Faculty and Student Perceptions of Reading and Language Arts Preparation and Preparedness for the State Subject Area Test Ingrid Ahrens Massey Walden University
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Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2016 Faculty and Student Perceptions of Reading and Language Arts Preparation and Preparedness for the State Subject Area Test Ingrid Ahrens Massey Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Higher Education Administration Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Other Education Commons, and the Reading and Language Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University COLLEGE OF EDUCATION This is to certify that the doctoral study by Ingrid Ahrens Massey has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Sydney Parent, Committee Chairperson, Education Faculty Dr. Mario Castro, Committee Member, Education Faculty Dr. Rollen Fowler, University Reviewer, Education Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2016 Abstract Faculty and Student Perceptions of Reading and Language Arts Preparation and Preparedness for the State Subject Area Test by Ingrid Ahrens Massey MEd, Oklahoma State University, 2003 BS, Northeastern State University, 1996 Project Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University December 2016 Abstract Since changes to the reading/language arts State Subject Area Test (SSAT) in late 2010, elementary education teacher candidates at a teacher training college in the Southern United States have experienced declining scores resulting in test failure and delaying student teaching and graduation. The purpose of this case study was to identify factors that students and faculty perceived as most beneficial in preparing students to pass the SSAT. Constructivism served as the conceptual framework for this study addressing the effects of collaboration, hands-on learning, and application of knowledge. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 6 elementary education students who had taken the SSAT and 4 full-time reading and language arts faculty members who participated in semistructured interviews. Analysis of coded data indicated themes of preference for experiential learning, intensive strategy instruction, and a review of tested content. Based on study findings, a 3-day professional development training was created to provide students a review of tested subject matter through embedded strategy instruction and opportunities for hands-on application of learning. Implications for positive social change include preparing students to pass the SSAT in fewer attempts so they can graduate on schedule and begin their careers. Local communities may benefit from the addition of highly qualified teachers ready to enter elementary classrooms across the state during a critical teacher shortage. Faculty and Student Perceptions of Reading and Language Arts Preparation and Preparedness for the State Subject Area Test by Ingrid Ahrens Massey MEd, Oklahoma State University, 2003 BS, Northeastern State University, 1996 Project Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University December 2016 Table of Contents Section 1: The Local Problem..............................................................................................1 Rationale and Purpose of the Study ...............................................................................2 Definition of Terms........................................................................................................5 Significance of the Study ...............................................................................................7 Research Questions ........................................................................................................8 Review of the Literature ................................................................................................9 Conceptual Framework ......................................................................................... 10 Review of the Broader Problem ............................................................................ 12 Implications..................................................................................................................20 Tentative Project Direction ..........................................................................................20 Summary ......................................................................................................................21 Section 2: Methodology .....................................................................................................26 Overview ......................................................................................................................26 Qualitative Research Design and Approach ................................................................28 Participants ...................................................................................................................29 Access to Participants ........................................................................................... 30 Ethical Considerations .......................................................................................... 32 Data Collection ............................................................................................................33 Interviews .............................................................................................................. 33 Role of the Researcher .......................................................................................... 34 i Data Analysis ...............................................................................................................35 Data Analysis Results ..................................................................................................36 Faculty Perceptions ............................................................................................... 39 Student Perceptions ............................................................................................... 42 Summary of the Findings .............................................................................................44 Faculty Perceptions of Preparation ....................................................................... 44 Student Perceptions of Preparation ....................................................................... 45 Suggestions for Improvement ............................................................................... 46 Implications........................................................................................................... 47 The Project ...................................................................................................................47 Section 3: The Project ........................................................................................................50 Project Goals ................................................................................................................51 Rationale ......................................................................................................................51 Review of the Literature ..............................................................................................52 Professional Development .................................................................................... 53 Components of Effective Professional Development ........................................... 55 Effective Teaching ................................................................................................ 58 Best Practices in Teaching Reading ...................................................................... 59 Differentiated Instruction ...................................................................................... 63 Strategy Instruction ............................................................................................... 65 Best Practices for Reading Professional Development ......................................... 67 ii Project Description.......................................................................................................67 Resources, Supports, and Barriers ........................................................................ 67 Implementation and Timetable ............................................................................. 68 Roles and Responsibilities of Researcher and Others ........................................... 69 Project Evaluation Plan ................................................................................................70 Formative Evaluation ............................................................................................ 70 Justification for this Type of Evaluation ............................................................... 70 Overall Evaluation Goals ...................................................................................... 71 Description of Key Stakeholders .......................................................................... 71 Project Implications .....................................................................................................72