Education Commons^™

Black Minds Matter: The Academic Identity Of First Year African American Stem Students, Christa Dawn Platt

Theses and Dissertations

A national push exists to increase the number of African American students who pursue STEM majors (Baber, 2014). While African American students have high aspirations to pursue STEM disciplines, an incongruence remains between their aspirations and their attainment of STEM degrees (Archer, Dewitt, Osbourne, 2015). This work seeks to critically underscore the structural issues that impede African American students in their journey as STEM majors. These impediments have been explored as factors that influence the identity of African American students. In the spirit of Critical Race Theory, the goal of this study is to give voice to first year African …

Pathways To A Brighter Future: Narratives Of Latino Students’ Perceptions At Community College, Columba Myra Gaytan-Morales

Theses and Dissertations

Helping Latino students into leadership roles begins with a college experience. Latino students are the largest and fastest growing student population within community colleges, yet they are less likely to graduate. Blame is often placed on minority students and their families for the students’ poor academic performance. Deficit thinking models have impacted this way of thinking and this adds to the variety of factors that prevent students’ from successfully completing a college degree. An analysis of nine Latino students’ college experiences was examined to determine the types of barriers that were evident. Critical Race Theory and Latino Critical Race narrative …

Principals' Perceptions Of Professional Development: Options That Support Effective Leadership, Lisa Lee Geren

Theses and Dissertations

This study is designed to investigate the perceptions of elementary school principals in the state of Arkansas regarding what supports they need to be effective instructional leaders. Phase I of this mixed method study uses an online survey of 112 elementary school principals to better understand their descriptions of an effective instructional leader and the professional development supports they need. Phase II consists of personal interviews of 12 elementary school principals. The research revealed four overarching themes: Personal Attributes, Values Relationships, Leadership Skill Sets, and Meaningful Professional Development. Principals described effective leaders as visionaries, hospitable, empowering others, visible, good listeners, …

Optimizing Cross-Battery Assessment Procedures For Reading-Based Specific Learning Disorder Diagnosis: A Monte Carlo Study, Zachary Joseph Roman

Theses and Dissertations

Specific Learning Disorder is a disorder in which deficits in academic skills are caused by specific cognitive deficits. Cross-Battery Assessment (Flanagan, Alfonso, & Ortiz, 2013), is a popular method of diagnosing specific learning disorders. A recent study using data simulation methods claimed that cross-battery assessment was insufficiently accurate for clinical use (Stuebing, Fletcher, Branum-Martin, & Francis, 2012). However, the study used the general population base rate for specific learning disorders, resulting in misleadingly low accuracy estimates. The current study attempted to accurately simulate the cross-battery assessment method with a referred population prevalence to provide a fair analysis of cross-battery assessment’s …

Exploring Student Interaction And Reflection Through The Use Of Digital Backchannel Discussions, Heather J. Donnelly

Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative multicase study utilizing content analysis and qualitative coding techniques was conducted to explore the influence of the use of digital backchannels on student interaction and reflection during an in-class discussion. Data were collected from six front channel transcripts and twenty backchannel transcripts, which resulted from six backchannel discussions that were conducted in three different teacher education courses. Additional data were gathered from participant interviews of seven students who were enrolled in the participating courses. The outcome of the research indicates two main themes developed in regards to the influence of digital backchannels on student interactivity: (1) The content …

An Examination Of How One University Is Preparing Elementary And Middle Level Education Majors For Common Core Mathematics, Michelle Elizabeth Schwartze

Theses and Dissertations

In 2010 the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for mathematics and English Language Arts were introduced into K – 12 classrooms (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2015b). The standards for mathematics focus on having students demonstrate and explain understanding more than the standards have in the past (Burns, 2013). McCallum (2011) divides the eight Standards for Mathematical Practice into four main themes: reasoning and explaining, modeling and using tools, seeing structure and generalizing, and overarching habits of mind of a productive mathematical thinker. These four themes encompass what a mathematics classroom should look like when utilizing the CCSS for mathematics. …

Illinois Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Advanced Placement® And Dual Credit Courses, Glenn A. Wood

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced Placement® and dual credit coursework have been associated with positive educational attainment outcomes for students and yet opportunity gaps exist for children to access these programs depending on the school they attend. The many benefits of Advanced Placement® and dual credit coursework for students make it necessary that any education agenda by policymakers should include avenues to increase access to these programs for students. This study explored Advanced Placement® and dual credit coursework in Illinois through the perceptions of teachers, principals, superintendents, and school board members using a cross-sectional survey. The survey was administered to examine whether there are …

Understanding The Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Preservice Learning And Behavioral Specialists During Their Practicum, Field-Based, And Student Teaching Semesters, Alice S. Cahill

Theses and Dissertations

The study of self-efficacy has become a dominant topic in psychological and educational research over the last 50 years. However, little information is known about preservice teachers and even less about preservice special education teachers’ beliefs. This study was designed to survey preservice special educators’ self-efficacy beliefs placed outside of the college classroom in the education field.

