Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of Parent Portal Access On Student Efficacy And Parental Involvement, Shannon D. Dries

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the influence of Parent Portal access on student achievement and parental involvement defined as home-to-school communication. The population was students in sixth grade in a suburban district in New Jersey. Academic achievement was defined through GPA at the end of sixth grade and performance on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) in both Math and Language Arts Literacy in Grade 6. Attendance was measured using attendance rates. Parental involvement was measured by the number of parent logins to Parent Portal. Multiple regression analyses, backward entry method, were used to determine the influence of …

Technology Integration For Common Core State Standards Implementation: Developing Differentiated Professional Development Based On The Concerns-Based Adoption Model, Tami Boatright

Dissertations

Teachers must learn how to integrate technology for CCSS implementation in an educational environment tasked with preparing 21st century students to not only survive, but thrive in a knowledge-based global society. The changes required for 21st century learning to prepare 21st century students is transformational in nature and represents a paradigm shift for many teachers. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the differences in teachers’ Stages of Concern with integrating technology for implementation of CCSS according to age, gender, and years of teaching. In addition it was the purpose of this study to use information obtained from …

Utilizing Technology To Enhance Reading Comprehension Within Mathematical Word Problems, Michele E. Conley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Many students who are proficient with basic math facts struggle for understanding when it comes to word problems. Teachers time and time again teach and re-teach problem solving strategies in hope that their students will one day acquire all the skills necessary to become proficient in this area. Unfortunately understanding problem solving skills is not the only answer to solving word problems. There has been a significant amount of evidence linking reading comprehension to mathematical reasoning. The development of a website to assist teachers and students who are having difficulties with mathematical word problems is extremely beneficial. The website is …

Faculty Integration Of Technology In Undergraduate Courses At Private Colleges And Universities, Evelyn G. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to investigate the integration of technology in undergraduate courses by faculty at private colleges and universities. Integration of technology is using technology as an instructional tool to improve teaching and learning (Clayton-Pedersen & O’Neill, 2005; Wilson & Hayes, 2000; Woodbridge, 2004). Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) 7 principles for good practice in undergraduate education provided the theoretical framework for this research. The researcher conducted a survey of full-time faculty at 21 private colleges and universities in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The results of the study indicated that faculty use …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Technology Workshops On Teacher Candidates’ Attitudes And Confidence, Alouisa Thames

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Research has revealed that teachers lack the training and confidence needed to effectively integrate our world’s rapidly changing technology into the classroom. Workshops have been given in an attempt to address this issue, but their effectiveness has not been assessed. To measure the effect of technology workshops in teacher training, 11 teacher candidates from Saint Catherine University were asked to attend and participate in two 40 minute technology workshops where they were instructed in the use of Promethean Interactive Whiteboard, Activinspire software, and Activexpression clickers. A pre- and post-survey were administered in order to determine the effect of the workshops …

The Effects Of Videocasts On Student Learning In Medical Health Science Discipline, Jessica Viana

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This quantitative study examines the effects of videocasts on student learning in a medical healthcare science discipline. The didactic nature of educational strategies is necessary in preparing future healthcare professionals. However, the manual skills cannot be reviewed once the student has left the classroom. Incorporating the use of videocasts into the resources for student learning adds another means for the students to follow and retain the skills acquired during class. Athletic training students in two accredited programs performed two class presentations over the course of one semester, one in the traditional format and one with the use of videocasts. The …

Online Simulations For Conceptual Understanding Of Thermoelectric Devices, Maria De Rosario Uribe

Open Access Theses

Computer simulations have been extensively used with educational purposes. However, the successful implementation in order to improve learning has been a matter of debate in research in education. The purpose of this case study is to analyze how a set of computer simulations can improve student understanding of thermoelectric devices. The study was developed in a learning context characterized by the advanced degree of difficulty of the topics treated, the high academic level of education of the students, and the online nature of the learning environment. As part of the course, students were provided with instructional materials that guided the …

Connecting Schools And Community With Real World Science Through Technology To Promote Environmental Literacy, Erin Mcmahon

Culminating Projects in Teacher Development

No abstract provided.

