Digital Commons Network^™

Phronetic Implications: Making A Case For Cross-Disciplinary Conversations In Higher Education, Mark Fretts

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Problems faced by society in today's global infrastructure are more complex than ever; these social, political and environmental issues require an interdisciplinary skill set to even begin to understand them let alone tackle them with a comprehensive strategy. Higher Education can better prepare people for real world problem solving by interacting in cross-disciplinary or interdisciplinary conversations with peers, faculty, colleagues etc. Professors from across the social sciences at Eastern Washington University that are engaged in an interdisciplinary conversation were interviewed for this qualitative case study. The dialogue generated from these interviews confirms that there are many intrinsic as well as …

Internalized Oppression: Latino Narratives On Educational Experience, Carolina Avalos

Master's Theses

A qualitative study investigated the lived experiences and impact of internalized oppression within educational contexts. Six Latino-identified people--ages 22-38--who are current or former college students were interviewed about their early and adult educational experiences. A constant comparative methodology was used to identify commonalities found in participant narratives. Interview transcripts and field notes were analyzed to organize data into themes. Emergent themes included: (a) identity formation, (b) experience of racial micro-aggression in school, and (c) the value of acquiring an occupation being valued higher, in the household, than educational attainment. Findings provided insight into participant experiences with internalized oppression and educational …

Screening For Social Emotional Difficulties Among Elementary Students: A Comparison Of Screening Methods And Teacher Perceptions, Megan Renee Kirk

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the proposed study was twofold. First, three methods used for screening students for emotional and behavioral difficulties were compared. These three methods consisted of two methods currently in use in the schools and one systematic universal screening process utilizing a standardized rating scale that was introduced for this research. Second, teacher perceptions about and acceptability of the systematic universal screening process were explored. The sample included 13 teachers from a rural school district in the Midwest who assessed the students in their respective classrooms in addition to completing surveys and participating in focus group interviews at the …

An Experience-Driven Pedagogy For The Instruction Of Software Testing In Computer Science, Christopher Duane Brown

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

In the realm of computer programming, the experience of writing a program is used to reinforce concepts and evaluate ability. This research uses three case studies to evaluate the introduction of testing through Kolb's Experiential Learning Model (ELM). We then analyze the impact of those testing experiences to determine methods for improving future courses.

The first testing experience that students encounter are unit test reports in their early courses. This course demonstrates that automating and improving feedback can provide more ELM iterations. The JUnit Generation (JUG) tool also provided a positive experience for the instructor by reducing the overall workload. …

A Phenomenological Study To Engage African-American Youth Voice In Deliberations Regarding Their Response To Schooling, Donna Michelle Coulter

Wayne State University Dissertations

To examine disparities in education, the researcher utilized a naturalistic approach to uncover how youth think, talk, and feel about their response to schooling. Findings are based on in-depth conversations with 12 inner city African-American kids enrolled in Urban, USA middle and high schools, rarely heard from in the scholarly literature. Students conveyed a belief system that schooling was the route to upward mobility, however, their responses to academic exercises seem to suggest an indifference. Primary findings suggest that students' (a) sense of safety and family tradition were key factors of student school selection; (b) understanding of how levels of …

The Implications Of Accountability Models Weighing The Same Student Data Differently, Neely Traylor

Online Theses and Dissertations

There is little debate about whether or not the U.S. education system is in need of reform. Some people believe that public education reform will come about with high-stakes accountability and policies like No Child Left Behind (2001). States around the nation are facing similar questions. For example, how do we best determine college and career readiness and assess the quality of the education provided by our schools? The most common indicator of quality in public schools has been achievement test scores. This study examined three elementary and two high school drafts of the Kentucky educational accountability system known as …

Choice Of College Major: An Exploration Of Appalachian Female Choice Of An Early Childhood Education Major, Lisa Newton Gannoe

