Education Commons^™

A Statistical Study Of The Influence Of Increased Instructional Time On Underperforming Students' Achievement Scores In Grade 7 And 8 Mathematics And English Language Arts, Andrew Trust

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Educational Systems across the country have been put under enormous amounts of pressure to improve student performance in their schools. Recently, New York State has required that struggling students, as defined by results of standardized tests, be given increased instructional time to make up for the deficits that they may possess. This study looked to determine the efficacy of the academic intervention classes being offered within a school district. The study analyzed student test results and performed a logistic regressing in an attempt to determine the odds of a students scoring in the proficient range on standardized exams after receiving …

Leed Certification Of Campus Buildings: A Cost-Benefit Approach, Erin Ann Hopkins

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

No comprehensive study has been done within the higher education sector to see if Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification makes sense economically. This study helps fill the gaps in the literature by providing construction costs and energy and water costs for a sample of campus LEED-certified buildings within the United States. Finding out if campus greening makes sense economically from a full lifecycle standpoint can help address possible upfront green premium barriers. This study found that there is an upfront green premium for LEED-certified campus buildings. However, when looking at LEED-certified campus buildings from a building lifecycle …

The Influence Of Higher Education On Promotional Outcomes In The New Jersey State Police, David D. Costantino

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the strength of four predictor variables (i.e., level of education, seniority, gender and race) found in the archival data provided by the New Jersey State Police to predict the likelihood of promotional outcomes for five separate and distinct participant groups (i.e., Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, Lieutenant, Captain, and Major). Five separate participant group analyses were conducted using binary logistic regression modelling. The participant data examined in this study, which represents a total population sample, pertained to 3,515 enlisted members of the New Jersey State Police considered for promotion during one, or both, of the promotional events held …

The Influence Of Parent Portal Access On Student Efficacy And Parental Involvement, Shannon D. Dries

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the influence of Parent Portal access on student achievement and parental involvement defined as home-to-school communication. The population was students in sixth grade in a suburban district in New Jersey. Academic achievement was defined through GPA at the end of sixth grade and performance on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) in both Math and Language Arts Literacy in Grade 6. Attendance was measured using attendance rates. Parental involvement was measured by the number of parent logins to Parent Portal. Multiple regression analyses, backward entry method, were used to determine the influence of …

Integrating The Arts And Sciences In The Museum Setting, Emily Clare Riggins

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The division between the arts and sciences appears to be deepening in America. As political leaders emphasize STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education in schools, arts education is diminished to make room for STEM courses. Concerned about this phenomenon, many art educators are working to integrate the arts into STEM education through a variety of arts integration efforts. Arts integration not only helps to preserve a place for the arts in the curriculum, it also has been shown to enhance STEM learning.

Arts integration is of special interest to art museum educators who feel that they can provide resources …

A Study On The Relationships Of Professional Development, Teacher Working Conditions And Job Satisfaction While Controlling For Years Of Teaching Experience And Grade Level Taught, Daniel W. Silvia

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

“Over the next ten years, 1.6 million teachers will retire, and 1.6 million new teachers will be needed to take their place. This poses both an enormous challenge and an extraordinary opportunity for our education system: “if we succeed in recruiting, preparing, and retaining great teaching talent, we can transform public education in this country and finally begin to deliver an excellent education for every child” (Duncan, 2011, pg. 1). Indeed, teacher preparation and professional development is an extremely important issue facing our educational system today. There is a great deal of research that supports the idea that the most …

How Do Administrators Of New York City Early Intervention Programs Conceptualize And Implement Family-Centered Care?, Jennifer M. Longley

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Family-centered care, the mandated delivery approach outlined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C, is considered best practice in providing services to families with children under three with special needs. It has been shown to benefit children and families through numerous positive outcomes. Yet, family-centered care is not implemented in all programs universally, and significant variation exists in how programs deliver family-centered services, to the detriment of families. Much of that variation can be attributed to programmatic leadership, as administrators establish the philosophy, policies, practices, and organizational climate of an agency.

