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Full-Text Articles in Education
Identifying Attributions And Predictors Of High School Dropout In Rural Youth: A Mixed Methods Approach, Karla Swayngim Reed
Identifying Attributions And Predictors Of High School Dropout In Rural Youth: A Mixed Methods Approach, Karla Swayngim Reed
Theses and Dissertations
Graduating high school is an important educational milestone that is related to better life outcomes; however, high school dropout remains an issue in the United States (US). This mixed methods study began with a qualitative stage using attribution theory to identify the factors rural youth perceive as responsible for their decision to drop out of high school. Focus groups were conducted with youth from a rural area in South Carolina (SC). Seven themes were identified across the two categories of Internal and External Focus. Internal Focus themes included: (a) ability/self-efficacy, (b) effort, (c) plans for the future, and (d) other …
The Perceived Impact Of Project-Based Learning (Pbl) On Middle School Students’ Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Identity And Engagement, Jonathan Olivera
The Perceived Impact Of Project-Based Learning (Pbl) On Middle School Students’ Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Identity And Engagement, Jonathan Olivera
Theses and Dissertations
Despite multiple calls to action, the United States educational system is not producing enough viable contributors in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These fields continue to grow, and the STEM workforce continues to expand. However, the pool of citizens prepared to enter these professions is not keeping up with the demand. Part of this issue can be attributed to a diminishing interest in STEM by students, particularly during their identity forming adolescent years. Active learning strategies have proven successful in preventing this decline with project-based learning (PBL) being one of the most successful active learning strategies. …
Examining Culture And Gender Roles In Latina Undergraduate Participation In Stem At Utrgv, Stephanie Garza
Examining Culture And Gender Roles In Latina Undergraduate Participation In Stem At Utrgv, Stephanie Garza
Theses and Dissertations
The study was designed to examine the role of familism and gender role beliefs on Latina pursuit of a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. This study surveyed Latino/a undergraduate students at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley to determine the influence of socioeconomic status, familism and gender role beliefs on pursuit of careers in STEM. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Pan-Hispanic Familism scale, the Attitudinal Familism scale and the Gender Role Beliefs scale. Findings revealed how major selection and pursuit of STEM is affected by students’ income level, familism, gender, and gender role beliefs. Results …
One In Eight: Deciding To Pursue A College-Going Possible Self In A High-Poverty High School, David B. Naff
One In Eight: Deciding To Pursue A College-Going Possible Self In A High-Poverty High School, David B. Naff
Theses and Dissertations
There is considerable research evidence suggesting that low-income, racial minority students value education and aspire for postsecondary educational attainment (Bloom, 2007; Destin & Oyserman, 2009; Wigfield & Eccles, 2002). However, their performance in school often does not align with those values and ambitions, as these students tend to underachieve in comparison with their higher-income, non-minority peers (Reardon, 2011), with particular gaps found in those attending schools of concentrated poverty (Rowan, 2011). This gap between educational ambition and attainment suggests that the experience of living and going to school in a high-poverty context could be related to the motivational processes driving …
The Gratitude Questionnaire And Mindful Attention Awareness Scale For Use With Latina/O College Students: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Dion B. Smith
Theses and Dissertations
Interventions based on positive psychology constructs have become increasingly popular over the past two decades, necessitating validation of instruments for use with underrepresented populations (Pawelski, 2016; Vela, Lerma, & Ikonomopoulos, 2016). This study reports an evaluation of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003) and the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6; McCullough, Emmons, & Tsang, 2002) for use with Latina/o college students. Sample sizes used in this study are N = 207 (99 women and 104 men; 4 did not identify) for the MAAS and N = 127 (84 women and 38 men; 5 did not identify) for the …
Hispanic Bilingual Learners' Perceptions And Educational Experiences Of Spanish-Speaking In South Texas, Isela B. Stephens
Hispanic Bilingual Learners' Perceptions And Educational Experiences Of Spanish-Speaking In South Texas, Isela B. Stephens
Theses and Dissertations
The present study focuses on a subset of data obtained from a larger interdisciplinary project, Proyecto Posible, which investigates how sociocultural and instructional factors predict positive outcomes among Spanish- and English-speaking Hispanic bilingual learners. As one part of Proyecto Posible, interviewers asked learners to speak in their language of preference about their experiences in school and feelings developed during interactions with others, as bilinguals. This study examines the qualitative component on bilingual learners’ perceptions of their own language proficiency in English and Spanish, perceptions of language use across a broad range of contexts including school, home, and community, …
