Education Commons^™

The Effect Of Enrollment In Middle School Challenge Courses On Advanced Placement Exams In Social Studies And Science, Katherine Glaude-Bolte

Dissertations

Educators seek to guide students through appropriate programs and courses that prepare them for future success, in more advanced coursework and in other challenges of life. Some middle schools offer Challenge, or honors, courses for students who have demonstrated high ability. High schools often offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which are taught at the college level. This study examined the correlation between enrollment in middle school Challenge courses and subsequent AP exam category scores in social studies and science in a suburban school district. The independent variables were the number of years of enrollment in middle school social studies or …

Factors Influencing Teacher Job Satisfaction And Their Alignment With Current District Practices In A Rural School District, Taneal Marie Wallace

Dissertations

School districts’ decisions across the country are influencing the satisfaction level of teachers, in both positive and negative ways. With statistics reporting as high as fifty percent of teachers leaving the profession in the first five years of experience (Ingersoll, 2003), determining the reasons for teacher dissatisfaction are important in correcting district practices to be more supportive and satisfying to teachers. The purpose of this research study was to (a) determine the satisfaction level of teachers in a specific school district, (b) determine the practices building-level administrators have put into place and how they relate to the factors identified in …

Evaluating Summer School Programs And The Effect On Student Achievement: The Correlation Between Stanford-10 Standardized Test Scores And Two Different Summer Programs, Brian J. Koop

Dissertations

School districts looking for ways to minimize summer learning loss have implemented a variety of programs to combat this problem. Since No Child Left Behind and the need for school districts to meet the goals of Adequate Yearly Progress, it is no longer enough to limit summer learning loss. Now school leaders find it necessary to use the summer months to increase student achievement and prepare students for rigorous learning in the coming school year. This collaborative, quantitative study is an examination of one district’s attempt to improve summer programming in order to meet the need for increased student achievement. …

Factors Influencing Teacher Job Satisfaction And Their Alignment With Current District Practices In A Suburban School District, Kimberly Rae Dickens

Dissertations

School districts across the country make many decisions that impact teachers’ satisfaction both positively and negatively. With statistics reporting a significant number of teachers leaving the profession in the first 5 years of experience, determining the reasons for teacher dissatisfaction are important in shaping district practices to be more supportive and satisfying to teachers. The purpose of this research study was to (a) determine the satisfaction level of teachers in a specific school district, (b) determine the practices school principals have put into place and how they relate to the factors identified in the research as being contributive to teacher …

Student And Teacher Perspectives Of Technology Usage, Lori L. Elliott

Dissertations

This study examined the use of technology by eighth grade students and teachers and perceptions of students and teachers toward technology use in the classroom and home. A mixed design method was selected to collect and analyze the data. Face-to-face interviews, field notes, and national survey results were used to triangulate the data. Three themes emerged from the study in response to the research questions: communication is the focus of technology use, students consider themselves more knowledgeable about technology than teachers, and technology use in the classroom is primarily a visual tool, rather than an interactive resource. Implications for educators …

School Resource Officers In Missouri Public Schools: School Safety And Academic Success, John W. Link

Dissertations

This study was designed to explore the relationship between the presence of a school resource officer and a safe school climate, as well as, increased student achievement. Additionally, the perceptions of public school superintendents regarding the impact of school resource officers on safe school climate and academic success were investigated using the Correlates of Effective Schools as a framework. The research was divided into sections to observe two sets of data. Section I included an examination of Missouri school districts with a student population of 2,000 or less, comparing 20 schools with school resource officers to 20 schools without school …

Causes Of Nonattendance And Its Effect On Student Achievement At The High School Level, Kelly D. Bracht

Dissertations

Many high schools in America have issues with student nonattendance. The researcher designed this mixed methods study to determine the affect of nonattendance on student achievement and to ascertain whether home-related factors or school-related factors were more significant causes of nonattendance. Both the high school in this study and other similar schools may use the results to develop effective nonattendance intervention programs. The researcher used cluster sampling to determine the sample population. She then collected attendance data (the number of absences each student had during one semester) and achievement data (each student’s Grade Point Average during that same semester) about …

A Comparison Of The Career And Technical Education Programs In A Us Community College And A Chinese Institution, Harry Hou

Dissertations

This research study explores and compares the career and technical education programs offered in a US community college and the vocational/career and technology education programs offered in a comparable Chinese postsecondary institution. The study sought to find positive transferable characteristics of the career and technical education programs in each country, which could be shared by similar institutions in China and the US.

