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Full-Text Articles in Education

A Multi-Site Case Study Investigating Teacher Perspectives Of Standards Based Reform And Gifted Students, Amy Valadez Nov 2012

A Multi-Site Case Study Investigating Teacher Perspectives Of Standards Based Reform And Gifted Students, Amy Valadez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The push by the Federal government to directly increase and positively impact achievement since the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) (2001) gave rise to the educational design known as standards based reform (SBR). This legislation impacted all sub-groups by measuring growth for sub-populations to determine yearly adequate progress. The growth of the sub-population of gifted students, however, was not included in the determination of a school's or county's success, so the impact of standards based reform on the gifted student is lacking. Therefore, this case study examined educators' perspectives of standards based reform on the gifted child in …


Effects Of Summer School Transition Program And Grade Level On Seventh, Eighth, And Ninth Grade Students' Grades, Attendance, And Behavior, Katie Smith Nov 2012

Effects Of Summer School Transition Program And Grade Level On Seventh, Eighth, And Ninth Grade Students' Grades, Attendance, And Behavior, Katie Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This causal-comparative study sought to identify the effects of attending a summer school transition program and students' grade levels (seventh v. eighth v. ninth) on students' grades (based on course failures), attendance (based on students' absences), and behavior (based on number of behavioral office referrals). The students who participated in this study were identified as at-risk during one of three educational transitions: from elementary school to middle school, between seventh and eighth grade in the middle school, and from middle school to high school. As part of their elementary school to middle school, intra-middle school, or middle school to high …


A Study Of The Relationship Between Middle School And High School Teachers' Instructional And Behavior Management Practices And Demographic Variables, Deborah Santiago Nov 2012

A Study Of The Relationship Between Middle School And High School Teachers' Instructional And Behavior Management Practices And Demographic Variables, Deborah Santiago

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although teachers implement differentiated instructional techniques to provide students with enriching hands-on activities related to real life experiences, the implementation of instructional techniques has required teachers to rethink and revise their approaches to classroom management (CM). While a gap in research exists on current practices in the field of instructional and behavior management, empirical research is needed to understand the many facets involved with CM. The purpose of this correlation and causal-comparative study is to identify whether relationships exist between the demographic variables (gender, education degree, years of teaching experience, and school assignment) and CM practices used by a group …


The Correlation Of The Perceived Leadership Style Of Middle School Principals To Teacher Job Satisfaction And Efficacy, Jack Dale Jr. Nov 2012

The Correlation Of The Perceived Leadership Style Of Middle School Principals To Teacher Job Satisfaction And Efficacy, Jack Dale Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study addressed the idea that a middle school principal could possibly impact teacher effectiveness in the classroom through the relationship of the teacher- perceived leadership style of the principal to teacher job satisfaction and efficacy. The sample consisted of 142 certified teachers from 8 public middle schools in an East Tennessee school district. Teachers completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, (Bass & Avolio, 2004) and the Job Satisfaction Survey, (Spector, 1994). Findings from this study suggest that the middle school teachers' perceptions of their principal's leadership did not have a statistically significant relationship to teacher job satisfaction. A new …


The Relationship Between Principal's Emotional Intelligence Quotient, School Culture, And Student Achievement, Jeff Noe Nov 2012

The Relationship Between Principal's Emotional Intelligence Quotient, School Culture, And Student Achievement, Jeff Noe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between secondary school principal's emotional intelligence quotient, school culture, and student achievement. Partial correlation was conducted to examine the degree of relationships between principal's emotional intelligence quotient and school culture controlling for the effect of student achievement, and between principal's emotional intelligence quotient and student achievement controlling for school culture. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to examine the combined effect of principal's emotional intelligence quotient and school culture on student achievement. The study population consisted of secondary school principals and teachers within Virginia Department of Education's Region VII. Quantitative data …


The Effects Of The Family On Student Achievement: A Comparative Study Of Traditional Nontraditional Families, Melinda Fonteboa Nov 2012

