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Perceptions of Public Middle School Teachers About the Influence Their Personal Religious Beliefs Have on Their Professional Lives as Educators
No full textTeacher beliefs can encompass a variety of influences such as the individual’s view of the world and self, perspective on classroom experiences, and personal values. This qualitative case study explored how a teacher’s religious beliefs, in particular, may have influenced their professional practice. This study was based on the conceptual frameworks of Mezirow’s transformative learning theory, and Fullan’s framework of teacher as agent of change. Each participant engaged in the transformative learning process by having the opportunity to think about and reflect upon their belief systems and how those might influence their professional practices as educators. Drawing from qualitative data from a reflective questionnaire, a student-teacher relationship rating scale, interviews, classroom observations, and reflective journals, this study found that participants did indeed perceive their religious beliefs to influence their professional practice. Data showed that found that participants’ religious beliefs influenced their professional practice through their relationships with their students, through curricular choices, and by how they managed student behavior and classroom management. Participants’ general philosophy of teaching, why they entered the teaching profession in the first place, along with being able to persevere through difficult times, was also influenced by their personal religious beliefs. This in-depth qualitative study will provide a resource for teacher education programs who seek to prepare prospective teachers to adequately address all of the challenges they will face. Additionally, this study will allow teacher education programs to intentionally and systematically talk about how teacher beliefs, particularly religious beliefs, may influence one’s professional practice
Conformity and Cognitive Load in an Asch-Like Paradigm Study
No full textObjective: Conformity is an important phenomenon to examine as it has the potential to influence a vast majority of people in everyday life, especially with the current technology of social media available. Factors that affect conformity rates have had little examination in the past, but are important to note in order to fully understand this behavior of conformity. I designed this study to observe the potential effects of one such factor, cognitive load, on conformity rates in an online setting with the goal of generalizing results to the effects of social media in our contemporary society. Design: I devised an online survey, with two groups; an experimental group who experienced high cognitive load and a control group who experienced low cognitive load, while tasked with the rating of 10 purposefully unfunny cartoons. My study took place in an online setting using the social media platform of Facebook to gain participants in order to meet the research goal of being able to generalize results to the effects of overstimulation (a form of cognitive load) experienced with social media on conformity rates in society. Main Outcome Measures: I examined high cognitive load as a potential variable in increasing conformity rates to group pressure in an online setting. Results: My analyses showed that high cognitive load did not increase rates of conformity, and the best conclusion is that the null hypothesis cannot be rejected. I did observe a trend that high cognitive load seemed to decrease conformity rates, although the trend was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The results were not significant, therefore the most viable conclusion is that the null hypothesis cannot be rejected. The trend seen is discussed as potentially being related to cognitive rationing and attention theory
The Development of a Low-Cost Air Quality Sensor Array for Mobile Platforms
No full textThe traditional method of measuring air quality uses large immobile sensors. These sensors can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. If small, low-cost sensors are proven reliable then they can be attached to a drone for air quality management. The K30 Carbon Dioxide sensor from CO2Meter.com was used for testing. The BME280 sensor from Adafruit was used to measure humidity and temperature. A Raspberry Pi was used as an electronic controller and the programming was written in Python. After testing was completed, the K30 Carbon Dioxide sensor was found inadequate for atmospheric testing. The BME280 was determined effective for air quality sensing as long as the relative humidity was below 75%
Religiosity, Mindset, and Math Achievement
No full textGrowth mindset and religiosity as separate constructs have been shown to increase student achievement. This study sought to discover if a relationship existed between religiosity and mindset, as well as if mindset or religiosity could predict math achievement. A mixed methods study, guided by Brofenbrenner’s bioecological model, was conducted. This non-experimental quantitative study found a small statistically significant relationship between mindset and religiosity (p \u3c .05). However, religiosity and mindset were not correlated with math achievement; therefore, these constructs could not be used to predict math achievement. Focus group interviews were used to further study the relationship between mindset and religiosity. Students were asked to describe how they developed both their mindset and religiosity beliefs, and then to discuss how these constructs work, both together and separately, to impact academic achievement. Through In Vivo and Process coding, two themes and one key assertion emerged from the interviews. Theme 1: Environmental factors impact religiosity and mindset. Theme 2: Religiosity and mindset impact academic success. Key Assertion: Religiosity and mindset are two distinct yet harmonious constructs within adolescents. Religiosity and mindset influence each other as students grow, develop, and achieve in school
Perspectives of Secondary Science Teachers and Adult Secondary Science Students on Technology Integration in a Science Curriculum
No full textThis qualitative intrinsic case study explored the perspectives of secondary science teachers and adult secondary science students on technology integration in a science curriculum in a high school program at a community college in North Carolina (NC). The researcher sought to answer the following research questions: How do secondary science teachers practice technology in a science curriculum in a high school program at a community college in North Carolina? How do adult secondary science students in a high school program at a community college in North Carolina experience technology in their science curriculum? Data were gathered utilizing three sources: individual face-to-face interviews, a student focus group, and a teacher focus group. Data were collected to determine how teachers and students have practiced and experienced the use of technology. This study of 14 adult secondary science students and six secondary science students revealed four themes and five subcategories that resonated throughout the data analysis. The significance of this study is that it provided insight into how the students and the teachers perceived technology use in the science classroom. The results indicated that the participants’ experiences and practice with technology were overall positive and beneficial to them. The participants indicated a few hindrances with technology that they have experienced. Technology has made an impact on their learning and teaching methods
The Current Training Practices and Perceived Training Needs of Special Education Assistants in Texas
