Education Commons^™

Early Interventions And Student Achievement, Alana S. Hillman

Dissertations

Educating children is a costly endeavor; however, when children with special needs enter kindergarten unprepared emotionally, socially, or academically, the increased costs and support systems have to be absorbed by the schools and communities. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference between the academic achievement of students participating in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) compared to students without ECSE services with DIAL-3 scores ranked in the 20th percentile or below. Achievement scores for second and third graders in one urban school district were utilized to compare the scores of ECSE and non-ECSE students. …

Rti Characteristics Commonly Implemented In High Performing Middle Schools, Mark Joseph Fitch

Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004 allowed schools to use a Response to Intervention (RtI) model as opposed to the discrepancy model to qualify students as learning disabled. The incorporation of the RtI model provided earlier interventions for students and reduced avoidance of special services and false diagnosis. With the success of the RtI model at the elementary level, middle schools attempt to implement the program with varying success. In this study, middle school principals were surveyed to determine their respective building’s current level of implementation in regard to RtI. The building’s implementation scores were compared to academic achievement …

Perceptions Of Educational Leaders Of Incentive Pay Programs, Kena Lashel Worley

Dissertations

In this study, the perceptions of educational leaders of incentive pay programs, including Missouri’s Career Ladder Program were examined. A mixed-methods design provided a process by which student achievement, professional development, and the retention of high quality and effective teachers were viewed through the lens of Marzano’s (2003) Teacher Level Factors that influence student achievement. The population for the study consisted of educational leaders and educators in Missouri. The sample group was comprised of four public school superintendents, four professional development chairs, four leaders in professional education organizations, four Missouri public school board presidents, and approximately 83 Missouri public school …

Teacher Perceptions Of Effective School Leadership Using Twenty-First Century Skills And Knowledge, Bobbie Anita Augspurger

Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted to examine the primary components of school leadership for 21st-century skills and knowledge integration. With the passing of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for students, teachers, and administrators, the need for administrative leadership within the realm of technology is continually evolving and growing. The NETS based survey required teachers from three varying sized school districts, who have implemented a 1:1 student device initiative, to answer statements, using a Likert scale, about themselves and their principal. Survey statement data results were revealed using a Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient formula, scatter plots, and regression studies …

Investigating A Relationship Between Nonverbal Communication And Student Learning, Dustin York

Dissertations

Clear and effective communication is essential in today’s society (Smith & Cotten, 1980; Smith & Land, 1981). Nonverbal communication specifically has a vital role in communication. There is inconsistent data on the effect of nonverbal communication used by instructors and the impact on student learning within the higher education environment. This research study sought to find distinct correlations between instructors’ nonverbal communication and a variety of elements related to student learning. This study examined (1) the relationship between standardized measurements of student learning and instructors’ nonverbal communication, (2) the relationship between students’ perceptions of their learning and instructors’ nonverbal communication, …

A Comparison Of The Academic Achievement And Perceptions Of Leadership Skills And Citizenship Traits Of Jrotc, Student Athletes, And Other Students In An Urban High School Setting, Carmen Williams-Bonds

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare three groups: JROTC students, student athletes, and other students, to determine if there were differences in academic achievement. Gaining an understanding of the necessary skills required to become academically successful and make healthy life choices, could provide educators working within an urban environment insight for student success. The study was conducted within a Midwest urban high school in which, 98.5% of the students were African American. Student performance data in the areas of reading and math for the past three years had been trending downward and caused the high school to be …

The Relationship Between Weather And Lunar Changes On Student Achievement And Measures School Districts Utilize To Combat Potential Impact, Kendra Stuart

Dissertations

Classroom disruptions present an obstacle to raising student achievement for teachers and school administrators. This study was designed to investigate potential relationships between weather, specifically barometric pressure, or the lunar cycle, and whether either had a direct correlation with student discipline referrals. The intent was to discover trends concerning barometric pressure or lunar phases and their predictability on the number of discipline referrals. Data were collected on three years of elementary student discipline referrals and compared to barometric pressure readings and lunar phases over the same period. The study also surveyed elementary principals on current measures school districts are utilizing …

A Case Study: Achievement Studies Of Persistent, Transitional, And Transient Populations Within The Blitz Program Model At A Large Midwestern Elementary School, Jackie D. Ramey

Dissertations

The United States’ Public Education system shared concerns regarding declining achievement results across the nation. Numerous research studies suggested significant correlations to various variables, such as, SES (Socio-Economic Status), LEP (Limited English Proficiency), IEP (Individualized Educational Programs), ethnicity, and student mobility. The literature suggested these areas of concern need continued research to address specific issues, such as, how to close the educational gaps between students in these categories and students without these characteristics. The Primary Investigator completed a case study to assist decision makers with transient students at a Midwest near-urban elementary school by specifically focusing on fifth grade students …

