Education Commons^™

Student Veteran Innovation Workshop: Exploring Purpose-Driven Camaraderie, David Brian Kartchner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There 1 million veterans enrolled in higher education in the U.S., and we know relatively little about them. In this work, the term student veteran refers to both former and current military service members. Most of the small body of literature on student veterans is focused on perceived issues found within this population, rather than the strengths they bring to their academic experience. In recent years, academic work has emerged that advocates a shift to looking at the positive traits of the student veteran community. Building on the emerging strength-based perspectives, the concept of purpose-driven camaraderie among student veterans introduces …

Preservice Teacher Engineering Design Teaching Efficacy, Laura Wheeler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Science educators are tasked with enacting The Next Generation Science Standards that include engineering core ideas and practices. Many teacher preparation programs and content courses do not include or require engineering design leading many science teachers to believe they are unprepared to teach engineering design. The lack of experience and belief of being unprepared to teach engineering design results in preservice educators’ lack of engineering design teaching self-efficacy. Preparation programs inclusion of efficacy in is essential to understanding later enactment. This mixed-method case study researched the engineering design teaching self-efficacy of eleven preservice educators during an engineering design unit taught …

The Impact Of Formative Assessment Cycles On Students' Attitudes And Achievement In A Large-Enrollment Undergraduate Introductory Statistics Course, Kimberleigh Felix Hadfield

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study aimed to investigate the impact of student attitudes toward statistics and student achievement after engaging in large-enrollment introductory statistics course curriculum using continuous formative assessments with feedback and reassessment opportunities. This framework, called Formative Assessment Cycles (FACs) was implanted, providing students formative assessments both in and out of the classroom, with feedback and reassessment. A quasi-experimental, quantitative research design allowed for the investigation of course achievement from pre-FACs to FACs semesters using regression discontinuity methodology. Changes in attitudes from pre- to post-survey in semesters using a curriculum with FACs were analyzed by multilevel regression techniques. Course achievement improved …

Relationships Between School, Teacher, And Feature Characteristics And Teachers’ Access To Features Within Digital Curriculum Resources For Mathematics Instruction, M. Jill Harmon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In 2019, RAND Corporation asked teachers which digital materials they used. This study expanded on this research by exploring the features contained in these programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between teachers’ access to features and school (e.g., grand band, socioeconomic status), teacher (e.g., experience), and feature characteristics (e.g., feature choice). I report a significant regression model to predict the likelihood for a teacher to have access to each of the six features within differing contexts based on the characteristics.

To answer the research questions, I first reported descriptive statistics as percentages of teachers who …

Integrated Concept Mapping As A Method For Democratically Evaluating A Teacher Preparation Program In The Area Of Classroom Assessment Proficiency, Carrie Elizabeth Ashcraft

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation reviews current policies regarding Teacher Preparation Program (TPP) evaluation and addresses “accountability era” influences which often minimize factors related to equity and promote a limited view of teacher and school “effectiveness.” Integrated concept mapping is proposed as an alternative method of evaluation because of its democratic framework for accountability. Using this method, a TPP in the Mountain West was evaluated in the area of classroom assessment.

Myside Bias Shifting In The Written Arguments Of First Year Composition Students, Lezlie Christensen-Branum

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation reports on research conducted to better understand how college student writers learned to work against their own biases as they researched and wrote arguments. I conducted a review of former studies to design a curriculum that would help students avoid bias and increase their ability to write arguments tailored to specific readers in ways that accomplish their goals. This review also informed the kinds of data to be collected and analyzed in order to accomplish the research goal, which was to understand whether and how each of seven students enrolled in a composition course reduced their biases. I …

Investigating Recommended Language Instruction Of Complex Literary Texts: A Content Analysis Of Close Reading Lesson Plans For Elementary Grades, Michelle Flory

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Expectations have been placed upon elementary teachers from the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts to guide students through close readings of informational and literary texts. This content analysis examined online close reading lesson plans to determine common objectives in elementary close reading lessons using literary text and to delineate which aspects of language are recommended for close reading instruction. Lessons for primary and intermediate grade levels were stratified and highlighted which instructional moves and student tasks are recommended for making complex language in texts more comprehensible. Key findings indicate a lack of alignment in lesson planning between …

Espoused And Enacted Beliefs Of High School English Language Arts Teachers In Writing Instruction, Sydnie Schoepf

