Education Commons^™

Increasing Evidence Based Reasoning In An 8th Grade Classroom Through Explicit Instruction, Erol Chandler

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigates the effectiveness of an instructional strategy that uses students' prior understanding of informal evidence based reasoning (EBR) to build an understanding of scientific EBR. A pre and post instructional strategy survey revealed that students' understanding of EBR increased over the length of the study. Data collected from pre and post instructional discussions also showed increases in the amount of EBR students used.

Grouped To Achieve: Are There Benefits To Assigning Students To Heterogeneous Cooperative Learning Groups Based On Pre-Test Scores?, Arman Karl Werth

Dissertations and Theses

Cooperative learning has been one of the most widely used instructional practices around the world since the early 1980's. Small learning groups have been in existence since the beginning of the human race. These groups have grown in their variance and complexity overtime. Classrooms are getting more diverse every year and instructors need a way to take advantage of this diversity to improve learning. The purpose of this study was to see if heterogeneous cooperative learning groups based on student achievement can be used as a differentiated instructional strategy to increase students' ability to demonstrate knowledge of science concepts and …

Impact Of Teachers' Planned Questions On Opportunities For Students To Reason Mathematically In Whole-Class Discussions Around Mathematical Problem-Solving Tasks, Sarah Elizabeth Enoch

Dissertations and Theses

While professional developers have been encouraging teachers to plan for discourse around problem solving tasks as a way to orchestrate mathematically productive discourse (Stein, Engle, Smith, & Hughes, 2008; Stein, Smith, Henningsen, & Silver, 2009) no research has been conducted explicitly examining the relationship between the plans that teachers make for orchestrating discourse around problem solving tasks and the outcomes of implementation of those plans. This research study is intended to open the door to research on planning for discourse around problem solving tasks.

This research study analyzes how 12 middle school mathematics teachers participating in the Mathematics Problem Solving …

Lighting The Fire: How Peer-Mentoring Helps Adult Learners Increase Their Interest In Stem Careers: A Case Study At The Community College Level, Patricia Marie Deturk

Dissertations and Theses

In the U.S., about 7,000 high school students drop out each school day, representing a loss of talent and ability. Concurrently, there are a decreasing number of enrolled students taking science-related courses at the high school and college levels. Adults, who return to obtain their General Educational Development (GED) certification, are an untapped resource that could be steered toward STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers. In this case study, 15 GED students were shown a STEM video, and then peer mentored by 8 CLA (Clinical Laboratory Assistant) students, in a student-centered laboratory experience. Individual interviews of the GED students …

Learning To Adapt: Online Social Science Instruction In Higher Education, Patrick Steven Smith

Dissertations and Theses

Online learning is a rapidly growing phenomenon in post-secondary education. Institutions of higher learning have embraced online learning for its perceived merits, but without the consideration of how instructors deal with this different learning medium. Little is known of the extent to which different disciplines are suited to the online medium; this is pertinent to disciplines that rely on spontaneous in-person discussion. Furthermore, as colleges continue to invest heavily in online learning, instructors who only possess face-to-face teaching experience may begin teaching online. This poses a pedagogical challenge for instructors who are unfamiliar with the medium. This qualitative, in-depth interview …

An Investigation Into Teacher Support Of Science Explanation In High School Science Inquiry Units, Rebecca Sue Hoffenberg

Dissertations and Theses

The Framework for K-12 Science Education, the foundation for the Next Generation Science Standards, identifies scientific explanation as one of the eight practices "essential for learning science." In order to design professional development to help teachers implement these new standards, we need to assess students' current skill level in explanation construction, characterize current teacher practice surrounding it, and identify best practices for supporting students in explanation construction. This multiple-case study investigated teacher practice in eight high school science inquiry units in the Portland metro area and the scientific explanations the students produced in their work samples.

Teacher Instructional Portfolios (TIPs) …

The Use Of Music As A Pedagogical Tool In Higher Education Sociology Courses: Faculty Member Perspectives And Potential Barriers, Jerry C.L. Loveless

Dissertations and Theses

Previous research has identified student engagement as an important antecedent to student learning in higher education. Although student engagement is viewed as important for learning, a significant number of college students still report frequently feeling bored in their courses. The use of music as a pedagogical tool is believed to be beneficial for promoting student engagement and student learning in higher education sociology courses, yet it has been suggested that sociology faculty members do not commonly incorporate the technique into their courses. The purpose of this comparative interview study is to explore higher education sociology faculty members' understandings of the …

Seeing Crucibles: Legitimizing Spiritual Development In The Middle Grades Through Critical Historiography, Audrey Lingley

Dissertations and Theses

Advocates of middle grades reform in the United States argue that curriculum and instruction, as well as leadership, organization, and community relationships, should be informed by knowledge of the developmental characteristics of 10 to 15 year-olds within physical, social, emotional, psychological, cognitive, and moral domains. Noticeably absent from their conception of human development are spiritual developmental characteristics of young adolescents.

