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Student Perceptions Of An Effective Learning Environment Across The Dimensions Of Synchronous, Asynchronous, And Face-To-Face Instruction, Jarrett Landor-Ngemi

Dissertations

Prior to the implementation of computer technology in the classroom, the traditional classroom dynamic consisted of a chalkboard, a lectern, a teacher handout, and the occasional group assignments. However, as technology continues to evolve, so has the restructuring of the educational system (Woods & Baker, 2004). This evolution, which began as correspondence courses by mail, has resulted in a Web-based learning community characterized by its rich learner-centered environment where both student and instructor collaborate and engage in constructivist practices (Conrad & Donaldson, 2004).

This study sought to expand the existing body of knowledge on distance learning and employed quantitative techniques …

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 …

Motivated By Money: Students With Academic Scholarships Versus Those Without And Their Emotional Intelligence, Elizabeth Marie Elbert Giroir

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the retention rate of students who had received academic scholarships versus students who had not received academic scholarships but met the qualifications to receive the scholarships and the effects of emotional intelligence on these students. The data collection mechanisms for this study included the student information system at The University of Southern Mississippi and the EQi: Short survey administered to students during the orientation week activities at The University of Southern Mississippi prior to the beginning of the fall 2004 semester. There were 667 students who participated in the EQi: Short survey …

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 …

China And The United States: A Balance Of Power, William Jeffery Stephens

Dissertations

Throughout world history states have banded together to form coalitions, alliances, and economic agreements with each other to protect and secure their borders, develop their economic prosperity, and grow their political relationships. Alliances, economic agreements, and political relationships have come and gone, decreased or increased, and continue to be at times as fluid as water. During the Cold War the international system had a bipolar structure, with the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies balancing against the United States and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. What makes countries align themselves with other countries economically, politically and militarily? There …

The Projectionist, Travis Keith Kurowski

Dissertations

The Projectionist is a collection of short stories composed during my studies at The University of Southern Mississippi Center for Writers between the years 2006 and 2009. n

Petticoat Government: Poems And Essays, Tiffany Ann Noonan

Dissertations

Petticoat Government is a collection of poems and essays that draw upon the varied lexicons of science, mythology, sports, literature, travel, art, fashion, and popular culture in an attempt to understand what deliminates womanhood. Using a mix of traditional and contemporary forms, these texts seek to complicate the myriad—and often conflicting—models of femaleness and the female body.

A Study Of Student Achievement In Missouri School Districts That Maintain A Preschool Program, Rebecca L. Bernard

Dissertations

The availability of pre-kindergarten education has increased over the last few years, but public schools often lack consistency in providing a preschool program. In this quantitative study, the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores of schools that offer an in-district preschool program were compared to those schools that do not offer an in-district preschool program. A Null Hypothesis was proposed: the presence of a preschool facility provided by a school district will not affect scores on standardized achievement tests. The percentage of those students who scored advanced or proficient on the MAP test in the areas of Math or Communication Arts …

School Board Members’ Perception On Their Roles And Responsibilities In Developing Policy That Affects Student Achievement, James D. Hutsell

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how school board members perceive their individual roles with regard to individual student achievement. The study participants were public schools that have completed the fourth cycle Missouri School Improvement Program in Missouri. With the accountability movement that is facing every public school system, the school board’s involvement must be accounted for in that process of increasing student achievement. The traditional school board has taken a lesser role in the student learning process and has spent the majority of its time on management of policy and facilities. A clear understanding of the board’s …

Middle School Grading Practices And The Ability To Predict Achievement On The Arkansas Benchmark Test, Philip Matthew Summers

Dissertations

After the No Child Left Behind Act was legislated, it became necessary for states to target specific learning goals and then test those objectives. As part of this process, districts began to develop new curricula and evaluate grading practices. For this study, student samples were drawn from sixth, seventh, and eighth grade populations of a Northwest Arkansas Middle School. Samples were disaggregated by grade level for the 2005-2006, 2006- 2007, and 2007-2008 school years. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to test the strength of the independent variable, averaged semester grades, on the dependent variable, Arkansas Benchmark Test scores. A Pearson …

Companionship Through Standard Question And Answer Routines, Ryan Saxon Davidson

Dissertations

Companionship through Standard Question and Answer Routines is a collection of short stories and short shorts dealing with the nature of human relationships and the ways in which people get to know each other.

