Education Commons^™

A Study Of The Protective Factors That Foster Resilience In Teachers, Zundra Gates

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the protective factors of teachers in various fields: discipline, tested and non-tested subject areas, and teacher certification route. The study involved 161 kindergarten to twelfth grade Mississippi teachers who were full-time during the 2016-2017 school year. The 36-item Resiliency Questionnaire was used to measure the presence of six protective factors. The six protective factors that were examined on the questionnaire are: purpose and expectation (PE), nurture and support (NS), positive connections (PC), meaningful participation (MP), life guiding skills (LGS), and clear and consistent boundaries (CCB). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test …

Polycommit: Building Better Habits Through Gamification, Elliot Fiske

Master's Theses

Computer-assisted learning is older than Turing machines, and constantly evolves as technology improves. While some teachers are resistant to using technology in the classroom, “e-learning” techniques are becoming more common in almost every school, from K-12 to universities. As technology becomes more widespread, it becomes crucial to examine the various methodologies of computer-assisted learning and find the techniques that are most effective.

This paper explores the effectiveness of one such methodology, spaced repetition. This technique applies to homework assignments available to students online. We include an exploration of several existing apps that use this technique, and introduce our own novel …

Trauma Informed Teaching To Support Student Social And Emotional Needs, Tara Williams

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how a trauma informed approach to behavior that supports the emotional growth of students and meets their needs for discipline and structure within a school environment affects teachers’ negative perspectives of student behavior. This study examined the impact Rainbowdance had on teacher perception of student behavior before teacher training and after training. The participants are three lower elementary teachers at Country Charter School and additional information is provided by the International Trauma Center (ITC) staff members who are implementing Rainbowdance. The data collection was done through narrative interviews, field notes and …

An Ethnographic Investigation Into The Influence Of Bandura’S Four Psychological Sources Of Information On Late-Career Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Ginger Prewitt

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic investigation was to examine and describe the experiences that impact late-career elementary teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs based on A. Bandura’s four psychological sources of information and serves as part of a thematic dissertation with each researcher focusing in a different teacher career stage.

Methodology: Through qualitative methodology utilizing one-on-one interviews of elementary public school teachers with 24 or more years of experience, data was analyzed using the theoretical framework of A. Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy information.

Findings: Analysis of data from interviews of 15 late-career elementary teachers from five school districts in Riverside County, …

Double Chins And Double Standards: A Meta-Analysis Of Weight-Based Bullying Amongst Female Adolescents, Juliah Distefano

Major Papers

Scholars are beginning to explore and understand the experiences of adolescent females in regards to weight-based bullying in their elementary school setting (Puhl, R. M., Luedicke, J., & Heuer, C. (2011). Weight‐based victimization toward overweight adolescents: observations and reactions of peers. Journal of School Health, 81(11), 696-703). The educational and social implications that weight-based bullying has amongst female adolescents can include: poor academic achievement coupled with a low degree of comfort when participating vocally in the classroom, the inability to initiate and maintain friendships, and an unwillingness to participate in extracurricular sports and activities. This should be cause …

The Mckinney-Vento Act: Moving Beyond Aspirations To More Effective Implementation, Michael Cermak

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study is to investigate teachers' knowledge of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McK-V; the Act) and their perceptions of how to best meet the needs of the population of homeless students in schools. The literature base has shown that implementation of the Act has been largely inconsistent due to the lack of formal implementing regulations and a lack of awareness on the part of many educators. A professional development presentation was developed for teachers in order to increase their knowledge, and following the use of a pre/post/ delayed post-test survey, ascertain the impact of …

Entre Dos Tierras: Between Two Lands: Stories Of Latinx Immigrant Students In Us Public High Schools, Yahaira Diaz

Dissertations

The election of the 45th president of the United States has increased a sense of anxiety, fear, and xenophobia for many in our country. The divisive campaign and current discussion of policy is demeaning towards LGBT communities, people with disabilities, women, and ethnic minorities, specifically the immigrant population. The nation’s current preoccupation with and much deserved attention towards a comprehensive immigration reform and the continuance of immigration into the United States has impacted the rise of anti-Hispanic hate crimes and xenophobia (Shihadeh & Barranco, 2013; Stacey, Carbone-Lopez, & Rosenfeld, 2011; Yakushko, 2009). Educators report an increase in hostility against immigrants …

Interracial Contact At A Diverse High School: How School And Community Structures Shape Students’ Experiences, Molly Nackley Feghali

ETD Archive

Utilizing survey data from 70 tenth grade students at a high school with a racially diverse student population of 45.6% Black, 42.8% White, 6.8% Multiracial and 3.0% Asian or Pacific Islander, multiple regression analysis was employed to analyze the extent to which aspects of meaningful intergroup contact across race, which included Quantity of Contact, Quality of Contact, and Friendship, were impacted by the racial compositions of participants’ neighborhoods, school settings, and extracurricular activities. Results indicated that school settings and the racial composition of extracurricular activities had statistically significant impacts on Friendship – the percentage of friends of a different race …

Urban Teacher-Student Relationship Quality, Teacher Burnout, And Cultural Competence, Ashley E. Poklar

ETD Archive

Researchers across multiple disciplines suggest that teacher-student relationship quality (TSRQ) has a strong association with positive student outcomes across all domains of student functioning (McGrath & Van Bergen, 2015) and serves as a moderating factor in outcome measures for students of color (Murray, Waas, & Murray, 2008) and for those considered economically disadvantaged (Olsson, 2009). Despite the clear benefits of positive TSRQ, the literature is scarce regarding teacher specific factors that may impact TSRQ. This study is the first to explore TSRQ in relation to implicit teacher factors utilizing a mixed-methods approach. Through canonical correlation analysis, utilizing a sample of …

Urban High School Educators' Perceptions Of Pre-Service And In-Service Conflict Resolution And Violence Prevention Education, Sean M. Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have shown that conflict resolution and violence prevention education may be lacking within school-based environments. There is a gap in the literature regarding pre-service and in-service conflict resolution and violence prevention education for urban high school educators. The purpose of the study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of urban high school educators' pre-service and in-service conflict resolution and violence prevention education, and the student health-related antecedents that contribute to both. Utilizing a case study methodology, this study emphasized the diverse geographic locations of urban high school educators' pre-service institutions and the perceptions of their pre-service and in-service …

Instructional Practices In Holistic Education For Patients With Cancer, Alicia Oberle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During the past few decades, holistic education has increasingly emerged in academia. However, limited research has been conducted on how holistic education impacts instructional practices in real life situations like the well-being of cancer patients. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how a holistic education program impacts instructional practices designed to improve the well-being of cancer patients. The conceptual framework was based on transformative learning theory and learner-centered teaching. This single case study was conducted at a non-profit cancer center in the Western United States which emphasizes multiple dimensions of well-being for cancer patients, including holistic education. …

Tracing Writing Techniques From High School To College: Writing As Discussion For Students From Low-Income Backgrounds, Connor Mullins

Honors Theses and Capstones

Students from low-income backgrounds are finding themselves more disenfranchised with school as they progress through their high school careers. This thesis presents the notion that generating a positive form of extrinsic motivation within in the classroom can orient students to become intrinsically motivated towards schooling and writing. In interviewing six students within an Upward Bound program, I found that the approaches the program took during their summer session helped generate an interest for writing within students. By creating a community that cared for each other and brought writing instruction to focus on communication, students found themselves enjoying the process of …