Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Three Variables On The Academic Performance Of Elementary Students, Teresa F. Mccorry

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The major purpose of this study was to determine the extent that 3 variables influence the student achievement of 3rd-grade students in this elementary school setting. More specifically, the researcher was concerned with the extent to which the independent and combined effects of the variables parental involvement, attendance, and reduced class size had on the academic performance of 3rd-grade students on the reading and mathematics section of the Ohio Off-Year Proficiency Test (Ohio Department of Education, 1997).

The design that was most conducive for this applied research is a descriptive design. An experimental design was not feasible because control groups …

Saturday School: An Alternative To Suspension Program To Reduce Suspensions And Student Violence, Todd S. Meiklejohn

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

During the 2001-2002 school year, Homestead Senior High School suspended 417 students on 772 occasions. Thus, 13.5% of the student body was suspended from school for disciplinary reasons. More significantly, 32.4% of all outdoor suspensions were a result of violence. To further compound the problem, there was no feasible course of action to deal appropriately with student conflict or violence.

An assessment of the problem revealed various causes. Specifically, the school’s out-of-school suspension rate was amongst the highest in the district; male students were suspended 3 times more than their female counterparts; and Homestead Senior High School students committed double …

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 …

Development And Evaluation Of A Prototype E-Learning Site To Train Japanese Elementary School Teachers How To Teach English To Children, Curtis H. Kelly

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide Japanese elementary school teachers assigned to teach English, the skills and tools to do so. Their training needs were assessed in order to develop a prototype e-learning site to provide that training. Seven research questions were answered: 1) What are the educational needs, both perceived and predicted, of Japanese elementary school teachers preparing to teach English to children? 2) What are appropriate systems of delivery for an educational program to satisfy these needs? 3) What are the criteria for the educational contents and format of an educational Web site to satisfy these needs? …

Improving Student Social Skills In An Elementary School Setting, Gloria Mckibbin

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Teachers and administrators reported an increase in the number of school violations regarding verbal and physical assaults. This aggressive and inappropriate behavior created a negative school climate and detracted from the academic process, as teachers were spending more time redirecting students who were misbehaving rather than teaching.

A social skills program that focused on empathy, social problem solving, and anger management was developed and implemented with fourth-grade students to improve their prosocial behavior in the classroom environment. Using cognitive behavioral strategies such as modeling, roleplaying, and cuing and methods to assess their own behaviors during group lessons, discussions, and exercises, …

Development Of A Web-Based Community For The Business Internship Program At Franklin Pierce College, Jason C. Little

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem is that up-to-date and efficient communication and information sharing among stakeholders including students, faculty advisors, employer supervisors, and alumni are necessary for the internship program to meet its goals.

The following six research questions were included in this study:

1. What are the characteristics of a successful web-based learning community?

2. What specific content should be included in the internship web-based learning community?

3. What are the appropriate design elements for an internship web-based learning community?

4. What specific elements should guide the development of an internship webbased learning community?

5. What elements should be included in the …

Development Of A Portfolio Process For Beginning Early Childhood Education Student Teachers With A Plan For Implementation And Evaluation, Kelly O. Lake

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The Early Childhood Education Department at Santa Barbara City College has the mission of offering coursework and applied student teaching opportunities to those interested in working with young children, birth through age eight. Based on current teacher training practices and an administrative direction, the Early Childhood Education Department has made the decision to implement a portfolio process. However, there is no existing model on campus or any expertise in the Early Childhood Education Department. As a result, the Early Childhood Education Department is faced with a problem.

Research questions focused on identifying the appropriate standards and type of portfolio as …

A Plan To Develop, Implement, And Evaluate Online Continuing Education Courses At Nova Southeastern University College Of Optometry, N. Scott Gorman

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this project was to develop a plan to deliver online continuing education (CE) courses at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry (NSUCO) that would fulfill the mission, goals, and objectives of NSUCO as well as implement a new revenue source for the College’s institutional development. The plan addressed the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program as well as the courses.

