Education Commons^™

A Cross-Cultural Study Of Epistemological Beliefs And Moral Reasoning Between American And Chinese College Students, Zhongtang Ren

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

This study investigated the cultural differences of epistemological beliefs and moral reasoning between American and Chinese college students (N=452) recruited from three universities, Old Dominion University in the eastern United States, Luoyang Normal University in the central China and Central University for Nationalities in northern China. A series of factorial MANOVA was conducted to explore the influence of gender, ethnicity and nationality as the independent variables on epistemological beliefs measured with five EBI (Epistemological Beliefs Inventory) scores and moral reasoning measured with two DIT (Defining Issues Test) scores as dependent variables.

No effects were found for gender and …

Teacher Factors That Influence Student Achievement: A Study Of Third And Fifth Grade Teachers, Jewelle L. Harmon

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Student achievement is of the highest concern for the government, educational administrators and parents. Researchers have looked at several possible student factors that affect student achievement. However, very little research has been done on teacher factors and their relationship with student achievement. The current study looked at the relationships among teacher absence, teacher job satisfaction, work-family conflict, family/work conflict, teachers' attitudes towards achievement measures, and their correlation with Virginia's standardized measure of student achievement; the Standards of Learning (SOLs). District differences in student achievement were also examined. Three school districts in southeastern Virginia accepted the invitation to participate. …

Predictors Of Persistence Among Community College Adult And Traditional-Aged Students, Kellie Crawford Sorey

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Previous literature has documented the high attrition rates for community college students. Beyond raw data, research has demonstrated that predictors of higher education persistence may include a student's background characteristics, a student's external commitments, institutional influences, and a combination thereof. However, empirical research on the persistence of community college students is scarce, and even fewer studies address the differential predictors of persistence between adult and traditional-aged students. The present study examined the predictors of institutional persistence among adult and traditional-aged degree-seeking, first-time enrollees at a public, multi-campus two-year community college in southeast Virginia.

A random sample comprised of 350 traditional-aged …

A Study Of Literacy Efficacy And Student Achievement Among Beginning Middle School Teachers In An Urban Context, Michael J. Mustain

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Many U.S. school districts are addressing concerns in the areas of literacy education, teacher shortages, and overall student achievement. Teacher preparation in the area of literacy education and the ability of core subject teachers to include literacy components in their daily lessons appears vital to student achievement. Teacher shortages, particularly in high need, "hard to staff'' urban schools, are a serious problem that alternative preparation programs help to address. Alternative preparation programs can provide highly qualified teachers in urban schools. The Transition to Teaching (TTT) trained teachers provided literacy education that in turn helped improve benchmark tests, end-of-year tests, cumulative …

Introducing The Engineering Technology Programs To All Incoming Freshmen Engineering And Technology Students–The Result Is Better For All, Gary Crossman, Anthony Dean

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The Department of Engineering Technology at Old Dominion University participates in a freshman engineering course sequence, along with four engineering departments in the Batten College of Engineering and Technology. The two course sequence, Exploring Engineering and Technology I and II, involve the five departments in teaching at least one five week module in each of the two courses. Each department generally involves the students in a basic design project related to its discipline. Since the Department of Engineering Technology has three main programs – Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical – it has elected to divide its five week segment into three …

Investigating The Relationship Between High School Technology Education And Test Scores For Algebra 1 And Geometry, Richard R. Dyer, Philip A. Reed, Robert Q. Berry

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The standards-based reform movement in education that began in the 1980s has evolved. In the 1990s, the focus was on producing subject-area content standards and modifying instruction. Today, the focus has shifted to assessment, and for technology education, demonstrating the impact on children and the efficacy of the discipline within general education. The purpose of this study was to compare the Standards of Learning (SOL) End-of-Course mathematics performance of high school students who completed courses in illustration and design technology to students who have not completed an illustration and design technology course. The following research questions were developed for this …

Evaluating Work Keys Profiling As A Pre-Employment Assessment Tool To Increase Employee Retention, Ruth Zimmer Hendrick

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Twenty-first century changes in the nature of work, the workforce and employment practices, along with increased employer need to select employees who will have the best "fit" with particular jobs in order to increase return on investment, are leading employers toward greater use of pre-employment assessments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of one of those tools, the Work Keys skill assessment battery, on employment retention. Research questions centered around the effects of Work Keys testing on employment.

