Education Commons^™

An Evaluation Of School Culture And Its Impact On Student Achievement, Jeremy Johns-Klein

Dissertations

The purpose of this evaluation was to examine if a school’s culture impacts student academic achievement due to initial low attainment on state assessments and low graduation rates. The data collected provides both quantitative and qualitative information using a teacher survey, a teacher focus group, administrator interviews, and school achievement data. The results of the study indicate a need for stronger trust between teachers and administrators, increased professional development to support teaching and learning, and improved partnerships with the parents/guardians of the students. An additional result is that the school’s culture for learning can impact the achievement levels of the …

Millennial Generation College Students: Observations And Experiences Of Counseling Faculty At Selected California Community College Districts, Antoine Thomas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Higher education, specifically the California community colleges, is being inundated with a large new generation of students called millennials. They are the majority student group enrolled in record numbers at California Community Colleges. California community colleges continue to evolve in order to accommodate millennial generation college students. A phenomenological design was utilized, using face-to-face interviews. This research explores the phenomenon of “millennial college students (millennials)” through the lived experiences of California community college counseling faculty who interact with them. Their observations and experiences could prove to be informative and help advance the purpose of this research.

The following are the …

An Examination Of The Identification Of Student Veterans Within The University System Of Georgia To Assist In The Decision-Making Process To Better Serving Them, Stefane Dione Raulerson

Theses and Dissertations

Within the USG, no systematic approach exists regarding the identification of its student veterans. In support of the significant number of veterans living in Georgia and more of them utilizing VA educational benefits, the purpose of the research was to explore the various means in which USG institutions identify student veterans and use this information to make data-driven decisions as well as establish retention and graduation rates. The research included surveying and interviewing, following theoretical sampling. Interviews were conducted to obtain more comprehensive and detailed information on the survey results where participants indicated the identification of student veterans, use of …

The Influences Of The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) And Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D) Programs On Middle, Intermediate, And Upper School Students In The State Of New Jersey In The 2016-2017 Academic Year, Renzo Accursio Trapani

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Research on the effectiveness of the two most widely utilized school-based prevention programs in the state of New Jersey, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) and Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D.). Research was conducted using the New Jersey Department of Educa- tion School Violence, Vandalism and Substance Abuse Reports for the 2016-2017 academic year to measure the influences of either program on students in public school districts throughout the state. Using District Factor Groups A-J, three-hundred four middle, intermediate, and upper schools using either programs were analyzed, with the only statistically significant variable was a relationship between enrollment and the variables …

Fostering Friendships Between Chinese International And American High School Students, Kai Tai Chan

Theses and Dissertations

Current research revealed that international students adjust more optimally to the host country when they have host-national friendships (e.g., Hechanova-Alampay, Beehr, Christiansen, & Van Horn, 2002; Hendrickson, Rosen, & Aune, 2011). The researcher aimed to study and examine the process of sociocultural adjustment for Chinese international high school students. Specifically, the present study focused on the perspectives of Chinese international high school students to: a) gain an overall understanding of Chinese international students’ perception of intercultural friendships with American high school students and b) identify factors that afford and constrain intercultural friendships between the two student groups as perceived by …

An Analysis Of High School Students' Self-Efficacy In Second Language Acquisition Through Digital Language Lab Learning: Exploring New Pathways To Proficiency, Lorna A. Fairess

Theses and Dissertations

Students are often faced with barriers acquiring a second language due to various factors such as language anxiety, learning differences, and a lack of speaking time with the language. The purposes of this qualitative study were to: a) determine students' perceptions of the effectiveness of a digital language lab on their self-efficacy in second language acquisition at the secondary level, and b) discern teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the lab as well as recommendations for best practices in teacher training and implementation. Twenty-seven Italian and Spanish students and 12 world language teachers from two fairly rural high schools in …

Motivation In Male Adolescent Readers, Rachel Dockter

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if weekly one on one conferring with male students was effective in increasing motivation in adolescent male readers. The study began by collecting data on individual reading habits by having students complete a comprehensive questionnaire on their habits and attitudes towards reading. Male students then meet with their instructor on a weekly basis to orally outline their past reading habits, discuss current reading habits, and make goals for future reading habits. The study concluded by having students take the questionnaire a second time to determine if conferring had any impact on their …

Formative And Summative Test Process: The Students' Perspectives, Bailey Goodenough

