Education Commons^™

“A Study Of The Perceptions Of Occupational Therapy Students After Completing Fieldwork Level Ii Clinical Training In The United States On Supervision Characteristics, Victoria L. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze occupational therapy student perceptions of supervision characteristics during fieldwork level II experiences in the United States. The fieldwork education system for occupational therapy has experienced a great deal of stress due to economic and educational delivery system changes.

The target population for this study was professional level occupational therapy students from accredited bachelors level and master’s level entry programs within the United States that have completed their fieldwork level II clinical education experiences in 1999. The instrument used included 2 sections of the Student Evaluation of Fieldwork Experience (SEFWE).

The research questions …

“Compelled To Connect: A Phenomenological Study Of The Experience Of Writing, Shannon D. Collins

Doctoral Dissertations

Writing is frequently referred to as a process. Writing, in fact, is a series of complicated acts involving many processes, most of which take place in the writer’s mind and, thus, remain hidden from the lens of the researcher. The purpose of this research was to describe the first-person experience of writing through use of a phenomenological method involving dialogic interviews and hermeneutic interpretation. In the course of this investigation, 10 practicing writers (6 men and 4 women) were engaged in open-ended dialogue in which they described various personal experiences of writing. The participants were a business owner, a physician, …

Evaluating The Quality, Usability, And Potential Effectiveness Of Online Learning Modules: A Case Study Of Teaching With Technology Grant Recipients At The University Of Tennessee, Knoxville, Christina Marie Goode

Doctoral Dissertations

Online learning has become an ever-increasing means of acquiring knowledge. As educational institutions worldwide are trying to keep pace with the demand, faculty is being urged or mandated to move their curriculum online.

This research addressed selected factors involved in developing quality and effective instruction and how these factors can be applied to the development of quality learning modules that are usable and effective in online teaching and learning. Specific emphasis was given to the pedagogical, instructional design, and developmental support issues involved in developing online learning modules.

Online learning modules (11) submitted in fulfillment of the Innovative Technology Center's …

The Singing Schools Of New Salem, Georgia, Kathy Forester Adkins

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to document the singing schools held in the community of New Salem, Georgia, and their use of the shape-note teaching method. This method was compared to those of earlier singing school teachers to see if these methods have a place in the modern day choral classroom. Thirteen singing school students and teachers were interviewed and historical documents and artifacts were collected.

This study was conducted primarily as a historical research project; an effort to preserve the rural music education process as it has been passed down from one generation to another through the oral …

Role Of Dietary Carbohydrate Source In The Development Of Obesity In Rodent Models Of Diet-Induced Obesity, Kristin Lynnet Morris

Doctoral Dissertations

Dietary macronutrient composition plays a critical role in health and disease. The contribution of dietary carbohydrate source in the development of obesity and related diseases is often given minimal attention. The present studies demonstrate that both quantitative and qualitative changes in dietary carbohydrate influence body composition and adiposity in a rodent model of diet-induced obesity. In heterozygous (fa/+) Zuker rats, consumption of a high-fat, carbohydrate free ad libitum, attenuated weight gain and adiposity by increasing energy efficiency and blunting expression of fatty acid synthase, a key enzyme in de novo lipogenesis. These effects were independent of significant …

Evaluation Criteria For Language Teaching Software: A Delphi Study Of Professional Perspectives, Victoria B. Savchenkova

Doctoral Dissertations

Rapid development of computer technology in recent years has presented broad opportunities for its use in various fields, including the field of language teaching. Various materials have been designed to assist language teachers and learners with their goals. At present, a number of tools, including a vast variety of language teaching software, is readily available on the market. However, limited research has been conducted on identifying evaluation criteria for language teaching software from multiple perspectives. This study has undertaken to identify and reach consensus on the evaluation criteria for language teaching software essential for the software design and selection. Specifically, …

Effectiveness Of An Anger Management Training Program Based On Rational Emotive Behavior Theory (Rebt) For Middle School Students With Behavior Problems, Shannon Rae Sharp

Doctoral Dissertations

Sixteen seventh and eighth graders from a rural East Tennessee middle school participated in an anger management group training program based on Rational Emotive Behavior Theory (REBT). The participants were identified as having behavior problems in the school setting, characterized by the number of office referrals acquired in the previous school year.

When tested on knowledge of REBT concepts directly following treatment (post-test), the participants earned significantly higher scores compared to baseline (pre-test). This knowledge gain remained significant after an 8-week follow-up period. Effect sizes for these comparisons were large. Additionally, the 7^th graders’ post-test scores were significantly higher …

Protocol And Training Of Educators For The Use Of Technology To Enhance Learning In Tennessee Certified Schools, Joe M. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations

The purposes of this study were (a) to determine the Tennessee protocol and standards for the initial certification of teachers and re-certification of experienced teachers, (b) to determine the technology skills necessary and competency level of these skills needed to meet and/or exceed the levels that are mandated by the individual curriculum frameworks and standards of Tennessee, and (c) how this technology use is evaluated in the classroom.

