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2018

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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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Full-Text Articles in Education

The Impact Of Online Homework, Time On Homework, Gender, And Metacognition In Improving Student Achievement In Undergraduate Biology Courses, Donald Bishop Cook Jr Dec 2018

The Impact Of Online Homework, Time On Homework, Gender, And Metacognition In Improving Student Achievement In Undergraduate Biology Courses, Donald Bishop Cook Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study sought to address a gap in the literature to determine whether a relationship exists between use of online homework and student achievement in undergraduate biology courses. Previous studies have examined other STEM courses, but few have considered biology. The purpose of the study was to determine whether homework grades in online homework systems can predict student achievement in introductory undergraduate biology courses. This study utilized a correlational analysis by multiple regression using archival data to determine whether final course grades in undergraduate biology courses can be predicted by grades on online homework, time spent on online homework, gender, …

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Comparative Analysis Of Principals And Teachers' Perceptions Of Working Conditions, Brandy Sermons Dec 2018

Comparative Analysis Of Principals And Teachers' Perceptions Of Working Conditions, Brandy Sermons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Prior research on school climate has focused on relationships between teachers and students, peer relationships, order and discipline, student engagement, and academic support to create an environment where students can be academically successful. No universally accepted standard definition encompasses all facets of the school climate construct. Although teacher working conditions have a direct impact on the future of students, few studies exist on teacher and principal perceptions of this construct. This comparative analysis study used archival data from the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NCTWCS) to determine if differences existed between teacher and principal perceptions of the working environment. …

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A Logistic Regression Study Of How Pre-Enrollment Factors Predict Graduation At A Christian Historically Black University, Tara Laron Young Dec 2018

A Logistic Regression Study Of How Pre-Enrollment Factors Predict Graduation At A Christian Historically Black University, Tara Laron Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this logistic regression study is to review the pre-admission factors through the lenses of multiple retention constructs and graduation rates at a Christian, Historically Black College or University (HBCU). A binary logistic regression is used to analyze the odds of graduation based on a set of pre-admission factors of first-time freshmen, as predictor variables. In particular, the predictor variables of interest are eligibility of academic support based on academic scholarships, gender, international status, and type of high school attended. The outcome variable of interest is graduation. This study is important because it contributes to the scholarship in …

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School Suspension And Academic Achievement For Tenth And Eleventh Grade Male Students: A Correlational Study, Dante' L. Ferguson Sr Dec 2018

School Suspension And Academic Achievement For Tenth And Eleventh Grade Male Students: A Correlational Study, Dante' L. Ferguson Sr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between absenteeism due to suspensions and math and reading scores from the 2016 – 2017 Georgia Milestones Test for tenth and eleventh grade regular education, male students. The focus of this study was on determining if math and reading scores on standardized tests could be predicted by the number of days missed from school due to suspensions using a bivariate regression. A total of 93 male high school students in grades ten and eleven who have received one or more out of school suspensions during the previous school term …

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Breaking The Silence: A Phenomenological Study Of Introverted Undergraduate Students' Experiences In The Active Learning English Classroom, Richard Lee Green Dec 2018

Breaking The Silence: A Phenomenological Study Of Introverted Undergraduate Students' Experiences In The Active Learning English Classroom, Richard Lee Green

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of introverted undergraduate students in the active learning English classroom in a community college setting in Florida. Eysenck’s Personality Theory, which provides knowledge about introverts’ preferred method of learning; and Experiential Learning Theory, which presents pertinent information concerning how individuals learn by experience, guided this study. The research questions were as follows: How do introverted undergraduate students describe their experience in an English course structured as an active learning classroom environment (ALC)? How do participants describe the academic atmosphere of the ALC? How do participants describe the effect …

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Standardized High School Assessments As An Indicator Of Academic Preparedness In First-Year University Students, Jessica M. Scott Dec 2018

Standardized High School Assessments As An Indicator Of Academic Preparedness In First-Year University Students, Jessica M. Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

SAT scores have a role in whether or not high school graduates get accepted into the school of their choice, as well as the program of study. Pennsylvania requires students to participate in Keystone Exams, assessments concentrating on one subject area at a time, given sequentially upon the students’ course completion. Both assessments are used as a projection of how well a student will perform at his or her next level of study. Universities look at SAT scores, ACT scores, high school grade point averages (HSGPA), core subject grades, etc. to evaluate whether or not the student will be admitted …