A Mixed Methods Study Of The Beliefs And Attitudes Of Teachers Regarding The Developmental Appropriateness Of Technology In Early Childhood, Brandi-Lyn Mendham

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In this study, teacher self-efficacy regarding technology use was examined. Data from a sample of teachers were analyzed to determine the degree to which these educators felt comfortable and confident with the infusion of technology in their practice. Additionally, the beliefs and attitudes these educators held toward the developmental appropriateness of technology were analyzed to determine if the level of integration in their classrooms was impacted by these beliefs and attitudes. This study analyzed surveys from 41 teachers (preschool and kindergarten) along with interviews of six participating teachers in the West Shore Educational Service District region in Michigan. Four of …

Engineering Design: A Cognitive Process Approach, Greg Joseph Strimel

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The intent of this dissertation was to identify the cognitive processes used by advanced pre-engineering students to solve complex engineering design problems. Students in technology and engineering education classrooms are often taught to use an ideal engineering design process that has been generated mostly by educators and curriculum developers. However, the review of literature showed that it is unclear as to how advanced pre-engineering students cognitively navigate solving a complex and multifaceted problem from beginning to end. Additionally, it was unclear how a student thinks and acts throughout their design process and how this affects the viability of their solution. …

An Investigation Of Teacher Evaluation Systems And How They Can Be Transformed To Improve Teaching And Learning: A Change Leadership Plan, Kelly O'Brien

Dissertations

Numerous states have contributed to the overhaul of teacher evaluation systems by imposing mandatory guidelines for the development of new measures. The purpose of this Change Leadership plan was to build upon my research “Principal Perspectives on the Current State of the Art of Teacher Evaluations: A Program Evaluation” which revealed a need to investigate how teacher evaluation systems could be transformed by integrating technology to streamline the process and thus improve teaching and learning. Therefore, this Change Leadership plan aimed to address two important questions. How is technology being used within current teacher evaluation systems? Within current teacher evaluation …

Interpreting, Stephanie Jo Kent

Doctoral Dissertations

What do community interpreting for the Deaf in western societies, conference interpreting for the European Parliament, and language brokering in international management have in common? Academic research and professional training have historically emphasized the linguistic and cognitive challenges of interpreting, neglecting or ignoring the social aspects that structure communication. All forms of interpreting are inherently social; they involve relationships among at least three people and two languages. The contexts explored here, American Sign Language/English interpreting and spoken language interpreting within the European Parliament, show that simultaneous interpreting involves attitudes, norms and values about intercultural communication that overemphasize information and discount …

High Student Achievement Through Classroom Management, Angela Lacher, Mary Zich

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research study was to find to what extent classroom engagement and behavior would be affected by the use of ClassDojo in a kindergarten and first grade classroom? This study was completed in a public elementary school and included 18 kindergarten and 20 first grade students. Data sources included: an observational record of students’ on and off task behavior, monitoring students’ Fix-It Plans and Office Discipline Referrals from the middle of the year to the end of the year, and ClassDojo totals for “Positive” and “Needs Work” points throughout the 6 week study. ClassDojo was presented to …

Organizational Structure And Resources Of Alumni Associations At Public Senior Universities In The Southeastern United States, Robert M. Plummer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the quantitative study was to analyze the staffing patterns, organizational structures, funding resources, practice of resource allocation, technology use, size of alumni population, size of institution enrollment, and age of the institutions at senior public colleges and universities in the southeastern United States. These institutions were derived from the membership of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education [CASE] during the academic years 2010-2012 in the United States District III region, generally the Southeast to lower Mid-Atlantic states. The study was further limited to public, comprehensive institutions as determined by the Carnegie Classification system. Data were …

Emerging Technologies In Art Education, Molly A. Marshall

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the emerging technologies in visual arts education and the impact they will make on the future of visual arts education in a K-12 setting. Research was done through a literature review. As a result, it was found that integrating technology into the visual arts is beneficial to both student and teacher on many levels.

