Education Commons^™

Investigating The Collaboration Of Teachers Of Students With Disabilities And Teaching Assistants In The Classroom, Sa-Qwona S. Clark

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This qualitative dissertation study examined the complex dynamics and structures (i.e., people and/or explicit/implicit classroom-, school-, and district-wide behaviors and practices and school-wide structures) that influence collaboration between teachers of students with disabilities (TOSD) and teaching assistants (TAs). Specifically, I wanted to learn: (1) What are the complex dynamics (i.e., people and/or explicit/implicit classroom-, school-, and district-wide behaviors and practices and school-wide structures) that interact to influence collaboration between teachers and teaching assistants? (1a) What role does each participant stakeholder (i.e., teacher, teaching assistant, and principal) play in those complex dynamics? (1b) How do participants develop their understandings about the …

Judith Shakespeare's Problem : Using Timss To Examine Contextual Indicators In Girls' Mathematics Achievement, Elizabeth Ann S. Kelly

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Data (TIMSS) 2015 dataset, this study examines 30 different contextual indicators to determine significant predictors of girls’ mathematics achievement globally. The study design employs three nested levels in the hierarchical linear model (individual, classroom, and nation) to analyze cross-national scores and responses to the contextual questionnaires. Additionally, the focus is on girls as a standalone, independent population, not in comparison to boys. This research seeks to understand at which level of society the most variability is found, as well as analyze the comparative effect sizes of various explanatory contextual predictors within …

Applying The Strategic Self-Regulation Model To Tone Acquisition In Mandarin : A Case Study, Adele Laurie Touhey

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation examines the experience of college-level American native English- speaking students who are learning elementary Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language acquire tone. Oxford (2011)’s Strategic Self-Regulation (S2R) Model is used to analyze the findings in a cross-case analysis. The findings showed that students in this study employed a variety of language learning strategies across all dimensions (cognitive, affective, and sociocultural-interactive), with the highest number of tactics being categorized as metacognitive and affective strategies. The results indicated that fostering a positive classroom environment can contribute to reduced learner anxiety and overall increased positive emotions related to tone acquisition. This …

Relationships Of Teacher Perceptions And Racially Diverse Third Grade Student Achievement : An Analysis Of Ecls-K:2011 Data University At Albany, Lynnette Renee Williams

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACTIt has been over 50 years since desegregation efforts began and many public-school systems in the United States are still battling with performance gaps between White and historically underrepresented students. The term historically underrepresented refers to people from diverse racial, cultural, linguistic, and economically disadvantaged backgrounds who have been denied access or suffered institutional discrimination in the United States, and according to the U.S. Census includes Blacks/African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans (Artiles et al., 2010). Many historically underrepresented students are lagging behind their peers on academic performance measures, standardized achievement tests, high school graduation, and college-career readiness …

The Long Island Opt-Out Movement And Local Politics In Four School Districts, Raymond James Webb

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study focused on the political influence of the Long Island Opt-Out Organization, an interest group that promoted the right of parents and guardians to have their children opt out of standardized testing. The study examined the activism and influence of this group on school board elections and policy agendas in four school districts in Long Island, New York during 2014-2019.

Commencement 2022 (Program And Video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Commencement Ceremonies

No abstract provided.

In Our Own Words: Special Education Teachers Of Color With Dis/Abilities, Saili Kulkarni, Samuel Bland, Joanna Gaeta

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Self-Efficacy Development In Elementary-Aged Learners Through Dance As An Algorithmic Thinking Tool, Niva Shrestha

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a transdisciplinary approach in teaching computational thinking through dance to elementary-aged learners, with primary attention to females. With limited literature available on how pre-adolescents begin to construct conceptions of computer science and other engineering domains, including potential career pathways, the incentive of this project was to leverage a day camp for about 20 rising 3rd - 5th-grade learners to assess their identity development in computer science. Modules that teach computational thinking through dance paired with Unruly splats (block-based programmable electronic gadgets) were implemented. By conducting pre-and post-surveys and a …

