Digital Commons Network^™

Equal Education For All: Myth Of Reality? Creating Teachers Who Care, Maya Ramirez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

All children deserve a quality education, regardless of their life at home, the availability of school resources, or even one’s criminal record. Though most current and aspiring educators would find this statement agreeable, the fact of the matter is that very few educators pursue a career in teaching inside a juvenile detention facility. Whether it is due to lack of comfort in this setting or the pre-fixed opinions about what someone who is convicted of a crime “deserves,” the reality is that educating privileged students is safer and more desirable. The result is that children who have been convicted of …

Preparing Multiple-Subject Pre-Service Teachers To Work Effectively With Students Who Have Autism, Makalah Vosmera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing of the State of California mandates that teacher preparation programs prepare effective and knowledgeable pre-service teachers to teach all students. Through the use of literature review, interviews and surveys with graduating Liberal Studies students, this senior capstone examines whether Liberal Studies graduating students are being prepared to work effectively with autistic students or not. The findings indicate that they take introductory education courses on autism spectrum disorder along with other forms of disabilities, but they do not receive sufficient breadth and depth coverage on how to work effectively with autistic students in regular classrooms.

Societal Factors Limiting The Access To Education Of Girls In Nigeria, Benjamin Stelter

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Nigeria provided an interesting case study for evaluating the societal factors that limit girls access to education. Educational attainment has been one of the contributing factors that has led to the gender gap in Nigeria. I used a mix of qualitative and quantitative research for this capstone research project. The research that I gathered was a combination of statistics from various government and Non-governmental with a combination of secondary sources from other researchers. I analyzed this by using African Muslim theory to interpret the data and offer a critical view of the research. Through this research I found that there …

Restoring American Education: An End To Zero Tolerance Policies Through Restorative Justice, Mariah Berry

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Each new generation of children in the U.S. are becoming more racially diverse, yet the criminalization of people of color continues to be a significant problem. This research paper studies the psychological effects and the impact on education achievement that the current standard of zero tolerance punishment in our education system has on students of color, and highlights restorative justice as a better way forward.

The Impact Of The 120/150-Hour Rule On Candidates To Sit For The Certified Public Accountant (Cpa) Exam: A Study On Women, Aubrey Sanders

Honors Theses

To become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), one must first qualify to take the exam and consequently, earn the licensure. While the information on the CPA exam tests the candidates on uniform information, the education eligibility requirements to both sit for and earn licensure vary among the U.S. states and jurisdictions. Currently, thirty-nine of the fifty-four U.S. jurisdictions – including Mississippi – have adopted what has become known as the 120/150 educational credit hour rule. This rule allows candidates to begin taking the exam upon earning 120 credit hours, which is equivalent to a bachelor's degree; however, candidates may not …

The Knowledge Of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among College Students, Annie Doster

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to address the perceived and actual knowledge levels of sexually transmitted diseases (STDS) among college students at a southern university. The sample consisted of 138 participants over the age of 18 enrolled as undergraduate students at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). A questionnaire was distributed via email listserv to the undergraduate population at USM assessing the attitudes and knowledge surrounding sexually transmitted diseases. The survey included three sections for the assessment of each variable: 12 demographic questions, 20 statements assessing student attitudes regarding the quality of their previous sex education and perceived knowledge, …

The Effect Of Teacher Race On Student Perceptions In Low-Income Schools, Benton M. Brown

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decision, thousands of teachers of color lost their jobs as black students were integrated into mostly white schools. The number of black teachers in schools across the United States has never recovered resulting in a teaching workforce that is less diverse than the student population that they teach. Many studies have examined the possible impact of this discrepancy including the possibility that this has contributed to the black-white achievement gap that exists in the United States. Other studies have examined the non-academic impacts of a less diverse workforce including …

