Education Commons^™

Impact Of Restorative Practices On Exclusionary Removals, Juan T. Haney Ii

Education Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impact of a restorative practice intervention on exclusionary removals at a middle school within a large urban district. The research also assesses this intervention's influence on staff turnover, student attendance, and overall school culture by capturing the insights of educators directly involved in implementing restorative practices. The study incorporated qualitative interviews with staff members and quantitative analysis of disciplinary data. The findings of this research indicate that restorative practices can reduce exclusionary removals, improve school climate, and enhance the overall experience of students and staff. The study seeks to provide a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of …

The Experiential Salience Of Music In Identity For Singing Teachers, Melissa Forbes, Jason Goopy, Amanda E. Krause

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Professional musicians with strong identities in music may also have a high degree of music in their identities. Accordingly, a rigid identification with work may be problematic for musicians, particularly when forces beyond their control change their work circumstances. In this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 singing teachers, representing a subset of professional musicians, and used interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore the ways in which they enacted music in their identities. The framework of musical identities in action was used to interpret the findings, revealing the dynamic, embodied, and situated complexity of music in participants’ identities. Music …

The Provision Of Vocational Education And Training Within Contemporary Political Socio-Economic Conditions: A Review Of The Literature, Sarah Fogarty, Christine Cunningham, Michelle Striepe, David Rhodes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This review is in response to numerous research, studies and other reviews that present the under-addressed, longstanding need to rethink vocational education and training delivered to secondary students (VETdSS) in Australia and in similar jurisdictions. Further, it is unclear how secondary schools in Western Australia are navigating the provision of vocational education and training within contemporary political socio-economic conditions. Therefore, this paper intends to review the most recent research about VETdSS and especially research that is pertinent to secondary schools in Western Australia. Ultimately, our aim in this paper is to develop a conceptual framework that will help us to …

Primary School Teachers’ Adaptations For Struggling Writers: Survey Study Of Grade 1 To 6 Teachers In Australia, Anabela Malpique, Deborah Pino-Pasternak, Debora Valcan, Mustafa Asil

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Two hundred ninety-eight primary teachers (88% female) from across all Australian states and territories reported on the frequency with which they implemented instructional adaptations for struggling writers in their classrooms. They also rated their preparation and self-efficacy for teaching writing. The majority of participating teachers indicated they provided additional instruction on spelling, capitalization and punctuation, and sentence construction at least once a week or more often. Teachers further reported implementing additional minilessons and reteaching strategies and skills, as well as extra instruction on grammar, handwriting, text structure, revising, and planning on a monthly basis or more often. The majority of …

Young Student’S Views Of Naplan: Impact On Wellbeing Through Drawn Responses, Pauline Roberts, Lennie Barblett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Standardized testing of academic knowledge is common in many developed countries. In Australia, the process implemented is the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). The stand-alone tests were introduced in 2008 for several educational and political reasons, and since that time, the results of this assessment have been used beyond their initial purpose and brought about an unintended consequence of making the tests high-stakes. The pressure of these assessments has the potential to impact student’s wellbeing, but little research has been done in this area and even less where the student’s perspectives are considered. This research examined the …

Using Machine Learning Algorithms To Enhance Iot System Security, M. Samir Abou El-Seoud

Computer Science

The term “Internet of Things” (IoT) refers to a system of networked computing devices that may work and communicate with one another without direct human intervention. It is one of the most exciting areas of computing nowadays, with its applications in multiple sectors like cities, homes, wearable equipment, critical infrastructure, hospitals, and transportation. The security issues surrounding IoT devices increase as they expand. To address these issues, this study presents a novel model for enhancing the security of IoT systems using machine learning (ML) classifiers. The proposed approach analyzes recent technologies, security, intelligent solutions, and vulnerabilities in ML IoT‑based intelligent …

Māori (Flexible) Learning Spaces, Old And New, Georgina Tuari Stewart, Leon Benade, Valance Smith, Alastair Wells, Amanda Yates

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Māori aspirations in education have not been served by past national policies. It is hard to extinguish the influence of monoculturalism, whereby schools were used to colonise Māori by enforcing linguistic and cultural assimilation. The history of debate on Innovative Learning Environments (ILE) and Flexible Learning Spaces (FLS) demonstrates the ongoing dominance of this Eurocentric, monocultural approach. Official New Zealand education policy and practice follows international trends in school design, moving away from traditional single-cell classrooms towards more open and inter-connected spaces, despite no real evidence concerning the relative effects on learning of each classroom type. Meanwhile, school marae have …

Work-Integrated Learning In The Humanities, Arts And Social Sciences: Where To From Here?, Denise Jackson, Elizabeth Cook

