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Articles 1 - 30 of 57
Full-Text Articles in Education
A Co-Teaching Program Evaluation In A School District In Missouri, Tanya Marie Deering
A Co-Teaching Program Evaluation In A School District In Missouri, Tanya Marie Deering
Dissertations
This study was a program evaluation on the co-teaching model within the Smallville School District (a pseudonym) measuring its effectiveness defined by the perceptions of leaders in the field of special education. This study filled the gap of previous co-teaching studies by investigating a rural school district, across all buildings. The researcher selected the tools of classroom observations; convenience sample interviews; administrator, teacher, student, and parent surveys; and secondary data from High Quality Professional Development (HQPD) and the school budget. The researcher collected data with surveys, observations, and interviews to determine the perceptions of all stakeholders involved in the co-teaching …
Evaluating The Impact Of Missouri Senate Bill 291 On Fifth And Ninth Grade State Physical Fitness Standards, Robert Scott Johnston
Evaluating The Impact Of Missouri Senate Bill 291 On Fifth And Ninth Grade State Physical Fitness Standards, Robert Scott Johnston
Dissertations
The current obesity rates of our nation’s youth continue to escalate at an alarming rate due to inactivity, poor nutrition, and lifestyle changes. The purpose of this research study was conducted to determine the effects of Missouri Senate Bill 291 on Missouri physical fitness scores as assessed by the Missouri Physical Fitness Assessment. The state of Missouri adopted new physical activity requirements starting in the 2010-2011 school year. This study evaluated the impact of Missouri Senate Bill 291 on fifth and ninth grade physical fitness assessments. Eleven years of statewide data, were examined to determine the impact of the physical …
The Connection Program: An Examination Of One Developmental Education Program, Katherine Grace Craft
The Connection Program: An Examination Of One Developmental Education Program, Katherine Grace Craft
Dissertations
Developmental education continues to be an area of concern for higher education institutions. Understanding and developing programs to provide support and increase retention, completion, and success rates for developmental education students is vital to increasing degree attainment in the United States. This study explored one developmental education program at a Midwest community college implemented in 2011. A mixed-methods approach was executed to compare completion and success rates two years prior to implementation and two years following implementation, as well as to obtain qualitative information regarding perceptions of the program. Quantitative data analysis revealed increases in developmental education rates for qualifying …
A Comparison Of Fifth Grade Mathematics Curriculum Materials, Michael E. Starks Sr.
A Comparison Of Fifth Grade Mathematics Curriculum Materials, Michael E. Starks Sr.
Dissertations
In the USA, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 resulted in requirements placed on school districts to show student achievement in mathematics, based on measured adequate yearly progress. This caused school districts to search for standards based programs that improve mathematics learning. A quantitative multi-year study was used to compare the state-assessed achievement levels of 1,695 fifth-grade Midwestern children in the state of Missouri, who learned mathematics from two different curriculum-delivery programs, EveryDay Mathematics and EnVision Mathematics. A 2 by 2 by 8 research design was used through the choice of two elementary schools using EveryDay Mathematics and …
A Qualitative Analysis Of Mentoring Experiences And Perceptions Of Female Students Enrolled In A Doctoral Program In Education At A Midwestern University, Sherrill Rayford
A Qualitative Analysis Of Mentoring Experiences And Perceptions Of Female Students Enrolled In A Doctoral Program In Education At A Midwestern University, Sherrill Rayford
Dissertations
This qualitative study analyzed mentoring experiences and perceptions of females enrolled in a doctorate program of education, including a Principal Investigator-led peer mentoring group. The snowball technique generated 20 participants who were interviewed for a two-part study to share mentoring experiences by responding to Research Question One: What are the mentoring experiences of a sample of female students enrolled in an Educational leadership doctoral program at a Midwestern University? The conceptual framework explored experiences and perceptions of women at the doctoral level, mentoring support systems, and barriers to doctoral completion. Additional interviews were sought from faculty named as providing mentoring …
High School Graduation Coaches: Supporting At-Risk High School Students, Heather Elise Dunnavant
High School Graduation Coaches: Supporting At-Risk High School Students, Heather Elise Dunnavant
Dissertations
This study investigated the effectiveness of a new dropout prevention program, Project WALK, which was launched at a low-income high school in Missouri during the 2012–2013 school year. After examining alarming dropout statistics, Washington High School chose 40 students to participate in a new program, Project WALK, which was designed to use graduation coaches to improve at-risk students’ performance. The program’s six graduation coaches formed relationships with at-risk students, monitored student progress, and consistently communicated with parents, teachers, and school administrators about the at-risk students. The researcher, an administrator at the school, gathered quantitative data to measure the effects of …
