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Motivation to Learn During Simulation-Based Learning: An Examination of Learner Characteristics in Health Science Students
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine specific learner characteristics (age, gender, and prior completion of baccalaureate degree) as confounders in the self-reporting of perceived self-efficacy, task value, and affective factors in students’ motivation to learn in simulation-based learning (SBL). The theoretical foundation used in this research connects the definition of competency (CAMRT, 2014) with Bandura’s (1986) concept of self-efficacy and a model for motivation to learn (Pintrich, Smith, García, & McKeachie, 1991). This study was investigated across nursing and allied health programs in a Western Canadian institute of technology. A survey was distributed to full-time students registered in health science programs which are known to use SBL, including nursing and nine allied health programs. Statistical analysis, including independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA, was conducted across the variables of age, gender, and whether or not the participant had completed a prior baccalaureate degree with the self-reported responses to the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; Pintrich et al., 1991). While no statistically significant differences were found between variables, it is recommended that further study of factors influencing motivational beliefs during SBL continue across different allied health programs such that educators develop an understanding of the challenges that may exist within their own disciplines
Effectiveness of Reading Intervention Program Types in Increasing Comprehension for Intermediate School Students
No full textA quasi-experimental design investigated the effectiveness of three reading intervention types in increasing reading comprehension, both explicit and implicit, using a sample of 78 students, approximately 17% of the population of third through fifth grades at a single-school, rural, K-12, Central Texas school district with an enrollment of approximately 450. Data was gathered using the Development Reading Assessment (DRA2) and the Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI-5), conducted during the first semester of the 2017-2018 school year. Reading intervention types included pull-out in a small group using part-to-whole language strategies, a computer-based reading intervention type, and an integrated reading intervention type using whole-to-part language strategies. Most students had a two-year growth in reading levels and an average of a 60% increase in reading comprehension implicitly, explicitly, or both. The strongest factor influencing outcomes was differentiation of reading intervention with a human element. Another strong factor was reinforcement of strategies integrating content and focusing on reading level of the student. Results of this study reinforce the need to intervene on an individualized level of the student, with relevant and meaningful content, and deliverable in a manner befitting learning style and preference. A framework for effective reading intervention program types is presented and supported by the results of this study. This study was unique because it investigated two types of reading comprehension, implicit and explicit, separately to determine the most statistically significant reading intervention type for intermediate students, grades third through fifth
A Case Study: The Influence of Literacy Professional Development on Teaching Practices and Teacher Self-Efficacy
No full textThis case study was designed to explore how professional development for teachers in literacy and reading instruction, was perceived by teachers as influencing their levels of self-efficacy, teaching practices, as well as, affecting achievement levels for students. The population for the study was thirteen grades 3-5 teachers from an urban elementary school in the southern portion of the United States. Research question for the study included: What was the perception of teachers concerning the training received and the usefulness for teaching literacy? What aspects of training did teachers find most beneficial? What is the perception of teachers’ level of efficacy after the professional development training? What is the teachers’ perception of changes in instructional practices after the professional development training? What trends were noted in the student achievement scores of the i-Ready test after teacher participation in professional development? Teachers were divided into two groups, Cohort A received literacy professional development, while Cohort B did not and continued with current instructional practices. Task cards were introduced during the professional development as a resource for teachers when providing literacy instruction. Tasks contained all the necessary information and materials for providing instruction that result in increased student achievement. Teachers found the questioning embedded within task cards to be extremely beneficial, as a resource. The data revealed positive trends in student achievement on i-Ready assessments after teachers’ participation in professional development in literacy
The Effects of an Elementary STEM Intervention on Fourth-Grade Outcomes in Language Arts and Math
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine if a relationship existed between two schools with regard to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and the growth scores from the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA). The research questions that guided this study were: (a) To what extent, if any, will students that have STEM intervention one day per week demonstrate increased NWEA English language scores on state tests? and (b) To what extent, if any, will students that have STEM intervention one day per week demonstrate increased NWEA mathematics scores on state tests? Kinesthetic learning was used to develop an understanding of how students learn in STEM. The sample for the study was randomly selected using 260 fourth-grade students in School A and School B within the William Floyd School District. The assessment used in the study to determine evidence of growth scores was the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA). The assessment results were compared from September 2016 to June 2017 in both reading and mathematics to determine if there was a relationship between School A and School B based on whether the schools maintained a STEM intervention or not. A t-test was conducted, and the results showed no significance in the scores. These results deliver telling information on whether or not a STEM intervention makes a difference on Grade 4 growth scores on the NWEA
Educating Educative Mentors: Video as Instructional Tool
