Education Commons^™

The Influence Of Engaging Centralized Student Support On The Academic Achievement Of Student Veterans, Paul Morgan

Dissertations, 2014-2019

As more veterans and service members enroll in higher education, institutions are investing greater resources in the establishment and enhancement of centers to support them. However, little is known about the outcomes associated with utilization of the centers. Furthermore, researchers have consistently aggregated veterans and service members under “student veterans” with little regard for potential differences. Using regression analyses and analysis of variance, this case study explored the effect of visits to a veterans center on grade point average (GPA), the effect of academic need on frequency of visits, and differences in academic achievement for different types of military-affiliated students. …

Evaluating The Correlations Between Teacher–Student Relationships, Friendship, And Reading And Writing Achievement, Jessica Ridder

MSU Graduate Theses

The purpose of this correlational study is to assess the extent to which teacher–student relationships, children’s friendship, writing scores and reading scores are related to one another among young children. Understanding the correlations between these variables could further assist teachers and students when working towards successful school experiences. Measures used with kindergarten and first grade teachers and students (n=83) include the validated short form of the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale, a whole group oral survey adapted from the Friendship Features Interview for Young Children, and reading and writing scores. Relationship areas studied include teacher–student closeness and conflict, as well as friendship …

Understanding The Academic Achievement Of African American Scholars: An Intrinsic Case Study Of An Urban High School, Cluny Lavache

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative intrinsic case study focused on the academic achievement and success of African American alumni students in an urban school district in New York City. The researcher sought to answer the following research questions: (a) How do urban, African American high school alumni perceive and describe the quality of education they received as impacting their studies and their success?; (b) How do alumni describe the social and cultural factors that contributed to and influenced the quality of education they received?; and (c) How do social and cultural factors influence their trajectory towards high academic achievement and/or success? Data were …

Resilience And Academic Achievement In Minority Students, James A. Britton

Theses and Dissertations

Students can thrive within school programs and sustain their capacity for success despite seemingly overwhelming obstacles. A model of school-based resilience can insulate students from risk and help students acknowledge challenges, embrace them, and learn as students encounter challenge and surmount it.

This study of a high school program analyzed the relationship between educational resilience and academic achievement through a direct measure of resilience. The research investigated whether a program increased resilience for minority and low-income high school students and whether stronger resilience was associated with improved academic outcomes. Students in the program produced significantly better academic outcomes, as measured …

The Outcomes Of Offering A Working Lunch Session In Improving Adolescent Students’ Assignment Completion Rate And Academic Achievement In Mathematics, Kristian Edgeman

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

A decline in academic motivation, organizational skills, and the desire to learn in adolescent students cause middle grade teachers to constantly look for ways of encouraging students to complete assignments on time and achieve academic growth. Tactics such as positive reinforcement and punishments are frequently offered to adolescent students with the purpose of encouraging academic motivation. The inclusion of zeros in the grade book, although a hodgepodge grading practice, is often used as a tool to boost student motivation in prompt assignment completion; however, there is a lack of research to support this. The current study was designed to analyze …

Computer-Based Instruction As A Form Of Differentiated Instruction In A Traditional, Teacher-Led, Low-Income, High School Biology Classroom, Cheryl Casey

Dissertations and Theses

In 2015 the U.S. continues to struggle with academic achievement in public schools. Average test scores from 15 year olds taking the Program for International Student Assessment placed the U.S. as 38th out of 71 countries (Drew Devlin, 2017). It is common to discuss elimination of the achievement gap as the single most effective way to improve the U.S.'s mediocre standing among the highest scoring countries in the world in primary and secondary student test scores (McGhee,2004; Flemming 2012). In the broadest sense of the term the "achievement gap" refers to the difference in academic success between different groups of …

Principal And Teacher Beliefs About The Impact Of Cbas On School Performance: Five High Performing High Schools In Oregon, Kevin Jon Ricker

Dissertations and Theses

This qualitative study examined how school leaders work within the structure of individual district collective bargaining agreements to improve student achievement. The study examines real or perceived barriers to improving student achievement within educational organizations from the perspective of the principals and teacher-leaders.