This interdisciplinary research was a critical constructivist (Kincheloe, 2008) inquiry of the following question: What is the educational relevance of spiritual development in middle grades education? To study this question, critical historiographical research methods (Villaverde, Kincheloe, & Helyar, 2006) were …

A Case Study Of After-School Activities In One School That Is Making Progress In Closing The Achievement Gap, Susan Robin Shugerman

Dissertations and Theses

Closing the achievement gap has been a national conversation for several decades and a priority for educators and researchers. By looking closely at one school which is showing exceptional success with closing the achievement gap for low income students and English language learners, this study seeks to understand how school personnel and parents view after-school activities and ways in which those activities may be impacting students who are making significant gains in spite of the achievement gap. After-school activities have been shown to bring many positive outcomes for students. That said, there is much that we do not yet know …

Patterns In Nature Forming Patterns In Minds : An Evaluation Of An Introductory Physics Unit, Christopher Ryan Sheaffer

Dissertations and Theses

Educators are increasingly focused on the process over the content. In science especially, teachers want students to understand the nature of science and investigation. The emergence of scientific inquiry and engineering design teaching methods have led to the development of new teaching and evaluation methods that concentrate on steps in a process rather than facts in a topic. Research supports the notion that an explicit focus on the scientific process can lead to student science knowledge gains. In response to new research and standards many teachers have been developing teaching methods that seem to work well in their classrooms, but …

Engaging Community Food Systems Through Learning Garden Programs: Oregon Food Bank's Seed To Supper Program, Denissia Elizabeth Withers

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to discover whether learning garden programs increase access to locally grown foods and successfully empower and include food insecure populations. This study examined the Oregon Food Bank's Seed to Supper program which situates garden-based learning in food insecure communities. Through a mixed-methods community-based research process, this study found that community building, learner empowerment and sustainability leadership in place-based learning garden programs increased access to locally grown foods for food insecure populations. When food insecure populations participated in these learning garden programs they often engaged in practices described in the literature as the "web of …

Understanding The Role Of Social, Teaching And Cognitive Presence In Hybrid Courses: Student Perspectives On Learning And Pedagogical Implications, Janelle De Carrico Voegele

Dissertations and Theses

The use of hybrid learning (a blend of face-to-face and distance learning) is rapidly increasing in higher education. However, educational leaders have raised concerns about the proliferation of hybrid programming as an efficiency measure without appropriate attention to learning. This study examined the relationship between social, teaching and cognitive presence, pedagogical design, and students' perspectives on hybrid learning effectiveness. Data from thirty-nine undergraduate courses representing 1,886 students were analyzed to identify indicators of best hybrid practice. Aspects of social and teaching presence significantly influenced students' perceptions of learning, including facilitation of student interactions, assignment feedback and guidance, effective use of …

The Use And Interpretation Of The Batería Iii With U.S. Bilinguals, Julie Esparza Brown

Dissertations and Theses

Within each classroom, many children excel academically while others struggle. Some students' difficulties are such that they require placement into educational programs different from grade level core and perhaps delivered outside of general education classrooms. For many, special education programs are the lifeline to reach their innate potential. For others misplaced into special education, their opportunities may be truncated. For the past 40 years (Dunn, 1968), disproportionate representation of minority children in some disability categories has been a problem. Educators commonly ask "Is a child's difficulties due to language differences or a learning disability?" One key area of confusion relates …

The Role Of Parent Coaching By Pediatric Physical Therapists: An Exploration Of Current Practice, Nancy Ann Cicirello

Dissertations and Theses

Children with disabilities are not the sole clients of the pediatric physical therapy practitioner. However, research, best practice, and federal mandated legislation oblige therapists to transition from a traditional medical child-centered model of intervention to a family-centered model. This model places an emphasis on instructing parents, guiding their development as the dominant change agent for their children. Viewing parents as the predominant learner during intervention sessions is hampered by the paucity of family-related and adult-learning content in the professional preparation programs in higher education. It is further inhibited by professional attitudinal beliefs that continue to place a higher value on …

