Digital Commons Network^™

2025 Merc Annual Report, David B. Naff, Jesse Senechal, Paula L. Ogston-Nobile

MERC Publications

This is the annual report of the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) at Virginia Commonwealth University for the 2024-2025 academic year. It includes vignettes depicting MERC activities in the past year that align with each of its five principles: research, relevance, rigor, multiple perspectives, and impact. It concludes with a discussion of MERC's commitment moving forward.

Virginia Literacy Act Expansion: Implications For Middle Schools, Candace Bechtold, Joan A. Rhodes, Valerie J. Robnolt, David B. Naff, Kendall Hunt, Jan Collins

MERC Publications

This MERC research and policy review focuses on expansion of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) to include support for middle school students across the Commonwealth. It explores three questions:

1. What were trends in middle school literacy prior to the VLA expansion?
2. What state policies exist for middle school literacy achievement?
3. What does research say about literacy intervention at the middle school level?

It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations for middle school literacy policy and practice.

Student Perceptions Of Campus Facilities And Their Impact On Educational Experience, Steven W. Greenwood

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the perceptions of undergraduate students regarding campus facilities at a picturesque academic institution located in Northern California and explores how these perceptions impact their educational experiences and outcomes. Despite the significant role of physical and technological infrastructure in shaping educational environments, student voices are often underrepresented in the capital renewal process. This study aims to fill this gap by employing a qualitative research approach grounded in empowerment theory and using participatory methods, such as photovoice and semistructured interviews. It underscores the importance of student involvement in facility planning and renewal processes and introduces the research objectives, theoretical …

Persistent Reading Deficiencies In Early Education, William Steven Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigated early reading teachers’ perceptions of the instructional practices they use to identify early elementary student reading proficiency, including unique challenges they face when addressing the development of early reading skills. The researcher investigated eight first and second grade teacher classrooms during the 2023–2024 school year through collective interviews, observations, and related school data. The researcher performed a qualitative analysis of the collected data to reveal varying themes that support recommendations to reduce persistent reading problems among early elementary students. Using purposeful sampling to select licensed, experienced participants, the insights of eight early elementary reading teachers …

A Mentoring Program's Impact On International Teachers In A Rural School District, Shannon M. Hullett

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This dissertation is a program evaluation of a mentoring program’s impact on international teachers in a rural school district. The study aimed to investigate international teachers' first-year mentoring experiences to determine if the program has an impact on helping international teachers transition to the community and school. Acculturation theory (Berry, 1980; Bunnell, 2020; Stasel, 2021) and culture shock (Oberg, 1960; McCluskey, 2020) were identified as theoretical frameworks for the program evaluation. Quantitative data were collected from surveys and mentor log rubric analysis, and qualitative data were collected from interview transcripts. According to data analysis, the program had a significant impact …

Candidates' Perceptions Of A University's Consultancy Requirements With For-Profit/Nonprofit Partnering Organizations, Candace S. Parson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This dissertation in practice is an action research study that investigated the perceptions of students within the Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership (DEOL) program under the University College of Education experiences in consultancy organizational partnerships in terms of key benefits, key factors, and barriers/limitations that existed in the partnership. This study provided feedback to the University College of Education that was used to understand candidates’ experiences, it identified continuous improvement and developmental opportunities that will be used to evaluate consultancy organizational partnerships. A qualitative research design was used to collect data from 10 DEOL students via one-on-one interviews. The …

Influence Of Faculty-Derived Concept Maps On Student Study Strategies, Kaitlin P. Hardy, Amanda K. Burbage, Julie A. Kerry

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Background

Concept mapping is a well-established tool for students to actively organize information into a visual and spatial framework. However, some students are resistant to adopting concept mapping as a study strategy due to the time and effort involved in generating the maps. In this study, we explored student perceptions of faculty-derived concept maps (FD-maps) developed to accompany content within a Foundational Science module in a medical school curriculum. We subsequently investigated whether student use of FD-maps helped overcome resistance to adoption of concept mapping.

