Education Commons^™

Building School Connections Through Integrating Extracurricular Programs, Grete E. Gerber

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated extracurricular program and evaluate its effectiveness on improving middle school students' emotional connectedness to the school. The integrated extracurricular program provided an opportunity for a diverse group of students to work cooperatively as a team toward a common goal.

The program's first extracurricular activity was a Haunted House event which was utilized for this study. Participants in the study included 232 students and 21 staff members. Two separate surveys were administered to the student and staff participants. Each survey resulted in general opinions about the effectiveness of the integrated extracurricular …

Assessing Undergraduate Student Involvement: A Closer Look At The African American Pattern, Adam M. Jordan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement patterns of selected African American undergraduate students and explore the reasoning as to why they choose to participate in certain groups and abstain from others. Data were collected through a three part survey with 60 Likert-type items used, and through a series of interviews. The population used was a convenience sample of 178 students at Rowan University's main campus in Glassboro, NJ. Eight students of that sample were purposely selected to participate in interviews. Data analysis of the surveys showed positive relationships between students who worked with classmates outside of …

Motivations For Participation In Adult Education Of Predominately African Americans In A Religious Organization, Shirley S. Farrar

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research (a) the participation patterns of selected predominately African American adults in a religious-based educational program (n=225), (b) determine relative motivational patterns, (c) to compare the 'most' and 'least' of importance of motivations, and to identify if the samples' demographics are related to these motivations. This study was administered in a selected church in Deptford, New Jersey in March 2009. The African American adult population with an average age of 42 demonstrated similarities of participation to a previous study. To measure motivations to participate and patterns of participation in African American adults, data …

A Study Of The Impact Rowan University's Alcohol & Other Drug Program Has On Behaviors, Dispositions & Attitudes Among Students, Jessica P. Havery

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the impact that Rowan University's Alcohol & Other Drug program had on the behaviors, dispositions and attitudes of students responsible for violating the institution's alcohol policy. The study focused on the changes among students that attended the new program, instituted in the Spring 2008 semester, during the 2008-2009 academic year. Data on the behaviors, dispositions and attitudes were collected using a pre and post-test instrument, which consisted of 53 questions composed in both close-ended and Likert form. Data analysis suggests that the most significant changes among students were behavioral in nature. …

Impact Of New Financial Aid Trend: Attitudes And Opinions, Rihab Ezzat Saadeddine

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of administrators towards the new financial aid trend that was initiated by some well-endowed private universities, and its impact on colleges and universities. The study also explored personal attitudes towards need and merit based aid, and recommendations to improve students' accessibility and affordability in higher education.

Data analysis suggests that the majority of administrators have a positive attitude towards the general principle behind the new financial aid trend. However, they stated that this new trend is not broad and that it does not address the financial aid need of most …

The Impact Of Student Employment On Student Involvement, Stefanie Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of student employment on student involvement. The study also assessed the difference in levels of involvement between those students who worked on-campus verse off-campus and assessed the impact of demographic factors on levels of student engagement. The subjects in this study were 223 students at Rowan University during the 2008-2009 academic year. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic information and information from the 2008 fall semester, such as GPA and number of credits taken. The survey also provided information on participation in activities at Rowan University and data concerning …

The Influence Of Career-Related Motivation On Academic Success, Freda Yeh

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between career-related motivation, defined by the constructs of career insight, identity, and resilience, and academic success of undergraduate students at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ. Influences on the development of these career and academic motivations were also studied. Furthermore, the study assessed the relationship between career-related motivation and academic success for students when grouped by academic years and major colleges.

