Education Commons^™

Professional Development, Digital Platforms, And Middle School Education During Covid-19, Cynthia Susan Castro

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 outbreak shifted towards online learning, requiring educators and administrators to adapt to new digital platforms and technologies quickly. The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine whether there is a significant difference in the frequency of use of digital platforms among middle schools. Secondly, it explores the relationship between teachers' attendance at professional development sessions and their integration of Nearpod lessons during the pandemic. Lastly, it investigates the relationship between the time campus principals invested in technology-related professional development and teachers' adoption of digital platforms at their respective campuses. Surveys and administrative records were …

Identifying Factors That Increase Sustainability Of Swpbis In Us Middle Schools, Heather L. Hoffert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

School-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) is a multi-tiered framework with decades of documented success in reducing problem behavior, increasing academic achievement, and promoting positive school climates. Approximately 20% of schools nationwide (n=26,000) implement SWPBIS (Kittleman et al., 2020). However, many schools that adopt SWPBIS abandon the program after only a few years of implementation. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate factors that promote sustainability of SWPBIS. By identifying factors that increase schools’ likelihood to sustain practices, we can target our implementation efforts both effectively and efficiently thereby improving student outcomes. The Benchmarks of Quality (BoQ) is used annually …

Reproducing The Status Quo In The Middle School English Classroom: A Critical Examination Of Literacy Learning Via Personalized Learning Technology, Michele Mcconnell

Dissertations

Personalized learning technology (PL Tech) is a growing educational reform movement supported by federal grant dollars. As a bourgeoning educational movement, no research has been conducted to explore the potential effects of such structures in supporting student literacy learning. Additionally, current education reform research often lacks the perspective of the students experiencing the reform. Therefore, this study sought to examine the lived experiences of middle school students using PL Tech to understand what structural and cultural arrangements influenced students’ literacy learning.

Portraiture, a qualitative methodology, was employed to conduct the study at a charter school in Fresno, California implementing PL …

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development For Blended Learning Implementation, Jessica Wear

Ed.D. Dissertations

As technology use in the classroom became more prevalent, so did the questions of how to effectively integrate technology into instructional practice. From this rise in questions about how to effectively integrate technology, the term blended learning emerged. Blended learning serves as a description of practices for educators to effectively implement and integrate technology in classrooms. Through an adult learning framework, I used a qualitative interpretive research design to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of professional development for implementing blended learning. I sampled 32 middle school teachers who completed questionnaires, and I interviewed three teachers based on their responses to …

The Role Paradox Of Middle School Assistant Principals In Tennessee: Self-Perception Versus Teacher Perception, Jarrod Pendergraft

Ed.D. Dissertations

Research was limited when it came to the roles and responsibilities of middle school assistant principals. Even less research was dedicated to how middle school teachers perceived the roles and responsibilities of their assistant principals. Due to the overall lack of research regarding both facets, further research was necessary to form a better understanding of middle school assistant principals’ roles and responsibilities as compared to teachers’ perceptions. Middle school assistant principals and teachers from one Tennessee county responded to questionnaires to explore the relationship between middle school assistant principals’ perceptions of their roles and responsibilities and the teachers’ perceptions of …

Teacher Perceptions Of Curriculum-Driven Technology After Working With Instructional Technology Coaches In Middle Schools In One Southeastern School District, Julie Pepperman

Ed.D. Dissertations

The use of curriculum-driven technology in K-12 public schools was mandated by federal law. School and district leaders were required to provide curriculum-driven technology professional development and support to teachers. The use of the curriculum-driven technology coach was an option some schools chose to meet the curriculum-driven technology professional development requirements and needs of their teachers. The purpose of this research was to explore one school district’s middle school teachers’ perceptions of the importance of curriculum-driven technology and their perceived self-efficacy in using curriculum-driven technology in instructional practice after collaborating with a curriculum-driven technology coach. This qualitative study was conducted …

Sexual Consent In Middle School Sex Health Education: An Analysis Of Health Education Standards In Minnesota, Ashley Parent

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Comprehensive sex education is designed to teach sexual health, reproductive health, human sexual anatomy, safe sex, birth control and sexual abstinence. Consent education focuses on sexually transmitted infection (STI), pregnancy prevention, sexual identity, and the risks of sexual violence (Willis, 2019). This qualitative content analysis and survey will explore consent education in middle schools adopted in Minnesota from the past ten years. The research questions for this study are: is consent a part of sex education? How has consent been taught in 8-10 grades in Minnesota over the past 10 years? What frameworks are being used to teach consent to …

Teachers’ Job Satisfaction: Content Area In Relation To Middle School Teachers’ Job Satisfaction, Ashley Potter

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

Retaining high quality teachers to counteract the teacher shortage happening across the nation has been a focus of the education system. Middle school educators require a certain skill set and knowledge to be effective at this vital time in their student’s lives. These specific set of educators have not been exempt from the shortage statistic. A teachers’ overall job satisfaction plays a major role in their decision making on a daily basis and their longevity in the profession. Although there are studies on teachers’ job satisfaction, there is minimal research available on how the content area a middle school teacher …