Job applicant assessment scores and retention information were obtained from and interviews were held with 12 employers who …

Perceptions And Factors Influencing Success In Professional Preparation Physical Therapy Education, Mira H. Mariano

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to gather data on student background characteristics, the perceptions of social and academic support, and self-concept of current professional preparation physical therapy (PT) students. A second purpose was to determine whether any variables were predictive of academic success/retention and to investigate whether there were differences in those variables between majority and minority PT students. The study used mixed methods with entry-level PT students from Virginia and North Carolina. Questionnaires were collected from 575 of 778 PT students for a 74% response rate. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 respondents. Girves and Wemmerus' conceptual model …

Balanced Literacy Versus Basal Reading Instruction For Urban African-American, Title I Third-Grade Students, Julie Ann Perkins

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This study compared third-grade reading achievement of urban African-American, Title I students using a basal reading series with those using a balanced literacy program to determine whether the highly structured skills-based methods advocated by The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act actually foster or impede reading achievement in an urban school setting.

Two hundred forty-five third-grade African-American, Title I students from an urban elementary school in southeastern Virginia served as subjects for the study. Subjects were studied as intact groups to avoid disruption in the educational setting. Participants in the control group were third-grade classes of urban African-American, Title I …

Service With Friends: The Influence Of Peer Interactions And Emotions In Community Service Experiences, Jennifer Jill Kidd

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Community service has increasingly become part of students' educational experience. It is seen both as a stand alone requirement and as a core component integrated into course objectives. Much has been learned about the effects of community service on students, but there remain unanswered questions. This study compares four structures of mandatory community service differing in the amount of peer and faculty interaction. It also examines the influence of students' emotional reactions to community service experiences. The participants for the study are college freshmen enrolled in a required environmental course. Hierarchical regressions are utilized to explore the influences of community …

The Need For A Building Trades Program At Brunswick Senior High School, Raymond P. Bersch

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The objectives of this study were to explore the following questions: 1. What are the economic projections for the demand of building trade workers in southside Virginia? 2. What is the need for work opportunities for students graduating from high school? 3. What are the skills the local construction industry needs new employees to be proficient in? 4. How effective is Mecklenburg County's building trades program in placing students in the building trades industry?

Differences In Work Expectations Held By Differing Generations Of American Workers, Jeanian Clark

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To guide the study, the following questions have been developed: 1. Are there generational differences in the beliefs about what it means to work hard, take initiative, or contribute to the organization? 2. Are there differences in the expectations of a work and life balance among the four generations of employees? 3. Do differences among generational cohorts exist in the expectations about compensation and rewards? 4. Does each generation take a different approach to career development? How do these approaches differ?

Vehicular Based Drug Box Temperature Control Study, Jonora Mejia

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The following hypothesis was used as the basis of this study: 1. Temperatures of the prehospital drug boxes will remain in an acceptable range when stored in a compartment insulated with rigid, solid foam.

Best Practice: Mentoring, Philip A. Reed, G. Eugene Martin (Ed.), Christopher M. Martin (Ed.)

STEMPS Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Karaoke: A Tool For Promoting Reading, Abha Gupta

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This article is a description of a teaching strategy that we have experimented with promising results as a motivational tool. The strategy uses Karaoke as a tool to build and enhance reading behaviors such as fluency and motivation as a twofold purpose for struggling readers. An audio and video sample of children engaged in reading and singing using Karaoke is enclosed. Some modified Karaoke instructional approaches are mentioned for a whole group/classroom use.

A Hybrid Course In Fundamentals Of Building Construction Using Combination Archived Video And Live Session Distance Learning, Vernon W. Lewis Jr., Carol L. Considine, June Ritchie

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A course in the Fundamentals of Building Construction has been a curricular requirement of the Civil Engineering Technology Program (CET) since its inception. This course was taught traditionally as an on-campus class. Over the last ten years, the CET program has expanded to contain an extensive distance learning component, with at least half of the enrollment located off campus. The model for the typical distance-learning class is to meet for three hours, once a week, with a fully interactive (voice) live class. In consideration of the demand of a growing distance learning system, it was decided to restructure this class …

Best Practice: Long-Term Commitment To An Organization, Philip A. Reed, G. Eugene Martin (Ed.), Christopher M. Martin (Ed.)

STEMPS Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Improving Group Work: Voices Of Students, Brian K. Payne, Elizabeth Monk-Turner, Donald Smith, Melvina Sumter

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Group work is increasingly being used in a variety of college courses. A number of strengths have driven the increase in the use of this form of collaborative learning. Still, a number of problems potentially limit the use of group projects. In this study, we report on research in which we examined how students recommended changing group projects. Results are categorized into student-centered themes and faculty-centered themes. Implications are provided.

The Effects Of Cyber Courses On Southside Virginia Community College Student's Grade Point Averages, Kelley A. Barnes

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To guide this problem, the following research hypothesis was established: 1. There will be no significant difference in students' grade point averages at Southside Virginia Community College when they are enrolled in classroom or cyber courses.

The Effectiveness Of Hands-On Activities Compared To Paper And Pencil Activities When Teaching Reading To First Through Fifth Grade Students, Nigel Daniels

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To answer this problem the following hypothesis was established: There will be a difference in students' achievement levels in elementary reading when determining which is more effective teaching style, using hands-on activities to teach reading or using paper and pencil work to teach reading. The hands-on activity will be the more effective method and the students will prove this by increases in their progress levels.

Affectiveness Of Academic Eligibility Regulations On Athletes At Hanover High School In Hanover County, Virginia, Bernard S. Davis Iii

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The goals of this research project were to: 1. Determine if the Virginia High School League and Hanover High School in Hanover County, Virginia academic regulations regarding participation in athletics affect student athletes; 2. Determine the opinions of the Hanover coaching staff to adding additional academic regulations other than the VHSL academic regulations.

A Follow-Up Study Of Old Dominion University Fashion Graduates, Allison Dorsey

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

A study to determine the effectiveness of Old Dominion's fashion program on preparing graduates for the fashion industry.

Employees' Attitudes Toward Motivation Techniques And Assessment Methods In A Health Care Organization, Deborah C. Ison

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The completion of this study will answer the following goals: 1. What are employee's attitudes regarding motivation techniques and assessment methods used in this organization? 2. What effects do the employee motivation techniques and assessment methods utilized in this organization have on employee satisfaction and retention? 3. What role does management play in employee motivation and retention effectiveness and how can this role be improved?

Effects Of The Workbook God's Way To An A Om Students Grade Point Averages, Donna Koson

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine the effects of the workbook, "God's Way to an A: Encountering Christ in Your Academics," on academic achievement measured by the grade point averages of students in a freshman orientation course at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

The Effectiveness Of The Behavior-Based Safety Program At Jacobs Sverdrup's Nasa Langley Rome Contract, Tony A. Mettert

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To guide this problem, the following hypothesis was established: 1. There was a direct correlation between the number of behavior based safety observations performed and safety incident rates of the employees under the ROME contract.

A Comparative Study Of The Effectiveness Of Distance Learning In Opticianry Education, Kristi Ostrom

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To guide this study, the following hypothesis was established: 1. Within the members of the National Federation of Opticianry Schools that offer associate degree distance education programs via the internet for opticianry, there will be no difference in the number of students who will successfully complete their state licensure examinations.

A Survey Of Web Based Instruction In American High School Education, Dana C. Ross

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine the nature and progress of online education in secondary school.

Angela Johnson: Award-Winning Novels And The Search For Self, Kaavonia M. Hinton-Johnson, Angela Johnson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

It was over a decade ago when Rudine Sims Bishop (1992) prophetically dubbed Angela Johnson as possibly one of "the most prominent AfricanAmerican literary artists of the next generation" (616). At the time she had four picture books to her credit, but the following year she would publish her debut young adult novel, Toning the Sweep. From there, a number of other award-winners would follow and the total of young adult books would increase to eleven and counting. To date, Johnson has three Coretta Scott King Awards, a Michael L. Printz award, and the "Genius Grant" on her list of …

The Relationship Between Dress And Socio-Economics, Tiffany A. Machado

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The objectives of this study were established to guide an answer to this problem: 1. Identify the socio-economic status of students that attend Old Dominion University; 2.Measure the opinion of Old Dominion University's students toward their selection of attire; 3. Project the relationship between socio-economic status and favored dress.

What Do We Value? Research On Technology Education Problems, Issues, And Standards In The United States, Philip A. Reed

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Technology education has seen significant changes since the early 1990's. The paradigm shift from industrial arts has been widely received. Communication tools have merged the global community and standards have helped unify content. While many of these changes have been positive, there are compelling calls for research to support technology education practice. How are we addressing this need? More importantly, is the research we are conducting adding value to technology education practice? This study presents a review and synthesis of published research, as well as graduate research, to address these questions. Specifically, research that has addressed recognized problems and issues …