Education Commons^™

Finding Latent Groups In Observed Data: A Primer On Latent Profile Analysis In Mplus For Applied Researchers, Sarah L. Ferguson, E. Whitney G. Moore, Darrell M. Hull

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The present guide provides a practical guide to conducting latent profile analysis (LPA) in the Mplus software system. This guide is intended for researchers familiar with some latent variable modeling but not LPA specifically. A general procedure for conducting LPA is provided in six steps: (a) data inspection, (b) iterative evaluation of models, (c) model fit and interpretability, (d) investigation of patterns of profiles in a retained model, (e) covariate analysis, and (f) presentation of results. A worked example is provided with syntax and results to exemplify the steps.

What Does Cultural Competence Mean To Preservice School Librarians? A Critical Discourse Analysis, Kafi D. Kumasi, Renee F. Hill

School of Information Sciences Faculty Research Publications

In order to provide culturally responsive instruction to all students, school library professionals need to recognize the various discourses around cultural competence that exist in the field of library and information science (LIS) and understand the broader meanings that are attached to these discourses. This study presents an evaluation of the underlying ideologies that are embedded in the textual responses of a group of LIS students reporting on their perceived levels of cultural competence preparation.

The Relationship Of Motivational Climates, Mindsets, And Goal Orientations To Grit In Male Adolescent Soccer Players, Erin Albert, Trent A. Petrie, E. Whitney G. Moore

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

Across a variety of domains, such as in academics and in the military, grit is a significant predictor of performance, even after controlling for dimensions of innate ability. However, little is known about how grit develops or the psychosocial factors that may contribute to its presence (i.e. motivational climates, mindsets, and goal orientations). Although sport is a natural context in which to examine grit, both as a predictor and an outcome, few studies have done so. Thus, within the framework of achievement motivation theory, we examined the relationships of the perceived motivational climate created by coaches (task-involving vs. ego-involving), athletes’ …

Strategies To Increase Athletes' Transformational Leadership Behaviors During Strength And Conditioning Sessions, Valerie Smith, E. Whitney G. Moore

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

Often, leadership is presumed to naturally result from athletic experiences. However, leadership behaviors require practice. Strength and conditioning coaches (SCCs) can provide opportunities for all athletes to practice transformational leadership behaviors, which can increase team cohesion and performance. This article reviews athlete leadership, including leadership roles and four transformational leadership behaviors (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, and intellectual stimulation). Then, daily strategies SCCs can incorporate into training to foster athletes’ transformational leadership are presented. Followed by strategies for larger, rotating leadership experiences. These strategies can work with athletes across age, gender, and competitive level.

A Mother Promotes Cognitive And Affective Outcomes Via Museum Education On Arab American Immigrants’ Culture: A Vygotskian Perspective, Navaz P. Bhavnagri, Suha K. Kamash

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

A Chaldean Catholic immigrant mother from Iraq kept a journal about how her Arab American daughters (ages 9 and 15) visited museums for the first time and participated in museum-related activities that focused on them (1) understanding and developing empathy for all new immigrants coming to the U.S.; (2) understanding and developing appreciation of Arab American im- migrants’ culture; and (3) being exposed to limited Arabic vocabulary related to museum artifacts. The mother’s anecdotal observations, informal conver- sational interviews, and photographs documented her daughters’ learning processes and outcomes. The cognitive processes and outcomes (e.g., under- standing, meaning making through personal …

Increasing Collegiate Strength And Conditioning Coaches' Communication Of Training Performance And Process Goals With Athlete, E. Whitney G. Moore, Alessandro Quartiroli, Rebecca Zakrajsek, Morgan Eckenrod

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The purpose of this paper is to present information about goal setting and how strength and conditioning coaches (SCCs) can incorporate goal setting strategies in their training of athletes. This paper presents an overview of outcome, performance, and process goals, and the SMAART framework. Strategies a SCC can utilize are presented to illustrate how to increase the effectiveness of the performance and process goals that informed the program periodization and feedback provided by the SCC. This paper aims to start bridging the gap between SCCs familiarity with goal setting and incorporation of this mental strategy into their communication with athletes …

Considering Physical Well-Being, Self-Perceptions, And Support Variables In Understanding Youth Academic Achievement, Erin E. Centeio, Cheryl L. Somers, E. Whitney G. Moore, Alex Garn, Noel Kulik, Jeffrey Martin, Bo Shen, Nate Mccaughtry

