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 …

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 …

The Paideia Program Is Worth Another Look, Jessica Richardi

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Educational opportunity is unequally distributed in the United States, most notably by race and economic status. Commonly practiced in K–12 schools across the country, tracking and ability grouping serve to exacerbate those existing inequities. Recent renewed activism for racial and economic justice, coupled with concerns over learning loss due to COVID-19 school closures, makes this an ideal time for educators to reconsider a formerly well-known and ambitious whole-school reform system called the Paideia Program. The system itself is described and a comprehensive review of research and literature follows. This review demonstrates Paideia’s potential to improve educational outcomes and thus help …

Students’ And Faculty Members’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Classroom Assessment: A Case Study Of A Public University In Afghanistan, Sayed Ahmad Javid Mussawy, Gretchen Rossman, Sayed Abdul Qahar Haqiqat

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The primary goal of the study was to examine students’ perceptions of classroom assessment at a public university in Afghanistan. Exploring current assessment practices focused on student and faculty members lived experiences was a secondary goal. The study also sought to collect evidence on whether or not the new assessment policy was effective in student achievement.

Method: Authors used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to conduct the study. Initially, we applied the Students Perceptions of Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), translated into Dari/Farsi and validated, to collect data from a random sample of 400 students from three colleges: Agriculture, Education, and …

Achieving Equity: An Evaluation Of A Multi-Component, Lower Division Student Success Program, Mary Beth Love, Rama Ali Kased, Savita Kumari Malik, Sherria D. Taylor, Vicki Legion, Celia Graterol, Alycia Shada, Paul Previde, Patricia Wirth

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to evaluate an academic support program that aims to improve persistence and graduation for lower-division students who are low income, first generation, and/or underrepresented. Students were organized in 10 academies that serve as a “school within a school” and have three main elements: a pathway of two linked general education courses that students follow, cohort-style, over four semesters; wraparound student services integrated into the classroom; and a 45-hour faculty development process. Program participants (n = 2,281) were compared to a matched comparison group (n = 2,276). Multimodal logistic regression analyses showed that …

Linkages Between Grade Point Average And Student Ratings, Robert D. Richardson, Robert L. Williams

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

In order to better understand the potential influence of high school students’ grades on how they rate their teachers and schools, we explored the relationship between student grade point average and student ratings of teacher and school effectiveness in 370 classes taught by 230 instructors with over 6,000 students in grades 9–12 in an Intermountain West school district. Teachers were evaluated with an 18-item student survey. Students also rated their schools with six additional items. The performance measure was the grade point average (GPA) for the quarter in which students evaluated their teachers and schools. ANOVAs showed that both year …

Quality Of Online Learning Participation In A Context Of Crisis, Jorge Chávez, Rosa Barrera, Rosa Montaño, Jaime Sánchez, Jaime Fauré

Higher Learning Research Communications

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced educational institutions to adopt online tools in order to conduct emergency remote teaching and make efficient use of virtual learning contexts. However, although these contexts may serve to improve teaching processes, a number of issues must be taken into consideration in order to ensure quality student learning. We analyze a computer programming module taught during the first year of a Computer Science degree course at a Chilean university. The module is taught online using a Learning Management System (LMS). We discuss the type of participation required in order to achieve the construction of more complex …

The Impact Of High-Fidelity Simulation On Nursing Student’S Flexible And Reflective Thinking In Higher Education, Hungwei Tseng, Lori Hill

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study evaluated the effect of high-fidelity simulation with both mannequins and live actors on flexible and reflective thinking of nursing students. Students enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program were recruited to participate in this study. Ninety students, all female, completed both pre- and post-surveys. The researchers conducted a paired samples t-test to determine if there is a statistically significant difference in students’ level of flexible thinking before and after they experienced the high-fidelity simulation. Moreover, we conducted multivariate correlational analysis to examine the relationships between flexible thinking and reflective thinking. In general, statistical results in this study provide …

Are Universities Using The Right Assessment Tools During The Pandemic And Crisis Times?, Mohanad Halaweh

Higher Learning Research Communications

All industries have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and have worked to develop alternative strategies and actions to survive and continue business operations; the education sector is no exception. University administrators and instructors have faced challenges in finding the appropriate mechanisms to manage the final examination process. This essay suggests that project-based learning (PBL) assessment could be an effective alternative to online examinations. It advocates the adoption of PBL by highlighting the challenges/pitfalls associated with online exams supported by proctoring software tools.

