Theses/Dissertations - Curriculum and Instruction
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Browsing Theses/Dissertations - Curriculum and Instruction by Author "Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction."
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Item The Accelerated Reader program and students' attitude towards reading.(2006-04-24T18:03:32Z) Focarile, Deborah Ann.; Sharp, Patricia Tipton.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.This study explores the relationship between the use of the Accelerated Reader Program, a computerized reading management program marketed by Advantage Learning Systems, Inc., and student's attitudes towards reading while specifically focusing on the difference in attitudes toward reading between low achieving and high achieving students. In addition, this study describes the relationship between reading achievement and the use of the Accelerated Reader Program. This study is quasi-experimental in nature since it does not use a random sample or random assignment to groups. In order to assess student attitudes toward reading, the Heathington Attitude Scale (intermediate version) was employed. The Heathington Attitude Scale is a Likert scale, or summated rating and gives feedback about school-related reading activities such as free reading and organized reading, reading at the library, reading at home, other recreational reading, and general reading. The Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests was used to assess reading achievement. These test, published by Riverside Publishing Company, are standardized achievement of reading from the end of Kindergarten through Grade 12. Each level test consists of two tests: a vocabulary test and a comprehension test. The reading passages include a balance of different genres of writing. Results of the study suggest that there is no significant relationship between the use of the Accelerated Reader Program and student interest toward reading. Likewise, the study showed that the Accelerated Reader program did not have a significant impact on the reading interest of low achieving students when compared to high achieving students. Similarly, the data indicated that there was not a significant relationship between the use of the Accelerated Reader Program and student reading achievement. Finally, recommendations have been presented for further research of the following: the study should be conducted using a larger sample of participants and a comparison of the increase or decrease in student interest in reading during the school year between the students using the Accelerated Reader Program and those who do not.Item The affects of a middle grades teacher education program on preservice teachers choice of teaching strategies and mathematical understanding.(2006-04-19T16:13:33Z) Eddy, Colleen M.; Wilkerson, Trena.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.This study investigated how mathematical knowledge, mathematics pedagogy, and knowledge of students' understanding in mathematics impacted middle grades preservice mathematics teachers' lesson planning and teaching strategies implemented in a mathematics classroom who have either high or low teacher efficacy. The participants were four middle grades preservice mathematics teachers in their third year of an intensive field based teacher education program. All participants completed Tschannen-Moran and Hoy's (2001) Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale Instrument, mathematics questionnaire, pre and post interviews, and teaching observations. Mathematical knowledge was derived primarily from the mathematics courses but mathematics pedagogy courses did reinforce mathematical concepts. Mathematics pedagogy was impacted by mathematics courses for participants' perception of how mathematics was taught and mathematics pedagogy courses for lesson planning and teaching strategies. The classroom teacher in the field experience was a major influence for determining the flexibility the participants perceived they had for lesson planning and teaching strategies. Knowledge of students' understanding in mathematics derived primarily from the field experience courses. All the participants were able to have experiences incorporating aspects of a conceptual lesson including student collaboration, evaluating student preconceptions, and problem solving. The gains in teacher efficacy by the participants with low teacher efficacy may be attributed to multiple field experiences in a year long teaching experience that allowed them to make connections with their mathematics and mathematics pedagogy courses. The data suggests that teacher education programs consider providing: 1) middle grades preservice mathematics teachers opportunities to make connections with the field experience, mathematics, and mathematics pedagogy courses by taking them simultaneously, 2) multiple field experiences for middle grades preservice mathematics teachers in a mathematics classroom so that the preservice teachers have opportunities to implement different teaching strategies, and 3) field placements for middle grades mathematics teachers with classroom teachers who support the sound learning and teaching practices of the teacher education program.Item An analysis of alternative school effectiveness on student achievement.(2010-10-08T16:22:50Z) Moger, Scott Douglas.; Conaway, Betty J.