Education Commons^™

Authentic Science In Education: Studies In Course-Based Research At The United States Military Academy, Anthony M. Chase

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation consists of two studies at the United States Military Academy. Both studies involve the use of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). These experiences give students the ability to engage in undergraduate research at an early point in their academic career by replacing traditional laboratory activities with semester-long research projects. Both studies show an implementation of this type of instruction from the Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education (CASPiE). Study 1 shows the specific method of implementation at the military academy and explores learning-based outcomes. Primarily the outcome of critical thinking is demonstrated. Critical thinking is a construct …

The Association Between Tolerance For Ambiguity And Fear Of Negative Evaluation: A Study Of Engineering Technology Capstone Courses, Sergey I. Dubikovsky

Open Access Dissertations

For many students in engineering and engineering technology programs in the US, senior capstone design courses require students to form a team, define a problem, and find a feasible technical solution to address this problem. Students must integrate the knowledge and skills acquired during their studies at the college or university level. These truly integrative design activities do not have a single “correct” solution. Instead, there is an array of solutions, many of which could be used to achieve the final result. This ambiguity can cause students to experience anxiety during the projects.

This study examined the main topics: • …

Development And Initial Validation Of A Culturally Responsive Classroom Climate Scale, Horane A. Holgate

Open Access Theses

This study describes the development and initial validation for a measure of a culturally responsive classroom climate in postsecondary classrooms. By examining multiple frameworks of culturally responsive teaching four factors were identified as representing cultural responsiveness in the classroom: inclusiveness, cultural inclusion, diverse language and diverse pedagogy. Using these factors and conceptual definitions a survey measure was developed and the overall factor structure and reliability of the measure examined using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The results provide evidence for a second order factor model with cultural responsiveness as a higher order construct represented by four factors. The results are …

"That's Empowering!": The Influence Of Community Activism Curriculum On Gifted Adolescents' Self-Concepts, Ashley D. Beason-Manes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The first of the following manuscripts addresses the experiences of a group of gifted middle school students as they engaged in community action projects that provided them opportunity to become activists in their school, neighborhood, and larger community. This study pays special attention to participants’ self-concepts as measured by the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Children (2012) and through participant interviews. The study finds evidence of students’ co-cognitive components of giftedness when themes of courage, sensitivity to human concerns, and sense of destiny are applied. Main themes from Harter’s scale are also applied, and participant interviews reveal evidence of academic and …

Importance Of Supporting The Unique Needs Of Military Children In The Monterey Bay Area, Emilie Knudson

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey Bay Area is home to many military personnel and their families. This senior capstone investigates the importance of supporting the unique needs of military children throughout their academic career. The difficulties that military children may face in their education are a direct result of military lifestyle challenges. An anonymous survey was conducted with local principals, military parents, and children of military families. Through data collection and research findings, it is clear that military children have unique needs that, if not addressed, can affect their social-emotional development. This study shows that military children need increased and distinctive support, both …

The Gratitude Questionnaire And Mindful Attention Awareness Scale For Use With Latina/O College Students: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Dion B. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Interventions based on positive psychology constructs have become increasingly popular over the past two decades, necessitating validation of instruments for use with underrepresented populations (Pawelski, 2016; Vela, Lerma, & Ikonomopoulos, 2016). This study reports an evaluation of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003) and the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6; McCullough, Emmons, & Tsang, 2002) for use with Latina/o college students. Sample sizes used in this study are N = 207 (99 women and 104 men; 4 did not identify) for the MAAS and N = 127 (84 women and 38 men; 5 did not identify) for the …

Mindfulness Activities In Teacher Spiritual Preparation, Suzette Quiros

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project examined the effects of mindfulness activities on teacher spirituality. It was conducted during a two-month Early Childhood Montessori teacher training course with eight female teachers between the ages of 25 and 50. Data was collected with the use of attitude scales, self-reflection journals, field notes and conversations. Conclusions showed participants perceived an increase in spirituality and gained inner peace, patience, kindness, humility, self-respect. They also showed they gained the ability to let go of negative energy, achieving calmness and positivism. Further research could be conducted to see the effects of teacher spirituality on the classroom environment …

