Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2023, Music Education

The purpose of this research was to identify perceived characteristics of effective cooperating teachers in music education. The study's objectives were to identify the characteristics that define an effective cooperating teacher from three perspectives. Those perspectives were current or recently past cooperating teachers in music, current or recently past student teachers in music, and university supervisors or coordinators in charge of student teacher placement in music education. The researcher grouped the participants into three divisions, (1) recent student teachers (STs), (2) practicing music educators who had each been a primary or secondary cooperating teacher (CTs), and (3) college or university supervisors (US/Cs) who have overseen the placement of student teachers. The author developed potential characteristics through a literature review and consultation with a panel of experts. The final questionnaire contained 24 characteristics for participants to rate on a Likert-type scale. Using a cluster sample and snowball sampling technique, N = 175 participants representing all three participant groups (STs, CTs, and US/Cs) returned the questionnaire. Results indicated a slight, significant main effect between the US/C and CT responses. The researcher also conducted follow-up interviews with members of each division. Interviews were coded and themed to add context to the survey results. The purpose of this research was to identify characteristics of effective cooperating teachers in music education from ST, CT, and US/C perspectives. I developed three research questions to guide the study: (1) What characteristics define an effective cooperating teacher according to: (a) Current or recent student teachers (STs)? (b) Current or recent cooperating teachers (CTs)? (c) Current or recent university supervisors or coordinators (US/Cs)? (2) Based on the results, are there any similarities or differences between members of the student t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kathleen Horvath (Committee Member); Jessica Kelley (Committee Member); Nathan Kruse (Committee Member); Ryan Scherber (Committee Chair) Subjects: Education; Music Education; Teacher Education; Teaching

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2016, Education

With increased standards and updated teacher evaluation procedures, in-service teachers have expressed concern about working with student teachers. Using Rodgers (2002) framework for reflection, two research questions were developed to measure the impact of student teachers on the reflective practices of cooperating teachers: Does a student teacher cause a cooperating teacher to be more reflective? and Does a student teacher cause the cooperating teacher to have a greater amount of reflective moments? Data from five teachers who completed surveys and 4 who completed interviews were used to answer the research questions in a qualitative study. The results indicated an inconclusive result in addressing Does a student teacher cause a cooperating teacher to be more reflective? In addition, the second question, Does a student teacher cause the cooperating teacher to have a greater amount of reflective moments?, was answered with a negative response. However, there were two unintended findings. The findings showed in-service teachers, who participated in the study, do not understand the meaning and process of reflection. Also, the in-service teachers repeatedly referred to metacognitive practices rather than reflective practices while evaluating their personal teaching. An argument was established to educate in-service teachers on the effective practice and process of reflection for improved teacher performance. Also, a link was made between metacognition and reflection and how the two processes used in tandem can inform the other.

Committee: Christine Denecker Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Julie McIntosh Ed.D (Committee Member); Gayle Trollinger Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Theory

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2015, College of Education

This study explores whether teacher leaders within a professional development school will take on leadership responsibilities while they are in the midst of learning new district and state change initiatives through the documentation of the formation and implementation of a professional learning community (PLC) within a professional development school (PDS). An ethnographic case study was used to gather information about how 20 teachers within a school worked through change initiatives and collaborative practices. Teachers presented book study topics to colleagues on PLCs and implemented the studied work in their collaborative practices. A Lead Teacher Questionnaire gave teachers an opportunity to express their understanding around PLCs, collaborative practices, and professional development. Teachers completed a SWOT analysis to measure the effectiveness of the book study and presentations. This study reveals that too many initiatives presented to staff leads to issues around district initiatives and changes. District leadership teams are responsible for establishing trust with staff, offering immediate feedback around instructional practices, ensuring that initiatives are streamlined, and that the goals of the initiatives are clearly articulated to staff. Clearly articulated goals helps staff members to know and master expectations. The study participants reflected on their collaborative practices and realized that they need to trust one another to engage in collaborative practices that promote optimal growth and learning for all individuals.

