Digital Commons Network^™

Resiliency Training Of Sixth-Grade Students In An Educational Setting, Matthew K. Boggan

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This study was designed to investigate the effects that resiliency training had upon a selected group of students in a rural school with a student population of approximately 600. Planned solution strategies included staff development training and implementing activities to establish the school climate and student readiness.

Resiliency Skills and Abilities Scale was used as a pretest, a 45-item survey to determine resiliency scores, before implementing resiliency skills. Training from The Resiliency Training Program, a Training of Trainers by Nan Henderson, M.S.W. was used as an intervention strategy. The intervention strategies involved a section of sixth-grade students, teachers, counselor, administrators, …

Project Second Chance: A Dropout Prevention Program, May W. Bolden

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

During the 1998-1999 academic year, 8.78% of the students in grades 11 and 12 dropped out of the two high schools located in Florence, Alabama. This percentage increased each year and was projected to reach an unacceptable rate of 18.51% during the 2001-2002 academic year.

The researcher initiated a dropout prevention program, called Project Second Chance, in order to reduce the dropout rate. Project Second Chance allowed students to retake failed or lost-credit courses in evening classes. The project had the additional objectives to improve students’ self-image, prevent them from missing regular courses due to the necessity to repeat core …

Methods Of Improving The Reading Comprehension Skills Of Seventh-Grade Literacy Students, Mellanie L. Robinson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to improve the reading comprehension skills of seventh-grade students. A majority of the students in the writer’s literacy class scored poorly on the following reading comprehension instruments: the Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (STAR), the Science Research Associates test (SRA), and a reading selection from the Jamestown Signature Reading Series. Failure to succeed on these tests can be discouraging for adolescents and can cause them to develop negative attitudes towards the concept of reading as a whole.

For several months, the writer read multitudinous pieces of educational literature from credible sources (e.g., Middle …

The Effects Of Home-School Communication On Parental Involvement, Diana L. Watson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to study the effects of home-school communication on parent involvement by implementing the program Project S.P.E.A.K.: Students, Parents, and Educators Actively Keeping in Touch.

The targeted population consisted of 24 certified general education teachers, 505 students in grades Kindergarten through Grade 5, and 505 parents of students in Kindergarten through Grade 5. The problem to be solved in this applied dissertation was that parents and teachers were not communicating well with each other. At the targeted site, parent involvement and attendance at school functions had dropped drastically over the past 5 years. The data collected …

Improving Student Social Skills In An Elementary School Setting, Gloria Mckibbin

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Teachers and administrators reported an increase in the number of school violations regarding verbal and physical assaults. This aggressive and inappropriate behavior created a negative school climate and detracted from the academic process, as teachers were spending more time redirecting students who were misbehaving rather than teaching.

A social skills program that focused on empathy, social problem solving, and anger management was developed and implemented with fourth-grade students to improve their prosocial behavior in the classroom environment. Using cognitive behavioral strategies such as modeling, roleplaying, and cuing and methods to assess their own behaviors during group lessons, discussions, and exercises, …

Effects Of A Violence Prevention Program On The Safe School Component Of School Climate, Vickie G. Tribble

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a violence prevention program at Robert Wood Johnson Memorial Comprehensive High School (hereafter referred to as Johnson High School) on the safe school component of the school climate through discipline data and perceptions of school personnel and clients about safety. Johnson High School, which is located near a large metropolitan area in the south, is a multicultural school with approximately 1,032 students. The school opened in 1972 with approximately 1,200 predominately Caucasian students. With the growth in the community over the last 30 years, there was a noted shift …

The Development Of A Plan For The Viability Of Physical Education At Calhoun Community College With A Plan For Implementation And Evaluation, Nancy Keenum

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The current economic decline in Alabama has meant that educational institutions have had to deal with serious financial shortfalls and budget cuts. The problem facing Calhoun Community College is that funding cuts have resulted in an 80% reduction of the Physical Education department at a time when the administration has an interest in future long-term growth, physical education courses remain a viable option for students, and there is an increased awareness of the concomitant health benefits. This applied dissertation was designed to provide a comprehensive plan for the Physical Education department to meet the needs of the students by remaining …

Using The Writing Process And Continuous Assessment To Improve Student Compositions, Constance M. Goines

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This dissertation described an intervention program that was designed to improve the quality of writing in an inner city school in the southwest United States. It was an ethnically and linguistically diverse Title I learning community of about 300. The program targeted 44 second semester 3rd graders who would be first semester 4th graders following the July summer break. Two fourth grade teachers, both with at least four years of experience and extensive writing process training, implemented the program at both grade levels.