This study included two qualitative instruments, one for building principals and one for the building teachers, administered in five Oregon high schools recognized as successful by the Oregon Department of Education in 2014-2015. This dissertation determined the impact collective bargaining agreements had on the ability of high school principals to reduce educational disparities and close the achievement …

The Effects Of Self-Monitoring Of Behavior On Academic Achievement, Meredith Keller

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines whether implementing a self-monitoring behavior plan will improve student achievement. Four students from a third grade inclusion classroom were taught to self-monitor their behavior for a period of 10 weeks. Each student was also tested weekly on reading comprehension using a standards-based ten-question assessment. During the 10-week period, the classroom teacher noted the number of prompts given to each of the students. A prompt was documented when the student was demonstrating inappropriate behavior. After the intervention was implemented, each of the four students demonstrated an overall decrease in the number of prompts required. Additionally, all four students …

The Effectiveness Of Student Choice Of Self-Monitoring, Victoria Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of choice on self-monitoring systems with students in first and second grade with disabilities. Specifically the study analyzed the effects of self-monitoring and choice on (a) on task behaviors and (b) academic achievement. Moreover, student satisfaction with self-monitoring and choice of self-monitoring were evaluated for social validity. Four students participated in the study, one female and one male first grade student and one female and one male second grade student. Three students were classified Specific Learning Disability and one student was classified Communication Impaired. The design of this research was …

The Impact Of Academic Co-Curricular Activity Participation On Academic Achievement: A Study Of Catholic High School Students, Gail M. Ritchie

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Catholic secondary school students’ involvement in academic co-curricular activities on their academic performance. The data in this study were collected from Catholic high schools in a northeastern state of the United States. They consisted of de-identified data taken from school student information systems. The number of academic co-curricular activities, the length of time for which a student participated, and his or her grade point average were included. Student ethnicity and gender were analyzed for interaction with the above-mentioned factors.

The research questions for this study were answered using descriptive …

Mathematics Academic Achievement Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Sarah Kinney Maddox

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The aim of this secondary data analysis study was to examine the association between certain predictors and student’s mathematics achievement on two tests of the Woodcock Johnson III Academic Knowledge subtests: Applied Problems and Calculations. Results indicated that students with a diagnosis of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) had academic deficits in mathematics, and these deficits became larger over time. Data pertaining to mathematics academic achievement from the first two waves of the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (N = 420) were examined. The variables investigated to further explore academic achievement scores were gender, race/ethnicity, student’s school attended prior …

Do Kindergarten Readiness Screenings Predict Academic And Social Success?, Lori Schaap

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated the correlations between kindergarten readiness screening scores and kindergarten academic success, kindergarten social success, and third grade academic success. The participants included eighteen students who were given a readiness screening prior to kindergarten entry. These participants continued to be enrolled in the same school and were given a standardized academic test at the end of third grade. Additionally, kindergarten screening scores were compared to teacher surveys rating the participants’ academic and social ability in kindergarten. The screening scores were also compared to find if a correlation existed between the kindergarten screening scores and the third …

Flipped Classrooms And The Video Creator’S Impact On Achievement, Kailee Davelaar

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated the correlation between the creator of a flipped instructional video and the math achievement of the students. The researcher designed a study to examine the pre- and post-test math scores of 19 7th grade participants who viewed instructional math videos created by their classroom teacher and instructional math videos available via YouTube. After students completed one math unit with each video type, they also completed a voluntary survey investigating their video preference. Quantitative data collected from the pre- and post-tests were analyzed and the researcher found the results to be inconclusive for student achievement. The …

Participation Of International African Students At The University Of Arkansas In Extracurricular Activities And Their Academic Outcomes, Paulo Hadi Ernesto Manuel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines whether there is an association between participation of the international African students at the University of Arkansas in extracurricular activities (ECAs) and their grade point average (GPA). Additionally, the researcher seeks to discover how and why the international African students participate in ECAs. The researcher surveyed 59 full time African students at the University of Arkansas during the academic year 2017-2018. The participants were adult males and females pursuing bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees at the University of Arkansas. The researcher compared the reported quantity of ECA hours with the participant’s GPA as reported by the participant. …

The Relationship Of Self-Regulated Learning And Academic Risk Factors To Academic Performance In Community College Online Mathematics Courses, Jim E. Dunnigan Dr.

