Sample records for teacher quality programs

  1. 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...

  2. 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...

  3. 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...

  4. Improving Quality of Elementary Music Programs through Common Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edele, Cameron

    2011-01-01

    Developing a music program based on quality curriculum is the key to success. The purpose of my research was to explore whether teachers used curriculum for quality control in an Elementary music program. Using student questionnaires, teacher interviews, and teacher observations I found that the music curriculum in each school was different. There…

  5. In Pursuit of Teacher Quality: Three Models of Success.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dandy, Evelyn; O'Dell, Sandra; McKinney, Marilyn; Perkins, Peggy G.; Miller, Susan Peterson; Reiman, Alan; Peace, Sandra DeAngelis; Williams, Doris Terry; Duncan, JoAnn Hines

    This document is comprised of three papers by various authors, summarizing three different models of programs that successfully promote teacher quality that were introduced at the National Conference on Teacher Quality in January 2000, hosted by the U.S. Department of Education. The first program described, the Pathways to Teaching Program of…

  6. 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.

  7. Shaky Methods, Shaky Motives: A Critique of the National Council of Teacher Quality's Review of Teacher Preparation Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fuller, Edward J.

    2014-01-01

    The National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ) recent review of university-based teacher preparation programs concluded the vast majority of such programs were inadequately preparing the nation's teachers. The study, however, has a number of serious flaws that include narrow focus on inputs, lack of a strong research base, missing standards,…

  8. Teachers' Voices: Work Environment Conditions That Impact Teacher Practice and Program Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitebook, Marcy; King, Elizabeth; Philipp, George; Sakai, Laura

    2016-01-01

    Early childhood teachers routinely face insufficient teaching supports and inadequate rewards for their education and commitment (e.g., low pay, lack of professional supports, and lack of benefits). These shortcomings contribute to poor program quality and fuel high levels of teacher turnover, preventing program improvement and making it…

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

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

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

  10. Beyond teacher training: the critical role of professional development in maintaining curriculum fidelity.

    PubMed

    LaChausse, Robert G; Clark, Kim R; Chapple, Sabrina

    2014-03-01

    To examine how teacher characteristics affected program fidelity in an impact evaluation study of the Positive Prevention PLUS program, and to propose a comprehensive teacher training and professional development structure to increase program fidelity. Curriculum fidelity logs, lesson observations, and teacher surveys were used to measure teacher characteristics and implementation fidelity including adherence, adaptation, and lesson quality. Compared with non-health credentialed teachers, credential health education teachers had greater comfort and self-efficacy regarding sex-related instruction. Teacher self-efficacy and comfort were significant predictors of adherence. Implementation fidelity may be linked to teacher characteristics that can be enhanced during curriculum training. A 2-day teacher training may not adequately address teacher facilitation skills or the maintenance of institutional supports for implementing a program with fidelity and quality. A new model of comprehensive teacher training and support is offered. This new training infrastructure is intended to contribute to the school district's institutionalization of higher-quality comprehensive sexual health education and increase program fidelity. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

  11. 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.

  12. Improve the Quality of Teaching in Your Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greene, Brenda Z.

    1985-01-01

    Teacher quality can be improved through teacher evaluation, intervention programs, incentives or rewards, and counseling. In the Toledo, Ohio, peer evaluation program, evaluation and staff development go hand in hand. The program was developed through a collaborative and cooperative process and uses teacher consultants to evaluate and supervise…

  13. 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.

  14. 34 CFR 611.1 - What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

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

  15. 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.

  16. Quality Characteristics of a Graduate Teacher Education Program in Graphic Communications: Results from a Delphi Research Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Aaron C.; Scales, Alice Y.

    2000-01-01

    Investigates characteristics of a quality program in graphic communications teacher education with involvement of professionals in the field. Uses the Delphi technique to achieve consensus on the characteristics that they felt compromised a good educational program for future graphics teachers. (Contains 27 references.) (Author/YDS)

  17. Teachers' Perceptions of School Organizational Climate as Predictors of Dosage and Quality of Implementation of a Social-Emotional and Character Development Program.

    PubMed

    Malloy, Margaret; Acock, Alan; DuBois, David L; Vuchinich, Samuel; Silverthorn, Naida; Ji, Peter; Flay, Brian R

    2015-11-01

    Organizational climate has been proposed as a factor that might influence a school's readiness to successfully implement school-wide prevention programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of teachers' perceptions of three dimensions of school organizational climate on the dosage and quality of teacher implementation of Positive Action, a social-emotional and character development (SECD) program. The dimensions measured were teachers' perceptions of (a) the school's openness to innovation, (b) the extent to which schools utilize participatory decision-making practices, and (c) the existence of supportive relationships among teachers (teacher-teacher affiliation). Data from 46 teachers in seven schools enrolled in the treatment arm of a longitudinal, cluster-randomized, controlled trial were analyzed. Teacher perceptions of a school's tendency to be innovative was associated with a greater number of lessons taught and self-reported quality of delivery, and teacher-teacher affiliation was associated with a higher use of supplementary activities. The findings suggest that perceptions of a school's organizational climate impact teachers' implementation of SECD programs and have implications for school administrators and technical assistance providers as they work to implement and sustain prevention programs in schools.

  18. The Effects of a Model Developmental Mathematics Program on Elementary and Middle School Preservice Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gerber, Lindsey N.

    2012-01-01

    Teacher quality is instrumental in improving student performance. Unfortunately, discrepancies between teacher preparation programs and national and state K-12 student standards have contributed to the difficult task of producing quality teachers. The contemporary mathematics education paradigm used at most colleges and universities relies on…

  19. In Search of Unicorns and Effective Teacher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watts, Doyle

    1985-01-01

    Describes (1) characteristics of effective preservice teacher preparation programs, (2) characteristics of teachers who have compiled an effective program, and (3) undesirable qualities of teachers not likely to emerge in graduates of effective programs. (EL)

  20. 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…

  1. 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…

  2. 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…

  3. Teacher Development Program: A Vehicle for Assisting Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wood, Frances B.

    2010-01-01

    In 1990 the Teacher Development Program was created by the Office of Professional Field Experiences at Southeastern Louisiana University to better the quality and improve the success rate of teacher candidates and student teachers. The fundamental principle behind the program was to provide assistance for pre-service teachers who need immediate…

  4. Appendix C: Background and Methodology for Alternative Certification Pilot. [2014 Teacher Prep Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenberg, Julie; Walsh, Kate; McKee, Arthur

    2014-01-01

    The "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review" evaluates the quality of programs that provide preservice preparation of public school teachers. As part of the "Review," this appendix reports on a pilot study of new standards for assessing the quality of alternative certification programs. Background and methodology for alternative…

  5. Assessing the Agriculture Teacher Workforce in New England

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uricchio, Cassandra Kay

    2011-01-01

    High quality teachers are an essential piece of the agricultural education model and directly influence the quality of the total program. However, there has been a steady consolidation and elimination of agricultural education teacher preparation programs in New England. In order to understand how this trend affected agricultural education in this…

  6. Role of Clinical Practice in Teacher Preparation: Perceptions of Elementary Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Delar K.

    2017-01-01

    The Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs (CAEP) has established five standards to measure the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs. Clinical partnerships and practice represent "Standard 2." The CAEP requires that teacher education programs design high quality clinical practice that is central to preparation…

  7. Evaluation and capacity building to improve precollege science and mathematics achievement in the US: 10 CFR, Part 605. Technical progress report, June--December 1992

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

    Not Available

    1992-12-31

    The National Center for Improving Science Education has undertaken activities to achieve evaluation goals for DOE`s Precollege programs: develop means to determine program quality; develop means for determining the contribution of DOE precollege programs to both teacher enhancement and student achievement; provide evaluation designs and instruments and reports of program quality and impact; and strengthen both DOE`s and the Labs` capacity to do both short- and long-term planning as well as deliver effective programs and evaluation. Appendices include evaluation/technical assistance report, profiling teacher research participation and teacher development programs, teacher surveys, impact assessment design, and teacher research participation programs anecdotesmore » for 8 labs.« less

  8. Defining Teacher Quality: Teacher Efficacy among First-Year Teachers Involved in an Induction Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott-Coleman, Renette S.

    2017-01-01

    Studies have shown school districts across the United States strive to meet the needs of first-year teachers by adding various components within a beginning teacher induction program. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between beginning teacher induction programming and the overall TEAM observation scores of…

  9. Understanding Teacher Effectiveness: Providing Feedback to Teacher Preparation Programs. Data for Action 2014

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Data Quality Campaign, 2014

    2014-01-01

    State leaders are increasingly focused on improving college and university programs that prepare teachers as a route to a high-quality teacher workforce. This work requires significant data capacity to reliably and securely link teachers with their students' achievement and growth data with the state's teacher preparation programs. This fact sheet…

  10. Correlates of quality educational programs.

    PubMed

    Chester, Deborah R; Tracy, Jessamyn A; Earp, Emily; Chauhan, Reetu

    2002-06-01

    Preliminary evaluation findings are presented that explore relationships between educational program quality and program characteristics such as program type, security level, aftercare, teacher certification, facility size, and private versus public provider. Several program characteristics are found to be related to measurements of educational program quality. Among the major quality characteristics are proportion of program teachers that are professionally certified, smaller sized facilities versus larger facilities, level of aftercare services, and provider sources, with private for-profit providers being the lowest performing and public providers being the highest performing. The article closes with description of the Juvenile Justice Educational Enhancement Program's continuing evaluation of correlates to educational program quality through the continued development of a comprehensive database.

  11. 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)

  12. Does Teacher Certification Program Lead to Better Quality Teachers? Evidence from Indonesia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kusumawardhani, Prita Nurmalia

    2017-01-01

    This paper examines the impact of the teacher certification program in Indonesia in 2007 and 2008 on student and teacher outcomes. I create a rule-based instrumental variable from discontinuities arising from the assignment mechanism of teachers into certification program. The thresholds are determined empirically. The study applies a two-sample…

  13. Effectiveness of a Voice Training Program for Student Teachers on Vocal Health.

    PubMed

    Richter, Bernhard; Nusseck, Manfred; Spahn, Claudia; Echternach, Matthias

    2016-07-01

    The effectiveness of a preventive training program on vocal health for German student teachers was investigated on specific vocal parameters. The voice quality as described by the Dysphonia Severity Index of 204 student teachers (training group: n = 123; control group: n = 81) was measured at the beginning and at the end of the student teachers training period (duration 1.5 years). Additionally, for investigating the voice-carrying capacity, a vocal loading test (VLT) was performed. Finally, participants had to provide a subjective judgment of a possible Voice Handicap Index. The training program improved the voice quality of the trained group compared with that of the control group, whose voice quality declined. The trained group was also able to better sustain their voice quality across the VLT than the control group. Both groups, however, reported a similar increase in subjective vocal strain. The presented training program clearly showed a positive impact on the voice quality and the vocal capacity. The results maintain the importance of such a training program to be integrated in the education and occupational routine of teachers. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Typology of Delivery Quality: Latent Profile Analysis of Teacher Engagement and Delivery Techniques in a School-Based Prevention Intervention, "Keepin' It REAL" Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shin, YoungJu; Miller-Day, Michelle; Pettigrew, Jonathan; Hecht, Michael L.; Krieger, Janice L.

    2014-01-01

    Enhancing the delivery quality of school-based, evidence-based prevention programs is one key to ensuring uniform program effects on student outcomes. Program evaluations often focus on content dosage when implementing prevention curricula, however, less is known about implementation quality of prevention content, especially among teachers who may…

  15. 2014 Teacher Prep Review: A Review of the Nation's Teacher Preparation Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenberg, Julie; Walsh, Kate; McKee, Arthur

    2014-01-01

    "Teacher Prep Review 2014" is the second edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) annual assessment of the nation's 2,400 teacher prep programs. The "Review" uncovers early evidence that teacher prep programs are beginning to make changes. It arrives at a time of heightened, unprecedented…

  16. 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…

  17. Appendix A: Rankings for All Programs in "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review 2014." [2014 Teacher Prep Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenberg, Julie; Walsh, Kate; McKee, Arthur

    2014-01-01

    The "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review" evaluates the quality of programs that provide preservice preparation of public school teachers. The rankings of all 2,400 elementary, secondary, and special education programs included in "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review 2014" are listed in this appendix as: (1) a numeric national ranking; (2)…

  18. Connecting the Continuum: A University-Based Induction Program to Improve Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Zandt Allen, Laura

    2014-01-01

    The Summer Curriculum Writing Institute (SCWI) supports graduates of a university-based teacher education program during the induction years and beyond with the aim of impacting teacher quality. The purpose of this article is to describe the development, goals, research, and lessons learned during SCWI from 2005-12. The week focuses around the…

  19. Program and Teacher Characteristics Predicting the Implementation of Banking Time with Preschoolers Who Display Disruptive Behaviors.

    PubMed

    Williford, Amanda P; Wolcott, Catherine Sanger; Whittaker, Jessica Vick; Locasale-Crouch, Jennifer

    2015-11-01

    This study examined the relationship among baseline program and teacher characteristics and subsequent implementation of Banking Time. Banking Time is a dyadic intervention intended to improve a teacher's interaction quality with a specific child. Banking Time implementation was examined in the current study using a sample of 59 teachers and preschool children displaying disruptive behaviors in the classroom (~three children per classroom). Predictors included preschool program type, teacher demographic characteristics (personal and professional), and teacher beliefs (self-efficacy, authoritarian beliefs, and negative attributions about child disruptive behavior). Multiple measures and methods (i.e., teacher report, consultant report, independent observations) were used to assess implementation. We created three implementation composite measures (dosage, quality, and generalized practice) that had high internal consistencies within each composite but were only modestly associated with one another, suggesting unique constructs of implementation. We found that type of preschool program was associated with dosage and quality. Aspects of teacher demographics related to all three implementation composites. Teacher beliefs predicted dosage and generalized practice. Results suggest that the factors that predict the implementation of Banking Time vary as a function of the type of implementation being assessed.

  20. Do less effective teachers choose professional development does it matter?

    PubMed

    Barrett, Nathan; Butler, J S; Toma, Eugenia F

    2012-10-01

    In an ongoing effort to improve teacher quality, most states require continuing education or professional development for their in-service teachers. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of various professional development programs have assumed a normal distribution of quality of teachers participating in the programs. Because participation in many professional development programs is either targeted or voluntary, this article suggests past evaluations of the effectiveness of professional development may be subject to selection bias and policy recommendations may be premature. This article presents an empirical framework for evaluating professional development programs where treatment is potentially nonrandom, and explicitly accounts for the teacher's prior effectiveness in the classroom as a factor that may influence participation in professional development. This article controls for the influence of selection bias on professional development outcomes by generating a matched sample based on propensity scores and then estimating the program's effect. In applying this framework to the professional development program examined in this article, less effective teachers are found to be more likely to participate in the program, and correcting for this selection leads to different conclusions regarding the program's effectiveness than when ignoring teacher selection patterns.

  1. Fidelity of Implementation in Project Towards No Drug Abuse (TND): A Comparison of Classroom Teachers and Program Specialists

    PubMed Central

    Dent, Clyde W.; Skara, Silvana; Sun, Ping; Sussman, Steve

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents the results of an effectiveness trial of Project Towards No Drug Abuse [TND], in which we compared program delivery by regular classroom teachers and program specialists within the same high schools. Within 18 schools that were randomly assigned to the program or control conditions, health classrooms were assigned to program delivery by teachers or (outside) specialists. Classroom sessions were observed by pairs of observers to assess three domains of implementation fidelity: adherence, classroom process, and perceived student acceptance of the program. Pre- and immediate posttest survey data were collected from 2331 students. Of the four composite indexes of implementation fidelity that were examined, only one (quality of delivery) showed a difference between specialists and teachers, with marginally higher ratings of specialists (p < .10). Both teachers and program specialists achieved effects on three of the five immediate outcome measures, including program-specific knowledge, addiction concern, and social self-control. Students’ posttest ratings of the program overall and the quality of program delivery failed to reveal differences between the teacher- and specialist-led classrooms. These results suggest that motivated, trained classroom teachers can implement evidence-based prevention programs with fidelity and achieve immediate effects. PMID:17180722

  2. E-Learning Quality Assurance: A Perspective of Business Teacher Educators and Distance Learning Coordinators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chapman, Betty F.; Henderson, Ronda G.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Business teacher educators and distance learning coordinators have the responsibility to deliver quality online courses and programs. Therefore, they must make sure that quality assurance benchmarks are present in online business education courses and programs. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which…

  3. 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,…

  4. A Study Examining the Dimensionality of Core Competencies Measure in Teacher Preparation Programs: Challenges and Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kizil, Ruhan Circi; Briggs, Derek; Seidel, Kent; Green, Kathy

    2014-01-01

    The evidence that teacher preparation programs have an impact on teacher quality is often limited. Progress in research on this topic will remain rather limited in its influence on practice until more proximal measures of teacher education outcomes can be established. The dearth of variables to measure the impact of teacher preparation programs on…

  5. A Program Evaluation of the Experiences Provided to Novice Teachers through M School District's Teacher-Mentor Training Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Puryear, Pamela Ann

    2012-01-01

    Novice teachers often lack effective teaching strategies and exhibit poor classroom management, which creates disruptions in the classroom that lessen the quality of instructional time for students. The purpose of this program evaluation was to examine a teacher-mentor training program and the experiences provided to participants to gain a deeper…

  6. 34 CFR 611.41 - Under what circumstances may an individual receive a scholarship of program funds to attend a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... scholarship of program funds to attend a teacher training program? 611.41 Section 611.41 Education Regulations..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.41 Under what circumstances may an individual receive a scholarship of program funds to attend a teacher training program? (a...

  7. 34 CFR 611.41 - Under what circumstances may an individual receive a scholarship of program funds to attend a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... scholarship of program funds to attend a teacher training program? 611.41 Section 611.41 Education Regulations..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.41 Under what circumstances may an individual receive a scholarship of program funds to attend a teacher training program? (a...

  8. 34 CFR 611.41 - Under what circumstances may an individual receive a scholarship of program funds to attend a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... scholarship of program funds to attend a teacher training program? 611.41 Section 611.41 Education Regulations..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.41 Under what circumstances may an individual receive a scholarship of program funds to attend a teacher training program? (a...

  9. 34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

  10. 34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

  11. 34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

  12. 34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

  13. 34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

  14. The High Costs and Doubtful Efficacy of Extended Teacher-Preparation Programs: An Invitation to More Basic Reforms.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawley, Willis D.

    1987-01-01

    Extended programs are likely to reduce the quality and quantity of teachers and probably will not improve teacher performance. Because the risks of extended programs are great and the benefits uncertain, other strategies for improving teacher education should be explored more aggressively. (Author/LHW)

  15. 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…

  16. 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…

  17. Our Student-Teacher Program Lets Us Spot Hot Faculty Prospects Early.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kolze, Richard C.

    1988-01-01

    A high school district in suburban Chicago recruits top quality teachers by emphasizing the importance of its student teaching program, committing extra time and resources to the program, and recruiting new staff members from the student teacher ranks. (MLF)

  18. Effective Teacher Induction and Mentoring: Assessing the Evidence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strong, Michael

    2009-01-01

    A well-known authority on teacher induction programs offers the most comprehensive, up-to-date review of all recent research on the effectiveness of mentoring and induction support for new teachers. Michael Strong provides a revealing analysis of teacher induction programs and their consequences for education, teacher quality, teacher…

  19. 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…

  20. Teacher Education Preparation Program for the 21st Century. Which Way Forward for Kenya?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Katitia, David Melita Ole

    2015-01-01

    Teacher quality is always cited as the most significant efficiency of teacher preparation programs. This paper discusses the aspects of Teacher education factor that influences student achievement. There has always been an increased interest in examining the preparation program for the 21st century in Kenya and recommending the way forward for our…

  1. Teacher Preparation for Profit or Prestige: Analysis of a Diverse Market for Teacher Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lincove, Jane Arnold; Osborne, Cynthia; Mills, Nick; Bellows, Laura

    2015-01-01

    With increasing awareness of the importance of teacher quality for student learning, education policy leaders have turned their attention to the nation's teacher training programs as a potential target for reform. One proposed strategy is to increase competition for university-based programs by encouraging new program types. This study examines…

  2. 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…

  3. Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Programs: Strategies for Enhancement, Improvement, and Peaceful Co-existence with Traditional Teacher Certification Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duhon-Haynes, Gwendolyn; And Others

    This paper examines alternative certification programs in terms of entrance requirements, supervision and mentoring, and post-certification professional support. A good alternative program uses rigorous screening processes to ensure the selection of qualified teacher interns; provides high-quality preservice training in methodology, classroom…

  4. A New Approach to Teacher Education and Teacher Certification.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Washington Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia. Div. of Teacher Education and Certification.

    New certification standards adopted by the Washington State Board of Education in 1971 were designed to develop teacher education programs that ensure the highest quality of professional performance by teachers prepared within them. Teacher education programs under the new standards are approved by the State Board of Education only when three…

  5. Teacher Beliefs and Practices of Kindergarten Teachers in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Chi-hung

    2012-01-01

    A key educational reform proposal made in 2000 is to build a new culture for quality early childhood education through upgrading professional competence. Teachers are an important element of high-quality, developmentally appropriate early childhood programs. The Teacher Beliefs and Practices Survey (TBS) based on 2009 NAEYC Developmentally…

  6. Hiring Quality Teachers: The Devil Is in the Details

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitworth, Jerry; Deering, Thomas; Jones, Steve; Hardy, Sam

    2016-01-01

    Persistent and consistent criticism of our nation's educational system has increased pressure on school districts and teacher education programs to improve the quality of teachers in our public schools. While there is research regarding the characteristics of effective teachers, the difficulty is often in identifying and hiring those teacher…

  7. Handbook for Qualities of Effective Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stronge, James H.; Tucker, Pamela D.; Hindman, Jennifer L.

    2004-01-01

    This book makes it much easier to implement a staff development, teacher education, or self-help program to improve the six research-based teacher qualities that are most apt to raise student achievement. Use the dozens of assessments, observation guides, planning tools, and other resources to: (1) Strengthen teachers' verbal abilities, content…

  8. Practices of Cooperating Teachers Contributing to a High Quality Field Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lafferty, Karen Elizabeth

    2015-01-01

    This mixed methods study framed in cognitive apprenticeship theory involved cooperating and preservice teachers from 10 university-based credentialing programs in California. It examined the connection between cooperating teacher practices and preservice teachers' perceptions of a high quality field experience. Survey responses from 146…

  9. Characteristics of High-Quality Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Jason E.; Gulek, James C.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of high-quality teachers who used a structured mathematics program for teaching, namely the Math Achievement Program (MAP[superscript 2]D), which demonstrated significant gains on student achievement as measured by California's Standards Test (CST) in mathematics. Specifically, the…

  10. Building Future Directions for Teacher Learning in Science Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Kathy; Lindsay, Simon

    2016-04-01

    In 2013, as part of a process to renew an overall sector vision for science education, Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) undertook a review of its existing teacher in-service professional development programs in science. This review led to some data analysis being conducted in relation to two of these programs where participant teachers were positioned as active learners undertaking critical reflection in relation to their science teaching practice. The conditions in these programs encouraged teachers to notice critical aspects of their teaching practice. The analysis illustrates that as teachers worked in this way, their understandings about effective science pedagogy began to shift, in particular, teachers recognised how their thinking not only influenced their professional practice but also ultimately shaped the quality of their students' learning. The data from these programs delivers compelling evidence of the learning experience from a teacher perspective. This article explores the impact of this experience on teacher thinking about the relationship between pedagogical choices and quality learning in science. The findings highlight that purposeful, teacher-centred in-service professional learning can significantly contribute to enabling teachers to think differently about science teaching and learning and ultimately become confident pedagogical leaders in science. The future of quality school-based science education therefore relies on a new vision for teacher professional learning, where practice explicitly recognises, values and attends to teachers as professionals and supports them to articulate and share the professional knowledge they have about effective science teaching practice.

  11. New Findings on the Retention of Novice Teachers from Teaching Residency Programs. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2015-4015

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silva, Tim; McKie, Allison; Gleason, Philip

    2015-01-01

    This brief updates earlier study findings (Silva et al., 2014) regarding the extent to which teachers trained through teaching residency programs (TRPs) funded through the U.S. Department of Education's Teacher Quality Partnership grants program are retained in their districts and schools. TRPs prepare new teachers primarily through a year-long…

  12. Supporting Quality Teachers with Recognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrews, Hans A.

    2011-01-01

    Value has been found in providing recognition and awards programs for excellent teachers. Research has also found a major lack of these programs in both the USA and in Australia. Teachers receiving recognition and awards for their teaching have praised recognition programs as providing motivation for them to continue high-level instruction.…

  13. Qualities of the Professional English Language Teacher Educator: Implications for Achieving Quality and Accountability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Issa, Ali S. M.

    2017-01-01

    There is a growing body of literature about the qualities of professional teacher educators (TEs) and their impact on preparing professional teachers. However, English Language Teaching (ELT) research has fallen behind in this regard, despite the fact that different programs worldwide suffer from different limitations, due to certain aspects…

  14. In Search of Teaching Quality of EFL Student Teachers through Teaching Practicum: Lessons from a Teacher Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Azkiyah, Siti Nurul; Mukminin, Amirul

    2017-01-01

    This study was intended to investigate the teaching quality of student teachers when they conducted their teaching practicum. Teaching quality is conceptualised based on eight classroom factors (orientation, structuring, modelling, application, questioning, building classroom as a learning environment, assessment, and time management) of the…

  15. Professional Development Which Provides an Icing on the Pedagogical Cake.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gardner, Jenny

    Because the quality of teachers determines the quality of the school system, teachers must be provided with high-caliber inservice programs. During the 1980s, responsibility for the provision of professional development in Australia shifted to local schools. Under the current National Professional Development Program (NPDP), the Australian…

  16. Using Facebook to Support Novice Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Staudt, Denise; St. Clair, Norman; Martinez, Elda E.

    2013-01-01

    Providing quality support for novice teachers as they enter the profession has been an ongoing concern of educator preparation programs. This article describes the efforts of one teacher preparation program in addressing this matter by utilizing Facebook[R] to provide sustained support and professional development for its beginning teachers. We…

  17. The Gateway to the Profession: Assessing Teacher Preparation Programs Based on Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldhaber, Dan; Liddle, Stephanie; Theobald, Roddy

    2013-01-01

    With teacher quality repeatedly cited as the most important "schooling" factor influencing student achievement, there has been increased interest in examining the efficacy of teacher training programs. This paper presents the results of research investigating the relationship between teachers who graduate from different training programs…

  18. Program Standards for the Initial Preparation of Teachers of Social Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council for the Social Studies, Washington, DC.

    These guidelines are derived from the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) document, "National Standards for Social Studies Teachers." The guidelines are intended to be used by institutions that prepare teachers to assess the quality of their teacher preparation programs for licensure (or certification) in comprehensive social…

  19. Strengthening Collaboration for Successful Field Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Potter, Jalene P.; Hollas, Tori; Coyne, Jaime

    2016-01-01

    Because a majority of teachers come from public universities, universities play an important role in examining and strengthening their teacher preparation programs to ensure they are graduating quality teachers. Student teaching is typically the culminating experience of the teacher preparation program and is considered to be the most crucial and…

  20. Rating Teacher-Preparation Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Von Hippel, Paul T.; Bellows, Laura

    2018-01-01

    Recent policies intended to improve teacher quality have focused on the preparation that teachers receive before entering the classroom. A short-lived federal rule would have required every state to assess and rank teacher-preparation programs by their graduates' impact on student learning. Though the federal rule was repealed, last year some 21…

  1. Preparing the Teacher of Tomorrow

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hemp, Paul E.

    1976-01-01

    Suggested ways of planning and conducting high quality teacher preparation programs are discussed under major headings of student selection, sequential courses and experiences, and program design. (HD)

  2. Improving Elementary School Quality Through the Use of a Social-Emotional and Character Development Program: A Matched-Pair, Cluster-Randomized, Controlled Trial in Hawai’i

    PubMed Central

    Snyder, Frank J.; Vuchinich, Samuel; Acock, Alan; Washburn, Isaac J.; Flay, Brian R.

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND School safety and quality affect student learning and success. This study examined the effects of a comprehensive elementary school-wide social-emotional and character education program, Positive Action, on teacher, parent, and student perceptions of school safety and quality utilizing a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled design. The Positive Action Hawai’i trial included 20 racially/ethnically diverse schools and was conducted from 2002–2003 through 2005–2006. METHODS School-level archival data, collected by the Hawai’i Department of Education, were used to examine program effects at 1-year post-trial. Teacher, parent, and student data were analyzed to examine indicators of school quality such as student safety and well-being, involvement, and satisfaction, as well as overall school quality. Matched-paired t-tests were used for the primary analysis, and sensitivity analyses included permutation tests and random-intercept growth curve models. RESULTS Analyses comparing change from baseline to 1-year post-trial revealed that intervention schools demonstrated significantly improved school quality compared to control schools, with 21%, 13%, and 16% better overall school quality scores as reported by teachers, parents, and students, respectively. Teacher, parent, and student reports on individual school-quality indicators showed improvement in student safety and well-being, involvement, satisfaction, quality student support, focused and sustained action, standards-based learning, professionalism and system capacity, and coordinated team work. Teacher reports also showed an improvement in the responsiveness of the system. CONCLUSIONS School quality was substantially improved, providing evidence that a school-wide social-emotional and character education program can enhance school quality and facilitate whole-school change. PMID:22142170

  3. Improving elementary school quality through the use of a social-emotional and character development program: a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled trial in Hawai'i.

    PubMed

    Snyder, Frank J; Vuchinich, Samuel; Acock, Alan; Washburn, Isaac J; Flay, Brian R

    2012-01-01

    School safety and quality affect student learning and success. This study examined the effects of a comprehensive elementary school-wide social-emotional and character education program, Positive Action, on teacher, parent, and student perceptions of school safety and quality utilizing a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled design. The Positive Action Hawai'i trial included 20 racially/ethnically diverse schools and was conducted from 2002-2003 through 2005-2006. School-level archival data, collected by the Hawai'i Department of Education, were used to examine program effects at 1-year post-trial. Teacher, parent, and student data were analyzed to examine indicators of school quality such as student safety and well-being, involvement, and satisfaction, as well as overall school quality. Matched-paired t-tests were used for the primary analysis, and sensitivity analyses included permutation tests and random-intercept growth curve models. Analyses comparing change from baseline to 1-year post-trial revealed that intervention schools demonstrated significantly improved school quality compared to control schools, with 21%, 13%, and 16% better overall school quality scores as reported by teachers, parents, and students, respectively. Teacher, parent, and student reports on individual school-quality indicators showed improvement in student safety and well-being, involvement, satisfaction, quality student support, focused and sustained action, standards-based learning, professionalism and system capacity, and coordinated team work. Teacher reports also showed an improvement in the responsiveness of the system. School quality was substantially improved, providing evidence that a school-wide social-emotional and character education program can enhance school quality and facilitate whole-school change. © 2011, American School Health Association.

