Education Commons^™

Exploring How Faculty Motivations And Professional Development Strategies Influence Digital Literacy Practices In A Study Abroad Program In Italy: A Case Study, Paolo Bartolini

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to explore the multifaceted motivations, perceptions and attitudes that influence digital literacy practices in a small group of study abroad faculty and how professional development can help inspire them to act to innovate their digital literacy practices within a study abroad context. The role of study abroad programs in the U.S. has grown significantly in recent decades. As the number of students participating in these programs continues to increase, so have questions about the role of digital literacy practices in foreign education. Digital literacy embodies a way of learning that focuses …

Neuro-Compostion: Developing The Creative Brain In The Classroom, Tara D. Scarola

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation raises the question of how educators can incorporate research about the human mind to foster and support student growth throughout writing processes. In understanding how our minds process, interpret, and generate writing, valuable insights can be learned about the process of composing. Valuing the varying perspectives students possess and the types of texts with which students engage aid in developing not only what Paul Joy Guilford calls “divergent thinking,” but also a sense of empowerment and ownership over the writing process. In disrupting what Robert Thatcher calls “the phase-lock mode” and guiding students through reworking the writing process …

International Baccalaureate Primary Years Teachers´ Perceptions On Educating Students With Dyslexia, Jennifer Preschern

Theses and Dissertations

Global organizations, such as the United Nations, have increasingly focused on ensuring that students with special needs are receiving high quality education. With schools in over 158 countries worldwide, the International Baccalaureate (IB) system provides an ideal forum to investigate if students with dyslexia globally are receiving adequate instruction. Yet, there is a general lack of research investigating IB schools, specifically for students with learning differences such as dyslexia. Providing a curriculum framework for students ages three to 12, the Primary Years Program (PYP) forms the foundation of the IB system. This quantitative research study used online survey methods to …

The Perceptions Of English Language Learners On Their Level Of Preparedness To Complete College Courses Taught In English: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Drawing Upon Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, John Blicharz

Theses and Dissertations

As the English language learner (ELL) population in the United States continues to grow and the number of non-native speakers entering institutes of higher education increases, there is a growing need to shift the paradigm on how universities serve ELLs. While there is a body of literature to support K-12 literacy, there is little to support college ELLs. As if the lack of research was not enough, ELLs are suffering on standardized tests, college placement tests are waning, and ELLs are not receiving proper advisement, thus suffering in standard English composition courses and failing out. Drawing upon the framework of …

Proactive Interventions For Collegiate Success: Using Response To Intervention With College Students Of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, And Psychology, Jenna Cook

Theses and Dissertations

College student attrition can cause a multitude of issues for students and universities. When a student leaves a program, the student may have to take additional credits and thus spend more on tuition, and the program may lose funding due to reduced enrollment. At a small private university in New Jersey, science, technology, engineering, mathematics and psychology (STEM) students were more likely than non-STEM students to change degree programs and be deemed at risk of failing. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a targeted response to intervention program that used academic coaching positively affected retention and persistence …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Brenda M. Boleyn

Graduate Research Papers

Throughout my life I have tried to engage myself in activities that were opportunities for me to "make a difference." Whether it be involvement in community clean-up projects or parks and recreation programs for children, my intentions were always to use my time to do good for a cause or another person. I carried this belief with me into college while I was in search of what I wanted to become "when I grew up." I looked in several directions on the basis of some fundamental goals I had for myself. First, I knew I wanted to be in a …

Effect Of Increasing Literacy Skills To Improve Inmate Behavior: A Quantitative Study, Katie Lynn Millsap

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effect of increasing literacy skills during incarceration to improve adult inmate behavior, defined as a reduction in disciplinary reports received by participants. Male offenders, 18 years or older, housed in the Iowa Department of Corrections between July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2019 who completed two or more TABE Reading assessments met the inclusion criteria of the study. Multiple regression analyses were run to predict the correlation between the number of disciplinary infraction reports (dependent variable) each inmate received in a correlating timeframe of a TABE Reading assessment (independent variable). The results show that improved literacy …

Adolescent Writing Instruction: A Return To The Sentence, Toni-Ann Meredith Vroom

