Education Commons^™

Effects Of A Mentorship Program On High Need College Students: Reflections From Mentors And Mentees, Stephen Miske, Olusegun Sogunro

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

On average, the college graduation rates for minority and/or high-need students are generally low. To address this situation, a Mid-Atlantic Consortium recently secured a grant to improve 4-year graduation rates of high-need students (i.e., new first-time students and transfer students who qualify as low-income students, first-generation college students, adult students, and/or students of color) by 20% over each selected college’s baseline. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences of students and faculty mentors toward accomplishing this goal. Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically. Some of the effects identified in this study included enhanced academic …

Online Assessment In Large Undergraduate Courses During Covid-19 Emergency Response Teaching, Kate Maloney Williams, Alice E. Donlan

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The transition to online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented and forced many universities to quickly embrace online distance learning. This context created new challenges, particularly around assessment strategies. Empirical research has demonstrated that formative assessment fosters more active learning in online classrooms. However, formative assessment strategies are not always adapted well to online platforms based on the nature of the subject matter and the size of the class. This qualitative case study sought to understand instructors’ experiences and strategies for conducting assessment remotely, specifically for large-size undergraduate courses. The investigation relied on data from semi-structured interviews with University …

The Continuing Influence Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Tertiary Education, Gary J. Burkholder, Erwin Krauskopf

Higher Learning Research Communications

We are pleased to publish the first regular issue (Volume 13, Issue 1) of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) for 2023. While the World Health Organization and the governments and health departments in most of the world have ended the COVID-19 emergency, the effects of the pandemic on operations in higher education will likely continue for some time. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published a report (Abdrasheva, 2022) that globally examines the state of higher education two years after the pandemic began. The authors noted that in the area of teaching and learning, “slow adaptation to …

University Students' First Online Exam Experience: Is It Stressful Or Joyful?, Konul Abasli, Bahar Yakut Ozek, Abdulkhalig Mammadli

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine university students’ views on online exams during the pandemic. The study was carried out with the participation of 15 undergraduate students studying at an engineering university in Azerbaijan.

Methods: Interpretive phenomenology guided the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis.

Results: Research findings showed that students experienced various problems in the online exam process. The inability to solve the technical problems encountered during exams and the perception that the instructors did not have sufficient knowledge about the conduct of the online exams made it difficult for …

Closing Reading Achievement Gaps For Middle School Students, Michael D. Daugherty

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This research examined how self-efficacy, collective efficacy, and professional development compared between core content and special education middle school teachers working with middle school students in reading comprehension and fluency. Accordingly, no statistically significant difference in teacher self-efficacy between core content and special education teachers was discovered based on the ANOVA analysis results. An analysis of professional development and collective teacher efficacy showed mixed results with a negative relationship predicted between increased professional development hours for core content teachers. A predicted positive relationship existed with the number of professional development hours increasing for special education teachers. There was no statistically …

Stressors, Coping Strategies, And Achievement During Teaching Practicum In A Nigerian Public University, Mensah Prince Osiesi, Udukhomose Suleiman Omokhabi, Sunday Ade Adeniran, Oluwayemisi Damilola Akomolafe, Oluwatoyin Tolu Obateru, Chigozie Celestina Oke, Adenike Lucia Aruleba

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study assessed pre-service teacher stressors, coping strategies, and achievement during teaching practicum in a Nigerian public university.

Method: The study adopted the quantitative case study approach. The population consisted of all 300-level students in the faculty of education in the university who had completed their teaching practicum for the first semester of the 2020–2021 academic session. The quota sampling technique was used in selecting a sample of 130 pre-service teachers. We analysed data using multiple regression.

Results: Findings revealed the stressors and coping strategies, controlling for gender, did not significantly predict achievement in the teaching practicum. Several coping …

Evaluators' Perceptions On The Quality Of Training For Conducting Classroom Observations, Mark Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThere is a problem in the state of Michigan’s evaluation system regarding the training received by those conducting classroom teacher observations. A performance gap between teachers and students and provides training solutions for classroom observers was identified. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of school administrators regarding their preparedness and ability to conduct effective observations of teachers. Social cognitive theory and its six constructs was the conceptual framework used for this research study. Research questions addressed the perceptions of school administrators about the training they have received and their need for additional training. A …

Overcoming Barriers To Private-Public Partnerships, Lavina Valentine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