  4. Promoting Student-Teacher Interactions: Exploring a Peer Coaching Model for Teachers in a Preschool Setting.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Stacy R; Finlon, Kristy J; Kobak, Roger; Izard, Carroll E

    2017-07-01

    Peer coaching provides an attractive alternative to traditional professional development for promoting classroom quality in a sustainable, cost-effective manner by creating a collaborative teaching community. This exploratory study describes the development and evaluation of the Colleague Observation And CoacHing (COACH) program, a peer coaching program designed to increase teachers' effectiveness in enhancing classroom quality in a preschool Head Start setting. The COACH program consists of a training workshop on coaching skills and student-teacher interactions, six peer coaching sessions, and three center meetings. Pre-post observations of emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System of twelve classrooms assigned to peer coaching were compared to twelve control classrooms at baseline and following the intervention. Findings provide preliminary support that the peer coaching program is perceived as acceptable and feasible by the participating preschool teachers and that it may strengthen student-teacher interactions. Further program refinement and evaluation with larger samples is needed to enhance student-teacher interactions and, ultimately, children's adaptive development.

  5. The Influence of Mentoring Relationship Quality and Satisfaction on Novice Teachers' Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alessa, Matar Ahmed

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the influence of mentoring relationship quality, mentoring satisfaction, and mentor matches on novice teachers' self-efficacy. Additionally, the study continued to explore a Midwestern State's mentoring program features, novice teachers' needs, and challenges of working conditions. The study surveyed 340 novice teachers, with a…

  6. A Study of the Perceptions of First-Year Teachers as Prepared Classroom Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ward, Vida Jane

    2015-01-01

    The quality of teacher education allows first-year teachers to meet mandates at federal and state levels (Darling-Hammond, 2010a). The teaching profession is complex and requires new and innovative quality preparation programs (Wei, Andree, & Darling-Hammond, 2009). This study involved examination of the perceptions of 17 building principals…

  7. Early-Care and Education Teachers' Perception of High Quality Early-Care and Education Programming in Relation to Their Educational Attainment Level and Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bechtold, Joy Marie

    2011-01-01

    Early-care and education research, relative to positive outcomes for young children, birth through age five, enrolled in high quality early-care and education programs is compelling. This same research also names the classroom teacher as pivotal in establishing and maintaining high quality within their classrooms and practices. Currently, within…

  8. Effects of Classroom Management Intervention Based on Teacher Training and Performance Feedback on Outcomes of Teacher-Student Dyads in Inclusive Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akalin, Selma; Sucuoglu, Bulbin

    2015-01-01

    Teacher training and teacher quality are an important part of the education system, therefore there is a need for new training programs for teachers to gain new knowledge and skills and to support their professional development. In recent years, new programs have been developed to offer knowledge and experience to teachers, and different methods…

  9. Certification Requirements and Teacher Quality: A Comparison of Alternative Routes to Teaching. Working Paper 64

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sass, Tim R.

    2011-01-01

    Traditionally, states have required individuals complete a program of study in a university-based teacher preparation program in order to be licensed to teach. In recent years, however, various "alternative certification" programs have been developed and the number of teachers obtaining teaching certificates through routes other than…

  10. The Impact of Economic Education Courses on the Knowledge and Retention of Knowledge of Secondary and Primary School Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    France, Judith; And Others

    1989-01-01

    Attempts to measure the quality of inservice teacher education programs by examining impact on participating teachers. Uses a random sample of 1,200 K-12 teachers. Results showed economic education programs significantly affected understanding of basic economics and macroeconomic knowledge. (GG)

  11. 34 CFR 230.2 - What definitions apply to the Troops-to-Teacher program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.2 Section 230.2 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers...

  12. 34 CFR 230.2 - What definitions apply to the Troops-to-Teacher program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.2 Section 230.2 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers...

  13. 34 CFR 230.2 - What definitions apply to the Troops-to-Teacher program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.2 Section 230.2 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers...

  14. 34 CFR 230.2 - What definitions apply to the Troops-to-Teacher program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.2 Section 230.2 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers...

  15. Assessing the Pre-Service Clinical Practice Experiences of Practicing Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meyer, Steve

    2016-01-01

    Recent emphasis on teacher effectiveness and accountability has led the education policy, research, and practitioner communities to take a closer look at the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs, motivated in large part by concerns about program quality. Several national- and state-level studies have found new teachers to be underprepared…

  16. The Gateway to the Profession: Assessing Teacher Preparation Programs Based on Student Achievement. CEDR Working Paper 2012-4

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldhaber, Dan; Liddle, Stephanie; Theobald, Roddy

    2012-01-01

    With teacher quality repeatedly cited as the most important "schooling" factor influencing student achievement, there has been increased interest in examining the efficacy of teacher training programs. This paper presents the results of research investigating the relationship between teachers who graduate from different training programs…

  17. 10 Myths & Realities about Community College Teacher Education Programs. Second Edition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maricopa Community Colleges, 2009

    2009-01-01

    As community colleges emerge as a solution to the teacher quality and shortage issue, the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP) created this pamphlet in an attempt to dispel any misperceptions individuals may have about the community college role in teacher education. "10 Myths About Community College…

  18. AAPT Guidelines for High School Physics Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mays, Katherine

    The quality of a high school's physics program is determined in part by the quality of preparation and the overall workload of its teachers, along with the provision for adequate budgets, facilities, and support services. The guidelines presented in this booklet were prepared by a task force of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)…

  19. Water Quality: Water Education for Teachers. A 4-H School Enrichment Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powell, G. Morgan; Kling, Emily B.

    This looseleaf notebook is a teacher resource package that is designed for enrichment program use. It contains five units dealing with water quality: (1) The Water Cycle; (2) Our Water Supply; (3) Waste/Water Treatment; (4) Water Conservation; (5) Water Pollution. The units provide background information, experiments, stories, poems, plays, and…

  20. Quality Science Teacher Professional Development and Student Achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dubner, J.

    2007-12-01

    Studies show that socio-economic background and parental education accounts for 50-60 percent of a child's achievement in school. School, and other influences, account for the remaining 40-50 percent. In contrast to most other professions, schools require no real apprenticeship training of science teachers. Overall, only 38 percent of United States teachers have had any on-the-job training in their first teaching position, and in some cases this consisted of a few meetings over the course of a year between the beginning teacher and the assigned mentor or master teacher. Since individual teachers determine the bulk of a student's school experiences, interventions focused on teachers have the greatest likelihood of affecting students. To address this deficiency, partnerships between scientists and K-12 teachers are increasingly recognized as an excellent method for improving teacher preparedness and the quality of science education. Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers' (founded in 1990) basic premise is simple: teachers cannot effectively teach science if they have no firsthand experience doing science, hence the Program's motto, "Practice what you teach." Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers provides strong evidence that a teacher research program is a very effective form of professional development for secondary school science teachers and has a direct correlation to increased student achievement in science. The author will present the methodology of the program's evaluation citing statistically significant data. The author will also show the economic benefits of teacher participation in this form of professional development.

  1. Education Quality and Teacher Salary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Land, Arthur J.

    In view of the emphasis on money as a motivator mentioned in reports examining theoretical notions about teacher motivation, this paper focuses on the efficacy of using salary to attract quality teacher candidates. Although standarized testing and internship programs often supplement inadequate certification requirements, critics question the…

  2. The Professional Component in Selected Professions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, David C.; Street, Sue

    1980-01-01

    Compares the time teachers, pharmacists, civil engineers, and lawyers spend in professional preparation programs. Argues that the time spent on professional preparation of teachers should be expanded and that those programs should be of sufficient quality to achieve genuine professional status for teachers. (IRT)

  3. The Contribution of Teachers' Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Program to Quality of Education and Its Teacher-Related Challenging Factors at Chagni Primary Schools, Awi Zone, Ethiopia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Belay, Sintayehu

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the contribution of teachers' Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to quality of education and its challenging factors related with teachers. For this purpose, the study employed descriptive survey method. 76 or 40.86% participant teachers were selected using simple random sampling technique. Close-ended questionnaire was…

  4. Exploring Teacher Candidates' Attitudes towards Pedagogical Teacher Training Based on Different Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toraman, Cetin; Aydin, Hasan; Ulubey, Ozgur

    2016-01-01

    The raising of the life standards of individuals living within a society is only possible through the provision of quality education. Quality education can be realized only through the training of teachers with the necessary skills and positive attitudes towards the training provided at faculties of education and through teacher training programs.…

  5. Experts in the Classroom: Fellows Program Connects Teacher Learning to Student Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pett, Kate; Strahan, David; Gates, Carlye

    2014-01-01

    This article provides snapshots of teacher leadership in action as one result of the Asheville (N.C.) City Schools Foundation Innovation Fellows program, an approach to providing high quality professional learning for the district's best teachers. With start-up funding from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, this program was created to retain great…

  6. Where You Come from or Where You Go? Distinguishing between School Quality and the Effectiveness of Teacher Preparation Program Graduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mihaly, Kata; McCaffrey, Daniel; Sass, Tim R.; Lockwood, J. R.

    2013-01-01

    We consider the challenges and implications of controlling for school contextual bias when modeling teacher preparation program effects. Because teachers are not randomly distributed across schools, failing to account for contextual factors in achievement models could bias preparation program estimates. Including school fixed effects controls for…

  7. Curriculum, Social Justice, and Inquiry in the Field: Investigating Retention in an Urban Teacher Residency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roegman, Rachel; Pratt, Suzanne; Goodwin, A. Lin; Akin, Sibel

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study analyzes the retention data of an urban teacher residency program, a recent approach to developing quality teachers. The authors identify patterns of movers, leavers, and stayers and draw on interview data to better understand residents' (program graduates) perspectives on ways the program informs their practice after…

  8. Equity Sensitivity in Illinois Public School Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grossi, Robert G.

    2013-01-01

    Research supports the importance of teacher quality on effective student learning. School districts recognize this fact and focus extensively on hiring quality teachers and improving teaching skills through professional development programs. Amazingly, despite common sense and a vast amount of research that reflects that employee performance is a…

  9. 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.

  10. Relationships between Instructional Quality and Classroom Management for Beginning Urban Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kwok, Andrew

    2017-01-01

    This mixed-methods study explores the differences in 1st-year urban teachers' classroom management beliefs and actions. The teachers in this study were in their first year of teaching in an urban context concurrent with their participation in a teacher education program offered at a large public university. Using program-wide surveys of 89…

  11. Teacher Reflection in Indonesia: Lessons Learnt from a Lesson Study Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suratno, Tatang; Iskandar, Sofyan

    2010-01-01

    Although reflection is seen as a means to improve teacher professionalism, its practice in Indonesia has a scant regard until the lesson study program was implemented around the year 2005. In Indonesian context, lesson study is a process by which teachers and teacher educators work together to critically improve the quality of classroom practice…

  12. A New Agenda: Research to Build a Better Teacher Preparation Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchel, Ashley LiBetti; King, Melissa Steel

    2016-01-01

    Every year, new teachers collectively spend about $4.8 billion on their training requirements, nearly all of which goes to teacher preparation programs. Unfortunately, it is unclear whether that is money well spent. Despite decades of research and ongoing calls to improve the quality of teacher training, we still do not know how to sculpt an…

  13. Preparing Quality Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Corinne; Eady, Michelle; Andersen, Peter

    2018-01-01

    There are many factors that impact student learning, with quality educators being one of the most important elements for student success. Accordingly, the promotion of quality teacher preparation programs has become a priority for tertiary institutions, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. There is a known disparity between tertiary…

  14. Teachers' Social-Emotional Capacity: Factors Associated with Teachers' Responsiveness and Professional Commitment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buettner, Cynthia K.; Jeon, Lieny; Hur, Eunhye; Garcia, Rachel E.

    2016-01-01

    Research Findings: Early care and education has pronounced implications for young children's social-emotional learning. Although program structural and classroom process quality indicators have been widely explored, teachers' personal social-emotional capacity has only recently been recognized as an indicator of quality. This study reviewed and…

  15. Reproducing Figured Worlds of Literacy Teaching and Learning: Examining the "Language-in-Use" of an Inservice and Preservice Teacher Enacting the Practice of Literacy Planning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gelfuso, Andrea; Dennis, Danielle V.

    2017-01-01

    There are international calls for teacher preparation programs to increase the quantity and quality of field experiences. The belief is that spending additional time in the field being mentored by inservice teachers will develop high-quality preservice teachers. However, the figured worlds of teacher education and the knowledge base of inservice…

  16. Developing Mentors: An Analysis of Shared Mentoring Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bower-Phipps, Laura; Klecka, Cari Van Senus; Sature, Amanda L.

    2016-01-01

    Understanding how experienced teachers share and articulate effective mentoring practices can guide efforts to prepare quality mentors. This qualitative study focused on mentoring practices within a teacher-designed student-teaching program conceptualized while the mentor teachers within the program were students in a graduate-level mentoring…

  17. The Secretary's Seventh Annual Report on Teacher Quality: A Highly Qualified Teacher in Every Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education, 2010

    2010-01-01

    This seventh report on the quality of America's teacher preparation programs and novice teachers presents data reported to the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) in October 2007 by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the outlying areas, which include American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the…

  18. Predicting the Quality of Elementary Mathematics Teachers Utilizing Pre-Graduation Data Collected from Teacher Preparation Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robertson, Mary Amos

    2016-01-01

    In order to change the direction of mathematics education, the training of elementary teachers in the United States needs to be of equal or higher quality than top preforming countries. However, pre-service elementary teachers in the United States fall behind their peers in other countries in mathematical content knowledge and mathematical…

  19. Measuring What Matters: A Stronger Accountability Model for Teacher Education [Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crowe, Edward

    2010-01-01

    Our current system for holding U.S. teacher education programs accountable doesn't guarantee program quality or serve the needs of schools and students. State oversight for teacher preparation programs mostly ignores the impact of graduates on the K-12 students they teach, and it gives little attention to where graduates teach or how long they…

  20. PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION, TODAY AND TOMORROW.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    SCHRAMM, WILBUR

    THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE USE OF PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION IN EDUCATION IS DISCUSSED. IN 1962 MORE THAN 100 PROGRAMS WERE AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS, BUT QUANTITY WAS NOT MATCHED BY QUALITY. THERE WAS NO CONCERTED EFFORT TO TRAIN TEACHERS IN THE EXPERT USE OF PROGRAMS, NOR ANY GENERAL MOVEMENT OF TEACHERS COLLEGES TO USE PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION. PROGRAMED…

  1. Retaining Quality Teachers for Alaska.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDiarmid, G. Williamson; Larson, Eric; Hill, Alexandra

    This report examines the demand for teachers, teacher turnover, and teacher education in Alaska. Surveys were conducted with school district personnel directors, directors of Alaska teacher education programs, teachers who exited Alaska schools in 2001, and rural and urban instructional aides. Alaska is facing teacher shortages, but these are…

  2. Independent Teacher Education Programs: Apocryphal Claims, Illusory Evidence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zeichner, Ken

    2016-01-01

    Teacher education provided in U.S. colleges and universities has been routinely criticized since its inception in the early nineteenth century. These programs are uneven in quality and can be improved. Advocacy groups and self-proclaimed social entrepreneurs are working aggressively to deregulate the preparation of teachers and to expand…

  3. Perceived Effectiveness of Professional Development Programs of Teachers at Higher Education Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malik, Sufiana Khatoon; Nasim, Uzma; Tabassum, Farkhanda

    2015-01-01

    The major purpose of the study was to assess the perceived effectiveness of professional development programs of teachers at higher educational level. The objectives of the study were: "to assess university level teachers'" opinion about effectiveness of professional development training with reference to quality teaching, to measure…

  4. 34 CFR 611.46 - What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What are a scholarship recipient's reporting..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.46 What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher preparation program? (a...

  5. 34 CFR 611.46 - What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What are a scholarship recipient's reporting..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.46 What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher preparation program? (a...

  6. 34 CFR 611.46 - What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What are a scholarship recipient's reporting..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.46 What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher preparation program? (a...

  7. 34 CFR 611.46 - What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What are a scholarship recipient's reporting..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.46 What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher preparation program? (a...

  8. Organized Hypocrisy in EFL Teacher Training Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karim, Abdul; Mohamed, Abdul Rashid; Ismail, Shaik Abdul Malik Mohamed; Rahman, Mohammad Mosiur

    2018-01-01

    Embracing the reasons for the failure of donor-sponsored English-teacher training programs is very critical since it precedes the revisions, improvements and quality assurance for the futuristic training programs. Ideating such philosophy, the current study concerns the blatant penetration with regard to the donor-aided training programs in…

  9. Educational Quality in Music Teacher Education: Components of a Foundation for Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johansen, Geir

    2007-01-01

    Increasing demands for educational quality in higher education affect both higher music education and music teacher education. A theoretical framework is needed if we are to question what is meant by "educational quality" in the latter. To establish programs for quality development and assessment requires basic subject-specific research on the…

  10. 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).

  11. 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…

  12. Program Standards for the Initial Preparation of Social Studies Teachers. National Standards for Social Studies Teachers. Volume II. 2004 Revision

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council for the Social Studies, 2004

    2004-01-01

    This document is intended to be used: (1) By institutions that prepare teachers to assess the quality of their teacher preparation programs for licensure (or certification) in comprehensive social studies and/or the individual disciplines of history, geography, civics and government, economics, and psychology; and (2) By National Council for the…

  13. 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.

  14. Linking School and Community To Build National Recruitment and Preparation Programs for Teachers of Color: Emerging Leadership Qualities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hudson, Mildred J.

    1998-01-01

    Discusses the emerging leadership qualities needed to establish and administer programs to recruit and prepare teachers of color. The discussion is derived from experience with the Pathways to Teaching Careers initiative funded by the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. The importance of linking efforts by educational leaders is stressed. (SLD)

  15. Quality Assurance in Online Content Literacy Methods Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marsh, Josephine P.; Lammers, Jayne C.; Alvermann, Donna E.

    2012-01-01

    As institutions offer more online courses in their teacher certification and literacy master's programs, research is needed to address issues of quality assurance in online instruction. This multicase study analyzes qualitatively elements for addressing quality assurance of the implementation of an online content literacy teacher education course…

  16. Voices in Education: Accountability in Teacher Education and the National Council on Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paulson, Sharon; Marchant, Greg

    2011-01-01

    Personally, the authors have seen the evolution of teacher education for over 30 years. From "diagnostic/prescriptive teaching" through "reflective practice," the quality of the programs and students has improved greatly. Turning that subjective appraisal into a quantifiable evaluation is a tricky enterprise in education. However, the demand for…

  17. Demonstrating a Situated Learning Approach for In-Service Teacher Education in Rural India: The Quality Education Programme in Rajasthan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saigal, Anju

    2012-01-01

    Recent educational policy in India has repositioned elementary school teachers as active, reflective practitioners, not just "deliverers" of syllabus material. This article examines innovations in teacher support in Rajasthan's government schools through the "Quality Education Program." Drawing on qualitative research of…

  18. Testimony Presented at an Open Hearing of the National Commission on Excellence in Teacher Education (New York, New York, October 18-19, 1984). Volume III.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1984

    Included are presentations on (or entitled): (1) role of schools of education (Lia Gelb); (2) teacher education programs (Katherine Sid); (3) "Quality and Quality Control in the Teaching Profession" (Hugh J. Scott); (4) "Educational Reform and Teacher Education" (Hugh G. Petrie); (5) teacher recruitment (Gladys M. Hannon); (6)…

  19. Implementing aeioTU: quality improvement alongside an efficacy study-learning while growing.

    PubMed

    Nores, Milagros; Figueras-Daniel, Alexandra; Lopez, Maria Adelaida; Bernal, Raquel

    2018-05-01

    Effectiveness trials of increasing childhood development interventions across low- and middle-income countries have shown significant variability. The strength and consistency of benefits for children are dependent on program quality, and this requires paying attention to program implementation. In this paper, we summarize findings on program quality and teacher practices and perceptions for the aeioTU program, a center-based Reggio-inspired program in Colombia, now serving more than 13,000 children. The research found engaged, committed staff who valued the emergent approach and understood the children as requiring opportunities to express themselves, being the source for the curriculum, and having relationships with the materials around them. Although the average classroom quality was low in 2011, it increased significantly by 2014, particularly in the language and reasoning and interactions items. Indicator-level analyses showed that higher-order interactions and language processes were observed in a large proportion of classrooms by 2014. Teachers' self-reports on the environment and their teaching and learning showed high levels of quality by 2013. These findings illustrate the significance of process data for program improvement, especially when a program is young. Program quality can be raised after teachers improve their skills, have experience enacting a curriculum, and after training has been strengthened in response to information, while simultaneously scaling up the program. © 2018 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.

  20. Educational Equality or Social Mobility: The Value Conflict between Preservice Teachers and the Free Teacher Education Program in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Dan; Gao, Manman

    2013-01-01

    In 2007, the Chinese government piloted the Free Teacher Education (FTE) program in the top normal universities with the aim to enlist high-quality young graduates to join the teaching profession and to improve education in underdeveloped rural regions. However, a conflict has arisen as FTE students enrolled in the program are reluctant to work in…

  1. The Cost of Inequality: The Importance of Investing in High Quality Early Childhood Education Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keith, Rebecca S.

    2017-01-01

    The focus of this dissertation was to explore the importance of high quality early education in later secondary education development, quantifying quality in early childhood education programs, and examining how teacher education contributes to quality of early childhood education programs. For phase I, early childhood education positively…

  2. Institutions of Higher Education Pre-Service School Health Education Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davidson, Brad; Telljohann, Susan K.; Dake, Joseph A.; Price, James H.

    2010-01-01

    Background: The quality of health education teachers is, in large part, dependent on the education they receive from their teacher preparation program. Purpose: This study assessed institutions of higher education (IHE) teaching practices in school health teacher preparation programs regarding the amount of time spent and content taught related to…

  3. Teacher Preparation: Reforming the Uncertain Profession

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duncan, Arne

    2010-01-01

    In this paper, the Arne Duncan, the United States Secretary of Education, discusses the need for a sea change in America's schools of education, and focuses on the need to improve teacher preparation programs. Many schools of education have provided high-quality preparation programs for aspiring teachers for years. In the last decade, many…

  4. Enhancing Understanding of Teaching and the Profession through School Innovation Rounds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moran, Wendy

    2014-01-01

    Currently, Australian teacher education programs include professional experiences as a means of enhancing preservice teacher understanding about teaching and the profession. The challenge the programs face is the lack of places available in schools and, at times, the unpredictable quality of the placements as some teachers are time-poor, are not…

  5. Increasing Accountability for Teacher Preparation Programs. Challenge to Lead

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, Jenny, Comp.

    2006-01-01

    Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states face new challenges as they adapt to the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This report reviews SREB states' progress in strengthening their accountability systems to ensure that their teacher preparation programs are producing quality teachers. This report identifies what…

  6. The Impact of a Professional Development Program on Teachers' Understandings about Watersheds, Water Quality, and Stream Monitoring.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shepardson, Daniel P.; Harbor, Jon; Cooper, Barbara; McDonald, Jim

    2002-01-01

    Professional development programs should provide teachers with experiences that develop their knowledge and skills to integrate environmental field studies into their school curriculum. Reports on a professional development model that engaged teachers in designing and conducting local environmental science research projects. (Author/YDS)

  7. 34 CFR 611.12 - What additional selection criteria are used for an application proposing teacher recruitment...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM State Grants Program § 611.12 What additional selection... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What additional selection criteria are used for an application proposing teacher recruitment activities? 611.12 Section 611.12 Education Regulations of the...

  8. 34 CFR 611.46 - What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.46 What are a... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are a scholarship recipient's reporting responsibilities upon graduation from the teacher preparation program? 611.46 Section 611.46 Education Regulations...

  9. The Importance of Mentoring Novice and Pre-Service Teachers: Findings from a HBCU Student Teaching Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hobson, Lisa D.; Harris, Deborah; Buckner-Manley, Kimberley; Smith, Patricia

    2012-01-01

    Teacher preparation programs across the country have faced criticisms regarding the quality of their programs. Additionally, these programs now compete with non-traditional programs when their graduates seek positions in public schools. As a result of many conversations as well as audits of the degree program at institutions in the state of Texas,…

  10. Quality Counts 2003. If I Can't Learn from You: Ensuring a Highly Qualified Teacher for Every Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Education Week, 2003

    2003-01-01

    This year's Quality Counts, Education Week's comprehensive overview on the quality of American education, focuses on the relationship between teacher quality and the growing academic achievement gap. It includes profiles of hard-to-staff schools, state alternative certification programs, and surveys of the 50 states on recruiting, supporting, and…

  11. [Perceptions about continuous training of Chilean health care teachers].

    PubMed

    Pérez V, Cristhian; Fasce H, Eduardo; Coloma N, Katherine; Vaccarezza G, Giulietta; Ortega B, Javiera

    2013-06-01

    Continuous training of teachers, in discipline and pedagogical topics, is a key step to improve the quality of educational processes. To report the perception of Chilean teachers of undergraduate health care programs, about continuous training activities. Twenty teachers working at different undergraduate health care programs in Chile were interviewed. Maximum variation and theoretical sampling methods were used to select the sample. Data was analyzed by open coding, according to the Grounded Theory guidelines. Nine categories emerged from data analysis: Access to continuous training, meaning of training in discipline, activities of continuous training in discipline, meaning of continuous training in pedagogy, kinds of continuous training in pedagogy, quality of continuous training in pedagogy, ideal of continuous training in pedagogy, outcomes of continuous training in pedagogy and needs for continuous training in pedagogy. Teachers of health care programs prefer to participate in contextualized training activities. Also, they emphasize their need of training in evaluation and teaching strategies.

  12. 34 CFR 611.50 - What are a grantee's reporting responsibilities?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611... teacher preparation program's academic term or within 30 days of the execution of any scholarship... identity of each scholarship recipient. (2) The amount of the scholarship provided with program funds to...

  13. 34 CFR 611.50 - What are a grantee's reporting responsibilities?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611... teacher preparation program's academic term or within 30 days of the execution of any scholarship... identity of each scholarship recipient. (2) The amount of the scholarship provided with program funds to...

  14. 34 CFR 611.50 - What are a grantee's reporting responsibilities?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611... teacher preparation program's academic term or within 30 days of the execution of any scholarship... identity of each scholarship recipient. (2) The amount of the scholarship provided with program funds to...

  15. The Value of Smarter Teachers: International Evidence on Teacher Cognitive Skills and Student Performance. Program on Education Policy and Governance Working Papers Series. PEPG 14-06

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanushek, Eric A.; Piopiunik, Marc; Wiederhold, Simon

    2014-01-01

    Differences in teacher quality are commonly cited as a key determinant of the huge international student performance gaps. However, convincing evidence on this relationship is still lacking, in part because it is unclear how to measure teacher quality consistently across countries. We use unique international assessment data to investigate the…

  16. Discovering Quality in Teacher Education: Perceptions Concerning What Makes an Effective Cooperating Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Josh; Lambert, Misty D.; Ulmer, Jonathan D.; Witt, Phillip A.; Carraway, Candis L.

    2017-01-01

    With a continuous shortage of qualified agricultural science teachers (Foster, Lawver, Smith, 2014; Kantrovich, 2010), it is imperative teacher preparation programs identify and utilize effective cooperating teachers, as well as develop training for in-service teachers that will assist in preparing more effective cooperating teachers. The purpose…

  17. ED Proposed Regulations to Title II of HEA: Comments from the Data Quality Campaign

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Data Quality Campaign, 2015

    2015-01-01

    States are uniquely positioned to provide feedback to teacher preparation programs (TPPs) on the effectiveness of the teachers they train, and to provide information about the quality of TPPs to the public. States have been building the significant data capacity to reliably and securely link teachers with their students' achievement and growth…

  18. The Hidden Factor in Early Field Experience: Teachers' Perception of the Quality of Life at Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Divins, Barbara; And Others

    This project identified work environment factors in eight schools where a teacher preparation program placed early field experience students and where the university students reported experiencing positive field placements. The purpose was to determine the impact of certain variables on teachers' perception of the quality of their own professional…

  19. Effects of a Teacher Incentive Program on 4th Grade State Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alfaro, Moises; Jones, Don; Holland, Glenda; Mundy, Marie-Anne

    2012-01-01

    Recent national and state standards of accountability have focused on increasing student performance and achievement as well as teacher quality. Included in this challenge is the issue of teacher compensation and how it has evolved with the efforts of providing quality instruction in order to improve the performance of students. Texas has…

  20. Qualities of an effective teacher: what do medical teachers think?

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Effective teaching in medicine is essential to produce good quality doctors. A number of studies have attempted to identify the characteristics of an effective teacher. However, most of literature regarding an effective medical teacher includes student ratings or expert opinions. Furthermore, interdisciplinary studies for the same are even fewer. We did a cross-sectional study of the characteristics of effective teachers from their own perspective across medicine and dentistry disciplines. Methods A questionnaire comprising of 24 statements relating to perceived qualities of effective teachers was prepared and used. The study population included the faculty of medicine and dentistry at the institution. Respondents were asked to mark their response to each statement based on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. These statements were grouped these into four main subgroups, viz. Class room behaviour/instructional delivery, interaction with students, personal qualities and professional development, and analysed with respect to discipline, cultural background, gender and teaching experience using SPSS v 13.0. For bivariate analysis, t-test and one way ANOVA were used. Multiple linear regression for multivariate analysis was used to control confounding variables. Results The top three desirable qualities of an effective teacher in our study were knowledge of subject, enthusiasm and communication skills. Faculty with longer teaching experienced ranked classroom behaviour/instructional delivery higher than their less experienced counterparts. There was no difference of perspectives based on cultural background, gender or discipline (medicine and dentistry). Conclusion This study found that the faculty perspectives were similar, regardless of the discipline, gender and cultural background. Furthermore, on review of literature similar findings are seen in studies done in allied medical and non-medical fields. These findings support common teacher training programs for the teachers of all disciplines, rather than having separate training programs exclusively for medical teachers. Logistically, this would make it much easier to arrange such programs in universities or colleges with different faculties or disciplines. PMID:24044727

  1. Lessons from Ten Years of TEAC's Accrediting Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Frank B.

    2010-01-01

    Founded in 1997, the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) designed a system that balances three sources of evidence in a single accreditation system: (1) that the program's graduates are qualified, competent, and caring beginning teachers; (2) that the program faculty investigates the factors that improve program quality; and (3) that…

  2. Texas Water Quality Board Teachers Workshop Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas Water Quality Board, Austin.

