Education Commons^™

Effects Of Dialogic Reading In A Special Day Class, Donna Senn

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Early Childhood Special Education provides services to children aged three to five years. A predominant identifier is very low communication skills (Shevell, et al, 2003; Kaiser & Roberts, 2011; Robertson & Ohi, 2016). Dialogic Reading techniques have demonstrated successes in various settings (Hargrave & Senechal, 2000; Whitehurst et al., 1988; Trivette & Dunst, 2009). The rationale for this study was grounded in Rogoff’s, “apprenticeship in thinking” (1990, p. 7) theory. The research literature reviewed centered on three primary lines of inquiry namely, 1) The social aspect of language learning; 2) Speech and language interventions; and 3) Dialogic reading strategies. This …

Improving Reading Through Fine Motor Skill Development In First Grade, Tyler West-Higgins

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Children who struggle with learning to read in first grade, fall behind, and have difficulty catching up with their peers. Research has shown students who struggle to read in first grade, also struggle to read in later years. The purpose of this study was to determine if an intervention to enhance fine motor skills to a select group of students in one class room increased their reading abilities. This was a mixed methods research study which assessed the quantitative data from the running record assessments, and the qualitative data taken by teacher-aide during assessment process post fine motor intervention. This …

Support Groups, Wise Advice, Gloria Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The need for parents to attend programs such as the Parent Project and understand the effectiveness of parent education classes is important, especially for those raising troubled or out of control youth. At Partners For Peace they provide just that, parent education through the Parent Project program. It has been stated that support groups help parents alleviate stress (Armenta and Huerta, 2015) therefore, the project consisted of bringing former Parent Project graduates together to continue supporting each other by reconnecting them in a barbeque, providing free food and games for them and their families, and hosting an enrichment workshop facilitated …

Teaching For Epidemiological Literacy: Description, Prescription, And Critical Thinking, Peter J. Taylor

Working Papers on Science in a Changing World

This working paper describes contrasting ideas for a sequence of topics as presented to students in a graduate course on epidemiological literacy. The premise of the pedagogical approach is that researchers develop their epidemiological thinking and practice over time through interactions with other researchers who have a variety of in-practice commitments, such as to kinds of cases and methods of analysis, and not simply to a philosophical framework for explanation. In descriptively teasing out what epidemiologists do in practice through a topic-by-topic presentation, I am prescriptively encouraging discussants to draw purposefully from across the range of topics and contrasting …

Interventions For Young Bereaved Children: A Systematic Review And Implications For School Mental Health Providers, Cliff (Yung-Chi) Chen

Publications and Research

Background: Many young children experience the death of a family member and they may be at risk for developing psychological and behavioral problems, but not much is known about how to help young children cope with such a stressful and painful experience. Objective: The purposes of this study are to identify the interventions for bereaved young children and examine the effectiveness of the interventions. Method: A systematic review of the literature was performed to investigate the effects of interventions for preschool-age children (3-5 years) who experience the death of a family member. Results: Seventeen studies that met the inclusion criteria …

Using Discrete Trial To Teach Functional Play Skills, Courtney Marie Furtaw

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects that discrete trial training could have on the functional play skills of four male preschool students diagnosed with autism. In order to determine the effectiveness of discrete trial training as an intervention, baseline data was first collected for two weeks on the four students through observations of a thirty minute group playtime in the morning of their MD preschool classroom. The baseline data demonstrated that all four students were only engaging in functional play for a limited amount of time. Next, a discrete trial training program was created for each individual student focusing on functional …

Using A Language And Literacy Intervention To Increase Autistic Students' Social Interactions With Peers, Ellyn Goerdt

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This paper explores the research looking at an intervention done with four preschool students with autism-like tendencies. Two of the students are on the autism spectrum and two students show autism-like tendencies and deficiencies. All four students struggled in social situations and play with their peers. The intervention provided for all four students was a checklist of skills needed to be successful in a social situation; group games, cooperative play and cleaning up. The article review discusses many supports provided and areas of need for young and adolescent students on the autism spectrum. The results of the intervention showed that …

The Impact Of Stand-Biased Desks On After-School Physical Activity Behaviors In Children, Nathan Tokarek

