Digital Commons Network^™

Historical Analysis Of Muskegon Lake, Sarah Steffens, Mitch Noworolnik, Claire Mcclees

Environmental and Sustainability Studies Undergraduate Projects

Problem Statement:

There continues to be a portion of residents in the Nelson and Nims neighborhoods that are afraid or feel a disconnection with Muskegon Lake, physically and mentally. What throughout the history of Muskegon has caused this reaction?

The Relationship Between Career And Technical Education Intensity And College And Career Readiness Of High School Seniors, Kelly Means

Student Work

High school is an educational environment intended to produce graduates who are prepared for the future. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offer courses focused on specific career knowledge and skills intended to prepare students for college and career. Are these CTE opportunities resulting in high school graduates who are college and career ready? This study looks to examine the relationship between the intensity of Career and Technical Education experiences and seniors’ college and career readiness. The study participants represented the 2016 graduation cohort from one Midwest school district. Traditional student and school success factors of attendance and grade point …

Tya Adaptations For The Theatre Educator, Laura Ashley Butler

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last century, adaptations in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) have been the subject of some debate. While adaptations are currently the most produced type of play by children’s theatre companies and professional theatre organizations, original TYA scripts are the ones that receive the majority of the praise and acclaim, In addition, theatre educators throughout the United States struggle to produce quality plays with the limited funds they have been allotted. This paper serves multiple purposes. It aims to give theatre educators the tools they need to overcome the stigmatized opinions of adapted works. Additionally, it …

An Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of Preschool Participation Upon Kindergarten Readiness, Simone Sellers

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore whether children who attended a full day of preschool were better prepared for kindergarten than those who attended a part-time program or no program at all. Two levels of the independent variable, preschool participation, were utilized: (a) full-time participation and (b) part-time or no participation. Readiness rates among children who attended a public preschool in a large school district in Florida were examined using standardized academic achievement scores as dependent variables. When looking at kindergarten readiness, males who attended preschool scored higher academic levels than males who attended no preschool. However, …

Teacher Factors And The Impact On Student Success In Algebra I, Kalee Mcmullen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Algebra I proficiency is an important aspect of a solid foundation in mathematics. Teachers play a critical role in the failure or success of students. Different teacher characteristics are thought to have a significant impact on the potential for student success. This non-experimental correlational research study seeks to examine the potential relationships between specific teacher characteristics and student success in Algebra I as measured by the Algebra I End of Course Exam scores. This study uses ordinary least squares regression analysis to examine the effects of independent variables on successful Algebra I scores. The independent variables in this study include …

Nelly Don: An Educational Leader, Lisa S. Thompson

Dissertations

In 1916, Ellen Quinlan Donnelly aka Nelly Don started a fashion empire from her humble Kansas City home. She became one of the wealthiest and most celebrated American women in business with a career that spanned well into the 1960s. The Nelly Don Empire reportedly sold more dresses in the 20th century than any other single person in the United States, and she started as a Lindenwood College student. This study investigated Nell Quinlan Donnelly the “Grand Lady” of the garment industry beyond her millionaire status and revolutionary business leadership at Donnelly Garment Company. The reexamination of Nell Quinlan Donnelly’s …

Perceptions Of American Latino Families Of Their Children's Education: Stories From One Suburban Middle School, Jeffry Prickett

Dissertations

The immigration debate in the United States has been ongoing for decades. While the outcome of the debate means more for some than others, one thing is always a constant: there are families behind every story of immigration. To uncover some of these stories, four American Latino immigrant families were interviewed about their experience with assimilation and factors associated with the academic success of their children. The children of the families attended a rapidly diversifying mid-western suburban middle school. The primary research question was: what are the perceptions of Latino parents regarding their children’s education in their neighborhood school? Themes …