Score Study Procedures And Processes Among Instrumental Music Teachers And Students Of Varying Experience., Jacob Mark Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Score study is agreed to be an essential part of musical preparation by professional conductors. However, no single method for score study has been established. This thesis examines the score study habits of undergraduate music majors, graduate students with a minimum of five years of instrumental teaching experience, and highly-qualified instrumental music teachers with a minimum of ten years of experience. Qualitative methods are employed, and interview transcriptions are the primary sources of data. Findings showed that instrumental music teachers and those with instrumental teaching experience base many of their score study decisions on the abilities and needs of students …

Parental Involvement Among Low-Income Filipinos: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Aileen S. Garcia

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Parental involvement in children’s education is an integral component of young children’s academic achievement. In the Philippines, a developing country with high rates of poverty and input deficit in basic education, school dropout rates are high especially among the poor. Given that many children from disadvantaged backgrounds do not get enough support (PIDS, 2012) and many parents are not equipped with skills to support their children’s education, it is essential to investigate how Filipino parents can help and contribute to their children’s academic success. In response to the lack of parental involvement literature situated in the Philippine context, the present …

Working Alliances: The Implications Of Person-Centered Theory For Student-Teacher Relationships And Learning, Adam Parker Cogbill

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation project, I interview four therapists and four writing teachers to learn if there were any significant similarities in differences in their approaches to dyadic relationships with students and clients. By dyadic, I mean what happens between individuals in a 1-on-1 setting when subjectivities collide. I was guided in my investigation by the core concepts of person-centered theory, which have heavily influenced the work of clinical therapists for the past half-century or more. These concepts are congruence, or whether one’s behaviors and speech match what one is feeling; empathy, the process of entering and becoming familiar with another’s …

The Activity Of Becoming A Second-Career Teacher, Michael Hildebrandt

Doctoral Dissertations

This is a study of three second-career teachers’ experiences of self transformation and the processes of socialization and identity formation each undergoes during his or her first three to five years as a full-time teacher. Each narrative offers a means through which to explore how liminal identity is at play during the transition to a new career—an experience that reshapes the experiences and self-understandings of individuals in the process of becoming teachers. The narratives that emerge from in-depth interviews showcase individuals with multi-faceted lives who have engaged in a multitude of personal and professional activities throughout their life course and …

No Child Left Behind Bars: Suspending Willful Defiance To Disassemble The School-To-Prison Pipeline, Danielle Dankner

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

With the criminalization of school discipline and the subsequent increased involvement between students and the juvenile justice system, a path from school to prison became entrenched. Public schools across the nation continued to increase their reliance on punitive disciplinary measures to punish a range of behaviors. Through these measures, schools began to perceive pushed out students as problematic, despite the lack of evidence supporting the efficacy of such policies. Due to school disciplinarians’ implicit bias when enforcing exclusionary policies, students of color and students with disabilities are most at risk. In the hopes of alleviating the devastating effects of the …

Understanding Student Perception Of Failure To Promote Self Worth, Stephanie Grubaugh

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Teachers strive to create a safe learning environment where students can learn from their mistakes and/or failures. Even though teachers are creating safe spaces for learning, many students will not engage in activities that might be challenging to the point of that students experiencing failure. The purpose of this qualitative action research study is to examine what perceptions students have about failure in order to help teachers find non-material incentives or reward structures to help give students self-worth. The research method involved the collection of data through surveys, a guided research project about the failures of famous people and an …

"Or I May Live...": Meaning-Making And Mortality, Hannah Bright

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This project examined the ways in which dialogical processing of the fact of one’s own impending death impacts meaning-making in day-to-day life. Taking a qualitative approach, the thesis builds from five in-depth interviews and follow-up surveys with students in higher education. In reviewing the role of death education in public school settings, the study concludes that an enhanced emphasis on love of learning, creative thinking and community engagement in public education is the most effective way for educators to support students in building appropriate skillsets to create meaning in their lives, as well as in the face of their eventual …

Repairing Wounds And Promoting Belonging And Resiliency In A Tracked English Classroom, Emily Wolper

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

A large body of research shows that academic tracking has the potential to negatively impact a student’s feeling of belonging on campus. However, students express a greater sense of belonging when they take classes with students who mirror some aspect of their identity. The purpose of this study was to understand the complex ways in which students in tracked or low-level classes develop their identity as learners and experience belonging at school with a predominantly white students and staff. Participants included students who were enrolled in Academic English and Support English classes during the 2017-2018 school year. Support students participated …

