Education Commons^™

Teachers' Perceptions About Instructing Underachieving K-5 Students On Mathematical Word Problem-Solving, Crystal Yvette Baldwindouglas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The state of Maryland has implemented the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) operations & algebraic thinking and number & operations-fractions with emphasis on students in Grades K-5 acquiring the ability to solve word problems for state and curriculum math assessments. However, since the implementation of CCSSM, 30% of elementary students in a Maryland school district have demonstrated underachievement (basic or below basic level) on problem-solving sections of the state and school standardized tests. This qualitative case study, guided by Polya's model of the four phases of mathematical problem-solving, was conducted to address this problem. The research questions addressed …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Reflective Practices Within An International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Gail C. Hardwick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The International Baccalaureate (IB) standards recognize reflection as an integral part of the framework and the fabric of the Primary Years Programme school, as it is embedded in the foundational standards and practices of the inquiry-based IB teaching model. However, teachers in an IB Primary Years Programme school located in the southeast United States struggled with being reflective practitioners. Guided by John Dewey's reflective thought, the purpose of this bounded qualitative exploratory case study was to examine teacher perceptions of reflection practices in an IB Primary Years Programme school. Research questions were drafted to ask about teachers' perceptions of their …

Teachers' Formative Assessment Use To Check For Understanding And To Adjust Instruction, Bobbi Jo Kenyon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School leaders at an urban high school in the U.S. Midwest encouraged teachers to use formative assessment to help students meet learning goals; however, several years later, they found inconsistent implementation. Without a clear understanding of teachers' formative assessment practices, leaders could not establish needed supports for its consistent use in the classrooms. The purpose of this bounded qualitative case study was to examine teachers' formative assessment use to check for student understanding and to adjust instruction. Black and Wiliam's formative assessment theory formed the foundation of this study. Research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of formative assessment and usage …

Peer Taught Sex Education's Influence On Adolescent Sexual Decisions And Hookups, Sarah Kathleen Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Teen Prevention Education Program (PEP) utilizes different methods, mainly peer teaching via skits and small groups, to help influence adolescents to make informed sexual decisions. The purpose of this study is to find how Teen PEP can have an effect on an adolescent's decision on whether to or not hookup. This study utilized interviews with participants of the program asking them about their views on hooking up and how they view how Teen PEP aided in their decision-making whether to or not hook up. While transcribing the interviews and looking for keywords related to the research questions, the analysis …

Instructional Reading Practices For Third Grade African American Males, Kimberly Dawn Whaley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American males often struggle to read on grade level. However, 3 East Texas Title I schools demonstrated exceptionally high levels of reading proficiency with this population. This study addressed the knowledge gap of understanding the instructional practices linked to high reading achievement of third grade African American males in Title I schools in East Texas. Guided by Ladson-Billings's theory of culturally relevant pedagogy, which builds upon academic success, cultural competence, and development of critical consciousness, and supported by Vygotsky's theory of social and cognitive constructivism, the reading instructional practices of the 3 schools were investigated. Research questions focused on …

Understanding Of Self-Confidence In High School Students, George Ballane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students at a private high school in New Jersey exhibited low academic self-confidence as compared to other indicators on the ACT Engage exam. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain an understanding of academic self-confidence, academic performance, and learning within a sample of students. This research explored students' and teachers' perceptions of self-confidence and their impact on academic performance. The research was guided by Weiner's attribution and Bandura's self-efficacy theories. The research questions focused on 3 areas: students' and teachers' perceptions of academic self-confidence as factors impacting students' academic performance; and the perceived relationship between academic self-confidence, …

Psychological And Contextual Antecedents To Student Engagement Profiles Of Ninth Grade Students, Wendy Ann Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student engagement is a determinant for students' academic success, readiness for higher education, and social agency. The purpose of this qualitative, case study was to explore ninth grade students' perceptions of the contextual and psychological factors that influence the development of student engagement profiles. The ecological systems theory was used as the framework for the study. Through purposive sampling, 15 participants were selected, and 5 groups of 3 were formed based on participants' engagement profiles as identified by cooperating teachers' categorization and the results of the Student Engagement Instrument. Using semi structured interviews, data were gathered for the 4 research …

