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Annual Report Of Undergraduate Research Fellows From August 2015 To May 2016, Office Of Research And Sponsored Programs. Morehead State University.

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Reports and Publications

Annual Report of Undergraduate Research Fellows from August 2015 to May 2016.

Refugee Youth Challenges And Unique Needs In Worcester Public Schools That Are Satisfied By African Community Education, Heidi L. Biron

Sustainability and Social Justice

The influx of refugee youth in United States challenges the structure of the US formal school system, as it struggles to manage the unique needs of refugee youth. This research explores African refugee youth needs in the formal school system in Worcester, MA, and how some of these needs are better supported in a supplementary education institution, African Community Education (ACE). The research draws on individual interviews and focus group discussions with refugee youth and ACE’s staff to analyze the complexities and challenges refugee youth are confronted within formal schools and how they are motivated to seek supplementary education. The …

Mixing It Up: Teaching Information Literacy Concepts Through Different ‘Ways Of Learning’, Lorna M. Dawes

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

The new ACRL Framework for Information Literacy (ACRL, 2015) has propelled librarians into new approaches to teaching that concentrate on the concepts and not the procedures or tasks that relate to the effective use of information. It is known that students vary their learning strategies in response to the context of their learning environment (Richardson, 2011) and so it is imperative that instruction facilitates various ways of learning, that can be accommodated in both the small and large classes. Historically librarians have focused on the teaching of the skills: how to search databases, how to find information, how to evaluate …

Young, Urban, Professional, And Kenyan?: Conversations Surrounding Tribal Identity And Nationhood, Charlotte Achieng-Evensen

Educational Studies Dissertations

By asking the question “How do young, urban, professional Kenyans make connections between tribal identity, colonialism, and the lived experience of nationhood?,” the researcher engages with eight participants in exploring their relationships with their tribal groups. From this juncture the researcher, through a co-constructed process with participants, interrogates the idea of nationhood by querying their interpretations of the concepts of power and resistance within their multi-ethnic societies. The utility of KuPiga Hadithi as a cultural responsive methodology for data collection along with poetic analysis as part of the qualitative tools of examination allowed the researcher to identify five emergent and …

The Development Of The Scale Of Contemplative Practice In Higher Education, Maryann Krikorian

Educational Studies Dissertations

Some scholars have formed a more expansive view of knowledge that moves beyond the cognitive notion of intellect. For example, emotional intelligence (EI) theory posits that human intelligence encompasses both cognitive and emotional competencies, providing a framework for the concept of contemplative practices in an endeavor to support an eclectic understanding of cognition. Contemplative practices may benefit graduate student disposition and inform areas of educator preparation through the use of emotional adeptness in higher education. The purpose of this study was to: (a) develop a self-report measure: Scale of Contemplative Practice in Higher Education (SCOPE); (b) address the issues of …

A Grounded Theory Study On Building Positive Teacher-Student Relationships In Christian Schools, Joy Stouffer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this systematic grounded theory study was to understand how teachers and students from open-enrollment Christian schools in Guam and Hawaii described the process of building positive teacher-student relationships. The framework guiding this study was social constructivism and Vygotsky’s (1980), Bruner’s (1997) and Bandura’s (1993) theories on the influence of environmental factors on the perceptions of the teacher-student relationship. The central research question asked how teachers and students described the process of building positive teacher-student relationships in Christian schools. Data collection methods included online surveys, focus groups, and individual interviews. A systematic, grounded theory approach, data analysis, and …

The Effect Of Gender On The Attitudes Of Undergraduates Toward Young-Earth Creationism After Enrollment In An Origins Course, Sean Vinaja

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Christian students graduate from secondary schools and enter Christian colleges with worldviews that are unbiblical or contain unbiblical components, many of which stem from their beliefs regarding origins. Little research has been done to study the effect of gender on the role of a young-earth creationist (YEC) origins course in shaping students’ worldview. Research has shown that males and females respond differently to science and religion instruction; because the origins discussion is an intersection of science and religion, the study of gender’s effect in developing a Bible-based worldview is important so that Christian colleges might more effectively guide their …

Special Education Teachers’ Lived Experiences In The Implementation Of The Ipad As An Instructional Tool For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Takisha Epps

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

he purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of 11 special education teachers, who implemented iPads as an instructional tool for elementary students with intellectual disabilities. This study was conducted in a North Carolina school district. The theories, which guided this study were Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory and Piaget’s (1954) cognitive development theory. Within the study, one central question and three sub-questions were used to guide the study. The research questions focused on special education teachers’ experiences, as they implemented the iPad as an instructional tool for students with intellectual disabilities. To address these questions …

Transformational Christian College And University Presidents: An Examination Of Fundraising Success, Keith Barrows

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The nature of presidential leadership styles at Christian higher education institutions was examined through the lens of fundraising. There has been a growing understanding that college and university presidents are being called on to play a more significant role in the leadership of their institutions, particularly in light of the fiscal challenges facing higher education. More recently, research has begun to focus on the specific character traits and practices of transformational leaders in an attempt to discern if there are significant differences in organizational and personal outcomes in a variety of settings. By understanding what leadership practices are transformational in …

Comparing The Effects Of Elementary Music And Visual Arts Lessons On Standardized Mathematics Test Scores, Molly King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to compare the effect elementary music and visual arts lessons had on third through sixth grade standardized mathematics test scores. Inferential statistics were used to compare the differences between test scores of students who took in-school, elementary, music instruction during the same semester state standardized mathematics tests were administered and those who took in-school, elementary visual arts instruction during the same semester standardized mathematics tests were administered. The students attended seven elementary schools in the same North Alabama school district. The research questions were: (a) Does participation in elementary school music lessons …

