Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 92

Full-Text Articles in Education

Novice Science Teachers' Thinking About The Purpose Of Teachers' Questions, Gwyndolyn Crittenden Jan 2014

Novice Science Teachers' Thinking About The Purpose Of Teachers' Questions, Gwyndolyn Crittenden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective teacher questioning during whole group instruction remains an important pedagogy in science education, especially the importance of helping novice teachers to guide student thinking using effective questions. This study examined how novice secondary science teachers’ understand the relationship between student thinking and teacher questioning. The sample was seven novice secondary science teachers’ enrolled in the University of Central Florida’s job embedded Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program (RTP3 ). All participants received instruction and guided practice with the use of questions to elicit, probe, and challenge student ideas in the secondary science pedagogy class. Participants completed a questionnaire describing their …


Examining Preservice Teachers' Performances And Pedagogies Of Practice In An Urban Classroom Through The Use Of A Simulated Learning Environment, Kelly Jennings Jan 2014

Examining Preservice Teachers' Performances And Pedagogies Of Practice In An Urban Classroom Through The Use Of A Simulated Learning Environment, Kelly Jennings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The failure to staff the nation’s classrooms with highly qualified teachers, especially those in disadvantaged schools, is a problem in American education. Novice teachers who begin teaching in urban, low-income, diverse schools leave the field of education at alarmingly high rates. Schools are not being provided with the teachers they deserve; new teachers are especially ill-prepared to meet the needs of students in high-need urban settings. In return, these lowincome schools are not retaining sufficient numbers of the teachers they do recruit. A teacher’s performance has a tremendous impact on a child’s learning and academic journey. Teacher preparation programs need …


Evaluating Faculty And Staff Customer Satisfaction Of A Technology Support Office In A Large University In Florida, Laurence Jaffe Jan 2014

Evaluating Faculty And Staff Customer Satisfaction Of A Technology Support Office In A Large University In Florida, Laurence Jaffe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to determine customer satisfaction levels of faculty and staff with their technology support office in a large university in Florida. The focus of research was to determine if there were any differences in customer satisfaction based on four demographics: gender, faculty versus staff, educational level and age. An anonymous customer satisfaction survey included 26 Likert-type scale questions measuring 16 service quality dimensions was administered to the population. The 16 service quality dimensions included 10 dimensions from Zeithaml et al. (1990), five dimensions from Besterfield et al. (1995, 2003), and one dimension, overall satisfaction. Findings showed there was …


The Influence Of A Career Planning Stem Explorations Course On Vocational Maturity, Career Decidedness And Career Thoughts For Undergraduate Students, Diandra Prescod Jan 2014

The Influence Of A Career Planning Stem Explorations Course On Vocational Maturity, Career Decidedness And Career Thoughts For Undergraduate Students, Diandra Prescod

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), innovation that accompanies careers in science, technology engineering, and math (STEM) create a driving force in the economy and the creation of jobs, yet many positions remain open due to the lack of qualified individuals to fill them (NAS, 2011). Continuing research and innovation proves to be important, yet not enough students graduate with STEM degrees and enter into STEM careers. Career planning courses for undergraduate students increase student confidence about their abilities to make career decisions (Grier-Reed & Skaar, 2010: Scott & Ciani 2008). Vocational maturity and career decision making skills …


Determination Of Critical Rest Interval Using Repeated Sprint Ability Testing, Michael La Monica Jan 2014

Determination Of Critical Rest Interval Using Repeated Sprint Ability Testing, Michael La Monica

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The critical power (CP) concept has been used to determine the appropriate rest interval during intermittent exercise through the investigation of critical rest interval (CRI). Repeated sprint ability (RSA) testing has been developed to define the athlete’s ability to recover and maintain maximal effort during successive bouts. The CP model has been used to understand the physiological responses involved with intermittent exercise delineating between severe and heavy exercise intensity domains. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the CRI from the work-time relationship given by RSA testing using varying work to rest ratios. The secondary purpose was to …


Enhancing The Reading Strategies Of Parents Of English Language Learners Through Reading Strategies And Interventions(Rsi) Workshops, Milagros Rivera Jan 2014

Enhancing The Reading Strategies Of Parents Of English Language Learners Through Reading Strategies And Interventions(Rsi) Workshops, Milagros Rivera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandated that school districts and schools ensure that English Language Learners (ELLs) are provided with equitable opportunities and experiences that support student success academically. However, many ELL students have faced challenges at school, have not been academically successful, and struggle to read on grade level. NCLB has also mandated that elementary schools give parents the tools needed to support their children's learning in the home. Researchers have supported the importance of parental involvement in the academic success of children. The purpose of this study was to determine whether parents' knowledge of reading strategies and …


