Education Commons^™

Leadership Practices And Instructional Strategies To Advance Student Achievement In Title 1 Elementary Schools, Paula Michelle Watson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative single case study aimed to explore how administrative team members perceived their leadership practices and instructional strategies that advance student academic outcomes on annual mathematics and literacy state assessments. Transformational leadership was the conceptual framework for data collection and analysis. Three research questions focused on how elementary administrative team members perceived leadership practices to advance student achievement in mathematics and literacy, their perceptions of the effectiveness of the leadership strategies used, and their perceptions of instructional strategies used to advance student achievement in mathematics and literacy. This single case study included the cases of three elementary school administrative …

Why Not The School-To-Scholar Pipeline? Changing The Narrative Through School Leadership, Marne Renee Foster

Dissertations

The overrepresentation of Black students in exclusionary practices in public K–12 education, such as detention, suspension, expulsion, and misplacement into special education, contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline (STPP). This phenomenon leads to truancy, academic failure, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. In contrast, the school-to-scholar pipeline (STSP) has an inverse relationship with the STPP and views students as scholars in training, ultimately linking them to careers or college. Research has indicated that school administrators’ mindsets, along with teacher bias, play a significant role in perpetuating exclusionary practices and racial disparities (Gullo & Beechum, 2020; Skiba, Chung et al., 2014). …

"La Experiencia Universitaria"- Asset-Based Community Needs Assessment For Uconn Waterbury’S Hispanic Community, Ilene Garcia

Honors Scholar Theses

An asset-based community needs assessment for the Hispanic community of the University of Connecticut’s Waterbury campus was conducted. The community needs assessment uncovered assets that support students, as well as the need for additional resources to promote success in higher education. Information was gathered from the campus community regarding current documented practices such as informal or formal support to aid Hispanic students in their college experience relating to their wellbeing, academic success, and career development. A town hall meeting for the community of students on campus was conducted to impart the information gathered and gather further feedback from students. The …

From Counterspaces To Community:A Qualitative Case Study Analysis Of Black Community Making At A Pwi, Charles Watkins

Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how Black college students build and maintain a sense of community at a predominantly white institution (PWI). Informed by relational sociological methodology and the conceptual framework of Black placemaking, this study foregrounded the nuanced process of community building, focusing on the interplay between Black students and the spaces—physical and digital—they cocreate collectively. This study particularly emphasized the significance of the Black Student Union (BSU) as a foundational Black student organization at PWIs. The following lines of inquiry guided this study: (a) How do Black undergraduate students at a PWI define the Black community? (b) What …

Department Chair Authentic Leadership Style And Faculty Job Satisfaction Among Hospitality Management Faculty., Theresa Lind

Dissertations, 2020-current

This study investigates the relationship between department chair authentic leadership style and faculty job satisfaction within hospitality management programs. Drawing on Authentic Leadership theory as a conceptual framework, the research aims to understand how the leadership behaviors of department chairs influence the job satisfaction levels of faculty members. Through a quantitative research approach, data was collected from faculty members in hospitality management departments to examine their perceptions of department chair leadership and job satisfaction. The study seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge on leadership in academia, particularly within the context of hospitality management education. Findings from this research …

Investigating The Direction Of Item Parameter Bias In The Presence Of Rapid Guessing, Sarah Alahmadi

Dissertations, 2020-current

Inadequate examinee test-taking effort is especially concerning when the results of low-stakes tests are used to inform high-stakes policy or psychometric decisions. Although abundant is the literature on the negative impact of low test-taking effort (e.g., Wise & DeMars, 2005) and ways to address it (e.g., Alahmadi & DeMars, 2024; Lau et al., 2009), integrating it into assessment practices has long been in a rudimentary stage. The findings presented in this dissertation serve as a clarion call for testing professionals to reinforce efforts that bridge research and practice. The current study investigated how rapid guessing (RG)—a form of non-effortful test-taking …

A Qualitative Lens For Exploring Ethical Reasoning: Developing The 8 Key Question Codebook, Yelisey Shapovalov

Dissertations, 2020-current

The Ethical Reasoning in Action program leveraged program assessment data to further promote student learning based on their effective educational framework for ethical reasoning: The Eight Key Question (8KQ) strategy. A cross-disciplinary team of five core researchers launched the first constructivist qualitative inquiry into students’ ethical reasoning process. The purpose was to comparatively describe essays of Low and High performing students. The basic qualitative design evolved over 19 months to create the 8KQ Codebook through an emergent, iterative, and conceptually sensitizing process. The 8KQ Codebook synthesized structural coding with a mix of theory-driven and data-driven codes across six research questions: …

Technology Leadership Influence On Intention To Use Ai-Based Early Alert Systems (Eas) At Higher Education Institutions (Heis), Tatjana Titareva