The Complex Life Experience Of First-Generation College Students Who Are Working Adults In The Appalachian Region Of The United States: A Phenomenological Study, Deborah Thurman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

he purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe and understand the complexity of life experiences for first-generation college students or recent graduates who are working adults in the Central and South-Central Appalachian region of the United States in light of the construct resilience and how purposefully selected students continued study despite difficulties. In this study, information gathered was synthesized regarding three issues: first-generation students, working adult students, and the influences of Central and South-Central Appalachian regional culture. The theory used to guide this study is resilience as it relates to the educational persistence of working, adult, first-generation college …

The Relationship Between Science Classroom Facility Conditions And Ninth Grade Students’ Attitudes Toward Science, Angela Ford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over half of the school facilities in America are in poor condition. Unsatisfactory school facilities have a negative impact on teaching and learning. The purpose of this correlational study was to identify the relationship between high school science teachers’ perceptions of the school science environment (instructional equipment, demonstration equipment, and physical facilities) and ninth grade students’ attitudes about science through their expressed enjoyment of science, importance of time spent on science, and boredom with science. A sample of 11,523 cases was extracted, after a process of data mining, from a databank of over 24,000 nationally representative ninth graders located throughout …

Closing The Achievement Gap: Assessing Best Practices In Rhode Island After-School Programs, Joseph Korzeb

Senior Honors Projects

There is a saturation of scholarly research affirming the existence of a gap in academic achievement between students in need and students of privilege in the United States. However, there is a current debate to decide the most effective intervention strategies that should be employed to close this achievement gap. This study will examine the role that after-school programs play in closing the gap. Specifically, this study will investigate best practice components for after-school programs and will attempt to determine if select after-school programs in Rhode Island provide proven best practices for students in need.

This study attempts to define …

Nebline, May 2016

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Emerald Ash Borer is Getting Closer

Food & Health

Family Living

Farm & Acreage

Horticulture

Pests & Wildlife

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

and other extension news and events

After School Programs: Space For Caring And Community Cultural Wealth, Stacey Krywaruczenko

Master's Projects and Capstones

The number of after school programs have significantly increased over the past 100 years. These programs were initially conceived of as beneficial to a small subset of children. More recently, they have been high percentages of minority students in attendance. Due to their increase in demand, many forms of program evaluation have been created. These evaluations do not speak to the levels of care that these students are receiving. This project aims to examine existing best practices used for Latin@ students in the classroom and in afterschool programs. Utilizing Nel Nodding’s Theory of Care, Tara Yosso’s Commuinity Cultural Wealth Model, …

Teacher Job Satisfaction In Public Schools: The Relation To The Years Of Teaching Experience, Xiaoyan Gu

Elementary Education and Reading Theses

This study examined the overall teacher job satisfaction in public schools and whether there was a relationship between years of teaching experience and teacher job satisfaction in public schools. Thirty-six teachers from western New York State were surveyed using Spector’s Job Satisfaction Survey. The result showed that there was a moderate negative relationship between teacher job satisfaction of operating procedures and years of teaching experience, which means with the increase of the years of teaching experience, teachers in public schools were more dissatisfied about their heavy workload. However, there was no strong relationship between overall teacher job satisfaction and years …

Using Mobile Technology To Engage Middle School Students In The Scientific Practice Of Argumentation Via Screencasting, Patricia Anne Mcginnis

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This case study examined the use of mobile devices in supporting data collection and argumentation in the sixth grade science classroom. Mobile devices were used for data collection during laboratory activities and for constructing screencasts of science arguments. Findings revealed that students exhibit little planning when collecting digital data. Students used the digital data to add visual interest to their screencasts, support observations, and support inferences. Students who used the screencasting application’s narration and annotating tools were more likely to create appropriate and sufficient science arguments than their peers. One of the low achieving students in this study was able …

Collaborative Robotics, More Than Just Working In Groups: Effects Of Student Collaboration On Learning Motivation, Collaborative Problem Solving, And Science Process Skills In Robotic Activities, Kellie Taylor

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Robotics in education has shown the potential to positively benefit student learning and attitudes towards learning. However, a necessary part of robotics instruction is group collaboration. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine what collaborative scaffolds, or interventions, produce positive effects for students working on collaborative robotics projects for science process skills, collaborative problem solving, and motivation. In addition, the study examined the impact students’ prior robotics experience had on science process skills, collaborative problem solving, and motivation. The study had two experience levels, Novice and Experienced, and three intervention conditions. The interventions included Assigned Group Roles, Classroom …

Not Created Equal: The Effectiveness Of Two Types Of Educational Computer Games, Timothy Brent Dedeaux

Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to compare two types of educational video games based on Malone’s (1984) theory of challenge, curiosity, and fantasy. The participants were 136 students from a community college in the southeastern United States. The study used a quantitative approach with participants randomly divided into two groups, one playing each of the two games. Participants were given a brief introduction to a list of French phrases and words, took a pre-test, played the selected game, and then took a post-test to assess content knowledge gain. Brockmyer et al.’s (2009) Game Engagement Questionnaire was used to assess …

Depictions Of The Middle Class In Magnolia Award Nominees, 2013-2015, Anna K. Rawls

Honors Theses

This study’s purpose was to research depictions of the middle social class in Magnolia Award nominees from the years 2013-2015. A flexible approach to qualitative content analysis that incorporated both deductive and inductive analysis was utilized to identify new frames, or portrayals, of middle class characters in this set of books. As a result of this analysis, several new frames of middle class characters were identified including young characters facing adult problems, being victims of teasing, and experiencing low levels of self-esteem. Additionally, a frame previously noted by Forest (2014b) that shows characters achieving upward mobility, or “rags-to-riches,” was found …