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Marching Into The Future: The Relationship Between Instrumental Music Class Participation And Advanced Placement English Language And Composition Test Results, Robert Alston Pettigrew Dec 2018

Marching Into The Future: The Relationship Between Instrumental Music Class Participation And Advanced Placement English Language And Composition Test Results, Robert Alston Pettigrew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the decades, there have been countless claims that participation in a music class will influence the cognitive abilities of students. Yet many districts elect to eliminate these programs in times of budgetary crisis. During a period when our national education system is focused on test scores, educational reformists should focus on the implementation of courses that yield academic success. This study was designed to determine if there is a significant relationship between instrumental music class participation and Advanced Placement English Language and Composition exam scores. Data for the group comparison consisted of 529 samples from a large county school …

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The Effect Of Morphology Instruction On Performance Growth Of Seventh-Grade Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Erin Kathleen Pizzo Dec 2018

The Effect Of Morphology Instruction On Performance Growth Of Seventh-Grade Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Erin Kathleen Pizzo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, nonequivalent control group study was to evaluate the effectiveness of morphological instruction that includes word matrices and word sums with middle school students. This study compared the overall reading performance growth as measured by the Northwest Evaluation Association: Measure of Academic Performance (NWEA MAP) scores of students who received morphological instruction with word matrices and word sums with the growth of students who did not receive morphological instruction that included word matrices and word sums. A convenience sample of 100 students English-speaking students from a rural, public middle school in northwest Pennsylvania was used …

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Readiness For Blended Retirement: A Descriptive Analysis Of Financial Literacy Among Young American Military Members, Michael Eldon Pontiff Dec 2018

Readiness For Blended Retirement: A Descriptive Analysis Of Financial Literacy Among Young American Military Members, Michael Eldon Pontiff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In January 2018, the Department of Defense began the new blended retirement system for military members which includes an investment matching program in addition to a reduced pension at 20 years of service. This new system requires a forward thinking financial decision from a young population of Americans who may not possess substantial financial knowledge and experience to make an educated long term decision. The study examines the financial literacy of two groups of young enlisted Air Force members separated by two years experience in the service to determine if any significant changes in financial literacy occur through time and …

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Persistence And Superintendents: A Phenomenological Study, Katherine Hamilton Howard Dec 2018

Persistence And Superintendents: A Phenomenological Study, Katherine Hamilton Howard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological research study was to describe the lived experiences of public school superintendents with the phenomenon of persistence. Self-Determination Theory was used to describe the experiences of superintendents who have held the superintendency in the same school district for at least 5 consecutive years (Deci & Ryan, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2002). The central research question guiding the study is: What are the lived experiences of superintendents who persist in the public school superintendency? Subquestions addressed various aspects of Self-Determination Theory and persistence, including sources of motivation and goal attainment (Deci & Ryan, 2000; Ryan …

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A Quantitative Study Of School Leadership Style Based On Gender, Jeffrey A. Dufour Dec 2018

A Quantitative Study Of School Leadership Style Based On Gender, Jeffrey A. Dufour

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to analyze data from one eastern North Carolina school district and examine the influence of gender on leadership style to determine if one’s gender influences leadership style. Data was collected using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5). Participants who were involved in this research were school-based administrators from a school district in the eastern part of the United States who were serving in an administrative role within the school district. The data was compiled by Jeffrey A. Dufour while utilizing the MLQ-5 survey that was administered via an online format and was sent to …

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Differences Between Physical Vs. Non-Physical Activity Rewards On The Behavior Of K-8 Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, John Trevor Guerra Dec 2018

Differences Between Physical Vs. Non-Physical Activity Rewards On The Behavior Of K-8 Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, John Trevor Guerra

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) face many challenges in the classroom, including the propensity to act-out in class with externalizing behavior such as work avoidance, off-task behavior, refusal to follow rules, and aggression. Past research has focused on the benefits of using reward systems within the classroom, with evidence that those who teach using some form of reward system as a motivator often meet with success. Rewards driven by Token Economies have specifically shown promising results when used with students with disabilities who display challenging behaviors. The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of using …

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Investigating The Impact Of Differentiated Instruction On Soldier Training, Sara Rebecca Baumgarten Dec 2018

Investigating The Impact Of Differentiated Instruction On Soldier Training, Sara Rebecca Baumgarten

