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Hannah, Julia Elizabeth. "Secondary school teachers’ experiences of learning support." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/96970.
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Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Secondary school teachers are faced daily with many challenges when supporting learners with diverse needs. These challenges can influence their ability to perform their role of supporting such learners in the classroom. Even though learning support in the secondary school is a complex multi-level phenomenon, teachers are expected to ensure that all the learners reach their full potential. The aim of this study was to explore and describe secondary school teachers’ experiences of supporting learners with diverse needs in challenging circumstances. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological model framed the research enquiry. Proximal processes and their related concepts were used as tools to explore and describe the teachers’ approach to learning support in a secondary school. Since this study was an exploration of a phenomenon qualitative research methods were applied. The research methods added rich information using various techniques. These included an activity in which the teachers reflected on their experiences, individual semi-structured interviews, a focus group interview, research questions and narrative discussions with participants. The data collected was analysed using the method of constant comparison. Findings from the analysed data revealed the teachers’ concerns and the challenges they faced in their classrooms while supporting their learners. Although they described these challenges and adverse circumstances as barriers, they nevertheless appeared as caring, confident professionals who had both the potential and the desire to advance their own development and to carry out effective learning support.
Against this background, the teachers’ own needs, whether emotional, social, cognitive or developmental, were vital to their ability to support effective learning in the classroom.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoërskool onderwysers is daagliks betrokke by leerders met diverse behoeftes en die uitdagings wat daarmee gepaard gaan. Hierdie uitdagings het ʼn daadwerklike uitwerking op ʼn onderwyser se talle rolle tydens ondersteuning van leer by leerders. Alhoewel leerondersteuning in die hoërskool as kompleks, ongewoon en met verskeie fasette ervaar word, word daar van onderwysers verwag om alle leerders te ondersteun. Die doel met hierdie studie was om onderwysers se ervarings van leerondersteuning van die diverse leerbehoefte in uitdagende kontekse te ondersoek. Hierdie ervaring sluit in hoe ervare onderwysers in uitdagende omstandighede kinders ondersteun in die klaskamer. Bronfenbrenner se bio-ekologiese teorie verleen die raamwerk vir die studie. Gevolglik is verwante proksimale prosesse en konsepte gebruik sodat onderwysers se ervarings van leerondersteuning verstaan kan word. Aangesien hierdie studie ʼn verkennende ondersoek was, is kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gebruik. Die navorsingsmetodes het verseker dat waardevolle inligting ingewin word deur die gebruik van tegnieke soos: ʼn refleksie-aktiwiteit, individuele onderhoude, ʼn fokusgroeponderhoud, ʼn oopvraelys en narratiewe bespreking van deelnemers. Die konstante vergelykende metode is gebruik om die data te ontleed. Bevindinge van die geanaliseerde data het die onderwysers se bekommernisse en uitdagings, rakende hul ervarings tydens ondersteuning, aan die lig gebring. Alhoewel die onderwysers hul uitdagings en moeilike omstandighede as hindernisse tydens ondersteuning van leer ervaar, gee hulle om, voel selfversekerd en tree professioneel op. Hulle toon die potensiaal en hunkering na eie ontwikkeling, ten einde effektiewe leerondersteuning te kan bied.
Dit is teen hierdie agtergrond duidelik dat onderwysers die belangrikste ondersteuners in die klaskamer is. Daarom is die onderwysers se emosionele, sosiale, kognitiewe en self-ontwikkeling van die uiterste belang vir leerders se effektiewe leerervarings.
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Butroyd, Robert. "The values and teaching experiences of secondary school teachers." Thesis, University of Huddersfield, 2003. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/4605/.
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Kruger, Martha Margaretha. "Bullying in secondary schools : teachers' perspectives and experiences." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/17929.
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Thesis (MEd(Psych) --Stellenbosch University, 2011.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Bullying seems to be a pervasive problem in most secondary schools and teachers have
the daily task of dealing with it. Not only do teachers have to unravel the complex
dynamics of bullying, they also often have to navigate a school climate and culture that is
not conducive to addressing bullying. In South Africa, there are many unique contextual
factors which impact on teachers’ management of bullying, such as community violence
overflowing into the school, increased administrative load and limited support from
school management, parents and education authorities. Therefore, teachers’ abilities to
conceptualise bullying, recognise and respond to incidents of bullying, and their
knowledge of the nature and extent of bullying behaviour impact greatly on anti-bullying
strategies.
The theoretical framework which informed this study is the social context perspective
which drew on views from both social constructionism and the bio-ecological framework.
The social context perspective emphasises the interactions between individuals and the
systems as delineated in the bio-ecological model. Furthermore, this study did not aim to
reveal the “truth” about school bullying. The intention has rather been to provide a
comprehensive picture as was portrayed by the participants in this study. This picture
included the nature and extent of bullying in their secondary school, the teachers’
perspectives and experiences of bullying, and proposed prevention and intervention
strategies which they aim to implement at their school. In keeping with the constructionist
nature of the process of inquiry, a qualitative, interpretivist research approach was used.
Purposive sampling was used to identify potential participants who were then asked to
volunteer to be part of the study. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews
with individuals and focus groups. Furthermore, the constant comparative method was
used to analyse the data.
The research findings indicated that the teachers experience and perceive a wide variety
of bullying behaviours which take place at various sites, both within and outside the
school grounds and that involve a diverse range of individuals within the school
community. Furthermore, the teachers conveyed several factors which they experienced
as maintaining bullying and highlighted their perceived effects thereof. In addition to this,
the participants shared knowledge about their teaching practices and suggested a few
strategies on how to deal with bullying more effectively in their school community.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Afknouery word beskou as ‘n deurlopende probleem in hoërskole en onderwysers moet
die gevolge daarvan daagliks hanteer. Onderwysers moet nie net die komplekse
dinamiek van afknouery ontrafel nie, maar worstel ook met ‘n skoolklimaat en -kultuur
wat nie toepaslik is om afknouery te bekamp nie. In Suid-Afrika is daar unieke
kontekstuele faktore wat ‘n invloed het op hoe onderwysers afknouery hanteer. Dit sluit
onder andere in die geweld wat oorvloei vanuit die gemeenskap na die skool, verhoogde
administratiewe werklading asook beperkte ondersteuning van die skool se bestuurspan,
ouers en die onderwysowerhede. Daarom speel onderwysers se vermoëns om
afknouery te konseptualiseer, insidente van afknouery te herken en daarop te reageer,
asook hulle kennis van afknougedrag ‘n groot impak op anti-afknouery strategieë.
Hierdie studie word gekonseptualiseer vanuit ‘n sosiaal-konstruktiwistiese en bioekologiese
perspektief. ‘n sosiale konteksperspektief beklemtoon die interaksies tussen
individue en die sisteme wat uiteengesit is in die bio-ekologiese model. Die doel van
hierdie studie was nie om die “waarheid” oor afknouery in die skool te openbaar nie. Dit
was eerder om die deelnemers se perspektief in diepte te analiseer en beskryf. ‘n
Kwalitatiewe, interpretivistiese navorsingsbenadering is daarom gevolg. ‘n Doelgerigte
steekproef is gebruik om potensiële deelnemers te identifiseer en hulle is gevra om
vrywillig deel te neem aan die studie. Data is gegenereer deur semi-gestruktureerde
individuele en fokusgroeponderhoude. Verder is die konstante vergelykende metode
gebruik om die data te analiseer.
Die navorsingsbevindinge het aangedui dat die onderwysers ‘n wye verskeidenheid
afknougedrag van diverse groepe en individue binne en buite die skoolterrein ervaar. Die
onderwysers het verskeie faktore identifiseer wat afknouery moontlik instandhou en het
die moontlike gevolge van afknouery uitgelig. Laastens het die deelnemers kennis oor
hulle onderwyspraktyke gedeel en voorstelle gemaak oor hoe om afknouery meer
effektief in hul skoolgemeenskap te hanteer.
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Shumba, Jenn. "Secondary school children's experiences of bereavement: implications for school counselling in Harare Metropolitan Province." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007237.