Writing In The Contact Zone: Three Portraits Of Reflexivity And Transformation, Laurene L. Christensen

Dissertations and Theses

Culture is at the core of language teaching. Because classrooms are contact zones (Pratt 1991), teachers must have a well-developed sense of their own intercultural competence so that they may better facilitate the cross-cultural discovery inherent in language teaching. Teacher preparation programs need to provide opportunities for new teachers to increase their intercultural awareness. The purpose of this research was to qualitatively understand the experiences of pre-service teachers in a required culture-learning class at a large urban university. Specifically, the focus of this study was the completion of a mini-ethnography project designed to give the students a cross-cultural exchange. Since …

Factors Influencing Middle School Teachers To Change Classroom Practice In Response To Standards-Based Reform, Gayle Yvonne Thieman

Dissertations and Theses

In an environment of systemic educational reform, which emphasizes the alignment of curriculum standards, instructional practices, and assessments, an important question arises: What are the factors which influence teachers to change their classroom practice in response to standards-based reforms ? My study examined the initial legislative model, Washington Education Reform Act HB1209 (1993), and tested other factors that led to changes in classroom practice in three middle schools which are currently implementing HB1209.

The case studies included multiple sources of evidence (administrator and teacher interviews, surveys, classroom observations, focus groups, and documents). The data were analyzed for each school individually …

Intuition In The Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum: Faculty Attitudes, Practices And Preparation, Beverly Jean Epeneter

Dissertations and Theses

The primary goal of undergraduate nursing programs is to prepare students for nursing practice. Achievement of this goal may be hindered by reliance on the scientific method in nursing education. Nursing practice often requires the ability to make judgments in situations of ambiguity without the benefit of objective data. The ability to rapidly "read" a situation and respond appropriately is critical to safe nursing care. This requires education in the intuitive way of knowing. Intuitive development may be impeded when students are taught to rely on the rational, scientific way of knowing. The end result may be that students are …

The Home-School Connection: Parental Influences On A Child's Esl Acquisition, Catharine Jauhiainen

Dissertations and Theses

Few would dispute the tremendous impact that parents have on the intellectual, emotional, and social development of their children. An important issue in child second language acquisition is whether, or to what extent, parental attitudes and behaviors are associated with the success of language minority children in elementary ESL and mainstream classroom settings. The effects of parental educational values and expectations, and parental perception of ability to assist in the educational journey of their offspring, have been the focus of much research regarding majority language children. However, research exploring the beliefs and behaviors of language minority parents and their relationship …

The Impact Of Theories Of Dialogic Epistemology On Composition Theory And Pedagogy, Kandy Sue Robertson

Dissertations and Theses

Dialogic epistemological theory dramatically changes traditional concepts of composition theory and pedagogy in several ways. First, it changes our understanding of the ways in which human beings acquire knowledge. By suggesting that the cognitive environment is dialogic, a product of consensus, rather than isolated within the individual, we come to understand knowledge as a product of experience and interpretation rather than a fixed quantity waiting to be discovered.

Second, dialogic epistemology had changed our concept of the way in which classrooms are configured as well as the ways in which they function. The notion of learning through dialogue facilitates collaboration …

Case Studies Of The Structure, Dynamics, And Outcomes Of Interdisciplinary Team Organization In Oregon Middle Schools, Gail Lyon

Dissertations and Theses

Middle school literature advocates interdisciplinary team organization as a structure that enhances student learning and teacher satisfaction. In an interdisciplinary team, teachers responsible for different content areas collaboratively plan the instructional program for a shared group of students. Yet, fewer than fifty percent of the nation's middle schools use an interdisciplinary team structure, and research indicates that teams are fragile and temporary. Few studies were found that described interdisciplinary team organization at the team or individual teacher level.

