Education Commons^™

A Program Evaluation Of The Degree Program For Students With Behavioral Difficulties, Gail Whisnant

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study used a qualitative approach to explore a rural school district’s DEGREE program through parent and staff member perspectives using Stufflebeam’s (2003) CIPP model of program evaluation. Interviews and questionnaire data provided information to answer the following research questions: 1. Context: What is the context within which the DEGREE program was developed and implemented? 2. Input: What types of academic and behavioral interventions are taught? 3. Process: How are the objectives of the DEGREE program aligned with improving student academic and behavioral goals? 4. Product: What is the impact of the DEGREE program regarding student ability to transition back …

The Impact Of Common Core Mathematics Professional Development On Elementary Mathematics Teaching Self-Efficacy And The Resulting Effects On Their Student Achievement, Alissa Smith Lee

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine the impact of professional development on elementary mathematics teaching self-efficacy as well as the influence of teacher self-efficacy on student achievement. Statistical t tests were used to analyze the dispersion of the teachers’ personal mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs (PMTE) and mathematics teaching outcome expectancy efficacy beliefs (MTOE). To develop a broader perspective, a qualitative analysis of interview data was implemented. Unlike the results from the quantitative data, the qualitative data in this study revealed that meaningful participation in professional development increased teacher performance as well as enhanced their mathematical teaching efficacy. …

The Teacher's Role In Student Engagement, Anita Grove

Education Dissertations and Projects

This research study examines teacher expectations and perceptions and provides an understanding of the teacher’s role in student engagement. A wide array of factors—both within and beyond the classroom—can influence student engagement. To begin the process of improving student engagement, it is essential for educators to reflect on the elements that contribute to student engagement. Research questions addressed associations between the variables of teacher expectations, teacher perceptions, and student engagement measured by a Likert Item Teacher Survey; Teacher Expectations, Perceptions and Instructional Practices Questionnaire; and a Student Engagement Observation Tool. The results indicate there is a need for resources and …

A Grounded Theory Exploration Of Teacher Grading Practices, Ingrid Rockhead

Education Dissertations and Projects

An examination of the history of grading reveals that many of the problems associated with current traditional grading practices are not new. Despite impassioned pleas from researchers and grading experts, practices such as assigning zeros on a percentage grading scale, assigning grades for practice such as homework and classwork while students are still learning, using the mean to report on students’ overall grades, and not allowing reassessments continue to occur. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and report on Title I teachers’ grading practices and explain using grounded theory methods, the influences on those practices. This study …

The Relationship Between Adolescent Students' Motivation To Read And College- And Career-Ready Achievement, Brianne Elizabeth Schoch

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between student motivation to read and college- and career-ready achievement. The participants were 60 eighth-grade students from a middle school in western North Carolina. Pitcher’s et al. (2007) Adolescent Motivation to Read Profile (AMRP) survey instrument was used to collect data on student motivation to read and its subsets of self-concept as reader and value of reading. Academic achievement was measured by the North Carolina READY End-of-Grade Assessment English Language Arts/Reading for Grade 8 (NC READY ELA/R 8). Descriptive statistics revealed students could be described as neither having a positive or negative value of reading; …

Elementary Teacher Perceptions Of Eureka Math, Lindsay Harmon Walker

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of elementary teachers teaching the Eureka Math program using a mixed methods approach. The participants were Grades K-5 elementary teachers from 10 elementary schools within the same school district located in the southwestern region of North Carolina. Quantitative data were collected via a 4-point Likert scale survey distributed via Google Forms. Qualitative data were collected via an open-ended question from the survey and an interview group. The data were collected to answer the research question, “How do elementary teachers experience teaching mathematics using the Eureka Math program?” The researcher designed …

Administrator Perceptions Of Their Preparedness To Lead Digital Learning Initiatives Through Observing, Modeling, And Providing Feedback For The Effective Utilization Of Technology In A Digitally Rich Environment, Kristin L. Edwards

Education Dissertations and Projects

With the rapid increase in device usage in classrooms, it is imperative that administrators know and understand pedagogical principles within digitally rich environments. This qualitative study sought to understand administrator preparedness for leading digital learning initiatives in the areas of observing, modeling, and offering constructive feedback in digitally rich environments. The Principals Technology Leadership Assessment (PTLA) and focus groups were used to conduct the research. A chi-square goodness of fit was used to compare the responses of the PTLA to the original PTLA study. Focus group results were analyzed for emerging themes. Gaps were identified as indicated by the ISTE-A …

The Value Of Career And Technical Education In Addressing College And Career Readiness And The Ill-Prepared Workforce: A Study Of The Perceptions Of Community College Administrators And Instructors; District High School Administrators, And Guidance Counselors, And Cte Department; And A Workforce Employer In North Carolina, Kamina A. Fitzgerald

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the perceptions of community college administrators and instructors; district high school administrators, guidance counselors, and CTE department; and a workforce employer of the value of career and technical education. This study also examined the historical and present perceptions of the district- and state-level officials regarding career and technical education and its ability to address the issue of an ill-prepared workforce and college readiness.

