Education Commons^™

Effects Of Phonological Intervention On At-Risk Kindergarten Students With Reading Difficulties, Laura Lees

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study provides additional data supporting the argument of implementing phonological reading intervention. The study consisted of 20 kindergarten students’ ages five and six years old. Students were identified at-risk for reading difficulties by a teacher created pretest and the administration of STAR a school computer assessment tool. Using a multi-sensory approach, all students received whole and small group instruction in segmentation and blending words. In addition, students at-risk received 30 minutes of intensive instruction four days a week. Results indicated that there was positive reading growth when students were provided direct and systematic phonological instruction. The students at-risk who …

Effect Of Wh-Question Graphic Organizer On Reading Comprehension In Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Josh Connelly

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Many students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) struggle with reading comprehension. The study examined the efficacy of using a wh-question graphic organizer to improve reading comprehension of students with ASD. Two eighth grade students in a middle school, self-contained classroom participated in the study. The data revealed that the graphic organizer was beneficial to Student A in improving comprehension. Student B saw a decrease in scores after the introduction of the organizer. Further research is necessary to determine the efficacy of the intervention. As characteristics of ASD can vary greatly from one individual to another, it may be the case …

The Benefits Of Reading Racetrack With Flashcards, A Smartboard And Time Delay Usage In Increasing Sight Word Recognition And Fluency With Special Education Students, Tara J. Leffingwell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of the study is to determine if the effects of using reading racetrack paired with flashcards and the enhancement of Smartboard technology with three-second time delay will increase the accuracy of Dolch Sight Word reading. The first participant was a second grade male diagnosed with an intellectual disability. The second participant was a fourth grade female born with Down syndrome and diagnosed with an intellectual disability. Data were taken on corrects and errors of selected sight words on a pre-test and posttest and during intervention. A generalization probe was conducted to see if they could read the 28 …

Improving Vocabulary Comprehension For Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Students, Tammy Gallion

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to pursue the best ways to use visual representation as an introduction to vocabulary to a deaf or hard of hearing student. These techniques were effective for the student to be able to maintain comprehension. The teacher used either use sign language to demonstrate the sign for the vocabulary word or finger spell the vocabulary word, identified the written word, and said the word aloud in the study. The instrument used for the pretest and posttest were ten Dolch sight words: three, yellow, down, jump, help, run, funny, big, little and play. Documentation from …

The Effects Of Visual Vocabulary Strategies On Vocabulary Knowledge, Maria Phillips

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of picture word pairing and semantic mapping strategies on the vocabulary understanding of second grade students. Fourteen second grade students were given a teacher created pretest on vocabulary words found in their story for the week. Then, the teacher enhanced the usual vocabulary instruction with two visual strategies, picture word pairing and semantic mapping strategies. Finally, they were given a posttest to show how much they improved. Results indicated that the intervention improved all participants’ scores by 15%. Eight out of fourteen had a score of over 80% on the …

Teaching Multiple Meaning Words To Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students Using Contextually-Based Vocabulary Instruction And Metacognitive Skills, Calla Rieger

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using contextually-based vocabulary instruction and metacognitive skills to teach multiple meaning words to deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Deaf and hard of hearing students have limited vocabularies and struggle to understand and use multiple meaning words and as a result, their reading comprehension suffers (Paul, 1987). Furthermore, DHH readers are less likely to use metacognitive techniques such as looking back or rereading a text to monitor comprehension, drawing upon background knowledge to define unfamiliar words, and detecting inappropriate information in passages than their hearing peers (Marschark & …

Measuring The Self-Assessed Presence Of The Essential Features Of Pbis In West Virginia Schools, James Franklin Harris

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) for the 19 schools participating in the West Virginia Department of Education’s (WVDE) PBIS Project. Specific attention was given to which critical elements are more or less likely to be put in place during the first year of implementation, and which variables related to the process and the schools seem to positively and negatively influence implementation. Schools showed a positive trend of implementation and based upon the literature this should have a positive impact on the students and staff at these schools. There …

Education All A'Twitter: Twitter's Role In Educational Technology, Rikki Elaine Mccormick Lowe

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine whether current uses of Twitter by educators correlate with the literature on the uses and advantages of using Twitter in education through an examination of United States educators and West Virginia educators. Data was obtained from responses to the online survey, Education All A’Twitter: Twitter’s Role in Educational Technology, content analysis of public Twitter feeds, and semi-structured interviews that were sorted, coded, organized, and analyzed to identify emergent themes. The study had a population that included 97 survey responses, 78 Twitter feeds, and 8 semi-structured interviews. There were survey respondents …

A Study Of Outcomes Based Educational Interventions And Moral Development Of Undergraduate College Students, Jay Christopher Robert Wildt

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Discussions regarding moral development and subsequent behavior are common in political and philosophical arenas. The consensus is that resolutions of moral dilemmas are best accomplished through careful deliberation and the use of principled moral reasoning. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in moral development in undergraduate college students who participated in an outcomes based education program. The study also investigated the influence of certain demographic and attribute variables on moral development within the same population.

