Education Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study Of Teachers' Emotional Responses To Tkes, A High-Stakes Evaluation System, Kristina J. Hirsch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers experience a plethora of emotions relating to being evaluated and we are losing a lot of good teachers due to some of these emotions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate how teachers at one rural high school describe their emotional responses to evaluation and the implementation of TKES as well as if there were gender differences in their responses. This research is important because teachers need to understand that their emotions are not taboo and they are not alone in the evaluation process. Additionally, evaluators benefit from knowing how teachers respond to evaluation so that they …

Predicting Student Learning: The Roles Of Rapport, Immediacy, Learning Alliance, And Citizenship Behavior, Susan A. Talley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rapport, immediacy, learning alliance, classroom citizenship behavior, and observed classroom citizenship behavior were examined for their prediction of both affective and cognitive learning. The measure of observed classroom citizenship behavior was created for the purposes of the current study. Observed classroom citizenship behavior positively correlated with classroom citizenship behavior. Specifically, the involvement, affiliation, and courtesy subscales correlated with overall classroom citizenship behavior and their respective subscales but not with other citizenship behavior subscales. This suggests that only certain types of citizenship behaviors relate to the engagement or observation of those behaviors. Observed citizenship behavior was also found to be correlated …

The Effects Of Preceding Stimuli Formats On Proportional Reasoning Ability In Elementary School Students, Natalie D. Branch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) described fraction knowledge as the most important, yet most underdeveloped foundational skill among students. Due to the complex nature of fraction education, this study sought to understand the underlying fraction problem-solving skill of proportional reasoning in the hopes of gaining insight into children’s problem-solving strategies in order to implement more focused educational designs. The current study examined the effects of stimuli formats on children’s proportional reasoning ability by presenting four conditions involving two formats (continuous and discrete). Previous research indicates that students perform better on continuous stimuli and the goal of this study was …

The Relationship Between Teachers' Perception Of Data-Driven Instructional Leadership And Their Sense Of Efficacy And Anxiety For Data-Driven Decision-Making, Jarvis J. Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the relationship between teachers’ perception of data-driven instructional leadership and their sense of self-efficacy and anxiety towards data-driven decision-making. Additionally, the research study examined if teachers’ school level (elementary or secondary) influenced their perception of data-driven instructional leadership and their sense of self-efficacy and anxiety towards data-driven decision-making. The researcher utilized a correlational research design and correlational/regression analysis to conduct this study based on the theoretical framework of Bandura’s social learning theory. The researcher surveyed 300 full-time certified educators in a rural school district located in the southeastern United States using the …

A Meta-Assessment Of An Institution's Administrative Assessment Processes, Cynthia Groover

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many institutions establish assessment teams to assist faculty in developing their knowledge of and confidence in conducting academic program assessment, and some extend these teams to address administrative and student affairs assessment as well. These teams may function as more formal distributed leadership models, as described by Spillane (2006), or they may be less formal groups with little or no leadership roles. Regardless of their level of formality, these teams are often used to implement other resources such as rubrics, peer review, and feedback, but the effectiveness of these resources and processes is not commonly reviewed through an intentionally designed …

The Exertion Of A Choice: An Ecofeminist Vision ~ Aesthetic, Embodied, And Connected Learning, Sharon M. Eswine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I build upon Darwin’s (1859/1964) metaphor of the complex biological tangle of a river bank - plants, birds, insects, and earth - to paint a picture of transformative learning as aesthetic (Dewey, 1934/2005; Eisner, 1998, 2002b; Greene, 1995, 2001; Liston, 2001), and embodied (Dewey, 1958; Johnson, 2007; Shusterman, 2006), and thereby connected to the learner’s life experience, including his/her/their ecological, cultural, and historic situatedness. I call this complication of Darwin’s metaphor the ecofeminist tangled bank. For my purposes, an ecofeminist theoretical framework provides a means of analyzing oppressive conceptual frameworks that perpetuate hierarchy and domination, and which …

Collegiate Recreation Participation And Student Retention, Progression, And Graduation, Gabriela Mccollum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between collegiate recreation participation and students’ retention, progression, and graduation (RPG) rates. This study employed a quantitative, ex post facto research design along with descriptive analyses of two research questions. Archival data were gathered for an incoming first-year cohort of 3,516 students at a research-intensive university in the Southeast United States. The present study found that participants within the cohort who were classified as high participation in collegiate recreation were more likely to be retained from the first to the second year. Evidence of this finding was presented with statistical …

