Education Commons^™

A Comparison Of The Academic Achievement Of English Learners And Non-English Learners In Digital And Non-Digital Learning Environments, Enrique Vela

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which learning in a digital school environment impacts the reading and mathematics achievement of English learners (ELs) in elementary and secondary school settings. In addition, this study intended to determine the extent, if any, that learning in a digital school environment narrows the achievement gap in reading and mathematics between ELs and their non-EL counterparts in elementary and secondary schools. Based on data collected from the first year of a 1:1 digital pilot implementation in a large urban school district in Florida, the results of this study identified grade …

The Relationship Between Extracurricular Stem Activities And Performance On The Florida Science Assessment, Karin Fisher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities perform below their non-disabled peers in science (National Center for Educational Statistics [NCES], 2011; National Educational Longitudinal Study [NELS], 1998; National Science Foundation [NSF], 2013). The achievement gap is a problem because the nation's competitiveness depends on individuals with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge, skills, and abilities to drive innovation that will lead to new products and economic growth (Business-Higher Education Forum [BHEF]/Act Policy Brief, 2014; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2016; National Science Board, 2015). If Florida is to continue to grow and prosper, all students, including students with disabilities must be …

The Role Of Virtual Avatars In Supporting Middle School Students From Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds On Science In After School Programs, Benjamin Gallegos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students who receive additional educational supports in afterschool programs were the focus of the investigation. This study was conducted to measure what effects a TeachLivE avatar, a mixed-reality virtual environment, used in combination with a video game, had on the activation of prior knowledge in science for students in rural middle school. The delivery of the biology science lessons on cell structures and processes were delivered using the video game, Cell Command. The TeachLivE adult avatar was customized as a biologist who spoke to students in the treatment group about science concepts prior to playing the science video game. Unexpected …

Project Ican: A Stem Learning And Persistence Model For Postsecondary Students With Disabilities, Aaron Koch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Education and work in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) are of utmost importance in a post-modern society. Yet American performance in the STEM disciplines has waned over recent years. In order to recapture a global advantage in STEM, efforts are being made by educators and policy makers to compile and implement instructional supports. Of particular interest to this study are post-secondary students with disabilities (SWDs) who persist and learn in STEM degree paths. This population is an "untapped resource" with limitless potential for contribution to the collective fields of STEM (Leddy, 2010, p. 3; Alston, Hampton, Bell, & Strauss, …

Bullying Victimization, Feared Second Language Self, And Second Language Identity: Reconceptualizing The Second Language Motivational Self System, Hilal Peker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Factors affecting English learners' (ELs) motivation and identity have been explored in second language (L2) learning contexts; however, research examining L2 motivation and identity under the effect of bullying victimization is rare although ELs are one of the populations that are physically and psychologically affected from bullying. Using a unique perspective by merging L2 motivation, L2 identity, and bullying concepts under social ecological framework, this dissertation study is the first study investigating the relationship between bullying victimization, L2 Motivational Self System, and L2 identity. The data were derived from 1022 ELs through a self-report survey that was adapted and tested …

The Effects Of A Loving-Kindness Meditation On Positive Emotions, Social Connectedness, And Problem Behaviors In Second And Third Grade Students., Doreen Collins-Mchugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Concerns about K-12 students' mental health and social, emotional, and ethical development have prompted some schools to implement programs designed to promote student well-being and healthy social and emotional functioning. Most of these programs are distinguished as social and emotional learning (SEL) programs and/or character education programs. Although there is growing empirical support for the potential of school-based mindfulness interventions to positively influence students' well-being, the number of school-based mindfulness studies is limited, and the majority of the investigations have focused on students' cognitive rather than affective capacities. Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM), a mindfulness- and compassion-based practice, is garnering recent attention …

An Analysis Of Undergraduate Elementary School Pre-Service Teachers' Ability To Contextualize Fraction Expressions And Decontextualize Fraction Word Problems, Laura Tapp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to expand on existing literature by providing information on elementary school pre-service teachers' ability to contextualize fraction expressions and decontextualize fraction word problems. The elementary school pre-service teachers who participated in this study were enrolled in a mathematics for elementary school teachers content course in a college of education at a large university during the Spring 2016 semester. In this mixed-method study, the participants were given the Contextualization and Decontextualization of Fractions Instrument (CDFI) which assessed elementary school pre-service teachers' ability to solve fraction word problems and identify decontextualized fraction word problems into expressions …

