Education Commons^™

Bibliography, Bruce Kessler

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Bibliography of publications by Bruce Kessler.

The Effect Of Pedagogical Agent Persona On Performance, Self-Efficacy, And Attitudes In Adult Learners In An Online Environment, Justin L. Mathews

Dissertations

Pedagogical agents, virtual avatars that are often included in online training or educational modules, have been studied in a variety of disciplines to determine the extent to which their inclusion in online or multimedia learning environments may influence both cognitive and affective outcomes in learners. The present study examined the effect of a peer-like pedagogical agent providing motivational messaging in an online English language learning environment to determine if the agent will positively affect college students’ performance, self-efficacy, and attitude in comparison to a control group. All participants studied an online, self-paced English grammar module, either with (treatment version) or …

Meeting Minutes, Wku Council Of Academic Deans

Council of Academic Deans

Meeting regarding graduate fair, commencement, enrollment, accreditation, zoom connect classroom and fifth week assessment.

Branch Campuses: Extending The Reach Of Social Work Education, Simon Funge, Dana Sullivan, Larry Owens, Whitney Harper

Social Work Faculty Publications

The study explored the characteristics and experiences of branch campus social work education programs and educators in the U.S. Eighty-one (n = 81) branch campus social work educators in 26 states completed an online survey. Findings revealed that undergraduate and graduate branch campus social work education was primarily delivered face-to-face to non-traditional students. Half of these programs were recently established, and the majority were expected to grow. However, teaching these students was not necessarily viewed as a shared responsibility. Though some branch campus faculty reported higher workloads and limited connections to parent campus colleagues, faculty generally reported great satisfaction teaching …

Integrating Biblical Principles Into Diabetes Self-Management Education For African Americans, Pandora Goode

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

An understanding of African Americans characteristics and the influences these have on diabetes self-management behaviors is an important step in designing effective DSME programs. Faith-based programs are an appropriate conduit for individuals to acquire the diabetes knowledge needed to manage their disease and practice the lifestyle changes within their culture. An important connection for many African Americans is the local church, which is an organization that has major influences on individuals’ and on community life. Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to discuss integrating spiritual principles with practical principles to help Christians understand how to manage this chronic illness.

The Value Of Diabetes Self-Management Programs For African Americans In Community-Based Settings: A Review Of The Literature, Pandora Goode Phd, Dnp, Fnp-C, Robin Bartlett Phd, Rn-Bc, Debra Wallace Phd, Rn, Faan

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Abstract

When looking at the number of African Americans suffering with diabetes, it is quite evident that traditional methods such as providing pamphlets or videos on diabetes have been unsuccessful when implemented as the only strategy. Community-based interventions have been documented in the literature as being successful and can have compelling influences on beliefs and health care behaviors. By recognizing the community as an excellent conduit through which diabetes education, health promotion, and preventive health care interventions can occur, can reduce diabetes disparities globally. Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to examine community-based health promotion literature relevant to African …

A Case Study Of Hanban’S Chinese Language Teaching Program At Western Kentucky University: Developmental History And Preliminary Outcomes, Sheng-Huei Yu

Dissertations

This case study provides a historical overview of foreign language development (especially Chinese) in the United States and the growing number of Confucius Institutes (CIs) established in the U.S through Hanban, China’s National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. This case study specifically captures the growth of the Western Kentucky University (WKU) CI from its inception in 2010. According to Hanban’s annual assessment reporting guidelines, since the conception of CIs sheer quantity of teachers and students has always been the primary focus. Therefore, the growth in the numbers of Hanban Chinese teachers and number of students enrolled in …

Early Childhood Educators' Perspectives Of Play In Preschool Classrooms, Michelle Lois Edwards

Dissertations

This study examines early childhood educators’ perceptions of play as a developmentally appropriate practice in preschool classrooms. Through selective sampling, 10 preschool teachers were chosen. These teachers were identified because of their experience, education, and the lead they take on various projects, as well as the author’s personal knowledge of their work ethic and dedication to the education profession. The teachers were interviewed using an extempore, semi-structured configuration about their beliefs relating to play, how they implement play in their classrooms, and their viewpoint on hurdles to play. They identified the supports required to implement play as a developmentally appropriate …