The research will cover how these technologies affect best practices in teaching. Also how these technologies influence student learning. You will find the history of how technology has been implemented in art education, to give the reader and …

There Is An App For That: Uses Of Print And Digital Materials In The Lives Of Three Preschoolers, Rebecca Hickman Mccraw

Theses and Dissertations

This ethnographic study examined the uses of print and digital materials in the lives of three preschoolers over a five-month period of time in the children’s home and community contexts in the southeast region of the United States. The research question asked: What can I learn about the literacy practices of three preschoolers as they use print and digital materials in their worlds? The children were the primary focus of the research, but adults (specifically, the children’s mothers) also served as informants. Grounded in sociocultural theory and informed by constructivist and media theories, the study is important because, while we …

Using Two Formats Of A Social Story To Increase The Social-Communication Skills Of Three Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Nicole A. Anthony

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

An alternating treatment design was used to compare the effects of two interventions on the initiations and on-topic responses of three adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. The interventions were participant specific social stories on an iPad and in paper format, both of which occurred in an after-school setting. Results indicated two participants increased the number of initiations and on-topic responses during gaming sessions over baseline levels. In addition, all three children generalized targeted skills to another typical peer while playing the same game introduced during baseline. Implications for current educational practices are addressed and directions for future research are discussed.

Augmented Reality On Mobile Devices To Improve The Academic Achievement And Independence Of Students With Disabilities, Donald Douglas Mcmahon

Doctoral Dissertations

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital information on a live view of the physical world to create a blended experience. AR can provide unique experiences and opportunities to learn and interact with information in the physical world (Craig, 2013). The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate uses of AR on mobile devices to improve the academic and functional skills of students with disabilities.

The first chapter is a literature review providing a clear understanding of AR and its connections with existing learning theories and evidence-based practices that are relevant for meeting the needs of individuals with …

Teaching To The Technological Demands Of The 21st-Century Classroom, Michelle Trainor

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Learners of the 21st century are met with the need to collaborate, problem solve, critically think, and synthesize various sources of information. Simultaneously, teachers and learners are expected to utilize rapidly evolving digital technologies as tools to make teaching and learning more effective. As digital technologies become increasingly prominent in K-12 classrooms, the question becomes: in what ways are preservice teachers learning to teach to the technological demands of the 21^st-century classroom? Dr. Punya Mishra and Dr. Matthew J Koehler of Michigan State University propose the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework as a means for effective technology …

The Effects Of Blogging In The Elementary Classroom On Students' Writing, Tracy Fix

Culminating Projects in Teacher Development

No abstract provided.

Engaging Alternative High School Students Through The Design, Development, And Crafting Of Computationally Enhanced Pets, Maneksha Katrine Dumont

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A new kind of technology combines making in the physical world with computing in the virtual world. These technologies are simultaneously physical and virtual, require the design of artifacts like computer programs and the crafting of physical components. Combining approaches encourage youth to participate in computing who might not otherwise be interested by harnessing existing hobbies and interests. Because fluency with computing is important to success in a 21st century society, increasing the ways in which young people can experience and connect to computing is important. Computational thinking, and with it the process of debugging computer code, is an example …

Mental Visualization Of Three-Dimensional Space: New Tools And Challenges In Building Design Education, Breshawn C. Mcneal

Honors Theses

As a future building design professional, a student’s ability to mentally “picture” second and third dimensional concepts is important. Learning the fundamentals of mental visualization is tantamount to laying the foundation for a building. Sketching, one of the skills required to bring a building concept to life, helps the student rapidly record their first brilliant thought. Though modern CAD software has the capability to auto-develop a three-dimensional structure, the user constructs a two-dimensional floor plan first, so the program output is based on the user’s initial input. Therefore, the quality of the three-dimensional design is linked to the student’s ability …

