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African American Athletes And The Negotiation Of Public Spaces: An Examination Of Athletic Capital And African American Perceptions Of Success, Keona Lewis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the culture of sport among African American male football players as well as African American perspectives on sport and success. A case study of six African American, Division 1 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) collegiate student athletes was conducted along with seventeen supplemental interviews with community members, parents, coaches and former athletes and fans. The participants answered questions that explored education, success, identity construction, ethnicity and sport. Archival data was also reviewed framing the discussion on football in Florida, links between education and sport participation and African American male academic achievement. While many perspectives varied, there were collective …

Does Growth Data Make A Difference?: Teacher Decision Making Processes Using Growth Data Versus Status Data, Patricia Fox

Theses and Dissertations

This experiment examined decisions made by teachers using only status data with those made by teachers using growth and status data. Middle school math teachers from five schools within a single school division located in Virginia participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to either the status only or growth and status group. They were then asked to analyze a sample set of class data and complete a survey in which they rated the success of four types of students, identified teacher strengths and weaknesses, and rated their confidence in and the usefulness of the data received. Teachers with …

The Effect Of The Involvement Within Career Academies By Elective Participation Of Eleventh And Twelfth Grade High School Students During The Implementation Year, Nancy A. Johnston

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of elective participation in one of three implementation year Career Academies, Education, Entrepreneurship, or Finance, on upper-class high school academic grades, Grade Point Average, and school academy participation measures. Significance of the junior and senior year of high school, the meaning of a high school diploma and graduation requirements, and the connection to preparation for postsecondary studies and the world of work, career readiness, have become a focus of high school improvement efforts throughout the country. The implementation of the Millard Public Schools Career Academies in August of 2009 was …

Alternative Scheduling Models And Their Effect On Science Achievement At The High School Level, Jay Roland Dostal

Student Work

This study will evaluate alternative scheduling methods implemented in secondary level schools. Students were selected based on parent selection of programs. Traditional scheduling involves numerous academic subjects with small increments of time in each class and block scheduling focuses on fewer academic subjects and more instructional time. This study will compare office referral numbers, absence frequency, and Essential Learner Outcome (ELO) science strand scores in the 8th-grade (pretest) to the same students office referrals, absence frequency, and ELO science strand scores in the 11th-grade (posttest) between Seven Period Traditional Scheduling (SPTS) and Four Period Block Scheduling (FPBS) in the hopes …

The Effect Of Explicitly Differentiated Reading Instruction Groups On Eighth-Grade Students' Achievement, Behavior, And Engagement In A School Seeking To Reestablish Adequate Yearly Progress Benchmarks, Sean P. Dunphy

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of explicitly differentiated reading instruction groups on eighth-grade students’ achievement, behavior, and engagement in a school seeking to reestablish adequate yearly progress benchmarks. The results of this study supported student participation in explicitly differentiated reading instruction groups. Because students in High Reading Ability (n = 25), Middle Reading Ability (n = 25), and Low Reading Ability (n = 25) groups maintained average to above average achievement test scores on several measures with commensurate classroom grade performance, and appropriate behavior and engagement to support school success during eighth grade, the results …

Factors Affecting Literacy Achievement Of Eighth Grade Middle School Instrumental Music Students, Johnny T. Brauch Kurt

Student Work

The purpose of this pretest-posttest comparative efficacy study was to analyze factors affecting literacy achievement of eighth grade middle school instrumental music students (n = 38) including (a) socioeconomic status (SES), (b) gender, (c) grade point average (GPA), (d) music motivation, (e) music involvement, and (f) instrument section. The findings of this study indicate that, utilizing the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) reading comprehension, reading vocabulary, and science subtests and the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Reading Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) as the dependent variables for each of the six independent variables, significant growth over time was made in …

Teaching Spanish To Beginning Spanish Students, Amy Baldini

World Languages and Cultures

During my time in college and studying abroad, I have developed a passion for languages. As a result, I plan on teaching Spanish in High School. Therefore, my senior project will involve tutoring beginning-level Cal Poly students in Spanish and evaluating the difficulties that students encounter while learning a second language. I will tutor for a minimum of 30 hours and complete a write-up which summarizes my experience. In this write up, I discuss the tutoring sessions and the different obstacles and successes I encounter. I will also discuss what tutors must consider when tutoring students. I will outline my …

Is Portfolio Performance Related To Whether A Manager Has An Ivy League Education?, Jonathan Janos

Business/Business Administration

No abstract provided.

