Education Commons^™

I Would Teach It If I Knew How: Inquiry, Modeling, Shared Writing, Collaborative Writing, And Independent Writing (Imsci), A Model For Increasing Secondary Teacher Self-Efficacy In Integrating Writing Instruction In The Content Areas, Melanie M. Landon-Hays

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Framed in theories of pragmatism, self-efficacy, and ecology, this design-based research study attempted to make explicit connections between theory and field-based research. The pedagogical goal of this study was to expose in-service teachers to a scaffolded model of professional development for writing (IMSCI) that could be implemented in their own teaching. This model of professional development also served to place research participants in a professional learning community. Teachers worked in focus groups made of another teacher in their own discipline, and a collective focus group, and worked through the steps of the scaffolded model in consideration of their own writing …

Equivalent Fraction Learning Trajectories For Students With Mathematical Learning Difficulties When Using Manipulatives, Arla Westenskow

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study identified variations in the equivalent fraction learning of students with mathematical learning difficulties when using physical and virtual manipulatives. The study compared three interventions: physical manipulatives, virtual manipulatives, and a combination of physical and virtual manipulatives. The research used a mixed-method approach to collect and analyze data. Two types of learning trajectories were used to compare and synthesize the result. For this study, 43 fifth-grade students with mathematical learning difficulties participated in 10 sessions of equivalent fraction intervention.

Pre- to postdata analysis indicated significant gains for all three interventions. Effect size scores were used to compare the effects …

A Descriptive Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Faculty Inservice In Latter-Day Saint (Lds) Seminaries, Mark A. Mathews

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of professional development in the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (S&I) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) through a descriptive analysis of the processes and outcomes of faculty inservice. To accomplish this purpose, 140 randomly selected LDS seminary teachers completed a survey measuring the processes and outcomes of faculty inservice training. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequency and variation that teachers reported five features of effective professional development (content focus, active learning, coherence, duration, and collective participation) as being part of seminary faculty inservice …

Teaching Accessibility And Design-For-All In The Information And Communication Technology Curriculum: Three Case Studies Of Universities In The United States, England, And Austria, Paul Ryan Bohman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Digital technologies allow people with disabilities to participate independently in society in ways they never could before. The full realization of these new opportunities remains elusive, though, because working professionals in the information and communication technology (ICT) field rarely receive adequate training in how to make digital ICT accessible to people with disabilities. Adding accessibility to the university ICT curriculum can help create a critical mass of ICT professionals with accessibility awareness and expertise to finally realize the full accessibility potential of digital technologies. This dissertation provides a rich informational context from which ICT curriculum leaders can decide how to …

Relationships Between Classroom Schedule Types And Performance On The Algebra I Criterion-Referenced Test, Gregory V. Murray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Public education has options with regard to educational settings and structures. States and school districts may select varying lengths for the school year, lengths for the school day, and lengths for individual class periods. In Utah, one measure of students' achievement is scores on the State's end-of-level criterion-referenced test (CRT) for Algebra I. Additionally, an option regarding educational structures is the schedule type used to deliver Algebra I classes. This study examined the relationship between student achievement as measured by Algebra I CRT scores, and the schedule type used to deliver Algebra I classes. The schedule types compared were the …

A Study Of Utah’S New Century Scholarship (Ncs) Program, Christine Kearl

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This was a study about the New Century Scholarship (NCS) program offered to Utah high school students at commencement for earning an AA degree by the time of high school graduation. The scholarship paid 75% of the remaining 2 years of tuition over a 5-year period. The goal of the program was to assist students to bachelor degree completion faster than the traditional time.

This program has been in Utah for the past 20 years, but little to no information about the program exists. Annually, the cost to taxpayers is approximately $2 million dollars. This study was conducted to determine …

An Evaluation Of An E-Learning Training Course To Teach Instructors To Implement Discrete Trial Teaching, Joy S. Pollard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As the rates of autism are continuing to increase each year, it is imperative that we are able to train teachers to work with these children. Training teachers to use effective teaching strategies can be a time consuming endeavor and is challenging because schools may not have the resources to hire an expert trainer to provide this training. A solution may be to use e-learning. This would allow teachers in rural areas the ability to access the training, while also providing a cost-savings to school districts. The current study evaluated an e-learning training course, which is a multi-media computer-based training, …

The Use Of Life History Collage To Explore Learning Related To The Enactment Of Social Consciousness In Female Nonprofit Leaders, Susan R. Seymour

