Education Commons^™

Chairs Mentoring Faculty Colleagues, Jeff Kerssen-Griep

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

Many academics struggle to manage the changes that come with suddenly being responsible for chairing a group of peers. As in skilled classroom instruction, leading an academic unit invokes specific structural, strategic, tactical, and interpersonal abilities. New chairs often quickly have to add ways of thinking and acting that are beyond the precise expertise that got them to that point in the first place. With our focus on understanding process, communication scholars may be better equipped than some others to understand this role shift’s dynamics, but often we struggle as mightily as our chemist or engineering or nursing peers to …

“The Path Of Social Justice”: A Human Rights History Of Social Justice Education, Carl A. Grant, Melissa L. Gibson

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Although not often recognized, social justice education in the U.S. is historically and philosophically tied to the twentieth century's human rights initiatives. The efforts of human rights pioneers, such as those who authored the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, have indelibly shaped social justice efforts, including within education, in the U.S. Reframing social justice education in light of human rights gives clarity to and concretizes our work as social justice educators: It strengthens a vision of education as central to promoting rights and justice; it refocuses attention on a broader array of fundamental rights, and it explicitly contests our globalized …

Predicting Registered Health Information Administrator Examination Scores, James Condon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences existed among candidates for the Registered Health Information Administrator certification examination that may have characterized the likelihood of acquiring professional certification upon graduation from accredited health information administration education programs. The research was conducted using data acquired from accredited health information administration education programs located across the United States. A total of 197 former student records were obtained and used in the statistical analyses; 118 were employed in correlation analysis and to develop a Registered Health Information Administrator certification examination success prediction model and to establish a 95% Approximate Prediction …

The Relationship Between Mandatory School Uniforms And Attendance, Jessica Mayweather

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a relationship exists between the implementation of a mandatory uniform policy in an urban public middle school and student attendance rates (as measured by the schools yearly progress report collected by the state Board of Education). Four schools serving students in grades 6-8 in an urban school district in Georgia were included in this study.

Three comparisons were used to determine whether or not and, if so, the extent to which the relationships existed. Some qualitative and quantitative measures were utilized in the design of this mixed method study. These methods …

The Impact Of Religious Commitment And Motivation On African American Male Academic Achievement, Beverly Cabble Logan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method, pragmatic, research study was to determine, from successful African American college age students, what influences have contributed to their academic success. Quantitative data were collected using two survey instruments, the Religious Commitment Inventory (RCI-10) and a researcher created demographic instrument for data collection. Qualitative data were collected through five researcherconducted focus group discussions with 10 African American students enrolled in a four year university located in the southeast region of the United States. The guiding questions were: How does religious commitment impact academic achievement among minority male college students? What relationship exists between religious …

A Case Study Of The Impact Of An Intervention Scheduling Model On Academic Achievement In English And Mathematics By Students In Need Of Remediation, Dora Harvey

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This case study explored the impact of a scheduling intervention on the Georgia High School Graduation Test standardized achievement test scores of students identified as in need of remediation in the content areas of English and mathematics, paired with the perception of this scheduling model from key informants in the study. Students in the scheduling intervention were enrolled in a year-long, alternating content-day block scheduling model. The quantitative portion reviewed Georgia High School Graduation Test score data for students who participated in a modified block (referred to as Schedule Two) results were analyzed, indicating passing percentages, and number for each …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Development Activities Which Result In Successful Integration Of Classroom Instructional Technologies, Lisa Blackmon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Recent research demonstrates the expectation of the use of technology in schools. Advances in technology often require teachers to learn new methods of teaching while trying to keep up with rapidly increasing technological changes. Unfortunately, many teachers report being inadequately prepared to utilize instructional technologies in their classrooms. School leaders have the complex task of providing effective training that meets their teachers’ needs. In this quantitative study, the author sought to determine teachers’ perceptions of professional development activities which result in successful classroom integration of instructional technologies in schools. Teachers from two school districts in Georgia were surveyed. Data were …

Casting Minority Gifted Students: The Pedagogical Impact Of Cinema On The Culture Of Schooling, Deborah F. Burnette

