The Delta Kappa Gamma bulletin 

About: The Delta Kappa Gamma bulletin is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Curriculum & Professional development. It has an ISSN identifier of 0011-8044. Over the lifetime, 242 publications have been published receiving 2399 citations.

Generations Do Differ: Best Practices in Leading Traditionalists, Boomers, and Generations X, Y, and Z

Abstract: Supervisors in all businesses and organizations are challenged daily to determine how to recognize, reward, and motivate workers from each generation in their workplace. To maximize effectiveness, they must strive to support and nurture an age-neutral workplace that fosters worker productivity, tolerance, teamwork, and a sense of valuing of all employees to be all that they can be for as long as they desire. The purpose of this article is to underscore the importance of all members of multigenerational workforces working together to accomplish identified workplace goals, even as individuals realize their professional goals and aspirations. It is very important to understand and implement practices that complement workers' and learners' generational preferences, differences, and similarities.In a school setting, accomplishing this goal requires that school administrators and supervisors possess an understanding of generational similarities and differences and are able to talk with people in a manner that resonates with the individual(s) and the issue(s) at hand. Teachers are a unique group to lead, as each is already a leader in his or her own right. Accordingly, a teacher-leader or supervisor must respect the teacher's unique authority and expertise while keeping the individual working toward the larger and overarching plan for all school stakeholders, including students, parents, staff, and community members.Generations ReferencedCategorically speaking, each of the five generations currently found in workforces and schools include Traditionalists; Baby Boomers; and Generations X, Y, and Z. Each of these groups is profiled in this article, which also summarizes similarities and differences to enable workplace administrators and supervisors to work effectively with individual workers and teams of workers comprised of individuals from the different generations.Traditionalists. Clause (2015) defined Traditionalists as people who were born 1900-1945 and comprise the oldest generation in American culture. Traditionalists have generally aged out of the workplace through retirement and thus constitute a mere 5% of today's workforce. Traditionalists generally prefer to work in conservative, hierarchical places where there is a clear chain of command (top-down).The term "Traditionalist" is often associated with a variety of other generational terms, including Radio Babies, Builders, Industrialists, The Silent Generation, and World War II Generation (Buahene & Kovary, 2003; Kane, 2015). Many of these generational references relate to world events, inventions, and creations that occurred during the timeframe, such as invention of the radio. Historically, Traditionalists lived through Hitler's 1941 Russian invasion, the United States' 1941 World War II entry with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the 1945 end of World War II in Japan and Europe, and the beginning of the 1950 Korean War.Typically, Traditionalists respect authority and possess family values that keep their work and family lives separate. Generally motivated by money and position like their Baby Boomer children, Traditionalists take pride in being self-sacrificing and thrifty. They tend to work hard from a sense of pride and determination, consider debt or obligation to be embarrassing, and acknowledge that change comes slowly. According to Kane (2015), Traditionalists describe themselves with two words-loyal and disciplined-and view education to be a dream. They reportedly learn best through traditional, instructor-led instruction; generally prefer tangible items for recognition or reward, such as certificates, plaques, or trophies; and seek to feel supported and valued by their employers and supervisors.Baby Boomers. Human resources expert Heathfied (2015) defined Baby Boomers (Boomers) as the generation of Americans born in a baby boom following World War II, 1946-1964. Boomers have had good health, constitute the wealthiest generation, and optimistically view the world as improving over time. …

