Education Commons^™

Intervention Program Graduate On Time As Related To The Number Of High School Dropouts In A Rural Northeast Tennessee High School., Mischelle Nichole Gambill Simcox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the intervention program Graduate on Time as related to the number of high school dropouts in a rural northeast Tennessee high school. Graduation rates and dropout rates were gathered from Report Card information from the Tennessee Department of Education website. Archival data for the students in this study were obtained from the STAR student management data system. Former students in the Graduate on Time program were surveyed for their perceptions about the program.

The population for this study consisted of 96 students who were enrolled in the Graduate on Time program from …

Correlation Between The Tcap Test And Thinklink Learnings Predictive Assessment Series Test In Reading Math And Science In A Tennessee School System., Jared Edwin Day

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine if a correlation existed between the Predictive Assessment Series (PAS) Test, marketed by Discovery Education, and the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Achievement Test in reading, math, and science for grade 4, grade 6, and grade 8. The study included 4^th-grade, 6^th-grade, and 8^th-grade students during the 2008-2009 school year who had taken the ThinkLink Predictive Assessment Series for reading, math, and science in February 2009 and had taken the TCAP reading, math, and science test in April 2009.

The approach of the study was quantitative …

A Study Of Organizational Structures Impacting Noncredit Workforce Education And Their Effects On Determining Workforce Development Strategies In Louisiana's Community And Technical Colleges, William S. Wainwright

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Lumina Foundation (2007) indicates that 54 million adults in the workforce are seeking noncredit education opportunities in a credit course/program delivery system designed to meet the needs of traditional college students. Working adults seeking continuing education coupled with dislocated workers as a result of changing economic situations represents this growing population. Community and technical colleges in Louisiana benefit from a for-credit formula funding model and do not benefit from a formula funding mechanism that supports noncredit education enrollments. As Louisiana’s community and technical colleges face continuous budget challenges resulting from economic recession, college leaders are making critical decisions in …

Measuring Early Numeracy Of Kindergarten Students In A Group Setting, Stacy A. Winck

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Early identification practices in assessment are crucial to preventing academic failure as well as identifying students at-risk for later learning disabilities. The PAM Early Numeracy Screening is a set of subscales designed to measure early numeracy in kindergarten students in a group setting. Given that the existing early numeracy measures are individually administered, the purpose of the current study was to explore the psychometric properties of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Correlational analysis was the primary research design used to investigate the evidence of reliability, criterion-related validity, and construct validity of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Criterion measures …

Student Outcomes And The Implementation Of A Ninth Grade Academy In A Western North Carolina High School., Monet Calloway Samuelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of students who were part of a 9^th grade academy during their freshman year with outcomes of students who were not part of a 9^th grade academy during their freshman year. Student outcomes are defined for this study to include attendance, promotion rate to 10^th grade on time, in-school suspension assignments, Algebra I End-of-Course exam scores, and English I End-of-Course exam scores. The second purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of 10^th grade students who were part of a 9^th grade academy during their …

Interscholastic Sports Academic Performance And Attendance Of Middle School Student Athletes And Nonathletes., Kenneth Huey Samuelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if student athletes were more successful in school than nonathletes at 2 middle schools located in the same school district in Western North Carolina. Each school serves students in grades 6-8; however, data were only gathered from students in grades 7 and 8 because students in grade 6 are prohibited from participating in athletics at the middle school level. The testing variables included number of days absent from school, percentile score on Math End-of-Grade tests, percentile score on Reading End-of-Grade tests, final grade in math courses, and final grade in reading courses. …

Effect Of Education Tablet Applications On Beginning Reading Skills Of Students With Autism, Jillian Ratliff

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the effect of tablet computer applications and the reading skills of students with autism. Two subjects diagnosed with autism selected by using a convenient sampling method participated in this study. A single subject ABA design was used for collecting data regarding phonemic identification, letter identification, letter discrimination, ap.d sight word identification. Following the collection of baseline data, interventions in the form of different iPad applications were used in individual tutoring sessions and data were collected on the percent of correct responses given per trial. At the completion of a …

A Survey Of Tennessee Extension Agents’ Perceptions Of The Tennessee Extension Agent Performance Appraisal System, Joseph Leonard Donaldson

Doctoral Dissertations

This study aimed to describe extension agent perceptions of the Tennessee Extension Agent Performance Appraisal System. A survey instrument was developed to address the research questions. The instrument had two sections: Satisfaction with the Current Appraisal System (14 items) and Satisfaction with Appraiser Performance (7 items). The instrument was reviewed by an expert panel and pilot tested with a group of 39 extension agents. The instrument was deployed online to the study population.

