Digital Commons Network^™

Using Education To Protect The Elderly Against Fraud, Erik Charles

Honors College Theses

This study’s goal is to provide a guide to anyone looking to educate the elderly on fraud. Advice is provided for those who want to help an elderly person in their life and for people who wish to create fraud educations programs of their own. My own experience creating and giving a fraud lecture at a senior living facility is used as evidence for my advice, as well as research into various elderly and fraud related topics.

Computer Cravings In 20th Century Schools: From Creativity To Capitalism, Keely E. Amos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the push for computers in education from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. During that time, computers were introduced into schools across America with big promises, in turn creating big dreams. Instead of the cognition, creativity, and collaboration that was envisioned with computers in the classroom, the shifting motivations regarding computers have exacerbated the datafication and standardization of our students (Cuban, 2001). The problems associated with the corporation of computers into the curriculum are widespread (Pinar et. al, 1995/2004). Following the methodology of Historiography, this paper provides a critical examination about what was promised, and by …

Teaching Creativity In Standards-Based Classrooms: The Impact Of Personal Creative Writing To Teachers’ Perceptions Of Creativity In The Classroom, Katie Jones

Honors College Theses

Creative writing is rarely highlighted in public classrooms, yet it may be the key to development for both students and teachers. Due to restrictions such as time limitations, personal experience, pressures of testing, and more, teachers find creativity intimidating to teach. The Deep Center in Savannah, GA, a site of the National Writing Project, offers an intensive 10-day program for teachers that encompasses writing, creativity, and community. This qualitative case study utilizes the context of the Deep Center’s Writing Project as a background to analyze participants' perceptions of creativity in their classrooms and their own personal engagement in creative writing. …

The Importance Of Learning Deaf Culture Through A Black Deaf Perspective In The Field Of Communication Sciences And Disorders, Lindsay Lee

Honors College Theses

As the diversity in the demographics of clinical populations increases in the United States, clinicians must also be accountable for learning the culture of their patients. The Deaf community, specifically individuals who identify with Deaf culture and Black Deaf culture, is a multifaceted, cultural group that has been marginalized within various settings including social, political, and employment settings, including academic and clinical research. This review will examine the historical developments within Deaf History in the United States, the injustices related to Deaf culture, and more specifically Black Deaf culture, and discuss the critical need for Deaf research and tools that …

Confronting The Haunted South: A Journey Into The History, Legacy, And Life Of Boggs Academy, Caroline G. Whitcomb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Boggs Academy was a private, Presbyterian boarding school for Blacks that operated from 1906 until 1984 in rural Georgia. The institution, recognized for academic excellence, marked by resilience, and beloved by alumni, existed because of the racism that has plagued this nation since its inception. The stated purpose of this research is four-fold: to record/compile a history of Boggs Academy, to carry on the work Mr. Charles W. Francis began in his Master’s thesis on Boggs Academy, to demonstrate the value of togetherness in qualitative research, and to cast a vision for the future of education built upon the institution’s …

From Hopscotch To Border Hopping: Assessing The Role Of Education As A Catalyst For Child Migration From The Northern Triangle, Taylor A. Close

Honors College Theses

This paper will evaluate forced child migration from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, more commonly known as Central America’s Northern Triangle. More specifically, the research questions how the denial of primary education may constitute a human rights violation that catalyzes forced child migration from the region. If the denial of education constitutes a human rights abuse, then current classifications and management of child migrants at the border can no longer be deemed sufficient or legal. Ultimately, if the denial of primary education represents a significant human rights abuse and cause of forced child migration, United States immigration policy must be …

Deschooling Schooled Minds: Speculative Essays, Kelly Graziano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This dissertation is a collection of speculative essays (Schubert, 1991) that explore the "why" of schooling and possible alternative educational arrangements (Illich, 1970/2002; Reimer, 1971; Goodman, 1962; Holt, 1972; Gatto, 1992/2017; Giroux, 2000). As one who has been schooled (in "educational" institutions and those like it, e.g. abusive relationships), I have developed a passion to bring awareness to the destructiveness of schooling and to learning from the world rather than what others want us to know and believe about it. Incorporated with autobiographical narrative, I trace both the historical and current reasons behind the establishment and maintenance of mass …

