Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Relationship Education For Latino Adolescents, Joshua J. Turner, Esra Şahin, Kay Bradford, Brian J. Higginbotham

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Adolescent romantic relationships are often characterized as exploratory and fleeting; however, they have lasting impacts on individual well-being and relationship quality during and beyond adolescence, shaping future relationship expectations and quality (Collins, 2003; Madsen & Collins, 2011). Adolescent relationship education is an important programmatic feature under the broader umbrella of family life education (Simpson et al., 2018). Previous evaluative studies document positive outcomes in educating adolescents on how to build and recognize healthy relationships (Bradford et al., 2023; Kerpelman et al., 2010); however, research remains limited in addressing potential benefits for adolescents from historically underrepresented groups. This study addresses this …

The Effects Of Grading Equity Professional Development On Student Outcomes, Sarah R. Morris, Sarah Mckenzie, Jonathan Wai, Robert A. Maranto

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study examines the impact of a 6-hour professional development (PD) program on grading equity and student outcomes. The PD aimed to enhance teachers’ grading practices to foster fairness and inclusivity, based on the growing advocacy for reform to address systemic inequities in traditional grading systems. Utilizing a randomized control trial, the study compared student perceptions of grading equity, academic achievement, and psychosocial outcomes between groups whose teachers either received or did not receive the training. Results indicated no significant improvements in student outcomes post-PD, suggesting the duration of the intervention may be insufficient for substantial changes in grading practices. …

Predictive Factors Of Academic Success During Transition To Undergraduate Studies In Stem Programs In Kansas, Elizabeth L. Butler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In tThis dissertation the researcher exploreds the correlations between high school GPA, ACT Math, ACT cComposite scores, and first -semester GPA for first-time freshmen at a mid-sized university in the Midwest. This quantitative correlational study uses multiple regression analysis to discover correlations that may exist between these interval variables. Data for this study was collected through a request to the study site’s oOffice of pPlanning and aAnalysiss at the university and was all archival data at a record level for the students. Data had been collected through the admissions process and was stored in Banner and SLATE, both data management …

Sustaining Community Health Through Impactful Snap-Ed Initiatives In Utah, Lacee Jimenez, Kristi Strongo, Lea Palmer, Lendel K. Narine, Heidi Leblanc

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Create Better Health (CBH), Utah’s SNAP-Ed program, addresses food insecurity and chronic disease prevention through nutrition education, policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) initiatives, and social media marketing. From 2024 to 2025, CBH reached over 13,500 Utahns through direct education and 81,000 through community interventions. Evaluation results showed significant improvements in nutrition behaviors, including increased fruit and vegetable intake, food resource management, and label use. Follow-up surveys showed sustained behavior change. CBH’s comprehensive approach demonstrates measurable public health impact and points to the importance of continued investment in nutrition education and food access programs to build healthier, food-secure communities.

Empower Yourself Through Self-Defense: Enhancing Personal Safety Through Self-Defense Education, Stephanie Carlson, Naomi Brower, Aaron Hunt

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The Empower Yourself Through Self-Defense program, developed by Utah State University faculty in 2024, builds participants’ confidence by equipping them with self-defense knowledge and skills. Participants reported reduced fear, increased preparedness, and strong interest in continued training. The program enhances personal safety by empowering individuals with practical skills for self-protection.

Outcomes And Impact Of An E-Commerce Extension Program In Rural Utah, Amanda D. Ali, Paul Hill

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah State University Extension’s E-commerce Accelerator (ECA), a mentoring service of the Rural Online Initiative, provides hands-on e-commerce training to small rural businesses in Utah. From January 2024 to July 2025, thirty-five (35) businesses have successfully created online sales websites, with 27 (68%) reporting increased sales revenue.