Methods

Student evaluation data was analyzed using a mixed methods approach to explore student perceptions …

A Teacher’S Guide To Building And Maintaining High-Trust Relationships In An Ungraded Classroom, Elisabeth Maria-Asti Wennerth

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation addresses a persistent problem in secondary education: the misalignment between traditional grading systems and equitable, humanizing learning. While alternative assessment movements (e.g., ungrading) are gaining momentum, many implementations falter not for lack of techniques or strategies but for lack of trust between teachers and students, among peers, and across school–family partnerships. Guided by the central research question, How can a teacher’s resource guidebook be designed to support high school educators in adopting ungrading practices that build and maintain high-trust relationships?, this design-for-practice study synthesizes literature and theory to produce a modular practitioner guide. The conceptual framework integrates relational …

First-Gen Latinx/Afro-Latinx And Complex: Keeping Resilient Responses On Shuffle, Tibisay I. Hernandez

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This qualitative study examined the racialized experiences of first-generation Latinx and Afro-Latinx students in higher education. Fourteen participants engaged in pláticas, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups to reflect on how their identities, race, and institutional dynamics shaped their collegiate journeys. The study examined how these students navigated both personal and institutional settings, revealing the emergence of tensions around belonging, authenticity, and cultural responsibility in everyday interactions. Using Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) alongside Multidimensional Identity Negotiation Theory (MINT) and Co-Cultural Communication Theory (CCCT), this study developed an emergent framework—the Resilient Response Model—to better understand how students respond to complex identity …

From A Child's Perspective: A Qualitative Study Of Elementary School Student Engagement, Deanna J. Springstead-Gonzalez

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Abstract

Background and Purpose. This study sought to investigate child engagement from the children's perspective, aiming to understand better what they perceive as factors that facilitate or constrain their academic engagement in classrooms. By centering children's voices, this research challenges traditional views of students as passive recipients of education, instead recognizing them as active participants with valuable insights into their learning experiences. This work builds on the frameworks proposed by Shirley and Hargreaves (2021) and Lawson and Lawson (2013) that utilize socio-ecological theory to better understand those factors impacting children’s learning experiences.

Method. The study was conducted at an elementary …

Mothers, Social Capital And Children’S Physical Literacy Journeys In Rural Australia, Kate Mccreery, Dawn Penney, Ruth Jeanes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In rural communities in Australia, the provision of sport and physical activities for children almost exclusively relies upon parents and their ability to access and contribute to facilities, funding, volunteers, and administration. This paper brings Putnam’s social capital framework to Whitehead’s conceptualisation of physical literacy as a journey to offer original insight into children’s sport participation and the opportunities arising for physical literacy development in rural communities in Australia. Changes in sport participation in Australia and directions in sport policy set an important context for the project, which is located in a small rural community in Western Australia. It was …

Facilitating On-Task Behavior In Physical Education For Learners With Asd Through Special Interest Modified Materials: Antecedent-Based Intervention, Gary Smith

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are affected in the areas of social skills, communication, and restrictive and repetitive behaviors that can lead to barriers in accessing physical education (PE). School-based PE helps children learn how to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to live physically active lifestyles. The purpose of this current study is to implement an antecedent based intervention using special interest materials to increase on task and engagement in learners with ASD in PE activities. The intervention showed modest to minimal improvements in on-task behavior and performance for two of the three participants, with high variability and …

How Did The Covid-19 Pandemic Affect The Educational Level Of Students, Measured By The Act?, Davey A. Reed, Davey A. Reed

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES), chronic absenteeism, and ACT performance among Alabama’s 4A public high schools, with a particular focus on how these factors evolved before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a longitudinal design, the research examined data from four academic years: 2019 (pre-COVID) and 2022, 2023, and 2024 (post-COVID). Data were obtained from the Alabama State Department of Education’s public report card portal and included ACT composite scores, school-level SES data, and chronic absenteeism rates. Schools were anonymized to ensure confidentiality and grouped into SES categories (Low, Mid, High) for comparative analysis. A combination …

