Digital Commons Network^™

A Presuppositional Critique Of Constructivism, Paul R. Rickert

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Educational theories have roots. They have roots in broader philosophies, conceptions of the nature of reality, and the theories utilized in classrooms to teach have implications for broader society. Specifically, this paper discusses the problems of constructivist theory in the classroom. The author takes a presuppostitional view and shows that all systems have most basic beliefs which are un-provable. So at the heart of any form of interpretive schema is faith in that schema. The author discusses ontological and epistemological options and how shifts in philosophy change the order of the most basic beliefs, but not the fact that they …

The Effects Of Peer Praise Notes On Socially Withdrawn Adolescents: A Classroom Intervention, Julie Nelson, Natalie Webb, Paul Caldarella

Faculty Publications

Research has shown that those students who are socially withdrawn or isolated have difficulty learning appropriate social conduct which places them at risk for difficulties later in life (Oden, 1980; Patterson, Reid, & Dishion,1992). Children who were avoided, neglected, or teased were at high risk for developing behavioral and emotional disorders (Gresham, MacMillan, & Bocian, 1998).

Evaluation Of An Adult Education Technology Program, Iwasan D. Kejawa

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the adult education technology program at a chartered alternative adult education center in Florida. The adult education center had a low rate of students passing the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). This study examined the impact of the use of computer technology in an effort to improve student learning in mathematics, reading, and science. Computers at the institution were used by all students for tutorials to prepare them for the FCAT and to obtain a high school diploma. The research questions for this study were as follows: 1. Is the education technology …

Mind Your English, Sadia Hanif

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Education Policy Analysis Archives 15/18 , Arizona State University, University Of South Florida

College of Education Publications

Fissures in standards formulation : the role of neoconservative and neoliberal discourses in justifying standards development in Wisconsin and Minnesota/ Samantha Caughlan [and] Richard Beach.

Effective Mentoring Programs: A Guide To Developing Successful Programs, Casey Cutter

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Effective Mentoring Programs: A Guide to Developing Successful Programs The following research project addressed the current state of the educational community and focused on mentor programs and how they can help reduce attrition and provide adequate support for beginning teachers. The research addressed the challenges first year teachers face; the author discussed mentor programs as an ideal support mechanism for beginning teachers. The author used a guidebook format to summarize research and present a resource that can be used to develop and implement new mentor programs. The guidebook did not encompass all methods to developing a mentor program, however, it …

Leadership In The Classroom: Closing The Achievement Gap Through Motivation, Janis Estrella

Honors College Theses

Implementing motivation strategies in elementary urban public schools can be challenging because of contextual factors such as socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, culture, physical and emotional health, and prior learning experiences. This thesis focuses on 1) how urban public school teachers can effectively motivate their students in spite of these factors, and 2)whether their motivation efforts really influence students' desire to achieve. Interview protocols and a survey instrument will be probed, and data will be collected from New York City public school teachers and from their general education elementary school students. The results of the study can be used to customize motivational …

Making Use Of Bilingual Interview Data: Some Experiences From The Field, Nelofer Halai

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This paper describes the challenges faced, and rules devised, while dealing with bilingual interview data as part of a life history study of a female science teacher’s conceptions of the nature of science while teaching in a school in Karachi. The interview data generated was both in Urdu and English, which underwent a number of processes (transcription, translation, and transliteration) to evolve into “interim texts,” to finally become a part of the data analysis process. I have called these translated materials “transmuted texts,” as they reflect the original, but have been recreated. This paper is significant because as globalization connects …

The Effect Of A Founding International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme On Participating Seventh Grade Students' Achievement, Behavior, Extra-Curricular Involvement, And Perceptions Of Life Skills, Joan C.R. Wilson