Exploring Higher Order Thinking Strategies In Georgia's Top Performing Middle Schools, Karen Kister

Ed.D. Dissertations

Developmental psychologists defined adolescent cognitive development as a period of time when individuals learn to mentally separate from adults and establish a self‑sufficient identity capable of the autonomous thought necessary to apply higher-order thinking. In contrast, college professors of the millennial generation stated that students demonstrate increased immaturity levels inconsistent with those of prior generations. Hence, the focus of this study was to examine the higher-order thinking strategies that teachers of adolescents have implemented within the five top performing middle schools in the state of Georgia. The findings offered a potential coexistence of higher-order thinking abilities and autonomous behavior and …

Assessing Reading And Mathematics Achievement Of Students With Disabilities In A Suburban Middle School, Terri Melissa Toomer

Theses and Dissertations

Co-teaching classrooms consist of general and special education teachers working together to benefit students with disabilities (SWDs). Many parents and teachers believe the content knowledge provided by general educators in the regular education setting, combined with the instructional service delivery model (SDM) expertise of special educators, will result in the greatest academic growth for SWDs. However, it is not known if SWDs served in one SDM progress at a faster rate than SWDs served in another SWD. Therefore, the focus of this study was to compare the reading and mathematics achievement of male and female middle school SDWs in two …

Use Of Technology And Perceived Level Of Engagement With 1:1 Technology, William Blake Tucker

Education Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative dissertation was designed to describe to the policymakers and stakeholders of School District Z the frequency of use of the 1:1 technology, the frequency of use of other technological devices by teachers and students, and the importance of 1:1 technology to student learning. District Z provided Chromebooks to each student in Grades 6, 7, and 8 during the 2014-2015 school year with the goal of harnessing the power of technology to engage students and ultimately to improve student achievement. The researcher developed a survey instrument to capture data from approximately 1,100 students 1 year after implementation of the …

Relationship Between School Climate And Student Achievement, Gail H. Greenway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly public schools in the United States are finding that factors beyond curriculum and instruction impact student achievement. Much research has been conducted on the relationship between school climate and student achievement (Cohen, McCabe, Michelli, & Pickeral, 2009; Guo & Higgins-D’Alessandro, 2011). This study set out to determine if there was a correlation between school climate and student achievement in middle schools in the Central Savannah River Area Regional Educational Service Agency region in the state of Georgia. Findings from this quantitative study indicated that there is a statistically significant, positive relationship between school climate and student achievement in middle …

Examining Student And Teacher Perceptions Of The Classroom Social Environment Across School Context: Effects Of Individual Factors, Keri Stewart

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although teachers and students are the primary actors in the classroom environment, they often have different perceptions of the instructional and relational aspects of the classroom. Despite these differences, research indicates perceptions of the quality of the classroom social environment have implications for both student and teacher outcomes. Additionally, research has indicated the differences in perceptions occur not only between students and teachers, but also among individual students within classrooms. The extent and the manner in which these perceptions converge may vary across different class and school contexts. School and class context, as well as individual characteristics and beliefs have …

Program Evaluation On The Implementation Of A Middle School Concept In Private Christian Schools, James Chapman Hall

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of implementing a middle school concept in three private Christian schools using Daniel Stufflebeam’s CIPP model of program evaluation. The National Middle School Survey was used to measure faculty and administrative perceptions of both the value and actual implementation of middle school concepts that to this point have not been formally evaluated in each school. Additionally, student levels of cognitive and psychological engagement and global life satisfaction were measured using the Student Engagement Instrument and Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale.

The following evaluation questions were the focus of this study …

An Evaluation Of A Remedial Reading Program For Middle-Grade Students In A Southeastern State Public School, Susan S. Nichols

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on reading achievement for middle school students after participation in a remedial reading program, Xtreme Reading, at a southeastern state public school. The researcher used Stufflebeam's (2003) context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model to guide the study. A mixed-method research design was used to examine data collected from 80 students in Grades 6 through 8 participating in reading interventions spanning a 1-year period from 2013 through 2014.

There were significant differences in reading achievement scores of students during the 1-year implementation of Xtreme Reading. The findings in this study …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Public K-8 And Middle Schools And Student Achievement In One South Carolina School District, Marc Gardner Zachary

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This study examined the impact of grade configuration on academic achievement. Specifically compared were 6-8 middle schools versus a K-8 school in one upstate South Carolina district. One purpose of this study was to determine if the performance, as indicated by the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) reading and math tests, was different for students enrolled in grades 6-8 in a certain school configuration. The other purpose was to determine if reading and math growth during the transition year from elementary to middle school is higher in 6-8 middle schools or K-8 schools. The researcher utilized data from 3 …

Investigating The Effects Of A Sentence Writing Strategy And A Self-Monitoring Procedure On The Writing Performance Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, David Rago

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Writing is a tool students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can use to communicate and interact with other people socially and professionally. Strong writing skills may lead to social and economic success, as well as a sense of self-empowerment. Unfortunately, there is very little research related to the use of sentence-writing strategies and self-monitoring procedures to improve the writing performance of adolescent students with ASD. Thus, this study was designed to examine the effects of a sentence-writing strategy and a self-monitoring procedure on the writing performance of adolescents with ASD.