Data were collected from several sources. Quantitative data were collected in the form of questionnaires to administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, and a workforce employer in North Carolina. The quantitative data can be used to …

Did We Get It Right? A Study Of Process Fidelity In The Response To Intervention Program, Lashanda Wardlow Foust

Education Dissertations and Projects

For valid disability determination to occur, a diagnostic team needs to be able to determine that a student has received appropriate instruction in the general education classroom” (Johnson, Mellard, Fuchs, & McKnight, 2006, p. 4.2).

The purpose of the study was to determine whether a middle school Response to Intervention (RTI) program is being implemented with fidelity. The researcher used the RTI Essential Components Worksheet and the RTI Fidelity of Implementation Rubric as the evaluation tools.

The research focused on how effectively the RTI process was implemented at the focus middle school. A qualitative method design was used in the …

A Study Of Rigor, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Student Achievement In Three High Schools In A Rural School District In Eastern North Carolina, Katrina Hannon Cobb

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the importance of rigor and teacher efficacy in relation to student achievement. There are several definitions of the word rigor. Blackburn (2008) defined rigor as “An environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels” (p. 16). ACT/SAT data, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE), and the High School Reform and Work all conclude that students who are college and career ready have graduated …

Case Study Of Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Their Current Grading Practices, Shavondra Danyelle Parker

Education Dissertations and Projects

Traditional grading represents typical grading practices including the traditional way grades have been calculated since the conception of grades. Before traditional grading, there was a time when mastery of content was not measured by grades at all. In recent years, educators have begun to explore other methods of grading in search of better ways to determine student mastery of content. Many educators use standards-based grading methods that focus instruction and grading around the standards students are expected to learn. Although many researchers support the use of standards-based grading, it has not replaced traditional grading methods. Grading practices should yield accurate …

Filling The Reading Void: Studying Reading Stamina In A Suburban High School Through Action Research: A Companion Research Study, Lindsey Weycker

Education Dissertations and Projects

A common practice in elementary schools is to allow students silent reading time during school. Experts agree this is best practice due to the benefits to students, especially in vocabulary development and reading stamina. As students age, however, this practice tends to decline in favor of activities that are meant to teach vocabulary in isolation and test preparation skills. In addition to these activities, English language arts classes typically read and study novels together as a class for the purpose of studying literary devices and literary analysis. Because of these practices, secondary students tend to read less, which in turn …

Learning From Failure: An Action Research Case Study On Developing Growth Mindset Through Academic Risk-Taking In An Athletic Training Program, Sarah B. Rabe

Education Dissertations and Projects

The employment of academic risk-taking and growth mindset instructional practices in educational fields, though supported in literature, is limited and not commonly documented in the classroom. The purpose of this action research case study was to determine the impact of facilitation of growth mindset through modification of instructional practices in athletic training clinical courses at an Institution of Higher Learning. Constructive failure and growth mindset theories supported the mixed-methods research approach and the modification of instructional practices made during the study. Data were collected through growth mindset and academic risk-taking instruments and through semi-structured survey questions. The data analysis was …

Does Teacher Immediacy Matter? The Relationship Among Teacher Immediacy, Student Motivation, Engagement, And Cognitive Learning, Jessica Rene Stilwell

Education Dissertations and Projects

According to the Academic Development Institute (Walberg, 2010), elementary and middle school students linger behind students from other economically advanced countries on achievement tests and fall further behind during the school years. With a need to improve classroom instruction and enhance cognitive learning for students, this study focuses on immediate communication behaviors of the classroom teacher, both verbal and nonverbal, and student academic motivation as factors in improving learning proficiency in both math and reading. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teacher immediacy behaviors and teacher/student rapport on student motivation, engagement, and academic growth.

The …

Why Do Girls Outperform Boys In School: A Qualitative Study Of Boy-Friendly Teaching, Teacher Efficacy And Practices, Renee Blair Clifford

Education Dissertations and Projects

This research study explored reasons why girls consistently outperform boys in the classroom, examining professional development teachers may have received, strategies teachers are implementing, and teacher’s self-efficacy in teaching boys. This was a qualitative study centered on the idea that boys do not perform as well in school as girls because teachers are not aware of learning differences or not designing instruction to address the unique learning needs of boys. This study took place at one South East elementary school.

