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The Relationship Between Body Mass Index, Fitness, Self-Efficacy And Their Prediction On Criterion Referenced Competency Test Scores For Eighth Grade Students, Julie Hale Nov 2014

The Relationship Between Body Mass Index, Fitness, Self-Efficacy And Their Prediction On Criterion Referenced Competency Test Scores For Eighth Grade Students, Julie Hale

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study sought to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI), physical fitness, self-efficacy, and their possible prediction on scores from the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) for eighth grade students in north Georgia. The participants were 183 eighth grade students in three north Georgia middle schools enrolled in physical education during the fall of 2013. Scores from the students' BMI, FitnessGram®, General Self-Efficacy Test (GSES), and results from the Georgia CRCT were compiled and analyzed to give a better understanding of their predictive relationship. Students complete CRCT tests every school year between third and eighth grade, and …


A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Developmental Math Students' Experiences And Perceptions, Megan Cordes Nov 2014

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Developmental Math Students' Experiences And Perceptions, Megan Cordes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current literature suggests the rise of enrollment among United States (U.S.) postsecondary institutions but the decline in graduation rates. While there is extensive quantitative data examining course redesigns and increasing student achievement in developmental math courses, there is limited research examining students' experiences and perceptions within these courses. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the experiences and perceptions of developmental math students. This study utilized the theoretical framework of Bandura's (1997) social cognitive theory and Tinto's (2012a) retention theory. Research questions focused on the lived experience of struggling within a developmental math course, past math experiences …


Tipping Point Of Resistance: A Multi-Case Study Of The Influence Of School Culture On Classroom Positive Behavior Interventions And Support Practices, Angela Shoemake Nov 2014

Tipping Point Of Resistance: A Multi-Case Study Of The Influence Of School Culture On Classroom Positive Behavior Interventions And Support Practices, Angela Shoemake

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Public schools have seen an increase in the use of school-wide positive behavior intervention supports (SWPBIS) to address the emotional and behavioral needs of students. While SWPBIS is a validated, evidence-based practice, teachers often resist the use of this proactive intervention model claiming that they do not have the time or skills to develop interventions to address the students' challenging behaviors. The purpose of this instrumental multi-case study was to systematically explore and compare the personal experiences of staff who ended their resistance to SWPBIS and successfully implemented at the classroom level. A Georgia middle school implementing SWPBIS at the …


The Relationship Between Online College Students' Learning Style And Response To Literature, Katie Robinson Oct 2014

The Relationship Between Online College Students' Learning Style And Response To Literature, Katie Robinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students entering the "Composition and Literature" classroom find themselves presented with a number of challenges as they learn to analyze literature beyond reader comprehension. The online learner experiences even more obstacles while approaching an often-difficult curriculum without the guidance of a residential instructor. For this reason, the online learner must adapt and develop autonomy in learning. Reader Response literary critics place great emphasis on the reader while determining meaning in a text, and Louise Rosenblatt explored the connection between the reader and the text in her Transactional Theory. To assist online learners in their endeavor, this study aimed to determine …


Correlation Study: The Effect Of Student-Teacher Rapport On High School Student Performance Rate, Robyn Clark Oct 2014

Correlation Study: The Effect Of Student-Teacher Rapport On High School Student Performance Rate, Robyn Clark

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between student-teacher rapport and student performance rate. Convenience sampling was used to gather participants for the study. Graduating senior students at a Henrico County Public High School completed the Student Teacher Relationship Scale created by Dr. Robert C. Pianta. The mean scores of all students were calculated and then grouped and calculated according to gender and post-secondary goals/plans. The students' self-reported Grade Point Averages (GPA) were compared to their survey score to discover if there was a correlation between the students' rapport scale and their GPA. This study tested whether the student-teacher rapport developed was …


The Effects Of A Seventh Grade Mathematics Remediation Course On Student Achievement, Jason Nix Oct 2014

The Effects Of A Seventh Grade Mathematics Remediation Course On Student Achievement, Jason Nix

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the installment of the No Child Left Behind Act, schools have sought strategies to help students meet these academic requirements. Many middle schools have turned to math remediation classes as a way to improve students' achievement scores. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to explore the relationship of the mathematics remediation class as an intervention strategy to help low performing seventh grade students' achievement on the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test. The sample consisted of N= 775 (391 male, 384 female) seventh grade students enrolled in one rural middle school. The result of the statistical test, ANCOVA, revealed …


Child Maltreatment: What Attitudinal Factors Of Commitment, Confidence, And Concern Predict Reporting Practices Of Preservice Speech-Language Pathologists?, Alan Smith Sep 2014

