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Articles 1 - 30 of 38
Full-Text Articles in Education
A Phenomenological Study Of Contexts Of Parent Responsibility For Middle School Student Achievement, Benjamin F. Erskine
A Phenomenological Study Of Contexts Of Parent Responsibility For Middle School Student Achievement, Benjamin F. Erskine
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe lived experiences of parents of middle school students who are engaged in their children's educational achievement as stakeholders within the overlapping spheres of influence. Eighteen participants were selected from three middle schools in a school district in central Delaware. The central research question is: What lived experiences motivate parents of middle school students to engage in their children's educational achievement as stakeholders within the overlapping spheres of influence? Research sub-questions deal directly with the participants' understanding of the theory guiding this study, Epstein's theory of overlapping spheres of influence, as …
Standardized Testing: A Comparison Amongst Magnet, Stem, And Traditional Middle Schools, Lori Leigh Horne Wooley
Standardized Testing: A Comparison Amongst Magnet, Stem, And Traditional Middle Schools, Lori Leigh Horne Wooley
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This quantitative study emphasizes the effectiveness of a middle school learning environment on the Georgia Standardized Assessment (Georgia Milestone Assessment System - GMAS) in the subject of Math. The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine whether there is a difference in the 8th grade Math Georgia Milestone standardized testing scores (adjusted by the covariate) within the three types of middle schools: STEM, magnet and traditional middle schools. This quantitative research study compares the student achievement data of a large urban school system’s STEM school to those of a traditional middle school and magnet middle school in the subject …
Teacher Perceptions Of Hazing Among Middle & High School Students: A Phenomenological Study, Delisa A. Joseph
Teacher Perceptions Of Hazing Among Middle & High School Students: A Phenomenological Study, Delisa A. Joseph
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore teacher perceptions of hazing at the middle and high school levels. Additionally, this study explored coaches’, school counselors’, and school leadership team members’ experiences of hazing among middle and high school students. Relevant literature related to hazing within education, the comparison, and contrast of hazing and bullying, policies, group dynamics, imitation, and student perceptions were reviewed. The theory that guided this study was Albert Bandura’s 1986 Social Cognitive Theory, as it emphasizes social influence and external and internal social reinforcement. The research questions used were (1) What are teachers’ perceptions …
Reflections On Lessons Learned During Covid-19: Re-Envisioning Middle School Band Programs After Covid-19, Mckinley Stinson
Reflections On Lessons Learned During Covid-19: Re-Envisioning Middle School Band Programs After Covid-19, Mckinley Stinson
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Despite increased accessibility regarding instructional technology for music education classrooms, an achievement disparity continued to broaden amid COVID-19. When school districts began to close their buildings, curriculum and instruction transitioned to online platforms. Varied student and teacher participation indicated multiple challenges. Experimental virtual learning concluded the 2019–2020 school year and continued in variations through summer 2021. This qualitative historical study examined perspectives concerning teaching during COVID-19 as held by music teachers, secondary band directors, school administrators, and university music educators. Individuals reflected on four periods between 2019–2021. The initial phase detailed instructional and experiential goals for the 2019–2020 school year. …
Oral History: A Tool For The Elementary And Middle Classroom, Jessica Keiser
Oral History: A Tool For The Elementary And Middle Classroom, Jessica Keiser
Senior Honors Theses
Modern historical instruction requires educators to cover broad expanses of history and prepare students for standardized testing. In the push to meet state standards and cover the vast curriculum in short periods of time, many educators have begun to teach to the textbook. Much to the detriment of students, this educational practice has favored periodization and content quantity over the development of crucial historical skills. Rather than adhering to popular education trends, teachers can consider implementing oral history projects within their elementary and middle school classrooms. Oral history is a methodology that employs first-hand accounts to teach about key historical …
The Effects Of Sports Participation On Academic Achievement For Seventh-Graders In Urban Pennsylvania, Jeffrey Steven White
The Effects Of Sports Participation On Academic Achievement For Seventh-Graders In Urban Pennsylvania, Jeffrey Steven White
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This quantitative, causal-comparative study was designed to investigate the effect of students’ participation in middle school interscholastic sports on their academic success among urban middle school students. The body of knowledge about the effect of participating in sports on academic achievement is comprehensive at the high school and college levels, but limited research has been done regarding sports participation among middle school students. The participants for this study were drawn from a convenience sample of 366 seventh-grade middle school students in eastern Pennsylvania during the 2018-2019 school year; stratified random sampling was also used to create groups with equal male …