No full textSpecial education assistants (SEAs) have been a vital source in the classroom since the early 1950s. When SEAs first began helping in the classroom, they were responsible for helping with clerical needs such as copying, filing, and data recording. However, those roles have evolved into more involved tasks well outside their job description and such as lesson planning and major delivery of classroom instruction. This phenomenological study delved into the training practices designed for SEAs in one Texas school district to determine if the current practices prepared SEAs to fulfil their state mandated job descriptions. The researcher also sought to learn what it took to facilitate the role of a SEA using their lived experiences. This study employed a qualitative design using two sources of data collection: survey and focus group. The population sample included 10 SEAs and 19 teachers who participated in the survey. Then three SEAs and three teachers who took part in the focus group. The major findings of this study implied that SEAs are not receiving the training they need as mandated by their job descriptions. Furthermore, most SEAs revealed to effectively facilitate their role, they require guidance from supervising teachers, and prior experience working with disabled children. Moreover, without these accommodations, coupled with the lack of training, SEAs reported having significant difficulty performing their job effectively. Recommendations for change are provided to address this ongoing and problematic issue
Christian Spiritual Exemplars: A Phenomenological Study of Exemplary Christian School Graduates in Hawaii
No full textThe purpose of this qualitative-phenomenological study was to understand how Christian school graduates view their lived experiences in their high school education in relation to their Christian spiritual formation (CSF) and to understand the Christian high school experiences associated with highly developed CSF. This study was conducted amongst a nondenominational church in Hawaii. The phenomenological research approach was used to deduce from a variety of accounts of the Christian school experience, the common essences associated with exemplary Christianity as defined by experts within the community. A purposive snowball sample was used to identify the study participants who were nominated to the study based on the exemplarity of their Christian faith, their generational cohort, and their high school type. All participants graduated from Christian high schools. For the purposes of this study, semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of four women and four men whose responses indicated that the process of CSF for the Christian spiritual exemplar was ongoing and supported by events and opportunities for CSF within the Christian high school. This study also suggests that CSF in the Christian high school is a process not independent of a greater faith community and not independent of direct mentorship from adults within the school and the faith community. A network of supports and scaffolds for the CSE exists at the intersection of the CSF and the Christian high school
A Single Case Study of Blended Learning in a Colorado Middle School
No full textThe purpose of this single case study was to investigate the perceptions of teachers and administrators on the impact of a three-station rotation model of blended learning in a Colorado middle school. The study includes any benefits and drawbacks realized through “Hazleton” Middle School’s instructional shift to blended learning, specifically whether there is evidence that teachers and administrators perceive an improvement with students’ ability to grasp academic concepts, develop self-advocacy and self-efficacy skills, increase engagement, and reduce and prioritize teacher preparation time. The study was conducted using a focus group interview with three school administrators, interviews with 16 teachers, and observations of twelve of those teachers’ classrooms at a middle school in Colorado. The self-efficacy theory framed this study as it connects student learning with providing opportunities for students to believe in themselves. The collected data was compiled, triangulated, and analyzed. Academic conceptual grasp, self-advocacy, self-efficacy, engagement, teacher preparation time, and device appropriation were the six themes that emerged during the data analysis. While some participants perceptions differed, a positive trend was seen from the first four. Most agreed teacher preparation time has increased, but expect it to decrease with experience in managing the data and learning objectives to create lesson plans. An unexpected but important finding was the importance of device appropriation for implementation of a blended learning model using devices in classrooms is having a plan for distribution then following up with teachers and the leadership team to determine if any adjustments are needed
Jim Jones: A popular figure amongst many
No full textDon’t drink the Kool-Aid! Ever heard this term? Where it’s a term that is based off the worst mass suicide ever to happen in the history of the world. Jim Jones a popular preacher in the 1950s to 1970s who taught about social justice. He was breaking ground in race relations, when it was still shady during that time period and he also introduced the idea of a “Utopian Society”.
Struggling with economic, physical and emotional circumstances in his early life, made him realize what his mission was for later in life. It was through these circumstances that led him to form the Peoples Temple and gain such popularity amongst his congregation, and political figures.
In summary, this paper focuses on my theme which is “What made Jim Jones such a popular figure in society”. It explores his background, his teachings, the links of several different counter-culture movements that were happening throughout that time period to his movement, the definition of a cult and examples, and lastly a brief summary of the fateful day, November 1978
Lived Experiences of Novice Public School Adapted Physical Education Teachers: A Phenomenological Study
No full textThe purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of novice public school adapted physical education (APE) teachers and how their experiences affected their self-efficacy and job satisfaction. This dissertation is an original independent research project that contributes to the field of educational practice and knowledge. Five male and five female APE teachers who have taught in public schools for three years or less within California represented the population of this study. Bandura’s (1986) theory of self-efficacy and Knowles’s (1984) theory of andragogy was the foundation for the conceptual framework of this study because they represent factors that contribute towards our feelings of self-efficacy as well as understanding how adults learn. Data collection for this study included semistructured interviews and Lived Experience Description Reflective Journals. The coding process revealed the following primary themes: challenges, teaching APE, and confidence. Within those themes, the following subthemes were identified: effective teaching behaviors, collaboration, managing paraeducators, leadership (administration), behavior management, time management, advocate/lawyer presence during IEP meetings, APE theory and methods, assessment, lesson planning, caseload management and documentation, lesson outcome, mentors, stressful work environment, and self-doubt. The findings from this study could be shared with university teacher preparation programs to focus preparation efforts on challenges identified. Results could also be shared with school districts to provide more effective mentors and train administrators to support novice APE teachers in public schools