Digital Commons Network^™

Lmproving Education Through Brain Research, Lisa J. Ihnen

Master of Education Program Theses

Educational practices are improved because of brain research. Cognitive and behavior sciences have provided important concepts for educational practice. Within recent decades, neuroscience has also contributed to the field of brain research, thus enhancing our understanding oflearning. Three main concepts from neuroscience are explored: synaptogenesis, critical periods, and enriched environments. When the entire body of knowledge from all disciplines of brain research is viewed together, then fmdings can be applied to educational practices.

Self-Efficacy And Instruction In Mathematics, Juana Patricia Ordonez-Feliciano

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

According to the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) differences in students' mathematical achievement were attributed to differences in teacher characteristics, including the use of instructional methods and their self-efficacy beliefs. Concurrently, today's mathematics teachers face challenges arising from Federal and State mandates requiring students' proficiency to improve on standardized tests. This study considered the relationship between two characteristics, mathematics teachers' self-efficacy and their choice of instructional strategies. Further, the relationship between teachers' self-efficacy and their demographic characteristics as measured by a researcher-developed questionnaire was explored.

The researcher utilized the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) and the Teachers' Instructional Practices Survey (TIPS), …

Strengthening A Global Perspective On Andragogy: An Update For 2009, John A. Henschke Edd

IACE Hall of Fame Repository

Andragogy has received mixed reviews in the past. Some have analyzed it from a positive perspective. Some have analyzed if from a negative perspective, and some have ignored it altogether. Most of the discussions have limited their observations to how Malcolm S. Knowles addressed andragogy. There has been as inadequate investigation of the foundation and background of andragogy from a world perspective. This research presents 290 major works published in English from national and international sources on andragogy that may help provide a clear and understandable international foundation for the linkage between the research, theory, and practice of andragogy. Six …

Storytelling As An Instructional Method: Definitions And Research Questions, Dee H. Andrews, Thomas D. Hull, Jennifer A. Donahue

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

The goal of this paper is to discuss the theoretical and empirical foundations of the use of storytelling in instruction. The definition of a “story” is given and four instructional methods are identified related to storytelling: case-based, narrative-based, scenario-based and problem-based instruction. The article puts forth descriptions of the four instructional methods above, describes several research issues, some foundational work and theories, and proposes a research agenda.

Theater Study And The Power Of Possibility, Jill Rafferty-Weinisch

MALS Final Projects, 1995-2019

My experience as an Arts Educator, working with a particular group of at-risk students has led me to question the manner in which the Arts are primarily utilized in K-12 education. Specifically, their use as a delivery system for academic curriculum, while highly effective, may be at the expense of, and ultimately may limit, other far more significant benefits. In my experience as both a student and a teacher of theater, I have observed a correlation between certain habits of mind developed through theater work and modes of thinking, which are widely believed to support healthy adolescent development. This paper …

Matching Time Of Day And Preference For Adolescent Achievement, Leisha Moree Parker

Dissertations

Research shows that adolescents enter a circadian-phase delay as they approach and enter high school. On or about age 14, teens become less of a morning learner due to biological factors. Researchers have determined consequences to the adolescent's circadian shift as related to learning; therefore, morning time may have a negative influence on the cognitive functioning of teens resulting in lower test scores. This study was an attempt to determine if time of day, gender, and learning preference using the Morningness/Eveningness Scale for Children (MESC) as proposed by Carskadon, Vieira, and Acebo (1993) would result in a statistical difference in …

Importance Of School Readiness And Early Childhood Education, Amanda L. Moore

All Graduate Projects

The need for childhood education was studied and, based upon experiences garnered as a Kindergarten teacher, Cub Club was created and implemented in order to begin to reduce the achievement gap. The program was designed to educate parents about the importance of family involvement and the benefits, lasting into adulthood, of working with children at home during their early years of learning.

