Education Commons^™

Using Gamification To Foster Student Resilience And Motivation To Learn, And Using Games To Teach Significance Testing Concepts In The Statistics Classroom, Todd Partridge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Two studies are outlined in this dissertation.

In the first study, elements of Super Mario Bros. videos games were used to change the way college students in a beginners’ statistics course were graded on their work. This was part of an effort to help students remain optimistic in the face of challenging coursework and even failure on assignments and tests. The study shows that the changes made to the grading structure did help students to keep trying and to use the materials given to them by their professor until they achieved their desired grade in the course, and suggests ways …

Elementary Teachers’ Perception Of Digital Resources Based On Student Achievement, Tanya R. Small

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Many factors impact teachers’ decisions about when and how to implement technology during instruction. However, a gap exists in understanding teachers’ motivations for technology integration and face-to-face instruction. Therefore, this qualitative case study explored how teachers’ perceptions of student achievement, motivation, classroom behaviors, and digital challenges influenced their decisions about using technology or direct instruction in the classroom setting. A group of 20 teachers from two southern Florida public elementary schools completed anonymous Likert-scale surveys; six teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings determined via descriptive statistics and thematic analysis revealed that teachers’ inclusion of technology and traditional resources is …

Digital Literacy: The Impact Of A Blended Learning Model On Student Motivation And Achievement, Jennifer Miller

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Educators continue to search for a balance between preparing students for a marketable future and integrating face-to-face instruction. Many factors influence various educational models related to best instructional methodologies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between student perceptions regarding student motivation to read and the corresponding effect on student achievement within a blended learning environment. This mixed methods study determined whether the use of digital collaborative learning, as it applies to literacy, within a blended learning environment would have any corresponding effects on student motivation and achievement. Participants included fifth-grade students at the elementary level and …

How Student Perceptions Of The Online Learning Environment And Student Motivation Predict Persistence, Completion, And Retention In Developmental Mathematics Courses, Samuel K. Gedeborg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Online developmental mathematics courses have high dropout rates. The focus of this study is to improve understanding of how students’ perceptions of the online learning environment and student motivation from course design predict student drop out. This understanding will benefit faculty and institutions on student support for online developmental mathematics students.

The study included 330 undergraduate students enrolled in online developmental mathematics courses during the Fall 2018 semester at eight public universities and colleges in the Utah State Higher Education (USHE) system. Participants completed a survey with questions measuring their perceptions of the learning environment. They also completed a survey …

The Effect Of Collaboration On Online Student Motivation In A College Biology Course, Christina Fieber

Theses and Dissertations

Online coursework in higher education is an accessible, cost-effective alternative for students and institutions. As demand for online courses grows, the need to address discrepancies in online student success and elevated attrition rates is a pressing issue in higher education. Instructional methods in online classrooms are a potential lever for minimizing these gaps. Research indicates motivation is a key indicator of student success and can have a positive impact on student achievement and persistence, whether online or in a traditional classroom setting. Collaboration, including social interaction, has also been shown to have a positive impact on student outcomes, and can …

The Effect Of Formative Assessment On Student Motivation And Self-Regulation, Beau Simon

Graduate Teacher Education

The main purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of formative assessment in a high school classroom setting would increase student motivation and self-regulated learning strategies. The sample (n=41) in this study included students from grades 7-12 social studies course. The researcher engaged in formative assessment strategies paired with formative feedback aimed at improving student understanding of concepts and ideas in social studies. Based on the research, formative assessment, paired with formative feedback, can give students the motivation to aide their learning, and help them learn rather than memorize. The shortened 44-item Motivational Strategies for …

Teacher Perceptions Of Formative Assessments On Student Learning In K-12 Classrooms, Stacey Robinson

Education Dissertations and Projects

A mixed methods design was utilized to examine teacher perceptions of formative assessments and its impact on student motivation. Teachers from 32 public schools in a southeastern school district were invited to participate in a formative assessment survey using a Likert scale to share their perceptions of their understanding and use of formative assessments in the classroom. The survey and interview items addressed teachers’ own self-efficacy values as they relate to their implementation of formative assessments and their relationship with motivating students to learn. Data analysis indicated most teachers had a strong understanding of formative assessments, but some of their …

Does Teacher Immediacy Matter? The Relationship Among Teacher Immediacy, Student Motivation, Engagement, And Cognitive Learning, Jessica Rene Stilwell

Education Dissertations and Projects

According to the Academic Development Institute (Walberg, 2010), elementary and middle school students linger behind students from other economically advanced countries on achievement tests and fall further behind during the school years. With a need to improve classroom instruction and enhance cognitive learning for students, this study focuses on immediate communication behaviors of the classroom teacher, both verbal and nonverbal, and student academic motivation as factors in improving learning proficiency in both math and reading. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teacher immediacy behaviors and teacher/student rapport on student motivation, engagement, and academic growth.

The …

The Effect Of Mediated Immediacy Upon State Motivation And Cognitive Learning In An Online Lesson, Gary K. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

The role of teacher immediacy and its impact upon student learning within the traditional classroom has been established within the instructional communication discipline in the past 30 years. In recent years, with the advent of computer-mediated distance education (i.e. online courses), some researchers have attempted to apply the same theories and measures of concepts without making the distinction between actual teacher behavioral indicants of immediacy and student perceptions of immediacy, nor recognizing that there may be a different number of variables involved between a single lesson presented online and an entire course presented over a period of time. Building upon …

Evaluation Of The Relationship Of Learner-Centered Beliefs Of Seventh Grade Mathematics Teachers And Student Achievement On The Mathematics Section Of The North Carolina End-Of-Grade Assessment, Mary A. Steltz

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the personal domain in systemic reform. In an effort to improve student achievement, this study focused on accountability reform. The learner-centered model was based on what teachers believe about teaching and learning and how student motivation and achievement was influenced by those beliefs. Teacher practices, beliefs and behaviors had the greatest impact on student learning; therefore this study sought to establish identification of learner-centered teachers and their effectiveness on student achievement on the seventh grade mathematics section of the North Carolina End-of-Grade Assessment.

To that end, a non-experimental quantitative study design was used to …

Analysis Of The North Carolina High School To Community College Articulation Agreement's Impact On Student Motivation In A North Carolina High School, Shaun Christian Poole

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this sequential explanatory case study was to explore the impact of the North Carolina High School to Community College Articulation Agreement on student motivation to (a) perform well in the course as defined by the State of North Carolina award of college credit, (b) graduate high school, (c) pursue college or postsecondary training in course content, and (d) select a career in the course field. The study utilized quantitative data collected through student surveys then triangulated qualitative student focus group and teacher focus group interview data in order to establish statistical themes for narrative analysis. The research …

Enhancing Homework’S Effectiveness Through Student Motivation And Parental Involvement, Jonathan T. Beutlich

Master of Education Program Theses

Homework has varying degrees of effectiveness; therefore, it is important for teachers to know what elements aid in making homework assignments more effective to learners. There are outside factors that contribute to homework’s effectiveness as well as types of homework assignments that will increase students’ success. Two of the factors contributing to homework’s level of benefits are student motivation and parental involvement. There are three types of homework assignments that increase the positive aspects of student motivation and parental involvement include interspersal assignments, interactive homework assignments, and project-based assignments. Improved homework benefits education, specifically Christian education, by enabling a tightly …