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Full-Text Articles in Education

Nigerian Teachers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Integrating Literacy Strategies Into Science Instruction, Joy Oghogho Isa Jan 2022

Nigerian Teachers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Integrating Literacy Strategies Into Science Instruction, Joy Oghogho Isa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading problems among students in Nigeria prompted the implementation of a literacy across the curriculum initiative in a cluster of schools within a district, where all teachers were required to integrate literacy strategies into their lessons. The problem investigated in this study was that the teachers’ instruction of science at Beta Schools had not produced the expected results with respect to integrating literacy strategies into the science lessons. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the teachers experiences and perceptions of literacy integration in science lessons. Grounded in the content area literacy conceptual framework, the research questions …


Title I Middle School Teacher And Principal Perspectives On Inquiry-Based Science Instruction, Kirsten R. King Jan 2022

Title I Middle School Teacher And Principal Perspectives On Inquiry-Based Science Instruction, Kirsten R. King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Title I middle schools face challenges delivering effective inquiry-based science instruction within the framework of Title I requirements. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Title I middle school teacher and principal perspectives on and experiences with the challenges of delivering inquiry-based science instruction within the framework of Title I requirements. Dewey’s theories of experiential learning and Vygotsky’s theory of sociocultural constructivism provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on teacher and principal experiences with inquiry-based science instruction and the impact Title I school policies and practices had on the delivery of inquiry-based …


Elementary Teachers’ Perspectives Of Direct Instruction With More Rigorous Mathematics Standards, Sharon Denise Taylor Jan 2022

Elementary Teachers’ Perspectives Of Direct Instruction With More Rigorous Mathematics Standards, Sharon Denise Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMajestic County Schools (pseudonym), a large southeastern school district, has implemented changes in instruction to align with more rigorous state and national mathematics standards. The rigor of the new standards has led to changes in instruction to help students master the standards with evidence from the state-wide standardized test. Although the district has made curricular changes, over one-third of the students in Grades 3-5 at Flint Elementary are not mastering grade-level standards. This basic qualitative study focuses on one elementary school within the district. The purpose was to understand how teachers implement direct instruction (DI) strategies in the classroom to …


Built Environment And Well-Being Of Stem Women Employed In The Petroleum Sector, Natalie Robinson Jan 2022

Built Environment And Well-Being Of Stem Women Employed In The Petroleum Sector, Natalie Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Male-dominated occupations have received increased attention concerning the environmental health and retention of its specialized workforce. Research studies on the impact of the environment suggest that ecological and infrastructure conditions of the workplace affect the psychological health and physical well-being of employees across both public and private industries. Presently, in the context of the oil and gas and engineering field, there is a literature gap in exploring whether workplace conditions or adverse circumstances in male-dominated built environments negatively affect the psychological well-being and retention of women employed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations. For the current qualitative study, …


Charter School, Kindergarten–6, Homeschool Parents’ Perceptions, Experiences, And Strategies For Mathematics Instruction, Wendy How Fayard Jan 2022

Charter School, Kindergarten–6, Homeschool Parents’ Perceptions, Experiences, And Strategies For Mathematics Instruction, Wendy How Fayard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem for this study was the lack of understanding regarding parents’ perceptions of and experiences with mathematics and instructional strategies for kindergarten through sixth-grade (K–6) students in a charter school, homeschool setting. Dewey’s theory of experience and education was the conceptual framework for the study. In this basic qualitative study, charter school homeschool parents’ perceptions about providing mathematic instruction for K–6 students, experiences with instructing K–6 students in mathematics, and choices and adjustments concerning mathematics teaching strategies were examined. Twelve participants took part in semistructured interviews on the Zoom platform. Their interview responses were analyzed qualitatively using coding …


Blood Stream Infections Related To Hemodialysis Catheter Use, Patricia Goodman Jan 2022

Blood Stream Infections Related To Hemodialysis Catheter Use, Patricia Goodman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Hemodialysis is a life-sustaining procedure for patients diagnosed with end-stage renal failure. Most of these patients initiate hemodialysis with a tunneled central venous catheter, with some depending on its use for long-term treatment due to poor vascularity. Catheter-related bloodstream infections in hemodialysis patients are a complication of hemodialysis catheter use with a high morbidity and mortality rate. A quality improvement (QI) project was conducted to answer the practice-focused question of whether the use of chlorhexidine swabs and caps for central venous catheter dressing changes decreased the rate of hemodialysis catheter-related bloodstream infections. Resolution to this problem would benefit the …


Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Self-Efficacy To Engage Elementary Students In Learning Science, Stacie I. Smith Jan 2022

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Self-Efficacy To Engage Elementary Students In Learning Science, Stacie I. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Science teachers in the local area lacked self-efficacy to teach science and were struggling to engage students in science learning, which resulted in student underachievement. Principals reported that teachers’ lack of self-efficacy in teaching science may be limiting students’ goals for scientific careers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of their sense of self-efficacy to teach science and what they thought were the challenges to enhancing student engagement in science. The conceptual framework was Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, which connects instruction to the confidence teachers possess in the classroom. Data were collected from individual …


Title I Middle School Teacher And Principal Perspectives On Inquiry-Based Science Instruction, Kirsten R. King Jan 2022

Title I Middle School Teacher And Principal Perspectives On Inquiry-Based Science Instruction, Kirsten R. King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Title I middle schools face challenges delivering effective inquiry-based science instruction within the framework of Title I requirements. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Title I middle school teacher and principal perspectives on and experiences with the challenges of delivering inquiry-based science instruction within the framework of Title I requirements. Dewey’s theories of experiential learning and Vygotsky’s theory of sociocultural constructivism provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on teacher and principal experiences with inquiry-based science instruction and the impact Title I school policies and practices had on the delivery of inquiry-based …


Prodigy Game And Third-Grade Mathematics Achievement In An Urban Setting, Christina D. Brooks Jan 2022

Prodigy Game And Third-Grade Mathematics Achievement In An Urban Setting, Christina D. Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students in Urban District 1 were not meeting grade level learning outcomes in mathematics on state- and district-administered benchmark assessments. The purpose of this study was to determine if including a specific educational video game (EVG), Prodigy, in mathematics instruction with third-grade students would influence students’ math achievement as measured by the districts quarterly Star Math benchmark assessments. The research question looked at the difference in students’ benchmark assessment scores for mathematics between third-grade users and non-users of the video game learning software Prodigy during the 2017–2018 school year. The use of EVGs as an instructional strategy was examined through …


A Culturally Responsive Literacy Approach To Develop Scientific Conceptual Knowledge Through Creative Narratives, Alma D. Stevenson, Lacey D. Huffling Dec 2021

A Culturally Responsive Literacy Approach To Develop Scientific Conceptual Knowledge Through Creative Narratives, Alma D. Stevenson, Lacey D. Huffling

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Our study examined the effects of culturally responsive literacy pedagogical approaches in the development of scientific vocabulary and conceptual knowledge among minoritized middle-grade students during a summer program. We describe the design and implementation of a literacy-enriched STEM instructional unit of study built upon the background experiences of Latina/Latino migrant farmworkers’ children to expand their STEM literacy skills and knowledge. Our aim with this unit was to increase the students’ science knowledge and skills; strengthen their mathematical abilities; enhance their ability to use technology for research; and improve their academic vocabulary, language, and writing skills. This program also had as …


Teacher Instructional Practices And Student Mathematics Achievement, Michael C. Osborne Dec 2021

Teacher Instructional Practices And Student Mathematics Achievement, Michael C. Osborne

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Using the nationally representative sample from the United States in the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (N = 7,429 students from 240 schools), I examined the relationship between teacher instructional practices and student mathematics achievement. To account for the multilevel structure of the data with students nested within schools, I used a two-level hierarchical linear model in the data analysis. Teacher instructional practices showed statistically significant effects on student mathematics achievement, even after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES) and sex at the student level and school mean SES and whether the school is public or private at the …


Expanding Stem Membership: Using Science Process Skills In A Social Justice Curriculum To Combat Stereotype Threats And Build Self-Efficacy In African American Students, Beverly A. King Miller, Alma D. Stevenson, Shelli L. Casler-Failing Oct 2021

Expanding Stem Membership: Using Science Process Skills In A Social Justice Curriculum To Combat Stereotype Threats And Build Self-Efficacy In African American Students, Beverly A. King Miller, Alma D. Stevenson, Shelli L. Casler-Failing

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Science process skills were scaffolded throughout instruction over the ten-week program. The culminating project included the development, design, and testing of their own independent science fair project. The results reflect an increase in students’ self-efficacy which was evidenced by the students’ preparation and presentation of their projects in the science fair.


