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Educational Policy Development For Closing The Black And White Achievement Gap, Markisha Mitchell

Dissertations

Abstract

Across the United States in almost every city, every suburb, and every rural area, there is a gap between the achievements of Black and White students. The term “achievement gap” has become an accepted label in situations where Black students severely underperform relative to their White counterparts. Many school districts have discretely avoided discussing and/or addressing this gap for decades. School District Z, located in an urban suburb of a large Midwestern city, is the focus of this research as they attempt to address the gap. Approximately two-thirds of District Z is composed of students of color, yet the …

Restorative Practices In Schools And Its Relationship To Decreasing Discipline Infractions In African American Males, Leslie Muhammad

Dissertations

After passing the Zero Tolerance policies in 1994, schools began to have a substantial increase in the number of suspensions especially among African Americans and students of color. The researcher wanted to explore alternative methods to traditional discipline to ascertain if it would decrease the number of suspensions in African American boys. The purpose of this mixed-methods study on restorative practices is to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative discipline methods such as Restorative Practices and Mindful Activities in Midwestern urban inner city elementary school of African American male students, in third grade. There has been a true void in addressing …

A Mixed-Method Comparative Analysis Of First-Generation And Non-First-Generation Students In The Midwest, Juanika Q. Williams

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to complete a mixed-methods comparative analysis of firstgeneration and non-first-generation students in the Midwest to determine potential differences between students’ college satisfaction, retention factors, college selection, college experience, and deciding factors on attending college at private, public, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Primary Researcher believed that a students’ classifications (first-generation or non-first-generation) and the type of university that they chose to attend would yield different results in their overall college experiences. The Researcher conducted the study in different settings and did not compare by the type of university or the type of …

A Mixed-Method Study Of Kindergarten Through Third-Grade Teachers’ Perceptions Of Homework, Tonya Heavin

Dissertations

This mixed-method research study examined the perceptions of kindergarten through third-grade teachers regarding the use of homework in their classrooms. Electronic surveys were sent to 190 kindergarten through third-grade teachers in seven school districts from five counties in Central Missouri. A total of 47 educators chose to respond to the open- and closed-ended questions. The results of this study showed most of the respondents believed in the benefits of homework for academic achievement. The quality and quantity of assigned homework were important characteristics for educators from both large and small school districts. The lack of parental support was considered one …

An Examination Of Evidence-Based Practice (Ebp) In Teacher Preparation Programs For Rural School Educators, Jamie Lea Walker-Davidson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of first-year teachers regarding the use of Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) within their teacher training programs. Participants in this study included 35 teachers from one of the 46 rural public-school districts in south-central Missouri. The 43 EBPs outlined in Robert Marzano’s (2017) New Art and Science of Teaching: More than Fifty New Instructional Strategies for Academic Success were used to frame the research. A survey with Likert-type statements and open-ended questions regarding EBPs taught in teacher preparation programs was completed by participants. Participants were asked to identify EBP strengths and weaknesses …

Program Evaluation For Assessing The Effectiveness Of Tracking The Academic Growth And Attendance Of Black Students In Closing The Black And White Achievement Gap, Markisha Mitchell

Dissertations

Across the United States in almost every city, every suburb, and every rural area there is a gap between the achievements of Black and White students. The term “achievement gap” has become an accepted label in situations where Black students severely underperform relative to their White counterparts. Many school districts have discretely avoided discussing and or addressing the gap for decades. School District Z, located in an urban suburb just outside of a large midwestern city, is the focus of this research as they attempt to address the gap. District Z is composed of approximately two-thirds students of color, yet …

Empirical Estimates Of Design Parameters Used In A Priori Power Analyses For Planning School-Randomized Studies In Select Asian Countries, Ran Shi

Dissertations

A cluster-randomized trial (CRT) is one type of randomized controlled trial (RCT) that is often more feasible for evaluating the effectiveness of an educational intervention due to the multi-level structure of the data (e.g., students nested in schools). In order for a CRT to generate rigorous evidence, it is essential that is it adequately powered to detect an effect of a given size. As such, it is common for researchers to conduct a priori power analyses to determine how large a sample the CRTs will require to detect an effect of a given magnitude. Previous work has shown that two …

Response Shift Bias: An Examination Of Measurement Invariance In Self-Reported Change, Katherine Nelson Daniels

Dissertations

Traditional pre-test (TpT)/post-test (PT) and retrospective pre-test (RpT)/post-test (PT) designs are used to collect data on self-reported measures to assess the magnitude of change that occurs from interventions. If measurement invariance does not exist across the measurement occasions within these research designs, it is inappropriate to compare mean group differences that result from the intervention and derive inferences about change. The theory of response-shift suggests a subject’s understanding of a subject matter at TpT may not be the same as their understanding of a subject matter at PT, and that as a result, the construct measured at these measurement occasions …

