Education Commons^™

The Virginia Sol Eighth Grade Writing Test In Relationship To The National Commission On Writing Recommendations, Grade Configuration, Region, And Socioeconomic Status., Jeffrey R. Comer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine Virginia Standards of Learning 8^th grade writing assessments to determine if there was any association between school passing rates and the recommendations suggested by the 2003 National Commission on Writing to improve writing proficiency. This study further examined the possible differences in school passing rates that may exist due to the grade configuration of a school, the location of a school, the availability of a comprehensive writing plan, and the student percentage on free and reduced-price lunch. Data collection consisted of a self-administered survey sent to all 364 schools in …

An Evaluation Of Perceptions Of A Mentoring Program Of Beginning Teachers In A Rural East Tennessee Secondary School., Mike Frazier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers, especially beginning teachers, continue a trend of leaving the profession at alarming rates within the first 5 years resulting in excessive costs to school systems and diminished instructional quality. Some programs, however, have shown impressive results. The purpose of this qualitative study, using an emerging interview process, was to examine the perceptions of beginning teachers in their 1st or 2nd year and those of veteran 3- to 5-year teachers regarding the effectiveness of mentoring and other guidance they received as beginning teachers in a secondary school and to understand their vision of how mentoring should be structured for beginning …

Perceptions Of Educational Equality In Tennessee: A Comparison Of City School Systems Vs. County School Systems In Northeast Tennessee., Timothy Wade Harrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The majority of city and county school systems throughout Tennessee and the United States at one time or another experience a budget crisis. In the state of Tennessee, school systems are funded through the Basic Education Program, established in 1992 as part of the Tennessee Education Improvement Act. The lawsuit of 1988, Tennessee Small School Systems v. McWherter, created the Basic Education Program. Through the years, the Basic Education Program has provided extra teaching positions, materials, and supplies and has provided the funding formula for school systems throughout the state. Many high-ranking administrators contend that the Basic Education Program …

Integration Of Fifth Grade Math And Science Curriculum, Accompanied By Increased Parental Involvement, Produces Higher Virginia Test Scores., Kathy Diane Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The National Educational Society, through much research and testing, discovered that American students are not performing as well on the academic level as their counterparts. As a nation the math and science scores fell behind other tested disciplines. The Virginia Department of Math and Science Report Card scores confirm that students are struggling in these areas.

As a resolution to correct this problem a proposal for the integration of fifth grade math and science curriculum accompanied by increased parental involvement was devised. The program involved thirteen elementary students and their parents. Pretesting, math and science labs, worksheets, posttesting, and a …

Preferred Coaching Behaviors Of Male And Female Basketball Players: Gender And Level Of Competition, Ryan Kettler

Student Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate similarities and differences in coaching preferences among male and female basketball players based on gender and level of competition. Participants were 20 male and female basketball programs (2 NCAA Division I Teams, 4 High School Teams, and 4 Middle School Teams). The ages of the players ranged between 12 -24 years of age, with males and females having a comparable age distribution. The instrument used to collect data was the revised Leadership Scale for Sports (LSS) athlete preference version (Zhang & Jensen, 1997). The results of the statistical analyses using a two …

Gender Disparity In Nigerian Education: Women’S Experience Of Barriers To Equal Educational Opportunity, Eugene Okoli

Dissertations

Discrepancies between males and females in access to schooling, school completion rates, and participation in employment opportunities are still more the norm in some regions of the world than others. Limited access to education plagues women in Nigeria as well as in Sub-Saharan Africa. Disparity in access to educational opportunity is a pressing gender equity issue in Nigeria (World Bank, 2003).

Relatively few studies have focused on obtaining the viewpoints of women who experience this phenomenon. To hear the voices of these women regarding how they gained or were denied access to education in the Nigerian context, a cross-section of …

An Evolving Change In Public Schools: An Assessment Of Teachers' And Administrators' Perceptions And Classroom Changes Concerning High-Stakes Testing., Selena Marie Kiser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this study was to investigate changes in the curriculum caused by high-stakes testing mandates within 3 Southwest Virginia school systems to find best practices for instructional application in classrooms. This qualitative study was comprised of indepth interviews and observations with elementary school teachers and administrators. High-stakes testing has impacted the nation in myriad ways. The mandates from the government presented teachers and administrators with conditions that must be met according to the No Child Left Behind Act and individual state's standards. Teachers' perceptions of curriculum changes, Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP), testing mandates according to high-stakes testing, and …

An Assessment Of Read 180 Regarding Its Association With The Academic Achievement Of At-Risk Students In Sevier County Schools., Jayson Nave

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

READ 180 is an intensive reading intervention program designed to meet the needs of students whose reading achievement is below the proficient level. The program addresses individual learning styles through adaptive software, interesting literature, and direct instruction with reading skills. The purpose of this study was to compare the achievement of academically at-risk students in Sevier County Public Schools in East Tennessee who participated in the READ 180 pilot program with the achievement of their academically at-risk peers not enrolled in the intervention program before and after its implementation in order to assess the reading intervention program. The Sevier County …

