Education Commons^™

To Cheat Or Not To Cheat: Impact Of Learning Disability Status On Reasons For Cheating, Mckenzie Elizabeth Perdew

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Academic cheating frequency, motivating factors for cheating, and student reasons for cheating have been studied extensively for decades, but nearly all of the research has been conducted with typically-developing students. To date, only one published study has examined cheating among students with learning disabilites, despite over 2 million students in American schools having been diagnosed with a learning disability.

Students who engage in academic cheating, as well as students who have learning disabilities, are more likely to have low levels of self-efficacy, hold more performance goal orientations, and have higher levels of impulsivity. Therefore, in the present study, individuals with …

Examining Ec-6 Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy In Teaching Mathematics, Tonya D. Jeffery, Lisa D. Hobson, Sarah J. Conoyer, Karen E. Miller, Lesley F. Leach

Faculty Publications

Mathematics teacher quality has become a major focus in national education reform efforts. In addition, there is an increasing interest in the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs and the undergraduate preparation of elementary mathematics teachers. Empirical evidence suggests that teacher attitudes, behaviors and values, or dispositions, towards teaching have a significant impact on student outcomes. The purpose of this study is to survey juniors and seniors in an undergraduate teacher preparation program to gauge their perceptions of self-efficacy and comfort with teaching mathematics. The results have implications for, and reaffirm concerns about the undergraduate preparation of elementary mathematics teachers.

A Mixed Methods Study Exploring The Relationship Of Cognitive And Motivational Factors To Sonography Student Performance, Renee Hathaway

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine relationships between sonography students’ levels of self-regulation and self-efficacy and their performance in a 16-week introductory vascular sonography skills laboratory course. Measures for the study were designed to yield qualitative and quantitative data related to student goals, strategies, and course performance, and were generated by both students and faculty. Qualitative data from the study included student self-reports of self-regulatory strategies and instructor evaluations of student performance, while quantitative data were provided by instructor and student ratings of performance, student self-efficacy ratings, and student reports on their use of deliberate practice. …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Effective Student Support Systems By Availability Of Student Support Facilitators, Marsha Joyce-Tatum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student support systems are designed to improve struggling students’ performance and should be used by general and special education teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of student support system frameworks in a rural school district in a Mid-Atlantic state with a full-time or part-time student support facilitator. This study will provide educational leaders with information on teachers’ perceptions concerning student support systems, in order to support creation of improved staff development efforts that will influence effective teacher use of student support systems. Teachers’ perceptions of their training, special education eligibility, and framework weaknesses in student …

Help! I'Ve Been Asked To Mentor A Robotics Team, Mary L. Stephen, Sharon M. Locke

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Mentorship On The Motivation To Learn: A Phenomenological Study Of High School African American Male Students At Risk For Failure, Godwin M. Prospere

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how at-risk male African American students who attend Title I inner-city high schools in Central Florida, and are at risk for failure, perceive mentorship impacts their motivation to learn. The theories that guided this study were Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, and Bandura’s social cognitive theory of self-efficacy, as each theory describes the basic needs that must be satisfied before an individual can be motivated to learn, and the role of interaction in developing self-efficacy and the motivation to learn. The central research question that guided this study sought …

Teacher Perceptions On The Use Of Technology With English Language Learners, Holly Harvil

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand general education teachers’ perceptions regarding their use of technology with students who qualify for English Language Learner services in an urban Georgia school district. The self-efficacy theory originated by Bandura was used to examine 17 teachers’ experiences of using technology as possible personal preference or as being influenced by environmental factors. The following three research questions were used: (1) How do teachers describe their use of technology in a classroom setting? (2) What are the participants’ understandings of instructional technology in relation to ELL students? (3) How do teachers of …

Self-Perceived Success Of First-Generation College-Going Latinx Students, Sarah Mongillo

Honors Scholar Theses

This exploratory study aims to address the unique experiences of Latinx first-generation college-going students during their undergraduate careers. Literature has emphasized the obstacles Latinx students face during admission phase to college; this research examines the experiences of students attending a predominantly white institution (PWI) in the northeast. Latinx individuals are the most underrepresented ethnic group on college campuses, and those whose parents lack knowledge of the US education system must overcome additional struggles. Through qualitative data analysis of 20 undergraduate students’ survey responses, this study finds that first-generation college-going Latinx students feel isolated in their college experience and prioritize non-traditional …