Community College Faculty Members’ Perspectives On The Use Of State-Mandated Learning Outcomes, Tabetha J. Garman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

State-mandated learning outcomes (LOs) have become central to curriculum design and instructional policy in higher education, yet little is known about how faculty perceive, implement, and assess them, particularly in community college settings. This qualitative study investigates faculty experiences at a rural Southeastern community college through semi-structured interviews with full-time faculty across STEM, Humanities, and Behavioral and Social Sciences. I explored how instructors interpret outcomes, integrate them into courses, assess student achievement, and evaluate their effectiveness. Findings revealed notable disciplinary differences: Science faculty emphasized alignment and standardized assessment, while Humanities and Social Sciences prioritized flexibility and qualitative evaluation. Across all …

A Comparison Of Fixed And Repetitive Models During Imitation Training In Children With Developmental Delays In A School Setting, Laci Fletcher

Theses

Imitation training is commonly recommended in applied behavior analytic literature to address deficits in imitative skills. Few studies have directly compared imitative models to identify the most efficient and effective teaching arrangement to facilitate imitative skills (Deshai & Vollmer, 2019; Halbur et al., 2023). Previous results are inconclusive, and the authors recommended further research comparing the effect of fixed and repetitive models. Therefore, the present study was a replication of Halbur et al. (2023) and addressed limitations suggested by the authors. We examined whether components of imitative models affected the efficiency of the model type and reduced faulty stimulus control …

Exploring The Perceived Impact Of Instructional Coaching On K-12 Staff In A Midwestern State Region, Viloshinee Murugan

Dissertations

This study looked at how K–12 educators in one Midwestern state region perceived the impact of instructional coaching on their instructional practices. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine how the type and frequency of coaching predicted the educators’ self-reported improvements in instruction. 307 educators who had participated in instructional coaching within the past five years completed the survey measuring three coaching types, content-focused, pedagogical-focused, and data-focused, and the frequency of one-on-one coaching interactions. Descriptive analyses identified the prevalence of each coaching type and the ways that the educators rated their growth, while a multiple regression tested the …

Accessing Community Needs In The Tri-County Area Of Rural Utah, Cara Murray, Yvette Rea, Lendel K. Narine

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah State University Extension conducted a needs assessment in the Tri-County area of Utah, encompassing Uintah, Duchesne, and Daggett Counties, to identify key community priorities. Using a three-phased approach, the assessment identified mental health, strengthening relationships, and financial literacy as top concerns. These findings will inform resource allocation to Extension programming to address the region’s most urgent needs.

Tricounty Vaccine Improvement Program (Tc-Vip): Enhancing Vaccine Confidence And Uptake In Rural Utah, Aaron Hunt, Yvette Rea, Annalyz Castro

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The Utah State University Extension TriCounty Vaccine Improvement Program addressed low rural vaccination rates across a three-county area through bilingual social media campaigns, health fairs, training in motivational interviewing, and neuromarketing. Evaluation results showed improved skills, broad community reach, and positive participant feedback, demonstrating a replicable model to reduce vaccine hesitancy and strengthen rural health systems.

Pilot Results Of The Teens Lifting Teens: A Statewide Youth Development Program, Megan O. Hall, Vernon C. Parent, Cris Meier, Kaitlyn Line

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Youth mental health and teen suicide prevention are among the highest needs in Utah communities. The Teens Lifting Teens (TLT) pilot program seeks to equip Youth Councils with resources and education through training, near-peer mentoring, and service-learning opportunities to build protective factors among teens. Evaluation results showed that TLT youth exposure to near-peer mentoring and service-learning opportunities positively impacted their lives.

Evaluation Of Distractor Model Specifications On Assessment Quality Within The Framework Of Assessment Engineering, Sunhyoung Lee

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Responding to the high demand for new test items, model-based item development has emerged as a promising approach for efficient item creation. Item models within Assessment Engineering (AE) offer a systematic framework that effectively generates a large volume of new items. In the development of multiple-choice questions, well-constructed distractors are essential for ensuring item quality, although creating them requires significant time and resources. A distractor model is a sub-model within an item model, producing correct answers and distractors aligned with all potential items to be generated. Various types of distractor models have different characteristics and offer efficient methods for generating …

Educator Perceptions Of Mindfulness Education In Rural Elementary Schools In Tennessee, Mary C. Shepherd-Mcgown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine educator perceptions of mindfulness instruction and the alignment of school policies in rural elementary schools in Tennessee. Despite growing interest in mindfulness in education, few studies have investigated how these practices are experienced and implemented within under-resourced, rural contexts.

