Education Commons^™

The Effects Of Training In Peer Assessment On University Students' Writing Performance And Peer Assessment Quality In An Online Environment, Yun Xiao

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

This study was designed to examine the effects of peer-assessment skill training on students' writing performance, the quality of students' feedback, the quality (validity and reliability) of student-generated scores, and the students' satisfaction with the peer assessment method in an online environment. A quasi-experimental design was employed to test group differences on the dependent variables. Four hundred and seventy-three sophomore and junior undergraduate students who were enrolled in a Foundations of Education course were selected by convenience sampling at a Large East-Coast Urban University. Students enrolled in Spring and Fall semesters of 2008 were assigned to the two experimental groups …

Determining The Utility Of Technology For Education, Brian Spencer Dillon

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

There is a substantial debate concerning the place of technology in education. This debate has been going on over every technology introduced through at least three millennia although the modern version takes place in journal articles. Technology, in the general sense, is already in the educational arena 1n ways which have become so commonplace that we hardly question them today. More modern technologies, however, meet perpetual resistance in achieving their potential. This paper calls into question the most recent trend in research and suggests a new research paradigm which focuses not only on student achievement, but on a variety of …

Criminology And Criminal Justice: Differences In Programs At The Master's Level, Ruth Triplett, Elizabeth Monk-Turner

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Our aim in this work is to: (1) determine how distinct the program structure and curriculum content for graduate education in Criminology was compared to Criminal Justice; and (2) evaluate whether the diversity or consistency of the curriculum in either field varied depending of what type of department was offering the degree. Differences in department titles, hours required for the M.A. degree, program descriptions, curriculum content and curriculum content by department type between M.A. programs in Criminology and Criminal Justice were examined. The results suggested there is both consistency and difference in program structure and in curriculum content across the …

Making The Case For Disciplinarity In Rhetoric, Composition, And Writing Studies: The Visibility Project, Louise Weatherbee Phelps, John M. Ackerman

English Faculty Publications

In the Visibility Project, professional organizations have worked to gain recognition for the disciplinarity of writing and rhetoric studies through representation of the field in the information codes and databases of higher education. We report success in two important cases: recognition as an "emerging field" in the National Research Council's taxonomy of research disciplines; and the assignment of a code series to rhetoric and composition/writing studies in the federal Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP). We analyze the rhetorical strategies and implications of each case and call for continuing efforts to develop and implement a "digital strategy" for handling data about …

Climate Change And Sea Level Rise Initiative (Ccslri), Larry P. Atkinson

CCSLRI Brochures

Brochure of the Old Dominion University Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Initiative (CCSLRI)

Comparison Of Quality Of Life Perceptions Of Caregivers Of Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities In The United States And The Czech Republic, Sharon A. Raver, Anne M. Michalek, Jan Michalik, Milan Valenta

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Caregivers of individuals with disabilities in the United States have been reported to experience additional hardships than families with typical children as they attempt to balance family and work (Parish, Rose, Grinstein-Weiss, Richman, & Andrews, 2008). In this study, 31 caregivers of individuals with intellectual disabilities from the United States and 225 from the Czech Republic completed a qualitative quality of life survey. Similarities in the two groups were found in reported gains and losses from caregiving responsibilities. Differences in perceived spirituality, personal sense of peace and serenity, life optimism, ability to rejoice in life, personal life perspective, health, financial …

An Evaluation Of Risk Management Courses Offered In Engineering Management Programs, S. Jimmy Gandhi, C. Ariel Pinto

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

For this paper, the authors have surveyed a total of 22 engineering management (EM) programs in the United States (both accredited and non-accredited). The purpose of this study was to analyze the offering of risk management courses as part of the engineering management curriculum. The findings showed that the majority of the programs did not offer a single dedicated course on risk management and merely covered the topic as part of other courses such as project management. The authors have made recommendations that risk management should be included as a required part of the EM curriculum due to the higher …

Parental Influences On Hmong University Students' Success, Andrew J. Supple, Shuntay Z. Mccoy, Yudan Wang

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

This study reports findings from a series of focus groups conducted on Hmong American university students. The purpose of the focus groups was to understand how, from the perspective of Hmong American students themselves, acculturative stress and parents influenced academic success. Findings of a thematic analysis centered on general themes across focus group respondents that related to parental socialization, gendered socialization, and ethnic identification. Each identified themes is discussed in reference to gendered patterns of experiences in Hmong American families and in reference to academic success.