The Effects Of The Family On Student Achievement: A Comparative Study Of Traditional Nontraditional Families, Melinda Fonteboa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to test the interactive framework of social cognitive theory, attachment theory, and the theory of moral absolutism by comparing the academic achievement of over 200 high school seniors (as measured by the Georgia High School Graduation Test; GHSGT) based on the structures of their families. The independent variable of family structure was initially classified as either nontraditional or traditional. A nontraditional family was defined, for the purposes of this study, as any family that is not comprised in its entirety by two biological parents (or adoptive parents from birth), one male and …


A Phenomenological Investigation Of Male At-Risk Sixth, Seventh And Eighth Grade Students' Perceptions Toward Reading, Jason Douma Oct 2012

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Male At-Risk Sixth, Seventh And Eighth Grade Students' Perceptions Toward Reading, Jason Douma

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the perceptions that male at-risk sixth, seventh and eighth grade students' possess toward reading at a small rural public school district in Michigan. Male at-risk students was generally defined as students below grade level in reading based on their STAR reading assessment. Male students may have developed certain perceptions toward reading based their continual struggle with reading and teacher practices, such as grouping strategies, throughout their academic lifetime. To discover the essence of male at-risk sixth, seventh and eighth grade students' perceptions data collection was gathered through surveys, interviews and explanations …


Single-Sex Education Versus Coeducation In North Georgia Public Middle Schools, Catherine Blake Oct 2012

Single-Sex Education Versus Coeducation In North Georgia Public Middle Schools, Catherine Blake

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The U.S. Department of Education is giving more liberties to school districts to offer single-sex schools in order to adequately serve the needs of students. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to test the theory of students' performances based on their educational environment by comparing students who received instruction in a single gender classroom in a public middle school compared to students who received instruction in a mixed gender classroom in a public middle school. The achievement test, Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test, was used with each site school. There were two years of data collected with the …


The Effect Of Implementing School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports On Student Misbehavior In A Large Urban High School, John Power Oct 2012

The Effect Of Implementing School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports On Student Misbehavior In A Large Urban High School, John Power

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect that implementing School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) had on student misbehavior as determined by Office Discipline Referrals, chronic student misbehavior, In School and Out of School Suspensions assignments, and student tardy referrals in a large urban high school. School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports is a systematic, proactive, preventive, research-based approach that has shown to reduce student misbehavior when implemented with fidelity. The study focused on the Primary Prevention Tier of SWPBIS to prevent and reduce student misbehavior. The study attempted to answer the question is School-wide …


Peer Mentoring: Effects On Ninth Grade Student Achievement, Michael Hardegree Oct 2012

Peer Mentoring: Effects On Ninth Grade Student Achievement, Michael Hardegree

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential academic impact that a trained peer mentor, would have on first time ninth grade students. Specifically, the study was aimed to measure the academic performance of ninth grade students by focusing on the interim assessment, which is a summative pre and post- test aligned to End of Course Test content weights and is used to assess students at the end of each term or semester. The study addressed whether there is a difference in post-test interim assessment scores, passing rates, and numerical averages in Integrated Algebra I by examining first …


An Experimental Design: Examining The Effectiveness Of The Virginia Career View Program On Creating 7th Grade Student Career Self-Efficacy, Shanna Mccomb-Beverage Sep 2012

An Experimental Design: Examining The Effectiveness Of The Virginia Career View Program On Creating 7th Grade Student Career Self-Efficacy, Shanna Mccomb-Beverage

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Across the country students are graduating from high school without the career knowledge and skills they need to be successful in today's global economy. In response, school officials are considering career development as an essential component for adolescent education. In the state of Virginia, the Virginia Career View program has been designed to assist school personnel with the career education of middle school students. This quantitative research study measured the effectiveness of the Virginia Career View program on 7th grade students' career pathway identification and career self-efficacy. Upon completion of the program, students in the experimental group and control group …


Success Factors Identified By Academically Successful African-American Students Of Poverty, Meredith Cooler Aug 2012

Success Factors Identified By Academically Successful African-American Students Of Poverty, Meredith Cooler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore why some low-income minority students were academically successful in school using a three-tiered approach to research including individual student interviews, classroom observations, and photographs and follow up interviews on photographs to identify factors contributing to academic success. Twenty-five students in grades 3-8 meeting the criteria of African-American, low SES, and high achieving were selected and interviewed to identify factors contributing to their academic success as measured by Northwest Evaluation Association's Measures of Academic Progress testing. The study participant responses were compared and discussed through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT), …


