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Title: Success stories: aboriginal students and access to post-secondary education
Contributors: Joan L. Brett (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This narrative study shares and honours the experiences of five Aboriginal students in grades 10 through 12 and my own personal story from Prince George, BC. The purpose of the study was to identify contributing influences that encouraged success for Aboriginal student participants, as seen by the students themselves. The narratives revealed barriers the students had to overcome in order to fulfill their goals and the way they explored their own interests to discover their strengths. Student narratives revealed leaders and mentors that contributed to their success these people varied from friends to family and many other community and school-based people. The academic and social success of these students varied and created interesting stories that may inform the development of programs to support Aboriginal youth. The school that participated in the study has a process that encourages Aboriginal students to succeed although that process is not thoroughly examined the student stories reveal the success of the process along with other family and community influences. A common thread throughout these stories is competency. Although these students appeared to have little access to culturally responsive teaching, the common foundation of their success was skill development in an area they were proud of and that contributed to a goal for post-secondary achievement. --P. ii.
Discipline: Education
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2010

Title: Experiencing amphibians: Instruction for biophilia, ecoliteracy, and sustainability.
Contributors: Mark Thompson (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), Peter MacMillan (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: The current crisis in ecology, identified as a sixth mass extinction, may be addressed by providing children with opportunities to experience nature. Without these experiences, biophilia, or affinity for nature, may lie dormant. This study was designed by a conservation biologist who delivered and evaluated a community-education curriculum based on local amphibians. Fifteen youth were divided into three treatment groups: rural parkland, urban parkland, and indoor to alter educational experience. A pre-post study design was used to study potential treatment effects on biophilia and ecoliteracy. A Modular Ecoliteracy Instrument (MEI) was used to collect item scores on various ecological concepts. The piloted study design was partly limited by a small sample size and an ineffective control group. After reviewing the general outcomes of the study, the author advocates for further development of the MEI and hypothesizes that niche construction in the learning environment presents new opportunities for biophilia and ecoliteracy. --Leaf ii.
Discipline: Education-Multidisciplinary Leadership
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2014

Title: Professional learning communities: where are we?
Contributors: Christopher Martin Hanam (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: The purpose of this project was to design a tool to identify teachers' perceptions of where they are in their Professional Learning Community (PLC) venture. I employed a quasi-qualitative research approach. I developed a survey tool which was applied in an elementary school setting to assess its usefulness. The survey tool used a Likert-like scale that drew on statements similar to those employed by Hipp and Huffman (2003) to illuminate seven dimensions of a PLC community. These dimensions included: Shared and Supportive Leadership Shared Mission, Vision and Values Collective Inquiry Collaborative Teams Supportive Conditions - Relationships Supportive Conditions - Structure, and Data Based Decision Making. Data from the survey, comments on the survey, and a focus group were used in the analyses and discussion of where teachers in this particular school are in their PLC journey. The results indicated a strong level of agreement to the statements identifying the various components of a PLC. However, the survey also illuminated a number of areas of concern that when addressed by the school administrative team will lead to a more inclusive and sustainable PLC in this school. --P.ii.
Discipline: Education
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2010

Title: The experience of mentorship for three novice teachers in Yukon
Contributors: Orlanna Aubichon (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: As demands on teachers have become more complex and early-career attrition rates have increased, there has been more emphasis on establishing formal mentorship programs for new teachers. In this study, the author explored mentorship, as experienced by three novice teachers in Whitehorse, Yukon. She compared these narratives, including her own anonymous story, to the mentorship programs described by local program planners or decision makers. Analysis revealed common feelings of anxiety and isolation among these new teachers. Findings may inform decision makers about the need to monitor the actual experience of new teachers when mentorship programs are reviewed and revised. Principals may be encouraged to interact with new teachers more frequently and experienced teachers may be inspired to offer support more freely. New teachers may be alerted to the need to enroll in optional mentorship programs or to build their own informal support networks. --Leaf ii.
Discipline: Education
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2014

Title: Implementing rubrics as formative assessment in English writing classes in Japan.
Contributors: Sahoko Usuda (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This study explored how the implementation of formative assessment with the use of rubrics in high school English classes in Tokyo, Japan, improved students' motivation and encouraged ownership of learning. The researcher implemented rubrics as a formative assessment strategy in her two English writing classes over two terms with her co-inquirer/team-teaching partner and reflected on student responses and her own teaching practice. The study was carried out using professional inquiry informed by action research, based on the cycle of actions and reflection developed by Brown and Cherkowski (2011). As a theoretical framework, learning community theory identified this inquiry as an act of leadership, one that began to build interpersonal and organizational capacity in a school by sharing personal learning. Findings focused on student responses, teacher learning, and the school-level organizational response. --Leaf ii.
Discipline: Education-Multidisciplinary Leadership
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2013

