Education Commons^™

Student Proficiency On High School Math Assessments And Their Relation To College And University Math Readiness, Tiffany Robinson

Dissertations

Data indicate that a significant number of first-year college students were inadequately prepared in high school to complete university-level mathematics courses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate student proficiency on high school mathematics assessments and their relation to student preparedness for university-level mathematics courses. The context of my study is a cohort of diverse, high school senior students in one state in the United States who have shown proficiency on mathematics assessments. The methodology I used was a mixture of qualitative and quantitative data, comprised of student and faculty index surveys at the high school and university level …

Improving Second Language Learning Through Performance-Based Assessment Practices, Maria Granados

Dissertations

From the time of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) to the present day, standardized testing has become the benchmark measure for student assessment and school accountability in the United States. Multilingual learners are a vulnerable population with more testing and accountability requirements than mainstream students. Not only are they required to learn a second language, but they are also assessed within the same standardized testing paradigms as their peers - native speakers of the English language. This study aimed to examine and evaluate the benefits of instructional practices and assessments that provide multilingual students and teachers prompt and …

Reevaluating Student Engagement: Exploring And Applying Alternative Assignments In Higher Education Undergraduate Applied Saxophone, Anthony S. Cincotta Ii

Dissertations, 2020-current

Undergraduate applied saxophone study revolves around the conservatory model. This inflexible model, often referred to as a master-apprentice relationship, can create an instructor-centric power dynamic which does not address the needs of the modern student. A classroom where the power lies so heavily with the instructor can stifle student engagement and can create a sense of disenfranchisement. In this setting, students have limited input on their assignment selections. While curricula have evolved with regards to being more culturally diverse, relevant, and inclusive, the approach that educators use to deliver the material has remained largely unchanged. There is limited research on …

How Do Higher Education Teaching And Learning Centers Contribute To An Institutional Culture Of Assessment?, Tracey Jean Beckley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Teaching and learning centers in higher education are often charged with providing faculty development programming in support of overarching institutional goals related to effective teaching and assessment of student learning. Using the theoretical frameworks of Maki and Weiner as a launch pad, this exploratory case study examines how two teaching and learning centers have provided services, implemented programming, and strategically affected cultural change among faculty and other stakeholders in support of an institutional culture of assessment. The study revealed four thematic strands to consider when developing practical ways for teaching and learning centers to contribute to a culture-building endeavor in …

The Blaeser Training Taxonomy, Timothy Blaeser

Doctorate in Education

This research was undertaken to determine the efficacy of using andragogy, assessment, and quality control for training in a modern industrial workplace, with findings indicating that these modern training techniques can be implemented with success in this context. While andragogy, pioneered by Knowles, has been used in many areas of adult education, it has not been found to be commonly used in the industrial workplace. The study focused on Finnish trainers using the Blaeser Training Taxonomy – a training program utilizing elements of andragogy and assessment wrapped into quality control. Using a mixed methods questionnaire, trainers reported their training results, …

Developing And Validating The Student Assessment-Based Feedback Literacy (Safl) Instrument: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Yiyu Liao

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Feedback has great influences on student retention and completion, especially on the minority students in higher education. However, the debates on the paradoxical difference between feedback’s theoretical potential and its effect in actual practice remain unsettled. This study seeks to address some primary issues in feedback research by conceptualizing student assessment-based feedback literacy (SAFL) and developing the SAFL instrument. The systematic literature reviews in the study identify two trends of assessment-based feedback in higher education: no universal definition of assessment feedback and the lack of explicit understanding of how assessment and feedback literacies interacted. By building on the exiting student …

A Study Of Elementary Teachers' Data Driven Decision-Making Practices And School Performance, Julianne K. Kotcho

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The notion of using data to inform educational decisions is not novel; in fact, teachers and school leaders have used data in various forms and for a variety of reasons for decades. However, challenges remain with the timely availability of data, accessibility to the data, and teachers’ understanding of how these data can be transformed into action that impacts instructional decisions. Without appropriate professional development, support, and leadership, teachers may struggle to use data to make sound decisions and take action in their classrooms.