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Students are assessed using a variety of formative and summative assessments. One West Texas School chose to implement an assessment process using both forms of assessment. The Formative and Summative Test process is a three-day process allowing teachers to collect data, reteach content, and help students meet mastery. The purpose of the study was to understand the students’ perceptions of the testing process, as well to determine if test grades were improving and how the process came to be. The author collected data by distributing surveys, conducting six student interviews and one administrator interview, and observing student conversations. After analyzing …

The Attitudes Of Secondary School Teachers Regarding Inclusion Of Students With Autism In Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Al Jaffal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine secondary school teachers’ attitudes regarding the inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, students with ASD can attend regular education classrooms, especially in elementary and middle schools. In addition, the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia is interested in the inclusion of students with ASD in secondary schools. Since the attitudes of secondary school teachers toward inclusion of students with ASD have not been examined, it was important to look at the attitudes of these teachers towards the inclusion of students with ASD so …

Wounds And Writing : Building Trauma-Informed Approaches To Writing Pedagogy., Michelle L. Day

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation builds a trauma-informed approach to writing pedagogy informed by writing studies scholarship about trauma and inclusive pedagogy, clinical social work literature on trauma-informed care, and interviews with nine current University of Louisville writing faculty about their experiences academically supporting distressed students. I identify three central touchstones—“students are coddled,” “teacher’s aren’t therapists,” and “institutions don’t support trauma-informed teaching”—in scholarly and public debates regarding what to do about student trauma/distress in higher education. After exploring the valid concerns and misconceptions underpinning these touchstones, I illustrate how clinical research offers a way forward to help writing instructors develop more complex understandings …

Behavioral Effects Of Outdoor Learning On Primary Students, Makena Cameron, Samantha Mcgue

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Children have an innate sense of curiosity about nature. “When children come in contact with nature, they reveal their strength” (Montessori, 1967, pg. 69) and therefore, outdoor education can be a useful learning tool for students. Whether being outdoors or bringing the nature-based activities inside, children have the opportunity to work with all of their senses. A growing number of schools around the United States have begun adding outdoor learning to their curriculum (Lieberman & Hoody, 1998) to bring a positive outcome to students’ behavior. Outdoor learning provides another environment that children can thrive in and hopefully benefit from. As …

Benefits Of Integrating Physical Activities Into The Elementary Classroom, Maritza Juliet Ruelas

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

There have been significant studies stating that physical activities have been eliminated for elementary school students. Today students are expected to attend school for approximately eight hours, five days out of the week. This senior capstone paper examines the many benefits of integrating physical activities into the elementary classroom through the use of literature review, anonymous-survey of twenty two students, and anonymous-survey of four teachers. This means that kinesthetic learning style has been limited for students at the elementary school level. The results indicate that integrating physical activities into the elementary classroom is proven to be beneficial to the overall …

Effects Of Under-Diagnosis Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Female Students, Nina Hobbs

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The number of students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is increasing in the United States; but there is a shortfall in the under-diagnosis of female students with ADHD. This senior capstone examines the effects of the under-diagnosis of ADHD in female students through the use of extensive literature review and questionnaires posed to local school elementary teachers. The findings indicate that female students with undiagnosed ADHD do not only suffer academically, but also socially and mentally throughout their life. Although assessed through the same process and criteria, female students with ADHD display symptoms far different from those of their …

The Impact Of Readers Theater On Fluency, Emily Suggs

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study describes a problem of practice derived from the identification of students in fifth-grade who lack reading skills to be classified fluent readers as identified by Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills-Next Edition Oral Reading Fluency (DIBELS Next ORF). This problem of practice led to the development of an action research study, which examined the impact of fluency instruction that used readers theater texts on students’ overall fluency performance.

