Education Commons^™

An Investigation Of Communication Patterns And Strategies Between International Teaching Assistants And Undergraduate Students In University-Level Science Labs, Barbara Elas Gourlay

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Investigates communication between international teaching assistants and their undergraduate students in university-level chemistry labs. Qualitative and quantitative data from observations and interviews with study participants guide the analysis of laboratory interactions, which examines patterns of conversational listening. Results reveal that successful communication depends on teaching assistant listening comprehension skills and on the coordination of verbal and visual (gestural and physical resources) sources of information.

A Qualitative Study Of The Epistemological Interplay Between Teachers And Students In A High Stakes Testing Environment, Donald Bruce Bierman

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Employing grounded theory methodology informed by microethnographic discourse analysis, studies the classroom conversations, interviews with students and teachers, and students' written texts in a high stakes test preparation program for tenth graders to determine the effects students and teachers have upon one another's epistemological beliefs concerning the source of knowledge. Students were preparing for the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT).

Teachers' Participation In Formal Induction Programs And Their Subsequent Level Of Professional Growth In Wisconsin Public Schools, Paul Edmund Blanford Sr.

Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between teachers' participation in formal induction programs and their subsequent level of professional growth as measured by two variables (graduate level credits/graduate degrees attained) as reported by public school teachers in the State of Wisconsin. In addition, selected demographic variables (teachers' age; teachers grade level taught; teachers' school district size; training and support provided to teachers in their first years of teaching; participation by teachers in mentoring and induction programs; teachers' level of education) were examined for their predictive relationships with teacher induction and professional development.

This study was conducted during the spring of 2007. …

The Effect Of The Middle School Concept On Student Achievement In Coastal Mississippi Middle Level Schools, Mary Lee Davis

Dissertations

In this study, the researcher examined the effect of the implementation of the middle school concept on student achievement in coastal Mississippi middle level schools with a grade configuration of 6-8. The study was conducted in the fall semester of the 2006-2007 school year; archival data were collected from the Mississippi Department of Education's Web site. There were 15 schools identified as housing grades 6-8; of those 15, participants included 12 coastal Mississippi middle level schools. There was a total of 9 schools identified as implementing the middle school concept, and 6 schools were identified as not implementing the concept; …

Support Systems, Isolation, And Intended Persistence In Doctoral Education, Casey Nicole Cockrell

Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of formal academic support systems and stage of doctoral study on persistence, satisfaction, and knowledge of resources, expectations, and customs in doctoral education. Part-time and full-time doctoral students (N=141) enrolled in four public institutions in a southeastern state during the spring and summer semesters of 2007 were surveyed.

An online questionnaire, adapted from the 1999 Survey on Doctoral Education (Golde & Dore, 2001), was used to survey participants. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were performed to define the variables. A MANOVA was performed to determine if any differences existed between formal academic support system …

Student Achievement And Teacher Perception In Small Schools And Large Schools, Frances Irene Dearman

Dissertations

The study analyzed student achievement in various school sizes and teachers' perceptions of relationships and interactions with colleagues, students, and parents depending on the size of the school in which teachers work. The purpose was to assist school leaders when they are faced with decisions about school size.

Simple linear regression was used to analyze the relationship of achievement and school size of fourth-grade students. The variables mathematics achievement and size and language arts achievement and size were positively correlated. These findings suggest that as the size of a school increases, achievement increases. After holding the variables socioeconomic status and …

An Analysis Of The Career Maturity Levels Of Intellectually Gifted Adolescents, Yolanda Yvette Baker Cobb

Dissertations

This research project was conducted to analyze the career maturity level scores of intellectually gifted middle school students. The Career Maturity Inventory-Revised (Crites & Savickas, 1995) was used to compare the career-choice readiness of the intellectually gifted students to their typical middle school-age peers, as well as to the 9th through 12th graders in the norm sample. In addition, a comparison of the career maturity levels of intellectually gifted male and female 6th and 7th graders was also conducted. It was also hypothesized that the intellectually gifted students' career maturity score would increase as the students' grade level increased T-tests …

