Education Commons^™

The College Scorecard: A New Player In The Game, Cynthia J. Sweet

Masters Theses

Almost all products and services offered in the world today are evaluated on any number of criteria such as reputation, quality, popularity, or value, which results in a ranking or a rating of those products or services. In the world of higher education, colleges and universities are ranked and rated based on numerous factors such as academic quality, competitiveness in the admission process, academic programs, experiential programs, geographic location, size, and more by companies like US News and World Report and Kiplinger. In February 2013, President Obama and the US Department of Education launched the College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov), an online …

Networking And Connecting Creative Minds: Understanding Social Media’S Role In Today’S Visual Arts Instruction, Tonya Rose Kirby

Masters Theses

This study explores the use of social media in K-12 visual arts programs, focusing on why and how art educators choose to implement social media in their instructional practice. This study discusses benefits and disadvantages of social media as a pedagogical and creative tool in art education through analysis of the survey responses of 50 in-service teachers. Finally, specific social media platforms are recommended, with in-class examples provided for art teachers interested in using social media in their program.

The Impact Of A Student Device Technology Integration Professional Development Program On K-6 Performance Data, Peter Grostic

Masters Theses

When schools choose to secure devices for their students to integrate into class, they are engaging in a student device technology integration initiative. Results of such initiatives so far have been inconsistent (Bebell & Kay, 2010, Gulek & Demirtas, 2005). These inconsistencies may be, in part, due to poor professional development and/or incomplete data collection. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a professional development program for teachers on the effectiveness of a student device technology integration initiative. “Effectiveness” will be defined by standardized test data as well as student attendance data and student behavior referral …

Japanese Pronoun Adventure: A Japanese Language Learner's Exploration Of His Japanese Gender Pronoun, Takumi Nakano

Masters Theses

In Japanese, there are various kinds of first-person pronouns, and some of them express the referent’s gender identity. Gender-neutral pronouns are made in English- speaking world day by day, but there is not any common first-person pronoun which indicates the gender identity that positions the referent’s gender somewhere between masculine and feminine. The present paper conducted a life story research on the “Japanese life” of an advanced learner of Japanese at a university in the United States who has been exploring his gender identity by coining and using a new Japanese first- person pronoun 㛪 ore, which indicates “in the …

Perception Of Roles Of General Education Teachers & Special Education Teachers In Regard To The Inclusion Of Students With A Cognitive Impairment In The General Education Classroom, Justine B. Keuning-Lafrence

Masters Theses

The field of education has grown and changed to include students with a cognitive impairment being educated in the general education classroom. In order for these students to access the general education curriculum and achieve academic success, general education teachers and special education teachers must collaborate effectively to provide for the needs of these students. Effective collaboration depends on teachers having a perception of their roles and their co-workers’ roles that is compatible with their co-workers’ perceptions. This study looks at the perceptions of both general education teachers and special education teachers in regard to students with a cognitive impairment …

The Effects Of A Peer Feedback Treatment Package On Math Performance In Students With Moderate Cognitive Impairments, Allaina Sheltrown

Masters Theses

Despite the increased demand for data collection in the special education settings, an agreed upon method for collecting data has yet to be identified. Two procedures that have demonstrated robust outcomes for collecting academic data for individual students are self-management and peer feedback. Self-management involves the student collecting measures on his or her own behavior(s). Peer feedback includes a student serving as a tutor and presenting academic materials and feedback to a tutee. Past research has yet to combine the two methods and include the methods to track and monitor Individual Education Program (IEP) goals. The current study aims to …

Building Principals’ Self-Efficacy Regarding Their Ability To Supervise Special Education Programing And Staff, Candida J. Marek

Masters Theses

This study uses quantitative data analysis to reveal Michigan building principals’ selfefficacy dependent on number of years on the job and types of certification they hold. These findings reveal the need for principals to have more opportunities to better understand this special population they are leading and are responsible for. Albert Bandura has established much research on self-efficacy and cognitive theory. Applying that research to that of principal responsibility reveals a need for more knowledge and confidence in the area of Special Education. Principals report that this area is not addressed formally in their certification journey and the need to …

Motivational Factors Impacting Youth Participation In West Tennessee 4-H, Crystal Paige Pipkin