Child Maltreatment: What Attitudinal Factors Of Commitment, Confidence, And Concern Predict Reporting Practices Of Preservice Speech-Language Pathologists?, Alan Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The pervasiveness of child maltreatment is a global issue, although its impact on the United States is markedly severe. The mortality rate for children four years of age and younger continues to rise annually, with an especially alarming increase present for children with disabilities. Although inservice and preservice educators, including speech-language pathologists, are mandated to report suspected maltreatment, several obstacles appear to hinder their actions. Understanding the factors that predict an individuals' likelihood of reporting malfeasance may help minimize maltreatment occurrence and child mortality. Preservice speech- language pathologists attending accredited programs in the United States were surveyed regarding their attitudes …


A Comparative Study Of Undergraduate Upperclassmen Students' Perceptions Of Student And Faculty Incivility In Three Academic Disciplines: Nursing, Education, And Business, Rebecca Wagner Sep 2014

A Comparative Study Of Undergraduate Upperclassmen Students' Perceptions Of Student And Faculty Incivility In Three Academic Disciplines: Nursing, Education, And Business, Rebecca Wagner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Incivility, defined as rude, discourteous, and disrespectful behavior, in higher education and in nursing education, is a growing problem and concern as it affects the college learning environment and professional preparation for the workplace. Healthcare institutions and accreditation bodies require interventional actions to address the prevalence of incivility in healthcare, nursing practice specifically, and in nursing education as a precursor to the professional workplace. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to explore Heider's attribution theory using the Incivility in Higher Education (IHE) survey to compare undergraduate upperclassmen students' perceptions of student and faculty incivility among the three academic …


A Grounded Theory Study On The Role Of Differentiated Instruction In Effective Middle School Science Teaching, Brian Jones Aug 2014

A Grounded Theory Study On The Role Of Differentiated Instruction In Effective Middle School Science Teaching, Brian Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a model explaining the role of differentiated instruction (DI) in effective middle school science teaching. The study examined the best teaching practices and differentiated elements from eight general education middle school science teachers, all scoring at the highest level of a teaching effectiveness measure on their evaluations, through a collection of observational, interview, survey, and teaching artifact data. The data were analyzed through the methodology of a systematic grounded theory qualitative approach using open, axial, and selective coding to develop a model describing how and to what degree effective middle …


The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction, Teacher Absenteeism, And Intermediate School Achievement In Math And Language Arts: A Correlational Study, Daniel Winters Aug 2014

The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction, Teacher Absenteeism, And Intermediate School Achievement In Math And Language Arts: A Correlational Study, Daniel Winters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between teacher absenteeism and student achievement in math and language arts in the rural environment. Classical Economic Theory was used as a foundation in combination with Choice Theory and The Model of Learning to examine the role of the teacher and how the chronically absent teacher impacts the quality of learning for the student. The nature of substitute teaching was reviewed as well as how a break in continuity of instruction, caused by the chronically absent teacher, affects the overall quality of the educational environment. The amount of time teachers are absent from instructional duties …


Cell Phone Cyberbullying's Impact On Victims' Attendance, Academics, And Social And Personal Life In School: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Nathan Heltzel Jul 2014

Cell Phone Cyberbullying's Impact On Victims' Attendance, Academics, And Social And Personal Life In School: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Nathan Heltzel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to describe and understand the shared experiences of five students in a medium-sized public high school in Northern Westchester County, New York, who were victims of cell phone cyberbullying and the impact this phenomenon had on the victims' attendance, academics, and social and personal life in school. Over the last decade, cell phone cyberbullying has evolved into its own phenomenon, thus becoming a significant singularity to be confronted. It is important to understand the didactic and textural descriptions of these experiences as lived by the participants in order to help parents, teachers, …


The Effects Of Teachers' Teaching Styles And Experience On Elementary Students' Mathematical Achievement, Angela Stanford Jul 2014

The Effects Of Teachers' Teaching Styles And Experience On Elementary Students' Mathematical Achievement, Angela Stanford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study was to determine if a statistically significant difference existed in the mathematical achievement of elementary students in classrooms led by teachers with different dominant teaching styles (Grasha, 1996) and varying years of teaching experience. Participants in this study included 29 upper elementary (grades 3-5) classroom teachers in an urban public school system located in Central Arkansas. Two one-way ANOVAs were used to compare the Arkansas Augmented Benchmark Examination's (AABE) mathematics scores of 855 students in upper elementary classrooms of teachers with varied teaching styles and years of teaching experience. A two-variable Chi-square analysis …


