Education Commons^™

Test Emotions, Value, And Self-Efficacy: A Longitudinal Model Predicting Examinee Effort And Performance On A Low-Stakes Test, Paulius Satkus

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The validity of scores from low-stakes tests may be compromised by examinee motivation. Expectancy-Value theory (EV) has been used to frame the antecedents of examinee motivation in low-stakes testing contexts. According to EV theory, the perceived value of the test and the expectancy to succeed on the test directly affect examinee effort, which then affects test performance. Cross-sectional research studies in low-stakes testing contexts offer some support of EV theory. Control-Value theory (CV) serves as another theory to understand motivation toward a task. CV theory encompasses the constructs of expectancy and value from EV theory, but incorporates test emotions as …

Public School Teacher's Experience Of Technostress In A Mandatory Technology Adoption Policy Environment, Brandon Liu

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

With new technology restructuring instructional practices, many school systems are working towards adoption and integration to meet learning standards and demands (Çoklar, Efilti, Şahin, & Akçay, 2016; Al-Fudail & Mellar, 2008; Hixon & Buckenmeyer, 2009; McCannon & Crews, 2000; Nepo 2017; Straub, 2009; Sang, Valcke, van Braak & Tondeur, 2010; Wood, Mirza, & Shaw, 2018). However, few studies have been conducted within educational environments on technology-related stress and well-being when technology adoption is mandatory. Building off of Jena’s (2015) prior technostress study, this study aims to contribute to and better understand technostress within a Mandatory Adoption Policy Environment (MAPE). This …

The Credentialed Workforce: Examining Success Rates Across Short-Term Noncredit Training Programs Aligned With Industry Credentials, Rochelle Fisher

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

A new grant program implemented to provide subsidized training costs for students enrolling in short-term noncredit programs aligned with high-demand industry credentials leading to middle-skill jobs was implemented in July 2016. The grant program follows a pay-for-performance model where students are given a two-thirds discount on tuition but required to pay back an additional one-third if they do not successfully complete their short-term noncredit training. An exploratory study was conducted to provide training program completion and credential attainment rates for the overall program and by student demographic groups (age, race, and gender). Results showed little variation among training program completion …

Assessing The Mental Health Awareness And Training Needs Of College Professors, Kendall Perez

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This study identified the relationship between college professor knowledge of mental illness, their ability to identify mental illness, and assist students exhibiting symptoms of mental health distress. The study utilized an explanatory mixed method research design and combined an initial faculty survey and with follow-up interviews. The design allowed for a deep examination of the research questions and helped identify the current needs of JMU professors. The study found that faculty felt ill prepared to identify and refer students to mental health resources. Other findings suggested that the majority of respondents were willing to participate in mental health training, yet …

How Array Size Affects The Efficiency Of Constant Time Delay In Systematic Instruction For Students With Intellectual Disability, Amanda T. Kousen

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of this research study was to determine how three different array sizes affect the efficiency of acquiring target functional words utilizing constant time delay in systematic instruction for students with intellectual disability. The results shown throughout this study can support teachers and administrators to know if adaptations to the array size in which the materials are presented visually during constant time delay instruction yield a more efficient way to teach. The current study utilized an adapted alternating treatment design, replicated across two students, to determine efficiency through trials-to-criterion for functional food and grocery words. The researcher presented array …

The Perception Of Career Readiness Skill Development In College Seniors, Venus Miller

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

As universities and colleges around the world strive to provide rigorous academic instruction, they are also preparing their students to enter into the world of work. According to research conducted by American College Test (ACT), Americans value education because they believe it will provide economic benefit to those that participate in the system. By the year 2018, the majority of newly created jobs in the United States of America (U.S.) are likely to require a college degree (Matter, Burrus, Camara, O’Connor, Hansen, Gambrell, Casillas, & Bobek, 2014). This fact suggests that in order for students to be prepared to enter …

Increasing Understanding Of Professor’S Adhd Knowledge And Perception Of Adhd And How This Informs Their Behavior Towards Students With Adhd, Rebecca Rosen

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent learning disability experience by 5.3% of students. The behaviors associated with ADHD (hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention) can impact a students’ ability to learn and their behavior and relationships in the classroom. Teachers can help to create a supportive or unsupportive learning environment for students with learning disabilities, specifically ADHD. Unfortunately, these needs are not always met for students in college. Previous research has uncovered primary and secondary teacher’s knowledge, perception, and behavior regarding children with ADHD, but little work has focused on college professors. College professors are likely to have significantly less …

How Successful High School Boys Soccer Coaches Perceive And Develop Cultural Competency: A Grounded Theory Approach, Lauren Jefferson

