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Attrition Of Esl Foreign-Born Hispanic Students At Csn, Luis B Ortega
Attrition Of Esl Foreign-Born Hispanic Students At Csn, Luis B Ortega
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
This qualitative naturalistic study examined the retention barriers for foreign-born Hispanic English as Second Language (ESL) students that dropped out of the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) ESL for-credit program and the need for services they perceived would have helped them succeed. The participants for this study were foreign-born Hispanics who were taking ESL 110B, ESL 111B and ESL 120B (levels 1, 2, and 3) during the 2005-2006 academic year and have since dropped out. The main focus of the study was on institutional and social factors that affected the retention rate of this population at CSN. Four in-depth interviews …
Knowledge Of Personal Energy Requirements In College Students, Aurora Maria Buffington
Knowledge Of Personal Energy Requirements In College Students, Aurora Maria Buffington
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
This study explored whether university students enrolled in health science classes were able to estimate their energy requirements within a range of calories equal to predicted Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) +/- two standard deviations. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and a participant survey were given to a convenience sample of 63 male and 92 female undergraduate students (19-23 years) with subsequent measurements of height, weight and body fat percentage. Results from the IPAQ yielded metabolic equivalents which were converted to physical activity coefficients for use in the EER equation. Students significantly underestimated their EER by an average of 700 …
The Athletic, Academic, And Social Experiences Of Female Intercollegiate Team Sport Student-Athletes, Jason Michael Frank
The Athletic, Academic, And Social Experiences Of Female Intercollegiate Team Sport Student-Athletes, Jason Michael Frank
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Intercollegiate athletics at the Division I level in the United States have developed into highly publicized forms of entertainment and business (Hill, Burch-Ragan, & Yates, 2001), while often generating conflicts and dilemmas within universities when the goals of the athletic department clash with the goals of the school (Sperber, 1990; Zimbalist, 1999). In the middle of it all are student-athletes, young adults whose title combines two distinct roles into one. Balancing these roles can be difficult (Adler & Adler, 1987; Adler & Adler, 1990; Miller & Kerr, 2002; Miller & Kerr, 2003), but student-athletes who do balance their roles and …
Analysis Of The Application Of First Amendment Jurisprudence To University Student Fees *Policies, Christine Chairsell
Analysis Of The Application Of First Amendment Jurisprudence To University Student Fees *Policies, Christine Chairsell
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
The allocable student activity fee represents a fee imposed by the university administration and is paid at the time that tuition is paid. The administration or the elected student government body representatives disperse these collected fees to groups that have made application for funding and have passed the review process. Sometimes students object to their mandatory activities fees being diverted to certain groups because they are either political or advocate opinions with which the students disagree. Thus, the controversy becomes a free speech challenge; The purpose of this study was to provide a historical case study about the legal controversies …
The Effects Of Students' Asynchronous Online Discussions Of Conceptual Errors On Intentionally Flawed Teacher-Constructed Concept Maps, Magdalena Sas
The Effects Of Students' Asynchronous Online Discussions Of Conceptual Errors On Intentionally Flawed Teacher-Constructed Concept Maps, Magdalena Sas
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Research shows that online discussions are often unfocused and without providing much benefit to students' learning outcomes. One of the reasons behind this phenomenon is the lack of or inadequate scaffolding or guidance provided to students when participating on asynchronous discussion boards. The collaborative misconception mapping strategy is a tool that was designed to mediate cognitive and metacognitive processes via feedback provided by peers and a teacher-created concept map that contains intentional conceptual errors; This study evaluated the effects of collaborative misconception mapping as compared with those of a traditional online discussion activity, where students post responses to discussion questions. …
The Impact Of Interactive Factors On Romanian Students' Understanding Of Place Value, Madalina Tanase
The Impact Of Interactive Factors On Romanian Students' Understanding Of Place Value, Madalina Tanase
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Students' mathematics achievement is believed to be influenced by a variety of factors (Brenner, Master of Engineering (ME), Herman S., Ho, H.Z. & Zimmer, J.M., 1999; Cai, C. 2000; Huntsinger, C. & J., P.E., 2000; Ma, 1999; Miura, 1987; Stevenson, L. & Stigler, J.W. 1986). As such, the performance gap in mathematics between students from different countries was attributed in turn, to the teachers' subject matter and pedagogical knowledge (Ma, 1999, Perry, 2000), curriculum development (Li, 2000; Valverde, Bianchi, Wolfe, Schmidt, Houang, 2002), native language (Miura, 1987), as well as parental raising and teaching strategies (Dornbush, Ritter, Leiderman, Roberts, & …
