Education Commons^™

Program Evaluation Of Bridges To Success Program, Michael Cory

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the alternative education model, the Bridges to Success Program, and the program’s impact on teachers teaching within the program in a middle school in the Upstate of South Carolina. The Bridges to Success Program was initiated in September 2009 for at-risk students in eighth grade with a history of poor attendance, behavior issues, and low math and reading academic performance.

The evaluation model used was the Logic Model. The research questions set the framework for this study. Research questions focused on short-term outcomes that evaluated how teacher knowledge of …

An Evaluation Of Champs: A Classroom Management Program, Holly J. Minnear

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the impact of Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, Participation, Success (CHAMPS), a classroom management program in elementary schools in a district in North Carolina. The participants included principals and teachers who attended a 2-day training course and implemented the CHAMPS program at their schools.

The researcher used Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model to examine the impact of CHAMPS on classroom management practices and student behavior. Specifically, the researcher utilized the Process and Product components of the CIPP model. The Process Evaluation sought to answer the question, “To what extent was the CHAMPS program …

A Case Study Of The Impact Of Pbis At Smith Elementary, Amber Halliburton

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine and assess the impact of a Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) program on student behaviors, academic environment, and the total school environment. The study examined and assessed the impact of PBIS on student suspensions, student attendance, and student interactions. Additionally, this study examined the impact of the academic achievement of students and teachers’ instructional delivery time. This study examined the school-wide rules and expectations, school safety, communication, and the school’s response to student positive behaviors. The study took place at a rural elementary school in western North Carolina. The school successfully completed implementation …

Program Evaluation On The Implementation Of A Middle School Concept In Private Christian Schools, James Chapman Hall

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of implementing a middle school concept in three private Christian schools using Daniel Stufflebeam’s CIPP model of program evaluation. The National Middle School Survey was used to measure faculty and administrative perceptions of both the value and actual implementation of middle school concepts that to this point have not been formally evaluated in each school. Additionally, student levels of cognitive and psychological engagement and global life satisfaction were measured using the Student Engagement Instrument and Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale.

The following evaluation questions were the focus of this study …

The Impact Of Teacher Efficacy And Student Engagement On Eleventh-Grade South Carolina U.S. History And Constitution End-Of-Course State Exam Scores, Jacqueline L. Persinski

Education Dissertations and Projects

This research study analyzed the impact of teacher self-efficacy and student engagement on eleventh-grade South Carolina U.S. History and Constitution end-of-course state exam scores. Research questions centered on analyzing the relationships between the variables of teacher efficacy, student engagement, and student achievement as measured by the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale, Van Amburgh Active Learning Inventory Tool, South Carolina U.S. History and the Constitution end-of-course exam scores, and U.S. History teacher interviews. This study found a positive correlation between student engagement and student achievement and a significant relationship between teacher efficacy and student achievement. The relationship of teacher self-efficacy and …

A Study Of High School Students' Perceptions Of Mentoring Students With Disabilities, Ashley N. Davis

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed as a phenomenological qualitative study grounded in Contact Theory to investigate Early College high school students’ perceptions of a multi-year mentoring program. The Early College students were paired with elementary students with varying special needs in a self-contained classroom throughout 3 years in various settings, including community-based therapeutic horseback riding and a school-based sensory program. The study attempted to garner how the mentoring experience affected the Early College high school students personally, as well as their attitudes, feelings, and beliefs in relationship to their tolerance toward people with disabilities as reported by the participants through individual …

The Impact Of Computer-Aided Instruction On Student Achievement, Ernest Tolbert Jr.

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the impact of computer-aided instruction (CAI) on student achievement in a business education course and examine student perceptions of the CAI of use, Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations (P.L.A.T.O.). Students not achieving to their highest potential was a problem. The study compared a classroom where only traditional instruction was used to a classroom where traditional instruction and supplemental CAI were used. The results of the study were based on two sets of tests for one unit of study within the course and an evaluation survey of P.L.A.T.O.

The study was to include 56 …

An Analysis Of The Culture In A Foreign Language Immersion School, Amy Felicia Eybl

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to assess the culture in a foreign language immersion magnet school to determine the type of culture in the school, to discover how the culture in the school is perceived by the foreign language immersion and non-immersion staff members, and to determine the impact the presence of the foreign language immersion program has on the culture of the school. This study was designed to add to the knowledge base on school culture in the foreign language immersion setting.

