Education Commons^™

Teacher-Led Active Classroom Breaks To Improve Student On-Task Behavior: A Dose-Response Study, Abbey M. Riese

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Active Breaks (AB) are a classroom management strategy to increase student on-task behavior in elementary-aged general education populations. ABs are defined as short bouts of physical activity that take place between academic instructional periods. Research has focused on breaks with a dosage ranging from 4- to 15-min, with demonstrated positive effects. The current study aimed to address several gaps in the literature related to teacher implementation of breaks, dosage of breaks, and assessment of teacher and student acceptability and perceptions of ABs. The impact of teacher-led ABs on student on-task behavior was examined across two 3rd grade general education classrooms …

Tier Ii Behavioral Intervention: A Direct Comparison Of Two Versions Of Class Pass, Madeline Cordle

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Disruptive behaviors are some of the most difficult behaviors for teachers to address in schools. They can take multiple forms in the classroom, and can impact the student displaying them, as well the rest of the learning environment in terms of academic engagement. Disruptive behaviors are believed to be displayed by students for the purpose of attaining social positive and social negative reinforcement. These behaviors also tend to fall into a higher level of need based on MTSS/PBIS tiered support models. Typically, disruptive behaviors fall within Tier II level of need, where universal supports are not enough, but intensive, individualized …

Removing Barriers And Establishing Gender And Sexuality Alliances In Schools: A Qualitative Analysis Of Gsa Advisor Experiences, Maxwell L. Keller

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Current movements within the field of education include a focus on the ability of educators to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) students within schools. As LGBTQ+ students are at increased risk for a variety of mental health and lifetime negative factors, it is vital to identify evidence-based supports for these students. School-based extra-curricular organizations such as Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) have been found among the literature to increase positive educational outcomes for all students and serve as a protective factor for LGBTQ+ students who face these increased risks by virtue of their identities. However, …

Investigating Emerging Bilingual Learner Related Field Experiences In School Psychology Graduate Training, Austin Rogers

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There is limited research regarding school psychology field and practicum experiences that are devoted to developing skills related to emergent bilingual learners (EBL). This study attempted to better understand what types of EBL-related field and practicum experiences are most influential in preparing school psychologists to feel confident in their ability to provide school psychological services to EBL students. One hundred thirty-five practicing school psychologists were surveyed using a questionnaire focused on the types of EBL-related field and practicum experiences commonly found in exemplary multiculturally-focused school psychology graduate programs and practitioners’ perceptions of their ability to provide a number of services …

Effects Of Daily Spaced Versus Massed Practice On Spelling Word Retention Among Struggling Spellers, Melissa Engel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Although extensive research has documented the benefits of spaced practice, very little of that research has been conducted in schools, and even less has included students with disabilities or with academic deficits. The purpose of this study was to compare spaced and massed practice on students with an educational disability in a school setting. Three students identified as having a specific learning disability (SLD) and receiving special education services in written language participated in this study, which used an alternating treatment design. Students learned 10 lists of 6 spelling words, each list over the course of three days. Students were …

Investigating The Effectiveness Of The Positive Reinforcement Components Of Tootling, Kennedi J. Alstead

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Disruptive behavior in the classroom can have a negative impact on students’ academic and social outcomes. Additionally, teachers have expressed difficulty with implementing class-wide behavioral interventions that address this problem. Tootling is a class-wide, positive behavioral intervention that has been shown to increase prosocial behavior and academic engagement, as well as decreasing disruptive behavior in the classroom. Tootling is derived from another form of positive peer reporting and is considered the opposite of tattling. In tootling, students report on their peers’ prosocial behaviors. This intervention has multiple components that assist in its effectiveness. Specifically, there are three components with aspects …

The Effectiveness Of A Caregiver Delivered Phonics Intervention For At-Risk Students, Iwalani Dela Paz-Miller

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Reading skills are important for students' academic success. Phonics specifically is a foundational skill which is necessary for reading fluency and overall reading proficiency. Additional support outside of the classroom can be beneficial for those struggling and at-risk. There are various strategies and interventions that can help students' gain important academic skills. In addition to various reading skills and interventions, parents and caregivers can help implement interventions within the home setting to support students in their academic growth. Overall, the research has documented the effectiveness of reading intervention delivered by parents and caregivers, but there is little research on caregiver …

“Positive” Student Behavior: Investigating Educator Perceptions Of Student Behavior In Terms Of Willingness To Reward And Magnitude Of Reward, Kelsey Stangler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

