Education Commons^™

The Effect Of Reading Habits On Academic Success, Taylor Hicks

Culminating Experience Projects

The goal of most students is to achieve academic success. In order to be successful, students must form healthy reading habits because there is a positive correlation between academic success and reading habits. The more students read, the greater their chances of performing well academically. By participating in frequent reading, students will, not only perform well in school, they will also expand their vocabulary, improve their writing skills, and sharpen their critical thinking skills. We are in the midst of a literacy crisis, though. Students are choosing other avenues for entertainment instead of reading. This could potentially have detrimental consequences. …

Secondary Educator And Administrator Perceptions Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports And Student Academic Achievement, Cynthia Everitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study addresses secondary educator perceptions of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and student academic achievement. PBIS is a proactive approach with a multitiered framework. When used properly, PBIS can be a tool for school faculty to establish behavioral expectations and procedures, prevent disruptive behavior, and improve the school climate and culture. This phenomenological study was conducted using two secondary schools in West Virginia. Participants were identified and chosen through purposive sampling techniques according to their years of experience teaching and utilizing PBIS interventions.

The data for this study included unstructured, open-ended interviews based on three research questions. …

Effects Of Socioeconomic Status On English Language Learners' Success In School, Abbie Ashcraft

M.Ed. Literature Reviews

This research paper focuses on the effects of socioeconomic status on English language learners' overall success in school. The aspects of success discussed in this paper pertain to academics, social-emotional learning, and home practices, beliefs, and environments. Most English language learner students come from low socioeconomic status households and enter school with little to no English proficiency. This puts them at a much higher risk of developing academic struggles because of the need for more resources and opportunities, on top of acquiring a new language. They are also more likely to develop emotional and behavioral problems because of internalized behaviors …

The Effect Of Athletic Participation On Academic Achievement For Private High School Students, Jeff Johnson

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Education's role in society is crucial for the sustainability of civilization (Ball, 2021). Education consists of people training people for the future and the betterment of humanity. Governments often prioritize education reform, and decision-makers and school leaders constantly look at ways to improve student gains (Ball, 2021). Further, improving the education system is an ongoing process that is an absolute necessity, and the intent behind this research was to contribute to that endeavor and promote progress.

The relationship between athletics and academic performance has been studied broadly in literature. However, there is a literary void and lack of delineated exploration …

Exploring Digital Portfolios And Their Effects On Test Scores, Dithmar Kenneth Rualo

Theses and Dissertations

Many educators in the field are looking for ways to grade their students. Many of our youth can learn new concepts and attain academic growth but have difficulties in the traditional lecture-based classroom. Digital portfolio incorporation in our secondary classrooms may be a solution to engaging learners through various interactions using online learning tools, interaction with peers, and their teachers. This exploratory study investigated the current value of digital portfolios in improving academic performance in today’s classroom. Much of the trend was popular ten years ago. The research explored how current educators in the secondary school setting feel about the …

The Impact Of Student Cell Phones On Standardized Test Achievement In The High School English Classroom, Jackie Otway

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This 2022 study analyzes the impact cell phones have on secondary student’s academic performance and whether or not banning cell phones from classrooms is an effective policy for supporting student's academic success. To answer this question, two class periods of approximately 30 students in each period will be asked to adhere to two different cell phone policies; one conventional policy that allows for unstructured cell phone use during the class period and one policy that bans cell phone use for the class period. Academic performance and success will be determined by scaled scores on the standardized STAR Reading test, which …

Schooling Black Males: Hegemonic Discourses, Structural Barriers, And Strategic Resistance, Cleo Wadley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black males have scored at the lowest levels of academic achievement compared to other racial groups in many Texas school districts. The achievement gap for this population of students has been explained by both material constraints and oppressive hegemonic discourses. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand how such barriers and discourses affected these students and how the students negotiated their experiences in school. This study was designed to describe the problem, its background and to discuss a relevant theoretical framework. This study examined the academic achievement data for Black males and the current literature on adverse …

