Education Commons^™

“In A Position I See Myself In:” (Re)Positioning Identities And Culturally-Responsive Pedagogies, Noah Asher Golden

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Culturally-responsive pedagogies require moving beyond blanket assumptions about learners to focus deeply on local meaning-makings. This narrative analysis case study examines the ways a 20-year-old African American man challenges the negative educational identity with which he is forced to contend as he navigates a large and complex urban public school system. The ways in which Jamahl, a seeker of a High School Equivalency, refuses interpellation as an uneducated learner destined to be “nothin'” provides insight as to how formal education might be more responsive to learners' negotiation of deficiency discourses. Embracing agency, specifically through awareness of the ways Jamahl employs …

Impacts Of Active School Design On Schooltime Sedentary Behavior And Physical Activity: A Pilot Natural Experiment, Jeri Brittin, Leah Frerichs, John R. Sirard, Nancy M. Wells, Beth M. Myers, Jeanette Garcia, Dina Sorensen, Matthew J. Trowbridge, Terry Huang

Interior Design Program: Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity

Background Children spend a significant portion of their days in sedentary behavior (SB) and on average fail to engage in adequate physical activity (PA). The school built environment may influence SB and PA, but research is limited. This natural experiment evaluated whether an elementary school designed to promote movement impacted students' school-time SB and PA.

Methods Accelerometers measured SB and PA at pre and post time-points in an intervention group who moved to the new school (n = 21) and in a comparison group experiencing no school environmental change (n = 20). Difference-in-difference (DD) analysis examined SB and PA outcomes …

Interview With Peter Mclaren: “Critical Education Must Transform The World”, Javier Collado-Ruano, Peter Mclaren

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Javier Collado-Ruano interviews Peter McLaren about his views on critical pedagogy and how to transform traditional formal education away from capitalist structures.

Achievement Gap In United States History End Of Course Assessment Scores In Ga High Schools, Kris Watkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation study, which employed a quantitative correlational research design, was to determine if the school-level variables of percentage of African American students, the percentage of economically disadvantaged students, and type of school scheduling significantly influence student performance on the Georgia Milestones U.S. History end-of-course assessments (EOCs) for the school years 2014-15 and 2015-16. The study utilized a sample of 163 high schools located in the Atlanta metropolitan statistical area (MSA). Results from simultaneous linear regression analyses showed that school-level percentage of economically disadvantaged students was significantly associated with school-level Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) U.S. History …

The Characteristics Of African American Parental Influence On Academic Success In A Rural School District: A Collective Case Study, Raymond Christian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to discover the characteristics of African American parental behavior regarding the importance of school, and its influence on their high school children’s academic success in a rural school district, for recent African American graduates in Mountain County, North Carolina. The research study utilized a collective case study approach and included five African American parents and, their children that had graduated from Mountain County High School and gained college acceptance. Guided by Ecological Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), and Risk and Resilience Theory (Catalano, Hawkins, 1996), data collection methods included interviews, document analysis and, focus groups. …

Measuring The Impact Of Youth Leadership Development: An Evaluation Of Impacts, Heartland Center For Leadership Development

Heartland Center for Leadership Development Materials

Introduction

The research purpose of this collaborative study is to develop a psychometrically sound measure of youth leadership and examine its relationship to community outcomes such as retention, civic engagement, entrepreneurial activity and community attachment. This program, entitled the Rural Civic Action Program (RCAP), is designed to engage undergraduate “fellows” with rural middle or high schools to facilitate a service learning project intended to address locally identified needs.

Critical Digital Literacies Across Scales And Beneath The Screen, Noah Asher Golden

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Digital technologies and education scholarship tend to focus on either individual creative design or analysis of the political economy. To better understand how ideologies travel across networks, critical digital literacies must focus on enactments beneath the screen, as the linguistic constructs known as software can enact interests across scales of activity to “disembed” local actions and meaning. Investigations of these mobilities and disembedding effects challenge popular notions of digital technologies as neutral, rendering overt the ways that algorithms can naturalize manifestations of power and social arrangements. Such a framework allows for descriptive analyses of the ways hegemonic discourses are enacted …

John A. Henschke's Vita Updated 2017, John A. Henschke Edd

IACE Hall of Fame Repository

This vita includes my professional exploits and some personal experiences.