Group Flow In The Byu Animation Studio, Jana Lynn Duncan
Group Flow In The Byu Animation Studio, Jana Lynn Duncan
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation encompasses three articles concerning Sawyer's (2007) theory of group flow in the context of higher education, including a literature review, and two interpretive studies. In the literature review and in the first interpretive research article, the results of the research illuminated the applicability of themes of group flow in collaborative settings in higher education in themes of vision, ownership and contribution, and communication. The final article provides a description of the roles of student lead and professor in this environment and the unique ways that they may have encouraged those themes in the studio. The context for this …
Design Thinking For The Development Of Formal Operations: A Team-Based Middle School Design Curriculum, Stephanie K. O'Dell
Design Thinking For The Development Of Formal Operations: A Team-Based Middle School Design Curriculum, Stephanie K. O'Dell
Theses and Dissertations
In this thesis, I propose a team-based design curriculum that aligns with the cognitive development of middle school age students. The ability to think abstractly develops at a specific time in development, according to widely accepted cognitive theory. The middle school years are the launching pad of abstract thinking. At this age, students are also primed for learning through social activity. The design process often includes abstract problem solving challenges, and working within a team structure. These ideas build a foundation for a research question—could a team-based design curriculum in middle school strengthen students’ natural cognitive development by providing opportunities …
An Exploratory Investigation Of Tele-Counseling: Looking At The Power Of Therapeutic Alliance In Improving Wellness, Jorge Rostro
An Exploratory Investigation Of Tele-Counseling: Looking At The Power Of Therapeutic Alliance In Improving Wellness, Jorge Rostro
Theses and Dissertations
The present study explored the power of one tele-counseling session to elicit change within post wellness ratings scores and the relationship between clients’ perceptions of relationship, goals and topics, approach and method, and overall session with clients’ wellness ratings. Results indicated that the mean for post-session wellness was significantly greater than pre-test wellness ratings. The standardized effect size, d, was .43, indicative of a moderate effect size. No difference was found between client’s perceptions of predictor variables with post-wellness rating scores. This study adds support for the use of tele-counseling services as one session might have the power to elicit …
It Is Not Good That Man Should Be Alone: What Adam And Eve Can Teach Us About Relationships In Learning Communities, Julene Bassett
It Is Not Good That Man Should Be Alone: What Adam And Eve Can Teach Us About Relationships In Learning Communities, Julene Bassett
Theses and Dissertations
Human existence (or be-ing) is profoundly relational. Yet educational environments often assume that learning happens individually. Though many educators are trying to rectify this problem by introducing community into the learning process, these efforts are too often simply overlaid onto a system that works through competition and rewards individual achievement. Therefore, an alternative perspective for who we are as humans and how we should be together is needed. In this dissertation, I examine what it means to be fundamentally related and show how such an understanding might impact learning. We often think of “community” as a place, but I also …
The Design Of A Blended Approach For Teaching The Tpck Framework In A Technology Integrated Course, Andrea Velasquez
The Design Of A Blended Approach For Teaching The Tpck Framework In A Technology Integrated Course, Andrea Velasquez
Theses and Dissertations
This report describes the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a web-based unit that was designed to enable blended learning in a course for pre-service teachers learning about technology integration. The unit aims to teach students about the TPCK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework and how to incorporate it in their teaching designs to make their instruction more effective. The report describes the process of design and development using the rapid prototyping technique. The evaluation section describes the results of the implementation of the design. Finally, the conclusion provides a critique of the project's strengths and weaknesses.
Extending The Reach Of Educational Research: Applying Product Commercialization Processes To Communities Of Practice, Richard Edward Culatta
Extending The Reach Of Educational Research: Applying Product Commercialization Processes To Communities Of Practice, Richard Edward Culatta
Theses and Dissertations
The ability to extend educational research beyond the research community could have a great impact on end-users such as teachers, students, or educational administrators. One way to extend the use of educational research is to create tangible educational products; such as virtual simulations, instructional videos, and printed materials; which can be easily and widely distributed. In order to transform research into products, members of the research community must adopt and implement certain product commercialization processes. Effective processes, if not recognized by members of the community, are not helpful for ensuring that quality end products are reached. Likewise, a supportive community …