The study included five participants. These participants attended the same …

The Relationship Between Mandatory School Uniforms And Attendance, Jessica Mayweather

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a relationship exists between the implementation of a mandatory uniform policy in an urban public middle school and student attendance rates (as measured by the schools yearly progress report collected by the state Board of Education). Four schools serving students in grades 6-8 in an urban school district in Georgia were included in this study.

Three comparisons were used to determine whether or not and, if so, the extent to which the relationships existed. Some qualitative and quantitative measures were utilized in the design of this mixed method study. These methods …

Principal Change Facilitator Style And Student Achievement: A Study Of Schools In The Middle, Steven Keith Stewart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research reflecting the influence of leadership in middle level schools related to improving student achievement is scarce in spite of the pressure placed on schools by federal mandates and policies, such as NCLB, to reach ever-increasing levels of achievement. Although there is extensive literature on leadership and its possible influence on climate and culture, teacher efficacy, vision and goals of schools, and instruction, most of these topics are considered indirectly linked to student achievement. Few, if any, of these studies touch on the specific nature of middle level schools and how principal leadership might influence improved student achievement.

This quantitative …

The Relationship Between Readability Level Of Mississippi's Middle Schools' Websites And Seventh Grade Language Arts Mct2 Scores, Anna Marlene Graves Pickard

Dissertations

Today’s educators face the unprecedented challenge of increasing achievement for all students. One response has been to increase and improve parent involvement and school-to-home communication through the use of school websites. The quantitative section of this study analyzed the readability grade level of the website as it relates to state test scores. For the qualitative section of the study, a sample of middle school principals’ levels of interest and involvement with parents through the website and other methods of communication for student achievement were examined through the use of principal interviews.

Seventh grade Language Arts MCT2 scores from 205 Mississippi …

An Investigation Of The Emotional Intelligence Competencies Of National Middle Schools To Watch Principals, Michele Reynolds

Online Theses and Dissertations

The link between emotional intelligence and successful leadership in all organizations, including schools, is becoming stronger as new research is continually added to the field. Although it has already been established that emotionally intelligent leaders have a positive impact on the performance of their organization, research on the emotional intelligence specific to leaders of high-achieving middle schools is still evolving. Since emotional intelligence is a learned trait, this is especially important at the middle school level, where our nations' middle school students are falling woefully behind the majority of their international counterparts.

The purpose of this study is to investigate …

A Comparative Study Of The Impact Of Charitable Donations On The Financial Viability Of San Miguel Model Schools, Michael Quirk

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to measure and compare the advancement strategies employed by private faith-based middle schools which serve economically disadvantaged minority students in urban settings. The research compared six schools in two groups of samples chosen from a pool of Lasallian Catholic alternative middle schools. Data collected from extensive personal interviews with school administrators were divided into twelve categories to compare the school’s establishment, the school’s board makeup and advancement functions, the school’s advancement methods and programs, the school’s senior advancement administration, and the school’s relationship with religious sponsor. Additional data from the sample schools financial audits …

Addressing Anger Managment In A Middle School Setting: Initiating A Leadership Drive Anger Management Group, Isaac Burt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of a leadership driven anger management group on angry middle school students. Twenty-five participants from a local middle school were nominated by school faculty to be participants in the study. Twenty individuals participated and eighteen completed the study. The eighteen participants were assessed at pre and post test on measures of anger, anger control and personal relationships. Three research questions were tested: (1) Does a short term leadership focused anger management group reduce youths' overall anger? (2) Does such a group increase angry youths' ability to control anger urges? (3) Does this group reduce youths' …

Principal Instructional Leadership Behavior As Perceived By Teachers And Principals At New York State Recognized And Non-Recognized Middle Schools, Brendan J. Lyons

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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In Search Of Music Equity In An Urban Middle School, John Calloway

Doctoral Dissertations

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A Comparative Study Of The Effectiveness Of Three Middle Schools In A Pennsylvania School District Designated As "Making Progress", Teresa Lee Powell

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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New Jersey Public Middle School Grades 7-8 Non-Tenured Teacher Perceptions Of Instructional Strategies That Impact Student Engagement, Jeanette M. Baubles

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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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 …

A Comparative Study Of Teacher Satisfaction Levels In New Jersey Public Middle Schools In District Factor Groups A, B, Cd, And De, Francine R. Parker

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Play Therapy Interventions And Their Effectiveness In A School-Based Counseling Program, Nancy Cardenas

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to add to the limited amount of information on the effectiveness of play therapy interventions in a school-based counseling program. The study focused on examining the reasons why clients were referred to counseling, the frequency and duration of their behavior, the clients' academic performance at the beginning and end of treatment, the total number of sessions received, and the type of play therapy that was used to determine how effective play therapy interventions were during treatment.