Education Commons^™

Improving Student Discipline At Carson Middle School By Implementing A School Discipline Plan, Michael R. Akes

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation took place at Carson Middle School, located in Greensboro, Georgia. Greensboro is in rural Greene County, which is located in the northeastern part of Georgia. Carson Middle School has approximately 480 students.

This applied dissertation was designed to improve student discipline at Carson Middle School. Discipline problems can negatively effect the learning environment of a classroom. Carson Middle School had approximately 3,000 discipline referrals during the 2001-2002 school year because there were no common expectations for how student discipline should be handled.

The staff at Carson Middle School implemented a school discipline plan for the 2002-2003 school …

Case Study Project: A Professional Development Approach Linked To Student Achievement, Martha Adam Colwell

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Woodland, a 3rd- and 4th-grade elementary school in Milford, Massachusetts, implemented a multiyear professional development program in order to improve student achievement in reading. The need for improvement became obvious after 3 years of low scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests and a failure to meet state expectations for the school. This project involved training all teachers to use the Case Study of an individual student to illustrate how to assess and guide reading instruction for all students in the classroom.

Every regular education teacher, special education teacher, bilingual teacher, English-as-a-second language teacher, and reading teacher selected a …

Block Scheduling Versus Traditional Scheduling: A Comparative Study Of The Academic Achievement Of Seventh Graders, Grace W. Reese

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This study compared the academic achievement of 7th-grade students using a block schedule with the academic achievement of 7th-grade students using a traditional schedule. The goal was to determine what impact, if any, block scheduling had upon academic achievement. The sample included 7th-grade students at Semmes Middle School in the Mobile County Public School System in Mobile, Alabama.

The 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition (SAT-9) test results in reading, mathematics, and science, which are required of all students in Grades 3-8 in the Mobile County Public School System, provided the necessary data.

A t test was used …

Improving School Attendance Of Special Education Students Through Tangible Rewards And Concrete Incentives, Lenell Q. Navarre

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide concrete incentives and tangible rewards for the special education students in a high school. Mediocre attendance is a serious problem in many schools with students identified as meeting the criteria for special education. It impacts the student, school, parents, and community. Research shows that poor attendance can be associated to behavioral problems, academic failure, and leading to dropout tendencies.

The writer developed a program that provided concrete incentives and tangible rewards. Planned solution strategies to improve attendance included (a) distributing concrete incentives to students, (b) distributing tangible rewards to students, (c) forming an …

An Analysis Of The Developmental Education Program At Bevill State Community College, Teresa L. Johnson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to conduct a gap analysis, using a formative evaluation model, to compare the components of the developmental education program at Bevill State Community College (BSCC) to components of effective programs. The problem was that at least 40 percent of the students who complete the developmental education program at Bevill State Community College never enroll in college level courses. This analysis determined changes which could be made to increase the effectiveness of the program at BSCC. Eight procedures were completed to answer seven research questions.

The results of the study showed twenty-three areas which need to …

An Evaluation Of The Manatee County School District Project Criss Staff Development Program, Carol Wetzel

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to investigate the efficacy of Manatee County School District's Project CRISS staff development training for teachers. Evaluation methodology was utilized to assess the district's staff development program by applying the first four levels of Guskey' s (2000) five level staff development evaluation model. The levels were assessed via three surveys, participant interviews, and anecdotal evidence.

The results showed that teachers who voluntarily participated in the Project CRISS training were generally very satisfied with the training and gained specific skills that were transferred to their classrooms. In addition, survey respondents felt that their cohorts and administrators …

Implementing Study Groups To Improve Reading Achievement Scores Of Jensen Elementary School Students, Margaret Gayle Woodall

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was conducted to provide an historical review and assessment of the implementation of teacher study groups at Jensen Elementary School for the purpose of improving student reading skills during the 1997-1998 school year. The reading study groups were grade level groups that met monthly to participate in team learning (Senge 1990) by obtaining new information, revisiting information from a 4-day district in-service session, discussing strategies, problem solving, sharing successes and supporting one another.