    These materials are designed for teachers participating in an inservice workshop on water quality. Included in the materials are a workshop agenda, a water awareness pretest, and the various parameters and tests that are used to determine and measure water quality. The parameters are discussed from the standpoint of their potential impact to…

  3. Qualities and Qualifications of EFL Professionals: What Do Intensive English Program Administrators Think?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akcan, Sumru; Aydin, Belgin; Karaman, A. Cendel; Seferoglu, Gölge; Korkmazgil, Sibel; Özbilgin, Alev; Selvi, Ali Fuad

    2017-01-01

    Recent educational research has underscored the criticality and centrality of teacher quality as a decisive and prominent influence on students' academic growth and success. Consequently, it becomes imperative to define, understand, and study the qualities and qualifications of effective teachers so as to inform preservice and in-service teacher…

  4. What Works Clearinghouse Quick Review: "The Effectiveness of Secondary Math Teachers from Teach for America and the Teaching Fellows Program"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The study examined the impact of Teach for America (TFA) and The New Teacher Project's Teaching Fellows (TF) programs on the mathematics achievement of students in grades 6-12. TFA and TF provide alternative routes to teacher certification and aim to provide high-quality teachers to schools in low-income areas. TFA and TF were studied separately,…

  5. State Teacher Evaluation and Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marchant, Gregory J.; David, Kristine A.; Rodgers, Deborah; German, Rachel L.

    2015-01-01

    Current accountability trends suggest an increasing role in state mandates regarding teacher evaluation. With various evaluation models and components serving as the basis for quality teaching, teacher education programs need to recognize the role teacher evaluation plays and incorporate aspects where appropriate. This article makes that case and…

  6. Impact of Online Professional Development on Teacher Quality and Student Achievement in Fifth Grade Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dash, Sheralyn; de Kramer, Raquel Magidin; O'Dwyer, Laura M.; Masters, Jessica; Russell, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Despite the ever-increasing number of online professional development (OPD) programs, relatively few studies have been conducted to examine the efficacy of such programs for teachers and students. This manuscript presents findings from an impact study of OPD courses in fractions, algebraic thinking, and measurement on 79 fifth grade teachers'…

  7. Factors Impacting on Teachers' Job Satisfaction Related to Science Teaching: A Mixed Methods Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Song, S.; Mustafa, M.

    2015-01-01

    Science teachers' job satisfaction is identified as a major factor that affects the quality of a science program. This research investigated to what extent a science program supports science teachers in terms of curriculum materials or extracurricular activities. It also examined the relationships among schools' curriculum support, the number of…

  8. 34 CFR 611.22 - What additional selection criteria are used for a pre-application that proposes teacher...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Partnership Grants Program § 611.22 What additional... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What additional selection criteria are used for a pre-application that proposes teacher recruitment activities? 611.22 Section 611.22 Education Regulations of the...

  9. 34 CFR 611.41 - Under what circumstances may an individual receive a scholarship of program funds to attend a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... scholarship of program funds to attend a teacher training program? 611.41 Section 611.41 Education Regulations..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.41 Under what... executing a binding agreement with the institution of higher education (IHE) offering the scholarship that...

  10. 34 CFR 611.41 - Under what circumstances may an individual receive a scholarship of program funds to attend a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... scholarship of program funds to attend a teacher training program? 611.41 Section 611.41 Education Regulations..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611.41 Under what... executing a binding agreement with the institution of higher education (IHE) offering the scholarship that...

  11. Beyond the Equity Rhetoric in America's Teacher Education Programs: An African Immigrant Voice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Obiakor, Festus E.

    2010-01-01

    Teacher education programs (TEPs) are consistently challenged to respond to individual and collective growth. In addition, current demographic changes have forced these programs to address issues of quality and equity in measurable ways. As an African immigrant to the United States, I have been fortunate to be involved in these programs,…

  12. Data and Learning That Affords Program Improvement: A Response to the U.S. Accountability Movement in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sloan, Tine Falk

    2015-01-01

    The current U.S. education agenda places unprecedented attention on improving the quality of its roughly fifteen hundred teacher preparation programs. The effort places considerable weight on measuring program effectiveness and includes a push to hold programs accountable for their graduates' effects on student performance. Concerns regarding the…

  13. Using Type To Prepare or Develop Teachers for Poor Urban Areas.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Patricia M.

    This paper reviews current literature about three tools used by teacher education programs and school districts to assess teacher candidate quality. It presents a matrix which aligns the underlying dimensions of teacher knowledge, dispositions, and skills for the STAR Teacher Interview, the Teacher Perceiver Interview, and the Praxis III Teacher…

  14. In Search of Good Teachers: Patterns of Teacher Quality in Two Mexican States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luschei, Thomas F.

    2012-01-01

    This study uses longitudinal data from Mexico's Carrera Magisterial teacher incentive program to identify teacher attributes that are positively associated with student test scores and to describe how teachers with these attributes are distributed across schools in two diverse Mexican states, Aguascalientes and Sonora. I find that teachers' scores…

  15. The Influences of LuxX in "Escherichia Coli" Biofilm Formation and Improving Teacher Quality through the Bio-Bus Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robbins, Chandan Morris

    2012-01-01

    The objectives of this work are: (1) to agarose-stabilize fragile biofilms for quantitative structure analysis; (2) to understand the influences of LuxS on biofilm formation; (3) to improve teacher quality by preparing Georgia's middle school science teachers to integrate inquiry-based, hands-on research modules in the classroom. Quantitative…

  16. Teacher labor markets in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Vegas, Emiliana

    2007-01-01

    Emiliana Vegas surveys strategies used by the world's developing countries to fill their classrooms with qualified teachers. With their low quality of education and wide gaps in student outcomes, schools in developing countries strongly resemble hard-to-staff urban U.S. schools. Their experience with reform may thus provide insights for U.S. policymakers. Severe budget constraints and a lack of teacher training capacity have pushed developing nations to try a wide variety of reforms, including using part-time or assistant teachers, experimenting with pay incentives, and using school-based management. The strategy of hiring teachers with less than full credentials has had mixed results. One successful program in India hired young women who lacked teaching certificates to teach basic literacy and numeracy skills to children whose skills were seriously lagging. After two years, student learning increased, with the highest gains among the least able students. As in the United States, says Vegas, teaching quality and student achievement in the developing world are sensitive to teacher compensation. As average teacher salaries in Chile more than doubled over the past decade, higher-quality students entered teacher education programs. And when Brazil increased educational funding and distributed resources more equitably, school enrollment increased and the gap in student test scores narrowed. Experiments with performance-based pay have had mixed results. In Bolivia a bonus for teaching in rural areas failed to produce higher-quality teachers. And in Mexico a system to reward teachers for improved student outcomes failed to change teacher performance. But Vegas explains that the design of teacher incentives is critical. Effective incentive schemes must be tightly coupled with desired behaviors and generous enough to give teachers a reason to make the extra effort. School-based management reforms give decisionmaking authority to the schools. Such reforms in Central America have reduced teacher absenteeism, increased teacher work hours, increased homework assignments, and improved parent-teacher relationships. These changes, says Vegas, are especially promising in schools where educational quality is low.

  17. What's Missing from Teacher Prep

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chesley, Gary M.; Jordan, Janice

    2012-01-01

    As school district administrators, the authors have observed that too many beginning teachers struggle in their first few years. Questioning the quality of the university teacher preparation programs that supply a majority of their district's teachers, they decided to ask the new teachers themselves how well prepared they felt. A focus group with…

  18. Teacher Certification Types and Teacher Effectiveness and Preparedness in Oklahoma

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karch, Christopher G.

    2015-01-01

    Like a majority of other states, Oklahoma has provided for alternative methods to teacher certification. This study examines the perceptions of principals and teachers regarding the level of preparedness and ability to develop effectiveness qualities of novice teachers from the Alternative Placement Program and Oklahoma colleges of education. The…

  19. Science and Mathematics Teachers' Experiences, Needs, and Expectations regarding Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chval, Kathryn; Abell, Sandra; Pareja, Enrique; Musikul, Kusalin; Ritzka, Gerard

    2008-01-01

    High quality teachers are essential to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics and science, necessitating effective professional development (PD) and learning environments for teachers. However, many PD programs for science and mathematics teachers fall short because they fail to consider teacher background, experience, knowledge,…

  20. 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…

  1. Enhanced Teacher Training Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrington, Ingrid

    2013-01-01

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

  2. The AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program: Lessons Learned by Pairing Scientists and Teachers to Develop Curriculum on Global Climate Change and Regional Unconventional Oil and Gas Development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gardiner, L. S.; Hatheway, B.; Rogers, J. D.; Casey, J. G.; Lackey, G.; Birdsell, D.; Brown, K.; Polmear, M.; Capps, S.; Rosenblum, J.; Sitterley, K.; Hafich, K. A.; Hannigan, M.; Knight, D.

    2015-12-01

    The AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program, run by the UCAR Center for Science Education, brought together scientists and secondary science teachers in a yearlong program culminating in the development of curriculum related to the impacts of unconventional oil and gas development. Graduate students and research scientists taught about their research area and its relationship to oil and gas throughout three online courses during the 2015-16 school year, during which teachers and scientists engaged in active online discussions. Topics covered included climate change, oil and gas infrastructure, air quality, water quality, public health, and practices and policies relating to oil and gas development. Building upon their initial online interactions and a face-to-face meeting in March, teachers were paired with appropriate AirWaterGas team members as science advisors during a month-long residency in Boulder, Colorado. During the residency, graduate student scientists provided resources and feedback as teachers developed curriculum projects in collaboration with each other and UCAR science educators. Additionally, teachers and AirWaterGas researchers shared experiences on an oil and gas well site tour, and a short course on drilling methods with a drilling rig simulator. Here, we share lessons learned from both sides of the aisle, including initial results from program assessment conducted with the participating teachers.

  3. The effects of professional development related to classroom assessment on student achievement in science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mazzie, Dawn Danielle

    This study investigated the relationship between students' standardized test scores in science and (a) increases in teacher assessment literacy and (b) teacher participation in a Teacher Quality Research (TQR) project on classroom assessment. The samples for these studies were teachers from underperforming schools who volunteered to take part in a professional development program in classroom assessment. School groups were randomly assigned to the treatment group. For Study 1, teachers in the treatment received professional development in classroom assessment from a trained assessment coach. Teachers in the control received no professional development. For Study 2, teachers in Treatment 1 received professional development in classroom assessment from a trained assessment coach and teachers in Treatment 2 received professional development in classroom assessment from a facilitator with one day of training. Teachers in both groups completed a measure of assessment literacy, the Teacher Quality Research Test of Assessment Literacy Skills (TQR_TALS), prior to the beginning and then again at the conclusion of the four month professional development program. A hierarchical linear model (HLM) analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between students' standardized test scores in science and (a) increases in teacher assessment literacy and (b) teacher TQR status. Based upon these analyses, the professional development program increased teachers' assessment literacy skills; however, the professional development had no significant impact on students' achievement.

  4. Design and Intervention of an Educational-Leadership Program: Student Voice and Agency, Expectations and Internationalization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    du Plessis, Anna Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores the lived experiences of a diverse student cohort enrolled in a master's degree educational-leadership program. The program's global focus was on the quality of teacher education, prospective teachers' workplace preparedness and leaders in the workforce in higher education. Internationalization, real-life experiences and…

  5. Meeting the Teacher Shortage Head On.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vollmer, Marian L.; And Others

    The University of Pittsburgh has exerted concerted efforts to attract and retain liberal arts majors in teacher education, and insure high caliber graduates from its training program. One such program geared to upgrading the professional quality of its graduates is the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at the University's laboratory school.…

  6. The Learning Assistant Model for Science Teacher Recruitment and Preparation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Otero, Valerie

    2006-04-01

    There is a shortage of high quality physical science teachers in the United States. In 2001, less than 50% of teachers who taught physics held a major or minor in physics or physics education (Neuschatz & McFarling, 2003). Studies point to content knowledge as one of the two factors that is positively correlated with teacher quality. However, those directly responsible for the science content preparation of teachers, specifically science research faculty, are rarely involved in focused efforts to improve teacher quality or to create alternative paths for becoming a teacher. What role should science research faculty play in the recruitment and preparation of science teachers? How might teacher recruitment and preparation be conceived so that science research faculty members' participation in these efforts is not at odds with the traditional scientific research foci of science research departments? To address this issue, we have coupled our teacher recruitment and preparation efforts with our efforts for transforming our large-enrollment, undergraduate science courses. This is achieved through the undergraduate Learning Assistant (LA) program, where talented mathematics and science majors are hired to assist in transforming large enrollment courses to student-centered, collaborative environments. These LAs are the target of our teacher recruitment efforts. Science research faculty, in collaboration with faculty from the school of education have established a community that supports LAs in making decisions to explore K12 teaching as a career option. Fifteen percent of the LAs who have participated in this program have entered teaching credential programs and now plan to become K12 teachers. An added effect of this program is that research faculty have developed skills and knowledge regarding inquiry-based and student-centered pedagogy and theories of student learning. The Learning Assistant program has led to increased subject matter knowledge among learning assistants, increased interest in K-12 teaching as a career, and increased appreciation and understanding of student-centered and inquiry-based learning. Data to support these claims will be presented. Neuschatz, M. & McFarling, M. (2003). Broadning the Base: High School Physics Education at the Turn of a New Century, AIP Report No. R-439.

  7. Shaping Tennessee's Career Ladder Program--1985. Part 2: Improving Teacher Quality through Incentives Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hadler, Janet R.; Carlson, Deborah L.

    Outcomes of Tennessee's Career Ladder Program are presented in this report, with a focus on the early implementation stage and perceptions of teachers and administrators. Methodology involved two sets of interviews with participating teachers and administrators from 18 schools and a statewide survey of 1,039 out of 2,105 faculty from 54 schools.…

  8. In Search of Ways to Improve Practicum Learning: Self-Study of the Teacher Educator/Researcher as Responsive Listener

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Andrea K.

    2017-01-01

    Teacher education programs that appear to be more successful work to thread practicum experiences and on-campus courses with an eye to achieving overall program coherence. As part of a funded research project centred on understanding how teacher candidates perceive quality in their practicum experiences and, by extension, in their professional…

  9. 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

  10. Appendix B: Methodology. [2014 Teacher Prep Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenberg, Julie; Walsh, Kate; McKee, Arthur

    2014-01-01

    The "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review" evaluates the quality of programs that provide preservice preparation of public school teachers. This appendix describes the scope, methodology, timeline, staff, and standards involved in the production of "Teacher Prep Review 2014." Data collection, validation, and analysis for the report are…

  11. Quality Induction: The Effects of Comprehensive Induction on New Teacher Retention and Job Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hendricks-Harris, Mary Therese

    2012-01-01

    This investigation examined the effect of a comprehensive new teacher induction program on teacher retention and job satisfaction in one suburban school district. New teachers are retained at low rates, and districts are spending resources in an attempt to decrease this number. New teacher induction includes supports for new teachers in their…

  12. Pre-Service Music Teachers Perceptions of Teaching and Teacher Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Legette, Roy M.; McCord, Dawn H.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of pre-service music teachers (n = 104) regarding school music teaching and the quality of their teacher training. Research questions were: 1) What are the perceptions of pre-service music teachers regarding skills and knowledge provided by their teacher training programs? 2) What aspects of the…

  13. Impacts of the CARE for Teachers Program on Teachers' Social and Emotional Competence and Classroom Interactions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jennings, Patricia A.; Brown, Joshua L.; Frank, Jennifer L.; Doyle, Sebrina; Oh, Yoonkyung; Davis, Regin; Rasheed, Damira; DeWeese, Anna; DeMauro, Anthony A.; Cham, Heining; Greenberg, Mark T.

    2017-01-01

    Understanding teachers' stress is of critical importance to address the challenges in today's educational climate. Growing numbers of teachers are reporting high levels of occupational stress, and high levels of teacher turnover are having a negative impact on education quality. Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE for Teachers)…

  14. Typology of delivery quality: latent profile analysis of teacher engagement and delivery techniques in a school-based prevention intervention, keepin’ it REAL curriculum

    PubMed Central

    Shin, YoungJu; Miller-Day, Michelle; Pettigrew, Jonathan; Hecht, Michael L.; Krieger, Janice L.

    2014-01-01

    Enhancing the delivery quality of school-based, evidence-based prevention programs is one key to ensuring uniform program effects on student outcomes. Program evaluations often focus on content dosage when implementing prevention curricula, however, less is known about implementation quality of prevention content, especially among teachers who may or may not have a prevention background. The goal of the current study is to add to the scholarly literature on implementation quality for a school-based substance use prevention intervention. Twenty-five schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania implemented the original keepin’ REAL (kiR) substance use prevention curriculum. Each of the 10, 40–45 min lessons of the kiR curriculum was video recorded. Coders observed and rated a random sample of 276 videos reflecting 78 classes taught by 31 teachers. Codes included teachers’ delivery techniques (e.g. lecture, discussion, demonstration and role play) and engagement with students (e.g. attentiveness, enthusiasm and positivity). Based on the video ratings, a latent profile analysis was run to identify typology of delivery quality. Five profiles were identified: holistic approach, attentive teacher-orientated approach, enthusiastic lecture approach, engaged interactive learning approach and skill practice-only approach. This study provides a descriptive typology of delivery quality while implementing a school-based substance use prevention intervention. PMID:25274721

  15. Preparing Mathematics Teachers for Elementary High-Poverty Schools: Perceptions and Suggestions from Preservice Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKinney, Sueanne E.; Berry, Robert Q., III; Jackson, Joan M.

    2007-01-01

    The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics articulates an ambitious vision of a high-quality mathematics program. Achieving this vision requires competent and knowledgeable teachers who can support all students in learning mathematics concepts with understanding. Effective mathematics teachers are especially needed for high-poverty schools…

  16. Why We Should Care if Teachers Get A's: Teacher Test Scores and Student Achievement in Mexico

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santibanez, Lucrecia

    2006-01-01

    Understanding the relationship between teacher test scores and student achievement is important in an accountability environment that favors using quantitative measures of teaching quality, as is the case with Mexico's national "Carrera Magisterial" (CM) teacher incentive program. The results of this paper suggest that teacher test…

  17. 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,…

  18. Observation and Teacher Quality: Critical Analysis of Observational Instruments in Preservice Teacher Performance Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caughlan, Samantha; Jiang, Heng

    2014-01-01

    Teacher preparation programs commonly use observational instruments to assess the progress and the exit performances of teacher candidates. However, while these instruments have been described and several have been studied for effectiveness, the field lacks a close examination of how they position participants: teacher candidates, K-12 pupils, and…

  19. Quality and Quantity of Applicants for Teacher Education Rapidly Diminishing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Starr, Nina K.

    1983-01-01

    Identifies two societal factors contributing to the decrease in quantity/quality of applicants for teacher education programs: range of career options now available for females and the "tunnel vision" mind set of schools, departments, and colleges of education. Suggests generic pedagogy as a solution. (MH)

  20. School/University Partnerships: An Agenda That Works.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Florez, Viola E.

    2002-01-01

    Examines the importance of high quality teachers for urban schools, discussing best practices for high quality school- university partnerships and describing the University of New Mexico and Albuquerque Public Schools Partnership programs, which support collaboration as a strong component of university-level teacher preparation and provide teacher…

  1. Teacher Training Programs: Activities Underway To Improve Teacher Training, but Information Collected To Assess Accountability Has Limitations. Testimony before the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashby, Cornelia M.

    This testimony highlights two components of the 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act (which were intended to enhance the quality of classroom teaching by improving training programs for prospective teachers and qualifications of current teachers). One component provides grants, and another, called the "accountability provisions," requires…

  2. A Qualitative Exploration of Implementation Factors in a School-Based Mindfulness and Yoga Program: Lessons Learned from Students and Teachers

    PubMed Central

    Dariotis, Jacinda K.; Mirabal-Beltran, Roxanne; Cluxton-Keller, Fallon; Gould, Laura Feagans; Greenberg, Mark T.; Mendelson, Tamar

    2016-01-01

    Identifying factors relevant for successful implementation of school-based interventions is essential to ensure that programs are provided in an effective and engaging manner. The perspectives of two key stakeholders critical for identifying implementation barriers and facilitators – students and their classroom teachers – merit attention in this context and have rarely been explored using qualitative methods. This study reports qualitative perspectives of fifth and sixth grade participants and their teachers of a 16-week school-based mindfulness and yoga program in three public schools serving low-income urban communities. Four themes related to program implementation barriers and facilitators emerged: program delivery factors, program buy-in, implementer communication with teachers, and instructor qualities. Feedback from students and teachers is discussed in the context of informing implementation, adaptation, and future development of school-based mindfulness and yoga programming in urban settings. PMID:28670007

  3. A Qualitative Exploration of Implementation Factors in a School-Based Mindfulness and Yoga Program: Lessons Learned from Students and Teachers.

    PubMed

    Dariotis, Jacinda K; Mirabal-Beltran, Roxanne; Cluxton-Keller, Fallon; Gould, Laura Feagans; Greenberg, Mark T; Mendelson, Tamar

    2017-01-01

    Identifying factors relevant for successful implementation of school-based interventions is essential to ensure that programs are provided in an effective and engaging manner. The perspectives of two key stakeholders critical for identifying implementation barriers and facilitators - students and their classroom teachers - merit attention in this context and have rarely been explored using qualitative methods. This study reports qualitative perspectives of fifth and sixth grade participants and their teachers of a 16-week school-based mindfulness and yoga program in three public schools serving low-income urban communities. Four themes related to program implementation barriers and facilitators emerged: program delivery factors, program buy-in, implementer communication with teachers, and instructor qualities. Feedback from students and teachers is discussed in the context of informing implementation, adaptation, and future development of school-based mindfulness and yoga programming in urban settings.

  4. Improving Teachers' In-Service Professional Development in Mathematics and Science: The Role of Postsecondary Institutions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Desimone Laura; Garet, Michael S.; Birman, Beatrice F.; Porter, Andrew; Yoon, Kwang Suk

    2003-01-01

    As part of national evaluation of Eisenhower Professional Development Program, examines management and implementation strategies contributing to high-quality inservice teacher professional development in mathematics and science. Finds higher quality professional development is related to management and implementation strategies such as continuous…

  5. Pedagogical Beliefs and Attitudes of Computer Science Teachers in Greece

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fessakis, Georgios; Karakiza, Tsampika

    2011-01-01

    Pedagogical beliefs and attitudes significantly determine the professional skills and practice of teachers. Many professional development programs for teachers aim to the elaboration of the pedagogical knowledge in order to improve teaching quality. This paper presents the study of pedagogical beliefs of computer science teachers in Greece. The…

  6. Considerations for Pursuing a Doctoral Degree in PETE

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Emily; Lux, Karen

    2012-01-01

    The path to becoming a physical education teacher traditionally involves a university-based teacher education program. It is here that aspiring teachers learn basic skills, gain the fundamental knowledge, and experience teaching for the first time. None of this is possible without quality physical education teacher education (PETE) faculty--those…

  7. Retention in Art Teacher Education Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Even, Robert

    1988-01-01

    Discusses the demand for K-12 art teachers, the college admission criteria for art teacher education, and whether the best students are those who graduate and enter the field as teachers. Describes the qualities that characterize the best students, stating that talent and love of subject are important teaching success indicators. (GEA)

  8. Beginning Teacher Disposition: Examining the Moral/Ethical Domain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Lisa E.; Reiman, Alan J.

    2007-01-01

    As the push for high-quality teachers continues, many colleges of education, teacher induction programs, and professional development supervisors are left wondering about the role dispositions play in effective teaching. This study seeks to explore the definition of dispositions as teacher professional judgment and professional action in the…

  9. A Teacher-Focused Approach to Prevent and Reduce Students' Aggressive Behavior

    PubMed Central

    Orpinas, Pamela; Home, Arthur M.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to describe the GREAT (Guiding Responsibility and Expectations for Adolescents for Today and Tomorrow) Teacher Program, a prevention program for middle school teachers to deter students' aggressive behavior. It was developed on the basis of an ecologic understanding of aggression and on specific constructs of Social Cognitive Theory. The goals of the program were (1) to increase teacher awareness of different types of aggression, risk factors, role of the classroom teacher, and influence of the school climate on the child's behavior; (2) to develop strategies that will prevent aggression; (3) to improve teacher management skills to reduce power struggles and aggression; and (4) to enhance skills to assist students who are the targets of aggression. To accomplish these goals, teachers participated in a 12-hour workshop and 10 support group sessions. Training, manuals, and supervision were provided to maintain program integrity and to assure the quality of implementation. PMID:14732185

  10. Deaf Education Teacher Preparation: A Phenomenological Case Study of a Graduate Program With a Comprehensive Philosophy.

    PubMed

    Engler, Karen S; MacGregor, Cynthia J

    2018-01-01

    At a time when deaf education teacher preparation programs are declining in number, little is known about their actual effectiveness. A phenomenological case study of a graduate-level comprehensive deaf education teacher preparation program at a midwestern university explored empowered and enabled learning of teacher candidates using the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education educator pillars: (a) commitment to the profession, (b) proficiency in practice, and (c) learning impact, all deemed critical to developing quality teachers. A strong connection was found between the program's comprehensive philosophy and its practice. Embracing diversity of d/Deafness and differentiated instruction were the most prevalent themes expressed by participants. Teacher candidates displayed outstanding commitment to the profession and high proficiency in practice. The findings suggest that additional consideration should be given to classroom and behavior management, teacher candidate workload, teaching beyond academics, and preparation for navigating the public school system.

  11. Policy Changes in Brunei Teacher Education: Implications for the Selection of Trainee Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mundia, Lawrence

    2012-01-01

    To improve quality, teacher education programs in Brunei were recently eliminated at the undergraduate level and changed to master of teaching degree courses. Prospective teachers are required to obtain content-rich initial degrees prior to applying for teacher training. This study argues that the high entry qualification to teaching may, in…

  12. PBS TeacherLine National Survey of Teacher Professional Development, 2005-2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hezel Associates (NJ1), 2007

    2007-01-01

    PBS TeacherLine, an initiative funded under the U.S. Department of Education's Ready To Teach program, is designed to provide high-quality online professional development for K-12 teachers. Through the first five-year grant cycle, ending in 2005, PBS TeacherLine produced approximately 100 online facilitated courses in reading, mathematics,…

  13. School-Based In-Service Teacher Training in Japan: Perspectives on Teachers' Professional Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arani, Mohammad Reza Sarkar

    This paper uses the case study method to describe the characteristics of Japanese school-based inservice teacher training programs, which are designed to help teachers improve their competence and the quality of their teaching activities. Data come from observations of and interviews with teachers in classrooms within 10 public elementary schools.…

  14. 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.…

  15. Partnership across Programs and Schools: Fostering Collaboration in Shared Spaces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Han, Heejeong Sophia; Parker, Audra K.; Berson, Ilene R.

    2014-01-01

    Recent reports call for a structural transformation of teacher preparation programs with increased attention to quality field-based learning experiences for pre-service teachers. Ideally, this occurs in the context of robust university-school partnerships. The challenges lie in identifying such school sites and building meaningful, reciprocal…

  16. MyTeachingPartner-Secondary. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report [Revised

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2015

    2015-01-01

    MyTeachingPartner-Secondary (MTP-S) is a professional development program that aims to increase student learning and development through improved teacher-student interactions. Through the program, middle and high school teachers access a video library featuring examples of high-quality interactions and receive individualized, web-based coaching…

  17. Teacher Education Program Evaluation: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ayers, Jerry B.; Berney, Mary F.

    This book includes an annotated bibliography of the essentials needed to conduct an effective evaluation of a teacher education program. Specific information on evaluation includes: (1) general evaluation techniques, (2) evaluation of candidates and students, (3) evaluation of the knowledge base, (4) quality controls, (5) evaluation of laboratory…

  18. Data Sharing to Drive the Improvement of Teacher Preparation Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bastian, Kevin C.; Fortner, C. Kevin; Chapman, Alisa; Fleener, M. Jayne; McIntyre, Ellen; Patriarca, Linda A.

    2016-01-01

    Background/Context: Teacher preparation programs (TPPs) face increasing pressure from the federal government, states, and accreditation agencies to improve the quality of their practices and graduates, yet they often do not possess enough data to make evidence-based reforms. Purpose/Objective: This manuscript has four objectives: (a) to present…

  19. Questions to Ask in Post-Observation Conferences for a Reflective Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arikan, Arda

    2004-01-01

    A growing body of research underlines the importance of successful relationships between and among teachers especially in teacher education programs that are often considered as a part of the larger administrative unit. Both in preservice and inservice professional development programs nature and quality of relationships matter simply because…

  20. Partnerships for Reform: Changing Teacher Preparation through the Title II HEA Partnership Program: Interim Report. PPSS 2003-8

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2004

    2004-01-01

    The Title II Higher Education Amendment (HEA) Partnership Grants Program provides grants to fund partnerships among colleges of education, schools of arts and sciences and local school districts in high-need areas. The goal of the program is to improve student achievement by increasing the quality of teachers. This evaluation examined the extent…

  1. An IEP for Me: Program Improvement for Rural Teachers of Students with Moderate to Severe Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pennington, Robert C.

    2017-01-01

    Developing high-quality programming for students with moderate to severe disability (MSD) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be challenging for teachers across the range of experience and training including those in rural contexts. This article outlines a process for the iterative refinement of teaching programs comprised of an evaluation…

  2. Measuring teacher implementation in delivery of a bullying prevention program: the impact of instructional and procedural adherence and competence on student responsiveness.

