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Full-Text Articles in Education
Teacher Perceptions Of Teacher Performance Pay And Performance Evaluation In Yunnan Province, China, Yi Hua
Teacher Perceptions Of Teacher Performance Pay And Performance Evaluation In Yunnan Province, China, Yi Hua
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
In China, teacher performance pay has been implemented for eight years, but teachers’ perceptions regarding its implementation have been examined seldomly. Exploring teachers’ perceptions is a path to hear teachers’ voices, inspect implementation practice, and evaluate impacts. This mixed-method study explored teachers’ perceptions toward performance pay in Panda School District of Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China through surveys, interviews, and artifacts. A total of 333 valid responses to the survey were collected and 14 teachers participated in follow-up semi-structured interviews. The quantitative results indicate low to moderate teacher support for performance pay. The qualitative themes generated through content analysis present …
A Program Evaluation: Fidelity Of Implementation Of The Wilson Reading System In A Mid-Atlantic School District, Amy H. Stamm
A Program Evaluation: Fidelity Of Implementation Of The Wilson Reading System In A Mid-Atlantic School District, Amy H. Stamm
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Reading is at the heart of education and it is the basic skill upon which all others are built. Reading difficulties underlie much of the differences in academic achievement between students with specific learning disabilities in reading and non-disabled students; addressing these challenges when children are young is the key for long-term success (Borman, 2005; Cortiella & Horowitz, 2014; Juel, 1988; National Reading Panel, 2000; Torgesen et al., 2001). The purpose of this mixed methods program evaluation was to provide information to stakeholders about the implementation of the Wilson Reading System in the Mid Atlantic School Division (MASD). By examining …
Novice Educator Perceptions Of The Influences Of A New Teacher Mentoring Program In A Hard To Staff School, Jennifer Lee Vaughan
Novice Educator Perceptions Of The Influences Of A New Teacher Mentoring Program In A Hard To Staff School, Jennifer Lee Vaughan
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Abstract Supporting and retaining new teachers is an ever-growing challenge faced by school districts across the nation (Anhorn, 2008; Ingersoll & Strong, 2011; Lieberman, Saxl, & Miles, 1988; Lorti, 1975). One way that many schools approach this opportunity to support new teachers is through teacher mentoring programs (Goldrick, 2016; Gray & Gray, 1985; Moody, 2009; Strong & Baron, 2004). as school leaders implement mentoring programs, it is important to know whether the programs are meeting their stated goals (Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, 2007). The purpose of this program evaluation was to look at the perceived influence of a teacher mentoring program …
An Evaluation Of Southeast School District's Special Education Program's Compliance, Jennifer Anne Tingley
An Evaluation Of Southeast School District's Special Education Program's Compliance, Jennifer Anne Tingley
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
This study is a program evaluation of a small, rural school district’s special education program’s compliance with key processes, including the child study, eligibility, and individual education plan (IEP) processes. The goals of the evaluation were to identify potential weaknesses in the special education program implementation, and to provide suggestions for improvement. The program evaluation model used is the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model, which was developed by Daniel Stufflebeam. The research questions assessed the alignment of the school district’s special education handbook with federal and state guidelines for special education, as well as the implementation of the special …
The Implementation Of A Principal Mentoring Program And The Corresponding Impact On Leadership Practice, Paula Massey Huffman
The Implementation Of A Principal Mentoring Program And The Corresponding Impact On Leadership Practice, Paula Massey Huffman
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
With the challenges facing principals today, the question of how best to support new principals in meeting these challenges remains. The leadership abilities of new school leaders matter more today than ever with increasing accountability and additional responsibilities. The focus of this study was to determine participants’ perceptions of the impact of mentoring on the development on first and second-year principals in a suburban school district located in a fast growing metropolitan area within the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The overarching question of the study was: What impact does mentoring have on first and second-year principal performance? Secondary …