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.This study is a comparative analysis investigating student achievement, attendance rates, grade point average and credit earned by at-risk students attending an alternative high school of choice, at-risk students attending a traditional high school and at-risk students attending a Disciplinary Alternative Education Placement Campus within the same school district. Three separate groups totaling 180 students were involved in this study. Each of the three groups consisted of 60 at-risk students from one of the three campuses. All of the students participating in the study were students labeled "at-risk" of not graduating from high school and had a minimum of three or more at-risk indicators attached to each student. None of the students used in the study were in a special education program. The three different groups of at-risk students were compared in five separate categories: raw scores on the state mandated Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) on the individual Mathematics and Reading tests, attendance, credit accrual, scale scores on the TAKS Mathematics and Reading tests, and grade point averages (GPAs). In applying a test of significance a simple or one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to the data sets of each campus used in the study. Statistical significance was found to be present in 7 of 13 data sets within the five categories studied. The school district involved in the study was a large 5-A district located in central Texas with an enrollment of over 8,900 students at the completion of this study. According to the research, student TAKS scores vary from year to year and tended to increase in the second year regardless of the campus students attended. Students who attended a tradition high school campus had higher attendance rates than students who attended alternative campuses. Students with three or more at-risk indicators accrued credits at a slower rate and were not likely to graduate in four years. Students with three or more at-risk indicators were successful at passing the TAKS Reading Test. Students with three or more at-risk indicators were unsuccessful in passing the TAKS Mathematics test. Students with three or more at-risk indicators and who attended an alternative high school of choice tended to have a higher GPA when compared to students attending the other campuses.Item Analysis of the impact of a ten-year technology initiative on students’ outcome.(2006-07-29T17:22:09Z) Li, Wenxue.; Wilkerson, Trena.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.Results from this study indicate that this research model is capable of examining the long-term effect of a teacher technology training initiative. Further research with an extensive data management design and larger sample size is recommended.Item AVID students' perceptions of intelligence : a mixed methods study.(2012-08-08) Becker, John Darrell.; Talbert, Tony L.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.Students' perceptions of intelligence have been shown to have an effect on learning. Students who see intelligence as something that can be developed, those with a growth mindset, often experience academic success, while those who perceive intelligence to be a fixed entity are typically less likely to take on challenging learning experiences and tend to respond negatively to setbacks in learning. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a college preparatory intervention known as Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), through its system of academic and social supports for students, has an effect on participating students' perceptions of intelligence. Participants in the sequential, embedded, mixed methods study were 54 students participating in the AVID program, and 43 demographically similar non-AVID students at a Central Texas high school. Participating students' perceptions of intelligence was measured in an online environment using Carol Dweck's three-item survey, which comprised the quantitative data. Qualitative data collection involved participating students answering open-ended questions related to the curriculum and instruction in the AVID classroom that influence students' perceptions of intelligence. AVID students whose score indicated a growth mindset were selected for qualitative data analysis. Quantitative results showed no statistical difference between AVID and non-AVID students' perceptions of intelligence, including students with two or more year's exposure to the AVID program. However, the qualitative data revealed that AVID students are hearing messages and participating in activities consistent with the growth mindset, and they report that AVID has affected their perceptions of what it means to be "smart."Item Career-focused field trips as experienced by at-risk rural students : a case study.(2010-10-08T16:19:52Z) Hutson, Tommye L.; Talbert, Tony L.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.A lack of recent research focused on field trips as pedagogy in K-12 settings established the foundation for this work. The research design followed multiple-case case study model. The participants were four male students from a small rural high school in central Texas. Each participant, previously labeled as academically "at-risk", had identified an inability to describe connections between academic science content as presented in their common classes and future jobs, vocational training, and/or careers requiring higher education. Because the participants had no directed field excursions addressing this desirable knowledge and/or skill, a career-focused field trip was designed to address the self-identified deficit reported by the participants. The specific research questions were: 1. How does the ability to describe connections between academic science content (biology, chemistry, and physics) and future careers change as rural students experience a purposeful excursion to a post-secondary facility providing vocational training? 2. When do the connection(s) between content and future careers become evident to students? 3. What effect or impact do newly discovered connections have on rural students' aspirations with regard to future career or higher education options? Data were gathered using existing school records, an initial survey, one-to-one interviews conducted before and after the field trip, focus groups conducted before and after the field trip, and observations during the field trip. Data analysis revealed that all participants were able to describe various connections between academic content and careers after the field trip, as well as identify a specific incident that initially established those connections. In addition, all of the participants reported discovering options for careers during the field trip not previously realized or considered. Each participant indicated that they found field trips to be effective. As a result of their singular experience, they collectively voiced a belief that career-focused field trips should be included in all required science classes starting in late middle school and continuing through at least the 10th grade.Item Case studies of teachers participating in differentiated professional development for the purpose of student-centered technology integration.