Education Commons^™

Influence Of Property School Wealth On Fifth Grade Student Achievement In Reading And Mathematics, Jesus R. Reyna

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether, or to what extent, property wealth of the upper and lower 5% districts, per pupil expenditure, limited English proficient students, economically disadvantaged students, membership, and teacher experience contribute to student achievement in 5th grade reading and mathematics. To do this, the fifth grade reading and math achievement scores, based on the TAKS Assessments, to represent student achievement were evaluated against district wealth, per pupil expenditure, economic disadvantage, limited English language proficiency, membership, and years of teaching experience of teachers for the years 2009, 2010, and 2011. A combination of descriptive statistics, …

Assessment Coordinators’ Perceptions Of The Impact Of Using Electronic Assessment Systems In Accreditation, Saoussan Maarouf

Theses and Dissertations

Systematic data collection is a fundamental requirement for the accountability of teacher preparation programs since it has been strongly associated with accreditation standards and the need to drive continuous improvement. Electronic assessment systems have become increasingly valuable for colleges of education since it provided a non-biased evaluation of competency, more reliable scoring, and scientific judgment to drive improvement. However, teacher preparation programs are having difficulties to implement effective assessment systems that are powerful enough to drive a change and to meet standards

The researcher in this study extended previous research in relation to the subject of electronic assessment systems, their …

The Effect Of A Writing Course On The English Language Arts State Assessment Examination In A South Texas High School, Esmeralda V. Munoz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact a writing course will have on test scores for At-Risk students who are taking the English I and/or English II State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness End-of-Course exam. The group analyzed was comprised of 2nd and 3rd year cohort students.

Instrumental Music Participation And The Differences In Academic Performances For Students In Poverty, Shawn A. Oban

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the emphasis on No Child Left Behind and high stakes testing, school districts and administrators have been limiting or eliminating fine arts courses from an already shrinking curriculum, focusing on the subjects being tested. Students living in poverty are often entering formal schooling behind academically.

The researcher examined longitudinal test data from 2010-2015 from middle school aged students in a large Midwest school district. The researcher focused on test scores from the sixth grade when instrumental music was offered, examined test data from tenth grade, and studied academic growth. All student scores were included, but the independent variables …

The Nature And Function Of Professional Support Networks For Teachers Of English Language Learners, Betsy Lynn Ferguson

Theses and Dissertations

The English learner (EL) population in the United States continues to grow. To improve their pedagogy in working with this population, many educators have received training in English as a Second Language (ESL), but the gap between ELs and their native English speaking peers persists. When teachers engage as members of professional support networks, they are more likely to successfully implement the strategies learned in their ESL professional development (Echevarria, Richards-Tutor, Chinn, & Ratleff, 2011). This study considered the nature and function of the professional support network of a district's ESL-endorsed teachers. Using network theory methods, 257 teachers and other …

Principal Learning-Centered Leadership And Faculty Trust In The Principal, Shane Justin Farnsworth

Theses and Dissertations

Principals are increasingly held accountable for student achievement outcomes. Existing research has found principal leadership indirectly affects student achievement (Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, & Wahlstrom, 2004). Principals face a problem when they are accountable for achievement outcomes and are dependent upon others and other variables to achieve those outcomes. Consequently, principals will benefit from a richer understanding of how their leadership indirectly affects student achievement. Using the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-ED) measurement of principal learning-centered leadership (Goldring, Porter, Murphy, Elliot, & Cravens, 2009) and the Omnibus T-Scale measurement of faculty trust in the principal (Hoy & Tschannen-Moran, 2003), …

Prospective First-Generation College Racial Minority Students: Mediating Factors That Facilitate Positive Educational Characteristics For College Admission, Lisa Michiko Parkinson

Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college (FGC) students represent a small portion of the population of students on college campuses across the nation. Racial minority students are also highly underrepresented at four-year institutions. When one combines FGC students who are also racial minorities, they comprise an even smaller subgroup of students attending four-year college campuses. Research conducted to evaluate how FGC students perform their first year in college is prevalent. Additionally, research has been completed on factors that help predict a high school student's admission into and performance in college. However, very little research exists about factors identified in high school that may help …

Professional Learning Committee Team Functionality And Team Trust, Chris S. Wood

Theses and Dissertations

In response to increasing demands placed on public education, professional learning communities (PLC) have emerged as a means of providing teachers with opportunities to collaborate together. Collaboration has been shown to improve teaching practices and lead to better student outcomes. Many collaborative teams, however, struggle to reach their collaborative potential. Trust has been shown to be an important factor contributing to the success of collaborative efforts. Few studies exist that empirically assess the relationship between team functionality and team trust. This study examines the relationship between these two constructs. A measurement tool was developed by the author to measure PLC …

