Degree Date

12-2016

Document Type

Dissertation - Public Access

Degree Name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Academic Discipline

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Norman Weston

Second Advisor

Dr. Jack Denny

Third Advisor

Dr. Jason Stegemoller

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of the Demonstration Classroom professional development opportunity in meeting its stated goals:

  • To increase teacher efficacy
  • To share best practice instruction
  • To increase collaborative culture
  • To positively impact student performance
  • To ensure that professional learning is applied and consistently implemented
  • To give support to teachers in implementing new initiatives in the district.

The Demonstration Classroom experience allows teachers to observe others in practice and includes an application piece for observers to demonstrate their understanding of the new learning. To capture the perceptions of teachers involved in the Demonstration Classroom process, a survey was administered to 51 teachers who had participated in Demonstration Classrooms during the 2012 – 2013 and 2013 – 2014 school years. Two focus group interviews, involving nine teachers, were conducted to gain additional insights from the survey results. Additionally, a Demonstration Classroom host teacher contributed her thoughts in a reflective journal on the process of developing and delivering a demonstration lesson. Results of the study indicate that the Demonstration Classroom experience was overwhelmingly satisfying to all who have participated, and the program was determined to be effective in meeting its goals.

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