young children at-risk for emotional/behavioral disorders participated in the study. Latent growth curve analyses indicated that both adherence and competence of delivery increased across six observed time points. Results suggest that teacher education and initial levels of classroom quality may be important factors to consider when teachers deliver tier-2 (i.e., targeted to children who are not responsive to universal or tier-1 programming) prevention programs in early childhood settings. Teachers with higher levels of education delivered the program with more adherence and competence initially. Teachers with higher initial scores on the Emotional Support subscale of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) delivered the program with more competence initially and exhibited higher growth in both adherence and competence of delivery across time. Teachers with higher initial scores on the Classroom Organization subscale of the CLASS exhibited lower growth in adherence across time. Contrary to hypotheses, teacher self-efficacy did not predict adherence, and teachers who reported higher initial levels of Student Engagement self-efficacy exhibited lower growth in competence of delivery. Results are discussed in relation to teacher delivery of evidence-based programs in early childhood classrooms.

Inclusive Approach to the Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance of Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akhmetova, Daniya Z.

2014-01-01

Author focuses on three groups of problems: quality of distance learning and e-learning; necessity to develop the facilitation skills for teachers who work using distance learning technologies; realization of inclusive approach for the organization of distance learning in inclusive groups where people with disabilities study with people without…

Extended Teams in Vocational Education: Collaboration on the Border

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazereeuw, Marco; Wopereis, Iwan; McKenney, Susan

2016-01-01

Extended Teams (ETs), in which teachers and workplace supervisors are jointly responsible for the quality of education, were established to solve problems concerning school-workplace connections in vocational and professional education. Six ETs were investigated during their 1st year of collaboration. In addition to recordings of ET meetings,…

Scenario Problem Solving: A Measure of the Quality of Gifted Students' Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munro, John K.

2015-01-01

Teachers continue to face the challenge of identifying efficaciously gifted students' learning capacity in its multiple forms. While most educators acknowledge its multidimensional characteristics, the protocols used to identify it are frequently evaluated as unnecessarily restrictive. This study investigates an assessment tool that could…

What is the E.Q. (Environmental Quality) of Your School?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1971

Designed for elementary school use, this manual provides teachers with numerous experiments and activities to help children understand and evaluate the surrounding environment. Activities are planned to explore many aspects of the environmental problem. Suggestions for involvement in language arts, social studies, and mathematics are included…

A Systematic Means of Federal Support for Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Boyle, John R.

1982-01-01

Direct payment of teacher salaries by the federal government is one means of achieving uniform financial support of education, local tax relief, resolution of many professional problems and improvement of quality instruction and instructors. No change is proposed in local control of hiring, firing, seniority, tenure, or merit practices. (Author)

An Analysis of the Status of Curriculum Reform and Textbook Production in Indonesia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theisen, Gary; And Others

Curriculum reform in Indonesia during the past 2 decades has been marked by several themes. These themes include an increased emphasis on educational outcomes, greater standardization in instructional practices, improved teacher quality, and increased locally relevant curricula. Some problems recognized include an overloading of instructional time…

Novice Career Changers Weather the Classroom Weather

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gifford, James; Snyder, Mary Grace; Cuddapah, Jennifer Locraft

2013-01-01

A close look at one professional's career change into teaching illustrates unique challenges and qualities, showing in stark relief what makes the induction smoother and the experience more successful. This article presents the story of a novice career changer teacher that illustrates their unique problems and dispositions, as well as…

Tilling the Soil of the European Higher Education Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, John

2007-01-01

The Bologna Process presents both opportunities and challenges for teachers in the European area. As tensions surface between different forms of national legislation, accreditation and quality assurance, projects need to be developed that model ways of resolving problems within a European context. Utilising their links and network of contacts…

New Directions for Training Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, J. D.

Lower manpower quality and increasingly sophisticated equipment are creating training problems for both industry and the military. The training technology demanded by this situation must be delivered to and available at the job site, must be designed to motivate independent use by students rather than to encourage teacher acceptance, must be…

The GREENing of Learning: Using the Eighth Intelligence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Maggie

1997-01-01

Around Puget Sound, communities and elementary teachers value naturalist intelligence, the kind needed to solve environmental problems. As part of an integrated curriculum on water quality, sixth graders are learning about scientific procedures by performing dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity tests and taking samples of aquatic organisms. An…

The development of integrated service centre system for professional teachers empowerment in North Sumatera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gultom, S.; Simanjorang, M. M.; Muchtar, Z.; Mansyur, A.

2018-03-01

Based on Act number 12 in year 2012 the function of higher education is related to individual, social community, knowledge and technology development. Hence, higher education providers need to think and develop policies in order to improve their service and fulfil the higher education function. As part of the effort to fulfil its function Universitas Negeri Medan (Unimed), which historically was a pre-service teacher training institute, should has a special interest on improving teachers’ professionalism. The Act number 14 in year 2005 described requirements for professional teacher, including academic qualification and set of competencies possessed by the teacher. The Act also guaranties teachers’ right to have opportunities for improving their competencies and academic qualification through training and other professionalism development programme. The question is how this guarantee can be implemented. In order to answer this question a developmental study has been done which aimed on developing an integrated service centre system for professional teachers empowerment. As the name implies, this integrated service centre system is expected to be a real manifestation of Unimed’s support towards the improvement of professional teachers quality, which in the end will boils down to the improvement of national education services quality. The result of this study is an integrated service centre system for professional teachers empowerment that fulfils the professionalism principles described in the Act number 14 in year 2005, which has been developed by considering problems faced by and also supports needed by teachers post certification programme.

Teacher Competence and Teacher Quality in Cambodia's Educational Context Linked to In-Service Teacher Training: An Examination Based on a Questionnaire Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phin, Chankea

2014-01-01

Competent teacher is an indispensable pillar for students' learning outcome and education quality improvement. This paper examines Cambodian teachers' perception regarding: (1) teacher competence and improving education quality and (2) ensuring teacher quality and in-service teacher training. This study used questionnaire that targeted a line of…

Preschoolers' psychosocial problems: in the eyes of the beholder? Adding teacher characteristics as determinants of discrepant parent-teacher reports.

PubMed

Berg-Nielsen, Turid Suzanne; Solheim, Elisabet; Belsky, Jay; Wichstrom, Lars

2012-06-01

In this study, we explored informant characteristics as determinants of parent-teacher disagreement on preschoolers' psychosocial problems. Teacher characteristics were included in the analyses, in addition to child and parent factors. Psychosocial problems of 732 4-year olds from a Norwegian community sample were assessed by parents and teachers (CBCL-TRF). Furthermore, teachers reported on their education, experience and relationship to the child. Parental stress and psychopathology were also measured. Teachers rated children considerably lower than their parents did, especially on internalizing problems. When teachers rated more child problems, this was strongly associated with conflict in the teacher-child relationship, which predicted disagreement more than other factors. The highest agreement was on boys' externalizing problems. Girls' behavior was rated much lower by teachers than boys' behavior compared to parents' ratings. Possible teacher perception biases are discussed, such as teacher-child conflict, non-identification of internalizing problems, and same-gender child preference.

Facilitating evaluations of innovative, competence-based assessments: creating understanding and involving multiple stakeholders.

PubMed

Gulikers, Judith T M; Baartman, Liesbeth K J; Biemans, Harm J A

2010-05-01

Schools are held more responsible for evaluating, quality assuring and improving their student assessments. Teachers' lack of understanding of new, competence-based assessments as well as the lack of key stakeholders' involvement, hamper effective and efficient self-evaluations by teachers of innovative, competence-based assessments (CBAs). While evaluating two CBAs in Agricultural Vocational Education and Training institutions, two interventions in the evaluation process aimed to tackle these problems were examined: (1) starting with explicating the CBA in the teacher team using a concrete explication format and (2) qualitatively involving key stakeholders (i.e., teachers, students and employers) in the evaluation of the CBA through mixed-group interviews. Quantitative and qualitative analysis, as well as stakeholders' perceptions are used to find indications for the added value of these interventions for evaluation and further improvement of the CBAs. Results show that external facilitation is needed to make both interventions work. However, under this condition, explicating the CBA led to more complete, concrete and shared understandings of the actual CBA among teachers and mixed-groups interviews resulted in more concrete and elaborate evaluations of the CBAs' quality and more ideas for improvement. Both interventions can facilitate building up elaborate, more valid and concrete arguments for CBA quality in self-evaluations, certainly in the case of evaluating innovative assessments. Lessons learned will provide guidelines for incorporating the interventions into other evaluations of innovative programs. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Traits on Academic Development Among Youth.

PubMed

Horan, Jacqueline M; Brown, Joshua L; Jones, Stephanie M; Aber, J Lawrence

2016-06-01

The present study attempted to address developmental differences within the large group of youth with conduct problems through an examination of the relationship between callous-unemotional traits and academic outcomes in an effort to expand the field's understanding of heterogeneity in outcomes associated with behavior problems. Data were collected from a cohort of 3rd grade students (N = 942; 51 % female; 45.6 % Hispanic/Latino, 41.1 % Black/African American, 4.7 % Non-Hispanic White; mean age = 8.07 years) in eighteen public elementary schools, as well as their parents and teachers. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that callous-unemotional traits were associated with lower quality student-teacher relationships and worse performance on standardized math and reading exams over and above the effects of conduct problems. These findings suggest that school-based interventions may be particularly effective in ameliorating some of the deficits noted within this subset of youth exhibiting conduct problems. This finding has important policy implications as the field of developmental science attempts to design and enrich programs that focus on improving social-emotional learning.

Organisational interventions for improving wellbeing and reducing work-related stress in teachers.

PubMed

Naghieh, Ali; Montgomery, Paul; Bonell, Christopher P; Thompson, Marc; Aber, J Lawrence

2015-04-08

The teaching profession is an occupation with a high prevalence of work-related stress. This may lead to sustained physical and mental health problems in teachers. It can also negatively affect the health, wellbeing and educational attainment of children, and impose a financial burden on the public budget in terms of teacher turnover and sickness absence. Most evaluated interventions for the wellbeing of teachers are directed at the individual level, and so do not tackle the causes of stress in the workplace. Organisational-level interventions are a potential avenue in this regard. To evaluate the effectiveness of organisational interventions for improving wellbeing and reducing work-related stress in teachers. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ASSIA, AEI, BEI, BiblioMap, DARE, DER, ERIC, IBSS, SSCI, Sociological Abstracts, a number of specialist occupational health databases, and a number of trial registers and grey literature sources from the inception of each database until January 2015. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster-RCTs, and controlled before-and-after studies of organisational-level interventions for the wellbeing of teachers. We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Four studies met the inclusion criteria. They were three cluster-randomised controlled trials and one with a stepped-wedge design.Changing task characteristicsOne study with 961 teachers in eight schools compared a task-based organisational change intervention along with stress management training to no intervention. It found a small reduction at 12 months in 10 out of 14 of the subscales in the Occupational Stress Inventory, with a mean difference (MD) varying from -3.84 to 0.13, and a small increase in the Work Ability Index (MD 2.27; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.64 to 2.90; 708 participants, low-quality evidence).Changing organisational characteristicsTwo studies compared teacher training combined with school-wide coaching support to no intervention. One study with 59 teachers in 43 schools found no significant effects on job-related anxiety (MD -0.25 95% CI -0.61 to 0.11, very low-quality evidence) or depression (MD -0.26 95% CI -0.57 to 0.05, very low-quality evidence) after 24 months. The other study with 77 teachers in 18 schools found no significant effects on the Maslach Burnout Inventory subscales (e.g. emotional exhaustion subscale: MD -0.05 95% CI -0.52 to 0.42, low-quality evidence) or the Teacher Perceived Emotional Ability subscales (e.g. regulating emotions subscale: MD 0.11 95% CI -0.11 to 0.33, low-quality evidence) after six months.Multi-component interventionOne study with 1102 teachers in 34 schools compared a multi-component intervention containing performance bonus, job promotion opportunities and mentoring support to a matched-comparison group consisting of 300 schools. It found moderately higher teacher retention rates (MD 11.50 95% CI 3.25 to 19.75 at 36 months follow-up, very low-quality evidence). However, the authors reported results only from one cohort out of four (eight schools), demonstrating a high risk of reporting bias. We found low-quality evidence that organisational interventions lead to improvements in teacher wellbeing and retention rates. We need further evaluation of the effects of organisational interventions for teacher wellbeing. These studies should follow a complex-interventions framework, use a cluster-randomised design and have large sample sizes.

The associations of indoor environment and psychosocial factors on the subjective evaluation of Indoor Air Quality among lower secondary school students: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Finell, E; Haverinen-Shaughnessy, U; Tolvanen, A; Laaksonen, S; Karvonen, S; Sund, R; Saaristo, V; Luopa, P; Ståhl, T; Putus, T; Pekkanen, J

2017-03-01

Subjective evaluation of Indoor Air Quality (subjective IAQ) reflects both building-related and psychosocial factors, but their associations have rarely been studied other than on the individual level in occupational settings and their interactions have not been assessed. Therefore, we studied whether schools' observed indoor air problems and psychosocial factors are associated with subjective IAQ and their potential interactions. The analysis was performed with a nationwide sample (N = 195 schools/26946 students) using multilevel modeling. Two datasets were merged: (i) survey data from students, including information on schools' psychosocial environment and subjective IAQ, and (ii) data from school principals, including information on observed indoor air problems. On the student level, school-related stress, poor teacher-student relationship, and whether the student did not easily receive help from school personnel, were significantly associated with poor subjective IAQ. On the school level, observed indoor air problem (standardized β = -0.43) and poor teacher-student relationship (standardized β = -0.22) were significant predictors of poor subjective IAQ. In addition, school-related stress was associated with poor subjective IAQ, but only in schools without observed indoor air problem (standardized β = -0.44). © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teacher Quality and Teacher Mobility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feng, Li; Sass, Tim R.

2017-01-01

There is growing concern among policy makers over the quality of the teacher workforce in general, and the distribution of effective teachers across schools. The impact of teacher attrition on overall teacher quality will depend on the effectiveness of teachers who leave the profession. Likewise, teacher turnover may alleviate or worsen inequities…

Challenges of the ward round teaching based on the experiences of medical clinical teachers.

PubMed

Arabshahi, Kamran Soltani; Haghani, Fariba; Bigdeli, Shoaleh; Omid, Athar; Adibi, Peyman

2015-03-01

Holding educational sessions in a clinical environment is a major concern for faculty members because of its special difficulties and restrictions. This study attempts to recognize the challenges of the ward round teaching through investigating the experiences of clinical teachers in 2011. This qualitative research is carried out through purposive sampling with maximum variation from among the clinical teachers of major departments in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (9 persons). The sampling continued until data saturation. Data were collected through semi-structured interview and analyzed through Collaizzi method. Data reliability and validity was confirmed through the four aspects of Lincoln and Guba method (credibility, conformability, transferability, and dependability). Three major themes and their related sub-themes (minor themes) were found out including the factors related to the triad of clinical teaching (patient, learner, and clinical teacher) (concern about patient's welfare, poor preparation, lack of motivation, ethical problems), factors related to the educational environment (stressful environment, humiliating environment and poor communication) and the factors related to the educational system of the clinical environment (poor organizing and arrangement of resources, poor system's monitoring, bad planning and inadequate resource). Ward round teaching has many concerns for teachers, and this should be recognized and resolved by authorities and teachers. If these problems are not resolved, it would affect the quality of clinical teaching.

Challenges of the ward round teaching based on the experiences of medical clinical teachers

PubMed Central

Arabshahi, Kamran Soltani; Haghani, Fariba; Bigdeli, Shoaleh; Omid, Athar; Adibi, Peyman

2015-01-01

Background: Holding educational sessions in a clinical environment is a major concern for faculty members because of its special difficulties and restrictions. This study attempts to recognize the challenges of the ward round teaching through investigating the experiences of clinical teachers in 2011. Materials and Methods: This qualitative research is carried out through purposive sampling with maximum variation from among the clinical teachers of major departments in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (9 persons). The sampling continued until data saturation. Data were collected through semi-structured interview and analyzed through Collaizzi method. Data reliability and validity was confirmed through the four aspects of Lincoln and Guba method (credibility, conformability, transferability, and dependability). Results: Three major themes and their related sub-themes (minor themes) were found out including the factors related to the triad of clinical teaching (patient, learner, and clinical teacher) (concern about patient's welfare, poor preparation, lack of motivation, ethical problems), factors related to the educational environment (stressful environment, humiliating environment and poor communication) and the factors related to the educational system of the clinical environment (poor organizing and arrangement of resources, poor system's monitoring, bad planning and inadequate resource). Conclusion: Ward round teaching has many concerns for teachers, and this should be recognized and resolved by authorities and teachers. If these problems are not resolved, it would affect the quality of clinical teaching. PMID:26109975

Initial Impact of the Fast Track Prevention Trial for Conduct Problems: II. Classroom Effects

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of the universal component of the Fast Track prevention model: the PATHS (Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies) curriculum and teacher consultation. This randomized clinical trial involved 198 intervention and 180 comparison classrooms from neighborhoods with greater than average crime in 4 U.S. locations. In the intervention schools, Grade 1 teachers delivered a 57-lesson social competence intervention focused on self-control, emotional awareness, peer relations, and problem solving. Findings indicated significant effects on peer ratings of aggression and hyperactive–disruptive behavior and observer ratings of classroom atmosphere. Quality of implementation predicted variation in assessments of classroom functioning. The results are discussed in terms of both the efficacy of universal, school-based prevention models and the need to examine comprehensive, multiyear programs. PMID:10535231

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.

An Analysis of Secondary and Middle School Teachers' Mathematical Problem Posing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stickles, Paula R.

2011-01-01

This study identifies the kinds of problems teachers pose when they are asked to (a) generate problems from given information and (b) create new problems from ones given to them. To investigate teachers' problem posting, preservice and inservice teachers completed background questionnaires and four problem-posing instruments. Based on previous…

Latent profile analysis of teacher perceptions of parent contact and comfort.

PubMed

Stormont, Melissa; Herman, Keith C; Reinke, Wendy M; David, Kimberly B; Goel, Nidhi

2013-09-01

The purpose of the study was to explore patterns of parent involvement as perceived by teachers and identify correlates of these patterns. Parent involvement indicators and correlates were selected from a review of existing research. Participants included 34 teachers and 577 children in kindergarten through third grade. The vast majority of the sample was African American (78%), followed by Caucasian (19%) and other ethnic backgrounds (2%). Two subscales from the Parent Involvement-Teacher scale, contact and comfort, were entered as indicators in a latent profile analysis to determine the number and types of parent involvement classes. Contact included the frequency of interactions between parents and teachers; comfort included the quality of their relationship with the parent and how well their goals were aligned. Subsequent latent class regressions were conducted to identify student, school, and family characteristics associated with class membership. Three classes provided the optimal solution. This included two classes of parents with low contact with teachers but different comfort levels; one with low contact and low comfort (11%), and one with low contact but high comfort (71%). The remaining class, representing 18% of parents, was rated high on both contact and comfort. Low income status, family problems, and social, emotional, academic, and self-regulation problems distinguished the low comfort class from the other two classes. It is imperative to help teachers feel more comfortable working with families who may be experiencing substantial stressors and who also have children who need support across school and home settings.

Realization of Deflection-type Bridge instruments to determine soil moisture using Research-Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuliza, E.; Munir, M. M.; Abdullah, M.; Khairurrijal

2016-08-01

It is clear that the quality of education is directly related to the quality of teachers and the teaching methods. One of the teaching methods that can improve the quality of education is research-based learning (RBL) method. In this method, students act as the center of learning while teachers become the guides that provide direction and advice. RBL is a learning method that combines cooperative learning, problem solving, authentic learning, contextual case study and inquiry approach discovery. The main goal of this method is to construct a student that can think critically, analyze and evaluate problems, and find a new science from these problems (learning by doing). In this paper, RBL is used to improve the understanding about measurement using deflection-type Bridge that is implemented in the determination of ground water changes. In general, there are three stages that have been done. Firstly the exposure stage, then the experience stage and lastly the capstone stage. The exposure stage aims to increase the knowledge and the comprehension of student about the topic through understanding the basics concepts, reviewing the literature and others. The understanding gained in the exposure stage is being used for application and analysis at the experience stage. While the final stage is the publication of research results both verbally and in writing. Based on the steps that have been conducted, it can be showed that deflection-type Bridge can be utilized in soil moisture meter.

Changing the Discourse in Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eubanks, Eugene; Parish, Ralph

Efforts in the United States to provide a higher quality education for everyone regardless of race, class, and gender have had, at best, a very modest effect. This paper suggests that the effect of a change strategy depends on the discourse (how things are talked about when teachers solve problems, plan their work, create policy, and explain…

The Need for Educational Freedom in the Nation's Capital. Policy Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lartigue, Casey J.

This report asserts that the the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) are failing. The report claims that teacher incompetence, bureaucratic corruption, crumbling infrastructure, violence, lax academic standards, and wasteful spending are some of the many problems, and children attending the DCPS are not receiving a quality education.…

Relation between Metacognitive Awareness and Participation to Class Discussion of University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akman, Özkan; Alagöz, Bülent

2018-01-01

Form of inquiry should be based on cognitive approach, student-centered, question and inquiry-based, free of memorization and focused on high-level cognitive skills (critical-creative thinking and problem-solving) rather than conventional teacher-centered teaching and learning based on memorization and behavioral approach. The life quality of…

Methodical Development of a System of Social Success of the Future Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Absatova, M.; Ussenova, ?.; Seitenova, S.; Nurpeissova, L. B.

2016-01-01

The article describes the main approaches to the problem of social success of the individual. Analysis of scientific psychological and pedagogical literature showed that Modern life requires individuals, not only in business and organizational qualities, but also the ability to navigate in a changing environment, ability to communicate,…

Teaching Large Classes in Higher Education. How To Maintain Quality with Reduced Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Graham, Ed.; Jenkins, Alan, Ed.

This publication seeks to give practical assistance to teachers and administrators responsible for teaching large classes at collges and universities in the United Kingdom. Areas covered include class size, problems related to learning and teaching, teaching strategies in specific disciplines, field study experience and other subjects. The 12…

Childhood Obesity: Problems and Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Staveren, Tonia; Dale, Darren

2004-01-01

Schools and homes both play a role in contributing to the rising numbers of obese children. School teachers and administrators must do all they can to create a school environment that is conducive to children maintaining a healthy weight. Legislation designed to add quality physical education time to the school curriculum is imperative. Changes to…

GIS as a Tool in Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies: Student, Teacher, and Community Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alibrandi, Marsha

1998-01-01

Describes an application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology as a tool in an environmental community-service project in which students and adult community members participated in water-quality monitoring and biological assessment. Discusses issues and problems associated with technology in education and recommends a balance of…

Where We Stand: Early Childhood Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Federation of Teachers, Washington, DC.

This document details the position of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) regarding universal access to early childhood education as represented in a resolution of the AFT convention in 2003. The document points out that the lack of access to high-quality preschool programs is a major problem affecting nearly every working family, and as the…

Meeting the Challenge of Rural Pre-K. Federal Policy Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Matthew; Patterson, Kathy; Doggett, Libby

2008-01-01

Rural communities face significant obstacles in providing access to the high-quality pre-k programs needed to help mitigate these problems. In addition to limited local tax revenues, many rural areas experience high rates of poverty and a scarcity of qualified teachers. Given these and other challenges, federal investments may be necessary in…

Watching television for more than two hours increases the likelihood of reporting poor sleep quality among Brazilian schoolteachers.

PubMed

de Souza, Sara Carolina Scremin; Campanini, Marcela Zambrim; de Andrade, Selma Maffei; González, Alberto Durán; de Melo, Juliana Moura; Mesas, Arthur Eumann

2017-10-01

Although time spent watching television and sleep problems have increased in the last few decades, it is unclear whether these conditions are associated in working adults after controlling for lifestyle, job characteristics and other individual aspects. The present study analyzed the association between time spent watching television and sleep quality among teachers from public schools in Londrina, Brazil. In this cross-sectional study, information from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and about time spent watching television was obtained during personal interviews. Logistic regression models adjusted by the main confounders (sociodemographic, occupational and lifestyle variables) were used in the analyses. Among the 959 studied teachers (68.2% women, median age: 42years), teachers who watched >120min/day had a higher likelihood of reporting poor sleep quality (PSQI>5) (odds ratio=1.41; 95% confidence interval=1.01; 1.98) compared with those who watched television for up to 60min/day, regardless of gender, age, work hours, leisure time physical activity and other lifestyle variables. This association did not remain significant after the adjustment for health conditions, i.e., obesity, anxiety, depression and chronic pain, which may act as confounding variables in the relationship between watching television and poor sleep quality. Watching television for >120min/day was independently associated with poorer sleep quality, which should be considered in the prevention and treatment of sleep disturbances among working population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Elusiveness of Teacher Quality: A Comparative Analysis of Teacher Certification and Student Achievement in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiseman, Alexander W.; Al-bakr, Fawziah

2013-01-01

In national education systems worldwide, teacher quality has become synonymous with education reform efforts, but a more elusive goal is empirically measuring teacher quality. One proposed measure of teacher quality, teacher licensing, also known as certification, is an increasingly ubiquitous component of national education systems and…

Exploring Earth Systems Through STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Loris; Salmon, Jennifer; Burns, Courtney

2015-04-01

During the 2010 school year, grade 8 science teachers at Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School in Wyckoff, New Jersey, began using the draft of A Framework for K-12 Science Education to transition to the Next Generation Science Standards. In an evolutionary process of testing and revising, teachers work collaboratively to develop problem-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) units that integrate earth science, physical science, and life science topics. Students explore the interconnections of Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere through problem-based learning. Problem-based learning engages students in (1) direct observations in the field and classroom, (2) collection and analysis of data from remote sensors and hand-held sensors, and (3) analysis of physical, mathematical, and virtual models. Students use a variety of technologies and applications in their investigations, for example iPad apps, Google Classroom, and Vernier sensors. Data from NASA, NOAA, non-government organizations, and scientific research papers inspire student questions and spark investigations. Teachers create materials and websites to support student learning. Teachers curate reading, video, simulations, and other Internet resources for students. Because curriculum is standards-based as opposed to textbook-based, teacher participation in workshops and institutes frequently translates into new or improved study units. Recent programs include Toyota International Teacher Program to Costa Rica, Japan Society Going Global, Siemens STEM Academy, U.S. Naval Academy SET Sail, and NJSTA Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award Summer Institute. Unit themes include weather and climate, introduction to general chemistry and biochemistry, and cells and heredity. Each if the three 12-week units has embedded engineering challenges inspired by current events, community needs, and/or the work of scientists. The unit segments begin with a problem, progress to observations and data collection, and end with an engineering application. English language arts and mathematics skills are developed through performance assessments that include written arguments that require students to state a claim and support the claim with evidence, analysis, and reasoning. Student selected capstone projects are completed during the final three weeks of the school year. Partnerships with universities, research scientists, and science centers are essential to the development of unit challenges. Collaborative projects have included studies of iron cycling in the Ross Sea with scientists from Rutgers University, climate and climate change using NASA data and resources from Liberty Science Center, human and natural impacts on endangered species with San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and air quality monitoring with the University of Northern Iowa. Grant funds have supported student research projects involving air quality improvement, urban heat island mitigation, alternative energies, and sustainability.

