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Abstract   Much has been researched and written concerning the structure, attributes, and benefits of the professional learning community (PLC), yet many have found that this highly collaborative model is difficult to implement. One reason for this was that conflict among team members often limited communication and therefore halted collaboration.

Abstract   Much has been researched and written concerning the structure, attributes, and benefits of the professional learning community (PLC), yet many have found that this highly collaborative model is difficult to implement. One reason for this was that conflict among team members often limited communication and therefore halted collaboration. In an attempt to overcome conflict, the researcher introduced an intervention to five grade-level teaching teams at a suburban elementary school where staff had been struggling to develop teams into PLCs. The intervention consisted of training participants in the use of collaborative norms, and then tracking the use of these norms during team meetings, as well as gathering the teachers' perceptions on how their team was being affected by the use of the norms. Seven training sessions were conducted, each devoted to an individual norm such as pausing, putting ideas on the table, or presuming the positive, and so on. A mixed-methods action research model was utilized in gathering and analyzing the data in this study. Qualitative measures included reflection journals completed by the teachers, open-ended survey questions, and written responses in which the teachers described prior to the intervention and again after the intervention how their team: 1. Is like a PLC, 2. Is not like a PLC, and 3. Is becoming like a PLC. Quantitative measures included a survey of team communication that used questions regarding efficacy, conflict, and candor/trust. Quantitative measures also included an instrument developed as part of the System for Multi-Level Observation of Groups (SYMLOG) which is used for recording evidences of values observed in team members. Results demonstrated increases in teachers' perceptions of friendliness among their colleagues, ability to deal with conflict amicably and constructively, and in teachers' perception that they were now being listened to and understood more than they had been previously. Teachers also reported that they came to think of their team as a PLC, and began to perceive that there were benefits with respect to student achievement because they were becoming a PLC. Discussion focused on lessons learned, implications for practice, and implications for research.
ContributorsSterr, Ronald (Author) / Buss, Ray R (Thesis advisor) / Zucker, Stanley (Thesis advisor) / Roy, Patricia (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description

Collaborating with others is a crucial part of growing creatively, and gaining perspective. With different artistic mediums like dance, film, music and design, there is a lot artists can learn from one another. Art is also a way to convey important messages that reflect social, political and cultural issues, and

Collaborating with others is a crucial part of growing creatively, and gaining perspective. With different artistic mediums like dance, film, music and design, there is a lot artists can learn from one another. Art is also a way to convey important messages that reflect social, political and cultural issues, and artists have become increasingly responsible for presenting these issues in a way that will provoke thought and create change. “Luna” is a series of compositions with a goal of inviting the audience into a different world. The use of sound design and electronic music production paired with piano arrangements creates a vast, sonic landscape, and the titles of each piece are related to space. The live performance of the album also involves dance, which adds another human element to the experience.

ContributorsAzersky, Sadie (Author) / Yanez, Raul (Thesis director) / Costa Palazuelos, Jorge (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
AIR, being short for the Arts Initiative for Refugees, is a new, self-founded organization that provides refugee youth with sessions, programs, and opportunities to help them achieve artistic and personal success through teaching and mentorship. AIR strives to offer individualized and group mentoring programs to its students designed for their

AIR, being short for the Arts Initiative for Refugees, is a new, self-founded organization that provides refugee youth with sessions, programs, and opportunities to help them achieve artistic and personal success through teaching and mentorship. AIR strives to offer individualized and group mentoring programs to its students designed for their unique interests in the arts fields of their choice. The immediate objective of this organization, which my thesis was founded upon, was to introduce refugee youth at a newcomer school, Valencia Newcomer School, to various new art forms utilizing direct application, to play and have fun, to create a sense of community and support, to create a safe, inclusive environment, to help the students learn more about each other's cultures and backgrounds, and to allow the students to create art work that is genuine to them and their backgrounds. The ultimate goal of AIR is to branch out to become a small-scale, national/international non-profit organization.
ContributorsCallesen, Sophia (Author) / Karimi, Robert Farid (Thesis director) / Ortiz-Barnett, Crestcencia (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2023-05
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Description
This creative project is a reference document explaining the fictional fantasy world of the in-progress novel Veil Us in Gold by Shepard Adkins. Using the framework of the anthropological concept of placemaking, I describe three countries featured in the manuscript, including information on history, government, daily lives, and more. These