PBIS is a universal, school-wide framework that is designed to increase student’s positive behaviors by teaching and acknowledging them when they occur while at the same time decreasing negative behaviors. Despite SWPBIS having positive behavior in its name, formal measure of positive behaviors have been elusive. There is no uniform definition for positive behavior but, drawing on definitions from various scholars, positive behavior appears to be behavior that follows the teacher’s directions, is socially accepted by peers and adults, and is rewarded by teachers (Ebsen & Filter, 2013; Epps et al., 2005; Geisel, 1944; & Hearron and Hildebrand, 2009). The …

Effects Of Aromatherapy On Academic Success, Perceived Stress, And Coping Skills Of Graduate Students, Lakisha S. Witter

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This quasi-experimental study will explore whether the use of aromatherapy increases students’ academic success and coping skills and decreases the level of perceived stress in graduate college students.

Applying Peer Tutoring To Spelling At The Elementary Level, Ashlee Lundberg

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In this study, I applied peer tutoring methods to spelling in an elementary classroom to increase spelling performance. Using alternating treatment design with a baseline phase, peer tutoring for spelling was implemented within a 2nd grade classroom. Twenty-one students participated in the study. The primary dependent variables were the increase in words spelled correct and correct letter sequence from weekly pretests to weekly posttests. Baseline data were collected using spelling word lists students had not yet learned. Peer tutoring for spelling was applied to spelling through two activities targeting accuracy (Spell it, Check it) and fluency (a speed spelling activity, …

Evaluating The Effects Of Tootling When Implemented In Special Education Classrooms Providing Behavior Supports, Jannine E. Ray

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Managing student misbehavior is often a challenge for teachers. Effective classroom behavior management strategies maximize academic instruction time and decrease disruptive behavior. One intervention that has proven to be effective in decreasing disruptive behavior, increasing prosocial behavior, and increasing on-task behavior in the general education classroom is tootling. There are no published studies that have applied tootling in a special education classroom, and this population could greatly benefit from such an intervention. The current study used a multiple baseline design across settings to examine the effectiveness of a tootling intervention in three special education classrooms with students who exhibit behavior …

Using Behavioral Skills Training To Teach Children With Autism To Seek Help From Law Enforcement Officers When Lost, Greta Kos

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are at an elevated risk of becoming lost in situations due to running away or wandering behaviors. When children with ASD become lost it may be difficult for them to effectively and efficiently seek help from community helpers in a safe manner due to communication deficits and poor social skills. This study aims to teach children with ASD how to identify when they are lost and how to seek help from police officers in the community by vocalizing the problem and using a communication card. Generalization probes were conducted with three children diagnosed with …

Racial Microaggressions And Alienation Among Hmong American College Students, Bruce Yang

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Students of color continue to experience racism within institutions of higher education across the United States. These experiences often include racial microaggressions, which are evolved forms of racism that are subtle, difficult to detect, and harmful. Racial microaggressions have been found to be associated with several consequences including mental health, emotional, and physical problems (Dahlia & Lieberman, 2010; Connolly, 2011; Cheng, Tran, Miyake, & Kim, 2017). Furthermore, studies have also alluded to the potential relationship between racial microaggressions and the dimensions of alienation for student populations of color (Fissori, 2010; James, 1988; Lambert, Herman, Bynum, & Ialongo, 2009; Sauceda, 2010; …

Assessment Of Stress Related Issues And Coping Mechanisms Among College Students, Emeka Okoro

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to identify frequency of stressors and evaluate current levels of stress of undergraduate students. This study also analyzed and identified coping strategies implemented by college students. Two surveys were used in this study. The University Stress Scale developed by Stallman (2009) was used to identify perceived stressors and measure stress levels of participants. Brief Cope Inventory developed by Carver (1997) was used to assess coping strategies.

SPSS was used for data analysis and computation of scores. Academic/coursework demands was the highest perceived stressor among sampled undergraduates. Procrastination, study/life balance, finances and money problems were …

Reflected Academic Self-Efficacy: How Teacher Behavior Influences Self-Efficacy In The Classroom, John Martin Wildauer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to complete tasks. The model social cognitive theory provides for studying self-efficacy shows that communicative sources of efficacy expectation yield self-efficacy in individuals by means of cognitive processing. The current study examines these communicative components of self-efficacy in the classroom more closely by marrying social cognitive theory and symbolic interactionism. Analysis of data from a sample of 69 college students found that student perceptions of their teacher’s beliefs about their ability in the classroom (reflected academic self-efficacy) have a direct relationship to their perceptions of their own abilities (academic self-efficacy). More …