This quantitative correlation study examined elementary school teachers’ levels of readiness regarding data-driven decision-making (DDDM) practices …

Faculty Perceptions Of Dyadic Advising Relationships, Power, And Cultural Consciousness On College Student Learning Outcomes, Hind Albana

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Academic advising in institutions of higher education lack consistent assessment and evaluation of practices impairing the ability to define the role, objectives, and methods utilized. Over-reliance on student satisfaction surveys for evaluating advising reinforces this phenomenon. To break the cycle, this study used survey responses from a nationwide sample (N = 156) of faculty advisors from public and private 4-year colleges and universities to examine the relationship between and among the constructs of a working relationship, shared power, cultural consciousness, and student learning outcomes. The questionnaire instrument score produced a Cronbach's alpha of .927, illustrating substantially strong internal consistency. …

Self-Determination Theory And Faculty Behavior: A Quantitative Study Of Faculty Leaders' Use Of Assessment Evidence, Joseph D. Levy

Dissertations

Despite assessment of student learning being essential work in higher education, a number of institutions have noted faculty could more effectively be using assessment results (Jankowski et al., 2018; Kuh et al., 2015; Metzler & Kurz, 2019; Suskie, 2014). This study applied Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework to provide context for faculty behavior associated with assessment actions (Fuller et al., 2016; Ryan & Deci, 2000). Mostly quantitative data were collected via electronic survey of faculty program leaders at a single institution, National Louis University (NLU). Results indicated a significant and positive relationship suggesting an increase in meeting the …

The Effects Of Teacher Professional Development And Self-Efficacy On Classroom Uses Of Information And Computer Technologies, Elif N. Gokbel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The uses of new technologies during mathematics instruction are essential for maintaining opportunities for students to gain better understanding of the content and become digital learners in the information age. Although scholars found technology integration is helpful in improving students’ mathematics achievement, the role of teachers’ preparedness for technology integration remains critical.

Technology professional development and self-efficacy are two major factors impacting teachers’ successful integration of instructional technologies. The purpose of this study was to provide a more in-depth look into (i) mathematics teachers technology uses during direct instruction, dialogic instruction, and assessment; (ii) the relationship between various types of …

Saudi Arabian Science Teachers And Formative Assessment In The Gender Segregated Male School System, Khalid Abdullah Kariri

Dissertations

Formative assessment is a key pedagogical tool that allows teachers to make instructional assessments in real time for the improvement of student learning. It gives students the opportunity to provide evidence of their learning thus giving teachers assurances that their hard work is not in vain. Formative assessment is commonly practiced in Western schools, while most Saudi science classroom teachers rely on end-of-unit summative assessment. A review of the literature reveals that very little research has been done related to Saudi teachers’ use of formative assessment in science classrooms. The goal of this dissertation was to address this absence of …

Standards-Based Reforms: Impact And Future, Lucas A. Slizewski

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Standards-based reforms have brought about significant changes to the modern educational system. Standards-based reforms have been shown to have a positive impact on teachers’ instruction by helping to focus teaching. Standards-based reforms have also been shown to increase fairness in the classroom by allowing teachers to only focus on student achievement. Additionally, standards-based reforms help to improve the accuracy of grades and student achievement. Also, standards-based reforms impact the curriculum and the assessment of students. The assessment and grading of students also is shifted to focus exclusively on student achievement under standards-based reforms. These reforms are not without challenges, as …

Early Childhood Educators’ Use Of Students’ Assessments For Data-Driven Decision Making, Brandy Shanice Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem addressed by this study is that educators do not know how students’ assessments are being used for data-driven decision making to plan for instruction and design curriculum. Data-driven decision making has been implemented throughout the Southeastern region of the United States for several years as part of public-school reform efforts. The purpose of this basic qualitative study with interviews was to explore how early childhood principals, academic coaches, and teachers used students’ assessment data for data-driven decision making to plan for instruction and design curriculum in two rural schools. This study addressed local concerns about how educators …

The Viability Of Simulated Large-Scale Marking As Professional Development For Preservice Teachers, Nathanael Reinertsen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Judging the quality of student work is a core skill of a proficient teacher. This professional competency is often utilised by organisations that run large-scale marking operations when they recruit teachers as markers. These organisations and the teachers themselves often claim that large-scale marking is valuable professional development.

This research aimed to determine whether professional learning outcomes similar to those reported by experienced teachers can be achieved for preservice teachers through participation in a live simulation of a large-scale marking operation. The research was conducted in three phases: an online survey of Australian teachers to establish that reports of benefit …

Comparison Of National Assessment Of Educational Progress (Naep) Reports And State Physical Education Mandates, Erick Alfonso

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

There have been several studies that analyzed the relationship between physical education and academic achievement at a local level, but a longitudinal analysis across the United States has not been done. An understanding of the relationship between physical education policies across the United States and academic achievement at the state level may provide insight into best practices to ensure that comprehensive physical education policies are adopted in all states. Using data from the Society of Health and Physical Educators and The National Assessment of Educational Progress, I investigated the relationship between physical education policies and academic achievement. Minor relationships with …

Assessment And Support For Basic Computer Skills At Community College Hispanic Serving Institutions In California, Jason Wayne Hough

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional survey study was conducted to determine if California community colleges designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) assess incoming students for basic computer skills, provide learning support for these skills, as well as assess the attitude of administrators towards basic computer skills of incoming students. Prior published research documented the false assumption in higher education incoming students are “digital natives”, capable of effectively using technology expected on college campuses; however, there was no research focused on community colleges designated as HSIs. The study adds to the body of literature about the assessment of and support for basic computer skills …

Assessing Study Abroad Relationship With Perceived Global Competence Levels Of Undergraduate Business Students, Pavla Ozkul

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Educating for global competence is vital if college graduates are to thrive in today’s technology driven and globally competitive world. One strategy for introducing students to unknown cultures and gaining important life skills is participation in a study abroad experience.

