Education Commons^™

A Classroom-Based Physical Activity Intervention For Adolescents: Is There A Relationship With Self-Efficacy, Physical Activity, And On-Task Behavior?, Colleen Cornelius

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Classroom-based physical activity is a newly explored avenue for providing physical activity opportunities to children within the school, but it is one that is showing academic gains in areas such as on-task behavior. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of pedal desks placed in high school classrooms. Three main objectives were examined: 1) The possible increase in physical activity self-efficacy among high school students in the classroom, 2) the effectiveness of pedal desks on increased physical activity among high school students, and 3) the impact of pedal desks on increasing classroom on-task behavior. Participants included 114 …

Examining An Asynchronous Group Discussion Board Adaptation Of A Parent-Mediated Behavior Intervention For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Alexis D. Rodgers

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits, as well as restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped behaviors, interests, and activities (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Although important relationships have been shown and described among the issues of challenging behavior, parent stress, and parenting sense of competence for families of children with ASD, there is a shortage of intervention programs appropriately suited for families which target these issues. Some programs have been developed and tested, but none is directly applicable for the target population. This is notable because of the connections drawn in the literature between families …

Beliefs About Self-Control And Regulation: Do They Matter For College Performance?, Cara E. Worick

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Students who are good self-regulators have higher motivation and achievement than those who are not. The beliefs students hold influence the goals they set, how they regulate learning, their motivation, and their subsequent actions. Beliefs about one’s own willpower (the capacity to exert self-control in everyday life) have been shown to affect individuals’ self-regulation. Willpower has been conceptualized as a limited resource that is easily depleted in demanding situations. However, some researchers have shown that individuals’ beliefs about willpower capacity (i.e., as finite or abundant), and not their actual willful acts, are more predictive of self-regulated behavior. Researchers have similarly …

Towards Better Outcomes For Families With Transition-Age Youth Or Young Adults With Asd: A Mixed Methods Study From A Parent’S Perspective, Wing Hang Wong

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The after-high-school outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families are less than desirable. The current study employed an exploratory sequential mixed methods design in order to enhance understanding of the family adaptation process during transition. First, a qualitative study was conducted in order to understand the stressors, external and internal support, coping strategies, and family adaptation outcomes during transition, from a parent’s perspective, using the ABCX model. Thirteen parents of adolescents and young adults with ASD were interviewed. These parents reported a continually high level of stress due to normative strains and ASD-related demands. They clearly …

A Tale Of Two Contexts: Mathematics Self-Efficacy Development Among Rural And Urban Students, Brianna L. Weidner

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Self-efficacy, or a belief in one’s ability to complete a task, has been shown to predict student success and persistence. Rural students have a history of lower college enrollment and degree attainment than urban students. However, no studies have compared self-efficacy or its sources across rural and urban groups. The purpose of this study is to examine differences in how rural and urban middle school students develop self-efficacy and self-efficacy for self-regulated learning in the domain of math. Data were collected from 174 rural students and 1743 urban students in grades 6-8 in the southeastern United States. Measurement invariance analyses …

Affect, Motivation, And Engagement In The Context Of Mathematics Education: Testing A Dynamic Model Of Interactive Relationships, Shanshan Hu

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The present study tested the interactive model of affect, motivation, and engagement (Linnenbrink, 2007) in mathematics education with a nationally representative sample. Self-efficacy, self-concept, and anxiety were indicators of pleasant and unpleasant affect. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were indicators of mastery and performance approach. Persistence and cognitive activation were indicators of behavioral and cognitive engagement. The 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) supplied a sample of 4,978 students from the United States for structural equation modeling. The results indicated that PISA data overall supported the interactive model. Specifically, PISA data completely supported the specification of the relationship between motivation …

Comparing Two-Year Colleges Under A Common Sustainable Development Framework: Personal Egocentric Networks And Perspectives, Bobby Ann Lee

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The study purpose is to advance implementation of sustainable development at colleges, and to contribute to organizational change research using social network analysis. The researcher conducted document analysis using 2012-2016 sustainability reports of 16 purposefully selected two-year colleges under a common framework. Interpreting and coding resulted in ranking sustainable development activities as well as grouping colleges using cluster analysis. A survey and interviews were employed by the researcher to determine major themes as challenges to sustainability implementation, and personal network themes using social network analysis measures and sociograms. Challenges to sustainability implementation identified as study themes were: (1) college leadership …

Training Teachers To Implement Systematic Strategies In Preschool Classrooms With Fidelity, Rebecca V. Crawford