A survey with eight demographic questions, including self-reported GPA, and 21 Likert-style items on a five-point scale was used to gather data on students' career and academic goals. For undergraduate students …

Student-Athletes At Rowan University: Assessing Involvement Factors And Opportunities Provided Through Athletic Participation, Mark Fusiak

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the attitudes of student-athletes toward their involvement in intercollegiate athletics. Student-athletes were surveyed from all sports sponsored by Rowan University. The survey included several measures to determine hours spent on academic and athletic pursuits, academic support and success, missed opportunities, and factors relating to personal development. Data analysis suggests that student-athletes spend equal amounts of time on academic and athletic pursuits. The study showed that female student-athletes reported missing out on opportunities because of their participation in athletics more than male student-athletes. The data also indicate that coaches, athletic administrators, and other …

An Exploration Of Obesity: Childhood Onset Obesity And Adult Onset Obesity, S. Shahed Hasheminejad

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of obesity in the United States can be considered alarming, given its dramatic increase over the past twenty years. A large percentage of the obese population suffers from both medical and psychological side effects. This study focused on how non-obese and obese individuals perceive one's own body. Based on research, it was hypothesized that obese individuals are more likely than non-obese individuals to perceive one's body negatively. It was also hypothesized that obese individuals who suffer from childhood onset obesity as opposed to adult onset obesity are more likely to perceive one's body negatively. Participants were recruited from …

Student Leadership: The Influence Of Television And Film On Today's Student Leaders, Alissa Krutoff

Theses and Dissertations

The primary focus of this study was to explore the role the media has on undergraduate student leadership. The study investigated traditional undergraduate student's understanding of leadership, personal leadership identities, perceptions of the media, and media viewing habits. Data about student views were collected by means of a survey using a series of Likert-style questions on a 5-point scale. Data were also collected with a two-part focus group series, investigating student's opinions on television, film, and leadership. Students reported the importance of leadership for undergraduate students, while identifying themselves with many of the characteristics of a leader. Students reported watching …

Correlations Of Preschool Attendance And Child Study Team Classifications, Joanellen P. Fenimore

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore possible relationships between children attending preschool and the Child Study Team classifications. Specifically, this researcher hypothesized that children who did not attend any form of preschool before entering Kindergarten were classified at a higher rate than those children who did receive a preschool education. There were a total of 55 participants; there were 28 male and 27 female participants. Students from the psychology pool and at the Academic Success Center at Rowan University were given questionnaires about their preschool attendance, child study team involvement, and their background. Students at the Academic Success …

Determining Whether The Age Children Enter Kindergarten Affects Academic And Social Development, Adrienne Sarosky

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the age children enter kindergarten has an effect on their behavior and academic and social development. This study examined age eligible children with summer birthdays who delayed kindergarten entry by one year and age eligible children with summer birthdays who started kindergarten on-time. It was hypothesized that the older kindergarten students or age eligible children who delayed kindergarten entry would perform better academically, have better social skills, and have less problem behaviors. The Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating Scale was used for this study. The SSIS assessed academic competence, social …

Childhood Temperament And Its Effects On Adjustment To College, Ashley L. Prim

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether temperaments seen in early childhood would have an effect on adjustment throughout life, especially during adjustment to college. Specifically, the researcher hypothesized that children with easy temperaments would have an easier time adjusting to college; whereas, children with slow-to-warm-up or difficult temperaments would have a more difficult time adjusting to college. A self-created survey was distributed to 30 undergraduate psychology students at Rowan University. The survey consisted of temperament and adjustment measures. Correlations were run using SPSS in order to determine the effects of temperament on adjustment to college. While the …

An Investigation Of Teachers' Perceptions Of School Psychologists, Noelle Bisinger

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate public school teachers' general knowledge and perceptions of school psychologists. This research examined 144 Kindergarten to 12th grade teachers' familiarity and interaction with school psychologists. Self-reported measures of school psychologists' helpfulness, performance, and general knowledge of school psychologists' duties and responsibilities were evaluated. Information pertaining to teachers' specialization, employment history, student population characteristics, and school size were also considered. It was hypothesized that years of teaching experience, teacher type (whether special or general education), and school population size would effect the ratings of school psychologists on all three subscales. A few significant …

Using Art To Teach Problem-Solving And Other Social Skills: The Effectiveness Of The Rate Program, Jessica Anne Masino Drass

