Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 22 of 22

Full-Text Articles in Education

The Impact Of Teacher Methodology Training For Higher Education Faculty Members, Nicole Baker May 2020

The Impact Of Teacher Methodology Training For Higher Education Faculty Members, Nicole Baker

Ed.D. Dissertations

Many college programs are designed to graduate individuals who are experts in their field of study, but not necessarily individuals who are trained in how to teach. This quantitative, quasi-experiment study examined college faculty member’s level of training in the area of teaching practices and methodology. The relation to student satisfaction, current course performance, attendance, the belief in the need for training, and faculty member’s sense of efficacy in teaching was explored. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to organize the data using a one-way ANCOVA to analyze the impact the level of training had on …


The Urban Black Male: Early Indicators Of Algebra 1 Failure, Roy D. Harris May 2018

The Urban Black Male: Early Indicators Of Algebra 1 Failure, Roy D. Harris

Ed.D. Dissertations

The meager mathematical performance of the Black male student has been a well-documented event that was well over 30 years in the making. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the literature on 9th grade urban Black Male Algebra performance and to identify the existence of any early predictors of high school Algebra I failure. Specifically, the study sought to identify any difference in the preferred learning styles, mathematics self-efficacy scores, and standardized test scores, among 31 urban Black males 14-16 years who passed high school Algebra I, first semester of the 2016-2017 school year and 11 urban …


Performance Appraisals For Special Education Teachers: Examining The Need For Separation And Alignment, Iyuna K. Harris May 2016

Performance Appraisals For Special Education Teachers: Examining The Need For Separation And Alignment, Iyuna K. Harris

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study explored the current practices used to evaluate special education teachers in the Midwest in order to examine the need for separation and alignment as it relates to performance appraisals. There is limited research available regarding special education teacher evaluation. The research that has been accomplished shows that the roles and responsibilities between special education and general education teachers are different and therefore there exists a need to have different evaluation criteria. In order to accomplish the exploration of the current practices used to evaluate special education teachers, the researcher examined the current evaluation process, evaluation tools, and job …


Smaller Learning Communities As Comprehensive School Reform: A Quantitative Analysis Of Implementation, Jerry Doss May 2016

Smaller Learning Communities As Comprehensive School Reform: A Quantitative Analysis Of Implementation, Jerry Doss

Ed.D. Dissertations

In recent years, smaller learning communities (SLCs) have emerged as a strategy to address the social problems and poor academic performance of students in large high schools. Smaller learning communities are structures such as schools-within-schools and academies that offer smaller settings and more personal environments and instructional opportunities for students in large high schools. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between student achievement and SLCs in a medium sized suburban high school district in order to determine whether SLCs accomplished the goals of school reform. The school district under investigation received a Smaller Learning Communities …


Alternative Assessments And Student Perceptions In The Foreign Language Classroom, Robin Barnard Bachelor May 2015

Alternative Assessments And Student Perceptions In The Foreign Language Classroom, Robin Barnard Bachelor

Ed.D. Dissertations

The paradigm shift in education with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards has created the opportunity for foreign language educators to evaluate appropriate and beneficial assessments for their students. This study investigated how first-year students in a Midwestern high school perceived three different alternative assessments in the foreign language classroom: Dynamic Assessment, Task-based Assessment, and Formative Assessment using self- and peer-evaluation. The researcher correlated the perceptions to the students’ assessment scores. Additionally, the researcher compared final exam scores of the control group to those of the experimental group. The results indicated that the experimental group students favorably perceived …


The Utility Of Local Norms In The Identification Of Students With Learning Disabilities In Reading, Brian C. Malliett May 2015

The Utility Of Local Norms In The Identification Of Students With Learning Disabilities In Reading, Brian C. Malliett

