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A Mixed-Methods Investigation On Generalization Of Positive Behavior Supports Skills From Early Childhood To Kindergarten In A Midwestern School District, Ann M. Westbrook

Dissertations

Using a mixed-methods approach, the researcher investigated the generalization of Positive Behavior Supports Skills (PBIS) within an Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program, implemented with fidelity, as evidenced by statewide recognition for 10 years in a row, to the kindergarten setting in a Midwestern School District. Through investigating the generalization of PBIS social-emotional skills, the researcher aimed to identify possible frameworks for schools to better prepare students for the kindergarten transition. To investigate the generalization of skills, the researcher used secondary data in the form of 175 externalizing behavior screener scores for students who participated in a PBIS ECSE program …

A Study Of The Protective Factors That Foster Resilience In Teachers, Zundra Gates

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the protective factors of teachers in various fields: discipline, tested and non-tested subject areas, and teacher certification route. The study involved 161 kindergarten to twelfth grade Mississippi teachers who were full-time during the 2016-2017 school year. The 36-item Resiliency Questionnaire was used to measure the presence of six protective factors. The six protective factors that were examined on the questionnaire are: purpose and expectation (PE), nurture and support (NS), positive connections (PC), meaningful participation (MP), life guiding skills (LGS), and clear and consistent boundaries (CCB). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test …

The Influence Of An Electronic Attendance Monitoring System On Undergraduate Academic Success, Charles Childress

Dissertations

Investing in human capital development increases education levels, workplace skills, and boost individual abilities. Undergraduate students who attend class and perform well are more likely to get jobs, due to their development of workplace skills. State governments, as the funding bodies for public universities, are finding it beneficial to increase the number of college graduates because a citizenry that is prepared for the job market is ultimately good for the state. States recognize that an increase in education can produce job opportunities for citizens. University administrators can employ tactics to increase graduation rates, one of which is monitoring students’ class …

An Examination Of The Relationships Among Organizational Support, Self-Efficacy Beliefs, And Engagement In Data-Driven Decision-Making, Kristal Pollard

Dissertations

A culture of accountability in K-12 education has created demand for teachers and administrators to closely examine student performance on assessments. A number of schools have embraced data-driven decision-making as an approach to meeting this need. Data-driven decision-making refers to the systematic process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and making instructional decisions based on data (Schildkamp & Kuiper, 2009; Mandinach, 2012). Generally, educators analyze data collected on assessments at the classroom level and on benchmark or interim assessments at the school-wide level. However, teachers generally feel unprepared to engage in data-driven decision-making. Few studies have examined the psychological aspect of engagement …

Perceptions Of Missouri School Superintendents And School Resource Officers Regarding Preparedness For Multi-Hazard Events, Jennifer Renae Wheeler Lofton

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to garner the perceptions of superintendents and school resource officers in regard to district preparedness for multi-hazard events. Nationwide, schools are facing dramatic changes in the area of safety and security due to natural disasters, and more commonly, manmade hazards (Schaffhauser, 2013). Routinely, school personnel do not have the mindset, nor are they equipped, to respond to a major crisis (Trump, 2012). Recent mass murders and natural disasters in the United States have prompted districts to reach beyond the walls of their schools and into local communities for support (Gereluk, Donlevy, & Thompson, 2015). …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Standards-Based Grading And End Of Course Assessment Scores, Steven W. Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between the implementation of standards-based grading (SBG) and a rise in student achievement as indicated by the evaluation of end-of-course exam data from the four core subject areas in secondary schools - English, Algebra, Government, and Biology. This mixed methods study focused on the collected data of 6,000 test scores, split evenly from tests taken prior to the launch of SBG and after the launch of SBG, as well as focusing on varying perceptions of SBG from both teachers and members of the community as a whole. …

The Perceptions Of Implementation Teams On The Impact Of Character Development Programs On School Culture, Student Behaviors, And Student Leadership Skills, Travis G. Kite

Dissertations

Creating a positive, engaging school culture is a goal of most school districts and school administrators (Clark, 2015). Many educators believe the most effective methods of instilling a positive school culture include school-wide systems of implementation (Gruenert & Whitaker, 2015). This qualitative study included an in-depth look at the perceptions of implementation teams from two counties in southwest Missouri on the impact of school-wide character development models on school culture, student behaviors, and student leadership skills. The study was also designed to determine the factors within a school that have the greatest impact on the implementation process. Interviews were conducted …

