Education Commons^™

A Look At Minimizing Student Loan Debt, While Maximizing Advanced Educational Opportunities, Karla Bradford

The Siegel Institute Journal of Applied Ethics

Poverty is a reality for many who obtain a degree of higher education and enter the workforce immediately after graduation. Funding an education for many may lead to student loan debt that is often virtually impossible to repay. This often leads many to believe that the debt incurred from obtaining a degree of higher education may not be worth the gain. The purpose of this paper is explore several articles that report on higher education as it relates to poverty, student loan debt, and salary pay scales for degrees and professional trade certifications. While investigating those related themes, this paper …

Journal Conversations: Building The Research Self-Efficacy Of An Aboriginal Early Career Academic, Michelle L. Dickson

The Qualitative Report

This paper shows how I used my research journal mainly as a reflective tool throughout the process of applying for and completing a PhD. Embarking on a PhD can be daunting for anyone and I was challenged by my lack of academic self-efficacy. In the absence of a formal academic mentor my research journal became my confidante, a tool that helped me make progress at times when barriers to research seemed insurmountable. It helped me decrease the cognitive dissonance I was experiencing about issues of subjectivity/objectivity and the positioning of my self in the research. This paper shares research journal …

Friend Or Foe? A Case Study Of Ipad Usage During Small Group Reading Instruction, Terry Husband 7078260, Roland K. Schendel

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this case study is to examine how two early childhood teachers in one university laboratory school utilize the iPad in their reading practices. Data collection involved: (a) observations, (b) audio recordings, and (c) researcher journal. Findings indicate that the teachers had a continuum of purposeful uses for the iPad and the associated applications during their small group reading instruction. In addition, the teachers had mixed overall perceptions toward using the iPad as an effective literacy tool. Implications for practice are presented.

Teaching Introductory Statistics To Graduate Students In The Social Sciences: A Mixed Method Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Simulations In Statistics Education, Liuli Huang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of using simulations as an instructional tool in an introductory doctoral level statistics course. The study focuses on the impacts of simulations on students’ attitudes and understanding of statistical concepts, as well as how the simulations could inspire students’ positive attitudes and improve statistics performance or would fail to help. In addition, since the statistics anxiety has been a primary obstacle to students’ statistics education, and “statistics anxiety” is experienced by as many as 80% of graduate students (Onwuegbuzie, 2004). The researcher is interested to explore the details of …

Kites Flying: Chinese Overseas Kites Flying: Reflections Of Chinese Students In New Zealand On National Identity Students’ Reflections On National Identity, Xiudi Zhang

The Qualitative Report

The study described in this paper examined the national identity tension that often occurs between Chinese international students and Western host country members. Research questions guiding the study were: How does the experience of studying in New Zealand provide challenges for Chinese international identity, and how do Chinese students reflect their cognitions of national identity in everyday life. Case study was used as a method to collect data from 20 Chinese international students. Cross-national discussions of China from the participants’ life experiences reveal a complex, sometimes contradictory, relationship between the individual and state, which is deeply rooted in Chinese culture …

The Potential Of Virtual Environments To Support Soft-Skill Acquisition For Individuals With Autism, Jennifer Gallup, Mary E. Little, Barbara Serianni, Onur Kocaoz

The Qualitative Report

This study examined the phenomenon of online gaming to describe the social interactions of young adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they socialize and develop relationships within virtual environments. This research built upon previous literature related to the identification of alternate modes of developing social skills and interpersonal relationships of adolescents with ASD by exploring the social implications of virtual environments. Young adults with autism experience grim outcomes such as low enrollment in postsecondary education, low wages, few living independently, and few maintaining full time employment as a result of poor social skills. Given the availability of online …

Learning And Changing: The Shaping Of A Teacher’S Identity Through Time, Across Spaces And In Different Contexts, Nikolaos Bogiannidis, Jane Southcott, Maria Gindidis

The Qualitative Report

This research paper explores the confluence of significant events in my life that shaped my identity as a teacher and researcher. I employed autoethnography to explore my personal life journey across time, space and context, in order to identify and to analyse the significant moments of epiphany that impacted on my decision to become a teacher. The findings of this study reveal a number of universal qualities of good teachers across three continents who, independently and unbeknown to each other, acted as role models in shaping my identity and my desire to become a teacher in order to serve the …

Decision Domains And Teacher Participation: A Qualitative Investigation Of Decision-Making In Egyptian Schools, Waheed Hammad

