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- Title
- THE IMPACT OF A MEDIA LITERACY EDUCATION PLAN ON THE FLORIDA COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT TEST (FCAT) READING SCORES OF 9TH AND 10TH GRADE STUDENTS.
- Creator
-
Sheehy, Colleen, Stephen Sivo, Jeffrey Kaplan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study investigated the impact of a media literacy education plan on the reading test scores of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) at an urban high school in Central Florida. A team of 9th and 10th grade teachers created a professional learning community and developed a treatment to enhance language arts instruction with various forms of media. This media literacy education plan included four lessons utilizing media such as television commercials, magazine photographs and...
Show moreThis study investigated the impact of a media literacy education plan on the reading test scores of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) at an urban high school in Central Florida. A team of 9th and 10th grade teachers created a professional learning community and developed a treatment to enhance language arts instruction with various forms of media. This media literacy education plan included four lessons utilizing media such as television commercials, magazine photographs and the Internet; the lessons were taught during the four months leading to the administration of the 2007 FCAT. Data were gathered from the 2006 and 2007 FCAT scores of students in a control and treatment group. Using these pre test and post test data, statistical analysis comprised two independent t-tests and one repeated measures ANOVA. The data revealed statistical significance at the 9th and 10th grade level, but did not show statistical significance at any particular reading level (Levels 1-5). Implications from this study included strong professional learning communities produce effective teachers and that student achievement increases when a media literacy education plan is included in English Language Arts instruction. Furthermore, this study illustrates the need to embrace modern media as viable classroom instructional tools. Recommendations were made for further research utilizing different materials, different forms of media, different student populations. This study also concluded that further qualitative research be conducted. Ultimately, this study makes a strong argument for the inclusion of media and media literacy education in the secondary English Language Arts classroom.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001897, ucf:47416
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001897
- Title
- English Language Arts Preservice and Inservice Teacher's Knowledge about How to Use eTextbooks and Open Educational Resources to Support Students' Comprehension: A Case Study.
- Creator
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Smith, Lourdes, Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki, Roberts, Sherron, Damico, Nicole, Wilson, Nance, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The focus of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to (a) investigate the knowledge English Language Arts preservice and inservice teachers had about eTextbooks and Open Educational Resources (OERs) and (b) how they planned to use that knowledge to develop their current/future 6-12 grade students' comprehension and content knowledge. Included within the study were specifics regarding how eTextbooks and OERs can be used to support adolescent learners and how online comprehension skills...
Show moreThe focus of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to (a) investigate the knowledge English Language Arts preservice and inservice teachers had about eTextbooks and Open Educational Resources (OERs) and (b) how they planned to use that knowledge to develop their current/future 6-12 grade students' comprehension and content knowledge. Included within the study were specifics regarding how eTextbooks and OERs can be used to support adolescent learners and how online comprehension skills can be developed. Data were analyzed in order to determine themes related to the use and planning for eTextbooks and OERs in the secondary ELA classroom. Data sources for this study included the participant interviews, document analysis, and a focus group interview. Findings revealed that participants (N=6) were both excited and apprehensive about using technology and that although they had some personal experiences with eTextbooks and OERs, they would need more specific support in helping their future or current students to develop online reading comprehension skills. Implications and recommendations are offered for preservice teacher educators, classroom teachers and professional developers, researchers, and publishers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006797, ucf:51922
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006797
- Title
- A Narrative Research Study of Self-Selected Tracking on Motivation in 10th Grade English Language Arts Classes.
- Creator
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Greuel, Audra, Olan, Elsie, Puig, Enrique, Hewitt, Randall, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The practice of tracking has had longstanding negative impacts on students, especially students in lower academic tracks. This research suggests that tracking develops the themes of a narrative of deficit through inequality and exclusion and impedes student motivation due to the negative implications. A common finding of outside research studies was that of disapproval for the current school organizational structure of tracking due to the negative consequences on students. Furthermore,...
