Kumar, David D.

Professional development has been deemed ineffective for several decades. This ineffectiveness could stem from the one-size-fits-all professional development designs, and the inconsistencies and contradictions pointed out in professional development research (which is used to create these designs). Investigating how subject taught (STEM and non-STEM), Title I status of the school (Title I and non-Title I), and grade level of instruction (elementary, middle and high) could influence teachers’ preferences regarding components included in an effective design is a step toward resolving some of these inconsistencies. The research design was an embedded mixed method – an overall causal-comparative design embedded with interviews. Interviews determined teachers’ perceptions of an effective professional development design. The survey investigated preferences for nine components: content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, active learning, duration, alignment with goals and policies, follow-up, collaboration, support, and resources (tangible and intangible). In the interviews, teachers communicated a need for differentiation based on grade level of instruction, Tittle I status of the school, and subject taught, with high percentages of agreement with the final questions of the survey. The ordinal logistic regression indicated that subject taught and Title I status of the school did not have a statistically significant effect on the dependent variable. Breaking up participants according to grade level of instruction (elementary versus secondary) had a statistically significant effect on teachers’ preferences regarding the components included in an effective professional development design. This indicated that professional development should be differentiated based on elementary and secondary instruction. When the researcher reviewed the components, some showed that the independent variables, Title I status of the school and grade level of instruction had a statistically significant effect. Although the ordinal logistic regression revealed a lack of statistical significance, percent differences indicated that factors such as subject taught, Title I status of the school, and grade level of instruction influenced teachers’ preferences regarding specific components in an effective professional development design. These findings illustrate promise that in a larger study, statistical significance might be present. Thus, professional development should be differentiated based on subject taught, Title I status of the school, and grade level of instruction.

An analysis of curriculum frameworks from the fifty states to ascertain the
compliance with the National Science Education Standards for integrating ScienceTechnology-
Society (STS) themes is reported within this dissertation. Science standards
for all fifty states were analyzed to determine if the STS criteria were integrated at the
elementary, middle, and high school levels of education. The analysis determined the
compliance level for each state, then compared each educational level to see if the
compliance was similar across the levels. Compliance is important because research
s)lows that using STS themes in the science classroom increases the student's
understanding of the concepts, increases the student's problem solving skills, increases
the student's self-efficacy with respect to science, and students instructed using STS
themes score well on science high stakes tests. The two hypotheses for this study are: H01: There is no significant difference in the degree of compliance to ScienceTechnology-
Society themes (derived from National Science Education Standards)
between the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
H02: There is no significant difference in the degree of compliance to ScienceTechnology-
Society themes (derived from National Science Education Standards)
between the elementary, middle, and high school level when examined individually.
The Analysis of Variance F ratio was used to determine the variance between and
within the three educational levels. This analysis addressed hypothesis one. The Analysis
of Variance results refused to reject the null hypothesis, meaning there is significant
difference in the compliance to STS themes between the elementary, middle and high
school educational levels. The Chi-Square test was the statistical analysis used to
compare the educational levels for each individual criterion. This analysis addressed
hypothesis two. The Chi-Squared results showed that none of the states were equally
compliant with each individual criterion across the elementary, middle, and high school
levels.
The National Science Education Standards were created with the input of
thousands of people and over twenty scientific and educational societies. The standards
were tested in numerous classrooms and showed an increase in science literacy for the
students. With the No Child Left Behind legislation and Project 2061 , the attainment of a
science literate society will be helped by the adoption of the NSES standards and the STS
themes into the American classrooms.

The central purpose of this study is to investigate whether cross national
classroom video recordings reflect foundational principles of instruction as identified by
lSD theorists. Principles of instruction remain true regardless of program or context when
implemented by appropriate instructional systems design procedures. These theoretical
elements however, require deeper empirical investigation in authentic classroom settings.
This study posits that foundational principles are observable in non lSD systematized
settings. Further it suggests that they are represented differently in classroom video
recordings across countries, based on their performance level on a standardized
assessment. The study shows inter alia that, (1) Instructional principles as conceptualized by
lSD theorists are observable from non-ISD systematized settings. (2) The language and
knowledge of ISD can be fused with curriculum studies to create sharper lens for
investigating classroom phenomena. Foundational principles provide an important point
of departure for this shared language. (3) Iterative video analysis is effectively combined
with video observation protocols to study instructional contexts. (4) The occurrence of
demonstration and real world integration stand out as more significant in higher
performing countries than in lower performing countries. (5) This study adds support to
earlier investigations which suggest that there are global patterns of teaching. (6) TIMSS
performance tier does not correlate with a greater occurrence of foundational principles
of instruction.