(2014-09-05) Montgomery, Mark S., 1973-; Cooper, Sandra Bennett.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.School districts are quickly adopting various technologies in hopes that students can be taught in the same way their technological world works. Common reasons given to justify these expensive purchases include increasing student motivation and appealing to the "digital native." Teachers, however, tend to use technology in more of a teacher assistive role, which includes daily tasks like taking attendance or creating a worksheet. If teachers used more student-centered technology, students would have opportunities to use technology to explore for knowledge, expand their understanding of a topic based on interest, differentiate their own learning by allowing them to spend more time in areas they may not understand, and move along when the topic has been mastered. Students would also have opportunities to create and present their newly found understanding of a topic to the teacher, class, community or other interested individuals. Numerous barriers affect whether a teacher will use technology in roles that are more than just teacher assistive. These barriers differ for each teacher and, therefore, cannot necessarily be overcome by the typical professional development opportunities that currently exist in schools. Typical professional development most often model technology as teacher assistive. PowerPoint presentations or a speaker sharing an idea while an audience passively sits and listens has not been successful, or student-centered technology use would be rampant in schools. This study utilized a differentiated professional development model to try to impact student-centered technology use in classrooms of participating teachers. A differentiated model provides training based on teacher need, interest, and ability. The professional development plans were written by the teacher and trainer and then implemented together throughout the study. Utilizing a case study methodology, this study follows three teachers as they participate in the differentiated professional development model. Each case study was written to explain each teacher's progress through his or her entire experience. Each individual case was analyzed to search for themes that emerged from the data. Finally, all three cases were analyzed together to look for overall themes and findings that might have implications for professional development and/or technology integration.Item Castañeda v. Pickard : the struggle for an equitable education - one family's experience with resistance.(2013-09-24) Meehan, Jessica Padrón.; Conaway, Betty J.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.Castañeda v. Pickard (1981) advanced the educational rights of language minority students by establishing the three-prong national standard known as the Castañeda Test. This narrative inquiry study was conducted utilizing qualitative research methods to uncover the story behind the Castañeda v. Pickard (1981) case. Specifically, the Castañeda family members served as key informants in sharing their personal narratives and making known their experiences in relationship to the educational opportunities offered to language minority students three decades ago. The purpose of this narrative study was to magnify and gain understanding of the Castañeda family’s personal experiences. In documenting the Castañeda story, this body of research provides a voice for language minority students both past and present. This study was rooted in the examination of power and privilege and utilized Giroux’s notion of resistance in the analysis of the Castañeda story. Findings reveal each family member withstood distinctly unique experiences and yet shared similar themes of fear, acceptance, and voice, indicating there is a need for educators to create welcoming and inclusive classrooms for culturally and linguistically diverse student populations. In addition, findings suggest all participants shared an awareness of oppression and structures of domination within their educational and social environments while crediting Mr. Roy Castañeda for the intentionality of the lawsuit.Item Cognitive Coaching : an examination of the reflective journaling of teacher candidates.(2012-08-08) Henry, Aiyana Genae.; Conaway, Betty J.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.Cognitive Coaching is a method of instruction that recognizes the strength in thinking about thinking and fosters independent learning. Cognitive Coaching is one method of instruction that can help to better prepare teachers for the classroom. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that Cognitive Coaching had on teacher candidates as measured by comments in the reflective journals of these candidates. In this mixed methods case study design, the researcher conducted a qualitative study with embedded quantitative methods that enhanced the archived data. The archived data consisted of reflective journals originally collected from a group of junior level teacher candidates who were exposed to Cognitive Coaching. The researcher compared these journals to other archived reflective journals of teacher candidates who were not exposed to Cognitive Coaching. The reflective journals were part of a weekly assignment in a course that included a 13-15 week field experience on a campus of an urban school district located in Central Texas. When examining the archived data, the researcher identified key categories that emerged and were consistent with Costa and Garmston’s (1994) five states of mind: efficacy, flexibility, consciousness, craftsmanship, and interdependence. The findings of this study revealed that the cases exposed to Cognitive Coaching were able to learn more from their experiences and used more words indicating higher levels of the five states of mind in their reflective journals.Item CSCOPE's effect on Texas' state mandated standardized test scores in mathematics.