Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 30 of 79
Full-Text Articles in Education
The Difference In Self-Efficacy Scores Among Students Who Participate In Work-Based Learning And Those Who Do Not Based On Their Disability Status In Community College, Kimberly Elaine Bowen
The Difference In Self-Efficacy Scores Among Students Who Participate In Work-Based Learning And Those Who Do Not Based On Their Disability Status In Community College, Kimberly Elaine Bowen
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Students with disabilities are attending higher education institutes at an increasing rate due to the programs and retention practices developed in k-12 classrooms. A concern for community colleges is the student’s ability to transition into the workforce after graduation. A high percentage of students with disabilities are unemployed. It is essential to study factors that can contribute to a student’s ability or inability to successfully transition into employment after matriculation. Self-efficacy has been associated with academic success and could be a determinate for employment status. The purpose of this study was to determine if self-efficacy levels differ between students with …
The Impact Of The Read 180 Program On Response To Intervention, Kimberly Roshell Rakestraw
The Impact Of The Read 180 Program On Response To Intervention, Kimberly Roshell Rakestraw
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the Read 180 program as a Response to Intervention reading strategy tool for middle school students. This study explored the effect of the RtI-designed technology-based reading program on seventh and eighth-grade students labeled as at-risk for reading failure. Data was analyzed using the standardized analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Participants in this study were given pseudonyms to protect their identity and scores. In addition, pseudonyms for the county and school where research was conducted were provided. The results of the study indicated that the Read 180 program at the focus …
Developing English And Spanish Literacy In A One-Way Spanish Immersion Program, Lindsay Hollingsworth
Developing English And Spanish Literacy In A One-Way Spanish Immersion Program, Lindsay Hollingsworth
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This quantitative, causal-comparative study examined the possible cause and effect relationship between educational programming, specifically one-way Spanish immersion and traditional English-only, and native English-speaking fifth graders' vocabulary and reading comprehension. Archival data was used to examine students' reading achievement as measured by the Iowa Assessment. Between-subjects multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) determined that no significant differences existed between the reading scores of students in the immersion and traditional program. Additionally, a one group pretest-posttest design was used to assess the growth of Spanish listening and speaking skills by students enrolled in the one-way Spanish immersion program using Language Assessment Skills …
Effects Of Single-Gender Education On The Reading Achievement Of Third Through Fifth Grade Boys, Michael Brown
Effects Of Single-Gender Education On The Reading Achievement Of Third Through Fifth Grade Boys, Michael Brown
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
It is said repeatedly, boys can't read. However, the statement should be boys can read they just don't. Understanding there is a need for action is the first step educators must take in helping boys emerge as confident and successful readers. Single-gender classrooms can be successful tools when seeking new ways in which to engage boys in reading. This is a step towards creating atmospheres where boys are encouraged to read and where reading is tailored to their interests. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to examine the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) reading achievement scores of third …
A Phenomenological Investigation Of Experience In Middle School Honors Math And Language Arts Courses And Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Preparedness For Similar High School Honors And Advanced Placement Courses, Melissa Butler
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to investigate student and teacher perceptions concerning the impact of honors middle school language arts and mathematics courses on preparedness for similar ninth through twelfth grade classes at a high school in northwest Georgia. The questions that guided the study focused on examining the perceptions of students and teachers who had experienced this phenomenon and their notions of the impact that participation in middle school honors mathematics and language arts courses had on preparedness for non-gifted students enrolled in similar accelerated high school courses. A transcendental phenomenological design was used to discover …
Effects Of Self-Regulatory Status And Practice Type On Student Performance In The Mobile Learning Environment, Jeremy Tutty
Effects Of Self-Regulatory Status And Practice Type On Student Performance In The Mobile Learning Environment, Jeremy Tutty
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The next generation of computer-based learning environments has arrived. This generation of technology is characterized by mobile and portable devices such as smartphones and tablet computers with wireless broadband access. With these devices comes the promise of extending the online learning revolution. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of three levels of practice type (assessment aligned, reflective, none), and two levels of self-regulatory status (high and low) on student performance within the context of mobile instruction. Results indicated that the inclusion of practice activities in mobile instruction has a positive effect on student performance. Study participants …
