Digital Commons Network^™

Hidden Voices: The Missing Narratives Of Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Participants From 2000 To 2004 And Student Transfer Participants From 2013 To 2014, Miranda Temecka Ming

Dissertations

This study explored the perspectives of students participating in the Voluntary Inter-district Choice program from 2000-2004 and the experiences of participants in the Student Transfer Program attending the same suburban district due to the lack of accreditation in their neighboring schools during 2013-2014. The study uncovered the voices of participants in the VICC and student transfer program and to provided their voices in hope that it may be used as an instrument of change. This subjective, phenomenological qualitative study explored the lived experiences of high school students transferring to suburban districts and provides an in-depth analysis of their social, emotional, …

Behind Closed Doors: The Mask Of Antiracism In Presentation And Practice, Kevin Murray

Dissertations

School districts have recognized the challenges that teachers face in building relationships with the students they teach. This can be especially true when the teacher is White and the students are people of color. This study is a follow-up to an intense, year-long professional development that a group of teachers experienced in 2012. Through interviews, six such participants were asked about their experiences in the classroom, the ways in which they felt they had grown because of the professional development, and ways that they had implemented what they learned in their classrooms. While the teachers had positive things to say …

Read 180 Participation, Ell Service Length, And Year On Literacy And Mathematics Achievement For Middle School Students, Paul A. Griep

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to add to the limited available research. In both hypotheses, the independent variables were whether or not the student used the READ 180 program, the number of years the student received ELL services in the United States (6 years or less or more than 6 years), and the year tested (2011 or 2012). The dependent variables for the first hypothesis were literacy and mathematics achievement measured by scaled scores obtained on the seventh grade Arkansas Augmented Benchmark Literacy and Mathematics examinations. The dependent variables for the second hypothesis were literacy and mathematics achievement measured …

Increasing Student Achievement Through Supporting English Language Learners, Michelle George

Dissertations

The purpose of this advocacy document is to demonstrate the need for a policy to implement a two-way immersion program in Spanish and English. The intent of this policy is to provide opportunities for students to be successful in a global society, acquire a second language, and develop a strong global awareness. This advocacy document includes an analysis of the educational, economic, social, political, moral, and ethical need for the policy change. The primary needs addressed through research are the ability to implement strong instructional practices of language development for English as a Second Language (ESL) student and to develop …

Stable Isotope Ratios As A Proxy For Human Geographic Provenance: Biogeographical Evidence From The 2h, 18o, And 13c Signatures In Modern Human Teeth, Anastasia Holobinko

Dissertations

The positive identification of a decedent is paramount to a forensic investigation in which human remains have been recovered and must be identified. Due to increasing global mobility in the world's populations, it is not inconceivable that an individual might die far away from his or her home. Pinpointing an individual's geographic origin may contribute to definitive forensic identification of contemporary human skeletal remains in cases where dental records and other means of identification are either unavailable to law enforcement personnel or do not yield immediate results. Stable isotope analysis of biogenic tissues such as tooth enamel and bone mineral …

Creating A Framework For Success For High School African American Males: A Policy Advocacy Document, Ilandus Hampton Sr.

Dissertations

The policy advocacy document is an alternative to the traditional doctoral dissertation. This approach arose from the educational administration preparation reform agenda which calls for more thoughtful approaches to educational policy development, a concern that educational leadership express itself in a moral context, and a desire to develop reflective practices in administration. (Browder, 1995). This document attempts to ensure public schools, high schools in particular, are providing African American males with the skills and knowledge necessary to be academically successful so that they are given the opportunity and support necessary to achieve economic and social advancements throughout life. The policy …

Robert Frost’S New Hampshire, Philip Larkin’S England, And Seamus Heaney’S Ireland: Non-Urban Place And Democratic Poetry, Faisal I. Rawashdeh

Dissertations

In Anglo-American Modernist poetry, place is reduced to an analogue for the cultural degradation brought forth by the disruptive experience of modernity. This demotion stands in sharp contrast to the representation of place as a center of value in the poetry of Robert Frost, Philip Larkin, and Seamus Heaney. In this dissertation, I shall explain this value in terms of its connection to a particular cultural substance which Frost, Larkin, and Heaney deem foundational for their non-ideological terms of belonging to place. Frost embraces New England vernacularism first as the basis for his egalitarianism and second as the core substance …

Communication Partner Experience In Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Study, Pamela Charlie Marie Buckley

Dissertations

For the purpose of this dissertation, the term communication partner described any individual in a position to provide or support opportunities for communication. Communication partners have been discussed in current literature in the areas of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), severe disabilities, aphasia, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The role, characteristics, and responsibilities of a communication partner are most comprehensively described in the aphasia literature.

