Education Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study Into How Early Childhood Educators Experience Gamification As An Employee Motivational Tool, Marlene C. Cooper

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how early childhood educators (ECE) experience gamification as a motivational tool. The study was grounded in self-efficacy theory and used the transcendental phenomenological methodology to uncover the lived experiences of the participants. The researcher used questionnaires, journals, and interviews to gather data from respondents. The interview utilized open-ended questions to provide respondents the opportunity to give a detailed account of their shared experiences while operating the gamified technology used in their program. Data was collected from 8 ECE teachers working at a private preschool in a mid-Atlantic state. Participant accounts described a …

Computer Self-Efficacy, Digital Learners, And Completion Rates In The California Community College System, John R. Otte

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The importance of online learning in higher education has increased considerably over the last two decades. As a result, online learning has become an important area of research. The purpose of the study was to examine if higher levels of computer self-efficacy (CSE) contributed to online course completion among online California community college students. Guided by Bandura’s (1977) work on self-efficacy and the work of Compeau and Higgins (1995) and Howard (2014) on computer self-efficacy, this study revealed that there is no relationship between high levels of CSE and successful completion of the course. A judgement sample was used to …

Lived Experiences Of Novice Public School Adapted Physical Education Teachers: A Phenomenological Study, Joyce M. Sakai

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of novice public school adapted physical education (APE) teachers and how their experiences affected their self-efficacy and job satisfaction. This dissertation is an original independent research project that contributes to the field of educational practice and knowledge. Five male and five female APE teachers who have taught in public schools for three years or less within California represented the population of this study. Bandura’s (1986) theory of self-efficacy and Knowles’s (1984) theory of andragogy was the foundation for the conceptual framework of this study because they represent factors …

Teaching K-6 Computer Science: Teacher And Student Attitudes And Self-Efficacy, Stacie Lee Mason

Theses and Dissertations

This article-format dissertation addresses elementary student and teacher attitudes and self-efficacy for computer science. The first article (Mason & Rich, in press) describes what the literature says about preservice and inservice training to help K-6 teachers increase knowledge and self-efficacy to teach computer science. The second article (Mason, West, & Leary, under review) describes an effort to provide training for local elementary school teachers to teach computational thinking with robots. The third article (Mason & Rich, under review) describes how we developed and validated an instrument to assess K-8 students' coding attitudes and beliefs, including perceived self-efficacy, interest, utility value, …

Observations Of A Multi-Component Intervention For Elementary Students With Emotional Behavioral Disorder After Self-Efficacy Coaching, Anna Kristen Bensinger

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) experience more negative student outcomes compared to other special education disability categories, specifically, higher dropout rates, less access to higher education and incarceration. Mathematically, 73% of students with EBD achieve below the 50th percentile on standardized tests (Wagner, Kutash, Duchnowski, Epstein, & Sumi, 2005). This study focused on the exploration of a multi-component mathematics and behavior intervention targeting student self-efficacy for productive learning behaviors in the general education mathematics classroom setting for elementary students with EBD. Participants for this study were students from two 4th grade classrooms, who have been identified with co-occurring …

Measuring The Self-Efficacy Of Students Participating In Vex Robotics Competitions, Joseph S. Furse

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Robotic competitions have become an increasingly popular educational tool to increase students’ interest and achievement in STEM. The largest and fastest growing of these is VEX Robotics Competitions (VRCs). Although millions of dollars of funding are allocated, and countless hours of effort are expended annually to provide students with the opportunity to compete in VRCs, little research has been done to investigate the educational impacts of participation in these competitions. One promising research framework in this area is to investigate the self-efficacy of students who participate in VRCs. Self-efficacy, or the beliefs one holds about one’s own abilities in a …

Teacher Recruitment: Factors That Predict High School Students’ Willingness To Become Teachers, Steve Christensen, Randall Davies, Scott Harris, Joseph Hanks, Byran Bowles

Faculty Publications

This study examines factors that influence high school students’ willingness to consider teaching as a career. Using predictive modeling, we identified five factors that are highly predictive of a students’ willingness to consider teaching and their belief that teaching is their best career option. Results indicated that high school students were more likely to consider teaching when they had confidence in their ability to be good teachers, when family members and others encouraged them to become teachers, and when they felt their community supported teachers. Most of those who considered teaching thought of themselves as average students. Less impactful factors …

Cultural Competence: Reflections And Self-Efficacy In A Preservice Teacher-Education Program, Jennifer Fernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore preservice teachers’ sense of confidence working with English Learners, and the ability to transfer that confidence to self-efficacy in cultural competence. Specifically, the study evaluated an infused ESOL endorsement program integrated into a teacher preparation program at a local Florida state college. The qualitative study derived information from retrospective data from past assignments in two ESOL specific courses required for students in two different programs, Elementary Education, and Exceptional Student Education. Additionally, data were analyzed from semi-structured interviews in which five preservice teachers participated.

