Education Commons^™

A Case Study Of Elementary Teachers’ Critical Understanding Of Culturally Relevant Science Education: Mexican American Teachers Of Mexican American Students, Nora Alicia Luna

Theses and Dissertations

There is much research on White teachers’ negative assumptions and biases about their students of color. Less is known about Mexican American teachers. It is often assumed that there exists a strong understanding of culturally relevant science when both teachers and students are of similar cultural backgrounds. Through the conceptual frameworks of culturally relevant pedagogy and LatCrit, this investigation gave insight into, not only the ways the Mexican American teachers conceptualized culturally relevant science as part of their pedagogy, but also the struggles they experienced with the Spanish language. This study added insight by exploring the interactions of Mexican American …

Community College Foundation Board Members: The Overlooked Partners, Christopher S. Downing

Theses and Dissertations

Due to shifting funding polices for community colleges, the role of the community college foundation has changed greatly from passive fund managers for the institution into active fundraisers. With over 15,000 individuals nationally serving in the volunteer role of community college foundation board member, and managing nearly one billion dollars in annual contributions, this is a key stakeholder group for community colleges. The importance of foundation board members will grow even faster as community colleges ask their foundations to expand as a revenue source for the college to complete their mission. With this increased role in the financial health of …

Social-Emotional Learning In High School: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Of The Strong Teens Program, Oscar Olaya

Theses and Dissertations

Strong Teens is a curriculum designed to help students develop the social-emotional skills needed to manage challenges and become successful socially and academically (Carrizales- Engelmann et al., 2016). Strong Teens has shown promise among adolescents, but this was the first study to evaluate the newly updated version of the intervention in a high school setting. The curriculum was implemented by a special education teacher with students at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. A mixed method design was used to evaluate outcomes with 16 ninth grade students. Overall findings suggest that Strong Teens was effective at improving students' social emotional knowledge …

Collaborative Teacher Action Research: Improvement Science As Professional Development?, Carol L. Munson

Theses and Dissertations

There is growing consensus in the education world about the need to change the dominant practices in P-12 teacher professional development, which do not respect teacher knowledge and are unconnected to teachers’ daily work, to be more consistent with new and ambitious visions for school reform. This study employed collaborative action research, using improvement science, in which a small cadre of teachers worked through problems of practice to examine the effect on their practice and student learning. In this research project, I implemented a systematic evidence-based process developed by Anthony Bryk, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of …

Perceptions Of The Indonesia National Curriculum In Relation To Integrated Stem Education At The High School Level, Andinisa Rahmaniar

Theses and Dissertations

High school students need 21st-century skills to be competitive in the global economy. STEM education, coupled with problem-solving, critical thinking, innovation, and written and oral communication skills are essential for high school students. In Indonesia, STEM education is not as common as in the United States; some teachers in Indonesia use STEM as a learning method, but it is not included as a major component in the Indonesian curriculum. This study aimed to analyze (a) how teachers implement STEM-based lessons, including hands-on activities and project-based learning in relation to the Indonesian National Curriculum and (b) teachers’ prior knowledge about integrating …

Autoethnography Of Laughter: Transforming Identity By Teaching Composition And Linguistics Through Humor, Olya Cochran

Theses and Dissertations

The following dissertation is a story composed of humorous and humor-related experiences, lived by me as an immigrant student and instructor. I reflect on how those experiences influenced the transformation and performance of my teaching identity and shaped my humor-based pedagogy for Composition and Introductory Linguistics courses. The work is considering the effects of humor on my linguistic and cultural competences as well as my teaching practice. Along with that, the work provides an overview of scholarship on humor in education and the ways practicing academics utilize humor in their teaching and teaching identities. To reflect on how and why …

Factors That Influence Parent Communication Decisions For Their Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Child In Illinois, Karla A. Giese

Theses and Dissertations

The development of language in a deaf or hard of hearing child is dependent upon early and effective communication access (Marschark, 2018; Marschark & Hauser, 2012; Pittman, Sass-Lehrer, & Abrams, 2016; Scott & Dostal, 2019; Scott & Henner, 2020). For many parents of deaf and hard of hearing children, the most common early decisions that are made are related to communication and supporting language development, which is recognized by many in the field as a prime factor in early language acquisition (Decker, Vallotton, & Johnson, 2012; Sass-Lehrer, 2018). However, there are a lack of effective strategies for sharing information on …

The Nature Of Primary Source Instruction In Social Science Methods Courses, Judith Loraine Bee