Early Grade Teacher Perspectives Of Struggling Learners And Later Mathematics Achievement, Crystal Ann Cuyler Jan 2021

Early Grade Teacher Perspectives Of Struggling Learners And Later Mathematics Achievement, Crystal Ann Cuyler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students who were not identified with a learning disability or significant developmental delay (SDD) in prekindergarten, but may have undiscovered learning issues are often among the lowest performing students in mathematics when they reach upper grades. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand kindergarten, first, and second grade teacher perspectives of early indicators of later difficulties in mathematics among children not identified as having learning disabilities or SDD in prekindergarten. A retrospective study was conducted in which the remembrances of early grade teachers were used to explore the difficulties children who were struggling with mathematics as fourth and …


Women’S Reflections On Learning 10 Years After A Middle School Stem Program, Susan Mary Caley Opsal Jan 2021

Women’S Reflections On Learning 10 Years After A Middle School Stem Program, Susan Mary Caley Opsal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of understanding of how women perceive their learning continues to hinder efforts to design educational experiences that prepare women for STEM disciplines. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore women’s perceptions of their learning from a middle school STEM program a decade earlier and other learning experiences they had into their adulthood. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 of 26 women who participated in that STEM program when they were in middle school. Belenky et al.’s women’s ways of knowing provided a unique lens for examining participants’ understanding of their development as learners. Key findings …


Student Perceptions About Metacognitive Learning Strategies In Introductory Biology Courses, Traci Collier Jan 2021

Student Perceptions About Metacognitive Learning Strategies In Introductory Biology Courses, Traci Collier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractActive learning and argumentation are metacognitive teaching strategies that have demonstrated an effect on conceptual change in the sciences. Previous research studies have illustrated an association between active learning and argumentation, increased comprehension of content as well as improved academic performance and self-efficacy. However, there is a gap in literature about the perceptions of students on whether these teaching strategies are successful in increasing scientific conceptual understanding and self-efficacy. The first conceptual framework used for this study was Flavell’s theoretical and empirical research on metacognition, which provides a process for individuals to regulate their cognitive activity for increasing comprehension. A …


Teacher Understanding Of Instructional Strategies In Elementary Mathematics, Erica Boatwright Glover Jan 2021

Teacher Understanding Of Instructional Strategies In Elementary Mathematics, Erica Boatwright Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Synergizing Elementary School (pseudonym) consistently experiences low state-required mathematics test scores in grades 3 and 4 below district and state proficiency rates in mathematics. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate what instructional practices used by Grade 3 and Grade 4 teachers are, aligned or not aligned, with research-based planning, standards-based instruction, attention to conditions of learning, and professional responsibilities of teachers to support students’ achievement in mathematics. This study's conceptual framework was grounded in Robert Marzano's model of teaching effectiveness called the focus teacher evaluation model. Data for this case study were gathered from semi-structured interviews …


Effect Of Student-Centered Instructional Strategies On Mathematics Achievement Of Elementary Students, Keisha Knight Scott Jan 2021

Effect Of Student-Centered Instructional Strategies On Mathematics Achievement Of Elementary Students, Keisha Knight Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

To promote learner-centered mathematics instruction and improve student outcomes, district leaders sought to implement research-based instructional strategies in the 2018-2019 school year. These strategies were being implemented at Elementary School A but not at Elementary School B during the following school year. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the implementation and outcomes of research-based instructional strategies such as hands-on activities, small group investigations, problem-solving tasks, and classroom discourse for district students in Grades 2–5. Weimer’s learner-centered teaching principles served as the theoretical framework for the study. Quantitative methods were used to test whether a difference in mathematical …


The Effect Of Coding Classes On Mathematics Achievement Of Preschool Students, Ebru Hacer Erbilgin Jan 2021

The Effect Of Coding Classes On Mathematics Achievement Of Preschool Students, Ebru Hacer Erbilgin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that inspired this study is that Turkish students’ mathematics rankings on global exams such as The Program for the International Students Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) had been below the average for many years, a problem that may have rooted in children’s early experiences with mathematics. The purpose of this quantitative pretest posttest quasi-experimental control group study was to determine the effect of computer-programming classes with Code Studio on mathematics scores of preschool students. Siemens’s connectivism theory for the digital age formed the foundation for this research. A single research question regarding …


Elementary Teachers’ Implementation Of Inquiry-Based Instruction, William P. Gray Jan 2021

