Education Commons^™

Investigation Of Rti Effectiveness, Patricia L. Murphy

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

An applied project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Education Specialist at Morehead State University by Patricia Murphy on December 11, 2011

Redemption Of A Common Life, Blythe L. Hunt

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Blythe L. Hunt in December of 2011.

A Spatial Analysis Of Offender Residence And Neighborhood Crime Rate: An Exploratory Study Of Gang Membership, Matthew Ryan Laurin

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Matthew Ryan Laurin in December of 2011.

A Comparison Of Internet Marketing Methods Utilized By Higher Education Institutions, Joseph Clayton Mccoy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Use of Internet marketing techniques in higher education to attract prospective students is relatively new. While the research is recent, there are several studies that identify what is most valuable to students seeking information on college web sites. Higher education is now facing increasing competition from for-profit schools and reduced funding from typical sources. This study examines how two different Carnegie classifications use Internet marketing techniques and identifies if there is a difference in how much they use these techniques. Content techniques and search engine optimization (SEO) techniques were examined for 56 higher education institutions in this study. Of the …

Exploring First Generation African American Graduate Students: Motivating Factors For Pursuing A Doctoral Degree, Stephanie G. Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose for conducting the study was to examine the factors that motivate African-American first-generation students to pursue doctoral education at a four-year public university. There has been little research on the influence academic or non-academic factors have on first-generation graduate student motivation. Similarly, little research exists that explored how factors might vary by ethnicity. Based on the projected increase of post-baccalaureate enrollment each year (Aud, Hussar, Planty, Snyder, Bianco, Fox, Frohlich, Kemp, Drake, 2010), first-generation African-Americans will become more interested in attending graduate school. It is important to gain a better understanding of the factors and influences that impact …

Legal Discourse, Conceptual Metaphors, And Basic Writing Programming: A Study Of Ayers V. Fordice, Joyce Olewski Inman

Dissertations

In what ways does legal discourse influence our perceptions of students labeled as basic writers and these students’ perceptions of themselves? How does standards-based discourse affect student writers’ abilities to define themselves in academe? This dissertation involves an examination of legal and public discourse surrounding Ayers v. Fordice, one of the most prominent desegregation cases in higher education, in an attempt to answer these questions. Its intent is to explore how conceptual metaphors prevalent in these discourses affect our understandings of basic writing programming in the state of Mississippi but also in the field of composition more globally.

My …

Comparative Analysis Of Factors Related To College Selection By High Academic Ability Students Attending Mississippi's Public Community Colleges In 2003 And 2011, Randall Eugene Lee

Dissertations

Studies have been conducted about high academic ability students in postsecondary institutions, but rarely has research explored the college choice factors involving high academic ability students who chose to attend a community college. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors related to why high academic ability students chose to attend Mississippi public community colleges. The study also examined the differences in perception of college choice factors among students according to the variables of age, gender, race, full-time or part-time enrollment status, attendance for first-generation students to college, if one or both parents or legal guardians attended the …

Barriers And Enablers Of Interdisciplinary Research At Academic Institutions, Leslie Suzanne Thornton Butler

Dissertations

This research study examines the factors that motivate and lead to the success of faculty members who conduct interdisciplinary research. Because a comprehensive study of the research patterns of interdisciplinary researchers has not been conducted, the main intent of this research project was to create an instrument that would measure research habits and attitudes. It is important that such research be conducted using individuals who are interdisciplinary researchers as well as disciplinary researchers. One intent of the research study was to provide comparisons between disciplinary researchers and interdisciplinary researchers. Another intent was to provide university administrators with a better understanding …

Is Service Learning More Or Less Effective Than Traditional Face-To-Face Learning In Technology Education In The Community College Environment?, David C. Childress

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Business and Public Affairs at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by David C. Childress on November 29, 2011.

Mathematics Anxiety And The College Student, Amanda Mccloy

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate whether mathematics anxiety is correlated to choice of major in college, the need to be enrolled in a remedial math course and average mathematics grades. Types of mathematical problems, statements and situations were also viewed to determine which of the latter caused the greatest anxiety among volunteers. Volunteers were given an experimenter designed mathematics anxiety survey in which they rated problems, statements and situations pertaining to math on a five-point Likert scale. Upon performance of correlations, results proved non-significant for all conditions. Thus, mathematics anxiety in this particular sample was not correlated to choice …

Service-Learning: A Study Of Faculty Attitudes At Rowan University, Rhiannon Napoli

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine faculty members' service-learning attitudes and experiences at Rowan University, specifically attitudes towards the benefits of service-learning, faculty motivation for service-learning, and institutional support for service-learning. This study also examined reasons for the incorporation of service into a faculty members' curriculum, faculty members' attitudes toward possible outcomes associated with students and service-learning, as well as relationships between faculty demographics and attitudes toward service-learning. The researcher surveyed 172 faculty members at Rowan University during spring 2011. Data were collected using a 40-item survey instrument that utilized Likert scales. The collected data were statistically analyzed …