Dual Language Education In The Elementary Grades: What Are Some Constraints Or Limitations Of Dual Language In Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade., Anna Alvarez

All Graduate Projects

This study examined the dual language model of bilingual education available to students at Pioneer Elementary in Sunnyside, Washington. There are a variety of bilingual education, Spanish and English, programs currently used throughout the United States. The effectiveness of student's academic success is based on the bilingual education program they participate in, which has been a long-standing debated topic. Recently new and innovative bilingual education programs such as dual-language models have been introduced and implemented into many classrooms. There is significant scholarly debate regarding the efficacy of dual language education programs. It is possible that the debate is centered on …

A Guidebook, Based On One School’S Journey In Implementing Response To Intervention, Pearl Mckenzie

All Graduate Projects

Many districts across the United States are considering, or have already implemented a system called Response to Intervention (RTI). This is a research-proven instructional method that will benefit many children who are challenged by the academic content. RTI uses a schoolwide structural system to support students and staff. This project documents steps taken by one school during an academic year in the form of a guidebook.

Relationships Among Elementary Teachers' Self-Perceptions Of Musical Intelligence, Perceived Value Of Instruction Through Music, And Classroom Instructional Practices, Peggy Jo Hubbard Mccullough

Dissertations

This study was designed to examine educators' perceptions and practices of instruction through music. Using primarily quantitative methods for collection and analysis of data, correlations were sought among the primary variables: elementary teachers' perceptions of the value of instruction through music, their self-reported frequency of instruction through music, and their self-evaluated level of musical intelligence. The hypothesis for this study was that a positive correlation existed between any two of the three variables.

Participants included elementary teachers representing instructional grades one through five from four elementary schools in the southeastern part of the United States. To collect data, a survey …

Classroom Management: Teacher Training, Attitudes And Beliefs, And Intervention Practices, Margaret Catherine Davis Ladner

Dissertations

This study examined the factors that are associated with teacher classroom management with regard to training, attitudes and beliefs, and intervention practices of general and special education teachers in dealing with classroom control. These factors were examined in general and special education classrooms. The participants for this study were teachers of kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade and 3r grade students in three public school districts in a southeastern state. Participants were recruited through a convenience or voluntary sample selection.

The school districts chosen for this sample provide a good cross-section of schools; they were representative of buildings with different percentages …

The Alabama Advanced Placement Initiative: The Roles Of The Principal, Teacher, And Student In Bridging The Racial And Socio-Economic Gap In College Preparatory Curricula, Kimberly Laraine Walker

Dissertations

This research study was designed to determine leadership and instructional behaviors of administrators and teachers who are participants in the Alabama AP Initiative, as well as evaluate the perceptions of the AAPI with regard to student performance. The importance of this research was three-fold. First, this study provided principals, as well as aspiring principals, with statistical research for developing a new AP Program or other advanced curricula. Second, the results of this research provided statistical research for teachers, both experienced and those new to the AP Program, who are developing and/or improving instructional strategies that will become an effective means …

Developmental Studies Courses And The Success Of Non-Traditional Students At A Major Public University In The Southeast, Charlotte Tagert Matthews

Dissertations

The main purpose of the study was to determine the effect of academic preparation in basic skills classes on the academic performance in subsequent collegelevel classes for non-traditional students. A secondary purpose was to determine if academic preparation in basic skills classes had a long-term effect on academic performance as measured by graduation GPA. A third purpose was to obtain the perspectives of non-traditional students about the effect of academic preparation in basic skills classes on academic performance in subsequent college-level classes.

Methodology included statistical comparisons of grade distributions and GPA using archival data from the Banner student record system, …

An Investigation Of Utah Technology Education Teachers' Acceptance Of An Emphasis On Engineering Education Content, Douglas Ron Livingston

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to collect information documenting Utah technology education teachers' acceptance of an emphasis on engineering content in technology education. The Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) was used to determine the level of acceptance of this change. It was found that a majority of technology and education teachers are more concerned about other unidentified tasks, activities or initiatives than they are about the addition of engineering content to their classes. They were also shown to be concerned with being able to organize, manage, and schedule the change effectively and were found to be least concerned about …

Comprehensive Survival Guide For Substitute Teachers, Angela Jeanne Satterfield

All Graduate Projects

The struggles and challenges of substitute teaching were looked at as well as the rationale for supporting substitute teachers. Existing school district handbooks were examined and the limitations and advantages of these handbooks were given. As a result, a handbook was created with a list of suggestions, ideas, tips, and tools. These are all meant to support substitute teachers in their teaching and the students that they work with in experiencing an educationally productive school day.

