Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Comparative Study Of Reading First Schools Reading Achievement To Non-Reading First Schools., Wandaleen Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was any significant increase in the reading achievement of Reading First third grade students compared to the reading achievement of the third grade reading students in Non-Reading First schools located in southwest Virginia for 2004-2009. The Standards of Learning (SOLs) reading test scores were compiled from the Virginia Standards of Learning test scores that are available to the public from the Virginia Department of Education website. The elementary schools chosen for this study have a similar number of disadvantaged students and similar demographics. The reading achievement was being examined after …

The Graduation Rates Of Career And Technical Education (Cte) Concentrators In Tennessee., Richard Ernest Shadden Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare high school graduation rates between Career and Technical Education (CTE) concentrators and non-CTE concentrators. School systems in the state of Tennessee that offered CTE courses for the 2007-2008 (120 systems) or 2008-2009 (118 systems) school years were used in this study. Fifteen northeast Tennessee systems were also examined to compare the graduation rates of CTE concentrators and non-CTE concentrators. The graduation rates of male and female CTE concentrators was also compared.

Research supported the notion that CTE concentrators could improve overall graduation rates for school systems, and female CTE concentrators on …

Relationships Between Teacher Attendance And Student Scores On The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Achievement Test In East Tennessee., Melissa Miniard Hensley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined relationships between third, fourth, and fifth grade teacher attendance as well as teacher and administrator perceptions of teacher attendance during the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 school years. Third, fourth, and fifth grade student test scores on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Achievement test given in the spring of 2006, 2007, and 2008 were also examined. TCAP score data for this study were gathered electronically, with published data from the Tennessee Department of Education. Teacher attendance records were collected using Siesta, a teacher attendance tracking program. Teacher and administrator perceptions were gathered through surveys, interviews, …

Evaluating Pre-Service Teacher Workforce: Environmental Health Knowledge, Attitude, And Behavior, Dhitinut Ratnapradipa, Darson Rhodes, Stephen Brown

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Abstract

Research has shown that personal health behaviors and actions established early in life are often carried through adulthood.  Thus, working with children to increase environmental health literacy may improve the environmental health literacy of future adults, potentially improving the health of the Nation.  Given the amount of time children spend in school, this setting could be an ideal place to address environmental health with children.  According to social cognitive theory, observation is one way in which learning takes place.  Consequently, the environmental behaviors and attitudes modeled by teachers would likely impact the environmental behaviors and attitudes learned by …

2011 Report Card On Arkansas Public Schools, Gary Ritter

Education Report Card

The OEP is pleased to bring you its 2011 Report Card for Arkansas’ public schools highlighting Arkansas’ education performance and characteristics through the 2010-2011 academic year. We hope this report is accessible and informative for educators and policymakers in the state. The charts and figures here are a reflection of the progress we have made as a state in the last decade. They also serve as a reminder that we still need improvement and reform to continue that progress.

Factors Related To Math Performance And Potential Benefits Of One-On-One Instruction, Amanda Zagame

Honors Projects in Mathematics

This fall 2010 study of Bryant University students enrolled in freshman-level math courses considered factors related to college-level math performance, including gender, math self-efficacy, math anxiety, and utilization of professors’ office hours and/or tutoring center services. Female students at Bryant reported lower levels of math self-efficacy and higher levels of math anxiety, both of which research has shown to be negatively correlated with test scores. The use of one-on-one instruction was expected to provide a potential counterweight to this equation. Results from the 287 initial and 229 final surveys administered in this study did not support this hypothesis. This phenomenon …

Empirical Methods For Predicting Student Retention- A Summary From The Literature, Matt Bogard

Economics Faculty Publications

The vast majority of the literature related to the empirical estimation of retention models includes a discussion of the theoretical retention framework established by Bean, Braxton, Tinto, Pascarella, Terenzini and others (see Bean, 1980; Bean, 2000; Braxton, 2000; Braxton et al, 2004; Chapman and Pascarella, 1983; Pascarell and Ternzini, 1978; St. John and Cabrera, 2000; Tinto, 1975) This body of research provides a starting point for the consideration of which explanatory variables to include in any model specification, as well as identifying possible data sources. The literature separates itself into two major camps including research related to the hypothesis testing …

Understanding Inter-And Intra-Generational Communication Methods Utilizing A Framework Of Message Sensitivity, Thomas Edwin Craft Jr.

