Education Commons^™

Applying The Education Debt To Waterloo, Iowa, Baylee Renae Smith

Honors Program Theses

The Education Debt is largely overlooked in the world of academia. This is despite the fact the Education Debt offers a new lens through which to look at the multiple factors explaining differences in testing scores. While many scholars acknowledge and draw from the Education Debt in their works, it is still often viewed as supplementary to the larger problem of the achievement gap. The purpose of this study is to analyze if Ladson-Billings’ concept is just as applicable and relevant as when she first proposed it. To understand if the Education Debt is still a relevant issue within the …

Accuracy Of Self-Assessment In A Ninth Grade Earth Science Classroom, Alyssa Jacobson

Graduate Research Papers

Student engagement is a constant struggle teachers and schools work to address. Students who are not engaged are more likely to drop out of school and participate in risky behaviors that negatively impact themselves and society as a whole. As a means to combat student disengagement, school districts have begun to implement The New Art and Science of Teaching, a framework meant to engage students by involving them in the learning process through self-assessment.

The purpose of this study is to determine how accurately high school aged students can self-assess and how students make decisions when they self-assess. To …

The Impact Of Confidence-Based Marking On Unit Exam Achievement In A High School Physical Science Course, Casey Clark

Graduate Research Papers

High school teachers begin each year with a plethora of content standards to teach, however, instructing students how to learn is hardly ever considered. Metacognition and learning how to learn are not present in high school science content standards. The ability to self-regulate our knowledge is essential to assumptions about learning (Cubukcu, 2009). Students are expected to use metacognitive strategies, even if they do not have them. When students work through problems, it is common to expect them to go back and recheck their work. This is a form of metacognition and self-regulation. Asking students apply metacognition can help them …

A Case Study Analyzing The Traits, Programs, Actions, And Beliefs Necessary To Overcome The Correlative Relationship Between High Free And Reduced Lunch Rates And Low Standardized Test Scores, John Speer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As the K-12 student population in Iowa continues to become more socioeconomically challenged, as evidenced by a continued increase in the free and reduced lunch rates for schools in Iowa, a demand for increased student performance on standardized tests is growing. This dichotomy proves challenging to schools. In general, schools with a higher rate of identification of students eligible for free and reduced lunch rates produce lower achievement scores on standardized tests. The purpose of this study was to (1) Identify the strength of the corollary relationship in Iowa between free and reduced lunch identification rate and 4th grade achievement …

An Investigation Of The Assessment Practices Of Elementary General Music Teachers In Iowa, Michelle Linn Hyde Swanson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Assessment, leading to informed decisions, is an integral part of music education and may be a means to justify the importance of music as a valued content subject (Brophy, 2000). The purpose of this study was to describe the elementary general music assessment practices in Iowa. The study was framed using Stiggins’ (2005) categorical definition of assessment as gathering, organizing, summarizing, and reporting data. Mixed methodologies were utilized to gather data regarding these four categories through survey questions (N=211) and two focus group discussions. The participants were from a variety of school district sizes as well as teachers with varying …

Using Running Records Data In Planning For Literacy Instruction, Tabitha A. Waltz

Graduate Research Papers

Running records are an assessment tool that allows teachers to monitor the sources of information readers are using. Many teachers have learned to take running records, but they may not be as comfortable analyzing the running records and using the results of the analysis to inform instruction. This graduate, final project presents a professional development program that will help teachers learn not only to take running records, but also to analyze and use the results in their instruction.

Using Online Rubrics To Make Project Grading More Standardized And Efficient, Sandra Ann Groff O'Brien

Graduate Research Papers

Rubrics make assessing student work standard and efficient, and they help teachers justify to parents and others the grades that they assign to students. This research project investigated the possibility of improving grading efficiency in project-based classes using online rubrics. Two research questions were studied: 1. Would the teachers feel that using a standards-based rubric with predetermined grading criteria be more efficient in assessing their student projects and save them time in grading? 2. Would the use of technology in the grading process be of enough value to the teachers that they would be interested in using a web-based rubric …

Implementing Electronic Portfolios, Courtney Rogne

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review addresses the topic of assessing students with the use of electronic portfolios. The purpose of the review is to document for educators the advantages of electronic portfolios, the media selection options, as well as implementation procedures. Electronic portfolios are an alternative authentic assessment method that invites active student learning and provides an opportunity for instructors to design assessment strategies based on desired student-learning outcomes.