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a founding International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) on participating 7th-grade students' achievement, behavior, extra-curricular involvement, and perceptions of life skills compared to 7th-grade students' completing the same school's standard of care traditional academic program (TAP). The study analyzed data of IBMYP and TAP students to determine if the IBMYP has significantly impacted student outcomes. Following two consecutive years of program participation IBMYP students (n = 30) demonstrated a significant pretest-posttest improvement on norm-referenced achievement test math scores but their measured language and reading achievement test scores remained consistent …

Computer-Based Instruction For Engineering Education In The Developing World, Bradford G. Singley

Theses and Dissertations

Although civil engineers continually develop new ways to solve problems involving water, energy, infrastructure and environmental sustainability, these innovations can take years – or even decades – to reach developing countries. Computer-based instruction has the potential to dramatically decrease this lag time by improving engineering education in the developing world. This paper discusses the development of instructional simulations, based on the theory of model-centered instruction. These simulations can serve as self-paced learning modules, which can be accessed for free over the Internet. A pilot learning module was developed for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on the …

Caines, Robert Jr., Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

INTERVIEWER: Oneka LaBennett, Mark Naison

INTERVIEWEE: Robert Caines, Jr. (a.k.a DJ Flawless)

SUMMARY BY: Patrick O’Donnell

Robert Caines, Jr. (aka DJ Flawless) was born on January 23, 1983, and grew up in the Mott Haven Projects in the Bronx. He is the son of Robert Caines, Sr. (aka Rockin’ Rob.) At the time of interview, he was unemployed, but had recently been working for the Scratch DJ Academy. Robert, Jr. was raised by his mother and his grandmother. Although his father was often absent, Robert, Jr. became interested in hip-hop by listening to his father’s music tapes. His mother, …

The Relationship Between Nclb Variables And Selected Variables With High School Subject Area Test Scores, Kenyon M. Barron

Theses and Dissertations

No Child Left Behind (NCLB; 2002) requires student assessment to be reported by school districts based on certain demographic variables. Research indicated that other variables may relate to student achievement. This study calculated the relationship between average school district scores and the demographic variables required by NCLB (ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, special needs, migrant status and English language learners) as well as literature identified variables (source of district funding, pupil-to-teacher ratio, average teacher salary, per-pupil-expenditure, school district population size.) The subject area tests used for this study were Algebra I, Biology I, English II and United States History tests for …

Standardized Power: A Rhetoric Of Performance Evaluation In Education, Michael Hedges

All Theses

South Carolina's public education system administrators and teachers need to know more about how the language used in written performance evaluations impacts the effectiveness of evaluation feedback in order to help improve the state's system for Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teaching (ADEPT). One key to understanding this knowledge is identifying the characteristics of the language used in evaluation feedback. This study examines the rhetorical situation of written performance evaluations from a theoretical standpoint and used a survey to assess several characteristics of the language used in evaluation feedback (word usage, content inclusion, and the structural order of sentences). Results, …

Custom Trucks, Radio Snake Jingles, And Temporary Tattoos: An Overview Of A Successful Public Awareness Campaign Related To Brown Treesnakes In The Commonwealth Of The Northern Mariana Islands, Nathaniel B. Hawley

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

The brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) was introduced on Guam during post World War II cargo movements. Brown treesnakes (BTS) have now become exceptionally abundant on Guam and pose a direct, significant, and growing threat to other areas outside of their historic range, including the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the State of Hawaii, the United States mainland and other sites regionally and internationally. The CNMI is at high risk for a BTS introduction due to its close proximity and the types and amount of cargo received. Limited BTS awareness efforts between 1986 and 2002 in the …

Cross-Nativity Marriages, Gender, And Human Capital Levels Of Children, Delia Furtado

Economics Working Papers

Because the demographic composition of todays immigrants to the US differs so much from those of natives, immigrants may be less likely to socially integrate into U.S. society, and specically less likely to marry natives. This paper explores the relationship between immigrants' marriage patterns and the academic outcomes of their children. Using 2000 Census data, it is found that while marital decisions of foreign born females do not affect their children's academic success, foreign born males that marry foreign born females are less likely to have children that are high school dropouts. These relationships remain after using various methods to …

Education Policy Analysis Archives 15/16 , Arizona State University, University Of South Florida

College of Education Publications

From policy design to campus : implementation of a tuition decentralization policy / Michael S. Harris.

