Education Commons^™

Perceptions Of Secondary Administrators: Looking At Their Experiences And Practices Supporting Science Instruction, Venicia Ferrell

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Secondary school administrators play a vital role as instructional leaders, specifically those that are aimed at improving students’ learning of science content (Hill & Grossman, 2013). Unfortunately, administrators rarely have a background in science (Halverson et al., 2011). Little is known about an administrator's knowledge of science practices and their ability to support science instruction at the secondary level. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore the relationship between the structure and focus of an administrator’s instructional roles and their capacity to foster quality science support and instruction for teachers and students. Administrators' perceptions of effective support actions …

How Interactions With Staff Relate To Students' Early-Career Success At Small Residential Colleges, Donna L. Fenton

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

College completion in the United States is a complex and incessant problem resistant to change despite decades of effort. To address a precursor to completion, this quantitative study focused on early-career success within college. The problem of this study was to examine settings beyond large research universities and explore how interactions with professional staff affect student success.

Non-experimental research was conducted in Fall 2020, the first full semester of in-person education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were recruited from first-year seminars (FYS) and follow-up seminars (FUS) at a small residential college in the Midwest region of the United States. Of …

Institutional Context Drives Mobility: A Comprehensive Analysis Of How Academic And Economic Factors Relate To International Student Enrollment At United States Higher Education Institutions, Natalie Irby Cruz

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

International student enrollment (ISE) has become a hallmark of world-class higher education institutions (HEIs), particularly as global student mobility has grown exponentially worldwide in the last several decades. Although the United States (U.S.) has welcomed the largest numbers of international students since the 1950s, ISE shrunk by 10% in the previous three years from an all-time high of 903,127 students in 2016/2017 (IIE, 2019). A synthesis of research studies about international student mobility and enrollment highlights the significant role that academic and economic rationales play for international students who choose the United States. This quantitative, ex post facto study focused …

Leading Hispanic Serving Community Colleges: Latinx Faculty Perceptions About The Aacc Competencies, Sanjuanita Chavira Scott

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Latinx students are likely to enter postsecondary education at a community college. This phenomenon has led to the increase in community colleges being designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions. The designation of Hispanic Serving is not driven by mission, but rather by number of enrolled students who identify as Latinx. This preliminary descriptive study examined the perceptions of faculty at four Hispanic Serving community colleges in Texas regarding their proficiency on leadership competencies for faculty, whether there were differences in the perceptions of Latinx and non-Latinx faculty members, and whether certain leadership competencies influence faculty members’ decisions to pursue leadership opportunities. …

The Use Of Counter Narratives As A Prevention And Countering Violent Extremism (P/Cve) Communications-Based Measure: A Study Of Muslim-American Undergraduate Students In Universities And Colleges In California, Mohamed Ahmed

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to contribute to efforts on countering violent extremism and radicalization. This research study measured attitudes towards violent extremist groups and the appeal of violent extremist ideologies among Muslim-American undergraduate students in universities and colleges in California. The target sample group for the study was drawn from Muslim-American undergraduate students from a university and community college within the state. The sample constituted 20 participants, comprised of four focus groups with 5 student respondents each. The researcher used the nomination process to identify participants from the target population. As part of the study’s methodology, a counter-narrative …

Growing Up Rural: A Sensory Ethnography Of Rural Children’S Perspectives On Time, Space, And Place, Rebecca Tilhou

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Rural places afford significant differences in learning opportunity than their urban and suburban counterparts, and are often viewed from deficit perspectives, with a focus on the challenges that are specific to rurality. This locally-focused, qualitative research explored how childhood learning and education in a rural, Mid-Atlantic peninsula of the United States are produced by the interactions between and influences of the place’s geography, history, and culture. Through ethnographic and sensory fieldwork and participatory research with children at a place based learning program for youth housed at a public library, I present a deep examination of both formal and informal learning …