Through a convergent mixed methods design, the study addressed three research questions that explored the impact of using readers theater texts on students’ overall fluency performance, the …

The Impact Of Individualized Structured Reading Intervention On High School Students In Special Education: An Action Research Study, Nikki Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Reading skills comprise the following three categories: decoding, fluency, and comprehension. All three of these skills are necessary for students to become successful readers in and out of academic settings. Many students in special education read far below their grade level; difficulty reading is particularly challenging for such students because, in addition to limiting academic success, under-developed reading skills compromise students’ academic and functional independence. This study aimed to examine how a structured, individualized reading intervention may help high school students in special education – students who have been diagnosed with one specific disability or a combination of approved disabilities …

The Impact Of A Global Education Program On The Critical Global Awareness Level Of Eighth Grade Students In A Rural School In South Carolina, Marina Mosneaguta

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past few years of teaching at a school district in a southeastern state, the researcher noticed that her students had become increasingly interested in various global topics. Students wanted to talk about world events and cultures around the world, but they had a limited understanding of their own roles as world citizens. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of global education program on the critical global awareness levels of eighth grade students at East Bridge Middle School. This researcher analyzed the effects of global education program on the critical global awareness level of eighth …

Let's Talk About Art School!, Elise Radzialowski

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Art students have tough lives. We choose an education that is difficult to complete and a career that often trades financial security for personal fulfillment. The purpose of this project is a celebration of art students, whether it laughs at our mistakes, rejoices in our successes, or offers advice. This is a student-led critique on art school. This project intends to look seriously at the good and bad in art school, including both students and professors. The media is an experimental combination of traditional watercolor and digital painting techniques, as seen in the process images.

The limitations of this project …

Understanding The Adult Correctional Education Student: A Review Of Inhibiting Factors, Motivating Factors, And Effective Instructional Strategies For The Classroom, Kayla Ann Larson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In efforts to understand how to motivate adult learners within the correctional education setting, educators must be aware of the inhibiting and motivating factors that either hinder or improve student self-efficacy. While there are numerous factors that influence each, this study provides a focused lens to spotlight the major components of both the inhibiting factors being psychological hindrances, goals, and negative learning environments as well as the motivating factors being future aspirations, a sense of normalcy and goals for a better life for adult learners within the prison walls. These factors are then utilized in creating and executing effective instructional …

School Counselors' Lived Experiences Supporting Students With Mental Health Concerns, Linda F. Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health in schools is a growing concern for many school counselors, educators and communities. School counselors are in key roles in the school setting to support students with mental health concerns. This research was done to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences, beliefs, and attitudes of school counselors supporting students with mental health diagnoses. This hermeneutic phenomenology research used n=4 participants school counselors and each has worked in their field for over 6 years. Additionally, each participant worked in the same school building for a minimum of 3 years or more. Semi structured interviews were used to collect …

Imaginaries Of Pre-Service Teachers From La Salle University About Inclusive Education, Saida Lizeth Castro Aguirre, Carol Alicia Rodríguez Martínez

Licenciatura en Español y Lenguas Extranjeras

Este artículo presenta la educación inclusiva desde los imaginarios que los estudiantes en prácticas en licenciatura en lengua castellana, inglés y francés de la universidad de la Salle tienen. Los participantes fueron 26 estudiantes de séptimo a décimo semestre que han tenido experiencia enseñando en colegios. La metodología usada en esta investigación fue cualitativa, considerando los puntos de vista reales de las personas que están experimentando su vida profesional como profesores en práctica. Una encuesta de estructura mixta donde los estudiantes respondieron preguntas cerradas para obtener información general sobre el tema y preguntas abiertas para identificar imaginarios personales relacionados con …

Drive: My Motivation For Becoming A Holistic And Authentic Leader And Supervisor Of College Students, Alisha Ami Oguri Lewis

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

In sixth grade, I did an art project where I painted a self-portrait. I decided to paint myself looking in a mirror. On the right-hand side of the canvas was the back of my head. On the left-hand side was a reflection of my face looking back at me in the mirror. During one session with my art teacher, she looked at my painting and paused before asking, “what happened?” She paused again before continuing that at one point the painting was on the right track, implying since that point, something had gone terribly wrong. I mean what was looking …

Thoughts Of A First Year Teacher: Know Your Students, Caitlin King

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This Ethnographic Narrative is a research based look into the lives of socially disadvantaged students in a low-income area. It breaks down the assets and needs of each student individually and discusses how to better help them academically and socially based on their individual personalities and needs. The narrative also discusses the community in which these individual students live and attend school, it looks at research on the community to determine how each student is affected by the city that they live in. Finally the narrative concludes by looking at the teacher over the course of this past year and …

Examining Perceptions Of Service Quality Of Student Services And Satisfaction Among International Students At Universities In Indiana And Michigan, Mordekai Ochieng Ongo

Dissertations

Problem

Universities in the United States face financial constraints, intense competition for students, declining student enrollment, and constant student attrition. However, an increasing number of international students seek higher education abroad, especially in the U.S. Providing quality services to these international students might help institutions attract and retain more of them. Unfortunately, little empirical research has been done on international students’ perceptions of service quality, especially of non-academic services. This study fills that gap by using a modified SERVPERF questionnaire to investigate international students perceived service quality and satisfaction at eight universities in Indiana and Michigan.