It is likely that individuals with ASD would have more opportunities for social interaction and engagement if supported by skilled and informed communication partners. The communicative success of individuals with ASD may depend on the …

Flow Experiences Among Individuals With Aphasia, Thomas W. Sather

Dissertations

Flow has been described as positive experiences of intense concentration, distorted time passage, and loss of self-consciousness. While flow has been reported for multiple populations in various settings, it has not been studied among individuals with aphasia. The purpose of this three paper dissertation is to examine flow experiences among individuals with mild aphasia, including environmental and personal factors associated with flow. Advocates of life participation approaches to aphasia stress the importance of interventions that support full engagement in life. Research on flow experiences and related environmental and personal factors may foster improved service delivery and outcomes for this population. …

Model Minority Mismatch: Exploring The Community College Experience And Persistence Of Southeast Asian American Students, Genda Vann Ed.D

Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate the relationship of Southeast Asian American student involvement and persistence in urban community colleges of Illinois. There are large gaps in research regarding the academic struggles of Southeast Asian American students because most data concerning Asian Americans is aggregate, consolidating all experiences rather than considering each sub-group independently. The existing data revealed that Asian Americans are performing exceptionally well in academics, especially when compared to other minority groups, such as African American and Latinos, resulting in Asian Americans being stereotyped as the “model minority” (CARE, 2008). However, a closer assessment of the data shows that …

Cognitive Coaching As Form Of Professional Development In A Linguistically Diverse School, Alla Gonzalez Del Castillo

Dissertations

While American classrooms are described as linguistically diverse, teachers find themselves unprepared to successfully educate such students. Previous studies indicate that cognitive coaching is one form of professional development that can assist teachers in becoming self-directed practitioners who are able to reflect on their practice and adjust it to meet the needs of various learners, including linguistically diverse students (Batt, 2010; Costa & Garmston, 2002; Joyce & Showers, 2002). This study describes elementary teachers’ perceptions of cognitive coaching in a linguistically diverse school: (1) In what ways do teachers perceive cognitive coaching as professional development? (2) How do observed teacher …

A Study Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support And Behavior Intervention Support Teams And Their Impact On Student Behavior In Six Missouri Middle Schools, Cody Guy Hirschi

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) and Behavior Intervention Support Teams (BIST) and their impact on managing student behavior in sample schools in Missouri by using methodological triangulation. Office disciplinary referrals (ODRs) and Safe School Act Violations during the 2012- 2014 school years in the SW-PBS, BIST, and No Model (control group) sample schools were analyzed to determine if there was a significant difference in the numbers of ODRs and Safe School Violations. Teachers from the sample schools were given the opportunity to participate in a survey to gather their perspectives about the …

Academic Interventions And Academic Achievement In The Middle School Grades, Toby G. Kite

Dissertations

After the passing of the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004, many schools began to use a Response to Intervention (RtI) model instead of the discrepancy model when identifying students with specific learning disabilities (National Center on Response to Intervention, 2011). When elementary schools adopted the RtI model, it was shown to be successful with any students who need academic interventions (National Center on Response to Intervention, 2011). The success at the elementary level has led to middle schools adopting the model with varying success (National Center on Response to Intervention, 2011). In this study, middle schools that have developed …

Up-Setting The Apple Cart: Mitigating Potentially Disabling Barriers In Education, Amy Tepper

