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MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHER CERTIFICATION, DEGREE LEVEL, AND EXPERIENCE, AND THE EFFECTS ON TEACHERATTRITION AND STUDENT MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN A LARGE URBAN DISTRICT
Title
MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHER CERTIFICATION, DEGREE LEVEL, AND EXPERIENCE, AND THE EFFECTS ON TEACHERATTRITION AND STUDENT MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN A LARGE URBAN DISTRICT.
Creator
Swan, Bonnie, Hynes, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The purpose of this study was to examine the backgrounds and experiences of middle school mathematics teachers that often distinguish "quality" teachers, including certification, experience, degree type, and degree level and how those demographics and others vary for different types of schools. The emphasis was on profiling teachers in a large urban district by describing their basic features and distributions, as well as how middle school mathematics teachers, according to those differences,...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the backgrounds and experiences of middle school mathematics teachers that often distinguish "quality" teachers, including certification, experience, degree type, and degree level and how those demographics and others vary for different types of schools. The emphasis was on profiling teachers in a large urban district by describing their basic features and distributions, as well as how middle school mathematics teachers, according to those differences, relate to student mathematics achievement, teacher attrition and teacher mobility. Student achievement was measured by test results from the Norm Reference Test-Normal Curve Equivalent (NRT-NCE) mathematics portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) for two school years (2003-04 and 2004-05). A variety of analytic approaches and methods were used to examine how different teacher characteristics relate to teacher employment patterns and student achievement, including chi-square, Kruskal-Wallace, Mann-Whitney U, ANOVA, and t tests, together with simple descriptives and graphical analysis. Standard multiple regression was used to evaluate whether students' previous test scores and teacher- and school-level predictors could affect the results of students' mathematics achievement. A short survey was administered, which provided some insight to ascertain whether and why teachers choose among schools when seeking employment. A total of 282 teachers and 24,766 students were included for the final analysis. This research revealed high rates of teacher turnover and deficient numbers of well qualified mathematics teachers for this particular demographic. For example, one in three middle school mathematics teachers was in their first year, and over half (55%) had less than three years seniority. It was also apparent that, because of a shortage of well-qualified mathematics teachers, many new teachers were being hired out-of-field--of those first-year teachers, only about half had certification in their content area and most (67%) did not have a degree in mathematics or mathematics education. Middle schools in this district had lost 29% of the mathematics teacher workforce employed the previous year due to mathematics teacher attrition. Of those many resigned, some came back to teach another subject at the same or different middle school, and others transferred to high schools. An additional 5% transferred to other middle schools within the same district bringing the total turnover to 34%. Findings revealed no significant differences in turnover rates in high-poverty versus low-poverty schools, but there were significant differences in the proportions of movers, leavers, and stayers in schools according to whether or not a school was achieving high-standards in mathematics. Although inequities did exist in favor of schools with less at-risk students, in this district--for the most part--teachers were fairly distributed according to the "quality" of their backgrounds and experiences. The only significant gap was in that students in wealthier schools were more likely to have a mathematics teacher with a higher degree. This study also offers results that further understanding on the debate about which attributes of teachers are most likely to translate into effective-classroom performance. When analysis was performed at the student level, the findings revealed that students of middle school mathematics teachers with higher seniority, advanced degrees, or certification in the content area that they taught, performed significantly higher than students in other classrooms. Yet the magnitude of those differences was either modest or very small. When controlling for students' socio-economics status at the classroom level, differences were not significant for seniority or advanced degrees but the results were significant for certification.
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Date Issued
2006
Identifier
CFE0001210, ucf:46948
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001210
AN INVESTIGATION OF HIGH SCHOOL GEOMETRY STUDENTS' PROVING AND LOGICAL THINKING ABILITIES AND THE IMPACT OF DYNAMIC GEOMETRY SOFTWARE ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Title
AN INVESTIGATION OF HIGH SCHOOL GEOMETRY STUDENTS' PROVING AND LOGICAL THINKING ABILITIES AND THE IMPACT OF DYNAMIC GEOMETRY SOFTWARE ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE.
Creator
Subramanian, Lalitha, Hynes, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The purpose of this study was to investigate (a) the role of a yearlong geometry course on high school geometry students' logical thinking and proof construction abilities, (b) the linkage between students' logical thinking and proof construction abilities, and (c) the impact of dynamic geometry software on students' performance. In addition, this study also ventured to determine if the type of geometry course had any impact on students' logical thinking and proof construction achievement....