Creating Culturally Relevant Techonological Operas In An Urban School, Dianna Isaac-Johnson

Dissertations

The project described in this study developed due to the gap in achievement between African-American and white students. As music teacher I noticed my urban students could rap all the words of popular songs. Therefore I incorporated the use of technology with an authentic need to learn reading, writing, and lyric development for science and history content within a "hip-hop opera". This study details the instructional sequence, in which students watched musical performances, learned songs with a karaoke machine, and wrote new lyrics for the songs based on history and science material. I combined the students' lyrics into new versions …

Interview With Michael Obsatz, Professor Of Education And Sociology, Michael Obsatz

Sociology Department Oral Histories

No abstract provided.

The Design And Use Of Simulation Computer Games In Education, Brett E. Shelton, David A. Wiley

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This book, edited by Brett Shelton and David Wiley, is a view of models and simulations for education and research.

Table of Contents

1. In Praise of Epistemology - David Shaffer

2. Six Ideas in Search of a Discipline - Richard Van Eck

3. Building Bridges Between Serious Game Design and Instructional Design - Jamie Kirkley, Sonny Kirkley and Jerry Heneghan

4. Layered Design in an Instructional Simulation - Andrew S. Gibbons and Stefan Sommer

5. Designing Educational Games for Activity-Goal Alignment - Brett E. Shelton

6. "The Peripatos Could Not have Looked Like That," and Other Educational Outcomes From …

Trust Me, I'M The Principal! A New Conceptual Model Of Trust For Educational Leaders, Bryan W. Blair

Theses and Dissertations

The ultimate aim of this work is to contribute to the knowledge of how trust influences and relates to those practices that best support student development and growth as educated and productive citizens, prepared to share in our democratic society-which is the ultimate purpose of our schools (Dewey & Dewey, 1915). Specifically, this thesis investigates the role of trust in relationships between school principals and teachers. A comparative analysis of available literature was conducted using grounded theory methodologies to inform the development of a proposed conceptual model describing the role of trust in organizational processes within the school, specifically between …

Art Therapy In The Mainstream Classroom, William C. Forrester

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

The purpose of this project will be to provide art educators with a curricular unit plan that is based on the premise of art therapy. There will be little emphasis on the interpretation of images; the main concern will be with the idea of how the creative process can be therapeutic. The art teacher should be able to use the unit plan with a diverse range of students, from the emotionally stable to the emotionally disturbed.

Improving Pediatric Cardiology Consultation Methods By Introducing Digital Interactive 3-D Heart Models: A Proof Of Concept Study, Adam Verigan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of a pediatric cardiology consultation is to inform, or educate, the patient and family of all aspects surrounding a certain congenital heart defect. Consultation education methods and materials may include verbal descriptions, two-dimensional (2-D) heart diagrams, and take-home pamphlets. Because the human heart is a complex three-dimensional (3-D) object, the problem lies within the clarity to which these methods are performed by the doctors and understood by the patients and families. Therefore, during a consultation the cardiologist must a) possess the ability to describe a defect visually as well as verbally and b) ensure that the patient and …

A Guidebook Of Resources And Interactive Literacy Activities For Use By Parents With Primary Students, Cheryl Ann Youngblood

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to create a home Literacy Guidebook to increase children's reading and writing skills. By encouraging parental support at home through the use of children's literature and relevant activities, the lessons are intended to make learning fun and meaningful for children and their parents. Research reviewed supported the significance of the parents' role in literacy development at home and at school. Parents who read to their children and practice related activities contribute to their children's success in school. The guidebook includes children's literature selections, book lists for future readings, step-by-step instructions to guide parents through …