Masters Theses

The 4-H Youth Development Program is an organization that is offered through the Cooperative Extension System. 4-H is mandated to provide youth with opportunities for experiential learning in the field of agriculture and home economics. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that motivate high school youth participation in 4-H programs in West Tennessee. The central research question guiding this study was: What motivates high school youth to participate in the 4-H program after 8th grade? The findings of this study can be broken down into three themes (a) Why 4-H members continue participation into high school, (b) …

Preparing For 1:1 Technology: Impact On Collaboration, Instruction, And Student Learning, Pamela R. Schwallier

Masters Theses

The purpose of this action research project was to examine how the preparation of a 1:1 technology initiative, through professional development and early access to devices, in secondary (6-12) schools affected personal computing skills of teachers as well as collaboration, instruction, and student learning. This study takes place at West Ottawa Public Schools where district educators received personal Chromebooks and had ongoing professional development throughout the 2015-2016 school year to prepare specifically for the successful adoption of the 1:1 technology model in the 2017-2018 school year. The district is able to provide personal Chromebooks for all students entering grades 7-12 …

The Relationship Between Teachers’ Beliefs And Observed Practices: The Voices Of Two Head Start Teachers, Stephani Michelle Phelps

Masters Theses

This study examined Head Start teachers’ interactions with children in relation to teachers’ beliefs about decision making and roles in various classroom activities. The purposes of this study were to (a) document preschool teachers’ verbal interactions with children and (b) explore the relationship between teachers’ beliefs and their classroom practices. Participants were from two Head Start classrooms in East Tennessee, which included two teachers and 40 children ranging in age from 3-5 years. Approximately two hours of focal child observations were completed for each child over the course of 7 months. Observations captured teachers’ interactions with focal children. Two semistructured …

Fostering Foreign Language Learning Through Game Design, Brooke Elyse Tybush

Masters Theses

This paper explores the effect of game design on foreign language acquisition through a French language game design project. The approach to language learning that this project explored touched on various L2 theories including the CLT approach, the multilingual approach, and the multiliteracies approach. The design aspect of the project served to create an interest-driven learning environment in which students could combine their academic and professional interests with language. This combination led to the development of a French language-learning game titled Bonne Chance, which is now a working product played by students at the University of Tennessee. The purpose …

Understanding College Students’ Exam Process In A General Chemistry Course, Angela Willson

Masters Theses

The main way most college chemistry courses assess what a student has learned is through a summative exam. After introductory science courses, such as general chemistry, many students cite poor teaching and disappointing grades in these courses as a reason for dropping out of STEM programs. There has been a lack of qualitative research on students’ experiences of the complete process of taking an exam from start to finish, or the exam process, which includes preparing for an exam, taking an exam, receiving feedback, and responding to feedback after the exam has been graded.

My goal in this exploratory study …

Expanding Horizons, Expanding Self: An Incentive To Get Out Of The Classroom And Start Using Art To Explore Your Community With Placed-Based Arts Investigation, Erin Poindexter

Masters Theses

The three primary components of Place-based Arts Investigation (PBAI) are an understanding of place, arts-integration, and arts-based research, each with a heritage in and of itself. These ideas work in tandem to form the keystones of PBAI, a model for interdisciplinary arts-based learning that utilizes the multiple languages of art as methods of inquiry and self-reflection without stifling curiosity. Developed with the intention to provide a true model for ‘arts integration’ in teaching and learning, PBAI uses the distinct advantages of visual art education to engage the learner through multiple modes of inquiry while providing periods of guided reflection (Gude, …

The Resiliency And Leadership Of Burley Tobacco Producers In Greene County, Tennessee: A Qualitative Study, Melody T. Rose

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of current Greene County burley tobacco producers regarding the resiliency in a declining global tobacco industry and how the producers perceive their leadership in burley tobacco production will be impacted in Greene County.

Ten Greene County producers participated in this study through an interview conducted utilizing a series of 33 questions aimed at determining specific themes in regards to resiliency in their communities, as well as the individual producers adaptive leadership styles.

