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Predictive Effects On Transfer Student Success By Prior Academic Integration And By Social Integration, Jacob Brownfield Dec 2020

Predictive Effects On Transfer Student Success By Prior Academic Integration And By Social Integration, Jacob Brownfield

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine predictive effects among the transfer GPA, the number of hours transferred, a remedial course taken pretransfer, the transferred completion percentage, the use of on-campus housing, participation in collegiate athletics, and participation in social clubs on transfer student success as measured by the post-transfer first semester GPA and graduating GPA of undergraduate transfer students at a private liberal arts university in Central Arkansas. The post-transfer number of semesters until graduation was included as a predictor variable for the fourth Hypothesis. Tinto’s longitudinal model of student departure served as the theoretical framework, and the …


A Study To Determine The Relationships Among Grit, Engagement, And Student Achievement, Jill Dennison Dec 2020

A Study To Determine The Relationships Among Grit, Engagement, And Student Achievement, Jill Dennison

Dissertations

In the absence of high quality and impact interventions, undesirable consequences of poverty will be seen to fruition. In this study, the Golden Circle business model (Sinek et al., 2017) served as the framework to understand how students’ grit, engagement, and achievement are related in Title I elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between grit and engagement, engagement and student achievement, and finally grit and student achievement. The relationship between grit and engagement was measured by teacher and student perceptions, respectively. Student engagement and achievement were analyzed using student self-perceptions of …


An Examination Of Indicators Regarding Student Choice In Social Media Marketing And Platforms Of Higher Education Institutions In Missouri, Emmy J. Zimmerman Dec 2020

An Examination Of Indicators Regarding Student Choice In Social Media Marketing And Platforms Of Higher Education Institutions In Missouri, Emmy J. Zimmerman

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate relationships between social media marketing, social media platforms, and student choice of higher education institutions. Through evaluating current research, this study addresses potential changes needed to ensure colleges’ and universities’ marketing and admissions teams are using social media in ways that increase return on investment (ROI) and attract students to institutions. Previous research exposed social media marketing as a relatively untested method of reach for students’ college choice; therefore, the study will be original in nature. Previous studies provided data from an admissions counselor’s perspective, notably, a study by Barnes and Jacobsen …


The Effects Of Principal Feedback On Instruction And Student Achievement, Jeremy Brownfield Dec 2020

The Effects Of Principal Feedback On Instruction And Student Achievement, Jeremy Brownfield

Dissertations

Legislative and educational reform through the first 20 years of this century has focused largely on the impact of the teacher and principal on student achievement (Kraft & Gilmour, 2016; Marshall, 2017). Principals’ influence upon achievement is second only to that of classroom teachers; however, principal impact is indirect and difficult to quantify (Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, & Wahlstorm, 2004). This mixed-methods study involved the analysis of secondary data and elicitation of teachers’ and principals’ perceptions in order to determine the impact of principals on student achievement. The quantitative portion of the study involved an analysis of secondary data including the …


Exploring The Relationship Between Student Online Discussion-Board Activity And Student Grades, Frank Robert Talbott Dec 2020

Exploring The Relationship Between Student Online Discussion-Board Activity And Student Grades, Frank Robert Talbott

Dissertations

As students, instructors, and higher-education administrators delve further into cyberspace, scholarly literature and practice require further insights into the dynamics of online learning. This study examined the relationship between online student discussionboard activity and student grades and, consequently, addressed a dearth in the literature about this relationship. Student Involvement Theory provided the theoretical foundation of this research. This study’s sample consisted of 200 online undergraduate students in online business-analytics courses. Regression-analyses findings supported the relationship between student postings of certain mathematical-symbol references (e.g., for equalities, inequalities, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and student grades. Therefore, administrators, faculty, and course designers …


Teacher Perceptions Regarding The Purpose Of K-12 Education, Peter M. Grostic Dec 2020