Teaching Branch Campus Students: Challenges And Opportunities For Educators In Higher Education, Simon Funge, Whitney Harper

Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Inquiry Into One Teacher’S Metacognitive Processes As They Influence Reading Instruction, Jennifer Antoniotti-Neal

Dissertations

Despite over 40 years of research on the importance of metacognitive strategy instruction for increased student reading achievement, minimal research has been conducted to explore teacher’s explicit awareness of their metacognition and their ability to think about, talk about, and write about their thinking (Block & Pressley, 2002). Therefore, this qualitative case study investigates one teacher’s understanding of metacognitive awareness and missed opportunities for metacognitive comprehension strategy instruction in a reading classroom. One fourth-grade reading teacher from a proficient rural elementary school participated in this study. The data analysis results suggest that the participant’s metacognitive knowledge was limited and comprehension …

The Relationships Among Instructional Leadership, School Culture, And Student Achievement In Kentucky Elementary Schools, Karen H. Mackey

Dissertations

In an era of increased accountability and educational reform, schools and districts are searching for strategies to increase student achievement. The principal’s role has changed during the quest for school improvement to being an instructional leader. Principals are seeking knowledge to improve leadership behaviors and approaches to ultimately enhance student achievement. The perceptions of teachers concerning principal leadership behaviors and school culture are vital to educational growth.

This quantitative research study expands the focus of principal instructional leadership and school culture by examining their relationships to student achievement. Hallinger’s (2011) Leadership for Learning model provides a theoretical framework for this …

Gatton Academy Study Abroad Program Effects On Perceptions Of Community Belongingness And Personal Growth And Development, Derick Brandon Strode

Dissertations

This dissertation’s focus is at the intersection of study abroad, impact assessment, and a population of gifted and talented students at a specialized, residential high school called The Gatton Academy. A summative impact evaluation was conducted to assess effects of Gatton Academy study abroad programs on student participants’ perceptions of peer belongingness, mentor belongingness, and personal growth and development, as well as to compare differences among three different program models being employed by the school. The three program models studied included a Non-Credit program, a Faculty-led Field-Study, and a Faculty-led Traditional program. The research was conducted amidst documented calls for …

Fluency: A Steady Beat In The Making, Nicole Patton

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This honors thesis explores the literacy component of fluency and its instruction in the intermediate grades through the incorporation of Brain-based learning and the arts. Because reading fluency can affect other areas of reading, such as comprehension, it is important to build fluency skills through meaningful instruction. By exploring the best practices of fluency instruction, by understanding how the brain learns, and by recognizing how the arts can meet the needs of different learners, educators can alter and create instruction that challenges students’ reading ability in a unique way. A series of fluency lessons incorporating brain-based learning and the arts …

The Effects Of Community-Building On Achievement, Motivation, And Engagement In Undergraduate Mathematics, Hannak Keith

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This 2 x 2 quasi-experimental study examined the effects of pedagogical method (i.e., direct instruction vs. 5E inquiry) and intentional community-building (i.e., absence or presence) on undergraduate student (N = 103) motivation, engagement, and achievement in mathematics. Conditions were randomly assigned to one of four different College Algebra classes with a one-time occurrence and taught by a trained expert teacher. Findings indicated that intentional community-building – regardless of pedagogical method – had the strongest effects on students’ motivation, engagement, and achievement. Although no differing pedagogical effects were discovered (most likely due to the one-time implementation of the lesson formats), …

Testing The Effects Of Professional Development On Elementary Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs About Mathematics Inquiry Instruction, Courtney Inabnitt

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In this study, a professional development (PD) seminar was designed and implemented with elementary pre-service teachers (n=20) enrolled in a mathematics content course at a small Midwestern university. The central focus of the PD was on bringing inquiry, specifically the 5E model, into mathematics instruction at the elementary level. The structure of the PD followed the 5E model format and participants learned about inquiry through inquiry. The study utilized a pre-post-test design and measured participants’ knowledge about the 5E model and beliefs about using inquiry in elementary mathematics instruction. Statistically significant growth from pre-test to post-test appears in …

Creating Order Out Of The Chaos Of Differentiated Lesson Planning For The Novice Teacher Candidate, J. Dusteen Knotts Ph.D.

