Education Commons^™

Evaluating Measurement Invariance With Censored Ordinal Data: A Monte Carlo Comparison Of Alternative Model Estimators And Scales Of Measurement, Natalie A. Koziol

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Evaluations of measurement invariance provide essential construct validity evidence. However, the quality of such evidence is partly dependent upon the validity of the resulting statistical conclusions. The presence of Type I or Type II errors can render measurement invariance conclusions meaningless.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of categorization and censoring on the behavior of the chi-square/likelihood ratio test statistic and two alternative fit indices (CFI and RMSEA) under the context of evaluating measurement invariance. Monte Carlo simulation was used to examine Type I error and power rates for the (a) overall test statistic/fit indices, and …

Apprenticeships And Traineeships: Participation, Progress And Completion, John Ainley, Steve Holden, Sheldon Rothman

LSAY Briefing Reports

This Briefing draws together findings from two LSAY Research Reports: Participation in and Progress through New Apprenticeships; and the VET Pathways Taken by School Leavers. They report on the characteristics of young people who become apprentices and trainees, their points of entry to, and patterns of progress, and completion of training.

Attitudes, Intentions And Participation In Education: Year 12 And Beyond, Kylie Hillman

LSAY Briefing Reports

This briefing paper synthesis findings from several LSAY Research Reports (5, 27, 31, 33 and 41) which report on how student attitudes and engagement in the formative school years influence subsequent participation in post-compulsory education and training.

Evaluation Of Olpc Programs Global : A Literature Review, Dita Nugroho, Michele Lonsdale

Digital learning research

This literature review was undertaken by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) with the intention of identifying existing approaches to the evaluation of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) programs globally. It was expected that there would be few examples, partly because the OLPC program is a relatively recent initiative, and this has proved to be the case. The knowledge base is expanding, however, with more evaluations of OLPC deployments and one-on-one computing in general being conducted.

Academic Dishonesty In Online Education, Wren Allen Mills

Dissertations

This dissertation examined cheating attitudes and behaviors of undergraduates, especially those enrolled in online courses. While cheating is an established problem within the academy, it is also an issue on the job and has been in the spotlight in recent years, with ethics scandals in corporate America and plagiarism in the media. With this in mind, and the foundational philosophy of the Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education (Bureau of Education, 1928) and the American Council on Education’s (1937) Student Personnel Point of View, this study sought insight into students’ attitudes about cheating behaviors and practices of them in online courses …

Characteristics Of Local Dual Credit Programs That Promote Sustained Enrollment And High School Achievement, Karl William Olive

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The intent of this study was to identify the features of local dual credit programs that promote high achievement and sustained enrollment. Ancillary outcomes of the study were to identify strengths and weaknesses of the programs as well as develop recommendations for the development and implementation of future dual credit programs in the area. The dual credit programs studied were offered by two secondary schools in conjunction with the local community and technical college. Information regarding the programs was collected via interviews from individuals at the secondary and postsecondary level who had substantial knowledge of the programs.

Overriding themes that …

Assessing The Relationship Between Student Involvement And Academic Performance In Higher Education, Azurdee M. Garland

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The study examined the relationship between the degree of involvement in co-curricular activities and academic performance, as measured by Grade Point Average (GPA) among college students enrolled at Western Kentucky University (WKU). Three hundred thirty-six sophomores were surveyed via TOPNET, an electronic registration management system, regarding their level of involvement in campus organizations and other factors, including employment status and gender. The cumulative GPAs and the number of credit hours in which the survey participants were enrolled during Fall Semester 2005 were obtained through a survey using TOPNET. Pearson product-moment correlations revealed statistically significant relationships between GPA and the number …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Physical Fitness And Academic Performance, Karen Elizabeth Rodenroth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

academic achievement based on the idea that health and physical fitness have an impact on the ability to achieve academically. Because of the recent pressures of No Child Left Behind, many schools have opted to limit the amount of time students spend in physical education classes and recess. With the increased percentages of students who suffer from diabetes and other health related risks, eliminating or reducing physical activity from the school day is not the answer. Data was collected from 90 students (46 males and 44 females) during the 2009-2010 school year by using the President's Challenge Physical Fitness Test, …

Cops, Teachers, And The Art Of The Impossible: Explaining The Lack Of Diffusion Of Impossible Job Innovations, Robert Maranto, Patrick J. Wolf

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

In their now classic Impossible Jobs in Public Management, Hargrove and Glidewell (1990) argue that public agencies with limited legitimacy, high conflict, low professional authority, and weak "agency myths" have essentially impossible jobs. Leaders of such agencies can do little more than "cope," which is also a theme of James Q. Wilson (1989), among others. Yet in the years since publication of Impossible Jobs, one such position, that of police commissioner has proven possible. Over a sustained 17-year period, the New York City Police Department has achieved dramatic reductions in crime with relatively few political repercussions, as described by Kelling …

Handle With Care, Ellen Hazelkorn

Articles

This article discusses the impact of rankings on higher education.

