Education Commons^™

Deans’ Forum Summary, May 1, 2014, Uno Office Of Academic And Student Affairs

2013-2014 Academic Year

Notes from the May 1, 2014 OASA Leadership Forum.

A Survey Of Preservice Teachers In Regards To Their Attitudes And Perceptions Of Science Fiction Literature And Its Use In The Classroom, Amy Kosky

HIM 1990-2015

In 1957 at the University of Chicago, Robert Heinlein asserted that through science fiction humanity can wonder upon important questions without causing harm to the real world. Through such speculative experiments science fiction can warn against dangerous solutions, urge toward better solutions. Science fiction joyously tackles the real and pressing problems of our race, wrestles with them, never ignores them—problems which other forms of fiction cannot challenge. For this reason I assert that science fiction is the most realistic, the most serious, the most significant, the most sane and healthy and human fiction being published today. (Davenport, 1959). Preservice teachers …

The People Who Do ‘This’ In Common: Book Clubs As ‘Everyday Activists’, Julie E. Tyler

Doctoral Dissertations

This study of the Books-N-Wine club in Knoxville, Tennessee participates in a growing body of research on reading communities. Since the 1980s, researchers have investigated book clubs as social-intellectual phenomena whose history dates back to eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Intersecting with the development of the public sphere and even fueling concrete social movements, book clubs comprise a “shadow tradition of literature.” Current research suggests that contemporary clubs continue to advance this “shadow tradition” and have the potential to teach and transform their constituencies. Several areas remain unexplored in research on book clubs, including the ways in which particular categories of …

The Effects Of Nclb And Recommendations For Change: A Modified Delphi Study Of Principals' Perceptions, Melissa Henry Blalock

Doctoral Dissertations

This modified Delphi study explored the effects of No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 (Public Law 10-110) on the nation’s education system and the challenges it has presented to public school principals nationwide regarding their ability to be agents of change at a local level while maintaining effective leadership. National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) 2009-2011 national and state awards yielded a purposive, homogeneous sample of 448 principals honored as experts in the field of educational leadership and qualified to make recommendations for future reauthorization of NCLB. Through use …

Critical Teacher Inquiry: Collaborative Action Research Using Post-Structuralist And Cross-National Provocations, Robyn Anne Brookshire

Doctoral Dissertations

This study reports on the work of six early childhood teachers and the researcher as they enacted a variation of collaborative action research in a university-based early childhood center. The project included cross-national provocation via a “day in the life” video from an infant-toddler center in Milan, Italy. In addition, the model utilized a post-structural approach known as deconstructive talk (Lenz Taguchi, 2008) to facilitate teachers’ critical reflective inquiry into their own narratives. Teachers viewed the video from Milan, discussed provocations from the video, set foci of inquiry for their own classrooms, video recorded in their own classrooms, and undertook …

Tennessee Teachers' Support For The Curriculum Component Of State Accountability Policies, Shannon Lee Strahan

Doctoral Dissertations

The existing research on accountability policies rarely examines individual components of an accountability policy (i.e., curriculum, assessments, use of assessment results, and stakes). This mixed-methods study investigated the curriculum component of Tennessee’s accountability policies from the perspective of middle-grades, TCAP-tested subjects teacher participants from three East Tennessee districts. The Accountability Policies Supports and Stressors Questionnaire (Berryhill, Linney, & Fromewick, 2009) measured the support for the curriculum component of the state’s accountability policies. Further, interviews with sixth grade science and eighth grade social studies teachers examined how the curriculum component of the policies influenced teachers’ self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977), one of three …

Development Of The Biostatistics And Clinical Epidemiology Skills Assessment For Medical Residents, Patrick Brian Barlow

Doctoral Dissertations

This study developed the Biostatics and Clinical Epidemiology Skills (BACES) assessment, and established its preliminary item characteristics and validity evidence. Unlike previous instruments, the BACES assessment was developed and tested using an item response theory (IRT) approach to measurement to create a new, adaptive biostatistics and clinical epidemiology knowledge assessment for graduate medical professionals. Thirty multiple-choice questions were written to focus on interpreting relevant examples of clinical epidemiology and statistical methods. A four person expert panel reviewed these items for content validity. After this review, the BACES assessment was administered to 147 medical residents across three academic medical centers. Results …

Preparing Preservice Teachers For Inclusive Classrooms: A State-Wide Survey Of Teacher Education Faculty, Lucinda Anne Ellenburg Lang

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to assess the extent to which teacher education faculty teaching across the range of disciplines and populations in approved Education Preparation Providers (EPPs) in Tennessee prepare their teacher education candidates to meet the needs of all students, including those with disabilities. A survey was administered state-wide to faculty (N = 154) in teacher education programs to assess the extent to which they report their practice of, teaching about, and confidence in co-teaching, collaboration and implementation of universal design for learning (UDL). In general, faculty strongly endorsed items indicating they practice, teach, and are confident about …