Understanding The Perceptions Of African American High School Students On The Development Of Student-Teacher Relationships, Michael Hensley

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Studies have shown the positive associations between academic achievement, student engagement, and student-teacher relationships (Willms, 2003; Roorda et al., 2011). However, limited research exists on the subject of student-teacher relationships from the student perspective, and virtually no literature focuses on student-teacher relationships from the student perspective in the southern United States. This qualitative study was designed to collect and examine the perceptions of African American high school students in Arkansas on the development of student-teacher relationships. Data was collected through focus group meetings held with African American students in two diverse high schools. The constant comparative method of data analysis …

Analyzing The Academic Achievement Of Secondary Virtual Learners During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Case Study, Christina Kaye Board

Dissertations and Theses

Secondary students from a mid-sized school district in the rural Midwest who had chosen an asynchronous learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic were analyzed to determine predictors of academic achievement and perceptions of their learning during the pandemic. An explanatory, mixed methods case study was conducted to sequentially analyze quantitative data and qualitatively analyze their experiences. Archival data from 288 students [F(7, 281) = 20.87, p < .001] was used predict grade point average (GPA) during virtual learning (M = 2.43, SD = 0.89) using a multiple linear regression (R2 = .326). This study was done to determine what factors help educators understand the variables that aide in student achievement while virtual learning. Predictor variables included race/ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, grade level, past attendance, past GPA, and number of parents/guardians in the home. Significant predictors were grade level, past GPA (M = 3.05), and sex. The focus of the qualitative research was on access to technology, digital literacy, attitude, motivation, and social connectedness prior to, during, and post-virtual learning. Four themes emerged. Results from this study suggest that schools should consider the type of virtual environment they provide, instructional design that includes social interaction, and professional development for staff prior to implementation of a virtual learning environment to increase achievement.

First-Year College Students' Perceptions Of Writing And Writing Instruction Across High School To College Transitions, Laura Dacus

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Over the past few decades, standards-based educational reforms in the U.S. have sought to enhance students’ college and career readiness. The most recent wave of such reforms has emphasized writing as an essential aspect of college readiness and a 21st century skill necessary for success in the workplace. A common feature of these conversations concerning college writing readiness is a prevailing sense that high school graduates are underprepared for postsecondary literacy demands and, relatedly, that standards-based instruction is the key to bridging this “gap.” Compared to the number of studies that focus on writing at either the secondary or postsecondary …

Teacher Led Tier Two Intervention To Increase Student Academic Achievement, Cynthia Shepherd

Education Masters Papers

The purpose of this action research was to determine if the implementation of a tier two teacher led intervention would increase student academic achievement. A small group of ten students in a ninth-grade physical science class participated in the study. Data was collected over a period of three weeks using pre- and post- intervention surveys, an exit slip for self-assessment, researcher observations, comparisons of work completion and grades from previous grading periods, participant performance self-assessment, and a goal setting activity. Results show an inconclusive connection between the tier two teacher led intervention and student academic achievement. This is possibly due …

Meritocracy And Marketization Of Education: Taiwanese Middle-Class Strategies In A Private Secondary School, Amanda Shufang Yang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the 20th century, economic growth in Taiwan has brought social prosperity and fundamentally altered Taiwanese social structure. While successive generations of young people have climbed the social ladder and experienced upward mobility, being successful is still narrowly defined through academic achievement. This study argues that, despite constant education reform, a solution to class inequality in education has yet to be found. The mandate of the 12-Year Basic Education Curriculum in 2019 was an answer to local, global, and international transformations. While citizens celebrate the neoliberal concepts of autonomy and deregulation embedded in the 12-Year Basic Education Curriculum, coercion is …

Sense Of Belonging And Association With Academic Achievement Of Hispanic And Non-Hispanic High School Students, Mary Webster

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, correlational research study was to investigate the extent that Hispanics in grade 11 in a rural high school in Tennessee experienced a sense of belonging and the correlation, if any, between sense of belonging and academic achievement on the state English I and English II standardized tests. I selected Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as the theoretical framework to focus the nonexperimental, correlational study. I collected student perceptions for sense of belonging using the Psychological Sense of School Membership scale, designed to measure perceptions of psychological membership and sense of belonging, for students in grade …