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study examined the fidelity of implementation by four Head Start teachers using the teaching strategies of constant time delay, enhanced milieu teaching, and system of least prompts with children with and without disabilities in an inclusive early childhood setting. The teachers worked with the researcher to determine appropriate skills to target for each teaching strategy. A multiple probe across behaviors design replicated across four teachers was used to determine the effects of teachers’ fidelity of implementation of evidence-based teaching strategies. The results showed that Head Start teachers could implement systematic teaching strategies with fidelity. The study also examined if …

Qr Code Accessed Video-Based Instruction To Teach Vocational Skills To Students With Moderate To Severe Disabilities, Lora N. Barnett

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of QR code (quick reference) linked video-based instruction (VBI) on daily vocational skills for students with moderate to severe disabilities (MSD). A multiple probe across participants was used to evaluate the effectiveness of VBI accessed through scanning a QR code. During technology training a system of least prompts was used to teach students to unlock the iPod, scan the QR code, press play, and press pause between each step of the task; after reaching mastery, students entered into the intervention condition (VBI). During VBI an immediate change in level was …

A Comparison Study Of Constant Time Delay And Progressive Time Delay In The Acquisition Of Academic Content For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Melissa M. Zinck

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Constant time delay (CTD) and progressive time delay (PTD) are both evidence-based practices used to teach students with intellectual disability (ID). The prompt delay strategies have been used for instruction with academics, social, vocational, and communication skills. There is limited research regarding the differential effectiveness of the time delay variations for teaching academic content to students with ID. The present study compares the effects of CTD and PTD in the acquisition of academic content with four students with ID. An adapted alternating treatments design was used to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of the two procedures. Generalization was assessed across …

Desistance From Crime Of Serious Juvenile Offenders: Examining The Social And Individual Differences, Lisa Dunkley

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

There is an overrepresentation of youths with disabilities in the juvenile justice system. As a result, each year thousands of juvenile offenders despite of the seriousness of the crimes committed, are released from incarceration with the hopes of living a successful life in society. Despite progressive research on identifying factors associated with desistance, it is still unclear what factors contribute to desistance for serious juvenile offenders and especially those with disabilities. The current study investigated the individual differences (e.g., moral disengagement, motivation to succeed and impulse control) and social factors (e.g., employment, education and maternal warmth) that are important in …

Using A Video Modeling-Based Intervention Package To Teach Hand Washing To Children With Autism, Ndaru Prapti

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to teach four preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to wash their hands independently using a video modeling-based intervention package. A research questions was asked: Is there a functional relation between a video modeling-based intervention package and increases in level and trend for washing hands independently? A multiple probe across participants design was used to answer this question. Results indicated that the intervention package had functional relation with the increase in level and trend of the three participants’ performance in washing hands. The intervention package of video modeling and least-to-most prompting was found …

Assessment In Early Childhood Intervention: The Importance Of Training, Carrie C. Burks

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Information collected from multiple domain child developmental assessments, known as five area assessments, are being used in early intervention for high stakes purposes such as program monitoring. As a result, it is important to examine variables that may affect test administration fidelity and its impact on obtaining valid data. The purpose of this study was to survey early intervention service providers in the state of Kentucky to determine possible independent variables that may affect their comfort level in administering five-domain tests. Surveys were made available to all early intervention service providers within the Kentucky First Steps early intervention program. Data …

Parents’ Perspectives On Inclusive Schools For Students With Disabilities In Saudi Arabia, Bader Alsulami

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

In recent decades, inclusion has gained increasing international currency. In the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia in particular has made a sustained commitment to leadership in the humane, equitable inclusion of individuals with disabilities in its communities and the provision of appropriate, free public education for students with disabilities. Despite these achievements, students with disabilities remain segregated from general education students in separate classrooms, regardless of degree of disability. This study examined the perspectives of parents of students with and without disabilities in Saudi Arabia on placing their children in general education classrooms that are comprised of children with and without …

Empowering Hidden Voices: A Photo Narration Of Community Food Needs By Two Cross-Town Middle Schools In Kentucky, Tori E. Summey

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Children are among those most directly affected by food insecurity, a condition in which households lack access to adequate food because of money or other resources (Gundersen & Ziliak, 2015). According to the latest United States Department of Agriculture (2016) reporting, 1 in 5 children experiences hunger on a daily basis. That ratio increases for African American and Latino children whom experience 1 in 3 ratios. While many programs exist to address this growing problem among youth and impoverished families, the efficacy of those programs is yet to be determined and the problem of hunger in America persists. This qualitative …

