Education Commons^™

Obstacles In Learning Algorithm Run-Time Complexity Analysis, Bailey Licht

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Algorithm run-time complexity analysis is an important topic in data structures and algorithms courses, but it is also a topic that many students struggle with. Commonly cited difficulties include the necessary mathematical background knowledge, the abstract nature of the topic, and the presentation style of the material. Analyzing the subject of algorithm analysis using multiple learning theories shows that course materials often leave out key steps in the learning process and neglect certain learning styles. Students can be more successful at learning algorithm run-time complexity analysis if these missing stages and learning styles are addressed.

The Moderating Role Of Partners’ Education On Early Antenatal Care In Northern Ghana, Paschal Awingura Apanga, Maxwell Tii Kumbeni, James Kotuah Sakeah, Ayokunle Olagoke, Olufemi Ajumobi

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background

Early antenatal care (ANC) is essential for improving maternal and child health outcomes. The primary aims of this study were to 1) estimate the association between partners’ education attainment and early ANC, and 2) determine whether partners’ level of education modified the relationship between mothers’ education, mothers’ age, planned pregnancy, employment status and early ANC.

Methods

Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study conducted from April to May 2021 among 519 mothers with a live birth in the past year in the Nabdam district in the Upper East Region in northern Ghana. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess …

Pedagogy Or Andragogy?: Which Teaching Method Produces Successful Esl Tutoring That Involves Musical Activities?, Julia Cormack

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Considering the connections between music and language, as well as Chi et al.’s (2001) theory, this thesis introduces an original case study investigation: which teaching method, pedagogy or andragogy, will be most effective in one-on-one ESL tutoring sessions that use music as source material? The term pedagogy often describes the art and science of teaching. However, its Greek roots refer to the method of the teacher leading the classroom. Meanwhile, andragogy describes a teaching method where the teacher engages with the students in the learning and leading; Greek for “leader of man,” andragogy most often refers to teaching adults. To …

Influences On The Implementation Of Guidedplay Practices In Kindergarten: A Grounded Theory Study, Amy Schmidtke

Student Work

The professional capacity of a kindergarten teacher is central to the implementation of developmentally appropriate practices that support children’s learning and development. Evidence indicates that a teacher’s professional capacity is influenced through experiences with leadership, professional learning, and collaboration. Although research clearly supports the positive impact of play experiences for young children, the current educational climate does not provide teachers with the confidence or the structural supports needed to actualize play in kindergarten classrooms. The findings demonstrate what influences kindergarten teachers to implement guided play practices in their classrooms. The implications provide insight as to which elements of leadership, professional …

A Case Study Comparing Fingerspelling Production Between Two Interpreters With Eipa Scores Of 3.0 And 4.0., Morgan Miller

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Approximately 14% of Deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) students in K-12 educational settings use a sign language interpreter for access to the general education curriculum and the classroom environment . The Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) is commonly used to evaluate the skills of an interpreter as a prerequisite of being hired. This case study analyzes and evaluates the fingerspelling (FS) production of two American Sign Language interpreters while interpreting a lesson. The two interpreters had different EIPA scores: one had recently attained a 3.0 and the other held a 4.0 rating. The data shows marked differences in fingerspelling production in …

Primary Teachers’ Decisions For Selecting Multicultural Classroom Read Alouds, Jennifer Lemke

Student Work

As the diversity amongst the student population in schools increase, it is important that teachers include literature that contain a variety of settings and themes that allow students to explore the diverse perspectives and cultures that surround them. Research has shown that including literature that reflects the diverse experiences of students not only increases individual student’s self-esteem and confidence, but the respect and empathy for other cultures. Therefore, supporting the need for teachers to be critical and intentional in the titles they select to read aloud is important. This phenomenographic research study identifies factors that influence how primary teachers in …

Educators’ Experiences Implementing Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum In A Suburban Elementary School, Danielle N. Elsasser

Student Work

This qualitative case study explores educators’ experiences in a suburban elementary school during the implementation stages of a new social-emotional learning curriculum. This research combines educators’ first-person accounts of the social-emotional learning curriculum implementation before and during the process as well as analyzes the results of their experiences as a whole. Altogether, this paper investigates the central phenomenon: What are the experiences of elementary educators in a suburban elementary school implementing social-emotional learning curriculum? Participants were invited individually to take part in the interview process. Data collected were analyzed through a series of codes and aggregated into themes. Participants reflected …