Drinking Motives And Influences Among College Students, Angela Ostapowycz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine to identify what influences college students to consume alcohol. Specifically, the research was susceptibility to social pressure and social expectations play the central role and are a major influence in college students drinking behaviors. Twenty-eight undergraduate students from various universities completed the Psycho-social Drinking Inventory. This is a scale from the College Drinking Influences Survey. Descriptive statistics were run on the scores reported on the survey to find the greatest mean score. Results yieled that social influence had the greatest impact on college students drinking behaviors. Results from the study, limitations, and …

Activism Or Apathy? Selected Student Attitudes Towards The Role Of Civic Engagement At Rowan University, Sarai Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into selected student attitudes towards the role of civic engagement at Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey, in spring, 2011. The study investigated the impact of selected demographic factors on civic engagement. Civic engagement levels were measured by a self-reporting survey distributed during a Student Government Association Senate meeting. The survey had four components measuring demographic factors, civic indicators, electoral indicators, and indicators of political voice. The study found correlations between Student Government Executive Board membership, petition signing, and participating in protests. Data collected by means of one focus group were analyzed …

Community College Student Persistence: A Focus On Occupational And Academic Clubs, Catherine Jean Songer

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Community colleges have increased demands for data to substantiate their institutional effectiveness in financially challenging times to stakeholders and accrediting agencies. Tied to performance funding, North Carolina community colleges are focusing attention on policies and programs that encourage student persistence. The Community College Survey of Student Engagement indicated a strong relationship between student engagement and student success. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate student persistence as measured by student intent to persist as it related to participation in community college-sponsored occupational and academic clubs, to investigate the student-perceived level of participation as it related to student intent …

Predicting Student Success In Passing The Exit Exam For Writing Proficiency, Cheryl Ann Latko

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the Exit Exam of Writing Proficiency (EEWP) and the variables that may impact the probability of a student passing the EEWP. The EEWP is one of the graduation requirements for all undergraduate students at a mid-sized four-year university in the mid-Atlantic region. The purpose of the EEWP is to ensure that undergraduates demonstrate clear, concise, and professional writing skills.

The literature discusses general issues with student writing skills specific to the field of human services, as they relate to teacher educators, developmental education, and the field of human services. Student demographics, such …

Exploring The Impact Of Classified Staff Interactions On The Student Experience: A Multiple Case Study Approach, Mary Ann Schmitt

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative multiple case study explored front-line classified staff interactions with students as a possible strategy for increasing student success. The study was based on the premise that too few students stay at a community college long enough to achieve their academic goals. Therefore, college leaders must identify new strategies to increase student retention and success. A literature review revealed positive student experiences increase the likelihood of student persistence. Since classified staff members interact with students throughout the college, the author examined their interactions as one potential strategy to increase the likelihood of student success.

The study explored classified staff …

Student Attitudes Towards Codes Of Conduct And Their Impact On Behavior, Jessica Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of students towards a code of conduct and their impact on behavior. The study took place during the Fall/Spring 2010-11 academic year at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. The subjects of the study were students who had previously been sanctioned for violating the student code of conduct. The survey looked at four factors: demographics of students, knowledge of the code of conduct, attitudes towards the code of conduct and impact on behavior. For a portion of the survey a Likert-type scale of 1-5 was used to gauge student responses where …

The Prof Versus The Owl: Faculty Attitudes Towards Intercollegiate Athletics At Rowan University, Robert Baumgartner

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed faculty attitudes towards intercollegiate athletics at a NCAA Division III institution, specifically Rowan University. A survey instrument was used to collect demographic information about the subjects including age, gender, and academic discipline plus data focused on five factor groupings pertaining to the student-athlete, financing for athletics, athletic governance/eligibility, athletics on campus and general athletics issues. Findings suggest generally positive attitudes of the faculty towards intercollegiate athletics. Moreover, Rowan faculty reported lacking specific information about intercollegiate athletics on campus to give informed opinions. Data analysis demonstrated strong support of intercollegiate athletics in general but the origin of support …

Sensation Seeking And Field Of Study, Kevin Huff

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the possible correlation between the personality trait of sensation seeking and a student's field of study. The literature review shows the strong connection between both how personality can influence our career choice and how sensation seeking can affect multiple aspects of our lives. There were 117 Rowan University students participated and were administered a questionnaire created by Marvin Zuckerman called the Sensation Seeking Scale From-V. Total sensation seeking scores were tested to check for a correlation within students from the fields of liberal arts and science. Although the current study shows no …

Involvement Patterns: Student Involvement In The Student Community Policing Program At Rowan University, Stephanie Staple

Theses and Dissertations

The use of student development theories such as student involvement and student engagement has become extremely important to administrators and student affairs professionals in higher education; however, few have examined their use in the Department of Public Safety. The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement patterns of students in the Student Community Policing Program (SCPP). The study also investigated the impact of student involvement in these programs on students' satisfaction with the Rowan University campus. The study was conducted at Rowan University, in Glassboro, New Jersey. The target population for this study was students at Rowan University …