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Death and bereavement are prevalent in Zimbabwe due to HIV/AIDS and other illnesses. It is estimated that a large population of school going learners have lost one or both parents and have become orphans. The aim of the study was two-fold: to understand the bereavement experiences of orphaned learners and to examine how such experiences can inform school counselling services. A multiple case study involving 13 school children and four school counsellors from two secondary schools in Harare Metropolitan Region was conducted. Each of the 17 participants was viewed as a bounded case due to his or her individual unique experiences. An interpretive phenomenological approach was employed to collect and analyse the data. All the cases were purposively selected as they were bearers of crucial information on bereavement experiences and bereavement counselling. The study established nine (9) key findings. First, it was found that the type of attachments and support systems the child had were contributory to the way the child experienced bereavement. Second, it was established that although learners manifested emotional pain, they found it difficult to verbalise it. Third, the study found that cultural practices either exacerbate or work for the better for bereaved children as some were seen to enhance their livelihood whilst some were detrimental and oppressive. Fourth, it was established that bereavement triggered philosophical and reflexive reactions on the part of bereaved children. The deaths of the parents resulted in them reflecting on the three phases of their life trajectories: life before death; at the time of death; and after death. Fifth, it was also established in the study that there was a mismatch in what children and counsellors claimed to be happening in secondary schools pertaining bereavement counselling provisioning. Sixth, the study found that most children did not receive any bereavement counselling in schools. Only three out of the 13 learner cases interviewed in this study had a teacher in the school talk to them about loss of their parents. In some instances, a child’s bereavement was only discovered through the grapevine or when this researcher got to the school. Seventh, it was established that although counsellors were qualified as both teachers and counsellors, they lacked confidence in dealing with sensitive issues such as bereavement. Eighth, the study also found that although there is a lot of death in Zimbabwe the counselling syllabi lacked focus on bereavement counselling. Ninth, it was also discovered that teachers who were not assigned to counselling duties had negative attitudes towards counselling, a matter which has serious consequences for the bereaved learners. Based on the above findings, the study concludes that bereaved children experienced a variety of circumstances that impacted both positively and negatively on their schooling and rendered them in need of bereavement counselling. It also concludes that bereaved learners in selected Harare schools were not receiving adequate bereavement counselling; schools neither had policies nor laid down procedures on bereavement counselling. For further research, the study recommends that there should be research focusing on methodologies designed to access children’s innermost feelings of emotional pain. There should be further research on the nature of the relationship between a child’s bereavement and educational experiences. Studies involving other bereaved populations, such as, children from rural areas and primary school children should be carried out in order to gain insights on how the phenomenon is experienced by different age groups in different contexts. To improve counselling practice in schools, the study recommends that there should be capacity building programmes aimed at assisting teachers to deal with bereavement counselling. School bereavement counselling should explore collaboration with other stakeholders such as peers, care givers and government as well as non-governmental organisations. Above all, the study recommends that schools should be proactive and have school bereavement policies and procedures on bereavement counselling.
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Christian, Desiré. "What OBE did to us!' : the experiences of four Cape Town secondary school teachers." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8058.
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This dissertation is a study of the impact of OBE (Outcomes-based Education) and C2005 (Curriculum 2005) on the professional lives and teaching of a select group of high school teachers. The research was a combination of a case study approach and reflective professional practice. It sought to identify and explain key aspects that had produced such a marked alteration in the position of the teachers within such a short period.
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Gosling, L. E. "Designated teachers' experiences of the transition from primary school to secondary school for children looked after (CLA)." Thesis, University of Essex, 2012. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.571598.
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ABSTRACT The importance of addressing and improving the outcomes for Children Looked After (CLA) has been a long standing national priority. Stability, as a key factor in improving outcomes for CLA is recognised in the literature, however this mainly focuses on moves and transitions within care. The transition from primary school to secondary school presents challenges for all pupils. However, a recent review of the literature revealed a very limited body of research exploring the transition from primary to secondary school for CLA, particularly from the perspective of the Designated Teacher (DT). The present exploratory study employed a sequential mixed methods design to address the following questions: 'What are DTs' experiences of supporting the transition from primary school to secondary school?' and, 'to what extent are the views of DTs in phase one, supported by DTs in phase two, regarding their experiences of supporting the transition to secondary school for CLA?' The first phase of the research employed the use of semi -structured interviews to explore DTs experiences of supporting the transition to secondary school for CLA. Qualitative data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA); which revealed four overarching concepts: 'the supportive role of the DT in the transition for CLA'; 'making sense of CL As' needs and experiences at transition'; 'working in a complex system' and, 'the psychological impact of working with CLA'. In phase two of the research, a semantic differential scale questionnaire, using polar adjectives, grounded in the qualitative data was distributed to a wider population of DTs in the same Local Authority (LA). The findings from phase one and two were integrated. Implications of findings across both phases of the research are discussed in relation to existing research and to Psychodynamic and Systemic theories.
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Bessong, Rebecca Ofundem Agbor. "Experiences of teachers as curriculum leaders in South African secondary schools." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/80755.
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Research indicates that teachers are one of the most important stakeholders in quality of education in a country and are responsible for its improvement. However, how teachers understand and experience their role as curriculum leaders in contributing to education quality is yet to be known. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ understanding and experiences of their role as curriculum leaders in schools. The study assumed a qualitative approach within the interpretive paradigm underpinned by Grant’s Model of Teacher Leadership. The sample consisted of 20 teachers and 4 principals from 4 secondary schools within the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The data on how teachers understand and experience their role as curriculum leaders in schools were obtained by means of semi-structured individual interviews, focus-group discussions with teachers at each school, as well as lesson, and curriculum-related meeting observations. The data were thematically analysed, and the results categorised according to themes and sub-themes.
From the findings of this study, it was established that teachers understand their role as curriculum leaders in the light of teacher inclusion in decision-making during the entire curriculum development process. Teachers perceived their role as multi-layered and complex. Teachers experienced their role as curriculum leaders in that they led instructional activities, school-based curriculum development activities, and curriculum activities beyond the school, involving the community. The findings also indicated that teachers experience exclusion when vital curriculum decisions are taken. Teachers experience making decisions as curriculum leaders mostly at the implementation stage of the curriculum.
The study contributes to the growing knowledge of information on teacher leadership in schools. It recommends a bottom-up approach to ideas and suggestions on matters of curriculum decisions at any level such decisions are made. The study also proposes a model to guide teacher inclusion in curriculum decision-making. The study was limited to the views and experiences of teachers and principals who participated in the study. A further study employing a quantitative approach, on teachers as curriculum leaders, could be carried out on a larger sample that would allow for generalization of the findings.<br>Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2021.<br>The South African National Research Foundation<br>Education Management and Policy Studies<br>PhD<br>Unrestricted
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Chinn, Reneé P. "Voices of Experience: Why Do Secondary School Teachers Choose To Remain In A Mid-Atlantic Exurban School District." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27067.
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The inability of school leaders to staff the classrooms with qualified teachers and to retain them in the classrooms is a major educational concern. The failure to retain teachers hinders learning, disrupts program continuity, and affects of expenditures for recruiting and hiring (Shen, 1997). Few research studies investigate why new teachers decide to remain in the teaching profession and fewer studies examine why experienced teachers have continued in the field. Little is known about what experienced teachers think about their profession and what internal or external factors persuaded them to remain in teaching. Insight gained can provide better understanding of what motivates them to stay, and it may prove effective in guiding policies for retention. Grounded theoretical investigation, examined why experienced teachers choose to remain in an exurban school district. Interview data were collected from 25 experienced teachers with 10 years of teaching experience in the school district. The results of the study revealed that experienced teachers are motivated primarily internally but need external approval; they perceive their self-image as a teacher from the success of their students, the collegiality of fellow teachers, and from the pride of their families; they believe that school leadership can positively affect teacher retention; they believe that in the school atmosphere, interactions with students and colleagues positively affect teacher retention; and they believe that professional staff development has a positive and negative effect on teacher retention. These findings lead to significant implications and recommendations for schools and school districts. At the school level, school leadership plays a major role in teacher retention. Teachers appreciate administrators who provide them with opportunities for self-fulfillment, growth, and development; time for teacher-student interactions; and collaboration with their colleagues. It is imperative that school districts provide teachers with continuous staff development, competitive salaries, and salary increases to meet the demands of the economy. It is also vital for schools and school districts to value the voices of experienced teachers as an avenue to recruitment and retention. The information gathered from this research may be instrumental in improving working conditions that may encourage teacher retention.<br>Ph. D.
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McKenzie, Meagan Louise, and res cand@acu edu au. "Stories of Buoyancy and Despondency: five beginning teachers’ experiences in their first year in the teaching profession." Australian Catholic University. School of Educational Leadership, 2005. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp97.29052006.
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This case study research explores the experiences of five beginning teachers within four Catholic secondary schools in Australia. The research employs a qualitative approach framed within an interpretative paradigm, drawing on perspectives of symbolic interaction to interpret interview and journal data. These perspectives are used, in conjunction with a conceptual framework derived from the relevant literature, to interpret the experiences of five new teachers against the relevant data. The literature typically investigates the stages of teacher development, where the first year is often seen by researchers as a survival year. Key literature themes include the development of self image and the impact school culture has on beginning teachers. There are two other features less often present in the literature but central in this research. One is the life history of the beginning teacher. A second, which is the major notion employed in this study, is that of professional identity and specifically how identity develops once the novice teacher is immersed within the school organisation. Each teacher was interviewed several times during their first year and each kept a journal. The discussion includes matters of comparison and contrast between the five teachers’ experiences. The symbolic interactionist framework seeks to identify the meanings individuals construct of their experiences. These meanings are located from the journal and interview data gathered. Each text is examined both independently, in relation to other texts and in the light of the conceptual framework. A key procedure is to identify critical events which are then analysed and connections made to the experience of other teachers and literature themes. The key findings of the research include developing a new model for understanding the experience of beginning teachers. The research suggests that the current literature on beginning teachers is limited. It neglects beginning teacher individuality and in particular agency and competency and centrally the dynamic and complex interaction between culture and identity. This research seeks to add significantly to the beginning teacher literature.