Ethics Readiness: An Analysis Of Community College Students' Moral Sensitivity Scores, Julie Wallace
Ethics Readiness: An Analysis Of Community College Students' Moral Sensitivity Scores, Julie Wallace
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In this retrospective causal-comparative study, the readiness of Virginia community college students to receive an accounting ethics curriculum was analyzed by measuring and comparing their moral sensitivity scores to the moral sensitivity scores of a group of four year university students. A sample of college students attending community college principles of accounting courses and a sample of college students attending four year university principles of accounting courses were administered a nationally recognized moral sensitivity survey instrument, the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT2). The survey results were analyzed using a t-test for differences between means. It was found that there was …
Effect Of Computer-Aided Instruction On Attitude And Achievement Of Fifth Grade Math Students, Traci Shoemaker
Effect Of Computer-Aided Instruction On Attitude And Achievement Of Fifth Grade Math Students, Traci Shoemaker
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group study was to test theories of constructivism and motivation, along with research-based teaching practices of differentiating instruction and instructing within a child's Zone of Proximal Development, in measuring the effect of computer-aided instruction on fifth grade students' attitude and achievement in math. Students in Pennsylvania completed an attitude survey at the beginning, middle, and end of the study (Pierce, Stacey & Barkatsas, 2007). Achievement was measured by the 4Sight Math assessment (Pennsylvania State Education Association, 2007) which was given at the beginning of the study, after the first seven weeks of instruction, …
Online Attrition At A Community College In Rural Appalachia: A Phenomenological Approach, Victoria Sue Ratliff
Online Attrition At A Community College In Rural Appalachia: A Phenomenological Approach, Victoria Sue Ratliff
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The education attainment level of residents in rural Appalachia has consistently ranked below the remaining populous of the United States. Although distance education initiatives have attempted to bridge the disparities between rural Appalachia and the rest of the nation, online community college students in this region are likely to drop out or fail their classes. To understand the phenomenon of online attrition in rural Appalachia, a phenomenological study was conducted to determine what students experienced from the time they chose to enroll in online classes through the point of failure or withdrawal from their courses. This triangulated study utilized surveys, …
Teaching World Music In An Elementary Setting: Effective Teaching Strategies And Classroom Materials, Calyna Mc Allister
Teaching World Music In An Elementary Setting: Effective Teaching Strategies And Classroom Materials, Calyna Mc Allister
Masters Theses
The world we live in today is increasingly a global society. As such, the various cultures of the world come into contact with one another more often. Students today need to have experiences with different cultures in order to participate effectively in this globally minded world. An excellent way to expose children to these cultures is through the use of world music in the general music classroom. The need for world music from a music education standpoint has been addressed over the past few decades. However, little has been done to address the teaching methods associated with world music or …
A Phenomenological Investigation Into The Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Teachers Who Have Persisted In The Teaching Profession, Shana Market Norton
A Phenomenological Investigation Into The Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Teachers Who Have Persisted In The Teaching Profession, Shana Market Norton
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This phenomenological study investigated the lived experiences of 12 secondary school teachers from public secondary schools in northern Georgia regarding their feelings about self-efficacy and why they have persisted in the teaching profession. The research questions centered around their perceptions on how self-efficacy influences the academic achievement of their students, on what personality characteristics they feel teachers add to their positive or negative self-esteem in teaching, and on what factors they identify as influencing their professional self-efficacy in teaching. Teacher self-efficacy, the belief in oneself to succeed at completing a task, is a key factor in retaining teachers. Four data …
A Comparative Analysis Of Student Engagement Between Community College Students, Linda Jordan
A Comparative Analysis Of Student Engagement Between Community College Students, Linda Jordan
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
For years, community college research has focused on student engagement in an effort to improve student academic performance, retention, and graduation completion rates. While the positive effects of student engagement at both the community college and 4-year university levels have been consistently supported by previous research, there has been very limited research that has focused exclusively on the impact of student engagement in the growing subset of Workforce, now referred to as Career and Technical Education students. Since 2003, community colleges have employed the Community College Student Report to gather data from students on several variables positively correlated with increased …
Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Intervention Mathematics Class For Low Achieving Middle School Students In Northwest Georgia, Johnnie Coats
Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Intervention Mathematics Class For Low Achieving Middle School Students In Northwest Georgia, Johnnie Coats
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
High-stakes testing has become crucial in public education, requiring students to meet increasingly higher standards, regardless of their ability levels. This causal-comparative study sought to determine the effectiveness of an intervention mathematics course in the middle school setting for at-risk, sixth grade students. The Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) math scores of 143 at-risk students enrolled in a remediation mathematics course were compared to scores from a control population of 143 at-risk students who did not participate in the class. Math scores from the 2008 administration of the CRCT test were used as covariates, and comparisons were made using …
Teacher Nonverbal Immediacy: A Study Of Its Effect On Student Academic Progress And End Of Course Test Performance In A Rural Alternative High School, Jan Singletary
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Meeting the needs of all students is a continuing challenge for educators. Schools across the nation are designing programs to foster student achievement and graduation. Alternative education programs are gaining in popularity among students who have not succeeded in traditional schools and would previously have dropped out of school. It is essential that teachers connect with students so that students believe teachers care about them and their education. In this quantitative study, a significant correlation was found between students' perception of teacher immediacy, determined with the Nonverbal Immediacy Scale - Observer Report (NIS-O), and their rate of academic progress as …
A Comparison Of General Education Co-Teaching Versus Special Education Resource Service Delivery Models On Math Achievement Of Students With Disabilities, Tammy Nash
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Recent legislation in education mandates that students with disabilities be given access to the general education curriculum in order to reach higher academic standards. To meet these requirements, co-teaching has become a popular service delivery model for instruction of students with disabilities within the general education setting. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to compare math achievement of secondary students with disabilities in general education co-taught math classes to students with disabilities in special education resource math classes. Participants included 145 high school students with disabilities from four large suburban schools in Northeast Georgia. Learning outcomes were measured by …
The Effects Of Collaborative Strategic Reading On Informational Text Comprehension And Metacognitive Awareness Of Fifth Grade Students, Margaret Mccown
The Effects Of Collaborative Strategic Reading On Informational Text Comprehension And Metacognitive Awareness Of Fifth Grade Students, Margaret Mccown
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study examined the effects of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) on informational text comprehension and metacognitive awareness of fifth grade students. This study tested the theories of metacognition and social cognition with a focus on self-regulation and self-efficacy. Participating students included a heterogeneous mix of regular education students, students with disabilities, and English learners (ELs). Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design, this study examined the effects of CSR on informational text comprehension using the Qualitative Reading Inventory-5 (QRI-5) and Georgia's Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). Metacognitive awareness was measured using the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI). Data …
Learner-Centered Instructors' Beliefs About Adult Learning: A Phenomenological Study, Sarah Scherling
Learner-Centered Instructors' Beliefs About Adult Learning: A Phenomenological Study, Sarah Scherling
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The population of adult learners in higher education continues to increase. In many cases, the majority of faculty teaching adult learners are adjunct instructors. These instructors bring a rich background of experience and expertise to the classroom, but may lack experience in designing and implementing effective instructional practices for adult learners. Instructional practices of adjunct instructors are influenced by their beliefs about teaching and learning. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine learner-centered adjunct instructors' beliefs about adult learning and how these beliefs influence their instructional practices. The study used written reflection, interview, and classroom observation data …
A Comparison Of Christian School And Public School Geometry Teachers Concerning The Beliefs Of Practices And Teaching Proofs, Benjamin Lane
A Comparison Of Christian School And Public School Geometry Teachers Concerning The Beliefs Of Practices And Teaching Proofs, Benjamin Lane
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Theorists contend that mathematics teachers' beliefs influence their practices; consequently, differing Christian and public school philosophies should lead to different practices. However, some researchers have questioned if Christian education is "truly distinct" from public education. Other researchers have noted that this question is still open and that the philosophical differences between Christian and public school teachers might not be translating into differences in practices. A causal-comparative study was conducted between Christian and public school geometry teachers to investigate these differences. This study took place in Florida and Georgia using an instrument designed to measure four different aspects of teaching geometry …
