Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Use And Effectiveness Of The Istation Advanced Reading Program With Fourth-Grade At-Risk Struggling Readers, Andres Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of computer-based-instruction (CBI) and multimedia when used as an intervention with upper elementary students experiencing reading difficulties on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Reading Assessments. The researcher employed a quantitative, causal-comparative research design for this study. A Texas supplemental reading program, the Istation Advanced Reading Program, was used as a Response to Intervention (RTI) for those at-risk students of failing their Reading STAAR Test in the fourth grade and to sustain an effective reading program district-wide.

Archived data was collected from three South Texas Title I …

Early Retention In Rural Schools: Alternate Route Teachers' Perspectives, Autumn K. Jordon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teachers' perspectives of the key factors contributing to the retention of rural teachers who entered teaching through an alternate route certification program in Mississippi. It was specifically the goal of this study to understand how alternatively certified teachers perceive their own characteristics (e.g., teacher preparation, personal experiences), school conditions (e.g., students, administration), and compensation (e.g., salary, benefits) to be related to their decision to remain in the profession. In this study, 9 rural alternate route teachers were interviewed from 8 schools in Mississippi. The research questions were: (1) How do rural …

Understanding The Experiences Of K-12 Esl Teachers Teaching Refugees In Cairo: The Case Of Sudanese And Syrian Community Schools, Diane Joseph Lakah

Theses and Dissertations

The refugee crisis has become a global crisis and concern. Refugees flee their country of origin and seek refuge in host countries, where they need to survive in a new society and culture. English language is an international language and refugees in Egypt aspire to resettle in a developed country like the United States of America or Canada where English language is a necessity for them to communicate and find job opportunities to advance their socio-economic standard. The purpose of this study is to explore and understand in depth the aspects that shape the experiences, perceptions, and roles of English …

State Requirements For Mandatory Vaccine Education Prior To Exemption, Chelsea Lynn Schult

Theses and Dissertations

Background: To prevent the spread of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD’s), school-aged children in the United States are required to receive vaccinations. In certain states, parents have the option to exempt their child from becoming vaccinated due to medical, religious, or personal reasons. The purpose of this research was to identify which states require mandatory vaccination education prior to granting vaccine exemptions and to identify the various types of required vaccination education.Methods: Immunization program managers from states requiring parents seeking exemptions to receive mandatory vaccination education were asked a series of open-ended questions. The interviews were conducted via telephone. The education-related …

‘We Can Simply Not Survive Without Education’ But Can’T We?, Cynthia Wijtsma

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines dynamics of the right to education and argues that this right is used to continue to spread an education system that still has colonial roots and aims at extracting people from their traditional way of living into a western consumer culture. It does this through working towards the universal enrollment of children into a western-style education system that caters towards a western consumer culture. Taking Nepal as the main example, this thesis argues that the right to education and its advocate equivalent, the Sustainable Development Goal 4, have been used to bring about an education system that …

Beyond “Through The Looking Glass” Borders: A Content Analysis Of North Africa/Southwest Asia In College-Level World Regional Geography Textbooks, Parisa Meymand

Theses and Dissertations

Many college teachers have a required textbook(s) for their courses, yet textbooks often misrepresent facts both directly and indirectly — through both the perspective and possible bias of the author(s) and/or the omission of information and events. As textbooks are primary sources of knowledge, and students believe the information to be true, it is important to examine their content. Thus, seven editions of Geography: Realms, Regions and Concepts were analyzed to address the sense of place and portrayal of North Africa/Southwest Asia. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative Content Analysis based on seven selected editions of World Regional Geography textbooks, this …

Mobile Technology Use As A Moderator For Understanding The Relationship Between Intrinsic Motivation And Grades, David Seckman

Theses and Dissertations

Mobile technology is a tool learners rely on. The purpose of this study was to determine if mobile technology use moderates the relationship between intrinsic motivation and grades. Findings show that students with higher intrinsic motivation will have higher grades regardless of whether or not they use technology frequently for their course and regardless of whether or not they perceive mobile technology as valuable for learning in their course. There were positive correlations between students’ intrinsic motivation, and multiple facets of their intrinsic motivation, with their current and expected grades. Furthermore, frequency and value of mobile technology use, individually, were …

Climate Change Education And Environmental Education: Perceptions And Knowledge Among Environmental Educators In The Southeastern United States, Lauren C. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is a global environmental problem and issue. Mitigation and adaptation have been suggested for use in dealing with the impacts, both current and in the future. Climate change education as a mitigation and adaptation effort is one that could have great impact. This quantitative survey study examined the climate change and climate change education perception and knowledge of Southeastern Environmental Education Association members. This study segmented participants into one of six unique climate change groups: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Doubtful, Dismissive, and Disengaged based on the Six Americas Survey developed by Maibach, Lesierowitz, Roser-Renouf, and Mertz. CC knowledge was …