Evaluating Programming, Performance, And Perspectives In Pursuing Progress For English Language Learners, Patricia Marie Tilghman
Evaluating Programming, Performance, And Perspectives In Pursuing Progress For English Language Learners, Patricia Marie Tilghman
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Abstract The demographic composition of America’s population has changed significantly over the past several decades which is reflected in classrooms that are culturally and linguistically more diverse. In particular, the rapidly growing population of non-native English speaking students has highlighted the need for language instruction programs to increase linguistic proficiency outcomes and close pervasive gaps in academic achievement in comparison to native English speaking students. Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA), requires that local education agencies (LEAs) as guided by state education agencies …
Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Low-Income Pell Grant Undergraduate Students At A Most Competitive College, Michael Harold Postma
Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Low-Income Pell Grant Undergraduate Students At A Most Competitive College, Michael Harold Postma
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Abstract Low-income Pell Grant recipients represent a small percentage of undergraduate students at America’s elite colleges and universities. The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to understand the lived experiences of low-income Pell Grant students who attended a most competitive college. I used Tinto and Pusser’s (2006) institutional action model as my theoretical framework because this theory enabled a focus on the institutional factors low-income Pell Grant students identified as contributing to their persistence to succeed within the most competitive college context. My study employed a qualitative research approach. The 11 student participants – seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshman …
Emotional Intelligence, Environment, And Teacher Self-Efficacy: A Look Into The Effects Of Teacher Emotional Intelligence And Socioeconomic Status Of School On Teacher Self-Efficacy In K-12 Public Schools, Augustine Kang
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
This study sought to uncover the relationship among emotional intelligence, teacher self-efficacy, and socioeconomic status of schools amongst K-12 public school teachers. Correlations were analyzed between overall emotional intelligence and overall teacher self-efficacy, as well as between the subscales of both constructs. Furthermore, regression analysis was used to determine the predictability of teacher self-efficacy based on emotional intelligence, school socioeconomic status, and the subscales of emotional intelligence. Weak correlations were found between emotional intelligence of teachers and teacher self-efficacy levels. Emotional intelligence and school socioeconomic status were not found to be strong predictors of teacher self-efficacy. Subscales of emotional intelligence …
Opportunities In The Lived Experiences Of Successful High-Ability International Doctoral Students At A Selective U.S. Higher Education Institution, Nataliya Dudnytska
Opportunities In The Lived Experiences Of Successful High-Ability International Doctoral Students At A Selective U.S. Higher Education Institution, Nataliya Dudnytska
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Supporting the continuous successful talent development of high-ability individuals from various backgrounds has been one of the main goals and issues in gifted education. However, the lack of resources, enrichment supports, and opportunities for talent development often inhibit realization of potential of precocious students. Exploration of successful academic talent development experiences of high-ability international young adults from developing countries offers a unique perspective and highlights universal supports necessary for continuous development of expertise. Internationalization of education, brain circulation, and talent development have been studied in the fields of education, psychology, and sociology. However, no empirical study to date explored the …
Relationship Between College Student Identity Development And Readiness For Change, Pamela Jo Kayanan
Relationship Between College Student Identity Development And Readiness For Change, Pamela Jo Kayanan
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
This study examines the relationship between college students’ developmental level of identity formation and their choice to make intentional changes in behavior. Specifically, it examines whether there is a relationship between the level of identity development of college students according to Chickering’s model, measured by the Erwin Identity Scale (EIS), and the level of Readiness for Change concerning alcohol use following the Stages of Change Model by Prochaska and DiClemente. Correlational analyses in the form of multivariate regression is used to examine relationships between the various assessment measures. This helped answer the research questions: Is there a relationship between identity …
