Education Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of An Academic Literacy Intervention To Help University Freshmen Recognize And Resolve Inconsistencies Across Multiple Texts, Patty Baldwin

Doctoral Dissertations

Students must independently complete academic literacy tasks--including reading analytically to identify problems, resolving problems that arise, and using writing to demonstrate advanced knowledge acquisition--if they are to be successful in courses across their university careers. However, a significant portion of students arrives at the university underprepared to meet these expectations for academic literacy.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an instructional intervention to help developmental-level freshmen acquire the academic literacy skills that experienced academic readers demonstrate in order to promote independent learning. The four-week instructional intervention focused on two aspects of advanced academic literacy: 1) …

Analysis Of The Role Of Homework In Predicting And Improving Exam Performance, Charles E. Galyon

Doctoral Dissertations

Homework is one of many factors thought to improve students’ academic performance, given that homework provides a means for students not only to master course content, but also to develop valuable study habits, improve their time management, and learn to work independently. Unfortunately, college students commit considerably less time to homework than is conventionally thought necessary, and their answers to homework questions frequently indicate an erroneous and/or incomplete understanding of the course material. The current study examined relationships between potential predictors of and trends in exam performance in a large undergraduate educational psychology course. The relationship between homework completion, homework …

Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model: Teacher Perceptions Of One Policy Implementation, Renee Melinda Moran

Doctoral Dissertations

Teacher effectiveness has become a national conversation and an issue that is debated in both public and educational arenas. Recently, the notion has arisen to quantify teacher effectiveness through the measurement of both teacher and student performance. This study focuses on one state’s initial attempt to implement a policy reform that measures a teacher’s performance both qualitatively, through scored classroom observations, and quantitatively, through student achievement scores. Ultimately, the idea is that these scores could then be used to make important decisions about salary, retention, and tenure. Using qualitative ethnographic research procedures within a framework of critical theory, I studied …

“Those Events Really Happened!” How Elementary Students Transact With History And Historical Fiction While Reading The American Girl Series, Sarah Lewis Philpott

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how elementary readers transact with history and historical fiction while reading the American Girl series. A review of literature revealed a lack of educational research about the AG series and a need for research concerning how elementary students transact with historical fiction. The researcher attempted to answer the following questions:

1. How do fourth grade students transact with history while reading the AG series of historical fiction?
2. How do fourth grade students transact with the AG series of historical fiction?

The researcher interviewed, observed, and participated in a book club with seven public school females. Data were …

Perceptions Of Political, Academic, And Corporate Leaders: Higher Education Accountability In Georgia, Leslie Gene Fout

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine Georgia political, academic, and corporate leaders’ perceptions of higher education accountability. A case study design was used to gain in-depth information. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 23 participants.

The findings of the study included the following:

1. Nearly every participant believed the mission and purpose higher education involved providing students with the skills and abilities needed to obtain gainful employment, and thereby make a positive impact on the economic development of the state of Georgia.
2. Approximately half of the participants believed higher education should cultivate an engaged citizenry.
3. No consensus was …

Nobel Women: Readers' Theater For Global Education, Dorothy Elizabeth Blanks

Doctoral Dissertations

Global interdependence has huge implications for the field of education. As economic, technological, cultural, transportation, and environmental concerns become not only local but international, students today must gain awareness outside of their immediate city, county, state, and country if they are to be successful citizens of the earth. The global education movement has developed in response to this need. Teacher training is a major pre-requisite for global education to be implemented meaningfully in the schools. Once teachers know and value the precepts of global education, they must be provided with effective pedagogy, activities, and topics for instruction.

This study sought …

Examining The Effects Of A High School Healthcare Summer Immersion Program, Jenny M. Holcombe Curry

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to assess the effectiveness of the DREAMWork (Diversity Recruitment and Education to Advance Minorities in the nursing Workforce) summer high school program within the context of the substantial current and anticipated nursing shortage in the United States (Buerhaus, 2002). Previous research has shown that creating positive perceptions of nursing through programs like DREAMWork can lead to an increase in student desire to pursue a career in nursing (Cohen, Palumbo, Rambur, & Mongeon, 2004; Tomey, Schwier, Marticke, & May, 1996). More specifically, this study was interested in …

Sketchmate: A Computer-Aided Sketching And Simulation Tool For Teaching Graph Algorithms, Kristy Sue Van Hornweder