Superintendents’ Perceptions Of Readiness In Regard To Transitioning To The Missouri Educator Evaluation System To Fulfill The Elementary And Secondary Education Act Flexibility Request, Stacy Hollingsworth

Dissertations

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has begun the transition to the Missouri Educator Evaluation System devised of seven Essential Principles of Effective Evaluation. This study considered superintendents’ perceptions of readiness levels for each essential principle in order to understand continued needs to assist the transition. A web-based survey was electronically sent to 92 superintendents in the Southwest Missouri region. Descriptive statistics methods of mode, mean (M), and frequency distributions were utilized, determining the two essential principles receiving readiness levels of developing processes and documents were differentiated levels of educator performance and use of measures of student growth. …

Student Success And Perceptions Of Course Satisfaction In Face-To-Face, Hybrid, And Online Sections Of Introductory Biology Classes At Three, Open Enrollment, Two-Year Colleges In Southern Missouri, Joyce Diane Hill

Dissertations

Introductory biology courses at two-year, open enrollment colleges in America are presented in a variety of different course delivery formats. Traditionally, most students have enrolled in seated or face-to-face (F2F) lectures and laboratories. There is increased demand for courses presented online or in a hybrid format, although some studies report higher attrition rates, and lower grades for these course delivery formats. The purpose of this study was to examine if there were academic differences among F2F, hybrid, or online introductory biology courses by analyzing pre-course and post-course assessment scores, final grades, attrition rates, and students’ perceptions of course satisfaction. This …

Case Study Of The Voluntary Student Transfer Program: The Perspectives Of African American Students And Parent Participants In One Midwestern School District, Rosalyn Harper Goodwin

Dissertations

This study investigated the perspectives of four students and 6 parent participants of the Voluntary Student Transfer program, an inter-district desegregation program that involves transporting African American students from urban area schools to surrounding county schools. Due to limited and dated research related to the Voluntary Student Transfer (VST) program, the researcher employed a qualitative collective case study framework which included a semi-structured interview protocol and questionnaires to gather perceptual data of parent and student participants of the program. The collective case studies revealed that parent and student participants of the VST program were satisfied with the program overall had …

Exploring The Relationship Between The Ventures For Excellence Teacher Styleprofile Data And Teacher Performance, Barry Nelson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a commercial teacher selection tool, the Ventures for Excellence Teacher StyleProfile, had a statistically significant relationship with teacher evaluation and performance feedback data gathered during a teacher’s first year of teaching in the Midwest School District. A review of the literature confirmed the importance of teacher selection. School improvement initiatives have verified the need to improve the process of teacher selection as a critical variable in the improvement of instruction and student performance. These initiatives have fostered the exploration of utilizing commercial assessment tools to objectify and improve the hiring process. …

A Comparative Analysis Of Physical Activity And Wellness Through The Adult Life Stages Based Upon High School Varsity Athletic Participation, Joseph J. Lovell

Dissertations

The continual decline in health and wellness and the potential impact on society, including the economic, social, physical, and emotional perspectives is a concern for health professionals. Specifically, there are concerns about the lifestyle habits as individuals’ transition through the lifespan from childhood to late adulthood. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of high school varsity athletic participation on physical activity and wellness in the adult life stages: young, middle, and late. The researcher hypothesized that individuals that participated in high school varsity athletics would report higher levels of physical activity and higher wellness scores (social, …

A Mixed Method Study Measuring The Perceptions Of Administrators, Classroom Teachers And Professional Staff On The Use Of Ipads In A Midwest School District, Andrea Laux Beckerle

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to assess the perceptions of classroom teachers, administrators and professional support staff in one Midwest school district regarding the usefulness and effectiveness of the iPad device as an instructional and support tool within the classroom. The need to address classroom teacher, administrator and professional support staff perceptions was crucial as the researched school district approved the move to one-to-one student iPad implementation. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from three role-specific online surveys containing Likert scale and open-ended questions. Qualitative data were collected during face-to-face interviews. The quantitative data suggested classroom teachers …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Participants In Simulation-Based Learning Activities, Rachael Beard

Dissertations

There is currently a small body of research on the experiences of participants, both facilitators and learners, during simulated mock codes (cardiac arrest) in the healthcare setting. This study was based on a practitioner’s concerns that mock codes are facilitated differently among educators, mock codes are not aligned with andragogy theory of adult learning, and there is no standardized method to evaluate participant reflection achieved during the debriefings immediately after mock codes. The study took place in a large federal government healthcare organization. The qualitative study method, interpretive inquiry, was used to explore the lived experiences of clinicians and facilitators …

