Education Commons^™

Student Voice: A Qualitative Study Investigating Students' Experiences And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Instructional Practice Across Learning Levels, Lisa A. Moore

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

Using a 360-degree approach, this qualitative case study compared the experiences of students and the perceptions of teachers concerning instructional practice across learning levels in a northwest Georgia high school. The purpose was to use student voice to inform administrators of teachers’ and students’ classroom engagement. Using nine math classes across three learning levels (foundations algebra, on-level algebra, and advanced algebra), the study used open-ended surveys to collect self-reported data from students and teachers to identify common themes of learning and teaching practices. The common themes identified agreements and collaborative strategies between students and teachers at three different learning levels …

Economic Engagement, Development, And Entrepreneurship: The Role Of Applied Public Service Colleges, Jason Jolley, Gilbert Michaud

eJournal of Public Affairs

This paper investigates the unique role of applied public service colleges in engaging with communities through economic development and entrepreneurship-related activities. Schools of public administration, affairs, and service are often distinctively tasked with being public facing, and connecting and working with outside agencies, nonprofits, and other stakeholders. Using a case study of Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, we discuss the emerging engagement role of these types of schools through a typology of strategies brought forth by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities. We outline seven specific programs run by the Voinovich School, and discuss …

Reflection On Use Of The "Reacting To The Past" Pedagogy In A History Of Mathematics Course, Davida Fischman

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

This brief report provides a reflection on the use of the "Reacting to the Past" (RTTP) pedagogy in a History of Mathematics classroom. The conclusion is drawn that the RTTP pedagogy is very successful in engaging students in active learning, and appropriate games may be utilized to help students learn about the role of mathematics in historical developments as well as in society today.

Relationship Between Membership In Honors College And Participation In High-Impact Activities And Perceived Gains, Clara H. Ohannes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigated the relationship between membership in the Honors College and senior-level students’ self-reported involvement in high-impact educational activities and their perceived gains from their college experience. This quantitative study analyzed secondary data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) collected from senior-level students in Spring 2017 at a large, four-year, public research institution in the southeast United States.

A logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationships between the involvement in high-impact educational activities and Honors College membership. The relationship between Honors College membership and several high-impact activities were found to be significant (p<.05), which included participation in a leadership role, study abroad, research with faculty and a senior capstone experience. Since membership in Honors was found to significantly contribute to participation in four out of the six high-impact practices listed in NSSE, it could be said that generally, at the particular institution in this study, Honors students are more likely than Non-Honors students to participate in high-impact learning activities.

Then, …

Teachers And Administrators Explain How And Why Teachers Change Instructional Methods In A Pre-K Through Eight Catholic School, Judith A. Deeley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative exploratory study explored how and why teachers at four small Catholic schools in the state of Florida transformed by changing instructional methods to offer full integration of science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics (STREAM) approaches into learning experiences for grades pre-k through eight. There was a time up until the early 2000s that Catholic school enrollment was at capacity and did not require differentiation based upon unique student learning needs. However, students of current times reflect a higher need for educational approaches that are both differentiated and engaging.

“Teachers are required to teach more content and subjects …

Teacher Engagement In Central European International Schools, Joseph Leonetti

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Employee engagement is a growing area of interest that organizational leaders are increasingly recognizing as central to organizational success. In an increasingly competitive market, international schools must also consider the importance of employee engagement. Current research on international schools include studies which focus on retention and turnover issues, yet research on teacher engagement in international schools is nonexistent, leaving a gap in the literature. This study followed an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach to investigate teacher engagement in Central Europe. A qualitative design utilized semistructured interviews to understand the lived experiences of 11 international school teachers and develop an understanding of …

Explicit Inclusion Of Fun In Instruction As A Catalyst For Academic Success, Kimberly Tyskiewicz

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Low graduation rates, rising drop-out rates, and increasing apathy and disengagement in learning has prompted the need for new strategies and interventions in education. This case study provides an analysis of the perceptions of high school teachers related to the impact of the explicit, intentional inclusion of fun in direct instruction. The participants included approximately 20% of the faculty in a semirural high school of approximately 1,325 students. The case study involved individual interviews with half of the participants and the other half participating in a focus group conversation. Six participants in each group were observed. All comments and concepts …

Differentiated Homework: Impact On Student Engagement, Gearoid Keane, Manuela Heinz