Dissertations

In this study, certified general and special educators, school administrators, as well as paraprofessionals (program, classroom, and/or individual assistants), and school-based specialists (speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, social workers, etc.) were surveyed regarding their opinions specific to the impact of potentially disabling barriers for students within the educational setting. In addition to the survey data, follow-up interviews were conducted with five select survey participants. The interview participants were selected based upon their assenting and/or dissenting opinions/responses, as well as their professional role within an educational context. The interviews were completed as a means of deriving additional, inimitable, solutions-focused insights regarding transforming …

A Program Evaluation Of A Literacy Intervention For Reluctant Middle School Readers, James Allison

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine if the literacy intervention program for reluctant readers in one middle school was effective as measured by an increase in student reading scores measured by the Student Reading Inventory Assessment. I investigated perceptions of 100 students and 28 teachers regarding the literacy intervention program through the use of district-administered surveys. I also interviewed eight teachers regarding their delivery of the literacy interventions in the classroom setting. The literacy intervention program targeted the population of students identified as reluctant readers who were not already receiving any reading intervention, but were reading below …

A Novel And Domain-Specific Document Clustering And Topic Aggregation Toolset For A News Organisation, Claire Mcmahon

Dissertations

Large collections of documents are becoming increasingly common in the news gathering industry. A review of the literature shows there is a growing interest in datadriven journalism and specifically that the journalism profession needs better tools to understand and develop actionable knowledge from large document sets. On a daily basis, journalists are tasked with searching a diverse range of document sets including news gathering services, emails, freedom of information requests, court records, government reports, press releases and many other types of generally unstructured documents. Document clustering techniques can help address problems of understanding the ever expanding quantities of documents available …

Teachers’ Perceptions On The Use Of Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol As A Districtwide Professional Development Reform, Christina Portillo Dr.

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to ascertain to what degree of application the K-5 elementary teachers in Learning First School District have transferred the 8 components of Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol into their instructional practices. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to determine which conditions supported and limited the teachers’ successful implementation of the SIOP professional development trainings into daily classroom instruction, as perceived by teachers. Finally, it was the purpose of this study to determine whether Learning First School District’s professional development had an effect on student achievement, as perceived by teachers and archival …

Practitioner Inquiry: Teaching Literacy With English Language Learners, Rosemarie Brefeld

Dissertations

This qualitative research examines a practitioner inquiry group comprised of teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs) with the following research questions in mind: What happens when a group of ESL teachers collaborate in a dialogically inspired professional development context to learn about navigating discussion with complex texts and their ELL students? How does teacher learning evolve and address the complexities of the teacher/learner discourse under discussion in the professional development inquiry? What are the thematic and discursive contours of teaching and learning in this professional development context? In what ways will lesson development be relevant to the needs of those …

Creating Shared Vision And Facilitating Transformation In Community Colleges, Dedria Adel Blakely

Dissertations

Why are some community colleges, regardless of location or size, able to successfully engage their communities (both internal and external) to create highly functional strategic plans that guide their institutions to a shared vision and transformational change? This research sought to identify the positive qualitative elements exercised during the strategic planning process. Contextual elements, such as how leaders craft the strategic planning process, how and to what degree they seek feedback from the college’s stakeholders, as well as the social and psychological processes and talents of the people involved in the planning have not been examined in depth in the …

The Impact Of Two Tesol Courses On Four Preservice Teachers' Emerging Teaching Identities: A Case Study, Cynthia C. Chasteen

Dissertations

This multiple case study explores the effect of two Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) courses on four preservice teachers’ (PSTs) emerging teaching identities. The inquiry was guided by a theoretical framework informed by TESOL content, for example Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), and context, identity and sociocultural theory. Participants reflected on the impact of their prior experiences as students and TESOL coursework on their fledgling identities through individual interviews and assignments in the TESOL Methods course. Other corroborating data collected include classroom observations and unit plans. Two levels of data analysis were used: (1) first cycle coding …

Korean Migrant Youth Identity Work In The Transnational Social Field: A Link Between Identity, Transnationalism, And New Media Literacy, Sujin Kim

Dissertations

Informed by the new understandings of space, culture, and identity in the fast-changing world where communication technology connects and compresses multiple spaces, this qualitative study examines how Korean migrant youth understand, negotiate, and articulate their complex identities across and beyond various borders. The research questions were: (1) What are the contexts in which migrant youth negotiate their identities? (2) How do youth understand and negotiate their sense of belonging? (3) How do youth’s cultural and literacy practices, particularly in new media, inform and shape their identities? Using an ethnographic case study design, I collected data from 32 survey participants and …

