Browsing by Author "O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee member"
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Item Open Access Acting as one: voices in the renewal of clinical partnerships in educator preparation and research(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Decker, Derek J., author; Cooner, Donna, advisor; Frederiksen, Heidi, committee member; Makela, Carole, committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberThe accrediting body, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), has set forth a set of new standards in 2013 that demand excellence and produce educators who raise PK-12 student achievement. Standard 2: Clinical Partnerships and Practice requires that educator preparation programs (EPP) seeking accreditation should have strong collaborative partnerships with school districts and their individual schools. These collaborative partnerships are a shared endeavor meant to focus dually on the improvement of student learning and development and on the preparation of teachers. The partners shall work together to determine the division of responsibilities among the various partnership stakeholders and the values and expectations of program development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement. The purpose of this multi-manuscript co-written dissertation included two separate studies utilizing focus group methodology to highlight how key stakeholders in EPPs describe the benefits and barriers of CAEP Standard 2: Clinical Partnerships and Practice within the context of those stakeholders' institutions. A priori codes were used in both qualitative studies to see how stakeholders' descriptions aligned with Standard 2 guiding principles. Inductive codes were identified, which focused on barriers described in clinical partnerships. Results were presented in two different manuscripts from the two studies and indicate strong correlation between stakeholders descriptions with both a priori and inductive codes. Based on the findings, suggestions for further research will be presented.Item Open Access An epistemological approach to literature: creating a paradigm for literary study in the IB Language A1 classroom(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Hunt, Tiffany J., author; Reid, Louann, advisor; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee member; Carlson, Laurie A., committee memberThis study arose from one educator's interest in finding a way to help students more fully understand both what they are being asked to do in an International Baccalaureate Higher Level Language A1 course, and the principles on which these expectations are founded. The desire to clarify this for students rests on a foundational assumption that students are likely to perform better when aware of the philosophical guiding principles of a discipline and where they are to locate themselves among a number of possible ways to analyze literature. The study is primarily concerned with presenting these philosophical underpinnings to students in a manner that is accessible and achievable given the many other demands of the course, and whether this framework is useful in furthering student achievement. As a classroom teacher, I conducted action research to this end, using initial and exit surveys to measure student perception and whether these perceptions changed. I also observed students in class and in individual conferences, and conducted a case study of three students' major written work for the course, coding for evidence of different ways of analyzing literature. The study ultimately revealed that students did not fully understand, at the beginning of the school year, what modes of literary analysis were most appropriate for achieving well in the IB Language A1. Students' understanding improved over the course of the school year, evident both in the survey findings and in student work, though it remains unclear what role the framework, or paradigm, may or may not have played in this. More research, conducted with a greater number of students in a wider array of contexts, is necessary to more meaningfully explore the value of the paradigm and best practices for helping students to understand fully what exactly they are being asked to do in analyzing literature.Item Open Access An investigation of imagination in public education(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Viney, Marcus W., author; Coke, Pamela, advisor; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee member; Lucero, Rodrick, committee memberCurrent literature concerning the role of imagination in education widely ignores the perspectives of students and teachers. This qualitative study aims to examine these perspectives through interviews with two language arts teachers and three students in two secondary school contexts. My research questions were: (1) What role does the imagination have in secondary education? (2) To what extent does the imagination deserve our attention as teachers? (3) What types of instruction, activities, and learning environments support student imagination? Participants reported that imagination plays a crucial role in education and offered several ideas about how best to cultivate imagination in the classroom. Given these findings I conclude that it is imperative that imagination receives more attention from educators and researchers.Item Open Access Avoiding a looming crisis: novice leader preparation and retention(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Seegmiller, Daniel P., author; Cooner, Donna, advisor; Fothergill, Wendy, committee member; Frederiksen, Heidi, committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberThe purpose of this case study was to identify key components, along a continuum of preparation, that school districts and university partners could provide to enhance the support and retention of novice educational leaders in the first three years in their roles. Additionally, the case study identified components missing from an educational administrator licensure program that could be included or addressed to provide a more comprehensive