Education Commons^™

Instilling Motivation, Embracing Mistakes, And Fostering Grit: Using The Rubik's Cube In Elementary Classrooms, Samantha Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research into the use of a Rubik’s cube in an elementary classroom can provide future implications on fostering grit through a growth mindset. Although previous studies show grit to be a predictor of student success, research surrounding the literature does not address how grit can be taught in the classroom. This mixed methods study explored the missing research by examining the differences between cognitive and non-cognitive skills with the influence of a deliberate practice. The Rubik’s cube acted as the instructional tool to foster grit and growth mindset by engaging students in a motivating challenge that builds perseverance and critical …

The Value Of Participating In Cooperative Education, Megan Upchurch Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The benefits of experiential education are well known and a popular discussion topic on college campuses. The value of participation in a co-op work experience is recognized by employers, but not necessarily by the students they are hoping to hire. This study sought to determine whether or not students who did participate in a co-op found their experiences to be beneficial to their personal or professional growth.

Reducing Disparites In Act Results According To Racial Identity: An Applied Research Study Into The Weact Program In Tinlake High School, Marcus Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT The ACT provides opportunities for students of various socioeconomic backgrounds, racial identities, and family structures. Throughout the nation, there is a disparity that involves Black students scoring less than White students on the test by a margin of five points. The applied mixed methods research aimed to identify elements to help decrease the gap in student scores. The combined efforts of all the elements, tutorials, boot camps, ACT prep classes, and providing ACT resources in daily instruction formed the WeACT program. The students of Tinlake High School were exposed to this pilot program to assist in their ACT growth. …

Kindergarten Readiness Through The Lens Of Parent Perspective, Ashley Barrows Goralczyk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a phenomenological approach to explore parent perspectives about kindergarten readiness. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 parents from a public preschool whose children were about to start kindergarten. The parents’ own kindergarten experiences were discussed as well as their perspectives and beliefs about what kindergarten readiness means as it relates to the preparation for and transition into kindergarten. Interview transcripts were analytically coded resulting in findings that were authentic and specific related to personal kindergarten recollections, kindergarten preparedness practices, and assumptions about preschool used as a kindergarten preparation tool. Findings answered the research questions providing specificity about …

The Middle To High School Transition: An Applied Research Study To Improve And Support High School Readiness In High-Poverty Schools, Robert Davis Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The applied research study aimed to improve high school readiness for eighth-grade students transitioning to ninth-grade in high-poverty schools. Middle school educators are struggling to prepare students for ninth-grade without the proper transition support programs. This applied research study's framework was based on improving student performance, preventing academic achievement loss, addressing social-emotional learning, and informing students of operational procedures to prepare them for the high school environment. An action plan was developed and implemented in three phases to address each element of concern intentionally. Phase one consisted of Saturday Academy tutoring to improve student performance in reading and math. Implementation …

We Make The Path By Walking Together: A Case Study Of How Community Engagement At The University Of Mississippi Impacts Students And Community Partner Organizations, Laura Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The community engagement field has grappled with critical questions around its failure to effectuate institutional change that will permit colleges and universities to create a more just society. At the same time, the University of Mississippi has struggled to reconcile its own institutional legacy of forced integration alongside an ambitious public mission in a state recognized for persistent poverty and inequality.

Implementation Of The Michael Heggerty Model To Increase Student Achievement Of At-Risk Readers In Kindergarten, Michelle White Nowell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied research study seeks to help at-risk readers improve phonemic awareness in kindergarten at Mayberry Elementary by implementing the Michael Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Model so the students can become successful readers. Using three elements in this study, professional development, teacher PLCs, and data talk meetings with peer teachers in kindergarten throughout the year, the researcher sought to build teacher capacity in the implementation of the Michael Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Model to improve student achievement. Surveys, observations, focus groups, and interviews were used in the study. Additionally, the goal of this study aimed to improve the educator's capacity to address …

Equity, Social Justice, And Ethical Responsibility In Higher Education: Voices Of Business Students At A Pervasivley Sectarian University, Van Brooks Poole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This proposed study explores the perceptions and experiences of business students who attend a pervasively sectarian university in the South (MPSU) regarding their perceptions of equity, social justice, and ethical responsibility through their experiences on campus and in their academic program. This study will discuss socio-political influences at the national, state, and local levels and examine existing university policies and practices to identify recommendations for organizational change using Lewin’s unfreezing model as a theoretical framework.