Education Dissertations

Completion of required mathematics courses in a community college program of study can be a critical factor in a student’s academic success and degree completion. Underprepared, nontraditional students who take mathematics courses online in a community college face barriers to success that are different from those found in traditional face-to-face courses in four-year universities. Research suggests that motivation and self-regulated learning skills are potentially related to student success in online learning. The preponderance of research on student academic success in online courses is predominantly conducted with traditional, better-prepared students in four-year universities. Yet, there is little research on the effectiveness …

Physical Activity And Academic Achievement In Students With Disabilities, Kirsten M. Olson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This literature review examines studies that investigated and evaluated the relationship between physical activity and academic achievement in students with disabilities. Research was found and reviewed that used school-aged participants, exercise or physically movement interventions, and standardized tests to measure academic achievement. Several brain regions are involved in both cognitive and motor tasks, which has sparked interest in this area of study. The studies reviewed showed that there is a positive relationship between being more physically active and having improved cognitive abilities. Student participants of the studies showed increased scores on standardized academic tests after participating in a physical exercise …

Student Perceptions Of Teacher Cultural Sensitivity And Its Impact On Student Achievement, Mandalinn Marie Browning

Education Dissertations and Projects

The study examined if there is an association between student perceptions of teacher cultural sensitivity and its impact on student academic achievement. The researcher was looking to determine if there are any correlations between what teachers and students perceive as culturally sensitive teaching. The researcher administered a teacher and student cultural sensitivity survey to determine what each of them saw as the characteristics of a culturally sensitive teacher. These findings were then analyzed to determine if having or not having these characteristics was a factor in student academic achievement. The study took place in a high school with tenth graders …

Psychological, Academic And Demographic Variables Affecting Students’ Academic Achievement Among First Year College Students In Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Alonazi

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

There are many factors that affect academic achievement among first year college students in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of academic achievement of first year college students in Saudi Arabia by investigating the relationship between a selection of demographic, academic, and psychological variables and their effects on first-year students’ GPA. All first-year students admitted to the King Saud University in fall 2016 or spring 2017 were invited to complete a self-report survey. 1457 students have completed and submitted the survey. Multiple regression analysis was performed with all independent variables in order to determine …

A Study Of The Relationships Among The Transformational Leadership Practices Of The Michigan High School Principal, School Culture, And Student Achievement, Delores Michelle Starks

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The continuing demand for greater accountability and improved student performance are critical concerns facing education in the 21st century. Federal and state mandates have been issued to ensure that all students achieve mastery of curriculum objectives. This quantitative study examined the relationships among student achievement as measured by the overall student proficiency in science on the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) Test and teacher perceptions of transformational leadership practices of Michigan high school principals and school culture. A correlational research design was used for this study. A total of 157 teachers, representing 147 unique high schools completed an …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Charter Schools In A Large School District In Georgia, Tawanda Hardaway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent charter school enrollment trends suggest that many parents are choosing to enroll students in charter schools instead of traditional public schools, even though data indicate public school achievement is equal to or above charter schools. Guided by Rogers and Maslow's humanistic theory, the purpose of the study was to examine reasons why parents exercised their right to educational choice and chose charter schools instead of traditional public schools for their children. The study focused on two charter schools, the Learning Academy and the School of Excellence (both pseudonyms), which are located in a large urban and suburban school district …

Colorado Middle School Principals' Transformational Leadership Characteristics And Colorado's Standardized Test Scores, Wayne Wolf

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have documented that high expectations do not always result in higher achievement, but the reason for varying results has not been clearly understood. This correlational study was done to find out if the degree of presence of principal leadership characteristics can predict when high expectations are effective and when they are not. Expectancy and transformational leadership theories provided the framework for identifying 9 principal leadership characteristics that might influence student scores on Colorado statewide testing. Existing student testing data were considered the dependent variable, while survey data on the leadership behaviors of Colorado middle school principals were used for …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Single-Gender Grouping Instruction And Student Motivation In Middle School, Chundra Deondrea Haywood-Grisby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A rural middle school in Mississippi has been labeled at-risk of failing or failing by the Mississippi Department of Education for the past 5 years, and the parents, students, teachers, and administrators have been looking for ways to improve academic achievement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of students, teachers, parents, and administrators about single-gender grouping that was used to raise achievement levels in this Mississippi middle school. The theoretical framework for this qualitative case study was Deci and Ryan's work on student motivation for learning. The research questions focused on perceptions of single-gender classroom instructional …