Teacher Perceptions Regarding The Purpose Of K-12 Education, Peter M. Grostic

Dissertations

This study explored the perceptions of teachers regarding the purposes of K-12 education and the influence of belief sources on their perceptions. Purposes of K-12 education and the ways in which they have changed over time are topics for which researchers are concerned (Carpenter, 2005; Labaree, 2013). Addressing this concern, there is existing literature focused on understanding purposes through K-12 school mission statements (Schafft & Biddle, 2014; Stemler & Bebell, 2012), and a multitude of reflections regarding what K-12 education purposes should be (Biesta, 2015; Macallister, 2016; Robinson & Aronica, 2014). Less is known regarding what frontline K-12 education practitioners …


Program Evaluation Of Departmentalizing In Upper Elementary, Pamela Crabb Dec 2020

Program Evaluation Of Departmentalizing In Upper Elementary, Pamela Crabb

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of departmentalization as a strategy at the elementary upper grades to affect gains in the school’s accountability and gains in achievement performance. Based upon standardized testing measures, accountability for student achievement has dramatically increased in elementary schools; rigorous standards have increasingly affected teachers to become highly skilled in subject content areas. This increase in teacher content knowledge expertise requirements have caused many administrators to seek alternative instructional strategies to meet this need. Departmentalization is one of many potential methods that administrators and educators may implement in order to provide expert …


Understanding The Influence Of Interdisciplinary Research: An Examination Of Carol Hirschon Weiss’S Scholarship, Gregory Dee Greenman Ii Dec 2020

Understanding The Influence Of Interdisciplinary Research: An Examination Of Carol Hirschon Weiss’S Scholarship, Gregory Dee Greenman Ii

Dissertations

Research evaluation is the subfield of evaluation that examines the processes and products of scientific and technological research. This dissertation explores the case of interdisciplinary research evaluation by reviewing the publications of one of the most influential and highly cited scholars in evaluation, public administration, and knowledge utilization: Carol Hirschon Weiss. As one of the foundational theorists of evaluation, the evaluation perspective of Weiss's work typically pervades discussions. That approach ignores her influence in other fields, particularly her centrality to the knowledge utilization field. Prior research indicates that the influence of interdisciplinary research is challenging to ascertain because research evaluation …


An Evaluation Of One School District Standards Assessment Program, Derrick King Dec 2020

An Evaluation Of One School District Standards Assessment Program, Derrick King

Dissertations

This project focuses on how one school district uses quarterly assessments to identify standards students have not mastered. This project identifies how some schools utilize quarterly assessment data with varying results. One problem I have identified is a lack of a consistent expectation from district leadership, regarding the expectation for how schools should use the assessment program. In my research, I examine two schools that use the assessment program differently. The literature I present reveals how the program can help improve student achievement. The research reveals what is working well, and what is not. In closing, I recommend implementing a …


Cuban Immigrants’ Experience With Acculturation And How They Cope In The United States, Lourdes Araujo Dec 2020

Cuban Immigrants’ Experience With Acculturation And How They Cope In The United States, Lourdes Araujo

Dissertations

Objective: This research examines how Cuban immigrants experience cope and adapt to the United States. Cuban immigration is associated with specific stressors related to the immigration experience and the necessary process of acculturation and assimilation. These major stressors can result in mental health concerns among Cuban immigrants; however, no studies have examined how acculturation may influence Cuban immigrants’ coping skills and resultant mental health concerns. This unique study is the first to examine the coping skills Cuban immigrants use during acculturation and the effects of these skills on Cuban immigrants’ mental health. Methods: Seventeen participants completed a semistructured interview and …


Linking Police Attitude To Behavior In Interactions With Mentally Ill Consumers, Raymond Wooten Dec 2020

Linking Police Attitude To Behavior In Interactions With Mentally Ill Consumers, Raymond Wooten

