Education Commons^™

Bridging The Divide: Second Language Teachers, Pedagogy, Content Knowledge, And Technology, Margo Fryling

Wayne State University Dissertations

Abstract

This study examines the use of technology, pedagogy and content knowledge with second language teachers, and comparing Title 1 and non Title 1 schools. Technology can be used to provide unique learning opportunities for second language learners. Second language students can benefit from technology by practicing skills, increasing motivation, providing authentic materials, creating interaction between students, teachers and peers, creating individual learning, encouraging global understanding and increasing communication in safe ways (Lai & Kritsonsis, 2006). Although technology shows promise for increasing second language student achievement, students continue to have varied access at home, perpetuating the digital divide that was …

Risk Taking Behaviors In Emerging Adults And Peer, Sibling & Parental Relationships, Malasri Rani Chaudhery-Malgeri

Wayne State University Dissertations

Research shows emerging adults are more likely than younger and older cohorts to engage in such risky behaviors. However, research on the outcomes of emerging adults and their relations with peers, parents, and siblings is less conclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between emerging adults' perceptions of peers', siblings', and parents' risk-taking behaviors, and risk behavior after controlling for participants' sensation seeking tendencies. This study explored the moderating role of emerging adults' relationships with peers, siblings, and parents in the relation between these models' risk taking behaviors and emerging adults' risk taking behaviors, The mediating …

Where Are All The Gifted Black Girls? Giving High School Girls Voice Via Qualitative Research Approach And Black Feminist Theory, Mary L. Montie

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

WHERE ARE ALL THE GIFTED BLACK GIRLS?

GIVING HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOICE VIA QUALITATIVE RESEARCH APPROACH AND BLACK FEMINIST THEORY

by

MARY L. MONTIE

May 2013

Advisor: Dr. Karen L. Tonso

Major: Educational Evaluation and Research

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Gifted programs in the United States under-represent African American (Black) children (Phi Delta Kappan, 1992). In 1993, African-American students were under-represented by 50% in gifted education, and 60% in 1998 (Grantham & Ford, 2003). Further, some speculate that gifted education programs are the most segregated educational programs in the nation (Ford, 1995). This proves especially true for Black gifted …

Instructional Designers' Perceptions Regarding Preparation For Practice In A Health Care Environment, Nandita S. Mani

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study utilized a multi-case, bounded case, single-site case study research design to examine how well instructional designers perceive themselves able to practice ID in health care industries. Questions central to this study focused on how instructional designers perceive their preparation to practice, usefulness of professional development organizations or affiliations in which they participated while practicing ID, both academic and non-academic curricula, and utilization of ID practices when designing and developing ID projects in health care environments.

The site selected for this study was a teaching hospital in Southeast Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan. Sampling size was limited to five instructional designers …

A Design-Based Research Study Examining The Impact Of Motivational Emailed Messages To First Year Students, Sara Elizabeth Kacin

Wayne State University Dissertations

SARA E. KACIN

May 2013

Advisor: Dr. Monica W. Tracey

Major: Instructional Technology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

This research study examined the effects of strategically designed motivational emails using the instructional design strategy ARCS (Keller, 1987abc) for first year students in a face to face setting. A design based research approach applying a mixed study of quantitative and qualitative research methods was taken. Quantitative and qualitative data in terms of student motivation and perceptions of the motivational emails were collected through three iterative design cycles. A multiple choice comprehensive pre test and post test were given to students to detect …

The Effects Of Applying Authentic Learning Strategies To Develop Computational Thinking Skills In Computer Literacy Students, Wendye Dianne Mingo

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study attempts to determine if authentic learning strategies can be used to acquire knowledge of and increase motivation for computational thinking. Over 600 students enrolled in a computer literacy course participated in this study which involved completing a pretest, posttest and motivation survey. The students were divided into an experimental and control group based on class meeting day. The experimental group was given access to an authentic learning tool called COTHAULE. COTHAULE, which is an acronym that stands for Computational Thinking Authentic Learning Environment, is a website that was developed using a variety of technologies. The intellection behind COTHAULE …

Using Academic Advising To Increase Motivation And Engagement In First-Year College Students, Lisa Remsing

Wayne State University Dissertations

According to ACT Educational Services (2010), more than one-third of college freshmen will not progress to their sophomore year. Several states, including Michigan, have proposed higher education performance funding models, which directly correlate state funds to student retention and graduation rates (Jesse, 2012). As higher education suffers from diminishing resources, there is a heightened focus to increase retention and graduation rates (Tinto, 2007).