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Amidst increasing pressures on Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) disciplines regarding graduate career readiness, this study examines HASS student participation in work-integrated learning (WIL) and its impacts on employability and short-term employment outcomes, using data from the Australian Graduate Outcomes Survey from 2020 to 2023. The research examined the extent of participation across WIL types (work-based, non-workplace and global) and its influence on graduates’ perceived employability and employment outcomes (full-time employment and perceived overqualification), while investigating demographic differences using descriptive analysis and logistic regression models. Results indicated rising WIL participation yet identified disparities by activity type and among student …

Hot Leadership, Cool Leadership: How Education Policies Are Implemented (And Ignored) In Schools, Jeffrey S. Brooks, Melanie C. Brooks

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The article advances an emergent framework for conceptualizing the relationship between principal leadership and education policy implementation. Based on a qualitative study of school principals and policy implementation in Region X of the Philippines, findings suggested that the way in which policies were interpreted and implemented at the school level was influenced by a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic dynamics and these were shaped in situ by individual, school and community inhibitors and facilitators. These motivations and localized contexts were critical to implementation, and compelled principals to ignore, monitor, or implement education policies as a priority.

Incorporating Evidence-Based Teaching Practices In A Civil/Environmental Engineering Course To Improve Learning, Julie Anne Wildschut

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

The most important goal of teaching is student learning, passing on information from the instructor to the student so they can apply those concepts and skills months and years after instruction. However, this goal is not easily accomplished. Thinking and learning take significant effort and students often resist putting in the required work. Additionally, the increasingly diverse student population and recent disruptions to traditional classroom learning require instructional design to meet learning outcomes. Three evidence-based teaching practices including retrieval practice, spaced (distributed) practice, and interleaving were incorporated into a hydraulics course to improve student learning and evaluated for their effectiveness. …

Strategic Planning In Higher Education: Perceptions Of Faculty And Administrators At Public Institutions., Brent Graves, Fritz J. Erickson

Journal Articles

Over the past several decades, strategic planning has become ubiquitous in higher education. Yet, there are varying perceptions of its overall value. Perceptions of value are critically important as they can influence the effectiveness and breadth of participation in the strategic planning process, and such participation is widely held to be critical for success. We investigated these issues using an on-line survey distributed to faculty, chairs, and deans at public colleges and universities in the United States. We found that, compared to both faculty and chairs, deans had a more positive assessment of whether the benefits of the process were …

Impact Of Traditional Education And Learner-Centered Education On Standardized Tests, Courtney Marie Winslow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a current shortage of approximately 45,000 nurses and nursing faculty to train student nurses, a number that is projected to grow. One proposed method to combat the shortage is to transition from traditional lecture-based classrooms to a learner-centered approach. Asking or requiring faculty to transition an entire nursing program from one teaching method to another without supporting data could be a waste of valuable time and resources. It could also prove detrimental to a program if students were unable to pass the NCLEX-RN exam, and a program was forced to close. The current study examined whether there was …

Impact Of Traditional Education And Learner-Centered Education On Standardized Tests, Courtney Marie Winslow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a current shortage of approximately 45,000 nurses and nursing faculty to train student nurses, a number that is projected to grow. One proposed method to combat the shortage is to transition from traditional lecture-based classrooms to a learner-centered approach. Asking or requiring faculty to transition an entire nursing program from one teaching method to another without supporting data could be a waste of valuable time and resources. It could also prove detrimental to a program if students were unable to pass the NCLEX-RN exam, and a program was forced to close. The current study examined whether there was …

Essays On Public Finance And International Finance, Deepti Sikri

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The first chapter examines New York State's Fiscal Score Monitoring program to find the effect of two quality labels on school district outcomes: fiscal stress scores, reflecting the budget solvency, and environmental stress labels reflecting economic and demographic conditions. Using the NYS school district data from 2013-22, I employ the regression discontinuity design to find the effect of stress labels, in response to the political pressure on district finances, housing, and school outcomes. I find the effect of fiscal stress label is limited, leading to a decrease in the fund balance ratio and an increase in the tax rate. However, …

Understanding Teacher Behavior And Its Influence On Student On-Task Behavior, Jennifer Birchler

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Student behavior in the classroom is a significant predictor of student outcomes and teacher satisfaction. But, teachers report classroom management to be challenging. Finding simple, cost-effective methods of improving student behavior in the classroom can vastly improve long-term success for students. This study seeks to better understand how class size relates to teacher praise and movement, and how these teacher behaviors relate to student on-task behavior. Previous research suggests on-task behavior improves with more teacher praise and movement in the classroom. The current study used data collected using the Bx Management Tool as part of the Osage County Fall 2019 …