Tobacco remains a viable and economic contributor to the Greene County economy. This study focused on current and …

Fostering Foreign Language Learning Through Game Play, Rachel Marie Floyd

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of pedagogical video games in positively affecting students’ knowledge of a foreign language and culture as well as their students’ perspectives on the learning process in such a learning-throughgaming environment. The theories that support such an endeavor are explored. This study looked at the process of making a French pedagogical video game that focuses on presenting French culture, history, language as well as fostering lexico-grammatical, interpersonal communication, and interpretational skills. It focuses specifically on learning through gameplay and provides evidence on the positive effect of the game on elementary level …

Advisory Councils In School-Based Agricultural Education Programs In Tennessee, Samantha Renee Ogle

Masters Theses

Advisory councils are essential to successful, working relationships among school-based agricultural education programs and the surrounding community. The purpose of this study was to describe how school-based agricultural education programs implement and utilize advisory councils in Tennessee and to determine agricultural education teachers’ perceptions of program advisory councils. Findings indicated 76.5% of program respondents had an active advisory council. The results indicated a positive perception of advisory councils; however, most teachers felt they could better utilize their advisory council. The belief that the agricultural education teacher is the leader of the program’s advisory councils was also implied. Future research is …

Academic Choices Matter For Collegiate Student-Athletes, Kendra Arielle Berry

Masters Theses

As college athletics has grown during the last two decades, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the governing institution of college athletics in the United States, has renewed its focus on academic reform and the academic performance of student-athletes (Petr & McArdle, 2012). Athletic administrators and academic support units have started to exert a greater amount of control over student-athletes’ academic lives. However, research with general samples of college students has suggested that having some degree of autonomy is important for academic performance. This raises questions about whether increased control (and reduced autonomy) is actually in the best interest of …

Student-Athlete Career Development Through Community Service: A Retrospective Study, Jackson Zane Martin

Masters Theses

This study examined the career development of seven former Southeastern Conference (SEC) student-athletes who were awarded membership to the SEC Community Service team through their contributions both with their teams and individually. The NCAA Division-I student-athlete population is a unique subset of college students that face hindrances through time restraints but also have designated sources aimed to enhance their academic and vocational development, with the latter usually assigned to full-time Life Skills administrators. Through a series of phone interviews focused on reflective collegiate community service and career development, several themes emerged. For collegiate community service the most common themes were: …

Peer Educators In National Panhellenic Conference Sororities, Kelsey Kathleen Elam-Geuting

Masters Theses

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) member organizations have numerous officer positions that might be informally defined as peer educators based on their position responsibilities. Little is known about these officers’ experiences as peer educators, the amount of training they receive, and their effectiveness in providing relevant and purposeful programs for their chapters. The purpose of this study was to better understand peer educators’ experiences within NPC sororities. If the experiences and leadership development of peer educators in NPC sororities are better understood, more can be done to support them in creating meaningful programs and services for their sisters. By supporting small …

Strengthening Tier 1 Elementary Reading Within A Multi-Tiered System Of Support, Carla N. Osborn

Masters Theses

Training teachers about the foundational reading skills is an important step in creating students who are proficient readers. However, training is not enough. Teachers need support through instructional coaching. Even with coaching support, sustainability of these practices will be a challenge if systems are not in place throughout the district to support ongoing implementation. By combining the processes of creating a Multi-Tiered System of Support, reading training, and instructional coaching, sustainability of practices can be possible. Research does not currently exist as to whether the combination of these efforts has increased student achievement in reading at the elementary level. This …

The Value Of The Arts In Education, Thorin Teague

Masters Theses

Art is a subject that has no substitute, as the learning and production of art satisfies a uniquely human need to communicate and connect with other human beings. The marriage of art and society can (and should) be thought of as culture. This author intends to assert that the arts have a critical place in education and indeed human society itself, bringing ancillary benefits to bear on the subject without relying on them as the primary justification for the retention and even expansion of arts programs; education (which could in turn be thought of the dissemination of cultural knowledge) of …

Coming Home: How Identity Plays A Role In Students Who Study Abroad In An Area That Is Representative Of Their Heritage, Mariana I. Naddaf

Masters Theses

Study abroad participation has more than tripled over the past two decades in the United States and has led to increased research efforts on topics such as the benefits of study abroad and the development of students who study abroad; however, little research exists on students who have heritage connections to the area in which they study abroad. In order to address this need within the field of higher education and study abroad, a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study was conducted to explore what factors, if any, affect changes in identity salience for students who study abroad in areas that are …

Retaining Staff Members Of Color At A Midwestern Predominantly White Institution, Tiffany L. Steele