Dissertations

In this project, the author aimed to examine law enforcement officer attitude and behavior toward individuals with serious mental illness. There were two distinct sections of this project; one quantitative and one qualitative. For the quantitative portion, one hundred fifty four (N = 154) officers completed an online questionnaire providing information on their attitude toward individuals with serious mental illness in a variety of contexts. The questionnaire also generated information regarding officers’ general knowledge of mental illness, their level of contact with individuals with mental illness, and their desired social distance from individuals with mental illness. In the qualitative portion, …


Career And Technical Education Teachers’ Attitudes Toward And Their Participation In Technology-Based Professional Development Training In Mississippi’S High School Districts, Natalie N. Hill Dec 2020

Career And Technical Education Teachers’ Attitudes Toward And Their Participation In Technology-Based Professional Development Training In Mississippi’S High School Districts, Natalie N. Hill

Dissertations

The use of technology has become an essential part of daily interaction in Career and Technical education learning environments. There is very little research regarding career and technical teachers’ attitudes and participation in professional development, although previous studies have been conducted referencing K-12 teachers’ attitudes. A qualitative research methodology was employed to investigated the insight of CTE teachers’ attitudes toward the professional developments that they had attended. This study also investigated whether training was appropriate to teachers’ learning needs in high school districts in MS. The population for this study included seven high school career and technical teachers in five …


A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of Recidivism Among Ex-Offenders In Missouri, Norman James Vick Nov 2020

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of Recidivism Among Ex-Offenders In Missouri, Norman James Vick

Dissertations

Ex-offenders return home to family and friends every day in the United States of America; seeking to reintegrate with family and society. Ex-offenders recidivate as well due to numerous reasons and fail at reintegration with family and society. The purpose of the investigation was to learn if substance abuse treatment and obtaining an education in the form of a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) would help the ex-offender avoid further recidivating The investigator was also interested in learning if trust played a vital role in gaining a GED and completion of substance abuse treatment with reintegration of the family for the …


A Mixed Methods Examination Of Generational Faculty Perceptions When Developing Online Courses, Jelena Fleming Nov 2020

A Mixed Methods Examination Of Generational Faculty Perceptions When Developing Online Courses, Jelena Fleming

Dissertations

As technology continues to change rapidly, online learning altered higher education. As a result, instructional designers and instructional technologists became more critical in supporting faculty in online course design. Transitioning courses to the online environment created external barriers, such as no training and support, primarily for faculty who never taught online. Instructional designers and instructional technologists helped address external barriers among full-time and adjunct faculty and provided a positive online course development experience. Therefore, the researcher conducted a mixed-methods examination of generational faculty perceptions experienced during online course development at a small Midwestern institution. The researcher investigated a difference between …


A Quantitative Study Of Collaborative Theories Of Action, Teacher Collective Efficacy, And The Behaviors Of Student Self-Directedness, Melissa Ann Huff Oct 2020

A Quantitative Study Of Collaborative Theories Of Action, Teacher Collective Efficacy, And The Behaviors Of Student Self-Directedness, Melissa Ann Huff

Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted to investigate the relationships among teacher collective efficacy, espoused theories of collaboration, collaborative theories in use, the gap between these theories, and student self-directedness. Costa and Kallick (2014) and Tough (2016) suggested student success is more than just academic. Frey, Hattie, and Fisher (2018) indicated student success is achieved when students develop a self-directed disposition. Based on the historical work of Argyris, Putnam, and Smith (1987), establishing the difference between espoused theories and theories in use, espoused theories of collaboration, collaborative theories in use, and the gap between these theories of action were investigated. The …


Study Of The Incorporation Of Sustainability Topics Into The Accounting Curriculum At Missouri Four-Year Colleges And Universities, Kimberly Ulrich Oct 2020

Study Of The Incorporation Of Sustainability Topics Into The Accounting Curriculum At Missouri Four-Year Colleges And Universities, Kimberly Ulrich