Deconstructing Whiteness In Teacher Education, Allison Karcher

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study sets out to understand how five teacher educators deconstruct whiteness in their courses and how their institutions support or hinder their work. Undergirding the study is the silence of whiteness residing in education and the urgency to notice, name, and disrupt it (Kohli et. al, 2021; Sleeter, 2017). The racial demographics in K-12 is 80% White for educators, and 54% students of color (National Center for Education Statistics, 2021). Therefore, most educators are teaching from experiences or identities that differ than their students. Since teaching is a personal endeavor, bringing our identities and experiences into the classroom, (Ahmed, …

A Foundation For Transformative Learning Practices In Higher Education, Michelle Meyer

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Higher education institutions in the United States have an ongoing rhetoric of claiming that they offer students educational experiences that build skills and prepare them for a career. However, reports from employers and students indicate that many schools are struggling to do so, and research imperative skills like critical thinking have wide construct definitions that can be difficult for institutions to work with. Transformative learning theory (TLT) is a theoretical practice and pedagogy that could support institutions by providing both a pedagogical foundation of what should occur in a classroom and a series of steps for what transformative learning looks …

The Guild House: A Mixed-Methods Case Study Of Game-Utilizing Information/Learning Design For Autonomy-Supportive Instruction In An Asynchronous Online Course, Sturdy Knight

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Gamification has emerged over the past ~10-12 years as a popular design approach to problems of motivation in online or blended learning, with a particular emphasis on distinguishing between extrinsic motivation driven by points, grades, class rank, etc, vs. intrinsic motivation driven by personal values and interest in the curriculum. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) forms the theoretical basis of much of this literature, yet the mediating constructs of learner self-regulation and autonomous vs. controlled regulatory styles, which describe the processes by which extrinsic motivators like game rewards or curriculum requirements are integrated with intrinsic goals, are under-addressed. This has led to …

Choir Teacher Agency And Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, Kaitlyn Schramm

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) (Paris, 2012) is an educational framework that nurtures and sustains students’ cultural competencies and identities. Scholars have recognized the need for practices that sustain and nurture cultural identities and ways of knowing music in the music classroom (Abril, 2009; Bond, 2014; Good Perkins, 2018; Salvador & Culp, 2022; Shaw, 2016). Culturally sustaining teachers reimagine curriculum entirely and place students' cultural assets at the center “as targets of learning to be sustained” (Lee, 2017, p. 262), explored, honored, extended, and critically problematized (Lee, 2017; Paris, 2012; Samy Alim et al., 2020). In choral classrooms, this often involves …

How Virtual Reality Simulations Prepare Teachers In Teacher Preparation Programs For Inclusive Classrooms, Lorilei G. Thompson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Teacher preparation programs are ever evolving based on research and student needs. The use of technology, such as virtual reality (VR), is at the forefront of education to help provide opportunities for teacher candidates to practice teaching in a semi-authentic classroom environment of students with and without exceptionalities. VR is a way for teacher candidates to practice teaching in a structured and conceivably less stressful environment in comparison to a real brick and mortar inclusive classroom. This qualitative study utilizes interviewing with video cuing for two novice teacher participants who went through the same inclusive education course at a major …

On Confidence And Sense Of Belonging In Cybersecurity Students: Analysis & Prediction, Sadaf Amna Sarwari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent years, there has been a rapid expansion of cybersecurity programs across higher education institutions in response to the widening skills gap in the cybersecurity job market. This study adopts quantitative and qualitative approaches to identify factors influencing West Virginia University (WVU)’s LANE Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (LCSEE) students’ confidence and sense of belonging in the cybersecurity field. The results are based on data collected from surveys administered to LCSEE students in April 2022 and April 2023. The responses were analyzed using descriptive & inferential statistics and logistic regression techniques. Additionally, the 2023 data was utilized …

Women In Extension Persevering In Leadership Roles, Lexis Danielle Trickett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over the last several decades, the rates at which women have been pursuing higher levels of education have steadily increased. However, there is a discrepancy between the number of women graduating, and the amount entering the workforce, specifically in leadership roles. The purpose of this study was to share a current profile of women in the West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service by allowing them to describe their career journeys, supports and barriers they may or may not have faced, and mentoring experiences. By using a non-experimental quantitative methodology, a population of male and female Extension Agents and Specialists were surveyed …

Improving Patient Self-Advocacy And Communication With Providers Through Diabetes Self-Management Education: Analyses From A Randomized Controlled Trial, Brenna Owens Kirk