Theses and Dissertations

137 Pages

Teachers are the key to shifting the way learning happens in the classroom. However, teachers are not always skilled in inquiry, critical thinking, and historical impact. Teaching with primary sources provides a context from which to educate preservice teachers in these essential skills. This dissertation focuses on the nature of primary source instruction in preparing preservice teachers to teach social sciences at the K-8 level. This qualitative study explores education methods professors’ practices for educating preservice teachers to use primary sources in their classroom instruction. Social Science methods professors in Illinois were observed, interviewed and an analysis of …

Faculty Perceptions Of Students With Mental Health Concerns At A Four-Year Institution: A Qualitative Cross-Departmental Analysis, Zach Mcdowell

Theses and Dissertations

Literature on perceptions of students with disabilities has been studied over the years and in a variety of ways but has yet to qualitatively address students with mental health concerns, particularly from a perspective that analyzes perceptions across academic departments. This is problematic, given that students with disabilities are pursuing a postsecondary education at increasing rates, with simultaneous increases in students seeking mental health support (Burwell, 2018; Roy, 2018). In turn, the purpose of this cross-departmental case study is to fill this gap in the literature by exploring the perceptions that faculty had of students with mental health concerns at …

Special Education Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions Of Cooperating Teachers’ Co-Teaching Relationships: A Qualitative Study, Christianna N. Vehlow

Theses and Dissertations

During clinical experiences, in-service teachers provide models of instruction for pre-service teachers to learn. With the inclusion of students with special needs in general education settings, these models of instruction often include co-teaching. It is vital for pre-service teachers to see productive co-teaching models since co-teaching is a complex form of instruction differing greatly from traditional solo instruction. Currently there is a dearth of research in the fields of co-teaching and special education regarding the influence of perceived quality of co-teaching modeled in clinical experiences and the development of pre-service teacher attitudes and confidence toward co-teaching. This study sought to …

Being Black While Leading: A Mixed Methods Study Of Black Administrators' Experiences In U.S. Public Schools, Latasha Marie Schraeder

Theses and Dissertations

This transformative explanatory sequential mixed methods design study framed by the theories of Critical Race Theory and Community Cultural Wealth used a survey and semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of Black administrators in PK-12 public schools in the United States. Within the first, quantitative, phase of the study participants completed a survey that collected demographic data and responses related to the six forms of cultural capital via Likert Scale style and opened ended questions. There were 65 responses, with 42 (N = 42) of the responses being complete. In the second, qualitative, phase of the study two participants were …

Integrated Techniques To Increase Systems Thinking For Sustainability Education Of High School Science Students Using Educational Design Research, Nora Kathryn Weatherhead

Theses and Dissertations

This study used a design research framework to teach secondary high school science students about environmental sustainability. A high school teacher and researcher collaborated to design a two week environmental science unit to help students make sense of complex environmental sustainability issues. This dissertation study sought to answer the following research questions: Using Design Research and various instructional tools, how do students develop an understanding of systems thinking and relate it to environmental sustainability; How does analyzing personal and classroom data on paper or plastic usage and recycling influence high school science students’ understanding of global environmental sustainability issues through …

African American Teachers’ Perspectives On Principals’ Leadership Styles And The Influence On Teacher Morale, Ernestine Young

Theses and Dissertations

Morale is a concept that denotes how workers feel about their work and the environment in which they work (Robbins, 2003). Low teacher morale is not a new problem; however, with increasing frequency of low morale, teachers are affected all over the nation because of the financial and academic toll it has on education. Low morale typically impedes the achievement of the organization’s desired outcome and corresponds with unresolved grievances, attrition, and high absenteeism. Low morale is associated with billions of dollars spent per year. Low morale is due to effects such as stress, teacher burnout, absenteeism, attrition, and small …

The Impact Of Blended Learning Upon Mathematics Attitudes And Academic Achievement: An Action Research Study, Aronda Yvette Frazier

Theses and Dissertations

Negative attitudes toward mathematics can adversely impact student achievement in the subject area. Successful development and implementation of blended learning in high school mathematics has the potential to positively impact student attitudes towards mathematics and towards their ability to do mathematics and their mathematics achievement. Developed out of my concern for the mathematical challenges that my students face, this convergent mix-methods action research study was conducted to determine if blended learning would positively affect my students’ attitudes toward mathematics and their mathematics achievement. Guided by the research questions, ‘What impact does learning have on students’ attitudes towards geometry, specifically two …