The participants (n = 74) were special education preservice teachers in the state

of Illinois in their practicum, field-based, or student teaching semesters. The participants completed a 24-question online survey designed by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001) on their self-efficacy beliefs in the areas …

Does Gender Still Matter? Child Custody Bias In The Illinois Family Court System, Derek K. Ronnfeldt

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last several decades, nearly all of the states have formed task forces to look at the perception of a gender bias within the family court systems as they pertain to child custody. This self-scrutiny has included the attitudes of judges and attorneys within the system and the need of reform of our family courts. This research focused on replicating a study conducted by Dotterweich and McKinney that was completed in 2000 that compiled statistics from four different state task forces in Maryland, Missouri, Texas, and Washington. This research focused on Illinois judges and attorneys, using the same questions …

An Examination Of The First-Generation Student Experience At A Small, Private Institution, Joshua Erik Hayes

Theses and Dissertations

The postsecondary completion gap – the differential between those who access postsecondary education and those who complete a postsecondary credential – is a complex crisis that permeates U.S. higher education. One postsecondary student segment that continues to lag behind other segments in terms of degree completion is first-generation students, or those who are the first in their immediate families to attend college. The current study explores first-generation students’ experiences of their postsecondary environment viewed through unique lenses shaped by external contexts and prior experiences. Through a qualitative investigation of the experiences and perceptions of first-generation students at a private, residentially-based …

Assessing Self-Authorship Among Athletic Training Students, Jeffrey G. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the nature and development of self-authorship among athletic training students. A cross-sectional, survey design was used and students enrolled in Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited professional athletic training degree programs were included as participants. Systematic sampling was used to recruit participants from the target population. Participants were recruited through batch email addresses of non-certified student members of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) membership database.

The quantitative measure of self-authorship described by Creamer, Baxter Magolda, and Yue (2010), referred to as the Career Decision Making Survey-Self Authorship (CDMS-SA), …

Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Learning Through Practice: The Case Of Rudy, Theodore John Rupnow

Theses and Dissertations

In this study I investigated teachers’ learning through practice. Teachers learn in teacher preparation programs and in professional development, but the most personal learning occurs in practice. Teachers spend much of their time isolated from colleagues, participating in classroom communities instead of professional communities. If teacher educators want to understand the potential for learning in the space where teachers spend much of their time it is necessary to investigate the learning that is occurring in classroom practice. To pursue this end, I explored one secondary mathematics teacher’s learning in practice. I observed and video-recorded this teacher’s classroom practice for one …

Social Media As A Tool To Share Art Curriculum, Jordan James Dewilde

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to discover how social media can be a tool for art educators. The researcher, an elementary art educator, created a Facebook page to share his curriculum and document his teaching experience. For a two month period he recorded the posts, the and responses and documented the process in a reflective journal to determine how interaction with social media would impact his teaching. He simultaneously conducted an online survey of art educators to ask how they used social media to inform their teaching.

The Creative Child At Home, Ellen Loraine Herget

Theses and Dissertations

This was a study of how two children showed creativity in their own home environment. This study demonstrated four aspects of creativity, including problem solving, imagination, artistic expression, and play. Both children were very creative when making artwork in their own home. The more the children were engaged in the artwork, the more involved they were in the act of creativity. The girl demonstrated more problem solving skills, whereas the boy, due to his younger age, showed more imagination and play. While the children were working on their art projects, they showed imagination and problem solving through the association of …

A History Of Art Education At Illinois State University, Kayla Hueneburg

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates the process in which the Art Education teacher preparation program has evolved through the years to reflect the changes in pedagogy in the larger world of education. Illinois State University is regarded for its historical significance as a normal school. This thesis analyzes the successes and changes in the Art Education undergraduate and graduate sequence at Illinois State University from its founding to the current era. The program has undergone multiple modifications to provide attending students with current and informed teacher training. The unique ways in which Illinois State University provides such a service for students in …

Effects Of Integrating Postmodern Theory And Visual Culture Into The Art Curriculum, Kara Lomasney