Toward Culturally Responsive Online Pedagogy: Practices Of Selected Secondary Online Teachers, April Lawrence
Toward Culturally Responsive Online Pedagogy: Practices Of Selected Secondary Online Teachers, April Lawrence
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Proponents of K-12 online learning claim that it can provide more equitable learning opportunities by offering access to courses that might not otherwise be available to students, and by providing personalized learning experiences. Despite the growth of online learning in K-12 public schools, very little is known about what constitutes good online teaching. The purpose of this interpretivist investigation was to learn about some of the ways in which culturally responsive teaching can occur online. This study focused on the practices of four full-time online high school teachers. Using the methods of grounded theory research, I analyzed data generated through …
Virginia Principals' Knowledge Of Classroom Assessment And Support Of Assessment For Learning Practices, Rachel Previs Ball
Virginia Principals' Knowledge Of Classroom Assessment And Support Of Assessment For Learning Practices, Rachel Previs Ball
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The purpose of this study was to investigate the assessment literacy of Virginia principals and describe how principals with varying levels of assessment literacy integrate assessment leadership practices that support assessment for learning. This study investigated the differences in assessment literacy between elementary and secondary principals and across principals’ predominant method of training in assessment. Mertler and Campbell’s (2005) Assessment Literacy Inventory (ALI) was used to obtain measures of overall assessment literacy and determine relative strengths and weaknesses across the seven Standards for Teacher Competence in the Educational Assessment of Students. There were no significant differences in assessment literacy across …
Institutional Analytics: A Response To The Pressures Of Academic Capitalism, Molly E. O'Keefe
Institutional Analytics: A Response To The Pressures Of Academic Capitalism, Molly E. O'Keefe
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The higher education sector today faces an environment unlike any it has seen before. Serving a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders and facing diverse and fast-changing economic, social, and political pressures, universities can benefit from corporate-like approaches such as the use of analytics to inform strategic decision-making and planning. Institutional analytics programs can be a valuable resource in guiding university responses to modern challenges around fiscal responsibility, accountability, competition, and student success. Customizable when it comes to leadership, staffing, and data and technology infrastructure, analytics initiatives can be targeted to meet individual institutional resources, environments, challenges, needs, mission, …
Teacher Perspectives Of Whole Brain Teaching In A Suburban Middle School: A Program Evaluation, Wendy Vanhosen
Teacher Perspectives Of Whole Brain Teaching In A Suburban Middle School: A Program Evaluation, Wendy Vanhosen
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The purpose of this program evaluation case study was to seek the perceptions of a group of teachers based on their experience with Whole Brain Teaching strategies at a suburban middle school. Perceptions and factors that lead to teacher use of the strategies were explored with the intention of informing stakeholders of whether teachers view these strategies as viable to their practice and how these beliefs influence implementation. Challenges pertaining to implementation were uncovered as well as the frequency and intended purposes of teacher use of the Whole Brain Teaching strategies. Further, there is limited research available on Whole Brain …
Addressing Underrepresentation In Gifted Education: A Historical Case Study Of Policy And Practice In One School District, Darlene Wiggins Dockery
Addressing Underrepresentation In Gifted Education: A Historical Case Study Of Policy And Practice In One School District, Darlene Wiggins Dockery
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Researchers exploring various issues in gifted education identify a common finding. Students’ socioeconomic status and race impact what populations are typically underrepresented in gifted education programs. The purpose of this historical case study, with incorporated elements from policy historiography, was to examine policy and practice in one school district making efforts to alleviate underrepresentation of African American, Native American, Latino and/or low-income students in its gifted education program. These methodologies were used to examine the social construction of the reality of reform in the policy and practice of the gifted education program in the district. The results of this study …
Psychological Capital: An Internal Resource For Counseling Students Coping With Academic And Clinical Stress, Abbas Javaheri
