Education Commons^™

The Use Of Dining Data To Increase Retention And Academic Success In Residential First-Year Students, Hailey A. Manicone

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Higher education leaders have been conducting research over the last 50 years to pinpoint why students enroll in college and then end up leaving. Research shows that there is not a single factor that influences a student’s decision, but it is a variety of factors. Influential factors include class attendance, a sense of belonging, motivation, academic rigor and performance, finances, and more. A student’s physical wellness and mental state can also impact their academic success and life while in college. First-year students often experience depression, anxiety, and loneliness as they try to successfully transition to college. Most of these influential …

Instructor Assessment Of Adult Cpr Skills: A Comparison Between Subjective And Objective Measures, Emily Evans

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Providing accurate feedback is an important component of teaching CPR skills. An important part of providing accurate feedback is being able to accurately assess specific skills. In a cross- sectional experimental design, 33 CPR instructors were recruited to assess six 2-minute pre- recorded videos of 2-person CPR skills. The subjective assessment measures were compared to the objective manikin measures from a Laerdal Resusci-Anne® QCPR manikin. Results indicated statistically significant differences between the subjective and objective measures in all skills assessed (chest compression rate, chest compression depth, chest recoil, hand placement, ventilation volume, and total cycles). Instructor teaching experience (in years …

Central Virginia Ews: Identifying Middle And High School Indicators Of On-Time Graduation With An Early Warning System, Ryan D. Yarzebinski

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between different variables and whether a student attained an on-time graduation outcome. A retrospective cohort study was conducted within a single school division in central Virginia serving a population of 8,338 students. The organizational structure of the school division was unique as it is comprised of two combined schools and two high schools fed by a separate middle school.

The study utilized logistic regression and ROC analysis to identify the variables most predictive of graduation for use in an EWS. The model was designed to be predictive in nature and …

Assessment Of Student Learning In A Business Department With An Entrepreneurial Focus, Suzanne C. Calvert

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

This multi-faceted, action-research project utilized researched assessment practices and current practices acquired through case study research. The research question of this study was: How could a department in a small liberal arts college best measure and evaluate the student-learning outcomes to inform the business department with an entrepreneurial focus? The researcher answered this question by comparing assessment best practices to the home-institution department assessment plan and conducting case study analyses of assessment practices utilized by similar departments of other selected institutions. An action plan was developed and focused on home departmental collaboration and use of data.

Long-Term Student Achievement Of Students Attending A Year-Round School And A Traditional Calendar School In One Urban School Division In Virginia, April M. Bruce

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the reading and math performance of students who attended a year-round elementary school to the performance of students who attended a traditional calendar elementary school in one small urban school division in Virginia. As a part of the study, the performance of these students was also examined as they transitioned into the same traditional calendar middle school to determine if year-round education had long-term effects on student achievement. Analysis of Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) raw score data was used to determine the level of performance in reading and math for the …

An Evaluation Of A Central Virginia Alternative School : Do Students Benefit From Their Experience?, Anthony H. Francis

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if students benefited from attending a Central Virginia alternative school, defined as a remedial alternative school which scaffolds students both socially and academically so they may return to their base school. Twelve students took part in the study that examined the academic indicators of grade point average, attendance, and number of disciplinary infractions as well as students’ perceptions of their experiences. The difference in trust levels was minimal, but students had accurate perceptions of how their grades, attendance, and discipline had changed while attending the alternative school. The study revealed three areas …

The Impact Of Performance Evaluations On Teachers' Instructional Practices And Student Achievement : Evidence From A Rural School District, Lee Ann Calvert

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance evaluation procedures in a local county school district to find out if the performance evaluation system influenced student achievement. Can effective teaching be linked, via evaluation tools and rubrics, to student achievement outcomes? A second focus of this research investigation was to examine the impact that the county's evaluation system had on teacher practice. Does the evaluation system provide a crucial link between student achievement and teacher performance, or do teachers view it as a formality, or worse, as a less-than-meaningful mandated exercise? This investigation will be the first step …

Evaluating A Ninth Grade Transition Program : Link Crew, Luke Saechao

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

For U.S. students, ninth grade is a critical year in the educational pipeline, often dictating a school-to-school transition period. The author evaluates the ramification on achievement following such a school-to-school transition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a ninth grade transition program called Link Crew, which was implemented by a large comprehensive urban high school. Do transition programs assist in maintaining achievement and readiness? Participants in the study were transitioning grade nine students from two high schools in central Virginia, in which only one received treatment via the Link Crew transition program. The quantitative study utilized school division …