Education Commons^™

Analyzing Motivation And Sense Of Belonging Belonging In Cs1 Review Sessions, Cory Longenecker

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The Computer Science Department at James Madison University has a Teaching Assistant program which aims to help students succeed in early-level Computer Science courses. Part of this program is a review session, the Fourth Hour, which provides students extra help on the concepts taught each week in class. Historically, attendance at this review session has been low. Because of this, the study aimed to increase attendance by motivating students through interventions, primarily offering quiz retakes to students who attended. Additionally, this study looked at the reported sense of belonging for participants who attended.

We made three conclusions from survey data …

The Effectiveness Of Using Behavior Specific Praise Versus General Praise For One Elementary-Aged Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Angie Slusar

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to look at the effectiveness of general praise (GP) versus behavior specific praise (BSP) on increasing on-task behavior and decreasing the behavior of hitting in an elementary-age child with autism spectrum disorder. The researcher conducted a single function functional analysis to confirm that hitting was maintained by access to adult attention. The researcher used an alternating treatment design to compare GP and BSP as behavior change interventions. The researcher observed an educator working one-on-one with an elementary-aged child with autism. In each condition, the educator gave the praise that corresponded with the condition, to …

Culturally Responsive Strategies To Support Multilingual Learners, Liz Shanks, Mackenzie Weakland

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Teachers must develop pedagogical practices to meet the needs of the growing number of multilingual learners in K-12 classrooms. Our inquiry- based research study analyzed ways that teachers can implement pedagogical strategies that are culturally responsive to multilingual learners. Thematic analysis of recent academic studies, class observations, and an interview with a language specialist affirm a set of culturally responsive instructional practices in the classroom that lead to the academic success of multilingual learners. These practices included teacher attitudes, translanguaging, and thinking routines to assist in English language acquisition. K-12 teachers, administrators, and community leaders working with multilingual learners can …

Strategies To Aid Multilingual Learners In Academic Language Acquisition In Elementary Science And Mathematics Classes, Mikayla Grumbacher, Sophia Sladic

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

This qualitative inquiry research study surveys academic language acquisition strategies for teachers of multilingual learners in elementary science and mathematics classes. We paired readings of recent peer-reviewed journal articles with video observations of three elementary school teachers and an interview with a Director of English as a Second Language for a county in Virginia. Thematic analysis helped us identify similar strategies across the different studies, classroom observations, and interview. Our findings suggest that utilizing sensory and interactive supports are especially helpful strategies for teachers seeking to help multilingual learners in academic language acquisition.

Virtual Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Katie B. Kelley

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Student motivation and the impacts of the school environment on it have been heavily researched. However, motivation during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been studied in detail due to the recency of events. To understand how the pandemic impacted student motivation, this study applied the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in understanding how motivation functions through three pieces: autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Deci & Ryan, 1985). This current study examines students’ perceived motivation in virtual and hybrid instruction during a pandemic from students’ perspectives. It used surveys from a similar study with the addition of qualitative questions about instructional strategies (Edwards, 2009). …

Systems Leadership On Seamless And Transparent National-Level Transfer Credit System: A Mixed Methods Study, Sevinj Iskandarova

Dissertations, 2020-current

Transfer students often lose credits that they have earned for completing courses at previous institutions and face other complications during lateral transitions between public four-year institutions because the current process of transferring credits is awkward, which raises barriers to affordable, accessible, and accountable national-level transfers. More research is needed to understand how the transfer policy could best be adapted to create an improved, transparent, and seamless transfer process. This mixed methods study’s purpose is to explore how the transfer policies across states are functioning, and determine what states are doing regarding postsecondary transfer policy and which factors influence the decision …

Effects Of First- And Third-Person Point Of View On The Acquisition Of Behaviors Using Video Modeling, Robert Harper Iii

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Video modeling is an evidence-based practice for teaching behaviors and chains of behaviors to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the viewing perspective of these models played a role in influencing a learner’s acquisition of the target behavior or behaviors. An adapted alternating treatments design was used to examine the effects of these different perspectives affected the learning of two similar behavioral chains in a learner with ASD. Video models from both viewing perspectives were provided to the learner with no additional prompting other than brief verbal acknowledgement of a step’s …