The review also found that many media options are available to meet the needs of the individual courses; however the web-based options are the easiest to use and modify. The review recommends that …

Practice What You Preach : A Look At Retention Research And Classroom Practice, Angela R. Carpenter

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review examines the subject of grade level retention. A comprehensive overview of the history, trends, and current practices involving retention will provide the background to the research base. Looking at the common reasons students are retained and the short and long-term effects of retention decisions will help answer the question of whether retention research guides school practice. Alternative solutions that can be implemented in lieu of grade level retention or social promotion practices will also be addressed. The majority of grade level retention and social promotion researchers found the practices of retention and social promotion to be unfavorable. …

What Happens When Veteran And Beginner Teachers' Life Histories Intersect With High-Stakes Testing And What Does It Mean For Learners And Teaching Practice: The Making Of A Culture Of Fear, Shelly L. Counsell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This qualitative study explored the phenomenon of what happened as Florida's high-stakes accountability system intersected with a beginning and veteran teachers' life histories and different stocks of lifeworldly knowledge at demographically different lifeworld communities. Habermas' (1987) theory of communicative action was used as the theoretical framework to explore what the teachers' responses meant for learners and teaching practice. The research purpose of this study (emphasizing an interpretive approach) sought to gain insights and understandings regarding the phenomenon specifically. The practical purpose (according to critical theory) was to then use the insights gained (enlightenment) in order to contemplate the kinds of …

Revision Of The Carlisle Elementary Preschool Standards Based On The Iowa Early Learning Standards, Marne M. Sievers

Graduate Research Papers

This paper describes the process of evaluating current standards and benchmarks for the Carlisle Elementary Preschool, revising them using the Iowa Early Learning Standards, which were completed in May 2005, revising a teacher-created assessment tool and progress report, and investigating the curriculum that is used and how it aligns with the newly created standards and benchmarks. Standards and benchmarks have been a focus in the educational field due to the implementation of the Federal "No Child Left Behind" Act.

Many standards and benchmarks have been created for kindergarten through twelfth grade but few programs have adopted standards and benchmarks prior …

Attributing Success And Failure : Attribution Theory At Work, Ellen M. Shay

Graduate Research Papers

Attribution Theory demonstrates how people can appropriately attribute success and failure. Teachers must learn how to help students handle their successes and, perhaps more importantly, their failures. If teachers are not successful in this endeavor, the students will not succeed in a traditional school setting.

Contextual Learning Vs. Standardized Testing : And The Winner Is ... ?, Lorinda Leedom

Graduate Research Papers

Our educational system is currently in the grips of No Child Left Behind and the stress of proving students' abilities via mandated standardized tests. This stress is changing teachers' focus from providing a contextual learning environment for students to passing tests. Six struggling middle school students participated in a summer program where contextual learning and frequent standardized assessment existed together. Through this program, the students' needs were met and data was provided that demonstrated educational gains. This data suggests that authentic real world experiences do not need to be omitted from the curriculum in order to provide measurable results on …

The Efficacy Of Writing Course Placement At An Iowa Community College, Kristine D. Owens

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of writing course placement at an Iowa community college. The following questions were addressed: What indicators, separately or in combination, resulted in an appropriate or inappropriate student writing placement? (a) To what extent did the COMPASS test result in an appropriate placement? (b) To what extent did the self-directed essay result in an appropriate placement? (c) To what extent did a student's preference result in an appropriate placement?

This study was important to understand how the “directed self-placement” model, adapted from Royer and Gilles (1998, p. 1), impacted the institution's …

Fourth Grade Student Achievement On Math Standardized Tests In The Absence Of A Math Curriculum, Trista Manternach

Graduate Research Papers

Throughout the last few decades the importance of reading instruction has been the focus for schools and school districts across the nation. At Lincoln Elementary School in Waterloo, Iowa the focus has been no different. However, in the last two years, academic achievement in the area of math has become as important as reading with the advent of No Child Left Behind.

