Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2004

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Curriculum & Instruction/Literacy Studies

Committee Chair

Patricia Obenauf

Committee Co-Chair

Sam Stack

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore understandings pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and college faculty hold towards learning and teaching, the types of classroom setting that best contributes to teaching and learning, and the kinds of experiences that are meaningful. These 'understandings' were compared to existing ideas in the literature to determine whether or not teachers are responding to post-modern thought related to the issues of concern.;Using common and not-so-common qualitative research methods, data was gathered from nine participants through face-to-face interviews, documents, observations, journal entries, and photo-elicitation interviews. For data analysis and interpretation, an inductive emergent design was utilized and consisted of three sub-processes: (1) data reduction, (2) data display, and (3) drawing conclusions.;Examination of issues of significance occurred from two perspectives. First, from that of the researcher where autobiographical renderings are woven throughout to expose a personal expose' of thought related to the issues of concern. Second, from that of the participants where personal narratives provide an in-depth view of the ideas and experiences that shape understandings related to the issues of concern.;Findings framed around the main research questions reveal teachers hold epistemological assumptions of mind congruent with post-modernism but teach in conditions that are antithetical to their understandings of meaningful classroom experiences.

Download

Share

COinS