Education Commons^™

Negotiating The Integration Of New Literacies In Math And Science Content: The Lived Experience Of Classroom Teachers, Jennifer Joy Wimmer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experience of integrating new literacies in math and science content by upper elementary and middle school teachers. This study highlights the lived experience of six teachers including two elementary math teachers, two middle school math teachers, and two middle school science teachers. Data sources included five in-depth interviews, teachers' weekly reflection journals, weekly classroom observations, and one principal interview at each of the three high-needs schools. Data were analyzed through an analytic and thematic approach. A reconstructed story was created for each teacher which provides insight into the teacher …

A Comparison Of Special Education Teachers’ And Administrators’ Perceptions Of School Climate Factors Leading To Teacher Attrition, Jennifer C. Boeddeker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examined (a) the difference between special education teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of school climate factors that influence special education teacher attrition and (b) differences among the four school climate factors perceived by school personnel. School climate was measured in professional development, collaboration, working conditions, and leadership. Participants were 29 administrators and 62 special education teachers from a large metropolitan school district in the Southwest United States. A 52 item online questionnaire was used for data collection. Special education teachers perceived school climate factors as more influential in promoting teacher attrition than did administrators. When the four school climate …

Cultural Competence Of Rn To Bsn Students, Dierdre Michelle Riley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this exploratory research study was to examine the cultural competence of registered nurses returning to school for an RN to BSN program in Nevada. Campinha-Bacote's model, The Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services, was used as a theoretical framework for the study. A secondary analysis of data collected as part of a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grant was completed. Fifty-three RN to BSN students voluntarily completed the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competency Among Healthcare Professionals- Revised (IAPCC-R) electronically in the learning management system of the first nursing course …

Toward The Development Of A Model To Estimate The Readability Of Credentialing-Examination Materials, Barbara Anne Badgett

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to develop a set of procedures to establish readability, including an equation, that accommodates the multiple-choice item format and occupational-specific language related to credentialing examinations. The procedures and equation should be appropriate for learning materials, examination materials, and occupational materials. To this end, variance in readability estimates accounted for by combinations of semantic and syntactic variables were explored, a method was devised to accommodate occupational-specific vocabulary, and new-model readability formulas were created and calibrated. Existing readability formulas were then recalibrated with the same materials used to calibrate the new-model formulas. The new-model and recalibrated …

The Impact Of Individual Decision Making On Campus Sustainability Initiatives, Aurali Ella Dade

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) have increasingly committed to become more sustainable in recent years. Despite this commitment, academic publications in the sustainability field assert that progress has been slower at IHEs than expected and that most IHEs have found sustainability initiatives difficult to implement. Comprehensive sustainability initiatives require cooperation from a broad set of constituents with diverse and sometimes conflicting goals. Creating a sustainable IHE also requires changes in both physical infrastructure and individual behavior. Any number of institutional factors can advance or limit progress towards these objectives.

Previous investigations have assessed individual case studies, compared IHEs in a …

Assessing The Effect Of Simulation Models On Systems Learning In An Introductory Environmental Science Course, Heather J. Skaza

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence within the systems dynamics community supporting the use of systems simulations in the classroom to improve student understanding, there is little published, controlled, experimental research. This paper describes the results of a paired experiment testing the effect of using system dynamics simulations to increase systems understanding in an introductory environmental science course. We believed that the students using the systems simulations would demonstrate a greater systemic understanding of environmental issues than those who did not.

We conducted an experiment during the fall semester of 2009, with 304 students enrolled in four sections of …

The Opportunities And Risks For The U.S. Educators Of Exhibition Majors Entering The China Education Market, Wei Jia

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper provides a general introduction for American exhibition educators who are interested in launching joint programs with or exporting certifications into China. The study describes the status of exhibition and tourism education in China, and then presents an analysis of the exhibition certification programs of both China and the United States. Based on a comparison of the two systems, recommendations are made regarding . American educators could use this study as a reference for introducing their certification or higher education programs into China.

Team-Based Learning: Engagement And Accountability With Psychometric Analysis Of A New Instrument, Heidi Ann Mennenga

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With calls for transformation, innovation, and excellence in nursing education from national bodies of nursing, nurse educators must determine the best possible teaching strategies to meet educational standards. Team-based learning, an innovative teaching strategy, offers educators a structured, student-centered learning environment and may be more effective than current teaching pedagogies in meeting the needs of nurse educators.

The purpose of this study was to (a) examine differences in student engagement between baccalaureate nursing students taught using team-based learning and those taught using traditional lecture, (b) examine how levels of engagement affected examination scores, (c) examine potential differences in student examination …

Reflective Practice: The Teacher In The Mirror, Celes Raenee Rayford

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, administrators have faced extreme pressure to provide professional development to teachers to enhance their skill and knowledge base, make school improvements, and increase student achievement. Research indicated that critical reflection leads to lasting school change and professional growth of teachers. However, few studies examined reflection using the principles of adult learning and reflective practice theory. In this study, this perspective was explored using three distinct ways of reflecting in combination with various reflective practice models.

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of elementary administrators …

The Efficacy Of Emotional And Instructional Support (Eis) Training And Consultation On Head Start Teacher-Child Interactions, Rory Brown Sipp

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There is an increased need for quality in the field of early care and education and, teachers interactions with his or her students are the catalyst for providing and ensuring quality within early childhood environments (La Paro, Pianta, & Hamre, 2008). The study examined the effect of training and consultation on Head Start teacher and child interactions as measured by the Classroom Assessment Scoring System, also known as the CLASS.

Twenty-one Head Start teachers located in Southern Nevada served as participants in the study where non-threatening and evidence based training and consultation was provided over six weeks. Trainings were provided …

An Analysis Of First Amendment Jurisprudence On The Supreme Court Case Of Locke V. Davey, Alexander John Herzog

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Scholarship programs authored by state legislatures may conflict with a state's constitution. In the case of Locke v. Davey 540 U.S. 807 (2003), Joshua Davey challenged the State of Washington's withdrawal of his Promise Scholarship claiming violation of his First Amendment rights under the United States Constitution.

This study is a historical case study analyzing the Supreme Court jurisprudence regarding legal issues concerning the issuance of state funded scholarships for the purpose of religious studies. A complete legal study was conducted that included a review of all relevant court cases, court filings, legal journals and legal briefs.

A micro legal …

The Value Of An Associate Degree In Culinary Arts From A Public Postsecondary School Versus A Private School, John F. Maas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Through an analysis of tuition data, this paper explores the difference in cost of an associate degree in culinary arts from public and private postsecondary schools. The average cost of the associate degree in culinary arts at private school is more than 500% higher than the average cost at the public schools. This disparity in cost raises a question of value. Is the degree from a private school worth more to justify the additional cost? The literature review established the use of post-graduation earnings as an accepted measure of the value of the degree. Surveys conducted by the American Culinary …