Education Commons^™

Health Habits, Wellness, And Behavior Of Male Student Athletes Participating In High School Sports, Michelle D. Lividini

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) is a pathological preoccupation with muscularity, more common in men than in women. MD is estimated to affect several hundreds of thousands of individuals. There has been little research related to MD in the male adolescent population and the prevalence is unknown. The mean age of onset of MD is estimated to be 19 years, and sports participation increases the risk for developing MD as well as other psychological difficulties. The pilot study revealed a potential relationship between MD symptoms and athletic and academic performance, low levels of self-esteem, high levels of perfectionist qualities, and use of …

The Enduring Influence Of School Size And School Climate On Parents’ Engagement In The School Community, Lauri Goldkind, G. Lawrence Farmer

Social Service Faculty Publications

his study sought to examine the direct and indirect associations between school size and parents perceptions of the invitations for involvement provided by their childrens school in a school system that has actively attempted to reduce the negative effects of school size. Using data from the New York Public Schools; annual Learning Environment Survey, path analysis was used to examine the role that school climate plays in mediating the relationship between school size and parents perceptions of invitations for involvement. Results from an analysis of middle and high school parents who participated in the annual school survey provided evidence that …

Conceptualizing Group Dynamics From Our Clients' Perspective: Development Of The Conceptualization Of Group Dynamics Inventory, Kevin A. Tate, Edil Torres Rivera, William L. Conwill, M. David Miller, Ana Puig

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

There is a clear call in group counseling practice and training for evidence-based practice (ACA, 2005; ASGW, 2008; CACREP, 2009). At the same time, group counselors also are asked to keep clients' experience at the center of their work (ASGW, 2012). This article outlines the authors' effort to develop and study an instrument designed to measure group counselors' conceptualization skill using group members' subjective perceptions as a foundation. Descriptions of the instrument's internal reliability, construct validity, and generalizability will be presented, as well as suggestions for conducting research on this instrument in future studies.

Educationalizing The Welfare State And Privatizing Education: The Evolution Of Social Policy Since The New Deal, Harvey Kantor, Robert Lowe

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Aspiring To Become A Therapist: Personal Strengths And Challenges, Influences, Motivations, And Expectations Of Future Psychotherapists, Clara E. Hill, Andrea Lystrup, Kathryn Kline, Nioud M. Gebru, Jennifer Birchler, Geoffrey Palmer, Jennifer Robinson, Miji Um, Shauna Griffin, Elisabeth Lipsky, Sarah Knox, Kristen Pinto-Coelho

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Ten female students who were considering therapy as a career path wrote self-reflection papers and were interviewed regarding their career choice. Consensual qualitative research was used to analyze the data. These participants all indicated a passion for helping others, believed in the importance of giving back, and had prior experiences in helping activities. They considered themselves to have personal helping-related strengths (e.g. empathy) as well as challenges (e.g. avoidance of interpersonal conflict), and worried about potential problems they would encounter as therapists (e.g. being too emotionally invested). Participants expressed both other-oriented (e.g. to help others who had similar painful experiences) …

Public Understanding Of Local Lead Contamination, Jill Mcnew-Birren

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Residents of Herculaneum, Missouri have been influential in shaping the management of contamination challenges resulting from the community’s proximity to the last primary lead processing plant in the United States. This paper provides a nuanced examination of two perspectives of resident activist groups involved in lead-related controversy in Herculaneum. Ethnographic data collection and storyline analysis were used to trace the evolution in local views from resembling an industrialist–environmentalist dichotomy to more compromising positions associated with ecological modernization. Implications for characterizing public environmental perspectives in the US as beginning to entertain certain aspects of the ecological modernist paradigm are discussed.

The Price Of Human Capital: The Illusion Of Equal Educational Opportunity, Harvey Kantor, Robert Lowe

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Editorial [In Counseling Psychology Quarterly], Sarah Knox, Ladislav Timulak

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

International Advisees' Perspectives On The Advising Relationship In Counseling Psychology Doctoral Programs, Sarah Knox, Justin T. Sokol, Arpana G. Inman, Lewis Z. Schlosser, Johanna Nilsson, Yu-Wei Wang

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Ten international students in U.S.-based counseling psychology doctoral programs were interviewed regarding their experiences as doctoral students, especially their advising relationship. Data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research (CQR). Participants reported more challenges than benefits of being international students, and more often described their doctoral programs as not culturally receptive than receptive to international students. Despite this assessment of the overall doctoral program, they described their own advising relationships as predominantly positive. Many international students discussed with their advisor their difficulties adjusting to a new environment and being away from home, and identified unique personal and professional needs as international …

