Education Commons^™

A Case Study Of The Mathematical Learning Of Two Teachers Acquiring Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching, David R. Hartman

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study offers an analysis of the learning of practicing teachers as they acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics. While some professional developers have shifted part of their focus to helping practicing teachers acquire a deeper knowledge of mathematics (e.g., Stein & Silver, 1996), the results from studies often describe what translates from the professional development experience into classroom practice and measureable gains in student achievement (e.g., Desimone et al., 2002). Studies showing improvements in pedagogy and student learning are important. However, studying what teachers are learning and how they learn is important in developing understanding of the content and …

Coaching Efficacy With Academic Leaders: A Phenomenological Investigation, Deanna Lee Vansickel-Peterson

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this psychological phenomenological research was to understand the efficacy of life coaching from the perspective of academic leaders. To date, not one investigation or attempt has been made towards the above stated purpose. This study includes a theoretical overview and a review of the coaching literature from Socrates (469-399 BC) to current day Humanistic theory presented in part by Roger (1902-1987).

This process included data collection from five academic leaders who have been coached for at least two years. Levels of analysis of 365 statements, quote and/or comments produced finding of efficacy in life coaching with academic …

A Naturalistic Study Of Exercise Adherence Among A Community Based Sample At A Fitness Facility, Felicia M. Johnson

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study aimed at investigating the factors predictive of exercise for short-term (i.e., at least six months) and long-term (i.e., at least one year) adherence at a fitness facility. Exercise adherence, defined through the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) as the maintenance stage of change, and frequency of participation in exercise were measured through member utilization of the fitness facility as it occurred in the participant’s natural setting without interference of the researcher. Each time a member entered the exercise facility they scanned their member card and their attendance was automatically recorded into the membership computer system. Fitness Planning & Positive Appraisal, …

Teacher Collaboration As Professional Development In A Large, Suburban High School, Marlie L. Williams

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative study explored the impact of teacher collaboration in a professional learning communities (PLC) school on teacher self-efficacy. Through the collection and analysis of personal interview data from 20 teachers in a large, suburban Midwestern high school, the impact of structured teacher collaboration was evaluated for its impact on changes in teachers’ instructional practices, their feelings of responsibility for student learning, positive adult interdependence, and changes in teacher self-efficacy. Experts in educational professional development identify the importance of sustained, collegial learning. This study explored the structure of one high school’s professional collaboration model, the measures in place for goal-setting, …

Quality Of Life Despite Back Pain: A Phenomenological Study, Margaret B. Blair

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The investigator in this phenomenological study examined the lived experience of Quality of Life (QOL) in 15 Registered Nurses (RNs) with chronic back pain (CBP) participating in structured journal writing. Hermeneutic analysis of interviews and journals revealed eight themes under two domains: Making Normal (Fighting and Denying; Being Consumed: Anger and Frustration; Surviving the Three Ds: depression, devastation, and despair; and Choosing, Adapting, and Accepting) and Living with the Shadow (Losses and Limitations, Being Less than Whole, Having Intimate Knowledge, and Living Through Fatigue). The essence of the experience is Dancing with the Shadow: Re-Visioning Quality of Life. The Shadow …

Is Competition Making A Comeback? Discovering Methods To Keep Female Adolescents Engaged In Stem: A Phenomenological Approach, Kathryn B. Notter

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The decreasing number of women who are graduating in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields continues to be a major concern. Despite national support in the form of grants provided by National Science Foundation, National Center for Information and Technology and legislation passed such as the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 that encourages women to enter the STEM fields, the number of women actually graduating in these fields is surprisingly low. This research study focuses on a robotics competition and its ability to engage female adolescents in STEM curricula. Data have been collected to help explain why young …

Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Technology’S Usefulness In Community College General Education Courses, William L. Moseley

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Educational institutions of all levels invest large amounts of time and resources into instructional technology, with the goal of enhancing the educational effectiveness of the learning environment. The decisions made by instructors and institutions regarding the implementation of technology are guided by perceptions of usefulness held by those who are in control. The primary objective of this mixed methods study was to examine the student and faculty perceptions of technology being used in general education courses at a community college. This study builds upon and challenges the assertions of writers such as Prensky (2001a, 2001b) and Tapscott (1998) who claim …

Medical Students' Attitudes Toward The Medical College Admission Test, Cassie J. Connealy

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The following study analyzed the attitudes held by pre-clinical medical students about the Medical College Admission Test or MCAT. One hundred and eighty first-year and second-year medical students at a public Midwestern medical university participated in this study. Participants completed the “Medical Students Attitudes toward the Medical College Admission Test” survey during their morning lectures near the end of their spring semester. A composite scale score of the Likert items of the survey was computed and the proportion of students with attitudes ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree was calculated. For six of the twelve Likert items the largest …

An Investigation Of Interpersonal Disruptions And Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Mental Health Therapists, Rachael Ann Robinson-Keilig

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Mental health therapists who work with victims of trauma are often exposed to vivid descriptions of traumatic events and strong emotional expressions from their clients. Research within the last fifteen years has started to explore the impact of this indirect form of trauma exposure on therapists who treat trauma clients.

