Education Commons^™

Understanding And Predicting Retractions Of Published Work, Sai Ajay Modukuri, Sarah Rajtmajer, Anna Cinzia Squicciarini, Jian Wu, C. Lee Giles

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Recent increases in the number of retractions of published papers reflect heightened attention and increased scrutiny in the scientific process motivated, in part, by the replication crisis. These trends motivate computational tools for understanding and assessment of the scholarly record. Here, we sketch the landscape of retracted papers in the Retraction Watch database, a collection of 19k records of published scholarly articles that have been retracted for various reasons (e.g., plagiarism, data error). Using metadata as well as features derived from full-text for a subset of retracted papers in the social and behavioral sciences, we develop a random forest classifier …

Informing Makerspace Outcomes Through A Linguistic Analysis Of Written And Video-Recorded Project Assessments, Kevin M. Oliver, Jennifer K. Houchins, Robert L. Moore, Chuang Wang

STEMPS Faculty Publications

A growing body of research focuses on what outcomes to assess in makerspaces, and appropriate formats for capturing those outcomes (e.g. reflections, surveys, and port-folios). Linguistic analysis as a data mining technique holds promise for revealing different dimensions of learning exhibited by students in makerspaces. In this study, student reflections on makerspace projects were gathered in 2 formats over 2 years: private written assessments captured in the 3D GameLab gamification platform, and semi-public video-recorded assessments posted in the more social FlipGrid platform. Transcripts of student assessments were analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC) to generate 4 summary variables thought …

Assessing An Academic Readiness Model In A Community College Occupational Program, Scott A. Hauert, Robert L. Moore, Quinton Nottingham

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This study assessed a localized academic readiness model that measures academic skills relevant to an occupational program and the institutional context. Enrollment in the program’s mandatory gateway course is contingent upon establishing academic readiness either: (1) possess an associate-level or higher degree; (2) achieve placement test scores that permit enrollment in college-level English composition/critical reading; or (3) complete developmental education prerequisites to permit enrollment in college-level English composition/critical reading. Using the gateway course performance for 112 students, the study explored whether any of the model’s criterions are significantly related to success in the gateway course and whether there is any …

Student Success Coaching In Virginia Community Colleges, Angela Lawhorne

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Community college students face many barriers when they start college, especially if they are from first-generation families, are low-income, or identify as a minority. Retention and completion for these at-risk students are relatively low compared to those with higher socioeconomic backgrounds (Bettinger & Baker, 2014). To improve these statistics and promote academic persistence, some Virginia Community College System (VCCS) colleges have implemented student success coaching under the Chancellor’s College Success Coach Initiative (VCCS, 2011). This entails not only assisting students with academic coaching, but also with career, financial, and personal matters that may affect their academic success. The researcher sought …

Mathematics Teacher Educators Using Self-Based Methodologies, Elizabeth Suazo-Flores, Jennifer Ward, Sue Ellen Richardson, Melva R. Grant, Dana Cox, Signe E. Kastberg, Olive Chapman

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Narrative inquiry, self-study, and autoethnography (i.e., self-based methodologies) are becoming a more common choice of mathematics teacher educators (MTEs). This has opened new possibilities and challenges for early career MTEs as they try to disseminate their findings in mathematics education journals. Building from our working group at PME-NA 2018 and 2019, we respond to the need for creating a community where MTEs can feel supported in their study design, implementation, representation of findings, and publication using self-based methodologies. This year, we continue our focus on mentoring and scholarship on self-based methodologies. We invite English- and Spanish-speaking MTEs with research projects …

A Continuum Of Data Literacy For Teaching, Jori S. Beck, Diana Nunnaley

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Accountability for education in the United States has existed since the first formalized system of education. Although this accountability is an important part of society, these systems must be expanded beyond high stakes assessments to include other types of data including P-12 student voices. The purpose of the current manuscript is to present a continuum for data literacy for teachers that spans preservice to inservice teacher education. We conceptualize data literacy for teachers as a metaconstruct that includes the construct of assessment literacy. The research on enabling and marginalizing factors and exposure to data are reviewed at the preservice and …

A Continuum Of Critical Consciousness: Exploring One Resident's Concerns, Jori S. Beck

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

In the United States, there is a demand for richer clinical teacher education experiences. Partially in response to this call, innovative new programs like teacher residencies are being developed. As teacher preparation programs are shaped by these mandates, researchers must respond to shifts in the field. The current manuscript includes data from a resident, or teacher candidate, enrolled in a residency program—specifically, his yearlong apprenticeship. Using interviews and other qualitative data, the author examined how the resident’s concerns shifted and also how these concerns differed from those uncovered in previous research. Specifically, his concerns appeared to be more dynamic than …

