Education Commons^™

Portraits Of Meaning Attached To A Rural School Through The Community It Serves, Dena Jo Palmaymesa

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The purpose of this study was to identify the meanings that one community, in an isolated part of a Northwest town in the United States, associated with their remote school. This study applied, in part, the portraiture method within qualitative research, inspired by Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot. Narratives were constructed in partnership between the participants and the teacher-researcher to illuminate themes such as community relationships, trust, being known, communication, family involvement, and challenges associated with living in a rural, remote setting. Educational challenges currently face many students and families as the effects of COVID-19 influence them. One such impact is mobility within …

Nebline, August 2021

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

The Myths & Facts of Head Lice

Coping with Picky Eating

Recipes of the Month

6 Common Composting Questions

Garden Guide: Things to do this Month

Tips for a Fun and Educational Day at the Fair

Kissing Bugs in Nebraska

Lancaster County Super Fair, July 29-Aug. 7, 2021

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award

4-H Teen Council Invites New Members

4-H Gold Tournament Fundraiser, Oct. 3

4-H’ers Test Family and Consumer Science Skills at Life Challenge

4-H Clover College: 48 Workshops of Hands-on Learning!

4-H’ers Test Their Knowledge of Animals and Decision-Making Skills at PASE

4-H District Horse Results

4-H Announcements …

Standardized Testing And The Call For Alternative Assessment Methods, Rebekah Weiss

Masters Projects

Standardized testing has become the primary means of measuring success of students, educational stakeholders, and educational entities themselves, in turn permeating a practice of subsidiarity while further segregating educational opportunities for the American public. The research suggests this gap in practice is due to federal mandates enforcing standardized testing policies that hinder educational leaders from assessing students in more reliable ways. The experimental qualities of the research also contribute to this gap because the educational research holds a lack of generalizability and weak external validity due to subject and researcher bias’. This practice in subsidiarity could be addressed by taking …

Incorporating Systematic Phonics Instruction Into Daily Reading Curriculum, Rachel Pennock

Masters Projects

Research reiterates how instilling a strong reading foundation in young students is vital to their growth in the future. Today, students in early elementary need continuous support in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. In order to meet the needs of students, teachers must incorporate a systematic phonics program into their daily reading instruction.

A systematic phonics program uses a scope and sequence to teach reading skills to students. It begins with phonemic awareness and evolves into basic decoding skills, as well as word recognition. Teachers teach new skills through whole group instruction, and alongside students through intentional small …

A Phenomenological Study Of How English Teachers' Beliefs Affect Their Grammar Instruction, Athena Pualeilani Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how beliefs about grammar affected the grammar instruction of 10 high school English teachers in central Florida. Fishbein and Ajzen’s (2010) theory of reasoned action guided the study since the theory shows the relationship between beliefs and actions. A phenomenological design with a transcendental approach was used, and data was collected through three methods: interviews, observations, and participant reflections. Data was analyzed according to Moustakas’ (1994) steps for data analysis. Data analysis included horizonalization, theme development, textural descriptions, structural descriptions, composite descriptions, and a synthesized essence of the experience. Many participants …

A Case Study Of Teachers Of Elementary Gifted Students And Their Perceptions Of Best Practices For Teaching Visual Spatial Activities In The Classroom, Sandra J. Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Elementary gifted students with spatial strengths are often overlooked, under identified, and underserved in elementary school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify how visual spatial training can be implemented in the elementary gifted curricula and how the teachers of the gifted program can be supported in their efforts to develop visual spatial activities for the elementary gifted classroom in a large, urban school district in South Carolina. There are approximately 35 teachers of the district’s elementary gifted program. This program services those students in grades 3, 4, and 5 who qualified based on state-mandated criteria. The …

White Coat Remediation: Understanding Medical Students’ Academic Remediation Experiences, Lauren Elizabeth Daly

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experience of academic remediation for medical students at an osteopathic medical school. Two theories guided this study: Bronfenbrenner and Ceci’s bioecological theory and Tajfel and Turner’s social identity theory. Research questions focused on understanding the emotional experience of failure within the medical education context, and the subsequent experience of involvement in the academic remediation process. Purposeful sampling was used to identify 10 medical students who did not pass one or more courses in their didactic curricula and underwent academic remediation as a result. The central question guiding this …

Perceptions Of The Sources Of Self-Efficacy In Special Education Teachers Of Writing: A Phenomenological Study, Jennifer Marlene Ludtke

