Education Commons^™

Afl Students’ Perception Of Using Mnemonics As A Strategy To Enhance Their Vocabulary Acquisition And Retention, Elsayed Elsisi

Theses and Dissertations

Research in the field of language teaching and learning reveals that mnemonics is one of the most effective language learning strategies for vocabulary. Researchers like Rasiban, et al. (2019); Levin (1993); Zulfa (2019); Kayaaltu (2018) suggest that using mnemonics to learn new vocabulary has a positive effect on vocabulary retention and retrieval. Research also shows however that students’ perceptions may encourage or inhibit the usage of any learning strategy depending on their perceptions of its effectiveness. Hence the importance of detecting learner perception about any learning or teaching device. Despite the above there is limited research about students’ perceptions about …

Equity Among Equity Workers: Public Service Motivation In An Educational Nonprofit Organization, Russell C. West Jr

Theses and Dissertations

What opportunities and challenges arise when an equity-focused educational organization aims to support employee’s individual equity practices while simultaneously developing the organization’s equity practice? In this study, employees of a non-profit educational organization were asked what rationales and expectations played a role in their decision to volunteer in an equity working group. Their responses were used to understand whether Perry’s (2000) process theory of Public Service Motivation helped describe their decision. In a second round of interviews, employees were asked what outcomes they perceived came from their participation. These responses were used to understand whether the outcomes aligned with those …

Graduate Student Experiences With Food Insecurity, Melanie Ibarra

Theses and Dissertations

This research study aimed to examine and analyze food-insecure graduate student experiences at Rowan University. Graduate student experiences are often left out of current literature and this study was conducted to uncover and discuss how food insecurity affects this population and provide recommendations through nuanced food-insecure graduate student experiences. This study used a qualitative phenomenological approach including semi-structured interviews with five participants. A thematic analysis was used to categorize the findings of five themes: Stigma, Academic Engagement, Physical and Mental Health, Coping Mechanisms, and Food Resources. The findings of this study allowed for the transition into further recommendations for practice …

Parental Roles In K-12 Online Education, Barbara Tanner Sandberg

Theses and Dissertations

Parental support roles in K-12 online learning differ from traditional schools. Since K-12 students typically have not developed the self-regulation skills necessary for academic engagement, parents partner with schools to provide the affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement support necessary for academic success. Through 21 semistructured interviews with parents supporting K-12 students in varied online contexts, this study delineates how parents provided support in each of these dimensions of engagement. The participants felt that in online education, parents should take the primary responsibility for behavioral engagement support, and that teachers were primarily responsible for cognitive support. Parents believed they shared affective …

Informal Learning In An Online Book Club: A Qualitative Case Study, Toni E. Pilcher

Theses and Dissertations

This article examines the online book club called Victober, which is held every October on Youtube and other social media apps. As a qualitive case study, the research uses interviews, observations, and digital documents to explore the interactions and informal learning experiences of four women who participated in Victober 2022. The author identifies five overarching themes that emerged from the data: content creation, community identity, individual identity, rewards, and anticipation. These themes highlight the significance of content creation for YouTube and social media platforms, the sense of community fostered by Victober, the balance between individuality and belonging, the rewards of …

Interference Between Speaking And Computer Tasks In Younger And Older Adults, Paige Elise Asay

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of computer tasks on speech acoustic measures and the effects of speaking on computer task performance in 30 younger and 30 older adults. Participants completed a speech only task, two computer tasks, and simultaneous speaking and computer tasks. Stimulus sentences included the four corner vowels and two diphthongs embedded between voiceless consonants. Acoustic measures of speech included diphthong transition extent and rate as well as vowel space area (VSA) and vowel articulation index (VAI). A text formatting task included two levels of difficulty. A data entry task included sorting items from a shopping list into …

Critical Engagements With Award Winning Picturebooks: My Journey In Creating A More Equitable Classroom Library, Carrie Elizabeth Crowe

Theses and Dissertations

Research consistently shows that students from historically marginalized populations have difficulty accessing texts that represent the realities of their lives. Concerned that such might be the case for my students, I conducted an inventory of my classroom library and sought out award-winning texts that could make my library more diverse and inclusive. I then analyzed these award-winning texts using Bishop's (1992) categories of multicultural literature in order to better understand the picturebooks' underlying messages and ideologies. My examinations showed that the majority of the texts fit into the same category (culturally specific), though I was able to identify award-winning texts …

The Effects Of Real-Time Feedback On The Positive To Negative Ratio For An Educator Supporting Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Bailey Jane Schaeffer

