Educational Psychology Commons^™

The Influence Of Short-Term Goal Setting On Student Performance And Motivation, Amber Lefever

Master's Theses

Student goal setting is one powerful tool that can influence students' attitudes and achievements. This mixed-methods study examines the effects of short-term goal setting on the performance and motivation of students in a fifth-grade classroom. Students set weekly goals and tracked their performance through daily self-reflection. The goal-setting intervention provided students an opportunity to gain success through intrinsic rewards and strengthen their self-efficacy skills. Data were collected and analyzed over a three-week time frame. This presentation provides details on the effectiveness of goal setting in the classroom and procedures for structuring goal-setting interventions for upper elementary students.

Social Emotional Learning In An Elementary School, Abigail Cook

Master's Theses

This action-research study used a mixed-methods approach to help determine and observe the benefits of social emotional journaling in the classroom, specifically its impact on a students ability to recognize their personal emotions and self-concept. Data was collected both quantitively [sic] and qualitatively in a fifth-grade classroom to note the changes before implementing social emotional learning and after implementing it. This study discusses the term “social emotional learning” and provides a discussion on the impact of journaling for the students and any other implications observed. Although the results are mostly positive, the research discovered during the study concluded …

Exploring The Benefits Of Peer Tutoring On Elementary Students' Academic Outcomes, Jacqueline Gardner

Master's Theses

This action research study was created to determine if students’ motivation plays an important role in their academic outcomes in a sixth-grade classroom. Peer tutoring was implemented as an intervention throughout a six-week duration to promote students’ intrinsic motivation and to identify any associated student academic outcomes. Preliminary findings showed that students liked to connect with academic content, and they liked to work with their peers. This presentation will provide information about the positive effects of students having or gaining intrinsic motivation, and it will have recommendations about different classroom tools that can have a positive impact on elementary students’ …

Use Of Encouragement In The Classroom To Help Students Succeed [2022], Erin Fieldhouse

Master's Theses

This case study is based on a one student study that used a mixed methods approach seeing the effects of encouragement in the classroom and how it might help a student socially and emotionally. Data was collected throughout a 12-week period based around the findings of field notes and a survey that was implemented into the classroom. Preliminary findings are inconclusive based on students having more difficulties that affect them in different ways. This paper will provided [sic] information about how to use encouragement in the classroom.

Teachers are always trying to find new methods to help their students. …

Matching Equation: Teacher Rates Of Praise And Reprimands, Meleah Ackley

Master's Theses

Previous matching equation literature has demonstrated variability in student behaviors matching onto available reinforcement rates. While some studies have found that student on-task behaviors matched contingent teacher attention around half the observations (Martens et al., 1990), other studies have found that first grade students’ on-task behavior matched contingent teacher attention more than half of observations (Shriver & Kramer, 1997). However, no studies in the current literature have used teacher behaviors as the primary dependent variables (i.e., B1 and B2 in the matching equation). The current study sought to extend the Generalized Matching Equation (GME) further into the classroom, given the …

Contextualizing Bipoc High School Students’ Racialized Experiences Under Trump, Christina Ung

Master's Theses

This thesis contextualizes public high school experiences of self-identified students of color during Trump’s presidency. The study features three recent high school graduates from the same campus, and their perspectives on a series of topics related to their racial identity. It was important that this research served as a space for marginalized voices to share their lived experiences, as they are frequently left out of American curriculum. More specifically in this case, the high school is located in a small, rural town where the population is majority white and politically conservative. Through the lens of critical race theory (CRT), data …

Is The Written Component Of Tootling Effective? A Comparison Of The Group Contingency To A Comparison Writing Procedure, James Derieux

Master's Theses

Previous tootling literature has demonstrated positive effects of the intervention when implemented in settings from elementary school (e.g., Skinner, Cashwell, & Skinner, 2000) to high school (e.g., Lum et al., 2019). Several studies have shown meaningful effects for the tootling intervention on increasing class-wide academically engaged behavior (AEB) and decreasing disruptive behaviors (DB) (e.g., Cihak et al., 2009). However, no studies in the current literature have examined the effects of the individual components of the tootling intervention on class-wide behaviors. The current study sought to examine the effects of the written component of the tootling intervention on class-wide levels of …

Polycommit: Building Better Habits Through Gamification, Elliot Fiske

Master's Theses

Computer-assisted learning is older than Turing machines, and constantly evolves as technology improves. While some teachers are resistant to using technology in the classroom, “e-learning” techniques are becoming more common in almost every school, from K-12 to universities. As technology becomes more widespread, it becomes crucial to examine the various methodologies of computer-assisted learning and find the techniques that are most effective.