Filling The Reading Void: Studying Reading Stamina In A Rural High School Through Action Research: A Companion Research Study, Meredith Eubanks Lynch

Education Dissertations and Projects

Experts agree best practice in elementary education allows students time for silent reading during school due to the benefits to students in vocabulary development and reading stamina. As students age, this practice typically declines in favor of activities meant to teach vocabulary, prepare for standardized tests, and study novels together as a class to explore and analyze literature, resulting in less reading and subsequently decreasing reading stamina. -- Teachers at a high poverty South Carolina high school, recognizing reading stamina as an issue, implemented a protocol described by Penny Kittle (2013) in Book Love: Developing Depth, Stamina, and Passion in …

Writing Focused Professional Development For Content-Area Teachers: The Effects Of Writing Instruction On Content-Area Student Achievement, Amanda Edwards Whatley

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of writing on the content areas when coupled with ongoing professional development and support for content-area teachers. Research shows that writing is an essential skill for success in and beyond the school setting. Research further indicates that writing plays an important role in student learning through its development of cognitive processes; however, in general, writing as a mode of learning is not a focus of either pre or in-service teacher training. As such, writing beyond note-taking and fill-in-the-blank activities is not necessarily a strategy utilized in content-area teacher classrooms. This …

Making It Matters: Makerspaces’ Impact On Creativity In An Elementary School Media Center, Janet Blair Austin

Education Dissertations and Projects

This mixed-methods action research study investigated the impact of makerspaces on student creativity. Seventy fifth-grade students were exposed to makerspaces for 12 weeks. Quantitative data were collected using two assessment instruments. Prior to the experience, the students were given a preassessment of their creative potential using the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT). After 12 weeks, students were given a postassessment using a different form. A paired sample t test was used to analyze the pre and posttest results. In addition, teachers were asked to evaluate student creativity by completing the creativity portion of the Scales for Rating the Behavior …

Program Evaluation: The Impact Of An Elementary Afterschool Program On Educating The Tenets Of The Whole Child, Jacquelyn Faith Jackson

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to provide an increased understanding of what is involved in providing whole child education. The researcher of this dissertation evaluated teacher awareness, changes in instructional behaviors, and the impact on culture as a result of an elementary afterschool program. All teachers were instructed to focus on their perspective in relation to providing the tenets of whole child education in the studied elementary afterschool program. Throughout this study, teachers were the primary focus implementing strategies which were specific to a rural elementary afterschool program to investigate currently utilized strategies and teacher awareness of the different tenets and …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of A Teacher Preparation Program: Preservice Teachers' Perceived Preparedness To Integrate Technology Effectively, Erin Banks Davis

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which preservice teachers within a teacher preparation program perceived themselves to be prepared to integrate technology, specifically examining the level of confidence preservice teachers perceive themselves to have towards TPACK-related skills needed to integrate technology into their instruction. Participants in this research study were solicited based on their enrollment in the selected teacher preparation program within the last 5 years; also included were current seniors enrolled in their final semester before degree completion. This research study contains a sample size of 20 participants from a small, private university in …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching, Factored By Experience And Levels Of Education, Tina Hicks Whitten

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate elementary teachers’ perceptions of instructional coaching compared to their years of experience and their levels of education. This researcher worked cooperatively with one rural school district in north, central North Carolina and used an online survey instrument with both open- and closed-ended questions to gather data. Two hundred sixty-three elementary classroom teachers were asked to complete the survey; 131 teachers did so with a response rate of 49.8%. Chi square statistical tests were run for the Likert responses on the quantitative portion, and open-ended coding was used for the qualitative piece. …

What Do Parents Really Want? Parent Perspectives On Gifted Education, Ryan Mccreary

Education Dissertations and Projects

In this research study, the correlation between the strategies that previous research had indicated as effective for gifted education and the programming sought by parents of gifted children was examined. Survey results and interviews with parents revealed several strategies that parents wanted to be implemented in gifted education as well as powerful practices that would enhance gifted education if implemented by school leaders. The problem of underachievement among gifted students is also discussed as well as strategies to reverse it.