The focus was to raise writing scores, as measured by the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) …

Strategies For Increasing Enrollment In A High School Gifted And Talented Internship Program, Bruce D. Riegel

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This Applied Dissertation Investigation was designed to determine the effectiveness of Targeted Outreach as a recruiting strategy in increasing overall enrollment and enrollment by minority students in a high school Gifted and Talented Intern-Mentor Program (IMP). An analysis of enrollment trends in the program indicated a 90% decline in enrollment of minority students in the program during the period fall 1997 through winter 2001.

Targeted Outreach, a recruitment strategy tested on a population of 10 students during a preliminary investigation and 39 students during the Applied Dissertation Investigation. Data was collected using enrollment figures and a data-collection form administered to …

Increasing The Likelihood Of Reading Success In Kindergarten Students Through Early Literacy Intervention, Cindy R. Williams

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to increase the likelihood of literacy success in kindergartners through early intervention services provided by the primary level reading teacher. There had been no early literacy intervention services offered in the writer’s school district prior to the time that the dissertation project was implemented. The goals of the dissertation were to decrease the likelihood that a kindergartner would repeat kindergarten or require remedial reading services in first grade due to the intervention services they received in kindergarten.

The writer designed an intervention program through which 15 kindergarten children were targeted for daily small group instruction …

A Plan To Reduce Bullying Behaviors At Coginchaug High School, Steve Wysowski

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

A survey of sophomores taken in 1999 at Coginchaug high School indicated that student harassment was above the national average as established by The Educational Excellence Alliance. Harassment is defined by the Alliance as “being insulted, teased, or made fun of to your face.” Another follow-up survey was administered a year later. The amount of student-reported harassment was greater in the freshman and sophomore years and diminished in the junior and senior years. A survey taken in October 2002 for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges’ self-study indicated that 90% of the 138 respondents do not feel respected …

Molding Minds, Making Links: Mentoring And Staff Development To Reduce Suspensions For Major Offenses At The Secondary Level, Ginger W. Hamilton

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was two-fold. The first part addressed school-based administrators. They were offered opportunities for professional development programs to help them improve intervention services at the school level. The second part was a mentoring program designed to provide students who seemed to be on a path leading to serious behavior problems at school with an adult who provided daily guidance and assistance.

The writer designed and implemented a professional development program for school-based administrators. Seven sessions were held to assist with improvement of their knowledge of school discipline and intervention. In addition, fifteen students from three secondary schools were …

Providing Character Education Towards Resiliency For An Alternative Education High School, Anita L. Herron

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to address the need to improve the educational profile of an urban alternative education high school that failed to meet one or more of the state's standards for achievement, attendance, and school performance. A character education curriculum holistic case management program was developed to address this problem.

The program provided students with a three-focus educational strand instructional program: Case management intervention, academic diagnostic assessment, and an individualized planning and instructional curriculum to achieve school success. The writer presented a comprehensive intervention service that required all participants to attend a mandatory orientation, community-based involvement, consultation, and …

Creating A New Reporting System For Effective Communication Between The School And The Home, Dennet John Sidell

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to create and use a new reporting system that would better communicate with parents how their child was performing in school. The system used before the implementation was fragmented (each grade used a different reporting system), outdated (not complementing what was happening in the classroom), used confusing codes (parents not receiving a clear message), and unreliable (teachers used the reporting systems for different purposes). The new reporting system would have a common purpose, be consistent in format between grades, and use vocabulary that was clear and easy to understand.