Educational Games Increase Learning Effectiveness: A Case Study, Shonda R. Hoyt

All Graduate Projects

Educators of all age groups-whether they be elementary, secondary, or postsecondary- have long recognized and known that there is a strong connection between student engagement in the learning process and student success. Given the environment in which we teach in today, with its growing diversity, larger class sizes, increased focus on high-stakes testing, and ever- expanding poverty levels, it is essential that teachers incorporate new teaching techniques into their classrooms as a tool for better engaging students in their own learning. To that end, this paper reviews the purported benefits of educational games in the classroom setting as a tool …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of A School District's Mentoring / Professional Development Plan For Beginning Teachers, Henry William St. Pierre

Dissertations

The purpose of the study of the mentoring/ professional development program within the teaching profession was to determine the extent and perceived value of the existing formal mentoring program in the Fort Zumwalt School District. The study found that the district's mentoring and professional development program for new teachers is effective as perceived by both beginning teachers and their administrators. The instrument used in this study was a survey designed by the District and distributed to beginning teachers who finished their first year of teaching and the formal mentor program during the 2002-2003 through the 2006-2007 school years. Surveys were …

A Study Of Teacher Leadership And Its Relationship With School Climate In American Public Schools: Findings From Sass 2003-2004, Donghai Xie

Dissertations

This study made inquiry into teacher leadership and its relationship with school climate in American public schools by using the data from SASS 2003-04 by National Center for Education Statistics. The study was focused on the statistical assessment of public school teachers' perceptions of teacher leadership in the areas of school operation and classroom operation. Another aspect to be inquired was teachers' perceptions of school climate in the dimensions of school leadership and teacher collaboration.

The results of descriptive analyses in the study indicated that the majority of public school teachers did not consider they had much influence over the …

Missing Data Treatment Of A Level-2 Variable In A 3-Level Hierarchical Linear Model, Xiaofan Cai

Dissertations

Data used in educational research often come with a hierarchical structure such as students nested in classrooms and classrooms nested in schools. Hierarchical linear model (HLM) analysis allows applied researchers to incorporate the hierarchical structure of the data into data analysis to examine effects of variables at each level. However, problems such as missing data pose analytical challenges of biased estimation. With missing data occurring in level-2 variables in a 3-level HLM analysis, the choice of the missing data treatment may affect parameter estimation at all levels.

This Monte Carlo simulation study was designed to compare performance of six missing …

Virginia Standards Of Learning: An Analysis Of Sociodemographic Effects On Exam Passing Rates, Anne E. Foster

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study proposed to analyze the effects that sociodemographic variables have on Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) exam passing rates. By analyzing Census data along with passing rates from the Virginia Department of Education, the researcher determined if the independent variables white, non-white, poverty, female-headed household and foreign born explained variance in the SOL passing rates. By using linear regressions for each independent variable as well as a regression for a combination of the independent variables, the researcher was able to show the amount of variance that was explained. The results confirm that variance was present in each test subject …

The Relationship Of Teacher Route To Certification To Student Outcomes On Statewide Social Studies Assessment, Aaron L. Smith

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Public school divisions face daunting challenges today. One such challenge is the ability to recruit and retain highly qualified and effective teachers. Endemic teacher shortages coupled with escalating national education standards make it imperative that school divisions hire and retain teachers who can positively and immediately impact student achievement. Schools without effective teachers face possible sanctions, which could include re-staffing of the school, parental choice that would allow the student population to attend more successful schools and loss of funds.

At the same time, colleges and universities have begun alternative certification programs in an effort to compensate for teacher shortages …

A Program Evaluation Of Supplemental Instruction For Developmental Mathematics At A Community College In Virginia, Marilyn Lawson Peacock

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

With the current emphasis on accountability and the importance of math skills in our present economy, the success of developmental mathematics students at community colleges is critical. How to improve the success of these developmental students has become the impetus for many educational initiatives. One educational innovation in tutoring, called supplemental instruction, has been successfully applied to high-risk courses which are defined to have a failure rate in excess of 30%. Mid-Atlantic Community College, in its Title III grant which seeks to improve the success of developmental students, selected supplemental instruction as its initiative. This program evaluation investigated the effects …

Evaluating Experiential Leader Development: A Programmatic Of The Effectiveness Of Us Air Force Squadron Officer School Curricula, Jeffrey G. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