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate (a) the role of a yearlong geometry course on high school geometry students' logical thinking and proof construction abilities, (b) the linkage between students' logical thinking and proof construction abilities, and (c) the impact of dynamic geometry software on students' performance. In addition, this study also ventured to determine if the type of geometry course had any impact on students' logical thinking and proof construction achievement. The sample for the study consisted of 1,325 high school geometry students enrolled in regular, honors, and mastery courses in four high schools from the school district affiliated with the Local Education Agency (LEA) during the academic year 2004-2005. Geometer's Sketchpadä (GSP) was assumed to represent the dynamic geometry software. Responses of students on two pre-tests and two post-tests, each with one on logical thinking and one on proof, were analyzed to address the research questions. Results of the analyses indicated no significant effect of the yearlong geometry course on the performance of students on proof tests but a fairly significant effect on the tests of logical thinking. Use of GSP was found to have some impact on honors and mastery students' performance on proof post-tests. Honors students showed a higher logical thinking level than their regular and mastery counterparts in both GSP and non-GSP groups. There was a significant positive correlation between students' performance on the tests of logical thinking and proof.
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Date Issued
2005
Identifier
CFE0000616, ucf:46546
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000616
WHAT TEACHERS WANT TO KNOW: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF ACTION RESEARCH THESES RELATED TO K-8 MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
Title
WHAT TEACHERS WANT TO KNOW: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF ACTION RESEARCH THESES RELATED TO K-8 MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE.
Creator
Steele, Bridget, Hynes, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The research conducted was a systemic review of 88 action research masters theses from a teacher enhancement program for K-8 mathematics and science at the University of Central Florida and the teachers that performed the studies. The purpose of this study is to synthesize existing research results of a collection of master's theses from a teacher enhancement program for K-8 mathematics and science teachers in order to arrive at meaningful conclusions regarding teachers' research...
Show moreThe research conducted was a systemic review of 88 action research masters theses from a teacher enhancement program for K-8 mathematics and science at the University of Central Florida and the teachers that performed the studies. The purpose of this study is to synthesize existing research results of a collection of master's theses from a teacher enhancement program for K-8 mathematics and science teachers in order to arrive at meaningful conclusions regarding teachers' research interests and classroom practices. Also, the study will help teacher educators who deliver the teacher enhancement program to improve the effectiveness of the program. A summary sheet was filled out for each thesis and teacher, and then entered into a spreadsheet that was later analyzed for reoccurring themes in the data. The results showed themes in topics of action research studies, questions in action research studies, and results of action research studies. There were no trends in characteristics of teachers performing the action research studies.
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Date Issued
2006
Identifier
CFE0001199, ucf:46860
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001199
A STUDY OF AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY OF TEACHERS' HOLISTIC SCORES OF ELEMENTARY WRITING THROUGH IN-HOUSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Title
A STUDY OF AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY OF TEACHERS' HOLISTIC SCORES OF ELEMENTARY WRITING THROUGH IN-HOUSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
Creator
Farmer, Lisa, Hynes, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based training that attempted to improve the reliability of holistic scores teachers assigned to the writings of elementary school students. Seventeen teachers at one suburban elementary school located in the Southeastern United States participated in three training sessions that allowed for scoring practice and group discussions. The trainers, or presenters, were "faculty-experts." A comparison of scores the participants assigned to students...
Show moreThis study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based training that attempted to improve the reliability of holistic scores teachers assigned to the writings of elementary school students. Seventeen teachers at one suburban elementary school located in the Southeastern United States participated in three training sessions that allowed for scoring practice and group discussions. The trainers, or presenters, were "faculty-experts." A comparison of scores the participants assigned to students' writings before and after the training was conducted. The analyses included t-tests that compared the participants' mean scores to the scores assigned by raters from the state, a within-group analysis of reliability as measured by Cronbach's Alpha, and percentage agreement analyses. The results suggested that the in-house training activities promoted higher inter-rater reliability of scores assigned to students' writings by the teachers in this study. This study also compared teachers identified as being highly confident writers with teachers who reported low levels of self-confidence related to writing. Prior to the training, the highly confident teachers' scores tended to be lower than the state scores and the scores assigned by their less confident peers. During group discussions, however, the "high-confidence" group was just as likely to change their scores to a higher level as to a lower level, and by the end of the training, both groups demonstrated more consistent score patterns.