Dissertations, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to test quantitatively the potential influence of Technology Leadership (TL) in Higher Education (HE) and Technophobia on Intention to Use AI-based Early Alert Systems (EAS) at higher education institutions (HEIs) by faculty and administrative staff. This research was conducted collecting and analyzing data from a mid-size higher education institution (HEI) in southeast of the Unites States. The measurement instrument used previously validated measures of Technophobia, TL in HE and Intention to Use Technology. From statistically significant findings, though of weak strength, the results showed that an individual's role in HEI (faculty vs. administrative staff), …

Using Recurrent Neural Networks To Predict Mastery Outcomes From Learning Journey Clickstream Data, Sean A. York

Dissertations, 2020-current

In this study, I use recurrent neural networks (RNN) and modern natural language processing techniques to analyze clickstream activity data from an automated, online, mastery learning platform called the Indiana University Plagiarism Tutorials and Tests (IPTAT). IPTAT offers learning materials and certification tests on recognizing and avoiding plagiarism, and has awarded over 1.17 million certificates since 2016. Learners may use or not use resources as they wish, but must pass a randomized test drawn from a large item pool to obtain a certificate. Most learners pass after one to seven test attempts, but some take as many as 50 randomized …

Shaping Tomorrow’S Ethical Leaders, Christina M. Secrist

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative research study sought to explore the essences of ethical leadership by reviewing existing theories and frameworks, the characteristics and behaviors of ethical leaders, the leadership styles that portray an ethical component, the motivations of ethical leaders, and the self-efficacy of emerging leaders when faced with challenging decisions of an ethical nature. A thorough literature review was completed in an effort to gain a better understanding of how research studies have defined ethical leadership over the last couple of decades. Transcendental phenomenological interviews were conducted with four self-identified ethical leaders across the industries of agricultural manufacturing, a global non-profit …

“It’S Not You, It’S Me”: Understanding The Relationship Between Students Academic Advising, Xavier Grier

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Understanding what students need should be at the forefront of every higher education institution’s design or plan for impact. From an academic advising standpoint, listening to the voices of students should be of utmost importance when determining how advisors can effectively influence student success. The purpose of higher education is to promote the success of students. Providing assistance towards individual, professional, and career development is the main focus of educational institutions when regarding their ability to help their respective students succeed. One avenue of this assistance is through their academic advising departments. Academic advising is a vital part of how …

Intersectionality And Success: A Study Of Black Women Teachers In Higher Education, Harmony Wilson

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative research study sought to explore the lived experiences of Black women teachers in the United States. Specifically, the research aimed to uncover the meanings of success among Black women teachers and the ways in which intersectionality impacts those meanings. The researcher interviewed four Producers of Knowledge (POK); two were from Virginia, North Carolina, and New York. The findings show that the participants of this study share lived experiences of systemic sexism and racism at their universities, actively pushing back on systems, stereotypes, and policies, and shared feelings regarding representation, support, and the importance of community. The implications of …

A Comparison Of Assessment Experiences Between Standards-Based Practices And Traditional Practices Within Secondary Mathematics Classrooms, Emily Mayes

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research was to compare assessment experiences and find ways to improve those experiences for students in two mathematics classrooms: one classroom that employs Standards-Based Grading and one classroom that uses traditional grading practices. The research examines students’ perceptions regarding their level of preparation, their anxiety levels surrounding assessment, the validity of assessments, and using assessments and grading practices to give accurate indications of student progress in their learning, given the students’ perceptions. Students in both settings voluntarily and anonymously participated in completing pre- and post-assessment free-response surveys which asked questions about students’ assessment experiences. This research …

Around The World In 80 Days: Navigating Culturally Diverse Texts In Secondary English Education, Abby Boyer

Honors Theses

In the secondary English classroom, the inclusion of diverse texts holds importance in fostering a rich and inclusive learning environment that reflects the realities and complexities of our diverse world. Diverse texts encompass a wide range of voices, perspectives, and experiences that represent various cultures, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. By incorporating such texts into the curriculum, educators not only honor the diversity of their students but also provide them with opportunities to engage critically with different narratives, develop empathy, and cultivate a deeper understanding of the complexities of the human experience.
Moreover, diverse texts offer …

Reconstruction Retold: Perspectives From 20th Century Us Secondary History Textbooks, Lyric Church

Honors Theses

Since the creation of the American public school system, the use of the textbook has been vital to history education. It has been the primary tool used by educators to teach children about the past to help them understand the present and shape the future. To this day, in the modern technological age, they are, still, used in classrooms across the country. This thesis investigates the effects of changing societal thought on United States history textbooks used in the secondary classroom, using the Reconstruction Era as the area of study. Analyzing multiple textbooks from each decade of the twentieth century, …

