Education Commons^™

Examination Of The Challenges Faced By Foreign-Born Students In A State College That May Prolong/Prevent Graduation., Modupe Soremi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study stems from several reports indicating the increasing competitiveness of the world economy, the requirement of at least an associate degree in the fastest growing jobs in the U.S. labor market, and the unprecedented increase in the foreign-born population in the United States since the 1970s (U.S. Census Bureau Web, 2016; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projection, 2009; President's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), 2009). Understanding the challenges faced by foreign-born students at state colleges will create an avenue for recommending solutions to many these challenges, thereby increasing their educational attainment and economic productivity, hence preparing more Americans …

Barriers To Adoption Of Wellness Programs: A Worked Example Of An Augmented Best-Fit Framework Synthesis, Dalton Oliver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Qualitative syntheses have the potential to offer a great deal of insight into complex problems of practice. However, their methods often appear unclear and warrant ongoing scrutiny by the research community. Aim: This study introduces a novel combination of methods for synthesizing qualitative literature and explores the utility of these methods through a worked example of a real-world problem of practice. Methods: Qualitative studies that investigated barriers to adoption of wellness programs through the perspectives of key informants were systematically collected for synthesis. Key informants were identified as decision makers at small- to medium-sized businesses. The primary method used …

Career Preparation For Interdisciplinary Science Phd Students: A Case Study, Sabrina Gordon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This case study intended to collect and analyze responses from stakeholders of the UCF Modeling and Simulation graduate program regarding the ways in which interdisciplinary (IDS) science PhD students could be prepared for diverse career paths. A mixed methodology study was executed and quantitative survey (N=96) and qualitative interview (N=10) data were collected to address three research questions. Overall, stakeholders for this case study were found to represent the three main career paths of academia, government, and industry. Survey data were utilized to gauge the level of importance that survey participants perceived for various survey scales and items. The scales …

Improving Instructional Strategies In Higher Education For Students With A Learning Disability In A General Education Science Course, Brian Ogle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice employed a mixed-methods design to identify preferred instructional methods in a college level science course as well as the self-reported challenges to learning science in college by students with a learning disability. In addition, the relationships between preferred instructional strategies and learner characteristics such as declared major, and learning disability were examined. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected from a sample of 48 participants using an electronic survey. Additionally, eight participants participated in focus groups to collect in-depth qualitative data. All participants are current students enrolled full-time at Beacon College. Each participant completed a science college …

Faculty Professional Development For Improving Hybrid Course Success, Amanda Saxman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this Dissertation in Practice was to investigate the inconsistent success rates in hybrid courses at a Florida college. Results from a pilot study and faculty survey revealed a need for a training program specific to hybrid instructors. The researchers created a training program composed of a framework and a professional development course, designed to promote consistency in how instructors create and implement their hybrid courses. The framework consists of six research-based standards which aided in the creation of six learning modules for the professional development course. These modules were: course alignment, face-to-face active learning, online resources, formative …

A Phenomenological Study On The Implementation Of Louise Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory And Its Impact On Teacher-Efficacy For Literacy Instruction In An Online Environment, Marcus Vu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study sought to examine the teacher-efficacy for literacy instruction (TELI) of instructors who teach in an online environment. The phenomenological methodology sought to answer the following research questions: (1) What pedagogical practices do instructors use to provide literacy instruction in an online environment? (2) How do instructors perceive their TELI in an online environment? and (3) What impact, if any, will a Professional Learning Community (PLC) focused on Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory have on TELI in an online environment? The study consisted of a group of seven online instructors. The researcher the acting as facilitator administered the initial interviews …

Enhancing Imagination And Creativity In The Elementary Classroom Through 11 Impossible Children's Books And Related Lesson Plans, Karlee L. Rankine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Not too long ago we believed that it was impossible to send men outside our planets gravitational force, let alone send them to the moon. As adults, we live in a world that believes in two possibilities, those goals that are possible as long as they believe in themselves and find new ways to accomplish each goal they are given. Slowly this thought process is leaving the students minds to make room for the latest information for best practices in formal test taking. There has been a huge decline in our imaginative and creative thinkers due to this overwhelming need …

