Education Commons^™

The Application Of Interpersonal Concepts To Reframe Instructor Misbehaviors, Jonathan A. Mendoza

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The research literature surrounding instructor misbehaviors has been largely influenced by two typologies of misbehaviors. Kearney et al. (1991) introduced the first typology of instructor misbehaviors, which included incompetence, offensiveness, and indolence. Goodboy and Myers (2015) later revisited this initial typology, finding additional misbehaviors that reflected changes in the classroom climate, including antagonism and misbehaviors enacted during lectures. Much of the research on instructor misbehaviors utilizes these typologies, using a framework of interpersonal theories as a means of understanding instructor misbehaviors. In my review of the literature, common theories applied included expectancy violations theory, communication privacy management theory, and attribution …

Graduate Student Awareness Of Student Services, Shayla Schumacher

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Studies have shown that student services aid in students’ success while attending college, however many students may not utilize these resources or even know they exist. Furthermore, there is limited research on graduate students’ awareness and usage of these services. Graduate students face different circumstances than other student populations yet may not access these beneficial resources. This study uses a mixed methods survey to examine graduate students’ awareness and usage of student services at a state school. This study shows attending the university as an undergraduate student first contributes to a student’s knowledge and usage of student services.

“My Work Doesn’T Need To Be Perfect As Long As The Effort Is There”: A Case Study Of Multilingual Student Perceptions Of Labor-Based Grading Contracts In The First-Year Writing Classroom, Allison M. Hosman

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Recent developments in the fields of both TESOL and Composition indicate a need for conceptualizing and developing assessment practices that support the needs of multilingual writers that are in line with the aims of justice-oriented pedagogies. One such specific pedagogical practice, assessment, has been proposed as an area of pedagogy in which to operationalize approaches that maintain and sustain justice in the multilingual composition classroom. Although contract grading, and more specifically labor-based grading contracts, have been at the center of such recent conversations, few investigations have centered multilingual students, asking how they perceive and understand such an assessment method in …

Teacher-Led Active Classroom Breaks To Improve Student On-Task Behavior: A Dose-Response Study, Abbey M. Riese

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Active Breaks (AB) are a classroom management strategy to increase student on-task behavior in elementary-aged general education populations. ABs are defined as short bouts of physical activity that take place between academic instructional periods. Research has focused on breaks with a dosage ranging from 4- to 15-min, with demonstrated positive effects. The current study aimed to address several gaps in the literature related to teacher implementation of breaks, dosage of breaks, and assessment of teacher and student acceptability and perceptions of ABs. The impact of teacher-led ABs on student on-task behavior was examined across two 3rd grade general education classrooms …

Tier Ii Behavioral Intervention: A Direct Comparison Of Two Versions Of Class Pass, Madeline Cordle

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Disruptive behaviors are some of the most difficult behaviors for teachers to address in schools. They can take multiple forms in the classroom, and can impact the student displaying them, as well the rest of the learning environment in terms of academic engagement. Disruptive behaviors are believed to be displayed by students for the purpose of attaining social positive and social negative reinforcement. These behaviors also tend to fall into a higher level of need based on MTSS/PBIS tiered support models. Typically, disruptive behaviors fall within Tier II level of need, where universal supports are not enough, but intensive, individualized …

Teaching Culture In The Argentinian Efl Classroom: Beliefs, Practice And Challenges, María Mercedes Sempé

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The need to address culture in EFL/ESL classrooms has been stressed by scholars in the SLA field for decades (see Kramsch, 1993, 2009, 2011; Byram, 1988; Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013). The original intention of working with culture in the English classes as a means to develop language proficiency –sociocultural competence– was expanded, and nowadays, the focus is on the role culture instruction has in developing empathy and respect for other ways of living and in promoting reflection about learners’ own lifestyle –intercultural competence (Byram, 1988, 2008; Deardoff, 2006). This new focus on cultural instruction is reflected in national curriculums around …

Investigating Emerging Bilingual Learner Related Field Experiences In School Psychology Graduate Training, Austin Rogers

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There is limited research regarding school psychology field and practicum experiences that are devoted to developing skills related to emergent bilingual learners (EBL). This study attempted to better understand what types of EBL-related field and practicum experiences are most influential in preparing school psychologists to feel confident in their ability to provide school psychological services to EBL students. One hundred thirty-five practicing school psychologists were surveyed using a questionnaire focused on the types of EBL-related field and practicum experiences commonly found in exemplary multiculturally-focused school psychology graduate programs and practitioners’ perceptions of their ability to provide a number of services …

