Education Commons^™

Raw And Pure Education In The Society, Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

What does education mean to individuals in the world today? Education is a way one can attain or improve his or her ability to lead and survive in the society of ours. Without educational training of the mind, it may be impossible to realize the importance of adaptability of living in the environment. Without education, It may also be difficult to embellish the use of both the mental and physical attributes possessed by individual beings.

What really is education? Education is the training of the mind to perform desire functions or to perpetuate the modality of obtaining an end or …

Engagement Requires The Institution Too: A Case Study Of A California Community College Using Assessment Data To Improve Student Success Practices, Duane Brooks

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

While the collection of assessment data by educational institutions is important, these activities are not sufficient to create an institution that is fully “engaged” with not only the data, but also in using data to improve decision making and student success practices within the institution. The institution must be ready to use the data for action and improvement. Understanding the process that transforms data into institutionalized knowledge is an important component of what institutional engagement looks like. This qualitative single case study explored the scope and nature of institutional engagement in the case of one California community college by examining …

Implementation Of The Mtss Process In Kearney Public Schools, Chelsea Feusner

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

To support multiple needs, districts have worked to enrich or remediate students through differentiated objectives, programs, and initiatives. The goal of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports framework is to create a system that supports all students and provides robust interventions and programs at all levels, in multiple areas of education. This cross-sectional study will investigate MTSS implementation through a self-assessment survey of school principals and teachers in Kearney Public Schools (KPS). The information collected and analyzed to support the administrative team’s planning, implementation, and measurement of effectiveness. The research will also be able to support the continued implementation of MTSS …

Pay No Attention To The Regulation Behind The Curtain: The Implications Of The Return To Title Iv (R2t4) Federal Aid Policy On Time To Degree, Apri Medina

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Federal aid programs and their effect on student persistence, stopout, and completion have long been studied, but current literature does not fully capture the temporal nature of these programs due to insufficient methods, imprecise data, or both. Using event history methodologies, I leverage a unique level of access to data at a public four-year, research intensive university to explore how the Return to Title IV federal aid withdrawal policy, one of the most prominent yet understudied aspects of federal financial aid policies, influences time to degree. The treatment of this policy is associated with a 58.6% reduced risk (reduced conditional …

Curating The Campus Nightlife Experience: Documenting A Program Model For Late Night And Weekend Programming., Derrick Gulley Jr

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study provides a comprehensive definition of the elements that make a campus programming board. This is important to understand because it provides a framework to talk about campus programming boards as organizations and it provides a model that other organizations could utilize. While this study is specifically looking at the CNL program model for late-night and weekend programming it provides a framework for practitioners to critically review and document aspects of their organization if they choose too. The program model encompasses all of the operational, structural, and shared philosophical beliefs implemented in the approach or design of campus activities …

Heritage Language Schools In The U.S.: Administration, Sustainability And School Operations, Nan Wang

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Heritage Language School (HLS) is a unique type of non-governmental educational organization in the U.S. It was first established in the 1880s by immigrants, who wanted to pursue freedom and wealth in the U.S. As those descendants melt into U.S. culture over generations, the Heritage Language School undertakes the responsibility to connect immigrants’ descendants with their heritage cultures and languages. The sustainability of heritage language schools affects the sustainability of heritage cultures in the U.S. Now heritage language schools flourish in all states in the U.S. To approach sustainability, administration in heritage language schools encounters various challenges. With limited …

Latinx Students In Stem Education Research: A Crt And Latcrit Analysis Of Nsf Funded Projects, Hortencia Lara

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis used Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) to conduct an in-depth analysis of whether literature funded through the use of National Science Foundation (NSF) research awards perpetuates race, racism, or other interacting systems of oppression in the research or if the investigators resisted inequalities against Latinx students in STEM research. This thesis examined how the investigators of twenty NSF-funded articles examined the experiences of Latinx students in STEM. From a CRT and LatCrit lens I analyze articles to see if and in what ways researchers are complicit with oppression and which ways they resist. …

Refugee Women, Hrd, And Transitions To Employment: A Summary Of Methodological Approaches, Minerva Tuliao

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Refugee women comprise half of the world’s 19.5 million refugees today. Many refugee women resettle in industrialized countries, yet there is limited research particularly on their human resource development issues, including transitions to employment. This paper summarizes the methodological approaches of research conducted on refugee women and their transitions to employment. Majority of the 22 articles surveyed described refugees from Africa, utilized qualitative approaches, and have been conducted in the United States of America. Implications to HRD research include further inquiry on refugee populations using participatory approaches, and ethical considerations in the conduct of refugee research.