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this paper is to explore the gap between actual and desired decision domains as a potential factor affecting teacher participation in decision-making in Egyptian schools. In order to explore this gap, the study sets out to answer three questions: (1) what would a typology of school decisions look like in Egypt’s secondary schools? (2) How do Egyptian teachers perceive actual decisions made in their schools? (3) What decision domains are most desired by Egyptian teachers? The study employed a qualitative, descriptive research approach based on individual, semi-structured interviews with a sample of 85 school teachers and senior …

How Do Immigrant Students Develop Social Confidence And Make Friends In Secondary School? A Retrospective Study, Shyanna Albrecht, Gina Ko

The Qualitative Report

This paper pertains to a retrospective study of immigrant students’ experience of making friends and gaining social confidence in secondary school. In the study, 17 undergraduate students participated in either a one-to-one semi-structured interview or focus group. Questions were asked to understand their experiences in making friends and gaining social confidence when they came to Canada between grades five to nine. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was used to analyse the data. This method was useful in looking for commonalities in meaning in participants’ responses. In total, seven themes and 20 subthemes were discovered, which are discussed in detail. …

Spaced And Expanded Practice: An Investigation Of Methods To Enhance Retention, Katherine Kalenberg

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

In order to promote quality instruction and maximized student learning, it is essential for schools to integrate the most practical, effective, and efficient teaching methods into the curriculum. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of various spacing patterns between practice sessions on retention of information. This study investigated the effects of practice at consistent intervals (spaced practice), practice at increasing intervals (expanded practice), and no practice. Participants were taught a set of eight unknown math words and definitions using incremental rehearsal (IR). After the teaching session, students in expanded and spaced practice conditions participated in three …

Facilitating The Transition From Military Instructor To Academic Educator: Cognitive Apprenticeship In Teacher Induction At The United States Air Force Academy, Thomas T. Swaim

The Qualitative Report

This article examines teacher induction in the military undergraduate education context. The U.S. Air Force Academy relies on approximately 520 military and civilian instructors to educate nearly 4000 future military officers each year. These educators must be highly skilled and unquestionably capable in their abilities to teach these future leaders. Many of these instructors derive from highly technical active duty operational career fields (such as pilot, missile operator, etc.). This article reveals how Collins’, Brown’s, and Newman’s (1989) theory of cognitive apprenticeship is manifested within teacher induction experiences at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Using a qualitative multiple-case study approach, …

Between Paradigms: Becoming A Pathological Optimist, Carol Isaac

The Qualitative Report

Using an autoethnographic poststructural lens, I examined my academic journey in becoming a qualitative methodologist. I integrated my mentor’s maxims such as, “the institution will not love you back,” “prisoner of your words,” “make plans; if they don’t work, make new plans,” “one has mentors and tormentors and both help shape us,” “ever the opportunist,” “strategic groveling,” “a mosaic approach to mentoring” and “just get naked.” Despite paradigmatic contradictions between my doctoral and postdoctoral experiences, I gained much from working between the polarities of the social science and biomedical discourse. In time, I became a “pathological optimist,” one of the …

Intersecting Autoethnographies: Two Academics Reflect On Being Parent-Researchers, Rosemary G. Bennett 086385, Peter De Vries Dr

The Qualitative Report

This article presents two intersecting autoethnographies generated by two academics working in the same university, who were both parent-researchers. We researched aspects of our own children’s lives, primarily in the home focusing on their engagement with dance and music. As autoethnographers we engaged in shared and individual systematic sociological introspection. In this inquiry we employed observation, copious field notes, video and photographic recording to gather longitudinal data about often unpredictable moments of creative arts engagement that occurred in the home setting. Our research provided a unique window into child directed dance and music behaviours which are rarely seen and which …

A Cross-Sectional Exploration Of Household Financial Reactions And Homebuyer Awareness Of Registered Sex Offenders In A Rural, Suburban, And Urban County., John Charles Navarro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As stigmatized persons, registered sex offenders betoken instability in communities. Depressed home sale values are associated with the presence of registered sex offenders even though the public is largely unaware of the presence of registered sex offenders. Using a spatial multilevel approach, the current study examines the role registered sex offenders influence sale values of homes sold in 2015 for three U.S. counties (rural, suburban, and urban) located in Illinois and Kentucky within the social disorganization framework. Homebuyers were surveyed to examine whether awareness of local registered sex offenders and the homebuyer’s community type operate as moderators between home selling …

International Students’ Transition Experiences In Rural Texas: A Phenomenological Study, Ian Lertora, Richard C. Henriksen Jr., Jesse Starkey, Chi-Sing Li

The Qualitative Report

Due to the growth in the number of international students attending universities in Texas and the need to provide appropriate counseling services to them, nine international students were interviewed about their experiences of transitioning from their home country to college in rural Texas. The authors employed the transcendental phenomenological approach to qualitative research (Moustakas, 1994) which allowed for the following seven emergent themes were identified that described the participants’ experiences: American TV; Knowing Someone; Like a Movie; Everybody Saying Hi; Transportation is Inconvenient; I Miss Noodles; and Being Optimistic. The emergent themes provided the basis for implications and recommendations for …