preparation. The research was set within a constructivist, and specifically phenomenological, paradigm. This paradigm provided the understanding that each participant in the study has a different experience and view of the preparation they received through their principal licensure program and how that preparation did, or did not, prepare them for the realities of their first three years in their roles as educational leaders. This case study was explored through focus groups that allowed both the participants and the facilitator to better understand the experiences of each individual involved and co-create an understanding of how future educational leaders can be better prepared and supported as new leaders. Novice leader preparation and retention is an issue requiring a greater level of awareness so that action may be taken to mitigate its unfortunate effects on student outcomes and achievement, staff stability and effectiveness, equity and inclusion, increasingly limited candidate pool, and the career longevity of those seeking to lead our schools in a time of intensifying pressure and complexity.Item Open Access Clinical partnerships in action: renewal and innovation in educator preparation and research(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Roth, Jennifer Jamison, author; Cooner, Donna, advisor; Frederiksen, Heidi, committee member; Makela, Carole, committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberWith the advent of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) as the sole national accrediting organization for educator preparation programs (EPP) and the subsequent release of the five CAEP standards, an EPP desiring collegiate program accreditation must demonstrate the existence of a clinical partnership that serves the dual purpose of preparing quality teacher candidates and positively impacting the education of PK-12 students. To date, little has been written on the impact of these standards on clinical practice in educator preparation or on how EPPs are operationalizing the CAEP standards. This multi-manuscript, co-written dissertation studied the critical role of partnerships as defined by CAEP in the renewal and innovation of educator preparation and educational research. In two separate qualitative studies, the researchers used focus group methodology to collect clinical partnership stakeholders' descriptions of their understanding of rich clinical practice and the benefits of clinical partnerships as defined by CAEP Standard 2. These descriptions provided the data that were analyzed through a deductive and inductive coding process. It was found that stakeholders described clinical experiences as crucial to teacher candidates' development of knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions, and identified clinical experiences as the space where theory and practice intersect. Findings also showed that stakeholders identified collaboration, mutually beneficial, sustaining and generative, shared accountability, and positive impact as the key components in a clinical partnership. Additionally, the role of partnerships in collaborative research and co-writing was examined and the researchers provided a rationale for the option of a co-authored dissertation.Item Open Access How can leaders develop and maintain high achieving elementary schools? A single case study exploring collective teacher efficacy, principal leadership, and high reliability organization principles(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Ernst, Susan, author; Cooner, Donna, advisor; Fothergill, Wendy, committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee member; Sebald, Ann, committee memberWith the issue of student achievement at the core of educational policy, it is essential to determine how to create school environments in which all students achieve. Research indicates collective teacher efficacy is a primary factor affecting student achievement, yet educational research also points to the importance of principal leadership in fostering and maintaining school cultures of success. Furthermore, it seems there are lessons to be learned from looking beyond the scope of educational literature into organizational learning as a way to engage in systematic decision making. Though collective teacher efficacy and principal leadership have been the primary focus of such research, employing high reliability organization principles is an emerging area of educational research. The included sections serve to review the literature across collective teacher efficacy, principal leadership, and high reliability organization principles within a systems thinking approach; critically analyze and employ research methods from scholars in the field of education; and link theory to practice while grappling with the issue of student achievement in a complex educational context. A QUAL+quan mixed methods approach guided the research to explore teacher and principal perceptions of collective teacher efficacy, examine leadership actions to foster collective teacher efficacy among staff, and link leadership actions to high reliability organization principles.Item Open Access In the round: supporting teachers' authentic professional learning(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Strand, Matt, author; Lucero, Rod, advisor; Lynham, Susan, advisor; Cooner, Donna, committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberThis is a study of teachers' authentic professional learning at a public school in Poudre School District in northern Colorado. At Polaris Expeditionary Learning School, teachers and administrators have developed a form of school-based instructional rounds referred to herein as PLC rounds (professional learning community rounds). In PLC rounds, Polaris teachers visit their colleagues' classrooms in teams to observe and interact with the host teacher and students. Afterwards, observing teachers reflect on their observations and interactions and engage in professional dialogue about how the experience might inform their practice. These dialogues become part of a larger conversation across all rounds teams in service of school