Education Commons^™

Examining Academic Engagement Among Elementary Students: The Role Of Parent-Child And Teacher-Student Relationships, Courtney Brooke Tolinski

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore academic engagement and academic achievement among elementary-aged students and examine the role of students' relationships with teachers and parents in academic engagement. The participants (n=354) were students enrolled in the third, fourth or fifth grade from a rural school district in southeastern Michigan. Academic engagement varied by grade, where students in 5th grade displayed lower levels of engagement than students in the third and fourth grade. Males were also found to display increased levels of behavioral disaffection than females. Relational support was correlated with academic engagement across both the parent-child and teacher-student …

The Impact Of A Professional Development Program On Teachers' Practice And How Context Variables Influenced Such Practice: A Case Study, Sandra Lynn Yarema

Wayne State University Dissertations

This case study investigated how context variables influenced the impact of a state-funded longitudinal professional development (PD) program on the participant teachers' practice. Data was collected to compare differences in Science Content Knowledge, Science Pedagogical Content Knowledge, and the teachers' practice over the course of the PD program. Contextual variables related to district restructuring and school implementation of district policy evidence a direct effect on time spent on science instruction, specific instructional strategies used, and on the development of a professional community among the participants. This case study substantiates the implication that districts and school policies must provide adequate support …

College Student Adjustment: Examination Of Personal And Environmental Characteristics, Aleksandra M. Stoklosa

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study used a multi-dimensional model of college adjustment to examine the relationships between multiple layers of personal influences and college adjustment (academic, social, personal/emotional, attachment to the institution, and overall adjustment) among emerging adults in a large urban university. The sample included 177 undergraduate students, ages 18-25, attending Wayne State University, who completed on-line questionnaires. Race and cumulative college GPA were related to academic adjustment. Being Arabic/Middle-Eastern was a consistent predictor of college adjustment. It was found that higher college GPA and being White was related to higher academic adjustment, while being Arabic/Middle-Eastern was related to lower academic adjustment. …

An Evaluation Of Wayne State University's Educational Evaluation And Research Program, Willie L. White Ii

Wayne State University Dissertations

This is a mixed-methods evaluation of the Educational Evaluation and Research program at Wayne State University. The process of evaluation involved determining the efficacy of triangulating qualitative and quantitative methods of evaluation in order to access the EER program's goal acquisition. The process of evaluation commenced with a qualitative method of interviewing faculty members and was triangulated quantitatively with a likert scale survey that was modified from Wayne State University's Student Evaluation of Teaching Survey (SETS). The Student Evaluation of the Educational Evaluation and Research Program (SEEERP) was designed to measure graduate students' perspectives of EER goals and objectives acquisition. …

The Effect Of Arab American Parental Involvement In School-Based And Home-Based Activities That Support The Academic Performance Of Their Children During The Elementary School Years, Rola Bazzi-Gates

Wayne State University Dissertations

Parental involvement can have significant impacts on student academic performance during elementary school years. The current study intended to examine the importance and effect of Arab American parental involvement in the success of their students during their elementary years. The study also provided information about the resources that allow parents to be involved at their children’s schooling, and the barriers that prevent them from being involved and participate as much as they would like in their children’s schooling.

The present research applied appropriate approach, principles, and findings. This research examined the effect of Arab American immigrant parental involvement and participation …

Investigating University Instructors’ Experiences And Uses Of Mobile Technology In Teaching And Learning In Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim K. Alali

Wayne State University Dissertations

The use of mobile technology in teaching and learning has become a worldwide phenomenon. Many university instructors in Saudi Arabia have also started using their own mobile technology in their teaching and for communication with students. But there is limited research on Saudi Arabian university faculty’s experiences of using mobile technology in their teaching practices. This mixed-method study adapted the R2D2 (Reading, Reflecting, Displaying, and Doing) model (Bonk & Zhang, 2006, 2008) to investigate faculty’s uses of mobile technology in Saudi Arabian universities, including both instructors’ own teaching and learners’ activities.