University Leaders’ Experiences In Advancing The Development And Transformation Of Emerging Saudi Public Universities, Abdulrahman Hamed Alsulami

Dissertations

For several decades, Saudi higher education comprised seven to eight public universities concentrated in the main cities of the country. Since the beginning of the new millennium, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has heavily invested in the higher education sector. Thus, it witnessed a remarkable rate of expansion from 8 to 28 higher education institutions during a relatively short period between 2003 and 2013. This renaissance in the sector involved several different processes, including transforming, merging, restructuring, and establishing new colleges and/or programs, administrative posts, and key components for inclusive and modern campuses.

From a contextual perspective, there is a …

Apology Not Accepted: The Impact Of Executive Rhetoric, Communication Strategies, Media Coverage And Time On Crisis Management And Public Perception During Major Oil Spills, Todd D. Harcek

Dissertations

This research builds upon the scholarship in crisis communication strategies and apologia employed by companies during a crisis. Within the expansive domain of crisis management, this work evaluates the media coverage and crisis communication strategies during three major oil spills: the Exxon Valdez, the American Trader, and the BP Gulf oil spill. The purpose of this study is to provide practitioners, researchers and others additional insight into the impact of media coverage on prior, current and future crises and how this coverage, coupled with the communication strategies of companies during a crisis, can influence public awareness or perception. Furthermore, …

Chicago Public Schools (Cps) Systems To Support Administrators Plan, Jeffrey Alstadt

Dissertations

Wagner et al.’s (2010) change leadership model was used to assess culture, context, conditions, and competencies of a large, diverse urban school district to create a systemic plan for supporting building level administrators. Interviews were conducted with former building level administrators, teachers, and staff who worked with building level administrators within the district. Results indicated overwhelming support for the building level administrators in the district. Strategies for implementation included: creating professional learning communities, leading adult learning, and developing leadership capacity. To achieve the much-needed changes, CPS personnel must be ready for a complete change in thinking, and it will take …

Relationship Between Teachers’ Use Of Cognitive Coaching In The Classroom And Teacher Efficacy, Gretchen A. Demasters

Dissertations

Leaders in today’s public schools must offer professional development to provide support to teachers without overwhelming them or adding more to their plates (Preciado, 2015). With ever-expanding responsibilities and accountability for teachers in the classroom, providing much-needed support is a top priority (Preciado, 2015). Teacher attrition is costly to school districts, and it is largely due to lack of support for teachers (Neason, 2014). Edwards (2015) reported teachers who grow in efficacy stay a longer length of time in one district, increase their implementation of new teaching strategies, and have more positive attitudes toward professional growth. The focus of this …

Examination Of The Educational Impact Of Delayed Identification Of Gifted Students, Timothy Perkins

Dissertations

Gifted programming provides many children with an opportunity to reach their potential (Olszewski-Kubilius & Thomson, 2015). For years, gifted studies have been underfunded (Azano, Callahan, Missett, & Brunner, 2014). A lack of research into gifted programming has left glaring holes in the current understanding of best practices (Plucker & Callahan, 2014). This study included an examination of gifted programming from the standpoint of cognitive theory. The researcher examined archival data from School District A to determine students’ overall academic success when compared to the number of years spent in gifted programming. The data yielded a negative correlation between years spent …

Feeling Valued, Supported, And Satisfied: Perceptions Of Special Educators And Principals, Tanya Lynn Rapert

Dissertations

High teacher attrition and low teacher retention rates continue to plague the field of special education, which leads to teacher shortages year after year (Andrews & Brown, 2015; Vittek, 2015). Solutions for increasing special education teacher retention continue to be explored (Billingsley, 2005; Brownell & Sindelar, 2016; Tyler & Brunner, 2014). The purpose of this study was to discover trends or themes connecting special education teacher work conditions and job satisfaction, principal support, and decisions of teachers to continue teaching special education. Participants for this study were special education teachers and principals from 60 accredited public K-12 school districts in …

Identifying And Interpreting The Technological Self-Efficacy Ratings Of Teachers In Midwestern School Districts With 1:1 Technology: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Gregory Edwards

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study, which included 182 teachers across three Midwestern school districts, was threefold. First, the researcher sought to determine the technological self-efficacy ratings of teachers at school districts with 1:1 technology in relation to the ISTE’s National Education Technology Standards for Teachers. Based on the study’s findings, participants had the lowest mean self-efficacy ratings for ISTE’s fifth standard, which focused on teachers’ lifelong learning and growing as professionals (ISTE, 2008). Participants had the highest mean ratings for the fourth standard, which related to digital citizenship (ISTE, 2008). Second, the researcher aimed to identify if there was …