The Intersection Of Personal And Professional Stress In The Lives Of Public Middle School Teachers: A Qualitative Case Study, Bridgette Leah Wicke
The Intersection Of Personal And Professional Stress In The Lives Of Public Middle School Teachers: A Qualitative Case Study, Bridgette Leah Wicke
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this case study is to examine the intersection of personal and professional stress in the lives of public middle school teachers. Many aspects of a teacher’s professional life may contribute to stress and burnout, including pressures from administration, time pressures, observations, assessments, workload, classroom management, discipline, student learning, and motivational issues. Many aspects of a teacher’s personal life may also contribute to stress and burnout, including family responsibilities, finances, and time pressures. In order to overcome pressures at work and home, teachers oftentimes develop successful strategies or coping mechanisms. Other times, teachers burn out and quit the …
Improving Students' K-Prep Reading Scores By Investigating The Reading Culture At Harrison Independent School, Rebecca Anne Grace
Improving Students' K-Prep Reading Scores By Investigating The Reading Culture At Harrison Independent School, Rebecca Anne Grace
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this applied study is to examine the problem of low reading performance among Kentucky middle school students by exploring the reading culture of Harrison Independent School with the aim of identifying positive practices that can be endorsed as viable solutions to the problem. The researcher reviews the existing research to define the components of a positive reading culture and provide evidence of the link between a school’s reading culture and the reading performance of its students. The ensuing study examines teachers’ perceptions of their roles in promoting independent reading, strategies used by ELA teachers to improve students’ …
The Relationship Between Students' Tracking Of Their Learning Data And Overall Academic Achievement In Fifth-Grade Mathematics, Angela Van Sant Poag
The Relationship Between Students' Tracking Of Their Learning Data And Overall Academic Achievement In Fifth-Grade Mathematics, Angela Van Sant Poag
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Teachers are in a constant cycle of data collection to guide instruction and increase student achievement; however, students are not always involved in the data collection or discussion of their own learning data. The purpose of this correlational study was to explore the relationship between students’ tracking of their own learning data and their academic achievement in fifth-grade mathematics as measured by the aimswebPlus assessment. A convenience sample of 154 students from a middle school in a southern Tennessee school district participated in the study using archival data. A Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the null hypothesis …
Improving The Problem Of Teacher Retention In A Rural Middle School In Southwestern Virginia, Meagan Marie Goad
Improving The Problem Of Teacher Retention In A Rural Middle School In Southwestern Virginia, Meagan Marie Goad
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of teacher retention for a rural middle school in Southwestern Virginia and to design training strategies to address the problem. A rural middle school in Southwestern Virginia is struggling to retain teachers. The research question for this study was: How can teacher retention at a rural middle school in Southwestern Virginia be improved. Interviews with former teachers of the rural middle school were conducted specifically to determine why these individuals left. Survey data was obtained to determine why teachers in this rural middle school choose to stay. Exit documentation …
A Comparison Of The Efficacy And Beliefs Of Middle School Math Teachers And Science Teachers Towards Stem Education, Kenneth Lamar Deal Jr
A Comparison Of The Efficacy And Beliefs Of Middle School Math Teachers And Science Teachers Towards Stem Education, Kenneth Lamar Deal Jr
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Little research exists in the attitudes and efficacy of middle school math teachers and science teachers toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. STEM education refers to an integrated approach to teaching math and science that incorporates problem solving, problem-based learning, and discovery rather than teaching these disciplines in isolation. Teachers’ efficacy and beliefs, outcome expectancy beliefs, and the use of STEM instructional strategies may vary by discipline. Each of these aspects are important in designing professional learning to meet the teachers’ needs as well as their capacity to implement integrated, problem-based learning into the classroom. Research suggests teacher …
The Influence Of Successful Completion Of A Spanish Course On Middle School Students’ Reading Comprehension, Jason Ray Cheek
The Influence Of Successful Completion Of A Spanish Course On Middle School Students’ Reading Comprehension, Jason Ray Cheek
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This quantitative, causal-comparative study investigated the effect of foreign language education on reading comprehension by students’ biological sex. The theoretical framework for this study is Piaget and Barlett’s Schema Theory. Participants in this study consisted of middle school students within a PK-8 school. A convenience sample of 200 students was selected, 100 males and 100 females. All students were given a pretest and posttest using the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI). Independent variables consisted of enrollment in a Spanish course and biological sex while the dependent variable was reading comprehension skills as determined by assessment results on the SRI. An analysis …