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of intermediate special education teachers regarding the factors that influence their self-efficacy toward teaching writing to students with disabilities. Students with learning disabilities rank at the bottom of national test scores for writing, resulting in a dire need for increased writing instruction (Institute of Education Sciences, 2011). Special education teachers may struggle to provide adequate writing instruction because of a lack of training, resources, support, or low self-efficacy (Graham, 2019; Hodges et al., 2019; Risko & Reid, 2019). Teacher self-efficacy influences student self-efficacy and positive student outcomes (Bandura, …

Effects Of Nonmusical Factors On Virginia High School Band Concert Performance Assessment Results, Larry Michael Seipp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nonmusical factors affect the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA) concert performances and subsequent assessment results; namely, school size, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. A comparison of ratings given by individual trained evaluators demonstrates interrater reliability. A comparison of final ratings given at different assessment locations and times reflects the reliability of ratings. However, administrators and evaluators must consider nonmusical factors to report instrumental music performance results accurately. Predictor variables included SES, school size, and minority percentage. Outcome variables included overall band rating and band performance literature difficulty. Using an MLR design, the researcher compared data from the 2019 VBODA …

The Predictive Relationship Between Elementary Pre-Service Teacher Praxis Subject Assessment Scores And Pedagogical Knowledge, Miranda Arnold

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of elementary pre-service teachers’ pedagogical knowledge with the predictor variable of content knowledge. This quantitative, correlational study measured content knowledge through the Praxis Subject Assessment – Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects scores, including the four subtests: Reading and Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. The criterion variable of pedagogical knowledge was obtained through the scores from the Candidate Preservice Assessment of Student Teaching Form. Scores from the two assessment instruments for 167 elementary education pre-service teachers were collected through archived data from one educator preparation program. A multiple regression analysis …

Preschool Teachers' Lived Experiences Embracing Challenges In Preparing Students For Kindergarten: A Phenomenological Study, Rhodora A. Alonzo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology was to describe pre-school teachers’ lived experiences embracing challenges in preparing students for kindergarten at a public school district in Mid-Atlantic State. The theory that guides this study was Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory keying in on the zone of proximal development (ZPD), which represents the amount of learning possible by a student, given the proper instructional conditions. The research questions include, “What do pre-school teachers perceive as challenges to preparing students for kindergarten?” “What are teachers’ perceptions about the importance of alignment between the pre-school and kindergarten programs?” “What are markers of pre-school students that …

The Relationship Between Language Mindsets And Foreign Language Anxiety, Jared David Barber

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The learning of a second language is distinct from other types of learning, and it involves a complex interplay of cognitive, affective, motivational, and emotional factors. Language mindset, the beliefs that learners hold regarding their language learning ability, is one important affective factor, as is language anxiety. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to discover whether a relationship exists between language mindsets and foreign language anxiety for university second language students at a large central Virginia university. The study used four bivariate linear regressions to examine correlations between the predictor variable, foreign language anxiety, and four language mindset-related …

Teacher Perspectives Of Factors That Cause High School Dropout Rates For Latino Students: A Case Study, Isis Yahaira Gonzalez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to identify and report the experiences of high school teachers working with at-risk Latino students on prevention high school dropout in public schools in Los Angeles, California. This study was beneficial as it informed school administrators and teachers on the factors that cause Latino students to drop out of high school and highlight successful strategies and interventions used to retain at-risk students in school. The theory that guided this study is the cultural ecological theory by John Ogbu. Focus groups, open-ended semi-structured interviews, and observational field notes were the tools utilized …

A Case Study Of Combat Student Veteran Success In Higher Education, Mona Fazzina

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that support combat student veterans in a private institution of higher education. The theory guiding this study was Astin’s developmental theory of student involvement for higher education. The conceptual framework guiding the study was Vacchi’s model of student veteran support. The theory and conceptual framework explain the relationship between what these nontraditional students bring to the academic experience, the role of educators, and factors contributing to, or detracting from their success in higher education. Combat student veterans, and staff of support services were interviewed, and …

