Education Commons^™

Exploring Principals' Perceptions About Efficacy In Arizona Urban Schools Designated For The School Improvement Process, Charlotte Patterson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Studies have determined a positive relationship exists between the self-efficacy of students and academic achievement, and teacher efficacy and student achievement. For over a decade schools have been publicly targeted for school improvement in a process with implications for efficacy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine if principals’ perceptions about efficacy impacted their practices leading school improvement. Principals’ responses to two research questions led this study:

1. How do principals describe their perceptions about the efficacy of their school community relative to the school improvement status, label, or rating for their school?

2. How do principals describe …

Measuring Teacher Expectations: A Generalizability Study, Wallis Malone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

For the last fifty years, researchers have studied teacher expectations and their impact on student achievement. A large body of research supports the hypothesis that teachers form expectations for students, (Brophy & Good, 1970; Dusek & O’Connell, 1973; O’Connell, Dusek & Wheeler, 1974; Rist, 1970), these expectations cause teachers to behave differently, (Braun, 1976; Brophy & Good, 1970; Rothbart, Dalfen, & Barrett, 1971, Good & Nichols, 2001) and the differential treatment can affect student achievement (Brophy & Good, 1970; Jussim & Eccles, 1992; Alvidrez & Weinstein, 1999; Goldenberg, 1992, Madon, Jussim, & Eccles, 1997).

Although teacher expectancy theory is widely …

Female Students’ Academic Engagement And Achievement In Science And Engineering: Exploring The Influence Of Gender Grouping In Small Group Work In Design-Based Learning Contexts In High School Biology, Miancheng Guo

Doctoral Dissertations

In the past 30 years, although much effort has been made to narrow the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), females are still largely underrepresented in some important STEM fields, such as physics and engineering (NSF, 2007). To deal with this situation, people from different sectors have long reached a common understanding: Educators must improve school girls’ interest, participation and engagement in STEM subjects (e.g., Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2013). In the K-12 classroom, small group work has been shown to promote an equitable environment for girls’ learning in science and have a positive impact …

Resilience And Academic Achievement In Minority Students, James A. Britton

Theses and Dissertations

Students can thrive within school programs and sustain their capacity for success despite seemingly overwhelming obstacles. A model of school-based resilience can insulate students from risk and help students acknowledge challenges, embrace them, and learn as students encounter challenge and surmount it.

This study of a high school program analyzed the relationship between educational resilience and academic achievement through a direct measure of resilience. The research investigated whether a program increased resilience for minority and low-income high school students and whether stronger resilience was associated with improved academic outcomes. Students in the program produced significantly better academic outcomes, as measured …

Movement Activities For Classroom Teachers, David Fischlowitz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This Capstone Project examines the connections between students’ use of various digital media, accompanying sedentary behavior, and the associated detrimental effects. Research has shown that excessive screen time and sedentary behavior can have a range of negative impacts on student development and progress. In a qualitative research method, the literature review shows physical activity as a mitigating factor to the negative effects of excessive screen time. This project grew from the research question: how can teachers use part of their instructional time in movement activities in order to improve student performance? Based on research that is beginning to suggest learning-skill …

What Are The Parental Beliefs On The Relationship Between Poverty And Low-Grade Achievement?, Selamawit Ayalkebet

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project addresses the question: What are the parental beliefs on the relationship between poverty and low-grade achievement? It documented a well-written essay of the correlation between poverty and low-grade achievement. For my Literature Review chapter, I used sources that researchers conducted on studies related to my research question and I talked about how to understand low-grade achievement with the following lens: socioeconomics status of children and their families, socio-cultural status, family background and how these concepts are connected to low-grade achievement and what schools and teachers can do to best help students who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to …

Social And Emotional Learning Strategies In The Elementary Classroom And Their Impact On Student Success, Megan Williams

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

During the course of my project, I explored social and emotional learning strategies that can be easily implemented into the elementary classroom, specifically my fourth grade classroom. These students attend an elementary school in a first ring suburb of a large metropolitan area in the upper midwest. My intention was to develop strategies that were easy to implement and promoted a positive learning environment that allowed students to increase their academic success. The successful implementation of these strategies helped students develop and use conflict resolution skills and therefore promoted a positive classroom climate. This project was the first step in …

How Might I Increase And Maintain Student Engagement Through Culturally Responsive Practices, Kristen Hitchens