Self-Efficacy Change Associated With A Cognitive Load-Based Intervention In An Undergraduate Biology Course, David F. Feldon, Joana Franco, Jie Chao, James Peugh, Cathy Maahs-Fladung

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Cognitive load theory (CLT) holds that discovery learning and other instructional strategies imposing high levels of extraneous load on novice learners hinder learning. Such learning conditions are also associated with significant drops in persistence, a key measure of motivation. However, research within the CLT framework typically engages motivation as a necessary precursor to learning, rather than as an outcome of instruction. In this study, we examine changes in motivational beliefs as outcomes of learners' cognitive processes through a CLT lens as they engage with instruction. Using a double-blind quasi-experimental design, we manipulate the level of cognitive load imposed on participants …

Alternative Seating In Middle School Math: Effects On Student Motivation, Kirk Whitfield Renegar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The use of alternative classroom seating has recently become a topic of interest in education. Many teachers have redesigned their classrooms to include many forms of classroom seating aside from traditional student desks. These forms of seating include but are not limited to: therapy balls, therapy cushions, and beanbag chairs. While this movement has certainly caused a buzz, little research has been completed that speaks to its educational impact on students when multiple forms of seating are available to students. Most critically, the potential impact of alternative classroom seating on students’ motivation and self-efficacy has also yet to be studied. …

The Effect Of Undergraduate Biology Research Experiences And Mentoring Structures On Student Self-Efficacy, Kyle Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Collaborative inquiry within undergraduate research experiences (UREs) is an effective curriculum tool to support student growth. This study seeks to understand how collaborative inquiry within undergraduate biology student experiences are affected within faculty mentored experiences and non-mentored experiences at a large private southeastern university. Undergraduate biology students engaged in UREs (faculty as mentor and non-mentor experiences) were examined for statistically significant differences in student self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was measured in three subcomponents (thinking and working like a scientist, scientific self-efficacy, and scientific identity) from student responses obtained in an online survey. Responses were analyzed using a nonparametric equivalent of a t …

The Relationship Between Perceived Sense Of Community And Self-Efficacy In Special Education Teachers: A Quantitative Correlational Study, Laura Sinkonis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teacher attrition is a worldwide problem. Teachers leave education for reasons other than retirement, and many retire before the generally accepted retirement age of 65. Further, special education teachers are at an even higher risk of premature exit than their general education counterparts. Self-efficacy is related to teacher burnout and other reasons for leaving the profession. One missing piece in the literature is role of sense of community in special education on teachers’ self-efficacy. The purpose of this correlational study is to investigate possible predictive relationships between sense of community and self-efficacy in special education teachers. Further, relationships between group …

In Their Own Words: The Significance Of Participant Perceptions In Assessing Entomology Citizen Science Learning Outcomes Using A Mixed Methods Approach, Louise I. Lynch, Jenny Dauer, Wayne A. Babchuk, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Doug Golick

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A mixed methods study was used to transcend the traditional pre-, post-test approach of citizen science evaluative research by integrating adults’ test scores with their perceptions. We assessed how contributory entomology citizen science affects participants’ science self-efficacy, self-efficacy for environmental action, nature relatedness and attitude towards insects. Pre- and post-test score analyses from citizen scientists (n = 28) and a control group (n = 72) were coupled with interviews (n = 11) about science experiences and entomological interactions during participation. Considering quantitative data alone, no statistically significant changes were evident in adults following participation in citizen science when compared to …

Diagnostic Effects Of An Early Mastery Activity In College Algebra And Precalculus, Nathan Wakefield, Joe Champion, Jessalyn Bolkema, Douglas Dailey

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate implementation of an early intervention mastery activity during the first two weeks of college algebra and precalculus courses at a large U.S. public university. Statistical modeling of (N = 935) students’ performance in the courses, including a logistic regression model of pass/fail course achievement with students’ high school rank, ACT Mathematics scores, and performance on the intervention as explanatory variables, suggested significant independent differences in course performance across performance levels on the early mastery activity. An evaluation of diagnostic validity for the model yielded a 19% false negative rate (predicted to …

Assessing Students’ Writing And Public Speaking Self-Efficacy In A Composition And Communication Course, T. Kody Frey, Jessalyn I. Vallade