Ed.D. Dissertations

Third grade students were administered two universal screening reading measures at the beginning and end of the school year. In an effort to limit the misidentification of reading disabilities (RD) in lower socioeconomic community populations of the school district, local norms were established. The local and national norms were compared using the 10th percentile, or -1.27 Z-score, to identify discrepant scores. A diminished classification of RD was evidenced when local norms were utilized in contrast to the use of national norms. Locally-normed slope scores in conjunction with the benchmark testing scores showed a moderate level of correlation than when …


The Relationship Between Mobility And Student Achievement, Scott R. Buchanan May 2015

The Relationship Between Mobility And Student Achievement, Scott R. Buchanan

Ed.D. Dissertations

Mobility, at least sometime before a student graduates from high school, has become the norm rather than the exception in the United States today. The current study represented one high school administrator’s effort to examine mobile students’ academic performance. A quantitative, quasi-experimental design was utilized to examine the relationship between student mobility and academic achievement as measured by semester grades in mathematics and English classes, and raw scores on the state high school achievement examination. The results indicated that a statistically significant difference existed between the semester one grades in mathematics and English. However, the results further indicated that there …


Analysis Of Financial Assistance On Graduation Rates And Grade Point Averages, John L. Perry May 2015

Analysis Of Financial Assistance On Graduation Rates And Grade Point Averages, John L. Perry

Ed.D. Dissertations

This investigation examined the different types of federal, state, institutional, employment, and loan programs available to students at an Illinois community college in order to determine the impact of these programs on student graduation rates and grade point averages. The method selected for this analysis was a quasi-experimental design because it allowed the researcher to determine the relationships between multiple preassigned groups. Data was collected from first-time students from multiple academic years and separated into groups based on the type of financial aid received including grants, loans, grants and loans, institutional scholarship, Federal Work Study, and no financial assistance. The …


The Impact Of Common Core State Standards On Cross-Curriculum Instruction And On Formal Assessment, Sherrie L. Birts May 2014

The Impact Of Common Core State Standards On Cross-Curriculum Instruction And On Formal Assessment, Sherrie L. Birts

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study investigated how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) affected cross-curriculum instruction, student achievement and the learning environment within an urban high school. The researcher compared performance data based on State Standards with performance data based on the CCSS and examined teachers’ perceptions regarding the educational influence of CCSS. A mixed method design was utilized to conduct this study. Data was collected using PSAE test scores and academic grades earned by the Classes of 2010 and 2014 and a semi-structured survey with a 5-point Likert scale and an open-ended short answer format. The results of comparing …


Increasing Enrollment: Evaluating College-Choice Factors At A Midwest Christian University, Jeremy J. Hayes May 2014

Increasing Enrollment: Evaluating College-Choice Factors At A Midwest Christian University, Jeremy J. Hayes

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study evaluated the college-choice factors of 628 freshman students from a Midwest Christian University to determine which variables had the greatest impact on their decision to attend a particular university. Surveys were distributed to freshman students at the new-student orientation during the fall of 2012. The results indicated that institutional factors have the most influence on freshman students’ college-choice decision. In addition, marketing factors are slightly more influential than non-marketing factors. The campus visit is the most influential factor effecting the college-choice decision. The findings also revealed that marketers can be just as influential, if not more, than parents …


Assessment Of A Community College’S First Year Experience Course: Analysis Of A Student Retention And Success Strategy, Mark Lanting May 2014

Assessment Of A Community College’S First Year Experience Course: Analysis Of A Student Retention And Success Strategy, Mark Lanting

Ed.D. Dissertations

First Year College Experience is a face-to-face three-credit college course that provided the subject for the current research. The current research was conducted at a small, Midwest community college. This course expanded the college’s existing one-credit hour course called College Success Skills. In the hope of amplifying the impact of the existing course, several learning modules and objectives were designed. The current quantitative, non-experimental research demonstrated that students passing the First Year College Experience course tended to have higher GPAs than students who did not take the course.