Teachers' selection and enactment of mathematical problems from textbooks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Ji-Won; Kim, Ok-Kyeong

2015-12-01

In order to investigate how teachers' use of textbooks creates different kinds of opportunities for student learning, this study focused on teachers' selection and enactment of problems and tasks from the textbooks and their influence on the cognitive demand placed on students. By drawing on data from three elementary teachers in the USA, two of which used a reform-oriented textbook— Math Trailblazers and one a commercially developed textbook—this study examined kinds of problems the teachers chose and ways in which they enacted those problems in relation to the cognitive demand of the problems. In particular, we attended to the kinds of questions the teachers asked in enacting the problems and ways in which those questions influenced the cognitive demand of the textbook problems. This study also identified critical issues involved in teacher decision-making on task selection and enactment, such as the match between teachers' goals and those of the textbooks, and teachers' perception of textbook problems. Based on the results of the study, we discuss implications for teacher education and professional development.

Extraction of Children's Friendship Relation from Activity Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kono, Aki; Shintani, Kimio; Katsuki, Takuya; Kihara, Shin'ya; Ueda, Mari; Kaneda, Shigeo; Haga, Hirohide

Children learn to fit into society through living in a group, and it's greatly influenced by their friend relations. Although preschool teachers need to observe them to assist in the growth of children's social progress and support the development each child's personality, only experienced teachers can watch over children while providing high-quality guidance. To resolve the problem, this paper proposes a mathematical and objective method that assists teachers with observation. It uses numerical data of activity level recorded by pedometers, and we make tree diagram called dendrogram based on hierarchical clustering with recorded activity level. Also, we calculate children's ``breadth'' and ``depth'' of friend relations by using more than one dendrogram. When we record children's activity level in a certain kindergarten for two months and evaluated the proposed method, the results usually coincide with remarks of teachers about the children.

An Investigation of Secondary Teachers’ Understanding and Belief on Mathematical Problem Solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuli Eko Siswono, Tatag; Wachidul Kohar, Ahmad; Kurniasari, Ika; Puji Astuti, Yuliani

2016-02-01

Weaknesses on problem solving of Indonesian students as reported by recent international surveys give rise to questions on how Indonesian teachers bring out idea of problem solving in mathematics lesson. An explorative study was undertaken to investigate how secondary teachers who teach mathematics at junior high school level understand and show belief toward mathematical problem solving. Participants were teachers from four cities in East Java province comprising 45 state teachers and 25 private teachers. Data was obtained through questionnaires and written test. The results of this study point out that the teachers understand pedagogical problem solving knowledge well as indicated by high score of observed teachers‘ responses showing understanding on problem solving as instruction as well as implementation of problem solving in teaching practice. However, they less understand on problem solving content knowledge such as problem solving strategies and meaning of problem itself. Regarding teacher's difficulties, teachers admitted to most frequently fail in (1) determining a precise mathematical model or strategies when carrying out problem solving steps which is supported by data of test result that revealed transformation error as the most frequently observed errors in teachers’ work and (2) choosing suitable real situation when designing context-based problem solving task. Meanwhile, analysis of teacher's beliefs on problem solving shows that teachers tend to view both mathematics and how students should learn mathematics as body static perspective, while they tend to believe to apply idea of problem solving as dynamic approach when teaching mathematics.

Why and How Teachers Transform Their Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Light, Barbara J.

In his 2011 book The highly qualified teacher: What is teacher quality and how do we measure it? Strong argues that as a profession, education has struggled to measure teacher quality and therefore cannot provide a proven system to consistently develop high-quality teachers. In order to move toward an operational definition of teacher quality, Kennedy, in her 2008 journal article entitled "Contributions of qualitative research to research on teacher qualifications" suggests that the causal mechanisms of the development of teachers who are identified as high-quality teachers must be researched, documented, and then used in teacher preparation and development. Instructional ability is a key component of teacher effectiveness. This case study examines instructional transformations made by four teachers to explore why and how teachers make transformations in their teaching. The overarching conclusion of the study is the importance of student-centeredness as a component of teacher effectiveness.

Risk Factors of Voice Disorders and Impact of Vocal Hygiene Awareness Program Among Teachers in Public Schools in Egypt.

PubMed

Bolbol, Sarah A; Zalat, Marwa M; Hammam, Rehab A M; Elnakeb, Nasser L

2017-03-01

Even though many studies have explored the problem of voice disorders among teachers worldwide, this problem is still not adequately studied in Egypt. The following study was conducted to investigate the risk factors of voice disorders among an Egyptian sample of school teachers, to measure the effect of a vocal hygiene awareness program on them, and to investigate their vocal cord lesions. One hundred fifty-six teachers working in public schools and 180 administrative workers in the Faculty of Medicine in the same city participated in this study. They completed a self-administered questionnaire investigating voice disorders, and were subjected to a voice awareness program and a clinical examination. Voice-related symptoms and Voice Handicap Index were statistically significantly higher among teachers compared with the control subjects. Work duration and high frequency of classes per week of ≥15 were the most statistically significant indicators influencing a teacher's voice. Three months after application of vocal hygiene awareness program, the teachers who were studied showed a statistically significant increase in their awareness about vocal hygiene tips. Egyptian teachers working in public schools are dealing with classes that include a great number of students per class. They also have to deal with unprofessional facilities and limited assisting resources. Therefore, they are highly exposed to the risk of voice-related disorders. Increasing awareness about healthy behavior with the voice in their occupations will help in improving their quality of work and in minimizing any permanent impairments and/or disability. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attitudes among students and teachers on vertical integration between clinical medicine and basic science within a problem-based undergraduate medical curriculum.

PubMed

Brynhildsen, J; Dahle, L O; Behrbohm Fallsberg, M; Rundquist, I; Hammar, M

2002-05-01

Important elements in the curriculum at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Linköping are vertical integration, i.e. integration between the clinical and basic science sections of the curriculum, and horizontal integration between different subject areas. Integration throughout the whole curriculum is time-consuming for both teachers and students and hard work is required for planning, organization and execution. The aim was to assess the importance of vertical and horizontal integration in an undergraduate medical curriculum, according to opinions among students and teachers. In a questionnaire 102 faculty teachers and 106 students were asked about the importance of 14 different components of the undergraduate medical curriculum including vertical and horizontal integration. They were asked to assign between one and six points to each component (6 points = extremely important for the quality of the curriculum; 1 point = unimportant). Students as well as teachers appreciated highly both forms of integration. Students scored horizontal integration slightly but significantly higher than the teachers (median 6 vs 5 points; p=0.009, Mann-Whitney U-test), whereas teachers scored vertical integration higher than students (6 vs 5; p=0.019, Mann-Whitney U-test). Both students and teachers considered horizontal and vertical integration to be highly important components of the undergraduate medical programme. We believe both kinds of integration support problem-based learning and stimulate deep and lifelong learning and suggest that integration should always be considered deeply when a new curriculum is planned for undergraduate medical education.

Teacher's Assessment of the Quality of Their Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Voyia

Thirty-eight teachers completed the Illinois Quality Schools Index Survey, which measured teachers' attitudes towards characteristics of quality schools. The majority of the teachers felt that the characteristics indicative of a quality school were often implemented in their school. Over half the teachers felt that their schools often or always…

The Economic Value of Higher Teacher Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric A.

2011-01-01

Most analyses of teacher quality end without any assessment of the economic value of altered teacher quality. This paper combines information about teacher effectiveness with the economic impact of higher achievement. It begins with an overview of what is known about the relationship between teacher quality and student achievement. This provides…

Shyness, friendship quality, and adjustment during middle childhood.

PubMed

Fordham, K; Stevenson-Hinde, J

1999-07-01

Whereas many young children show initial wariness on meeting a stranger, shyness that lasts into middle childhood may be indicative of concurrent problems and subsequent disorder. Adjustment problems of an internalising nature, such as low self-esteem, loneliness, and anxiety may occur. Special significance has, however, been ascribed to preadolescent friendships as a means of validating self-worth and buffering against loneliness and anxiety. The main aim of the present study is to examine associations between shyness, perceptions of friendship quality, and indices of adjustment related to internalising problems. The study involves a sample of 8.4-10.6-year-olds (N = 50), preselected at 4.5 years to include a high proportion of shy children. Ratings of shyness to an unfamiliar adult had been made by different observers at 4.5 and 7 years, and at the present ages by another observer, mothers, and teachers. Observer-rated shyness was highly consistent over time and was significantly correlated with mothers' and teachers' ratings, although both significantly underestimated children's shyness relative to observer ratings. Compared with the younger children (mean age of 9 years), observed shyness (a composite over all three age points) increased in salience for the older children (mean age of 10 years), becoming significantly correlated with trait anxiety as well as low global self-worth. Indeed, global self-worth took on a central role for the older children, showing significant correlations not only with observed shyness and internalising problems (loneliness and anxiety), but also with perceptions of social acceptance and classmate support as well as friendship quality, with a named "best friend". Thus by 10 years of age, aspects of peer relationships may influence and be influenced by global self-worth, with a possible buffering effect on any potential detrimental effects of shyness.

Professional development model for science teachers based on scientific literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubini, B.; Ardianto, D.; Pursitasari, I. D.; Permana, I.

2017-01-01

Scientific literacy is considered as a benchmark of high and low quality of science education in a country. Teachers as a major component of learning at the forefront of building science literacy skills of students in the class. The primary purpose this study is development science teacher coaching model based on scientific literacy. In this article we describe about teacher science literacy and profile coaching model for science’ teachers based on scientific literacy which a part of study conducted in first year. The instrument used in this study consisted of tests, observation sheet, interview guides. The finding showed that problem of low scientific literacy is not only happen the students, but science’ teachers which is a major component in the learning process is still not satisfactory. Understanding science teacher is strongly associated with the background disciplinary. Science teacher was still weak when explaining scientific phenomena, mainly related to the material that relates to the concept of environmental. Coaching model generated from this study consisted of 8 stages by assuming the teacher is an independent learner, so the coaching is done with methods on and off, with time off for activities designed more.

Maximising the potential of part-time clinical teachers.

PubMed

Patston, Philip; Holmes, David; Maalhagh-Fard, Ahmad; Ting, Kang; Ziccardi, Vincent B

2010-12-01

A problem faced by health professions education throughout the world is a lack of full-time clinical teachers. This is particularly serious in dentistry and nursing, but is increasingly also true in medicine. To make up for this shortfall there is a growing reliance on part-time clinical teachers. Part-time clinical teachers are essential for the education of students. However, compared with their full-time counterparts, the part-time teachers are often not adequately prepared for their roles as educators within the context of the clinical curriculum. They might not be trained in the latest educational practices, and may be unprepared for the time needed to excel as teachers and mentors. As part-time teachers take on more responsibility, it is important that they take part in orientation and training sessions to assist them in developing the skills they need to succeed. This will require a significant commitment from the institution as well as the part-time teacher, but is critical for maintaining the academic quality of the clinical training programmes. This also represents an untapped area for research into how to ensure the success of part-time clinical teachers. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010.

Bridging Communities: Culturing a Professional Learning Community that Supports Novice Teachers and Transfers Authentic Science and Mathematics to the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbert, B. E.; Miller, H. R.; Loving, C. L.; Pedersen, S.

2006-12-01

Professional Learning Community Model for Alternative Pathways (PLC-MAP) is a partnership of North Harris Montgomery Community Colleges, Texas A&M University, and 11 urban, suburban, and rural school districts in the Greater Houston area focused on developing a professional learning community that increases the retention and quality of middle and high school mathematics and science teachers who are being certified through the NHMCCD Alternative Certification Program. Improved quality in teaching refers to increased use of effective inquiry teaching strategies, including information technology where appropriate, that engage students to ask worthy scientific questions and to reason, judge, explain, defend, argue, reflect, revise, and/or disseminate findings. Novice teachers learning to adapt or designing authentic inquiry in their classrooms face two enormous problems. First, there are important issues surrounding the required knowledgebase, habit of mind, and pedagogical content knowledge of the teachers that impact the quality of their lesson plans and instructional sequences. Second, many ACP intern teachers teach under challenging conditions with limited resources, which impacts their ability to implement authentic inquiry in the classroom. Members of our professional learning community, including scientists, mathematicians and master teachers, supports novice teachers as they design lesson plans that engage their students in authentic inquiry. The purpose of this research was to determine factors that contribute to success or barriers that prevent ACP secondary science intern and induction year teachers from gaining knowledge and engaging in classroom inquiry as a result of an innovative professional development experience. A multi-case study design was used for this research. We adopted a two-tail design where cases from both extremes (good and poor gains) were deliberately chosen. Six science teachers were selected from a total of 40+ mathematics and science teachers. These six, on average, demonstrated either the highest gain in knowledge and/or engagement in inquiry-based teaching or the lowest gain among all the novice science teachers through the year of participation in the PLC-MAP program. Certain patterns emerged across all six cases, even when the other variables are acknowledged. The principal external factors were school climate—its culture, its mandates, its degree of teacher autonomy. The internal factors were teacher beliefs about learning through inquiry, about their own need for additional knowledge, and about managing inquiry--all tied to degrees of self-efficacy.

The Economic Value of Higher Teacher Quality. Working Paper 56

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric A.

2010-01-01

Most analyses of teacher quality end without any assessment of the economic value of altered teacher quality. This paper combines information about teacher effectiveness with the economic impact of higher achievement. It begins with an overview of what is known about the relationship between teacher quality and student achievement, which provides…

Teacher Quality, Job-Embedded Professional Development, and School-University Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dana, Nancy Fichtman

2010-01-01

There are few conversations about teaching these days that do not include talk about teacher quality. Yet, within the conversations about improving teacher quality, the dialogue is often political--consumed with one-dimensional solutions for improving teacher quality, such as linking teacher pay to student performance. Absent from the pervasive…

Teacher Quality: Equalizing Educational Opportunities and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunderman, Gail L.; Kim, Jimmy

2005-01-01

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) teacher quality provisions recognize both the importance of teacher quality for improving student achievement and the unequal distribution of teachers across districts and schools. But the question of how to achieve the goal of a high quality teacher in every classroom is complicated because of the challenges of…

The implementation of an elementary STEM learning team and the effect on teacher self-efficacy: An action research study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, Jennifer F.

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is part of a national movement to prepare students for the demands of a 21st century workforce. STEM uses an integrated, real-world problem solving approach to increase the levels of collaboration, communication, critical, and creative thinking in students. If expectations for students have increased to stay competitive in a global market, teachers must be equipped to meet the needs of the new 21st century learners in their classrooms. To that end, professional learning for educators is essential to ensure they are equipped with the tools necessary for success. While there are many approaches to teacher development, professional learning teams, based on the work of Garmston and Wellman, focus on teachers' instructional delivery, targeted student learning needs, planning, implementing new strategies, collaboration, and reflective dialogue. The purpose of the study is to improve instructional practice providing quality STEM instruction to students and increase teacher self-efficacy---a teachers' perception of his or her ability to instruct students in the STEM disciplines. Theoretical implications of a study on an elementary STEM learning team could affect the way schools deliver STEM professional learning opportunities to teachers and the way students are delivered a quality STEM education. Research has shown that Model I behavior would limit the change process of professional learning through a surface inspection of the issues; however model II behaviors would benefit the teachers, students and organization because teachers would be collaborating on specific objectives to develop a knowledge base and skill set to meet students' needs. Extending professional development by engaging stakeholders in a collaborative process to build model II behaviors will create an organizational structure that facilitates learning.

Determinants and Effects of Voice Disorders among Secondary School Teachers in Peninsular Malaysia Using a Validated Malay Version of VHI-10

PubMed Central

Moy, Foong Ming; Hoe, Victor Chee Wai; Hairi, Noran Naqiah; Chu, Anne Hin Yee; Bulgiba, Awang; Koh, David

2015-01-01

Objectives To establish the prevalence of voice disorder using the Malay-Voice Handicap Index 10 (Malay-VHI-10) and to study the determinants, quality of life, depression, anxiety and stress associated with voice disorder among secondary school teachers in Peninsular Malaysia. Methods This study was divided into two phases. Phase I tested the reliability of the Malay-VHI-10 while Phase II was a cross-sectional study with two-stage sampling. In Phase II, a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and teaching characteristics, depression, anxiety and stress scale (Malay version of DASS-21); and health-related quality of life (Malay version of SF12-v2). Complex sample analysis was conducted using multivariate Poisson regression with robust variance. Results In Phase I, the Spearman correlation coefficient and Cronbach alpha for total VHI-10 score was 0.72 (p < 0.001) and 0.77 respectively; showing good correlation and internal consistency. The ICCs ranged from 0.65 to 0.78 showing fair to good reliability and demonstrating the subscales to be reliable and stable. A total of 6039 teachers participated in Phase II. They were primarily Malays, females, married, had completed tertiary education and aged between 30 to 50 years. A total of 10.4% (95% CI 7.1, 14.9) of the teachers had voice disorder (VHI-10 score > 11). Compared to Malays, a greater proportion of ethnic Chinese teachers reported voice disorder while ethnic Indian teachers were less likely to report this problem. There was a higher prevalence ratio (PR) of voice disorder among single or divorced/widowed teachers. Teachers with voice disorder were more likely to report higher rates of absenteeism (PR: 1.70, 95% CI 1.33, 2.19), lower quality of life with lower SF12-v2 physical (0.98, 95% CI 0.96, 0.99) and mental (0.97, 95% CI 0.96, 0.98) component summary scales; and higher anxiety levels (1.04, 95% CI 1.02, 1.06). Conclusions The Malay-VHI-10 is valid and reliable. Voice disorder was associated with increased absenteeism, marginally associated with reduced health-related quality of life as well as increased anxiety among teachers. PMID:26540291

From Teacher Quality to Quality Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Mary M.

2006-01-01

Proposals to improve teacher quality often focus on hiring teachers with the right combination of personality, values, and knowledge and skills. The author suggests that although these elements of teacher quality are important, schools also need to pay attention to the conditions of classroom life that can determine teaching quality. She…

Globalization and the Preparation of Quality Teachers: Rethinking Knowledge Domains for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, A. Lin

2010-01-01

Preparing quality teachers has become a global concern as all nations strive for excellence at all levels. Yet, there is little consensus around what constitutes quality and how quality teachers might best be attained. This article takes up the issue of quality teacher preparation by exploring several pivotal questions: What might quality teaching…

Teacher Quality and Teacher Mobility. Working Paper 57

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feng, Li; Sass, Tim

2011-01-01

Using matched student-teacher panel data from the state of Florida, the authors study the determinants of teacher job change and the impact of such mobility on the distribution of teacher quality. The probability a teacher stays at a school increases the more productive they are in their current school. The quality of teachers who exit teaching…

Analysing the Relationship between the Problem-Solving-Related Beliefs, Competence and Teaching of Three Cypriot Primary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Paul; Xenofontos, Constantinos

2015-01-01

In this article, we analyse the problem-solving-related beliefs, competence and classroom practice of three Cypriot upper-primary teachers. Data derived from semi-structured interviews focused on teachers' beliefs about the nature of mathematical problems, problem-solving, and their competence as both problem-solvers and teachers of…

Effects of performance feedback and coaching on the problem-solving process: Improving the integrity of implementation and enhancing student outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundahl, Allison A.

Schools implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) procedures frequently engage in team problem-solving processes to address the needs of students who require intensive and individualized services. Because the effectiveness of the problem-solving process will impact the overall success of RtI systems, the present study was designed to learn more about how to strengthen the integrity of the problem-solving process. Research suggests that school districts must ensure high quality training and ongoing support to enhance the effectiveness, acceptability, and sustainability of the problem-solving process within an RtI model; however, there is a dearth of research examining the effectiveness of methods to provide this training and support. Consequently, this study investigated the effects of performance feedback and coaching strategies on the integrity with which teams of educators conducted the problem-solving process in schools. In addition, the relationships between problem-solving integrity, teacher acceptability, and student outcomes were examined. Results suggested that the performance feedback increased problem-solving procedural integrity across two of the three participating schools. Conclusions about the effectiveness of the (a) coaching intervention and (b) interventions implemented in the third school were inconclusive. Regression analyses indicated that the integrity with which the teams conducted the problem-solving process was a significant predictor of student outcomes. However, the relationship between problem-solving procedural integrity and teacher acceptability was not statistically significant.

Chemicals in Classrooms. Pesticides and Maintenance Chemicals in Vermont Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterling, Peter; Browning, Brigid

This report is the second in a series of studies on the serious threat toxic chemical use may pose to the health of Vermont's children, teachers, and school staff. The first report, "Toxic Chemical Exposure in Schools: Our Children at Risk," provided an overview of the problem of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools and discussed…

Some Problems of Computer-Aided Testing and "Interview-Like Tests"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smoline, D.V.

2008-01-01

Computer-based testing--is an effective teacher's tool, intended to optimize course goals and assessment techniques in a comparatively short time. However, this is accomplished only if we deal with high-quality tests. It is strange, but despite the 100-year history of Testing Theory (see, Anastasi, A., Urbina, S. (1997). Psychological testing.…

How To Survive in Postindustrial Environments: Adam Smith's Advice for Today's Colleges and Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortmann, Andreas

1997-01-01

Adam Smith's discussion of the payment modes of teachers and resulting consequences for the quality of teaching and process of curricular innovation are reviewed through the conceptual lens of modern agency theory. Smith's analysis of higher education in his day (eighteenth century) sheds light on faculty incentive and assessment problems that…

Social Problems and America's Youth: Why School Reform Won't Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittenmeyer, Dennis C.

1987-01-01

Using the schools to achieve racial balance, eliminate poverty, fight drug abuse, prevent pregnancy, and reduce youth suicide is too large a task. Teachers and principals should address educational issues, not unmet social needs. To improve the educational performance of the schools, the quality of life for youth must first be improved. (MSE)

The Role of the Community School Throughout the World. Improvement of Rural Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Clifford P., Comp.; And Others

Wherever a community school exists, it is devoted to the improvement of the people's quality of living. Its curriculum reflects the problems of the surrounding area Educational activities of both children and adults are often organized around the school. The school program becomes the community program as teachers, administrators, and parents work…

A Study on the Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Competence in Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuan, Kuo-Shu; Wu, Tung-Ju; Chen, Hui-Bing; Li, Yi-Bin

2017-01-01

The rapid development of technology and economy has largely enhanced the quality of life. Nevertheless, various social and environmental problems have emerged. It would be the key solution to develop environmental education in order to have people present the environmental knowledge and the attitudes and value to concern about the environment and…

A Small-Scale Study of Primary School English Language Teachers' Classroom Activities and Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arikan, Arda

2011-01-01

Turkey's search for upgrading the quality of English language teaching is still in progress. Publication of Ministry of National Education's "English Language Curriculum for Primary Education Grades 4,5,6,7 and 8" (2006) framed the content and delivery of our primary school English language teaching classes along with a list of suggested…

Time Spent in Child Care: How and Why Does It Affect Social Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huston, Aletha C.; Bobbitt, Kaeley C.; Bentley, Alison

2015-01-01

Children who experience early and extensive child care, especially center-based care, are rated by teachers as having more externalizing behavior problems than are other children. This association is reduced, but not eliminated, when care is of high quality, and it varies by socioeconomic disadvantage and the type of behavior assessed. We examine…

Female Teachers' Perceptions of Quality Education for Adolescent Girls in Rural Bangladesh: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahim, Nasreen

2017-01-01

The education of adolescent girls in Bangladesh must be pursued with the right combination of technology, practicality, and cultural sensitivity to achieve, among other objectives, the objectives of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The problem this study address is despite the availability of mobile-based curricula, such as video, mobile…

The Costs of Being a Child Care Teacher: Revisiting the Problem of Low Wages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackerman, Debra J.

2006-01-01

The demand for child care in the United States continues to grow, but child care workers' wages remain minimal. Using examples within New Jersey, the author demonstrates how low wages impact child care quality and are directly related to the effects of the competitive marketplace. Various historical, regulatory, and cultural contexts also…

Problem types used in math lessons: the relationship between student achievement and teacher preferences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guven, Bulent; Aydin-Guc, Funda; Medine Ozmen, Zeynep

2016-08-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the problems teachers preferred in mathematics lessons and student achievement in different types of problems. In accordance with this purpose, nine mathematics teachers were interviewed, and corresponding problems were prepared and administered to 225 eighth-grade students. The findings indicate that problem types are dependent on teacher preferences. It was found that curriculum-dependent and routine problems were dominant for teacher preferences. Students are more successful at with missing data, problems that are visual and do not require the use of different strategies. They have lower success at long problems, those that contain irrelevant data, problems that require the use of different strategies and difficult problem types. It was found that problem types at which students were successful and which teachers preferred were related. These results relay information about problems used in the learning environment and effect of problem-solving experiences on students' success.