Dissertations

Businesses around the world voluntarily utilize corporate sustainability reporting to display non-financial information along with their financial results to satisfy the curiosity of their stakeholders. The United Nations played a key role in the evolution of sustainability over time and development of reporting standards. Eventually governments may require thorough coverage of financial and non-financial information in one comprehensive integrated report. To meet this demand, the accounting curriculum must include sustainability reporting topics for accounting students. Leading research and this dissertation demonstrated a holistic approach was best. The most successful higher education institutions incorporated sustainability practices throughout their institutions in addition …


The Relationship Between The Next Generation Content Area Reading Professional Development Program On The Effectiveness Of Teaching Literacy Strategies In High School Biology Classes, Tia Pridgen Brown Sep 2020

The Relationship Between The Next Generation Content Area Reading Professional Development Program On The Effectiveness Of Teaching Literacy Strategies In High School Biology Classes, Tia Pridgen Brown

Dissertations

The need for effective content area reading teachers have continued to increase since the introduction of one public school districts’ Content Area Reading Professional Development (CAR-PD) in 2006. In 2011, modifications were made to improve the program, and it became known as the Next Generation Content Area Reading Professional Development (NGCAR-PD). The purpose of this program evaluation is to investigate the relationship between NGCAR-PD certified Biology teachers and their ability to implement reading strategies with science content effectively. The context of this inquiry is a mid-sized public school district that has implemented the program since 2006 at the middle and …


A Study To Determine The Relationship Between Classroom Teacher Attendance And Student Success, Meagan Stanley Aug 2020

A Study To Determine The Relationship Between Classroom Teacher Attendance And Student Success, Meagan Stanley

Dissertations

Students that consistently have access to high-quality teachers and teaching strategies experience higher degrees of success (Frieberg, 2013). In the absence of high-quality, professional classroom teacher, students may not succeed at the rate they would otherwise. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between classroom teacher attendance and student success. Student success factors (attendance, behavior, and achievement) were examined in connection with classroom teacher attendance. The study included students in grades Kindergarten through Fifth grade who attended Kindergarten through Fifth grade buildings in a Midwestern school district. The literature reviewed for this study reiterated the importance of …


Noncognitive Characteristics And Family Income: The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Grit Levels And Mindset Types, Joshua A. Teeter Aug 2020

Noncognitive Characteristics And Family Income: The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Grit Levels And Mindset Types, Joshua A. Teeter

Dissertations

Noncognitive characteristics have been identified as essential predictors of academic success (Duckworth, 2016, 2019; Farrington et al., 2012). Grit and growth mindset are two noncognitive characteristics that predict academic success; therefore, this study was conducted to determine if there is a difference in grit level and mindset types among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds (Duckworth, 2019; Dweck, 2010b). Researchers and educators have focused heavily on identifying and implementing interventions to improve students’ cognitive factors, yet little attention has been given to finding ways to improve students’ noncognitive traits (Cooper, Krieg, & Brownell, 2018). High school students from a school district …


Instructional Coaching: Perceptions Of Midwest Building Principals And Instructional Coaches, Mary Jean Hall Aug 2020

Instructional Coaching: Perceptions Of Midwest Building Principals And Instructional Coaches, Mary Jean Hall

Dissertations

Instructional coaching has gained popularity with school districts to improve teachers’ instructional strategies, and students’ academic performance. Current research supports the use of instructional coaching for schoolwide improvements; however, researchers suggest research is needed regarding the training and support of instructional coaches. Different coaching models are in use today and research into the best coaching framework for effective instructional coaching is needed. This study was conducted to investigate the perceptions of instructional coaches regarding their preparedness when entering the instructional coaching position, the professional development and support offered by school districts to coaches, and whether there is a need for …


An Investigation Of The Learning Perspectives Of Non-Native English Speakers In An Esl / Epp Writing Program, Susan L. Lundry Ph.D. Aug 2020

An Investigation Of The Learning Perspectives Of Non-Native English Speakers In An Esl / Epp Writing Program, Susan L. Lundry Ph.D.