An online survey, with both Likert-scale items and open-ended …

The Influence Of Student Engagement On Student Retention At A Midwest Urban Research Institution, Denise Williams Mallett

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study examined the importance of student retention and persistence and the role that student engagement has on those areas. Three research questions were posed for this study. The questions looked at the differences between national outcomes as compared to those in an urban-commuter, University in the Midwest; the differences between African American students and Caucasian students at this Midwest institution and the perception of engagement of freshman and senior level students. Student engagement was measured by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) five factors (i.e., level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student interactions with faculty, enriching …

Attitudes And Perceptions Of High School Principals With Regard To Bullying In Their Schools, Cornelius James Lewis

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study examined attitudes and perceptions of high school principals/assistant principals with regard to bullying in their schools. Bullying is a pervasive, unacceptable form of aggression that has negative consequences, both for the bully and the victim. School principals are charged with the responsibility of creating a safe environment for students, by effectively combating any aggressive behavior that could harm a student. The extent to which principals are able to combat bullying, may depend largely on their attitudes and perceptions of bullying behavior in their schools. This purpose of the study was to compare the attitudes of high school principals …

Beginning Algebra Student's Conceptual Understanding Of Variables In The Context Of Solving Equations: A Conceptual Change Inquiry., Darrlyn Harrison

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation aims to illuminate novice algebra student’s conceptual understandings of variables, solving equations, and the juxtaposition of the two. The goal of this study is to design a curricular intervention for a beginning Algebra 1 course and document, analyze, and interpret conceptual changes beginning algebra students experience in their understanding of variables and solving equations. Previous literature in this field indicate that students are not grasping a concrete conceptual understanding of algebraic topics starting at the very basic building blocks of algebra. This study advances our understanding of how we can alleviate some students’ frustrations and misunderstandings of variables, …

A Recursive Service Learning Program: Empowering Students Of Color Traveling Within Community Borders, Cindy Lynn Mooty-Hoffmann

Wayne State University Dissertations

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Rise Of The Administrator In Higher Education: Focus On Professionalization Of The Registrar At The University Of Kentucky From 1910 To 1937, Nancy D. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The decades following the Civil War saw a tremendous growth in the number of colleges and universities, both public and private, due in large part to funds provided by federal legislation under the Morrill Act of 1862 and a surge in philanthropy on the part of wealthy industrialists. In the early colleges and universities, administrations were typically run by the president alone. With increased enrollment and the demand for expanded services, one man could no longer handle all the administrative functions, and thus was born the administrative professional in higher education. Due to the increased demand for record-keeping, one of …

The Role Of Collaborative Ontology Development In The Knowledge Negotiation Process, Norma Rivera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Interdisciplinary research (IDR) collaboration can be defined as the process of integrating experts' knowledge, perspectives, and resources to advance scientific discovery. The flourishing of more complex research problems, together with the growth of scientific and technical knowledge has resulted in the need for researchers from diverse fields to provide different expertise and points of view to tackle these problems. These collaborations, however, introduce a new set of "culture" barriers as participating experts are trained to communicate in discipline-specific languages, theories, and research practices. We propose that building a common knowledge base for research using ontology development techniques can provide a …

Constructing Negotiated Meaning And Knowledge For The Sol Y Agua Project's Role-Playing Adventure Game Focused On Sustainability Problems In The El Paso-Rio Grande Area, Claudia Chihiro Santiago

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Video games that address environmental sustainability issues could engage students. However, video games make simplifications and establish idealistic expectations that do not resemble real life sustainability challenges and settings. Game developers and scholars believe that depicting the complexity of the real world could help video games become effective educational tools. They call for additional procedures that incorporate information from actual settings and real life situations. Furthermore, scholars have argued that video games addressing sustainability issues can be improved or made more meaningful with the participation of youth from underrepresented populations, e.g., Latinos. The Sol y Agua project at The University …

Challenges In Assessing College Students' Conception Of Duality: The Case Of Infinity, Grace Olutayo Babarinsa-Ochiedike

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Interpreting students' views of infinity posits a challenge for researchers due to the dynamic nature of the conception. There is diversity and variation among students' process-object perceptions. The fluctuations between studentsâ?? views however reveal an undeveloped duality conception. This study examined college students' conception of duality in understanding and representing infinity with the intent to design strategies that could guide researchers in categorizing students' views of infinity into different levels.

Data for the study were collected from N=238 college students enrolled in Calculus sequence courses (Pre-Calculus, Calculus I through Calculus III) at one of the southwestern universities in the U.S. …

Health And Stress Symptoms In University Professors And Their Relationship With The Process Of Obtaining A Permanent Position, Irene Concepcion Carrillo-Saucedo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research study used a quantitative, correlational method to examine health and stress symptoms in university professors and their relationship with the process of obtaining a permanent position and participation in a merit pay program. The Stress Profile Inventory (PEN) was used to measure professors’ health habits, social support network, Type A behavior, cognitive hardiness, coping styles and psychological well-being. An original measure with a Likert-type scale was used to measure health status. The questionnaires were distributed to 104 professors from the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ) who provided voluntary participation. Based on the results of the study, certain …