Psychological Capital: An Internal Resource For Counseling Students Coping With Academic And Clinical Stress, Abbas Javaheri
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Abstract Counseling students in CACREP-accredited counseling programs are facing a compound form of stress which is comprised of both academic and clinical stressors, and is negatively impacting their mental health. The current approaches for promoting their psychological wellbeing and mitigating the negative effects of stress (i.e., self-care strategies) seem to fail to consider the differences between students’ psychological resources and how students are benefiting from them in coping with stressors. Unlike the current approaches, the construct of psychological capital (PsyCap) that has been operationalized as individuals’ level of hope, optimism, self-efficacy and resilience, does recognize the differences in how individuals …
Teacher Self-Efficacy And Implicit Theories Of Intelligence: Implications For Novice Teacher Retention, Linda E. Feldstein
Teacher Self-Efficacy And Implicit Theories Of Intelligence: Implications For Novice Teacher Retention, Linda E. Feldstein
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
This is a study about the beliefs novice teachers hold about their own self-efficacy for teaching, their personal implicit theories of intelligence, and the influence those beliefs might have on new teachers’ intentions to remain in the teaching profession. The theoretical framework incorporates three elements: self-efficacy for teaching, implicit theory of intelligence, and intent to remain in the teaching profession. Using person centered analysis, I examined the ways in which teacher self-efficacy interacted with implicit theories of intelligence and how those beliefs may be related to novice teachers’ intent to remain in the profession. Cluster analysis identified profiles of teaching …
The Impact Of Professional Development On Reading Achievement And Teacher Efficacy In Delivering Small Group Reading Instruction, Sarah Mcgrady Schmidt
The Impact Of Professional Development On Reading Achievement And Teacher Efficacy In Delivering Small Group Reading Instruction, Sarah Mcgrady Schmidt
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Literacy is an equity issue of significant importance; students who do not read on grade level by the end of third grade are more likely to drop out of high school and less likely to attend post-secondary education (Lesnick, Goerge, Smithgall, & Gwynne, 2010). Early interventions in Kindergarten through second grade can ameliorate problems which struggling readers experience (Torgesen, 2004). Teachers are poorly prepared to provide the type of intervention instruction necessary to assist these struggling students (Birman, Desimone, Porter, & Garet, 2000; Neuman & Cunningham, 2009). The purpose of this mixed-methods participatory action research study was to examine the …
A Delphi Study Regarding How, Can, And Should Individual Psychology Demonstrate Efficacy And Effectiveness Given Evidence Based Practice Evaluation Standards, Sterling Price Travis
A Delphi Study Regarding How, Can, And Should Individual Psychology Demonstrate Efficacy And Effectiveness Given Evidence Based Practice Evaluation Standards, Sterling Price Travis
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The purpose of this research was to identify and reach consensus regarding how, can, and should individual psychology demonstrate efficacy and effectiveness given the current evidence based practice (EBP) evaluation standards. A review of the current literature on individual psychology and the pressure for the mental health field to adhere to EBP evaluation standards was presented. A Delphi study was conducted within three iterative rounds in order to reach consensus for how, can, and should individual psychology demonstrate efficacy and effectiveness. A panel of Adlerian Experts initially constructed a list of suggestions for efficacy (81) and a list of suggestions …
A Phenomenological Investigation Of Selected Teachers’ Informal And Incidental Technology-Related Learning, Diana Lee Theisinger
A Phenomenological Investigation Of Selected Teachers’ Informal And Incidental Technology-Related Learning, Diana Lee Theisinger
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Although many researchers have examined the ways teachers learn about technology integration along formal pathways, much less is understood about teachers’ informal and incidental technology-related learning. In this study, I examined selected teachers’ technology-related learning, focusing on their informal learning, which is planned learning that happens along unstructured routes, and incidental learning, which is unplanned learning that occurs by happenstance (Marsick & Watkins, 2001). Using a phenomenological research approach (Vagle, 2014), I generated data through observing, surveying, and interviewing seven teachers. I then analyzed the data, coding by discrete idea, memo-writing, reflexive journaling, and, during later stages, charting emerging results. …