The present experimental study examined the effects of using a science textbook for
the purpose of teaching reading comprehension skills to a sample of 99 fourth grade
students from four classrooms at Pembroke Pines/Florida State University Charter School
in Broward County, Florida. Ninety-nine students were assessed twice in word
recognition, oral reading, silent reading, spelling, and word meaning using the Diagnostic
Assessment of Reading. Approximately half of the students in the sample (n=49) were in
the control group with the remainder (n=50) in the experimental group.
Overall there was no significant difference between the experimental and control
groups based on MANOVA, which tested an optimized composite of dependent
variables. Scores for all subtests for both groups increased from the pretest to the posttest,
and the highest scores were for the oral reading subtest. Upon individual ANOVA,
statistically significant effect for time was found for word recognition, oral reading, spelling, and word meaning subtests, but no statistically significant group effect or
interaction was observed.

Community colleges serve as conduits for students as they make the transition
between secondary school and college. Community colleges also have a unique place in
the American education system as they serve a large number of non-traditional students.
The open-door policy of community colleges gives students the opportunity to pursue a
college education. However, not all students who enroll in community colleges are
academically prepared for college-level courses.
A comprehensive literature review in the areas of community college,
developmental education, mathematics education, and the connection between language
and mathematics was conducted. Based on the results of the literature review, this study
examined a population of students who placed into all three developmental education subjects when they enrolled at the community college based on their Computerized
Placement Test (CPT) scores.
In the first part of the study, the researcher studied the relationship between
reading level and success rate in developmental mathematics courses. In the second part,
the researcher used a logistic regression model to predict success in developmental
mathematics courses based on CPT scores in math, reading, and writing, as well as
ethnicity, gender, age, traditional college student status, limited English proficiency, and
enrollment status.
Results from the study revealed that the order in which developmental reading
courses and developmental mathematics courses are taken does make a difference in the
success rate of students in their developmental mathematics courses. There is a
significant relationship between reading level and success rate in developmental
mathematics courses for students who take reading before or at the same time as
mathematics. A logistics regression model with four significant variables was created to
predict success in developmental mathematics courses greater than chance.
This study can assist counselors in placing students in the correct developmental
mathematics course when they enroll in the community college. It further gives
administrators the opportunity to evaluate current placement policy in developmental
mathematics courses based on the order in which the courses are taken and CPT cutoff
scores. This study also proposes recommendations and further research in the area of
developmental mathematics education.

Given both the unprecedented attention to the importance of providing children with the best possible science textbooks and the overwhelming evidence that students in the United States are severely lacking the most basic science knowledge, the decline in the number of students pursuing science degrees is alarming. In spite of all the efforts being made, a disparity still exists between (1) the wealth of science information available, (2) the apparent ease of access to scientific information, and (3) the lack of scientific academic progress being made in classrooms across the United States. A literature review was conducted which included the areas of textbook analysis and textbook readability levels, the fields of textbook analysis and readability, and findings from recently published books about textbook readability. The majority of the literature reflected an urgent need for science textbooks to be revised. Based on the information gathered during the literature review, the study examined the readability levels of elementary level science textbooks that were published by six textbook publishers. Results from the study revealed that when used properly, readability formulas provide an objective look at textbooks. After applying these formulas to the selected elementary level science textbooks, it became clear that very few changes were implemented between the most recent previous editions and the current editions. The textbooks remain too difficult for the students using them. The findings from this study will help science textbook publishers and textbook writers see that some changes need to be made in the way their textbooks are written. In order to maintain a competitive edge in the global marketplace, more students need to pursue science. In order for more students to do that, they need to pursue science degrees, but in order for them to pursue science degrees, they need to have a certain degree of confidence and level of interest in the subject matter. For that to happen, science textbooks need to be more inviting, more user-friendly, and more interesting to the readers. This study concludes with recommendations for further research.

