Education Commons^™

Changes In Special Education Teacher Roles While Implementing One-To-One Devices In Rural Secondary Public Schools, Heather Farley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Successful technology integration takes many forms and performs several functions, but at its core, the integration of technology into a curriculum must feel seamless, be student-centered, and begin with the end goal in mind. The purpose of this study was to explore how the role and function of middle and high school special education teachers have changed after integrating one-to-one student devices in their classrooms. This study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach to look at how the roles of middle and high school special education teachers have changed due to the implementation of a one-to-one device initiative in a rural …

A Statewide Study Of Secondary Cte Policies, Practices, And Procedures, Avery D. Anderson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions of selected CTE directors regarding policies, practices, and procedures in West Virginia. Specific CTE components investigated included philosophy and rationale, structure, curricula, partnerships, evaluation, challenges, and future goals. Purposeful and snowball sampling were used to select study participants (N=20) who were active CTE directors in West Virginia. Participants had to possess at least one year of experience as a CTE administrator in their current position to be eligible for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the 20 directors to gather their perspective regarding CTE policies, practices, and procedures. …

Embracing The Reggio Emilia Approach To Early Childhood Education, Tarabeth Brumfield Heineman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Each year, hundreds of early childhood educators from the many parts of the world travel to a small town in the northern part of Italy to study the arts-based, project focused, a child-initiated method known as the Reggio Emilia approach. This unique approach focuses on infant-toddler through preschool and primary education. While teachers are engaged in professional learning and growth, it is hard to determine how many early childhood programs and classrooms are truly influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach. The purpose of this study was to explore and examine the experiences of five teachers from West Virginia who have …

Perceptions On Charter Schools In West Virginia, Donna R. Dixon

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In 2018 and 2019, the public school teachers in West Virginia walked out of their classrooms to protest charter schools opening in the Mountain State. During a special legislative session in the summer of 2019, the state's first charter school law was passed, paving the way to open West Virginia's first charter school. This research provides data on whether the COVID-19 global pandemic changed how individuals in West Virginia view charter schools. A concurrent nested mixed-method approach was used for this research. A twenty-one-question survey, Perceptions on Charter Schools in West Virginia, was developed using both Likert scale and …

School Psychology Shortages In West Virginia, Elizabeth Anne Sutfin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The United States continues to experience a shortage of school psychologists nationwide which has been found to impact both students and school psychologists in negative ways. There is a broad scope of practice that school psychologists are competently able to provide but are physically unable to deliver because of their need to focus on required assessments and testing. Overwhelming workloads can create stress and lead to burnout. However, little research has been done to understand the shortage of school psychologists in the country, including the state of West Virginia. To better understand West Virginia’s shortage problem, this researcher conducted a …

Teacher Unrest In West Virginia, 2018-2019, Lindsey D. Reed

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In 2018, the United States saw an influx of teacher strikes which were largely propagated by red-state legislation. Then and now, teachers are trying to gain a voice in educational legislation despite corporate and political strongholds on legislators. As a last measure to gain access to the policymaking process, teachers strike. When teachers strike, it becomes a social issue which puts pressure on families, the economy, and legislation. The purpose of this non-experimental, descriptive study was to examine the perceptions of teachers who participated in the 2018 and 2019 West Virginia teachers’ strikes as they relate to their interactions with …

Consequences For Public School Truancy And Whether They Affect Student Attendance In West Virginia Counties: A Comprehensive Study, Matthew Jacob Messer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Compulsory attendance for school-aged children began in Massachusetts in 1852 and spread to every state in America by 1918. More than 100 years later, educators and other stakeholders continue to struggle to get many students to attend school on a consistent basis and at the desired rate. Failure to do so has significant short- and long-term effects for those students, their schools, their communities, and their future families. There are two types of problematic student attendance: truancy and chronic absenteeism. Truancy counts only unexcused absences and focuses on judicial implications; chronic absenteeism, on the other hand, counts all absences and …

Staying Informed: Superintendents And Their Experience With Evidence-Based Research In The West Virginia Public School System, Gabriel Dwayne King