Selection Perception: Views On The Theory Of Evolution Among Residents Of Moshi, Tanzania, Robin Waterman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The theory of evolution is a major tenet of biological science and has many practical applications, particularly in agriculture, medicine, and conservation. Nevertheless, there is significant opposition to the theory and its incorporation into school curricula, largely on religious grounds. This disconnect between public opinion and scientific opinion has been studied at length in the US and to some extent in other industrialized nations, but little is known about the issue in other communities around the world. This paper will use the town of Moshi, Tanzania as a case study in community views and knowledge about the theory of evolution. …

Student Social Services In Kentucky’S Schools: Understanding The Impact Of Fryscs On Student Achievement, Stephen W. Lin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This study examines the impact of a public policy intervention, called Family Resource and Youth Service Centers (FRYSC), on student achievement in Kentucky. The author provides a quantitative evaluation of FRYSC, supplementing a void in prior research on FRYSC effectiveness. FRYSC-eligible schools (n = 1263) included in this study had no center, an elementary center, a middle or high school center, or a combined center. The researcher analyzed data obtained from government databases reporting school-level statewide assessment results. Student achievement metrics reflect reading and mathematics proficiency outcomes for at-risk students, whom are typically served by a FRYSC. For reading and …

Design And Implementation Of A Ferrocement Improved Cookstove In Rural Panama, Josh Donegan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Household air pollution contributes to the premature death of more than 4 million people annually. Improved cookstoves are one technological intervention that can potentially reduce exposure to household air pollution. However, improved cookstove implementation programs need to consider measures to increase sustainability and promote long-term adoption. The objectives of this research were 1) to develop and implement a new ferrocement cookstove for Peña Blanca, a rural indigenous community in the Ngäbe-Bugle region of Panama, 2) to evaluate its potential sustainability in comparison to the most common cooking technologies observed in the community, 3) to prepare a construction manual for the …

01. Education, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma Research Day Abstracts

No abstract provided.

The Nebraska Assessment And Accountability System From 1998 – 2017, Melanie L. Olson

Student Work

This study provides a historical record of the Nebraska assessment and accountability system from 1998 - 2017. Through a document analysis approach, a narrative has been developed capturing the story of Nebraska’s unique and evolving assessment and accountability system. The study is divided into three time periods, 1998 - 2007, 2008 - 2011, and 2012 - 2017, separated by key legislation and changes to Nebraska’s assessment and accountability system. In each of the time periods, the themes of policy, people, and practices serve to anchor the chronological narrative. The theme of policy explores the connection and influence of the Nebraska …

Cognitive And Academic Effects Of Aversive Stress On Latinx And European American Elementary Students, Annalise M. Manns

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study sought to examine the relationship between perceived stress, social-emotional functioning, cognitive functioning, and statewide academic testing in both European American and Latinx students in third grade classes in two schools in rural Oregon. A total of 47 third grade students participated in the study, including 31 European American students and 13 Latinx students. A non-verbal measure of cognitive ability (The Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of intelligence) was administered individually to each of the 47 students. Additionally, a rating scale of social emotional intelligence (Social Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales Short Form for child and Teacher) was self-reported (SEARS-C) and …

The Predictive Power Of Out-Of-School Community And Family Level Demographic Factors On District Level Student Performance On The New Jersey Parcc In Algebra 1 And Grade 10 English Language Arts/Literacy, Jamil Maroun

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive accuracy of community and family demographic variables, which are found through the use of the 2010 U.S. Census data, on the percentage of students at a district level who are Meeting or Exceeding Expectations on the 2016 New Jersey PARCC in Algebra 1 and Grade 10 English Language Arts/Literacy. The results of this study support the past research and existing literature that has found out-of-school community and family demographics affect and predict how students will perform on state standardized assessments. Based on this study, we can conclude that out certain …

Flipped Classrooms In The Humanities: Findings From A Quasi-Experimental Study, Bryce F. Hantla

Christian Perspectives in Education

This quasi-experimental study explored the effects of flipping the classroom on perceptions of students in humanities settings. This control-matched study examined the effects of the flipped classroom on seven subscales from a satisfaction inventory. Out of 130 students, n = 62 (47.7%) completed the study. Flipped classes reported a more ideal classroom environment on Innovation and Individualization (p < .001). Additionally, flipping provides instructors more time to focus on deeper learning strategies than traditional courses.

