Digital Commons Network^™

Automatic Generation Of Physics Items With Large Language Models (Llms), Moses Oluoke Omopekunola, Elena Yu Kardanova

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

High-quality items are essential for producing reliable and valid assessments, offering valuable insights for decision-making processes. As the demand for items with strong psychometric properties increases for both summative and formative assessments, automatic item generation (AIG) has gained prominence. Research highlights the potential of large language models (LLMs) in the AIG process, noting the positive impact of generative AI tools like ChatGPT on educational assessments, recognized for their ability to generate various item types across different languages and subjects. This study fills a research gap by exploring how AI-generated items in secondary/high school physics aligned with educational taxonomy. It utilizes …

Developing A Pancasila Students' Character Instrument: Proof Of Construct Validity And Estimation Of Construct Reliability, Wiwin Mistiani, Edi Istiyono, Amir Syamsudin, Nor Hasnida Md. Ghazali

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

This study aims to prove construct validity and estimate construct reliability of the character scale of Pancasila students by using confirmatory factor analysis. The research approach used is quantitative with a sample of 200 high school students selected at random. This study measured the variables by six aspects, 15 indicators, and 20 questions. The six aspects include faith and piety to God Almighty, global nationality, cooperation, independence, critical reasoning, and creativity. The data analysis technique used is confirmatory factor analysis. The study results concluded that the instrument for assessing the character of Pancasila students in high school had a loading …

The Importance Of School Leadership Practices In Social-Emotional Learning Of Elementary And Secondary Schools, Janice Filer Ph.D.

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Abstract: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to interview school administrators in the Los Angeles area who utilized social-emotional learning programs in their individual schools. Since the worldwide pandemic, schools have emphasized the importance of social-emotional learning. This research was conducted in an effort to provide school administrators with additional strategies to support the importance of social-emotional learning. In-depth interviews were conducted to collect leadership practices. The data was collected during the Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 school calendar year. Seven participants completed the interview process. Four themes emerged from the data including the importance of equity, belonging/relationships, …

A Rank-Order Alternative For Non-Parametric Analysis With The General Linear Model, Jeffry White

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Violations of normality and homogeneity are common in educational data. When this occurs, the use of parametric statistics may be inappropriate. A generalized form of nonparametric analyses based on the Puri and Sen L statistic provides an alternative approach. Using a chi-square distribution, this technique is easy to apply and has significant power. Another advantage of the L statistic is its utility to link nonparametric tests with their parametric counterparts. After rank-ordering and analyzing the data, an adjustment is made by calculating L instead of relying on the parametric test statistic. This permits the researcher to choose between parallel strategies …

Reputation Management: Branding A Higher Education Graduate Program To Increase Visibility, Vanderbilt Artaxerxes Brabson Iv

Student Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project offers a comprehensive training tool for non-communication professionals working in higher education programs. Its main goals are to give users (1) a summary of valuable research on higher education reputation management, branding, and strategic communication, and (2) an online toolkit for non-communication professionals to boost the visibility and impact of their educational initiatives. By providing practical, actionable resources, these tools help higher education professionals effectively handle the challenges of strategic communication management. The toolkit is especially useful because it delivers evidence-based strategies and methods that can be directly applied to improve communication efforts in higher education. It …

An Investigation Into Two Mathematics Score Reports: Problem Solving Measure (Psm) And Measurement Of Academic Progress (Map), Benjamin Lawson, Jonathan D. Bostic

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

K-12 teachers and staff need high-quality score reports that accurately report students’ results. However, research about score reports that K-12 teachers and staff use indicates that they infrequently are given opportunities to share feedback to developers. To address this, we gathered feedback from teachers and administrators, in an explanatory sequential design of a mixed-methods study. A purpose of the study was to examine score report quality from two mathematics assessments. Two researchers surveyed in-service professionals (n = 34) about two score reports. Then, we conducted follow-up interviews (n = 6) to further unpack what school personnel find valuable and useful …

Connecting Through Screens: A Case Study On Student Engagement In Online Esol Classes In The Post Pandemic Era, Meral Kacar

Master's Theses

The sudden shift to emergency online education during the global pandemic affected various academic fields, including English language teaching. While many schools faced challenges, some successfully implemented online educational programs. Despite the large impact of the global pandemic on education, there is limited research that examines the effectiveness of online ESOL programs with a focus on the key factors that contribute to student engagement. This thesis explores the factors contributing to effective online ESOL instruction, focusing on fostering engagement and improving teaching practices in the post-pandemic era. The study for this thesis employs an instrumental case study methodology, focusing on …

Comparison Of Machine Learning Packages In R: An Application With Open Dataset, Daniel O. Oyeniran

Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 教育测量与评估双语期刊

Machine learning has become a prominent approach for prediction in many fields of endeavor, including education. Python and R have become leading software while different packages have been developed for the purpose of carrying out machine learning analysis with differences in functions in R. This paper explored the functional and empirical differences of two major machine learning packages in R to estimate metrics. This comparative study provides a comprehensive guide for leveraging machine learning packages in R, facilitating informed decision-making, and advancing the adoption of effective methodologies in data-driven research and application. Findings in this study ensure that researchers make …

Detecting Compromised Items In Computerized Linear Testing: A Novel Approach Using Autoencoders And Bert, Yiqin Pan, Sandip Sinharay

Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 教育测量与评估双语期刊

Item compromise is a significant concern in the testing industry. We propose a novel approach for detecting compromised items in computerized linear testing by analyzing response times and scores. Our method consists of three primary components. First, we employ autoencoders, a type of neural network, to model response times and scores, capturing the unique characteristics of each item and examinee. Second, we develop a BERT-based model to analyze examinees’ response patterns, predict expected response times. The characteristic vectors generated by the autoencoders are integrated into the BERT-based model, enhancing its ability to recognize response patterns. Third, an algorithm is designed …

Exploring How Religiously Affiliated Schools’ Ecological Systems Influence Policies On Students With Disabilities, Michelle Lyon Bizeau

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory multiple-case study was to gain an understanding of the ecological systems that are most influential in how religiously affiliated schools establish their policies that ultimately include or exclude students with disabilities in California. The theory guiding this study was Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory as it emphasizes that an individual’s development is influenced by dynamic interplay between individual characteristics and the broader social, cultural, and environmental contexts in which they live. The participants in this study were school leaders who were purposely selected as representatives of their primary and/or secondary religiously affiliated school located in …

Course Registration Practices At A Jesuit University: Practicing Critical Hope To Address Barriers To Access And Belonging, Corey Knadler, Laura Diaz Martinez, Annmarie Caño, Kirk R. Anders, Yolanda Gallardo, Nancy L. Staub

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Solidarity and critical hope support faculty and staff who wish to accompany students, read the current reality of their experience, and imagine new practices that can rectify injustices and promote access and belonging. Here, we describe an example of this praxis by responding to student concerns about injustices in a course registration process. With some exceptions, undergraduates at this institution register for classes according to their earned college credits. At first glance, this meritocratic system shows care to students by recognizing their hard work. However, our analysis shows that it also discriminates against underserved groups of students. Using 10 years …

Teaching Ettingerian Matrixial Theory, R. Michael Fisher

Artizein: Arts and Teaching Journal

Utilizing an adapted scoping review of the literature on Bracha L. Ettinger and Education (2008-2024), the author reveals the specific ways that Ettingerian Matrixial Theory (EMT) and its pedagogies are taught and can be taught in the future. EMT is argued to be a new branch of Critical Theory. The current literature shows there is mostly engagement with EMT in academic settings. As well, the literature reviewed shows EMT is used readily in arts and with artists as teachers and teachings for adults. However, the author unveils diverse other possibilities of teaching EMT. A few major themes from the literature …

A Matrixial Museum: Education In Almost-Impossible Spaces, Valerie Oved Giovanini

Artizein: Arts and Teaching Journal

This paper is meant to scaffold an imaginary space for what is currently an almost impossible museum. It would reside on a border between Gaza and Israel. Artists and participants would be able to enter from both sides of the border into a circular and cavernous space to make, share and experience art together. In artwork that values its relational capacity to affect another, the move from aesthetics to ethics recalls our mutual place of origin understood in Bracha L. Ettinger’s Matrixial Theory (EMT) as “the matrixial womb.” Griselda Pollock’s Virtual Feminist Museum, Gur-Ze’ev’s counter-education, feminist pedagogy, and Art-care activism …

Faculty Perceptions Of Soft And Hard Skills In Sport Management Curricula, Jonathan Rosenberg Ed.D., Simon M. Pack

The COSMA Journal

While employers still see the value in accessing hard skills, the current hiring process involves placing a greater emphasis on the transferable skills known as soft skills. These soft skills include critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, written and oral communication, and the ability to research independently. As such, hiring managers suggest the onus for developing soft skills rest with faculty as they equip these future employees with the soft skills necessary for a given role or industry. There exists an abundance of research in skill development and employability from the vantage point of the employer and of the graduating student, however, …

Evaluation Of An Instructional Sequence To Promote The Emergence Of Convergent Intraverbals In Children With Autism, Jesika Woodard

Theses

Skinner (1957) defined intraverbal as a type of verbal behavior in which the

response form has no point-to-point correspondence with its verbal stimulus and is

followed by generalized conditioned reinforcement. Verbal behavior can be influenced

by multiple controlling variables, with convergent and divergent control being two

distinct types of this influence. In convergent intraverbals, multiple components of

antecedent verbal stimuli control a specific verbal response of the speaker. An example of

an intraverbal response under convergent control may be "banana" when asked, "What is

a fruit that is yellow?" De Souza et al. (2019) evaluated the effects of teaching …

