College of Education
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Browsing College of Education by Department "Curriculum and Instruction"
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Item A "Literacy Awakening": The Role of Study Abroad and International Service Learning for Preservice Teachers' Literacy Engagement(Forum for International Research in Education, 2019-11-05) Lussier, Kristie O'Donnell; Czop Assaf, Lori; Hoff, MeaganThe purpose of this study was to explore how preservice teachers (PST) became aware of literacies in global and local contexts and to understand how PST conceive of literacy after experiencing an international service learning (ISL) study abroad program in rural South Africa. For this qualitative grounded theory study, we used critical literacy and humanizing pedagogy as theoretical frames for designing the program and analyzing data. Findings show PST experienced a “literacy awakening.” They became more aware of nuanced and complex ways literacies function in a community and imagined how their understandings would shape future teaching.Item A Catalyst of Change: A Graduate Student’s Perspectives on Transformational Teaching.(Forum of International Research in Education, 2019-11) Le, Ni-La; Martinez Hinestroza, Jose; Kraus, Erika; Hassan, Azad; Plough, IndiaThis article interprets teachers as change agents in light of the Transformational Teaching (TT) framework (Slavich & Zimbardo, 2012). Contributing to the understanding of teachers’ transformation, we report on a case study that explores how of a graduate student’s conceptualization of and engagement with the core methods of TT emerged and developed through her teaching in the context of a locally situated Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum program. The analysis offers three findings. First, the core methods of TT are evidenced in the teacher’s practice. Second, specific program specifications facilitated her engagement with TT. Third, she was motivated to make changes in her teaching toward TT. We argue that the interaction among context, students, teaching practice and systematic reflection opportunities may act as a catalyzer of change in teachers’ understanding and engagement with TT.Item A Comparative Analysis of EFL and ESL Programs Regarding Curriculum Mandates and Program Directors’ and Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions: The Case of Turkey and the US(Scientific Research Publishing, 2014-06) Polat, Nihat; Cepik, SabanIn researching the comparison of ESL and EFL programs regarding curriculum mandates and perceptions of program directors and Teacher candidates, this study addresses the following research questions: How different are the competencies that are covered in the curricula of ELTE programs in Turkey from those that are covered in the curricula of ESL teacher education programs in the US? How do the program directors in ELTE and ESL teacher certification programs perceive the situation of their programs in terms of the content of the curriculum? How do the teacher candidates in ELTE and ESL teacher certification programs perceive the situation of their programs in terms of the content of the curriculum? Data include semi-structured interviews of four program directors and eight ELTE and ESL teacher candidates as well as the curricula of eight ESL teacher certification and eight ELTE programs. These programs were selected among private and public institutions in different cities and States (US) to represent a more comprehensive structure of the ELTE and ESL programs in the two countries. Results clearly indicate that program directors and teacher candidates do not see curriculum as a well-written prescribed document; rather, they argued for the learning outcomes resulting from the implemented curriculum. Besides, some critically needed competencies such as culture and assessment, and professional responsibilities are neglected in EFL programs.Item A Source Book of Materials on the San Marcos Chautauqua, 1885-1895(1938-01) Henderson, RubyTerm paper prepared for the University of Texas course 384f, The history of education in Texas, taught by Dr. Eby, 1937-1938.Item Academic Help-Seeking and Achievement of Postsecondary Students: A Meta-Analytic Investigation(American Psychological Association, 2023-11) Fong, Carlton J.; Gonzales, Cassandra; Hill-Troglin Cox, ChristieNearly all college students require some academic assistance throughout their learning experiences. Rather than a dependent act, help-seeking is a self-regulated and motivated strategy; however, there are mixed findings regarding the relationship between academic help-seeking and academic achievement. Thus, the current study used meta-analytic techniques to assess the relationship between academic help-seeking variables and achievement (GPA, grades, test scores) among postsecondary students in 108 studies (119 samples, N = 37,941). Findings revealed a positive association between self-reported, need-contingent help-seeking behaviors and student achievement; the average weighted