(2011-09-14) Merritt, Brent Ross.; Conaway, Betty J.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.The purpose of the study was to examine standardized test scores of school districts in the state of Texas that have implemented CSCOPE, a popular curriculum management system, in an effort to determine what effect, if any, its implementation has had. The standardized test used in the state of the Texas is titled the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). This study used a sample size of 56 school districts and included test scores from over 125 individual campuses. Archival TAKS data were collected from the 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 school years for grades 3-8 to compared mean passing percentages between those schools that had used CSCOPE for three consecutive years and those schools that did not. The study also collected TAKS data from grades 3-11 to compare commended performance percentages between those schools that had used CSCOPE for three consecutive years and those schools that did not. The results of this study discovered that CSCOPE had a statistically significant (p < .05) effect on mathematics TAKS scores when comparing the mean passing percentages of all students in grades 3-8. The study also revealed that CSCOPE appeared to have a statistically significant (p < .05) effect in grades 7 and 8 when the TAKS data was disaggregated into individual grade levels. Interestingly enough, in grade 3, the schools that did not use CSCOPE significantly outperformed (p < .05) those schools that had utilized CSCOPE as their curriculum management tool. The results of the study showed mixed results in the mean percentages of students attaining commended performance. While the mean percentages of the All Students, Hispanic, and White sub-groups for the schools using CSCOPE had a higher mean commended performance percentage than the schools that did not, the differences were not statistically significant. While the results of the study were mixed, there does seem to be significant data that suggests the use of CSCOPE has improved TAKS scores of the schools that have utilized it for three consecutive years.Item Early elementary students' fractional understanding : examination of cases from a multi-year longitudinal study.(2014-09-05) Gupta, Dittika.; Wilkerson, Trena.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.For more than three decades fractions have been considered critical and foundational, yet they represent a challenge for teaching and learning higher mathematics by students, teachers, and teacher educators. The purpose of the study was to investigate early elementary students' understanding of fractions and growth in thinking about fractional concepts over multiple years. This research study analyzed data from a larger longitudinal research study that was conducted from 2007 to 2013 with students from kindergarten to third grade. The study used purposeful criterion sampling to select student cases to gain insight into students' fractional understanding and thinking. This study employed an explanatory multiple case study design to examine ten early elementary students' fractional understanding after they had participated in the larger longitudinal research study for at least three years. Each student was examined as a separate case before cross-case analysis was conducted to reveal common themes and patterns. The study explored the relationship between early elementary students' understanding and the use of manipulatives to teach fractional concepts such as part-whole partitioning, fair share, unitizing, and equivalence over time. Findings of the study relate to what early elementary students know and understand about fractions such as understanding of one-half, interference of whole number knowledge, and difficulties with symbolic representation of fractions. The study also presents findings that relate to the relationship between use of manipulatives and students' fractional understanding in terms of selection and efficiency of various manipulatives. Results of the study also examined the growth in students' thinking about fractions over time. This research study aimed to provide an understanding of the relationship between students' fractional thinking and use of manipulatives to better focus classroom instruction for deeper impact. The researcher discusses the implications in relation to curriculum, use of manipulatives, and development of students' understanding of fractions.Item Effect of a smaller learning community on students in a large high school.(2008-11-10T22:06:39Z) Cox, Herbert Carleton.; Conaway, Betty J.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.This study is an investigation into the impact that Smaller Learning Communities might have on students in a large high school. It is a single site study that occurred over the course of three years. Three separate groups of students were involved in this study: Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) students, randomly selected students who had never taken a Pre-Advanced Placement or Advanced Placement course, and randomly selected students who had taken Pre-Advanced Placement or Advanced Placement courses. The Smaller Learning Community that had been applied at this high school was the Advancement Via Individual Determination or AVID program. The three different groups of students were compared in six separate categories: achievement scores on the state mandated Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills on the Math test as well as on the English Language Arts test, attendance rates, the number of disciplinary incidents