    PubMed

    Goncy, Elizabeth A; Sutherland, Kevin S; Farrell, Albert D; Sullivan, Terri N; Doyle, Sarah T

    2015-04-01

    Although there is evidence that school-based prevention programs can produce positive effects on students' academic and behavioral functioning, the ability of teachers to sustain high-quality implementation remains an open and vexing question. Because teachers are often the intervention agents in school-based prevention programs, assessing both their adherence to program procedures and their competence in program delivery is critical for ensuring student responsiveness to prevention programs, which in turn may impact their efficacy. The current study assessed treatment fidelity of implementation of the Olweus' Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) in two urban middle schools. Trained observers completed 280 observations of teachers' delivery of the class meeting component of the OBPP and rated teachers' instructional and procedural adherence and competence of delivery and students' responsiveness. Analyses using multilevel modeling indicated that competence of delivery was significantly related to student responsiveness above and beyond teacher instructional behavior adherence, such that class meetings conducted with higher instructional adherence and procedural competence resulted in higher student responsiveness to the program after controlling for the clustered nature of teachers, and several observation-level and teacher-level covariates. This study highlights the need for strategies to increase teacher use of effective instructional practices and competence with program procedures to enhance the efficacy of prevention programming in schools.

  3. The Relationship between Preschool Programming and School Readiness for Rural Children Entering Kindergarten

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Conway, Donna M.

    2010-01-01

    Children in the researcher's rural school district have limited opportunities for a high quality preschool programming that prepares them for school readiness. Quality preschool programming is defined as teachers with proper qualifications and training, small class size, stimulating curriculum, and parent involvement. The theoretical foundation…

  4. California Contradictions: Creating Your Own Crisis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roth, Robert A.

    1988-01-01

    California state policies and regulations that force teacher education programs to limit enrollment because of insufficient resources, and discourage immigration of out-of-state teachers contribute to California's critical shortage of teachers. In addition, the quality of elementary instruction is jeopardized by regulations that diminish…

  5. Teacher Research Programs: An Effective Form of Professional Development to Increase Student Achievement and Benefit the Economy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dubner, J.

    2008-12-01

    U.S. high school students perform markedly less well in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) than students in other economically advanced countries. This low level of STEM performance endangers our democracy and economy. The President's Council of Advisors in Science and Technology's 2004 report attributed the shortfall of students attracted to the sciences is a result of the dearth of teachers sufficiently conversant with science and scientists to enable them to communicate to their students the excitement of scientific exploration and discovery, and the opportunities science provides for highly rewarding and remunerative careers. Nonetheless, the United States has made little progress in correcting these deficiencies. Studies have shown that high-quality teaching matters more to student achievement than anything else schools do. This belief is buttressed by evidence from Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP) that highly motivated, in-service science teachers require professional development to enable them and their students to perform up to their potential. Columbia's Summer Research Program is based on the premise that to teach science effectively requires experience in using the tools of contemporary science to answer unsolved questions. From its inception, SRP's goal has been to enhance interest and improve performance in science of students. It seeks to achieve this goal by increasing the professional competence of teachers. The reports of Elmore, Sanders and Rivers, and our own studies, show that professional development is a "key lever for improving student outcomes." While most middle and high school science teachers have taken college science courses that include cookbook laboratory exercises, the vast majority of them have never attempted to answer an unsolved question. Just as student learning depends on the expertise of teachers, the expertise of teachers depends on the quality of their professional development. Columbia University's teacher research program is a very effective form of professional development for pre- college science teachers and has a direct correlation to increased student motivation and achievement in science. The Program is premised on the beliefs that hands-on experience in the practice of science improves the quality and authenticity of science teaching, and that improved science teaching is correlated with increased student interest and achievement in science. The author will present the methodology of the program's evaluation citing statistically significant findings. The author will also show the economic benefits of teacher participation in a well-designed research program.

  6. 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,…

  7. The Role of Mentors in Developing and Implementing High-Quality Field-Based Placements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paulsen, Kim; DaFonte, Alexandra; Barton-Arwood, Sally

    2015-01-01

    Teacher preparation programs (TPP) rely on school-based mentor teachers and university mentors to assist their teacher candidates with bridging the information presented in courses to the "real world" of teaching. Given the important role that the clinical components of teacher preparation provide in terms of candidate development, the…

  8. Teacher Experience and Level of Training as Predictors of Teacher-Child Interactions in Preschool Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Craft-Reiss, Barbara S.

    2012-01-01

    Researchers have recognized that quality early education programs yield positive long-term benefits, but have failed to examine the relationships between these teacher characteristics and teacher-child interactions. This quantitative study was nonexperimental with data gathered through naturalistic observation. The extent to which years of early…

  9. The Impact of Facebook in Teaching Practicum: Teacher Trainees' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goktalay, Sehnaz Baltaci

    2015-01-01

    Prompt feedback is one of the critical components of teacher education programs. To reap the greatest benefit from the teaching practicum process, the quality of feedback as well as its implementation by stakeholders, supervisors, cooperating teachers, and teacher trainees, takes on great importance. The purpose of this study is to examine how Web…

  10. Culturally Efficacious Mathematics and Science Teacher Preparation for Working with English Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bustos Flores, Belinda; Claeys, Lorena; Gist, Conra D.; Riojas Clark, Ellen; Villarreal, Abelardo

    2015-01-01

    To address the challenge of ensuring the quality of preparation of secondary mathematics and science teachers, this article describes the efforts of the "Academy for Teacher Excellence" (ATE; Flores et al., 2007), which received Transition to Teaching grants to establish the Accelerated Teacher Education Program (ATEP). ATEP's purpose…

  11. Selecting and Preparing Teachers and School Leaders to Improve Educational Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bastian, Kevin C.

    2013-01-01

    In the following three studies we explore ways to improve the quality of school-based personnel by identifying characteristics and training of effective teachers and principals. First, to enhance the selection and hiring of teachers into preparation programs and/or school districts, we examine whether teachers' non-cognitive characteristics…

  12. Toward a Culture of Evidence: Factors Affecting Survey Assessment of Teacher Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beare, Paul; Marshall, James; Torgerson, Colleen; Tracz, Susan; Chiero, Robin

    2012-01-01

    Developing a culture of evidence to assess and improve teacher preparation programs is a critical issue in American education. Teacher education has been struggling with the challenge of preparing and retaining sufficient numbers of high-quality teachers who can work effectively with students from all cultural and racial backgrounds, raising the…

  13. Knowledge and Beliefs of Early Childhood Education Students at Different Levels of Professional Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goble, Carla B.; Horm, Diane M.; Atanasov, Amy M.; Williamson, Amy C.; Choi, Ji Young

    2015-01-01

    The expansion of early childhood education programming has heightened the focus on teachers' educational preparation and its role in providing high-quality services for young children. The interest in teachers' education is especially relevant in early childhood since differentiated levels of preparation are commonly used in quality rating and…

  14. Quality Indicators for Competitive Employment Outcomes: What Special Education Teachers Need to Know in Transition Planning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooke, Valerie Ann; Revell, Grant; Wehman, Paul

    2009-01-01

    The quality of job outcomes achieved by youth with disabilities who are transitioning into employment varies widely across the country. Special education teachers, youth with disabilities, families, community rehabilitation program (CRP) staff providing employment services, and others involved in assisting transitioning youth can benefit from a…

  15. Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) IPY Modules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blaney, L. S.; Myers, R. J.; Schwerin, T.

    2008-12-01

    The Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) is a National Science Foundation-supported program implemented by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) to improve the quality of geoscience instruction for pre-service, middle, and high school teachers. ESSEA increases teachers' access to quality materials, standards-based instructional methods and content knowledge. With additional support from NASA, the ESSEA program is being enhanced to reflect emphasis on the International Polar Year. From 1999-2005 the ESSEA program was based on a trio of online courses (for elementary, middle, and high school teachers), the courses have been used by 40 faculty at 20 institutions educating over 1,700 teachers in Earth system science. Program evaluation of original course participants indicated that the courses had significant impact on teachers Earth system content knowledge and beliefs about teaching and learning. Seventeen of the original participating institutions have continued to use the courses and many have developed new programs that incorporate the courses in Earth science education opportunities for teachers. Today the ESSEA program lists nearly 40 colleges and universities as participants. With NASA support, the K-4 course and modules have been revised to include topics and resources focusing on the International Polar Year. Additional modules examining the changes in black carbon, ice sheets and permafrost have been added for middle and high school levels. The new modules incorporate geoscience data and analysis tools into classroom instruction. By exploring IPY related topics and data, participating teachers and their students will develop new understandings about the interactions and dependencies of the Earth spheres and our polar regions. Changes in climate, air, water, and land quality and animal and plant populations make the news everyday. The ESSEA IPY modules will help teachers inform rather than frighten their students as they learn more about the characteristics and importance of our polar regions. One goal of IPY 2007-2008 is to increase the awareness, understanding and interest of school-age children in polar conditions and research. The inclusion of polar topics in the ESSEA courses and modules contributes to the achievement of that goal.

  16. Teacher Research Experience Programs = Increase in Student Achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dubner, J.

    2010-12-01

    Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP), founded in 1990, is one of the largest, best known university-based professional development programs for science teachers in the U.S. The program’s basic premise is simple: teachers cannot effectively teach science if they have not experienced it firsthand. For eight weeks in each of two consecutive summers, teachers participate as a member of a research team, led by a member of Columbia University’s research faculty. In addition to the laboratory experience, all teachers meet as a group one day each week during the summer for a series of pedagogical activities. A unique quality of the Summer Research Program is its focus on objective assessment of its impact on attitudes and instructional practices of participating teachers, on the performance of these teachers in their mentors’ laboratories, and most importantly, on the impact of their participation in the program on student interest and performance in science. SRP uses pass rate on the New York State Regents standardized science examinations as an objective measure of student achievement. SRP's data is the first scientific evidence of a connection between a research experience for teachers program and gains in student achievement. As a result of the research, findings were published in Science Magazine. The author will present an overview of Columbia's teacher research program and the results of the published program evaluation.

  17. Changes in Pre-Service Teachers Perceptions' of Teacher Qualities: Development from Egocentric to Student Centric

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheridan, Lynn D.

    2013-01-01

    This study looks at pre-service teachers' developing perceptions with a view to supporting teacher education practices. In determining and guiding program structures it is the opinions of the experts that are most often heard. Absent from this debate is an understanding of the changing perceptions of the pre-service teacher as they progress…

  18. Translational Research in South Africa: Evaluating Implementation Quality Using a Factorial Design

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Edward A.; Collins, Linda M.; Graham, John W.; Lai, Mary; Wegner, Lisa; Vergnani, Tania; Matthews, Catherine; Jacobs, Joachim

    2012-01-01

    Background HealthWise South Africa: Life Skills for Adolescents (HW) is an evidence-based substance use and sexual risk prevention program that emphasizes the positive use of leisure time. Since 2000, this program has evolved from pilot testing through an efficacy trial involving over 7,000 youth in the Cape Town area. Beginning in 2011, through 2015, we are undertaking a new study that expands HW to all schools in the Metro South Education District. Objective This paper describes a research study designed in partnership with our South African collaborators that examines three factors hypothesized to affect the quality and fidelity of HW implementation: enhanced teacher training; teacher support, structure and supervision; and enhanced school environment. Methods Teachers and students from 56 schools in the Cape Town area will participate in this study. Teacher observations are the primary means of collecting data on factors affecting implementation quality. These factors address the practical concerns of teachers and schools related to likelihood of use and cost-effectiveness, and are hypothesized to be “active ingredients” related to high-quality program implementation in real-world settings. An innovative factorial experimental design was chosen to enable estimation of the individual effect of each of the three factors. Results Because this paper describes the conceptualization of our study, results are not yet available. Conclusions The results of this study may have both substantive and methodological implications for advancing Type 2 translational research. PMID:22707870

  19. Strategies to Increase Teacher Supply and Quality: Related Policy Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raizen, Senta

    1986-01-01

    "Quick fixes" and over-reactive policy mandates don't clearly anticipate long-term implications. Examples are given of the negative effects of scholarship/loan programs, career ladders, changing credentialing requirements, and teacher competency testing, originally devised to avoid teacher shortages. (Author/CB)

  20. Supporting Immersion Teachers: An Autoethnography

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Speece, Lauren

    2017-01-01

    Immersion programs face a variety of challenges that are common to the field, such as lack of materials appropriate for students' language abilities, assessment, teacher recruitment and retention, balancing content and language, and relevant, high quality professional development for teachers. However, within specific micro-contexts, other issues…

  1. 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…

  2. Measurement Error in Multilevel Models of School and Classroom Environments: Implications for Reliability, Precision, and Prediction. CRESST Report 828

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schweig, Jonathan

    2013-01-01

    Measuring school and classroom environments has become central in a nation-wide effort to develop comprehensive programs that measure teacher quality and teacher effectiveness. Formulating successful programs necessitates accurate and reliable methods for measuring these environmental variables. This paper uses a generalizability theory framework…

  3. Measuring Quality of Delivery in a Substance Use Prevention Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giles, Steven; Jackson-Newsom, Julia; Pankratz, Melinda M.; Hansen, William B.; Ringwalt, Christopher L.; Dusenbury, Linda

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an observation measure designed to capture teachers' use of interactive teaching skills within the delivery of the All Stars substance use prevention program. Coders counted the number of times teachers praised and encouraged students, accepted and used students' ideas, asked questions,…

  4. Preparing Mathematics and Science Teachers through a Residency Program: Perceptions and Reflections

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garza, Rubén; Werner, Patrice

    2014-01-01

    The critical challenge of recruiting, preparing, and retaining high-quality mathematics and science teachers for high-need urban schools is complex. Therefore, identifying factors that support and impede a teaching residency program's implementation may have the potential to build an effective initiative that will benefit all stakeholders. The…

  5. [Resident evaluation of general surgery training programs].

    PubMed

    Espinoza G, Ricardo; Danilla E, Stefan; Valdés G, Fabio; San Francisco R, Ignacio; Llanos L, Osvaldo

    2009-07-01

    The profile of the general surgeon has changed, aiming to incorporate new skills and to develop new specialties. To assess the quality of postgraduate General Surgery training programs given by Chilean universities, the satisfaction of students and their preferences after finishing the training period. A survey with multiple choice and Likert type questions was designed and applied to 77 surgery residents, corresponding to 59% of all residents of general surgery specialization programs of Chilean universities. Fifty five per cent of residents financed with their own resources the specialization program. Thirty nine percent disagreed partially or totally with the objectives and rotations of programs. The opportunity to perform surgical interventions and the support by teachers was well evaluated. However, 23% revealed teacher maltreatment. Fifty six percent performed research activities, 73% expected to continue training in a derived specialty and 69% was satisfied with the training program. Residents considered that the quality and dedication of professors and financing of programs are issues that must be improved. The opportunity to perform surgical interventions, obtaining a salary for their work and teacher support is considered of utmost importance.

  6. Comparing Universal and Targeted Pre-Kindergarten Programs. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dotterer, Aryn M.; Burchinal, Margaret; Bryant, Donna; Early, Diane; Pianta, Robert C.

    2012-01-01

    This study compared universal (available to all children) and targeted (offered only to children with specific risk factors) Pre-Kindergarten programs. Results showed that two aspects of structural quality (e.g., hours per day and teacher education) were higher in universal programs, but process quality (e.g., child interactions and feedback) was…

  7. GLOBE at Night: Scientific Research outside of the Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Henderson, S.; Walker, C. E.; Geary, E.; Pompea, S. M.

    2005-12-01

    Increased and robust understanding of our environment requires learning opportunities that take place outside of the traditional K-12 classroom and beyond the confines of the school day. GLOBE at Night is a new event within The GLOBE Program that provides a mechanism for a nontraditional learning activity involving teachers, students, and their families taking observations of the night sky around the world and reporting their observations via a central data base for analysis. To support activities centered on authentic research experiences such as GLOBE at Night, The GLOBE Program has changed its approach to professional development (PD). The new focus of GLOBE PD efforts is centered on teachers being able to facilitate student research in and out of the classroom reflective of authentic scientific research experiences. It has been recognized that there is a critical need for effective teacher professional development programs that support teacher involvement in meaningful scientific research that encourages partnerships between scientists, teachers, and students. Partnerships promoting scientific research for K-12 audiences provides the foundation for The GLOBE Program, an international inquiry-based program designed to engage teachers with their students in partnership with research scientists to better understand the environment at local, regional, and global scales. GLOBE is an ongoing international science and education program that unites students, teachers, and scientists in the study of the Earth System. Students participating in GLOBE engage in hands-on activities, including the collection, analysis, and sharing of research quality scientific data with their peers around the world. Students interact with members of the science community who use the data collected from locations around the world in their research - data that would often not be available otherwise. As of September 2005, over 30,000 teachers representing over 16,000 schools worldwide have participated in GLOBE workshops resulting in over 13 million environmental measurements reported by students to the GLOBE Web site. GLOBE at Night will utilize the GLOBE infrastructure and network to promote a week of night observations (February 2006) by teachers and students. The quality of the night sky for stellar observations is impacted by several factors, including human influences. GLOBE at Night will help scientists assess how the quality of the night sky varies around the world. The data that is collected will be accessible via the GLOBE Web site by scientists studying light pollution and will be available for use by teachers and students worldwide. GLOBE at Night is a collaborative effort of the NASA-sponsored GLOBE Program and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO).

  8. A Structured Professional Development Approach to Unit Study: The Experiences of 200 Teachers in a National Teacher Development Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McColskey, Wendy; Parke, Helen; Furtak, Erin; Butler, Susan

    This article addresses what was learned through the National Computational Science Leadership Program about involving teachers in planning high quality units of instruction around computational science investigations. Two cohorts of roughly 25 teacher teams nationwide were given opportunities to develop "replacement units." The goal was to support…

  9. Teacher Education Policy in the United States: Issues and Tensions in an Era of Evolving Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Earley, Penelope M., Ed.; Imig, David G., Ed.; Michelli, Nicholas M., Ed.

    2011-01-01

    What constitutes a high quality teacher education program and what standards teacher candidates should meet before receiving their teaching credential? This volume advances deep understanding of the nature and sources of policy affecting the preparation of teachers in the U.S. and the conflicts or interconnections of these policies with the…

  10. The Cost of Quality: Teacher Testing and Racial-Ethnic Representativeness in Public Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dometrius, Nelson C.; Sigelman, Lee

    1988-01-01

    Reports the results of a simulation-based analysis of Black and Hispanic public school teacher employment in Texas. The simulation reflects recently instituted teacher testing requirements in mathematics and language competence and projects how the program is likely to affect the racial-ethnic composition of public school teachers in Texas over…

  11. Personality, Resilience, Self-Regulation and Cognitive Ability Relevant to Teacher Selection

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sautelle, Eleanor; Bowles, Terry; Hattie, John; Arifin, Daniel N.

    2015-01-01

    The current study uses social judgment theory to inform the design of processes to be used in selecting teachers for training programs. Developing a comprehensive selection process to identify individuals who are likely to succeed as teachers is a mechanism for improving teacher quality and raising the profile of the profession. The design of such…

  12. A Critical Examination of Movement Content Knowledge Courses in Physical Education Teacher Education Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Insook; Lee, Yun Soo; Ward, Phillip; Li, Weidong

    2015-01-01

    Despite increasing policy emphasis on improving teacher quality, little is known about how teachers acquire their movement content knowledge in physical education teacher education (PETE). To address this question we examined: (a) movement content courses designed to teach K-12 physical education content in the PETE curriculum, (b) the purpose of…

  13. Moving Past the Politics: How Alternative Certification Can Promote Comprehensive Teacher Development Reforms.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roach, Virginia; Cohen, Benjamin A.

    The debate over how to prepare a new generation of teachers has reached a fever pitch in education and policy communities. This policy brief takes the viewpoint that quality alternative certification programs (ACPs) offer ways to develop a broader pool of prospective teachers while helping states address concerns about teacher development,…

  14. Collaborative Professional Development and Curriculum Enactment: Teacher Reflection to Inform Inquiry-Based Discussions in High School Science Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alozie, Nonyelum M.

    2010-01-01

    Professional development for practicing science teachers has been a goal in education for the last two decades. Studies have shown that the quality of teacher instruction may be linked to teacher participation and involvement in professional development programs (Fishman, Marx, Best, & Tal, 2003). Furthermore, reflection during professional…

  15. 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…

  16. 34 CFR 200.57 - Plans to increase teacher quality.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... and effective classroom teachers; (ii) Describe the strategies the State will use to— (A) Help LEAs..., recruitment programs, or other effective strategies, minority students and students from low-income families... ensure that all public elementary and secondary school teachers in the State who teach core academic...

  17. 34 CFR 200.57 - Plans to increase teacher quality.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... and effective classroom teachers; (ii) Describe the strategies the State will use to— (A) Help LEAs..., recruitment programs, or other effective strategies, minority students and students from low-income families... ensure that all public elementary and secondary school teachers in the State who teach core academic...

  18. 34 CFR 200.57 - Plans to increase teacher quality.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... and effective classroom teachers; (ii) Describe the strategies the State will use to— (A) Help LEAs..., recruitment programs, or other effective strategies, minority students and students from low-income families... ensure that all public elementary and secondary school teachers in the State who teach core academic...

  19. Assessing for Technological Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engstrom, Daniel E.

    2004-01-01

    Designing standards-based assessment is a key component of a quality technology education program. For students to become technologically literate, it is important that the teacher understands how to measure student understandings and abilities in the study of technology. This article is written to help teachers and teacher educators recognize the…

  20. A Journey of Surprises: Rivers Reveal Their Secrets to Idaho Students Researching Water Quality through Rigorous Scientific Inquiry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boss, Suzie

    2002-01-01

    Idaho secondary students learn the scientific method through outdoor environmental projects related to water quality monitoring. A program trains teachers to design project-based learning and provides extensive followup support. Five-day summer workshops immerse teachers in the types of projects they will orchestrate with their own students.…

  1. Answering the Call for Equitable Access to Effective Teachers: Lessons Learned from State-Based Teacher Preparation Efforts in Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, 2015

    2015-01-01

    The nation's teacher education programs are not producing the quantity or quality of teachers needed, particularly in needed subjects. The only way to ensure a strong enough pipeline of effective teachers to ensure equitable access is to dramatically increase how states are preparing prospective educators. The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship…

  2. Does Online Learning Deliver? A Comparison of Student Teacher Outcomes from Candidates in Face-to-Face and Online Program Pathways

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mollenkopf, Dawn; Vu, Phu; Crow, Sherry; Black, Chilene

    2017-01-01

    Although a growing number of students are accessing online learning programs, there are concerns about the quality of these programs. Multiple reports examined online program quality, but many of those studies had methodology and design issues that make it difficult to interpret the findings conclusively. This study attempted to address the…

  3. Quality Care for School-Age Children: A Self-Instructional Guide To Help Staff Plan and Implement a Quality Program for School-Age Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Childcare Resources, Birmingham, AL.

    The purpose of this manual is to provide school-age child care center staff in Alabama with information about school-age children that facilitates program planning and provides a basis for implementing and evaluating a high quality school-age child care (SACC) program. Sections of the manual discuss: (1) teacher competencies addressed by the…

  4. A Meta-Analysis of Class Sizes and Ratios in Early Childhood Education Programs: Are Thresholds of Quality Associated with Greater Impacts on Cognitive, Achievement, and Socioemotional Outcomes?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowne, Jocelyn Bonnes; Magnuson, Katherine A.; Schindler, Holly S.; Duncan, Greg J.; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu

    2017-01-01

    This study uses data from a comprehensive database of U.S. early childhood education program evaluations published between 1960 and 2007 to evaluate the relationship between class size, child-teacher ratio, and program effect sizes for cognitive, achievement, and socioemotional outcomes. Both class size and child-teacher ratio showed nonlinear…

  5. Professional Learning Communities in Singapore and Shanghai: Implications for Teacher Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hairon, Salleh; Tan, Charlene

    2017-01-01

    Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been recognised as having the potential to raise the quality of teachers, teaching and student learning through structured teacher collaboration, and have been featured prominently in Singapore and Shanghai--both considered top-performing Asian societies in the Program for International Student…

  6. Roles beyond Instruction: Facilitating the Development of Preservice Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franco, Yvonne

    2014-01-01

    Identifying a Signature Pedagogy that ensures high-quality teacher preparation is essential to the field of teacher education, as inconsistencies across programs throughout our country threaten our profession. Drawing on a comprehensive study of the professions, Lee Shulman (2005) provides a lens from which to identify Signature Pedagogy and the…

  7. A Professional Development Framework for Online Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baran, Evrim; Correia, Ana-Paula

    2014-01-01

    The quality of online programs in higher education is strongly correlated with how the professional development approaches respond to the needs of online teachers. These approaches are critical in helping online teachers adopt online pedagogical practices and reconstruct their teacher persona in an online environment. This study proposes a nested…

  8. Technology as Mediation Tool for Improving Teaching Profession in Higher Education Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altinay-Gazi, Zehra; Altinay-Aksal, Fahriye

    2017-01-01

    Technology became a mediation tool for forming information and developing skills is teacher education programs of higher education institutions because technological tools can be used for self-reflection of prospective teachers' teaching performances. Practical implementation of teacher education programmes is a part of quality indicator in higher…

  9. Learning to Teach: Practice-Based Preparation in Teacher Education. Special Issues Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benedict, Amber; Holdheide, Lynn; Brownell, Mary; Foley, Abigail Marshall

    2016-01-01

    This Special Issues Brief from the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability and Reform (CEEDAR Center) and the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) outlines essential features for providing high-quality, structured, and sequenced opportunities to practice within teacher preparation programs. This brief is…

  10. Creating Spaces for Children's Agency: "I Wonder…" Formulations in Teacher-Child Interactions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Houen, Sandy; Danby, Susan; Farrell, Ann; Thorpe, Karen

    2016-01-01

    Affording children's agency is an important pedagogical underpinning of a high-quality early childhood program. Yet little is known about how teachers' interactions create spaces for children's agency. From the perspectives of ethnomethodology and conversation analysis, this paper investigates how teachers and children navigate agency through…

  11. Changing Perceptions of Teacher Candidates in High-Needs Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeJarnette, Nancy K.

    2016-01-01

    Candidates enter teacher education programs with established beliefs about diversity and urban education. These belief systems impact decisions that teacher candidates make both now and in the future. Providing opportunities for candidates to spend quality time in an urban Professional Development School (PDS) setting with the support and guidance…

  12. From Teaching to Being: The Qualities of a Mindful Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grant, Kirsten C.

    2017-01-01

    The relationship between mindfulness, attention, and well-being is well established. In the field of education, mindfulness programs often focus on teaching children ways of coping with attentional and emotional difficulties. Mindfulness practices are also valued for teachers, and being a mindful teacher impacts the classroom environment. The…

  13. Expanding Teacher Understanding of Wisconsin's Prairie Chickens

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Melinda S.; Sivek, Daniel J.; Thomas, Christine L.

    2008-01-01

    The principal author developed a workshop through the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program, based on central Wisconsin's prairie chicken population, to present teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to provide quality environmental education. Seventeen high school teachers attended the 2003 workshop. Pre-and post-workshop surveys were…

  14. Maintaining Quality Programming in Rural Newfoundland and Labrador: A Case Study in Policy and Structural Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Press, Harold; Galway, Gerald; Collins, Alice

    2003-01-01

    Newfoundland and Labrador has many rural communities, low literacy rates, high unemployment, declining enrollment and population, and teacher shortages. Policy responses have been to consolidate schools, increase rural teacher pay, increase teacher recruitment, implement distance learning and distance professional development, intensify…

  15. An Urban Schools-University Partnership that Prepares and Retains Quality Teachers for "High Need" Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Helfeldt, John P.; Capraro, Robert M.; Capraro, Mary Margaret; Foster, Elizabeth; Carter, Norvella

    2009-01-01

    This article describes a full-time teaching internship program, where, in lieu of student teaching, interns serve as classroom teachers in urban area schools. Through a partnership between a university and participating school districts, all interns received intensive mentoring and induction during their first year. Among the program results, were…

  16. Increasing Expertise in Earth Science Education through Master's Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huntoon, Jackie; Baltensperger, Brad

    2012-01-01

    The processes of developing and the results of testing a master's degree program designed to increase the number and quality of secondary-level earth science teachers are described in this paper. The master's program is intended to serve practicing secondary-level science and math teachers who lack subject-area endorsement in earth science. There…

  17. Learners' Satisfaction in Two Foreign Language Teacher Education Programs: Are We Doing Our Homework?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Obando Guerrero, Gabriel Vicente; Sánchez Solarte, Ana Clara

    2018-01-01

    This article reports the results of a descriptive research project whose goal was to identify the degree of satisfaction of students enrolled in two teacher education programs at a public Colombian university. As satisfaction and quality are prevalent terms in curriculum evaluation, and are encouraged by accreditation and government regulations,…

  18. Choosing Teaching as a Career in Urban Public Catholic and Jewish Schools by Graduates of Elite Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tamir, Eran

    2014-01-01

    Recruitment, preparation, and retention of graduates of elite colleges is considered an innovative approach to improve teacher quality and promote change in the neediest schools. While the debate over the effectiveness of such programs is heavily focused on programs like Teach For America, this paper considers three teacher preparation programs…

  19. 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.

  20. Survey of handwriting instruction practices of elementary teachers and educational programs: implications for occupational therapy.

    PubMed

    Donica, Denise K; Larson, Michelle H; Zinn, Abbey A

    2012-01-01

    ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of elementary school teachers on training in handwriting instruction received during their education, as well as their current classroom practices. The quantity and quality of training in handwriting instruction provided by baccalaureate degree-granting teacher education programs in North Carolina was also examined. An online survey was administered to each population identified to inquire about handwriting instruction practices. Results from 505 teachers and 16 professors indicated that while handwriting instruction content is valued by both teachers and professors, varied levels of training were provided to the teachers. Implications for occupational therapy practice are discussed including strategies for school-based therapists.