The transition from high school to college can be a traumatic time for adolescents. This age group has unique motivational needs as they adjust to an unfamiliar academic environment (Perry et al., 2005). The first year of …

Learning And Living While Black: Black Students, White Universities, And The Age Of Post-Affirmative Action And Post-Racialism, Rosalind Reaves

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

LEARNING AND LIVING WHILE BLACK: BLACK STUDENTS, WHITE UNIVERSITIES, AND THE AGE OF POST-AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND POST-RACIALISM

by

ROSALIND REAVES

May 2013

Advisor: Karen L. Tonso

Major: Educational Evaluation and Research

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

With Critical Race Theory (CRT) and social justice serving as complementary conceptual frames, this ethnographic study investigates the learning and living experiences of ten African American students of a predominantly White university in the Midwest. While several studies have investigated Black students' experiences at PWIs, most notably Feagin, Vera and Imani (1996), much of this research was conducted pre-2000, prior to two important and …

A Model For Designing Instructional Narratives For Adult Learners: Connecting The Dots, Debra Mary Smith

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

A MODEL FOR DESIGNING INSTRUCTIONAL NARRATIVES:

CONNECTING THE DOTS

by

DEBRA M. SMITH

May 2013

Advisor: Ingrid Guerra-López, Ph.D.

Major: Instructional Technology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study was to develop a research-based model for designing and deploying instructional narratives based on principles derived from narrative theory, development theory, communication theory, learning theory and instructional design theory to enable adult learning and retention and the effective transfer of that retained learning to practice (performance contexts). Findings from these five areas were used to identify elements to inform the development of a model for the design and …

Faculty Attitudes Toward Students With Intellectual Disabilities In Postsecondary Educational Settings, Diane F. Fekete

Wayne State University Dissertations

Research has indicated that participation in some aspect of postsecondary education, either for credit or audit, could improve a disabled individual's changes for success in adult life. Research also has shown that faculty attitudes toward, and perceptions of students with disabilities play an important role in student success. The purpose of this study was to examine faculty attitudes toward the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in college classes and willingness by faculty to accommodate the course content to meet individual student needs. An internet survey instrument was developed to gather information concerning students with intellectual disabilities and faculty attitude …

Factors That Are Associated With Workkeys® Assessment Scores Of Inmates In Michigan Department Of Correction's Community And Employment Readiness Training Program And Michigan State Industries Program, Pamela S. Jackson

Wayne State University Dissertations

Inmates face challenges in obtaining employment once they leave prison because many are undereducated and lack work skills. This study examined demographic and criminogenic variables of inmates in Michigan Department of Correction's (MDOC) Community and Employment Readiness Training (CERT) and Michigan State Industries (MSI) programs that were associated with their scores obtained on the WorkKeys® assessment test. MDOC uses the WorkKeys® to assess the gaps between inmates' current job readiness skill level and skills needed for various types of jobs upon release. There is no published literature comparing MDOC's Community and Employment Readiness Training (CERT) and Michigan State Industries (MSI) …

Facilitation Of Language Acquisition Viewed Through An Interpretative Lens: The Role Of Authenticity, Melanie Ann Harper

Wayne State University Dissertations

A paradigm is the conceptual framework or lens one uses to view reality. The field of speech-language pathology is traditionally rooted in the empirical paradigm, which believes that language can be fragmented into isolated skills and taught in a hierarchal fashion. This belief has resulted in service delivery models that remove students from naturalistic contexts for decontextualized exercises. Progress in language acquisition is measured objectively. The empirical belief is exemplified by the accountability requirements in special education law (e.g., IEP). It is compounded by the realities of public school speech-language pathologists (SLPs), such as high caseload numbers, multiple buildings, and …

Electronic Performance Support Systems: Comparison Of Types Of Integration Levels On Performance Outcomes, Sharon A. Phillips

Wayne State University Dissertations

Selecting appropriate performance improvement interventions is a critical component of a comprehensive model of performance improvement. Intervention selection is an interconnected process involving analysis of an organization's environment, definition of the performance problem, and identification of a performance gap and identification of causal factors. When the performance gap relates to a lack of knowledge or information on the job, instructional approaches such as training have been traditionally used; however, non-instructional interventions such as electronic performance support systems (EPSS) have gained increasing attention as alternatives to training interventions.

Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS) use computing technology to support task performance on …

Descriptive Statistical Attributes Of Special Education Datasets, Valerie Felder

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Descriptive Statistical Attributes of Special Education Data Sets

by

VALERIE FELDER

December 2013

Advisor: Dr. Shlomo Sawilowsky

Major: Educational Evaluation and Research

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Micceri (1989) examined the distributional characteristics of 440 large-sample achievement and psychometric measures. All the distributions were found to be nonnormal at alpha = .01. Micceri indicated three factors that might contribute to a non-Gaussian error distribution in the population. The first factor is subpopulations within a target population. The second factor is ceiling effects and the third factor is treatment effects that may change the location parameter, variability, or shape of the …

Broadening The Learning Community Experience: An Outdoor Orientation Program's Impact On Engagement, Persistence, And Retention, Christy David Nolan

Wayne State University Dissertations

The Keystone Learning Community was implemented by the Department of Campus Recreation to address retention at the institution. This learning community for incoming freshmen consists of two phases. Phase I is as an outdoor orientation program that includes a three day, two night canoeing and camping experiencer lead by upperclassmen leaders. Faculty and staff from the institution complete every aspect of Phase I with the freshmen. Phase II is class time that concentrates on development of critical thinking and writing skills.

Through surveys and interviews, participants in the Keystone Learning Community reported strong peer, faculty, and upperclassmen engagement initiated by …

Examining The Hidden Ideologies Within Cultural Competence Discourses Among Library And Information Science (Lis) Students: Implications For School Library Pedagogy, Kafi D. Kumasi, Renee F. Hill

School of Information Sciences Faculty Research Publications

In order to provide culturally responsive instruction to all students, school library professionals need to recognize the various discourses around cultural competence that exist in the field of library and information science (LIS) and understand the broader meanings that are attached to these discourses. This study presents an evaluation of the underlying ideologies that are embedded in the textual responses of a group of LIS students reporting on their perceived levels of cultural competence preparation. The results reveal that there are dominant and competing discourses around cultural competence in the LIS field, which are important to make visible. The paper …

An Exploration Of The Perceived Academic Self-Efficacy And Locus Of Control Of Urban Students With Learning Disabilities, Olukayode Abimbola Nuga

Wayne State University Dissertations

The search for an answer to the question of the achievement gap between Black and other minority students and their White counterparts has been pervasive. This study, however, reframes the question not by using the White student as a frame of reference against which to make the comparison but by using the Black student himself. Therefore, relying on some scholarly work that found that studies of achievement within ethnic groups yielded far more significant results than between groups, the study focused on a comparison of the academic achievement between urban Black students with learning disabilities and their typical peers. The …

Effect Of Personalized Instruction On The Achievement Of Solving Mathematical Word Problems, Danica Vukmirovic

Wayne State University Dissertations

Graduation rates are negatively affected by college learners' inability to demonstrate proficiency in mathematics. The purpose of this research study was to determine the effect of individual personalized mathematical instruction on the achievement of solving mathematical word problems by undergraduates enrolled in a college mathematics course. As well, the effect of individual personalized mathematical instruction on undergraduate motivation to solve mathematical word problems was also examined.

The research undertaken was a true experimental post-test only, control group design that took place over three consecutive weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. The experimental …

A Qualitative Study: Integrating Art And Science In The Environment, Deborah Naughton Mills

Wayne State University Dissertations

The study was used to develop an understanding of the nature of a creative learning experience that incorporated the foundational elements of Reggio Emilia, place-based education, and experience design. The study took place in an urban high school with eight students in an advanced placement art class. The qualitative research project revolved around the pollinator garden that the science teacher planted in the year prior to the study and the garden that was planted in the spring. Students were asked to create an art project that could withstand the Michigan climate. The science teacher lectured on elements of the pollinator …

Intrapersonal Variables Associated With Academic Adjustment In College Students, Sonja Montgomery