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of the current study is to explore the espoused beliefs and enacted practices of secondary English Language Arts teachers with regards to writing instruction and how these beliefs correlate with teacher self-efficacy beliefs. The study worked to build upon the literature mainly in the fields of mathematics and science in order to explore what the perceived and enacted beliefs are and how they affect the self-efficacy belief of teachers within the field of writing instruction in the high school classroom. The study used a collective case study design in order to better understand what espoused and enacted pedagogical …

Early Adolescent Gifted And Talented Students And Their Experience With Bullying, William T. Allen Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bullying, in all its forms (e.g., verbal, physical, cyber, social ostracism), is a continual problem in public schools. It exacerbates the painfully high suicide rate among early adolescent students, especially in the western U.S., with some evidence showing distinctions within the academically advanced gifted and talented (GT) cohort. Research shows GT students (GTs) are bullied at nearly double the rate of the mainstream population. Yet, quantitative statistics indicate GTs and non-GTs suffer comparable rates of trauma internalization, suicide ideation, and suicide. Some quantitative differences do start to appear with further personality distinctions. This points to a possibility that qualitative dissimilarities …

How Student Perceptions Of The Online Learning Environment And Student Motivation Predict Persistence, Completion, And Retention In Developmental Mathematics Courses, Samuel K. Gedeborg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Online developmental mathematics courses have high dropout rates. The focus of this study is to improve understanding of how students’ perceptions of the online learning environment and student motivation from course design predict student drop out. This understanding will benefit faculty and institutions on student support for online developmental mathematics students.

The study included 330 undergraduate students enrolled in online developmental mathematics courses during the Fall 2018 semester at eight public universities and colleges in the Utah State Higher Education (USHE) system. Participants completed a survey with questions measuring their perceptions of the learning environment. They also completed a survey …

Measuring The Self-Efficacy Of Students Participating In Vex Robotics Competitions, Joseph S. Furse

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Robotic competitions have become an increasingly popular educational tool to increase students’ interest and achievement in STEM. The largest and fastest growing of these is VEX Robotics Competitions (VRCs). Although millions of dollars of funding are allocated, and countless hours of effort are expended annually to provide students with the opportunity to compete in VRCs, little research has been done to investigate the educational impacts of participation in these competitions. One promising research framework in this area is to investigate the self-efficacy of students who participate in VRCs. Self-efficacy, or the beliefs one holds about one’s own abilities in a …

Undercurrents: The Life Cycle Of An Outdoor Experiential Learning Program In A Mainstream Public Middle School, Eric Jackson Newell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This autoethnographic study details the researcher’s experiences as a high school student and as a new teacher—which eventually led to the creation, implementation, and 8-year life cycle of Mount Logan Discovery, a sixth-grade integrated outdoor experiential learning program in a public middle school. Routine field experiences established academic background knowledge, fostered relationships, built confidence, and provided purpose for curriculum standards. Perspectives of parents, students, colleagues, administrators, and donors add detail. This study responds to calls qualitative studies that focus on how outdoor programs are conducted, the descriptions of experiences and perceptions of students and parents, and how participants were changed …

Experiences Of Instructors Using Ready-To-Teach, Fixed-Content Online Courses, Douglas J. Geilman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Online instruction is now the prevalent tool for distance learning. Understanding the adaptable role of the instructor in online distance education is pivotal in the work of comprehending its affordances and limitations. Although there are some commonalities between all forms of online teaching, experiences instructors have may vary depending upon the structure of the online course. The ready-to-teach, fixed-content format merited further study because of the degree to which it unbundles or disaggregates traditional instructor responsibilities by removing the work of determining what to teach and how to teach it. This qualitative multiple case study examined the instructional experiences of …

Language Proficiency And Cultural Intelligence In Distance English-Language Learning, Jared Marcum

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study is to explore the viability of an international distance English-language program in the development of language and cultural proficiency. Students participated in tests at the beginning and at the end of the course to determine how well they developed both language and cultural proficiencies. The measures included (a) the computer-administered Oral Proficiency Interview (OPIc) from theAmerican Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), (b) ACTFL-aligned assessments of reading, listening, grammar, and vocabulary skills, and (c) the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS). In addition, course activities surveys provided additional information about student perceptions of course activities. …

Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition In Middle School: An Examination Of Three Instructional Conditions, David B. Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The importance of vocabulary knowledge gained through incidental learning is well documented. The growth of incidental vocabulary knowledge is especially crucial for middle school students due to the complex words encountered in their studies. However, research on incidental vocabulary acquisition for middle school students is lacking. The purpose of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of three instructional conditions (reading, writing, and reading and writing) on incidental vocabulary acquisition and retention with middle school students in an English as a first language (L1) environment.

