Education Commons^™

Esl Teacher Motivation In Sri Lankan Public Schools, Sujeewa Hettiarachchi

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Drawing on in-depth qualitative data from fifty-four surveys and five interviews, this study investigated the elements of motivation and demotivation reflected in Sri Lankan ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers. The participants were a convenience sample of English teachers currently employed in Sri Lankan public schools. The results of the study revealed that students themselves, the act of teaching students, and the prestigious social position for English teachers in Sri Lanka are main motivators for teachers. The main demotivators for the participants included limited facilities for teaching and learning in schools, inefficiency of school administration and zonal education offices, …

The Missing Students: A Case Study, Patricia L. Batista

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Culture, Surprise, And Adaptation: Examining Undergraduate Students’ Matriculation Processes, Catherine W. Barber

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) explore undergraduate students’ experiences as they transitioned to the university, (b) explore how the cultures of students’ hometowns influenced student culture at the university, and (c) provide a conceptual model which has analytical generalizability across higher education.

This ethnographic research focuses on developing a cultural knowledge of hometown community culture. While previous research examined how college affects students, this research reverses the approach and investigates how the students and their hometown community values actually affect the college community. To investigate these topics, I did ethnographic observation including trips to students’ hometowns and …

Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Students' Reactions To The Transition From Academic To Clinical Coursework, Amanda Schramski

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative research study investigated the transition between academic and clinical coursework during the graduate education of speech-language pathologists (SLPs). During this transition period, graduate students experience stress and anxiety (Chan, et al., 1994; Lincoln, et al., 2004). This study examined what aspects of the transition are responsible for these feelings. Through interviews with graduate students who recently experienced this transition, data was collected to make sense of the feelings and experiences that the graduate students endured and what aspects of the transition were responsible for their cause. The results of this study revealed multiple factors that increased anxiety before …

Academic And Non-Academic Factors As Predictors Of Early Academic Success In Bacclaureate Nursing Programs, Deborah S. Dunn

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Nurses are in very high demand and this situation has placed an unprecedented call for faculty in higher education institutions to produce more graduates. With more students applying to nursing programs and a limited number of nursing slots available, admission to nursing programs has become increasingly competitive. Given these conditions, a trend toward increasing admissions standards has been noticed as program leaders and faculty struggle to institute some type of sorting method to select the applicants who are most likely to succeed in their nursing education programs. Entrance examinations have been increasingly used as a major part of admissions criteria …

Examining The Impact Of Student Involvement And Intercultural Experiences On Perceptions Of Institutional Commitment To Diversity, Aaron Klein Haight

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of involvement in student organizations as it relates to perceptions of campus climate. The researcher conducted a crosssectional, ex-post facto secondary data analysis of a 2005 institutional survey on diversity at Great Falls State University. The researcher utilized a Chi Square Test for Independence, as well as a Forward Thinking Logistic Regression Model to analyze the data. Although the main emphasis of the research was student involvement in student organizations, the researcher also analyzed data pertaining to background demographics and campus climate. The data results demonstrated differences in perception in …

Fruit And Vegetable Consumption In Four Elementary Schools After Implementation Of Nutrition Education Programs, Lori Nelson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Nutrition education programs in schools often promote fruits and vegetables with the goal of increasing consumption among children. This study determined whether nutrition education programs increased fruit and vegetable intake in four elementary schools in Florida from October 2008 to October 2009. School A offered the U.S.D.A. Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program; School B had a Student Wellness Advisory Council, OrganWise Guys and CATCH; School C had OrganWise Guys and CATCH; School D had no nutrition education programs. Students’ favorite fruits and vegetables at breakfast and lunch were compiled. An increase in fruit intake was observed in three out of …

A Case Study Of The Implementation Of Positive Behavior Supports (Pbs), Craig Ross

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this single case study was to examine the significant personal, social, and environmental elements influencing effective second-year implementation of a specific school reform initiative, Positive Behavior Supports, in one alternative high school in southwestern Michigan. Data were collected in the form of artifacts, observations, surveys and interviews. All surveys and interviews were conducted by third-party assistants in the fall of 2009. The survey and interview data were provided to the researcher only after all identifying information had been removed so that the anonymity of participants was protected.

Multiple theoretical frameworks were employed in the analysis of the …

The Examination Of The Implementation Of Blended Learning Instruction On The Teaching And Learning Environment In Two West Michigan School Districts, Richard Mark Vandermolen

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Blended learning instruction is emerging as one of the most promising instructional practices in educational settings. Blended learning instruction combines two learning environments: traditional face-to-face instruction and online instruction.

Most research concerning blended instruction has been conducted at the postsecondary level. This study was conducted at the high school level and examined the implementation of blended instruction in a high school setting. It explored and considered the perspective of teachers and students as they experienced the blended environment for the first time. The study was conducted at two comprehensive high schools in West Michigan. The study collected qualitative data by …

Nutrition-Related Knowledge And Behaviors Of Healthcare Professionals: A Pilot Study, Sarah Dale Zeola

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Healthcare consumers have a plethora of resources of nutrition guidance available, yet many sources provide unreliable information. Healthcare professionals are expected to be the expert source of nutrition information and dietary guidance for their clients and patients.

Purpose: To determine the nutrition knowledge, behaviors, and beliefs of healthcare professionals to identify which, if any, professional group are experts in nutrition and which professionals are the best resource for nutrition information and guidance for healthcare consumers.

Research Design: A self-reported online survey gathered information on participants’ (n=201) BMI, knowledge of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, dietary intake, and beliefs about …