Education Commons^™

Evaluation Of An Elementary Alternative Learning Program, Joshua Sain

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Schools across the country have an increased responsibility to support appropriate mental health development for their student populations, especially those who have been diagnosed or are at risk of an emotional or behavioral disorder. Increased responsibility has led school leaders and stakeholders to make certain they have processes in place to ensure early identification of at-risk students, along with appropriate learning pathways to support academic achievement (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). This study evaluated Trilogy, an elementary alternative learning program, which provides enrolled students with access to a learning environment that supports academics, behavior, and mental health in …

A Program Evaluation: Implementing A Dual Language Immersion Program, Jennifer Hall

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The research study evaluated the implementation of a kindergarten Spanish dual language immersion program (DLI) using Stufflebeam’s (2003) context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model of program evaluation. The study aimed to determine specific strategies to best implement a learning initiative not just in a stable year but also in a time of duress such as COVID-19. Interviews with the superintendent, chief academic officer, director of global studies, principal, teacher, and teacher assistant and head of household surveys informed the following research questions.

1. Context: What factors were considered when the district implemented the DLI program?
2. Input: What specific resources were …

The Motivation To Stay: Teacher Perceptions Of Factors That Influence Teacher Retention In High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools, Keisha Gabriel

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This is a qualitative study of teachers in high-poverty elementary schools in an urban school district. Participants who have been employed for at least 5 years in a high-needs school responded to surveys tracking their perceptions of their school environment. Follow-up interviews were conducted to provide a more in-depth study to gain further insight into why these teachers chose to work in Title I schools, despite the numerous challenges. Teachers reflected on how the following factors encouraged them to remain employed in the high-needs school setting: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, professional development, and commitment.

The results of this study indicate …

A Quantitative Study On The Effect Restorative Practices Has On Student Discipline In Grades Three Through Five, Angela Harding

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the impact restorative practices (RP) has on student discipline. Additionally, this study intended to understand teacher perspectives on the effect RP has in the classroom as a management system. The overarching research sought to answer, “What is the impact of RP on classroom management, teacher perception, student discipline, and teacher-student relationships?” Individuals’ beliefs have a powerful impact on practice. Moreover, the study aimed to ascertain how educators can better understand what RP is and how it fosters safe learning environments through community building and constructive conflict resolution. The findings from this quantitative study indicated that …

The Impact Of A Dual Language Environment On Social And Emotional Competency, Anne Parker

Doctor of Education Dissertations

As SEL is intentionally embedded into a student’s school experience, it is important to explore contexts in which SEL can be further enhanced. Because the bilingual brain has shown high correlation to social and emotional behaviors, this study examined the dual language environment and the impact on a student’s SEL. The setting is a K-5 global and dual language immersion school, and the study examined the social and emotional competency of students learning in the K-3 dual language immersion cohorts compared to K-3 students in the traditional learning cohorts. The study used the Devereux Student Strength Assessment (DESSA)-Mini from Aperture …

Competitive Edge Teaching: A Comparison Of Differentiated Reading Instruction In The K-3 Elementary Classroom To The Sports Psychology Behind High School Athletic Coaching Methods, Lindsay W. Lee

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study explored the similarities between the philosophies and techniques used by select high school athletic coaches and select elementary reading teachers. The study shows parallels between the psychology behind coaching methodology within high school athletics and differentiated instruction within the elementary reading classroom. The purpose of this research was to develop a pathway to influence the increased implementation of differentiated instruction in elementary schools by determining and highlighting these parallels. The design of the study is a triangular analysis of interview questions conducted in a face-to-face interview format, document analysis, and surveys to show the parallels between the planning …

Perceptions Of Classroom Teachers On Read-Aloud Practices Implemented Within The Elementary Setting, Kimberly J. Perry

Doctor of Education Dissertations

A problematic imbalance of academic discrepancies continues to exist within our schools today, leading to school failure for many of our students. Teachers must be prepared to provide effective instructional methods that increase the reading outcomes for all students. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the perceptions of elementary teachers, as compared to observable data, regarding the implementation of teacher read-aloud opportunities within the classroom setting. This dissertation analyzed and compared how elementary classroom teachers described their read-aloud practices to the tangible practices implemented in their classrooms, in order to determine a relationship between perception and …

Identification Of High-Performing School Characteristics In Successful Low-Wealth, Rural North Carolina Elementary Schools, Tammie Padgett Ash

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Poverty has been identified as an obstacle to educational success. In 2003, Washington state researchers, Shannon and Bylsma (2007), conducted a study to uncover the commonalities found in schools outperforming their socioeconomic indicators. Their work identified nine characteristics of high-performing schools and determined all successful schools had five or more of the characteristics firmly in place, although no characteristic was rated most important (Shannon & Bylsma, 2007). The desired outcome of this research study was first to determine if the nine characteristics identified by Shannon and Bylsma were still aligned with current research. Second, I sought to determine if five …