Comparison Of Student Success Between Graduate And Undergraduate Students On The Missouri Content Assessments At A Private Midwestern University, Christina Been

Dissertations

This study analyzed the results of undergraduate and graduate teacher candidate scores on the Elementary Missouri Content Assessment at a private Midwestern University. The intent was to examine the possibility of a difference between pre-service teachers who satisfied coursework requirements through an undergraduate program or through a graduate program. This study focused on the content knowledge domain of teacher knowledge that had been the focus of teacher competency studies since Lee Shulman’s research in 1986. This study used pre-service teacher Missouri Content Assessment scores, subtest scores, number of attempts to earn a passing score, number of years since a college …

A Mixed Methods Comparative Analysis Of The Implementation Of The Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support In Missouri Elementary Public Schools, Laura Smith

Dissertations

This study consisted of a mixed-methods comparative analysis of the implementation of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in public school districts in the state of Missouri. The researcher surveyed nine public school districts similar in demographics of socio-economic representation, free and reduced lunch percentage, and average daily fund expended to educate students. One district administrator responsible for the implementation of MTSS represented each school district. In the qualitative component of the study, the researcher utilized an original electronic survey to gather insights into the unique implementation path each district employed. Coding and analysis resulted in identification of themes, similarities, …

The Use Of Student Feedback In Teacher Development, Lawrence Jarocki

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of master teachers, administrators, and teacher trainers about the content of Student Evaluations of Teachers (SET) in California high schools. This study also sought to reach a consensus among experts concerning how SETs can be used both in teacher evaluations and in professional development practices and content at the secondary level.

Methodology: A classical Delphi method was utilized to collect perceptual data from a panel of California master teachers, administrators, and teacher trainers that met specific criteria regarding their education, involvement in their professional communities, and their role training …

School Accountability And Equal Opportunity In Missouri, Bradley Ross

Dissertations

In Missouri, the Missouri School Improvement Plan, generation 5 (MSIP-5) attempts to boil down assessment, attendance, college and career readiness, and graduation rates into a single score (out of 100). Within MSIP-5, Black and Hispanic students are lumped into a super subgroup with English language learners, students in poverty, and students with disabilities. The aggregate of test scores for all in these groups provide the indicators for school success.

There are two concerns. First, the indicator for subgroup achievement is worth only one-fourth of the points that overall student achievement. In addition, while the highest levels of achievement require the …

Best Practices For The Development Of English Language In Rural Elementary Schools In Prevention Of Long Term English Learners, Heather Christine Gomez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the best practices of English language development programs in rural South San Joaquin Valley elementary schools in the targeted areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking and best practices in teacher professional development to prevent Long Term English Learners from the perspective of principals. An additional purpose was to identify and describe obstacles to the implementation of best practices of English language development in rural South San Joaquin Valley elementary schools from the perspective of principals.

Methodology: Through data analysis, rural elementary schools in South San Joaquin Valley were identified …

Why Parents In San Bernardino Choose Public Charter Schools Over Traditional Public Schools, Robert Moss

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the attributes of public charter schools considered important for the selection of a charter school as perceived by the parents of charter school students. A second purpose of this study was to identify the sources parents used to inform their decision to enroll their child in a charter school.

Methodology. This qualitative study was accomplished by interviewing parents of public charter school students in three districts within San Bernardino County. The interview consisted of nine open-ended questions and each interview was recorded to ensure accuracy of …

In Pursuit Of Transformative Learning: Exploring The Stimulation Of Curiosity Through Critical Reflection In The College Classroom, Bo Y. Bae

Dissertations

Educators in higher education are faced with growing pressures to shift pedagogical practices in order to accommodate the growing population of learners and improve student learning outcomes. While the acquisition of knowledge and skills are important to the learning process, they are insufficient in preparing students to function in rapidly changing environments. Curiosity is a vital component in the learning process that, when stimulated, has the potential to increase students’ capacity to think critically. Implementing teaching practices that intentionally focus on how curiosity can be stimulated and enhanced develops students’ abilities to access higher levels of thinking that are essential …

The Human Dynamics Needed In The Change Process For Transformational Implementation Of Educational Reform: Common Core State Standards, Daisy Morales

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the changes made in mindset, behaviors, culture, and systems as perceived by K-12 school district directors and principals in California in the implementation of the California Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

Methods: This study was descriptive and qualitative, conducted by interviewing 8 principals and 8 directors who have been in their positions for 3 or more years, had first-hand experience with the implementation of the California Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and were familiar with the shifts needed in CCSS. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for …

