Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Reading Recovery Teachers On Reading Achievement Of Small Groups, Bridget G. Marcin-Parsons

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The intervention described in this applied dissertation was designed as an alternative to retention for students in a small rural community who were reading below grade level. The focus of the study was to assess whether instruction given by Reading Recovery teachers to small groups of struggling second and third graders, delivered in long segments over a short period of time, was more effective than that delivered for shorter segments over a longer period of time. Two Reading Recovery teachers team-taught groups of 6-7 students to provide intensive reading instruction virtually all day for 7 weeks. Treatment groups were compared …

Increasing Literacy Completion Points Of Adult English For Speakers Of Other Languages Students At Lindsey Hopkins Technical Education Center, Louise A. Hall-Motin

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Legislation passed in 1998 reshaped the adult education system in Florida. A greater accountability for adult education was established. Due to this legislation, adult education’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program changed to performance based funding. Program funding was provided according to student mastery of Literacy Completion Points (LCPs). These LCPs reflected student achievement of academic competencies by way of standardized instruments, checklists, or portfolios. Funding was determined by the LCPs of student progression from one level to the next. The adult center in this study elected to use the state mandated checklist system to measure student achievement (Florida …

The Effects Of An Inclusion Program In A Catholic School Setting On Students Who Experience Academic And Learning Difficulties In The Regular Classroom, Lucila E. Marazita-Espinosa

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

At Good Shepherd Catholic School, 37% of the students in the 5th grade were identified as experiencing academic and learning difficulties in the regular classroom. This conclusion was based on teacher referrals, low academic performance, educational evaluations, and results of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, the Cognitive Abilities Test, and the Scholastic Reading Inventory.

This research focused on the need to identify the causes that prevented these students from being academically successful in the regular classroom. Some of the concerns addressed included insufficiencies in the present remedial pullout program and the lack of staff development in the areas of …

How Communities Of Practice (Cops) Contribute To The Professional Development Of Faculty In An Academic Setting, Patrick Stubbs

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Communities of Practice (CoPs), sometimes termed learning communities, commonly exist in academic environments. What is not well known is how participation in one or more of these communities bears upon the professional development of full time faculty in the community college environment. This applied dissertation investigated and analyzed the contribution of CoPs to faculty professional development in an academic setting.

A qualitative case study was chosen as the methodology for this study. By conducting a survey of all full time faculty, identifying existing CoPs, interviewing selected faculty, and observing selected CoPs, data was gathered to support the discovery of patterns …

Improving Kindergarten Children’S Writing Through A Comprehensive Writing Program, Lori Canning

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem investigated in this applied dissertation was that kindergarten children were not acquiring age appropriate writing skills. Without these skills, the children exiting kindergarten children did not have the proper foundation needed for writing success in first grade and the years beyond. This created a pattern of academic failure that followed the students throughout their education.

The goal for this applied dissertation was for kindergarten students to acquire age appropriate writing skills at the end of the implementation. The writer developed a comprehensive writing program to meet the needs of these students. The program was incorporated into the framework …

Increasing Parental Involvement Through The Use Of Homeroom Parent Support Groups, Shirley Ann Ewing

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation investigated the extent of parental involvement at the Daniel Boone Elementary School. Parents were visible on campus during the school day and at special performances featuring children, but according to the teachers, they were not actively involved in a manner that affects their children’s academic performance or success in school. Increasing parental involvement was not a priority at Boone School, as indicated in the 1999-2000 School Improvement Plan.

Therefore, a Homeroom Parent Support Group (HPSG) program was implemented to increase parental involvement in an elementary school setting. Parents and their third grade students were members of the …

The Relationship Between Technology Resource Teachers And The Delivery Of Job-Embedded Professional Development, Susan Abramson Lancaster

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Twenty Kentucky technology resource teachers (TRTs) participated in a study to determine the relationship between TRTs and the delivery of job-embedded professional development. Evaluation focused on collecting data through questionnaires, open-ended questions, surveys, and interviews. The questionnaires and interviews were conducted with Kentucky TRTs who had, as defined in their job descriptions, been responsible for delivering professional development for longer than 1 year.

This study concentrated on common concerns, strengths, and weaknesses of the job-embedded professional development model. Teachers, as adult learners, use a different learning style than their students. Therefore, professional development providers are required to accommodate the needs …

Development Of An Athletic Recruiting Plan For Long Beach City College With A Process For Implementation And Evaluation, Dan Ripley

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Recruiting is a necessary component of a successful athletic program. There was no comprehensive recruiting plan at Long Beach City College (LBCC) to maximize the recruiting efforts of its athletic department. The purpose of this applied dissertation was to develop a specific recruitment plan for the LBCC athletic department.