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to write well is inextricably linked to reading comprehension, acquisition of content knowledge, and college and career readiness. Many adolescent students, especially those from economically challenged (EC) households, struggle in their ability to communicate in writing, especially in writing to explain or inform across subject areas. While high school students are expected to produce compositions and research papers, they often need the most support at the single sentence level. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the characteristics of students’ writing in a high school serving students from predominantly ED households in a large urban setting, …

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In Public Libraries: An Exploratory Case Study Of A Library System In A Majority-Black, Suburban District, Sarah M. Garifo

Theses and Dissertations

The theory of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) (Ladson-Billings, 1995) has been applied primarily in K-12 settings to help educators engage with learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. I argue that public librarians are also educators whose practice is grounded in the need for cultural relevance. However, a review of the literature indicates that CRP has not been applied to the work of public librarianship. I conducted an exploratory case study in order to address this gap in the literature. The population for this study was the staff of “Green County Public Library” (GCPL), a public library system in a majority-Black, suburban …

The Emerging Science Of Wellness In The College Writing Curriculum, Peggy Suzuki

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that the college writing curriculum – and indeed any educational program---would benefit from an emphasis on human wellness and the arts. Wellness consists of one’s emotional, social, spiritual, physical, intellectual, and vocational well-being. Additionally, students’ environmental circumstances, like home life, finances, diet, exercise, and work obligations play a huge role in balancing personal health, especially in marginalized communities. Since one’s physiological and psychological connection impacts one’s identity and health, improving writing in the classroom requires holistic and creative approaches for rewiring individual thinking. I draw from positive psychology, where concepts like complex optimism and positive emotions nurture …

Examining The Relationship Between Automaticity And Oral Reading Comprehension In English Learners, Annamaria M. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation examined the relationship between automaticity and oral reading comprehension in English Learners (ELs) by comparing outcomes with non-English Learners. High fluency rate, or automaticity, is often used as a predictor of reading comprehension in students. Much of the prior research conducted on the relationship between reading rates and oral reading comprehension involved monolingual populations. Few studies have investigated this correlation among EL populations. In this present study, secondary assessment data were retrieved for third-grade students (N = 1,583) across 13 public schools within a single diverse school district in southern Colorado during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school …

An Exploration Of American University-Based Tutoring Programs For English Language Learners, Jennifer Melissa Aguilera

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods explanatory sequential design study is to better understand university-level foreign students’ motivations for attending tutoring sessions. Forty-eight university students were selected based on their enrollment in a university's intensive English language learning program. This study involved two phases of data collection including surveying these students, and then following up with a focus group interview (Creswell, 2015). The 19-item questionnaire asked about perceptions of tutoring effectiveness, motivations for tutoring, and overall experiences with tutoring. Interview questions were informed by the results of the survey in order to further elicit student perspectives and enrich the overall description …

Examining The Benefits Of A Faculty-Run Reading And Writing Lab At A Small, Private University In The Midwest, Dolores Greenawalt

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined if a faculty-run Reading and Writing Lab at a small, private university in the Midwest helped traditionally underserved college freshmen taking developmental English classes increase their levels of self-perceived comprehension and confidence. Students who typically need to take developmental English classes include English as a Second Language (ESL) students, English Language Learners (ELL), immigrants, and first-generation students. Many of these students enter college and face economic and social disparity and may need more support than other students. This mixed methods study examined data from two surveys given to students taking the developmental English class. It also examined …

Expectancy-Value Theory During Challenging Moments: A Narrative Inquiry Into Classroom Dialogic Discussions, Malka Alter Ungar

Theses and Dissertations

This problem solution narrative inquiry explored how expectancy-value theory impacts teachers’ decisions during dialogic discussions. This paper delved into challenging moments teachers faced during dialogic discussion implementation. The purpose was to use this data to better inform the development of teacher-centered and more supportive professional learning opportunities. Participants from two parochial schools were invited to be interviewed about their dialogic discussion experiences. Data was coded using constant-comparative coding and was then restoried within problem solution narrative framework. The narratives were then coded for themes of expectancy, value, and self-efficacy. This study was intended to impact professional development to guide teachers …

The Role Of The Economy In Changing The Achievement Gap Between Different Racial And Ethnic 8th Grade Students’ English Language Arts Test Scores, Dominique Limprevil-Divers

