Education Commons^™

A Study Of The Long Range Effects Of Reading Recovery On Student Achievement On The Arkansas Benchmark Examination, Elizabeth Jane Wyatt

Theses and Dissertations

The study examined the progress made by discontinued Reading Recovery ® students three years beyond the initial Reading Recovery intervention. It also examined the relationship between former discontinued Reading Recovery students and the need for additional literacy support from second to fourth grade. The students' results on the Arkansas Benchmark Examination were used to determine the progress made three years following the initial Reading Recovery intervention. These results were compared to the average scores of non-Reading Recovery students. Based on the findings, former Reading Recovery students are performing at the basic or above level on the Arkansas Benchmark Examination.

African American Student Affairs Administrators At Predominantly White Institutions: Factors That Contribute To Their Success, Levester Gardner Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of African American student affairs administrators at predominantly white universities and the factors that contribute to their success. The study focused specifically on African American student affairs administrators at predominantly white institutions and their lived experiences. Through the use of phenomenological methods of inquiry, a purposive sample of fourteen African American Student Affairs Administrators from predominantly white institutions were selected and interviewed. The conceptual framework for the present study consisted of a set of variables that influence the success of African American student affairs administrators at predominantly white institutions. Some …

Effects Of An Interactive Approach To Word Study Versus A Traditional Spelling Approach, Rhonda Rook

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, spelling instruction in many classrooms has consisted of the rote memorization of words and rules with little connection to the application of these items in reading and writing. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of the Rook Fourth Grade Word Study Curriculum on students' improvement in word knowledge, usage, and the application of those skills to writing. Data collection included student pretest and posttest assessments of spelling and writing. In addition, teacher perceptions regarding the influence of an interactive word study curriculum on student achievement and instructional practices were investigated by means of open-ended questionnaires …

Non -Major Physical Education Students' And Department Chairpersons' Perceptions Of Current Physical Education Activity Curriculum In The Nine State Supported Universities In Arkansas, Lynn Glover Leggett

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines perceptions of the department chairpersons and non-major physical education students at seven Arkansas state supported universities. The research study was based on two parts. Part I included a 16 item questionnaire survey to the physical education department chairpersons. The results of this study were analyzed using a qualitative clustering approach. The research was grounded in the department chairperson's questionnaire. Part II included a 26 item questionnaire survey to the non-major physical education students enrolled in physical education activity classes to meet the general education requirement. Twenty four questions were analyzed using a chi-square test to determine differences …

The Effect Of Locus Of Control, Motivation And Learning Style On Retention In Online Community College Courses, Vondra O. Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

Literature is replete with the uniqueness of the community college student as it relates to remediation, persistence, and academic success; yet very little literature exists on the community college and retention in online courses. The purpose o f the study was to examine the effect of student characteristics, locus of control, motivation, and learning style on retention in online community college courses. The descriptive discriminant function analysis revealed one function that was primarily defined by age and ethnicity, locus of control was not supported, while motivation and learning style preference were predictors of retention to a lesser degree. Completers tended …

The Effects Of School Climate On Teacher Efficacy And Retention In High-Poverty Schools, Debbie Lambeth

Theses and Dissertations

High-poverty schools must have teachers who believe they can make a difference in the lives of the students. Teachers with high self-efficacy tend to have the desire to make that difference in the life of a child and persist in the face of adversity. School climate plays an important role in building teacher efficacy and persistence in high-poverty schools. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between the school climate created by a comprehensive school reform model, teacher efficacy and teacher persistence in high-poverty schools. The findings revealed a statistical significance between teacher efficacy and teacher persistence. …

The Proficiency Of English As A Second Language Students At A U.S. Metropolitan University: A Survey Of The Beliefs And Perceptions Of Core-Course Instructors, Pamela Henline Villines

Theses and Dissertations

The success of English as a Second Language (ESL) students at university level in the United States depends upon their ability to perform at a level of language proficiency deemed adequate by university core-course instructors. This writing begins with the historical derivation of “language proficiency,” and continues on to examine the curricular demands of the Intensive English Language Program (IELP) at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). ESL students, both IELP graduates and IELP non-affiliates, may enroll in the core courses required to earn a degree from UALR. This thesis is based on the results of a survey …

Using Data Envelopment Analysis To Assess The Technical Efficiency Of Public School Districts In Arkansas, Douglas Stephen Adams