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Treurnich, Janetta M. "A secondary school teacher’s experiences as a victim of cyber bullying." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/45897.
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The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of a secondary school teacher from Gauteng who was a victim of learner cyber bullying. Cyber bullying of teachers is a relatively under researched phenomenon in South Africa and can be a painful event for many teachers. The ultimate goal of this study was to raise awareness about learner cyber bullying and the effect it had on the emotional and professional well-being of the participant. Awareness about this phenomenon might lead to better support and understanding by different role players such as departments of education, principals, unions, communities, learners, educational psychologists and other teachers.
I followed a qualitative research approach, guided by an interpretivist epistemology. I employed a descriptive case study design and purposefully selected a single secondary school teacher as my unit of analysis. Data for this study was collected through a semi-structured interview with the participant in order to explore his experiences relating to learner cyber bullying. In addition to the semi-structured interview I used observation, field notes, audio recording and a research diary for data collection purposes.
The collected data was analyzed through several phases to establish thematic categories. Twenty six sub-categories of learner cyber bullying were identified from the experiences of the participant which were grouped under six main categories that was discussed and interpreted in order to provide the findings portrayed by the study. The six main categories included: type of cyber bullying experienced, causes of cyber bullying, characteristics of cyber bullies, response to cyber bullying, outcomes after taking action, and results of protective factors.
To ensure the trustworthiness and quality of the data, the study incorporated member checking, peer debriefing and literature control. Based on the findings of the study, I concluded that the teacher experienced learner cyber bulling primary as a negative and painful reality. The cyber bullying incident had a damaging impact on the participant’s emotional and professional well-being. In addition, the study also indicated that the participant, after addressing the cyber bullying incident, experienced some positive outcomes. Being able to share his experiences with the larger teaching community helped him to overcome some of the indignity he experienced due to the learner cyber bullying.
An attempt was made to raise awareness of this phenomenon and to provide effective strategies to prevent and counter its impact on the teaching community. This study can be used as a platform for larger research projects to about the experiences of teachers as victims of cyber bullying.<br>Mini-dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2014.<br>tm2015<br>Educational Psychology<br>MEd<br>Unrestricted
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Gwizdak, Anne Marie. "Middle School Teachers' Experiences Regarding the Influence of Data on Instruction." ScholarWorks, 2014. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/143.
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This research addressed the data-driven process that teachers utilized to increase student scores on state tests, a process brought forth from a national concern with increased accountability. According to the district website, there is no consistent direction for data use and informal teacher interviews demonstrated varying levels of proficiency and understanding in using available data. Constructivism and learning styles from Vygotsky, Bandura, and Gardner informed this qualitative case study's theoretical framework, which centered on data-driven decision making for instruction. The research questions explored the experiences of middle school teachers in collecting and analyzing data, how the school supported the teachers' process of using data, and what support or knowledge teachers thought would help them more effectively use data to inform instructional decision making. This study gathered information through the use of open-ended questionnaires (n = 25) and follow-up interviews (n = 9), and documented the daily actions within the setting to enable a full understanding of the problem through observations of teacher meetings (n = 21). The data were analyzed using the constant comparative method, including descriptive coding and the formulation of characterized themes to summarize the concerns and needed support for teachers to use data more efficiently. Emergent themes revealed that time and collaboration were needed for effective data implementation. This research provided a voice for the teachers. In doing so, it identified goals for a project of increasing student performance by scheduling professional learning opportunities and fostering teacher confidence.
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Emsley, Maletsema Ruth. "Experiences of Grade 12 EFAL teachers' Assessment of Literature Set-works in Limpopo Secondary Schools." Thesis, University of Limpopo, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/3057.
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Thesis (PhD. (Education)) --University of Limpopo, 2017.<br>South Africa has embarked on the official inclusion of school-based assessment in all subjects for transforming once-off pen and paper testing to redress the past rigid, norm-referenced, unreliable and non-transparent discriminative educational assessment in schools. The introduction does not only aim at offering constant constructive feedback to learners to improve performance, but it also assists teachers to diagnose, facilitate and improve on their assessment methods, to report learner performance to relevant stakeholders like parents, schools, districts and lastly national departments of education and to inform teaching and more assessments. Over and above it forms 25% of the total mark for all subjects in further education and training including Grade 12.
There is compelling empirical evidence that school-based assessment positively influences the performance of learners in large scale assessments. In spite of its significance, the school-based assessment of literature set-works has received scant attention in secondary schools. Despite the local and international interest and implementation of school-based assessment nowadays, its administration in South Africa schools still remains a challenge.
This study therefore followed an interpretive qualitative approach to respond to the question: What are the experiences of English first additional language teachers in assessment of literature set-works in secondary schools in Limpopo province? The teacher self-efficacy theory guided this study. It was not only used to substantially explain the stature of a literature teacher, but also to generate strategies to promote teacher flexibility and application of assessment practices in English first additional language. The theoretical and practical implications of self-efficacy theory are discussed in terms of their relevance to both the literature teacher and school-based assessment expectations.
Multiple qualitative data collection methods of focus group interviews, openended questionnaires, documents and field notes were employed to strengthen findings in a natural setting. Respondents were selected through the purposive sampling. Five districts of Limpopo province were sampled for this study: four focus group interviews were conducted, 139 open-ended questionnaires were returned and documents relevant to answering the research question were analysed.
Data were transcribed and then analysed by the Tesch (1990) method (as in Creswell 1994) of qualitative data analysis and constant comparison method.
Teachers operating in the assessment of English first additional language have acknowledged the importance of school-based assessment, moderation and literature set-works, however they still feel literature assessment in schools does not receive the attention it deserves. The qualitative data revealed that teachers face various challenges in the implementation of school-based assessment of literature set-works. Most teachers through their responses still face challenges of time, resources and curriculum advisory support, inability to design their own literature set-works tasks, learner illiteracy and lack of teacher efficacy. Moreover, teachers are keenly dependent on previously written question papers. Findings have further shown that teachers suffer the pressures of authorities who impose extra assessment work on them and the selected literature prescribed works that stay for too long in the curriculum – these comprise the programme of assessment. These findings, although they may not be generalised, might contribute to prospect future research and educational change in assessment of literature set-works in schools.
Various recommendations have been made for educational stakeholders in further research prospects and future improvement on assessment of literature set-works in schools emphasizing the independence of English literature setworks
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Ho, Kin-cheong. "A study of stress experienced by teachers using IT in teaching." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2001. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B24700794.
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Reynolds, Jacquinne. "Secondary Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Preparation to Teach in Urban Schools." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2685.
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University officials have identified a problem among secondary preservice teachers (SPTs) who have expressed reluctance to teach in local urban schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of SPTs regarding their preparation for and experiences with teaching in urban school settings. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and Bruner's concept of scaffolding served as the conceptual frameworks that guided this study. Data were collected from 11 SPTs who completed the requirements of their field service experiences in urban schools. Data collection consisted of individual interviews, one focus group interview, and field observations. Findings showed that SPTs desire to make a difference in urban schools, lack confidence in managing culturally diverse classrooms, and desire more faculty guidance in working with diverse populations. SPTs asserted that they need more research-based teaching strategies and urban field experiences. Implications for social change include more collaboration among university faculty, urban school principals, mentor teachers, and community organizations. Findings may be used to prepare SPTs to serve culturally diverse populations, which may improve students' academic achievement in urban classrooms.
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Vermaak, Annaline. "Experiences of teachers in multicultural classrooms in ex-model c secondary schools." Thesis, Nelson Mandela University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14068.
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This study examined experiences of teachers in ex-Model C secondary schools in Port Elizabeth with specific reference to the strategies adopted, challenges and rewards of teaching in diverse classrooms. It is located in the realm of diversity pedagogy and multi-cultural education and contextualized against the socio-political and colourful historical climate of education in South Africa. This study was conducted by using the qualitative research approach against the backdrop of the phenomenological design according to the interpretivist paradigm. Data were elicited through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 teachers from 4 ex-Model C English medium secondary schools (formerly White schools) who had experiences of teaching both pre-1994, when schools were mono-ethnic, and post-1994 when the schools were multi-ethnic. The interviews were transcribed and the rich thick data were analysed and categorized into themes and sub-themes by adopting a constant comparative method. The findings of the study indicate that teachers failed to embrace diversity to its fullest, although they did not mind teaching diverse learners. Furthermore, it is evident that they have not made concerted efforts to implement culturally responsive teaching strategies to cater for diversity in their classes as the approaches tend to be cosmetic and superficial. The findings indicate that teachers are stuck in the quagmire of business as usual-, colour-blind-, assimilationist, contributionist approaches that militate against culturally responsive pedagogy. It is recommended that teachers be empowered with skills in diversity education by various stakeholders such as School Governing Bodies, the Department of Basic Education and teacher unions so that they are better equipped to implement strategies in their classes that cater to the needs of a diverse learner population.