Journal of Practitioner Research

This paper describes a mixed methods practitioner research study that aimed to enhance student engagement with homework. Based on a comprehensive literature review and data from a pre-study questionnaire, a differentiated homework strategy was designed by the teacher researcher. Students were assigned homework once a week to allow them to balance homework requirements more successfully with out-of-school activities. They were given a choice of three tasks each week, ranging from lower to higher difficulty levels. Task difficulty levels were not stated, nor were tasks ordered by difficulty. Students’ attitudes towards homework improved over the course of the study and completion …

Gamification Of The Classroom: Seeking To Improve Student Learning And Engagement, Kyle Iverson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find how gamification of the classroom would affect middle school students in a northern suburban school district in Minnesota. This work was designed to find if student proficiency would increase because of gamification and if students would become engaged with the classroom material due to its implementation. Using three classes taught in this new setting and two classes taught in the standard of past years, test scores were measured and studied to find significant changes along with a survey to the gamified classes about their experience regarding engagement. The study found that …

The Difficulty Of Transfer And Academic Engagement Of Further Education Students When Progressing To Higher Education Environments, Glenn Affleck

Communications of the IIMA

The difficulty of students transferring from Further Education Colleges and progressing to Higher Education Universities in the United Kingdom is a well-known problem. The study presented here focuses on the ability of students to begin to engage with the subject of computer programming on transferring after 2 years of study at a further education college into a 3^rd year of a university programme. There is an assumption that there are environmental factors within the change that cause the problems of student engagement with their studies. The findings of this study concurs with difficulties for many students with beginning to …

How Latino Male Students Perceive The Effects Of Social Engagement On Degree Completion, Gerardo Camacho Lewis

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Latino males are entering higher education at increasing rates, yet they are not graduating at the same rate as their peers. Latino males remain the smallest group to have a college degree, limiting opportunities for continuing education and obtaining gainful employment. The purpose of this study was to explore how Latino male university students perceive the effects of social engagement on degree completion. A hermeneutic, phenomenological approach was utilized enabling the study participants the opportunity to describe their experiences of the explored phenomenon and increase comprehension as to why they interpret their experiences in the manner that they do. Questionnaire …

What College Presidents Need To Know About Governing Boards, Randall Brumfield

Journal of Research on the College President

This article focuses on several keyaspects that college presidents and/or chancellors should bear in mind as they work with their governing boards. Above all else, presented here is the idea that organizational goals need to supersede individual goals, and that ultimately, the success of an institution is predicated on its ability to meet the needs of its society.

Barriers To Student Connectedness And Engagement: How Socioeconomic Status Affects Student Involvement, Dominic M. Manola

Dissertations

Today, as students prepare for post-secondary opportunities, a greater and greater emphasis is placed on the importance of engaging learners both in and out of the classroom. While many students are inclined to get involved, there is a growing number of young people who face barriers that prevent them from connecting and engaging in the high school experience. Importantly, socioeconomic status plays a key role in determining how engaged a student may be, as well as serving as a key identifier in what must be addressed to ensure more young people get involved in their academic and co-curricular learning. This …

Story Sharing In A Digital Space To Counter Othering And Foster Belonging And Curiosity Among College Students, Gina Baleria

Journal of Media Literacy Education

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to discover how a single, relational intervention in a digital space focused on civil, respectful conversation across difference might influence digital media literacy (DML) among college students, with the goal of increasing college students’ sense of belonging and level of curiosity. The researcher used a phenomenological approach, exploring and describing the lived experiences of students who participated in a micro-engagement with an other through interviews (Creswell, 2014). This study investigated the main question: (a) How does a semi-structured, relational micro-intervention focused on civil, respectful conversation across difference influence college students’ sense of …

The Mentor & Mentee Perspective: Mentorship From Faculty And Staff For Black Male Students In Higher Education, Javaski D. Mcdonald

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Trends in academic statistics show a decline in enrollment, academic achievement, and program completion for Black male students in higher education. Research indicates a decline in Black student enrollments and graduation rates. This single qualitative case study was an exploration of perceptions of mentorship for Black male students among faculty and staff in higher education. Using social capital theory as a theoretical framework, the researcher analyzed the perceptions of mentorship by way of semistructured interviews with five faculty and staff members and five Black male students at a Texas university. The literature review revealed the numerous factors–social, environmental, mental, and …

