Education Commons^™

Digital Media's Transformative Role In Education: Beyond Potential To Essential, Ming-Tso Chien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Achieving effective learning via digital media continues to be a major concern in contemporary education. The daily use of all forms of digital media is part of our lives and therefore becomes a key component of education. Educators must consider the process of digital media curriculum as a learning model and form of experience adapted to education. This means the significance is on how to learn as well as what to learn. This study demonstrated how the implementation of digital media curriculum via the Scratch game-making project contributed to middle school students' interaction with the entire educational process. The goal …

Attending High School Algebra I: In Search Of Well-Managed, Engaging, Culturally Relevant, And Caring Classrooms, Cassandra Dunn Gannett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The inequities in learning between the rich and the poor have become pervasive in United States. This is evidenced by the high school graduation rates, college attendance percentages, and employment statistics. Upon another wave of reform, the Common Core State Standards in mathematics are currently being adopted in hopes of increasing learning for all students, with a focus on college and career readiness. This study is intent on finding ways to remedy the inequities in mathematics between the high income and low income schools by focusing on one of the great glass ceilings to high school graduation and beyond, high …

Korean American Adolescents' And Their Parents' Attitudes And Expectations Toward Group Counseling, Myoung Ah Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the relationships between three important cultural factors—acculturation, self-disclosure, and gender— and Korean American adolescents’ attitudes and expectations about group counseling. In addition, the relationships between two of these factors−acculturation and self-disclosure, and Korean parents’ expectations and attitudes about group counseling as a potential treatment modality for their adolescents were examined. Ninety-three Korean high school students who attended 9 private afterschool programs provided by the Korean Institute of Southern California (KISC) in the Los Angeles area and their 93 corresponding Korean parents participated in the present study. For the student sample, the …

The R Factor: Centering Race In The Mentoring Of African American College Students, Bridgette Coble

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring provides personal support, academic assistance and career guidance to college students of color whose experiences have been documented to be very different from those of their White counterparts. Achievement inequity, problems of persistence, experiences of racism and student reports of feeling marginalized and misunderstood threaten the ability of students of color to succeed in college. While it may be assumed that race plays a central role in the mentoring relationships of students of color, this assumption may be misguided. The existence of formal mentoring programs and informal mentoring relationships that support students of color does not necessarily ensure that …

Student School Engagement As A Potential Predictor Of High School Completion, Jennifer Albanes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a dropout epidemic in the United States. In the US, 25% of high school students do not graduate on time. For Latinos, the number is worse, with only 64% graduating from high school. Current research is clear that 9th grade is a critical year for keeping students in school. Students that earn all their credits for their core classes in 9th grade are more likely to graduate than students who fail one or more class during their freshman year. Prior to this study, engagement has been connected to dropout in the literature, but with differing ideas of how …

Gender Depiction In Preschool Books: A Comparison Between Early Care And Education Classrooms In The United States And Norway, Cathrine Aasen Floyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preschool children's perceptions around gender identity and development can be influenced by their experiences. With many children spending a portion of their day in child care, the environmental factors of these programs are important. One aspect of the environment can impact preschool children is the books that are available to them. For over 40 years, children's literature in the United States has been studied and found to be biased in their portrayal of males and females. Males were more often found as main characters and depicted as capable leaders and thinkers. Female characters were shown as weaker, often appearing in …

Nonprofit Marketing Education In The United States: An Examination And Interpretation Of The Prevalance And Nature Of Curriculum, Theresa Meier Conley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The nonprofit sector is a large, growing, and essential part of the United States economy. There is a history of inspired ideas and complex change in the nonprofit sector that marketing educators and business school administrators must understand if they are to be leaders in the continuing evolution of nonprofit marketing education.

This manuscript includes a summarized historical perspective, a selective review of literature from existing nonprofit management and marketing education, a discussion of relevant contemporary issues for consideration, and mixed-method research results regarding the prevalence and nature of nonprofit marketing education. The mixed-method research strategy includes three phases; the …

An Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution Looks Toward The Future: A Case Study On A Collaborative, Community-Based Systemic Change Effort At An Urban Land-Grant College, Eric Dunker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many higher education organizations face the issue of structural isolation (Ruben, 2004) based on a lack of integration and functional coordination between faculty, staff, and students. Community-based research (CBR) offers higher education a more collaborative, wider reaching avenue of organizing a variety of stakeholders around social change. The CBR model is an atypical change model due to its interdisciplinary, participatory, and collaborative structure that values multiple sources of knowledge and focuses on social justice action. As opposed to serving as the 'experts' who were performing research on a community of people, academics and community members who utilize CBR focus on …