Cultural Responsiveness And Its Effect On Rural Science Achievement, Nerissa C. Deramus

College of Education

Low student achievement in science was explored to determine if teachers with high culturally responsive education (CRE) self-efficacy levels matched the student science achievement in rural, suburban, and urban schools in Alabama. The study aimed to determine if rural teachers with high CRE self-efficacy could improve science achievement. The self-efficacy theory was formulated by Bandura (1977) based on the idea that individuals with a high belief in their abilities to perform tasks have greater outcomes. CRE self-efficacy was measured using the Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy (CRTSE) scale based on the culturally responsive teaching theory. The theory incorporates the works of …

The Impact Of Student Engagement Activities On Future Climate Change Adaptation: The Case Of Student Simulation Models, Bassel Mostafa Elkalaf

Future Journal of Social Science

This paper explores the critical role of student engagement in addressing the growing challenges of climate change, with a focus on the Model United Nations (MUN) as a case study. As climate-related security threats increase globally, educational platforms that prepare youth for effective leadership in climate politics are more essential than ever. MUN, a widely practiced student activity simulating global policy-making, provides a valuable opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the interconnectedness between climate change, peace, and security. By participating in MUN simulations, students engage in debates, develop innovative solutions, and practice diplomatic skills, all while exploring the …

An Exploration Of How Education Stakeholders Perceive The Implications Of Grade Repetition In Secondary Education In Western Uganda: A Qualitative Multiple-Case Study, Patrick Tumwine

Theses & Dissertations

Grade repetition is one of the bottlenecks to Uganda’s vision of producing skilled human capital to transform the nation’s status from peasant to middle class. This study explored how education stakeholders perceived the implication of students’ grade repetition at a secondary school level. I employed a qualitative approach with an embedded multiple-case study design, through which cross-case synthesis on each school’s perspective revealed similarities and differences in understanding grade repetition at a secondary school level. Individualism-collectivism theory guided the study, to understand how students realized educational expectations through an interplay of educational and cultural influence on a school’s instructional process. …

Indiana School Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Perceptions In The Areas Of Clear And High Expectations, Collaborative Inquiry, And Feedback, Jacinda Smith

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined Indiana public school educators' perceptions of self-efficacy in three instructional practices: setting clear and high expectations, fostering collaborative inquiry, and providing feedback. Using a quantitative approach, it explored whether these perceptions varied by teaching experience (0–5, 6–15, 16+ years), school location (urban, rural, suburban), grade level (PK–2, Intermediate 3–5, Middle School 6–8, High School 9–12), and socioeconomic status of the student population (0–25%, 26–50%, 51–75%, 76%+). Findings revealed significant differences, with veteran teachers and those in rural schools reporting higher efficacy levels than peers in urban settings or with fewer years of experience. These results suggest the …

A Comparison Of Sixth Grade Student Academic Performance In Indiana Elementary Schools And Middle Schools, Bret Bailey

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to provide school district leaders and policymakers information of the impact grade configuration had on academic performance using math and ELA ILEARN scores over a three-year period. The study included data from 585 schools that were classified into four groups: Elementary Setting, Intermediate Setting, Middle School/Junior High Setting, and Unified Setting. The study analyzed IDOE publicly released ILEARN math and ELA data for each of the three years. A one-way ANOVA test was utilized to run the statistical analysis, and a Games-Howell Post Hoc test identified which had statistically significantly different mean pass …

Outcomes And Impacts Of The Virtual Utah Marriage Celebration, Naomi Brower, Lisa Schainker, Jared Hawkins

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The Utah Marriage Celebration is a popular annual virtual event designed to educate and entertain couples while strengthening their relationships. Participants experience improvements in their relationship skills, commitment level, and overall relationship strength. The event’s virtual format reduces common participation barriers and ensures its sustainability into the future.

Acer 2023-2024 Annual Report, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

ACER Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Restorative Practice Implementation On Culturally Responsive Teaching And Student Behavior, Patrice Mccoy

Dissertations

American public schools uphold the policies, standards, and disciplinary practices that guide the belief systems of how students view fairness and deal with conflict. As teachers invest in student knowledge and seek to guide students in the right direction, the challenge is learning the appropriate methods of dealing with student behavior. Behavior management practices have evolved just as many student challenges and needs have changed. With these changes evolves the need to better understand students and families. Teachers gaining cultural responsiveness to student behavior challenges is a relatively new ideology to ensure students feel understood and more engaged in the …

Leading Schools In The Midst Of Covid-19: Experiences Of Basic School Leaders Of The Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem District Of The Central Region Of Ghana, Corinne Brion Ph. D.