Twelve research questions were put forward in this project. The questions asked what technologies; resources; costs; procedures; Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE) requirements; state board requirements; adaptations to WebCT; and course format need to be …

Development Of A Career Planning And Placement Model With A Plan For Implementation And Evaluation, Thwanda L. Davidson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide a suggested comprehensive career planning counseling and effective placement services for students at Anderson College with a plan for implementation and evaluation. This development project enabled the researcher to review several components of Career Services models for inclusion in the design appropriate for the students.

The college has not provided comprehensive career planning counseling and effective placement services. A number of students are unemployed, dissatisfied, and frustrated, or at least the ones calling the college are having difficulty finding employment. The researcher conducted an investigation to identify significant information pertaining to the intent …

Development Of Strategies To Increase The Enrollment And Retention Of Female Engineering Honor Students At Purdue University With A Plan For Evaluation And Implementation, Gayle E. Hartleroad

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The Purdue University Schools of Engineering committee, charged with development of a new strategic plan, set a recruitment and retention goal to “. . . increase the percentage of women undergraduates in engineering to 30 percent” (Purdue University Schools of Engineering Compton Committee, 2002).

A ten-year decline in female enrollment at Purdue University’s Schools of Engineering became a topic of true concern, especially to the Freshman Engineering Honors Program. This enrollment decline is exceedingly problematic because the Schools of Engineering has had a reputation of graduating a nationally known, large population of female engineers. The previously noted goal of 30% …

Improving The Academic Achievement Of Sixth-Grade Students Who Do Not Perform At Grade Level In Mathematics, Eileen M. Bond

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to assist 6th-grade students who were not performing at grade level in mathematics. Students entered the 6th grade with a great disparity of skills and abilities in mathematics and then progressed through the middle school grades unable to complete tasks appropriate to their grade level as outlined by the state-mandated mathematics curriculum. These findings were documented both by report card grades and by standardized test scores.

The writer developed a cross-age tutoring program that paired 6th-grade students with 8th-grade students who were trained as tutors. The program was executed as an extra-subject period to provide …

Establishing A Culture Of Reading At The Middle School Level To Improve Reading Achievement, Neal W. Clark

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Based on an analysis of the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), 30% of 6th-8th graders at Wheeler County Middle school were not meeting state reading standards. Based on evidence from questionnaires and surveys to administrators, parents, students, and teachers, students spent little time reading and have poor attitude toward reading. Students at Wheeler County Middle School simply were not reading enough to build a sufficient vocabulary or an effective level of reading comprehension. Thus, the problem on which this study focused was how to get students to read more and be more positive about reading.

The intervention for this study …

Inservice Needs Of Online Adjunct Instructors, Judy Donovan

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation examined the inservice needs of adjunct online instructors in higher education, and offered training based on their self-reported needs and interests. One of the goals was to have the participants learn ways to improve their feedback to students. Another goal was to investigate the interest in staff development of online faculty. Online instructors often have an initial training course or workshop before beginning to teach online. Although this may teach the basics, enough to allow them to manage, it usually does not cover the finer points of the course management system, nor does it cover much pedagogy …

Improving Reading Instruction And Student Achievement In Fourth Grade, Manuel C. Barreiro

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

A disproportionate number of students in Grade 4 that attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas Elementary School scored at Levels I and II on the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) Reading sub-test. To increase the number of students scoring at or above Level III, the issue of teacher preparation in the area of reading instruction and the improvement of students’ reading skills were identified as factors that can impact student achievement as measured by the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT).

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to identify and implement successful teacher training and preparation programs, to review and revise current …

Development Of A Weapons-Of-Mass-Destruction First-Responders Training Program For Peterson Clinic With Plans For Implementation And Evaluation, Angela M. Thompson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem was that there was no valid training program in place to provide the Peterson Clinic first responders with the training they needed to respond effectively to a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incident involving up to 300 patients. The purpose of this applied dissertation was to develop a WMD First-Responders Training Program for the Peterson Clinic with plans for implementation and evaluation.