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Date Issued
2008
Identifier
CFE0002297, ucf:47855
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002297
A COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF CAREER READINESS AND DECIDEDNESS IN FIRST YEAR STEM MAJORING STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN A STEM MENTORING PROGRAM IMBEDDED IN A LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITY WITH FOCUSED DATA ON FEMALE STEM STUDENTS
Title
A COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF CAREER READINESS AND DECIDEDNESS IN FIRST YEAR STEM MAJORING STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN A STEM MENTORING PROGRAM IMBEDDED IN A LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITY WITH FOCUSED DATA ON FEMALE STEM STUDENTS.
Creator
Ramlakhan, Nirmala, Jeanpierre, Bobby, Boote, David, Hynes, Michael, Daire, Andrew, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Female mentoring success was investigated as an undergraduate intervention utilizing career development practices to reduce dysfunctional career thinking and STEM major retention in first year freshmen females within a living-learning community. Repeated measures MANOVAs and canonical correlations in the causal comparative research design evaluated mentoring's influence on first year females. Male voluntary participants (n = 126) formulated the comparison group, and female voluntary...
Show moreFemale mentoring success was investigated as an undergraduate intervention utilizing career development practices to reduce dysfunctional career thinking and STEM major retention in first year freshmen females within a living-learning community. Repeated measures MANOVAs and canonical correlations in the causal comparative research design evaluated mentoring's influence on first year females. Male voluntary participants (n = 126) formulated the comparison group, and female voluntary participants (n = 75) filled the treatment group. Repeated measure multivariate analyses of variances compared differences between the interaction of mentoring and gender over time on dysfunctional career thinking using two assessments: Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI) and Career Decision Scale (CDS) and their five subscales (decision-making confusion, commitment anxiety, external conflict, certainty and indecision). Canonical correlations analyzed the effect participation rates had on student change scores on the CTI and CDS, indicating mentoring intervention effects on reducing dysfunctional career thinking and decidedness. Conclusions included: (a) females had higher levels of dysfunctional career thinking than males; (b) overtime both groups decreased dysfunctional thoughts,and solidifying their STEM career choices; (c) females had reduced levels of career decidedness compared to males; (d) both groups increased certainty overtime, solidifying their STEM career choice, and (e) when the STEM career choice was made, female certainty was more solidified than males. The study adds to the career development research within STEM at the undergraduate level providing colleges and universities with a structured first year female mentoring program in STEM. The GEMS model may be ideal for colleges and universities utilizing living-learning communities to increase underrepresented female retention and those without STEM career planning courses.?
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFE0004586, ucf:49191
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004586
Examination of an Online College Mathematics Course: Correlation between Learning Styles and Student Achievement
Title
Examination of an Online College Mathematics Course: Correlation between Learning Styles and Student Achievement.
Creator
Steele, Bridget, Dixon, Juli, Hynes, Michael, Haciomeroglu, Erhan, Hopp, Carolyn, Dziuban, Charles, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between learning styles and student learning outcomes in an online college mathematics course. Specifically, the study was guided by two research questions focused on (a) the extent to which learning styles had a predictive relationship with student achievement in an online college mathematics course and (b) the extent to which various learning styles among mathematics students in online versus face-to-face...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between learning styles and student learning outcomes in an online college mathematics course. Specifically, the study was guided by two research questions focused on (a) the extent to which learning styles had a predictive relationship with student achievement in an online college mathematics course and (b) the extent to which various learning styles among mathematics students in online versus face-to-face courses predicted mathematics achievement. The population for this study consisted of the 779 college mathematics and algebra (CMA) students who were enrolled in a private multimedia university located in the southeast. A total of 501 students were enrolled in the online class, i.e., the experimental group, and 278 students enrolled in the face-to-face class comprised the control group. All students completed (a) an initial assessment to control for current mathematics knowledge, (b) the online Grasha-Reichmann Student Learning Styles Scales (GRSLSS) Inventory, and (c) 20 questions selected from the NAEP Question Tool database. Hierarchical linear regressions were used to address both research questions. A series of ANCOVA tests were run to examine the presence of any relationships between a given demographic and course modality when describing differences between student test scores while controlling for prior academic performance. The results indicated that predominant learning style had no apparent influence on mathematics achievement. The results also indicated that predominant learning style had no apparent influence on mathematics achievement for online students. When examining demographics alone without respect to modality, there was no significance in course performance between students in various ethnicity, gender, or age groups.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFE0004445, ucf:49320
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004445
An examination of inclusive education in schools operated by the Jordan field of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Title
An examination of inclusive education in schools operated by the Jordan field of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Creator
Rodriguez, Jacqueline, Dieker, Lisa, Wienke, Wilfred, Little, Mary, Keller, Clayton, Hynes, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
For refugee children with disabilities, international agencies largely provide humanitarian assistance, including education. However, the obstacles associated with refugee existence can impede progress in the movement towards educating children with disabilities in inclusive settings. Perceptions of inclusive education in schools operated by the Jordan field of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East were explored through multiple embedded case...