The population studied consisted of all extension agents employed by the University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University in January, 2010 (N=312). The total completed responses were …

Plcs: Student Outcomes Evaluation In Midwest High School, Kelly E. Dickinson

Dissertations

This study was an evaluation of student outcomes following a five year implementation of PLCs at Midwest High School in the U.S. Three research questions were addressed: (1) Has student achievement increased during the course of implementing PLCs? If so, is there evidence that this is a result of a contribution from PLC implementation from 2006-2011? (2) Have teacher attitudes toward curriculum rigor, public image, quality of education, and post-high school preparedness changed during the implementation of PLCs from 2006-2011? (3) Is the staff, in April 2011, a mature PLC? For research question one, eight hypotheses resulted in the evaluation …

Students With Reading Disabilities Participating In Literature Discussions: A Case Study, Elysha Patino O’Brien

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This qualitative case study addressed a lack of research concerning literature discussions for students with learning disabilities in reading. Fourth and fifth grade students with reading disabilities participated in twice-weekly literature discussions, 30- to-60 minutes each, for 12 weeks. The students attended a Title I school and most were Hispanic males. Together, they read and discussed five postmodern picturebooks. The purpose of the study was to understand (a) reader responses to the illustrations, text, and postmodern features of the books, and (b) the individual reader’s response habits. Situated within a sociocultural frame, the theories guiding this study pertained to language …

Teacher Collaboration And Student Achievement, Cordie E. Wimberley

Dissertations

This study was conducted to explore the relationship between teacher collaboration and student achievement. The pedagogical model espoused by Howland and Picciotto (2003b) defined teacher collaboration as a pedagogy that involves two or more teachers who regularly discuss teaching and learning, including learning activities, lesson plans, assignments, pacing, course design, evaluating, and revising the program. Five hundred twenty three school districts were invited to be part of this study. Then, 100 public school districts were randomly selected from 201 responses to an online survey addressed to Professional Development Chairpersons in Missouri. School districts were divided into two groups, collaborative and …

Looping Mathematics Instruction At The High School Level: An Examination Of Success Indicators, John M. Lachance Jr.

Dissertations

Success in high school and high school mathematics has long-term implications for students‟ college and career readiness and achievement. As the United States and many other nations examine ways to enhance the high school experience for young people and increase student achievement in mathematics every aspect of instruction needs close examination to determine best practices. This study helped determine the outcomes of looped instruction for high school students in the content area of mathematics and a comprehensive examination of success indicators for students in high school mathematics including standardized test scores, grades, common assessment scores, and attendance, discipline, as well …

The Effect Of Pre-Collaborative Activity Instruction On Self-Efficacy, Robert Ray Mattson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Collaborative learning is increasing in popularity in education. This collaborative pedagogy is based on a significant body of research that shows positive learning gains. Additionally, given the nature of much of the information-age work, it is thought that such collaborative activity in school helps develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that will be beneficial to students in their post-college lives.

In spite of collaborative learning's increasing use and popularity, there is only limited research on how students feel about such methods and their level of confidence in their collaborative knowledge, skills and attitudes. Based on the current theories about self-efficacy, delineated …

The Influence Of Peer Tutors And Technology-Actuated Reading Instruction Process On Third-Grade Students' Self-Perceptions As Readers: A Multiple Case Study, Brenda Shill Daw

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Driven by Lev Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory (1986), my study investigated the self-perceptions and interactions of seven underperforming, third-grade readers while using Technology-Actuated Reading Instruction (TARI). Partnered with same-age peer tutors, readers used digital tools to listen to, read/record, and playback oral reading passages. They practiced, peer- or self-edited, and selected their best reading products as part of the iterative process. As reading is a complex cognitive skill (Reinking, 2005), TARI incorporated higher cognitive learning activities via a synthesis of Gagné's (1985) nine conditions of learning and the Four-Component Instructional Design Model (van Merriënboer & Kester, 2005).