Information Science Faculty Publications

One avenue for assessing learning involves evaluating self-efficacy, as this psychological beliefis a strong predictor of academic achievement. As such, the purpose of this study was to evaluate writing self-efficacy and public speaking self-efficacy in a composition and communication course. This course is structured to develop both writing and public speaking competencies; the research sought to determine whether students believed they were leaving the course feeling more confident in their capabilities within each respective academic domain. Results (N= 380) from pre- and post-test data suggest that students’ reported writing and public speaking self-efficacy significantly increased over the semester. Additionally, students’ …

Teens-As-Teachers Nutrition Program Increases Interest In Science Among Schoolchildren And Fosters Self-Efficacy In Teens, Virginia Bolshakova, John Gieng, C. Sheena Sidhu

Faculty Publications

The Healthy Living Ambassador Program brings health, teen leadership, and teamwork to California's elementary school gardens through interdisciplinary UC Cooperative Extension collaboration, community-based partnerships and teen teaching. During spring 2015, teen ambassadors trained by Extension educators and volunteers at UC Elkus Ranch in San Mateo County taught nutrition science, food cultivation and healthy living skills in an 8-week, garden-based, after-school nutrition and physical education program for elementary school children in an urban setting. We conducted a pilot study using a mixed-methods approach to measure and explore the program's impact on children's vegetable selection and consumption preferences, as well as perceived …

Educational Attainment, Teaching Experience, Professional Development And Self-Efficacy As Predictors Of Chemistry Content Knowledge: Implication For The Development Of A National Promotion Examination, Jina Denise R. Galiza, Rhodora F. Nicdao, Armando M. Guidote Jr

Chemistry Faculty Publications

This study examined teachers’ content knowledge (CK) in chemistry and its relationship to teachers’ chemistry background, teaching experience, involvement in professional development and self-efficacy It was further investigated which variables predicted the level of content knowledge (CK) of one hundred public secondary chemistry teachers. The data shows that the majority of science teachers have low level of CK in Chemistry. Teaching experience, professional development, chemistry background, and self-efficacy were significantly related to the CK of teachers. Teachers' professional development and self-efficacy predicted the CK of teachers.

From Science Student To Scientist: Predictors And Outcomes Of Heterogeneous Science Identity Trajectories In College, Kristy A. Robinson, Tony Perez, Amy K. Nuttall, Cary J. Roseth, Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This 5-year longitudinal study investigates the development of science identity throughout college from an expectancy-value perspective. Specifically, heterogeneous developmental patterns of science identity across 4 years of college were examined using growth-mixture modeling. Gender, race/ethnicity, and competence beliefs (efficacy for science tasks, perceived competence in science) were modeled as antecedents, and participation in a science career after graduation was modeled as a distal outcome of these identity development trajectories. Three latent classes (High with Transitory Incline, Moderate-High and Stable, and Moderate-Low with Early Decline) were identified. Gender, race/ethnicity, and competence beliefs in the first year of college significantly predicted latent …

Arts Engagement Outside Of School: Links With Year 10 To 12 Students’ Intrinsic Motivation And Self-Efficacy In Responding To Art, Julia Morris

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study draws on student engagement factors to examine the relationship between students’ non-school-based arts experiences on their intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy to participate in visual arts responding tasks. Visual arts responding in the curriculum includes learning about artists and artworks, decoding art and making critical judgements, and is important in building twenty-first century learning skills such as critical thinking and communication. A total of 266 Year 10 to 12 students from 18 schools in Western Australia (WA) participated in the quantitative research, which explored outside-school arts engagement as well as cognitive and psychological engagement factors in their current year …

Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy To Teach Primary Science Based On ‘Science Learner’ Typology, Christina M. Norris, Julia E. Morris, Geoffrey W. Lummis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

According to international benchmarks [Thomson, S., Wernert, N., O'Grady, E., & Rodrigues, S. (2017). TIMSS 2015: Reporting Australia's results. Retrieved from Camberwell, Victoria: www.acer.edu.au/timss], Australia’s science education is still in decline and so the need for further investigation into preservice teachers is warranted. Utilising data from a broader mixed methods doctoral study [Norris, C. M. (2017). Exploring the impact of postgraduate preservice primary science education on students’ self-efficacy. Retrieved from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2040], this paper investigates the type of science learner entering into postgraduate preservice primary teacher education and how different learner types influence teacher self-efficacy and their effectiveness to teach science …