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between measures of students’ physical well-being and self-perception and their academic achievement. Specifically, we look at students’ social support for physical activity, physical activity perceptions, self-concept, self-efficacy, health behaviors, and cardiorespiratory fitness (as measured by the progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run [PACER] test). Students (n = 697 fifth graders) were surveyed at the beginning of the school year. A two-group path analysis revealed notable relationships between the predictor variables and proximal and distal outcomes, with some paths moderated by sex. One relationship that was significant for both sexes was …

Teachers' Reflection On Their Beliefs And Question-Asking Practices During Mathematics Instruction, Kaili Takiyah Hardamon

Wayne State University Dissertations

Teachers’ daily instructional practices are a critical component in creating a rich and meaningful educational experience for students. Thus, factors that inform instructional practices are of particular importance and interest to education researchers and other stakeholders. Beliefs about teaching and learning are a known factor influencing teachers’ instructional practices (Ernest, 1989). This study focused on a specific instructional practice, question-asking, which has a profound impact on students’ experience with mathematics (Weiland, Hudson, and Amador (2014). Understanding the relationship between teachers’ beliefs and practice helps to make sense of teachers’ decision-making processes, particularly as they choose questions to ask students during …

Developing A Culturally Relevant Curriculum And Breaking The Barriers Of Cognitive And Cultural Dissonance, Kyana C. Smith

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study is to explore how teachers can develop a culturally relevant curriculum to break the barriers of cultural and cognitive dissonance to improve student learning experiences. Two state certified Caucasian teachers and eight middle school aged African American students took part in this qualitative study in face-to-face interviews with 20 interview questions to explore the lives, culture, and situations of their students and communities. Educational institutions have their own world views or ideologies perpetuated through the students and their teachers. Exploring and analyzing various education systems will also help to understand cultural differences and …

Parental Perceptions Of The Risks And Rewards Of Youth Tackle Football, Laurel Whalen

Wayne State University Dissertations

Football is one of the most popular sports in the United States, despite a high risk of injury associated with the game. The issue of sports-related concussion (SRC) in football has garnered widespread attention in both the media and in scholarly literature as a result of documentaries, movies, and popular journal articles highlighting the connection between former professional football players and the neurodegenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE (McKee et al., 2013; Mez, Daneshvar, Kiernan, et al., 2017). Although some studies have identified extremely few concussions in youth football, others have reported rates of concussion (Kontos, Elbin, Fazio-Sumrock, et …

Reliability And Validity Of An Evaluation Capacity Assessment Instrument For Principals Of Public Schools In Michigan And The Current Distribution Of Evaluation Capacity By Poverty Concentration, Christine M. Lewis

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study used Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to investigate the reliability and validity of an Evaluation Capacity Assessment Instrument (ECAI) for principals of K-12 public schools in Michigan. The ECAI was then used to investigate whether scores between principals of high poverty schools and low poverty schools were significantly different. The ECAI was administered to 121 principals across Michigan. Based on the results of the CFA, evidence of fit to the a priori model was not established but internal consistency statistics provide some reliability evidence. A Principle Components Analysis (PCA) was conducted and factor loadings were examined. Some groups of …

Stereotype Threat And Its Effect On Christian Women In Secular Higher Education Administration, Kimberly Morgan

Wayne State University Dissertations

Stereotype threat is a highly supported phenomenon in social psychology. It is the fear, whether consciously or subconsciously, that one will confirm within oneself a negative stereotype about one’s social or identity group, through poor performance or self-evaluation. This study attempts to determine if stereotype threat could be a contributor to the underrepresentation of women, and therefore Christian women, in higher education leadership. To investigate possible causes of this a set of surveys was completed. The first included questions regarding employment, race, religion, education, and politics. It was used to determine stratified samples for the second survey. The second survey’s …

A Pilot Study Of The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma Among Prisoners And The Types Of Crimes Committed By Those Prisoners, Kathleen M. Schaefer

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to examine the stories of childhood trauma of prisoners, the relationship between childhood traumas among prisoners, and the types of crimes committed by those prisoners as adults. Semi-structured interview data and field notes were collected from 24 post-conviction adult felony offenders between the ages of 18 and 65 who experienced at least one type of childhood trauma. The data were analyzed using Rosenthal and Fischer-Rosenthal’s (2004) analysis of narrative data.