A Multidimensional Policy Evaluation Of The Utah Statewide Online Education Program, Royd Lyman Darrington

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research is in the area of online learning policy. Online learning is rapidly gaining popularity and is becoming more and more an integral part of the K–12 education landscape. Such a study is important because there are very few policies that have been created to govern online learning differently than traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms. Utah’s Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP) has been largely marketed as policy that does transcend these barriers. This research uses a multidimensional mixed-method case study to evaluate the program. The findings from this research provide evidence that the SOEP falls short of providing …

Student Voices In Teacher Evaluations, Brenda Sue Burr

Theses and Dissertations

In an ever increasingly competitive global marketplace, a concern exists that American students are not being adequately prepared with the skills needed for the 21st century. As a remedy, improving quality of teacher instruction is a current national focus. Stakeholders are questioning current infrequent and inefficient methods of evaluating teacher performance. Many states are looking at using a 360 model of evaluating through multiple perspectives including the students themselves as key stakeholders. One method of accessing student voice and adding another perspective to teacher evaluations would be to include student evaluations in the rating of teacher performance, Student Evaluation of …

Teaching For Conversion: A History Of The Fundamentals, The Objective, And The Gospel Teaching And Learning Handbook For Seminaries And Institutes Of Religion In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Adam Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to document the history and the contributing factors that led to the formation of the Current Teaching Emphasis (2003), the Objective (2009), and the Gospel Teaching and Learning Handbook (2012) within Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (S&I) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The analysis of this history, contained herein, clearly identifies the principles that have driven the changes in S&I's description of teaching and learning, describes how these adjustments differ from previous approaches, illustrates the significance of this shift, and presents the contemporary issues that influenced the increased clarity and …

Exploring Stakeholders' Perceptions Of The Evaluation Of Early Fieldwork Experience In An Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Program, Amber R. Peacock

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a qualitative meta-evaluation of the early field experience (EFE) program at a small, private, undergraduate teacher preparation program in Virginia focusing on the perceptions of preservice teachers, cooperating teachers and course instructors about the EFE evaluation objectives, evaluation experience, and resulting data usage. The EFE evaluation protocol at the study site is explored using a participatory-oriented evaluation model that solicited the perceptions of stakeholders. Analysis of EFE evaluation documents and semi-structured interviews with the stakeholders were conducted to explore the extent to which (1) official EFE objectives are congruent with the EFE evaluation, (2) the intended evaluation …

An Examination Of What Principals Do To Create A Positive School Climate For Teachers In Elementary Schools And How Teachers Perceive Those Efforts, Carol Anne H. Ziolkowski

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

AN EXAMINATION OF WHAT PRINCIPALS DO TO CREATE A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE FOR TEACHERS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND HOW TEACHERS PERCEIVE THOSE EFFORTS

By Carol Anne H. Ziolkowski, Ph.D.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015

Director: Whitney Sherman Newcomb, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Educational Leadership

School of Education

This qualitative study of elementary school climate explored the actions principals take to create or maintain a positive school climate for their teachers and teachers’ perceptions of those efforts. The study included individual …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Truancy Reduction Program For Middle And High School Students, Jan R. Parrish

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a mixed methods design. The study was carried out in two phases. In the first phase of the study, a secondary data analysis of data were collected from a sample (n = 390) of middle and high school students who participated in a truancy pilot program launched during the 2012-2013 school year with follow-up services provided through June 2014. The sample was divided into two groups (treatment and control). The treatment group was diverted from court referral and participated in an intervention consisting of in-home counseling and case management services. The control group was referred to …

Place-Based Scholarship Program Design, Context, And Intergenerational Mobility: A Case Study Of The Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship Program, Arielle F. Niemeyer

Theses and Dissertations

Earning a college degree correlates with achieving financial security. Thus, improving an individual’s access to college is a key tactic used to mitigate poverty and foster intergenerational mobility. Despite the recognized value of higher education, earning a degree remains unattainable for many because of financial constraints. However, research definitively demonstrates that financial aid overcomes that obstacle. It also reveals that some program designs are more effective than others. The Kalamazoo Promise is a place-based scholarship program that offers four-year, full-tuition scholarships to residents who graduate from a Kalamazoo public high school. It is characterized by first-dollar and universal eligibility features, …