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Current classroom settings are more diverse than ever before. Preservice teacher candidates must learn the principles of differentiation and how to apply them to lesson preparation. Lesson planning is multi-faceted and this paper offers an integral tool to promote differentiated lesson planning to the novice teacher. These principles are presented in a concise, foundational chart aligning the components with Blooms Cognitive Taxonomy, classroom activities, assessment, scoring guides, and student grouping. Understanding of these aligned concepts sets the foundation to facilitate differentiated lesson planning.

The Branch Campus Contribution To The Mission Of The Main Campus In Kentucky, Caroline L. Atkins

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of branch campuses on the mission of their main campuses in Kentucky. An online survey and key informant interviews were conducted with administrators. Both research methods identified strategies to minimize the impact of institutional, situational, and dispositional barriers (Cross, 1981) that impede the successful academic and social integration (Tinto, 1975; 1993) of nontraditional students who frequent these campuses. In addition, institutional research offices provided student enrollment and credit-hour production data for analysis by site. The study classified demographic information on administrators, including gender, full- or part-time capacity, administrative title, and …

The Effects Of New Materials And Teaching Methodologies On Low-Level Biology Courses, Rebecca L. Garrison

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

A new generation has entered higher education that learns differently from generations before. To meet the changing needs of this generation, Western Kentucky University’s Biology Department introduced e-textbooks and e-materials from McGraw Hill™ publishing in the fall of 2013 to most low-level classes. A foreseen product of this shift was a change in the way that some faculty taught and assessed their classes. This study assesses the changes in pedagogical techniques among professors of 100- and 200-level biology classes due to the new e-text and e-materials. Syllabi were collected from these classes pre- and post-implementation and common characteristics were inductively …

Transforming Education And Changing School Culture, Gary Houchens, Ric Keaster

Educational Administration, Leadership, and Research Faculty Publications

An increasing number of schools and districts are building a common language of instruction and collaborative structures for instructional problem solving through the use of instructional rounds. Pioneered by Richard Elmore and colleagues at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, instructional rounds build on the model of medical rounds used in teaching hospitals and engage teachers and administrators in data collection and analysis around a school-wide problem of practice. This case study examines the experiences of the Simpson County Schools in Franklin, Kentucky, where one of the authors formerly served as a district administrator. In 2009, the district initiated a …

Reach To Teach, April R. Cowles

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Multiple intelligences theory of Howard Gardner are used as a foundation of research in order to explain how educating students of all learning styles should include interdisciplinary methods and creative applications. Primary and secondary research of Howard Gardner’s theory and interdisciplinary methods, specifically the Integration Model and Broad Model approaches were completed. Two different lesson plans demonstrating how to teach students integrating two disciplines while including creativity were generated as examples of thesis. Qualitative research on creativity and motivation identified connection between the two and why interdisciplinary methods enable more possibilities of adding creativity to lessons taught. Advantages include reaching …

Perceptions Of Urban High School Teachers Transitioning From Traditional Instruction To Blended Learning, Michael Wayne Hamilton

Dissertations

Increasing demands for technology integration at the K-12 level have led school districts to explore blended learning as an option for sustaining productive instructional strategies while increasing technology integration in the classroom. Furthermore, Disruptive Innovation Theory (Christensen, 1997) offers insights as to the potential impact of blended learning on the field of education. This phenomenological study attempted to capture the lived experiences of urban high school teachers who were transitioning to a blended learning instructional strategy. In addition, this study utilized the Stages of Concern (SoC) component of the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) to isolate the phenomenon and provide …