Constraints To School Decision Making Process: The Perceptions Of School Principals Of Alain Education Office, Rowaya Saeed Al Humaidi Shaheen Al Ghafli

Theses

The purposes of this study were to identify the constraint faced by the school principals of Al Ain Educational Office in the school decision-making process, examine the most important type of constraints (personal, organizational, or social) for school decision- making. Also, identify the impact of the following variables (gender, age, educational qualification, and the number of experience years) to make decision and suggest how to overcome the constraints from the point of view of the study sample. The researcher used the descriptive method. Data for the study were collected through the use of a questionnaire. The population of the study …

Problems Of English For Specific Purpose Course For Medical Students In Iran, Alireza Boniadi, Morteza Ghojazadeh, Neda Rahmatvand

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

It is now widely accepted that the English language has become the language of international communication. The widespread need for English as a second or foreign language puts a great pressure on the educational resources of many countries. ESP courses require specific language and skills that are related to communities of practice and disciplines. Careful examination of the attitudes and perceptions of learners and instructors is seen to be important in determining the problems of ESP courses. This study focuses on an ESP course offered at Tabriz faculty of Medical Sciences in Iran. The instruments used in this study were …

Students’ Crisis In Nigerian Tertiary Educational Institutions: A Review Of The Causes And Management Style, Ajibade David

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Students’ crisis is one of the challenges confronting Nigerian educational system in the recent past. The level of disruption and closures that has bedeviled Nigerian tertiary institutions is unprecedented in the History/ Archaeology of higher education in Nigeria. However, realizing the importance of tertiary education in national development, this paper is conceived to identify the factors responsible for the occurrence of students’ crisis and the management style adopted by the individuals and groups involved in tertiary education system. Secondary source of data collection was used in the study. Data were generated from textbooks, published and unpublished materials, including the internet. …

Exploring The Relevance Of Feminist Leadership In Theological Education Of Nigeria, Adesanya İbiyinka Olusola

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Feminist leadership is very important in theological education as it would seek to deconstruct stereotypical assumptions about women and gender in Christian theological traditions. Unfortunately, most of the theological schools in Nigeria do not have feminist as leaders. Five reasons why feminist leadership are needed in theological schools have been identified as, the bible teaching that women brought sin and death to the world, servant hood notion of women, scandal of particularity, male domination of ministries and theological methods and process that are full of stereotypes. All this does not provide women a unique opportunity to discover and develop their …

Contextual Factors, Bilingualism And English Language Learning Among A Group Of Primary School Pupils In Nigeria, Nkechi M.Christopher

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Contextual factors impinge directly and indirectly on second language learning through its influence on attitudes towards, and motivation to learn, a language among learners of a target language. This paper describes language learning situation, bilingual behaviour and academic performance of some primary school pupils. It suggests that learners’ independent use of digital and literacy activities could be harnessed for multimodal teaching where digital learning facilities have not been provided by the school. The researcher believes that such inclusion would encourage autonomous and collaborative learning among students; empowering learners to take responsibility for their own language learning – an attitude toward …

The Uae English Pre- Service Teachers Field Experience Challenges Coping To Teach Within A Major Curricular Reform, Sahar Ali Salem

Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges the UAE University (UAEU) English pre-service teachers faced during their field experience within a major curricular reform. The study focused on five UAEU English pre-service teachers enrolled in a practicum course during their field experience and their five cooperative teachers. A semi-structured interview, a questionnaire and an observation checklist were employed to explore the field experience challenges that the UAEU English pre-service teachers encountered. The use of multiple resources helped to create a general profile and in turn helped to improve the trustworthiness of the research findings. The implication derived …

The Extent To Which The Characteristics Of Professional Learning Communities Are Found In Cycle One Schools In Al – Ain From Teachers Prospective, Fatima Mohammed Manea Ai-Dhaheri

Theses

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the extent to which the characteristics of Professional Learning Communities were found in cycle one schools in Al-Ain from teachers’ perspectives. The aim was also to investigate if there were differences of participants’ responses based on demographic variables. Using the Professional Learning Communities Assessment (PLCA) developed by Oliver, Hipp, and Huffman (2003), the study answered the following specific question: 1) To what extent do the characteristics of PLC exist in Al-Ain cycle one schools as perceived by teachers?; 2) Are there significant differences between teachers’ perception in terms of age, years …

English Language Teachers' Perceptions Of Strategies Used To Teach And Assess Efl Vocabulary In Elementary Schools In Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, Warqa Salem Ai Ameri

Theses

The purpose of the study was to investigate vocabulary teaching strategies used by English language teachers in AI Ain public schools in the United Arab Emirates. The research focuses on three areas: investigating the strategies that teachers use to teach vocabulary, strategies teachers use to consolidate newly learned vocabulary and strategies teachers use to assess vocabulary learning. Such a study is important to evaluate and categorize the most frequent and effective strategies in the context of vocabulary instruction in AI Ain.