This creative project is a reference document explaining the fictional fantasy world of the in-progress novel Veil Us in Gold by Shepard Adkins. Using the framework of the anthropological concept of placemaking, I describe three countries featured in the manuscript, including information on history, government, daily lives, and more. These descriptions were influenced by collaboration with Adkins and historical research on Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, and Enlightenment Russia. After completing the reference document, I interviewed Adkins to see how our collaboration in worldbuilding has shaped the revision process of their novel.
ContributorsMar, Kimberley (Author) / Jakubczak, Laura (Thesis director) / Fette, Donald (Committee member) / Adkins, Shepard (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description

Studio 31 is a startup venture founded by Brandon Goldberg, Ryan Johnston, Samuel Vogel, and Ekaterina Korneva. The company offers affordable art prints created by aspiring artists through an online platform. Our mission is to connect these artists with art lovers and provide them with the tools to build sustainable

Studio 31 is a startup venture founded by Brandon Goldberg, Ryan Johnston, Samuel Vogel, and Ekaterina Korneva. The company offers affordable art prints created by aspiring artists through an online platform. Our mission is to connect these artists with art lovers and provide them with the tools to build sustainable careers. Key activities of Studio 31 include curating a set of artworks, maintaining a print-on-demand system for sustainable production, and penetration of the target market through strong digital media positioning. The field of art is replete with talented artists who are just starting their professional careers and are not represented in the art market. The works of art of such artists are unknown and inaccessible to the target audience, which complicates the process of their professional development and limits the variety of artworks available on the market. Studio 31 infiltrates the art community and forms partnerships with talented artists to then provide the target market with access to exclusive artwork through an established sales and production process. The advantages of an established business process are no risk to the artist, cost-efficient production that correlates with demand, and a predictable cash flow from operations. The current state of the industry and trends affecting the target market confirm the viability of Studio 31's business model. The covid-19 crisis has affected the art market, shifting focus to online sales. Moreover, due to people spending more time at home, the demand for art products has increased. Our team is uniquely positioned to bring the Studio 31 business plan to life. With Katrin, Ryan, Brandon, and Samuel as the management team, the project is supported by expertise in entrepreneurship, management and policy, economics, marketing and design Implementation and marketing are the key activities of the company on the way to gaining traction in the target market. Studio 31 will develop multiple direct and indirect distribution channels to provide customers with diversified access to offerings. The website will serve as the main direct channel to connect with buyers, displaying the full list of offers available for order. In addition, the company will be present on numerous social media platforms in order to notify the target audience of current offers in a timely manner. Both the website and social media accounts will grow through paid advertising and influencer marketing. The project's initial funding consists of Barrett, the Honors College Thesis Funding. These resources covered the overhead costs required to get started, such as the website and initial product prototypes. The seed funding will also be used for market research and business process testing to improve the company's performance and subsequently maximize profits. The team will resort to a crowdfunding strategy if additional funding resources are needed to cover the initial costs. The project will be presented to the public to receive financial assistance for business development. The investment will be encouraged by incentives such as discounts on future sales.

ContributorsGoldberg, Brandon (Author) / Johnston, Ryan (Co-author) / Vogel, Samuel (Co-author) / Korneva, Ekaterina (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Thomasson, Anna (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description

Studio 31 is a startup venture founded by Brandon Goldberg, Ryan Johnston, Samuel Vogel, and Ekaterina Korneva. The company offers affordable art prints created by aspiring artists through an online platform. Our mission is to connect these artists with art lovers and provide them with the tools to build sustainable