Deviating From The Standard: The Relationship Between Archaeology And Public Education, Rhianna M. Bennett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies of the public perception of archaeology shows that while it is a popular and valued discipline, it is still greatly misunderstood. Over the last few decades, archaeologists have sought new and innovative ways to establish archaeological literacy, promote community engagement, and conduct outreach, with the K-12 classroom being one such avenue of focus. Archaeology’s mysterious and exciting reputation among the general public, along with its interdisciplinary applicability, allows educators to draw interest in students and teach a variety of lessons through the lens of archaeology. This thesis outlines survey results of educators and archaeologists on their method, frequency, …

Intrinsic, Future-Oriented Goal Awareness And Two-Year College Graduation, Brent A. Stubbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The two-year college graduation rate is at an all-time low. Curricular and program designs are not making the sweeping changes needed for the outcomes desired. While higher education continues to be sold as an economic good, research is pointing to the predictive nature of intrinsic, future-oriented goal (IFOG) awareness on sub-goal adoption and its relation to course success and intention to persist. This cross-sectional, correlational study desired to uncover the relation between IFOG and graduation. A modified version of the Aspirations index was provided to a group of new students and those on-target to graduate (last semester) in an effort …

Novice Teachers' Perception Of Mentoring And Teacher Retention, Alissa Sasser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Acclimating to the field of education, particularly during the first five years, is significantly challenging for novice teachers. In order to ease the transition into the field with the hopes of supporting retention, novice teachers are usually assigned a mentor. Typically, mentors are veteran teachers who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency as an educator and are assigned to the novice teacher in order to provide technical support in areas such as classroom management and lesson planning, as well to provide social and emotional support to novice teachers. An abundance of research exists to support the effectiveness of mentoring …

The Manifestation Of Principal Training: Preparing Assistant Principals For Assuming The Role Of Building Leader, April S. Hodges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Today’s school principals are required to lead in a new environment marked by unprecedented responsibilities, challenges, and managerial opportunities requiring them to be trained to face these challenges. Although a great deal of literature exists on the specific issues that should be addressed or considered when trying to redesign or restructure a leadership program, there was little that explicitly addressed the assistant principal or how that position specifically could be used to help better prepare aspiring leaders for the role of principal. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to provide a greater depth of knowledge and understanding …

Deciding On Classroom Composition: Factors Related To Principals' Grouping Practices, Brigid M. Nesmith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine the factors that may influence elementary and middle school principals’ choice of heterogeneous, homogeneous, or within-class ability grouping in Southeast Georgia. This study employed a quantitative, methodological research design along with descriptive analyses of four research questions using a convenience sample. Data from 64 elementary and middle school principals were received during the spring of 2018 and analyzed to determine the factors that influence their grouping practices.

This study focused on one overarching research question: What factors may be related to principals’ grouping practices in utilizing heterogeneous, homogeneous, or within-class ability …

The Relationship Between Middle School Lexile Growth And School Nutrition, Lori A. Joiner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Children in poverty tend to have malnutrition and iron deficiency, and often receive their only meals for the day from a school nutrition program. Students of poverty are underperforming their academic peers. The average reading score of a student can be predicted by the accumulated levels of childhood poverty. Research has found that iron can have a positive impact on brain health. Nutrition deficiencies during the adolescent years may increase the risk of decreased cognitive function. School breakfast and lunch programs follow USDA guideline that limit portions, fats, salts, and sugars, but do not fortify vitamin and minerals necessary …

Institutional Conditions That Matter To Community College Students' Success: A Multiple-Case Study, Crystal L. Edenfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative and explanatory study utilized a multiple-case study to better understand the impact of institutional conditions that contributed to continuing students’ success at Georgia Highlands College (GHC) in terms of identifying and making progress toward or achieving educational goals from the student perspective. The researcher compared two locations at GHC in northwest Georgia, a nonresidential, limited-access state college within the University System of Georgia. This study was intended to ascertain students’ perspectives regarding what they need from institutions to succeed. The researcher examined the roles of campus environment and institutional agents (faculty, staff, and administrators) to …

