Education Commons^™

New Class Roles: Building Environments Of Cooperation, Lori Desautels

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

We see students survive every day. We ourselves survive every day -- a class, a test, a conflict, a relationship, and a challenge. Yet surviving is very different than thriving! Many students that we see daily bring a degree of their stress into our classrooms. Thankfully, many of them also have supports in their lives that allow them to manage this stress in a productive manner.

The Relationship Between Head Coaches’ Influence And Student Engagement Of Ncaa Di Women Basketball Players: Implications For Student-Athlete Success, Kiki Baker Barnes

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recently passed new legislation highlighting the critical role coaches play in student-athlete success called the Head Coach’s Academic Progress Rate (APR). The APR measure does not calculate the actions of the head coach and is therefore an inadequate measure of coaches’ influence. There are numerous verbal accounts of the influence of the coach on student-athlete success, but there is little quantitative data to support this claim. As a result, this correlational study explored the relationship between head coaches’ influence and student engagement among a sample of 135 women basketball players at National Collegiate Athletic …

Engaging Fyc Students With Quality Work Design, Candace Deal

Master of Arts in Professional Writing Capstones

Students learn at deeper levels when engaged with their work; however, engaging students in writing is one of the biggest challenges all composition teachers face. This qualitative study asked Kennesaw State University students to describe the work in English 1101 and English 1102 that they found meaningful and engaging. The data collected was then aligned with research about engaging students in grades K-12 based on the work of Phillip Schlechty. Results from this study reveal that many of the same engagement qualities identified by Schlechty have application in the FYC classroom for engaging students and improving learning.

A Phenomenological Study Of Student Engagement In United States History Classrooms, Emily Louvette Manigault

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the relationship between student engagement and the perception of academic achievement (learning) by teachers and students in an urban high school social studies course. Over the past several years, educational leaders and researchers have tried to find a cause for a number of issues in public education, including low academic achievement, increasing student drop-out rates and the decline of positive perceptions of schools in general. As a result, there has been increasing research done on the level of engagement that students experience during their schooling. Much of the research has focused …

Blogging To Enhance The Classroom Experience, Christine Schmitt

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research study was to determine the effects blogging had on the sixth grade reading classroom. This examination took place during the first five weeks of school in a public school classroom setting with four rotations of around eighty-eight sixth graders total. Data was collected using student self-assessment rubrics, student input questions, observational participation tallies, and teacher field notes. The self-assessment rubrics showed students initially ranked themselves higher than their actual work, but with time, they became more accurate evaluators of their work. Classroom conversations about the rubric also showed increased understanding of the expectations and self-evaluation …

Comprehending Male And Female Levels Of Engagement In Subsets Of The National Survey Of Student Engagement: Explicating The Dynamics Of Gender Role Conflict As A Mediating Factor For Males, Jacob Glen Arndt

Dissertations

Male enrollment and graduate rates in higher education have paled in comparison to female achievement since the early 1980’s, and explanations as to the reasons behind why males are falling behind have not been fruitful in addressing these issues. One area that has received very little attention in the literature is the role that gender role conflict may play in male student performance.

The purpose of this research is to explore male and female engagement levels, while attempting to understand if levels of male gender role conflict are a mediating factor of engagement for men. This study utilized the three …

Analysing The Impact Of Digital Photography Projects On Student Engagement And Performance In A Higher Education Engineering Discipline, Michael Gleeson

Conference papers

Developing and implementing engaging activities aligned with the learning outcomes of a module within a higher education programme is essential to successful teaching practice in the 21^st century. Substantial research evidence indicates that student engagement plays a pivotal role in the academic performance and success of the student. The aim of this research is to compare student performance after adopting an alternative pedagogic approach utilising digital photography as a tool to engage the student in an engineering discipline. The activity was designed to promote student engagement by integrating digital photography, replicating authentic construction professional practice and focusing on images …

Online Resource Platform For Mathematics Education, Marisa Llorens, Edmund Nevin, Eileen Mageean