Academic Dishonesty: The Ghost Of Papers Past, Wayne T. Whitmore

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This research project examined student’s acts of academic dishonesty and their beliefs regarding whether acts of academic dishonesty were acceptable through survey research conducted online at a two-year college and a four-year university in the Minnesota State (MinnState) system in southern Minnesota. This research aimed to build on existing research related to academic dishonesty in higher education. The sample included 195 students enrolled at a two-year comprehensive college and a four-year state university. Outcomes indicated a majority of students engaged in acts of academic dishonesty. Second, outcomes indicated men are more likely to engage in academic dishonesty than women. Third, …

Intellect Does Not Have An Accent: The Lived Experiences Of Women Native Speakers Of Spanish With Professional Leadership Positions In United States And Have An Accented English Speech, Isabel E. Rodriguez-Mendoza

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This qualitative study examined the experiences of eleven multilingual professional women between the ages of 35 and 65 who share the following characteristics: Spanish is their first language; they speak English with an accent and migrated to the United States as adults and are required to engage in public speaking in their professional leadership careers in the United States. The study’s interview process provided participants with a platform to share their voices and stories. The findings discussed how their accents have shaped their leadership careers as well as the social-emotional aspect of their lives through a phenomenological approach.

The emergent …

Effects Of Daily Spaced Versus Massed Practice On Spelling Word Retention Among Struggling Spellers, Melissa Engel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Although extensive research has documented the benefits of spaced practice, very little of that research has been conducted in schools, and even less has included students with disabilities or with academic deficits. The purpose of this study was to compare spaced and massed practice on students with an educational disability in a school setting. Three students identified as having a specific learning disability (SLD) and receiving special education services in written language participated in this study, which used an alternating treatment design. Students learned 10 lists of 6 spelling words, each list over the course of three days. Students were …

An Unspoken Story Of Education: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Racism In Education, Elisa A. Perez-Garcia

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Privilege is when one voice is the norm, but some children’s voices are underheard within research. Extensive research has demonstrated that Hispanic face multiple barriers within the education system. This study examines how whiteness within the education system can impact a Hispanic student’s perspective of the world. An autoethnographic approach is used to analyze five stories. A grounded theory approach identified emergent themes from the stories shared. The four themes that emerged among the stories were intersectionality, privilege, social construct, and microaggression. It demonstrated minority students’ experiences and interactions could profoundly affect how they view their identity. There are measures …

Learning About Others In Multiculturalist Social Service's Curriculum In Finland: Transnational Feminism, Anti-Racist Pedagogy, And Politics Of Othering In The Curriculum, Jenni Lampinen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Social work education aims to train competent professionals to answer the needs of changing populations and society. Education includes theoretical and practical components that offer the frames for social work at different levels of society; personal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural. Primarily, multicultural social work focuses on working with populations with diverse ethnic, cultural, and racial identities that often differ from the majority population. Multicultural social work can be seen as a bridge between minority communities and society. This research was implemented using discourse analysis to examine the social services program’s curriculum of one University of Applied Sciences in the Helsinki …

Identity Dynamics Of Minority College Students, Nabil A. Mohamed

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Identity salience hierarchy is the idea that individuals hold their important identities on a metaphorical scale—activating them when the right situation calls for it. Moreover, the hierarchy is related to the notion of commitment, otherwise defined as the number of people and meaningful relationships associated with an identity. For most college students, their salience hierarchy shifts over time as their commitment to the student identity typically increases. When a shift in hierarchy occurs, there is a transformation in identity. However, for racial, ethnic, and religious minority students, their capacity to develop an identity independent of their minority background raises questions …

Family Involvement In Charter Elementary Schools: A Case Study Using The Family Involvement Questionnaire-Elementary Version (Fiq-E), Dorothy M. Lipski

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Family involvement has been shown to have positive effects on the academic and socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes of school-aged children across all age ranges, but most especially among elementary-aged students. The Family Involvement Questionnaire-Elementary (FIQ-E) has been validated for use with students in grades 1-6 across public and parochial elementary schools in the US, which has been extended to primary schools in New Zealand and Belize. The FIQ-E was used in the current study in a charter elementary school in the Midwest. The participants included 40 family responses and one administrator. The results indicated there was a statistically significant difference …

Do They Make A Difference? Twin Cities Magnet Schools In The Heart Of Metropolitan Inequity And Segregation, Scott A. Thomas

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Magnet schools have served as one of the most important and widely-used desegregation tools throughout the United States. Each district, region, and state have varying degrees of implementation, policies, and goals for such schools; however, robust evidence of their effectiveness is needed. This study examines a single school district in Minnesota that uses magnet schools to meet a state desegregation order where five elementary magnet schools and five control schools were identified to understand the impact the magnet “treatment” has on achievement for students of color, English learners, and students receiving special education services. This multivariate comparative study uses the …