correlation was very small but potentially meaningful in the long run. Furthermore, the quality of help-seeking mattered, revealing small to moderate associations of greater consequence. Specifically, and executive help-seeking were negatively correlated to achievement; instrumental help-seeking along with formal help-seeking was positively correlated with academic performance. Moreover, a few factors significantly moderated the relationship between help-seeking and achievement. Implications for research and practice will be discussed.Item Advanced Reading Comprehension Expectations in Secondary School: Considerations for Students with Emotional or Behavior Disorders(Sage, 2016-06) Ciullo, Stephen P.; Ortiz, Miriam B.; Otaiba, Stephanie Al; Lane, Kathleen LynneThe debate around recent implementation of the Common Core Standards (CCSS) has perplexed many policy makers, practitioners, and researchers; yet there remains broad agreement for the need to improve reading outcomes and college and career readiness for all students, including students with disabilities. One of the most vulnerable populations with disabilities in terms of college and career readiness is students with emotional disorders (ED). A considerable percentage of students with ED encounter unfavorable academic and long-term outcomes, often due to reading difficulties and behavioral variables that impede learning. To date, the impact of rising expectations in reading on the education of students with ED has been absent from this conversation about CCSS. In this article, we consider the implications of new reading expectations in the critical period of Grades 6-12 for students with ED. First, we summarize grade level expectations of the standards. Then, we describe the characteristics and underachievement of students with ED. Next, we evaluate challenges in meeting the expectations based on extant research, and provide recommendations for practice based on the intervention literature. We conclude by prioritizing a research and policy agenda that advocates for increasing the likelihood of success in reading for students with ED in middle school and high school.Item (Almost) Everything I Need to Know about Multiculturalism I Learned on Jury Duty(Caddo Gap Press, 2013-01) Smith, ShannaIn this article, the author states that during her experience on jury duty--spent with a melting pot of socially-conscious citizens--she reflected upon the implications for education and her own teaching practice. Three major themes centering around her understanding of multiculturalism surfaced: (1) Defining multiculturalism; (2) The cult of personality; and (3) Teaching multiculturalism. The author describes her understanding of the impact of multiculturalism on teachers and education. These include the findings of her research on the issue through three questions sent to eight colleagues, asking them to define multiculturalism, describe how multiculturalism affects their professional work, and who should teach multiculturalism. She examines the flexibility of society in its perception, the adjustment of colleagues in teaching to the social needs of their students, and the effect of a minority background on the tendency to empathy. She discusses the acceptance of differences as a strategy for successful coexistence. Finally, she asserts that as the U.S. is the quintessential melting pot of culture, it is time that American educational practices reflect true multiculturalism.Item Arnold Gesell’s Developmental Assessment Revalidation Substantiates Child-Oriented Curriculum(Sage, 2014-01) Guddemi, Marcy; Sambrook, Andrea; Wells, Sallie; Randel, Bruce; Fite, Kathleen E.; Selva, Gitta; Gagnon, KellyEducators and parents are increasingly concerned about effects of high-stakes testing on children who may not be developmentally ready to perform tasks according to rigorous standards of today’s kindergartens. In response to this issue, and to provide new psychometric data for the Gesell Developmental Observation (GDO), Gesell Institute conducted a nationwide study with nearly 1,300 children aged 3 to 6 years. Results confirm that children are able to perform developmental items according to a sequential trajectory of increasing difficulty, relative to their chronological age in 6-month intervals, and that performance mastery on items does not occur at the same time for all children of the same age. Results support the continued use of the revised GDO, now named the Gesell Developmental Observation–Revised (GDO-R), as an instrument to determine a child’s developmental level along a continuous path of growth and learning. Also discussed is the importance of establishing effective and appropriate academic goals based on a child’s developmental assessment results.Item Behavioral Skills Training to Improve the Abduction-Prevention Skills of Children with Autism(Springer, 2016-05) Ledbetter-Cho, Katherine; Lang, Russell; Davenport, Katy; Moore, Melissa; Lee, Allyson; O'Reilly, Mark F.; Watkins, Laci; Falcomata, TerryA concurrent multiple baseline across