Western Guide To Curriculum Review, Margaret Mcnay

Purple Guides

The Curriculum Review guide offers ideas about how to get started on the review process—questions to ask at the beginning of and during the process, suggestions about information to be gathered and how, issues to think about as you decide what to include in the curriculum, and ideas about how to teach the curriculum involving new and alternative pedagogies.

Collaborative Strategic Planning: A Mixed Methods Study Of Models And Superintendents’ Perspectives, William Robert Espinosa

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

School district leaders use strategic planning as a tool for leading their complex education systems. They may be mandated to prepare a strategic plan or they may elect to use the strategic planning process to adapt, focus, and align their education system to improve student achievement. The challenge comes in the confusion around what constitutes an effective strategic planning model. Using models from other sectors such as business are often unsuccessful when they are modified to deal with the diversity of stakeholders, multi-discipline systems, and complexity unique to school district systems. The purpose of this study was to research the …

The Development And Application Of A Checklist For Evaluating E-Learning In Organizations, Anne-Marie Guidy-Oulai

Dissertations

In the last two decades, organizations have increasingly used computer-based instruction as a method to deliver training to employees and instruction to students. The e-learning market reached $50 billion in 2005 and is expected to double by 2010. A number of different evaluation models can and have been used to measure effectiveness and worth of programs. However, the literature indicates the evaluation of e-learning may need to develop new models for evaluation.

The purpose of this study is to develop a framework to enhance the process of elearning evaluation in organizations. The E-Learning Evaluation Checklist (ELEC)— which was developed and …

A Resource Guide For Embedding Multicultural Capital Into The Secondary Science Classrooms Of Central Washington, Theresa Susan Bell

All Graduate Projects

The multiple aspects of multicultural education were researched and are here-in compared and discussed. Through research it was found that although much research exists on multicultural education, little or no multicultural resources are available for secondary science specific to Central Washington. Implications for multicultural education, science education and the integration of the two are discussed. A collection of lessons, websites and teacher tools were merged into a resource guide that can be used for local lesson planning. Practical ideas are offered to the inexperienced multicultural science educator.

Block And Traditional School Schedules: Comparison Of Student Achievement By Msat Scores And High School Science Teachers' Views, Robert Decker Smith

Dissertations

This study attempts to compare schools that are using a traditional scheduling format to a block scheduling format. Both critics and proponents acknowledge that the block schedule can provide more benefits than just student achievement. This study also attempts to address the perceptions of current Mississippi high school science teachers about the advantages and disadvantages to the block schedule as compared to the traditional schedule.

This study utilized MSAT test scores from 69 (34 block and 35 traditional) public schools throughout the state of Mississippi. This data was used to test 10 hypotheses. Student achievement was measured using both the …

Place-Based Education And Teaching About Marin County Birds: Curriculum Development For Teachers, Sharon Anne Barnett

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Compelling evidence illustrates place-based education (PBE) as a catalyst for inspiring teachers to create dynamic curricula that energizes the student. PBE curriculum typically encompasses all traditional subjects and entails hands-on classroom and field studies utilizing the natural world and local community. The purpose of this literature review is to introduce and explain the benefits of PBE. Specifically I will summarize and evaluate PBE science curricula with regard to Marin County bird species. The literature review outlines four components: an introduction to PBE, information about the birds of Marin County, examples of current PBE in Marin County, and interviews with Marin …

Understanding The Change Styles Of Teachers To Improve Student Achievement, Arlene May Green Bigby

Dissertations

The topic of this dissertation is the understanding of teacher change styles to improve student achievement. Teachers from public schools in a state located in the northern plains were surveyed regarding their Change Styles (preferred approaches to change) and flexibility scores. The results were statistically analyzed to determine if there were differences in change styles and flexibility scores when compared for level of certification, gender, length of teaching career, subject area taught, and size of school in which the educator was working. The results were also analyzed for any differences in the Change Styles and flexibility scores between teachers working …

Form Blindness Testing: Assessing The Ability To Perform Latent Print Examination By Traditional Versus Nontraditional Students, Dean James Bertram

