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Full-Text Articles in Education

Improving Student Engagement Despite Lowering Attention Spans In The Classroom, Kaycee Lee Apr 2024

Improving Student Engagement Despite Lowering Attention Spans In The Classroom, Kaycee Lee

Senior Honors Theses

Attention spans have been decreasing throughout society for many years, partially due to the constant increase of technological advances. The average human attention span of eight seconds is particularly concerning to teachers and others in the classroom. It does not seem that the average attention span is ever going to increase, so teachers must implement intentional methods and strategies within their classroom to keep their students’ attention. Physical activities, technology and hands-on supports, small group instruction, shorter lessons, making intentional mistakes, flexible seating, and differentiated instruction are all strategies supported by research to improve student engagement within the classroom. Every …


Exploring The Role Of Curricular Engagement In The Secondary English Classroom: A Case Study, Kelsey Leah Baldwin Apr 2024

Exploring The Role Of Curricular Engagement In The Secondary English Classroom: A Case Study, Kelsey Leah Baldwin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educational engagement is an issue that has become problematic due to the many changes that have occurred since COVID, including technological dependency and teacher burnout. Teachers may need more skills to manage and implement engagement strategies in the classroom setting. Understanding educators’ experiences with classroom engagement in a variety of secondary English classrooms is the setting of this case study. The central research question explores how educators experience student engagement in their classrooms. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s social cognitive theory, as I utilize the theory to examine behaviors affected by people and the classroom environment. This research …


A Case Study On The Lived Experiences Of Elementary Teachers Related To Positive Behavior And Intervention Supports (Pbis), Dellphine Sterling Feb 2024

A Case Study On The Lived Experiences Of Elementary Teachers Related To Positive Behavior And Intervention Supports (Pbis), Dellphine Sterling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the lived experiences of elementary teachers related to PBIS in an elementary school in a mid-Atlantic state. More specifically, this study examined the lived experiences of elementary school teachers related to a reward system for improving academic achievement and student behavior. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s theory on social learning as the theory assists in understanding the problem of poor behavior and poor academic performance among students as well as providing insights on intervention tools for improving students’ behavior and academic performances. The research wass qualitative and utilized …


Twelfth-Grade English Teachers' Lived Experiences Of Engaging Struggling Adolescent Readers: A Phenomenological Study, Ruth Ugonna Ebinama Dec 2023

Twelfth-Grade English Teachers' Lived Experiences Of Engaging Struggling Adolescent Readers: A Phenomenological Study, Ruth Ugonna Ebinama

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore 12th-grade English teachers' lived experiences of engaging struggling adolescent readers at a large public school district in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area of the United States. The theory that guided this study was Vygotsky’s social constructivism theory as it relates to engaging struggling adolescent readers. The central research question was the following: How do 12th-grade English teachers describe their lived experiences engaging struggling adolescent readers? Criterion purposive sampling was used to recruit 12th-grade English teachers with struggling adolescent readers in their English classes. Data collection methods consisted of open-response questionnaires, …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of High School Seniors In Mathematics Classrooms: Analyzing Methodologies That Increase Engagement, Andrea L. Crews-Brown Aug 2023

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of High School Seniors In Mathematics Classrooms: Analyzing Methodologies That Increase Engagement, Andrea L. Crews-Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the methods high school seniors found engaging in mathematics classrooms at a private high school in Northern Florida. This study focused on engagement theory, which explains processes that help students learn based on attentiveness to presented content. Data collection for the phenomenological study consisted of interviews, focus groups, and journal entries as students shared their perspectives on engagement in their mathematics courses throughout upper school at a private Florida high school. Data collection took place by interviewing 15 students with the intention of students following into the other phases allowing …


Instructors’ Experiences With Employing Kinesthetic Instructional Strategies In Gatekeeper Community College Courses: A Single Holistic Case Study, Jodie S. Hogan Jul 2023

Instructors’ Experiences With Employing Kinesthetic Instructional Strategies In Gatekeeper Community College Courses: A Single Holistic Case Study, Jodie S. Hogan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, single holistic case study was to understand how community college instructors use kinesthetic instructional strategies to engage students enrolled in gatekeeper college courses at a community college in the Northeastern United States. The theory guiding this study was domains of learning theory, as it explains how faculty approach instruction according to how students experience the six levels of the cognitive taxonomy and provides a foundation for the consideration of how the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains are intertwined. A qualitative methodology with a single case study design was used to address the central research question, …