Parental Mentoring: An African American Approach To Raising Daughters With Self-Esteem, Qiana Brandy Smith
Parental Mentoring: An African American Approach To Raising Daughters With Self-Esteem, Qiana Brandy Smith
Dissertations
There is an ample amount of research that documents the positive effect of self-esteem on a child established through an affirmative parental or mentoring relationship, verses a specific parent-mentoring approach designed with a curriculum to enhance the positive self-esteem of African-American daughters based on the relationship with their maternal parent. The purpose of this qualitative study was to answer the following research questions: what strategies and behaviors are used by parents in African-American families to affect the self-esteem of female children and adolescents and, how can strategies and behaviors exhibited by African-American parental mentors be organized in a teachable format …
Pharmacy Student Perceptions: How Do They Change And What Does That Mean?, Erika Lynn Michalski
Pharmacy Student Perceptions: How Do They Change And What Does That Mean?, Erika Lynn Michalski
Dissertations
With healthcare moving rapidly toward interprofessional expectations, this study examined the perceptions of a particular population of students pursuing a degree in the healthcare field. Pharmacy students attending a free-standing pharmacy institution were interviewed over the course of the 2012 – 2013 academic year. Interviews were conducted before, during, and after the students engaged in collaborative coursework with students from a variety of health care majors attending a nearby institution. The results demonstrated the positive impact exposure to peer students pursuing degrees in health care fields can have. Results of the interview process highlighted the impact intentional interaction with a …
Non-Restrictive Environment After Age 21: Program Placement For Young Adults With Severe Developmental Disabilities, Deborah Dirisio
Non-Restrictive Environment After Age 21: Program Placement For Young Adults With Severe Developmental Disabilities, Deborah Dirisio
Dissertations
For students with significant disabilities, the process of transitioning from their secondary school setting to their post-secondary setting includes the exploration of potential adult settings. This paper explored the perspectives of secondary school personnel, as well as the viewpoints of personnel from St. Louis area post-secondary programs, as to the characteristics which determine adult program placement. State agencies that facilitate Person Centered Plans were also interviewed regarding viewpoints as to how secondary students with significant disabilities could seek and secure their most non-restrictive adult program placements. Research questions included: (1) How do the Missouri Alternative Frameworks utilized in secondary programming …
A Quantitative Study Of Educational Poverty, School Location, And Student Achievement Measured By The Program For International Student Assessment (Pisa), Brett Barger
Dissertations
The performance of the United States’ students on international tests remains an ongoing source of concern, division, and anxiety for government, educational, and business leaders, teachers (and their unions), as well as the general public. These selfsame test results have been used as evidence to support diametrically opposed political and educational strategy and policy for decades. All too often the performance of students is discussed with a single test score number that is used to represent the entirety of the education system’s students without accounting for geographical, demographic, or socioeconomic differences among the student test takers. The contributing factors of …
A Study Of Alternative Education Programs In The State Of Missouri, Ronald Joshua Ladd
A Study Of Alternative Education Programs In The State Of Missouri, Ronald Joshua Ladd
Dissertations
The focus of this study was to examine the characteristics of alternative programs in the state of Missouri and to determine whether a statistical difference in the persistence to graduation rate existed between the two variations of programs. When identifying the characteristics, several commonalities emerged. These commonalities could be the focus of future studies to determine a list of best-practices among alternative programs. When focusing on the statistical element of this study, the two programs in question were revolving door and one-way programs. For the purpose of this study, a revolving door style program was defined as one that assesses …
Using Psychosocial Development Theory And Personality Typology In Identifying At-Risk Characteristics Of College Honors Students, Dennis Lark Lancaster
Using Psychosocial Development Theory And Personality Typology In Identifying At-Risk Characteristics Of College Honors Students, Dennis Lark Lancaster
Dissertations
While substantiating the effectiveness of honors programs to increase learning among the academically gifted, assessment and any associated outcomes should also be effectively used to understand the psychosocial development challenges of these students and, at the same time, increase their learning in and out of the honors environment. Robinson’s (1997) research showed that, saddled with the typical college student’s at-risk characteristics, e.g., first-generation status, low-income, financial limitations, etc., gifted students also face unique adjustment challenges in terms of their social development. These challenges include habits and attitudes associated with and/or resulting from not having to work at their studies in …