Teachers' Attitudes And Perceptions On Bring Your Own Device Programs In The Secondary Classroom, Michelle Marie Cavazos

Theses and Dissertations

Cavazos, Michelle M., Teachers' Attitudes and Perceptions on Bring Your Own Device Programs in the Secondary Classroom. Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), March 2019, 105 pp., 3 tables, 4 figures. The purpose of this research is to investigate teacher attitudes and perceptions of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) on learning in the secondary classroom. The study was completed as a qualitative narrative inquiry. The study took place in a high school that has had BYOD policies in place since the beginning of the establishment of the campus. The manuscript brings forward the themes and reflections that represent teacher attitudes and perceptions …

Teachers Of Emergent Bilinguals: Professional Growth In The Age Of Compliance, Kelly Cox

Theses and Dissertations

There are differing views of what constitutes teacher learning in the field of education. The case studies presented herein provide a glimpse into the professional learning lives of two elementary school teachers of emergent bilingual students in order to gain a greater understanding of how professional learning links to instructional practices. Set in a suburban public school setting in the southwest, the study incorporated the use of narrative inquiry with data consisting of interviews, observations, reflections logs, and artifacts. Data were analyzed through the lenses of the adult learning theory of andragogy and critical constructivism. The findings of this study …

A Case Study Of Hispanic Stem Teacher Preparation, Pamela L. Groves

Theses and Dissertations

There is a shortage of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers in the US (Aragon, 2016; National Science Board, 2003). Hispanics are underrepresented in STEM teaching (Aragon, 2016; Texas Education Agency, 2017; US Census Bureau, 2016b; US Department of Education, n.d.). In order to improve the state of STEM teaching in the US we must tap into this underrepresented group. This exploratory case study examined the experiences of Hispanic students pursing STEM teacher preparation and how the UTeachRGV program impacts student persistence and retention.

UTeachRGV is a STEM teacher preparation program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley …

The Role Of Technology In Bilingual Education: Developing A Culture Of Excellence, Belinda Gomez

Theses and Dissertations

According to the PEW Research Center (2014), Texas' Hispanic population comprises 39% of its overall population, twice the U. S. Hispanic population. Texas Education Agency (TEA) predicts a 14% increase in the next seven years, with a surge of about 40% in its English Language Learners (ELLs) population. Already, it reports Texas experienced a 20% student enrollment growth in the last ten years within the predominately Mexican-Americans in South Texas border. With a perpetual ELL student population increase, bilingual education programs need to consider emerging best practices. This qualitative case study explored the role of technology in bilingual education, focusing …

Digital Literacies To Develop Biliteracy: A Case Study Of Latino Students Exploring Multimodal Writing In English And Spanish, Laura Berenice Ramos Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Schools in the United States are witnessing a rich ethnic and linguistic diversity in their student corpus. Languages spoken by these children vary from state to state; however, Spanish is the second language most spoken after English (Office of English Language Acquisition, 2015). As a nation, there is a tremendous potential for these students to become biliterate or academically proficient in Spanish and English. Furthermore, with the advent of the 21st century, the educational setting is experiencing an increased interest in the integration of technology in education and students are prompted to become digitally literate.

The aim of this exploratory …

Teachers' Perceptions And Practices On Using Educational Technology As An Instructional Tool In The Classroom, Amanda Lee Resendez

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the rapid expansion of educational technologies in primary schools, recent research has shown that many teachers are not taking full advantage of these new tools. This study was designed to address the problem of the lack of effective technology integration in the classroom, particularly in grades third thru fifth at two school districts in the Rio Grande Valley. The purpose of this study was to examine primary teachers' perceptions of implementing technology in the classroom. Framed by Koehler and Mishra's technological pedagogical content knowledge model (TPACK), the study was guided by research questions that involved teachers' perceptions of the …

Complex Trauma: Counselors' Self-Efficacy And Treatment, Breeze Valenska Rueda

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive and exploratory mixed-method study was twofold: to explore counselors’ perceptions and knowledge regarding complex trauma and, assess counselors’ perceptions regarding their level of confidence when working with this population. The study determined what relevant factors were related to counselors’ perceived self-efficacy concerning complex trauma. Although complex trauma is emerging as an important issue, there is limited research regarding counselors’ experiences with complex trauma. The current study explored participants’ perceptions when providing services to individuals with prolonged and cumulative trauma and provided a greater understanding of counselors’ recognition and selfefficacy when working with this population. A …

Early Educator Awareness Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Preschool Hispanic Populations, Karla Cecilia Vidaurri

Theses and Dissertations

Christensen et al. (2016) highlights how "there are disparities by race/ethnicity in estimated ASD prevalence, particularly for Hispanic children, as well as disparities in the age of earliest comprehensive evaluation and presence of a previous ASD diagnosis or classification, suggesting that access to treatment and services might be lacking or delayed for some children" With an increase in autism prevalence and Hispanic population, there's a crucial demand for effective servicing and referrals for early identification of Autism.