Using Instructional Time And Race/Ethnicity To Predict Social Studies Accountability Test Results, Kenneth E. Vogler, Susan Schramm, Audrey Allan, Jake D. Parler

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This study investigated the relationship among the variables instructional time configuration, gender, race/ethnicity, and poverty to predict the academic performance of seventh-grade students on a state-mandated social studies accountability test. Results of 24,919 seventh-grade student social studies test scores from 117 middle schools, as well as a survey given to principals of the same 117 middle schools, were analyzed. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that when controlling for poverty, the variables instructional time configuration and race/ethnicity were significant, explaining 11% of the variation in student social studies accountability test results; a small effect. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis …

Mission Unaccomplished: Beyond “Talk[Ing] A Good Game” To Promote Diversity And Inclusion, Tara Lehan, Heather Hussey, Ashley Babcock

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Guided by feminist standpoint theory and scholars’ calls to move beyond merely counting individuals to understand the extent to which higher education institutions are diverse, the authors invited faculty members, staff members, and administrators from minoritized groups to describe their perceptions and experiences, including those associated with diversity and inclusion efforts at their institutions. In association with various dynamics, these individuals frequently described such initiatives as mostly talk with little to no meaningful objectives and outcomes. Based on these findings, we provide a three-step process that can be followed to disrupt and dismantle systems of (dis)advantage to promote greater diversity …

A Comparative Investigation Of Assessment Practices In Distance And Online Learning Undergraduate Mathematics In Nigeria, Comfort O. Reju, Loyiso C. Jita

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

We investigate and compare assessment practices in two (dual- and single-mode) institutions in Nigeria. A mixed-methods approach was employed. Descriptive statistics and narration were carried out for the purpose of determining what the assessment practices were and how they may be related to the students learning of undergraduate mathematics in distance and online education. Results show that there are similarities and variations in assessment practices that shaped open and distance learning practices in these universities. This suggests a need for careful review of assessment practices aimed at improving students’ engagement and learning for outstanding undergraduate mathematics learning experiences.

Differentiated Reading Instruction With Technology For Advanced Middle School Students’ Reading Achievement, Clarissa Haymon, Andrea Wilson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Guided by the theory of differentiated instruction, this quantitative study evaluated the effectiveness of Achieve 3000, a technology-enhanced program for differentiating reading instruction. Achieve 3000 was fully implemented with fidelity in a local middle school that has a large percentage of advanced learners. Archived reading scores of 120 advanced Grade 6–8 students were compared pre- and postimplementation of Achieve 3000. A paired-samples t test examining the overall effect of the intervention indicated that students’ posttest LevelSet Lexile reading scores were significantly higher than their pretest scores. A mixed-design analysis of variance was used to examine the main and interaction effects …

Successful Instructional Reading Practices For African American Male Third-Grade Students, Kimberly D. Whaley, Steve Wells, Nancy Williams

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

African American male third graders in U.S Title I schools frequently fail to read on grade level. However, in three Title I schools in East Texas, this demographic demonstrated exceptionally high reading ability. This explanatory case study investigated the instructional strategies and practices linked to high reading achievement for these students. The study is grounded in Ladson-Billings’s theory of culturally relevant pedagogy and supported by Vygotsky’s theory of social and cognitive constructivism. The research questions were used to examine the instructional strategies and practices used on each campus that may have resulted in such high reading achievement. This study engenders …

Evaluation Of An Afterschool Mentorship Program For Self-Efficacy, Atia D. Mark, Steve Wells