Does Teacher Quality Affect Student Achievement? An Empirical Study in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirait, Swando

2016-01-01

The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between teacher qualities in relation to student achievement in Indonesia. Teacher quality in this study defines as teacher evaluation score, in the areas of professional and pedagogic competency. The result of this study consonant to previous study that teacher quality, in term of teacher…

The Perceived Association of Merit Pay and Teacher Qualities in Two Middle Schools in a Southeastern State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balls, John Daniel

2013-01-01

This dissertation determined the perceived association of merit pay and teacher qualities in the sample schools. The research focused on the association of merit pay and levels of teacher qualities and if a relationship exists between teacher performance-based compensation and teacher qualities/performance. The indications and suggestions of this…

Parent-teacher agreement on children's problems in 21 societies.

PubMed

Rescorla, Leslie A; Bochicchio, Lauren; Achenbach, Thomas M; Ivanova, Masha Y; Almqvist, Fredrik; Begovac, Ivan; Bilenberg, Niels; Bird, Hector; Dobrean, Anca; Erol, Nese; Fombonne, Eric; Fonseca, Antonio; Frigerio, Alessandra; Fung, Daniel S S; Lambert, Michael C; Leung, Patrick W L; Liu, Xianchen; Marković, Ivica; Markovic, Jasminka; Minaei, Asghar; Ooi, Yoon Phaik; Roussos, Alexandra; Rudan, Vlasta; Simsek, Zeynep; van der Ende, Jan; Weintraub, Sheila; Wolanczyk, Tomasz; Woo, Bernardine; Weiss, Bahr; Weisz, John; Zukauskiene, Rita; Verhulst, Frank C

2014-01-01

Parent-teacher cross-informant agreement, although usually modest, may provide important clinical information. Using data for 27,962 children from 21 societies, we asked the following: (a) Do parents report more problems than teachers, and does this vary by society, age, gender, or type of problem? (b) Does parent-teacher agreement vary across different problem scales or across societies? (c) How well do parents and teachers in different societies agree on problem item ratings? (d) How much do parent-teacher dyads in different societies vary in within-dyad agreement on problem items? (e) How well do parents and teachers in 21 societies agree on whether the child's problem level exceeds a deviance threshold? We used five methods to test agreement for Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher's Report Form (TRF) ratings. CBCL scores were higher than TRF scores on most scales, but the informant differences varied in magnitude across the societies studied. Cross-informant correlations for problem scale scores varied moderately across societies studied and were significantly higher for Externalizing than Internalizing problems. Parents and teachers tended to rate the same items as low, medium, or high, but within-dyad item agreement varied widely in every society studied. In all societies studied, both parental noncorroboration of teacher-reported deviance and teacher noncorroboration of parent-reported deviance were common. Our findings underscore the importance of obtaining information from parents and teachers when evaluating and treating children, highlight the need to use multiple methods of quantifying cross-informant agreement, and provide comprehensive baselines for patterns of parent-teacher agreement across 21 societies.

The teaching of medical ethics to medical students.

PubMed Central

Glick, S M

1994-01-01

Teaching medical ethics to medical students in a pluralistic society is a challenging task. Teachers of ethics have obligations not just to teach the subject matter but to help create an academic environment in which well motivated students have reinforcement of their inherent good qualities. Emphasis should be placed on the ethical aspects of daily medical practice and not just on the dramatic dilemmas raised by modern technology. Interdisciplinary teaching should be encouraged and teaching should span the entire duration of medical studies. Attention should be paid particularly to ethical problems faced by the students themselves, preferably at the time when the problems are most on the students' minds. A high level of academic demands, including critical examination of students' progress is recommended. Finally, personal humility on the part of teachers can help set a good example for students to follow. PMID:7861430

The Impact of Teacher Training on Creative Writing and Problem-Solving Using Futuristic Scenarios for Creative Problem Solving and Creative Problem Solving Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayel Al-Srour, Nadia; Al-Ali, Safa M.; Al-Oweidi, Alia

2016-01-01

The present study aims to detect the impact of teacher training on creative writing and problem-solving using both Futuristic scenarios program to solve problems creatively, and creative problem solving. To achieve the objectives of the study, the sample was divided into two groups, the first consist of 20 teachers, and 23 teachers to second…

Assessing the Productivity of Schools through Two "What Works" Inputs, "Teacher Quality" and "Teacher Effectiveness"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skourdoumbis, Andrew

2017-01-01

This paper is a critique of the school education productivity evaluation and two research constructs germane to it, "teacher quality" and "teacher effectiveness." The paper will argue that policy inceptions of "teacher quality" and "teacher effectiveness" proxy for the productive capacity of schools and more…

Chinese Elementary School Teachers' Perceptions of Students' Classroom Behaviour Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Jiliang; Zhang, Na; Zhang, Caiyun; Caldarella, Paul; Richardson, Michael J.; Shatzer, Ryan H.

2009-01-01

This study examined teachers' perceptions of classroom behaviour problems in five provinces of the People's Republic of China. Researchers surveyed 527 Chinese teachers from 27 elementary schools. Consistent with previous studies in China, teachers perceived non-attention to be the most frequent and troublesome behaviour problem. Teachers'…

Mental health needs and availability of mental health care for children and adolescents with intellectual disability in Berlin.

PubMed

Soltau, B; Biedermann, J; Hennicke, K; Fydrich, T

2015-11-01

The increased risk of mental health problems in children and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) has been reported in several studies. However, almost no research has been conducted on parents' experiences with the general mental health system. We have investigated the prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems in children with ID as well as the availability and quality of mental health care from the parents' point of view. Teachers of specialised schools for ID in Berlin were asked to complete the Teacher's Report Form (TRF) of the Child Behavior Checklist. Information was collected for 1226 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years with mild to profound ID (response 70.5%). The availability and quality of mental health care was assessed by a questionnaire given to parents who had already been seeking help for their children. A total of 330 parents completed the questionnaires (response 62.0%). In addition to univariate analysis, we conducted multiple logistic regressions regarding the psychopathology reported by teachers (TRF-syndrome scales) and difficulties concerning mental health care reported by parents for a paired sample of 308 children. Overall, 52.4% of the children and adolescents with ID had a total problem score on the TRF in the deviant range (47.1% when eliminating four items reflecting cognitive deficits). Compared with the general population normative sample of children, this is a three-time higher prevalence. The most striking problems were thought problems (schizoid and obsessive-compulsive), aggressive behaviour, attention problems and social problems. Parents whose children had more severe behavioural or emotional dysfunction reported more difficulties with the mental health system. From the parents' point of view, mental health professionals frequently did not feel responsible or were not sufficiently skilled for the treatment of children with ID. As a consequence, 96% of all parents were longing for specialised in- and outpatient services. This study confirms the findings from other studies regarding the high rate of co-occurrence of ID and mental health problems in youths. Results indicate that both are strongly requested by parents: specialised in- and outpatient services, as well as more professional general services and equitable treatment for all children, with and without ID. © 2015 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Building-related health symptoms and classroom indoor air quality: a survey of school teachers in New York State.

PubMed

Kielb, C; Lin, S; Muscatiello, N; Hord, W; Rogers-Harrington, J; Healy, J

2015-08-01

Most previous research on indoor environments and health has studied school children or occupants in non-school settings. This investigation assessed building-related health symptoms and classroom characteristics via telephone survey of New York State school teachers. Participants were asked about 14 building-related symptoms and 23 classroom characteristics potentially related to poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between these symptoms and each classroom characteristic, controlling for potential confounders. About 500 teachers completed the survey. The most frequently reported classroom characteristics included open shelving (70.7%), food eaten in class (65.5%), dust (59.1%), and carpeting (46.9%). The most commonly reported symptoms included sinus problems (16.8%), headache (15.0%), allergies/congestion (14.8%), and throat irritation (14.6%). Experiencing one or more symptoms was associated most strongly with reported dust (relative risk (RR) = 3.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.62-5.13), dust reservoirs (RR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.72-2.65), paint odors (RR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.40-2.13), mold (RR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.39-2.11), and moldy odors (RR = 1.65 95% CI: 1.30-2.10). Stronger associations were found with increasing numbers of reported IAQ-related classroom characteristics. Similar results were found with having any building-related allergic/respiratory symptom. This research adds to the body of evidence underscoring the importance to occupant health of school IAQ. Teachers play an important role in educating children, and teacher well-being is important to this role. Health symptoms among New York teachers while at work are common and appear to be associated with numerous characteristics related to poor classroom IAQ. Improving school Indoor Air Quality may reduce sickness and absenteeism and improve teacher performance. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teacher Quality Toolkit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lauer, Patricia A.; Dean, Ceri B.

2004-01-01

This Teacher Quality Toolkit aims to support the continuum of teacher learning by providing tools that institutions of higher education, districts, and schools can use to improve both preservice and inservice teacher education. The toolkit incorporates McREL?s accumulated knowledge and experience related to teacher quality and standards-based…

Pinpointing Chinese Early Childhood Teachers' Professional Development Needs through Self-Evaluation and External Observation of Classroom Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Bi Ying; Zhou, Yisu; Li, Kejian

2014-01-01

This study compared Chinese kindergarten teachers' values and perceptions of program quality with trained raters' assessments of quality in order to gain insights into effective professional development for improving teacher quality. A total of 284 Chinese kindergarten teachers self-assessed the quality of their classroom teaching and rated their…

Teachers Modify Geometry Problems: From Proof to Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leikin, Roza; Grossman, Dorith

2013-01-01

We explored transformations that teachers made to modify geometry proof problems into investigation problems and analyzed how these transformations differ in teachers who use a dynamic geometry environment (DGE) in their classes and those who do not. We devised a framework for the analysis of problem transformations and types of teacher-generated…

Understanding the Causes and Management of Problem Behaviour in Zimbabwean Schools: Teacher Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chitiyo, Morgan; Chitiyo, George; Chitiyo, Jonathan; Oyedele, Victoria; Makoni, Richard; Fonnah, Davidson; Chipangure, Luke

2014-01-01

Problem behaviour continues to present a challenge for school-teachers worldwide. Since school-teachers around the globe have different conceptualisations of what constitutes problem behaviour, the purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of Zimbabwean school-teachers about their perceived causes of problem behaviour among students in…

Attributions for Problem Behavior as Described by Turkish Teachers of Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erbas, Dilek; Turan, Yasemin; Aslan, Yesim Gulec; Dunlap, Glen

2010-01-01

The purpose of this survey study was to determine Turkish teachers' attributions of problem behaviors. The participants' (special education teachers) attributions of problem behaviors varied with some teachers showing agreement with a behavioral perspective while others attributed the occurrence of problem behaviors to other factors (e.g., poor…

School-Based Multidisciplinary Teacher Team-Building Combining On-Line Professional Development (ESSEA) and Field-Based Environmental Monitoring (GLOBE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Low, R.

2003-12-01

The multidisciplinary nature of Earth system science provides a strong foundation for integrated science teaching at the K-12 level. In a Minneapolis-St. Paul based project, urban middle school teaching teams composed of language arts and math specialists as well as physical, Earth, and biological science teachers participate in the NASA Earth system science course (ESSEA) and in the international GLOBE environmental monitoring project. For students, the goal is to integrate science throughout the curriculum as well as involve classes from different subjects in a high-interest school science project. For teachers, the project provides greatly-needed classroom support and teacher team building, as well as professional development. The on-line course provides continuity and communication between the different team members. Face-to-face meetings with the instructors on site are conducted every 4 weeks. The problem-based learning approach to environmental issues developed in the ESSEA course lends itself to application to local environmental issues. New ESSEA modules developed for the project highlight environmental problems associated with flooding, introduced species, and eutrofication of lakes and rivers located near the participating schools. In addition, ESSEA participants are certified as GLOBE teachers, and assist their students in monitoring water quality. The synergistic partnership of ESSEA and GLOBE provides an attractive package upon which long-term school-based environmental monitoring projects can be based.

Speaker's comfort in teaching environments: voice problems in Swedish teaching staff.

PubMed

Åhlander, Viveka Lyberg; Rydell, Roland; Löfqvist, Anders

2011-07-01

The primary objective of this study was to examine how a group of Swedish teachers rate aspects of their working environment that can be presumed to have an impact on vocal behavior and voice problems. The secondary objective was to explore the prevalence of voice problems in Swedish teachers. Questionnaires were distributed to the teachers of 23 randomized schools. Teaching staff at all levels were included, except preschool teachers and teachers at specialized, vocational high schools. The response rate was 73%. The results showed that 13% of the whole group reported voice problems occurring sometimes, often, or always. The teachers reporting voice problems were compared with those without problems. There were significant differences among the groups for several items. The teachers with voice problems rated items on room acoustics and work environment as more noticeable. This group also reported voice symptoms, such as hoarseness, throat clearing, and voice change, to a significantly higher degree, even though teachers in both groups reported some voice symptoms. Absence from work because of voice problems was also significantly more common in the group with voice problems--35% versus 9% in the group without problems. We may conclude that teachers suffering from voice problems react stronger to loading factors in the teaching environment, report more frequent symptoms of voice discomfort, and are more often absent from work because of voice problems than their voice-healthy colleagues. Copyright © 2011 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

How Culture Influences Teacher Self-Reflective Problem Solving Behavior and Self-Efficacy: Experiences of White Female Teachers Working through Relationship with Black Students in a Mid-Western American City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolson, Bonnie Lynn

2013-01-01

Teachers make a difference. White female middle-class teachers represent 84 percent of Americas' teachers. How does culture influence the self-reflective problem-solving behaviors of urban teachers? Urban schools fail youth by opening the doors for a mass exodus. The problem solving behavior of urban teachers may contribute to the student exodus…

The Correlation between a Teacher Selection Instrument and Teacher Quality in Tennessee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McWhirter, Amy Balthrop

2014-01-01

It is not known to what extent the pre-employment teacher selection instrument scores used by a Tennessee school district correlate to teachers' post-employment quality after their first year of service. Two research questions guided the study on the Correlation Between a Teacher Selection Instrument and Teacher Quality in Tennessee: (1) To what…

Contextual essay for integrated thematic unit: Kids, Quarks, and Quanta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Draeger, Vicki Lee

This essay provides the research and rationale to support the theory that early adolescence is the best time to present an introduction to quantum mechanics. It supports the creation of an integrated thematic unit to be used with students ages 11--14 in an inclusion classroom without limiting the unit to only an inclusion setting. The first section sets forth five problems the unit was written to address. Citing The National Center for Education Statistics 2000 version of The Nation's Report Card, the problems with current practices in science education resulting in poor student performance are presented. References to Project 2061: Science for All Americans help to demonstrate that students with disabilities are seldom considered when physical science curriculum is being developed, supporting the position that equity in science education is necessary, while maintaining challenging subject matter. The problem of the poor quality of many physical science texts is addressed, with an emphasis on the importance of curricular connections. The poor quality of physical science teacher training in many university teacher training courses is discussed, and the nature of the integrated thematic unit as a curriculum design is examined with reference to what is considered the over-emphasis on "reality-based" content to the exclusion of abstract subject matter. Having presented the problems and supporting their validity, the essay then demonstrated how Kids, Quarks, and Quanta specifically addresses each problem. The two and a half year study of Dr. John Hubisz and the committee he formed under The David and Lucille Packard Foundation grant to review and critique the physical science textbooks currently used with early adolescents is often referenced to support both the problems of teacher training and the poor quality of many texts. Recent brain research conducted by researchers of the National Institute of Mental Health is used to support the presentation of more abstract subject matter for the 11--14 year old student. The research shows that rapid neuron growth and pruning does not just occur in the first years of life. Early adolescence is a second time of rapid neuron growth that begins at age ten for girls and eleven for boys, with pruning taking place until age 24. The theory is that this is the time when abstract thinking is developing and a "use it or lose it" maxim applies. The essay promotes the importance of differentiating curriculum for all students, and includes a substantial literature review and bibliography.

Teacher Quality Toolkit. 2nd Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lauer, Patricia A.; Dean, Ceri B.; Martin-Glenn, Mya L.; Asensio, Margaret L.

2005-01-01

The Teacher Quality Toolkit addresses the continuum of teacher learning by providing tools that can be used to improve both preservice, and inservice teacher education. Each chapter provides self assessment tools that can guide progress toward improved teacher quality and describes resources for designing exemplary programs and practices. Chapters…

Attracting and Retaining Teachers in Rural Areas. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Timothy

This digest examines the rural teacher shortage from a policy perspective and suggests strategies to address the problem. The rural teacher recruitment and retention problem varies across states. An adequate number of teachers are trained each year nationwide, but the problem is with distribution. Recent research on rural teacher recruitment and…

The Skills, Competences, and Attitude toward Information and Communications Technology Recommender System: an online support program for teachers with personalized recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revilla Muñoz, Olga; Alpiste Penalba, Francisco; Fernández Sánchez, Joaquín

2016-01-01

Teachers deal with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) every day and they often have to solve problems by themselves. To help them in coping with this issue, an online support program has been created, where teachers can pose their problems on ICT and they can receive solutions from other teachers. A Recommender System has been defined and implemented into the support program to suggest to each teacher the most suitable solution based on her Skills, Competences, and Attitude toward ICT (SCAT-ICT). The support program has initially been populated with 70 problems from 86 teachers. 30 teachers grouped these problems into six categories with the card-sorting technique. Real solutions to these problems have been proposed by 25 trained teachers. Finally, 17 teachers evaluated the usability of the support program and the Recommender System, where results showed a high score on the standardized System Usability Scale.

How to Improve the Supply of High-Quality Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric Alan; Rivkin, Steven G.

2004-01-01

Virtually everybody interested in improving the performance of schools concentrates on the importance of teacher quality. Yet policy recommendations related to teacher quality frequently do not incorporate existing evidence about performance. This paper reviews the various strands of research related to teacher quality, including the role of…

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...

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...

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...

Contemporary Technologies to Improve the Quality of Education When Training Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sibgatullina, Alfiya

2015-01-01

The article considers contemporary technologies to improve the quality of teachers' education (as exemplified by the training of foreign language teachers). The author presents analysis of the "quality of education" concept, proposes and analyzes the criteria for assessing the quality of education of future foreign language teachers.…

Perception of primary school teachers to school children's mental health problems in Southwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Kerebih, Habtamu; Abrha, Hailay; Frank, Reiner; Abera, Mubarek

2016-11-12

Teachers perception of child mental health problems and their attitude to school-based mental health services helps in designing early intervention strategies aimed at promoting the service. However, little is known in this regard among primary school teachers in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study assessed perceptions and attitude of primary school teachers to child mental health problem and school-based mental health programs in Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia in 2013. A cross-sectional study design was implemented among 568 primary school teachers in Jimma town, from 1 to 30 October 2013. Perceptions and attitude of teachers to children with mental health problems and school mental health related information were assessed using a structured self- administered questionnaire. About 40% of teachers recognized the list of psychopathology items presented to them as child mental health problems while 54.4% of them rated child mental health problem as severe. Externalizing behaviors were perceived as the most severe problems. Teaching experience and teaching in public schools were significantly associated with the perception of severe type of child mental health problems. About 95% of teachers acknowledged that school-based mental health programs are important but limited availability was reported. Despite the high problem severity ratings, teachers' perception of the psychopathology as a mental health problem in children was low. There was also a favorable attitude on the importance and the need of school-based child mental health programs. Thus, creating mental health awareness for teachers and establishing school mental health services to intervene in child mental health problem is crucial.

77 FR 36263 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests; Office of Postsecondary Education; Higher...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-18

... institutions of higher education (IHEs) on the quality of teacher preparation and state teacher certification... of Collection: Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) Title II Reporting Forms on Teacher Quality... institutions of higher education (IHEs) on the quality of teacher preparation and state teacher certification...

Determination of the Relationship between Teacher Problems and School Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durmusçelebi, Mustafa

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine what the teacher problems are in different dimensions and to find out if there is a relationship between teacher problems and school achievement. For this purpose, it has been tried to determine how the teacher problems differ according to the variables such as gender, seniority, title, school level, branch…

African Art: An Essay for Teachers, Curriculum Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelso, Ann B., Ed.

In an introductory section by Michael D. Harris, this resource presents a discussion of aspects and problems in the WEstern study of African Art. This is followed by six lesson plans based on art works from the Fred and Rita Richman Collection of Sub-Saharan Art in the High Museum. The handbook follows Georgia's Quality Core Curriculum and the Ten…

Reflecting on the State of U.S. Doctoral PETE Programs . . . "Houston, We've Had a Problem."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Mars, Hans

2011-01-01

This theme issue of "Journal of Teaching in Physical Education" constitutes the first concentrated effort to reflect on critical dimensions and issues related to the quality of doctoral programs in Sport Pedagogy/Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) in the United States (hereafter referred to as D-PETE programs). For a number of years now,…

Mediation and Moderation of Divorce Effects on Children’s Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Weaver, Jennifer; Schofield, Thomas

2016-01-01

Using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we examined children’s internalizing and externalizing behavior problems from age 5 to age 15 in relation to whether they had experienced a parental divorce. Children from divorced families had more behavior problems compared with a propensity score-matched sample of children from intact families according to both teachers and mothers. They exhibited more internalizing and externalizing problems at the first assessment after the parents’ separation and at the last available assessment (age 11 for teacher reports, or age 15 for mother reports). Divorce also predicted both short-term and long-term rank-order increases in behavior problems. Associations between divorce and child behavior problems were moderated by family income (assessed before the divorce) such that children from families with higher incomes prior to the separation had fewer internalizing problems than children from families with lower incomes prior to the separation. Higher levels of pre-divorce maternal sensitivity and child IQ also functioned as protective factors for children of divorce. Mediation analyses showed that children were more likely to exhibit behavior problems after the divorce if their post-divorce home environment was less supportive and stimulating, their mother was less sensitive and more depressed, and their household income was lower. We discuss avenues for intervention, particularly efforts to improve the quality of home environments in divorced families. PMID:25419913

The relationship between teacher burnout and student motivation.

PubMed

Shen, Bo; McCaughtry, Nate; Martin, Jeffrey; Garn, Alex; Kulik, Noel; Fahlman, Mariane

2015-12-01

Teacher burnout is regarded as a serious problem in school settings. To date, studies on teachers' stress and burnout have largely centred on teachers' own characteristics, socialization, and behaviours, but few have explored the connection between teachers' burnout and students' motivation via their own perceptions of teachers' behaviour and emotional well-being. This study adopted Maslach et al.'s (2001, Annu. Rev. Psychol., 52, 397) job burnout construct and self-determination theory to investigate the relationships between teachers' burnout and students' autonomous motivation over one-semester physical education classes. A total of 1,302 high school students and their 33 physical education teachers in 20 high schools from two school districts in a major Midwest metropolitan area in the United States. The two school districts were demographically similar. Students and physical education teachers completed questionnaires assessing relevant psychological constructs. There were two time points for collecting students' data. One was at the beginning of a fall semester, and the other was at the end of that semester. Hierarchical linear modelling analyses were conducted. It was revealed that teachers' emotional exhaustion was negatively related to students' perceived teacher autonomy support (TAS); in turn, there was a negative relationship between teachers' feeling of depersonalization and students' autonomous motivation development even when controlling for inadequate TAS. The dimensions of teachers' burnout might play different roles in the transmission from teachers to students. Teachers' status of burnout is an important environmental factor associated with students' quality of motivation. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

How Teachers' Self-Efficacy Is Related to Instructional Quality: A Longitudinal Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holzberger, Doris; Philipp, Anja; Kunter, Mareike

2013-01-01

This study extends previous research on teachers' self-efficacy by exploring reciprocal effects of teachers' self-efficacy and instructional quality in a longitudinal panel study. The study design combined a self-report measure of teacher self-efficacy with teacher and student ratings of instructional quality (assessing cognitive activation,…

Qualities of Early Childhood Teachers: Reflections from Teachers and Administrators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weitman, Catheryn J.; Humphries, Janie H.

Data were collected from elementary school principals and kindergarten teachers in Texas and Louisiana in an effort to identify qualities that are thought to be important for kindergarten teachers. A questionnaire listing 462 qualities of early childhood teachers was compiled from literature reviews. Subjects were asked to check a maximum of 50…

Testing Teacher Candidates: The Role of Licensure Tests in Improving Teacher Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Karen J., Ed.; Robinson, David Z., Ed.; Plake, Barbara S., Ed.; Knowles, Kaeli T., Ed.

This book examines the appropriateness and technical quality of teacher licensure tests currently in use, evaluating teacher licensure tests and examining the use of tests to hold states and institutions of higher education accountable for the quality of teacher preparation and licensure. It also suggests alternatives for developing and assessing…

Out-of-Field Teaching: A Cross-National Study on Teacher Labor Market and Teacher Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Yisu

2012-01-01

In the past two decades, the issue of out-of-field teaching (OFT) has concerned policy makers and researchers alike who see raising teachers' subject matter knowledge as the main policy lever to improve teacher quality. The study of OFT has emerged as one of the important subfields of teacher quality and teacher labour market research.…

Why Do They Stay: Factors Influencing Teacher Retention in Rural Zimbabwe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomba, Clifford

2015-01-01

The attraction and retention of teachers in Zimbabwe is a problem not only unique to Zimbabwean schools, but all over the world. The problem is more pronounced in rural areas where resources are scarce, hence the tendency to repel teachers. Although the problem of teacher turnover is real, there are teachers who have remained in the profession for…

Elementary Students' Effortful Control and Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Teacher-Student Relationship Quality.