Toward Efficacy: Examining The Reported Impact Of Quality Enhancement Plans On Student Learning In Postsecondary Contexts, Madeline Joy Smith
Toward Efficacy: Examining The Reported Impact Of Quality Enhancement Plans On Student Learning In Postsecondary Contexts, Madeline Joy Smith
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) mandates the completion of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which requires institutions to develop and implement initiatives to improve student learning or the student learning environment as part of the reaffirmation process (SACS, 2016a). The purpose of this study was to examine the reported impact of QEPs of various institutional types and topic areas on student learning at SACS-accredited institutions. Additionally, this study also examined the effective practices that institutions have identified in the implementation of their QEPs. The data analysis revealed the following four areas of student learning that the QEP …
Making Meaning Of Motherhood: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Mothers Raised By Grandparents, Rebecca L. Sheffield
Making Meaning Of Motherhood: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Mothers Raised By Grandparents, Rebecca L. Sheffield
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the construction of motherhood of women raised by grandparents. The epistemological framework of Women’s Ways of Knowing provided the theoretical perspective, and the concept of ego development added descriptive depth. Seven mothers who identified as having been raised primarily by one or more grandparents were recruited for the study. Data collection consisted of one semi-structured interview and the shortened version of the Washington Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT-81) to assess ego development. Questions this study sought to answer were: What does it mean to be a mother who was raised by a …
Standing At The Crossroads: The Intersection Of Sexual, Racial/Ethnic, And Spiritual/Religious Identities In African American Men Who Have Sex With Men, Brian Allen Kooyman
Standing At The Crossroads: The Intersection Of Sexual, Racial/Ethnic, And Spiritual/Religious Identities In African American Men Who Have Sex With Men, Brian Allen Kooyman
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The purpose of this research was to investigate Conflict in Allegiance (CIA), an intersectional construct, and its associations with racism in LGB communities, perceived homonegativity within racial and religious communities, and frequency of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among religiously affiliated African American men who have sex with men (AAMSM). A review of literature on the established relationships between disproportional HIV-incidence among AAMSM, racism, homonegativity, and UAI was presented. The experience of CIA was hypothesized to correlate with racism in LGB communities, homonegativity within racial and religious communities, and UAI. A sample of 238 religiously-affiliated AAMSM completed the Conflict in Allegiance …
A Multiple Case Study Of Co-Teachers’ Technology Integration Knowledge: How It Is Held, Built, And Shared, Deborah A. Grosser
A Multiple Case Study Of Co-Teachers’ Technology Integration Knowledge: How It Is Held, Built, And Shared, Deborah A. Grosser
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
This multiple case study explored how secondary-level co-teachers hold, build, and share knowledge related to technology integration. Co-teaching, a special education service delivery model, involves a general and special educator who share responsibility for planning, delivering, and assessing instruction (Friend, 2014). Through the lens of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), I explored the perspectives and experiences of four co-teaching pairs who regularly integrated technology into instruction. Study results suggested that these teachers held knowledge, beliefs, and values that influenced their classroom practices. The micro-level contextual elements in the teachers’ workplaces, along with meso-levels supports, …
Applying The Broaden-And-Build Theory To Offender Counseling, Keosha Meka-Beyanka Branch
Applying The Broaden-And-Build Theory To Offender Counseling, Keosha Meka-Beyanka Branch
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Incarceration rates in the United States have risen over 500% in the last 30 years. of the millions of individuals incarcerated in jails and prison across the country, an alarming portion meet criteria for mental health and substance use disorders. Though several models of offender counseling exist, most were developed to treat sex offenders and all focus on recidivism reduction as an outcome measure. However, statistics show that almost half of individuals released from jails and prisons will be reincarcerated within five years of their release. Positive Psychology provides an alternative lens through which to view maladaptive behaviors; however, little …
Investigating Professional Development Models That Assist Teachers In Developing High Quality Teaching Skills: An Action Research Study, Lindsey Wood Caccavale