Relationship Of A Nutrition Intervention Class For Middle School Students On Nutrition Knowledge And Attitudes, Kathy Hood Aug 2012

Relationship Of A Nutrition Intervention Class For Middle School Students On Nutrition Knowledge And Attitudes, Kathy Hood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A pre-test post-test nonequivalent group design was utilized to investigate the role nutrition education has on a student's choice to eat healthy foods. The Nutrition Essentials: Teaching Tools for Healthy Choices nutrition module was used to teach clinically based nutrition. The research used rural Georgia seventh and eighth grade students' to evaluate the effects of nutrition education on the students' nutrition knowledge and attitudes using the SPAN student questionnaire. MANOVA was used to determine if changes occurred between the control and experimental groups. Results of the study showed that the short term study did not improve student nutrition knowledge or …


Gifted Hispanic Identity: Exploring Relationships Among Resilience, Goals And Academic Orientation, Matthew Forrester Aug 2012

Gifted Hispanic Identity: Exploring Relationships Among Resilience, Goals And Academic Orientation, Matthew Forrester

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological analysis was to explore the identity development of gifted Hispanic male students in the middle school setting. The study used a survey, multiple interviews and observations, along with focus group data to acquire data in four principle areas: academic orientation, ethnic identity, resilience and goals. Results indicate the importance of resilience as an interactive element in the process of identity development, as well as the importance of ethnic identity exploration and long-term goal setting in formulating a high achieving academic orientation. Other emergent themes such as language use and discrimination are also discussed in light …


The Relationship Of Student Family Structure And Absence Type To Reading Achievement, James Hixson Jul 2012

The Relationship Of Student Family Structure And Absence Type To Reading Achievement, James Hixson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Middle school students are affected to different degrees by absences from school. While social learning theory suggests students acquire new skills through observation and modeling, some students are more able than others to compensate for school absences. Research has shown that a student's family structure can influence achievement. Unexcused absences have also been linked to lower achievement than excused ones. Excessive unexcused absences have also been associated with family problems including insufficient support for school endeavors. This quantitative causal comparative research study will examine the relationship between family structure and absence type to reading achievement in a Title I school. …


A Phenomenological Study Of Motivations, Experiences And Reflections As Related To Teacher Training And Development In Tanzania, Melinda Ingiaimo Jun 2012

A Phenomenological Study Of Motivations, Experiences And Reflections As Related To Teacher Training And Development In Tanzania, Melinda Ingiaimo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In third world countries where education often takes a back seat to survival, teachers struggle to prepare themselves to shape the destiny and future of the upcoming generation. This study examined the phenomena of Tanzanian teacher preparation with special emphasis on the motivating factors, common experiences and reflections of participants concerning their preparation process for teaching in a government funded school. This study inquired into the immediate teaching environment and the ongoing teacher development processes. Fifteen Tanzanian teachers were purposefully chosen for this study and data was gathered utilizing a semi-structured interview, a survey and a focus group. The teacher …


A Study Of The Relationship Between Caregiver Education Level, Time Spent On School Actvities, And Mathematics Achievement, Ebony Allen Jun 2012

A Study Of The Relationship Between Caregiver Education Level, Time Spent On School Actvities, And Mathematics Achievement, Ebony Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between caregiver education level and time spent with a caregiver on school activities with regard to how Georgia Middle School students (N = 465) achieved on the mathematics section of the yearly Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) in Georgia. Caregiver education level and time spent with the caregiver on school activities was also examined to determine if a cumulative effect between the two factors could be found in relation to mathematics achievement on the CRCT. A causal comparative design was used and the data was analyzed using the 2009 version 16 of SPSS. A generalized …


A Phenomenology Of Nonparticipation In Extracurricular Activities By Hispanic Middle School Students, Janelle Garner Jun 2012

A Phenomenology Of Nonparticipation In Extracurricular Activities By Hispanic Middle School Students, Janelle Garner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine the reasons why Hispanic middle grade students choose not to participate in school-based extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities have been recognized to have a positive influence on the educational success of students. Despite the positive effects, Hispanic students have been shown to participate in extracurricular activities at school less than other groups of students. The lack of participation by students in extracurricular activities is related to student disengagement and ultimately dropping out of school. This study uses three methods of data collection: analysis of documents and artifacts, a scaled survey, and a …