Documentation Within The Anti-­‐Bias Approach: A Case Study Exploring Family And Practitioners’ Perceptions And Experiences, Stephanie Nicole Sagmoen Siqueira

Dissertations

Early childhood settings are diverse and challenging and building strong relationships between practitioners and families is vital. This research was framed around the aim to identify the factors influencing the perspectives and experiences of early childhood practitioners and families in relation to the use of pedagogical documentation within the Anti-Bias Approach. Additionally, the research aims to identify the benefits of using pedagogical documentation as a tool in the Anti-Bias Approach for building relationships. Nine semi-structured interviews with early childhood practitioners and parents/family members as well as a qualitative analysis of pedagogical documentation was conducted. Data analysis suggests five key factors …

One Academic Year Study Of Experiences Of One Cohort Of Graduates From A Midwestern University’S Teacher Education Program, Chris Albers

Dissertations

Teacher attrition is a growing problem within the education system in the United States. A study that tracked the experiences of graduates of a particular program was designed to gauge the program’s success. There were three research questions. The first asked, What are the first year teaching experiences of Midwestern University educator preparation program graduates? The second question was in two parts and asked, What do graduates of Midwestern University educator preparation program perceive as the strengths and weaknesses of their ability to carry out their duties as a first-year teacher? How does this change from August to May? The …

Campus Writing Centers, Student Attendance, And Change In Student Writing Performance, Suzana G. Brown

Dissertations

This dissertation examined the relationship between students attending a writing center and the change in students’ writing performance over the course of a semester. The study also sought to determine whether demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, and whether a student is a first-generation college student) were related to students’ change in writing after they attended a college writing center.

Five Mississippi colleges and universities participated in the study. The study began with 110 students; however, only 78 students submitted two essays during the semester. Of those, 34 reported that they attended the writing center, 28 reported that they did …

Public Relations In Government-Based Public Health: Testing Contingency Theory During H1n1 Response, 2009-2010, Terri Lea Sasser

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study is to describe public relations programs in state and local government-based health departments nationwide. Using the H1N1 communications and public relations activities as a frame, or basis of comparison, this study will further seek to identify if Contingency Theory of public relations may be an apt descriptor of public relations activities during this particular response effort. This study uses Contingency Theory as a theoretical perspective to explain the strategic management of the organization-public relationships and add to the body of knowledge about Contingency Theory of public relations in the field of health communications. Contingency …

Determining The Academic Achievement Of English Language Learners (Ells) By Using Additional Measures Of Growth, Adriana Maria Marin

Dissertations

Accountability measures employed in the country to determine the academic achievement of all the student population rely solely on the results obtained on the standardized tests. Such measures have often placed English language learners’ (ELLs) at risk of academic failure despite the fact that research on second language acquisition (SLA) has stated the complexity involved in the learning/acquisition process of a target language. Scholars have also discussed the influence accountability measures and the issues with the validity of the tests implemented to assess ELLs may have on such results. Therefore, in an effort to obtain a more comprehensive idea of …

Cultural Diversity In Massive Open Online Courses: The Correlation Between Cultural Indicators And Students' Attrition, Fatma Alabdullaziz

Dissertations

Massive open online courses (MOOC) have become one of the recent innovations in the field of higher education. These courses are distributed via the Internet and free, attracting thousands of students in a course from all over the world. However, there is a serious issue concerning MOOC students’ completion rates. Previous research studies have explored a variety of factors that might lead to low completion rates for MOOCs. However, students involvement from various culture and language backgrounds was a factor not investigated in the literature a factor that could have affected students’ completion rates. This study redesigned an activity theory …

Priming Effects On Word Recognition In Students With Dyslexia, Cynthia T. Johnson

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Teachers' Beliefs, Expectations, And Perceptions Of Classroom Practices, Brian Matthew Nutter

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Lived Experiences Of Belonging To Multiple Nationalities, Annette Susanne Peters

Dissertations

No abstract provided.