Method

The purpose of …

Working Memory And Attention As Predictors Of Processing Speed In Elementary School Students: A Developmental Study, Monih Alshehri

Dissertations

Problem

Many studies suggest that Processing Speed (PS), Attention, and Working Memory (WM) are major cognitive functions that collaborate to achieve a coherent cognitive system. The aim of the current study was to improve the conception of how these cognitive functions interrelate. The study addressed two main questions: the first, whether PS can be predicted by WM (visual, verbal, and the central executive) and attention of elementary students in first and fifth grade; the second, whether there are gender differences in the rate of change in WM and PS from first to fifth grade.

Method

The participants were taken from …

Stress Of College Students And Memory With The Implementation Of Brief Mindfulness, Rebecca Lopez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

College students are faced with stressors which can negatively impact memory function, thereby, negatively affecting academic performance. This study used a field experiment design to investigate the effects of brief mindfulness on levels of distress and memory functioning between first-year community college students engaging in a brief mindfulness intervention (n = 29) and a control group (n = 28) by using ANCOVA, MANOVA, correlations, and descriptive statistics. Research questions examined whether a brief mindfulness intervention lowered levels of distress in a treatment group. Second, the study examined whether the intervention of brief mindfulness in a treatment group improved memory function. …

The Interplay Of Racial Identity Attitude And Religious Orientation On The Social Integration Experiences Of Black African College Students And African American College Students Attending Predominantly White Institutions In The United States, Christina Miattamengie Johnson

Dissertations

Problem

Not much attention has been devoted to the academic experiences of Black African college students, the latter being typically categorized with those of African Americans (Kim, 2014). While research has effectively documented the social challenges that African American college students experience at (Predominantly White Institutions (PWI). much less research has been conducted on the social experiences of subcategories within the Black population, specifically, Black Africans. Though researchers have speculated on the potential differences between the social integration experiences of Black Africans and African American college students as these relate to religious orientation and racial identity attitude, no empirical studies …

Game Types, Game-Related Behaviors And Resilience: Creating A Roadmap For Effective Gamification Design In Higher Education, Patrick Marino

Dissertations

Gamification, or the use of game-based mechanics and thinking in real world applications, is on the rise in educational environments. While various applications seek to increase engagement and motivation for tasks related to student success, research regarding best practices for the design of such systems is lacking. In fact, conflicting outcomes from various gamification studies at the secondary and tertiary education levels suggest that not all gamification designs are effective for increasing student success. Meanwhile, research from the medical field indicates gamification can be used to increase resilience; which has been linked to various student success outcomes including academic performance. …

Designing Classrooms For Learning, Ryan Neubauer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this research project was to provide a comprehensive look into what physical features of a middle school classroom that students find the most beneficial. The main question specifically was "What do students need in a classroom to meet their physical needs." In doing this, ten features of classrooms were selected and from those a set of students were asked to evaluate how they felt about these features. Over the course of a semester data was complied evaluating these features as well as classroom design and the interior space and layout.

Unintended Policy Practices : A Review Of Student Affairs Supervisory Practices Based On Work-Study Status Within The State University Of New York System, Jessica Krupski

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the potential differences between how work-study and non-work-study student employees are trained, professionally developed, and evaluated in Student Affairs departments within the State University of New York System during the spring of 2019. The significance and contribution of this study is in the fact that there is not a statistically significant difference between the supervisory practices based on work-study status, yet, the data shows how the field can make improvements on the student employee experience as a whole, regardless of student employee type.

Putting Educational Reform Into Practice: The Impact Of The No Child Left Behind Act On Students, Teachers, And Schools, Timothy Song

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to investigate the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) on U.S. student achievement and teacher effectiveness. By combining the results from various data sources, I am able to indicate the levels of student preparedness, school spending, and specific classroom practices. After an analysis of my results, I suggest that NCLB has found moderate success in increasing the level of math preparedness for younger students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. On the other hand, the data also suggests that there have been no statistically significant gains in reading achievement after the implementation of NCLB. Additionally, spending …