Masters Theses

There continues to be a gap between the growing multicultural student body and predominantly White faculty and staff members who work with students. One factor in increasing the likelihood of persistence in college for minoritized students is the presence of a mentor with a similar ethnic background. Nevertheless, as of 2004, the populations of faculty, staff and administrators are still disproportionately dominated by White Americans. This study investigated how a university or college can better retain staff members of color. The participants were current and past staff members of color who worked at one university within the Midwestern United States. …

Racial Identity Development Of African American Students In Relation To Black Studies Courses, Ja'kia M. Fuller

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to provide understanding of the reason why African American students choose to enroll or do not enroll in Black Studies courses; and, (2) explore the relationship between racial identity development and Black Studies programs. Using a phenomenological approach, African American undergraduate students who have: (a) participated in a student organization that focuses on the advancement of Black people/African Americans, an organization that was founded with the purpose of creating an organization for Black Americans, or an organization that focuses on racial equality; or (b) be a Black Studies minor were interviewed. Findings …

Factors Lnfluencing Weight Gain And Perceived Barriers Of Exercise In First Semester College Students, Noah C. Neuenfeldt

Masters Theses

College students believe that university weight management interventions impact their health habits. This suggests that universities can play a large role in encouraging students to be active. The purpose of this study was to investigate this claim and to acquire a better understanding of weight change in first year college students in the first semester. We specifically sought to identify the variables that influence weight gain, as well as determine the awareness and usage of resources available to the students. A survey was given to first year students addressing the variables of interest including change in weight and Body Mass …

The Effects Of Three Seating Arrangements On Players’ Preference Of Sound In A String Orchestra, Tammy J. Clark

Masters Theses

The purpose of this exploratory, action research study was to investigate the effect of three seating arrangements on players’ preference of sound in the string orchestra. Research questions included the following: (a) How was the players’ perception of string orchestra sound affected by the repositioning of sections across the orchestra? (b) What seating arrangement do orchestra members prefer? (c) How do the preferences of orchestra members vary by section, gender, grade and years of playing experience? High school orchestra members recorded three different one-minute excerpts each in three different seating arrangements. After listening to the recorded excerpts, they chose which …

In This Together: Secondary Language Arts Teachers’ Responses To Learning Labs, Lisa A. Britten

Masters Theses

Since the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act was signed into law in 2001, literacy leaders and other school administrators have been challenged to increase student achievement to meet the law’s rigorous student proficiency goals and avoid penalties. To avoid the sanctions associated with not making adequate yearly progress (AYP), school and district leaders have been challenged to provide teachers with professional development that effectively equips teachers with the knowledge to meet the unique needs of each student in their classrooms. Because research has determined that high-quality professional development leads to higherquality teaching, and higher-quality teaching leads to increased student …

Sophomore Student-Athletes' Perceptions Of Athletic Academic Support Services, Lindsey Sturm

Masters Theses

Student-athletes' are faced with a unique set of challenges to balance both athletic and academic responsibilities. Many colleges and universities have provided their student-athletes with support services to help assist them in achieving academic success. This study focused on sophomore student-athletes perceptions of their institution's resources and their identity as a collegiate athlete. Chickering and Reisser's (1993) theory of identity development was used to better understand the new experiences and development of student-athletes' during their transition from freshman to sophomore year. The results of the present study indicated that without the athletic academic support services, student-athletes felt they would not …

A Photographic Study On College Student Sense Of Belonging, Sean Sheptoski

Masters Theses

Finding one’s sense of belonging has the capability to serve as the tipping point between success in college, and failure. According to McMillian and Chavis (1996), sense of belonging can be defined as the sense of community that members feel when they are in an environment and around other members. A way to achieve premier sense of belonging is by the creation of a caring, supportive and welcoming environment within the university. This study was designed to focus on the importance campus space plays in the creation of sense of belonging. Using a qualitative approach known as photovoice, the researcher …

To Teach Reading And Writing Well: "Genre Awareness" In Basic Writing, Tara Peck

Masters Theses

In this thesis, I argue that a "genre awareness" approach should be implemented into basic writing instruction because it enables students to unpack ideologies and beliefs inherent in genres that basic writing students read and write. Because basic writing students often have little to no prior knowledge reading and writing in academic genres, instructors should teach basic writing students how to broaden their understanding of reading and writing to include readers, writer, context, and text; even more, instructors should teach basic writing students to see the connection between the larger scene and situations in which genres arise. My argument's foundation …