Investigating Instructional Designers' Decisions Regarding The Use Of Multimedia Learning Principles In E-Learning Course Design, Victor Arguelles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study employed a qualitative research design using the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB) to investigate instructional designers' use of multimedia learning principles (MLPs) in e-learning course design. While MLPs have been extensively studied in educational research and are largely associated with positive results, evidence suggests that instructional designers are not uniformly implementing these strategies when designing e-learning environments. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to understand better the alignment between instructional designers' knowledge and demonstrated implementation of MLPs; and (b) to understand the factors that influence instructional designers' intent and actual implementation of MLPs in their …

A Process Evaluation Of A Family Involvement Program At A Title I Elementary School, Maria Camacho Moody

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parental or family involvement in student academics has been an on-going topic for researchers. There is a need for studies to be conducted on parental involvement program implementation in order to determine if there is an impact on student academics when school, family, and community partnership programs are in place. For this study, a process evaluation was conducted on a parental or family involvement program newly developed and implemented at a Title I elementary school in an urban setting. The purpose of this mixed-methods process evaluation was to (a) document how the program was implemented, (b) examine the progress toward …

Bridging The Gap Between Esol And Native English Speakers In A Digital Collaborative Classroom, Shalander Samuels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation in practice was to explore how to bridge the gap between ESOL students and native English speaking students in a collaborative learning environment in a middle school in Tangerine Florida. The gap in performance was highlighted because ESOL students failed to meet the same levels of academic achievement (based on the Florida Standard Assessment Test) as their native English-speaking counter parts. The intent of the dissertation was to design a framework that would meet the pedagogical needs of ESOL students and teachers who teach them. A pilot study was completed that included teachers both ESOL-endorsed …

The Use Of Hands-On Educational Pedagogy In A Standardized Science Curriculum, Sarah Alam

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Introduction

The purpose of this project is to implement an innovative, and engaging knowledge transfer pedagogy for 5th grade science students. This project utilized Stealth Learning, a learning pedagogy developed by Dr. James Rosser.^{99,100,109,110} The program featured applied learning to develop skill sets in general and drone aviation, as well as minimally invasive surgery techniques. This was facilitated through the use of computers, table simulators, and drones.

Methodology

This project took standardized subject matter from the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) and converted it into content featuring the Stealth approach. The section that was converted was the "Practice of …

Exploring Teaching Methods Corresponding With The Theory Of Basic Human Values In Late Childhood And Early Adolescence Classrooms, Nicole Daly

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Recent research that indicates ten universal values are shared across cultures has developed into the Schwartz Value Systems Theory. This theory describes the ten basic human values that derive from different motivational forces such as social superiority, an inner desire in novelty, and loyalty to one’s group. The values and corresponding motivational forces guide an individual’s decisions. After the Schwartz Value Systems Theory had been developed, two surveys have been created in order to assess an individual’s value hierarchy. While both of these surveys accurately measure an adult’s values, further research has indicated children possess individual values similarly to adults. …

An Examination Of The Extent To Which Word Work With Elementary Students Transfers To Authentic Reading And Writing Practices, Rebecca A. Chappell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to seek understanding of how word work lessons with children can transfer to their authentic reading and writing practices. Research has shown that when word work is embedded into a balanced approach to teach literacy, it works well and quickly. However, other research shows that word work did not transfer into the students’ authentic writing because the connection between word work and writing was not made explicit to the students. The gap in the literature is that far less is known about how word work transfers to authentic reading and writing. In my study, …

Effects Of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (Call) Instruction On The Acquisition Of Passive Grammatical Forms By Post-Secondary English As A Second Language (Esl) Students, Ya Chi Chien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to compare Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) grammar instruction with traditional classroom teacher-directed grammar instruction for post-secondary English as a Second Language (ESL) students enrolled in an Intensive English Program (IEP). Students‟ achievement was measured by their performance on three measures (multiple choice, cloze/fill-in-the-blank, and open-ended tests) of passive grammatical forms. This study gathered quantitative data on students‟ performance on the three measures for both teacher-directed and CALL instruction groups as well as qualitative data with respect to the CALL participants‟ perception of the Azar Interactive online grammar instruction program. Results of the mixed design …

The Role Of Web 2.0 And Social Media Community In Education As A Form Of Teacher Personal Professional Development, Brandi Evans Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers are facing greater technological demands. They are expected to use and teach their students to use various forms of collaborative technology (Partnership for 21st Century Learning, 2010). Personal professional development is professional development that teachers seek on their own, strictly on a voluntary basis, so that they can meet the needs of their students or address issues that are unique to their classroom. This study used a survey to examine the relationship between how teachers’ reported using social media community in education for personal professional development and the criteria for effective professional development, teachers’ integration practices, teachers’ frequency of …

