Education Commons^™

Police Blotter, Unlv Department Of Police Services

Police Blotter

No abstract provided.

Usability As A Method For Assessing Discovery, Thomas A. Ipri, Michael A. Yunkin, Jeanne M. Brown

Library Faculty Publications

The University of Nevada Las Vegas Libraries engaged in three projects that helped identify areas of its website that had inhibited discovery of services and resources. These projects also helped generate staff interest in the Usability Working Group, which led these endeavors. The first project studied student responses to the site. The second focused on a usability test with the Libraries’ peer research coaches and resulted in a presentation of those findings to the Libraries staff. The final project involved a specialized test, the results of which also were presented to staff. All three of these projects led to improvements …

The Year In Review - 2009, Grangegorman Development Agency

Publications

Report on the Grangegorman Project “The Year in Review 2009″ outlining achievements and milestones, and plans for 2010.

Assessment Matters #8, Dec 2009, Assessment In Action Committee

Assessment Matters @ WMU

No abstract provided.

The Embodied Mind In Early Development: Sitting Postural Control And Visual Attention In Infants With Typical Development And Infants With Delays, Regina T. Harbourne

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As infants learn to sit between the ages of 5 and 8 months, they undergo many changes in their bodies as well as in their minds, creating conditions for the emergence of skills that allow greater interaction with their environment. The present study focused on the interaction of developing postural control in sitting with cognition, exemplifying the concept of the embodied mind. Look time, or the time an infant looks at an object, served as a proxy for the construct of cognitive processing. Three experiments examined developmental changes in sitting postural control and looking. The first experiment examined archival data …

Addressing Behavior Needs By Disability Category, Cynthia Serfass

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students with identified behavioral needs were provided a different level of behavioral intervention based on their special education disability category verification. A second purpose of this study was to determine what caused potential differences as interpreted by individuals working in the field.

The participants in this study were school-aged students (K-12) verified in the special education categories of Behaviorally Disordered (BD), Autism, and Other Health Impaired (OHI) from four Nebraska school districts. Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), Individualized Education Plan (IEP), functional behavioral assessment (FBA), and behavior intervention plan (BIP) documents were analyzed …

Transactional Distance And Course Structure: A Qualitative Study, Beth L. Vealé

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The last ten years has born witness to the rapid development and widespread offering of education at a distance. Even though distance education has been around since the 1970s, little attention has been given to how the structure of an online course influences students’ connections to the course or the instructor. Based on Michael G. Moore’s (1972) theory of transactional distance, this study examined one cluster of his theory—course structure. An extensive review of relevant literature revealed that there was a gap in research related to online course structure. In an effort to contribute to closing this gap, this study …

Online And Face-To-Face Classes: A Comparative Analysis Of Teaching Presence And Instructor Satisfaction, David T. Bentz

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Teaching presence is one of three components of the Community of Inquiry Model proposed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000). This study examined teaching presence, as measured by the instructional design and organization, and directed facilitation (Shea, Li, Swan, and Pickett, 2005), in a large undergraduate science course, contrasting two modes of lecture delivery, face-to-face and online video. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the teaching presence instrument, producing factor loadings similar to Shea et al.'s for both online and face-to-face delivery. Analysis of the relationship between instructor satisfaction and teaching presence (instructional design and organization, and directed facilitation) produced a significant …

Analysis Of Higher Education Employee Exercise Behaviors, Michele Linder

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

With the introduction of technology into our daily lives, the need for physical exertion has decreased, which has led to an increase in sedentary lifestyles. Sedentary lifestyles lead to the state of obesity, and nearly two-thirds of the Unites States’ adult population is considered overweight or obese. This has resulted in a reduced quality of life, adverse health effects that strain the health care system, and tension on the financial condition of American companies. Current literature indicates that organizations that had implemented exercise or wellness programs reported healthier and more productive employees, an improved morale within the company, and significant …

Csbs Kudos, December 2009, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Social And Behavioral Sciences.

CSBS Kudos

Inside This Issue:

-- Kudos to:
-- Kudos to CSBS faculty awarded Professional Development Assignments for 2010-2011!

The Usage Of Maps In Facilitating Conversations With Stakeholders About Educational Desgregation In Hartford, Brittany Price

Papers and Publications

Using spatial analysis tools such as GIS (Geographical Information Systems), this study maps the home addresses of city and suburban magnet school applicants, then uses the maps to start conversations with policy makers about how far students are willing to travel to attend certain schools.

