Date of Award

5-6-2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Educational Leadership, Ed.D.

First Advisor

George Foldesy

Committee Members

Almany Saleh; Debra Owens; Gilbert Fowler; Mitchell Holifield

Call Number

LD 251 .A566d 2010 M63

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of brain-based instructional strategies by teachers serving at Title I elementary, middle, and high schools within the Memphis City School District. This study was designed to determine: (a) the extent to which Title I teachers applied brain-based strategies, (b) the differences in application of brain-based strategies among Title I teachers, (c) the differences among the use of brain-based strategies and years of teaching experiences, and (d) the difference in the use of brain-based strategies among teachers with and without National Board Certification. The areas addressed in the literature review included: (a) a synopses of brain-based research, (b) instructional strategies and methods related to brain-based learning, (c) brain-compatible classrooms, (d) sensory contributions and learning, e) physical movement and learning, and (f) leadership and implementation of brain-based strategies. This research supports the need for additional training in brain-based learning for Title I teachers. Data for this study was collected using a Teacher Survey that was sent to 460 teachers serving at Title I educators. This data provided a broad perspective regarding teachers' implementation of brain-based instructional practices in the classroom environment. Quantitative research methods were applied for this study. This research found that Title I elementary teachers applied more of the surveyed brain-based practices than Title I middle or high school teachers. Also, teachers with 0-10 years of experience used significantly fewer of the surveyed brain-based practices than teachers with more experience. The mean scores suggested that National Board Certified teachers used each of the surveyed brain-based practices more often than other Title I teachers. Future research should include: (a) an evaluation of the use of brain-based strategies in other large school districts including those in rural, suburban, and metropolitan areas; (b) investigation of the use of brain-based strategies across grade levels within a particular school; and (c) the examination of qualitative data such as interviews and observations. These methods should contribute to the current findings.

Rights Management

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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