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2014

Grand Valley State University

Masters Theses

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Education

Professional Experiences Of Women Administrators In Student Services, Christy M. Mayo Dec 2014

Professional Experiences Of Women Administrators In Student Services, Christy M. Mayo

Masters Theses

The number of women pursuing higher education now outnumbers that of men. However, the number of women in administration and faculty roles does not mirror that of the student population. Instead, women are often found in midlevel and low level positions, especially within student services and student affairs. This thesis is a qualitative study that employs the phenomenological method to explore and examine the professional experiences of seven midlevel administrators in student affairs and student services at GVSU. The constant comparative method of coding was used to analyze the data, identify themes, and articulate assertions. The themes that emerged from …

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Effects Of Summer School On Academic Achievement: Reducing Summer Learning Loss In Middle School, Angela Joy Aumaugher Aug 2014

Effects Of Summer School On Academic Achievement: Reducing Summer Learning Loss In Middle School, Angela Joy Aumaugher

Masters Theses

Summer learning loss has been implicated in the achievement gap between economically advantaged and disadvantaged students. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a summer school program on the degree of summer learning loss and academic achievement of middle school students. Participants included a census of middle school students who attended the summer school program at a small public charter school in the Midwest between the fall of 2010 and the spring of 2014. Achievement and learning loss were determined based on fall and spring testing using the Northwest Evaluation Association’s Measures for Academic Progress test, …

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The Generational Digital Divide: Understanding Adult Learners’ Self-Efficacy In Online Education, Justin Allen Melick Jul 2014

The Generational Digital Divide: Understanding Adult Learners’ Self-Efficacy In Online Education, Justin Allen Melick

Masters Theses

Higher education is seeing a substantial rise in both the number of adult learners who are returning to college as well as the number of online and blended courses being offered by institutions. Adult learners are returning to higher education and frequently finding themselves in an e-learning environment, which may not have existed during their first stint in college. Online and blended classes often require students to complete technology tasks that they may not be confident performing. This thesis uses descriptive statistics to determine which tasks commonly used in online courses adult learners are least confident performing, giving institutions more …

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A Textbook Analysis: A Case Study Of Changes In History Textbooks Based On The Revolutionary War, Danielle Renee Wager Apr 2014

A Textbook Analysis: A Case Study Of Changes In History Textbooks Based On The Revolutionary War, Danielle Renee Wager

Masters Theses

Research has provided us with information that textbooks are not free from bias. Textbooks are subject to a variety of influences such as the background, beliefs and motivations of the authors of primary sources, secondary sources, and analyses of sources. They are also subject to influences by large consumer groups as well as political and interest groups who finance the textbook market. Due to these influences, it is important for teachers to understand that textbooks are not free from bias, and if they do not do so already, they should supplement their students’ learning with primary and secondary sources beyond …

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Student Success And Service-Learning: Exploring The Relationship At A Two-Year Public Institution, Leah Renee Kicinski Apr 2014

Student Success And Service-Learning: Exploring The Relationship At A Two-Year Public Institution, Leah Renee Kicinski

Masters Theses

This exploratory study examines the relationship between service-learning and student success at a two-year community college in the urban Midwest. Students who participated in service-learning during the 2010-2011 academic year were identified by institutional research and planning (n=788); additionally, students completed a survey regarding service experiences and learning outcomes (n=280). The data suggest that student success appears to be related to service-learning; 76% of subjects who participated in service-learning met a success indicator compared to 62% of students who were enrolled 2011-2012. Additionally, students reported learning communication, critical thinking, diversity, interpersonal, and personal skills as a result of their participation.

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Postsecondary Inclusion For Individuals With An Intellectual Disability: A Comparative Case Study, Eric Jordan Moore Apr 2014

Postsecondary Inclusion For Individuals With An Intellectual Disability: A Comparative Case Study, Eric Jordan Moore

Masters Theses

Postsecondary education programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities have emerged exponentially in the United States over the last decade. Research regarding these programs has largely been descriptive, and thus there exists a need for qualitative, outcome-based research. In this comparative case study, graduates from two types of postsecondary education programs for individuals with intellectual disability are surveyed regarding employment outcomes and other personal developments. The results from each program are compared with one another and also with a comparison group of individuals with intellectual disabilities who did not attend a postsecondary program (utilizing the 2009 National Longitudinal Transition Study-2). This …

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(Re)Claiming Spaces Through Story: An Examination Of The Liberatory Potential Of Autobiographical Narrative In Adult L2 Literacy Development, Jessica Elizabeth Peters Apr 2014

(Re)Claiming Spaces Through Story: An Examination Of The Liberatory Potential Of Autobiographical Narrative In Adult L2 Literacy Development, Jessica Elizabeth Peters

Masters Theses

Adult ESL learners at the community education level are frequently undereducated (Lasater and Elliott, 2000, 2005), and fifty percent of limited-English proficient (LEP) adults report having nine or fewer years of formal schooling (NCIIP, 2012). They may be preliterate or only marginally literate even in their L1, which has significant negative implications both for language acquisition and for employment and educational opportunities. Further, many of these adult students also experience feelings of low self-worth with respect to their ability to succeed in any academic setting, let alone a foreign one, which poses a serious barrier to their ability to transition …

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Outcomes Assessment Of An Outdoor Orientation Program Through Means-End Theory, Kristofer James Cortez Jan 2014

Outcomes Assessment Of An Outdoor Orientation Program Through Means-End Theory, Kristofer James Cortez

Masters Theses

There is a lack of research investigating the effectiveness of outdoor orientation programs. Specifically, there is an absence of research examining what program elements contribute to student development and how those elements support that growth. Programs have relied on anecdotal evidence of outcome achievement but these indicators do not sufficiently identify the processes that specifically influence participant development. This study uses means-end theory to assess an outdoor orientation program at a large public university. Participant interviews identified meaningful features of their program experience and explained what outcomes were achieved as a result of those specific features. Laddering and means-end analysis …

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