Findings uncovered four major themes and multiple subthemes. …

Understanding Second Grader’S Computational Thinking Skills In Robotics Through Their Individual Traits, Youngkyun Baek, Dazhi Yang, Yibo Fan

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study investigated the relationship between the personal traits and computational thinking skills of second graders within the context of robotics activities. The hypothesized model showed that learning preference, intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy were the main predictors of coding achievement and computational thinking skills, while no direct relationship was found between learning preference, intrinsic, or extrinsic motivation. The final path analysis revealed that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation predict self-efficacy, self-efficacy predicts coding achievement, and coding achievement predicts computational thinking skills. Another important finding was the strong impact of self-efficacy on coding achievement as well as computational thinking skills. Results are …

Impact Of Computer-Based Peer Review On College Students’ Performance And Perceived Self-Efficacy In An Online Graphic Design Course, Sharon P. Wagner, Tracy Rutherford

Journal of Applied Communications

Prior research has indicated that the incorporation of computer-based peer review into writing instruction increases student engagement, improves student performance, and increases student perceptions of self-efficacy. This study used a quasi-experimental untreated control group design to examine the impact of computer-based peer review on student performance and perceived self-efficacy in an undergraduate agricultural graphic design course. The impact of participation in computer-based peer review on performance scores was investigated using a MANOVA. After two rounds of peer review, students improved their overall course performance by one-half letter grade. Perceptions of self-efficacy were further analyzed using a one-way repeated measures ANOVA. …

Team-Based Academic Interventions At An Urban High School And Their Impact On Student Achievement, Erica E. Wolfskill

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Academic improvement is a concern for urban schools (Jacob & Ryan, 2018) therefore it is significant to focus on requisite skills, which contribute to student success. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore how team-based academic interventions impact student achievement. This study examined how public, high school student­­–athletes, ages 14–17, understand and describe their experience with academic study table program as part of their athletic practices. Additionally, the study examined student–athletes’ perception of participation in team-based activities and the influence of academic achievement and how the implementation of study tables during athletic practices impact student–athletes’ academic success. …

The Effects Of Alternative Certification Program Type On Teacher Self-Efficacy: A Causal-Comparative Study, Tonda Handy

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of alternative teacher certification program type on teachers sense of efficacy in classroom management, student engagement, and instructional strategies. Teacher self-efficacy has become the industry standard to measure a teachers sense of confidence in instructional tasks (Lauerman, & König, 2016). Measuring teacher self-efficacy of new teachers can indicate how teacher preparation program plays a role in establishing teacher self-efficacy. The study was built upon the conceptual framework of the teacher self-efficacy theory, which is a subset of the self-efficacy theory (Tshannen-Moran & Woolfolk-Hoy, 2001). Participants in this study were new …

“I’M Not Where I Want To Be”: Teaching Principals’ Instructional Leadership Practices, Dawn Wallin, Paul Newton, Mickey Jutras, Jordan Adilman

The Rural Educator

This paper reports on the ways in which teaching principals in rural schools in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Canada enact instructional leadership within the five leadership domains conceptualized by Robinson, Lloyd, and Rowe (2008). Although participants suggested that they were “not where they wanted to be” in their efforts to enact instructional leadership, their actions demonstrate exemplary practice in this regard. The nature of the discourse perpetuated by leadership groups and teachers’ associations that equates instructional leadership with classroom visits only has the effect of decreasing teaching principals’ self-efficacy as instructional leaders. We argue for recognition of these leaders’ efforts …

Better Teaching Means Better Learning: 45 Minutes, 100 Years Of Educational Psychology, And 4 Concepts You Can Apply Today, Cheryl Arndt

Department of Education

No abstract provided.

The Quest To Improve Literacy Achievement: A Teacher-Developed Literacy Unit Incorporating A Hybrid-Instructional Approach, Dina L. Crislip

Theses and Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice (DiP) utilizes action research methods to answer a research question that focuses on teachers being empowered to make personal choices when delivering best practices to positively impact student achievement within PAWS Elementary School. Chapter One provides the rationale behind the origin of the presented research, in which the Problem of Practice poses the question of how personal decision-making by teachers is an integral attribute to the success and achievement of all learners within the public-school setting. This acknowledgment of the problem of practice was the impetus to the proposed research question: How does the teacher's personal …

Generalized Self-Efficacy Of Youth In The New Territories: A Community Survey Conducted By A Hong Kong Ngo, Robert W. Spires, Eric Howington, Jay Rojewski

