Education Commons^™

Research A Formative Method And Instrument For Staff Evaluations, Mary Benatti

Theses and Dissertations

Through the creation of a formative method and instrument of staff evaluations an ongoing cycle of evaluation and professional development will be encouraged for all middle school teachers. All data collection was conducted through individual interviews at Salem Middle School in Salem City School District. Team leaders from grades 4 through 8 and the team leader from the special education department participated in the interview process. The data was analyzed by the intern at the conclusion of all interviews. Analysis was conducted through coding which led to categories, themes and patterns.

Recognizing their own areas of improvement and assessing input …

Academic Achievement Team - A School Within A School Program: Does Specialized Remediation Increase Test Scores?, Donald F. Mills

Theses and Dissertations

This research is being done to assess the tenets of the Academic Achievement Program. Those tenets being that a school within a school program devoted to those students who did not successfully complete any of the three parts of the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment will help them to catch up and successfully pass the High School Proficiency Assessment. This program will also reduce behavior problems and absenteeism while simultaneously increasing the students' feelings of success and accomplishment. To test these tenets a set of surveys will be utilized along with report card grades for two sets of students. The students …

Restructuring The District's High School Guidance Department, Margaret L. Corcoran

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and obtain the resources to create a comprehensive guidance department that would meet the needs of our school population in preparing them for the 21st century. Survey questionnaires provided quantitative data for needs analysis. The questionnaire utilized a Likert Scale. All high school students were given the student survey, approximately one-third responded. The purpose was to have an in-depth understanding of which students' needs were being met and which were not. The students were asked to only identify their grade. A stratification by grade of the high school population allowed for a …

Extrinsic/Intrinsic Motivational Study, Steven R. Howard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to understand how extrinsic/intrinsic motivation will encourage student learning in a sixth grade learning setting. The drawing population was approximately 157 students. The sample of the study consisted of 43 sixth graders. The students were given pre-assessment and post-assessment surveys to answer. The pre-assessment survey was given in October and the post-assessment was given in February. The study consisted of control and experimental groups. Twenty-one students were in the experimental group and twenty-two in the control group. The experimental group received the four-phase study. During the pre-assessment phase, the students' responses in the experimental …

The Relationship Between Thematic Teacher Teaming And Its Effects Upon Student Achievement And Cross-Curricula Cohesiveness, Lakecia C. Hyman

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between thematic teacher teaming and its effects upon student achievement and cross-curricula cohesiveness. The data were collected from a teacher questionnaire, student group discussions, school attendance and test scores, student assessments, and field notes. These various methods produced information about the development, understanding, enforcement, and collaboration regarding team teaching and its effects upon student achievement. A review of literature attributed initial positive teacher and student responses and later decreased lack of participation with inconsistent enforcement and support from administration. The findings of this study showed that this school did not develop a …

Understanding The Need To Transition High School Students From School To Work, Christopher Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what employers were looking for in recent high school graduates. The study also tried to determine if high schools were currently meeting the needs of employers. A survey was sent to one hundred employers in the Southern New Jersey area asking about the importance of skills taught in high schools. Southern New Jersey is comprised of rural and suburban communities. The most widespread industries in Southern New Jersey are construction and hospitality/gaming. The survey asked questions about the importance of academic skills, social skills, work readiness skills, and higher level thinking skills. …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Ncaa Divisions I, Ii, And Iii Compliance Programs, Michele Mcgowan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore a number of aspects and components of athletic compliance programs in Division I, II, and III institutions. I gathered my information for this study via surveys. The subjects surveyed were both male and female athletic administrators at Division I, II, and III colleges and universities. A systematic random sample stratified by division such that it would provide a 90% confidence level with a ± 5% margin of error was designed. To achieve the desired confidence level, I sent 213 surveys as follows: 70 surveys were sent to Division I institutions, 58 were …

The Effects Of Social Problem-Solving Training In An Inclusive Kindergarten Classroom, Kimberly R. Fontana

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was for students with disabilities in an inclusive setting to improve socially from social problem solving training. An eight-week social problem-solving training program (SPS) was administered to twenty-three children. Three participants took part in this study. One child was classified as being emotionally disturbed and two other children were classified with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The behaviors observed were: positive social interaction, the ability to make friends, and attending behavior during big group, small group, and playtime. The teacher and teacher assistant observed the three participants using a baseline analysis. Results did exhibit a …

The Effects Of The Direct Instruction With Computer-Assisted Instruction In Reading For Students With Learning Disabilities, Arlene M. Dowd

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were: (a) to examine the effects of using the Direct Instruction Reading Mastery program along with Computer-assisted instruction to enhance the students' vocabulary learning; (b) to examine the effects of using the Direct Instruction Reading Mastery program in reading along with Computer-assisted instruction to enhance the students' reading comprehension; (c) to evaluate if students display a higher level of satisfaction in reading when taught with the Direct Instruction Reading Mastery program followed with computer-assisted instruction. Nine 5th grade students with learning disabilities in a resource room participated in the study. A multiple baseline design across …

Handedness Distribution In A Transitional First Grade Population, Susan Paladino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was: (a) to investigate the distribution of handedness between T-1 students over the past five years compared to their same-age peers; (b) to investigate the distribution of handedness between T-1 boys, same-age boys, T-1 girls, and same-age girls; (c) to examine the kindergarten teachers' attitudes toward left-handed students; (d) to determine which, if any, instructional and classroom modifications the kindergarten teachers used.

One hundred and twenty-two elementary school children and five kindergarten teachers from a large suburban school district located in the northeastern United States participated in the study. The students completed an 8-item questionnaire …

The Effect Of Computer-Assisted Instruction For Students With Central Auditory Processing Disorder Using The Fast Forword Program, Michelle L. Barrett

Theses and Dissertations

Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is a deficit in auditory perception that has been thought to be the underlying basis of many learning problems including specific reading and language disabilities. In today's classrooms many of the children with CAPD have been integrated into general education settings. These children need a program that helps them cope with or even overcome their learning difficulty. A computer program, Fast ForWord has been suggested for those students. The Fast ForWord program is a computer-assisted reading program that is linked electronically to Berkeley University via the Internet.

The purposes of this study were (a) to …

The Effects Of Parent Training On Parent-Child Interactions In An Urban Community, Christina Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

Parent training based on previous studies was provided in an urban community. The effectiveness of parent training for parent-child interactions during freeplay and the effectiveness of parent training to change parents' attitudes towards parent-child interactions were examined. Three parents, together with their children in a Head Start program participated in the study. A multiple baseline design across paired parent and child was used. Baseline data were collected through observations on parent and child interactions prior to the training, and intervention data were conducted after the training was implemented.

The results showed that all participating parents increased in verbal interactions with …

Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion: What Did They Say?, Lisa R. Waligore

Theses and Dissertations

This study used a survey to obtain information regarding regular education teachers' and special education teachers' attitude toward inclusive education and other related issues in inclusive classrooms, such as co-teaching, teaching strategies, instructional planning, learning capabilities, accommodations, and mutual respect. Two hundred copies of the surveys were distributed to 7 public schools, 105 were returned. Of those, 60 were elementary teachers, 14 were special education teachers, 16 were middle school teachers, and 10 were high school teachers.

The responses were analyzed using 1-5 points, 1 to indicated strongly agree, 2 to indicate agree, 3 to indicate neither agree nor disagree, …

A Comparison Study On Collaboration Between Regular And Special Education Teachers, Beverly L. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the collaboration between regular and special education teachers in a South New Jersey School District. A secondary purpose of the study was to evaluate the current inclusion program in the district where an inclusion program was implemented approximately 5 years ago.

A survey was distributed to approximately 50 teachers in this particular district. Thirty-two of the fifty teachers participating in an inclusion program completed the survey with 26 questions. Four categories were analyzed: Training/Preparation, Role of the Special Education Teacher, Role of the Regular Education Teacher and Improvements.

The results indicated that …

The Association Between Learning Processes And Formal Music Electives Among Sixth Grade Music Students, Anthony C. Varga

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of learning process frequencies among sixth grade music students who elect to participate in musical ensembles. Is there an association between the student's choice of elective music ensemble and their learning process?

Forty-five sixth grade music students participated in the study with their parents' permission. Subjects were administered the Learning Combination Inventory during their scheduled music class. They were asked to first respond to 28 Likert-type statements rating their answers as best fitting their own individual learning. The second part of the instrument required the subjects to respond to three …

The Effects Of The Picture Exchange Communication System (Pecs) To Decrease Impulsive Behaviors And Increase Self-Management Skills Of Children With Autism, Lori A. Rizzo-Wise

Theses and Dissertations

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is an augmentative communication system used for children with autism and social-communication disorders.

Self-management is an intervention extensively documented for its effectiveness to improve behavior. Self-management programs typically involve some combination of two or more of the following strategies: self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and positive reinforcement. With limited knowledge of growth in self-management techniques among autistic children, the study of PECS and its influence on self-management may be a beneficial technique to increase appropriate behavior/classroom management.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the decrease of impulsive behaviors while teaching self-management skills to children with …

Reading Achievement: A Comparison Of Inclusion, Pull-Out, And Combined Approaches For Students With Learning Disabilities, Ethel J. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

More children are referred for special needs because of their reading problems than in any other areas, and concerns on programs to assist students with learning disabilities were raised, (Bos & Vaughn, 1993). The purpose of this study was to examine if these students would gain reading achievements when they were instructed in an inclusive, pull-out, or combined program. A total of 36 students with learning disabilities from grades 2 and 3 participated in this study. They were enrolled in inclusion, pull-out, and combined programs respectively. The pretest and posttest of the Jerry L. Johns Basic Reading Inventory were administered …

The Effect Of Social Skills Training For Students With Disabilities, Michelle M. Wiseley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of a social skills training program for students with disabilities. A multiple baseline design across settings was used. The two settings were the mainstream class and the resource center. Five fourth grade students ranging from 10.1 to 10.11 years of age participated in the study. The social skills were focused on raising hands to ask for help, dealing with an accusation, and completing assignments in a given time. Skillstreaming the Elementary School Child was used as the social skills training program. Observations were conducted during baseline and intervention phases in …

The Impact Of Computer-Assisted Mathematics Instruction For Secondary Students With Learning Disabilities, Shirley A. Celentano

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this explorative study were to (a) compare results of the mathematics achievement of a group of secondary students with learning disabilities with and without computer-assisted instruction (n = 10) ; and (b) examine student satisfaction with computer-assisted instruction. The participants, ages 14-16 years old, were classified with SLD, or "Specific Learning Disability", and had mathematics performance significantly below grade level according to their IEPs. Procedure included ten weeks of teacher-direct instruction and ten weeks of computer-assisted instruction in the computer lab. A total of eight mathematics units were covered, four during each condition of the study. Students …

Aftermath Of 9-11: Stress Levels During January 2002 From Manhattan To California, Terryl Chapman

Theses and Dissertations

In September of 2001, the world entered a period of recovery from the terrorist attacks on our nation which will engender decades of struggle to study, analyze and express the effects of that day by almost every conceivable field of human endeavor. The purpose of this study was to describe levels of stress throughout the nation during the first two weeks of January 2002. It was hypothesized that those people who were in closest geographic proximity to the disasters would have the highest levels of stress. The present study consisted of 96 respondents. 22 of those were within a 20-mile …

A Descriptive History Of The Discipline Of Athletic Training Education, Scott M. Lisher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to trace the history of athletic training education as an athletic discipline. Through careful study and research, the author presents how formal education has evolved for professionals in the field of athletic training. The roots of athletic training education can be traced to the mid-1950's. From that period, athletic training education has changed immensely and is still changing today. This research explores the relationship between the development of higher education and the way athletic training evolved as a discipline within higher education. Much of the focus is on change, not only including changes made …

Implementation Of Effective Practices By Special Education Teachers In The Classroom, Rae Malkiewicz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which teachers were aware of and using effective practices in their classrooms. Reasons why they did not use a particular practice were also obtained. Fifty-five teachers were sent questionnaires and thirty-one teachers returned the questionnaires. From this data, the percentage of usage of each practice was determined as well as the percentage of implementation of each practice in five different subject areas. The results of this study showed that teachers are aware of and are using the best empirically validated practices.