received, class rankings, and grade point averages (GPAs). These categories were then assessed with a statistical analysis of simple or one way analysis using the ANOVA tool for comparison. Statistical significance was found to be present in five of the six categories studied. The AVID program was begun in California in the mid-1980s, and coupled with the recent emphasis on Smaller Learning Communities by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, programs like AVID have come to the forefront of educational solutions. The high school involved in this study was a large 5-A high school located in central Texas. Their enrollment was just over 2,300 students at the time of the completion of this study. According to the research, any student body of larger than +/-1,000 students is in danger of “losing” kids due to feelings of disconnection with their schools. Applying treatments such as the AVID program to these large high schools is an attempt on the part of educators to provide for all students within the walls of their schools, in an earnest attempt to “leave no child behind.”Item The effect team learning has on the development of creativity in a college classroom : an intergrated case study.(2010-10-08T16:27:40Z) Simpson, Mary E., 1954-; Talbert, Tony L.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.This study looked at the triadic relationship between the creative and design processes, team learning, and this triad's influence on the student's finished project. While the typical design student works independently with very little conscious feedback or interaction from their peers, this research has shown this approach limits the student's success. Two purposeful samples were selected from female undergraduate students with a declared major in apparel design or merchandising. The first sample consisted of ten juniors and seniors. The second sample of ten individuals was selected from sophomores and freshmen. Individuals from each of the groups were further divided into two different subgroups of five people using a randomization process. Quantitative data was collected through the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and a created rubric. Qualitative data was collected through observations, interviews, and online journal entries from each student. Findings indicated collaborative learning expanded the student's creative thinking process and enhanced their cooperative mentality. Intrinsic motivation within the teams was higher and the teams found it a supportive experience to have a specific group they could discuss their "problems" or "design challenges" with. The research indicated the longer the teams were together, the more successful the collaborative team effort and the more the individual's creative thinking process developed, suggesting teams be kept constant through several projects. Students in teams became more proficient in obtaining information from team members by asking "what if" and "how questions". The lower division students were more receptive to the collaborative team learning approach, suggesting this process begins at, as early of an age level as possible. The research showed a relationship between the final product, the creative and design processes, team learning, and the interconnectivity and influence of the person, press (environment), process, and product. Team members were more proficient in obtaining information from team members, were stronger listeners, effective in giving constructive criticism, developing analytical and divergent thinking skills, and strengthening their adaptive creativity. This study supports the position that creativity is a process in which an innovative product is incrementally developed. This development can be enhanced using teams and the collaborative learning process.Item Effects of the implementation of the "Rally to Read" program : a tier 3 approach within the response to intervention process.(2010-06-23T12:17:49Z) Bott, Kevin Matthew.; Conaway, Betty J.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.This study was a mixed-method, quasi-experimental investigation that evaluated the implementation of the “Rally to Read” remediation program, designed by the Center for Learning and Development (CLD), as a Tier 3 intervention method within the Response to Intervention (RTI) process. This study compared the progress of a Tier 3 student group on Campus A, who received “Rally to Read” services, with the progress of a Tier 3 student group in a nearby school, Campus B, who did not receive “Rally to Read” services, during the 2008-2009 school year. The Tier 3 student groups in these two schools were compared based on achievement on the Imagination Station (I-station) progress monitoring program. Comprehension and fluency scores from the I-station program were the primary methods of gauging Tier 3 progress for these two schools. The researcher analyzed and compared I-station usage time and student disciplinary referral averages between these groups. In addition, the teachers who were involved with the “Rally to Read” program provided survey feedback of their perceptions of the program. Their responses were analyzed in five categories: adult program training, program effects on student behavior, program curriculum, adult relationships with students, and overall program effectiveness. As a whole, the “Rally to Read” program was shown to be a successful Tier 3 intervention on Campus A of this study. Quantitative data demonstrated statistically significant differences for the I-station assessments and I-station usage times. Responses from the adult participants in the “Rally to Read” program supported the “Rally to Read” curriculum, relationship-building elements, program training, and overall program performance. The academic and behavioral accomplishments of the students on Campus A also spoke to the validity and reliability of the “Rally to Read” program.Item An examination of the relationship between football coaches and the teaching of social studies in the state of Texas.