Ncaa Division I Athletes’ Engagement In Educationally Sound Activities: A Review Of The Research, Eddie Comeaux, Rebecca E. Crandall

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Today’s academic support centers will have to forge a more authentically responsive approach to address the needs of intercollegiate athletes in U.S. higher education. This approach must include new and different ways of thinking about all athletes and the quality of their educational experience. This article presents findings from a review of a steadily growing body of research on the benefits of educationally sound engagement activities for Division I athletes. The review indicates that participating in purposeful engagement activities enhances athletes’ personal and academic self-concept and their collective learning and communication skills. These academic-related activities for athletes are conditional on …

Active Engagement Of Young Adults In The Church And A Sense Of Belonging, Cynthia M. O. Williams

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Research has shown a continuous decline in the presence and engagement of the young adult population within religious communities. A number of analyses have indicated that young adults are not feeling a sense of belonging, which leads to their withdrawing or disengaging from the church. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between a sense of belonging and active engagement of African American young adults who are within the church. This descriptive study presents findings from an analysis of data from the 2001 congregational life survey and contemporary interviews with young adults who were active church members …

Gamification Learning For Ipad Engagement In Middle School, Chong Xiong

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to determine if gamification learning would increase iPad engagement. This research was done in a 7th grade urban middle school over nine weeks in the fall of the school year. A regular 7th grade class of 18 students and an accelerated 7th grade class of 34 students participated in the study. Informed data was collected from pre and post survey, checklists, observations, student journals and gamification platform on Classcraft. The literature review examined the how motivated and self-regulated learner skills contribute to their academic success and how these skills can be used when …

Movement In Elementary Education, Elizabete Bosse

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Movement in Education explores the impact of movement on the quality of a student’s learning experience in education. This thesis is the culmination of four years of study from 2019-2023 in East Tennessee State University’s education and dance programs. Participating in these programs has provided me with many opportunities to explore the impacts of movement pedagogy in elementary education. The research portion of this thesis focuses on the educational benefits of incorporating movement into classroom activities and assessments. The experiential portion of this thesis focuses on both observations and data collected from students in a 3rd grade classroom who participated …

Assessment And Engagement Strategies For Stem, Aaron Rohde

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this study, I looked at how does student engagement change when a certain assessment is announced prior to a unit. This study looks at what different assessment levels have been researched to accomplish and how to utilize that to our advantage. I researched how does student engagement change when STEM projects are introduced in a 5th grade classroom. It is the role as educators to work towards providing our students with the opportunities to express their levels of knowledge and to show students what they have achieved. This study looks at what I found to be important about STEM …

Factors Impacting Program Delivery: The Importance Of Implementation Research In Extension, Ryan J. Gagnon, Nancy K. Franz, Barry A. Garst, Matthew F. Bumpus

Barry A Garst

Cooperative Extension is in a unique position, given its relationship with research-based, Land-Grant Universities, to advance the scholarship of implementation research. A stronger shift towards evidence-based practice has been occurring, oriented towards the assessment of programs for outcomes. This paper explores core concepts related to program implementation and delves into factors that influence successful implementation of Extension programs and services. The importance of implementation within the Extension Program Development Model is explored, along with emerging issues and trends.

Organizational Cognition As Intervened By Organizational Support And Engagement On Medical Coders’ Exhibition Of Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, David W. Conley

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Informed by the social cognitive theory and social exchange theory, this study examined medical coders’ evaluation of organizational cognition in the presence or perception of organizational support and organization engagement and their resultant behavior. The reciprocal exchanges present in the employee and organization relationship are identified, as positive valuations facilitate mutually beneficial outcomes. Specifically, the examination of cognitions, implicit employee judgments, and behaviors provide a framework to examine the state of engagement and its related outcomes. The use of perceived organizational support and organization engagement as intervening variables provided insight into the complex relationships between medical coding employees’ evaluation of …

Influence Of A Drama Based Education Program On The Development Of Empathy In Year 10, Western Australian Students, Scott Corbett

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to understand which elements of the drama processes are most conducive to increasing empathy in adolescents. Empathy can have a significant impact on situational and dispositional pro-social behaviour in adolescents. It is positively related to moral development, healthy relationships and problem-solving skills; and negatively related to bullying behaviour, aggression, and victimisation. The practice of Creative Drama, in particular the work of Dorothy Heathcote and Bruce Burton, has informed drama programs that foster empathy in participants. This process, combined with the Actor Training system of Constantin Stanislavski, and the Forum Theatre model developed by Augusto …