Analyzing Physical Education Teacher Behavior Using Systematic Observation, Seth T. Eckler

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Introduction: Experts in the field have advocated that quality physical education (QPE) is the centerpiece of a comprehensive school physical education program (CSPAP). Evidence-based programs and instructional models have shown great promise in increasing the physical activity (PA) of today’s youth. However, little is known about the specific impact of teaching behaviors (TB) used within these programs and their impact on student outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use a systematic observation method that is primarily focused on analyzing TBs that are displayed in class, identify TBs that may contribute to positive student activity outcomes, and make …

An Exploration Of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership In Collegiate Recreation Student Employees And Their Own Perceptions Of Their Emotional Intelligence And Emotionally Intelligent Leadership, Yvette Kell

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Universities are an ideal environment to assist students in the development of their leadership skills in a safe and supportive environment. The development of emotional intelligence (EI) has become an important aspect of student leadership development. The purpose of the study was to examine the emotionally intelligent leadership (EIL) scores of students working in a collegiate recreation setting and to examine their perceptions of their own EI and EIL. An exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods approach was used to explore the EIL scores of students employed in collegiate recreation departments at seven university sites. EIL was the theoretical framework used in this …

Collaboratively - Led Living Learning Programs: An Exploration For How Collaboration Is Facilitated Between Student Affairs Units And Academic Affairs In Llps, Trisha Clement-Montgomery

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

According to Inkelas et al. (2008), Living Learning Programs (LLPs) that are collaboratively led by academic affairs and student affairs units tend to have a significant impact on student learning, when compared to students who participate in LLPs that are operated by one unit (Inkelas et al., 2008). Despite evidence that co-authored LLPs are beneficial to enhancing the LLP student experience, there is little to no research that explores how administrators facilitate collaboration between the units used to co-author the LLP student experience. For this reason, the focus of this study was to explore how administrators facilitate collaboration between academic …

Between A Rock And A Hard Place: Urbanormativity And Rural Located Private Higher Education, Jonathan Jared Friesen

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

As urban areas have come to increasing dominate the social landscape, rurality is often defined in negative ways such as being backwards, simple, or even deviant. Urbanormativity is a theoretical approach developed to capture the normative and structural impacts and implications of privileging the urban. The result is not only the construction of urban as correct and positive and rurality as abnormal and backwards, the cultural ideology impacts the structural flow of resources which negatively impacts and results in a marginalization of rural areas.

The primary question motivating this research is how does urbanormativity shape the interactions between rural towns …

“From School Of Crisis To Distinguished”: How One School Continues To Defeat The Odds, Ben Crawford

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

Despite conditions that would work against a small rural school in an impoverish area of rural Kentucky, Fairway Elementary School has managed to excel in its accountability measures. This study used a mixed-methods approach with data collected through interviews and MAP student growth scores in reading and mathematics. Five themes emerged from the qualitative data regarding school success: (1) a well-organized intervention system, (2) a focus on and overall enjoyment of the discipline of mathematics, (3) involvement of parents in school functions, (4) transparency of needs and organization of resources, and (5) an overall school culture that is competitive, impactful, …

How White Teachers’ Identity Development Translates To Classroom Interactions With Minority Students, Chelsea Arsenault

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Historically, research on racial microaggressions has focused on adult populations within clinical as well as work environments. The literature is just beginning to examine microaggressions within the K-12 education system and with younger populations. It is important to assess how racial microaggressions are impacting high school students given that research has indicated that this population is experiencing racial injustices. The perpetration of racial microaggressions is the basis for students’ discriminatory experiences within these institutions. This work has recently become even more necessary given that the high school student population is becoming increasingly racially diverse while our teaching population has remained …

Using Foot Pressure Analysis To Predict Reoccurrence Of Deformity For Children With Unilateral Clubfoot, Juanita Jean Wallace

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Reoccurrence of deformity can affect upwards of 64% of children with clubfoot. The ability to use foot function as a measure of reoccurrence has not been previously assessed. The purpose of this investigation was to utilize foot pressure analysis to predict the probability of reoccurrence in children with unilateral clubfoot. Retrospective foot pressure data revealed predictive algorithms detecting the probability of experiencing any type of reoccurrence (overall reoccurrence) and for experiencing a tibialis anterior tendon transfer (TATT). The equation for overall reoccurrence reported sensitivity and specificity of 0.82 and 0.81 and the equation for TATT reported values of 0.81 and …

The Influence Of Transformational Middle Leaders On Work-Life Balance, Timothy D. Tanner

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Work-life balance is a key indicator of employee satisfaction, retention, and social health as well as organizational creativity and productivity. These dual benefits for employee and employer have generated interest in promoting work-life balance. Supervisors who operate from a transformational leadership framework have been linked to greater work-life balance among employees (Lamm, 2011; (Kutilek, Conklin, & Gunderson, 2002). The role of a supportive organizational culture is also central (Lewis, 2001).

