Digital Commons Network^™

Self-Determination And Career Planning Model For Students With Disabilities: An Analysis Of Evidence-Based Practices., Elizabeth Fussell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the capacity of a self-advocacy curriculum implemented in Tennessee suggested components that make up the conceptual framework of self-determination curriculum, (2) school-wide intervention had occurred, (3) self-determination goals were included in individualized education programs (IEPs) and transition plans, and (4) there was awareness of the curriculum capacity among Tennessee educators.

This study employed descriptive and comparative statistical methods to establish assumptions regarding the curriculum's effectiveness. Educators were grouped based on their teaching role (i.e., special education, regular education, and administration) and whether or not they received training and technical assistance from the University of Tennessee's Center on …

The Impact Of Job-Embedded Professional Development Coaches On Teacher Practice., Donna T. Hamblin Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this qualitative study was to understand the impact of job-embedded professional development coaches on teacher practice. Coaches in this study worked with teachers to plan lessons, model lessons with feedback, and disaggregate data. This qualitative study was conducted using interviews of coaches to gain their perceptions of the work they did with teachers and how this work influenced teacher practice. Teachers were interviewed to determine their perceptions of the impact coaches' work had on their classroom practices. Analysis of the coaches and teachers' reflective journals was also conducted to establish the participants' perceptions of their work together …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Implementing Response To Intervention In Meeting Academic Needs Of At-Risk Students In Kindergarten Through Second Grade., Tammy Conchita Valentine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) increased educators' awareness of Response to Intervention (RTI) as a means of providing high-quality instruction and interventions matched to student needs. The challenges that came with RTI were meeting every student's need, implementing scientific research-based interventions, and expecting mastery of grade-level standards.

The purpose of this study was to create a foundation of knowledge through exploratory case study interviews in 4 rural school districts in East Tennessee. All participants were certified teachers of kindergarten, 1st grade, or 2nd grade students. The guided interview approach was used to identify teachers' …

An Analysis Of Preschool Enrollment And Student Progress Measures Among Primary And Elementary Students., Charles David Freeman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference in Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) scores exists between students who attended Tennessee's Voluntary Preschool for All program, Head Start, private preschool, or daycare and those who did not attend any type of preschool program for students in grades kindergarten through fifth. The sample consisted of students who attended kindergarten through fifth grade during the 2009-2010 school year in one east Tennessee school system. Data gathered were from Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) scores obtained during the 2009-2010 school year and a survey. …

Educational Interventions For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Perceptions Of Parents And Teachers In A Northeast Tennessee School System., Paula Anderson Nickels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigated the perceptions of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), special education teachers, and general education teachers in a Northeast Tennessee public school system regarding educational interventions for children with ASD including what interventions they have found effective, the barriers and challenges they have faced, and how they view their relationships with one another.

Data were collected through interviews with a purposeful sample of 7 parents of 6 children with autism spectrum disorders, 8 special education teachers, and 6 general education teachers and a review of documents. Parent and teacher participants represented children at …

The Effects Of Collective Racial Esteem On African American Undergraduate Male Involvement In Public Four-Year Institutions Of Higher Education., Michael David Anthony

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the influence of collective racial esteem (CRE) on the quantity and type of involvement for African American male undergraduate students in public four-year institutions of higher education in the U.S. In addition, this relationship is examined to determine if differences exist across gender (male and female), and institutional variables (specifically, public HBCUs vs. public PWIs). The persistence and graduation of African American males at four-year institutions of higher education has increased in past decades, but still remains consistently and significantly lower than that of their non-African American male counterparts (Planty et al., 2009). African American male retention …

A Study Of The Perceived Effects Of School Culture On Student Behaviors., Linda Cox Story

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has confirmed that the behaviors of human beings are influenced by their social environments. The school is the principal social environment of adolescents; thus, the school environment necessarily influences the behaviors of students to some degree.