The evaluation of the initiative consisted of a formative evaluation to determine if the program was implemented and a summative evaluation to determine if …

An Overview Of Special Education Designed For Caretakers, Parents, And Professionals, Diane C. Sherkow

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to provide daycare owners and directors with the required training in the area of Special Needs in order to maintain their accreditation and licensure. The module that was being used by the state for child care instruction on special needs was not current with Federal rules and regulation. A manual, materials, and activities were developed and implemented to increase the knowledge and understanding of the area of mainstreaming children with disabilities into the daycare setting. Information regarding the current rules and regulations that impact the child care center when working with special needs children was researched …

The Effect Of Incorporating Interactive Concept Maps On Non-Major Adult Students’ Attitudes And Motivation Toward A Web-Supported Biology Course, Efrain J. Venezuela

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This study aimed to investigate the effect of incorporating interactive concept maps, as an instructional strategy for teaching complex biological concepts, on non-major adult students’ attitudes and motivation toward a Web-supported biology course. The author hypothesized that the incorporation of interactive concept maps would have an affect on non-major adult students' attitudes and motivation toward a Web-supported biology course. Consequently, this study attempted to answer the following question: How would the incorporation of interactive concept maps influence non-major adult students' attitudes and motivation toward a Web-supported biology course?

This study was conducted with non-major adult students enrolled in upper-level, Websupported …

The New Cpss Standards For Accreditation: A Lens For Reflection And Continuous School Improvement, Stanley W. Thompson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation identified and endorsed an initiative to support the Commission on Public Secondary Schools’(CPSS) new Standards for Accreditation and its new decennial evaluation introduced two years ago to its membership. An analysis of the accreditation status of those member schools that had completed the decennial evaluation in 2000 and 2001 revealed that 70 schools had achieved full accreditation while 31 were either placed on warning or probation.

The researcher used two measurements to determine why certain schools of the 101 received accreditation while others did not: (a) a pre self-study assessment inventory of staff development for schools that …

Increasing Cultural Awareness Among High School Teachers, Jason K. Ward

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The cultural insensitivity of the educational environment has become a primary topic of discussion recently. Many researchers have identified the lack of cultural sensitivity among high school teachers to be a leading cause of the increased dropout rate among high school students. The primary challenge of educational institutions is to provide meaningful staff development for their staff so that educators will become equipped with the necessary information to begin making educated decisions regarding all aspects of their students’ academic, emotional and sociocultural lives.

This applied dissertation addresses the problem of the lack of cultural awareness among high school teachers. The …

Funding Options And Issues Regarding Capital Construction Projects In Jackson County Schools, Keith S. Everson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The Jackson County School System is located in a rural area just northeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Adjacent to Jackson County is the Gwinnett County School System, the largest and fastest growing school district in the state. Current growth in Gwinnett County is occurring toward the northeast, along Interstate 85. Jackson County’s growth has created student enrollment issues for the school system, including the need for additional classrooms and schools at a time of decreasing state and local revenue for such projects.

This study examined the effects of various funding methods available for capital projects needed to keep up with growing …

Perfect Attendance: A Program To Reduce Teacher Absenteeism At Marion High School, Robert L. Hennecy Jr.

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to improve teacher attendance at Marion High School. The goal was to reduce teacher absences to 2.0 or less per day, regardless of the reasons. The plan utilized incentives that would be of benefit and reward to teachers. Over the years teacher attendance had been a problem that affected student achievement. There had been financial rewards in place from the district office level, but never a rewards system at the school level.

A plan was developed to reduce teacher absenteeism to 2.0 or less per day at Marion High School, Marion, South Carolina. Answers were …

Improving Third-Grade Writing Scores Through Training On The Georgia Assessment Rubric, Ruth G. Summerlin

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to determine whether teacher training would result in a 60% inter-rater reliability among 14 third-grade teachers at Bascomb Elementary School during the 2002-2003 school year. The State of Georgia Writing Assessment for Grade 3 contains developmental scoring guidelines for six stages of writing using content, personal expression, and surface features as indicators of stage development.