A Comparison Of Course Delivery Formats On Student Success Of Developmental English Students At California Community Colleges, Camilla Bantum
A Comparison Of Course Delivery Formats On Student Success Of Developmental English Students At California Community Colleges, Camilla Bantum
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study examined the influence of campus-based and online-based community college developmental English courses on two student success factors: course persistence and course success. Retrospective data on all first year California community college students enrolled in developmental English courses between 2008 and 2011 were analyzed for differences between students. Descriptive statistics were used to compare differences in individual student characteristics of age, gender, and race, and the situational variables of enrollment status and eligibility for tuition fee waiver. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to examine the difference in likelihood of course success and course persistence of developmental English students in …
The Impact Of Selected Initiatives On The Reading Criterion Referenced Competency Test Scores Of African-American And Disadvantaged Students In Grades 3, 5, And 8, Eric Fuller
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine the impact of selected research-based whole-school reading reform programs, Success for All (SFA), Core Knowledge, and Direct Instruction (DI) on the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) reading scores of African-American students and students from disadvantaged subgroups in Grades 3, 5, and 8 in a large urban school system. The target sample consisted of 61 elementary schools and 16 middle schools. Student data consisted of 3,533 data points for African-American students and 7,550 data points for disadvantaged students attending reform and non reform schools respectively. A causal-comparative research design was the methodology …
Impact Of Remedial Reading Interventions On A Secondary Student With Emotional Behavior Disorder: A Case Study, Lucinda Cooper
Impact Of Remedial Reading Interventions On A Secondary Student With Emotional Behavior Disorder: A Case Study, Lucinda Cooper
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Students who struggle with emotional behavior disorders (EBD) often enter high school with reading levels far below those of their peers. At the secondary level, these at-risk students must regularly read and write proficiently in order to demonstrate their literacy achievement and potential for success either in college or on the job. As a result, many EBD students choose to drop out of school instead of daily feeling that they do not measure up. This instrumental qualitative case study examined the impact of the five essential components of reading instruction, teacher modeling, repeated readings, and progress monitoring on the disruptive …
Academic College Readiness Indicators Of Seniors Enrolled In University-Model Schools® And Traditional, Comprehensive Christian Schools, Sharon Brobst
Academic College Readiness Indicators Of Seniors Enrolled In University-Model Schools® And Traditional, Comprehensive Christian Schools, Sharon Brobst
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This correlational study examined the relationship between type of high school a senior attends (University-Model School® (UMS®) or traditional, comprehensive Christian) and academic college readiness, when controlling for prior academic achievement and gender. The study compared archival data from Christian school graduates from six schools located near Dallas, TX. Each took the Stanford-10 in their seventh, eighth, or ninth-grade years, which controlled for prior academic achievement. SAT and ACT scores measured academic college readiness. Results of three sequential multiple regressions, controlling for confounding, showed that prior academic achievement was significant in predicting SAT Composite, SAT Writing, and ACT Composite scores. …
Can Preservice Teachers Be Taught To Become Reflective Thinkers During Their First Internship Experience?, Stephanie Weber
Can Preservice Teachers Be Taught To Become Reflective Thinkers During Their First Internship Experience?, Stephanie Weber
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Reflective thinking is a developmental process that progresses over time from a technical, routine level to a critical, self-evaluating level. Preservice teachers, who tend to stay in the technical, routine level of critical thinking without guidance, need to be taught how to become reflective thinkers so that they are able to identify and analyze their own personal teaching practices, connect theory with practice, and understand why they are teaching. By learning to be more critically reflective in their thinking, preservice teachers will become more effective teachers, thus having a positive impact on student achievement. This dissertation research study quantitatively evaluated …
Certified Public Accountant Education And Ethical Decision-Making Preparedness: A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Connection, Vicki Bealman
Certified Public Accountant Education And Ethical Decision-Making Preparedness: A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Connection, Vicki Bealman
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was not to evaluate efficacy of ethical training for current accounting programs, but to understand the perceptions of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) for the influence of accounting ethical education requirements on their ethical decision-making preparedness. The study used pre-interview surveys, face-to-face interviews, and timeline drawings to acquire data in four principle areas: CPA ethical decision-making preparedness, accounting program ethics educational requirements, accounting program ethics learning activities, and CPA perceptions of necessary changes to accounting program ethics requirements. Results from Virginia CPA perceptions indicate the definition of ethical decision-making as doing the right thing at …