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Murphy, Fulford Wanda. "Secondary English Teachers' Experiences on Critical Thinking for African American Male Students." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4873.
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African American male students (AAMSs) can benefit from literacy instruction that is student-based and geared towards using higher-level thinking skills. The conceptual framework was guided by Dewey's constructivism theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore whether high school English language arts (ELA) teachers in an urban-suburban Midwest region of the United States have sufficient knowledge and skills to incorporate higher order thinking skills (HOT) instruction for AAMSs. Five ELA teachers from a low-performing, urban-suburban high school in the Midwest region of the United States participated in semistructured interviews; observations were conducted in the classroom, and lesson plans were reviewed. Patterns, categories, and themes emerged through using the coding process by breaking down the data into units and then grouped according to their characteristics. According to the findings, participants from this study suggested that problem- solving was the main higher level thinking skill for AAMSs. These local ELA teachers also used the Socratic questioning method as their primary instructional strategy but limited constructivist activities for AAMSs to engage during the instructional process. The findings from the data collection support the development of a professional training program. The professional development program could help teachers engage AAMSs in increasing their academic endeavors. ELA teachers can participate in professional learning communities by communicating concerns about AAMSs, using HOT skills to increase AAMSs literacy performance, become change agents, and promote a positive social change by using constructivist practices into school curriculum and instructions for AAMSs, eventually closing the achievement gap.
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Vail, Teresa M. "Teachers' professional development experiences: Implications for teaching practice." Scholarly Commons, 2011. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/28.
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The purpose of this study was to inquire into the ways in which participation in physical science professional development impacts science teachers' professional learning and ultimately their practice over time. This study strove to provide a greater understanding of teachers' processes as they engage in professional learning and make changes in their practice long after the requirements of the professional development have been met. The six respondents that participated in the inquiry were physical science educators who were teaching in four different high schools in Central California. The guiding research question was stated as: How does participation in physical science professional development impact teachers' professional learning and ultimately their practice? Three sub-questions were also explored: In what ways does physical science professional development impact teachers' pedagogical content knowledge over time? In what ways does physical science professional development impact teachers' curriculum decision-making processes over time? In what ways does physical science professional development support a teacher's professional learning over time? Collective case study methodology was used in order to acquire multiple perspectives on the processes of teachers' professional learning and how professional development experiences have impacted this process. From four cross-case analyses of interviews, classroom observations, and documents, six themes emerged elucidating the process of professional learning. The process of professional learning is "driven" by a constant desire to learn resulting in the participation in professional development experiences where bits-n-pieces of curriculum are incorporated into the teachers' practice supported by relationships and reflection. The pressure to conform to education policy tempers the entire process of professional learning. Lastly, the process of professional learning has produced teachers as leaders. Each aspect of the process of professional learning has been impacted by the respondents' participation in professional development. By engaging in the iterative process of professional learning described here, respondents are transforming their professional development experiences in order to learn from and about their practice over extended periods of time. As professional learners, the respondents act as change agents in their own practice, schools and learning communities. Based on the results, implications for practice and recommendations for further inquiry are also presented.
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Bertram, Rodney L. "Sheltered Instruction: A Case Study of Three High School English Teachers' Experiences with the SIOP Model." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2011. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc67959/.
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The purpose of this study was to determine the current status of secondary teachers' implementation of the sheltered instruction operational protocol (SIOP) model and its effect on Hispanic English language learners' (ELL) English language proficiency and academic achievement. In addition, this study sought to determine whether teachers perceive the SIOP model as an effective tool for instruction of high school ELL students to increase English language content and English language proficiency. This study employed qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Data were collected from four sources: Hispanic ELLs' English language proficiency scores, students' English Language Arts scores, an oral interview with participating teachers and teacher observations. Each teacher was observed at four points during the school year with the SIOP instrument. Quantitative data on student achievement were collected employing a pre-experimental, one-group pretest-post-test design. Qualitative data were collected using a time-series design. Findings revealed that on the two student assessment measures there were increases in English proficiency and English language arts achievement among the Hispanic ELLs. On the assessment of English language proficiency, the students of the teacher with the highest level of SIOP implementation made the highest gains; the students of the teacher with the second highest SIOP implementation level made the second highest gains; and students of the teacher with the lowest level of SIOP implementation made the smallest gains. These findings suggest that the higher the level of SIOP implementation, the greater the student academic achievement gains. The gains in academic achievement attributed to the proper implementation of the SIOP model can have an extensive impact on English language learners who have not previously experienced academic success. Teacher participants perceived the SIOP model as effective for delivery of content through sheltered instruction lessons for high school ELLs. The teachers agreed that the SIOP model's components provided a consistent structure for planning and delivery of their sheltered lessons.
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Gilbert, Michael. "A professional development experience : an analysis of video case-based studies for secondary math teachers in linear functions /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/7530.
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Hlongwane, Boy Thembinkosi. "Rural secondary school teachers' experiences of job satisfaction and their expectations of support to develop their professional competencies as curriculum workers." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021101.
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Since the first National Curriculum Statement matriculation results for 2008, there has been an outcry that rural secondary schools in KwaZulu Natal are lagging behind in terms of pass rate compared to urban and former Model C secondary schools. There are various contributory factors that are impacting on poor learners’ performance in rural schools. This study was specifically conducted in rural secondary schools of KwaZulu Natal. The reason was that there is few research conducted in rural schools, particularly with regard to teacher job satisfaction and professional development. There is therefore a belief that satisfied teachers produce good performance in their schools. Furthermore, it is also believed that satisfied and adequately developed teachers are the key to successful implementation of the grades 10-12 National Curriculum Statement. The study was therefore conducted to investigate rural secondary school teachers’ experiences of job satisfaction and their expectations of support to develop their competencies as curriculum workers. The research problem was investigated through the mixed methods research. The use of mixed methods research was to ensure that reliability and validity are addressed. The concurrent strategy of mixed methods research was employed. In concurrent mixed research methods, data is collected during the same phase. Data was collected from rural secondary schools of Umzinyathi, Ilembe and Empangeni districts in KwaZulu Natal. There were fifty rural secondary schools which participated in the study. Four hundred rural secondary school teachers completed survey questionnaires. Eighteen rural secondary school teachers participated in individual interviews. Only nine rural secondary schools were involved in observation and interviews. Research findings show that poverty was one of the major contributory factors that led to poor performance of rural secondary schools. Poverty and lack of adequate professional development programmes in rural secondary schools have negative impact in terms of teachers’ job satisfaction. Learners’ poor command of English in rural secondary schools contributed to their poor academic performance. Lack of support services, bad condition of roads and, long distances travelled by both learners and teachers contributed to teachers’ job dissatisfaction and learners’ poor performance. Rural secondary school learners were demotivated about learning, since they lacked role models in their communities. Rural secondary school learners were also undisciplined. They bunked classes. They carried weapons to schools. Rural secondary school learners also helped criminals to steal and vandalize school property. They smoked dagga inside the school premises. Moreover, research findings indicate that rural secondary school teachers were not involved in school decision-making processes. School management teams were the only structure making school decisions. Growth opportunities for teachers were not fairly provided to them by their principals. Schools governing body chairpersons and principals were abusing the teacher promotion process since they were biased. They only promoted their friends and relatives and sometimes they were bribed by candidates. The latter findings contributed to teachers’ job dissatisfaction. Further findings indicate that there were teachers who were teaching subjects for which they were not qualified. Some heads of department were supervising subject streams that were outside of their specialization since the school post-provisioning norms (PPN) was small. Rural secondary school principals possessed inadequate grades 10-12 National Curriculum Statement expertise. Integrated Quality Management Systems was unable to develop teachers for effective grades 10-12 National Curriculum Statement implementation since it was not implemented accordingly in rural secondary schools. Clusters were effective strategies to develop teachers in rural schools although geographical isolation of school was their main challenge. The recommendations of this study are that RSSs must be fully supported by the KwaZulu Natal Department of Education. All roads to schools must be repaired in time. Decent teacher accommodation must be built inside schools with security guards to look after teachers’ safety and their property when they are away. Recreation venues/centres must be established in rural areas to relieve and address teachers’ stress and boredom. The KwaZulu Natal Department of Education must ensure that all schools have libraries, laboratories and computer classes. The Department of Education must also fully recognize postgraduate qualifications such as honours, master’s and doctoral degrees to retain highly qualified teachers in rural secondary schools. Teachers must be promoted on merit rather than on friendship or relationship.
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Paulin-Rosell, Ingrid. "School development based on the experience of a few teachers from Swedish Upper Secondary Schools." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Lärarutbildningen (LUT), 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-33964.