Un-Affirmative Action: The Persistence Of Anti-Black Racism In The Higher Education System Of Postcolonial Brazil, Zakiya T. Daniel

Honors College Theses

Public education systems institutionalize the socialization process which directly disseminates cultural and national values and assimilates the population through mass education. But how does colonial-era anti-Black racism persist in the higher education institutions of contemporary postcolonial societies? Using the Federative Republic of Brazil as a case study, I examine the effects of incomplete decolonization, anti-Blackness, and the role of history, economics, and pedagogy on social outcomes that exclude and marginalize Black and other minority groups. The Brazilian higher education system follows a pattern centered around anti-Black racism which serves to disempower Black, Brown, and Indigenous populations during the colonial and …

Automation In Graphic Design, Robert M. Doehling

Honors College Theses

Advances in technology have had dramatic impacts throughout history on a myriad of industries outside of the technology industry itself. These changes are showcased through a brief examination of the changes within the graphic design industry since the recorded birth of the graphic. With the advent of popularized artificial intelligence seen in the modern day, many are predicting the end of graphic design. Through an analysis of current automated design products within the consumer market and a dive into the research alongside design automation professional Peter O’Donovan, it is evident that the role of the graphic designer will most likely …

Motivating The Unmotivated: How Are We Supporting Struggling Readers In Upper Elementary Classrooms?, Maci V. Wood

Honors College Theses

Motivating struggling students to read is a question considered by many general education reading teachers and special education teachers alike. Since student classroom experiences today differ greatly from classrooms of the past in terms of instructional practices and learning supports, scripted materials that seldom cater to student interest have often been promoted due to the pressure of standardized assessment. With little to no student engagement present in the classroom, it is up to the student to find the will to read or to the teacher to utilize alternative strategies in increasing student motivation (Cambria & Gunthrie, 2008). However, there is …

Teacher-Parent Relationship Building, Alana R. Bray

Honors College Theses

Problems can develop when clashes with culture or daily schedules occur and when communication skills breakdown. In order to build relationships with parents/guardians, teachers must develop the necessary skills to overcome those possible challenges. Teacher education programs should design more successful models to prepare future teachers for relationship building.

Ifocus: A Framework For Non-Intrusive Assessment Of Student Attention Level In Classrooms, Narayanan Veliyath

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The process of learning is not merely determined by what the instructor teaches, but also by how the student receives that information. An attentive student will naturally be more open to obtaining knowledge than a bored or frustrated student. In recent years, tools such as skin temperature measurements and body posture calculations have been developed for the purpose of determining a student's affect, or emotional state of mind. However, measuring eye-gaze data is particularly noteworthy in that it can collect measurements non-intrusively, while also being relatively simple to set up and use. This paper details how data obtained from such …

Best Practices For The Changing Male Voice In Secondary Choir Classrooms, Emily Deyton

Honors College Theses

This research looks at the application strategies for addressing the changing male voice in secondary choir classrooms. The goal is to determine if the best practices described by scholarly literature on the changing male voice are being put into practice in secondary choir classrooms in Georgia and their perceived effectiveness. The research was conducted through a survey sent to all middle school choir directors in the state of Georgia with contact information listed through GMEA. Upon examination of the survey results, it is clear that choir directors are putting many of these strategies into effect in their classrooms and that …

(Re)Learning To Question: Curriculum Studies And (Re)Thinking Science For The 21st Century, Anthony Jerome Stawiery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes a science literacy which revisits the nature of science and how it has fallen away from its inquiry-based roots and has become a tool for oppression and exclusion. The epistemological roots of science begin with curiosity and questioning. Asking questions is also foundational to democratic society. A critical science literacy emphasizes the need to question and to remain curious. Such skills can be incorporated across multiple disciplines. Therefore, this dissertation proposes science literacy not as a literacy in the life or physical sciences, but as a methodology of inquiry, a skillset that nurtures curiosity and strengthens critique. …

Deciding On Classroom Composition: Factors Related To Principals' Grouping Practices, Brigid M. Nesmith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine the factors that may influence elementary and middle school principals’ choice of heterogeneous, homogeneous, or within-class ability grouping in Southeast Georgia. This study employed a quantitative, methodological research design along with descriptive analyses of four research questions using a convenience sample. Data from 64 elementary and middle school principals were received during the spring of 2018 and analyzed to determine the factors that influence their grouping practices.

