Education Commons^™

Student Sucess And Retention : Critical Factors For Success In The Online Environment, Melanie Clark

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the relationship between identified student characteristics and readiness factors and measures of success in selected online courses as defined by final course grades. This study focused on two sets of variables. The first was regarding the relationship of student demographic and educational background factors such as age, gender, academic placement, educational level, enrollment status, grade point average, withdrawal history, and previous online course experience to success in online courses. The second was regarding the relationship of learning readiness factors of personal attributes, learning style, life factors, technical competency, technical knowledge, and reading rate …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Cultural Change In A Challenged High School During The Implementation Of The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, Victoria Crowell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Academically failing schools are under scrutiny from government education administrators, policymakers, and the general public, due to chronic inabilities to lower dropout rates and to educate students who can pass high-stakes graduation assessments. States’ efforts to adhere to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act have led to the development of accountability systems to determine adequate yearly progress (AYP) and to assign schools grades, as well as wholesale reassessment of current educational programs, which are often replaced with more rigorous curricula.

Among curricular programs that have been sought as reform measures for academically failing schools is the International Baccalaureate Program …

Early Literacy Practices And Beliefs About Education Among Hispanic Families In Jacksonville, Florida, Maira Luz Martelo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hispanic children in the United States are more likely to fall behind in several literacy measures even before they enroll in prekindergarten programs. There are some structural and non-structural factors that have a direct impact on Hispanic children’s early literacy skills. Among the non-structural factors this mixed-method study explored Hispanic caregivers’ beliefs about education as well as their literacy practices at home.

The study compared two groups: diverse Hispanic caregivers with 4-year-old children enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) and diverse Hispanic caregivers whose 4-year-old children were not enrolled in VPK. A total of 125 diverse Hispanic caregivers responded …

Program Evaluation In The Nonprofit Sector : An Exploratory Study Of Leaders' Perceptions, Gail A. Patin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to understand the role of and capacity for program evaluation from the perspectives of leaders in the Northeast Florida nonprofit sector. The study was a two-phased qualitative design and had three research questions related to the role of program evaluation, the capacity for program evaluation, and the influence of the relationship between providers and funders on these efforts. The first phase was a nominal group process using the Delphi survey method. The second phase involved in-depth interviews. Study participants were chosen based on specific criteria.

The Delphi phase had four rounds of surveys. Findings …

Perceptions Of Leadership Styles And Job Satisfaction In A Sample Of High School Athletic Directors In The United States, Colin J. Turey

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined how athletic directors perceive their leadership roles in interscholastic athletics and the relationship of their leadership styles to their job satisfaction. The conceptual framework of this study was Bass and Avolio’s (1994) full range leadership model, also known as the transformational-transactional leadership model, which consists of 9 factors—5 transformational behaviors: idealized influence (attributed), idealized influence (behavior), inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration; 2 transactional behaviors: contingent reward and management-by-exception (active); 2 passive/avoidant behaviors: management-by-exception (passive) and laissez-faire. These 9 factors are measured by the Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). The study was also informed by …

Reel Deans : The Portrayal Of Higher-Education Administrators In American Films, Jeffrey Todd Hess

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leadership theory routinely focuses on the relationships of leaders within the context of the work environment; however, culture and, specifically, films are a pervasive influence on both individuals and work environments. The literature review revealed that the relationships between higher-education faculty and administrators are strained. A conceptual framework known as the dark side phenomenon identified three dynamics affecting the work between faculty and administration: working relationships, supervisory roles, and the cultural impact. This lead to the research question: How are higher-education administrators portrayed as characters in popular American films? Data collection began with the selection of American films to study …

Content Analysis Of Conflict Resolution Curricula, Mary Smith

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Violence in schools in various forms has become recognizable. Awareness of this situation has resulted with proliferation of curricula for conflict education. The purpose of this study was to analyze conflict resolution curricula designed for five to eight year olds. The study examined three issues formulated from the review of related literature: time and space, skill building, and developmentally appropriate practices. The findings included time and physical space requirements for conflict resolution curricula, the suggested skills needed to peacefully resolve conflicts, and an evaluation of the developmentally appropriate activities in the curricula for early childhood ages 5-8.