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This paper advances a novel qualitative research approach using life history collage. Rather that utilizing an interview protocol to enter into a participant’s story, life history collage invites participants to create a longitudinal collage of significant life events around a theme such as learning, relationships, or identity. The longitudinal nature of the collage situates and prioritizes significant life events with images, words, and elements chosen to represent events and circumstances. Each image within the collage contains rich and nuanced storylines that invite exploration by both researcher and participant. Meanings and subtexts are revealed as participants describe their collage and the …

A History Of The Development Of Charter School Legislation In Utah, Marlies Burns

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Utah Legislature enacted charter school legislation in 1998 in order to offer the state's first school-choice option. The legislation came following a task force discussion about the pros and cons of school choice and what school choice should look like in Utah. There was not agreement among task force constituents about what should be contained in the legislation, nor which entity should be responsible for the monitoring or oversight of the eight pilot charter schools.

Since enactment, Utah charter school legislation has changed during most legislative sessions with some establishing stronger charter school laws and some establishing weaker ones. …

The Effects Of Video Modeling On Staff Implementation Of The Picture Exchange Communication System In A Group Home For People With Intellectual Disabilities, Shawnee Dee Collins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As more individuals with intellectual disabilities live in integrated, community group home settings, it is increasingly important that direct support staff are well trained to implement behavioral interventions. However, there are often barriers to providing staff members with sufficient training. For example, there is typically a low supervisor-staff ratio. These studies evaluated the effects of watching a video model and completing a brief quiz on staff’s ability to implement Phases I (study 1) and II (study 2) of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) in group homes for adults with intellectual disabilities. Moreover, the effects of this staff training on …

Increasing Student Voice And Empowerment Through Technology: The Perceptions Of Communication Apprehensive Latter-Day Saint (Lds) Seminary Students, Doran H. Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many students find themselves unwilling or unable to participate vocally in traditional classroom settings. This study examines a group of LDS (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) seminary students who were hesitant to participate vocally in the classroom, but were highly involved in peer-to-peer communication through technology. The objective of this research was to determine the perceived value of technological implementations as it provides a potential forum for increased student participation.

As educators find and utilize teaching methods and resources that engage students more fully in the educational process, the students themselves become the primary beneficiaries. …

Repeated Reading: Testing Alternative Models For Efficient Implementation, Gregory Paul Lewis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An investigation was conducted to determine the best criterion for advancement to a new reading passage during the commonly used classroom strategy of repeated reading. Knowing when to move students to a new passage during the repeated reading process was considered of value to teachers in efficiently using student learning time. The study also explored the effect of demographic variables (age, ethnicity, gender, SES, and beginning reading ability) on predicting outcome measures based on repeated reading scores.

A complex multi-level structural equation model was developed to study (a) the growth of student's ability to read words with speed and accuracy …

A Study Of Secondary District-Level Literacy Coaches’ Beliefs About How To Teach Reading, Pamela Sharp Crawford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This case study explored the knowledge and beliefs held by six district-level reading coaches about how to teach reading at the middle-school level. It narrowed in on the possible influence past personal experiences, past academic and work experiences, and the influence of domain specific knowledge (i.e., English, social studies, elementary education, special education, ESL, etc.) might possibly have had upon the development of their knowledge and beliefs about how to teach reading. Finally, the study looked at how these influenced practice and decisions made in their roles as a cohort of district-level literacy coaches involved in developing and implementing a …

An Examination Of The Effects Of Transformational And Transactional Leadership Styles On Branch Level Success Of Industrial Distribution Companies, Rod L. Flanigan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wholesale distribution represents an estimated 7% of our country's GDP. The industrial distribution segment of this market is nearly $400 billion, annually. The rapid change of technology, foreign imports, and societal change continues to have significant impact on the industrial distribution market. Combined with the imminent leadership gap in the industry over the next several years, and the impact of developing and understanding effective leadership at the branch levels of industrial distributors, this becomes critically important for the long-term success of the entire organization.

This study attempts to understand the impact of leadership style on the success of industrial distributors …

Web Usage Mining: Application To An Online Educational Digital Library Service, Bart C. Palmer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation examined how users of the Instructional Architect (IA; http://ia.usu.edu) utilized the system in order to find online learning resources, place them in a new online instructional activities, and share and use them with students. The online learning resources can be found in educational digital libraries such as the National Science Digital Library (NSLD; http://nsdl.org) or the wider Web. Usage data from 22 months of IA use were processed to form usage features that were analyzed in order to find clusters of user behavior using latent class analysis (LCA).

