Digital Commons Network^™

Using Music With Read-Alouds, Michael James Bento

All Graduate Projects

The primary purpose of this project is to explore and expand the connection between music and picture book read-alouds. The literature review looks at the established educational value of the read-aloud as well as the use of music and how it has been used to help teach reading. Also, literature looking at student music preferences and the use of music as a tool for increasing intelligence is reviewed. Additionally, critical thinking skills and the subject specific area of music listening is examined. The process of the picture book selection and recorded music selection is explained and the project suggests music …

The Effects Of Different Types Of Prompts On Achievement And Attitude In Mathematics, Barbara R. Greer Edd

Dissertations

This study examined the effects of three different types of writing prompts, procedural, summary, and self-monitoring, on achievement and self-concept of ability in mathematics. Participants included 81 eighth grade students taking a course designed to prepare students for algebra in the ninth grade in a large urban school district in Southern California. Data were gathered using a quasi-experimental design, teacher-researcher created pre-and post-tests, the Minnesota Mathematics Attitude Inventory, teacher field notes, student responses to prompts, and individual and group interviews. Controlling for demographic and other variables identified in the study, simultaneous regression analysis revealed that only summary writing had a …

Predictors Of Educational Program Usage Within United States Prisons, Grant E. Tietjen

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study investigates factors that predict inmate participation in prison educational programs using the Bureau of Justice (BJS) 2004 Survey of State and Federal Inmates. I apply the theories of controlology, Marxist criminological theory, and critical education theory. I then review the literature on various types of prison educational programs. The potential predictors of educational program participation are ethnicity, age, children, marital status, class, prior education, sentence length, and type of crime. I hypothesize that people who have higher socio-economic status (SES), shorter sentence lengths, higher levels of pre-incarceration education, and inmates convicted of non-violent crimes are more likely to …

Coping With Loss: A Khmer Perspective On Guiding Children And Adolescents Upon The Death Of A Loved One, Sekboppa Sor

Senior Honors Projects

The emotions that come with death and dying, such as grief, sadness and anger are experienced by everyone at some point in their lifetime. Because death is such a sensitive subject, many people are hesitant to explain the process to children. Children, like adults, experience loss and it is important that they understand how to cope with the issue if and when it affects them. Soon after the death, mourning begins. The mourning process serves as an opportunity for individuals to express their emotions after a loss through their own traditions and rituals. For many individuals, it is an important …

Survey Of Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients And Parents Of Cystic Fibrosis Patients On Nutrition Education, Dixie Lea Durham

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder affecting more than 30,000 Americans, primarily Caucasians (CF Foundation, n.d.a). A defective gene on the seventh chromosome is inherited from the mother and the father. This gene causes the body to produce an abnormal protein that leads to thick, sticky mucus that is secreted by the lungs, pancreas, liver, sweat glands, and reproductive organs. The pancreas normally excretes enzymes that aid in the digestion of food, however this function is impaired in CF, and therefore CF patients must ingest replacement enzymes (CF Foundation, n.d.a). Despite advances in treatment, including replacement enzymes, under-nutrition and …

Completing Chemistry Taks Objective 4(9d): The Effect Of Flash Animation, Judith B. Dano

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examines the effect of flash animation on learning effectiveness. The main goal of the study was to verify if using flash animation on learning chemistry concepts particularly Chemistry TAKS Objective 4 (9D) will have an impact on students learning achievement. The subjects in this study were 10th grade students from PSJA Memorial High School. Two class sections were randomly assigned as the treatment group each with 20 subjects (n=40) and another two class sections were assigned as the control group (n=40). The treatment group was exposed to flash animation while the control group had the traditional lecture type …