Stop The Madness! College Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Classroom Incivility, Christina M. Nutt May 2013

Stop The Madness! College Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Classroom Incivility, Christina M. Nutt

Ed.D. Dissertations

Classroom incivility is causing major concern, nation-wide, to college administrators, faculty, and students. The damage caused by student incivility has been associated with a decrease in student learning, the deterioration of the classroom learning environment, lower faculty morale, and reduced student retention rates. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental fixed research design was to explore and compare college faculty and student perceptions of type and frequency of classroom incivilities at a private college in order to provide a foundation for the development of strategies to reduce uncivil behaviors and increase student success. Study results demonstrated that faculty members and students, …


Perceptions Of Full-Time Faculty Members Within A Community College Regarding Conditions That Impact Levels Of Engagement, Edward Matthew Foley May 2012

Perceptions Of Full-Time Faculty Members Within A Community College Regarding Conditions That Impact Levels Of Engagement, Edward Matthew Foley

Ed.D. Dissertations

Community Colleges fulfill a vital role in society and in higher education, while constraints are expanding. Understanding and increasing the engagement of full-time faculty members could be critical to community colleges in meeting their challenges and advancing their mission. This quantitative study, with focus group follow-up, was conducted within the largest and oldest community college in Ohio. First, findings established an existing level of full-time faculty member engagement and perceptions. Next, the study examined variations of perceptions relative to engagement based on tenure status, academic discipline, length of service, and campus location. Lastly, the study examined the relationship between community …


School Facility Design: Are We Asking The Right People?, Dale C. Jerome May 2012

School Facility Design: Are We Asking The Right People?, Dale C. Jerome

Ed.D. Dissertations

Realizing the need for changes in the design of new school facilities, architects and educators must reach beyond the norms of past designs. This mixed-methods study was conducted at four recently completed high schools. Questionnaires were utilized in the initial phase of research to identify statistically significant differences between the perceptions of teachers and students regarding the physical design characteristics of their learning environment. Structured interview sessions were then conducted with teachers, principals, and architects, to understand their perceptions regarding the involvement of students in the design and planning process of school facilities, and indicated the importance of providing a …


An Analysis Of Elementary School Teachers' Knowledge And Use Of Differentiated Instruction, Alixa Rodriguez May 2012

An Analysis Of Elementary School Teachers' Knowledge And Use Of Differentiated Instruction, Alixa Rodriguez

Ed.D. Dissertations

School districts today are being held accountable for providing all students with a quality education in order for students to meet mandated learning standards as well as become productive citizens; thus teachers need to be more responsive to their students’ needs. This study investigated teachers’ knowledge about differentiated instruction; how often teacher differentiate instruction in specific subject areas; and factors that help or hinder the implementation of differentiated instruction. Study results demonstrated that the majority of the teachers surveyed are familiar with differentiated instruction; however, because of their unfamiliarity of available tools, the immense amount of preparation time involved coupled …


The Impact Of Information Literacy Instruction On The Library Anxiety And Information Competency Of Graduate Students, Rodney G. Birch May 2012

The Impact Of Information Literacy Instruction On The Library Anxiety And Information Competency Of Graduate Students, Rodney G. Birch

Ed.D. Dissertations

Many persons enrolling in graduate programs of study do so with varying levels of research skills. The lack of research skills often results in students experiencing some level of library anxiety, which occurs most often at the outset of a research assignment. The role of information literacy instruction is to provide students with the skills necessary to define the information need, understand the resources available to fill the need, understand the process for evaluating information, and understand what it means to use information in an ethical manner. This study explored the relationship between the library anxiety and the information literacy …


Investigation Of Comprehension Monitoring Skills Of First-Year Students Of College Reading Courses, Barbara Revor May 2011

Investigation Of Comprehension Monitoring Skills Of First-Year Students Of College Reading Courses, Barbara Revor

