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Full-Text Articles in Education

Analyzing Faculty Attitudes And Actions Surrounding Distance Education Accommodations And Inclusiveness Based On Udl Principles, Catherine Cash Jan 2019

Analyzing Faculty Attitudes And Actions Surrounding Distance Education Accommodations And Inclusiveness Based On Udl Principles, Catherine Cash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As distance education continues to increase, it is vital that postsecondary institutions contribute time and resources towards upholding inclusive teaching practices that decrease barriers and increase opportunities for diverse student populations. This study examined faculty attitudes and actions surrounding online accommodations and inclusive teaching practices that were based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles using the Inclusive Teaching Strategies Inventory (ITSI), which was adapted into the Inclusive Teaching Strategies Inventory-Distance Education (ITSI-DE) to focus on faculty teaching fully online courses. The ITSI-DE measured the following seven constructs: (a) Accommodations, (b) Accessible Course Materials, (c) Course Modifications, (d) Inclusive Lecture …


Defining Effective Teacher Practices Among Students With Emotional Behavioral Disabilities, Zerek Mayes Jan 2019

Defining Effective Teacher Practices Among Students With Emotional Behavioral Disabilities, Zerek Mayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of special education teachers who worked with students with emotional behavioral disabilities (EBD) across various urban settings and educative environments. Given that the overall percentage of students receiving special education services has increased, the overall percentage of students with EBD served among all school-aged children and youth has remained below 1% (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2018). The current failings of reform efforts to improve the academic achievement of students with EBD brings the roles, responsibilities and practices of teachers and their preparation into view. This study examined the …


A Phenomenological Study Of High School Assistant Principals Who Supervise Special Education, Erin Vacchio Jan 2019

A Phenomenological Study Of High School Assistant Principals Who Supervise Special Education, Erin Vacchio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of high school assistant principals who lead the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) departments at their respective schools. The role of the school leader is critical and complex. Second to only the classroom teachers, school leaders have the ability to shape the school wide attitude and vision for students with disabilities. Knowing that in the past 30 years, the number of students with disabilities has nearly doubled in size, the expertise of school leaders in special education must also increase. Research on the experiences of high school administrators who serve students with intellectual disabilities …


Teacher Candidates' Civic Attitudes And Civic Knowledge: A Comparative Study, Brian Furgione Jan 2019

Teacher Candidates' Civic Attitudes And Civic Knowledge: A Comparative Study, Brian Furgione

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The foundations of a democratic society are the citizens who engage in its political processes and functions. The democratic skills and dispositions needed to be engaged citizens must be embedded within the school system of that society. In the United States, teachers serve as the delivery system of these skills and dispositions, and it is therefore imperative to understand who these teachers are as citizens. Leveraging survey research and various quantitative measures, the civic attitudes and civic knowledge of teacher candidates in various fields were investigated. Using self-reported demographic information, teacher candidates were compared based on their academic program track, …


Use Of Video-Enhanced Debriefing In Clinical Nursing Skill Acquisition: Indwelling Urinary Catheterization As An Exemplar, Erica Hoyt Jan 2019

Use Of Video-Enhanced Debriefing In Clinical Nursing Skill Acquisition: Indwelling Urinary Catheterization As An Exemplar, Erica Hoyt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nursing students struggle to acquire and maintain clinical psychomotor skills. Hiring agencies bear the cost of retraining graduate nurses inept with skills learned early in their nursing curriculum. Improperly performed clinical skills pose a risk to patient safety, resulting in pain and suffering for the patient. This empirical study aimed to determine if video-enhanced debriefing (VED) improved initial skill validation scores, skill feedback, satisfaction with learning, and reduced skill decay among first-semester, pre-licensure BSN students performing female indwelling urinary catheterization (IUC) in a simulated clinical setting compared to no debriefing. Participants received standard instruction, then video-recorded their IUC skill. Participants …


Cultural Responsiveness And K-12 English Learners: Exploring Policy And Implementation Fidelity, Lauren Raubaugh Jan 2019

Cultural Responsiveness And K-12 English Learners: Exploring Policy And Implementation Fidelity, Lauren Raubaugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This critical policy analysis and collective case study, informed by ethnographic techniques, involved reviews of twelve Florida school district ESOL policies (included within the 2016-2019 District English Language Learner Plans, required of all Florida districts to complete) whose English learner (EL) populations met or exceeded ten percent (10%) of their total enrollment. A priori coding of these policy documents was conducted using nine criteria pulled from the literature on culturally responsive practice (CRP), which served as the theoretical framework for the study. Subsequent observations and practitioner interviews within two schools from the same district were conducted in order to ascertain …