Institutional Factors That Pertain To Commuter Student Success, Heather Adams Kenney

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore what institutional factors affect retention and student success at a Florida public, 4-year university for commuter students. This study included institutional factors controlled by the university that affect retention with students who commute to the institution. Commuter students compose over 80% of enrollment at the nation’s college and university campuses. This mixed-method study included both a survey and focus groups. In the first part of the study, quantitative data were collected, using the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI). The survey analysis of the data collected using the SSI indicated that the scores …

The Leadership Of Catholic Sisters Who Have Served As College Presidents : The Impact Of Gender And Religion On Leadership Efficacy, Karen M. Scolforo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For over a century, Catholic Sisters have assumed leadership roles in higher education. They have impacted the lives of future leaders and empowered women to explore options to domesticity. Despite their profound contribution to higher education leadership, their history is missing from textbooks and library shelves. The purpose of this qualitative and phenomenological research study was to examine the lived experiences of Catholic Sisters who have served as college president; to gain an understanding of their perceptions and perspectives as they relate to leadership and leadership efficacy; to identify the role, if any, that gender and religion have played in …

A View From Within : Instructors' Perspectives Of Their Roles With Adult Learners In Need Of Remediation, Lance J. Baxter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study focused on the perceptions of 12 faculty members teaching courses in adult basic education and described their professional experiences and interactions with adult learners within the context of a two-year, public, postsecondary institution. Participants, ranging in teaching experience from 13 years to 43 years, volunteered to take part in one-to-one, semi-structured interview sessions to offer insight into their professional experiences. The interview sessions yielded the complex, context-specific data for detailed analysis. Data analysis, supported through educational criticism and relevant concepts from the professional literature (Eisner, 1998), was used to develop four themes: how the faculty viewed …

Leadership Characteristics And Practices Of Selected High-Performing Nonprofit Organizations In Northeast Florida, Janie Karen Smalley

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The nonprofit sector plays a vital role in the quality of life in any community. Challenges such as economic fluctuations, the organization’s image in the community, and adverse legislative policies threaten the vitality of organizations. It is incumbent upon nonprofit leaders to help their organizations overcome these challenges. It is therefore important to understand leadership characteristics and practices of organizations that achieve a high-level of performance and have the ability to overcome threats to their success. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine the nonprofit sector in northeast Florida, identify a selected sample of high-performing organizations, and understand …

Impact Of Teacher Demographic, Knowledge, And Instructional Variables On Children's Language Development, Donna Ellis

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a set of teacher demographic, knowledge, and instructional variables is related to preschool children’s literacy development. Specifically, the study investigated how these teacher variables impact children’s language development scores on the four subscales of the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument, Second Edition (PLAI2) and the four subscales of the Test of Language Development – Primary, Fourth Edition (TOLD-P:4). There were two major research questions in the study: (a) Will the predictor set of CLASS emotional support, CLASS classroom organization, CLASS instructional support, level of education, years teaching pre-kindergarten, and answers on …

The Effects Of Using Interactive Word Walls To Teach Vocabulary To Middle School Students, Ledale Southerland

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teaching vocabulary to middle school students requires that educators find the most effective means of instruction to achieve this goal. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using an interactive word wall as the tool to combine five effective, research-based teaching strategies with social interaction to teach vocabulary to middle school students. In this study, 124 middle school students participated. The control group consisted of 67 eighth grade English students, and the intervention group was comprised of 57 seventh grade English students. The intervention was for a period of four weeks and included specific activities that …

Preparation For Teaching In Urban Schools: Perceptions Of The Impact Of Traditional Preparation Programs, Crystal Timmons

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During 2 decades of debate about teacher preparation education practitioners and policymakers have called for a more skilled professional teaching force (Darling- Hammond, 2010). Of particular concern has been poverty’s impact on education -- specifically in struggling urban schools -- prompting legislation such as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which shifted funding formulas in an effort to directly target poor students and struggling schools (Talbert-Johnson, 2006). The major purpose of this study was to explore novice teachers’ (teachers in their second to fourth year of teaching) perceptions of their preparedness to teach in urban schools following completion of …

Ethnic Differences In Alcohol Use: A Comparison Of Black And White College Students In A Small Private University Setting, Kristie S. Gover