(2013-09-24) Rodgers, James B., 1983-; Null, J. Wesley, 1973-; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.In this study, I investigate the perceived relationship between coaching football and teaching social studies in the state of Texas. While I did not investigate the validity of the relationship, individuals who fit this mold were studied in order to identify the cause of this relationship, how the teacher/coaches view themselves as professionals, and the appealing aspects which these individuals found in both coaching football and teaching social studies. I utilized a qualitative multi-case study in order to explain best the rationale, perspective, and opinions of the teacher/coaches. A questionnaire was sent to the approximately 12,000 football coaches in Texas during the 2012-2013 academic year. Through this questionnaire, I established demographics on football coaches and coaches who also teach social studies. From this questionnaire, a group of nine individuals volunteered to be interviewed and comprised the cases in my study. I asked these individuals a series of guided questions designed to probe their profession in a personal and general sense. From the data collected in this study, I was able to gain insight into the culture of coaching. I discovered that the majority of these individuals decide to become teacher/coaches; they do not differentiate the decision between fields. This decision typically arises from teacher/coaches who influenced them as athletes. Consequently, their choice of teaching area is often built on a relationship with a teacher/coach who taught and inspired them in that subject-area. While the teacher/coaches identified several aspects of shared appeal in both coaching football and teaching social studies, the most common was an interest in strategy, as they often compared the strategy in football with the strategy in military history. Finally, I discovered that this relationship is losing prevalence within the culture of coaching. This shift is a result of two factors. The first factor resulting in a change in this culture was the increase in the size of football programs. The second factor is the influence of standardized testing and its impact on the classroom teachers. Both factors have led to more diversity in certification areas for football coaches.Item An examination of the relationship of Accelerated Reader implementation, secondary reading programs, and TAKS reading pass rates for ninth grade students in selected Central Texas school districts.(2008-06-09T11:41:04Z) Williamson, Amy M.; Conaway, Betty J.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.Accelerated Reader (AR) is a reading management program designed by Advantage Learning Systems, Inc. to increase students’ reading motivation and to increase reading comprehension skills. The AR program is based on the premise that students will take a test to determine their reading level, read books on their designated level, and then take quizzes on the books they have read. Students are awarded points for good quiz grades and may then cash in points for rewards. This research studied ten ninth grade student populations of 175 or less. Five of the schools in the study implemented the AR program, and five did not. Schools that used the AR program were closely matched with schools that did not use AR based on ninth grade student population, demographics, and socioeconomic status. Ninth grade Reading TAKS pass rates were compared between schools using AR and those who did not. A Wilcoxon Rank Sum test indicated that the AR program did not make a difference in Reading TAKS scores. Campus representatives from each of the ten schools chosen for the study were interviewed about the school’s ninth grade reading program. Questions were asked about additional reading instruction for struggling readers, content area reading emphasis, English classroom reading strategies, and incentives for extra reading. No specific strategy or program emerged as key in raising reading achievement on the Reading TAKS test.Item How African American children respond to culturally relevant stories in mathematics : an ethnographic case study.(2014-09-05) Corp, Amy K.; Cooper, Sandra Bennett.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.This study examined the responses of African American students in two third grade mathematics classes to the use of African American stories that were utilized as a pedagogy to teach mathematics. All 41 students in the two classes received mathematics instruction that began with an African American story, followed by mathematical discourse and concluded with solving problems that correlated with the story. The focus of this study was on the responses of the seventeen African American participants. The researcher conducted field observations during these lessons. The researcher recorded responses by these students on protocols; while the story was read aloud, during mathematical discourse and problem-solving times. Students reflected weekly by answering five questions that gave them an opportunity to share their perspective on the African American stories. The teacher reflected on each lesson as well, describing thoughts on how students responded to the story in the lesson. Results revealed that African American students responded to the use of African American stories with engagement and enjoyment, and the stories helped them think about mathematics to some degree. Results further indicated that students perceived the cultural relevance of the stories.Item The impact of an informal science program on students' science knowledge and interest.(2012-08-08) Zandstra, Anne Maria.; Cooper, Sandra Bennett.