Beauty, Breasts, And Brains: An Exploration Of Using The Adolescent Female Body As A Resistance Site, Hanna Andrews Beall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent girls are continuously barraged with messages regarding what it means to be a girl and the appropriate way in which to do so. Particularly within the South, there are strict boundaries for acceptable forms of femininity both within school and in the broader social context. However, within the walls of the classroom, these lived experiences of girls are often ignored. By ignoring the lived experiences of girls in schools, many girls are being marginalized, trivialized, and dismissed from the school environment. This dissertation examines the hidden curriculum as it applies to adolescent girls in schools today and offers a …

String Theory And Our Relationship With Nature: The Convergence Of Science, Curriculum Theory, And The Environment, Virginia Therese Bennett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Curriculum Theory affords us the opportunity to examine education from a multitude of directions. This work takes advantage of that opportunity to explore the relationships between science, nature, and curriculum using string theory and our ideas about the environment as a backdrop. Both the energy and multiple possibilities created by strings and the rich history leading up to the theory help to illustrate the many opportunities we have to advance discussions in alternative ways of looking at science. By considering the multiple dimensions inherent in string theory as multiple pathways and interweaving metaphors from Deleuze and Guattari, Michel Serres, and …

A Critical Analysis Of The Identification, Placement, And Assessment Policies For Achieving Educational Parity Of Bilingual Learners, Lilia Rocio Estrada

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study analyzed the process of proper identification, placement, and assessment of Bilingual Learners (BLs) by investigating the perceptions of members in the Texas Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC). The findings focused on LPAC perceptions of their decisions to identify, place, and assess BLs as well as how these compared among members with different positions. Also, the LPAC members’ perceptions from schools that followed a dual language education program were compared to those schools that followed a transitional bilingual education program. It was found that majority of LPAC members lacked the confidence in assessing BLs, LPAC members holding higher positions …

Teaching, Learning, And Writing In The Third Space: A Study Of Language And Culture Intersecting With Instruction, Susan Toma-Berge Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to compare the characteristics and attributes of an effective first grade teacher of writing to English learners through the lens of the "third space." The "third space" represents a place where sociocultural theory interacts with language and culture, and authentic, integrated literacy instruction. Because there is no empirical evidence to support the theory of the "third space" the observation and interview data were analyzed using literature that draws on three areas of study: English learners, first grade literacy, and urban schools. The key findings from this study produced three themes that came about by …

Examining The Effect Of A Year Of Service In Americorps On Members' Attitudes Toward Attending College, Jessica Lucky Roberts

Dissertations

This study had two purposes. First, this study sought to determine how a year of service in the America Reads-Mississippi (ARM) AmeriCorps program impacted members’ perceptions and attitudes toward the non-monetary value of earning a college degree, the importance of earning a college degree in obtaining employment, and the influence of service in the ARM AmeriCorps program on members’ motivation to attend college. Second, this study sought to determine if a year of service in the ARM AmeriCorps program impacted members’ decisions to use the Segal Education Award they earn upon the successful completion of their year of service. Through …

An Examination Of The Adjustment Of First Generation African American Male College Students, Adina Narcisse Green

Dissertations

Little is known about the college adjustment of first generation African American male students. The purpose of this study was to examine the college adjustment of this subgroup of students and create a profile of African American male college students as it relates to adjustment. In addition, research has found that students who do not integrate well into the college environment, both academically and socially, have a higher chance of incompletion. With African American males exhibiting the lowest retention and graduation rates among their gender and racial counterparts, investigating their levels of adjustment might aid in explaining their high rates …

Older Adults And A Writing Workshop: A Phenomenological Study, Jennifer Lynn Alex

Dissertations

This study examines how older adults experience the phenomenon of participating in a writing workshop and how older adults interpret their experiences, understandings, and realities of writing. Ten older adults, ranging in age from 62 to 83 with varying degrees of experiences in writing, participated in this study. Through a semi-structured interview, each participant related his or her experience first as a writer and then as a member of a writing workshop offered through a Community Literacy Center in a mid-sized Appalachian city.