improvement. Despite increased interest in school-based instructional rounds as a professional learning approach, a theory-research gap persists. This study draws upon teachers' lived experiences by encouraging them to reflect on their participation in PLC rounds. Through interviews and analysis, a theoretical framework is constructed to explain this dynamic phenomenon. The study distinguishes the PLC rounds approach from other forms of instructional rounds, outlines its key components, articulates teachers' professional learning experiences, explores this learning in relation to the strengthening of the professional learning community, and identifies practices that support and hinder their professional learning. In addition, it contributes insights for local practice at Polaris, considerations for interested schools and/or school districts, and recommendations for future research.Item Open Access Leadership in crisis: the lived experiences of seven school leaders during COVID-19(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Asqueri, Emily, author; Cooner, Donna, advisor; Frederiksen, Heidi, committee member; Barnes, Wendy, committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberThis study, grounded in a constructivist view of phenomenology, explores the lived experiences of school leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research identifies several implications for practice, including the need to re-evaluate teacher and administrator licensure programs, with a focus on providing opportunities for educators to gain practical experience in navigating crises. Additionally, professional development courses should be tailored to address educators' specific deficits and strengths, fostering better leadership. Addressing inequities in education, particularly regarding food security and the digital divide, remains critical. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of allocating resources to mental health and self-care initiatives, not only for school leaders but also for staff, students, and the community, while actively working to destigmatize mental health. Finally, this research underscores the need to refocus on the primary purpose of education, which is to meet the needs of students, rather than becoming mired in divisive debates. Recommendations for future research include conducting interviews with a more diverse group of school leaders to capture a broader range of experiences. Additionally, long-term studies may be necessary to understand the lasting effects of leadership decisions during the pandemic. In conclusion, this research calls for collective action to address systemic inequities in education. It acknowledges the complexity of these challenges and urges stakeholders to support educators and students. In the interim, school leaders, licensure programs, and professional development courses must prioritize the development of leaders who can effectively navigate uncertainty and crises, thereby benefiting the entire educational community.Item Open Access Middle school student motivational experiences in mathematics: a narrative inquiry(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Ramey, Melanie B., author; Makela, Carole J., advisor; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee member; Wallner, Barbara K., committee member; Wolgemuth, Jennifer R., committee memberAmong middle school students there is thought to be a lack of motivation toward academic achievement in math. Ames expressed this thought in 1990 when mentioning this as one of the biggest problems in education. Motivation to learn and grow through mathematic understanding gives students' purpose. Due to this thought, the focus of the study was to use a narrative inquiry experience-centered approach to gain insight into five middle school students' motivational experiences in mathematics at the end of eighth grade. Each student was interviewed over the course of three different sessions, taking place over a three week span of time. These interviews were conducted during their normal school day at a time deemed by the school as not academically hindering (i.e., a study hall or open block). To help with analysis, interview sessions were audio recorded and transcribed into a basic word processor. Nvivo software was then used to create common themes (or nodes) and connect them to common reference points within each student's interview dialogue. Some themes like intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were created prior to analysis and looked for specifically, while other themes were created after being mentioned by multiple students or in multiple interviews. These added themes were noticeably of value to the participants when speaking of their motivational experiences. Data collection and analysis concluded that personal motivators, both intrinsic and extrinsic, were mentioned by all students over the course of their three interview sessions. Student's desire for accomplishment, esteem, and support were all revealed as common motivators. Interview responses reinforced the view that motivation is supported through small, challenging but achievable goals. Students expressed not wanting simple math problems, they wanted to feel challenged. Therefore, benefits for students may be found if teachers are able to balance mathematics challenges with supporting student's current abilities and academic competence. What was also concluded is a definite relationship between the various levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs being satisfied and an increase in student motivation. Recommendations for research include looking further into whether students are motivated to satisfy their needs, as Maslow suggests, or rather if the act of feeling calm over a need being met creates further motivation toward academic achievement. Future research into this concept would help formulate true connections between satisfied needs and motivational desire.Item Open Access Principal leadership in response to intervention (RTI): a mixed methods study examining a servant leadership approach to