Guided by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) and framed conceptually by the Whole-School Mindfulness (WSM) model, the study explored how social, organizational, and policy factors influence the adoption of mindfulness practices. SLT provided a theoretical lens for understanding how educator behaviors are shaped through observation, modeling, and reinforcement, while the WSM framework …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Attendance, Kimberly Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of educators with respect to student enrollment in voluntary pre-kindergarten classes provided through the Tennessee Department of Education in public schools. The data collection strategy used to gain teacher perspectives was through conducting one-on-one interviews with 15 educators in three Tennessee school districts. To qualify for the study, teachers must have been teaching in kindergarten classrooms that receive students who had previously been enrolled in the school’s pre-kindergarten program. Data collection and analysis were based on the Grounded Theory approach which uses data that is systematically gained and analyzed to …

Math For The Real World: Implementing A Standards-Based Math Curriculum With A Focus On Formative Assessment, Rachael Smilowitz

All Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between the Ongoing Assessment Project (OGAP) professional development and the fidelity of implementation of the Illustrative Math Middle School curriculum in Roseland County School District. The district adopted Illustrative Math in 2016; however, many teachers either implemented it inconsistently or used only select components. While prior research has demonstrated that OGAP training can improve student outcomes on standardized assessments in large urban districts such as Philadelphia, little is known about its impact on teachers’ use of high-quality curricula such as Illustrative Math.

The study addressed three guiding questions: (1) How does participation in OGAP professional …

Legitimacy, Learning, And Launch: Exploring Relationships, Community, And Connection In An Undergraduate Research Experience, Randi J. Sims

All Dissertations

Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) are critically important methods for integrating undergraduate students into legitimate scientific practices. While widely celebrated for producing positive outcomes such as increased self-efficacy, research skills, and STEM retention, less is known about the processes through which undergraduate mentees become integrated members of their research groups and the broader scientific community. This dissertation presents findings from both a systematic literature review and a quantitative ethnographic study of a biological sciences URE at a southeastern R1 predominantly white institution (PWI). Grounded in communities of practice and legitimate peripheral participation frameworks, this study explores how undergraduate researchers build relationships, …

Unlocking College Potential: The Role Of Student Expectations And Non-Cognitive Skills In College Success, Gema Zamarro, Malachi Nichols, Julie Trivitt, Rian Djita

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Attending college is a significant human capital investment, but only about 60 % of those who start college will have a completed degree six years later. This makes identifying the skills associated with college success an important policy concern. We surveyed over 1100 entering college freshmen, majoring in business and engineering at a public university in the US, and combined this information with administrative data to create a comprehensive data set that, in addition to the usual academic performance data, cognitive ability measures, and demographics, also included measures of non-cognitive skills, personality traits, student expectations about college grades and performance …

Bridging The Gap: Culturally Responsive Bereavement Support In Latino Families, Maria I. Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Hospice of the Central Coast (HCC), a division of Montage Health, delivers high-quality end-of-life care and bereavement support to adults and families in Monterey and select areas of San Benito County. This capstone project sought to address the disparities by developing and implementing an eight-week bereavement support group curriculum translated and adapted for Spanish-Speaking Latino families. Despite the organization’s longstanding commitment to compassionate and inclusive healthcare, internal data reveal substantial gaps in service for the latino population: of 628 patients served in 2023, only 47 patients were of Hispanic or Latino origin. This discrepancy stems from ingrained barriers such as: …

Influence Of Rec-Connect On Youth Physical Activity: A Multi-Year Look At Behavior Change, Cailyn A. Van Camp, Bree Bode, Jocelyn Hayward, Lauryn Lin, Nicole Jess, Marci Scott

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Background: Physical activity (PA) engagement in youth is associated with numerous health benefits. However, youth PA behaviors are influenced by a complex set of factors including school and community environments and broader societal influences. Rec-Connect^TM is a community-based intervention that aims to impact PA behavior in youth. Purpose: To assess changes in youth PA behavior across multiple years of Rec-Connect^TM implementation. Methods: SNAP-eligible youth [aged 8 to 17 (n=261, matched)] who participated in Rec-Connect^TM completed a pre and post survey to assess PA knowledge and behavior change. Educators completed implementation fidelity logs. Descriptives were conducted to examine …