Education Commons^™

Implementing A Bully Prevention Program At The Sixth Grade Level, Janis E. Gansert

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine bully-victim behaviors and intervention strategies using case study research design in order to develop and implement a bully prevention program. Participants in this study were limited to students, parents, and teachers on one of three sixth grade teams. A program was presented including a survey for students to determine the level of bullying, questionnaires for students and teachers to evaluate program effectiveness, and interviews with teachers, the guidance counselor, and the assistant principal. Survey data was analyzed by tabulating responses and determining percentages of students experiencing bullying. Student questionnaire data was analyzed …

Enhancing Teacher Education Through The Use Of Technology, Tracey Reed

Theses and Dissertations

With the need for teachers in this decade well documented, state policymakers have directed much attention to programs aimed at retaining new teachers. States, school districts, and schools can ill afford to lose good teachers at a time when pressure to improve student achievement is increasing. Some states are using induction programs to help new teachers from both traditional and alternative preparation programs, make a successful transition to the classroom and stay in the profession.

The New Teacher mentoring program at Powell School offers support and guidance to new teachers through mentoring, workshops, additional training, and on-the-job assessments. The New …

Service Learning – Facilitating Academic Learning And Development Of Social Skills, Kathleen E. White

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a service learning project in raising the civic responsibility, social skills, and academic skills of special education students, while meeting the needs of homeless individuals living in Callalily County, New Jersey. Service learning provided an opportunity for student growth. Students learned to be dependable, solve problems, and learned cooperation and teamwork, while increasing their academic skills.

The study involved three classrooms of special education students: one elementary class of students with behavioral disabilities, one middle school class of students with behavioral disabilities, and one high school class of students …

Integrating The Ti-83 Plus Calculator Into The Classroom: A Workshop For Teachers, Jonathan Scott Strong

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of a technology workshop involving the TI-83 Plus graphing calculator on an existing math curriculum and on teaching methodology. The workshop was developed with three goals in mind: 1) to inform teachers of the many functions of the TI-83 Plus, 2) to inform the teachers of how it could be integrated into their classroom, and 3) to promote student-based classrooms instead of teacher-based classrooms.

The entire math department was used as a sample for this project. The intern administered surveys both before and after the workshop was implemented to see …

Measuring The Sense Of Community In A Magnet School, Marianne Dell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure covenantal climate within a magnet high school, and to determine if specific professional development (Project SPARC) enhanced staff commitment to the magnet school's focus. The Royal and Rossi Measures of Sense of Community were administered in the form of a questionnaire to all staff within the school both before and after Project SPARC was offered as a professional development program during the summer of 2001.

The questionnaires consisted of sixty-four statements requiring Likert-type responses. Data were grouped according to length of respondent membership on the staff of the school as well as …

Implementing A Teacher Mentor Program, Nan L. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to develop a mentor program for novice teachers that will ease the inevitable anxiety that occurs during the first year and increase the retention rate of new teachers to the profession and at Camden High School. The intern monitored this program as its coordinator and conducted mentor training through regular workshops.

Management decisions related to mentoring influenced the quality of instruction and learning of both mentors and novices. Camden High School transmitted the school culture to novice teachers in a well-developed program. Through interviews, surveys, classroom visitations, reflective journals, and personal contact with a …

Teacher Efficacy And Student Achievement Quantitative Research Study, Norma Jean Weatherly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of high teacher self-efficacy, both teaching and personal, had upon student achievement. First, the 7th grade academic math teachers at the XYZ Middle School were asked to complete the 30-item Teacher Efficacy Scale (Gibson 1983), in order to obtain both a teacher with high efficacy (teacher-A), and a teacher with low efficacy (teacher-B). Second, ten pairs of students (ten from both teacher-A and teacher-B) of equal caliber/academic ability (based upon their Stanford 9 math score, and average in math, for 6th grade) were chosen from the two academic math classes. …

Teacher Mentoring: The Needs Of First Year Teachers, Susan E. Barkowski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify the needs of the first year teachers in one public school district for the 2001-2002 school year. The intern distributed two surveys over the course of the study. The first survey was distributed in the beginning of the school year and the second survey at the end of January. The purpose of the surveys was to determine if the needs of the first year teachers changed over the course of the school year.