Missouri Superintendents’ Perceptions Of The Variables Impacting The Gender Leadership Gap In Public Education, Gwendolyn M. Fleming

Dissertations

The nation’s gender leadership gap, or the disproportionate number of men in top leadership positions versus women, has prevailed throughout the history of public education (Superville, 2016; Rosenberg, 2017). Despite the fact that 76% of America’s educators were women, only 27% of the nation’s school superintendents were female (U.S. Department of Education, 2016; Rosenberg, 2017). Thus, men have continued to dominate the top-level leadership positions within the educational arena (Superville, 2016). The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender leadership gap in the position of school district superintendent. Specifically, the researcher developed two research questions aimed to explore …

An Analysis Of Research-Based Leadership Practices And The Principal’S Impact On Student Achievement, Tisha Georgette Glasper

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the research-based leadership practices demonstrated by principals; in addition to how principals managed to lead others to become involved in student achievement. The participants of this study consisted of school principals from seven successful schools in Saint Louis City and Saint Louis in Missouri and Madison County, Illinois. For this study, a successful school can be defined as a school where student achievement met or exceeded the Adequate Yearly Progress targets set by the No Child Left behind Act of 2001. There were also 71 teachers who participated in this study. Effective …

Perspectives Regarding Care Of Students Enrolled In Special Education Day Schools For Emotionally Disabled Students, Robin Y. Davis

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was the program evaluation of a special education day school for students with emotional disabilities by analyzing data from the perspectives of the staff employed by the day school and the parents of students enrolled in the day school. The evaluation will enable the day school to make decisions about which aspects of the program to continue, strengthen, or discontinue.

In this study, Malcom Provus’ Discrepancy Evaluation Model (DEM) was used. The population included staff employed by the day schools and parents of students enrolled in the program during May, 2016. Data were gathered from …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

A Multilevel Model Of Poverty, Community Factors, And Learning For Students With Disabilities., Randal Barnes

Dissertations

Students with disabilities face challenges to academic success that can be exacerbated by the effects of poverty. In this study, Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was used to analyze the effects of socio-economic status, social capital, and threats to safety on literacy test scores for students with disabilities. Results of the analysis indicate that discipline rate had a significant effect on mean district scores on statewide standardized tests, but not on the impact of socio-economic status on test scores. Conversely, the percent of college graduates in a school district did not have a significant effect on district scores, but moderated the …

Effective Teaching And Behavioral Strategies Used By Exemplary Non-Public Alternative Education Schools, Alana Maxine Hughes

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and describe the teaching and behavioral strategies exemplary, non-public alternative education schools used to support student learning as perceived by education specialists and site administrators at high-achieving, non-public alternative education schools in Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, and Orange County.

Methodology: This qualitative case study examined the perception of education specialists and site administrators by conducting interviews to identify effective teaching and behavioral strategies used by exemplary non-public alternative education schools. The researcher interviewed nine education specialists and three site administrators from exemplary non-public alternative schools. …

Nelly Don: An Educational Leader, Lisa S. Thompson

Dissertations

In 1916, Ellen Quinlan Donnelly aka Nelly Don started a fashion empire from her humble Kansas City home. She became one of the wealthiest and most celebrated American women in business with a career that spanned well into the 1960s. The Nelly Don Empire reportedly sold more dresses in the 20th century than any other single person in the United States, and she started as a Lindenwood College student. This study investigated Nell Quinlan Donnelly the “Grand Lady” of the garment industry beyond her millionaire status and revolutionary business leadership at Donnelly Garment Company. The reexamination of Nell Quinlan Donnelly’s …

The Beliefs Of Secondary Teachers On Personalized Learning For Students Through The Use Of Instructional Technology, Christopher Jay Ford

Dissertations

Personalized learning for students has been an emerging trend which seeks to support teaching and learning in the 21st century (Netoch, 2017). This study identified beliefs of secondary educators on the different aspects of personalized learning for students. Areas covered in this study included teacher professional development on the personalized learning process, amount or quality of teacher support for the implementation of personalized learning, the impact of technology on personalized learning with classroom instruction, and any obstacles to the personalized learning process. Findings from this study were compared to identify connections between responses as they related to the research questions. …

An Exploratory Study Of The Role Of Soft Skills In The Training And Employability Of High School Graduates, Felita Sharmett Williams