Dissertations

This study was designed to determine if differences existed between generations surrounding their preferred communication methods. In examining the social identity perspective of groups, scholars have found that many groups are categorized based on the social structure in which they exist. Generational groups have created their own social structure and set of cultural norms that define each generation. In a recent report released by the Pew Research Center (2010), when the younger generation was asked an open-ended question, "What makes your generation unique?", 24% of those asked responded "Technology Use." One of the unique differences among these generations is the …

The Merit Of Merit Pay, Melissa May Pemberton Albright

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of Missouri educators and state education leaders toward merit pay. In addition, a secondary purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of educators on the impact of merit pay on recruiting and retaining highly-qualified teachers. Due to the current economic situation, districts are looking at ways to compensate teachers while recruiting and retaining highly-qualified teachers. Districts must continue to meet federal and state mandates to increase student achievement, and researchers have identified teacher quality as one such influence. Therefore, many believe the traditional salary schedule, which has been …

Case Studies Of At-Risk Middle Grades Students And Literacy Applications Including Technology, Francine Falk-Ross, Principal Investigator

Cornerstone 1 Reports : Expansion and Enhancements of the Thinkfinity Platform

No abstract provided.

The Diffusion Of Environmental Literacy In An American Urban Community Through Children, Kelley Phillips

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Environmental literacy is a contentious issue in the United States of America because citizens feel it is forced upon them and interferes with our materialistic culture. Also, many Americans have limited access to green space and little time to devote to increasing their environmental mindset. This project documents a technique to introduce environmental literacy to American citizens by working with single communities in a common subset of American culture. Based on a model used by anthropologists in third world countries, the goal was to diffuse environmental literacy into a community by only instructing the children of that community in environmental …

Counselor Perception Of Effective Components Of Suicide Prevention Programs In Four-Year Colleges And Universities, Melanie A. Schicker

Dissertations

More than 34,000 Americans take their lives each year. Twelve percent of those suicides are in the 15-24-year-old age group. Although, overall for this age group, suicide is the number three cause of death, across college campuses it is quickly becoming the second leading cause, with accidents being number one. There are multiple contributing factors for suicide and suicidal ideation among the college population and many campuses have suicide prevention information; however, fewer have actual suicide prevention programs in place. Several areas that contribute to suicide risk for college-aged students were reviewed including: (a) depression, suicidal history, and hopelessness; (b) …

Triple A: Alternative For At-Risk Adolescents?, Shelly Mills-Walker

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, causal comparative study was to examine the extent to which attending an alternative educational program at some point during high school could likely influence the graduation rate of at-risk students in an urban school district in the state of Missouri. Four years of nonrandom samples of graduation data from 2006 through 2010 were retrieved from the district’s student information system specific to race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and special education services. The 4 years of nonrandom samples were averaged, and the mean graduation rates of these populations of adolescents were calculated and compared to measure …

Saturday Academy: Student, Parent, And Teacher Perceptions Of An Intervention For At-Risk Middle School African American Students In A High Poverty School, Meoldy Latrice Witherspoon

Dissertations

I examined the perceptions of parents, students, and teachers of Saturday Academy, an intervention for students who are at risk of failing academically. The problem is that nearly half of students who attend high school may be at risk of dropping out before they graduate. The purpose of this study was to describe, evaluate, and analyze the perceptions of students, parents, and teachers of Saturday Academy. This study is significant because at-risk students are in need of an intervention that helps them to be successful at school. The study was conducted in a small middle school within a large school …

The Impact Of Manipulatives On Learning In The Elementary And Middle School Mathematics Classroom, Laura Dahl

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This paper is a review of research pertaining to the use of manipulatives in the elementary and middle school mathematics classrooms. It embodies the logic behind using manipulative materials in the classroom setting and the impact their use will have on student understanding and enjoyment for learning mathematical concepts. This research paper will identify the struggles and concerns of manipulative use along with the need of increased professional development and training for teachers to be better prepared for the daunting, yet rewarding challenges of successfully teaching mathematics.