A development methodology with a plan to implement and a plan to evaluate was used to complete this project. As a preliminary procedure, the needs assessment methodology was used to determine the training needs of the …

Development Of A Strategic Plan For The Implementation Of A Baccalaureate Degree In Public Safety At St. Petersburg College, Carlene M. Peterson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

St. Petersburg College (SPC) was established in 1927 as a junior college; the name was changed to St. Petersburg College effective June 6, 2001, in legislation designating SPC as a 4-year college. The problem was that the college was awarded the opportunity to expand its academic offerings and did not have a strategic plan for the implementation of a public safety baccalaureate degree. The purpose of the applied dissertation was to provide a degree path for current associate degree students and for public safety professionals to advance to administrative positions in public safety agencies.

Seven questions were developed for this …

Teaching Fifth Grade Students With Learning Problems To Self-Regulate Writing Utilizing Mnemonics, Mary Angela Gioscia

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide students with learning disabilities the opportunity to improve their writing skills. Students were expected to organize information and utilize correct spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure in order to write independently on grade level. This was not happening. For years the writer witnessed the struggle that students with learning disabilities had encountered with written language. Graphic organizers, writing programs, and modifications made to the curricula did not solve the problem of fifth-grade students with learning disabilities to demonstrate grade level writing.

In her research the writer discovered the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model of …

Bridging The Gap In Writing In High Poverty Schools, Alexis N. Gordon

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This report describes an intervention to improve writing scores of the 180 third and fifth grade students in six high poverty schools. These schools received Title I service in grades three and five. The Delaware State Testing Program (DSTP) identified these schools as schools in school improvement for 2000-2001, under review for 2001- 2002 or both. There was a 35% difference within these schools between the students described as high poverty and those who were not who met the writing standard.

The planned solution strategy was the development of a comprehensive writing program. Two Title I Itinerant Writing Teachers coordinated …

A Brand New Middle School: Conception To Inception, Charles W. King Ii Ii

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide a practical model for building a new school. The basis for this model was the author’s experience as a public school principal with the responsibility of opening a new school. The context of this paper involved the initiation of organizational and operational processes for systems and structures associated with a new school. This model utilized recollections and recommendations of an experienced practitioner and might be considered a combination of a diagnostic aide and operational guide. This work may provide a practical model for the development, design, construction, and initial operation of a new …

Graduate Education Students Attitudes And Sense Of Preparedness To Teach Emotionally Disturbed Children, Ruth Klein

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide graduate students with skills and strategies to better prepare them to teach students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in the general education classroom. Graduate students at a small liberal arts college in an eastern upstate community were requesting courses to provide them with skills to enable EBD students to be successfully included in the general education classroom. Graduate students, depending on their undergraduate degrees are required to take 12-18 credits in special education courses to qualify for a permanent teaching certificate. This provided them with limited options to take electives. For EBD …

Measuring Teacher Effectiveness: An Examination Of Student Achievement And Teacher Influence, Timothy S. Markley

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to examine new ways to evaluate teachers. The extant North Carolina model placed primary emphasis on the ability of the teacher to demonstrate the certain key practices. These practices centered around the activity of the teacher. The extant evaluation system failed to take into account student learning. This resulted in a system in which over 95% of teachers were rated at standard or better. The high rating of teachers contrasted to the passing rate of students on the North Carolina End-of-Course test. Their passing rate was closer to 60%.

The writer developed a statistical model …

Connected Math Program: A Math Intervention Program For Sixth-Grade Students, Kathleen Mrozak

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The objective of this study was to find a means of increasing math achievement in the middle school grade levels of the City School District of Albany. Low math achievement was documented on the Grade 8 math assessment of the New York State Testing Program for 1998-2001. Possible causes include poor alignment of the curriculum to the state learning standards and the state testing program in math. In addition, professional development on topics of math reform needed to be made available to middle school math teachers.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a program of math reform …

Increasing Enrollment At Community Christian School, Thomas R. Lamborn

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This report describes a program to increase enrollment at Community Christian School (CCS). For the years 2000-2002, enrollment declined from a high of 243 to 200 students. As part of the problem, the faculty turnover was high, creating instability with the staff and concern on the part of parents. CCS had a faculty turnover rate of 48% and 45% for the same 2 years. Other possible causes included insufficient marketing of the school, weak instruction in the high school, low faculty salaries, and insufficient interaction between the administrators and the faculty.

