Education Commons^™

Behavior Training For Educators: What Training Do Educators Need To Support Students With Challenging Behaviors?, Michelle R. Milburn

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the behavioral training programs/frameworks and Professional Development (PD) delivery methods that certified staff - including teachers, speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, occupational therapists, and teachers on special assignment - as well as administrators, believe to be necessary to address the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students exhibiting challenging behaviors. This national study used survey methods to explore the views of US K-12 public school educators on the PD needed to support student behavior effectively. Using social media recruitment, primarily through Reddit and Facebook, allowed the survey to reach a substantially larger …

Integrated Stem Learning Activity: Effect On Student Engagement And Learning, Leslie Deitrich Sauder

Dissertations and Theses

Student engagement in math and science courses decreases starting in middle school and continues throughout high school (Museus et al., 2011). This lack of engagement results in students taking only the required math and science coursework and not advanced coursework that would help prepare them for future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning activities may be used to promote student engagement and learning. This experimental design study was conducted with students in grades 3-5 in one rural mid-sized school district in the upper mid-west. Student engagement was analyzed using a …

A New Direction For Public Understanding Of Science: Toward A Participant-Centered Model Of Science Engagement., Christopher Rickels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Engaging the public with science is not an easy task. When presented, scientific findings, public health recommendations, and other scientific information filter through the personal values, beliefs, and biases of members of the public. Science communicators must contend with these differences in order to be effective in cultivating a public understanding of science. Given the importance of scientific understanding for living well in a complex world, increasing science understanding through science engagement is imperative. The field of public engagement with science is dichotomized by a public information deficit approach and a contextualist approach. The deficit approach prizes the factual content …

Research And The Replication Crisis: A Psychology Course Proposal, Kathryn Fassih

Honors Projects

For my project, I have created a course syllabus and lab manual for undergraduate students to learn more about the replication crisis in the field of psychology and learn how to conduct hands-on research through replicating carefully selected studies.

A Study Of Information Literacy Instruction And Its Impact On Stem Students At Hbcus, Dawn Ventress Kight

Electronic Dissertations and Theses

In today’s complex information environment, students are entering college underprepared and lacking Information Literacy (IL) skills as they matriculate in STEM disciplines. Some universities have not developed effective systematic approaches for IL instructional programs to aid students in developing necessary 21st century IL skills. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate Information Literacy (IL) instruction and the impact it has on student achievement for students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. This qualitative research followed a transcendental phenomenological approach by documenting and giving voice to the lived experiences of participants at HBCUs in a Southern …

Hope In A Time Of Global Unrest: An Ethnographic Study, Sabrina Hanson

Claremont Graduate University School of Education Teacher Education

This paper documents the observations, struggles, and insights of a first year teacher. It is a year-long documentation of the search for hope during a global pandemic that affected the way schools functioned and how students learned. This work is in three distinct sections. The first section is a self-reflection of identity and why this teacher chose teaching as a profession. The second section is focused on two of their students, one who is immunocompromised, and one who has significant learning challenges, and how they navigated the quarantine during the pandemic through their expression of learning. The third section reflects …

Enabling And Threatening Factors Affecting Persistence. A Qualitative And Quantitative Study On Rural First-Generation Stem Students’ And Stem Faculty's Perspectives., Travis A. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study focuses on the factors that enable and threaten rural first-generation STEM students’ persistence. Limited empirical studies are available that focus on rural first-generation STEM majors’ persistence. Quantitative analysis was conducted using Kruskal Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests to determine any significant differences with the survey results. Content and thematic analysis was conducted on the student and faculty interviews to determine themes of enabling and threatening factors affecting persistence.

Enabling factors affecting persistence were found to be: Drive or Motivation, Experiences and skills, and Support. These were both faculty and student interview themes whereas a …

Kentucky 4-H Minimizes Barriers To Stem Education, Rachel Elizabeth Noble

Online Theses and Dissertations

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs are a national priority. The increase in the number of jobs that require a STEM-minded workforce raises the demand for education systems and communities to focus on fostering the development of STEM competencies of students. American youth are not gaining the skills necessary to compete in the global workforce. This study investigates how Kentucky 4-H minimizes the barriers of accessing STEM programs for youth in grades 4-8. Barriers of accessing STEM programs investigated are: lack of funding and resources, time, professional development, integration across curriculum, and out-of-school experiences. 4-H is the largest youth …

Using Systematic Instruction To Teach Science To Students With Severe Disabilities, Anna E. Greene

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Science content is still a commonly over-looked academic content area for students with severe disabilities despite recent research. The purpose of this study was to show that students with severe disabilities can learn science content in a whole group setting when taught using applied behavior analytic principles, such as prompting and fading techniques. Four elementary-aged students with severe disabilities between 1^st and 5^th grade were taught science content using group lessons and effects were measured by a multiple baseline design across units. Participants were taught content from three different units: Energy, weather, and plants; the science content selected …

Undergraduate Motivations For Choosing A Science, Technology, Engineering, Or Mathematics (Stem) Major, Preston Taylor Mitchell

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Educational Benefits Of Cultural Institutions, Brian Kisida

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A significant portion of the education children receive occurs outside of the traditional classroom and produces outcomes not typically captured by standardized achievement tests. This dissertation is part of an effort to expand the educational venues and outcomes educational researchers rigorously examine. In particular, I present the key results from experimental studies of the effects of school tours to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, AR., and to the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, AR.