Best Practices Of Teaching Public Speaking Online, Sally Dufner

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Teaching public speaking online has been highly contested by communication studies instructors. The need for having a live audience has been a staple in public speaking from its inception. The COVID 19 pandemic forced many reluctant public speaking faculty members to teach this pivotal course online. Communication studies departments were required to examine their stance of offering it online or not. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to answer the following three questions: (1) Is there validity in teaching public speaking online? (2) What are best practices in teaching public speaking courses online? and (3) How do best …

“Seeing Everything About A Student”: Proactive Advising & Coaching As Intersectional Student Support Systems And Services, Corrin Helget

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Colleges and universities are struggling to retain their underrepresented students; some are searching for solutions and others are reluctant to update support services to better serve the students who require them the most. Underrepresented students are more likely to experience challenges and barriers that impact their ability to academically succeed and achieve their degrees. Many of these barriers are linked to their intersecting identities and are a result of systemic oppression. Underrepresented students deserve intersectional support systems and services that recognize their intersecting identities, work against interlocking oppressive systems and policies, and create a level playing field for underrepresented students. …

Cover-Copy-Compare As A Math Fact Fluency Intervention For Students In An Alternative Special Education Program, Raelynn J. Lamminen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Cover-Copy-Compare (CCC) has been identified as an empirically supported and socially valid intervention for promoting math fact fluency across instructional settings. However, limited research has investigated the effectiveness of CCC as a math fact fluency intervention within the setting IV environment with even fewer studies including behavioral measures as a dependent variable. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of CCC as a math fact fluency intervention with four 4th-6th grade students within the setting IV environment with math fluency deficits. Using a multiple baseline across participants design, baseline levels of digits correct per minute (DCPM) and on-task behavior were compared …

Investigating The Effectiveness Of The Positive Reinforcement Components Of Tootling, Kennedi J. Alstead

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Disruptive behavior in the classroom can have a negative impact on students’ academic and social outcomes. Additionally, teachers have expressed difficulty with implementing class-wide behavioral interventions that address this problem. Tootling is a class-wide, positive behavioral intervention that has been shown to increase prosocial behavior and academic engagement, as well as decreasing disruptive behavior in the classroom. Tootling is derived from another form of positive peer reporting and is considered the opposite of tattling. In tootling, students report on their peers’ prosocial behaviors. This intervention has multiple components that assist in its effectiveness. Specifically, there are three components with aspects …

Perceptions Of Faculty And Administration On The Value Of Service-Learning In The Tenure And Promotion Process At A Public Midwestern University, Odbayar Batsaikhan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This qualitative study examines the perceptions of faculty and administration of the value of service-learning in the promotion and tenure process at Minnesota State University, Mankato, a midsized, Midwestern public university. The study aims to determine the answers to three main questions: what barriers and logistical issues do faculty face? Is the scholarship of community-engagement recognized and considered equal to other forms of traditional scholarship? Does MSU, Mankato value service-learning in the promotion and tenure process? The researcher employed a phenomenological study to answer the research questions. He used semi-structured interviews of ten participants – nine full-time tenure-track faculty who …

The Assessment Of Emergency Preparedness Among University Students, Arliah Cox

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

University students have been an understudied population when it comes to the topic of emergency/ disaster preparedness. While there have been a few studies carried out to examine students’ perceptions of preparedness, the level of preparedness must be determined to be able to close the gap when it comes to barriers preventing them from being prepared. One hundred and eighty-seven undergraduate participants at a Midwestern university completed both online and in-person surveys in March 2022. The survey included questions regarding emergency/ disaster preparedness, perception of being prepared, and barriers which can prevent preparedness. Results showed that a lack of time …

The Effectiveness Of A Caregiver Delivered Phonics Intervention For At-Risk Students, Iwalani Dela Paz-Miller

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Reading skills are important for students' academic success. Phonics specifically is a foundational skill which is necessary for reading fluency and overall reading proficiency. Additional support outside of the classroom can be beneficial for those struggling and at-risk. There are various strategies and interventions that can help students' gain important academic skills. In addition to various reading skills and interventions, parents and caregivers can help implement interventions within the home setting to support students in their academic growth. Overall, the research has documented the effectiveness of reading intervention delivered by parents and caregivers, but there is little research on caregiver …

Student-Parenting During A Global Pandemic: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Experience Of Community College Student-Parents, Malinde Althaus

