Digital Commons Network^™

Stem Students And Faculty See Value In A Classroom Belonging Exercise, Kaisa S. Holt, Elizabeth A. Runkel-Baez

Student Research Symposium

Enhancing belonging in undergraduate STEM classrooms are pivotal for student success. This study examines a belonging exercise's implementation and impact in multiple STEM courses from 2017 to 2019. Faculty perspectives were gathered from a survey of 92 respondents, indicating a high level of perceived benefit (92%). Coded responses highlighted shared experiences and diversity mindset promotion. 30% explicitly mentioned benefits for both students and instructors. Additionally, 76% of faculty saw potential of belonging exercises in their own classrooms. It is important to promote using belonging interventions and also understand how STEM students perceive their value and utility. Three focus groups with …

Using Chatgpt With Novice Arduino Programmers: Effects On Performance, Interest, Self-Efficacy, And Programming Ability, Donald M. Johnson, Will Doss, Christopher M. Estepp

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

A posttest-only control group experimental design compared novice Arduino programmers who developed their own programs (self-programming group, n =17) with novice Arduino programmers who used ChatGPT 3.5 to write their programs (ChatGPT-programming group, n = 16) on the dependent variables of programming scores, interest in Arduino programming, Arduino programming self-efficacy, Arduino programming posttest scores, and types of programming errors. Students were undergraduates in an introductory agricultural systems technology course in Fall 2023. The results indicated no significant (p < .10) differences between groups for programming rubric scores (p = .50) or interest in Arduino programming (p = .50). There were significant differences for Arduino programming self-efficacy, (p = .03, Cohen’s d = 0.75) and Arduino posttest scores, (p = .03, Cohen’s d = 0.76); students in the self-programming group scored significantly higher on both measures. Analysis of students’ errors indicated the ChatGPT group made significantly (p < .01) more program punctuation errors. These results indicated novice students writing their own programs developed greater Arduino programming self-efficacy and programming ability than novice students using ChatGPT. Nevertheless, ChatGPT may still play an important role in assisting novices to write microcontroller programs.

Advancement Via Individual Determination’S (Avid) Impact On Enrollment And Retention For First-Generation Black And Hispanic Females In College, Andrea Pritchett

Ed.D. Dissertations

On December 10, 2015, former President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Success Act (ESSA), which reauthorized the 50-year-old ESEA commitment to equal opportunity for all students (U. S. Department of Education, n.d.). One of the provisions included all students in America be taught to high academic standards that will prepare them to succeed in college and careers. As female college students continued to surpass their male peers in college enrollment and retention, a gap in the literature was found in how AVID and a sense of belonging contributed to their success rate. Through an interpretive, qualitative study, I examined …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Impact Of Iready On Student Reading Achievement For Students In Response To Intervention, Althia Gates

Dissertations

This qualitative case study aimed to explore teachers’ perceptions of the impact of i-Ready on student reading achievement for students in Response to Intervention (RTI). In this qualitative case study, participants were given an opportunity to voice their point of view and perceptions of the impact of i-Ready, including the benefits and barriers they experience when implementing i-Ready as an intervention tool for struggling readers. The need to hear teacher voices and perspectives on an RTI intervention tool is essential to providing students with the best learning experience and growth results. The study included five elementary teachers who implement i-Ready …

Teaching The New Deal: 1932-1941 – Review And Analysis, Susan M. Foster, Brian Walker Johnson

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Teaching the New Deal: 1932-1941 is a text of crucial and timely importance for students and teachers of middle and high school social studies. Through the lenses of four major themes, authors demonstrate inquiry-based pedagogy to intentionally provoke students to consider non-binary conclusions that closely examine the purported heroes, villains, and martyrs of traditional historical narratives. Rather than presenting a factual or ideological approach to teaching disciplinary standards, this text depicts the New Deal Era as a period in history that can be used to critically and creatively discuss the politics of personal identity and to explore the legacies of …

Effectiveness Of Student-Corrected Pretests To Increase Spelling Test Scores Of Students With Adhd And Low Working Memory, Melissa J. Johnson

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated the efficacy of student corrected pretests as a part of spelling instruction especially as it affects learners with ADHD or low working memory in a 3rd and 4th grade classroom. After pre-tests were implemented in the classroom, spelling tests scores were compared to previous test scores when pre-tests were not implemented. Findings showed that spelling pre-tests had a moderately significant effect on final test scores.