Perceptions Of Role Conflict And Role Ambiguity Among Fraternity And Sorority Advising Professionals, Anthony E. Vukusich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Campus-based professionals in the area of Fraternity and Sorority Advising Programs (FSAP) have a known and documented high rate of attrition; more than half departing within the first five years of employment. Two recognized role stressors that are associated with high rates of turnover are role conflict and role ambiguity. Studies by Gold & Roth, 2013; Khan, Yusoff, Khan, Yasir, & Khan, 2014; Rizzo, House & Lirtzman, 1970; and Wolverton, Wolverton & Gmelch, 1999 have demonstrated that role conflict and role ambiguity are contributing factors in employee attrition across an array of industries and position types, including nurses, teachers, academic …

Traumatic Life Experiences And Their Impact On Factors Pertinent To Leadership Effectiveness In School Principals, Derrick D. Hardaway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many schools across the nation are not making adequate achievement or growth goals from year-to-year. This leads to high principal turnover rates and instability in the learning environment which profoundly impacts student achievement. Currently, most efforts in schools are aimed at raising student achievement, implementing equitable practices, and limiting barriers. While these are critical actions for closing the achievement gap, the principal’s role in this process is vitally important. Therefore, this quantitative study explored how trauma affects factors that are pertinent to leader success in school principals. To determine the impact trauma has on leadership qualities, this study examined the …

Increasing Reading Achievement: An Applied Research Study On The Effects Of Implementing An Independent Reading Time At Lester Elementary School, Sherna Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reading proficiency is an important skill and demonstrated proficiency is required by the Mississippi’s Literacy Based Promotion Act of 2013 for third graders to be promoted to fourth grade. Reading proficiency at third grade also has serious implications for lifelong outcomes. The purpose of this applied research project was to increase reading achievement for the second and third grade students of Lester Elementary, specifically by exploring the effects of increased time spent reading, access and self-selection of books, and motivation to read on reading proficiency. The analysis of pre- and post- STAR data was used to determine if proficiency rates …

Decreasing Discipline Disparities Among African-American Males: An Applied Research Study On The Effects Of Developing Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices Among Teachers And Equipping Students With Added Supports, Reginald Maurice Herrington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools and school leaders are charged to provide equitable educational opportunities and ensure the success for all students no matter their scholastic ability giving students access to an education that is culturally responsive. Despite this charge, African-American male students receive exclusionary punishment at disparaging rates which contributes to the widening achievement gap between white and black students. The purpose of this applied research study was to decrease the rate at which African-American males are referred to the office. This study analyzes the implementation of two elements: engaging teachers in a book study on culturally responsive teaching strategies and targeted counseling …

Academic Support Systems And College Readiness For Black Male Student Athletes, Derek Lovell King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High school athletics is a major aspect of today’s educational landscape. Sports generate revenue, galvanize communities, and provide opportunities for widespread exposure. For the black athlete, sports generally represent an opportunity to go to college. With the pressure of academic accountability, increased athletic competitiveness, and the impact of future prospects, high schools have to be innovative in order to optimize the academic experience, particularly for Black male athletes.

The impact of high school academic support systems, particularly their capacity to increase the college readiness of Black male athletes, has not been adequately examined. College GPA, college persistence rate, and college …

Building Teacher Capacity As A Pathway To Equity For First-Grade Spanish-Speaking English Learners: An Applied Research Study, Mary Greenlee Moak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT The teaching of English Learners, one of the fastest-growing subgroups in American Public schools, is a task American classroom teachers are ill-equipped to handle. As students from a variety of language backgrounds move from metropolitan areas of the country to more rural locales educational leaders must equip teachers to integrate language acquisition with content instruction. Failure to do so will result in compounding learning gaps among English Learners as the language barrier prevents them from gaining content knowledge. Based in a Mississippi school with a growing population of English Learners comprising over a quarter of the school’s population, this …

The Relationship Between Head Coaching Change And Donations To Intercollegiate Athletic Departments, Michael Paulus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intercollegiate athletic departments encounter unique challenges as organizational units of higher education. Among these challenges is generating revenue to support the rising expenses of operating programs, funding coaches’ salaries, and investing in facilities. Many athletics departments generate revenue by fundraising through donor-based seating programs, philanthropic engagement, and stewardship benefits associated with levels of support. While various factors within an athletics organization can influence fundraising, the important position of head coaches is one of them. These visible positions can play a key role in influencing ticket sales, fan interest, and donations, thereby contributing to the financial viability of the entire organization.This …

First Generation Law Students: Barriers To Success, Melissa Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A significant population of higher education students are first generation students; students who come from a home where neither parent has completed a bachelor’s degree (Vasil & McCall, 2018). These first generation students experience a gap of education, knowledge, and support which creates a persistent problem of unequal access to higher education for first generation students (MacLachlan, 2017). This unequal access shows itself in barriers faced by the students coming from these first generation backgrounds of interconnected, heightened risk factors (Gardner, 2013).