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to explore the sources used by West Virginia public school superintendents to stay informed; how useful they find evidence-based research; the perceptions they have regarding the overall usefulness/credibility of evidence-based research; the barriers that exist to the use of evidence-based research; and whether there are relationships between selected demographic variables and superintendents’ consumption of evidence-based research. Data were collected using a 10-question researcher adapted survey administered to 59 superintendents in West Virginia. This study continues the work of Treadway (2015) and Hoylman (2017) in the local public education arena. The most relied upon source …

Teacher And Administrator Perspectives On Formative Student Assessment In Career And Technical Education: For Career And Technical Teachers And Administrators, Ryan K. Haught

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate career and technical education teachers’ level of knowledge and use of formative student assessment practices in the classrooms and laboratories of comprehensive high schools and technical education centers across West Virginia. In addition, this study examined factors identified by teachers as supports or barriers to implementation of formative student assessment. Finally, this study described administrator perspectives on teachers’ knowledge and use of formative student assessment practices and explore administrator perspectives on identified supports and barriers to their teachers’ implementation of formative student assessment practices.

A researcher-developed survey was used to collect data …

Awareness Of Clery Act Reporting Requirements Across Institutional Strata In West Virginia Community And Technical Colleges, Christina C. Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

More than 25 years after its enactment, colleges are still finding themselves failing to comply with Clery Act reporting mandates. With each amendment to the Clery Act and its associated policies, the trend has been to add to the list of reportable items, which only increases the difficulty of institutional compliance. The purpose of this non-experimental, descriptive study was to evaluate employee awareness of the Clery Act and its current Clery Act reporting requirements at varying employment strata within West Virginia’s nine community and technical colleges. Using a web-based survey, data showed that approximately one-fourth of survey participants had never …

The Role Of Evidence-Based Research In The Decision-Making Process As Perceived By Local Board Of Education Policymakers In West Virginia, Elizabeth Anne Hoylman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This non-experimental, descriptive study explored the perceptions of PK-12 policymakers in West Virginia regarding the sources of information they use in the decision-making process; whether and how evidence-based research is relied upon; whether evidence-based research is considered credible and usable; and what barriers, facilitators, and demographic data may play roles in the decision-making process. Data were collected from a 15-question researcher-created survey administered to nearly 200 county board of education members. Results indicated that while policymakers think evidence-based research is important, they nonetheless use it less than other types of information. Consumers consider research reports too lengthy. Respondents indicated they …

Principal And Faculty Senate Chair Perceptions Of Faculty Senate Participation In Teacher Hiring In West Virginia Schools, Sarah Elizabeth Grose

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to assess principals’ and faculty senate chairs’ perceptions of the effectiveness of WV BOE Policy 5000: Procedures for Designated Hiring and Transfer of School Personnel, in improving teacher hiring practices in West Virginia schools. Policy 5000 was enacted on September 16, 2013; therefore, West Virginia’s schools were required by state policy to include a configuration of faculty senate committees in the hiring process, if the faculty senate voted to participate. A wide-scale effectiveness status check has not been conducted since that date. A mixed-methods study was designed to examine the perceptions of principals and …

The Relation Of Dropout Prevention Programs In West Virginia Schools To Dropout Rates And Principal Perceptions Of Effectiveness, Vicky Callison Cline

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study used non-experimental survey research to gather data on the kinds of dropout prevention programs in place in West Virginia high schools in 2014-15 and to evaluate their effectiveness based on possible relationships between principals’ perceptions of the programs and graduation rates. The study focused on nine of 15 effective strategies for dropout prevention identified by the National Dropout Prevention Center: School-Community Collaboration, Safe Learning Environment, Family Engagement, Mentoring/Tutoring, Service Learning, Alternative School, After School, Individualized Instructional, and Career and Technical Education Programs. A tenth program, Alternative Pathways to Diploma, cited as one of four policy recommendations and best …

Campus Climates Experienced By United States Military Veterans, Michael Jessee Adkins

