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Full-Text Articles in Education

The Impact Of Professional Development On Specially Designed Instruction For Students With A Specific Learning Disability, Stacy H. Huffman Jan 2023

The Impact Of Professional Development On Specially Designed Instruction For Students With A Specific Learning Disability, Stacy H. Huffman

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This research study, rooted in the theoretical framework of phenomenology, examined the impact of professional development related to specially designed instruction for students with a learning disability in reading. Teachers of students who had mastered at least 50% of their IEP goals in reading or had exited from special education services were the participants in this study. In addition to the teachers, administrators and district staff who worked with these teachers and students were included. Through a mixed methods research design, 47 participants were surveyed using Qualtrics, and 14 participants were interviewed. Findings demonstrated that professional development related to specially …


An Exploratory Quantitative Study Of The Impact Of Stem-Focused Middle Schools On Student Persistence And Performance In Stem, Shandua Ellis Jan 2022

An Exploratory Quantitative Study Of The Impact Of Stem-Focused Middle Schools On Student Persistence And Performance In Stem, Shandua Ellis

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) continue to be a major challenge for the United States (U.S.), as the U.S. continues to lag behind other countries in this area due to ongoing lack of individuals who are entering STEM fields and many who are entering STEM fields but lack the skills necessary to perform adequately in these roles. The problem related to this study involved the ongoing need to identify how well STEM education programs are addressing this need and increasing the number of students, especially underrepresented minorities, in following STEM career pathways and developing the knowledge and skills needed …


Teacher Perception Of Synchronous Hybrid Learning In A Rural Elementary School, Lisa Lamonica Moore Jan 2022

Teacher Perception Of Synchronous Hybrid Learning In A Rural Elementary School, Lisa Lamonica Moore

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research was to gain understanding from teachers regarding their experiences with providing instruction in a synchronous hybrid learning environment in a rural elementary school during the 2020-2021 school year. This study reveals the role of teacher perception in education, the evolution of technology as an instructional tool, defines synchronous hybrid learning, and describes how it is evolving at the elementary school level. Through the investigation of this study, five teachers assigned to the same rural elementary school participated in a semi-structured interview to discuss their experiences teaching in a synchronous hybrid learning environment. The participants …


"For Me, For Us, For Them": The Impact Of Wise Feedback On Ninth Grade Ela Students, Teachers, And Classrooms, Mary L. Newton Jan 2022

"For Me, For Us, For Them": The Impact Of Wise Feedback On Ninth Grade Ela Students, Teachers, And Classrooms, Mary L. Newton

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Feedback from teachers is critical for student academic success, but is all feedback created equal? Within this critical participatory action research study, a teacher and her students in ninth-grade English language arts (ELA) classes in a suburban high school endeavored to transform their mindsets and practices related to giving, receiving, and implementing feedback through a culturally responsive approach known as wise feedback. Through effective, targeted feedback of wise feedback, all students can build their self-efficacy by knowing how to improve their work through the guidance and support of their teachers. Building teacher self-efficacy in providing wise feedback was critical to …


Do Spanish Immersion Programs Increase Student Proficiency On Reading End-Of-Grade Tests For Students Of Color?, Lavette Alston-Braswell Jan 2022

Do Spanish Immersion Programs Increase Student Proficiency On Reading End-Of-Grade Tests For Students Of Color?, Lavette Alston-Braswell

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This quantitative, longitudinal matched pairs study determined whether elementary Spanish immersion students performed better on reading end-of-grade exams in Grades 3-5 than their non-immersion traditional peers in the same grades. African American and Hispanic students from two Spanish immersion schools in a suburban North Carolina district were studied. Results found that there was no statistical significance between student ethnicity and choice of immersion or non-immersion program. Time over years was found to be statistically significant. Although there was no statistical significance between program type and ethnicity, immersion students outperformed their non-immersion peers in Grades 3-5. African American students scored higher …


Developing Effective Professional Learning Communities At Target Elementary School, Bianca S. White-Jeffries Jan 2022

Developing Effective Professional Learning Communities At Target Elementary School, Bianca S. White-Jeffries