An Analysis Of The Relationships Between Homework Frequency And Homework Grading Procedures Of Algebra 1 Teachers On Student Outcomes As Measured On The Algebra 1 End-Of-Course Examination, Jonathan Taylor Jan 2019

An Analysis Of The Relationships Between Homework Frequency And Homework Grading Procedures Of Algebra 1 Teachers On Student Outcomes As Measured On The Algebra 1 End-Of-Course Examination, Jonathan Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship, if any, between homework practices of Algebra 1 teachers and student outcomes as measured by the state of Florida's Algebra 1 End of Course assessment (EOC). Algebra 1 EOC scores were collected from the study district's central office. Data on teacher homework practices was collected through a researcher-created survey. Cross-tabulation tables were used to identify variations in homework assignment, homework frequency, homework type, and homework grading practice associated with school (middle or high) and teacher (educational attainment and experience teaching Algebra 1) characteristics. A two-way ANOVA was used to analyze …


An Exploration Of Florida Public School Districts' Language Development Programs For Children Before They Enter Kindergarten, Sharon Ochotorena Jan 2019

An Exploration Of Florida Public School Districts' Language Development Programs For Children Before They Enter Kindergarten, Sharon Ochotorena

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which preschool programs and the 10 research-based components that develop language are present in Florida public school districts. Based on qualitative methods of analysis, the study utilized two primary sources of data collection to answer the two research questions that follow: 1. Of the 67 traditional public school districts in Florida, which have language development programs for children under the age of 5, excluding those subsidized by Part B of the IDEA? 2. How do components of the programs in the sample of school districts that have language development …


The Impact Of Youths' Digital Citizenship Levels On Their Self-Efficacy, Madison Gannon Jan 2019

The Impact Of Youths' Digital Citizenship Levels On Their Self-Efficacy, Madison Gannon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify youths' levels of digital citizenship, to identify youths' levels of self-efficacy, and to determine the relationship between their digital citizenship levels and their self-efficacy levels. Their digital citizenship levels were determined based on five factors: 1) Ethics for Digital Environment, 2) Fluency for Digital Environment, 3) Reasonable/Critical Decisions, 4) Self-Identity in Digital World, and 5) Social/Cultural Engagement to Society. Their self-efficacy levels were determined based on three factors: 1) Academic Self-efficacy, 2) Social Self-efficacy, and 3) Emotional Self-efficacy. The study has four major phases. First, an in-depth literature review was conducted on …


A Survey Of Investing And Retirement Knowledge And Preferences Of Florida Preservice Teachers, Richard Thripp Jan 2019

A Survey Of Investing And Retirement Knowledge And Preferences Of Florida Preservice Teachers, Richard Thripp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

New teachers are facing lower pay and less generous retirement benefits than the prior generation, yet their financial and retirement knowledge, concerns, and preferences have received little attention. To investigate these areas, the author developed a 39-item survey instrument and administered it to 314 preservice teachers in undergraduate teacher education courses at the University of Central Florida, who were primarily female elementary and early childhood education juniors and seniors ages 18–25. Florida public employees are offered an unusual choice between a traditional pension plan and a defined-contribution plan similar to a 401(k) in which they can select their own investments, …


Teaching Online And Cyberbullying: Examining Higher Education Cyberbullying Policies In The Florida State University System, Joseph Raditch Jan 2019

Teaching Online And Cyberbullying: Examining Higher Education Cyberbullying Policies In The Florida State University System, Joseph Raditch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The cyberbullying phenomena has been recorded as affecting students and faculty alike in the K-12 and higher education systems. Cyberbullying in higher education has negative effects to the institution and its stakeholders, including faculty turn over and student suicide. While these responses are highly publicized, the effects of cyberbullying on the online classroom remain relatively untouched by researchers. There are very few resources available to faculty who teach online courses for creating strategies to combat cyberbullying in that context. Furthermore, many states, including Florida, defer conduct policies and their enforcement to the individual institution. While there are many aspects of …


Preservice Teachers And Perceived Stress: A Comparative Study, Kelsey Evans Jan 2019