Theses and Dissertations

The study calculated the relative technical efficiency of public school districts in the State of Arkansas utilizing an output oriented variable returns to scale data envelopment analysis (DEA) for the school year 2005-2006 and found over 80% of the schools districts were inefficient to a certain extent. The elimination of the relative technical efficiency could generate potential savings of $250,000,000. The study also found significant variances in relative technical efficiency and average effectiveness for school districts with similar concentrations of poverty students. Additionally, the study found significant variances in average effectiveness among school districts that were fully efficient. Finally, the …

Enhancing Teaching And Learning: Integrating Technology And Nursing Education, Kellie Smith, Edd, Rn, Elizabeth Elkind, Rnc, Msn, Mba, Phd(C)

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Enhancing teaching and learning: Integrating technology and nursing education. Jefferson School of Nursing Faculty Development Day: Understanding scholarship: The Boyer model and career development. Philadelphia, PA (podium)

15 PowerPoint slides.

A Study Of Digital Communication Tools Used In Online High School Courses, Nathan Putney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which selected communication tools used by teachers who teach online are positively perceived by their students in improving feelings of self-efficacy and motivation, and which tools may be perceived to be significantly more effective than the others. Students from the Florida Virtual School, a leader in online course delivery for grades 6-12, were surveyed to find their perceptions about how their teachers' use of email, Instant Messaging, chat, the telephone, discussion area, whiteboard, and assignment feedback affected their motivation and success in an online high school course. Correlations were …

The Problem Of Polysemy In The First Thousand Words Of The General Service List: A Corpus Study Of Secondary Chemistry Texts, Karina Clemmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vocabulary in a second language is an indispensable building block of all comprehension (Folse, 2006; Nation, 2006). Teachers in content area classes such as science, math, and social studies frequently teach content specific vocabulary, but are not aware of the obstacles that can occur when students do not know the basic words. Word lists such as the General Service List (GSL) were created to assist students and teachers (West, 1953). The GSL does not adequately take into account the high level of polysemy of many common English words, nor has it been updated by genre to reflect specific content domains …

An Exploration Of How Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers Use Educative Curriculum Materials To Support Their Science Teaching, Deirdre Englehart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that a proportion of elementary teachers are not comfortable teaching science to young children. These teachers are unaware of the best methods of approaching science and don't have the science background knowledge to support teaching through inquiry methods. This case study explores the role educative curriculum materials play in supporting pre-service early childhood education teachers' knowledge with science content and teaching practices. Specifically, I examine how educative materials impact pre-service teacher's content knowledge in science and their pedagogical content knowledge related to inquiry methods. Three pre-service early childhood teachers participated in this research. The teachers were initially interviewed …

Leadership Behaviors Gained As A Result Of Involvement In A Community College Student Leader Program, Chanda Torres

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess whether participation in a community college student leader program had an effect on the leadership behaviors of students based on five (5) practices measured by a student leadership practices inventory. By assessing these leadership behaviors, the community college was able to determine the effectiveness of the program and ways to improve the program's curriculum. This study addressed the following: 1) whether students who participated in a student leader program in a community college showed significant growth in leadership behaviors; 2) whether the growth in leadership behaviors of students who participated in a …

What Is The Relationship Between National Board Certification And The Achievement Results Of Third Grade Students In A Local Cen, Thomas Vitale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been much excitement over the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards; especially with regard to improving student achievement. Are Nationally Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) performing better than their non board certified counterparts? Does achieving National Board Certification mean that a teacher is "highly qualified?" What are the tangible effects on the achievement levels of students of Nationally Board Certified teachers? Much research has been conducted in the past few years to try to answer these questions. Currently, the results of much of this research are ambiguous at best. Most studies report little in the way of significant impact …

The Prevalence Of Bullying In Central Florida Middle Schools As Perceived By Students, Marty Norris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was developed to produce data about the prevalence of bullying in Central Florida middle schools. The research was intended to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on bullying and victimization. The focus for this study was provided through research questions: (a) to determine if there is a mean difference in perceived victimization among Central Florida middle school students based on grade level, gender, and ethnicity; (b) to determine if there is a mean difference in perceived bullying among Central Florida middle school students based on grade level, gender, and ethnicity; (c) to determine what support do students …

