Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

A Study Of Rigor, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Student Achievement In Three High Schools In A Rural School District In Eastern North Carolina, Katrina Hannon Cobb

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the importance of rigor and teacher efficacy in relation to student achievement. There are several definitions of the word rigor. Blackburn (2008) defined rigor as “An environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels” (p. 16). ACT/SAT data, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE), and the High School Reform and Work all conclude that students who are college and career ready have graduated …

The Feasibility Of Implementing Early College Instructional Strategies And Design Principles In Traditional High Schools As A Reform Model, Shelia Smith Wyont

Education Dissertations and Projects

Early college high schools were developed as a partnership between school districts and colleges to provide students an opportunity to earn a high school diploma concurrently with an associate’s degree or transferable college credit at little or no cost. In 2011, North Carolina New Schools implemented the Rural Innovative Initiative with the purpose of expanding college readiness and reducing dropouts by applying early college design principles and strategies into 18 existing traditional high schools in low-wealth districts. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of implementation of early college principles and strategies into traditional high schools. The …

Have 21st Century Skills Made Their Way To The University Classroom? A Study To Examine The Extent To Which 21st Century Skills Are Being Incorporated Into The Academic Programs At A Small, Private, Church-Related University, Christopher Scott Boe

Education Dissertations and Projects

With the increased expectation of college or university attendance as a prerequisite for workforce entry, the criticism of business leaders and the general public, and the increasing cost of postsecondary education, it becomes critical for institutions of higher education to know what they are offering students and how well those offerings are being presented. Meaningful, engaged learning that prepares students for life and the ever-changing world of work is what these consumers are seeking. It becomes, then, the responsibility of the institution of higher education to evaluate its programs to determine what it is actually providing students in terms of …

First-Generation Freshman College Students: Factors Impacting Retention For The Subsequent Year, Laura Colson Mclean

Education Dissertations and Projects

Against all odds, first-generation college students continue to enroll in postsecondary schools with aspirations of obtaining a bachelor's degree. Unfortunately, many have not successfully reached their goal, which in turn has affected retention rates of colleges and universities. There are programs that provide academic support and advising to increase retention for first-generation college students. However, there are academic and nonacademic needs of the students that colleges, universities, and public policymakers have neglected to address.

The purpose of this research study was to determine from 168 first-generation college students at 5 participating institutions, what factors impacted their enrollment after their first …

Identification Of Perceived 21st Century Graphic Design Skills, Content Knowledge, And Tools Needed In An Effective University-Level Graphic Design Program, Amanda W. Bridges

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify 21st century skills, content knowledge, and tools needed in an effective university-level graphic design program. Inconsistencies in the graphic design curriculum, fueled by the increasingly large number of programs and concentrations and the inability to track graduates, were some of the issues that led to a need for this study.

This study was an expansion of a previous 2006 study conducted by Shyang-Yuh Wang, which took place in Kansas and Missouri. This current study used a modified Delphi Technique in which perceptions from university-level graphic design educators and industry professionals from North …