Wayne State University Dissertations

In this study, academic adjustment in college students was examined, which refers to students' success in coping with the educational demands of the college experience. With college attendance on the rise, it is important to explain the variance in successful academic adjustment. Individual factors have been studied one or two at a time or in combination with other interpersonal/external factors. The purpose of this study was to magnify the area of self by considering a variety of intrapersonal factors to examine how these factors may influence academic achievement. These factors included academic motivation (self-determination), alcohol use, procrastination, perfectionism, perceived stress, …

Examination Of The Acquired Preparedness Model And Alcohol Use In Emerging Adults, Richard Michael Staszkow

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive utility of the acquired preparedness and alcohol use in emerging adults. Data were collected from a sample of 273 participants, ages 18 to 25 years old, from an urban university in the Midwest. The participants completed self-report questionnaires via SurveyMonkey. It was predicted that expectancy variables would mediate the relations between impulsivity and the frequency and quantity of drinking. Results suggest that social pressure self-efficacy was found to fully mediate the relation between the impulsivity variables (lack of premeditation and positive urgency) for both drinking frequency and quantity. Increased confidence, …

An Investigation Of Traditional Professional Development Versus Reform Professional Development And The Implementation Of Strategies, Curriculum And Classroom Environment By Prekindergarten Teachers, Helen Marie Oliver-Brooks

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

AN INVESTIGATION OF TRADITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT VERSUS REFORM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES, CURRICULUM AND CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT BY PRE- KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS

by

HELEN OLIVER-BROOKS

May 2013

Advisor: Dr. Marc Rosa

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study is to investigate differences between traditional conventional professional development and high quality reflective professional development and curriculum implementation of classroom practices. This study examined the extent to which professional development activities were associated with increased levels of curriculum implementation. Differences in curriculum implementation, teacher knowledge, and changes to teaching practice based upon the type …

Personal And Social Factors In Risk-Taking Behaviors Of Emerging Adults, Katherine A. Roeser

Wayne State University Dissertations

The transitional period from adolescence to young adulthood is defined as the stage of life that begins at the conclusion of high school and ends with the acceptance of adult roles (i.e., career, marriage, parenthood). The focus of the present study was on college students' excessive use of alcohol and other drugs and participation in high-risk sexual activity and the association between those behaviors and personal and social factors such as sensation seeking, peer influence, perceived general resistance to peer influence, perceived self-efficacy to resist risky behavior, and emotion regulation. The participants were 427 emerging- adult, undergraduate students 18 to …

A Phenomenological Study To Engage African-American Youth Voice In Deliberations Regarding Their Response To Schooling, Donna Michelle Coulter

Wayne State University Dissertations

To examine disparities in education, the researcher utilized a naturalistic approach to uncover how youth think, talk, and feel about their response to schooling. Findings are based on in-depth conversations with 12 inner city African-American kids enrolled in Urban, USA middle and high schools, rarely heard from in the scholarly literature. Students conveyed a belief system that schooling was the route to upward mobility, however, their responses to academic exercises seem to suggest an indifference. Primary findings suggest that students' (a) sense of safety and family tradition were key factors of student school selection; (b) understanding of how levels of …

Hope At The End Of Life Among U.S. Military Veterans, Jaime L. Huffman

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine the meaning of hope at the end of life among Veterans. As people enter the terminal phase of life hope becomes especially important. Recent research has been conducted examining hope among various cultural groups and their experiences of the phenomenon. These studies showed that although hope is a universal phenomenon, different cultural groups ascribe different meanings to it. These cultural variations are important for nurses to consider when caring for patients.

Research conducted among Veterans has shown that as a cultural group, Veterans have different experiences and needs throughout their lives …

Engagement, Capacity, And Continuity: A Study Of The Impact Of Participation In Alternative Pre-Student Teaching Placements, Jodie Lynn-Smant Rose

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

ENGAGEMENT, CAPACITY, AND CONTINUITY: A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATION IN ALTERNATIVE PRE-STUDENT TEACHING PLACEMENTS

by

JODIE ROSE

December, 2013

Advisor: Dr. Thomas Edwards

Major: Education Curriculum and Design

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The training and preparation of prospective teachers includes an important phase where the future teachers begin to make a transition from learner to teacher. During this time, prospective teachers begin to utilize the knowledge they have gained through coursework and life experience to begin teaching students of their own. During this time, assignments and activities that prospective teachers undergo become less about conveying personal knowledge …