Education Commons^™

Utilizing The Multiple Intelligences Theory In Classrooms, Priscilla Wreede

Graduate Teacher Education

Teachers have the seemingly impossible task of providing instruction that meets the needs of each learner in their classrooms. In their quest to provide quality instruction for all, many teachers have started to implement the Multiple Intelligences Theory into their lessons. Several studies have been analyzed to understand how intelligences can be identified and developed in students and how proper implementation of this theory can affect students’ motivational levels and academic achievement. The studies showed that when students are aware of their own strongest intelligences and/or their teachers are aware, they are able to develop the intelligences to a higher …

Utilizing The Growth Mindset To Boost Perseverance And Academic Achievement, Emily Anderson

Graduate Teacher Education

In order to be successful in academics and life, children must have a certain level of perseverance, or willingness to work through challenges. Without perseverance, a child may quickly give up or request assistance and, thus, stunt his or her learning and potential. Due to its important implications for success, it would be beneficial for educators to develop perseverance in their students. One method for building perseverance in children is by fostering a growth mindset. A growth mindset is a belief that traits, such as intelligence, are malleable, often through effort and perseverance. When fostered by educators, a growth mindset …

The Language Outcomes Of Hmong Dual-Language Immersion Program, Chao Vang

Doctorate in Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a K-12 Hmong dual-language immersion program on kindergarten through fifth-grade Hmong students’ academic performance in the category of reading Hmong and English. Moreover, the parents of those students were investigated concerning specific factors they used in choosing a dual-language immersion program for their child. Hmong bilingual students have different perspectives about their cultural identities, retaining the Hmong culture, and learning English when the Hmong language was used as the instructional language. It was also imperative to determine the most prevalent factor that parents consider when selecting a program with …

Academic Achievement And Development Of Self-Efficacy Of At-Risk Girls Through Mentoring Programs, Latriace Wicks-Williams

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

At-risk girls of color face a variety of challenges; even more when they are in an urban setting. Girls must gain the tools necessary to transition effectively into adulthood. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the effect participating in a mentoring program had on the academic achievement and self-efficacy of girls of color in an urban setting who have been identified as at-risk. The primary focus of the study was academic achievement and self-efficacy. These two traits have been identified as essential to the successful transition into adulthood. The population of this study is girls of …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Factors Influencing Students’ Academic Performance In Online Courses: A Case Study, Autumn Reyes-Sokolowsky

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The problem at the center of this study was the fact that full-time virtual students often showed less learning gains than their traditional counterparts. The purpose of the study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of internal and external factors influencing students’ academic achievement in online courses. The central research question was: what factors do teachers perceive as a significant impact on online students’ success? A qualitative method with a case study design was adopted. Data were collected through individual teacher interviews and a focus group discussion in southeastern region of the United States. The results showed five significant themes: student …

Effects Of A One-To-One Computer Environment On Student Academic Achievement, Amy M. Price

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

A gap exists in current research due to a lack of studies that explore the effect of schoolwide one-to-one computer implementations on academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect a one-to-one computing environment had on student academic achievement means of middle school students in rural Nevada. This quantitative, non-experimental study used a causal-comparative design and analysis of academic achievement archival data from the 2015–2016, the year before implementation; 2016–2017, the first year of one-to-one implementation; and 2017–2018, the second year of implementation. Two research questions guided this study: RQ1. Is there a significant difference in …

Implications Of Physical Activity Breaks In The Classroom, Micah Kuchta

Graduate Teacher Education

With the increased focus of education being on teaching to the standardized tests, students have decreased opportunities for reaching their physical activity needs within the daily rigors of the school day. As a result of more classroom instruction time, off-task behaviors and obesity levels are on the rise while teachers are struggling to find teaching strategies that keep students engaged in the classroom. The purpose of this literature review was to analyze the implications that classroom physical activity breaks can have on on-task behaviors, increase physical activity within the normal school day, and improve student academic achievement. On-task behaviors were …

