Education Commons^™

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Plagiarism In International High Schools And Divisions In China’S First-Tier Cities, Katie Marie Thomas

Master of Education Research Theses

This paper explores perceptions of plagiarism among the diverse faculty in international high schools and divisions in China’s first-tier cities. In survey and interviews, participants reflected previous research in their punitive attitudes and identified obvious expressions but lacked consensus on subtler forms, suggesting institutions should develop precise policies that are reevaluated and revised annually to mitigate the effects of high faculty turnover. A discrepancy was noted between low frequency of offenses reported and more than half of participants believing plagiarism was a “big issue” in their institutions. The oft-implemented parental contact as a punishment was seen as ineffective and thus …

Effectiveness Of Remind.Com For Students Missing Credits At Greenfield High School, Alfredo Diaz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this capstone is to determine the extent to which online credit recovery is effective at allowing students to regain missing credits at Greenfield High School (GHS). Recent studies show students do better in school when parents are involved. This helps students become motivated and engaged in being successful students. The counseling department at Greenfield High School lacks connection with students and parents. It is not the school's fault nor the staff trying to provide students with resources to help them gain a high school diploma. Unfortunately, Monterey County struggles with parent involvement for the fact that many …

Assessing The Supports And Variables Needed For Graduation Of Students Receiving Special Education Service: A Longitudinal Study, Jennifer Dewaard

Dissertations

Graduation from high school is an important measure of success for both schools and individuals. While requirements for graduation change, the rate at which students receive a diploma within four years is on the rise. But students who receive special education services continue to have a lower graduation rate than the general population. It is imperative for both schools and individual students to increase this rate and close the gap for those receiving a diploma.

The purpose of this study is to examine that gap between graduation rates for the total population of a high school in West Michigan compared …

Drop In Or Drop Out: A Case Study On The Effects Of Academic Track Placement, And Levels Of Student Skill And Will, On Successful Ninth-Grade Completion, Channell M. Wilson-Segura

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

The ninth grade is a transition year from middle school to high school where many students struggle to successfully navigate a new environment, new teachers and peers, new academic and behavioral expectations, and the concept of graduation requirements. This qualitative study examined the effects of academic track placement, and student levels of skill and will, on successful ninth-grade completion in one New Mexico Title I high school. It also provided insight into their perceptions of the success factors and challenges that they felt impacted their ability to successfully promote to the tenth-grade, and thus, remain on-track for graduation.

This study …

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 …

Challenges Of Attempting A Pedagogical Shift From An Essentialist Classroom To The Reformed Model, Joshua Germany

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study is to examine the challenges a teacher faces when shifting from an essentialist classroom toward a reformed approach in a high school US History class. The action research is taking place at a high school predominantly comprised of minority students who are considered to be of a high level of poverty.

The theoretical framework centers around the belief that a constructivist classroom will increase student engagement while enabling the students enhance their critical inquiry skills. This study’s mixed methods design uses both quantitative and qualitative data in a narrative case study describing the …

The Impact Of Mental Health Issues On Academic Achievement In High School Students, Patricia Lea Sutherland

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

An adolescent’s time in school is not merely academic; they are developing socially, physically, and emotionally. Prior research has demonstrated a correlation between a student’s poor academic performance and his/her need for emotional and mental health support. This research project sought to answer the following research questions: 1) Do mental health services in a high school setting help facilitate students’ academic achievement? and 2) Does a focus on mental health issues improve overall health and well-being in high school students? Participants for this study are 10 staff members (including teachers, administrators, counselors, and others) of a high school in San …

Authentic Learning Experiences: Investigating How Teachers Can Lead Their Students To Intrinsic Motivation In Meaningful Work, Rhonda Van Donge

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated how an authentic learning experience impacted the motivation and engagement of students toward finding intrinsic value in meaningful work in a sophomore English classroom at a private Christian high school in the Midwest. The participants were 57 sophomores at the high school taking required English 10. The students participated in an authentic learning experience (ALE) designed by their teacher in which they were split into 10 teams, each team writing and designing one issue the sophomore class’s newspaper. The 57 students completed an anonymous survey at the conclusion of the authentic learning experience. Eight students …