Emerging Theoretical Models Of Reading Through Authentic Assessments Among Preservice Teachers: Two Case Studies, Eileen S. Oboler, Abha Gupta

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This two-part study examines the emerging understanding of the reading process among preservice teachers (PTs), enrolled in a teacher preparation course on diagnostic reading. The study focuses on the use of reading assessment tools to understand the process of reading, while using reading inventories for diagnostic as well as pedagogical purposes' PTs' self-reflections support a developing insight into the reading process. Through the process of inquiry and self-reflections, PTs discovered critical issues related to literacy, namely, metacognition, prior knowledge, cultural factors, instructional implications, and content area reading. These findings have implications for the teaching of reading as inquiry-based instruction, enabling …

Examining Sociocultural Contexts Of Classrooms To Foster Student Mathematical Discourse And Learning, Melva R. Grant

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Mathematics learning and teaching are optimized in classrooms when reform-oriented culture (ROC) is present. This report presents a case study that illustrates how ROC manifested and influenced mathematical Discourses in one sixth-grade classroom. The data was drawn from a study that addressed the question: How do classroom interactions influence mathematical Discourses? The study used interpretive methodology for analysis. One finding was that classroom boundary interactions either enhanced or hindered mathematical Discourses dependent upon sociocultural context alignments. An implication of this research is when “effective” learning and/or teaching strategies are identified, “effective” implementation may require paying close attention to sociocultural context …

African-American English: Teacher Beliefs, Teacher Needs And Teacher Preparation Programs, Abha Gupta

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate elementary school teachers' self-perceived beliefs regarding African-American English (AAE), and their professional preparedness to address linguistic needs of AA students in the classrooms. The findings revealed three central issues: (1) teachers had limited understanding of the linguistic features of AAE, (2) teachers believed they had limited pedagogical skills to address issues related to AAE, and (3) teachers indicated that teacher education programs at the pre-service level were inadequate in preparing them for teaching students who spoke AAE in the classrooms. The study has implications for teachers' in-service training needs regarding culturally …

Learning About Scholarship In Action In Concept And Practice, Louise Wetherbee Phelps

English Faculty Publications

[First paragraph] In her inaugural year (2005), Chancellor Nancy Cantor announced her vision of Syracuse University as a campus that would be deeply engaged with the world, in activities and partnerships with communities that she named "scholarship in action." Recognizing the difficulty of fitting such public or community-engaged scholarship into the traditional framework for defining and evaluating faculty work, she called on the Academic Affairs Committee of the Senate (AAC) to study the issues related to implementing this vision. The Committee responded to this request by undertaking in Spring, 2005 a study of scholarship of action both as a concept …

Implementing Tablet Pcs In A Distance Learning Environment, Glenda Scales, Sharon Caraballo, James Groves, Rosalyn Hobson, Linda Vahala, Catherine Amelink

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) The Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program (CGEP) is a collaborative distance education program developed by leading Universities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is over 25 years old and its main goal is to deliver graduate engineering courses to qualified professionals located across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Traditionally, the courses delivered to students in this program are done through interactive video conferencing (IVC) technology and most students are required to drive to a physical location. However, an increasing number of working professionals are beginning to want more flexibility with the timing and locations of these classes. With these changes …

Tobacco Indemnification Money And Its Impact On Education In Southwest Virginia, Mark Miller

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine the educational impact of tobacco settlement funds on quota holders and growers in Southwest Virginia.