Lost In Transmission: The Use Of Communicative Technologies To Affect Perception, Relationships, And Motivation In Adult Education, Rebekah Leigh Hannon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to determine if motivation and perception of adult learners enrolled in a GED program at the Small Town Adult Education Center in South Carolina were affected by the use of communicative technologies and improved student-teacher relationships. This study focused on three overarching research questions. The first question sought to explore how the use of communicative technologies affect adult learners’ perceptions of the educational environment for a GED program. The second question explored how and to what extent the use of communicative technology affects the quality of student-teacher relationships for a GED program. The …

Exploring The Needs, Practices, And Attitudes Toward Technology Integration Of Community College Esol Instructors: Recommendations For Professional Development Through Action Research, Courtney Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations

Research has established both the importance of integrating technology in English language learning and of properly training teachers in order to integrate technology effectively. Inadequate teacher and learner training prevent technology from being utilized to its fullest potential in the English language classroom. A portion of the problem is due to lack of training for practicing teachers. While this is true for English as a second language teachers in all contexts, there is a strong need for instructors working with adult learners to utilize technology and be properly trained in technology integration. Professional development is a way to overcome barriers …

Implementation And Evaluation Of Computer-Assisted Science Vocabulary Modules With Students With An Intellectual Disability And Autism: An Action Research Study, Jamie Lee Taber

Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities are struggling to meet expectations in science at the national and local level. Many studies have linked difficulties with science content to difficult and technical vocabulary, and this has been evident at the local level, too. To try to improve science instruction for students with disabilities, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of computer-assisted science vocabulary modules with students with an intellectual disability and autism in an adapted environmental science class. This study aimed to answer how the implementation of computer-assisted vocabulary modules, which adhere to evidence-based practices of special education vocabulary instruction, …

Learning Programming Through Robots: A Mixed-Methods Study On The Effects Of Educational Robotics On Programming Comprehension And Motivation Of Preservice Teachers, Alex Geoffrey Fegely

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the effect educational robotics have on the programming comprehension and motivation of preservice teachers. Computer science is increasingly being integrated into K-8 curricula across the country. However, there are few teachers trained to teach basic computer science concepts. Core subject teachers are being asked to shoulder the load of integrating computer science concepts into their instruction. Educational robotics have gained attention for their potential to aid users with comprehension and motivation while learning to program. This convergent parallel mixed methods research thus investigated (1) the effect of educational robotics on preservice …

The Effects Of Project-Based Learning In The Intermediate World Language Classroom, Steven Tanner Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this action research study was to further examine the reluctance of intermediate language learners in speaking production in their second language. Additionally, with emerging strategies such as project-based learning, the study explored the efficacy of this strategy, specifically in terms of the students’ volition and motivation to produce the spoken language during classroom activities. The goal was to assist educators in discovering new social and constructivist techniques that could potentially foster student engagement and language acquisition, especially in regard to speaking competencies in the foreign language. Undoubtedly, action research was the appropriate method for the current …

Online Technology Integration Professional Development: Action Research Evaluating Impact On Faculty Perceptions And Practices, Anna Loftus

Theses and Dissertations

Many faculty teaching online lack the skills and knowledge in technology to effectively integrate technology into their course design. Faculty feel they are not provided enough professional development opportunities to improve their technology integration skills. Therefore, online professional development specifically designed for online faculty interested in integrating technology into their course design can assist in preparing faculty for the online classroom. The purpose of this action research was to implement and evaluate the impact of online technology integration professional development for faculty teaching at a distance at an institution of higher education. This study focused on three research questions. The …

The Future Is Female: Steam Education Analysis, Diana Krajewski Lockwood

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to explore the impact of an online STEAM Program for young girls ages 7-10. The researcher sought to understand how girls this age internalize the stereotype “boys are better than girls.” Especially this idea that boys are better in school when it comes to subjects in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). This study aimed to understand if increasing girls’ access to STEAM education made an impact on gender stereotypes and mindsets.

This study could be used as a resource for schools using virtual learning methodologies to deliver instructional content. The …

Recognizing Art As A Semiotic Mode: Revelations Of An Adolescent Mind, Catherine Elizabeth Deaton

Theses and Dissertations

The following gallery is predicated on the belief that a complete high school curriculum must be responsive to the needs of students as they navigate the stresses of living in isolation during a pandemic and always. High school students with minimal directions or guidance were charged with submitting a photo of a piece of art they had constructed to capture their perceptions of living through the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. The results give a candid view of how these students give purpose to the process of creating art as they construct and convey a sense of “being in the world.” …

Finding Their Strengths, Dreams And Struggles: A Narrative Inquiry Of High School Students Independent Reading Habits, Tori T. Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to read and understand texts are important to student’s success in school and life. However, many secondary students enter without the skills needed to handle the rigor and amount of reading they will meet as they matriculate high school. Yet, this is not the case for those who struggle to read most. Allington (2013) found that students who struggle the most to read are also those who given the least amount of time to reading and the most to worksheets (p. 526). Therefore, this study hopes to better understand the reading histories of three high school students and …