The Impact Of A Stem Education Program On Female And Racial Minorities' Knowledge And Attitude, Amira S. Flores May 2023

The Impact Of A Stem Education Program On Female And Racial Minorities' Knowledge And Attitude, Amira S. Flores

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a STEM education program, specifically STARBASE, on the STEM knowledge and attitudes of fifth grade students, as well as its effect on their pursuit of STEM careers, with a focus on female and racial minority students. Based on a sample of 197 fifth graders from a school district in Southern California, the intervention took place at STARBASE, while the control group remained at their respective schools. A quasi-experimental design was used in the study, with four experimental and four control groups. A STEM knowledge assessment and S-STEM attitude survey …


Influence Of Applications And Usage Of Technology On Student Engagement In The Classroom A Qualitative Study, Nimrah Rae Marquez May 2023

Influence Of Applications And Usage Of Technology On Student Engagement In The Classroom A Qualitative Study, Nimrah Rae Marquez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study focuses on the influence of technology applications and usage on student engagement in the classroom setting for high school (9th-12th grade) students and their teachers at a high school in New Mexico. The literature reviewed includes findings that technology applications and usage influence student engagement. However, there were gaps in literature in sharing teacher's lived experience. The theory guiding this study is Bandura's social cognitive theory. A qualitative phenomenological framework was followed to collect data from ten 9th through 12th-grade teachers. Individual interviews, focus groups, and non-participant observations were used as data collection approaches to address …


How Liaisons Leverage Self-Regulated Learning During Transitions To Online Learning At A Mid-Western Urban School District: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Traci C. Eshelman Nov 2022

How Liaisons Leverage Self-Regulated Learning During Transitions To Online Learning At A Mid-Western Urban School District: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Traci C. Eshelman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover how homelessness liaisons leverage self-regulated learning to buffer learners’ risk and adversity during transitions to online learning for students experiencing homelessness (SEHs) at a Midwestern urban school district. The theory guiding this study was Zimmerman’s social cognitive theory of self-regulated learning, a protective factor for SEHs. After collecting data using a questionnaire, conducting individual interviews, and a focus group, the study used bracketing or epoché to analyze data collected on 11 homelessness liaisons regarding how they fostered self-regulation in their students during the transition to online learning COVID-19 Closures caused. …


Best Practices Of Exceptional College Professors Who Program Relevance Into Online Distance Learning Courses: A Phenomenological Study, Keri Ann Palasz Oct 2022

Best Practices Of Exceptional College Professors Who Program Relevance Into Online Distance Learning Courses: A Phenomenological Study, Keri Ann Palasz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this proposed transcendental phenomenological study was to describe specifically the experience of exceptional professors who convey relevance to students in online distance learning higher education courses. The theory that guided this study is Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory (ALT), as it clarifies the relationship between course design and delivery and the characteristics of adult learners. This study addressed four research questions posed to a sample of award-winning college professors who teach online distance learning courses in the American field of higher education to understand better what these professors do to convey relevance in a way that appeals to …


The Impact Of Student-Teacher Interactions On Academic Achievement: A Phenomenological Study Examining The Perceptions Of First-Year University Student-Athletes With Online Education, Shinelle Wallace Oct 2022

The Impact Of Student-Teacher Interactions On Academic Achievement: A Phenomenological Study Examining The Perceptions Of First-Year University Student-Athletes With Online Education, Shinelle Wallace

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the impact of student-faculty interaction and its perceived effects on academic achievement in online education for student-athletes attending a Division I university in Missouri. At this stage in the research, quality of student-faculty interaction in online education is defined as online interaction between teachers and students that leads to better self-directedness, motivation, engagement, student satisfaction, and academic achievement. The theory guiding this study was self-determination theory as it helps to identify and understand the student-athlete’s inherent drive towards action and doing tasks towards growth and proficiency in online education. The …


Secondary Educators' Experiences Implementing Formative Assessment In Rural Southern Maryland: A Transcendental Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Bonnie J. Skinner Aug 2022