Although teachers were told that math was important, they lacked a required curriculum until a year after math became a focus of student achievement. The purpose of this study is to answer the following question: Did the absence …

From Ltoj : The Effects Of An Assessment Approach On Student Achievement In Mathematics At The Middle School Level, Toni Andersen

Graduate Research Papers

This study investigated the effectiveness of the assessment approach From LtoJ as applied to the development of procedural skills and conceptual understandings in mathematics at the eighth grade level. The focal question of this study was: Does the literature support the assessment process used in the From LtoJ program? The information was gathered from approximately one hundred students taking pre-algebra in a three-year span. The curriculum database focused on the essential information a student must acquire in the areas of curriculum vocabulary and concepts, as well as their computational ability with fractions. Each week, random items were selected from the …

Grade Retention : Its Impact On Students, Teresa Ann Schneider

Graduate Research Papers

Grade retention has been a heated topic in education for a number of years. Research has shown there are a variety of factors that put students at greater risk for retention. While studies found some students who were retained showed academic improvement, others did not. Retention was also found to have a negative impact on social and emotional adjustments. Students were more successful when retention was paired with additional programs. Schools need to aggressively implement programs to eliminate the need for retention. Principals and teachers must connect research to classroom practice.

Differentiating Instruction Using Authentic, Performance Assessments And Technology Integration, Cynthia Seberg

Graduate Research Papers

A major challenge in education today is to be able to reach and teach all learners. Methodologies and strategies come and go. The philosophy of differentiated instruction, while not new, is being bandied about as the answer to working with all students of all abilities. The beliefs associated with differentiated instruction envelope methodologies and strategies associated with authentic assessment, performance-based assessment, and technology integration.

A common bond inherent within these philosophies is the growing emphasis on assessing students based on their ability to perform real-life tasks, and technology integration is the connecting link. Educators must become facilitators of meaningful learning …

Motivating Students With Digital Portfolios, Rochelle Christine Duwa

Graduate Research Papers

As the drop out rates of high schools across the country reach 30 percent, the need for teachers to be able to motivate students becomes increasingly important. Alternative assessments (especially performance based) have become a popular trend in schools and have proven to give a more accurate display of students' skills and knowledge than standardized tests. This paper investigates the different kinds of digital or electronic portfolios, and the process of creating and implementing digital portfolios in order to help determine the role they could play as a method of alternative assessment as well as motivating students.

The Use Of Electronic Portfolios For Preservice Teachers, Kimberly Gobble-Sengstock

Graduate Research Papers

This paper will discuss the results found in support of this CD-ROM project: The Use of Electronic Portfolios for Preservice Teachers, through the infusion of standards in the teaching and learning process and the competent use of technology as a tool for reflective practice, assessment and hiring purposes. This project provides best practices in portfolio development, tutorial guides, and student examples in developing their own electronic portfolios.

Retention In The New Millennium, Pat Davison

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined the effects of retention in regards to children's academic success. The features of retention, research and literature associated with retention, and the benefits and disadvantages were discussed. Guidelines were presented for teachers, along with the appropriate strategies to use in grade level retention. In addition, conclusions were drawn from literature and recommendations for the future facilitation of retention policies.

Portfolios As An Alternative Assessment, Carmine Z. Draude

Graduate Research Papers

During the past decade, there has been a shift in paradigms by educational reformers to provide a more authentic means of student assessment in our schools. These assessments need to be multidimensional and provide a more accurate picture of students' abilities. The portfolio is one type of alternative assessment that has proven to do this.

This paper discusses the use of portfolios with a group of ninth grade students enrolled in an English course. These portfolios were a systematic collection of the students' work to demonstrate how (1) they have developed and grown academically and (2) how their attitudes and …

Developing A Web-Based Assessment Instrument, Robin L. Galloway

Graduate Research Papers

Public demand for affordable and quality higher education continues to pressure institutions to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning experiences. Traditional paper surveys have been utilized to gather data in the past. The World Wide Web can provide many of the same benefits in delivering a survey instrument while offering more convenience, lower costs, and a more flexible data set.