Job Satisfaction Of Full-Time Faculty Members At A For-Profit University, Joanna Leck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to gain an understanding of the levels of job satisfaction of full-time faculty members at a for-profit university. There has been a paucity in the study of job satisfaction for faculty working in this sector of higher education (Kinser, 2006). Job satisfaction was measured by using the Job Descriptive Index (Stanton, Sinar, Balzer & Smith, 2002a) within the conceptual framework of faculty job satisfaction developed by Hagedorn (2000). The facets selected for study were: the work itself, salary, advancement, administration, and collegial relationships. The findings indicated that the job-satisfaction facets with the highest scores …

The Preservice Elementary Teacher Affect Scale For Science: A Validation Study, Otis Wilder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study details the creation of a new scale for measuring preservice teachers' positive affect for science, the Preservice Elementary Teacher Affect Scale for Science (PETAS-S). This new instrument is designed specifically to measure the level of positive affect towards the subject of science in preservice elementary teachers. Confirmatory factor analysis reveals the instrument loads on the single factor, positive affect. Reliability is robust, with Cronbach's alpha of .96. Positive affect has shown to predict future levels of engagement in domain specific academic subjects (Ainley & Ainley, 2011) and is expected to aid preservice teachers in understanding the complex …

Investigating The Moderating Effects Of Optisism, Hope, And Gratitude On The Relationship Among Negative Life Events And Psychological Distress And Life Satisfaction, Abdi Gungor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literature has documented that negative life events such as divorce, financial issues, or relationship changes lead to various psychological concerns including depression, anxiety, or suicidal behaviors. However, several variables affect how people cope with negative life events. Among those variables, optimism, hope, and gratitude have been emphasized in the literature, and their relationships with several psychological outcomes have been studied. However, little is known about the effects of these variables on negative life events and their relationship to psychological distress and life satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between negative life events and psychological …

Ready Or Not, Here Comes College: A Comparative Correlation Study Of College Readiness In Black And Hispanic Students Who Take Advanced Level Classes., Nigel Pillay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how participation in advanced level courses impacts college readiness in students of color, specifically Black and Hispanic students. High school students have a variety of advanced level classes to choose from, including but not limited to: Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Dual Enrollment (DE), Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) and Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) classes. These types of advanced classes not only prepare students for college but also allow them to earn college credit through participation in courses of college level rigor while still in high school. However, the …

The Contribution Of Adult Attachment Style On The Experience Of Posttraumatic Growth Among Adult Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Kristina Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the directional relationship between adults' attachment styles and perceived impact of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) with their experience of posttraumatic growth. This investigation tested the theoretical model that adults' (N = 292) attachment styles as measured by the Experiences in Close Relationships-Short Form ([ECR-S] Wei et al., 2007) and impact of childhood sexual abuse as measured by the Impact of Event Scale-revised ([IES-R] Weiss & Marmar, 1997) contributed to their experience of posttraumatic growth as measured by the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory ([PTGI] Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996). Specifically, this investigation tested the …

Common Ground: Uniting Archaeology And Secondary Social Studies Curricula, Jeremy Allen Haas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Archaeologists have been attempting to establish stronger connections with communities for several decades. Concepts such as stewardship can be presented to a larger audience, and archaeology can be a valuable tool for public education. Public schools across the nation are struggling to improve with limited resources. Archaeology can provide teachers with inexpensive resources that improve student learning while simultaneously helping teachers meet more rigorous standards. Using historical, archaeological, and cultural resources from the World War II Japanese American internment camp, Amache, I created a new supplementary curriculum that focused on the experience of Japanese and Japanese Americans during that era. …

"Is It Even Possible?": Student Affairs And Practitioner Preparation For More Racially Diverse College Campuses, Kristin Lee Deal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years student activism on college campuses has called for new and more equitable racial policies, practices, and pedagogies. Both fueled by and fertile ground for social movements, colleges and universities have mirrored national protests and calls for action toward the democratic imperative of higher education. However, often student affairs administrators have struggled in conceptualizing their roles in engaging students. How were they prepared for this? This research seeks the answer this question - how, if at all, are student affairs practitioners being prepared to work on more racially diverse college campuses?