participants design evaluated the effects of behavioral skills training (BST) on abduction-prevention skills of four children with autism. Across phases, confederates presented four types of abduction lures: (a) simple requests, (b) appeals to authority, (c) assistance requests, and (d) incentives. During baseline, lures resulted in children leaving with confederate strangers. During intervention, BST targeted a three-step response (i.e., refuse, move away, and report) and the abduction-prevention skills of all participants improved. Improvements generalized to novel settings and confederates and were maintained at 4 weeks. There is currently limited research on abduction-prevention pertaining to individuals with ASD. BST can be used to teach abduction-prevention skills to individuals with ASD. BST can be effective at teaching appropriate responses to multiple types of abduction lures. The effects of BST on multiple responses to multiple types of lures can generalize across settings and people and maintain over time.Item Behavioral, Psychological, and Vocational Interventions to Facilitate Employment for Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review(Campbell Corporation, 2015-01) Fong, Carlton J.; Murphy, Kathleen M.; Westbrook, John D.; Markle, Minda M.Background: In the United States, an estimated 1.5 million people are diagnosed annually with some type of cancer (American Cancer Society, 2011). Work is an important stabilizing factor for cancer survivors (Arnold, 1999). De Boer and colleagues (2009) identified a rate of 33.8% unemployment among cancer survivors beyond the age of 18 compared to 15.2% among a healthy international control population. Greater awareness of the job-related and workplace issues that cancer survivors face can lead to more comprehensive rehabilitation plans and recovery (Centers for Disease Control, 2011; Nathan, Hayes-Lattin, Sisler, & Hudson, 2011). Although various recent interventions have been developed to address unemployment among cancer survivors, these have not yet been systematically evaluated. Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to examine experimental and quasi-experimental studies about interventions that (i) include one or more behavioral, psychological, educational, or vocational components, (ii) involve cancer survivors aged 18 years or older, and (iii) assess intervention outcomes on employment outcomes. The aims are both to describe the variety of interventions that have been studied using rigorous methods and to estimate intervention effects. Search Strategy: We used electronic search techniques of 27 computerized databases to conduct a comprehensive search. Keywords used were relevant terms from four categories: population, treatment, domain, and design. We identified grey literature through electronic searches of popular search engines, unpublished dissertations/theses, and cancer-related organizations and conferences. In addition, we searched reference lists from included individual studies for potential studies to consider. The dates of the last search for electronic databases and grey literature were November 2013 and October 2012, respectively. Selection Criteria: We employed a two-stage process to determine inclusion or exclusion of studies: (1) title and abstract stage and (2) full text stage. Participants needed to be cancer survivors 18 years of age or older. Interventions were included if they measured gainful employment, return to work, wages, or hours worked as an outcome. Interventions were behavioral, psychological, educational, or vocational in nature, including workshops, training, or counseling targeted towards employment initiation, return-to-work, or decreasing absenteeism and use of work disability or sick leave. Interventions included an element apart from medical or physical treatment (e.g., exercise, surgery, pharmaceutical treatment). Studies with a research design of randomized controlled trial or quasi-experimental study were included. Data Collection and Analysis: The combined electronic search, hand searches, and examination of the grey literature produced a total of 20,249 citations. Of these studies, a total of 70 citations were advanced for collection of a full text copy of the study when either one of the two independent reviewers agreed it appeared to meet the inclusion criteria. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. The results of the studies were synthesized in a random-effects meta-analysis using odds ratio effect sizes. Results: We found 12 studies evaluating the effects of psychosocially-related interventions on the employment of cancer survivors (N = 2151). Our results provide promising evidence that the included interventions may improve employment status (OR = 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.26 to 2.32) for cancer survivors. For RCTs (k = 6), the weighted mean effect size for employment status was OR = 1.44 (CI = 0.99 to 2.09), favoring the intervention groups. The mean odds ratio of 1.44 translates to an employment rate of about 68% for intervention participants compared to a baseline 60% for comparison group participants. For QEDs (k = 6), the weighted mean effect size for employment status was OR = 2.18 (CI = 1.32 to 3.60), also favoring the intervention groups. The mean odds ratio of 2.18 for the quasi-experimental studies translates to an employment rate of about 77% for intervention participants, compared to the baseline rate of 60% for the comparison group participants. Although the mean effect size from QEDs was larger than that from the RCTs, there is no significant difference between the two types of experimental designs (p = 0.19). There was no evidence of an effect on the number of hours worked (OR = 0.89, CI = 0.22 to 1.52) or number of sick leave days (OR = 1.18, CI = 0.81 to 1.71). Overall, the assessment of the risk of bias was high, and conclusions about the effectiveness of the included interventions should be interpreted with caution. Authors' Conclusion: This review highlights the positive effect psychosocial interventions may have on employment outcomes for cancer survivors. However, the methodological shortcomings of the included studies overall makes it likely that there is bias in the results and too few studies to provide sufficiently strong evidence to recommend particular practices. This review brings attention to the need for additional rigorous studies in this area, in particular, randomized controlled trials with more detailed reporting of data and study design and methodology.Item Children’s Negotiations of Visualization Skills During a Design-Based Learning Experience Using Nondigital and Digital Techniques(Purdue University Press, 2018-01) Smith, ShaunnaIn the context of a 10-day summer camp makerspace experience that employed design-based learning (DBL) strategies, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to better understand the ways in which children use visualization skills to negotiate design as they move back and forth between the world of nondigital design techniques (i.e., drawing, 3-D drawing with hot glue, sculpture, discussion, writing) and digital technologies (i.e., 3-D scanning, 3-D modeling, 3-D printing). Participants included 20 children aged 6–12. This research was guided by Vossoughi, Hooper, and Escudé’s (2016) call for explicit atten-tion to pedagogical practices during the integration of “making” activities. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data, including observation, researcher/facilitator field notes, think aloud protocols, daily reflective exit tickets, and partici-pant artifacts. Findings highlight the ways in which participants negotiated visualization skills through (a) imagining, draw-ing, and seeing through creating 2-D sketches, (b) reasoning and relating through writing stories, (c) transforming through 3-D extrusion, (d) observing and noticing through 3-D sculpting and 3-D scanning, and (e) manipulating through digital 3-D modeling, mental rotation, and mental transformation. Implications for formal K–12 educational contexts and teacher preparation programs are discussed.Item College Reading and Studying: The Complexity of Academic Literacy Task Demands(Wiley, 2019-04-24) Holschuh, Jodi P.Over a century of research on postsecondary learning has documented that students often struggle with the academic literacy demands of college. Academic literacy tasks are the subset of all academic tasks that involve reading and writing and are rooted within larger cultural practices. These demands are challenging, complex, and varied, so students need help preparing before they enter college. Although there are many reasons why preparing students for academic literacy tasks is difficult, there are some ways that educators can help. The author discusses the academic literacy demands in college by examining some of the reasons why it is difficult to fully prepare students and several ways that educators can help students on the path toward college readiness.Item Considering Instructional Appropriateness of Technology Integration into Early Childhood Education(Middle Tennessee State University, 2016-11) Smith, Shaunna; Burrow, Lauren; Fite, Kathleen E.; Guerra, LaurieIn a research context, the very nature of how one defines technology and technology integration into an early childhood (EC) classroom takes on different meanings that can complicate the national discussion. In an early childhood education (ECE) context, there are multiple concerns about technology integration that go beyond access and classroom management of student use. McMannis, Nemeth, and Simon (2013) point out that lack of research on technology integration in EC classrooms could be contributing to common misconceptions in the discussions about affordances and translation of theory into practice. In order to keep with the changing educational landscape of preparing pre-service teachers (PSTs) to effectively integrate technology into classrooms, institutions of higher education have previously required standalone educational technology courses. However, due to changing