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As the individuals identified as the Millennial Generation transition into adulthood, postsecondary instructional institutions must adjust training methods for increased learning. This postsecondary institutional transformation is not exclusionary, thus military training must also evolve to increase knowledge acquisition. For soldiers in the unit supply specialist program, training utilized differentiated instruction methods and strategies with an end state of improved learning for soldiers at their first duty station and lasting through the course of their career. This revised learning methodology has increased property accountability as directed by the Command Supply Discipline Program, Department of the Army. Conducting an ANCOVA on Control …

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A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of African American Women Superintendents In North Carolina, Latoia Aster Valentine Dec 2018

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of African American Women Superintendents In North Carolina, Latoia Aster Valentine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of African American women superintendents in North Carolina. The theory guiding this study was Collins’ black feminist thought, as it clarifies and calls attention to the analysis of ideas and experiences specific to African American women, which relates to African American women superintendents in North Carolina. The central question of the study is “How do African American women describe their lived experiences in superintendent positions in the state of North Carolina?” This qualitative phenomenological study included six current and/or past African American women North Carolina superintendents. Data were …

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Understanding The Experiences Of Middle School Social Studies Teachers Creating Personalized Learning Classrooms: A Phenomenological Study, Robert Lee Carlyle Iii Dec 2018

Understanding The Experiences Of Middle School Social Studies Teachers Creating Personalized Learning Classrooms: A Phenomenological Study, Robert Lee Carlyle Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine teachers’ experiences of implementing personalized learning in the social studies classroom at middle schools in Georgia. Personalized learning is the ability to tailor learning to each learner’s interest, strengths, and needs. The theory guiding this study is the discovery learning theory, which was introduced by Jerome Bruner. The central research question guiding the research was “How do middle school social studies teachers in Georgia describe their experiences creating personalized learning classrooms?” Sub-questions used to further refine the central question were: (1) How do teachers motivate students in the personalized learning …

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Country Road, Take Me Home: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Public School Personnel In Two Rural Central Virginia School Divisions And Their Perception Of Homelessness And The Mckinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Cora Peterson Tolliver Dec 2018

Country Road, Take Me Home: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Public School Personnel In Two Rural Central Virginia School Divisions And Their Perception Of Homelessness And The Mckinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Cora Peterson Tolliver

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how school personnel in two rural Virginia school districts perceive the phenomenon of homelessness and the McKinney-Vento Act for Homeless Education. Participants in this study were10 school employees from two school districts located in the rural Central Virginia counties of Framingham and Marlborough, and included teachers, reading specialists, school administrators, registrars, counselors, and homeless liaisons. The theoretical framework guiding this study was Burns’s (1978) theory of transformational leadership, which holds that, with the proper leadership, stakeholders, such as teachers, can be connected more to the project at hand and to …

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Using Tablet Technology To Teach Secondary Content Vocabulary: A Collective Case Study, Annie R. Raney Dec 2018

Using Tablet Technology To Teach Secondary Content Vocabulary: A Collective Case Study, Annie R. Raney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to provide an understanding of the instructional methods of teachers who use tablet technology in middle school classrooms to teach complex content vocabulary. Dewey’s theory of constructivism guided this study, as it explains that students learn by building upon what they know. Middle school students add new terms to their existing vocabulary banks so that they can learn the related concepts in their content-area classes. The study took place in a southern state with technology standards that require students to use technology for reading and learning purposes. There is extensive research about …

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Impact Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports On At-Risk, Black Male Students' Academic Performance, Sandra Adomako Letterlough Dec 2018

Impact Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports On At-Risk, Black Male Students' Academic Performance, Sandra Adomako Letterlough

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black male students have experienced disproportionate disciplinary actions at higher rates compared to male students of other races, which has an at-risk effect on academic achievement because of lost instructional time, poor student-teacher relationships, and decreased motivation to learn. Implementing Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) could help to reduce the time spent out of class due to a disciplinary issue, thus increasing the opportunity to learn. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine the impact of PBIS on academic achievement and frequency of office disciplinary referrals (ODR) in a PBIS and non-PBIS alternative middle school. The sample …

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Leveraging A Massive Open Online Course In The Local Church To Teach Hermeneutics, Howard Dale Tryon Dec 2018