The writer hypothesized that a professional development program would enhance teacher knowledge of the State of Georgia Writing Rubric, allowing these teachers to assess accurately and therefore more effectively teach content related to the rubric. The researcher expected that the …

The Impact Of Reading Recovery Teachers On Reading Achievement Of Small Groups, Bridget G. Marcin-Parsons

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The intervention described in this applied dissertation was designed as an alternative to retention for students in a small rural community who were reading below grade level. The focus of the study was to assess whether instruction given by Reading Recovery teachers to small groups of struggling second and third graders, delivered in long segments over a short period of time, was more effective than that delivered for shorter segments over a longer period of time. Two Reading Recovery teachers team-taught groups of 6-7 students to provide intensive reading instruction virtually all day for 7 weeks. Treatment groups were compared …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of The Waterford Early Reading Program In A Rural School District, Dennis L. Bruno

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation study determines the effectiveness of the Waterford Early Reading Program and reviews the data collected using a control and experimental group. The data were collected from a pre- and posttest using the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test. Other tests given included the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test, 2000 and the Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test.

The study concluded that a measurable difference was indicated in the fall. Although the control group made a larger gain between the fall and spring, the experimental group’s average percentile rank in the fall was the same as the control group’s rank in the …

Increasing Literacy Completion Points Of Adult English For Speakers Of Other Languages Students At Lindsey Hopkins Technical Education Center, Louise A. Hall-Motin

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Legislation passed in 1998 reshaped the adult education system in Florida. A greater accountability for adult education was established. Due to this legislation, adult education’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program changed to performance based funding. Program funding was provided according to student mastery of Literacy Completion Points (LCPs). These LCPs reflected student achievement of academic competencies by way of standardized instruments, checklists, or portfolios. Funding was determined by the LCPs of student progression from one level to the next. The adult center in this study elected to use the state mandated checklist system to measure student achievement (Florida …

Improving Kindergarten Children’S Writing Through A Comprehensive Writing Program, Lori Canning

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem investigated in this applied dissertation was that kindergarten children were not acquiring age appropriate writing skills. Without these skills, the children exiting kindergarten children did not have the proper foundation needed for writing success in first grade and the years beyond. This created a pattern of academic failure that followed the students throughout their education.

The goal for this applied dissertation was for kindergarten students to acquire age appropriate writing skills at the end of the implementation. The writer developed a comprehensive writing program to meet the needs of these students. The program was incorporated into the framework …

Discovering, Supporting, And Advancing Gifted Education Students, Victoria Barkwell

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to increase the numbers of gifted students being identified and served in an elementary school setting. The numbers of students being served in the school’s Gifted Student Program (GSP) had declined steadily from 58 students in 1995 to 21 students in 2001. Factors that contributed to declining enrollment were: (a) a majority (68%) of faculty members had never referred students to the program; (b) referrals were not representative of the demographic profile of the school; (c) the majority of teachers (94%) had not participated in any in-service training to help them recognize gifted characteristics; and …

Meeting The Psychological Needs Of School-Aged Native Students In An Extreme Geographic Region, Deborah Diette Wilson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to meet the psychological needs of a unique Native population through a continuum of services and the utilization of technological platforms. The host community has experienced significant historical events including the exclusion in full participation education and the provision of educational curricula by individuals lacking the cultural competency base to provide appropriate educational experiences sensitive to Native learning styles. Psychological services were dictated by Federal and State mandates and consisted solely of educational and ability testing for the purpose of special education eligibility determination. As a result, school-aged Native students experienced significant social and emotional …

Development Of An Athletic Recruiting Plan For Long Beach City College With A Process For Implementation And Evaluation, Dan Ripley

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Recruiting is a necessary component of a successful athletic program. There was no comprehensive recruiting plan at Long Beach City College (LBCC) to maximize the recruiting efforts of its athletic department. The purpose of this applied dissertation was to develop a specific recruitment plan for the LBCC athletic department.

This applied dissertation answered the following questions: (a) What are selected community colleges doing to attract student athletes, (b) what is the current status of athletic recruiting at LBCC, (c) what should an ideal athletic recruiting plan for LBCC include, and (d) what steps should be included in the implementation and …

A High Teacher Attrition Rate: What Can Be Done To Address The Problem?, Frederick E. Menzer

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

South Carolina administrators recognized that the state has been losing a third of its teachers within the first five years of their career (SCASA, 2001). As experienced teachers retire, they will most likely be replaced by inexperienced teachers, whose attrition rates are higher than those of mid-career teachers (Archer, 1999).