Two Marching Band Directors’ Insights About Their Bands’ Musical Achievement And Satisfaction In The American Deep South: A Qualitative Analysis, John Klee

Honors Theses

High School marching band is an intricate facet of music education that operates in several varieties across the United States. Depending on the style as well as many external and internal factors of a marching band, marching bands can have goals and definitions of musical achievement that can vary drastically. This qualitative study aims to assist those in the world of marching music education to better understand these distinct types of marching bands on a deeper level. The study gathered detailed perspectives of two directors in juxtaposed marching programs to a view of what drives these bands and directors to …

The Effects Of Schema-Based Instruction On Students At Risk For Or With Learning Disabilities, Molly Daniels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of schema-based instruction (SBI) on the correct response of 2 second-grade students at risk for or already determined to have a learning disability (LD) of comparison difference word problems. The study was a multiple probe across participants. Although the students did not use the RUN Strategy, one student’s ability to solve the word problems improved significantly after learning the strategy. Even though time was a factor in completing everything, the other student’s score did begin to improve after learning the RUN Strategy.

Using The Raap Strategy To Promote Communication Skills For Students With Multiple Disabilities, Hannah Millard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the RAAP strategy on students with multiple disabilities and their ability to produce multi-symbol messages. Using a single-case, multiple probes across participants design, 4 students with multiple disabilities participated in this study. They were taught how to answer reading comprehension questions through the RAAP strategy and access to a communication/core board.

Results indicated a functional relation between the RAAP strategy and the student’s multisymbol messages. Three of 4 students increased their multi-symbol messages and made progress with the intervention as it was planned. One student needed the intervention to …

Understanding And Cultivating Mathematical Resilience In Students, Anthony Bosman, Adam Heck

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Improving Gifted And Talented Education In Arkansas: Identification, Academic Benefits, And Local Norms, Bich Thi Ngoc Tran

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, education policies differ from state to state. Local research, therefore, is important to inform educators, policymakers, and researchers on the ground. This dissertation leverages ten years of administrative data to study three questions about gifted and talented (G/T) identification and education in Arkansas: does the current system identify the right students? Are gifted and talented programs beneficial for students? And, how can we improve diversity in gifted and talented education? Leveraging logistic regression, mixed-effects models, and descriptive statistics, I sought to provide answers to these three questions. First, are academically ready students from low-income families being …

Junior Year Gpa - Understanding Its Predictive Relationship To High School Ranking, Act Score, And The Shift To Online Learning, Emily Nicole Miller

Honors Theses

Considerable amounts of resources are allocated to assist and retain students during their first and second years in college, and many universities provide extra support to students as they prepare to graduate and start their professional careers; however, resources are not often specially aimed at third year students (i.e., students in their junior year). The primary goals of this study were to contribute to the body of literature and gain a better understanding of the relationships between students’ ACT scores, their Tennessee High School Quality ranking scores, and their cumulative GPA at the end of their junior year. This research …

Evaluating The Use Of A Mobile App In High School Seniors To Monitor Cellphone Use While Driving: A Quality Improvement Project, Kristen Mankus

DNP Projects

Background: Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in teenagers in the United States. Driver distraction is responsible for more than 58% of teen crashes. Evidence from 9 critically appraised articles including two systematic reviews support the need to reduce distracted driving among teenagers; mobile applications along with education can impact behavioral change to encourage teens to refrain from this unsafe practice.

Purpose: The use of the mobile application “Safe2Save” that financially rewards users for not unlocking their cellphone while driving may motivate teenagers to reduce this high-risk behavior. The global aim for this project is …

Lessons From An Exemplar Elementary Robotics Program: Implications For Learning And Life, Paige Price '22

Honor Scholar Theses

As robotics is becoming more popular across the United States, there is little research to show the long term effects of robotics participation on students both within and outside of school. Through examining literature surrounding robotics, known themes of collaboration, problem solving, and an obvious growth in areas surrounding STEM have been identified. This qualitative study took the general information provided by literature and focused on a specific case study of two fifth grade elementary teams from Woodview Elementary School in Nappanee, Indiana. Using a technique called methods triangulation, new emerging themes were found between obtaining eight of the students' …