This research project used the interview method to focus on perceptions of school personnel with regard to the elements of school culture that may negatively influence students' behaviors both inside and outside the school environment. The primary influences of school culture on students' behaviors were found to be peers, teachers, administrators, and parent involvlement. Governmental regulations, including those resulting from the Individuals with …

The Oldham County Learning Institute : Strengthening High School And Middle School Teachers' Abilities To Teach Their Students Powerful Thinking Strategies., Lynda Emery Redmon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Oldham County Learning Institute (OCLI), a 3-day professional development experience for teachers, was provided during four sessions spanning two school years. The OCLI training focused on three interrelated strands: thinking strategies – what to do, gradual release of responsibility – how to do it, and building a classroom community of learners – in what context. This study investigated the impact of OCLI on teachers’ instructional practices with regard to implementation of the three strands. Participants were exposed to seven research-based thinking strategies: a) monitoring for meaning, b) determining importance, c) inferring, d) activating background knowledge, e) visualizing, f) questioning, …

Student Engagement Differences By Ethnicity And Scale For Ninth Grade Students, Melissa Mcfarland Fattor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Differences on three subscales of student engagement were compared across ethnic groups and by subscale. The ninth grade is often considered a vital juncture that indicates success or failure to graduate high school. When a student goes through a transition he or she often experiences some type of change in student engagement levels and may experience adverse effects in the form of academic, social, and psychological challenges. Researchers of the National Research Council (2004) believe that the engagement process (the successful interaction between the individual and the educational context) is considered a means toward alleviating unsuccessful student outcomes. Therefore, this …

East Tennessee State University Faculty Attitudes And Student Perceptions In Providing Accommodations To Students With Disabilities., Terre D.M. Byrd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine ETSU faculty attitudes and student perceptions in providing academic accommodations to students with disabilities.

Participants of the study were ETSU students with disabilities who are registered with the Disabilities Services office and faculty members of ETSU. Students with disabilities were interviewed. An online survey was sent to faculty members via the ETSU email system. Disability law and disability compliance year books served as the primary documents that were reviewed for pertinent information.

Grounded theory using a constant-comparison methodology served as the conceptual framework for the study. The grounded-theory approach allowed for the …

Professional Growth Of Special Education Personnel Through The Use Of A Collaborative Process., Stephanie Smith Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how special educators perceived their professional growth as a result of engagement in a collaborative process. Sixteen special educators participated in the research. Triangulation was attained through the use of document review, a focus group, and personal interviews. The 15 themes and patterns that emerged from data collection were: (a) increased expertise and use of technology, (b) exhibited collaborative skills and improved interpersonal relationships, (c) developed increased understanding of curriculum, (d) presented evidence of increased job satisfaction, (e) demonstrated analytical abilities, (f) illustrated enhancement in professional and creative expression, (g) understood the special education supervisor‟s …

Non Traditional Superintendent: A Case Study Of The Transition From Military To Public School Superintendent, Luiza Miera Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In June of 2006, Urban School District appointed the individual who is the focus of this study, a retired Air Force Two Star Major General, as its new superintendent. Although the appointment represents the first nontraditional superintendent to lead Urban School District, it was one of several such appointments to large, urban school districts throughout the nation. This study investigates his transition from military leader to urban school superintendent, using a case study approach.

The study presents findings in response to the research question: How did the Participant transition from military leadership to urban school superintendent? The findings of the …

Teachers' Perspectives About Implementing A Content-Specific Technology Innovation, Thomas Stovall Hibbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research was designed to examine the implementation of a technology innovation in a content area from teachers’ point of view. Three classroom teachers who were involved in organized implementations of a technology innovation at the school level were asked to describe their implementations. They then were asked to review those implementations through four specific lenses that research indicates are important: school change, factors affecting implementation of technology innovations, technology in their content area, and examining their use of developers’ innovative improvements. Finally the classroom teachers were asked, as a summary technique, to talk about factors important to include in …

Learning And Serving: An Exploratory Action Research Case Study Of A Middle School Service Learning Curriculum Project, Georgina Levey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Service learning, a natural link between community service and standards-based education, encourages students to learn about themselves in the context of the world in which they live. In other words, service learning is a method of teaching that enriches learning by engaging students in meaningful service to their schools and communities, and integrating that service with established curricula or learning objectives (NYLC Service-Learning Glossary, 2005). Educational service activities can be done directly or indirectly and they can have a varying degree of “involvement” ranging from community service, community exploration, community action or advocacy and research. In this study, a service …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Factors That Influence Support For An Adequacy Model Of School Funding, Nancy L. Alex

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to determine teacher perceptions about the factors that influence support for an adequacy model of school funding and what relationships exist between specific demographic variables and those perceptions.