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Vilka möjligheter har lärare att påverka inriktningen på utvecklingsarbetet på den egna skolan? Hur identifieras utvecklingsbehoven och av vem? Vilka verktyg förfogar lärarna över för att utveckla skolan? Syftet med studien är att ta reda på den syn några lärare på gymnasiet har på sin roll i skolutvecklingsarbetet. Syftet är också att ta reda på om det finns några gemensamma mönster i lärarnas sätt att resonera kring skolutveckling och sina möjligheter att påverka.I arbetet ges en bakgrund och några teoretiska utgångspunkter kring skolframgång, skolan som lärande organisation, skolutveckling, profession och ledarskap. Intervjuer med lärare på två gymnasieskolor i en skånsk kommun har genomförts. Det är i mötet med eleverna som utvecklingsbehoven identifieras och de viktigaste verktygen för utveckling är egen reflektion och dialog med kollegor samt fortbildning. I undersökningen betonar lärarna vikten av att skolledarna tar på sig rollen som pedagogiska ledare och att de formulerar en gemensam vision som bygger på en pedagogisk grundsyn. För att främja lärarnas känsla av sammanhang och delaktighet krävs närvarande och lyhörda skolledare som leder och deltar i ett levande pedagogiskt samtal
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Penchalk, Melita M. "Middle School Teachers' Experiences with Cross-Curricular Connections at the Incident Level." ScholarWorks, 2015. http://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1710.
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Many curricular innovations, including cross-curricular teaching, are started in schools without adequate teacher preparation and support, reducing the effectiveness of the interventions in supporting student learning. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the implementation of the cross-curricular connections teaching technique in middle schools. Research questions focused on how middle school teachers experienced implementation of cross-curricular teaching at the incident level and how teachers perceived cross-curricular teaching and its long-term value. Myers-Briggs personality type theory informed the study, supporting the postulation that teachers are more comfortable teaching from their personality types. Data from 10 middle school teachers from 3 urban and semirural parochial schools in the northeastern United States were collected through interviews, focus group sessions, journals, and documents such as lesson plans and classroom materials. Open coding was used within progressive and comparative analyses. Primary themes included teacher comfort with cross-curricular connections; various applications of the teaching technique; cross-curricular connections within lessons; time constraints in planning, preparation, and implementation; and creative enhancement of lessons. Recommendations included enhanced professional development, more planning time for teacher teams, and more research about the technique. Positive social change implications include sustaining teachers' adoption and implementation of cross-curricular instruction in support of student achievement.
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Nasima, Gideon Emmanuel. "An investigation of the experiences and perceptions of teachers with regards to staff development in a Namibian secondary school." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003532.
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Staff development (SD) is regarded as an important process, both for the professional growth of teachers and the organizational development of schools. The literature on SD uses the concepts of ‘SD’, ‘professional development’ and ‘in-service training of teachers’ interchangeably. The purpose of this study is to investigate the teachers’ experiences and perceptions of SD practices in a Namibian secondary school. This qualitative case study was carried out at the school where I am teaching. Two methods were used to collect the data, namely a blend of semi-structured and unstructured interviews with three teachers and one focus group interview with five teachers. The analysis of the data collected was carried using the method suggested by Taylor and Bogdan (1998) which includes discovery, coding and discounting. These concepts are discussed in Chapter Three. The main finding of this research regards SD at the school as mainly in line with the traditional view. The study also made three other unusual findings that differ from the traditional view of SD held at the school. First, the principal’s role as a human resource manager of SD; second the pastoral role of a principal in SD and third the role of teachers’ unions in SD. All these findings are important for SD practices in schools and for further research because little is known in the current literature on SD. Finally, this study proposes further research to develop an organizational development (OD) cycle of problem solving to help create an internal policy on SD, which is currently nonexistent at the school.
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Tucek, Adis. "Teachers’ experiences and opinions of students’ second language anxiety in oral production tasks : A qualitative study of upper secondary school teachers’ cognition." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Fakulteten för humaniora och samhällsvetenskap (from 2013), 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-84244.
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The prevalence of the English language has enhanced the importance of both understanding and being able to communicate in English in different manners, such as orally. As this has become an important skill to master in school, it was of interest to research upper secondary school teachers’ beliefs and experiences concerning what constitutes pedagogically effective oral production assignments in the classroom, how the participating teachers work to reduce students’ anxiousness towards oral production in English, and how they plan and work towards a classroom climate that enhances students’ motivation towards oral production. It also becomes of interest to compare previous research and concepts to see whether misconceptions and mismatches exist and potentially suggest implications for professional development. To understand teachers’ experiences and beliefs, a qualitative semi-structured study was conducted with five English teachers. The results showed a variety of strategies that the teachers found effective, but one similarity for three out of five teachers was strategies where students work in groups. Regarding how the teachers work to reduce anxiety towards oral production, the results showed that four out of five teachers mentioned that small group tasks reduce anxiety. As to how the teachers plan and work towards a motivating classroom climate, four out of five teachers used strategies that took students’ interest, personal engagement, and/or students’ enjoyment into consideration when aiming for a motivating classroom climate. To research teacher cognition is important since teachers’ beliefs might affect what they do in the classroom and therefore affect students learning experience.
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Ornelas, Gabriela R. "The Experiences of Teachers at Southern California Continuation High Schools: Exposing the Barriers within Alternative Education." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2017. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/pitzer_theses/79.
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My project explores the role of teachers at Southern California continuation high schools as it relates to serving low-income students of color in the face of the institutional barriers within alternative education. My study focuses on the teachers’ career, interactions with students, and opinions on accessibility to resources and funding. I have examined their experiences through twenty in-depth, semi-structured interviews with teachers from three districts. My findings indicate that district members’ misconceptions of Latinx students as inherently deviant and academically unengaged drive institutional issues creating financial burden for which teachers are forced to compensate. My study highlights that continuation high schools implement unjust policies, limit teaching materials and resources, reduce funding, and restrict the hiring of ancillary staff. My research pushes for more avenues of communication between the district and teachers to fulfill students’ needs through adequate funding allocation. These results extend existing literature in revealing the untold narratives of California continuation high school teachers, the structural issues within alternative education, and the needs of Latinx continuation high school students.
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Dunn, Lu. "A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF SEVEN URBAN MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS RELATED TO RETENTION." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2008. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/2392.
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Background: Job satisfaction is essential to retain teachers in classrooms. Increased challenges in today s classrooms discourage many teachers from reaching veteran status. Teachers with a perception that they are making a difference appear to have more resilience in the difficult times in their classrooms. Purpose: To investigate the experiences of middle school science teachers. This study explored the influence of perceptions, beliefs, and experiences on job attrition and teacher satisfaction; and helps explain the cumulative effects that contributed to teachers' dissatisfaction. This study analyzed the intensification of the teaching profession and the increased emotional stress this causes for teachers. Setting: Five public middle schools in a large urban school district in central Florida. A total of seven teachers participated in the study. Subjects: Seven middle school science teachers were selected based on their years of experience, method of teacher training, and ability to participate in the entire study. Research Design: Phenomenological. Data Collection and Analysis: The data were collected through focus groups, interviews, journals, and classroom observations. The audio-taped portions were transcribed then analyzed with NVivo/NUD*IST, Revision 1.2 to find common themes. The initial themes were subsequently reduced for manageability. The teachers stories were separated to provide support as the themes emerged. Findings: Teachers who were more experienced by years on the job or more extensive initial training appeared to have more resilience for the difficulties in their job. Satisfaction with their job seemed to be influenced by professional identity, teacher preparation, personal experiences, curriculum policy, and cultural diversity. Conclusions: Analyzing the perceptions and beliefs of teachers who are in classrooms can provide insights to improve conditions to encourage teachers to stay. The analysis strongly suggests that teachers who feel supported and valued are more likely to remain in the classroom in spite of the challenges they encounter.<br>Ed.D.<br>Department of Teaching and Learning Principles<br>Education<br>Curriculum and Instruction EdD
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Runnalls, Cristina. "The secondary mathematics experiences of English language learners." Diss., University of Iowa, 2018. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/6266.
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In recent decades, the landscape of the U.S. classroom has been drastically changing. Schools at every level are enrolling increasingly higher numbers of culturally and linguistically diverse learners, many in the process of learning English. These students, frequently called English language learners (ELLs), present new and unique challenges to educators. Many of these challenges concern language and the many ways it affects the educational experience. One concern of great interest involves better understanding the ways language and academic content interact. Language is a pivotal component of the learning experience, and likely to affect students’ perceptions of the classroom environment and themselves, as well as interactions with teachers and peers. This concern remains critical to consider in secondary mathematics, where language demands are high, but teachers may not be trained to attend to both language and content in the mainstream classroom. The present research used data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 to investigate the secondary mathematics experiences of ELL and non-ELL students in two studies conducted at distinct levels: student and teacher.
