Education Commons^™

Effects Of A Cross-Age Peer Tutoring Program On Reading Performance Of Hispanic Title I Second And Third Grade Students, Ana Isabel Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Hispanic students are falling behind their peers in reading fluency and are struggling to close the gap. This study examined the reading fluency influence on 73 Hispanic second and third grade students while receiving reading fluency support from middle school Hispanic tutors. These students were compared to Hispanic second and third grade students not receiving tutoring reading support. All students were assessed before the tutors gave reading support, mid-year and after the reading support finished using a school district fluency measurement. Findings found that students made rapid growth in reading fluency from the beginning of the tutoring support to mid-year. …

Motivation And The Sat: What Factors Help Determine College Success Past Standardized Testing, Alexandra Vartanian

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects motivation plays in determining the success of a student in post secondary education. The relationship between high school GPA (HSGPA), SAT Scores, college GPA (CGPA), and motivation factors were examined. Motivation was measured on the Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) developed by Paul Pintrich and Elizabeth de Groot. Ninety-two participants responded to the survey. Results corroborated findings from previous research. SAT scores correlate with CGPA; relationships were also observed across several other factors, including HSGPA and CGPA, SAT and Motivation, and HSGPA and SAT scores.

The Effects Of Professional Development On High School Teachers' Implementation Of The Problem-Solving Process, Brandon Y. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

The majority of schools use punitive and reactive strategies to deal with maladaptive behaviors. This descriptive study was a replication of Wilmott (2012) and occurred in a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) high school. Professional development was provided to 22 teachers from a high school located in the western United States. This included 61% males and 39% females. Measures included the frequency of praise notes and ODRs, the quality of praise notes based on a praise note rubric, and a social validity questionnaire. The ODR and praise note frequencies were compared using the Spearman correlational coefficient that resulted in a …

Disparity Of Principal Accountability, Mary Kathryn Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This study begins with a review of court cases that have helped shape public education in America. Following the review is an analysis of federal reform in education from 1965 to the present, paired with educational leadership literature to highlight a disparity in what federal mandates and state policies have in place for accountability measures. The study ends with a state analysis of Illinois and Iowa to find the strengths and weaknesses of state policy in the area of principal accountability.

As policymakers have worked to increase accountability in K-12 education, efforts have focused on a variety of measures to …

Examining Generational Differences In The Workplace: Work Centrality, Narcissism, And Their Relation To Employee Work Engagement, Judith L. Fenzel

Theses and Dissertations

In the workplace of today, an unprecedented four generations of workers work side by side. While this blend of generations adds valuable diversity to the workforce, it also adds complexity.

Despite popular interest in the subject of generations in the workplace, systematic research of the specific generational differences of work centrality, narcissism, and their relation to employee engagement is limited. It is vital to examine the possibility of significant generational differences in order for HRD practitioners and scholars to understand the focus and direction of strategies intended to improve individual and organizational performance. Using a quantitative research methodology, an online …

Involvement Of Principals In Hiring, Professional Development, And Evaluation Of Paraeducators, Jordan T. Hix

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has found paraeducators do not receive adequate training (Giangreco,Broer, & Edelman, 2002), and are often infrequently evaluated –yearly or less often (Mueller, 2002; Morgan, Ashbaker, & Young, 2001). Little is known about principals' practices relative to paraeducator training, and evaluation. To investigate these topics, a survey was distributed to principals that worked in a large suburban/rural school district in the western United States. Fifty-eight participants completed surveys at a district principals meeting. The results of the study indicated a large majority of principals (78.95% for Title 1 paraeducators, 86.21% for special education paraeducators, and 75.86 for others) hired …

The Effects Of Video Prompting Via An Ipad On Vocational Skill Development Of Secondary Students With Developmental Disabilities, Patricia D. Lund

Theses and Dissertations

Current laws stress the importance of using research-based practices to teach transition and vocational skills to students with disabilities. Some of the evidence-based practices include the use of videos to prompt students through a task. Much research has been done concerning the effectiveness of video prompts to teach daily living skills, academic skills and social skills. Transitional skills that have been taught often include simple, entry level skills such as watering plants, cooking soup in the microwave or setting a table. To date, there is little research regarding the use of video prompts to teach complex employment skills that can …