PubMed

Hernández, Maciel M; Valiente, Carlos; Eisenberg, Nancy; Berger, Rebecca H; Spinrad, Tracy L; VanSchyndel, Sarah K; Silva, Kassondra M; Southworth, Jody; Thompson, Marilyn S

This study evaluated the association between effortful control in kindergarten and academic achievement one year later ( N = 301), and whether teacher-student closeness and conflict in kindergarten mediated the association. Parents, teachers, and observers reported on children's effortful control, and teachers reported on their perceived levels of closeness and conflict with students. Students completed the passage comprehension and applied problems subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson tests of achievement, as well as a behavioral measure of effortful control. Analytical models predicting academic achievement were estimated using a structural equation model framework. Effortful control positively predicted academic achievement even when controlling for prior achievement and other covariates. Mediation hypotheses were tested in a separate model; effortful control positively predicted teacher-student closeness and strongly, negatively predicted teacher-student conflict. Teacher-student closeness and effortful control, but not teacher-student conflict, had small, positive associations with academic achievement. Effortful control also indirectly predicted higher academic achievement through its positive effect on teacher-student closeness and via its positive relation to early academic achievement. The findings suggest that teacher-student closeness is one mechanism by which effortful control is associated with academic achievement. Effortful control was also a consistent predictor of academic achievement, beyond prior achievement levels and controlling for teacher-student closeness and conflict, with implications for intervention programs on fostering regulation and achievement concurrently.

Teacher's sleep quality: linked to social job characteristics?

PubMed

Kottwitz, Maria U; Gerhardt, Christin; Pereira, Diana; Iseli, Lionel; Elfering, Achim

2018-02-07

Besides dealing with high workload, being a teacher is challenging with respect to the social context. There is increasing evidence that adverse social job characteristics challenge sleep quality. The current study tests whether restraint sleep quality (defined as worse sleep quality before than during vacation) is related to time-related job stressors, job resources, and social job characteristics. Forty-eight elementary school teachers (42% women) participated both during the last week before and the first week after vacation. Before vacation, teachers were asked for demographics and working conditions with reference to the last 30 d, and sleep quality with reference to the last 7 d. After vacation sleep quality during vacation was assessed and used as reference for working time sleep quality. Results showed mean levels of sleep quality increased during vacation. In teachers with restrained working time sleep quality (38%), experiences of failure at work, social exclusion, and emotional dissonance were more frequent than in teachers with unrestrained working time sleep quality (Ps<0.05). Groups did not differ in time-related stressors, time control and social support from supervisors. Emotion work, social exclusion and individual experience of failure seem to challenge sleep quality in teachers.

Building Teacher Quality in the Kansas City, Missouri School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corso, Aileen; Franck, Valerie; Kelliher, Kate; McCorry, Betsy

2011-01-01

This study looks at the policies and practices shaping teacher quality in the Kansas City, Missouri School District (KCMSD). It is part of a series of analyses by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) in school districts across the nation. Framing this analysis are five policy goals for improving teacher quality: (1) Staffing. Teacher…

Teacher Quality 2.0: Toward a New Era in Education Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Frederick M., Ed.; McShane, Michael Q., Ed.

2014-01-01

In "Teacher Quality 2.0," American Enterprise Institute (AEI) education experts Frederick M. Hess and Michael Q. McShane convene a diverse array of contributors to examine fruitful innovations that promise to improve teacher quality in a more strategic way. Much of the cutting-edge work in teacher quality is happening in nontraditional…

Teacher Quality: Sustained Coordination among Key Federal Education Programs Could Enhance State Efforts to Improve Teacher Quality. Report to the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives. GAO-09-593

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Government Accountability Office, 2009

2009-01-01

Policymakers and researchers have focused on improving the quality of our nation's 3 million teachers to raise the achievement of students in key academic areas, such as reading and mathematics. Given the importance of teacher quality to student achievement and the key role federal and state governments play in supporting teacher quality, GAO's…

The Concept of Quality in Cambodian Teacher Training: A Philosophical Ethnography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanfill, Enoch M.

2016-01-01

Research shows that quality teachers are the single most significant influence on the quality of education available to students. This recognition of the importance of quality teachers on quality education is reflected in goal 6 of the EFA: Quality Education. EFA proxies for quality, however, are dubious measures of the concept......What does the…

Teacher Quality Roadmap: Improving Policies and Practices in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council on Teacher Quality, 2012

2012-01-01

In partnership with the Urban League of Greater Miami, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) released "Teacher Quality Roadmap: Improving Policies and Practices in Miami," an in-depth study of the work rules Miami-Dade teachers. This look at the state of teacher policies in Miami-Dade County Public Schools explores the…

Profiles of Teacher-Child Interaction Quality in Preschool Classrooms and Teachers' Professional Competence Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Bi Ying; Chen, Liang; Fan, Xitao

2018-01-01

This paper investigates early childhood education (ECE) teachers' self-reported and observed teacher-child interaction quality (TIQ) and the associated teachers' professional competence features using a latent profile analysis (LPA) approach to identify the variations in the quality of classroom experiences in Chinese preschools. A total of 164…

Investigating Mathematics Teachers Candidates' Knowledge about Problem Solving Strategies through Problem Posing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ünlü, Melihan

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine mathematics teacher candidates' knowledge about problem solving strategies through problem posing. This qualitative research was conducted with 95 mathematics teacher candidates studying at education faculty of a public university during the first term of the 2015-2016 academic year in Turkey. Problem Posing…

Skill Levels of Prospective Physics Teachers on Problem Posing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cildir, Sema; Sezen, Nazan

2011-01-01

Problem posing is one of the topics which the educators thoroughly accentuate. Problem posing skill is defined as an introvert activity of a student's learning. In this study, skill levels of prospective physics teachers on problem posing were determined and their views on problem posing were evaluated. To this end, prospective teachers were given…

Dynamic Scaffolding in a Cloud-Based Problem Representation System: Empowering Pre-Service Teachers' Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chwee Beng; Ling, Keck Voon; Reimann, Peter; Diponegoro, Yudho Ahmad; Koh, Chia Heng; Chew, Derwin

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to argue for the need to develop pre-service teachers' problem solving ability, in particular, in the context of real-world complex problems. Design/methodology/approach: To argue for the need to develop pre-service teachers' problem solving skills, the authors describe a web-based problem representation…

Base-Matics. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frame, Laurence

This teacher's guide contains the following sections: Teacher Objectives; Student Objectives; Teacher Aid Suggestions; Objectives Overview; Teacher's Guide; Drawing Page; American League Team Addresses; National League Team Addresses; Student Activities; Baseball Field Dimensions; Age Problems; Statistics from a Newspaper; Time Problems; Height…

Implementing the LifeSkills Training drug prevention program: factors related to implementation fidelity.

PubMed

Mihalic, Sharon F; Fagan, Abigail A; Argamaso, Susanne

2008-01-18

Widespread replication of effective prevention programs is unlikely to affect the incidence of adolescent delinquency, violent crime, and substance use until the quality of implementation of these programs by community-based organizations can be assured. This paper presents the results of a process evaluation employing qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the extent to which 432 schools in 105 sites implemented the LifeSkills Training (LST) drug prevention program with fidelity. Regression analysis was used to examine factors influencing four dimensions of fidelity: adherence, dosage, quality of delivery, and student responsiveness. Although most sites faced common barriers, such as finding room in the school schedule for the program, gaining full support from key participants (i.e., site coordinators, principals, and LST teachers), ensuring teacher participation in training workshops, and classroom management difficulties, most schools involved in the project implemented LST with very high levels of fidelity. Across sites, 86% of program objectives and activities required in the three-year curriculum were delivered to students. Moreover, teachers were observed using all four recommended teaching practices, and 71% of instructors taught all the required LST lessons. Multivariate analyses found that highly rated LST program characteristics and better student behavior were significantly related to a greater proportion of material taught by teachers (adherence). Instructors who rated the LST program characteristics as ideal were more likely to teach all lessons (dosage). Student behavior and use of interactive teaching techniques (quality of delivery) were positively related. No variables were related to student participation (student responsiveness). Although difficult, high implementation fidelity by community-based organizations can be achieved. This study suggests some important factors that organizations should consider to ensure fidelity, such as selecting programs with features that minimize complexity while maximizing flexibility. Time constraints in the classroom should be considered when choosing a program. Student behavior also influences program delivery, so schools should train teachers in the use of classroom management skills. This project involved comprehensive program monitoring and technical assistance that likely facilitated the identification and resolution of problems and contributed to the overall high quality of implementation. Schools should recognize the importance of training and technical assistance to ensure quality program delivery.

The Relationship between Internal Teacher Profiles and the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions in Prekindergarten

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker-Woodrow, Lauren

2018-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between internal teacher profiles and pre-K teacher-child interaction quality in the pre-K classroom. Two questions were addressed: (1) What internal profiles exist for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) teachers? and (2) Do internal profiles relate to observed structural and process quality in the pre-K classroom?…

Teacher Career Paths, Teacher Quality, and Persistence in the Classroom: Are Schools Keeping Their Best? Working Paper 29

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Gross, Betheny; Player, Daniel

2009-01-01

Most studies that have fueled alarm over the attrition and mobility rates of teachers have relied on proxy indicators of teacher quality, even though these proxies correlate only weakly with student performance. This paper examines the attrition and mobility of early-career teachers of varying quality using value-added measures of teacher…

Teacher Salaries and the Shortage of High-Quality Teachers in China's Rural Primary and Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xuehui, An

2018-01-01

Teacher salary level and structure are not only important factors affecting the supply of primary and secondary school teachers, but they are also crucial to attracting, training, and retaining high-quality teachers, thereby impacting the overall quality of education and teaching in schools. The reform of China's basic education management system…

Rates of Beginning Teachers: Examining One Indicator of School Quality in an Equity Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagnon, Douglas J.; Mattingly, Marybeth J.

2015-01-01

The authors use national data to examine variation in the proportion of beginning teachers in school districts across the United States by poverty, race, and urbanicity. In addition to being a proxy for teacher quality, the proportion of beginning teachers in a district also speaks to teacher turnover and therefore broader school quality issues.…

A closer look at co-rumination: gender, coping, peer functioning and internalizing/externalizing problems.

PubMed

Tompkins, Tanya L; Hockett, Ashlee R; Abraibesh, Nadia; Witt, Jody L

2011-10-01

Co-rumination, defined as repetitive, problem-focused talk explains higher levels of friendship quality in youth (Rose, 2002) and increased levels of anxiety/depression in females. Middle adolescents (N = 146) participated in a study of co-rumination, individual coping, externalizing/internalizing problems, and peer functioning. Consistent with past research, girls reported higher levels of co-rumination and internalizing symptoms. Co-rumination was also positively correlated with self-reports, but not teacher reports, of anxiety/depression and aggressive behavior. Both self-reported number of friends and teacher-rated social acceptance were negatively associated with co-rumination. Co-rumination partially accounted for the significant indirect effect of gender on internalizing symptoms. Additionally, co-rumination was associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms but not individual coping efforts. Finally, co-rumination accounted for a unique amount of variance in internalizing symptoms, controlling for externalizing problems and secondary control coping. Theoretical implications and the importance of including broad domains of adjustment and peer functioning in future investigations of co-rumination are discussed. Copyright © 2011 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changing Teacher Morale: An Experiment in Feedback of Identified Problems of Teachers and Principals. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Ralph R.; Rempel, Averno M.

This 2-year study attempted to determine whether feedback to teachers and principals about problems and tensions existing in their schools can be effective in changing morale for (1) teachers generally, (2) vocational teachers, (3) and nonvocational teachers. Relationships between teacher morale and such factors as age, sex, teaching experience,…

A Case Study of an Induction Year Teacher's Problem-Solving Using the LIBRE Model Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra, Norma S.; Flores, Belinda Bustos; Claeys, Lorena

2009-01-01

Background: A federally-funded program at the University of Texas at San Antonio adopted a holistic problem solving mentoring approach for novice teachers participating in an accelerated teacher certification program. Aims/focus of discussion: To investigate a novice teacher's problem-solving activity through self-expression of challenges and…

We Look More, Listen More, Notice More: Impact of Sustained Professional Development on Head Start Teachers' Inquiry-Based and Culturally-Relevant Science Teaching Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roehrig, Gillian H.; Dubosarsky, Mia; Mason, Annie; Carlson, Stephan; Murphy, Barbara

2011-10-01

Despite many scholars' recommendations, science is often avoided during early childhood education. Among the reasons provided by early childhood teachers for the exclusion of science from their daily routines included science anxiety, low self-efficacy with respect to teaching science, lack of experience participating in science activities as students, or the notion that literacy and language are more important during the early years. In minority populations the problem is even greater due to identification of science with the `culture of. This article presents results from Ah Neen Dush, a sustained and transformative professional development program for Head Start teachers on an American Indian Reservation. The goal of the program is to support early childhood teachers in developing inquiry-based and culturally-relevant teaching practices. Through analysis of teachers' classroom practices, surveys and interviews, we explore changes in teachers' attitudes toward science and inquiry-based practices. Classroom observations were conducted using CLASS (Classroom assessment Scoring System), a tool used to evaluate the quality of classroom interactions. After 1 year of professional development teachers' attitudes were found to improve and after 2 years teachers classroom practices were more inquiry-based with statistically significant increases in CLASS observation scores.

Genetic Moderation of Early Child-Care Effects on Social Functioning Across Childhood: A Developmental Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belsky, Jay; Pluess, Michael

2013-01-01

Data from 508 Caucasian children in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development shows that the DRD4 (but not 5-HTTLPR) polymorphism moderates the effect of child-care quality (but not quantity or type) on caregiver-reported externalizing problems at 54 months and in kindergarten and teacher-reported social skills at kindergarten and…

Enthusiasm, Relevance and Creativity: Could These Teaching Qualities Stop Us Alienating Pupils from Science?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Sarah; Ireson, Gren; Twidle, John

2010-01-01

The poor attitude of pupils towards science continues to be a topic of concern within secondary schools. This article considers research and highlights what we can learn as teachers to persevere in tackling the problem. Alongside this review, a case study was undertaken with a sample of year 7 pupils (ages 11-12) in English schools who reported…

Preservice Teachers' Problem Solving: A Study of Problem Identification and Engagement Style Using the LIBRE Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro-Villarreal, Felicia; Guerra, Norma S.

2012-01-01

In this study, we examine 122 preservice teachers' reported problems and assessed engagement styles using the LIBRE model stick figure. Qualitative and descriptive data were gathered using (1) a qualitative problem-solving activity to identify preservice teachers' problems and engagement preferences and (2) descriptive analyses to depict and…

Child Behavior Problems, Teacher Executive Functions, and Teacher Stress in Head Start Classrooms.

PubMed

Friedman-Krauss, Allison H; Raver, C Cybele; Neuspiel, Juliana M; Kinsel, John

2014-01-01

The current article explores the relationship between teachers' perceptions of child behavior problems and preschool teacher job stress, as well as the possibility that teachers' executive functions moderate this relationship. Data came from 69 preschool teachers in 31 early childhood classrooms in 4 Head Start centers and were collected using Web-based surveys and Web-based direct assessment tasks. Multilevel models revealed that higher levels of teachers' perceptions of child behavior problems were associated with higher levels of teacher job stress and that higher teacher executive function skills were related to lower job stress. However, findings did not yield evidence for teacher executive functions as a statistical moderator. Many early childhood teachers do not receive sufficient training for handling children's challenging behaviors. Child behavior problems increase a teacher's workload and consequently may contribute to feelings of stress. However, teachers' executive function abilities may enable them to use effective, cognitive-based behavior management and instructional strategies during interactions with students, which may reduce stress. Providing teachers with training on managing challenging behaviors and enhancing executive functions may reduce their stress and facilitate their use of effective classroom practices, which is important for children's school readiness skills and teachers' health.

The problem-solving approach in the teaching of number theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toh, Pee Choon; Hoong Leong, Yew; Toh, Tin Lam; Dindyal, Jaguthsing; Quek, Khiok Seng; Guan Tay, Eng; Him Ho, Foo

2014-02-01

Mathematical problem solving is the mainstay of the mathematics curriculum for Singapore schools. In the preparation of prospective mathematics teachers, the authors, who are mathematics teacher educators, deem it important that pre-service mathematics teachers experience non-routine problem solving and acquire an attitude that predisposes them to adopt a Pólya-style approach in learning mathematics. The Practical Worksheet is an instructional scaffold we adopted to help our pre-service mathematics teachers develop problem-solving dispositions alongside the learning of the subject matter. The Worksheet was initially used in a design experiment aimed at teaching problem solving in a secondary school. In this paper, we describe an application and adaptation of the MProSE (Mathematical Problem Solving for Everyone) design experiment to a university level number theory course for pre-service mathematics teachers. The goal of the enterprise was to help the pre-service mathematics teachers develop problem-solving dispositions alongside the learning of the subject matter. Our analysis of the pre-service mathematics teachers' work shows that the MProSE design holds promise for mathematics courses at the tertiary level.

An Investigation on Chinese Teachers' Realistic Problem Posing and Problem Solving Ability and Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Limin; Van Dooren, Wim; Chen, Qi; Verschaffel, Lieven

2011-01-01

In the present study, which is a part of a research project about realistic word problem solving and problem posing in Chinese elementary schools, a problem solving and a problem posing test were administered to 128 pre-service and in-service elementary school teachers from Tianjin City in China, wherein the teachers were asked to solve 3…

Novice Teachers' Perceptions of Support, Teacher Preparation Quality, and Student Teaching Experience Related to Teacher Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knobloch, Neil A.; Whittington, M. Susie

2002-01-01

This multiple regression study analyzed the percent of variance in teacher efficacy of 106 student teachers and novice teachers in agricultural education in Ohio explained by selected variables related to perceived support (utilizing a mentor, supportive principal behaviors, collective efficacy), teacher preparation quality, and student teaching…

Preparing Quality Teachers: Making Learning Visible

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McArdle, Felicity

2010-01-01

Teacher quality is recognised as a lynchpin for education reforms internationally, and both Federal and State governments in Australia have turned their attention to teacher education institutions: the starting point for preparing quality teachers. Changes to policy and shifts in expectations impact on Faculties of Education, despite the fact that…

School Problems and Teacher Responsibilities in Juvenile Rheumatiod Arthritis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Janalee; And Others

1987-01-01

Responses of 24 children with rheumatoid arthritis, 24 of their parents, and 14 of their teachers to a survey about school problems indicated that children experienced problems most frequently with self-concept and peer relationships, while parents and teachers focused on physical health and activity-related problems. (Author/CB)

Using Blackboard and Skype for Mentoring Beginning Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suk Hwang, Young; Vrongistinos, Konstantinos

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article is to examine the nature of the Blackboard and Skype-based electronic mentoring system for beginning teachers. The Quality Teachers for Quality Students project developed an electronic mentoring system between beginning teachers and experienced teachers to support beginning teachers' instructional and classroom…

Teacher-Child Relationships and Children's Externalizing Behaviors in Head Start

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittaker, Jessica E. Vick; Jones Harden, Brenda

2010-01-01

This study explored the association between teacher-child relationship quality and Head Start children's externalizing behaviors. We also investigated the associations among teacher, student, and classroom characteristics and teacher-child relationship quality. Data were gathered from 100 Head Start children and their teachers. Teacher-child…

Recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers in rural areas.

PubMed

Monk, David H

2007-01-01

In examining recruitment and retention of teachers in rural areas, David Monk begins by noting the numerous possible characteristics of rural communities--small size, sparse settlement, distance from population concentrations, and an economic reliance on agricultural industries that are increasingly using seasonal and immigrant workers to minimize labor costs. Many, though not all, rural areas, he says, are seriously impoverished. Classes in rural schools are relatively small, and teachers tend to report satisfaction with their work environments and relatively few problems with discipline. But teacher turnover is often high, and hiring can be difficult. Monk observes that rural schools have a below-average share of highly trained teachers. Compensation in rural schools tends to be low, perhaps because of a lower fiscal capacity in rural areas, thus complicating efforts to attract and retain teachers. Several student characteristics, including relatively large shares of students with special needs and with limited English skills and lower shares of students attending college, can also make it difficult to recruit and retain high-quality teachers. Other challenges include meeting the needs of highly mobile children of low-income migrant farm workers. With respect to public policy, Monk asserts a need to focus on a subcategory of what might be called hard-to-staff rural schools rather than to develop a blanket set of policies for all rural schools. In particular, he recommends a focus on such indicators as low teacher qualifications, teaching in fields far removed from the area of training, difficulty in hiring, high turnover, a lack of diversity among teachers in the school, and the presence of migrant farm workers' children. Successful efforts to stimulate economic growth in these areas would be highly beneficial. He also calls attention to the potential for modern telecommunication and computing technologies to offset some of the drawbacks associated with teaching in rural areas.

Preparing and Licensing High Quality Teachers in Pacific Region Jurisdictions. Issues & Answers. REL 2007-No. 031

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heine, Hilda C.; Emesiochl, Masa Akii

2007-01-01

The provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 for teacher quality direct that all students in U.S. public schools be taught by highly qualified teachers. Although the Pacific Region entities are trying to meet this teacher-quality mandate, most are still far from fulfilling the minimum education requirements for their teachers. By…

New Pathways for Teachers, New Promises for Students: A Vision for Developing Excellent Teachers. Teacher Quality 2.0. Special Report 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Timothy

2013-01-01

This paper outlines a set of ideas for improving teacher quality in America's schools. In it, the author proposes a combination of incremental steps and ambitious ones, designed to stimulate policymakers, practitioners, and the public to accelerate efforts to develop high-quality teachers. The paper has four main sections. First, the author…

The pathways of high school science teachers and policy efforts to alter the pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sass, Tim

2012-03-01

There is currently much interest in improving the quality of science education in K-12 schools and encouraging more students, particularly minorities and women, to pursue careers in STEM fields. Two interrelated issues are at the forefront: the quality of science teachers and the supply of science teachers. Education research in general finds that the single most important school-based factor affecting student achievement is teacher quality. While there is little evidence that teacher credentials matter for student achievement in the lower grades, there is at least some evidence that content knowledge is an important determinant of teacher quality in middle and secondary schools. However, little is known about the pre-service preparation of high school science teachers and how the training of science teachers affects their performance in the classroom. While there are many efforts underway to increase the supply of science teachers, little is known about the supply of science teachers from different pathways and the factors that lead science teachers to leave the profession. In this presentation I discuss recent work on the supply of teachers from alternative pathways, focusing on high school science teachers. I also summarize the literature on teacher quality and attrition, emphasizing the current state of knowledge on secondary school teachers. Finally, I present current policy initiatives and discuss the likelihood of their success given current research findings.

The Problems That the Classroom Teachers Working in Villages and County Towns Confront in Educational Inspection and Their Opinions Concerning the Effect of These Problems on Their Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdem, Ali Riza; Yaprak, Meral

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research is to establish that the problems of education supervision of the class teachers working in the village and township centre in Denizli and their opinions about these problems affect their performance. 321 class teachers working in official primary schools in townships of Denizli and 272 class teachers working in…

Student Classroom Misbehavior: An Exploratory Study Based on Teachers' Perceptions

PubMed Central

Sun, Rachel C. F.; Shek, Daniel T. L.

2012-01-01

This study aimed to examine the conceptions of junior secondary school student misbehaviors in classroom, and to identify the most common, disruptive, and unacceptable student problem behaviors from teachers' perspective. Twelve individual interviews with teachers were conducted. A list of 17 student problem behaviors was generated. Results showed that the most common and disruptive problem behavior was talking out of turn, followed by nonattentiveness, daydreaming, and idleness. The most unacceptable problem behavior was disrespecting teachers in terms of disobedience and rudeness, followed by talking out of turn and verbal aggression. The findings revealed that teachers perceived student problem behaviors as those behaviors involving rule-breaking, violating the implicit norms or expectations, being inappropriate in the classroom settings and upsetting teaching and learning, which mainly required intervention from teachers. PMID:22919297

Child Behavior Problems, Teacher Executive Functions, and Teacher Stress in Head Start Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman-Krauss, Allison H.; Raver, C. Cybele; Neuspiel, Juliana M.; Kinsel, John

2014-01-01

Research Findings: The current article explores the relationship between teachers' perceptions of child behavior problems and preschool teacher job stress, as well as the possibility that teachers' executive functions moderate this relationship. Data came from 69 preschool teachers in 31 early childhood classrooms in 4 Head Start centers and were…

Early Childhood Behavioural Problems in Turkey: Teachers' Views, Challenges and Coping Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yumus, Melike; Bayhan, Pinar

2017-01-01

This research explored teachers' opinions on behaviour problems of 36- to 72-month-old children and examined factors associated with teachers' ability to cope with these problems. Purposive sampling was used and participants were 238 preschool teachers responsible for 36- to 72-month-old children. We examined self-reported skills in defining and…

The Problems of Practice: Bricolage as a Metaphor for Teachers' Work and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scribner, Jay Paredes

2005-01-01

In this article the author uses Levi-Strauss' (1966) metaphor of Bricolage to examine how teachers, not policymakers, make sense of their "problems of practice" in three United States high schools. The article also examines how teachers address these problems of practice. It concludes by underscoring the disconnect between teachers' and…

The Relationships among Teachers' Perceptions of Student Behaviour, Teachers' Characteristics, and Ratings of Students' Emotional and Behavioural Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liljequist, Laura; Renk, Kimberly

2007-01-01

This study examined the relationships among teachers' perceptions of students' behavioural problems and their own efficacy and psychological symptoms. Findings suggested that teachers were more bothered by externalising (i.e., acting out) than internalising (i.e., withdrawal, depression) behavioural problems in their students, and believed that…

Conduct Problems in Young, School-Going Children in Ireland: Prevalence and Teacher Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyland, Lynda; Ní Mháille, Grainne; Lodge, Anne; McGilloway, Sinead

2014-01-01

Conduct problems in school settings can pose significant challenges for both children and teachers. This study examined the teacher-reported prevalence of conduct problems in a sample of young children (N?=?445) in the first two years of formal education. A secondary aim was to assess teachers' perceptions of child behaviour and their classroom…

Teacher students' dilemmas when teaching science through inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krämer, Philipp; Nessler, Stefan H.; Schlüter, Kirsten

2015-09-01

Background: Inquiry-based science education (IBSE) is suitable to teach scientific contents as well as to foster scientific skills. Similar conclusions are drawn by studies with respect to scientific literacy, motivational aspects, vocabulary knowledge, conceptual understandings, critical thinking, and attitudes toward science. Nevertheless, IBSE is rarely adopted in schools. Often barriers for teachers account for this lack, with the result that even good teachers struggle to teach science as inquiry. More importantly, studies indicate that several barriers and constraints could be ascribed to problems teacher students have at the university stage. Purpose: The purpose of this explorative investigation is to examine the problems teacher students have when teaching science through inquiry. In order to draw a holistic picture of these problems, we identified problems from three different points of view leading to the research question: What problems regarding IBSE do teacher students have from an objective, a subjective, and a self-reflective perspective? Design & method: Using video analysis and observation tools as well as qualitative content analysis and open questionnaires we identified problems from each perspective. Results: The objectively stated problems comprise the lack of essential features of IBSE especially concerning 'Supporting pupils' own investigations' and 'Guiding analysis and conclusions.' The subjectively perceived problems comprise concerns about 'Teachers' abilities' and 'Pupils' abilities,' 'Differentiated instruction' and institutional frame 'Conditions' while the self-reflectively noticed problems mainly comprise concerns about 'Allowing inquiry,' 'Instructional Aspects,' and 'Pupils' behavior.' Conclusions: Each of the three different perspectives provides plenty of problems, partially overlapping, partially complementing one another, and partially revealing completely new problems. Consequently, teacher educators have to consider these three perspectives.

