Education Commons^™

Tapping Into The Social Capital Of African American Alumni Of Urban High Schools, Adrian Derrick Johnson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and understand how African American alumni of urban high schools perceived that they could best contribute to their former schools. Despite numerous improvement efforts for several decades, the academic performance of urban high school students has failed to keep pace with that of their suburban counterparts. This research was framed around the premise that the rich legacies and diverse cultural experiences of African American alumni of urban high schools could mitigate the outside factors that negatively impact student performance at urban schools. These funds of knowledge, as Moll and Amanti (2005) described …

The Power Of Facebook For Universities: A Study Of Official Facebook Pages Of Florida's Universities, Jerrett R. Dumouchel

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the potential power of Facebook to be used by higher education institutions as a key communication tool to provide viewers’ emergent impressions, or frames, of the institution. This study was intended to contribute to the knowledge base of social media and higher education by studying the emergent frames formed from the posts on the official Facebook page of each member university of the Florida State University System.

Impact Of Read 180 On Adolescent Struggling Readers, Kathy Joiner Smith

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The foundation for the present study was based on the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001), Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 2004, and Florida Response to Intervention (RTI) (Florida RTI, 2009). In line with the NCLB Act, Florida requires students to pass the reading portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) on grade level in order to graduate (FL-DOE, 2001). In alignment with the RTI framework, READ 180 is presently being implemented as a Tier 2 intervention with adolescent struggling readers across the nation. The methodology for this research was a retrospective research design, with the …

Ecological Influences On Weight Status In Urban African-American Adolescent Females: A Structural Equation Analysis, Jevetta Stanford

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study employed a quantitative, non-experimental, multivariate correlational research design to test a hypothesized model examining associative paths of influence between ecological factors and weight status of urban, African-American adolescent females. Anthropometric and self-report survey data of 182 urban, African- American adolescent females were collected during after-school programs, health and physical education classes, and community events in an urban area in northeast Florida. Descriptive analyses were conducted to characterize the study participants based upon their age, study setting, and weight status. A scale reliability analysis was conducted to assess the internal consistency reliability of the sample data using selected …

The Impact Of Online Professional Development On Online Teaching In Higher Education, William John Ganza

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the impact a professional development program (Online Professor Certificate Program, OPCP) had on teaching online in higher education— specifically, the impact on faculty members’ teaching presence. The conceptual and theoretical model utilized the community of inquiry framework and both critical theory and transformational learning theory. This case study used data from various sources, including questionnaires, content analysis, and interviews. The overall results indicate that the OPCP had some impact on teaching presence, but not as much as anticipated. The study found that faculty who completed the OPCP were more engaged in their online classes than those who …

A Collective Case Study Of Mobile E-Book Learning Experiences, Jeffrey Scott Kissinger

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research was designed to explore the learning experiences of state college students using mobile e-book readers. The purpose of the study was to build a rich description of how students used electronic textbooks delivered on mobile computing devices for college-level, introductory sociology courses. This research employed a multiple case study design that thoroughly investigated and documented student experiences with this instructional technology.

The bounding frame was comprised of the literature on mobile technology, mobile learning theories, and e-books. Situated within the mobile learning framework was a theoretical lens of learning theories commonly found in the literature on mobile learning …

A Path Analysis Of The Behavioral Intention Of Secondary Teachers To Integrate Technology In Private Schools In Florida, John P. Mccombs

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research was designed to investigate the behavioral intention of a sample of teachers to develop curriculum based projects that require students to use technology. This research employed a quantitative study design of an educational version of the Universal Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model. The UTAUT model was expanded to include factors from the Theory of Planned Behavior, and Social Cognitive Theory.

The sample was composed of 251 private school teachers in Florida who completed an on-line survey instrument based upon the UTAUT model. The results were analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis that identified several factors that …

College Readiness And Academic Successes For Arts Magnet And Traditional High School Graduates, Dianne Crum Dawood

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the arts magnet high school in preparing its graduates for college readiness from the threshold of college admission (high school grade point average and achievement scores) through matriculation to the type of baccalaureate degree awarded.