Parental Support Group Member's Views On Inclusion, Kaitlyn Blasy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure the view that parents involved in support groups for parents of children with special needs have on inclusion. Parents were surveyed using the "Parent Opinion About Inclusion/Mainstreaming" questionnaire developed by Leyser and Kirk (2004). Children whose parents completed the survey were ages 4 through 20 and were included in various educational settings. Parents were found to be generally supportive of the idea of inclusion. Benefits of inclusion included social skills for both students with and without disabilities, academic skills, and equal opportunities. Perceived problems with inclusion included experience and adaptability of general …

Innovation In Academic Libraries During A Time Of Crisis, Dane Michael Ward

Theses and Dissertations

During a period of rapid social and technological change, academic Academic libraries and librarianship are experiencing a period of great change, or crisis, influenced by multiple factors including emerging technologies, declining budgets, and changing information. More than a transitory historical phase, these changes represents a fundamental transition between paradigms (Kuhn, 1962). Academic libraries and librarianship are moving from a paradigm focused on collections and books to a paradigm focused on learning. Within this context, innovations are new processes, services and products that facilitate this transition to the new paradigm.

Beyond this definitional work, the work serves as an exploration of …

Generalization Of Executive Function Skills In Inclusion Settings For Students With Asperger's Syndrome, Cassandra Marcone-Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this single case investigation were to research the effects of an intervention designated to prepare a student with Asperger's Syndrome for placement within a public high school. The student attended a specialized private school for grades 3-8. Upon entrance into eighth grade, the student entered the intervention program. This program included placement in a mainstream eighth grade social studies class with the accompaniment of the examiner. The intervention included daily feedback and strategies aimed to increase occurrences of task completion, increase executive function skills within the class setting, and decrease maladaptive behaviors. The identical areas of interest …

Bullying Among Middle School Students, Paige Pfeiffer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in opinions between students and the staff (teachers, non-certified support staff and certified support staff) in a suburban middle school with regard to bullying. The researcher summarized data from a survey administered to 671 participants within the school setting. The researcher analyzed which questions were relevant to the hypothesis, twelve questions were scored and the scores of students were then compared using a t-test to those of teachers, non-certified support staff and certified support staff. Overall, significant differences were noted between student and staff perceptions of bullying, and scores of …

Parental And Peer Support In The Lgbt Community, Andrew Midgley

Theses and Dissertations

The unique challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students are putting pressure on parents, teachers, and school psychologists to find potential solutions. The purpose of this study is to examine variables that have the potential to decrease levels of depression and bullying victimization experienced by LGBT youth. Adults who identify as LGBT were asked to complete a survey reflecting on their experiences in high school. Findings indicate that parental support and peer support are associated with decreased levels of depressive symptoms. There is also an indication that the presence of a student-run LGBT support and/or advocacy group …

Essays In Health Economics And Public Health Policy, Rahi Abouk

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three essays. In the first essay I study the effect of texting bans on fatal accidents on roadways. Since 2007, many states passed laws prohibiting text messaging while driving. Using vehicular fatality data from across the United States and standard difference-in-differences techniques, bans appear moderately successful at reducing single vehicle, single occupant accidents if they are universally applied and enforced as a primary offense. Bans enforced as secondary offences, however, have at best no effect on accidents. Any reduction in accidents following texting bans is short-lived, however, with accidents returning to near former levels within a …

The Impact Of School Board Governance On Academic Achievement In Diverse States, Michael Ford

Theses and Dissertations

The overwhelming majority of students receiving a publicly funded education in the United States attend a public school in a district overseen by a democratically elected school board. Despite the dominant market share of democratically elected school boards, academic scholarship is increasingly focused on alternative governance structures such as mayoral control, charter schools, and school vouchers. Much research on traditional school boards is in fact skeptical of the capacity for such boards to positively impact academic performance. This dissertation shifts focus back to the almost 14,000 elected school boards in the United States, using original survey data from six strategically …

Grammar Enhanced Biliteracy: Naskapi Language Structures For Facilitating Reading In Naskapi, William Joseph Jancewicz

Theses and Dissertations

The Naskapi language is the language of instruction in the early primary grades of the school in the Naskapi community. Only recently have Naskapi-speaking teachers received formal instruction in pedagogy, with a cohort of Naskapi teachers following courses for their Bachelor of Education degree towards careers teaching in the Naskapi language in their local school. These adults are highly motivated to become literate in their mother tongue in order to teach or prepare curriculum materials in the Naskapi language. This thesis explores how basic grammatical structures can be mastered, and provides insight into the form that pedagogical grammatical instruction should …

Relating Children In Foster Care To School Bullying, Regina Lyons

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research the correlation, if any, that children in foster care have with bullying. The researcher gathered descriptive information by attending foster parent support group meetings in New Jersey. Resource parents reported on behalf of the foster child in their care at that time. Participants were asked to report information within the current school year. Data showed that children in foster care were involved in bullying primarily in the school setting. Implication for and the importance of further research within this field were discussed.