Application Of Evolutionary Network Concept In Structuring Mathematics Curriculum, Aditi Mitra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phylogenetic tree and in general, evolutionary network, has found its application well beyond the biological fields and has even percolated into recent high demanding areas, such as data mining and social media chain reactions. An extensive survey of its current applications are presented here. An attempt has been made to apply the very concept in the mathematics course curriculum inside a degree program. Various features of the tree structure are identified within the curriculum network. To highlight various key components and to enhance the visual effect, several diagrams are presented. The combined effect of these diagram provides a sense of …

We Shall Not Be Moved: Finding Hope In The Stories Of Elementary School Teachers In Rural Georgia, Allison Beasley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many perceive education and teaching as hopeless, so why do some teachers stay in the profession? This dissertation is focused on the stories of veteran public elementary school teachers in rural Georgia who continue to teach in spite of the current seemingly hopeless state of education at the local, state and national level.

The theoretical framework of this inquiry builds upon a wide array of works such as the work of Freire (1994, 1998) and Fromm (2010) on critical hope, as well as, multiple theorists’ work on versions of hope (West, 2004; Giroux, 2013; Duncan-Andrade, 2009; Lear, 2006); the work …

I, Too, Am A Woman: An Emancipatory Text On The Intersections Of Race, Gender, And Sexuality, Michelle M. Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This inquiry builds upon Black Feminism and Critical Race Feminist frameworks by exploring the juxtaposition between Black Women and Queer Black Women. It is also an exploration of the similarities between Queer Black Women and Black Women and how they interact with femininity and masculinity, patriarchy, and heteronormativity. Claiming digital space through podcasting, it honors the power of counter narratives by employing autoethnographical story telling. It examines the multivalent ways in which critical geographies, safe spaces, and homeplaces nurture or alienate Black Women on the basis of sexual orientation, gender performance, race, and social class. Employing tenets of Black Feminist …

Carving My Own Bench By The Road: Examining The Seats Of Power For Black Women Educators Through Playwriting, Dawn C. Whipple

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In my dissertation inquiry, I explore the seats of power held by Black women educators in secondary education public schools in Georgia. Theoretically building upon such works as Black feminist thought (Hill Collins, 2000, e.g., hooks, 1981;), womanism (Walker, 2004; Phillips, 2006), critical race theory (Bell, 1992; Delgado, 1989), and engaged pedagogy (hooks, 1994), I create a play explore the oppression experienced by Black women educators who empower themselves for the benefit of students, in some cases abdicate their power, and in a few instances use their power to oppress others (Freire, 1970). The play is crafted based upon government …

Embracing The Bounty: Countering The Curriculum Of Deficit, Diana Bishop

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Embracing the Bounty: Countering the Curriculum of Deficit (2018) addresses the restrictive nature of neoliberalism and offers alternative perspectives and possibilities for change by countering the curriculum of deficit now prevalent in the United States – a curriculum reflective of neoliberalism’s invasion of public schools and the rationality that reduces students, teachers, and schools to statistics emphasizing economic value above all else. In this dissertation, the impact of neoliberalism on public schools and its destructive effects are discussed as are alternative philosophical frameworks. Through a series of essays, I explore how a curriculum of deficit infiltrated American public schools and …

Factors Relating To The Multicultural Efficacy And Attitudes Of Teachers, Donna L. Strickland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study was conducted to examine the relationship between factors of professional development in diversity issues, teachers’ years of experience, and experiences with diversity with teachers’ multicultural attitudes and multicultural self-efficacy. The research was conducted using a sample population from southeast Georgia. A multiple regression was conducted using survey data (Multicultural Efficacy Scale (MES)) collected from Qualtrics. There were 209 responses. Demographic data and multiple regression results are discussed as well as recommendations for future research. Findings indicate no relationship between teachers’ multicultural efficacy and multicultural attitudes and their professional development in diversity issues, years of teaching experience and experiences …

Emotionally Connected: The Role Of Emotional Intelligence In The Work Of School Leaders, Tanzy Lewis Mason