  1. Developing an Industry-Education Community: The United Auto Workers/General Motors Quality Educator Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobson, Stephen L.; Walline, James

    1995-01-01

    Reviews the evolution of the Quality Educator Program (QEP), sponsored by the United Auto Workers at General Motors (GM), which employs teachers, school administrators, and college faculty each summer at GM assembly plants. Participation in QEP allows educators and those in industry to interact and demonstrates quality networks in practice. (SLD)

  2. Recruiting High Quality Students through a Fifth Year Program: It Can Be Done.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    James, Terry L.; And Others

    This paper describes the process of recruiting high quality liberal arts graduates into teacher preparation programs at Memphis State University, Tennessee. The two graduate programs, the Master of Arts in Teaching and the Lyndhurst, both require full-time attendance, have lock-step delivery systems and extended internships, and are intensive. In…

  3. 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…

  4. Effects of Doctorate Program on a Novice Teacher's Conceptualization of an Effective Teacher: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ilin, Gülden

    2016-01-01

    This case study, the framework of which is provided by Kelly's Personal Construct Theory, investigates how a female novice ELT teacher structures her constructs on the qualities of an effective teacher. Repertory grid, a cognitive mapping approach, based on Kelly's theory was used as an elicitation technique in the study. The study focused on four…

  5. 2014 Teacher Prep Review: A Review of the Nation's Teacher Preparation Programs. Revised

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenberg, Julie; Walsh, Kate; McKee, Arthur

    2015-01-01

    Ever so slowly, the United States is taking a harder look at how its teacher preparation schools are improving the quality of the teachers they produce. The signs are everywhere--from proposed federal action to state legislatures and school boards passing new oversight laws and regulations, to a newly marshaled push for stronger accreditation by…

  6. Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers: Are New Mexico's Education School Graduates Ready to Teach Reading and Mathematics in Elementary Classrooms?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenberg, Julie; Jacobs, Sandi

    2009-01-01

    As a follow up to National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ's) national studies of how well elementary teachers are prepared to teach reading and mathematics, NCTQ looks at preparation in both subjects in all undergraduate teacher preparation programs in New Mexico. This analysis evaluated New Mexico's eight undergraduate elementary teacher…

  7. Supporting students' scientific explanations: A case study investigating the synergy focusing on a teacher's practices when providing instruction and using mobile devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Delen, Ibrahim

    Engage students in constructing scientific practices is a critical component of science instruction. Therefore a number of researchers have developed software programs to help students and teachers in this hard task. The Zydeco group, designed a mobile application called Zydeco, which enables students to collect data inside and outside the classroom, and then use the data to create scientific explanations by using claim-evidence-reasoning framework. Previous technologies designed to support scientific explanations focused on how these programs improve students' scientific explanations, but these programs ignored how scientific explanation technologies can support teacher practices. Thus, to increase our knowledge how different scaffolds can work together, this study aimed to portray the synergy between a teacher's instructional practices (part 1) and using supports within a mobile devices (part 2) to support students in constructing explanations. Synergy can be thought of as generic and content-specific scaffolds working together to enable students to accomplish challenging tasks, such as creating explanations that they would not normally be able to do without the scaffolds working together. Providing instruction (part 1) focused on understanding how the teacher scaffolds students' initial understanding of the claim-evidence-reasoning (CER) framework. The second component of examining synergy (part 2: using mobile devices) investigated how this teacher used mobile devices to provide feedback when students created explanations. The synergy between providing instruction and using mobile devices was investigated by analyzing a middle school teacher's practices in two different units (plants and water quality). Next, this study focused on describing how the level of synergy influenced the quality of students' scientific explanations. Finally, I investigated the role of focused teaching intervention sessions to inform teacher in relation to students' performance. In conclusion, findings of this study showed that the decrease in the teacher's support for claims, did not affect the quality of the students' claims. On the other hand, the quality of students' reasoning were linked with the teacher's practices. This suggests that when supporting students' explanations, focusing on components that students find challenging would benefit students' construction of explanations. To achieve synergy in this process, the collaboration between teacher's practices, focused teaching intervention sessions and scaffolds designed to support teachers played a crucial role in aiding students in creating explanations.

  8. Roadmap for Educator Licensure Policy Addressing Data Literacy: Key Focus Areas to Ensure Quality. Data for Action

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Data Quality Campaign, 2014

    2014-01-01

    State licensure polices are meant to provide teacher preparation programs with direction about the skills teachers need to be qualified to teach, including skills to use data. This roadmap discusses the 10 key data use skills that states can include in a licensure policy with a quality focus on effective data use.

  9. Creativity; Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 7 (Description).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal Seven of the Quality Education Program (regarding creativity) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories of teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  10. Providing Effective Professional Development: Lessons from the Eisenhower Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Porter, Andrew C.; Garet, Michael S.; Desimone, Laura M.; Birman, Beatrice F.

    2003-01-01

    Reports on two studies evaluating the effectiveness of the federal government's Eisenhower Professional Development Program. Describes high quality professional development of in-service teachers, changes in teaching practice, six key practices identified in literature, and the relationship between district policies and the quality of professional…

  11. Rumor Has It: Investigating Teacher Licensure Exam Advice Networks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker-Doyle, Kira; Petchauer, Emery

    2015-01-01

    In many countries, including the United States, England, Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan, individuals must pass some form of examination for entry into or completion of a teacher education program (Wang, Coleman, Coley, & Phelps, 2003). These exams are meant to act as gatekeeping mechanisms for teacher quality. In the majority of the countries…

  12. New Teacher Induction--In and out of Cyberspace

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berry, Barnett; Byrd, Ann

    2012-01-01

    In this chapter, the authors draw on their experiences with working in building virtual communities of teachers and a pilot program to examine the prospects for increasing consistency in the effectiveness of new teacher support through online networks. Although not intended as a substitute for high-quality face-to-face mentoring experiences,…

  13. Predicting Influential Factors of Secondary Career and Technical Education Teachers' Intent to Stay in the Profession

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dainty, Julie D.

    2012-01-01

    Retaining highly qualified career and technical education teachers is important in maintaining and growing quality secondary career and technical education programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify factors contributing to teacher retention specifically in the area of career and technical education (CTE) and determine…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sevis, Serife; Cross, Dionne; Hudson, Rick

    2017-01-01

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

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    California Univ., Berkeley. School of Education.

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

  16. Promoting "Quality" Feedback: First-Year Teachers' Self-Reports on Their Development as Classroom Managers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kwok, Andrew

    2018-01-01

    Through a program wide survey (n = 87) and qualitative data of five case participants, this mixed methods study explores how teachers develop as urban classroom managers throughout their first year. Results indicate teachers learned from programmatic training and personnel, school personnel, and classroom experience. Specifically, personnel who…

  17. Out on a Limb: The Efficacy of Teacher Induction in Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shockley, Robert; Watlington, Eliah; Felsher, Rivka

    2013-01-01

    This article reports the results of a qualitative meta-analysis study of the research and literature on the efficacy of teacher induction on the retention of high-quality secondary school teachers and challenges current assumptions about the efficacy of induction despite the proliferation of induction programs nationwide. A theoretical model for…

  18. Online Case Studies as a Professional Development Opportunity for Teachers of Elementary Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vereb, Anita; Carlisle, Joanne F.; Mihocko-Bowling, Emily

    2015-01-01

    This study explores teachers' response to a professional development program called Case Studies of Reading Lessons (CSRL) that uses case studies of reading instruction to provide opportunities for elementary teachers to learn to analyze features that affect the quality of reading lessons. One important question is whether analyzing others'…

  19. Perils to Self-Efficacy Perceptions and Teacher-Preparation Quality among Special Education Intern Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Yeunjoo; Patterson, Philip P.; Vega, Luis A.

    2011-01-01

    To reduce teacher shortages, an intern credential has been introduced as a means of alternate certification in California. Individuals who meet the requirement of subject matter competency are eligible for an intern credential, allowing them to teach students in special education programs for two years while completing their coursework…

  20. Disrupting Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Meredith

    2013-01-01

    Teachers are increasingly recognized as the most important in-school factor in student achievement, yet the quality of the country's K-12 teaching force is not up to snuff. Much of the blame has been placed on education schools, which have come under fire for failing to produce enough high-performing teachers. Both initial certification programs,…

  1. Multilevel Grouping, Grades Preschool-5 Small and Rural Schools. Outstanding Teaching Practices Series, Volume 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement of the Northeast & Islands, Andover, MA.

    This document reports on the 1991-92 Teacher Recognition Program honoring exceptional teachers from rural and small schools in the New England states, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The program was intended to enrich the quality of education in the Northeast United States and its Caribbean jurisdictions by sharing information about…

  2. Can UTeach? Assessing the Relative Effectiveness of STEM Teachers. Working Paper 173

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Backes, Ben; Goldhaber, Dan; Cade, Whitney; Sullivan, Kate; Dodson, Melissa

    2016-01-01

    UTeach is a well-known, university-based program designed to increase the number of high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers in the workforce. The UTeach program was originally developed by faculty at the University of Texas at Austin but has rapidly spread and is now available at 44 universities in 21 states;…

  3. Evaluation of the Florida Master Teacher Initiative: Final Evaluation Findings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Haiwen; Warner, Miya; Golan, Shari; Wechsler, Marjorie; Park, C. J.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Florida Master Teacher Initiative (FMTI)--an i3-funded early learning program aimed at improving the quality of teaching and student outcomes in grades PreK through third grade in high need schools. The FMTI schools participated in four program components: (1) a job-embedded graduate…

  4. A National Assessment of the Impact of the Institutes for Higher Education Academy on School Health Faculty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huelskamp, Amelia C.; Dake, Joseph A.; Telljohann, Susan K.; Tappe, Marlene K.; Jordan, Timothy

    2016-01-01

    Background: Many school health teacher preparation programs do not train teacher candidates in the use of online resources available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some CDC resources, such as the School Health Index, could significantly improve the quality of school health programs. To address this, the CDC and the…

  5. Vocational Development: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 8 (Description).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal Eight of the Quality Education Program (regarding vocational development) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories of teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  6. Participant Perceptions of the Quality of In-Service Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reardon, Francis J.

    A survey was taken to elicit participants' perceptions of the quality of inservice courses in Pennsylvania. The 610 respondents represented a wide variety of school districts and inservice programs and were made up primarily of teachers, although nurses and administrators responded as well. The responses indicated very strongly that inservice…

  7. An Analysis of How Building a Collaborative Community of Professional Social Studies Teachers through Targeted Ambient Professional Development Impacts Social Studies Classroom Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas-Brown, Karen; Shaffer, LaShorage; Werner, Sharon

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the impact of a yearlong ambient professional development (PD) program-The Wayne Schools Global Geography Project (WSGG-project)-that focused on improving teacher quality through PD and classroom observations for in-service social studies teachers. The project targeted middle and high school social studies teachers and used…

  8. Developing an Industry-Education Community: The United Auto Workers/General Motors Quality Educator Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobson, Stephen; Walline, James

    2010-01-01

    In this paper we review the evolution of the Quality Educator Program (QEP), a program sponsored by the United Auto Workers (UAW)/General Motors (GM) that employs school teachers, administrators, and college and university faculty each summer in GM assembly plants. The QEP provides educators and those in industry the unique opportunity to interact…

  9. ESSEA K-4 Online Course: Polar Connections

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blaney, L.; Myers, R. J.; Schwerin, T.

    2007-12-01

    The Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) is a National Science Foundation-supported program implemented by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) to improve the quality of geoscience instruction for pre-service, middle, and high school teachers. ESSEA increases teachers' access to quality materials, standards-based instructional methods and content knowledge. Started in 2000 and based on a trio of online courses (for elementary, middle, and high school teachers), the courses have been used by 40 faculty at 20 institutions educating over 1,700 teachers in Earth system science. Program evaluation of original course participants indicated that the courses had significant impact on teachers Earth system content knowledge and beliefs about teaching and learning. Seventeen of the original participating institutions have continued to use the courses and many have developed new programs that incorporate the courses in Earth science education opportunities for teachers. Today the ESSEA program lists nearly 40 colleges and universities as participants. The original K-4 course and modules have been revised to include topics and resources focusing on the International Polar Year. The new K-4 Land, Living Things, Water and Air modules contain inquiry-based investigations exploring our polar regions. Each module lists a set of essential questions that guide teachers and their students as they build content knowledge. The course structure requires teachers to work individually and in teams to build content knowledge and pedagogical understanding of how their students learn. This group investigation approach and a "Teacher as Researcher" theme promote reflection and collaboration to develop criteria for effective concept building. By exploring the characteristics of polar landscapes, atmosphere, and polar life, teachers and their students will develop new understandings about the interactions and dependencies of the Earth spheres and our polar regions. Changes in climate, air, water, and land quality and animal and plant populations make the news everyday. The K-4 course will help teachers inform rather than frighten their students as they learn more about the characteristics and importance of our polar regions. One goal of IPY 2007-2008 is to increase the awareness, understanding and interest of school-age children in polar conditions and research. The inclusion of polar topics in the K-4 course contributes to the achievement of that goal.

  10. The "Generacion Diez" after-school program and Latino parent involvement with schools.

    PubMed

    Riggs, Nathaniel R; Medina, Carmen

    2005-11-01

    The current study examines associations between participation in after-school programs and change in Latino parent involvement with schools. Hierarchical linear regression analyses demonstrated that parents of children who had higher after-school program attendance rates were significantly more likely to report increases in the quality of relationships with their children's teachers, frequency of parent-teacher contact, and engagement with their children's schooling over a two-year period. However, greater home educator contacts were related to decreases in quality and quantity of parent-school involvement. A primary implication is that attendance in school-based after-school programs may draw parents into children's regular-day school context. Editors' Strategic Implications The authors illustrate the promising practice of using after-school programs to promote parent involvement and to help integrate the often disparate family and school contexts for Latino children.

  11. 1997 NASA/MSFC Summer Teacher Enrichment Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a report on the follow-up activities conducted for the 1997 NASA Summer Teacher Enrichment Program (STEP), which was held at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for the seventh consecutive year. The program was conducted as a six-week session with 17 sixth through twelfth grade math and science teachers from a six-state region (Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri). The program began on June 8, 1997, and ended on July 25, 1997. The long-term objectives of the program are to: increase the nation's scientific and technical talent pool with a special emphasis on underrepresented groups, improve the quality of pre-college math and science education, improve math and science literacy, and improve NASA's and pre-college education's understandings of each other's operating environments and needs. Short-term measurable objectives for the MSFC STEP are to: improve the teachers' content and pedagogy knowledge in science and/or mathematics, integrate applications from the teachers' STEP laboratory experiences into science and math curricula, increase the teachers' use of instructional technology, enhance the teachers' leadership skills by requiring them to present workshops and/or inservice programs for other teachers, require the support of the participating teacher(s) by the local school administration through a written commitment, and create networks and partnerships within the education community, both pre-college and college. The follow-up activities for the 1997 STEP included the following: academic-year questionnaire, site visits, academic-year workshop, verification of commitment of support, and additional NASA support.

  12. Using Mentoring and Professional Development Approaches to Educate Urban Mathematics Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fraser-Abder, Pamela

    2005-01-01

    Due to the dearth of qualified professional teachers, policymakers and professional development programs need to focus on improving the quality of high school mathematics teaching in order to diffuse this crisis. In the middle of this crisis, the demand for new teachers is predicted to rise significantly in the next ten years. Based on the…

  13. Inviting Teacher Candidates into Book Talks: Supporting a Culture of Lifelong Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bixler, Janine; Smith, Sally; Henderson, Susan

    2013-01-01

    This article describes our collaborative inquiry, three teacher educators/researchers of literacy from different institutions who shared a concern about how few teacher candidates in our programs neither viewed themselves as readers nor possessed a love of reading, qualities we view as key to supporting all children as lifelong readers, writers,…

  14. Working in the Reggio Way: A Beginner's Guide for American Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wurm, Julianne P.

    2005-01-01

    Are you curious about the Reggio Emilia approach but not quite sure where to begin? "Working in the Reggio Way" helps early childhood teachers bring the reflective, high-quality practices of Reggio Emilia to American programs. Based on an American teacher's experience observing and working in the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, this…

  15. Racial Diversity Sounds Nice; Systems Transformation? Not So Much: Developing Urban Teachers of Color

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers-Ard, Rachelle; Knaus, Christopher B.; Epstein, Kitty Kelly; Mayfield, Kimberly

    2013-01-01

    This article argues that economic exclusion, standardized testing, and racially biased definitions of teacher quality continue the exclusion of teachers of color from the urban teaching force. The authors highlight two urban programs designed to address such barriers and situate such efforts within a critical race theory framework that identifies…

  16. Exploring the Role of Field Experience Context in Preservice Teachers' Development as Mathematics Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, Sandi; Nesmith, Suzanne

    2013-01-01

    Although the importance of field experience is supported and attended to by teacher education programs across the United States, there have been numerous national reports and research findings stressing the need for major improvements in the preparation of teachers with an emphasis on more authentic experiences. Quality field experiences have the…

  17. A Summary of Research for Educational Leaders on the Induction of Beginning Special Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffin, Cynthia C.

    2010-01-01

    As the percentage of teachers participating in induction programs has increased over the past two decades and new state and federal mandates have been enacted to improve the quality of the teacher workforce, published literature on teacher induction and mentoring has grown. Despite an increasing research base, the current research has been…

  18. Frequency and Type of Reinstruction Strategies Used by Paraprofessionals and Licensed Teachers in Elementary Physical Education Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Amber M.; Larson, Jessyka; Heinemann, Angela; Brusseau, Timothy A.

    2015-01-01

    Unqualified paraprofessionals are teaching many elementary physical education (PE) programs around the United States. These teachers have neither the experience nor the education to provide quality instruction to students. Few researchers have identified the essential nature of teacher feedback in teaching motor skills, and it has been…

  19. Contents Exploring the Preservice Science Teachers' Written Argumentation Skills: The Global Climate Change Issue

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karisan, Dilek; Topcu, Mustafa S.

    2016-01-01

    The pedagogical methods and techniques used in teacher training programs are important tools to graduate qualified teachers. Argumentation, which is known as evidence based scientific discussions, is one of the most widely used tools in national and international literature. The aim of the present study is to explore the quality of Preservice…

  20. Improving Teacher Quality for Colorado Science Teachers in High Need Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevenson, Mark; Stevenson, Cerissa; Cooner, Donna

    2015-01-01

    This article describes the evaluation of an online professional development program funded by the State of Colorado to address the need for highly qualified science teachers in high need and/or rural school districts. Recruitment and the retention of highly qualified educators in high need and/or rural school districts is a critical factor…

  1. INTASC Principles: How They Are Addressed by Five Specialty Program Association Standards. inForum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burdette, Paula

    2007-01-01

    The Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) principles were first developed in May 2001 by the Center for Improving Teacher Quality at the Council for Chief State School Officers. These principles were developed as standards for licensing teachers who work with students with disabilities. Both of the program…

  2. A Measured Approach to Improving Teacher Preparation. Education Sector Policy Briefs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aldeman, Chad; Carey, Kevin; Dillon, Erin; Miller, Ben; Silva, Elena

    2011-01-01

    Over the next five years, more than a million new teachers will enter public school classrooms. But the system in place to produce these teachers--supported by an ever-expanding set of federal financial aid programs and multimillion-dollar federal grants--offers no guarantees of quality for anyone involved, from the college students who often…

  3. 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…

  4. Virginia Improves Teaching and Learning (VITAL): A Comprehensive Statewide Data System for Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McLaughlin, Virginia L.; Ward, Thomas J.; Massa, Tod R.

    2008-01-01

    This article describes the development of Virginia Improves Teaching and Learning (VITAL) as a statewide data warehouse focused on teacher education. The VITAL system is a longitudinal data system that tracks individuals from their entry into teacher preparation programs to employment in public schools. The system goes far beyond typical…

  5. A Resource Guide for Head Start Programs: Moving beyond a Culture of Compliance to a Culture of Continuous Improvement. OPRE Report 2015-02

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Derrick-Mills, Teresa; Winkler, Mary K.; Healy, Olivia; Greenberg, Erica

    2015-01-01

    Head Start has long focused on assessing and improving program quality to ensure that the children served receive the best possible preparation for school and life. Most research has been focused inside the classroom--the classroom environment, teacher qualifications, and teacher interactions. Of course, the classroom is important because that is…

  6. Improving Elementary School Quality through the Use of a Social-Emotional and Character Development Program: A Matched-Pair, Cluster-Randomized, Controlled Trial in Hawai'i

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snyder, Frank J.; Vuchinich, Samuel; Acock, Alan; Washburn, Isaac J.; Flay, Brian R.

    2012-01-01

    Background: School safety and quality affect student learning and success. This study examined the effects of a comprehensive elementary school-wide social-emotional and character education program, Positive Action, on teacher, parent, and student perceptions of school safety and quality utilizing a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled…

  7. 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.

  8. 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

  9. 21st Century Learning Skills Embedded in Climate Literacy Teacher Professional Development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Myers, R. J.; Schwerin, T. G.; Blaney, L.

    2011-12-01

    Trilling and Fadel's "21st Century Learning Skills" defines a vision of how to infuse an expanded set of skills, competencies and flexibilities into the classroom. Among these skills are global awareness, health and environmental literacy. The authors contend that in order for our students to compete, they will need critical thinking and problem solving skills, communication and collaboration, and creativity and innovation. Students will also need to be digital savvy. This poster outlines a program of preparing teachers to implement inquiry-based modules that allow students to exercise hypothetical deductive reasoning to address climate literacy issues such as: the Dust Bowl, thermohaline circulation, droughts, the North Atlantic Oscillation, climate variability and energy challenges. This program is implemented through the Earth System Science Education Alliance. ESSEA supports the educational goal of "attracting and retaining students in science careers" and the associated goal of "attracting and retaining students in science through a progression of educational opportunities for students, teachers and faculty." ESSEA provides long-duration educator professional development that results in deeper content understanding and confidence in teaching global climate change and science disciplines. The target audience for this effort is pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers. The ESSEA program develops shared educational resources - including modules and courses - that are based on NASA and NOAA climate science and data. The program is disseminated through the ESSEA Web site: http://essea.courses.strategies.org. ESSEA increases teachers' access to high-quality materials, standards-based instructional methods and content knowledge. Started in 2000 and based on online courses for K-12 teachers, ESSEA includes the participation of faculty at 45 universities and science centers. Over 3,500 pre- and in-service K-12 teachers have completed ESSEA courses. In addition to 21st Century learning skills, the ESSEA program is based on the urgent need for professional development for pre- and in-service teachers of Earth science. The Revolution in Earth and Space Science Education (2001) cites the Glenn Report saying "...the way to interest children in mathematics and science is through teachers who are not only enthusiastic about their subjects, but who are also steeped in their disciplines and who have the professional training - as teachers - to teach those subjects well. Nor is this teacher training simply a matter of preparation; it depends just as much - or even more - on sustained, high-quality professional development" (p. 1). This treatise states that Earth and space sciences are in the greatest need for professional development. Teachers find themselves inadequately qualified to teach science and find that professional development is not available or lacking in quality. The ESSEA program addresses its educational priorities through enriching pre- and in-service Earth science teachers' backgrounds in Earth system science, specifically in the area of global climate change, and through developing educational materials in support of science education.

  10. [A first step to teaching basic life support in schools: Training the teachers].

    PubMed

    Pichel López, María; Martínez-Isasi, Santiago; Barcala-Furelos, Roberto; Fernández-Méndez, Felipe; Vázquez Santamariña, David; Sánchez-Santos, Luis; Rodríguez-Nuñez, Antonio

    2017-12-07

    Teachers may have an essential role in basic life support (BLS) training in schoolchildren. However, few data are available about their BLS learning abilities. To quantitatively assess the quality of BLS when performed by school teachers after a brief and simple training program. A quasi-experimental study with no control group, and involving primary and secondary education teachers from four privately managed and public funded schools was conducted in 3 stages: 1st. A knowledge test, 2nd: BLS training, and 3rd: Performance test. Training included a 40minutes lecture and 80minutes hands-on session with the help feedback on the quality of the chest compressions. A total of 81 teachers were included, of which 60.5% were women. After training, the percentage of subjects able to perform the BLS sequence rose from 1.2% to 46% (P<.001). Chest compression quality also improved significantly in terms of: correct hands position (97.6 vs. 72.3%; P<.001), mean depth (48.1 vs. 38.8mm; P<.001), percentage that reached recommended depth (46.5 vs. 21.5%; P<.001), percentage of adequate decompression (78.7 vs. 61.2%; P<.05), and percentage of compressions delivered at recommended rate (64.2 vs. 26.9%; P<.001). After and brief and simple training program, teachers of privately managed public funded schools were able to perform the BLS sequence and to produce chest compressions with a quality similar to that obtained by staff with a duty to assist cardiac arrest victims. The ability of schoolteachers to deliver good-quality BLS is a pre-requisite to be engaged in BLS training for schoolchildren. Copyright © 2017. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

  11. Trout in the Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heath, Thomas

    2014-05-01

    Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is a conservation-oriented environmental education program for elementary, middle, and high school students. During the year each teacher tailors the program to fit his or her curricular needs. Therefore, each TIC program is unique. TIC has interdisciplinary applications in science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, fine arts, and physical education. In the program, students and teachers raise trout from fertilized eggs supplied by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VGIF) hatcheries, in aquariums equipped with special chillers designed to keep the water near 50 degrees F. The students make daily temperature measurements, and monitor pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and ammonia levels. They record their data, plot trends, and make sure that the water quality is sufficient to support trout development. The fingerlings, which hatch in late October, are almost an inch and a half long by mid-January. And towards the end of the school year, students will release the fry into VGIF approved watersheds. TIC programs have been in place all across the country for more than 20 years, and are the result of numerous collaborations between teachers, volunteers, government agencies, and local organizations like Trout Unlimited. The programs were designed specifically for teachers who wanted to incorporate more environmental education into their curriculum. While the immediate goal of Trout in the Classroom is to increase student knowledge of water quality and cold water conservation, its long-term goal is to reconnect an increasingly urbanized population of youth to the system of streams, rivers, and watersheds that sustain them. Successful programs have helped: connect students to their local environments and their local watersheds; teach about watershed health and water quality, and; get students to care about fish and the environment. In Virginia, the TIC program is now in its 8th year. Over the past year, the program experienced an amazing growth spurt. Thanks to AEP and Dominion grants and chapter fundraising efforts, we now have more than 200 classrooms throughout the state, ranging from elementary school through high school.

  12. Preparation for a Changing World: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 10 (Description).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal Ten of the Quality Education Program (regarding student preparation for a changing world) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories of teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 375 for project description.) (MS)

  13. Basic Skills: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 3 (Description) and Booklet 3A (Needs Assessment).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal Three of the Quality Education Program (regarding basic skills) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories of teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  14. Understanding Human Accomplishment: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 9 (Description).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal Nine of the Quality Education Program (regarding student understanding of human accomplishment) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories of teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  15. Good Citizenship: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 5 (Description) and Booklet 5-A (Needs Assessment).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal Five of the Quality Education Program (regarding good citizenship) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories of teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  16. AAPT Guidelines for Two-Year College Physics Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dickison, Alexander, Ed.; And Others

    The quality of a two-year college's physics program is determined in part by the quality of preparation and the overall workload of its teachers, along with the provision for adequate budgets, facilities, and support services. The guidelines presented in this booklet were prepared by a task force of the American Association of Physics Teachers…

  17. Early Care and Education--What It Costs. Volume 1. Budget Series: Community Pre-K

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Child Care, Inc., 2007

    2007-01-01

    The research on early childhood education is clear: Programs must be of high quality to produce positive outcomes for children. In recent years, educational economists have refined their analysis of "high quality" and identified the core components of successful prekindergarten programs: They employ qualified teachers who are properly…

  18. Water Quality Statistics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodgson, Ted; Andersen, Lyle; Robison-Cox, Jim; Jones, Clain

    2004-01-01

    Water quality experiments, especially the use of macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality, offer an ideal context for connecting statistics and science. In the STAR program for secondary students and teachers, water quality experiments were also used as a context for teaching statistics. In this article, we trace one activity that uses…

  19. Space Science for Middle School Teachers: Integrating CINDI E/PO into a Long-Term Professional Development Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Urquhart, M. L.; Hairston, M. R.

    2005-12-01

    Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) targeting pre-college education can be focused on teachers or students, but is ultimately only effective if it impacts classrooms. A challenge in the teacher workshop model is tracking the impact we have actually made. Teachers may be excited by our offerings, and rate workshops highly, but is our E/PO actually making a difference with pre-college students? In June 2005 we ran our second four-day teacher workshop for the joint NASA/U.S. Air Force sponsored ionospheric instrument package, the Coupled Ion Neutral Dynamics Investigation (CINDI) with a new twist. We experimented with the integration of our workshop into a long-term professional development program for 6th and 7th grade teachers at UT Dallas. Immediate direct benefits to the CINDI E/PO program included knowledge of teacher backgrounds prior to the workshop, a narrow target grade level range, and the elimination of the need for separate recruiting efforts. More importantly, by working within a year-long program supported by a Teacher Quality Grant we have been able to better assess teacher learning and the impact our outreach efforts is having on the middle school students of participants. The 20-contact hours our workshop contributed to the Teacher Quality Summer Institute were specifically designed to meet Texas standards for middle school science, and made connections between space weather, Earth systems, basic physics, technology, and communications. Participants were able to interact with members of the science team in formal settings and over casual lunches. We will present our motivations for this experiment, participant feedback, and lessons learned. In addition, we will give an update on our CINDI Educator Guide, and the newly completed Cindi in Space comic book. For the latest on CINDI E/PO, curriculum materials, and the comic book in pdf format, go to http://cindispace.utdallas.edu/education/.

  20. Using school grounds for nature studies: An exploratory study of elementary teachers' experiences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Willis, Tamra Lee

    2001-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of the experiences of elementary teachers who used school grounds to do nature studies. Following an inductive, naturalistic approach, the goal was to explore the phenomenon using words of teachers as guides to understanding. Interviews were conducted with a purposeful sampling of ten quality public school teachers in grades K--5 who were well-known for their schoolyard nature programs. Interview questions were focused by a theoretical framework of environmental cognition. Data were gathered about how teachers came to use the outdoors to teach and how they experienced teaching nature studies on the school grounds. A conceptual model of Quality Teachers of Schoolyard Nature Studies was delineated. The model consisted of three components: teacher past and present experiences with nature, teacher beliefs relevant to using the school grounds for nature studies, and teacher action efficacy pertaining to schoolyard nature programs. The model suggested a relationship between teachers' personal experiences' with nature and their beliefs about sharing nature with children. In addition, the model connected teachers' beliefs about schoolyard nature to their action efficacy, i.e. action behavior reflected through motivation and commitment. The participants shared many common experiences and beliefs. Most had extensive childhood experiences in nature and memories of adults who shared nature with them. They did not consider themselves nature experts, but felt they knew the basics of natural science from their own experiences outdoors and from working with children. The teachers' beliefs about schoolyard nature studies developed from several dimensions of their lives: experiences with nature, experiences teaching, and experiences with students. They were motivated to share nature with students on the school grounds by their beliefs that students would come to appreciate and understand nature, just as they had during their own experiences. In addition, they believed that schoolyard nature programs benefitted student learning and enjoyment of learning. The action efficacy of the teachers was influenced by their beliefs about schoolyard nature programs and beliefs in their own competence to overcome challenges and achieve goals. Implications for educational practice and further research were cited.