Show moreThe practice of tracking has had longstanding negative impacts on students, especially students in lower academic tracks. This research suggests that tracking develops the themes of a narrative of deficit through inequality and exclusion and impedes student motivation due to the negative implications. A common finding of outside research studies was that of disapproval for the current school organizational structure of tracking due to the negative consequences on students. Furthermore, several research studies developed an outline of positive ways to advocate for a unifying system of educational change. Educational leaders should heed the suggestions of researchers to promote changes within the system to benefit marginalized students. Students' silenced narratives should be considered to promote voice within educational change. The purpose of this narrative research is to explore motivation through the overt and covert narratives of 10th grade English Language Arts students, who self-select higher and lower academic tracks at a large, southeastern United States, public high school through a qualitative unstructured questionnaire. This study also observes 10th grade English Language Arts students' ability to discuss these issues. Using information from a 10-question qualitative, unstructured questionnaire of twelve (12) research participants, this thesis explores the following questions: Research question one (RQ1): What are 10th grade English Language Arts students' attitudes towards higher and lower academic tracks?, Research question two (RQ2): What factors contribute to 10th grade English Language Arts students' motivation to self-select higher and lower academic tracks?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007640, ucf:52501
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007640
- Title
- Post-Secondary Faculty Treatment of Non-native English-speaking Student Writing Errors in Academic Subject Courses.
- Creator
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Monroe, Laura, Nutta, Joyce, Jahani, Shiva, Mihai, Florin, Bowdon, Melody, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As more non-native English-speaking students enroll in English-medium universities, even more faculty will instruct students who are unprepared for the rigors of post-secondary academic writing in English. Many faculty members lack training and knowledge regarding the assessment of non-native English-speaking students' writing, as well as the ability to provide effective feedback. This quantitative study investigated the possible attitudinal factors, including demographics, which might affect...
Show moreAs more non-native English-speaking students enroll in English-medium universities, even more faculty will instruct students who are unprepared for the rigors of post-secondary academic writing in English. Many faculty members lack training and knowledge regarding the assessment of non-native English-speaking students' writing, as well as the ability to provide effective feedback. This quantitative study investigated the possible attitudinal factors, including demographics, which might affect faculty preparedness and grading practices for both native and non-native English-speaking students' academic writing and plagiarism, as well as the reasons faculty do not deduct points from both populations' writing errors. Structural equation modeling and SPSS Statistics were employed to analyze the results of a faculty questionnaire disseminated to individuals who had taught non-native English-speaking students in academic subject courses. The findings from this study illustrated that faculty's native language, years, taught, and institution type were significant factors in not deducting points for academic writing errors and plagiarism, and the major reasons for not deducting points for errors were that faculty had too many students to grade, not enough training in assessing student written errors and plagiarism, and that the errors and plagiarism would have taken too long to explain. The practical implications gleaned from these results can be applied to most departments in English-medium post-secondary institutions regarding faculty preparedness and training in student academic writing errors and plagiarism, and recommendations for future research are given for similar types of preparation and guidance for post-secondary faculty, regardless of degree path or academic subject.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007057, ucf:51972
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007057
- Title
- CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS:A COMPARISON OF LANGUAGE ARTS/ESOL AND ONE-WAY DEVELOPMENTAL BILINGUAL PROGRAMS.
- Creator
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Marlow, Kimberly, Murray, Barbara, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The present study was conducted to investigate two English Language Learner programs in one Florida county and their implications for student achievement. The literature review showed that, as students progress through the educational system, the academic content becomes more and more abstract, forcing students to rely more heavily on their oral and written communication skills in English. Significant achievement gaps, sometimes extremely large, were also identified between English-only...
Show moreThe present study was conducted to investigate two English Language Learner programs in one Florida county and their implications for student achievement. The literature review showed that, as students progress through the educational system, the academic content becomes more and more abstract, forcing students to rely more heavily on their oral and written communication skills in English. Significant achievement gaps, sometimes extremely large, were also identified between English-only students and English Language Learner students. One study highlighted a 46% gap on the 2005 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). The present study was designed to investigate 23 middle schools in one Florida county. The focus of the study was on two English Language Learner programs: Language Arts/ESOL and One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education. A total of 13 schools were identified that had implemented the Language Arts/ESOL program, and 10 middle schools were identified that had implemented the One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education program. The 2007 FCAT reading mean scale scores for the schools' 7th-grade English Language Learners were compared to those of standard curriculum students. For both English Language Learner programs, a statistical significance was found using t-tests. In addition, FCAT reading Levels 1-5 were investigated. At FCAT Levels 1-3, the Language Arts/ESOL program out-performed the One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education program. At FCAT Levels 4 and 5, the One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education program out-performed the Language Arts/ESOL program.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002059, ucf:47582
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002059
- Title
- Cultural Responsiveness and K-12 English Learners: Exploring Policy and Implementation Fidelity.