Dissertations

Research has shown that both educators and prospective employers agreed that students needed more than just ‘hard skills.’ Instead of focusing only on students meeting the academic requirements needed to graduate with a diploma, students also needed to work toward mastering social and emotional skills such as ‘soft skills.’ This study consists of five parts; (i) seeking information from employers associated with the target school; (ii) seeking information from parents of students in the target school; (iii) the researcher crafted intervention for students based on the literature on soft skills, (iv) the researcher completed intervention in two area churches, and …

Utilizing Parent Support Groups To Improve Parenting Efficacy And Relationships For Parents Of Inattentive, Hyperactive, Or Non-Compliant Children, Deborah Rickman Hake

Dissertations

School age children with ADHD suffer functional impairment in social development, show signs of emotional dysregulation, and have learning difficulties. Other psychological disorders may present, and some children may have one or more comorbid disorders. Studies demonstrated that the best practice was combined treatment. It was recommended that a pharmacological and behavioral approach be utilized. ADHD also affects the family. Parents of children with ADHD often neglect their own health caring and advocating for their child. The amount of parent involvement raising a child with ADHD can lead to reactive parenting, strained relationships with spouses, social and emotional isolation, depression, …

A Mixed-Methods Study On Emotional And Social Intelligence And Grit In Graduate Students At A Private Four-Year University, Emilee S. Schnefke

Dissertations

The researcher observed, as an educator, administrator, and graduate student, college student’s withdrawal from school due to personal reasons or lack of determination. The study of Emotional and Social Intelligence (ESI) and grit enabled the researcher to learn about the traits or characteristics one must possess to achieve a goal, more specifically earning a college degree. The researcher tested hypotheses for a difference in ESI and grit scores among the studied population and sought the perception of ESI and grit through a mixed-methods study. The researcher measured the ESI and grit among Educational Leadership Specialists and Doctoral students and graduates …

A Case Study On The Use Of Best Practices Within The Mri Program In A Midwest School District, Maureen M. Green

Dissertations

The ability to read proficiently is a comprehensive skill necessary for success at all academic levels. Students who consistently read below grade level continue to struggle throughout their school years with little chance of recovery. The administrative leaders of the Ocean View School District (a pseudonym) noticed a decline in reading scores and recognized a need for a significant shift in its instructional practices to reach its struggling readers. The purpose of this study allowed school leaders an opportunity to investigate the effectiveness of the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) reading strategy within the structure of the Missouri Reading Initiative …

Empirical Estimates Of Design Parameters Used In A Priori Power Analyses For Planning School-Randomized Studies In Select Asian Countries, Ran Shi

Dissertations

A cluster-randomized trial (CRT) is one type of randomized controlled trial (RCT) that is often more feasible for evaluating the effectiveness of an educational intervention due to the multi-level structure of the data (e.g., students nested in schools). In order for a CRT to generate rigorous evidence, it is essential that is it adequately powered to detect an effect of a given size. As such, it is common for researchers to conduct a priori power analyses to determine how large a sample the CRTs will require to detect an effect of a given magnitude. Previous work has shown that two …

Apology Not Accepted: The Impact Of Executive Rhetoric, Communication Strategies, Media Coverage And Time On Crisis Management And Public Perception During Major Oil Spills, Todd D. Harcek

Dissertations

This research builds upon the scholarship in crisis communication strategies and apologia employed by companies during a crisis. Within the expansive domain of crisis management, this work evaluates the media coverage and crisis communication strategies during three major oil spills: the Exxon Valdez, the American Trader, and the BP Gulf oil spill. The purpose of this study is to provide practitioners, researchers and others additional insight into the impact of media coverage on prior, current and future crises and how this coverage, coupled with the communication strategies of companies during a crisis, can influence public awareness or perception. Furthermore, …

Response Shift Bias: An Examination Of Measurement Invariance In Self-Reported Change, Katherine Nelson Daniels

Dissertations

Traditional pre-test (TpT)/post-test (PT) and retrospective pre-test (RpT)/post-test (PT) designs are used to collect data on self-reported measures to assess the magnitude of change that occurs from interventions. If measurement invariance does not exist across the measurement occasions within these research designs, it is inappropriate to compare mean group differences that result from the intervention and derive inferences about change. The theory of response-shift suggests a subject’s understanding of a subject matter at TpT may not be the same as their understanding of a subject matter at PT, and that as a result, the construct measured at these measurement occasions …