The writer used the School Culture Triage Survey developed by Christopher Wagner to assess the culture of the …

Impact Of Transformational Leadership Behaviors On The Implementation Of A Multi-Tiered System Of Support With Emphasis On Cultural Leadership, Donna Johnson Heavner

Education Dissertations and Projects

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) are frameworks used to assess individual needs of students and the supports needed to meet those needs. An MTSS is complex with components which impact core instruction, curriculum, formative assessment, interventions, summative assessment, and problem solving. All of these components are a part of a school’s culture, and the success of this framework is dependent upon the leadership in a school. This study is important because it addresses the complexities of assessing individual student needs and the planning required to meet those needs. The purpose of this research was to study the implementation an MTSS …

The Perceived Impact Of 1:1 Ipad Implementation On Teaching And Learning: A Pedagogical Case Study, Amy Marie Neaves

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study aimed to examine teachers’ perceptions of technology and its impact on their lesson planning and implementation as well as student learning in a one-to-one iPad environment. While student achievement was an intended goal of the initiative, the evolving role of the teacher within this environment had a potentially large impact on its success in meeting all learners’ needs. Much of the research surrounding instructional technology and its impact relates to defining and measuring students’ success, leaving the critical role of the teacher with little to no data. The research surrounding this study brought to light a variety of …

A Study Of The Social And Emotional Growth And Development Of Students With Disabilities In An Inclusive Setting In An Inner-City Middle School, Heather Rachelle Lemmons

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this retrospective, explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to determine the impact of an inclusive educational setting on the behavioral, social, and emotional growth and development of students with various disabilities. Many aspects of a student’s educational experiences can be affected by a proper placement in an inclusive setting with non-disabled peers including discipline rates and referrals, need for behavioral goals and plans, and perceptions concerning personal social growth and development.

The setting for this research study was an inner-city middle school serving Grades 7 and 8 in western North Carolina. Eighth-grade middle school students identified as students …

The Role Grade-Level Configuration Plays On Meeting Young Adolescents' Developmental Needs, Jessica W. Hall

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation is a mixed-methods research study on the role grade-level configuration plays on meeting the developmental needs of young adolescents. This study reviews the history of the middle school, explains the controversy over grade span configurations, and articulates the developmental needs of young adolescents and what schools should provide to ensure the success of their students.

Seven schools in northwest North Carolina were examined. Four of these schools serve students in a 6-8 setting and three serve students in a K-8 setting. In an attempt to ascertain what grade-level configuration best meets the developmental needs of young adolescents, surveys …

A Case Study Of The Impact Of Reading Intervention In Early Elementary School Grade Levels, Bonnie S. Smith

Education Dissertations and Projects

This case study examined the impact of small class size using small group instruction with ability grouping for early literacy intervention. In this study, data were analyzed to determine the impact small class size, paired with small group instruction for intervention, had on students in terms of attaining grade-level proficiency standards. DIBELS data and facilitator interviews were analyzed from first and second grade intervention and traditional classes to determine the effectiveness of small class size and ability grouping for students to achieve grade-level proficiency in literacy. Results show that using direct instruction in small groups with Title I inclusion helped …

General Education Teacher Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy Regarding Teaching Students With Autism In Inclusion Settings, Jennifer H. Condrey

Education Dissertations and Projects

With an increase in the number of children being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder comes an increase in students with autism being integrated into regular education classrooms. While general education teachers strongly support inclusion, they do not feel prepared to implement inclusion practices in their classrooms. This dissertation was designed to gauge perceptions of self-efficacy among K-5 general education teachers in regards to teaching students with autism in inclusion settings. The researcher conducted digital surveys and personal interviews among K-5 regular education teachers who had inclusion experience with students with autism. Teacher perceptions were measured in the areas of preparedness, …

The Impact Of Repeated Reading As An Intervention For Middle Grades Sixth- And Seventh-Grade Students On Reading Fluency, Christopher Dion Stocks

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the effects of repeated reading on readers identified as below grade in sixth and seventh grade. The study was set in a rural middle school located in the foothills of North Carolina.