This report of the graduate project documents the process employed when developing a web-based assessment instrument. It outlines a method and procedure for connecting a web site with a FileMaker Pro database. In addition, it provides documentation for the implementation …

Writing Portfolios In A Second Grade Classroom, Cheryl R. Schwery

Graduate Research Papers

Assessment of a student's writing ability should entail descriptive qualitative techniques. One way to provide a qualitative assessment is through the use of portfolios. In using portfolios, students are actively immersed in their own learning and in establishing goals for future learning. In doing this, instruction is more closely related to assessment. The value of writing portfolios, implementation, and introduction of portfolios within a second grade classroom will be discussed. Focus will be on three second grade students, with varying abilities, as they progress in their writing and instructional needs.

The Movement Toward Authentic Assessment And The Role Of Technology, Brenda L. Clark

Graduate Research Papers

Assessment can be defined as the process of collecting evidence of what a student knows and is able to do. There are several types of assessment available for use. The list includes, but is not limited to, standardized tests, performance based assessment and portfolios. All of these have both positive and negative aspects to evaluating student learning.

Student Self-Assessment, Portfolios, And The Context Of The Classroom, Colleen Goodenbour

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that seemed to influence student self-assessment in a language arts classroom where portfolios are used as a vehicle to align teaching, learning, and assessment. This was a qualitative study using naturalistic inquiry as a means to identify and explicate those factors. Data were gathered on individual students and the classroom by observation, which took the form of anecdotal records, surveys, portfolio work samples, conferences, and a personal reflective journal. This data provided information for three student portrayals and a composite language arts morning portrayal. The analysis of the portrayals and …

Retention In The Schools, Sandy Barry

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to examine grade retention. It looks at the advantages, disadvantages, and the alternatives to retention. This paper discusses factors that increases a child's chance of being retained. Aspects in education that have affected retention are also discussed. In addition, this paper looks at teachers' beliefs and why they hold these beliefs concerning_retention. Finally, the last chapter summarizes this study and draws conclusions from the literature and suggests recommendations for further study.

A Summary Of Assessment Strategies For A Multi-Age Classroom, Tamera Frost

Graduate Research Papers

Many schools are implementing multi-age programs. This non-traditional teaching approach calls for methods of assessing students' learning that are consistent with the ways in which they are taught. The traditional methods of assessment require teachers to use the same assessment tool with every child. This is not consistent with the individualized approach to pedagogy that is fundamental in multi-age classrooms. Furthermore standardized assessment does not challenge some students, it frustrates other students, and does not provide the kinds of information needed for formative evaluation.

The author of this project has developed a summary of assessment tools to implement in eight-to …

The Student Views The Teacher: Investigating Student Perception In Assessment Of High School Teachers, Richard N. Johns

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine student assessment of teachers at the secondary level and to add to the body of knowledge pertaining to the role of student evaluation of teacher performance in the instructional improvement process. The study was designed to determine which teacher behaviors and student/teacher relationship characteristics influenced summative assessments of teachers and if the influence was distorted by certain potentially biasing variables. Student assessments of teachers were compared to principal assessments of teachers to determine whether significant differences in ratings existed between these two evaluative sources.

The research questions focused on the composition of …

Manufacturing Curriculum Issues Of Two-Year Mechanical Engineering Technology Program In Taiwan, R.O.C., Chuan-Chun Wu

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to evaluate current practices and possible changes in the mechanical engineering technology manufacturing curriculum in Taiwan's two-year junior technical colleges. The study was based on survey responses from three populations: (a) graduates of mechanical engineering (manufacturing division) programs in two-year junior technical colleges, (b) their manufacturing supervisors, and (c) their company chief executive officers (CEOs). The survey was designed to develop responses for following:

1. Determine the degree of importance of courses in the current Taiwanese two-year curriculum in manufacturing, in the opinion of the three groups surveyed.

2. Determine what the future curriculum …