A Mother's Spiritual Journey With Her Disabled Son: An Autoethnography, Margaret C. Higgins Edd

Dissertations

Abstract

This autoethnographic research delves into a mother’s experiences with her disabled son over thirty-five years. Beginning with a thick description of the crib accident that resulted in physical and cognitive disabilities that profoundly change the course of both mother and son’s life, this research chronicles the search for meaning, community, and healing as they negotiate the realms of medicine, education, career, family, and spirituality. Models of disability that seek to explain various ways in which society often views disability are examined, but none resonate with the researcher’s intimate experiences nor satisfies her deepest needs for insight and healing. Making …

Cognitive And Affective Aspects Of Personality And Academic Procrastination: The Role Of Personal Agency, Flow, And Executive Function, Marc Graff

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Academic procrastination is a prevalent issue that affects school-related and other experiences of many students, with some studies identifying as many as a third of college students sampled as‘severe’ procrastinators. This study investigated some of the factors previous studies have identified as potential contributors to procrastinating in the academic arena. In defining procrastination as a self-regulation issue, it is proposed that distinct executive function processes play a role in one’s efforts at academic task engagement and completion and resisting the tendency to procrastinate on these tasks. It is also proposed that the frequency with which one experiences ‘flow’, a state …

The 'Rules Of Engagement': The Ethical Dimension Of Doctoral Research, Christopher Berg

Journal of Research Initiatives

The pursuit of a doctorate is a rite of passage that requires a student to successfully navigate the transition from “student” to “scholar.” One area of practice, however, that is often marginalized is the role of ethics. Though there is no formal coursework in ethics, its importance cannot be understated. This essay examines the conceptual role of ethics in doctoral research as both an individual reflective essay as well as a broader discussion of ethics in general. The ethical dimension considered is broken down into eight principles or ethical research and practice in doctoral research. The “Eight Ethical Principles” will …

An Examination Of The Employment Of The Pair Programming Methodology As A Collaborative Instructional Scaffold On College Student Procedural Learning And Programming Self-Beliefs, Ronald Erdei

Open Access Dissertations

Using a concurrent mixed methods case study approach, this study investigated the impact of employing the pair programming methodology as a collaborative instructional scaffold on student programming procedural knowledge and programming-related self-beliefs in an introductory computer programming course offered at a large university located in the Midwestern United States. Employing a design research theoretical perspective in a natural educational setting, the study used course performance data, survey data, and researcher observations to educe that employment of the pair programming methodology as a collaborative instructional scaffold facilitated a more efficient learning process as well as a learning process less reliant on …

The Educational Journeys Of First-Generation College Women In Stem: A Grounded Theory Study, Susan Geier

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the various factors that influenced these first-generation college women as they chose a college and selected a STEM major and subsequently persisted to upper level (junior/senior) status. Twenty-five first-generation college women in STEM majors who attended a research-intensive university in the Midwest were interviewed. Approaching this study using constructivist grounded theory provided the opportunity for deeper insights by examining data at a conceptual level while preserving the voices of the women in this study. The women faced numerous challenges on their journeys, yet they persisted. As the women in this study selected …

Hispanic Bilingual Learners' Perceptions And Educational Experiences Of Spanish-Speaking In South Texas, Isela B. Stephens

Theses and Dissertations

The present study focuses on a subset of data obtained from a larger interdisciplinary project, Proyecto Posible, which investigates how sociocultural and instructional factors predict positive outcomes among Spanish- and English-speaking Hispanic bilingual learners. As one part of Proyecto Posible, interviewers asked learners to speak in their language of preference about their experiences in school and feelings developed during interactions with others, as bilinguals. This study examines the qualitative component on bilingual learners’ perceptions of their own language proficiency in English and Spanish, perceptions of language use across a broad range of contexts including school, home, and community, …

Emotional Intelligence And Graduates - Employers' Perspectives, Ailish Jameson, Aiden Carthy, Colm Mcguinness, Fiona Mcsweeney

