Digital Commons Network^™

The Use Of Cognitive Apprenticeships To Teach Learner-Centered Instructional Strategies In An Undergraduate Learning Environment, Jill E. Stefaniak

Wayne State University Dissertations

Educators are in a never-ending search for identifying instructional strategies as technological resources and support for the classroom continue to evolve. In order to optimize learning results and mastery of the learning material, faculty must present instructional content in a manner that supports cognitive processing strategies, and is sequenced in an order that enables the learner to build upon prior knowledge. The primary role of the educator in higher education is to guide students through the acquisition of new skills and promote self-directed learning. Educators must continue to pursue areas for improvement in current teaching structures with a view to …

The Relationship Between English Language Test Scores Among Nigerian High School Students And Teacher Beliefs About Language Teaching And Their Classroom Practices, Luke O. Iwuji

Wayne State University Dissertations

English language mastery is important to the academic achievement of high school students in Nigeria. As the official language of instruction in multi linguistic Nigerian schools, proficiency in English language is essential for the academic success of students in high schools. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between English language test scores among Nigerian high school students and teacher beliefs about language teaching and their classroom practices. Three research questions and associated hypotheses were addressed in this study. A total of 23 teachers, one from each high school in the Government District of Nigeria, participated in …

The Relationship Between Print Literacy, Acculturation And Acculturative Stress Among Mexican Immigrant Women, Alexander Modesto Cintron

Wayne State University Dissertations

Abstract

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRINT LITERACY, ACCULTURATION, AND ACCULTURATIVE STRESS AMONG MEXICAN IMMIGRANT WOMEN

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ALEXANDER MODESTO CINTRON

March 2013

Advisor: Navaz Peshotan Bhavnagri

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study was to examine print literacy, acculturation, and acculturative stress among one-hundred and six Mexican immigrant women participating in a family literacy program. The two hypotheses were: (1.) There is a relationship between (a) print literacy as measured by the Print Literacy Questionnaire and (b) acculturation as measured by the Multidimensional Acculturation Scale, and (2.) There is a relationship between (a) print literacy as …

Educators' Knowledge And Attitudes Relating To The Implementation Of Ell Programs Under Nclb Title Iii, Monetta Irene Foster

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study examined educators' knowledge and attitudes towards the implementation of programs for English language learners. The study was conducted in an urban school district with 106 participants. Participants were surveyed relative to their knowledge and attitude towards the No Child Left Behind, Title III legislative mandates of 2002. Of particular interest was the impact this legislation had on their performance as educators; specifically in regards to their attitude towards the funding, standards and assessment associated with this legislation's mandates.

A five part instrument was used in the study. Three components of the instrument were a 5-point likert scale rating …

Inner City African American Girls' Learning Mathematics: Parental Influence And Classroom Experience As They Impact Mathematics Scores On The Act, Sharon Alicia Simeon

Wayne State University Dissertations

The objective of this study was to discover how parents (N=47), through their input at home, influence the mathematical performance of their daughters; how female African American students view their teachers' influence in their mathematical thinking; how critical is the mathematical classroom experience for African American girls; and can positive classroom experiences (teacher implementation of best practices) significantly add to the effect of the parental mathematical input at home. And lastly, how much can the two factors together predict higher mathematics scores on the ACT. Research instruments consisted of parent and student surveys. The participants were African American girls who …

The Rigor/Relevance Framework©:Its Relationship To K-12 Student Achievement On Statewide Tests, Catherine Colagross Willoughby

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE RIGOR/RELEVANCE FRAMEWORK©:ITS RELATIONSHIP TO K-12 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ON STATEWIDE TESTS

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CATHERINE COLAGROSS WILLOUGHBY

December, 2012

Advisor: Dr. Ingrid Guerra-Lopez

Major: Instructional Technology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

This study generated empirical evidence about the characteristics of effective professional development for K-12 teachers and explored the relationship between professional development and student achievement. This study provided evidence about whether characteristics found in past studies could also be found in the Rigor/Relevance Framework, a teaching model, used for the purpose of improving student learning through activities which are rigorous and have relevance in students' lives.