Educational Professionals’ Perceptions Of Their Role In Moving Toward Trauma-Sensitive Practices In Schools, Lisa M. Epp

Student Work

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the different ways classroom teachers, school counselors, school psychologists, and administrators; experience, perceive, understand and conceptualize their specific role in moving toward trauma-sensitive practices in schools. Grounded in the social-ecological theory related to trauma, the study was conducted in a suburban school district in Omaha, Nebraska utilizing focus groups from four participating middle schools. Fifteen education professionals were asked questions regarding their perceptions of trauma and their role in creating and sustaining trauma-sensitive practices in each of their contexts. A researcher-created interview protocol was utilized to collect perceptual data throughout the focus …

Supporting Innovation, Honoring Stability, And Achieving Coherence While Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support For Behavior At The Middle Level, Chelsea S. Krebs

Student Work

Negative-feeling variables not only distract schools from reform initiatives but make system change matters almost impossible. Paired with increased student behavior and managing school discipline needs, educators can feel frustrated and alone. This study looked at one middle’s school initial implementation of a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior program through the lens of Fullan and Quinn’s Coherence Framework. The constructs of stability and innovation were also explored. The research design for this study was a mixed-data program implementation case study. Survey results from staff regarding program implementation practices were used, as well as field notes and document analysis. A …

What Makes You So Good? Highly Effective General Education Teachers Serving Students With Special Education Needs, Paige Gill

Student Work

Teachers are the single most important factor in student learning, including the learning of students who receive special education services. Most students with disabilities are included in the general education classroom but general education teachers often express feeling underprepared to meet their diverse needs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences of general education teachers in a traditional high school environment who are highly effective in serving students with special education needs in hopes of finding commonalities that could be replicated for other teachers. In this study, six positive deviant general education teachers participated in …

Implementation Of A New Assessment System: A Look At Year Two Of A Three Year Professional Development Plan, Janet A. Zahm

Student Work

Increased accountability requirements have created a focus on assessments. As schools and districts work to meet federal and state requirements by demonstrating student progress as indicated by high stakes testing, assessment data literacy has become a necessary skill for educators to possess. Districts and schools need to ensure assessment literacy training has occurred that relates to the current tests being utilized. When assessments change, there is a need to understand the new assessment system, including the administration of the test. However, there is a greater need to use assessment data to modify instruction to meet all students’ needs. Knowledge of …

An Exploration Of The Alignment Of Actual And Desired Roles For School Psychologists, Tessa Petereit

Student Work

This mixed data exploratory study examined the actual and desired job responsibilities of school psychologists, the Professional Quality of Life survey,school psychologist to student ratio, and years in the profession. Qualitative data regarding reasons they entered the field, barriers to practicing in their desired role, and roles they felt to be most effective was gathered. The aim of this study was to shed light on the extent to which the alignment of their desired roles influences the perceived effectiveness of the school psychologists. Most school psychologists entered the field to support children; all but one of the school psychologists surveyed …

Experience Of Burnout Among Educational Leadership Doctoral Candidates, Ron M. Azoulay

Student Work

In this era of high accountability, standardized based instructions, and public debates over teacher quality, performance, and evaluation, education administrators across the country have come under intense pressures (Boccio, Weisz, & Lefkowitz, 2016; Carey, 2011; Ravitch, 2010). Due to the high incentives and intense pressures on school leaders, and the wide-ranging impact these positions have on communities, it is crucial to understand those who are seeking greater leadership roles in education. The purpose of this study was to determine if candidates pursing doctorate degrees in educational leadership are experiencing burnout. The dissertation addresses the phenomenon of job burnout, which is …

An Analysis Of Science Teachers’ Perceptions Of Graphical Literacy Within The Context Of The Secondary Science Classroom, Pete Marsh

Student Work

The topic of graphical literacy is considered to be an important aspect of a student’s science education. Skills related to the construction and interpretation of graphs are well documented in science education literature as well as instructional strategies meant to help develop a student’s graphical literacy in science. Absent in the literature is how science teachers address skills related to graphical literacy with their students. The purpose of this study is to provide some insight into how secondary science teachers devote instruction to address graphical literacy with their students in the context of their classroom. Eight secondary science teachers from …

Factors Influencing The Self-Efficacy Of Novice School Librarians, Christine Haeffner

Student Work

Effective school library programs depend on school librarians with the capacity to lead and administrate library programs that reflect the core values of contemporary school librarianship. Research has shown that the first years of practice are critical in establishing the professional identity of the school librarian. This mixed methods explanatory research study identifies factors that affect the self-efficacy of the novice school librarian, which influences the degree to which the novice school librarian feels confident of their ability to succeed in the role of school librarian.