A Comparative Study Of International And American Study Abroad Students' Expectations And Experiences With Host Countries., Evelyn Domville-Roach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This was a comparative study of international and American study abroad students' experiences and expectations with the host countries. The rationale for this study was to acquire a deeper understanding of different experiences of students who study abroad and to understand whether their expectations of the host country have an impact on their experiences. An opportunity sample of American study abroad and international students was selected from the United States student population and their expectations and experiences of the host country compared. The study addressed 6 research questions, using a mixed-method approach. The principal instrument for the investigation was the …

The Effects Of Post-Secondary Education On State Troopers’ Job Performance, Stress Levels, And Authoritarian Attitudes, Carl J. Lafata

Dissertations

This study was designed to determine the effects of post-secondary education on police officers' job performance, stress levels, and levels of authoritarianism as measured by Altemeyer's (1996) Right-Wing Authoritarianism Scale questionnaire. It involved the analysis of data voluntarily and anonymously submitted via an internet-based survey by 356 of the Michigan State Police's approximately 1,800 enlisted members (those members who are state-certified police officers), along with information collected from informal personal interviews held with a select group of seven of the department's senior leaders. Subsequent analysis of the collected quantitative data revealed no statistical support for the project's first two hypotheses, …

Using Peer Mediation As A New Alternative For Conflict Resolution: The Effects On Students' Behaviors And Attitudes, Shanika Anicia Testamark

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

During the recent years, countless incidents regarding school violence have captured the attention of many, and have disrupted the lives of numerous young students in the United States. In an effort to rebuild a healthier and safer school climate in America schools, many studies have been conducted on peer mediation programs. Peer mediation programs were developed to educate students on how to resolve conflicts constructively.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the implementation of a peer mediation program called Project S.T.O.P (Students Teaching Options for Peace) could reduce school violence and students' aggressive behaviors and attitudes. To …

The Social Construction Of Authorship: An Investigation Of Subjectivity And Rhetorical Authority In The College Writing Classroom, Johannah Rodgers

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Although we use the term author on a daily basis to refer to certain individuals, bodies of work, and systems of ideas, as Michel Foucault and other critics have pointed out, attempting to answer the question “What is an Author?” is by no means a simple proposition. And, starting from the position that there is no single, or definitive answer to this complex question, this dissertation seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion of the genealogy of authorship by investigating the ways in which conceptions of the author have informed models of the writing subject in the field of rhetoric …

Violent Personal Crimes On Campus: The Influence Of Size, Setting, And Police Presence, Chris Mckinney

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Statement of the Problem

Violent campus crime, in particular rape and aggravated assault, has become more pronounced in the last several decades. The judicial and legislative branches have responded through court decisions and legal enactments that require most universities to collect and report campus crime data. Many concerns have arisen as to the effectiveness and implications associated with such mandates. Some believe current laws do little to improve campus safety. Some suggested solutions to address campus crime have involved safety initiatives/programs and potential staffing increases to their campus police force.

Research Questions

• Are universities a reflection of surrounding community levels …

The Principalship: A Study Of The Principal's Time On Task From 1960 To The Twenty-First Century, Jacqueline A. Mcpeake

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine legislative and societal developments in the United States in relation to changes in educational administration and determine the existence of bifurcation points of change. The effects of legislative and societal changes on the tasks on which administrators focus their time were evaluated. The administrators were surveyed to determine if changes in time on task have occurred to meet the demands of current legislative priorities and if any demographic relationships existed. The study’s population consisted of 1950 (N=1950) administrators in public elementary, middle and high schools in the Southern Regional Educational Board 16 …

An Exploration Of The Impact Of Family On The Achievement Of African American Gifted Learners Originating From Low -Income Environments, Joy L. Davis

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine what, if any, impact families have on the academic achievement of African American gifted learners from low income environments. This grounded theory study was designed to explore family and student perceptions of a complex set of variables related to families and home environments. The variables explored were based on a conceptual framework developed from previous research related to social capital and its uses within families with limited economic resources. Study participants were junior and senior level high school students and their parents.;Instruments included a demographic questionnaire with open-ended questions, a researcher-developed interview …

Wealth And Achievement Gaps: An Examination Of Virginia Middle Schools, Paulette Natasha Richmond

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

Achievement gaps, the focus of this research, result from unequal achievement and the variance in achievement existing between different segments of the student population, for example, the difference in achievement between minority students and non-minority students. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) focus on achievement gaps despite contradictory expressions about the efficacy of the act. The No Child Left Behind Act has created discussion and awareness of race, SES (economically advantaged and disadvantaged) and academic achievement.

There are conflicting beliefs about the impact of resources, funding and wealth on student achievement. This study …

Generational Differences Among Community College Students In Their Evaluation Of Academic Cheating, Kathleen E. Wotring

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Values development is an important part of the mission of community colleges, and upholding academic integrity is one way in which colleges advance this mission. Community colleges serve a multigenerational student body, more diverse than most four-year institutions of higher education, and different generational cohort groups hold different values and attitudes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether community college students varied by generation in their evaluation of academic activities as cheating, and to further determine whether such variation interacted with demographic variables and the extent to which personal morality is grounded in a religious belief system. Based …