In order to fully understand …

Work-Related Stress And Mental Health Of Child Care Center Workers, Sarah Lietzow Witherell

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate what factors are associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, somatization, and general psychological distress in a sample of child care center workers. A sample of 101 employees from 14 different child care centers in the southeastern Michigan area were administered questionnaires that asked about work and home life, social support, and mental health. Data was also collected from center directors regarding the type and size of the child care program and the annual turnover rate of each facility. One of the key findings of the study was that a significant number of …

Chalcogenide Sol-Gel Assembly: Controlling The Kinetics Of Nanocrystal Aggregation And Film Formation For Applications In Optoelectronics, Lasantha Korala

Wayne State University Dissertations

The dissertation work is focused on 1) optimization of gelation conditions in order to tune the properties of the resultant gel structures with the aim of addressing application-specific needs; 2) incorporation of gel materials into device architectures for evaluation of intrinsic properties and assessment of suitability for optoelectronic applications.

Sol-gel assembly of CdSe/ZnS core/shell NCs typically results in opaque gel materials, which is one of the major obstacles for their use in optoelectronic applications such as LEDs. Macroscopic properties (i.e. transparency) of CdSe/ZnS gel structures were tuned by controlling the aggregation and gelation kinetics by means of oxidant concentration. The …

Child And Family Predictors Of Bullying In Middle School Students, Rene Michele Nota

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the shared variables that contribute to direct and indirect aggression, specifically bullying and to explore the role of family context, and adolescent personality characteristics on predicting bullying behavior. The theoretical framework of this study was based on evidence that no specific element can describe why some individuals are at risk for behaving aggressively and other are more resilient. The study included 259 middle schools students in grades six through eight. The students were enrolled at a single middle school located in a suburban area. The largest group of students was African American, …

"I Can't Just Turn Over My Daughter And Let It Be": Black Mothers And The Racial Socialization Of Their Daughters Attending White Schools, Chasity Bailey-Fakhoury

Wayne State University Dissertations

"I CAN'T JUST TURN OVER MY DAUGHTER AND LET IT BE":

BLACK MOTHERS AND THE RACIAL SOCIALIZATION OF THEIR DAUGHTERS ATTENDING WHITE SCHOOLS

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CHASITY YASHICA BAILEY-FAKHOURY

August 2013

Advisor: Dr. Heather E. Dillaway

Major: Sociology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Studies of parental racial socialization and racial identity development have tended to focus on urban, lower-income African American parents and their adolescent or early adulthood children. Findings emanating from these studies are then extrapolated to all African Americans. Disregarding within group differences produces gaps in our knowledge. This mixed-methods study pushes the research further by investigating the approaches suburban, middle-class …

Remembering Thespis: How Former Student Actors Value Their Experiences In High School Plays, Michael Edgar Butterworth

Wayne State University Dissertations

The high school play is an iconic pastime in many schools across the United States. Historically, educators, and scholars often characterize the school play as a performance of a script by an established playwright presented in a school in a manner that replicates the standards of professional theatre. Current scholars and educators discuss the school play as the latter part of a continuum that runs from informal dramatic play to formal presentation in front of an audience. Although scholarship in theatre education regularly discusses the school play as one of the most prevalent forms of theatre education, scholarly studies of …

Impacts Of Oral Language Proficiency, Television And Internet On Acculturation Of Taiwanese College Students, Huang Yu Lin

Wayne State University Dissertations

The majority of recent cross-cultural research with regard to the media's impact on acculturation has been aimed at Chinese immigrants' acculturation by the media in the United States with relatively little attention to Taiwanese college students' state of change in acculturation by various media sources while acquiring English as a second language. There are significant numbers of studies on assimilation to the host culture by both the ethnic and host media; however, there is a paucity of literature based on the one-dimensional media impact on a particular demographic group which can be easily traced to various types of media affecting …

The Mediating Influence Of School Engagement Between An Adolescent's Contextual Environment And Academic Accomplishment, Najim Uddin Ahmed

Wayne State University Dissertations

The current study explored several contexts that may influence an adolescent's academic performance in school, including school engagement, parenting behaviors, teacher behaviors, peer relationships, and academic self-efficacy. The outcome of interest was academic performance.