SA is an organization that promotes science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. As a small organization, it continues to look for partnerships that allow the expansion and development of this educational coursework. The organization faces barriers to receiving private and public partnerships. In this professional administrative study, barriers were identified and addressed. Opportunities to improve the availability of collaborations and effective partnerships for this organization were also addressed, expressing the significant benefit that the community receives. The evidence drawn from scholarly resources, quantitative research, and articles highlighted the importance of STEM subjects, and their role in their community. The …

The Effects Of Parental Engagement Programs On Grades 3-5 Milestones Student Achievement, Deborah Malone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the Every Student Succeeds Act sets the parameters for parents and families to be involved in their children’s education, there are no specified guidelines on how that involvement should be designed to best impact student achievement. The purpose of this study was to compare Grade 3-5 students’ mean Milestones test scores in English Language Arts, mathematics, and science (dependent variables) at two Southeastern United States elementary schools which offered parental involvement/parental engagement programs—a nonmandatory or mandatory program (independent variable), represented by School A and B, respectively. The theoretical foundations of the study were the social and human capital theory …

The Alignment Between The Algebra Curriculum At A Texas High School And The Mathematics Section Of The Texas Success Initiative Assessment, Kathryn Kober

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the Algebra I and Algebra II mathematics course curriculum documents at a local high school to determine alignment to the mathematics section of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) and to identify content necessary for students to demonstrate college readiness in mathematics on the TSIA. Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (RBT) was used to analyze the curriculum documents for alignment to the TSIA content and answer the research question that look for alignment between the Algebra I and Algebra II curriculum documents and the TSIA for mathematics. This study used a qualitative …

Evaluators' Perceptions On The Quality Of Training For Conducting Classroom Observations, Mark Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThere is a problem in the state of Michigan’s evaluation system regarding the training received by those conducting classroom teacher observations. A performance gap between teachers and students and provides training solutions for classroom observers was identified. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of school administrators regarding their preparedness and ability to conduct effective observations of teachers. Social cognitive theory and its six constructs was the conceptual framework used for this research study. Research questions addressed the perceptions of school administrators about the training they have received and their need for additional training. A …

Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction focuses on students’ readiness, interests, learning styles, and life circumstances, rather than a set curriculum. The perceptions faculty have about differentiated instruction can impact their willingness and ability to implement the practice in their classroom. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore, in a private school in a south-central U.S. state, middle school teachers’ perceptions of, expectations about, and experiences with differentiated instruction. The conceptual framework that guided the study was Tomlinson’ s instructional differentiation philosophy supported by empirical research on differentiated instruction as effective. Six middle school English, history, science, and math teachers completed …

An Evaluation Of A School-Based School Connectedness Program, John G. Emmerich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, approximately 45% of high school students are either not engaged (28%) or actively disengaged (17%) in the academic process. Increasing a school's average student engagement yields an increase in reading and math achievement. This study evaluates a school connectedness program, Promoting Positive School Engagement (PPSE) program using a convergent mixed methods model to determine the degree of effectiveness measured by the Hemingway measure of adolescent connectedness instrument in an Urban, Midwest public middle school. Quantitative data were collected from 20 students who participated in the program and 20 students who did not (control group). Analyzed using …

Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction focuses on students’ readiness, interests, learning styles, and life circumstances, rather than a set curriculum. The perceptions faculty have about differentiated instruction can impact their willingness and ability to implement the practice in their classroom. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore, in a private school in a south-central U.S. state, middle school teachers’ perceptions of, expectations about, and experiences with differentiated instruction. The conceptual framework that guided the study was Tomlinson’ s instructional differentiation philosophy supported by empirical research on differentiated instruction as effective. Six middle school English, history, science, and math teachers completed …

An Evaluation Of A School-Based School Connectedness Program, John G. Emmerich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, approximately 45% of high school students are either not engaged (28%) or actively disengaged (17%) in the academic process. Increasing a school's average student engagement yields an increase in reading and math achievement. This study evaluates a school connectedness program, Promoting Positive School Engagement (PPSE) program using a convergent mixed methods model to determine the degree of effectiveness measured by the Hemingway measure of adolescent connectedness instrument in an Urban, Midwest public middle school. Quantitative data were collected from 20 students who participated in the program and 20 students who did not (control group). Analyzed using …

The Alignment Between The Algebra Curriculum At A Texas High School And The Mathematics Section Of The Texas Success Initiative Assessment, Kathryn Kober

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the Algebra I and Algebra II mathematics course curriculum documents at a local high school to determine alignment to the mathematics section of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) and to identify content necessary for students to demonstrate college readiness in mathematics on the TSIA. Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (RBT) was used to analyze the curriculum documents for alignment to the TSIA content and answer the research question that look for alignment between the Algebra I and Algebra II curriculum documents and the TSIA for mathematics. This study used a qualitative …