Online Theses and Dissertations

First generation Appalachian female students are exposed to gender differences in roles and career choices that are modeled in the family. A case study approach was used to obtain qualitative data from five students at Eastern Kentucky University and their mothers regarding why these students chose to major in child development and early childhood education. Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning Theory and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory were used as frameworks for the study. The findings of the study are valuable in advising college students' on selection of a college major and recruitment of dedicated child development and early childhood education professionals …

A Case Study Of Two Rural Elementary Schools: What Are The Identified Characteristics That Make School A Outperform School B In Reading?, Emily Taylor Finley Levey

Online Theses and Dissertations

The research objective was to gain a greater understanding of schools in rural Kentucky communities. Through interviews and surveys the investigator studied two schools with a similar populations facing many of the same obstacles, such as, a low socioeconomic status. The 2007-2008 Kentucky Performance Report stated that School A had an Academic Index of 105.7 in the area of reading and that School B had an Academic Index of 82.4.

Through the research, the investigator expected to better identify the gaps between lower performing and higher performing elementary schools in the region. My research question was, A Case study of …

The Molecular Genetics Learning Progressions: Revisions And Refinements Based On Empirical Testing In Three 10th Grade Classrooms, Amber Nicole Todd

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In the past few decades, there has been a large push for increasing scientific literacy (AAAS, 1989; AAAS, 1993; Achieve, 2013; NRC, 1996; NRC, 2012), especially in areas that are rapidly advancing, like molecular genetics. Much research has been done on student understandings of molecular genetics and the consensus is that the concepts are difficult both to learn and teach (Fisher, 1992; Horwitz, 1996; Kindfield, 1992; Lewis & Kattmann, 2004; Marbach-Ad & Stavy, 2000; Stewart et al., 2005; Venville & Treagust, 1998; etc.). Two learning progressions in molecular genetics have been produced (Duncan et al., 2009; Roseman et al. 2006), …

Online Student Resource Use And The Effect On Student Course Performance, Tonya Greywind

Biological Sciences

The purpose of this study was to identify potential factors of student resource use that could indicate student success in an online course. This would allow instructors to look for in patterns of use to identify students that may not be successful. Statistical components of the course management system, Blackboard, and online lecture resource, Tegrity, were used to collect student resource use (clicks). Duration of access was also available exclusive to the Tegrity resource. The findings of the study indicate students that used online resources more often were more successful. Successful students used online resources nearly twice as often as …

Tennessee Higher Education Fact Book 2011-2012, Tennessee. Higher Education Commission.

Higher Education Fact Book

No abstract provided.

Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Of Environmental Justice In Higher Education, Marjorie M. Nussbaum

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Research suggests that issues of environmental justice are not being routinely included in the curriculum of the K-12 classroom and that teachers in those grades do not feel prepared to teach it. Likewise, little has been written about the addition of these topics to higher education coursework, leaving the question of inclusion at this level of education as well. This apparent lacuna may point to at least one reason why K-12 teachers are neither knowledgeable about environmental justice nor prepared to teach it. To discover the current state of inclusion in higher education, a mixed methods study was conducted to …

A Comparison Of Students' And Parents' Mathematics Attitudes And Achievement At A Private Historically Black University, Kristopher Childs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to compare students’ and their parents’ mathematical attitudes using the Attitudes Towards Mathematics Instrument (ATMI). The sample consisted of 476 newly-enrolled students and 263 parents attending the New Student Orientation and Leadership program at a private historically black university. The sample was predominantly African American, with 96% of the students and 95% of the parents identifying themselves as African American. The ATMI total score and subscale scores of self-confidence, value, enjoyment, and motivation were explored to determine if there was a relationship between the mathematics attitudes of students enrolled at a private historically black …

Academic Rigor For All: A Review Of Literature, Gabriel Reich, Volkan Sevim, Amanda Turner

MERC Publications

In this literature review, we will attempt to address the issue of academic rigor in several ways. First, we will review federal and Virginia policy documents that discuss academic rigor, and the research reports that influenced these documents. We will then attempt to articulate a clear definition of academic rigor that applies across academic contexts. This definition draws on the work of educational psychologists, sociologists, and scholars of teaching and learning. Finally we will review the research literature on rigorous classroom practice in two disciplines, history and mathematics.