Science Quest! An Educational Comic For Fifth Graders In Mississippi, Astra Hahm

Honors Theses

Astra Hahm: Science Quest! An educational comic for fifth graders in Mississippi (Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Eyler)

Science Quest! is an educational comic aimed at fifth graders in Mississippi to teach them science in a way that differs from how they learn science in class. The inspirations for the creation of Science Quest! are both my interests as a child and my vision of the future as an adult. During Sophomore year, I had the privilege of volunteering at Oxford Intermediate School, where I witnessed students play a variety of educational games, which reminded me of my childhood. …

Understanding How Cte Educators Perceive That Professional Development Supports Educational Practices And Retention, Neyla Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Career and technical education (CTE) educators are inconsistently supported with professional development (PD). The inconsistent support may limit advancing teaching and learning, serving the students, and retaining CTE educators in the field. How supported CTE teachers feel with PD to implement instructional practices that serve students and encourage teachers to remain in the field was explored in this study. A basic qualitative approach was used along with the theoretical foundation of the social cognitive career theory, specifically, the interest and choice model. Semistructured interviews were conducted with ten CTE educators nationwide, and MAXQDA was used for data analysis. The data …

Childcare Teachers’ Perspectives Of State-Required Training And Available Professional Development, Christina L. Kastl

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem affecting Oklahoma’s child care teachers is that the required state trainings and available professional development (PD) are not meeting their needs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to obtain child care teachers’ perspectives of the state’s required training and available PD. The theoretical foundation of this study was based on project-based learning (PBL) theory. The PBL theory supports active in-class learning that allows teachers to continually learn new concepts for their students and provides in-class training and coaching. Three research questions guided the study: What are early child care teachers’ perspectives of the Oklahoma-mandated training. What are …

Esl Teachers’ Identities And Beliefs That Influence Their Teaching Of Students With Limited Or Interrupted Formal Education (Slife): A Qualitative And Phenomenological Study, Benita Azpeitia

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the beliefs and identities of ESL teachers, their personal and professional experiences and how those experiences shape their teaching of students who have limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE). Three experienced high school teachers were interviewed three times for 45 – 60 minutes for each interview. This study utilized semi-structured interviews, effective lesson plans selected by the participants, and a researcher’s journal. The participants recognized the complexities of SLIFE students and expanded on their teacher identities. The themes of ethnicity and language, guiding beliefs, personal experiences and teacher challenges emerged. The two most significant themes …

Examining How The Prevalence Of English Affects The Maintenance Of Spanish As A Heritage Language Among Second-Generation Latinx Students: A Phenomenological Study, Daniella Buenaventura

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This study was a phenomenological qualitative study that delved into the complex interplay between language, culture, and identity among second-generation Latinx high school students in an English-dominant environment. The research aimed to understand the impact of English prevalence on preserving Spanish as a heritage language and its influence on students' ethnic identities. Data collection was comprised of three semi structured interviews, a student assignment, and a researcher’s journal. Findings revealed that while students felt a strong connection to their Hispanic heritage and recognized the importance of maintaining Spanish, they also faced challenges of linguistic subordination and acculturative stress. The study …

Reconceptualizing Quality Early Care And Education With Equity At The Center, Mark Nagasawa, Cristina Medellin-Paz

Straus Institute for Thriving Children & Families

Issue 51 of the Bank Street Occasional Papers Series is a response to Gunilla Dahlberg, Peter Moss, and Alan Pence’s 25-year interrogation of the concept of quality in early childhood education (ECE) (Dahlberg et al., 1999, 2013, 2023). Their groundbreaking work has called early childhood educators to question deeply held assumptions about the universality of childhood and how these shape the standardization of practices in early childhood settings around the world. They have argued that the homogenization of ECE practices is a factoryization of early childhood that undermines cultural pluralism and the field’s equity aspirations. This raises an imperative to …

Neurocognitive Functioning In Adults With Trichotillomania: Predictors Of Treatment Response And Symptom Severity In A Randomized Control Trial, Kathryn E. Barber, Douglas W. Woods, Thilo Deckersbach, Christopher C. Bauer, Scott N. Compton, Michael P. Twohig, Emily J. Ricketts, Jordan Robinson, Stephen M. Saunders, Martin E. Franklin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Trichotillomania (TTM) is associated with impairments in response inhibition and cognitive flexibility, but it is unclear how such impairments relate to treatment outcome. The present study examined pre-treatment response inhibition and cognitive flexibility as predictors of treatment outcome, change in these domains from pre- to post-treatment, and associations with TTM severity. Participants were drawn from a randomized controlled trial comparing acceptance-enhanced behavior therapy (AEBT) to psychoeducation and supportive therapy (PST) for TTM. Adults completed assessments at pre-treatment (n=88) and following 12 weeks of treatment (n=68). Response inhibition and cognitive flexibility were assessed using the Stop Signal …