Investigating The Impact Of Creativity In Specialized Learning Environments, Samantha Jo Stewart

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Stewart, Samantha, M.A., Summer 2025 Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Chairperson: Dr. Jeb Puryear

This study investigates the impact of creative instructional strategies on student engagement and learning in a K–5 Structured Learning Program (SLP) serving students with behavioral challenges, trauma histories, autism, and twice-exceptionality (2e). A mixed-methods approach was used to compare two instructional periods: September to December, during which traditional teaching methods were used, and January to June, when flexible, creativity-based practices were introduced. Instructional shifts included increased student choice, multimodal tasks, and scaffolded opportunities for divergent thinking. Data sources included daily staff reflections, classroom observations, and student work …

การพัฒนาต้นแบบโปรแกรมการฝึกความสามารถในการฟื้นพลังเพื่อส่งเสริมสุขภาพจิตของนักเรียนมัธยมศึกษาตอนปลาย, ศิริวิช เกษรากุล

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อ 1. พัฒนาโปรแกรมการฝึกความสามารถในการฟื้นพลังสำหรับนักเรียนระดับมัธยมศึกษาตอนปลาย และ 2. ศึกษาผลของโปรแกรมที่มีต่อสุขภาพจิตของนักเรียน โดยเปรียบเทียบคะแนนสุขภาพจิตก่อนและหลังการทดลองระหว่างกลุ่มทดลองและกลุ่มควบคุม การดำเนินงานแบ่งเป็น 3 ระยะตามลำดับ ระยะที่ 1 เป็นการมุ่งทำความเข้าใจนักเรียนอย่างรอบด้านผ่านการสัมภาษณ์ครูแนะแนว จำนวน 10 คน และนักเรียนระดับมัธยมศึกษาตอนปลาย จำนวน 10 คน ซึ่งได้มาโดยการสุ่มแบบเจาะจง (Purposive sampling) ดำเนินการโดยใช้แบบสัมภาษณ์แบบมีโครงสร้าง เพื่อสำรวจประสบการณ์ด้านสุขภาพจิต การจัดการอารมณ์ ความสัมพันธ์ทางสังคม และอุปสรรคที่นักเรียนพบเจอ ผลการวิจัยพบว่า ปัญหาที่ครูแนะแนวและนักเรียนพบเจอประกอบด้วย 1. นักเรียนมีความเครียดสูงและขาดทักษะจัดการอารมณ์อย่างเหมาะสม 2. กิจกรรมส่งเสริมสุขภาพจิตที่มีอยู่ยังไม่ต่อเนื่องและไม่เป็นระบบ 3. ครูและนักเรียนต้องการโปรแกรมที่มีบรรยากาศที่ปลอดภัย 4. โรงเรียนมีข้อจำกัดด้านเวลา บุคลากร งบประมาณ และความแตกต่างของนักเรียน จึงจำเป็นต้องใช้โปรแกรมที่ยืดหยุ่นและนำไปใช้ได้จริง และ 5. ครูและนักเรียนต้องการให้โปรแกรมบูรณาการอยู่ในระบบดูแลช่วยเหลือนักเรียนเพื่อส่งเสริมสุขภาพจิตในระยะยาว ระยะที่ 2 เป็นการพัฒนาต้นแบบโปรแกรมการฝึกความสามารถในการฟื้นพลัง โดยสังเคราะห์กรอบแนวคิดจากผลการศึกษาระยะที่ 1 และการทบทวนวรรณกรรมอย่างเป็นระบบ พบว่า องค์ประกอบของความสามารถในการฟื้นพลัง ประกอบด้วย 6 องค์ประกอบ ได้แก่ 1. การตระหนักรู้และเห็นคุณค่าในตนเอง 2. ความยืดหยุ่นทางอารมณ์ 3. ความยืดหยุ่นทางความคิดและทัศนคติเชิงบวก 4. ความเชื่อมั่นในตนเองและการกำกับชีวิต 5. ทักษะระหว่างบุคคลและสังคม และ 6. แหล่งสนับสนุนภายนอก ต้นแบบโปรแกรมการฝึกความสามารถในการฟื้นพลัง ประกอบด้วย 8 ครั้ง ครั้งละ 50 นาที ใช้เวลาดำเนินกิจกรรมสัปดาห์ละ 2 ครั้ง รวม 4 สัปดาห์ ระยะที่ 3 เป็นการทดสอบผลของโปรแกรมการฝึกความสามารถในการฟื้นพลังนักเรียนระดับมัธยมศึกษาตอนปลาย 43 คน แบ่งเป็นกลุ่มทดลอง 20 คน และกลุ่มควบคุม 23 คน ซึ่งได้มาโดยการสุ่มแบบเจาะจง (Purposive sampling) ผลการวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลพบว่า หลังการทดลอง นักเรียนกลุ่มทดลอง …