accreditation requirements or programmatic restructuring, there is migration toward the elimination of the standalone course in favor of technology integration into methods and content courses. Technology integration in an EC classroom is critical to prepare and provide students with the evolving 21st-century skills that are recommended and essential for operational success in a technology-reliant society. While technology standards for both students and teachers (ISTE Standards, 2008) have been identified, standards for teacher educators who model initial knowledge and application necessary for PSTs to carry out those standards are still in development. Without national standards and with many teacher education programs no longer providing a specific course on technology integration to instruct PSTs on how to navigate working, learning, and teaching in an increasingly connected digital society, the questions then become --- What do PSTs know and believe about ECE technology integration? How well are instructors effectively modeling the knowledge PSTs need? And, if there is no room in programs for a standalone technology integration course, what messages about technology integration are PSTs receiving and how is instructionally appropriate technology integration being modeled by faculty instruction?Item Coordinator's Report, German Teacher Training Program at the Southwest Texas State Teachers College, 1953-54(Southwest Texas State Teachers College, 1954-01) Rogers, J. LloydThis is the story of the program carried on at the Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos, from October 5, 1953 to January 29, 1954, for nineteen elementary teachers from West Germany. The program was under the immediate direction of the Division of International Education of the U.S. Office of Education, with Mr. Kenneth Bateman as the specialist for this particular program; the general program was sponsored by the Educational Exchange Service of the U.S. Department of State. From West Germany to Southwest Texas, SWTSTC San Marcos, 1954 [pt.1], Coordinator's Report.Item Creating Custodial Classes: An Instructional Program Guide for Custodial Workers(1992-01) McBride, Pamela G.; Engel, Jonathan C.; Caverly, David C.This program guide documents a custodial job family curriculum that develops competence in generic work force education skills through business writing/clerical skills and reading and writing courses. An annotated table of contents lists a brief description of the questions answered in each section. An introduction presents a program abstract and a guide overview. The remainder of the guide is structured according to the four stages in the process of setting up a work force instructional program: partnership building, curriculum development, actual instruction, and evaluation. A detailed table of contents to each section outlines the steps involved in completing each stage. The section on developing partnerships identifies some key partners and structures for achieving their involvement. The section on developing curriculum describes some structures for assessing and organizing input from a variety of sources. The section on teaching the class presents a curricular model with specific examples of daily classroom activities. The section on assessment and evaluation describes a variety of assessment tools and discusses their advantages and disadvantages. The conclusions section offers a preliminary analysis of the program's results and summary of program effectiveness. Appendixes include sample course outlines and lesson plans, registration and evaluation forms, and a selected bibliography divided into work force skills (59 items), background theory (47), and practitioner resources (20).Item Critically Reflective Leadership: Defining Successful Growth(Middle Tennessee State University, 2019-04-10) Reardon, Robert; Fite, Kathleen E.; Boone, Mike; Sullivan, SierraThe purpose of this article is to propose a technique that can be used by emerging leaders when considering adopting the most appropriate leadership styles, behaviors or actions in a particular context. The authors review several different leadership models explored by scholars during the past six decades; not all of these models work for all leaders in all situations. In order to become effective leaders, authors propose the use of reflection-in-action to facilitate emerging leaders when faced with challenging situations. By considering a descriptive, yet brief informal checklist, the emerging leader can be supported in choosing from different models or approaches. The practical application of this information is to assist those mentoring emerging leaders and leaders themselves to develop reflective practices and insightful dispositions necessary to navigate the complex situations encountered in today’s daily interactive environments. This original work combines the literature of leadership with Schön’s work on reflective practice. While it seems an obvious application of Schön, the concept of critically reflective leadership is not