Using Tablet Technologies To Engage And Motivate Urban High School Students, Nicol R. Howard, Keith Howard

Education Faculty Articles and Research

In this two-year study, researchers examined the impact of using tablet technologies across content areas in an urban high school setting. Class observations provided notable examples of how student motivation and learning appeared to be enhanced by use of the iPads in conjunction with opportunities to collaborate and be creative in the context of their learning. Interviews from a set of teachers with a range of classroom teaching experience provided multiple perspectives of the program’s impact. The opportunity for teachers and students to have the flexibility to select the apps they believe achieve curricular and/or learning goals supports the shift …

Cross-Subsidization Of Teacher Pension Costs: The Impact Of Assumed Market Returns, Robert M. Costrell, Josh B. Mcgee

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

It is well-known that public pension plans exhibit substantial cross-subsidies, both within cohorts, e.g. from early leavers to those who retire at the “sweet spot”, and across cohorts, through unfunded liabilities. However, the cross-subsidies within and across cohorts have never been provided in an integrated format. This paper provides such a framework, based on the gaps between normal cost rates for individuals and the uniform contribution rates for the cohort. Since the unfunded liabilities and associated cross-subsidies across cohorts derive from overly optimistic actuarial assumptions, we focus on the historically most important such assumption, the rate of return. We present …

Oral History Of Migrants, Shira Klein

History Teaching Resources

This is a collection of collections of oral histories by migrants that can be used both for teaching and for research purposes.

Relationships Between Access To Mobile Devices, Student Self-Directed Learning, And Achievement, Scott R. Bartholomew, Ed Reeve, Raymond Veon, Wade Goodridge, Victor Lee, Louis Nadelson

Faculty Publications

Today’s students are growing up in a world of constant connectivity, instant information, and ever-changing technological advancements. The increasingly ubiquitous nature of mobile devices among K–12 students has led many to argue for and against the inclusion of these devices in K–12 classrooms. Arguments in favor cite instant access to information and collaboration with others as positive affordances that enable student self-directed learning. In this study, 706 middle school students from 18 technology and engineering education classes worked in groups of 2–3 to complete an openended engineering design challenge. Students completed design portfolios and constructed prototypes in response to the …

Connect Oer Annual Report, 2016-2017, Brady Yano

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

Earlier this year, SPARC launched Connect OER—a platform to share and discover information about Open Educational Resources (OER) activities at campuses across North America. Through Connect OER, academic libraries create and manage profiles about their institution’s efforts on OER, producing valuable data that we use to populate a searchable directory and produce an annual report.

As the first Connect OER Annual Report, this document summarizes insights from the Connect OER pilot, which ran from May - July 2017. The data encompass 65 SPARC member libraries spanning 31 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces who participated in the pilot. Our analysis …

Alternative Measures Of Noncognitive Skills And Their Effect On Retirement Preparation And Financial Capability, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Social science, more than ever, is drawing upon the insights of personality psychology. Though researchers now know that noncognitive skills and personality traits, such as conscientiousness, grit, self-control, or a growth mindset could be important for life outcomes, they struggle to find reliable measures of these skills. Self-reports are often used for analysis, but these measures have been found to be affected by important biases. We study the validity of innovative, more robust measures of noncognitive skills based on performance tasks. Our first proposed measure is an adaptation, for the adult population, of the Academic Diligence Task (ADT) developed and …

The Impact Of Learning Environments On Student Engagement, Yanira Oliveras Ortiz

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Architects design schools every day, but the impact that their designs have on student learning is at times unknown to those that design the schools. Educational research has shown that a positive school culture impacts student achievement; among the factors that impact the school culture is having a safe school (K12 Insight, 2017). Pride, student behavior, and overall safety each impact a school’s culture. A sense of pride and overall school safety can be influenced by the conditions of the building where children go to school.

