Education Commons^™

The Perception Of The Freshman Transition: Taking A Closer Look At The Freshman Academy, Frankie Jo Lizar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher, student, and parent perceptions of the high school transition program within a Freshman Academy at one Midwest high school using a mixed-methods approach with a convergent design. Interviews were done with teachers that teach primarily freshman students, and perception surveys were used with teachers, students, and parents to answer the following research questions:

a) How do freshman teachers believe the Freshman Academy interventions influence students’ successful transition into high school?

b) What are staff’s perceptions of the Freshman Academy in preparing students for success in high school?

c) What are students’ …

A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Of Project Lead The Way Engineering Curriculum Goals Within Missouri High Schools, Brian Eugene Smith

Dissertations

Within the confines of this study, the researcher investigated Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering curriculum goals within Missouri high schools. The study measured Missouri PLTW teachers’ perceptions of various elements of the curriculum as well as state and national PLTW End of Course student assessment data to determine if a relationship existed between teachers’ perceptions of curriculum implementation and student performance, as measured through Missouri End of Course exams in various secondary engineering classes. In addition, the researcher conducted voluntary interviews with teachers, state administrators, and national representatives of PLTW to inquire about experiences with the PLTW Engineering curriculum. …

A Qualitative Analysis Of African-American High School Students’ Transitioning From Middle School To High School In An Urban Private High School Setting, Syreeta R. Holland

Dissertations

Research indicated the transition from eighth grade into ninth grade can be a difficult time for students. His Grace High School (HGHS) ninth grade students illustrated this difficulty. The purpose of this study was to examine African American student and parent perceptions regarding the transition process into high school. Currently, all students and parents at HGHS participate in a two-part orientation session to prepare and acclimate to the new school community and learning environments. Orientation sessions are facilitated by predominately African American staff members; however, the premise of the session was developed and implemented by Caucasian staff and faculty. Furthermore, …

The Academic And Behavioral Impact Of Multiple Sport Participation On High School Athletes, Christopher James Kohl

Dissertations

For many high school student athletes, there is increased pressure to specialize in one sport, to participate at a high level, and to play year-round (Brenner, 2016). This increased emphasis on sport specialization has led to a proliferation of overuse injuries, overtraining, and burnout (Brenner, 2016). Sport specialization significantly contributes to overuse injuries, which account for almost half of all sport injuries (Andrews & Yaeger, 2013). This research was designed to clarify if there are significant differences in the behavioral and academic performance of student athletes who compete in one sport and student athletes who compete in multiple sports. Six …

Investigating The Possible Relationship Between Participation In High School Athletics And First-Generation College Student Persistence To College Graduation, Connie Lindemann-Litzsinger

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate ways in which participation in high school varsity athletics impacted academic success of first generation college students. Through an anonymous online survey, this study compared quantitative demographic data of first-generation college students who participated in high school varsity athletics to those who did not. In addition, the qualitative research in this study explored first-generation college student perceptions of why they have been successful during college. Athletic focus group participants were asked questions related to college transition, what they gained through athletics, and long-term academic benefits of their participation in high school …

A Case Study Of Grade 12 International School Students’ Perceptions Of The Impact Of A Bible Curriculum And The Teachers’ Delivery Of That Bible Curriculum In A Christian International School, Rachael Peterson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the perceptions of the impact of a Bible curriculum and the teachers’ instructional delivery of that Bible curriculum on grade 12 international school students at an open enrollment Christian international school in Asia. The theories that guided this study were Kohlberg’s moral development, Fowler’s faith development, and Piaget’s cognitive development theories (Fowler, 1991, 2001; Kohlberg & Hersh, 1977; Piaget, 1972). The study’s central question is: How does the perception of both the content of a Bible curriculum and the teachers’ instructional delivery of that Bible curriculum affect students at an …

An Analysis Of Perceptions Of Dropout Factors And Interventions By Middle School And High School Teachers In A Southeastern School District, Christopher Kennedy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although graduation rates are increasing in the United States, high school dropouts remain an issue of significant concern. Much of the focus of research in this area has been on describing the characteristics of dropouts rather than on developing effective interventions. Moreover, emerging research shows that potential dropouts can be identified with confidence as early as the sixth grade. High school is the time in which dropouts are typically identified and interventions begun, but the seeds of dropping out are often planted well before ninth grade. This survey research study with quantitative analysis used an instrument titled Teacher Perceptions of …

A Comparison Of Work Ethic Among High School Athletes And Non Athletes, Edward Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Organizations have become increasingly interested in hiring employees who are committed to the inherent value of work. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to compare the work ethic of high school athletes to non-athletes in a high school setting in South Carolina and analyzed the role of gender within that dynamic. A total of 345 responses were analyzed, with 139 reporting no participation in athletics, 87 reporting participation in sub-varsity athletics only, and 119 reporting participation in varsity athletics. The Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile (MWEP) was developed as a method of measuring work ethic and was composed of …

The Effect Of The Flipped Classroom On Urban High School Students' Motivation And Academic Achievement In A High School Science Course, Keshia Dixon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the effect of the flipped classroom on urban high school students’ motivation and academic achievement in a high school science course. In this quantitative study, the sample population was comprised of North Star High School 12th grade students enrolled in human anatomy and physiology. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest non-equivalent group design was conducted. After receipt of Liberty University Institutional Review Board approval and the school district’s Department of Research and Evaluation for School Improvement, students completed a pretest comprised of the Science Motivation Questionnaire II (SMQ-II) and the Human Anatomy and Physiology Unit Test. Participants in the experimental …

A Study Of High School Improvement Initiatives And The Impact On School Achievement, Jack Lowell Randolph

Dissertations

Educational reform is at the forefront of legislatures and school districts across the United States (Hattie, 2011). To find and employ high school improvement initiatives that lead to improved educational experiences for students, educational leaders must examine in great detail what systems have been successful and then modify the initiatives to fit the characteristics of their particular school districts (Berliner & Glass, 2015). The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of initiatives one Midwestern high school implemented beginning in 2012. The initiatives implemented included the Tardy Sweep policy, Response to Intervention (RtI) program, and a Late Work …

Relationship Between Sense Of Coherence And School Connectedness Among Online Public High School Students, Brad Hilliard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between sense of coherence and school connectedness among online public high school students. The connection students make with their school can affect their well-being based on the stress they perceive from the school and its environment. The variables of interest were the sense of coherence score and the school connectedness score. A bivariate correlational research study was performed to determine if there was a significant relationship between the two variables. The sample was 83 high school students enrolled in an online public school. Each completed the Sense of Coherence – …

Assessing Assessments: A Comparative Study Of Three Assessments Of Inquiry Skills In Tenth Grade High School Biology Students, Heather K. Murphy

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Inquiry is an educational technique where students develop scientific knowledge and understanding through processes similar to those used by scientist. One of the obstacles to implementing the techniques is the need for teachers to self-evaluate their teaching and determine the effectiveness of inquiry-based teaching techniques with respect to developing higher-order thinking (HOT) skills in students. Feedback from an assessment permits teachers to adjust their curriculum to incorporate the most effective inquiry-base lessons.

This report considers three short assessments of inquiry that were modified for use in the high school biology classroom. First there three assessments were compared against one another …