The Effects Of Reflex Math As A Response To Intervention Strategy To Improve Math Automaticity Among Male And Female At-Risk Middle School Students, Daphne Sarrell Jul 2014

The Effects Of Reflex Math As A Response To Intervention Strategy To Improve Math Automaticity Among Male And Female At-Risk Middle School Students, Daphne Sarrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The search for evidence-based math interventions that are easy to use and impact academic achievement are in demand, and the impact that these interventions can have on students who struggle with math achievement is of concern. In this study, the effects of Reflex math computerized intervention to improve the automaticity of basic math facts among male and female middle school students identified as at-risk for academic failure in mathematics was examined according to differences in mean scores and based on gender. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design was used for the purposes of the study. Convenience sampling among students …


The Effects Of A Direct-Instruction Math Intervention On Standardized Test Scores Of At-Risk Middle School Students, Charles Moore Jul 2014

The Effects Of A Direct-Instruction Math Intervention On Standardized Test Scores Of At-Risk Middle School Students, Charles Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educators are seeking ways to improve student academic achievement in math and to increase math standardized test scores because of the requirements of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Race to the Top initiative (RTTT). One such intervention in middle school is a direct-instruction math program. This causal-comparative study examined the relationship between a direct-instruction math intervention and math achievement on standardized test scores of at-risk middle school students. This study compared the differences in the mean scale scores for at-risk …


An Investigation Of The Variables That Predict Teacher E-Learning Acceptance, Juliette Attis Jul 2014

An Investigation Of The Variables That Predict Teacher E-Learning Acceptance, Juliette Attis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Because of advancements in information communication technologies (ICT), education has evolved in terms of how the students are taught and how students learn. Education can take place in a traditional setting and/or a virtual learning environment (VLE). Consequently, the purpose of this quantitative predictive study was to examine variables that best predict the e-learning acceptance of public school K-12 e-learning teachers. Using a hierarchical regression analysis to analyze 112 teacher survey responses, results demonstrated that the model consisting of the predictor variables (i.e., demographics and experience variables, computer anxiety, computer self-efficacy, technological complexity, perceived convenience, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease …


The Influence Of Homework On The Educational Experiences Of Sixth Grade Students From Low Socio-Economic Backgrounds: A Phenomenological Study, Richard Mccormick Jul 2014

The Influence Of Homework On The Educational Experiences Of Sixth Grade Students From Low Socio-Economic Backgrounds: A Phenomenological Study, Richard Mccormick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the influence homework has on the educational experiences of sixth grade students from low socio-economic backgrounds at a middle school in a rural county located in the western region of North Carolina. Eight sixth grade students provided a visual narrative pertaining to homework, and participated in individual and focus group interviews. The major themes to emerge were (a) motivation: teacher policies and practices, (b) family interaction: time and attention, (c) self-efficacy: emotional aspect, and (d) educational effects: short- and long-term. Recommendations for future research include replication of the study in …


Investigation Of Differences In Star Reading Scores For Second- And Third-Grade Students Who Received Differentiated Reading Instruction, Elizabeth Hearn Jul 2014

Investigation Of Differences In Star Reading Scores For Second- And Third-Grade Students Who Received Differentiated Reading Instruction, Elizabeth Hearn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research study investigated the effects of teaching Response to Intervention curricula in second and third grades in a rural school district in Georgia. A causal-comparative design was used to compare scaled score gains of students who were taught using an RTI approach with curriculum available in How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3 (Walpole & McKenna, 2009) and students who were taught with other unidentified RTI curricula. Students in both groups participated in either Tier 2 or Tier 3 reading instruction in addition to Tier 1 regular classroom instruction. The STAR Enterprise Reading Test served as …


Single Gender Language Arts Classes And The Impact On Achievement Of Males, Brock English Jul 2014

Single Gender Language Arts Classes And The Impact On Achievement Of Males, Brock English

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative research design was to analyze the relationship between Language Arts scale scores of elementary male students on the Mississippi Curriculum Test, Version 2 (MCT2) and the type of classroom, mixed-gender or single-gender. The study also analyzed the percentage of questions answered correctly on the MCT2 in the English Language Arts sub-categories of vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing, and grammar. Archival data of 222 students was used, 100 male students in single-gender classes and 122 students in mixed-gender classes. The study was conducted in an urban elementary public school with a diverse population in northeast Mississippi. …


The Lived Experience Of Fatherlessness In Male Adolescents: The Student Perspective, Cory Dickerson Jul 2014