In The Critical Tradition: An Examination Of National Board Certified Teachers In A Central Florida School District, Jacquelyn Flanigan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 1986, the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy published A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century in which it recommended that a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) be established to ascertain and institute criteria for teacher excellence (Steiner, 1995). No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) mandated that every classroom employ a "highly qualified teacher" (No Child Left Behind, 2001a); moreover, NCLB articulated the relationship between improving student achievement and higher standards for qualifying classroom teachers (Rotberg, Futrell & Lieberman, 1998). Research conducted in Miami-Dade County supports Florida's use of National Board Certification (NBC) …

An Analysis Of Predictors Of Enrollment And Successful Achievement For Girls In High School Advanced Placement Physics, Darlene Depalma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A problem within science education in the United States persists. U.S students rank lower in science than most other students from participating countries on international tests of achievement (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003). In addition, U.S. students overall enrollment rate in high school Advanced Placement (AP) physics is still low compared to other academic domains, especially for females. This problem is the background for the purpose of this study. This investigation examined cognitive and motivational variables thought to play a part in the under-representation of females in AP physics. Cognitive variables consisted of mathematics, reading, and science knowledge, as …

A Study Of An Attempt To Improve The Reliability Of Teachers' Holistic Scores Of Elementary Writing Through In-House Profess, Lisa Farmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based training that attempted to improve the reliability of holistic scores teachers assigned to the writings of elementary school students. Seventeen teachers at one suburban elementary school located in the Southeastern United States participated in three training sessions that allowed for scoring practice and group discussions. The trainers, or presenters, were "faculty-experts." A comparison of scores the participants assigned to students' writings before and after the training was conducted. The analyses included t-tests that compared the participants' mean scores to the scores assigned by raters from the state, a within-group analysis of reliability …

The Effectiveness Of "Delivering Unfavorable News To Patients Diagnosed With Cancer" Training Program For Oncologists In Uzbekis, Gulnora Hundley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective physician-patient communication is primary to successful medical consultation and encourages a collaborative interactional process between patient and doctor. Collaborative communication, rather than one-way authoritarian, physician-led medical interview, is significant in navigating difficult circumstances such as delivering "bad news" to patients diagnosed with cancer. Additionally, the potential psychological effects of breaking bad news in an abrupt and insensitive manner can be devastating and long-lasting for both the patient and his or her family. The topic of delivering unfavorable news to patients is an issue that many medical professionals find to be challenging and is now getting the attention of medical …

A View From The Field: Urban Special Education Directors' Perceptions Of Essential Competencies For Newly Appointed Special, Carolin Pratt Marrett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine what competencies urban directors of special education perceived to be essential for newly appointed urban special education administrators. Two research questions and two null hypotheses were generated to investigate the underlying factors in competencies perceived by urban special education directors to be essential for newly appointed special education administrators and to investigate the relationship between years of experience as a director of special education and these underlying factors. A factor analysis revealed that there were three underlying factors reported to be essential for newly appointed special education administrators. A multiple regression …

The Effects Of The Attainment Of Functional Assessment Skills By Preschool Teachers And Their Assistants On Students' Classr, Karen Wagner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of teaching functional assessment skills to three Prekindergarten teachers and their teaching assistants. The effects were measured by examining the behavior of the teachers and assistants, as well as the behaviors of the students; before, during and after the delivery of three, two-hour functional assessment classes. The teaching staff videotaped themselves and their students during a regular class time, predetermined by the researcher and each teacher prior to the onset of baseline data collection, over an approximate nine-week period. The video was taken in twelve-minute segments every day. Later, the …

An Investigation Of The Efficacy Of The Text Talk Strategy On Pre-School Students' Vocabulary Acquisition, Heather Batchelder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using a single subject Multiple Baseline design, this study examined the efficacy of the Text Talk vocabulary acquisition strategy with regard to the use of new vocabulary by pre-kindergarten students in an inclusive classroom within a public charter school. Five pre-school students participated in the study. Students with varying exceptionalities as well as students with typical development were included in the study. Three classroom teachers implemented the Text Talk strategy utilizing eight books and vocabulary scenario models during an interactive story time that included the direct instruction of vocabulary in the study. During the baseline and intervention phases data collection …

