Education Commons^™

Faculty Experiences With Instructional Innovations: A Phenomenological Study Of Faculty Use Of Instructional Video, Timothy Patrick Oneal

Theses and Dissertations

Colleges and universities create learning environments that strive to optimize strengths and minimize weaknesses of learners. Media rich environments have changed the current generation of learners just as it is now changing higher education. There is currently a need to examine the experiences and perceptions of instructors when adopting innovations such as instructional videos for use in their media enriched curriculum delivery. This study used a phenomenological approach to discover why and how faculty at a 4-year public university use the innovation of instructional video in their classrooms. The phenomenon studied was the adoption process and the motivation of the …

The Effectiveness Of Using Speech-To-Text Technology To Support Writing Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Jennifer Adams

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of using Speech Recognition (SR) technology to create more cohesive writing for students with learning disabilities as compared to the use of paper and pencil. Six students with IEPs from general education classrooms, ages 7 years old to 9 years old, participated in this study.

Prior to the start of this study, the subjects completed a baseline assessment to measure their expressive writing abilities in response to a narrative prompt. The students were required to include a topic sentence, beginning, middle, and end, and demonstrate understanding of the conventions of writing. There was not a …

Improving Induction Of New Preschool To 12th Grade Teachers Through Differentiated Induction Activities Tailored To Individual Teachers' Needs, Timothy Teehan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the mixed methods pilot study, which used qualitative interview data and quantitative survey data, was to investigate the impact of providing induction activities tailored to individual teacher's needs on new preschool to 12th grade teachers in their first to fourth year of teaching. The district's attrition rate has been significantly higher than the 30% attrition rate experienced across the nation. This study asks: How can an individualized targeted multi-faceted induction program for teachers in the first to fourth year of teaching prepare individuals for the responsibilities of teaching? From the perspective of mentors, principals, and teachers in …

How Supplemental Instruction (Si) Leaders Experience Transformative Learning And The Nature Of Civic Engagement As A Result Of Serving In A Peer Leadership Role In Higher Education, Neva Lozada

Theses and Dissertations

To empower students to become influential social change agents, institutions of higher education must move away from traditional academic models of civic engagement and toward alternative approaches of engaging students outside of the classroom. Providing students an opportunity to serve in a leadership role can lead to the actualization of transformative learning experiences, which may materialize in a heightened development of skills that are transferable to future academic, professional, and civic aspirations. While the majority of research on peer-facilitated academic assistance programs, such as Supplemental Instruction (SI), examines positive effects on participants, few studies set out to examine the additional …

The Effects Of Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Team (Cw-Fit) Tier 1 In A Middle School Special Education Classroom, Robyn Katie Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Middle school special education teachers are often concerned about challenging behavior. In recent years, school wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) has been shown to be effective in improving students behavior. Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a SWPBS-based program designed to for implementation at the classroom level. CW-FIT utilizes an interdependent group contingency by utilizing social skills training, teacher praise, and positive reinforcement to improve students behavior. Students are taught how to achieve specific social skills and then work in teams, using these social skills, to earn a group reward. CW-FIT has been effective in elementary general education classrooms. It …

Aggression And Self Injurious Behaviors: The Effects Of Behavior Interventions In Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tara Buck

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two behavioral interventions of young adults with Autism spectrum disorder that present with aggressive and self-injurious behavior. The results were analyzed to determine the successes and comparisons of the interventions to decrease challenging behaviors. The participants were two young adult male students diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder, both use an AAC device as their primary means of communication. Data was collected using a reversal (A-B-A-B) study design, with collection during a baseline phase, intervention phase one, reversal withdrawal of intervention phase two and re-implementation of intervention phase three. The …

Spelling Instruction For Students With Learning Disabilities, Rebecca Grochowicz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the success of phonetic-based and memory-based spelling instruction on students with learning disabilities. This study implemented a pretest-posttest design. The participants were six learning disabled second grade students in a resource room setting. All participants were performing below grade level in Language Arts and Reading. Data was collected during a baseline phase, intervention phase, and post-intervention phase. Students were taught list spelling words using both phonetic-based and memory-based strategies on alternating weeks. Their weekly progress and retention rates were recorded and compared to the baseline data. Overall, the results of the study …

The Effects Of Physical Activity On Middle School Students' Self-Esteem, Marissa Ruchim