Media Literacy, David Kamerer

School of Communication: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Personal/Professional Experiences And Training Of School Psychologists And Their Attitudes Toward The Education Of Gifted Students, Angela Louise Spaniolo-Depouw

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A resurgence of interest in gifted students and gifted education highlights the importance of examining attitudes of school psychologists related to the identification and programming for gifted students. This study explored the relationships between professional experiences, personal experiences, demographics, and previous training and the attitudes of school psychologists toward gifted students and gifted education.

A sample of 125 state-certified school psychologists in Michigan participated in a two-part, web-based survey, which provided descriptive data and measured attitudes toward gifted students and their education. Data were analyzed using a combination of descriptive and inferential statistics.

Seven findings were notable in this study: …

Perceptions Of Professionalism, Jeffrey Peter Nasse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This case study analyzed the perceptions of professionalism among an emerging and distinct occupational sector of community college faculty: community college faculty who teach in baccalaureate programs. The research was designed to address three questions as to the experiences of Community College Baccalaureate (CCB) faculty. First, what are the perceptions of professionalism among the community college faculty who teach in the baccalaureate programs at a multi-campus community college in the state of Florida (herein referred to as Seaside College)? Specifically, what patterns emerged when faculty perceptions of professional identity were examined, first, under the lens of professionalism as established by …

Use Of A Mathematics Word Problem Strategy To Improve Achievement For Students With Mild Disabilities, Mary R. Taber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Mathematics can be a difficult topic both to teach and to learn. Word problems specifically can be difficult for students with disabilities because they have to conceptualize what the problem is asking for, and they must perform the correct operation accurately. Current trends in mathematics instruction stem from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Principles and Standards for School Mathematics that call for an inquiry learning model (NCTM, 2000). Unfortunately, this model may not be sufficient to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Researchers are currently looking at what elements will assist students with disabilities to learn …

Exploring Pedagogical Relationships Within A Culture Of Creativity In A Reggio Emilia-Inspired School, Barbara At Becraft

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The current study explores what characterizes the relationship between the pedagogical processes within a school culture of creativity in a Reggio Emilia-inspired school in the Southeastern United States. The questions which frame the study are: 1. How is a culture of creativity fostered within a Reggio Emilia-inspired school? 2. Within a culture of creativity, what characterizes the relationship between the pedagogical processes of curriculum and assessment? The research was designed as ethnography and incorporates multiple data sets which provide layers of rich and descriptive information that reveal how to foster a culture of creativity in a school for young children. …

Identification Of Specific Learning Disability Profiles: Consideration Of Patterns Across Cognitive, Academic, Socio-Emotional, And Executive Variables, Amanda M. Garrett

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

During recent years, there has been a growing urgency and a heightened demand for increased accountability for all students to demonstrate academic success in school, as required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB; 2002). An integral part of helping students to meet success in school includes providing them with a free and appropriate education; this also includes those students who have educational disabilities, through the provision of specially designed instruction and supports. In the past, SLD had been studied as a homogenous classification (Rourke, 1999). However, as more recent research has evolved, it has become clearer that students …

Barriers To Implementation Of Rti At The Secondary Level, Nancy Jane Holsapple

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine if there are differences among building administrators, guidance counselors, and specialEducation directors on a perceived level of implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) at the secondary level. The study also examined whether or not RTI serves as a predictor of students identified in specialEducation. This study did not find a significant difference between perceptions of Indiana high school counselors, Indiana high school administrators and Indiana specialEducation directors. The study also revealed the six indicators of RTI do not serve as predictors for students who are identified in specialEducation. Of the three groups …

College Student Pathways To The Stem Disciplines, Mark Engberg, Gregory C. Wolniak