Hope For Transformation: The Metaphorical Broken Window That Distinguishes High-Poverty, Low-Performing Schools From High-Poverty, High-Performing Schools., Tania P. Coleman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

This study examined the phenomenon of the difference between high-poverty, low-performing schools and high-poverty, high-performing (H-P/L-P & H-P/H-P schools through the metaphorical lens of Kelling and Wilson's 1982 Criminal Justice Broken Windows Theory. The Broken Windows Theory describes the norm-setting and beckoning effect of urban disorder and vandalism on additional crime. Previous research found that H-P/H-P schools had a collaborative school culture. This research used elements of school culture as metaphorical broken windows. The study employed a cross-sectional phenomenology mixed methods design to examine school performance scores, school routines and school culture. Results indicate that when students experienced unstable enrollment, …

Improving Media Literacy Among Ninth Grade Avid Students, Sierra Byrd

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Media literacy is an important skill to learn in an information-saturated environment. Adolescents, who are vulnerable to media messages both online and off-line, would benefit from learning how to find credible sources and information. To address this need I conducted a lesson about media literacy over the course of three sessions with a ninth grade AVID class. The students acquired media literacy skills and learned how to apply it to their daily lives.

The Influence Of Social Determinants Of Health On High School Students’ Health Literacy, Rebecca Welch

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The broad topic of health literacy has been assessed in a variety of studies. The most extensive research has been completed on how a lack of health literacy contributes to specific disease progressions. However, there is a deficit of research on how general health literacy contributes to overall individual health in high school students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health literacy scores of Northwest Arkansas high school students and examine the impact that age, gender, and ethnicity have on their health literacy. Health literacy was assessed using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). A cross-sectional research design …

Educators' Perspectives On School Family Involvement Within The Context Of A Pat Structure: A Qualitative Case Study, Marisol Perez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine, through a social capital and funds of knowledge lens, how educators view and promote involvement within the context of a school's Parent and Teacher Organization (PAT). The study was conducted in one large suburban high school and consisted of twenty (N = 20) participants who were responsible for promoting involvement. Data was collected in the form of archival documents, participant interviews, and field notes from observations which produced clear patterns around the topic of family involvement. The findings of this study indicated that participants made distinctions between elementary/middle school involvement …

Creating Grace And Space: The Foundation On Which Progressive Educators Build A Sense Of Belonging And Safety For Marginalized Gender And Sexual Diverse High School Students, Lisa M. Ortiz

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This descriptive case study focused on a single high school community which is intentional in its efforts to craft a school culture, fostering belonging and safety in students who are Gender and Sexual Diverse (GSD). The researcher examined the perspectives of classroom-based and non-classroom-based educators, as they strove to articulate how they address the needs of this student-population without negatively impacting academic and other school priorities, and how they incorporate understandings regarding this population into their practice. Through a multi-phase process including interviews, observations, focus group, and document analysis, the researcher explored how seven educator-participants navigate changing demographics both personally …

Motivation And Gender Dynamics In High School Science: The Effect Of Gender Composition On Motivation In Small Group Inquiry And Engineering Tasks, Julie Robinson

Doctoral Dissertations

While current research shows that the gender gap in science achievement has disappeared (Miller, Blessing, & Schwartz, 2006), girls continue to show declining levels of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) engagement in school. Literature shows that various societal and educational factors impact girls’ STEM motivation disproportionately to boys (Bennett & Hogarth, 2009; Breakwell & Robertson, 2001; Brotman & Moore, 2008; Campbell & Clewell, 1999; Cokadar & Kulce, 2008; Huebner, 2009; Jovanovic & King, 1998; Lee, 1998; Miller, Blessing, & Schwartz, 2006; Osborne, Simon, & Collins, 2003; Solomon, 1997). The onset of this phenomenon occurs in the middle school years …

Discovering The Best Practices For Design And Development Of High School Online Physical Education: A Phenomenological Study, Marie Crosby