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

African American students are significantly underrepresented in gifted education programs. This dissertation creates a space where gifted education, African American students, media literacy, and teacher perceptions intersect in the field of curriculum studies. Media literacy will be utilized to critique popular films by gifted endorsement teacher-students and myself. Due to the low number of states that require pre-service teachers to study gifted characteristics of children it is left up to gifted teacher endorsement programs to train teachers. By using media literacy to examine films in gifted teacher endorsement programs, I assert that the under-representation of African American students in the …

Perceptions Of Teachers And Administrators Regarding The Teacher Evaluation Process, Joy Davis Sheppard

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Teacher evaluations can be a tool for increasing teacher effectiveness and accountability if it is determined how evaluations can be best used. According to current literature, this is not the case. It is more pertinent than ever that administrators use evaluations to strengthen marginal teachers and further develop skills of teachers who are already proficient. However, few studies exist pertaining to teacher and administrator perceptions of teacher evaluation effectiveness and even fewer focus Georgia teacher evaluations. The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate perceptions of the teacher evaluation process held by teachers and administrators in southeast Georgia so …

Transferability And Alignment Of Program Exemplars In Teacher Preparation, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Public charter schools are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates and staffing difficulties in a rapidly growing sector, as well as obstacles for teachers to obtain certification. Thus, charter school teachers are seeking a “choice” in teacher preparation to meet the innovative needs of the sector. To address critical shortages of highly effective teachers, states are offering both traditional and nontraditional teacher preparation to earn licensure. The goal of this study was to determine if program exemplars from traditional teacher preparation were transferable to, and …

Reimagining The Liberal Arts In An Age Of Technoscientific Progress, Melanie Moore Watson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The following study will investigate the impact of dismantling liberal arts curriculum during an era of dramatic technoscientific progress. I will explore the development of the posthuman focusing specifically on the areas of virtual reality and biomedicine. As I unravel the implications that virtual reality and biomedicine will have on society in the coming decades, I will describe how a new liberal arts curriculum must be entertained by educators in order to maintain innovation, play, and ethical considerations in posthuman developments. In order for our students to become contributing members of a global community, they must be given the opportunity …

Two Small Rural Schools Under Siege: An Oral History 1969-2012, Deborah Costlow Cartee

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study is an oral history of the small rural community of Portal, Georgia, its two local schools, and its residents’ successful fight to keep these community schools. Guided by the theoretical framework of critical theory and the works of critical researchers, namely Paulo Freire (1998), Michael Apple (2006), Jean Anyon (2005), and Henry Giroux (2001), one purpose of this study was to discover what we can learn from the experiences of citizens in one small rural community who have been affected by consolidation. Since the account of the relationship between the Portal community and its hometown schools remains untold, …

Housing Patterns, Academic Performance And School Choice: An Inquiry Into The Relocation Experiences Of African-American Families, Courtney Jones-Hall

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative inquiry explored the educational relocation experiences of AfricanAmerican families residing in predominately-White and northern Gwinnett County, Georgia, who relocated to pursue improved educational opportunities for their children. For poor families or African- American families with limited resources, school choice is determined largely by where one lives. Historical oppression at the local, state and federal level has encouraged the concentration of African-American families into segregated communities and segregated housing patterns (Massey & Denton, 1998; Rice, 2009; Squires & Kim, 1995), which are often associated with educational inequality (Royce, 2009). The historical oppression and racial injustices in society challenges us …

Elementary Principals' Leadership Practices Towards Response To Intervention (Rti) Implementation: Perceptions Of Teachers In Southeastern Georgia, Oatanisha Renee Dawson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Principals are responsible for overseeing all of the school’s programs and initiatives. Response to Intervention (RTI) is a federal initiative that is a multi-tiered approach to highquality instruction and ongoing monitoring of students’ academic and behavioral progress. Although RTI models vary across the U.S., it is the principal who is accountable for students’ overall achievement within the building. With teachers as the direct recipients and observers of their leadership practices, principals implement a tiered intervention process under the influence of national and state guidelines although best practices for implementation are limited.

he purpose of this study was to investigate teacher …

Investigating Academic Motivation Among Ncaa Division I Football Players Within Their Competition And Non-Competition Semesters., Ian R. Potter