Similar Districts With Different Results: Using The Baldrige Scale To Understand Outcome Differences In Rural School Districts In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Miguel Angel Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The research for this study describes the organizational characteristics and the personnel behaviors distinctive to high-achieving rural school districts. A comparison between two rural school districts, one high-achieving and the other low-achieving was completed using a survey instrument. The Baldrige National Quality Program instrument was administered used as the instrument from which seven dependent variables were utilized: (a) leadership, (b) strategic planning, (c) student, stakeholder, and market focus, (d) measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, (e) faculty and staff focus, (f) process management, and (g) perceptions of organizational performance. Fifty-eight teachers and administrators were sampled from two rural school districts in …

The Effect Of Instructor Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors And Feedback Sensitivity On Student Affective Learning Outcomes In Writing Conferences, Laura Martin

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of teacher nonverbal immediacy and verbal feedback sensitivity on affective learning outcomes in one-on-one writing conferences. The assumption is that if the teacher-student relationship is made stronger through the use of teacher nonverbal immediacy behaviors, then verbal feedback can be more direct and task-oriented, thereby allowing teachers to be more efficient in their evaluation. The hypotheses presented are that students who experience an immediate instructor during a writing conference will have more affect for the teacher, more affect for writing conferences, and more affect for writing in general than students …

Synculturation: The Residual Variable Of Bilingualism, Claudia Coronado

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The language acquisition system is intricate; bilingualism is the meta-synthetic process of culture elements, linguistic components and cognitive abilities. Proficiency in a second language is not only the recognition of environmental elements in that language, but an ability that requires the mutation of different components. We cannot perceive the phenomenon of bilingualism in a linguistic isolated perspective. The purpose of the study was to find the interconnectedness of linguistic proficiency, cultural elements, and cognitive development. The cognitive advantages associated with balanced bilingualism should not be uniquely explained by the isolation of language proficiency. The referential packages of the cultural synthesis …

Evaluating The Sign Language Phonology Of Sight Words Used To Support Deaf /Hard Of Hearing Students' Literacy Development In Idioma De Señas De Nicaragua, Julie A. Delkamiller

Student Work

Over the past 30-years linguists have been witnessing the birth and evolution of a language, Idioma de Señas de Nicaragua, in Nicaragua, and have initiated and documented to date the syntax and grammar of this new language. The purpose of this naturalistic comparative exploratory field study was to evaluate preprimer and primer Dolch sight words and sign language frequency and phonology—location, handshape, and movement—used to support deaf/hard of hearing students’ literacy development in Idioma de Señas de Nicaragua compared to American Sign Language. The research focused on the word and sign frequency and phonology or individual components of a Nicaraguan …

America Inc.: The Rise And Fall Of A Civil Democracy, Keith W. Edmonds

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The field of Curriculum Studies has thoroughly outlined the detrimental effects of corporate ideology on education in terms of curricular mandates, the corporatization of higher education, rampant privatization, and globalization. Educational mandates have created an atmosphere of control in which students are methodically deprived of exploration and creativity through strict adherence to a prescribed curriculum. This results in the de-skilling of teachers and the loss of Self as students are forced to memorize facts based on educational mandates, with teachers having to constantly redirect outlets for creativity in order to teach to the test. As a result of this study, …

Use Of Distractor Analysis In Evaluating Instructional Effectiveness: A Method For Diagnosing Item Error Response Patterns To Improve Teaching And Learning, Eduardo Cancino

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the use of a method of distractor analysis for diagnosing item error response patterns and determine the effect of this intervention on student achievement levels on state administered spring mathematics assessments. Distractor Pattern Functioning was the treatment provided to teachers in this research study to evaluate examinee group performance on the incorrect answers by determining categorical patterns of group distractor selection. Methodology. This quantitative research reviewed four years of 3rd , 4th , and 5th grade mathematics Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) data. Three school districts selected for this study …

G.V. Stewart Oral History Interview, Garland V. Stewart

Otis R. Anthony African Americans in Florida Oral History Project

G.V. Stewart, teacher and school principal, discusses the educational system and African Americans. He also describes his career in the schools and as a reporter.

