Education Commons^™

An Investigation On The Impact Of The Structure Of Summative Student Evaluation On Self-Regulated Learning, John Charles Ritzier

Dissertations

Many hypotheses have been offered regarding the impact on learning caused by the most traditional practice of summative student evaluation, namely that of assigning marks to students. Sufficient evidence exists to suggest this practice often has detrimental effects. This study was designed to investigate the following three questions: (1) How does the method of summative student evaluation impact self-regulated learning in low-achieving high school mathematics students? (2) How does the cognitive level of the task mediate the relationship between method of summative student evaluation and self-regulated learning? (3) How does the length of time students are exposed to a method …

How Secondary School Mathematics Teachers Construct An Understanding Of "Appropriate Use" Of Graphing Calculators In The Context Of Collegial Inquiry, Marcia L. Weller Weinhold

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Preparing Teachers To Use Technology: The Webquest In The Secondary English Language Arts Methods Classroom, Melinda C. Dobson

Dissertations

This study focuses on why and how English language arts methods instructors can integrate WebQuest development into their courses. Behavioral, cognitive, and constructive learning theory are established as a theoretical basis for introducing the WebQuest into the English language arts methods curriculum. Practicing teachers are surveyed about their WebQuest-use to identify positive and negative outcomes of the activity. National and international standards the WebQuest fulfills are identified. This study focuses on how to integrate technology in general into the methods course and then documents the development of the researcher's WebQuest and that of three different secondary English language arts methods …

Student Satisfaction With Michigan Community College Distance Education Courses, Eugene H. Mckay Iii

Dissertations

Distance education courses offered by community colleges and other higher education institutions are becoming popular options for students who seek a more convenient method to obtain a college education. Community colleges are actively expanding their offerings of distance education courses, both nationally and in Michigan. Yet minimal research has been conducted on a large scale to discover the factors which contribute to satisfaction with distance education courses at community colleges.

This study consists of a cross-sectional survey of over 6000 Michigan community college students in Michigan, who completed a distance education courseduring the fall semester of 2002. Sixteen of Michigan's …

Reliability Of The Educational Technology Profiler Survey As A Method Of Gathering Information In Teacher Preparation Programs, Carmen A. Cornieles

Dissertations

Education is an important factor in the introduction of technology as tools to be used in the teaching process. Teacher preparation programs for general education and special education are working to ensure that technology is a common denominator method of instruction following standards from teaching accrediting agencies. Institutions in charge of teacher preparation programs are aware of the need to prepare their students effectively and efficiently in the use of technology to support teaching and learning. Students in teacher preparation programs should become knowledgeable on using educational technology in their everyday instruction when placed in a school. For this reason, …

Examination Of The Skills And Dispositions Needed For Assistant Principals To Be Effective Disciplinarians, Sherie Lynn Williams

Dissertations

The main purpose of this study was to identify the set of key skills and dispositions needed by secondary school assistant principals to function as effective disciplinarians. A secondary purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of males and females concerning this topic. This was accomplished by exploring the perceptions of experts and practitioners, both male and female, concerning their ideas on the skills and dispositions needed by assistant principals at the secondary level to be successful disciplinarians.

This study used two methods of data collection, the Delphi Method of collecting information and focus groups. A panel of …

Understanding On Concepts Of Force Of Thai Freshmen, Chokchai Usawinchai

Dissertations

The central concept of Newtonian mechanics is force. Without this concept, the students would find the rest of mechanics very difficult to master. Based on this hypothesis, the understandings and misconceptions of Newtonian mechanics were investigated.

Three hundred eighteen Thai freshmen participated in this study. The freshmen were divided into two groups according to their high school locations, Bangkok and other cities of Thailand. The Force Concept Inventory was used to probe the freshmen's understandings and misconceptions. The SPSS and EXCEL programs were used to analyze the data. The translation of the FCI into Thai and its subsequent validation is …

An Experimental Analysis Of The Effects Of Reading Interventions In A Small Group Reading Instruction Context, Christine M. Bonfiglio

Dissertations

The validation of specific reading intervention components in increasing oral reading fluency is evident within the literature for academic responding. However, much of the literature examines these components using single-case designs on an individual basis across students. This study utilized response-guided experimentation in the context of a small group reading instruction with four 4th graders (three male and one female) while examining individual patternsof student responding for oral reading fluency. Acquisition, fluency, and consequential components were examined in a dismantling fashion. Sequential modifications of the treatment package and its components were utilized within a multiple-baseline design in order to identify …

Role That Professional Positioning And Professional Socialization Play In The Career Path Of African American Women Superintendents, Cheryl Celestin

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the professional positioning and professional socialization of African American women school superintendents in the Mid-West area of the United States. Numerous studies revealed that there are very few African American women superintendents (Glass, 2000; Alston, 2000; Brunner, 1999; Ortiz, 1998; and Jackson, 1995). Women educators in general and African American women educators more specifically were not placed in professional paths that normally lead to the superintendency (Alston, 2000; Gardiner, Enomoto and Grogan, 2000; and Shakeshaft, 1987). The ladder to the school superintendency had historically included male dominated line positions such as athletic coaching and band directing with …

The Use Of Quality Indices For Successful Programs For Students With Emotional/Behavior Disorders In The State Of Michigan, Alice Brouwer Hoekstra

Dissertations

Recent research studies have determined that students with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD) are the most difficult to integrate into the general education environment. Students with EBD are most likely to be educated in separate settings and least likely to be found in traditional education environments. However, the mandate of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act reauthorized in 1997 (IDEA '97) and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) regulation indicates all educators, including administrators, have the responsibility to challenge teachers and schools to be more inclusive regarding students with EBD and to provide services that better support students in this setting. …

The Extent To Which Teachers And Principals Perceive High Schools As Learning Organizations, Scott Kemple

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to conduct an assessment of the culture and leadership of a sample of Michigan high schools as perceived by their teaching staff and principals.

The variables of culture and leadership are primary indicators of whether a school is viewed as a learning organization by the faculty, staff and administration of the school (Leithwood et al., 2001). Five primary questions were examined: (1) To what extent are high schools perceived as learning organizations by their principals? (2) To what extent are high schools perceived as learning organizations by their teachers? (3) Is there a difference …

Student Ecosystems Problem Solving With Computer Simulation, Melissa A. Howse

Dissertations

Computer simulations, such as the BioQUEST Environmental Decision Making (EDM) program, represent a viable supplement or alternative to traditional science teaching approaches. This study concentrated on the manner in which knowledge is acquired and then disseminated through the use of the simulations. In addition, the study took into account the nature of science by revealing what notions of ecosystems and simulation were revealed when students encountered concepts imparted to them via this method. The following research questions guided this study: (1) What content knowledge do students use to solve ecology problems? (2) What procedural knowledge do students use to solve …