This was based on published information on the State of Tennessee Department of Education website. Additionally, information was secured from other reliable sources with pertinent data required to fully examine and answer …

Students’ Experiences Of The Social Environment And Social Presence In Campus-Based And Web-Based Education, Jennifer Lynn Gramling

Doctoral Dissertations

Learning is a social process involving conversation, dialogue, and interactivity. Student-student, student-instructor, student-content, and student-interface interaction are considered integral to meaningful learning in both campus-based and web-based education (Moore, 1989; Hillman, Willis and Gunawardena, 1994). A review of the literature suggests that social factors are of increasing concern to distance learning researchers and practitioners. In particular, the concept of social presence has emerged as essential to comprehending the social context of web-based teaching and learning and to students’ overall satisfaction with a course.

The purpose of the study was to observe and describe the social environment of two sections of …

Patterns Among Computer-Mediated Instruction, Student Learning Styles And Student Achievement, John Peter Laprise

Doctoral Dissertations

This research focused on instruction limited to text and graphics communication, offered through a combination of hypertext media and textbook, to community college students. This study served two purposes: assess the overall effectiveness of instruction that is limited to text and graphics communication; and determine the patterns, if any, between the strength of individual learning modality preferences and achievement. One hundred and twelve students enrolled in an introductory course in probability and statistics volunteered to participate. Instruction on the statistical concept of counting was conveyed by Web-pages and textbook. Communication between students and instructors was conducted by electronic mail. Subjects …

Comparison Analysis Of Grade Level Implementation Of Published Keyboarding Skills Based On International Society For Technology In Education (Itse) Standards And States In The Southern Association Of Colleges And Schools (Sacs), Nancy Sue Phillips Knox

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation of grade level implementation of published keyboarding skills based on International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) national standards and individual states governed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The Internet served as the medium for collecting the published data.

Accessing the official state websites and comparing standards, curriculum guidelines, competency profiles, benchmarks, and/or frameworks from each state governed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accomplished this correlation. The states governed by SACS and were included in this study are: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, …

Development Of An Instrument To Measure Self-Directedness, Susan L. Stockdale

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid instrument to measure self-directedness in learning within the framework of the teaching-learning (TL) and learner characteristics (LC) components of the Personal Responsibility Orientation (PRO) Model of Self-Direction (Brockett & Hiemstra, 1991) among college students. Accomplishing this purpose involved two states: (a) the identification and operationization of reliable scale items that validly reflected the two components of the PRO model, and (b) the validation of the developed scale items with other related measures of self-direction.

The resultant 35-item Personal Responsibility Orientation to Self-Direction in Learning Scale (PRO-SDLS) was a …

An Evaluation Of Influences On Preadolescent Boys' Body Mass Index And Body Composition, Lynn Samson Brann

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the differences in the diets, activity levels, body concerns, body esteem, and body perceptions of fifty preadolescent boys in relation to their body mass index (BMI; kg/m²) and their percent body fat (PBF), measured using air-displacement plethysmography. Additionally, it was designed to examine general parenting and child feeding practices of parents in relation to their sons' BMI and PBF. Boys were recruited based on their BMI and were placed into either an average BMI group or a high BMI group. Additionally, boys were placed into either a lower PBF group or an …

A Study Of The Perceptions And Attitudes Regarding Library Services Available To Students Enrolled In Online Degree Programs, Robin Felecia Blackman

Doctoral Dissertations

There is a diverse population of students who will benefit greatly from a convenient, time and place-independent learning environment. Distance education provides this type of environment and addresses the many needs of adult learners and the new generation of online learners. The problem is that this environment differs from a traditional institution of higher learning and continues to bring about questions from educators related to the issue of equivalency between online and traditional degree programs, especially in terms of student support services, such as the library.

