Education Commons^™

Returning To School After A Pandemic: K-6 Education Teachers Perspectives On Low- Income Students Returning To School With Regard To Academic Achievement, Behavior, Mindset, And Social Connections, Sarah Orendorff

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine K-6 educators’ perceptions of the impact on low-income students returning to school after the trauma of a pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, academic achievement, mindset, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed 12 K6 teachers who taught before, during, and after the pandemic in Orange County, CA. Semi-structured open ended interview questions was the main source of data collection with other sources including observations, and artifacts. Data was coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns.

Findings: After analyzing data, codes, and themes …

Brainwaves, Memory, And Reward, Rebecca Mccune

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The development of effective educational curricula for enhancing learning involves the crucial consideration of effort and rewards. In the realm of education, teachers commonly employ rewards as motivational tools. Traditionally, these rewards are given to students as a recognition of their successful performance. However, a thought-provoking idea emerges: What if we were to extend rewards to students not solely based on accurate answers, but also on the effort they invest, even in cases where their actual response might be incorrect? Our study explores the potential impact of this approach on the way information is absorbed and subsequently retained, specifically focusing …

Re(Engineering) Student Success: Constructing Knowledge On Students’ Experiences In Engineering Education Programs To Encourage Holistic Student Success, Shaylin Williams

Theses and Dissertations

If a group of engineering deans were asked whether students at their institutions were successful and why, what information might they immediately or subconsciously use to measure or gauge the engineering students’ success? If only academic performance outcomes like GPA, individual course grades, or graduation rate race to their minds, then their rationale aligns with the majority of researchers. My research seeks to shift the mindset that frames engineering student success mainly within the boundaries of academic performance measures. By measuring students’ perceived autonomy, competence, social integration and relatedness within their programs, and aspirations after graduation, one can more accurately …

Analyzing Motivation And Sense Of Belonging Belonging In Cs1 Review Sessions, Cory Longenecker

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The Computer Science Department at James Madison University has a Teaching Assistant program which aims to help students succeed in early-level Computer Science courses. Part of this program is a review session, the Fourth Hour, which provides students extra help on the concepts taught each week in class. Historically, attendance at this review session has been low. Because of this, the study aimed to increase attendance by motivating students through interventions, primarily offering quiz retakes to students who attended. Additionally, this study looked at the reported sense of belonging for participants who attended.

We made three conclusions from survey data …

First-Year Postsecondary Student Persistence Leading To Second-Year Enrollment, Collene G. Webb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a southeastern U.S. university, the low retention of postsecondary, traditional-aged first-year students persisting to second year was a problem, importantly decreasing their ability to graduate and gain a career. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that have motivated postsecondary traditional-aged, first-year students to return to the university as second-year students and to learn from students what they perceived that the institution could do to increase persistence. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was Tinto’s institutional departure model. The research questions explored the factors that motivated first-year students to persist into their second year of …

Self-Regulation And Academic Motivation As Predictors Of Academic Achievement Of Undergraduate Students In An Online Learning Environment, Sonia Almwalad

Dissertations

Problem

Online learning is a form of distance education that occurs via the Internet (Adams, 2004; Carliner, 1999). The success of online learning depends on student-related factors such as acceptance, willingness, and motivation (Almaiah et al., 2019; Almaiah et al., 2020). When online learning systems are not utilized, students cannot realize the concomitant benefit of improved performance. Online learning has many positives, but it does present a problem when it comes to academic success. Motivation and self-regulation are two of the key factors for successful online learning given that students are subject to minimal supervision or guidance from teachers in …

Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of Self-Determination Supports In Inclusion Classrooms, Suzanne Tiffany-Salogub

Theses and Dissertations

The outcomes presented in this dissertation were motivated by a scarcity of research that explores self-determination practices explicitly within inclusive classrooms. Three overarching goals motivated my research. The first was to understand what inclusion teachers know and do in relation to self-determination (Chapter 2). The second was to understand how their practices align with existing knowledge about self-determination in the field (Chapter 3). Finally, I sought to create an accessible, research-based tool tailored to inclusion teachers who seek to support their students in developing self-determination skills (Chapter 4). To achieve these goals, I designed an investigation using a case-study design …

Student Choice During Silent Solitude: An Examination Of Reading Motivation In An Urban Elementary School, Elizabeth A. White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study was designed to examine differences in students’ reading motivation based on the frequencies with which they choose to read over other options. A modified version of the Motivation for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ; Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997), using four of the eleven categories it was designed to assess including Challenge, Self- Efficacy, Reading Importance and Reading Curiosity. The students were also observed inside the classroom by their teaching staff and their choices were recorded on a Behavioral Analysis Checklist during a structured silent break in their day. The students also indicated whether they felt more confident in reading activities …