The Left- Handed Leader: Educational Experiences And Leadership Practices, Rebecca L. Huffstetler

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of left-handed school leaders during their elementary and secondary school years. Further, this study examined the impact of these experiences on leadership practices exhibited by left-handed school leaders. The researcher used a mixed methods approach to conduct this study. For the quantitative portion of the study, left-handed and right-handed school leaders completed Kouzes and Posner’s Leadership Practice Inventory (LPI) Self, Fourth Edition. To obtain qualitative data, left-handed school leaders also participated in an open-ended question interview where information was collected on their educational experiences in elementary school and secondary school …

Creating Tomorrow’S Leaders: Examining Teacher Perceptions Of A Systems Approach Framework To Continuous Classroom Improvement, Pascale Glenn

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of teachers using a systems approach in two rural schools in a district in North Carolina using a qualitative approach. In this district, a systems approach is also referred to as Continuous Classroom Improvement (CCI). The theoretical framework within which the study was grounded revolved around three constructs. The first construct was school culture; the second construct was the concept of Total Quality Management (TQM); and the third construct was the use of Plan, Do, Study, Act. Information was collected in a natural setting. The qualitative data gathered from the …

Place-Based Education: A Program Evaluation, Hannah S. Moody

Education Dissertations and Projects

The researcher designed and conducted a program evaluation on the place-based education component at Summit Charter School. Specifically, the researcher wanted to know how the place-based education program at Summit aligned with national standards of a successful place-based education program, as outlined by the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative. Observations, document analysis, and survey data were collected by the researcher and analyzed using Horsch’s (2008) Logic Model. This program evaluation revealed that Summit Charter School is emerging as a place-based education institute. Recommendations include place-based education leadership training for Summit’s administration, ongoing staff development in the area of place-based education, and …

A Program Evaluation Of An Apprenticeship Program Using Stufflebeam’S Cipp Model, Oai C. To

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation is a program evaluation of an apprenticeship program operated by Siemens Energy, Inc. in Charlotte, North Carolina. The evaluation was based on Stufflebeam’s CIPP model of context (C), input (I), process (P), and product (P). The CIPP sought to evaluate (C) current and future objectives, (I) various strategies use to achieve the objectives, (P) the implementation of the strategies, and (P) the outcome of the program. The entire model provided insight into the effectiveness of the program and provided feedback for decision making and accountability toward current and future improvement of the program (Stufflebeam, 1971). Four questions were …

A Framework For Improving Teacher Efficacy In High-Poverty Schools, Shelia D. Burnette

Education Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research study examined the change of teachers’ levels of poverty awareness and their sense of efficacy after being exposed to targeted research-based strategies and resources. The focus was on building leadership capacity; fostering safe, healthy learning environments; and focusing on students, professionals, and systems of learning to address turning high-poverty schools to high-performing schools. Eight high-poverty urban schools participated in the study with five focus schools analyzed throughout the study (sample=XX). Study participants completed pre- and post-assessment measures of poverty awareness and their sense of efficacy to impact achievement for high-poverty students. Participants were given access to resources, …

Investigation Of Teacher Perceptions Of Gifted Education: How Teacher Perceptions Influence The Use Of Specific Research-Based Teaching Strategies Tailored To Challenge Learning In Ag Students, Ian Robert Olsen

Education Dissertations and Projects

The research study examined teacher perceptions of gifted instruction. It focused on teacher perceptions of the needs of gifted students; teacher confidence in adapting instruction to meet the needs; and teacher perceptions of which research-based instructional strategies are best implemented. The purpose of this study was to determine if AG teacher perceptions of instructional strategies influence the implementation of them. This study combined literature research, survey data, and interview data all shedding light on the need to improve academic instruction for all AG students (Bangel, Moon, & Capobianco, 2010; Manning, 2006; McKinsey & Co., 2009). The research and data demonstrated …

Do I Belong? Impact Of Positive Psychology Practice Implementation On Teacher Practice And At-Risk Students' Academic Engagment, Amanda Lyn Swartzlander

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study focused on the implementation of teaching practices targeted to impact self-perceptions of competence, belonging, usefulness, potency, and optimism (CBUPO) (Sagor & Cox, 2013) in at-risk students. The literature surrounding CBUPO focuses on strategies for implementation. However, gaps in the literature exist in researching changes in student perception, teacher practice after incorporating these strategies in their classrooms, and strategy impact on academic engagement of at-risk students. The study is driven by the main research question, “in what ways are student self-perceptions of CBUPO impacted by targeted teaching practices?” In order to inform this inquiry, specific teaching strategies were implemented …

Instructional Coaches' Perceptions Of The Extent To Which Varied Professional Learning Experiences Impact Their Efficacy, Magdalena Steytler

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the limited body of research on the factors that impact the ability of instructional coaches to be highly effective in their multi-faceted roles. Specifically, the study examined the perceptions of instructional coaches regarding the effectiveness of varied professional learning experiences in addressing their own professional development needs and how instructional coaches interpreted their role and function as well as the knowledge and skills they deemed essential in performing their duties.

This mixed- methods study was conducted in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, it involved three data collection instruments: a survey …