To Read Or Not To Read: The Influence Of Literature On Behavior Management, Katherine E. Ray

Senior Honors Theses

Perhaps one of the most discussed issues in American education is that of classroom management. This is not simply an elementary-level problem either, as would be expected due to the younger student’s short attention spans, but an issue that affects the middle and high schools as well. More and more, behavioral issues are becoming a problem because they cause disruption in the classroom and restrict the students from reaching their full learning potential. But are these problems only due to the special needs of students, such as ADD or ADHD, or does the issue lie deeper? Perhaps reviewing the literature …

Penn State: Symbol And Myth, Gary G. Desantis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will focus on the popular culture iconography of the Pennsylvania State University: the Nittany Lion-as a symbol and apolitical mascot; Happy Valley, the geographic area in which the university is located, as a kind of sacred place and utopia in the Keystone State; football-its hallowed shrines, legendary coaches, and heroic players; regional foods and delicacies-from the unique offerings of the area's diners to the University Creamery (where patrons yearly consume more than 750,000 ice cream cones); and Lion Shrine and the adjacent Nittany Lion Inn-where the faithful have made pilgrimages since the early-twentieth century. The sum of these …

Frontline Nursing Leaders And Staff Retention In An Acute Care Community Hospital, Beth Torres

Theses and Dissertations

The current and projected nursing shortage makes it imperative for healthcare organizations to examine factors that promote staff retention. Previous studies identify nursing leadership as a key component influencing staff retention and turnover. This study supplements these studies by identifying key behaviors and attitudes of frontline nursing leaders that influence staff retention. Using a grounded theory qualitative approach, the researcher interviewed 19 frontline nursing leaders in an acute care community hospital. The researcher also explored the extent to which nursing leaders felt current leadership education and training programs support their practices that promote staff retention. The goal of the study …

Evaluation Of Experience Corps: Student Reading Outcomes, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Melissa Jonson-Reid, Stacey Mccrary, Yungsoo Lee, Ed Spitznagel

Center for Social Development Research

Evaluation of Experience Corps: Student Reading Outcomes

Spring 2009 Farquhar Forum, Farquhar College Of Arts And Sciences

The Farquhar Forum College Magazine

No abstract provided.

A Questionnaire For Incoming High School Ell Students To Better Assist Them In Entering The American Educational System, Narine Balayan

All Graduate Projects

This project is designed to help teachers get a better understanding of the incoming ELL students' backgrounds to better assist these students in the education process and make the transition from their native educational system to the American educational system smoother. Teachers must be aware of ELL students' family situations, lives outside the school, diverse background knowledge and how these things affect reading and writing comprehension, and be able to choose the most appropriate assessment and instruction.

Interactive Software Incorporated Into Education To Improve Learning, Brittany S. Keller

Senior Seminars

Today, in a society that is growing more and more into technology, teachers find themselves faced with learning the new technology and incorporating it into their classroom environments. Teachers have moved to internet questions and smart boards in forms of teaching styles compared to the old days where most lectures were done on chalkboards, dry erase boards, or overheads. With the upcoming technology advances, studies find that children are enjoying video and computer games more and more because the graphics and designs are just getting better and better. Therefore, many companies and educational programs are bringin in interactive software to …

Religious &(And) Philosophical Exemptions To Mandatory School Vaccinations: Who Should Bear The Costs To Society, Anthony Ciolli

Missouri Law Review

This Essay will discuss the impact that recognizing religious and philosophical exemptions to mandatory school vaccinations may have on society, with a particular focus on who should bear the costs of the negative externalities created by widespread use of such exemptions. Part I will discuss the rationale behind mandatory vaccinations and identify the costs associated with religious and philosophical exemptions. Part II will discuss the current state of school vaccination law and explain why society cannot expect legislatures to completely eliminate religious and philosophical exemptions or rely on the judiciary to provide a proper check on the abuse of such …

Elizabeth Bayley Seton, Teacher: A Legacy Of Charity Education, Alice Ann M. O'Neill S.C., Ph.D.