This applied dissertation answered the following questions: (a) What are selected community colleges doing to attract student athletes, (b) what is the current status of athletic recruiting at LBCC, (c) what should an ideal athletic recruiting plan for LBCC include, and (d) what steps should be included in the implementation and …

A High Teacher Attrition Rate: What Can Be Done To Address The Problem?, Frederick E. Menzer

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

South Carolina administrators recognized that the state has been losing a third of its teachers within the first five years of their career (SCASA, 2001). As experienced teachers retire, they will most likely be replaced by inexperienced teachers, whose attrition rates are higher than those of mid-career teachers (Archer, 1999).

The research goal of this qualitative study has been to develop and implement a teacher retention model that will significantly lower the high teacher attrition rate (of approximately eight teachers per year) at Marion Intermediate School (MIS). In chapter 1 the researcher discussed the significance of the work while addressing …

Using Functional Behavior Assessments To Develop Behavior Improvement Plans At Challenger Middle School, John J. Marchino Jr

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to develop a systematic procedure for developing student behavior plans that would effectively and efficiently decrease discipline referrals from students that are repeatedly disruptive.

From 1999-2002, 1.9 % of the students at Challenger Middle School (CMS) were responsible for 36% of the school discipline referrals. In an attempt to control students with repeated discipline problems, the CMS administration placed the students with 6-8 referrals on restrictive behavior contracts. Only 29% of the behavior contracts were effective in decreasing disruptive behavior. When the disruptive students did not change their behavior, they were suspended or expelled from …

Improving Students’ Writing Scores On The Alabama Direct Assessment Of Writing, Grade Five, Julia Sullivan Nelson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to help increase the low-writing scores on the Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing, Grade Five at Burroughs Elementary School (BES), and how these low-writing scores have caused multiple concerns for the staff, students, and community. Planned intervention strategies were applied to effectively implement teaching strategies to assist with increasing the writing scores of the students. In order to write effectively, an individual must have certain teaching skills that will allow the students to accept and internalize the learning.

The writer developed an action plan to address the low-test scores of BES’s fifth-grade students who had …

Development Of Portfolio Assessment For English As A Second Language High School Students At The Roberto Clemente Charter School, David Vázquez

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This dissertation was designed to pilot an alternative assessment to help English as a Second Language (ESL) students complete their high school education. The purpose of this project was to develop a portfolio assessment to meet the needs of the ESL students at the Roberto Clemente Charter School (RCCS).

There were 5 research questions for this project: Is a portfolio assessment the proper form of evaluation for students? What should be the criteria for the portfolio assessment? What form and content should be included in the portfolio? How should it be implemented? and How should it be evaluated?

This project …

Development Of An Academic Support Model For Rn To Bsn Students At Nova Southeastern University With A Plan For Implementation And Evaluation, Tifany Jamison

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to provide conceptual and foundational information for the development of an academic support model for RN to BSN students enrolled at Nova Southeastern University.

The study addresses four research questions: What academic support services do RN to BSN students need? What is an appropriate academic support model for RN to BSN students at Nova Southeastern University? What is an appropriate implementation plan for the academic support model? What is a suitable plan of evaluation for the academic support model?

Development and evaluation methodologies were used to complete this study. Procedures that were utilized …

Evaluation Of The Aerospace Administration Program At Indiana State University, Gregory Lee Schwab

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

In the Indiana State University (ISU) aerospace administration program, enrollment declined from 105 students, 30% of total enrollment in 1991, to 29, 14% in 2001. Continuation of this trend could lead to program elimination.

This study compared the ISU program with industry criteria, other universities’ programs, and survey results of ISU graduates, faculty, and employers. Recommendations were developed for program improvement to help decrease the enrollment decline.

Six research questions and 19 procedures were used. Appropriate literature, competitive university programs, and standards of the council on Aviation Accreditation (CAA) provided criteria on the elements of an excellent aerospace administration program. …

A Comprehensive Reading Program To Increase Reading Skills Of Low-Performing Students, Annie C. Savage

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This dissertation describes a schoolwide program that was designed to improve reading skills of students at a middle school with a population of 700 students. Located in the northwest section of Huntsville, Alabama, the public school houses students in grades 6, 7, and 8. An analysis of data from the Stanford Achievement Test, the Qualitative Reading Inventory, and the Student Test and Assessment of Reading indicated that more than 50% of the students in the school were reading below their grade-level equivalency.