Students selected for the study were identified utilizing Lexile levels to identify them as below grade level for sixth and seventh grade. Once students were identified, the teachers used Curriculum Based Measures (CBMs) to determine their current fluency levels. Oral reading fluency and MAZE CBMs were employed to measure speed, accuracy, rate, and comprehension. Classroom teachers also used a prosody …

School Administrators' And Teachers' Perceptions Of Single-Gender Classrooms In Coeducational Public Middle Schools Within South Carolina, Shemmicca M. Moore

Education Dissertations and Projects

The academic achievement gap between male and female students set in motion a flurry of initiatives to help address male underachievement. The amendments made to Title IX allowed single-gender education to become a viable option for addressing those gaps in achievement. After the adjustments made to Title IX, South Carolina led the nation in the implementation of single-gender classrooms. In fact, South Carolina was the only state to have an office dedicated to ensuring the successful implementation of single-gender programs. This quantitative study examined the perceptions of school administrators and teachers concerning the effectiveness of single-gender education. The study surveyed …

A Program Evaluation Of The Impact Of A "Read To Learn" Model On Alternative High School Students' Lexile Levels And Reading Achievements, James D. Quinn

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study is a program evaluation of the effectiveness of a reading initiative in an alternative school utilizing the Stufflebeam CIPP evaluation model. In order to assess effectiveness, this evaluation explored the reading growth of high school students in an alternative school setting where the application being critiqued was a"read to learn" model.

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a "read to learn" model on students who were exposed to reading as the primary mode of learning in all content areas and who participated in daily silent reading with self-selected topics. Baseline data on LEXILE, …

A Correlational Study Of Teacher Effectiveness: Evaluation Instrument And Value-Added Model, Danielle Simmons Banister

Education Dissertations and Projects

This correlational study was conducted to determine the relationship between two measures of teacher effectiveness in a southeastern state in the United States. The state utilizes a teacher evaluation instrument that rates teachers based on principal observations on five standards. Additionally, a sixth standard is populated with data from a value-added model that measures a teacher’s impact on student learning based on student achievement on standardized tests. This study aimed to compare methods used to assess quality teaching. As the teacher has the greatest impact on student achievement, educational agencies and districts have focused efforts on improving teacher performance. However, …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Digital Photo Stories On Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Julia J. Conn

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study employed a qualitative method, multiple case study design to examine teacher perceptions of the impact of digital photo stories used as an instructional strategy with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Five highly qualified teachers of students with ASD from four public schools in a western North Carolina school district participated in open-ended interviews before and after creating and completing a digital photo story utilizing a digital photo-story tool with students with ASD.

The guiding question for this study was “How does the use of digital photo stories as an instructional tool impact teacher perceptions of students with …

How Do Ninth-Grade Students Make Meaning Of Their Transition Experienced During Their Freshman Year? An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Tashna C. Morris

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to better understand how students make meaning of their freshman transition year and to assist school personnel in the school to develop effective strategies to help students transition more successfully into the ninth grade. This study explored the self-efficacy theory as it relates to ninth-grade students’ transition experiences in their freshman year of high school and adapted an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis stance as the theoretical framework from which the issue of the ninth-grade transition was explored. Few studies have used a phenomenological approach to examine the freshman transition experience and even fewer studies have …

The Impact Of The Role Of An Instructional Technology Facilitator On Teacher Efficacy In Classroom Technology Integration In Two Rural Public Schools In Northwestern North Carolina, Karri Campbell Adams

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to contribute to a limited body of research on the impact of the role of the school-level instructional technology facilitator on teacher technology efficacy. This mixed-methods study involved the administration of a survey instrument designed to measure teacher technology efficacy, the Computer Technology Integration (CTI) survey developed by Wang, Ertmer, and Newby (2004) as well as an ITF survey measuring the direct impact of the role of the school-level instructional technology facilitator on those efficacy levels. Interviews were conducted by proxy interviewers to further clarify the ways that the instructional technology facilitator impacted teacher …

Beginning Teachers' Experiences Working With A District-Employed Teaching And Learning Coach In The Role Of A Mentor In A North Carolina School District, Kari Sanderson Hobbs

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study is concerned with the experiences of beginning teachers working with a district-employed mentor. Based on Illeris’s (2002) Three Dimensions of Learning, this study sought to understand the cognitive, emotional, and social processes involved in working with a mentor.

This is a qualitative study using the research method of phenomenology through one-on-one in-depth interviews. This research method was used for the purpose of gaining insight by gathering thick, rich data on the lived experiences of beginning teachers.

Nine beginning teachers participated in the study: four elementary, two middle, and three high school. Data collection took place at the end …

A Study Of The Perceptions Of Diversity And Inclusion Initiatives In Producing Improved Productive Work Cultures, Robert T. Crouch

Education Dissertations and Projects

Organizations today view diversity in the workforce as extending beyond antidiscrimination laws. Diversity in the workplace is viewed as a means for organizations to maintain a competitive edge in the global job market by focusing on inclusion and performance. Organizations have begun to recognize that diversity results in economic benefits when initiatives are aligned with their strategic plans, goals, and core values (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1999).