Preservice Teachers And Perceived Stress: A Comparative Study, Kelsey Evans

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers are being pushed to the brink of burnout and leaving the profession, placing teachers' health and wellness in jeopardy (Daniels & Strauss, 2009; Maslach & Leiter, 2008; Stephenson, 2012; Vladut & Kallay, 2010; Wilkerson, 2009). Yet, it has become increasingly clear teacher stress may start prior to entering the profession (Brown & Ryan, 2003, Darling-Hammond, 2006). The researcher used a non-experimental design to evaluate the perceived stress among pre-service teachers enrolled in internship, and if the coping style of mindfulness had any correlation on self-reported stress levels. The quantitative study surveyed 332 student interns using the Perceived Stress Survey …


An Examination Of A College And Career Preparation Program For Low Socioeconomic And First-Generation Students In An Urban School District, Lucille Gillam Jan 2019

An Examination Of A College And Career Preparation Program For Low Socioeconomic And First-Generation Students In An Urban School District, Lucille Gillam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the college and career program, in one urban high school setting, was being implemented as intended by the school district. A mixed methods analysis was conducted using student PSAT/SAT scores, interviews, surveys, focus groups, classroom observations and anecdotal notes from the program director. The results were coded to show emerging trends and themes. The results of the analysis showed that portions of the program were being conducted as designed by the school district; however, of the four criteria required to be invited to bet admitted into the program, one was not …


The Stories Of Transition: A Qualitative Exploration Of International Undegraduate Students' Academic Experiences In First-Year Seminar Courses In The United States, Masa Krsmanovic Jan 2019

The Stories Of Transition: A Qualitative Exploration Of International Undegraduate Students' Academic Experiences In First-Year Seminar Courses In The United States, Masa Krsmanovic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to explore how international undergraduate students enrolled in a first-year seminar (FYS) course perceived and described their academic experiences in a large, public university in the southeastern region of the United States. Guided by Schlossberg's (1984) 4 S Transition Model, this qualitative investigation was conducted through in-depth interviews with 10 international undergraduate students representing different countries and academic majors. The participants' narratives revealed that the academic experiences of international first-year students enrolled in the FYS course can be described as challenging, especially in terms of a) understanding U.S. higher education, b) establishing relationships …


A Trauma-Informed School-Based Mental Health Counseling Intervention To Promote The Social-Emotional And Academic Functionality Of Children Living In Poverty, Mary Perleoni Jan 2019

A Trauma-Informed School-Based Mental Health Counseling Intervention To Promote The Social-Emotional And Academic Functionality Of Children Living In Poverty, Mary Perleoni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a trauma-informed school-based mental health counseling intervention (TI-SBMHCI) on students enrolled in three Title I elementary schools. This study aimed to examine the impact of a TI-SBMHCI on participants' social-emotional functionality, trauma symptomology, and academic behavior. Counselors-in-training provided a 10-week TI-SBMHCI based off of Bath's (2008) The three Pillars of Trauma-informed Care and data was collected at pretest (first session), mid (fifth session), and posttest (tenth session). In addition, this investigation examined if participants showed greater improvement in academic behavior in comparison to students who did not receive a …


Evaluating Pedagogical Methods That Influence Homework Assignment Completion, Kirk Sawyer Jan 2019

Evaluating Pedagogical Methods That Influence Homework Assignment Completion, Kirk Sawyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College students enrolled in an online introductory engineering course are not completing their homework assignments at an acceptable rate which impacts them, the instructor, and the college. This research study employed a quasi-experimental evaluation model to assess the effectiveness of two pedagogical methods designed to positively influence student homework completion rates and student attitudes toward homework. Despite evidence that grading penalties encourage students to submit their homework assignments, such strategies have historically been unsuccessful for the course used in this study. The researcher designed two pedagogical interventions, along with a survey instrument, to measure the impact of the interventions on …


The Aftermath: A Culturally Responsive Mathematical Intervention To Aid Students Affected By Natural Disasters, Brianna Kurtz Jan 2019

The Aftermath: A Culturally Responsive Mathematical Intervention To Aid Students Affected By Natural Disasters, Brianna Kurtz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico. The damage was extensive, and many people found themselves to be natural disaster refugees. As a result, schools in Central Florida saw an influx of new students who had their educations interrupted by the disaster and now were resuming school in a new language of instruction. These students not only faced linguistic challenges but also academic differences due to the high prevalence of poverty and the effects of neocolonialism in their previous schooling. This mixed methods study implemented an intensive intervention in probability to aid students in developing …


A Comparative Study Of Two Models Of Presenting Phrasal Verbs, Nagham Majeed Jan 2019