Pre-Service Teachers: A Study Of Self-Theories Of Intelligence And Attitudes About Web 2.0, Lee Ann Smith

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship of pre-service teachers’ self-theories of intelligence (mindset) and their attitudes about Web 2.0. The research questions evaluate: (a) Whether a significant correlation exists between pre-service teachers’ mindsets and attitudes about Web 2.0 (social media), and (b) Whether significant differences exist between demographic groups (e.g., age, certification area, gender) and their attitudes about Web 2.0 (social media). Results of the study indicate that a weak correlation between pre-service teachers’ perceived mindsets and perceived attitudes about Web 2.0 was statistically significant. In addition, significant differences were found based upon certification area, gender, and age with the sample’s …

The Cadet Training Program Versus The Student Certification Program: A Study Of It- Support Training Programs At Western Kentucky University, Michael Courtney Moore

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Technology is a critical component of modern-day success. Advancements in technology have improved communication between individuals and companies. Technological advancements have allowed students to earn college degrees online. People who habitually use technology expect a high level of performance and support. As new technologies are implemented, such as complex web services or new operating systems, the dependence for information technology (IT) support grows in demand. Even learning curves can be cumbersome without proper assistance from IT professionals. Companies and institutions must accommodate user needs by implementing fast, efficient, and friendly support. In order to offer optimal customer support, representatives must …

Dare To Care: Teaching Leadership To Gifted Students, Sarah E. Fox

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis details the creation and execution of the class “Dare to Care: Teaching Leadership to Gifted Students,” which was offered through a Saturday enrichment program to gifted middle school students. The class combined the study of leadership skills with the idea of being a change agent—a leader who uses his or her abilities to make a positive difference. This thesis documents the lesson plans of the class and students’ reactions to each lesson.

Cebs Magazine: The College Of Education And Behavioral Sciences At Wku, Fall 2014, Charles S. Evans, Dean, Pam Pierce, Editor-In-Chief

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Test-Retest Reliability Of Curriculum-Based Measurement Written Expression Probes, Mallory Hart

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Despite the growing popularity and utilization of Curriculum-Based Measurement for assessing students’ academic skills and for progress monitoring, little attention has been devoted to the area of written expression. Very few studies have been conducted to assess test-retest reliability. Only three previous studies were identified that examined the test-retest reliability of written expression curriculum-based measures. To address this issue, the current study examined the test-retest reliability of five common scoring procedures with students in grades 2, 4, and 6. A one-week time interval was used. Results indicated that while test-retest correlations were statistically significant and often at a moderate to …

Identifying The Relationship Between The Map And Wj-Iii Reading Tests To Make Instructional Decisions Within A Rti Framework, Lauren Brittany Martin

Dissertations

The current study explored the relationship between the reading tests of the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), a screening test, and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement, Third Edition (WJ-III), a diagnostic academic achievement test. By examining the relationship between these two tests, more reliable instructional decisions within a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework can potentially be established. Reading scores were collected for 234 students who completed the MAP three times per year both in first and second grades. One hundred of those students were randomly selected and administered the five reading subtests of the WJ-III in the spring of their …

The Creation Of A Ninth Grade Literacy Course: One Teacher's Experiences In Teaching A Standards-Based Literacy Course, Katie Gray Keating

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examined one teacher’s experience with teaching a ninth grade literacy course. In response to consecutively low reading test scores, the administration in a rural high school in South Central Kentucky established a literacy course for all ninth grade students. This research illustrates the teacher’s implementation and instruction of that course. In addition, the research investigates how the results of a formal reading assessment might be used to improve the reading course in the future.

Cebs Magazine, The College Of Education And Behavioral Sciences At Wku, Spring 2014, Charles S. Evans, Dean, Pam Pierce, Editor-In-Chief

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

The Truth About Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: The Myths Exposed, Caitlynn Oberhausen

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

No abstract provided.