Education Commons^™

Vocational Re-Formation For A Multi-Religious World, Elizabeth A. Eaton

Intersections

No abstract provided.

Journey Toward Pluralism: Reimagining Lutheran Identity In A Changing World, Jacqueline Bussie

Intersections

No abstract provided.

What's In A Name?, Matthew J. Marohl

Intersections

No abstract provided.

From Our Students: David Kamins, David Kamins

Intersections

No abstract provided.

From Our Students: Tom Natalini, Tom Natalini

Intersections

No abstract provided.

Journals In The Field Of Higher Education: A Racial Analysis, Donald Mitchell Jr., Ph.D., Jamillya Hardley, Darius Jordan, Michael Couch

Executives, Administrators, & Staff Publications

Too often, scholarship regarding the concept of race in the United States is absent from top-tier journals across fields. Yet, at some institutions, faculty, including scholars who explore race, are required to publish in top-tier journals to secure tenure. This article highlights the extent to which journals—of all tiers—within the field of higher education publish articles explicitly highlighting race in the study. The authors used Bray and Major’s article, “Status of Journals in the Field of Higher Education” as the data source for the sample. Using a systematic approach, the authors surveyed journals in the field of higher education to …

The Influence Of Colorism And Hair Texture Bias On The Professional And Social Lives Of Black Women Student Affairs Professionals, Rhea Monet Perkins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Influence of Colorism and Hair Texture Bias on the Professional and Social Lives of Black Women Student Affairs Professionals “If it was so honorable and glorious to be black, why was it the yellow-skinned people among us had so much prestige?” Zora Neal Hurston (1942) understood the privilege and oppression associated with colorism. “Colorism is the allocation of privilege and disadvantage according to the lightness or darkness of one’s skin” (Burke, 2008, p. 17). Colorism is the systematic preference for lighter skin tones over darker tones and stems from larger racial systems impacting education, income, marriageability, job placement, housing …

Vocabulary Matching : Potential For A Diagnostic Performance Indicator, Jodie Schraven

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Predictive validity was explored between vocabulary matching (VM) probe scores and the integrated Louisiana Education Assessment Program (iLEAP) social studies standardized subtest score for 224 sixth-grade students across demographic categories from one rural southeastern Louisiana school district. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) conducted in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, 2007) produced Pearson correlations between .51 and .70 for five benchmark probes for the entire sample. Predictive cutscores created using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses and a diagnostic accuracy application software program illustrated that VM cutscores did not correctly predict which students would pass or fail with enough …

Impact Of Family And School Capital On The Academic Development Of African American And Hispanic Students, Jinmei Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of family/school capital on the academic development of African American and Hispanic students by examining four educational outcomes (math/reading achievement at the tenth grade, high school graduation, post-secondary enrollment and post-secondary degree attainment) from the tenth grade through their post-secondary education. The Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 conducted by the National Center for Educational Statistics provided the data source. Hierarchical linear regression, multilevel binary logistic regression, and logistic regression were utilized to quantify the impact of family/school capital on the educational outcomes of African American and Hispanic students. Family and school capital variables significantly impact …

A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Post-Secondary Students' Long Bone Anatomy Knowledge Retention Through Constructivism And The Works Of Vesalius, Jennifer F. Tynes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Understanding human long bone anatomy is an important concept to master for post-secondary students that major in medical fields since skeletal structures assist in locating a pulse, conducting clinical procedures, and identifying injection sites. Skeletal anatomy is also used to name structures associated with other organ systems like veins, arteries, and nerves. This explanatory mixed methods study explores post-secondary students’ knowledge retention and perception of various constructivist activities that utilize historical approaches based on the works of Vesalius, the Father of Modern Anatomy to teach long bone anatomy. Three treatment groups and one controlled comparison group (n= 92) were provided …

Examining The Persistence Of Students In Academic And Leadership Development Programs, Jared Christian Avery

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The study examined whether institution-driven programs improve persistence among Black male student participants. Using modified versions of Tinto’s Student Integration Model (SIM) as the theoretical framework, the researcher hypothesized that participants involved in institution-driven programs would be more connected to the academic and social spaces of the university. In turn, this would lead to improved persistence at the postsecondary level and ultimately degree completion. Using a questionnaire to assess measures of student persistence, an electronic survey was administered to 475 students at a predominantly White institution in the southeast region of the U.S. For the quasi-experimental research design, Analysis of …

Giftedness And Overexcitability : Investigating The Evidence, Daniel Lawrence Winkler

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Many scholars of gifted education have often argued and believed that gifted individuals are neurologically overexcitable while non-gifted persons are not (Chang & Kuo, 2013; Harrison & Haneghan, 2011; Piechowski, 1979, 2006; Silverman, 2000a; Siu, 2010; Tieso, 2007a). This means that gifted persons are more sensitive, intuitive, empathic, and physically and emotionally aware. Some scholars have suggested that this significant degree of overexcitability may even mean that gifted persons are morally superior to non-gifted persons (Silverman, 1994). Over the past thirty years, this relationship between overexcitability (OE) and giftedness has become increasingly popular, as many websites, textbooks, and researchers have …