This study examined extant data from 295 University of Charleston (UC) students who took the Defining Issues Test as freshmen and then …

A Case Study Of A Professional Development School In Rural West Virginia, Cheryl Ann Terry Jeffers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The focus of this qualitative research study is the Professional Development School (PDS) partnership between a university and an elementary school in Central Appalachia. Data were collected through participant observation, individual and focus group interviews, and document analysis. The research focused on the participants’ experiences and perceptions of the Professional Development School and any enabling and/or constraining factors related to its effectiveness. Participants included school-based individuals ─ students, teachers, and administrators of Dolen Elementary (pseudonym) ─ as well as university-based participants. The most significant finding was a genuine willingness to learn that was exhibited by participants, both school-based and those …

A Study Of The Fepac Accredited Graduate Forensic Science Programs' Curricula, Catherine Genice Rushton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The National Institute of Justice (1999) and the National Academy of Sciences (2009) recommended that forensic science training shift from on-the-job training to formal education. However, the reports cited inconsistencies in the curricula of the forensic science degree programs as an impediment to this. The Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) Standards were created to address this issue; however, no studies have been conducted to determine how the accreditation standards have been implemented by the FEPAC accredited graduate programs. This study evaluated the self-study responses (n=11) and website information (n=17) specific to FEPAC’s Graduate Curriculum Standards to determine how …

Preschool To School: Transition Through The Eyes Of Teachers, Ruthann Arneson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This qualitative comparative case study conducted in two West Virginia school systems examined the factors that regulate the implementation of transition practices from pre-k into kindergarten from the perspective of pre-k and kindergarten teachers. The participants’ perceptions were explored in relation to teacher practices, school practices, and practices with families in both pre-k and kindergarten classrooms. The study investigated what teachers perceived to be barriers and/or inducements relating to the implementation of transition practices. Findings were based on interviews with pre-k and kindergarten teachers from the two counties. One county participated in a year-long professional development intervention on transitions; the …

Re-Professionalizing Teachers: Earning A Seat And A Voice At The Table, Donna Diane Hage

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study explored the perceptions of teachers, the current culture of teaching, and ways to regain influence within the teaching profession. Some scholarly researchers have begun to analyze and critique this current culture of deprofessionalization of teachers (Barantovich, 2006; Beijaard, Meijer and Verloop, 2004; Bolton and Muzio, 2008; Boote, 2006; Duncan, 2009; Goldstein, 2014; Ingersoll and Merrill, 2012; Ingersoll and Perda, 2012; Ingersoll and Perda, 2008, Kuhn, 2014; Labaree, 1992; Lee, 1995; Lortie, 1975; Milner, 2013; Ravitch, 2011; Rooney, 2015; Sachs, 2001; Wills and Haymore Sandholtz, 2009). Very little is known, however, about how teachers themselves are experiencing this phenomenon …

Survey Of Classroom Assessment Practices Of Community College Faculty, Joyce R. Wawiye

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Spellings Commission (U.S. Secretary of Education Commission on the Future of Higher Education) notes that there are far too many college graduates entering the workforce without the initial employment skills and predispositions needed in a current global economy. Specify measurements of relevant learning within community colleges is therefore called for as effective assessment and instruction go hand in hand to ensure that the full range of student achievement and talent is elicited. This quantitative study was designed to address the gap in faculty assessment, and gain insights into the perceptions of WV community college faculty about their classroom assessment …

A Mixed Methods Program Evaluation Of Participant Perceptions Of The Residency Portfolio Component Of The Education Doctorate At Marshall University, Ashley White Stephens

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This mixed-methods study explored student, graduate, and faculty perceptions of the residency portfolio process in Marshall University’s Ed.D. Program and the degree to which the portfolio met the stated goals of the program. Data was collected via online surveys, student/graduate focus groups, and individual faculty interviews. One hundred eighteen students/graduates and 14 faculty members completed the survey. Eleven students/graduates participated in the two focus groups, and eight faculty members participated in individual interviews.

The seven stated program goals were further divided into 21 indicators. The survey asked participants to rate the degree to which the residency portfolio developed students’ abilities …