The purpose of this manuscript is to explore the impact architectural design had on …

The Impact Of 1:1 Laptop Environments On The English Language Arts Achievement Of Fifth Grade Students From Diverse Socio-Economic Backgrounds, Nicole Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study extends previous research on the impact of one to one (1:1) laptop environments on student outcomes in English Language Arts (ELA) by focusing on students from various socio-economic backgrounds, while using a new technology-enhanced, state-administered assessment to measure performance. This study is significant because policy makers focus on state test scores when planning educational investments. Therefore, results from this study can assist policy makers in determining best practices related to technology integration to ensure equitable opportunities for all students. A non-experimental ex post facto causal comparative research design was used to explore the impact of 1:1 laptops …

A Comparative Study Of Student Engagement Based On Intercollegiate Athletics Participation, David Woolever

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The concept of retention in higher education institutions is certainly a hot topic. Institutions have explored first year seminars, engagement with faculty and creating a culture of connectivity and belongingness among the student population to include extra-curricular activities in creating an engaged student that will persist until graduation. Furthermore, academic engagement among student-athletes is one topic that has that has been somewhat neglected while institutions look at ways to increase retention via creating a culture of involvement. In addition, the Student Engagement Instrument (SEI), initially designed to measure engagement among secondary students has rarely been utilized to examine academic engagement …

The Relationship Between Teacher Attitudes Toward The Common Core State Standards And Informational Text, Marcie Estruch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study sought to determine the relationship between teachers’ attitudes toward the Common Core State Standards and three predetermined factors. These factors were (1) teachers’ attitudes toward the practicality of pedagogical shift three, balancing informational and literary texts, (2) teachers’ attitudes toward school support with the implementation process of pedagogical shift three, balancing informational and literary texts, and (3) teachers’ attitudes toward the balance of informational and literary texts in comparison with the previous set of New York State standards. Through the use of a teacher survey, the researcher assessed the relationship between teachers’ attitudes toward the Common Core State …

The Aftermath Of Detroit's Economic Decline And The Exodus Of Urban Teachers: A Phenomenology, Melissa Holtzhouse

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the decision-making process of teachers, Kindergarten through twelfth grade, who left the urban setting in metropolitan Detroit. The theories that guided this study were Rotter’s locus of control and Condorcet’s decision theory as they investigated the experiences leading to teachers’ decisions to leave the urban setting within metropolitan Detroit. Four research questions were included (a) How do select teachers, Kindergarten through twelfth grade, describe the decision-making process they underwent before leaving urban education in metropolitan Detroit? (b) How do participants describe their experiences prior to their decision to leave urban education …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Pre-Service Physical Educators' Perceptions Of Their Professional Preparedness, Geoffrey Hampson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to capture the essence of the perceptions of 11 pre-service physical educators in the final field placement and clinical practices of their undergraduate degree program at the University of Redbank, the University of Peters, and Ina University where they prepared to become professional educators. Pseudonyms protected the names of the participants and institutions. The theoretical framework guiding this study was social cognitive theory. The research questions were (a) How do the attitudes and beliefs of teaching physical education as pre-service physical educators influence their knowledge and skill development for classroom preparedness? (b) …

Levinas, Leviticus, & Language: A Case Study Exploring Acsi Maritime Teacher Challenges Of Practice Due To Increasing Esl Enrollment, Susanne Huizing

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explain the perceived challenges of practice due to increasing enrollment of English Language Learners (ELLs) for ACSI teachers in the Canadian Maritimes. The theory guiding this study was ethics as first philosophy by Levinas (1981). Levinas’ theory aided in examining the ethical, relational, and linguistic challenges teachers experienced teaching ELLs. The central research question guiding this study was: what are the perceived challenges of practice K-12 ACSI Maritime school teachers face due to increasing ELL enrollment? Data was collected through pre-interview journals, semi-structured face-to-face interviews, and observations. Data analysis included transcriptions, documents, …

A Phenomenological Study Of First-Career Millennial Novice Elementary School Teachers’ Use 0f Technology, Karla Ontiveros-Karr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the attitudes and understandings for millennial first-career novice (FCMN) teachers toward transformational technology integration in the elementary classroom as it relates to the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge framework (TPACK). Three research questions framed this study: (a) How do millennial first-career novice teachers from the Midwestern United States describe their level of content knowledge, technological knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge (TPACK) to support their teaching practices in the elementary classroom? (b) How do participants describe their approach to instructional decision-making based on their technological knowledge in the elementary classroom? (c) How, …

Students: Professors, I Wish You Would.., Norman Eng

Publications and Research

What do students wish they could tell their professors about their instruction but never do? Read their unvarnished responses in this eye-opening post.