The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of interpersonal and sexual disruptions as symptoms of secondary traumatic stress/vicarious trauma among practicing mental health therapists, to understand how various therapist characteristics predict interpersonal and sexual disruptions, and to explore the role that gender and prior trauma history play …

Evaluating Measurement Invariance With Censored Ordinal Data: A Monte Carlo Comparison Of Alternative Model Estimators And Scales Of Measurement, Natalie A. Koziol

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Evaluations of measurement invariance provide essential construct validity evidence. However, the quality of such evidence is partly dependent upon the validity of the resulting statistical conclusions. The presence of Type I or Type II errors can render measurement invariance conclusions meaningless.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of categorization and censoring on the behavior of the chi-square/likelihood ratio test statistic and two alternative fit indices (CFI and RMSEA) under the context of evaluating measurement invariance. Monte Carlo simulation was used to examine Type I error and power rates for the (a) overall test statistic/fit indices, and …

The Perception Of Natural, Cell Phone, And Computer-Synthesized Speech During The Performance Of Simultaneous Visual-Motor Tasks, Nirmal Kumar Srinivasan

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study investigated the influence of top-down and bottom-up information on speech perception in complex listening environments. Specifically, the effects of listening to different types of processed speech were examined on intelligibility and on simultaneous visual-motor performance. The goal was to extend the generalizability of results in speech perception to environments outside of the laboratory. The effect of bottom-up information was evaluated with natural, cell phone and synthetic speech. The effect of simultaneous tasks was evaluated with concurrent visual-motor and memory tasks. Earlier works on the perception of speech during simultaneous visual-motor tasks have shown inconsistent results (Choi, 2004; Strayer …

Improving Irt Parameter Estimates With Small Sample Sizes: Evaluating The Efficacy Of A New Data Augmentation Technique, Brett P. Foley

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The 3PL model is a flexible and widely used tool in assessment. However, it suffers from limitations due to its need for large sample sizes. This study introduces and evaluates the efficacy of a new sample size augmentation technique called Duplicate, Erase, and Replace (DupER) Augmentation through a simulation study. Data are augmented using several variations of DupER Augmentation (based on different imputation methodologies, deletion rates, and duplication rates), analyzed in BILOG-MG 3, and results are compared to those obtained from analyzing the raw data. Additional manipulated variables include test length and sample size. Estimates are compared using seven different …

Differentiation In The Content-Area Classroom For English Language Learners, Robyn M. Warner

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This paper explores the idea of using differentiation strategies in the content-area classroom to improve reading skills and comprehension. In particular, this thesis explores methods and strategies that can be used in the classroom to help address the individual needs of English language learners (ELLs). A broad range of experts in curriculum, differentiation, and English language acquisition were consulted in the development of this review, which synthesizes the research on ELLs’ needs, differentiation, and differentiation strategies for ELL readers. The models for best teaching practices are then placed within a ninth grade language arts unit.

Quilt Documentation Projects 1980-1989: Exploring The Roots Of A National Phenomenon, Christine Humphrey

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The documenting of thousands of quilts by small groups throughout the United States was one of the most notable parts of the 1980s surge of interest in quilt history. The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of quilt documentation projects of the 1980s and to gain a better understanding of the social and cultural factors that influenced the organizers and the participants. Inspired by the success of the Kentucky Quilt Project, Inc. in 1983, organizers in thirty-five other states initiated or completed statewide documentation projects by 1989. This study examined five of those statewide projects—the Kentucky Quilt …

The Battered Woman Experience: A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Lives Of Latina Women And Their Experience With Domestic Violence, Jaime Gonzalez

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the meanings that Latina women place on their domestic violence experiences so as to better understand what impact these meanings may or may not have on their futures and the futures of their families. This study used qualitative interviews and the method of phenomenology to elicit descriptions from a sample of Latina victims of domestic violence. Specifically, the goal of this study was to explore how Latinas conceptualize their experience of domestic violence and to understand how these conceptualizations differ from those used to describe domestic violence from a Euro-American women’s …

