Education Commons^™

Training For Challenging Behaviors In The School Setting, Kenzie Heusinkvelt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

School personnel are asked to plan for, implement, and evaluate Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) in the school setting; however, not all school personnel have been properly trained to do so. There is limited research to date that demonstrates how different school personnel are trained in planning, implementing, and evaluating BIPs. The current study involves school personnel which include school psychologists, school social workers, special education consultants, and special education teachers. These school personnel were asked to indicate how adequate they believed their educational training was in providing a good understanding of various behavior topics and how well their educational training …

Lexile Levels And Their Value To Public School Teachers, Kristin Schumacher

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis examines how teachers perceive Lexile level and its value, and whether or not their beliefs inform their practice. To address questions regarding teachers’ beliefs about Lexile level, I designed and implemented an online survey for public school teachers. My research shows that teachers have a favorable view of Lexile level, that they believe both students and parents should be informed of students’ Lexile level, that books should be labeled with Lexile level, and that asking students to read within their Lexile level range is a good practice. This survey research reveals the need to further interrogate whether or …

Leading Early Childhood Education In Iowa Schools, Alaina T. Daters

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Over the last 15 years, Iowa’s Statewide Voluntary Preschool Programs (SWVPP) have undergone significant growth. By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 323 out of 327 (99%) of Iowa public school districts offered preschool (Iowa Department of Education, 2022c). As a result, well over 450 Iowa administrators are potentially responsible for leading their district’s preschool program.

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to gain an understanding of the experiences, knowledge, and pedagogical needs of licensed Iowa administrators that are responsible for their district’s SWVPP. Data was collected through a survey and analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis …

Use Of Technology And Its Impact On Higher Order Thinking In The Science Classroom, Mauree Angelina Haage

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study focuses on examining the impact of technology on higher order thinking in the science classroom by first examining the impact of a teacher’s knowledge of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy on the integration of higher order thinking activities and then by examining what levels of higher order thinking exist when technology was utilized. Previous research has found correlations between the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy exhibited when using technology, particularly probeware, simulations/virtual labs, and special software like LoggerPro. In addition, previous research has shown a trend of teachers inaccurately categorizing their lessons and activities as having a higher order thinking level …

Educational Experiences Of First Generation Black African Students With And Without Dis/Abilities, Shehreen Iqtadar

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Several studies have focused on the disproportionate representation of students from historically multiply marginalized communities in special education (Artiles, 2011, 2013; Artiles et al., 2005; Brayboy et al., 2007; Cavendish et al., 2018; Cooc & Kiru, 2018; Dunn, 1968; Hosp & Reschly, 2004; O’Connor & Fernandez, 2006; Voulgarides et al., 2017). Only recently, researchers have begun to explore the connections between immigrant and refugee students and special education (Migliarini, 2017; Song, 2018; Qing, 2018). Missing in this literature are the critical accounts of students and (a) their perspectives about the nature of dis/ability and their placement within special education and …

Students Vs. Suspects: A Qualitative Examination Of Stereotype Threat And The Impact On Behavior Of Black Males, Ryan J. Williamson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This qualitative study focused on the impact of stereotype threat on the behavior of black males in the educational system. Black males currently involved in the juvenile justice system were interviewed about their lived experiences in the educational system. The literature surrounding stereotype threat focuses on academic achievement and performance. It provides spaces in the potential of stereotype threat impacting behavior.

Stereotype threat argues that individuals will confirm a self-characteristic which supports a negative stereotype associated with a specific group within society (Spencer et al., 2016). In theory, people will underperform based on a preconceived notion of failure. If a …

Unstacking The Matryoshka Nesting Doll: A Self-Study Of Playful Language Instruction For Adult Second Language Learners, Marine Pepanyan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the recent three decades teaching second language (L2) vocabulary has expanded from sentence-level morphosyntactic features and pragmatics to the promotion and advancement of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). Nevertheless, the L2 instructors are constantly seeking alternative strategies for vocabulary teaching and assessment due to a superficial level of vocabulary memorization and lack of student engagement. As an instructor-practitioner, I undertook a self-study of the process of implementing Playful Language Instruction (PLI) of L2 vocabulary in an Intensive English Program. In this self-study I combined conceptual lenses of theories of play, CLT, and the Adult Learning Theory to examine how playful …

Using Internet Reciprocal Teaching To Develop Second Graders' Online Text Evaluation Skills, Annika Buell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Model Evidence Links (Mels) And The Impact Of Critical Thinking On Open Ended Responses, James Gregory Zabel