Elementary Teachers’ Implementation Of Inquiry-Based Instruction, William P. Gray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A mid-Atlantic state has recently adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that require teachers to integrate inquiry-based instruction into the classroom. The problem at the local level is a new inquiry-based curriculum, based on the NGSS, is being mandated without identifying the instructional strategies teachers are using to implement the new standards. The purpose of this project study was to explore fourth- and fifth-grade science teachers’ inquiry-based instructional strategies, why the strategies were chosen, and teachers’ concerns about the implementation of the strategies. In this case study, the concern-based adoption model and self-efficacy were used as a conceptual framework …


Implementation Of International Society For Technology In Education Standards In Elementary School Teachers’ Pedagogical Science Practices, Rochelle Anne Mccoy Jan 2021

Implementation Of International Society For Technology In Education Standards In Elementary School Teachers’ Pedagogical Science Practices, Rochelle Anne Mccoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study addressed the problem of whether elementary school teachers are consistently implementing the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards in their pedagogical practices of teaching science. It was evident that half of all teachers in the United States do not consistently implement technology into their instruction. The purpose of this study was to understand elementary school teachers’ perceptions about how teachers are using the three selected ISTE standards during their pedagogical practices when teaching elementary science in order to maximize learning. The technology acceptance model was the conceptual framework used in this study. The research questions focused …


High School Principals' Perceptions And Instructional Leadership Practices Regarding Algebra I State Scores, Tangia Ann Miller Jan 2021

High School Principals' Perceptions And Instructional Leadership Practices Regarding Algebra I State Scores, Tangia Ann Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

States are double scheduling algebra classes; using calculators and virtual manipulative-like algebra tiles; and applying interventions such as Response to Interventions, needs assessments, and various computer graphing technology such as Demos. However, during the school year 2018-2019, 12.9 percent of a state public school students failed to meet passing score requirements on the state algebra test and were at risk of not graduating. The purpose of this research was to examine school principal perceptions and instructional leadership practices supporting mathematics teachers to help students to improve their proficiency in Algebra I. A basic qualitative research design, grounded in instructional leadership …


Instructional Practices Associated With Science Proficiency Of English Language Learners, Sherly Yadira Soto-Ortiz Jan 2021

Instructional Practices Associated With Science Proficiency Of English Language Learners, Sherly Yadira Soto-Ortiz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe study addressed the gap in fifth-grade science proficiency between English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in two different science programs in a large school district in the Southeast United States. The Inspire program was implemented in 125 schools, while a combination of Inspire and Promoting Science among English Language Learners (PSELL) developed to facilitate science learning for non-English learners, was implemented in 25 schools. A concurrent mixed-methods case study design was used to examine how instructional practices of each program were (1) aligned with the instructional framework of the Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP), (2) how the two programs supported …


Preventing Injuries And Fatalities In Inherently Dangerous Work Environments, Markeith Porter Jan 2021

Preventing Injuries And Fatalities In Inherently Dangerous Work Environments, Markeith Porter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Shipyard safety programs have uncertainty and vulnerability. Shipyard program managers are concerned with safety to mitigate negative business system performance because of unplanned safety events. Grounded in the contingency theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the strategies managers use to mitigate liability claims associated with the high numbers of injuries and fatalities in dangerous work environments. The participants were three program manager representatives in the American Southwest who use successful strategies to reduce injuries and fatalities in the shipyard industry. The data were collected using semistructured interviews, public documents and analyzed using a six-step …


College Students' Decision Making And Experiences In Changing Their Stem Major And Their Career Choice, Rachel Ann De Los Reyes Jan 2021

College Students' Decision Making And Experiences In Changing Their Stem Major And Their Career Choice, Rachel Ann De Los Reyes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education continues to be a priority to the United States. A large body of research exists around the topic of STEM education and retention in STEM majors in higher education, yet there continues to be a low retention rate in STEM fields and a shortage of STEM workers in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that even with the current focus on the nation’s STEM retention, the demand for STEM professionals will outpace the number of qualified people. There is a limited body of knowledge regarding the college students’ experiences …


Haitian Immigrant Parents’ Perceptions On Acculturation And High-Risk Behaviors Among Their Children, Weiselande Cesar Jan 2021