Participants in this study were 332 ninth through twelfth grade high school students (159 males and 164 females) from a suburban public high school in the midwestern United States. The average age of the students was 16.5. The participants completed seven surveys to measure academic performance in school, including school engagement, parenting behaviors, teacher behaviors, peer relationships, and academic self-efficacy.

Mediational analyses were used to investigate …

Supporting The Growth Of Principals As Instructional Leaders: An Interpretive Study About The New Work Of School Leaders, Jeffrey Thomas Hillman

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study explored the emerging context of elementary school principals as they engaged in the work of Instructional Leadership. Naturalistic Inquiry was adopted as a methodological framework to explore the unique perspectives and understandings of participants. Focus Group activities, surveys, small group interviews, and recursive ethnographic interviews were used to capture rich and descriptive representations of principal understandings. Research questions explored the experiences and conditions that participants identified as essential for their growth as Instructional Leaders. The concept of paradigm and the implications of system structures and hierarchies was investigated as it relates to the supporting conditions necessary for principal …

Dispositional Mediators Of Burnout Syndrome In A Sample Of Direct Care Staff Employed At Group Homes In A Midwestern State, Cristovao Bartolo Carreira

Wayne State University Dissertations

The current research examined the dispositional characteristics that mediated burnout syndrome in a sample of direct care workers who were employed in group homes for the mentally ill in a Midwestern state. Specifically, the indirect effects that the direct care staff's attachment systems and problem solving ability were examined as they applied to their potential burnout status. Attachment theory, a contemporary psychodynamic theory of personality, was used to provide a context for the study. The researcher studied the interactions between construct subcomponents to address a criticism in the literature stating that only total scores were used to study burnout and …

Ethnic Identity Among Arab Americans: An Examination Of Contextual Influences And Psychological Well-Being, Rand Ramadan Fakih

Wayne State University Dissertations

Existing theories and research have indicated that ethnic identity is crucial for ethnic minority young adults because ethnicity is an important component of their personal identity that is likely to influence various aspects of their development. Given the centrality of this construct, the overarching aim of the present study was to examine ethnic identity and psychological well-being among members of an ethnic group that have long been ignored in the psychological literature: Arab Americans.

Specifically, the goals of the study were threefold. The first goal was to examine the association between multiple contextual factors (such as students' perceptions of their …

Practice As Pedagogy: Learning Through Participation In The Caribexams Online Community Of Practice, Kathy-Ann Daniel-Gittens

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop community redesign strategies to support community members' participation in the CaribExams online Community of Practice and to investigate the impact of these strategies on members' participation levels and trajectories.

CaribExams online community was developed to assist out-of-school learners who were preparing to sit for the Caribbean Examinations Council's regional English exam. The redesign project was developed to address an ongoing problem of low participation by members in the online community. A second purpose of the study was to investigate and empirically validate theoretically grounded design principles based on social practice learning theory …

An Empirical Examination And Metaevaluation Of The Impact Evaluation Process, Anne Maechling Blake

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation empirically examines the Guerra-Lopez (2007a) Impact Evaluation Process (IEP), which is a prescriptive program evaluation model. Since there is no generally accepted process for arriving at final judgments about the usefulness, appropriateness, effectiveness, reliability, and validity of evaluation models, this study used a combination of approaches to begin to build a body of evidence about the effectiveness of the IEP. Primarily, the study used Stufflebeam's (2011) recently revised Program Evaluations Metaevaluation Checklist to examine the model. The Checklist is based on the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation's (2010) Program Evaluation Standards. Fitzpatrick, Sanders, & Worthen (2011) …

Bridging The Divide: Second Language Teachers, Pedagogy, Content Knowledge, And Technology, Margo Fryling