Theses and Dissertations

Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) in the United States are often underserved by the education system, which contributes to their academic difficulties and poor student outcomes. Research on Positive-to-Negative (PN) response ratios suggest that maintaining a high ratio helps decrease inappropriate behaviors and improve academic outcomes for students with EBD. The current study investigates the effects of a high PN ratio on the behavior of an educator of students with EBD by utilizing a tracking app to help meet a target PN ratio. One preservice special education teacher working as a paraeducator was recruited to participate in the …

Multilevel Mixture Irt Modeling For The Analysis Of Differential Item Functioning, Luke Dras

Theses and Dissertations

A multilevel mixture IRT (MMixIRT) model for DIF analysis has been proposed as a solution to gain greater insight on the source of nuisance factors which reduce the reliability and validity of educational assessments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a MMix2PL model in detecting DIF across a broad set of conditions in hierarchically structured, dichotomous data. Monte Carlo simulation was performed to generate examinee response data with conditions common in the field of education. These include (a) two instrument lengths, (b) nine hierarchically structured sample sizes, (c) four latent class features, and (d) eight …

Mental Health Effects Of Applied Mental Health Courses Vs. Non-Course Controls On Depressive Symptoms And Psychological Flexibility, Madeline Jane Cope Diopulos

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an applied mental health course in a university setting in reducing distress and symptoms of depression and increasing levels of psychological flexibility. As university psychological services are unable to meet the need of their students, other methods of treatment must be explored. Participants in the study are comprised of those who chose to enroll in a student development course aimed at increasing psychological flexibility and introducing basic psychoeducation as well as various university students who elected to participate. Depressive symptoms and psychological flexibility were measured pre-, mid-, and twice post-test in both …

The Acceptability Of Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training For Couples Impacted By Aphasia: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study, Kathryn-Anne Pertab

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the acceptability of Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training (RC-CPT) for couples impacted by aphasia. Three couples participated in the program across two sessions. Surveys were administered to assess outcome measures of their marital relationship and communication confidence before and after participation in RC-CPT. The quantitative findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Overall, participants generally maintained or experienced improvements in accessibility, responsiveness, engagement, conflict, conflict resolution, and communication within their marriage after participating in RC-CPT. Additionally, individuals with aphasia demonstrated enhanced communication confidence scores. During the third session, couples completed a semi-structured interview to share their experiences with the …

What Brings Bipoc Preservice Special Educators To The Field Of Education?, Charly Mcallister Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

BIPOC special educators are a needed profession throughout the country. The listener's guide was used to determine how 30 BIPOC special educators identified themselves in application essays to a special education teacher program. The essays were then used to determine common themes in BIPOC students' decision to become a special educator. These common themes were found throughout specific moments of someone's life. These moments are referred to as plotlines. These plotlines were broken down into categories: prior to elementary school, elementary school, junior high/middle school, high school, and post high school. It was found that during the elementary school plotline, …

Understanding Gender Identification Within Individuals With Autism Using The Bem Sex-Role Inventory, Zackery Alan Cusworth

Theses and Dissertations

Gender is a socially derived construct that is taught and understood at young ages. However, not every individual has the same social skills to understand these seen and unseen social cues about gender. The Bem Sex-Role Inventory was given to adult individuals with autism in the United States to better understand their masculine, feminine, and androgenous perceptions. These data were then compared to the original Bem Sex-Role Inventory general population study to see if there were any differences. The data show that males with autism had lower masculine scores and higher feminine scores than males in the general population. Females …

Mahu And Native Hawaiian Culture: Experiences Of Non-Heteronormativity, Rachel Beth Chapman

Theses and Dissertations

There are extensive amounts of psychological research that highlight the needs and experiences of racial ethnic minority populations in general and more specifically minority sexual identities and genders, also referred to as non-heteronormative populations (Alexeyeff & Besnier, 2014). However, there continues to be a lack of representation in the research of Polynesians and an even greater lack of representation of non-heteronormative Polynesians and their experiences (Allen et al., 2011). Māhū, a population of native Hawaiians who identify as non-heteronormative or third gender, are almost completely absent from scholarly work. This study examines the experience of self-identified māhū and how mental …

School Psychologists' Recommendations For Tiered Interventions That Target Social-Emotional Competencies, Brandi Alise Bezzant

Theses and Dissertations

Many schools advocate for addressing the diverse needs of students through a multi-tiered model of prevention and intervention known as the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework. This framework often incorporates the use of universal screening to obtain data concerning students' academic and/or social-emotional and behavioral needs. School teams are expected to design and implement tiered strategies in response to data concerning students' social-emotional needs; this can be a challenging facet of MTSS. To aid in this endeavor, this qualitative study elicited school psychologists' recommendations for (a) tiered interventions that target secondary students' social-emotional competency needs and (b) professional learning …