Studio 31 is a startup venture founded by Brandon Goldberg, Ryan Johnston, Samuel Vogel, and Ekaterina Korneva. The company offers affordable art prints created by aspiring artists through an online platform. Our mission is to connect these artists with art lovers and provide them with the tools to build sustainable careers. Key activities of Studio 31 include curating a set of artworks, maintaining a print-on-demand system for sustainable production, and penetration of the target market through strong digital media positioning. The field of art is replete with talented artists who are just starting their professional careers and are not represented in the art market. The works of art of such artists are unknown and inaccessible to the target audience, which complicates the process of their professional development and limits the variety of artworks available on the market. Studio 31 infiltrates the art community and forms partnerships with talented artists to then provide the target market with access to exclusive artwork through an established sales and production process. The advantages of an established business process are no risk to the artist, cost-efficient production that correlates with demand, and a predictable cash flow from operations. The current state of the industry and trends affecting the target market confirm the viability of Studio 31's business model. The covid-19 crisis has affected the art market, shifting focus to online sales. Moreover, due to people spending more time at home, the demand for art products has increased. Our team is uniquely positioned to bring the Studio 31 business plan to life. With Katrin, Ryan, Brandon, and Samuel as the management team, the project is supported by expertise in entrepreneurship, management and policy, economics, marketing and design Implementation and marketing are the key activities of the company on the way to gaining traction in the target market. Studio 31 will develop multiple direct and indirect distribution channels to provide customers with diversified access to offerings. The website will serve as the main direct channel to connect with buyers, displaying the full list of offers available for order. In addition, the company will be present on numerous social media platforms in order to notify the target audience of current offers in a timely manner. Both the website and social media accounts will grow through paid advertising and influencer marketing. The project's initial funding consists of Barrett, the Honors College Thesis Funding. These resources covered the overhead costs required to get started, such as the website and initial product prototypes. The seed funding will also be used for market research and business process testing to improve the company's performance and subsequently maximize profits. The team will resort to a crowdfunding strategy if additional funding resources are needed to cover the initial costs. The project will be presented to the public to receive financial assistance for business development. The investment will be encouraged by incentives such as discounts on future sales.

ContributorsKorneva, Ekaterina (Author) / Goldberg, Brandon (Co-author) / Johnston, Ryan (Co-author) / Vogel, Samuel (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Thomasson, Anna (Committee member) / Boeh, Morgan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2023-05
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Description
In this dissertation I employed a culminating cycle of action research following two earlier ones to facilitate the creation of a professional learning community (PLC). My research took place at an elementary school in an urban area of the American southwest. As principal of this school I had

In this dissertation I employed a culminating cycle of action research following two earlier ones to facilitate the creation of a professional learning community (PLC). My research took place at an elementary school in an urban area of the American southwest. As principal of this school I had initiated the policies and procedures that were often recommended to create PLCs. However, observations of teachers in PLC meetings indicated that conversations focused on logistical planning issues, rather than on the in-depth pedagogical discussions that characterize high functioning PLCs. To address this problem I introduced a form of peer observation into the PLC meeting. This was achieved by showing short video recordings of teachers in their classrooms. I used a mixed methods approach to investigate how this innovation influenced three constructs associated with PLC meetings: professional learning, the sharing of tacit teaching knowledge, and collaboration in the PLC.

Quantitative data consisted of responses to a survey given as a pre-, post-, and retrospective pre-test. Results showed significant gains for all three constructs between the retrospective pre-test and the post-test, but no significant gain between the pre- and post-test. Analysis of qualitative data produced four assertions. First, the process of peer observation during a PLC meeting benefitted the personal learning of teachers. Second, peer observation benefitted teacher teams' abilities to demonstrate the critical behaviors of a true PLC. Third, the process of facilitating peer observation through video recordings evoked negative emotions. Fourth, the degree to which teachers were able to learn from a video was influenced by their perceptions of the video's authenticity and similarity to their own classrooms.

In the discussion, complementarity of the quantitative and qualitative data was described and results were explained in terms of previous research and established theory. Additionally, practical lessons that were learned, limitations, and research implications were described. In a concluding section, I discussed my personal learning regarding leadership, innovation, and action research; the purpose of the doctorate in education; and strengthening connections between research and practitioners.
ContributorsMacKinney, Bennett (Author) / Buss, Ray R (Thesis advisor) / Zucker, Stanley (Committee member) / Haghighat, Ibi (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
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Description
As higher education embraces innovative educational models, support for the faculty members who must carry them out remains a vital ingredient for success. Despite this need, many institutions adopt innovations such as blended learning for all of the benefits afforded, with minimal consideration to meaningfully equip professors teaching these courses.