This paper explores the effectiveness of one such methodology, spaced repetition. This technique applies to homework assignments available to students online. We include an exploration of several existing apps that use this technique, and introduce our own novel …

Using Digital Performance Feedback To Increase Teacher Treatment Integrity, Heather Marie Whipple

Master's Theses

In intervention research, assessing treatment integrity is important to establish functional control of the independent variable and make accurate decisions regarding treatment effectiveness. This study examined the effects of digital performance feedback (DPF) as a follow-up strategy for teachers to increase integrity. A multiple baseline design was utilized to determine the effectiveness of this strategy. Results from this study expanded previous literature on ways to promote treatment integrity and help move toward a science of intervention implementation. The primary dependent variable measured was treatment integrity. Student behavior was also assessed to determine if there is a relationship between treatment integrity …

The Effects Of Tootling Combined With Public Posting In High School Classrooms, Sarah Joan Wright

Master's Theses

A traditional tootling procedure was implemented along with a public posting component to determine the effects on academically engaged, disruptive, and passive off task behaviors in four general education high school classrooms. The study employed an A/B/B+C multiple baseline design across classrooms. The primary focus of the study was to assess potential increases in academically engaged behavior across intervention conditions. Students in the traditional tootling phase (B) were instructed to report on their peers’ positive, prosocial behaviors. At the end of the class period, the teacher silently read through the tootles and added the total toward the group goal. When …

Generalization Of Teachers' Use Of Effective Instruction Delivery Following In Situ Training, Joy Kathleen Wimberly

Master's Theses

The efficacy of in situ training for increasing Head Start teachers’ use of effective instruction delivery in Head Start classrooms while evaluating concomitant increases in Head Start students’ compliance was examined in the current study. Of further interest was the extent to which Head Start teachers maintained and generalized accuracy of effective instruction delivery in untrained settings. Four Head Start teachers and four Head Start students served as participants in this study. A multiple baseline across participants was used to test the effects of in situ training on teachers’ accuracy of effective instruction delivery and students’ initiation compliance. Data were …

Understanding How Intentionally Unplugging From Cell Phones Shapes Interpersonal Relationships And The Undergraduate College Experience, Jadelin P. Felipe

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of what motivated college students—the Unplugged Students—to intentionally use their cell phones less and how they understood the impact that unplugging had on their interpersonal relationships and college experience. Nine undergraduate college students from four private schools were interviewed in one-on-one semi- structured interviews. These students, considered non-users, provided a particularly useful perspective as these students made a conscious choice to counteract social norms and experienced both being plugged in and unplugged. Cell phones and the act of unplugging proved to make up a complex and more nuanced topic than …

Grit In The Classroom, David Anthony Vaughn

Master's Theses

In the United States today, educational opportunity is not equally distributed. Statistical data show a persistent educational achievement gap that disproportionately affects students of color or with a low socioeconomic status. There have been countless efforts to reform this inequality within the American school system; however, many efforts have ignored underlying issues regarding power structures and may instead be rooted in the biased beliefs of dominant culture. Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) Public Charter Schools, in particular, emphasize seven character strengths that are intended to promote success for their students and bring them to and through college. Such traits may …

Perceived Stress And Self-Efficacy As Correlates Of Satisfaction With The Dissertation Process Among Doctoral Students In Educational Psychology In Selected Universities In The United States, Gabriela A. Dumitrescu

Master's Theses

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of perceived stress and self efficacy on student satisfaction with the dissertation process among doctoral students in educational psychology in selected universities in the United States.

Method

Survey research method was used as the research platform for this study. Online surveys using Survey Monkey were administered to doctoral student in Educational Psychology from selected universities in the United States. Dissertation self-efficacy was measured with the Dissertation Self-Efficacy Scale (DSES; Varney, 2003). Perceived Stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10; Cohen, Kamarch & Mermelstein, 1983). …

The Effects Of Check In/Check Out On Levels Of Problem Behavior And Academic Engagement In Elementary School Students, Leila Mullooly Miller

Master's Theses

Previous studies have largely evaluated the effects of check in/ check out (CICO) using office discipline referrals (ODRs). However, ODRs are not always reliable measures of student behavior, and direct observation is known to be an accurate tool for behavioral measurement. Due to this, the current study used direct observations to evaluate the effects of CICO on levels of problem behavior and academic engagement for a group of elementary school students. One second, one fourth, and one sixth grade student served as participants. Results indicate CICO is effective in decreasing problem behavior and increasing academic engagement. Data from teacher ratings …

Lead And Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analysis, James Kenneth Goodlad Iii