This study focused on one overarching research question: What factors may be related to principals’ grouping practices in utilizing heterogeneous, homogeneous, or within-class ability …

Differences In Mental Health Education Across Baby Boomers, Generation X, And Millennials, Ashlyn M. Avera

Honors College Theses

There is no denying that mental illness has gained a strong prevalence in the United States. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately one in five adults in the United States experiences a mental illness in any given year. Although mental health stigmas have played a role in the past, it does not mean they must continue to play the same role in the future. Research is now looking toward ways to decrease mental health stigma through increasing mental health knowledge. This study examines the starting point for which a society becomes literate in mental health. Using a …

Women's Education: An International Perspective, Nneka B. Dean

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study is to dissect a topic that is heavily discussed around the world: women’s education and the many diverse ways in which it is practiced. One of the reasons women’s education is such a highly-debated topic is because there are still many differences in how people believe it should be accomplished while other places do not see the advantage or purpose of educating women. There are many countries with male dominated enrollment because of the women’s traditionally-held gender role of staying at home or because the family’s socioeconomic status. This study compared the experiences of women’s …

Teaching Techniques Of Athletic Training Educators During Instruction Of Concussion Assessment Tools, Michelle Lima

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: Standards for concussion management in clinical practice are essential to best practices in health care. Even with the heightened awareness of concussion education in medical professionals over the past decade, there have been no studies to date to investigate the educational practices of instructors at CAATE-accredited institutions and how they teach concussion assessment tools. Purpose: To evaluate the educational practices of instructors teaching the course on concussion assessment tools at CAATE-accredited institutions. Design: Mixed-methods, exploratory study. Methods: Nine instructors from CAATE-accredited Athletic Training Education Programs that varied in geographical and division completed a 34-item survey using Qualtrics (2015)©. A …

Concussion Knowledge And Understanding In Ghsa Guardians, Chloe C. Salway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: Concussions are a serious injury that could result in both short and long-term consequences, particularly if not recognized and managed appropriately. Concussion education has been implemented, mostly as a result of Concussion legislation. Coach and athlete concussion education has been evaluated in the literature, however the literature is scarce on parental concussion education.

Purpose: To assess concussion knowledge and understanding in guardians of Georgia High School Association (GHSA) student-athletes that completed the GHSA concussion awareness form, in comparison to those that received additional concussion education.

Methods: This study utilized a prospective cross-sectional descriptive research design. Participants were GHSA guardians …

Intuition And Curriculum: From Precognition To Agency, Sandra Martinaitis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation is a speculative essay using the framework of Joseph Schwab’s (1969) commonplaces of: subject matter, student, teacher and milieu to examine how intuition can and should form part of curriculum. The overarching theme is that intuition and intuitive teaching and learning is an iterative path which leads to self-knowledge, reflection, cognition and acceptance of ‘other’ -- the Freirian (2010) notion of tolérance-- resulting in critical thinking and agency to ameliorate lives -- particularly of the oppressed. It embraces the clichéd notion of education leading to informed citizens who will make the right choices for society as a …

Examining What Factors Affect High School Students’ Educational Aspirations, Kalle T. Pray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to examine the factors that influenced a high school student’s educational aspirations. This study used data collected by the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS) 2009-2013 to examine how a student’s engagement, interest, attitudes toward math teacher, counselors helping with college materials, and meeting with a counselor influence a student’s educational aspirations. The findings suggest that student engagement, student interest and meeting with a counselor were significant predictors of higher educational aspirations even after controlling for being white, female, academic track, and family income. Counselors helping with college material was also a predictor of higher educational aspirations, however …

The Posthuman Curriculum And The Teacher, John P. Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this document is to explore education through a posthumanist lens. More specifically, elements of posthumanism will be used to better understand today’s teachers, to provide several overarching educational goals and curricular imperatives, and to inform pedagogical practice. Several posthumanist themes in particular will serve to unify this rather broad consideration of education at varying levels. One such theme is that of blurring boundaries, calling into question distinctions that have been the source of declines in the health of our bodies, our species, and the life systems of which we are constitutive parts. Distinctions too often lead to …

Teacher Attitudes Toward Latin Instruction At The Elementary Level, Kirsten Elizabeth Brodmann Ms.

