Response To Intervention Teachers' Perspective Of Tier 2 Intervention Fidelity,
2016
Walden University
Response To Intervention Teachers' Perspective Of Tier 2 Intervention Fidelity, Doretha Meissner
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In an urban Texas school district, teachers and administrators were concerned about students' achievement and the teachers' knowledge and implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) Tier 2 interventions with fidelity. This study addressed teachers' perceptions of the reliability of the application of Tier 2 interventions at the study site, its influence on student achievement, and the appropriateness of current professional development at the targeted campus. The constructivist concept of how people learn and the implementation theory of scaffolding instruction, meaningful experiences, and active learning provided the framework for this study. The educators provided perspectives of how the quality and frequency …
Evaluation Of A Goal Setting Intervention With Grades 3-5 Military Dependent Students Targeting Math Proficiency,
2016
Walden University
Evaluation Of A Goal Setting Intervention With Grades 3-5 Military Dependent Students Targeting Math Proficiency, Whitney Desantis
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
As military dependent students relocate, they enroll in multiple schools throughout their K-12 experience. Frequent mobility can create gaps in achievement. The challenge in the local setting is meeting the needs of military dependent students scoring below grade level standards in math. The purpose of the formative evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of the Personalized Education Plan (PEP) program and propose refinements. The conceptual framework included goal setting, motivation, engagement, and self-regulation. The concurrent multi-methods study included a central research question on whether a PEP increased student math scores. Questions about student motivation, engagement, self-regulation, and goal setting followed. …
Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Bullying And Their Practices In Reporting Bullying Incidents,
2016
Walden University
Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Bullying And Their Practices In Reporting Bullying Incidents, Katherine Eileen Blust
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Student self-report surveys showed bullying behaviors were problematic among students in one Midwest middle school. Despite implementing a version of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, students continued to self-report bullying behaviors that occurred on school property during school hours. It is crucial that educators are proactive in intervening and preventing bullying to establish a safe environment for academic success. The purpose of this study was to describe teachers' perceptions of bullying behaviors and their practices in reporting bullying incidents. Bandura's social learning and Locke's social contract theories served as the study's framework. Teachers were asked to describe behaviors they perceived …
U.S. Teachers' Perceptions Of School Violence Prevention Programs,
2016
Walden University
U.S. Teachers' Perceptions Of School Violence Prevention Programs, Natakie Tamu Chestnut
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In response to high profile violent incidents and crimes, many schools have developed plans that address school discipline to create a school climate and culture wherein everyone is valued and treated with respect. The problem that prompted this study is teachers are struggling with effectively implementation prevention program. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of teachers about school violence prevention programs. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, this study examined the connection among school violence, environment, discipline and prevention programs; and it explored approaches to creating safe communities in schools. The research questions focused on teachers' …
Audio Books With Struggling Readers At The Elementary School Level,
2016
Walden University
Audio Books With Struggling Readers At The Elementary School Level, Alicia Hollis Mcgill
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In a Title I school located in a southeastern state, 60% of 3rd grade students are reading below grade level. The state's new reading initiative ties grade promotion to 3rd grade students reading on grade level. At the study site, administrators identified audio books as a possibly helpful reading tool. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development theory, which holds that learners can learn new skills more readily with guided assistance, framed this study. The purpose of this quantitative, comparative design study was to explore the associations between the use of audio books and the reading levels of 3rd grade struggling readers. …
Examination Of Resource Allocation And Student Achievement,
2016
Walden University
Examination Of Resource Allocation And Student Achievement, Jo Ann Neal
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Despite the raise in per-pupil expenditures, the achievement gap between economically advantaged and disadvantaged students continues to increase. Education proponents are scrambling to understand the complexities of local school funding. The No Child Left behind deadline stipulated that all students must be proficient in language arts and mathematics by 2014. The constructivist theory served as the conceptual framework for the study. Performance data were obtained from the State of New Jersey Department of Education and the United States Department of Education. This quantitative study determined whether a significant relationship exists between the allocation of fiscal resources and students' test scores. …
Relationship Between Teacher Inquiry Science Instruction Self-Efficacy And Student Achievement,
2016
Walden University
Relationship Between Teacher Inquiry Science Instruction Self-Efficacy And Student Achievement, Grace Hanners
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Standardized test data indicate that student achievement in science is a problem both nationally and locally. At the study site, only a small percentage of fifth-grade students score at the advanced level on the Maryland state science assessment (MSA). In addition, the performance of African American, economically disadvantaged, and special education students is well below that of the general student population. Some studies have shown that teacher self-efficacy affects student achievement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between fifth-grade teacher inquiry science instruction self-efficacy scores and the scores of their students on the MSA. Bandura's …