Perceptions Of Burden In Needs Assessment: An Exploration Of Measurement Creation And Validation, Kim N. Pinckney-Lewis

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Needs assessment is a valuable tool in the instructional designer and performance improvement practitioner toolbox. However, it is often avoided due to perceived burdens associated with the needs assessment process. The current research explores needs assessment participants’ perceptions of four proposed components of burden, including: 1) duties, obligations, and responsibilities; 2) cost; 3) needs assessment facilitator skills; and 4) needs assessment facilitator systemic sensitivities. The researcher also developed and tested a Perceived Burden for Needs Assessment Participants Survey (PBNAPS) as a potentially reliable and valid measure of this phenomena. The PBNAPS proved to be both internally consistent (a= 0.86) and …

Exploring The Role(S) Of Community Colleges In Addressing Wicked Problems Through Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: An Entrepreneurial Approach To Sustainability, Samantha Bryant Steidle

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

For years, scientists, policymakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs have warned of social, environmental, and economic risks throughout society. Although researchers have explored the role of baccalaureate-granting institutions in addressing wicked problems of sustainability through multi-stakeholder initiatives, the role of community colleges in addressing wicked problems of sustainability through multi-stakeholder initiatives was largely unknown. Additionally, a research gap existed regarding how the mission of community colleges is aligned with addressing wicked problems of sustainability, such as poverty, inequality, hunger, homelessness, and climate change.

This qualitative case study aimed to answer two research questions: (1) How do leaders of multi-stakeholder initiatives describe …

Principal Pipeline Development In Ghana: A Look At Komenda Edina Eguafo Abriem (Keea) District In The Central Region, Eunice A. Turkson

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

There is no doubt that principals’ roles are important in setting the direction for successful schools, however, current knowledge on the best ways to prepare and develop highly qualified and effective school leaders is sparse (Darling-Hammond, LaPointe, Meyerson, Orr, & Cohen, 2007; Mendels, 2012). As such, the recognition of the importance of school leaders in teaching and learning coupled with a growing shortage of high-quality leaders in American schools, increased the interest in leadership development as a major reform strategy (Darling-Hammond et al., 2007). The investment of tremendous amount of time and resources on school leadership therefore help them to …

Investigating Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Virginia Computer Science Standards Of Learning: A Qualitative Multiple Case Study, Valerie Sledd Taylor

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Computer science education is being recognized globally as necessary to better prepare students in all grade levels, K-12, for future success. As a result of this focus on computer science education in the United States and around the world, there is an increased demand for highly qualified teachers with content and pedagogical knowledge to successfully support student learning. As a result, there is a call to include and improve the computer science training offered to pre-service teachers in their educator preparation programs from methods courses to practicum and student teaching experiences. Thus, it is important to understand how pre-service teachers …

Trauma-Informed Care And Student Outcomes: A K-12 Perspective, Brookeann Maroney

Masters Projects

Trauma negatively impacts student outcomes and is a problem that should be better understood and addressed in our K-12 educational systems. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and other household challenges have a positive correlation with difficulties across the lifespan (Plumb, Bush, & Kerseivich, 2016). This project will seek to explore those difficulties experienced by school-aged children in particular, and how trauma (ACEs) negatively impacts academic performance specifically. ACEs have a detrimental impact on the developing brain and the result of this effects the child in several ways, including behavioral issues at school (Plumb, Bush, & Kerseivich, 2016). Valuable research and evidence …

A Summer Reading Program For Joy And Growth: Using Free Books, Videos, And Little Free Libraries To Empower Students And Parents To Make The Most Of The Summer Months For Reading Growth, Allison Nieboer

Masters Projects

The summer months provide a prime opportunity for elementary children to grow in their reading skills and reading lives. This project investigates successful summer reading programs that leverage the expertise of parents to mediate the effects of summer slide and encourage summer reading growth. The project culminates in a summer reading program that supports both students and parents. Schools can support students by providing free texts and allowing students to choose these books for themselves. Schools can support parents by providing summer reading tips in the form of short, helpful and practical videos. Both students and parents can be supported …