Show moreFor refugee children with disabilities, international agencies largely provide humanitarian assistance, including education. However, the obstacles associated with refugee existence can impede progress in the movement towards educating children with disabilities in inclusive settings. Perceptions of inclusive education in schools operated by the Jordan field of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East were explored through multiple embedded case studies. Each of the three schools examined included a student with a special educational need. The researcher also investigated strategies and supports provided by education stakeholders to students with special educational needs in inclusive classrooms. The study was framed by four research questions aligned to a theoretical model of inclusive education and guided by propositions. Findings from interviews, classroom observations, and document reviews, suggest that all stakeholders believe education for students with special educational needs is a human right. However, perceptions of inclusion differed based on several factors including the student's level of need and the disability, the teacher's self-efficacy and feeling of preparedness towards meeting the needs of students, and the impact of overcrowded classrooms and limited instructional time. In comparing results between stakeholders, differences existed in perceptions of benefits and challenges associated with inclusive education.
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFE0004923, ucf:49600
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004923
Secondary and Postsecondary Calculus Instructors' Expectations of Student Knowledge of Functions: A Multiple-case Study
Title
Secondary and Postsecondary Calculus Instructors' Expectations of Student Knowledge of Functions: A Multiple-case Study.
Creator
Avila, Cheryl, Ortiz, Enrique, Dixon, Juli, Hynes, Michael, Andreasen, Janet, Mohapatra, Ram, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This multiple-case study examines the explicit and implicit assumptions of six veteran calculus instructors from three types of educational institutions, comparing and contrasting their views on the iteration of conceptual understanding and procedural fluency of pre-calculus topics. There were three components to the research data recording process. The first component was a written survey, the second component was a (")think-aloud(") activity of the instructors analyzing the results of a...
Show moreThis multiple-case study examines the explicit and implicit assumptions of six veteran calculus instructors from three types of educational institutions, comparing and contrasting their views on the iteration of conceptual understanding and procedural fluency of pre-calculus topics. There were three components to the research data recording process. The first component was a written survey, the second component was a (")think-aloud(") activity of the instructors analyzing the results of a function diagnostic instrument administered to a calculus class, and for the third component, the instructors responded to two quotations. As a result of this activity, themes were found between and among instructors at the three types of educational institutions related to their expectations of their incoming students' prior knowledge of pre-calculus topics related to functions. Differences between instructors of the three types of educational institutions included two identifiable areas: (1) the teachers' expectations of their incoming students and (2) the methods for planning instruction. In spite of these differences, the veteran instructors were in agreement with other studies' findings that an iterative approach to conceptual understanding and procedural fluency are necessary for student understanding of pre-calculus concepts.
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFE0004809, ucf:49758
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004809
The Impact of Access to Books on the Reading Motivation and Achievement of Urban Elementary Students
Title
The Impact of Access to Books on the Reading Motivation and Achievement of Urban Elementary Students.
Creator
Trimble Spalding, Lee-Anne, Hynes, Michael, Kelley, Michelle, Hoffman, Bobby, Clark, Margaret, Williams, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The focus of this research was to study the association that reading motivation and reading achievement have with increased access to books provided by the non-profit program Book Trust, could have on urban elementary students, specifically second graders being educated in a large school district in Central Florida. Teacher data collection sheets, the Motivation to Read Profile (MRP): Reading Survey and the Florida Assessment for Instruction in Reading (FAIR) were used to measure the...
Show moreThe focus of this research was to study the association that reading motivation and reading achievement have with increased access to books provided by the non-profit program Book Trust, could have on urban elementary students, specifically second graders being educated in a large school district in Central Florida. Teacher data collection sheets, the Motivation to Read Profile (MRP): Reading Survey and the Florida Assessment for Instruction in Reading (FAIR) were used to measure the aforementioned associations. Findings revealed that increased access to books in these elementary schools did not have a statistically significant impact on reading motivation or reading achievement scores. In addition, teachers' demographic data, such as age, number of years teaching or highest degree held, did not impact their student reading achievement.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFE0004611, ucf:49933
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004611