Much of the current …

Leading Schools To Increased Reading Achievement: An Investigation Into Effective Reading Instruction, Patricia Anne Alford

Dissertations

This study investigated the effectiveness of two models of middle school reading instruction as measured by mean scores of middle school students on a state criterion-referenced test. Two cohorts of students were repeatedly compared over a three year period: students who received reading instruction as a core content class (Intervention A) and students who received reading instruction through content-area courses of math, social studies, science, and language arts (Intervention B). The independent variable was the reading program implemented and the dependent variables were the scale scores on the Reading portion of the CRCT test. A mixed model analysis of variance …

The Relationship Between Teacher Collaboration And Student Achievement, Sandra Reid Ervin

Dissertations

NCLB mandates have placed a strong sense of responsibility on educators to ensure that all students are performing at their optimal academic levels. The collaboration of educators is needed as the accountability for student performances increases. At the school level, collaboration and a focus on instruction influence productivity, morale, teacher retention and ultimately, student achievement. The role of the administrators is to provide a collaborative culture where teachers are empowered to analyze and work together to solve problems. Administrators should provide time and space for the teachers to collaborate.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to ascertain the relationship …

Correlations Among School Belonging And Self-Reported Factors Associated With Students' School Success, Stacey Mechelle Mcguire Lee

Dissertations

This study examined correlations among student sense of school belonging and the classroom learning climate, previous academic achievement, frequency of disciplinary sanctions, and participation in extracurricular activities. During August of the 2011-2012 school year, the Middle School Student Sense of Belonging Questionnaire was completed by a sample of 264 eighth grade students enrolled in three middle schools from three different school districts located in the coastal south. The sample.s mean school belonging score was 3.56 with a standard deviation of 0.81. Findings of this study suggest statistically significant positive correlations exist among student sense of school belonging and the learning …

The Effects Of Changing From A Traditional Mathematics Curriculum To An Integrated Mathematics Curriculum On Student Mathematics Learning In Georgia, Catherine Lynn Mallanda

Dissertations

In 2005, the state of Georgia adopted a new integrated mathematics curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), which included a task-based approach for instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine if the new Georgia Performance Standards for mathematics increased students’ mean mathematics Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) scores or induced changes in the distribution of students’ scores on the PSAT/NMSQT. In addition, it was determined whether the level of course the student took, the type of implementation of the GPS curriculum or the preparation for implementation affected the PSAT/NMSQT scores. The results of the study indicated …

Establishing Construct Validity Of The Biology I Subject Area Testing Program In Mississippi, Christy Michelle Hollis Philippoff

Dissertations

Science education has undergone many revisions since it was permanently embedded in the country's educational curriculum at the end of the 19th century. Some of these revisions occurred as a direct result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This legislation placed more accountability on schools than ever before by requiring that all students pass a series of standardized tests (USDE, 2010). High schools in Mississippi require four areas of standardized testing: English II, Algebra I, U.S. History, and Biology I (Wroten, 2008). The focus of this study is the Biology I Subject Area Test.

In an effort to …

A Historical Perspective Of Testing And Assessment Including The Impact Of Summative And Formative Assessment On Student Achievement, Carole Sanger Brink

Dissertations

In 2007, Georgia developed a comprehensive framework to define what students need to know. One component of this framework emphasizes the use of both formative and summative assessments as part of an integral and specific component of the teachers' performance evaluation. Georgia administers the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) to every elementary student in Grades 1 though 8. Before 2008, the state tested eighth-grade students on a quality core curriculum. In 2008, the state began testing students on a Georgia Performance Standard curriculum. A direct comparison of the curriculum change should have contained items to test both curriculums. However, this was …

Barriers And Enablers Of Interdisciplinary Research At Academic Institutions, Leslie Suzanne Thornton Butler

Dissertations

This research study examines the factors that motivate and lead to the success of faculty members who conduct interdisciplinary research. Because a comprehensive study of the research patterns of interdisciplinary researchers has not been conducted, the main intent of this research project was to create an instrument that would measure research habits and attitudes. It is important that such research be conducted using individuals who are interdisciplinary researchers as well as disciplinary researchers. One intent of the research study was to provide comparisons between disciplinary researchers and interdisciplinary researchers. Another intent was to provide university administrators with a better understanding …

Northern Michigan University: A Case Study Of The Perceptions Of Faculty Seeking A Balance Of Teaching, Scholarship And Service, Erica L. Goff Ms.