Point/Counterpoint: Civil Rights For Homosexuals, Mike Cobb

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Acer Enews 12 December 2009, Acer

ACER eNews Archive

No abstract provided.

Torch (December 2009), Brandon Baldwin, Civil Rights Team Project

Torch: The Civil Rights Team Project Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Efficiency And Effectiveness Of Teacher Selection Tools: The Effects On The Total Group With A Focus On The Experience Sub-Groups, Kimberly Joyce Mckinley

Dissertations

As schools struggle to meet federal testing requirements, the importance of having highly effective teachers in every classroom has never been greater, and, given the downward trend in the economy, there are more teaching applicants than ever. School districts would benefit from a streamlined process to interview and select only the most effective and highly-qualified teachers. The researcher’s purpose was to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of a unique and specific teacher selection process which included three Ventures for Excellence screening tools and one innovative instrument designed for this study, the performance rating scale. A collaborative correlational study involving three …

The Impact Of The Instructional Practices Inventory At An Illinois Middle School, Karen Earhart Gauen

Dissertations

This participatory action research study followed a middle school for two academic years to determine if incorporating the Instructional Practices Inventory (IPI) would increase classroom experiences that engaged students in learning and encouraged deeper, higher-order thinking skills. This study also used student standardized test scores, the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) and Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP), to determine if there was a relationship between the IPI process and improved test scores. I worked as the IPI coder, researcher, and facilitator for this study. During the research study, I kept field notes and observational data. Utilizing …

Mathematics Teacher Educators As Cultural Workers: A Dare To Those Who Dare To Teach (Urban?) Teachers, David W. Stinson

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Faculty Publications

In his editorial, the author challenges urban mathematics educators to institute as the primary goal for the community of mathematics educators the cultural transformation of the discipline of mathematics from the psychologically brutalizing discipline of stratification into the psychologically humanizing discipline of freedom.

Meeting The Demand For Accountability: Case Study Of A Teacher Education Program In China, Tak Cheung Chan

Faculty and Research Publications

To meet the demand for accountability, a teacher education program in a university located in South China has established processes at the college, the program, and the faculty levels to assure its program quality. Highlights of the processes are: involvement of stakeholders and the examination of program effectiveness. Although much has been done to help program candidates succeed, more effort is needed in the areas of program assessment and continuous improvement to assure program quality. An accountability implementation plan, a beginning teacher mentoring program, and a comparative study of beginning teacher performance were recommended to further enforce its strategies toward …

Configuring Of Masculinity In An Ethnocentric Community School, Dimitri Garas, Sally Godinho

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper presents snapshots of a qualitative study that investigated how Year 8 boys in an ethnocentric community school configured their constructions of masculinity. Fifteen boys participated in focus group discussions that extended over a six-week period. For one focus group, the boys were invited to bring a ‘totem’, which was an embodiment of their masculinity. The findings from the focus groups revealed both collective and individual constructions and enactments of masculinities that were talked into existence and transmitted through hegemonic discourses. Yet the findings also revealed the boys’ individual agency to engage with other ways of doing and being …

Enrollment Reaches A New High, Keri Suarez

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Richmond Public Schools: Post-Court Mandated School Desegregation (1986-2006), Joshua Cole

Theses and Dissertations

In 1970, cross-town busing was court mandated to enforce school desegregation in Richmond, Virginia. Unitary status was declared in Richmond when cross-town busing ended in 1986. Richmond Public Schools (RPS) no longer operated as a dual school system for blacks and whites after 1986. Class and racial segregation continued to exist in the City of Richmond. RPS remained predominately black and poor. Socio-economic conditions of the city continued to impact the school district. Controversies, mismanagement and low academic achievement stigmatized RPS until state and federal performance measures forced the district to improve. By 2006, RPS was still segregated; however, as …

School District Superintendents' Response To Ethical Dilemmas: A Grounded Theory, Fay Sprouse

All Dissertations

Ethical dilemmas, situations involving a conflict between values or principles, often arise when employees of school districts violate laws or professional codes of behavior. Ethical dilemmas also occur when there are inequities in educational programming, resulting in missed opportunities for students. This qualitative study, conducted with the grounded theory research methodology, analyzed school district superintendents' responses to ethical dilemmas experienced in the course of their professional career. Critical influences on the decision-making process and the ethical frameworks utilized by participants were examined. A 'Model of Superintendents' Responses to Ethical Dilemmas' was developed and participants' stories were used to elucidate the …