The Naming Of Strays, Erin Elizabeth Smith

Dissertations

The Naming of Strays is a collection of poems that deal with issues of place, gender power, sexual fidelity, and transience. While the majority of the poems are written in free verse, the dissertation also features a handful of formal poems including sonnets, sestinas, and prose poetry. n

Student Assessment: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study Of Teachers' Perceptions And Resulting Practices, Kathy J. Grover

Dissertations

Federal and state accountability requirements have raised the stakes on student achievement testing. Teachers' perceptions of accountability testing influence classroom instruction (Wiliam, 2005). Teacher instruction greatly impacts student learning (Schmoker, 2006). This mixed method study examined teachers’ perceptions of assessment and instruction. Analysis of data from case studies of three classroom teachers revealed three themes relating to assessment and instruction. The themes were further investigated by means of a Likert survey. The case study and survey methodologies provided descriptive data of teachers' beliefs regarding the value of various assessment types, the influence of different types of assessment on teaching practice, …

Factors That Are Predictive Of Student Achievement Outcomes And An Analysis Of These Factors In High-Poverty Schools Versus Low-Poverty Schools, Cherita Ruth Graber

Dissertations

This study was conducted to identify factors that are predictive of student achievement outcomes and to analyze these factors in high-poverty schools versus low-poverty schools. Because of accountability standards implemented with the passage of No Child Left Behind, it is critical that educators determine factors that will increase student achievement most significantly. Once the most significant and most predictive variables of student achievement can be identified, stakeholders can implement policies and procedures to address those areas. In addition, instructional strategies can be employed to improve student success. The dependent variable under study was student achievement, which was dissected into two …

Missouri Elementary Teacher Certification Programs And The Education Provided On How Boys And Girls Learn Differently, Elizabeth Anne Cooper

Dissertations

Teacher education programs, professional development, and higher education should provide educators with the information needed to address the ways that boys and girls learn differently. This mixed-methods study discovered the amount of education provided to teachers during their Teacher Education Programs in regards to how girls and boys learn. This study focused on a purposeful sample of five school districts within a chosen region in Missouri. Data were collected from elementary schools within these districts in the fall of 2008. The subjects included a purposeful sample of elementary teachers throughout these districts. In addition, twelve elementary teachers within this region …

The Star Math Test As A Predictor Of Arkansas Benchmark Test Scores, Patricia Anne Conner

Dissertations

With the failure of the legislative branch to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind law in 2007 and recent reports that more schools than ever are failing to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress, educators are reviewing practices and curriculum. As a result of federal and state laws, it is necessary to identify an accurate predictor of student achievement prior to the administration of the state-mandated test. For this study, student samples were drawn from sixth, seventh, and eighth grade populations of a Northwest Arkansas Middle School. Samples were separated by grade level and ranked according to the grade equivalency on the …

The Impact Of Class Size On Student Achievement, Michelle Dawn Collins

Dissertations

This study detailed the significance of class size on student achievement. The dependent variable represented in this study was AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) cumulative scores of Missouri schools. The dependent variables for this study were class size (student/teacher ratios) of schools in Missouri and socioeconomic status of students in Missouri schools. The intention of this study was to examine the effects of small class assignments, with special attention given to disaggregating the results by economic status, school size, and student achievement scores. Student achievement measures included district's AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) scores for the 2007-2008 school year as reported by …

The Impact Of High Quality Professional Development On Student Achievement In The State Of Missouri, Lisa M. Christiansen

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover the relationship between high quality professional development and student achievement in the state of Missouri as measured by the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP). The ultimate goal of high quality professional development is to provide tools for educators which increase student achievement. In the state of Missouri, the Regional Professional Development Centers are primary providers of high quality professional development. This study specifically focuses on the relationship between the high quality professional development activities offered by the Missouri Regional Professional Development Centers and its relationship to student achievement. The Missouri Assessment Program results …

A Study Of Correlation Between Student Achievement And Reading Instructional Methods, Kelly G. Lowe

Dissertations

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 forced school districts to become more accountable by requiring all students to read on grade level by the year 2014. In southwest Missouri, school districts are currently using different reading models, instructional time, and staff development in an attempt to reach the goal of NCLB. This study examined different instructional strategies implemented and compared student achievement on the third grade 2007-2008 Missouri Assessment Program communication arts test. Data were collected from 70 participating public, elementary school buildings to determine whether a correlation existed between reading models and instructional strategies implemented and …

Same Gender Classrooms And Student Achievement, Amy L. Viets

Dissertations

Leonard Sax, executive director National Association for Single Sex Public Education (2008) noted, “Same Gender Classrooms have long existed in educational institutions” (p. 1). According to Cable and Spradlin (2008), “The option of single-sex schooling in public schools has emerged once again through federal policies associated with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001…” (p. 1). The purpose of this study was to determine if Same Gender Classrooms impact state mandated test scores. More than a dozen schools throughout the Midwest implementing Same Gender Classrooms were contacted and interviewed. Test scores from schools implementing Same Gender Classrooms were compared …

Teacher Perceptions Of Electronic Curricula Implementation Within An Elementary And Secondary Lutheran Setting, Bruce Gerard Kintz

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research project was to investigate and understand elementary and secondary Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) school teachers' awareness of and attitudes toward the use of electronic curricula in the classroom. The research question was: Why is there a lack of mainstream LCMS grade schools and high schools asking for or using electronically-delivered curricula? Interpretive inquiry was chosen as the methodology for this research and due to the nature of this researcher's focus on technology in the classroom, an electronic survey was used for gathering data which was effective in terms of cost and time efficiency. The …

Influencing The Opinions And Beliefs Of Teachers And Counselors Middle School Advisory, Chelsea Coleman Watson