The Impact Of Video Modeling And Peer Mentoring Of Social Skills For Middle School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders In In, Christine Ogilvie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given the behavioral expectations of students by teachers and peers in middle school inclusive classrooms and characteristics inherent to students with ASD, the purpose of this study was to explore the impact of video modeling and peer mentoring of five critical social skills for inclusion on middle school students with ASD. Specifically, the extent to which the combination of video modeling and peer mentoring of five critical social skills would increase the level of demonstration of these skills in the general education inclusion setting was investigated. Because individuals with ASD exhibit limited social communication skills, those skills necessary especially at …

Listening To Student Voices: Web-Based Mentoring For Black Male Students With Emotional Disorders, David Grant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The voices of Black male students labeled ED are seldom heard regarding their perspectives on education and their lives in general. By excluding their opinions, educators are missing an important aspect that could improve educational services for Black males with ED. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the implications of Web-based mentoring as a platform for Black male students with ED to articulate their thoughts on the factors that impact their behaviors and achievement. Mentoring as an intervention granted Black males with ED a platform to share their thoughts. Technology was used as an educational resource to academically engage …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Using Handhelds To Increasecomputational Speed By Enhancing Working Memory Forsecondary Stude, Marcey Kinney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using a single subject research design, the effects of computer based brain training were examined to determine if computational fluency increased after completing the brain training activities. The study took place in a large public high school. Participants were students with learning disabilities who were also below level in mathematics. During the baseline phase, all participants completed a timed math probe daily for 1 week. Because the timed math probes were timed, the researcher was looking for an average gain for each student. During week two students completed the brain age activities daily, prior to completing the math probe. Average …

The Effect Of Cognitive Aging On Multimedia Learning, Boaventura Dacosta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

If not designed in consideration to the workings of the human mind, multimedia learning environments can impose too high a demand on working memory. While such high cognitive load presents challenges for learners of all ages, older learners may be particularly affected as research on cognitive aging has shown the efficiency of working memory declines with age. Research has suggested that cognitive load theory (CLT) and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) are likely to accommodate the cognitive needs of older learners; however, few of the principles emerging from these theories have been examined in the context of cognitive …

Effects Of A Computer Game On Mathematics Achievement And Class Motivation: An Experimental Study, Mansureh Kebritchi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the last few years educational computer games have gained attention as a tool for facilitating learning in different sectors of society including but not limited to military, health, and education. However, advances in computer game technology continue to outpace research on its effectiveness. Few empirical studies have investigated the effects of educational games in the context of formal K-12 settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a series of mathematics computer games on mathematics achievement and motivation of high school students. In addition, the role of prior mathematics knowledge, computer skill, and English language …

Perspectives Of Health Information Management Faculty Use Of An E-Learning Laboratory And Technology Acceptance, Peggy Meli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the delivery of healthcare has become more sophisticated, scientific, and complex, the need for HIM (Health Information Management) professionals at all levels has increased, and the role and status of those managing these functions has increased accordingly. (AHIMA, September 24, 2007). Studies by the Institute of Medicine and others have found suboptimal technology use throughout the healthcare industry. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) developed the e-HIM Virtual Lab (V-lab) to train students in the use of new technology applications in response to IOM findings. Faculty are the gatekeepers for use of instructional technology in educational settings. Many …

Examining Instant Messaging Impact On Learning Using An Integrated Worked-Example Format, Angelique Nasah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Instant messaging with Internet-based software is a ubiquitous form of communication in industrialized nations. In fact, many educators are observing that students engage with instant messaging while simultaneously engaged in academic activity. Though this type of multitasking is pervasive, educational researchers have not examined how the practice of instant messaging impacts learning outcomes. This dissertation describes the background, empirical and theoretical foundations, methods and results of a study examining the impact of instant messaging activity on learning, where instant messaging and learning are simultaneous activities. The question posed is grounded in the related areas of instant messaging practices, the Generation …

Predicting The Performance Of Interpreting Instruction Based On Digital Propensity Index Score In Text And Graphic Formats, David Norman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Practitioners have proposed that Digital Natives prefer graphics while Digital Immigrants prefer text. While Instructional Design has been extensively studied and researched, the impact of the graphical emphasis in instructional designs as it relates to digital propensity has not been widely explored. Specifically, this study examined the performance of students when presented with text-only and graphic-only instructional formats. The purpose of this study was to test the relationship between Digital Propensity Index scores of individuals and their performance when interpreting online instruction. A sample of students from the population of a large metropolitan university received the Digital Propensity Index questionnaire, …