Are All Program Elements Created Equal? Relations Between Specific Social and Emotional Learning Components and Teacher-Student Classroom Interaction Quality.

PubMed

Abry, Tashia; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E; Curby, Timothy W

2017-02-01

School-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are presented to educators with little understanding of the program components that have the greatest leverage for improving targeted outcomes. Conducted in the context of a randomized controlled trial, the present study used variation in treatment teachers' (N = 143) implementation of four core components of the Responsive Classroom approach to examine relations between each component and the quality of teachers' emotional, organizational, and instructional interactions in third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms (controlling for pre-intervention interaction quality and other covariates). We also examined the extent to which these relations varied as a function of teachers' baseline levels of interaction quality. Indices of teachers' implementation of Morning Meeting, Rule Creation, Interactive Modeling, and Academic Choice were derived from a combination of teacher-reported surveys and classroom observations. Ratings of teacher-student classroom interactions were aggregated across five observations conducted throughout the school year. Structural path models indicated that teachers' use of Morning Meeting and Academic Choice related to higher levels of emotionally supportive interactions; Academic Choice also related to higher levels of instructional interactions. In addition, teachers' baseline interaction quality moderated several associations such that the strongest relations between RC component use and interaction quality emerged for teachers with the lowest baseline interaction quality. Results highlight the value of examining individual program components toward the identification of program active ingredients that can inform intervention optimization and teacher professional development.

Teacher Compensation and School Quality: New Findings from National and International Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Zhijuan; Verstegen, Deborah A.; Kim, Hoe Ryoung

2008-01-01

Are teacher salaries related to school quality in terms of student academic achievement and teacher retention? Are teacher salaries important factors influencing teacher job satisfaction? Is teacher job satisfaction related to retention? This research addressed these questions using international and national data. First, the literature will be…

Community-Based Teacher Professional Development in Remote Areas in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harjanto, Ignatius; Lie, Anita; Wihardini, Diah; Pryor, Laura; Wilson, Mark

2018-01-01

The Indonesian government has been struggling to improve the quality of teachers in its public and private schools. Several programmes of teacher education and teacher certification have been designed to enhance teacher quality. However, the programmes do not yet develop effective teachers. Supporting the government programmes, the Tanoto…

Perception on mathematics teachers' quality of teaching between all boys secondary schools and all girls secondary schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arbin, Norazman; Kamarudin, Norsyazana; Abu, Mohd Syafarudy; Hamzah, Firdaus Mohamad; Ghani, Sazelli Abdul

2015-05-01

This survey research was designed to identify the secondary mathematics teachers' quality of teaching. Specifically, this study focused on students' perception, based on genders on the quality of teaching of their secondary mathematics teachers and, its relationship with the former's mathematics achievement. This research was carried in four different schools: two all boys' secondary schools and two all girls' secondary schools. Thus, a comparison between these two types of schools was made. The sample of the study involved 100 form four students from those schools. The result showed that the students from those schools had positive perception on their teachers' quality of teaching. Statistically, there was no difference between the boys' and girls' perceptions. There was a significant relationship between the boys' perception on the quality of their teachers' teaching and the boys' achievement. However, there was no significant relationship between the girls' perceptions on the quality of their teachers' teaching and the girls' achievement. The findings of this research could be used as a useful guideline for mathematics teachers and future mathematics teachers in enhancing the quality of their teaching and learning.

Searching for Authentic Context in Designing PISA-like Mathematics Problem: From Indoor to Outdoor Field Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siswono, T. Y. E.; Kohar, A. W.; Rosyidi, A. H.; Hartono, S.; Masriyah

2018-01-01

Designing problem like in PISA is known as a challenging activity for teachers particularly as the use of authentic context within that type of problem. This paper aims to describe the experiences of secondary mathematics teachers in designing PISA-like problems within an innovative training program focusing on building teachers’ understanding on the concept of mathematical literacy. The teachers were engaged in a set of problem-solving and problem-posing activities using PISA-based problem within indoor and outdoor field experiences. Within indoor field experience, the teachers worked collaboratively in groups on designing PISA-like problems with a given context through problem generation and reformulation techniques. Within outdoor field experience, they worked on designing PISA-like problems with self-chosen context from the place where the outdoor field experience took place. Our analysis indicates that there were improvements on the PISA-like problems designed by teachers based on its level use of context from indoor to outdoor experience. Also, the teachers were relatively successful with creating appropriate and motivating contexts by harnessing a variety of context consisting of personal, occupational, societal, and scientific contexts. However, they still experienced difficulties in turning these contexts into an appropriate problem satisfying PISA framework such as regarding authenticity of context use, language structure, and PISA task profile.

Relational Agency and Teacher Development: A CHAT Analysis of a Collaborative Professional Inquiry Project with Biology Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNicholl, Jane

2013-01-01

Teacher quality largely determines student outcomes and many argue for high quality teacher training and professional development (PD). Much PD has been heavily critiqued and what constitutes effective provision for teachers remains contested. Disenfranchisement of teachers, through neglect of prior expertise and failure to acknowledge teachers'…

Showing and telling: using tablet technology to engage students in mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingram, Naomi; Williamson-Leadley, Sandra; Pratt, Keryn

2016-03-01

This paper reports on a qualitative investigation into the use of Show and Tell tablet technology in mathematics classrooms. A Show and Tell application (app) allows the user to capture voice and writing or text in real time. Described here are the perceptions of 11 teachers during and after their exploration into the use of Show and Tell in their primary and secondary classrooms. These perceptions were used to evaluate Show and Tell tablet technology against a framework of student engagement and effective pedagogy. The results of the study indicated that the teachers perceived both the level and the quality of the students' engagement were high. Using Show and Tell apps enabled the teachers to enact effective pedagogy within their classroom practices. Importantly, through the use of Show and Tell recordings, students' thinking became visible to themselves, their teachers and other students in the class. This thinking then formed the basis of robust discussions and negotiation about the mathematical concepts and the strategies the students used to solve problems.

Prevalence of cervicobrachial discomforts in elementary school teachers.

PubMed

Antonelli, Bruna Angela; de Paula Xavier, Antonio Augusto; Oenning, Paulina; Baumer, Michel Henrique; da Silva, Tarcísio Fulgêncio Alves; Pilatti, Luiz Alberto

2012-01-01

To determine the incidence of cervicobrachial order discomforts in Elementary Public School teachers from 1st to 4th years in the city of Pato Branco - PR. Cross-sectional study made with 160 public school teachers from 1st to 4th years in the city of Pato Branco - PR. Data collection was made from a structured questionnaire, and a physical examination with manual palpation and orthopedic tests. The obtained data showed the presence of pain in the trapezius muscle region, on the left side, in 52.5%; and, on the right side, in 50.6%. The analysis also showed that there is a strong relationship between the cervicobrachial problems presented and the labor activity. The final evaluation of this study demonstrates the great need of primary care for these workers, that is, carrying out activities to prevent musculoskeletal diseases developed through work, either to preserve the individuals' physical integrity or the quality of education. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was high among teachers. There is evidence that the prevalence was connected to job demands.

Paying for High- and Low-Quality Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schacter, John; Thum, Yeow Meng

2004-01-01

The extensive research on teacher quality has led to two conclusions. First, there are large and significant differences among teachers in terms of their capacity to improve student achievement. Second, these differences are not captured by common measures of teacher qualifications (E.A. Hanushek, Teacher quality, in: L.T. Izumi, W.M. Evers…

What Does the Research Tell Us about Teacher Leadership? Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2005

2005-01-01

In this age of high accountability, teacher quality is receiving more attention than ever before. Research that investigates ways to increase teacher quality is much needed, making this study a timely addition to the literature. Although increases in student achievement related to teacher quality have yet to be adequately documented, the research…

Teacher Quality and Quality Teaching: Examining the Relationship of a Teacher Assessment to Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Heather C.; Umland, Kristin; Litke, Erica; Kapitula, Laura R.

2012-01-01

Multiple-choice assessments are frequently used for gauging teacher quality. However, research seldom examines whether results from such assessments generalize to practice. To illuminate this issue, we compare teacher performance on a mathematics assessment, during mathematics instruction, and by student performance on a state assessment. Poor…

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,…

The Impact of Teacher Quality Grants on Long-Term Professional Development of Physical Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urquhart, Mary L.; Bober, Kendra M.

2006-02-01

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Teacher Quality Grants, supported through No Child Left Behind, are intended to ensure that secondary teachers of specific subjects are "highly qualified". Now in their third year, these grants have done much to shape long-term professional development for teachers in the physical sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). The grants have also created a suite of challenges and benefits for the UTD Science Education M.A.T. program. Teacher Quality Grants are based on the No Child Left Behind framework that requires teachers to be "highly qualified" as defined by the state. Recruitment is required to be targeted at teachers who are uncertified or teach one or more classes out of their content area and who work in high needs local school districts. Many of the students brought into our program through these grants have incoming content knowledge in physics similar to that typical of undergraduate non-majors, and a large percentage are uncomfortable with basic mathematics as well. How and what we teach has been dramatically impacted by the Teacher Quality Grants, as have our assessments and evaluations. An ongoing challenge has been to implement a Physics Education Research (PER)-based course design while meeting the specific requirements of the Teacher Quality Grant program. The Teacher Quality Grants have also provided a great deal of opportunity to new and existing teachers in our program. A barrier to our teachers, rising tuition costs, has been removed and as a result a mandate has become a doorway of opportunity for physical science teachers.

The Value of Reliable Data: Interactive Data Tools from the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality. Policy-to-Practice Brief. Number 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, 2008

2008-01-01

The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (TQ Center) designed the Interactive Data Tools to provide users with access to state and national data that can be helpful in assessing the qualifications of teachers in the states and the extent to which a state's teacher policy climate generally supports teacher quality. The Interactive Data…

Faculty opinion survey following attendance to teacher training workshop in Kathmandu Medical College.

PubMed

Joshi, S; Pradhan, A; Dixit, H

2004-01-01

With the growing awareness of the importance of teaching and learning in Universities, the need to improve professional qualities in teachers has been identified. This paper describes the outcome of the impact of teacher training workshops on faculty- teaching performance. A total of 30 faculties who had undergone teacher training in the one-year period were included in the study. Survey questionnaire were distributed and all the forms were returned. All (100%) respondents found the teacher training to be very useful/useful for improvement of teaching skills. A total of 76.66% said that the skills learnt in the workshop were very applicable, 80% perceived changes in students classroom behaviour and found their lecture to be more participatory and interactive. As for their own change in behaviour, 66.66% respondents experienced better interaction with the students in classroom. The overall impression of the training was very positive. Future studies should include student feed back and classroom teaching observation for faculty teaching evaluation. We also need to utilise the feed back information obtained in this article, to further improve the strength of the future teacher training workshops. The future workshops should include sessions in problem-based learning and follow up refresher courses.

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…

Investigating Pre-Service Chemistry Teachers' Problem Solving Strategies: Towards Developing a Framework in Teaching Stoichiometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espinosa, Allen A.; Nueva España, Rebecca C.; Marasigan, Arlyne C.

2016-01-01

The present study investigated pre-service chemistry teachers' problem solving strategies and alternative conceptions in solving stoichiometric problems and later on formulate a teaching framework based from the result of the study. The pre-service chemistry teachers were given four stoichiometric problems with increasing complexity and they need…

Prospective and In-Service Teachers' Perspectives about Launching a Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

González, Gloriana; Eli, Jennifer A.

2017-01-01

Launching a problem is critical in a problem-based lesson. We investigated teachers' perspectives on the use of a problem that was analogous to the one provided during a launch. Our goal was to identify teachers' underlying assumptions regarding what should constitute a launch as elements of the "practical rationality of mathematics…

Independence Pending: Teacher Behaviors Preceding Learner Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roesler, Rebecca A.

2017-01-01

The purposes of the present study were to identify the teacher behaviors that preceded learners' active participation in solving musical and technical problems and describe learners' roles in the problem-solving process. I applied an original model of problem solving to describe the behaviors of teachers and students in 161 rehearsal frames…

Quality Teacher Educators = Quality Teachers? Conceptualizing Essential Domains of Knowledge for Those Who Teach Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, A. Lin; Kosnik, Clare

2013-01-01

Becoming a teacher educator involves more than a job title. One becomes a teacher educator as soon as one does teacher education, but one's professional identity as a teacher educator is constructed over time. Developing an identity and practices in teacher education is best understood as a process of becoming. Though the work of teaching…

The Real World of the Beginning Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Education Association, Washington, DC. National Commission on Teacher Education and Professional Standards.

Problems and goals of beginning teachers are the subject of these speeches presented by both experienced and beginning teachers at the 1965 national conference of the National Commission on Teacher Education and Professional Standards. The problems include the differences between teacher expectations and encounters, unrealistic teaching and…

Mediation and moderation of divorce effects on children's behavior problems.

PubMed

Weaver, Jennifer M; Schofield, Thomas J

2015-02-01

Using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we examined children's internalizing and externalizing behavior problems from age 5 to 15 years in relation to whether they had experienced a parental divorce. Children from divorced families had more behavior problems compared with a propensity-score-matched sample of children from intact families, according to both teachers and mothers. They exhibited more internalizing and externalizing problems at the first assessment after the parents' separation and at the last available assessment (age 11 years for teacher reports, or 15 years for mother reports). Divorce also predicted both short-term and long-term rank-order increases in behavior problems. Associations between divorce and child behavior problems were moderated by family income (assessed before the divorce) such that children from families with higher incomes prior to the separation had fewer internalizing problems than children from families with lower incomes prior to the separation. Higher levels of predivorce maternal sensitivity and child IQ also functioned as protective factors for children of divorce. Mediation analyses showed that children were more likely to exhibit behavior problems after the divorce if their postdivorce home environment was less supportive and stimulating, their mother was less sensitive and more depressed, and their household income was lower. We discuss avenues for intervention, particularly efforts to improve the quality of home environments in divorced families. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Preschool Teachers' Understanding of Quality in Preschool: A Comparative Study in Three European Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodin, J.; Hollerer, L.; Renblad, K.; Stancheva-Popkostadinova, V.

2015-01-01

The aim of this article is to highlight the concept "quality" with a special focus on preschool teachers' understanding and compare what preschool teachers in Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden regard as quality. Although quality is at high degree a subjective concept, some aspects are regarded decisive for good quality. A questionnaire was…

Teacher’s sleep quality: linked to social job characteristics?

PubMed Central

KOTTWITZ, Maria U.; GERHARDT, Christin; PEREIRA, Diana; ISELI, Lionel; ELFERING, Achim

2017-01-01

Besides dealing with high workload, being a teacher is challenging with respect to the social context. There is increasing evidence that adverse social job characteristics challenge sleep quality. The current study tests whether restraint sleep quality (defined as worse sleep quality before than during vacation) is related to time-related job stressors, job resources, and social job characteristics. Forty-eight elementary school teachers (42% women) participated both during the last week before and the first week after vacation. Before vacation, teachers were asked for demographics and working conditions with reference to the last 30 d, and sleep quality with reference to the last 7 d. After vacation sleep quality during vacation was assessed and used as reference for working time sleep quality. Results showed mean levels of sleep quality increased during vacation. In teachers with restrained working time sleep quality (38%), experiences of failure at work, social exclusion, and emotional dissonance were more frequent than in teachers with unrestrained working time sleep quality (Ps<0.05). Groups did not differ in time-related stressors, time control and social support from supervisors. Emotion work, social exclusion and individual experience of failure seem to challenge sleep quality in teachers. PMID:28804097

Education and Intelligence: Pity the Poor Teacher because Student Characteristics are more Significant than Teachers or Schools.

PubMed

Detterman, Douglas K

2016-12-06

Education has not changed from the beginning of recorded history. The problem is that focus has been on schools and teachers and not students. Here is a simple thought experiment with two conditions: 1) 50 teachers are assigned by their teaching quality to randomly composed classes of 20 students, 2) 50 classes of 20 each are composed by selecting the most able students to fill each class in order and teachers are assigned randomly to classes. In condition 1, teaching ability of each teacher and in condition 2, mean ability level of students in each class is correlated with average gain over the course of instruction. Educational gain will be best predicted by student abilities (up to r = 0.95) and much less by teachers' skill (up to r = 0.32). I argue that seemingly immutable education will not change until we fully understand students and particularly human intelligence. Over the last 50 years in developed countries, evidence has accumulated that only about 10% of school achievement can be attributed to schools and teachers while the remaining 90% is due to characteristics associated with students. Teachers account for from 1% to 7% of total variance at every level of education. For students, intelligence accounts for much of the 90% of variance associated with learning gains. This evidence is reviewed.

Emotional development in children with tics: a longitudinal population-based study.

PubMed

Hoekstra, P J; Lundervold, A J; Lie, S A; Gillberg, C; Plessen, Kerstin J

2013-03-01

Children with tics often experience accompanying problems that may have more impact on their well being and quality of life than the tics themselves. The present study investigates characteristics and the course of associated problems. In a population-based follow-up study, we investigated the developmental trajectory of children with and without tics when they were 7-9 years old. Parents and teachers completed the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) when the children were 7-9 years (wave 1) and 4 years later (wave 2). Using strict criteria, we identified 38 children with tics in the cohort of 4,025 children (0.94% of the total cohort) with a preponderance of boys (78.9%). 22 children (57.9%) in the group with tics had only motor tics, and 16 (42.1%) had both motor and vocal tics. Children with tics had significantly higher parent- and teacher-rated SDQ total difficulty scores and subscale scores in both waves. Children with tics experienced an increase in emotional problems and in peer problems between the first and the second wave. This study in a general population indicates that the presence of tics is associated with a range of internalizing and externalizing difficulties, as well as problems in peer relationships. Moreover, our study indicates that emotional and peer problems tend to increase over time in the group of children with tics.

Connections between voice ergonomic risk factors and voice symptoms, voice handicap, and respiratory tract diseases.

PubMed

Rantala, Leena M; Hakala, Suvi J; Holmqvist, Sofia; Sala, Eeva

2012-11-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the connections between voice ergonomic risk factors found in classrooms and voice-related problems in teachers. Voice ergonomic assessment was performed in 39 classrooms in 14 elementary schools by means of a Voice Ergonomic Assessment in Work Environment--Handbook and Checklist. The voice ergonomic risk factors assessed included working culture, noise, indoor air quality, working posture, stress, and access to a sound amplifier. Teachers from the above-mentioned classrooms reported their voice symptoms, respiratory tract diseases, and completed a Voice Handicap Index (VHI). The more voice ergonomic risk factors found in the classroom the higher were the teachers' total scores on voice symptoms and VHI. Stress was the factor that correlated most strongly with voice symptoms. Poor indoor air quality increased the occurrence of laryngitis. Voice ergonomics were poor in the classrooms studied and voice ergonomic risk factors affected the voice. It is important to convey information on voice ergonomics to education administrators and those responsible for school planning and taking care of school buildings. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The etiology of behavior problems in 7-year-old twins: substantial genetic influence and negligible shared environmental influence for parent ratings and ratings by same and different teachers.

PubMed

Saudino, Kimberly J; Ronald, Angelica; Plomin, Robert

2005-02-01

Parent ratings of behavior problems in childhood show substantial genetic influence and modest shared environmental influence. However, few studies have compared these results to teacher ratings and no previous studies have compared same-teacher ratings to different-teacher ratings. 3,714 7-year-old twin pairs in the Twins Early Development Study were rated by parents and teachers on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Substantial heritability and negligible shared environmental influence were found for data from all three raters for total behavior problems, hyperactivity, prosocial behavior, peer problems, conduct problems, and emotional symptoms. Sex-limitation models revealed similar results for males and females, although there was some evidence for greater heritability for boys, especially when twins were rated by the same teacher.

Teaching Quality and Performance among Experienced Teachers in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abd Hamid, Siti Rafiah; Syed Hassan, Sharifah Sariah; Ismail, Nik Ahmad Hisham

2012-01-01

The role of teachers has evolved from merely being teacher-centered to one that is student centered and the skills required for a quality teacher are changing too. Assessing teacher's effectiveness will not be a straight forward attempt by solely examining students' achievements or students' perceptions of their teachers' attributes. A careful…

Elevating Teacher Quality: Teacher Tenure Reform Applying Lessons from Other Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Kevin M.

2016-01-01

The increased pressure of changing how teacher evaluations are conducted and increasing the level of teacher quality are pushing schools to reform. Due to changes in state mandates and federal laws, schools are required to demonstrate teacher effectiveness and student growth in teacher evaluations to assure students are receiving top quality…

Teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children in Head Start classrooms.

PubMed

Becker, Brandon D; Gallagher, Kathleen C; Whitaker, Robert C

2017-12-01

The quality of teachers' relationships with children is a key predictor of children's later social emotional competence and academic achievement. Interventions to increase mindfulness among teachers have focused primarily on the impacts on teachers' subjective well-being, but not on the quality of their relationships with children. Furthermore, none of these interventions have involved preschool teachers. To consider the potential of mindfulness-based interventions to improve the quality of teachers' relationships with preschool-aged children, we examined data from an online survey of 1001 classroom teachers in 37 Pennsylvania Head Start Programs. Using path analysis we investigated the association between teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children (conflict and closeness). We further examined whether this association was mediated by teacher depressive symptoms and moderated by perceived workplace stress. Higher levels of dispositional mindfulness among teachers were associated with higher quality relationships with children (less conflict and greater closeness). The association between greater dispositional mindfulness and less conflict was partially mediated by lower depressive symptoms, and the conditional direct effect of mindfulness on conflict was stronger when perceived workplace stress was lower. These findings suggest that preschool teachers who have higher levels of dispositional mindfulness may experience higher quality relationships with children in their classrooms. Interventions to increase levels of dispositional mindfulness among early childhood educators may improve their well-being along with the quality of their relationships with children, potentially impacting children's educational outcomes. The potential impacts of such interventions may be even stronger if structural and systemic changes are also made to reduce workplace stress. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Re-Framing the "Bad Teachers" in the United States and Beyond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumashiro, Kevin K.

2014-01-01

This article analyzes current debates on education reform, paying particular attention to the ways that scapegoating public school teachers, teacher unions and teacher education masks more fundamental, systemic problems. It further demonstrates how reducing the problems in education to the level of individual ("bad") teachers coincides…

The Development of Teacher Education in Malaysia: Problems and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Molly N. N.

2000-01-01

Reviews patterns of teacher education in Malaysia, highlighting current problems and challenges, discussing recent reforms and policy initiatives in the domain of teacher education, and introducing three articles that focus on: teacher education for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages in Malaysia, training of school counselors in…

Where Will Urban High School Teachers for the 21st Century Come From?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Follo, Eric; Hoerr, Bill; Vorheis-Sargent, Ann

2002-01-01

Describes urban teacher supply problem in Oakland County, Michigan. Reviews literature on urban teacher supply problem nationally. Describes Michigan's alternative teacher-certification program and Oakland University's partnership with the Pontiac School District to prepare teachers for teaching in urban schools. (Contains 50 references.) (PKP)

Strengthening Mathematics And Science Education (SMASE) For Improving The Quality Of Teachers in Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuaibu, Zainab Muhammad

2016-04-01

The education system in Nigeria, especially at the basic education level, teachers who teach mathematics and science need to be confident with what they are teaching, they need to have appropriate techniques and strategies of motivating the pupils. If these subjects are not taught well at the basic education level its extraordinarily hard to get them (pupils/students) back to track, no matter what will be done in the secondary and tertiary level. Teachers as the driving force behind improvements in the education system are in the best position to understand and propose solutions to problems faced by students. Teachers must have access to sustainable, high quality professional development in order to improve teaching and student learning. Teachers' professional development in Nigeria, however, has long been criticized for its lack of sustainability and ability to produce effective change in teaching and students achievement. Education theorists today believe that a critical component of educational reform lies in providing teachers with various opportunities and supports structures that encourage ongoing improvement in teachers' pedagogy and discipline-specific content knowledge. However, the ongoing reforms in education sector and the need to refocus the Nigeria education system towards the goal of the National Economical Empowerment and Development Strategies (NEEDS) demand that the existing In-service and Education Training (INSET) in Nigeria be refocused. It is against this premise that an INSET programme aimed at Strengthening Mathematics And Science Education (SMASE) for primary and secondary school teachers was conceived. The relevance of the SMASE INSET according to the Project Design Matrix (PDM) was derived from an In-service aimed at enhancing the quality of teachers in terms of positive attitude, teaching methodology, mastery of content, resource mobilization and utilization of locally available teaching and learning materials. The intervention of Strengthening Mathematics And Science Education (SMASE) in training and re-training of teachers at enhancing quality classroom activities in Mathematics and Science subjects through Activity, Student-centre, Experiments, Improvisation (ASEI)-Plan, Do, See, Improve (PDSI) instructional strategy. This instructional strategy has cultivates learner's mathematical and scientific thinking ability and have provided one of the best regular INSET for primary and secondary Mathematics and Science teachers as observed during the SMASE impact survey in the three piloted states in Nigeria. To build a common ground for teaching method irrespective of teacher and teaching style School-Based Training (SBT) is now advocated in SMASE, SBT is aimed at improving teaching and learning activities in the classroom through Lesson Study model. Lesson Study is a teaching improvement and knowledge building process that has its origin in the Japanese elementary education it involves a comprehensive process of planning, observation, analysis and identifying the best approaches in a classroom. This an inquiry approach to professional development that requires teachers to identify an area of instructional interest, collect data to analyses and make instructional changes based on the data. This kind of professional development make teachers acquires current and up to date knowledge in the field of mathematics and science.