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this dissertation, which was conducted in a rural school district that is equidistant from three major urban areas in central Iowa, and employed an action research methodology, was to examine the relationship between graphic organizer use and critical thinking. A multitude of studies have provided evidence that graphic organizers aid in the recall and understanding of basic facts in the lower grade levels; however, little research exists that supports a connection between graphic organizer use and the ability of students to recall information used on open-ended critical thinking assessments or the ability to create what Bickel and …

Understanding The Use Of Crisis Communication In Clery Act Compliance, Allyson L. Rafanello

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research explores the experiences of eight individuals with positional responsibility for the implementation of the Clery Act as a part of a college or university campus community, specifically seeking to understand the use of crisis communication theory in the issuance of timely warnings. Qualitative methods, specifically semi-structured interviews and a content analysis of previously issued timely warnings,were employed. These methods allowed the researcher to explore and seek understanding of a focused area of Clery Act compliance while hearing directly from the individuals charged with managing a detailed and ever complicated process in their efforts to protect their campus communities. …

The Zones Of Regulation In Schools, Kyle Andrew-Kelly Wiebers

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Emotion regulation is a concept that has existed within the literature for decades, but the presence of emotion regulation programs in schools is a relatively new concept in research (Durlak et al., 2011). Research suggests that emotional regulation skills are related to improved peer relationships and academic success (Denham & Brown, 2010; Durlak et al., 2011). Students who exhibited well-adjusted, or adaptive, emotion regulation had better peer relationships and were more productive and accurate when completing academic tasks (Denham & Brown, 2010; Dvir et al., 2014; Kim & Cicchetti, 2010; Kim‐Spoon et al., 2013; Lereya et al., 2015). For this …

Exploring The Experiences Of One Team Of Teachers: Well-Being And Navigating The Demands Of The Education Profession, Abby Weiland

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Much is changing in K-12 education contexts, including an emphasis on performativity and accountability (Au, 2016; Connell, 2009). Against this backdrop, teacher burnout and attrition have been the focus of numerous studies, including examination of organizational structures and factors contributing to burnout (Buckley et al., 2005; Konu et al., 2010). Insufficient attention has been given to how teachers are able to navigate the demands of this profession (Matteucci et al., 2017; Wilcox & Lawson, 2018). Efforts to retain teachers should not only emphasize factors associated with burnout or attrition, but also how they are affected by the systems in place, …

Recommender Systems In Higher Education: The Effectiveness Of Meta-Data Analysis In Predicting Academic Success, Michael J. Holmes

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A recommender system is: “a software technology that proactively suggests items of interest to users based on their objective behavior or their explicitly stated preferences” (Pu et al., 2011, p. 157).

Whether we realize it or not, much of our lives are influenced by recommender systems. These systems may recommend where we eat, what movie we watch, what music we listen to, what products we buy, or even what news and social media content we see.

Recommender systems have been effectively utilized in higher education to recommend courses as well as customizing content within an online course to meet specific …

Financial Literacy On College Campuses And Its Relationship To Student Retention, Completion, And Debt, Jaclyn K. Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study asked Directors of Financial Aid Office at colleges and universities in Iowa to complete a questionnaire and share how they were implementing collaborative financial literacy programs at their institution. The study sought to answer three questions: (1) To what extent are institutions in Iowa working cross-departmentally to incorporate financial literacy into programming on their campus?, (2) What is the connection between cross-departmental financial literacy programming and student graduation and retention?, and (3) How is cross-departmental financial literacy programming reflected in federal student loan data?

The study found that each of the institutions that participated collaborated with at least …

Grading And Equity: Inflation/Deflation Based On Race, Gender, Socio-Economic And Disability Statuses When Homework And Employability Scores Are Included, Robert Thomas Griffin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this research was to gain an understanding if traditional high school grading practices provide equitable outcomes for students particularly when homework and employability points based on participation, behavior, and attendance are included in the grading structures. With a strong movement of schools starting to use standards-based grading practices one of the purposes of this study is to learn how traditional grading practices potentially contribute to our equity concerns in society. Furthermore, this study illustrates how standardized grading practices, focusing strictly on student achievement may or may not provide more equitable grading outcomes for students of differing race, …

Prompted Reflective Thinking And Implications For Mathematics Teacher Efficacy In An Elementary Mathematics Methods Course, Brooke Krejci

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Although student-centered mathematics instruction, rooted in constructivism (NCTM, 2014), enhances students’ deep understanding of mathematics, many teachers fail to implement this approach, continuing to use more traditional, procedural instruction (Paolucci, 2015). One reason for these difficulties may be related to their teaching selfefficacy, or a person’s beliefs about their ability to complete a task. Wyatt’s (2016) expanded teacher self-efficacy model incorporates the reflective cycle and emphasizes the importance of reflection in the development of teacher self-efficacy.