Dissertations

Purpose: Online physical education (OLPE) is a burgeoning field with questions and disadvantages that need to be addressed for its continued growth. With out-of-date guidelines and best practice not established for OLPE, curricula are being designed and developed without consistency. Current standards are needed to assess the design of OLPE to ensure that courses meet state and/or national standards, and quality guidelines in the online environment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the best practices used in the design and development of high school OLPE curricula based on the International Association for K-12 Online Learning …

Cybersecurity In The Classroom: Bridging The Gap Between Computer Access And Online Safety, Andrew Malecki

Cyber Security Capstone Research Project Reports

According to ISACA, there will be a global shortage of 2 million cybersecurity professionals worldwide by 2019. Additionally, according to Experian Data Breach Resolution, as much as 80% of all network breaches can be traced to employee negligence. These problems will not solve themselves, and they likewise won’t improve without drastic action. An effort needs to be made to help direct interested and qualified individuals to the field of cybersecurity to move toward closing this gap. Moreover, steps need to be made to better inform the public of general safety measures while online, including the safeguarding of sensitive information.

A …

How Do Students Structure Their Silent Reading When Situated In Inquiry Based Pedagogy?, Michelle Cohen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to document the engagement levels and classroom discussions students have after reading their independent reading novel. The specific aim was to see how students respond using their independent reading books when class discussions are centered around an essential question. Classroom reading behaviors, student-led classroom discussions, interviews, and exit tickets were analyzed. The students were engaged as active readers when reading their chosen silent reading book to find the answer to an essential question. After, the students engaged in meaningful conversations using their silent reading books as guides before some students offered personal responses while …

The Exemplary High School Principal: A Mixed Methods Study Of How Personal Motivation And Professional Core Values Influence The Practice, Priorities And Decisions Of Award-Winning School Leaders, Erin Luby

Dissertations

This study of award-winning high school principals was designed to distill lessons from highly effective school leaders. The research explored how personal motivation and professional core values influence the practice, priorities and decisions of exemplary principals. The research followed a sequential explanatory mixed methods design. Participants included school leaders across a 10-state region who won their State Principal of the Year award from 2007 to 2017. The first phase of data collection utilized a survey, and the second phase was comprised of semi-structured interviews.

Principals indicated they were motivated to become educators because of their desire to have a positive …

Student Centered Approaches In High School Algebra, Jennifer L. Mahan

M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership Research Projects

This quasi-experimental study evaluated the impact of four, student centered approaches on learning outcomes for high school math students, to determine if algebraic understanding improved in an active learning environment. Specifically, this study investigated high school algebra students’ use of learning stations, hands on manipulatives, small group collaboration and mathematical games, to deepen their conceptual understanding of linear equations. Surveys revealed students prefered to work independently while being led by the teacher, yet this approach yielded the least amount of improvement. Pre- and post-tests showed students from the experimental groups out-performed peers in the control group on achievement of standards …

Increasing Technology Engagement In The Mass Customized Secondary Classroom, Jeremy D. Young

M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership Research Projects

The increase in student-centered and self-directed classroom practices and curriculum delivery methods such as proficiency based education (PBE) and mass customized learning (MCL) coupled with 1:1 technology environments requires the student be productive without direct teacher oversight. Using productivity software, this research project examines student digital engagement in a high school classroom employing student-centered MCL and PBE practices in an attempt to answer the following research questions: “Can the use of self-monitoring productivity applications increase positive technology outcomes while decreasing negative technology outcomes?” and “Do student perceptions of their engagement fit their behavior?” This qualitative study uses three phases of …

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 …

The Impact Of Homework On Students At A Rural High School In The Foothills Of North Carolina, Thomas Dean Perry Ii

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research study was threefold: to determine if a relationship existed between homework and student achievement in students from a rural high school in the foothills of North Carolina; to determine if a relationship existed between two specific types of homework (preparation and practice) and student achievement; and to determine stakeholder perceptions (teachers, students, and parents) regarding the impact of homework on student learning, personal development, and family relationships.