High School Seniors' Knowledge About College And The Acquisition Of College-Readiness Skills,
2016
Walden University
High School Seniors' Knowledge About College And The Acquisition Of College-Readiness Skills, Karen Franklin Mcsherry
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Lack of college readiness, which affects persistence in college, is a problem for many students at a high school in New Jersey. Only 1 in 5 students in this school persist from first to second year in New Jersey public colleges and universities, and as many as 50% do not graduate in 4 years. This problem is important to study because low persistence may engender personal failure, familial debt, social stigma, and wasted public funds. Guided by Bandura's social learning theory, this qualitative case study addressed the lack of college readiness by exploring what high school students know about going …
Secondary General Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Challenges For Inclusion Students With Autism,
2016
Walden University
Secondary General Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Challenges For Inclusion Students With Autism, Karen Clark Clark
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Many secondary students with autism (SWA) included in the general education (GE) classroom demonstrate academic and behavioral challenges. Most GE teachers who have inclusive SWA in their classes receive little or no training on evidence-based practices to address these challenges. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to explore secondary GE teachers' perceptions of and experiences with the academic and behavioral challenges of inclusive SWA. Theoretical frameworks of the weak central coherence theory for autism and executive dysfunction grounded the study. Data from 6 purposefully chosen secondary GE inclusion teachers, who educated SWA and students with autism spectrum …
Perceptions On Interventions Impacting The Self- Efficacy Of At-Risk Students,
2016
Walden University
Perceptions On Interventions Impacting The Self- Efficacy Of At-Risk Students, Natalie Giddens Giddens
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Teachers need interventions to improve at-risk students' self-efficacy, which may improve their academic performance in school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of elementary school teachers at a Texas public middle school as to what research-based interventions they felt would improve the self-efficacy of these students. Bandura's social cognitive theory, which framed the study, indicates that self-efficacy beliefs affect the courses of action that people seek and the choices people make. Many at-risk students who experience a lack of academic success have low self-efficacy, which may affect their school performance. The research questions that …
Multimedia Technologies' Influence On Language Acquisition In English Language Learners,
2016
Walden University
Multimedia Technologies' Influence On Language Acquisition In English Language Learners, Larissa Karina Parrilla
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
English as a Second Language (ESL) learners at the upper elementary level have struggled to demonstrate the vocabulary required to read in English at grade-level. Although multimedia technologies have demonstrated positive effects as language acquisition educational tools at the university level, it remains unclear how useful they are for language acquisition at the elementary level. This quasi-experimental study used dual coding theory as a framework to examine the relationship between the level of reading comprehension upper elementary students developed and their construction of word meanings through use of multimedia technologies. The study utilized convenience sampling of 85 students divided into …
The Effects Of A Reading Comprehension Intervention Package On Increasing Third Grade Students' Comprehension Skills,
2016
Walden University
The Effects Of A Reading Comprehension Intervention Package On Increasing Third Grade Students' Comprehension Skills, Marilyn P. Card
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Increasing students' reading comprehension involves the use of targeted strategies and effective instruction. Previous research has shown that instruction in individual skills such as vocabulary acquisition, reading fluency, writing, and story mapping help increases students' reading comprehension. However, few studies have explored combining these skills and their cumulative effects, if any, on reading comprehension. The purpose of this quasi-experimental secondary analysis study was to examine the effects of adding a reading comprehension instruction package (RCIP), which includes vocabulary acquisition, reading fluency, and writing, to instruction in story mapping alone. Constructivist theory was used as the theoretical framework for this study. …
African American High School Graduates' Perceived Academic Success Factors,
2016
Walden University
African American High School Graduates' Perceived Academic Success Factors, Paula Williams Harris
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
A large number of African American students attending a low performing, urban high school in Tennessee demonstrated a lack of understanding in reading/language arts by scoring below proficient on the end of course (EOC) exam in reading/language arts. The purpose of this case study was to examine the perceptions of 10 African American graduates who scored proficient on the reading/language arts EOC exam to seek factors they associated with their academic success. This study was guided by Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory. The research question addressed the perceived factors that African American graduates associated with their academic success. Purposeful sampling …
Internet Technology As A Means Of Delivering Reading Instruction In The Content Areas,
2016
Walden University
Internet Technology As A Means Of Delivering Reading Instruction In The Content Areas, Kimberly Rose Pintok
