Education Commons^™

How Crucial Are Multi-Cultural Texts To Social Awareness And Acceptance In The Universal Pre-Kindergarten Setting?: A Study On Views On Family Structure, Elisabeth Addyman

Education Masters

This study examined the impact that multi-cultural picture books have on students’ views on different family structures in the Universal Pre-Kindergarten setting. Research was conducted in a Universal Pre-Kindergarten classroom in a whole and small group setting. Data was collected through informal observations, student work, and pre and post interviews. The findings showed that the students could benefit greatly from multi-cultural picture books when coupled with meaningful discussions and/or extending activities. In order to determine the full potential of using multi-cultural picture books within the classroom to impact students’ views on different family structures, more research needs to be conducted.

The Home Literacy Environment Impact On A Struggling Reader And Emergent Reader's Readiness For A Pre-Kindergarten Program, Ashley Colarocco

Education Masters

The goal of this study was to examine the impact the home literacy environment has on a struggling reader and an emergent reader. It was determined that the home literacy environment has a greater impact on a struggling reader and an emergent reader. Data was collected through teacher field notes, questionnaires, and student test scores. The data showed the home literacy environment does have an impact on both a struggling reader and an emergent reader. The more involved a parent is in their child’s academics, the more successful the child will be. Children will be more prepared for school and …

How Do Wordless Picture Books Help Develop Writing For All Students?, Shannon Marble

Education Masters

This action research paper asked the question, “How do wordless picture books help develop writing for all students?” Through the results, there were mixed findings on how wordless picture books can help students with writing. Data was collected through student writing samples, field notes based off of the student writing, and two interviews. The findings section presents writing samples and tables based off of the writing samples, as well as data from the interviews. The data showed three recurring themes during the study: wordless picture books encourage students to write, provide a writing tool for older students, and develop written …

Blogging As A Strategy To Support Reading Comprehension Skills, Casey Vanepps

Education Masters

For the purpose of this study, four students were given access to a blog during guided reading instruction in hopes to answer the question: can blogging be used to support reading comprehension? Through questionnaires, observation, and student work samples, I saw a clear increase in the participants‟ ability to respond to literature, as well as an increase in their motivation to work through a fiction novel. These findings call for teachers to evolve their instructional practices and make sure they are utilizing the rapidly changing technologies that are available to their students on a daily basis. By incorporating these technologies, …

Teacher Perceptions In Non-Diverse School Populations Surrounding Multicultural Literature, Gretchen Soule

Education Masters

The research question that guided this study examined teacher perceptions surrounding the use of multicultural literature in non-diverse schools and the result of using multicultural literature within a non-diverse classroom setting. The claim made in this study sought out teacher’s awareness pertaining to multicultural literature, the authentic use of multicultural use in the classroom, and student response to multicultural education. Data was collected through a teacher questionnaire, a text study, and a student discussion group. The findings in this study supported the use of multicultural literature to promote learning, but discovered that the teacher dedication within the non-diverse setting towards …

Prewriting Strategies And Their Effect On Student Writing, Katrina Servati

Education Masters

This research project began by asking the question: Does the use of prewriting strategies improve the overall quality of student writing? Research was conducted within a tutoring program for struggling writers and a local school. Data was collected by teacher questionnaires, student work samples, student interviews, and field notes. It was found that students who use prewriting strategies such as graphic organizers are capable of better quality writing. The data collected implied that if taught the appropriate strategies and resources by their teachers, and given enough time, students writing quality can improve.

The Impact Of Student Interest And Instructor Effectiveness On Student Performance, Kate Sauer

Education Masters

This research project began by asking if and how student interest and instructor effectiveness impacted student performance. Research was conducted with two middle school students. The data was gathered by administering questionnaires, collecting student work, and recording observations. Findings revealed that students’ interest and their relationship with the instructor were contributing factors in successful academic performance. Therefore, the data implied that teachers need consider student interest and develop a relationship with them in order to foster student growth and success.