Theses and Dissertations

This research study used a pretest and posttest, classroom discussion, student artwork and artist statements, and interview responses to determine whether integrating postmodern theory and visual culture into the art curriculum encouraged students to think critically. Study participants included eight students at a public junior high school in southwest suburb of Chicago, IL. Overall, students' posttest responses were slightly more thorough and better written. In general, participants agreed that learning about contemporary artists inspired them and helped give them ideas. In an effort to help students think more critically, the study recommends that the art classroom incorporate postmodern theory and …

An Intervention Study Aimed At Enhancing Seventh-Grade Students’ Development Of The Concept Of A Variable, Sinan Kanbir

Theses and Dissertations

Thirty-two seventh-grade students attending a public middle school in a rural district in a midwestern state of the United States of America participated in a mixed-method intervention study aimed at enhancing student understandings of the algebraic concept of a variable, especially in relation to structure and modeling. Participating students were randomly allocated to two class groups, with one class initially being taught by Mr. X and the other by Mr. Y, who had both participated in professional development sessions led by two senior mathematics educators. Mr. X initially led one of the class groups in seven sessions on algebraic structures …

Examining The Application Of Experiential Learning Techniques Across Sport Management Programs, Elizabeth Sattler

Theses and Dissertations

The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) has identified experiential learning projects as an integral element to be included in sport management curriculum (COSMA, 2016). However, often the experiential learning opportunities offered by sport management programs are limited to a required internship experience (Foster & Dollar, 2010). While internship programs have been widely accepted and implemented by sport management programs (Eagleman & McNary, 2010), there is little evidence of the implementation of other experiential learning practices within sport management programs. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to investigate the widespread application of experiential learning practices of sport management faculty. …

Elementary District-Level And Building-Level Leadership Practices That Promote And Sustain Professional Learning Communities, Nathaniel Cunningham Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between building and district level leadership in sustaining level district Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The study attempted to reveal the relationships of building level and district level leadership in sustaining level PLCs. The study also sought to determine the impact of relational trust between district-level and building-level leadership practices within professional learning communities. The Professional Learning Community Continuum (PLCC) was administered in order to identify those districts that were operating at the Sustaining Stage for PLCs. Approximately forty-six district and building level leaders participated in the study. A non- random …

Effects Of A Self-Advocacy Intervention On The Ability Of High School Students With High Incidence Disabilities To Advocate For Academic Accommodations, Nancy J. Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

One factor that may contribute to the success of students with disabilities in postsecondary educational settings may be their ability to advocate for academic accommodations (Garrison-Wade, 2012; Getzel & Thoma, 2008). By incorporating self-determination practices into the curriculum and transition process during high school, students with disabilities may acquire the self-advocacy skills to be successful in postsecondary settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a self-advocacy intervention on the ability of five high school students with high incidence disabilities to request academic accommodations in a high school general education course. Specifically, this study was a …

Social Positioning: Positioning Adults With Severe And Multiple Disabilities And Complex Communication Needs For Social Interaction, Dena Bonnike

Theses and Dissertations

This single subject multiple probe study across dyads investigated the effects of social positioning on the nonsymbolic and symbolic communication of adult peers with severe and multiple disabilities and complex communication needs (SMD-CCN) when they were out of their wheelchairs. Social positioning referred to the positioning of adults with SMD-CCN in proximity and facing one another (no more than three ft apart) with access to speech generating devices (SGDs) with appropriate messages for communicating and socializing with peers. Videotapes of the adults were analyzed to collect event recording data of their nonsymbolic (eye gaze, reaching, and vocalization) and symbolic (SGD …

“Fired Up About Education: ” A Quantitative Exploration Of Positive And Negative Slang, Richard Heyne

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the variables of immediacy, clarity, classroom climate, professionalism, and credibility as they relate to instructors use of slang in the classroom. This investigation advances our understanding of how students perceive an instructor or professor who uses “slang language” while teaching a lesson. While all of these variables will make up the student’s overall perception of the teacher, the study also examines how these results vary depending on the age of the instructor. Thus, the central focus for the present study is how different types of slang are perceived by students when used by instructors of different age. …

Parent-Implemented Intervention Using An Ipad To Enhance Expressive Language In Young Children, Yvette Renee Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Early childhood special educators face many challenges teaching young children with expressive language delays. One of those challenges is teaching parents effective strategies to address the expressive language delays in the home setting. The purpose of this multiple probe single-subject design study was to provide a systematic approach that included the use of mobile technology for parents to promote their child’s expressive language development. To accomplish this goal, a four-week intervention implementing the Joint Attention Mediated Learning-Focus on Verbal Expression with Technology (JAML-FVET) strategy across four families was conducted. The researcher provided the intervention while training the parent. Specifically, the …