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of this study was to examine how high school athletics coaches conceptualize the knowledge, values, and skills of cultural competence, with specific attention to learning processes and influences. In order to serve the increasingly diverse U.S. student population equitably and to the full holistic potential of extracurricular programming, high school coaches must develop a greater comfort with and capacity for exercising cultural competency. A qualitative approach using a grounded theory was applied. Seven coaches and one athletic director were recruited by purposive sampling. The research suggests a process-oriented, chronological model of how experienced coaches begin to work with …

Documenting Fifth-Grade Band Students’ Experiences In A Kodály-Centered Beginning Band Curriculum, Elisabeth Henderson Dhillon

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

ABSTRACT

Based on the work of Hungarian composer and educator Zoltán Kodály, the Kodály method, a sound-to-symbol approach to music-making and literacy stemming from an aural and auditory entry point, forms an integral aspect of many elementary level general music curricula in the United States. In this process-oriented, experiential approach, students hear and explore music kinesthetically, aurally and through folk and art song before visual concepts in the form of notes in formal notation are introduced.

In contrast, traditional beginning band methodologies tend not to incorporate a sound-to-symbol approach, teaching the intricacies of a complex new instrument in conjunction with …

A Self-Assessment Of Hrd Competency Development In Undergraduate Students: Indigenous Project-Based Learning Experience, Kendra Hall

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

In the field of human resource development, the literature and research suggest that in order for students to become proficient practitioners in a global business world, there is a need for the inclusion of diversity education. The purpose of this study is to understand student’s perceptions of their competency development after a semester-long engagement with an Indigenous organization. The current study examines HRD undergraduate student’s competency development, using the Association for Talent Development (ATD) standards and focuses on the global mindset foundational competency. The participants completed a retrospective pre-post self-assessment to measure their competency development prior to and after the …

Posterior Predictive Model Checking Of Local Misfit For Bayesian Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Chi Hang Au

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Posterior predictive model checks (PPMC) are one Bayesian model-data fit approach. Thus far, PPMC for Confirmatory Factor Analytic applications focused primarily on global fit evaluation, ignoring the nuanced information in local misfit diagnostics. This study developed a PPMC approach for local misfit and applied it to a test-taking motivation scale. If the PPMC approach is effective, fit conclusions derived from the PPMC approach should be congruent with the fit conclusions derived from the Frequentist approach. Number of item-pairs flagged as misfitting and number of disagreements were computed to evaluate congruence. Congruence is achieved if the number of item-pairs flagged as …

Student Engagement And Learning Gains: Self-Reports, Direct Measures, And Instrument Specificity, Christopher Kerr

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The assumption that engagement leads to student learning is fundamental in higher education. Engagement is often used by educational institutions as an indicator of student learning. However, research has found moderate to weak relationships between engagement and learning. This study explored the influence that methods used to measure learning and engagement may have on the relationships observed between the two. More specifically, this study considered differences between self-reported measures of learning and direct-measure change scores in their relationship to engagement. Additionally, this study tested the influence that specificity of engagement measures has on observed engagement-learning relationships. Quantitative reasoning was selected …

The Art Curriculum As A Model Approach For Cultivating Higher Order Thinking Skills, Nicole Ross

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

As a life-long learner, I am fascinated by the abyss of knowledge that characterizes and composes a life of consciousness. As a teacher and mentor, I am committed to igniting this quest for knowledge in others and developing effective practices in doing so. The curriculum functions as an invitation to knowledge—or what can be seen as the crux of an education. The question I am most interested in answering is: “how can we most effectively approach curriculum in a way that inspires higher order thinking?” Throughout this study, I examined the factors that go into the formation of curriculum, the …

Exploring Diversity Workforce Experiences Of Ahrd Alumni, Kayce Croy

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Diversity plays a crucial role in everyday life, especially in academic and workplace settings. Despite increased attention to the value of diversity across settings, institutions of higher education, businesses, and organizations often do not provide adequate diversity initiatives to prepare students and employees for life and work in diverse environments. Therefore, to understand diversity education practices from formal college education and workforce experience, alumni who have graduated within the last five years from the Adult Education/Human Resource Development (AHRD) graduate program at James Madison University (JMU) were surveyed.The current study utilized a mixed methods survey approach that provided data on …

An Alternative To Escape Extinction: The Effects Of The Wait Out Procedure On Noncompliance, Rachel Rolando

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of this research was to replicate a study by Ward, Parker, and Perdikaris (2017), which focused on a reactive substitute to conventional forms of escape extinction for primarily escape-maintained noncompliance behavior through using a wait out procedure, as well as to add to the literature for reactive procedures aimed to decrease noncompliant behaviors for students with disabilities in a school setting. This experiment included a multielement graphical design that contained partial-interval data of noncompliance behavior in baseline, and in two interventions to determine if there was a change in noncompliance behavior following the introduction of each intervention; the …