The conceptual framework of this study was based on research conducted by Cooper (1989), Lee and Pruitt (1979), Foyle (1984), and from an extensive literature review that revealed …

Academic Resilience In Newcomers, Jacquelyn M. Carrillo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United States continues to transform demographically, economically, culturally, and linguistically, as it has for several generations. At the forefront of this change are the educators, struggling to make sense of how to teach students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

The main research question guiding this study was: What factors support or constrain the academic resiliency of Newcomers? The purpose of this study was to examine the academic resilience of Newcomers at an urban high school in Colorado. This qualitative study utilized case study methods of data collection. This study took place in four stages. The first stage encompassed …

Decreasing Incidents Of High School Cyberbullying, Erica Nichole Dawson

Theses and Dissertations

With the Internet being an ever-growing part of everyone’s lives, the nature of bullying has evolved. Cyberbullying is a new problem with far reaching implications and is a problem that is growing fast. However, there is a limited amount of research available. Most of the research has been conducted from 2007 until the present with little research available before 2001. The purpose of this study was to decrease the percentage of incidents (students participating and students victimized) of cyberbullying at a public high school in a large school, suburban school district, in the southeastern region of the United States, by …

Effect Of Relational Support On Educational Outcomes In An At-Risk Charter School In Florida, Eunice Casey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to explore how effectively a one-on-one mentoring relational support program would influence outcomes in attendance, academic achievement, and behavioral issues at an at-risk charter school in Florida. The majority of the students at the selected charter school are at-risk students, defined as such because their present level of academic achievement is significantly below that of their peers. At the selected charter school, students struggle with low attendance, low academic achievement, and a high number of behavioral infractions. More specifically, low attendance at this school is associated with low academic achievement. This includes failure …

The Impact Of Project-Based Learning On Student Learning Perspectives And Achievement In A Social Studies Classroom, Jason Brisini

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the possible impact of project-based learning on student learning perspective and achievement in a social studies classroom. American schools are in an era of standardized testing based on standards-driven curricula that only teaches basic recall and recognition. School curriculum should be focused on providing students with the skills necessary for them to be successful after high school graduation. Higher-level thinking skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and self-direction are not easily learned with traditional, essentialist teaching methods. Students can quickly look up facts with ready access to the internet, so they need …

A Program Evaluation Of The Impact Of The Positive Behavioral Intervention And Supports Program On An Urban High School, Brittany M. Ray

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This dissertation was designed to observe the impact of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on a large urban high school. This study attempted to answer the following question: Is the School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) program an effective model to meaningfully decrease student misbehavior and disruptions in a large urban high school as determined by the number of office discipline referrals (ODRs), in-school suspension (ISS) reports, out-of-school suspension (OSS) reports, and truancy reports? What are the differences in disciplinary data from the 2014-2015 to 2016-2017 school years? Overall, the study examined SWPBIS to determine if it is …

A Study Of The Relationships Among The Transformational Leadership Practices Of The Michigan High School Principal, School Culture, And Student Achievement, Delores Michelle Starks

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The continuing demand for greater accountability and improved student performance are critical concerns facing education in the 21st century. Federal and state mandates have been issued to ensure that all students achieve mastery of curriculum objectives. This quantitative study examined the relationships among student achievement as measured by the overall student proficiency in science on the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) Test and teacher perceptions of transformational leadership practices of Michigan high school principals and school culture. A correlational research design was used for this study. A total of 157 teachers, representing 147 unique high schools completed an …

Financial Literacy Seminar: An Exploration Of Financial Literacy Education In Ohio, Marysarah Menkhaus

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this study we sought to review financial literacy education in the state of Ohio, particularly for students in Akron City School District. We did this by hosting a day-long financial literacy seminar for high school students in partnership with community financial professionals. I used a pre and post survey to measure the change in student comfortability with financial topics from the beginning of the day to the end. I found that with exposure students become more comfortable with critical financial topics.

High School Blended Learning Courses : Teacher Beliefs, Perceptions Of Experiences, And Recommendations, Pamela Culbertson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Increasingly, more high school teachers are providing instruction using blended learning. This provides benefits to students such as having more time flexibility in their learning as well as the ability to work through assignments at their own pace (Oliver & Kellogg, 2015). However, this also involves student challenges, such as the need for self-motivation and time management.