Secrets Of Their Success: A Multiple Case Study Of Mathematically Proficient Homeschool Graduates, Betty Cardinale
Secrets Of Their Success: A Multiple Case Study Of Mathematically Proficient Homeschool Graduates, Betty Cardinale
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this multiple case study was to explain how mathematically proficient homeschool graduates acquired their proficiency. Bronfenbrenner's (1979, 1999) ecological and Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) models were used as theoretical frameworks to analyze the development of the graduates in the homeschool environment. The National Research Council's (NRC) Five Strands of Mathematical Proficiency (Kilpatrick, Swafford, & Findell, 2001) was used as a conceptual framework. I collected four types of data: (a) surveys; (b) National Assessment of Educational Progress; (c) Mathematical Self-Efficacy Scale scores; and (d) interviews. These data items were analyzed with explanation building, a special case of pattern-matching logic. Many …
The Effect Of Metacognitive And Self-Regulatory Strategy Instruction On Impoverished Students' Assessment Achievement In Physics, Jaunine Fouche
The Effect Of Metacognitive And Self-Regulatory Strategy Instruction On Impoverished Students' Assessment Achievement In Physics, Jaunine Fouche
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this nonequivalent control group design study was to evaluate the effectiveness of metacognitive and self-regulatory strategy use on the assessment achievement of 215 9th-grade, residential physics students from low socioeconomic status (low-SES) backgrounds. Students from low-SES backgrounds often lack the self-regulatory habits and metacognitive strategies to improve academic performance. In an effort to increase these scores and to increase student self-regulation and metacognition with regard to achievement in physics, this study investigated the use of metacognitive and self-regulatory strategies specifically as they apply to students' use of their own assessment data. Traditionally, student performance data is used …
Accelerated Reader And Its Effects On Fifth-Grade Students' Reading Comprehension, Jan Nichols
Accelerated Reader And Its Effects On Fifth-Grade Students' Reading Comprehension, Jan Nichols
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Schools in the United States have been using the Accelerated Reader (AR) program since the mid-1980s. A search of the literature related to the effectiveness of the AR program revealed that many of the studies were conducted more than a decade ago, and a large number of those studies failed to utilize a control group to provide comparative data. Researchers and educators have examined the use of the AR program, whose parent company is Renaissance Learning, for more than 20 years, yet there is still little definitive data on whether the system positively affects student reading comprehension and motivation to …
The Effect Of Georgia Ninth Grade Academies On End Of Course Test Scores, Graduation Rate, And Attendance, Andrea Irvin
The Effect Of Georgia Ninth Grade Academies On End Of Course Test Scores, Graduation Rate, And Attendance, Andrea Irvin
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to explore the effect of Ninth Grade Academies as Small Learning Communities as an approach to further student success in comparison to Traditional Comprehensive High School structures in the state of Georgia. This study sought to determine if students who attended a Ninth Grade Academy as a Small Learning Community during their freshman year had a higher rate of attendance, increased student achievement as measured by the Georgia End of Course Test scores in Ninth Grade Literature and Ninth Grade Algebra I, and a higher Graduation Rate in comparison to students who …
The Relationship Between Music Participation And Mathematics Achievement In Middle School Students, Joshua Boyd
The Relationship Between Music Participation And Mathematics Achievement In Middle School Students, Joshua Boyd
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
A comparative analysis was used to study the results from a descriptive survey of selected middle school students in Grades 6, 7, and 8. Student responses to the survey tool was used to compare multiple variables of music participation and duration of various musical activities, such as singing and performing on instruments, to the mathematics results from Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (Georgia Department of Education, 2011. The results were analyzed with the use of the Pearson r correlation coefficient. The intensity of relationships was assessed with analysis of variance (ANOVA). A final t-test of means was conducted to compare the …
The Impact Of Service-Learning On Community Involvement Attitude In Career And Technical Education Students, Christopher Daniel
The Impact Of Service-Learning On Community Involvement Attitude In Career And Technical Education Students, Christopher Daniel
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Service-Learning is a teaching methodology, which incorporates community service and classroom learning. Students take the skills and techniques gained in the classroom into the community to address real world problems. The basis for this methodology comes from the theories of John Dewey and more recently the Experiential Education Theory of D.A. Kolb. The three phases of preparation, action, and reflection move service-learning beyond other models of experiential education to build a reciprocally beneficial model for all stakeholders. This quantitative study examines the effect service-learning has on attitudes toward community involvement among community college, career and technical education students of eastern …