Master's Theses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is thought to have a significant neurological component, and several brain structures have been implicated. Environmental variables like lead have been shown to affect brain structures, which in turn impacts cognitive development and behavior. Some studies have begun to associate environmental variables like lead with the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms of ADHD. This meta-analysis examined the association between different components of ADHD (including attention problems and hyperactivity/impulsivity) and level of lead exposure in children and adolescents. Articles focusing on the association between lead and inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms were gathered from the online databases PsycINFO and Medline. …

Software Internationalization: A Framework Validated Against Industry Requirements For Computer Science And Software Engineering Programs, John Huân Vũ

Master's Theses

View John Huân Vũ's thesis presentation at http://youtu.be/y3bzNmkTr-c.

In 2001, the ACM and IEEE Computing Curriculum stated that it was necessary to address "the need to develop implementation models that are international in scope and could be practiced in universities around the world." With increasing connectivity through the internet, the move towards a global economy and growing use of technology places software internationalization as a more important concern for developers. However, there has been a "clear shortage in terms of numbers of trained persons applying for entry-level positions" in this area. Eric Brechner, Director of Microsoft Development Training, suggested …

Creativity And Culture: Perception, Interaction, Opposition, And Marginality, Marilyn Badran Weigel

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Performance Appraisal Methods Utilized To Evaluate The Performance Of Self-Directed Work Teams, Linda D. Baxter

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Parental Interviews On Bilingual Programs For Vietnamese Students, Joseph Hieu

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Computer Based Instruction With Video Cassette Instruction For Cardio-Pulmonaary Resuscitation, Janine Ricketts-Byrne

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Adjustment Issues Related To Long-Term Cancer Survival: A Review Of Literature, Lesley J. Widmer

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Passover Seder: A Prototype Of Effective Education, Morton Ginsparg

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

An Internship: A Framework For Science Literacy And Vocational Goals, Joan Visser

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of The Television Viewing Habits Of Religiously Oriented And Non-Religiously Oriented Children, Hector C. Detres

Master's Theses

Problem

Television plays an important role in the lives of children. The objective of this study was to compare religiously oriented and non- religiously oriented children and the patterns of television viewing habits between these two groups.

Method

The analysis of variance was used to measure the hypotheses. A questionnaire completed by 378 subjects in grades 3, 6, 9, and 12 in private and public schools was used to gather the data for this study.

Results

Significant differences were found between religiously oriented and non-religiously oriented children in the average number of hours of television viewing, and in preference for …

An Evaluation Of Retirement Preparation: The Needs Program Considerations, Modes And Models, And Program Effectiveness, Sara Krause Shevitz

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Relationships Between The Four Temperament Types: Sanguine, Choleric, Phlegmatic, And Melancholic, And Leisure Time Physical Activities, Herbert W. Helm Jr

Master's Theses

Problem

The physical health of a person seems to be an important issue in today's society. It would seem reasonable to hypothesize that the temperament of an individual may be a predisposing factor toward or against participation on a regular exercise program. It was the purpose of this study to determine what relationship exists between a person's temperament type and the amount of leisure time physical activity he or she performs.

Method

One-hundred and ninety-three college students participated in this study. The "Temperament Inventory" was used to determine a person's score on each of the four temperament types. The "Minnesota …

Perception Of Values Relating To Character Development: A Study Of College Students' Views On A Seventh-Day Adventist Campus, Gertrude Elizabeth Jordan

Master's Theses

Problem

The most important concern of Seventh-day Adventists is the proper and fullest development of character. This study investigates perception patterns on character values and factors influencing positive character development held by subjects on a church supported university campus (Andrews University).

Method

The self-administered questionnaire, developed by Kreps (1970) to examine the attitudes held by college students concerning values that are important in promoting positive character development in individuals, was modified in part to conform to background characteristics of Andrews University students. The socio-economic class of each subject was determined by the McGuire-White Social Class Index (1955). A percentage and …

Perceptual Alignment And Marital Satisfaction, Robert M. Schwartz

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Development Of An Instrument To Measure Student Attitudes Toward God Using Semantic Differential, Joyce A. Morse

Master's Theses

The study had two objectives

(1) to construct an instrument, which would, measure students' attitudes toward God, and

(2) to use the instrument in a small pilot study to test its usefulness.

The instrument was patterned after the format of Osgood's Semantic Differential and each subject was asked to make judgments on five different concepts about God. Each concept was judged by pairs of bipolar adjectives on a rating scale of one to five, with five, being the most-positive.. The thirteen bipolar adjective pairs used in the. final .instrument were used only after two item analyses proved them to be …