Revisiting The Smartphone And Learning Inventory (Sali): Perspectives Of Preservice Teachers, Bridget K. Daleiden

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The implications of the presence and usage of smartphone technology in learning contexts are not fully understood. Self-regulated learning (SRL) theory offers a theoretical framework in which smartphone use can be explored. Researchers have recently developed a measure of smartphone use while studying, the Smartphone and Learning Inventory (SALI) (Hartley et al., 2020b). The present study is an exploratory qualitative analysis designed to compare open-ended responses to the 3-factor structure of the SALI. A thematic analysis of open-ended responses from a sample of preservice teachers was conducted. The purpose of the current research is to explore themes that may represent …

High School Students’ Math And Science Motivation Profiles: Stability And Relationship With Their Stem Career Aspirations, Jiali Zheng

Theses and Dissertations

Motivation to study mathematics and science is an important influencing factor of career aspirations in STEM fields which predicts STEM major choice in college and STEM careers after graduation. Using restricted data from a nationally representative sample HSLS:09, the current study identified U.S. high school students’ motivation profiles in mathematics and science courses in 9^th and 11^th grade, examined the stability of these profiles across the two time points, and studied the association between 11^th grade motivation profiles and STEM career aspirations. Differences between male and female students in motivation profiles, profile stability and career aspirations were …

Parents’ Perceptions: Strategies To Motivate Lower-Elementary Children’S Virtual Emergency Learning During Covid-19, Brittany Harden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During the 2020–2021 school year, many students were forcibly shifted from traditional in-person learning to virtual emergency response learning (ERL) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this shift, many lower-elementary school students suffered socially, emotionally, and academically due to lack of infrastructure, social isolation, and the loss of direct instruction from educators. Because of this loss, many parents had different responsibilities to their children’s social, emotional, and academic well-being. Research has not provided practical, motivational strategies used by parents to motivate their lower-elementary school children during virtual ERL during COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine parents’ …

Improving College Students’ Views And Beliefs Relative To Mathematics: A Systematic Literature Review Followed By A Multiple Case Mixed Methods Exploration Of The Experiences That Underpin Community College Students’ Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, And Values In Mathematics, Marquita H. Sea

Theses and Dissertations

Mathematics is particularly important due to its relevance in our daily lives. It is a general requirement throughout schooling. Unfortunately, many students openly declare negative views/beliefs regarding math in their personal and academic lives. These in turn, negatively influence students’ achievement related behaviors and outcomes. First, a systematic literature review was conducted to determine what types of studies/initiatives have aimed to enhance students’ views/beliefs relative to mathematics, including domain general and specific perceptions of math as well as their judgements of who is successful in mathematics and if they themselves can be successful. Specifically, the review centered on the components …

The Relationship Between Online Learning And Student Motivation And Engagement, Sarah Mieczkowski

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The switch to online learning during the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic impacted the educational world in many ways. University students were moved from traditional in person classroom settings to an online format. This change may have been accompanied by stress, anxiety, and social isolation. Research suggests that a student’s learning environment can either generate success by contributing to motivational strategies through quality of educational support or a learning environment can generate boredom, stress, and confusion. In addition, research demonstrates that personality plays a factor in many outcomes such as education and mental health. There is a lack of research on connecting …

Goal Orientation, Regulation Of Motivation, And Academic Achievement In Pharmacy Students, Krystal L. Ward

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

This study examined goal orientation in Doctor of Pharmacy Students and its relationship with regulation of motivation and academic achievement. Research questions included: 1) Do student cohorts (first-year, second-year, and third-year students) differ in their initial goal orientation? Do students’ goal orientation vary across time (from fall to spring)? 2) How does change in goal orientation impact changes in regulation of motivation? 3) How does change in goal orientation impact changes in academic achievement? 4) Which factor, regulation of motivation or academic achievement, has the strongest relationship with goal orientation?