Elementary School Administrators’ Perspectives Of Expanded School Mental Health Systems And Implications For Further Training, Melissa M. Petersen

Student Work

School administrators play a crucial role in the development and implementation of mental health systems that allow all students access to universal, preventative interventions and services. Understanding their perspectives about the fundamental features of effective Expanded School Mental Health systems is critical to understanding the research to practice gap as it relates to the successful implementation of school-based mental health services. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand administrators’ perspectives about the training and supports teachers need to increase knowledge, confidence, and self-efficacy in the delivery of effective school mental health services. The purpose of this pragmatic qualitative research study was …

Teacher Perceptions During The Candidacy Phase Of The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Nicole M. Beins

Student Work

This qualitative case study explores the perceptions of educators during the candidacy phase of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme in a suburban Midwest school. The methodology was comprised of a two-phase research design. During Phase 1, participants responded anonymously through written narrative responses via electronic questionnaire. This data was analyzed for common themes. After initial data analysis, focus group questions were generated using the findings of common themes to ask focus groups what strengths and challenges were faced during the implementation phase of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. The goal of this research was to gain insight on …

The Search For Coherence: An Exploration Of Strategic Change In One Midwestern School District, Ashley Tomjack

Student Work

Due to the increasingly complex nature of work in school systems, leaders are often faced with sorting through a multitude of competing priorities as they work to implement strategic change at the district level. Coherence is needed to filter through the many competing priorities and provide clarity as to the next steps district leadership should take when implementing changes. Understanding the current reality of a district in regard to a proposed change initiative is one critical step along the path to approaching coherence. This study explored how one urban, Midwestern school district evaluated the perceptions of staff members regarding implementation …

Keeping Teachers Of Color: Recruitment Is Not The Problem, Ferial Pearson, Monica Fuglei

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

This article reviews some of the recent literature on teacher recruitment and retention published in the United States. It describes the merits of having a diverse teaching force, and explains that the issue of a lack of representation of teachers of color in American schools is not a result of recruitment; rather, it is the retention of these teachers that is the problem at hand. The article uncovers the reasons teachers of color leave the profession, and makes suggestions about changes that would make it possible for these teachers to stay.

The Effect Of Caregiver Self-Efficacy On Health And Nutrition Outcomes In Young Children Enrolled In Head Start, Kristy Feden

Student Work

Healthy development in the earliest years provides the foundation for adult health, while healthy adults comprise a thriving workforce. Investing in the health of young children is paramount to prevention of chronic diseases in later adulthood. Quality early childhood programs have an opportunity to maximize the healthy development of children by intentionally increasing caregiver self-efficacy as it relates to completing tasks associated with preventive care. The purpose of this exploratory data analysis study was to learn more about the relationship between level of caregiver self-efficacy and their ability to achieve required health and dental outcomes for children enrolled in a …

Implementing A Multi-Tiered Behavioral Framework System In Seven K-4 Element Aries, Brad J. Dahl

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to complete a formative check of the Multi-Tiered Behavior Framework (MTBF) implementation by gathering elementary teacher and administrator perceptions. These perceptions of implementation are used to inform system-wide action for successful implementation of MTBF. The theoretical framework which guided this study was the Deming Cycle: Plan, Do, Check, Act (Deming, 1950). This framework allowed for the analysis of the project results compared to the expectations. Use of this data enabled the district to more effectively infuse the Multi-Tiered Behavioral Framework system into the instructional design and improve school climate. This study examined the implementation …

Teacher Perceptions On Advisory Model At The Middle Level Through The Lens Of Conflict And Connection, Emili L. Brosnan

Student Work

In education, we seek to prepare students in a variety of facets. In order to prepare those students, we must look at a multitude of different factors in regard to that preparation. As students continue through their educational career, their time with the teachers that are educating them often decreases. In order to continue to advocate for students and build skills with students, we have seen a shift to focus on student relationships as well as curriculum. Using data collected with Pianta’s Student-Teacher Relationship Scale-Short Form and open-ended questions, this study seeks to investigate the effectiveness of the current middle …

In Defense Of Public Schools: A Toolkit From The Midwest, Ferial Pearson, Ann Hunter-Pirtle

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

One of the defining features of public schools is that they operate at the will of the people, with public oversight from elected school boards. In addition to being free and open to all, free from religious affiliation, and promoting civic understanding and participation, much of what makes public schools public happens through the democratic process. We have noticed that many teachers are so overworked and overwhelmed - rightly focused on their own classrooms and their own students’ day to day struggles - that it’s not easy for them to engage and advocate for themselves and their students in the …

Introduction: Exploring Socio-Political Issues In Education, Jeanne Surface

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

No abstract provided.

