Education Commons^™

Elementary Pre-Service Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Digitized Visual Primary Sources In The Social Studies, Alicia Lankford Laffoon

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the attitudes of elementary pre-service teachers toward using digitized visual primary sources in the social studies. Specifically, the researcher attempted to answer the following questions:

1. What are elementary pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward incorporating digitized visual primary sources in social studies instruction prior to a workshop?

2. To what extent if any, does exposure to strategies using digitized visual primary sources affect elementary pre-service teachers’ attitudes?

3. How, if at all, do elementary pre-service teachers think that digitized visual primary sources should be used after a workshop.

Data for this qualitative study consisted of pre and …

A Survey Of Student Academic Support In Tennessee Homeless Shelters, Olga C. Eisenhower

Doctoral Dissertations

Homeless students are at risk for poor academic performance. The purpose of this descriptive research study was to investigate supportive academic services available to students in homeless facilities in Tennessee in order to better understand homeless facilities’ contributions to successful academic performance. Supportive academic services include the provision of basic needs, school supplies and work area, tutoring, supervised care, assistance in communication with schools, counseling services, transportation, community resources, student assessments, and case management. A revised version of Hicks-Coolick, Burnside-Eaton, and Peters’ survey (2003) was used to assess supportive academic services available to students residing in homeless facilities.

The sample …

The Children's Book Of World Religions, Kirsten Lea Salonga

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

A Situated Perspective Of Rural Elementary School Mathematics Teachers’ Planning Practices, Ashley Paige Walther

Doctoral Dissertations

Rural areas are home to approximately 20% of the population in the United States. Schools that serve rural populations are geographically isolated and lack resources when compared to urban and suburban schools. Educators who serve students in rural schools are often born and raised in the same system in which they ultimately work. Elementary teachers are typically certified as generalists. As a result, many report a lack of confidence or proficiency in mathematics. This dissertation offers an analysis of the planning practices of rural elementary school mathematics teachers in a district located in the southeastern United States. The study sought …

Modeling As Teaching: Preparing Preservice Teachers To Implement Universal Design For Learning, Eric Jordan Moore

Doctoral Dissertations

Increasing diversity and growing achievement gaps among diverse groups in U.S. public schools has resulted in increased pressure on teacher education programs to prepare teachers effectively to meet the needs of contemporary students. Research is needed to establish best practices of teacher education that carry forward into future practice. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has been proposed as a framework to help address the need for more flexible learning environments, but limited research has been conducted to determine best practices for supporting preservice teachers in learning this complex framework. In this dissertation study, I examine the notion that education research …

Formative Assessment Professional Development For Science Teachers: A Qualitative Meta-Analysis Of The Research Literature, Javed Iqbal

Masters Theses

The major aim of teaching science at the K-12 level is to develop scientific and critical thinking by promoting inquiry skills and fostering a scientific attitude among students. These skills may enable students to solve science-related issues in their daily lives (AAAS, 1990; NRC, 2012). To achieve these objectives, science teachers’ professional development in pedagogy and subject matter is indispensable. Particularly, science teachers need to go through professional development programs in the domain of formative assessment so that they will be able to help students to enhance their understanding by assessing their learning through instruction, helping them track their learning …

Perceptions Of Peer Mentorship Within Living Learning Communities: A Case Study, Nicole Marie Nicholson

Masters Theses

Living-learning communities (LLC) are seen as a way to help promote student engagement and retention using best practices in higher education (Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 2014). Resident Assistants (RA), also known as resident advisors, and LLC peer mentors are members of a residential community in college who are employed to help provide a sense of community among residents on their floor or in their building (Rieske & Benjamin, 2015). Previous research (Wyile, 2012) on LLC peer mentor interactions provided examples of how peer mentors could enhance a community within a college LLC. This qualitative study …

Student-Athlete Awareness Of Athletic Career Transition And Transferable Skills, Michelle Lynn Woods

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to measure student-athlete’s awareness of transferable skills, identify what skills are most transferable, and identify the resources available to aid student-athletes in the transition from athletic career retirement to a non-athletic career setting. A modified version of McKnight’s (2007) survey was used to collect data regarding student-athlete awareness of career transition and transferable skills. One hundred and sixty student-athletes participated in the survey, which was comprised of three parts: (a) transferable skills, (b) career transition, and (c) demographic information. A quantitative approach utilized descriptive statistics to identify student-athlete’s awareness of transferable skills, the most …

Bringing Fútbol Fever To Rocky Top: An Analytical History Of The Regal Rowdies, Matthew H. Proffitt

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Sensation Seeking Among Experienced Whitewater Kayakers, Lisa Marie Ivester

Masters Theses

Whitewater kayaking is an adventure sport that has been continuously growing in popularity (Brymer, 2010). A better understanding of the risk involved could assist programmers, marketers, and decision makers in the future. This study explores sensation seeking in experienced whitewater kayakers. Demographic variables such as age, sex and skill level are studied to make conclusions about risk perception. Kayakers were recruited nation-wide via social media to participate in a survey involving sensation-seeking and demographic questions. The study consisted of 409 participants who completed the self-identifying survey. Past sensation-seeking literature pertaining to adventure sports suggests that there is a correlation between …

Visual Rhetoric And Semiotics In Scenic Design: A Pedagogical Analysis, Chris Guzzardo

Masters Theses

Scenic designers are professionals in theatre who design sets for the stage that communicate aspects of a performance, such as time of day, location, and era. Sets are supposed to lay a foundation to performances as they communicate information to audiences through visual design. Since visual rhetoric and semiotics play a big part in the successful completion of transmitting messages, knowledge of both concepts should be taught to scenic designers. This thesis provides a content analysis of ten popular books used by scenic designers and their respective education programs. The analysis provides a structured search for visual rhetoric and semiotic …

A Comprehensive Study Of Attributes Found Within Accomplished Middle School Band Programs, Jacqueline H. Messinetti Jacqueline

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Immersion Schools And Language Learning: A Review Of Cherokee Lanugage Revitalization Efforts Among The Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians, Elizabeth Albee

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Perceptions And Expectations Of College Students Choosing To Become Peer Mentors, Matthew Hicks

Masters Theses

Peer mentoring programs are a popular means of supporting students in transition in higher education. The success of these programs is based on the students who decide to become peer mentors. Further, institutions often have a variety of peer mentoring programs on their campuses that create varying experiences. The intent on this study was to identify best practices for recruiting peer mentors. The study utilized a quantitative instrument designed to reflect what previous literature suggested had been the positive outcomes of peer mentoring. A total of 110 student leaders at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville participated in the study, representing …