The Effect Of An Integrated Music Curriculum On Reading Achievement Outcomes Of Kindergarten Students, Tracy St. Clair
The Effect Of An Integrated Music Curriculum On Reading Achievement Outcomes Of Kindergarten Students, Tracy St. Clair
Dissertations
At the time of this study, school districts in the United States faced challenges relative to educational accountability, especially in the areas of language arts and mathematics. Research suggested that music held the potential to bolster student engagement and academic achievement to improve reading outcomes for students. An integrated music curriculum was designed and implemented by the researcher to support reading achievement in a Midwestern, suburban elementary school. The purpose of this counterbalanced research design was to examine the effect of an integrated music curriculum upon the reading achievement of kindergarten students. The lesson framework included brain-based and active listening …
The Role Of Empathy And Sympathy In Character Education, Radhi Al-Mabuk
The Role Of Empathy And Sympathy In Character Education, Radhi Al-Mabuk
Journal of Educational Leadership in Action
The purpose of this paper is to describe and highlight the role of empathy and sympathy in character education. More specifically, the bridging function of empathy and sympathy to civility and their role in promoting development in the context of forgiveness will be emphasized. The paper is organized in five major parts. The first one consists of an introduction and a brief historical overview of character education followed by a discussion of the aims of character education and the school’s role in nurturing it. In the second part, an argument is made for forgiveness as a means of promoting development …
Our Grades Were Broken: Overcoming Barriers And Challenges To Implementing Standards-Based Grading, Randal Peters, Tom Buckmiller
Our Grades Were Broken: Overcoming Barriers And Challenges To Implementing Standards-Based Grading, Randal Peters, Tom Buckmiller
Journal of Educational Leadership in Action
The purpose of this study was to describe the barriers and challenges school leaders face as they implement a standards-based grading (SBG) system. The researchers used a multiple case study methodology to investigate how key school leaders described their implementation journey at three schools that differed in size, demographics, and location. Purposeful sampling was used to identify key administrators at three different schools who were in the process of implementing a SBG system. Data were collected primarily via semi-structured interviews. In the analysis, researchers used three phases: horizontalization, thematizing, and textural-structural synthesis. Each of the three schools had very different …
Forgiveness Education And Bullying Prevention And Intervention: Benefits For Bullies, Victims And Schools, Amy Carlon, Suzanne Freedman, Nicole Skaar
Forgiveness Education And Bullying Prevention And Intervention: Benefits For Bullies, Victims And Schools, Amy Carlon, Suzanne Freedman, Nicole Skaar
Journal of Educational Leadership in Action
Over the past 50 years, attitudes toward incidences of bullying in the schools have shifted significantly. Previously, bullying was seen as an expected and normal part of a child's development and school experience. Some even believed bullying wasn't harmful, that it assisted in character-building, and was simply "part of growing up" (Smith & Brain, 2000, p. 3). In recent decades, however, the negative effects of bullying have been more widely recognized, and there is growing acceptance that experiences of bullying often lead to negative outcomes, such as poor physical and psychological health, for those who are victimized (Due et al., …
Examining Effective Characteristics Of Professional Development In K-12 Education Since The Inception Of The No Child Left Behind Act Of 2002: A Meta-Analytic Investigation, Eugene M. Thomas, Karen H. Larwin
Examining Effective Characteristics Of Professional Development In K-12 Education Since The Inception Of The No Child Left Behind Act Of 2002: A Meta-Analytic Investigation, Eugene M. Thomas, Karen H. Larwin
Journal of Educational Leadership in Action
With the dire financial crisis facing our national and state economy, schools are forced to reduce budgets while simultaneously improve program delivery. Professional development is the mechanism that is generally used to facilitate improving educational delivery and subsequently student achievement results. This investigation examines the influence of professional development on student achievement since No Child Left Behind. Results indicate that professional development can have a moderate impact on student achievement. A number of moderators were found to have a positive significant impact on this effect including the level of students, the duration of the professional development, the discipline area focus …
The Power Of Care: An Exploration Of Emotion And Ethics In Male School Leadership Practice, Edward L. Myers
The Power Of Care: An Exploration Of Emotion And Ethics In Male School Leadership Practice, Edward L. Myers
Journal of Educational Leadership in Action
Research findings from the past two decades have illuminated emotion’s role in organizational performance. Furthermore, studies associated with the ethic of care have revealed the significance of affect in leader/subordinate relationships. In order to augment the literature, this paper will reveal the intentions, decisions, and behaviors of a particular male high school principal who subscribed to a philosophy of care-based leadership. The intent is to further the understanding of how ethics, emotion, and power manifest in male school leadership behavior and to offer insights on the potentialities and structure of care-based educational leadership practice. The study’s findings offer a design …