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to learn how military veterans experienced higher education campus climates. A recent West Virginia law requires state-operated colleges to become veteran friendly and this study examined the perceptions of veterans who attended college before and after the passage of the law. Six veterans participated in a series of in-depth interviews regarding their personal experiences with attention given to factors that enabled and/or constrained their academic progress. The interviews were electronically recorded using audio media and standard conventions of informed consent were followed. Interview transcripts were produced, coded, analyzed to identify common themes, and interpreted …

West Virginia's Low Percentage Of Population With At Least A Four-Year College Education, Britt Arcadipane

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This report analyzes key factors concerning West Virginia’s rank as last in the nation with residents that have obtained a four-year bachelor’s degree or higher. This quantitative study will examine political, economic, and sociological components at the state and county level using data collected primarily from various government and state institutions. An emphasis is placed on three main factors: poverty, parental education levels, and low socio-economic status (SES) high schools. Other variables analyzed will be high school graduation and dropout rates, free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL) eligibility, college retention rates, first-generation student population, and the influence of resource-extractive industries. Poverty …

A Study Of West Virginia Elementary Special Education Teachers' Roles, Responsibilities, And Practices Within A Multitiered Instructional Support System: Implications For Policy And Practice, Linda M. Palenchar

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to provide a data-based description of West Virginia special education teachers’ roles, responsibilities, and practices relevant to their participation in selected components of the Response to Intervention (RTI) process. Special educators’ practices related to assessment, tiered instruction, decision making, and collaboration comprise the main components of study and were based on a conceptual framework developed by Hoover and Patton (2008). A researcher-developed survey, the Special Educator Response to Intervention Inventory (SERTII), was used to explore the extent and characteristics of special educators’ participation in RTI. The study population included all elementary special education teachers …

Attendance Rates Of Special Populations In One Rural County, Julie Bright

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this current study is to determine if a difference exists in the attendance rates for special education students and low socioeconomic status students when compared to their peers who do not have these designations. The attendance data from one rural county school district for the years of 2007-2011 were examined to determine if a difference in the attendance rates did exist. Results from this research revealed that students receiving special education services were absent significantly more than their general education peers. However, students of low socioeconomic status were not absent any more than their peers who were …

Implementation Of Language And Literacy Practices By Prekindergarten Teachers In The West Virginia Universal Pre-K System, Leslie Papelier

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study investigated the perceived frequency of implementation of language and literacy practices for 217 West Virginia Pre-K teachers. Teachers were employed in public school-based and community-based classrooms for 4-year-olds. Respondents completed the Language and Literacy Practice Survey (LLPS), which measured their perceived frequency of implementation of 18 language and literacy practices. Their overall perceived ability level for implementing effective language and literacy instruction was also assessed. Respondents also rated their use of resources and materials to facilitate effective language and literacy instruction. Additionally, respondents answered open-ended qualitative questions to determine perceived constraints that may hinder their effective implementation of …

The National Board Certification Process: A Comparison Of The Perceptions Of National Board Certified Teachers And National Board Candidates In West Virginia, Raymond L. Singleton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

More than twenty years of research have been devoted to the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification process, much of it focused on the effects of National Board certified teachers (NBCTs) on student achievement. Less attention has been paid to the effects of the process on teachersʼ skills and practices, while virtually no research has focused on teachers who attempted the process but did not succeed (NB Candidates). Using the NBPTS Five Core Propositions as a basis for survey items and open-ended questions, this mixed-methods study examined and compared the perceptions of West Virginia NBCTs and National Board …

Dynamic Indicators Of Basic Early Literacy Skills (Dibels): A Comparison Of Scoring Systems, Ashley E. Barr

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to compare scoring systems of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, commonly known as DIBELS. Currently, there are two systems for scoring the DIBELS assessments. The first system is a paper and pencil approach and the second system is electronic and utilizes a handheld palm-pilot. This study determined whether the electronically scored DIBELS produces the same scores as the hand-scored DIBELS. It was hypothesized that the electronically scored DIBELS will yield significantly different scores than the hand-scored DIBELS. Median scores obtained from the electronic palm-pilot were compared to median scores obtained from …