The Lived Experience Of Fatherlessness In Male Adolescents: The Student Perspective, Cory Dickerson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the lived experiences of teenage males who did not have a father figure at home during high school. Participants included eight males of varying ethnicities, ages 18-23, who graduated from high school within the last five years. This was a qualitative study with a phenomenological design. The major data collection method was three in-depth interviews. The two research questions asked "How do adolescent males perceive the absence of a father to have impacted them during high school?" and "Were any school-related interventions available for students without fathers, and if so, how did students perceive these interventions to …


Stakeholder Perceptions Of The Special Education Referral Process For Black Males Based On Ace: Administration, Culture And Environment, Malik Douglas Jun 2014

Stakeholder Perceptions Of The Special Education Referral Process For Black Males Based On Ace: Administration, Culture And Environment, Malik Douglas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study is to contribute to the understanding of Critical Race Theory by using a parametric test to compare the independent variable of human characteristics to the dependent variables of Administrative, Cultural, and Environmental/ Hereditary (ACE) factors to develop a picture of parents'/guardians' and educators' attitudes about factors that may explain the overrepresentation of Black males in special education programs. A total of 162 participants completed a self-reporting demographic characteristic survey and the Gresham survey to provide information on the attitudes towards the administrative, cultural, and environmental/hereditary factors that may be correlated with the overrepresentation …


Examining Adjunct Instructor Characteristics, Perceived Fit, And Teaching Modality To Determine If They Predict Organizational Commitment And Job Satisfaction At A Mid-Western Career College, Randy Hill Jun 2014

Examining Adjunct Instructor Characteristics, Perceived Fit, And Teaching Modality To Determine If They Predict Organizational Commitment And Job Satisfaction At A Mid-Western Career College, Randy Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, multiple regression study was to examine the relationship between 10 adjunct instructor characteristics and organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Part-time instructors who taught for the institution during the 2012-2013 academic year completed an electronic survey with questions from three valid and reliable instruments: perceived person-organization fit (Cable & DeRue, 2002), part-time faculty job satisfaction survey (Hoyt, Howell, & Eggett, 2007), and organizational commitment questionnaire (Fields, 2002). Data from the survey was analyzed using separate hierarchical regressions to answer the following research questions: (a) Do adjunct instructor characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, education level, teaching experience, teaching …


Comparing Students' Perceptions Of Online Language Learning To Traditional Learning, Noreen La Piana Jun 2014

Comparing Students' Perceptions Of Online Language Learning To Traditional Learning, Noreen La Piana

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined students' perceptions towards online language learning and face-to-face learning. A survey of multiple intelligences (McClelland & Conti, 2008) combined with an Online Learning Readiness Survey (OLRS) survey (Dray, Lowenthal, Miszkiewicz, Ruiz-Primo, & Marczynski, 2011) was distributed to 2,177 community college and university students in order to measure the strength of each of the nine intelligences each student possessed, as well as their perceptions of readiness for online language learning. Student preference for online/hybrid versus traditional language class was also considered. The three research questions involved an investigation of: 1) the differences between students who attended an online/hybrid …


The Differences In Approaches To Learning Among Kindergartners Who Attended State-Funded Pre-K, Kristin Mobbs Jun 2014

The Differences In Approaches To Learning Among Kindergartners Who Attended State-Funded Pre-K, Kristin Mobbs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This causal-comparative study examined the differences in early childhood experiences on the critical school readiness domain of approaches to learning. Kindergarten teachers from a small district in northeast Georgia completed the Learning Behaviors Scale to examine the dependent variables of competence motivation, attitude toward learning, attention/persistence, and strategy/flexibility from a convenience sample of 187 kindergarten students. The school district provided archived data that included kindergarten class lists, preschool experiences during the 2012-2013 school year, race, gender, free/reduced lunch status, and elementary school attended for kindergarten in order to examine kindergartners' learning behaviors. Descriptive statistics provided information on the mean differences …


Understanding Teacher Perceptions Of Bullying And Effectiveness Of An Anti-Bullying Policy: A Case Study Of Suburban High School Teachers In The Southwestern U.S., James Isom May 2014

Understanding Teacher Perceptions Of Bullying And Effectiveness Of An Anti-Bullying Policy: A Case Study Of Suburban High School Teachers In The Southwestern U.S., James Isom

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple-case study was to understand teacher perceptions of bullying and the effectiveness of the current anti-bullying policy of a suburban district in the southwestern U.S. Teacher perceptions will be generally defined as what teachers personally believe about bullying and how they perceive the effectiveness of the district's anti-bullying policy. Data was collected from three sources, interviews, teacher journals, and observations. Cross case synthesis was used to treat each case separately and then combine identified themes across cases. Data showed that teachers perceive the policy to be somewhat effective. However, significant gaps exist that need to be …