Implementing A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports, Hayley Vander Wal

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research project examined the implementation of a multi-tiered system of supports in a math classroom at a private, Christian suburban school in central Iowa. The researcher utilized the four essential indicators of MTSS to support a small group of four students who were the participants in her study. The intervention targeted the seventh grade math skills of simplifying expressions and solving equations using various methods. Analysis of the triangulated data showed growth in each of the students at varied amounts. Findings of the study suggest that students need consistent, protected Tier 2 intervention to make the most significant …

The Lived Experiences Of K-12 Instructional Technology Leaders During Covid-19, Robin Jackson

Dissertations

This study examines the lived experiences of K-12 Instructional Technology Leaders in rural schools and school districts throughout Mississippi. It sought to explore the challenges that were encountered, the strategies they were employed, and the lessons that were learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, as traditional classroom teaching and learning was abruptly transitioned to 100% online or remote teaching and learning. Five participants were recruited. Only one participant holds the actual title of an instructional technology leader of their school district, while the other four assumed the role and responsibilities of an instructional technology leader for their schools or school districts. …

Refining The Goals Of Public Education In The United States: An Exploratory Single-Case Embedded Study Of A Student-Centered Path-Goals Setting, Tuan Pham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The public higher education system in the United States has inherited a multitude of aims and missions in order to fulfill its social and educational objectives. As a result, many higher education institutions suffer from unclear goals. Nevertheless, the researcher identified the student's goal-oriented process as the fundamental aspect of this educational system from its inception until the present. The exploratory single-case embedded study conducted at a regional comprehensive institution highlighted the differences, difficulties, and issues faced by students, administrators, and the institution itself in its pursuit of specific goals in higher education. Indepth interviews were employed to investigate the …

Subjective Experiences From The College Remedial Student, Deborah A. Quinones

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to write individual narrative stories about the subjective experiences of six students who entered college and had to take at least one remedial course their first semester. A subjective experience refers to the emotional and cognitive impact of the personal account of an experience (Subjective Experience, n.d.). The participants, including the researcher, were students who entered college for the first time without the minimum requirements for college enrollment; therefore, each was considered a remedial college student. The students were required to take remedial courses in math, writing, and /or reading before taking any credit …

The Impact Of Online Tools On Student Writing, Rebekah Probst

Master's Theses

Our classrooms today are vastly different from those just a few years ago. Many students are foreign to learning without any technology. In light of this drastic change in our classrooms, it is important to understand the new age's impacts on our students and their learning abilities. This research study used a mixed-methods design to explore online tools' effects on student writing. The research examines data collected from a fifth grade over two months, which included student writing samples and survey responses. This research compared outcomes between handwritten responses and those with access to tools such as automatic correction features. …

Key Benefits Of Small Group Instruction For Diverse Learners, Lydia Mcevoy

Master's Theses

Utilizing a mixed method approach this research study investigated the effects of small group instruction on the learning of diverse learners. Informed by a preliminary literature review that supports the use of small-group instruction, the researcher conducted a small-scale action research project to focus on three diverse learners in a 1st-grade classroom over four weeks. One of the findings of this project shows that small group instruction helps promote social and emotional skills as students feel more comfortable interacting with peers in a small group rather than in a whole group. Another finding indicates that students feel more encouraged by …

Exploring The Influence Of Integrating Soft Skills Training Into The Undergraduate Stem Curriculum On The Stem Identity Of Students, Candace King

Dissertations

One of the major issues that STEM graduates face is overcoming Imposter Syndrome, and there is a consensus amongst STEM graduates and job recruiters that the current higher education system is missing some elements that could better prepare students for a successful STEM career. A solution to this issue results from recent research on the importance of “soft skills.” In general, “soft skills” or non-technical skills, include communication, critical thinking, and self-motivation. These skills complement “hard skills,” or technical skills, such as skills needed for performing laboratory experiments, like pipetting and Western blotting. The lack of soft skills among recent …

Change In Academic Self-Efficacy Across Gender And Year In School For Undergraduate Sport Management Students, Jarid Morton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Academic self-efficacy (ASE) is a construct derived from social cognitive theory developed to assess an individuals perceived competence in academia. It has been found to significantly relate to academic achievement. Students scoring higher in ASE are more likely to obtain higher cumulative grade point averages and higher test scores. Studies assessing ASE have examined degree programs such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (i.e., STEM), business, and the humanities. Despite the wide scope of fields studied, sport management programs have yet to be assessed. This study aims to fill this gap. Part of the study aimed to construct a valid …