All of the first year teachers in the intern's school district were identified and sent a survey asking them …

Design A Discipline Code With Staff That Reflects Board Policy And Provides A Framework For The Change Of A School From K-5 To K-4, Margaret L. Haynes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an acceptable set of discipline guidelines developed by the teachers for the new K-4 structure to begin the next school year. The intern wanted to determine whether a discipline code created by the teachers as stakeholders was more acceptable to the staff because it helps to improve the learning environment. The committee was comprised of one teacher from each of the K-4 levels as well as a resource teacher. The intern served as facilitator. The principal was also invited to attend the meetings. This project took about seven months to complete. The …

Admissions Criteria And Academic Performance In The Afit Graduate Cost Analysis Program, Kenneth R. Garwood

Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the admissions criteria used by the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) to determine academic eligibility for the in-residence Graduate Cost Analysis (GCA) master's degree program. Using the cumulative graduate grade point average earned at AFIT as the measure of academic performance, comparisons were made between the predictive capability of the current criteria and other potential factors. Factors considered included scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), undergraduate cumulative and math grade point averages, applicant's age and gender, ratings of the undergraduate school's admissions competitiveness, undergraduate degree type, and various …

The Predictive Validity Of The Afit Graduate Engineering And Environmental (Geem) Admission Requirements, Charles C. Zitzmann

Theses and Dissertations

Recognizing that a strong commitment to advanced technical and management education (Van Scotter, 1993, p. 1) serves to maintain the capability and strength of the United States Air Force (USAF), the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Graduate School of Engineering and Management (GSEM) offers a full-time, eighteen-month, Graduate Engineering and Environmental Management (GEEM) program to military officers and Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees. The AFIT uses the applicant's undergraduate grade-point average (UGPA), Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test verbal and quantitative scores, and undergraduate mathematics course grade-point average (UMGPA) to select applicants for admission. This study analyzed how …

Going The Distance With Distance Learning: An Analysis Of Motivational Factors That Influence E-Learning Course Completion Rates, Kevin A. Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

This research asked the following question: is there a correlation between types of organizational culture and factors influencing knowledge transfer? It hypothesized that organizations scoring high on the cultural factors of openness to change/innovation, and task-oriented organizational growth would be fertile to knowledge transfer. Second, it hypothesized that organizations scoring high on the factors of bureaucratic and competition/confrontation would be infertile to knowledge transfer. The research looked at Air Force squadrons, surveying a representative sample of the 1,495 active-duty squadrons included in the study with a 62-item, 5-point Likert-type instrument. Overall, 51 squadrons were surveyed, and 22 produced usable results. …

Correlations Between Reading Achievement And Discipline Problems Among African-American Male Eighth Grade Students In The Little Rock School District, Deborah J. Price

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to add to the body of existing knowledge regarding the relationship between academic achievement and discipline problems found in schools today. The study undertook to determine if there is a correlation between the behavior of African-American male students and their academic achievement. Specifically, it examines their achievement in reading and whether or not these students have experienced serious discipline problems at school. The sample was limited to African-American male students who are in the eighth grade during the 2001-2002 school year. These students must have attended a middle school within the Little Rock School …

Comparison Of The Multiple Intelligence Domains, Specific Skills, And Intellectual Styles Of Freshmen And Seniors At A Metropolitan University In The South, Stephen Richard Marvin

Theses and Dissertations

With focus upon Gardner's (1983, 1993) Theory of Multiple Intelligences, the purpose of this study was to develop, through the exploration of empirical data, an understanding of freshman and senior intelligence at a metropolitan university in the South, and determine if a statistically significant difference existed between freshman intelligence and senior intelligence with regard to the students' multiple intelligence domains, specific skills and intellectual styles, and within each subject's respective gender, ethnicity, and age group. Through the use of the Multiple Intelligence Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS), this study identified the multiple intelligence domains, specific skills and intellectual styles of a …