Teachers’ And School Directors’ Perspectives On Standardizing A Learning Management System For Blended Learning, Alfredo Felipe Rivera-Mejías

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The introduction of standardized learning management systems (LMSs) for blended learning (BL) in K–12 education in Puerto Rico signifies a pivotal shift towards enhancing educational environments with technology. This qualitative study was conducted to understand the perspectives of teachers and school directors on the LMS adoption process. Grounded in the concerns-based adoption model as its conceptual framework, the study aimed to elucidate the stages of concern and levels of use among educational stakeholders, shedding light on the multifaceted challenges and opportunities that technology integration brings to schools. Employing semistructured interviews with a selection of seven teachers and school directors, this …

Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development In An Urban School District In Liberia, Moses Blonkanjay Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to the low academic performance of Liberian students, in 2013, the president of Liberia declared that the education sector needed to be overhauled. Consequently, the education minister launched a nationwide professional development (PD) program. Despite the PD initiatives, academic performance in an urban school district (USD, a pseudonym) has not improved. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore Liberian secondary teachers' perceptions on the strength, weakness, and recommended improvements of the PD at USD. The theoretical framework that guided the study was Mezirow’s transformational learning theory. The key research questions were focused on the secondary school teachers’ …

Textbook Affordability Committee Minutes, May 9, 2024, Illinois State University, Textbook Affordability Committee

Textbook Affordability Committee

No abstract provided.

Toast The Success Of Businesses Owned Or Managed By Uab Graduates On June 13, Shannon Thomason

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Youtube Video Essays As Critical Remixed Scholarship, Michelle L. Arendt

Student Research Symposium

YouTube videos have contributed primary and supplementary instructional materials to traditional classrooms since the 2010s (Sylvia & Moody, 2022). These internet-native materials are more successful than their traditional counterparts due to their recontextualization which melds dissemination with the semiotic landscape of web 2.0 culture.

Preferential treatment towards long-form, research-based content has facilitated the development of the YouTube video essay format: a grassroots practice that unapologetically embeds identity, pop culture, and humor with rigorous scholarly praxis and remediation of major elements of academic discourse (Davis, 2022). Videos of this type regularly reach “audiences which may rival or dwarf the enrollment of …

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status, Child Separation Anxiety Symptoms, And School Achievement In 1st Grade, Filip-Bogdan Serban-Dragan

Student Research Symposium

This informative poster highlights a study examining the association between child separation anxiety disorder (SAD) and school achievement, considering socioeconomic status (SES) and perceived financial stress. Data came from the Early Growth and Development Study (EGDS). Data from the kindergarten (age 6) and 1^st grade (age 7) assessments in the adoptive families (N=360 adoptive triads) were analyzed.

By controlling for parent’s income, financial stress, child’s gender and by measuring children at two time points (6 and 7 years), our study aims to identify the specific contribution of separation anxiety on academic achievement, enhancing our understanding of this …

Interpersonal Experiential Learning And Cancer Research Training Designed To Enhance The Motivation Of Participating Interns Utilizing Self-Determination Theory: A Longitudinal Study With Photovoice Methodology, Alex Vazquez-Cortes, Dierdre Mckay, Connie Tran, Bridget Bugla, Tiffany Bui, Kaisa Holt, Anthony Phan, Clare Hansen, Amy Lin, Amanda Braley, Lisa Marriott Phd

Student Research Symposium

Historically, the underrepresentation of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, disabled, and diverse racial/ethnic groups in STEM fields is prevalent. Equity in stem fields allows for different perspectives and knowledge backgrounds allows for the cognitive diversity needed to tackle complex research topics. The Knight Scholars Program (KSP) aims to support underrepresented and disadvantaged high school and undergraduate students pursuing a research career by teaching them the tools they need to succeed. Spanning over three summers, KSP utilized the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) of motivation to create an inclusive learning environment and to strengthen the high schoolers' motivation to pursue research careers focusing on …

Promoting Student Engagement In Research In An Undergraduate Language-Development Course, Mitchell Kloer, Isabelle Trujillo, Teresa Roberts, Carolyn Quam

Student Research Symposium

This presentation will provide student perspectives on benefits of incorporating inclusive research activities within an undergraduate Speech and Hearing Sciences course. In Speech and Language Development in Children (SPHR 372U), instructor Quam incorporates a research project focusing on an issue of equity, inclusion, and social justice. One overarching goal is to reduce barriers of access to scientific research and increase engagement for college students, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups. The project is segmented into 3 steps that mirror literature review, critical analysis, and proposal. The project is collaborative, iterative throughout the term, and each step in the research process …