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This article discusses the case study of an interdisciplinary faculty learning community (FLC) focused on open practices and resources. The community, which was facilitated by three academic librarians, explored the case as a framework for open outreach and advocacy on a university campus. Composed of participants across disciplines and academic departments, the FLC created a setting for librarians and teaching faculty to explore open education topics together from divergent perspectives and degrees of experience. In this article, the authors present the FLC case as a collaborative model for forging relationships on campus and consider its effectiveness as an outreach and advocacy strategy for academic libraries. Keywords: faculty learning communities, open educational practices, outreach and advocacy, faculty collaboration, communities of practice, professional development, faculty development, Introduction Academic libraries often lead outreach and advocacy programs at their institutions to promote open practices and open educational resources (OER). Common library initiatives to support the creation and adoption [...]

This three phase longitudinal multiple-case study, framed by positioning theory, investigated how four novice teachers learned to use professional judgment in their literacy instruction. Data sources from coursework, student teaching, and novice teaching were included. Interviews, observations, researchers' observational notes, and school and classroom demographics were compiled and analyzed to create case reports. Findings indicated while they differed in their use of professional judgment as novice teachers, participants learned this skill in student teaching rather than in coursework, which caused us to question whether teacher preparation programs are preparing teachers to use professional judgment or training them for technical compliance. Keywords preservice teacher education, teacher beliefs, literacy/reading teacher education, case study, Rachel, a first-year teacher, was employed by a Reading First school to teach on a third-grade team. Her colleagues, veteran teachers, followed the core reading teacher's manuals 'with fidelity,' and [...]

THE NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARDS (NQS) now mandate the implementation of a recognised learning framework in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings across Australia. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia is one such framework. This case study was conducted in a local government area of the city of Melbourne. It explored the extent to which professional development opportunities equip educators to implement programs for young children that meet Quality Area 1 of the NQS: Educational program and practice. This study found that neither the professional development opportunities available to educators nor the delivery of the content met educators' reported professional learning needs. This paper advocates for more participative, evidence-based approaches to professional learning. In addition, participants' response rate is indicative of the need for a systematic means of tracking and supporting the particular professional learning needs of ECEC educators., Introduction The National Quality Standards for Australia (NQS) (ACECQA, 2011) came into force in 2012 and the accreditation of early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres commenced in 2013, setting [...]

IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRES directors have responsibility for ongoing professional learning to support the implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Currently there is limited understanding about how early childhood leaders support educators to participate in professional learning. This article presents findings from two case studies undertaken as part of a larger research project aimed at exploring the enactment of leadership for professional learning in early childhood centres. Key findings from this research show that directors played a key role as the centre's educational leader and distributing leadership to room leaders was critical in supporting educators' professional learning., Introduction The implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is a key component of the Early Childhood Reform Agenda, with expectations that curriculum reform will deliver improvements in the [...]

Following the mergers and amalgamations of colleges within universities in Australia in the early 1990s, many academics in Australia needed to make a transition from a mainly teaching-only role to a teaching and research role. These changing work roles at universities have put considerable pressure on human resource development policies and professional development strategies. However, the majority of Australian academics across all universities have successfully adapted to achieving this new career trajectory. This research uses a qualitative methodology and action research to examine the key factors that allowed one university to succeed in changing the behaviour and attitudes of its staff through university-initiated professional development programs. In-depth interviews with the executive administrators and successful academics at this university have been analysed and compared with the university's human resources policies. Keywords professional development, academic development, INTRODUCTION This research focuses on issues with the design and implementation of academic development at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) in Australia. Qualitative research methods have been utilised to [...]