An Ethnographic Investigation Into The Influence Of Bandura’S Four Psychological Sources Of Information On Late-Career Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Ginger Prewitt

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic investigation was to examine and describe the experiences that impact late-career elementary teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs based on A. Bandura’s four psychological sources of information and serves as part of a thematic dissertation with each researcher focusing in a different teacher career stage.

Methodology: Through qualitative methodology utilizing one-on-one interviews of elementary public school teachers with 24 or more years of experience, data was analyzed using the theoretical framework of A. Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy information.

Findings: Analysis of data from interviews of 15 late-career elementary teachers from five school districts in Riverside County, …

University Libraries: Looking Ahead, Mary M. Somerville

University Libraries Librarian and Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Open Hydrology Courseware Using The United States Geological Survey’S National Water Census Data Portal, Jake Nelson, Daniel P. Ames, David Blodgett

Open Water Journal

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is the primary U.S. Government agency for water data collection and dissemination. In this role, the USGS has recently created and deployed a National Water Census Data Portal (NWC-DP) which provides access to streamflow, evapotransporation, precipitation, aquatic biology and other data at the national level. Recognizing the value of these data sets for hydrologic science education, this paper presents an effort to bridge the gap between pencil–and-paper-based hydrology curriculum and the USGS NWC-DP resource. Specifically, we have developed an R package, National Water Census Education (NWCEd), and five associated laboratory exercises that integrate R- and …

An Exploration Of The Factors That Motivate Gifted And Talented Rural Students To Engage In Stem, Issabella Baldwin Zurek '18, Takudzwa George '18, Clinton Oshipitan '18, Robert Luo '18, Amy Wang '18

Student Publications & Research

Research Questions:

• What motivates rural students to pursue STEM?
• How can we use these factors to engage more rural students in STEM?

A Phenomenological Study Of Elementary Students In Dance Classes, Karen C. Kuebler

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Dance is a language with a variety of structures communicating unique messages using the elements of dance and the products are lived experiences. Using the phenomenological theories of Husserl, the connections to dance of Sheets-Johnstone, and the cognitive studies of Piaget, the purpose of this study was to examine the reflective process as a participant, performer, and audience member within the elementary school dance class. The opinions and ideas of elementary students are not represented within current research and administrators do not consider the students’ voices when developing dance education programming. This phenomenological study describes the assimilation of the elements …

May The Forces Be With You!, Christopher Sirola

Faculty Publications

In everyday life, we usually directly note two basic forces: gravity and electromagnetism. Gravity—as in the acceleration due to Earth’s gravity—tends to be a background force of sorts, something that is always present and always the same. We don’t always see electricity and/or magnetism as such, but their subsidiaries are all around us—friction, normal force, tension, springs, and the like.

Teachers Have Emotions Too: An Intra | Interpersonal Approach To Exploring Emotions In Teacher Preparation Courses, Shequana Wright

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The essential focus of this dissertation is the exploration of emotions in response to stressors that may emerge as preservice teachers interact in teaching and learning spaces. My experiences as a teacher and teacher-educator | researcher have influenced an interest in presenting autoethnographical studies. In each autoethnography, I explicate my personal journey in exploring emotional responses with preservice teachers during teacher preparation courses.

I describe this work as an autoethnography for two reasons. First, to avoid the false claim that my research is an objective approach to investigating emotions. Second, to illuminate the intra- and interpersonal dialectic that is embedded …

Cybersecurity In The Classroom: Bridging The Gap Between Computer Access And Online Safety, Andrew Malecki

Cyber Security Capstone Research Project Reports

According to ISACA, there will be a global shortage of 2 million cybersecurity professionals worldwide by 2019. Additionally, according to Experian Data Breach Resolution, as much as 80% of all network breaches can be traced to employee negligence. These problems will not solve themselves, and they likewise won’t improve without drastic action. An effort needs to be made to help direct interested and qualified individuals to the field of cybersecurity to move toward closing this gap. Moreover, steps need to be made to better inform the public of general safety measures while online, including the safeguarding of sensitive information.