Teachers Support For English Language Learners To Build Inquiry Skills In Online Biology Simulations, Hermione Joseph-Orelus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The population of English language learners (ELLs) is on the rise in the United States, but they are lagging behind English speaking students in several subject areas--including biology. Scholarly literature lacks information on how biology teachers use scaffolding strategies to support ELL students with inquiry skills during online simulations. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore how biology teachers support ELLs in learning biology, using biology simulations to promote inquiry learning. The conceptual framework for this study included the constructivist perspective regarding the zone of proximal development, Electronic Quality of Inquiry Protocol, and technology use in science …

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching, Dean Rochelle Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching, a multifaceted form of job-embedded professional development in education, is widely spreading across the United States as a means of improving staff performance and student learning. The problem was that there was a decrease in 8th grade student achievement in mathematics in this school district. The purpose of the intrinsic qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of middle school math teachers about the role of instructional coaches in supporting math instruction. Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Knowles' andragogy adult learning theories formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on …

Academically-Redshirted Males' Behavior And Academic Performance At The Middle School Level, Cassandra Ricciardi Capadona

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Male students appear not ready for middle school by exhibiting lower grades, learner disengagement, and/or behavior problems. The age in which male students initially enter school has not been fully investigated as a possible systemic issue of a lack of male student longitudinal success and learner engagement. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the differences between how academically redshirted male students performed academically and behaviorally compared to their non-academically redshirted grade mates at Grades 6-8. This study drew from the theories of early childhood constructivists: Piaget, Vygotsky, and Montessori. The research questions addressed the academic and behavioral …

Teacher Clarity Strategies Of Highly Effective Teachers, Megan Olivia Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher clarity supports both cognitive and affective learning for all learners. The scholarly literature lacks research related to teacher clarity in nonlecture learning environments. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover teacher clarity strategies that effectively promote student learning, particularly in nonlecture learning environments. The conceptual framework involved cognitive load theory and constructivism. The research questions explored how highly effective teachers experience clarity to promote student learning in nonlecture learning environments and what innovative strategies highly effective teachers practice to ensure clarity in nonlecture learning environments. For this in-depth qualitative interview study, data were collected through virtual synchronous …

Influence Of Two Instructional Models On Reading Achievement Of Esl Middle School Students, Thomasine Campbell Hassell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

English as second language (ESL) students are not meeting reading proficiency standards

compared to their native English-speaking middle school peers. To address the low achievement

scores among ESL students, the study site implemented an instructional hub in which trained

ESL resource teachers used the sheltered instruction observation protocol (SIOP) model. The

purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the difference in reading achievement

scores between ESL students who participated in the instructional hub and those who

participated in traditional instruction. Krashen's second language acquisition theory and Terrell's

natural approach theory provided the framework for the study. Archival data from …

The Relationship Of Parental Involvement And Reading Achievement Of Ninth-Grade Students, Florence Ann Mayhall-Andrews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The local high school and school district have failed to achieve adequate yearly progress in reading due to the poor performance of 9th-grade and special education students on the annual state reading assessment. There may be numerous factors leading to the low scores, but researchers have suggested that students whose parents are engaged in their education have more academic success than students whose parents have minimal participation. An explanatory survey design was used in this quantitative study to identify the involvement activities of parents of 9th-grade students and determine if there was a relationship between their involvement and their child's …

Elementary Teachers' Beliefs Of Using Guided Reading Pedagogy And Student Data, Ivonne Miranda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In today's classrooms, many teachers meet students' reading needs by providing guided reading. However, little is known about how teachers combine student data and pedagogical content knowledge to plan guided readings lessons. This study focused on understanding how elementary teachers use guided reading pedagogical content knowledge and student data when planning a guided reading lesson. The conceptual framework was based on Fountas and Pinnell's guided reading framework, and Clay's theory of data collection with respect to literacy processing. The research questions concerned how teachers' use, guide, and reflect on guided reading pedagogical content knowledge and students data when planning a …

Language Of Instruction And Puerto Rican First Graders' Ethnic Categorizations, Margarita Marichal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of subtractive bilingual models in Puerto Rico may influence children's construction of social categorizations. There is a gap in the literature related to linguistics, ethnicity, and systems of education and acculturation of a majority group. The purpose of this multiple case study was to examine the influence of the language of instruction and teachers' communicative practices in private and public schools on first graders' ethnic identity construction in the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The conceptual framework of the study was based on Markus's unified theory of race and ethnicity, Berry's bidimensional model of acculturation, Tajfel and …