The users were segmented into two samples with 5–90 and …

Treatment Of Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Utilizing Parent-Facilitated Acceptance And Commitment Therapy, Jennifer Yardley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects as many as 2.7% of children. Pediatric OCD is associated with significant distress for both families and children in multiple domains. Unfortunately, the majority of children with OCD do not receive adequate treatment. Without treatment pediatric OCD often persists into adulthood.

The current primary psychological treatment for pediatric OCD is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP). However, there are multiple limitations of this treatment. Some children either do not respond to current treatments or respond only minimally, while others drop out or refuse treatment.
Exposure-based treatments yield problems with treatment adherence, …

Undergraduate Information Systems (Is) Curriculum And Career Track Development In United States Colleges And Universities: Assessment Of Adherence To Is 2010 Curriculum Guidelines, Corbin Christopher Bell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this study was to survey IS curriculum in AACSB-accredited Information Systems programs across the United States, to evaluate current adherence to the IS 2010 Curriculum Guidelines, and to assess the number and type of career track developments initiated as a result of less stringent requirements in the new curriculum guidelines. In addition, an analysis was conducted to see if curriculum in AACSB-accredited Information Systems programs across the United States changed significantly since other similar evaluations reported in 1996, and 2006, and whether it is closer in adherence to the IS 2010 curriculum guidelines.

The findings of this …

Generalization Of Negatively Reinforced Mands In Children With Developmental Disabilities, Nicole Christine Groskreutz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nicole Groskreutz along with her advisors, Dr. Timothy Slocum and Dr. Sarah Bloom, from the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation at Utah State University, proposed to teach children with developmental disabilities to appropriately request the termination of things they do not like, in place of engaging in problem behavior. The researchers collaborated with educators and administrators in public and/or private schools to identify students in need of this skill and to carry out all experimental phases. The researchers have significant clinical and research experience in teaching communication skills and decreasing problem behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities.

The researchers …

Relationship Between First-Year Student Retention, Noncognitive Risk Factors, And Student Advising, R. David Roos

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was undertaken by David Roos, a USU doctoral student and an employee at Dixie State College, in fall semester 2009. The purpose of the study was to measure the possible impact that nonacademic student information would have on retention when used by advisors and shared in an advising session with students. This information was gathered using an in-class survey that identified nonacademic or "noncognitive" risk factors not apparent by looking at a high school transcript or reviewing a student's demographic background. Such factors as college commitment, self-efficacy, and resiliency were measured using a survey instrument called the Student …

Self-Directed Learning In Problem-Based Learning Versus Traditional Lecture-Based Learning: A Meta-Analysis, Heather M. Leary

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Problem-based learning is an approach to education and learning that focuses on students investigating problems, rather than being directly instructed by teachers. Reviews, also called meta-analyses, comparing traditional lecture-based learning to problem-based learning report modest positive learning gains in student cognitive outcomes. Many meta-analyses have been conducted to analyze the effectiveness of problem-based learning, but none examine the extent of self-directed learning in problem-based learning. The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis across all disciplines (medicine, education, business, history, etc.) while examining self-directed learning in problem-based learning.

This study used a random effects model meta-analysis using 75 …

Explicit Instruction Elements In Core Reading Programs, Angela R. Child

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Angela R. Child at Utah State University conducted a content analysis study aimed at describing the inclusion of seven explicit instruction elements, namely, direct explanation, modeling, guided practice, independent practice, feedback, discussion, and monitoring, found within five widely published core reading programs (CRPs). These seven elements of explicit instruction will be sought in essential reading component lessons which include: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension only.

The study sought to describe the instructional recommendations found within the CRPs lessons to benefit society by; aiding educators in the selection of a CRP for their school or district; assisting classroom teachers …

Explaining The Paradox: Perceived Instructor Benefits And Costs Of Contributing To Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Opencourseware, Preston Paul Parker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) OpenCourseWare (OCW) project offers potential benefits and costs to three main categories of people: users, the
institute itself, and the instructors who provided the materials to the project. Little is known about the benefits and costs of the instructors, so that is what this study examines. Instructors put together the original educational materials and would seem to have the most to lose by contributing to OCW.