- Creator
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Raubaugh, Lauren, Purmensky, Kerry, Grissom, Donita, Nutta, Joyce, Johnson, Jerry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This critical policy analysis and collective case study, informed by ethnographic techniques, involved reviews of twelve Florida school district ESOL policies (included within the 2016-2019 District English Language Learner Plans, required of all Florida districts to complete) whose English learner (EL) populations met or exceeded ten percent (10%) of their total enrollment. A priori coding of these policy documents was conducted using nine criteria pulled from the literature on culturally...
Show moreThis critical policy analysis and collective case study, informed by ethnographic techniques, involved reviews of twelve Florida school district ESOL policies (included within the 2016-2019 District English Language Learner Plans, required of all Florida districts to complete) whose English learner (EL) populations met or exceeded ten percent (10%) of their total enrollment. A priori coding of these policy documents was conducted using nine criteria pulled from the literature on culturally responsive practice (CRP), which served as the theoretical framework for the study. Subsequent observations and practitioner interviews within two schools from the same district were conducted in order to ascertain how practice seemed to align with policy, how these practices differed from site to site despite their location within the same district, and ultimately to assess the efficacy of observed pedagogical and administrative practices within the theoretical framework of CRP. Results were mixed and indicated a lack of consistency across the board in terms of policy, implementation, and culturally responsive practice.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007711, ucf:52443
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007711
- Title
- An Investigation of the Representation of Middle School English Language Learners (ELLs) in Special Education Programs in a Large Urban School District.
- Creator
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Lerma, Leah, Stewart, Martha, Biraimah, Karen, Nutta, Joyce, Purmensky, Kerry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The disproportionate representation of ethnically and racially diverse students in special education has been an enduring problem in education for the past four decades. However, most of the research on disproportionality has focused on the ethnic/racial variable; the body of research focusing on the linguistic variable is still slim in comparison. As linguistic diversity in the United States continues to rise, teachers will continue to be challenged to meet the needs of the English Language...
Show moreThe disproportionate representation of ethnically and racially diverse students in special education has been an enduring problem in education for the past four decades. However, most of the research on disproportionality has focused on the ethnic/racial variable; the body of research focusing on the linguistic variable is still slim in comparison. As linguistic diversity in the United States continues to rise, teachers will continue to be challenged to meet the needs of the English Language Learners in their classrooms. However, many teachers feel unprepared to deal with this diversity and have difficulty discriminating whether a student's poor performance is due to linguistic or cognitive factors. Consequently, many English Language Learners are misidentified and misplaced in special education programs. The purpose of this study was to analyze the representation of English Language Learners in special education high incidence disability categories in a large, urban school district in Florida. Cross-tabulations and chi-square statistics were used to analyze the distribution of special education students by ethnicity/race, home language, ESOL status, and English proficiency level; risk ratio and relative risk ratio statistics were used to determine whether the district's English Language Learners showed under, equal, or over-representation in special education high incidence disability categories. The results indicated that English Language Learners were at the greatest risk for being identified as Specific Learning Disabled when compared to the other disability categories, and English Language Learners with intermediate English proficiency levels were at a higher risk for being identified and placed in special education high incidence disability categories when compared to beginning and advanced level English Language Learners.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004127, ucf:49121
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004127
- Title
- Parental Beliefs and Attitudes on Enrollment in a Dual Language Program at an Elementary School.
- Creator
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Delorenzo, Leah, Purmensky, Kerry, Folse, Keith, Vitanova-Haralampiev, Gergana, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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In the 2010-2011 school year, there were almost a quarter of a million English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in Florida public schools (Florida Department of Education, 2011), most of whom were placed in mainstream schools with segregated language remediation. Dual language education (DLE) programs offer developmental opportunities in two languages that mainstream schools cannot. The purpose of this research was to identify parental attitudes toward immersion programs and define the...