Factors Influencing Academic Achievement And Graduation Rates Of Transfer Student Athletes At National Collegiate Athletic Association Division Ii Institutions, Michael E. Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed in two parts: (1) to discover the graduation rates of transfer student athletes at National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II institutions in Arkansas from 1994-1997 and (2) to determine which cognitive and noncognitive variables might predict academic achievement for first semester transfer student athletes. The graduation rates were determined and analyzed by ethnicity, gender, and sports teams. Cognitive and noncognitive data were collected from a sample of 57 fall 2001 transfer student athletes. The information collected from the study group was analyzed using multiple regression and logistic regression techniques. There were five major findings of this …

The Soul Of Scholarship: The Relationship Between Academic Achievement And Religious Orientation Of College -Bound High School Seniors, Karmen Petersen Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has suggested a relationship between religiousness and various aspects of physical and mental health; however, an examination of the relationship between religious orientation and academic achievement appears to be an under-explored area of empirical research. The present study investigated the relationship of academic achievement and religious orientation of college-bound high school seniors. The Intrinsic and Extrinsic subscales of Allport's (Allport & Ross, 1967) Religious Orientation Scale and the Quest subscale of Batson's (Batson & Ventis, 1982) Religious Life Inventory were interspersed into a 32-item Likert-style questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered in both large group and small group format …

Exploring Aspects Of Effectiveness Of The Department Chair In Metropolitan Universities, Kathy Cooper Trawick

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the roles and competencies of the effective department chair based on the perceptions of faculty, chairs, and deans at three selected metropolitan universities. A brief look at 54 competencies and tasks taken from eight basic categories were rank-ordered by the participants. Data were obtained via electronic survey and an Internet web site at the researcher's home institution. Results were analyzed using Kendall's W Coefficient of Concordance to determine agreement among the groups in prioritizing the eight basic categories of department chair competencies. Results from the study of 130 total participants indicated there …

A Common Characteristic Profile For Leveraging E-Rate Acquisitions In Arkansas, Drew Mashburn

Theses and Dissertations

The study investigates how four school districts in Arkansas maximized their E-rate discounts and leveraged their acquired E-rate services toward educational improvements. The purpose is to provide a common characteristic profile of school districts that leveraged their E-rate discounts toward effective technology integration. The findings contribute to an increased understanding of how schools benefit from the discounts produced by E-rate. In addition, these implications can be utilized by other school districts for an increased understanding of effective E-rate application strategies and technology integration efforts. The qualitative data provide a common characteristic profile that identifies attributes each district shared. Evidence of …

Program To Program Articulation: Progress, Perceptions, And Procedures For Articulation From Two-Year Programs To Four-Year Programs, Brenda L. Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of two-year and four-year students, faculty, and chief academic officers related to articulation practices in existence. Additionally, this study was designed to determine the desired components for a successful articulation and transfer system and identify any significant differences that exist between current and ideal articulation practices. Furthermore, this study investigated the feasibility for an articulation officer to oversee transfer procedures and a statewide course numbering system. To accomplish the goals of this study, after review of literature on articulation and transfer practices, six research questions were developed. Survey instruments, …

A Study Of Two Leadership Styles And School Cultural Norms In Small Middle Schools, Deborah Evans Marks

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore and compare small, public middle school principals’ and middle school teachers’ perceptions of the leadership style exercised by principals in these schools. The study also investigated the relationship between the principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of the principals’ leadership style as well as the principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of the presence of the 14 school cultural norms in their school cultures.

The sample used in this study included building principals and their instructional staffs from 32 small, public middle schools across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Onsite visits were conducted by the researcher to …

The Evolution Of Media In The Church Educational System Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Daniel Lund Hess

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will chronicle the efforts of Church Educational System employees, those in the Church Audiovisual Department, and those in Church Correlation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the development of media produced specifically for use in the CES classroom.