A Mixed Methods Study On Faculty Caring And Trust As Perceived By Undergraduate Students In Classrooms At A Mid-Western University, Pamela L. Grant

Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between caring and trust within the undergraduate classroom using two valid instruments and an original open-ended survey. The participants were from a mid-western university that included international students. Fifty undergraduate students volunteered to participate in the study. No undergraduate students were excluded from participating in the study, based on diversity. Evidence of a correlation between caring and trust was found using the Caring Professional Scale developed by Swanson (1991) and the Modified Instructional Perspectives Inventory adapted for students (MIPI-S) developed by Henschke (1989). The Cronbach alpha for the CPS was 0.74 to 0.97 and for …

Guidelines For U.S. Teacher Leaders In Adult Classrooms To Enhance International Undergraduate Satisfaction, Somanita Kheang

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research was to (a) explore the issues that international undergraduate students face during academic experiences at U.S. colleges and/or universities, (b) study the relationship between U.S. professors and international undergraduate students as measured by the extent of congruency between U.S. professors’ and international undergraduate students’ online survey results, and (c) propose appropriate guidelines for U.S. Teacher Leaders in adult classrooms to enhance international undergraduate students’ learning satisfaction. The researcher used convenience sampling that included 96 participants at Lindenwood University, Saint Charles. The researcher conducted a focus group discussion with 14 international undergraduate students from 10 …

The Impact Of Expanded Access And Increased Engagement And The Effect On Closing The Achievement Gap, Amy Lynn St. John

Dissertations

Considering instructional time is one of the most valuable and expensive resources in public education, there is nominal research examining the effectiveness of its use (Farbman, 2015). The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between the amount of extended learning time provided to eligible students at least one grade level below in reading or mathematics and their scale score growth determined by middle-ofyear results on the i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment. i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment results were examined of students who attended an extended learning time after-school program focused on remediation of standards specific to mathematics and reading in grades …

A Study Of Effective Strategies For Retention For At-Risk Students At A Small Private Liberal Arts College, Michael Heath Morgan

Dissertations

Student retention in higher education is currently one area most colleges are looking to improve and build upon (Baer & Norris, 2016). Higher education institutions in the United States have been under increased scrutiny from lawmakers and accrediting agencies to provide an affordable education for a diverse population for jobs in a highly technical economy (Boateng, Plopper, & Keith, 2015; Slanger, Berg, Fisk, & Hanson, 2015). Some colleges and universities are exploring programs to engage the modern student through the creation of learning communities, first-year programming, and interventions to bridge the gap of those students who are highly unlikely to …

An Action Research Study: The Development And Implementation Of A School District Action Plan For Students Identified With Adverse Childhood Experiences, Ben Hebisen

Dissertations

The focus of the study was to create and implement a district action plan for students identified with adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s). The research focused on an alternative school setting and students with social and emotional needs. The researcher determined areas of need based on the highest percentage of ACE identifiers. The action plan developed after the collection and analysis of data through an ACE’s questionnaire given to adult students enrolled in the school districts alternative program. Data included interviews conducted with the educational support counselors who worked with the students enrolled at the research site. The information from the …

Perceptions Of Trustees And Presidents Of The Competencies Essential For Successful 21st-Century Community College Leadership, Cliff Davis

Dissertations

An imminent wave of community college president retirements is well-documented in the literature, which will likely contribute to a serious leadership void on American community college campuses (American Association of Community Colleges [AACC], 2013; Eddy, 2013). To address this impending leadership crisis, governing boards must focus on how to develop leaders prepared to meet the unique and increasingly complex challenges of community colleges. In keeping with Katz’s (1955) three-skill conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe trustees’ and presidents’ perceptions about the importance of technical, human, and conceptual competencies to a successful 21st-century community …

A Content Analysis Of Cultural Sensitivity Within K-5 English Language Arts Common Core Fictional Exemplar Texts, Kevin D. Starks

Dissertations

In this study, the researcher investigated cultural sensitivity within the mandated English Language Arts Common Core exemplar fictional texts that “serve as useful guideposts in helping educators select texts of similar complexity, quality and range” (Common Core State Standards, n.d., p. 2) for kindergarten through fifth grade, for the state of Missouri. The researcher utilized a modified version of Frances Ann Day’s children’s literature evaluation framework, “Evaluating Children’s Books for Bias,” an adaptation of the Council on Interracial Books for Children’s, “Guidelines for Selecting Bias-Free Textbooks and Storybooks,” to test for cultural sensitivity within 50 of the 90 suggested fictional …