New Technologies in the Classroom

Abstract: The authors of this position paper describe the current and potential uses of new technologies in the classroom. Mobile, wireless devices such as global positioning systems, tablets, and cell phones are changing instruction and learning. Many of these tools provide constant access to Internet resources, which allows extensive communication and collaboration. The authors share ways educators can utilize new technologies such as the iPod and iPad. "If we teach today's students as we taught yesterday's, we rob them of tomorrow" John Dewey (1944, p. 167) New technologies are changing the way educators think about education and literacy. The U.S. Department of Education has provided a national educational technology plan (20 10), titled Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology. The authors of this plan recommend applying the advanced technologies for personal and professional use to instruction and pedagogy to improve student learning. Although schools and universities are investing in technologies such as the iPad tablet, educators are struggling to keep pace with the speed of technological development and demand (Samuels & Farstrup, 2011). Many students have access to technologies at home or at school, especially in the form of mobile technology. Educators can utilize this technology so that academic learning translates to real-world applications. Students can keep an agenda on their phones or iPods, read books on their smart phones, and utilize mobile resources such as a dictionary, calculator, or camera. Students can use phones or other technology to take pictures of the classroom agenda or the teachers notes on the board. Although the technology is readily available, teachers may not be successfully integrating technology into classroom practices. We encourage educators to integrate new technologies into classroom instruction by providing opportunities for students to utilize technology. We present an overview of educational transformations taking place and describe innovative ways to integrate new technologies, specifically the iPod and iPad. Literacy Digital literacies were labeled hot topics for reading education in 2010 (Cassidy & Cassidy, 2009). Biancarosa and Snow (2006) reported, "Literacy demands have increased and changed as the technological capabilities of our society have expanded and been made widely available; concomitantly, the need for flexible, self-regulated individuals who can respond to rapidly changing contexts has also increased" (p. 9). In addition, communication is increasingly digital, with multimodal, multimedia technologies, screen-based interfaces, and expanding networks (Kress, 2000).Jobs require professionals to use the Web and tools such as wilds, blogs, and digital content for research, collaboration, and communication. Using these real-world tools in elementary and secondary classrooms creates learning opportunities that prepare students to be more productive members of a globally competitive workforce (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). In its new technology plan, the U.S. Department of Education (2010) recommended that the nations schools "design, implement, and evaluate technology-powered programs and interventions to ensure that students progress through our K- 16 education system and emerge prepared for the workplace and citizenship" (p. 12). Varied digital technologies provide teachers of any content area with a different approach to integrating the skills of the 21st century. New Technologies Improve Mobility and Access Laptops are small enough and portable enough to be common classroom tools, and many teachers are able to provide student access to these computers through labs or centers. However, technologies such as iPads and iPods offer even more mobility. These screenbased technologies are becoming commonplace in elementary and secondary classrooms. The iPad is a small, hand-held computer with a flat touch-screen that serves as a personal computer with wireless access to the Internet. …