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between student physical activity levels and how they affect self-esteem. The study analyzed the differences in participants’ self-esteem on days they had PE versus days they had Encore class (i.e. journalism, drama, art, global awareness, stem, and music). Participants were 25 students in an intact sixth-grade PE class (10 girls, 15 boys) at a middle school in a suburb of Chicago. Data were collected from two sources, pedometers recording number of steps taken daily and scores on Harter’s Global Self-Worth Scale, a measure of self-esteem. Data were analyzed using SPSS …

The Growth Mindset School Community, Christina A. Hild

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional school models perpetuate limited notions of ability. Established in systems designed to label and sort, educators must examine their beliefs about ability and the ways culture and power structures impact expectations and student achievement. By adopting a growth mindset lens and applying distributed leadership to systems within a school, educational leaders can enhance opportunities for all children. The Growth Mindset School Community describes an organization committed to growth and reflective processes intended to monitor thinking and procedures impacting learning and growth. Teacher expectations, feedback, assessment, and grading practices, behavior management, special education, teacher evaluation, and leadership models are all …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Addressing Leisure In Curriculum For Students With Severe Disabilities, Kara Klepp

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was designed to examine the perspectives of addressing leisure in curriculum for students with severe disabilities. Quality of life disucssions have shown the importance of considering skills to prepare them for adulthood which includes leisure outcomes. Research has examined many different aspects of transition including vocational education, but limited research has been conducted relating to leisure outcomes. Qualitative data obtained through semi-structured interviews indicated that more research is needed in leisure education including curriculum development and prioritization of skills taught. The participants reflected on their own definitions of leisure, current leisure outcomes, and the types of assessment …

Culturally Responsive Educational Leadership: A Qualitative Study Of Indigenous Innovations, Bert Klunder

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study of culturally responsive educational leadership (CREL) explores noteworthy cases of system-wide innovation spanning decades through interviews with seven education professionals active within Indigenous movements and organizations driving Native Hawaiian education and the revitalization of Hawaiian language and culture. The research focus includes the Na Honua Mauli Ola Guidelines (and Pathways) for Culturally Healthy and Responsive Learning Environments, along with the preceding Kumu Honua Mauli Ola Philosophy Statement. Interviewees, all with direct connections to these innovations, illuminate their local and global significance through personal accounts of their development and implementation. The study’s uniquely situated methodology yields rich data …

The Disproportionate Representation Of Minorities In Special Education, Rasuwl Medina

Theses and Dissertations

Students throughout the United States are promised that individuals who enter the U.S. educational system are placed on an even playing field and that each student will be given equitable treatment within the school they attend. Furthermore, students are assured that studying and learning class material will determine not only their placement within school but the success they will have in life. Despite this long held belief, research and demographic breakdowns of special education placement within the U.S. suggests minorities are disproportionately placed into special education (de Valenzuela, Copeland, & Qi, 2006). This finding is in concert with the already …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Methods Used For Avoidance And Acceleration Of Developmental Mathematics Sequences In Community College, Steven Todd Travers

Theses and Dissertations

Many developmental mathematics programs at community colleges in recent years have undergone a process of redesign in an attempt increase the historical poor rate of student successful completion of required developmental coursework. Various curriculum and instructional design models that incorporate methods of avoiding and accelerating the developmental mathematics requirements have been created in an effort to increase the retention and course completion rate of students placed in developmental mathematics programs. It is believed that developmental students need developmental mathematics courses in order to build a strong mathematical foundation; this will enable them to achieve their desired higher education goals. The …

The Relationship Between Peer Tutoring And Learning Styles At Rowan University, Marissa Jean Wood

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the learning styles of peer tutors employed by the Tutoring Services department on the Glassboro campus of Rowan University during the spring 2017 semester. The study collected responses to two learning style instruments: the Learning Connections Inventory (LCI) Adult Education Form © and the VARK © instrument. Of particular interest was what were the most common learning styles among the tutors and was there a relationship between the reported styles and, length of time as a tutor, academic major, and class rank?