Demographic Factors As Predictors Of Academic Performance In First- And Second-Year Occupational Therapy Students, Eileen Du Plooy, Daleen Casteleijn, Denise Franzsen, Gopika Ramkilawon

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Significant disparities in academic performance that may be associated with specific demographics can be utilized for supporting diverse student cohorts. Strategies can be developed for students to enhance equity and inclusivity in undergraduate occupational therapy education to ensure student success. This study aimed to determine the predictive demographic factors influencing academic performance among first- and second-year undergraduate occupational therapy students at a university in South Africa. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was utilized, and the sample included 129 first- and second-year students. Data were collected retrospectively from university records and student dashboards. Key demographic and academic variables were analyzed, including personal …

Relaciones De Las Competencias Docentes Con El Bienestar En Docentes De Ciencias Empresariales Bajo La Modalidad A Distancia En Una Universidad Privada En Colombia, Camilo Ernesto Aguirre Martínez

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de esta investigación consistió en determinar las relaciones de las competencias docentes con el bienestar en docentes de Ciencias Empresariales bajo la modalidad a distancia en una Universidad privada de Colombia. El estudio buscó identificar las relaciones entre las competencias docentes y el bienestar psicológico, el bienestar subjetivo y el bienestar social, cuáles de esas relaciones predominan, así como la identificación de cuáles elementos de estos tipos de bienestar contribuyen con el desarrollo de las competencias docentes.

El enfoque de la investigación fue el empírico analítico o cuantitativo, el diseño fue no experimental y su alcance fue de …

Teacher Practice Improvement Tool: A Summary Of The Underpinning Research, Fabienne Van Der Kleij, Marijne Medhurst, Michelle Lasen, Christina Rogers, Pauline Taylor-Guy

School and system improvement

In 2025, ACER published the Teacher Practice Improvement Tool (TPIT), as part of its family of improvement tools. A comprehensive review of international research was undertaken to inform the development of the TPIT, which resulted in the inductive development of five inter-related domains that holistically capture the practices of highly effective teachers. This document summarises the research evidence underpinning each of the five domains of the TPIT, drawing on a review of 102 studies. While recognising the interconnections between domains, it presents a structured narrative of key evidence and research-informed considerations for each domain. This summary offers a high-level overview …

Digital Stories Of Resilience: A Case Study Of Urban Community College English Learners, Patricia George Hunter

Journal of English Learner Education

This study utilizes a qualitative case study approach to learn how project-based, digital storytelling (DST) voices the resilience of post-secondary English language learners (ELLs) attending a minority-serving, open-access, community college in New York City. Along with many studies that have examined the usefulness of DST in oral production, this research investigates whether project-based digital storytelling enhances students’ understanding of academic content related to resilience and conventional composition. Narrative inquiry (NI) research technique is the basis of the digital story project in an English as a Second Language (ESL) course. In this case, the study relies on observations and artifacts to …