Articles

Research has demonstrated that employers favour graduates who possess higher levels of emotional intelligence. Many

initiatives to increase students’ levels of EI have involved ‘whole school’ approaches, whereby generic EI skills programmes are

delivered to all students in a third level institute. This paper details an initial survey of employers’ (n = 500) opinions on the

importance and current level of graduates’ social and emotional competencies. The survey was completed across five sectors:

engineering, IT/computing, professional services (including accounting, business, finance, HR, law, retail), science (including

pharmaceutical and life), and social science which are identified growth industries in Ireland. It …

Group Flow In The Byu Animation Studio, Jana Lynn Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation encompasses three articles concerning Sawyer's (2007) theory of group flow in the context of higher education, including a literature review, and two interpretive studies. In the literature review and in the first interpretive research article, the results of the research illuminated the applicability of themes of group flow in collaborative settings in higher education in themes of vision, ownership and contribution, and communication. The final article provides a description of the roles of student lead and professor in this environment and the unique ways that they may have encouraged those themes in the studio. The context for this …

Gambling Education Programs For Adolescents: A Systematic Review, Brittany Keen, Alex Blaszczynski, Fadi Anjoul

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Around two thirds of Australian adolescents aged 10-14 years old have gambled in the last year, and rates of problem gambling are up to four times higher among adolescents than in the adult population. Schools provide a unique opportunity to intervene in cognitive and behavioural development, and while several gambling education programs exist in schools across Australia and internationally, few have been empirically evaluated. The purpose of this review was to provide a systematic appraisal of the published research on gambling education programs for adolescents. The review aimed to identify the number and quality of studies that have evaluated gambling …

Modernizing The Integrated Approach: A Dynamic Teaching Method Using Podcasts And Multimedia Content, Justin T. Hughes

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project explores ways to create a curriculum in which multimedia and technology such as podcasts, streaming video, and online articles are utilized effectively in order to develop academic skills for adult international students, specifically those with the goal of attending an American university. Through this integrated approach that combines all of the essential language skills (listening, reading, speaking, and writing), students will build confidence and thus become empowered and individualized learners. They will be able to attain mastery of an essential academic skill set that will assist them in attaining their goals in many different realms.

This project engages …

Analysis Of African American And White American Cognitive Profiles For Language And Cultural Influences, Nicole Jones

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Abstract

One of the most concerning aspects of special education is the overrepresentation of African American minority youth receiving special education services. Samuel Ortiz and colleagues considered the issue of the representation of the Latino, English Language Learner (ELL) population in special education services based on cognitive performance in relation to the mainstream population. To target this concern they determined an estimated level of expected cognitive performance of ELL’s and impact of language and cultural differences to help eligibility teams more appropriately interpret and place students with the aid of the Culture-Language Interpretive Matrix (C-LIM) model they developed. The current …

Inclusive Settings: Rti In The General Education Classroom, Brittany Graves

Honors Projects

The premise of this study was derived upon seeing a severe need for professional development in my current field work experience. I set out to determine a possible solution to the lack of cohesion among general and special educators evident in my local school district. This small town rural school is looking to expand RTI, and intervention technique, to decrease gaps in education for at risk students. With issues of cohesion and professional development evident, I collected and analyzed data in order to determine a way the school district can still incorporate and expand their Response to Intervention (RTI) practices. …

Investigating The Factor Structure Of The Teachers’ Sense Of Efficacy Scale With Pakistani In-Service And Pre-Service Teachers, Sajid Ali Yousuf Zai

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teachers with a high sense of efficacy are motivated to achieve and are generally optimistic about future learning. There is an extensive body of research that indicates a teacher’s self-efficacy beliefs can be a performance indicator for school outcomes. Research on characteristics related to teachers in Pakistan has been increasing over the last decade, however there are a number of instruments being used with this population without any documented validation studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES; Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) to determine the latent structure of …

Test Anxiety: Prevalence, Effects, And Interventions For Elementary School Students, Lauren Talbot

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

No abstract provided.

Peer Victimization In Students Who Are Deaf And Hard Of Hearing: Exploring Educational Placement, Emily M. Lund, Scott W. Ross

JADARA

Forty-five American students who are Deaf/hard of hearing (SWD/HOH) in grades 5-12 completed a survey assessing their experiences with peer victimization. Almost four-fifths reported victimizing peers over the past two months, and almost 90% reported being the victim of peer victimization during that same timeframe. The most commonly reported types of peer victimization were verbal and relational aggression. Students who attended a Deaf-only campus reported greater mean victimization than those attending magnet programs located in general education schools. The results highlight the need for evidence-based programs that address peer victimization among SWD/HOH.