Lightweight Composites From Biological Materials And Polypropylene, Yi Zou

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Biological materials (wheat straws (WS), switchgrass stems (SG) and hop bines (HB)), were used as reinforcing materials to make lightweight composites with polypropylene (PP) webs. The long WS, SG and HB (length up to 10 cm) with simple cut or split and without chemical treatment, were used directly in the composites. Utilizing biological materials for composites not only increases the values of wheat, switchgrass and hop crops, but also provides green, sustainable and biodegradable materials for the composites industry. Lightweight composites are preferred, especially for automotive applications due to the potential saving in energy. In this research, the effects of …

Promoting Wellness For At-Risk Women In Nebraska: A Qualitative Study, Hannah Nelson

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Health care concerns and beliefs of young women of Nebraska, specifically related to preconception care, was the primary concern of this research. Data collected from focus group interviews (n=24) conducted across the state, in both urban and rural settings, and with women of different racial groups asked questions concerning their belief system for necessary components to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Questions were designed using the Life Course Theory, which is a holistic approach to health. In these interviews, the women identified four main areas that, when improved, can greatly enhance overall wellness. These areas include: attaining better physical health, improving …

Child Kinship Care: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study Of Social Support, Resources, And Health Issues Of Nebraska Child Kinship Caregivers, Toni L. Hill

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between both the social support and resources of child kinship caregivers and the caregivers’ health. An exploratory sequential three phase mixed methods design was used. Phase I encompassed a single case study of a Nebraska program serving largely grandparents raising grandchildren. Phase II consisted of multiple individual caregiver case studies, and Phase III consisted of a survey of all caregivers affiliated with the program. Qualitative findings from the first two phases yielded similar caregiver information regarding social support and resources issues. Differing information was received regarding health issues. Quantitative analysis …

Transformative Learning In College Students: A Mixed Methods Study, James R. Fullerton

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Learning Reconsidered (Keeling, 2004) and Learning Reconsidered 2 (Keeling, 2006) called upon institutions of higher education to measure learning outcomes, and to facilitate transformative learning in college students. Learning Reconsidered 2 defined transformative learning with Mezirow‘s description of the constructivist process of "learning to think like an adult" (Mezirow & Associates, 2000, p. 3). This research study attempts to heed the call by measuring and distinguishing between informative (received) learning outcomes and transformative (constructed) learning outcomes, and uses mixed methods to compare self-reported changes in both of these learning domains. The participants in this study were a group of college …

Constructing A Creative Self-Efficacy Inventory: A Mixed Methods Inquiry, Daniel H. Abbott

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A quantitative and qualitative mixed methods study was conducted to examine the latent structure of creative self-efficacy. The CTSE II and CPSE II instruments were developed to measure two dimensions of creative self efficacy, creative thinking self-efficacy (CTSE) and creative performance self-efficacy (CPSE), respectively. Following this, a two-phase inquiry was conducted. In the first and primary phase, factor analysis was used to test the ability of a specific measurement model to accurately capture the four hypothesized factors of CTSE (fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality) and the three hypothesized factors of CPSE (domain, field, and personality). In the second, explanatory phase, …

Pathways To Reflection: Exploring The Reflective Analytical Practices Of Novice Teachers, Emily Hayden

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed methods study explores reflective practices of novice teachers teaching in a University Reading Clinic. Novices’ reflective practices are compared to those of experienced teachers in a pilot study. A theoretical model of novices’ reflective practices is developed and tested. Twenty-three novices wrote structured reflections after each teaching week. Theoretical coding identified six themes: Description, Confidence, Locus of Control, Adaptations, Discourse,Transfer. Graduated scoring and ANOVA explored trends, correlations, effects among themes. Confidence followed a significant linear trend. Adaptations, Discourse, Transfer followed significant quadratic trends. Significant correlations were found between Description-Discourse, Locus of Control-Discourse, Locus of Control-Adaptations, Discourse-Adaptation Slope. Significant …

Rap: A Reading Comprehension Strategy For Students With Learning Disabilities, Courtney D. Blume

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Students with learning disabilities frequently struggle with reading comprehension. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a paraphrasing cognitive strategy, RAP, on reading comprehension and the maintenance effects two months after treatment for students with learning disabilities. RAP was taught using the Strategic Intervention Model (SIM) developed by the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning (Schumaker, Deshler, & Ellis, 1986). This study utilized a multiple baseline design across participants for three fourth grade students with learning disabilities from the Midwest. In addition to a learning disability, two of the students also had speech-language impairments …

The Process Of General Education Reform From A Faculty Perspective At A Research-Extensive University: A Grounded Theory Approach, Frauke Hachtmann