Perceptions And Experiences Of Students Who Withdrew From College Prior To Degree Attainment, Enedine B. Andre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nationally an estimated 41% of traditional students who begin seeking an undergraduate degree do not persist through degree attainment. Guided by Tinto's theory of student departure and the theory of social integration, the purpose of this study was to identify the reasons students withdrew from college prior to degree completion. A qualitative case-study design was implemented, and 13 former college enrollees were purposefully selected for individual semistructured interviews. The students graduated from one high school in the Southeastern United States. Data analysis was conducted using open coding procedures with iterative recategorization to identify key themes. Findings indicated that inadequate preparation, …

Elementary Teachers' Self Efficacy For Improving Student Achievement, Regina Ann Epps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The local problem that prompted this study was declining student achievement scores in the 4th and 5th grades at a Title 1 elementary school in the southeastern U.S. As a result, school administrators initiated an environmental change from a self-contained classroom structure to departmentalization and team teaching for 4th and 5th grades. The purpose of the study was to investigate perspectives of teachers and administrators regarding their needs to address their own self-efficacy for improving student learning, and their perspectives of the team teaching and departmentalization processes in enhancing student achievement. The conceptual framework for this study was Bandura's theory …

The Effects Of Professional Development And Formative Assessment Quality On Students' Self-Regulation In Primary School Mathematics, Oluwakemi Adewoye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student self-regulation is associated with mathematics achievement in Nigerian primary schools, and formative assessment holds promise for increasing self-regulation. However, to date no research has explored teacher professional development (PD) for formative assessment and its effects on students' self-regulation in Nigerian primary schools. This quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design used Desimone's teacher professional development conceptual framework, Popham's model for practicing formative assessment, and Zimmerman's concept of self-regulated learning. Research questions concerned whether differences existed in teachers' practice and students' self-regulation between two groups of Nigerian primary school mathematics teachers who received variations of professional development. The sample was 13 volunteer …

Curricular, Instructional, And Co-Curricular Factors Perceived To Influence Students Dropping Out, Kimberly Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

District administrators face concerns over students dropping out of school without a high school diploma. District personnel in a Mississippi urban school district identified specific curricular, instructional, and co-curricular factors that prompted students to leave school. The purpose of this bounded qualitative case study was to explore perceptions of principals, teachers, and counselors regarding factors that influenced students' disengagement and dropping out of school. Battin-Pearson's theory of academic mediation, which attributes poor academic performance and student-centered learning to students dropping out, framed this study. The research questions focused on how district personnel identified and monitored at-risk students and provided interventions …

Elementary Teachers' Perspectives Of The Support Facilitation Instructional Model, Deborah Afolabi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem in an elementary school in Southern Texas was poor reading performance on grade level and progress monitoring tests for students with disabilities (SWDs). SWDs may learn to read proficiently when reading instruction is provided using the support facilitation model (SFM) that features a special educator who helps SWDs in literacy or mathematics in inclusion settings. The purpose of this bounded qualitative case study was to explore the perspectives of special and general education teachers about SFM. The universal design for learning framework, used to plan lessons based on how students learn, guided this study. The research questions focused …

Effect Of Differentiated Instruction On Reading Comprehension Of Third Graders, Deborah Davidsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The performance measures from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study revealed no measurable growth in the U.S. average reading scores of 4th graders for the period between 2011 and 2016. Therefore, the diverse learning needs of students need to be customized if the education system is to accomplish its goal to graduate well-informed individuals capable of sustaining a lifestyle conducive to a democratic society. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of differentiated instruction on 3rd graders' reading comprehension. The theoretical foundation for this teaching approach was Vygotsky's zone of proximal development. The research question focused …

A Quantitative Investigation Of The Relationship Between English Language Assessments And Academic Performance Of Long-Term Ells, Yesmi Rios

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows academic literacy is a challenge for students classified as Long-Term English Language Learners (LTELLs). In the pseudonymous Windy Desert School District (WDSD), there are 17,365 students classified as LTELLs. Of these students, the majority are falling short of English academic literacy goals on the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs) test and 67% do not graduate from high school. This quantitative study examined the predictive relationship between ACCESS English language proficiency subscale scores in the language domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing and course semester grades in English 9, …

The Effects Of Academic Parent Teacher Teams On Latino Student Achievement, Barbara Dee Bench