Parental Perceptions Of The Influence Of Digital Media And Technology On Children's Reading Habits At Home, Kurt W. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study explored how parents from six participating families in Northern Utah felt about the influence of technology and media on their children’s reading at home. Each family was interviewed about their feelings, filled out a survey about the amount of technology devices in the home, and took photographs of the areas in the home where their children read or used technology. Additionally, each family kept a journal recording the technology and reading activities their children participated in over a 1-week period

Parents talked about how their childhood experiences influenced them to create rules for technology and as well as …

Correlation Between Interactive Ebooks And Printed Text In Reading Achievement And Student Interest, Kimberly D. Beimers

Master of Education Program Theses

Interactive eBooks or traditional printed text? Teachers face difficult decisions when determining which are the most effective tools to use to increase student reading achievement. Studies (Chong, Lim, & Ling, 2009; Ciampa, 2012; Coyle, 2008; Huang, Liang, Su, & Chen, 2012; Jones, & Brown, 2011; Larson, 2010; Martinez-Estrada, & Conaway, 2012; Maynard, 2010), have found that students prefer the additional features of interactive eBooks over traditional printed text; however, studies have failed to prove that these additional text features increase student reading achievement over traditional printed text. There has not been enough evidence to show that student reading achievement increases …

Technology-Assisted Interventions To Improve Learning Outcomes For Students With Math Difficulties, Erik Kehl

Culminating Projects in Special Education

No abstract provided.

Interim Administrative Appointments In A Postsecondary Organization, Valerie Renee Culler

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The appointment of individuals to interim administrative roles is a practice that is common within postsecondary institutions in the United States. The purpose of this study was to answer three questions: (a) what were the experiences and perspectives of individuals who worked in interim administrative roles, (b) what were the organizational rationalities that led to the appointment of people to interim administrative roles, and (c) what were the experiences and perspectives of individuals who worked under interim leadership? This was a qualitative research study that was framed through the constructivist paradigm. The study took place at a public research university …

Attitudes Towards The Use Of Technology Among The College Students Who Study English As A Second Language (Esl), Monerah Alduwairej

ETD Archive

This research study aimed to evaluate the impact that technology could have on the development of language skills of English Second Language (ESL) college students. The importance of this topic was underlined in the comprehensive literature review that highlighted the existing debate between computer technology being a vital aid and helpful in the ESL classroom. This study focused on obtaining the student perspective concerning the use of technology and how technology may impact the learning process. A survey with Lkert scale questions and three open-ended questions were used in the study. The 50 student participants were gathered from Cleveland State …

Teachers Attitudes And Confidence In Technology Integration, Heather Brown

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine if training affects a teacher’s confidence in their ability to integrate technology in the classroom to enhance student learning. Technology training has been identified as a key component in a teacher’s attitude and confidence when it comes to the integration of technology into the curriculum. Data was gathered from an anonymous pencil/paper survey handed out to teachers in a Title I public elementary school in rural southern West Virginia to determine if training had any effect on their confidence to integrate technology. The information gained from this survey is intended to provide …

Perceived Barriers To Technology Integration, Adam J. Hartley

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed-methods study explores the potential barriers to change related to the integration of technology among elementary teachers. Data were collected through the use of a survey, interviews, and focus groups. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) developed by Hall and Hord (2001) was used to capture teacher perceptions of the technology integration. Additional qualitative data were gathered through an open-ended questionnaire, and followed up with interviews and a focus group with eight teachers from the district studied. Two teachers, from each of the four elementary buildings within the school district, were chosen. The population of this study consisted of approximately …

The Power Of Parody And Satire In The 21st Century English Classroom, Ashley N. Shelton

Honors Projects

A frequent question in today’s high school English classroom is how "the classics" fit into our 21st century curriculum. Students ask, "How is this relevant to me?" and complain that the literature they are reading in class is outdated and difficult to understand. Therefore, my project embraces a few canonical texts that are most frequently used in America's schools and presents them in an innovative way that students will not only understand, but engage on a critical level. Based on emerging research in the education field, my project explains how modern technology and the techniques of parody and satire can …