Using Technology As A Teacher Differentiation Tool To Increase Students' High Frequency Word Recognition, Shannon Mclaughlin

Education Masters

This research asked, “how does technology, as a teacher assistive differentiation tool, increase students high frequency word recognition?” Research was conducted in Greenville, New York with a group of nine first grade students all classified with a disability. Students were placed in either an iPad or flash card group. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected through questionnaires/interviews, student observations, and assessment. Findings revealed that both the groups increased their word recognition; however, the iPad group revealed a greater percentage increase when compared to the flash card group. The data implies there is a correlation among students with disabilities and using …

The Relationship Between Extended Learning Time (Elt) And Ela Assessment Scores Of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Fourth Grade Students In New York State’S Big Five Cities, Catalina Castillo

Education Doctoral

Since the concept of extended or expanded learning time (ELT) in its modern-day form began to develop approximately 50 years ago, there has been substantial controversy as to whether the application of ELT in a U.S. context could achieve the desired result of improved academic outcomes. Numerous empirical studies during the past 25 years have at least hinted that this could be the case, especially with regard to disadvantaged populations, but all of these studies have been criticized as being flawed in one respect or another, thus limiting their value with regard to demonstrating the efficacy of ELT. The purpose …

Hopeful Measures: Characteristics Of Hope At A Community College, Thomas C. Priester

Education Doctoral

Snyder’s Hope Theory defines the construct of hope as the “sum of perceived capabilities to produce routes to desired goals, along with the perceived motivation to use those routes” (Snyder, 2000, p. 8). Hope is a tenant of positive psychology that can be used to measure personal as well as academic potential (Seligman, 2002). In fact, Lopez (2009) claims that “hope predicts GPA and retention in college, and hope scores are more robust than high school GPA, SAT, and ACT scores.” Researchers have measured the relationship between hope and academic performance in college students at four-year, baccalaureate degree granting institutions …

Leadership Development Training: Its Impact On Middle Managers In Law Enforcement, David P. Wedlick

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study was to explore leadership development training as it relates to the attributes and skills of middle managers in law enforcement agencies. The Skills Approach theory will be discussed relating to how middle managers in a county in New York State, with no middle management leadership development training, assume their positions. A qualitative method was used to capture data about the need for leadership development training versus the attributes and skills law enforcement middle managers already possess. The result of this study revealed that leadership development for this county is cultivated, not through formal training, but …

Cross Practitioner Inter-Rater Variability: Grading Of Adverse Skin Reactions After Radiation Therapy, Carleen A. Evans

Education Doctoral

This study estimated the inter-rater variability for adverse event grades for skin reactions related to radiation therapy among nurses and physicians. Currently, there appears to be a gap in literature on the reliability of severity grades across grading systems. Physicians and nurses conducted a retrospective review of photographs of skin reactions of patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer who received cancer therapy. Rater participants rated the condition(s) seen in each photograph on a scale of Grade 0 to Grade 5. This inter-rater reliability study used quantitative methods to estimate initer-rater agreement and inter-rater reliability of severity grades by comparing …

Strategies And Actions Used By Stem Degree Seeking Adult, Full-Time, Undergraduates: A Grounded Theory Study, Adwoa Boateng

Education Doctoral

Higher education research focuses on traditional undergraduates under the age of 25 years. The focus of the researcher’s study was on the academic experiences of adult, full-time, STEM undergraduates 25 years of age and older. The purpose of the study was to identify strategies and actions adult students use towards their academic success while enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs. The Grounded Theory Method was utilized as the qualitative approach to iteratively generate a theory based on the experiences of adult, full-time undergraduates in STEM programs. The significance of the proposed study was an opportunity to provide …

Testing The Strength Of The Safety Net: Temporary Assistance To Needy Families (Tanf) Recipients’ Persistence At Laguardia Community College, Michael A. Baston

Education Doctoral

This study, which used a quantitative, quasi-experimental constructed comparison group design, explored the persistence of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients’ at LaGuardia Community College over a six year period. TANF is the nation’s primary cash assistance program for public assistance recipients. This study operationalized community college student persistence using three outcomes: (1) semester to semester retention, (2) rate of credit accumulation and (3) rate of graduation for the treatment group (TANF participants in a drop-out prevention program) compared to the control group (constructed comparison group). TANF recipients’ persistence rate as measured by semester to semester retention, credit accumulation, …

The Critical Elements In The Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of An Anti-Bullying Policy For School Districts, Dwight Bonk

Education Doctoral

The issue of bullying has become prominent in public schools and leads to an unsafe environment for learning. Due to the increased public concern regarding bullying and its impact on student safety and learning, states have been forced to develop legislation to address bullying behaviors. This study determined the necessary components in the development, implementation, and evaluation of anti-bullying policies in schools based on input from key stakeholders. Surveys were distributed to school superintendents and elementary and secondary principals in Dutchess County, New York to determine their rankings of the most important components or processes for inclusion in an effective …

