Education Commons^™

Professional Learning Outcomes That Teachers Experience As A Result Of Implementing A Community-Based Instruction Program: A Qualitative Case Study, Suzan Radwan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to explore the professional learning outcomes of teachers as they implement community-based instruction programs for students with disabilities in a New Jersey school district. The study was viewed through the theoretical lens of disabilities studies in education, which posits that the term disability is a socially constructed concept that leads to the systematic social and environmental disadvantage of people with disabilities.

The sample included public school teachers who have participated in a community-based instruction program for students with disabilities in Mountainview Public Schools in New Jersey. Data collection methods included semi-structured ...

Using Contingency Contracting To Improve Social Interactions Between Students With Asd And Their Peers, Abdullah Abdulmohsen Alwahbi

Theses and Dissertations

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have severe impairment in social skills, which affects all areas of development. Researchers have indicated peer-mediated intervention (PMI) may improve social skills of children with ASD. PMI involves training carefully selected nondisabled peers to teach academic or social skills to students with disabilities using strategies such as modeling, prompting, and reinforcement in an inclusive education setting. However, a review of the literature suggests that PMI in and of itself may be beneficial, but not sufficient, to enhance social interaction among students with ASD and their peers. The literature suggests that incorporating components that encourage ...

The Influence Of Perfectionism On Mental Health In Gifted And Twice-Exceptional Students, Margaret Mary Candler

Theses and Dissertations

Although a long-standing interest in the abilities of gifted students exists, researchers and clinicians have only recently focused on specific factors that may impact the likelihood of mental health diagnoses, such as anxiety and depression, within this population. This is especially true for gifted students with co-existing disabilities, or twice-exceptional students, who may have unique experiences that differ from those of gifted students without disabilities. Perfectionism is one factor that may be important to consider when examining factors that impact the development of anxiety and depression within these populations.

The current study examined how perfectionism differs within gifted and twice-exceptional ...

Ability Parameter Recovery Of A Computerized Adaptive Test Based On Rasch Testlet Models, Seohong Pak

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of various testlet characteristics in terms of an ability parameter recovery under the modality of computerized adaptive test (CAT). Given the popularity of using CATs and the high frequency of emerging testlets into exams as either mixed format or not, it was important to evaluate the various conditions in a testlet-based CAT fitted testlet response theory models. The manipulated factors of this study were testlet size, testlet effect size, testlet composition, and exam format. The performance of each condition was compared with the true thetas which were 81 equally spaced ...

A Case Study Of Community College Faculty Attitudes Toward Students With Disabilities, Mary C. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single case study was to explore the attitudes and experiences of faculty at one small, public, community college in the southeastern United States. Of the 180 faculty sampled, 35 completed the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons survey, 13 participated in a one-on-one interview, and a review of 30 institutional documents was conducted. Using social constructivism, disability theory, and the researchers personal and professional experiences as the framework, the data collected helped to gain insight into the faculty's experiences with classroom accommodations and attitudes toward students with disabilities. Five key findings revealed that community college faculty in ...

The Impact Of Song And Movement On Kindergarten Sight Word Acquisition, Katy Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this naturalistic, qualitative study was to document the impact that song and movement had on kindergarten sight word acquisition. To investigate this, 18 kindergarten students were taught 20 new sight words using songs and movement over the course of four weeks. Data was systematically collected and analyzed to determine the specific benefits that song and movement had on kindergartner's sight word learning in regard to automaticity, motivation, and engagement. The kindergarten students were administered a pre-and post-sight word assessment along with a pre-and post-song and movement motivation and engagement student survey. Throughout the study, a qualitative ...

Psychological Distress And Adjustment In College Students, Donovan A. Miles

Theses and Dissertations

The mental health needs of college students have risen dramatically. According to Kitzrow (2003), an estimated 84% of students who walked into a school counseling centers show significant causes for concern. These students were at high risks because of a variety of psychological distress. The current study sought to understand the multidimensional impact of mental health concerns on students' academic adjustment. Undergraduate students from a northeast public university completed an online survey that comprised of demographic information and two Likert type scales that measured psychological distress and academic adjustment. Results indicated that depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and eating concerns ...

A Principal Striving For Effective Instructional Leadership In An Era Of Accountability, Matthew J. Mazzoni

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to explore a principal's experiences and how they aligned to Hallinger and Murphy's (1985) effective instructional leadership practices in an era of accountability. This study of effective principal leadership is timely and relevant due to the recent implementation of national and state mandates for principals to be instructional leaders through the adoption of a distributed leadership model. This seventh year principal, also the researcher-participant in this study, had the responsibility of overseeing approximately 100 professional and support staff members and approximately 750 students ranging from pre-kindergarten to the eighth grade. The ...