Wayne State University Dissertations

Abstract

This study examines the use of technology, pedagogy and content knowledge with second language teachers, and comparing Title 1 and non Title 1 schools. Technology can be used to provide unique learning opportunities for second language learners. Second language students can benefit from technology by practicing skills, increasing motivation, providing authentic materials, creating interaction between students, teachers and peers, creating individual learning, encouraging global understanding and increasing communication in safe ways (Lai & Kritsonsis, 2006). Although technology shows promise for increasing second language student achievement, students continue to have varied access at home, perpetuating the digital divide that was …

Risk Taking Behaviors In Emerging Adults And Peer, Sibling & Parental Relationships, Malasri Rani Chaudhery-Malgeri

Wayne State University Dissertations

Research shows emerging adults are more likely than younger and older cohorts to engage in such risky behaviors. However, research on the outcomes of emerging adults and their relations with peers, parents, and siblings is less conclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between emerging adults' perceptions of peers', siblings', and parents' risk-taking behaviors, and risk behavior after controlling for participants' sensation seeking tendencies. This study explored the moderating role of emerging adults' relationships with peers, siblings, and parents in the relation between these models' risk taking behaviors and emerging adults' risk taking behaviors, The mediating …

Where Are All The Gifted Black Girls? Giving High School Girls Voice Via Qualitative Research Approach And Black Feminist Theory, Mary L. Montie

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

WHERE ARE ALL THE GIFTED BLACK GIRLS?

GIVING HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOICE VIA QUALITATIVE RESEARCH APPROACH AND BLACK FEMINIST THEORY

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MARY L. MONTIE

May 2013

Advisor: Dr. Karen L. Tonso

Major: Educational Evaluation and Research

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Gifted programs in the United States under-represent African American (Black) children (Phi Delta Kappan, 1992). In 1993, African-American students were under-represented by 50% in gifted education, and 60% in 1998 (Grantham & Ford, 2003). Further, some speculate that gifted education programs are the most segregated educational programs in the nation (Ford, 1995). This proves especially true for Black gifted …

Instructional Designers' Perceptions Regarding Preparation For Practice In A Health Care Environment, Nandita S. Mani

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study utilized a multi-case, bounded case, single-site case study research design to examine how well instructional designers perceive themselves able to practice ID in health care industries. Questions central to this study focused on how instructional designers perceive their preparation to practice, usefulness of professional development organizations or affiliations in which they participated while practicing ID, both academic and non-academic curricula, and utilization of ID practices when designing and developing ID projects in health care environments.

The site selected for this study was a teaching hospital in Southeast Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan. Sampling size was limited to five instructional designers …

A Design-Based Research Study Examining The Impact Of Motivational Emailed Messages To First Year Students, Sara Elizabeth Kacin

Wayne State University Dissertations

SARA E. KACIN

May 2013

Advisor: Dr. Monica W. Tracey

Major: Instructional Technology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

This research study examined the effects of strategically designed motivational emails using the instructional design strategy ARCS (Keller, 1987abc) for first year students in a face to face setting. A design based research approach applying a mixed study of quantitative and qualitative research methods was taken. Quantitative and qualitative data in terms of student motivation and perceptions of the motivational emails were collected through three iterative design cycles. A multiple choice comprehensive pre test and post test were given to students to detect …

The Effects Of Applying Authentic Learning Strategies To Develop Computational Thinking Skills In Computer Literacy Students, Wendye Dianne Mingo

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study attempts to determine if authentic learning strategies can be used to acquire knowledge of and increase motivation for computational thinking. Over 600 students enrolled in a computer literacy course participated in this study which involved completing a pretest, posttest and motivation survey. The students were divided into an experimental and control group based on class meeting day. The experimental group was given access to an authentic learning tool called COTHAULE. COTHAULE, which is an acronym that stands for Computational Thinking Authentic Learning Environment, is a website that was developed using a variety of technologies. The intellection behind COTHAULE …

Using Academic Advising To Increase Motivation And Engagement In First-Year College Students, Lisa Remsing

Wayne State University Dissertations

According to ACT Educational Services (2010), more than one-third of college freshmen will not progress to their sophomore year. Several states, including Michigan, have proposed higher education performance funding models, which directly correlate state funds to student retention and graduation rates (Jesse, 2012). As higher education suffers from diminishing resources, there is a heightened focus to increase retention and graduation rates (Tinto, 2007).