Vincentian Studies

Elizabeth Seton was a teacher for almost her entire life. A major portion of her experience as a teacher came as she instructed her own children. The combination of roles as mother and teacher expanded as she opened St. Joseph’s Academy in Emmitsburg, where she acted as a mother to her students and was the religious mother of the Sisters of Charity. St. Joseph’s admitted poor and wealthy girls; although they were not formally admitted, free and enslaved black students also received some education there. The curricula and organization of the school are described. Long quotations from Elizabeth’s writings offer …

The Design Of A Blended Approach For Teaching The Tpck Framework In A Technology Integrated Course, Andrea Velasquez

Theses and Dissertations

This report describes the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a web-based unit that was designed to enable blended learning in a course for pre-service teachers learning about technology integration. The unit aims to teach students about the TPCK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework and how to incorporate it in their teaching designs to make their instruction more effective. The report describes the process of design and development using the rapid prototyping technique. The evaluation section describes the results of the implementation of the design. Finally, the conclusion provides a critique of the project's strengths and weaknesses.

Professional Learning Communities: Perfect Pamphlet, Kathleen (Kc) Heywood

All Graduate Projects

The intent of this study is to demonstrate how teacher collaboration can improve student learning. Research supports the relationship between teacher collaboration and academic success for students (DuFour & DuFour, 2004). Studies also show that a correlation between high achieving students is a direct result of teachers collaborating and having common goals for learning improvement (DuFour & Eaker, 1998). Therefore, collaboration among intermediate school teachers was studied (DuFour & DuFour, 2004). As a result of extensive research regarding teacher collaboration and student success at the intermediate school level, the Perfect Pamphlet was developed. All learning targets in the Perfect Pamphlet …

Encouraging School Planner Use To Improve The Academic Performance Of Secondary Students, Darlene Anderson, Lynnette Christensen, Paul Caldarella, Ben Young, K. Richard Young, Michael Adams

Faculty Publications

The goal of the pilot study was to increase assignment turn-in and improve grades as a result of using the school planner and applying organizational skills.

Chinese Elementary School Teachers' Perceptions Of Students' Classroom Behavior Problems, Paul Caldarella, Ryan H. Shatzer, Michael Richardson, Caiyun Zhang

Faculty Publications

Teachers’ Perceptions of Misbehavior: Studies over the past 20 years; Many different parts of the world. Teachers’ perceptions can influence: Responses to students; Confidence. Factors that Can Influence Perceptions: Teachers’ experience; Students’ grade level; Student gender; Demographic area; Classroom setting.

A Quasi-Experimental Study On Students' Perceptions And Intended Use Of Digital Recording Technology In A College Technology Classroom, Zenia Bahorski

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study employed a modified Technology Acceptance Model approach in conjunction with a Perceived Classroom Interaction Model. The study investigated the impact of digital audio recording of college classroom lectures on students' perceptions of interaction levels, usefulness, and use of the digital media.

The study surveyed six introductory computer science and technology classes. Previous computer knowledge was not assumed. The results found no significant differences of students' perceptions of interaction levels in traditional classroom lectures. However, gender was found to have a significant effect on speaking in class when a recorder was present. No significant differences were found when …

E-Learning And Dit’S Strategic Plan, Eileen O' Donnell

Other resources

This presentation explores the question can e-learning be used to enhance the student experience and further prepare students to work in industry?

The Global Text Project, Richard T. Watson, Donald J. Mccubbrey

The African Journal of Information Systems

The Global Text Project is intended to create global free textbooks for students in the developing countries. We argue that two key technological and social developments offer an opportunity to create a new model for textbook publishing. First, the Internet is a low cost channel for distributing information products in digital form. Second, global digital communities have created the platform for collaborative creation of content. Through this model a free and open content library will be developed for students covering all major subjects for an undergraduate education. This project is a contributory measure to the global efforts to address the …

All The More Reason For Qr Across The Curriculum, Bernard L. Madison

Numeracy

No abstract provided.