Using “Tapestries” To Document The Collective Mathematical Thinking Of Small Groups, Alayne Armstrong

The Qualitative Report

A challenge in mathematics education research has been to document the complex nature of collective mathematical learning. This paper describes a method of data analysis that offers a visual representation of collective discourse during mathematical tasks. Using data extracts from a study of small groups in a middle years classroom, I color code collective utterances to create a “tapestry,” a type of transcript that offers researchers the ability to move between individual and collective planes of focus during analysis. The nature of collective thinking is revealed by tapestries, including how utterances bump against each other, the role of utterances evolves …

The “Bitter Sweetness” Of Hybridity: Being A Bicultural Greek Australian Musician, Renee Georgoulas, Jane E. Southcott

The Qualitative Report

“Calista” is a bilingual, bicultural Greek-Australian musician in Melbourne, Victoria who explores and enacts her bicultural identity by musicking (making music). This single case study explores the formation and development of hybridized identity which is a complex lifelong process that may generate tensions for an individual that changes across the lifespan. There are strengths and challenges for those traversing different cultures. This study focuses on a bicultural identity formed by personal, musical and cultural contexts. Calista enacts her bimusicality in different musical genres and in different modes of musical engagement. Data were collected by semi-structured interview and by reference to …

School Principals’ Views On Administration Work, Their “Frequent Turnover” And Its Effects On Their Work, Aydin Balyer

The Qualitative Report

School administrators’ “frequent turnover” has been discussed intensively in the Turkish Educational System recently. Currently, principals are selected for 4 years after an interview conducted by a committee of directors of national education. After that period, they either go back to their classes or are chosen for another 4 years for the last time. This frequent turnover can be disruptive for schools. This study was conducted to determine school principals’ views on administration work and this frequent turnover. The study employed a qualitative research design. The participants were 20 principals chosen with maximum sampling method. The data were analyzed with …

Identity-Oriented Program, Isaac Jorgensen

Capstone Collection

This paper demonstrates why identity-oriented community college study abroad programs are more accessible for the diverse student populations that attend these institutions. It does this with a case study, a demographic analysis, and the theoretical support of The Experiential Learning Cycle (ELC) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). First it proves the lack of diversity within United States study abroad participants. Following this, the paper shows that community colleges house more underserved populations than four-year universities. Additionally, it illustrates the benefits of studying abroad and demographics specific to The Washington State Community College Consortium for Study Abroad (WCCCSA), …

Assessing The Influence Of Career-Linked Experiential Opportunities On The F-1 Undergraduate Student Enrollment Decision-Making Process, Harrison Fuerst

Capstone Collection

International mobility efforts in the United States have garnered increased attention and funding in recent years, with such government-led initiatives as Generation Study Abroad and 100,000 Strong driving up inbound and outbound student numbers. Recent inbound mobility reports from the Institute of International Education show double-digit percentage increases in international student enrollment. Other countries also experiencing an influx of international students continue to research these trends to shape their own education strategies. Research conducted by the International Education Association of Australia points specifically to hands-on professional experience and enhanced employability as key factors important to Australia’s international student population. As …

An Analysis Of Ohio School Districts, Ernest M. Oleksy

The Downtown Review

Money has recently been posited to be a panacea for education: the more a district spends on its students, the better their results will be. However, actuarial analysis of school districts shows that this ideology is muddled in inconsistency. To determine the effect of money on education, the Ohio Report Cards of four school districts were observed. Upon inspection, explanations for the evident correlations are made to discover that money does not have an additive effect on academic success.

You Only Live Up To The Standards You Set: An Evaluation Of Different Approaches To Standard Setting, Scott N. Strickman

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Interpretation of performance in reference to a standard can provide nuanced, finely-tuned information regarding examinee abilities beyond that of just a total score. However, there is a multitude of ways to set performance standards yet little guidance regarding which method operates best and under what circumstances. Traditional methods are the most common approach adopted in practice and heavily involve subject matter experts (SMEs). Two other approaches have been suggested in the literature as alternative ways to set performance standards, although they have yet to be implemented in practice. Data-driven approaches do not involve SMEs but rather rely solely upon statistical …

Chandra’S Story: An Adult Education Student Journeys From Fear To Gratitude, Robin L. Danzak