Grounded in cultural-historical activity theory (Engeström, 2001) …

Advancement Of Understanding In Physical Science And Reduction Of Mathematical Anxiety Through The Use Of Supplemental Mathematics Material, James Chadwick Roberson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if supplementary mathematics materials (created to be complementary to a physical science course) could provide a significant change in the attitudes and performance of the students involved. The supplementary text was provided in the form of a booklet. Participants were students in a physical science class. Students were given surveys to evaluate existing knowledge of physical science, mathematics skill, and mathematics anxiety in the context of a science class. Students were divided into control and experimental groups by lab section, with the experimental group receiving a supplemental booklet. At the end of …

The Influence Of Middle School Teacher-Student Relationships On Future Academic Decisions Of African American Males, Andrea R. Williams-Baugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible effects of middle school teacher-student relationships on students’ future academic decisions after dropping out of high school. With a national dropout rate of 30% and in some urban areas of 50%, among poor black minority youths, it is crucial that educators strongly consider the possibility that teacher-student relationships may play a vital role in the future decision-making or planning of middle school students (Kafele, 2012). Middle school research suggests that indicators of student disengagement can be traced back as early as elementary school when student reading and math scores begin …

Developing The Whole Teacher: A Phenomenological Case Study Of Student Teachers' Emotional Experiences In One Teacher Education Program, Kathleen M. Crawford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student teaching serves as the culminating field experience in the majority of teacher education programs, and studies have revealed the need to investigate the connection between pre-service teachers and the emotions they experience, express, and manage. Therefore, the overarching purpose of this phenomenological case study was to examine how one Early Childhood (PreK-5^th) Education Program addressed and prepared teachers for the emotional dimensions of teaching, as well as to examine the emotional experiences of the student teachers. The results of this study revealed the need for teacher education programs to amend the ways in which they prepare pre-service …

The Complex Dichotomies Of Student Affairs Practitioners' Perceived Competencies: A Quantitative Evaluation Of Self-Awareness, Jami K. Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the perceived competencies and the perceived self-awareness of student affairs practitioners. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between the two variables of competencies and self-awareness. The overarching research question for this study was: What is the relationship between self-awareness and perceived competencies for student affairs practitioners? This question was followed by two sub questions: To what degree, if any, does experience in the field as a student affairs practitioner predict one’s self-awareness of professional competencies? To what degree, if any, does job level/position in the field as a student affairs practitioner …

A Conspiracy To Resurrect Life And Social Justice In Science Curriculum With Henrietta Lacks: A Play, Dana Compton Mccullough

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a theoretical inquiry into alternative pedagogies that challenge current standardized practices in the field of science education. Building upon a wide array of work, such as philosophy and history of science (Haraway, 1989, 1991,1997, 2000, 2007; Harding 1991, 1998; Latour, 1987, 1991/1993, 1991; Rheinberger, 1992, 2010; Serres, 1982/2007,1991/1997, 2010/2012), curriculum studies and science curriculum (Appelbaum, 2001, 2010; Barone, 1990, 2000; Blades, 1997, 2001; Calabrese-Barton, 2003, 2011; Cartwright, 1999; Doll, 1993; Grumet, 1999; He, 2003,2008, 2009,2013; Lather, 1997,2007,2010; Schubert, 1986, 2009; Schwab, 1978; Weaver, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2015); and playwriting (Brody, 2011; Innes, 2002; and Mighton, 1987, 1988), …

A Phenomenological Study Of Teachers' Perceptions Of Kindergarten Retention: Are Standards To Be Blamed?, Ginger Delaigle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently there are a number of Kindergarten students who are being retained for not mastering Common Core State Standards. One of the methods that teachers can use to support Kindergarten students in achieving these standards are Developmentally Appropriate Practices. The exploration of the perceptions of teachers who have experienced the phenomenon of retaining Kindergarten students served as the goal for this qualitative, phenomenological study. The results provided data for examination of the perceptions the teachers had with retaining Kindergarten students and their perceptions of the developmental appropriateness of the Common Core State Standards. Four Kindergarten teachers participated in three interviews …

Remedial Education Programs And Student Success: Perceptions Of Faculty And Administrators At Hbcus, Tenora J. Simonez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine factors that contributed to student success in remedial education as perceived by faculty members and administrators at one public HBCU in the University System of Georgia. The five specific areas that contributed to student success and were identified for review were administrative factors, curricula and instructional models, academic support services, importance of placement tests, and the impact of financial issues. Each of these areas was represented in literature regarding the histories of remedial education programs and HBCUs, recent federal and state admissions and fiscal changes, and instructional best practices of remedial …

Becoming Opianchoctalirican: A Black Man In A Multiracial World, Michael Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This inquiry explores my journey of understanding my multiracial identity. Being multiracial by heritage, but identified and labeled Black socially and governmentally, contradicts my racial identities. Who am I? What am I? These are the questions that have plagued the back of my mind as I become multiracial, more accurately, Opianchoctalirican. I am mixed with racial heritages, partially Ethiopian, partially Native American, partially Italian, and partially Puerto Rican. I am OpianChocTaliRican.