The Nature Of Epistemic Climates In Elementary Classrooms, Florian C Feucht
The Nature Of Epistemic Climates In Elementary Classrooms, Florian C Feucht
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
This study explored the nature of three epistemic climates in a fourth-grade classroom (i.e., a science and a reading lesson) and a sixth-grade classroom (i.e., a reading lesson). An epistemic climate is defined as the nature of knowledge and knowing emerging from the personal epistemologies of: (1) students, and (2) teachers, as well as from the epistemological underpinnings of (3) knowledge representations (e.g., curricula and textbooks), (4) instruction, and (5) their reciprocal relations. An epistemic climate is unique to individual classrooms and subject to change. A variety of qualitative methods were applied to tap the five data points of each …
A Study Of The Relationship Between Curricular Characteristics Recommended By Recognized Authorities And Curricular Characteristics Found In Existing Programs For Academically Gifted Students, Andrew R Nixon
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
The study surveyed the 190 largest school districts in the United States and 18 recognized authorities in the field of education for the academically gifted. Each of the school districts was presumed to have a program which served the academically gifted; The recognized authorities were given a list of 48 curricular characteristics and were asked to check the degree to which they would select each characteristic for inclusion in a program for the academically gifted. The school districts were given the same list of 48 curricular characteristics and were asked to check the degree to which each characteristic was included …
Risk-Taking Behavior Of Skateboarders And Traditional Sport Participants In Students Ages 13--16 Years, Charles A. Hackenheimer
Risk-Taking Behavior Of Skateboarders And Traditional Sport Participants In Students Ages 13--16 Years, Charles A. Hackenheimer
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
The researcher examined sensation-seeking behaviors of middle school and high school physical education students. The purpose of this study was to find the difference in sensation seeking behaviors between traditional sport participants, skateboarders, non-sport participants and among traditional sport participants and skateboarders. Traditional sports participants for this study consist of students who have played team baseball, basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, track & field, swimming, or softball. Skateboarder for this study consists of students who ride at least three times a week and favor this activity over others. Non-sports participants consist of students who do not play any type of traditional …
Traditional/Nontraditional Students' Use Of Goal Orientations And Coping Strategies, Marcus Lee Johnson
Traditional/Nontraditional Students' Use Of Goal Orientations And Coping Strategies, Marcus Lee Johnson
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
This study sought to improve upon the definition of nontraditional student status, and to identify relationships between student status, goal orientations, and coping strategies. Two of this study's hypotheses included the expectation that nontraditional students would employ more adaptive goal orientations (e.g. mastery-approach) more often than traditional students; and students who use more adaptive goal orientations would employ more adaptive coping strategies (e.g. task-oriented coping); This study involved 180 undergraduates, and used a participant information questionnaire, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), and the Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ). Factor and cluster analyses revealed that the variables age, marital status, …
Effects Of Music Therapy On Prosocial Behavior Of Students With Autism And Developmental Disabilities, Catherine L De Mers
Effects Of Music Therapy On Prosocial Behavior Of Students With Autism And Developmental Disabilities, Catherine L De Mers
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
This research study employed a multiple baseline across participants design to investigate the effects of music therapy intervention on hitting, screaming, and asking of three children with autism and/or developmental disabilities. Behaviors were observed and recorded during 10-minute free-play sessions both during baseline and immediately after music therapy sessions during intervention. Interobserver agreement and procedural fidelity data were collected. Music therapy sessions were modeled on literature pertaining to music therapy with children with autism. In addition, social validity surveys were collected to answer research questions pertaining to the social validity of music therapy as an intervention; Findings indicate that music …
The Influence Of Collective Efficacy On Reporting Crime Among College Students, Violet Angelina Colavito
The Influence Of Collective Efficacy On Reporting Crime Among College Students, Violet Angelina Colavito