The setting was 15 public arts magnet high schools and 15 randomly-selected public traditional high schools and the Florida State University System of 11 postsecondary institutions. The research population was four 6-year cohorts of graduates of the 30 high schools in the present study (N = 8,967). Logistic and linear regression techniques, college …

The Effect Of Moral Distress On Nursing Retention In The Acute Care Setting, Cynthia L. Cummings

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive study explored the relationship between moral distress, professional stress and intent to stay in the hospital setting. The study involved 234 nursing participants and was conducted via an online survey over a 90 day period. The survey tool consisted of 51 items taken from known moral distress, professional stress and intent to stay tools. The items were divided into frequency and intensity of occurrence. Various statistical measures were utilized to conclude that moral distress and professional stress factors were significant (p

Factors Associated With Public School Chronic Absenteeism, Roger Herbert Antworth

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chronic absenteeism is a problem that has plagued the public school system for a number of years. The cost of missed days of school can be counted in missed work, missed participation, and missed opportunities. The chronically absent student falls behind his/her peers academically which may lead to grade level retention and truancy. Truancy has been identified as one of the key indicators associated with students in public schools who drop out of school. Truancy can also be a predictor of illegal drug use by students (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).

Researchers have attempted to identify the various characteristics of …

Enterprise Resource Planning In Higher Education: A Comparative Case Study, Aaron Charles Marterer

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Case study research on enterprise systems in higher education organizations has shown that the challenges associated with implementing enterprise systems in higher education occur when unique organizational characteristics found in universities do not align with the standard characteristics built into the software programs. Based on such findings, the purpose of this study was to further explore the interaction between higher education organizations and enterprise systems during Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations in order to gain insight into the effects of ERP implementations in higher education. Through the theoretical lens of actor-network theory, the purposes of this comparative case study at …

Factors Associated With Successful Hispanic Students In Higher Education, Ana G. Linares

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Hispanic population in the United States already constitutes the fastest growing minority group in the United States and by the year 2050 this group will constitute 24% of the total population and one fourth of the national workforce. Because this is a very young population whose median age is 27.2 years old, the education of this group is pivotal to the future of this nation. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived importance of personal and external factors found in the literature as significant in Hispanic college success for a sample of 137 Hispanic college seniors …

Articulation, Academic Progress, And Graduation: A Comparison Of Community College Transfer And Native Students In Selected Florida Universities, Angela M. Garcia Falconetti

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this concurrent mixed methods study was to explore how well Florida's 2+2 articulation agreement and transfer student services meet the needs of students. Phase I employed quantitative methodology to compare the academic success and persistence to graduation of a single cohort (n = 2,612) of Florida public community college Associate in Arts graduates (n = 1,738) and native (n = 874) juniors (60-to-70 credit hours) who entered the same universities as FTIC. Discriminant analysis results yielded statistically significant differences in the academic success and persistence of community college transfer and native student graduates and …

A Comparative Analysis Of Public Postsecondary Workforce Education Institutions In Florida, Georgia, And Kentucky, Christine Cothron

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research was a descriptive cross-site case study of organizational structures of public workforce education institutions in the states of Florida, Georgia, and Kentucky. Organizational structures in public workforce education institutions can be found in four basic designs: technical centers, technical colleges, community colleges, and community and technical colleges. The purpose of this study was to investigate the concept of organizational structure in terms of the operation and effectiveness of workforce education institutions by studying four workforce institutions operating under differing arrangements.

This study investigated the following research questions:
1. Does organizational structure influence specific outcome factors for and between …

Toward A Unified Theory Of Cognition: A Kantian Analysis, Clayton Daniel Austin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this paper is to provide classroom teachers a more unified theory of cognition. The current cognitive theories of information processing, schema theory, and constructivism exhibit limitations and a lack of cohesion that make their implications for teachers unclear. This paper will be presented in five sections. 1) The first describes problems with current cognitive theories and the need for a unified theory of cognition 2) The second provides a review of the literature of current cognitive theories. 3) The third section consists of research in the history of cognitive theory both in philosophy and psychology. 4) The …

