Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Teacher Attitudes And Perceptions Of Direct Instruction On Student Achievement In Reading, Sharon Collum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2004), 37% of America's fourth graders are not reading at grade level. This statistic has remained unchanged for over a decade (NCES, 2004). Findings from multiple studies indicate more research on successfully implementing reading interventions is needed (Begeny & Silber, 2006; Begeny, Krouse, Ross, & Mitchell, 2009). Barnyak and Paquette (2010) suggested that although teachers learn new methods, they return to the strategies they are most comfortable using. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine if teacher attitudes and perceptions of direct instruction impacted student achievement in reading. Elementary …

Determining If Instructional Delivery Model Differences Exist In Remedial English, Latanya Carter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study is to test the theory of no significant difference that compares pre- and post-test assessment scores, controlling for the instructional delivery model of online and face-to-face students at a Mid-Atlantic university. Online education and virtual distance learning programs have increased in popularity and enrollment since their inception. Students tend to enroll in online courses for their flexibility and convenience and find online courses to be just as challenging as face-to-face courses (Pastore & Carr-Chellman, 2009). Russell (1999) conducted a meta-analysis which found that there were no significant differences between the modes of class …

Correlation Between Academy Of Reading And Georgia End Of Course Test, Barry Brazelton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between students' scores on Academy of READING (AOR) and their performance on the Georgia End of Course Test (GEOCT) for Ninth Grade Literature and Composition. The participants were ninth grade students enrolled in Ninth Grade Literature and Composition during the 2009-2010 school year at a high school in Northeast Georgia. The data was compiled from the students' pretest and posttest scores on AOR and the students' EOCT scores. The researcher compared students' AOR pretest and posttest scores to the students' EOCT scores. In addition, the researcher tested for the AOR …

A Quantitative Examination Of The Educational Technology Characteristics Of Ohio Schools And Their Blue Ribbon Status, Dean Goon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to analyze data from Ohio schools and the frequency of use of educational technology, a teacher's comfort level using technology, and a teacher's beliefs about the effect of educational technology on teaching and learning based upon the school's Blue Ribbon award status. The study used an ex-post facto, quantitative comparative research design. The variables examined originated from an archival data set: the Ohio Biennial Educational Technology Assessment: 2011 (BETA 10-11). The research questions examined the differences between Blue Ribbon and Non-Blue Ribbon schools based on educational technology use, a teachers' comfort level with technology, …

Florida Charter Schools: The Effects Of Types And Socioeconomic Status On Academic Achievement, Reginald Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was established in 2002 with the primary goal of closing the achievement gap between low socioeconomic students and their more advantaged peers. Charter schools are a part of NCLB's school choice policy and are intended to be a form of intervention to close the achievement gap. Much research has been conducted to measure charter school student achievement compared to regular public schools. But little has been done in distinguishing the differences between charter schools and their impact on student achievement. This quantitative study identifies the different types of public charter schools in Florida using Carpenter's …

The Impact Of Georgia's Esol Endorsement On Teachers' Attitudes And Secondary English Language Learners (Ells)' Achievement, Traci Mcbride

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As school districts are facing increasing pressure to meet annual yearly progress goals based upon the No Child Left Behind legislation (2001), teacher preparation and effectiveness, especially in teaching specific subgroups, is an issue that resonates with many educators today. This quantitative, causal-comparative study examined the impact teachers who have obtained an ESOL endorsement have on standardized test scores in six high schools within one district in northeast Georgia. Additionally, the researcher compared teachers' attitudes and perceptions of six themes towards ELL inclusion in their mainstream classrooms in these same schools with findings from the original survey designed by Reeves …

A Phenomenological Study Of Teacher And Administrator Experiences In The Analysis And Interpretation Of Student Assessment Data, Matthew Ross

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative empirical phenomenological study was to examine the experience of analyzing and interpreting student assessment data from the perspective of both teachers and administrators in order to identify: (a) those aspects of the experiences which are similar or dissimilar among the two groups, (b) the priorities and influences which affect those experiences, and (c) the most critical issues expressed by the participants. Ten teachers and five administrators participated in three in-depth individual interviews, online reflective journaling, and follow-on focus group interviews. This study revealed that the experiences of teachers and administrators can be characterized and described …