Under the impact of globalization, international cooperation and collaboration between institutions and programs becomes more and more important, particularly considering there are many shared problems and thus the potential for shared solutions. This research offers insights and information …

The Perceptions Of Elite Male Gymnasts Of The Effects Of Punishment On Self-Efficacy And Athletic Performance, Jason David Selk

Dissertations

Existing literature suggests that coaches should use rewards rather than punishment for motivational purposes with athletes. The greatest argument against punishment lies in the evidence that the short-term positive effects on skill achievement are outweighed by the longterm negative effects on self-efficacy. Still, punishment is widely practiced within the coaching world; however, little research on coaching practices exists addressing the possibility that punishment could be utilized more effectively. As a beginning exploration of this topic, twelve elite male gymnasts were interviewed to determine what reinforcement their coaches used to motivate them. The results of the interviews seemed to reveal five …

The Evolution Of Self-Directedness In An Undergraduate Ethics Course: A Comparison Of Three Course Delivery Methods, Shawna Leigh Strickland

Dissertations

Many studies have investigated relationships between self-directedness and various indicators of success in university coursework but few have explored the evolution of self-directedness that may or may not occur in these settings. This study sought to discover how self-direction in learning of participants in an undergraduate healthcare ethics course evolved. Emphasis of this evolution was placed on the learner’s perspective. The study also examined the relationship between course delivery method and degree of evolution of self-directedness during the studied semester. A traditional section, a blended section, and an online section of the healthcare ethics course were studied. Within three sections …

Comparing Perceptions Of Campus Crime Severity Among Community College And Public Four-Year University Students, Loren Morell Lundstrom

Dissertations

In recent years violent crimes on several university campuses have been highlighted by mass media, drawing national attention to the issue of campus crime. Not all college campuses, however, experience the same level of crime. While community colleges serve roughly half of all undergraduates in the U.S., statistically these public institutions account for a much lower percentage of violent crimes than their public four-year university counterparts. With the thought that perceptions and beliefs govern one’s behavior, this study considers the possibility that elements of institutional culture influence student perceptions about campus crime. Two hundred and sixty-five (265) college students, from …

Assessing The Need For Community College Baccalaureate Degree Programs In Mississippi, Johannah Bell Williams

Dissertations

This study involved assessing the professional and personal opinions of Mississippi community college students, faculty and administrators regarding the need for community college baccalaureate degree programs in Mississippi. The goal of this study was to determine if students, faculty and administrators at Mississippi community colleges believed that the implementation of baccalaureate degree programs at their respective colleges would be beneficial to the college and to the students. Furthermore, this study sought to determine if the opinions of said participants regarding the implementation of baccalaureate degree programs were affected by certain factors. Students, faculty and administrators from each of the 15 …

Implications Of Napping Into And Beyond Kindergarten On Sleep, Diet, And The Awakening Cortisol Response, Alyssa Anne Cairns

Dissertations

This study is an examination of sleep distribution, dietary intake, and endocrine function of caregiver-reported Nap and Non-Nap Groups of children before and after they transition to an all-day kindergarten where napping is reduced or eliminated. Measures were assessed the summer prior to kindergarten, within two weeks, and after a month of the transition to kindergarten. The study revealed that the transition to kindergarten was associated with changes in sleep and dietary intake. Endocrine function remained stable as children transitioned to kindergarten. On average, Nap and Non-Nap Groups equally lost total sleep time as they transitioned to kindergarten. However, the …

Green Schools: Constructing And Renovating School Facilities With The Concept Of Sustainability, Jonathan W. Oetinger

Dissertations

The focus of this study was to examine the benefits of constructing and renovating school facilities with the concept of sustainability. The overarching questions were: What impact does the environment have on constructing and operating school facilities? What relationship exists between the learning environment and constructing and operating school facilities? The purpose of this study was to determine the value and benefits of implementing energy efficient and sustainable design features in constructing new and renovating existing school facilities. When viewed through the lens of global warming, or the increase of greenhouse gases through the increase in the temperature of the …

Exploring The Use Of Video-Teleconferencing For On-Duty Training In The St. Charles Fire Department And St. Louis Metropolitan Emergency Response Community, Robb F. Watkins

Dissertations

This study was conducted because the St. Charles Fire Department needed to identify a way to change its training delivery system to accommodate training in quarters for on-duty companies. St. Charles was experiencing: budget reductions, staffing shortages, delayed responses due to training, and increasing response times. The department identified video teleconferencing (VTC) as a possible solution to their training delivery dilemma. This study was a qualitative study including surveys and interviews that evaluated the VTC implementation process. The research question was, “How can fire department training be constructed to enhance the frequency and adequacy of training and reduce the need …

Bullying And Gender: The Social/Emotional, Psychological, And Physical Effects On Middle School Students In South Mississippi, Cassundra Peyton-Brown

Dissertations

Bullying is a great concern in schools today. When bullying occurs, it hinders school success and academic performance. During the late 1980s and 1990s, school violence was prevalent in middle school characterized by events such as the Columbine shooting. This forced both students and school personnel to deal with school shootings, gang activities and other violent acts. According to subsequent investigations, some of these incidents occurred because students were bullied and teased. This supports the maxim that students can only be successful academically in a safe and orderly environment.