This dissertation was completed using qualitative analysis to interview six first generation college graduates in the juris doctor …

The Perceptions Of Rural College Students On The Impact Of High School College Counseling On College Choice, Tommy Glen Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Making decisions about college can be challenging for rural students. Guidance counselors and other adults influence these decisions because of their close relationships in high schools and communities. Since rural students are coached into pursuing college as a mechanism for obtaining a better life, it is beneficial to explore their lived experiences regarding college counseling and college choice. This dissertation in practice explores the perceptions of rural college students on the impact of high school college counseling on college choice.

Student Perceptions Of Their Academic Success At Higher Education, Faith-Based Institutions, Amber Nicole Grady

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this manuscript is to examine any existence between student academic success and faith-based engagement experiences in higher education.Higher education, faith-based institutions provide spiritual support to help ensure students’ academic success. Student fit, especially for faith-based institutions, is critical to student persistence and involvement. As faith-based institutions and practitioners explore these student experiences, they can maximize their resources to provide substantial and quality programming to engage all students. Religiously focused programming at these faith-based institutions is intended to support students’ academic relationships and success.

An Applied Research On Promoting Proficiency In Fourth-Grade Reading, Deirdre Huntley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied research study was conducted to promote proficiency in fourth-grade reading. There was a need for improvement in fourth-grade reading after receiving data from the school and state assessments. The study examined the implementation of specific reading and vocabulary strategies, student interventions, strengthening of teacher-student relationships, and encouraging student motivation to help students become proficient in understanding what the students were reading. Student diagnostic results and teacher interviews were utilized in this study. The findings revealed students were demonstrating advancement in reading comprehension. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school building was closed in March of 2020 which impacted …

A First-Year Teacher’S Implementation Of Short-Cycle Formative Assessment Through The Use Of A Classroom Response System And Flexible Grouping, Adrienne Irving Dumas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As teachers, we are tasked with ensuring that our students are equipped with the skills necessary to not only perform with proficiency on local, state and national assessments, but also to provide our students with opportunities to develop confidence and competence as learners of mathematics through meaningful, challenging and worthwhile activities. As such, many teachers have turned to technology and cooperative groups as staples in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to understand how one first-year teacher implemented what she was taught in her undergraduate coursework in teaching two specific units of instruction in two sections of high …

Bridge To Student Success?: An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The University Of Mississippi's Jumpstart Summer Bridge Program, Emily Ferris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Summer bridge programs (SBPs) are a popular programmatic intervention of colleges and universities to assist students with the transition from high school to college and provide students with the academic and social tools they need to be successful. Despite their popularity, a survey of relevant literature indicated that bridge programs are not routinely evaluated to measure their effectiveness. This study sought to contribute to the body of existing literature by evaluating the effectiveness of the University of Mississippi’s (UM) JumpStart Summer Bridge Program and its impact on student success outcomes, including GPA, institutional retention, and degree completion, to establish concrete …

Institutional Factors That Affect Transfer Student Success At A University In The Mid-South Region Of The U.S., Elizabeth Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At a four-year university in the Memphis-metropolitan region of the United States, students who transfer do so with the likelihood of spending more time and money completing a baccalaureate degree than non-transfer students. This is what research scholar Kevin Dougherty (1992) entitled the Baccalaureate Attainment Gap or the transfer gap. In this companion dissertation, using a multi-method approach, we use the quantitative data of transfer student graduation and retention rates along with qualitative data from interviews conducted with administrative staff about transfer student success. We consider these selected outcomes and administrative staff interviews to be institutional factors that help shape …

Twin Text In The Secondary Social Studies And English Classroom, Sarah Booth Quong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-method study explores the implementation of Twin Text and its effectiveness in the U.S. History and English classrooms with regard to: mastery of the objectives laid out within the course curriculum, perpetuation of deeper learning, and fostering empathy and civic engagement through the use of Twin Text involving tenth and eleventh grade students and United States History and English teachers. The study answers the following questions: (1) What are the experiences of students in a Twin Text setting classroom environment? Three sub questions emerged: (A) In what ways does cross-curriculum teaching with an English Language Arts instructor affect student …