No full textNew teachers rarely come to their first years of teaching with the expertise of a veteran teacher. Because teachers need to deliver impactful instruction, the education community has expanded induction initiatives that support new teachers. Understanding how induction mentors develop expertise in feedback and reflection can guide efforts to foster the development of mentor practice. This qualitative case study focused on the use of video and self-reflection to support mentor development practices within a regional induction program in Southern California. The study explored the experience of induction mentors who used both video-aided self-reflection and video-aided peer feedback during the 2017-2018 school year. Data collection methods included key documents, interviews, and observations. In researching the impact of video-aided reflection and feedback on mentor practice, the results of this study demonstrate and link the potential of video to impact new teacher practices. In addition, the study presents details of the observed changes in mentor practice. These findings provide preliminary support for an alternative model for developing educative mentors, including suggested recommendations to the educator preparation community as induction program leaders work toward developing mentor expertise
Internal Structures, External Mandates: How the Best Teachers Stay True to Their Vocation
No full textThis study sought to explore whether or not master teachers who seem relatively unfazed by daily pressures and mandates may have some sort of internal structure to help them. In order to answer this question, relevant literature regarding self-concepts was examined. This literature included self-efficacy, self-determination theory, growth mindset, and grit. Synthesizing the literature, these theories had certain resounding commonalities among some or all of them. These commonalities include perceived autonomy, perceived competence, relational importance, and hard work. Using a heuristic, hermeneutic phenomenological framework, participants were interviewed, observed, and shared relevant documents. Specific codes were both prevalent and frequent among the participants. These included both a priori codes such as growth mindset and perseverance as well as emergent codes such as pedagogical philosophy, noncompliance, relational importance, collaboration, flexibility, and compartmentalization. The experience of the participants indicated that their pedagogical philosophy acts as an anchor in times of stress and as a foundation for professional growth. The idea that master teachers have a guiding pedagogy that is reflected in their lived experience, has not been studied. Such a thought is worthy of further research because what teachers think and believe about their teaching inevitably drives their practice and is an area we should consider
Parents\u27 Experiences Working with Their Adolescent Children on Secondary Mathematics Homework in Relation to Epstein’s Framework of Involvement: A Phenomenological Study
No full textThis qualitative study was conducted at a rural school located in southwest Louisiana with an enrollment of 767 students during the Spring of the 2017-18 academic school year (XXXXX School Board, 2018). A descriptive phenomenological research methodology was used to investigate the experiences of parents working with their adolescent children on their secondary mathematics homework. A sample of seven parents participated in this study. The criteria used for a parent to qualify was having an adolescent child taking secondary mathematics courses during the 2017-18 school year. Data were collected using one-on-one interviews with individual participants during the summer of 2018. Eleven themes were developed in this study including home environment, parent-child relationships, parent-initiated communication, student-initiated communication, teacher-initiated communication, parents helping at home, ability to help, self-help resources, school resources, parent leadership, and resources from the community. The results of this study revealed parents are genuinely interested in wanting to assist their adolescent children with their secondary mathematics homework; there was lines of communication between the participants and the school but most of the communication was initiated by the participant; most of the participants do not feel comfortable helping their adolescent children with their secondary mathematics homework because they do not believe they have the necessary skills to help; and most participants were interested in becoming involved in decision making at the school level but never received information on how they could. This study may benefit stakeholders in education by helping them understand how parents view their ability to be engaged in their children’s high school mathematics homework
A Case Study of the Perceptions of Teacher Job Satisfaction Working Under a Transformational and Distributed Leadership Style
No full textThe purpose of this qualitative, single-embedded multiple-case study was to explore the perceptions of teachers’ working in a transformational and distributed leadership style at a large comprehensive rural high school in South Central Texas. The research was conducted on a campus that has a total teaching staff of 170 and serves approximately 2,000 socioeconomically and racially diverse students. The sample consisted of 15 teachers, approximately one third of the purposive sample pool, with 1–6 years of teaching experience. For each participant, a preinterview open-ended questionnaire, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), and a semistructured in-person interview provided data. The research results showed that teachers reported high levels of self-efficacy working in a transformational and distributed leadership style, viewing both leadership behaviors and practices as positively impacting their job satisfaction. Professional learning communities (PLCs) were seen as both positive and negative as vehicles for transformational and distributed leadership depending on how they were implemented. Overall, teachers stated that they felt encouraged to remain in the profession of teaching and that they felt encouraged to continue teaching at the study site because of the leadership styles
Holy Trinity Series B 2018
No full textThis PDF comments on the Propers for the Festival of the Holy Trinity, Series B and offers ideas for proclamation and preaching
Association between Psychosocial and Organizational Factors and Objectively Measured Sedentary Behavior in Desk-Dependent Office Workers
No full textCross-sectional analysis of data from the Recharge@Work study was used to assess individual, interpersonal and organizational correlates of objectively- measured sedentary time, in desk-dependent office workers at 2 U.S. hospitals. Analysis included 65 participants (62 females and ~49.2 years old). Sedentary time was assessed by accelerometry across five consecutive days and expressed as prolonged sedentary bouts (60 min ≤ 150 cpm). Correlates measured a baseline included: age, BMI, active break enjoyment, active break outcome expectancy, active break self-efficacy, active break social support, direct supervisor support of active breaks and senior manager support of active breaks. As expected, we found that the more individuals perceived their supervisor as supportive of active breaks and the more they enjoyed active breaks, the more likely they were to actually take active breaks (i.e., to experience less sedentary time, OR = 2.8, CI = 1.1–7.1; OR = 5.2, CI = 1.4–19.2 respectively). However, contrary to our expectations, the more employees perceived their senior managers as supportive of active breaks, the less likely they were to take these breaks (OR = 0.29, CI = 0.09–0.93). No significant associations were found between age, gender, BMI, outcome expectancy, or self-efficacy and active breaks from sedentary behavior