An Investigation Of Online Tools And Teaching, Social, And Cognitive Presence In A Large Hybrid Online Class, Victoria Rath Jan 2014

An Investigation Of Online Tools And Teaching, Social, And Cognitive Presence In A Large Hybrid Online Class, Victoria Rath

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to explore the impact of specific Web 2.0 tools on students' experience of teaching, social, and cognitive presence and motivation when enrolled in a very large hybrid course. With online course enrollments continuing to grow at a higher rate than traditional enrollments in higher education (Allen & Seaman, 2011) and universities increasing class sizes as a way to meet this demand with fewer fiscal resources, it is imperative to find ways to keep students engaged and motivated when enrolled in very large classes. This study used the Community of Inquiry framework (Garrison, Anderson …


A Comparative Analysis Of Top Performing Countries In Eighth Grade Mathematics As Measured By 2011 Trends In International Mathematics And Science Study, Courtney Wilson Jan 2014

A Comparative Analysis Of Top Performing Countries In Eighth Grade Mathematics As Measured By 2011 Trends In International Mathematics And Science Study, Courtney Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to shed light on factors contributing to global international rankings in mathematics released by the 2011 administration of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. This study focused on factors contributing to the global ranking of international scores in mathematics. Although students in the United States performed below students in the other sample countries (Singapore, Japan, and the Republic of Korea), American students scored within one standard deviation of the top performer, the Republic of Korea. The study also revealed that although other countries had their brightest and most advantaged students participate in …


A Multimedia Pedestrian Safety Program And School Infrastructure: Finding The Connection To Pedestrian Risk-Taking Attitudes And Perceptions Of Pedestrian Behavior, Diana Scott Jan 2014

A Multimedia Pedestrian Safety Program And School Infrastructure: Finding The Connection To Pedestrian Risk-Taking Attitudes And Perceptions Of Pedestrian Behavior, Diana Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 47,700 pedestrians were killed between the years of 2000 - 2009. School buses are one of the safest modes of transportation (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2004). However, the Central Florida school district eliminated bus transportation within the 2-mile radius from schools just last year. Children must prepare for an alternative mode of transportation; walking and biking. The purpose of this research was two-fold. First to develop an online safety training program for elementary school children; and second, a self-report questionnaire was constructed and piloted to measure how safety training and school infrastructure affects students' pedestrian risk-taking attitudes and …


A Comparative Study Of The Effect Of Block Scheduling And Traditional Scheduling On Student Achievement For The Florida Algebra 1 End-Of-Course Examination, Arthur Underwood Jan 2014

A Comparative Study Of The Effect Of Block Scheduling And Traditional Scheduling On Student Achievement For The Florida Algebra 1 End-Of-Course Examination, Arthur Underwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was on the effect of school schedules on student achievement for ninth-grade students in a Florida school district. Data were collected from two central Florida high schools from the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years. Five one-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed to ascertain if there was any interaction between school schedules and student achievement. Examined were the interactions (a) between schedule and schools, (b) schedule and male students, (c) schedule and female students, (d) schedule and Black students, and (e) schedule and Hispanic students. The independent variable, school schedule, consisted of two levels: traditional …


A Single Case Analysis Of The Impact Of Caregiver-Student Collaborative Learning On An Urban Community, Heather Edmundson Jan 2014

A Single Case Analysis Of The Impact Of Caregiver-Student Collaborative Learning On An Urban Community, Heather Edmundson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of caregiver-student collaborative learning classes on an urban community. The study examined whether the self-efficacy of the caregivers increased with helping their children with school work due to the caregiver-student classes. The study also examined whether providing access to a resource not normally provided within this particular community led to increased self-efficacy within caregivers. The research questions that guided the study were as follows: How do collaborative caregiver-student classes that focus on collaborative strategies impact the self-efficacy of the caregivers in helping their children with school work? How does increasing …


An Analysis Of The Variables In Implementation Of The Marzano Causal Teacher Evaluation System In The State Of Florida, Matthew Phillips Jan 2014