It appears that instructors recognize benefits of: (1) improved reputation, (2) networking, (3) supplementary opportunities, (4) improved course content, (5) course
feedback, (6) students accessing materials, and (7) …

The Development And Implementation Of A Hierarchical Model To Measure The Effects Of Instructional Coaching On Student Achievement, Logan Thomas Toone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A large suburban school district in northern Utah implemented an elementary school instructional coaching program intended to increase student achievement in reading and mathematics. Program administrators wished to determine the degree to which certain elements of instructional coaching affected student achievement. This no-cost study began with the collection of student achievement data (from state reading and math assessments), coaching data (from time logs), and demographic data (from the district database). Data were analyzed within a three-level hierarchical linear model to determine the predicted effect of coaching on student achievement outcomes.

Coaching factors included the length of time coaches spent with …

What Is The Lived Experience Of The Learners In A Coteaching Classroom?, Janet Adams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of the learners in a fifth-grade coteaching classroom. Because the practice of coteaching is gaining popularity in schools, there is increasing use of this teaching method in general education classrooms. If learning in a coteaching classroom is to be meaningful for students, it is important to have their perspective of this instructional delivery option. Through careful listening, observation, and interpretation of the students’ lived experience, a better understanding of the students’ perspective in a coteaching classroom was gained.

The results of this study suggest coteaching can be an effective …

Using Script-Fading Procedures To Teach Children With Autism To Initiate During Free Play, Kara Anne Reagon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children with autism often display deficits in social interaction, communication, and play. Unlike typical peers during free play with a variety of games and toys, they often do not initiate to others or engage in interactive game play for sustained periods of time. Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of script-fading procedures in increasing initiations and conversational repertoires for children with autism. However, these procedures were examined in arranged environments using an activity schedule or in structured settings. In addition, the role of the conversation partner has not been studied. The use of activity schedules has also been effective in …

A Multicase Study Of The Impact Of Perceived Gender Roles On The Career Decisions Of Women In Science-Related Careers, Stephen Frank Hren

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was done to determine how the perception of gender roles developed throughout childhood and early adulthood affected the career decisions of women who showed early promise in science. In addition, this study was done to determine if my experiences as a researcher would have any impact on me personally. Four women were chosen as case study participants, providing for comparison within and across cases.

Gender roles were found to relate to the career decisions made by the four cases in three ways: (a) support from family members, teachers, mentors, and collaborators; (b) opportunities within the family, school and …

Parent Nutrition Education And The Influence On Family Lifestyle Behavior Changes, Kelsey Rich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah State University in the collaboration with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) proposes to develop and implement a program to help families develop healthy eating habits and lifestyle behaviors. Recently, childhood overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions. The diseases associated with adult obesity are now being seen in the pediatric population; therefore, there is a call for preventative efforts. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in combination with an active lifestyle discourages the presence of obesity. Currently, most childhood obesity prevention efforts have taken place in the school setting and have only had short term …

Research Into The Utility Of Standards In Foreign Language Instruction: A Case Study Of Methods Used In The High School Setting, Paul S. Kirby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Given the increased emphasis on language acquisition in public education, and in university, government, and military settings there will be an increased focus on the
language classroom. My goal in this study was to investigate how five foreign language instructors in the Salt Lake metropolitan area perceived and implemented the national standards disseminated by the American Council for the Teachers of Foreign Language (ACTFL) known as the five Cs. These standards have also been adopted by the Utah State Office of Education (USOE). A broadened understanding was achieved through analysis of structured interviews, direct observation of foreign language instructors, evaluation …

Measurement Of Balance Disruption Following A Lower Extremity Injury In Female Soccer Players, Hannah Jaussen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The main purpose for this study is to determine how balance is disrupted following an injury using the Neurocom Balance System, and also to track the progression through the rehabilitation process until the athlete is returned to participation. There are many reasons that this is beneficial not only to athletic trainers but also to the athletes. This provides objective information on the status of a person's balance, which prior to new technologies like the Neurocom System was impossible to measure. Athletic trainers can utilize this information to make better educated decisions regarding the athlete's rehabilitation, treatment, and return to participation. …

A Comparison Of Balance And Postural Stability Assessment Tools: Bess Versus Neurocom Balance Manager, Jamie Joliffe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The BESS and the NeuroCom Balance Manager are two tests used to assess concussions. Utah State University uses a modified version of the BESS and this study looks at the correlations of this modified test to that of a more objective tool, the NeuroCom Balance Manager. Both testing tools were administered to 114 Utah State University football players. A Pearson product-moment correlation was used to observe the correlations between the two tests. The correlations reported that the overall score of the modified BESS was correlated to one stance (double leg stance on foam) of one of the tests administered on …