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to develop a theory for institutional change that explains the process and implementation of “Achievement-Centered Education” (ACE) from the faculty perspective. ACE is a new general education program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a public, doctoral/research-extensive institution. A constant comparative method was used to study the process of change retrospectively after a new, outcomes-based program was developed and implemented. Twenty-nine faculty from eight undergraduate colleges participated in this study through in-depth interviews. This study resulted in a theory of the process and implementation of general education reform at a public, doctoral/research-extensive university from the …

Student Achievement Using Web 2.0 Technologies: A Mixed Methods Study, Dallas R. Malhiwsky

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The need for proficient speakers of multiple languages has emerged as a result of political and economic forces in the last decade driving the challenge to find effective and efficient way to teach and learn languages. The past decade has brought numerous innovations and advances in the area of technology, which have changed the role from one of consumer of knowledge to one of producer of knowledge which has revolutionized the delivery of education.

The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine the effect of Web 2.0 technologies on student achievement. The quantitative portion of the study examined …

Effect Of Sensation Seeking And Perfectionism On Stimulant Use, Carissa J. Scurlock

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Stimulant use is quickly becoming a widespread problem in the United States, especially on college campuses. Determining the risk factors for stimulant use may help professionals improve treatments for stimulant abusers. When considering Eysenck’s Psychoticism Extraversion Neuroticism (PEN) personality theory, the occurrence of both sensation-seeing and perfectionism may be predictive of substance use. In fact, many studies show that sensation seeking plays a role in stimulant use. However, few studies exist concerning the association between perfectionism and stimulants. The goals of this study were to a) examine the effects of gender and ethnicity on stimulant use and b) to examine …

The Impact Of Teaching Presence In Intensive Online Courses On Perceived Learning And Sense Of Community: A Mixed Methods Study, Elizabeth Laves

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed methods concurrent triangulation design study was predicated upon two models that advocated a connection between teaching presence and perceived learning: the Community of Inquiry Model of Online Learning developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000); and the Online Interaction Learning Model by Benbunan-Fich, Hiltz, and Harasim (2005). The objective was to learn how teaching presence impacted students’ perceptions of learning and sense of community in intensive online distance education courses developed and taught by instructors at a regional comprehensive university.

In the quantitative phase online surveys collected relevant data from participating students (N = 397) and selected instructional …

An Integrated Approach To Prevention Of Obesity In High Risk Families, Hillary Warren

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO PREVENTION OF OBESITY IN HIGH RISK FAMILIES
Hillary Anne Warren, M.S.
University of Nebraska, 2010
Advisor: Kaye Stanek-Krogstrand
Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in developed countries. In the past 30 years, overweight in children has doubled and it is now estimated that one in five children in the US is overweight (1). Identifying connections between caregiver-child interactions and key behaviors associated with resilience to overweight is viewed as an approach which can lead to interventions which may result in a reduction in overweight and obese children. While children learn eating behaviors from adults and peers …

Nurturing Young Students' Writing Knowledge, Self-Regulation, Attitudes, And Self-Efficacy: The Effects Of Self-Regulated Strategy Development (Srsd), Sharon Zumbrunn

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of implementing the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model of instruction (Graham & Harris, 2005; Harris & Graham, 1996) on the writing skills and writing self-regulation, attitudes, self-efficacy, and knowledge of 6 first grade students. A multiple-baseline design across participants with multiple probes (Kazdin, 2010) was used to test the effectiveness of the SRSD instructional intervention. Each participant was taught an SRSD story writing strategy as well as self-regulation strategies. All students wrote stories in response to picture prompts during the baseline, instruction, independent performance, and maintenance phases. Stories were assessed …

Writing Motivation Of Students With Specific Language Impairments, Kyle Lee Brouwer

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study was designed to compare the writing motivation of students with specific language impairments with their non-disabled peers. Due to the cognitive and linguistic demands of the writing process, students with language impairments face unique difficulties during the writing process. It was hypothesized that students with specific language impairments will be more likely to report lower levels of perceived writing competence and be less autonomously motivated to write. Students in grades 3-5 in 11 schools (33 with specific language impairments, 242 non-disabled peers) completed self-report measures, designed from a Self-Determination Theory perspective, which measured the degree that students are …

Student Writing Performance: Identifying The Effects When Combining Planning And Revising Instructional Strategies, Amanda K. Schnee

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of the current study is to identify the impact of teaching students to revise their stories on writing production (Total Words Written; TWW), writing accuracy (Percent Correct Writing Sequences; %CWS), number of critical story elements included in stories, and quality of writing. Three third-grade and one fourth-grade student who were experiencing difficulties in the area of writing were involved in the study. The students were first taught to plan their stories using the evidence-based program, Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD), which has frequently been implemented to teach students to plan their stories. Students were then taught to revise their …