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, we developed and tested a sketching, visualization, and simulation tool called Sketchmate for demonstrating graph algorithms commonly taught in undergraduate computer science courses. For this research, we chose to focus on shortest path and network flow algorithms. Two versions of this tool have been implemented: 1) an instructor tool that supports computer-aided manual simulations of algorithms that augment traditional whiteboard presentations, allowing lectures to be more dynamic and interactive, and 2) a student tool that supports computer-aided manual practice of algorithms that enables students to work through homework problems more quickly while providing detailed incremental feedback about …

Examining Elementary Students' Use Of Electronic Readers For Independent Reading, Tammy Lynn Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

The impetus for this study was to understand a relatively new phenomenon, elementary students’ use of electronic readers for independent reading, and the impact it might have on reading behaviors. Interested in students’ perspectives, I examined third grade students’ experiences using electronic readers, including references to self-descriptions of reading motivation and engagement. This descriptive case study addresses the research question: In what ways does reading on electronic readers during independent reading affect third grade students’ reading experiences and behaviors?

Daily observations of students’ reading behaviors during independent reading were recorded in detailed field notes. In addition, transcripts of conversations …

Educators’ Perceptions About The Uses Of Primary Sources In Social Studies Classroom, Jeremiah Curtis Clabough

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what conceptions educators have regarding primary resources. The researcher attempted to answer the following questions:

1. How do educators define primary sources?
2. How do educators think primary sources should be used in the classroom?
3. How, if at all, do educators currently use primary sources in the classroom and what are their reasons for their use or lack of use?

An online survey was distributed to the members of National Social Studies Supervisors Association (NSSSA). Members of NSSSA were selected because they are leaders in the field of social studies education and provided a …

Interactive Whiteboard Transition: A Case Study, Jason S Beach

Doctoral Dissertations

This case study examined the process teachers use when incorporating interactive whiteboards in the classroom and daily curriculum. Participants were drawn from a small group of three elementary and three high school teachers who received an interactive whiteboard, but no formal training. The school system purchased over 300 interactive whiteboards and was not able to adequately train all of the teachers before the beginning of the school year. Findings were compared to relevant models of andragogy, TPACK, and CBAM. The results indicate that a teacher’s prior technological ability aids in the implementation of new technologies in the classroom. The findings …

Teaching Evaluator Competencies: An Examination Of Doctoral Programs, Susanne Anna Maria Kaesbauer

Doctoral Dissertations

Program evaluators may currently enter the field of evaluation through a variety of avenues. Entry into the profession at this time is uncontrolled by a professional body of evaluators, as an evaluator certification process does not yet exist in the United States of America. One avenue for evaluators to enter into the profession is through a graduate training program in evaluation. This study sought to understand the preparedness of evaluators who enter the profession in this manner. Specifically, this study aimed to determine the current state of the teaching of evaluator competencies, across 26 doctoral evaluation programs in the United …

The Engineering Design Process As A Model For Stem Curriculum Design, Krystal Sno Corbett

Doctoral Dissertations

Engaging pedagogics have been proven to be effective in the promotion of deep learning for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students. In many cases, academic institutions have shown a desire to improve education by implementing more engaging techniques in the classroom. The research framework established in this dissertation has been governed by the axiom that students should obtain a deep understanding of fundamental topics while being motivated to learn through engaging techniques. This research lays a foundation for future analysis and modeling of the curriculum design process where specific educational research questions can be considered using standard techniques. Further, …

Between Centralization And Decentralization: Changed Curriculum Governance In Chinese Education After 1986, Tingting Qi

Doctoral Dissertations

China’s curriculum system has been undergoing substantial transformations since 1986. In response to public criticism of the highly prescribed national curriculum, the central state of China is attempting to build a more inclusive system which is composed of national curriculum, province curriculum and school-based curriculum. The new curriculum system accommodates more flexibility in carrying out national curriculum policies and even encourages local input in curriculum development and management. Apparently, the current curriculum reform in China is moving toward decentralization.

The purpose of this work is to demonstrate the complexity of decentralization reform in China’s curriculum system and examine the dynamics …

Inter-Rater Reliability And Related Variables Of A Newly Developed Measure Of Quality Of Student Participation, Lisa Nicole Edge

Doctoral Dissertations

Some researchers suggest that quality is preserved when students are rewarded for quantity of class participation (Boniecki & Moore, 2003; Bruss, 2009; Mainkar, 2007; Zaremba & Dunn, 2004); however, few studies have targeted the systematic assessment of participation quality. The primary purpose of the study was to develop a reliable system for rating quality of student participation, investigate whether quality of participation is preserved when students are given credit for the amount of class participation, and examine the relationship between participation quality and important course variables.