Differential Item Functioning Of The Region-Based National Examinationequipment, Adi Setiawan, Gulzhaina Kuralbaevna Kassymova, Vianney Mbazumutima, Anggit Reviana Dewi Agustyani

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

This research aims to detect Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in the 2014/2015 National Examination Questions in mathematics of junior high schools and equivalent- level schools in the Yogyakarta region as a reference group and the South Kalimantan region as a focus group using the Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT) method, Area Measure Raju, and Lord. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the most sensitive method. The data consisted of 5,465 National Examination papers of the students from the two regions who worked on type A questions. A sample of 1,000 exam papers for each region was established using the simple …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Literacy In Assessment For Learning Among High School English Teachers, Sukarno Sukarno, Nur Hidayanto Pancoro Setyo Putro, Ihtiara Fitrianingsih, Yasir Ayed Alsamiri, Fadhl Mohammed Awadh Gharamah, Ingrid A. Gavilan Tatin

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

In the field of English language education, the crucial role of assessment for learning (AfL) requires teachers to possess robust assessment literacy. This study explores AfL literacy among high school English teachers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia by utilizing Alonzo's validated AfL survey that establishes a comprehensive six-factor model, delineating teachers as assessors, pedagogists, student partners, motivators, learners, and stakeholder partners. Exploiting confirmatory factor analysis and examining demographic variations, this quantitative research invited 202 English teachers in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia selected purposively based on the geographical service area. Data were collected through an online questionnaire adopting Alonzo's 42-questions AfL …

Understanding Barriers To Optimal Supervision And Delivery Of The Nationalcertificate (Vocational) Curriculum Through Tvet College Lecturers’Reflective Evaluations, Angelona Rewhydah Williams, Karel Prins, Bongani Innocent Nkambule, Sindile Amina Ngubane

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

Propounded by reflective theory, this qualitative case study drew on TVET lecturers' reflective evaluations of factors that they considered to have a bearing on optimal supervision and delivery of the National Certificate (Vocational) curriculum. Data were collected from participants across three campuses of a TVET college in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Twelve lecturers of different seniority were purposively sampled and interviewed in two focus group sessions. The first focus session involved six participants: four post-level 2 and two post-level 3 personnel recognized by the South African Council for Educators (SACE) as "office-based lecturers" and classified within the middle …

Number Sense Profile Of Prospective Elementary School Teachers In Blendedmathematics Learning, Welly Novitasari, Herwin Herwin, Supartinah Supartinah, Putri Wulandari, Budiharti Budiharti

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

Number sense is a skill that contributes significantly to learning mathematics. However, number sense is often positioned as a fundamental skill whose development is more focused on children. The contribution of number sense in mathematics is even more apparent at higher levels of education. Ironically, number sense seems ignored and has become a rarely studied topic in higher education. Thus, the student’s number sense ability profile seems buried with various problems. This study aims to reveal the profile of prospective elementary school teachers’ number sense abilities and the factors causing their failure in solving math problems during the implementation of …

A Psychometric Evaluation Of An Item Bank For An English Readingcomprehension Tool Using Rasch Analysis, Louis Wai Keung Yim, Che Yee Lye, Poh Wee Koh

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

This study reports the psychometric evaluation of an item bank for an Assessment for Learning (AfL) tool to assess primary school students’ reading comprehension skills. A pool of 46 primary 1 to 6 reading passages and their accompanying 522 multiple choice and short answer items were developed based on the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) assessment framework. They were field-tested at 27 schools in Singapore involving 9834 students aged between 7 and 13. Four main com- prehension processes outlined in PIRLS were assessed: focusing on and retrieving ex- plicitly stated information, making straightforward inferences, interpreting and inte- grating …

Simulation Of Low-High Method In Adaptive Testing, Rukli Rukli, Noor Azeam Atan

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

The era of disruption significantly engineered a classic testing system into an adaptive testing system where each test taker takes a unique test. However, the carrying capacity of the adaptive testing system engineering is experiencing obstacles in terms of the method of presenting the test questions. The study aims to introduce the low-high adaptive tracking method with the item response theory approach, where the difficulty level of the questions is adapted to the test takers' abilities. The number of test questions in the question bank is 400 questions. Data analysis used the Bilog-MG program. The range of the difficulty level …