Why Magic Bullets Don't Work, David F. Feldon

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

We always tell our students that there are no shortcuts, that important ideas are nuanced, and that recognizing subtle distinctions is an essential critical-thinking skill. Mastery of a discipline, we know, requires careful study and necessarily slow, evolutionary changes in perspective. Then we look around for the latest promising trend in teaching and jump in with both feet, expecting it to transform our students, our courses, and our outcomes. Alternatively, we sniff disdainfully at the current educational fad and proudly stand by the instructional traditions of our disciplines or institutions, secure in our knowledge that the “tried and true” has …

Research Data Services At Singapore Management University: Engagement Summary Report, Terrence B. Bennett

Research Collection Library

In order for Singapore Management University to provide essential support to its researchers and remain competitive with peer institutions, the Li Ka Shing Library at SMU should initiate a distinct research data services function that provides, at minimum, identification and dissemination of data resources, instruction in finding and using data, and some technical assistance with the use of specialized software. In anticipation of emerging trends in data management, these base-level data services will enable SMU to be positioned for strategic growth—the progress of which is carefully aligned with limits to funding, staffing, and other resource allocations—in order to meet the …

The Greenprint: Nevada’S Environmental Literacy Plan, Part 1, Education About The Environment

Education about the Environment

President Obama’s “Blueprint for Reform” includes environmental education in part because research has demonstrated significant benefits from environmental education, including impacting student test scores in science, reading, math, and social studies. Additionally, studies have shown that environmental education can reduce discipline problems, increase attendance, and develop leadership and other social skills. Other important benefits include increased engagement, motivation, and enthusiasm for learning. The National Science Board of the National Science Foundation recognizes the importance of environmental education to student learning in their 2000 report, Environmental Science and Engineering for the 21st Century.

The need for environmental literacy arises from the …

Improving Irt Parameter Estimates With Small Sample Sizes: Evaluating The Efficacy Of A New Data Augmentation Technique, Brett P. Foley

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The 3PL model is a flexible and widely used tool in assessment. However, it suffers from limitations due to its need for large sample sizes. This study introduces and evaluates the efficacy of a new sample size augmentation technique called Duplicate, Erase, and Replace (DupER) Augmentation through a simulation study. Data are augmented using several variations of DupER Augmentation (based on different imputation methodologies, deletion rates, and duplication rates), analyzed in BILOG-MG 3, and results are compared to those obtained from analyzing the raw data. Additional manipulated variables include test length and sample size. Estimates are compared using seven different …

Vet Leadership For The Future: Contexts, Characteristics And Capabilities : Research Briefing., Hamish Bennett Coates, V Lynn Meek, Justin Brown, Tim Friedman, Peter Noonan, John Mitchell

Higher education research

Key insights:

Leadership is about managing change and guiding growth in fluid environments.

Leadership requires a ‘change capable culture’ that gives space to lead.

VET needs strategies for managing the looming succession crisis.

Too little is known about leaders and their work.

Leaders’ roles and work focus are not clearly defined.

Markers of effective performance are not clearly defined and deployed.

Produce a framework of key capabilities and competencies.

Effective leadership education must be current and shaped by understanding of effective practice.

Vet Leadership For The Future: Contexts, Characteristics And Capabilities, Hamish Bennett Coates, V Lynn Meek, Justin Brown, Tim Friedman, Peter Noonan, John Mitchell

Higher education research

This study examines leadership in Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector. VET leaders make a vital and growing contribution to learners, industry and society, yet research on their work is limited. This has direct implications for ensuring leadership is most effective, and for framing evidence-based capacity development. To assist the sector, and in particular the people who find themselves running large and complex training organisations, this study paints a picture of what VET leaders do, and of how they can do it best.

Australian Regional Higher Education: Student Characteristics And Experiences, Sarah Richardson, Tim Friedman

Higher education research

This study was undertaken for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) during May, June and July of 2010. It focuses on students who study at higher education institutions (HEIs) in regional parts of Australia, with particular attention paid to their characteristics, motivations, experiences and outcomes, both in terms of further study and of employment. The study catalogues a number of existing data sources which can be utilised for research into this population and identifies key gaps in the current collections which inhibit some areas of analysis into students at …

Initial Findings From The Iea International Civic And Citizenship Education Study, Wolfram Schulz, John Ainley, Julian Fraillon, David Kerr, Bruno Losito

Civics and Citizenship Assessment

The 2009 IEA study of civic and citizenship education (ICCS), conducted in 38 countries around the world, built on the previous IEA studies of civic education, but took place in a context characterized by significant societal change, including the rapid development of new communication technologies, increased movement of people between countries, and the growth of supranational organizations. The data gathered from more than 140,000 students and 62,000 teachers in over 5,300 schools during the course of the study offers information that countries and education systems worldwide can use to inform and improve policy and practice in civic and citizenship education. …

Single Point Rubric: A Tool For Responsible Student Self-Assessment, Jarene Fluckiger

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Teachers who tap into the talents of each student involve students in goal setting and assessment of their own education. The single point rubric is an ethical tool to assist students with their responsibilities of goal setting and self-assessment of their own education. In this article, I describe key features of the single point rubric, how it is used, and how it is different from traditional multiple point rubrics. I also share some benefits of using single point rubrics along with suggestions of how to address concerns. Two sample, single point rubrics are provided.