Professional Development: The Use Of Nonverbal Communication During Class Lecture, Dustin York
Professional Development: The Use Of Nonverbal Communication During Class Lecture, Dustin York
Journal of Educational Leadership in Action
Teachers’ nonverbal communication has a vital role within the classroom environment. This literary review examined (1) a historical perspective of teachers’ nonverbal communication, (2) the relationship between students’ perceptions of their learning and teachers’ nonverbal communication, (3) the relationship between standardized measurements of student learning and teachers’ nonverbal communication, and (4) the relationship between students’ perceptions of teacher credibility based on the teachers’ nonverbal communication. Findings in the literary study suggest that teachers’ nonverbal communication is beneficial to students’ academic success. This review has outlined elements of nonverbal communication a teacher could use to benefit student learning. Using the findings …
Discrepancies In Discipline Of Middle School Students By Gender: A Comparison Of Principal Candidates’ Responses To Vignettes, And Teacher Perceptions, Jill Lukefahr-Farrar
Discrepancies In Discipline Of Middle School Students By Gender: A Comparison Of Principal Candidates’ Responses To Vignettes, And Teacher Perceptions, Jill Lukefahr-Farrar
Dissertations
Discipline in schools exists so that there are guidelines to ensure safety and learning. Administrators and teachers give students consequences based upon discipline guidelines made by the school districts’ board of education. The discipline administered can be subjective. In a suburban mid-western school district, alarming trends in the amount of discipline referrals of male students both in the primary investigator’s middle school and in the other middle schools within the researched district were recognized. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to analyze and understand if gender discrepancies exist in discipline for middle school students among aspiring administrators, practicing …
Teacher Induction Programs: How Key Components Influence Teacher Retention Rates In Rural School Districts, Samuel Rogers
Teacher Induction Programs: How Key Components Influence Teacher Retention Rates In Rural School Districts, Samuel Rogers
Dissertations
Upon entrance to the educational arena, new teachers face many challenges, and rural school teachers face a unique series of challenges compared to teachers in urban and suburban school districts (Ingersoll, 2012). Rural school districts often have difficulty both recruiting and retaining teachers (Dadisman, Gravelle, Farmer, & Petrin, 2010). Teacher induction programs presented a possible solution to increase the teacher retention rates for rural school districts (National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, 2007). The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between the degree of implementation of teacher induction programs and the teacher retention rates for high-performing …
Read 180: Is It An Effective Reading Intervention For English Language Learners?, Carissa Gober
Read 180: Is It An Effective Reading Intervention For English Language Learners?, Carissa Gober
Dissertations
The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine if READ 180 is an effective reading intervention program for English Language Learners (ELLs). School districts nationwide are seeking effective programs to close the achievement gap between ELLs and the general population in order to fulfill federally established Title III requirements. This study examined the results of the 2011-2013 Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State (ACCESS), an English Language Proficiency assessment tool specifically designed for ELLs. At the time of this study, 35 states, including Missouri utilize the ACCESS test to measure proficiency levels of their ELLs in partial fulfillment …
Exploring The Relationship Between Student Survey Results And Evaluator Observation Results In The Teacher Evaluation Process, Sandra Eileen Ford
Exploring The Relationship Between Student Survey Results And Evaluator Observation Results In The Teacher Evaluation Process, Sandra Eileen Ford
Dissertations
Researchers and practitioners have indicated that current teacher evaluation systems do not distinguish differences between teachers. In an attempt to redesign the current system and create a more effective system, legislative mandates required the use of multiple measures in the teacher evaluation systems of states receiving federal money. As a result student perception surveys became one of the multiple measures being considered for use in the teacher evaluation process. In this study, student perception survey results and certified evaluator observation results were analyzed to determine if there was a significant linear relationship between students’ and evaluators’ perceptions of effective teaching. …
Deciding On Science: An Analysis Of Higher Education Science Student Major Choice Criteria, Stephen Wilson White
Deciding On Science: An Analysis Of Higher Education Science Student Major Choice Criteria, Stephen Wilson White
Dissertations
The number of college students choosing to major in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the United States affects the size and quality of the American workforce (Winters, 2009). The number of graduates in these academic fields has been on the decline in the United States since the 1960s, which, according to Lips and McNeil (2009), has resulted in a diminished ability of the United States to compete in science and engineering on the world stage. The purpose of this research was to learn why students chose a STEM major and determine what decision criteria influenced this decision. According …