Show moreIn the 2010-2011 school year, there were almost a quarter of a million English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in Florida public schools (Florida Department of Education, 2011), most of whom were placed in mainstream schools with segregated language remediation. Dual language education (DLE) programs offer developmental opportunities in two languages that mainstream schools cannot. The purpose of this research was to identify parental attitudes toward immersion programs and define the reasons that parents enroll their children in DLEs. Sixty participants completed a questionnaire sent home from their student's DLE. The study data included biographical information, statements depicting the reasons for enrollment rated by a Likert scale, and an area for comments. Overall, the study found that survey participants rated their child's comfort communicating with Spanish speakers (4.75 out of 5) to be the most important reason for enrollment. A difference was found in responses depending on the ethnic/language group of surveyed participants. Primarily, Spanish speakers responded more positively to the statements regarding bilingual education than any other ethnic/language group. All parents conclusively believe the dual immersion program has been a success for their children.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004989, ucf:49553
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004989
- Title
- Exploring Interactions between Adult English Learners and Their TeachLivE Digital Character Peers.
- Creator
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Yan, Ting, Nutta, Joyce, Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki, Bai, Haiyan, Mihai, Florin, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Peer interaction is an important part of language learning. The results of previous studies showed advantages and disadvantages of peer interaction between native speakers and English learners. Using the educational simulation platform TeachLivE as the interaction platform, this qualitative descriptive case study explored the possibilities of bridging the gap between classroom language practice and real-life second language communication. The study recruited eight participants for a task...
Show morePeer interaction is an important part of language learning. The results of previous studies showed advantages and disadvantages of peer interaction between native speakers and English learners. Using the educational simulation platform TeachLivE as the interaction platform, this qualitative descriptive case study explored the possibilities of bridging the gap between classroom language practice and real-life second language communication. The study recruited eight participants for a task-based interaction project. Using conversation analysis, the study revealed details in communication between adult English learners and their digital character peers. During the interactions, the participants were actively involved and the most frequent communication patterns were collaborative and cooperative. The analysis of interviews of participants and the interactor explored the factors that influenced the communication patterns between the young adult English learners and their digital peers. The results showed that the communication experience with digital characters was authentic and the virtual platform was critical to build the confidence of English learners' language use. Moreover, the multiple digital characters manipulated by interaction protocols were also helpful to create a scaffolding effect for practicing oral communication for the English learners.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006823, ucf:51761
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006823
- Title
- AN EXAMINATION OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY IN SECONDARY ONLINE ENGLISH EDUCATION.
- Creator
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Middleton, Marissa, Wegmann, Susan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Online schooling is the newest form of education and it is quickly gaining popularity. However, this educational format also comes with one of the challenges that has always been present in schools, which is academic dishonesty. In the English Language Arts content area, academic dishonesty is most often manifested as plagiarism, however, cheating on online quizzes or exams still exists. Although this issue has always been present in English classes, it is becoming more of a concern because...
Show moreOnline schooling is the newest form of education and it is quickly gaining popularity. However, this educational format also comes with one of the challenges that has always been present in schools, which is academic dishonesty. In the English Language Arts content area, academic dishonesty is most often manifested as plagiarism, however, cheating on online quizzes or exams still exists. Although this issue has always been present in English classes, it is becoming more of a concern because of the vast number of technological resources available to students including websites with pre-written papers and the various methods students can now use to instantly communicate with each other. This study combines and synthesizes a literature review and a survey of secondary online English educators at Florida Virtual School to give their perspective on aspects of cheating and plagiarism in online English education including a comparison between online and face to face academic dishonesty, reasons students cheat or plagiarize in online education and attitudes toward academic dishonesty, how students cheat and plagiarize in online classes, how teachers detect academic dishonesty in their online classes, consequences and policies of academic dishonesty in online education, and preventing academic dishonesty in online education. The overall new finding, from comparing both the literature review and the FLVS survey results, was that academic dishonesty in online education is not vastly different from academic dishonesty in face to face classrooms; therefore, academic dishonesty in the online environment is not as much of a mystery as commonly perceived. The survey did, however, expand the knowledge about online academic dishonesty at the secondary level, and specifically in the English Language Arts content area.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFH0004158, ucf:44859
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004158
- Title
- AN ANALYSIS OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCED BREVARD STUDENTS TO DROP OUT AND WHY THEY RETURNED TO EARN THEIR GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT (GED) DIPLOMA.
- Creator
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Spadaccini, Becky, Murray, Barbara, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Dropping out of high school almost guarantees a life of hardship. The absence of a diploma contributes to poverty, increased crime rates and weakens the economy. To that end, school districts have a moral and ethical responsibility to bring an end to the dropout epidemic. This study was based on an analysis of more than 26,000 Brevard public school students. The researcher used 2006-2007, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 student data to determine the relationship between race, grade level, ESE status,...