Determining Faculty Capacity For Transdisciplinary Instruction, Dominic Swayne

Dissertations, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid survey instrument that would prove useful in identifying faculty with the capacity and inclination to succeed in team-taught, hands-on, transdisciplinary course programming. Using an exploratory, mixed-methods design, the qualitative component consisted of semi-structured interviews of nine experienced X-Labs faculty. The qualitative analysis process identified attributes that were vital to transdisciplinary teaching and demonstrated patterns that were consistent with complex leadership development. During the mixing process, these data were translated into a quantitative instrument. A panel of experts reviewed the prototype instrument and reduced the number of items included …

Assessing Perceptions Of Group Work Using Team-Based Learning, Lauren Ferry, Phillip J. Wong, Kathryn Hogan

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Group work is frequently incorporated into courses; however, student perceptions of their experiences and the benefits of group work might differ based on the structure of course. In this study, we examined student perceptions of group work in a team-based learning (TBL) course. Undergraduate students completed pre- and post-surveys on their team work experiences over a semester. Students had lower agreement with the statement “working in groups usually ends up with one person doing all of the work” and higher agreement with “working in a group makes me feel as though I am part of a learning community” at post-test. …

A Pilot Study On The Impact Of Teaching Assistant Led Cs1 Study Sessions Using Peer Instruction, Megan E. Gilbert

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

James Madison University’s Computer Science program strives to be a student-centered learning environment with a focus on creating a community for undergraduate success. National data reveals computer science has the lowest student retention rate compared to other STEM majors. The National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) has compiled a list of ways to retain students in Computer Science. In particular, NCWIT calls for collaboration indicate that “a sense of belonging, or a feeling of fit, is important for supporting student interest and persistence.” One aspect of creating community is the department’s longstanding commitment to provide undergraduate teaching assistants …

Threshold Concepts And Transfer: A Curriculum Mapping Tool For First-Year Writing, Kerry Smith

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Writing scholars Adler-Kassner and Wardle, Beaufort, and Devet have placed pragmatic learning goals of transfer at the core of education’s purpose. This thesis shares the assumption of pragmatic learning goals for education and examines these goals for transfer through Meyer and Land’s theory of threshold concepts in the context of first-year composition courses. Covering Meyer and Land’s foundational work on threshold concepts and Thorndike and Woodworth’s groundbreaking research that later informed Perkins and Salomon’s work in transfer, this thesis aims to contextualize this literature within and operationalize it for first-year writing programs’ curriculum course design through the creation and testing …

Rise And Shine: A Comparison Of Item Fit Statistics For The Rasch Model, Glenn T. Waterbury

Dissertations, 2020-current

The Rasch model implies that the relation between examinee ability and the probability of correctly answering an item can be defined solely by a small set of parameters. In the case of Rasch modeling, there are only two parameters: the ability of an examinee and the difficulty of an item. When the data meet the requirements of the Rasch model, it possesses several appealing properties that distinguish it from Classical Test Theory and more complex Item Response Theory models.

However, the desirable properties of the Rasch model only exist when the data meet its strict requirements. Therefore, it is vital …

Learners’ Perspectives On The Use And Support Of Student Created Video Assignments At James Madison University, Annette Bruff Liskey

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

This research is an exploratory analysis of the use of student created video assignments at JMU, a pedagogical strategy that is increasingly common but not widely researched. The study collected quantitative data via an online survey of JMU students with the objective of examining the use, design, and outcomes of student created video assignments at James Madison University. Survey topics included the requirements of the assignment, the course that included the assignment, resources available and/or used to complete the assignment, students’ perceptions of the learning outcomes, as well as non-identifying information about each respondent’s demographics and academic experience at JMU. …

5 Steps To Creating Quality Educational Programs: Lessons From The Field Of Instructional Design, Jennifer A. Keach

Libraries

Whether you are developing a staff training program or programming for your community, the field of instructional design offers valuable advice if your goal is to help your attendees to learn. Learn how to build your own programs from scratch with easy-to-implement steps based on learning science.