Middle School Apathy: A Phenomenological Study From Students' Perspective, Debra Graves
Middle School Apathy: A Phenomenological Study From Students' Perspective, Debra Graves
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose for this phenomenological study was to investigate students’ perceptions as to why some middle school students lose their intrinsic motivation to learn and develop apathy toward learning while other middle school students thrive. The following question guided the research: Based on students’ lived experiences, what are the sources for motivation and/or apathy during the middle school years? Four sub-questions were also used: (1) What are students’ perspectives about the intersection of standardized testing and report cards to their motivation/apathy to learn? (2) What are students’ perceptions of the intersection of technology and motivation/apathy? (3) What do students perceive …
The Impact Of Teacher Motivation In Promoting Academic Achievement Among African American Male Students, Erroll Royal
The Impact Of Teacher Motivation In Promoting Academic Achievement Among African American Male Students, Erroll Royal
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study investigated the impact of teacher motivation in promoting academic achievement among African American male students in an urban middle school in northeast North Carolina. In this quantitative study, the sample population was comprised of fifty 7th grade students and fifty 8th grade students. Eight teachers, (four science teachers, and four math teachers) both male and female were given the Teacher Efficacy Scale (see Appendix G). The results revealed that there was no relationship between teacher motivation and academic achievement among African American male students. Further research should include similar studies that would examine the impact of teacher motivation …
Middle School Classroom Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Formative Assessments On The Needs Of At-Risk Students: A Phenomenological Study, Gaye Walk
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of middle school classroom teachers regarding the impact of formative assessments on the needs of at-risk students. A phenomenological approach was used to gain understanding of how the teacher works with at-risk students and how the steps of formative assessments meets the needs of at-risk students. The theory framing this study was Albert Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory and the self-efficacy belief system. Data collection took place with 12 middle school teachers and included a questionnaire, individual interviews, and a focus group. The study was guided by three research …
Kentuckian Middle School Students' Self-Efficacy And Their Participation In Physical Sports: A Correlation Study, Alissa Richards
Kentuckian Middle School Students' Self-Efficacy And Their Participation In Physical Sports: A Correlation Study, Alissa Richards
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Self-efficacy is well known as one of the most effective methods to raise student academic achievement (Hattie, 2007). Known as the “I think I can” phenomenon, extensive research is presented concerning the impact of self-efficacy as the predictor to achievement. Likewise, participation in physical sports is known for its impact on academic achievement, as well as social and emotional health. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the presence of a statistically significant relationship between the level of participation in physical sports activities and the middle school students’ self-efficacy. A convenience sample of 69 seventh and eighth grade …
A Collective Case Study Of Economically Disadvantaged High Achieving Minority Schools, Stefanie Barnes
A Collective Case Study Of Economically Disadvantaged High Achieving Minority Schools, Stefanie Barnes
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this collective case study was to discover the characteristics that defined a high achieving minority population within a high, middle, and elementary school setting. The theoretical ideas included those of Dewey, Piaget and Payne. The central research question was: What are the unique characteristics of a high, middle, and elementary school with a high achieving minority student population? The characteristics were identified and examined through contemporary practices, observations, focus group discussions, interviews, surveys, and data analyzed. The participants in this research were the teachers, administrators, and students at various high, middle, and elementary school sites. The data …
Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Self-Efficacy On Classroom Management Style: A Case Study, Patty Mccain
Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Self-Efficacy On Classroom Management Style: A Case Study, Patty Mccain
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to develop an understanding of how current and former middle school teachers in a suburban school district in northeast Georgia perceive low self-efficacy impacts their classroom management style. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory as it supported the idea that self-efficacy can determine how one approaches a task, goals, or challenges. Data were collected using a survey, interviews, questionnaires, direct observations, and a focus group. A collective case study approach was used to conduct a holistic analysis to provide detailed descriptions of the themes and patterns that exist …