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This explanatory design was used to develop and implement effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at Target Elementary School (TES). The theoretical framework for this study began with the assumption that there was a direct link between PLCs, student data, and self-efficacy of educator collaboration. It should be the goal of every educator to provide a quality education for each student. When educators collaborate to provide success in each classroom, various goals can be met within each site. Several instruments were used to develop and implement professional collaboration. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected to determine the effectiveness of the current …


Lay It All On The Line: The Effect Of Teacher-Student Conferencing In Middle Grades Mathematics Classrooms, Natalie Ostrander Jan 2022

Lay It All On The Line: The Effect Of Teacher-Student Conferencing In Middle Grades Mathematics Classrooms, Natalie Ostrander

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Increasing math achievement continues to be a commonly talked about subject in the educational setting. This case study observes one classroom teacher who implemented teacher-student conferencing in middle grades mathematics classes. The purpose of this study was to reveal the perceived impact of teacher-student conferencing on student engagement and with student achievement. Through a qualitative approach, perceptual data were collected through teacher journaling, conference logs, observations, and an interview. Research occurred in one school district in southeastern North Carolina with middle grades students in sixth and eighth grades. After the qualitative data were collected by me, data were analyzed using …


Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Brain-Based Learning And The Implementation Of Physical Brain Breaks As A Classroom Management Strategy, Tiffany C. Neal Jan 2022

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Brain-Based Learning And The Implementation Of Physical Brain Breaks As A Classroom Management Strategy, Tiffany C. Neal

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to better understand educators' perspectives of physical brain breaks at middle schools located in the northwestern part of North Carolina as it relates to the brain-based learning theory. This study is important because it helps to bridge the gap between the educational and neuroscience fields by providing teachers’ perspectives about using physical brain breaks, issues implementing them, and the importance of relationships with educational stakeholders. After submitting the survey, participants were asked to share their contact information to show their willingness to participate in a focus group with their peers to answer 10 questions …


Evaluation Of An Elementary Alternative Learning Program, Joshua Sain Jan 2021

Evaluation Of An Elementary Alternative Learning Program, Joshua Sain

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Schools across the country have an increased responsibility to support appropriate mental health development for their student populations, especially those who have been diagnosed or are at risk of an emotional or behavioral disorder. Increased responsibility has led school leaders and stakeholders to make certain they have processes in place to ensure early identification of at-risk students, along with appropriate learning pathways to support academic achievement (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). This study evaluated Trilogy, an elementary alternative learning program, which provides enrolled students with access to a learning environment that supports academics, behavior, and mental health in …


Impact Of Student Voice On Self-Efficacy, Melanie Shaver Jan 2021

Impact Of Student Voice On Self-Efficacy, Melanie Shaver

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to (a) relate the impact of the development of student voice in middle school to the perception of achievement measured by self-efficacy and (b) explore how the transformative learning theory affects developing adolescents through the development of student voice in a project-based learning model. The theory is grounded in Mezirow’s (1991) Transformative Learning Theory. The study explored if an instructional method such as project-based learning allows the development of student voice and builds self-efficacy. Utilizing the explanatory sequential model, survey and achievement data were collected and compared between treatment school to nontreatment school to …


Effects Of A Global Schools Initiative In A Rural School Setting: A Collective Case Study Of How A Global Schools Initiative Impacts A Small, Rural Elementary School In Northwest North Carolina, Steven Hall Jan 2021

Effects Of A Global Schools Initiative In A Rural School Setting: A Collective Case Study Of How A Global Schools Initiative Impacts A Small, Rural Elementary School In Northwest North Carolina, Steven Hall

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify ways a Global Schools Initiative in rural schools, especially in northwestern North Carolina, supported students, teachers, and the greater community. The study reviewed the factors that facilitated this initiative and looked at the impact the initiative had on students, teachers, and the community. I desire to give guidance to other rural school leaders who might be interested in implementing their own Global Schools Initiative. The results of the research I conducted, along with the theoretical framework presented in Chapter 2, allowed me to hypothesize how students in a Global Schools Initiative compared …


Teacher Perceptions Regarding The Impact Of Multicultural Literature, When It Is Implemented During Guided Reading Instruction, On Reading Comprehension For African American Male Students In Early Childhood, Cassandra Gregory Jan 2021

Teacher Perceptions Regarding The Impact Of Multicultural Literature, When It Is Implemented During Guided Reading Instruction, On Reading Comprehension For African American Male Students In Early Childhood, Cassandra Gregory