In Florida, recent changes in legislation have granted community colleges the ability to now offer Baccalaureate degrees in education, frequently to non-traditional students. Additionally, teachers face more high-stakes tests than ever before, and often times struggle with the mathematics sections of such tests. A comprehensive literature review in the areas of pre-service teachers' math knowledge, teachers' efficacy beliefs about teaching math, and the high-stakes mathematics testing of teachers was conducted. Based on the information obtained from the literature review, the study examined a population of pre-service teachers in a new teacher preparation program in Florida. The research investigated relationships surrounding pre-service teachers' characteristics such as: ages, failed attempts on high-stakes math sub-tests, levels and grades earned in lower-division math courses, time elapsed between lower-division and upper-division math courses, and the grade earned in the math methods course, in relation to their efficacy beliefs about teaching math. Results from the study revealed that pre-service teachers' ages, levels and grades of lower-division math courses, and grades earned in the math methods courses, did have a significant relationship with their math efficacy beliefs, as measured by the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI). The variables of failed attempts on high-stakes math tests, and the time elapsed between lower- and upper-division math courses, did not significantly correlate with pre-service teachers' MTEBI scores. Additionally, a multiple regression model including the previously mentioned variables did predict pre-service teachers' MTEBI scores greater than chance, although the model did not generalize to the greater population. The findings from this study can assist new teacher preparation programs, which may serve non-traditional students, in isolating variables that can identify pre-service teachers who are at risk for poor mathematical experiences and attitudes in the early stages of the program. If pre-service teachers are prone to negative beliefs about teaching math, then any information in assisting these students prior to their having an effect on math education for future students can be beneficial. While this study posits some avenues to pursue in fostering positive math beliefs and experiences in teacher preparation programs, recommendations for further research in this area also will be discussed.

Struggling readers need guided and motivating instruction on a daily basis in order to improve their literacy skills in a significant way. One approach for providing this type of instruction is through the use of an at-home literacy program. In this study, parents were given training and feedback in the use of simple, inexpensive, yet motivating reading techniques which they used at home with their children. A comprehensive literature review on the Neurological Impress Method (NIM), oral reading fluency, and the connection between parent involvement and student achievement and/or literacy development was conducted. Based on information obtained from the literature review, the study examined the effect of the NIM, used in an at-home program on the oral reading fluency, and word recognition in struggling readers. The study followed an experimental design in which a treatment group and a control group simultaneously completed a ten week at-home program. At the end of the program, two parents in each group were interviewed, and a NIM questionnaire was given to parents in the treatment group. The study showed no significant difference in the gain in oral reading fluency, and increase in word recognition for struggling readers whose parents used the NIM compared to the struggling readers whose parents used the read aloud technique. Based on parent responses obtained from the interviews and the NIM questionnaire, the study also showed that parents demonstrated an attitude of interest and support for the at-home literacy program. The findings of this study can serve as a reference point for educators interested in creating at-home literacy programs, as well as a topic for further research. It appears that the at-home literacy program seemed to create opportunities for parent/child bonding. Since the at-home program offered parents an opportunity to spend one-to-one quality time with their children, it seems likely that the at-home program would have a positive effect on the parent/child relationship. Because this form of parent involvement could motivate children's interest in learning, and perhaps lead to increased literacy development and academic achievement, further research in this area should be conducted.

There are many demands on the elementary classroom teacher today, such that teachers often do not have the time and resources to instruct in a meaningful manner that would produce effective, real instruction. Subjects are often disjointed and not significant. When teachers instruct using an integrated approach, students learn more efficiently as they see connections in the subjects. Science and language arts, when combined to produce an integrated approach, show positive associations that can enable students to learn real-life connections. In addition, with the onset of technology and the increased usage of technological programs in the schools, teachers can use technology to support an integrated curriculum. When teachers use a combined instructional focus of science, language arts, and technology to produce lessons, students are able to gain knowledge of concepts and skills necessary for appropriate academic growth and development. Given that there are many software programs available to teachers for classroom use, it is imperative that quality software is used for instruction. Using criteria based upon an intensive literature review of integrated instruction in the areas of science and language arts, this study examines science and language arts software programs to determine whether there are science and language arts integrated themes in the software analyzed. Also, this study examines whether more science and language arts integrated themes are present in science or language arts software programs. Overall, this study finds a significant difference between language arts software and science software when looking at integrated themes. This study shows that science software shows integrated themes with language arts more often than does language arts software with science. The findings in this study can serve as a reference point for educators when selecting software that is meaningful and effective in the elementary classroom. Based on this study, it is apparent that there is a need to evaluate software for appropriate use in the classroom in order to promote effective education.

The growth of primary educational websites on the Internet is astonishing. Although it is generally believed that websites for primary students and primary teachers are appropriate and useful, the fact remains that these websites are not regulated for their developmental appropriateness or their literacy content appropriateness. Using criteria based upon nationally recognized standards, this study examines the difference between educational literacy websites designed for primary students and those designed for primary teachers for developmental appropriateness and literacy content appropriateness. Also, this study examines data from primary student and primary teacher literacy websites for the degrees of compliance for developmental appropriateness and literacy content appropriateness, according to nationally recognized standards. Overall, this study finds significant differences between primary student websites and primary teacher websites analyzed are developmentally appropriate compared to 55% of the websites that are literacy content appropriate in compliance with nationally recognized standards. The findings generated in this study raise issues for educators, researchers, and policy makers. This study points to the fact that there is an immense need to evaluate the developmental appropriateness and the literacy content appropriateness of primary literacy websites