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decades of research have noted the importance of parent involvement in students' academic success. Less is known about parent engagement models that aim to increase Latino students' reading achievement. This project study examined the effectiveness of a 2-year parent engagement program implemented to address poor reading achievement of Latino elementary school students in a small urban district. The purpose of this study was to determine disparities in student scores between those parents who participated in the program and those parents who did not participate. The research questions examined parent engagement levels in comparison to increased summative reading scores. Based on …

Middle School Parents' Beliefs Regarding Learning Management System Use In Mathematics, Vaughn Malcolm Bradley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Middle school is a critical time in students' learning of mathematics, something a Learning Management System (LMS) is designed to help parents support. What remains unknown is how parents use an LMS to monitor their children's progress in mathematics. This qualitative case study explored how parents from one midAtlantic middle school with 543 students used an LMS, EdLine, to support their children's autonomous achievement in mathematics. Expectancy-value theory and social cognitive theory made up the conceptual framework used to evaluate study findings. A criterion-based process was used to select nine middle school parents from grades 6, 7, and 8 as …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Charter Schools In A Large School District In Georgia, Tawanda Hardaway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent charter school enrollment trends suggest that many parents are choosing to enroll students in charter schools instead of traditional public schools, even though data indicate public school achievement is equal to or above charter schools. Guided by Rogers and Maslow's humanistic theory, the purpose of the study was to examine reasons why parents exercised their right to educational choice and chose charter schools instead of traditional public schools for their children. The study focused on two charter schools, the Learning Academy and the School of Excellence (both pseudonyms), which are located in a large urban and suburban school district …

Stakeholders' Perceptions On Mandated Student Retention In Early Childhood, Jennifer Kate Mankins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading is one of the primary goals of the early elementary grades. When students start to struggle with this complex skill, educators and parents search for solutions to rectify quickly mounting gaps before a child falls too far behind. In the State of Oklahoma, lawmakers have passed a law requiring mandatory 3rd grade retention for students who do not pass the state reading test. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of stakeholders who had experienced implementation of mandated student retention in early childhood. The study is informed by Bourdieu's cultural capital theory of social …

Examining The Intersection Of Teachers' Expectations, African American Males, And Equitable Strategies, Adell Cothorne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary African American males achieve proficiency at a lower rate than their peers in both reading and math. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how elementary school teachers described their use of equitable strategies in teaching elementary African American male students, how these teachers described the experience of teaching African American male students, and how they used equitable strategies to shape the classroom environment to engage African American male students. Two theories provided the conceptual framework for this study-human development theory and critical race theory in education. Seven participants were selected through convenience sampling. Semistructured interviews …

Elementary Educators' Knowledge, Beliefs, And Planned And Implemented Practices For Digital Citizenship, Meghan Gail Walters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited research has focused on the knowledge, beliefs, and professional practices of elementary educators related to digital citizenship. The purpose of this study was to identify elementary educators' knowledge and beliefs about digital citizenship, as well as understand their plans and implemented practices, supports, and barriers related to digital citizenship instruction. This study was grounded in Mezirow's theory of transformative learning, Siemen's theory of connectivism, and Ribble's concept of digital citizenship. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data collected from an original survey instrument developed from the literature by the researcher. Participants were recruited using publicly accessible email addresses and …

Instructional Quality And Middle School Student Engagement, Achievement, Attendance, And Gender, Pauline Monsegue-Bailey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gaps in middle school students' outcomes such as engagement, achievement, and attendance have been linked to instruction. In addition, the effect of instructional quality might not be the same for male and female students. The purpose of this quantitative study was to measure the relationship between instructional quality, student engagement, achievement, and attendance, with gender as a moderator in middle school. The ecological systems model and Vygotsky's social development theory formed the theoretical framework for this study, as they help understand how the environment, including instructional support, is likely to correlate with student behavior and motivation toward learning. The CLASS …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Mathematics Teachers' Formative Assessment Feedback, Ryan Rathje

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Formative assessment is supported by research as a process to enhance student learning. A vital aspect in the process is the role of feedback which, based on its use, can support or hinder student learning. The problem addressed in this study was based on the concern of a high school administrator that teachers in the school were not using formative feedback in a manner that supported student learning. The purpose of this instrumental qualitative case study was to explore and understand the assessment and feedback practices of mathematics teachers in a private high school setting. The conceptual framework for this …