Strategies To Encourage Continued Choral Participation Among Adolescent Male Students, Joseph Michael Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project overviewed a mixed methods research study, which examined the ways in which choral participation among adolescent male students could be encouraged by choral directors. The paper examined the history of male choral participation, common theories regarding male voice classification, as well as how choral participation among adolescent male students could be encouraged by the education of a voice change process. A vocal study of one hundred and seventeen biological male singers at Westside Middle School Academy in Danbury, Connecticut was used to study the validity of numerous male voice change theories. This study documented the transformation of the …

Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports Effectiveness In Southeastern Ohio, Kacey Ryan Cottrill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how leadership implemented the positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) framework and what conclusions could be ascertained from implementing it. Leadership in southeastern Ohio districts was examined to understand how they used PBIS and if PBIS made significant differences before and after implementation. The comparison included demographically diverse areas (urban, suburban, rural) in southeastern Ohio. PBIS implementation was measured with the School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET) administered to district administrators. The resulting data from the SET and Ohio assessment scores showed no significant difference in PBIS implementation and fourth-grade reading scores of …

Experiences Of Asian American Women In Distance Education Doctoral Programs: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Cathy Vu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is well documented that doctoral attrition is a concern, and research into subgroups of doctoral student populations is needed. Researchers have begun to examine the experiences of women in distance education doctoral programs, but the experiences of women from Asian backgrounds have not been the direct focus on any research to date. This transcendental phenomenological study described the persistence experiences of Asian American women pursuing distance education doctoral studies. Tinto’s (1975) theory of student integration served as a foundation for understanding how an individual’s academic and social integration affects persistence. In addition to Tinto’s theory of student integration, Berry’s …

Participation In Collision, Contact, And Noncontact Sports And Academic Outcomes At A United States Service Academy, Benjamin Thomas Showman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The present study seeks to determine whether significant differences exist in the academic outcomes, specifically grade point averages (GPA), between college students who participate in collision, contact, or noncontact sports. Additionally, this study seeks to understand whether sport contact levels are predictive of a student’s GPA when sport competition levels and demographic variables are also taken into account. Current research suggests links between sports participation, aggression, brain injuries, and academic outcomes. Along these lines, a significant amount of research has investigated relationships between student aggression and academic outcomes, between aggression and sport contact levels, and between sports participation and academic …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Lived Experience Of Students Who Have Failed A Nursing Course: Try Again Or Move On?, Deborah K. Tonelli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of students after failing a nursing course, resulting in the students either sitting out a semester prior to repeating the course or making the decision not to return to a program at all. The central research question for this study was “what are the lived experiences of students who fail a nursing course?” This study retrospectively examined the failure of nursing students to better understand how they processed the event, gained meaning from the experience, and found supportive measures that were useful in moving forward to the …

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Anxiety, Stress, And Resilience In Economically Challenged Single Mothers, Gloria Jean Hill-Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of economically challenged single mothers during Covid 19. Mitigating the severe anxiety and stress risks linked with COVID-19 has been a goal of public health incentives. Less effort has been spent on studying the psychological issues connected to the worldwide epidemic, particularly among economically challenged communities. The aims of the study were to explore the impact of anxiety and stress of the COVID 19 pandemic on economically challenged single mothers, to determine the needs of this group, and to identify prevention and interventions that might support them in …

A Phenomenology Of Student Perceptions About The Impact Of Participation In The Advanced Placement Program On College Readiness, Leah Michelle Kliewer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand college undergraduate perceptions about preparedness to meet the demands and expectations of college-level coursework based on their experiences with the AP program in high school. Previous quantitative research regarding the AP program has shown students who participated in AP courses in high school do have an edge in college admissions. However, through this study the researcher sought to qualitatively understand the level of confidence and preparedness that former AP students feel when encountering college-level coursework during their undergraduate college experience, using Schlossberg’s transition theory for theoretical guidance. This phenomenological qualitative …