Invisible Ink: An Analysis Of Meaning Contained In Gender, Race, Performance, And Power Discourses, Susan A. Griggs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The number of females in senior level leadership positions in higher education is substantially fewer than males. Yet female students in these same institutions represent over half the population (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2010). The leadership gender gap is a phenomenon that has undergone numerous studies in search of reasons and solutions. Yet the gap remains. One cause of the underrepresentation of women in higher education leadership is ideological views regarding gender and leadership that result in stereotypes regarding who qualifies for leadership, what leadership behaviors are deemed best, who exhibits those behaviors, and what happens when those stereotypes …

Leveling The Field Is Not Enough: Promoting Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In Teach For America Through The Evaluation Of Intercultural Competence, Colorblindness, White Racial Identity Attitudes, And The Belief That Culture Matters In Education, Amber K. Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study examined constructs and beliefs essential to culturally responsive teachers for the purpose of understanding corps members’ needs and promoting culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) in the Colorado region of Teach for America (TFA). This study employed a transformative, sequential mixed methods design with a theoretical lens of CRP and a corresponding framework for preparing culturally responsive educators described by Villegas and Lucas (2002). First, a quantitative phase assessed participants’ levels of intercultural competence, colorblind racial attitudes, and White racial identity attitudes at two times—upon entering TFA (n = 139) and after one year of teaching and training (n …

Leading Schools Through A Generational Lens: Perceptions Of Principals' Change Leadership Disaggregated By Principal Generation, Matthew Scott Kuhn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to investigate possible differences in school leadership within a change process, as perceived by teachers. Grouped by generation, this study investigated principals’ perceptions of change order and that of their teachers, as well as how their teachers perceived their principal’s leadership capacity when leading 1^st and 2^nd order change. This was done by analyzing data from Mid-continent for Education and Learning’s Balanced Leadership Profile®. McREL surveyed principals about the order of school change initiatives and their capacity to lead change. McREL also surveyed teachers about the 1_^st and 2 …

Development Of A Measure Assessing Knowledge And Use Of Internal Punctuation To Signal Syntactic Relationships, Pamela S. Van Horn Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A literary debate has been ongoing from the early 1900s regarding not only the place of grammar instruction in the classroom but even of the veracity of a grammatical standard, such as Standard American English, by which grammar skills may be measured. Very little empirical research has been attempted to compare the effectiveness of teaching methods because grammar assessment has been given even less attention. Therefore, to address this gap in the literature and to explore whether objective testing is suitable for assessing grammar skills, a 51-item measure was constructed to test the use of internal punctuation (commas, semicolons, and …

Arabic Women And English Language Learning: A Case Study, Ream Alkarni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this study was to interview Arabic women students at Spring International Language Center to record their perceptions, rationale, goals, stories, and opinions about learning English in a U.S. language school. This research was conducted to understand the purposes and goals of Arabic women who come to the United Stated to study the English language, and the importance of English language proficiency, both within and outside the United States.

The findings of this study are not only relevant to English language centers in the United States, but also those in other countries. The information and methods used …

The Relationship Between Teacher Cultural Competency And Student Engagement, Erin Nicole Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study investigated teachers' cultural competency and their students' engagement within international high schools located in Hong Kong. Cultural competency is defined as a combination of knowledge about cultural groups as well as attitudes towards and skills for dealing with cultural diversity (Betancourt, 2003). The literature indicates that cultural competency will continue to play an increasingly important role in the professional work place as culturally diverse people become more interdependent. When examining the classroom experience, cultural competency equates to a teacher's ability to successfully instruct and engage culturally different students.

The students in this study reported over 30 different …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Mentoring Of New Teachers And Student Performance, David Shadwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While much research has explored the positive correlation between mentoring programs and resulting reduction in teacher attrition, the relationship between mentoring activities and student learning remains equivocal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between frequency and depth of mentoring activities in which high school teachers in their first three years of teaching report engaging, on the 2011 Colorado TELL (Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning) Survey, and examining concurrent student achievement growth and shifts in growth gaps as measured by the Colorado Growth Model in those teachers' schools. This mixed methods study also entailed open-ended interviews …