The Impact Of Title I Designation On Teacher Morale In Middle Schools, Jennifer Lyons
The Impact Of Title I Designation On Teacher Morale In Middle Schools, Jennifer Lyons
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine the impact on Title I designation on teacher morale of middle school, grades 6 through 8, English and math teachers in school districts in Virginia. The study focused on two research questions using the Purdue Teacher Opinionaire. A Mann-Whitney U test was conducted to determine if there is a difference in the morale of middle school English and math teachers in Title I versus non-Title I designated schools, and a Kruskal-Wallis test was conducted to determine if there is a difference in the morale of middle school English and math …
An Analysis Of Perceptions Of Dropout Factors And Interventions By Middle School And High School Teachers In A Southeastern School District, Christopher Kennedy
An Analysis Of Perceptions Of Dropout Factors And Interventions By Middle School And High School Teachers In A Southeastern School District, Christopher Kennedy
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Although graduation rates are increasing in the United States, high school dropouts remain an issue of significant concern. Much of the focus of research in this area has been on describing the characteristics of dropouts rather than on developing effective interventions. Moreover, emerging research shows that potential dropouts can be identified with confidence as early as the sixth grade. High school is the time in which dropouts are typically identified and interventions begun, but the seeds of dropping out are often planted well before ninth grade. This survey research study with quantitative analysis used an instrument titled Teacher Perceptions of …
Differences In Sense Of Community Between Students In A Middle School Virtual Class Versus A Traditional Class, Brandon Ratliff
Differences In Sense Of Community Between Students In A Middle School Virtual Class Versus A Traditional Class, Brandon Ratliff
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study examined the difference between students’ sense of community in the traditional classroom setting versus the virtual classroom setting with middle school–age students. McMillan and Chavis’s sense of community theory served as the theoretical foundation of the study. A quantitative, causal-comparative design was utilized to determine the effects of the variables. Students at a public middle school in Virginia and a virtual middle school in Tennessee participated in this study. Seventy-eight students participated from the public middle school that constituted the traditional setting, and 60 students participated from the virtual middle school that constituted the virtual setting. The students …
The Beliefs, Perceptions, And Strategies Of Vocabulary Instruction In Middle Grades Social Studies: A Phenomenological Study, Lisa-Renee Gilford
The Beliefs, Perceptions, And Strategies Of Vocabulary Instruction In Middle Grades Social Studies: A Phenomenological Study, Lisa-Renee Gilford
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Content specific vocabulary instruction at the secondary level is an area that had a minimal research focus. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the beliefs, perceptions, and experiences of 8 middle school social studies teachers in lesson delivery and instruction at Cornerstone Middle School (pseudonym), a middle school located in a major city in the southeastern United States. Data was collected from interviews, classroom observations, and artifacts from participants. The theoretical framework providing a foundation for this study centered on Vygotsky’s (1978) work on social interaction playing an integral role in cognitive development. The research questions that …
The Effects Of Microblogging On Middle School Students' Engagement And Critical Thinking, Sondra Singleton
The Effects Of Microblogging On Middle School Students' Engagement And Critical Thinking, Sondra Singleton
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of microblogging as an authentic real-world technology in a middle school classroom in response to the 2010 Department of Education’s call to provide students with more relevant digital experiences. The non-equivalent control group, pretest-posttest design study was used to determine if microblogging used in a writing activity affected middle school students’ engagement and critical thinking. This study was important as it addressed the heretofore understudied middle school sector. This research used a convenience sample of 119 sixth-grade and seventh-grade language arts students in a suburban northwest Florida public middle school. …
Academic Intervention: Acceleration And Remediation, Barbara Franklin
Academic Intervention: Acceleration And Remediation, Barbara Franklin
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Eighth grade math students must pass a standards based test to be promoted to the next grade. Students who were at risk of failing the state’s annual test faced impending retention. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to see if an intensive nine-week (55 min per day) remedial Math Connection (MC) class for 67 suburban, eighth grade students identified as at risk of failing, could significantly increase the scores; concurrently, at this Title I school, they were compared with 122 eighth grade students who were not identified as at risk of failing. The dependent variable was measured using the …