The Importance Of Data-Informed Decision-Making When Analyzing And Selecting Resources For Social-Emotional Learning: A Process For Resource Review And Selection, Taylor S. Lindman

Masters Projects

A rise in student behaviors across the nation have forced educators to consider the most appropriate means for reducing impulsive, defiant, oppositional and aggressive student behaviors. Contrary to historical belief, zero tolerance policies and punitive measures that are reliant on office referrals and suspensions make students feel isolated from the school environment and perpetuate behavior. Growing empirical research supports an alternative solution, social-emotional learning programs, that are commonly focused on student competency development specific to self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Through the development of these social-emotional learning skills, students demonstrate improved attitudes, behaviors and academic achievement, as …

2021 Ijbe V1 Front Matter, Tamra Connor

International Journal for Business Education

1. Editorial Board
2. President's Letter
3. SIEC-ISBE International

Gimme One Reason To Stay Here: Analyzing Retention And Persistence Trends For First- Generation Students In The Glca Through A Financial Lens, Emma Bailey 21

Honor Scholar Theses

No abstract provided.

Information Literacy Skills And College Students: A Mixed-Methods, Action Research Study Of Students’ Knowledge And Self-Efficacy For Applying Information Literacy Skills To Their Academic And Social Lives, Jade Geary

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to examine information literacy skills in undergraduate students. In particular, this research investigated students’ knowledge and self-efficacy of information literacy skills. Furthermore, this study explored students’ application of information literacy and how students apply information literacy skills to their academic and social lives. By developing a greater understanding of students’ knowledge, self-efficacy and the use of information literacy skills, it allows librarians to tailor information literacy instruction to fit students’ needs. The three research questions that guided this study were (1) What are undergraduate students’ knowledge of information literacy at the University of …

A Unified Approach To Estimating The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient And Its Bias: An Exploratory Study, Kelvin Terrell Pompey

Theses and Dissertations

Many methods are used to measure interrater reliability for studies where each target receives ratings by a different set of judges. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of hierarchical linear modeling for estimating interrater reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient. This study provides a description of how the ICC can be estimated using hierarchical linear modeling, recommends an appropriate non-parametric bootstrapping method, illustrates how both can be implemented to obtain a point estimate and an estimate of bias, and explores the viability of using these statistical tools to obtain such estimates. Results indicated that hierarchical linear …

A Case Study Exploring Student Engagement With Technology As Measured By The Arcs And Samr Models, Kyle Ashley Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

This action research case study describes how varying the levels and format of technology integration into high school social studies classroom lessons impact students’ motivation to learn and how the teacher’s effort to support student motivation through the integration of technology supports student achievement. This research study was grounded in the conceptual framework that motivating and engaging students in the classroom (with the introduction of technology) can be very difficult. This study seeks to determine the relationship between student engagement and motivation as classroom lessons are moved along the different levels of the SAMR model, which stands for substitution, augmentation, …

Investigating Technology Integration In A Technology Driven School: A Descriptive Research Study On Skill, Self-Efficacy, Barriers, And Integration Practices, Kela L. Sharpton

Theses and Dissertations

Administrative observations show the use of digital technologies to facilitate learning and technology skill development are inadequate among teachers at a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) accredited magnet school with International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) based student technology guarantees. The purpose of this descriptive research study is to describe teachers’ skill and confidence levels of technology use, teachers’ perception of barriers to their technology integration, and levels of in-class technology integration in a STEAM accredited middle school with student Technology Guarantees in order to develop recommendations for future professional development and technology acquisition.