Is Being Respectable Enough?: A Critical Investigation Of Code-Switching And The Lived Experiences Of Black Leaders Who Work At Nonprofits In Bridgertown, Ramona Crawford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current literature on Black nonprofit leaders is scarce, causing little to be known about the experiences that they have encountered when navigating their roles and responsibilities. Even less literature is available on these Black leaders and their usage of code-switching strategies when attempting to navigate those same nonprofits. Based on themes uncovered during the literature review this study employs an in-depth narrative inquiry qualitative methodology. While using theories such as critical race theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 200; Ladson-Billings,1998), the politics of respectability (Higginbotham, 1993) and the theory of capital (Bourdieu, 1985; 1996) the researcher examines the leadership experiences of …

Equality Of Educational Opportunity In China: Factors From Family, School, And Shadow Education, Qin Xiang

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The study focused on Equality of Educational Opportunity (EEO) in China from the aspects of family, shadow education, and school. The main purpose was to find the influence of factors from the three aspects on people’s educational outcomes. The interaction effects among family, shadow education, and school were emphasized to check how the three aspects correlated with each other and how shadow education and school moderated the effect of students’ family background on the (un)equal distribution of educational outcomes. The study used PISA 2015 data to analyze the association of predictors from family, shadow education, and school with students’ achievement …

Challenges Of Industrial Heritage Renovations, Huiyang Gong

English Language Institute: Architecture Posters

No abstract provided.

Modern Languages, Modern Learning: Tandem Language Programs In K-12 Education, Sarah Cremin

Honors Projects

The following essay will discuss research on the benefits and drawbacks of implementing intercultural exchange by means of Tandem language learning programs in K-12 Schools. One promising outlet to foster global communication and internationalization of learning is Tandem language learning. Authors María Vassallo and João A. Telles share the following definition: "Foreign language learning in-tandem involves pairs of (native or competent) speakers whose aim is to learn each other's language by means of bilingual conversation sessions." The focus of this research is to evaluate the appeal, effectiveness, utility, and reliability of these online programs in the context of today's classrooms.

Cohesion: Uniting Reading And Writing!, Erika Warnick, Elaine Ramzinski, Tasha A. Vice

Reading Faculty Publications (Archived)

The purpose of this text, or should we say guide, is to help all students in English composition classes - whether stand-alone or coupled with reading courses - understand the connections and the cohesive aspect of reading and writing. The authors used their own years of teaching both reading and writing, for all levels in college, to explain concepts in a straightforward and clear manner for students. The goal is that this becomes a resource - a FREE resource – students can return to time and time again when they have questions or need a refresher even after their English …

2021-August-01-Etsu's Community Health Centers Receive $1.9 Million Hrsa Grant.Pdf, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY – East Tennessee State University’s Community Health Centers, managed by the College of Nursing, received approximately $1.9 million in grant funding from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) that will help provide continued and enhanced health care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

On April 1, HRSA awarded more than $6 billion from the American Rescue Plan to Community Health Centers nationwide. Health centers will be able to use the funds to support and expand COVID-19 vaccination, testing and treatment for vulnerable populations; deliver needed preventive and primary health care services to those at higher …

Analyzing The Students' Intention To Use Online Learning System In The Context Of Covid-19 Pandemic: A Theory Of Planned Behavior Approach, Kamel Mouloudj, Ahmed C. Bouarar, Karolina Stojczew

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

COVID-19 caused universities to close their doors and compelled the switch toward online education system, Although this option was the best and the only way that guarantees the continuity of studies, yet students were not satisfied, in front of this situation exploring the key factors that affect students' intention to accept online education is of vital importance, and that is what the study seeks to pursuit. To empirically test the intentions to use online learning, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was applied to Algerian university students. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 213 college students of six …

Synchronous Sessions During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, Babak Khoshnevisan, Rabea Alfahad

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

COVID-19, for sure, was the most pervasive test to the use of technology in education. In the last few decades, a barrage of technological tools was crafted and developed in pursuit of ameliorating the learning process for learners across the world. The efforts to find the best technology and the most effective modus operandi to integrate technology into teachers’ practice in and out of classrooms was still immature that the pandemic struck and exacerbated the situation. Now, the once-deemed-useful technologies become the refuge for learning. Today, distance education is no luxury, but an urgent need. The students who do not …

The Learner’S Engagement And Mobile Learning Environment: A Proposal Of An Integrated Model, Zakariya Belkhamza

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The emergence of mobile technology has changed the way humans behave and act. Learning behavior is an essential aspect that required investigation regarding this technology. Since its inception, mobile technology in the learning context has yet to receive enough attention. The idea of employing the least effort or least energy to fulfill a need is a crucial notion in mobile learning. The lazy user model illustrates that the user selects a fulfillment based on the identified user need, user state, and overall effort related to the use of technology. According to the model, the user will most often choose the …