Black While Leading: Unmasking The Anti-Black Lived Experiences Of Senior-Level Black Men Administrators At Historically White Institutions, Dujuan Eugene Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the anti-black lived experiences of 9 senior-level Black men who are administrators at Historically White Institutions. Black critical theory (BlackCrit) and theory of marginality and mattering are the guiding frameworks used to examine the lived experiences of the Black administrators. The purpose of this study was to reveal the ways that Black senior-level administrators process, navigate, and make meaning of their lived experiences and anti-blackness at HWIs. Critical ethnography was used as the research methodology to help reveal the personal reflections and strategies that Black men who are senior-level administrators engage in to combat the pervasiveness of …

Addressing Unconscious Bias, Power, And Privilege To Increase Cultural Competence Skills In Healthcare Faculty: Intersecting Critical Race Theory And The Pyramid Model For Intercultural Competence, Christina B. Gunther

Theses and Dissertations

Inequity in healthcare has long been understood to be caused by individual and structural racism in the health system. Little progress has been made in diminishing the disparities that exist between Black and African American minoritized populations and the White majority. Cultural competence training in healthcare has focused on surface level differences in ethnicities, including language and religious practices, while ignoring difficult to address topics such as race and racism. This action research study, using a convergent mixed-methods design, attempted to address the gap in knowledge of race and racial structures in healthcare for the faculty in the college of …

Designing Vocabulary Instruction For English Language Learners In A Kindergarten Classroom, Loretta C. Ayers

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional practices used to teach vocabulary to English Language Learners in a kindergarten classroom. The central question of the study was: what instructional practices in a classroom support vocabulary acquisition of ELLs? The purpose was to determine the impact of an intervention on vocabulary acquisition with a focus on directional prepositions and rhyming word vocabulary. Students were given whole group direct instruction, small group targeted instruction, and integrated peer play opportunities over the course of the study as vocabulary interventions. Data for this study included pre- and …

Identifying The Unique Characteristics Of First-Generation College Students Whose Parents Never Attended College, Reena Patel

Theses and Dissertations

In this descriptive study, I examined data from the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennial Scholars Cohort 3 Longitudinal Survey which comprised of high- achieving, low-income and historically marginalized college students, to compare students whose parents never attended college (“True” FCGS) to students whose parents attended but did not graduate along five variables: academic preparation, academic transition, academic and social integration, and academic outcome patterns. This study addressed a significant void in prior research with respect to the need for a clearly established FGCS definition. Bourdieu’s social and cultural capital framework is the theoretical foundation for this study because his theory …

The Impact Of A Reading Workshop Approach In A Seventh Grade Supplemental Reading Class, Diana Koscik

Theses and Dissertations

This paper describes a problem of practice that developed due to a downward trend in reading achievement scores in an independent middle school in the Southeast. To address this problem, the researcher conducted an action research, mixed methods study to examine the impact of a reading workshop approach in a seventh-grade supplemental reading class. The mixed methods study was guided by one research question designed to collect quantitative data: What is the impact of a reading workshop approach on seventh-grade students’ reading achievement as measured by the STAR reading assessment? It was also guided by two qualitative research questions that …

Searching For Sputnik: Revealing Hidden Curriculum As Motivation For Teacher Growth, Jeffrey Allan Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study is to understand the impact of revealing the hidden curriculum on veteran teachers. It utilized the theoretical frameworks of hidden curriculum, cognitive dissonance, and transformative learning in an effort to develop a tool that could be used to motivate teachers to reflect upon and ultimately improve their core curricular and pedagogical beliefs and practices. I studied three veteran social studies teachers as they reflected upon one aspect of their hidden curriculum obtained through a survey of their students. The intent was to create a disorienting dilemma with enough power to spark cognitive dissonance, …

Measuring The Ability Of A Readiness Course To Improve Online Student Success At A Two-Year Technical College, James Devin Henson

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the continued growth of online enrollments nationwide, students consistently are not as successful in online courses as traditional face-to-face courses. The challenges are magnified in the two-year college environment, which has a disproportionately high percentage of low-income or minority students compared to four-year universities. This action research study uses a convergent parallel mixed methods design to study the effectiveness of a mandatory readiness course for online students at a two-year college in South Carolina to increase student success. Specifically, this study examined how and to what extent taking an online readiness course impacted online student success, students’ perceptions of …