Leader development programs often employ experiential learning exercises. The impact of such exercises is not clear. This research investigated experiential leader development using a quasi-experimental design to analyze the differences in two consecutive US Air Force Squadron Officer School (SOS) in-residence classes. The curriculum was altered between classes by the addition of the Combat Leadership Exercise (CLX), an experiential war-gaming activity. Experiential programs regularly use mean differences between pretest and posttest measurements to represent program impact. However, research shows that participants may change the way they evaluate themselves between test administrations due to their experiences in the programs, a phenomenon …

Motivating Students: Identifying And Motivating Reluctant Learners To Reach Their Academic Potential, Kim Yeager

All Graduate Projects

Motivation plays an important role in determining how well a child will perform in school (Philips & Lindsay, 2006). Regardless of how intelligent or capable a student may be if the student is not motivated to do well then their academic performance will be less than it could have been with some motivation. Teachers need to understand why some students are motivated to try hard in school and why some students are not. This understanding will lead teachers to understand why their students are not reaching their academic potential. The purpose of this project was to design a guide that …

Staff Perceptions Of Structure, Process, And School Readiness Outcomes In Private South Florida Child Care Centers, Deborah Mazzeo

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The quality of child care centers and school readiness outcomes continue to be important topics in the State of Florida since policymakers, school districts, and child care centers, in August 2005, began to implement the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program. The problem area of child care is whether various characteristics of child care center programs result in different outcomes for children's development.

Qualities of child care centers can be attributed to structure and process variables. A theoretical framework that is grounded in Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory is discussed. The structure-process-outcome model of quality and Spady's outcome-based education model were combined to explain the …

Eap Teacher Expectations Vs. Efl Student Interpretation Of Written Teacher Feedback: Authority And Attitude Issues, Heba Saber El-Sayed

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

National Board Certification: A Scholarly Endeavor, Kathryn Loveless

All Graduate Projects

If today's students are going to succeed they need quality teachers. To atiract and retain those teachers, we need to have a system to recognize and reward those teachers. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) was created to fill that need. This study presents the historical development of the Natio1ial Board Teacher Certification program, research on its effects on student learning, and the personal certification experience of a teacher practitioner. The high standards set by the NBPTS are commendable and worthy of being replicated in teacher training programs. These standards set the ground work for what teachers should …

Normative Comparison For The Woodcock-Johnson Iii : Tests Of Achievement In 15 & 18 Year Olds, Amber Cummings

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study evaluates the use of the original and updated norms of the Woodcock Johnson-III in making educational decisions. The method of collection involved placing the raw score obtained from the updated norms into the original Compuscore program to see if there is a difference between the two scoring systems. The scores were then placed in a figure to see how much the scores varied from each other. Results of the study showed that there was a 1 to 3 point difference between specific skill areas, with some skill areas obtaining a 5 to 6 point difference. Suggestions are made …

Investigating West Virginia Students' Perceptions Of The Factors Affecting Their Educational Aspirations, Kimberly S. Cowley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of West Virginia students about factors affecting their educational aspirations and to determine whether these factors differed significantly over time, by gender, or by parents‟ college history. Research questions included: (1) To what extent will constructs emerging from West Virginia student data parallel the eight constructs identified as supporting student aspirations by the University of Maine‟s National Center for Student Aspirations? (2) To what extent do students‟ perceptions of these factors differ over time, from seventh to ninth grade? (3) To what extent do students‟ perceptions of these factors differ …

Mugc Summer Enrichment Program And Reading Achievement: Program Evaluation, Melissa A. Varian

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This purpose of this study is to determine if participation in the Marshall University Summer Enrichment Program enhances children’s reading skills and to determine if a gender difference was evident in reading achievement scores. DIBELS was used to determine reading achievement scores at the beginning, middle, and end of program. The data obtained were compared using a General Linear Model-Within Subjects Factors through ANOVA to determine the mean of benchmark 1 and 3 as well as the significance level of the reading scores. The findings of this study indicated no differences in Oral Reading Fluency in total scores or in …

Results Of The Accreditation Process To Guide Postsecondary Certificate-Granting Institution Improvement, Sherri E. Nash