Three solution strategies were incorporated into …

A Comprehensive Reading Program To Increase Reading Skills Of Low-Performing Students, Annie C. Savage

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This dissertation describes a schoolwide program that was designed to improve reading skills of students at a middle school with a population of 700 students. Located in the northwest section of Huntsville, Alabama, the public school houses students in grades 6, 7, and 8. An analysis of data from the Stanford Achievement Test, the Qualitative Reading Inventory, and the Student Test and Assessment of Reading indicated that more than 50% of the students in the school were reading below their grade-level equivalency.

Several previously implemented instructional strategies, such as Accelerated Reader and the Alabama Reading Initiative Program had not impacted …

Addressing The Response And Responsibility Of The Education System To The Social Concerns Of At-Risk Students In American Schools: An Evaluative Study Of A Partnership Intervention Program, Ina Dorman

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The social problems of students and society in general have changed dramatically over the past 2 decades, and school leaders are now challenged with how to address these changes effectively while preserving the integrity and purpose of an institution of learning.

This study identified the social, environmental, and behavioral issues facing students in a large, urban school district with a population of over 250,000 students. This qualitative analysis examined the data and risk factors that impact the academic achievement of students and the response by the organization leaders to respond adequately to the challenges.

The school district is situated in …

Intervention Plan To Reduce Truancy Of Seventh-, Eighth-, And Ninth-Grade Students, Mike Stiefel

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation describes the attendance problems of students at Wellborn High School. Wellborn High School is 1 of 7 high schools in the Calhoun County School District. Located in a community with a high poverty rate and limited employment opportunities, the school has the highest percentage of truancy of 7th-, 8th-, and 9th-grade students in the district. Many parents of this community do not value education; therefore, they are indifferent to enforcing the attendance policy of the school district.

A review of selected literature was conducted to identify causes of truancy. After identification of many characteristics of truancy and …

Postsecondary Readiness Skills: Perceptions Of Students With And Without Disabilities, Carol Mae White

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in the perceptions of postsecondary readiness skills between students with emotional disorders, students with learning disabilities, and students with no disabilities. Participants consisted of 91 students, 12 students with emotional disorders, 47 students with learning disabilities, and 32 students without disabilities in grades 11 and 12 who were planning on transitioning to postsecondary education. Data were collected to determine if there were significant differences in perceptions of postsecondary readiness skills among the three groups of students, specifically on eight domains: general preparation, academic preparation, self-determination and advocacy, academic accommodations and …

The Impact Of Full-Day And Half-Day Kindergarten On The Language Arts Achievement Scores Of First-Grade Students, Stefanie M Kujaczynski

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Full-day kindergarten programming is an increasing trend in early childhood education settings. Many school districts are beginning to offer such programs based on the needs and opinions of teachers and parents. These districts are making substantial financial commitments to this programming prompted by the belief that full-day kindergarten will produce greater academic gains for children, more specifically at-risk children; This study investigated the impact of full-day and half-day kindergarten program enrollment on the language arts achievement scores of 237 first grade children considered to be at risk for academic failure. Gender differences and program enrollment differences were the primary categories …

Family Connectedness And Sexual Risk-Taking Among Urban Youth Attending Alternative High Schools, Christine M Markham, Susan R Tortolero, S Liliana Escobar-Chaves, Guy S Parcel, Ronald Harrist, Robert C Addy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

CONTEXT: Youth in alternative high schools engage in risky sexual behavior at higher rates than do their peers in regular schools, placing themselves at an increased risk of sexually transmitted disease and unintended pregnancy. Family connectedness is associated with reduced adolescent sexual risk-taking, although this association has not been tested among alternative school youth.

METHODS: A sample of 976 urban, predominantly minority alternative high school students in Houston, Texas, were surveyed in 2000-2002. Survey data were analyzed using logistic regression to determine whether family connectedness is related to sexual risk-taking.