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: West Virginia (WV), a rural state in Appalachia, has the highest type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence in the United States. Open communication in the patient-provider relationship is an integral part of comprehensive chronic disease management. This is especially true for patients living with T2DM, a disease that requires many complex, daily self-management activities and is associated with increased emotional distress. However, patients living with T2DM are often reluctant to openly share their concerns regarding self-care with their provider. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of the Diabetes and Hypertension Self-Management Program (DHSMP), a 12-week group lifestyle …

Using Touchmath® As An Intervention For Students With Disabilities At A Public Montessori School, Anne M. Cox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Students with high-incidence disabilities enrolled in public Montessori elementary schools do not always make adequate growth in mathematics using traditional Montessori materials and instruction. While direct instruction methods are not typically used in a Montessori setting, such teaching practices have been proven to be successful when teaching students with disabilities.

This study analyzed the effects of an evidence-based math intervention, TouchMath^®, on the addition fact fluency and acquisition of double-digit addition skills of elementary students with disabilities who receive small-group special education instruction in a public Montessori school. The students’ confidence levels before and after receiving the intervention …

Overturning Race-Conscious Admissions: Analyzing The History Of Higher Education Affirmative Acton Legal Discourse And Preserving Whiteness, Hiba A. Qari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although researchers have investigated Affirmative Action, few have attempted to understand and explain the language mechanisms shaping public opinion and policy. The purpose of this study was to explore the historical context of higher education Affirmative Action legal discourse. This study employed Critical Discourse Analysis and Critical Race Theory to analyze how language and race, as social constructs, maintain White dominance in law and higher education. The thematic concepts included power, White normativity, and diversity rhetoric. This project explored the historical evolution of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions on Affirmative Action policy in higher education. The study also investigated the …

A Biblical Framework For Understanding And Responding To Ai, David J. Mulder

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

This chapter is about developing a biblically informed, theologically sound perspective on what it means to be human in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be omnipresent and nearly omnipotent. Along the way, we will consider the history of AI, the current state of AI, and a biblical view of AI. However, to land in a place where we have some solid understanding of a biblically informed perspective on the role of technology, we need to begin with our own imaginations.

The Experiences Of Women College Presidents While Leading Through An Institutional Crisis: The Perceived Successes And Failures Of Crisis Communication Strategies, Madison Marie Speck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This multi-site case study explored the uncommonly discussed yet organic intersection between the study of crisis communication and the study of crisis leadership and in turn, what it means in the context of a college presidency. This study has a unique focus on women presidents at small, private colleges and the ways in which they communicate with various stakeholders during a crisis environment. The research is guided by Boin’s Model of Crisis Leadership which guides and assesses crisis leadership performance; however this study introduces nuances to the framework that are suggested as a result of the findings; most of which …

The Relationship Between Social Justice Attitudes And Compassion In Preservice Teachers: A Critically Compassionate Intellectualism Framework, Megan Hut

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation aims to gain further knowledge about the implementation of the Critically Compassionate Intellectualism (CCI; Cammarota & Romero, 2003) framework in teacher education. This framework, originally developed to provide a better education for Latine students who were being silenced in their original schools, emphasizes authentic caring, critical pedagogy, and social justice content. CCI aims to provide students with an education that better equips them to be part of our democratic society and is supposed to lead to an increase in students’ critical consciousness through developing compassionate relationships and making content related to students’ experiences. Based on the success of …

Rural Student Postsecondary Decision-Making: Navigating Narratives Of The Purpose And Value Of Higher Education, Ashley Renee Leggett-Bradley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The narrative surrounding the purpose and place of higher education has shifted dramatically over the past few decades, despite the persistent perceptions of the necessity of an educated society. With these shifts and conflicting narratives comes the question of how students are influenced by these narratives as they make their postsecondary decisions. This study seeks to illuminate the unique way that rural students receive, understand, and are influenced by these potentially conflicting narratives through a qualitative multi-site case study. All three sites are located within the North Central Appalachian portion of the state of West Virginia, and encompass a range …

Encouraging Equity Through Rural Elementary Professional Learning, Jana K. Stone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study employed design-based research to explore the efficacy of professional learning materials and approaches in developing social justice advocacy with rural elementary teachers in Appalachia. Bronfenbrenner’s (2005) bioecological theory and Boler’s (1999) pedagogy of discomfort formed the theoretical framework for the design, implementation, and analysis. Mid-way through the study, Allport’s (1954) contact hypothesis was included to inform the revision of intervention approaches. Four elementary teachers attended seven in-person informational discussion meetings over five months. During this time, these teachers also read two books and completed journal responses and surveys. The qualitative data was analyzed using Braun and Clark’s (2006) …