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Many school communities are beginning to change and the student achievement gap is growing larger and larger for children in minority groups. As the student population changes, teachers may want to consider facilitating a Culturally Responsive framework for the benefit of all diverse learners in their classrooms to increase their engagement. Thus, moving many steps closer to closing the achievement gap. As I initiated a Culturally Responsive Practices into my third grade classroom, I found there was more student engagement because they were given choice and voice and were held to high classroom expectations and educational standards. This capstone encompasses …

The Effects Of Metacognitive Training On Algebra Students’ Calibration Accuracy, Achievement, And Mathematical Literacy, Deana J. Ford

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation describes an empirical study that investigated how metacognitive training influenced lower achieving Algebra students’ calibration accuracy, achievement, and development of mathematics literacy. Multiple methods were used to collect and analyze the data. Close analysis of students’ work and classroom observations revealed that students that were exposed to the metacognitive training had significantly higher prediction accuracy and made gains in their understanding of the mathematics word problems than did students who did not receive the metacognitive training. Overall, however, both the intervention and comparison groups improved in their academic performance and became more mathematically literate and accurate in their …

Cultural Priming And Psychosocial Factors In The Achievement Of Hispanic And White Students, Richard Peters

Educational Studies Dissertations

The rationale for this study is that the achievement gap between Whites and Hispanics can be influenced by reconceptualizing the learner process as one that integrates culture, motivation, and psychosocial variables, with academic performance. The study investigated the role of three psychosocial variables in achievement: familism, academic self concept, and ethnocentrism. It also reconceptualized one’s culture as a toolkit for instrumental use on tasks in another culture, adopted the dynamic constructivist approach to culture’s influence, and applied the original definition of acculturation, of mutual influence of groups in contact, to achievement. A pretest/posttest comparison group design was used. White and …

Speaking To The Numbers: Impacts Of Growth Mindset On Student Mathematics And Achievement, Sarah Rodriguez

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if an increase in teacher growth mindset language and practices positively impacted students’ mindset and mathematical achievement. This study took place in a suburban public school. Twenty-one fifth grade students’ mathematics data were collected as part of this study. At the beginning of the academic year, students were administered a mathematical growth mindset survey. During a mathematical unit involving mathematical operations with percentages, taught near the end of the academic year, students’ mathematics journals, mathematics unit pre-and post- assessments, and a teacher reflection journal were collected. The results showed that students increased …

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy And Student Motivation: An Applied Study Of Their Relationship In Fourth Grade English Learners, Joy Mcclain

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this paper is: How are feelings of motivation observed in and

reported by English learners when they are educated in culturally relevant ways? Using Ladson- Billings’ definition of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Ryan and Deci’s self-determination theory

of motivation, and Gonzalez’ definition of culture as lived experience, the author conducts classroom research with fourth grade English learners in an urban setting in the American Midwest. Student surveys, teacher observations, and field notes are used for the duration of two co-taught lessons that can be classified as being culturally relevant. One lesson introduces the metaphor to students …

How To Use An Advisory Period To Cultivate High School Students’ Social And Emotional Growth, Elizabeth Lundquist

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone paper and project addressed the research question: How can high school teachers cultivate students’ social and emotional growth during an advisory period in order to promote positive behavior and increase overall student achievement? Social and emotional learning is established as a critical component of overall positive youth development. The author’s literature review examined the impact strong social and emotional skills can have on individual behavior, classroom community, school climate, and academic achievement. Her research also focused on the unique opportunity an advisory period provides as a time and place through which every student may receive instruction and additional …

Involvement In Extracurricular Activities And Overall High School Experience: Academics, School Belonging, And Career/College Readiness, Michael Richards

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was to find out if there is a connection between extra-curricular (EC) activities and high school belonging, academics, and college/career readiness that makes school a more positive experience overall. The primary focus of this project was on finding if there is a positive impact on involvement in EC activities with regard to school belonging and college/career readiness along with higher achieving academics. An online survey was administered to the student body and there were individual interviews conducted. Along with analyzing literature, the researcher looks into his background of EC activities and how it …

Involvement In Extracurricular Activities And Overall High School Experience: Academics, School Belonging, And Career/College Readiness, Mike Richards

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was to find out if there is a connection between extra-curricular (EC) activities and high school belonging, academics, and college/career readiness that makes school a more positive experience overall. The primary focus of this project was on finding if there is a positive impact on involvement in EC activities with regard to school belonging and college/career readiness along with higher achieving academics. An online survey was administered to the student body and there were individual interviews conducted. Along with analyzing literature, the researcher looks into his background of EC activities and how it …