Committee: Judy Alston PhD (Committee Chair); Ann Shelly PhD (Committee Member); James Olive PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Teacher Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, EDU Policy and Leadership

Cooperating teachers play important roles in student teachers' development as educators. The purpose of this study was to develop measures that enable systematic investigation of the actions and interactions of cooperating teachers during student teaching. The measures developed were based on the five Core Propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, ATE Standards for Teacher Educators and the Performance Outcomes from the ATE Standards for Field Experiences in Teacher Education. To develop the measures, an initial pool of items based on each set of standards in education was developed. Ten student teachers were then engaged in cognitive interviews to focus revisions to promote the clarity and suitability of the developing instrument. Revised items were then sent to panels of experts for feedback on the extent to which the intended Standards were accurately represented. After revisions based on expert feedback, thirteen student teachers were engaged in a second set of cognitive interviews. Student teachers participating in the cognitive interviews identified the items as clear and suitable for student teachers. Each panel of experts identified the items as clear and representative of the Standards. The revised instrument was then distributed to teacher preparation programs. The 407 responding student teachers from eleven institutions completed the measures and provided demographic data. A Principal Components Analysis (PCA) identified six dimensions, which explained 67.349% of the variance. After examination and naming, Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the identified scales were calculated to identify the internal consistency of each of the newly developed scales. The scales identified were “Modeling of Quality Classroom Pedagogies with P-12 students” (α = .952) , “Use and promotion of reflection in learning environment accepting of the candidate” (α =.956 ), “Dedication to cooperating teaching through use of research, collaborations, (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Eric M. Anderman PhD (Advisor); Dr. Belinda G. Gimbert PhD (Committee Member); Dr. Robert R. Hite PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; Educational Tests and Measurements; Pedagogy; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, Agricultural and Extension Education

Nearly half of all new teachers leave teaching within the first five years of entering the profession. The exodus from the teaching profession has placed teacher recruitment and retention as an important challenge for public education in the United States. In order for the workforce of teachers to remain sustainable; the field of education recognizes the need for professional development programs, particularly novice teacher induction, to combat the teacher attrition challenge. A number of studies determined that a positive relationship exists between mentoring and induction programs and teacher retention. Within the context of the relationship between mentoring and teacher retention, the importance of the abilities and beliefs mentor teachers contribute to the process cannot be neglected. Mentoring is a nurturing process that provides an ongoing, caring relationship between mentor and novice teacher, where the attitudes, beliefs, and dispositions of the mentor play a key role in the development of the novice teacher. An understanding of how mentor teachers perceive themselves in their abilities and beliefs is critical in the selection of mentor teachers. Additionally, an examination of the relationship between mentor teachers' perceived abilities and beliefs may help in the preparation of quality mentor teachers for the future. Therefore, the problem was that a current measure of mentor teachers' perceptions about their abilities and beliefs as mentors is needed in the field of agricultural education in order to determine areas of need for mentor selection and training and to prepare novice teachers for the mentor – novice teacher relationship. The design of the study was descriptive – correlational. Survey research methods were utilized in the data collection process. Two types of data were collected to meet the research objectives. In order to measure the perceptions of the abilities of mentor teachers and the perceptions of the beliefs of mentor teachers, (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jamie Cano (Advisor); Robert Birkenholz J. (Committee Member); Joseph Gliem A. (Committee Member) Subjects: Agricultural Education; Education; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2007, Teaching and Learning

The purpose of the present study was to understand teachers' thinking about mentoring. The study examined what teachers metaphorically conceptualize with respect to mentoring. To achieve the goals, two research questions were asked: (1) What were the teachers' metaphors concerning mentoring that are used in their everyday language, and (2) what were the major concepts perceived by the teachers' use of metaphors regarding mentoring? Contemporary metaphor theories were employed in this study. Ten elementary school teachers in an urban setting in Ohio participated in the study. Using a maximum variation sampling method, teachers who had diverse backgrounds with respect to teaching and mentoring experiences were selected. Interview was the primary method for data collection. Interviews were conducted once for each participant in December 2002 and once more in April 2005. The findings of the present study revealed that the participating teachers used various metaphors about mentoring and student teaching. Those metaphors pertained to the relationship of mentor and student teachers and can be grouped into two categories: Interpersonal Relationship Metaphors and Power Relations Metaphors. The metaphors used by the participants were related to two concepts of a good mentor: a non-authoritative mentoring approach and professional development. The metaphor analysis revealed that the participants believed, by permitting student teachers to implement their own teaching styles, a more equal and interpersonal relationship with student teachers should be established and would produce more successful mentoring. Moreover, the metaphor analysis demonstrated that this non-authoritative mentoring approach was intertwined with mentor teachers' professional development in a sense that mentor teachers could learn from student teachers and have a better chance to renew their (mentor teachers) teaching.

Committee: Peter Paul (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Teacher Training