The research goal of this qualitative study has been to develop and implement a teacher retention model that will significantly lower the high teacher attrition rate (of approximately eight teachers per year) at Marion Intermediate School (MIS). In chapter 1 the researcher discussed the significance of the work while addressing …

Promoting Social Emotional Intelligence In Elementary School Children, Beryl Irene Bailey

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide educators with a curriculum embedded program to prevent, curtail, or reverse the negative trajectory of poor social emotional development of elementary students. Third-grade students failed to demonstrate social emotional intelligence. They lacked discipline. They exhibited difficulty staying on task and working cooperatively with peers, repeatedly interrupted instruction, used negative language, did not return homework, and were often referred to the office for disciplinary action.

In a 5-week training session, teachers learned how to implement the writer’s Sowing SEEDS (Social Emotional and Educational Development of Students) Curriculum. This literacy-based program contained children’s literature aligned …

From The Individual To Individualism: A Critique Of The Helping Professions, Timothy B. Smith, Matthew R. Draper

Faculty Publications

Individualistic values characterize contemporary society and many popular approaches to mental health treatment. This paper critiques the individualistic values embedded in the helping professions that implicitly contradict the teachings ofJesus Christ, the surest foundation for mental health interventions. Members of AMCAP are encouraged to search out and replace problematic values that contradict gospel teachings which have been integrated into contemporary mental health practice.

A Model Of Norm Development For Computer-Mediated Teamwork, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

The process of establishing norms is an important aspect of group dynamics. Most, if not all, of the major models of group development incorporate norming as an important part of the process. However, little is understood and agreed on regarding how norms develop.With the increased availability and power of technology to connect people at remote sites, the popularity of computer-mediated teamwork has increased dramatically. This new communication context brings with it some dramatic differences from the traditional face-to-face context, along with a need to understand how norms develop in this environment. This study investigates the norming process engaged in by …

Blending Face-To-Face And Distance Learners In A Synchronous Class: Instructor And Learner Experiences, P. Clint Rogers, Charles R. Graham, Rus Rasmussen, J. Olin Campbell, Donna M. Ure

Faculty Publications

Like many institutions, Brigham Young University (BYU) is searching for ways to extend the reach of its programs without expanding the physical classroom and without incurring unreasonable costs. Internet supported instruction provides one alternative, with millions of students already attending Web-based classes (Gubernick & Ebeling, 1997). This case study examines the development of a class that blends distance and face-to-face students in a synchronous class. This case study focuses on how this blended learning environment was experienced by the distance and face-to-face students as well as the instructor.

Blended Learning Environments Definitions And Directions, Russell T. Osguthorpe, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

During the past decade the availability of computer technologies, such as the Internet, have greatly expanded the educational options available to learners and instructors alike. Innovative uses of technology have begun to blur the distinctions between traditional face-to-face and more recent distance learning environments. As the learning environments have been combined, many have recognized the inherent strengths and weaknesses associated with both.

The Ecosystem Of Partnerships: A Case Study Of A Long-Term University-Community Partnership, Gary Daynes, Scott L. Howell, Nathan K. Lindsay

Faculty Publications

This article presents a case study describing a robust fortyeight- year partnership between the Boy Scouts of America, Brigham Young University, Utah Valley State College, and others in an annual merit badge Powwow1 for Boy Scouts. Service-learning occurs as five hundred university students and faculty prepare for and teach merit badge classes to five thousand Boy Scouts as part of this Powwow. The article presents the history and operation of the Powwow, describes benefits to participants, and identifies some of the factors that contribute to the enduring nature of the partnership. The case study suggests that partnerships are similar to …

Using Low-Threshold Applications And Software Templates To Improve Efficiency In An Introductory Statistics Course, Jason K. Mcdonald

Faculty Publications

This study was an exploratory study in improving efficiency in university courses by using low-cost methods of design and development that can be easily managed by university faculty. To explore this issue, we developed a lesson for the Statistics department at Brigham Young University using low-threshold applications (uses of technology that are low-cost and easy to learn) and software templates. We evaluated the lesson as a possible method to decrease the number of hours instructors were required to spend teaching in class. We discovered that students responded positively to the lesson, and that the methods of lesson design and development …

A Relationship Between Grades Earned By Sixth Grade Core Science Students And Their End Of Year Grades, Denise Wilda Padrick

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To solve this problem, the following hypothesis was tested: 1. A relationship does not exist between sixth grade level academic grades earned at the end of a first nine weeks grading period and the year end grades.