Using the instrument created for the study, one hundred thirty-nine teachers from the Montrose RE-1J School District where surveyed. Data was tabulated using standard descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages). As a general data analysis approach, bivariate comparisons were performed using Pearson correlations and t-tests for independent means. Multiple regression prediction equations were used to examine the relationships between specific demographics and teacher perceptions of the factors …

Influence Of Ethnicity On English Vocabulary Measurement: Using The Montgomery Assessment Of Vocabulary Acquisition In One Rural Southeastern New Mexico School, Eileen M. Gatliffe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined vocabulary acquisition of elementary students in grades kindergarten through fifth in one rural New Mexico school. The school had 277 students. Hispanic students comprised nearly 80% of the student body. All students received free lunch and breakfast. The 65 students who participated in the study were assessed using the Montgomery Assessment of Vocabulary Acquisition (MAVA). This new assessment, published in 2008, tests receptive and expressive vocabulary utilizing the three-tier vocabulary model introduced by Beck, McKeown and Kucan (2001). The study assessed each student for proficiency in identifying and using tier-I, tier-II and tier-III words. Hispanic and non-Hispanic …

Mario Math With Millennials: The Impact Of Playing The Nintendo Ds On Student Achievement, Adam Gelman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the biggest innovations of the last century has been the invention of the video game. Video games are an extremely popular form of entertainment today. While some question the use of video games in education, others argue that video games are one innovation that if introduced into the classroom, might change how teachers effectively engage learners. This quantitative study examined the impact of Brain Age 2 for the Nintendo DS on seventh grade achievement in math and on student attitude towards school. A sample of eighty seventh graders from the same school played the Nintendo DS daily for …

The Theory And Practice Of Leader And Leadership Development: A Multi-Level Perspective, Jacob P. Hahn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The understanding of leadership and how it is developed continues to evolve (Day & Harrison, 2007) and while some essential components of effective leadership have been identified, they have not been forged into a comprehensive framework for development (Avolio, 2005). This paper aims to create a theory of leader and leadership development that can aid individuals in understanding who they are as a leader. Of central importance to this paper is the presentation of the Leader and Leadership Identity Development Model, which provides a framework centered on the development of individual leader and leadership identities at personal, interpersonal, and collective …

Process For Selecting An Outside Provider For The Closing The Achievement Gap Project, Dianna Rae Hulbert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the spring of 2008, Dwight Jones, Commissioner of the Colorado Department of Education, invited six Colorado school districts to partner with the department and an outside provider to close their achievement gaps in reading and math between minority and poverty students and White students and non-poverty students. Districts were invited to partner based on an achievement gap that exceeded the state‟s average gap in reading and math, and its perceived leadership capacity to initiate change.

This study examined the process the six districts used to select a provider to assist in closing its achievement gap. The multi-case study analyzed …

Unmasking Whiteness: A Framework For Understanding Inclusive Leadership At A Predominately White Institution, Nicole Marie Latino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the personal journey of 11 White college administrators who were identified as inclusive leaders at a predominately White institution (PWI), recognized nationally for its work on partnering diversity and excellence. One overall question guided this study: How do White college administrators describe their journey to becoming successful inclusive leaders at a predominately White institution? This question was explored from the perspective of critical race theory (CRT), that is, inclusive leadership for White administrators could be achieved by intentionally examining their construction of Whiteness and their personal racial identity.

Narrative inquiry was used to co-construct a developmental framework …

A Study Of The Integrated Alignment Of Technology And Organizational Strategic Planning In Small Private Liberal Arts Colleges And Universities., Shereé Ann Schneider

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between technology planning and strategic planning in small private liberal arts colleges and universities that were members of the Appalachian College Association (ACA). The objective of the study was to determine if the technology initiatives were appropriately aligned to the institutional strategic plans. I sought to discover the perceptions of key administrators within the ACA institutions regarding their role in the planning processes at their institutions and to determine if the planning processes were effectively used as a tool for adequately communicating technology needs to their departments.

Participants in the …

Access To Algebra I, Gateway To Success: The Impact Of Eighth-Grade Algebra I., Emily Jean Skelton Darling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An understanding of Algebra I and the role that this foundational course plays as an entry to the college preparatory pathway in secondary education and its influence on mathematical achievement is an integral component for the education of American youth in the global world of science and technology. Achievements in high school curricula are cumulative; each course completed determines which paths will be open to the student and which postsecondary education options will be available. In today's world, these options are necessary for the competitive world market. Algebra I is the prerequisite course for subsequent high school math pathways. Students …

The Relationship Between Formative Assessment And Student Engagement At Walters State Community College., Cary E. Jenkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a relationship between formative assessment and student engagement at Walters State Community College. Additionally, a secondary purpose examined differences in the in the dimensions of student engagement dimensions (skills engagement, emotional engagement, participation or interaction, performance) based on gender, school classification (freshman, sophomore), and age.