A Study Of Contingent Faculty Representation In Governance At The University Of Mississippi, Mariana Rangel Allushuski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through interviews of members of the 2017-2018 Faculty Senate and of the Task Force, and in the chronological order in which events took place, the following topics were addressed: the role of contingent faculty on campus and in governance, contingent faculty experiences in their academic departments, major arguments for and against representation, Senators and Task Force members’ perspectives of the Task Force initial presentation to the Senate, and the successful outcome that followed. Through the discussion, this study addresses themes such as the role of the Faculty Senate, the future of contingent faculty in governance, the work that lies ahead, …

Civic Engagement Among Emerging Adults: Self-Efficacy, Purpose, And Program Experiences, Rachel Marsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how to cultivate civic mindedness and engagement in emerging adults is of central importance. Theories of positive youth development point to the importance of particular youth characteristics for promoting the development of successful and contributing citizens (Lerner, Almerigi, Theokas, & Lerner, 2005). Among these, self-efficacy, or one’s belief in their ability to perform a specific task, is considered essential (Bandura, 1977; DeWitz, 2004; Solhaug, 2006). Scholars have, more recently, pointed to the role of purpose as key for motivating civic engagement (Damon, Menon, & Cotton Bronk, 2003). Beyond youth characteristics, other scholars point to the importance of opportunities for …

The Impact Of Technology On The Implementation Of Formative Assessment Lessons In Eighth Grade Math Classrooms, Lavonda White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Technology use has become commonplace in some mathematics classrooms, often being used for formative assessment. Research supports the use of technology to engage students, but not as much research exists to investigate the impact on student learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a statistical relationship exists between the post-lesson assessment results of students engaging in a formative assessment lesson where the teacher delivers the lesson with technology and students engaging in a formative assessment lesson where the teacher delivers the lesson without technology. The teachers administered pre- and post-lesson assessments to the students after the formative …

Differences In Complete 2 Compete Participant Characteristics: What Can They Tell Us?, Audra Joan Trnovec

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The majority of C2C students participating at the University of Mississippi (UM) are adult students who face different barriers in their return to higher education than traditional students. These barriers necessitate the review of and changes in student services. To better understand this population, an analysis was conducted of 582 C2C participants who had already acquired some college credit at UM. The purpose of this study is to develop a sustainable program that assists more students to successfully return and complete a degree. The study looked at students’ ages, overall earned credits, gender, overall grade point average, ethnicity, number of …

Balancing Reading Motivation: A Comparative Case Study Of High School Students And Their Teachers, Pasteia Garth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to understand how teachers successfully balance instruction in a high stakes tested classroom environment to promote reading motivation.. To analyze, the researcher focused on two tenth grade English classroom, two tenth grade English teachers, and eight tenth grade students who are identified as proficient readers. One teacher has 19 years of teaching experience with only one of those years being a high school English teacher. The other teacher has 12 years of teaching experience of teaching high school, and this is her eighth year teaching 10th grade.

Students’ Perceptions And Strategies For Success In An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Theresa Hargett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The three-manuscript dissertation is based on perceptions and personal strategies of successful third-semester nursing students about retention interventions at Holmes Community College Associate Degree Nursing Program on the Grenada Campus. Retention and attrition of nursing students is a current area of concern at Holmes Community College in the Associate Degree Nursing Program. Understanding adaptations that led third-semester students in the ADN program to be successful in their first-year is the focus of this study. The research questions seek to answer second-year, third-semester students’ perceptions of their first-year experiences of faculty interventions and personal strategies applied for success. Understanding adaptations and …

Improving Literacy Rates For Students With Dyslexia In A Rural School District, Steven William Havens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied research study aimed to improve literacy rates for students identified as having dyslexic tendencies in the Lynn County School District. The need to improve literacy rates of students with dyslexia in the Reaching Reading Success Program was identified through Mississippi K-3 Assessment Support System data. Using the two elements found in the program evaluation, accurate identification of dyslexic students and multisensory interventions the study sought to improve the literacy rates for students with dyslexia in kindergarten. Assessment, survey, and interview data were used in this applied research study to determine success. The findings indicated early identification, multi-sensory remediation, …