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During this era of accountability and standardized testing, school leaders have been inundated with reform models that seek to increase student achievement. However, without effective leadership at the school level, most of these reform efforts will likely fail. The purpose of this study was to examine the practices of school leaders and the role of emotional intelligence in their work in establishing a school culture. Qualitative methods were used to gain insight into the events, processes, and structures that school leaders encountered as they enacted leadership practices. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with four school leaders. Teachers who worked with …

Examining Work-Related Factors That May Predict Teacher Retention Intention In Rural Georgia, Katrina M. Evans-Dobbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a quantitative, statistical, non-experimental design to collect, analyze, and interpret data or variables that might impact retention of beginning teachers (0-3 years of experience) and experienced teachers (more than 3 years of experience) in a rural county school system in Georgia. The following variables were examined: retention intention, job satisfaction, job autonomy, workload pressure, leadership support, work experience, lateral/non-lateral status, induction, and mentoring. There were 728 participants from 14 elementary schools, five middle schools, and four high schools. This study found there were no statistically significant differences in retention intention between lateral and non-lateral teachers. There was …

The Formation And Promulgation Of Institutional Ethos By New University Presidents, Charles F. Ziglar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

New university presidents face many challenges when leading an institution, and it seems a daunting professional effort to prepare for the contextual problems they will face (Alexander, 2014; Siegel, 2011). Recent episodes dealing with presidential tensions at universities illustrate the difficult issues new presidents face when entering an institution. Birnbaum (1992) stated that new university presidents are most effective when they seek to offer an interpretation of institutional life using language, symbolism, and ritual. Research by Trachtenberg, Kauvar, and Bogue (2013) and Vyas (2013) noted that understanding the ethos of an institution is essential for effective presidential leadership. This research …

A Georgia's School Districts Grades 3-5 Teachers' And Principals' Perceptions Regarding On-Line Georgia Milestones Testing, Doriastino Cheely Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Georgia Milestones, High stakes testing, On-line testing grades 3 – 5 teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of online Georgia Milestones testing on (a) curriculum, (b) teaching, (c) accountability, and (d) stress. Data were collected via survey. Sixty teachers and eight administrators completed the survey. Surveys were analyzed by school, administrator, and domain. Open-ended questions at the end of the survey were analyzed individually by question for teacher and administrator themes. Survey analyses found that teachers and administrators, in the curriculum domain, believed that on-line high-stakes testing led teachers to reassess beliefs about subject matter that is important to teach. The survey …

(Re)Learning To Question: Curriculum Studies And (Re)Thinking Science For The 21st Century, Anthony Jerome Stawiery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes a science literacy which revisits the nature of science and how it has fallen away from its inquiry-based roots and has become a tool for oppression and exclusion. The epistemological roots of science begin with curiosity and questioning. Asking questions is also foundational to democratic society. A critical science literacy emphasizes the need to question and to remain curious. Such skills can be incorporated across multiple disciplines. Therefore, this dissertation proposes science literacy not as a literacy in the life or physical sciences, but as a methodology of inquiry, a skillset that nurtures curiosity and strengthens critique. …

Examining The Collegiate Experiences Of African American Males With Same Race Mentors, Crystal L. Locke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African American males have a more meaningful college experience when they are mentored with people with whom they can culturally relate (Brown, 2013; Moore & Tolliver, 2010). Although studies indicate African American males who had same race mentors display higher self-efficacy (Stefon, 2011), improved graduation rates (U.S. Department of Education, 2017), and a more positive college experience (Chen, Ingram & Davis, 2014), additional research in this area is needed.

Using a phenomenological approach, this qualitative study sought to determine the impact having a same race mentor had on the collegiate experiences of five African American males who successfully graduated from …

"I'M Done!" Stories Of Veteran Teachers Driven Out Of The Profession, Jill L. Stassie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation inquiry builds upon the works of Nancy Hoffman (1977/2003), Madeleine Grumet (1981, 1988) and Dana Goldstein (2014) to examine the enduring effects of the feminization of teaching on the profession. My research question asks, “How do former teachers describe the emotional, social-political conditions that contributed to their exit of their teaching in public schools?” Utilizing narrative inquiry as the methodology, I interviewed four teachers who recently left the profession. I also collected archival data to provide the history and context of teaching.

This study provides a detailed account of what teachers face daily in their classrooms and schools …