In this study, Cooperative Extension Service agents (N = 1390) participated in a nationwide survey exploring the relationship between rated levels of transformational leadership among district directors, work-life balance, …

Using Graduated Guidance To Teach Imitation Of Manual Signs To Children With Intellectual Disabilities, Jacqueline Horsman

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of graduated guidance procedure on teaching imitation of manual signs to students with moderate to severe disabilities. Sessions began with student initiation and were embedded across already established reinforcement routines across the student’s day. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate these effects.

Technology Aided Instruction And Intervention To Teach Grade Level Science Term Definitions To Middle School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jessica L. Richards

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to teach middle school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) academic, grade level science term definitions. Three students with ASD who were served in a self-contained classroom for students with moderate and severe disabilities participated in the study. A multiple probe (days) across behaviors research design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a model-lead-test procedure delivered using a computer software program to teach three sets of five science term definitions from the general education academic standards. Generalization probes were conducted in the general education setting by giving each student terms that they learned …

Music Therapists’ Use Of Visual Supports For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Taylor Ruthann Chapman

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Visual supports, which provide information presented in a visual format to enhance achievement toward specific goals, can be very helpful for individuals who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Music therapists often use visual supports in their practice; however, research exploring how they do so is limited. In the present study, the researcher used a mixed-methods research design to explore music therapists’ use of visual supports for individuals who have ASD. The researcher e-mailed a survey to board-certified music therapists who opted to receive e-mails from the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT), 525 of whom completed the entire survey. Approximately …

Community College Campuses And Sexual Minorities: The Experience Of Lgbtq Students At Community Colleges, Baron Guy Wolf

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The purpose of this study was to examine national survey data from across the United States for respondents from two-year community colleges. Historically little empirical evidence exists in the literature about this population of students who identity as sexual minorities. The study begins with a historical overview of the LGBTQ rights movement. This provides a baseline for why studies including this invisible minority group are important and especially timely for two-year college campuses. Literature is barrowed from four-year college and university studies. Data were analyzed using the Rasch Partial Credit model. This analysis included testing for data-fit to the model, …

Permission To Engage: Examining The Educational Experiences Of Active Duty Army Enlisted Soldiers Enrolled At Hopkinsville Community College, Tracey Y. Folden

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The military has long-standing partnerships with institutions of higher education (Leporte, 2013; Parks, 2015 & Massie, 2016). These partnerships have been significant over time because the United States Army has incentivized civilian education via the Army enlisted ranks and promotional structure (Wilson, Smith, Lee & Stevenson, 2013). Researchers are beginning to recognize service members as adult students who need specific supports in an educational setting (Wilson et al., 2013; Leporte, 2013; Parks, 2015; Massie, 2016). Enlisted soldiers arrive on college campuses with identities ascribed and molded by the military. Thus, their primary identity is soldier not student (Nagel & Kleykamp, …

The Examination Of Hazing Case Law As Applied Between 1980-2013, Christopher Keith Ellis

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This study contributes to the knowledge and understanding of the application of hazing law and response of courts to case law where hazing has been alleged between the years of 1980-2013. This study expands upon the 2009 research conducted by Carroll, Connaughton, Spengler and Zhang, which used a content analysis methodology to look at anti-hazing case law as applied in cases where educational institutions were named as defendants, and the 2002 unpublished dissertation of Guynn which explored anti-hazing case law and its application in cases involving high school students. This study examines all court cases between 1980-2013 where a judicial …

Informal Teacher Leadership For Technology Integration: A Multi-Site Case Study Of Distributed Leadership, Taylor J. Clements

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The goal of this study was to understand how a secondary principal uses a distributed perspective of leadership to support informal teacher leaders (ITLs) to improve classroom technology integration. Using a phenomenological lens, I employed a multi-site case study to inform the research goals. A conceptual framework based on Bandura’s (1977) social learning theory and Wenger’s (1998) communities of practice theory was used to guide the study’s methods and data collection.

Data were collected in three phases. At each site, the first phase consisted of a digital survey with only closed-ended questions that was administered to all classroom teachers. The …