An Analysis Of The Variables In Implementation Of The Marzano Causal Teacher Evaluation System In The State Of Florida, Matthew Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This was a non-experimental, mixed methods study to research the different ways in which the Marzano casual teacher evaluation system was implemented in 25 school districts in the state of Florida during the 2012-2013 school year. Based on seven implementation variables, the teacher evaluation systems were compared to the implementation model and research-based best practice. The researcher then sought to determine what relationships may or may not exist in teacher performance ratings between districts that followed the research-based implementation model and districts that did not. Two stated purposes of the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system were to improve the accuracy …


An Examination Of School Principals' Moral Reasoning And Decision-Making Along The Principalship Track And Across Years Of Experience, Trent Ling Jan 2014

An Examination Of School Principals' Moral Reasoning And Decision-Making Along The Principalship Track And Across Years Of Experience, Trent Ling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research by Vitton & Wasonga (2009) and Strenth (2013) found public school K-12 principals struggling in the moral reasoning and decision-making measures of the second Defining Issues Test ("DIT-2"). In response to these studies, this research sought to collect, to examine, and to compare DIT-2 data for educational leaders at various stages of the principalship track in an effort to determine and/or to isolate the locus of principals' reported underperformance. The moral reasoning and decision-making of regular-education K-12 public school principals and assistant principals in Florida, and current master's degree students in educational leadership programs at a large public …


Ethical Decision-Making In Higher Education: A Sociological Examination Of Graduate Students' Understanding Of Appropriate Academic Sharing, Jennifer Parham Jan 2014

Ethical Decision-Making In Higher Education: A Sociological Examination Of Graduate Students' Understanding Of Appropriate Academic Sharing, Jennifer Parham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most prior research and scholarship views cheating as an individual failing rather than a sociological or organizational phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges students face in graduate education and the factors that affect ethical beliefs towards academic dishonesty. This study used a mixed method research approach including an online survey with approximately 1,250 responses from graduate students representing each of UCF's colleges and fifteen interviews with students in fourteen different disciplines. Results of the online survey indicated no significant differences between international and domestic students. Survey and interview data indicate that graduate students' perceptions of …


Global Perspectives Of Pre-Service Teachers: A Comparative Study, Cynthia Poole Jan 2014

Global Perspectives Of Pre-Service Teachers: A Comparative Study, Cynthia Poole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The importance of global education cannot be overstated in modern American society. A crucial first step to promoting global perspectives in the K-12 classroom is to ensure that the teachers have developed their own global perspectives. Multiple global education frameworks have suggested that two keys to globalizing teacher education curricula are the integration of global content courses and participation in co-curricular cross-cultural experiences. Therefore, this study sought to determine the extent to which global content courses and co-curricular cross-cultural experiences had been integrated into the teacher preparation of pre-service teachers in multiple certification areas at a large public university in …


Antecedents And Consequences Of Customer Experience In Beverage Establishments, Milos Bujisic Jan 2014

Antecedents And Consequences Of Customer Experience In Beverage Establishments, Milos Bujisic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is estimated that there are approximately 42,000 beverage establishments in the U.S. whose annual revenue surpasses $20 billion (First Research, 2014). To facilitate discussion of beverage establishments, it is essential to recognize beverage establishments as businesses whose majority of sales come from alcoholic drinks (Moss, 2010a). In this research, beverage establishments are divided into beverage-only bars, bar/entertainment combinations, and food and beverage combinations. Even though they are a well-established industry, beverage establishments have received little academic attention (Moss, 2010b). For example, previous studies have given little attention to the development of the model that examines the relationships between quality …


Investigating The Relationships Between Preferences, Gender, And High School Students' Geometry Performance, Bhesh Mainali Jan 2014

Investigating The Relationships Between Preferences, Gender, And High School Students' Geometry Performance, Bhesh Mainali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this quantitative study, the relationships between high school students' preference for solution methods, geometry performance, task difficulty, and gender were investigated. The data was collected from 161 high school students from six different schools at a county located in central Florida in the United States. The study was conducted during the 2013-2014 school year. The participants represented a wide range in socioeconomic status, were from a range of grades (10-12), and were enrolled in different mathematics courses (Algebra 2, Geometry, Financial Algebra, and Pre-calculus). Data were collected primarily with the aid of a geometry test and a geometry questionnaire. …


Ipads For Students With Asd: Comparing Delivery Modes For Visual Activity Schedules, Jillian Gourwitz Jan 2014