The Influence Of Mathematical-Instructional Minutes On The Percentage Of Proficient And Advanced Proficient Scores In Mathematics On The New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge For Grades 6-8, Eric Walter Kosek

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational study was to examine the influence, if any, of mathematical-instructional minutes on academic achievement as measured by the 2014 New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) 6, 7, and 8 mathematics scores. Additionally, the study accounted for other factors that influence student achievement, including selected metrics and variables listed on the 2013-2014 New Jersey School Performance Report. The variable of interest, mathematical-instructional minutes, was obtained via survey from all schools in New Jersey that educated students in Grades 6-8. The survey data were then matched with each responding school’s New Jersey …

School Culture And Student Achievement: An Examination Of Two High-Achieving, High-Poverty Arkansas Schools, Tammi Hasty Davis

Theses and Dissertations from 2018

This study was developed to produce qualitative data about the cultures of two high-poverty, high-achieving elementary schools in Arkansas. The research was intended to contribute to the existing information regarding professional collaboration, collegiality, and self-determination/efficacy as related to student assessment data. The focus of this study was provided by a single research question: What features characterize the cultures of low socio-economic schools in Arkansas that enjoy high student achievement? The assessment data was collected and analyzed by reviewing the ACT Aspire scores of third, fourth, and fifth grade students as reported on the My School Info website. This information is …

Engaging The Disengaged: Using Every Trick In The Book, Brooke Prusaczyk

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Literacy

Researchers have affirmed a connection between students’ engagement in reading to their academic achievement. Struggling readers in particular are generally not engaged or motivated to read. While the construct of reading engagement is difficult to measure, a student’s motivation seems to be the driving force behind reading development. Additionally, today’s students are involved in and more motivated by the many different activities outside of school, which poses challenges for both teachers and parents. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of instructional techniques on student engagement in reading. To measure the academic progress of 21 fifth grade …

Leveraging Writing Routines To Increase Achievement Of English Learners In Science, Monica Grubb

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Two research questions were investigated in this case study: How are 5th grade ELs’ performances on an objective portion of a science quiz on erosion and deposition affected after discussing concepts with a teacher and writing about these concepts? How are 5th grade ELs’ written explanations of erosion and deposition and use of genre-specific language structures affected after conferencing with a teacher about these concepts? Science literacy is for all, but many ELs struggle to learn science content. The literature points to academic language of science and its hierarchical knowledge structures as barriers to learning. Best practices to support ELs …

Communicating Student Achievement Through Standards-Based Assessment And Grading, Elizabeth Hennen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was: which method of grading is the most effective way to communicate a student's progress and growth through the course of a school year to students, parents, and future teachers? The motivating factor for this project was one teacher’s concern regarding the traditional grading system and the correlation between the grades given to students and what they were actually learning and retaining. This capstone details positives and negatives when implementing standards-based assessment and grading practices. This project was influenced heavily by the work of Dr. Robert Marzano and Rick Wormeli, although differing in …

How Can Fluency Instruction Using Readers' Theater And Paired Reading Impact Reading Comprehension In The Third Grade Classroom?, Angela Koski

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this capstone was, how can fluency instruction using readers’ theater and paired reading impact reading comprehension in the third grade classroom? It documents one teacher’s experience of implementing Readers’ Theater and Paired Reading in an attempt to increase fluency which can impact comprehension. The project integrates whole group, small group, and partner activities with a third grade class. The author details her review of best practices in reading instruction, implementation of Readers’ Theater and Paired Reading for fluency instruction, and the results seen from adding explicit fluency instruction. She describes the successes seen in teacher …

Effective Note-Taking Strategies In The High School Math Classroom, Michael Swenson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this action was, how can I implement effective note-taking strategies to improve my students’ performance on assessments? It details how one teacher implements Cornell notes and Foldables over the course of one trimester in two different Algebra 2 classes. A mixed methods approach was used to better understand effects of each strategy on three unit exams, three vocabulary quizzes, student surveys, and six student interviews. He describes the effects of each strategy on student achievement and concludes that: 1) Cornell notes and Foldables did improve student achievement on unit exams with Cornell notes showing higher …

Intervention Curriculum Based Off Of Fastbridge Kindergarten Assessments, Katie Gross

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, does using specific interventions based off of Fastbridge fall data help students reach the winter benchmarks in reading (set by Fastbridge)? It documents one teacher’s creation of a ten day unit plan that meets the needs of learners in the areas of: letter sounds, onset sounds, nonsense words, and word segmenting. The author documents details of the unit, as well as uses related research literature to show the validity of differentiation within the classroom. She discusses both the successes and limitations to implementing the unit, while concluding the necessity of differentiation within …