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Approximately one-quarter of undergraduate students are parents or guardians of dependent children. While having similar or higher GPAs, student-parents have lower rates of graduation than peers without children and often struggle with finances, childcare, and scheduling. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced many new stressors to our lives. In addition to the mental and physical health risks during the pandemic, college students experienced a change in delivery of classes to largely online and for parents of school age children, it has added challenges of supporting children at home in distance learning. This study used a feminist phenomenological approach to discover the lived …

Comparison Of Sexual Risk Behaviors Between Junior Male And Female Students At Pierz High School, Sandy Tautges

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the study was to conduct a secondary analysis of Minnesota Student Survey data to compare selected sexual risk behavior of male and female eleventh grade students at Pierz High School. The secondary analysis revealed that the males and females are not significantly different with respect to the selected sexual risk behaviors. The conclusion can be reached that there is no need to tailor the sexual health instruction to students based on gender.

Exploring The Opportunity And Archievement Gap: The Capacity Of Inclusive Outdoor Adventure Programming In Alleviating Youth Educational Inequity, Sarah E. Mcdonald

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The United States education system is purported to be an equalizer for students in terms of providing education, socialization, skills, and opportunities. It is, however, rife with inequality as youth socioeconomic status is largely a predictor for future economic success. Socioeconomic status further constrains their participation in enriching supplemental activities that foster meaningful development. Through a content analysis of published research, this paper specifically examines the value of outdoor adventure programming as a supplemental educational device to that of the classroom experience, particularly for low-income youth. Findings suggest that outdoor adventure programs are associated with positive social outcomes and successful …

No Future For Academic Crips: An Autoethnographic Crippling Of Academic Futurity, A. Adams

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

No Future for Academic Crips attempts to situate crip theory, critical disability studies, and communication theory squarely in the context of academia, problematizing the constraints placed on autistic identity by the demands of a graduate education. Utilizing autoethnographic vignettes along with theoretical writings regarding the creation and consolidation of crip identity, this thesis theorizes what a “neuroqueer future” looks like for academics. Six vignettes are presented to demonstrate strategies for survival employed in academic spaces, followed by analysis contextualizing and criticizing those strategies. Finally, implications for neuroqueer futurity and identity are discussed.

Assessment Of Perceived Levels Of Stress And Coping Mechanism Use Among Elementary School Teachers, Lauren Larson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The teaching profession is known to be highly stressful. Teacher stress is a real concern as there is a well-established link between job stress, burnout, and teacher attrition. Teacher attrition rates are currently at concerning levels in the United States and around the world. A cross-sectional, correlational study design was used to assess the relationship between perceived levels of stress and coping mechanism use among elementary school teachers. Participants consisted of a convenience sample of 420 public elementary school teachers in Minnesota. A 48-item survey which included the Perceived Stress Scale and Brief COPE was used to measure perceived levels …

Novice Professional School Counselor Development: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Supports And Resources, Lynn M. O'Brien

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Novice School Counselors face many challenges during their first years in the profession and may be unaware of the supports and resources that are available. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of novice professional school counselors to shed light on reported supports and resources that assist novice school counselors in their professional development. For this study, eight novice professional school counselors participated, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Each participant interview was recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four themes emerged through the data analysis: (a) sources of influence, (b) coping with adversity, (c) sense of …

Mediating The German Case System Through Concept-Based Instruction In An Online Learning Environment, Lea Pienkoss

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The English language clarifies the role of nouns through sentence structures, something German does through a case system consisting of four cases that are dependent on gender, form, and quantity (Stocker & Young, 2012). This complexity of the concept of cases often results in difficulties German language learners encounter when identifying and producing the correct forms in the new language. Thus, Ritterbusch et al. (2006) suggested teaching the case system concept-based, allowing a holistic understanding of the cases and their meaning. This case study reacts to the call to action by developing and analyzing the teaching of the meaning of …

An Evaluation Of A Brief Mindfulness And Values Training On Cyber Bullying Behavior In College Students, Emily M. Boduch

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Cyber bullying is associated with many negative outcomes for both the bully and the victim (Fahy et al., 2016; Kowalski et al., 2014; Merrell et al., 2008; Quintana-Orts & Rey, 2018). There has been a large research focus on the causes (Barlett & Gentile, 2012; Mehari & Farrell, 2018) and consequences (Fahy et al., 2016) of cyber aggression, but there has not been as much focus on the evaluation of prevention and intervention strategies (Gaffney et al., 2018). While cyber bullying is primarily targeted in adolescence, Tynes, Rose, and Markoe (2013) showed that online aggression occurs amongst university students as …