Rewriting Honors 300: Teaching For Teaching Assistants, Nina Schenk

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The purpose of this project is to rewrite the curriculum of Honors 300: Teaching Honors for Honors Students. After conducting research via survey and reading and analyzing works by Gonzales, Dallimore, and other university and pedagogy websites, meeting with organizations on campus, and getting feedback from other Honors TAs, the goal of my final project is to rewrite the Honors 300 curriculum and syllabus; this includes a restructuring of the TA selection and pairing process, a series of suggestions on training and orientation, and the recommendation for renaming the Teaching Assistants. I developed the following by consulting literature on pedagogy, …

An Exploration Of The Rapid Prompting Method For Students With Autism, Shea Manship

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) was created by Soma Mukhopadhyay as an attempt to provide a way for individuals with autism to learn and communicate. The method has been said to give students with autism a means of communication. A facilitator quickly provides verbal prompts to the individual, who then spells out messages on a letter board or a keyboard. Very little research has been done on RPM, and it is not considered an evidence-based method. Many professionals believe that RPM is not a valid method of communication, largely due to the striking similarities it has with Facilitated Communication (FC). …

Intersections In Theatrical And Dramatic Forms: An Approach To Holistic Teaching Artistry, Madeline Mojallali

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

In my research, I studied four theatrical forms: applied theatre and devising, creative drama, arts integration, and comprehensive theatre education. The purpose of studying these forms was to uncover how the forms and their corresponding pedagogies provide a Teaching Artist with skills to create an educational experience for youth. My creative project, teaching a theatre class for homeschool students, was a way to further my research by implementing what I learned while studying the forms. The goal of my creative project was to develop an environment where young people could successfully create theatre that was relevant to their life experiences. …

Assessment-Orientated Instructional Design Using Dream Approach, Juhong Christie Liu Ph.D., Andrea H. Adams, Wei Wang

Libraries

This presentation proposes an assessment-oriented instructional design approach to enhancing student learning with blended learning environments and report its pilot implementation. Students gain significant learning experience through understanding the relationship between learning outcomes and learning process, connecting acquired knowledge, being able to tackle problems individually or on teams, and learning how to learn (Entwistle, Tait, & McCune, 2000; Fink, 2013; Suskie, 2010; Wiggins, 1998). These components ought to be designed in learning activities to educate learners through formative assessment such as self-reflection, peer evaluation, and constructive feedback from instructor (Angelo & Cross,1993; Wiggins, 1998). In blended learning with online environments, …

Student Engagement And Post-College Outcomes: A Comparison Of Formative And Reflective Models, Courtney Sanders

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Student engagement is a complex construct that is thought to be related to positive outcomes during and after college. Previous research has defined engagement in diverse ways and there are inconsistencies in the models that are used to measure this construct. Many studies have used a reflective measurement model (i.e., exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis), wherein changes in a latent construct are thought to precede and in some sense, explain variation in observed variables. Others have argued that engagement is best measured using a formative model in which the relationship flows in the opposite direction. In other words, within formative …

Integrating Implementation Fidelity And Learning Improvement To Enhance Students’ Ethical Reasoning Abilities, Kristen L. Smith

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Examples of demonstrable student learning improvement in higher education are rare (Banta, Jones, & Black, 2009; Banta & Blaich, 2011). Perhaps because outcomes assessment practices are disconnected from pedagogy, curriculum, and learning improvement. Through partnership with the Madison Collaborative, the current study aimed to bridge this disconnect. Specifically, researchers applied implementation fidelity methodologies (O’Donnell, 2008) to an academic program, under the guiding framework of the Simple Model for Learning Improvement (Fulcher, Good, Coleman, & Smith, 2014). In doing so, researchers helped faculty create and elucidate an ethical reasoning educational intervention and accompanying fidelity checklist. Both were well-aligned with a University-level …

You Only Live Up To The Standards You Set: An Evaluation Of Different Approaches To Standard Setting, Scott N. Strickman

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Interpretation of performance in reference to a standard can provide nuanced, finely-tuned information regarding examinee abilities beyond that of just a total score. However, there is a multitude of ways to set performance standards yet little guidance regarding which method operates best and under what circumstances. Traditional methods are the most common approach adopted in practice and heavily involve subject matter experts (SMEs). Two other approaches have been suggested in the literature as alternative ways to set performance standards, although they have yet to be implemented in practice. Data-driven approaches do not involve SMEs but rather rely solely upon statistical …

Seeing The Possible: My Journey Through Service Learning, Moustafa Nassar, Brigid Belko

VA Engage Journal

As the second year of the Center for Community Engagement and Career Competitiveness draws to a close, our graduating student intern, Moustafa Nassar, critically reflects on his distinct learning experience within his Averett University community and the wider local community to better understand how activism needs to be redefined inside and outside of the college campus. In a discussion of the role experiential learning, in the form of service-learning, volunteer work, and internships, played in his college career, he evaluates his new skills and direction as a result of his experiences.