In this within subjects repeated measure study, 263 eighth-grade participants received treatment in three …

Building Community Using Experiential Education With Elementary Preservice Teachers In A Social Studies Methodology Course, Stephanie L. Speicher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is urgency for teacher educators to instruct preservice teachers in the core tenants of social justice education. This urgency is based upon the ever-growing shift in the American demographic landscape and the responsibility of educators to teach for equity, justice, identity and community within classrooms across the U.S. Preservice teachers report feeling inadequately prepared to educate for social justice when entering the formal classroom setting. Feelings of incompetence in social justice teaching pedagogy expressed among preservice teachers coupled with minimal examination in the literature of the effects of teacher education practices that aid in the readiness to teach for …

Enhancing Students’ Higher Order Thinking Skills Through Computer-Based Scaffolding In Problem-Based Learning, Nam Ju Kim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this multiple-paper dissertation is to identify students' several difficulties in Problem-based learning and to address these issues by suggesting the design of computer-based scaffolding. In addition, the effectiveness of suggested design was confirmed through meta-analysis and the empirical research. Learner-centered Scaffolding Systems (LSS) is presented to improve students' perception of optimal challenge by addressing students' learning issues in PBL. LSS enhances students' experience in autonomy and competence by providing multiple types, modalities, and customization of scaffolding in accordance with student' different needs and difficulties in PBL. Bayesian meta-analysis for identifying the effects of suggested LSS indicated that …

An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study Of The School Leaders’ Role In Students’ Mathematics Achievement Through The Lens Of Complexity Theory, Emma P. Bullock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

School leaders are expected to make decisions that improve student mathematics achievement. However, one difficulty for school leaders has been the limited amount of research concerning content-specific (e.g., mathematics) school leadership and its effects on student achievement. School leaders do not make decisions in isolation; rather, they make decisions as part of a complex adaptive system (CAS), as proposed by complexity theory. The purpose of this study was to explore the role the school leader plays in students’ mathematics achievement through the lens of complexity theory.

The researcher collected survey data from K-12 school leaders and conducted focus group interviews …

Who Cares? Developing A Pedagogy Of Caring In Higher Education, Andrew Shayne Larsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

When students are asked about their motivation to succeed in a course, about whether they enjoyed their instructor, and about their overall satisfaction with the class, answers can often be traced back to an educator who was perceived by the student as caring. Perceived caring occurs when a student feels that a teacher’s positive behaviors directed toward the student are motivated by good intentions and good will.

Research in the area of teacher care has almost exclusively focused on elementary and secondary classrooms, and has advanced the theory that caring teachers and caring classroom environments prompt many positive educational outcomes. …

The Development Of An Instrument To Measure The Self-Efficacy Of Students Participating In Vex Robotics Competitions, Trevor P. Robinson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A research study was conducted in the Technology and Engineering Education program at Utah State University. The purpose of the study was to develop a survey instrument to measure the self-confidence of students who have participated in the VEX Robotics Competitions. The survey instrument developed was tested to be appropriate and consistent in measuring the self-confidence of middle school and high school students in the United States. The process to ensure that the survey instrument was appropriate utilized an investigation of the tasks completed by successful VEX Robotics teams through an occupational and task analysis. The investigation utilized expert coaches, …

Teacher Professionalism: A Study Of Professionalism For Religious Educators In The Seminary And Institutes Department Of The Church Educational System, Michael L. Cottle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This qualitative study investigated Seminary and Institute teachers’ perception of professionalism. To answer the question “What is the perception of seminary and institute teachers and leaders regarding professionalism,” a life history approach was used to explore what experiences and events shaped the participants’ view of professionalism in seminary and institutes. Findings indicated the following: (a) loyalty to the organization is a key attribute for professionalism; (b) positive associations with peers and administrators strengthen professionalism and foster a culture of unity; (c) observation and feedback are critical elements in developing professionally; (d) content mastery is a prerequisite for teachers seeking to …

Barriers To Curricular Change In General Education Mathematics At A Large Public Institution, Marcus Jorgensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This qualitative study looked for barriers to curricular change in general education mathematics at a large public university (LPU) in the Western United States. The literature showed that a number of national organizations dealing in math education have recommended alternatives to the traditional algebra-intensive curriculum. LPU still relies predominantly on traditional College Algebra as its quantitative literacy (QL) course. With such an algebra-heavy emphasis, students may be missing more relevant and useful mathematics. In addition, the College Algebra course has a low success rate, which becomes a barrier to student retention and graduation. Interviews were conducted with 14 participants who …

Religious Educators' Experiences With Self-Directed Learning In Professional Development: A Qualitative Study, Brandon D. Porter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In 2012, Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (S&I), a division of The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, introduced a self-directed professional development program that allowed educators to obtain two certification credentials by completing 12 certification projects per credential. The purpose of this study was to obtain an understanding of the experiences of seven S&I educators with self-directed learning in doing certification projects.