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify whether teacher attitudes toward Latin instruction at the elementary level were generally positive or negative. Participants were elementary Latin and English Language Art teachers who had experience with students receiving Latin instruction in elementary classrooms. Data were collected through interviews. The elementary teachers were questioned about their general experience of Latin and their observations of Latin’s effects on other content areas. Differences in opinions between Latin instructors and English Language Arts instructors were recorded. This study benefits educators who are interested in teaching Latin as a content area or integrating Latin into …

Arts-Integration In A Middle Grades Social Studies Classroom, Stephanie J. Dorminey

Honors College Theses

Many middle grades students are not engaged in their Social Studies classrooms, and history teachers are faced with the task of finding an effective way to engage students and help them remember the required content. The purpose of this study was to investigate how integrating the arts in a middle grades history classroom influences student learning and student satisfaction in social studies. The study is mixed-methods; therefore, data collected are both quantitative and qualitative. Participants are two classes of middle grades students at a rural school in the Southeastern United States. This study will benefit educators who are interested in …

The Effects Of Latent Stage Diabetic Education And Tele-Health Reinforcement On The Knowledge Of Low-Income Diabetic Patients, Hannah M. Chicowlas

Honors College Theses

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions globally. Poverty and obesity are factors that affect the development and progression of this disease. Although education has been identified as a factor affecting treatment adherence, on-going education for diabetes typically occurs in the early stages. This pilot study consisted of a quantitative, comparative study utilizing tele-health as the primary form of educational reinforcement for latent stage, low-income diabetics. Six clients agreed to participate. It focused on participants from a local clinic in Georgia. All participants live at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. An initial survey was followed by …

Parental Influence On College Students’ Career Aspirations, Kristen Tillman

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of influence parents had on the career decision making process for their children who are pre-service teachers. Participants were pre-service teachers in their final year in the teacher education program. Data were collected using both a survey and interviews. The data were then divided into two groups consisting of responses from the pre-service teachers who are children of educators and those who are children of non-educators. In comparing these two groups, this study revealed that the children of educators indicated a slightly greater parent influence on their career choices than …

Principal Instructional Leadership In Ga High Poverty Elementary Schools, Ginger W. Spires

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of principal instructional leadership practices in Georgia Reward Highest Performing and Georgia Reward Highest Progress elementary schools. As such, this causal-comparative study identified the frequency of principal instructional leadership practices and attempted to determine if these practices can be related to school effectiveness in high poverty schools. The sample of this study consisted of Georgia classroom teachers in high poverty elementary schools, specifically in the categories of Georgia Reward Highest Performing and Georgia Reward Highest Progress elementary schools. Hallinger’s (1983) Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) was utilized to …

Solving The Puzzle Of The Black Vote: Is Education Really The Missing Piece?, Xavier Robert Brown

Honors College Theses

Given the popular knowledge that with greater education comes the likelihood of higher voting participation rates among Americans, it is puzzling that African Americans have not been subject to a rise in voting participation that is equivalent to the increase in the rate of education attainment over the last four decades. This study is dedicated to explaining why education is a weak predictive factor for voting participation among African American voters. It ventures to suggest and support that communal factors tied to group membership exert a strong force on whether or not African American citizens vote.

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Scripted Education, Alexa M. Lowery

Honors College Theses

The purpose of my study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of scripted techniques using state mandated standards and the techniques’ impact on student performance. I surveyed the teachers of elementary schools in Edwards County (pseudonym) and found that most teachers are not using the standards as they were originally intended, and they feel that students are falling behind because the standards are not developmentally appropriate.

Chaos Theory, Theology, And Curriculum: Striving Towards The Impossibility Of The Gift, Thomas B. Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It was once thought that small influences could not have a large impact on a grand scale. However, in the 1960s Edward Lorenz discovered that very small disturbances in weather conditions could have a great effect on huge weather systems. With an understanding of chaos theory, which posits that everything matters, I argue that a life based on the lessons of a theology inspired by postmodernism can provide a lens through which to see and act in this chaotic world. By living by this belief, the ability to give the true gift, which is an impossibility and is always to …