A Comparative Study Of Two Models Of Presenting Phrasal Verbs, Nagham Majeed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Learning phrasal verbs (PVs) is of vital importance in both written and spoken English, especially for those English learners who must use English as a second language (ESL) in their daily interactions with proficient speakers. This study focused on two particles (out and in) in exploring a more effective model for presenting PVs in an ESL context. PVs are the focus of this empirical study because they are an essential component of English vocabulary but are typically regarded as very difficult for ESL students to master. This study used a quasi-experimental design to compare the effect of instruction through image-schematic …


Developing And Validating The Secondary Literacy Professionals Needs Assessment Matrix, Analexis Kennedy Jan 2019

Developing And Validating The Secondary Literacy Professionals Needs Assessment Matrix, Analexis Kennedy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a needs assessment matrix for secondary specialized literacy professionals that identified the professional learning needs of literacy coaches. This tool was developed in order to inform school districts and secondary specialized literacy professionals about the types of professional learning support they will need for them to effectively meet the literacy needs of teachers in secondary schools. The Secondary Literacy Professionals Needs Assessment Matrix (SLPNAM) was created using a variety of methods. A synthesis of literature regarding school improvement, adolescent literacy, 21st century skills, adult learning, literacy coaching and the 2017 …


The Push Out: A Disproportionality Study On Discipline In The State Of Florida, Manouchka Pierre Jan 2019

The Push Out: A Disproportionality Study On Discipline In The State Of Florida, Manouchka Pierre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed method sequential exploratory study was conducted to emphasize and investigate disproportionality in discipline, noting the prevalence of the issue of equity and the salience of FL as context. This study applied the extant model for investigating disproportionality in a setting where such an investigation is highly relevant due to Florida's statistical positioning in the area of student discipline. This study investigated for potential biases that guide differences in the rates that males and Blacks experience exclusionary discipline within the 67 regular school districts. The analysis from this study, which used relative rate ratio and policy analysis, presents results …


Discovering Latent Gender Bias In Children's Stem Literature, Christine Herlihy Jan 2019

Discovering Latent Gender Bias In Children's Stem Literature, Christine Herlihy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A mixed method, exploratory, sequential research design was conducted to investigate the presence of latent bias in early childhood STEM literature content, applying a non-biased, sociocultural, STEM identity, theoretical framework. A survey of children's perceptions of gender and a content analysis found unintentional bias. Exploratory findings confirmed 102 children were gendering images. An examination of the relationship between the participants' gender and how the participant gendered AND preferred the images indicated differences existed between boys and girls. Children preferred images perceived as matching their own, with statistical significance. Girls were found to prefer images less than boys AND they were …


Supporting Learning In 3d Virtual Environments: The Impact Of Intergenerational Joint Media Engagement, Robert Michlowitz Jan 2019

Supporting Learning In 3d Virtual Environments: The Impact Of Intergenerational Joint Media Engagement, Robert Michlowitz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies have indicated that intergenerational relationships can assist children to learn more efficiently by providing support. As new forms of media have emerged and become pervasive in our society, it is important to understand how children use them to learn. Just as television coviewing has been observed by past researchers to aid youths to learn with parents and grandparents, three-dimensional virtual learning environments (VLE) are being investigated for their potential. This study seeks to examine the potential learning impact on children, ages 8 to 13, encountering a three-dimensional virtual learning environment with their grandparents. The primary research question this study …


An Analysis Of 8th Grade Student Achievement Of Private And Public Schools In The Dominican Republic In Rural And Urban Settings, Daniel Boyd Aug 2018

An Analysis Of 8th Grade Student Achievement Of Private And Public Schools In The Dominican Republic In Rural And Urban Settings, Daniel Boyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in student academic achievement in private and public schools in the Dominican Republic in rural and urban settings. The 2016 8th Grade National Exams school mean scale scores were analyzed to determine if statistically significant differences existed among the different school types and school settings. There was a lack of literature on student academic achievement in the Dominican Republic, in particular on private and public school and rural and urban school students. The extant literature indicated that in the Dominican Republic, private school students historically had higher academic achievement on …


Design And Production Of Calculus Assessments, Lorna Wenzel Jan 2018

Design And Production Of Calculus Assessments, Lorna Wenzel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The AP Calculus program at Green High School was not adequately preparing students for college level calculus as more than 80 percent of the students failed the AP exam. The students were concurrently receiving high marks on in-class assessments. Hence, the in-class assessments were not good indicators of students calculus understanding according to the AP standards. A needs assessment was conducted, focusing on the difference in high school and college calculus, how to assess calculus and where Green High School's assessments were falling short. More research was conducted to examine the college Board expectations of calculus learning. A content matrix …