Two hundred thirty-nine Walters State Community College students taught with face-to-face pedagogy comprised the population for the study. The survey instruments included a 15-item formative assessment survey selected from the Walters State Community College Student Opinion of Teaching and Course (WSCCSOTC) and the Student …

At-Risk Indicators: The Impact On School Success., Lisa Wynn Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The hope of educators is that children will obtain a strong educational foundation that will lead to life-long learning and a bright future. However, several factors may play a role in hindering a successful outcome. Addressing the at-risk indicators of excessive absences, discipline referrals, socioeconomic status, disability status, early grade retention, and family composition gives insight into struggles students face.

Looking at 6 research questions, an independent sample t test was used to determine the difference in students who had excessive absences and discipline referrals in relation to school success. A chi-square analysis was used to identify the relationship between …

Comparing The Reading Behaviors In Three Groups Of First Grade Students - Students Who Discontinued From Reading Recovery, Students Who Did Not Discontinue From Reading Recovery, And Students Who Never Needed Reading Recovery, Sharon Greaney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the variety, complexity, and frequency of reading behaviors of three groups of first grade students - students who discontinued from Reading Recovery (D-RR), students who did not discontinue from Reading Recovery (ND-RR), and students who never needed Reading Recovery (A-NRR). Students were asked to read from four frequently used assessments - The Scott-Foresman Testing Packet, The Qualitative Reading Inventory - 4, Oral Reading Fluency and the Burt Word Test. An analysis of over 3,000 reading actions revealed four categories: (a) solving behaviors, (b) substitutions, (c) repetitions, and (c) behaviors that did not …

The Ecology Of Peer Tutoring: Perspectives Of Student Staff In One High School Writing Center, Cynthia Dean

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In high school writing centers that employ students as tutors, staff members can face challenges as they transition into a tutorial role. The purpose of this study was to document the challenges high school writing tutors may encounter as they transition from and between their roles as students and peer tutors. Two conceptual frames, performance theory and social ecology, guided this study. The former framed analysis of peer tutors’ performance in the writing center while social ecology disclosed how the acquisition of identity in one context affects a peer tutor’s activity in others. This qualitative study used a case study …

Addressing Relational Aggression: Assessing The Merits Of Coeducational And Gender-Specific Bullying Prevention Programs, Rena Dulberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interviews with eight bullying prevention program directors from around the country reveal the extent to which research findings are reflected in bullying prevention programs currently in operation. Framed as a list of best practices for coeducational and gender-specific bullying prevention curricula, the purpose of the present thesis was to document the most positive contributions made by various approaches to bullying prevention programs to the overall field, and to highlight practices of programs that reflect insight into what is known about gender differences in bullying. Best practices included new approaches to empathy-building, service-learning, confidentiality, cyberbullying, positive reinforcement, reporting systems and youth-driven …

Effects Of International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme On Teacher Philosophy, Perceptions Of Efficacy, And Outlook On Education, Leroy Alfred Getchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our nation, if it is going to keep a competitive edge versus the rest of the world, must reform the current system of educating children. The purpose of this study is to provide evidence that implementation of one increasingly popular reform effort, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP), changes teachers’ perceptions of what is important about education, the need for international understanding for all students, and the future of education, in general. This dissertation helped answer those questions through an extensive study of relevant literature and the use of an on-line survey to analyze results. This research produced a …

Supporting A Standards-Based Teaching And Learning Environment A Case Study Of An Expert Middle School Mathematics Teacher, Didem Akyuz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although it has been more than 20 years since the publication of Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 1989) and 10 years since the second version of standards, Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000), the research underlines the lack of essential practices for standards-based teaching (Franke, Kazemi, & Battey, 2007). The literature also emphasizes the importance of planning in standards-based teaching, although few studies focus on the direct planning of the teacher (Kilpatrick, Swafford, & Findell, 2001). The aim of the current study was to conduct a case study to extract the planning and classroom practices …

A Blueprint For Planning And Designing Staged-Authentic Heritage Attractions In Small Island Nations, Earney F. Lasten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this largely qualitative study was to develop a blueprint for planning and designing a staged-authentic heritage tourist attraction for small island nations. Data were gathered and analyzed in three phases. In Phase I, existing and potential supply, demand, and external variables associated with staged-authentic heritage attractions were identified, and a preliminary planning model and conceptual framework was developed. In Phase II, the model was refined. A blueprint containing seven major questions and 26 sequential steps was developed. In Phase III, the blueprint was tested using focus groups and an online tourist survey in the Caribbean region (Aruba) …