Construction Of An Instrument For Evaluating The Teaching Process In Highereducation: Content And Construct Validity, Risky Setiawan, Wagiran Wagiran, Yasir Alsamiri

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

This study aims to reveal the content validity, construct validity, and reliability of the instrument for evaluating the teaching process in higher education. This research is development research applying the ADDIE model from Molenda. The indicators evaluated consist of context, inputs, processes, and products. The sample consisted of 1200 students from eight faculties, each represented by three study programs. Data analysis uses three stages: content validity test analysis using the V-Aiken method involving six panellists or experts; construct validity test using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Quantitative descriptive analysis and interpretive qualitative analysis used the Miles and Huberman method. The results …

Constructing And Providing Content Validity Evidence Through The Aiken's Vindex Based On The Experts' Judgments Of The Instrument To Measuremathematical Problem-Solving Skills, Nia Kania, Yaya S. Kusumah, Jarnawi Afgani Dahlan, Elah Nurlaelah, Ferit Gürbüz, Ebenezer Bonyah

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

Test content-based proof of validity is a type of evidence that supports the validity of a measuring instrument. This research aims to develop a mathematical problem-solving assessment instrument utilizing five experts. This study is classified as developmental research and follows a research design that includes two separate stages: the preliminary design stage and the prototype stage. However, its application is restricted to Prototype 1 and Prototype 2, specifically for expert evaluation. This instrument was designed explicitly for grade VIII students studying mathematics, covering all the topics from the odd semesters. The analysis progressed through three distinct stages— curriculum analysis, content …

Stability Of Estimation Item Parameter In Irt Dichotomy Considering The Number Of Participants, Zulfa Safina Ibrahim, Heri Retnawati, Alfred Irambona, Beatriz Eugenia Orantes Pérez

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

This research is related to item response theory (IRT) which is needed to measure the goodness of a test set, while item parameter estimation is needed to determine the technical properties of a test item. Stability of item parameter estimation is conducted to determine the minimum sample that can be used to obtain good item parameter estimation results. The purpose of this study is to describe the effect of the number of test takers on the stability of item parameter estimation with the Bayes method (expected a posteriori, EAP) on dichotomous data. The minimum sample for stability is 1,000 participants …

Predictor Factors For Teacher Innovative Behavior During Curriculum Reform: The Role Of Cognitive Flexibility, Positive Affect, And Negative Affect, Khairunnisa Syafira Dumbi, Stephanie Yuanita Indrasari

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

Teacher innovative behavior is a key capability for maximizing teacher performance as well as the student learning process, especially when teachers face new changes in their education system such as curriculum reform. However, insufficient attention has been given to understanding the interaction of predictor factors to encourage teacher innovative behavior. This study aims to assess the role of cognitive flexibility, positive affect, and negative affect in predicting teacher innovative behavior. A cross-sectional and quantitative design was used for this study. The data collection procedure used convenience sampling, with questionnaires distributed online via social media through several teacher communities. Three instruments …

Effects Of Learning Languages On Volunteering, Ailina Makhmut Nursultankyzy, Natalya Nikolaevna Khan, Gulzhaina Kuralbaevna Kassymova, Ardak Kenesbayevna Kalimoldayeva, Elmira Kanatovna Ketebayeva

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

Learning languages is an important aspect of modern times that influences people's thinking which was studied by many researchers. Today the knowledge of different languages is becoming an increasingly significant aspect of volunteering, having a profound impact on its various aspects. This article discusses the importance of knowing foreign languages for developing empathy, improving communication skills, and expanding the worldview of volunteers using a questionnaire consisting of 12 questions divided into three main sections (empathy, communication skills, and worldview). Each section includes four questions related to the specific aspect that are given randomly. Responses were received from random respondents from …