A phenomenological analysis method was used to identify and analyze themes of meaning that emerged in the …

The Effect Of A Math Emporium Course Redesign In Developmental And Introductory Mathematics Courses On Student Achievement And Students' Attitudes Toward Mathematics At A Two-Year College, Amy Renée Bishop

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of computer-based instruction on student mathematics achievement and students' attitudes toward mathematics in developmental and introductory mathematics courses, namely Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, and College Algebra, at a community college. The researcher also examined the relationship between attitudes and achievement. The sample consisted of 112 students, and the study was conducted during the Spring 2010 semester at a community college in south Mississippi. The participants were enrolled in one of six classes taught by the researcher. The control group consisted of three classes (one Intermediate and two College Algebra sections) …

Student Persistence In Associate Degree Nursing Programs At Mississippi Community Colleges, Kathryn Lee Fleming

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine factors of student persistence and attrition in addition to strategies that may help students persist in associate degree nursing programs at community colleges. Data were collected from nursing students enrolled in first-year associate degree nursing programs at participating Mississippi community colleges and analyzed using multiple regression and repeated measures ANOVAs. Tinto’s Classic Model and Bean & Metzner’s Nontraditional Model of Student Attrition were utilized in this study. This mixed methods convenience sample yielded 564 participants, and the results were as follows: environmental factors and demographic factors of student persistence were found to …

The Use Of A Timeout Intervention With And Without Escape Extinction For Treatment Of Escape-Maintained Noncompliance In A Classroom Setting, Joshua Loren Needelman

Dissertations

The present study investigated the effectiveness of two time-out (TO) procedures in reducing escape-maintained noncompliance of four children in a classroom setting. Participants were screened to assess that compliance with teacher-presented instructions was low and noncompliance was escape-maintained. Teachers were then trained to use two TO procedures, one without escape extinction (EE) and one with escape extinction following TO release. Two nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participants designs with a crossover element were used to compare levels of compliance across baseline, TO, and TO-EE phases. Increases in compliance were seen from baseline to the first intervention phase, and these increases were …

Administrators' And Teachers' Perceptions Of In-School Suspension, Amelia Shondra Jackson

Dissertations

Providing a safe and orderly school environment for students to learn is of paramount importance to school administrators, teachers, students, and the general public; however, the learning process should not be compromised while trying to maintain such an environment. There are many alternative approaches that can be utilized that would rectify the problem we as educators face in providing a safe and orderly environment. At-risk students are usually the ones who have the most serious infractions. These students exhibit a cyclical pattern of recalcitrant behavior. It is imperative that these at-risk students be identified as early as possible, and intervention …

The Relationship Among Mathematics Anxiety, Mathematical Self-Efficacy, Mathematical Teaching Self-Efficacy, And The Instructional Practices Of Elementary School Teachers, Lydia Joan Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationships among the variables of mathematics anxiety, mathematical self-efficacy, mathematical teaching self-efficacy, and the instructional practice of elementary school teachers. The study included 320 practicing elementary teachers who teach mathematics to students in kindergarten through eighth grade. These teachers completed the Abbreviated Mathematics Anxiety Scale, the Mathematics Teaching and Mathematics Self-Efficacy survey, and the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey. Quantitative data analysis methods included descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Results indicated a statistically significant relationship between mathematical teaching self-efficacy (efficacy) and mastery approaches to instruction, as well as …

Testing The Neutralizing Effects Of Nonverbal Teacher Immediacy Cues On Offensive Teacher Misbehaviors In Higher Education Classrooms, Claudia Esther Martinez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of nonverbal teacher immediacy cues can neutralize the negative impact that offensive teacher misbehaviors have on student perceptions of teacher credibility, affective learning, and motivation. The sample included a total of 140 participants enrolled in various undergraduate communication and theater courses from a southwestern university. Three one-way ANOVA tests were conducted to test the three hypotheses which proposed that nonverbal teacher immediacy cues may neutralize the negative impact that offensive teacher misbehaviors have on students’ perception of teacher credibility, affective learning, and motivation. Ultimately, findings revealed that teacher immediacy …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Dropout Prevention Practices And Their Implications For Intervention With Public School Students, Louisa Pollack

Dissertations

Schools face the dilemma of transforming both the trend of students dropping out of school and the associated negative socioeconomic outcomes into a positive path of persistence and school completion. Despite ongoing efforts of the federal and state government, as well as those of the local school districts, this problem continues to burden the educational system and society as a whole. The opinions of those with the experience of dropping out and returning to school are pertinent sources of information on educative practices that can help stem the dropout rate.