The purpose of this exploratory quasi-experimental research design study was to assess the relationship between perceived global competence levels and participation in study abroad experiences of business undergraduate students. The study assessed three dimensions of personal development: cognitive, intrapersonal, and interpersonal in a multicultural environment using a total of six global competence scales. Data were gathered from business undergraduate students …

Effects Of Professional Learning Communities On Instructional Revisions In Secondary Mathematics Classrooms, John Kenneth Bond

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This non-experimental, descriptive study examined the effect(s), if any, that professional learning communities have had on the professional practices of secondary (grades 9-12) mathematics teachers in Boone, Clay, Putnam, and Kanawha counties in West Virginia. Also investigated were the potential differences in instructional-practice change(s) based on selected demographic variables: sex, degree level, the grade level taught, the total years of teaching experience, the total number of years in their current position, the specific math subject taught, the total number of years of PLC participation, and the composition (e.g., departmental, cross-curricular, or both) of participants’ PLC. Data were collected from a …

Special Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Development Around Assessment, Mary Sue Durr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The significance of professional development (PD) is acknowledged in research studies as essential to implementing rigorous state standards. Although the literature recognizes that PD is a crucial component in improving teachers' knowledge and skills, some teachers at a midsized urban public elementary school in the southern United States did not see the benefit of attending PD. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary special education teachers' perceptions of PD around assessment. Guided by a framework based on Chen and McCray's whole teacher approach to teacher PD, this basic qualitative study was designed to understand how these elementary special …

Teaching To Assess: An Evaluation Of Assessment Education For Secondary Teacher Candidates, Daniel M. Frederking

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the assessment instruction of a four-year undergraduate secondary education program and its alignment to the teaching standards and the summative teacher licensure assessment. Document analyses were conducted on the program’s syllabi as well as the assessment portions of the InTASC standards and the handbook of the edTPA. Results highlighted several areas of misalignment in the areas of categorical concurrence, depth of knowledge, and range of knowledge. Also of note, preservice teachers in different secondary subject areas are receiving different amounts of assessment instruction. Additionally, local edTPA data was examined to highlight areas of strength and weakness. Students …

The Effects Of Formative And Summative Assessment On Student's Connectedness, Satisfaction, Learning And Academic Performance Within An Online Healthcare Course, Thomas J. Wing

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The quantitative study presented here evaluates the effects of formative and summative assessment on student’s connectedness, satisfaction, learning and academic performance within a university three-credit 400 level online healthcare course. Literature exploring the role that formative assessment plays within an online environment is currently lacking. Additionally, understanding how assessment practices can help support the goals of online healthcare education is vitally important given the rise in popularity of this delivery format.

This study investigated student outcomes in the form of connectedness, satisfaction, learning and academic performance. Four cohorts of students were included in this study. Two cohorts were provided with …

Early Literacy Abilities In Spanish-English Emergent Bilingual Children From Varied Dialectal Backgrounds, Antonietta Mastrota

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Hispanic population within the United States has grown to a considerable amount. The state of Florida’s population is 25% Hispanic, with projected estimates of this population continuing to grow in the coming years (Ortman & Shin, 2011). Statistics show that 28.3% of the state’s population, over the age of five, speak a language other than English at home. With this considerable number of Spanish-speakers comes the responsibility to adjust certain educational practices to best meet their needs. Literacy is an essential part of learning, and therefore assessing early literacy is an essential part to any child’s academic development.