Getting Teacher Assessment Right: What Policymakers Can Learn from Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinchey, Patricia H.

2010-01-01

It is well established that teacher quality makes a difference in student learning. Since the implementation of No Child Left Behind in 2002, staffing every classroom with a high-quality teacher has been an official national priority. That goal entails an implicit requirement to assess teacher and teaching quality more rigorously than has been the…

Mentoring for Quality Improvement: A Case Study of a Mentor Teacher in the Reform Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Sharon; Hornbeck, Amy

2004-01-01

As qualified teachers are central to children receiving a high-quality preschool education, many policy initiatives aimed at improving program quality are thwarted when insufficient attention is paid to the professional development of the workforce. One response to this issue has been to create teacher leadership roles so that teachers mentor…

Improving Teacher Quality 2007 Grant Awards. Commission Report 07-23

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2007

2007-01-01

The Improving Teacher Quality Program recently concluded its 2007 competition to select grantees who will provide high-quality teacher professional development over the next several years. Teachers in grades K-2 were the focus of this year's Request for Proposals (RFP). As required in the last two rounds of competition, the selected projects must…

Teacher Demoralization, Disempowerment and School Administration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsang, Kwok Kuen; Liu, Dian

2016-01-01

Teacher demoralization is a concept describing the negative emotional experiences affecting teachers' well-being and quality of teaching. However, since the dominant discourse about teacher demoralization is influenced by psychological perspectives, especially the theory of burnout, most of effort to promote teachers' well-being and quality of…

Voice disorders in teachers and the general population: effects on work performance, attendance, and future career choices.

PubMed

Roy, Nelson; Merrill, Ray M; Thibeault, Susan; Gray, Steven D; Smith, Elaine M

2004-06-01

To examine the frequency and adverse effects of voice disorders on job performance and attendance in teachers and the general population, 2,401 participants from Iowa and Utah (n1 = 1,243 teachers and n2 = 1,279 nonteachers) were randomly selected and were interviewed by telephone using a voice disorder questionnaire. Teachers were significantly more likely than nonteachers to have experienced multiple voice symptoms and signs including hoarseness, discomfort, and increased effort while using their voice, tiring or experiencing a change in voice quality after short use, difficulty projecting their voice, trouble speaking or singing softly, and a loss of their singing range (all odds ratios [ORs] p <.05). Furthermore, teachers consistently attributed these voice symptoms to their occupation and were significantly more likely to indicate that their voice limited their ability to perform certain tasks at work, and had reduced activities or interactions as a result. Teachers, as compared with nonteachers, had missed more workdays over the preceding year because of voice problems and were more likely to consider changing occupations because of their voice (all comparisons p <.05). These findings strongly suggest that occupationally related voice dysfunction in teachers can have significant adverse effects on job performance, attendance, and future career choices.

Analyzing Pre-Service Primary Teachers' Fraction Knowledge Structures through Problem Posing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic, Cigdem

2015-01-01

In this study it was aimed to determine pre-service primary teachers' knowledge structures of fraction through problem posing activities. A total of 90 pre-service primary teachers participated in this study. A problem posing test consisting of two questions was used and the participants were asked to generate as many as problems based on the…

Parent and Teacher Perspectives about Problem Behavior in Children with Williams Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein-Tasman, Bonita P.; Lira, Ernesto N.; Li-Barber, Kirsten T.; Gallo, Frank J.; Brei, Natalie G.

2015-01-01

Problem behavior of 52 children with Williams syndrome ages 6 to 17 years old was examined based on both parent and teacher report. Generally good inter-rater agreement was found. Common areas of problem behavior based both on parent and teacher report included attention problems, anxiety difficulties, repetitive behaviors (e.g., obsessions,…

Gene-Environment Interaction in Teacher-Rated Internalizing and Externalizing Problem Behavior in 7- to 12-Year-Old Twins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Diane J.; Middeldorp, Christel M.; Van Beijsterveldt, Catarina E. M.; Boomsma, Dorret I.

2012-01-01

Background: Internalizing and externalizing problem behavior at school can have major consequences for a child and is predictive for disorders later in life. Teacher ratings are important to assess internalizing and externalizing problems at school. Genetic epidemiological studies on teacher-rated problem behavior are relatively scarce and the…

Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Motivation and Ill-Structured Problem Solving in Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Min Kyeong; Cho, Mi Kyung

2016-01-01

This article examines the use and application of an ill-structured problem to pre-service elementary teachers in Korea in order to find implications of pre-service teacher education with regard to contextualized problem solving by analyzing experiences of ill-structured problem solving. Participants were divided into small groups depending on the…

Mathematics Student Teachers' Modelling Approaches While Solving the Designed Esme Rug Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hidiroglu, Çaglar Naci; Dede, Ayse Tekin; Ünver, Semiha Kula; Güzel, Esra Bukova

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study is to analyze the mathematics student teachers' solutions on the Esme Rug Problem through 7-stage mathematical modelling process. This problem was designed by the researchers by considering the modelling problems' main properties. The study was conducted with twenty one secondary mathematics student teachers. The data were…

Teacher Mathematical Literacy: Case Study of Junior High School Teachers in Pasaman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, D.; Suherman, S.; Maulana, H.

2018-04-01

The aim of this paper was to examine the ability of junior high school mathematics teachers to solve mathematical literacy base Problems (PISA and PISA-like problems) for the case Pasaman regency. The data was collected by interviews and test. As the results of this study, teacher ability in solving mathematical literacy base problems for level 1 until 3 has been good, but for level 4 or above is still low. It is caused by teacher knowledge about mathematical literacy still few.

Parent and teacher perspectives about problem behavior in children with Williams syndrome.

PubMed

Klein-Tasman, Bonita P; Lira, Ernesto N; Li-Barber, Kirsten T; Gallo, Frank J; Brei, Natalie G

2015-01-01

Problem behavior of 52 children with Williams syndrome ages 6 to 17 years old was examined based on both parent and teacher report. Generally good inter-rater agreement was found. Common areas of problem behavior based both on parent and teacher report included attention problems, anxiety difficulties, repetitive behaviors (e.g., obsessions, compulsions, picking nose or skin), and social problems, reflecting a robust behavioral phenotype in Williams syndrome present across contexts. Some rater differences were observed; most notably, parents reported more attention and mood difficulties than did teachers, while teachers reported more oppositionality and aggression than did parents. Relations to intellectual functioning, age, and gender were examined. The implications of the findings for understanding the behavioral phenotype associated with Williams syndrome are discussed.

[Teacher sick leave: Prevalence, duration, reasons and covariates].

PubMed

Vercambre-Jacquot, M-N; Gilbert, F; Billaudeau, N

2018-02-01

Absences from work have considerable social and economic impact. In the education sector, the phenomenon is particularly worrying since teacher sick leave has an impact on the overall performance of the education system. Yet, available data are scarce. In April-June 2013, 2653 teachers responded to a population-based postal survey on their quality of life (enquête Qualité de vie des enseignants, MGEN Foundation/Ministry of education, response rate 53 %). Besides questions on work environment and health, teachers were asked to describe their eventual sick leave(s) since the beginning of the school year: duration, type and medical reasons. Self-reported information was reinforced by administrative data from ministerial databases and weighted to be extrapolated to all French teachers. Tobit models adjusted for individual factors of a private nature were used to investigate different occupational risk factors of teacher sick leave, taking into account both the estimated effect on the probability of sick leave and the length of it. More than one in three teachers (36 %) reported having had at least one day of sick leave since the beginning of the school year. Respiratory/ENT diseases were the leading reason for sick leave (37 %). However, and because sick leave duration depended on the underlying health problem, such diseases came in third place among justifications of sick leave days (14 %), far behind musculoskeletal problems (27 %) and neurological and psychological disorders (25 %). Tobit models suggested that some occupational factors significantly associated with the risk of sick leave may represent promising preventive targets, including high psychological demand, workplace violence and unfavorable socio-environmental context. Our study provides objective evidence about the issue of sick leave among French teachers, highlighting the usefulness of implementing actions to minimize its weight. To this end, the study findings point-out the importance of considering not only the probability of sick leave, but also its duration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Association of pupil vandalism, bullying and truancy with teachers' absence due to illness: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Ervasti, Jenni; Kivimäki, Mika; Puusniekka, Riikka; Luopa, Pauliina; Pentti, Jaana; Suominen, Sakari; Vahtera, Jussi; Virtanen, Marianna

2012-06-01

The aim of this study was to examine whether vandalism, bullying, and truancy among pupils at school are associated with absence due to illness among teachers. Data on such problem behaviour of 17,033 pupils in 90 schools were linked to absence records of 2364 teachers. Pupil reported vandalism and bullying at the school-level were associated with teachers' short-term (1- to 3-day) absences. Cumulative exposure to various forms of pupils' problem behaviour was associated with even higher rates of short-term absences among teachers. No association was found between pupils' problem behaviour and teachers' long-term (>3-day) absences. In conclusion, there seems to be a link between pupils' problem behaviour and teachers' short-term absence due to illness. Further work should determine whether problem behaviour is a cause or a consequence of absences or whether the association is noncausal. Copyright © 2011 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teacher Preparation: Ensuring a Quality Teacher in Every Classroom. Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session on Examining Teacher Preparation, Focusing on Ensuring a Quality Teacher in Every Classroom (March 25, 2014). Senate Hearing 113-828

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Senate, 2016

2016-01-01

This is the seventh in a series of hearings to inform this committee's reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The focus of this hearing, teacher preparation, is profoundly important for all students, from the very youngest to adult students. Study after study shows that teacher quality is the decisive in-school factor in boosting student…

A Comparison of the Attitudes of Spanish and American Secondary Science Teachers toward Global Science and Technology Based Problems/Threats

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guisasola, Jenaro; Robinson, Mike; Zuza, Kristina

2007-01-01

In this study, Spanish and US secondary science teacher data is used to address the relationship between what science teachers teach and the science and technology based environmental problems/threats faced by the world. The results of a two part questionnaire indicated that teachers of both countries are worried about the problem of pollution of…

Sleep Problem Trajectories and Well-Being in Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Lycett, Kate; Sciberras, Emma; Hiscock, Harriet; Mensah, Fiona K

2016-06-01

Sleep problems affect up to 70% of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and are associated with poorer child and family well-being in cross-sectional studies. However, whether these associations hold longitudinally is unclear. The authors aimed to examine the longitudinal relationship between sleep problem trajectories and well-being in children with ADHD. Children with ADHD (n = 186), aged 5 to 13 years, were recruited from 21 pediatric practices across the state of Victoria, Australia. Sleep problem severity data were collected at 3 time points (baseline, 6, and 12 mo) and were used to classify sleep problem trajectories. Child and family well-being (e.g., child emotional and behavioral problems, quality of life [QoL]) were measured at baseline and 12 months by teacher and/or caregiver-report. The well-being of children with "transient" and "persistent" sleep problems was compared with those "never" experiencing sleep problems using a series of hierarchical linear regression models. After accounting for socio-demographic factors, children with transient and persistent sleep trajectories experienced more caregiver-reported behavioral and emotional problems (effect size [ES] both 0.7) and poorer child QoL (ES: -0.7 and -1.2, respectively). These associations remained after also accounting for ADHD medication and symptom severity and comorbidities, but after accounting for baseline measures many associations weakened to the point of nonsignificance. In the fully adjusted model-transient sleep problems were associated with behavioral and emotional problems (ES: 0.2). These associations were not evident by teacher-report. Children with ADHD experiencing transient or persistent sleep problems have poorer caregiver-reported well-being. Managing sleep problems in children with ADHD may improve child well-being.

Quality in Preschool Education: The Views of Teachers and Assistant Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karademir, Abdulhamit; Cingi, Mehmet Akif; Dereli, Fatih; Akman, Berrin

2017-01-01

As the importance attached to preschool education has increased in recent years, researchers have begun to discuss the quality of educational and care services. This study aims to show the views of assistant teachers working at preschool educational institutions concerning quality, investigate their influence on quality, and reveal the effect of…

Austin, Texas: An Educator/Business Collaboration in Support of Teacher Compensation Reform. Teacher Compensation and Teacher Quality: Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Committee for Economic Development, 2013

2013-01-01

In its 2009 report "Teacher Compensation and Teacher Quality," the Committee for Economic Development urged business leaders to be active participants in school district deliberations about teacher compensation policies. The Committee for Economic Development (CED) noted that "business leaders can make the case to the public that…

A Qualitative Case Study on the Qualities of Effective Teacher Research in Teacher Screening and Interviewing Processes in Four Central Pennsylvania Public School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Treese, Matthew Paul

2012-01-01

Public school districts in Pennsylvania use varying teacher screening and interviewing processes for hiring teachers. In order to hire the best teacher candidates for vacancies, the qualities of effective teachers such as those cited by the Council of Chief State School Officers Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model…

Promoting High Quality Teacher-Child Interactions: Examining the Role of Teachers' Depression, Perceptions of Children's Peer Relationships, and Contextual Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granger, Kristen

2017-01-01

The overall goal of this dissertation was to examine teacher characteristics, teachers' beliefs, and contextual factors that may motivate teachers' decisions to engage in high quality teacher-child interactions. I use two complementary studies to meet this goal. These two studies provide insight into several aspects of early childhood teachers'…

Children’s social self-concept and internalizing problems: the influence of peers and teachers.

PubMed

Spilt, Jantine L; van Lier, Pol A C; Leflot, Geertje; Onghena, Patrick; Colpin, Hilde

2014-01-01

This study aimed to understand how relationships with peers and teachers contribute to the development of internalizing problems via children’s social self-concept. The sample included 570 children aged 7 years 5 months (SD = 4.6 months). Peer nominations of peer rejection, child-reported social self-concept, and teacher-reported internalizing problems were assessed longitudinally in the fall and spring of Grades 2 and 3. Teacher reports of support to the child were assessed in Grade 2. Results showed that peer rejection impeded children’s social self-concept, which in turn affected the development of internalizing problems. Partial support was found for individual (but not classroom-level) teacher support to buffer the adverse effects of peer problems on children’s self-concept, thereby mitigating its indirect effects on internalizing problems.

When Rural Meets Urban: The Transfer Problem Chinese Pre-Service Teachers Face in Teaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ye, Wangbei

2016-01-01

Traditional teacher education's supposed failure to prepare prospective teachers for classroom realities (the transfer problem) is a widely discussed topic in the teacher education literature. Previous studies have focused on causal relationships between teaching and such factors as pre-service teacher education programmes, contextual factors in…

Leveraging Cultural Resources through Teacher Pedagogical Reasoning: Elementary Grade Teachers Analyze Second Language Learners' Science Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buxton, Cory A.; Salinas, Alejandra; Mahotiere, Margarette; Lee, Okhee; Secada, Walter G.

2013-01-01

Grounded in teacher professional development addressing the intersection of student diversity and content area instruction, this study examined school teachers' pedagogical reasoning complexity as they reflected on their second language learners' science problem solving abilities using both home and school contexts. Teachers responded to interview…

Behavior Problems in Elementary School among Low-Income Males: The Role of Teacher-Child Relationships

PubMed Central

O’Connor, Erin Eileen; Supplee, Lauren

2017-01-01

The present study identified trajectories of teacher-child relationship conflict and closeness from first through sixth grades, and associations between these trajectories and externalizing and internalizing behaviors at age 11 among low-income, urban males (N = 262). There were three main findings. Nagin cluster analyses indicated five trajectories for conflict with all children evidencing increases in conflict, and four trajectories for closeness with all children demonstrating decreases in closeness. Trajectories with higher levels of conflict and lower levels of closeness were associated with higher levels of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems at age 11. Moreover, conflictual teacher-child relationships exacerbated the effects of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in early childhood; children with conflictual teacher-child relationships had higher levels of behavior problems in middle childhood relative to children with low conflictual teacher-child relationships. Implications of targeting teacher-child relationships as interventions to help prevent behavior problems are discussed. PMID:29170565

Links Among Italian Preschoolers’ Socio-Emotional Competence, Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Peer Acceptance

PubMed Central

Sette, Stefania; Spinrad, Tracy; Baumgartner, Emma

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relations of teacher-child relationship quality (close, conflictive, and dependent), children’s social behavior, and peer likability in a sample of Italian preschool-aged children (46 boys; 42 girls). Preschool teachers evaluated the quality of the teacher-child relationship and children’s social behaviors (i.e., social competence, anger-aggression, and anxiety-withdrawal). Peer-rated likability was measured using a sociometric procedure. Results indicated that conflictual teacher-child relationships were related to high aggressive behavior, and dependent teacher-child relationships were positively associated with children’s anxiety-withdrawal. Moreover, we found an indirect association between close teacher-child relationship quality and peer likability through children’s social competence. The findings provide evidence that the teacher-child relationship is critical for children’s social behaviors, and that social competence was uniquely related to peer likability. PMID:24039375

Links Among Italian Preschoolers' Socio-Emotional Competence, Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Peer Acceptance.

PubMed

Sette, Stefania; Spinrad, Tracy; Baumgartner, Emma

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relations of teacher-child relationship quality (close, conflictive, and dependent), children's social behavior, and peer likability in a sample of Italian preschool-aged children (46 boys; 42 girls). Preschool teachers evaluated the quality of the teacher-child relationship and children's social behaviors (i.e., social competence, anger-aggression, and anxiety-withdrawal). Peer-rated likability was measured using a sociometric procedure. Results indicated that conflictual teacher-child relationships were related to high aggressive behavior, and dependent teacher-child relationships were positively associated with children's anxiety-withdrawal. Moreover, we found an indirect association between close teacher-child relationship quality and peer likability through children's social competence. The findings provide evidence that the teacher-child relationship is critical for children's social behaviors, and that social competence was uniquely related to peer likability.

The clinical role of the nurse teacher: a review of the dispute.

PubMed

Lee, D T

1996-06-01

Although clinical education has been acknowledged as being the 'heart' of all nursing education programmes, the role of the nurse teacher in relation to the clinical learning experience of the student nurse is an area of long-standing confusion and dispute. This unresolved problem has led to the lack of a concerted effort in the provision of educational input in the clinical area and the quality of patient care is indirectly being affected. This paper presents a comprehensive review of this dispute, with an attempt to unravel how the debate could be moved forward. It is found that the clinical role of the nurse teacher appears to be implicit and 'hidden', resulting in a wide difference in the interpretation of the extent, purpose and nature of that role. The controversies surrounding these issues were then traced and possible directions for future research are outlined.

Does Teacher Professional Development Improve Math and Science Outcomes and Is It Cost Effective?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, John M.; Toma, Eugenia F.; Troske, SuZanne P.

2013-01-01

Scholars and policymakers see improving teacher quality as a key way to improve student learning. While quality may be improved in a variety of ways for pre-service teachers, professional development is one of the few avenues by which quality can be improved for those teachers already in the teaching profession. But professional development, like…

The Quality of Teacher Educators in the European Policy Debate: Actions and Measures to Improve the Professionalism of Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snoek, Marco; Swennen, Anja; van der Klink, Marcel

2011-01-01

This study examines how the contemporary European policy debate addresses the further development of the quality of teacher educators. A classification framework based on the literature on professionalism was used to compare European and Member State policy actions and measures on the quality of teacher educators through an analysis of seven…

A Comparison of Urban and Rural Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions of School Safety for Young Children: Implications for Quality Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Yau-ho Paul

2017-01-01

Although a quality preschool supports young children's health and safety, "quality" has been defined diversely enough that its delivery has been varied among kindergarten teachers. The current study was the first to examine and compare perceptions of school safety between urban and rural kindergarten teachers. Sixty-seven Hong Kong…

The Social Reconstructionist Approach to Teacher Education: A Necessary Component to Achieving Excellence and Quality Education for All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayne, Hope

2014-01-01

Improving all aspects of the quality of education is dependent on preparing teachers to become critical citizens. The social reconstructionist approach to teacher education is essential to transforming an education system defined by inequity, issues of quality, and issues of access. How do pre-service teachers perceive the mission of quality…

Teacher Turnover, Teacher Quality, and Student Achievement in DCPS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adnot, Melinda; Dee, Thomas; Katz, Veronica; Wyckoff, James

2017-01-01

In practice, teacher turnover appears to have negative effects on school quality as measured by student performance. However, some simulations suggest that turnover can instead have large positive effects under a policy regime in which low-performing teachers can be accurately identified and replaced with more effective teachers. This study…

Qualities of Influential Literacy Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wold, Linda S.; Young, Janet R.; Risko, Victoria J.

2011-01-01

An online survey of award-winning literacy teachers was conducted to determine the most influential qualities of literacy teacher educators in teacher preparation programs. Sixty-two recipients of literacy awards participated in the study, representing teachers of excellence from all U.S. geographic regions. Using a backward mapping process,…

ES Review: Selections from 2009 and 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smiles, Robin, Ed.

2010-01-01

This fourth edition of the "ES Review" brings together, in one setting, some of the best work from 2009-10. It features: (1) Teacher Quality (Teachers at Work: Improving Teacher Quality Through School Design (Elena Silva); Understanding Teachers Contracts (Andrew J. Rotherham); How Teachers Unions Lost the Media (Richard Whitmire and…

Quality Requirements for Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koster, B.; Brekelmans, M.; Korthagen, F.; Wubbels, T.

2005-01-01

This study deals with the quality requirements that are needed for teacher educators. The tasks teacher educators have to do and the competencies they should possess (a professional profile), according to their fellow teacher educators, were identified. On the basis of a literature search on tasks and competencies of teacher educators, we made a…

Comparison of perceptions among rural versus nonrural secondary science teachers: A multistate survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baird, William E.; Preston Prather, J.; Finson, Kevin D.; Oliver, J. Steve

A 100-item survey was distributed to science teachers in eight states to determine characteristics of teachers, schools, programs, and perceived needs. Results from 1258 secondary science teachers indicate that they perceive the following to be among their greatest needs: (1) to motivate students to want to learn science; (2) to discover sources of free and inexpensive science materials; (3) to learn more about how to use computers to deliver and manage instruction; (4) to find and use materials about science careers; and (5) to improve problem solving skills among their students. Based on whether teachers classified themselves as nonrural or rural, rural teachers do not perceive as much need for help with multicultural issues in the classroom or maintaining student discipline as their nonrural peers. Rural teachers report using the following classroom activities less often than nonrural teachers: cooperative learning groups, hands-on laboratory activities, individualized strategies, and inquiry teaching. More rural than nonrural teachers report problems with too many class preparations per day, a lack of career role models in the community, and lack of colleagues with whom to discuss problems. Among all secondary science teachers, the most pronounced problems reported by teachers were (in rank order): (1) insufficient student problem-solving skills; (2) insufficient funds for supplies; (3) poor student reading ability; (4) lack of student interest in science: and (5) inadequate laboratory facilities.

Examining Science Teachers' Argumentation in a Teacher Workshop on Earthquake Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavlazoglu, Baki; Stuessy, Carol

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the quality of science teachers' argumentation as a result of their engagement in a teacher workshop on earthquake engineering emphasizing distributed learning approaches, which included concept mapping, collaborative game playing, and group lesson planning. The participants were ten high school science teachers from US high schools who elected to attend the workshop. To begin and end the teacher workshop, teachers in small groups engaged in concept mapping exercises with other teachers. Researchers audio-recorded individual teachers' argumentative statements about the inclusion of earthquake engineering concepts in their concept maps, which were then analyzed to reveal the quality of teachers' argumentation. Toulmin's argumentation model formed the framework for designing a classification schema to analyze the quality of participants' argumentative statements. While the analysis of differences in pre- and post-workshop concept mapping exercises revealed that the number of argumentative statements did not change significantly, the quality of participants' argumentation did increase significantly. As these differences occurred concurrently with distributed learning approaches used throughout the workshop, these results provide evidence to support distributed learning approaches in professional development workshop activities to increase the quality of science teachers' argumentation. Additionally, these results support the use of concept mapping as a cognitive scaffold to organize participants' knowledge, facilitate the presentation of argumentation, and as a research tool for providing evidence of teachers' argumentation skills.

Encouraging the Use of Technology in Problem-Solving: Some Examples from an Initial Teacher Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez-Real, Francis; Lee, Arthur

2006-01-01

As part of a module on mathematical problem solving in an Initial Teacher Education programme, the student teachers are encouraged to produce alternative solutions to the problems they tackle and, in particular, to consider whether ICT can help. In this paper we discuss a number of unusual solutions produced for some of the problems, specifically…

The Influence of Problem Ownership on Teachers' Perceptions of and Strategies for Coping with Problem Students. Research Series No. 84.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brophy, Jere E.; Rohrkemper, Mary M.

Elementary teachers read vignettes depicting incidents involving (fictional) students who presented chronic behavior problems, and then told how they would respond if the incidents occurred in their classrooms. Responses were coded for attributions about the students and about the teacher's roles in causing and remediating the problem. Teachers…

Effort-Reward Imbalance and Mental Health Problems in 1074 German Teachers, Compared with Those in the General Population.