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An identified gap in the literature associated with college student alcohol use is the exploration of the problem based on ethnicity, specifically possible differences in use between Black and White college students. The purpose of the present study was to examine differences in alcohol use for Black and White college students at a small private university in the southeast United States. The study was conducted using the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey Long Form, which is designed to collect data related to self reported use of alcohol and perceptions of alcohol use among college students. A quantitative methodology was employed …

A Case Study Analysis Of Five African American Male Educational Leaders, Donna Richardson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted to elucidate the current understandings about what is known about the African American pathway from seemingly oppressive beginnings to educational leadership positions. It was an investigation of five African American male leaders from Jacksonville, Florida, and their individual and collective perceptions on what enabled them to educationally succeed despite their humble beginnings. The study explored the similarities, differences, and historical experiences of all five of the African American male leaders purposefully chosen for this research. Two categories or types of themes were identified in this study, common background themes and common outcome themes. Six themes …

Psychosocial And Sociocultural Factors Associated With Cross-Cultural Adaptability, Pamela Plunk Kerouac

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This survey study examined a set of psychosocial and sociocultural variables to determine if there were any significant group differences in responses to an instrument that measured crosscultural adaptability among urban high school teachers. A goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of sociocultural experience and the perceived coping efficacy measures of cross-cultural adaptability. This study sought insight into the relationship between teachers' previous experiences and their perceived instructional and cross-cultural efficacy. Using a survey research design that included a Personal Data Questionnaire and an instrument developed by Kelley and Meyers ( 1992), the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI), …

Activities In World History For Artistically Talented Students, Brenda Peck Oliver

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The unique characteristics and needs of artistically talented students were explored. World history students at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts were used as a test group for the utilization of a variety of art forms in teaching world history. Lesson plans using art media for each unit of study in world history were constructed. Students responded to each lesson by completing an attitude survey. The conclusion was that the use of a variety of art in world history increased student interest and motivation. The increased student motivation resulted in a failure rate of approximately 5%, significantly lower than …

Changing Negative Attitudes Of Elementary Children Toward The Aged Through Positive Interaction And Aging Education Within The School Curriculum, Mary Emily King

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children develop attitudes at an early age, both positive and negative. Negative attitudes toward the aged can be changed through direct contact between the elderly and through aging education within the curriculum. Children have negative attitudes toward the elderly and the aging process. Direct contact can change these views by providing interaction between children and the elderly while aging education can bring about an awareness of the aging process and of the aged. With aging being an inevitable and important part of being human, it is necessary as well as important for educators to help children develop positive attitudes toward …

Technology And Its Implications For Early Childhood Educators: Considering The Microcomputer In The Kindergarten, Linda Lasalle Campbell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Kindergarten teachers can effectively and sensitively integrate the microcomputer into a curriculum which strives to meet the needs of the total child. This study indicates, through a review of professional journals and current books on the microcomputer in education, the need for technological skills. It demonstrates the presence of microcomputers in today's schools, even in the early years. Uses of the microcomputer in the kindergarten classroom are presented for consideration. Recommendations are included which call for informed and caring teachers to use the microcomputer to meet the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of the individual child.

Interpersonal Interactions In Student-Teacher Relationships: Types And Effect On Student Achievememt, Cheryl S. Spivey

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the types of interpersonal interactions, in student-teacher relationships, that have an effect on student achievement. These essential conditions of communication have been labeled: warmth, empathy, respect, genuineness, concreteness, self-disclosure, immediacy, and confrontation. Communication of these conditions, by teachers to students, shows a significant effect on student achievement when observed by classroom researchers. This investigation has also addressed the efficiency of training procedures used with groups of teachers who participated in the research studies, the results of which support the increasing awareness of human-relations development.