Acceptance Of Disability In College Students, Brian Charles Carl

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the findings of a study examining the following questions: How do students in a particular disability group differ from students in other disability groups in the degree to which they accept their disability? How are level of functional impairment and acceptance related? How are an individual's view of disability as a defining characteristic and acceptance related? How are functional impairment and the degree to which disability is seen as a defining characteristic related? Analysis using ANOVA indicated that there was not a significant difference in the level of acceptance between disability groups. Three Pearson's r correlation analyses …

Training Pre-Service Teachers In Response To Intervention: A Survey Of Teacher Candidates, Ann-Michelle Neal

Theses and Dissertations

Addressing training in Response to Intervention at the pre-service level has potential to reach educators during their formative years; preparing them to implement research-based practices upon entering the field and building the capacity to do so with more fidelity and less support. While the knowledge levels and perceptions of pre-service teachers are critical to the future success of RTI implementation, the level of training among pre-service educators is less understood relative to their colleagues in the field. This exploratory study was designed to examine pre-service general and special education teachers' perceptions of RTI, and self-efficacy in implementation. A survey, created …

Dose-Effect Vs. Good Enough Level: A Comparison Of Treatment Length And Maintenance Of Treatment Gains At Follow-Up Using The Outcome Questionnaire-45, John M. Suyama

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines psychotherapy response in connection to treatment duration and maintenance of treatment gains. The dose-effect perspective (Howard et al. 1986) first proposed applying medical terminology to investigate a level of exposure to a dose of psychotherapy (in number of sessions) where individuals can expect to receive sufficient benefit (i.e., 48 -- 58% of clients can be expected to sufficiently benefit from therapy by 8 sessions). The proponents of the Good Enough Level (Barkham et at. 2006) argued that mere exposure to therapy is not an effective measure for client benefit, but rather that client responses to therapy vary. …

Screening For Emotional And Behavioral Problems In High Schools, Nichole Marie Soelberg

Theses and Dissertations

Screening for emotional and behavioral problems in youth is a well-validated process for elementary-aged children as notable and respected research has provided evidence that children at risk for behavioral and emotional problems can be identified and provided with targeted interventions, which prevent additional problems (Lane, Wehby, & Barton-Arwood, 2005). However, there is a lack of research offering evidence for a behavioral and emotional screening process for high school students. Identifying at-risk youth is a vital component in providing early-intervention services that can remediate problems before they become severe and require resource intensive interventions. This research contributes to the development of …

Bibliotherapy And Bullying: Teaching Young Childrento Utilize Peer Group Power To Combat Bullying, Rebecca Lyn Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

Bullying is a major concern for school-age children. This study compares the use of bibliotherapy and didactic instruction techniques for teaching anti-bullying strategies to young children. The study explores 36 first graders' perceptions of bullying and their perceptions of their roles and responsibilities in bullying situations. In comparison to the control group, students who were taught specific bully intervention skills, both through didactic instruction and bibliotherapy, reflected an increased understanding of bullying, used a larger bully vocabulary, and demonstrated more specific and varied actions in response to bullying from pre-test to post-test conditions. Participants in the group who received didactic …

Bullying In New Jersey: What Has Been Done And What Is Going On, Sarah Larsen

Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigated the new HIB (Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying) legislation as part of the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act for New Jersey public schools in regard to students' perceptions of severity of cyber, relational, physical and non-bulllying scenarios. The study also observed students' ability to identify non-bullying scenarios from bullying scenarios since the revisions were made in 2011. Gender and size of high school the students graduated from were also accounted for. Results of the study were obtained via a two-part survey completed by college students (n = 80). The first section asked for background information such as …

Effects Of The Integrated Symple Readers Curriculum On Expressive Vocabulary Acquisition In Elementary Students With Developmental Disabilities, Loralene Edvalson

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the emphasis society places on literacy, most students with developmental disabilities remain illiterate. One cause for this illiteracy may be that these students lack foundational language skills that contribute to being able to read. Research has shown that, among other contributions, multiple exposures across time increase students' abilities to acquire knowledge. The Symple Readers integrated curriculum plans for multiple exposures to novel picture vocabulary words by building them into all activities across the students' day and week. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the Symple Readers integrated curriculum on expressive vocabulary development. During the …