Same-Sex Vs. Co-Ed Classrooms: Do Gender Differences Carry Over Into A Co-Ed College?, Laura O'Malley

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this exploratory investigation were to (a) ascertain the current academic performance of Rowan University freshman (n=117) in their second semester, compare this with academic performance in their senior year of high school, and (b) determine to what extent, if any, their high school classroom gender composition influenced their current performance. Overall, female students who had single-sex instruction (SSI) averaged an 8% improvement in grades, while co-ed taught girls averaged 3% better. Male SSI students averaged 40% worse, while co-ed males averaged 12% worse. For male participants, data showed a moderate positive correlation (r = .38) between amount …

Representation In The Transition From The Articles Of Confederation To The 1787 Constitution, Stephanie Ramsey Davis

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Business and Public Affairs at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Public Administration by Stephanie Ramsey Davis in August of 2011.

Development And Implementation Of Challenge-Based Instruction In Engineering Graphics, Gregory A. Potter

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This thesis discusses the challenge-based instructional (CBI) lessons currently being developed for the Engineering Graphics course at UTPA. This endeavor concentrates on student retention, as well as the students’ ability to practically apply their new skills. Minority science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students have been found, in recent studies, to depart from STEM undergraduate fields to some extent because of the lack of real world connections to the subject matter. Also, the traditional way of teaching theory first and then assigning a task may actually stifle creative thought and innovation required in later STEM courses. Our use of CBI …

Socioeconomics And The Digital Divide : Access, Literacy, And The Online-Classroom Space At The U.S. Postsecondary Institution, Alison Lorraine Nolan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study examines the challenges faced by educators and students and how socioeconomics, the digital divide, and a lack of access can potentially lead to low digital-literacy rates. The digital divide describes those who have access to broadband (high-speed) Internet connections and those who do not. Since education has become reliant on technology, those who cannot access the academic-digital space are at a disadvantage. The primary focus of this thesis is to define digital literacy in online, hybrid, and face-to-face composition classrooms at the postsecondary level. A review of literature was supplemented by a brief survey to students attending Montclair …

An Exploration Of The Collegiate Experiences Of Theatre Students In A Regional University, Robyn N. Pursley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose for conducting the study was to describe the collegiate experience of performing arts students studying theatre in a comprehensive university setting through a qualitative examination of the perceptions that theatre students hold regarding their interactions with faculty, students, administrators, and the college campus. The study was guided by an ethnographic design identifying the sample of theatre students as a culture sharing group engaged in the formal study of theatre in a university setting. The significance of the study rested in its identification of theatre students as a student subpopulation in need of further study aimed at providing a …

Chemical Education Experiences From The English Language Learner Perspective, Annette Flores

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is a region populated by Spanish-speaking immigrants and their descendants producing a large English Language Learner (ELL) student population. ELLs have historically had low literacy rates and achievement levels when compared to their counterparts. In order to address this achievement gap, previous research efforts and curriculum interventions have focused on language acquisition as being the determining factor in ELL education, with little attention given to academic content acquisition. More current research efforts have transitioned into English language acquisition through academic content instruction; this present research study specifically focuses on ELL experiences in chemistry. Participants were …

Factors That Contribute To Persistence And Retention Of Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Students In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem), Sidney Kirk Mitchell

Dissertations

The objective of this research was to identify specific factors that contribute to underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic, Native American) undergraduate students‟ success in STEM disciplines at a regional university during the 2007-2010 timeframe. As more underrepresented minority (URM) students complete STEM degrees, many will possess the skills to become part of the domestic human capital needed to meet U. S. workforce demands and enhance the nation‟s STEM innovation. According to Burke and Mattis (2007), the lack of URM students in STEM education and in the workforce is one of the major contributors to STEM shortages in the United States. …

A Pictorial History Of The Drury College Student: The First Fifty Years, Mindy Maddux Gay

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Established in 1873, Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, provided a unique experience for their undergraduate students. A limited amount of research has been conducted on the institution but no work has been done to specifically look at the undergraduate student experience. Using archival research methods and information from literature on image based research; the researcher has created a pictorial history of Drury College utilizing photographs, images, and archival documents. The specific research questions asked were: How do archival images and documents of Drury University's first 50 years describe the undergraduate student's experience, specifically in the area of their involvement and …

Expression And Function Of The Dna Damage Protein Umud Of Acinetobacter Baylyi, And Its Predicted Cleavage And Nucleophilic Activator Residue Mutants In Escherichia Coli, Sabal Adhikari

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science & Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Sabal Adhikari on July 28, 2011.

Rowan University's Rowancard: Program Effectiveness And Future Direction, Christine Noon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes of Rowan University student's towards the RowanCard program. A secondary purpose was to gain insight from students about future growth of the program. The data were collected by means of a survey using 25 Likert-type items on a 5-point scale. In addition to the survey, two focus groups were conducted with 32 students. Each student was asked six questions pertaining to the program. Data analysis suggests that students overall attitudes towards the RowanCard program are very positive. Student's attitudes about all the current applications available to them with the RowanCard …