PubMed

Hinz, Andreas; Zenger, Markus; Brähler, Elmar; Spitzer, Silvia; Scheuch, Klaus; Seibt, Reingard

2016-08-01

High degrees of premature retirement among teachers warrant investigating the occupational burden and the mental health status of this profession. A sample of 1074 German teachers participated in this study. Two samples of the general population (N = 824 and N = 792) were used as comparison groups. Work distress was assessed with the Effort-Reward-Imbalance questionnaire, and mental health problems were measured with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Teachers reported more effort-reward imbalance (M = 0.64) compared with the general population (M = 0.57), and they perceived more mental health problems (GHQ: M = 12.1) than the comparison group (M = 9.5). School type was not associated with work stress and mental health. Teachers with leading functions perceived high degrees of effort and reward, resulting in a moderate effort-reward ratio and no heightened mental health problems. Teachers working full time reported more effort than teachers working part time, but the reward mean values of both groups were similar. This results in a somewhat unfavourable effort-reward ratio of teachers working full time. Moreover, teachers working full time reported more mental health problems. The results support the appropriateness of the effort-reward conception, applied to the profession of teachers. The higher degree of effort-reward imbalance and the level of mental health problems warrant preventive measures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The development and testing of a qualitative instrument designed to assess critical thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clauson, Cynthia Louisa

This study examined a qualitative approach to assess critical thinking. An instrument was developed that incorporates an assessment process based on Dewey's (1933) concepts of self-reflection and critical thinking as problem solving. The study was designed to pilot test the critical thinking assessment process with writing samples collected from a heterogeneous group of students. The pilot test included two phases. Phase 1 was designed to determine the validity and inter-rater reliability of the instrument using two experts in critical thinking, problem solving, and literacy development. Validity of the instrument was addressed by requesting both experts to respond to ten questions in an interview. The inter-rater reliability was assessed by analyzing the consistency of the two experts' scorings of the 20 writing samples to each other, as well as to my scoring of the same 20 writing samples. Statistical analyses included the Spearman Rho and the Kuder-Richardson (Formula 20). Phase 2 was designed to determine the validity and reliability of the critical thinking assessment process with seven science teachers. Validity was addressed by requesting the teachers to respond to ten questions in a survey and interview. Inter-rater reliability was addressed by comparing the seven teachers' scoring of five writing samples with my scoring of the same five writing samples. Again, the Spearman Rho and the Kuder-Richardson (Formula 20) were used to determine the inter-rater reliability. The validity results suggest that the instrument is helpful as a guide for instruction and provides a systematic method to teach and assess critical thinking while problem solving with students in the classroom. The reliability results show the critical thinking assessment instrument to possess fairly high reliability when used by the experts, but weak reliability when used by classroom teachers. A major conclusion was drawn that teachers, as well as students, would need to receive instruction in critical thinking and in how to use the assessment process in order to gain more consistent interpretations of the six problem-solving steps. Specific changes needing to be made in the instrument to improve the quality are included.

Epidemiology of Voice Disorders in Latvian School Teachers.

PubMed

Trinite, Baiba

2017-07-01

The prevalence of voice disorders in the teacher population in Latvia has not been studied so far and this is the first epidemiological study whose goal is to investigate the prevalence of voice disorders and their risk factors in this professional group. A wide cross-sectional study using stratified sampling methodology was implemented in the general education schools of Latvia. The self-administered voice risk factor questionnaire and the Voice Handicap Index were completed by 522 teachers. Two teachers groups were formed: the voice disorders group which included 235 teachers with actual voice problems or problems during the last 9 months; and the control group which included 174 teachers without voice disorders. Sixty-six percent of teachers gave a positive answer to the following question: Have you ever had problems with your voice? Voice problems are more often found in female than male teachers (68.2% vs 48.8%). Music teachers suffer from voice disorders more often than teachers of other subjects. Eighty-two percent of teachers first faced voice problems in their professional carrier. The odds of voice disorders increase if the following risk factors exist: extra vocal load, shouting, throat clearing, neglecting of personal health, background noise, chronic illnesses of the upper respiratory tract, allergy, job dissatisfaction, and regular stress in the working place. The study findings indicated a high risk of voice disorders among Latvian teachers. The study confirmed data concerning the multifactorial etiology of voice disorders. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Problem-Solving Approach in the Teaching of Number Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toh, Pee Choon; Leong, Yew Hoong; Toh, Tin Lam; Dindyal, Jaguthsing; Quek, Khiok Seng; Tay, Eng Guan; Ho, Foo Him

2014-01-01

Mathematical problem solving is the mainstay of the mathematics curriculum for Singapore schools. In the preparation of prospective mathematics teachers, the authors, who are mathematics teacher educators, deem it important that pre-service mathematics teachers experience non-routine problem solving and acquire an attitude that predisposes them to…

Teacher Perceptions and Behavioral Strategies for Students with Emotional Disturbance across Educational Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Chan; Weiss, Stacy L.; Cullinan, Douglas

2012-01-01

The present study examined problem characteristics of students with emotional disturbance in 3 educational environments, the behavior management and intervention strategies their teachers used, and what relation exists between problem characteristics and intervention strategies. Teachers completed a behavior problems rating scale and they…

Home Economics Reading Skills: Problems and Selected References.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cranney, A. Garr; And Others

Home economics presents at least eight problems to secondary school reading teachers. These problems include poor readers, difficult reading material, lack of reading materials, teachers' lack of training in reading instruction, scarce information about home economics for reading teachers, diversity of the home economics field (requiring a wide…

Students' and Teachers' Conceptual Metaphors for Mathematical Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yee, Sean P.

2017-01-01

Metaphors are regularly used by mathematics teachers to relate difficult or complex concepts in classrooms. A complex topic of concern in mathematics education, and most STEM-based education classes, is problem solving. This study identified how students and teachers contextualize mathematical problem solving through their choice of metaphors.…

Problem Solving Strategies among Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yew, Wun Thiam; Lian, Lim Hooi; Meng, Chew Cheng

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article was to examine problem solving strategies among primary school teachers. The researchers employed survey research design to examine their problem solving strategies. The participants of this study consisted of 120 primary school teachers from a public university in Peninsula Malaysia who enrolled in a 4-year Graduating…

Investigating the Impact of Field Trips on Teachers' Mathematical Problem Posing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courtney, Scott A.; Caniglia, Joanne; Singh, Rashmi

2014-01-01

This study examines the impact of field trip experiences on teachers' mathematical problem posing. Teachers from a large urban public school system in the Midwest participated in a professional development program that incorporated experiential learning with mathematical problem formulation experiences. During 2 weeks of summer 2011, 68 teachers…

The Efficacy of Written Teacher Advice (Tip Sheets) for Managing Classroom Behaviour Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Emma; Hudson, Alan; Wilks, Ray

2002-01-01

Evaluates the efficacy of tip sheets for teachers (n=20) that offer strategies for classroom management related to student behavior problems. Explains that the teachers chose students with behavior problems and used the suggestions from the tip sheets. Presents the results in detail. Includes references. (CMK)

Teacher-Reported Effects of the Playing-2-Gether Intervention on Child Externalising Problem Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vancraeyveldt, Caroline; Verschueren, Karine; Van Craeyevelt, Sanne; Wouters, Sofie; Colpin, Hilde

2015-01-01

This longitudinal study examines the teacher-perceived effect of a school-based intervention (i.e. Playing-2-gether) targeting teacher-child interactions to reduce externalising problem behaviour (EPB) amongst preschoolers. Boys with the highest score for EPB in the classroom and their teacher participated in the study. Teacher-child dyads…

Marginal Teachers from the Eyes of School Principals: Concept, Problems and Management Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Cetin; Demirkasimoglu, Nihan

2016-01-01

This research aimed to determine how Turkish principals define marginal teachers and which strategies they use to deal with them. Within this purpose, the following points are examined: (a) the concept of marginal teacher, (b) the underlying reasons for marginal teacher behaviors, (c) the problems marginal teachers cause in school settings, (d)…

Fostering Teacher Learning through Relationships and Dialogue: Principals' Perceptions of Implementing a Teacher Evaluation Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Andrea Bianca

2014-01-01

We cannot achieve quality learning for all, or nearly all, students until quality development is attained and sustained for all teachers. (Fullan, 1994, p. 246) When the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 was signed into law, the federal government made student achievement and teacher quality a national priority (U.S. Department of Education,…

Teachers' beliefs about mental health needs in inner city elementary schools.

PubMed

Walter, Heather J; Gouze, Karen; Lim, Karen G

2006-01-01

To survey teachers' beliefs about mental health service needs in inner city elementary schools. A total of 119 teachers from six elementary schools in a major city in the midwestern United States were surveyed to assess their beliefs about the major mental health problems facing their schools, the major barriers to surmounting those problems, their preferences for mental health topics for in-service education, and their education, experience, knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy pertaining to mental health issues. Disruptive behavior was endorsed by approximately 50% of teachers as the largest mental health problem facing their schools, and lack of information/training was endorsed as the greatest barrier to surmounting mental health problems. The highest-rated topics for in-service education were disruptive behavior disorders and implementing behavior plans. Although most teachers had taught students with mental health problems, most had had little education in mental health and little consultation with mental health professionals. Correspondingly, teachers' knowledge about mental health issues was limited, and they did not feel confident about their ability to manage mental health problems in their classrooms. Teachers would benefit from education, training, and consultation from mental health professionals if they serve as effective gatekeepers to mental health services.

The way adults with orientation to mathematics teaching cope with the solution of everyday real-world problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gazit, Avikam; Patkin, Dorit

2012-03-01

The article aims to check the way adults, some who are practicing mathematics teachers at elementary school, some who are academicians making a career change to mathematics teachers at junior high school and the rest who are pre-service mathematics teachers at elementary school, cope with the solution of everyday real-world problems of buying and selling. The findings show that even adults with mathematical background tend to make mistakes in solving everyday real-world problems. Only about 70% of the adults who have an orientation to mathematics solved the sample problem correctly. The lowest percentage of success was demonstrated by the academicians making a career change to junior high school mathematics teachers whereas the highest percentage of success was manifested by pre-service elementary school mathematics teachers. Moreover, the findings illustrate that life experience of the practicing mathematics teachers and, mainly, of the academicians making a career change, who were older than the pre-service teachers, did not facilitate the solution of such a real-world problem. Perhaps the reason resides in the process of mathematics teaching at school, which does not put an emphasis on the solution of everyday real-world problems.

Teacher Preparation to Proficiency and Beyond: Exploring the Landscape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Lorrae; Grudnoff, Lexie; Brooker, Barry; Simpson, Mary

2013-01-01

Concerns around the provision and retention of quality teachers are global. Amongst these concerns are the preparedness of graduate teachers and the quality and nature of teacher education. The purpose of the article is to focus questions of teacher preparedness and education within a wider discussion around the professional life-cycle of…

State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. Colorado State Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council on Teacher Quality, 2007

2007-01-01

The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This Colorado edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state policies…

The Distribution of Teacher Quality and Implications for Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric A.; Rivkin, Steven G.

2012-01-01

It has become commonplace to measure teacher quality in terms of teacher value-added. Operationally, this means evaluating teachers according to the learning gains of students on various achievement tests. Existing research consistently shows large variations in teacher effectiveness, much of which is within schools as opposed to between schools.…

Taking Teacher Quality Seriously: A Collaborative Approach to Teacher Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karp, Stan

2012-01-01

If narrow, test-based evaluation of teachers is unfair, unreliable, and has negative effects on kids, classrooms, and curricula, what's a better approach? By demonizing teachers and unions, and sharply polarizing the education debate, the corporate reform movement has actually undermined serious efforts to improve teacher quality and evaluation.…

Teacher-Child Relationship Quality: The Roles of Child Temperament and Teacher-Child Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudasill, Kathleen Moritz; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E.

2009-01-01

Young children's relationships with teachers predict social and academic success. This study examines contributions of child temperament (shyness, effortful control) and gender to teacher-child relationship quality both directly and indirectly through the frequency of teacher-child interactions in the classroom. Using an NICHD SECCYD sample of 819…

Quality of Work Life: Perceptions of Jordanian Special Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Zboon, Eman K.; Al_Dababneh, Khuloud A. H.; Ahmad, Jamal

2015-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the level of quality of work life QOWL of Jordanian special education teachers. Participants of the study were 133 special education teachers. Results showed that special education teachers cited average level of QOWL. Furthermore, teachers rated administrators' and colleagues' respect as the…

Is Teacher Knowledge Associated with Performance? On the Relationship between Teachers' General Pedagogical Knowledge and Instructional Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

König, Johannes; Pflanzl, Barbara

2016-01-01

Researchers have identified general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) as a relevant category of teacher knowledge. However, hardly any study has examined the relationship between GPK of teachers and the instructional quality delivered to their students. This article therefore investigates the relationship between teachers' GPK assessed via a…

Thinking with/through the Contradictions of Social Justice in Teacher Education: Self-Reflection on NETDS Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takayama, Keita; Jones, Tiffany; Amazan, Rose

2017-01-01

Improving teacher quality has become the hallmark of Australian education reform with a plethora of measures introduced in teacher education to improve future teachers' instructional competencies. This policy focus has also changed the discussion of strategies for addressing disadvantages in schools; improving teacher quality, as opposed to…

The Relationship between Quality of Discourse during Teacher Induction Classes and Beginning Teachers' Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker, Anna-Theresia; Kunter, Mareike; Voss, Thamar

2015-01-01

This study investigates whether the quality of discourse during teacher induction classes predicts beginning teachers' reflection and beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics. In a study with repeated measurements (interval 10 months), transmissive and constructivist beliefs of 536 German teacher candidates in their 2-year induction phase…

Effective Teacher Qualities from International Mathematics, Science, and Computer Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Alpaslan; Adiguzel, Tufan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate how international teachers, who were from overseas but taught in the United States, rate effective teacher qualities in three domains; personal, professional, and classroom management skills. The study includes 130 international mathematics, science, and computer teachers who taught in a multi-school…

In the Eyes of Turkish EFL Learners: What Makes an Effective Foreign Language Teacher?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çelik, Servet; Arikan, Arda; Caner, Mustafa

2013-01-01

Research on the qualities of successful teachers in Turkey indicates that students consider teacher effectiveness as the ability to ensure an environment in which positive student-teacher interaction can take place. However, further studies are needed to clarify students' perceptions of the qualities of effective foreign language teachers, in…

Does the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Training programme have positive effects for young children exhibiting severe externalizing problems in school?: a quasi-experimental pre-post study.

PubMed

Kirkhaug, Bente; Drugli, May Britt; Handegård, Bjørn Helge; Lydersen, Stian; Åsheim, Merethe; Fossum, Sturla

2016-10-26

Young children exhibiting severe externalizing problems in school are at risk of developing several poor outcomes. School-based intervention programs have been found to be effective for students with different problems, including those with behavioral problems, emotional distress, or social problems. The present study investigated whether the IY-TCM programme, as a universal stand-alone school intervention programme, reduced severe child externalizing problems as reported by the teacher, and evaluated if these children improved their social competence, internalizing problems, academic performances and student- teacher relationship as a result of the IY TCM training. A quasi-experimental pre-post study was conducted, including 21 intervention schools and 22 control schools. Children in 1 st - 3 rd grade (age 6-8 years) assessed by their teacher as having severe externalizing problems on the Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory-Revised (SESBI-R) total Intensity score, were included in the study, N = 83 (65 boys and 18 girls). Treatment effects were evaluated using 3- level linear mixed models analysis. In our study we found no differences in change between the two conditions from baseline to follow-up in externalizing problems, social skills, internalizing problems and closeness with teacher. The intervention condition did however show advantageous development in terms of student-teacher conflicts and increased academic performances. The IY Teacher Classroom Management program is not sufficient being a stand-alone universal program in a Norwegian primary school setting, for students with severe externalizing problems. However; some important secondary findings were found. Still, young school children with severe externalizing problems are in need of more comprehensive and tailored interventions.

Multilingual educational trends and practices in Lebanon: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahous, Rima; Bacha, Nahla Nola; Nabhani, Mona

2011-12-01

This paper reports on the multilingual background, language education policies and practices in Lebanon. Specifically, it shows how the multilingual make-up in the country is translated into language policies in schools. A survey of 30 private school principals, middle managers and teachers was administered online to obtain their views on school policies, problems, successes, concerns and quality ranking. Results showed that a great deal of work has been done to introduce a language of instruction and a third language as decreed by the Ministry of Education and at the same time keep the national language, Arabic, alive. The main concerns of the participants were the need for teacher training programmes and resources. Although the research implies that the school systems, in keeping up with this multilingual milieu, could be contributing to the death of the national language as well as producing students who are not fluent in any of the languages, there continues to be an attempt to keep alive a quality multilingual educational context which contributes to a cohesive society.

Quality of implementation: developing measures crucial to understanding the diffusion of preventive interventions.

PubMed

Dusenbury, Linda; Brannigan, Rosalind; Hansen, William B; Walsh, John; Falco, Mathea

2005-06-01

As prevention programs become disseminated, the most serious threat to effectiveness is maintaining the quality of implementation intended by the developers. This paper proposes a methodology for measuring quality of implementation in school settings and presents data from a pilot study designed to test several of the proposed components. These methods included assessments of adherence, quality of process, the positive or negative valence of adaptations, teachers' attitudes and teachers' understanding of program content. This study was conducted with 11 teachers who had varying degrees of experience who taught Life Skills Training. Observation and interview data were collected during visits to schools. Results suggest that quality of implementation can be measured through observation and interview. Teachers varied in adherence and quality of program delivery. All teachers made adaptations to the program. Experienced teachers were more likely to adhere to the curriculum, deliver it in a way that was more interactive and engaging to students, communicate the goals and objectives better, and make positive adaptations. The field can use these findings as the basis for exploring strategies for measuring and improving quality of implementation.

Sustaining High Quality Teaching and Evidence-based Curricula: Follow-up Assessment of Teachers in the REDI Project

PubMed Central

Bierman, Karen L; DeRousie, Rebecca M. Sanford; Heinrichs, Brenda; Domitrovich, Celene E.; Greenberg, Mark T.; Gill, Sukhdeep

2013-01-01

Recent research has validated the power of evidence-based preschool interventions to improve teaching quality and promote child school readiness when implemented in the context of research trials. However, very rarely are follow-up assessments conducted with teachers in order to evaluate the maintenance of improved teaching quality or sustained use of evidence-based curriculum components after the intervention trial. In the current study, we collected follow-up assessments of teachers one year after their involvement in the REDI research trial to evaluate the extent to which intervention teachers continued to implement the REDI curriculum components with high-quality, and to explore possible pre-intervention predictors of sustained implementation. In addition, we conducted classroom observations to determine whether general improvements in the teaching quality of intervention teachers (relative to control group teachers) were sustained. Results indicated sustained high-quality implementation of some curriculum components (the PATHS curriculum), but decreased implementation of other components (the language-literacy components). Sustained intervention effects were evident on most aspects of general teaching quality targeted by the intervention. Implications for practice and policy are discussed. PMID:24204101

The Effect of Using an Explicit General Problem Solving Teaching Approach on Elementary Pre-Service Teachers' Ability to Solve Heat Transfer Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mataka, Lloyd M.; Cobern, William W.; Grunert, Megan L.; Mutambuki, Jacinta; Akom, George

2014-01-01

This study investigate the effectiveness of adding an "explicit general problem solving teaching strategy" (EGPS) to guided inquiry (GI) on pre-service elementary school teachers' ability to solve heat transfer problems. The pre-service elementary teachers in this study were enrolled in two sections of a chemistry course for pre-service…

Voices Not Heard: Voice-Use Profiles of Elementary Music Teachers, the Effects of Voice Amplification on Vocal Load, and Perceptions of Issues Surrounding Voice Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrow, Sharon L.

2009-01-01

Teachers represent the largest group of occupational voice users and have voice-related problems at a rate of over twice that found in the general population. Among teachers, music teachers are roughly four times more likely than classroom teachers to develop voice-related problems. Although it has been established that music teachers use their…

The influence of fidelity of implementation on teacher-student interaction quality in the context of a randomized controlled trial of the Responsive Classroom approach.

PubMed

Abry, Tashia; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E; Larsen, Ross A; Brewer, Alexis J

2013-08-01

This study examined the direct and indirect effects between training in the Responsive Classroom® (RC) approach, teachers' uptake of RC practices, and teacher-student interaction quality, using a structural equation modeling framework. A total of 24 schools were randomly assigned to experimental or control conditions. Third- and fourth-grade teachers in treatment schools (n=132) received training in the RC approach, whereas teachers in control schools (n=107) continued "business as usual." Observers rated teachers' fidelity of implementation (FOI) of RC practices 5 times throughout the year using the Classroom Practices Observation Measure. In addition, teachers completed self-report measures of FOI, the Classroom Practices Teacher Survey and Classroom Practices Frequency Survey, at the end of the school year. Teacher-student interactions were rated during classroom observations using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System. Controlling for teachers' grade level and teacher-student interaction quality at pretest, RC training was expected to predict posttest teacher-student interaction quality directly and indirectly through FOI. Results supported only a significant indirect effect, β=0.85, p=.002. Specifically, RC teachers had higher levels of FOI of RC practices, β=1.62, p<.001, R2=.69. In turn, FOI related to greater improvement in teacher-student interaction quality, β=0.52, p=.001, R2=.32. Discussion highlights factors contributing to variability in FOI and school administrators roles in supporting FOI. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between quality of life and occupational stress among teachers.

PubMed

Yang, X; Ge, C; Hu, B; Chi, T; Wang, L

2009-11-01

With major changes in the education system and limited resources supplied by the Government, Chinese teachers have been suffering from greater occupational stress in recent years, which is believed to affect their physical and mental health. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between quality of life and occupational stress in primary and middle school teachers. Originals. A cross-sectional study was conducted using cluster sampling. The study population was composed of 3570 school teachers working in 64 primary and middle schools in Heping District in Shenyang, China. A demographic questionnaire, the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition were employed to collect demographic variables and assess quality of life and occupational stress. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to study the relationship between quality of life and occupational stress. The mean scores for both male and female teachers in this study were significantly lower than those for the Chinese general population for all dimensions of quality of life, except mental health and vitality (P<0.05). Male teachers scored significantly higher than female teachers for physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality and physical health (P<0.05). Age, role overload, role insufficiency, vocational strain, psychological strain, physical strain, recreation and rational coping were significantly associated with both the physical and mental component summaries of the SF-36 (P<0.05). Gender, physical environment and self-care appeared to be robust indicators of physical health (P<0.05), while role insufficiency, interpersonal strain and social support were strong indicators of mental health (P<0.05). In China, teachers have a lower health status than the general population. The quality of life of female teachers is worse than that of male teachers, and deteriorates with age. Occupational stress and strain induce worsening physical and mental conditions for teachers, while coping resources could promote their health. This study suggests that having adequate coping resources, especially social support, in workplaces may be an important factor for improving teachers' quality of life. Moreover, psychological interventions should be set up for teachers, and psychological counselling should be provided to relieve stress and enhance quality of life.

The Influence of Principal Gender, Teachers' Years of Experience, and Retention on Teacher Perceptions of Principal Leadership Style, Qualities, and Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eddins, Gregg M.

2012-01-01

One main challenge for many school districts in these tough economic times is teacher retention and all the costs associated. This study looks the influence of principal gender, teacher years of experience, and teacher retention based on teachers' perceptions of their principal's leadership style, transformational leadership qualities,…

Teacher-child relationships and classroom-learning behaviours of children with developmental language disorders.

PubMed

Rhoad-Drogalis, Anna; Justice, Laura M; Sawyer, Brook E; O'Connell, Ann A

2018-03-01

Children with developmental language disorders (DLDs) often struggle with classroom behaviour. No study has examined whether positive teacher-child relationships may act as a protective factor for children with DLDs in that these serve to enhance children's important classroom-learning behaviours. To examine the association between the quality of teacher-child relationships and teacher-rated classroom-learning behaviours of children with DLDs in both preschool and kindergarten. Longitudinal data were collected on 191 preschoolers (mean = 42.4 months of age, SD = 11.6 months) with DLDs in special education classrooms during preschool and in kindergarten. Teacher-child relationship quality was assessed in preschool, and children's classroom-learning behaviours were measured in preschool and kindergarten. Regression models were used to examine the relationship between teacher-child relationship quality and children's concurrent and future classroom-learning behaviours. Positive teacher-child relationship quality in preschool was associated with better classroom-learning behaviours in preschool and kindergarten for children with DLDs. Preschool teacher-child relationship quality characterized by low levels of conflict and high levels of closeness was associated with positive classroom-learning behaviours during preschool. Teacher-child conflict but not closeness was predictive of children's classroom-learning behaviours in kindergarten. These results suggest that the quality of the teacher-child relationship for children with DLDs during preschool is associated within their learning-related behaviours in the classroom both concurrently and in the subsequent year. Findings suggest that teacher-child relationships should be explored as a mechanism for improving the learning-related behaviours of children with DLDs. © 2017 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Agreement between parents and teachers on behavioral/emotional problems in Japanese school children using the child behavior checklist.

PubMed

Satake, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Keiko; Yamashita, Hiroshi; Kinukawa, Naoko; Takagishi, Tatsuya

2003-01-01

We investigated the agreement between Japanese parents' and teachers' ratings concerning their children's behavioral/emotional problems. Mothers (n = 276) and teachers (n = 19) assessed each child (n = 316; 6 to 12 years old ) using Japanese parent and teacher version of the Child Behavior Checklist. Parent-teacher agreement were examined through three indices; mean scores, correlations and D scores (generalized distance between item profile). Mean scores rated by parents were significantly higher than those by teachers. The differences of parents' ratings according to sex of the child or parents' occupational level, and those of teachers' ratings according to sex of the child were consistent with previous Western studies. Parent-teacher correlations were in the low to middle range (0.16-0.36). We obtained significant sets of independent variables accounting for the variance of D scores, but the effect size of these variables was small. These results indicated that, as seen in Western studies, Japanese parents and teachers would also assess their child's problems differently and the child's demographics affect their evaluation. For further research, parent and teacher characteristics which may influence on their perspective of the child's problems could be examined.