reform(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Gile, Traci, author; Cooner, Donna, advisor; Gloeckner, Gene W., committee member; Lucero, Rodrick S., committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberThe purpose of this study was to determine whether there was an association between servant leadership and the implementation of a systemic reform, specifically Response to Intervention (RTI). It was also the intent of this study to describe the relationship between direct principal involvement in RTI interventions and assessments, and the reading achievement gains in elementary schools. A focus group was also conducted to explain the quantitative results and validate the self-assessment of servant leadership, which influenced the decision to employ a mixed-methods design for this study. The quantitative analysis used a non-experimental associational approach. The quantitative results of this study indicated there were no significant correlations between direct principal involvement in the delivery of assessments and interventions within RTI and student reading achievement gains. The study also concluded that there were no significant correlations between a principal's servant leadership style and implementation of reforms related to RTI. The explanatory qualitative section did support themes from the literature around modeling the way, changing belief systems, and changing approaches as part of change leadership. Other explanations for a lack of correlation were congruent with the literature. Systems issues and an inability to focus on a deep implementation were partially responsible for a lack of student achievement results. The conclusions of this study describe that the school principal is at the center of managing initiatives and reforms, yet more conclusive research is needed around school leadership practices that lead to student achievement. Additionally, programmatic reforms such as RTI do not necessarily lead to improved results, but focus and the ability to sustain an effective practice over time does have the potential to lead to improved results for students. Finally, people make systems function during change. A system that provides Open, Participatory Leadership provides the conditions for a successful reform.Item Open Access Socioeconomic status and summer learning loss in reading(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Fothergill, Wendy, author; Gines, Donna Cooner, advisor; Lucero, Rodrick, committee member; Gloeckner, Gene W., committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberAs the United States battles an economic recession, the numbers of students attending our schools who live in poverty continue to increase. The rigorous requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 put accountability systems in place to make sure school systems implement reforms to close achievement gaps and guarantee success for all. One systemic reform conversation occurring increasingly to remove an existing barrier to this success is re-thinking the school calendar. The foremost purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in reading skill levels gained or lost over summer vacation based on socioeconomic status. Gender and grade level differences over the summer vacation were also analyzed. Factorial, repeated measures ANOVA was utilized to answer research questions. Statistical significance was determined at the p<.05 level. Results revealed a lack of significant main effect of SES on DRA2 and DIBELS gain/loss scores over the summer and an increase of summer reading loss from the first grade to fourth grade. A number of implications for action and recommendations for further research are provided at the conclusion of this study. These include the need to review summer programming and calendar modification, implementation of a complete response to intervention system, and teacher professional development for bridging the poverty gap.Item Open Access Summer school: effects in fourth and fifth grades(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Koehn, Karen K., author; Cooner, Donna, advisor; Gloeckner, Gene W., committee member; Lucero, Rodrick, committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberSummer school has long been viewed as a viable method of decreasing the time out of school for students and thereby increasing student achievement for summer school attendees. A search of the literature reveals that many summer school programs are effective in preventing reading achievement loss of elementary students, particularly for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. The purpose of this study was to determine both the short and long term effects of a summer school program on students attending summer school following their fourth grade year. Independent sample t tests were performed to determine the difference in reading MAP score growth for students attending summer school and non-attendees. Comparisons were made based on socioeconomic status. Results showed no significant difference in gain scores between attendees and non-attendees immediately following summer school or at the end of the fifth grade year, regardless of socioeconomic status. Implications for action and recommendations for further study are included at the conclusion of this study. These include closer examination of the grade levels and type of students experiencing the greatest benefit from summer school programs, the type of summer program producing the best results, and consideration for the needs of the specific school community.Item Open Access The development of creativity in adolescents: a qualitative study of how and where creativity develops(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Morrell, Michelle A., author; Coke, Pamela, advisor; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee member; Frederiksen, Heidi, committee memberTo best prepare current K-12 students for what will likely be an unfamiliar and changing future, teachers and educational professionals today consider "21st century skills" among the tools students will need, and chief among those skills is creativity. An understanding of how and where creativity happens, from the perspective of children and adolescents, could provide valuable information to educators who seek to prepare students for the work-force of tomorrow. This study seeks to answer the following questions through gaining the perspectives of a female and a male at the eighth grade level and their English language arts teacher: 1. What is creativity? 