Self-Perceptions Of Senior African Americans Who Participate In Formal Volunteering, Monique C. Adams

Education Doctoral

An ever-growing resource in America today is our aging population. One out of every five adults will be age 65 or older by 2030. Indeed, Americans are living longer now than at any other time in history, and they have better health, education and a lifetime of experience to offer when volunteering. This study used the Integrated Theory of Volunteer Work as a theoretical framework. The Integrated Theory of Volunteer Work includes three types of resources: human capital, social capital and cultural capital. Although a large body of literature has documented that those factors are present in the general population, …

The Voices, Views, And Experiences Of 13 Nonresident African American Fathers, David Asbery

Education Doctoral

This qualitative study focused on how nonresident African American fathers maintain their role as fathers while dealing with the stereotypes, myths, and ambiguities associated with nonresident fatherhood. In addition, this study explored some of the cultural challenges specific to the experience of the nonresident African American father. The qualitative inquiry research explored the nonresident African American father’s experience through interviews with 13 nonresident African American fathers to gain insight about their perspectives on being a nonresident African American father. For this study, six open-ended questions were selected from the research literature. The aim of this study was to fill a …

The Impact Of Superintendent Turnover On Student Achievement In Rural Districts, Rebekah Parker-Chenaille

Education Doctoral

The field has gained knowledge in the area of superintendent influence on student achievement; however, more research on superintendent turnover and its impact on organizational performance in a rural context is needed. Student achievement measures have become the primary indicator of school, principal, teacher, and student success (New York: Race to the Top State Scope of Work, 2011) and has become a measure of the superintendent’s performance. Using time series data analysis with twelve years of district data across the 21 schools studied, results indicated that superintendent turnover did impact student achievement. The motive of the superintendent, examined in this …

The Relationship Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports (Pbis) On Co-Located Urban High Schools Infractions, Suspensions, School Progress Grade And The School Environment, Carolyn M. Tyson

Education Doctoral

The responsibility for school administrators to provide a safe school environment demonstrates institutional accountability under the regulations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Students who violate the safety component of the public school discipline code face suspensions and expulsions. On average, students spend more than 16 million hours a year serving suspensions. This quantitative study examined the effect of Sugai’s three-tiered Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework on co-located urban high schools. The study analyzed the relationship of the PBIS framework on the number of infractions, number of suspensions, …

New Kids On The Block: Understanding And Engaging Elementary Readers And Writers In New Times, Chinwe Ikpeze

Education Faculty/Staff Publications

This collaborative study examined literacy instruction in a fifth grade classroom with particular reference to two case study students and the role of pedagogy in bridging the divide in their literacy practices. Grounded in the multiliteracies framework and perspectives consistent with third space theory, data were collected using a multi-site approach. Data were analyzed using the thematic analysis and constant comparison approaches. Findings suggest that the two children disengaged from most of school tasks because of the traditional approach to instruction, lack of recognition of their learning styles and interests, as well as the absence of digital literacies. However, they …

The Social Magic Of Facebook For Adults On The Spectrum, Susan M. Schultz, Gloria E. Jacobs

Education Faculty/Staff Publications

In lieu of an abstract, here are the article's first two paragraphs:

When Susan arrived at the 10-year high school reunion of her son Jacob, he was sitting with a group of people he had been in contact with through Facebook. On their way home Jacob told his mother that he had a good time. A few months later Jacob attended a baseball game with his mother where he was approached by a former coworker he was friends with on Facebook. His coworker sat next to Jacob, and the two of them chatted throughout the game.

For most people these …

Family Intervention Strategies: Support For Struggling Readers, Rachel Hildreth

Education Masters

This study examined the success of family intervention strategies to support literacy development among children who are struggling readers through daily activities and routines. Research followed a family participating in a shared family literacy intervention model, targeted participant/student being a ten year old male over four tutoring sessions. Data was collected through parent/student questionnaire, field notes/reflection, focus group and parent interview. By engaging the student as a learner through shared family experiences, daily routines and activities were used as literacy learning opportunities to increase student performance and the family was able to extend literacy strategies into daily routines. With family …

Hand-On Strategies To Help Assist Children In Letter Formation And Letter Recognition, Kylee Bilodeau