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Colleges and universities often aim to create a sense of community and a neighborhood feel for students. University campuses are designed in ways that reflect the factors of social cohesion measured by Goudriaan, Wittebrood, and Nieuwbeerta (2006). Crime on college campuses is an important social issue. Data from the NCVS suggest that between 1995 and 2002, college students experienced an estimated 400,000 to 530,000 violent crimes each year; yet only about 35% of violent victimizations against college students were reported to the police (Baum 2005, and Hart 2003). Yet, research exploring the effect of social cohesion and collective efficacy on …
Effects Of Possible Selves Instruction On Self -Determination Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Jennifer L Stringfellow
Effects Of Possible Selves Instruction On Self -Determination Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Jennifer L Stringfellow
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Students with disabilities face a difficult transition from high school to adult life. In the areas of employment and post secondary education students with disabilities have difficulty being successful (National Council on Disability, 2004; U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). The need for students with disabilities to be adequately prepared for the transition from school to adult life has been stated in government reports and research (Raskind, Goldberg, Higgins, & Herman, 1999; Wehmeyer, 1999; Field, Sarver, & Shaw, 2003, National Council on Disability, 2004; Reiff, 2004); The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Possible Selves program (Hock, …
Handheld Computers: Do They Support Or Constrain Nursing Students At The Point -Of -Care?, Deborah I Carr-Warner
Handheld Computers: Do They Support Or Constrain Nursing Students At The Point -Of -Care?, Deborah I Carr-Warner
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Technology has made a significant impact within the healthcare system over recent years. As technology continues to evolve and becomes a major driving force within the healthcare system, so will the need for preparing technologically competent healthcare professionals. Also within the healthcare system, changes such as a decrease in the length of hospital stay, the aging population, and the multi-disease processes of the aging population, presents a challenge to nursing faculty to adequately prepare tomorrows' nurse. One of the most promising technological devices being used by healthcare professionals is the handheld computer or personal digital assistant (PDA). Although the current …
Transformation Of Identity Of Four Female Japanese International Students, Chizu Matsubara-Jaret
Transformation Of Identity Of Four Female Japanese International Students, Chizu Matsubara-Jaret
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Every year, thousands of students worldwide leave home for the purpose of participating in an educational experience in a country other than their own. Drawing on a multiple case study design with an ethnographic approach, this study examined the connection between learning a second language (L2) in naturalistic contexts and possible transformations of identity for four female Japanese international students in the United States. The investigation centered around three basic research questions: (1) what are some of the effects of adaptation to the U.S. culture on the identity transformation of female Japanese international students; (2) what elements of communicative competence …
Exploring The Effects Of Online Instructional Models On The Writing Achievement Of High School Students With And Without Disabilities, Bradley Jon Kaffar
Exploring The Effects Of Online Instructional Models On The Writing Achievement Of High School Students With And Without Disabilities, Bradley Jon Kaffar
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of three online models for teaching a paragraph writing strategy to students with and without disabilities. A learning strategist instructor implemented The Paragraph Writing Strategy (Schumaker & Lyerla, 1993) using three treatment groups that included the following online models: (a) Power Point media, (b) streaming video, and (c) multimedia (Power Point and video). Participants were 121 high school students in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in an online charter school program; there were 27 students with disabilities and 94 students without disabilities. Data were collected to answer five research questions …
Student-Athlete Recruitment At The University Of Nevada, Las Vegas, Christi Smith Dewaele
Student-Athlete Recruitment At The University Of Nevada, Las Vegas, Christi Smith Dewaele
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
With the impact winning athletic teams have on a university it is not surprising that pressure to produce winning teams is enormous. Coaches are expected to recruit the most athletically talented players to provide the university with winning seasons (Letawsky, Palmer & Schneider, 2005). In order for institutions to bring in athletes who are able to excel academically and athletically, it is important for coaches to understand what characterizes the college selection process for student-athletes. Therefore, an important step in this regard would be to develop instrumentation to measure this process. Hence, the purpose of this study was to conduct …
The Effects Of Perceived Teacher Empowerment On Student Achievement, Florence Barker Aitken
The Effects Of Perceived Teacher Empowerment On Student Achievement, Florence Barker Aitken