Analysis Of Engineering Students Learning Styles On Level 7, Level 8 And Level 9 Programmes, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

This contribution reports on research, carried out over three academic years, into the learning styles of engineering students, on a number of Level 7, Level 8 and Level 9 programmes at DIT, using the index of learning styles survey developed by Felder and Soloman (1991). The contribution explores the results obtained in detail, placing them particularly in the national context. The correlation between student performance and individual learning styles is examined. Knowledge of the strongly visual learning style of these cohorts of students may be used to improve the learning environment.

How Do Doctoral Research Academics Perceive Their Research Activities To Be Of Benefit To Undergraduate Students, James Mccauley

Theses

The principal aim of my research is to investigate the perceptions of Doctoral research academics regarding the benefit of their research activities to undergraduate students. Through in-depth interviews, the research aims to establish the level of communication that Doctoral researchers initiate with their undergraduate students about their research activities as well as the extent to which they know if these students perceive these activities as positive or negative. The extent to which students proactively queried such academics about their research activities is also examined. Two main types of activities were identified as having a positive impact: topic specific ‘cutting-edge’ knowledge …

Preparedness For Active Citizenship Among Lower Secondary Students In International Comparison, Wolfram Schulz, John Ainley, Eva Van De Gaer

Civics and Citizenship Assessment

The IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study investigates the ways in which young people in lower secondary schools are prepared to undertake their roles as citizens in a wide range of countries from Europe, Latin America, and the Asian-Pacific region. A central aspect of students' preparedness to become citizens in a democracy is their disposition to actively participate in society. This paper contains an analysis of measures of students' intentions to participate as citizens in civic life and students' current participation in civic activities in their eighth year of schooling. It is based on data from approximately 140,000 students …

Enrollment Report - Summer 2010, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Enrollment Reports

The Enrollment Report provides administrative and delivery-site information on enrollment headcount and student credit hours, as well as the demographic characteristics of enrolled students. The purpose of this profile is to provide the undergraduate and graduate enrollments and student credit hour information by college or equivalent academic unit, class, gender and ethnicity.

2009-2010 Profile, Morehead State University. Institutional Research & Analysis.

Office of Institutional Research & Analysis Publication Archive

2009-2010 issue of Profile Magazine.

Qepr Review Of Progress: Review Of Progress Towards Implementing The Government Response To The Queensland Education Performance Review And Related State School Initiatives In Literacy, Numeracy And Science, Geoff N. Masters

Assessment and Reporting

This review was undertaken at the request of the Director-General of the Queensland Department of Education and Training. It reviews progress and makes recommendations ‘about initiatives aimed at improving the performance of Queensland students in literacy, numeracy and science’. More specifically, the Terms of Reference for the review requested an analysis and recommendations relating to:

• the effectiveness of the initiatives implemented in the Government response to the five recommendations of the Queensland Education Performance Review (QEPR); and
• the effectiveness of identified key initiatives in Queensland state primary schools to improve performance in literacy, numeracy and science.

The review was asked …

Explaining Differences In Civic Knowledge Across 38 Countries, Wolfram Schulz, Julian Fraillon, John Ainley, Eva Van De Gaer

Civics and Citizenship Assessment

The IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study studied the ways in which young people in lower secondary schools are prepared to undertake their roles as citizens in a wide range of countries in Europe, Latin America, and the Asian-Pacific region. A central aspect of the study was the assessment of student knowledge about a wide range of civic and citizenship-related issues. This paper includes analyses that use a multi-level model to explain differences in civic knowledge on the basis of student characteristics, home background and school contexts. In addition, the analyses in this paper include a consideration of factors …

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, …

Long-Term Impact Of Community-Based Learning On College Graduates: Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp Qualitative Study, Rowanna L. Carpenter

University Studies Assessment Research

Provides an overview of an ongoing research project conducted by Capstone faculty and the Capstone Director analyzing interviews with students who had completed the Kiwanis Camp Capstone. This Capstone provides students with an opportunity to live with and provide direct service to a camper with disabilities.

Test Scores Show More Students Scoring Proficient Or Advanced In 2010, Nathan C. Jensen, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

In mid-June, the ADE released the results of the 2009-10 standardized achievement tests, including the Arkansas Benchmark and SAT-10 exams for students in grades 3- 8 and the End-of-Course (EOC) Literacy exam for students in grade 11. The following policy brief will highlight the current performance of all Arkansas students, the performance for particular subgroups of students, and finally the changes in achievement over time.

A Variety Of Student Data From 1979-80 To The Present. Student Headcounts From 1899-1900 To The Present (Click On Abstract For More), Ernest Sams

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Summary of Info by Department/College; Student Headcounts from 1899-1900 to the Present; Student Headcounts by Gender, Age, Ethnicity, County or Origin and Last Type of Institution Attended; Student Credit Hours by Course, Class and College; FTE Students by Course, Class and College; FTE Students to FTE Faculty Ratos