Personal and contextual factors influenced how self-directed learning for purposes of professional development was experienced by the participants in this study. Understanding program requirements, expectations, and processes, and possessing sufficient motivation …

Overcoming Misconceptions In Religious Education: The Effects Of Text Structure And Topic Interest On Conceptual Change, Seth J. King

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study quantitatively investigated refutation text’s power for conceptual change in Latter-day Saint religious doctrines. The study also examined religious interest levels. Participants for this study were 9^th-, 10^th-, 11^th-, and 12^th-grade seminary students from the private religious educational system of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Results of the study showed significant differences in conceptual change between participants’ reading refutation texts and those reading expository texts. Refutation texts significantly increased the likelihood of conceptual change when compared to expository texts. Results also showed participant preference toward refutation text …

Understanding Successful Japanese Language Programs: Utah Case Study, Timothy G. Stout

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent world events have caused Americans to reassess national political, economic, and educational priorities, resulting in a shift towards Asia. The schools in response have begun to introduce less commonly taught languages, such as Japanese and Chinese. Many Utah public schools have tried to implement less commonly taught language programs. Some have succeeded, and other others have not. The purpose of this study was to understand how and why some schools were able to successfully integrate less commonly taught language programs, and why others were not.

The results of this study suggest that the factors relating to students’ interests and …

Evaluation Of The Division Of Securities Investor Education Seminars, Kristilyn J. Wilkinson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Investor Education Seminars are taught by the Utah Division of Securities to educate consumers and make them more aware of investment fraud. This research study evaluated the seminar in order to assess the effectiveness of the four classes in helping consumers achieve financial capability. A logic model was used to outline program objectives and to determine the research questions.

Individuals who registered for the seminars were invited to complete three surveys for this study: a pretest, posttest, and three-month follow-up survey. A comparison group that had not yet attended the Investor Education Seminars was asked to complete the same …

Equivalent Fraction Learning Trajectories For Students With Mathematical Learning Difficulties When Using Manipulatives, Arla Westenskow

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study identified variations in the equivalent fraction learning of students with mathematical learning difficulties when using physical and virtual manipulatives. The study compared three interventions: physical manipulatives, virtual manipulatives, and a combination of physical and virtual manipulatives. The research used a mixed-method approach to collect and analyze data. Two types of learning trajectories were used to compare and synthesize the result. For this study, 43 fifth-grade students with mathematical learning difficulties participated in 10 sessions of equivalent fraction intervention.

Pre- to postdata analysis indicated significant gains for all three interventions. Effect size scores were used to compare the effects …

A Study Of Utah’S New Century Scholarship (Ncs) Program, Christine Kearl

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This was a study about the New Century Scholarship (NCS) program offered to Utah high school students at commencement for earning an AA degree by the time of high school graduation. The scholarship paid 75% of the remaining 2 years of tuition over a 5-year period. The goal of the program was to assist students to bachelor degree completion faster than the traditional time.

This program has been in Utah for the past 20 years, but little to no information about the program exists. Annually, the cost to taxpayers is approximately $2 million dollars. This study was conducted to determine …

What Is The Lived Experience Of The Learners In A Coteaching Classroom?, Janet Adams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of the learners in a fifth-grade coteaching classroom. Because the practice of coteaching is gaining popularity in schools, there is increasing use of this teaching method in general education classrooms. If learning in a coteaching classroom is to be meaningful for students, it is important to have their perspective of this instructional delivery option. Through careful listening, observation, and interpretation of the students’ lived experience, a better understanding of the students’ perspective in a coteaching classroom was gained.

The results of this study suggest coteaching can be an effective …

Social Factors That Influence Religious Motivation Of College-Age Lds Young Adults To Read Religious Texts: A Qualitative Study, Dustin R. West

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This qualitative study investigated the religious motivation of college-age LDS young single adults. In particular, this study sought to answer the following question: “What are the contexts and social factors that influence religious motivation of college-age LDS young adults to study religious texts?” To examine this question, a phenomenological approach was used to explore what participants had in common with feeling motivated to read religious texts. The primary sources of data came from one-on-one interviews that describe the personal experiences and perspectives of 10 college-age LDS young single adults. Sociocultural theory guided the analysis and interpretation of data and findings. …