The Effects Of Computer-Assisted Repeated Readings On The Reading Performance Of Middle School Students With Mild Intellectual Disabilities, Mark Cerasale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has mandated that all public school students will be reading at grade level by the 2013-2014 school year. Florida has embarked on an agenda to ensure that the kindergarten through high school student population is reading at or above grade level by 2014. Many of Florida's low-performing student population, including middle school students with high incidence disabilities, are reading below grade level. Using a multiple baseline across subjects design, this study examined the impact of computer-assisted repeated readings on the reading performance of three middle school students with mild intellectual disabilities over …

Character Education: Examining The Perceptions Of Elementary, Middle, And High School Teachers In A Central Florida School District, Jason Ampel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While schools are academic institutions to prepare our country's youth for their future, developing a child's character and civic responsibilities is necessary and is often deleted from the explicit curriculum set forth in most school districts throughout the country. This study investigated the perception of character education of teachers in a Central Florida school district, as it related to teacher importance, teacher efficacy, and teacher practice of character education. This study investigated the responses of 497 classroom teachers surveyed within one Central Florida school district. The questionnaire used in this study was designed to illuminate teacher perceptions of character education, …

Interrater Reliability Of Psychomotor Skill Assessment In Athletic Training, Jason Craddock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Assessment in athletic training education is an evolutionary process that is determined by each individual Athletic Training Education Program. The autonomy authorized by national accreditation standards allows academic programs to determine the appropriate assessment practices that facilitate the meeting of student learning outcomes. Even with autonomy, formative and summative techniques are to be employed in both the didactic and clinical arenas of athletic training education programs. The major objective of athletic training education is to prepare students for entry-level practice in athletic training. The purpose of this study was to assess interrater reliability of athletic training faculty and approved clinical …

Assessment Practices Inelementary Visual Art Classrooms, Jennifer Betz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the attitudes and usages of assessment methods by elementary visual art teachers in two southeastern school districts. Data consisted of responses to a mailed survey instrument that included relevant demographic information pertaining to respondent's educational preparation experiences, tabulation of classroom activities, assessment usage, and a construct set of questions which addressed an attitudinal scale about the effectiveness of evaluation and measurement within their visual art classrooms. The primary focus of attitudinal orientation toward assessment centered upon the types of role models respondents encountered regarding assessment during initial teacher preparation and the …

Are Approaches To Teaching And/Or Student Evaluation Of Instruction Scores Related To The Amount Of Faculty Formal Eduational Co, Kristen Schellhase

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate if there are correlations among an instructor's approach to teaching, student evaluation of instruction outcomes, and the amount of formal coursework in education a teacher has completed. Three research questions provided the focus for the study: (1) to determine if there is a correlation between the number of formal educational courses taken by athletic training educational program (ATEP) faculty and their approach to teaching; (2) to determine if there is a correlation between the amount of formal educational courses taken by ATEP faculty and their students' evaluations of instruction; and (3) to …

The Effect Of The Dove Evolution Film As A One-Shot Media Literacy Treatment, Daniel Wheeler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of the Dove Evolution film as a one-shot media literacy treatment to change sociocultural attitudes toward appearance. Four speech classes at the University of Central Florida were used in a Solomon four-group design. Group 1 received a posttest; Group 2 received a pretest and a posttest; Group 3 received the treatment and posttest; and Group 4 received the pretest, treatment and posttest. The treatment consisted of the Dove Evolution film, a viral video introduced in 2006 by Dove as part of its Campaign for Real Beauty. The film has received …

Content And Citation Analysis Of Interdesciplinary Humanities Textbooks Within A Framework Of Curriculum Theory, Julie Guidera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to analyze the content of textbooks used in undergraduate survey courses in interdisciplinary humanities to understand the content of the curriculum and how an author's viewpoint shapes the product. By enumerating the texts and images authors and their publishers used to illustrate 20th century culture and the transition into the 21st century, the analysis generated a description of the range of perspectives from traditional to postmodern found in six sampled textbooks. Textbook content provided chronological data, while authors' source citations established identity properties of the works' contributors. Through a ranking system of authors' treatment …