Online Education Experiences Among Teachers Within Technical College System Of Georgia Institutions: A Multiple Case Study, John Robert Edalgo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explore technical education teachers’ perceptions on the use of e-learning within the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institutions. This central research question provides the lens needed to explore forces that promote or discourage the use of online instruction administered by teachers. The theory guiding this study was the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory, developed by E.M. Rogers approximately 60 years ago. The DOI theory provides the theoretical framework needed to assess the adopter, the innovation, and the type of communication (evaluation) needed to facilitate sustained adoption in the future. Increased adoption …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Trust And Help-Seeking Among Black Women: A Phenomenological Study, Laketa Sutton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Trust and help-seeking are two important aspects of human development, growth, and social functioning. However, there are many meanings about how to define trust and help-seeking in scholarly research. There is also an absence of studies particularly surrounding Black women as it relates to trust and help-seeking beyond psychological and medical domains. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study, using Colaizzi’s method, was to explore and understand the lived experiences of Black women regarding trust and help-seeking. Specifically, the study sought to understand how Black women experience and make meaning of trust and help-seeking. Based on Ajzen’s theory of planned …

Effect Of 1:1 Implementation On Middle School Student Achievement, Dustin White

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to understand which arrangement of technology provided the best results for middle school students. Educators and schools are trying to ensure that students are prepared for jobs that currently do not exist. Previous research has been conducted to look at the achievement of students; however, very little has been done to look at these levels at the middle school level in comparison to other schools in the same district. This quantitative causal comparative study sought to understand if differences exist between two groups of middle school students. One group participated in a 1:1 technology …

The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Religiosity In Evangelical Christian Schools, Jairon Gabriel Jarrin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this non-experimental predictive-correlational study was to examine the relationship between job satisfaction and religiosity among teachers working in evangelical Christian schools. This study was grounded in two theories: Herzberg's two-factor theory of motivation and spiritual leadership theory. Herzberg's theory of motivation helps explain how teachers become satisfied or dissatisfied by distinguishing between motivational and hygiene factors. Spiritual leadership theory helps understand the importance of spirituality in the workplace and its relation to Christian religiosity in the workplace. This study is important because it added to the discussion about evangelical Christian schools that is very limited in the …

Higher Education Faculty Members’ Experience Implementing Instructional Technology Tools And Changing Instructional Practices During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Susan Therese Collins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of higher education faculty with implementing instructional technology tools and changing instructional practices at a public university in the western United States during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic emergency remote teaching. Guiding this study was Bandura’s (1977) theory of self-efficacy pertaining to an individual's belief and confidence in their ability to perform and have control over the necessary motivation, behaviors, and social environment to produce specific outcomes. Additionally, the Technology Pedagogy Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework and andragogical principles provided the theoretical underpinnings of this study. Data …

African American Administrators Utilizing Responses To Intervention For Identification Of African American Males In Special Education: A Phenomenological Study, Barbara Jean Batts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of African American administrators in public schools with their use of Response to Intervention (RTI) when identifying African American males in special education. In order to arrive at the crux of the matter, the central research question was, How do African American public-school administrators describe their experiences in using RTI in the identification of African American males in special education? This study attempted to discover the perceptions of African American administrators in the sub-questions of: (1) How do African American administrators describe the connection of misidentification and disproportionality …

Examining Diversity And The Role And Influence Of Post-Secondary Faculty At A Predominantly White Institution In Tennessee: A Critical Race Case Analysis, Lanell Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, critical race analysis study is to explore how White faculty conceptualize and apply critical race theory (CRT) and culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) to curricula within a college of education and how the perceptions of their students’ identities influence specific pedagogical decisions. The researcher sought to extend the research on CRT in education by analyzing specific, detailed cases and incorporating purposeful sampling by selecting participants who match specific study criteria, i.e. graduate-level White faculty located in Tennessee who teach in programs of education.

This study was limited to six faculty in a college of education (in …