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess changes in after-school time spent performing sedentary behavior (SB), light intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) among elementary school children in response to the introduction of stand-biased desks in the classroom. Thirty-one 6th grade participants randomly assigned by their teacher to a traditional (CON) or stand-biased (INT) desk provided complete accelerometer data. After-school PA and SB were measured on four consecutive weekdays at baseline and 10-weeks. Wilcoxon Rank Sum Tests were used to detect significant differences (p<0.10) in changes in the proportion of after-school wear time performing SB and PA between groups. Results suggested no significant differences in changes in after-school time performing SB (p=0.770), LPA (p=0.740), or MVPA (p=0.470). Significant differences in the change in moderate PA (INT: -1.4%; CON: -0.2%, p=0.093) were detected. Stand-biased desks were not detrimental to children’s after-school PA and SB.

Tootling With A Randomized Independent Group Contingency In A High School Setting, John Dylan Ken Lum

Dissertations

Tootling is a procedure where students report their classmates’ positive and prosocial behavior. The present study examined the effects of tootling on students’ disruptive and academically engaged behavior in three general education high school classrooms. An A-B-A-B withdrawal design was used to assess the effects of the intervention. Students wrote tootles anonymously on paper slips and placed them into a marked container. Unlike previous tootling studies, a randomized independent group contingency procedure was used to reward the students to reduce the number of steps required to implement the intervention. At the end of the class period, teachers randomly drew three …

The Effect Of Covert Audio Coaching On The Attending Behavior Of Elementary Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In The Classroom Setting, Christina Crocco

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the fastest growing disability category in U.S. schools. Current legislation mandates that students with disabilities be educated in the classroom setting to the greatest extent possible. The increase in prevalence combined with placement regulations presents a challenge for classroom teachers who support students with ASD, as many of these students struggle with the necessary classroom skills to function appropriately in that environment. Classroom skills have been referred to in the literature as skills that are required for learning to occur, including: (a) looking at the teacher, (b) keeping hands to self, (c) raising a hand …

Reconciliation Begins At Home, Geoff N. Masters, Gerry Moore

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

Saturday marks 50 years since the 1967 referendum to include Indigenous Australians in the census and is the beginning of Reconciliation Week.

However, access to educational opportunities remains a significant contributor to gaps in equality and equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as observed in last year’s State of Reconciliation in Australia report.

Reconciliation Begins At Home, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

'Sitting down with our children to watch programs that demonstrate and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being, such as Little J & Big Cuz, is one small ‘next step’ that each of us can take on the journey towards reconciliation.'

Utilization Of A School Specific Intervention Manual To Increase Teacher Perceptions Of The I&Rs Process And Reduce Special Education Referrals, Jacqueline Jade Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

One of the primary purposes of the Intervention and Referral Services (I & RS) process is to assist school staff in addressing students' learning, behavior, or health needs (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1 [a]). This study sought to improve I & RS process and student outcomes in a southern New Jersey elementary school that services students from grades Pre-Kindergarten through second grade. At the outset of the study, school administrators reported that an area of need was to formulate an intervention resource for the school's I & RS committee and teaching staff. It was determined that an online/interactive intervention manual would be created …

Effects Of Executive Function Skills Instruction On Classroom Behavior, Michelle Whitham

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Executive functions, a set of interrelated processes that facilitate organization and self control, impact many aspects of academic and social success. This study investigates the benefits of executive function skills instruction on classroom behavior. Factor analyses reveal executive function orients around three distinct but interrelated factors: inhibition, working memory, and flexibility. Using a spiraling curriculum eight fourth and fifth grade students from a suburban Title 1 elementary school were directly taught these skills over ten 30 minute sessions. Using a pre/post survey of behavior indicative of executive function, both students and teachers expressed mixed results suggesting some impact of the …

The Effect Of A Font Intervention For 4th And 5th Graders With Dyslexia, Steven L. Powell

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Dyslexie is a font developed by Christian Boer specifically to enhance reading fluency in students with dyslexia. The present study examined its potential impact on the performance of 36 4^th and 5^th grade students with SLD on story reading. We found that Dyslexie, when compared to other common fonts that have been adjusted to control for Dyslexie’s large size and spacing, appears to have no effect on readers’ ability to read text correctly, comprehend text, or read faster.