Effect Of Direct Instruction Programs On Teaching Reading Comprehension To Students With Learning Disabilities, Jennifer Parker May 2014

Effect Of Direct Instruction Programs On Teaching Reading Comprehension To Students With Learning Disabilities, Jennifer Parker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quasi experimental research study was to examine the effects of two direct instruction programs, SRA Reading Mastery Signature and SRA Reading Success on reading comprehension skill acquisition of middle school students who qualify as a student with a specific learning disability. Furthermore, the study was used to compare the reading comprehension achievement of students who participated in SRA Reading Mastery Signature and students who participated in SRA Reading Success using the reading portion of the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. The treatment groups were located in a moderate size school district in the Upstate region …


The Relationship Between Education, Self-Efficacy, And Aggregate Physical Fitness In Children, Richard Bomgardner May 2014

The Relationship Between Education, Self-Efficacy, And Aggregate Physical Fitness In Children, Richard Bomgardner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to test the hypothesis that educational environment and level of physical activity self-efficacy relates to aggregate physical fitness levels in fifth-grade children in a Midwestern metropolitan community. Religious and public school children (N = 184) completed physical activity self-efficacy measures to examine their exercise and barrier status. These scores were compared to a FitnessGram® battery of physical fitness tests involving body composition, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, and aerobic capacity to measure their total fitness levels. FitnessGram® scores were converted into a composite score measuring their healthy fitness zone status. Multiple Linear Regressions …


Interim Assessment Data: A Case Study On Modifying Instruction Based On Benchmark Feedback, Tracey Lange Apr 2014

Interim Assessment Data: A Case Study On Modifying Instruction Based On Benchmark Feedback, Tracey Lange

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The role of data analysis in the jobs of instructional leaders has become as commonplace as teachers creating lesson plans and taking roll in the classroom. Teachers and building leaders routinely use interim assessment data to develop thoughtful and robust instructional plans that address identified areas of student need. The link between the interim assessment data collection and student learning includes the pedagogical changes that teachers implement based on the data from these interim assessments. However, teachers do not always know how to use the data for this purpose or do not always make necessary changes in their instruction. As …


A Study Comparing Fifth Grade Student Achievement In Mathematics In Departmentalized And Non-Departmentalized Settings, Karen Nelson Apr 2014

A Study Comparing Fifth Grade Student Achievement In Mathematics In Departmentalized And Non-Departmentalized Settings, Karen Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to examine the application of the teaching and learning theory of social constructivism in order to determine if mathematics instruction provided in a departmentalized classroom setting at the fifth grade level resulted in a statistically significant difference in student achievement on the Virginia 2011 Grade 5 Mathematics Standards of Learning (SOL) Test when compared to the achievement of students in a non-departmentalized setting. Regular fifth grade education students, who attended non-Title 1, Pre-K through Grade 5 elementary schools in an urban eastern Virginia school district, participated in this study. A three-way between-groups …


Understanding Georgia's National Board Certified Teachers: A Phenomenological Approach To A Teacher's Perspective, Kimberly Brantley Apr 2014

Understanding Georgia's National Board Certified Teachers: A Phenomenological Approach To A Teacher's Perspective, Kimberly Brantley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand what it means to be a National Board Certified teacher (NBCT) in Georgia. Georgia teachers, distinguished with the NBCT title, participated in surveys and interviews which were analyzed qualitatively in order to understand the essence of being a National Board Certified teacher. Three themes emerged from this study. Georgia NBCTs are dedicated, passionate, and driven. They are reflective and use reflection to drive their instruction. Georgia NBCTs have a strong desire to improve their teaching and a strong need to have their teaching validated to ensure they are good teachers.


A Phenomenological Study Of Online Learning For Deaf Students In Postsecondary Education: A Deaf Perspective, Patricia Wooten Apr 2014

A Phenomenological Study Of Online Learning For Deaf Students In Postsecondary Education: A Deaf Perspective, Patricia Wooten

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study investigated the effects of online learning for deaf college students as opposed to the mainstream classroom setting. This study specifically analyzed the writing and reading skills of deaf students in general and the development of English literacy of prelingually deaf students and those from non-English speaking countries. The use of online teaching tools had significantly improved postsecondary education for deaf students in the United States, particularly in these three categories. A phenomenological study was conducted to express the perspectives of deaf college students regarding the topic. Participants of this research were sixteen deaf online college students …