Dissertations

Developmentally responsive middle schools provide young adolescents with a culture of caring that translates into action when the adults are attentive to the needs of the students. It is necessary for teachers and counselors to address the academic, social, and emotional well being of students. A philosophy held in middle schools with advisory programs is that every child should be known well by at least one adult, and a relationship facilitated with an adult advisor and a small group of peers is noteworthy. This research included a mixed methods experimental one-group pretest-posttest formulated to answer the following question: How do …

Personality Traits Of Bus Drivers Conducive To Maintaining Good Student Behavior, S. Brent Depee'

Dissertations

School administrators are faced with the responsibility of disciplining students for misconduct on the school bus. Some bus drivers frequently send discipline referrals to the administration, whereas others seldom do. This study attempts to identify certain personality traits of bus drivers that contribute to good student behaviors. Bus drivers from rural Missouri school districts who drove regular school routes were given the Global 5 Personality Trait Test. Building principals from these rural school districts gathered bus discipline referrals for the first semester of the 2008-2009 school year. The research design is quantitative causal-comparative in nature, while the data was collected …

A Study Of The Attitudes And Opinions Of Southwest Missouri Educators Regarding The Value And Outcome Of The Performance Based Teacher Evaluation Process, Andy Alan Adams

Dissertations

Never before in the history of education has there been more scrutiny of our public schools. With the increased accountability due to the passage of No Child Left Behind legislation and the pressure to perform adequately in international testing, it is imperative that high quality teachers fill the classrooms of America’s schools. It is paramount that the evaluation process produces qualified teachers to meet the needs of our students. In this descriptive, qualitative study, educators were observed without intervention concerning their attitudes and opinions regarding the evaluation process. While teachers were overwhelmingly in favor of being evaluated, few felt that …

The Transition To High School: Freshmen Transition Practices, Teresa J. Mckenzie

Dissertations

The transition to high school is a pivotal time for freshmen. Recognition of the importance of the ninth grade year and establishing freshmen transition programs are critical in addressing the nation’s declining graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to investigate the practices, programs, or interventions used in Missouri to assist freshmen in making a successful transition to high school. For this research, all high school principals across the state were given the opportunity to contribute to the study. There were 183 schools, both public and nonpublic, that responded to the survey. From the data, 60.1% of Missouri high …

Teacher Compensation And The Academic Achievement Of High School Students, Lisa A. May

Dissertations

In this collaborative study, the researchers shared common goals, defined their roles in the review of the literature, and coordinated efforts to thoroughly explore the relationship between teacher salaries and student achievement. Student achievement and teacher salaries obtained from 226 public school districts in Missouri were examined to determine if a significant relationship exists between the two variables. The Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and American College Test (ACT) data were collected from the 2006-2007 academic year. This study utilized a linear regression and a t-test as a means of determining statistical significance between MAP index scores and average teacher salaries. …

The Impact Of Early Childhood Programs On Student Achievement, Kelly Ann Sutherland

Dissertations

The common goal of wanting children to succeed in school is shared by educators, families, and communities. While meeting educational benchmarks, such as achieving at grade level to staying in school, can be linked to school readiness, so can early childhood programs. Early childhood programs such as Parents as Teachers and Pre-k programs, are important interventions to help improve student achievement and success in school. In this study, student samples were drawn from existing data in one rural school district in Missouri. The testing data were from students who began school from the fall of 2004 to the fall of …

A Multi-Case Study Of Americorps Tutoring Programs, Kimberly E. Hawk

Dissertations

An analysis of the practices and results of AmeriCorps tutoring programs in a Midwest state was the basis of this study. Volunteer management theory, the theory of planned behavior, and social change and justice theory were used as the theoretical foundation of this qualitative, multi-case study. Understanding the essential components of effective AmeriCorps tutoring programs will assist program directors in establishing or improving AmeriCorps tutoring programs throughout the country. The essential components identified in this study will serve as a model for program directors and provide state and national AmeriCorps leadership insight as to the support needed to establish effective …

A Postmodern Story Of Meaning Making In A Residence Life Organization: A Transformational Change Process, Pamela Graglia

Dissertations

Current research on change and transformation in higher education frequently relies on models which “clean up” the messy process of creating change into easily consumed lists of strategies. However these reductive strategies may be incomplete and alternatives which provide a more complex picture of the process of change have been suggested. Additionally, while sensemaking has been identified as critical to transformation, little research exists on meaning making during change processes in higher education settings.

Using social constructivist epistemology and a postmodern theoretical framework, the purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore how individuals in a higher education organization make …

The Music Of Jerry Sieg: A Descriptive Catalogue Of His Piano Music And An Analysis Of The Five Miniatures For Piano, Nuria Mariela Royas

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to present the solo piano music of the American composer Jerry Sieg, whose output includes works for orchestra, voice, opera, chorus, and numerous compositions for solo instruments.

It opens with the biography of the composer, including information concerning bis musical training, followed by a brief survey of his solo piano works. A discussion of his compositional style in his Five Miniatures for Piano, written in 1994 for the American pianist Marian Lee, is also included in this work. The analysis of the Five Miniatures for Piano in Chapter IV presents a detailed analysis of …