Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1999

Thesis Director

David E. Bartz

Abstract

A study of the Bement Community Unit School District #5 faculty was conducted in the spring of 1999. The purposes were to determine the inservice educational activity needs of the faculty and to determine which inservice educational activity delivery methods the faculty considers most effective. Bement C.U.S.D. #5 is a small rural district in central Illinois with 38 prekindergarten through 12th grade teachers. A needs assessment questionnaire was constructed and administered to all district teachers. Each item on the questionnaire was designed to collect data on the following questions:

1. What are the perceived inservice educational activity needs of the district faculty?

2. What delivery methods are perceived by the district faculty as most effective in conducting inservice educational activities?

District teachers identified eight inservice educational activity needs with a mean response of moderate need or higher. Technology, with five of the top eight inservice educational needs, was the category most often identified by teachers. The five technology-related needs were (a) using other educational software, (b) using the internet to enhance learning, (c) using Microsoft Power Point, (d) using other technological tools, and (e) searching the internet. Three additional needs with a moderate rating were (a) facilitating development of pupil responsibility, (b) understanding students with learning disabilities, and (c) stimulating growth of student attitudes/values.

District teachers expressed their perceptions related to effective inservice educational activity delivery methods. According to 74% of district teachers, attendance at professional conferences such as mathematics or English teachers' conferences was an effective inservice educational activity delivery method. Release time for self-directed curricular work was a good delivery method according to 68% of district teachers. The use of outside experts and half-day workshops was preferred by 55% of district teachers.

Based on the findings of this study, recommendations for future inservice educational activities included the following: (a) the district inservice education committee should plan a variety of workshops on various technology-related topics, (b) the district inservice education committee should design a program to provide release time for teachers to conduct self-directed curricular work, (c) the district inservice education committee should plan its workshops utilizing outside experts in the half-day delivery format, (d) the district inservice education committee should conduct further research to determine more specific technology inservice educational activity needs of district teachers, (e) the district inservice education committee should conduct further research to investigate commonalties and differences in the inservice educational activity needs of its elementary and secondary teachers, and (f) the district should continue to provide the opportunity for teachers to attend professional conferences such as mathematics or English teachers' conferences.

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