The Preparedness Of Elementary Music Teachers To Include Students With Challenging Behavior In Their Classrooms, Christine Shirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities, some with emotional and behavior disorders, are included in almost all elementary music classes. Students with emotional behavior disorders are one of the greatest challenges for teachers. To be effective, teachers must develop strategies and inclusive practices specifically geared towards intervention. With the quantity of students served and only limited class time with students, the music teacher is often unaware of the unique needs of specific special learners. Music teacher preparation has been inadequate in training teachers for inclusion. Elementary music educators rarely have outside support to deal with classroom challenges as they serve students with disabilities …

Leadership Behavior And Technology Activities:The Relationship Between Principals And Technology Use In Schools, Alexandra Page-Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of study was to investigate the use of technology in schools and the influence of the principal on technology use. The technology activities of principals along with the school technology outcomes perceived by their faculty were described and analyzed to discover if there was a relationship between and among them. This study investigated technology related leadership behavior exhibited by principals in terms of NETS-A technology standards for administrators, and how their leadership behavior affected or predicted the multiple ways that technology was used throughout a school.The population for this study was composed of principals and instructional faculty from …

A Study Of Digital Communication Tools Used In Online High School Courses, Nathan Putney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which selected communication tools used by teachers who teach online are positively perceived by their students in improving feelings of self-efficacy and motivation, and which tools may be perceived to be significantly more effective than the others. Students from the Florida Virtual School, a leader in online course delivery for grades 6-12, were surveyed to find their perceptions about how their teachers' use of email, Instant Messaging, chat, the telephone, discussion area, whiteboard, and assignment feedback affected their motivation and success in an online high school course. Correlations were …

An Exploration Of How Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers Use Educative Curriculum Materials To Support Their Science Teaching, Deirdre Englehart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that a proportion of elementary teachers are not comfortable teaching science to young children. These teachers are unaware of the best methods of approaching science and don't have the science background knowledge to support teaching through inquiry methods. This case study explores the role educative curriculum materials play in supporting pre-service early childhood education teachers' knowledge with science content and teaching practices. Specifically, I examine how educative materials impact pre-service teacher's content knowledge in science and their pedagogical content knowledge related to inquiry methods. Three pre-service early childhood teachers participated in this research. The teachers were initially interviewed …

What Is The Relationship Between National Board Certification And The Achievement Results Of Third Grade Students In A Local Cen, Thomas Vitale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been much excitement over the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards; especially with regard to improving student achievement. Are Nationally Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) performing better than their non board certified counterparts? Does achieving National Board Certification mean that a teacher is "highly qualified?" What are the tangible effects on the achievement levels of students of Nationally Board Certified teachers? Much research has been conducted in the past few years to try to answer these questions. Currently, the results of much of this research are ambiguous at best. Most studies report little in the way of significant impact …

Academic Interventions For Successful Inclusion Of Students With Mild To Moderate Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities In General E, Carolynne Gischel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have traditionally been educated in self-contained special education settings. Recent legislative changes such as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 have led to increased inclusion of students with EBD in general education classrooms. Because of these changes, general educators need to know which research-based interventions are effective in improving academic performance with these students. This systematic review examined the literature to identify research-based effective interventions for students with EBD served in general education settings. Studies included in this review had to …

The Prevalence Of Bullying In Central Florida Middle Schools As Perceived By Students, Marty Norris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was developed to produce data about the prevalence of bullying in Central Florida middle schools. The research was intended to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on bullying and victimization. The focus for this study was provided through research questions: (a) to determine if there is a mean difference in perceived victimization among Central Florida middle school students based on grade level, gender, and ethnicity; (b) to determine if there is a mean difference in perceived bullying among Central Florida middle school students based on grade level, gender, and ethnicity; (c) to determine what support do students …

Levels Of Line Graph Question Interpretation With Intermediate Elementary Students Of Varying Scientific And Mathematical Knowle, Stacy Keller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how intermediate elementary students' mathematics and science background knowledge affected their interpretation of line graphs and how their interpretations were affected by graph question levels. A purposive sample of 14 6th-grade students engaged in think aloud interviews (Ericsson & Simon, 1993) while completing an excerpted Test of Graphing in Science (TOGS) (McKenzie & Padilla, 1986). Hand gestures were video recorded. Student performance on the TOGS was assessed using an assessment rubric created from previously cited factors affecting students' graphing ability. Factors were categorized using Bertin's (1983) three graph question levels. The assessment rubric was validated by Padilla …