The Effect Of An Email Intervention Tailored To Highly Ambitious Students On University Retention, Lauren Bahls

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study sought to increase student retention through the use of email interventions tailored to a specific group of ambitious students as determined by the Hogan Personality Inventory. Previous literature shows the relationship between ambition, the similar constructs of work drive and achievement seeking, and positive academic outcomes such as higher GPA, higher ratio of credits earned to credits attempted and increased likelihood of returning to the same institution. Focusing on students who rated high on ambition according to the Hogan Personality Inventory, the treatment group received emails with activities that may be of interest to help them build their …

Missing Voices: Journeys Of Pre-Service Teacher Candidates And Graduates Of Color In A Predominantly White Teacher Education Program, Robbie R. Burnett

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This is a study of the journeys of pre-service teacher candidates and graduates of color who participated as minoritized persons in a predominantly White educator preparation program. In particular, this investigation explores the voices, experiences, and perceptions of minoritized individuals engaging in predominantly white teacher education program. Drawing across two focus groups and three in-depth individual interviews with eight participants, this study found that respondent's journeys were influenced by dyconscious racism and centered in pedagogy of whiteness. Findings from the study also suggest the number of minioritized individuals in the predominantly White teacher education program had an impact on respondents …

The Relationship Between College Students' Use Of Facebook And Their Feelings Of Alienation From Their Institution, Oleksandr Komarenko

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Today's college students are digital natives who have grown up using technology, such as social network systems (SNSs). SNS use, and specific behavior patterns, have been linked to a variety of psychological and social outcomes. The sense of disconnection from a student's institution, known as alienation, is one significant factor that can be detrimental to students' social and academic experience and performance in college (Gordon, 1998; Loo & Rolison, 1986; Suen, 1983). This study explores the association between Facebook relationship maintenance behaviors (FRMB; Ellison, Vitak, Gray, & Lampe, 2014) and alienation from their university, and whether FRMBs and alienation are …

Prudence And Persistence: Personality In Student Retention, Logan J. Michels

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Student retention is a concern for many higher education institutions and there are many techniques that can be used to increase student retention. Previous research has used student personality data to customize interventions aimed at increasing student success and retention. In this study, prudence levels of incoming students was assessed, and a customized email intervention was designed and administered to students with students having low prudence levels. A variety of outcome measures were used to assess the usefulness of the intervention, including GPA, academic and behavioral citations, and use of campus resources. Results indicate that prudence levels are positively related …

Intervention E-Mails And Retention: How E-Mails Tailored To Personality Impact An Undergraduate Student's Decision To Return To School Or Not, John Kelly Heffernon

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Universities and colleges constantly face a costly problem: low student retention rates. One potential solution to low student retention is a personality-tailored e-mail intervention. The researcher tested this idea with a sample of 59 first-year students from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Participants took a personality assessment in order to measure their personality trait of sociability. Then participants were split into an experimental group and a control group based on a matched-sample paradigm that ensured sociability was not significantly different between the two groups. Participants in the experimental group received four different intervention e-mails throughout the course of the 2015 fall …

Investigating Stability Balls In The Classroom: Effects On Student Behavior And Academic Productivity, Natasha A. Olson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

A classroom intervention increasing in popularity is the use of stability balls in lieu of traditional classroom seating. Stability balls are promoted as an effective alternative to chairs at a classwide level, yet there are no published studies documenting classwide outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate classwide effects of stability balls and attempt to provide empirical support for their use. Using an A-B-A-B reversal design, this study examined the effectiveness of stability balls in comparison to classroom chairs in a second grade classroom. Student on-task and out-of-seat behavior was measured using direct observation and teacher direct …

Linking Reading Assessment Data To Intervention Using The 4-Box Instructional Decision Making Model, Jeremy Husfeldt

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Reading is a vital skill and failing to learn how to read has consequences beyond the walls of the classroom. The importance of reading and its link to later success in life has gained the attention of many, including Congress, over the past couple of decades. Yet, despite an intense research focus and large amounts of time and resources being devoted to improving reading performance, too many American students continue to struggle to obtain reading proficiency. One possible explanation for this disconnect maybe the failure to match evidence-based instruction to struggling readers based on their specific reading needs. The 4-Box …

Increasing Paraprofessional Fidelity Of Implementation Through Performance Feedback, Dana Nicole Shea