Professional Learning Communities: Practices for Successful Implementation

Abstract: Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) involve teachers in site-based, ongoing, collaborative professional development. Three education department faculty members, interested in developing university-school partnerships, undertook this study in order to identify the factors that led to the successful establishment of PLCs with community schools, to determine how university faculty can facilitate the formation of the PLCs, and to understand how PLCs can help develop positive relationships between university and school personnel. Three PLCs were formed around the topics of formative assessment, developing math sense, and the effects of poverty on teaching and learning. The participants provided feedback related to the elements of the PLCs that they valued most highly, and the researchers identified factors that supported and challenged the implementation of PLCs, as well as the ways positive relationships could be developed. The Professional Learning Community (PLC) is gaining recognition as an effective strategy for promoting long-term professional development for educators (Dallas, 2006; Schmoker, 2005; Stoll, Bolam, McMahon, Wallace, & Thomas, 2006). In contrast to the traditional paradigm of professional development in which teachers attend off-site workshops and conferences that may or may not inspire them to change their thinking or instruction, the PLC involves teachers in site -based, ongoing, collaborative professional development. According to DuFour (2005), PLCs are groups of educators working together with a shared vision, beliefs, or values. Little (2003) suggested that PLCs are groups in which new knowledge about instruction and content is constructed, but also places where existing beliefs and assumptions about education, community, teaching, and learning are challenged and critiqued. According to Hargreaves (1994), collaborative cultures are spontaneous, voluntary, and task- or development-oriented, whereas contrived collegiality is often regulated, compulsory, and used to implement system initiatives. PLCs should embody the characteristics of collaborative cultures. During the 2010-2011 school year, as three members of the Education Department of a small, liberal arts college in the Midwest, we utilized funds from a Congressional Appropriations grant in order to initiate and guide the development of PLCs in three community schools. The goals for the establishment of the PLCs included (a) to develop relationships with local schools as learning communities, (b) to enhance collaboration within individual schools and between schools and the university, (c) to engage in reciprocal investigation and learning that lead to collective inquiry and reflection, (d) to provide for site-based application of new learning, (e) to conduct research with teachers that would enable us to learn about the sustainability and growth of professional learning communities, and (f ) to provide field placements for preservice teachers in which best practices are modeled. In order to secure administrative support and attract interested teachers, we first invited area superintendents or representatives to a presentation about the PLCs. Those who attended the presentation received a packet of information including the form on which they could submit a proposal to Gina, the second author. Several groups of educators from area schools submitted proposals, and three were selected by members of the Education Department. The money from the grant was used to provide graduate course credits for the teachers, stipends for the teachers and the faculty members, and other materials and resources. In this article, we present literature that identifies theory and practice related to PLCs, describe the study as we investigated the formation of the PLCs, and identify the conclusions and future directions. Related Research The concept of PLCs is similar to the idea of team-based learning communities popularized in the book, In Search of Excellence (Peters & Waterman, 1982). …

Professional Learning Communities: Overcoming the Roadblocks

Abstract: This research investigated the perceived impact on roadblocks to collaboration in the implementation of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model, as defined by DuFour and DuFour (2006). This study plumbs the perceptions of teachers and staff members of one elementary school in the Southeastern U.S through an open-ended survey, quantitative data collected by an outside organization, one-on-one interviews, and direct observations of PLC Meetings. Findings indicate the model alleviates roadblocks to collaboration but that continued efforts need to be made to encourage the development of a collaborative culture. The authors discuss the implications for school personnel who are trying to implement the PLC model. Twenty-first century teaching initiatives place emphasis on the formation of collaborative professional cultures. However, recent educational literature suggests that there are a number of roadblocks to the creation of such cultures. Foremost among them are a lack of time, the isolated nature of the profession, and the presence of divergent points of view (Grossman, Wineburg, & Woolworth, 2000; Friend, 2000; Hollingsworth, 2001; Achinstein, 2002; Appi, Troha, & Rowell, 2001). This study investigated the perceptions of 37 educators at one state elementary school in the Southeastern United States. The focus of the study was the impact of implementing the Professional Learning Community (PLC) Model, as defined by DuFour and DuFour (2006), on roadblocks to collaboration. Data collection was comprised of an openended survey, quantitative data collected by the High Five Regional Partnership for High School Excellence, one-on-one interviews, and observations of PLC Meetings. The findings of this study indicate the positive impact the PLC model had on the school that participated in the study. We conclude this article with recommendations for continued improvement in the future. Research Questions There were two overarching research questions: * What was the effect of the implementation of Professional Learning Communities on roadblocks to collaboration among teachers? * If roadblocks were addressed, did the collaborative culture change? In addition, the following questions were also explored: * How did the implementation of Professional Learning Communities allow/disallow for sufficient time for teachers to collaborate? * How did the implementation of Professional Learning Communities impact the isolated nature of the profession? * How did the implementation of Professional Learning Communities impact conflicts that occur when divergent points of view are present? Related Professional Learning Community Research Although time and resources are necessary for teacher collaboration to be successful, one of the chief complaints of teachers is that there is insufficient time to work together (Grossman et al., 2001; Friend, 2000). Specifically, teachers indicate meetings and other responsibilities of their positions leave them with little time to collaborate (Leonard & Leonard, 1999). The traditional education setting requires teachers to work behind closed doors, and even if teachers attempt collaboration, they return to their classrooms independently (Hollingsworth, 2001; Grossman et al., 2001). Lam, Yim, and Lam (2002) go so far as to say that there are few teachers who enter the profession to collaborate with others. When teachers do attempt to collaborate with one another, conflicts arise based on different approaches to teaching, different values, and different personalities (Achinstein, 2002; Appi et al., 2001; Grossman et al., 2001). Time factors, the isolated nature of teaching, and divergent points of view hinder teachers' abilities to form collaborative communities. If established correctly, PLCs should be able to address these roadblocks to collaboration. Tb address the roadblock of time, PLC experts recommend allocated time. …