The Presbyterian Enlightenment: The Confluence Of Evangelical And Enlightenment Thought In British America, Brandon S. Durbin

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Eighteenth-Century British American Presbyterian ministers incorporated covenantal theology, ideas from the Scottish Enlightenment, and resistance theory in their sermons. The sermons of Presbyterian ministers strongly indicate the intermixing of enlightenment and evangelical ideas. Congregants heard and read these sermons, spreading these ideas to the average colonist. This combination helps explain why American Presbyterians were so apt to resist British rule during the American Revolution. Protestant covenantal theology, derived from Protestant reformers like John Calvin and John Knox, emphasized virtue and duty. This covenant affected both the people and their rulers. When rulers failed to uphold their covenant with God, the …

Impacts Of Educational Programming At Dolphins Plus On Visitor Knowledge, Attitude And Behavior, Carley Rice

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Zoos, aquariums, and similar institutions have been transitioning for many years from venues of entertainment to institutions of informal environmental education. This transition has led to these institutions claiming missions of conservation and education. The conservation education impacts of zoos and aquariums are not well understood. The literature is limited and at times inconclusive. Claims of conservation and education should be formally evaluated through survey research projects to determine validity. These types of studies will shed light on these institutions and aid in improving educational programs to best benefit conservation of wildlife, habitats and the environment. The purpose of this …

Developing Conversation Skills For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kimberley Muldoon

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of this study is to explore and expand the literature on strategies to use to develop conversational skills for individuals with ASD. Children with ASD have difficulties creating and maintaining conversations and to participate in the community and its members, conversational skills are necessary to succeed. This study attempts to answer whether video modeling is an effective strategy alone for teaching social conversation skills; if video modeling is effective for increasing the length of conversation units; if external reinforcers are necessary to maintain social conversation skills; and if participants are able to generalize responses to novel topics during …

The Effects Of Tact Training For Students Diagnosed With Autism: Will Stimulus Equivalence Be Demonstrated Through The Acquisition Of Intraverbal Responses?, Elizabeth A. Hassler

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

While there have been numerous studies on the effects of tact training, there is a limited amount of research on the effects of tact training on the emergence of intraverbal responses. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of tact training on the acquisitions of intraverbals demonstrated through stimulus equivalence for students who have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The research attempted to answer the following questions: Was tact training an effective procedure to increase a student’s verbal repertoire; did tact training of both nouns and verbs increase emergence of noun-verb intraverbal combinations; did tacting …

Understanding The Factors That Influence Motivation And Experiences In High School Physical Education, Brenna M. Cosgrove

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Intro: In comparison to children, adolescents achieve significantly less physical activity (PA). Additionally, activity differences exist among genders and race/ethnicities. One way to influence the PA habits of adolescents is through high school physical education (PE). Though PE class reaches students of all ages, genders and races, motivation and experiences across these groups appear to differ.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to determine if physical education descriptors, motivators, and experiences in ninth and tenth grade students differ across gender, race/ethnicity, and grade.

Methods: Students completed a questionnaire about the factors that influence their motivation and experiences in …

Retrospective Versus Prospective Measurement Of Examinee Motivation In Low-Stakes Testing Contexts: A Moderated Mediation Model, Aaron J. Myers

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Expectancy-value theory applied to examinee motivation suggests examinees’ perceived value of a test indirectly affects test performance via examinee effort. This empirically supported indirect effect, however, is often modeled using importance and effort scores measured after test completion, which does not align with their theoretically specified temporal order. Retrospectively measured importance and effort scores may be influenced by examinees’ test performance, impacting the estimate of the indirect effect. To investigate the effect of timing of measurement, first-year college students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions where (1) importance and effort were measured retrospectively; (2) importance was measured prospectively; …

Student Learning Gains In Higher Education: A Longitudinal Analysis With Faculty Discussion, Catherine E. Mathers

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Student learning is the primary desired outcome of a college education. To understand how educational programming and curricula affect students, colleges and universities must collect evidence of student learning gain. In this study, a longitudinal design was employed to investigate how a math and science general education curriculum impacted college students’ quantitative and scientific reasoning. Quantitative and scientific reasoning gain scores were computed and predicted from personal (i.e., prior knowledge, gender) and curriculum (i.e., number of completed courses in the domain) characteristics to uncover what factors relate to learning gain. Collapsing across personal and curriculum variables, gain scores were moderate …