Theoretically, I draw upon many theorists’ work on the fluidity, complexity, and dynamics of racial identities (e.g., Baldwin, 2008; Bhabha, 2004; Coates, 2015; Fanon, 2004, 2008; Gaztembide-Fernandez, 2009; Ibrahim, …

Exploring The Connection Between Christian Colleges' Mission And Finance, Farrah Rachele Senn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two main issues currently threatening Christian colleges include mission conflict and financial viability, and research suggests that there is a relationship between these two. However, current literature about the relationship between mission and finance is mostly qualitative in nature, either being case studies or observations of practice. This research set out to establish the nature of the relationship between mission fidelity and financial health using quantitative methodology. A survey instrument was used to quantify mission fidelity for 81 colleges in the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), a national organization of Christian colleges, using Benne’s (2001) Typology of Christian …

Creating Spaces Of Imaginative Engagement For Gifted High School Honors And Advanced Placement English Students, Patty T. Bradshaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gifted students may have safety needs beyond the universal needs for security that all students have in order to learn. I investigated the needs of gifted students first hand through interviews with nine gifted students with diverse backgrounds. Interview questions and findings were organized around five major themes: characterization of self, characterization of classmates, characterization of teachers, characterization of classroom, and characterization of strategies and activities. Conclusions show that gifted students share commonalities in personality, needs, and characteristics as well as commonalities among the challenges they face, conditions in which they learn, and the environment in which they feel safe …

"We're In The Business Of A Good Education": Schooled To Profit Or Educated To Create?, Nicole Nolasco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this inquiry, I ask the questions: What could my career, my life, and the world be like in the future? How could public education be impacted by the frenzy over accountability, standards, and the belief that competition and unrestricted capitalism will reform American schools, especially for students of color and from the working and lower classes? How can I, a high school English teacher, address pressing social and educational issues to affect change? I explore these questions through a work of fiction I have created. Theoretically drawing from critical pedagogy, I use arts based research and fiction as methodology …

Characteristics Of Effective Alternative Schools In Georgia: Leaders’ Perceptions, Janet L. Poole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Educational leaders and district decision makers are faced with the challenge of providing support for at-risk students who are failing in traditional schools and are in danger of not graduating. Alternative schools are considered options for learning for at-risk students. However, limited research is available describing the views and experiences of the administrators who lead them. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand leaders’ perceptions of characteristics of effective alternative schools in Georgia, as well as challenges associated with leading them. Ten face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate what eight male and two female alternative …

Student Motivation And Intent To Take Online Courses, Ashley W. Cullum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Motivation Orientation Scale – Student Version (MO-SV) and Unified Theory of User Acceptance of Technology (UTAUT) were used to predict to what extent motivation orientation impacts student intent to take online courses, to examine the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators of students that drive them to take online courses, to examine the relationship between motivation to take online courses and motivation to take face-to-face courses, and to determine if demographic variables influence behavioral intent to take online courses. A sample of 394 full-time and part-time students at a large, public, research university with an integrated health center in the Southeast …

An Exploration Of The Impostor Phenomenon And Its Impact On Black Women Administrators In Higher Education In The South, Marian Muldrow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies document Black student and faculty underrepresentation in higher education and the obstacles blocking their access to the classroom either as students or as instructors. As Black women students work toward graduate degrees, Black women administrators are needed so these students can see their identity reflected in their academic leaders.

As a result, this study focused on the particular challenges that limit upward mobility to senior-level administrative positions and highlighted some of the obstacles and conflicts that arise when Black women pursue leadership positions at institutions of higher education. The highlighted historical events related to education, as well as …

The Posthuman Curriculum And The Teacher, John P. Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this document is to explore education through a posthumanist lens. More specifically, elements of posthumanism will be used to better understand today’s teachers, to provide several overarching educational goals and curricular imperatives, and to inform pedagogical practice. Several posthumanist themes in particular will serve to unify this rather broad consideration of education at varying levels. One such theme is that of blurring boundaries, calling into question distinctions that have been the source of declines in the health of our bodies, our species, and the life systems of which we are constitutive parts. Distinctions too often lead to …

Teacher Empowerment Through Instructional Coaching: A Qualitative Study On The Theory And Application Of Partnership Principles, Aviva Goelman Rice

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand how instructional coaching in schools affects teachers and, specifically, whether increased teacher empowerment was associated with instructional coaching based on the framework of the Partnership Principles (Knight, 2007). A goal of the research was to find out whether, and to what extent, teachers identified themselves as empowered. Using Critical Theory (Freire, 2012) as the theoretical framework for this analysis, the study also sought to develop an understanding of how teacher empowerment may develop as a result of working with instructional coaches who utilize the Partnership Principles. Six teachers in a rural district …