Education Masters

This study was performed to discover strategies that can assist children in forming letters and recognizing letters. The research question is, given that literacy is a social process that is influential to one's culture, this action research question asks what are some hands-on strategies that can assist a child in early literacy development with letter recognition and letter formation? Within this study, data was collected, parents were given questionnaires, teachers were interviewed and students were assessed. Through this data the findings were an array of hands on strategies that can be used to help children. Implications for teachers include keeping …

Using Explicit Strategy Instruction To Improve Reading Comprehension, Abigail K. Ballou

Education Masters

For the purpose of this study, three students were explicitly taught three during reading comprehension strategies. Students were given a pre and post-assessment which were analyzed to determine the effectiveness and implications of explicit strategy instruction. Furthermore, a questionnaire, related to reading comprehension, was distributed to teachers at the school in which the study took place. Findings from the study suggest that although students’ comprehension scores did not improve, their attitudes toward reading improved and their ability to use a wide variety of strategies increased after receiving explicit strategy instruction. The primary implication of this study is teachers must be …

Representation Of Historical Events Within Social Studies Textbooks Using Critical Literacy To Enhance The Social Studies Classroom, Mary C. Dougherty

Education Masters

This study aims to examine the representation of historical events within two social studies textbooks. Data was collected through a questionnaire, student written responses to the textbook, textbook evaluations, field notes, student led discussion, and teacher led discussion. The study reveals textbooks may not provide students will a well-rounded representation of historical events, students might be able to critically view the textbook but may not internalize the same skills used, and students may struggle with connecting historical events and the world today. Students and teachers, alike, need to recognize the impact of the social studies textbook. In addition, a critical …

Understanding The Relationship Between Reading Fluency And Reading Comprehension: Fluency Strategies As A Focus For Instruction, Jennifer Cotter

Education Masters

Understanding the relationship between reading fluency and comprehension is important. Reading fluency strategies can be used to help increase overall reading comprehension in students. Five students and one parent participated in the study of how repeated readings impact overall reading comprehension. Students were exposed to a set of reading passages that were read each week, and data was collected. At the end of the school year, students were given a reading comprehension post assessment to compare the results from September. When analyzing the data, it was clear that the repeated reading strategy was successful in increasing reading comprehension among the …

How Does Exposure To Mulitcultural Literature Benefit Children's Thought Processes About Race?, Timothy Coon

Education Masters

This action research paper asked the question, “How does exposure to multicultural literature benefit children’s thought processes about race?” The students’ exposure to multicultural literature showed mixed results based on their thought processes about race. Data was collected through teacher field notes, interviews, questionnaires, student work samples, and study questions. The findings section presents tables with the data that was collected. The data showed three recurring themes during the study: consistent prejudice toward African Americans, multicultural literature’s effect on children’s thoughts, and developing empathy while making personal connections to other cultures. The results from the tables indicated that it is …

The Effect Of Mulitcultural Picture Books On Students' Perceptions, Alaina K. Long

Education Masters

Through the observation of seven students in small groups leading their own discussion about two picture books representing the Japanese culture I looked to find whether or not students’ previous assumptions of another culture would be altered or upheld. I found that with the use of a critical lens and multiple perspectives to study multicultural literature, teachers can create a more tolerant and accepting classroom environment. Multicultural literature is an essential point of instruction for our increasingly diverse classrooms and will help students grow with society as we move towards a global economy through the use of literacy and technology.

The Reading Experience: How Struggling And Non-Struggling Readers Differ, Jessica Garrett

Education Masters

The reading experience is a socially charged multifaceted event. During the reading experience, students are engaged with text and forming their own identity as a reader. Often teachers help form the identity of readers based on achievement. This study asked the question; how does the reading experience differ between struggling and non-struggling readers? Research was done in Moo, New York (pseudonym) with a group of six students; 3 struggling readers and three non-struggling readers. Through surveys and interviews there was a distinct difference between the students understanding of the reading process, emotional connection to text, and connection to instruction. These …

Using Young Adult Literature To Increase Student Success And Teach Multiculturalism, Kirsten Toscano

Education Masters

This research study aimed to determine student and teacher perceptions of young adult literature and its uses in multicultural teaching. It has been determined how young adult literature impacts student learning. Data was collected through interviews, surveys, assessments, and library records. Based on the results from this study, it is proclaimed that students respond positively to the content of young adult literature texts. Young adult literature can be used for multicultural teaching and increased student success in reading and comprehension.