Conference papers

Engineering education is facing many challenges: a decline in core mathematical skills; lowering entry requirements; and the diversity of the student cohort. One approach to confronting these challenges is to make subject content appropriate to the communication styles of today’s student. To achieve this, a pedagogical shift from the traditional hierarchical approach to learning to one that embraces the use of technology as a tool to enhance the student learning experience is required. By including the student as co-creator of course content, a greater sense of engagement is achieved and a change to one where students become agents of their …

Designing Case Study Research For Pedagogical Application And Scholarly Outcomes, Jacqueline R. Luedtke, Juan R. Merkt, Brent D. Bowen

Aeronautical Science - Prescott

The purpose of this paper is to present the pedagogical/andragogical model of case study research in capstone courses in collegiate aviation programs. As higher education continues to advance in examining new or different ways to engage students, case study research in a capstone course affords seniors the opportunity to engage in learning how to plan, investigate, write a case study research report and present their findings on a topic of interest.

Modeling Student Engagement In The Classroom, Sarah Painter

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Connections to Community is a multi-institutional study that looks at the influence of community on post-secondary, science and engineering students and their engagement in academic activity. This paper focuses specifically on student engagement within the classroom as a follow-up to a previous paper by Wendy Hoffman, Identifying Influential Variables of Student Academic Engagement (Hoffman, 2013). The goal of this work is to model student engagement in the classroom using classroom observation data that has been cleaned and then compare the results with those found in Hoffman’s paper which used pre-cleaning data. The cleaned data is used to create two data …

Self-Assessment Inspires Learning, Lori Desautels

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

Self-reflection is self-assessment, and one of the most significant learning tools we can model for our students. Ultimately, we want our children and adolescents to be the self-assessors of their work, dispositions, and goals. Research repeatedly reports that the difference between good teachers and superior teachers is that superior teachers self-reflect.

High Student Achievement Through Classroom Management, Angela Lacher, Mary Zich

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research study was to find to what extent classroom engagement and behavior would be affected by the use of ClassDojo in a kindergarten and first grade classroom? This study was completed in a public elementary school and included 18 kindergarten and 20 first grade students. Data sources included: an observational record of students’ on and off task behavior, monitoring students’ Fix-It Plans and Office Discipline Referrals from the middle of the year to the end of the year, and ClassDojo totals for “Positive” and “Needs Work” points throughout the 6 week study. ClassDojo was presented to …

The Effects Of A Tiered-Training Intervention On Teachers' Use Of Behavior Specific Praise During The Reading Instruction Of Elementary Students With Emotional Disabilities, Lauren Collins Reed

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Despite longstanding acknowledgement regarding the effectiveness of behavior specific praise for students with emotional disabilities, there continues to be an underuse of this strategy with this population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a tiered training intervention on teachers' use of behavior specific praise during the small group reading instruction of elementary students with emotional disabilities. A multiple baseline design was used across two groups of teacher and student participants as the means of investigating the effectiveness of the training model on teachers' use of behavior specific praise and the associated student outcomes. Similar to …

Work In Progress: Online Resource Platform For Mathematics Education, Marisa Llorens, Edmund Nevin, Eileen Mageean

Conference papers

Mathematics is intrinsic to engineering and as such plays an integral role in the education of engineers. New challenges are being faced in higher education particularly in the areas of student motivation, engagement and attainment. As a result mathematics is often the focus of engineering education research. Traditional methods of delivery such as lectures and tutorials need to evolve to counter these challenges with new pedagogical approaches explored including the use of new technologies. Today’s students are immersed in an increasingly technological world and are willing to adapt to new technological advances. This paper describes a study being undertaken in …

Punish Them Or Engage Them? Teachers’ Views Of Unproductive Student Behaviours In The Classroom, Anna M. Sullivan, Bruce Johnson, Larry Owens, Robert Conway

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports on a study that investigated the extent to which student behaviour is a concern for school teachers. A questionnaire was used to investigate teachers’ views about student behaviour in their classes. The results suggest that low-level disruptive and disengaged student behaviours occur frequently and teachers find them difficult to manage. Aggressive and anti-social behaviours occur infrequently. Teachers employ strategies to manage unproductive behaviours that locate the problem with the student. This paper argues that teachers could benefit from understanding how the classroom ecology influences engagement and therefore student behaviour, rather than focusing on ‘fixing’ unproductive behaviour.