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions and attitudes of students …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Experiences Of Engineering Upperclassmen In A Team Facilitator Training Program, Daniel W. Knight Jr

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to describe the experiences of engineering upperclassmen in an engineering design team facilitator training program. Sixteen male and five female engineering students from a large southern university participated in 25 to 45 minute phenomenological interviews in which they were asked to talk about their experiences in a facilitator training program. The students ranged in age from 19 to 22. Each student was asked to respond to the following statement, “What has been your experience of participating in the facilitator training program?” Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed individually and in a …

The Influence Of Teacher Attitude About Professional Development, Master's Degree Training, And Teacher Certification On School Performance Scores In Selected Louisiana Parishes, Kay Lynn Tettleton

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among three independent variables: teacher attitudes about professional development, earning a master's degree, and teacher certification on School Performance Scores. Independent variables included teacher attitude about professional development, proportion of teachers with masters' degrees, and proportion of certified and uncertified teachers. The researcher used a correlational design to test the hypothesized relationships among these three independent variables and school and district School Performance Scores. A ten item self-report instrument was constructed to assess teacher attitudes about professional development in the school or district. This instrument, Teacher Perception of Professional Development …

A Case Study Of Reading Education For Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities, John Arthur Sargent

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate The Achieve Reading Curriculum, a reading curriculum based on whole language principles designed for middle school students with learning disabilities. A qualitative intrinsic case study was conducted using four sixth grade middle school students with learning disabilities as participants. Ethnographic methodology was used to focus on the multifaceted structure of classroom life and to acquire a thorough understanding of the connections between participants and teacher. A teacher as researcher approach facilitated insights on a daily basis due to the interaction between participants and teacher.

Data collection procedures included observations/field notes, teacher journal, …

Effects Of Block Scheduling And Specific Demographic Factors On Teacher Job Satisfaction Among Small Secondary Schools In Arkansas, Brenda Jared Holder

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of block scheduling, as well as the effects of specific demographic factors, on teacher job satisfaction. All 25 of the 82 size AA schools in Arkansas which use block scheduling were asked to participate, and a systematic sampling of every third traditional schedule AA school yielded 27 schools with which to compare results. Of these 52 schools, teachers in 22 block scheduled schools and teachers in 18 traditional scheduled schools participated, yielding a total field of 601 respondents. The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire was administered to teachers at each participating secondary …

The Effects Of Instruction Utilizing The Arts On The Academic Achievement Of Fourth-Grade Students, Elizabeth Fallin Manning

Doctoral Dissertations

In this day of accountability, members of state government agencies are looking for ways to increase student achievement, especially in the area of high stakes testing. Louisiana's accountability program has yielded state curriculum standards which identify the content that should be taught by specific grade levels. Teachers are now charged with the responsibility of finding methods to teach these standards. With all of the attention to these academic standards, what is the role of the arts? The Louisiana Institute for Education in the Arts (LAIEA) suggests that the arts are the tools with which to teach these academic standards. This …

Museum -Based Learning: Informal Learning Settings And Their Role In Student Motivation And Achievement In Science, Julie Ann Holmes

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined changes in student motivation and achievement in science in relationship with a visit to the IDEA Place Experiment Gallery. The study was based on the pretest-posttest control comparison group design with four treatment groups: control, exhibit, lesson, and exhibit/lesson. The sample was 228 sixth grade students from a public north central Louisiana school who were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental groups. Pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest measures of intrinsic motivation and achievement in science were determined using the Children's Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and an achievement test written to measure areas of science incorporated …

A Study Of The Implementation Of Character Education, Learning Environment, And School Performance Scores In Selected Parishes In Louisiana, Cynthia Ford Pilcher

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate two sets of relationships: the relationship between character education and learning environment, and the relationship between character education and School Performance Scores in 17 elementary schools located in five public school districts in northeast Louisiana. Principal and teacher (K–6) respondents completed a 15-item questionnaire designed to measure their perceptions of the level of implementation of character education in the school setting and a 15-item questionnaire assessing perception of the learning environment. Data from surveys completed by school personnel were gathered to allow analyses by school, grade level taught, number of years experience, …

The Effect Of School Size, Socioeconomic Status, And Grade -Level Configuration On Academic Achievement In Louisiana Public Schools, Scarlet L. Chopin

Doctoral Dissertations

The national emphasis on continually improving education for all students coupled with accountability requires educators and policymakers to identify and implement effective schooling structures and strategies. In this study, the researcher examined the relationship among school size, socioeconomic status of students, the interaction of school size and socioeconomic status (SES), grade-level configuration, and academic achievement in Louisiana. An extensive data set representing 1362 public PK–12 schools was analyzed at the 4th, 8th, and 10th grade levels. The construct of schooling as a production process was used as a theoretical model wherein the education production function was used to describe the …

The Principal's Role In Promoting Success For Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students: A Participatory Research Study, Maria Norma Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations

We need to understand more fully what facilitates success in schools with diverse populations. Through participatory research, the voices of school principals who are responsive to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students were recorded and analyzed to provide insights on the practices that promote the school success of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Using a dialogic retrospective, the participants had the opportunity to engage, individually and collectively, in reflection and dialogue to identify common themes that emerged in their important work as school leaders and as advocates for diverse students.