Theses and Dissertations

There is a large achievement gap in literacy between Black and White students in the United States that has been found to be mostly due to both differing learning opportunities as well as to income levels. Meanwhile, much of the research on academic performance has focused on race with less attention on the income of the school neighborhood zip code as a mediating factor in test outcomes for racial/ethnic students. This research investigated trends in English Language Arts test scores compared to income in the surrounding communities among New York City schools’ racial/ethnic groups of middle school students; also, whether …

Examination Of Shamans As Cultural Leaders In The Hmong American Communities, Phoua Y. Vang

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leadership in the world today is under crisis because many individuals serving as positional leaders lack effective leadership capacities. Many organizations choose leaders based on individuals’ academic performance and personality traits; however, those same organizations often experience failures due to the ineffective leadership skills of key personnel charged with managing the organizations (Helsel et al., 2020). The purpose of this study was to investigate Hmong Shamans’ leadership using a qualitative phenomenological research methodology. A semi-structured interview format was used to collect data from eight Hmong Shamans in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Participants were asked to discuss the qualities and behaviors that …

An Exploratory Comparative Case Study Of Successful Fundraising Operations At Three Small, Private, Christian Universities, James Edgar Bender

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Literature suggests that the challenges currently facing higher education will continue, increasing the pressure on institutions to discover and cultivate new funding sources outside of the traditional avenues of tuition, room, board, and fees. Through an exploratory comparative case study research design, the characteristics of the fundraising operations of three small, private, faith-based institutions that have proven successful, as measured by their current U.S. News & World Report and Forbes financial ratings, were examined through individual interviews with six employees at each of these three institutions, including the president, vice president of development, senior development staff members and university trustees. …

Engaging Students With Disabilities In Virtual Learning, Timothy Adams, Jessie Kong, Mike Lefko, Rachelle Peterson

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This professional learning module was designed to help teachers of students with disabilities (SWDs) who are navigating the issues related to virtual learning. The authors have experience in being teachers of SWDs, administrators, and lead teachers. We witnessed the struggles teachers had during the pandemic in engaging SWDs and their parents in virtual learning. This module was designed to help teachers alleviate some of those struggles. Districts might find it beneficial to use this PLM in training all teachers about engaging SWDs virtually as the world of education is leaning in the direction of blended learning, virtual academies, and traditional …

Student-Led Conferences, Kendra Alston, Tabitha Boyd-Collins, Lucia K. Jacobs, Phyllis Marshall

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This professional learning module is designed to lead educators through the process of successfully developing and implementing effective student-led conferences to improve student ownership in their learning and to increase family engagement. The goal is to determine what structures need to be in place in classrooms and schools, to define the key components of student-led conferences, and to explain the impact of implementing student-led conferences on the school community and overall school structure. The module presents current research and resources supporting student-led conferences in school. Resources include activities, videos, and assessments. Educators are presented potential barriers to student-led conferences and …

A Guide To Standards-Based Learning, Geneva Bell, Sarah Rector, Elizabeth Schrecengost, Beth Washle

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This learning module educates parents/guardians and teachers new to the practice to understand what standards-based learning is, why a school system would use it, how to know when students are learning the standards, and the difference from traditional learning.

View professional learning module.

Biochemistry And Molecular Biology Master's Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Science And Mathematics, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Master's Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Greek Baccalaureate Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Liberal Arts, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's Greek Baccalaureate Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Physics, B.S. Baccalaureate Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Science And Mathematics, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's Physics, B.S. Baccalaureate Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Anthropology Baccalaureate Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Liberal Arts, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's Anthropology Baccalaureate Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

International And Comparative Politics Master's Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Liberal Arts, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's International and Comparative Politics Master's Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Political Science Baccalaureate Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Liberal Arts, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's Political Science Baccalaureate Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Medical Laboratory Science Baccalaureate Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Science And Mathematics, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's Medical Laboratory Science Baccalaureate Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

History Baccalaureate Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Liberal Arts, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's History Baccalaureate Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Acting Baccalaureate Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Liberal Arts, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's Acting Baccalaureate Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Earth And Environmental Sciences Master's Degree Annual Program Outcomes Assessments, 2020-21, College Of Science And Mathematics, Wright State University

Annual Program Outcomes Assessments - All

This report reviews Wright State University's Earth and Environmental Sciences Master's Degree program for the 2020-2021 academic year.