Challenges Affecting Teaching-Learning Processes In Multi-Grade Classes: A Comparison Of Pre-Pandemic And Peri-Pandemic Periods, Muhammed S. Akdas, Mahmut Kalman

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The purpose of the present study is to explore challenges faced by classroom teachers in multi-grade classes from a comparative perspective of pre-pandemic and peri-pandemic processes. The qualitative case study was employed as the research design. Nine classroom teachers working in multi-grade classes in a district of southeastern Turkey were recruited using the criterion-based sampling technique. Three focus group interviewing sessions, three teachers in each session, were carried out to gather data. The researchers utilized a semi-structured interview protocol including eight open-ended questions. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The themes produced were categorized as challenges before the pandemic, challenges …

Using Mnemonic Illustrations In First Reading And Writing: The Case Of Turkish Alphabet, Baris Kalender, Adem Gulec

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This study aims to create mnemonic illustrations for the letters in the Turkish alphabet to be used at the stage of first reading and writing in the first grade. The principles of Pavio's Dual Coding Theory and Sweller et al.'s Cognitive Load Theory were used in the creation of mnemonic letters. This study was designed as a qualitative research in which photo-elicitation method was used in data collection. The study group of the research consists of 25 classroom teachers and 300 students who completed pre-school education and were about to start primary school. The data collection process of the research …

A Pedagogical Framework For A Paradigm Shift In Emergency Paramedic Training: Rescue Service Schools Between Requirement Conflicts And Learning Culture Development, Thomas Prescher, Heiko Konig, Christian Wiesner

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The discussion around changing the culture of teaching and learning with a stronger focus on competence-oriented teaching within a framework of self-development and self-appropriation is not a new discussion in pedagogy. It is apparent that a competence-oriented learning paradigm is required, the need for its implementation has been clearly recognized, however the way to achieve it remains unclear. This paper outlines the paradigm of competence-oriented teaching and learning based on the understanding of constructive alignment. This is the basis for demonstrating, from a system-theoretical perspective, contradictions and conflicting requirements between the entities of the health care system, which can only …

Are Student Teachers Ready To Teach? What Do Different Stakeholders Think?, Erdem Aksoy, Belgin Aydin

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Teaching practice is one of the most important components of teacher education programs, yet (it) has been frequently criticized for including various problems. The curriculum change in 2018 included significant changes improving the applications in Turkey. These changes - ranging from limiting the number of student teachers to having a centralized evaluation system - had significant effects. Yet, how the system change impacted the applications and how this is perceived by the stakeholders have not been studied much. This study aims to identify the perspectives of three stakeholders. Opinions of 63 academics, 24 mentor teachers and 56 student teachers stated …

Learning Efl Online Through Blogger And Flipgrid In Higher Education: A Collaborative Project In Times Of Pandemic, Montserrat Iglesias

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

A methodological online approach for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in a higher education context is presented in this paper. The pedagogical experience is described and examined following a mixed-methods approach based on bibliometric analysis, content analysis, and categorization. The participants were a group of undergraduate students (n=17) at CETT Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy, from the University of Barcelona (Spain), who had to switch to virtual learning due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. They were required to work on a collaborative project arranged in four stages using a …

Intercultural Development In Preservice Teacher Study Abroad, Jon Simmons

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

International teacher education study abroad programs have been proposed as a way to instill intercultural competence in pre-service teachers and help them consider their own cultural identity and the cultural identities of their students. Yet, questions remain about the effectiveness of these programs. This study aims to examine how international teacher education study abroad programs designers consider intercultural competence development. In this review, 14 studies centered on pre-service teacher education with a focus on international experiences for US students are analyzed in order to discover how international teacher education study abroad programs define, describe, and measure intercultural competence in their …

The Opinions Of Primary School Teachers On Multiculturism, Erhan Gormez

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The purpose of this study is to reveal opinions of the primary school teachers on multiculturalism. Within the scope of the study, the opinions of 10 primary school teachers working in different schools in the province of Van have been consulted. This study is a qualitative and descriptive study. Structured interview forms were used to collect data. The obtained data were analyzed by content analysis. In the study, when the results obtained are examined in generally; teachers did not receive an adequate training / seminar on multiculturalism; teachers see themselves insufficient in a multicultural classroom management; teachers generally evaluate multicultural …