The Relationship Between College Credits Earned In A Community College Dual Enrollment Program And First-Year Grade Point Average, Johnesa Hodge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased number of college credits earned in dual enrollment programs initiated concern by educators, researchers, and policymakers regarding college readiness. However, data are scarce and inconsistent across governing states and community colleges to measure college readiness and dual enrollment’s effectiveness. The purpose of this quantitative study examined early college credits earned in general education, career and technical education, college orientation disciplines, and first-year grade point average (GPA) to measure college readiness. Conley’s key dimensions of college and career readiness model grounded the study. Archival transcript data were collected from a Michigan community college for 524 former dual enrollment students. …

Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction focuses on students’ readiness, interests, learning styles, and life circumstances, rather than a set curriculum. The perceptions faculty have about differentiated instruction can impact their willingness and ability to implement the practice in their classroom. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore, in a private school in a south-central U.S. state, middle school teachers’ perceptions of, expectations about, and experiences with differentiated instruction. The conceptual framework that guided the study was Tomlinson’ s instructional differentiation philosophy supported by empirical research on differentiated instruction as effective. Six middle school English, history, science, and math teachers completed …

The Relationship Between College Credits Earned In A Community College Dual Enrollment Program And First-Year Grade Point Average, Johnesa Hodge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased number of college credits earned in dual enrollment programs initiated concern by educators, researchers, and policymakers regarding college readiness. However, data are scarce and inconsistent across governing states and community colleges to measure college readiness and dual enrollment’s effectiveness. The purpose of this quantitative study examined early college credits earned in general education, career and technical education, college orientation disciplines, and first-year grade point average (GPA) to measure college readiness. Conley’s key dimensions of college and career readiness model grounded the study. Archival transcript data were collected from a Michigan community college for 524 former dual enrollment students. …

A Winning Approach: Teaching Science Communication Skills Through Small-Group Workshops, Serena B. Gumusoglu, Maria Noterman Soulinthavong, Jennifer Barr

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Research almost always culminates in the communication of findings. Despite the necessity of grant and manuscript writing throughout academic careers, scientific trainees often receive little guided practice in written communication. To fill this gap, we designed, implemented, and evaluated a voluntary writing initiative for biomedical students at a research-intensive (R1) university in the midwestern United States called Writing Initiative in Neuroscience (WIN).

Method: WIN consisted of didactic and workshop components. The didactic component included discussions with topic-specific experts on writing grants and manuscripts for the public and for non-academic scientific careers. The workshop component consisted of small group-based peer …

“I Did Not Sign Up For This”: Student Experiences Of The Rapid Shift From In-Person To Emergency Virtual Remote Learning During The Covid Pandemic, Jeff Kuntz, Viola Manokore

Higher Learning Research Communications

Abstract

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to explore students’ experiences of the emergency virtual remote teaching, which was implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: 439 students enrolled at a community college in Canada responded to a survey that had Likert-scale and open-ended questions. Anderson’s model for online learning was used as an analytic lens to gain insight on student experiences. Descriptive statistics were used to make meaning of the data. Thematic analysis was done on student responses to open-ended questions.

Results: Findings were organized according to Anderson’s six factors in online teaching, namely: (a) …

Elementary Teachers’ Use Of 1:1 Tablets In Lesson Planning And Presentation On A Western Pacific Island, Sinton Soalablai, Andrea M. Wilson, Beate Baltes

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The Ministry of Education on a Western Pacific island invested in an expensive 1:1 tablet program providing elementary teachers and students with a tablet but had not determined if the program produced desired positive changes in the teachers’ instructional practices of lesson planning and lesson presentation. Guided by experiential learning theory, this causal–comparative study’s purpose was to determine if the 1:1 tablet program resulted in changes in elementary teachers’ use of technology in their lesson planning and lesson presentation practices. We analyzed pre and postimplementation lesson planning and lesson presentation data, collected from 63 elementary teachers, using repeated measures t …

Assessing The Quantity Of Information In Srois By Major, Daniel Friesner, Timothy J. Schibik

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

In this paper, we demonstrate how to identify whether different groups of students (classified by their major) provide different quantities of information in their student ratings of instruction (SROIs). As a corollary, we identified specific groups of students who provided a greater/lesser quantity of information in their responses. All calculations were undertaken using Microsoft Excel, and no prior statistical training was required to create or interpret our information measures. We used SROI data taken from a first-year logical reasoning course for health professions majors and found that the quantity of information provided by pharmacy and other health majors in their …