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived levels of teacher empowerment in schools showing an increase of student outcomes as well as a decrease of student outcomes on standardized proficiency tests in reading/language arts and mathematics over a three-year period. The relationship between the levels of teachers' perceived empowerment to student achievement was studied as well as specific dimensions of teacher empowerment connected to student outcomes. The instrumentation used in this study was the School Participant Empowerment Scale (SPES) that was developed by researchers Short and Rinehart (1992) and contained six theoretical dimensions of teacher empowerment: (a) …
Social Skills Of Students With Emotional Disabilities: A Technology -Based Intervention, Therese M Cumming
Social Skills Of Students With Emotional Disabilities: A Technology -Based Intervention, Therese M Cumming
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Students with emotional and behavioral disabilities can be some of the most difficult students to keep in the regular school setting, let alone include in general education classes (Desbians & Royer, 2005). Often, higher percentages of students with emotional disabilities are placed in the most restrictive settings (e.g., homebound, hospitals, and residential settings) than students with any other disability (Nelson, Jordan, & Rodrigues-Walling, 2002). One of the keys to success for these students is consistent and systematic instruction in the areas of behavior and social skills (Williams & Reisberg, 2003); The use of multimedia, student-generated social skills lessons coupled with …
Development Of An Instrument Designed To Measure Student Perception Of School Connectedness, Nicole Jennifer Smith
Development Of An Instrument Designed To Measure Student Perception Of School Connectedness, Nicole Jennifer Smith
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to design and validate an instrument to measure student perception of school connectedness. The intended use for this instrument was to evaluate school-based health interventions such as "Planned Approach to Healthier Schools" (PATHS; Lounsbery, Gast, & Smith, 2005), and to potentially examine other important correlates of student perception of school connectedness, such as attendance in school, referral rates, as well as school drop out and graduation. The development of the instrument included a series of steps which comprised (a) identification of a purpose, (b) specification of an underlying theory, (c) item development, (d) content …
Test Preparation Strategies And Test Taking Strategies Use In Chinese High School Students, Yun Peng
Test Preparation Strategies And Test Taking Strategies Use In Chinese High School Students, Yun Peng
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
This study investigated the use of test-preparation and test-taking strategies of 429 tenth graders from a key high school in Guangzhou, China. Differences in strategy uses among low-, medium-, and high-achieving groups were determined in two subject-matter areas (Chinese language and mathematics); Instruments used for data collection were the Test Preparation Strategies Questionnaire (TPSQ) and Test Taking Strategies Questionnaire (TTSQ), which examined students' strategy use in cognitive/metacognitive, motivational/emotional, environmental management areas; Results indicated that Chinese tenth graders memorized contents more often than other strategies while preparing for tests. Students planned their course of action for test preparation and selected study …
The Effects Of A Personal Responsibility Model On Individual Student And Class-Wide Social Behaviors, Daniel Wesley Balderson
The Effects Of A Personal Responsibility Model On Individual Student And Class-Wide Social Behaviors, Daniel Wesley Balderson
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Teaching students social values has long been associated with K-12 education (Solomon, Watson, Delucchi, Schaps, 1988). With the rise of anti social behavior among children and youth in schools (Volokh & Snell, 1998) practitioners and scholars alike are re-focusing their attention on implementing and empirically documenting social skill programs (Hellison, 2003; Solomon, Watson, Battistich, Schaps, & Delucchi, 1996; Martinek & Hellison, 1998; Shields & Bredemeier, 1995; DeBusk & Hellison, 1989). The context of physical education, due to its naturally interactive and conflict oriented environment, may be an ideal setting for social skill development. Although widely used but with little research …
Belief In A Just World Among Undergraduates, Graduate Students, And Law Students, Joseph F Boetcher
Belief In A Just World Among Undergraduates, Graduate Students, And Law Students, Joseph F Boetcher
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Participants were 135 undergraduates, graduate students, and law students. They were compared on the strength of their belief in a just world. In addition, half the participants were primed with a word task that threatened their belief in a just world. It was hypothesized that the law students would exhibit a stronger belief in a just world than the other two educational groups, and that the primed participants would score higher in just world belief than the non-primed participants. Results failed to support the research hypotheses. Possible interpretations of the results are discussed, and recommendations for future research are offered.