Leveraging A Massive Open Online Course In The Local Church To Teach Hermeneutics, Howard Dale Tryon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The increase in massive open online course (MOOC) offerings in theological higher education presents unique equipping opportunities for local churches, providing high-quality instruction from authoritative scholars. The purpose of this project is to facilitate participation in a MOOC to equip members of Calvary Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Virginia, with basic hermeneutic principles in order to enrich personal Bible study and prepare for teaching the Bible. A pretest and posttest assess the effectiveness of the program to impart knowledge of hermeneutical concepts and skills. A concluding survey determines the extent to which participants plan to use learned hermeneutic methods and principles in …

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Differences In High-School Student Learning By Instruction Type And Mbti Personality Type, Jeffrey R. Ober Dec 2018

Differences In High-School Student Learning By Instruction Type And Mbti Personality Type, Jeffrey R. Ober

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Differentiated instruction is a part of the education process today, and it is a time-consuming process used to attempt to reach more students and increase their learning and education. There is currently little empirical research dedicated to measuring the academic effects of differentiated instruction in the classroom. This research examined differentiated instruction in the form of learning styles (audio and visual) combined with personality types in an attempt to determine if there is a measurable significant effect on the academic achievement of students based on their own personality types and different applied learning styles in the classroom. No statistically significant …

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Perceived Leadership Style And The Adequate Yearly Progress Status Of Title I Elementary Schools, Gennifer Lynn Miller Dec 2018

Perceived Leadership Style And The Adequate Yearly Progress Status Of Title I Elementary Schools, Gennifer Lynn Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the correlation between perceived leadership style and academic achievement in Title I Virginia elementary schools as measured by Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status. The results of this study could provide education institutions and school districts with insight regarding education for school administration that would enhance characteristics that may increase academic achievement. The researcher examined the correlation between principals’ perceived leadership styles and the AYP status of Title I elementary schools in Virginia through the use of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and Virginia Report Cards, through a point-biserial correlation analysis. This study …

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How Latina/O Family Values Impact Student Persistence To College Graduation: A Multi-Case Study, Jeremiah R. Riggs Dec 2018

How Latina/O Family Values Impact Student Persistence To College Graduation: A Multi-Case Study, Jeremiah R. Riggs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multi-case study is to discover the common family values of Latino families living in Chicago that were passed down from the parent to the child and how those values may have enabled the child to complete a four-year college degree. This study employed a multi-case qualitative study design. The participants were 12 Latina/o parents in Chicago who had at least one child who had graduated from a four-year college. Data were collected from interviews, field notes, and documents. A pattern-finding approach was used for data analysis. In this study, all participants shared family values that they …

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The Relationship Between Epistemological Beliefs And Attitudes Towards Science Of Undergraduate Elementary Education Majors, Renae Reimer Bullock Dec 2018

The Relationship Between Epistemological Beliefs And Attitudes Towards Science Of Undergraduate Elementary Education Majors, Renae Reimer Bullock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Much of the educational research that has investigated the attitudes of pre-service elementary educators towards science has seemed to show that their attitudes are negative towards science. Research also indicates that factors of gender, perceived competence, anxiety, perceived relation to their lives, and epistemological beliefs are related to pre-service elementary educators’ attitudes towards science. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between epistemological beliefs of undergraduate elementary education majors at a large, private, faith-based university in the southeastern United States and their attitudes towards science. Schraw et al.’s Epistemological Beliefs Inventory (EBI) (Schraw, Bendixen, & Dunkle, 2002) …

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Assessing Content Mastery: Using Quasi-Experimental Research To Study The Effect That Standards-Based Progress Reporting To Parents May Have On Student Achievement In Science At One Georgia Middle School, Matthew Scott Odell Dec 2018

Assessing Content Mastery: Using Quasi-Experimental Research To Study The Effect That Standards-Based Progress Reporting To Parents May Have On Student Achievement In Science At One Georgia Middle School, Matthew Scott Odell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With the establishment of standards-based testing as the key assessment of student knowledge gains and with the increased accountability first brought by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and now with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the role of the teacher and the methods of assessment have continued to change. To reach the national goals established by NCLB and the state guidelines established to allow the states to guide education in the ESSA, the testing of students’ previous knowledge and the identification of their strengths has become important to show teachers how to meet their students’ needs. More empirical research …