Quality Assurance, Meet Quality Appreciation: Using Appreciative Inquiry To Define Faculty Quality Standards, Ann M. Morgan, Rebecca L. Jobe, Juli K. Konopa, Lyda D. Downs

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study outlines the journey of an online university to evaluate faculty performance standards, key performance indicators, and systems for quality assurance using an appreciative inquiry summit model. The study reveals the power of quality appreciation as an approach that elicits a shared vision for quality definitions and standards and serves as a historical marker in the higher education shift from data-driven faculty performance approaches to strengths-based, inclusive methods.

Method: The retrospective business case outlines one university’s 2018 Appreciative Inquiry Summit, 5D (define, discover, dream, design, destiny/deliver) approach, resulting deliverables, lessons learned, and conclusions.

Results: The summit and subsequent …

Perceptions Of Employability Skills Of Undergraduate Business Students In A Developing Country: An Exploratory Study, Wise Mainga, Reuben M. Daniel, Luis Alamil

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of different employability skills for business graduates seeking initial employment.

Method: Semi-structured survey questionnaires were administered to human resources representatives from industry, business lecturers, and graduating business students to determine gaps in perceptions between the three stakeholder groups.

Results: There was some alignment and moderate discrepancies in perceptions of the relative importance of different employability skills between the three stakeholder groups. There were statistically significant differences in perceived importance of communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills between graduating students and employers. There is evidence that employers were satisfied with …

Fully Automated Life Support Training Effects On Inpatient, Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates, Adessa D. Goss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, more than 200,000 adult patients die annually from inpatient cardiac arrest with survival rates stagnated at 22%–25% nationally. Recently, the adoption of fully automated life support training modalities by health care organizations has become widespread with limited literature available showing the effects on inpatient, cardiac arrest survival. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the effects of fully automated life support training on inpatient, cardiac arrest survival. Applying Bloom’s mastery learning theory, the impact of the Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) quarterly training and hospital unit compliance on inpatient cardiac arrest return of spontaneous circulation …

The Effect Of Instructional Coaching On Third-Grade Reading Achievement, Jane Ann Schmidt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching has been implemented in schools to improve student achievement; however, literature shows a lack of evidence of the efficacy of improving student reading achievement. The problem addressed in this study was that school districts have implemented instructional coaching to improve student reading achievement, but the effectiveness was unknown. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect of instructional coaching on third-grade reading achievement. Guided by Walberg’s theory of achievement, the overall research question investigated the effect of instructional coaching on third-grade reading achievement. In this quantitative, comparative study, ratio-scale data from students who received instructional …

Reducing Sepsis Rates Through Nursing Staff Education, Joshua J. Wilkinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many hospitals fail to comply with sepsis treatment core measures. The purpose of this project was to educate nursing staff in a small rural emergency department in the Midwest United States about core measures that included 1-hour bundles for sepsis treatment. The project attempted to answer the practice-focused question: Does educating emergency department nursing staff in a small rural emergency department on the 1-hour sepsis bundle increase knowledge? Lewin’s Change Theory and Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model served as the framework for the project. A 1-hour in-person education was developed using the Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate model with …

Teachers' Perceptions And Experiences Related To Preparing English Language Arts Students For American Literature End-Of-Course Exams, Felicia Wynter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students in the local school district have continued to score below the state average on the standardized American Literature end-of-course (EOC) assessment. It was unclear what 9th-, 10th-, and 11th-grade teachers in the district were doing to prepare students for success on the American Literature EOC. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of the reason for the low assessment scores and their experiences implementing instructional strategies to prepare students for the American Literature EOC. The conceptual framework for the study was Hunter’s model of mastery learning and explicit instruction. The research questions focused on …

Mediated Effect Of Perceived Supervisor Support On Leader-Member Exchange Quality And Employee’S Commitment, Jeffery Proby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social exchange relationship quality can influence an employee’s commitment to supporting continuous improvement (CI) initiatives. Researchers have established that leader-member exchange (LMX) quality and perceived supervisor support (PSS) can reduce employee commitment, affecting an organizational outcome. Based on the theoretical foundation of LMX quality theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between the independent variables (LMX quality) and the dependent variable (affective commitment [AC]) through the mediated variable (PSS) and moderated mediation variable (workplace ostracism [WO]). Employee age, gender, tenure with the company, ethnicity, certification level, and the manufacturing sector were control variables of …