Phonological …

Listening To Our Graduate Students' Feedback: Graduate Student Exit And Alumni Surveys, Alison W. Hong-Novotney

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Student and alumni surveys have become some of the most widely-used methods of assessment of student learning in higher education. While the majority of literature on student surveys and assessment focuses on undergraduate students, this study looks specifically at why graduate student exit and alumni surveys can be valuable tools within a comprehensive assessment plan. Listening to the feedback of current and former graduate students, and then acting upon that feedback, is crucial for the engagement and success of this unique population of students who bring their particular strengths and needs to their educational experiences. This study examined how master’s …

The Effects Of Professional Development And Formative Assessment Quality On Students' Self-Regulation In Primary School Mathematics, Oluwakemi Adewoye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student self-regulation is associated with mathematics achievement in Nigerian primary schools, and formative assessment holds promise for increasing self-regulation. However, to date no research has explored teacher professional development (PD) for formative assessment and its effects on students' self-regulation in Nigerian primary schools. This quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design used Desimone's teacher professional development conceptual framework, Popham's model for practicing formative assessment, and Zimmerman's concept of self-regulated learning. Research questions concerned whether differences existed in teachers' practice and students' self-regulation between two groups of Nigerian primary school mathematics teachers who received variations of professional development. The sample was 13 volunteer …

The Feasibility Of Assessing Parent And Child Letter Knowledge In At-Rrisk Families Within A Museum Enrichment Setting, Jeny Sara Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE FEASIBILITY OF ASSESSING PARENT AND CHILD LETTER KNOWLEDGE IN AT-RISK FAMILIES WITHIN A MUSEUM ENRICHMENT SETTING

by

Jeny Sara Thomas

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2017

Under the Supervision of Professor John Heilmann

Purpose. This study addressed alphabet knowledge with children/parents who may be at-risk using a museum environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the parent- and child-level assessments developed were appropriate to measure letter knowledge and children’s home literacy environment (HLE) from at-risk families and implement a museum enrichment program for the children/parents within a museum experience.

Methods. Fourteen parent-child dyads from the Family …

Universal Design For Learning: A New Clinical Practice Assessment Tool Toward Creating Access And Equity For All Students, Diane Fogarty

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

To examine to what extent current general education pre-service teachers within a teacher preparation program at a private institution of higher education know and understand the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), expert focus groups were conducted. General education program syllabi were examined for UDL content and found to be lacking in such content. General education pre-service teachers videotaped lessons were reviewed for UDL content and were also found to be inadequate in demonstrating knowledge and understanding of Universal Design for Learning principles. Focus groups comprised of university fieldwork instructors and teacher education experts were asked to review and …

Reading Workshop & Formative Assessment: Maximizing Quality Reading Instruction, Katherine Ann Lindner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to closely examine an elementary teacher’s classroom practices in implementing reading workshop, to examine her assessment practices within this model and to see if, when, and how her assessment practices support or enhance constructivist practices within reading workshop. This qualitative case-study, was designed to examine, in depth, the teaching practices of one teacher attempting to implement constructivist teaching and learning practices in literacy instruction (reading in particular) in her classroom. The findings revealed that teachers implementing reading, when coupling that with formative assessment practices, can use those practices to enhance and grow students’ reading …

An Exploratory Study Into The Nature Of The Relationship Between Pre-Service Teacher Fixed Factor Characteristics And Edtpa Performance Ratings, Timothy David Gouraige

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study used a quantitative, analytical, non-experimental, explanatory research design. The study used simultaneous multiple regression analysis and analysis of covariance to investigate the factors that may influence the outcome of pre-service teachers’ performance on the edTPA, and to contribute to the overall knowledge of edTPA as a pre-service teacher performance assessment. The study explored the relationship between pre-service teacher demographic and academic performance characteristics and his or her edTPA summative performance ratings in an effort to determine if a relationship exists between these fixed factors and student performance on edTPA. Additionally, this study used comparative statistics, specifically ANCOVA, to …

Shared Focus/Collective Responsibility: The Lived Experience Of Educators As Members Of A Data Team In A Connecticut Public High School, Abbie-Jean M. Lareau

Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT SHARED FOCUS/COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY: THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF EDUCATORS AS MEMBERS OF A DATA TEAM IN A CONNECTICUT PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL This study explores the experiences of five high school English Teachers in a Connecticut public school acting as an Instructional Data Team as prescribed by the Connecticut Accountability for Learning (CALI) model. Data Teams are teams of educators that participate in collaborative, structured, scheduled meetings, which focus on the effectiveness of teaching as determined by student achievement. Data Teams adhere to continuous improvement cycles, analyze trends, and determine strategies to facilitate analysis that results in action. Data Teams can …

Alternative Assessment And Accountability: A Case Study Of Policy Reform And Teacher Practice At The District Level, Amy Lynn Abbott

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Deliberations on the topic of alternatives to standardized assessments spurred the 2014 Virginia General Assembly legislation (House Bill 930/Senate Bill 306) that removed five, end-of-year Virginia Standards of Learning tests from select elementary and middle school subjects and supplant them with alternative measures (Virginia Department of Education, 2014). In light of the reform, the purpose of this study was to develop a descriptive account of one large Virginia school district’s implementation of alternative, locally developed assessments designed as an intervention to enhance teaching and learning. Emphasis was on the impact of policy change in social studies practice to capture teachers’ …