Instrumental Music And Reading Achievement Of First Graders, Loralie Heagy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior research studies point to a correlational relationship between music instruction and academic achievement studies, but varying results and confounding factors prevent causality. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study is to test Vygotsky's sociocultural cognitive theory that playing a musical instrument is significantly associated with academic achievement in reading for 1st graders who attend 1 of 2 schools in Alaska. Using Analysis of Covariance, this study investigates the relationship between instrumental music and academic achievement on measures of academic progress (MAP) reading scores of 1st graders (n = 76) who received at least 90 minutes per week of string instruction …

Physical Education, Physical Activity & Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Study For 1st And 8th Grade Students, Jessica Marita

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Purpose: To examine the physical education requirement, factors that affect physical activity levels for grade-school children, and how physical activity can affect academic achievement. The purpose of the present investigation is to demonstrate a relationship between physical education, physical activity, and academic achievement in K-8th graders.

Hypothesis: Increased physical education in grade-school will be associated with higher academic achievement, higher levels of physical education will be associated with greater amounts of physical activity outside of the classroom.

Methods: Participants were children selected from secondary, publically available, de-identified data from the nationwide Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten 2011 (ECLS-K: 2011). . …

Elementary Charter School Teachers' Perceptions Of Student Discipline On Academic Achievement, Simone Elloie Shelton

Theses and Dissertations

Many teachers leave the field altogether after a few years of teaching. Research showed that teachers consistently rate the behavior problems of their students as one of the primary reasons for them to quit teaching. Among teachers who have left the field over the past 10 years, some 80% stated that discipline problems caused by students was one of the primary reasons for their departure. Student discipline has been reported as a factor associated with high rates of teachers leaving the teaching profession. Two studies of teacher attrition rates found that problems with students’ discipline issues and classroom management issues …

Latino Males In The U.S. And The Effect Of High School Sport Participation On A Multi-Dimensional Construct Of Academic Engagement, Luis Alberto Inoa

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study investigates the impact, both proximal and distal, of inter-scholastic sports participation on the academic experiences of Latino male high school students. I utilize the notion of imbrication and a nested ecological framework to interrogate these larger constructs to illuminate differences and commonalities that exist amongst and between Latinos, the type of sport played, and three forms of engagement (cognitive, behavioral, and emotional).

Aspiration, Attainment, And Assimilation : A Critical Ethnography Of Newcomer Youth In An American High School, Aaron Leo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

As immigrants and refugees constitute an increasingly large proportion of public school students across the United States, much scholarly attention has focused on the variables which promote and hamper academic success of these students. Specifically, the high aspirations and optimistic attitudes towards schooling and the effects of assimilation pressures have been identified as two important features contributing to the academic performance of newcomers.

Examining The Efficacy Of Reflection Via Eportfolios For Learning And Assessment In Study Abroad, Kristyn Muller

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In recent decades, it has become increasingly important for higher education institutions to intentionally promote and assess student learning. In this dissertation, the author sought to examine the efficacy of using reflection via ePortfolios to enhance and assess student learning, specifically intercultural competence, in study abroad programs. ePortfolios are promoted as a pedagogical tool that can be used to help students engage in reflective practices, and prior research, although limited, has shown ePortfolio use to be positively associated with learning gains. As assessment of study abroad learning outcomes becomes more necessary, additional research is needed to determine which methods are …

The Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect In Gifted Youth In China, Yehan Zhou

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research has demonstrated that academic self-concept is subject to change throughout the course of schooling due to contextual factors. Students placed in highly selective programs tended to have lower academic self-concepts than their peers with similar ability levels in less selective programs or schools due to the shift of frame of references, which is known as the “big-fish-little-pond effect”. However, there was research demonstrating individual factors play an important role in driving changes in academic- self-concept. The first aim of this study was to investigate the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) in gifted college students in mainland China and to examine whether …