Project-Based Learning As A Means For Meeting The Needs Of 21st Century Students In Common Core States, Scott Ragsdale
Project-Based Learning As A Means For Meeting The Needs Of 21st Century Students In Common Core States, Scott Ragsdale
Dissertations
The call for the reform of public education in the United States of America has come from stakeholders of all kinds. This study compares two seemingly opposing approaches to the reform of public education. The bureaucratic approach is represented by the mass adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The grassroots approach is represented by the International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Students (ISTE Standards-S). It was important to identify and analyze an instructional practice with enough potential rigor to meet the demands of both the CCSS and the ISTE Standards-S. The study analyzed the potential ability …
Case Study Of Online Mentoring’S Effectiveness For Beginning Teachers, Sarah A. Moran
Case Study Of Online Mentoring’S Effectiveness For Beginning Teachers, Sarah A. Moran
Dissertations
Because of the increase of online education options and the continuously increasing demands on teacher time, this case study analyzed online mentoring’s effectiveness for beginning teachers in one Midwestern school. Specifically, the case study analyzed what, if any, the effects were of including an online learning forum to modify the traditional teacher mentoring program as well as the experiences of the mentees. A further analysis was conducted considering the administrator’s role in the creation and facilitation of an online learning forum for teacher mentoring. To guide the creation and maintenance of the online learning forum, the participating teachers completed the …
The Investigation Of Self-Determination In Students Participating In Higher Education With An Invisible Disability, Joseph Daniel Bryant Ii
The Investigation Of Self-Determination In Students Participating In Higher Education With An Invisible Disability, Joseph Daniel Bryant Ii
Dissertations
The enrollment of students with invisible disabilities has continued to increase unabated in postsecondary environments. As a result of the applicable laws governing the provision of accommodations and/or modifications in higher education, the impetus and responsibility to succeed rests almost entirely with the individual student. Research showed for many students with invisible disabilities, the transition from a more passive role in the acquisition of education at the primary and secondary levels to a more active role in the acquisition of higher education at the post-secondary level was difficult, as evidenced by a large percentage of such students failing to complete …
Summer School Correlation To Reading Lexile Levels Of African American Students In A Low Socio-Economic Area In Grades One Through Four, Channie Bell
Dissertations
The achievement gap between African American students and other races was continuously widening. School districts across the country were examining several programs to address the issue. This study attempted to examine the overall benefit of summer school attendance on reading achievement. It evaluated the relationship between summer school attendance and lexile levels of African American students from a low socio-economical area, in grades one through four. Participants for the study were not recruited as secondary data was used for the research. The study site school district’s secondary data from the summer school session of 2012 was analyzed. The data included …
The Long-Term Impact Of Preschool Education On Student Achievement, Amy L. Britt
The Long-Term Impact Of Preschool Education On Student Achievement, Amy L. Britt
Dissertations
While many studies have been published about the short-term effects of preschool on student achievement, few long-term studies have been completed. The focus of this study was to determine whether students who attended schools that offered preschool demonstrated improved student achievement in communication arts and math in fourth and eighth grades. Quantitative data, including MAP scores for 2010, 2011 and 2012 in communication arts and math, were reviewed. The participants included rural schools with similar demographics as evidenced by membership in Missouri Association of Rural Education. A survey was administered to superintendents of the same schools. The data revealed that …
The Effects Of Writing Centers Upon The Engagement And Retention Of Developmental Composition Students In One Missouri Community College, David Elton Ball
The Effects Of Writing Centers Upon The Engagement And Retention Of Developmental Composition Students In One Missouri Community College, David Elton Ball
Dissertations
Student retention poses a major challenge to higher education in America. Research has demonstrated colleges that foster student engagement have higher retention rates than colleges that fail to do so. Writing centers are student services that improve student engagement and retention. This study focused upon the Fall 2013 cohort of developmental composition students in one Missouri community college, to determine if students’ use of the writing center made a positive difference upon student engagement or successful completion of their course. The study was designed with a two-pronged approach to answer four questions. The first question was posed to determine a …