The first interest of this study was to assess the effects …

Postsecondary Education Of Students With Disabilities: Review Of Faculty And Of Students With Disabilities Perceptions For Training, Jerry René Alliston

Dissertations

The percentage of students with disabilities who are pursuing post-secondary education has consistently increased over the past few decades. To meet all legal requirements, postsecondary institutions have established disability support services for students with disabilities. One notable responsibility given to postsecondary disability support service staff was the training of faculty on various issues related to disability in general. The focus of this study was to determine the perceived issues of faculty to students and students to faculty, in a two-campus university system in the southeastern United States, in working with students with disabilities in postsecondary education on the six theme …

If And To What Extent Spirituality Impacts The Leadership Practices Of Four African American Superintendents, Christopher James Williams Sr.

Dissertations

Public school superintendents have one of the most challenging, demanding, and visible positions in American society. They provide educational leadership in approximately 15,499 school districts across the United States. Their visibility is marked by the fact that the majority of leadership positions are held by non-minority individuals (American Association of School Administrators, 1992). The underrepresentation of minorities in public school leadership positions on a national level has been thoroughly documented over the years, and the limited representation of African Americans in top positions of public school administration is glaring (AASA, 1992, 1983; Jones & Montenegro, 1988, 1985; Montenegro, 1993). The …

Criterion-Referenced Assessment Literacy Of Educators, James David King

Dissertations

This study investigated the assessment literacy of educators in regard to criterion-referenced tests. For the purpose of this study, administrators included principals and assistant principals within a school. First, the study determined the degree of training in measurement, assessment, and statistics that educators have received. Second, the study investigated the assessment knowledge of educators based on their performance on the Criterion-Referenced Questionnaire. Third, the study investigated if years experience, type of certification, or highest degree held had a significant difference on their performance on the Criterion-Referenced Questionnaire. Fourth, the study investigated educators’ attitudes toward the use of measurement, assessment, and …

Urban Middle School Instructional Special Education: Tenured Versus Non-Tenured Teachers And The Impact On Academic Achievement, Sheryl Marie Wilson

Dissertations

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is used in the Cahokia Unit School District No. 187 to give insight on student academic skill level in terms of years and months. Teacher strategies and expertise in the area of education are an integral part of the educational process. Tenure status, or the years of teaching experience, is plagued with the idea that it promotes or has an impact on student achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine if students receiving instruction from non-tenured special education teachers demonstrate the same gains in the areas of reading and math as …

The Relationship Between Principal Effectiveness And The Use Of Counseling Skills, Valerie Suzanne Hodge Cleckler

Dissertations

In most educational leadership programs, the working relationship of the principal with teachers, parents, and the community is discussed, but the relationship of the principal and counselor is typically not given much, if any, attention. Principals are not trained in the use of counseling skills in educational leadership programs at Mississippi universities (Delta State University, 2008; Jackson State University, 2007; Mississippi State University, 2008; Mississippi University for Women, 2008, 2009; The University Southern Mississippi, 2009; University of Mississippi, 2007). The leadership training provided to school administrators is very important because of the role they play in the success of the …

Academic Dishonesty In Online Education, Wren Allen Mills

Dissertations

This dissertation examined cheating attitudes and behaviors of undergraduates, especially those enrolled in online courses. While cheating is an established problem within the academy, it is also an issue on the job and has been in the spotlight in recent years, with ethics scandals in corporate America and plagiarism in the media. With this in mind, and the foundational philosophy of the Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education (Bureau of Education, 1928) and the American Council on Education’s (1937) Student Personnel Point of View, this study sought insight into students’ attitudes about cheating behaviors and practices of them in online courses …

The Perceived Impacts Of The 14-Year (1989-2003) Civil War On Higher Education In Liberia: An Analysis Of The Case For The University Of Liberia And Cuttington University, Manjerngie Cecelia Ndebe

Dissertations

Civil wars affect the social systems of a nation, including higher education. The purpose of this study was to do an in-depth concurrent mixed method analysis of the perceived impacts of the 14-year (1989–2003) civil war on higher education institutions in Liberia during the civil war years and from the end of the civil war in 2003 to the point of data collection in 2007. The literature is replete with expert opinions on the impacts of the Liberian civil war, but only limited evidence for quantitative and qualitative studies on war impacts in general exists.

