Elementary computer-mediated online distance education : identification of criteria for successful implementation and practice

This study had three purposes related to the effective implem,entation and practice of computer-mediated online distance education (C-MODE) at the elementary level: (a) To identify a preliminary framework of criteria 'or guidelines for effective implementation and practice, (b) to identify areas ofC-MODE for which criteria or guidelines of effectiveness have not yet been developed, and (c) to develop an implementation and practice criteria questionnaire based on a review of the distance education literature, and to use the questionnaire in an exploratory survey of elementary C-MODE practitioners. Using the survey instrument, the beliefs and attitudes of 16 elementary C'- MODE practitioners about what constitutes effective implementation and practice principles were investigated. Respondents, who included both administrators and instructors, provided information about themselves and the program in which they worked. They rated 101 individual criteria statenlents on a 5 point Likert scale with a \. point range that included the values: 1 (Strongly Disagree), 2 (Disagree), 3 (Neutral or Undecided), 4 (Agree), 5 (Strongly Agree). Respondents also provided qualitative data by commenting on the individual statements, or suggesting other statements they considered important. Eighty-two different statements or guidelines related to the successful implementation and practice of computer-mediated online education at the elementary level were endorsed. Response to a small number of statements differed significantly by gender and years of experience. A new area for investigation, namely, the role ofparents, which has received little attention in the online distance education literature, emerged from the findings. The study also identified a number of other areas within an elementary context where additional research is necessary. These included: (a) differences in the factors that determine learning in a distance education setting and traditional settings, (b) elementary students' ability to function in an online setting, (c) the role and workload of instructors, (d) the importance of effective, timely communication with students and parents, and (e) the use of a variety of media.

Preparing to teach : learning from an exploration of teachers' experiences of teaching in classrooms of difference

This qualitative study explores practicing teachers' experiences of teaching in classrooms of diversity, that is, classrooms where students represent a variety of differences including race, culture, ethnicity, and class. More specifically, this study investigates the types of curricular and pedagogical practices teachers employ in their classrooms. This study attempts to make a contribution to the scholarship of critical pedagogy by drawing upon the works of critical pedagogues to make sense of participants' descriptions oftheir curricular and pedagogical practices. Four participants were involved in this study. Participants were elementary teachers in classrooms of difference in Ontario who contributed the primary sources of data by engaging in 2 individual interviews. Additional sources of data included a focus group meeting that 2 ofthe participants were able to attend, school board curriculum resource documents assisting teachers in teaching critically, as well as a research journal which the researcher kept throughout the study. The scholarship of critical pedagogy (Ellsworth, 1992; Giroux, 1993; McLaren, 1989) informs the analysis of participants' descriptions of their teaching experiences. Many of the participants did not engage in a practice of critical pedagogy. This study explores some of the challenges and possibilities of using critical pedagogy to create spaces in classrooms where teachers can build connections between the curriculum mandated by the government and the multiple identities and experiences that students bring into the classroom. This study concludes with a discussion on what teachers need to know to be able to begin creating equitable and educational experiences in classrooms of difference.

The status of drama in education in an Ontario school board

Drama in education has been describea- as a valuable pedagogical medium and methodology, enriching child development in the cognitive, skill, affective, and aesthetic domains, and spanning all areas of curriculum ~ oontent. However, despite its considerable versatility and cost-effectiveness, drama appears to maintain low status within the education system of ontario. This thesis investigated teacher perceptions of both the value and status of drama in education in one ontario school board. Data were gathered in the form of an attitude questionnaire, which was devised for the purpose of this research and administered to a stratified cluster sample of 126 teachers employed in the board's elementary schools. These data were then used to examine teacher perceptions based on their knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behaviour in the classroom. Teacher characteristics of gender, teaching assignment, years experience, and courses taken in drama were also analyzed as potential determinants of teacher attitudes towards drama in education. Results of the study confirmed apparent discrepancy between teacher perceptions of the value of drama and its current educational status. It was indicated that what teachers value most about drama is its capacity to enhance creativity, social skills, empathy, personal growth, and problem-solving ability among students. Teachers attribute its low status both to school and board priorities of time and resources, and to deficiencies in their knowledge and confidence in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of drama in the classroom. Teacher subgroup analysis revealed no significant differences in attitudes towards the status of drama in education; it did, however, suggest that both teachers who have studied drama and teachers with between ten and twenty years experience are most likely to value drama more highly than their colleagues. Recommendations proposed by the study include the provision of increased - time and resource allotment for drama within the elementary curriculum as well as increased teacher training at both faculty of education and board inservice levels.