At the student-level, hierarchical linear modeling was used to compare the effects of several student variables on both access to and achievement in mathematics, as well as how these effects differed between ELL and non-ELL students. Findings indicated that both mathematics self-efficacy and interest in early coursework were positively related to access to and achievement in mathematics, and these relationships were significantly stronger for ELL students. Conversely, positive perceptions of the learning environment and classroom engagement were often related to gains in outcomes for non-ELL students, but decreases for ELL students. This study highlighted several key factors of the secondary mathematics experience that behaved differently for ELL and non-ELL students. Implications of these findings are further discussed in Chapter 2.
At the teacher-level, hierarchical linear modeling was used to compare the effects of teacher experience, classroom practices, and perceptions of departmental support on the access to and achievement in mathematics of their students, and how these effects differed between ELL and non-ELL students. Findings indicated that more conceptually-oriented teaching practices were beneficial to both students, with greater gains long-term for both ELL and non-ELL students. Procedurally-oriented teaching was beneficial to ELL students in nearly all cases, but detrimental to non-ELL students’ mathematics outcomes. The effects of perceptions of departmental support varied, with mixed effects for some (e.g. principal support) and detrimental effects for others (e.g. sense of responsibility). Implications of these findings are further discussed in Chapter 3.
Finally, Chapter 4 discusses overarching themes across studies at both levels, summarizing the results with regards to student variables, teacher variables, and student-teacher-school relationships. Implications for administrators, teachers, and teacher educators are discussed.
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Richardson, Katherine. "The primary-secondary school transition for languages : pupil and teacher experiences and beliefs." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2014. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/66738/.
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The thesis explores the experiences and beliefs of pupils and teachers for languages at the primary to secondary school transition in England. The academic aspects of transition (for languages and more broadly) are examined in the literature review and emerge as areas of concern and inadequacy with issues relating to progression, continuity, appropriateness of pedagogy and cross-phase communication and liaison. This exploratory case study adopts an interpretivist paradigm to investigate pertinent aspects of language learning including the perceived aims of Primary Languages; current provision, liaison and assessment activity; and pupils’ self-efficacy and enjoyment of languages as they transfer from primary to secondary school. The study focuses on pupils’ beliefs and experiences of language learning in four cases, each comprising one secondary school and two feeder primary schools. Pupil and teacher questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were administered at three points during this transition: the end of pupils’ final year in primary school, and the beginning and end of their first year at secondary school. Whilst pupils’ transition for languages emerged as patchy, inconsistent, and inadequate in three of the four cases, pupils in one case had a contrasting experience and exhibited higher levels of enjoyment and self-efficacy for languages than in the other cases. The work contributes knowledge about pupils’ beliefs of language learning at a pivotal period in their language education. The case studies and cross-case analysis offer a novel exploration of the important issues in transition for languages and relationships between these issues. In the conclusion, the thesis gives critical consideration to how the findings might inform current and future practices and debates relating to transition for languages and successful language learning in primary schools at the advent of compulsory language learning for all pupils in state-maintained schools in England in Key Stage 2 (aged 7-11 years).
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Andersson, Antonia. "Teaching English to newly arrived immigrant pupils : A qualitative case study about teachers' experiences at a Swedish secondary school." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för språk (SPR), 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-59905.
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This qualitative case study examines teachers’ perspectives on receiving and teaching newly arrived immigrant pupils. Previous research and the Swedish National Agency for Education have shown that immigrant pupils have a tendency to fail their education, and some researchers also implied that these children fail their English education. The aim of this essay has been to investigate how English teachers at a secondary school in southern Sweden deal with the growing number of newly arrived immigrants in their classes. The collected data is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with three teachers at a secondary school in Sweden. The results indicate that the teachers considered that it was challenging to receive and teach newly arrived immigrant pupils. They do not have enough information on how they should incorporate these children into subject planning and ongoing pedagogical initiatives. Moreover, the data also show that the participants expressed the fact that the pupils often had a low level of English proficiency, and that they occasionally did not obtain a grade in English. The pupils’ low English level connected with their ongoing Swedish acquisition made it difficult for the teachers to adapt their teaching. The Results also implied that many newly arrived pupils used English as a communication language, which may have a positive impact on their learning.
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Granath, Simon. "Teaching literature in upper-secondary English class : A qualitative study of Swedish teachers' approaches and experiences." Thesis, Mälardalens högskola, Akademin för utbildning, kultur och kommunikation, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-38332.
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The reasons for incorporating literature in foreign language classrooms range from increased language proficiency and gaining cultural experience to increasing literary knowledge. In Swedish upper-secondary school, literature inclusion is advocated by the course curriculum, but with few specifics as to how teachers should approach it. This study investigates how teachers approach literature teaching, what their ideals for their teaching are, and what difficulties they experience when teaching. These questions were addressed in semi-structured interviews with seven upper-secondary school teachers. The data was analyzed using Content Analysis. The results show that the teachers viewed the role of literature as a way to enhance students’ social and cultural awareness, as well as their language proficiency. The teachers emphasized maintaining and cultivating students’ interests by choosing literature that contain themes relatable and interesting to students, as well as by enthusing students when introducing the texts. When working with the texts the most common assignments and exercises were based on literary analysis and subjective student reflection. The biggest constraint perceived by the teachers were unmotivated and uninterested students. A possible conclusion to be drawn from the research is that it is increasingly important for teachers to connect to students’ needs and interests when incorporating literature. A suggestion for further research is therefore to investigate students’ perceptions and experiences with literature in English class. In addition, the efficiency of literature teaching approaches needs to be researched, as this area is fairly unexplored.
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Harris, Karen L. "An investigation into pupils' and teachers' experiences and perceptions of homophobic bullying in secondary schools." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2010. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.531103.
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Priestley, Andrea. "Participation and agency : the experiences of young people in a Scottish secondary school." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/20457.
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The purpose of this study is to better understand the classroom experiences of current secondary school students, in light of the present policy drive towards participation. Using an approach with ethnographic intent (participant observation, interviewing, shadowing and field notes) this research explores six students’ experiences, in one secondary school in Scotland. Emerging themes from the literature, regarding participation and participatory approaches, suggest that these can be understood in different ways, ranging from economic instrumentalism to democratic renewal. This study took a fresh theoretical approach, employing an ecological, temporal-relational understanding of the achievement of agency. This understanding acknowledges a young person’s awareness of, and capacity to engage with, a range of different possible actions, by means of a particular context at a particular time. This approach provided theoretical tools, with which to interpret aspects of these students’ school experiences. The findings are detailed in terms of teacher-student relationships, the cultural realm, and young people’s aspirations. Students’ achievement of agency in the school setting is complex, but one major finding is that the quality and type of teacher-student relationship are significant in enabling these students to achieve agency. Peer relationships and ties beyond the school gates are also significant. The ecological understanding of agency provides a basis for educators to better understand the interdependence of the individual and the environment and to explore how participation might afford a wider range of possibilities for young people. This reflection on participation is important if we want to shape educational ecologies to encourage practices which facilitate the achievement of agency by young people.
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Lloyd, Bennett Peter. "Action research with teachers in a secondary school to improve the educational experiences of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2007. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/6113/.
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Action research was carried out in one secondary school to investigate the nature of emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). Prior to the action research, a survey on staff views of pupils' emotional and behavioural difficulties was carried out in one local authority to inform the local authority's behaviour support plan and staff in one secondary school expressed particular concerns regarding pupils' behaviour difficulties. This secondary school agreed to become the focus of the action research project on behaviour difficulties. Three action research cycles were used to investigate the nature of pupils' behaviour difficulties. The first action research cycle focused on senior staffs' perceptions of pupils' behaviour difficulties and Year 7 groups were perceived by the special educational needs co-ordinator (Senco) as particularly challenging. The second action research cycle included classroom observations of Year 7 groups, meetings with school staff and a further series of observations with particular attention to two subject areas in which contrasting teacher/ pupil behaviour was observed. Feedback on the classroom observations was given to each class teacher and one teacher who was observed to be particularly successful in engaging pupils in the curriculum was interviewed. The third action research cycle focused on staff focus groups with the aim of generating solutions to problem behaviour across the school. Focus group meetings were provided for staff to talk about issues openly and promote opportunities to share good practice. The behaviour of Year 7 pupils' was observed to vary considerably in different lessons. Unsuccessful strategies in encouraging pupils to focus on curriculum tasks were identified as well as strategies and teaching practices which appear to help reduce or overcome behaviour difficulties.
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Brooks, Tamara. "Perspectives of students, parents and teachers on the secondary school experiences of children and young people with autism spectrum disorders." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2014. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10021479/.