Dissertations

This study examined form blindness testing as a predictor of latent print examination success among traditional and nontraditional college students. A correlational analysis of traditional versus nontraditional students was also assessed. Data were collected for two groups: trained and untrained. The untrained group (n = 167) consisted of students enrolled in courses within the field of forensic science at a university in the southeastern United States during the spring 2009 academic term. Students retained within the untrained group were those with no fingerprint training. The trained group (n = 160) consisted of students who completed a science of fingerprinting course …

The Impact Of Fast Forword On Mct Scores And Student Achievement, Michael Harvey Van Winkle

Dissertations

Educators today were concerned with how the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 dealt with the improvement of education throughout the United States. Schools should have put forth a greater effort and reduced the achievement gap between different groups of students based on race, gender, special education status, and if that student was economically disadvantaged. A problem was identified as low student MCT scores in the state of Mississippi. A tutorial method that claimed to help improve students in the areas of reading and language was identified as Fast ForWord.

This study set out to find if there was …

An Assessment Of The Impact Of A Science Outreach Program, Science In Motion, On Student Achievement, Teacher Efficacy, And Teacher Perception, Phillip Allen Herring

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to analyze the science outreach program, Science In Motion (SIM), located in Mobile, Alabama. This research investigated what impact the SIM program has on student cognitive functioning and teacher efficacy and also investigated teacher perceptions and attitudes regarding the program.

To investigate student cognitive functioning, data were collected from the Mobile County Public School System based upon student performance on Criterion Referenced Tests (CRT's), consisting of the students' average score, percent of students passing the test (students scoring 60 percent or above), and the percent of students who were considered proficient, (students scoring 70 …

Drop Out Or Persist? The Influence Of Differentiated Instruction And Teacher Behavior On College Freshmen And Ged Students, Vera Strickland Robertson

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to provide information to school administrators about the impact differentiated instruction and teacher behavior have on students' decision to drop out of high school or persist. The ultimate goal of this study is to determine if a significant relationship exists between differentiated instruction, teacher behavior and dropout status.

The participants in this study included students enrolled in select colleges or GED programs. The ages of the participants were ages sixteen to twenty-one. The participants completed a questionnaire constructed by the researcher to gather data pertaining to participants' experiences with differentiated instruction and teacher behavior …

Online Learning Success: Underlying Constructs Affecting Student Attrition, Sandra Porta-Merida

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

With the advent of the Internet, distance education has achieved a new meaning. Online delivery has become one of the most convenient ways to impart knowledge and education, and it has opened new educational possibilities for some who prefer this method of learning, rather than the traditional classroom setting.

The purpose of this critical analysis of theoretical and empirical literature is to explore the relationships among, online student progress, student characteristics of successful online completers, and to identify areas of future scholarly inquiry. The review examines how social and academic integration are predictors of course performance and course persistence in …

Western Guide To Mentoring Graduate Students Across Cultures, Nanda Dimitrov

Purple Guides

The Western Guide to Mentoring Graduate Students Across Cultures is a handbook for graduate supervisors who work with students from cultures around the world. The guide addresses the most frequently occurring challenges in supervision across cultures and includes concrete mentoring strategies and case studies to help supervisors promote independence and initiative in their mentees, bridge power differences in the relationship, set boundaries, communicate effectively and support their students in the transition to Canadian academia.

General Education Inquiry Groups: The Story Of A Pedagogical Conversation, Gina Cicco

Touchstone

In September of 2007, I was asked to serve as leader of the Education Department’s Inquiry Group at Hostos Community College. At the time, the General Education initiative to form inquiry groups across all academic departments was fairly new. The first goal for our department was to define “inquiry group” and to establish a precise purpose for our group.

A Shared Challenge: Improving Literacy, Numeracy And Science Learning In Queensland Primary Schools, Geoff N. Masters

Assessment and Reporting

Following the release of Queensland results in the 2008 National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) and the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) late in 2008, the Premier, Anna Bligh, requested an independent review of literacy, numeracy and science standards in Queensland primary schools. The review was asked to examine available data on the performances of Queensland students and, drawing on international research evidence, to provide advice in the areas of curriculum, assessment and teacher quality. In particular, the review was asked to identify existing effective practices, to propose ways in which these could be …