Elementary General Education Teachers' Perspectives Towards The Inclusion Of Students With Emotional Disturbances, Leona E. O'Dear

Theses and Dissertations

Inclusion of students with emotional disturbances (ED) is encouraged nationally through litigation and legislation. Despite this fact, 38.1% of the students with ED spend less than 40% of their day in a regular education classroom due to several barriers. Research has demonstrated that one of the barriers to inclusion exists in general education teachers’ attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities. The purpose of this research study was to use a qualitative design to study the perspectives of general education teachers at the elementary level in an urban Illinois school district towards the phenomenon of the inclusion of students …

Technology In Teacher Preparation, Barbara Martin

Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to fully prepare teacher candidates, technology has become a vital part of teacher education programs across the country. In order to fully understand technology integration in teacher education, it is important to examine faculty perceptions of technology integration as well as current practices. This study examined faculty attitudes toward technology integration in one Midwestern university and how this faculty infused technology into their education courses in an effort to train teacher candidates to be successful digital educators.

Why Are Students Doing Research? Examining The Motivation Of Students Involved In Undergraduate Research Programs, Andrew Layne Mcdevitt

Theses and Dissertations

Use of self-determination theory (SDT) within the science classroom focuses primarily on ways to integrate intrinsic motivation into students' identity. Experiential learning plays a large role in promoting learning by shaping students' interests, identity, and intrinsic aspirations. This phenomenological research study sought to understand how experiential learning experiences helped influence career aspirations of graduate students within ecological disciplines. By determining how their experiences met three basic psychological needs outlined by SDT (competence, autonomy, and relatedness), we were able to examine which regulators drove motivation.

In the qualitative pilot study, participants developed a genuine enjoyment and appreciation for their discipline as …

Librarians And Student Affairs Professionals As Collaborators For Student Learning And Success, Dallas Long

Theses and Dissertations

Increased accountability in higher education is increasingly compelling librarians to demonstrate their impact on student learning and student success. To do so, they are encouraged to collaborate with student affairs professionals to improve students' experiences. However, the literature suggests librarians lack formal, structured partnerships with student affairs professionals, and that librarians and student affairs professionals are largely unfamiliar with each other's roles in student learning. They may have narrow or inaccurate perceptions of each other, and lack meaningful ways to collaborate. This study explored librarians' and student affairs professionals' perceptions of each other's roles in student learning and success. Additionally, …

Racial Stereotype Threat: A Critical Race Perspective, Daniel Mccloud

Theses and Dissertations

America is currently at a crossroads regarding race relations. Social and racial inequities have led to disparities in the educational outcomes among Blacks and other groups in this country. These educational disparities, incorrectly defined as an achievement gap, are part of a larger deficit based construct, which continues to deflect attention away from a system of hegemony that has been used to maintain a hierarchy of power and dominance over African Americans. Central to the continuance of this structure is the use of deficit based rhetoric, ideology, and research that continues to perpetuate stereotypes of African American intellectual inferiority.

The …

The Assessment Of Scientific Reasoning Skills Of High School Science Students: A Standardized Assessment Instrument, Shane Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of science education has been achieving scientific literacy. However, this has been no easy task considering that scientific literacy has many definitions that involve a plethora of activities. This means that assessing the topic becomes quite challenging, especially if this is done with some sort of overarching instrument. Fortunately, Shamos (1995) has characterized the many dimensions of scientific literacy into three levels. These dimensions can then be assessed individually, making the task of assessment less overwhelming. The highest level, true scientific literacy contains dimensions that are discussed in this study, which already have individual assessments. Wenning's Nature …

Too Little Stem Workforce In The United States: Framing The Discourse In A Global Setting, Patrice-Andre P. Prud'homme

Theses and Dissertations

Policymakers and industry leaders are claiming that the U.S. has an insufficient number of STEM graduates. As the rhetoric of a shortage of skilled scholars and employees in STEM-related fields expands, there is a plethora of publications that refers to a phenomenon dating back to the 1950s. Nonetheless, this new paradigm presents a critical challenge to policies and programs that surround STEM education in countries around the world. While STEM, including the underlying human capital component is a major factor of economic growth in the United States, it is also in Australia and Germany. The policy analysis study is presented …