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This qualitative study uses a phenomenological approach to understand the experiences of thirteen Ghanaian head-teachers in suburban and rural areas of the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem district during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings revealed that these leaders faced numerous challenges related to pivoting to remote learning for the first time combined with the lack of access to technology. Other challenges pertained to the absence of infrastructure and resources such as books. Despite these challenges, these Ghanaian head-teachers were able to adapt to the crisis and alter their leadership style to educate the children they served. Currently, there is a limited …

Exploring Audience Perceptions Of Elementary School Dance Curriculum: Utilizing Informance To Investigate Beliefs Regarding The Presentation Of Student Learning In Dance, Michaela Summers

Master's Theses

The goal of this thesis was to gain insight into the perceptions and expectations of audiences in relation to elementary school dance education curriculum and its representation through showcases or displays, particularly within the context of viewing an informance. The researcher developed three research questions to guide the study:

Q1 What are audience perceptions of elementary school dance education pedagogy and curriculum?

Q2 What methods do audiences expect to be implemented in an elementary school dance performance?

Q3 Can utilizing informances affect audience perceptions of elementary school dance education, thus changing their expectations for dance performance methods?

Thirty-eight audience members …

Leveraging Ai Tools In University Writing Instruction: Enhancing Student Success While Upholding Academic Integrity, Daisuke Akiba, Rebecca Garte

Publications and Research

The emergence of AI-powered Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini, presents both opportunities and challenges for higher education, particularly regarding academic integrity in writing instruction. This exploratory study examines a novel pedagogical approach that integrates LLMs as required feedback tools in a university-level psychology writing assignment. The exclusive online approach emphasizes improvement through revision, requiring students to obtain AI-generated feedback on ungraded initial drafts based on an instructor-provided rubric, with final assessment focused on the quality of subsequent revisions. Analysis of survey data from 39 undergraduate students, incorporating both quantitative measures and qualitative responses, revealed several …

A Strategic Insight Into The Market For Carbon Management Capacity, Mahelet G. Fikru, Ting Shen, Jennifer Brodmann, Hongyan Ma

Economics Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study presents the market for carbon management capacity via carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies, identifying demand and supply forces, as well as clarifying the potential impact of market and non-market-based shocks on technology developers versus adopters. The paper addresses a prevailing gap in market analysis, introducing a microeconomic framework and unique dataset to identify key players, market forces, and policy incentives shaping the carbon capture, utilization, and storage landscape. The analysis equips industry stakeholders, policymakers, and investors with valuable insights regarding (1) leaders in the design, development, and manufacture of carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies (supply), (2) …

K-3 Teachers’ Self-Efficacy For Teaching Reading And Its Relationship On K-3 Students Reading Achievement: A Mixed-Methods Study, Adrienne Dowden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educators persistently grapple with heightened levels of accountability concerning their professional job performance, concomitant with the imperative to maintain commensurate standards in facilitating student achievement. Such circumstances engender heightened personal strain, potentially precipitating diminished self-esteem and consequently impeding the delivery of effective educational services to students, thereby compromising overall professional performance. Bandura (1997) delineated self-efficacy as the cognitive appraisal of one's capacity to orchestrate and execute specific tasks effectively. Moreover, he posited that individuals' anticipated outcomes are significantly influenced by their assessments of their competence to execute tasks in various contexts. Analogously, teachers' perceptions and attitudes regarding their students' overall …

A Qualitative Study Of Iranian Efl Teachers’ Perceptions Of A Digital Diversified Education, Seyed Mohammad Reza Marvasti Zadeh, Azizollah Dabaghi Varnosfadrani Advarnosfadrani, Mohammad Amiryousefi

The Qualitative Report

Because Iran is a country of learners of diverse languages, socio-economic classes, genders, and ages, digital diversified education seems appropriate to address needs in English language education. However, there is a notable gap in research on teachers’ perceptions about this type of education. To fill this gap, this study aimed to investigate the perspectives of Iranian teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) regarding a diverse digital education. Data were collected via an open-ended survey with 30 EFL teachers, both male and female, who were selected through convenience sampling. Analysis revealed several key themes, including the utilization of diverse …

At-Risk And Online: Parent Perceptions Of At-Risk Learner's Supports In A Fully Online School, Dennis Beck

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

At-risk students face a variety of challenges that encompass cultural, social and environmental contexts and identities. Full time virtual schools offer help for at-risk students through the provision of a personalized learning option where students can catch up with past work or complete school work in a non-traditional environment. The purpose of this study was to understand parent perceptions of at-risk learner’s affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement supports in a fully online school. Although research exists on at-risk learners in blended environments, this topic has not yet been fully explored for fully online schools. We need a much fuller understanding …