Dissertations

Understanding the needs of international learners seeking English writing skills has been an ongoing challenge for educators working in the field as support systems to this group of learners (Carlson, 2005; Hayes & Lin, 1994). In addition, the research (Halic, Greenberg, & Paulus, 2009; Hayes & Lin, 1994) reveals that when international learners move to another country, for the first time to learn, they may initially experience a profound sense of loss. Therefore, providing a sense of support and balance for this group of learners is an important part of the educational process. This qualitative study looked at nine undergraduate …


The Impact Of Direct Instruction At English Learner Instructional Sites Compared To Indirect Instruction At English Learner Support Sites, Lauren Shim Aug 2020

The Impact Of Direct Instruction At English Learner Instructional Sites Compared To Indirect Instruction At English Learner Support Sites, Lauren Shim

Dissertations

Approximately one in every ten public school students in the United States is considered an English learner (Sanchez, 2017). It has also been determined that the English learner population is one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States (Gibson, 2016). This study focused on a school district in the Midwest region of the United States, where approximately 4% of the student population was classified as English learners, and the population had been steadily growing since 2014 (School District Manual, 2019). This Midwestern school district offered a unique English learner program by transporting students to specific Instructional Sites for English …


Qualitative Study Investigating Elementary And Middle School Comprehensive School Counseling Programs And Secondary Schooling In Privately Funded And Publicly Funded Schools In Missouri, Natalie Rohlfing Aug 2020

Qualitative Study Investigating Elementary And Middle School Comprehensive School Counseling Programs And Secondary Schooling In Privately Funded And Publicly Funded Schools In Missouri, Natalie Rohlfing

Dissertations

The purpose of this proposed qualitative study was to explore whether the absence of Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (CSCP) in privately-funded elementary and middle school impacts student personal, social-emotional, and academic growth in secondary school. This researcher used surveys and focus groups to gather data. The information resulting from this study will provide private and public schools reliable data to be used to implement and/or improve school counseling programs in elementary and middle school. A Comprehensive School Counseling Program is able to address the needs of students by facilitating their academic, career, and social-emotional development as well as helping create …


Perceptions Of Elementary School Support Staff Of Their Role In Supporting The School Mission Statement, Matthew Dean Aug 2020

Perceptions Of Elementary School Support Staff Of Their Role In Supporting The School Mission Statement, Matthew Dean

Dissertations

School district mission statements are intended to be unifying declarations that set a tone and direction for organizations and provide a unifying motivator for the individuals who serve those organizations (Rey, 2017). School district mission statements should be created and articulated in a manner that can be understood and followed by certified administrators and teachers, as well as classified personnel such as district support staff (Lynch, 2016). Without adequate articulation, school district mission statements can fall short of providing guidance and motivation to every employee in the district (Rey, 2017). This qualitative study was initiated to gain the perceptions of …


Recidivism Rates And Its Correlation To Mathematics And Reading Comprehension Among Detention Center Juveniles Who Participate In Trauma Informed Teaching, Isaac Collin Aug 2020

Recidivism Rates And Its Correlation To Mathematics And Reading Comprehension Among Detention Center Juveniles Who Participate In Trauma Informed Teaching, Isaac Collin

Dissertations

In this study rates of recidivism and their relationship with mathematics and reading comprehension will be analyzed. In the literature, a full comprehensive study of high school mathematics and reading was taught without the implementation of a watered-down academic curriculum. In order for detention center students to benefit from a detention center education they need instructors to expose them to state academic standards. The research questions guiding this study included 1) Is there a significant difference in the achievement scores in mathematics and reading skills and abilities based on the rates of recidivism at XYZ Detention Center, 2) Do XYZ …