Title: Leading professional inquiry to develop students' research skills.
Contributors: Jodie M. Kennedy Baker (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This study describes my leadership of a professional inquiry, with two secondary teachers, to implement a new strategy for teaching student research skills. Our Teacher Learning Team used Mill's (2004) action research process to implement Brown, Klein, and Lapadat's (2009) student research platform with cycles of action, observation, and collaborative reflection to support further action. Secondary students were introduced to the process of gathering information in a carefully controlled way, so that their progress could be monitored and instruction could be differentiated to help them gain independence. I report the challenges and successes that led to teacher and leadership learning. My analysis revealed that persistent use of this strategy enabled these teachers to shift from a product to process orientation that led to enhanced engagement in learning for students. With carefully sequenced skill instruction, problems with plagiarism were no longer evident and students gained a sense of discovery that increased their interest in course content. --P. ii.
Discipline: Education-Multidisciplinary Leadership
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2012

Title: Nos histoires: A reflection in democratic discourse in a French primary classroom.
Contributors: Andrea Davy (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This study used an interpretive model of classroom action research and focused on the planning, implementing, and rejection related to a dialing routine called Nos histoires in a Grade 1 French Immersion classroom. The sharing of personal narratives provided opportunities for students to be motivated to practice language because the topics were of personal interest to them; for students to extend conversations and create social interaction through the set-aside time for dialogue; and finally, for students to work together, construct knowledge collaboratively and acknowledge living together in the same space, thus living a good life. Reflections confirmed student discourse could be useful in a second language setting. The sharing time experienced by the children became a practical routine for fostering the theoretical ideals implicit in Vygotsky\u2019s social learning theory and in the theory of democracy. The practices of dialogue and caring expanded into other routines throughout the school day, and connections were made between socioculturalism and democracy, and democracy and action research.
Discipline: Education-Curriculum and Instruction
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2005

Title: Leading for literacy: Building capacity for school-wide improvement.
Contributors: Stephen H. Baker (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This collaborative inquiry documents the experiences of five secondary school teachers who worked together to improve teaching and learning by developing a Literacy Inquiry Team. The purpose of this study was to explore connections between teacher leadership and school improvement, specifically by attempting to improve literacy instruction through collaborative, teacher-led initiatives. The collected data documents our collaborative planning, instructional changes, as well as our perceptions of our instructional improvements as the Literacy Inquiry Team moved through the seven stages of Sagor's ...action research process. The analysis revealed that teachers in a wide range of subject areas can make a mental shift in their thinking to believe in the effectiveness of literacy instruction in building student capacity for learning. The findings suggest that teachers will make a larger commitment to making further instructional improvements after they see a connection between literacy instruction and deeper student learning. The findings also demonstrate that collaborative inquiry teams are an effective way for teachers to begin building shared meaning ...and capacity for improvement. Finally, the collected data documents my leadership growth as I led the Literacy Inquiry Team. I identified several skills that are necessary in leading an inquiry team to improve literacy: these skills include establishing a shared vision for improvement, supporting teachers with resources, developing a culture of support, encouraging varied approaches while maintaining a common team focus, and developing a data driven system to evaluate student learning. --P. ii.
Discipline: Education-Multidisciplinary Leadership
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2012

Title: Restitution as aboriginal worldview for elementary classrooms.
Contributors: Myla Leinweber (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: The author of this study designed and implemented lessons integrating Restitution (Gossen, 1992) and a locally developed curriculum of Indigenous stories to employ an Aboriginal worldview to support students' positive identity and self-management. The professional inquiry method merged the practical and the critical traditions of action research to improve teaching practices in response to a specific problem and to improve life conditions for a marginalized group. The inquiry had two stages: (a) curriculum design and (b) reflective implementation of the curriculum in a grade one and two classroom. The new curriculum and the author's reflections may be helpful to teachers who wish to incorporate an Aboriginal worldview in their own classrooms but lack the knowledge, confidence, or resources to do so. The author illustrated teachers' journeys from an emphasis on controlling students to supporting their self-management and toward finding confidence as an ally for Aboriginal people. --Leaf ii.
Discipline: Education-Multidisciplinary Leadership
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2014