Comparison Of Motor-Enhanced And Visual-Enhanced Interventions For Grammar In Young Children With Developmental Language Disorder, Alisha P. Springle

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Up to 7.6% of children demonstrate a developmental language disorder (DLD), which can persist through adulthood, causing difficulty with academic achievement, social relationships, and financial stability. Grammar development, as a hallmark of DLD, is an important area of need for these children. Existing grammar interventions do not clearly distinguish the sensory input techniques that meet these children’s neurobiological instructional needs. This adapted alternating treatment design study implemented intervention using systematic paired visual and verbal and systematic paired motor, i.e. standardized gestures, and verbal sensory input techniques. A moderate-strong functional relation between intervention techniques using motor supports on grammatical outcomes in …

Students At A Crossroads: Ta Development Across Pedagogical And Curricular Contexts, Cassandra Ann Book

English Theses & Dissertations

A longstanding question in rhetoric and composition has been how to best educate composition graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs). Although many assume that writing centers are useful spaces for TAs to practice pedagogy and learn about writing processes in preparation for classroom teaching, recent scholarship complicates the claim that transfer from writing centers and/or practicums into composition classrooms is straightforward. Moreover, no study fully considers how the role of the writing center and teaching writing in English MA programs intersects with students’ development as teachers, writers, and scholars. This project brings together several strands of scholarship—the transferability of writing center experience …

Organizational Management Of Distance Learning: An Analysis Of Teacher Feedback Throughout Hampton Roads Public High Schools During The Covid-19 Pandemic Response, Cody P. Trudeau

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

Public schools throughout the United States experienced closures and transitions to online curriculum in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many of the policies and strategies implemented to manage teaching faculty were hastily designed and employed out of necessity. This study sought to examine organizational management policies and strategies throughout public high schools in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia through teaching faculty perspectives. This cross-sectional study examined descriptive and correlational statistics of survey responses to determine and evaluate how schools managed communication, responsibilities and delegation, and training for distance learning in order to provide policy …

“There Is Subjectivity, There Is Bias”: Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions Of Equity In Data Literacy For Teaching, Heather Whitesides, Jori S. Beck

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Research on equity in data literacy for teaching has lagged yet is of critical importance to ensuring new teachers are prepared to serve diverse students. Our multiple case study conveyed four elementary teacher candidates’ understandings of this construct and their reaction to instruction in this domain. Data collection included interviews, item analysis, and concept maps. Our participants developed a broader view of data by the end of the course, but often did not recognize inequitable data practices like tracking which conveys a misalignment between beliefs and practices. We explored implications for policy and practice based on our findings.

Assessing Teacher Pedagogical Knowledge: The Video Assessment Of Teacher Knowledge (Vatk), Peter D. Wiens, Jori S. Beck, Christina J. Lunsmann

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study examines the creation and implementation of a video-based assessment of teacher knowledge of effective teaching called the Video Assessment of Teacher Knowledge (VATK). The VATK was developed with the intention of creating an easily administered, standardised assessment that can potentially provide information on teacher candidate knowledge of teaching at important points during their training programmes and into the teaching field. The theoretical framework upon which the VATK was developed and the process for item creation are described. Classical test theory and item response theory analysis were conducted to determine the measure’s potential for use in future studies. Analyses …

Experiences Of African American Teachers In Desegregated Pk–12 Schools: A Systematic Literature Review, Yonghee Suh, Brian J. Daugherity, Jihea Maddamsetti, Angela Branyon

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This literature review reports findings from 19 empirical studies on the experiences of African American teachers in PK–12 desegregated schools. The research questions were: What do we know about the experiences of African American teachers in desegregated PK–12 schools? What are the challenges African American teachers experience in desegregated PK–12 schools? In response to these questions, the article first discusses school desegregation after the Brown v. Board of Education decision and its impact on African American teachers as a historical backdrop. Findings from 19 studies were analyzed through grounded theory. Two core themes were identified from our findings: persistent structural …

The Power Of Open: Benefits, Barriers, And Strategies For Integration Of Open Educational Resources, Tian Luo, Kirsten Hostetler, Candice Freeman, Jill Stefaniak

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Open Educational Resources (OER) are becoming a significant, mission-driven trend within educational literature. To help address rising costs, instructors and designers are looking to OER to effectively replace traditional instructional content, which requires more than just identify and replace. Drawing from 51 OER studies conducted in countries across the five continents, this systematic literature review explored the empirical themes evident in the current research on a global scale. This review found (1) discoverability, sustainability, and remixing are significant barriers that stand in the way of OER disrupting traditional textbook models; (2) there is no significant difference in learning outcomes when …

Improving Classroom Management And Teacher Retention: A Needs Assessment, Jill Stefaniak, Jilian L. Reynolds, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This case explores how a needs assessment was conducted at a middle school experiencing high rates of teacher turnover. Pamela Frost, an experienced instructional designer, was assigned to assess the situation and identify opportunities to improve professional development opportunities for the teachers. As a part of a needs assessment, Pamela gathered data to address needs pertaining to classroom management challenges, teacher attrition rates, and establishing relations with the local community. This case explores how Pamela gathered data and triangulated her findings to determine what interventions were needed.