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Reading is an essential skill, used in every aspect of daily life. It is the foundation for every other form of learning (Alberti, 2010). Over the years, there has been a gap in reading achievement between African American male students and other demographic groups (Milner et al., 2013). This study examined the effectiveness of small group reading using multicultural literature in kindergarten through third grade, especially for the African American male student. A framework based on Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of cognitive development provides support for a systematic literacy approach. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teacher …


A Quantitative Study On The Effect Restorative Practices Has On Student Discipline In Grades Three Through Five, Angela Harding Jan 2021

A Quantitative Study On The Effect Restorative Practices Has On Student Discipline In Grades Three Through Five, Angela Harding

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the impact restorative practices (RP) has on student discipline. Additionally, this study intended to understand teacher perspectives on the effect RP has in the classroom as a management system. The overarching research sought to answer, “What is the impact of RP on classroom management, teacher perception, student discipline, and teacher-student relationships?” Individuals’ beliefs have a powerful impact on practice. Moreover, the study aimed to ascertain how educators can better understand what RP is and how it fosters safe learning environments through community building and constructive conflict resolution. The findings from this quantitative study indicated that …


Push And Pull: Factors Influencing Parent Motivation And School Choice In A South Carolina School District, Kelli Passmore Jan 2021

Push And Pull: Factors Influencing Parent Motivation And School Choice In A South Carolina School District, Kelli Passmore

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The demand for school choice options is increasing, as is the number of families selecting to educate their children through alternative means, including homeschooling, faith-based schooling, and charter schooling. As both the number of school choice options and the number of families choosing such options increase, the relationship between the two is worth examining. The purpose of this explanatory sequential study was to determine the factors motivating parents to select alternatives to traditional public schools and to find those similarities and differences existing across the three subgroups (homeschooling, faith-based schooling, and charter schooling). The phenomenon was examined through the lenses …


Collaborative Professional Learning In Early Literacy: The Impact On Teacher Knowledge, Actions, And Beliefs, Jaime Henderson Dawson Jan 2020

Collaborative Professional Learning In Early Literacy: The Impact On Teacher Knowledge, Actions, And Beliefs, Jaime Henderson Dawson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Literacy is the foundation for individual success and economic independence. Early literacy development is an area of importance; thus, professional learning in early literacy is critical and significant. This study examined the impact of a collaborative professional learning model in early literacy on teacher knowledge, actions, and efficacy and how learning transfer resulted in changes to instructional practices. The study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Data were collected from participants in a specific collaborative professional learning model, the Early Literacy Professional Development (ELPD) model. Quantitative data were collected through surveys to identify professional learning topics perceived as having …


A Comparison Study Of Teacher Efficacy And Principal Leadership Behaviors At The Elementary And Middle School Levels, Keith Ezell Jan 2020

A Comparison Study Of Teacher Efficacy And Principal Leadership Behaviors At The Elementary And Middle School Levels, Keith Ezell

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The single most important factor for the success of a student in school is the teacher, yet many factors impact the teacher’s ability to do the job as effectively as possible. Data exists regarding the multiple influences that affect the teacher’s sense of self-efficacy, however, specific data regarding leadership behaviors is limited. Research shows that student achievement is affected by the teacher, therefore it is imperative to determine what leadership behaviors impact teacher efficacy the most. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the impact of principal behaviors on teacher efficacy. Also, the study sought to compare the …


Culturally Relevant Pedagogy And The Beginning Teacher: An Investigation Of The Role Of North Carolina Teacher Education Programs In Teacher Preparedness, Lisa D. Mccullough Jan 2020

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy And The Beginning Teacher: An Investigation Of The Role Of North Carolina Teacher Education Programs In Teacher Preparedness, Lisa D. Mccullough

Doctor of Education Dissertations

With the changing faces of America’s public school classrooms, colleges and universities that are responsible for the preparation of quality teachers will need to ensure that these future educators are equipped with the knowledge and ability to address the learning needs of students of color. This study was designed to examine how North Carolina teacher education programs prepare preservice teachers and beginning teachers with knowledge of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP). Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, beginning teacher (n=25) perceptual data were collected and analyzed utilizing a predeveloped survey instrument followed by a focus group in order to further describe …