This study of elementary mathematics teachers is intended to determine if the perceptions, beliefs, and experiences of mathematics teachers in elementary school align with their teaching practices in mathematics. Research included observations, reflections, and interviews with a purposefully selected group of elementary teachers representing upper elementary schools and a diverse group of willing participants. The elementary teachers were observed, videotaped, interviewed while viewing the tape of their own teaching, and interviewed regarding their perceptions, beliefs, and educational experiences. Little connection was found between the teachers' perceptions and beliefs about mathematic and their actual classroom practice. Teachers may have expressed a set of beliefs about how students learn mathematics, but their practice did not emphasize what they believed to be innovations and best practices. Findings indicate that teacher preparation and professional development appear to have limited influence in ensuring teachers practice innovative strategies in the classroom, also. The findings confirm that the most powerful influence on teaching practice is the teacher's experience as a student. Teachers were powerfully influenced by their own teachers and discussed models from their experiences as students. Teachers may wish to be innovative in teaching mathematics and may even be prepared to teach in such a manner, but the default strategy of former teacher models may win out. The implications of this study call on educators to elevate the understanding of the power of prior teachers, both as positive role models and as influences which may need to be overcome. Institutions who prepare teachers and entities that provide professional development to promote innovative practice, should factor the 'teaching as I was taught' phenomenon into any school improvement initiatives., Recent attention on poor mathematical performance has led to serious concern about the state of student achievement and performance in mathematics in the United States (Bracey, 2009; Chard et al., [...]

RESEARCHABSTRACT Nurse researchers need to explore study abroad programs and identify their impact on the development of cultural competence and global perspectives in nursing students. Despite the anecdotal professional and [...]

This research examines the Vietnam War as a topic of study in the era of standardized curricula. Standards for teaching the Vietnam War, both state and national, are often ambiguous. They may, therefore, allow teachers to interject their own thoughts and biases into the classroom. To better understand what may actually inform one state's social studies teachers regarding the Vietnam War, findings from a survey of practicing Indiana social studies teachers' reported sources of information regarding the conflict are presented. Implications of these findings in the context of the current realities facing social studies education are discussed, and recommendations, largely dealing with professional development, are offered. Key Words: academic standards, history curriculum, Indiana Standards for United States History, National Standards for History, teacher education, Vietnam War, Introduction Social studies teachers are charged with helping students learn about the past in a manner that develops effective citizenship (Engle & Ochoa, 1988; Jadallah, 2000; Mathews, 1985; McMurray, 2007a; [...]

This case study describes an effort to design and pilot an interactive, Web-based, district-wide 'professional support portal' to support new teacher retention and professional growth in the Milwaukee Public Schools. […]

The Ontario Ministry of Education announced the Parent Engagement Policy for Ontario Schools in 2010. This policy aims to support parent engagement and provides a vision of its implementation at schools, boards, and the ministry. This mixed methods case study sheds light on its implementation and thus its implication by exploring the parent engagement experiences of parents and teachers. The study results reveal that the actual and desired levels of engagement are different between new immigrants and the established or non-immigrant families, and that teacher education in parent engagement is desirable in optimizing parent partnerships. Keywords: immigrants, parent engagement, policy, parent involvement, teacher education, professional development Le Ministere de l'education de l'Ontario a annonce le Parent politique d'engagement pour les ecoles de l'Ontario en 2010. Cette politique vise a soutenir l'engagement parent et fournit une vision de sa mise en oeuvre dans les ecoles, les conseils scolaires et le ministere. Cette methodes mixtes etude de cas met en lumiere sa mise en oeuvre et donc son implication en explorant la participation des parents experiences vecues par les parents et les enseignants. Les resultats de l'etude revelent la reelle et desiree niveaux d'engagement sont differentes entre les nouveaux immigrants et les etablis ou de non-immigrant, familles et que la formation des maitres en participation des parents est souhaitable dans l'optimisation des partenariats parent. Mots-cles : immigres, participation des parents, la participation des parents, la formation des enseignants, le developpement professionnel, politique, defense des interets du public, Introduction The demographic change projected by Statistics Canada (2010) for the next 20 years has significant implications for the education systems in Canada. While the Ontario Ministry of Education acknowledges [...]