178 participants completed survey instruments in the fall and spring …

Keeping The Course: Nursing Student Motivation During A Pandemic, Travis William Storey

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

Nurses have always been at the frontline of any disaster or health crisis to hit the country, yet, as the United States battled the coronavirus pandemic, the nation saw its nursing shortage worsen. The emotional and physical toll faced by frontline nurses often became unbearable, leading to a skyrocketing of occupational and facility turnover. Concern grew that the pandemic would have an impact on nursing students as well, particularly on the supply of new graduate nurses. Yet, even in the face of such hazardous working conditions, nursing students persisted in their academic studies. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental study …

Lack Of Motivation In High School Students: Reach Curriculum, Alexandra L. Nickolauson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The lack of motivation in high schoolers has increased in the last ten years. This literature review will explore the reasons for lack of motivation in high school students, and if school belonging, teacher enthusiasm, parent involvement, and holding students accountable contribute to motivation or if lack of those factors leads to more dropouts. The purpose of this literature review is to show why high school students have a lack of motivation and what can be done. The articles researched were focused on qualitative research. There were six major finds for lack of motivation: fear of failure, incuriosity, lack of …

Examining Motivation As A Mechanism For The Effects Of Stereotype Threat On Stem Outcomes: A Longitudinal Mediation Analysis, Delaram A. Totonchi

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Although African-American students start STEM majors with higher levels of interest compared to their racial majority peers, they drop out of these majors at higher rates. One often tested explanation for this racial disparity is stereotype threat–the anxiety related to being judged stereotypically or the fear of confirming such stereotypes. Stereotype threat negatively impacts academic outcomes through a variety of psychological mechanisms including declined motivation. Accordingly, in this study, I examined expectancy-value beliefs as motivational mechanisms for the effects of stereotype threat on STEM outcomes. Participants were 362 African-American students in introductory chemistry and biology courses who completed surveys at …

Examining Motivation In Online Learning Amongst Traditional And Nontraditional College Students, Juan J. Echeverri

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Nontraditional students continue to grow as a population in universities across North America. These individuals are characterized as twenty-five years of age or older, have taken time off from school, and usually hold a job outside of their school duties. With our increased immersion in online environments, many individuals earning an educational degree through online participation, and previous studies calling upon further research, we decided to investigate this line of research. Specifically, the present study seeks to understand the motivational factors seen between traditional and nontraditional students, with an emphasis on intrinsic motivation. The results suggest that nontraditional students are …

Self-Efficacy Of College Students With A Learning Disability During Freshman Year, Nicole Renee Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe current study sought to understand the phenomena of educational programming and academic self-efficacy. The conceptual framework for this study was based on social cognitive theories of academic self-efficacy and motivation. This qualitative study used interpretive phenomenological analysis to gain a broader understanding of experiences of academic self-efficacy and motivation in college students diagnosed with a specific learning disability. Ten participants were recruited with snowball sampling and semi-structured interviews were conducted to guide this research study. Results of this research support additional analysis as necessary to close the gaps presented in the college transition and campus life of students with …

The Strength Of Self: An Examination Of Self-Directed Learning And Self-Regulated Learning Among Master’S Students, Holley Marie Linkous

Doctoral Dissertations

There is a lack of understanding of the difference between self-directed learning and self-regulated learning. Though both theories have been found to be important learning processes for achieving learning goals, there is little evidence to identify how the two directly compare. Self-directed learning and self-regulated learning can both be defined as learning processes as well as a collection of characteristics of an individual (Brockett & Hiemstra, 1991; Efklides, 2011). There are metacognitive components to these learning processes (Saks & Leijen, 2014; Zimmerman & Moylan, 2009). It can benefit scholars to know how these two concepts within a structured, complex, high-demand, …

Early Adolescents' Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction And Frustration, Motivation, And Verbal Divergent Thinking Within An Out-Of-School Context, Megan Louise Atha

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Early adolescence is a vital time for the development of creative thinking and behaviors (Barbot et al., 2016) as well as for examining factors that influence the motivation of youth to engage and persist in creative processes and to develop creative abilities (Beghetto & Dilley, 2016). In order to support the motivation towards creative pursuits that may be unique to early adolescent youth, the satisfaction of basic psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness may be important. Since out-of-school contexts are an increasingly important element of adolescents’ day-to-day experiences, research that investigates how contextual factors contribute to the development of …

The Motivations Toward Decisions In Delaying To Apply For College: High School Seniors Of Single Parent Households, John R. Leach Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that 30% of students who graduated from high school do not enroll in college (NCES, 2018). This phenomenological study integrates several instruments to identify the motivational elements of amotivation, autonomy, extrinsic, and intrinsic motivational stimuli. The research data reveal that intrinsic motivational factors play a more significant role in the decision-making process. The participants in this study revealed their extrinsic and intrinsic motivation for postsecondary endeavors by articulating how they perceive decision-making for their actions. Participants of dual- …

Effects Of Chair Testing In Orchestra On Student Motivation: Student Perspectives And Applications From Motivational Theories, Rosanna Christine Honeycutt