Secondary Educators' Experiences Implementing Formative Assessment In Rural Southern Maryland: A Transcendental Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Bonnie J. Skinner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to describe secondary educators’ experiences in planning and implementing formative assessment in rural southern Maryland to gain an understanding of their definition and use of Assessment for Learning (AfL) in diverse classrooms. The theory guiding this study, the sociocultural learning theory, grew from the work of the psychologist Vygotsky. The sociocultural learning theory is the best worldview for this study as Vygotsky’s beliefs of parents, caregivers, peers, other mentors (teachers), and culture are responsible for the development of cognition and higher-order functions with learning occurring by interacting with other people. Four essential …


Strategies To Encourage Continued Choral Participation Among Adolescent Male Students, Joseph Michael Lewis May 2022

Strategies To Encourage Continued Choral Participation Among Adolescent Male Students, Joseph Michael Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project overviewed a mixed methods research study, which examined the ways in which choral participation among adolescent male students could be encouraged by choral directors. The paper examined the history of male choral participation, common theories regarding male voice classification, as well as how choral participation among adolescent male students could be encouraged by the education of a voice change process. A vocal study of one hundred and seventeen biological male singers at Westside Middle School Academy in Danbury, Connecticut was used to study the validity of numerous male voice change theories. This study documented the transformation of the …


Correlation Between Reading Motivation And Engagement And Student Reading Outcomes In Title One Elementary Schools, Tashenna Renee Wiggins Apr 2021

Correlation Between Reading Motivation And Engagement And Student Reading Outcomes In Title One Elementary Schools, Tashenna Renee Wiggins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following research described a correlational study to examine whether there was correlation between reading motivation and reading engagement on students’ outcomes on the HMH Reading Inventory® in Title I schools for students reading below grade level in grades three through five. Additionally, the research indicated the importance of utilizing motivation and engagement to increase reading achievement. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between reading motivation and reading engagement to reading outcomes in grades three through five for students who are not reading on grade level in Title I elementary schools in the Southeast section …


An Applied Research Study On Improving Parental Involvement At A School In Southeastern North Carolina, Jacqueline Susan Hahn Mar 2021

An Applied Research Study On Improving Parental Involvement At A School In Southeastern North Carolina, Jacqueline Susan Hahn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied research study was to solve the problem of low parental involvement for school stakeholders at a school in southeastern North Carolina and to formulate a solution to address the problem. The central research question for this study was “How can the problem of low parental involvement be improved at a school located in southeastern North Carolina?” The theoretical framework for this study was comprised of Piaget’s cognitive development theory and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. Accordingly, the philosophical assumption that guided this research study was an ontological assumption through the interpretive framework of social constructivism. This study …


Gamification Strategies For Music Educators: An Online Continuing Education Course, Luis Enrique Espinosa Dec 2020

Gamification Strategies For Music Educators: An Online Continuing Education Course, Luis Enrique Espinosa

Masters Theses

This curriculum project is designed to provide music educators in the public and private sector with introductory knowledge about the topic of gamification and game-based learning, framed within the scope of an online continuing education course. It is meant for adult learners who teach young musicians in the K-12 range. The course offers a set of strategies and step-based processes that help transform a traditional music lesson plan into an interactive and meaningful learning experience that leverages games. The games created by the students in the course can serve to motivate music students by incorporating a sense of competition and …


Does The Interactive Push-Presentation System Nearpod Effect Student Engagement In High School Anatomy?, Jan Anderson Hirtz Apr 2020

Does The Interactive Push-Presentation System Nearpod Effect Student Engagement In High School Anatomy?, Jan Anderson Hirtz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The ability of the United States to succeed and compete successfully in the 21st Century will be directly related to the effectiveness of America’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. In 2012 the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology set a goal to add one million STEM college graduates over a 10-year period. Motivation in STEM secondary classrooms is a critical contributor to students entering college in declaring and persisting in a STEM related major. The purpose of this study is to add research findings to the literature regarding means of using technology to increase K12 …


A Phenomenological Study That Examined The Experiences Of High School Teachers Who Build Supportive Classroom Environments That Encourage African-American Students To Graduate, Tressa D. Matthews Apr 2020

A Phenomenological Study That Examined The Experiences Of High School Teachers Who Build Supportive Classroom Environments That Encourage African-American Students To Graduate, Tressa D. Matthews

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of high school teachers who have created supportive classroom environments that encourage African-American students to graduate. The theory guiding this study was the self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2008) as it explains the psychological needs of students to encourage persistence toward high school graduation. The central question guided the research in describing the experiences of high school teachers who have created a supportive classroom environment at high schools with high graduation rates for African-American students in Southeastern Michigan. The study sought to determine the experiences …