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Recent data indicates that college student athletes are graduating at higher rates than their non-student athlete peers; however, among student athletes in general, revenue sport student athletes are well below other college sport student athletes in terms of academic performance. One variable that has shown to have a connection with academic performance among college student athletes is academic motivation. An area within academic motivational research that has not been investigated is how a revenue sport student athlete’s time commitment to their sport (competition and non-competition semester) influences their academic motivation. Additionally, the large majority of research assessing academic motivation among …

Are Best Practices In Literacy Culturally Relevant? An Investigation Into What Primary Literacy Teachers Do To Teach Literacy Skills To Minority Students, Tammie Pittsley

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine if average primary (K-3) teachers were implementing best practices in literacy with culturally relevant teaching in their classroom practice. The cooperating district is located in southeastern Georgia and is a majority minority district. The school district personnel predominantly consists of White female teachers; however, the student population has become increasingly diverse. As a result, the need to teach literacy skills while incorporating the tenets of culturally relevant teaching is increasingly important. The study consisted of an online survey using the platform Survey Monkey and two focus group interviews. The survey …

Teachers' Perceptions And Satisfaction With Pbis In A Southeast Georgia School District, Deidra C. Martin

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In today’s educational system, an important concern is student behavior. Problem behaviors can affect students’ academic learning as well as teachers’ instructional time. Many programs and approaches are available to improve student behavior in schools. One school-wide program known as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is designed to help schools create and sustain effective behavioral supports for students. PBIS is a national framework schools can use to help them design and implement behavioral practices for students. It involves all the faculty, staff, and students in a school system. Teachers are important stakeholders in implementing PBIS. If they do not …

Perceptions Of Mentoring: Examining The Experiences Of Women Superintendents In Georgia, Scarlett Copeland

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The number of women superintendents working in Georgia public schools exceeds the national average, but unfortunately, when compared to the number of men in the same position, women are not as well represented. This gap between female and male superintendents, and the reasons why this disparity exist, has been the subject of many research studies. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is a lack of mentoring for women superintendents.

This descriptive mixed methods study gathered both quantitative and qualitative data on the mentoring experiences of women superintendents in Georgia. The quantitative participants in this study included 39 women superintendent in …

The Impact Of Student Retention Strategies: An Empirical Study, Elke Meyo Leeds, Stacy M. Campbell, Hope Baker, Radwan Ali, Dorothy Brawley, John Crisp

Faculty Articles

A major concern for institutions and instructors is the high dropout rate of students in online courses. This study investigated the impact of student retention strategies on retention rates in an online information systems course. A treatment group exposed to retention strategies related to student engagement, learning communities, student services and learner centred environments was compared with a control group. Results suggested that retention strategies may not impact retention rates. This is important as faculty are routinely encouraged to implement similar strategies in online course design and delivery.

Exploring Mathematics Methods Courses And Impacts For Prospective Teachers, Signe Kastberg, Wendy B. Sanchez, Andrew Tyminski, Alyson Lischka, Woong Lim

Faculty Articles

This working group continues to develop a research program and scholarly inquiry focused on the study of mathematics teacher educators' (MTEs') practices and their impacts on preservice teachers (PSTs). The research agenda contains two strands of inquiry exploring (1) empirical links between PSTs’ development and MTEs’ practices and (2) variation in MTEs’ practices and the evolution of methods course activities over time. Participants will discuss and dissect (a) existing literature illuminating the impact of methods activities on PSTs’ development, (b) methods of documenting and exploring MTEs’ practices and (c) the next steps to be taken in the development of the …

Educating Ana: A Retrospective Diary Study Of Pre-Literate Refugee Students, Renee Black

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

Peer Editing In Composition For Multilingual Writers At The College Level, Benjamin J. Bertrand

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"The goal of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of a guided peer editing activity for multilingual college freshman. This was an example of action research that began winter quarter 2013. The study used an activity where peer writers and responders identified and corrected errors in essays. Writers then choose which suggestions were errors to change and which did not need change. The study took place at Eastern Washington University in an English 112 class. English 112 is English for Academic Purposes (EAP) which is an English composition class. It took a total of four class periods in …

Using The Branching Story Approach To Motivate Students To Read, Hanan Farhad Aldurayb