School Librarians Making Global Connections: Conjecture Mapping And Researcher Practitioner Partnerships, Barbara Schultz-Jones, Marcia Mardis, Sue Kimmel

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Dr. Barbara Schultz-Jones (University of North Texas), Dr Marcia Mardis (Florida State University) and Dr Sue Kimmel (Old Dominion University, Virginia) share their research on a way to support evidence building of causal relationships between the school library and a teacher librarian’s contribution to student outcomes.

From Developmental Education To Transfer And Bachelor’S Degree Attainment: A Study Of Community College Students’ Long-Term Outcomes, Kathryn Mahaffey Harvey

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Community college is the only pathway to higher education for many students. Jenkins and Fink (2016) reported that 40% of new college students entered higher education through a community college. Most of these students aspire to earn a bachelor’s degree (Fink 2014). In order to achieve their dream of bachelor’s degree attainment, many of these students need to first complete a series of developmental or remedial courses to become college-ready and begin taking curriculum courses. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between developmental education course completion and transfer success by comparing the longitudinal outcomes of students …

Well Begun Is Half Done: Using Online Orientation To Foster Online Students' Academic Self-Efficacy, M'Hammed Abdous

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

Past research suggests that the use of an online learning orientation is an effective proactive strategy to ease online students' transition into online learning. Based on a sample of 3,888 online students from an urban public university, we used ordinal logistic regression to understand the influence of students' satisfaction with an online learning orientation (OLO), their prior level of online learning experience, and their demographics on their academic self-efficacy (ASE). Consistent with prior research, our findings confirmed the influence of students' satisfaction with OLO, their prior online learning experience, and their gender on their ASE. Unsatisfied students were 85% less …

Building Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy (Ese): How Undergraduate Students Make Meaning Of Their Entrepreneurial Experiences, Amy Kurfist

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative, interview-based research study explores how undergraduate students at a single research university make meaning of their experiences in curricular and co-curricular university entrepreneurship programming. The study focuses on the developmental relationship between entrepreneurship education and feelings of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and how feelings of ESE relate to future entrepreneurial intentions. I explore three of Bandura’s (1977) predictors of self-efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, and social persuasion interwoven with the six dimensions of ESE developed by De Noble, Jung, and Ehrlich (1999) to determine how undergraduate students make meaning of their entrepreneurial experiences.

Through the analysis of data collected …

An Exploration Of Professional Preparedness Of Instructional Designers To Evaluate, Philena V. Devaughn

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Formative, summative, and confirmative evaluation of instructional products determine whether learner objectives have been attained and substantiate the value of the instruction. The ability to implement an evaluation plan is classified as an essential skill for instructional designers by the International Board of Standards for Training and Performance Improvement (IBSTPI). Previous research has ascertained that entry-level instructional designers have failed to master the skills required to create evaluation plans.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the professional preparation received by instructional designers, for instruction evaluation, through graduate level programs. The data collected for this study was the …

Examining Self-Contained And Integrated Physical Education Experiences Among Individuals With Visual Impairments, Rebecca Coffey

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Introduction. While research to date has examined the views of individuals with visual impairments toward integrated public-school physical education, little attention has been given to examining perspectives toward experiences at residential schools for those with visual impairments. By understanding the perspectives of those who attended physical education in both contexts, researchers can gain valuable information about particularities that can make experiences meaningful or challenging. The purpose of this study was to examine how individuals who experienced physical education in both integrated and residential school settings viewed their physical education class experiences. Methods. This study utilized a retrospective interpretative phenomenological approach …

Mathematics Teacher Educators' Exploring Self-Based Methodologies, Elizabeth Elizabeth, Signe E. Kastberg, Dana Cox, Jennifer Ward, Olive Chapman, Melva R. Grant

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Historically underused methodologies in mathematics teacher education such as narrative inquiry, self-study, and autoethnography (i.e., self-based methodologies) are becoming a more frequent choice of mathematics teacher educators (MTEs). This has opened new challenges for MTEs as they try to disseminate their findings in mathematics education journals. Building from our working group at PME-NA 2018, we respond to the need for creating spaces (communities) where MTEs can feel supported in their study design, implementation, representation of findings, and publication using self-based methodologies. This year, we shift our focus from discussion to mentoring and scholarship on self-based methodologies. We invite MTEs with …

