Teachers’ Practices and Perceptions of Graphic Organizer Completeness and Their Impact on Instructional Efficiency and Scaffolding

Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Executive Leadership

First Supervisor

Dr. Gilbert Louis

Second Supervisor

Dr. Guillermo Montes

Abstract

Reading proficiency is crucial for individual and national success; however, persistently low reading scores—internationally, nationally, and within New York State—pose significant challenges for students in the United States. Unmastered reading affects career opportunities, access to healthcare, poverty rates, and national economic indicators. This quantitative cross-sectional study surveyed 30 Grade 3–8 teachers in the New York City metropolitan area regarding their use of graphic organizer (GO) completeness methods (i.e., premade, co-created, student-created). Grounded in generative learning theory, this study examines teachers’ perspectives on the use of GOs to enhance student learning outcomes as well as their beliefs in the impact of GOs on instructional efficiency (i.e., time, difficulty) and scaffolding (i.e., student learning, cognitive load). Among experienced educators, premade GOs were strongly favored over student-created ones (Mdn = 2.00) as a means of maximizing instructional efficiency and reducing cognitive load. Although the format of GOs did not produce a statistically significant effect on immediate student learning, co-created GOs proved effective in managing mental effort, while independent generation tended to introduce confusion and distraction. Teachers also placed considerable weight on time efficiency and task difficulty, consistently regarding premade scaffolds as the most practical tool for meeting the demands of a rigorous curriculum within constrained schedules. Future research could explore how teachers use strategic differentiation—matching GO completeness to reading level and text complexity—to guide students toward independent GO generation.

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