The Lifetime Experiences Of Being Labeled “Gifted”: Case Studies Of Adults Who Participated In A 1959 Public School Gifted Program, John R. Beckerle

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore the current perceptions of adults who were enrolled in the gifted program of the St. Louis Public Schools in the fall of 1959 or spring of 1960. At this time in history the Cold War was a reality and the U.S. enacted the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) to find talented young people and give them the opportunity to excel academically. The program in this research was already in place when the NDEA was put into effect. A pool of 62 potential subjects was identified and 33 accepted the invitation to participate. …

The Role Development Of A Community College President’S Spouse, Tracy M. Mcgrady

Dissertations

The role of a community college president’s spouse can be an important one in the life of the college and in the success of the presidency, yet the role itself is often vaguely defined. This can cause frustration for a college president’s spouse because he or she experiences ambiguity by not knowing the expectations college stakeholders hold of the spousal role. This study explored the role uncertainties held by community college presidents’ spouses, the strategies they used to navigate their new role, and the conflicts they experience in the role as presidential spouse. A qualitative, grounded theory design was selected …

Perceptions Of Corporal Punishment In Missouri Public Schools, Danny K, Humble

Dissertations

The use of corporal punishment as a form of student discipline has long been a controversial form of student discipline used in schools throughout the world. Research gathered showed that the use of corporal punishment has supporters and opponents. The supporters usually reference the Bible or corporal punishment as a traditional form of punishment. Opponents fear that physical punishment is a thing of the past and a form of physical abuse. Qualitative data were gathered from 12 superintendents in Missouri, one communications director from a Missouri professional teacher organization, and two attorneys who specialize in school law and policy to …

A Study Of Best Practices And Student Achievement In Elementary And Middle School Reading, Tracey L. Hankins

Dissertations

Reading and writing proficiency are skills necessary to be successful academically and in today’s workplace. Literacy skills are directly linked to a better quality of life, the ability to read labels, civic documents, to expand knowledge, and to boost self-esteem (SIL International, 2012). Teaching reading and writing is a complicated arena in education and must be addressed in a systematic manner in order for students to excel. In this study, state test scores in Communication Arts for students in grades 3 through 8 in Missouri were examined to determine the top 10% of schools. Once the top 10% of schools …

An Exploration Of The Influences Of Literature Circles On Secondary Student Reading Level, Tina Hamilton

Dissertations

Literacy is a national concern in the United States. Many students are graduating from high school across the U.S. lacking the skills needed to be a proficient reader. The lack of college readiness skills in reading causes these students to be placed in remedial classes on the collegiate level. School systems that recognize the high percentage of students entering high school who cannot read at their grade level can implement early interventions and provide professional development opportunities for teachers in order to increase reading achievement. Due to the culture created at the secondary level that held teachers responsible for teaching …

Federal Education Laws And The Fine Arts, Kim R. Cavener

Dissertations

Due to federal laws requiring standardized testing of only a select few of the core subjects, many students have been divested of fine arts instruction (Chen, 2008; Garcia, 2010; Jacobsen & Rothstein, 2009; Maxwell, 2008; Suzuki, 2009). Moreover, school officials have reduced funding allocated to non-tested content areas as one means of balancing district budgets in a poor economy (Chen, 2008; Garcia, 2010). This mixed method study examined music educators’ and curriculum directors’ perceptions of how federal education laws have affected public school fine arts. Analysis of data from interviews of six music educators and six curriculum directors were conducted …

How About The Real Responders' Perceptions? A Comparative Case Study On School Principals' Perceptions Of School Administration Through Metaphors In Usa And Turkey, Ibrahim H. Karatas, Harun Parpucu

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Expectations of school administration changed dramatically over the course of the 20th century. Today, the roles and responsibilities of school administrators must be re-defined for success in the 21st century. The current research aimed at revealing the perception of school leadership by school administrators who were expected to cope with problems and enable students to succeed in the U.S. and Turkey. Comparative case study design was used to analyze and compare the U.S. and Turkey school administrators’ perceptions of school leadership through metaphors. The study sample consisted of 47 school administrators employed in K-12 schools in Turkey and the U.S. …

Ethical Practices Of Educational Administrators: A Nepalese Experience, Prakash C. Bhattarai

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Ethics is an important part of administrative behavior for a head schoolteacher. A school often proceeds in the path of success if it is led by an ethically sound leader. However, professional ethics are largely thought to emerge from the conscience of the administrator. This article is based on a study undertaken with the purpose of identifying how the ethics of educational administrators are practiced in public secondary schools in Nepal. The study was carried out using a humanistic paradigm with a series of in-depth interviews and focus group discussion through a phenomenological approach.