Several previously implemented instructional strategies, such as Accelerated Reader and the Alabama Reading Initiative Program had not impacted …

Improving Homework Completion Of Grade 6-8 Students Through Responsibility And Time Management Skills, Lisa A. Turissini

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to increase the homework completion rate of Grade 6-8 students through the teaching of responsibility and time management skills. Students’ lack of preparedness in the classroom was concerning to parents and staff. An analysis of the problem evidence indicated that there was a lack of organizational skills by the middle school students.

The writer developed a course in time management and organization skills to assist the students with balancing their school and out-of-school activities, keeping track of long and short term assignments and tests as well as daily homework requirements. Other interventions to assist with …

Providing Character Education Towards Resiliency For An Alternative Education High School, Anita L. Herron

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to address the need to improve the educational profile of an urban alternative education high school that failed to meet one or more of the state's standards for achievement, attendance, and school performance. A character education curriculum holistic case management program was developed to address this problem.

The program provided students with a three-focus educational strand instructional program: Case management intervention, academic diagnostic assessment, and an individualized planning and instructional curriculum to achieve school success. The writer presented a comprehensive intervention service that required all participants to attend a mandatory orientation, community-based involvement, consultation, and …

Effective Use Of Multimodal Interventions With Adolescents In Residential Care, Brian J. Hawkins

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was written to study the use and effectiveness of behavioral intervention in residential child care facilities, serving adolescents from backgrounds of abuse and neglect. Direct care workers in these out-of-home settings have experienced significant difficulties in managing negative behaviors exhibited by adolescents in care. It was found that direct-care workers were insufficiently trained and lacked understanding in resident behavior, leading to frustration and failure in providing appropriate and effective behavior interventions.

The writer developed a training curriculum to instruct direct-care and social-service staff in multiple methods of management and intervention in negative, unproductive behaviors. Understanding behavior development, …

The Development Of An Entrepreneurship Certificate Program At Athens State University, Brenda Harper

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was to develop an Entrepreneurship Certificate Program at Athens State University. Awareness in the field of entrepreneurship has increasingly become an integral part of educational institutions’ accepted curriculums. However, Athens State University has no curriculum in place that provides, produces, and develops leadership in the area of entrepreneurship. Additionally, the strong economic growth in new and existing businesses the area has experienced has not kept pace with the demand from local businesses and industries to train the new work force terrain.

The writer examined the benefits of an entrepreneurship education as well as the essential elements of …

Implementing An In-School Suspension And Prevention Program For At-Risk Students In An Urban District, Carol F. Sam

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum report was designed to increase the effective functioning of entry-level psychologists as members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) through a redefinition and expansion of the traditional role of the school psychologist. A workshop explaining the model was designed and presented to the school psychologists of the writer’s school district, and interviews were conducted individually with both entry-level school psychologists and their members.

The writer developed guidelines to be utilized for training psychologists and providing their mentors with an evaluation technique for supervising them as effectively functioning members of the MDT. This information was also presented to the local …

A Classroom Management Training Program For Miami-Dade County Public School Teachers, Clarence Jones Jr.

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

During the 1999-2000 school year, 43% of Miami-Dade County Public School (MDCPS) teachers were rated as unsatisfactory in the area of classroom climate and 32% in managing the learning environment. In the 2000-2001 school year the percentages were 44% and 24%, respectively. There was an urgent need to investigate thoroughly the MDCPS training and in-service programs that addressed deficient classroom management and to develop strategies to improve teaching skills.

Interventions to improve the classroom management skills of MDCPS teachers included the development of a comprehensive learner-centered training program that focused on developing and enhancing the skill level of teachers who …

Improving Character Education In Preschool Programs Through Improved Program Policies, And Through The Training Of Teachers And University Student Teachers, Cheryl N. Priest

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide training, coursework, resources, children’s materials, and program policies that would improve the development of character within preschool children enrolled in a university laboratory preschool setting. Many of the young children enrolled in this school were not exhibiting the skills often associated with character development. A number of these children were not working with others to solve social problems, did not verbalize feelings or expressed feelings in unacceptable ways, and did not identify classmates as friends. Classroom teachers also found that some children were unwilling to help others and that they were doing nothing …

Increasing The Likelihood Of Reading Success In Kindergarten Students Through Early Literacy Intervention, Cindy R. Williams

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to increase the likelihood of literacy success in kindergartners through early intervention services provided by the primary level reading teacher. There had been no early literacy intervention services offered in the writer’s school district prior to the time that the dissertation project was implemented. The goals of the dissertation were to decrease the likelihood that a kindergartner would repeat kindergarten or require remedial reading services in first grade due to the intervention services they received in kindergarten.