As higher education embraces innovative educational models, support for the faculty members who must carry them out remains a vital ingredient for success. Despite this need, many institutions adopt innovations such as blended learning for all of the benefits afforded, with minimal consideration to meaningfully equip professors teaching these courses. “Faculty Learning Communities” (FLC’s) provide a powerful model of supporting and equipping faculty in their teaching practice. Nevertheless, ongoing and collaborative faculty development was historically unavailable to professors teaching undergraduate blended courses at Lancaster Bible College. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative action research study was to examine the ways that faculty perceived an FLC during the design and facilitation of a blended course. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework guided the design and facilitation of the FLC in fall 2018, as well as providing insight into measuring how learning communities formed during the FLC and while participants taught their courses. This FLC model blended learning for participants by occurring four times on campus, with online sessions following each in-person meeting. The faculty developer provided resources and support as faculty collaborated in designing their blended courses for the spring 2019 semester. Faculty perceptions of support were gathered in a focus group at the end of fall semester. During the spring 2019 semester, the faculty developer observed both on-campus and online sessions of the blended courses and led a second focus group about faculty perceptions of effectiveness and support. Qualitative data sets included video recordings of the FLC, focus groups, and class observations, field notes, and screenshots of online environments during the FLC and courses. Findings demonstrated substantial evidence of CoI measures of social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence were present in both the FLC and participants’ courses. These results affirmed the CoI framework provided a meaningful platform for faculty development. Additionally, participants perceived the FLC as supportive for their blended teaching practices, making direct mentions of support and indicating belief that broader institutional change be implemented toward this end to enhance faculty development opportunities. Limitations and implications of the study, as well as desired future research were explored.
ContributorsHarbin, Justin (Author) / Rotheram-Fuller, Erin (Thesis advisor) / Foulger, Teresa (Committee member) / Clawson, Penny (Committee member) / Buss, Ray R (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
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Description
The United States is facing an unprecedented teacher shortage. With many studies estimating that 17-33% of teachers leave the profession within their first five years of starting a career, something needs to change to keep new teachers in the classroom. This study evaluates the effectiveness of peer observation as a

The United States is facing an unprecedented teacher shortage. With many studies estimating that 17-33% of teachers leave the profession within their first five years of starting a career, something needs to change to keep new teachers in the classroom. This study evaluates the effectiveness of peer observation as a learning tool to supplement the training of preservice teachers on an elementary campus. Observational learning theory and adult learning theory created the lens through which peer observations were implemented and evaluated in this study. Specifically, this study aimed to answer the following research questions: (a) How do conversations about teaching practices evolve over time between the preservice teacher participant and the researcher within the context of discussions following peer observations? and (b) How do peer observations influence the teaching practices of preservice teachers?

This study found that the preservice teachers who participated in the peer observation intervention improved in their teaching practices over the course of the semester, valued the experience of peer observation visits, and increased their ability to talk about teaching and learning in more sophisticated and complex terms.
ContributorsSchenk, Matthew D (Author) / Bertrand, Melanie (Thesis advisor) / Buss, Ray R (Committee member) / Hacker, Stacie C (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description

For my honors thesis, I chose a creative project that would incorporate expertise and skills from both of my undergraduate degrees at Arizona State University: Music Performance and Music Theory and Composition. The main goal for this project was to design and experience an artistic process of musical production and

For my honors thesis, I chose a creative project that would incorporate expertise and skills from both of my undergraduate degrees at Arizona State University: Music Performance and Music Theory and Composition. The main goal for this project was to design and experience an artistic process of musical production and create a professional musical work to release on digital platforms. The musical process included five main components: Listening, Transcribing, Composing, Recording, and Post Production. The final product is a full album, titled This is Jam Music, that consists of eight pieces and a run time of 33 minutes.

ContributorsArora, Vashawn Michael (Author) / Gardner, Joshua (Thesis director) / Knowles, Kristina (Thesis director) / Libman, Jeffrey (Committee member) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor, Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05