Predicting Academic Achievement For Seventh Grade Language Arts Students Using The Seven Dimensions Of The Multi- Dimensional Assessment, Mary Rogers
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this correlational study was to test how accurately end of the year achievement scores can be predicted by using the seven dimensions of the Multi-Dimensional Assessment in the seventh grade language arts classroom in a southeastern Tennessee school district. The predictor variables were the seven dimensions of the MDA: community engagement, curriculum expectations, developmental perspectives, educational attitudes, faculty fidelity, leadership potential, and school climate. The criterion variable of interest, academic achievement, was generally defined as scores made on the Tennessee Department of Education state mandated test for seventh grade in reading/language arts, the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program …
The Relationship Between Religiousness And Bullying Among Parochial High School Students In The Southeast, Matthew Adam Willis
The Relationship Between Religiousness And Bullying Among Parochial High School Students In The Southeast, Matthew Adam Willis
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Bullying and peer abuses are persistent problems in the educational community. Many studies have been undertaken that focus on the aftermath of bullying or prevention of abuse, but few have focused on social variables and their relationship to bullying and peer abuses. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is any relationship between an individual's self-reported levels of religiousness and their perspectives on bullying. The study used a correlational design. This design analyzed students who have taken the Olweus bullying scale and a religious commitment survey. The surveys were analyzed using the Stepwise regression model. Understanding the …
The Teachers' Perspective Of Critical Thinking Skills Development In Middle School Gifted Students In The Social Studies Classroom Through The Use Of Primary Sources, Lara Elizabeth Henry
The Teachers' Perspective Of Critical Thinking Skills Development In Middle School Gifted Students In The Social Studies Classroom Through The Use Of Primary Sources, Lara Elizabeth Henry
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Gifted education, although having been a part of the United States educational fabric since the early 1900s, has various definitions and programs throughout the nation. Many gifted students are being placed in regular education programs without consideration of their needs. In 1991 Wineburg began researching and proposing using primary sources for analyzing and research skills in social studies classrooms as a possible way to meet the needs of gifted students while teaching problem solving and critical thinking skills. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover two connected concepts: The perception middle school social studies teachers' have toward critical …
The Effect Of Inquiry-Based, Hands-On Labs On Achievement In Middle School Science, Donna Miller
The Effect Of Inquiry-Based, Hands-On Labs On Achievement In Middle School Science, Donna Miller
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to measure the difference in science achievement between students who had been taught with an inquiry-based, hands-on pedagogical approach and those who had not. Improving student academic achievement and standardized test scores is the major objective of teachers, parents, school administrators, government entities, and students themselves. One major barrier to this academic success in Georgia, and the entire United States, has been the paucity of success in middle level science classes. Many studies have been conducted to determine the learning approaches that will best enable students to not only acquire a deeper understanding …
The Effects Of A Direct-Instruction Math Intervention On Standardized Test Scores Of At-Risk Middle School Students, Charles Moore
The Effects Of A Direct-Instruction Math Intervention On Standardized Test Scores Of At-Risk Middle School Students, Charles Moore
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Educators are seeking ways to improve student academic achievement in math and to increase math standardized test scores because of the requirements of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Race to the Top initiative (RTTT). One such intervention in middle school is a direct-instruction math program. This causal-comparative study examined the relationship between a direct-instruction math intervention and math achievement on standardized test scores of at-risk middle school students. This study compared the differences in the mean scale scores for at-risk …
The Correlation Between Temperament And Technology Preference And Proficiency In Middle School Students, Sabrina Sterling
The Correlation Between Temperament And Technology Preference And Proficiency In Middle School Students, Sabrina Sterling
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this study was to identity the relationship between the temperament of middle school students, their level of interest and proficiency in technology-related activities. This study also aimed to identify the differences in proficiency of the students in the technology programs. Participants were selected from two middle schools in the medium-sized rural school system. State technology test results and a student technology interest survey were analyzed using analysis of variance and descriptive statistical measurements. Correlational studies help educators evaluate existing curricula, differentiate current instruction, and plan for future programs. The results of this study suggested that there is …