Comparing Preservice Teachers' Special Education Knowledge And Attitudes Toward The Placement Of Students With Disabilities, Ronald Tamura
Comparing Preservice Teachers' Special Education Knowledge And Attitudes Toward The Placement Of Students With Disabilities, Ronald Tamura
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
The purposes of this study were: (a) to compare general and special education preservice teachers' attitudes regarding educational placements for students with disabilities, (b) to determine whether these attitudes are disability specific and, (c) to determine whether change in knowledge has an effect on attitude toward placement over the course of a semester while enrolled in introductory classes about students with disabilities. Two groups of respondents comprised of general education and special education preservice teachers participated in this study. A pretest and posttest format was used to gather information. Specifically, data were collected using the Preservice Teacher Service Delivery Survey …
The School Experience From The Students' Perspective: A Comparative Case Study Analysis, John Goldhardt
The School Experience From The Students' Perspective: A Comparative Case Study Analysis, John Goldhardt
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
Since the re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2001 (also known as No Child Left Behind), public schools are required to be more accountable in relationship to student achievement. With the current attention on accountability that is based mostly upon standardized tests, it becomes compelling to study the school experience from the students' perspective. The purpose of this study is not to analyze traditional data from students, but to instead, examine the perceptions of high school senior students based upon their schooling experience and its implications for school leaders; Invitational education and critical theory provide a theoretical …
Virtual Learning Community: A Student Exit Survey And Qualitative Framework, David C Diramio
Virtual Learning Community: A Student Exit Survey And Qualitative Framework, David C Diramio
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
As the mystery and intrigue surrounding technology use in higher education dissipates, the time has come to bring technological initiatives, such as distance education, into the fold with the rest of campus in terms of assessment, accountability, and policy. Although online education shows promise for setting the collegiate learning experience free from the confines of the lecture hall, new challenges are emerging. For example, attrition rates for courses delivered via the Internet are higher than average, typically ten percentage points higher in online courses than in the traditional campus classroom. In an era of declining resources and renewed interest in …
Exploring Relationships Between Configurations Of Laptop Use And Student Off -Task Behavior, Loretta Donovan
Exploring Relationships Between Configurations Of Laptop Use And Student Off -Task Behavior, Loretta Donovan
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
This study had three purposes: to explore configurations of laptop use in the middle school setting; to explore the range of student off-task behavior during laptop-based learning experiences; and to explore the relationships between the configurations of use and student off-task behavior. Through a framework of educational change and guided by methodologies of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model of change, an Innovation Configuration Map was developed and used to collect data for this study. Three unique configurations of use were identified: The Jetsons, in which technology is fully integrated and a natural part of teaching, learning, assessment, and communication; Star Trek …
The Effects Of A Personal Accountability And Personal Responsibility Model On Urban Elementary Student Positive Social And Off-Task Behaviors, Daniel Wesley Balderson
The Effects Of A Personal Accountability And Personal Responsibility Model On Urban Elementary Student Positive Social And Off-Task Behaviors, Daniel Wesley Balderson
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
In the past few decades, the challenge of violent and disruptive behaviors among our children and youth has been on the rise. This study provides one intervention model focused on personal accountability and personal responsibility designed to reduce off-task and disruptive behavior in school settings, and designed to increase positive social behaviors among children and youth. A multiple treatment ABAD, ACAD, ADA, control behavior analysis design was implemented across four distinct elementary physical education classes matched for participant and setting similarity. Measures included number of occurrence and percentage of class time across Teacher Management, Student Leadership, Passive and Disruptive Student …
Identifying The Barriers To Access To Higher Education For African -American Students: Opinions Of Successful African -American Educators, William Lewis Taylor
Identifying The Barriers To Access To Higher Education For African -American Students: Opinions Of Successful African -American Educators, William Lewis Taylor
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine past and present social, educational, and financial barriers to African American access to and success within United States higher educational institutions, and identify and recommend ways of ameliorating those barriers for African American students in the future. Based on a comprehensive literature review and analysis of responses to an author-designed survey questionnaire mailed to a cross-section of current United States African American higher education administrators, the study identified and analyzed past and present impacts, on African Americans, of social, educational, and economic factors possibly impeding their higher education entry and success. These …
Postsecondary Readiness Skills: Perceptions Of Students With And Without Disabilities, Carol Mae White
Postsecondary Readiness Skills: Perceptions Of Students With And Without Disabilities, Carol Mae White
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in the perceptions of postsecondary readiness skills between students with emotional disorders, students with learning disabilities, and students with no disabilities. Participants consisted of 91 students, 12 students with emotional disorders, 47 students with learning disabilities, and 32 students without disabilities in grades 11 and 12 who were planning on transitioning to postsecondary education. Data were collected to determine if there were significant differences in perceptions of postsecondary readiness skills among the three groups of students, specifically on eight domains: general preparation, academic preparation, self-determination and advocacy, academic accommodations and …