Although there is a plethora of research describing the relationship …

An Inquiry Into The Development Of Future Speech-Language Pathologists: A Mixed Methods Study, Kimberly Plotts

Theses and Dissertations

Upon graduating college, many students seek employment within the degree area in which they obtained. Employers are seeking skills in individuals that encompass interpersonal, technical, analytical, personal, and professional abilities. As with many careers, the allied health field requires content specific knowledge and specialized skills, which indicate sufficient work readiness. The allied health field of speech-language pathology is touted as one of the fastest growing professions in this decade and is in demand. To become a speech-language pathologist, one must complete a master's program and supervised clinical practicums. Despite participating in a master's program with quality curricula, having supervision by …

The Effects Of Implementing An Online Professional Learning Community For Teachers Of Gifted And Talented Courses: An Action Research Study, Chelsey A. Mintz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to examine the effects of implementing an online professional learning community (PLC) designed explicitly for teachers of gifted and talented (GT) English language arts (ELA) courses. The present action research (AR) is a limited mixed design study, including quantitative and qualitative elements, to discover the effects on collaboration and professional growth focused on best practices for GT instruction. The quantitative data were collected through surveys, which included Likert scales and nominal items and were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The qualitative data were collected through guided and semi-structured interview questions and transcribed before …

Graduate School Alumni Giving: An Identity Salience Model Of Nonprofit Relationship Marketing Success Approach, Joseph Patrick Neary

Theses and Dissertations

Development officers and those who research philanthropic giving frequently explore the factors that motivate donors to give or the demographic variables that enable donating behavior to occur, less often is the concept of identity used as a mediating variable in the study of philanthropic giving. Using the Identity Salience Model of Nonprofit Relationship Marketing Success proposed by Arnett, German, and Hunt (2003) as a theoretical framework, this dissertation explores the understudied giving behaviors of alumni of graduate degree programs at a large, southeastern, Carnegie classified highest research activity, doctoral institution. Using the survey responses from and institutional data for 707 …

Spit Shined And Polished And Ready For College: A Critical Race Analysis Of Program Directors’ Perspectives On The Contexts Of College Access Programs, Jillian Havard

Theses and Dissertations

College access programs work to prepare underserved students for college admission and enrollment. It is important to identify how the assumptions of college access program leaders affect their common practices and implementation of programs serving African American students, as well as to identify the tensions that exist among theory, research and practice in the college access field. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of college access program directors on the contexts of college access program. Using critical race theory as a theoretical framework, the impact of whiteness, perpetuated by the college access of ideology, is examined.

Measuring The Longitudinal Communication Growth Of Learners Who Are Deafblind, Kristi M. Probst

Theses and Dissertations

The field of deafblind (DB) education has a long and rich history which includes a lack of qualified personnel to meet the needs of the population of learners. In addition, the literature base is small, lacking evidence for effective practices or methods of assessing and tracking growth with these learners. The ability to adequately track student growth is key when IEP teams are making educational decisions. Therefore, it is important to investigate the longitudinal growth of learners who are DB and the possible effects of service provision (number, type, and intensity) on communication growth. This research began the process of …

Commuter Students And Involvement Theory, Yamesha Woodley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to better understand the involvement patterns of commuter students at Rowan University. The study examined their levels of involvement and gathered information regarding their attitudes on the holistic collegiate experience at the institution. This study also examined links between a commuter's physical proximity to the main campus and their subsequently reported frequency of participation in various areas of campus life. The study examined the levels of involvement of the subjects and their satisfaction with areas of campus in order to gain insight on commuter satisfaction surrounding the student experience.

Previous research had not examined …

Exploring Student Use Of Social Networking Services (Sns) Surrounding Moral Development, Gender, Campus Crime, Safety, & The Clery Act: A Mixed Methods Study, Haley Baum

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to explore college students' use of social networking services (SNS); examining how and why they communicate about campus safety information. This study took place at Stockton University, a regional state institution in NJ. Undergraduate students took part in an online quantitative questionnaire and then follow up face-to-face qualitative interviews with a section of the questionnaire participants. Focus was placed on how and why students communicate crime and safety information to discuss how this may relate to their moral development and decision-making. Using Kohlberg and Gilligan as a guide to understand …

Exploring Teacher Candidates’ Civic Efficacy Through Civic Engagement And Critical Literacy In A Literacy Methods Course, Dana M. Karraker

Theses and Dissertations

Public school spaces play a large role in developing people’s understandings of civic knowledge and responsibility. Teachers, administrators, and policy-makers design school curriculum to reflect the types of citizens they believe a society needs, and thus, determines approaches to teaching and curriculum development (Labaree, 1997). This action research study examined the civic efficacy and critical literacy understandings of seven elementary education teacher candidates enrolled in a content area literacy course. The course and the study were designed using a critical literacy and civic efficacy framework as literacy practices are closely connected to the ways in which people are able to …

Learning Connections Inventory: Making Major Decisions Among Undeclared Students, Raven Alexis Holloway