Ipads For Students With Asd: Comparing Delivery Modes For Visual Activity Schedules, Jillian Gourwitz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Visual Activity Schedules (VAS) are tools that present an abstract concept, such as time, in a more concrete and manageable form. VAS allow students to anticipate upcoming events and activities, develop an understanding of time, and facilitate the ability to predict change. Prior investigations have used VAS to increase on-task behavior while enhancing the student's ability to independently make transitions from one activity to another and are particularly appropriate as they capitalize on the visual strengths exhibited by many students with autism. Mobile devices such as the iPad are becoming a tool for teaching students with disabilities, and research is …


Community College Faculty With Corporate Leadership Experience And Full Range Leadership Theory, Gloria Hardee Jan 2014

Community College Faculty With Corporate Leadership Experience And Full Range Leadership Theory, Gloria Hardee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Community colleges have developed into vital resources for affordable, easy access, high quality education. Community college instructors with previous leader experience possess the credentials needed to teach their curricula and to lead learning experiences in the classroom. Researchers have found that instructors who display transformational leadership qualities can influence student actions, awareness, and learning outcomes. This study was conducted to explore community college faculty who possess transformational leadership qualities in relation to student extra effort, student perception of instructor effectiveness, and overall satisfaction with the instructor. The conceptual framework is the full range leadership theory which is one of the …


An Evaluation Of The Iowa State University Ecosystem, Cherie Mazer Jan 2014

An Evaluation Of The Iowa State University Ecosystem, Cherie Mazer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose - This dissertation in practice is an evaluation study conducted at Iowa State University, entitled, Learning Ecosystem Assessment Review of Needs (LEARN). The evaluation posed these questions: (a) What educational technologies are currently used and what technologies will be needed in the future? (b) What are the attitudes and practices of faculty and students toward online and blended learning? (c) What academic technology support services are used? What are the perceptions of the support provided for the application of academic technologies? Methodology/design - The study was a mixed-methods design employing interviews with deans and focus groups and surveys of …


An Examination Of The Practice Of Instructional Design And The Use Of Instructional Design Models, Jennifer Twilley Jan 2014

An Examination Of The Practice Of Instructional Design And The Use Of Instructional Design Models, Jennifer Twilley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice utilized a sequential mixed methods research design to investigate the performance or exclusion of instructional design activities commonly prescribed by instructional design models during a typical instructional design project. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of instructional design activities by practicing instructional designers with the performance of an experienced instructional designer to determine if instructional design models are being used to guide the practice of instructional design. In this study, quantitative data was collected from a sample of 224 instructional designers to determine the activities routinely performed and excluded from typical projects. …


Evaluation Of A Secure Laptop Based Testing Program In An Undergraduate Nursing Program, Jinyuan Tao Jan 2014

Evaluation Of A Secure Laptop Based Testing Program In An Undergraduate Nursing Program, Jinyuan Tao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation paper introduced a program evaluation of a secure laptop-based testing (SLBT) program, which was implemented from 2009 to 2014 in an undergraduate nursing program at a private institution in the southeastern region of the United States (US). Computerized testing is an old topic in the educational research field, but the instructor-made, laptop-based secure testing that utilizes learning management systems (LMS) for undergraduate nursing programs is a fairly new topic in the US. Traditionally, testing has been administered with paper and pencil in the undergraduate nursing programs in the US for security reasons. Recently, with different robust LMSs, …


The Impact Of Computer-Assisted Instruction On Ninth- And Tenth-Grade Students, Melanie Mcneely Jan 2014

The Impact Of Computer-Assisted Instruction On Ninth- And Tenth-Grade Students, Melanie Mcneely

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With over 60 years of education reform, including the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) in 1958, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975, and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2002, the achievement gap still existed at the beginning of the 21st century, and the effectiveness of the U. S. public school system continued to be questioned. This study was conducted to examine the effect of the use of a computer-assisted instruction curriculum, Achieve 3000, among select secondary reading students in a central Florida school district and their implications for student achievement. This study showed significant difference existed in …


Linking A Business Capstone Course To Employer Needs In Central Florida, Lauren Degeorge Jan 2014

Linking A Business Capstone Course To Employer Needs In Central Florida, Lauren Degeorge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Capstone courses are well embedded into the curriculum of undergraduate programs in Colleges of Business and are often used to assess program outcomes and curricular goals. Assessment of best practices of Capstone programs and skills within Capstone courses are examined as assurance of learning requirements under AACSB mandates. The conceptual framework of problem-based learning serves as the foundation for national Capstone course models with student-centered pedagogies that enhance learning about a subject through the experience of problem solving by using thinking strategies and domain knowledge. Rubrics assess student mastery of content, professionalism, organization, language structure and presentation skills. The main …