Evaluating A Social And Emotional Learning Curriculum, Strong Kids, Implemented School-Wide, Thomas Jonathan Kramer

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to explore whether Strong Kids could result in improved social and emotional competence when implemented as a school-wide universal intervention. No prior studies have examined this question. This study also evaluated whether teachers could implement Strong Kids as it was designed and whether they viewed it as socially valid. It used a non-equivalent control group design. The treatment school in the study involved 348 students and 17 teachers from a Title I school. School demographics indicated that 61% of students were Hispanic, 37% White, and 2% of other ethnicities. Approximately 82% of the students …

Adaptation To The U.S. And Religion/Spirituality: Experiences Of Indian International Students, Kirti Potkar

Theses and Dissertations

Religion and spirituality are deemed an important aspect of human diversity, found to be important to people, and have significant impact on different aspects of functioning. Given the rising numbers of international students on U.S. campuses, it becomes important to examine how religion/spirituality impacts their sojourn in the U.S. This study explored the religious/spiritual experiences of Indian international students here in the U.S. using a qualitative approach. Thirteen Indian international students pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S. were interviewed. The interviews were then transcribed and analyzed using a synthesis of hermeneutic methods informed by Kvale (1996). The following themes emerged …

Proactive Measures In Combating Bullying In Schools: Examining The Effectiveness Of The Bucket Fillers Program In Character Building Education, Karina Katsikis

Theses and Dissertations

Bullying continues to plague our schools. Some schools are implementing proactive solutions in the form of character building education to address bullying. The purpose of this research was to examine the character education program, Bucket Fillers, and its effectiveness on reducing bullying in one public elementary school by examining questionnaires containing homeroom teachers' evaluations. Data of behavioral incident reports from prior to the program's initiation and after were also collected and compared. The majority of teachers noticed more spontaneous positive interactions and less negative interactions between students after the establishment of the program. There was no significant correlation found between …

Educational Services For Tibetan Students With Disabilities In India: A Case Study, Britany Anne Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

This case study describes services for students with disabilities at Karuna Home in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India. Karuna Home is a residential rehabilitation center for students with cognitive or physical disabilities whose parents are Tibetan refugees. The study triangulated data from interviews, observations, and school documents to describe educational policies and procedures, and cultural attitudes toward disability. Results show that the Karuna Home program is undergirded by Buddhist thought and theology regarding care and concern for those in difficult circumstances. The school serves students with a range of mild to severe disabilities and is fully staffed, but teachers and other service …

Facebook As A Facilitator Of Organizational Identification In Colleges And Universities: Exploring Relationships Among Educational Institutions, Student Tenure, And Interaction With Multiple Organizational Targets, Aimee Lau

Theses and Dissertations

Potential uses for Facebook are frequently studied in scholarly literature. To date, much of this research focuses on varied social uses available to Facebook members. More recently, scholars have turned to potential academic uses of Facebook, and more generally, how Facebook might be used in educational institutions such as colleges and universities. Each college and university is a unique organization and it is likely that each one uses Facebook in a variety of different ways. However, consistent to all colleges and universities is the goal of creating strong levels of identification between the student and the school so as to …

Males Experiencing Childhood Sexual Abuse And Their Associations With Psychological Distress, Brittney Holcomb

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is an important issue relatively recently beginning to gain attention from professionals. Studies show that males are underrepresented in the literature, although CSA is a prevalent problem for males as well as females. This study was developed to add to the existing literature on males and CSA, obtain prevalence rates from a nationally representative, epidemiological study, and find correlates between CSA and psychological distress factors. The epidemiological study used was the National Comorbidity Study-Replication (NCS-R). This was a large survey of U.S. households investigating correlates and comorbidities of psychological disorders. Secondary analyses were completed on the …

Self-Regulation Of Saturated Fat Intake In Blue-Collar Employees: A Randomized Intervention Study, Rameshbabu Anjali

Theses and Dissertations

Blue-collar employees, compared to white-collar workers, are more vulnerable to developing chronic illness and are less likely to make healthy food choices. Saturated fat intake, an indicator of an unhealthy diet, is a major contributor to disease morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Interventions directed at increasing self-regulatory skills for health behaviors could possibly serve to bolster one's sense of personal control in psychological and socio-economic realms. The current study was a 2 x 3 between-subjects repeated-measures randomized experimental design that examined the efficacy of a Self-regulation skill + Education intervention against an Education Only condition over a 6-week period, …