Phonemic Awareness: The Nature And Role In Reading Acquisition, Toni Michelle Paganelli

All Graduate Projects

Phonemic awareness and its link to reading are a current topic in education. Research has shown that the two are interrelated and those students lacking in phonemic awareness are at a higher risk for reading failure. The terms phonemic awareness and phonics tend to be used simultaneously, but phonemic awareness is not the same as phonics. Children can naturally acquire phonemic awareness through their environment. However, children who are lacking phonemic awareness can be taught using many different methods and materials in the classroom. Within phonemic awareness there are many different skills. These skills can be tested using commercially produced …

A Poetry Unit For Middle School Students, Dana Louise Longmire

All Graduate Projects

The focus of this project was to review the available research on using poetry as a method for teaching literary terms, enhancing comprehension, and developing creative writing skills. The results of the research show that there is a need for poetry instruction and that including this instruction in the middle school provides remarkable benefits for students. Poetry is suitable for the varying levels of ability found within the classroom. The project includes a guide providing teachers with activities to implement a poetry unit.

An Opportunity Gap: Focusing On The Issue Of Boys’ Underachievement In School Literacy, Whitney Ann Cromwell

All Graduate Projects

Male students statistically have not been as successful as females on standardized test scores or literacy activities. The discrepancy between literacy achievement between boys and girls at the elementary level is cause for concern. This gap between the literacy achievement of girls and boys will continue unless we change the way we teach. "All educators share the common goal of providing equitable learning opportunities for every student in the classroom. Providing equitable opportunities for girls is a familiar topic; providing them for boys is a relatively recent issue, but one that is appearing with increasing urgency on education agendas around …

Perceptions Of School Based Mental Health Services By Directors And Supervisors Of Student Services, Decia N. Dixon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Key stakeholders in schools must be educated about the importance of increasing access to mental health services in schools. School-based mental health services are designed to increase children's competence and help them meet the societal expectations of school success. The present study examined types of mental health services provided to students in school districts throughout Florida; the extent to which those services were provided to children and families; the beliefs of student services directors and supervisors regarding qualifications of school mental health service providers to provide mental health services; and their beliefs about the impact of mental health services on …

Impact Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Versus Education On Stigma Toward People With Psychological Disorders, Akihiko Masuda, Steven C. Hayes, Lindsay B. Fletcher, Paul J. Seignourel, Kara Bunting, Scott A. Herbst, Michael P. Twohig, Jason Lillis

Psychology Faculty Publications

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has previously been shown to alter stigmatizing attitudes and to be relatively useful for psychologically inflexible participants. The present study is the first to bring those two findings together by comparing ACT to an education intervention for reducing stigma toward people with psychological disorders, and examining whether results differ for psychologically inflexible versus flexible individuals. A sample of college students (N=95) was randomly assigned to a 2¹/₂ h ACT or educational workshop. Measures were taken before and after the workshop and at a 1-month follow-up. ACT reduced mental health stigma …

A Student Teaching Manual For The Preservice Student Teacher, Alecia L. Rochelle

All Graduate Projects

This project is designed to assist and support student teachers and first-year teachers who feel unprepared during their preservice training, and novice teachers who are teaching out of their certificated field. The review of related literature and personal research shows that there is an essential need for additional direction, encouragement, collaboration, and guidance among student and first year teachers. This project contains a student teaching manual designed for Parkside Elementary School that provides specific tips on how to be an effective student/first year teacher. The purpose of this project is to design a manual that would assist student and first …

A Personalized Art Curriculum That Promotes Art Advocacy, Nicole Marie Walters

All Graduate Projects

The following project shows the development of a personalized drawing curriculum that will encourage students to become art advocates. The curriculum is based upon art history and is designed for students to relate historical ideas to their own lives. This personalization will help students learn more about art as a form of communication. Through this art experience, students will see the value of art in their own education and it is hoped that in the future, when these students are adults they will be advocates for the arts.