The purpose of this case study is to describe the structure, dynamics, and outcomes of interdisciplinary teams of teachers in middle schools. …

A Study Of Qualitative Miscue Analysis Scoring Systems For Identification Of Instructional Reading Levels, Sylvia Estelle Dean

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the accuracy and practicality of May's Poor Reader (PR) scoring system for the informal reading inventory (IRI), an individual assessment device designed to determine a student's instructional reading level. The PR is a qualitative scoring system developed by Frank May that examines only two miscues (defaults and meaning-denigrating substitutions) in arriving at an estimate of instructional reading level. The predictor variable, PR, was compared for accuracy and practicality with five other predictor variables consisting of four traditional quantitative scoring systems and an additional qualitative system of May's; PR was also compared …

The Effect Of A Video Presentation And Reference Guide Manual Of Helicopter Safety Instruction On The Knowledge Base Of Medical Transport Nurses, K. Linda Stickney

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of trained transport nurses being oriented to a new helicopter by a video presentation and reference guide manual educational program when compared with trained transport nurses being trained by actual hands-on demonstration. Using a posttest-only design and the t test for independent samples, it was found that the two groups of nurses did not differ statistically (t (9) = 0.318, p < .051).

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Learning Style Perceptual Preferences And Attitudes Toward Computer-Assisted Instruction, Mary Brambilla Mcfarland

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this investigation was to identify the perceptual learning style preferences of nursing students and to examine the relationship, if any, among students whose learning style perceptual preferences were identified as being auditory, tactile or visual and their attitudes toward the use of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in the areas of comfort, creativity and function. The relationships between nursing students' perceptual learning style preferences and the following were also examined: (a) the amount of time they spent using the computer program, Cardiac Exam Bingo; (b) whether the use of the computer program added to their learning the content about …

Teaching Visual Awareness To General Education Students, Larry Edward Gross

Dissertations and Theses

The goal of this thesis was to present a teaching method which would demonstrate increased visual awareness in general education college students. The particular approach presented for that purpose was also designed to be of potential benefit to students' total educational experience. To that end sane conditions and specific research were introduced as necessary considerations for the teaching approach and for the role of art education as it pertains to the thesis goal.

A Qualitative Analysis Of Nine Nonverbal Communications Texts, Edward J. Cavin

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout the past decade, numerous texts have been published which claim to be ideally suited for use in a basic, introductory nonverbal communication course. Many authors state that their text will comprehensively cover all aspects of the field of nonverbal communication. Unfortunately, many of the texts cover only a portion of the concepts which have been deemed as essential for inclusion in a beginning nonverbal communication course.

With the plethora of material relating to this topic on the market, there is a need for a comprehensive evaluation form by which an elevator could determine the specific method of layout (manner …

The Effects Of Public Progress Charts Upon Self-Pacing In A Psi Course In Social Studies In A Traditional Middle School, Lynnette Hager-Godat

Dissertations and Theses

The present study investigated the effects of public progress charts on self-pacing in a social studies course taught by the PSI method in a middle school (grades 5-8). It was found that public progress charts significantly enhanced a student's rate of progress, t(45) = 5.06, p < .01. Student satisfaction with the PSI method was measured and it was found that students liked the PSI method.

The First Years Of Life: A Comparative Analysis Of British And American Parent Education, Deborah Anne Smith Guisti, Ellen Turner Jurevic, Jane Elizabeth Mozena, David W. Pedersen

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of our study is to analyze a British parent education program called "The First Years of Life" and compare it with some programs and educational services of similar content in America. We hope to ascertain whether "The First Years of Life," as presented by the Open University, affords a better means of providing information than some programs now existent in the United States offering prenatal and parent education.

Group Parent Training In Oregon, John Peter Kuzma

Dissertations and Theses

Research examining the actual practice and methods of group parent trainers has not kept pace with the great amount of literature on "how-to-parent” theory. In this study, 23 group parent trainees throughout the Willamette Valley in Oregon were interviewed to determine the characteristics of their groups in terms of numbers of parents in each group, length of groups, fees charged, teaching methods used, parenting approaches taught. Their general concerns and opinions about the parent training field were also elicited.

The support aspects of the parent groups were recognized as integral to parent training's effectiveness. The organizational structure of the groups …

Office Simulation Survey With Plan Of Implementation, Arlene B. Krause

Dissertations and Theses

The problem involved in this study was to ascertain the current methods and materials used by office simulation teachers in the secondary schools of the State of Oregon and to suggest a plan to implement a simulated office program in the Reynolds School District.

A Comparison Of Two Methods Of Instruction In Office Skills: Classroom-Laboratory And Classroom-Laboratory With Cooperative Work Experience, Barbara Swanson Anderson

Dissertations and Theses

This research study is designed to take an initial step in the direction of determining whether cooperative office education programs are more effective in teaching clerical skills, in preparing students for office employment, and in helping them to achieve employment and job success than classroom-laboratory training in office skills alone.