Male Educators Implementing Instructional Practices That Academically Engage Students, Kenneth B. Beneby

Theses and Dissertations

Male Educators Implementing Instructional Practices That Academically Engage Students. Kenneth Bernard Beneby, 2019. Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: teacher, African American male teachers, academic engagement, secondary teaching profession, pedagogies, African American male students

This phenomenological research explored how a selected group of African American male educators understood their own experiences while implementing strategies to academically engage African American male students. The research explored the public secondary education experiences of African American male educators to better understand their occupational understandings; how having more African American educators were helpful in …

Investigating The Effects Of Motivational Interviewing Compared To Action Planning On Supporting The Emotional And Academic Success Of Ninth Grade Students In Advanced Placement Classes, Kai Zhuang Shum

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

High school students in accelerated curricula (i.e., Advanced Placement classes or pre-International Baccalaureate program) tend to report higher level of perceived stress compared to general education students due to additional academic demands that stemmed from accelerated courses (Suldo & Shaunessy-Dedrick, 2013). However, this group of students often receives limited if any targeted supports in schools because they tend to perform well academically (Suldo, O'Brennan, Storey, & Shaunessy-Dedrick, 2018). To address this gap in literature, this study investigated the efficacy of a targeted intervention in development to support academic and emotional success among students in accelerated curricula, namely the Motivation, Assessment, …

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Integration Of Technology Into Pedagogy, Joe George Gerez

All Theses And Dissertations

The aim of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of the integration of technology into pedagogy. Data collection occurred from analyzing middle school teacher’s experiences, observations, and motivation following a technological implementation initiative into pedagogy. The evaluation of the study data included the analysis of surveys and interpretation of in-depth interviews of teachers. A pedagogical focus on teacher integration of technology supported by the self-determination theory as the research study’s theoretical framework examining human motivation was appropriated to the case study. As educational leaders face significant challenges in understanding the impact of teachers’ perceptions …

Effective Mathematics Instruction: Developing Best Practices For Student Learning, Debra Wecker Flores

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, intrinsic case study was to examine the perspectives of teachers and students as they pertained to how they understood and described effective mathematics instruction. The research population consisted of six ninth-grade students attending the educational centers in a regional charter system in California. The research population also included six high school mathematics teachers from the same regional charter system who had taught ninth-grade mathematics for at least two school years. The research instruments used in this study included semistructured interviews, observations, and an examination of artifacts. Interview questions were open ended and designed to capture …

Choice-Based Learning In The Art Room, Carrie J. Mathison

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review outlines the basis of the choice-based art education philosophy Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB). The review addresses the history of the philosophy and what it looks like in the classroom setting with a focus on the creativity, engagement, motivation and connections, and supporting student autonomy. The TAB philosophy and pedagogy is based on a three-part theoretical framework of what do artists do, the child is the artist, and the classroom is the child’s studio. TAB is compared and contrasted to traditional Discipline-Based Art Education (DBAE). When TAB is implemented, the art classroom looks different and impacts the …

Increasing Engagement During Circle Time Using Technology, Amanda Williams

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

All preschool teachers dream of a way to make all students engaged during circle time. This may seem like an impossible task but this study finds that adding technology during circle time can increase engagement. In this study the teacher and the students will be using a Smart Board as the technology. This is done by using interactive hands on activities allowing the students to be involved in their own learning rather than being lectured the information. In this study a rubric was used to assess the student’s engagement during circle time. Engagement without the use of technology scored a …

Decisions Based On Perception: Perceptions Of Stem Teacher Leader Job Satisfaction In Rural, High Poverty Schools, Jodi G. Zeis

Theses and Dissertations

High poverty rural schools face teacher turnover at a rate higher than average schools. Perceptions drive decisions. Workplace circumstance affect what drives the leadership of STEM teacher leaders in high poverty rural schools. Therefore, when STEM teacher leaders leave, they take their unique skill sets with them. Research shows that engagement and self-efficacy, along with professional appreciation lead to a higher retention rate of teachers. Often that is achieved through distributed leadership. This study aimed to determine how leadership experiences shape the professional perceptions of STEM teacher leaders in high poverty, rural schools. Building on previous research this study asked: …