An Introduction To Emotional Intelligence, Aiden Carthy, Ailish Jameson

Book/Book Chapter

In recent decades, there has been increasing focus on the role of formal education in empowering students’ social and moral development. A wealth of research evidence has shown that helping students to develop their social and emotional competencies can encourage students’ personal growth and can also yield benefits including increased student engagement and decreased levels of drop-out. However, much of what has been previously published in this field has focused on younger students, and there has been a lesser focus on third level students and educators. Therefore, there is a notable need for a single volume that synopsises the research …

Examining Doctoral Attrition: A Self-Determination Theory Approach, Mark F. Beck

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

Doctoral student attrition is a troubling and costly phenomenon. Alarmingly, 40-60% of doctoral students will not complete their Ph.D. Several explanations for this high and persistent attrition rate have been discussed in the extant literature, including questioning the quality, mental health, and motivation of doctoral students. However, stricter admission standards and empirical evidence provide little support that any one of these current explanations is adequate on its own. Empirical clues suggest that Self-Determination Theory may be useful in trying to understand the doctoral attrition phenomenon. Self- Determination Theory is presented and used as a framework to identify potential causes and …

Design Thinking For The Development Of Formal Operations: A Team-Based Middle School Design Curriculum, Stephanie K. O'Dell

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I propose a team-based design curriculum that aligns with the cognitive development of middle school age students. The ability to think abstractly develops at a specific time in development, according to widely accepted cognitive theory. The middle school years are the launching pad of abstract thinking. At this age, students are also primed for learning through social activity. The design process often includes abstract problem solving challenges, and working within a team structure. These ideas build a foundation for a research question—could a team-based design curriculum in middle school strengthen students’ natural cognitive development by providing opportunities …

Experiences Of Heterosexual-Identified Counselors-In-Training With Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Couples In Relation To Perceived Training And Self-Efficacy, Melissa Lee-Tammeus Lee-Tammeus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has indicated that lesbian, gay, and/or bisexual (LGB) couples seek mental health counseling far more than heterosexual couples. Using identity development theory and family-of-choice frameworks, a review of the literature revealed that there are a multitude of considerations in working with LGB couples. The use of self-determination theory and social cognitive theory also uncovered many considerations for counselors and counselors-in-training. The purpose of the current study was to add to the lacking empirical data regarding counselors-in-training by exploring their experiences in working with LGB couples. More specifically, this study aimed to understand perceptions regarding the educational training and self-efficacy …

Yuli's Story: Using Educational Policy To Achieve Cultural Genocide, Katrina Johnson Leon

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

All children residing in the United States have the right to a quality education. At least that is our collective expectation. Through the lived experience of Yuli, a Native American woman from the Southwest, you will discover, due to her birth on a remote reservation, she was not given the same access to education you or I would expect. On Yuli’s reservation, the school system is managed by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). Rather than provide K-12 schooling, the BIE operates K-8 on her reservation and then Native youth who want to go to high school must move off-reservation. …

An Examination Of Intrinsic Existence Value Towards Wildlife Of Columbus Zoo And Aquariums Tourists: Evaluating The Impact Of Behind The Scenes Programming, Robert Maxwell Lakes

Online Theses and Dissertations

Changes in climate and the corresponding environmental issues are major concerns facing the world today. Human consumption, which is leading the rapid depletion of the earth’s finite resources and causing a dramatic loss of biodiversity, is largely to blame (Pearson, Lowry, Dorrian, & Litchfield, 2014). American zoos and aquariums are positioned to create positive experiential relationships between zoo tourists and animals that have the potential to positively change the zoo tourists’ conservation behaviors. Challenges to changing the conservation behaviors of zoo tourists are many. One particularly important challenge is conservation/environmental education. Zoos and aquariums aim to provide effective and quality …

The Analysis Of Moral Education In China And Its Effect On Chinese Children’S Moral Development, Wen Grace Shu

Senior Projects Spring 2016

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing of Bard College.