A Mixed-Methods Study On The Relationship Between Corrective Reading Interventions And Student Achievement In An Urban Middle School After-School Program, Emma Campbell-Cornelius

Dissertations

The researcher investigated the corrective reading interventions implemented in an urban middle school’s after-school program to determine if the interventions were helping students perform better in English Language Arts (ELA) classes and improved their overall achievement on the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA). The researcher also investigated teacher perceptions of professional development hours and student achievement in ELA. This study primarily focused on students in fifth-eighth grade, due to the low academic performance in ELA scores at the middle school. The purpose of this study was to determine if students in middle school would perform better if they received additional supports …

Changed Perceptions Of Teachers And Administrators On Professional Development After Implementation Of A One-To-One Technology Initiative, Tara Ashley Roberts

Dissertations

As technology prices continue to decline, access to devices has become less of a barrier, and public schools are able to implement one-to-one initiatives easier (Ruggiero & Mong, 2015; U.S. Department of Education [USDOE], 2016; Zheng, Warschauer, Lin, & Chang, 2016). It has become vital to support teachers in the area of professional development, but oftentimes these programs have failed to prepare teachers for technology integration (Hunter, 2015; USDOE, 2016). The purpose of this study was to identify key aspects of professional development teachers and administrators have found to be of the utmost value when implementing a one-to-one initiative to …

The Perceived Impact Of The Four-Day School Week On Teacher Recruitment, Teacher Retention, And Job Satisfaction, Kristi Sue Marion

Dissertations

As school districts consider transitioning from a traditional five-day school week to a four-day school week, administrators and school boards seek information about the fourday school week to assist in making the best decision possible. This collective case study was undertaken to examine the perceptions of administrators, school counselors, and teachers on the four-day school week and the impact of the new calendar format on teacher recruitment, teacher retention, and job satisfaction. Three school districts were studied; each began implementation of the four-day school week during the 2015-2016 academic year. A total of 21 school personnel were interviewed, including three …

Juvenile Programming Activities In Detention Facilities: Self-Adjustment And Levels Of Stress, Stephen Davis

Dissertations

The significance of this study was to examine if adolescents in a juvenile detention center in St. Louis City could self-adjust, cope, or adapt to their levels of stress. There was a great deal of literature available supporting the notion of utilizing affective tactics in combating stress levels among various age groups. However, there was very little information provided on at-risk adolescents in a juvenile detention center confronted with dangerous levels of stress. The importance of understanding how these detained adolescents, between the ages of 12 and 17, approached dealing with their stress was not just beneficial to them, but …

General Education Science And Special Education Teachers’ Experiences With Inclusive Middle School Science Classrooms, Michelle P. Phelan

Dissertations

While inclusion of students with disabilities has been a topic of debate for decades, uncertainty still exists concerning best practices for their participation in general education contexts (Carter et al., 2016). This study was designed to investigate teachers’ experiences and perceptions with inclusion in general education science classrooms. While students with disabilities are generally included in general education science classrooms today, statistics show students with disabilities are graduating from high school unprepared to major in science-related fields or to enter the workforce in sciencerelated careers (Brusca-Vega, Alexander, & Kamin, 2014). Therefore, the content area of science was targeted for the …

Antidepressant-Associated Sexual Dysfunction In Patients With Depression: A Meta-Analysis Of Sexual Functioning Data Collected Via Prospective Questionnaire, Paula Jacobsen

Dissertations

Sexual functioning is associated with symptoms of depression, which occurs at rates much higher than that in the general population. Treatment of depression and remission of depressive symptoms can improve sexual functioning; however, antidepressants and other medications may cause or worsen sexual functioning. Assessment of sexual dysfunction in the past has predominantly relied on the patient spontaneously reporting problems with sexual functioning to their physician or other medical professional. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, patient reporting is typically low and does not reflect the actual prevalence of sexual dysfunction. This research assessed the rate and level of …

Social Scientists' Conceptualization And Implementation Of Research Ethics And Integrity, Heather A. Pease

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to identify core themes, values, and principles through which social scientists conceptualize and implement research ethics and integrity. Periods of rapid growth and interest in research ethics and integrity often coincide with significant scientific discoveries (e.g., mapping of the human genome) or scientific misconduct (e.g., Tuskegee studies). Even though research policies are being developed, they are done in a manner which does not maximize the opportunities to regulate ethics and integrity within social science research. The laws and programs aimed at mitigating acts of misconduct were originally intended for biomedical sciences, yet they …