The aim of this study was to analyze how prepared early educators are in identifying children that fall under the category of autism …

Becoming A Culturally Relevant Feminist Teacher: An Autoethnography Of An Exchange Student, Astri Napitupulu

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis recounts the journey of an exchange student at a public university in Central Illinois on becoming a feminist teacher. By reflecting on her experiences as a Master’s student in the United States and high school teacher in Indonesia, the author unpacks her journey on becoming a feminist teacher. The author argues for the need of a feminist lens to understand the White supremacist heteropatriarchal capitalist system that is also infused in United States educational system. Finally, this research contends for a culturally relevant feminism as viable in her home institution in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Essays In The Economics Of Education, Breyon J. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

I examine, separately, the impact of three education programs on student achievement, using difference-in-differences and difference-in-difference-in-differences designs. First, I examine whether spillover benefits on achievement exist from preschool. I estimate the effect of exposure to a South Carolina preschool program that targets disadvantaged four-year-olds on students’ test scores in grades 3 through 5, where exposure means residing in a school district once the program was made available and disadvantaged students are those eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or Medicaid. I find that exposure to the preschool program not only increases the math and reading scores of targeted students, but …

Raising America Racist: How 1920’S Klanswomen Used Education To Implement Systemic Racism, Kathleen Borchard Schoen

Theses and Dissertations

Although not widely known by the modern public, during the height of the Ku Klux Klan's second rise to power in the 1920's, a women's auxiliary was formed – The WKKK, or Women of the Ku Klux Klan. The WKKK was a crucial component in the normalization of the Klan in this era, as they organized public events such as picnics, parades, and ceremonies to draw in the masses. It is imperative however, to move beyond the typical historiographical depiction of Klanswomen’s impact as public event planning because it downplays and ignores their foundational role in creating modern racism. One …

The Influence Of Pentecostal Social Networks On Latino Student College Choice, Michael J. Farrow

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the experiences of Latino Pentecostal students of traditional college age with regard to their college decisions, along with the influence of Pentecostal social networks on Latinos' college choice. Much research has focused on Latino students' college choice processes but Latino Pentecostal students as a specific subgroup have received little attention. This dissertation provides a more nuanced approach to the college decisions of the increasing number of Latino Pentecostal students in the United States. Applying a phenomenological research design, I conducted semi-structured interviews in which participants described their Pentecostal social network's role in their college choice process. In …

Drawing As Language, Rebecca B. Whitson

Theses and Dissertations

All too often, the “I can’t draw” sentiment is believed by both the frustrated adolescent and adult alike. This is especially evident within the school environment. This paper aims to discuss how visual art --specifically drawing-- is structured, formed and expressed as a type of language, similar to a verbal, written, or physical one. This may give hope to even the most reluctant drawer that they can learn how to draw, opening another means of communication. An individual attains fluency when they are adept at drawing through the use of expression, technical, and observational skills, through practice and motivation, and …

African-American Male Teachers: Examining The Insight, Encounters, And Best Teaching Practices, Brandon Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

The experiences students have in schools has a large effect not only on their career choices but also on the way they interact with other members of society in the future. Specifically, the K-12 education system has an objective of ensuring that all students are adequately prepared to become responsible and productive members of society. Unfortunately, research shows that African-American male students and teachers face comparatively high levels of societal challenges compared to their Caucasian counterparts. General demographic trends reveal a serious concern.

While the number of black students entering the education system is increasing, there is a reduction in …

Assessment Technologies Institute Test Results And Blended Experiences For Senior Community Health Nursing Students, Linda Lou Lacomb-Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between senior community health nursing students’ ATI test scores and their clinical community health nursing experiences, either in-country or out-of-country. The ATI test results are a reliable predictor of whether the student will pass their nursing board exams (NCLEX-RN). The study also examined whether the two groups of students reported any similarities and differences in their sense of confidence or transcultural self-efficacy and conceptual knowledge and their clinical experiences. ATI test scores were reviewed for the two groups. Focus groups were held to discuss any similarities or differences in the …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Foster Youth Who Obtained Graduate Level Degrees: Self-Efficacy, Resilience, And The Impact On Identity Development, Cristina Miranda

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of former foster youth who have completed graduate level academic programs in order to discover and describe the elements that these individuals believe led to their academic success. The primary research question for this study was: what do former foster youth who completed graduate level programs report as elements that contributed to their academic success? The researcher utilized a qualitative approach and portraiture methodology. In depth, interviews were conducted with six individuals, three women and three men, who spent time in foster care and later went on to …