This project intended to build on the …

District Support Team Model As A Manifestation Of Central Office Transformation: Experiences From Central Office And School Based Staff, Danielle Pfeiffer

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to examine the described experiences of 20 participants—central office executives and specialists, principals, and teacher leaders—in the district support team (DST) process, a manifestation of central office transformation as an approach to school improvement. The site of this study was the Puget Sound School District in Washington State. The district was in its third year of central office transformation employing a differentiated support service model to assist its lowest performing schools. This case study utilized qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, document review, and field observations to understand the prevalence of the six elements of …

A Study Of Instructional Scheduling, Teaming, And Common Planning In New York State Middle Schools, Chad M. Corey

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This descriptive study examined to what extent, if any, three school supports (instructional scheduling, teaming, and common planning) are in existence in New York State middle schools. For the purposes of this study, middle schools were defined as schools that contained the grade configurations of 5-8, 6-8, and 7-8. The sample surveyed was comprised of 232 New York State middle school principals in school districts with an average need/resource capacity. Instrumentation for the data collection was through a five-part self-administered online web survey. Demographic data of the participating principals and their school along with the data collected from the research …

United We Stand: The Possibilities Of Museums, Schools, And Anti-Bullying, Ashley Scotto

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In 2001, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) described bullying as “widespread in American schools.” The results of an extensive survey throughout the United States revealed that over 16% of school children reported that they were recently bullied. As of 2013, the Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum in Ewing, New Jersey identified that over 30% of all students are involved in bullying as the bully, victim, or both. The comparison of the NICHD study and the statistics provided by the Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum indicate that bullying in the United States has increased within the past twelve years and …

The Effects Of Videocasts On Student Learning In Medical Health Science Discipline, Jessica Viana

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This quantitative study examines the effects of videocasts on student learning in a medical healthcare science discipline. The didactic nature of educational strategies is necessary in preparing future healthcare professionals. However, the manual skills cannot be reviewed once the student has left the classroom. Incorporating the use of videocasts into the resources for student learning adds another means for the students to follow and retain the skills acquired during class. Athletic training students in two accredited programs performed two class presentations over the course of one semester, one in the traditional format and one with the use of videocasts. The …

What Are Students Perceptions Of Their First-Year Experience In Relation To Support They Receive From The Fashion Institute Of Technology, Joshua Jacob Wilkin

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Student affairs professionals view the first-year experience as a beneficial program that assists college students with their academic and personal development. While there have been many qualitative studies (Meyer, Spencer, & French, 2009; Stebleton, Jensen, & Peter, 2010; Corella, 2010) and quantitative studies (Hendel, 2007; Woolsey & Miller, 2009; Morrow & Ackerman, 2012) regarding first-year experience programs, much of this research has focused on retention instead of how students’ experiences can be affected by their sense of belonging to their particular institution.

The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ perceptions of their first-year experience in relation to …

Exploring Peer Learning In The Context Of Dyadic Interactions In Kindergarten Aged Children, Elisabeth A. Mlawski

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Kindergarten aged children are now expected to interact with peers in their classrooms for the purpose of gaining new knowledge. Since children spend a great deal of time in the company of other children, it is assumed that the children know how to learn from each other. Previously studied have been mechanisms used by adults during peer learning, but not the mechanisms used by children during unscripted peer learning interactions. Knowing the specific mechanisms used during these interactions will help to identify foundational skills necessary for successful peer learning. This study contributes to the understanding of the specific verbal and …

Social Media & College Admissions: An Analysis Of Facebook's Role In College Admissions & Higher Education Marketing, Michael Dooney

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

College admissions offices have developed and evolved to include increasingly sophisticated mechanisms for recruiting classes sufficient for meeting the financial needs of their respective institutions, and social media has rapidly become a popular tool for admissions offices in their efforts to meet enrollment goals. However, while social media is now used by practically every admissions office in the United States, little research exists that examines how universities use social media in this context. This qualitative study examines the use of a private Facebook group at a private university and incorporates observational study of the Facebook group and interviews with administrators. …

The Impact Of Resource Allocation On Graduation Rates, Robert L. Miller

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Higher Education is currently facing challenges from a variety of forces; a stagnant economy, shifting student demographics, increased accountability and need for the demonstration of value. Colleges and universities are being forced to function more efficiently and at the same time improve student outcomes. One major outcome that has come under increased scrutiny is student graduation rate. With revenue at many institutions expected to remain flat or in some cases decline over the next several years institutions must find a way to strategically allocate their funds so as to positively impacts student outcomes, in this instance graduation rate. While studies …

Investigating The Impact Of Financial Aid On Four-Year College Enrollment Among College-Qualified Students, Sisi Li