A Fiscal Model Program Theory Proposal For Training Reentry Citizen Ex-Convicts To Remodel Abandoned Houses, James A. Hanson

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to develop and examine a fiscal program theory model and proposal for training reentry citizen ex-convicts to remodel abandoned houses. A sustainable program theory model describes ways that training and employing these citizens to remodel abandoned houses may be expected to have benefits to a community. The recently released ex-convicts will learn a construction trade, earn a sustainable wage, and the once-abandoned houses will be returned to the city tax rolls. Vocational education and workforce training are key to this program. The literature indicates that national jobless rates for recently released inmates is well …

Assessing The Relationship Between Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Student Engagement At Central Mountain College, Brandi R.K. Atnip

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study compared the perceptions of students versus faculty at Central Mountain College with regard to the issue of student engagement. Central Mountain College participated in the Community College Survey of Student Engagement and the Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement during the spring semesters of 2009, 2011, and 2013. The institution was provided with aggregate results from these survey administrations by the Center for Community College Student Engagement. Prior to this study, the survey results had not been accumulatively evaluated by the institution.

The study aimed to determine areas where there was congruence and incongruence between the students …

Developing An Understanding Of How College Students Experience Interactive Instructional Technology: A Ux Perspective, Adam Wagler

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Technology is increasingly mobile and social, resulting in dynamic digital and interactive environments. The ubiquitous nature of interactive instructional technology presents new paradigms for higher education, creating challenges for instructors to compete for time and attention as students are bombarded by information in a digital, media rich world. The problem being studied, with all of these technological advancements, is how instructors can approach these challenges from a user experience (UX) perspective. A macro level view sees college students taking multiple courses at a time, over many semesters, and using different interactive instructional technology that mix with other forms of online …

The Predictive Validity Of Pre-Admission Measures On Podiatric Medical School Performance, Kevin M. Smith

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored the influence of pre-admission measures on podiatric medical school performance. The purpose of the study was to predict which students are most likely to succeed in podiatric medical school when admitted, and potentially decrease the cost of attrition experienced by the student and institution. A review of the literature on medical school admissions was completed and used to develop this research.

Podiatric medical students from a Midwestern institution who enrolled between the years 2000 and 2015 were included as the sample for the study (n = 804). Pre-admission measures that were available for the subjects included Medical …

An Analysis Of The District Marginal Costs Of Mandatory State Standardized Tests, J. Eli Crow

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to determine (a) the estimate for the district marginal cost of mandatory state standardized assessments, (b) if student enrollment can be used to predict the district marginal cost of mandatory state standardized assessments, and c) the unit (per student) district marginal cost of mandatory state standardized assessments. The study included the use of a simple linear regression analysis with associated plots and trend lines.

The study established that district enrollment was correlated with district marginal cost of standardized testing which allowed the researcher to calculate the total and per student district level marginal cost …

Exploring The Factors That Influence And Motivate Female Students To Enroll And Persist In Collegiate Stem Degree Programs: A Mixed Methods Study, Rosemary L. Edzie

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nationally, the need for an increase in interest, enrollment, and degrees awarded from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree programs continues to suffer. While students are enrolling in collegiate STEM degree programs, it is not occurring at a rate that meets the workforce demand. In addition to the concern that there is not a sufficient amount of collegiate STEM majors, there is a concern over too few females enrolling and persisting in collegiate STEM degree programs.

This mixed methods sequential exploratory research study considered the factors that influence and motivate undergraduate female students to enroll and persist in collegiate …

Not Designed With Us In Mind: Exploring The Experiences And Needs Of Adult Learners At A Public Research University, Stephanie N. Meyer

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Adult learners are a rapidly expanding student population, constituting more than 40 percent of college students today (Stokes, 2006). Research on adult learners has historically focused on their experiences within adult-centered institutions where they make up the majority student population. Although older students challenge the status quo of higher education, traditional institutions continue to dismiss their needs in the development of policies and practices. The structure of higher education is historically designed to serve youth and assumptions are often made about students that often overlook the needs, availability, and interests of adult learners. For many adult learners who prefer the …

A Mixed Methods Case Study: Understanding The Experience Of Nebraska 4-H Participants Relative To Their Transition And Adaptation To College, Jill Walahoski

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed methods case study was designed to assess the preparedness of former Nebraska 4-H participants to successfully transition and adjust to college. The study also sought to understand the way that students’ experiences in Nebraska 4-H may have influenced their readiness to transition to college. The initial quantitative stage of this case study administered the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire to former 4-H participants who were recent high school graduates. Latter qualitative stages included interviews with staff regarding the practices and strategies they employed related to preparing young people for college and interviews with former 4-H participants selected from …

Expectations V. Reality: A Study About Chinese Students' Expectations And Experiences At A Midwestern University In America, Sarah J. Barg

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to add to the research regarding the expectations and experiences of Chinese students studying at an American university. In doing so, this study sought to examine newly arriving Chinese students’ expectations of what their experience would be like compared to the reality of what their experiences actually were while attending Midwestern State University (MSU). Ten participants participated in two semi-structured interviews. The first set of interviews explored what Chinese students expected their experience studying at MSU to be like. The following interview explored the actual experiences the Chinese students had while studying at …