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential relationship between the Learning Connections Inventory (LCI) and the career and academic exploration process of undeclared students at Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey. I examined if the LCI has predictive value in assisting undeclared students in the career exploration process as well as the attitudes of selected Rowan University professors and administrators towards the use of the LCI in the career and academic exploration process. The study investigated the statistical relationship of learning styles, as defined by the LCI, had on academic major selection. Data on the LCI scores and …

Vocabulary Gamification Vs Traditional Learning Instruction In An Inclusive High School Classroom, Diana Nahmod

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of vocabulary quiz scores when Kahoot! game-based response system was implemented as a competitive game for vocabulary review, alternating with a traditional review worksheet. The study was conducted in a public high school in Monmouth County, NJ across two 10th grade English classrooms with general education and special education students ranging in age from 15-16 years old who reside in Central New Jersey. Vocabulary quizzes were administered weekly over twelve weeks. Participants in this study consisted of 36 general education students and 14 special education students. Results of the study …

Using Discrete Trial To Teach Functional Play Skills, Courtney Marie Furtaw

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects that discrete trial training could have on the functional play skills of four male preschool students diagnosed with autism. In order to determine the effectiveness of discrete trial training as an intervention, baseline data was first collected for two weeks on the four students through observations of a thirty minute group playtime in the morning of their MD preschool classroom. The baseline data demonstrated that all four students were only engaging in functional play for a limited amount of time. Next, a discrete trial training program was created for each individual student focusing on functional …

The Impact Of Hip-Hop Culture On Freshman Student Identity, David Shanks

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation is to explore the impact that hip-hop has on the identity of freshman students at Rowan University during the spring 2017 semester. The survey questions were geared toward answering the primary focus. The survey has 34 items, the first five questions were used to collect demographic information from the students including Gender, GPA, Ethnicity, Class rank, and Age. The next 29 questions divided into three factor groupings, these groups were used to investigate the identity of select freshman, what students believe about their knowledge of hip-hop culture, how committed these students are to hip-hop culture, …

The Impact Of Mindfulness Exercises On The Verbal Reactive Behaviors Of Students Identified With Significant Behavioral And Emotional Difficulties, Nicole Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mindfulness exercises such as counting and breathing on the reactive verbal behaviors of students who are identified as having significant behavioral and emotional difficulties. The six participants were fifth and seventh grade students who were instructed in the self-contained classroom for emotional support a minimum of three class periods daily. Mindfulness exercises were practiced twice daily for a period of three to five minutes for twenty days. Data was collected on each participant prior to, during and after the intervention implementation. The independent variable was the mindfulness exercises employed. …

The Power Of Partners: A Qualitative Study On The Effects Of Long-Term Partnerships During Writing Workshop, Nicole Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine how long-term partnerships will support second grade students during Writing Workshop. The specific goals of the study are to examine the effects long-term partnerships utilized during Writing Workshop will have on both student achievement and student engagement. Student interviews pre and post study, student writing, along with weekly student reflections were analyzed. The group of students who were the focus of the study demonstrated increased engagement when participating in Writing Workshop. The students also demonstrated increased writing proficiency throughout the duration of the study. The benefits of utilizing long-term peer partnerships during …

Student Demographic And Academic Characteristics That Predict Community College Student Success In Online Courses, Jennifer L. Davidson

Theses and Dissertations

Online student success is a concern for higher education institutions especially community colleges with open enrollment admission. This study analyzed online student success using online GPA (dependent variable) and both demographic and academic characteristics of online students (independent variables) to determine which characteristics significantly correlated to and predicted student success in online courses. The sample included an unduplicated count of 4,046 online students enrolled in at least one online course during fall 2015 and spring 2016 at a public, Midwestern community college. Six research questions and twelve hypotheses were used to determine which independent variables led online students to a …

The Relationship Between Teacher Accountability Measures And Self-Efficacy, Charisse Ann Kroner

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to critically analyze teacher accountability and evaluation systems that are being utilized nation-wide, to discover how the systems impact teacher self-efficacy. One hundred thirty-two teachers from a large, diverse Wisconsin school district participated in a longitudinal study. The participants completed surveys at two time points (fall and spring) including collective efficacy, teacher self-efficacy, and sources of efficacy measures. A 2 x 2 mixed ANOVA showed no significant interaction between summary year status and changes in teacher self-efficacy. A multiple regression analysis revealed that sources of teacher self-efficacy included in the evaluation system positively predicted teacher self-efficacy …