The Effect Of Font Type On Sight Word Reading Performance Of 4th And 5th Grade Students With Reading Disabilities, Denton S. Warburton

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Reading interventions are a crucial component to combat barriers associated with reading difficulties. Within the education realm, nearly 50% of students who receive special education supports have a Specific Learning Disability (Gargiulo, 2006). As a result, the development and implementation of effective and targeted interventions is critical. Christian Boer developed a font called Dyslexie to help remediate reading difficulties of individuals with Dyslexia (Boer, 2011). However, studies by de Leeuw (2010) and Pjipker (2013) provide inconsistent supportive evidence, regarding the effectiveness of Dyslexie. The current study sought to examine the effectiveness of Dyslexie as compared to Arial on sight word …

How The Response To Intervention Model Utilized By An External Provider Impacts Student Achievement In An Urban Setting, Christopher L. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations from 2017

The purpose of the study was to determine if the interventions utilized by an external provider was impacting the student achievement for ninth-graders in an urban high school. The Response to Intervention (RTI) model is currently being utilized by the external provider to provide interventions for incoming ninth-graders in the areas of literacy and math, grounded in RTI. The RTI model can be described as an approach to integrate assessment, instruction, and interventions through a multi-tiered system that seeks to help all students, especially struggling learners. The current external provider seeks to help the struggling schools by providing extra assistance …

Success Through Intervention, Megan Tonderum

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Influencing College Influenza Vaccination Through A Multi-Component Campaign, Heather Strickler

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Multiple influenza strains exist and college aged students are the most affected population from the H1N1 strain. The H1N1 influenza pandemic had high attack rates reported on campuses from 25% to 73% (Benjamin et. al., 2016; Uddin et. al., 2009). Only 8% to 40% of college students are vaccinated against influenza despite a target goal of 50% set by the American Healthy Campus 2020 (Benjamin et. al., 2016; Poehling, et. al., 2012). The purpose of this evidence based project was after implementing a multi-component influenza vaccination campaign to determine changes in intent to receive the vaccine among college students. To …

When Intervention Hasn’T Done Enough Yet, Lena Donovan, Hayley Neptune, Susanna Reese

Undergraduate Studio Assistant Research

With our research showing that faculty at WWU would like to see the Hacherl Research and Writing Studio (RWS) provide proofreading services such as grammar and editing, we found that there is a discrepancy between faculty expectations and what services the RWS provides. We provide a model for how to intervene with misunderstandings by assessing the situation, addressing the misconception, and providing assistance to help facilitate understanding about the RWS. We then explore other possible intervention options. This research and our model for intervention may be used as a launching-point for further research into perceptions about the RWS, and for …

Cultural Change In Rural Schools Through Enrichment And Intervention In A Quality After-School Program, Kimberly Stepp Mrs.

Projects

A review of the best practices and research literature resulted in the implementation and evaluation of an after-school program for a small rural school in Northern California. The program is designed to overcome some unique challenges for rural schools by offering after school instructional support, homework assistance, and enrichment opportunities that work together to create a rich and successful environment to support student growth. A program evaluation survey measured parents’/guardians’ satisfaction with the program demonstrating significant support after two years. Student achievement data as monitored by teachers and administrators, demonstrated the program’s academic effectiveness in supporting student growth. The included …

It Takes Two: Compatibility Of Perspectives Between Students And Teachers And The Effects Effort Has On Student Academic Achievement And Subjective Well-Being, Leah E. Bracey

Senior Projects Spring 2017

This research study examined the unique matching of perspectives between teachers and students on the notion of who is assumed to be responsible for student academic achievement and subjective well-being. Students (N=190) in grades 9-11 and teachers (N=19) from a Newark, New Jersey public magnet high school completed various locus of control, classroom climate and well-being psychological questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and correlational tests were conducted for the analysis of the data. The surveys provided an in depth understanding of the distribution of perspectives which existed in this academic institution. Students found themselves, more often than not, feeling responsible for their …

Attune With Baby: An Innovative Attunement Program For Parents And Families With Integrated Evaluation, Sara Beth Lohre