This study explored whether encouraging reflection in pre-service teachers may indirectly increase their use of student-centered methods in mathematics by increasing their self-efficacy. The …

The Impact Of Severe Mental Health On Peers In Supporting Roles: A Look At Secondary Trauma And College Students, Courtney Tripp-Stuck

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Evidence indicates directors of college counseling centers and those in student affairs roles have observed a steep increase in the number of severe mental health crises on their campuses, thereby also impacting student leaders and those in helping roles as counseling centers try to adapt to the influx of need (Kitzrow, 2003; CAS, 1999). Additionally, there is evidence to support students are more likely to turn to peers first when experiencing mental health crises than they are to seek out professional help (Drum, Brownson, Burton-Denmark, Smith, & Roberts, 2009; Gallagher, 2013). The goal of this study is to examine whether …

Impact Of Positive Psychology In Pk-12 Settings, Daniel Paul Butler

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Educator burnout is threatening the well-being of society, having a financial impact on the United States, as well as influencing the optimal growth of students and the quality of our educational system. Overexposure to stress while trying to meet countlessdemands can lead to burnout and jeopardizeworkforceretention. Stress, burnout, and teacher attrition have reached alarming levels, threatening quality instructionand subsequent student achievement (Steinhardt et al., 2011). The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding ofthe effect of the Happiness Advantage | Orange Frog positive psychology framework and whether schools that employ these techniques experience a significant difference in their …

Technology Based Grammar Instruction, Erin Mary Summerhays

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

There are a wide variety of technology-based grammar instruction resources available for educators, and it is important for them to select the best tool for their school district’s and individual students’ needs. It is also important for educators to know whether the technology they have chosen is better than the traditional way of grammar instruction using paper and pencil. This paper studied the free grammar tool Noredink and looked specifically at the concept of active and passive voice. 22 10th -grade students were participants, with 11 receiving grammar instruction using traditional methods, and the other 11 receiving grammar instruction using …

An Investigation Of Pre-Service Teacher And Faculty Knowledge On Rti, Nichole M. Beckman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Response to Intervention (RTI) is being used in schools more often and continues to be a more accepted way to help students prior to the need for special education services. RTI is a three-tiered system of support that provides an opportunity for teachers to look at their instruction and curriculum and adjust based upon student progress and needs. The RTI framework, when implemented with fidelity, has been shown to effectively assist students get academic help early and limit the number of special education referrals (VanDerHeyden, Witt, & Gilbertson, 2007).

Although RTI has been shown to promote positive change in student …

Perception Of Preservice Teachers On The Implementation Of Multicultural Education, Winnie Esther Akinyi

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was twofold:

(1) To examine perceptions of preservice teachers on the implementation of multicultural education; and

(2) To investigate the extent to which preservice teachers are willing to implement multicultural education.

Snowball sampling method was used to find the participants for this research study because part of the sample for the study was very rare or limited to a very small subgroup of the population (minorities and seniors). Three preservice school teachers participated in the interview process, the results were audio recorded.

The results indicated preservice school teachers of different demographic characteristics held different beliefs …

Seeing The Forest For The Trees: Elementary Stem Environments That Nurture Creativity And Innovation, Lisa Jo Chizek

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined creativity in schools through the lens of nine rural Midwestern public school fifth grade students in a student-centered, inquiry-based science classroom within a STEM Framework. Previous literature suggesting the importance of nurturing creativity in schools (Florida, 2004; Executive Office of the President, 2018; K. H. Kim, 2016; Csikszentmihalyi, 1999) inspired the purpose for this dissertation. What is missing is the perspective of creative youth. Phenomenology as a research method is a “systematic attempt to uncover and describe the structures, the internal meaning structures, of lived experiences” (van Manen, 2016, p. 10). Through student voices, this qualitative study …

Writing Workshop And Creativity Despite Standardization: An Exploration Of Elementary Teachers' Practices, Darcie Kay Kress

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Writing instruction in today’s classrooms is often structured with “formulaic, sterile writing instruction” (Brown, Morrell, and Rowlands, 2011, p. 17). The focus on formulaic approaches can be problematic, for it may inadvertently cause the quality of students’ writing to decline (Brown, Morrell, & Rowlands, 2011; Gillespie, Olinghouse, & Graham, 2013). The National Writing Project (NWP) provides teachers with professional development to strengthen their own skills as writers, and also to learn how to effectively incorporate evidence-based practices into their writing instruction.