The Association Between Dietary Sodium, Salt, And Elevated Blood Pressure Among Hispanic Adults In El Paso, Texas, Cynthia Chacon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: High blood pressure (hypertension) is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) which represents a worldwide public health concern, and continues to be the number one cause of death among both men and women affecting 1 out of 3 adults in the United States. Furthermore, there is evidence suggesting that high levels of dietary sodium and salt consumption intake can not only increase an individual's blood pressure level, but also their risk for CVD, heart attack, or stroke. Objective: To conduct a secondary data analysis to assess the association between sodium and salt intake and blood pressure among Hispanic …

Dual Language K-2 Latina Teachers: Juxtaposing Linguistic Identities And Pedagogical Practices On The U.S.-Mexico Frontera, Brenda Oriana Fuentes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This ethnographic study explored the linguistic identities and pedagogical practices of Latina bilingual-certified K-2 teachers in a dual language (DL) program in the U.S.-Mexico border area. Drawing on sociocultural theory, methods of data collection and analysis focused on linking DL Latina teachers' identity formation with both their conceptions of teaching and their actual pedagogical practices related to language use. The findings from this study painted a portrait of how DL teachersâ?? languages, literacies, and identities intertwined to shape their pedagogical practice. The linguistic backgrounds of DL teachers on the border were shaped by country of origin and languages, schooling experiences, …

Borderland Pedagogy Study Of High School Mathematics Teachers' Lesson Plan Development And Implementation Practices, Rocio E. Gallardo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The aim of the study is to examine high school mathematics teachers' lesson plan development and implementation practices used in the border region of Mexico and USA. The study also attempts to determine how a transition from Mexico (Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua) to the U.S. (El Paso, TX) impacts high school mathematics teacher's lesson plan development practices incorporating the Borderland Pedagogy. The Borderland Pedagogy theoretical framework (Cline & Necochea, 2006; Romo & Chavez 2006; Fiume, 2005) was developed to explore educational experiences of teachers situated within border regions. The framework highlights key characteristics of Borderland Pedagogy that influence lesson plan development …

High School Mathematics Teachers' Connective Knowledge Of The Challenges And Possibilities In Implementing The Flipped Learning Model: An Embedded Mixed-Methods Study, Karla Huereca

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The impact of technology advancements in our current society continues to transform the ways in which we interact with each other, and the educational field has not been exempt from this transformation. Integration of technology in schools has influenced educators to seek new ways of teaching that adapt to the needs of students who are impacted by a digital wave. That is the case of a new instructional approach, which is being known as the Flipped Learning Model (FLM). The FLM intends to use pre-recorded video lessons to teach outside the classroom and incorporate homework and problem solving inside the …

Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Affective Dispositions Toward Mathematics, Benjamin R. Mcdermott

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure and report pre-service elementary teachers' affective domain of productive disposition toward mathematics during the semester they were enrolled in a reform-based mathematics methods course. The study attempted to observe and report dynamic and enduring aspects of disposition as well as the perceived reasons for any changes, or lack thereof, in disposition. The rationale for focusing on disposition is related to Kilpatrick, Swafford, and Findell's (2001) inclusion of productive disposition as one of the five interdependent strands of the mathematical proficiency conceptual framework. Furthermore, it has been argued that dispositions develop at very …

Examining Teachers' Acceptance And Use Of Mobile Applications And Ipads In Instruction Through The Technology Acceptance Model: A Mixed Methods Study, Danielle Nicole Navariz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

With the addition of new technologies and the shift from digital learning to mobile learning, districts are rushing to purchase the latest mobile devices for their campuses. Despite this rush, as indicated by the growing number of pilot programs and 13 million iPads sold to education customers globally (Maestri, 2014), there is little research on the factors teachers consider when selecting mobile applications or the factors that impact their acceptance of the new technology. When implementing new technologies, teachers' acceptance of the technology must be examined to ensure proper use.

This Dissertation explored, through sequential mixed methods, teachersâ?? acceptance of …

Latina/O High School Students' Standpoint On Environmental Justice In A Border Community: A Phenomenological Study, Cynthia Christina Ontiveros

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative research is a transcendental phenomenology seeking to understand Latin@ high school students’ perceptions and standpoints as they participated lessons that addressed border environmental justice issues in an underrepresented, marginalized community. Seven students from Borderland High School, enrolled in a senior level course, Environmental Science, participated in the study which focused on their experiences in an environmental justice air quality thematic unit built around the complex issues surrounding a local refinery, American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO). The study analyzed the meaning students made and their standpoints regarding the impact of the factory and its one-hundred year history polluting …

Visual Arts Teacher Preparation, Lucina Rodriguez Zarate

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Studies have found that visual arts education is an essential part of students' overall educational development. Students exposed to a robust visual arts education develop critical and analytical thinking skills, learn to evaluate their own work and the work of their peers, learn to interpret subject matter in various ways, and are encouraged to engage in their community, all of which help students develop a higher self-esteem and create a positive attitude towards learning. However, to achieve such positive results, visual arts educators need to acquire the proper training to learn how to develop and deliver well-rounded curricula with the …

