Unfinishedness: Striving for a Viable Partnership Between TFA and Its University Partner

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (10) ◽  
pp. 1-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Meyers ◽  
Teresa R. Fisher ◽  
Monica Alicea ◽  
Kolt M. Bloxson
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Development ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Department Chairs ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
State University ◽  
Georgia State University ◽  
Urban Educators ◽  
Joint Enterprise ◽  
Urban Teacher

Background/Context Teach For America (TFA) affiliates with universities in most of its 40 regions nationally; however, few researchers intentionally study the content and processes of a partnership between TFA and a college of education. Purpose/Research Question/Focus of Study To ensure that investments both organizations were making had a direct and positive relationship with the constituents, leaders from TFA and Georgia State University began a joint study of our partnership. Researchers believed that participatory collaborative research, utilizing the emic insights, could illuminate needed modifications to best serve novice teachers. Research conducted by only one of the partners is less likely to promote mutuality of respect, reveal salient cultural reference points, honor all stakeholder voices, and enhance a common understanding. The driving question for this strand of this comprehensive 5-year inquiry: What happens when two seemingly disparate institutions with the same mission for educational equity come together to develop urban educators? Participants Thirty-three purposefully selected stakeholders were individually interviewed and included (a) university and TFA leadership (e.g., executive director, deans, department chairs) who were involved in the initiation of this partnership (n = 16); and (b) university coaches, faculty, and TFA Program Directors (PDs) who worked as supervisors and mentors in the field and/or instructors in coursework (n = 17). Additionally, 45 TFA Corps Members’ written reflections about their participation in their degree program provided feedback and analysis of their program and the partnership. Research Design University faculty and TFA personnel codesigned a multiyear qualitative examination of their joint enterprise of developing urban teachers to promote equitable educative opportunities for all children. A contribution of this study is the empirical and coconstructed nature of its design. Data Collection/Analysis The team analyzed data from transcribed verbatim interviews conducted with university and TFA participants, and documents/publications such as Web sites, Memoranda of Understanding, mission statements, emails, meeting memos, program handbook, course syllabi, and TFA Corps Member reflections. Findings/Results An examination of this partnership revealed struggles with: (a) contract negotiation, (b) communication, (c) procedural and pragmatic congruence, (d) response to constituent needs, and (e) creation of an authentic and sustainable partnership. Conclusions/Recommendations Our partnership fluctuated between an instrumental process focused on survival of complexities and triaging crises and self-focused explorations of organizational priorities and possibilities. Stakeholders collaborated to move beyond institutional paradigms for practices toward more mutually constructed engagements. Recommendations are offered to guide other university/TFA partners as they collaborate for the purpose of urban teacher development.

Student Teaching and Urban Educator Aptness: The Significance of Similar Sociocultural Scenarios

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 511-533
Author(s):  
Kate Rollert French
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Situated Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Legitimate Peripheral Participation ◽  
Urban Teacher Preparation ◽  
Urban Educators ◽  
Contextual Elements ◽  
Urban Teacher

Drawing from the experiences and reflections of new urban educators, this study examines how teachers undergo their first year of teaching on account of their student teaching. Using Situated Learning Theory—with an emphasis on legitimate peripheral participation—this study explores how sociocultural and contextual elements of schools contribute to teacher development. Findings suggest that teachers who complete student teaching in environments that mirror their first-year school placements feel more confident and competent in their ability to teach and serve students than teachers who complete student teaching in environments that do not match their first-year school placements. Implications for urban teacher preparation and student teaching placement are discussed.

Issues And Concerns Of Teachers In Mindanao State University-Sulu Towards Modular Distance Learning Approach: An Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-69
Author(s):  
Michelle Y. Alvarez
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Media Literacy ◽  
Teaching Strategy ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
State University ◽  
Teacher Guidance ◽  
Significant Difference