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study investigates the comprehension monitoring skills of first-year readers at both a two-year institution and a four-year institution in the Midwest. The Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI) was used to assess skills. The MARSI, developed by Mokhtari and Reichard (2002), assesses reading strategies in the areas of problem-solving, support reading, and global reading. Simple t-tests were used to compare the items on the survey relating to understanding and comprehension monitoring. Results reveal no statistical difference between the students at the two institutions; however, the MARSI was able to show where instructors need to begin instruction to …


An Axiological Analysis Of Shared Purpose And Academic Excellence, Robert Baranoski May 2011

An Axiological Analysis Of Shared Purpose And Academic Excellence, Robert Baranoski

Ed.D. Dissertations

In this dissertation, I inquired into the relationship of shared purpose and academic excellence. Beginning with an understanding and investigation into the axiology of shared purpose and academic performance, the research reviewed and synthesized scholarly literature for contextual facts. Following analyses, a quantitative explanatory method was undertaken to measure correlation of the variables. An examination of the findings supports a relationship between shared purpose and academic excellence. More importantly, it yields further investigation into purpose as a linchpin to performance in public education.


Writing Curriculum And The Adolescent: Addressing Skill Variance In The Classroom, Zakieh A. Mohammed May 2011

Writing Curriculum And The Adolescent: Addressing Skill Variance In The Classroom, Zakieh A. Mohammed

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study addressed a means of responding to the varying writing skill levels found in the standard high school classroom. A structured writing curriculum was examined through a state, national and marketed rubric, focusing upon a high-risk high school population in Chicago, IL. The research centered around cognitive learning theory, specifically, Vygotsky‘s zone of proximal development. Additionally, to account for the variance in skill level, a new measurement tool was created to quantify rigor in relation to increasingly difficult writing assessments. The longitudinal study determined that, with extended exposure, the proposed structured writing curriculum did enable students to meet state, …


From Fourth Grade Slump To Fourth Grade Triumph, Maria Delsing May 2010

From Fourth Grade Slump To Fourth Grade Triumph, Maria Delsing

Ed.D. Dissertations

The Fourth Grade slump has been a phenomenon that was identified over 50 years ago and is most prevalent among students from low achieving schools. This applied research project focused on students using material that was readily available and was free or low cost to help prevent the slump. Students created inference questions, as well as other critical thinking questions, as they read the material. They also played the Set Game daily. Students in this school had historically experienced the fourth grade slump as demonstrated on the standardized tests for the last four years. The study was implemented for one …


Impact Of Two Interventions On Isat Scores In A Small, Rural School District, Vicki J. Good May 2010

Impact Of Two Interventions On Isat Scores In A Small, Rural School District, Vicki J. Good

Ed.D. Dissertations

This case study sought to determine the impact that an after school program and summer school program may have had on the ISAT reading scores of elementary students in a small, rural school in the Midwest. A secondary purpose was to determine if other factors may have impacted the effectiveness of the two interventions. Quantitative data indicated that the after school program had a positive effect on ISAT reading scores for those students who participated, raising the median raw score of the ISAT reading test by 2.23 points. On the other hand, there was no evidence that the summer school …


Attitudes And Perceptions Of High School Mathematics Teachers Regarding Students' Cognitive-Metacognitive Skills, Peter A. Babich May 2010

Attitudes And Perceptions Of High School Mathematics Teachers Regarding Students' Cognitive-Metacognitive Skills, Peter A. Babich

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify the attitudes and perceptions held by select teachers in a Midwest high school regarding teaching strategies related to students solving mathematics problems from a cognitive-metacognitive approach. The case study utilized a questionnaire regarding instructional practices and teacher beliefs and opinions as well as semi-structured interviews. Teachers commented on definitions and beliefs regarding thinking about thinking, thinking mathematically, and conceptual and procedural understanding. Furthermore, teachers discussed teaching strategies utilized to teach thinking about thinking in mathematics, effects of school-wide metacognitive training efforts, and usage of student reflection activities. The specificity and sophistication of …