A more definitive marketing plan was developed to be …

The Implementation Of Behavior Management Strategies In An Elementary School Setting, Leary B. Adams Jr.

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Action research methods were used to examine the effects of behavior management strategies on the rate of discipline referrals at Twin Lakes Elementary School, an inner-city elementary school in Nevada. A review of archival records revealed that during the 3-year period from 1997 through 2002, the number of discipline referrals at Twin Lakes Elementary School increased from 73 to 170 referrals while enrollment showed no significant increase.

Some possible causes of the large number of discipline referrals were identified as: (a) inconsistencies in the referral process, (b) lack of support for teachers experiencing difficulty with student misbehavior, (c) lack of …

Promoting Social Emotional Intelligence In Elementary School Children, Beryl Irene Bailey

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide educators with a curriculum embedded program to prevent, curtail, or reverse the negative trajectory of poor social emotional development of elementary students. Third-grade students failed to demonstrate social emotional intelligence. They lacked discipline. They exhibited difficulty staying on task and working cooperatively with peers, repeatedly interrupted instruction, used negative language, did not return homework, and were often referred to the office for disciplinary action.

In a 5-week training session, teachers learned how to implement the writer’s Sowing SEEDS (Social Emotional and Educational Development of Students) Curriculum. This literacy-based program contained children’s literature aligned …

Leading The District-Mandated Technology Focus At Twin Lakes Elementary Through The Development, Validation, And Implementation Of A Technology Training Program, Kristen E. Bazley

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Twin Lakes Elementary will be emphasizing the areas of math and technology beginning in the school year 2003-2004. The school’s infrastructure and curriculum had to be completely revised in order for technology integration to occur. Moreover, most of the teaching faculty possessed few, if any, of the computer skills they needed to function in this new environment and there was a significant degree of skepticism and resistance in adopting this new way of teaching.

The purpose of this project was twofold: (1) to develop and present a training program that would enable faculty members to utilize technology instruction methods in …

Development Of A Comprehensive Professional Education, Implementation, And Evaluation Plan For Part-Time Faculty At South Puget Sound Community College, Lee Paavola

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem under investigation was the lack of a process to enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of parttime faculty at South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC). The purpose of this study was to produce a comprehensive professional education, implementation, and evaluation plan for part-time faculty.

The following five research questions were investigated as part of this study: (a) What is the current status of faculty development at SPSCC? (b) At the national level, are there models for part-time development programs that could establish a benchmark for the SPSCC program? (c) What are the essential elements of a professional development …

Development And Pilot Testing Of An Experiential Learning Formative Assessment Instrument For Undergraduate Music Therapy Clinical Students, Sue Ann Shuttleworth

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to provide a method for evaluating and improving performance in music therapy pre-internship clinical training. Some students were not transferring relevant learning from one practicum context to another or to the internship. The study focused on developing a tool that would facilitate the student’s learning from experience. An Assessment of Experiential Learning in Music Therapy Clinical Training (AELMTCT), based on Kolb’s experiential learning cycle and a preexisting instrument (Dumas’ tool), was developed for assessment and teaching purposes.

Utilizing the development problem-solving methodology, criteria to evaluate an experiential learning assessment instrument were established by …

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 …

The Design Of A Professional Development Program To Train Reading Teachers To Coach Content Area Teachers, Cara Richardson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to investigate and provide middle school content-area teachers with ongoing support in an effort to foster reading across the curriculum. Mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts teachers participated in a mandatory content area literacy training where they were provided with research-based reading strategies to implement into their classrooms. The requirement to implement these new strategies into their daily instruction seemed overwhelming, which led to reluctance and frustration among many of the teachers.

The development methodology was used to develop the product utilizing a formative and a summative committee. The formative committee gathered data that …