Investigating West Virginia Students' Perceptions Of The Factors Affecting Their Educational Aspirations, Kimberly S. Cowley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of West Virginia students about factors affecting their educational aspirations and to determine whether these factors differed significantly over time, by gender, or by parents‟ college history. Research questions included: (1) To what extent will constructs emerging from West Virginia student data parallel the eight constructs identified as supporting student aspirations by the University of Maine‟s National Center for Student Aspirations? (2) To what extent do students‟ perceptions of these factors differ over time, from seventh to ninth grade? (3) To what extent do students‟ perceptions of these factors differ …

School Counseling In West Virginia: An Examination Of School Counselors And Implementation Of Wv Policy 2315, Christine J. Schimmel

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Since the inception of the profession of school counseling there has been confusion and inconsistency about what the appropriate role of the school counselor should be. Beginning in 2002, the State of West Virginia followed a nationwide movement to attempt to clarify the role of the school counselor by implementing Policy 2315, West Virginia's policy on Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling. However, since the creation of the policy, no statewide study has been conducted to determine if West Virginia school counselors are fully implementing the policy which is based on the American School Counselor Association‟s National Model for school counseling programs. …

Phonological Awareness Instruction: Opinions And Practices Of Educators And Speech-Language Pathologists In West Virginia, Melinda J. Daniel

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Research has shown phonological awareness to be a strong predictor of literacy. To support literacy development, a phonological awareness project was piloted in several West Virginia schools in 2001. This study compared WV educators based on employment setting (schools participating and those not participating in the phonological awareness project) and professional category (classroom teacher, reading specialist, speech-language pathologist) on answers to survey questions related to phonological awareness. Results showed no significant relationships between employment setting and responses. However, reading specialists reported spending more minutes per week providing phonological awareness instruction to children at risk for reading difficulty than did speech-language …

Faculty And Program Predictors Of Pass Rates Of Graduates Of Nursing Programs In West Virginia On The National Council Licensure Examination For Registered Nurses 1991 To 2000, Lynda F. Skinner Turner

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mean student program scores on standardized pre-graduation nursing tests, program attendance policies, grading scales, policies on repeating nursing courses, faculty turnover, degree, teaching experience, clinical nursing experience, part-time faculty, national certification, and NCLEX-RN success in West Virginia nursing programs from 1991-2000. A causal comparative and correlational design was used to investigate the relationship between the dependent variable of NCLEX-RN pass rates and the independent variables. The population of this study consisted of 19 undergraduate nursing programs preparing graduates for entry into practice as registered nurses. Data collection tools utilized …

A Historical Review Of Secondary School Athletic Training Coverage In West Virginia, Brian W. Potter

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this research is to review the history of athletic training in the secondary schools of West Virginia, as well as to determine how appropriate the current level of athletic healthcare is for West Virginia’s secondary school athletes. Participation surveys from the WVSSAC, membership statistics from the NATA, Friday night football game reports, and documents from the WVDE were used to gather data. Since 1988 the total number of high schools with football and number of football athletes has decreased, while the total number of certified athletic trainers (ATCs) in West Virginia has increased. The number of ATCs …

An Appeal For Racial Justice : The Civic Interest Progressives' Confrontation With Huntington, West Virginia And Marshall University, 1963-1965, Bruce A. Thompson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In 1963, the shock waves of the sit-in movement and the growing black unrest throughout the country reached Huntington. This growing discontent with the status quo of segregation and racial discrimination and the impulse from the sit-in movement for direct, non-violent protest combined to mobilize several students at Marshall University who formed the Civic Interest Progressives (CIP), a biracial civil rights group.

Educational Development Of Preston County, George P. Ayersman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Preston County 1g ono of the important counties of the State of West Virginia. It borders on two state a, Pennsylvania and Maryland, and four counties of West Virginia, Tucker, Barbour, Taylor and Monongalia. Preston County was formed from Monongalia in 1818. It has an area of seven hundred square miles, being one of the larger counties of the state. It extends along the full eastern Maryland line, thirty-six miles and along the Mason and Dixon line, twenty-two miles. The first efforts to provide education were patterned after the schools in England. Also, included apprenticeships for orphans sent from the …