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of departmental personnel regarding the impact of diversity and inclusion initiatives in improving and sustaining productive work cultures. Additionally, this study sought to …

An Investigation Of The North Carolina Center For The Advancement Of Teaching And Its Possible Influence On Experienced Teacher Retention: A Companion Dissertation, Jennifer Blalock White

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this companion, qualitative case study was to examine the degree to which the residential professional development model at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) possibly influenced the retention of experienced teachers. The researcher sought to discover the ways and to what degree NCCAT had discharged its mission as a program of professional development, as well as understanding what experienced teacher participants’ perceptions were on how the NCCAT experience differed from other forms of professional development.

Field study observational data, participant interview data, individual journal entry data, and document analysis informed this study. Themes …

A Program Evaluation On Implementing Investigations In Number, Data, And Space® In Three Elementary Schools, Alexandra Leigh Smith

Education Dissertations and Projects

This applied dissertation was designed to provide perceptual teacher data as well as summative testing data to educational leaders concerning the effects of implementing Investigations in Number, Data, and Space® (Investigations) in three Title I elementary school settings, two Title I schools, and one non-Title I school. Data collected during this dissertation will be of use to educational stakeholders in selecting mathematics programs for elementary age students.

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to assess the effects of the Investigations program utilizing Stufflebeam’s CIPP program evaluation model. End-of-grade math test data for third, fourth, and fifth grade from the …

Teacher Capacity And Attitude Toward Data: An Examination Of The Association Between Teacher Beliefs And Student Performance On The Measures Of Academic Progress Assessment, Elizabeth C. Mitcham

Education Dissertations and Projects

Since the onset of No Child Left Behind legislation and federal funding for schools tied to summative assessment performance, educational leaders have sought to identify factors that are most influential on student learning outcomes. Research continues to link the use of formative data practices and teacher efficacy to improved student performance. The intent of this study was to explore associations between teacher capacity and attitude and student performance. In this embedded mixed-methods study, qualitative data from focus groups comprised of survey participants were collected within a larger quantitative study that examined associations between teacher beliefs and student performance. The study …

A Case Study On The Impacts Of Rigor, Relevance, And Relationships In A Freshman Academy For Secondary Classroom Students, Anna S. Moose

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study researched the impact a Freshman Academy approach has on rigor, relevance, and relationships in a secondary classroom setting. For the purpose of this paper, a Freshman Academy is one where ninth-grade students are grouped together in their core academic courses with a common group of teachers. Within these common academic courses, ideas and concepts are integrated in order to transition more effectively into the high school environment and provide students with a more cohesive academic experience. This paper further reflects the current, critical problems in existence in today’s high school setting that can potentially be addressed using the …

Across The Great Divide: The Effects Of Technology In Secondary Biology Classrooms, Johnny Howard Worley

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigates the relationship between technology use and student achievement in public high school across North Carolina. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a digital divide (differences in technology utilization based on student demographics of race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and municipality) exists among schools and whether those differences relate to student achievement in high school biology classrooms. The study uses North Carolina end-of-course (EOC) data for biology to analyze student demographic data and assessment results from the 2010-2011 school year from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The data analyses use descriptive and factorial univariate …

Technology Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Ninth-Grade Students After One Year Of One-To-One Initiative Implementation, Adrianne Nicole Mcgee

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to gather data regarding the self-efficacy beliefs of ninth graders after experiencing the one-to-one technology initiative for 1 school year. The goal was to obtain information based on the experiences of the students in order to enlighten leaders of other schools and districts when implementing their own technology initiatives. Students, teachers, and administrators were all surveyed regarding the initiative and perceived experience. A focus group of eight students was conducted in order to gather more data regarding the answers to the survey questions. After focus group data were interpreted, three student interviews were held to gather …

Determining The Skills Gap: A Study Of The Perceptions Of Entry-Level Skills Of Recent Career And Technology Education Completers, Lee Clinton Green

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the perceptions of community employers as to the skill levels of graduates from Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs. This study also examined the perceptions of former students of CTE programs. The skill level is the skills that the job market deem necessary to be successful in a particular industry. This study also determined if the skills being taught in secondary schools meet the needs of community employers.

Data were collected from several sources. Quantitative data were collected in the form of questionnaires distributed to 496 recent completers of CTE programs in Chester County School District and …