  1. Preschool Staff Handbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    San Ysidro School District, CA.

    The handbook for preschool teachers and aides presents job descriptions and outlines school regulations and procedures of the San Ysidro Preschool Program. Job descriptions cover the responsibilities of teachers and aides in such areas as pupil progress, learning environment, professional competence, adjunct duties, and personal qualities. School…

  2. Bilingual Bicultural Teacher Competencies: A Vehicle for Quality Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlisle-Zepeda, Veronica; Saldate, Marcario, IV

    1977-01-01

    Teachers should be required to have certain competencies before being accepted as the educators to implement a program aimed at cultural pluralism. Discusses the teaching procedures involved in bilingual bicultural education and recommendations for the training of bilingual educators. (Author/RK)

  3. UTeach Replication: Impacting Teacher Preparation at a University Near You

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marshall, Jill

    2008-03-01

    In 2007 the National Mathematics and Science Initiative, with a grant from Exxon-Mobil, launched two major programs to improve science and mathematics education in the US: an Advanced Placement initiative and replication of the UTeach program. Twelve colleges and universities, from Florida to California, have been selected to receive grants of up to 2.4 million to start UTeach-type programs. I will report on the requirements for these grants, what it really means to have a ``UTeach-type'' program and the evidence that such programs can affect the quantity and quality of physics teachers in the US.

  4. GLOBE Mission Earth: The evaluation of the first year's implementation.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adaktylou, N. E.; Hedley, M. L.; Darche, S.; Harris-Stefanakis, E.; Silberglitt, M. D.; Struble, J.; Bingham, P.; Czajkowski, K.

    2017-12-01

    Here we present the evaluation findings for the first year of implementation of the `Mission Earth' Program.`Mission Earth' proposes the systematic embedding of GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) resources and NASA assets into the curricula of schools along the K-12 continuum, leveraging existing partnerships and networks. The main goal of the program is to create developmentally appropriate, vertically-integrated K-12 materials and activities,, supported by high quality professional development and ongoing support, engaging teachers from all grades. Its team consists of 5 geographically distributed universities and research institutions that have developed a curriculum progression following research-based best practices, have conducted the year's trainings for selected cohorts of teachers. The evaluation is a continuous process over the program's five year duration to examine implementation and opportunities for improvement. A broad set of data collection tools include a diagnostic component (needs assessment for teachers, capacity assessment for the school environment) and an assessment of implementation component (surveys for teachers and trainers, pre- and post tests for students, classroom observations, teacher interviews, portfolios). The tools used are validated instruments or ones modified to serve the program needs. The patterns emerging from the data provided information on: i) the quality of the intervention as to its design and content, ii) the alignment with the needs of the participants, iii) the implementation phase, iii) changes in the content knowledge of the students and their attitudes toward science, iv) changes in the facility of teachers to teach science in their classrooms after the professional development and materials provided, v) challenges and facilitators of implementation. Based on findings the program evaluation identifies additions/adjustments to be adopted in the following year.

  5. Marketing Education Program Management Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blair, Betty; And Others

    This guide was designed for use by marketing education teacher-coordinators and administrators in implementing marketing education programs. The document includes the following: an overall picture of administrative responsibilities related to high quality programs, guidelines and forms needed to deliver effective instruction, resources and…

  6. A New Era of Science Education: Science Teachers' Perceptions and Classroom Practices of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Integration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Hui-Hui

    Quality STEM education is the key in helping the United States maintain its lead in global competitiveness and in preparing for new economic and security challenges in the future. Policymakers and professional societies emphasize STEM education by legislating the addition of engineering standards to the existing science standards. On the other hand, the nature of the work of most STEM professionals requires people to actively apply STEM knowledge to make critical decisions. Therefore, using an integrated approach to teaching STEM in K-12 is expected. However, science teachers encounter numerous difficulties in adapting the new STEM integration reforms into their classrooms because of a lack of knowledge and experience. Therefore, high quality STEM integration professional development programs are an urgent necessity. In order to provide these high quality programs, it is important to understand teachers' perceptions and classroom practices regarding STEM integration. A multiple-case study was conducted with five secondary school science teachers in order to gain a better understanding of teachers' perceptions and classroom practices in using STEM integration. This study addresses the following research questions: 1) What are secondary school science teachers' practices of STEM integration? 2) What are secondary science teachers' overall perceptions of STEM integration? and 3) What is the connection between secondary science teachers' perceptions and understanding of STEM integration with their classroom practices? This research aims to explore teachers' perceptions and classroom practices in order to set up the baseline for STEM integration and also to determine STEM integration professional development best practices in science education. Findings from the study provide critical data for making informed decision about the direction for STEM integration in science education in K-12.

  7. Ideas Exchange: How Do You Use NASPE's Teacher Toolbox to Enhance Professional Activities with Students, Sport or Physical Education Lessons, Faculty Wellness Classes or Community Programs?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simpkins, Mary Ann; McNeill, Shane; Dieckman, Dale; Sissom, Mark; LoBianco, Judy; Lund, Jackie; Barney, David C.; Manson, Mara; Silva, Betsy

    2009-01-01

    NASPE's Teacher Toolbox is an instructional resource site which provides educators with a wide variety of teaching tools that focus on physical activity. This service is provided by NASPE to support instructional activities as well as promote quality programs. New monthly issues support NASPE's mission to enhance knowledge, improve professional…

  8. Quality control education in the community college

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greene, J. Griffen; Wilson, Steve

    1966-01-01

    This paper describes the Quality Control Program at Daytona Beach Junior College, including course descriptions. The program in quality control required communication between the college and the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC). The college has machinery established for certification of the learning process, and the society has the source of teachers who are competent in the technical field and who are the employers of the educational products. The associate degree for quality control does not have a fixed program, which can serve all needs, any more than all engineering degrees have identical programs. The main ideas which would be common to all quality control programs are the concept of economic control of a repetitive process and the concept of developing individual potentialities into individuals who are needed and productive.

  9. An Examination of Mississippi Public School Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Their Professional Development Experiences in Raising Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rushing, Daniel Martin

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to provide insight into the elements needed to produce a high quality professional development program for teachers. The researcher sought to determine possible factors that had a significant relationship to Mississippi public school teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of their professional development…

  10. Software Quality and Security in Teachers' and Students' Codes When Learning a New Programming Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boutnaru, Shlomi; Hershkovitz, Arnon

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, schools (as well as universities) have added cyber security to their computer science curricula. This topic is still new for most of the current teachers, who would normally have a standard computer science background. Therefore the teachers are trained and then teaching their students what they have just learned. In order to…

  11. Selection and Rejection in Teacher Education: Qualities of Character Crucial in Selecting and Developing Teacher Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGraw, Amanda; Fish, Tim

    2018-01-01

    The focus of recent Australian political and media reports on the selection of candidates for initial teacher education programs has focused on the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) score as one of the key indicators of worth. This narrative study conducted in an Australian regional university focuses on the life stories of twelve…

  12. Programming to Retain Experienced Campers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corpuel, Michael H.

    1993-01-01

    Blending traditional programming with new ideas is the key to retention of adolescent campers. Options include increasing program opportunities along with the age of the camper and offering programs outside of camp such as biking, golf, and sports clinics. Equally important are hiring effective teachers and maintaining quality facilities. (LP)

  13. Fostering High-Quality Teaching with an Enriched Curriculum and Professional Development Support: The Head Start REDI Program

    PubMed Central

    Domitrovich, Celene E.; Gest, Scott D.; Gill, Sukhdeep; Bierman, Karen L.; Welsh, Janet; Jones, Damon

    2017-01-01

    This randomized controlled trial tested whether teaching quality in Head Start classrooms could be improved with the addition of evidence-based curriculum components targeting emergent language/literacy and social-emotional development and the provision of associated professional development support. Participants were lead and assistant teachers in 44 Head Start classrooms. Teachers received 4 days of workshop training along with weekly in-class support from a mentor teacher. End-of-year observations indicated that, compared to the control group, intervention teachers talked with children more frequently and in more cognitively complex ways, established a more positive classroom climate, and used more preventive behavior management strategies. Results supported the conclusion that enriched curriculum components and professional development support can produce improvements in multiple domains of teaching quality. PMID:29081534

  14. Adherence and delivery: Implementation quality and program outcomes for the 7th grade keepin’ it REAL program

    PubMed Central

    Pettigrew, Jonathan; Graham, John W.; Miller-Day, Michelle; Hecht, Michael L.; Krieger, Janice L.; Shin, Young Ju

    2014-01-01

    Poor implementation quality (IQ) is known to reduce program effects making it important to consider IQ for evaluation and dissemination of prevention programs. However, less is known about the ways specific implementation variables relate to outcomes. In this study, two versions of the keepin’ it REAL, 7th grade drug prevention intervention were implemented in 78 classrooms in 25 schools in rural districts in Pennsylvania and Ohio. IQ was measured through observational coding of 276 videos. IQ variables included adherence to the curriculum, teacher engagement (attentiveness, enthusiasm, seriousness, clarity, positivity), student engagement (attention, participation), and a global rating of teacher delivery quality. Factor analysis showed that teacher engagement, student engagement, and delivery quality formed one factor, which was labeled delivery. A second factor was adherence to the curriculum. Self-report student surveys measured substance use, norms (beliefs about prevalence and acceptability of use), and efficacy (beliefs about one’s ability to refuse substance offers) at two waves (pretest, immediate posttest). Mixed model regression analysis which accounted for missing data and controlled for pretest levels examined implementation quality’s effects on individual level outcomes, statistically controlling for cluster level effects. Results show that when implemented well, students show positive outcomes compared to students receiving a poorly implemented program. Delivery significantly influenced substance use and norms, but not efficacy. Adherence marginally significantly predicted use and significantly predicted norms, but not efficacy. Findings underscore the importance of comprehensively measuring and accounting for IQ, particularly delivery, when evaluating prevention interventions. PMID:24442403

  15. Quantifying Error in Survey Measures of School and Classroom Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schweig, Jonathan David

    2014-01-01

    Developing indicators that reflect important aspects of school and classroom environments has become central in a nationwide effort to develop comprehensive programs that measure teacher quality and effectiveness. Formulating teacher evaluation policy necessitates accurate and reliable methods for measuring these environmental variables. This…

  16. Understanding Others: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 2 (Description) and Booklet 2-A (Needs Assessment).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal Two of the Quality Education Program (understanding other social, cultural, and ethnic groups) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories or teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  17. Self Understanding: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 1 (Description) and Booklet 1-A (Needs Assessment).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal One of the Quality Education Program (regarding student self-esteem and understanding) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories of teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  18. Good Health Habits: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 6 (Description) and Booklet 6-A (Needs Assessment).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal Six of the Quality Education Program (regarding good health habits) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories of teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  19. Going the Distance: Delivery of High School Drug Prevention via Distance Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wyrick, David L.; Fearnow-Kenney, Melodie; Wyrick, Cheryl Haworth; Orsini, Muhsin Michael; Strack, Robert W.; Milroy, Jeffrey J.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this project was to develop a technology that can be used in schools where there are insufficient resources to implement a quality drug prevention program. The specific technology--distance education via teleconferencing--allows a highly qualified teacher to deliver programs in such settings with increased quality. A promising high…

  20. Quality Alternative Certification Programs in Special Education Ensure High Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karge, Belinda D.; McCabe, Marjorie

    2014-01-01

    Market driven alternative routes to teaching have evolved into a quality program option and not just an answer to the teacher shortage. Alternative certification is a viable means of recruiting, training, and certifying those who have a bachelor's degree and a strong desire to enter the field of teaching. California has been a leader in the…

  1. High School Teachers' Openness to Adopting New Practices: The Role of Personal Resources and Organizational Climate.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Stacy R; Pas, Elise T; Loh, Deanna; Debnam, Katrina J; Bradshaw, Catherine P

    2017-03-01

    Although evidence-based practices for students' social, emotional, and behavioral health are readily available, their adoption and quality implementation in schools are of increasing concern. Teachers are vital to implementation; yet, there is limited research on teachers' openness to adopting new practices, which may be essential to successful program adoption and implementation. The current study explored how perceptions of principal support, teacher affiliation, teacher efficacy, and burnout relate to teachers' openness to new practices. Data came from 2,133 teachers across 51 high schools. Structural equation modeling assessed how organizational climate (i.e., principal support and teacher affiliation) related to teachers' openness directly and indirectly via teacher resources (i.e., efficacy and burnout). Teachers with more favorable perceptions of both principal support and teacher affiliation reported greater efficacy, and, in turn, more openness; however, burnout was not significantly associated with openness. Post hoc analyses indicated that among teachers with high levels of burnout, only principal support related to greater efficacy, and in turn, higher openness. Implications for promoting teachers' openness to new program adoption are discussed.

  2. A mixed-methods study of mid-career science teachers: The growth of professional empowerment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreland, Amy Laphelia

    The purpose of this concurrent, mixed-methods study was to examine the professional empowerment qualities of mid-career (years 4-8), science teachers. I used the construct of professional empowerment as the theoretical frame to explore K-12 mid-career science teachers' career trajectories and consider how they can be supported professionally and ideally retained over time. In investigating the qualities of these teachers, I also constructed a new teaching trajectory model and tested the differences between mid-career and veteran science teachers. I analyzed seventy-eight surveys of mid-career science teachers across Texas, including six in-depth, interview-based case studies. The qualitative piece used behavior-over-time graphing combined with the interviews and the quantitative component used survey data from the Teacher Empowerment Survey (TES). Results indicated that science content knowledge gain through professional development opportunities was an especially important factor in supporting mid-career teachers' sense of empowerment. This increased content knowledge connected positively with the dimensions of decision-making, status, and impact. In a between-group analysis using a larger subset of TES data, I analyzed 254 surveys by conducting a nonparametric statistical test. A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups, in that mid-career science teachers had a lower sense of "status" than their more experienced counterparts (p < .05). I could infer that, for this sample, as teaching experience increases, so does at least one dimension of empowerment. The study was situated within a broader scope of exploring how educational leaders and professional development providers can understand and support science teachers of varying experience levels. A well-designed and possibly differentiated professional development program could successfully connect with these kind of empowered and receptive mid-career science teachers, and thus increase the probability of implementing quality science education programs, content, and pedagogy into schools. The results of this study also have the potential to provide self-reflective career empowerment information to science teachers in their mid-career years.

  3. Galileo Teacher Training Program - GTTP Days

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heenatigala, T.; Doran, R.

    2012-09-01

    Despite the vast availability of teaching resources on the internet, finding a quality and user-friendly materials is a challenge. Many teachers are not trained with proper computing skills to search for the right materials. With years of expertise training teachers globally, Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) [1] recognize the need of having a go-to place for teachers to access resources. To fill this need GTTP developed - GTTP Days - a program creating resource guides for planetary, lunar and solar fields. Avoiding the imbalance in science resources between the developed and undeveloped world, GTTP Days is available both online and offline as a printable version. Each resource guide covers areas such as scientific knowledge, exploration, observation, photography, art & culture and web tools. The lesson plans of each guide include hands-on activities, web tools, software tools, and activities for people with disabilities [2]. Each activity indicate the concepts used, the skills required and age level which guides the teachers and educators to select the correct content suitable for local curriculum.

  4. Residents-as-teachers programs in psychiatry: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Dewey, Charlene M; Coverdale, John H; Ismail, Nadia J; Culberson, John W; Thompson, Britta M; Patton, Cynthia S; Friedland, Joan A

    2008-02-01

    Because psychiatry residents have important roles as teachers and significant opportunities to contribute to medical student education, we set out to: identify all randomized control trials (RCT) for residents' teaching skills programs in psychiatry and to identify the efficacy of those interventions for improving teaching skills; identify the strengths and weaknesses of the available studies across medical disciplines; and identify currently available methods for enhancing residents' teaching skills for residents training in psychiatry. The published English-language literature was searched using PubMed, Social Sciences Index, and PsycINFO databases, with key search words including: residents, teaching skills, residents as teachers, psychiatry, and assessments. Both RCT and controlled, nonrandomized trials of residents' teaching programs directed to enhance residents' teaching skills were selected and critically appraised. Of 13 trials identified and reviewed, most included residents in internal medicine. Only one included psychiatry residents and assessed their ability to teach interviewing skills to medical students. Along with other studies, this study demonstrated improvement in residents' teaching skills. Overall, interventions and outcome measures were heterogeneous while the quality of methodologies varied. Five studies were of higher quality, representing examples of quality educational research. Several described group differences, blinding, good follow-up, and use of valid, reliable tools. Only one trial exists that incorporated psychiatry residents. Significant opportunity to advance educational research in this field exists. Psychiatry residency program directors should incorporate high-quality methodologies and can benefit from the findings of trials in other disciplines.

  5. Program Qualities That Make a Field Research Experience Valuable to Classroom Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beckendorf, K.; Hammond, J.; McMahon, E.; Williams, E.; Bates, T.

    2005-12-01

    Numerous programs exists that pair K-12 teachers with scientists for summer research projects, and, overall, these programs are quite beneficial in a variety of ways. Some benefits of these programs to the teacher include providing real-world experiences that can be turned into classroom lessons, increasing the science teacher's own level of knowledge, and helping to reignite the teacher's enthusiasm for teaching. However, teacher research programs are not all created equal. Indeed, a vast gap exists between what a middle school science teacher experiences in his or her classroom and what a teacher experiences among a group of PhD researchers for a few weeks. To be effective, a teacher research program must bridge this gap. During my 14 years of teaching middle school science, I have participated in a number of authentic research experiences. Some of these include NOAA's Teacher at Sea (NEAQS/ICARTT), Teacher in the Woods (Portland State University- Andrew's Experimental Forest), and Teacher on Summer Assignment (Oregon Forest Resource Institute- Ochoco National Forest). During these programs and others, I have encountered various approaches to my preparation, support, and partnering, some of which were quite effective at helping me bridge the gap between the field and the classroom, and others which were less effective at doing so. As a middle school science teacher I have three goals. First, I want to teach in such a way that my students become curious and want to learn more about science. Secondly, I want to help students discover how to learn and process information in the manner that best suites their learning styles. Finally, I want to give students a strong science foundation on which to build future learning. Additionally, I must meet certain state, federal and local standards in my teaching of the sciences. Through my participation in teacher research programs, I have learned that certain aspects of these programs have been more effective than others in helping me bridge the gap between meeting these teaching goals in a middle school science classroom and being able to truly utilize, in the classroom, what I learn in these research programs. Thus, by highlighting these aspects I hope to aid in the ongoing improvement of these teacher research programs.

  6. Teach, Watch, Learn

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cohen, Alan

    2017-01-01

    Research shows that a child's healthy growth and development hinges on high-quality and consistent caregivers and teachers. This demands a stable, highly skilled, and qualified workforce. In response to the science, the federal Head Start program and a growing number of states now require early learning professionals, especially lead teachers, to…

  7. Patterns of Excellence: Promoting Quality in Teaching through Diversity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson Nathaniel, Ed.; Bolden, Wiley S., Ed.; Fenwick, Leslie T., Ed.

    This collection of papers describes pre-collegiate and collegiate programs that are models for successful minority teacher recruitment and preparation. The papers include: "Correcting the Minority Teacher Shortage: Framing the Issue, Meeting the Challenge" (Elaine P. Witty); "Response of the Southern Education Foundation to the…

  8. Professional Development for Secondary Science Teachers in a Contextual Setting.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, C. Riley; Hanegan, Nikki L.

    This paper discusses an intensive professional development program designed by a science education specialist in conjunction with university science research professors demonstrating quality science teaching practices for secondary teachers in a contextual setting. The intensive professional development model was designed using research based,…

  9. Initial Science Teacher Education in Portugal: The Thoughts of Teacher Educators About the Effects of the Bologna Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leite, Laurinda; Dourado, Luís; Morgado, Sofia

    2016-12-01

    Between the 1980s and 2007, Portugal used to have one-stage (5-year period) initial teacher education (ITE) programs. In 2007 and consistent with the Bologna process guidelines, Portuguese teacher education moved toward a two-stage model, which includes a 3-year undergraduate program of subject matter that leads to a licenciatura (or bachelor) degree and a 3-year professional master in the teaching of a subject. The way that teacher educators perceive the ITE programs effects the education of prospective teachers and consequently the future of science education. This paper aims at analyzing how science teacher educators perceived the changes that took place in this formal way of educating junior school (7th-9th grades) and high school (10th-12th grades) science teachers in Portugal, due to the implementation of the Bologna guidelines. To attain the objectives of the study, 33 science teacher educators including science specialists and science education specialists answered an open-ended online questionnaire, which focused on the strengths and weaknesses of the pre- and post-Bologna ITE programs, the overall quality of teacher education and measures for improving ITE. The results indicate that science teacher educators were quite happy with all of the ITE models, but they expressed the belief that both the science and the teaching practice components should be strengthened in the post-Bologna masters in teaching. Meanwhile, changes were introduced in Portuguese educational laws, and they proved to be consistent with the opinions of the participants. However, the professional development of teacher educators along with evidence-based ITE programs seems to be necessary conditions for overcoming the challenges that teacher education is still facing in Portugal and worldwide.

  10. Breaking the Blame Cycle: A Small Partnership between Preservice Writing Teachers and Elementary Classrooms.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hedengren, Elizabeth Finch

    A partnership between a class for preservice elementary teachers in the university and an elementary class in the public schools goes a long way to breaking down the cycle of blame, whereby parents and teachers on all levels blame each other for the poor quality of education offered to students. A small program at Brigham Young University (Utah)…

  11. Saint Mary's College Teacher Science Institute: Converting Teachers to Using Guided Inquiry for Science Curricula

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCarthy, Deborah; Bellina, Joseph J., Jr.

    2003-01-01

    In 1988 Saint Mary's College received a grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc. to create a program to improve the quality of science education in the local public and private schools. As part of applying that grant we created one-week summer work-shops for elementary and middle school teachers (K-8) based on guided inquiry methods of education. Each…

  12. Teacher and child predictors of achieving IEP goals of children with autism.

    PubMed

    Ruble, Lisa; McGrew, John H

    2013-12-01

    It is encouraging that children with autism show a strong response to early intervention, yet more research is needed for understanding the variability in responsiveness to specialized programs. Treatment predictor variables from 47 teachers and children who were randomized to receive the COMPASS intervention (Ruble et al. in The collaborative model for promoting competence and success for students with ASD. Springer, New York, 2012a) were analyzed. Predictors evaluated against child IEP goal attainment included child, teacher, intervention practice, and implementation practice variables based on an implementation science framework (Dunst and Trivette in J Soc Sci 8:143-148, 2012). Findings revealed one child (engagement), one teacher (exhaustion), two intervention quality (IEP quality for targeted and not targeted elements), and no implementation quality variables accounted for variance in child outcomes when analyzed separately. When the four significant variables were compared against each other in a single regression analysis, IEP quality accounted for one quarter of the variance in child outcomes.

  13. Teacher and Child Predictors of Achieving IEP Goals of Children with Autism

    PubMed Central

    Ruble, Lisa; McGrew, John H.

    2013-01-01

    It is encouraging that children with autism show a strong response to early intervention, yet more research is needed for understanding the variability in responsiveness to specialized programs. Treatment predictor variables from 47 teachers and children who were randomized to receive the COMPASS intervention (Ruble et al. in The collaborative model for promoting competence and success for students with ASD. Springer, New York, 2012a) were analyzed. Predictors evaluated against child IEP goal attainment included child, teacher, intervention practice, and implementation practice variables based on an implementation science framework (Dunst and Trivette in J Soc Sci 8:143–148, 2012). Findings revealed one child (engagement), one teacher (exhaustion), two intervention quality (IEP quality for targeted and not targeted elements), and no implementation quality variables accounted for variance in child outcomes when analyzed separately. When the four significant variables were compared against each other in a single regression analysis, IEP quality accounted for one quarter of the variance in child outcomes. PMID:23838728

  14. The Teachers of Quality Academy: Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Impact of a Health Systems Science Training Program.

    PubMed

    Walsh, Danielle S; Lazorick, Suzanne; Lawson, Luan; Lake, Donna; Garrison, Herbert G; Higginson, Jason; Vos, Paul; Baxley, Elizabeth

    2018-05-01

    This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a faculty development program in health systems science (HSS)-the Teachers of Quality Academy (TQA). Participants in TQA and a comparison group were evaluated before, during, and 1 year after the program using self-perception questionnaires, tests of HSS knowledge, and tracking of academic productivity and career advancement. Among program completers (n = 27), the mean self-assessed ratings of knowledge and skills of HSS topics immediately after the program, as compared to baseline, increased significantly compared to controls (n = 30). Participants demonstrated progressive improvement of self-perceived skills and attitudes, and retention of HSS knowledge, from baseline to completion of the program. Participants also demonstrated substantially higher HSS scholarly productivity, leadership, and career advancement compared to the comparison group. The TQA effectively created a faculty cadre able to role model, teach, and create a curriculum in HSS competencies for medical students, resident physicians, and other health professionals.

  15. 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.

  16. 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

  17. Interest in School and Learning: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet 4 (Description) and Booklet 4-A (Needs Assessment).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Categories of effective and ineffective behavior in regard to Goal Four of the Quality Education Program (regarding interest in school and learning) are listed. Both the rationales for areas of effective student behavior and the categories of teacher strategies are also included. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  18. Students' Daily Physical Activity Behaviors: The Role of Quality Physical Education in a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Wiyun; Hypnar, Andrew J.; Mason, Steve A.; Zalmout, Sandy

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of quality physical education (QPET) in a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) which is intended to promote physical activity (PA) behaviors in and outside of schools. Participants were nine elementary physical education teachers and their fourth- and fifth-grade students…

  19. Mathematical knowledge for teaching: Making the tacit more explicit in mathematics teacher education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abdullah, Mohd Faizal Nizam Lee; Vimalanandan, Lena

    2017-05-01

    Teaching practice during school based experiences, afford an opportunity for pre service teachers to put into practice their knowledge for teaching mathematics. Like all knowledge, Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) is held in both tacit and explicit form, making it especially difficult to study and map during instruction. This study investigates the tacit and explicit nature of MKT held by pre service teachers in a Malaysian Teacher Education Program and how it impacts the Mathematical Quality of their instruction (MQI). This study of three mathematics pre-service teachers (PSTs), utilised videos of mathematics lessons, reflective debriefs and interviews. The findings suggest that factors such as reflecting, peer-sharing, conferencing with mentors and observing support in making tacit knowledge more explicit during planning and instruction. Implications for preparation of mathematics teachers capable of high Mathematical Quality of Instruction are also discussed.

  20. Enhancing Teacher Education with Simulations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaufman, David; Ireland, Alice

    2016-01-01

    As calls for accountability in our schools increase, teaching quality faces scrutiny and, often, criticism. These realities challenge teacher education programs to find new ways to ensure that their graduates will be effective in highly demanding work settings. In this article the authors draw on literature and practice examples to highlight ways…

  1. Coaching to Enhance Quality of Implementation in Prevention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dusenbury, Linda; Hansen, William B.; Jackson-Newsom, Julia; Pittman, Donna S.; Wilson, Cicely V.; Nelson-Simley, Kathleen; Ringwalt, Chris; Pankratz, Melinda; Giles, Steven M.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the topics covered by coaches assisting teachers implementing a research-based drug prevention program and explore how coaching affects student outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: The All Stars drug prevention curriculum is implemented by 16 urban teachers who received four coaching sessions.…

  2. What's up DOCC? Creating Third Space Courses in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elsden-Clifton, Jennifer; Jordan, Kathy

    2015-01-01

    There are increasing calls to improve the quality of Teacher Education by reconceptualising the connection between university-based coursework and the teaching practicum. In response, the School of Education at RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria redesigned courses in its first year program to interconnect the two spaces of universities (first…

  3. We All Want the Same Thing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rambo, Karen E.; Boazman, Janette

    2012-01-01

    Researchers, parents, counselors, and teachers share a common desire to ensure personal growth and academic development for children. At a very foundational level, they desire health and happiness for all children, as well as an education with quality schools and good teachers. They want all children to be in programs that appropriately address…

  4. Factors That Influence Clinical Placements for Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    James, Kristi M.

    2014-01-01

    In 2010, President Barack Obama's administration committed to reevaluate funding streams for No Child Left Behind (NCLB). This effort supported state and local initiatives designed to strengthen teacher quality. While a number of studies have examined preparation programs, candidate efficacy, and even candidate induction and attrition; few studies…

  5. Diversity at Issue in Teacher Selection

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sawchuk, Stephen

    2013-01-01

    Slowly but surely, a growing number of states are eyeing policies to select academically stronger individuals for their teaching programs as one avenue to improve the quality of new teachers. Underneath the attention such plans are attracting, though, run deep-seated fears about their potential consequences--particularly whether they will result…

  6. Providing Early Childhood Teachers with Opportunities to Understand Diversity and the Achievement Gap

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meece, Darrell; Wingate, Kimberly O'Kelley

    2010-01-01

    High quality teaching--providing children with support, feedback, and positive communication--is associated with closing the achievement gap between minority and majority children. It is important for students in teacher preparation programs to understand changes in curricular approaches to diversity--from the color-blind approach, to…

  7. 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…

  8. 34 CFR 611.31 - What are the program's selection criteria for pre-applications?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS... determining the quality of the project goals and objectives, the Secretary considers how the partnership or... the quality of the partnering commitment, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) What the...

  9. 34 CFR 611.31 - What are the program's selection criteria for pre-applications?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS... determining the quality of the project goals and objectives, the Secretary considers how the partnership or... the quality of the partnering commitment, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) What the...

  10. 34 CFR 611.31 - What are the program's selection criteria for pre-applications?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS... determining the quality of the project goals and objectives, the Secretary considers how the partnership or... the quality of the partnering commitment, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) What the...