The research used quantitative and qualitative approaches exemplified in a questionnaire and an interview. A questionnaire was used to …

Principals' Behaviors In Government Secondary Schools In Ai-Ain City: A Descriptive Study., Firas Adnan Qatouni

Theses

This study aimed to describe the principals' behaviors in government secondary schools in Al Ain City which is in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi - the United Arab Emirates. In addition, it aimed to study the effect of the principals' gender and years of experience on their leadership behaviors. In order to do that, the principals' behaviors were categorized into five domains: behaviors in human relations, trust and decision making, instructional leadership, control, and finally conflict resolution. The study used quantitative and qualitative research methods. Data were collected through a questionnaire divided into two main sections. The first section included …

The Degree To Which School’S Principal Practices Behaviors That Build Or Destroy Teachers’ Trust In Her In Cycle One Abu-Dhabi City Schools: Teachers’ Perspective., Fatema Saeed Ali Hassan Al-Menhali

Theses

This study aimed to investigate the degree of which cycle-one school principals practice behaviors that build or destroy teachers trust in them from teachers’ perspective in light of some demographic variables in public schools in Abu Dhabi City through answering the following research questions:

1. To what degree cycle one school principals in Abu Dhabi city practice behaviors that build or destroy teachers’ trust in them from the teachers’ perspectives?

2. Are there significant mean differences in teachers perceptions at the significant level (ἁ = 0.05) about the degree to which principals practice behaviors that build or destroy teachers’ trust …

Job Satisfaction Of Primary School Leaders In Abu Dhabi Emirate In Light Of The New School Model Requirements. A Field Study, Khaula Khamis Al Kaabi

Theses

This study aimed at identifying the extent of job satisfaction among female primary school principals in Abu Dhabi in light of the New School Model requirements. Moreover, it highlighted the causes and obstacles that hindered job satisfaction among female school principals. The researcher used the descriptive analytical method to achieve the goals and reveal the effect of some of the variables like experience and the principals’ age on their job satisfaction. A researcher prepared 46-item survey that covered 7 areas related to the elements of job satisfaction. They are as follows:

(Satisfaction with the nature of their job as school …

Collaborative School Culture In Al Ain Secondary Schools: A Descriptive Study, Muna Mohammed Falouqa

Theses

This study aimed to investigate the extent of the collaborative school culture in Al Ain Cycle Three schools. The study was guided by three research questions and used the descriptive mixed research method. Data for this study were collected through a questionnaire divided into three section. The first section included demographic information of participants. The second part included 29 items about the Collaborative School Culture (CSC), which measures the extent of six components of CSC. These components were collaborative leadership, teacher collaboration, professional development, unity of purpose, collegial support, and learning partnership. The third part was an open-ended question eliciting …

Exceptional Connections : A Cross-Cultural Exploration Of The Actual Teacher Behaviours That Contribute To Positive Relationships With Gifted Secondary Students And Secondary Students With Emotional/Behavioural Disorders, Trevor Capern

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This cross-cultural study examined the teacher behaviours that contributed to positive student-teacher relationships with gifted secondary students and secondary students with Emotional/Behavioural Disorders (EBD) in Western Australia and Canada. The study also examined which categories of social support (emotional, instrumental, informational, appraisal) were considered most important in developing positive relationships according to the exceptional students and their teachers. Behaviours were identified through a mixedmethods approach that included surveys, teacher interviews, and student focus groups. Participants included gifted secondary students (N = 133) and their teachers (N= 49), and secondary students with EBD (N = 89) and their teachers (N=23) in …

E-Learning Implementation Strategies For An Ict-Challenged Environment : Case Of The University Of Ghana, Legon, Isaiah T. Awidi

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

E-learning implementation in higher education continues to gain prominence in both developed and developing countries, and while most universities in ICT-rich environments are exploring different ways of using ICT and multimedia resources to enhance teaching and learning, the same cannot be said about ICT-challenged environments. Nevertheless, the question of successful and sustainable e-learning implementation continues to remain a challenge, particularly in ICT-challenged environments.