Culturally Proficient Teachers, Lori R. Piowlski

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Action needs to be taken by teacher preparation programs to prepare culturally proficient educators who are able to deliver equitable instruction and inspire all students to strive for greatness if the achievement gap is to be closed. Existing literature mainly describes the importance and urgency to prepare future teachers for the changing demographics with classrooms across the United States. There is not significant literature on how it is being done. Therefore the purpose of this qualitative study was to discover how university teacher education programs are preparing teachers to be culturally proficient. A cross-reference of data collected from Adequate Yearly …

Perceptions Of Nebraska Teachers Regarding The Transition From Stars To Nesa And Its Perceived Influence On The Implementation Of A Balanced Assessment System, Jamie S. Isom

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to explore the perceptions of Nebraska teachers about their experiences in the transition from STARS to NeSA. The study explored their perceptions of the influence of the transition on implementation of a balanced assessment system. As defined by NDE, a balanced system included NeSA testing, local criterion-referenced assessments, and national norm-referenced testing. The timing of this study was concurrent with the transition from the STARS assessment system to the NeSA assessment system in Nebraska.

Parallel studies of teachers and administrators consisted of administrators and teachers in 166 public school districts within …

Success In One High-Poverty, Urban Elementary School: A Case Study, Shavonna L. Holman

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the efforts implemented in a high-poverty, urban elementary school in order to increase academic achievement. The central research question was:

1. How do teachers and administrators in a high-poverty, urban school describe the strategies they use to achieve academic success?

The sub-questions were:

1. What are the aspects of the instructional program that assure student success for all students?
2. What changes occurred in the school to achieve its current status?
3. How have the changes been implemented to assure student success?
4. What resources have been instrumental to achieve student success in the school? …

A Mixed Methods Study Of How The Transition Process Impacts The Autonomy Of Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers, Linda Kasal Fusco

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed methods study sought to identify the impact that transition into the practice of teaching had on the autonomy of pre-service secondary teachers of Mathematics. It was based on the belief that a Mathematics teacher’s autonomy depended on: beliefs about Mathematics and how it was learned, reflections on the teaching practice, and social constraints of a secondary school culture. Data was collected between January 2009 and March 2010. In Phase I (Quantitative) the participants (N = 30), selected from ten State University of New York teacher preparation colleges and universities, completed five instruments to quantify the three factors of …

Improving Student Achievement Through Professional Learning Communities, Mindy L. Roberts

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study determined how general education teachers in a Midwestern school district perceived their personal skill level in working collaboratively and focusing on academic results while working in a Professional Learning Community (PLC). The overarching question for the research was: Do educator perceptions of their personal skill level in working collaboratively and focusing on academic results while implementing a Professional Learning Community have an effect on student achievement? The study looked at teacher perceptions within the three themes of PLCs: (a) assuring students learn at high levels, (b) creating a culture of collaboration, and (c) focusing on academic results. Student …

The Academic Success Of Homeschooled Students In A South Carolina Technical College, Jack N. Bagwell Jr

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In 2010, homeschooling was increasing in prevalence in the United States. Yet, little was known about the academic achievement of these students as they matriculated into colleges and universities. The purpose of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study was to examine the academic success achieved by the homeschooled population (N=273) and a sample of the traditionally educated students (N=273) who had enrolled in credit courses between the years of 2001 and 2008 at York Technical College, a comprehensive community college in South Carolina. In the quantitative phase of the study, academic success measures included COMPASS placement scores in writing, pre-algebra, …

An Examination Of Changes In Program Offerings And Program Enrollments In Selected Nebraska High Schools During The Era Of Standards-Based Reform, Kenneth E. Schroeder

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not there were changes in certain characteristics of educational programs in grades 9-12 Nebraska public high schools during the era of standards-based reform. This purpose was accomplished by testing for changes between the 1993-94 school year and the 2007-08 school year in the courses high schools offered and in the courses students took. The total program and each of ten designated subject areas that comprise the program were examined. Those ten designated subject areas were language arts, science, social science, mathematics, foreign language, vocational education, visual and performing arts, personal …

A Study To Determine The Influence Of Student Status And Gender On The Learning Styles Of Freshmen Students, Ali J. Morris

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to compare the learning styles, as defined by David A. Kolb, of traditional freshmen students and non-traditional freshmen students to determine if there is a significant difference between them. The researcher also collected data to determine if there is a correlation between learning styles for gender and traditional/non-traditional student status.

Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (LSI) was used as the survey instrument and was administered to all students in the sample. The stratified random sample population consisted of 550 students selected from the freshmen class and provided to the researcher by the Office of Institutional …

An Examination Of Core Course Admission Deficiencies And Their Impact On Six-Year Graduation Rates For Transfer Students At The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln., David S. Belieu

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the six-year graduation rate of transfer students who enter the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a deficiency in a core course admission requirement. The study explored the odds of a transfer student graduating in a six-year period if he/she were admitted with a deficiency. Specifically, the study examined graduation rates for transfer students who entered UNL with a core course deficiency in mathematics and foreign language. The study also examined graduated transfer students admitted with one or more core course deficiencies GPAs versus graduated transfer students who were admitted without a deficiency. After …