Exploring The Use Of The Check & Connect Program As A Behavioral Intervention For Students With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Beverly D. Waddell

Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses

Student engagement is critical to the overall academic and behavioral well-being of a child in school. When working with students who have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), it is important for students to understand that, even though it may be more difficult for them to complete certain tasks or follow certain rules, they can be engaged and successful. Check & Connect is a research-based intervention which involves developing a strong, positive relationship between a student and a trained mentor (University of Minnesota, 2013). A single subject design using a non-concurrent multiple baseline across students’ was employed to determine …

What Will You Remember Most? Part Ii : A Comparative Analysis Of Elementary School Student Responses Based On Single-Visit Tours At The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Kelsey Mcmillan

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This thesis analyzes and compares two different types of distribution processes of response cards that are filled out by students at the end of single-visit tours at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, NY.

Fostering Preservice Teacher Identity In Science Through A Student-Selected Project, D.J. Wink, J. Ellefson, M. Nishimura, D. Perry, S. Wenzel, Jeong Hwang Choe

Jeong Choe

This article addresses the problem of authentic student engagement in the science classroom by incorporating a semester long research and writing assignment that enables students to investigate scientific topics related to strong personal, career, or health interests.

Holistic Approach To Promoting Student Engagement: Case Studies Of Six Refugee Students In Upper Elementary, Kathleen Mullen

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The pre-migration context experienced by many refugees significantly impacts their ability to develop human capital. This, combined with increased placement in areas with little immigration history, can make it more difficult for refugee students to engage fully with school. This study explores the pre-and post-migration experiences of six upper elementary refugee youth and the experiences of school staff new to working with refugee students. Staff found that these students expanded the skill range they needed to address but, like native-born youth, they were best able to engage with school when staff used a holistic focus to promote student learning.

Online Education: Perceptions Of Faculty And Administrators At Three Different Types Of Institutions Of Higher Education, Sneha E. Abraham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate faculty and administrator perceptions of online learning compared to traditional face-to-face instruction by exploring the factors that impact online instruction. Strategies that can lead to effective online learning environments were explored. Faculty and administrators working with online education at 6 traditional, regionally accredited, degree granting higher education institutions were included in the study.

The number of participants consisted of 169 from the public university, 98 from the private institutions, and 33 from the community college. The survey used a Likert-type scale, and had 4 dimensions (student engagement, student-student interactions, faculty engagement, and …

2013 Nsse Results Report Summary, Uno Office Of Academic And Student Affairs

Student Support

Each year the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) asks students at hundreds of colleges and universities to reflect on the time they devote to various learning activities. The topics explored are linked to previous research on student success in college. UNO also participated in the Academic Advising module, which examines students’ experiences with academic advising, including frequency of use, accessibility, information provided, and primary source of advice. This report reviews the 2013 results for the university, compares the finding with our past results, and describes actions taken and proposed in response to the findings.

Study Of The Design Of A First Generation Community College Stem Learning Community, Susan M. St. Pierre

Higher Education Student Work

First generation students attending college have difficulties achieving academic success, engaging with their peers and persisting (Jehangir, 2010); are growing in number on college campuses; and are significantly underrepresented in STEM programs of study. This research examined the role that a STEM focused Learning Community (STEM LC) and student participation in Early College programs with STEM exposure have on first generation student achievement engagement and retention. The purpose of the project was to research and design a framework for a community college STEM LC for first generation students as a means to increase academic achievement and student retention for this …

Complex Adaptive Systems And Quantitative Reasoning In An Interdisciplinary Stem Mathematics Classroom, Robert L. Mayes, Kania Greer

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

In this presentation we will share outcomes from the Real STEM project, which provides professional development for rural teachers in the Georgia Coastal Plains supporting implementation of interdisciplinary STEM courses as well as STEM modules in mathematics and science courses. Real STEM includes a number of innovative student-active strategies for teaching including: Understanding by Design (UbD) approaches to teaching for understanding, problem-based learning (PBL), place-based education (PBE), complex adaptive systems (CAS) thinking, and quantitative reasoning (QR). QR is the mathematical underpinning of the projects. The projects are ongoing so we will report our results on impact on teacher practice and …