Research In Technology Education, Philip A. Reed (Editor), James E. Laporte (Editor)

STEMPS Faculty Books

Due to the laboratory-based nature of technology and engineering education programs, professionals in our field have often focused on the resources in our classrooms and laboratories and the instructional methodologies used to address specific concepts. Formal research into content and practice has often given way to “what seems right”. New curriculum is constantly being introduced (based on what is occurring in business and industry), yet the inclusion for those evolving concepts in courses and programs is typically not verified.

Hence, the importance of the 2010 CTTE yearbook and its focus on the dire need for an aggressive research agenda in …

A Preliminary Study: Do Alternative Certification Route Programs Develop The Necessary Skills And Knowledge In Assistive Technology?, Sherry Mee Bell, David F. Cihak, Sharon Judge

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

A large number of special education teachers in the United States are prepared in alternative certification programs and insufficient empirical information exists regarding their knowledge of assistive technology. The purpose of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation of alternatively licensed special education teachers' knowledge, experience, and confidence with assistive technology. One-hundred twenty-three special education teachers who were enrolled in an alternative license program were surveyed. The data indicated a significant positive relation between teachers' knowledge/usage and their confidence with assistive technology (r = .74; p < .01). In addition, the extent to which the teachers' perceived barriers to integrating assistive technology in the classroom were moderated by their level of confidence. The results are presented in the context of building special education teachers' knowledge and skills as well as affective issues regarding assistive technology.

Standardization Of Learning Management Systems, Deborah J. B. Richard

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if sharable content object model, the aviation industry CBT committee, and extensible markup language standards are compatible as they pertain to the effective and productive use of a standards management systems for e-learning courses among systems.

Effectiveness Of Group Instructional Technology Staff Development Versus Individualized Training Among Middle And High School Teachers, Tina Evans

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine whether instructional technology training in Isle of Wight County met the needs of the professional staff.

M&S Body Of Knowledge: Progress Report And Look Ahead, Andreas Tolk

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Developmental Screenings For Young Children, Janice Chandler Ranne

Health Services Research Dissertations

This study examines the usefulness of the New Model of Children's Health and its Influences for the identification of predictors for health service effectiveness. Health service effectiveness is measured by probability estimations of whether young children receive formal or informal developmental screenings. Screenings lead to prevention of communication delays in later childhood. Formal screenings with standardized questions are preferred over informal screenings, which are knowledgeable observations. The theoretical framework is a child-centered socio-ecological theory that is untested for use in health service effectiveness studies until the present one. Four developmental concepts of the theoretical framework, social environment, physical environment, biological …

The Status Of Research In Technology Education, Philip A. Reed

STEMPS Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Green Ships: Keeping Oceans Blue, Petros J. Katsioloudis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article discusses the contribution by the marine transport sector to air and water pollution. According to a congressional research report, cruise ships produce large volume of wastes like sewage, wastewater from sinks, showers, and galleys, hazardous wastes, solid wastes, oily bilge water, ballas water and polluted air. Ship manufacturers are advised to create Green Ships that prevent pollution while governments are urged to strengthen the laws that prohibit dumping of waste to oceans to alleviate pollution.

Identification Of Quality Visual-Based Learning Material For Technology Education, Petros Katsioloudis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

[First Paragraph]

In learning environments, the visual elements of courses, lessons, and presentations play an important role in learning. Well-conceived and rendered visuals help any audience understand and retain information (Wileman, 1993).