A Comparison Of A Gifted Education Program Among Eighth Grade Gifted Students At A Georgia Junior High School, Jerry Clark Harden

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships that may exist among mean scores on the math and reading portions of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) of eighth grade gifted students of different gender, race, and socioeconomic status. Significant changes have been made to Georgia's gifted identification procedures over the last few decades to lessen the underrepresentation of minorities and students of low socioeconomic status. However, issues still exist in the referral process, the identification process, and the performance of gifted students. Although the referral process and identification procedures have been and continue to be researched, …

A Case Study Of Factors Leading To Student Success In An Accelerated Licensed Practical Nurse To Associate Degree Nursing Program, Sherry Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study attempted to discover and comprehend the relationship of students and contributing factors of success, of one Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, to formulate an understanding of which contributing factors are most beneficial to enable students to persist to graduation and/or successfully pass the national nursing licensure examination. Multiple methods of data collection were used; a survey mailed to each of the 86 nursing graduates, three follow up focus group interviews with six graduates per group, a focus group interview with four nursing faculty, observation in classroom and clinical settings, and document …

Examining Factors That Predict School Psychologists' Perceptions Of The Response To Intervention Process, Terry Bullock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With increasing emphasis on accountability measures and widespread focus on implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI) procedures in schools, it is critical to examine the impact these changes have on the role of practitioners involved in the process. This correlational study examined the factors of school psychologists' involvement in RtI, degree level, and years of experience to determine which of these best predict school psychologists' perceptions of the RtI process. Using information from the literature regarding RtI, the researcher's experience working as a school psychologist and with RtI, and review of a previous survey that examined RtI, an instrument was …

The Impact Of Classroom Performance System-Based Instruction With Peer Instruction Upon Student Achievement And Motivation In Eighth Grade Math Students, Tracy Hunter Allison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher employed two designs to address the research question for this particular study. This quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group study compared the math achievement of 92 eighth grade students who received Classroom Performance System (CPS)-based instruction using Peer Instruction (PI) to 76 eighth grade students who received CPS-based math instruction without PI. Posttest scores were statistically analyzed using an ANCOVA. Iowa Test of Basic Skills scores were used as a covariate. A statistic control group design was employed to examine student motivation for the same group of students under the same conditions. Student motivation data from the Instructional Materials Motivation …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Physical Fitness And Academic Performance, Karen Elizabeth Rodenroth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

academic achievement based on the idea that health and physical fitness have an impact on the ability to achieve academically. Because of the recent pressures of No Child Left Behind, many schools have opted to limit the amount of time students spend in physical education classes and recess. With the increased percentages of students who suffer from diabetes and other health related risks, eliminating or reducing physical activity from the school day is not the answer. Data was collected from 90 students (46 males and 44 females) during the 2009-2010 school year by using the President's Challenge Physical Fitness Test, …

The Education And Miseducation Of Boys In Cultural, Political, And Christian Perspective, Mark A. Lamport, Ph.D., Roseclaire Bulgin

Christian Perspectives in Education

The trend of higher male achievement at of all levels of education has reversed in the last twenty years, in almost every major country except Japan, sparking global political and social debate about this intriguing phenomenon. Several cultural trends may contribute to this swing, including, but not limited to, a recent vibrant call for equity education for girls; shifting social norms of traditionally held views of masculinity and male dominance in the job market, academia, and society; delayed maturation physically and cognitively of the average male; teacher competence in the science of educating boys; school structures that are antithetical to …

Comparing Academic Achievement Of African-American Males Who Do And Do Not Participate In High School Athletics, Thomas Victor Montgomery, Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study was conducted to investigate the impact on academic achievement that high school athletics had on African-American male students who participated in high school athletics against African-American male students who did not participate in high school athletics during the 2008-2009 school year. The results were measured by grade point averages (GPAs) and surveys developed by the researcher. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not African-American males that participated in high school athletics showed higher academic achievement than African-American males that did not participate in high school athletics. The study also assessed attitudes about the relation …

Quantity Of Parental Involvement: The Influence Of The Level Of Education Attainment Of Elementary Private School Parents, Deborah Kay Secord