prevalent in the literature.Item Developing a Mentoring Framework through the Examination of Mentoring Paradigms in a Teacher Residency Program(2019-01) Garza, Ruben; Reynosa, Raymond; Werner, Patrice H.; Duchaine, Ellen L.; Harter, Rod A.In this paper, we extend on our exploratory study that examined mentors’ conceptualizations and practices of mentoring preservice teachers in a residency program to develop a mentoring framework to guide mentors’ approaches to mentoring preservice teachers in a year-long clinical experience. Our mentoring framework has the potential to make mentors consciously aware of their roles and purposes of mentoring throughout the year and within respective contexts. This meta-cognitive approach may help them to improve their practice and grow alongside their mentee. The Mentoring Framework for Mentoring is a tool that may be instrumental in developing mentors’ deeper understanding of the roles and purposes of mentoring to promote quality guidance and support for mentees. Our instrument has the potential to inform teacher preparation programs regarding goals and expectations for mentors to develop more formal mentoring guidelines and expectations, to better support the professional development of both preservice teachers and mentors.Item Developing a Professional Identity in a Global Society(Middle Tennessee State University, 2019-10-28) Oesteich, Jo Beth; Fite, Kathleen E.For decades, teacher attrition continues as a global concern; more teachers leave the profession than enter, especially among beginning teachers (Dassa & Derose, 2017). Research targeting the development of teacher identity describes how it transacts with teacher retention, motivation, and learning in diverse cultural and social contexts. These findings provide insight regarding successful pedagogical practices (Schutz, Hong, & Cross-Frances, 2018; Anspal, Eisenchmide, & Lofstrom, 2011). Developing a professional identity as a teacher is a dynamic, complex, and ongoing process (Chang-Kredl & Kingsley, 2014; Ivanova & Skara-Minecāne, 2016). In teacher preparation programs, preservice students facilitate the development of their professional identity by focusing on why they want to become a teacher, why they think they will be effective, and how they can cultivate a culturally responsive classroom for their students (Muhammad, 2017). Pre-service teachers facilitate a social, cultural, and global identity as they prepare children of diverse backgrounds as well as native learners to explore their roles in the macro and global societies (Lerseth, 2013; Chong, Ling, & Chuan, 2011). Additionally, preservice teacher candidates develop a geographic identity as they learn about the homelands of their students. This is important because this history shapes the identities of children and their families. Thus, in developing a professional identity, because teachers take the time to know themselves and their motivations, they become better able to frame the learning of their diverse students to meet the challenges of the global community.Item Developing Professionalism in the Child Care Industry: An Instructional Program Guide for Child Care Workers(Southwest Texas State University, 1992-01) Johnson, Ann; Werner, Patrice H.; Caverly, David C.Workforce education, as distinguished from job training, emphasizes instruction in learning how to learn because of the swiftly changing nature of the workplace today. Our focus through the Workforce Instructional Network (WIN) was to work with small businesses in a small town to design instruction aimed at improving the literacy skills of individuals currently in the workforce. We accomplished this by forming a partnership between Southwest Texas State University (SWT), the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce, and the San Marcos Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The success of our project supports the use of a process-oriented education model which emphasizes transferable skills presented in a series of mini-courses from five to fifteen weeks. In order to develop our curriculum according to an education model, we identified those generic workforce education skills underlying job families rather than concentrating solely on the content knowledge needed for a particular job. Through developing competence with these skills, we hope to have equipped workers for future job changes, many of which cannot even be anticipated in the fast-moving business environment of today. Moreover, these newly developed literacy skills will provide a strong foundation from which the workers can educate themselves given new workforce education demands, resulting in future training savings to the businesses involved. This future efficiency aspect is particularly relevant to small businesses which often rely on on-the-job training by supervisors and co-workers rather than maintaining training staffs.Item Digital Literacies And The Construction of The “Language Barrier”(British Association for Applied Linguistics, 2019-02) Smith, Patrick H.No abstract prepared.