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The Effects Of Common Core State-Mandated, High-Stakes Testing On Teacher Stress In School Districts In Ohio, Gary P. Wegley Dec 2018

The Effects Of Common Core State-Mandated, High-Stakes Testing On Teacher Stress In School Districts In Ohio, Gary P. Wegley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to explore the relationship between Common Core state-mandated, high-stakes testing and the stress levels, as measured by the Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI), of a convenience sampling of 204 secondary teachers in southwest Ohio who were assigned to teach Common Core high-stakes testing subjects and teachers not assigned to teach Common Core high-stakes testing subjects. This study sought to determine whether the Common Core state-mandated, high-stakes testing in the state of Ohio impacted teacher stress. The primary instrument used was the Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI), which was available through an online survey platform. …

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A Phenomenological Study Of School Counselors' Experiences Following Student Suicide, Suzanne Lea Nichols Dec 2018

A Phenomenological Study Of School Counselors' Experiences Following Student Suicide, Suzanne Lea Nichols

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of school counselors who have been impacted by the death of a student by suicide in the United States. The central question of the study was: How do school counselors describe their experiences following the death of a student by suicide? The three subquestions were: (a) How do school counselors describe their reactions when a student dies by suicide? (b) How do school counselors perceive their professional involvements in postvention activities following a student suicide? (c) How do school counselors cope after the death of a …

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High School Teachers’ Sense Of Efficacy: Traditional Teaching Vs. Teaching With A Learning Management System, Kelly Yolanda Backenstoe Dec 2018

High School Teachers’ Sense Of Efficacy: Traditional Teaching Vs. Teaching With A Learning Management System, Kelly Yolanda Backenstoe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teacher efficacy has an impact on how students achieve in the classroom. There is a variety of ways teachers help students learn. For example, the method of traditional instruction includes the use of a textbook and teacher lectures. However, a current trend in education is for schools to use a Learning Management System, like Schoology, to help teachers organize and distribute resources to students. This study will help administrators understand if teachers have a stronger or weaker sense of efficacy through the use of traditional instruction or instruction with the use of Schoology. The study is important because administrators need …

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The Relationship Of The Well-Being Of Adults With And Without Dyslexia: A Causal-Comparative Study, Ashleigh L. Anderson Dec 2018

The Relationship Of The Well-Being Of Adults With And Without Dyslexia: A Causal-Comparative Study, Ashleigh L. Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effects of dyslexia on well-being as an adult. The researcher compared adults given a diagnosis of dyslexia with adults not given a diagnosis of dyslexia for well-being using a quantitative causal-comparative method. Participants for this study were a convenience sample, consisting of 219 adults with and without a self-identified diagnosis of dyslexia per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV). The researcher used the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) and measured the well-being of adults who are diagnosed as dyslexic and adults that are not dyslexic. The researcher utilized a 14-item questionnaire …

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A Comparison Of High School Students Who Participate In Athletics Verses Non-Athletes On Seven Dimensions Of Work Ethic, Roy Jonathan Shipley Dec 2018

A Comparison Of High School Students Who Participate In Athletics Verses Non-Athletes On Seven Dimensions Of Work Ethic, Roy Jonathan Shipley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study compared the differences in work ethic dimension scores between high school student-athletes and students who do not participate in athletics. The underlying problem was that there is not enough research in this area and that current available studies provide conflicting information. The purpose of the study was to examine the differences in seven work ethic dimension scores from the Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile (MWEP) between student-athletes and non-athletes. The study used a quantitative, causal-comparative design to examine the differences in the two pre-existing groups. The convenience sample of participants (N = 144) were selected from an available population …

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The Effect Of Experiential Learning On The Mathematics Achievement And Mathematics Anxiety Of African-American Students, Andrew Hanson Wynn Dec 2018

The Effect Of Experiential Learning On The Mathematics Achievement And Mathematics Anxiety Of African-American Students, Andrew Hanson Wynn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined whether or not there were any significant differences between the anxiety and achievement levels of African-American students enrolled in College Algebra courses taught using traditional instruction methods and those taught using experiential learning, as used in The Algebra Project curriculum. The classes were taught for the same amount of time for one semester, using the two curricular methods, and student anxiety was measured prior to the course and immediately following the implementation of an experiential learning module. Additionally, student achievement on selected questions focusing on the functions unit from the midterm exam were collected and analyzed to …

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