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

Illuminating Teaching And Learning: Students' Metacognition And Teacher Responsiveness In One College Developmental Reading Class, Tasha A. Vice

Reading Faculty Publications (Archived)

College students enrolled in a developmental reading program often do not perceive themselves as remedial readers, have low self-esteem about their abilities, or have a limited understanding about reading and therefore are unable to engage themselves with effective reading strategies. The challenge for educators in developmental college reading is to engage and motivate students with educational methods that create an awareness and understanding of reading by using strategies and practices appropriate for students’ diverse educational needs also necessary for their reading achievement. At the same time students need to develop the metacognitive awareness of their own knowledge of and use …

Lessons Learned From A Cognitively Guided Instruction Professional Development Project, Christina Nugent

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The professional development, which was the basis for this case study, was a 3- year Title II grant-funded project with Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) as the research-based core. Twenty-one elementary school teachers from an urban setting were studied. The purpose of this study was to analyze the professional development project in order to discover the lessons learned. The professional development model used had several key elements. These elements included an evaluation plan, implementation of the learned strategies, collaboration, summer workshops and follow-up school year sessions, and lesson study. Despite the fact that participants were engaged in the same professional development …

Factors That Influence Superintendents In Iowa To Implement A One-To-One Computer Initiative, Gerald Eugene Schnabel

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study is to identify factors that influence superintendents in Iowa to implement a one-to-one computer initiative. An in-depth, phenomenological based interview method was used. Two interviews were conducted with each of the five superintendents in the study. The superintendent responses were then organized using the Saskatchewan Educational Indicators, which are context, process and outcome indicators. The major questions addressed in the study were: 1. What factors influenced the decision to implement a one-to-one computer initiative? 2. What are the results of implementing a one-to-one computer initiative? 3. What decision-making process do superintendents in Iowa use when …

An Examination Of Opposing Theoretical Perspectives: Are The Current Assessment And Instructional Practices For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders And Mental Health Issues Effective And Sufficient?, Karen Aldrich-Duden

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Increasing student achievement is the purpose of all educational programs, including the programs for students with disabilities. The adequacy of the educational programing for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBO) who also have mental health issues was the focus of this qualitative study. Specific attention was paid to the assessment and instructional practices used with students with EBO in order to answer the research question: Are the current assessment and instructional practices for students with EBD and mental health issues effective and sufficient? This study explored the potential benefits of using an ecological theoretical framework based on the bioecological …

The Difference Connection Makes : Roles The Middle School Teacher Plays In Changing Adolescent Girls’ Lives, Denise M. Pralle

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Within the classroom setting, 'fitting in' can be a very difficult matter for both students as well as teachers. A sense of community and respect for others, which prevails in the elementary grades, seems more subdued among middle-schoolers as competition and the struggle for independence becomes part of the hidden curriculum. Adolescent girls especially struggle to imitate what developmental psychologists suggest is necessary at this age: independence and disconnection from others. However, disconnection at this stage of development may partially account for the competition, disrespect of others, and loss of morality in and out of the classroom. Connected classroom teachers …

Engaging Student's Learningthrough A Blended Learning Environment, Andrew Stuart

Conference papers

Within the furniture manufacturing industry a high proportion of occupational accidents are as a result of non-compliance to machining regulations and incorrect work practices. Safety training plays an important role in reducing accidents and promoting a safety culture within this sector. This article details an action research study undertaken during the first year of a new Degree in Timber Product Technology, which set out to evaluate the impact a blended learning environment and reusable learning objects (RLOs) could have on promoting safe work practices and a safety culture amongst students. A constructivist approach was taken and the module design was …

Faculty Engagement With Learning Outcomes Assessment: A Study Of Public Two-Year Colleges In Colorado, Jennifer Lynn Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was the assumption that faculty at the postsecondary level in the U. S. are not sufficiently or effectively engaged with student learning outcomes assessment (LOA) activities and/or practices. This issue emerged in two primary ways within the Scholarship of Assessment (SoA) body of literature: (1) as a misalignment of learning outcomes assessment practices between faculty and their institutions, and (2) as a lack of transparency concerning what faculty are, in fact, doing with respect to LOA activities. Two-year colleges reportedly have particular difficulty in discerning whether or not these issues impact institutional efforts to …