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.In this sequential explanatory mixed methods study, quantitative and qualitative data were used to measure the impact of an informal science program on eleventh grade students’ science knowledge and interest. The local GEAR UP project has been working for six years with a cohort of students who were in eleventh and twelfth grade during the time of the study. Participants of this study were 122 eleventh grade students from this cohort. In the first, quantitative phase, state standardized test scores and a modified version of the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) were used to measure participants’ science knowledge and interest respectively. The findings of the quantitative phase revealed a small but significant correlation between students’ attendance at the program elements (in total number of hours) and their science knowledge. In addition, small but significant correlations were found between (1) students’ attendance at the mathematics program element and their total interest scores, (2) their mathematics attendance and the career interest subscore, and (3) their total attendance and the normality of scientist subscore. The qualitative data in the second phase consisted of focus group interviews with fourteen of the participants. Results of this phase showed that the majority of the focus group participants agreed that they had learned something from the GEAR UP field trips and half of them thought the field trips had impacted their grades and test scores. Furthermore, a majority of the focus group participants concurred that their experiences in the field trips had increased their interest in science. The purpose of the qualitative phase of this study was to provide explanations for the results of the quantitative phase. Explanations for the correlation between attendance and knowledge were that the field trips covered the same content as the formal science classes and that students learned more because they perceived the field trips as fun and hands-on. The correlations between attendance and interest were explained by the fact that students had the opportunity to see interesting aspects of science and interact with real scientists during the field trips.Item The impact of science teachers' epistemological beliefs on authentic inquiry : a multiple-case study.(2010-10-08T16:20:14Z) Jackson, Dionne Bennett.; Conaway, Betty J.; Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.The purpose of this study was to examine how science teachers' epistemological beliefs impacted their use of authentic inquiry in science instruction. Participants in this multiple-case study included a total of four teachers who represented the middle, secondary and post-secondary levels. Based on the results of the pilot study conducted with a secondary science teacher, adjustments were made to the interview questions and observation protocol. Data collection for the study included semi-structured interviews, direct observations of instructional techniques, and the collection of artifacts. The cross case analysis revealed that the cases epistemological beliefs were mostly Transitional and the method of instruction used most was Discussion. Two of the cases exhibited consistent beliefs and instructional practices, whereas the other two exhibited beliefs beyond their instruction. The findings of this study support the literature on the influence of contextual factors and professional development on teacher beliefs and practice. The findings support and contradict literature relevant to the consistency of teacher beliefs with instruction. This study's findings revealed that the use of reform-based instruction, or Authentic Inquiry, does not occur when science teachers do not have the beliefs and experiences necessary to implement this form of instruction.Item Investigating the cultural identity of the Bahamas through a study of Bahamian primary education.(2010-02-02T20:10:20Z) Walkine, Jennette Felicia Louise.; Glanzer, Perry L. (Perry Lynn); Curriculum and Instruction.; Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.Thirty-six years ago, the Bahamas attained independence from Britain. With this change, the nation’s leaders determined that a core element in building an independent nation was forming a sense of cultural identity among its people. Since then, there has been a continual effort by the government to develop cultural identity among its citizenry, particularly through education. The purpose of this study was to investigate how curriculum and instruction in Bahamian public primary schools are presently serving to develop cultural identity among Bahamian students. Oral traditions are considered to be a significant part of Bahamian history and culture. Moreover, Bahamians widely practice and depend on oral forms of communication. For these reasons, the cultural expression chosen to facilitate this investigation of Bahamian cultural identity was oral traditions. The theoretical framework of this study was based on the ideologies of cultural literacy and multicultural education. Although these ideologies are usually seen as opposites within the discourse of American education, I propose that these two approaches may actually be used in conjunction with each other as a means to develop cultural identity within the Bahamian context. Based on this premise, this study explored how a select number of primary school teachers use Bahamian oral traditions in several content areas to help primary school children develop a sense of cultural identity. This study used an ethnographic case study design, which included document analysis, questionnaires and interviewing. Findings from this investigation revealed that oral traditions were integrated across several content areas to various degrees, but received the greatest support in language arts and social studies curricula and instruction. Other observations included the use and influence of Bahamian dialect in the practice of oral traditions, and the prevalence of native oral traditions in mostly indigenous learning resources. Implications of these results are discussed in relation to the development of cultural identity among schoolchildren. I offer several suggestions for improving the present practice of content integration, alternative means to produce more native learning materials to stimulate increased pedagogical inclusion of oral traditions, and discuss possible effects of social attitudes towards Bahamian dialect on oral traditions instruction.