The purpose of this study is to determine the demographic profiles of the respondents which are the teachers in Mindanao State University–Sulu according to gender and college, to identify the issues encountered by the MSU-Sulu Teacher towards modular distance learning approach, to distinguish the concerns of the MSU-Sulu Teacher towards modular distance learning approach, to investigate the teaching preparations on the adaptation of modular distance learning approach, and to identify the significant difference of issues and concern of the MSU-Sulu Teacher towards modular distance learning approach when they are grouped according gender and college. Frequency and percentage distribution, weighted arithmetic mean and independent t-test and chi-square are the statistical tools used to answer the entire research question. The data gathered was computed using SPSS analyzed and interpreted with the aide of the statistician. Descriptive survey method was used as the research method. This study utilizes 40 teachers from different colleges/department. Convenience sampling was used to It is the recommended number of which it is the 30% from the total population of all the faculty of Mindanao State University-Sulu.; questionnaire is used by the researcher as a research instrument of the study. The findings of the study were: 1) There is no significant difference of issues and concern of the MSU-Sulu teacher towards modular distance learning approach when grouped according gender but in contrary; and 2) There is significant difference on the issues and concern among MSU-Sulu teacher towards modular distance learning approach when grouped according colleges. The issues encountered towards modular distance learning approach were communication failure like that of instructions or confusion of students on the modules, limited teacher guidance, student’s in discourteous approach to teachers, complaints on not understanding the module, and all of which results to misbehavior on students and failure to pass worksheet on time. In addition, the concerns of the MSU-Sulu teacher towards modular distance learning approach were; first, hidden expenses on modules; second, teacher’s lack of media literacy; third, poor internet connection which intercepts communication between teacher and students; fourth, time constraint among teachers due to overload paperwork; fifth, equipment problem and complexity of the discussion as well as measurement of student’s performance; sixth,  managing student’s responses from time to time; seventh, teacher’s unavailability  and lastly, difficulties of studying among slow learners. Moreover, on teaching preparations on the adaptation of modular distance learning approach, the issues were cater and set time for student’s inquiries and be flexible to allow extension in terms of passing worksheets as well as allow parents, relative or even friends to pass worksheets in their behalf to lessen transportation expenses. Teachers must appreciate/ recognize his/her students to boost their confidence and avoid favouritism while being considerate to students who are attention seeker or may have ADHD. Correspondingly, the concerns were. Teachers must encourage handwritten answers to lessen plagiarism, on the absence of teacher, the parents and elders must guide the students in their learning at home. Teacher and parent’s guidance must go hand and hand in today’s learning. Teachers must likewise be flexible in finding solutions on printing shortage. And lastly, alternative teaching strategies like modular learning should be hone to aid lack of media literacy of both teacher and students In view of the findings and analysis, the following are recommended: Teachers must be flexible with the present kind of teaching strategy at all cost and at all aspects, Set guidelines as to establish proper communication among students and teachers, learning materials must be affordable as well as easy to understand content, teachers must develop their media literacy skills and encourage teachers to be available to their students on allotted time and cater all their inquiries with patience at all times. Furthermore, the following are the recommended research agenda: Teacher’s training on media literacy and module development programs to allow teamwork in the making process.

scholarly journals Electronic Resources and Web Sites: Replacing a Back-end Database with Innovative's Electronic Resource Management

2005 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Tull
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Ohio State University ◽  
State University ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Electronic Resources ◽  
Electronic Resource ◽  
Washington State University ◽  
The Ohio State University ◽  
The University

<span>In the fall of 2002, Ohio State University along with the University of Washington, the University of Western Australia, Washington State University, and Glasgow University entered into a development partnership with Innovative Interfaces. The goal was to develop a module to manage electronic resources, integrated into Innovative’s Millennium library system. The product, Electronic Resource Management (ERM), became available in 2004 and is based on the work of the Digital Library Federation Electronic Resources Management Initiative. This article focuses on one aspect of ERM, the integration of the module with the Web OPAC, and describes how the Ohio State University Libraries replaced a back-end database with ERM to support lists of electronic resources on their Web site.</span>

Webliography

2011 ◽  
pp. 957-962 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harrison Yang
Keyword(s):  
Technology Integration ◽  
World Wide Web ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Online Resources ◽  
State University ◽  
Scholarly Work ◽  
Louisiana State University ◽  
The World

Traditionally, a bibliography is regarded as a list of printed resources (books, articles, reports, etc.) on a given subject or topic for further study or reference purpose (Alred, Brusaw, & Oliu, 2006; Lamb, 2006). According to the Micropaedia (1990), the bibliography refers to “study and description of books.” It is either the listing of books according to some system (enumerative or descriptive bibliography) or the study of books as tangible objects (analytical or critical bibliography). The term webliography is commonly used when discussing online resources. Although there is no clear agreement among educators regarding the origin of this term, many tend to believe that the term webliography was coined by the libraries at Louisiana State University to describe their list of favorite Web sites. It is referred to as “Web bibliography.” Accordingly, a webliography is a list of resources that can be accessed on the World Wide Web, relating to a particular topic or can be referred to in a scholarly work. A variety of studies suggest that understanding and developing webliographies, which relate to locate, evaluate, organize, and use effectively the needed online resources, are essential for information literacy and technology integration.

scholarly journals Speckle Interferometry at the U. S. Naval Observatory

1992 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 583-585
Author(s):  
Charles E. Worley ◽  
Geoffrey G. Douglass
Keyword(s):  
Speckle Interferometry ◽  
State University ◽  
Naval Observatory ◽  
Speckle Interferometer ◽  
Georgia State University ◽  
The One

AbstractA new speckle interferometer began operation with the 66-cm refractor in Oct. 1990. The interferometer is an improved version of the one operated by CHARA at Georgia State University. We describe the instrument, its calibration, and first observational results.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document