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of an after-school art program for at risk adolescents. The RATE Program is designed to give at-risk students a place where they can express their emotions in a positive way. Through various art activities, such as working together to design and paint a mural for the school, the students will learn problem solving and social skills. All of the adolescents who participated in the RATE Program were students at a rural regional high school in Southern New Jersey. Five students total attended the RATE Program regularly, ranging in age from …

Teacher Personality: Does It Influence Effectiveness And Student Achievement In The Classroom?, Meghan A. Garrett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to learn more about how teacher personality affects teacher efficacy and student academic success in the elementary school setting. The researcher hypothesized that: a) students in classrooms with more extraverted teachers would have higher grades in reading and math than those students in classrooms with more introverted teachers and b) more extraverted teachers would score higher on a self-report inventory of teacher effectiveness than more introverted teachers. Participants' scores on the Extraversion Scale of Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) were correlated with composite scores of students' grades and answers on a self-evaluation of effectiveness. Pearson …

Medication's Effect On Classified Students' Self-Esteem And Academic Performance, Rachel S. Grizer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how medication affects self-esteem and academic performance in classified students. This study intended to focus on various disorders found in childhood to allow for an understanding of the effects of medication on self-esteem and academic performance in general. Specifically, it was hypothesized that children who receive medication for a disorder would have higher self-esteem and superior academic performance compared to children who do not receive medication. The self-concept scores from previously administered Beck Youth Inventories (BYI) and average academic grades were obtained from 50 students, 25 medicated and 25 not medicated, enrolled …

Exploring Play Attention, Brett Hoyt

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the Play Attention neurofeedback computer program to determine its efficacy in the classroom. A program that would increase students' ability to pay better attention in the classroom would vastly improve our entire educational system. The two areas that were used to determine the effectiveness of the program were improved task performance and the ability to follow directions the first time they are given. Daily progress reports of twenty different students were compared to each other over a six month period. There were ten students in the experimental group and ten students in the control group. There …

Differences In The Effects Of Social Stories In Children With Autism And Asperger's Syndrome, Stephanie S. Mead

Theses and Dissertations

The differences in effects of a Social Story intervention were measured between children with Autism and children with Asperger's Syndrome. Social initiation was the dependent variable that was measured during an ABA reversal research design. The overall effect of the Social Story intervention of the whole group was analyzed by a one sample t-test. A t-test of two independent samples was used to evaluate whether or not a significant difference existed between the Autism group and the Asperger's Syndrome group in all three conditions. Results indicated that there was no significant difference in social initiation for the whole group or …

The Effects Of Supplemental Educational Services On Student Achievement, Regina F. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Supplemental educational services (SES) are a core component of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) that provide free academic assistance in reading, language arts and mathematics for eligible students. Supplemental educational services include tutoring and other educational interventions that align with the state's academic content standards provided outside of the regular school day. Despite four years of supplemental services educational and millions of dollars spent, little is known about the effects of SES on student achievement. This study hypothesized that after the sixth month of SES tutoring, students in the experimental group would achieve higher scores on …

Anxiety And Birth Order: Does Birth Order Play A Role In A Child's Anxiety Level?, Tarah R. Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to see if there is an interaction between anxiety levels and birth order. It was hypothesized that the first-born child would have a higher level of total anxiety than a non-first born child. It was also hypothesized that females would have an overall higher level of anxiety than males. The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale 2^nd Edition, which was used to measure the different subtests of anxiety, tested for specific types of anxiety: total anxiety, worrying, social anxiety, physiological anxiety, and defensiveness. It was hypothesized that females would feel a higher level of …

Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes Toward The Use Of Inclusive Classrooms, Lee E. Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

Inclusion in today's classrooms is, on the most part, widely accepted as an appropriate placement for students with differing arrays of disabilities. Although inclusion is often mandated by law, general education teachers more often do not have the proper training or positive attitudes toward its use. This study looks for specific characteristics, traits or differences from those who have negative attitudes or positive attitudes toward inclusionary classrooms in the next generation of teachers. The main hypothesis is pre-service educators will have more positive attitudes after taking the Human Exceptionality class. Finally, implications are made regarding the kind of training general …