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Due to students not meeting minimum proficiency levels in reading, a central Florida middle school that was rated an A school for 4 years consecutively dropped to a B rating during the 2012-2013 school year and was 10 points away from dropping to a C rating in the 2013-2014 school year. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe classroom implementation of Internet technology in a middle school classroom in an attempt to address the steady decline in reading scores. Guided by Piaget, Dewey, and Vygotsky's social constructivist view of education, this study explored if and how teachers used …
Elementary Teachers' Support Of Positive Development Of Immigrant Africans In An Urban School District,
2016
Walden University
Elementary Teachers' Support Of Positive Development Of Immigrant Africans In An Urban School District, Kelly Marie Ballard
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The Walter Pope School District (WPSD), a predominantly African American district, has experienced a new wave of immigrant students arriving from African nations such as Liberia and Sierra Leone. Many students arrive with little or no formal education, and they are not achieving academic success. This purpose of this study was to discover successful instructional strategies that academically, socially, and culturally support the immigrant students. Guided by Portes and Rumbaut's segmented assimilation theory, this study examined the experiences of WPSD African immigrant learners and explored instructional approaches to reinforce their learning. The research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of factors …
Impact Of Professional Development In Response To Intervention On Secondary Teachers' Efficacy,
2016
Walden University
Impact Of Professional Development In Response To Intervention On Secondary Teachers' Efficacy, Crystal Joy Spence
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In 2012, a southeastern state mandated that all school districts employ the response to intervention (RtI) tiered approach model to meet the needs of struggling students. RtI was implemented at the study site; however, secondary teachers were not confident in their abilities to implement RtI. Researchers have found that a teacher's sense of efficacy can impact student academic outcomes. Professional development on implementing RtI was provided for teachers in the study school. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of explicit RtI professional development on the perceived self-efficacy of secondary teachers and their ability to impact student …
Staff Perceptions Of The Effect Of The Leader In Me On Student Motivation And Peer Relationships In Elementary School,
2016
Walden University
Staff Perceptions Of The Effect Of The Leader In Me On Student Motivation And Peer Relationships In Elementary School, Charlene Tidd
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Staff and student surveys at Lane Elementary School (pseudonym) confirm that students lack motivation to complete class work and often struggle to interact appropriately with one another. Similar concerns are reported across the United States as indicated by national Gallup Poll results on student motivation, peer relationships, and feelings of connectedness in schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine if elementary school personnel believe than an initiative called The Leader In Me has had a positive impact on student motivation and peer relationships. Underpinning this study were Perrin's student motivation theory and research on social and …
Teachers' Perspectives On Reading Interventions Implemented To Low Achieving Second Graders,
2016
Walden University
Teachers' Perspectives On Reading Interventions Implemented To Low Achieving Second Graders, Kendra Yvette Coles-Hart
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In a Mid-Atlantic school district, the administration of standardized assessments begins in third grade. Over the past 3 years, these assessments revealed that an average of 37% of third graders in the local district did not possess necessary reading skills, although over 86% of this group received intervention support in second and third grade. It is unclear how effective the implementations of various interventions are in instruction with struggling second graders to prepare them for the rigors of third grade. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore the perspectives of 9 second grade teachers on research-based interventions …
Teachers' Perspectives: Face-To-Face And Computer-Based Instruction In Math,
2016
Walden University
Teachers' Perspectives: Face-To-Face And Computer-Based Instruction In Math, Carolyn Jones Sessoms
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Differentiated instruction offers opportunities to improve student academic performance, specifically in students with learning disabilities. However, teachers' perceptions of which differentiated-instruction program works best to support differently abled students were unknown. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers' perceptions on whether face-to-face instruction using response to intervention or computer-based learning using TenMarks works best in improving the academic performance of students who are differently abled in mathematics, specifically geometry. Constructivism, social disability theory, and Bandura's social learning theory formed the study's theoretical framework. Research questions guiding the study focused on teachers' perceptions of the advantages and …
Case Study On How High School Teachers Incorporate Technology In The Classroom To Meet 21st Century Student Learning Needs,
2016
Walden University
Case Study On How High School Teachers Incorporate Technology In The Classroom To Meet 21st Century Student Learning Needs, Sara Sharick
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Students are not adequately prepared to contribute to the workforce or engage in global citizenship in the 21st century. Research indicates proper education of students cannot be accomplished without teachers' acceptance of technology in the classroom, engagement in effective professional development, and ability to transform their curricula. Although there is an abundance of research supporting the use of technology in the classroom, little research has examined how to incorporate the technology into student-centered learning. The research questions in this study examined teachers' use and acceptance of technology in the classroom and how teachers incorporate technology to meet the 21st century …