A Qualitative Investigation Of Andragogy In Adult Bible Classes In Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod Congregations In St. Louis, Peter Luther Jurchen Aug 2020

A Qualitative Investigation Of Andragogy In Adult Bible Classes In Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod Congregations In St. Louis, Peter Luther Jurchen

Dissertations

This qualitative study explored what changes, if any, would occur in Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) Bible classes after pastors participated in training that focused on implementing andragogical teaching methods in their Bible classes. The researcher sought to examine Andragogy in its relationship to adult Christian education, specifically in Sunday adult Bible classes. Also, in order to better understand the impact of andragogy in the specific contexts of the study, the researcher investigated the relationship between andragogical principles and LCMS doctrinal positions. Andragogical principles used in this study were derived, broadly conceived, from Malcomb Knowles’s Six Assumptions and Eight Processes of …


Merging Two Scales: A Comprehensive Measure Of Physical Appearance-Related Social Anxieties, Kimberly Smith Aug 2020

Merging Two Scales: A Comprehensive Measure Of Physical Appearance-Related Social Anxieties, Kimberly Smith

Dissertations

Physical appearance-related social anxieties have been identified as feelings individuals experience in general and in different social situations based on their outward appearance. Two instruments have been used to assess the construct of social anxiety, the social physique anxiety scale (SPAS) and the social appearance anxiety scale (SAAS). This cross-sectional study implemented a non-experimental design with randomization of the total sample (n=1214) into three equal groups. Participants were recruited using a crowdsource sampling platform, MTurk. This study was broken into three Phases: confirming the factor models for the SPAS and SAAS, using an exploratory technique to determine the factor structure …


A Narrative Case Study Of Transfer Students In Instrumental Music Education, Ashley Glenn Aug 2020

A Narrative Case Study Of Transfer Students In Instrumental Music Education, Ashley Glenn

Dissertations

Transfer students in music fields face challenges that are different from other fields of study. Research has shown that transfer students in music are expected to acclimate and operate as upperclassmen with minimal onboarding while also potentially having to retake courses they received credit for at the community college level. This study examines the experiences of five transfer students in music education through the lens of Schlossberg’s transition theory and Dewey’s model of transaction. Building on existing transfer student research, it asks: what do transfer students experience in terms of acceptance and self-integration, and how do these experiences affect transfer …


A Comparative Study Of Student Achievement And Teacher Perceptions Between Differently Structured Special Education School Districts, Leigha Wetter Jul 2020

A Comparative Study Of Student Achievement And Teacher Perceptions Between Differently Structured Special Education School Districts, Leigha Wetter

Dissertations

In order to provide recommendations for special education service organization practices, the researcher investigated student achievement and teacher perceptions of differently structured special education school districts that collaborated with a special school district to provide special education services and schools that provided their own special education services. Through evaluating the varying school districts, this study aimed to address possible best practices within the structuring of the organizations to increase student achievement for students with special needs. In order to evaluate the organization of the school districts, the researcher analyzed the student achievement of special education students at the elementary and …


A Qualitative Study Of The Preparedness Of Novice Teachers To Teach Effectively In A Blended Learning Environment, Rachelle R. Lafave Jul 2020

A Qualitative Study Of The Preparedness Of Novice Teachers To Teach Effectively In A Blended Learning Environment, Rachelle R. Lafave

Dissertations

Proponents of the effective use of blended learning argue that without technologyenhanced instruction, students graduate from high school missing the digital skills they need to be successful competitors in the labor market (Dickinson, 2018). Yet, authors of supporting work have established technology-enhanced instruction can have a negative effect on student achievement (Newman & Dickinson, 2017). Examined in this qualitative study was the preparedness of novice teachers to provide effective instruction in a blended learning environment, as researchers have found teacher self-efficacy is the number one predictor of instructional quality (Belanger, 2018; Conant, 2016; Künsting, Neuber, & Lipowsky, 2016). Self-efficacy is, …