Investigating Professional Development Models That Assist Teachers In Developing High Quality Teaching Skills: An Action Research Study, Lindsey Wood Caccavale
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Teacher effectiveness and collective efficacy are the leading factors in predicting student achievement (Donohoo, 2016; Eells, 2011; Hattie, 2012; Marzano, 2003; Stronge, Grant, & Xu, 2015; Wright, Horn, and Sanders 1997). as students in the United States continue to be out-performed by other nations, schools are charged with investigating ways to strengthen teacher effectiveness and increase the sense of collective efficacy amongst a school staff. This action research study investigated the effects on teacher reflection, teacher pedagogy, and collective efficacy after implementing three different types of peer observation models. Action research was purposefully chosen as the methodology for this study …
An Evaluation Of The Vccs Developmental Math Redesign From A Faculty Perspective, Michael Frank Adkins
An Evaluation Of The Vccs Developmental Math Redesign From A Faculty Perspective, Michael Frank Adkins
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Community colleges face an environment that requires them to increasingly focus on completion while simultaneously maintaining open admissions (Sydow & Alfred, 2013). Developmental math courses are a linchpin in improving college completion because approximately 60% of community college students are placed into developmental math courses, yet very few of those students make it through developmental courses and on toward degree completion (Bailey, 2009; Developmental Math Redesign Team, 2010). In 2009, the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) embarked on a system-wide redesign of developmental math courses (Developmental Education Task Force, 2009). However, such large-scale system change means challenges and previous experience …
Validation Of An Instrument For Assessing Conceptual Change With Respect To The Theory Of Evolution By Secondary Biology Students, Kevin David Goff
Validation Of An Instrument For Assessing Conceptual Change With Respect To The Theory Of Evolution By Secondary Biology Students, Kevin David Goff
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
This pilot study evaluated the validity of a new quantitative, closed-response instrument for assessing student conceptual change regarding the theory of evolution. The instrument has two distinguishing design features. First, it is designed not only to gauge student mastery of the scientific model of evolution, but also to elicit a trio of deeply intuitive tendencies that are known to compromise many students’ understanding: the projection of intentional agency, teleological directionality, and immutable essences onto biological phenomena. Second, in addition to a section of conventional multiple choice questions, the instrument contains a series of items where students may simultaneously endorse both …
The Influence Of A Theory Based U.S. History Curriculum On Student Content Knowledge, Student Historical Interpretation Skills, And Student Self Efficacy For Historical Inquiry, Sherry Joiner Harrell
The Influence Of A Theory Based U.S. History Curriculum On Student Content Knowledge, Student Historical Interpretation Skills, And Student Self Efficacy For Historical Inquiry, Sherry Joiner Harrell
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of a theory based U.S. History curriculum on middle school students’ historical content knowledge, historical interpretation skills, and self-efficacy for historical inquiry. Current middle school social studies curricular models are poorly designed and do not provide teachers with effective instructional strategies for creating knowledge, developing historical thinking skills and solving problems. These curricular models should focus on historical skills such as investigation, sourcing, interpretation, corroboration, evaluation, contextualization, collaboration and development of historical understanding through a variety of learning opportunities (Barton & Levstik, 2003; Martin & Wineburg, 2008; Wineburg, 2001). Therefore, …
An Evaluation Of A Non-Traditional Program For High School Students, Anne H. Neve
An Evaluation Of A Non-Traditional Program For High School Students, Anne H. Neve
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
This mixed-methods program evaluation focused on the short-term outcomes of a non-traditional program for high school students. The program evaluated, the Non-Traditional Program, is designed to provide an option for students who are not successful in the traditional setting. The program provides two teacher faciliators, a part-time school counselor, and a part-time security position . Students attend the program for a half-day and take courses via online instruction with the goal being on track to graduate. Participants in this evaluation were the program staff who participated in a focus group interview and six students who were interviewed individually. Extant documents …