2024 Nsu Undergraduate Commencement Program, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Improving Parental Engagement For Kindergarten Readiness: An Improvement Science Study, Sarah Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Every child deserves the opportunity to come to school ready to learn with the skills needed to take on the content in kindergarten. Students, who are not ready for kindergarten, have a higher chance of needing additional support services with academics and behavior (Fitzpatrick et al., 2020). In Kentucky, less than 50% of the kindergarten students were considered kindergarten ready based on the 2022 Kindergarten Readiness data (Kentucky Department of Education, 2023). In the district where this study took place, 43% of students were determined to be kindergarten ready (Kentucky Department of Education, 2023). Knowing the implications and long term …

Teachers' Experiences With Teaching For Social Justice In Tracked Middle School Mathematics Classes., Stephanie Jean White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tracking is a longstanding structure in K-12 mathematics that decades of research has shown to be inequitable. Despites calls to detrack mathematics classes, most U.S. schools retain tracking. Mathematics educators have attempted to implement teaching pedagogies such as Teaching for Social Justice (TSJ) that promote equity in all mathematics classrooms, including tracked classes. This research used the Learning to Teach for Social Justice Belief (LTSJ-B) Scale with middle school mathematics teachers who have taught in tracked classes to measure their levels of commitment to TSJ. This research also employed case study methodology with three teachers and cross-case analysis using TSJ …

Educating For Diversity Through A Global Citizenship Education Framework: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Practice., Andrew Alexander Terry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With 7.8 billion people in the world, there is a vast array of races, cultures, and languages creating an incredibly diverse globe. Along with the diverse population, we have a world that is also incredibly interconnected. As businesses begin crisscrossing the globe due to global corporations, and advancements in technology we find it more important than ever before to understand all people groups across the globe. So, what does this mean for education in the United States as we become more interconnected with countries all over? Our students need to be better prepared with global competencies that will allow them …

Cybersecurity Education Praxis And Broadening Participation In Cybersecurity: Pieces Of The Same Puzzle., Cynthia N. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation study examined cybersecurity education praxis and broadening participation in cybersecurity in response to calls of action made by the government-funded National Science Foundation. The cybersecurity education domain has a literature base investigating pedagogical practices that foster cybersecurity learning. However, a gap in the literature is reports of cybersecurity learner perceptions regarding implemented pedagogical practices. Authentic research centering on the experiences of the marginalized and underrepresented identity holders targeted in broadening participation calls is also limited in the cybersecurity education research domain. As such, this study is positioned as a response to the traditionally compartmentalized approaches of praxis and …

Examining Formative Leadership Experiences Of District Science Coordinators Using Collective Case Study, Khushbu Singh

All Dissertations

Leadership in educational institutions can significantly impact the quality of education and student outcomes (Ferrell & Garner, 2023; Leithwood et al., 2008). District Science Coordinators (DSCs) play a pivotal role as district-level leaders responsible for enhancing science education (Whitworth et al., 2017). Despite increased attention from researchers and policymakers, a knowledge gap persists regarding DSCs' formative experiences in their leadership roles and their impact on teachers and students (Whitworth & Chiu, 2015). This dissertation focused on two research questions: first, the challenges and/or supports that DSCs encountered during their formative years, and second, the knowledge, practices, and attributes they considered …

Female Students’ Sense Of Belonging Influence On Engineering Technology Degree Retention: A Phenomenological Study, Edith Wittenmyer

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify and understand the phenomenon of sense of belonging regarding female students’ lived experiences that may impact retention rates for female students in engineering technology majors at this particular major midwestern university. Delving deeper into the lived experiences of engineering technology female students is the focus of this research. The study’s outcome may support academic policy changes which will increase retention and graduation of female students in pursuit of engineering technology degrees.

Enacting Disability Studies In Education: Pedagogical Reasoning During Lessons About Disability, Ashley Pollitt

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In some U.S. states, student learning standards mandate that teachers engage students in lessons about disability, yet there is a notable lack of disability-related curricular content in P–12 schools. There remains a particular need for natural studies in the field to investigate how teachers do teach lessons about disability. In this qualitative research study, I applied a Disability Studies in Education (DSE) lens to lessons about disability in secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classes. I examined the ways three ELA teachers of students with and without disabilities with expressed interest in DSE used pedagogical reasoning to make sense of and …

The Elephant In The Classroom: Understanding Teachers’ Implicit Biases In Grading Student Work In A Mathematics Classroom, Tina Marie Medina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on automaticity or the choices we make without conscious thought. Specifically, the study examined how math teachers improved their understanding of the practice and evolution of culturally responsive teaching by analyzing the lived experiences and metacognition of practicing middle school teachers as they assess student work in mathematics. The potential impact of implicit stereotypes, instructor expectations, assessment design, cultural considerations, and other variables on the grading process was investigated. The purpose of this case study was to uncover teachers’ implicit biases as it relates to grading student work in a middle school math class.