A Natural Pairing: Social Justice And Theatre Education, Danielle Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Social justice curricula are often solely geared toward middle and high school students. I intend to prove that a social justice curriculum can be creatively paired with a theatre curriculum. I also intend to prove that social justice can be taught as young as pre-kindergarten. I will design a social justice curriculum for various grade levels, beginning with pre-kindergarten. Through research and age-appropriate strategies, I will develop curriculum goals and learning experiences for all grade levels. The curriculum is not an end point for teachers, but rather a starting point for theatre teachers who want to integrate social justice into …

Elementary School Teachers' Student Health Concerns And Knowledge Of Resources, Aubrey Gahagan

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Teachers are with their students an average of seven to 10 hours a day, five days a week. The substantial amount of time teachers spend with their students allows them to provide helpful insight into health problems children face. The purpose of this study was to identify elementary school teachers’ concerns for student health and to assess their knowledge of resources that address those health concerns. A convenient sample of 86 teachers from three elementary schools in Northwest Arkansas was surveyed. Surveys were used to identify the three main concerns teachers have for their students. A cross-sectional design was used …

The Implementation Of A Cybersecurity Testbed For Education And Research, Elisabeth Dubois

Business/Business Administration

The Cyber Innovation Lab brings with it the understanding and collection of the threats, vulnerabilities, and risks that one’s IT resources present. Due to the increasing complexity and degree of cyber threats, innovation regarding current attack vectors and defense mechanisms are needed. The lack of realistic threat landscapes and the need for accurate security analysis and defense strategies prompted the implementation of a cyber physical system for defensive research. The project depicts the processes to establish the testbed, the methodology used in classifying the architecture, threat and attack analysis, as well as preliminary results. The paper presents the testbed architecture …

Sustainability Children's Book, Linden Cheek

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

As human driven climate change continues to alter our planet, persuading the general public to adopt sustainable living practices has become increasingly important. Storytelling has long been a part of human culture, and recent studies have emphasized the power of storytelling to influence the audience as a means of changing behavior. This project attempted to teach sustainable principles to primary school children through the creation of a scientific children’s book. The book communicated the maxim of “reduce, reuse, recycle” by tracing a fictitious story of a town where children frequently buy new toys and throw the old toys away. The …

The Role And Effectiveness Of The Haitian Diaspora In The Development Of Haiti, Keveny Rosier

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

It has been over a century since Haiti proclaimed its independence from France, but the nation still struggles to find a way to sustain its development. From an authoritarian governmental system to democracy, Haiti is widely known to be the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. As globalization opens doors for new opportunities, skilled Haitian professionals as well as professionals from other developing countries take advantage of those opportunities. However, the politics of repression of the Duvaliers (Papa Doc and Baby Doc) (1957-1986) and the failure of Haitian governments during the last three decades have encouraged not only the departure …

Trauma Informed Teaching To Support Student Social And Emotional Needs, Tara Williams

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how a trauma informed approach to behavior that supports the emotional growth of students and meets their needs for discipline and structure within a school environment affects teachers’ negative perspectives of student behavior. This study examined the impact Rainbowdance had on teacher perception of student behavior before teacher training and after training. The participants are three lower elementary teachers at Country Charter School and additional information is provided by the International Trauma Center (ITC) staff members who are implementing Rainbowdance. The data collection was done through narrative interviews, field notes and …

Superintendents Reclaiming Instructional Leadership: Shared Patterns And Practices, Valerie James-Kemp

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand and investigate the shared patterns among current superintendents who wish to reclaim their role as instructional leaders. The role of the superintendent has evolved since its inception two centuries ago. Originally intended to be a teacher of teachers, the role of the superintendent has developed and changed over time due to school reform movements and varying political climates. Using the Delphi method, a consensus was reached and shared patterns and practices were found. In summary, superintendents in this study shared their opinions about their role as chief administrators of a school …

Supporting Tennessee Veterans In Postsecondary Education, The Helping Heroes Grant Program, 2017 Update, Tennessee. Comptroller Of The Treasury.