Show moreDropping out of high school almost guarantees a life of hardship. The absence of a diploma contributes to poverty, increased crime rates and weakens the economy. To that end, school districts have a moral and ethical responsibility to bring an end to the dropout epidemic. This study was based on an analysis of more than 26,000 Brevard public school students. The researcher used 2006-2007, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 student data to determine the relationship between race, grade level, ESE status, ELL status, SES, type of promotion and dropping out of school. In addition, the researcher reviewed Student Exit Survey data and face-to-face interview data to determine why students dropped out and identified strategies students felt would have kept them in school. Finally, individual interview data were analyzed to understand the circumstances that encouraged participants to return to earn their diplomas. The researcher recommended use of data management and tracking systems for early identification of potential dropouts so intervention could be delivered at the onset of failure, assignment of trained adult leaders to monitor and intervene for students; enforcement of compulsory school attendance; creation of mechanisms to reduce absenteeism that do not lead to school failure; required intervention for students who are truant; identification and assignment of highly effective teachers to at-risk youth; intervention in classrooms that have high rates of student failure; use of relevant curriculum and employment of instructional practices proven to increase engagement; alignment of intervention strategies with researched practices; gathering of input and feedback from students to determine program effectiveness; creation of meaningful exit interview processes; utilization of survey data to identify and remove school-related barriers and collaboration with community agencies to find meaningful and genuine solutions for students in crisis.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003578, ucf:48898
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003578
- Title
- Central Florida School Districts' Responses to Hispanic Growth, 1980-2010.
- Creator
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Hazen, Kendra, Cassanello, Robert, Lester, Connie, Walker, Ezekiel, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Since the 1980s, Hispanics have been the fastest growing minority in the United States and have been moving into rural, Southern areas where there have previously not been populations of Hispanics. Studies of these demographic changes have concentrated on how communities impacted by the influx of Hispanics have created or adjusted socioeconomic and political infrastructures to accommodate the linguistic and cultural needs of the Hispanic population. The public-school system is a...
Show moreSince the 1980s, Hispanics have been the fastest growing minority in the United States and have been moving into rural, Southern areas where there have previously not been populations of Hispanics. Studies of these demographic changes have concentrated on how communities impacted by the influx of Hispanics have created or adjusted socioeconomic and political infrastructures to accommodate the linguistic and cultural needs of the Hispanic population. The public-school system is a sociopolitical structure that has affected and has been affected by the increase in Hispanics. Whereas the modern Civil Rights movement had created legal precedence for students' language rights and led to the creation of the federal Bilingual Education Act of 1968, nationalist backlash to this rise in Hispanic immigrants led to the eventual defunding of federal bilingual education programs by the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. This thesis is a policy history of Hispanic growth in the public-school systems in Orange, Lake and Osceola counties in Florida from 1980 to 2010. During that time, the three counties grew and diversified at different rates and made decisions for their English for Speakers of Other Languages programs that correlated with the size of their Hispanic population. This time frame encompasses Osceola's fastest period of growth which led to the creation of the Florida Consent Decree, Florida public schools' framework for remaining compliant with federal and state language policies. Even though federal funds for English acquisition programs replaced funds for bilingual or native language instruction during this time, Hispanic and non-Hispanic teachers, administrators, community or activist groups and parents continued to exert agency in gaining culturally inclusive and linguistically affirming language instruction programs for their children.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007649, ucf:52507
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007649
- Title
- A Comparison of Sixth Grade Student Achievement in Reading and Mathematics at School Transition Year.
- Creator
-
Roseboom, Julie, Taylor, Rosemarye, Doherty, Walter, Bai, Haiyan, Beattie, Karen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study contributed information for consideration as school districts determine grade span configuration as part of school design. The problem addressed was the extent to which student achievement may be impacted by the transition from one school to another from fifth to sixth grade in Florida public schools in order to provide data to school policy makers and school district administrators and add to the body of knowledge on the grade level configuration that contributed the most to...