2. How does creativity happen? 3. Where does creativity happen? From the perspective of the student study participants whom I interviewed, creativity is an individualistic expression of one’s thoughts generated in an individual’s mind and then expressed in a visual or concrete media. Creativity is a process and a result of years of involvement, is aided by internal or external motivators as well as the presence of examples and feels good when it happens. Creativity does not happen if strict rules or constraints are imposed. For theses interviewees, creativity can happen almost anywhere, and is aided by quite, alone time when the creator has time to process his/her thoughts. Allowing students the time, space, and resources they each require to encourage their creativity process will not only enable creativity to happen but will make the process more accessible and familiar, developing creative response as a habit, not an exception.Item Open Access The relationship between math anxiety and student achievement of middle school students(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Siebers, William Matthew, author; Cooner Gines, Donna, advisor; Frederiksen, Heidi, committee member; Gloeckner, Gene W., committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberA 12-item Math Questionnaire (MQ) was developed and distributed to 381 middle school students in a northern Colorado middle school during the 2013-2014 school year. Data from the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) during the 2012-2013 school year were used to compare mathematics achievement to mathematic anxiety. Middle school grades consist of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who range in ages of 11 to 14 years old. Results from the quantitative study showed there were statistically significant differences between mathematics anxiety and achievement on TCAP. Students who have high mathematics anxiety tend to have low mathematics achievement. Other results showed that sixth grade students had less mathematics anxiety than seventh grade students. Sixth grade students had less mathematics anxiety compared to eighth grade students. Seventh grade students had a higher level of mathematics anxiety compared to eighth grade students. Lastly, results showed sixth grade students had the highest mathematics achievement across the middle school grades. Eighth grade students showed the lowest mathematics achievement compared to sixth and seventh grade. Overcoming mathematics anxiety is a recipe for success in helping students achieve and grow in mathematics. By understanding, recognizing, controlling, and coping with our mathematical anxiety, students can go further in mathematics than ever before (Boaler, 2008; Tobias, 1993). A number of recommendations for further research and implications for action are provided in chapter five of this study.Item Open Access The role of transformational leadership in empowering public educators(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Schiavone, Alessandra, author; Cooner, Donna, advisor; Barnes, Wendy, committee member; Frederiksen, Heidi, committee member; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee memberThis study aimed to identify the leadership actions and behaviors that school administrators, who have recently transitioned from a teaching position, associated with empowerment. Semi-structured interviews were utilized to elicit the participants' experiences of empowerment and disempowerment and how they try to create cultures of empowerment at their schools. The participants described their experiences of empowerment as they become leaders. They shared the transformational leadership behaviors they witnessed in others and fostered in themselves as they created cultures of empowerment in their own schools. This study found three factors facilitating transitions to formal leadership: being empowered through informal leadership roles, having access to pathways to become a leader, and being pushed outside one's comfort zone. The participants described the qualities effective leaders possess and the qualities of psychological empowerment one must have to take the necessary risks to become a school leader. Participants shared how, to build cultures of empowerment, they lead by example, have a vision and clarity, build trust, recognize the strengths of others, coach their staff, and share power in their schools.Item Open Access Understanding the use of affinity spaces in public education through action research(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Hoberg, Richard A., author; Coke, Pamela, advisor; O'Donnell-Allen, Cindy, committee member; Thompson, Jesse, committee memberThe new Common Core State Standards demand rigorous academic outcomes of public school students. Teachers of English Language Arts has been both strained and invigorated by these demands in recent years, and educational research, particularly on the use of technology for advancing literacy, has proposed some innovative solutions. This qualitative study will compare the implementation of two forms of ELA curricula, one based in recent literature and the other based in traditional instruction, for the purpose of measuring which is capable of better academic outcomes. I will use an action research design to carry out this study. My primary research question is: How does implementing affinity spaces in my 9th-grade ELA class compare to implementing my usual instruction with respect to student improvement on CCSS achievement targets? The outcomes of the study led me to conclude that my implementation of an affinity space curriculum, which is based in recent educational research, achieves better academic outcomes than my usual instruction, which is based in traditional teaching practices.