Title: Teaching practices that enhance student mathematical achievement
Contributors: Debra K. White (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: No abstract available.
Discipline: Education-Curriculum and Instruction
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2005

Title: Exploring the relationship between reading comprehension and math word problem test achievement
Contributors: Amy L. Lovell (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This professional inquiry explores the relationships between students' reading comprehension and their performance on a grade six math word problem test, and it evaluates the readability of the wording for word problem test items. Students' results on the 2008 Alberta Provincial Achievement Test for Part B, Word Problems, were compared to their reading levels on the Canadian Achievement Test and the Gates MacGinitie Reading Tests, to evaluate the correlation between reading comprehension and word problem performance. The researcher calculated the readability of test questions and invited students to comment on the difficulty of the wording for each question. This investigation revealed a strong positive correlation between the students' levels of reading comprehension and their scores on the math Provincial Achievement Test Part B. Analysis of scores for individual questions on the math test revealed some surprising anomalies that deserve investigation in a later study. The author shares insights that she will apply to her own teaching to assist students to improve their reading comprehension abilities and their math word problem success. She also provides advice for test construction and recommends further investigation of this research question with a larger sample size. --P. ii.
Discipline: Education
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2011

Title: Teaching mathematics for understanding: Developing teacher knowledge through classroom instruction.
Contributors: Mary Josephine Kerrigan (author), Katherine McGregor (Thesis advisor), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: No abstract available.
Discipline: Education-Curriculum and Instruction
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2006

Title: Bricks and mortar: building a foundation for emotional intelligence in your school
Contributors: Liam J. McCracken (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: In this study, a teacher leader who plays a key role in bringing social and emotional learning (SEL) to one school has designed a resource useful to other educators applying emotional intelligence theory to support student learning and well-being. The handbook includes a research-based rationale describing the potential benefits of such a program, a general plan for implementation based on current programs, and personal accounts and suggestions from experience at one school. Included are templates, websites, and print resources that administrators and teacher leaders may find helpful during their own SEL implementation process. The resource will be timely, given the current shift in education toward an emphasis on developing student social and emotional competencies. --Leaf ii.
Discipline: Education
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2014

Title: Programming with intention: fostering positive youth development through recreation
Contributors: Belinda Hanlon (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: The intent of this project is to create a staff handbook for Northern Star Kids, a non-profit organization in Prince George, BC, that offers free quality recreation opportunities for children living in financial poverty. Research has shown that children living in financial poverty are less likely than their middle class peers to participate in organized recreational opportunities or to remain committed without support. The Northern Star staff handbook will help to address these issues by equipping staff with the tools to deliver a high quality program to the children in the organization's service area. The staff handbook has three main functions: a) to ensure the vision, philosophy, and goals of Northern Star Kids are sustained over time b) to create a culture of consistency in the delivery of programs and staff interactions with youth and c) to articulate a program focused on the unique needs of youth living in financial poverty.
Discipline: Education-Counselling
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2008

Title: A sexual health curriculum for northern Catholic youth
Contributors: Nicholas J. Vienneau (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This study presents a rationale and an eight lesson unit plan for sexual health for grade six Yukon Catholic school students. The unit plan is designed to integrate Catholic teachings with BC and Yukon sexual health curriculum outcomes. The author addresses a concern that Catholic school teachers may be reluctant to teach the sexual health curriculum because of fear of conflict with church teachings or criticism from parents. However, research shows that Canada's northern populations are the most at-risk population for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and early pregnancy ... This unit was designed to give students knowledge and decision-making tools for maintaining sexual health as they enter their most vulnerable years. Although Catholic teaching and safe practices for sex outside of marriage seem irreconcilable, these lessons emphasize the gospel values of love, justice, and compassion in relation to sexual health education. --Leaf ii.
Discipline: Education
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2014

Title: Competencies of a successful adult ESOL instructor: exploring the TESOL Standards
Contributors: Harjot Kaur Grewal (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: The proposed study explores the existing Standards for TESOL instructors, particularly their potential and current use as a framework for self-assessment and goal-setting as part of ongoing professional learning. The researcher has made meaning of each standard for herself and has made her learning process public to enhance professionalism in the field of ESL teaching and to contribute to a community of practice that supports ongoing learning. She gathered greater understanding of each standard by drawing on the literature, her own experience as a student in a TESOL course, and the insights of experienced ESL instructors as revealed in interviews. Author and experienced participants see value in the Standards as a framework for self-assessment and professional learning if they are introduced in certification programs and reviewed periodically and collaboratively by collegial teams of instructors. Suggestions for making the standards more accessible and useful are offered. --Leaf ii.
Discipline: Education
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2013