An Exploration Of Communication Perceptions Between Elementary School Staff And The Parents Of The Children They Serve, Cynthia Gardner Jan 2014

An Exploration Of Communication Perceptions Between Elementary School Staff And The Parents Of The Children They Serve, Cynthia Gardner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to explore the perceived school communication between elementary school staff and the parents of the children they serve. Staff members and parents, from a central Florida public school district, in both Title I and Non-Title I schools completed an online survey regarding (1) timely school communication, (2) school's website being informative and easy to use, and (3) staff members knowing what is going on in schools. Researchers have long explored the importance of family involvement in children's academic success, communication between home and school is an important link in the process. The …


Customer Evaluation Of Managers' Responses To Online Complaints, Eric Olson Jan 2014

Customer Evaluation Of Managers' Responses To Online Complaints, Eric Olson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Managers have begun to respond to customers' online reviews of services on online review websites. However, it is not known how viewers evaluate company-initiated service recovery in the form of manager responses to online reviews. This research has three objectives: (1) to explore how managers are currently responding to electronic word of mouth; (2) to investigate whether a manager's response to electronic negative word of mouth (eNWOM) positively influences viewers' behavioral intentions; (3) to examine which elements in a manager's responses increases viewers' evaluations of trust and behavioral intentions towards the company. Three studies were conducted, one for each objective. …


Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Effect Of Age And Military Status On The Military Population's Awareness Of Community Mental Health Resources, Susan Stapp Jan 2014

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Effect Of Age And Military Status On The Military Population's Awareness Of Community Mental Health Resources, Susan Stapp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to explore the existence of a relationship between age and/or military affiliation (active, veteran, or family member) and awareness of local community mental health programs available for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. The study separated age from military affiliation to better distinguish between influences on awareness level. Considerations that remain critical regarding post-traumatic stress disorder were described and used to guide a comprehensive review of the literature to find directions to fulfill the goal of this study. A survey was conducted and 586 active military, veterans, and their family members responded to an instrument that contained …


Multiple-Case Study And Exploratory Analysis Of The Implementation Of Value-Added Teacher Performance Assessment On Eighth Grade Student Achievement In Ohio, Pennsylvania, And Tennessee, James Carter Jan 2014

Multiple-Case Study And Exploratory Analysis Of The Implementation Of Value-Added Teacher Performance Assessment On Eighth Grade Student Achievement In Ohio, Pennsylvania, And Tennessee, James Carter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to analyze the academic impact of the implementation of the Value Added Assessment Model. The researcher analyzed the Value Added Assessment Models in the three Value Added Assessment Model states that had implemented the Value Added Assessment Model for more than five years. Additionally, the research was done by analyzing the academic impact as measured by the eighth grade reading NAEP and the eighth grade mathematics NAEP. The researcher paired the three states that had implemented Value Added Assessment Model for more than five years, with three demographically matched states that had not implemented …


The Role Of Freedom In Assessing The Relationship Between Tourism Competitiveness And Quality Of Life: The Case Of Central America, Marketa Kubickova Jan 2014

The Role Of Freedom In Assessing The Relationship Between Tourism Competitiveness And Quality Of Life: The Case Of Central America, Marketa Kubickova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation study is to investigate the relationship among tourism competitiveness, quality of life, and freedom. The main premise is that the degree of freedom shapes the relationship between tourism development and quality of life. The study hypothesized that the greater the degree of freedom is, the greater impact tourism development will have on quality of life of residents of a destination. The theoretical framework of this study is based on combining Sen's capability approach with the tourism competitiveness theory. Tourism competitiveness aims at enhancing the quality of life, while Sen's capability approach provides the ingredients for …


A Case Study Of The Self-Efficacy Of High School Aged Underrepresented Minority Women Entering The Medical Pipeline, Jennifer Dames Jan 2014

A Case Study Of The Self-Efficacy Of High School Aged Underrepresented Minority Women Entering The Medical Pipeline, Jennifer Dames

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the self-efficacy and experiences described by a purposively sampled case (n = 8) of high school-aged underrepresented minority women (URMW) as they entered the medical career pipeline through their participation in a formal medical pipeline program. The study was framed by three theories: intersectionality, positionality, and self-efficacy. Research questions were analyzed qualitatively, using case study methods, and quantitatively, using a paired sample t-test. Study data revealed that participants came into the program with high levels of self-efficacy in several self-efficacy factors. Yet, participants in the pipeline program made significant improvements in their self-assertive efficacy. Analysis of …