Role of Teacher in Personal Learning Environments

This paper aims to discuss the changing roles and competencies of a teacher in context of prevailing developments accomplished by the vast availability of social software, which have made easy the development of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs). This has been accomplished by an in-depth review of the literature on teacher’s socially situated competencies and roles with regard to the tasks and guidance they provide to students shape their PLEs. Review process provides an insight of PLE research studies, constructivist learning theories, and teacher changing roles. The results of this study outline the roles that portray the importance of teacher competencies as role in Planning and Design, Instruction and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Management and Administration, and Use of Technology

Teachers\u27 Perceptions of an Integrated Third Grade Curriculum\u27s Effects on Students\u27 Reading Achievement

School leaders in a Virginia urban school district designed and implemented a reading-infused integrated curriculum to address Grade 3 students\u27 struggles to read and comprehend grade-level text. Informed via a constructivist approach, the curriculum integrated the core subjects, reading, and service learning for developing competent readers, thinkers, and problem solvers. This instrumental case study focused on 13 Grade 3 teachers\u27 perceptions of the integrated curriculum in regards to their students\u27 reading achievement. Qualitative data were collected from face-to-face interviews, students\u27 progress of work documents, and the district\u27s integrated curriculum unit. Open coding was employed to analyze the data. Inductively, triangulated data sources were analyzed. Findings indicated that teachers perceived the integrated theme unit, teacher collaboration, and training in the area of reading to be beneficial, but that they found trainings on pedagogical practices of content integration and service learning to be lacking. Based on these findings, a project was developed to support the district\u27s integrated curriculum program by providing a professional development program to Grade 3 teachers on pedagogical practices for implementing a constructivist-integrated curriculum. This project study can contribute to positive social change by providing the district\u27s Grade 3 teachers with an integrated curriculum for students struggling to read and comprehend grade level text, which prepares students for school success, college, and the global work force

Third-Grade Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Balanced Literacy

In response to fourth grade students\u27 performance on the National Assessment of Education Progress reading test, states across the nation have enacted laws which stipulate third-grade students achieve reading proficiency in order to be promoted. With the passage of the South Carolina Read to Succeed Act 2014, school leaders in an urban school district implemented a balanced literacy framework to address 3rd grade students\u27 low reading achievement. Approached from a constructivist framework, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to present 3rd grade teachers\u27 perceptions of the balanced literacy framework with regard to students\u27 reading achievement. Vygotsky\u27s theories of zone of proximal development and scaffolding served as the framework guiding the study. For this study, 5 3rd-grade teachers from elementary schools within the same urban district in South Carolina participated in one-on-one interviews, observations, and a focus group. The data analysis consisted of coding to categorize participants\u27 responses for emerging themes and summarize teacher perceptions. Three major themes emerged: (a) Implementing Balanced Literacy to Promote Reading Achievement, (b) Teachers\u27 Perceptions Affected Reading Outcomes, and (c) Challenges to Balanced Literacy and Professional Development Needs. Subsequently, a 3-day professional development was developed for 3rd-grade teachers that focused on effectively implementing the balanced literacy framework to increase reading achievement. This study can promote social change by increasing teacher expertise in implementing the balanced literacy framework, increasing reading achievement, and positively impacting students\u27 school success and college and career readiness