MSU Graduate Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine how string students perceive achievement on chair testing through the lens of attribution and achievement goal motivational self-theories. A teacher survey was administered to identify the goals of chair testing in two high school and seven middle school orchestra classrooms. A student survey was used to collect data in those same classrooms on (a) the reasons why students do and do not do well on chair tests, (b) the perceived goals of chair testing and (c) the ratings of motivation and self-achievement. Qualitative techniques were used to analyze attributions within both …

A Look Into Mindset, Motivation, And Self- Regulation: How To Foster Motivation And The Growth Mindset In The Classroom, Jennifer Slack

Award Winners

People are naturally curious beings, and the desire to learn is a natural and innate part of human nature. So why is it that by the time students reach their secondary education, their motivation is at an all time low? As students’ motivation is directly linked to their success and well-being, this problem is troubling. Many researchers have sought to find the cause of this shift, and what they have found is that although there cannot merely be a single determining factor to account for this shift, the vast majority of our schools and classrooms are promoting strategies, systems, and …

Exploring The Experiences Of First Generation College Students, Maceo Daniel Wattley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a large, urban university in the Midwestern United States, graduation rates of first-generation college students (FGCS) who are the first within a family to be admitted and attend a 4-year post-secondary institution of higher learning have declined over the past decade despite programs instituted to improve student retention. The purpose of the study was to explore FGCS’s and university administrators’ experiences affecting the decisions for FGCS to drop out and to examine student and administrator recommendations for improvements, based on their experiences, to prevent attrition. Guided by Knowles’s theory of andragogy, which describes how adult learners are self-directed and …

An Examination Of The Impacts Of The Wvu Research Apprenticeship Program (Rap), Mostafa Hashemi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Finding solutions to the problem of high attrition rates among students has been widely discussed by policymakers. Many intervention programs have been introduced to address this issue. The current study uses the tripartite integration model of social influence (TIMSI), (Kelman 1958, 1961; Estrada et al., 2011) to investigate and evaluate the effects of the research apprenticeship program (RAP), an intervention program aimed at supporting student performance and persistence through research and mentorship implemented at West Virginia University. The mediation analysis revealed research identity as a significant mediator in the relationship between RAP status and STEM persistence. Furthermore, RAP participants were …

Motivation And Gesture In Foreign And Second Language Development: A Sociocultural Study Of Chinese Learners Of English, Lixian Tian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation study investigated motivation as related to goal-directed activity and gesture awareness as well as their interplay in second and foreign language development in different English as a foreign language (EFL) and English as a second language (ESL) contexts. This study included four groups of Chinese learners of English. The first EFL group consisted of college students in China learning English without intention of studying abroad (G1) and the second EFL group in China included Chinese learners of English who were learning English to prepare to study abroad (G2). Participants in the first ESL group were living and studying …

Motivation And Online Information Literacy Instruction: A Self-Determination Theory Approach, Francesca Marineo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Information literacy skills, including critical thinking and problem-solving skills, are imperative for academic, personal, and professional success. Unfortunately, many students graduate only to be more daunted than ever by the vast amount of information available to them and increasingly rely on convenience over quality in their information-seeking behaviors. This study hoped to address this by increasing students’ motivation for engaging in an online information literacy module. Using self-determination theory (SDT) from the field of motivation, motivationally-supportive modules were designed to support students’ feelings of autonomy and competence and ultimately grades on their final research assignment. Experimental conditions included providing relevance, …

Inner Drive And Disposition As The Fuel To Develop English Language Classroom Activities: A Self-Determination Study, Yendli Soranny Molina Leal, Paola Lizeth Peña Ceròn

Licenciatura en Español y Lenguas Extranjeras

Este estudio evalúa los niveles de actitud y motivación que manifiestan los grados décimos durante las actividades de clase en Inglés. El estudio sigue la teoría de autodeterminación para analizar estos niveles de actitud y motivación de los estudiantes en las actividades de clase propuestas por un profesor de inglés en un colegio público ubicado en Bogotá. Los hallazgos muestran que hay cuatro tipos diferentes de actividades de clase presentadas y desarrolladas por el profesor participante. Los estudiantes expresan sus niveles de motivación con un porcentaje alto en "competencia percibida" y los niveles de una actitud negativa con un bajo …

The Effect Of Early Childhood Abuse On Educational Attainment, Onzie Luke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to fill a gap in the literature regarding survivors of child abuse and their capacity to continue their educational pursuits beyond high school. Thus, this study explored the lived experience of self-identified abuse survivors who were enrolled in higher education. The theoretical bases for this study included Bandura'€™s social cognitive theory, Rotter'€™s theory of locus of control and Heider'€™s and Weiner'€™s theory of attribution. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 15 survivors of child abuse enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an online or brick and mortar university. The interviews were then …