Alumni Engaging Students From Under-Served Groups In Southern Appalachia, Mitchell R. Williams, Laura Leatherwood, Laura Byrd, Monica S. Boyd, Kevin Pennington

Educational Foundations & Leadership Faculty Publications

The study explores how alumni can help community colleges in Southern Appalachia to create greater access for people in groups which are traditionally under-served by higher education. Semi-structured interviews conducted with alumni program directors and admissions officers at seven community colleges in the Southern Appalachian Region explore how they use alumni to recruit and retain students from non-dominant groups as well as students from generationally poor families. Examples of "best practices" illustrate ways alumni can help recruit, motivate, and retain students from historically under-served groups.

Protests In The Sixties, Kellie C. Sorey, Dennis Gregory

Educational Foundations & Leadership Faculty Publications

The imminent philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it" (1905). The protests that occurred on American campuses in the 1960s may lend support for that statement. This article will describe major events of the protest movement during this period, describe the societal and institutional contexts within which these protests occurred, and will hopefully encourage student affairs professionals to examine the emerging student activism of today to avoid the mistakes of the past. Many of today's senior administrators and faculty were college students during the protest era. These authors suggest that these …

Introduction To This Special Issue: Faculty Intellectual Property In The Digital Age, Gary R. Morrison, Gary J. Anglin, Jennifer M. Maddrell

STEMPS Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) Prior to the third generation of distance education that is described as telelearning (Taylor 1995) or teleconferencing (Moore and Kearsley 1996), there were few questions about the ownership of a faculty member’s intellectual property. It was extremely rare for an institution to claim ownership of a professor’s class materials whether lecture notes, flip charts, overhead transparencies, audio and video recording, monographs, handouts or tests. With the advent of Internet-based distance education delivery systems including 2-way audio and video as well as online courses, the issue of intellectual property ownership has grown complex.

Breathing Like A Fish, Petros J. Katsioloudis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article offers information on industrial oxygen rebreathers, an underwater breathing equipment used by divers. It states that rebreather is an electromechanical device that supply breathing gas through infusion of oxygen and reprocessing of carbon dioxide by using a chemical scrubber. It mentions that most rebreathers comprise of breathing loop, breathing lungs, and a canister where the scrubber is placed with the partial pressure (pO₂) sensors and interface devices like heads-up display (HUD) to show pO₂ levels. It also discusses types of rebreathers such as the oxygen rebreather, the oldest rebreather mainly used by navy diver, and …

Educational Technology Research Past And Present: Balancing Rigor And Relevance To Impact School Learning, Steven M. Ross, Gary R. Morrison, Deborah L. Lowther

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Today, the exponential growth of technology usage in education, via such applications of distance education, Internet access, simulations, and educational games, has raised substantially the focus and importance of educational technology research. In this paper, we examine the past and present research trends, with emphasis on the role and contribution of research evidence for informing instructional practices and policies to improve learning in schools. Specific topics addressed include: (a) varied conceptions of “effective” technology uses in classroom instruction as topics for research, (b) historical trends in research approaches and topics of inquiry; (c) alternative research designs for balancing internal (rigor) …

Understanding Materials, Petros J. Katsioloudis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article discusses the importance of understanding the characteristics of materials that will be used for different applications. Through the years, the inventions and innovations in the technology of materials are becoming more technologically complex. Innovations in the materials are divided in different categories, including metals, ceramics, polymers and composites. Example of such innovations in the technology of materials include the ceramic composite applied to the surface of the space shuttle panels to absorb and release high amounts of heat.

A Continuum Of Paraeducator Support For Utilization In Adapted Physical Education, Justin A. Haegele, Francis M. Kozub

Human Movement Sciences Faculty Publications

This article describes three different ways of using paraeducators during adapted physical education. (1.) Having paraeducators read a portion of the lesson plan that describes the desired support towards lesson objectives. Paraeducators then assist all students when needed. (2.) Assigning specific modifications for paraeducators through the IEP process. These modifications maybe designed for a single child and listed in the lesson plan. The paraeducator then provides specific support for a particular child. (3.) Using video modeling to create media clips for paraeducators to view prior to assisting children during the lesson. The media clips include modeling of key lesson concepts …