Trial Of The Engagement Matrix Component 2: The Reliability And Validity Of The Engagement Matrix. Report, Petra Lietz, Mollie Tobin

Student learning processes

The second component of the trial of the Engagement Matrix (EM) seeks to examine empirically the reliability, validity and dimensionality of the EM by way of various analyses, particularly Rasch modelling. Responses to an online survey of more than 300 ICAN/FLO staff and teachers were analysed to ascertain whether the statements a) could be grouped together along the three assumed underlying dimensions (Relationships, Involvement in learning and Well-being) and if these dimensions were related to a common underlying trait, namely Engagement, b) measured these dimensions reliably, c) could differentiate between students with different levels of engagement and d) worked to …

Evaluation Of Ri Middle School Science Kits In Regards To The Ri Grade Span Expectations, Melissa L. Wetzel

Senior Honors Projects

Evaluation of Rhode Island Middle School Science Kits in Regards to Rhode Island Grade Span Expectations

Melissa Wetzel

Faculty Sponsor:  Jay Fogleman, Education

The Rhode Island Department of Education provides a set of Grade Span Expectations (GSEs) that outline major ideas in science, including physical, life, and earth and space science. Students in Rhode Island schools are expected to be able to demonstrate understanding of each GSE in order to graduate high school with proficiency in science. Educators do not always have the time to “unpack” the GSEs that line up with the grade level they teach. Unpacking a GSE …

Representations Of Chinese Culture And History In Picture Books Of The Westerville Public Library: Educational Quality And Accuracy Of Children Literature About China And Chinese Culture, Han Zhang

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

In order to learn about the educational quality and accuracy of most children's picture literature accessible to readers of Westerville area, which aim to illustrate and introduce the content of Chinese culture and history, the author of this paper examines whether children's picture books in the Westerville Public Library serve American readers as authentic and accurate representations of Chinese culture and its history. Based on the ardent debates of former researcher, the author discusses frequent mistakes existing in most picture books. Later, the author collects data and uses estimation and hypothesis testing to prove the error rate of the whole …

Teacher Preparedness For Teaching And Assessing Depth Of Knowledge, Shelly Rankin Holmes

Dissertations

In the state of Mississippi, students in grades 3 through 8 are required to take an annual assessment, called MCT II, in Language Arts, Mathematics, and, more recently, Science. The results of this assessment may cause punitive consequences for each school and school district. State leaders have become increasingly concerned with student performance and accountability. Therefore, they have redesigned this assessment to accommodate a more challenging curriculum and to ensure alignment with national standards. The unanswered question is whether or not we have adequately prepared teachers for the increase in rigor and depth of knowledge for this assessment. A questionnaire …

Tennessee Practitioner Perceptions Of The Construct, Content, And Utility Of Exemplary Practices In Alternative Education: Indicators Of Quality Programming For Use As An Evaluation Instrument, James Vince Witty

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explored Tennessee practitioner perceptions of the construct, content and utility of Exemplary Practices in Alternative Education: Indicators of Quality Programming (Exemplary Practices) for use as an evaluation instrument (National Alternative Education Association, 2009). The general purposes of this study were to (1) examine the legitimacy of the ten constructs (i.e., standards) and corresponding content (i.e., indicators of success) of best practice as presented in the Exemplary Practices and (2) investigate the utility of the Exemplary Practices when transformed into an evaluation instrument for alternative schools and programs. The study entailed a two-phased sequential, mixed-model research design (Cameron, 2009). …