The analysis revealed that the severity of childhood trauma may be linked with aggressive behavior, which may result in criminal activity such as crimes …

Gender And Work: An Analysis Of Mid-Level Women Administrators In Student Affairs, Eboni Turnbow

Wayne State University Dissertations

Research has examined the experiences of women faculty in higher education. However, the experiences of non-faculty mid-level women administrators within higher education continues to be understudied. Women are often the majority in non-faculty positions, yet men dominate senior level positions. Instead, women are frequently clustered in entry and mid-level administrative roles within student affairs divisions or departments, often with limited access to career ladders. Drawing on the theoretical framework of gendered work organizations, this study explores the experiences of women working in non-academic departments, and analyzes how these experiences impact their career advancement at four-year public universities. More specifically, I …

International Students' Identities And Thier Educational And Learning Trajectories, Suha Hamdan

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study explores international students’ identities and identity formation within social, educational, and imagined futures, and their study abroad journeys. I look into past, present and future contexts of international students. Qualitative analytic autoethnography and semi-structured interviews are the methodologies utilized. I explore my own experiences around identity and education as an international graduate student, as well as other participants’ experiences. Date were collected from six participants from six countries: China, India, Iran, Indonesia, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. Thematic analysis was utilized. The findings revealed that these international students go through an identity journey, where they reflect on their past …

Understanding Relationships Between Cultural Competency And Teacher Efficacy, Azra Ali

Wayne State University Dissertations

Advisor: Dr. Carolyn Shields

Major: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The teachers in the US classrooms are facing an unprecedented challenge of serving significantly large population of students who come from culturally and linguistically different backgrounds. These challenges are further exasperated because many teachers are not prepared to work with English Language Learners (ELLs) who have specific needs and require pedagogy that goes beyond content teaching. Therefore, many ELL students are not receiving the appropriate principles, practices and strategies necessary for them to succeed in the American classrooms. As the population of ELL students is steadily …

Understanding The Experiences Of Saudi Arabian Mothers Of Children With Autism In The United States, Basmah M. Alotaibi

Wayne State University Dissertations

This narrative research examines the experiences of five Saudi Arabian mothers of children with ASD who are living in the United States. Multiple interviews were used in qualitative research to learn more about the different experiences of these mothers. The purpose of the study was to learn about the participants’ experiences, including their stressors, beliefs, and thoughts about raising their children with ASD in a culture that is different from the one where they were raised.

Culture can shape mothers' attitudes and beliefs about raising children with disabilities. Saudi Arabian mothers living abroad are likely to observe different ways of …

A Comparative Study Of Kendall-Theil Sen, Siegel Vs Quantile Regression With Outliers, Ahmad Farooqi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Researchers in social and behavioral sciences usually interested in study the relationship between a response variable Y_i and one or more independent predictors〖 X〗_i either for the purpose of explanation or prediction. Ordinary Least Square Regression is a parametric approach used to study this kind of relationship. One of the disadvantages of Ordinary Least Square is it does not fit well in the presence of outliers in the response variable Y_i or both in the response variable Y_i and the predictor variable〖 X〗_i, also if the data were sampled from a non-normal distribution. Quantile Regression, Theil-Sen regression, and the modified …

Exploring Sensemaking Of The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act Of 2010, Taylor Mary Barczyk

Wayne State University Dissertations

The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 was reauthorized to create school environments that provide nutrient-dense meals to students who are living in poverty. The free and reduced-price lunch program helps 19% of students who are living in poverty in America (Kids Count Data Center, 2017). These students arrive at school hungry and often times are more concerned about their hunger than the content they need to learn. In order to assist them in learning, the school lunch program has been established. With the policy reauthorization of Public Law 111-296, students have been able to receive nourishment in the school …

An Examination Of Preservice Teachers' Use Of Learning Trajectories To Guide Instruction, Jeramy Donovan

Wayne State University Dissertations

In order for teachers to support students’ mathematical thinking, Battista (2004) believed they must identify core mathematical concepts, recognize conceptual frameworks for understanding children’s thinking, and use appropriate assessment tasks. In his view, learning trajectories provide teachers with information on children’s cognitive abilities as well as a structure for assessment. The present study investigated the ways in which preservice teachers used, and reflected on their use of, learning trajectories to assess, plan, and instruct during a one-on-one tutoring project focused on geometric shapes. In addition, preservice teachers were asked to reflect on the ways in which they might use learning …

Student Use Of Technology For Collaboration, Krystal Gordon

Wayne State University Dissertations

According to the U.S. Department of Education, students need to be prepared for higher education and remain competitive in a globally changing society schools should intertwine 21st century skills including collaboration in the classroom. The purpose of the study is to examine the current use of online tools for group collaboration among high school students. Social constructivists assume learning is collaborative and meaning comes from multiple perspectives. In a social constructivist environment, the goal is for student learning to be maximized. Many states have set guideline and standards that require schools to incorporate collaboration across the curriculum. A nonexperimental, correlational …