Self-Efficacy And Classroom Management: A Correlation Study Regarding The Factors That Influence Classroom Management, Stephanie Hicks Jun 2012

Self-Efficacy And Classroom Management: A Correlation Study Regarding The Factors That Influence Classroom Management, Stephanie Hicks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Classroom management has proved to be a plaguing aspect of the teaching and learning process over the past century. This single skill has heavily contributed to teacher stress and burnout (Gordon, 2002;Jepson & Forrest, 2006), teacher turnover (Ritter & Hancock, 2007; Rosas & West, 2009), overall teacher self-efficacy (Caprara, Barbaranelli, Borgogni, & Steca, 2003; Edwards, Green, & Lyons, 2002), student achievement and teacher performance in the classroom (Edwards et al., 2002; Milner, 2002; Poulou, 2007), and is commonly a major concern of principals regarding new teachers (Principal Perspectives, 2004; Williams, 1976). The purpose of the study was to determine if …


Effective Science Teaching In A High Poverty Middle School, Georgette Meyer May 2012

Effective Science Teaching In A High Poverty Middle School, Georgette Meyer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative case study described the characteristics of science teachers in a high poverty urban middle school whose 2010 scores on South Carolina's Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) ranked second in the state. Data was obtained through classroom observations, open-ended interviews, school documents, and photographs taken inside the school from ten participants, who were seven science teachers, a science coach, and two administrators. Findings revealed a school culture that pursued warm and caring relationships with students while communicating high expectations for achievement, strong central leadership who communicated their vision and continuously checked for its implementation through informal conversations, frequent …


Mentoring Programs: Key Differences In Support For Beginning Teachers, Virginia Fick May 2012

Mentoring Programs: Key Differences In Support For Beginning Teachers, Virginia Fick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored the issue of mentoring and its problems in aiding in the induction of new teachers into various school systems. Such a study is justified because teacher shortages remain a real threat in many areas of this country. The research sought to demonstrate that a mentor program without clear guidelines and accountability may actually damage new teachers. Some of the goals of a mentoring program were considered: the suitability and selection of mentors, the training of mentors, and program evaluation. A review of the literature included such topics as the high cost of attrition, the needs of new …


Adult Perceptions Of The Experience Of Being Identified "Talented And Gifted" As Children: A Phenomenological Study, Bradford Summers May 2012

Adult Perceptions Of The Experience Of Being Identified "Talented And Gifted" As Children: A Phenomenological Study, Bradford Summers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This is a phenomenological study of adult perceptions of the experience of being identified "talented and gifted" as children. Data were gathered by transcribing the video recordings of adults who were students of the Talented and Gifted (TAG) education program in Fairfield, Ohio during 1978-1983. The phenomenological method was used to discover perceptions of a unique population of adults who shared life experiences during elementary and middle school. Analysis of the data resulted in the identification of four main themes: Growth, Interpersonal, Future, and Thankfulness. Three facilitating and three challenging subthemes were identified under each main theme. These were: Internal …


School Change: Adolescents Transitioning From Conventional Schooling To Home-Based Online Education, Harvey Klamm May 2012

School Change: Adolescents Transitioning From Conventional Schooling To Home-Based Online Education, Harvey Klamm

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This hermeneutic phenomenological research explored the lived experiences of six recently graduated adolescents to extrapolate the valued essence of their transitional encounters in changing from conventional school to home-based online schooling. The homeschool research shifted the emphasis from the outcome-based academic achievement studies prevalent during the past 20 years to a focus on internal and external factors impacting student learning within this technological instructional process. Findings produced from analysis and interpretation of reflective adolescent lived experiences revealed rich truth regarding the internal emotions, environmental adaptations, academic ramifications, and social adaptations encountered when changing from conventional schooling to home-based online school. …


Standing In The Gap: A Study Of College-Bound Latinas' Resilience In Completing High School Within An At-Risk Environment, Shane York Apr 2012

Standing In The Gap: A Study Of College-Bound Latinas' Resilience In Completing High School Within An At-Risk Environment, Shane York