Evaluating Item Selection Methods For Adaptive Tests With Complex Content Constraints, Logan Rome

Theses and Dissertations

Adaptive testing designs have become go-to methods for large-scale test administration due to their ability to provide more accurate scores with fewer items. In recent years, new designs have been introduced, such as on-the-fly multistage testing (OMST), that combine the advantages of the well-established computerized adaptive testing (CAT) and multistage testing (MST) designs. While adaptive testing has attracted a tremendous amount of research, most studies have used only one set of test specifications to constrain the content of the test. Through Monte Carlo simulation, this study evaluated the effectiveness of CAT, MST, and OMST under varying levels of test specification ...

Program Models, Pre-Service Teachers, And Emergent Bilingual Instruction, Hannah R. Meineke

Theses and Dissertations

It is estimated by the year 2030, over 40% of the K-12 population in U.S. schools will be children whose first language is not English (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007; Shin & Ortman, 2011). This situation has potential academic consequences for emergent bilingual students (EBS) attending schools without adequate accommodations. The issue of teachers who are underprepared to meet the needs of EBS contributes to the academic consequences absorbed by this K-12 population, and to the social and cultural cycle of oppression for this marginalized group. Thus, integrating knowledge, skills, and dispositions (KSDs) beneficial for meeting the needs of EBS ...

Behavioral Intervention Teams: An Exploration Of Team Member Perceptions At Oklahoma Regional Universities, Sheila J. Self

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine Behavioral Intervention Teams from the perspective of twelve team members at four regional universities in Oklahoma. This study strengthened the knowledge base regarding team-member perceptions of Behavioral Intervention Team effectiveness, functioning, resources, needs, state factors, and campus impacts, and added qualitative data to the existing body of literature. Behavioral Intervention Teams were designed to be a tool for preventing campus violence and addressing behaviors of concern through information gathering, analysis, and intervention. While it may never be known how many acts of violence, suicides, or other student issues have been prevented or ...

Student Voice Initiative: Exploring Implementation Strategies, Blaine G. Alexander

Theses and Dissertations

Student voice is the process of allowing students to work collaboratively with adults to produce a learning culture that is conducive for optimum growth in every student. In a traditional setting, the adults make the decisions and the students are passive observers in the learning process. Data has shown that this traditional culture is not advantageous to student learning for all students. Research has shown that students are seven times more academically motivated when they have the opportunity to have a voice in their personal learning process (Quaglia, 2016). This case study centered on the Northeast Arkansas Regional Student Voice ...

Integration Of Scale-Themed Instruction Across The General Chemistry Curriculum And Selected In-Depth Studies, Jaclyn Trate

Theses and Dissertations

In 1982, in response to a growing demand for a scientifically literate population, two organizations, the AAAS and NCISE published reports that proposed using themes to bridge scientific disciplines1,2. The NCISE report identified “9 explanatory concepts” which included organization, cause and effect, systems, scale, models, change, structure or function, discontinuous and continuous properties, and diversity. The AAAS report, as part of Project 2061, identified 4 themes that define science literacy which included systems, models, constancy and change, and scale. In 1993, the AAAS released the Benchmarks for Science Literacy3 which outlined what all students should know or be able ...

Understanding Public Health Professional Socialization And Professional Identity Formation Experiences, Jennifer M. Freiheit

Theses and Dissertations

Public health is in unstable times with funding decreasing, an exodus of retirees, and a paradigm shift with emergency preparedness and response critically changing the identity of the profession. Public health is at a grave trigger point where if something is not done, the entire field may be in jeopardy of caving in to consolidations, poor succession planning, and a field that cannot work toward the health of the public if they themselves are not operating well. It is commonly accepted that orientation practices exist in public health agencies, but the orientations that currently exist lack transfer to full socialization ...

Cultural Competence Education In Undergraduate Athletic Training Programs, Katherine L. Liesener

Theses and Dissertations

It is critical for athletic trainers to understand and practice culturally competent health care, which involves being responsive and sensitive to all cultural differences present in the population. The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) requires that all Athletic Training Programs teach cultural competence in their curriculum. However, programs have the autonomy to determine how and when their curriculum content will be delivered. Furthermore, the current original research examining athletic training and cultural competence is very limited and there is a lack of research focused on the educational practices of cultural competence education in athletic training.

This research ...