The Impact Of Instructions: Perceptions Of Note-Taking And Awareness Of Metacognitive Listening For Esl Students, Ayami Murakami

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Taking effective notes while listening to a lecture is one of the important strategies for students in order to fulfill their academic goals. A number of empirical studies have been done to emphasize its importance; however, much fewer studies focusing on the impact of note-taking instruction have been done. Moreover, not only note-taking strategies but also high listening strategies are required to take notes while listening. The current study investigated the impact of instructions of note-taking and listening on ESL students. A total number of 23 upper-intermediate ESL students experienced training of taking notes and metacognitive listening over a semester. …

Effects Of A Cross-Age Peer Tutoring Intervention On English Language Oral Reading Fluency In A Belizean Grade School, Marcia Ruth Sytsma

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

A cross-age peer tutoring program was implemented in a small rural school in west central Belize, Central America. All students at the school were native Spanish speakers, and all general instruction was conducted in English. The program was devised to supplement existing reading and language arts instruction at all grade levels. Progress of both tutors and tutees was monitored on a weekly basis using DIBELS Next measures. Twenty-nine students started the program, with complete data available for twenty-one students: seven tutee-tutor pairs, and seven matched students who participated as controls. Three main hypotheses were tested with the present study. These …

The Identification Of Successes And Barriers In Establishing Professional Learning Communities From Principals' Perspectives, Katie Carol Clarke

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify the successes and challenges in establishing professional learning communities (PLC) within 25 school districts in southwest Minnesota. Data was generated by school principals completing a closed-ended online survey that revealed degrees of implementation of PLCs. Survey data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and provided a foundation for the development of semi-structured focus group questions. This was a sequential mixed methods study, as the quantitative data was first collected followed by obtaining qualitative focus group data. Themes were generated during data analysis of the focus group questions and findings revealed successes and …

Reaching An Invisible Minority: A Survey Of Admissions Department Leaders' Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Student Outreach Efforts And Campus Climate In The Upper Midwest, Pollard David Sorquist

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) students face challenges and barriers to higher education that heterosexual students do not. Many of these challenges are rooted in negative high school experiences of LGB youth, such as social stigmatization and family rejection. Additionally, LGB students have historically been excluded from admissions office outreach considerations. This has resulted in structural and symbolic barriers in secondary and post-secondary institutions. These barriers limit LBG student access and also limit available resources to support the successful transition to higher education institutions. Higher education admissions leaders have a unique opportunity to reach out to and actively support LGB …

Implementing Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports At The Secondary Level, Sheri L. Allen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines the implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) at the secondary school level. The study used a mixed-method research approach. Concurrently, a qualitative survey about PBIS implementation with a quantitative open-ended question identifying how to improve implementation was administered to all secondary staff at one middle school. While the results affirmed that the four systems of PBIS were in place, this dissertation provides recommendations for implementation and how to improve implementation in a Midwestern middle school.

Implementation Of The Ready! For Kindergarten Program, Sharon Bonnett

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research has shown that nearly 50 percent of Minnesota children entering kindergarten are not well prepared with the skills necessary to be successful in the kindergarten curriculum (MinneMinds, 2014 ). This gap in kindergarten readiness creates an achievement gap causing students to face significant hurdles to academic achievement (MinneMinds, 2014) which are hard to improve over time. Investment in parent-focused early childhood education programs has been shown to create the heftiest gains for children across a wide range of outcome measures and is a critical step in ensuring that children are prepared for success in school (Neville et al., 2013).

Toolkit For Mental Health Professionals, Social Workers, And Guidance Counselors Working With Immigrant And Refugee Students, Rojina Maya Mccarthy

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this Capstone project is to develop a best practices toolkit for social workers and mental health professionals working with immigrant and refugee students in school setting. The toolkit is intended to be disseminated by The Advocates for Human Rights to social workers, guidance counselors, and other mental health professionals who work with immigrant and refugee children. This toolkit will also be used by the staff in the organization.

Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis): Lessons Learned From The Implementation Process Of An Evidence-Based Program, Tara Mershon

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to assess the implementation process of PBIS in rural, consolidated school districts in southern Minnesota. The ideals of PBIS are in line with GFW Schools mission to foster lifelong learners in a caring environment. GFW schools aspire to promote positive social and emotional behavior and provide all students with a quality education to prepare them for future educational experiences. The recommendations from this project will inform the implementation of PBIS in the GFW School District, which is occurring in the 2014-2016 academic years.