Student Disengagement In A Low Socioeconomic Elementary School: Applied Research, Dawn Michele Cobb-Fossnes Mar 2020

Student Disengagement In A Low Socioeconomic Elementary School: Applied Research, Dawn Michele Cobb-Fossnes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of student disengagement in an elementary school located in a low socioeconomic school district in central New Jersey and to formulate a solution to address the problem. Student engagement is an issue of concern for school administrators and teachers. Disengagement often results in lower student academic performance. The problem of student disengagement may have a long-term impact on a student’s academic success as well as his or her career. The central research question guiding this research was: How can the problem of disengagement be solved at Beacon Charter Elementary …


Exploring The Relationship Between Students' Sense Of Community, Student Satisfaction, And Doctoral Program Retention, Adam Roberson Jun 2018

Exploring The Relationship Between Students' Sense Of Community, Student Satisfaction, And Doctoral Program Retention, Adam Roberson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This is a study examining the interaction between certain doctoral student engagement indicators (peer, institution, curriculum, faculty, spirituality) and student satisfaction. The scope is to understand if student sense of community is a significant moderator to this interaction in order to address the issue of student attrition. It is important to understand these interactions and the influence of sense of community so that institutions of higher education better analyze student commitment. The outcomes of this study may be used as a means to design and implement engagement strategies that are effective in student retention and completion. Doctoral students were invited …


The Influence Of Teacher Gender On College Student Motivation And Engagement In An Online Environment, Zacharia Jacob Varughese Aug 2017

The Influence Of Teacher Gender On College Student Motivation And Engagement In An Online Environment, Zacharia Jacob Varughese

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of teacher gender on student motivation and engagement. The study addressed the question: Is there a statistical difference among the motivation and engagement scores of males taught by male teachers (MM), males taught by female teachers (MF), females taught by male teachers (FM), and females taught by female teachers (FF) enrolled in online science courses? Exploring this topic allowed educators to identify strategies for quality teaching and learning, increase graduation rates, and decrease student delinquency. This quantitative study used a causal-comparative research design and the Motivation and Engagement Scale (MES) …


The Effects Of Contract Activity Packages On Boredom In A Sixth-Grade Accelerated Math Class, Joanna Bartlett Apr 2017

The Effects Of Contract Activity Packages On Boredom In A Sixth-Grade Accelerated Math Class, Joanna Bartlett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is currently a lack of research aimed at determining the boredom level experienced by sixth grade students participating in an accelerated math class, as well as suitable strategies aimed at helping students avoid it. This quantitative quasi-experimental static-group comparison study investigated boredom levels with the implementation of Contract Activity Packages (CAPs), a strategy specifically related to combatting boredom for gifted and talented students, into a sixth-grade accelerated math class. Data were collected from 138 sixth-grade students participating in an accelerated math class via the boredom scale of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire – Mathematics (AEQ-M) and analyzed using a two-way …


Real-Time Data As An Instructional Tool: Examining Engagement And Comprehension, Eric Blanton Apr 2017

Real-Time Data As An Instructional Tool: Examining Engagement And Comprehension, Eric Blanton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The integration of technology within the lives of all people has continued to expand and also impacts the education systems around the world. The purpose of this study was to study how real-time data impacted the educational achievement of students in a senior level economics class who participated in game-based learning through the Marketwatch Game. The sample for this study was 107 senior level economic students ranging from age 17 to 18 years old. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design (Patten, 2012), the students were divided into two groups and were to play the Marketwatch Game. The experimental …


Life Satisfaction: A Study Of Engagement And The Academic Progress Of High School Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Rebecca Dilling Dec 2016

Life Satisfaction: A Study Of Engagement And The Academic Progress Of High School Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Rebecca Dilling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how high school students with specific learning disabilities describe life satisfaction and its impact on student motivation, academic engagement, and academic progress. Bruner’s constructivist theory guided this research. Other theories included: Piaget’s cognitive development theory, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, Vygotsky’s social learning theory, Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, Bowlby’s attachment theory, Dewey’s brain-based learning theory, Glasser’s control theory of motivation, Bandura’s social cognitive theory, Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory, and Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Data collection tools included the researcher’s journal, classroom observations, student interviews, two student focus …