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Many of the behavioral interventions that students receive within the schools are provided by paraprofessionals, but there is little research related to their ability to provide interventions with acceptable fidelity of implementation. The purpose of this study was to examine whether paraprofessionals can provide behavioral intervention to students with adequate fidelity of implementation when provided with a short training and performance feedback through email. An ABC with replication design was utilized to examine the effect performance feedback on fidelity of implementation. Fidelity of implementation was measured using direct observation by the consultant as well as self-report of fidelity of implementation …

The Impact Of Performance-Based Assessment On University Esl Learners' Motivation, Kadidja Koné

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis examines the impact of performance-based assessment on university ESL learners' motivation. To reach this aim, data were collected from 21 international ESL students taking an intensive oracy course for non-native speakers. Online motivation questionnaires were used in order to find out how these learners responded emotionally and motivationally to performance-based assessment, specifically an oral presentation project both before and after the project. The results revealed that the students responded positively to this type of project. However, their motivational and emotional states varied across time depending on their experience with the oral presentation, their performance, and the cohesion of …

Examining The Effectiveness Of The After Action Review For Online And Face-To-Face Discussion Groups, William Cradick

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There is not enough research in the utilization of the After Action Review (AAR), in a college setting. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the AAR in both face-to-face and online classroom environments. Over the period of a semester, participants of undergraduate psychology courses, at a mid-sized university, conducted AARs with their static groups. Overall course and group activity grades were measured, along with self-efficacy, satisfaction, and motivation ratings. The AAR was found to be overall ineffective at improving performance outcomes. The evidence is not conclusive enough to suggest that the AAR will not be …

Effects Of A Cross-Age Peer Tutoring Intervention On English Language Oral Reading Fluency In A Belizean Grade School, Marcia Ruth Sytsma

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

A cross-age peer tutoring program was implemented in a small rural school in west central Belize, Central America. All students at the school were native Spanish speakers, and all general instruction was conducted in English. The program was devised to supplement existing reading and language arts instruction at all grade levels. Progress of both tutors and tutees was monitored on a weekly basis using DIBELS Next measures. Twenty-nine students started the program, with complete data available for twenty-one students: seven tutee-tutor pairs, and seven matched students who participated as controls. Three main hypotheses were tested with the present study. These …

Using A State-Wide Survey To Determine The Impact Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports On Students' Self-Reported Perceptions, Feelings, And Behaviors, Rachel Youngblom

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examined student responses to the Minnesota Student Survey in 286 schools across the state of Minnesota. Of these schools, 143 of the schools had implemented PBIS and the other 143 schools had not. The study included elementary, middle, and high schools. The schools were coded as either small (under 150 students), medium (151-480 students), or large (over 480 students). For schools that had been trained to implement PBIS, fidelity of implementation was also considered and all schools were coded as having either high fidelity (80 or higher for SET; 70 or higher for BoQ) or low fidelity. The …

Student Assessment Of Professor Effectiveness, Roger Emil Knutson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Despite progressive changes, subtle sexism is still present in modern society. The present study used role congruity theory to explain how subtle sexism influences the ratings students provide for professors. Participants were presented with fictional scenarios where professor gender was manipulated and source of a mistake (student versus professor) was manipulated. For each scenario, students provided ratings of competence, likability, and likelihood to take another class with the professor. Multiple t-tests revealed no difference in student ratings between female professors and male professors who made mistakes and between female professors and male professors overall, although there was a significant difference …

Seclusion And Restraint Policy And Practice: Are We Doing The Right Thing?, Laura L. Strunk

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The overall purpose of this research study was to gain an understanding of the significance of the policy and practice of seclusion and restraint interventions used with individuals in the public school system in the United States and to determine how the policy and practice of those interventions are currently being implemented in schools across the United States. Despite the research that shows that the use of seclusion and restraint interventions is harmful, these interventions continue to be used in school settings across the United States. Policies and regulations have been established regarding the use of seclusion and restraint in …

Choice Amount And Choice-Making In Children: A Comparison Of Children With And Without Symptoms Of Adhd, Liesa Klein

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research has demonstrated that increased options can have a negative impact on choice experience, post-choice affect, and purchasing behavior in adults. While the use of choice and choice interventions is sometimes used in educational settings, this negative impact, the choice overload hypothesis, has yet to be examined in children. Further, if the presence of choice overload were to be identified in this population it may have further implications on children with ADHD who exhibit deficits in executive functioning. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to examine choice duration in children with and without symptoms of ADHD; (2) to …