Peer Review In A Graduate Writing Class: Case Studies Of First-And Second- Language Students, Petcharat Saenpoch

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research explored peer review strategies of L1 (native speakers of English) and L2 (non-native speakers of English) graduate student writers from different disciplines. The focus was on how they revised their writing and which strategies they used. The study was conducted in a Graduate Writing Workshop class at a public university on the U.S. - Mexican border in the United States of America. Five participants were selected as case studies. The researcher collected data by recording face-to-face peer review sessions, observing the class, interviewing the instructor and students, collecting the students' reflections, and gathering the students' writing drafts. The …

Mobile Professional Development: Taxonomic Levels Of Learning On Teachers' Tpack Perceptions And Acquisition Of Technology Competencies, Raul Saldana Jr.

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As it stands, the integration of technology can be advantageous for teachers, students, administrators, and parents, yet teachers are expected to teach and facilitate learning with new technologies in order to prepare students to succeed in a global economy. As the Part D of the Enhancing Education Through Technology Act of 2001 (Part D - Enhancing Education Through Technology, n.d) states, one of its purposes is to "enhance ongoing professional development of teachers, principals, and administrators by providing constant access to training and updated research in teaching and learning through electronic means," one of its goals is to "encourage effective …

"Es Que Nadie Me Quiere Ayudar," Affective Factors In The Schooling Experience Of Recent Immigrants And Dual Language Instruction, Maria Del Rosario Talamantes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Dissertation is a critical ethnography of the schooling experiences of recent immigrants in dual language immersion classes in US schools where the separation of languages is a policy (Adelman Reyes, 2007; Collier & Thomas, 2004; Cummins, 2005; Lee et al., 2008). Under this program, language is said to be used as a resource to motivate learning among students working in cooperative groups (Gomez, Freeman & Freeman, 2005; Kagan, 1995; Ruiz, 1984). However, this study revealed that language was also used as a tool for oppression among recent immigrant students (Bakhtin, 1981; Giltrow, 2003; Heller, 1995). Focusing on recent immigrant …

Kentucky Principal Preparation Programs: A Contemporary History, Thomas Henry Hart

Online Theses and Dissertations

In this era of expectation that school principals will lead continuous improvement initiatives in their schools, this study investigates if principals receive instruction in continuous improvement concepts, methods, and tools through their formal principal certification program. This research evaluates the evolution of school principal preparation programs in Kentucky over the period from 1994 to 2014, a time of great change in academic expectations and accountability in American public schools. Using the report of a national study begun in 1975, Preparatory Programs for Educational Administrators in the United States (Silver and Spuck, 1978), as a baseline, accredited principal preparations programs in …

The Relationship Between Administrative Support And Burnout In Turnaround Schools, Kevin Scott Crosby

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study looked at the relationship between administrative support and teacher burnout in two federally funded turnaround middle schools. Teacher burnout indicators include signs of lacking accomplishment, mental and physical fatigue, and depersonalization. Administrative support factors include positive communication, vision, district support, and school support. The major findings of this study showed that school level support played a significant role in predicting teacher burnout. Professional development support played a significant role in predicting teacher burnout, but not to the same extent as school level support. Central office support was not a significant factor in predicting teacher burnout or any burnout …

The 21st Century University President: Building Blocks For Effective Rural Leadership, David Thomas Mcfaddin

Online Theses and Dissertations

This paper was written to examine the fundamental areas of influence that can help to shape effective leadership for the 21st century college or university president in a rural setting. In the last few years, centuries of long held traditions, behaviors and expectations inside and outside of the university community have quickly and radically changed. The new and evolving knowledge-based economy of America has created an exceedingly competitive marketplace for higher education that has forever changed the social and financial contract between higher education and the American public. This new world features extremely complex and competitive organizations that must exist …

Effectiveness Of Mandatory Driver Training Programs For Fire Service Drivers, Ryan Neil Pietzsch

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research attempts to measure the effectiveness of mandatory driver training programs for fire service drivers. Effectiveness is defined by a decrease in the number of crashes per number of runs. Two states were identified for comparison, one with mandatory driver training requirements, Washington State (WA) and the other with no requirements, Pennsylvania (PA). Data was collected from state Department of Transportation (DOT) databases and state National Fire Incident Reporting Systems (NFIRS). A cross-sectional study was conducted to compare raw and adjusted crash rates calculated from state DOT crash numbers and NFPA run numbers. The WA effectiveness rate was then …