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background/Context: As concerns mount about the shortage of students entering science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers, policy makers throughout the United States are contemplating strategies to maintain and enhance our nation's economic vitality and international competitiveness. Within this policy and program environment, researchers have focused considerable attention on improving STEM education at different stages of the educational pipeline, yet we lack evidence on how resources from one educational setting may influence outcomes in a successive educational setting. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus: The purpose of the study is to examine individual- and school-level factors that influence students' pathways to the STEM fields …

The Effect Of Grade Configuration On The Academic Achievement Of Special Needs Students: The Case Of New Jersey, Derrick E. Nelson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Influence Of High School Academics On Freshman College Mathematics And Science Courses At Suny Oswego, Tolga Hayali

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Diversity Among Latino/A College Students And Its Impact On Student Organization Involvement, Enmanuel Mercedes

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Streaming While Teaching: The Legality Of Using Person Streaming Video Accounts For The Classroom, Jonathan I. Ezor

Scholarly Works

Educators are constantly seeking new sources of relevant material to illustrate doctrinal and practice topics. With the growing understanding of students’ different learning styles, as well as the expansion of high-speed network connections and large displays in the classroom, streaming video has begun gaining popularity as an educational tool. Films, television programs, and real-time and archived legislative and court sessions may provide examples (both positive and negative) to enhance pedagogy. One increasingly common source for streaming content is a commercial video provider such as Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. Even where such providers do not offer educational or institutional services, educators …

Textbooks, Teachers, And Compromise: The Political Work Of Freedmen Education, Ashley Marie Swarthout

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

After the end of the Civil War, Northerners flooded into the South in order to participate in the education of freedmen. While many, perhaps most, of the individuals who worked in freedmen education had the best interests of the freedmen in mind, freedmen education in of itself was inherently political; therefore, all contributors to freedmen education were also sponsors of Southern Reconstruction politics. It is my argument that the aid organizations (particularly the American Missionary Association and the American Freedmen's Union Commission), the writers and printers of freedmen-specific textbooks (the American Tract Society and Lydia Maria Child), and the teachers …

Exploring Student Perseverance In Problem Solving, Angelique Renee (Treadway) Duncker

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT Many high school Geometry students lack the perseverance required to complete complex and time-consuming problems. This project tests the hypothesis that if students were provided with a means of organizing their problem solving work they will be less apt to quit when faced with complex and time-consuming mathematical problems. This study involved students enrolled in 10th grade Geometry and 10th grade Honors Geometry in two similar high schools. After trying unsuccessfully to implement methods adapted from an engineering workshop, I designed a graphic organizer that was simple to use and acceptable to the students. Ultimately, I did not detect …

The Effects Of The Peer Instruction Technique Think-Pair-Share On Students' Performance In Chemistry, Kathleen Sipos Trent

LSU Master's Theses

Think-Pair-Share is an active learning strategy which involves pairs of students discussing answers to questions or problems. The purpose of this study was to determine if the peer instruction technique Think-Pair-Share improved students’ performance in high-school chemistry. The teacher used one class of students as a control group. This group did not use Think-Pair-Share for the chapter investigated, “Chemical Reactions”. The teacher used two other classes of students, who did use Think-Pair-Share for this chapter, as the experimental group. There was no difference in the learning gains between the control and experimental groups. Think-Pair-Share and normal classroom instruction methods were …

The Effects Of Self-Examination To Peers On Student Learning In Physical Science, Leah Ellis Thompson

LSU Master's Theses

This study was undertaken to test if the use of self-explanation to a peer would affect learning outcomes in the classroom. The outcomes of classes taught using the self-explanation technique were compared to outcomes from traditional lecture courses in lessons of comparable content. Great Scholars and traditional students in a sixth grade physical science classroom setting were given pre-and post-tests in two units of study, matter and waves. In the matter unit, students participated in a lesson on density using traditional lecture and a lesson on changes in matter using self-explanation. In the waves unit, students utilized lecture instruction for …