  11. Explore-create-share study: An evaluation of teachers as curriculum innovators in engineering education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berry, Ayora

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a curriculum design-based (CDB) professional development model on K-12 teachers' capacity to integrate engineering education in the classroom. This teacher professional development approach differs from other training programs where teachers learn how to use a standard curriculum and adopt it in their classrooms. In a CDB professional development model teachers actively design lessons, student resources, and assessments for their classroom instruction. In other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, CDB professional development has been reported to (a) position teachers as architects of change, (b) provide a professional learning vehicle for educators to reflect on instructional practices and develop content knowledge, (c) inspire a sense of ownership in curriculum decision-making among teachers, and (d) use an instructional approach that is coherent with teachers' interests and professional goals. The CDB professional development program in this study used the Explore-Create-Share (ECS) framework as an instructional model to support teacher-led curriculum design and implementation. To evaluate the impact of the CDB professional development and associated ECS instructional model, three research studies were conducted. In each study, the participants completed a six-month CDB professional development program, the PTC STEM Certificate Program, that included sixty-two instructional contact hours. Participants learned about industry and education engineering concepts, tested engineering curricula, collaborated with K-12 educators and industry professionals, and developed project-based engineering curricula using the ECS framework. The first study evaluated the impact of the CDB professional development program on teachers' engineering knowledge, self-efficacy in designing engineering curriculum, and instructional practice in developing project-based engineering units. The study included twenty-six teachers and data was collected pre-, mid-, and post-program using teacher surveys and a curriculum analysis instrument. The second study evaluated teachers' perceptions of the ECS model as a curriculum authoring tool and the quality of the curriculum units they developed. The study included sixty-two participants and data was collected post-program using teacher surveys and a curriculum analysis instrument. The third study evaluated teachers' experiences implementing ECS units in the classroom with a focus on identifying the benefits, challenges and solutions associated with project-based engineering in the classroom. The study included thirty-one participants and data was collected using an open-ended survey instrument after teachers completed implementation of the ECS curriculum unit. Results of these three studies indicate that teachers can be prepared to integrate engineering in the classroom using a CDB professional development model. Teachers reported an increase in engineering content knowledge, improved their self-efficacy in curriculum planning, and developed high quality instructional units that were aligned to engineering design practices and STEM educational standards. The ECS instructional model was acknowledged as a valuable tool for developing and implementing engineering education in the classroom. Teachers reported that ECS curriculum design aligned with their teaching goals, provided a framework to integrate engineering with other subject-area concepts, and incorporated innovative teaching strategies. After implementing ECS units in the classroom, teachers reported that the ECS model engaged students in engineering design challenges that were situated in a real world context and required the application of interdisciplinary content knowledge and skills. Teachers also reported a number of challenges related to scheduling, content alignment, and access to resources. In the face of these obstacles, teachers presented a number of solutions that included optimization of one's teaching practice, being resource savvy, and adopting a growth mindset.

  12. Peer teaching in paediatrics - medical students as learners and teachers on a paediatric course.

    PubMed

    Schauseil-Zipf, Ulrike; Karay, Yassin; Ehrlich, Roland; Knoop, Kai; Michalk, Dietrich

    2010-01-01

    Peer assisted learning is known as an effective educational strategy in medical teaching. We established a peer assisted teaching program by student tutors with a focus on clinical competencies for students during their practical training on paediatric wards. It was the purpose of this study to investigate the effects of a clinical skills training by tutors, residents and consultants on students evaluations of the teaching quality and the effects of a peer teaching program on self assessed clinical competencies by the students. Medical student peers in their 6(th) year were trained by an intensive instruction program for teaching clinical skills by paediatric consultants, doctors and psychologists. 109 students in their 5(th) year (study group) participated in a peer assisted teaching program for training clinical skills in paediatrics. The skills training by student peer teachers were supervised by paediatric doctors. 45 students (control group) participated in a conventional paediatric skills training by paediatric doctors and consultants. Students from both groups, which were consecutively investigated, completed a questionnaire with an evaluation of the satisfaction with their practical training and a self assessment of their practical competencies. The paediatric skills training with student peer teachers received significantly better ratings than the conventional skills training by paediatric doctors concerning both the quality of the practical training and the support by the teaching medical staff. Self assessed learning success in practical skills was higher rated in the peer teaching program than in the conventional training. The peer assisted teaching program of paediatric skills training was rated higher by the students regarding their satisfaction with the teaching quality and their self assessment of the acquired skills. Clinical skills training by student peer teachers have to be supervised by paediatric doctors. Paediatric doctors seem to be more motivated for their own teaching tasks if they are assisted by student peer teachers. More research is needed to investigate the influence of peer teaching on the motivation of paediatric doctors to teach medical students und the academic performance of the student peers.

  13. Helping physics teacher-candidates develop questioning skills through innovative technology use

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Milner-Bolotin, Marina

    2015-12-01

    Peer Instruction has been used successfully in undergraduate classrooms for decades. Its success depends largely on the quality of multiple-choice questions. Yet it is still rare in secondary schools because of teachers' lack of experience in designing, evaluating, and implementing conceptual questions. Research-based multiple-choice conceptual questions are also underutilized in physics teacher education. This study explores the implementation of Peer Instruction enhanced by PeerWise collaborative online system, in a physics methods course in a physics teacher education program.

  14. Measuring Teachers and Learners' Perceptions of the Quality of Their Online Learning Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gómez-Rey, Pilar; Barbera, Elena; Fernández-Navarro, Francisco

    2016-01-01

    This article explores the quality of the online learning experience based on the Sloan-C framework and the Online Learning Consortium's (OLC) quality scorecard. The OLC index has been implemented to evaluate quality in online programs from different perspectives. Despite this, the opinions of learners are ignored, and it is built using feedback…

  15. A Multi-Instrument Examination of Preschool Classroom Quality and the Relationship between Program, Classroom, and Teacher Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Denny, Joanna Hope; Hallam, Rena; Homer, Karen

    2012-01-01

    Research Findings: A statewide study of preschool classroom quality was conducted using 3 distinct classroom observation measures in order to inform a statewide quality rating system. Findings suggested that Tennessee preschool classrooms were approaching "good" quality on the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R)…

  16. Classroom processes and positive youth development: conceptualizing, measuring, and improving the capacity of interactions between teachers and students.

    PubMed

    Pianta, Robert C; Hamre, Bridget K

    2009-01-01

    The National Research Council's (NRC) statement and description of features of settings that have value for positive youth development have been of great importance in shifting discourse toward creating programs that capitalize on youth motivations toward competence and connections with others. This assets-based approach to promote development is consistent with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) framework for measuring and improving the quality of teacher-student interactions in classroom settings. This chapter highlights the similarities between the CLASS and NRC systems and describes the CLASS as a tool for standardized measurement and improvement of classrooms and their effects on children. It argues that the next important steps to be taken in extending the CLASS and NRC frameworks involve reengineering assessments of teacher and classroom quality and professional development around observations of teachers' performance. This might include using observations in policies regarding teacher quality or a "highly effective teacher" that may emanate from the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind and moving away from a course or workshop mode of professional development to one that ties supports directly to teachers' practices in classroom settings.

  17. What the Research Says about Class Size, Professional Development, and Recruitment, Induction, and Retention of Highly Qualified Teachers: A Compendium of the Evidence on Title II, Part A, Program-Funded Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krasnoff, Basha

    2015-01-01

    States and districts have the flexibility to creatively use Title II, Part A funds to address teacher quality issues. Currently, three strategies predominate--class size reduction, professional development, and recruitment, induction, and retention of highly qualified teachers. Each strategy is implemented with the intention of improving teaching…

  18. Teachers’ patterns of implementation of an evidence-based intervention and student outcomes: results from a nationwide dissemination over 24-months follow-up

    PubMed Central

    Stanton, Bonita; Wang, Bo; Deveaux, Lynette; Lunn, Sonja; Rolle, Glenda; Mortimer, Arvis; Li, Xiaoming; Marshall, Sharon; Poitier, Maxwell; Adderley, Richard

    2015-01-01

    More information is needed about factors influencing real-life implementation and program impact of interventions effective in controlled study conditions. Ongoing national implementation of an evidence-based HIV prevention program targeting grade 6 students in The Bahamas offers the opportunity to examine patterns of implementation and relate them to student outcomes. Data were collected from 208 grade 6 teachers, 75 grade 7 teachers and 4,411 grade 6 students followed over two years. Mixed-effects modeling analysis examined the association of teachers’ patterns of implementation with student outcomes. High quality program implementation in grade 6 (high implementation dosage and fidelity) was significantly related to student outcomes six and 18 months post-intervention. Quality of implementation of the booster session in grade 7 was also significantly related to student outcomes in grade 7. Quality of delivery of the brief booster session a year after initial implementation is important in maintaining or resetting the student outcome trajectory. PMID:26093781

  19. Increasing the Quality of Tier 1 Reading Instruction: Using Performance Feedback to Increase Opportunities to Respond during Implementation of a Core Reading Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cuticelli, Mari; Collier-Meek, Melissa; Coyne, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Recent data on reading achievement indicates that a majority of young students are reading below proficiency. However, current research has shown that providing students with quality, research-based reading instruction can help prevent many reading difficulties. Through the use of core reading programs, teachers have tools available to be able to…

  20. The Interaction Effects of Program Training, Dosage, and Implementation Quality on Targeted Student Outcomes for The RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reyes, Maria Regina; Brackett, Marc A.; Rivers, Susan E.; Elbertson, Nicole A.; Salovey, Peter

    2012-01-01

    This study examined how training, dosage, and implementation quality of a social and emotional learning program, The RULER Approach, were related to students' social and emotional competencies. There were no main effects for any of the variables on student outcomes, but students had more positive outcomes when their teachers (a) attended more…

  1. Winning with Pinning: Enhancing Health and Physical Education with Pinterest

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franks, Hillary; Krause, Jennifer M.

    2017-01-01

    Social media can enhance teaching and learning by contributing to a quality health and physical education (HPE) program. Social networking has equipped HPE teachers with many novel resources for use in their classrooms. Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) is a social media website that allows teachers to search and find lesson ideas and professional…

  2. Professional Development for Mathematics Teachers: Using Task Design and Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Hea-Jin; Özgün-Koca, S. Asli

    2016-01-01

    This study is based on a Task Design and Analysis activity from a year-long professional development program. The activity was designed to increase teacher growth in several areas, including knowledge of mathematics, understanding of students' cognitive activity, knowledge of good questions, and ability to develop and improve high quality tasks.…

  3. CLASS Reliability Training as Professional Development for Preschool Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casbergue, Renée M.; Bedford, April Whatley; Burstein, Karen

    2014-01-01

    Use of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is increasing across the United States as an important indicator of the quality of programs for young children. Professional development is required to facilitate teachers' understanding of the instructional behaviors upon which they will be judged. This study investigated the use of the…

  4. Infusing Multicultural Literature into Teacher Education Programs: Three Instructional Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howlett, Kristina M.; Bowles, Freddie A.; Lincoln, Felicia

    2017-01-01

    Today's classrooms in the United States reflect the growing diversity of the changing world. In order to prepare high-quality multicultural educators, the authors of this article, three teacher educators at a large, mid-south, research-one university, collaborated to share successful strategies to infuse multicultural literature into the three…

  5. Formal Education, Credential, or Both: Early Childhood Program Classroom Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vu, Jennifer A.; Jeon, Hyun-Joo; Howes, Carollee

    2008-01-01

    Research Findings: This study is intended to widen the debate around the bachelor's degree (BA) as preparation for early childhood teaching when head teachers possess various levels of credentials and education. We examined classroom quality and teacher involvement in 231 classrooms sponsored by 122 different agencies, staffed and supervised by…

  6. Factors Contributing to Attrition as Reported by Leavers of Secondary Agriculture Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lemons, Laura L.; Brashears, M. Todd; Burris, Scott; Meyers, Courtney; Price, Margaret A.

    2015-01-01

    There exists in our profession a persistent shortage of quality teachers in our high school agricultural education classrooms. A multitude of studies have identified challenges faced by agriculture teachers, however, few, if any, have investigated reasons for attrition by directly asking leavers why they left. This study sought to identify reasons…

  7. Regenerating Rural Social Space? Teacher Education for Rural-Regional Sustainability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reid, Jo-Anne; Green, Bill; Cooper, Maxine; Hastings, Wendy; Lock, Graeme; White, Simone

    2010-01-01

    The complex interconnection among issues affecting rural-regional sustainability requires an equally complex program of research to ensure the attraction and retention of high-quality teachers for rural children. The educational effects of the construction of the rural within a deficit discourse are highlighted. A concept of rural social space is…

  8. Promoting Student-Teacher Interactions: Exploring a Peer Coaching Model for Teachers in a Preschool Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Stacy R.; Finlon, Kristy J.; Kobak, Roger; Izard, Carroll E.

    2017-01-01

    Peer coaching provides an attractive alternative to traditional professional development for promoting classroom quality in a sustainable, cost-effective manner by creating a collaborative teaching community. This exploratory study describes the development and evaluation of the Colleague Observation And CoacHing (COACH) program, a peer coaching…

  9. Natural Sciences Teachers' Skills of Managing the Constructivist Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Can, Sendil; Kaymakçi, Güliz

    2015-01-01

    The quality of education and instruction is related to effective execution of educational and instructional activities and efficiency of these activities is related to how the class is managed. Considered to be the manager of the classroom processes and program, teachers are expected to effectively direct and manage various material and human…

  10. The TQM "Walk the Talk" Classroom Pilot Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leigh, David

    The "Walk the Talk" classroom model was developed at Temple Junior College, in Texas, to help teachers include the principles of total quality management (TQM) in the classroom. This report presents results from a pilot project in which 29 teachers implemented the model. Following a brief summary, key elements of the model and the pilot…

  11. No Teachers Left Behind: An Exploration of Preschool Teacher Preparation Programs in Massachusetts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Brien, Ellen J.

    2012-01-01

    Recognizing the importance of early childhood education for young children, states are planning and implementing initiatives to assure greater access to high-quality, elementary-school based preschool. In the field of early childhood education the leading professional organizations, such as the National Association for the Education of Young…

  12. Understanding Teacher Change: A National Survey of U.S. Physical Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kern, Ben D.; Graber, Kim C.

    2018-01-01

    Physical education is critical to addressing childhood obesity, yet many school-based programs do not meet established quality standards and teachers are called upon to change. Little is known about how change is initiated and its associated internal and external factors. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate physical education…

  13. Mentor Policy and the Quality of Mentoring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Polikoff, Morgan S.; Desimone, Laura M.; Porter, Andrew C.; Hochberg, Eric D.

    2015-01-01

    Mentoring is a common form of support for beginning teachers. State and district mentoring policies vary along a number of dimensions, yet policymakers have little evidence to draw on in designing effective mentoring programs. We use quantitative and qualitative data from a study of beginning middle school mathematics teachers in 10 districts to…

  14. Teachers' Evaluation of Professional Development in Support of National Reforms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gökmenoglu, Tuba; Clark, Christopher M.

    2015-01-01

    As in many other nations, the Turkish education system has undergone many significant curricular and structural reforms in the last decade. This study was designed to learn from teachers about the quality of professional development programs that were designed to support national reforms. Ten years into a period of intensive national reform,…

  15. Science Specialists or Classroom Teachers: Who Should Teach Elementary Science?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levy, Abigail Jurist; Jia, Yueming; Marco-Bujosa, Lisa; Gess-Newsome, Julie; Pasquale, Marian

    2016-01-01

    This study examined science programs, instruction, and student outcomes at 30 elementary schools in a large, urban district in the northeast United States in an effort to understand whether there were meaningful differences in the quality, quantity and cost of science education when provided by a science specialist or a classroom teacher. Student…

  16. Science educators' perceptions of problems facing science education: A report of five surveys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gallagher, James Joseph; Yager, Robert E.

    Five groups of science educators representing faculty at graduate institutions, graduate students, teachers, supervisors, and leadership conferees were surveyed concerning their perceptions of current problems facing science education. A total of 144 participants provided an average of 4.7 responses. The responses were tabulated using an emergent set of categories that resulted in six major groupings, i.e. conceptual, organizational, teacher; related, student-related, university, and societal. The category with the most problems identified was in the area of conceptual problems. University related problems and organizational problems were the next two most frequently mentioned categories for problems. Specific problems in all categories most often cited include the following:1confusion and uncertainty in goals and objectives;2lack of vision and leadership in schools and universities;3absence of a theoretical base for science education;4poor quality teacher education programs;5inappropriate avenues for continuing education of teachers; limited dialogue between researchers and practitioners; declining enrollments; poor quality teaching and counseling; insufficient programs in science for the wide spectrum of students; and public and parental apathy towards science.

  17. The influence of a train-the-trainer professional development on teacher perceptions of science integration and inquiry-based instruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blythe, Jessica Marie

    The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of the train-the-trainer professional development form of professional development on participants' perceptions of agriscience integration and inquiry-based instruction (IBI). The independent variables considered were elements of high-quality professional development, such as duration, active participation, coherence, and school culture; teacher attitudes towards professional development; and teacher demographics. The dependent variables assessed were teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to assess the impacts of a teacher professional development program and experimental follow-up support on secondary teachers' perceptions of science integration and IBI. This study was a census of all teachers who attended a 2012 professional development workshop facilitated by a National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador at the FFA and/or NAAE National Convention. Participants completed four surveys over the subsequent year to assess their perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Descriptive methods were used to analyze teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Correlations and follow-up regression analysis were conducted to determine the relationships between the teachers' perceptions and the elements of high-quality teacher professional development. Results of the study revealed that respondents had favorable perceptions of science integration into agriculture programs and planned to increase the levels of science integration in their programs. Additionally, a majority of respondents reported utilizing IBI more than once a week. Because participants of the study did not utilize the experimental follow-up support system for the workshop, clear effects could not be determined. There was a positive correlation between science integration and IBI. A variation of positive and negative correlations was found between the dependent and independent variables. Five models were found to be significant predictors of respondents' perceptions of science integration three models were found to be significant predictors of IBI. These findings indicate that teachers perceive science integration and IBI as positive influences in secondary agriculture education which supports the integration of science and science teaching techniques in secondary agriculture education programs. Though relationships exist between science integration and IBI, and various elements of school culture and professional development, further investigation is needed to better understand these relationships and their predictive variability.

  18. Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten through Second Grade.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michigan State Board of Education, Lansing.

    Recognizing the value and need for quality early childhood education programs for children ages four through eight years, the Michigan State Board of Education appointed an ad hoc committee to develop standards of quality. Based on the draft developed by this committee, this standards guide is designed to assist administrators, teachers, and…

  19. The Importance and Use of Quality Literature in the Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carus, Marianne

    The author argues that children learn best when they are exposed to literature of good quality, such as that chosen for her magazine, "Cricket." With literature as the focus, the good teacher can develop a fully correlated language arts program. Using quality material in a lively and entertaining manner, "Cricket" lays…

  20. Breathing In

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mahoney, Daniel P.

    2008-01-01

    Healthful indoor air quality (IAQ) in education facilities can improve the learning environment for students, enhance teacher job satisfaction, and reduce staff complaints. A proactive indoor air quality program helps identify and eliminate conditions that could lead to IAQ complaints, building-related illnesses, and workers' compensation claims.…

  1. On the Quality of Examples in Introductory Java Textbooks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borstler, Jurgen; Nordstrom, Marie; Paterson, James H.

    2011-01-01

    Example programs play an important role in the teaching and learning of programming. Students as well as teachers rank examples as the most important resources for learning to program. Example programs work as role models and must therefore always be consistent with the principles and rules we are teaching. However, it is difficult to find or…

  2. Meeting the Demands of Science Reforms: A Comprehensive Professional Development for Practicing Middle School Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pringle, Rose M.; Mesa, Jennifer; Hayes, Lynda

    2018-03-01

    Preparing teachers to teach science consistent with current reforms in science education is a daunting enterprise given a lack of high-quality science professional development (PD) adaptable across various contexts (Wilson 2013). This study examines the impact of a comprehensive professional development program on middle school teachers' disciplinary content knowledge and instructional practices. In this mixed methods investigation, data sources included classroom observations, content knowledge assessments, surveys, and a range of interviews. The teachers in the program showed significant improvements in their disciplinary content knowledge and demonstrated through their enactment of a reform-based curriculum, a range of ability levels to translate their knowledge into instructional practices consistent with the principles espoused in the PD. We conclude that programs that attend to elements of effective PD identified in the literature can positively impact middle school science teachers' enactment of reform-based science teaching. Our findings extend these elements to include the strategic engagement of school and district leadership and the provision of a safe learning space for teachers to collectively engage in reciprocal learning and critical practice. This study has worldwide implications for designing PD for science teachers and for extending our understanding of the impact of each element.

  3. 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.

  4. High School Teachers’ Openness to Adopting New Practices: The Role of Personal Resources and Organizational Climate

    PubMed Central

    Pas, Elise T.; Loh, Deanna; Debnam, Katrina J.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.

    2016-01-01

    Although evidence-based practices for students’ social, emotional, and behavioral health are readily available, their adoption and quality implementation in schools are of increasing concern. Teachers are vital to implementation; yet, there is limited research on teachers’ openness to adopting new practices, which may be essential to successful program adoption and implementation. The current study explored how perceptions of principal support, teacher affiliation, teacher efficacy, and burnout relate to teachers’ openness to new practices. Data came from 2,133 teachers across 51 high schools. Structural equation modeling assessed how organizational climate (i.e., principal support and teacher affiliation) related to teachers’ openness directly and indirectly via teacher resources (i.e., efficacy and burnout). Teachers with more favorable perceptions of both principal support and teacher affiliation reported greater efficacy, and, in turn, more openness; however, burnout was not significantly associated with openness. Post hoc analyses indicated that among teachers with high levels of burnout, only principal support related to greater efficacy, and in turn, higher openness. Implications for promoting teachers’ openness to new program adoption are discussed. PMID:28533823

  5. Research Experiences for Teachers: The Impacts on Their Students and the Economy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dubner, J.

    2006-12-01

    In contrast to most other professions, schools require no real apprenticeship training of science teachers. Imagine the evolution of the career of a modern scientist who was required to undertake an independent research position immediately on completion of his/her Ph.D. Or imagine the quality of United States medical care if physicians began practicing medicine and surgery immediately upon graduation from medical school. This is the situation for teachers. Overall, only 38% of United States teachers have had any on-the-job training in their first teaching position, and in some cases this consisted of a few meetings over the course of a year between the beginning teacher and the assigned mentor or master teacher. Research shows that teacher expertise is one of the most important factors in raising student achievement. A review of 60 studies found that investing in support for teacher expertise was the most cost-effective way to increase student achievement. Seeking ways to address these matters, scientists and educators throughout the United States developed a variety of intensive professional development programs for science teachers. Data derived from Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers will be presented showing strong evidence that Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) are one of the most effective forms of professional development yet identified for secondary school science teachers. The economic benefits to city, state and federal government of teacher participation in an RET are very large, both in absolute terms and in comparison to program costs.

  6. University and Elementary School Perspectives of Ideal Elementary Science Teacher Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sewart, Bethany Bianca

    Teacher education knowledge, skills, and dispositions have recently become a well-discussed topic among education scholars around the nation, mainly due to its attention by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) over the past few years. Accrediting agencies, such as NCATE and the Interstate New Teacher and Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), have sought to improve the quality of teacher education programs by examining knowledge, skills, and dispositions as factors in preparing highly-qualified teachers. There is a paucity of research examining these factors for elementary science teachers. Because these factors influence instruction, and students are behind in scientific and mathematical knowledge, elementary science teachers should be studied. Teacher knowledge, skills, and dispositions should be further researched in order to ultimately increase the quality of teachers and teacher education programs. In this particular case, by determining what schools of education and public schools deem important knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to teach science, higher education institutions and schools can collaborate to further educate these students and foster the necessary qualities needed to teach effectively. The study of knowledge, skills, and dispositions is crucial to nurturing effective teaching within the classroom. Results from this study demonstrated that there were prominent knowledge, skills, and dispositions identified by teachers, administrators, and science teacher educators as important for effective teaching of elementary science. These characteristics included: a willingness to learn, or open-mindedness; content knowledge; planning, organization, and preparation; significance of teaching science; and science-related assessment strategies. Interestingly, administrators in the study responded differently than their counterparts in the following areas: their self-evaluation of teacher effectiveness; how the teaching of science is valued; the best approach to science teaching; and planning for science instruction. When asked of their teaching effectiveness while teaching science, principals referred to enjoying science teaching and improving their practice, while teachers and science teacher educators discussed content knowledge. Administrators valued conducting experiments and hands-on science while teaching science, while their educational counterparts valued creating student connections and providing real-life applications to science for students. In their professional opinions, administrators preferred a hands-on approach to science teaching. Teachers and science teacher educators stated that they view scientific inquiry, exploration, and discovery as effective approaches to teaching within their classrooms. Administrators predicted that teachers would state that lack of resources affects their lesson planning in science. However, teachers and science teacher educators asserted that taking time to plan for science instruction was most important.

  7. Innovatively Supporting Teachers' Implementation of School-Based Sex Education: Developing A Web-Based Coaching Intervention From Problem to Solution.

    PubMed

    Schutte, Lisette; van den Borne, Marieke; Kok, Gerjo; Meijer, Suzanne; Mevissen, Fraukje Ef

    2016-07-12

    Full program implementation is crucial for effectiveness but is often overlooked or insufficiently considered during development of behavioral change interventions. For school-based health promotion programs, teachers are key players in program implementation, but teacher support in this phase is mostly limited to technical support and information. To ensure optimal implementation of the Dutch school-based sexual health program Long Live Love, a Web-based coaching website was developed to support teachers in completeness and fidelity of program implementation. The aim of this paper is to provide insight into the process of systematic development of a Web-based coaching intervention to support teachers in their implementation of a school-based sexual health program. The intervention mapping (IM) protocol was applied for the development of a theory- and evidence-based intervention. The IM process begins with (1) a needs assessment, followed by (2) the formulation of change objectives, (3) the selection of theory-based intervention methods and practical applications that take the parameters for effectiveness into consideration, (4) integration of practical applications into an organized program, (5) planning for adoption, implementation, and sustainability of the program, and finally, (6) generating an evaluation plan to measure program effectiveness. Teacher's implementation behavior was characterized by inconsistently selecting parts of the program and not delivering (all) lessons as intended by program developers. Teachers, however, did not perceive this behavior as problematic, revealing the discrepancy between teacher's actual and perceived need for support in delivering Long Live Love lessons with completeness and fidelity. Teachers did, however, acknowledge different difficulties they encountered which could potentially negatively influence the quality of implementation. With the IM protocol, this Web-based coaching intervention was developed based on a concept of unobtrusive coaching, by and for teachers, to bring about change in teachers' implementation behavior. This paper provides an example of a Web-based intervention to bring about behavioral change in a target group of intermediaries who lack intrinsic motivation for coaching and who's perceptions differ from their actual problematic behavior. The IM protocol is a useful tool for guiding the scientific development of interventions and making them compatible with the needs and preferences of the target group.

  8. Implementing Physical Best in Higher Education Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ayers, Suzan F.; Martinez, Ray D.

    2007-01-01

    Since the emphases of physical education teacher education (PETE) programs can be linked to quality K-12 instruction, embedding Physical Best (PB) materials into existing PETE curricula can be a practical means of addressing the obesity crisis in the public schools. The PB program is a comprehensive, health-related fitness education program that…

  9. The USDA and K-12 Partnership: A Model Program for Federal Agencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Timothy P.; Wilson, Craig; Upchurch, Dan R.; Goldberg, Maria; Bentz, Adrienne

    2011-01-01

    The Future Scientists Program of Texas A&M University and the Agricultural Research Service branch of USDA serves as a model program of effective collaboration between a federal agency and K-12. It demonstrates true partnership that contextualizes learning of science and provides quality professional development, benefiting teachers and their…

  10. 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.

  11. NGSS and the Next Generation of Science Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bybee, Rodger W.

    2014-03-01

    This article centers on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and their implications for teacher development, particularly at the undergraduate level. After an introduction to NGSS and the influence of standards in the educational system, the article addresses specific educational shifts—interconnecting science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts; recognizing learning progressions; including engineering; addressing the nature of science, coordinating with Common Core State Standards. The article continues with a general discussion of reforming teacher education programs and a concluding discussion of basic competencies and personal qualities of effective science teachers.

  12. Making Sense of a Day in the Woods: Outdoor Adventure Experiences and Early Childhood Teacher Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lamorey, Suzanne

    2013-01-01

    Less than one third of early childhood educators have a bachelor's degree, yet national indicators of high-quality early childhood program standards emphasize the importance of higher education for these practitioners. In order to adequately serve and retain these nontraditional learners as they strive to earn their degrees, teacher education…

  13. Global Vision, Local Reality: Transforming Pre-Primary Teacher Training in Tanzania

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilinski, Bethany; Nguyen, Cuong Huy; Landgraf, Jessica M.

    2016-01-01

    Global attention to early childhood education (ECE) has led to an increased focus on ECE teacher training as a critical component of providing young children with access to high-quality ECE programs. In this paper, we ask how Tanzanian stakeholders at different levels of implementation experienced and responded to efforts to build capacity in…

  14. 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…

  15. If You Build It, They Will Come (or Not): Going the Distance in Teacher Candidate Recruitment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bulger, Sean; Jones, Emily M.; Taliaferro, Andrea R.; Wayda, Valerie

    2015-01-01

    There are persistent concerns in the literature related to recruitment and retention of highly qualified teacher candidates who are capable of achieving contemporary goals and meeting the professional expectations associated with the delivery of quality physical education programs in schools. The purpose of this article is to provide physical…

  16. Factors Influencing the Retention of Secondary Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dainty, Julie D.; Sandford, Brian A.; Su, Sho-Hsien; Belcher, Gregory G.

    2011-01-01

    The impact of teacher retention on quality education has inspired a great deal of research. Although many factors have been identified as contributors, few have been specific to the career and technical education (CTE) area and the diversity of CTE programs demands a more specific approach. The purpose of this study was to identify specific…

  17. A Collaborative Data Chat: Teaching Summative Assessment Data Use in Pre-Service Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Piro, Jody S.; Dunlap, Karen; Shutt, Tammy

    2014-01-01

    As the quality of educational outputs has been problematized, accountability systems have driven reform based upon summative assessment data. These policies impact the ways that educators use data within schools and subsequently, how teacher education programs may adjust their curricula to teach data-driven decision-making to inform instruction.…

  18. "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…

  19. Innovation for Teacher Quality. Final Regulations. Federal Register, Department of Education, 34 CFR Part 230

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Archives and Records Administration, 2005

    2005-01-01

    The Secretary issues regulations prescribing criteria to be used in selecting eligible members of the Armed Forces to participate in the Troops-to-Teachers program and receive financial assistance. These regulations implement section 2303(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (Act). The regulations also define the…

  20. A Professional Development Program Evaluation: Teacher Efficacy, Learning, and Transfer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tomonari, Dana Anne Miyuki

    2012-01-01

    Although professional development is an important means of improving both teachers' skills and student outcomes, there is a dearth of high quality empirical research on the efficacy of such efforts. The efficacy of the Challenging Behavior Process was assessed using a mixed method approach which included the use of pre-, post-, and follow-up…

  1. Challenges Confronting Career-Changing Beginning Teachers: A Qualitative Study of Professional Scientists Becoming Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watters, James J.; Diezmann, Carmel M.