International Saudi Female Students' Experiences Of Acculturation During Their Study At An American Public University In The South (Apus), Hnan Alzahrani Jan 2018

International Saudi Female Students' Experiences Of Acculturation During Their Study At An American Public University In The South (Apus), Hnan Alzahrani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to my literature review and my reflection of its meaning, few studies have been conducted that explore the adjustment and acculturation experiences of female international students in US colleges and universities specifically on Saudi female students. Therefore, this study explored the academic and socio-cultural experiences of Saudi female students before and after arriving in the US. Furthermore, this study identified the sources of acculturative stress and Saudi female students' successful strategies for coping with these stressors. Eight Saudi female students participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews and Moustakas' (1994) transcendental phenomenology was utilized in analyzing students' voices. During the data …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Successful Women In Science Fields, Jonathan Hall Jan 2018

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Successful Women In Science Fields, Jonathan Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Girls and women face several forms of gender-based biases and discrimination in the science community. These issues create difficult circumstances for them to develop positive science identities. Since these difficult circumstances exist, science education and sociology researchers have used a deficit model to learn about their experiences, achievements, and attitudes. Understanding the experiences of successful women in science offers insight into how women can navigate the challenges presented by the science community and how science educators can support them. However, research studies that explore the experiences of successful women in science are scant. Therefore, the objective of this study was …


A Causal Comparative Analysis Of A Computer Adaptive Mathematics Program Using Multilevel Propensity Score Matching, Justin Seabolt Jan 2018

A Causal Comparative Analysis Of A Computer Adaptive Mathematics Program Using Multilevel Propensity Score Matching, Justin Seabolt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a computer adaptive mathematics program, i-Ready® Mathematics Instruction in Central Florida School District (CFSD) using a variety of quantitative analyses. In particular, students in the fifth grade at CFSD were examined in relation to the gains made on their end-of-year statewide mathematics assessment, known as the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA Math). Per i-Ready®, students who use i-Ready® Mathematics Instruction for a minimum of 45 minutes per subject per week for at least 25 weeks show significantly greater gains than those who do not (Curriculum Associates, 2017b). Therefore, two propensity …


Analyses And Comparisons Of Three Lexical Features In Native And Nonnative Academic English Writing, Xiaoli Yu Jan 2018

Analyses And Comparisons Of Three Lexical Features In Native And Nonnative Academic English Writing, Xiaoli Yu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Built upon the Contrastive Interlanguage Analysis (CIA) framework, this corpus-based research analyzes three lexical features (lexical diversity, lexical sophistication, and cohesion) in native and nonnative English writers' academic writing and examines the potential differences in lexical performance 1) between native and nonnative English writers and 2) across all writers from various language backgrounds. The differences in lexical performance in academic writing between native and nonnative English writers and the unique characteristics of writers from different language backgrounds suggest the necessity of targeted academic writing instruction based upon learner needs. Using text length as the covariate, two Multivariate Analysis of Covariate …


An Examination Of The Insights And Support Of Self-Advocacy By Academic Advisors When Working With Students With Disabilities In Higher Education, Jennifer Farran Jan 2018

An Examination Of The Insights And Support Of Self-Advocacy By Academic Advisors When Working With Students With Disabilities In Higher Education, Jennifer Farran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Self-advocacy for students with disabilities was noted throughout the literature as a necessary element for student success (Brinckerhoff, 1996; Daly-Cano, Vaccaro, & Newman, 2015; Gould, 1986; Williams & Shoultz, 1982). The literature also found that self-advocacy was particular crucial as students entered higher education (English, 1997; Stodden, Conway, and Chang, 2003; Vaccaro, Daly-Cano & Newman, 2015). In regard to student persistence, academic advising was the most cited student service (Hossler & Bean, 1990). Academic advisors assist students through their academic journeys and are tasked with assisting students to navigate college life (Kuh, 2008). However, there was a lack of research …


Reimagining Composition One As A Course In Storytelling Across Disciplines Using New Media, Angel O'Keeffe Jan 2018

Reimagining Composition One As A Course In Storytelling Across Disciplines Using New Media, Angel O'Keeffe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the role that College Composition courses can and should play in addressing the digital divide and the literacy divide. For this project, digital divide refers to the space between those students who have opportunity to participate in online discourse communities and to contribute to the collective intelligence described by Henry Jenkins and those who have not had this opportunity even though they do have access to current technology. The literacy divide discussed is created when literacy is defined simply as the ability to read and write. Students need to be visually, digitally, and technologically literate. In …