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Secondary education is increasingly recognised to be a time of challenge for many children with special educational needs (SEN), and particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Individuals with ASD have a profile of needs, including social difficulties, sensory needs and anxiety, that make them particularly vulnerable within the secondary setting, and parents increasingly seek more specialist provision as their children reach secondary age. Building on these findings, this research study aimed to examine the secondary school experiences of children with ASD. This study adopted an ecosystemic perspective (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) and used a mixed-method multi-informant approach to examine both intrinsic child characteristics and wider systemic factors influencing the secondary school experiences of 16 children with ASD aged 11-15 years. Children attended a range of secondary provision including maintained and independent special, local mainstream and autism bases. This allowed for a thorough examination of children’s secondary school experiences, including investigation of differences by type of provision. Furthermore, this multi-informant approach revealed the views of children with ASD and their parents and teachers are not always consistent. Autistic behaviours were significantly associated with type of provision (mainstream versus special), yet cognitive ability, sensory symptoms and anxiety were not. The accounts of children, parents and teachers revealed the overall success of children’s secondary placements did not vary according to type of provision (mainstream versus special), although where children attended out of county provision, these placements were noticeably less successful. Difficulties primarily centred around the challenges of meeting the needs of cognitively able children whose ASD impacts on their ability to cope in mainstream schools. Children’s secondary school experiences were particularly influenced by their social vulnerability and feelings of difference. A range of systemic mitigating factors were identified, including transition preparation, teaching strategies, professional involvement, home-school communication and availability of provision. The findings have important implications for EPs, particularly with regards to providing training, transition support, and psychosocial interventions in school. The findings also highlight a crucial role for the EP in accessing children’s views, and mediating between parents and children where conflict exists.
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Arnell, Alfrida. "The use of ICT in the teaching of English Grammar : The views and experiences of six teachers of English in Sweden." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för språk och litteratur, SOL, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-19580.
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This study looks at how six teachers work with English grammar with and without the use of ICT. The aim is to investigate how teachers use ICT in English grammar and compare it with a more traditional approach. The primary source of the case study is interviews conducted with five secondary teachers and one primary teacher in southern Sweden. The teachers work in three different schools with different approaches to ICT. One school has been using ICT for three years, the second school has recently started using it and the third school does not use ICT in English grammar teaching at all. The teachers’ experiences and thoughts on grammar teaching and on ICT are presented and discussed. The results show that only one of the teachers has a sound understanding of how to integrate ICT in English grammar teaching. All interviewed teachers are positive towards the use of ICT but most of them are not aware of the resources available or how to organise the teaching to make use of ICT in the best way. More and more Swedish schools provide laptops for all their pupils but it is clear that the teachers need more training to use ICT in English grammar teaching successfully.
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Myers, Monica M. "High School Experiences of Student Advisory in Fostering Resilience." Ashland University / OhioLINK, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ashland1628091883398647.
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Sulzer, Mark Andrew. "Exploring dialogic teaching with middle and secondary English language arts teachers : a reflexive phenomenology." Diss., University of Iowa, 2015. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1912.
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The ways in which teachers and students speak to each other in middle and secondary English language arts classrooms is integral to the type of learning that occurs there. Ways of engaging in “classroom talk” can be characterized as teacher-centered or student-centered. Teacher-centered classroom talk typically unfolds as a sequence of three steps – a teacher asks a question with a predetermined answer, a student responds, and the teacher evaluates the response. In contrast, student-centered classroom talk is engaging, collaborative, and reciprocal – in these scenarios, teachers and students both ask questions that have multiple answers, students talk to other students, and the discussions grow organically. Working with students in the student-centered way is called dialogic teaching, and while we know dialogic teaching is beneficial to student learning, we also know engaging in this type of teaching is fraught with difficulties. This study sought to explore these difficulties by examining the lived experience of dialogic teaching through the perspectives of six middle and secondary English language arts teachers. The study offers portraits of each teacher’s respective experiences as well as themes that cut across all the teachers’ experiences. Insights are offered about dialogic teaching in terms of lesson planning and attitudes toward students; these insights are termed dialogic by design and dialogic by disposition, respectively.
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Reynolds, Luke. "Making Sense of Self, Stories, and Society: An Analysis of English Teachers' Experiences with the Common Core Regarding Fiction and Nonfiction." Thesis, Boston College, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:107452.
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Thesis advisor: Dennis Shirley<br>Since 2010, many states in America have implemented the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. Yet there is a gap in the research when it comes to ELA teachers’ experiences with the CCSS. This dissertation uses narrative thematic analysis (Reissman, 2008) to explore how eight public school, grade 6-12 ELA teachers make sense of the CCSS. The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute a more complex picture of how educators make sense of national policy in light of their curricular choices, motivations for teaching, and their beliefs about the purposes of ELA education. Narrative thematic analysis revealed that the eight teachers in this study have conflicting views about the CCSS and its impact on their teaching and beliefs. Many of the teachers described significant worry regarding the CCSS during their initial involvement. However, as time progressed, teachers described a growing sense of excitement about the CCSS. Issues such as school climate, process of implementation, and amount of pressure were significant factors contributing to the teachers’ experiences. Regarding the specific shift prescribed by the CCSS towards more nonfiction in the curriculum for ELA classes, teachers discussed fear, confusion, and, eventually, enthusiasm as responses to this initiative. An outlier among the data set described feelings of loss and sadness regarding creative content that was lost due to the CCSS. In concert with narrative thematic analysis (Reissman, 2008) I utilized the conceptual framework of sensemaking theory (Weick, 1995; 2005), to contextualize the stories teachers shared in this study. Social and relational emphases emerged as dominant ways teachers made sense of their work and their responses to the CCSS. Experiences with the CCSS are far more complex than typically reported. More inclusion of teacher voices and experiences has immense power to shape future policy and implementation. Additionally, inclusion of teacher narratives can significantly contribute to the research on creating supportive cultures and contexts in which standards and educational expectations are both created and utilized<br>Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2017<br>Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education<br>Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction
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Sanders, Tracey, and t. sanders@mcauley acu edu au. "Where The Boys Are: The Experiences of Adolescent Boys and Their Female Teacher in Two Single Sex Drama Classrooms." Griffith University. School of Vocational, Technology and Arts Education, 2003. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20030818.152042.
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This qualitative case study explores the experiences of adolescent boys and their female teacher in two single sex drama classrooms over a two year period. It has been influenced by sociological and educational frames of knowledge with a specific emphasis on gender studies. Driven by the work of Biddulph (1995), Bly (1990), Pollack (1999), Hawkes (2001), Hartman (1999), Connell (1995,1996) and Kenway (1997), this research is ideologically grounded in theories that investigate the areas of masculinity, boys' education and drama practice. It takes as its pivotal focus the notion that educationally, adolescent boys are facing complex and troubled times and that a reassessment of the way boys are taught in schools is crucial. Additionally, the role and influence of the female teacher in the single sex boys' classroom was significant, providing an essential backdrop for investigating the classroom experiences of the boys. In the area of educational drama, research into adolescent boys and classroom drama is still unfolding.This thesis contributes to knowledge in this area and reveals the important benefits and potential that educational drama holds for empowering young males to explore their own masculine identities and understand their world with clarity and insight. Data collected during this research forms the basis of a narrative journey shared between the reader and the researcher. The research is heavily grounded in the ethnographic tradition of 'telling stories' from the field - stories which reveal the authentic lived experiences of the participants. Part of the greater story told here includes that of the researcher and documents some of the more notable challenges and highlights of working in the field over an extended time frame. Specifically, the research addresses the following questions: What benefits do adolescent boys perceive they gain from doing drama? How do adolescent boys communicate with each other in the drama classroom? How do adolescent boys approach drama work in their classroom? How do they perceive their own experiences and relationships in a single-sex drama classroom? What role does their female teacher play in their experiences in the drama classroom? The research revealed a number of important considerations for the fields ofsociology, gender studies and education. Amongst some of the major findings was the potential of drama to break down stereotypical notions associated with masculinity and boys' abilities to excel in area such as the Arts. The enjoyment and fulfillment that the boys felt they gained from participating in drama resulted in a heathlier classroom environment characterised by a greater tolerance and understanding of each boy's individual masculinity. It was also revealed that the presence of a female drama teacher was considered an advantage, granting the boys access to a field of knowledge and feeling that was different to their 'male ways of knowing.' Additionally, for the field of drama, the research revealed that the value of solid planning, a defined understanding of contemporary drama practice and implementing learning experiences carefully and thoughtfully grounded in the lives of the students, cannot be underestimated as essential components of effective drama teaching.
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Miller, Paul Washington. "Professional lives in transition : the experiences of overseas trained teachers from the Caribbean in London's secondary schools." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2009. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10019893/.
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Smith, Debra. "Adolescent male gang members' literacy experiences within and outside of school." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/284405.