The research study …

Benefits Of Video Feedback On Low Performing Female Cadets In Physical Education: An Action Research Study, John Borman

Theses and Dissertations

Learning novel physical motor skills can be frustrating for some students. A lack of clear feedback further exacerbates the problem for students’ skill development. This study examined the benefits of using video recording as augmented feedback to inform motor skill development in an applied gymnastics course at a service academy. The primary aim was to identify the effects of video feedback on the instructor/student process for skill evaluation and skill improvement. The secondary aim was to examine at what degree does giving video feedback promote female student motivation to learn, use of deliberate practice, autonomy, and competence. This action research …

Disrupting The Wise Monkey Approach To Principal Preparation, Ryan Pool

Theses and Dissertations

An antiquated approach to school leadership preparation has resulted in a shortage of leaders equipped to confront the challenges of racism and injustice in our school systems. School districts considering significant investment of financial and human resources in leadership preparation programs would benefit from an elevated understanding of how individuals arrive at a level of conscientization, or critical awakening, regarding issues of social justice. This case study examines one district’s approach to principal preparation, focusing on how specific professional learning interventions influenced participants’ beliefs regarding the transformative responsibilities of a school leader, and the common experiences that occurred between participants. …

A Study Of Prosocial Behavior, Workplace Civility, And Work Engagement Among Employees In Higher Education, Shelley Haddock Dempsey

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative research study examined the relationship between prosocial behavior, work engagement, and workplace civility among higher education professionals. The specific university employees it studied were student affairs staff, academic affairs administrators, and faculty. Responses to a survey by a national random sample allowed the researcher to determine the relationship between a respondent’s prosocial nature and both their workplace civility and their work engagement. In the end, all three hypotheses were supported by the data: (a) prosocial behavior scores of student affairs staff and academic affairs administrators are higher than those of faculty, (b) the prosocial behavior scores were positively …

Examining College-Level Ells’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs And Goal Orientation, Hong Shi

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Theoretical Perspectives On International Student Identity, Vander Tavares

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Level Of Academic Performance Among Faculty Members In The Context Of Nepali Higher Educational Institution, Krishna Prasad Paudel

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Tensions, Transformations And Travel: Comparative Narratives Of ‘Becoming’ A Cosmopolitan Educator Through An Overseas Study Tour In Singapore, Hannah Soong, David Caldwell

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Book Review Of: Higher Education In A Globalising World: Community Engagement And Lifelong Learning By Peter Mayo. Manchester University Press, 2019, Rebecca Tarlau

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Improving Student Learning And Number Sense Through The Combination Of Cooperative Learning And Number Talks, Timothy Augustin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This study explores the combination of two pedagogical techniques contributing to the development of mathematical literacy in one sixth grade mathematics class. The techniques involved in this project are cooperative learning, which focuses on the learning environment and Number Talks, which focuses on the development of number sense. This three month study involves implementing cooperative learning groups and instilling Number Talks to one sixth grade class of 20 students daily. For this study, the teacher and students participate in a series of monthly assessments, quantitative and qualitative, that are designed to measure the success of the project. This study intends …

Real-World Learning In Middle School Mathematics, Elizabeth Ackerson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

My research question for my capstone project is: How does incorporating real-world word problems into weekly math curriculum in middle school affect students' learning, engagement, and understanding? I have created a math word problem curriculum, “Word Problem Wednesday”, to be used in my own math classroom to create real-world learning opportunities through problem-solving. I teach 5th-grade math, and I have noticed a lack of understanding of word problems related to problem-solving in the classroom. The curriculum I have developed is based on the need for a curriculum where word problems are purposefully incorporated weekly with meaning while creating understanding. Every …

Play-Based Learning For Young Students, Katherine Marston

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Kindergarten has become a grade level that includes intensive academic demands. The literature reviewed in this capstone states that pushing academic skills upon early learners when they are not developmentally ready can be detrimental to their success. The research shows that play has vast benefits for early learners and should be considered an essential classroom activity. While this is the case, the time allotted for play during the kindergarten school day is steadily decreasing. This capstone uses literature along with the creation of a professional development workshop and stakeholder presentations to answer the question: How might stakeholder support be garnered …