A survey was conducted to gather the opinions of students …

Emotional Maturity Of Adolescents And Adults In Ged Programs, Billy Joe Riffle

Dissertations

When discussing issues relating to students in General Educational Development (GED) Option and pre-GED programs with educators, the contention exists that it is possible to make reasonably accurate predictions on the success or failure of a student by observing a number of items. Looking at their cumulative records shows their academic and attendance history. Insight is gained by looking at their family dynamics and how they relate to adults. Much can be learned about them from their discipline reports and the nature of any infractions. One of the most intriguing aspects gained through experience and observation is the perception of …

Facilitator Assessment Following A Stepfamily Education Course, Heather Sparks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effectiveness of the facilitators of a stepfamily education course, based upon facilitator self-report as well as participant report. Agencies in northern Utah that provide services to low-income minority families were used to recruit a sample of 152 facilitators and 1,134 participants of which 519 of the participants were male and 613 of the participants were females. Additionally, 21 of the facilitators were male and 131 of the facilitators were female. Requirements for participants included having been previously married with no children or having children from a previous relationship that formed a current …

The Impact Of Self-Efficacy And Motivation Characteristics On The Academic Achievement Of Upward Bound Participants, Brenda Leigh Brown

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of self-efficacy and motivation characteristics on the achievement of at-risk students. Seventy-nine Upward Bound program participants completed self-efficacy, motivation, and demographic questionnaires. The relationship between GPA and self-efficacy was significant, negative, and low in strength. High GPA was associated with high self-efficacy (as shown by lower numbers on the survey). Gender, length of time in the Upward Bound (UB) program, length of participation in the UB summer program, college sponsor (community or four-year college), self-efficacy characteristics, and motivation characteristics significantly predicted academic achievement as measured by GPA. The relationship between …

Evaluating And Improving The Quality Of Teacher’S Language Modeling In Early Childhood Classrooms, Lillian White Englund

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The relationship between pre-school teachers and the children in their classrooms directly influences the degree of success the children experience in school and in life. The emphasis on quality pre-K education in the U.S. has resulted in an increased need for highly qualified teachers who are capable of engaging in meaningful interactions with young children. An important component of high-level teacher-child interactions is the teacher's ability to model language for children as they acquire vocabulary and language context.

This mixed-methods study was designed to examine the effectiveness of a professional development intervention designed to improve the quality of language modeling …

The Effects Of Higher Education Endowment Management Practices On Endowment Performance, Robert Louie Stanton Mcelhaney

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify college and university endowments valued from $100 million to $1 billion and to determine the relationship between the five-year investment performance and selected endowment management practices. Data on the five-year investment performance and endowment management practices were obtained by the use of a survey instrument. The survey instrument was sent to 293 colleges and universities. Usable responses were received from 56 institutions. The 56 participants provided data on endowment performance, endowment governance, investment policies, investment managers, and investment manager selection practices.

To determine the endowment management practices that would best explain the …

The Relationship Between Leader Decision Making And Student Achievement At K-3 Title I And Reading First Elementary Schools, Emily Kathleen Richmond

Dissertations

This mixed methodology study investigated the relationship between administrator and teacher perceptions of leader decision making regarding five variables (reading training, reading curriculum, program evaluation, financial support, and student assessment) and student achievement (in the single content area, reading, at the 3rd grade level) in Title I K-3 schools receiving Reading First Grants (RFGs) and Title I K-3 schools not receiving RFGs, in four states (Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, and Oklahoma). Respondent data and district data regarding percentages of students achieving proficient and above on state third grade reading assessments were analyzed via Pearson Correlations, Multiple Regression Analysis, and a MANOVA. …

Teacher Attitude Toward Differentiated Instruction In Third Grade Language Arts, Vivian Marina Mclean

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher attitude toward differentiated instruction in third grade language arts in classrooms across a southern region of the United States. The researcher sought to answer four research questions “Does National Board Certification affect teacher attitude toward differentiated instruction,” “Does teacher education affect teacher attitude towards differentiated instruction?”, “Does teacher experience affect teacher attitude toward differentiated instruction?”, and “Does professional development affect teacher attitude toward differentiated instruction?”

The research findings supported the work of Tomlinson, McTighe, Webb, Wiggins, Vygotsky, and Gardner. Their literature served as a foundation in the identification of the variables …

The Effects Of Early Intervention On The Cognitive And Social Development Of Kindergarteners, Jennifer Foster Pope

Dissertations

Research has, for years, linked early intervention with student achievement. Students coming from an appropriate developmental preschool program are at an advantage and are readily able to face the rigor of elementary school (Campbell & Ramey, 1994). This study investigated whether there were statistically significant relationships among preschool attendance, gender, free/reduced status, and ethnicity and the cognitive development of kindergarten students as measured by AIMSweb Progress Monitoring and Response to Intervention System. This study also investigated the relationship between social skills competence and the cognitive development of kindergarten students as measured by the School-age Social and Emotional Adaptive Skills Inventory. …