Matching Items (16)
Description
As a result of the district program evaluation, a follow up on teacher perceptions of an online collaboration versus face to face collaboration approach was deemed necessary. The interviews were conducted with eight teachers from a suburban southwest K-8 public school district. After all teachers had participated in a 10 week program evaluation comparing online team teacher collaboration with face-to-face team teacher collaboration, the interview process began. One teacher from each grade level team was randomly selected to participate in the interview process. Analysis of the interview responses was inconclusive. Findings were confounded by the apparent lack of understanding of major concepts of Professional Learning Communities on the part of the participants. Assumptions about participant knowledge must be tested prior to investigations of the influence of either face to face or online format as delivery modes.
ContributorsTucker, Pamela K (Author) / McCoy, Kathleen (Thesis advisor) / Gehrke, Rebecca (Committee member) / Ham, Timothy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Effectively educating students with autism is a necessary element in providing all students with a free and appropriate public education, and as the number of students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder continues to increase in both public and private educational settings, providing successful and satisfactory professional development opportunities in the area of autism is becoming increasingly essential. This study explored the experiences of twenty-three educators in a suburban southwest K-12 public school district, as they participated in a fifteen-hour professional development course in an online or face-to-face format, and collaboratively problem-solved their challenges in educating students with autism. Qualitative data was collected from participants' weekly written reflections and comments from a pre- and post-survey on attitudes, to determine quality of and satisfaction with collaboration in relation to course format. Results indicated that the online format produced higher-quality collaboration when it came to presenting one's own situation(s) to the group, finding group discussions helpful, having enough time to collaborate, providing feedback/suggestions to group members, and perceiving suggestions for one's own situation as helpful (as evidenced by the number of suggestions that participants said they would likely implement). The face-to-face format produced higher-quality collaboration when it came to in-depth problem-solving regarding a situation, implementing suggestions for one's own situation, and relating course content to collaborative activities. Participants' attitudes about using technology as a means of collaboration showed little change overall from pre- to post-survey. Though slight increases in positive attitudes concerning technology were found in various areas, many participants still thought highly of a face-to-face format for collaborative purposes, even after participating in the online professional development course. Findings may be of use to educational institutions developing online or face-to-face professional development opportunities in the area of autism.
ContributorsWozniak, Renee M (Author) / McCoy, Kathleen M. (Thesis advisor) / Puckett, Kathleen (Committee member) / Gehrke, Rebecca (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
This honors thesis outlines a method for teaching argument writing in the secondary classroom, including the elements of an argument based upon the Toulmin method, and diverse ways to help students who are all types of learners become engaged and receive the support they need. It includes all elements of argument, including evidence, warrants, backing, counterargument, claims, theses, the rhetorical triangle and the rhetorical appeals, including definitions and how they fit together in an argumentative essay. The largest portion of the project is dedicated to activities and resources for teachers based upon all of those elements, along with activities for the writing process as a whole. These activities are based upon the student's individual experience as well as various scholarly resources from leading professionals in the curriculum development field for English Language Arts. This is not meant to be an end-all be-all solution for teaching argument writing, but rather one of many resources that teachers can use in their classroom. This 30-page paper, including references, are condensed into an accessible website for teachers to use more easily. Each tab on the website refers to a different element or focus of the argument writing process, with both a definition and introduction as well as one or more activities for teachers to implement into the classroom. The activities are versatile and general for the purpose of teachers being able to include them into whatever curriculum they are currently teaching. The goal is that they can add argument instruction into what they are already either willingly or being required to teach in an easy and logical way. The website is available for any secondary teachers to use as they see fit at www.teachingargumentwriting.weebly.com.
ContributorsBrooks, Jenna Nicole (Author) / Blasingame, James (Thesis director) / Barnett, Juliet (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This paper is written to describe the results of an undergraduate thesis project which grew from an interest in the various supports teenagers in the foster care system can obtain the city of Phoenix, Arizona. Since graduation rates are quite low for this demographic on a national level, there is a need to research what incentives and supports various high school districts in different cities and towns within Phoenix offer students within the foster care system in order to promote graduation and potentially the pursuit of higher education. Literary texts were analyzed and district and high school officials from around the Phoenix-area were interviewed. Information gathered from these correspondences was followed by contacting local colleges in order to see what those institutions provide in terms of scholarships and housing, since after age 18 these teenagers are no longer considered wards of the state and therefore "age out" of the system. The results of this endeavor are written on the following pages.
ContributorsBornhoft, Megan Ashley (Author) / Gehrke, Rebecca (Thesis director) / Harris, Pamela (Committee member) / Cocchiarella, Martha (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor)
Created2013-12
Description
Mobile technology has introduced a new opportunity for students with autism spectrum disorder to communicate. Tablets, like the iPad, allow the users to customize applications for their needs. Users have also found iPads to be less stigmatizing because so many people own them and use them for various purposes. In the fast-paced world of technology, however, research cannot always keep up. It is becoming more important for the teachers and caregivers to evaluate the iPad and its applications for their efficacy in helping improve the child's communication skills. After a thorough review of current research on app use in educational settings, five criteria for evaluating app quality emerged. These criteria are: the ability to customize the application, the motor skills the student needs to operate the system, the resources and time needed for the intervention, the research or evidence-based practices behind the application, and the cost of using this device. The website, Apps For ASD, was created to provide teachers with this resource material.