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to look at the life experience factors that led to high school graduation through the eyes of resilient Latinas between the ages of 18 and 25. A grounded theory approach was used in combination with Paulo Freire's praxis and a resiliency conceptual framework to derive constructs directly from the data itself. Participants were selected through a purposive, snowball method until saturation was met. Extensive qualitative interviews were employed to gather the data used to derive theory. All data were coded and reviewed in light of the three research questions. Validity and trustworthiness were established …


Exploring Hispanic Teenage Pregnancy And School Resiliency: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study, Olga Estrada Apr 2012

Exploring Hispanic Teenage Pregnancy And School Resiliency: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study, Olga Estrada

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teenage mothers face multiple risk factors that may prevent them from graduating from high school. This study examined the phenomenon of Hispanic teen pregnancy and teen mothers' experiences with emphasis on academic, social , and personal factors to stay in school. The study explored the resiliency of twelve Hispanic teen mothers through a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Their stories provide an insight into the challenges the young pregnant/mothers encountered during pregnancy and motherhood at home and in school. Their lived experiences also provide a framework for exploring the school, personal, and economic factors that most influenced their ability to remain in …


The Correlation Between The Three Reading Fluency Subskills And Reading Comprehension In At-Risk Adolescent Readers, Craig Courbron Apr 2012

The Correlation Between The Three Reading Fluency Subskills And Reading Comprehension In At-Risk Adolescent Readers, Craig Courbron

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine which of the three reading fluency subskills were most strongly correlated with reading comprehension in adolescent at-risk readers. The participants were 82 adolescent males (ages 13-19) who had been committed to a juvenile detention facility. Archival data from a two-year period was collected from a maximum security juvenile detention facility in a rural section of the Northeastern United States. The Measures of Academic Progress test was used to collect reading comprehension data; the Qualitative Reading Inventory-4 test was used to collect reading speed and reading accuracy data; the Multidimensional Fluency Scale was …


The Relationship Between Principal Turnover And Student Achievement In Reading/English Language Arts And Math Grades Six Through Eight, Darren Berrong Apr 2012

The Relationship Between Principal Turnover And Student Achievement In Reading/English Language Arts And Math Grades Six Through Eight, Darren Berrong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between principal turnover rate, percentage of minority students, percentage of students with disabilities, and percentage of students who are economically disadvantaged and student achievement in reading/English language arts and math measured by Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). Eighty-six public middle schools (grades 6-8) comprised the sample for the study; all of these schools were located in Region 1 on the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) School Improvement Map. Data was collected from (AYP) reports publicly accessed on the Georgia Department of Education website. CRCT pass percentages were used …


A Phenomenological Study Of Teacher And Administrator Experiences In The Analysis And Interpretation Of Student Assessment Data, Matthew Ross Apr 2012

A Phenomenological Study Of Teacher And Administrator Experiences In The Analysis And Interpretation Of Student Assessment Data, Matthew Ross

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative empirical phenomenological study was to examine the experience of analyzing and interpreting student assessment data from the perspective of both teachers and administrators in order to identify: (a) those aspects of the experiences which are similar or dissimilar among the two groups, (b) the priorities and influences which affect those experiences, and (c) the most critical issues expressed by the participants. Ten teachers and five administrators participated in three in-depth individual interviews, online reflective journaling, and follow-on focus group interviews. This study revealed that the experiences of teachers and administrators can be characterized and described …


The Effect Different Synchronous Computer Mediums Have On Distance Education Graduate Students' Sense Of Community And Feelings Of Loneliness, Lorene Heuvelman-Hutchinson Apr 2012

The Effect Different Synchronous Computer Mediums Have On Distance Education Graduate Students' Sense Of Community And Feelings Of Loneliness, Lorene Heuvelman-Hutchinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Because distance education is such a rapidly developing educational venue, knowing what factors impact success must be known. Loneliness and sense of connectedness, or community, are issues facing graduate distance education students. These issues may influence retention. The theoretical framework of a Community of Practice assisted in understanding the development of community using computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems. The research questions answered included whether the type of synchronous CMC used (text- or video-based) could impact loneliness and community from a distance. An experimental design (randomized subjects, control group, posttest only) was used with distance education graduate students to address the research …