Effects Of Block Scheduling Vs Traditional Period Scheduling On The Academic Achievement Of Middle School Students, Katelyn Olsen

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The way school is structured plays a major role in the academic achievement of middle school students. Scheduling systems like block scheduling and traditional period scheduling have played major roles on how students throughout the world are making the transition from elementary school to high school. While the academic achievement of middle school students is based on a collection of things, this senior capstone research project will explore how block scheduling vs traditional period scheduling affect the academic achievement of middle school students. The purpose of this project is to see the answer to the best scheduling system for middle …

Is The Setting Important?: A Systematic Review Of Academic Achievement In A Variety Of Educational Settings, Shannon Jeralds

Educational Specialist Scholarly Papers

Since the inception of Public Law 94-142, which we now know today as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), in 1975, the question of how and where to educate students with disabilities has been constantly examined and re-examined. Students with disabilities have gone from being placed in an isolated area of the school (out of sight, out of mind) to being included in regular education classrooms and being expected to perform at the same level as students without disabilities. This has caused educators and researchers to wonder what is the best educational setting for students with disabilities to be educated, …

Student Connectedness And Academic Achievement: A Quantitative Study Of Career And Technical Education Students, Kern Mcginley

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The focus of this correlational study in an Alaskan career and technical (CTE) school environment was to explore the research question that guided this study: In a large urban school district of Alaska, with a diverse student population, what is the relationship between the CTE student connectedness level and academic achievement levels? Participants included 132 high school students, Grades 10 through 12. Additional research questions were developed to examine the strength of the relationship between student connectedness and academic achievement by gender and ethnicity. Data were collected using an online survey with a combination of demographic questions and Goodenow’s (1993b) …

Boredom Proneness And Character Strengths Related To Academic Achievement In Adolescence, Bonnie Iannaccone

Ed.D. Dissertations

Abstract

Susceptibility to boredom can interfere with students’ ability to achieve their academic potential, with enduring negative consequences. In the present study, the researcher investigated differences in boredom proneness and character strengths in adolescent high school students and the ability of boredom proneness scores and character strengths to predict academic achievement. Results indicated that 9 of 10 students were moderately or highly prone to boredom. Students’ whose top character strength was humility were more highly prone to boredom than students’ whose top-ranked character strengths were bravery, prudence, or curiosity. From boredom proneness and character strengths data the researcher concluded that …

Examining Predictor Measures For Students' Testing In The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, Shannon Siebe

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between both student achievement and growth in 9th and 10th grade English and math courses and achievement on International Baccalaureate English and math exams. The researcher examined student end-of-course exam scores, student growth values, and International Baccalaureate English and math exam scores from an International Baccalaureate World School across 4 graduating cohorts, including 305 students. The researcher concluded that while 9th grade math end-of-course exam achievement does not significantly predict International Baccalaureate math exam scores, student growth in 9th grade math does. The researcher also concluded that Advanced Placement Language …

Understanding The Academic Achievement Of African American Scholars: An Intrinsic Case Study Of An Urban High School, Cluny Lavache

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative intrinsic case study focused on the academic achievement and success of African American alumni students in an urban school district in New York City. The researcher sought to answer the following research questions: (a) How do urban, African American high school alumni perceive and describe the quality of education they received as impacting their studies and their success?; (b) How do alumni describe the social and cultural factors that contributed to and influenced the quality of education they received?; and (c) How do social and cultural factors influence their trajectory towards high academic achievement and/or success? Data were …

A Comparative Study Of Sat® Scores Of Students From High Schools Of The Arts And Non-Arts High Schools, Debra R. Cahl