3 Tips For Equitable Use Of Classroom Data, Jori Beck, Heather Whitesides

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) For most new teachers—and even veteran teachers!—data can be a four-letter word. That’s understandable. Educationbased data collection practices, evaluation, and influences are often lumped together, misunderstood, and carry a negative connotation. New teachers may even have negative perceptions of testing based on their own experiences as students (Beghetto, 2005)

"Asking, Learning, Seeking Out": An Exploration Of Data Literacy For Teaching, Jori S. Beck, Joseph John Morgan, Nancy Brown, Heather Whitesides, Derek R. Riddle

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The current study explored preservice and inservice teachers’ perspectives on data literacy for teaching. Semi-structured interviews were employed with 12 teacher candidates in elementary and special education. The findings revealed participants’ misconceptions regarding formative and summative data; their understanding of the value of formative data; perceptions of challenges related to data literacy for teaching including time, making sense of data, and reliability and validity; and candidates’ preferences for authentic data literacy instruction.

Implementing The U.S. School Library Standards: Data And Dialogue From The Field, Elizabeth Ann Burns

STEMPS Faculty Publications

In this exploratory study, a survey was conducted to learn about school librarian perceptions on the implementation and practice using the US National School Library Standards (NSLS) for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries published by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). Participants in the state of Virginia in the United States, reported on their experiences after attending training on the new NSLS and they began their personal plan of implementation. This report documents preliminary findings indicating participants found implementation training largely introductory. After one year many remain at the awareness …

Factors Contributing To Student Retention In Online Learning And Recommended Strategies For Improvement: A Systematic Literature Review, Pauline S. Muljana, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Aim/Purpose

This systematic literature review investigates the underlying factors that influence the gap between the popularity of online learning and its completion rate. The review scope within this paper includes an observation of possible causal aspects within the non-ideal completion rates in online learning environments and an identification of recommended strategies to increase retention rates.

Background

While online learning is increasingly popular, and the number of online students is steadily growing, student retention rates are significantly lower than those in the traditional environment. Despite the multitude of studies, many institutions are still searching for solutions for this matter.

Methodology

A …

Lexical-Level Predictors Of Reading Comprehension In Third Grade: Is Spelling A Unique Contributor?, Kimberly A. Murphy, Laura M. Justice

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose:

Considerable research effort has focused on understanding reading comprehension and reading comprehension difficulties. The purpose of this correlational study was to add to the small but growing body of literature on the role that spelling may play in reading comprehension, by investigating the full range of lexical-level literacy skills and whether spelling makes a unique contribution. This study also explored whether these relations vary with the spelling scoring metric.

Method:

Data were collected from 63 children attending Grade 3 in a Midwestern state. In addition to measuring reading comprehension, word recognition, and vocabulary, 4 spelling scoring metrics were examined: …

Designing Program Evaluation Outcomes To Mirror Council For Human Services Education (Cshse) Standards At The Baccalaureate Degree Level, Kristy L. Carlisle, Shuntay Z. Tarver, Mark C. Rehfuss

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The article highlights the designing program evaluation and its maintenance with the Council for Human Services Education (CSHSE) standards at the baccalaureate degree level in universities & colleges. Topics include that CSHSE requires all accredited human services educational programs to articulate strategies for improving their programs and its importance in the accreditation process.

Setting The Pace: Examining Cognitive Processing In Mooc Discussion Forums With Automatic Text Analysis, Robert L. Moore, Kevin M. Oliver, Chuang Wang

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Learning analytics focuses on extracting meaning from large amounts of data. One of the largest datasets in education comes from Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that typically feature enrollments in the tens of thousands. Analyzing MOOC discussion forums presents logistical issues, resulting chiefly from the size of the dataset, which can create challenges for understanding and adequately describing student behaviors. Utilizing automatic text analysis, this study built a hierarchical linear model that examines the influence of the pacing condition of a massive open online course (MOOC), whether it is self-paced or instructor-paced, on the demonstration of cognitive processing in a …

The Preparation And Certification Of School Librarians: Using Causal Educational Research About Teacher Characteristics To Probe Facets Of Effectiveness, Sue C. Kimmel, Marcia A. Mardis, Shana Pribesh, Laura A. Pasquini, Barbara Schultz-Jones, Faye R. Jones, Lois D. Wine, Lenese M. Colson

STEMPS Faculty Publications

How do we define a high-quality school librarian? Decades of educational researchers have attempted to link teacher characteristics—such as how teachers are prepared, which credentials they carry, and years of experience—to student outcomes. These researchers have contended that individual educator attributes may have a direct effect on what and how much their students learn. School librarians are also teachers who have direct student contact, and although numerous studies have indicated that school librarian preparation, licensure, and other background characteristics are promising areas for further direct exploration, researchers have yet to examine if, how, and why school librarians’ certification or preparation …