Struggling To Survive: Addressing The Graduation Rate Of Cal Poly's Black Men, Malcolm Saleem Mills

Social Sciences

This research project examines and addresses the 2012 6-year graduation rate of Cal Poly’s Black men. Given President Armstrong’s 2022 vision for Cal Poly to be an: “Enriching, inclusive environment where every student, faculty and staff member is valued”; “Create a rich culture of diversity and inclusivity that supports and celebrates the similarities and differences of every individual on campus”; and “Enhances student success,” there is a startling lack of research addressing this demographic of students. A review of the literature highlights the issue of Black male graduation rates in higher education on a broader scale and examines the impact …

Examining The Relationship Between Cbi Methods And Student Academic Achievement Scores In Higher Education, Jason Sibulkin

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The international tertiary community continues to experience a substantial growth in ESL students, which represent a significant portion of total enrollment. To meet this demand for bilingual education EAP (English for Academic Purpose) programs such as CBI (content-based instruction) curriculum have been widely adopted as the preferred pedagogical approach to address this growing trend in higher education. Despite this popularity, there is a lack of longitudinal research on the efficacy of CBI courses, that link this approach to sustained improvement on student academic achievement scores. This study incorporates a mixed- methods design that investigates the academic performance of two sample …

Predicting Adolescent Academic Achievement: The Role Of Intrapersonal And Risk Behavior Factors, Stefanie Gill Scalcucci

Wayne State University Dissertations

There is a large body of research that shows moderate to strong correlations between academic achievement and various inter- and intra-personal variables. The aim of this study was to develop a model that explains the most variance and best predicts academic achievement in adolescence. Specifically, executive functioning, achievement goal orientation, academic self-efficacy, future orientation, and hope, from the cognitive domain, as well as school risk behaviors, social risk behaviors, loneliness, and mattering from the social domain were examined. Participants included 210 high school students (93 females, 117 males) from an agricultural school district in southeastern Michigan. In an aggregate model, …

How Flipped Classrooms Impact K-12 Student Achievement: Flipping A Middle School Geography Classroom, Jenna Norman

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to apply knowledge gained from reviewing the literature on flipped classrooms to a middle school geography unit. The history of the flipped classroom model, varying models of flipped classrooms, the need for flipped classrooms and the importance of flipped learning are introduced to support the rationale and purpose of the research. Literature on academic performance, student achievement, instructor impact, and technology are reviewed to give benefits and challenges to flipping a middle school geography unit. An application emphasis is included to further discuss the audience, sustainability and resources required to flip a middle school …

The Effect Of Gender And Racial Stereotypes And Education-Related Beliefs On The Academic And Social Identity Development Of Urban African American Girls, Wanda Marie Shealey

ETD Archive

This qualitative, ethnographic study explores various tensions and struggles around gender and racial stereotypes that three urban teenage African American girls encounter as they try to develop a sense of oneself as an individual and in relation to the world. The purpose of this study was to explore Black high school girls’ experiences in a predominately urban public school in the Midwest. This study is guided by the following research question: In what way do gender and racial bias contribute to the self-perception of African American adolescent girls? Interrogating the multiple standpoints that inform African American female identity and how …

Relationship Between English Proficiency And Academic Achievement Of Nigerian Secondary School Students, Goldlyn Ugonna Ozowuba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nigerian stakeholders are concerned with the continuous low scores of final-year senior secondary school students (FYSSS) in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Studies have shown that limited proficiency in English among FYSSS is the cause of low scores on the WASSCE. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate the relationship between English proficiency and academic achievement among FYSSS as measured by the WASSCE. The theoretical framework for the study was Cummins's theory of second language acquisition to address the distinction between conversational language and academic language. Archival data from 225 FYSSS were collected from …

The Effects Of Teaching Exponential Functions Using Authentic Problem Solving On Students’ Achievement And Attitude, Yamamah Sawalha

Wayne State University Dissertations

Most of the current mathematics education focuses on procedures and pays very little attention to conceptual understanding in many classrooms. NCTM (2000) called for improving students’ understanding to help improve their achievement. To help prepare students for the future, they need to be taught to value mathematics and realize that it is relevant to their lives. Students need to use their mathematical knowledge to solve real life problems. This can’t be achieved by focusing only on the procedures and expecting students to understand how to apply it to real life. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect …