Education Commons^™

Professional Conversations About Race, Culture And Language In Early Childhood Literacy Education: An Administrator's Journey, Sabina Maria Mosso-Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Year after year, children of Color, speakers of languages other than English, and children of poverty are served less well in public schools then their White, middle-class peers. The lives of children from White, middle-class homes are regularly normalized as they are described by teachers, administrators, policy makers, and educational programs as those with the most worth and knowledge. In all too many settings, cultures and languages outside this narrowly-defined norm are perceived from deficit perspectives. This hierarchy perpetuates a status quo that privileges and therefore supports the success of some, while devaluing and contributing to the failure of others. …

Major Adjustment: Students' Transition Experiences Leaving Selective Undergraduate Degree Programs, Helen Mulhern Halasz

Theses and Dissertations

This multi-campus, qualitative study investigated how undergraduate students previously enrolled in selective majors described coping resources utilized during the transition of leaving their previous major and selecting a new academic degree program. The study also examined which resources students identified as most valuable, and coping resources most influential in their retention decisions. Research about students in selective degree programs has been absent for the last 20 years, and previous research studies have not given voice to the experiences of students in transition between majors. The conceptual underpinning of this study was the 4 S System (Goodman, Schlossberg, and Anderson, 2006), …

A Case Study Of Principals' Knowledge Of Early Childhood Literacy, Christine Elizabeth Leblanc

Theses and Dissertations

Nationally approximately 40 percent of third grade students do not read at grade level. Principals play a critical role in providing leadership in the implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI) to ensure that students not making adequate yearly progress receive targeted instruction to address their deficiencies. The purpose of this study is to explore the experience of five principals through an investigation of their understanding of the reading process as it relates to the implementation of RtI in their schools. I specifically wish to understand: What do principals know about early childhood literacy and how do they use that knowledge …

The Relationship Between Principal Longevity And Student Achievement In Middle Schools In South Carolina, David Dewayne Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between the longevity of a middle school principal and student achievement. Three research questions guided the research to determine if there is a relationship. To complete the study, the researcher used data collected from the South Carolina Department of Education including PASS scores in reading and mathematics, ESEA index, gender of principals, poverty index of schools, and school size to determine the relationships. Data were collected using the South Carolina School Report Card for 2012.

Middle Schools in South Carolina were used for the study. The results …

Re-Examining The Past And Rethinking The Future At Mount Mulanje Forest Reserve, Malawi: New Directions For Local Engagement, Mary Christian Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1980s, broad recognition has been given to the need for and the benefits of aligning the protection of biodiversity in threatened forest ecosystems with measures to address the needs and desires of people living near and depending on those ecosystems. With this research project I focus on one such ecosystem found at the Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve (MMFR) in southern Malawi. Large amounts of money and time have been put forth by local, national, and international donors and conservation organizations to support the goals of biodiversity conservation and social development at MMFR. In order to explore how managers …

Parent Perceptions Of Audiology And Speech-Language Services And Support For Young Children With Cochlear Implants, Patrick Michael Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Parents of children diagnosed with severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss are selecting cochlear implants at an increasing rate and when their children are very young. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists are typically involved in habilitation activities following implantation in an effort to increase children's access to listening and spoken language. These clinicians depend upon parents to participate in habilitation activities that may lead to favorable outcomes for children. However, little evidence exists regarding parents' perspectives on the services and supports audiologists and speech-language pathologists provide in this team effort. Parents can offer valuable feedback to clinicians regarding the type and quality of …

The Impact Of Poverty, School Enrollment, And Ninth-Grade Transition Programs On Promotion To Tenth Grade In Thirty South Carolina High Schools, Mark Shannon Hopkins

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempted to determine the impact of poverty, school size, and the presence of a ninth grade transition program (independent variables) upon promotion to tenth grade (dependent variable). Three sets of ten South Carolina high schools were purposefully selected for the study: one from high, one from medium, and one from low poverty index ranges. Poverty information was gathered from SCDE Poverty Index lists, and school size and tenth grade promotion rate were calculated from enrollment data supplied by the SCDE. A ninth grade transition was defined by identifying eight common transition practices in current literature and sample school …

A Constructivist Examination Of Counselors' Conceptualization Of "Sexuality": Implications For Counselor Education, Wenndy Dupkoski Mallicoat

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the dialectical dilemma between meeting the demands of the managed health care industry through the adherence to the medical model while promoting an emphasis on wellness, the counseling profession does not promote a consistent definition of sexuality. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach from a constructivist lens, this study was conducted to examine the construct "sexuality" and "sexuality counseling" from counselors' perspectives. One synchronous online focus group and two online individual interviews were conducted with counselors predominantly in the Southeastern United States. Themes from the data include: Sexuality is multi-dimensional; sexuality is developmental; sexuality counseling is dialectical; and sexuality …

Building Resiliency: Supporting Elementary School Students Through Parental Bereavement, Sandra Kerr Ray

Theses and Dissertations

This study employed qualitative methods to learn what understandings, practices, and interventions were used by educators from one elementary school to support bereaved children in the classroom and as members of a school community. Educators reported uncertainty about how children grieve, how to talk with children about a deceased parent, how to talk with the bereaved child’s peers about parental death, and how to balance the bereaved child’s emotional and academic needs. Educators were also uncertain about how to recognize and intervene when a parental death was remote in time and the child’s grief response was attenuated (e.g., anxiety, disengagement, …

Response To Intervention: An Interpretive Case Study Of Educators' Perspectives On The Roles Of School Culture, Personal Beliefs, And Program Knowledge On Implementation., Beverly Adhiambo Ochieng-Sande

Theses and Dissertations

In education today there is a heightened emphasis on teacher accountability for improving student outcomes. The law requires that in order for a student to qualify as a student with a disability, the child's IEP team must ensure that the child's problem is not due to poor instructional programming. Therefore, the general education teacher is encouraged to use research-based interventions and a systematic method of data collection and progress monitoring, so he or she can determine whether a child qualifies for the referral stage of the special education identification process. Response to intervention (RTI) is a systematic multi-tiered process of …

Teacher Perceptions Of Global Citizenship Education In A Southern Elementary Public School: Implications For Curriculum And Pedagogy, Tamela Jett

Theses and Dissertations

Curriculum for global citizenship education is gaining momentum as countries have experienced an increase in interdependence and interconnectedness through technology over the last century. Through qualitative research, this study employed a phenomenological methodology to understand how ten female elementary teachers in grades third- through fifth- at the site of the present study, located in Mundo Pax Elementary School (MPES), define global citizenship and how these teachers utilized their personal definitions to shape their curriculum within their classrooms. The data were collected through semi-structured personal interviews, the school-wide curriculum, teacher lesson plans, and final products projects. The researcher used the program …

I Hope It Rains So My Corn And Your Okra Grows: A Case Study Of A Kindergarten Teacher's Language Use In Expanding Children's Language Repetoires, Linda D. Mook

Theses and Dissertations

The continuing disparity of academic success, commonly referred to as the achievement gap, the gap between economically disadvantaged subgroups and their more economically advantaged peers, is the greatest problem we face in the United States today (Slavin & Madden, 2006). In this dissertation, I studied in-depth the complexity of a quality teacher and her program at the kindergarten level, I focused my study on three areas, realizing that each of these areas is very complex. Although they overlap, they also have their own unique subtopics within the larger topic. The three areas of study are: oral language development, teacher/child interactions, …

Investigating Relationships Between Academic Achievement And After School Programs In A High School Environment, Aaron Duke Fulmer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate if participation in an academically focused after school program could be linked with improved academic achievement as measured by a standardized test. A quantitative experimental design was utilized to explore the topic. The scale scores of participants in an academically focused after school program were compared to non participants to determine if there was a statistical difference between the groups. Additionally, the attendance level of participants in the academically focused after school program was correlated with their scale score on a standardized test in order to the relationship.

This study is significant …

Principal Leadership And School Culture With A School-Wide Implementation Of Professional Crisis Management: A Redemptive Vs. Punitive Model, Mark Thomas Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Principal Leadership and School Culture within

A School-Wide Implementation of Professional Crisis Management:

A Redemptive vs. Punitive Model

By

Mark Thomas Adams

This qualitative study investigated the nature of the relationship between principal leadership and school culture within a school-wide implementation of Professional Crisis Management (PCM). PCM is a comprehensive and fully integrated system designed to manage crisis situations effectively, safely, and with dignity. While designed primarily to assist individuals in crisis situations, much of the system is comprised of non-physical interventions in the form of crisis prevention strategies and positive reinforcement that were effective with students at all points …

Alternative Education: A Comparative Case Study Of The Behavior Modification Programs Of Two Upstate South Carolina Alternative Schools For Youth Who Exhibit Behavior That Is Disruptive, Timothy Lamont Scipio

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined behavior modification programs in schools designed to focus on discipline and that aim to reform disruptive behavior in students, usually over a limited period of time. This was a comparative case study of two type II alternative schools in the Upstate of South Carolina. The findings contributed to the research base regarding the practical implementation of the essential components for an effective behavior modification program in type II alternative schools. The primary research question was used to guide the study to discover the most effective components within the behavior modification program used by two leaders of Type …

A Veterinary Science Initiative: An Analysis Of Impact And Future Directions For Humane Education And Collaborative Partnerships, Brittany Watson Tisa

Theses and Dissertations

Humane education research is limited in its scope and structure and this has led to its inability to find a place in standard curriculum. As resources become scarcer for school districts and shelters, proving efficacy of programs is essential for successful partnerships and program achievements. VSI: Veterinary Science Initiative is a program developed by the education team at the Charleston Animal Society as a model for cooperative education between shelters, veterinarians, and other private organizations to collaborate with local school districts, while also conducting research about how this curriculum benefits student knowledge, organizational awareness, and community engagement.

An Intervention To Increase Staff Promotion Of Healthy Eating And Physical Activity In Out-Of-School-Time-Programs, Robert Glenn Weaver

Theses and Dissertations

Frontline-staff are critical to achieving standards related to child physical activity and nutrition (PAaN) in out-of-school-time-programs (OSTP). Recent standards call upon staff to demonstrate behaviors related to PAaN. Currently, no instrument exists to measure these behaviors. Further, while there have been several studies to increase children's PAaN in OSTPs, no studies have targeted staff behaviors and then measured the associated changes in staff behaviors. Therefore, this research project encompasses four studies.

The first study fills the gap between policy mandates and staff behaviors by describing the development of the System for Observing Staff Promotion of Activity and Nutrition (SOSPAN) in …

Perceptions Of Innovations: An Examination Of South Carolina Superintendents, Alfred Lamont Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of South Carolina public school superintendents regarding individual and organizational attitudes toward innovation. Specific characteristics of South Carolina public school superintendents and public school districts, including enrollment, poverty level, school report card grades, age, gender, and years of experience, were analyzed to determine individual superintendents' and their school districts' orientations toward innovation. The findings have the potential to provide much-needed guidance to superintendents in training so that they may be better equipped to meet the challenge of school reform and innovation in relation to student achievement. In addition, the study …

A Study Of The Intersections Of Race, Schooling, And Family Life In A Rural Black Community, Michele Evonne Myers

Theses and Dissertations

In doing this work, I sought to shed light on the ways that schools and parents interact while challenging stereotypes and misperceptions that may be preventing such collaboration. I conducted and exploratory study that used qualitative methods to better understand the ways that Black families demonstrate involvement in their children's schooling--ways that often go unnoticed or are not legitimized within the school setting. I spent 13 months with nine Black families and interviewed and surveyed teachers in the schools in those communities. This work makes visible the experiences of nine Black families, their children, and the schools in a community …

Perceptions Of Elementary School Principals: Turning High Poverty Elementary Schools In South Carolina Into High-Performing Elementary Schools, Katie Wall Barber

Theses and Dissertations

There is no question that economic deprivation has an adverse impact on student achievement. In the United States, the gaps in achievement among poor and advantaged students are substantial. Through multiple studies, the United States Department of Education (2006) indicated results that "clearly demonstrated that poverty adversely affected student achievement." Closing the achievement gap and achieving success for all students presents a challenge for schools, particularly those located in high-poverty areas (Brock & Groth, 2003). Current research illustrates that some schools, often referred to as high-performing, high-poverty schools, have led their low-income student populations to high levels of achievement, matching …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Gordon Allport's Contact Hypothesis Ability To Increase Cultural Openness In First Year College Students, David Alan Kahn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to test Gordon Allport's theory of Contact Hypothesis about cultural attitude change in college students. Participants were college First year students participating in First year seminar classes in a small southeastern liberal arts university. The treatment group of randomly selected First year seminar classes was exposed to a one-week seminar designed to address the issue of cultural diversity. A non-treatment group received the standard instruction on this issue. The content of the seminar included exposure to multicultural issues that include Allport's most important tenants for changing prejudicial attitudes. For this study components of Allport's …

School Counselors' Perceptions Of Their Role In Assisting Students With College Preparedness, Tabatha Mcallister

Theses and Dissertations

Access to quality precollege counseling is a crucial component of students' post-secondary educational planning. High school counselors provide educational planning and guidance to students which make them a valuable commodity to obtain information for students contemplating their postsecondary options (Hoyt, 2001). School counselors are situated as the focal point for students and their parents to obtain the information needed for academic and financial college preparedness. The research problem was ascertaining a descriptive definition of the elements that comprise the roles of the school counselor in student post-secondary preparedness. As well as determining if there are factors that enhance or inhibit …

An Examination Of Middle School Counselors' Comfort With Technology, Patricia Christina Roddy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the differences in comfort with technology in middle school counselors in South Carolina. The researcher’s goal was to determine the effects of years of experience, technology training, gender, and age on middle school counselors’ comfort with technology.

After a review of literature, it was determined that this study was warranted to determine middle school counselors’ comfort with technology. As technology progresses, it is critical that school counselors are appropriately trained to utilize technology in their work. Their comfort levels with technology should be as strong as their ability to use a …

The Teaching Of Reading, Writing And Language In A Clinical Speech And Language Setting: A Blended Therapy Intervention Approach, Kerrie Allen Ammons

Theses and Dissertations

With a growing body of research that supports a link between language and literacy, governing bodies in the field of speech and language pathology have recognized the need to reconsider the role of speech-language pathologists in addressing the emergent literacy needs of preschoolers who struggle with literacy and language concepts. This study contributes to the research on speech and language pathology's clinical approaches by researching a blended approach to therapy using individualized language needs with embedded emergent literacy practices to expand not only the expressive and receptive language repertoire but also the emergent literacy learning of language-delayed preschool children receiving …

"The Constellations Were In A Different Place": Using Blogs To Understand Student Learning During Study Abroad, Leslie Pitman

Theses and Dissertations

While a great deal of research has been done on the pedagogical implications and uses of blogging, and even more research has been done on the effects of study abroad, few studies has investigated the use of blogging as a way that learning is processed during study abroad. This study sought to understand how students use blogs during a study abroad semester and the ways in which the blogs reveal evidence of learning. Eleven blogs, written by students at the University of South Carolina (USC) during their respective semesters abroad, were read, coded, and analyzed in order to answer the …

Relationship Between Principal Change And Influence Styles: Is There An Impact On Teacher Retention?, Leslie J. Howder

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between principal leadership styles, specifically change and influence styles, and teacher retention in the Low-Country region of South Carolina. Utilizing the Change Style Indicator and Influence Style Indicator, the researcher surveyed 25 principals from Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester 2 School Districts. The results were analyzed and compared to teacher retention rates from South Carolina State School Report Cards. Three relationships were analyzed: 1) correlation between change styles and influence styles, 2) correlation between change styles and teacher retention and 3) correlation between influence styles and teacher retention. …

Impact Of The Child Development Program On Reading Achievement Of Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade Students In An Urban School District, Tai Elizabeth Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

Educational leaders are charged with making informed decisions regarding various aspects of schooling that affect the overall achievement of students. Numerous legislative ideas, funding initiatives, programming standards, and practicing guidelines for early childhood education programs have been introduced (Buyssee & Wesley, 2006). Early care and education have become significant components of social policy due to the increase in the number of individuals in the workplace and the increasing roles of government in education and reform, as well as the continued concern for school readiness and achievement (Urban Institute, 2009). Americans often state that children are “our most precious natural resource” …

Identifying And Encouraging Math In Children's Out-Of-School Activities In The Rural Lowcountry Of South Carolina, Sherry Carillon Hyatt

Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that children of different backgrounds and cultures learn and perform differently in mathematics despite similar intelligence levels and mathematics instruction (Alvarez & Bali, 2004). Ethnomathematics strives to explore and explain such phenomena in terms of the complex role culture plays in one's background experiences and perceptions that influence cognition and how school is experienced (Ascher, 1991; Barton, 1996; Bishop, 1994; D'Ambrosio, 1994). The importance of recognizing and utilizing the mathematical concepts imbedded in students' everyday activities is stressed in the field of ethnomathematics (Ascher, 1991; Bishop, 1994; Presmeg, 1998). In order to relate students' out-of-school experiences to content …