RESULTS: Overall, 68% of students reported ever having had sex. …

A Brand New Elementary School: Conception To Inception, W. Glenn Huggins

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide a practical model for building a new school. The basis for this model was the author’s experience as a public school principal with the responsibility of opening a new school. The context of this paper involved the initiation of organizational and operational processes for systems and structures associated with a new school. This model utilized recollections and recommendations of an experienced practitioner and might be considered a combination of a diagnostic aide and operational guide. This work provided a practical model for the development, design, construction, and initial operation of a new school. …

Declining Enrollment: Recruitment Efforts To Reverse This Trend, Queen A. Morrow

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to recruit high school students for enrollment in courses offered at Bibb County Career Tech Center (BCCTC) and ensure program completion by students enrolled at BCCTC. An analysis of enrollment patterns for the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 indicated that enrollment had steadily declined. Interview and survey data yielded numerous reasons for the enrollment decline, such as inadequate public relations, early release programs by the high schools, and apathy on the part of the students.

Interventions to reverse the declining enrollment trend included launching public relations enhancement programs. Brochures that clearly depicted objectives and possible job opportunities …

A Brand New Middle School: Conception To Inception, Charles W. King Ii Ii

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide a practical model for building a new school. The basis for this model was the author’s experience as a public school principal with the responsibility of opening a new school. The context of this paper involved the initiation of organizational and operational processes for systems and structures associated with a new school. This model utilized recollections and recommendations of an experienced practitioner and might be considered a combination of a diagnostic aide and operational guide. This work may provide a practical model for the development, design, construction, and initial operation of a new …

Preparing Third Grade Students Who Are Adequately Decoding To Comprehend Reading Passages, Marva S. Jeremiah

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation focused on improving the reading comprehension of third grade students in an elementary school. The instructional model of the school was based on providing skills instruction. Further, students were not given opportunities to read independently for an extended time. The third grade students of this elementary school concentrated on decoding and neglected comprehension when they read.

A program was developed by this writer to help the participating students use strategies while reading. This program included teachers reading aloud to students to model strategies, the writer’s explicit instructions and guided practice of these strategies, and the students independent …

A Saturday School Program For At-Risk Students, Melvin Hitchens

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem under investigation is the frequency and severity of behavior related infractions. Township administrators are concerned because growing populations of students were violating the district’s policy on character education. Administrators were also concerned because a majority of these students academically lagged behind their peers.

The Saturday School Program was established for students who demonstrated a lack of respect for others. Students have threatened administrators with physical violence. Such behavior was a violation of the school policy on character development, which states that students should exhibit an attitude of caring, courage, honesty, responsibility and self-discipline. Although the lack of character …

The Ecosystem Of Partnerships: A Case Study Of A Long-Term University-Community Partnership, Gary Daynes, Scott L. Howell, Nathan K. Lindsay

Faculty Publications

This article presents a case study describing a robust fortyeight- year partnership between the Boy Scouts of America, Brigham Young University, Utah Valley State College, and others in an annual merit badge Powwow1 for Boy Scouts. Service-learning occurs as five hundred university students and faculty prepare for and teach merit badge classes to five thousand Boy Scouts as part of this Powwow. The article presents the history and operation of the Powwow, describes benefits to participants, and identifies some of the factors that contribute to the enduring nature of the partnership. The case study suggests that partnerships are similar to …

Development Of A Service-Learning Program For Scottsdale Community College, Carolyn O’Connor

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to develop a service-learning program for Scottsdale Community College (SCC) which is one of only two Maricopa Colleges that do not have a service-learning program.

Five research questions were addressed in this dissertation. Development and evaluation problem-solving methodologies were employed throughout this study. Both quantitative and qualitative research designs were used to guide the data collection, using a service learning questionnaire, faculty and agency surveys, interviews, and two case studies.

The research revealed that several factors must be in place prior to implementation in order to insure the success of the program. 1) Service-learning must …

Ua45/6 Commencement Program, Wku Registrar

WKU Administration Documents

Commencement program listing graduates.

Volume 38 - Issue 09 - Friday, December 6, 2002, Rose Thorn Staff

The Rose Thorn Archive

The Rose Thorn, Rose-Hulman's independent student newspaper.

Volume 38 - Issue Career Fair - Wednesday, October 16, 2002, Rose Thorn Staff

The Rose Thorn Archive

The Rose Thorn, Rose-Hulman's independent student newspaper.