Cerebral Dominance, A Matter For Elementary Teacher Awareness, Mary E. Dortch

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses areas in cerebral dominance theory which elementary classroom teachers should be aware of when developing instructional strategies to enhance the learning experiences of children. Presented are past and present findings on cerebral dominance theory, giving the reader some understanding of what has been found about the manner in which children process information. The characteristics and processes of the two halves of the cerebrum have been discussed and possible applications and misapplications of this information have been given. It is concluded that students process information in different ways and that the data can be useful when examining teaching …

A Study To Develop Supplemental Reading Materials For Use With The Junior High School American History Curriculum, Patricia Crosby Helwig

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Through research into suggested sources a study was made to provide a collection of supplemental reading materials for use by teachers of American history at the junior high school level. These materials are intended to provide information, to promote individual achievement, to spark interests, and to be a motivation for independent reading.

The Effect Of Graphic And Phonemic Similarity On Syntactic Acceptability, Barbara D. Barket

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this study was to determine the effect of graphic and phonemic similarity on syntactic acceptability. Ten third graders were audio-taped reading material new to them at the end of the 1982-1983 school year. The children were given no assistance. Substitution miscues were recorded and analyzed according to The Goodman Taxonomy of Reading Miscues. Statistical analyses were carried out using the chi-square procedure and contingency coefficients were computed. The results indicate that graphic and phonemic similarity are somewhat related to syntactic acceptability but the relationship is very slight. Graphic similarity appears to be more independent of syntactic …

Anger Displayed By Second Grade Students Who Have Experienced Periodic, Planned Role-Playing/Discussion Activities And A Comparable Group Of Second Grade Students Who Have Not Experienced Periodic, Planned Role-Playing/Discussion Activities, Pamela S. Rogers

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Is there a difference between how a group of second grade students who have experienced periodic, planned role playing/ discussion activities and a comparable group of second grade students who have not experienced periodic, planned role playing/ discussion activities will display anger when presented with problem situations?

Cross-Age Tutoring, Joan P. Mcgovern

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As stated before, it appears that the sixth grade students at San Jose Catholic School would benefit from reading skills practice that would give them the opportunity to become more involved in the learning process. This project is designed to implement cross-age tutoring at San Jose Catholic School with an entire sixth grade class tutoring a second grade class in reading. The goal of the project is to improve the attitude toward reading of the sixth graders. Attitudes before and after tutoring will be rated on a slightly modified version of the Estes Attitude Scale. It is expected, though it …

Construction, Administration, And Validation Of A Test Of Oral Language Usage, Ronald Harrison

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We as teacher of English are faced with the task of preparing students for the world they will meet when they leave the classroom—a world that will judge them in part by their ability to manipulate the language to their advantage. And yet to measure the use of language, we rely almost exclusively on written measurements. It seems likely that students may easily learn to give the teacher the answer he wants on written tests of English usage. Oral tests are commercially available, but many are prohibitively expensive; others require hours of instruction before the teacher can consider himself qualified …

The Integration Of Reading And Science To Aid Problem Readers, Genevieve J. Minge

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to explain a curriculum package which was designed for science students at Orange Park IX, ninth grade center, Clay County, Florida. The target population consists of those students who read below the sixth-grade level according to the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) scores and who are enrolled in a general science class. These students are also enrolled in a Reading Skills class and some are in the SLD and ED programs as well. Although there will be interaction with the reading, SLD, and ED teachers, the classes will not be team taught. Therefore, the science …

An Open Education Kindergarten Curriculum Guide, Dianne Tyus Howard

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to develop an open education kindergarten curriculum guide utilizing learning centers. This curriculum guide consists of a discussion of specific aspects of implementation of learning centers and a detailed analysis of twelve learning centers. Whether learning centers are implemented gradually, moderately, or totally, the following factors are essential to consider prior to implementation: physical environment, materials, classroom management, evaluation and record keeping, and parental involvement. The following learning centers are discussed in-depth with respect to goals, objectives, enabling activities, and materials and supplies: math, science, language arts, social studies, art, music, block building, dramatic …

Teacher/Artist/Teacher, Joanne W. Overdorff

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Art educators have expressed the need for art teachers with more qualifications and for more evidence of creativity and successful art experience. The purpose of this project is to illustrate the importance of the interrelationship between the action-oriented sensory capacities of the artist and the verbal-analytical capacities of the teacher, and in so doing to develop a vehicle through which an art teacher might demonstrate the necessary proficiency in at least one medium within the fine arts. More specifically, the objective of the project is the development of an art exhibit to validate the competency of the artist-teacher in the …