Social Justice In Mathematics Education, Renee Lenise Colquitt

Doctoral Dissertations

Today’s mathematics classrooms are filled with students with different races, ethnicities, abilities, and socioeconomic status environments, and other issues that impact their learning. Students of color, in particular, often score lower than their White counterparts on standardized mathematics tests and are underrepresented in advanced placement mathematics classes. The historically marginalized students will soon be the majority. If careful attention is not paid to this shift in demographics, the United States runs the risk of falling farther behind other countries economically and academically. Since mathematics often serves as a gatekeeper for admittance to postsecondary institutions and many well-paying jobs, the discrepancy …

A Study Of The Student Retention Programs At Two Different Institutions Of Higher Learning In The State Of Arkansas, Roxanne (Woods) Bradow

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to determine how two universities in the state of Arkansas with differing student demographics approach the problem of student retention in order to increase their graduation rates. College student retention has long been a concern in the United States and in the state of Arkansas. Providing a well-educated workforce is the only way either can thrive in the future knowledge-based economy. The research of Astin (1993), Tinto (1993, 1999, 2005, 2006), Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, Whitt & Associates (2005), Pascarella & Terenzini (2005), and others has shown that students choose to discontinue their …

Effects Of Project-Based Learning Professional Development On 21st-Century Skills, Debra Sue Atwell

Dissertations

This research project was designed to add to the limited available research concerning effects of project-based learning professional development on 21st-century skills within rural Arkansas settings. The researcher sought to determine if high school teachers, trained in project-based learning in the NTN model, perceived they taught and assessed their students’ 21st-century skills differently than high school teachers not trained in project-based learning under the NTN model.

This casual comparative study was conducted in 20 school districts in Arkansas with a total student population of approximately 11,646 from 6th grade to 12th grade. The 21st-Century Teaching and Learning Survey was used …

Effects Of The National School Meal Option, Provision 2, On Academic Achievement In Literacy And Mathematics, Suzanne Bailey

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to provide research-based information to educational leaders to assist them in making informed decisions relating to the participation in the National School Lunch Special Assistance Provision 2 Meal Option in the state of Arkansas. This study consists of four, rural Arkansas elementary schools that are all at a 70% or higher free-reduced meal status for the qualifying student population. Data were collected from the 2010 ACTAAP test scores from 193 Grade 4 students in literacy and mathematics from the four Arkansas elementary schools. Demographics from the four elementary schools were similar based on free-reduced …

Connecting With Families Of Poverty Handbook, Rebecca Christine Oren

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to create a handbook describing services available in the Sumner School District and researched based practices for elementary administrators and teachers to use when working with students and families of poverty. The McKinney-Vento Act in the United States protects families to ensure that all students have immediate access to school-linked services, including free breakfast and lunch, as well as transportation needs for getting to and from school. This handbook includes descriptions and contact information for local support organizations that administrators and teachers can additionally partner with to create supportive learning environments within their school …

Advocate, May 2014, Vol. [25], No. [5], Advocate

The Advocate

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

From the Editor’s Desk: Diversity at CUNY: Statistics vs. Reality (p. 3)

CUNY News in Brief: As Workers Grumble, a New Master (p. 5)

Letter to the Editor: Objections About Reparations (p. 6)

In Memoriam: Alas Enormes: Gabriel García Márquez, José Chevarry (p. 7)

Mentoring Future Faculty of Color: A Brief Conversation with Chris Eng and Melissa Phruksachart, Kristina Huang (p. 8)

Edifying Debate:

- Speech and Sanctions: Highlights from the CUNY Forum on the BDS Movement and Academic Freedom, Bill Mullen and Sherry Wolf (p. 10)

- Marching for Immigrants’ and Workers’ Rights, CUNY Internationalist Marxist …

Remarks For Red Cross Event, Delivered On May 1, 2014, Arend D. Lubbers

Presidential Speeches

Remarks for Red Cross Event, delivered on May 1, 2014 by Arend D. Lubbers, who served as President of Grand Valley from 1969-2001.

Implementation Of A Proficiency-Based Diploma System: Early Experiences In Maine, Erika K. Stump, David L. Silvernail

Maine Education Policy Research Institute

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of A Proficiency-Based Diploma System In Maine: Early Experiences In Maine, Erika Stump, David L. Silvernail

Maine Education Policy Research Institute

No abstract provided.

Teaching Note - Toward Twenty-First-Century Teaching: Interdisciplinarity At Bridgewater And Beyond, John J. Kucich, Pamela J. Russell

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of The Factors That Motivate Gifted And Talented Black Males To Engage In Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics In A Gifted, Residential Community, Adrienne L. Coleman

Publications & Research

This study was an exploration of the factors that motivated gifted and talented Black males to engage in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The specific problem addressed was the lack of motivation among Black males to become gifted and talented learners engaged in STEM. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the factors that motivate gifted and talented Black males to engage in STEM at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), a residential academy for gifted/talented students. Qualitative methodology was used to interview focus groups of 20 gifted and talented Black males who currently attended IMSA …

A Celebration Of Student Projects For Local Communities, Public Affairs, Roger Williams University

Featured News Story

Student efforts within local communities and around the globe showcased in the Community Engagement Celebration.