Show moreThis study contributed information for consideration as school districts determine grade span configuration as part of school design. The problem addressed was the extent to which student achievement may be impacted by the transition from one school to another from fifth to sixth grade in Florida public schools in order to provide data to school policy makers and school district administrators and add to the body of knowledge on the grade level configuration that contributed the most to student achievement in sixth grade. This was a causal-comparative study using quantitative data to analyze student scores at the school level for reading and mathematics on the 2014 Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) 2.0 assessment to explore the difference in achievement for sixth grade students with no school transition compared to those who had school transitions during middle school. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to examine if a difference existed in the dependent variables of sixth-grade reading and mathematics achievement as measured by school mean developmental scale scores and the school percentage of students making learning gains on the FCAT 2.0 between schools with sixth grade as the transition year and without sixth grade as the transition year. The analyses were controlled for the covariates of the school percentages of socio-economic status as determined by free and reduced lunch rate, English Learner status, and exceptional student education status. Findings signified that schools with no school transition between fifth and sixth grade in Florida public schools had higher sixth-grade mean scores in reading and mathematics as measured by school mean developmental scale scores and in reading as measured by the percentage of school learning gains. This study offers insight into what grade configuration is more likely to positively impact student achievement during the middle grades and supports students remaining in an elementary setting with fewer transitions during the middle grades to most benefit reading and mathematics achievement. Findings are useful to school boards, superintendents, and school district administrators interested in educational policy development and research on transition especially when restructuring school grade configurations and building new school sites.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006545, ucf:51347
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006545
- Title
- Evaluating Improvisation as a Technique for Training Pre-Service Teachers for Inclusive Classrooms.
- Creator
-
Becker, Theresa, Hines, Rebecca, Beverly, Monifa, Hopp, Carolyn, Hamed, Kastro, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Improvisation is a construct that uses a set of minimal heuristic guidelines to create a highly flexible scaffold that fosters extemporaneous communication. Scholars from diverse domains: such as psychology, business, negotiation, and education have suggested its use as a method for preparing professionals to manage complexity and think on their feet. A review of the literature revealed that while there is substantial theoretical scholarship on using improvisation in diverse domains, little...
Show moreImprovisation is a construct that uses a set of minimal heuristic guidelines to create a highly flexible scaffold that fosters extemporaneous communication. Scholars from diverse domains: such as psychology, business, negotiation, and education have suggested its use as a method for preparing professionals to manage complexity and think on their feet. A review of the literature revealed that while there is substantial theoretical scholarship on using improvisation in diverse domains, little research has verified these assertions. This dissertation evaluated whether improvisation, a specific type of dramatic technique, was effective for training pre-service teachers in specific characteristics of teacher-child classroom interaction, communication and affective skills development. It measured the strength and direction of any potential changes such training might effect on pre-service teacher's self-efficacy for teaching and for implementing the communication skills common to improvisation and teaching while interacting with student in an inclusive classroom setting. A review of the literature on teacher self-efficacy and improvisation clarified and defined key terms, and illustrated relevant studies. This study utilized a mixed-method research design based on instructional design and development research. Matched pairs t-tests were used to analyze the self-efficacy and training skills survey data and pre-service teacher reflections and interview transcripts were used to triangulate the qualitative data. Results of the t-tests showed a significant difference in participants' self-efficacy for teaching measured before and after the improvisation training. A significant difference in means was also measured in participants' aptitude for improvisation strategies and for self-efficacy for their implementation pre-/post- training. Qualitative results from pre-service teacher class artifacts and interviews showed participants reported beneficial personal outcomes as well as confirmed using skills from the training while interacting with students. Many of the qualitative themes parallel individual question items on the teacher self-efficacy TSES scale as well as the improvisation self-efficacy scale CSAI. The self-reported changes in affective behavior such as increased self-confidence and ability to foster positive interaction with students are illustrative of changes in teacher agency. Self-reports of being able to better understand student perspectives demonstrate a change in participant ability to empathize with students. Participants who worked with both typically developing students as well as with students with disabilities reported utilizing improvisation strategies such as Yes, and..., mirroring emotions and body language, vocal prosody and establishing a narrative relationship to put the students at ease, establish a positive learning environment, encourage student contributions and foster teachable moments. The improvisation strategies showed specific benefit for participants working with nonverbal students or who had commutation difficulties, by providing the pre-service teachers with strategies for using body language, emotional mirroring, vocal prosody and acceptance to foster interaction and communication with the student.Results from this investigation appear to substantiate the benefit of using improvisation training as part of a pre-service teacher methods course for preparing teachers for inclusive elementary classrooms. Replication of the study is encouraged with teachers of differing populations to confirm and extend results.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004516, ucf:49273
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004516