A …

Academic Supply And Occupational Demand In Tennessee Annual Report 2018, Tennessee. Higher Education Commission.

Academic Programs and Workforce Reports

No abstract provided.

Summer Learning Loss And Summer Programming: How To Build A Cohesive Mathematics Education, Jill Osborne

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students across the world are learning at an incredible rate. By the end of each academic school year, most students have amassed a large amount of knowledge. But what happens to that knowledge over the summer? Research shows that most students make no academic gains over the summer; some even regress in their content knowledge. In order to build a cohesive education across academic school years, research has shown that attending a summer academic program may help. Students that attend a summer learning program may be more successful the next academic year, which in turn builds to a greater overall …

"Content Without Context Is Noise": Looking For Curriculum Harmony In Primary Arts Education In Western Australia, Sian Chapman, Peter Wright, Robin Pascoe

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Arts education in Western Australian primary schools consist of learning opportunities outlined by mandated curriculum. However, assumptions underlying this curriculum involving access, resources and support impact schools’ capacity to implement the curriculum without them being adequately addressed by the written curriculum. Drawing on the policy enactment theory of Ball, Maguire, and Braun (2012), four contextual variables (situated contexts, professional cultures, material contexts and external factors) are used to highlight the differences between the written published curriculum and the implemented, practised curriculum. Drawing on interviews with 24 participants across four schools issues of geographic location, use of arts specialists, appropriate learning …

From Research To Practice: The Case Of Mathematical Reasoning, Dianne Siemon, Rosemary Callingham, Lorraine Day, Marj Horne, Rebecca Seah, Max Stephens, Jane Watson

Education Conference Papers

Mathematical proficiency is a key goal of the Australian Mathematics curriculum. However, international assessments of mathematical literacy suggest that mathematical reasoning and problem solving are areas of difficulty for Australian students. Given the efficacy of teaching informed by quality assessment data, a recent study focused on the development of evidence-based Learning Progressions for Algebraic, Spatial and Statistical Reasoning that can be used to identify where students are in their learning and where they need to go to next. Importantly, they can also be used to generate targeted teaching advice and activities to help teachers progress student learning. This paper explores …

Readiness To Teach Secondary Mathematics: A Study Of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Self-Perceptions, Gregory S.C. Hine, Thuan Thai

Education Conference Papers

This study evaluated pre-service teachers’ (PSMTs) perceptions of their own readiness to teach secondary mathematics. The study was conducted at an Australian university across two campuses, in different states. Specifically, PSMTs’ perceptions of their preparedness were explored in terms of mathematical content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and mathematical knowledge for teaching. Findings indicate that while the majority of participants feel that they have the requisite content knowledge to confidently teach Lower School secondary mathematics, further training is required to develop their content and pedagogical knowledge, especially for upper secondary mathematics.

Process Over Product: It's More Than An Equation, Lorraine Day, Derek Hurrell

Education Conference Papers

Developing number and algebra together provide opportunities for searching for patterns, conjecturing, justifying, and generalising mathematical relationships. It allows the focus to be on the process of mathematics and noticing the structure of arithmetic, rather than the product of arriving at a correct answer. Two of the big ideas in mathematics are multiplicative thinking and algebraic reasoning. By noticing the structure of multiplicative situations, students will be in a position to reason algebraically, and the process of reasoning algebraically will allow students to appreciate the value of thinking multiplicatively rather than additively.

Chicanos: An Equal Opportunity For Higher Education, Cecilia Zamora

2018 Symposium

Latinos are the most rapidly growing population group in the Unites States and now account for the Nation’s largest minority group. This creates a significant opportunity to move forward and grow into more than a typical stereotype. This paper will explore ways to ensure that Latinos can advance and work for the jobs that will lead the U.S. into the 21st century. The U.S. Census Bureau states that 17.8% of Latinos in 2016 graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher compared to Whites at 61.3%. The percentage of Latino students graduating from college of higher education is surprisingly low. Latinos …