All NMU Master's Theses

No two institutions are mirror images of each other such that identical descriptions, policies, procedures or needs apply to all. Such an assumption is too simplistic when universities are adequately analyzed. Northern Michigan University is a primarily undergraduate institution in the Midwest region of the United States that sits on the coast of Lake Superior, is the home of the Upper Peninsula Brain Tumor Center, offers unique outdoor resources year-round, and boasts a set of strengths, weaknesses, faculty, policies, benefits and a climate that cannot be replicated. Thus, it is distinctive, but like many other comprehensive universities, fosters a confused …

Evaluating Summer School Programs And The Effect On Student Achievement: The Correlation Between Stanford-10 Standardized Test Scores And Two Different Summer Programs, Alicia Kaye Bottorff

Dissertations

Educators have been looking for a solution to increasing yearly student achievement while at the same time ensuring that the achievement gap between students of high and low socioeconomic status does not continue to widen each year. Many studies examined show that students experience summer learning loss if not in school during the months of June through September. Because of this research, the district being studied extended their summer school program format from four-weeks to six-weeks. This collaborative, quantitative study examined assessment data from the SAT 10 to explore the correlation between middle school math and language arts test data …

Reading Aloud And Student Achievement, Rebecka R. Spencer

Dissertations

Although numerous studies have been conducted on reading aloud to elementary students, there is a need for additional research in reading aloud to middle school students. The main question is: are the benefits of reading aloud to elementary students comparable to middle school students? Reading aloud has proven to increase elementary students‘ comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, motivation, and encourage students‘ understanding of content matter. While reading aloud is a common practice among elementary teachers and students, the practice all but diminishes by middle school (Delo, 2008; Trelease, 2006). This mixed method study was conducted in three public school districts in Missouri …

The Impact Of Problem-Based Learning On Problem-Solving Skills, Breanna E. Cardinal

Culminating Projects in Information Media

My starred paper examines the effect problem based learning has on the problem solving skills of students who participate in classes using the problem based learning method.

Dropout Prevention: Factors Contributing To The Resiliency Of At-Risk Hispanic Students And Their Pursuit Of A High School Diploma, William Roach

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Dropping out of high school has become a reality for far too many Hispanic high school students. Some estimates have the Hispanic dropout rate at close to 50% (Stutz & Hobbs, 2008). Research on factors contributing to this high dropout rate is well documented and schools across the nation are well aware of the problem. But in spite of this knowledge, the dropout epidemic persists. The purpose of this study was to determine, from a student perspective, what can be done to reduce the number of Hispanic dropouts. Forty-six at-risk Hispanic seniors in a small Texas high school along the …

Applying Andragogical Principles To Texting-Based Learning (Short Message Service–Sms) In Higher Education, Janet K. Talbott

Dissertations

Texting-based learning courses may be the next technology advancement in higher education institutions. This study investigated the efficiency of the process of texting to conduct college and university level courses using a cell phone or smartphone. The innovative research of existing technology on the cell phone and texting, also known as short messaging service (SMS), established a way to reach the underserved students or geographically remotely located students or students preferring texting-based learning to traditional or online courses. Andragogy, the theory of adult learning, and the learning contract using KUSAVI, an acronym, for knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, values, and interest …

A Longitudinal Case Study Of A Literacy Program Titled Reading Recovery For Students In A Struggling Midwestern School District, Ingrid Danielle Mcclendon

Dissertations

This study followed a cohort of students from Grade 1 to Grade 11 in one struggling school district that had Reading Recovery (RR) in the Grade 1. The RR program is an intervention given only to students in the Grade 1 who are reading below grade level on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Assessment. The researched district had a high poverty, high mobility, and high minority population of students. One hundred and seventy-three students participated in the RR program for 12 to 20 weeks while they were in Grade 1. Studies have shown that these students are able to retain their grade …

Evaluating Irt- And Ctt-Based Methods Of Estimating Classification Consistency And Accuracy Indices From Single Administrations, Nina Deng

Open Access Dissertations

Three decision consistency and accuracy (DC/DA) methods, the Livingston and Lewis (LL) method, LEE method, and the Hambleton and Han (HH) method, were evaluated. The purposes of the study were (1) to evaluate the accuracy and robustness of these methods, especially when their assumptions were not well satisfied, (2) to investigate the " true" DC/DA indices in various conditions, and (3) to assess the impact of choice of reliability estimate on the LL method.

Four simulation studies were conducted. Study 1 looked at various test lengths. Study 2 focused on local item dependency (LID). Study 3 checked the consequences of …

School-Within-A-School And Its Effectiveness As Measured By Improved Grades, Increased Attendance, And Student Satisfaction, Amanda E. Shelmire

Dissertations

Although the number of high school students not graduating is alarming, a successful transition from middle school to high school can place students on the path toward graduation. In 2009, a large, suburban high school implemented a school-within-a-school program to help ease this difficult transition for incoming, at-risk freshmen students. The school-within-a-school program assists students before they begin to struggle while providing them with a team teaching approach within the traditional high school setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the school-within-a-school program on student success, using the school district‘s outcome measures of grades and …