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Over the past decades, policymakers have developed numerous financial aid policies and programs with the goal of promoting college access and equity. However, access to American higher education is unduly limited by the complex interplay of inadequate preparation, lack of information about college opportunities, and persistent financial barriers (The U.S. Department of Education, 2006). Using Hossler and Gallagher’s (1987) three phase college choice model as a framework, this study analysis the restricted use data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS:88/2000) to investigate how financial aid influence four year college enrollment among academically qualified students. This study also examined if …

Part Into The Whole: The Integration Of Part-Time Faculty Into The Community College, Ruth A. Carberry

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Previous studies on the topic of part-time faculty in community colleges have pointed to their continuous increase in the percentage the faculty majority in the community college throughout the United States. Other studies have described their personal level of satisfaction or the level of their students' outcomes. The purpose of this study was to uncover factors that can better integrate part-time faculty into the organizational culture of the community college resulting in an increase of personal satisfaction and better student outcomes.

This was a modified mixed methods study. The quantitative section used descriptive and Chi-square statistics to analyze the responses …

The Teacher Pay For Performance Phenomenon, Deborah Viscardi

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this dissertation research was to explore the link between teacher motivation and performance-based compensation. This topic has been a controversial issue over the last decade across the country. There is a critical need for more research on teacher pay-for- performance systems, especially as it relates to motivation, student achievement, and the profession of teaching. Qualitative in design, the intent of this research study was to make meaning of teachers’ perceptions about the influence of performance-based compensation on the profession and practice of teaching. This study extends the current understanding and adds to the discussion of compensation policy …

The Inclusion Of Cognitive Complexity: A Content Analysis Of New Jersey's Current And Past Intended Curriculum, Dario Sforza

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Policy makers and educators have stated that the internationally benchmarked standards will place greater emphasis on 21^st century skills including creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, presentation and demonstration, problem solving, research and inquiry, and career readiness. Many educators believe that if schools are “injected” with creativity, students will have a better chance at a prosperous and productive future. Are the current reform movements thwarting the opportunity for students to “find their own niche” and perhaps turning “them into disciples of ‘intellectual clones’ who will do ‘our thing’ rather their own?” (Sternberg, 2003, p. 335). In response to inquiry, this dissertation …

School Shootings And Principals' Perception Of Armed Personnel In An Education Setting, Richard Reyes

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to explore the dilemma principals have in determining the best approach to provide safe environment for their students and faculty, while at the same time creating an environment that is conducive to education.

The study looked at an urban school district with a marginalized community with low socioeconomic status as identified by the District Factor Group A. Twelve school principals were interviewed to gather information of their perceptions in relation to having armed personnel in their schools.

The literature on school shootings and armed personnel in schools was reviewed. The literature consisted of peer-reviewed …

This Is How We Did It: A Study Of Black Male Resilience And Attainment At A Hispanic Serving Institution Through The Lenses Of Critical Race Theory, Demond T. Hargrove

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This qualitative narrative inquiry based research sought to gain a better understanding of how Black male upperclassmen and recent college graduates experience the process of academic resilience and attainment within the context of their intersecting identities of race, class, and gender at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). The theoretical framework guiding this study draws upon two distinctive collections of scholarship: Critical Race Theory (CRT) and academic resilience.

Findings revealed Black male risk to postsecondary attainment was adversely impacted by academic (dis)integration, fractured sense of belonging, physical and mental illnesses, lack of financial support, racialized and gendered experiences, and lingering affects …

The Influence Of Community Demographics On Student Achievement On The Connecticut Mastery Test In Mathematics And English Language Arts In Grade 3 Through 8, Albert Nii Lartey Sackey Jr.

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Student achievement has been measured in the United States for decades through the use of standardized state assessments. The purpose of this study was to examine which combination of 15 out-of-school community demographic variables best predicted and accounted for the most variance in a Connecticut school district’s percentages of students scoring goal or above on the 2010 Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) for the third through eighth grade in Mathematics (Math) and English Language Arts (ELA). Analyses were conducted using both a simultaneous regression model and a hierarchical regression model. This study looked at the entire population of districts that were …

The Supply Of Female Scientists Conundrum: An International Study Exploring The Predictors Of Females' Intentions To Major In Science Postsecondary Education, Susan E. Arrigoni

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The goal of this study was to perform an exploratory analysis of a comprehensive list of independent variables identified from literature to determine which, if any, are effective predictors in forecasting a female’s intention to study science postsecondary. This is likely to be indicative of interest to study science when pursing higher education as well as choice of major and possible career. The postulated model guiding this analysis, which was based on prior research, recognized that factors pertaining to students, parents, schools, and peers are all important. This study used logistic regression to analyze data from the 2006 Programme for …

Social Media Use: A Critical Analysis Of Facebook's Impact On Collegiate Efl Students' English Writing In Thailand, Tharinee Kamnoetsin

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In this technology era, a new trend of using Social Media or Social Networking Sites (SNSs) has been recently highlighted. Social media influences people’s lives in many aspects including education and English language learning. The purpose of this study is to examine whether using Facebook online impacts the type (formal or informal) of English EFL students use for in-class writing or not, as well as to understand the students’ perceptions on how the use of Facebook helps to facilitate or inhibit their English writing skills.