Transformative Professional Development Through The Eyes Of Jack Mezirow And Thomas Guskey, Leslie Diane Stahl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The key to improving education is the classroom teacher. Students must have skillful, highly effective teachers who have consistent access to on going professional development. NCLB offers guidelines for effective professional development. States interpret these guidelines and add their own varied legislative requirements. The current result is an eclectic mix of ideas, methods, and approaches. This investigation explored the current professional development literature through the lens of Jack Mezirow's transformational theory of adult learning. Overlaid with theory was Thomas Guskey's model of effective professional development which resulted in a tool for planning and evaluating ongoing teacher education. A survey crafted …

Noble Or Malevolent In A Moment Of Dismay: How Postsecondary Students Construe And Characterize Bystander Action In School Violence Shooting Incidents, Dyan Whitlow Underhill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multiple incidents of postsecondary school shooting violence have occurred in American society--prompting concern about safety on college campuses, administrators' roles in prevention, and proactive and responsible bystander actions. Active shooter plans have become more established in educational environments, with efforts are directed toward both the perpetrator and the victims. Limited information, however, has been provided regarding how bystanders would, or even should, construe and characterize their roles in such incidents. Numerous professional and governmental researchers in organizations throughout the United States (e.g., the Center for Disease Control Injury Center, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, National Consortium on Violence …

A Meta-Analysis Of Testing Accommodations For Students With Disabilities: Implications For High-Stakes Testing, Michelle Vanchu-Orosco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Test accommodations are designed to ensure the comparability of test scores between students and their typically developing counterparts by eliminating as much construct-irrelevant variance and construct-irrelevant difficulty as possible. Although those involved in test creation endeavor to create tests with suitable accommodations for students with disabilities, there is lack of consensus regarding accommodation efficacy. Using meta-analysis and meta-regression to summarize previous research, this study examined whether test accommodations differentially boost test scores of students with disabilities, and whether accommodated conditions provided a more effective and valid assessment of students with disabilities. Results from the meta-analysis of 34 studies (119 effect …

Maintaining Or Disrupting Inequality: Diversity Statements In The University, Linda A. Merkl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of my study was to identify whether university Diversity Statements aid in maintaining or disrupting inequality in the university. Using critical discourse analysis, I analyzed an initial sample of eleven Diversity Statements to develop a list of common themes found within the diversity statements. Using a maximum variation method, I then reduced my sample to four universities to provide breadth of information for the final study (Miles & Huberman, 1994). In my case analysis, I first conducted an individual analysis of each of the four Diversity Statements using the common themes from my critical case analysis, common functions …

The Dialectical-Level Reflective Habits Of Middle-Grade Teachers: A Phenomenological Study, Tina Humphrey Boogren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literature leads us to believe that an educator must be reflective in order to improve one's practice, and in terms of reflection, Van Manen's (1977) highest level of reflection, the dialectical-level, is presented as a worthy aim for all educators. But should this type of reflection truly be a goal for all educators? This study sought to uncover the phenomenon of dialectical-level reflection. Dialectical, or critical-level, reflection is the process of analyzing, reconsidering and questioning experiences in order to continually adjust one's practice with an eye towards improvement. This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of five middle school …

Teaching Facial Emotion Recognition To Low-Functioning 4-7 Year Old Students With Autism, Gary A. Butcher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism Symptom Disorder (ASD) is one of the fastest growing developmental disorders in the United States. This study investigated the development of facial emotion recognition in three individuals aged 4 - 7 years old with Autism Symptom Disorder. It incorporated both objective measures for facial recognition and subjective measures for motivation, time on task, and increased enjoyment of school. A multiple baseline design was utilized which included establishment of the baseline for each of the three students and then a period of intervention and evaluation. It was hypothesized that the use of the DVD, The Transporters, would increase facial recognition, …

It's About Access: How The Curricular System And Unequal Learning Opportunities Predict The Racial Test Score Gap In Mathematics, Floyd Cobb Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study investigates how the design of the curricular system of one Colorado school district contributes the racial test score and racial college preparedness gaps in mathematics. The researcher examined this issue through a mixed methods design using Critical Race Theory (CRT) as the overarching theoretical framework supported by Yosso's (2002) Critical Race Curriculum. For the quantitative portion of the study the researcher utilized the theory of opportunity to learn (OTL) to test the impact of differential access to advanced mathematics content on test score outcomes on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) and the Colorado ACT (COACT). …

Mixed-Methods Exploration Of Teacher Perceptions: Background, Practices, And Attitudes Related To Student Achievement, Deborah Isabell Faust

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Education policy has focused on teacher quality and student achievement since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, which defined teacher quality in terms of teachers' professional qualifications and certification. This is consistent with a history of econometric studies examining the effects of teacher background characteristics on student achievement. More recently, researchers have argued that investigations of teacher effectiveness should examine what actually happens in the classroom, and that teacher attitudes and instructional practices are conspicuously missing from the prior research.