ContributorsBoyd, Tara Katherine (Author) / Hart, Juliet (Thesis director) / Farr, Wendy (Committee member) / Gehrke, Rebecca (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Public Works (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2013-12
Description
The purpose of this review is to address issues that high school students face as future adults and the need for a comprehensive financial literacy program. Students today have a wider array of opportunities and a greater number of resources to help them achieve the goals they set for themselves. Financial literacy is the understanding of the impact of today's financial decisions upon one's future selves and their ability to manage their financial resources. There is a need to understand the human capital value of a post-secondary education and how to how to achieve it from a financially sound perspective. For those that choose to seek a post-secondary education there are many financial options for those who need assistance in paying for college. Additionally, it is not enough to succeed in affording a high education, but in also understanding the true worth of the resources one has and the significance of sustaining those resources to keep negative repercussions at bay. Thus, there are benefits of having a comprehensive financial literacy program for high school students, which allow them to make well-informed decisions that would influence their future in significant ways.
ContributorsLawson, Yvonne Terry (Author) / Panneton, Teresa (Thesis director) / Barnett, Juliet (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Currently experiencing a demographic shift in the student population, the public school system has seen an influx of ELLs (English Language Learners) within the student population with the vast majority being speakers of Spanish, and the issue has arisen of how best to educate these students to acquire English as an additional language. Amongst the states with higher concentrations of ELLs, the state of Arizona once gave relatively free reign on the education of ELLs which subsequently resulted in wide disparities in qualities due to both lack of teacher preparation and funding, and this resulted in the 2000 case of Flores vs. Arizona which validated the claims that the state failed to provide adequate funding and resources to the education of ELLs. In accordance with the ruling, Arizona passed Proposition 203 which mandated that ELLs be taught solely in English, and this is reflective of restrictive language policy. Though implemented for a short time, this review discussed how restrictive language programs can be detrimental to student achievement, and proposed bilingual education as an alternative to spur student literacy and achievement. Evidenced by the case studies of France, Spain, and other states with the latter two shifting towards bilingual education, the review discussed the implications of France's apprehension to bilingual education and the others implementing it. Finding that bilingual education proved to be more the better choice of the two language programs with consideration of two-way immersion rather than one-way, the review also proposes a sample model that could be used in Arizona, and this is based upon models utilized in Spain and other states with evident benefits which are juxtaposed to France's prolonged use of language restriction.
ContributorsQuang, Jerry (Author) / Gehrke, Rebecca (Thesis director) / Barnett-Hart, Juliet (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
The purpose of this study was to determine how I, as a future teacher, can best combat inequities in technological access and fluency in my future classroom. In this study, I explored a range of literature on the role of technology in the classroom, the digital divide in home and school settings, and variance in digital literacy. Additional insight was gained through interviews and observing school faculty in three public school districts in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. This provided a better understanding of local context in order to gain a sense of the national and local realities of the digital landscape as they relate to educational equity in the educational settings where I aim to serve as a certified teacher.
ContributorsJakubczyk, Nicole Marie (Author) / Foulger, Teresa (Thesis director) / Barnett, Juliet (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
This literature review investigates the idea of what makes a person’s life ‘enviable’ by defining the term and then by exploring the question of whether or not young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the United States can achieve an enviable life as defined. This literature review synthesizes current and historic research through an analysis of various studies on outcomes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), their families, and the resources offered within community platforms to help create such a life for young adults with IDD. This review also aims to help change society’s views on young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and challenges the community to address this issue further in order to create a more accessible, enviable, and inclusive lifestyle for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
ContributorsBramanti, Allison Marie (Author) / Gehrke, Rebecca (Thesis director) / Barnett, Juliet (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasingly included in general education and are expected to access core content, including science. Development of science content knowledge, scientific literacy, and scientific thinking are areas emphasized in legislation as well as the National Science Education Standards (NSES) as critical for all students. However, participation in science inquiry and discourse is often challenging for students with ASD given their difficulties with communication. Moreover, evidence on teaching academic content, such as science, to students with disabilities is limited. This comprehensive literature review synthesized ten studies of science intervention strategies for students with ASD. Findings suggest that students struggle with obtaining and retaining the background knowledge and strenuous vocabulary necessary to be successful with science content. Though studies related to instructional interventions in science for students with ASD are limited, these students can benefit from direct instruction through the implementation of supplementary materials such as e-texts, graphic organizers, and scripted lessons. Although there is not much research that supports inquiry-based practices, these interventions engage and assist students in the science curriculum by providing hands-on explorations with the material. Evidence-based practices for interventions in science for students with ASD have focused on direct instruction and inquiry-based practices. Direct instruction elicits explicit strategies in delivering science content concretely and directly. Many direct instruction approaches deal with the incorporation of visual supports and supplementary material to guide in student retention and access of complex ideas and terminology. Through direct instruction, the teacher facilitates and leads instruction to benefit the acquisition of science background knowledge. Contrastingly, inquiry-based practices encourage independent learning and hands-on explorations. While science is frequently inquiry-based in the general education setting, the communication challenges for students with ASD may contribute to difficulties with interactions and collaborations among peers within an inquiry lesson. Future implications include the need for additional, empirically-supported interventions in science for students with ASD and the need to target more inquiry-based science interventions for this population.
ContributorsFrankel, Ashleigh Jeanne (Author) / Barnett, Juliet (Thesis director) / Farr, Wendy (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12