Prospective Teachers' Problem Solving Skills and Self-Confidence Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gursen Otacioglu, Sena

2008-01-01

The basic objective of the research is to determine whether the education that prospective teachers in different fields receive is related to their levels of problem solving skills and self-confidence. Within the mentioned framework, the prospective teachers' problem solving and self-confidence levels have been examined under several variables.…

Rating Students' Problem Behaviour: The Role of Teachers' Individual Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kokkinos, Constantinos M.; Kargiotidis, Apostolos

2016-01-01

This study examined the role of teachers' personal characteristics and mental health status on their frequency ratings of student problem behaviour. A sample of 121 primary school teachers were asked to rate the frequency of a student's behavioural problems, and to self-report their personality traits, psychopathology symptoms and burnout.…

Developing Teachers' Subject Didactic Competence through Problem Posing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ticha, Marie; Hospesova, Alena

2013-01-01

Problem posing (not only in lesson planning but also directly in teaching whenever needed) is one of the attributes of a teacher's subject didactic competence. In this paper, problem posing in teacher education is understood as an educational and a diagnostic tool. The results of the study were gained in pre-service primary school teacher…

The Impact of Problem Posing on Elementary Teachers' Beliefs about Mathematics and Mathematics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barlow, Angela T.; Cates, Janie M.

2006-01-01

This study investigated the impact of incorporating problem posing in elementary classrooms on the beliefs held by elementary teachers about mathematics and mathematics teaching. Teachers participated in a year-long staff development project aimed at facilitating the incorporation of problem posing into their classrooms. Beliefs were examined via…

Primary Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding of Students' Internalising Problems of Mental Health and Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryer, Fiona; Signorini, Jessica

2011-01-01

An emerging national agenda for the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians has fostered an expectation that primary teachers can recognise and respond to students with internalising problems. A mixed method survey of fourth-year preservice teachers revealed patchy personal and practicum exposure to internalising problems and scant…

Preservice Middle and High School Mathematics Teachers' Strategies When Solving Proportion Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arican, Muhammet

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate eight preservice middle and high school mathematics teachers' solution strategies when solving single and multiple proportion problems. Real-world missing-value word problems were used in an interview setting to collect information about preservice teachers' (PSTs) reasoning about proportional…

Teachers Are Designers: Addressing Problems of Practice in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henriksen, Danah; Richardson, Carmen

2017-01-01

Teachers may be confused or put off by buzzwords like "design thinking," but the concept is a useful one: To solve stubborn, everyday problems of practice in schools, they should approach those problems strategically and systematically. Specifically, explain the authors, teachers gain new insights into challenges they face when they take…

The Investigation of Elementary Mathematics Teacher Candidates' Problem Solving Skills According to Various Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaya, Deniz; Izgiol, Dilek; Kesan, Cenk

2014-01-01

The aim was to determine elementary mathematics teacher candidates' problem solving skills and analyze problem solving skills according to various variables. The data were obtained from total 306 different grade teacher candidates receiving education in Department of Elementary Mathematics Education, Buca Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylul…

Parent-Teacher Communication about Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Examination of Collaborative Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azad, Gazi F.; Kim, Mina; Marcus, Steven C.; Sheridan, Susan M.; Mandell, David S.

2016-01-01

Effective parent-teacher communication involves problem-solving concerns about students. Few studies have examined problem-solving interactions between parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a particular focus on identifying communication barriers and strategies for improving them. This study examined the…

Teachers Beliefs in Problem Solving in Rural Malaysian Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palraj, Shalini; DeWitt, Dorothy; Alias, Norlidah

2017-01-01

Problem solving is the highest level of cognitive skill. However, this skill seems to be lacking among secondary school students. Teachers' beliefs influence the instructional strategies used for students' learning. Hence, it is important to understand teachers' beliefs so as to improve the processes for teaching problem solving. The purpose of…

[Epidemiology of emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents reared in orphanages: a national comparative study].

PubMed

Simşek, Zeynep; Erol, Neşe; Oztop, Didem; Ozer Ozcan, Ozlem

2008-01-01

We examined the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems, and associated factors in children and adolescents aged 6-18 years that were reared in orphanages. We aimed to compare these children and adolescents with a nationally representative age-matched sample that were raised by their own families and to identify mental health service needs in orphanages. This cross-sectional study included 674 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years that were selected from orphanages using stratified and probability cluster sampling. A socio-demographic information form, and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher's Report Form (TRF), and Youth Self-Report Form (YSR) were used for data collection. According to the information provided by caregivers, teachers, and youths, the prevalence of problem behaviors ranged between 18.3% and 47% among those in institutional care versus between 9% and 11% among the national sample. Among those in institutional care, the prevalence of externalizing problems (21.4%-41.9%) was significantly higher than the prevalence of internalizing problems (6.2%-40.1%). At the syndrome level, the prevalence of social problems (5.7%-11.7%), thought disorders (7.2%-18.4%), and attention problems (7.7%-31.4%) among the youths in institutional care was higher than among the national sample (1.6%-5.8%). Age at first admission, receiving institutional care because of neglect and abuse, moves 2 or more times between institutions, recurrent physical illness, receiving poor quality care, lack of regular contact with parents or relatives, lack of regular contact with teachers and the institutional staff, poor problem-solving skills, fatalistic beliefs, tobacco and alcohol use, the feeling of stigmatization, and low-level competency were significantly associated with an increased risk of behavioral and emotional problems. In this representative study, only 2.4% of the children received any mental health care services. There is an urgent need to develop alternative care models and routine screening for mental health. The training of professionals and development of mental health services for children in institutional care should be a priority.

Level of structural quality and process quality in rural preschool classrooms

PubMed Central

Hartman, Suzanne C.; Warash, Barbara G.; Curtis, Reagan; Hirst, Jessica Day

2017-01-01

Preschool classrooms with varying levels of structural quality requirements across the state of West Virginia were investigated for differences in measured structural and process quality. Quality was measured using group size, child-to-teacher/staff ratio, teacher education, and the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R; Harms, T., Clifford, R. M., & Cryer, D. (2005). The early childhood environment rating scale-revised. New York, NY: Teachers College Press). Thirty-six classrooms with less structural quality requirements and 136 with more structural quality requirements were measured. There were significant differences between classroom type, with classrooms with more structural quality requirements having significantly higher teacher education levels and higher environmental rating scores on the ECERS-R subscales of Space and Furnishings, Activities, and Program Structure. Results support previous research that stricter structural state regulations are correlated with higher measured structural and process quality in preschool classrooms. Implications for preschool state quality standards are discussed. PMID:29056814

Processes involved in solving mathematical problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahrill, Masitah; Putri, Ratu Ilma Indra; Zulkardi, Prahmana, Rully Charitas Indra

2018-04-01

This study examines one of the instructional practices features utilized within the Year 8 mathematics lessons in Brunei Darussalam. The codes from the TIMSS 1999 Video Study were applied and strictly followed, and from the 183 mathematics problems recorded, there were 95 problems with a solution presented during the public segments of the video-recorded lesson sequences of the four sampled teachers. The analyses involved firstly, identifying the processes related to mathematical problem statements, and secondly, examining the different processes used in solving the mathematical problems for each problem publicly completed during the lessons. The findings revealed that for three of the teachers, their problem statements coded as `using procedures' ranged from 64% to 83%, while the remaining teacher had 40% of his problem statements coded as `making connections.' The processes used when solving the problems were mainly `using procedures', and none of the problems were coded as `giving results only'. Furthermore, all four teachers made use of making the relevant connections in solving the problems given to their respective students.

Teacher Expertise and the Development of a Problem Representation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, Tracy; Rabinowitz, Mitchell

2009-01-01

This study examined ways in which expert and novice teachers mentally represent classroom problems in matters of instruction, assessment, and curriculum planning. A triad judgement task was administered to expert teachers (n=20) and novice teachers (n=98) to determine whether deep, structural features (i.e. the theoretical underpinnings associated…

Reducing Teacher Stress by Implementing Collaborative Problem Solving in a School Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaubman, Averi; Stetson, Erica; Plog, Amy

2011-01-01

Student behavior affects teacher stress levels and the student-teacher relationship. In this pilot study, teachers were trained in Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS), a cognitive-behavioral model that explains challenging behavior as the result of underlying deficits in the areas of flexibility/adaptability, frustration tolerance, and problem…

Teacher Certification: The Problem in the Pacific Northwest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonard, Leo D.

1985-01-01

Teacher certification procedures in the Pacific Northwest are used to illustrate the kinds of problems facing the nation in terms of teacher certification and program accreditation. Proposals for change include: cooperation between public schools and universities; five year programs; and use of research to study the teacher education process. (DF)

Teacher Self-Efficacy during the Implementation of a Problem-Based Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodges, Charles B.; Gale, Jessica; Meng, Alicia

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate eighth-grade science teachers' self-efficacy during the implementation of a new, problem-based science curriculum. The curriculum included applications of LEGO® robotics, a new technology for these teachers. Teachers' responded to structured journaling activities designed to collect information about their…

Whatever It Takes: How Beginning Teachers Learn to Survive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Maistre, Cathrine; Pare, Anthony

2010-01-01

Reports of high attrition rates among beginning teachers suggest that new practitioners need help to develop coping strategies, preferably while they are still teacher candidates under the supervision of experienced teachers. Defining teaching as an ill-defined problem, where beginners have a limited repertoire of problem-solving strategies, this…

Early Career Teacher Attrition: Intentions of Teachers Beginning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clandinin, D. Jean; Long, Julie; Schaefer, Lee; Downey, C. Aiden; Steeves, Pam; Pinnegar, Eliza; McKenzie Robblee, Sue; Wnuk, Sheri

2015-01-01

Early career teacher attrition has most often been conceptualized as either a problem associated with individual factors (e.g. burnout) or a problem associated with contextual factors (e.g. support and salary). This study considered early career teacher attrition as an identity making process that involves a complex negotiation between individual…

Teacher Turnover, Teacher Quality, and Student Achievement in DCPS. CEPA Working Paper No. 16-03

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adnot, Melinda; Dee, Thomas; Katz, Veronica; Wyckoff, James

2016-01-01

In practice, teacher turnover appears to have negative effects on school quality as measured by student performance. However, some simulations suggest that turnover can instead have large, positive effects under a policy regime in which low-performing teachers can be accurately identified and replaced with more effective teachers. This study…

State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. New Mexico State Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council on Teacher Quality, 2007

2007-01-01

The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This New Mexico edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state…

State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. New Hampshire State Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council on Teacher Quality, 2007

2007-01-01

The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This New Hampshire edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state…

"My Teacher Helps Me": Assessing Teacher-Child Relationships from the Child's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Kelley Mayer

2016-01-01

The current study is one of the first to investigate children's perceptions of quality in teacher-child relationships using a narrative measure. It is also one of the first studies to investigate how the child's report is associated with the teacher's report and with an observer's report of quality in teacher-child interactions. Participants…

State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. New Jersey State Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council on Teacher Quality, 2007

2007-01-01

The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This New Jersey edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state…

Examining the Relationship among High-School Teachers' Technology Self-Efficacy, Attitudes towards Technology Integration, and Quality of Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzales, Stacey

2013-01-01

This quantitative study explored the relationships among high-school teachers' (n = 74) technology self-efficacy, teachers' attitudes towards technology integration, and quality of teachers' technology integration into instruction. This study offered the unique perspectives of in-service high-school teachers as they have first-hand experience…

Developmental commentary: individual and contextual influences on student-teacher relationships and children's early problem behaviors.

PubMed

Myers, Sonya S; Pianta, Robert C

2008-07-01

Understanding factors associated with children's early behavioral difficulties is of vital importance to children's school success, and to the prevention of future behavior problems. Although biological factors can influence the expression of certain behaviors, the probability of children exhibiting classroom behavior problems is intensified when they are exposed to multiple risk factors, particularly negative student-teacher interactions. Children who exhibit behavior problems during early childhood and the transition to kindergarten, without intervention, can be placed on a developmental trajectory for serious behavior problems in later grades. Using a developmental systems model, this commentary provides a conceptual framework for understanding the contributions of individual and contextual factors to the development of early student-teacher relationships. Parent, teacher, and student characteristics are discussed as they are related to shaping student-teacher interactions and children's adjustment to school.

Raising the Bar: Ethics Education for Quality Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boon, Helen

2011-01-01

Since the 1970s an "ethics boom" has occurred to counter the disappearance of ethics education from tertiary institutions. This "boom" appears to be absent from teacher education programs in Australia and the United States. Given persistent calls to enhance teacher quality this is problematic because quality teaching is…

Assessing Pre-Service Teachers' Quality Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Weiyun; Hendricks, Kristin; Archibald, Kelsi

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to design and validate the Assessing Quality Teaching Rubrics (AQTR) that assesses the pre-service teachers' quality teaching practices in a live lesson or a videotaped lesson. Twenty-one lessons taught by 13 Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students were videotaped. The videotaped lessons were evaluated…

Assessing the Quality of Teachers' Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Weiyun; Mason, Stephen; Staniszewski, Christina; Upton, Ashley; Valley, Megan

2012-01-01

This study assessed the extent to which nine elementary physical education teachers implemented the quality of teaching practices. Thirty physical education lessons taught by the nine teachers to their students in grades K-5 were videotaped. Four investigators coded the taped lessons using the Assessing Quality Teaching Rubric (AQTR) designed and…

Primary Teachers' beliefs about Scientific Creativity in the Classroom Context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shu-Chiu; Lin, Huann-shyang

2014-07-01

While a number of studies have investigated people's perceptions or conceptions of creativity, there is a lack of studies looking into science teachers' views. The study aimed to explore the meanings of scientific creativity in the classroom context as perceived by a selective group of upper primary (Grades 3-6; student ages 8-12) science teachers (n = 16) in Taiwan. Using a self-report, open-ended questionnaire and follow-up interviews, the participants responded to questions as to (1) what quality, behaviours and abilities characterise a creative learner in their science classrooms, (2) what a science classroom should be like if it is to facilitate scientific creativity, and (3) whether and what particular elements of the inquiry approach are incorporated in such a classroom. The analyses revealed that the teachers captured the central features of creativity and proposed diverse ideas about how to foster creativity in school science, but seemed to overlook some aspects, such as convergent thinking, problem-finding, and linking the arts and science. These missing features are regarded as important for scientific creativity in contemporary research. The findings were discussed along with their implications for teacher education and future research.

Hablando Con Maestros Guia para Padres para Resolver Problemas Con La Escuela = Talking With Teachers: A Problem-Solving Handbook for Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mata, Roberto L.

Designed to help parents communicate with teachers about the school problems of their children, the handbook provides strategies which can guide parents to collect accurate information about a problem and to use it to initiate an open exchange with the teacher. The strategies can be used whether parents are becoming aware of a problem or have been…

Are middle school mathematics teachers able to solve word problems without using variable?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gökkurt Özdemir, Burçin; Erdem, Emrullah; Örnek, Tuğba; Soylu, Yasin

2018-01-01

Many people consider problem solving as a complex process in which variables such as x, y are used. Problems may not be solved by only using 'variable.' Problem solving can be rationalized and made easier using practical strategies. When especially the development of children at younger ages is considered, it is obvious that mathematics teachers should solve problems through concrete processes. In this context, middle school mathematics teachers' skills to solve word problems without using variables were examined in the current study. Through the case study method, this study was conducted with 60 middle school mathematics teachers who have different professional experiences in five provinces in Turkey. A test consisting of five open-ended word problems was used as the data collection tool. The content analysis technique was used to analyze the data. As a result of the analysis, it was seen that the most of the teachers used trial-and-error strategy or area model as the solution strategy. On the other hand, the teachers who solved the problems using variables such as x, a, n or symbols such as Δ, □, ○, * and who also felt into error by considering these solutions as without variable were also seen in the study.

Perceptions of Prospective Biology Teachers on Scientific Argumentation in Microbiology Inquiry Lab Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roviati, E.; Widodo, A.; Purwianingsih, W.; Riandi, R.

2017-09-01

Inquiry laboratory activity and scientific argumentation in science education should be promoted and explicitly experienced by prospective biology teacher students in classes, including in microbiology courses. The goal of this study is to get information about perceptions of prospective biology teachers on scientific argumentation in microbiology inquiry lab activities. This study reported the result of a survey research to prospective biology teachers about how their perception about microbiology lab classes and their perception about inquiry and argumentation in microbiology lab activities should be. The participants of this study were 100 students of biology education department from an institute in Cirebon, West Java taking microbiology lecture during the fifth semester. The data were collected using questionnaire to explore the perceptions and knowledge of prospective biology teachers about microbiology, inquiry lab activities and argumentation. The result showed that students thought that the difficulties of microbiology as a subject were the lack of references and the way lecturer teaching. The students’ perception was that argumentation and inquiry should be implemented in microbiology courses and lab activities. Based on the data from questionnaire, It showed that prospective biology teacher students had very little knowledge about scientific argumentation and its implementation in science education. When the participants made arguments based on the problems given, they showed low quality of arguments.

Expecting success: Factors influencing ninth graders' science self-efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donahue, Elizabeth

What factors influence ninth grade students' expectations for success in science? Using social cognitive theory and bioecological systems theory as theoretical frameworks, this dissertation employs data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) to examine the relative impact of teacher practices and their perceived attitudes on students' science self-efficacy. Further, as they relate to this broader issue, the relative impact of student subjective task value and teacher characteristics is also investigated. It has been well documented that U.S. students are not achieving at satisfactory levels in science. Education policy has focused on improving science teacher quality as one way to address this problem. Teacher effectiveness has been primarily measured by student achievement on standardized tests. However, not enough attention has been given to the social cognitive factors that can lead to increased achievement and persistence in science as well as how teachers may influence these factors. This study interrogates the relationship between student and teacher variables and the social cognitive construct of self-efficacy, which has proven to have a significant impact on student achievement and persistence in science. Findings add to the current literature surrounding ways that educators may increase student performance in science by employing policies and practices that benefit the development of student science self-efficacy.

Science Teacher Education in Australia: Initiatives and Challenges to Improve the Quality of Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treagust, David F.; Won, Mihye; Petersen, Jacinta; Wynne, Georgie

2015-02-01

In this article, we describe how teachers in the Australian school system are educated to teach science and the different qualifications that teachers need to enter the profession. The latest comparisons of Australian students in international science assessments have brought about various accountability measures to improve the quality of science teachers at all levels. We discuss the issues and implications of government initiatives in preservice and early career teacher education programs, such as the implementation of national science curriculum, the stricter entry requirements to teacher education programs, an alternative pathway to teaching and the measure of effectiveness of teacher education programs. The politicized discussion and initiatives to improve the quality of science teacher education in Australia are still unfolding as we write in 2014.

Finding Exemplary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donovan, Eamonn

2010-01-01

Teacher quality is the most crucial component in promoting student learning. For all the controversy about No Child Left Behind, one underlying emphasis of the federal law that is irrefutable is the importance placed on teacher quality. Therefore, a school organization committed to excellence must recruit and select outstanding teachers. The Obama…

Pre-Service Educator's Perceptions of Exemplary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowrer-Reynolds, Elilzabeth

2008-01-01

Sweeping educational reform has focused on re-structuring without examining the basic qualities that educators bring to the classroom. The present study sought to identify specific teacher qualities associated with exemplary teachers as determined by pre-service educators seeking teacher certification. Also examined were: (1) gender differences in…

Hiring and Retaining Great Independent School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balossi, Matt; Hernández, Natalie R.

2016-01-01

While numerous studies measure teacher effectiveness in public schools, there is little research on teacher quality among independent schools. In fact, the topic of teacher quality in public schools receives widespread media coverage, funding, and special interest. In order to better understand how independent schools describe high-quality…

Physical education Teachers' and public health Nurses' perception of Norwegian high school Students' participation in physical education - a focus group study.

PubMed

Abildsnes, Eirik; Stea, Tonje H; Berntsen, Sveinung; Omfjord, Christina S; Rohde, Gudrun

2015-12-24

High quality physical education programs in high schools may facilitate adoption of sustainable healthy living among adolescents. Public health nurses often meet students who avoid taking part in physical education programs. We aimed to explore physical education teachers' and public health nurses' perceptions of high school students' attitudes towards physical education, and to explore physical education teachers' thoughts about how to facilitate and promote students' participation in class. Prior to an initiative from physical education teachers, introducing a new physical education model in two high schools in the South of Norway, we conducted focus groups with 6 physical education teachers and 8 public health nurses. After implementation of the new model, we conducted two additional focus group interviews with 10 physical education teachers. In analyses we used Systematic Text Condensation and an editing analysis style. In general, the students were experienced as engaged and appreciating physical education lessons. Those who seldom attended often strived with other subjects in school as well, had mental health problems, or were characterized as outsiders in several arenas. Some students were reported to be reluctant to expose their bodies in showers after class, and students who seldom attended physical education class frequently visited the school health services. Although the majority of students were engaged in class, several of the students lacked knowledge about physical fitness and motoric skills to be able to master daily activities. The participants related the students' competence and attitude towards participation in physical education class to previous experiences in junior high school, to the competence of physical education teachers, and to possibility for students to influence the content of physical education programs. The participants suggested that high school students' attitudes towards participation in physical education is heterogeneous, depends on the students' previous experiences, and on their present health and quality of life. All participants recommended adolescents to take part in program development, and selecting activities that generate competence, fun and enjoyment.

An Investigation of the Phenomenon of Shortages of Indian Teachers as Described by Tribal College Leaders in Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Dell, Cynthia Best

2010-01-01

In Montana, less than 3% of K-12 teachers are American Indian (Montana Office of Public Instruction, 2009). The lack of Indian teachers, which was the problem identified for this dissertation, is of great concern to educational leaders. The shortage of Native American teachers can be correlated to problems in the education of K-12 students…

The Role of Preschool Relational and Physical Aggression in the Transition to Kindergarten: Links with Social-Psychological Adjustment

PubMed Central

Gower, Amy L.; Lingras, Katherine A.; Mathieson, Lindsay C.; Kawabata, Yoshito; Crick, Nicki R.

2014-01-01

Research Findings The transition to kindergarten has important ramifications for future achievement and psychosocial outcomes. Research suggests that physical aggression may be related to difficulty during school transitions, yet no studies to date have examined the role of relational aggression in these transitions. This paper examined how engagement in preschool physical and relational aggression predicted psychosocial adjustment during the kindergarten school year. Observations and teacher reports of aggression were collected in preschool, and kindergarten teachers reported on student-teacher relationship quality, child internalizing problems, and peer acceptance in kindergarten. Results suggested that preschool physical aggression predicted reduced peer acceptance and increased conflict with the kindergarten teacher. High levels of relational aggression, when not combined with physical aggression, were related to more positive transitions to kindergarten in the domains assessed. Practice or Policy These data lend support to the need for interventions among physically aggressive preschoolers to target not only concurrent behavior but also future aggression and adjustment in kindergarten. Thus, educators should work to encourage social influence in more prosocial ways amongst aggressive preschoolers. PMID:26146468

South African Grade 9 Mathematics Teachers' Views on the Teaching of Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chirinda, Brantina; Barmby, Patrick

2018-01-01

The South African curriculum emphasizes the teaching of problem solving in mathematics. However, little is known about South African teachers' views on the teaching of mathematical problem solving (MPS). The purpose of this study was to establish Grade 9 South African teachers' views, teaching strategies and the support required in their teaching…

Reflective Teaching via a Problem Exploration--Teaching Adaptations--Resolution Cycle: A Mixed Methods Study of Preservice Teachers' Reflective Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayden, H. Emily; Chiu, Ming Ming

2015-01-01

We explore development of elementary preservice teachers' reflective practices as they solved problems encountered while teaching in a reading clinic. Written reflections (N = 175) were collected across 8 weeks from 23 preservice teachers and analyzed to investigate relationships among problem exploration, teaching adaptations, and problem…

Perceived Problem Solving Skills: As a Predictor of Prospective Teachers' Scientific Epistemological Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temel, Senar

2016-01-01

This study aims to determine the level of perceived problem solving skills of prospective teachers and the relations between these skills and their scientific epistemological beliefs. The study was conducted in the fall semester of 2015-2016 academic year. Prospective teachers were applied Problem Solving Inventory which was developed by Heppner…

Developing Pre-Service Teachers Understanding of Fractions through Problem Posing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toluk-Ucar, Zulbiye

2009-01-01

This study investigated the effect of problem posing on the pre-service primary teachers' understanding of fraction concepts enrolled in two different versions of a methods course at a university in Turkey. In the experimental version, problem posing was used as a teaching strategy. At the beginning of the study, the pre-service teachers'…

Teachers Implementing Mathematical Problem Posing in the Classroom: Challenges and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Shuk-kwan S.

2013-01-01

This paper reports a study about how a teacher educator shared knowledge with teachers when they worked together to implement mathematical problem posing (MPP) in the classroom. It includes feasible methods for getting practitioners to use research-based tasks aligned to the curriculum in order to encourage children to pose mathematical problems.…

The Problems of the Beginning Teacher in the Arab Schools in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toren, Zehava; Iliyan, Salman

2008-01-01

This article focuses on the problems of beginning teachers in the Arab sector in Israel. The participants were 146 beginning teachers, 5 mentors, and 5 advisors. The research measurements included an open-ended question and a semi-structured interview. Our research revealed many different cultural aspects related to most of the problems of the…

Formation of the Professional and Didactic Culture of the Future Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mirzagitova, Alsu L.; Akhmetov, Linar G.

2016-01-01

Relevance: The relevance of the problem under investigation is caused by the fact that the problem of the formation of the professional and didactic culture of future teachers has not been sufficiently elaborated. The purpose of the article: The article aims to the solution of the problem of improving the content of future teachers' training with…

Solving the Teacher Shortage Problem in Ghana: Critical Perspectives for Understanding the Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobbold, Cosmas

2015-01-01

The problem of getting sufficient numbers of qualified teachers to staff classrooms is one of the most significant public policy issues facing many countries. In Ghana, the problem of teacher shortage has been a perennial one, necessitated by educational expansion as well as adverse socio-economic and political circumstances, and exacerbated by…

The Examination of the Relation between Teacher Candidates' Problem Solving Appraisal and Utilization of Motivated Strategies for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turgut, Ozden; Ocak, Gurbuz

2017-01-01

This study examines the relation between teacher candidates' problem solving appraisal and utilization of motivated strategies for learning. The study has been carried out with 416 teacher candidates. A correlation has been used between problem solving appraisal and utilization of motivated strategies for learning. Besides, regression analysis has…