The writer designed an intervention program through which 15 kindergarten children were targeted for daily small group instruction …

Meeting The Needs Of An Elementary School Community: Providing A Safe And Enriching Environment In An Afterschool Program, Darlene M. Moye

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to provide a high-quality afterschool program in an elementary school by providing a safe environment and enrichment activities. The afterschool program that previously existed at the elementary school was primarily day care and did not include enrichment activities. Parents, students, and program personnel were dissatisfied with the program and wanted a change.

To effect change, the writer implemented a school operated afterschool program using building-level staff for program personnel. The program included opportunities for children to complete homework with assistance and to participate in enrichment opportunities. Procedures were established to provide a safe …

Case Study Of Public School 370 And Implementation Of An Education Program For Disabled 18- To 21-Year-Old Detainees, Dawn A.J. Downing

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation describes an alternative public high school for adjudicated youth. This report discusses the legal and social issues that justify the need for the implementation of an education program for 18- to 21-year-olds detained in the Baltimore City Detention Center. Analysis of internal and external data sources indicated the need for this case study.

The focus of this study was creating a learning community where educational staff and security staff work together to provide an appropriate education for adjudicated students. The relationship between educators and correctional staff can be an uneasy one when the security and education staffs …

Development And Implementation Of A Plan To Reduce The Rate Of Failure Of Ninth-Grade Students, Deborah M. Mieczkowski

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide new information for the students and staff at Manheim Central High School. The rate of failure of Grade 9 students increased from the end of the 1998 school year to the end of the 2001 school year. Teachers and administrators did not know how to improve the students’ academic performance level. Therefore, the writer developed strategies to assist both students and teachers at Manheim high school

Approximately 60 students from a class of 289 students or 20.76% of the Grade 9 students at Manheim Central High School failed one or more subjects as …

The Effects Of Home-School Communication On Parental Involvement, Diana L. Watson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to study the effects of home-school communication on parent involvement by implementing the program Project S.P.E.A.K.: Students, Parents, and Educators Actively Keeping in Touch.

The targeted population consisted of 24 certified general education teachers, 505 students in grades Kindergarten through Grade 5, and 505 parents of students in Kindergarten through Grade 5. The problem to be solved in this applied dissertation was that parents and teachers were not communicating well with each other. At the targeted site, parent involvement and attendance at school functions had dropped drastically over the past 5 years. The data collected …

Improving Customer Service And Purchasing System Design At Western Washington University, Dale A. Monroe

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This dissertation used a phenomenological study, customer survey, and training needs assessment to discover how to improve customer service or the purchasing system to stop the university's faculty and staff from circumventing the purchasing department. Circumvention of the purchasing system is not unique to Western Washington University. The campus communities of other educational organizations routinely exceed spending limits or purchase restricted merchandise. Stopping circumvention is thoroughly discussed among purchasing professionals at conferences, seminars, and in trade magazines.

This dissertation used a phenomenological study, customer survey, and training needs assessment to discover how to improve customer service or the purchasing system …

Development Of A Fee-Based Service Delivery Model For The Department Of Career Services At The University Of Connecticut, Cynthia F. Jones

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation project provided a partial solution to the problem of reduced state government budget support for the Department of Career Services at the University of Connecticut. A reduction in fiscal resources will hinder the operation of the Department of Career Services at the University of Connecticut and prevent the department from providing adequate career development services to help students reach career goals. The creation of a model for fee-based service delivery to users, using a development methodology, was the product of this project.

The research questions addressed and answered in this project explored following issues related to developing …

Creating A New Reporting System For Effective Communication Between The School And The Home, Dennet John Sidell

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to create and use a new reporting system that would better communicate with parents how their child was performing in school. The system used before the implementation was fragmented (each grade used a different reporting system), outdated (not complementing what was happening in the classroom), used confusing codes (parents not receiving a clear message), and unreliable (teachers used the reporting systems for different purposes). The new reporting system would have a common purpose, be consistent in format between grades, and use vocabulary that was clear and easy to understand.

Three solution strategies were incorporated into …