The researcher in the current study developed a rating system to evaluate the quality …

Preservice Secondary School Mathematics Teachers' Current Notions Of Proof In Euclidean Geometry, Michael Ratliff

Doctoral Dissertations

Much research has been conducted in the past 25 years related to the teaching and learning of proof in Euclidean geometry. However, very little research has been done focused on preservice secondary school mathematics teachers’ notions of proof in Euclidean geometry. Thus, this qualitative study was exploratory in nature, consisting of four case studies focused on identifying preservice secondary school mathematics teachers’ current notions of proof in Euclidean geometry, a starting point for improving the teaching and learning of proof in Euclidean geometry.

The unit of analysis (i.e., participant) in each case study was a preservice mathematics teacher. The case …

Decolonial Multiculturalism And Local-Global Contexts: A Postcritical Feminist Bricolage For Developing New Praxes In Education, Katharine Matthaei Sprecher

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents a conceptual bricolage that explores complex, reflexive, and interrelated dimensions of educational praxes. My work is grounded in the assertion that the ever-changing, local-global nature of contemporary societies requires new approaches to curricula, pedagogies, policies, and practices in U.S. schools to meet the challenges and opportunities of a global era. Presenting my research and findings as four articles, I begin with a dialectical analysis of theoretical and pedagogical literatures to develop an adaptable framework for decolonial multicultural education. In Article 1, I demonstrate how this framework synergizes aspects of social reconstructionist and critical multicultural, global, and …

Assessing Effectiveness Of Multicultural Readings In Increasing Ethnocultural Empathy For Undergraduate Students, Tripti Bhaskar

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined how multicultural readings included in the introduction to psychology curriculum were linked to an increase in students’ multicultural interest and sensitivity. Specifically, this study investigated the impact of reading and discussing multicultural articles on students’ ethnocultural empathy, universality-diverse orientation, and openness to diversity. Second purpose of the study was to examine possible individual differences associated with response to the intervention. Participants in the current study were undergraduate students enrolled in five sections of the introduction to psychology class, which were randomly assigned as control and experimental groups. The multicultural readings are four original research articles that examine …

Teachers' Experiences With Comprehension Instruction In Upper Elementary Classrooms, Kathryn Louise Solic

Doctoral Dissertations

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The Effects Of The Interspersal Procedure On Persistence With Computer-Delivered Multiplication Problems, Emily R. Kirk

Doctoral Dissertations

An across-subjects, post-test only design was used in two experiments to assess the impact of interspersing additional math problems (i.e., briefer problems and/or longer problems) among target math problems on students’ persistence when completing computer-delivered math multiplication problems. In Experiment 1, high school students who worked only target problems completed 32% more target problems and worked 22% longer than those who had briefer problems interspersed. Problem completion rates were significantly higher for those who had briefer problems interspersed. These results suggest that altering assignments by interspersing additional, briefer discrete tasks does not always enhance, and in some instances may hinder …

Unintentional Injury Content Assessment In Undergraduate Personal Health And Wellness Courses, Kiley Elizabeth Winston

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to describe course content on unintentional injuries in undergraduate personal health and wellness courses at four year public and private colleges and universities identified by the Eta Sigma Gamma directory in the United States. An instrument was created, validated and tested for reliability, and used to assess course content areas related to unintentional injuries in undergraduate personal health and wellness courses. The sample for the study included 106 participants (N=106) from public and private colleges and universities in 36 states. Chi-square analysis, ANOVA, factor analysis, and MANOVA tests were used to determine if …

The Impact Of Summer/Academic Year Learning Projects On The Academic Achievement Of Student Participants, Glenn Scott Beer

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined differences in the academic achievement between students who participated in the Louisiana Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (LA GEAR UP) Summer/Academic Year Learning Projects and students who did not participate in the program. The sample consisted of 111 students who attended schools participating in the LA GEAR UP program and who attended at least 4 LA GEAR UP summer learning camps and a comparison group of 111 students attending the same schools but who did not attend a summer learning camp. Participating students were individually matched with non-participants on 7 variables, including 6th-grade Iowa …

Development Of A Standardized Nursing Curriculum For The Alabama Community College System: A Critical Case Study, Alice G. Raymond

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to describe how the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) standardized their nursing curriculum. A single research question was the focus of the study: “How did the ACCS develop its standardized nursing curriculum?” The sub questions were, “who were the key players in the process?”, “Who had the positions of power and dominance, and who did not?”, “Who were included and who were excluded in the process?”, “What were the reasons for inclusion and exclusion?”, and “What were the contextual elements that influenced the development of the curriculum?”