Wording Matters: The Impact Of Disability Identification In Post-Secondary Education, Jacqueline Marie Love

Theses and Dissertations

Background. The prevalence of students with disabilities (SWD) in postsecondary education has increased over the last 30 years. Moreover, the literature suggests that prevalence statistics may be gross underestimations since large percentages of students have not disclosed their disability to the university they attend. This could have significant negative outcomes. When students do not disclose, the university is less able to accommodate their individual academic needs, resulting in poor academic achievement and even failure to obtaining a degree. Inaccurate identification of SWD also impacts the accuracy of demographic information used to interpret educational research, inform educational policy and can erode ...

Using Dr. Scratch As A Formative Feedback Tool To Assess Computational Thinking, Samuel Frank Browning

Theses and Dissertations

Scratch is one of the most popular ways to teach younger children to code in K–8 throughout the U.S. and Europe. Despite its popularity, Scratch lacks a formative feedback tool to inform students and teachers of a student's progress in coding ability. Dr. Scratch was built to fill this need. This study seeks to answer if using Dr. Scratch as a formative feedback tool accelerates the students' progress in coding ability and Computational Thinking (CT). Forty-one 4th-6th grade students participated in a 1-hour/week Scratch workshop for nine weeks. We measured pre- and posttest results of the ...

Emotional And Cognitive Engagement In Higher Education Classrooms, Kristine C. Manwaring

Theses and Dissertations

This is a multi-article format dissertation that explores emotional and cognitive engagement in higher education classrooms. Student engagement in higher education classrooms has been associated with desired outcomes such as academic achievement, retention, and graduation. Student engagement is a multi-faceted concept, consisting of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive components. A deeper understanding of how these components interact would allow instructors and course designers to facilitate more engaging learning experiences for students. The first article is an extended literature review that investigates the extant empirical research on the relationship between emotional and cognitive engagement, and between emotional engagement and academic outcomes in ...

An Examination Of The Factor Structure Of The Trauma Inventory For Partners Of Sex Addicts (Tipsa), Heidi A. Vogeler

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the underlying latent factor structure of the Trauma Inventory for Partners of Sex Addicts (TIPSA), a 53-item assessment designed to assess for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the context of sexual addiction. It was theorized that the factor structure mirrored the 5 core criteria for PTSD as constituted in DSM-5. Data were gathered from 3,199 self-selected respondents (ages 21 to 55) who completed an online version of the TIPSA. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed utilizing Mplus in order to confirm the hypothesized factor structure of the TIPSA. Several modifications ...

College And Career Ready Through Personalized Learning: Business And Industry Perspective Of The Don Tyson School Of Innovation, Joe R. Rollins

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study describes perceptions of Northwest Arkansas’ business, industry and post-secondary institutions as to the Don Tyson School of Innovation (DTSOI) and its ability to prepare students for Northwest Arkansas’ college and career needs. Designated as one of the first schools of innovation in Arkansas through ACT 601 of 2013 by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), the DTSOI employs Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in every aspect of curriculum. The DTSOI represents the first school in Arkansas to hold the distinction of holding both school of innovation status as well as being a public, district- conversion ...

Strategic Restructuring In Higher Education: A Case Study Of A Consolidation Of Two Institutions, Claudia D. Lyerly

Theses and Dissertations

This in-depth single case study examined the implementation process utilized for the consolidation of two public institutions and the participants’ perceptions five years post-consolidation of the extent to which the original expected outcomes of the consolidation have been achieved. The names of the institutions and participants involved in this case study have been replaced with pseudonyms. The case study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research methods, with the qualitative method having more dominance throughout the study. Three primary sources of data were used: semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and field notes. The data collected from all three sources were coded, analyzed ...

Promoting Biliteracy And Biculturalism In Bilingual-Maintenance Secondary Classes: A Key Measure In The Creation Of A Gateway To Post-Secondary Education For First And 1.5 Generation Latino Students In Northwest Arkansas Public Schools, Jeanette A. Arnhart

Theses and Dissertations

In the context of the Northwest Arkansas (NWA) regional setting, this study examines the effects of the Spanish for Heritage and Native Speakers (SHNS) model from multiple vantage points. Educational capital and biculturation approaches are employed to help theoretically frame post-secondary educational success and ethnic identity, respectively.

Study methods are briefly described and paired with a description of the NWA region as an ideal southern Latino emerging community in which to conduct research on educational outcomes. The manuscript then turns to an ethnographic examination of how and the extent to which curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular aspects of a Spanish for ...