The study was conducted by using qualitative research methods to explore EFL college students’ writing …

School Type And Structure As Predictors Of Perceived School Climate And Student Academic Achievement Among Middle School Students In Baltimore City Public Schools, Rhonda L. Richetta

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the impact of school type and school structure on perceived school climate and student achievement, for middle grades students in a large urban school district. The specific school types examined were charter schools, transformational schools, and traditional schools. For school structure, the grade configurations of K-8, 6-8, and 6-12 were examined. The total sample number for the first data set, the climate survey, was 12,258 students, and for the second data set, test scores, it was 17,472, and a total of 103 schools.

Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to measure the association among school types, school …

The Role Of Mission In Strategic Planning Development And Execution At A Lasallian Catholic University, William Bisset

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how administrators at a Lasallian sponsored Catholic university remain committed to institutional mission in its undergraduate education program at a time when external pressures require the institution to consider operational strategies that may run counter to its institutional ideals. To effectively investigate how key administrators balance institutional priorities within a specific context, I conducted a qualitative case study at Rheims University (pseudonym). Because the major focus of my study was to examine how administrators in senior level positions at this institution develop strategies designed to accomplish goals prioritized by the university …

The Influence Of Curriculum Quality On Student Achievement On The New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge (Nj Ask) Language Arts And Mathematics For Fifth-Grade Students In The Lowest Socioeconomic School Districts, Jessica Luciano

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the strength and direction of the relationships between student and school variables found in the present literature to influence student achievement on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) language arts and mathematics for fifth-grade students in the lowest socioeconomic school districts. The purpose of this study was to explain the influence of curriculum customization at the school level. The independent variables in this study were: curriculum design, curriculum development, influential forces that drive curriculum, socioeconomic status including free and reduced lunch status, teachers with graduate degrees, attendance rates, percentage of special education students, …

The Influence Of The Length Of The School Day On The Percentage Of Proficient And Advanced Proficient Scores On The New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge For Grades 6, 7, And 8, Danielle Rosalba Sammarone

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This cross-sectional, correlational, explanatory study aimed to explain the influence of the length of the school day on the total percentage of students who scored Proficient or Advanced Proficient (TPAP) on the New Jersey Ask (NJ ASK) in both Language Arts and Mathematics in Grades 6-8. The data analyzed included the length of the school day with controlled student, staff, and school variables. The study aimed to provide research-based evidence on the intervention that is being imposed on some school districts by policy makers and bureaucrats. The results from the study serve to distinguish how this intervention influences TPAP based …

The Influence Of The Length Of The School Day On Grade 11 Nj Hspa Scores, Phyllis Deangelis

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the strength and the direction of the relationship between the length of the school day and Grade 11, 2011 New Jersey High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) scores found on the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE, 2012a) website. Student achievement scores on the Grade 11, 2011 HSPA in Language Arts and Mathematics were analyzed separately. Analyses were conducted using simultaneous regression and hierarchical multiple models. All student data explored in this study pertained to 98,218 first-time, Grade 11 students (NJDOE, 2011c) enrolled in 326 public high schools in districts designated by District Factor Groups A-J (NJDOE, 2012a) …

The Impact Of Student Performance On Large-Scale Assessments: A View Of Long-Term Health, Career, And Societal Outcomes, Roman Usatin

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the predictive power of student growth for large-scale assessments on meaningful life outcomes, focusing on the three categories of health, career, and societal involvement. Analysis was conducted using the NELS:88/00 dataset–a longitudinal study that followed a nationally-representative sample of over 12,000 eighth grade students from 1988 to 2000, until the students were 26 years old and entered into the work force. The large-scale assessment variables included math and reading performance in the 1988 cognitive batteries administered by NELS. To gauge growth levels, I generated Student Growth Percentiles (SGP) from tests administered by NELS from 1988 to 1992. …