Data from multiple sources were gathered. …

Identifying The Processes Of Teacher Application And Adoption Of A Novel Instructional Strategy, Jennifer Kathryn Richards

Doctoral Dissertations

Research on adolescent learning shows that students learn best when they are actively engaged with the content and when metacognitive teaching strategies are employed. Despite these findings, current studies show that most classrooms are still teacher centered and that passive learning strategies are the norm. To help teachers incorporate highly effective instructional strategies into their classrooms countless professional development workshops are offered each; yet most of these workshops fail to effect true change in the classroom behavior of teachers.

The design of this study compares teachers’ attempts to employ new instructional strategies within the context of a model curriculum with …

A Philosophical Analysis Of Chet Bowers’ Ethical Theory Of Ecojustice: Shifting Towards Uncertainty Thinking In Science Education, Michael Paul Mueller

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to analyze Chet Bowers’ ethical theory of ecojustice as the basis of an ecological philosophy of education that recognizes Earth’s uncertainty. Bowers’ main thesis is that the commons, or what were once shared by members of the community, should be strengthened by education reforms based on ecojustice criteria. He argues for certain ideologies of the local authority of the commons, “Western” science and scientists, and the “ecological crisis.” I argue that these certainties are uncertain, which justifies part certainty as deciphered by local people in places, in relation to others. Further, I develop a …

A Case Study Of Three Rural Schools: Factors, Characteristics, And Conditions That Influence School Performance Scores, Jacqueline L. Mason

Doctoral Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to explore three rural Louisiana PK-12 schools with high percentages of minority and high poverty populations and to examine how activities, conditions, events, policies, and procedures in these schools might be associated with their consistent growth in School Performance Scores across the period 2001-2005. Qualitative data were collected from individual interviews, researcher observations, focus groups, and analyses of school documents. Constant comparison theory was used to triangulate data across the three schools and to identify emerging themes and patterns common to all schools. The study was one of mixed methods; most of the data …

Relationships Among Classroom Technology Utilization, Professional Development, And Knowledge About Technology For Secondary Teachers, Stacy L. King

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of technology professional development for secondary teachers toward the usage of that technology in the classroom to assist with the teaching/learning process. This research also examined the effects of knowledge about technology for secondary teachers on the utilization of technology in the classroom. Data were gathered from the Technology Proficiency Self Assessment Instrument issued by the Louisiana State Department of Education. The target population consisted of secondary school teachers in Louisiana from 202 secondary schools in twenty-eight parishes. From the 202 secondary schools in Louisiana, a sample of teachers (n …

The Evidence Does Not Lie: A Forensic Investigation Program To Bridge The Gaps Between Crime Scene Investigation And Forensic Science, Jacqueline Trinkle Fish

Doctoral Dissertations

There is a heightened pubic awareness of the importance of forensic science to crime scene investigation. This study examined current graduate programs in forensic science and criminal justice in the United States to determine if higher education provides curricula that meets the needs of crime scene investigators.

Using data collected from an online questionnaire, interviews, and a literature review, the researcher examined the perceptions of 51 crime scene investigators and practitioners affiliated with the National Forensic Academy at The University of Tennessee. The data gathered was used to identify and rank the skills most important for accurate processing and collection …

The Relationships Of Teachers' Levels Of Technology Integration On Student Achievement In Reading And Mathematics, Valerie S. Fields

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent the level of technology integration of fourth and eighth grade teachers in eleven rural school districts in northeastern Louisiana related to student achievement in reading and mathematics.

The sample consisted of 123 fourth and eighth grade teachers and their students from the eleven rural school districts in northeastern Louisiana. Fifty-eight percent of the teachers represented the fourth grade and 42% of the teachers represented the eighth grade. The teachers served a school age population in which 20% or more was from families with incomes below the poverty line.

Mean …

The Influence Of Teacher Attitude About Professional Development, Master's Degree Training, And Teacher Certification On School Performance Scores In Selected Louisiana Parishes, Kay Lynn Tettleton

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among three independent variables: teacher attitudes about professional development, earning a master's degree, and teacher certification on School Performance Scores. Independent variables included teacher attitude about professional development, proportion of teachers with masters' degrees, and proportion of certified and uncertified teachers. The researcher used a correlational design to test the hypothesized relationships among these three independent variables and school and district School Performance Scores. A ten item self-report instrument was constructed to assess teacher attitudes about professional development in the school or district. This instrument, Teacher Perception of Professional Development …