The Impact Of 4 X 4 Block Scheduling At An Urban High School, Paul Edward Montgomery

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether attendance, academic achievement, school climate, student stress, and teacher burnout improved in an inner city, predominantly African American high school after the implementation of a 4 x 4 block schedule. Data concerning student academic achievement and absenteeism in 14 classrooms were gathered from the school's Annual Scholastic Reports. Data concerning the instructional practices of eight teachers were gathered through the teacher version of the Instructional Practices Survey and compared to a student version of the Instructional Practices Survey to determine whether student perception of instructional practices coincided with the teachers' …

Decision Makers' Thinking During The Design And Implementation Of A K-5 High-Computer-Access (Hca) Program, Constance Dianne Gutknecht

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As present trends in education indicate, learning with technology is increasingly being considered as a means of instructional delivery for K-1 2 learners. Educational leaders must be informed of how to provide the experiences, skills, and knowledge required of the learners for whom they are responsible.

This qualitative study examined the conceptualization of a school district's attempt to design and implement a high-computer-access (HCA) program. Research methodologies included interview, observation, and analysis of related documents. The results comprised the thinking of the HCA program designers and how they viewed learning theory and effective instruction principles in relationship to the HCA …

Rape Risk Reduction Materials: How Do University Students Of Color Perceive The Cultural Relevancy Of These Materials?, Anita L. Vorreyer-Hedges

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have investigated how race and ethnicity influence people's beliefs about rape, or what impact these beliefs have on what and how we teach college students in efforts to raise awareness about rape. The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of how students of color perceive the cultural relevance of materials commonly used on campuses for rape risk reduction education. Participants were African American and Hispanic students at a mid-sized state university. Focus group sessions and interviews were conducted with 23 student participants. Students reported that they found the rape risk reduction materials culturally relevant; however, other …

Learner Centeredness As A Predictor Of Teachers' Role Stress And Career Commitment, Kathryn Marie Krudwig

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Questions explored in this study were: (a) Is learner centeredness related to teacher role stress and/or career commitment; (b) If so, can learner centeredness explain variance in teachers' role stress and/or career commitment; (c) Is the discrepancy between teacher and student perceptions of teacher practices related to teacher role stress and/or career commitment; and (d) if so, can this discrepancy explain variance in teachers' role stress and/or career commitment? The current need to provide every child with qualified and committed teachers in the face of a growing, national teacher shortage supported the significance of the research. The study was based …

Professional Socialization And Mentoring Relationships In Beginning Nursing Practice, Barbara Ann Barnaby Darby

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold--to gain understanding of early professional socialization in beginning nursing practice from the beginning practitioner's perspective and to explore the influences of mentoring on the professional socialization of beginning nurses. Participants were thirty-one novice practitioners from an associate in science degree nursing program in the Southeast section of the United States.

The unique perspectives of beginning nurses were gained through the use of focus groups. Data analysis consisted of content analysis, data display and reduction, identification of themes, and conclusion drawing.

Findings supported the notion that professional socialization occurs in phases. Beginners anticipate initial …

A Comparison Of Traditional And Conceptual Instruction On Students' Algorithmic Performance And Understanding Of Area, Laura Borselli Langton

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of conceptual instruction on conceptual understanding and algorithmic performance as well as the student's ability to relate the two. The sample consisted of 83 fifth grade students, divided into four classes. A total of 44 were in the experimental group and 39 served as the control group. Both groups were taught the concept of area. The experimental group received conceptual instruction and the control group received traditional instruction. Two regular classroom teachers implemented the experiment, each taught one experimental group and one control group. A pretest/posttest design was used to collect the data. Analysis of …

Kindergarten Retention, Wanda Elaine Gallmon

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Twenty years ago, kindergarten was a year of informal education designed to help a child develop some readiness skills, adjust to school, adjust socially and learn through play. Readiness for elementary education was defined in terms of attitude and motivation rather than in specific academic achievements.