English Learners In Virginia's Secondary Art Classrooms, Alexandra M. Mamatas

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of this study is to examine effective strategies for accommodating and differentiating secondary art education curricula for English learners. This thesis documents the gap in research on adolescent English learner (EL) students in secondary art classrooms, and investigates classroom strategies implemented by secondary art educators. The literature review analyzed a historical perspective on English learners in the United States, as well as state standards. Triangulation of the literature review, online survey, and follow-up interviews were utilized in this research. The survey was disseminated to 338 secondary members of the Virginia Art Education Association to examine state, school, and …

The Effects Of Differentiated Instruction On Student Engagement, Student Satisfaction, And Quality Of Student Artwork In The High School Art Classroom, Lindsey R. Perrault

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This study investigates the effects of differentiated instruction on student engagement, student satisfaction, and students’ perceived quality of artwork in the high school art classroom. In order to determine its effectiveness, students were presented a control and test lesson. The control lesson utilized limited differentiation, and students completed similar notes, projects and critiques. The Test Lesson incorporated multiple differentiated practices, including strategic grouping based on learning profile and interest. The test lesson also offered choices for student projects based on interest and readiness, and choices for a critique, based on interest and learning profile. Students completed a self assessment after …

The Effect Of Technology On Work-Life Balance: Women In Higher Education, Alexandra G. Hubbard

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This study aimed to contribute to the literature on women, technology, and work-life balance (WLB). By identifying both instructional and non-instructional female employees at an institution of higher education, the study facilitated a comparison between the perceived levels of WLB and technology’s impact on the balance. A mixed methods survey was sent to all female employees to identify potential commonalities or differences between the groups. Questions inquired about employees’ experiences with, and outlooks on, WLB and information and communication technologies (ICTs). For the purpose of the study, ICTs included technologies such as email, accessed through computers, cell-phones or tablets. The …

Using Systematic Instruction To Teach Science To Students With Severe Disabilities, Anna E. Greene

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Science content is still a commonly over-looked academic content area for students with severe disabilities despite recent research. The purpose of this study was to show that students with severe disabilities can learn science content in a whole group setting when taught using applied behavior analytic principles, such as prompting and fading techniques. Four elementary-aged students with severe disabilities between 1^st and 5^th grade were taught science content using group lessons and effects were measured by a multiple baseline design across units. Participants were taught content from three different units: Energy, weather, and plants; the science content selected …

Case Study: Provider For Program To Prevent The Revictimization Of Persons Trafficked For Sex, Janis G. Arlow

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This case study seeks to identify behavior, skills, and attitudes of a professional providing an effective reintegration program for persons trafficked for sex. New demands on medical and social services were created over the past two decades by legislative changes. Initial research focuses on rescue and unmet primary needs. The service program selected for this study has stepped beyond awareness and rescue efforts to the rehabilitation and prevention of revictimization of trafficked persons. A literature review covers the history of sex trafficking in the United States; the recovery environment; materials, trainings and programs available for professionals seeking knowledge to serve …

An Epic Teaching Experience: A Case Study Of Pedagogically Innovative Undergraduate Classrooms, Tiffany T. Runion

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This qualitative study examined seven professors who taught undergraduate classes in spring 2016 in the EPIC (Enhancing Pedagogy through Innovative Classrooms) spaces housed in the Student Success Center at James Madison University. The problem is that we do not know how instructors use the EPIC classrooms. In order to explore the pedagogical methods and classroom amenities used in these classrooms, I interviewed and observed seven instructors over a period of nine weeks. A collective case study methodology was used to describe the experiences of the instructors during this time period. My findings suggested that these instructors often used a combination …

The Effect Of Cross-Cultural Differences On Team Performance Within An Educational Setting: A Mixed Methods Study, Sevinj Iskandarova

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Faculty members’ performance, experience, satisfaction while on a team, and their professional development were investigated to determine the benefits and challenges of cross cultural differences. The sample consisted of full- and part-time faculty members at James Madison University (JMU), located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The purposes of this mixed methods study (online survey and one-to-one interview) were to determine and measure the effect of cross-cultural differences on team performance, highlight advantages and disadvantages of those cross-cultural differences within the team; and, apply the knowledge learned from this study to enhance team performance within an educational setting. The online survey assessed faculty …

Teaching For Artistic Behavior: A Collective Case Study, Caroline L. Nesmith

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Teaching for artistic behavior (TAB) is a choice-based art education pedagogy gaining attention from art educators interested in orienting their classrooms, teaching practices, and curriculum goals around developing “artistic behaviors” in their students. This thesis documents the history of the TAB organization and philosophies that influence the pedagogy, which include historical definitions of constructivism in education and early theories on child development. Collective case study research methodology was used to investigate four practicing art educators’ adaptations and implementation of TAB strategies to suit the needs of their students, school, and community, with particular attention given to how individual educators’ personal …