Following a brief overview of the history of Church Education and LDS motion picture production, this thesis will document the efforts in producing media support for CES from 1965 to the present. It will chronicle how CES media development, approval, and production have mirrored changes and developments in CES curriculum philosophy, Church organization, and advances in …

Responding To District Systemic Change: A Case Study Of Campus Leadership Team Member Responses Regarding School-Based Management, Mona Rae Davidson Briggs

Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this study was to explore to what extent school-based management (SBM) was being implemented in one urban middle school and to specifically analyze attitudes and perceptions of participants' beliefs and opinions around issues of power, information, knowledge, and rewards. A qualitative case study approach was used that included interviews with the Campus Leadership Team (CLT) members, observations, and review of relevant school and district documents. Study findings revealed that SBM was intended to be a strategy for ensuring that fundamental changes would take place to support improved student performance. While student academic achievement was the primary focus, …

School Internet Grading Programs, Michael Grossman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of implementing a software program that would allow classroom teachers to post student grades and assignments on the Internet. This study measured the improvement in the grades of the students who used this Internet program. The research was limited to four physical science classes at Camden County Technical Schools (CCTS). Ninety-four students participated in this study. Fifty students were given access to their grades and assignments on the Internet and forty-four students were not given access to their grades and assignments on the Internet. The research data was generated by …

A Study To Determine The Impact Of The Picture Exchange Communication System On Challenging Behaviors In Adults With Autism, Stephanie M. Belsanti

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if an increase in communication skills, over an 80 week period, in adults with autism would decrease challenging behaviors. The sample in this study consisted of 3 adult males diagnosed with autism and no verbal communication skills. The participants were between the ages of 24 and 27 and attended a data treatment center, which was used as the training environment in the current study.

The Picture Exchange Communication System was the primary treatment for three adults who have no verbal language and are diagnosed with autism. Treatment sessions were conducted throughout the …

A Curriculum Design For Sport Tourism Studies In South Africa, Kamilla Swart

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Institutionalization On Romanian Adoptees, Diane Castano

Theses and Dissertations

The overall health and well-being of Romanian adoptees has deteriorated significantly as a result of the deficient living conditions of Romanian orphanages. Several of the effects of institutionalized children include; developmental delays in speech, gross and fine motor areas, and emotional and behavioral impediments. Moreover, these children may develop mental and/or physical disabilities and an overabundance of health problems. This study reports findings from a survey completed by 38 American families with adopted children from Romania. The results of this study reflect; parents perceptions of their child's health at the time of adoption and current health status, the child's behavioral …

The Effects Of Instructional Games On Student Achievement In The Social Studies, Christine A. Pilotti

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of instructional games on student achievement. It has been suggested by educators that instructional games may increase the performance and motivation of students. According to a pretest-posttest control group design, a sample of 34 students was administered a pretest and then instructed on the history of New Jersey for the same amount of hours. The control group used two worksheets as a supplement to the lessons, whereas the treatment group used two instructional games as a supplement to the lessons.

After analysis of all scores, a t-test for nonindependent samples …

Effects Of A Student Book Club On Third Graders' Literacy Attitudes And Performance, Kirsten M. Bellamy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify a method of improving the reading attitudes of elementary students. A book club program was chosen as the treatment because it incorporates sociocultural perspectives in learning and opportunities to put previously learned skills to use. An experimental and control group of third grade students, with 28 children in each group, were administered the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS), an instrument that tests attitudes toward recreational and academic reading. After determining beginning attitudes, the experimental group participated in a book club, which utilized small group reading sessions followed by whole class discussions of …

The Effect Of Grading The Work Of Fourth Grade Students In Red Ink And Their Academic Self-Esteem, Jennifer L. Walton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect on fourth grade students' academic self-esteem when marking their work in red ink versus blue or black ink. It was hypothesized that there would not be a significant difference in the academic self-esteem of fourth grade students whose work was marked in red ink, compared to their work that was marked in blue or black ink.

The study was a quasi-experimental design, examining students in a fourth grade classroom. Nineteen students participated in the study. Prior to the pretest, student work had been marked in blue or black ink for …

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Amount Of Parental Reading To The Student At Home And The Student's Second Grade Standardized Reading Achievement Score, Kathleen M. Jewell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the amount of time parents spent reading to their child at home and the child' s second grade standardized reading achievement score. This study used a parental survey to question the parents of third grade students in an urban elementary school on their reading habits and those of the student.

Forty-eight parents (n=48) responded to the survey. The results were then analyzed to find the significance of a relationship. A Chi-square analysis indicated that there was no significant relationship between the amount of time a parent spends reading to …