Motivation And Retention Of Instrumental Music Students In A Suburban School District, Megan M. Dray

Multidisciplinary Studies Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivation of students to join and remain in instrumental music in suburban school districts through the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. The goal was to seek which area of motivation in each grade level and school building had the highest impact on student involvement and retention. Areas of motivation studied include teacher/student relationships, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, approach success/avoid failure, competition/ego, peer involvement, parental support, and financial issues. The sample included 205 students from a suburban school district in New York. Students were broken into groups based on school buildings …

Artist Practice In The Elementary Classroom: Redefining Art Teaching Through Artist-Teacher Philosophy, Ashley Smith

Art Education Theses

Presently, there is confusion about the definition, role, and pedagogy of artist-teachers and how their practice influences the way art is taught in a K-8 public school setting. In this paper, I present my motivations for pursuing this topic of research, provide a brief history of Western conceptions of artist-teacher, and describe pedagogical characteristics of artist-teachers along with an examination of the teaching environments they create.

I used Arts-based research to conduct a multi-site case study in which I first investigated my artist practice and then studied how I translated what I learned into the elementary art classroom. I completed …

Assessing And Aligning Learning Outcomes From Mission To Individual Assignments, Andrew Vorder Bruegge, Juliette Shelley, Morenga Hunt

College of Visual and Performing Arts Faculty Publications

Explanation of the alignment of a degree program's curriculum with program goals and SLOs for assessment purposes.

Antonio T. De Nicolás: Poet Of Eternal Return, Christopher Key Chapple

Research Resources

This book includes essays in honor of Professor Antonio de Nicolas.

The Effects Of Dating On Developmental Adjustment For Adolescents, Taylor L. Smith

Senior Honors Theses

This research study examined the course and effects of romantic relationships on the psychology and development of adolescents between the age of 15 and 18. Because existing literature demonstrates a high level of developmental significance to the relationships between adolescents and platonic peers, the introduction of the romantic element to teens’ social lives carries additional importance to their maturation process. There are also certain individuals and relationships that have greater likelihood of resulting in negative outcomes such as dating abuse and depression. Of eight participants, four were male and four were female, and all participants were currently 18-19 years of …

Connections, May 2014, University Library

Library Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Ceteal News, May/June 2014, Ceteal, Coastal Carolina University

CeTEAL Newsletter

• Locating Strengths and Weaknesses Through Assessment
  Ellen Arnold, Assessment Coordinator/Senior Lecturer of English, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts
• Assessing the Writing Center’s Benefit to Students
  Scott Pleasant, Writing Center Coordinator, University College
• Top 3 Reasons to Conduct Assessment with Clickers
  Stephen Firsing, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences, College of Science
• Using Triangulation to Review Assessment Data
  ean French, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Information Systems, College of Science
• Assessment To Support the Student-Centered Classroom
  Kim Carroll, Assistant Professor of Education, Spadoni College of Education

Racial-Ethnic Identity Development In Hispanic Young Adolescent Students : Synthesis Of Literature., Katherine Elizabeth Stemle

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

This paper serves as a meta-analytic analysis of the research published on the development of racial-ethnic identity development in young adolescent Hispanic students. The purpose of the analysis of the peer-reviewed literature is to help support the instruction and development of young adolescent Hispanic students in the classroom. The major emphases of this paper are the definition of racial-ethnic identity, the background and major theories connected to racial-ethnic identity development, the major factors unique to the racial-ethnic identity of Hispanics students, and a list of research based methods teachers can use to help Hispanic students explore and establish a strong …

Lynx Tale, May 2014, Lindenwood University

Lynx Tale

The Lynx Tale was a Lindenwood University-Belleville student centered newspaper that informed students on upcoming events and news on campus.

Leader-Follower Unity: A Grounded Theory Based On Perceptions Of Leadership And Followership Experts In The United States, Evgenia Prilipko

Theses & Dissertations

Leaders and followers are equally important for organizational success and development. While leadership training is widely available, very few training sessions and courses are offered on cultivating follower skills. It is essential to educate and transform individuals to become effective followers. This study identifies the most important characteristics to be exhibited by individuals in the follower role as perceived by followership and leadership experts in the United States. The theoretical framework used for this study is 12 follower attributes proposed by Antelo, Henderson, and St. Clair (2010). Seven scholars were interviewed: Ira Chaleff, Dr. Joanne Ciulla, Dr. Gene Dixon, Dr. …