The Effects Of Microblogging On Middle School Students' Engagement And Critical Thinking, Sondra Singleton May 2016

The Effects Of Microblogging On Middle School Students' Engagement And Critical Thinking, Sondra Singleton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of microblogging as an authentic real-world technology in a middle school classroom in response to the 2010 Department of Education’s call to provide students with more relevant digital experiences. The non-equivalent control group, pretest-posttest design study was used to determine if microblogging used in a writing activity affected middle school students’ engagement and critical thinking. This study was important as it addressed the heretofore understudied middle school sector. This research used a convenience sample of 119 sixth-grade and seventh-grade language arts students in a suburban northwest Florida public middle school. …


Uninspired Or Disengaged? A Phenomenological Investigation Of Gifted Middle School Students On Probation, Shanna Baker May 2016

Uninspired Or Disengaged? A Phenomenological Investigation Of Gifted Middle School Students On Probation, Shanna Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the implementation of No Child Left Behind in 2001 and high stakes testing, the focus in education has been on low-achieving students resulting in gifted learners being largely ignored. Gifted underachievers are often identified as bored or apathetic. Researchers are beginning to examine gifted students’ motivation and engagement, but there is a lack of research examining why gifted middle school students are uninspired to achieve. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how gifted middle school students in a Georgia school district and their parents and teachers describe the lack of inspiration to achieve. Within the study, …


A Correlational Study Of The Motivation And Engagement In Teachers: Experience And Effectiveness, Cynthia Phillips May 2016

A Correlational Study Of The Motivation And Engagement In Teachers: Experience And Effectiveness, Cynthia Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

he purpose of this correlational study was to determine if there is a relationship between the motivation and engagement level of induction (first four years) teachers as compared to veteran (five or more years) teachers using the overall score on the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES, 2013) and the Motivation and Engagement Scale (MES-W, 2012) developed by Martin (2012). Teachers from four participating districts located in northeast Georgia were divided into two groups based on years of teaching experience. Both groups participated in an online survey (MES-W, 2012), which collected demographic data as well as responses to the MES-W survey. …


The Effects Of Strategy Instruction In Reading Informational Text On Reading Level And Motivation Of Fifth Grade Students, Michelle Adler Dec 2015

The Effects Of Strategy Instruction In Reading Informational Text On Reading Level And Motivation Of Fifth Grade Students, Michelle Adler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this nonequivalent control-group design study was to determine if students had an increase in reading level and motivation to read when more informational text and instruction was added into the curriculum. The independent variables were the reading curriculum, with Success for All (SFA) used with the control group and SFA with additional instruction in informational text used with the study group. The dependent variables were reading level and levels of motivation determined by the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) and the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS) measured after eight weeks of instruction and again three months post-study. The …


The Impact Of Non-Band Music Participation On The Academic Achievement Of 6th Grade Mathematics Students, Sherica Denise Jones-Lewis May 2015

The Impact Of Non-Band Music Participation On The Academic Achievement Of 6th Grade Mathematics Students, Sherica Denise Jones-Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is hypothesized that participation in non-band music has a positive impact on mathematics achievement. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the theory of self-determination, multiple intelligence theory, and brain research provide a theoretical foundation in support of this conjecture. This causal comparative study seeks to address three questions related to the hypothesis: a) is there a difference between the academic achievement of 6th grade mathematics students based on non-band music participation status; b) is there a difference between the academic achievement of 6th grade males based on non-band music participation; and c) is there a difference between the academic achievement of …


Working On The Work Framework For Engagement: Impacting Students' Perceived Learning, Attitudes Toward School, And Achievement, Michael Forehand Apr 2014

Working On The Work Framework For Engagement: Impacting Students' Perceived Learning, Attitudes Toward School, And Achievement, Michael Forehand

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A quasi-experimental, pre-test post-test nonequivalent control group study was utilized to determine the difference in students' perceived learning, attitudes toward school, and achievement when participating in classes utilizing engagement design qualities as compared to students in classes not utilizing engagement design qualities. To inform the relationship between student engagement, perceived learning, attitudes toward school, and achievement, Csikszentmihalyi's Theory of Flow was utilized as a theoretical framework along with the implementation of Schelchty's Working on the Work (WOW) Framework with 178 third grade students in a Metro-Atlanta school system. A perceived learning questionnaire, the Elementary Form of the Battle Student Attitude …