No study on the context …

Assessing Problem Solving Strategy Differences Within Online And Face-To-Face Courses And Their Relationship To Pre-Service Teachers' Competence And Confidence For Integrating Technology Into Teaching, Sharon L. Peterson

Dissertations

This quantitative research study identifies the problem solving strategies preservice teachers use in learning specific technology skills within an educational technology methods class which is offered both online and face to face. It also examines how such strategies differ by the format of this course, and to what extent these strategies and/or course format correlate with the students' expressed level of confidence and competence to integrate technology into their future classroom settings. The study utilizes data extracted from surveys of over 1,500 students who had taken the educational technology methods course via online or face-to-face format during one of nineteen …

Urban Middle School General Education: Tenured Versus Non-Tenured Teachers And The Impact On Academic Achievement, Trenese Nicole Dancy

Dissertations

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is used in the Cahokia Unit School District No. 187 to give insight on student academic skill level in terms of years and months. Teacher strategies and expertise in the area of education is an integral part of the educational process. Tenure status, or the years of experience, is plagued with the idea that it promotes or has an impact on student achievement. In this study the researchers wanted to determine if there was a significant relationship between teacher tenure status (independent variable) and student academic achievement (dependent variable). Preand post-ITBS reading and …

Urban Middle School Teachers: Tenured Versus Non-Tenured Teachers And The Impact They Have On Academic Achievement, Rochelle Harris-Clark

Dissertations

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is used in the district of Study School No. 1 to give insight on student academic skill level in terms of years and months. Teacher strategies and expertise in the area of education is an integral part of the educational process. Tenure status, or the years of experience, is plagued with the idea that it promotes or has an impact on student achievement. Although there were a significant number of tenured special education and general education teachers at the study school during the 2005–2006, 2006–2007, and 2007–2008 school years, the school did not …

Perceived Levels Of Nurse Educators' Attainment Of Nln Core Competencies, Julie Kinney Higbie

Dissertations

Nurse educators need to be well-prepared with essential competencies, to prepare nurses for their future in health care. Nurses who are recruited to teach, must meet at least minimal competencies and be provided appropriate resources to assume their roles in academia. The recently published National League for Nursing (NLN) Core Competencies for Nurse Educators (2005) identify the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for both novice and experienced faculty.

This research study explored faculty's perceived attainment of these competencies utilizing Benner's Novice to Expert theory as a framework. It examined several areas of interest related to nurse educator competency, years of …

Combat Exposure, Agency, Perceived Threat, Guilt, And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Iraq And Afghanistan War Veterans, Hsin-Hsin Huang

Dissertations

This study assessed how various combat experiences related to post-deployment adjustment among 289 Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. The study examined the relationships among three predictor variables (combat exposure, agency, perceived threat), one mediator (guilt), and two criterion factors (posttraumatic stress disorder/PTSD, and psychological wellbeing/PWB). It distinguished agency (e.g., firing or killing) from combat exposure (e.g., being fired at or witnessing). The study sought to: a) examine whether combat exposure differs from agency as constructs of combat experiences; b) determine the contributions of three predictors to the degree of PTSD and PWB; and c) determine whether guilt mediated the relationships between the three …

Reading With A Critical Global Perspective: A Study Of Children's & Adolescent's Literature On South Asia, 1989-2009., Manika Subi Lakshmanan

Dissertations

This study examines how children’s and adolescent’s literature promotes global awareness, cross-cultural understanding and cosmopolitanism. It proposes an alternative critical global perspective in the teaching of complex narratives dealing with socio-economic and political transformations in the developing world, with specific reference to South Asian societies. Reframing how transcultural literature is read, a critical global perspective combines global perspectives distilled from theories of development, human rights and international relations, Michel Foucault’s notion of discourse and critical analysis, and textual and visual analysis (Stephens, 1992; Kress and van Leeuwen, 1996). This multidimensional approach contributed 20 questions that explored the gap between cultural …

Educating For The Knowledge Age: A Collective Case Study Of Teachers’ Beliefs In A Problem Based Learning Environment, Amy Marie Ruffus Doerr

Dissertations

There is a growing trend in the business literature; education is not preparing students for the Knowledge Age. The literature further states the foundation of a successful Knowledge Economy and the production of its knowledge workers is education. Considering that the school system is a foundation for learning, it is a startling revelation that education reform has not focused more explicitly on knowledge work. If we expect to be successful in the Knowledge Age, a new conception of knowledge and learning is necessary, and will aid in the development of new knowledge workers. This further necessitates a more in depth …