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Faculty Publications

Youth are both key participants in debate and a central theme in the discourse on social issues in Hong Kong. Youth are often problematized in the contemporary media and political discussion as lacking in the work ethic, confidence and social skills necessary to be successful. Hong Kong youth are framed as pathologically shy, anti-social, lazy and entitled and these characteristics are used to present an image of Hong Kong youth as having individual characteristics that lead to their challenges in the job market and their characteristics as political rogues. This study approaches the characterization of Hong Kong youth with an …

Evaluation Of An Afterschool Mentorship Program For Self-Efficacy, Atia D. Mark, Steve Wells

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Middle school students in Nova Scotia, Canada, are perceived to have low self-efficacy for achieving learning outcomes. While strong self-efficacy beliefs, developed through effective curricula, have been linked to improved academic performance, there is a need for formal evaluation of such curricula. The purpose of this study was to investigate a 10-week afterschool mentorship curriculum that has never been evaluated. The aim of the curriculum is to strengthen self-efficacy beliefs via relationship building exercises, public speaking training, and character education. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, which states that treatment influences can alter the strength of self-efficacy, informed the conceptual framework. Evaluation …

“Opening The Window To A World Wider Than Our Little Classroom”: The Importance Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Hannah Carter, Melissa Bradford

Literacy, Language, and Culture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Diversity in today’s classrooms must be considered and valued to create effective learning environments. Through surveys (N=83) and interviews (N=10), this mixed methods study examined in-service elementary teachers’ beliefs about culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) – more specifically, self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, as related to CRP. Results showed that teachers not only have highly positive outcome expectations for CRP quantitatively, they also explain specific benefits of CRP – relationship building, student achievement, and learning beyond the curriculum. Teachers were efficacious implementing CRP related to general good teaching practices, such as developing relationships and building trust with students. However, they were less …

Using Microsoft Hololens To Improve Memory Recall In Anatomy And Physiology: A Pilot Study To Examine The Efficacy Of Using Augmented Reality In Education, Chen Chen, Lei Zhang, Tony Luczak, Eboni Smith, Reuben F. Burch

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This paper explores the use of augmented reality (AR) to improve memory recall and learning experiences in human anatomy and physiology. In particular, the opportunity to assess new computer technologies to improve learning environments may allow for an improvement in self-efficacy and a reduction in test anxiety. Twenty-two undergraduates participated in one of two study groups, the Microsoft HoloLens group (HLNS) or the traditional projector-based Microsoft Power Point group (PPT). Each group completed a five-minute, three-subject anatomy identification and brain physiology memory test. After a three-minute time delay, participants completed a fill-in-the-blank anatomy identification test and brain physiology question test, …

The Current Training Practices And Perceived Training Needs Of Special Education Assistants In Texas, Carita J. Curry

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Special education assistants (SEAs) have been a vital source in the classroom since the early 1950s. When SEAs first began helping in the classroom, they were responsible for helping with clerical needs such as copying, filing, and data recording. However, those roles have evolved into more involved tasks well outside their job description and such as lesson planning and major delivery of classroom instruction. This phenomenological study delved into the training practices designed for SEAs in one Texas school district to determine if the current practices prepared SEAs to fulfil their state mandated job descriptions. The researcher also sought to …

Evaluating The Relationships Between Science Class Success And Math Placement In High School, Tila Hidalgo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In order for students to perform well in science, they need opportunities to develop formal reasoning. Teachers in a private school in Latin America noted that students who had not yet completed Algebra I were struggling in a 9th-grade chemistry course more than their classmates who had completed Algebra I. The purpose of this causal, comparative action research was to determine if math placement was key to supporting student success in science. Data on achievement, as indicated by final exam scores in math, science, and English, were used from the cohort of students enrolled in 9th grade in 2015 and …

The Relationship Between Undergraduate Research Training Programs And Motivational Resources For Underrepresented Minority Students In Stem: Program Participation, Self-Efficacy, A Sense Of Belonging, And Academic Performance, Jennifer Lindwall

Dissertations and Theses

Although calls for a more diverse workforce in biomedical fields have been widespread, racial and ethnic gaps in biomedical degree attainment persist. In order to succeed, URM STEM students must persevere despite numerous challenges and stay continuously motivated on the long road to degree attainment in biomedical disciplines. Past higher education research has identified two key self-appraisals, a sense of belonging and self-efficacy, as crucial for student success. These beliefs, which can serve as motivational resources for students, include students' convictions about whether they are a valued member of their academic community and whether they have what it takes to …

How Students’ Reading Habits Are Affected By Library Genrefication, Sarah Fleming