This study uses a two-phase parallel mixed methods design to explore teacher perceptions of the influence of …

Matching Educational Interventions To Behavioral Phenotypes: Spatial Temporal Math As A Mathematics Achievement Intervention For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Erin Slason Grell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), a rapidly growing group of neurodevelopmental disorders, affect nearly all aspects of development. The knowledge base of ASDs has increased significantly over the past half century due to translational research models (Rutter, 1999). Basic science and applied clinical work have informed research in a bi-directional manner. Through these models, much is now known about the language, behavioral, and cognitive difficulties associated with ASDs. However, autism research would benefit from further delineation of the differences between ASD types through the development of behavioral phenotypes. Behavioral phenotypes are expressions of particular aspects of disorders that may aid in …

An Exploratory Case Study Of Upper Elementary And Middle Level Science Instruction Impacting Traditionally Underserved Students, Lucinda Howe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is an exploratory case study looking at the practices in one Colorado K-8 school that had students performing at or above the 75th percentile on the eighth grade Science Colorado Assessment of Student Progress (CSAP) in 2009. This study attempted to answer the question: What are the instructional choices, classroom environments, interventions, and school practices in place in one K-8 school that is supporting traditionally underserved populations of students in the learning of science? This school appears to be meeting the needs of their traditionally underserved students as evidenced by the percent of students in these populations at this …

Places Of Purpose, Purposeful Places: An Exploration Of The Physical Environment Of Primary Level Classrooms, Shannon Britton Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The physical environment of the classroom impacts teachers and students. In many settings teachers are given some autonomy but little guidance in the establishment of the physical environment of the classroom. Relatively few studies examine issues related to the totality of the physical environment of the classroom. This study is intended to provide a bridge between multiple disciplines and classroom application by describing and interpreting the intentions and decision making process of three teachers in the establishment of the physical environment of their classrooms.

The five questions that guided this study focused on intentions of the teacher related to the …

Bully/Victim Power Inventory: Measuring The Power Imbalance In The Bully/Victim Relationship, Marybeth Plonkey-Lehto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The empirical study of the power imbalance in the bully/victim relationship has impeded research synthesis, and the need for a quantitative measure of this key component has been well established in the literature. Lack of differentiation between victimization with and without power imbalance has been cited as a possible cause for imprecise measurement. Increased precision in bully victimization measurement is needed to accurately inform research investigating psychosocial health, treatment and positive outcomes, in addition to prevention and intervention programs. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was the initial development and validation of the Bully/Victim Power Inventory aimed at differentiating perceived …

Latino Family Involvement: An Exploratory Study Of Latina Mother-Daughter Relationships And Their Effects On Educational Attainment And Resiliency, Maria Ana Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Latino family involvement is an important issue in the field of education. Effective strategies to promote family involvement in the Latino community are vital for the educational attainment of Latino students and emotional wellbeing of Latino families. This study used focus groups, in-depth interviews, and observations to examine Latino family involvement and the relationships and communication patterns between Latina mothers and daughters. The Latina mother-daughter relationship was studied in an effort to gain a better understanding of how this relationship affects a Latina daughter's educational attainment and sense of resiliency. Results indicated that a positive relationship between a Latina mother …

School Principals' Attitudes Towards Performance Based Compensation, Carolyn A. Stephenson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this study is to determine the attitudes of school principals regarding a performance based compensation system. This study identifies the attitudes towards specific factors that should be considered in the implementation of a system of performance based compensation. The data have been analyzed to determine if a principal's demographic characteristics affect his/her level of agreement with performance based compensation and the factors for implementation. In addition, this study unveils areas of concern that principals have conveyed regarding the implementation of a performance based compensation system.

Data was obtained from 444 public school principals representing 444 schools …

Leading In Times Of Change: Principals' Perspectives Of Their Role In A New Pay-For-Performance System, Amanda Lela Ortiz-Torres

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore principals' perspectives on how they make sense of their leadership roles in a new pay-for-performance system. The study describes the perceptions of six principals, two each from elementary, middle, and high school levels, regarding leadership in a recently changed system. Principals were asked about their leadership roles in implementing a pay-for-performance system, and responses focused on leadership styles, actions, beliefs, preparation, and experience of leading in a time of change. Four themes emerged from the data as significant aspects of leading change in a pay-for-performance system: (a) supporting a culture of …