Lessons Learned While Escaping From A Zombie: Designing A Breakout Edu Game, Wendy L. Rouse

Faculty Publications, Social Sciences

I discovered Breakout EDU over a year ago while researching innovative teaching methods that spark student engagement. Firmly believing in the importance of play and the value of games in history education, I found the Breakout EDU idea intriguing and wanted to try it in my own classroom.

Teacher Experiences In Elementary Word Study Instruction: A Phenomenological Study, Gregory Mihalik

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experience of integrating word study spelling programs for second grade teachers across six elementary schools in Northern Virginia. Word study is a developmental spelling approach that can be used by teachers to differentiate instruction and meet student needs. Despite the growing popularity of the program and increased classroom application, many schools nationwide continue to use memory-based traditional methods. Based on a review of the word study literature, the study sought to describe the experience of second grade teachers implementing word study spelling instruction in their classrooms. This study explored the …

Comparing Traditional And Year-Round Academic Calendars In Regard To Student Achievement In Two Virginia High Schools: Is There A Difference?, Gregory Morin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined possible differences between a traditional and a year-round academic calendar with regard to student achievement in two suburban high schools in northern Virginia. This study’s importance derives from the fact that additional exploration is needed in order to more fully explore the potential loss of learned knowledge and diminished retention and recall of instructional material in students who experience an extended summer vacation period as part of a traditional school calendar. The purpose of this non-experimental, ex post facto, causal-comparative study was to test the theory of German psychologist, Hermann Ebbinghaus, called the spacing effect as it …

Teach Me The Write Way: A Multiple Case Study Exploring The Impact Of Homeschooling On The Formation Of Writing Self-Efficacy, Katherine Todd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the impact of a homeschooling context on the formation of writing self-efficacy among adolescent students. The formation of self-efficacy beliefs was defined according to Bandura’s four theoretical sources: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and physiological state. Thus, this study sought to investigate the following central question: What impact does a homeschooling context have on the formation of writing self-efficacy among adolescent students? And its related sub-questions: How are Bandura’s theoretical sources of self-efficacy evidenced in the formation of homeschooled adolescents’ writing self-efficacy? How do the instructional practices of homeschooling …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Self-Efficacy On Classroom Management Style: A Case Study, Patty Mccain

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to develop an understanding of how current and former middle school teachers in a suburban school district in northeast Georgia perceive low self-efficacy impacts their classroom management style. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory as it supported the idea that self-efficacy can determine how one approaches a task, goals, or challenges. Data were collected using a survey, interviews, questionnaires, direct observations, and a focus group. A collective case study approach was used to conduct a holistic analysis to provide detailed descriptions of the themes and patterns that exist …

Impact Of Integrated Science And English Language Arts Literacy Supplemental Instructional Intervention On Science Academic Achievement Of Elementary Students, Jamar Marks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design study was to determine if any differences existed in upper elementary school students’ science academic achievement when instructed using an 8-week integrated science and English language arts literacy supplemental instructional intervention in conjunction with traditional science classroom instruction as compared to when instructed using solely traditional science classroom instruction. The targeted sample population consisted of fourth-grade students enrolled in a public elementary school located in the southeastern region of the United States. The convenience sample size consisted of 115 fourth-grade students enrolled in science classes. The pretest and posttest academic …

Effects Of The Afterschool Program On Student Achievement Of Students With Disabilities In A Rural Georgia Middle School, Constance Franklin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental causal comparative research study is to determine if there is a statistically significant difference in reading and math achievement as measured by the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students with disabilities (SWD) who attended the afterschool program of one rural Georgia middle school when compared to sixth, seventh, and eighth grade SWD who did not attend the program. The results of this research are important because they will identify practices used in the specified afterschool program to improve the academic achievement of SWD. A quantitative research method using …