Mental Health Services Among Children Involved In Child Welfare: Identifying Parental Views And Barriers To Accessing Services, Katrina Ohmann-Thai

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

• In the child welfare field there is an growing need for mental health support for children. This need is due to exposure to or victimization of abuse and neglect. On average only 15-25% of children identified as needing services are actually participating in some type of mental health support. This may be due to the many barriers that exist when seeking mental health support.
• This research project surveyed parents in Independent School District (ISD) 196 regarding potential mental health services offered through the School-Linked Mental Health Services grant. Information was collected through a survey of parents from two schools within …

School Social Work As An Intervention In A Rural Setting Iv Classroom Serving Students With Behavioral Needs, Melissa Pletcher

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the project was to review the evidence-based literature to determine how to best support the academic and other needs of students with EBD in a school-based setting and to determine the role that support service professionals, particularly school social workers, play in providing such evidence-based supports and services.

Implementing Pbis In A Rural Junior High School: Reducing Negative Behaviors And Gaining Future Teacher Buy-In, Kelly T. Vourlos

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) improves student outcomes including higher graduation rates, improved classroom behaviors and management, less discipline referrals, increased student engagement, improved academic performance, increased faculty retention, and an overall better school experience for staff and students. Staff buy-in can be difficult to obtain, but is critically important for school-wide success of PBIS. The purpose of this project was to investigate if a short-term exposure to PBIS-like intervention would change buy-in for junior high school teachers in Belle Plaine School District and evaluate their opinions about PBIS, along with comparing student incident reports before and throughout the …

An Analysis Of Erickson's Concept Of School Legitimacy In Relationship To School Success And Failure, Michael Griggs

Theses and Dissertations

School legitimacy is the approval of principal and teacher authority that derives from the school community's trust (Erickson, 1987). When clients--the various stakeholders, including parents and students--recognize their school as legitimate, they trust that those in authority will help their economic future, protect their personal identities, and look out for their best interest. The concept of school legitimacy is applied to four case studies that involve poor and minority students to examine its role in a school's success or failure. The dissertation seeks to examine the process for constructing school legitimacy through reviewing literature, case studies, and surveys. Surveys are …

Gender-Specific Instructional Strategies And Student Achievement In 5th Grade Classrooms, Millicent Whitener Dickey

Theses and Dissertations

There are three purposes of this mixed methods phenomenological case study. First, the researcher attempted to determine if there is evidence that teachers in single-sex classes adjust the delivery of the academic content when compared to coeducational classes. Secondly, while trying to understand the phenomenon of learning in a single-sex classroom, the researcher tried to determine which specific instructional strategies are considered most beneficial by male and female students. The researcher also looked for evidence of differences in achievement between students in single-sex and coeducational environments. Data collection occurred primarily through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and classroom observation over the …

Sea Island Cascades: An Analysis Of Principals' And Teachers' Perceptions Of Factors Related To The Overrepresentation Of African American Males Identified As Having An Emotional Disability, Jacinta Maria Bryant

Theses and Dissertations

The issue of the overrepresentation of African Americans in special education is a persistent concern that has negatively impacted African American male students, their families, school districts, and the field of special education. School districts throughout the nation report a higher representation of African American males in special education programs than their presence in the general education environment would predict. In South Carolina, 42.5 % of African Americans receive special education services whereas 53% are categorized as having an emotional disturbance (ED). Of the 53% of the African Americans categorized as ED, 79% are males. In the Charleston County School …

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 …

Data-Driven School Administrator Behaviors And State Report Card Results, James Alan Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the principal behaviors that would define an instructional leader as being a data-driven school administrator and to assess current school administrators' levels of being data-driven. This research attempted to examine the relationship between the degree to which a principal was data-driven and the school's performance on standardized tests and state report card values.

The research questions are:

1. To what degree do current school principals in select districts from the Charleston area of South Carolina see themselves as data-driven leaders?

2. To what extent are the 12 specific behaviors that define a …

Teaching To Learn: Tapping The Rich Language Resources Of Three African American Preschool Boys, Virginia Akright Miller

Theses and Dissertations

The initial purpose of the study was to better understand the effect of book genre (fiction or informational) and text choice on the spontaneous language production of African American, preschool boys from low SES households. Its methodological approach was action research that consisted of teacher/child book sharing with three participants during one-on-one, 30 minute sessions over a period of 14 weeks. Discussion during these sessions centered on the participants' book choice and were audio recorded. The transcripts of these recordings became case studies that were analyzed for behavioral patterns of both participants and teacher. Discovery of such patterns revealed changes …

Just Ask: Using Faculty Input To Inform Communication Strategies, Krista Hoffmann Longtin, Megan M. Palmer, Julie L. Welch, Emily C. Walvoord, Mary E. Dankoski

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Faculty members today are bombarded with information, yet limited in time and attention. Managing communication with faculty is an increasingly important function of faculty development offices. This study explored how communication frameworks can be paired with web design principles and attention economics to increase the effectiveness of communication with faculty members. We developed and tested communication approaches designed to enhance faculty members’ identification and involvement with our programs. The advantages, disadvantages, and effectiveness of each model are presented. Ultimately, the study reframed our understanding of communication strategies, not as static tools, but rather as opportunities to engage faculty.