Mothers' experiences in the elementary school education of their children of mixed heritage /

This study explores the perceptions and experiences of middle-class women, mostly mothers, regarding the elementary school education of their children of mixed heritage. Because it endeavours to provide a forum in which the voices of women are considered a source of valuable information for educators, this study contributes to the fields of feminist and mothering research. Participants assign meanings to their lived experiences (Schon, 1983; van Manen 1997) and contemplate the various ways in which a mixed heritage mayor may not affect a child's schooling. Four main participants were interviewed who are mothers whose children of mixed heritage presently attend public elementary schools in Ontario, Canada. The study had an emergent design, thus allowing the researcher to make decisions as the study progressed. Three additional participants were included in the study to provide a wider perspective on the topic. These 3 additional women were the researcher herself as she explored her self-conceptual baggage (Kirby & McKenna. 1989); the researcher's mother in an attempt to consider the motherline (Lowinsky, 1992); and a volunteer non-mother of mixed ethnicity. The study involved a total of 12 individual interviews of approximately 2 hours in length. The 4 main participants and the researcher were each interviewed twice; the researcher's mother and the volunteer non-mother were each interviewed once. The researcher also attempted a focus group and kept a journal throughout the research process. Much of the analysis centers on women's interpretations of the mixed heritage experience and on their suggestions for elementary school educators. It concludes pondering on the invisibility (Chiong, 1998) of such children within the school system and calling for increased teacher education as a way to bring the mixed heritage experience out of the shadows.

A needs assessment of public health professionals: supporting the implementation of Ontario 2010 revised elementary health and physical education curriculum

Based on the Comprehensive School Health framework, Ontario's Foundations for a Healthy School (2009) outlines an integrated approach to school health promotion. In this approach the school, community and partners (including public health) are fully engaged With a common goal of youth health. With the recent introductions of the Ontario Public Health Standards (2009) and the revised elementary health and physical education curriculum (2010), the timing for a greater integration of public health with schools is ideal. A needs assessment was conducted to identify the perceived support required by public health professionals to implement the mandates of both policy documents in Ontario. Data was collected for the needs assessment through facilitated discussions at a provincial roundtable event, regional focus groups and individual interviews with public health professionals representing Ontario's 36 public health units. Findings suggest that public health professionals perceive that they require increased resources, greater communication, a clear vision of public health and a suitable understanding of the professional cultures in which they are surrounded in order to effectively support schools. This study expands upon these four categories and the corresponding seventeen themes that were uncovered during the research process.

A case study of the implementation of experiential education in Yukon K-12 schools

This qualitative case study explored the process of implementing Experiential Education (EXED) in Yukon Territory Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) schools with a particular focus on investigating: (a) understandings of EXED and the drivers behind its implementation, (b) factors contributing to EXED's suitability for Yukon schools, and (c) factors supporting and challenging the implementation of EXED in Yukon schools. Data collection involved interviews with Yukon Department of Education (YDE) staff members, principals and teachers, document collection, and reflective note collection. Findings indicated that EXED was understood as more of a me~odology than a philosophy for teaching and learning. EXED implementation was primarily driven by bottom-up (school! teacher) initiatives and was secondarily supported by top-down (YDE) efforts. The process of implementation was supported by three main factors and was challenged primarily by six factors. The results also pointed to three factors that made EXED suitable for implementation in Yukon schools.

Foster Children in Education: Resource Handbook for Elementary Educators

This project is aligned with examining the role of the education system and the foster care context on the learning experiences of young children in the classroom. This project is a study of the literature and research conducted on the life experiences, adverse effects of these experiences (such as attachment disorder), socioemotional development, and resiliency of foster care children. Furthermore, the project explores the literature on how the experiences of these foster children traverse contexts and impact the education setting. This study also outlines specific strategies and practices for teachers and school staff in order to promote students’ resiliency, competency, behaviour management, and overall educational success and positive academic experience. These strategies resulted from a critical review of the literature and translated into the development of an informative handbook intended for teachers. The handbook developed in this study focuses on the understanding of the lives of foster care children, their histories, adverse experiences, socioemotional development, strategies to manage behaviour, unique needs, and encouraging their resiliency and success in school. To ensure the soundness of the handbook, 2 education liaisons at a Family and Child Services agency within Ontario and a former child and service social worker from Manitoba reviewed the first draft and provided comments on the validity of the content and the potential usability of the handbook for educators. Suggestions and comments provided by these experts were used to enhance the final product of the handbook.

Two School Administrators’ Perspectives on How Intercultural Education is Promoted in Their Elementary Schools

This study examined the perspectives of 2 elementary school administrators (1 principal of a faith based school, and 1 vice-principal of a public school) towards intercultural education and how it was implemented in their schools. A generic qualitative research methodology guided this study. Face-to-face interviews that used a guide with open-ended questions were used to collect data. Participants were administrators in their respective schools, had been involved in intercultural activities at their school, and were professional acquaintances of the researcher. The interviews were digitally recorded and the interview transcripts were reviewed by participants to ensure accuracy. The administrators’ understanding of intercultural education tended to be limited to learning and celebration of various cultures. The intercultural education strategies used in the respective schools focussed on developing a knowledge base and provided limited intercultural interaction. The public school had greater resources available than the private faith-based school. However, the resources were not always used to facilitate intercultural education. Teachers and administrators were provided with very few professional development opportunities focussed on intercultural education.