Survey Of Reading Habits And Dialogic Book Reading Practices In Parents Of Preschool-Aged Children, Kimberly Cronin

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the reading habits and dialogic book reading practices in parents of preschool-aged children. Early literacy practices in the home influence the development of language skills and academic learning of children. These practices were explored by directly by asking parents to reflect and report on their literacy habits in the home setting. It specifically addresses current reading behaviors that parents implement when reading with their child and observations of their child's attention and involvement during book-sharing sessions. This study was part of a larger study focusing on developing and implementing dialogic reading workshops for parents. A survey with …

The Effect Of Prior Exposure To Open Badging On Student Motivation To Earn Additional Badges, Tyler J. Westerberg

Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses student attitudes about open badges (after having been required to earn badges as part of their course work or having earned them through the library) and their desire to earn additional optional badges offered across campus. Research has presented conflicting evidence about the potential effect of open badges on student motivation, usually studying students who have had no previous experience with open badges. However, research has also found that open badges are still largely new and unknown for many people, which may affect initial motivation to earn badges. For this reason, our study considered the potential impact …

Religious Commitment, Religious Harm, And Psychological Distress: Course Of Treatment Outcomes, Dane Abegg

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the intersection of religion, mental health, and psychotherapy, specifically focusing on the concept of religious injury or harm. The literature review reveals a gap in research regarding the identification of religion as a potential source of emotional pain in religious individuals. To address this gap, this longitudinal study utilized intake data from 1303 clients and follow-up data from 748 clients three months after the completion of psychotherapy treatment. Primary objectives of the study were to examine whether religious commitment changes over the course of psychotherapy, explore if religious commitment influences mental health counseling outcomes, and better understand …

Benefits And Challenges Of Computer-Assisted L2 Chinese Learning In Higher Education, Min Hu

Theses and Dissertations

The first article is a literature review that analyzed 32 articles on computer-assisted L2 Chinese learning in higher education from 2005-2021. Findings revealed current trends, such as mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) and the use of Web 2.0 technologies, and the importance of speaking as the most researched language skill. Most studies employed mixed methods and showed the positive effects of computer-assisted learning on L2 Chinese skills. Challenges identified included limited access to technology, technical difficulties, lack of time and support, and insufficient online/blended pedagogies and competencies. The second article used Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior to examine L2 Chinese instructors' …

Who Is Talking About The Children? A Systematic Literature Review Of The Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis Effects On Children, Angela Marcel Fields

Theses and Dissertations

The ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis has affected thousands of families throughout the United States and Canada, resulting in probable trauma to children in the families and communities for generations. Although awareness of the crisis has been growing in recent years through avenues such as social media (#MMIW, etc.), little action has been taken to stem the crisis and its effects. The effects of the crisis on the children left behind is a compelling question that is not often addressed in the media, however. A systematic review of the scientific literature from the United States and Canada …

Grief In Children With Disabilities And How It Is Portrayed In Children's Picture Books, Erjola Gjini

Theses and Dissertations

Even though today's children's literature provides a wide range of topics, including books on death and grief, and much has been done to represent children with disabilities accurately and positively, there is still room for improvement. This descriptive study sought to understand how individuals with disabilities were represented in 177 grief-themed children's books from 1965-2023. From the results, only seven books included representations of individuals with disabilities. Additionally, the literary devices such as euphemisms or metaphors utilized in the books to describe how death was represented may inadvertently perpetuate inaccessibility to resources about grief (Berns, 2004). Thus, when choosing books …

The Unique Professional Journey Of Female High School Principals In Utah, Deon G. Leavy

Theses and Dissertations

Women in the United States are underrepresented in high school principalships. A review of literature identified specific barriers that have historically contributed to this disparity including role congruity, normative male dominance, and gender bias against women. Furthermore, the high school principalship has been defined over time from a male perspective assumed to be the universal reality leaving the unique career experiences of female high school principals glossed over and often misunderstood. Similar barriers most likely have also contributed to the underrepresentation of female high school principals in Utah, yet intentional studies analyzing their unique career journeys have not been completed. …

The Effect Of Speaking Context On Articulatory Kinematics In Habitual And Clear Speech, Lauren Elizabeth Clarke