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Research gaps exist in knowledge about postsecondary certificate-granting institutions, as well as results of accreditation processes. This qualitative study focuses on national accreditation results that can: 1) define strengths and improvement areas in these institutions; 2) determine why action is taken or not taken on accreditation recommendations; and 3) identify results, strengths, and challenges of accreditation. This research base can guide improvements in these institutions and the North Central Association – Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) process. The population was 125 accredited schools in ten states, representing 96% of all NCA CASI accredited public, postsecondary institutions. Methods …

Marginalized Students' Perspectives Of School Consolidation: A Case Study In Rural West Virginia, Betty A. Sias

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

While prior research provides evidence that school consolidation impacts student achievement, the economic efficiency at state and district levels, dropout rates, participation in extracurricular activities, curriculum offerings, and the length of bus rides, “little is known about what happens in consolidated schools to impact student learning,” (Blake, 2003, p. 21) and little attention has been given to studying students’ lived experiences of consolidation. This qualitative case study explored these issues by attempting to understand students’ transition to a consolidated high school, as well as their current experiences with and perceptions of consolidation in a rural community in West Virginia. The …

The Effects Of Program Model And Language On Science Taks Scores Among Fifth Graders, Stephanie Leigh Zelenak

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

THE EFFECTS OF PROGRAM MODEL AND LANGUAGE ON SCIENCE TAKS SCORES AMONG FIFTH GRADERS

This study examined the conditions of learning allowing students in one classroom to succeed on the fifth grade science TAKS test whereas students in other classrooms on the same campus do not succeed. It focused on the relationship of program models, specifically as it pertains to the influence of language within the content area of science and student performance on the fifth grade science TAKS scores.

To compare the academic achievement, as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test, in grade five …

Nate And The One Sixty-Eight, Michael S. Mcmillan

MA TESOL Collection

This paper explores the fate of 168 students who failed the Level 4 test at the American University Alumni (AUA) Language Center in Bangkok, Thailand. It examines enrollment trends of all Level 4 students during a one-year study period spanning 2006 and 2007, and reveals what happened to the students – who dropped out (and when), and who continued to study. It also examines why students might have dropped out. It then takes a critical look at certain aspects of the Level 4 test, explores what makes a test a “good” test, and recommends a series of improvements to AUA’s …

An Exploratory Study Of Creativity -Fostering Teacher Behaviors In Secondary Classrooms, Matthew J. Edinger

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Teacher Effectiveness: The Roles Of Teacher Characteristics, Preparation, And Turnover, Sharon Kukla-Acevedo

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

After nearly a century of research, scholars are still unable to concretely define the personal and professional characteristics that predict effective teachers. This dissertation contributes to the research base by using a unique dataset that allows the estimation of unbiased effects of teacher characteristics and preparation program on student gains. These estimates provide new evidence that, with quality data, teacher characteristics can predict student gains.

The effects of teacher characteristics on student gains are analyzed using data from a Kentucky school district that links teachers to individual students over time. A series of fixed- and between-effects models are used to …

The Impact Of A Professional Learning Community On Student Achievement, Brandon S. Carter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professional learning communities (PLC) have the potential to strengthen students' academic achievement. An academic pyramid of interventions, one aspect of PLCs, may be especially helpful in schools where subgroups of students are underperforming relative to other students on standardized testing. This quantitative, one-group, pretest-posttest study examined the impact of implementing an academic pyramid of interventions as part of a PLC on middle school student academic achievement. The 100 students from grade 7 and 8 who participated in the study were identified by teachers as being at-risk for success on the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The reading and math test …

The Effects Of Teacher Race In The Elementary School On Student Achievement Test Scores, John Stortz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The racial and gender composition of elementary school teachers does not match those of the students and this may be contributing to an inequity of achievement scores between African American and European American students. This ex post facto causal comparative study compared three levels of elementary school diversity personnel staffing on Grade 4 African American student Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) scores and differences between male African American scores and female African American scores in a suburban Atlanta county. Nine intentionally selected elementary schools were chosen representing 3 racial diversity personnel staffing levels including 39% to 50%, 25% to 27%, and …