Preservice Teacher Attitudes And Intentions Toward An Inclusive Educational Environment: An Application Of The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Julie Jones

All Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to identify preservice teacher beliefs, attitudes, and intentions toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in a predominately general education environment. A survey instrument was created based on Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of planned behavior and disseminated to three universities in South Carolina. This study improves upon existing studies of preservice teacher attitudes because it takes place at more than one institution and is grounded in a theory that explores the many- layered aspects of attitude.
Preservice teacher attitudes were moderately positive on all measures: behavioral beliefs, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. …

Gamma Sigma Delta Newsletter - Nebraska Chapter, Issue #39, December 2009

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter: Newsletters

President’s Message: We thank the seminar panelists and the seminar committee for an outstanding seminar. New Outstanding Graduate Student Award. Initiation and Awards Banquet, January 24, 2010. Rick Rasby elected to Chapter office.
Award of Merit for Service: Elbert C. Dickey
Extension Award: Dennis E. Bauer
Teaching Award: Tiffany M. Heng-Moss
Research Award: Clinton J. Jones
Gamma Sigma Delta Initiates
Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Graduate Student Award Fund

Student Characteristics, Pre-College, College, And Environmental Factors As Predictors Of Persisting In And Earning A Stem Degree: An Analysis Of Students Attending A Hispanic Serving Institution, Gloria Crisp, Amanda Taggart, Amaury Nora

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This study examined the demographic, pre-college, environmental, and college factors that impact students’ interests in and decisions to earn a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degree among students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Results indicated that Hispanic students were well represented among STEM majors, and students’ decisions to declare a STEM major and earn a STEM degree were uniquely influenced by students’ gender, ethnicity, SAT math score, and high school percentile. Earning a STEM degree was related to students’ first-semester GPA and enrollment in mathematics and science “gatekeeper” courses. Findings indicate that HSIs may be an important point …

Borrowing Avid Inquiry: Getting To The Essential Question In The English Classroom, Kaidi R. Stroud

English Literature Graduate Theses and Projects

There is a danger as new teachers struggle with how to implement their educational theories in the classroom to fall back into teaching how they have been taught, regardless of whether or not that method is appropriate to their beliefs or considered best-practice. In order to combat that tendency, this teacher-research project was designed to problem-solve the often-times conflicting relationship between curriculum and theory that all too often results in fall-back teaching. But also, this project aimed to collect and analyze student work in order to better inform instruction in a way that was both reflective and active. Specifically, the …

A Partnership Based Approach To Professional Learning: Pre-Service And In-Service Teachers Working Together To Teach Primary Science, John Kenny

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports on a partnership based approach for preparing pre-service primary teachers to teach science. It involved forming three-way or "triadic" partnerships, consisting of a final year pre-service primary teacher and an in-service colleague, to teach science in the colleague teacher’s classroom, with the support of a teacher-educator. The pre-service teachers had to collaboratively plan, develop and deliver a sequence of science lessons and take major responsibility for teaching a 90 minute science lesson, at least once a week over a six week period. The data was collected during 2007 and 2008. The pre-service teachers kept a reflective journal …

Developing An Early Childhood Teacher Workforce Development Strategy For Rural And Remote Communities, Anne Price, Elizabeth Jackson-Barrett

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The North West Early Childhood and Primary Teacher Workforce Development Strategy offers students in the Pilbara and Kimberley the opportunity to enrol in a Western Australian University’s fully accredited Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) part time and externally – so they can continue to live and work in their communities. The Western Australian Department of Education and Training (WA DET) and the Commonwealth Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) have funded the project, enabling the University to provide mentoring support and provision for Recognition of Prior Learning, on a case-by-case basis, depending on their individual …

The Chat Room, Vol. 17, College Of Education And Professional Studies

The Chat Room (CEPS Newsletter)

The Chat Room is the College of Education and Professional Studies newsletter. This is Volume 17, December 2009.

L2 Teachers’ Pedagogic Knowledge Base: A Comparison Between Experienced And Less Experienced Practitioners, Ramin Akbari, Leila Tajik

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Second language teacher education community has become increasingly interested in the pedagogical knowledge base of teachers as a window into practitioners' mental lives. The present study was conducted to document likely differences between the pedagogic thoughts of experienced and less experienced teachers. Eight teachers participated in the project. Data were collected through the use of stimulated recall. The analysis of the data shows that there are differences both in the number and the order of the thoughts teachers produced in different groups. Experienced teachers produced an average of five pedagogical thoughts per minute, while their less experienced counterparts produced 3 …