Ne Stem 4u Afterschool Intervention Leads To Gains In Stem Content Knowledge For Middle School Youth, Christine E. Cutucache, Taylor Boham, Jamie Luhr, Amie Sommers, Nikolaus Stevenson, Erkko Sointu, Kati Mäkitalo‐Siegl, Sirpa Kärkkäinen, Teemu Valtonen, Neal Grandgenett, William Tapprich

Biology Faculty Publications

Afterschool interventions in STEM are linked to learning gains during the school day. These opportunities engage and excite students about STEM concepts since they observe a more hands-on, project-oriented approach. Often these opportunities for afterschool interventions are infrequent in nature and leave gaps for students in their maturation and understanding. Herein we describe the first report of an afterschool intervention, named NE STEM 4U, targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged middle school youth via a twice weekly, year-long intervention, studied across two years. We assessed the impact of this program on i.) short-term, individual student gains in STEM content knowledge and ii.) delivery …

Exploratory Study Of A School-Based Refugee Mental Health Project, Anne Marie Boose

Student Work

Immigrant and refugee youth are in our schools in greater numbers than ever. Educators are required to educate all students to the same standards, even though they have often been exposed to violence and other difficulties throughout their journey to a new home. Many continue to face many on-going barriers as they arrive in our schools. Although this population is resilient and has many strengths, for some the burden of trauma is overwhelming, threatening their mental health and school performance. A small percentage of these students are unable to cope and make devastating, life-ending decisions. Schools with large numbers of …

Perceptions Of School District Curriculum Administrators Regarding K-12 Engineering Education, Derrick A. Nero

Student Work

The state of Nebraska recently adopted and implemented a set of Science standards that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards which include engineering practices such as engineering design and the use of technology. Curriculum administrators throughout the state are responsible for the implementation of these standards including training for engineering teaching and learning. This exploratory study investigated curriculum administrators’ (n = 43) perceptions of Engineering Education in four areas: Importance of Engineering Education, District Familiarity with Engineering Education, Characteristics of Engineering, and Barriers to Integrating Engineering Education. This exploratory study used one instrument to collect data: a modified Design, …

Teacher Perceptions Of Quality Student-Teacher Relationships, Cecilia Wilken

Student Work

Student-teacher relationships are a critical component of the classroom environment, and are unique for each relationship that exists between a teacher and the students in a class. Within a relationship, different amounts of closeness, dependency, and conflict influence the significance a student-teacher relationship can have on student success. Likewise, mobile students experience school in a different way than a nonmobile student does as they miss the intentional, classwide opportunities to interact and build a quality student-teacher relationship. Since mobile students experience school differently, schools need to respond to the mobile populations’ needs differently. This study explored how teacher’s perception of …

Preparing New Teachers To Engage Families In Early Childhood: Strengths And Areas Of Growth In The Development Of Early Childhood, Preservice Teachers, Jackie Proctor

Student Work

The research is clear that parents and families are an essential component to the education of the whole child. Since this is so well-documented, it is essential for educator preparation programs to have coursework and experiences focused on this critical aspect of education. New teachers must leave educator preparation programs with the skills necessary to engage families. The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to explain the extent to which new teachers feel prepared to engage families in an early childhood setting. Therefore, this study explored the strengths and areas of growth in each teacher’s educator preparation program in …

Creating And Sustaining Vision, Mission, And Culture In A Time Of Significant Growth And Complexity, Teri Lynn Schrag

Student Work

This exploratory mixed methods study evaluates the process of a Christian school’s expansion and development within the complexity of the school’s culture. The study describes the transition of a non-public school from a K-8 school to a complete K12 program at Cornerstone Christian School, Bellevue, Nebraska, resulting in a description of the decision-making steps needed for the transition and analyzing the outcomes. The focal point of the study was the importance of maintaining a culture of distinction through this time of significant change while transitioning from an elementary and middle school program to a complete high school program. The process …