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Infants speak in their own language; sounds, screeches, cries, and howls that help them to communicate their caregiving needs. Unaware, parents may develop a checklist of caregiving approaches to the baby. The infant tells the adult directly what they need, and waits for the parent to respond. Infant talk may change from soft and quiet to loud and aggressive; coos and cries become crying and screams as the infant’s caregiver—communicating the intensity of emotion, urgency of their request, or their frustration with varied and sometimes inadequate, failed, or missing caregiving patterns the infant has no choice but to accept. When …

Pursuing The "Half Empty Question": Biology Undergraduates' Differential Engagement In A Brief Relevance Writing Intervention, Ting Dai, Avi Kaplan, Ying Wang, Jennifer G. Cromley, Tony Perez, Kyle R. Mara, Michael Balsai

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Whereas relevance-writing interventions have shown effects on students’ achievement, a persistent finding is that interventions benefit students with low, but not high, outcome expectancies—a phenomenon that Schwartz et al. (2016) termed the half empty question. In the current mixed-methods study, we investigated the role of undergraduate students’ patterns of engagement in a relevance-writing intervention and their relations to biology course achievement. Ninety-six students who were administered four relevance writing assignments were found to manifest two patterns: Students who completed at least 50% of the intervention in a timely manner outperformed those who completed less-then-50% or completed it late, regardless of …

Improving The Quality Of Nursing Documentation In Home Health Care Setting, Chidiadi Obioma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor nursing documentation of patient care was identified in daily nurse visit notes in a health care setting. This problem affects effective communication of patient status with other clinicians, thereby jeopardizing clinical decision-making. The purpose of this evidence-based project was to determine the impact of a retraining program on the quality of documentation of patient care in nurses' notes in a home health agency in central Texas. A retrospective audit of quality of nursing documentation using the Nurse and Midwifery Content Audit Tool (NMCAT) was done. A pre- and posttest design was used. A convenience sample of de-identified nurses' notes …

Community Mobilization For Hiv Testing Uptake: Results From A Community Randomized Trial Of A Theory-Based Intervention In Rural South Africa, Sheri Lippman, Torsten Neilands, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Dean Peacock, Suzanne Maman, Dumisani Rebombo, Rhian Twine, Amanda Selin, Hannah Leslie, Kathleen Kahn, Audrey Pettifor

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: HIV testing uptake in South Africa is below optimal levels. Community mobilization (CM) may increase and sustain demand for HIV testing, however, little rigorous evidence exists regarding the effect of CM interventions on HIV testing and the mechanisms of action.

Methods: We implemented a theory-driven CM intervention in 11 of 22 randomly-selected villages in rural Mpumalanga Province. Cross-sectional surveys including a community mobilization measure were conducted before (n = 1181) and after (n = 1175) a 2-year intervention (2012–2014). We assessed community-level intervention effects on reported HIV testing using multilevel logistic models. We used structural equation models to explore …

An Educational Intervention To Improve Pharmacy Student Empathy For Patients On Hemodialysis, Laura K. Sjoquist, Stephanie M. Cailor, Logan Conkey, Brandon Ng, Rachel M. Wilcox, Emily Laswell

Pharmacy Practice Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Depression In Low-Income Adolescents: Guidelines For School-Based Depression Intervention Programs, Gopika Hari

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Adolescent depression is growing in interest to clinicians. In addition to the estimated 2 million cases of adolescent major depressive episodes each year, depressive symptoms in youth have become indicators of mental health complications later in life. Studies indicate that being low-income is a risk factor for depression and that socioeconomically disadvantaged teenagers are more than twice as likely to develop mental illnesses. Only an estimated 1 in 4 children with mental illnesses receive adequate help and 80% of these resources come through schools. Thus, this study focuses on establishing the importance of depression intervention programs in low-income high schools …

Literary Devices: Effects Of Classroom Management On Student Engagement With 1:1 Devices, Elizabeth Parker

All Master's Theses

The study compares two different classroom management strategies in a 5th and 6th grade classroom using an iPad based intervention. The students participated in 10 sessions of a language and grammar intervention on the Moby Max program. During five of the sessions, the teacher actively monitored the classroom, walking around the room, and redirecting students as necessary. For the other five sessions, the teacher used data from the intervention and monitored and redirected students from her computer screen. The data collected included the number of corrections given to each student by the teacher, the number of minutes the program considered …