Title: How primary teachers use music to support oral language development
Contributors: Orlando D. Wiebe (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This study is professional inquiry into the pedagogy used by primary teachers to encourage students' oral language development and to meet the increased oral language requirements of the BC English Language Arts curriculum. I interviewed three primary teachers who routinely use music activities to help children develop oral language or to meet specific oral language outcomes and I also responded to the interview questions as a fourth participant. I analyzed the interviews qualitatively to better understand the beliefs that are the foundation of the teachers' practices and to discover the sources of these beliefs. I collected and compared strategies and teacher perceptions of student responses to these strategies. The findings of this study, including a description of promising practices, may provide a foundation for teacher education or professional development on this topic. --Leaf ii.
Discipline: Education-Multidisciplinary Leadership
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2013

Title: Meeting the literacy needs of a diverse group of students in the regular classroom.
Contributors: Leah P. Moe (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: In this qualitative, action research study a Grade 2 and 3 teacher gathered, implemented, and assessed the effectiveness of teaching literacy strategies to address the literacy needs of a diverse group of students. An additional purpose of the study was to prompt instruction-focused dialogue with colleagues the researcher expected that teachers talking about aspects of teaching and learning could be an important first step in the development of a learning community at the school. The researcher drew on literature related to language theory and practice, current issues in ESL/D education and cultural diversity in the classroom, as well as instructional leadership and school improvement, within a social constructivist theoretical framework. The study was informed by classroom assessment of student attitudes and achievement before and after the implementation of new strategies and approaches. Reflections confirmed that building bridges between the home and school life of students through culturally responsive instruction appeared to enhance students' self-esteem, interest and engagement in learning. The researcher found support for the use of a constructivist perspective to teach literacy by accessing students' prior schema, scaffolding instruction, and providing opportunities for students to make sense of their learning through dialogue. This self-initiated inquiry led to commitment to a literacy program that is built on the principles of culturally responsive teaching and communicative language teaching. Experiences with colleagues during professional development activities on school and district based initiatives pointed out the challenges associated with school reform. Culture and communication were identified as themes that both facilitated and inhibited learning within the classroom and the school. This study may be of interest to classroom teachers, instructional leaders, administrators and school boards officials, as a demonstration of the reflective, classroom-based implementation of promising practices
Discipline: Education-Multidisciplinary Leadership
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2009

Title: The role of leadership in negotiating adolescent identity: Voices of female secondary school students in alternative education.
Contributors: Nicole M. Joron (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This narrative study presents a collection of personal experience stories from five young women enrolled in grades 11 and 12 of an alternative education program. The purpose of this study is twofold exploring how the participants perceive and experience leadership in their lives and how their experiences with leadership affect the participants' development of a stable sense of identity and an empowered sense of self. The collected data is presented first as whole narratives and then through themes that emerged from a content analysis. The analysis revealed helpfulness as the defining characteristic of leadership and that the participants believe they are leaders, at least some of the time. The participants demonstrated having reached a stable sense of identity but expressed a lack of confidence as a barrier to becoming fully empowered persons. Using these findings, the researcher outlines ideas for the development, recruitment, and implementation of youth leadership development programming. --P.ii.
Discipline: Education-Multidisciplinary Leadership
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2010

Title: Partners in teaching: engaging parents in parallel learning
Contributors: Lorraine McFarland (author), Willow Brown (Thesis advisor), University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)
Abstract: This action-based professional inquiry took place in a French immersion multi-grade primary classroom. In this inquiry I addressed the problem of how to increase parent involvement in their children's education through parallel learning, in which students and parents learn and work together to support student learning at home. The ultimate goal was to increase student learning. The context for parallel learning in this inquiry was connecting to literature. Parents received weekly letters about a connecting strategy as well as weekly assignments to complete with their child. I collected data from assessments of student achievement before and after the connections unit. Other sources of data were student-parent assignments, parent surveys, and parent interviews. The study demonstrated that parallel learning has potential to increase parent involvement and confidence, with beneficial effects for students learning to make connections while reading. Further inquiry is required to assess the value of parallel learning for other intended outcomes and in other classrooms. --P. ii.
Discipline: Education
Content Model: info:fedora/ir:thesisCModel
Date added: 2012

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