The hazards of the academic model for young children is supported by recent research. Elkind (1986), for example, confirms that young children do not learn in the same ways as older children and adults. Because the world of things, people, and language is so new to infants and young children, they learn best through …

Curriculum For At Risk Students, Pamela W. Bean

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This curriculum project reviews the research on students who have been labeled drop-outs and/or low-achievers. Several different types of teaching models were reviewed to determine the best model to be used for drop-out and/or low-achieving students.

The project includes curriculum materials that correspond to the Minimum Level Skills objectives for the General Math II course designated by the Duval County School System in Florida. The curriculum also corresponds to the required textbook for the General Math II course. This project strives to increase the ability of the students in the Graduation Enhancement Program to pass the Minimum Level Skills Test …

The Effects Of Teacher Expectations Of At-Risk Students On Teacher Instructional Behaviors, Martha Kahler Castro

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the degree to which teacher expectations of at-risk students affect the teacher's instructional behaviors. Four elementary teachers were observed and videotaped for 20 minutes each during a language arts lesson. The videotapes were analyzed using an instrument consisting of ten behaviors from the Florida Performance Measurement System that reflect Rosenthal's four factors of teacher expectations, climate, input, output, and feedback. The teacher's instructional behaviors were recorded each time the behavior occurred during the 20 minute observation. The data were analyzed to determine if a relationship exists between the teacher's expectations for average or above average students and …

Open Education: Its Development In America And Its Influence On Current Educational Themes, Laurie Jo Hays

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper investigates the origins of the Open Education movement in the United States and traces its development throughout the twentieth century. Pioneers of the movement are discussed, with an extensive description of John Dewey's work provided. Political and social forces which affected Open Education throughout the century are described. Finally, current trends in education are examined to determine whether Open Education remains in practice. Conclusions and implications for classroom practice are included.

An Elective Mathematics Course For College-Bound Students, Carol D. Daraskevich

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this project was to research and analyze the changes in college mathematics curricula and to establish the need for a change in the current college-preparatory mathematics program. The research indicates that colleges are emphasizing computer applications, statistics, and discrete mathematics.

Life Science For Elementary Teachers, Catherine Devine

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Science is taught at all grade levels, yet there exists a deficiency in the amount of emphasis placed on science training for elementary teachers. As a result, teachers often feel inadequate in their knowledge of scientific areas and in their ability to develop science process skills in their students. As a result in this lack of training, a need exists to provide programs to increase skill and confidence of elementary teachers not only in teaching science concepts but science process skills as well.

One means of meeting this need was the development of an activity-based, process-oriented inservice curriculum designed specifically …

Non-Sexist Language Curriculum Guidebook, Maureen Parrella Steiner

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Included is a skills development curriculum unit for secondary English students which encourages the use of non-sexist language with creativity within the content area. The study contains lists of objectives, writing, reading and group activities, an attitude survey for students and an evaluation checklist for teachers. Classroom discussions, films, fairy tales and skills development exercises are used to help students recognize and find alternatives to sexist language. The rationale for the teaching of non-sexist language is based on the theory that how we speak stems from how we think, and visa-versa. If sexism in reading and writing is identified and …

A Comparison Study Of Kindergarten Retention Rate And Implementation Of Developmental Kindergarten, Toni Lane Dorsett Tennent

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In an attempt to help developmentally young children experience success, many schools have established developmental kindergarten programs. An ex post facto study of a developmental kindergarten program in a Florida elementary school examined 598 student records covering five school years. Overall kindergarten retention rates before and after the implementation of the developmental kindergarten program were compared. Entry age, gender, and class size as factors in retention were also analyzed. A comparison of the entry age, gender, and kindergarten retentions before and after implementation of developmental kindergarten was also undertaken. Results of chi-square analyses showed no significant effects upon kindergarten retentions …

Personality Type And Question Preference Of College Level Students, Sheryl L. Mcglamery

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The impact of personality type on question preference is an area of new endeavor. It is the purpose of this study to determine if a relationship exists between the Sensing and Intuiting dimensions of personality as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the questioning preference of students. A Chi Square analysis of the data revealed a trend. Frequency distributions were used to determine the direction of the trend. Both the Sensing and the Intuiting subjects showed a tendency to follow type with regard to question preference. In other words those subjects showing a Sensing preference on the MBTI …