The transition from high school to college can be a traumatic time for adolescents. This age group has unique motivational needs as they adjust to an unfamiliar academic environment (Perry et al., 2005). The first year of …

Learning And Living While Black: Black Students, White Universities, And The Age Of Post-Affirmative Action And Post-Racialism, Rosalind Reaves

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

LEARNING AND LIVING WHILE BLACK: BLACK STUDENTS, WHITE UNIVERSITIES, AND THE AGE OF POST-AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND POST-RACIALISM

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ROSALIND REAVES

May 2013

Advisor: Karen L. Tonso

Major: Educational Evaluation and Research

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

With Critical Race Theory (CRT) and social justice serving as complementary conceptual frames, this ethnographic study investigates the learning and living experiences of ten African American students of a predominantly White university in the Midwest. While several studies have investigated Black students' experiences at PWIs, most notably Feagin, Vera and Imani (1996), much of this research was conducted pre-2000, prior to two important and …

A Model For Designing Instructional Narratives For Adult Learners: Connecting The Dots, Debra Mary Smith

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

A MODEL FOR DESIGNING INSTRUCTIONAL NARRATIVES:

CONNECTING THE DOTS

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DEBRA M. SMITH

May 2013

Advisor: Ingrid Guerra-López, Ph.D.

Major: Instructional Technology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study was to develop a research-based model for designing and deploying instructional narratives based on principles derived from narrative theory, development theory, communication theory, learning theory and instructional design theory to enable adult learning and retention and the effective transfer of that retained learning to practice (performance contexts). Findings from these five areas were used to identify elements to inform the development of a model for the design and …

Faculty Attitudes Toward Students With Intellectual Disabilities In Postsecondary Educational Settings, Diane F. Fekete

Wayne State University Dissertations

Research has indicated that participation in some aspect of postsecondary education, either for credit or audit, could improve a disabled individual's changes for success in adult life. Research also has shown that faculty attitudes toward, and perceptions of students with disabilities play an important role in student success. The purpose of this study was to examine faculty attitudes toward the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in college classes and willingness by faculty to accommodate the course content to meet individual student needs. An internet survey instrument was developed to gather information concerning students with intellectual disabilities and faculty attitude …

Factors That Are Associated With Workkeys® Assessment Scores Of Inmates In Michigan Department Of Correction's Community And Employment Readiness Training Program And Michigan State Industries Program, Pamela S. Jackson

Wayne State University Dissertations

Inmates face challenges in obtaining employment once they leave prison because many are undereducated and lack work skills. This study examined demographic and criminogenic variables of inmates in Michigan Department of Correction's (MDOC) Community and Employment Readiness Training (CERT) and Michigan State Industries (MSI) programs that were associated with their scores obtained on the WorkKeys® assessment test. MDOC uses the WorkKeys® to assess the gaps between inmates' current job readiness skill level and skills needed for various types of jobs upon release. There is no published literature comparing MDOC's Community and Employment Readiness Training (CERT) and Michigan State Industries (MSI) …

Facilitation Of Language Acquisition Viewed Through An Interpretative Lens: The Role Of Authenticity, Melanie Ann Harper

Wayne State University Dissertations

A paradigm is the conceptual framework or lens one uses to view reality. The field of speech-language pathology is traditionally rooted in the empirical paradigm, which believes that language can be fragmented into isolated skills and taught in a hierarchal fashion. This belief has resulted in service delivery models that remove students from naturalistic contexts for decontextualized exercises. Progress in language acquisition is measured objectively. The empirical belief is exemplified by the accountability requirements in special education law (e.g., IEP). It is compounded by the realities of public school speech-language pathologists (SLPs), such as high caseload numbers, multiple buildings, and …