The Qualitative Report

This article presents the story of Chandra (her real name), a middle-aged, Guyanese-American woman attending an adult education center in the Northeast United States. Chandra grew up in extreme poverty in Guyana, and was taken out of school at age eight to help meet the family’s basic needs. At age 22, she immigrated to the United States in hopes of better opportunities. Through narrative methods, Chandra’s story is constructed from 34, narrative and expository, written texts that she composed for a literacy tutoring program, as well as three, in-depth, oral interviews. The result is a moving account of Chandra’s childhood …

Knowledge And Beliefs About Cancer In African American Population, Rabindra P. Gautam Dhs, Deven Shah Phd, Eric Matthews Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States, taking the lives of one in four Americans each year (American Cancer Society [ACS], 2015). A total of 1,658,370 new cancer cases and 589,430 deaths from cancer were projected to occur in the United States in 2015 (ACS, 2015). In 2013, approximately 176,630 new cancer cases and 64,880 deaths from cancer were projected to occur in African American communities. The majority of diagnoses were cancers of the prostate, lung, colon, rectum, breast, and colorectal region (ACS, 2013). For most cancers, African Americans have the highest death rate, …

A Narrative Inquiry: A Black Male Looking To Teach, Edward E. Bell

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand how a Black male experienced the interview process while seeking a teaching position. The participant and I attempted to answer how race and/or gender played a role in his interviewing experiences. The researcher used a qualitative approach to interview this individual. Data analysis revealed major findings contributing to this Black male’s interviewing experiences: Racism played into the hiring process in subtle ways, and just because this candidate was prepared to teach, that preparation did not guarantee his employment. The findings from this narrative account might prove helpful in understanding why …

The Untold Stories Of Former Teen Mothers Who Have Achieved A Master’S Degree Or Higher, Tanya M. Benitez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to shed light on former teen mothers who have “beaten the odds” by achieving a master’s degree or higher. It sought to reveal and understand what the external and internal factors are which lead to these women pursing higher education.

Methodology: The methodology of this study is a case study which explored these factors through the personal stories of former teen mothers. The study revealed the commonalities among these women.

Findings: The findings of the study determined Data collection and analysis resulted in four findings in the lived story of the 13 selected …

What Demotivates Foreign Efl Teachers? A Case Study In Turkish Context, Turgay Han, Zinat Mahzoun

The Qualitative Report

This article is the report of a qualitative case study proposed to investigate the demotivation factors of foreign EFL teachers in Turkish context. To that end, two foreign teachers of English language were chosen as the subjects at a primary/ secondary school in east of Turkey. Face-to-face interviews, profile forms, field notes and diaries were used to obtain the necessary data for the research. The findings indicated that lack of effective communication with school administration and colleagues and lack of interest, attention and respect from behalf of students were the main causes of demotivation at work for both teachers.

Twenty Years Of Technology Integration And Foreign Language Teaching: A Phenomenological Reflective Interview Study, Nilsa Becho Sullivan, Kakali Bhattacharya

The Qualitative Report

The evolution of the use of technology in the foreign language classroom has proven to be a challenge. In this paper, we highlight a study whose purpose is to understand how one retired foreign language educator reflected on the ways in which she integrated different modes of technology in her classroom. In this interview study, the participant discussed how technology has evolved in the span of her twenty-year career as a foreign language educator and how she integrated various technologies as they evolved in her classroom. The researchers employed a modified van Kaam method as defined by Moustakas (1994) to …

A Framework For Using Qualitative Comparative Analysis For The Review Of The Literature, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Rebecca K. Weinbaum

The Qualitative Report

Onwuegbuzie, Leech, and Collins (2012) demonstrated how the following 5 qualitative data analysis approaches can be used to analyze and to synthesize information extracted from a literature review: constant comparison analysis, domain analysis, taxonomic analysis, componential analysis, and theme analysis. In a similar vein, Onwuegbuzie and Frels (2014) outlined how discourse analysis can be used. Thus, the purpose of this article is to provide a framework for using another qualitative data analysis technique to analyze and to interpret literature review sources—a process that we call a Qualitative Comparative Analysis-Based Research Synthesis (QCARS). Using a real review of the literature, we …

The Value Of Value-Added: Science, Technology, And Policy In Educational Evaluation, Daniel Douglas

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the first decade of the 21^st century, researchers and policymakers in K-12 education began to focus on evaluating teacher and school performance based on students’ standardized test scores. One evaluative technique, value-added assessment (VAA), has been given particular attention. This research presents a comprehensive study of the theoretical, technical, historical and political dimensions VAA. Theoretically, the assumptions that underlie value-added diverge significantly from the observed operations of the schools and classrooms these models are supposed to evaluate. Technically, even if the theoretical assumptions are accepted, teachers’ actual value-added rankings are shown to be unstable across time periods and …