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Middle school students in Nova Scotia, Canada, are perceived to have low self-efficacy for achieving learning outcomes. While strong self-efficacy beliefs, developed through effective curricula, have been linked to improved academic performance, there is a need for formal evaluation of such curricula. The purpose of this study was to investigate a 10-week afterschool mentorship curriculum that has never been evaluated. The aim of the curriculum is to strengthen self-efficacy beliefs via relationship building exercises, public speaking training, and character education. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, which states that treatment influences can alter the strength of self-efficacy, informed the conceptual framework. Evaluation …

Testing The Psychometric Properties Of The Modeling Self-Efficacy Scale, Anu Sharma, Stephen J. Pape, Jonathan Templin

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The Modeling Self-Efficacy Scale was developed to measure middle and high school students’ confidence in understanding and solving modeling tasks. The scale was administered to 225 eighth- and ninth-grade students. Participants read modeling tasks adapted from Programme for International Student Assessment’s 2003 problem-solving assessment and rated their confidence on a 100-point self-efficacy scale. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that modeling self-efficacy is a unidimensional construct, best elicited by a repeated-measures-style survey design in which participants responded to the same self-efficacy items across multiple modeling problems. The omega reliability coefficient for the scale was .88. The findings suggest that the Modeling Self-Efficacy …

Developing An Instrument To Observe And Evaluate Assessment System Maturity, Royce L. Robertson, Martha J. Larkin

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Maturity models fill the need for a measure of overall growth in how outcomes assessment is defined and how feedback informs improvement to meet internal and external expectations at individual institutions of higher education. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted to develop an instrument, the Assessment System Maturity Matrix (ASMM), to observe and evaluate outcomes assessment system maturity. Research procedures included conducting a literature review and comparing business, software, and limited education maturity models; administering self-reported questionnaires to higher education outcomes assessment professionals; and piloting the instrument. Data collection results provided the ideal criteria for the ASMM design and content …

Metacognitive Reading Strategy And Emerging Reading Comprehension In Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Natasha Cox-Magno, Peter Ross, Kathleen Dimino, Andrea Wilson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article ventures to address the gap in special education practices by providing a metacognitive reading strategy to support the emerging reading comprehension skills of kindergarten students with intellectual disabilities. Historically, students with intellectual disabilities have low reading comprehension skills that can impede their overall academic success. There is a gap in practice regarding the identification and effective use of evidence-based reading comprehension instructional strategies for students with intellectual disabilities. Guided by Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s constructivist theories, the purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a metacognitive reading strategy on the emerging reading comprehension (ERC) skills of …

Using The Txvaas To Improve Teacher Effectiveness: Investigating The Research-Situated “Truths” Behind Txvaas Claims, Audrey Amrein-Beardsley, Clarin Collins

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

At the time of this study, the Texas Value-Added Assessment System (TxVAAS) was being piloted throughout Texas to hold teachers more accountable for their effects on students' achievement (i.e., teachers’ value added). It is still being used by districts throughout Texas today. Using a framework informed by the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, researchers conducted a content analysis of the marketing and research-based claims asserted about the TxVAAS, to (a) examine the “truth” of each claim to (b) help others critically consume the marketing claims using (c) nonproprietary, peer-reviewed literature. Given that the more popular, and also proprietary …

Relevance Of The Ies/Nsf Protocol To Identification Of Evidence-Based Practices, Barbara R. Schirmer, Alison S. Lockman, Todd N. Schirmer

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) issued common guidelines that provide a protocol by which the use of particular methodological designs in a line of research inquiry provides evidence for each successive step in the process of bringing any given instructional intervention into practice. Our purpose was to determine if research on two widely used literacy instruction approaches has been conducted at each methodological stage in the IES/NSF protocol and is relevant to identifying the approach as an evidence-based practice. We applied the IES/NSF pipeline-of-evidence guidelines to assess whether practices touted as having a …