This qualitative study …

Curriculum For All: An Introduction To Calculus, Maggie Scott

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Math is one of the only subjects that builds upon itself throughout a student’s educational career. Progressing through each course, students are taught concepts that build upon each other year after year. The content is engaged with itself, yet, it’s historically taught in a non-engaging way. Through my research of math education and my experience as a math teacher, it’s apparent that the most successful math classrooms are the ones that elicit student thinking and allow for self-discovery. (Azad)

Most people have very polarized views of math. Some love it, and some hate it, but almost all students can remember …

Evaluating Oer Resources As An Inclusive Teaching Practice, Hannah Ray

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Open Educational Resources (OER) have become a popular alternative to traditional textbooks for university students throughout the U.S. due to their affordability and positive educational outcomes. To better determine the outcomes of OER usage, this study evaluates the implementation of OER at an individual course level and across courses at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Student success was measured by the DFW rates, which refers to the number of students who received a grade letter of D, failed, or withdrew from the course, before and after the implementation of OER resources in various courses. At the individual course level, students’ …

Getting Comfortable: Delegating Authority While Positioning Students With Agency In Elementary Mathematics Classrooms, Mary Ramos-Duke

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This multiple case study explores how two elementary mathematics teachers made themselves and their students comfortable with the teacher delegating authority to students while also positioning them with agency. I conducted three Video-Stimulated Recall (VSR) interviews and pre- and post-semi-structured interviews with each teacher to understand their practices and thoughts about moments in their teaching related to authority and agency. The presented theoretical framework focused on three factors possibly contributing to the comfort of teachers and students when teachers delegate authority to students while positioning them with agency: getting to know the students by (a) understanding students’ thinking, (b) accounting …

Preservice Teachers' Pk-12 Educational Field Trip Experiences: Teaching Beyond The Classroom, Cecilia A. Turman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to investigate preservice teachers’ (PSTs) attitudes and beliefs towards their PK-12 field trip (FT) experiences as students, their memories, influences in their lives, impact on their educational approaches and career choices, as well as how, as future teachers, they would implement FTs to their future students to provide feedback on FTs’ training for preparation programs. Rationale: Anderson et al. (2010) criticized teacher preparation programs’ lack of teacher training to implement educational FTs and contended that instructors’ FTs experiences as students may have influenced the way they plan and carry out educational FTs. John Dewey’s …

Reading Fluency Intervention: The Impact Of Integrating Differentiated Instructional Strategies Into Small Group Instruction, Amaya Brodine

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project will report the effectiveness of three instructional strategies and two assessment strategies integrated into a 11-week reading fluency unit. These strategies were implemented in a small group setting with the goal of improving students’ automaticity reading scores. This small intervention group met four times a week for eleven weeks where students practiced choral reading, buddy reading, and game-based learning strategies. Throughout this reading intervention unit student data was gathered through triannual growth assessment, weekly progress monitoring, formal assessment strategies, and a final project. This capstone will also provide an overview of the data collection methods utilized through …

Simulacra Alligoría Spílaio Socráti A Reconsideration Of The Allegory Of Socrates Cave: Game-Based Theory In Inclusive Higher Education, Barry Karrh

Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the use of Game Based Learning (GBL) and Game Based Pedagogy (GBP) implemented in higher education and considers what effects may be measured on retention and learning.

Using the allegory of Socrates Cave, a story which challenges how learners’ perspectives differ according to each individual’s unique understanding, this study considered how participants reacted in similar scenarios during ‘serious games’ implemented in college level classes to reinforce and review material before testing. This study used a pre- and post-test model to assess the difference games used as an intervention had on short-term retention. The final credential scores of …

Defining Experiential: Higher Education Educator Perspectives On Experiential Education Criteria And Experiential Learning Forms, Paul Gaszak

Dissertations

In the field of experiential education, there is a general understanding that concepts and definitions of experiential education and experiential learning differ by individuals, departments, organizations, and institutions. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive research study was to gather the perspectives of individual experiential educators across higher education (n = 121) on what they perceive to be experiential education’s criteria and what forms of educational methodologies qualify as experiential learning forms. The findings demonstrated inclusive perspectives regarding both criteria and forms, such as receptiveness to experiential education being able to occur within classrooms, in short durations, and without third-party participation. …