Haitian Immigrant Parents’ Perceptions On Acculturation And High-Risk Behaviors Among Their Children, Weiselande Cesar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immigrant Haitian parents experience acculturative stress when adjusting to the norms and expectations of a new country. Acculturative stress may be exacerbated if their adolescent children display unfamiliar behaviors, which may result in a greater need for psychological assessments and education programs to mitigate the instances of family breakdown. Following Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, there has been an increase in high-risk behaviors among Haitian adolescents. To date, there is limited research on acculturative stress in immigrant Haitian parents and how this stress may relate to their actions and perceptions of high-risk behaviors in their adolescent children. In this case study date …


What A Difference A Decade Makes. The Evolving Gender Gap In Students’ Goal Endorsement And Stem Career Choice, Chen Chen, Gerhard Sonnert, Philip M. Sadler Dec 2020

What A Difference A Decade Makes. The Evolving Gender Gap In Students’ Goal Endorsement And Stem Career Choice, Chen Chen, Gerhard Sonnert, Philip M. Sadler

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

Two national datasets of first-year college students, collected a decade apart, asking the same questions about career interests and life goal endorsement, allowed us to investigate the extent to which the life goals and career interests had converged among young men and women. We compared the gender differences in four types of goal endorsement (communal, material, intellectual, and free-time goals) by career interest groups (science, engineering, medicine, health, and other professions) between the two cohorts (2007 vs. 2017). Conversely, we compared the gender differences in career interests by goal endorsement between the two cohorts. Our specific focus was on science, …


The Influence Of A Science Methods Course On Prospective Elementary Teachers’ Visions Of Science Teaching, Martha M. Canipe, Jessica Y. Coronado Verdugo Sep 2020

The Influence Of A Science Methods Course On Prospective Elementary Teachers’ Visions Of Science Teaching, Martha M. Canipe, Jessica Y. Coronado Verdugo

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Prospective elementary teachers may enter their teacher education program having experienced science more as a collection of definitions and facts than in ways that support rich engagement with scientific phenomena. As a result, their visions of themselves as science teachers may not align with the most recent understandings about how to teach science to support student learning. Science methods courses are settings that have the potential to shift prospective teachers’ visions of science teaching. We used an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach with collection of survey data followed by interviews with selected participants. We analyzed how prospective elementary teachers’ visions …


Supporting Science Learning For English Language Learners, Judith Morrison, Yuliya Ardasheva, Sarah Newcomer, Lindsay Lightner, Gisela Ernst-Slavit, Kira Carbonneau Aug 2020

Supporting Science Learning For English Language Learners, Judith Morrison, Yuliya Ardasheva, Sarah Newcomer, Lindsay Lightner, Gisela Ernst-Slavit, Kira Carbonneau

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This study focused on two fourth-grade science classrooms with English learners (ELs), exploring how teachers supported students’ science and language/literacy learning in different language contexts. Three a priori research-based practices recommended for supporting science learning framed our exploration: (a) negotiation, opportunities for individual and social construction and critique of knowledge; (b) embedded language, opportunities for language and literacy learning as a natural aspect of science; and (c) non-threatening learning environments, opportunities for social apprenticeship and interaction. We provide insights into how science instructional practices supported ELs’ science and language learning. One key implication is that enacting these three principles of …


Mathematics Cognitive And Content Abilities Across The Vincentian Student Population, Brendalee Rorena Cato Jan 2020

Mathematics Cognitive And Content Abilities Across The Vincentian Student Population, Brendalee Rorena Cato

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mathematics achievement is a key component of student overall academic achievement. However, many students from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Vincentian students) continue to perform poorly on the regional Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) mathematics examination. This poor mathematics performance is a concern for education stakeholders. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to explore the extent to which the CSEC mathematics scores of high-scoring Vincentian students versus low-scoring Vincentian students in the cognitive domains of knowledge, comprehension, and reasoning differ across the content domains of algebra; geometry; measurement; statistics; and relations, functions, and graphs (RFG). The theoretical foundation …


An Exploration Of Scaffolding Strategies In A Remedial High School Mathematics Course, Pauline Ofure Aikhuele Jan 2020

An Exploration Of Scaffolding Strategies In A Remedial High School Mathematics Course, Pauline Ofure Aikhuele

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a southeastern state school district, the educators understood little about the scaffolding practices of ninth-grade teachers of Foundations of Algebra (FOA), a remedial course. FOA is a mathematics course designed for students who need substantial help to master the required standards. An increasing number of students in 2 high schools failed FOA; hence, they were not prepared for Algebra 1. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the scaffolding strategies used by FOA teachers. Bruner's constructivist theory and Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD) theory were used to guide this study. The research questions addressed …