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Reading for pleasure has multiple benefits, including an increase in math and science skills, in the capability to empathize, and in inferential abilities. Unfortunately, as students reach adolescence, there is a decline in reading for pleasure. The purpose of this case study was to explore what effect the genrefication of a school’s library may have on the reading habits of self-identified reluctant readers in the seventh grade. The research questions of this study were focused on self-efficacy in terms of reading skill and self-selection materials, as well as time spent reading for pleasure. The study site was a public middle …

Professional Development And Self-Efficacy: Their Impact On The Advancement Of Latinas In Higher Education Leadership, Olga Torres Inglebritson

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

Research has demonstrated that Latinas are advancing their education (Lopez & Gonzalez-Barrera, 2014), yet the number of Latinas in leadership positions at higher education institutions is not significantly increasing (Muñoz, 2010; Montas-Hunter, 2012). There are many ways in which individuals advance in their careers. For Latinas, their intersectional identities, particularly regarding their race, ethnicity, and gender, influence this process and their experiences. The personal career experiences of Latinas at higher education institutions has not fully been explored. Focusing on the Latina experiences in higher education is important for several reasons. First, to increase the number of Latinas in higher education …

The Differences In Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scores Between Military Dependent Students And General Population Students, Jeffrey Thomas Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The United States has now been engaged in war for fourteen years, the longest war in American history. A war like this has created an atmosphere of extended deployments for members of the military resulting in separation from their family. Deployments can affect many areas of family life, and the child’s academics is one such area. A student’s success often depends on his/her confidence, or “self-efficacy”, in academics. This can be affected by the inconsistencies of military life, such as constantly moving and transferring schools, which can shake that confidence causing him or her to struggle academically. The purpose of …

Comparing Security Self-Efficacy Amongst College Freshmen And Senior, Female And Male Cybersecurity Students, Lane H. Melton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study sought to determine if there was a difference in the self-efficacy of freshman and senior, female and male Cybersecurity students relating to threats associated with various information systems. The design for this quantitative study was non-experimental, causal-comparative and known as group comparison used to determine if there was a causal relationship between variables. The method used to make that determination utilized a self-efficacy survey developed by Phelps (2005), to identify the independent variables specific level of self-efficacy. Research was conducted at a small, southern university with total of 33 participants. Each student was enrolled in the Computer Science …

Successfully Implementing Common Core Literacy Standards In The Science Classroom: A Phenomenological Investigation, Summer Lynn Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how veteran sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade science teachers in Northeast Georgia implemented the Literacy Common Core Performance Standards into their discipline. Legislation introduced many standards reforms in the past 15 years, and this newest change directly corresponded with achievement expectations in the content areas. This study looked at experienced teachers who integrated the Common Core Literacy Standards into their science curriculum and explored their experiences in this implementation. A transcendental phenomenological method was used for 12 teacher interviews over a six-month period. In addition, student work samples, science literacy …

How Do Social Comparison And Self-Efficacy Influence Diabetic Patients’ Motivation Toward A Nutrition Regimen?, Youngjee Ko

Theses and Dissertations

Social comparisons are useful for patients with chronic illness giving them a reliable information about others dealing with same illness. Patients with chronic illness may benefit from social comparisons. Learning about how others with the same disease manage self-care behavior can lessen uncertainty and anxiety about their health. Effects of social comparisons are subject to contexts. However, social comparison is relatively less understood in the context of diabetes patients. Considering the importance of nutrition regimen as a prime concern for diabetes patients, the current study examined how social comparisons along with self-efficacy influence motivation toward nutrition regimen. Results indicated that …

Using Playable Case Studies To Influence Teen Girls' Self-Efficacy And Interest In Cybersecurity, Desiree Marie Winters

Theses and Dissertations

Various factors dissuade women from the field of cybersecurity. Educational interventions are needed to mitigate the negative effects of stereotypes and low perceived self-efficacy and help girls gain interest in learning about cybersecurity. This thesis focuses on an intervention targeted to increase teenage girls' interest and self-efficacy in cybersecurity: the Cybermatics Playable Case Study. Findings from a mixed-methods study in which a focus group was conducted with 7 middle school girls, interviews were conducted with 2 high school girls, and pre- and post- simulation survey was collected from all 9 participants reveal tensions between enjoyment and frustration in the girls' …

An Analysis Of High School Students' Self-Efficacy In Second Language Acquisition Through Digital Language Lab Learning: Exploring New Pathways To Proficiency, Lorna A. Fairess

Theses and Dissertations

Students are often faced with barriers acquiring a second language due to various factors such as language anxiety, learning differences, and a lack of speaking time with the language. The purposes of this qualitative study were to: a) determine students' perceptions of the effectiveness of a digital language lab on their self-efficacy in second language acquisition at the secondary level, and b) discern teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the lab as well as recommendations for best practices in teacher training and implementation. Twenty-seven Italian and Spanish students and 12 world language teachers from two fairly rural high schools in …