The Prevalence Of Substance Abuse In Adolescents With A Mental Illness And The Efficacy Of On-Going Psychiatric Treatment, Kristin Short-Giles

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research adolescents with a mental illness and their substance use. The study compared adolescents receiving ongoing psychiatric treatment to those without treatment and their current substance use. In reference to this study, ongoing psychiatric treatment included outpatient counseling and psychiatric medications. It was hypothesized that the adolescents who were receiving ongoing psychiatric treatment, whether it was out-patient counseling or psychiatric medications, were less likely to use substances compared to their peers who received zero psychiatric treatment. It was also hypothesized that the females in the study were less likely to substance use compared …

A Study Of Selected Teachers' Methods To Improve Parental Involvement In Education, Michael Sandberg

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to explore teaching methods of selected teachers that help to improve parental involvement in education at a middle school in South Jersey. The study also investigated demographic factors such as gender, subject taught, subject or discipline taught, and years of teaching experience. Data on the attitudes were collected by means of a survey using 14 Likert-type items using a 4 point scale and 4 open-ended questions. Research and this study show that a variety of teacher's methods could improve the communication and involvement of parents in the educational process.

Social Stories: Do They Improve The Social Pragmatic Skills Of Second Through Fourth Grade Students With Learning Disabilities?, Kristine A. Egrie

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if social stories would improve the social pragmatic skills, specifically asking a question and staying on topic, of second through fourth grade students with learning disabilities. The subjects were six selected students enrolled within a self contained class for students with learning disabilities in southern New Jersey in February and March 2008. Data on social pragmatic skills were collected during the four phases (ABCA) of the study on a tally data sheet during their 35 minute grammar class. Data analysis suggests that both social stories improved the students' demonstration of pragmatic …

Will Using The Self-Regulated Development Model Improve Math Word Problem Solving Skills For Seventh Grade Students With Learning Disabilities?, Heather D'Antonio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine if the Self-Regulated Development Model would improve word problem solving skills for seventh grade students. The participants were 17 seventh graders, one student classified as Specific Learning Disabled and two other students were in the process of evaluations. The students were given four word problems to solve over the course of week before they learned the Self-Regulated Development Model. After students became familiar with the Strategy, they solved the word problems again, using the Self-regulated Development Model. Students usually respond to word problems by leaving it blank or writing "I don't know." …

Guided Reading Instruction And Making Words, Amanda Cavaliere

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine if the use of the Making Words strategy, when implemented during Guided Reading instruction in a first grade classroom, improves the decoding skills of first grade students with and without disabilities. The students were administered the Yopp-Singer Test of Phonemic Segmentation as a pretest and posttest of the study. The Making Words strategy was implemented at the conclusion of each guided reading lesson during a ten week period. There were 16 first grade students included in this study, four of whom had disabilities. The average number of words correctly segmented at the …

Inclusion: Influencing Attitudes Through Training, Collaboration, And Support, Donna L. Groon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the current attitudes towards inclusion of kindergarten through 5^th grade general education teachers and paraprofessionals in a small New Jersey school district. Participants were surveyed using the MATIES, Multidimensional Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education Scale. An attempt was made to influence the attitudes of those teachers and paraprofessionals through a brief series of interventions that included in-service training, collaboration between the researcher, teachers and paraprofessionals, and the provision of support to teachers in areas where they expressed a specific need. After the intervention, participants were resurveyed to determine if a change in …

Impact Of The Orton-Gillingham Program On The Reading Of Students Who Are Reading Below Grade Level, Diana M. Sweeney

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effectiveness of the Orton-Gillingham supplemental tutoring program on third grade students. Participants were struggling readers who read at a slow rate. These students are in regular education, Basic Skills Improvement Program, or special education classes. Students received tutoring in groups which consisted of four to five students in each group and were homogeneous. The Dynamic Indicator for Early Basic Literature Skills assessments were used as a baseline in September, and posttest in January and February, to measure abilities in fluency, decoding, and story retell/comprehension. Results indicate that the Orton-Gillingham Program was effective at improving the fluency …