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of speaking contexts on articulatory kinematics in habitual and clear speech conditions. Ten male and 10 female participants (ages 18"“29) completed speaking tasks in three contexts and two conditions. The contexts were word, phrase, and passage, with both mid-sentence and end of-sentence stimuli in the phrase and passage contexts. The two conditions were habitual and clear speech. Participants had sensors attached to the mid-tongue, jaw, lower lip, and upper lip, and an electromagnetic articulograph tracked their movements. Three tokens for each stimulus were analyzed for duration, displacement, and velocity. Articulatory coordination was measured through absolute …

Bidirectional Interference Between Speech And Mathematical, Language, Or Visuospatial Tasks In Younger And Older Adults, Chanelle Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined interference between three non-speech tasks and concurrent speech performance. The non-speech activity consisted of computer-based mathematical, language, and visuospatial tasks. The speech tasks included a procedural discourse monologue and a conversation. Participants included 60 adults in two age groups with 30 participants each. The younger adults were aged from 18 to 30 years and older adults from 55 to 82 years. Each participant completed the non-speech tasks in isolation, the speech tasks in isolation, and then each of the speech tasks concurrently with each of the three non-speech tasks. Speech acoustic measures included the mean and standard …

Barriers And Facilitating Factors Of Sleep Assessment/Screening Among School Psychology Practitioners, Tyler Jjay Landon Storey

Theses and Dissertations

Sleep is an important and necessary part of life. While the biological need for sleep among school-aged individuals has not changed over the years, the quality and quantity of their sleep has. School-aged children reporting sleep deficits in the United States is on the rise and a significant body of research establishes associations between a lack of sleep and lower cognition as well as psychological and behavioral problems. These associations can heavily influence the academic progress and success of students. School psychologists are in a unique position to identify and provide support to individuals with sleep issues. Unfortunately, there is …

Re(Engineering) Student Success: Constructing Knowledge On Students’ Experiences In Engineering Education Programs To Encourage Holistic Student Success, Shaylin Williams

Theses and Dissertations

If a group of engineering deans were asked whether students at their institutions were successful and why, what information might they immediately or subconsciously use to measure or gauge the engineering students’ success? If only academic performance outcomes like GPA, individual course grades, or graduation rate race to their minds, then their rationale aligns with the majority of researchers. My research seeks to shift the mindset that frames engineering student success mainly within the boundaries of academic performance measures. By measuring students’ perceived autonomy, competence, social integration and relatedness within their programs, and aspirations after graduation, one can more accurately …

The Effectiveness Of Pbis For Students Who Have Behavior Interventions Plans, Valeria Shaunta Fortune-Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on students with Behavior Intervention Plans. This study used qualitative research methods to obtain the perspectives of teachers who had implemented PBIS on students with behavior plans. The study relied on semi-structured interviews using questions established by the researcher. The results of the study indicate that most of the teachers interviewed feel that PBIS is effective for students with PBIS because it acts as a motivational tool, gives students something to work towards, decreases negative behaviors, and increases positive behaviors. Additionally, the study indicates that …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teacher Incentives On District Attendance Incentive Programs And Their Impact On Improving Overall Teacher Attendance, Ginger Hearon Cockrell

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher absenteeism is a problem that needs a solution. It is imperative that teachers come to work each day to prepare their students for academic achievement. If teachers are chronically absent from work, the students’ academic achievement suffers. There needs to be a way to minimize teacher absences. School districts must track data that shows teacher absences in order to get a clear picture of when and where the absences are the greatest problem.

A review of the literature identified several studies conducted over the years that document the effects of teacher absenteeism. With this in mind, it is recommended …

Examining Shifting Factors Predictive Of Health Center Utilization On College Campuses Using The Abm Theoretical Model, Kimberly Loren Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

There is extensive research over the decades around health care services utilization trends, however, limited data and research exists around student utilization of campus health centers. Furthermore, there is very minimal data on student utilization trends of campus health services since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since a crucial component to fostering healthy and safe college campuses is through campus health services, it clearly indicates a need for further research on the trends and perceptions of students’ campus health services utilization. This study examines utilization rates of students through exploring key demographic characteristics of students, including their perceptions toward …

Faculty Experiences Facilitating Study Abroad, Francis Edmond Dechert

Theses and Dissertations

Faculty who teach at the college level are often responsible for their own pedagogical training and development, and leading a short-term study abroad program may be one strategy for helping faculty with this development. This study explores the experiences of faculty who have led short-term study abroad programs and provides insight into how the experiences align with experiential learning models and ways that they can lead to pedagogical development. Nine faculty members were interviewed and asked questions about their teaching backgrounds, their introduction to study abroad, and their experiences related to teaching and learning while abroad. The findings show that …