Encouraging Retention of New Teachers through Mentoring Strategies

Abstract: The dream of making a difference in the life of a child is alluring. For all the right reasons, preservice teachers begin a voyage to change lives and contribute to the advancement of society by educating its youth. With optimism and a fresh perspective, new teachers accept their first jobs and immerse themselves, ready to fix the broken system of education described by the media. Unfortunately, within the first few years, the enthusiasm begins to dwindle. The stressors of teaching become intolerable, and many new teachers abandon the field, feeling misguided and defeated. Research suggests it takes 3 to 7 years for a beginning teacher to become experienced enough to be considered highly qualified (Long, 2010). Sadly, more than one-third of teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years (Shaw & Newton, 2014). According to Hughes (2012), experienced teachers are better teachers, able to produce higher rates of student achievement. If that is the case, how will schools grow experienced teachers when so many abandon the field within the first few years? The answer is to provide the support they need to encourage them to stay.To understand the magnitude of teacher attrition, a dollar amount must be assigned to the loss. The cost of replacing a teacher is staggering. The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future reported an average national cost of more than $8000 to replace a teacher (NCTAF, 2007). The yearly costs of recruiting, hiring, and training new teachers nationally in 2012 was $2.2 billion per year in the United States (Hughes, 2012). According to a report conducted by the Alliance for Excellent Education (AEE, 2014), for example, Texas teacher attrition is among the most expensive in the nation, with costs soaring above $235 million statewide. With schools already in financial disarray, the additional cost of attrition is exponentially crippling. Schools must find a successful way to retain more new teachers, who will eventually become experienced teachers. Retaining a critical mass of faculty who have the necessary skills and experience would not only relieve the financial burden of teachers leaving the profession but, more importantly, enable schools and districts to tackle bigger issues, such as reform and transformation in efforts to improve student achievement (Huling, Resta, & Yeargain, 2012).The fulcrum for making major educational change is dedication to the success of the classroom teacher. Success comes down to a firm foundation in every single classroom. According to Shaw and Newton (2014), "If the most precious product developed in education is the student, then our most prized commodity should be the classroom teacher" (p. 101). Accordingly, the best idea for transforming public education in America is to develop and retain highly qualified teachers. To build the capacity for transformation, schools must build the capacity of teachers. This takes time, and the alarming attrition rate of newly hired teachers handicaps this endeavor.Although not every teacher can be retained, schools can focus on and make improvements within specific areas to strengthen teacher retention. In a landmark study, Goodlad (1984) pointed out the issue of teacher isolation and the lack of opportunities to collaborate with peers. Anderson and Pratt (1995) related the effects of teacher isolation to poor student achievement. Mentoring programs have historically proven to reduce issues of teacher isolation, dating back to 1975 (Lortie, 1975). Research has suggested that mentoring programs advance the professional growth of new teachers, making them more effective in a shorter amount of time, improving student learning, and reducing the attrition rate of new teachers (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). If mentoring programs can be helpful in reducing new teacher attrition, then they can also be useful in reducing the immense cost of replacing a teacher. Establishing a strong teacher-mentoring program with transformational teacher leaders is one way for school leaders to support new teachers in realizing their dreams of making a difference in the life of a child. …