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

In 21st Century public schools today, many rapid changes in college and career readiness play havoc among teachers and administrators who are attempting to keep up within a fast-paced, global economy. Preparing students to be successful upon graduation from public schools is a prime responsibility of the educational system in America. A tremendous amount of effort has been employed within the last two decades to close student achievement gaps and to improve teaching effectiveness, curricula, and standards in public schools. Due to concerns for failing students, shrinking budgets, and insufficient rigor to compete in a global economy, the arts were …

Barriers For Pseudo School District’S College Bound Scholars’ Scholarship Attainment, Annette Burnett

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

The need for college-educated, skilled workers is ever increasing, however the number students attending post-secondary education is decreasing and furthermore there is a gap between low-income students attending post-secondary education and their non-low income peers. Washington state has created the College Bound Scholarship program which financially assists low-income students to attend post-secondary education opportunities.

The purpose of this research study was to examine the barriers and supports needed for students in Pseudo School District to meet the requirements of the College Bound Scholarship: (a) graduate from a Washington high school with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher, (b) …

It Takes Two: Compatibility Of Perspectives Between Students And Teachers And The Effects Effort Has On Student Academic Achievement And Subjective Well-Being, Leah E. Bracey

Senior Projects Spring 2017

This research study examined the unique matching of perspectives between teachers and students on the notion of who is assumed to be responsible for student academic achievement and subjective well-being. Students (N=190) in grades 9-11 and teachers (N=19) from a Newark, New Jersey public magnet high school completed various locus of control, classroom climate and well-being psychological questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and correlational tests were conducted for the analysis of the data. The surveys provided an in depth understanding of the distribution of perspectives which existed in this academic institution. Students found themselves, more often than not, feeling responsible for their …

Comparison Of In-Season And Out-Of-Season Academic Achievement Among Single-Sport Male Student Athletes At A High School In North Central Washington, Kai D. C. Knell

All Graduate Projects

This study illustrates and compares the academic achievement of male high school athletes (single-sport participants) in and out of their respective sport's seasons, to determine if extracurricular athletic participation hinders or enhances academic performance based on their students' GPAs. This study was conducted at a High School in North Central Washington. Fifty randomly selected high school male student athletes, ranging from sophomores to seniors were measured on academic performance during the 1999-2000 school year. The student athletes participated in an athletic sport in either the first or the second semester of the school year, and both the in-season and out-of-season …

Community Social Disorganization Theory Applied To Adolescent Academic Achievement, Spencer Ross Baker

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Over the years, the public education system has been transformed by outside political and societal forces to provide an equal opportunity for all students. Investigations of the public education system were not consistent and yielded divergent results on how to improve adolescent academic achievement. These divergent results were caused by different operationalizations of variables, data analytical procedures that possibly provided biased parameter estimates, and a failure to use a comprehensive theory. Although these results were inconsistent, the latest transformation of the public education system currently involves holding schools, administrators, parents, and students accountable for learning.

The measurement of success in …

The Effects Of An Urban Middle School Dropout Prevention Program On The Academic Achievement, Attendance, Attitudes, And Conflict Resolution Skills Of At-Risk Student, Patricia Hawkins Fisher

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an urban middle school dropout prevention program on the academic achievement, attendance, attitudes toward self and school, and conflict resolution skills of potential dropout candidates. The study compared the differences in grade point averages and Iowa Test of Basic Skills scores, percentages of absences, self concept and motivation towards school scores, and the percentage of suspensions of subjects in three middle schools in Portsmouth, Virginia. A review of literature revealed that traditional dropout prevention efforts have addressed the dropout dilemma with varying degrees of success. More recent dropout initiatives …

Academic Performance And Social Participation Of Gifted And Talented Humanities Program Students, Hyak Junior High School, Bellevue, Washington, Eileen Casey Herling

All Master's Theses

This investigation focused upon the academic and social achievement of identified gifted and talented students who participated in a special humanities program conducted within a traditional junior high school environment. Eighty-two students, ranging from the seventh grade through their sophomore year in college, returned questionnaires lending credence to the hypothesis that these youngsters generally continue to sustain their achievement level as they progress through life. Students' attitudes regarding gifted identification, motivation, peer relationships, and program preparation were discussed.