Office of Research and Education Accountability

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Meditation/Mindfulness On Elementary Students In Crisis, Nicole C. Bixler

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project explores the effects that meditation and mindfulness practices have on elementary students in crisis. Changing the old methods used during the Time Away period, students will have the opportunity to utilize, explore, and take new risks while they experience the innovative opportunities to help cope with their stress and anxiety. The stressors that occur in school or in their personal life affect their performances and quality of life in school. The ultimate outcome from integrating new therapeutic methods is for student to use creative thinking to help create positive behavioral outcomes.

The Interplay Of Intelligence, Education, And The Media In Western Counterterrorism Strategies, Lincoln Gimnich

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

Terrorist activity has increased and evolved in Western societies in the twenty-first century as terrorist organizations have sought new methods to further their ideologies and goals. Counterterrorism thus requires a similar evolution that undoubtedly reverses the historic trend wherein counterterrorism has been merely reactive. Through interviews with experts, qualitative analysis of governmental publications and documents, and review of existing literature, this project explores the institutions of intelligence, education, and the media and their work within the larger counterterrorism and anti-radicalization framework of Western states. The project focuses specifically on domestic intelligence operations, intelligence sharing agreements, the United Kingdom’s Prevent strategy, …

Design And Development Of Inquiry-Based Materials For Conducting Observational Astronomy Research At Utrgv, Americo Francisco Hinojosa Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this work is to develop instructional materials to enhance the expertise of students in conducting observational astronomy research. The designed instructional units aim to provide students with an adequate knowledge of astronomy and hone their skills necessary in conducting observations, collecting and analyzing data including processing of astronomical images.

The instructional design is anchored on the ADDIE model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate). The phases from ADDIE were used as a framework to accomplish the process of developing the instructional materials. After following the ADDIE, it was possible to define performance goals and tasks which were …

Underrepresentation Of Latino Students In Gifted And Talented Programs: How Appropriate Are The Assessments Used For Identification, Deidra D. Tafolla

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the possible reasons behind the underrepresentation of Latino students in gifted and talented programs. This study investigated four South Texas school districts and their gifted and talented program matrices, by examining the manuals used to explain and describe the assessments that identify Latino students in gifted and talented programs. A matrix is a design based on a criterion that a school will use to identify gifted students. Carrillo’s (2013) Mestiz@ Theory of Intelligences (MTI) was used to analyze the manuals of the assessments most commonly used by the school districts to identify Latino students and were …

Literacy Rates Analysis: An International Comparison, Macarena Arce

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper attempts to provide a more complete reckoning of the economics of literacy rates around the world. It consists on a literature review about the economic benefits and costs of literacy rates and then it shows two econometrics models that attempt to predict literacy rates based on GDP, government expenditure, and several other independent variables.

The Effects Of International Curriculum On Students’ Worldview, Abriana Davies

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis discusses the education of students in international schools, particularly elementary-age students, who grow up in international schools, completing their programs and becoming “citizens of the world.” However, this relatability is constantly seen in international students who have attended an international school. It is as though a person’s people-skills and ability to relate well with others skyrockets as they attend a school where differences are not only accepted but celebrated. It is in these places where it is important to use technology well, think critically, stay current in the affairs of the world, be encouraged to follow one’s own …

Language Use By Spanish Heritage Speakers In The Classroom And The World And The Implications For Educators, Amanda Deras

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Looking at the patterns of language use, language attitudes, and language ideologies, this literature review investigates how Spanish heritage speakers’ use of Spanish and their views on using Spanish translate into the classroom. This paper looks at Spanish heritage language use in both official and unofficial spaces, putting emphasis on use in the classroom. Additionally, it looks at the language attitudes and ideologies Spanish heritage language speakers have toward the use of Spanish, English, and “Spanglish” in different contexts. Heritage language speakers, particularly Spanish heritage language speakers, are growing in number in the United States and in American schools. In …