Chapter 1 focuses on arts exposure and critical thinking outcomes. A problem for the arts’ role in education has been a …

Interpreting, Stephanie Jo Kent

Doctoral Dissertations

What do community interpreting for the Deaf in western societies, conference interpreting for the European Parliament, and language brokering in international management have in common? Academic research and professional training have historically emphasized the linguistic and cognitive challenges of interpreting, neglecting or ignoring the social aspects that structure communication. All forms of interpreting are inherently social; they involve relationships among at least three people and two languages. The contexts explored here, American Sign Language/English interpreting and spoken language interpreting within the European Parliament, show that simultaneous interpreting involves attitudes, norms and values about intercultural communication that overemphasize information and discount …

Impact Of Science And Engineering Graduates On Key Economic Indicators, Nathaniel V. Robinson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

There are clear trends in the USA with regard to a stagnant growth in science and engineering, particularly engineering, and in greater contrast when considered per capita. Meanwhile certain Asian counties, such as China and Taiwan, have experienced growth in science and engineering graduates beyond mere population growth. This has caught the eye of alarmists and so discussions have ensued over offshoring, national security, economic loss and future impact in the United States. Alarmists and proponents of policies promoting more science, engineering and math have pointed out the trends in overseas growth and US offshoring with a flurry of statistics …

An Analysis Of Data Collected From The 2007-2008 Tennessee State Report Card And The Variables Related To Science Test Results., Julia Lorie Lamons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Achievement reading scores, school district per-pupil expenditures, school size, percentage of students qualifying for free and reduced-priced meals, and attendance were related to science TCAP test scores from the 2007-2008 school year. The data were gathered from an analysis of mean standardized test scores in reading and science of 8^th graders in 67 school systems comprising 181 schools located throughout Tennessee. One hundred eighty-one schools configured grades 6 through 8 were used in this study. Only 177 schools had reported attendance available on the Tennessee …

Integration Of Fifth Grade Math And Science Curriculum, Accompanied By Increased Parental Involvement, Produces Higher Virginia Test Scores., Kathy Diane Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The National Educational Society, through much research and testing, discovered that American students are not performing as well on the academic level as their counterparts. As a nation the math and science scores fell behind other tested disciplines. The Virginia Department of Math and Science Report Card scores confirm that students are struggling in these areas.

As a resolution to correct this problem a proposal for the integration of fifth grade math and science curriculum accompanied by increased parental involvement was devised. The program involved thirteen elementary students and their parents. Pretesting, math and science labs, worksheets, posttesting, and a …

The Role Of Inspiration In Scientific Scholarship And Discovery: Views Of Theistic Scientists, Kari Ann O'Grady

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study examined the ways those who identify themselves as theistic scientists and scholars experience inspiration, as defined as divine guidance or influence, in their scientific scholarship and discovery. It also explored participants' beliefs about how scientists and scholars can seek and prepare to receive inspiration in their work. Open-ended surveys of 450 participants from the behavioral and natural sciences and from a variety of religious backgrounds were analyzed for content themes in the areas of experiences with inspiration, preparing to receive inspiration, and further thoughts on inspiration in science. The themes extracted indicated that these scientists and …

Student Achievement In Science And Mathematics In Urban Professional Develpment Schools During First Year Of Implementation, Susan L. Ogletree

Educational Policy Studies Dissertations

Using a quasi-experimental design, the author examined the effects of the Professional Development School Partnerships Deliver Success educational model on student academic achievement in science and mathematics in 12 high-needs, urban elementary, middle, and high schools in the southeastern United States. Student achievement was measured for first to eighth grade students by the State Criterion-Referenced Competency Test and for 11th-grade students by the State High School Graduation Test. 6 ANOVAs were used to compare baseline and year 1 performance data. Student ethnicity was used to disaggregate the data to investigate the extent, if any, to which achievement gaps narrowed. For …

Museum -Based Learning: Informal Learning Settings And Their Role In Student Motivation And Achievement In Science, Julie Ann Holmes

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined changes in student motivation and achievement in science in relationship with a visit to the IDEA Place Experiment Gallery. The study was based on the pretest-posttest control comparison group design with four treatment groups: control, exhibit, lesson, and exhibit/lesson. The sample was 228 sixth grade students from a public north central Louisiana school who were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental groups. Pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest measures of intrinsic motivation and achievement in science were determined using the Children's Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and an achievement test written to measure areas of science incorporated …

An Adaptation Of Reading Materials For Students Of Science In English As A Second Language, Susan Maguiro

MA TESOL Collection

This project is an udating of the reader Scientific English Practice. Its purpose is to substitute outdated subjects, and expand others with more recent scientific information.

Vocabulary lists, comprehension questions, and grammar exercises were written to accompany several substituted essays. Vocabulary lists and exercises thereof were developed for the remaining essays, some of which were expanded upon.

The Effects Of Free And Forced Choice With A Time Gradient And Monetary Incentive In A Serial Learning Task, Ernest Joseph Lucier Jr.

All Master's Theses

This experiment was designed to determine the effects of free and forced choice within time gradients of five and eight seconds using monetary incentive on a serial learning task. A series of nonsense symbols were successively presented to thirty-six subjects whose task was to learn the serial with the least number of exposures.

Effect Of Alcohol On Timing Behavior In The Pigeon, Robert J. Boyd

All Master's Theses

Although no one knows how alcohol affects an animal's perception or why it does not appear to affect his retention of time, this study, analyzing the IRTs that were between 10 and 40 seconds, supports the conclusions of previous studies and indicates that the effect of alcohol is much the same for pigeons as it is for rats.