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In The Service Of What? A Phenomenological Exploration Of African American High School Students' Self-Efficacy In Service Learning, Charemi A. Jones

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored how African American high school students from a large Midwestern city make meaning of their service learning experiences within the framework of mandated service learning participation required for high school graduation, and how their lived experiences inform their self-efficacy development. Scholars have previously posited, “student voice in service learning projects positively correlated with improved self-concept, political engagement, and tolerance” (Morgan and Streb, 2001). Within this context, voice is synonymous with students’ self- reflection.

One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted utilizing a pre-printed protocol consisting of open- ended questions designed to elicit authentic responses, allowing the voice of …

Exploring The Use Of Teaching Strategies To Impact The Academic And Social Challenges Faced By First-Generation College Students, Susan Smierciak Lueders

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have shown that roughly one-third of the total students at four-year universities are the first in their families to attend college. These students are commonly referred to as first-generation college (FGC) students. The percent of total college students who are FGC students is expected to rise as the children of working-class, predominantly “blue collar” baby boomers, and the children of immigrants reach college age and enter the college arena. However, these students often enter college with unique academic and social challenges that result in an attrition rate of almost twice that of non- FGC students. While numerous studies …

A Study Of The Impact Of Mental Contrasting And Implementation Intentions On Academic Performance, Suzanne Velasquez-Sheehy

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the national high school graduation rate is 81% and only 59% of college enrolled students in 2006 obtained a college degree within ten years of entering 9th grade (U. S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2014). Studies conclude that high school grades predicted academic performance no matter what type of high school the students attended and that students who had good grades went on to graduate from college as a result of self-efficacy, motivation, and academic goals (Bowen, Chingos, & McPherson, 2011). Limited research suggests that using mental contrasting and implementation …

Securing The Blessings – Cultivating Active Citizens: Public School Principals’ Perceptions Of How They Nurture A Democratic Way Of Life, Judith Marie Mccann Floeter

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

School leaders have the formidable responsibility to promote an educational environment that supports the growth of both the individual and the nation. School principals are uniquely pressured to comply with politically motivated demands to educate for a globally competitive labor force while they simultaneously promote and strengthen lifelong learning and a democratic ethos in their particular students. The thoughtful educator recognizes the complexities of this negotiation.

In this dissertation I examined the recent literature about schooling for democracy and conclude that public schools are vital to sustaining a democracy; current reform strategies impinge upon school efforts to teach children to …

Instructional Technology And Self-Directed Learning For Students' Academic Success, Vincent Demetrious Wiggins

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Student achievement in the public education system of the United States is ranked substantially lower compared to other countries. One of the initiated goals proposed by the United States government is to increase the number of college graduates by partnering with community colleges (Office of the Press Secretary, 2015). Community colleges are open enrollment institutions, which often assist students described as at-risk. To serve the community college population of students, special curricular strategies have been implemented.

One tool identified for meeting the goal of increasing college graduation for the population of students at-risk is utilization of instructional technology. Instructional technology, …

Feminine Voice, Masculine Space: Understanding How Passion For Sport Emerges In Female College Student-Athletes, Jill Hollembeak

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Many sport sociologists argue sports play a significant role in creating culture (Horne & Manzenreiter, 2006; L'Etang, 2006). Yet, even as there has been a gender revolution in U.S. sports, media “coverage today misrepresents both the participation and the interest in women‟s sports across our population at large” (p. 3). A powerful entity, the media misrepresentation of the number of females competing devalues the importance participation plays in the lives of many females. Their status as “jock” causes potential negativity as they navigate college and their roles in society, and their status as “female” carries historical conditions in all realms, …

The Impact Of Year-Round Education On Fifth Grade African American Reading Achievement Scores In An Urban Illinois School, Carolyn A. Merrill

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine the impact of the year-round education school calendar on the standardized test performance of fifth grade African American students, as measured by the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) in reading. The ISAT reading scores from two year-round education (YRE) schools (School A and School B) were compared with two traditional calendar education (TCE) schools (School C and School D). The selection of schools was based on numerous factors in order to ensure that the year-round education schools and traditional calendar education schools were similar in socioeconomic status and in the …

Educational Assessment: Exploring The Relationship Between Computer Adaptive Testing, Data Analysis, And Student Achievement, Michael Donhost

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The research on the potential relationship of the Northwest Evaluation Association's Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP) and the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) was conducted in two phases and focused on middle schools with a grade configuration of 6-8 in the state of Illinois. The first phase of the research examined whether or not a significant relationship existed between NWEA MAP test participation by middle schools in Illinois, and ISAT growth over time. A total of 86 schools were involved in the research associated with Phase 1. The second phase of the study aimed to find out if the …

The Relationship Between The Success Tendencies Indicator And Academic Achievement And Behavioral Adjustment, Ted Bartlett

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between the 50-item Success Tendencies Indicator (STI), composed of the two subscales, the Success Tendencies Scale (STS) and the Positive Impression Scale (PIS), and the academic achievement and behavioral adjustment of high school freshmen. The STI was administered by social studies teachers in a suburban public high school in the Mid-Western United States at the end of the 1999–2000 school year. Data from 338 freshman students were analyzed. Success was indicated by a high weighted Grade Point Average (GPA) and a low Discipline Incidents Number (DIN). Scores on the …

Retention: The Controversy Continues, Beverly Gray Greene

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate and determine if there existed significant differences in the mathematics and reading achievement levels of students (n = 8) who were retained in sixth grade and their promoted seventh grade counterparts (n = 8), as measured by grade equivalent (GEQ) scores earned on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). The study also sought to discover if being retained raised the academic achievement levels of the retained students. Finally, the study explored the relationship between retention and self-concept using the Student Self-concept Rating Scale (SSCRS).

Both quantitative and qualitative methodology and analyses …