Local Item Response Theory For Detection Of Spatially Varying Differential Item Functioning, Samantha Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Mappings of spatially-varying Item Response Theory (IRT) parameters are proposed, allowing for visual investigation of potential Differential Item Functioning (DIF) based upon geographical location without need for pre-specified groupings and before any confirmatory DIF testing. This proposed model is a localized approach to IRT modeling and DIF detection that provides a flexible framework, with current emphasis being on 1PL/Rasch and 2PL models. Applications to both simulated and empirical survey data, utilizing a box-car kernel weighting scheme with several fixed bandwidths on irregular spatial lattices, are presented both to demonstrate the methodology and to illustrate the benefit of localized IRT ...

A Phenomenological Study Of The Online Education Experiences Of College Students With Learning Disabilities, Michael Murders

Theses and Dissertations

The body of research concerning college students with learning disabilities is sparse relative to the percentage of college students with learning disabilities who attend college. Further, the majority of existing research fails to capture the student voice and the lived experiences of the students themselves. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of college students with learning disabilities who utilized online education at a public university centrally located in the United States, resembling numerous comprehensive regional universities. Using a qualitative, phenomenological research framework, this study uses in-depth individual interviews to collect data from eight participants. Interviews were ...

Potential Relationships Of Community College Faculty Credentials And Measures Of Instructional Effectiveness: Student Survey Of Instruction And Grades, Marc Alan Willis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine what, if any, relationship existed when considering instructor credentials in relation to student surveys of instruction (SSOI), instructor credentials in relation to grade distribution, and the relationship between SSOI and grade distribution. The case study college is a two-year rural institution in Oklahoma employing 53 full-time faculty in Fall 2016. Eighteen of those faculty lack the adequate credentials as required by the Higher Learning Commission, the accrediting body for the college. Very little information was discovered verifying the impact of credentials on effectiveness, and what was located was anecdotal rather than data ...

Commuter Student And Residential Student Mattering In An Honors Concentration, Jamie Marie Cattell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the sense of mattering in the Bantivoglio Honors Concentration at Rowan University. A secondary purpose was to use this population to compare feelings of mattering between residential and commuting students. The subjects of this study were 240 Rowan University students who were enrolled in an undergraduate program as well as the Bantivoglio Honors Concentration during the spring semester of 2017. Data were collected using a variation of the College Mattering Inventory (Tovar et al., 2009), which contains 29 Likert scale statements consisting of six subscales that sought to determine students' attitudes toward ...

Writing For Keeps-Instruction And Achievement, Jason Adams

Theses and Dissertations

The study was conducted in a small rural Texas district. Students within the district were struggling with successful writing initiatives. Achievement and accountability within the district were below state and regional averages consistently for many years. Writing instruction in the district needed attention to help students and teachers experience writing success. The study aimed to answer the following research questions: (1) What instructional practices do Frazier ISD teachers utilize to teach writing? (2) What aspects of writing do Frazier ISD students struggle to understand? (3) To what extent does the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test impact ...

The Perception Of The Freshman Transition: Taking A Closer Look At The Freshman Academy, Frankie Jo Lizar

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher, student, and parent perceptions of the high school transition program within a Freshman Academy at one Midwest high school using a mixed-methods approach with a convergent design. Interviews were done with teachers that teach primarily freshman students, and perception surveys were used with teachers, students, and parents to answer the following research questions:

a) How do freshman teachers believe the Freshman Academy interventions influence students’ successful transition into high school?

b) What are staff’s perceptions of the Freshman Academy in preparing students for success in high school?

c) What are ...

The Impact Of A Positive Environment And Shared Leadership To Empower Collegial School Culture, Ben Pretz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop an empowered collegial school culture to systemically improve the function of the academic institution through the impact of a positive environment and shared leadership. When compared to the other middle schools in the district, Eagle Middle School had the lowest math achievement growth index during the 2014-2015 school year. The discrepancy in math achievement is one element that has created a culture problem for the building. Additionally, the building has a reputation of poor customer service and not serving the community effectively. Because of the poor culture the staff had a lack ...

Presidential Fundraising: A Multiple Case Study Of Rural Serving Oklahoma Community Colleges, Jason Daniel Falkner

Theses and Dissertations

Community college presidents serving rural populations in the state of Oklahoma have been forced to take on new responsibilities related to institutional fundraising due to multiple economic challenges including continued budgetary shortfalls and limited resource allocation. Review of the academic literature addressing this subject exposed a wide variety of rationales associated with this leadership shift, as well as successful presidential approaches to fundraising in modern higher education. This qualitative study of rural community college presidents in Oklahoma examined the rationale for expanded presidential roles in fundraising, while outlining a number of other essential roles, characteristics, professional backgrounds, and stressors that ...