The Key Of Connection, Lori Desautels

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

Over the past few weeks, I have learned deeply. My students were paramount teachers as I was privileged to share a part of their interior worlds, their "private logic" that is a culmination of accumulated beliefs, experiences, values, thoughts and feelings. This inner world is often kept tucked away unless an environment is created that allows for feelings of safety and an untainted sense of belonging. When any child or adult enters into a space that accepts, inspires and affirms their "ever-changing personhood," we have finally found the key that unlocks the door to extravagant learning! What is that key? …

Student Engagement In After-School Programs, Academic Skills, And Social Competence Among Elementary School Students, Kathryn E. Grogan, Christopher Henrich, Mariya V. Malikina

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research on the relationship between after-school program participation and student outcomes has been mixed, and beneficial effects have been small. Most recent studies suggest that participation is best characterized as a multidimensional concept that includes enrollment, attendance, and engagement, which help explain differences in student outcomes. The present study uses data from a longitudinal study of after-school programs in elementary schools to examine staff ratings of student engagement and school outcomes. The factor structure of the staff-rated measure of student engagement was examined by exploratory factor analysis. Multiple regression analyses found that student engagement in academic, youth development, and arts …

Project-Based Learning In A Stem Academy: Student Engagement And Interest In Stem Careers, Pamela Henry Misher

Education Dissertations and Projects

This case study explored the utilization of project-based learning (PBL) and how it affected student engagement and interest in STEM careers. Sixty-seven students and nine teachers participated in this case study. Three research questions addressed student engagement, perceptions, and challenges during PBL implementation.

This study was designed to understand the experiences teachers and students had when they participated in a PBL environment. This research investigated how to develop a globally skilled workforce utilizing a PBL approach and the challenges teachers encountered during implementation. The survey data and informal focus-group sessions with staff and students were utilized, analyzed, and summarized in …

“Initially, We Were Just Names On A Computer Screen”: Designing Engagement In Online Teacher Education, Sharon M. Pittaway, Timothy Moss

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper describes a research project that investigated the process of redesigning a fully-online unit, in order to enhance undergraduate Education students’ engagement in their learning. This redesign was guided by the development of an Engagement Framework, which presents five elements of engagement that are distinct yet interrelated. The results of this redesigned unit indicate that this Engagement Framework has the potential to offer unit developers and instructors a strong pedagogical and theoretical foundation for enhancing engagement in online learning. This paper provides a description of the Engagement Framework, the processes undertaken in redesigning a fully-online unit, the findings, and …

Student Engagement And Ethical Care In A Title I Middle School Program, Marguerite Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if the foundational constructs (student engagement and ethical care) were experienced by the 8th grade students that participated in a morning tutoring program: Future Problem Solvers. A mixed methods design was adopted for the purpose of this study including raw data, survey data, informal observations, and face-to-face interviews. The goal was to determine if the 28 participants (male and female) demonstrated academic success on the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (Science). The study was also conducted in order to explore the level of student engagement and the development of reciprocating relationships based ethical …

Academic Or Functional Life Skills? Using Behaviors Associated With Happiness To Guide Instruction For Students With Profound/Multiple Disabilities, Jonna L. Bobzien

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The field of special education has begun to concentrate its efforts on developing objectives and procedural strategies that promote a positive quality of life for students with profound multiple disabilities, while determining which educational strategies are the most appropriate. A multielement design was used to compare the effects of two educational conditions, academic skills instruction and functional life skills instruction, on the quality of life indicators of four students with profound multiple disabilities. Results indicated that all four students demonstrated a greater number of behaviors associated with happiness while receiving academic skills instruction. Implications for current educational practices are addressed …

Tools Of The Trade: 'Breaking The Ice' With Virtual Tools In Online Learning, Naomi Mcgrath, Sue Gregory, Helen Farley, Pauline K. Roberts

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The reality is that online learning can be a daunting and lonely experience. This is why icebreakers can be a rewarding practice for both students and educators. The use of icebreakers allows students studying online to introduce themselves and become familiar with other members of the group and/or community. Not only are these icebreakers used as a starter within the first weeks of study, but they are also used to help motivate students throughout the course. Highlighted in this paper are particular online (virtual) tools that can be used as icebreakers within an online learning environment and help shift the …