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This purpose of this dissertation is to investigate how four Mexican American male adolescents perceive their literacy within and outside of school. Particular attention is given to the literacies found in the family, gang, school, and juvenile court communities. Initially, the four Mexican American male adolescents who participated in this study were students in my alternative classroom. Later, I officially advocated for them and their families in the educational system. I worked with each participant for four years. Each participant is a member of a gang and has struggled with being successful in school. The ethnographic case study design of the research, enabled me to examine each participant's literacy story. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews, participant observation and field notes, and the gathering of written and visual artifacts such as school assignments, personal journals, individual tags, personally written raps, and photographs. Data were organized into "case study data bases" and each participant's story contributed to a larger discussion of the individual communities in which the four members participated. The research revealed that all four participants come from rich literacy environments and that the social and political roles of literacy varied within the different communities. These multiple roles controlled the participants' use of literacies to navigate within the educational and juvenile court systems.
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Scanlon, Elizabeth. "THE LITERACY EXPERIENCES OF NINTH-GRADERS AND THEIR TEACHER IN AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS WORKSHOP." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2005. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/3799.
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The question guiding this qualitative study was: What are the literacy experiences of ninth-grade students in an English language arts workshop classroom? This study is an autoethnography and it chronicles six months in my ninth grade English classroom where I played the role of observant participant. It examines the process of reading and writing and how my perspective as a reader and a writer shapes my curricular decisions and influences my students as readers and writers.<br>Ed.D.<br>Department of Teaching and Learning Principles<br>Education<br>Curriculum and Instruction
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Davis, Jennifer. "The essential presence of spirituality in the secular classroom as experienced by six female secondary school teachers." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape3/PQDD_0021/MQ54449.pdf.
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Sandberg, Ylva. "Bilingual subject-specific literacies? Teachers’ and learners’ views and experiences of two school languages in biology, civics, history and mathematics : Case studies from the Swedish upper secondary school." Licentiate thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för språkdidaktik, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-159542.
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This licentiate thesis investigates teachers’ and students’ cognitions of bilingual subject-specific literacies. The thesis builds on three different studies, referred to as case studies, conducted in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) study programmes in the Swedish upper secondary school. Participants’ views and experiences of two languages of schooling, English and Swedish, were elicited in interviews, and analysed thematically. To gain understanding of the three studies in combination, a further analytical framework was developed and tested. In this analysis, participants’ descriptions, explanations and reflections on teaching and learning curriculum content bilingually emerged as three-dimensional discourses. In the first study, new and experienced teachers’ challenges and strategies were in focus. The biology and civics teachers, who were new teachers, and new to CLIL, found teaching through the second language of schooling, English, time-consuming and demanding. They expressed concern about limited communication and learning in the classroom. The mathematics teachers, who had long teaching experience, and of teaching in the CLIL programme, had developed strategies to meet perceived challenges, for example, they had designed parts of lessons in a monolingual mode, and parts of lessons in a bilingual mode. The second study explored intermediate CLIL teachers’ rationales for language choice in teaching. The biology and history teachers found that access to English, as afforded through the CLIL framework, coincided well with the new syllabi for their school subjects. For instance, the history teachers could use web-based study materials in English in class, and found teaching and learning more authentic than in the mainstream, Swedish-speaking, study programmes. The biology teachers mentioned that access to English terminology facilitated the teaching and learning of complex subject-specific content areas. It functioned as a potential source to enhance students’ understanding. The third study documented students ́cognitionsof CLIL. The views of upper secondary students studying curriculum content through English were overall positive. However, results showed that their experiences of CLIL varied with school subject. Whereas studying mathematics through English was reported to be conducive to learning and understanding, learning civics through English only, or trying to listen to lectures in civics, where teachers would change languages seemingly without a rationale, were perceived as less conducive to learning.<br><p>At the time of the licentiate defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: In press.</p><br>Content and Language Integration in Swedish Schools (CLISS)
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Weston, Tracie Amos. "Non-Pecuniary Factors Impacting the Retention of New Teachers at the Secondary Level in One Virginia School Division." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51761.
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The purpose of this study was to measure the influence of teacher preparation experiences, collegial support, and principal support on new teachers' decisions to remain in the teaching profession. Quantitative research was conducted using data from an electronic survey to examine the impact the three predictor variables had on the likelihood of a new teacher remaining in the profession beyond five years. Research explored the precipitating theory based on scholarly literature, that teachers who are well prepared with practical experiences, and who feel supported and valued by their colleagues and principals, reflect the highest level of job satisfaction and potential to remain in the teaching profession.
Five findings emerged from this study. Two findings indicated that collegial support and principal support, both had a statistically significant influence on new teacher retention. In addition, the study found that nearly 75% of new teachers showed some level of job satisfaction with the teaching profession.
Participants in the survey included one hundred and eighty-four teachers with 0-5 years experience, representing teachers from 21 secondary schools within one school district. Participants were asked to respond to questions based on their personal experiences and feelings related to the teaching profession and their overall satisfaction level.<br>Ed. D.
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何健昌 and Kin-cheong Ho. "A study of stress experienced by teachers using IT in teaching." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2001. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B43894951.
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Subryan, Shubhashnee. "Exploring secondary school science teacher professional identity : can it be influenced and reshaped by experiences of professional development programmes?" Thesis, University of Derby, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10545/621337.
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International test results posed concerns about the future of science education in Canada, the UK, and the USA. Stakeholders such as Let's Talk Science and AMGEN Canada and The Royal Society, UK observed that fewer students were pursuing post-secondary studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related fields in their countries, compared to their counterparts in China, India and Singapore. These stakeholders contended that science teachers required the agency to enhance their classroom efficacy and to challenge their students to pursue post-secondary studies and careers in STEM related fields. Reform initiatives, including professional development programmes, have been established across western countries to support science teachers' agency to act as change agents. This study was based on two assumptions; first, science teachers need professional development, experiences to shape their professional identity to act as change agents in science education reform, and secondly, science teachers' professional identity may be influenced and reshaped through experiences during professional development. This research explored the influence on secondary school science teachers' professional identity by their experiences of professional development programmes. A methodological approach of hermeneutic phenomenology facilitated the understanding of science teachers' experiences, while a sociocultural theoretical framework based on Wenger's community of practice, underpinned the research. Narrative interviews, semi-structured interviews, and a questionnaire provided evidence from thirteen purposefully selected science teachers in one school board in Canada for this study. Interpretive phenomenological analysis of interviews and qualitative survey analysis of the questionnaire, identified cognitive development, social interactions, emotional changes, and change in beliefs and classroom practice as the science teacher's experiences of their professional development programme. Such experiences are regarded as indicators of influence on professional identity. The cognitive development, social interactions, and emotional changes experienced by the science teachers, are considered as their dimensions of experiences during learning. Although nine science teachers experienced change in their practice, two of the reported change sin their professional beliefs. It is significant that eleven science teachers did not experience a change in their beliefs, despite changes in their classroom practice. The science teachers who did not experience a change in their beliefs were confident of their existing professional identities that influenced their learning and their views regarding changes in their beliefs and practice. It appears that science teachers' prior professional identity was a determining factor in influencing and reshaping their professional identities. Nevertheless, findings from this study imply that, to some extent, science teachers' professional identity was influenced, perhaps not reshaped, by their experiences of their professional development programme. Findings fro my research have implications for science education reform-minded stakeholders and providers of in-service professional development programmes. They would be informed of research on the role of professional identity in professional learning and classroom practice in a climate of science education reform, as well as the role of prior professional identity in such initiatives.
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Boström, Agneta. "Sharing lived experience : how upper secondary school chemistry teachers and students use narratives to make chemistry more meaningful /." Stockholm : Stockholm Institute of Education Press (HLS förlag), 2006. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-1285.
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O'Banner, Robinson KaKela. "A State of Emergency: The Experiences of Teachers in Professional Learning Communities from 1999 to 2018 in a Rural South Carolina School District." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2020. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3703.
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This qualitative case study was conducted to develop an understanding of professional learning communities and other types of professional development and their impact on building educator capacity on student outcomes in Allendale County School District. This is a small rural underperforming district in which student performance has not improved over time despite the District being taken over by the South Carolina State Department of Education (SCDOE) on two separate occasions between 1999 and 2018. Research methods consisted of semi-structured interviews with a sample of 15 educators and administrators in Allendale, as well as a review of relevant documentation. The findings of the study indicate that much of the professional development provided in Allendale during the 1999-2018 period did not exhibit the characteristics identified in the literature for effective professional development, and was not based on the professional learning communities (PLC) approach which researchers have identified as effective in bringing about improvements in student performance. Much of the professional development provided for teachers over the past twenty years in Allendale has been short-term and fragmented; as a result, teachers perceived that it had little relevance to them and their students. The analysis of interviews and documentary evidence indicated that the potential of professional development for improving student performance in Allendale was hindered by numerous changes in school and district leadership and a confrontational and non-collaborative relationship between state and district officials. However, a result of the second state takeover was a more systematic and collaborative approach to professional development strategies and implementation. Research findings will be utilized to support future implementation of a more effective PLC model in Allendale, and for avoidance of leadership relationships that have hindered its progress over the past twenty years.
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Lin, Mau-tong Kitty. "A study of the quality of the questioning strategies of experienced and novice teachers during english lessons in a secondary school." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1996. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B17598928.
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