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine the influence of the custodial parents' level of educational attainment on the quantity of parental involvement in the areas of assistance with homework, time spent in home activities with the child, communication with teachers, participation in school events, educational discussions with the child, and time volunteered in school. Questionnaires were sent out to the parents of elementary students at two private faith-based institutions. The combined number of participants was 151. The researcher determined that there was no significant influence among these private school parents of the level of educational attainment on the …

The Relationship Between The Dynamic Indicators Of Basic Early Literacy Skills (Dibels) Oral Reading Fluency (Orf) And The Alaska Standards Based Assessment (Sba) For Proficiency In Reading, Polly Shuman Rowell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The impact of No Child Left Behind and making Adequate Yearly Progress is influencing classroom instruction with Curriculum Based Measures such as the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). The primary population of this study was from a small school in rural Alaska. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the first grade scores of the DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) and the subsequent third grade scores of the Alaska Standards Based Assessments (SBAs) in reading. A Pearson's r statistical test was performed on the data from both scores. The results indicated that there …

The Academic Needs Of The Native Spanish-Speaking English Language Learner Under The No Child Left Behind Act (Nclb), Amy J. Whicker

Senior Honors Theses

The instructional demands and pressures placed on today’s educators are constantly increasing, influenced by national and state learning standards, assessments, and changing student demographics. More specifically, the standards of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) set by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) require academic gains to be made yearly by all students, including those with significant learning hurdles, such as the language acquisition difficulties faced by English Language Learners (ELLs). While the future of the NCLB Act is debatable, the necessity of effective classroom arrangements and instructional methods is indubitable. In addition, because the majority of this ELL population is …

Improving Student Engagement: Use Of The Interactive Whiteboard As An Instructional Tool To Improve Engagement And Behavior In The Junior High School Classroom, Georgia Lyn Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of interactive whiteboard use on student engagement and appropriate at-task behaviors of junior high school students. Two hundred twenty-six students at two public schools in northeast Florida were observed during the second quarter of the school year. Data were collected using an at-task checklist, and students completed an attitude survey regarding their perception of their own engagement and enjoyment with interactive whiteboard use. Significant differences were noted in student behavior between instruction without interactive whiteboard use and instruction with interactive whiteboard use. No significant correlations were found between the variables gender and ethnicity and improved …

Developing Oral Reading Fluency: Effects Of Daily Use Of Word Walls And Daily Independent Silent Reading On Oral Reading Fluency Development Of Second Grade Students, Douglas F. Osborn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher measured the effectiveness of two popular supplemental reading instruction strategies, word walls and independent silent reading, in 6 second-grade classes over 12 weeks. The study involved the comparison of eight oral reading fluency growth measures (Rate, Accuracy, Fluency, Comprehension, Oral Reading Quotient--overall oral reading ability, Sight Word Efficiency, Phonemic Decoding Efficiency, and Total Word Reading Efficiency). The researcher used the individually administered Gray Oral Reading Tests (fourth edition) and the Test of Word Reading Efficiency in a pretest-intervention-posttest experimental design to obtain these measures. Although pretest and posttest comparisons of the standard scores and percentile ranks revealed no …

Relationship Between Select Variables And Teacher Rentention, Connie Sue Greiner

Faculty Dissertations

The major purpose of this study, conducted during the spring and summer semesters of 2003, was to determine the relationship between the following variables and teacher retention: Professional Development Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (PD ExCET) scores, Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) reading scores, age at time of passing the PD ExCET, ethnicity, completion of a field-based teacher education program or emergency permit teacher education program, gender, and undergraduate grade point average.

The quantitative study identified students from a single Texas senior-level university who passed the PD ExCET between September 1, 1996 and August 30, 2000. Five …

The Comparison Of The Effects Of Three Prereading Advance Organizers On The Literal Comprehension Of Fifth-Grade Social Studies Materials, Constance L. Pearson

Faculty Dissertations

The goal of this investigation was to determine if one of three prereading advance organizers: a verbal, a graphic, or a problematic situation organizer affected the comprehension of given fifth-grade social studies reading selections. The study attempted to answer the following research questions. 1. Are the post-reading comprehension test scores following a lesson using anyone of the given prereading approaches significantly different from the lesson introduced by the control organizer? 2. Are the post-reading comprehension test scores following a lesson using anyone of the given prereading approaches significantly differently from the other two? In order to answer these questions, subjects …