The study found that professional codes …

Global Educational Opportunities In The Emerging Information Society, Mikhail Bukhtoyarov, Anna Bukhtoyarova

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This paper addresses the issues of new educational opportunities available through the growing variety of web services. The study’s objective is to explore the perspectives of the global and regional educational projects with regard to the emerging global information society. Summarizing key characteristics of Web 2.0, the researchers raise questions that should be answered by the new pedagogy. Virtual educational communities, open e-learning resources, massive open online courses (MOOCs), and educational online competitions are discussed in terms of their influence on education. Describing global opportunities, the authors cover challenges for traditional educational systems.

Ple-Centered Education: The Next Boundary. Perceptions And Realities Behind Students Personal Learning Environments, Paz Prendes, Linda Castañeda

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

In this paper the authors discuss the results and implications of research regarding the building and perception of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) that they developed in the last four years. In addition, the authors discuss the next step of this research; the public funding project CAPPLE, on which they are currently working.

Engaging Disadvantaged Young People In The Course Of Their Lives: The Importance Of Staff/Student Relationships In Alternative Education, Carmel M. Hobbs, Jennifer Power

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Students who drop out, or disengage, prior to completing secondary education are at an increased risk of a range of poor social and well-being outcomes, and in turn experience reduced opportunities over the course of their lives. Although there is a body of literature identifying strategies within educational settings to counter risk factors for young people dropping out, little is known about perceptions of students in receipt of these strategies. This paper reports on a study conducted within a high school in Melbourne, Australia. Most students attending the school are at high risk of dropping out due to socio-cultural, behavioral, …

Number Of Courses, Content Of Coursework, And Prior Achievement As Related To Ethnic Achievement Gaps In Mathematics, Ernest C. Davenport Jr., Mark L. Davison, Yi-Chen Wu, Se-Kang Kim, Haijiang Kuang, Nohoon Kwak, Chi-Keung Chan, Alicia Ayodele

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This study utilized base-year and second follow-up data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 to investigate the relationship between eighth-grade math achievement, mathematics course-taking in high school, and twelfth-grade math achievement. Results suggested the following: 1) Type of coursework can be quantified. 2) Type of coursework was more predictive of achievement than amount. 3) There were substantial ethnic achievement differences prior to high school. 4) Number of courses, type of courses, and prior achievement were not equally predictive of twelfth-grade mathematics achievement across ethnic groups. 5) Prior achievement did not equally predict course-taking over ethnic groups in amount …

Goal-Setting, Self-Monitoring, And Teacher-Student Conferences And The Relationship With Overall School Climate And Student Academic Achievement, Paul Thomas Godwin

Dissertations

Programs and reforms have come and gone in the educational arena with little impact on student performance. The problem at the school of study was the students’ perception of their sense of belonging and the sense of the school as a community and the students’ academic performance did not show adequate growth. The study took place in a mid-western suburban elementary school serving 440 students kindergarten through fifth grade. The significance of the study was to examine the impact of a Goal-Setting Worksheet, along with regular teacher-student conferences, as a strategy to improve the overall school climate and academic achievement …

The Effect Of Manipulatives On Achievement Scores In The Middle School Mathematics Class, Elaine D. Doias

Dissertations

When applied to mathematics education, manipulatives help students to visualize mathematical concepts and apply them to everyday situations. Interest in mathematics instruction has increased dramatically over the past two decades with the introduction of virtual manipulatives, as opposed to the concrete manipulatives that have been employed for centuries. This quasi-experimental study proposed to explain the relationship between concrete and virtual manipulatives when used in a seventh-grade mathematics classroom. Using students’ mathematics composite scores on standardized and teacher-created assessments, it compared the effectiveness of using concrete manipulatives alone versus using a combination of concrete and virtual manipulatives. The foundational theory of …

The Effect Of Pbis On The School Environment And Test Scores, Denise A. Buettner

Dissertations

Since the beginning of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) program in the Study School District there has not been an evaluation of its effectiveness in reducing student discipline referrals and student suspensions and its success in promoting a positive learning environment leading to improved academic achievement. This study determined the effectiveness of the Positive Behavior Interventions System (PBIS) in the Study School District. It focused on determining the fidelity and consistency of implementation of PBIS in the District, the effect of PBIS on reduction of office discipline referrals and student suspensions from school, teacher attitudes toward implementation of …