    2015-01-01

    Recruitment of highly qualified science and mathematics graduates has become a widespread strategy to enhance the quality of education in the field of STEM. However, attrition rates are very high suggesting preservice education programs are not preparing them well for the career change. We analyse the experiences of professionals who are…

  2. Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep: Physiological Considerations in the Classroom for Alternative Certification Teachers. Editor's Perspective Article

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evans, Brian R.

    2012-01-01

    Proper nutrition, adequate amounts of physical activity, and sufficient amounts of sleep are three important variables for healthy children. Alternative certification teachers quickly enter the classroom at the beginning of their programs and may encounter disengaged students who lack the energy needed for quality learning and achievement.…

  3. School-Based Professional Development in One Lebanese School: How Much Is Too Much?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nabhani, Mona; Bahous, Rima; Hamdan, Zeina

    2012-01-01

    This case study examines the attitudes of the secondary and middle school teachers at one school in Lebanon regarding the effect of the school's professional development (PD) programs on the quality of their teaching practices and motivation. It also examines teachers' attitudes regarding PD as well as their recommendations to improve the quality…

  4. 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…

  5. Developing Empirical Benchmarks of Teacher Knowledge Effect Sizes in Studies of Professional Development Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phelps, Geoffrey; Jones, Nathan; Kelcey, Ben; Liu, Shuangshuang; Kisa, Zahid

    2013-01-01

    Growing interest in teaching quality and accountability has focused attention on the need for rigorous studies and evaluations of professional development (PD) programs. However, the study of PD has been hampered by a lack of suitable instruments. The authors present data from the Teacher Knowledge Assessment System (TKAS), which was designed to…

  6. Factors Affecting Variance in Classroom Assessment Scoring System Scores: Season, Context, and Classroom Composition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buell, Martha; Han, Myae; Vukelich, Carol

    2017-01-01

    Early care and education programme quality is usually assessed at the classroom level. One such measure of classroom quality is the classroom assessment scoring system (CLASS). In an effort to ensure higher quality programming, the CLASS is being used to direct teacher professional development. However, there has been relatively little research on…

  7. A description of a staff development program: Preparing the elementary school classroom teacher to lead environmental field trips and to use an integrated subject approach to environmental education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Egana, John Joseph

    This study of the Field Trip Specialist Program (FTS) described how a professional development plan fostered change in the traditional roles of third and fourth grade teachers. Teachers that volunteered were prepared to become interpretive guides for their class on environmental field trips, integrate their basic subject areas lessons into an environmental science context, and develop their self-perception as professional educators. This qualitative study made use of quantitative data and drew on information collected over four years from surveys, interviews, classroom observations, field trip and workshop observations, focus groups, journals and assessments performed in Florida. The FTS Program attracted teachers who thought it was important for all students to understand environmental issues, and these teachers believed in integrated instruction. These beliefs were inconsistent with many aspects of school culture. FTS invited the participation of these teachers and encouraged them to take control of the program by serving as instructors and program developers. Teachers described themselves as prepared to deliver the FTS Program with a high level of motivation and relevance. They also credited the program as beneficial in preparation for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests (FCAT). Teachers reported that their responsibility as field trip leaders was the primary factor motivating them to provide conscientious presentation of pre- and post-field trip lessons and thorough integration of environmental topics in basic subject area instruction. Despite the impact of the field trip leadership factor, I could not find another program in the State of Florida that required teachers to lead their own field trips. Other influential factors specific to this program were: Voluntary participation, on-site field instruction, peer instructors and program developers, high quality and task specific materials, and pre- and post-assessments for students. Factors were identified in the FTS staff development plan that could be generalized to all staff development programs. I applied the "stages of concern" from the "Concerns Based Adoption Model"(CBAM) and found FTS to be a participantcentered plan. In addition FTS set demonstrable goals that were understood and desirable for all participants. Finally FTS offered teachers opportunities to adopt leadership roles in their own staff development program.

  8. Working Paper 5: American High Schools; Some Organizational Characteristics and Factors Related to Teacher Satisfaction, Counselor Satisfaction, and the Quality of Counseling Programs. Interim Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnston, Lloyd D.; And Others

    This working paper is the fifth in a series on Youth in Transition. Included are four papers plus comments on these papers. The findings are based on information gathered from approximately 2,000 high school teachers and 300 counselors. The teachers' and counselors' perceptions of the way our high schools are run and the impact of those schools on…

  9. Effective Schools. What Makes a Public School Work Well?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Our Children, 1998

    1998-01-01

    Most effective schools share a number of key characteristics, including clear-cut goals and objectives, adequate funding and financial management, quality academic programs, valid assessment programs, parent and family involvement, teacher and staff development, high expectations for students, community involvement, comprehensive support services,…

  10. Does one size fit all? A study of beginning science and mathematics teacher induction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kralik, Jeffrey M.

    Over the past few years, many induction programs have been implemented across the country, primarily designed to limit the amount beginning teacher attrition. Few of these programs have focused on improving teacher quality or identifying the specific needs of individual teachers. Research suggests that beginning science and mathematics teachers have specific needs that are not being met by current induction models, possibly resulting in higher rates of attrition. Harry and Janet Knowles created the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF) to identify and support young scientists and mathematicians as they dedicate their lives to teaching young people. Through financial, curricular, and emotional support, KSTF encourages new teachers to remain in teaching and become leaders in their schools and districts. This dissertation is a sequential explanatory study, which first establishes national estimates for beginning teacher attrition rates and the reasons for the migration based on subject area taught, with an emphasis on mathematics and science teachers. This study then evaluates the KSTF model through multiple methods---analysis of KSTF survey data and interviews with KSTF participants and stakeholders.

  11. An innovative program for multihandicapped deaf students using the FSSI.

    PubMed

    Garner, D; Becker, H; Schur, S; Hammer, E

    1991-07-01

    Teachers in public schools now have more students with more severe disabilities than they did in the past. Unfortunately, efforts to provide them with a quality education have been hampered by a lack of focused instructional planning. This article describes an innovative program developed for deaf multihandicapped students that has created an integrated focus for instruction. The organizing framework for the program incorporates the Functional Skills Screening Inventory, a domain referenced assessment of living and working skills. This structured approach enables teachers to identify current functional levels, develop meaningful short- and long-term objectives, and monitor student progress throughout their educational programs. It also facilitates long-range planning and evaluation of the instructional program on an ongoing basis.

  12. Promoting Teachers' Implementation of Classroom-Based Prevention Programming Through Coaching: The Mediating Role of the Coach-Teacher Relationship.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Stacy R; Pas, Elise T; Bradshaw, Catherine P; Ialongo, Nicholas S

    2018-05-01

    There is growing awareness of the importance of implementation fidelity and the supports, such as coaching, to optimize it. This study examined how coaching activities (i.e., check-ins, needs assessment, modeling, and technical assistance) related directly and indirectly to implementation dosage and quality of the PAX Good Behavior Game, via a mediating pathway through working relationship. Mediation analyses of 138 teachers revealed direct effects of modeling and working relationship on implementation dosage, whereas needs assessment was associated with greater dosage indirectly, by higher ratings of the working relationship. Understanding how coaching activities promote implementation fidelity elements has implications for improving program effectiveness.

  13. Self-evaluation of assessment programs: a cross-case analysis.

    PubMed

    Baartman, Liesbeth K J; Prins, Frans J; Kirschner, Paul A; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

    2011-08-01

    The goal of this article is to contribute to the validation of a self-evaluation method, which can be used by schools to evaluate the quality of their Competence Assessment Program (CAP). The outcomes of the self-evaluations of two schools are systematically compared: a novice school with little experience in competence-based education and assessment, and an innovative school with extensive experience. The self-evaluation was based on 12 quality criteria for CAPs, including both validity and reliability, and criteria stressing the importance of the formative function of assessment, such as meaningfulness and educational consequences. In each school, teachers, management and examination board participated. Results show that the two schools use different approaches to assure assessment quality. The innovative school seems to be more aware of its own strengths and weaknesses, to have a more positive attitude towards teachers, students, and educational innovations, and to explicitly involve stakeholders (i.e., teachers, students, and the work field) in their assessments. This school also had a more explicit vision of the goal of competence-based education and could design its assessments in accordance with these goals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Developing Membership in the Education of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Inclusive Settings.

    PubMed

    Antia, Shirin D; Stinson, Michael S; Gaustad, Martha Gonter

    2002-01-01

    This article discusses the importance of membership in the inclusive education of deaf/hard-of-hearing (D/HH) students. Membership refers to being an integral part of the classroom and school communities. Membership is a key philosophical concept in inclusion that may influence how classroom teachers and teachers of D/HH students share their expertise and how they work with students and each other. Membership can be contrasted with "visitorship." When programs treat D/HH students as visitors, these students face greater barriers to obtaining a quality education in classes with hearing students. A social constructivist perspective of learning and teaching that requires students in the classroom to interact with one another and the teacher may best promote learning and is consistent with a focus on membership. We suggest that inclusion is possible, but to sustain students as full members of their classes and school, programs must go beyond placement and communication access issues. To facilitate membership, inclusive programs must carefully address teacher attitudes, teacher roles and relationships, student knowledge and curriculum, structural barriers, extracurricular activities, community relationships, and parental support.

  15. Guide to Accreditation, 2010

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Teacher Education Accreditation Council, 2010

    2010-01-01

    The Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), founded in 1997, is dedicated to improving academic degree and certificate programs for professional educators--those who teach and lead in schools, pre-K through grade 12, and to assuring the public of their quality. TEAC accredits undergraduate and graduate programs, including alternate route…

  16. 34 CFR 611.32 - What are the program's general selection criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ....32 Section 611.32 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM... linkages among the partner institutions of higher education and high-need schools and school districts (or...

  17. 34 CFR 611.32 - What are the program's general selection criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ....32 Section 611.32 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM... linkages among the partner institutions of higher education and high-need schools and school districts (or...

  18. Study Blasts Leadership Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Archer, Jeff

    2005-01-01

    A far-reaching study offers a damning assessment of the programs that prepare most of the nation's principals and superintendents. Led by Arthur E. Levine, the president of Teachers College, Columbia University, the report says most university-based preparation programs for administrators range in quality from "inadequate to appalling." The…

  19. The Limits of Programmed Professional Development on Integration of Information and Communication Technology in Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peeraer, Jef; Van Petegem, Peter

    2012-01-01

    In the framework of a development cooperation program on quality of education in Vietnam, a professional development trajectory for teacher educators on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education was developed and implemented over the course of a three-year program. We describe how the framework on "Technological…

  20. Motivations of Educators for Participating in an Authentic Astronomy Research Experience Professional Development Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rebull, L. M.; Roberts, T.; Laurence, W.; Fitzgerald, M. T.; French, D. A.; Gorjian, V.; Squires, G. K.

    2018-01-01

    [This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Astronomy Education Research.] The NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) partners small groups of educators with a research astronomer for a year-long authentic research project. This program aligns well with the characteristics of high-quality professional development (PD) programs…

  1. Hug-a-Book: A Program to Nurture a Young Child's Love of Books and Reading.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gottschall, Susan M.

    1995-01-01

    Describes development of the nonprofit Hug-a Book program to provide preschool sites in impoverished areas of Chicago with quality children's literature. The program assists teachers in planning curricula and literacy-rich environments and helps parents in making books a part of their homes. Suggests appropriate books and criteria for their…

  2. Culture and Child Development in Early Childhood Programs: Practices for Quality Education and Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howes, Carollee

    2009-01-01

    Early childhood education programs are expected to provide exemplary care for all children--poor and affluent; children of color and White children--while also adapting care to include children's families and cultures. These two sets of expectations are often difficult for teachers and programs to meet. In this book, Carollee Howes shows how…

  3. Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit. Second Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

    This kit contains materials to assist a school indoor air quality (IAQ) coordinator in conducting a school IAQ program. The kit contains the following: IAQ coordinator's guide; IAQ coordinator forms; IAQ backgrounder; teacher's classroom checklist; administrative staff checklist; health officer/school nurse checklist; ventilation checklist and…

  4. Effective Elementary Social Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoge, John Douglas

    This book advocates providing high-quality K-6 social studies instruction. The text provides practical information on how teachers can conduct high-quality social studies programs in their classrooms. The volume is divided into three parts. Part 1 offers an overview of the formal and informal social studies curriculum, its history, current status,…

  5. 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.

  6. Development of Teacher Leadership: A Multi-Faceted Approach to Bringing about Improvements in Rural Elementary Schools in Pakistan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ali, Takbir

    2014-01-01

    This article reports on a school improvement initiative undertaken by a private university in Pakistan. The Whole School Improvement Programme, designed with the purpose to improve the quality of education appropriate to children and teachers of poor communities, is being implemented in selected elementary schools. Central to the program is…

  7. Supporting and Resourcing Secondary Science Teachers in Rural and Regional Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kenny, John; Seen, Andrew; Purser, John

    2008-01-01

    This paper reports on the outcomes of a pilot project to support secondary teachers of science in rural and regional Tasmania. The pilot project involved eight regional schools and was based on the provision of a kit of materials and an associated learning program that used brine shrimp or "sea-monkeys" to test for water quality. The…

  8. 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…

  9. Evaluation of Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) Professional Development. Final Report. NCEE 2012-4005

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bos, Johannes M.; Sanchez, Raquel C.; Tseng, Fannie; Rayyes, Nada; Ortiz, Lorena; Sinicrope, Castle

    2012-01-01

    To add to the evidence base on effective strategies for teaching English language learner students, the 2006-2011 REL West at WestEd conducted a rigorous study, using an intent-to-treat model, of the impact on middle grades student achievement of offering teachers the opportunity to participate in a teacher professional development program. The…

  10. "MyTeachingPartner--Math/Science" Pre-Kindergarten Curricula and Teacher Supports: Associations with Children's Mathematics and Science Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinzie, Mable B.; Whittaker, Jessica Vick; Williford, Amanda P.; DeCoster, Jamie; McGuire, Patrick; Lee, Youngju; Kilday, Carolyn R.

    2014-01-01

    "MyTeachingPartner--Math/Science" ("MTP-MS") is a system of two curricula (math and science) plus teacher supports designed to improve the quality of instructional interactions in pre-kindergarten classrooms and to scaffold children's development in mathematics and science. The program includes year-long curricula in these…

  11. Where Is the "E" in STEM for Young Children? Engineering Design Education in an Elementary Teacher Preparation Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DiFrancesca, Daniell; Lee, Carrie; McIntyre, Ellen

    2014-01-01

    Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education initiatives in the United States have surged as the demand for high-quality STEM education has escalated (Nadelson, Callahan, Pyke, Hay, & Schrader, 2009; Parry, 2011). The goal of this article is to present a description of how one STEM-focused elementary teacher preparation…

  12. Confucius Institute Programming in the United States: Language Ideology, Hegemony, and the Making of Chinese Culture in University Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stambach, Amy

    2015-01-01

    This article explores how Confucius Institute teachers and U.S. students use language to index qualities of Chinese people and culture. The study draws on the model of "linguistic fact" to argue that students' and teachers' contextualized use of language occurs in relation to their different yet naturalized assumptions about a commonly…

  13. Tapping the Principal Pipeline: Identifying Talent for Future School Leadership in the Absence of Formal Succession Management Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myung, Jeannie; Loeb, Susanna; Horng, Eileen

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: In light of the difficulty many districts face finding quality principal candidates, this article explores an informal recruitment mechanism of teachers to become principals, which the authors call tapping. The authors assess the extent to which current teachers are being approached by school leaders to consider leadership and whether…

  14. Can Technology Replace Teachers? Quality Debated as Districts Tap Tech over Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quillen, Ian

    2012-01-01

    Of all the recent budget cuts made by the Eagle County, Colorado, school district, none sparked as much anger or faced the same scrutiny as the decision to cut three foreign-language teaching positions and replace them with online instruction. At a spring school board meeting, supporters of the targeted programs in French and German, as well as…

  15. Explore the Future: Will Books Have a Place in the Computer Classroom?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jobe, Ronald A.

    The question of the place of books in a classroom using computers appears to be simple, yet it is one of vital concern to teachers. The availability of programs (few of which focus on literary appreciation), the mesmerizing qualities of the computer, its distortion of time, the increasing power of computers over teacher time, and the computer's…

  16. Implications of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 for Teacher Education. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trahan, Christopher

    The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) amends and changes programs from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Although the main component of this bill is Title I, it also highlights teacher education quality. NCLB was accompanied, for fiscal year 2002, by the largest increase ever in federal education aid, targeting federal resources to support…

  17. Characteristics of effective classroom teachers as identified by students and professionals: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Jahangiri, Leila; Mucciolo, Thomas W

    2008-04-01

    This qualitative research study identified criteria for teacher quality preferences as perceived by current and past students. A two-question, open-ended survey asking what qualities learners liked most and least in a teacher/presenter was given to two groups: students (Group A) from medicine, dentistry, and related residency programs; and dentists and physicians (Group B) who had graduated at least three years previously and who attended a minimum of two days of continuing education courses in lecture format each year. A total of 300 subjects provided 2,295 written responses. Descriptive words within the responses were coded and grouped according to similar relationships, resulting in the emergence of twenty-one defined categories that were further refined into three core categories: personality, process, and performance. Results showed that the two groups appear to have different preferences in teacher/presenter characteristics. For Group A (students), the categories of content design, content organization, and content development were at the forefront of their preferences. Group B (professionals) overwhelmingly favored elements of speaker self-confidence and expertise. Both groups highly valued expertise and speaking style. These findings can be used to develop curriculum, enhance faculty members' teaching skills, and plan continuing education programs.

  18. Enhancing Early Child Care Quality and Learning for Toddlers at Risk: The Responsive Early Childhood Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Landry, Susan H.; Zucker, Tricia A.; Taylor, Heather B.; Swank, Paul R.; Williams, Jeffrey M.; Assel, Michael; Crawford, April; Huang, Weihua; Clancy-Menchetti, Jeanine; Lonigan, Christopher J.; Phillips, Beth M.; Eisenberg, Nancy; Spinrad, Tracy L.; de Viliers, Jill; de Viliers, Peter; Barnes, Marcia; Starkey, Prentice; Klein, Alice

    2014-01-01

    Despite reports of positive effects of high-quality child care, few experimental studies have examined the process of improving low-quality center-based care for toddler-age children. In this article, we report intervention effects on child care teachers' behaviors and children's social, social-emotional classroom activities (RECC).…

  19. A Comparison of Individual and School Level Approaches to Merit Pay: A Case Study of the Dade County Public Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Provenzo, Eugene F., Jr.; And Others

    This policy study discusses two models of merit pay programs enacted in Florida: the Florida Meritorious Teacher Program and the Quality Instruction Incentives Program (QUIIP). Using the Motivation-Hygiene Theory (Herzberg et al.) as a theoretical framework, each program was analyzed from the perspective of how it worked as a motivator and source…

  20. Using a Non-Equivalent Groups Quasi Experimental Design to Reduce Internal Validity Threats to Claims Made by Math and Science K-12 Teacher Recruitment Programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moin, Laura

    2009-10-01

    The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act national policy established in 2009 calls for ``meaningful data'' that demonstrate educational improvements, including the recruitment of high-quality teachers. The scant data available and the low credibility of many K-12 math/science teacher recruitment program evaluations remain the major barriers for the identification of effective recruitment strategies. Our study presents a methodology to better evaluate the impact of recruitment programs on increasing participants' interest in teaching careers. The research capitalizes on the use of several control groups and presents a non-equivalent groups quasi-experimental evaluation design that produces program effect claims with higher internal validity than claims generated by current program evaluations. With this method that compares responses to a teaching career interest question from undergraduates all along a continuum from just attending an information session to participating (or not) in the recruitment program, we were able to compare the effect of the program in increasing participants' interest in teaching careers versus the evolution of the same interest but in the absence of the program. We were also able to make suggestions for program improvement and further research. While our findings may not apply to other K-12 math/science teacher recruitment programs, we believe that our evaluation methodology does and will contribute to conduct stronger program evaluations. In so doing, our evaluation procedure may inform recruitment program designers and policy makers.

  1. Design of a Teacher Professional Development Program for International Collaborative Astronomy Research in Chile

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pompea, S. M.; Seguel, J.; Sparks, R.; Opazo, L.; Walker, C. E.

    2011-12-01

    We have designed (but not yet implemented) a program where five US teachers will team with five Chilean teachers to conduct high-quality astronomical research in Chile that can be brought back to their classrooms and shared with their students. This project will introduce US teachers to four research projects at the Observatorio Cruz del Sur, one the largest municipal observatories in South America. The program would operate over the course of a year or more, with a month of observing and conducting research in Chile. The observatory is located in the small town of Combarbalá (Limari Province, IV Región de Coquimbo) in a region rich in archeological, historical, and cultural heritage. Teachers will use high-sensitivity digital detectors to take data through telescopes and with cameras as part of four research projects- light pollution research, digital photography of dark large areas of the sky using wide angle cameras, asteroid photometry, and exoplanet photometric studies. The project partners the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (Tucson, Arizona and La Serena, Chile), the Municipality of the town of Combarbalá, the National Observatory of Chile/University of Chile, and REUNA, an internet communication alliance that serves Chilean universities and observatories. Since the US teachers will have their astronomy classes running while they are in Chile, the teachers will be communicating with their classes on a regular basis. The teachers will also be providing long-term access to southern sky data for other teachers and students in the US while establishing the basis for long-term collaborative research. We expect the program to establish long-term international research collaborations among US and Chilean teachers and students.

  2. Immigrant Learners and Their Families: Literacy To Connect the Generations. Language in Education: Theory & Practice 84.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weinstein-Shr, Gail, Ed.; Quintero, Elizabeth, Ed.

    Teachers' and developers' descriptions of intergenerational literacy programs for immigrants are collected here. Topics addressed include appropriate program design, the quality of intergenerational collaboration, student journals, learner-centered curriculum design, traditional and personal storytelling as a literacy approach, education and…

  3. Standards Policies to Support Young Dual Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rendon, Thomas; Harjusola-Webb, Sanna; Gatmaitan, Michelle

    2014-01-01

    In response to increasing numbers of young dual language learners (DLL) in American early childhood programs, teachers and administrators have made many and varied attempts to address the unique needs of this population. Educational success for DLLs comes through skilled educators who address relevant content through high-quality programs and…

  4. 34 CFR 611.50 - What are a grantee's reporting responsibilities?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611... information: (1) The date of the recipient's graduation or withdrawal. (2) The total amount of program funds... standing. (5) Other information as the Secretary may require. (Approved by the Office of Management and...

  5. Technology in Instructional Support Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New York State Education Dept., Albany.

    This manual is intended to provide directors of funded programs and teachers with an awareness of a wide range of technology services, programs, and applications for improving the quality and effectiveness of instructional support services in New York State schools. The first of nine chapters contains two papers: "Technology Support for…

  6. Programming in the Zone: Repertoire Selection for the Large Ensemble

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hopkins, Michael

    2013-01-01

    One of the great challenges ensemble directors face is selecting high-quality repertoire that matches the musical and technical levels of their ensembles. Thoughtful repertoire selection can lead to increased student motivation as well as greater enthusiasm for the music program from parents, administrators, teachers, and community members. Common…

  7. Influencing Teaching: An Inside View of an Outside Interest Group.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rowland, Paul

    The New Mexico Solar Energy Institute (NMSEI) education program has attempted to influence teachers to increase the quantity and quality of teaching about renewable energy sources and their uses. Since 1982, the program has used the following methods for influencing energy education: a newsletter for educators; conference and classroom…

  8. Four Tools for Science Fair Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Sherry Weaver; Messmer, Barbara; Storm, Bill; Weaver, Cheryl

    2007-01-01

    These teacher-tested ideas will guide students in creating true inquiry-based projects. Two of the ideas, the Topic Selection Wizard and Science Project Timeline, are appropriate for all science fair programs, even new ones. For existing programs, the Black Box of Project Improvement and After-School Project Clinic improve project quality and…

  9. Young and Old Together: A Resource Directory of Intergenerational Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento.

    Intended to help various segments of the community, including parents, senior citizens, local representatives of business and industry, retired teachers, and college students in the quest for quality schooling for all children, this directory contains information on intergenerational programs located throughout the state of California. Program…

  10. 34 CFR 611.50 - What are a grantee's reporting responsibilities?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM Scholarships § 611... information: (1) The date of the recipient's graduation or withdrawal. (2) The total amount of program funds... standing. (5) Other information as the Secretary may require. (Approved by the Office of Management and...

  11. Nutrition Education and Training Program, 1985-86. Final Evaluation Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guerrero, Frank; Hunt, Daniel M.

    The New York City Board of Education's Nutrition Education and Training Program was developed and implemented to improve the quality of nutrition education in elementary schools. The project's primary objectives were to: (1) provide elementary school teachers and food service personnel with enhanced knowledge of sound nutrition; (2) provide…

  12. Mastering the Blend: A Professional Development Program for K-12 Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Michelle; Robinson, Heather A.; Sheffield, Anneliese; Phillips, Alana S.

    2017-01-01

    Blended learning is an instructional approach meant to enhance students' learning experiences by merging and deliberately integrating online technology into a face-to-face learning environment. With the increase in online instruction and blended learning comes the need for quality professional development programs that foster learning and…

  13. 34 CFR 611.21 - What are the program's selection criteria for pre-applications?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are the program's selection criteria for pre-applications? 611.21 Section 611.21 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS...

  14. 34 CFR 611.31 - What are the program's selection criteria for pre-applications?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are the program's selection criteria for pre-applications? 611.31 Section 611.31 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS...

  15. Individual and School Organizational Factors that Influence Implementation of the PAX Good Behavior Game Intervention.

    PubMed

    Domitrovich, Celene E; Pas, Elise T; Bradshaw, Catherine P; Becker, Kimberly D; Keperling, Jennifer P; Embry, Dennis D; Ialongo, Nicholas

    2015-11-01

    Evidence-based interventions are being disseminated broadly in schools across the USA, but the implementation levels achieved in community settings vary considerably. The current study examined the extent to which teacher and school factors were associated with implementation dosage and quality of the PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG), a universal classroom-based preventive intervention designed to improve student social-emotional competence and behavior. Specifically, dosage (i.e., number of games and duration of games) across the school year and quality (i.e., how well the game is delivered) of PAX GBG implementation across four time points in a school year were examined. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the association between teacher-level factors (e.g., demographics, self-reports of personal resources, attitudes toward the intervention, and workplace perceptions) and longitudinal implementation data. We also accounted for school-level factors, including demographic characteristics of the students and ratings of the schools' organizational health. Findings indicated that only a few teacher-level factors were significantly related to variation in implementation. Teacher perceptions (e.g., fit with teaching style, emotional exhaustion) were generally related to dosage, whereas demographic factors (e.g., teachers' age) were related to quality. These findings highlight the importance of school contextual and proximal teacher factors on the implementation of classroom-based programs.

  16. Quality Programming in H.P.E.R. Volume II. Selected Papers Presented at the Convention of the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (British Columbia, Canada, June 10-13, 1981). Physical Education Series Number 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, John J., Ed.; Turkington, H. David, Ed.

    This volume contains 27 edited papers, and abstracts of 14 papers, presented during the 1981 convention of the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Subjects discussed are listed in 10 categories: (1) working together for quality programs; (2) challenges facing the physical education teacher; (3) skill development and…

  17. Physical Activity Intensity, Lesson Context, and Teacher Interactions During an Unstructured Afterschool Physical Activity Program.

    PubMed

    Behrens, Timothy K; Miller, Daniel J; Schuna, John M; Liebert, Mina L

    2015-12-01

    Afterschool programs are promising arenas to improve youth physical activity (PA) levels. During the school year for 2012-2013, 5 elementary schools from a low-socioeconomic status (SES) school district in southern Colorado participated in evaluation of the afterschool program entitled Keep It Moving! (KIM). In this cross-sectional analysis we sought to evaluate the relationships among participant PA, teacher interaction, and lesson context during an unstructured afterschool PA program. Participants were third-fifth grade students enrolled in the KIM program at the 5 participating elementary schools and were assessed utilizing accelerometers and direct observation with the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT). Program participants wore the accelerometer 37.1 ± 5.4 min session(-1). Approximately half of the time was spent in light PA (LPA) and 15.7 ± 5.3 min session(-1) in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). Game play was positively associated with LPA and negatively associated with MVPA. When teachers did not promote PA with students there was a positive association with sedentary activity (SA) and a negative association with MVPA. Lesson context and teacher interactions may be important factors associated with PA intensity of afterschool PA programming. Future research should address whether structured PA curricula may improve quality of afterschool PA programming. © 2015, American School Health Association.

  18. The relationship between qualified personnel and self-reported implementation of recommended physical education practices and programs in U.S. schools.

    PubMed

    Davis, Kristen S; Burgeson, Charlene R; Brener, Nancy D; McManus, Tim; Wechsler, Howell

    2005-06-01

    The authors analyzed data from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2000 to assess the associations between the presence of a district physical education coordinator and district-level physical education policies and practices recommended by federal government agencies and national organizations. The authors also examined the relationship between teacher qualifications and staff development related to physical education and self-reported implementation of recommended teachingpractices. District-level data were collected by self-administered mail questionnaires from a nationally representative sample of school districts. Classroom-level data were collected by computer-assisted personal interviews with teachers of randomly selected classes in elementary schools and randomly selected required physical education courses in middle/junior high and senior high schools. Nearly two thirds (62.2%) of districts had a physical education coordinator, and those were generally more likely than other districts to report having policies and practices that corresponded with national recommendations for high-quality physical education programs. More than two thirds of teachers (66.9%) met the criteria for teacher qualifications based on their education and certification. These teachers were more likely than others to report use of certain recommended physical education teaching practices. Teachers who participated in staff development also were more likely to use recommended teaching practices in their classrooms. Using a district physical education coordinator and teachers with appropriate qualifications as well as offering staff development opportunities on physical education may enhance school physical education programs.

  19. Florida First Start Program: Program Planning and Implementation Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee. Office of Early Intervention and School Readiness.

    This guide is designed to facilitate the implementation of the Florida First Start (FFS) program, created to help at-risk children from birth to 3 years of age have the best possible start in life and to support parents in their roles as their children's first teachers. Emphasis is on providing early, high-quality education and support services.…

  20. 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,…

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