The primary purpose of this research was to examine policy and strategy issues that have influenced the process of e-learning implementation at the University of Ghana (UG), given that previous ICT and e-learning initiatives failed to improve …

Impacts Of The Changing Nature Of The Vocational Education And Training (Vet) System On Educators Within The Vet System In Australia, Mairead Dempsey

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia has experienced an unprecedented rate of change in recent times dominated by economic discourses that point to the need for the VET system to contribute to economic development. This discourse includes increasing the competence of the present and future workforce to meet the emerging needs of the economy so Australia can compete in the global market. The VET sector in Australia operates within a National Training Framework that has been constantly changing over the past decade.

This study considered the impact of the changing nature VET policy on trainers of VET. The study …

Improving Classroom Discourse In Inquiry-Based Primary Science Education, Prudence Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Teachers‟ capacity to use classroom discourse to deepen student learning through sustained conversation is considered crucial to increasing students‟ intellectual development. Learners actively construct knowledge and develop understandings from their shared experiences and via interaction with others (Driver, Asoko, Leach, Mortimer & Scott, 1994). However, talk that fosters students‟ capacity to reason is lacking in many classrooms (Alexander, 2006) and, what is more, teachers tend to control the discourse by asking a predominance of closed questions and using a question-answer recitation script which limits the exploration of students‟ ideas (Nystrand, Gamoran, Kachy, & Prendergast, 1997). The purpose of this study …

Numeracy Support For Year Two Students, Gillian Dawn Hurle

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Research of teaching theories and intervention programs internationally and in Australia suggests that the implementation of numeracy support programs can improve student achievement levels (Fuchs, 2005; Ketterlin-Geller, Chard & Fien, 2008; Van Kraayenoord & Elkins, 2004). An intervention program was conducted for a small group of Year Two students with the aim of improving their numeracy skills over a 20 week period. Results of two mathematics assessments, together with information provided by teachers based on classroom observations and informal assessments were combined to select a group of twelve students who were considered to be at risk of developing mathematical difficulties. …

Tablet Pc Use In Teaching And Learning : A Case Study, Andrew Stewart

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

With the emergence of the use of the traditional (non-touch screen) notebook computer in the classroom, different teaching styles and equipment have been introduced. Teachers have started to use the Notebook PC to support their teaching. They now have the ability to gather and use a far greater range of materials in the classroom with little distraction.

The introduction of the touch screen Tablet PC has brought another dimension to the way technology can be used in the classroom. This study seeks to investigate the ways in which Tablet PC technology has been used to enhance the learning of students …

Implementing A Reggio Emilia Inspired Approach In A Mainstream Western Australian Context: The Impact On Early Childhood Teachers' Professional Role, Claire Hall

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Reggio Emilia, an approach to early childhood that was developed in a Northern Italian city of the same name, is highly regarded as acknowledged by educators and researchers world-wide (Gandini, 1993). The Reggio Emilia philosophy is distinguished by the presentation of an image of children as being strong, rich and powerful learners (Hendricks, 2004; Millikan, 2003). This approach is marked as being adopted and adapted to suit particular cultural and educational settings. These situation sensitive approaches are noted as being Reggio Emilia inspired.

This qualitative case study investigated how the professional role of four early childhood teachers was impacted by …

School Administrators' Beliefs Regarding The Relationship Between School Improvements And Formal School Registration, Harm P. Witten

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In 2004, the Government of Western Australia introduced an inspection-type formal school registration process for Non-Government (Independent) Schools, fulfilling the legislative requirement of a new School Education Act of 1999 (Part 4, Sec.159). This formal school registration process featured twelve criteria that are used to evaluate the quality of education. The government claimed that it would ensure a good education for all students in Western Australian, including those students enrolled in Independent Schools. However, very little is known about this formal school registration process, the twelve criteria used in it, or even if school administrators believe that it has helped …

Culture And Online Distance Learning, Charlotte Nirmalani Gunawardena

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Online distance learning (ODL) has become a global phenomenon transcending national, political, and geographical boundaries challenging distance educators to re-examine notions of teaching and learning and issues of culture inherent in cross-border delivery of online courses and programs. Rogers, Graham and Mayes (2007) note that the sheer amount of learning content being developed in the West (defined for this chapter as Eurocentric, North American, Australasian) and exported via the Internet to other countries, highlights the crucial need to explore questions of culture more thoroughly in our online course designs to provide a more equitable learning experience for all. Global universities …