Inquiry-Based Learning In The Elementary And Middle School Setting, Dale Uselman

Graduate Teacher Education

There are many instructional strategies available to educators for use in the classroom. With this variety of strategies, there is a responsibility for educators to ensure the strategies selected for use have a positive impact on student learning. One such instructional strategy used in classrooms around the world is inquiry-based learning. This strategy allows students to create their own understanding of content while teachers act as facilitators. Research about inquiry-based learning in the elementary and middle school setting indicates it has a positive impact on student learning. These positive influences on learning include greater academic achievement in multiple content areas …

Middle School Teacher Perceptions Of The Use Of The Growth Mindset Strategies To Improve Student Motivation In Title I Schools, Aressa R. Jones

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Students are motivated to perform tasks by either external or internal factors. Current research has shown that teachers in Title I schools face challenges when trying to motivate students. These challenges can cause teachers in Title I schools to have different perceptions about the motivations of the students. The Growth Mindset Theory and the Theory of Motivation make up the conceptual framework used for this study. The researcher designed the research question in order to examine the perceptions of 3 male and 3 female teachers who teach in a Title I middle school in a moderately sized urban school district. …

Student Connectedness And Academic Achievement: A Quantitative Study Of Career And Technical Education Students, Kern Mcginley

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The focus of this correlational study in an Alaskan career and technical (CTE) school environment was to explore the research question that guided this study: In a large urban school district of Alaska, with a diverse student population, what is the relationship between the CTE student connectedness level and academic achievement levels? Participants included 132 high school students, Grades 10 through 12. Additional research questions were developed to examine the strength of the relationship between student connectedness and academic achievement by gender and ethnicity. Data were collected using an online survey with a combination of demographic questions and Goodenow’s (1993b) …

Understanding The Academic Achievement Of African American Scholars: An Intrinsic Case Study Of An Urban High School, Cluny Lavache

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative intrinsic case study focused on the academic achievement and success of African American alumni students in an urban school district in New York City. The researcher sought to answer the following research questions: (a) How do urban, African American high school alumni perceive and describe the quality of education they received as impacting their studies and their success?; (b) How do alumni describe the social and cultural factors that contributed to and influenced the quality of education they received?; and (c) How do social and cultural factors influence their trajectory towards high academic achievement and/or success? Data were …

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions On How Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) Relate To Academic Achievement, Tamalita S. Funches

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This phenomenological research study reviews elementary teachers’ perceptions on how Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) relate to academic achievement. Researchers have identified the need for effective behavioral management plans to assist teachers with student discipline concerns and academic achievement. PBIS provides an effective framework for accomplishing these outcomes. Purposeful sampling identified 10 participants for individual interviews and completing a Qualtrics survey. During the 1:1 interviews, participants expressed their perceived ideas and experiences with PBIS as a behavioral management framework that was used to manage behavior and improve student academic achievement. The surveys provided an additional analysis of the participants’ …

Teacher-Student Relationships And How They Encourage Mathematics Achievement Among Black Males, Makeba C. Butler

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This research study focuses on positive teacher-student relationships and how these relationships influence the mathematics achievement of African American elementary male students. It identifies some of the characteristics relevant to the establishment and cultivation of the teacher-student relationship and sheds useful insights into how African American male students respond to the interactions with their teachers. Extant literature has increasingly shown that positive-teacher student relationships significantly shape academic progress in Black students. Through teacher surveys and teacher interviews, this dissertation offers a synopsis of how teachers facilitate relationships with their African American male students as well as gives a detailed account …

Superintendent Leadership In Small, Rural Minnesota Public Schools, Timothy Plath

Doctorate in Education

The purpose of the research was to investigate the leadership skills of rural Minnesota superintendents alongside the academic achievement of the school district. Through the correlates of school leadership espoused by Waters and Marzano, this research analyzed the leadership characteristics of the superintendents in those districts and the level of educational excellence achieved under them.

A multiple case study methodology was used to study nine rural Minnesota school districts and superintendents. Through a written survey, this study considered collaborative goal setting, nonnegotiable goals for academic achievement, board alignment with district goals, monitoring achievement and instruction, and allocating resources to support …