Fairy Tales And Adaptations: A Unit Of Study For High School Seniors, Angelica P. Babauta

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This project is a unit of study designed for high school seniors in an advanced English class. The topic is fairy tales and adaptations, and through these twelve complete lesson plans, students will be led to examine the way fairy tales and society influence one another based on how a classic fairy tale is adapted over time. Students will study Jeanne Leprince de Beaumont's "Beauty and the Beast," the Brothers Grimm's "Brier Rose," and Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" as the original fairy tales. The adaptations paired with these texts are Alex Flinn's Beastly, James Finn Gardner's "Sleeping …

Learning From The Reggio Emilia Philosophy: How It Can Work In Public Elementary, Allison Shira Kaye

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

In depth exploration of the Reggio Emilia philosophy of elementary education. This paper includes practical application ideas for teachers working in the US in public elementary schools who wish to incorporate different aspects of the philosophy into their classrooms.

The Achievement Gap And Students Living In Poverty: The Role Of Core Self-Evaluation And Transformational Leadership In Teachers, India Harris

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Research has shown that the combination of locus of control, self-efficacy, self-confidence, and emotional stability is a good predictor of life success. Until now, this second order factor, called core self-evaluations (CSE) has only been studied in adults. Findings from this study, showed levels of CSE were significantly and positively connected with academic achievement for middle and elementary aged students. CSE appears to play to a similar role between students and academic achievement as it plays with adults and job performance. In this study, the dimensions of transformational leadership were applied to teacher behaviors and students were grouped based on …

Case Study: Provider For Program To Prevent The Revictimization Of Persons Trafficked For Sex, Janis G. Arlow

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This case study seeks to identify behavior, skills, and attitudes of a professional providing an effective reintegration program for persons trafficked for sex. New demands on medical and social services were created over the past two decades by legislative changes. Initial research focuses on rescue and unmet primary needs. The service program selected for this study has stepped beyond awareness and rescue efforts to the rehabilitation and prevention of revictimization of trafficked persons. A literature review covers the history of sex trafficking in the United States; the recovery environment; materials, trainings and programs available for professionals seeking knowledge to serve …

The Effect Of Cross-Cultural Differences On Team Performance Within An Educational Setting: A Mixed Methods Study, Sevinj Iskandarova

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Faculty members’ performance, experience, satisfaction while on a team, and their professional development were investigated to determine the benefits and challenges of cross cultural differences. The sample consisted of full- and part-time faculty members at James Madison University (JMU), located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The purposes of this mixed methods study (online survey and one-to-one interview) were to determine and measure the effect of cross-cultural differences on team performance, highlight advantages and disadvantages of those cross-cultural differences within the team; and, apply the knowledge learned from this study to enhance team performance within an educational setting. The online survey assessed faculty …

Efficacy Of Face-To-Face Content Delivery Methods In Orientation Programs, Kathryn V. Lucca

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

The purpose of my study is to evaluate the efficacy of face-to-face content delivery methods when orienting new employees into an organization. New employees go through the process of organizational socialization when they join an organization, which teaches them the norms and culture of an organization. When socialized well, employee retention is higher. Orientation programs allow for organizational socialization. Socialization is most effective when done face-to-face. Online content delivery methods have become increasingly popular, and some organizations are moving to an online orientation format. This is study aims to show that orientation programs should remain in a face-to-face content delivery …

A Historical Perspective On The Rise Of Educational Film In 20th Century America, Annette Bruff Liskey

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

Abstract

The pedagogical use of film and video in education advanced alongside the technology that enabled it in the 20^th century. Early adopters of educational film adapted feature films or relied upon a catalog of educational films for content. The medium fit with the reform rhetoric of the Progressive Era: by confirming the educational value of film, civic leaders were able to claim influence over the medium. Nearly a century before Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, the invention of sound in film prompted educators to consider the effect of multiple sensory inputs on learning. Early in the 20 …

Building Data And Information Literacy In The Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum, Yasmeen Shorish, Barbara A. Reisner

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry - Faculty Scholarship

The Literature and Seminar sequence at James Madison University has been used to develop the chemistry information literacy skills of chemistry majors for over four decades. These courses have been continually updated to emphasize information literacy skills for the twenty-first century. This chapter describes the methods that have been developed to improve chemical, data and general information literacy at a large, public, primarily undergraduate institution. The focus of the first semester course, described in this chapter, is on skill building rather than teaching specific resources. It is a model of integration and collaboration between chemistry faculty and chemistry librarians. Changes …