Multiculturalism And The Media: Using Racially Motivated Films To Increase Attitudes About Race, Nacovin J. Norman

Theses and Dissertations

The attempt to answer the question, "Do racially motivated movies (media) affect young adolescents' attitude on multiculturalism?" was capable of yielding significant results. The study required sampling a population of seventh and eighth graders. The participants demonstrated variability in regards to ethnicity, age, social class, and level of cognitive functioning. Using the paired sample t, ANOVA and various non-parametrical tests, the answer to the question seems to correspond with the research. Therefore, using media can have a significant and an immediate effect, on not only multiculturalism, but human behavior as well.

The Effects Of Character Education On The Moral Decision Making Of A Selected Sample Of High School Students, Carol E. Lively

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a program of character education implemented in a public high school over a 6 month period would lead to measurable changes in value judgments as measured by the Student Survey of Social and Emotional Learning. The instrument contained 21 items requiring value based judgments to be responded to using a 5-point likert scale. One sample T-test showed no difference at the .001 level of confidence across the 21 items assessed. Also measured were teachers' perceptions of change in student behavior and attitudes toward school. Teachers felt there had been some improvement …

The Perceptions Of Tenure And Alternatives To Tenure Among Faculty At A Mid-Sized Regional University In A Large Northeastern State, Patricia Mcgrath

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to gauge the perceptions of both tenured faculty and tenure-track faculty regarding academic freedom and tenure. With this information, professors will be able to engage in discussions about tenure and its future. In this study, professors across all colleges and professorial ranks were asked to rate the degree to which they either agreed or disagreed with statements pertaining to academic freedom, tenure, and possible alternatives to tenure. In addition to this, there was a space given for comments or concerns.

The overall format of this study was an anonymous survey questionnaire. Most importantly, the survey attempted to …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Integrating Special Education Preschoolers With Their Nondisabled Peers, Christina Donio Sansone

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined developmental outcomes associated with services in inclusive and self-contained preschool classrooms. The growth of nine inclusive special education students and twelve self-contained students were investigated. These students were matched for chronological age and classification. Progress was measured with the Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Early Development-Revised using a posttest only design in gross motor skills, fine motor skills, speech/language skills and general knowledge. Results show that there is a significant difference between these two groups on gross motor standing skills in the inclusive setting. There are no significant differences in other skill achievement.

The Effect Of Sports On Self-Concept: A Comparison Of Students In A Special Education Resource Room Who Participate In Sports And Students In A Special Education Resource Room Who Do Not Participate In Sports, Meredith Fiori

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that students in special education have a lower self-concept than their non-disabled peers (Manhattan College, 1998). Manhattan College also states that students with disabilities who play sports have a self-concept equal to or higher than individuals without disabilities. Identifying the degree to which participation in sports may raise the self-concepts of students in special education is an important strategy in educational programming. Discovering techniques to improve the self-concepts of students in special education has been a difficult task for both teachers and parents.

The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference exists between the self-concepts …

The Effectiveness Of Teaching Moral Development On The Ethical Decisions Of First And Second Grade Children, Anna M. Grant

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a program of character education administered to a group of first and second grade children over a six-month period. The subjects for this study attended or are presently attending Atlantis Elementary School, located on McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. This information can help determine whether or not an unstructured character education curriculum can lead to improvement in moral and ethical decisions. Participants were administered two forms of an assessment over a six-month period. The first assessment was executed in September of 2001. The participants were then introduced to …

Effective Classroom Strategies For Students With Adhd, Jennifer A. Berenguer

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this exploratory investigation were to (a) identify practical strategies for ameliorating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder currently being implemented by teachers in the classroom setting; and (b) identify the strategies found to be most effective. Diagnostic criteria for the identification of students with ADHD are identified. Empirically validated treatments are identified and discussed. The role of educational professionals is delineated, demonstrating the need for identification of effective practical strategies for classroom utilization. Teachers demonstrated a high rate of frequency for utilizing practical strategies that they identified to be most effective. Implications for teaching students with ADHD in the …

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Mcgraw-Hill Mathematics Series For Use With Inclusion Students, Margaret C. Green

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of using the McGraw-Hill Mathematics Series with second grade inclusion students. Two students were pretested in October of 2001, using the final test from the Silver Burdett Mathematics Series for first graders. In March of 2002, they were tested again using the same test. The tests were compared to see what areas the students made improvement in since October. The students were also given the McGraw-Hill Cumulative Test for second grade on chapters 1-6. This was given in order to further assess the their competence on the skill areas presented in this series so far …