The aim of this study was to explore the practices of three elementary classroom teachers (second, fifth, and sixth …

Preschool Teachers' Beliefs And Actions Concerning Creativity In The Classroom, Latisha Lynn Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine preschool teachers’ beliefs and actions associated with creative pedagogy. This study partially replicated a study by Cheung (2017) and allowed for comparisons among American, Greek, and Chinese preschool teachers. This qualitative study used case studies to examine preschool teachers’ beliefs related to the definition of creativity, effective creative pedagogy, and contextual factors related to promoting creativity. Participants included three preschool teachers in rural settings in the Midwestern United States. Data included an initial interview, the completion of the Early Childhood Creative Pedagogy Questionnaire (Cheung & Leung, 2013), two lesson observations, and reflection …

Post-Trip Blues: Full Time College Students' Emotional And Motivational Post-Trip Transition From Adventure Break Trips, Nichole Crockford

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Full time students who attend break long collegiate outdoor recreation adventure trips receive multiple benefits from spending time with a small group of students out in nature. Coming home from these positive experiences may lead some individuals to negative feelings. Students may struggle to find the motivation needed to return to their previous schedule and match the demands of work that is expected of them. Very little is mentioned about the topic of post-trip emotion and motivation levels, even though an argument for vacation is to experience positive benefits that help not only the individual but also the workplace.

Research …

Empowering Children's Social Ecology: Reenvisioning Postconflict Reconstruction And Education In Rural Liberia, Kristen N. Mcnutt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Despite the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement calling the end to Liberia’s back-to-back civil wars in 2003, Liberia’s peace remains fragile with a high number of out of school children, especially in rural communities. As an indicator of state fragility, rural education needs to be a priority in post-conflict reconstruction. This thesis emerged to support the nongovernmental organization, Supporting Programs in Community Empowerment (SPICE), an emerging Liberian-based nongovernmental organization.

The methodologies for this action research project was a needs assessment, which resulted in the development of the Needs Assessment Report: Paving the Way for the Future of Liberian Children. Through …

Impact Of Parent Mentoring And Participation In First Robotics On Middle And High School Age Female Perceptions Of Engineering Careers, Kirsten Olson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Female presence within engineering careers has been a growing concern for decades, as females continue to major in engineering at a far lesser rate than males. Females may be affected by many different environmental factors, from parental influence, early engineering experiences, negative stereotypes present in male dominated careers, and male dominant culture in content classes and the workplace. Researchers have explored ways in which the gender gap within engineering can be closed, such as heightening females’ self-efficacy and providing early STEM experiences. Early engineering experiences include the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Programs, where students are …

Investigation Of The Changes Of Preservice Teachers' Efficacy Beliefs In Teaching Students With Special Needs, Pujaningsih Pujaningsih

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was designed to examine preservice teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in teaching students with special needs during student teaching and to explore potential influential factors contributed to its change. The efficacy theory (Bandura, 1977) was applied as the theoretical frameworks of this study. This framework guided this study for a deeper understanding of how preservice teachers interpreted their experiences when teaching students with special needs.

The participants were preservice teachers in one of a university in the Midwest who enrolled in the student teaching program in Spring 2018 and taught students with special needs in their classroom(s). Collecting data, this …

Trainers' Perspectives Of Teacher Professional Development, Harun Parpucu

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Considerable attention in the literature has been given to perspectives of teachers and administrators regarding effectiveness of professional development for teachers. However, there is a paucity of research regarding perspectives of trainers and facilitators of professional development for educators. Thus, this dissertation study focused on trainers’ perspectives on effective professional development. More specifically, the study investigated these research questions: (1) What goals and objectives do trainers set for their professional development sessions?; (2) How do trainers facilitate professional development?; (3) How do trainers know they achieved the goals and objectives of their professional development?; (4a) Why do trainers do what …

Understanding Esl Undergraduate Students' Beliefs About Learner-Centered Instruction, Mahjabeen Hussain

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was undertaken to determine undergraduate ESL students’ beliefs about learner-centered teaching (LCT) practices in English classes and to understand to what extent their learner-centered learning experiences influenced their beliefs about the quality of LCT practices. The study involved explanatory sequential mixed-methods. The Learner-centered Battery Student Survey and focus group interviews were used to collect data. One hundred and twelve undergraduate ESL students at a Midwestern university took part in the survey, 17 of whom, predominantly Asians, subsequently took part in multiple mini focus groups that lasted approximately 50-70 minutes each. Quantitative data analysis included descriptive statistics, t-Tests, and …