Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Best Practices For Leading A Transition To Standards-Based Grading In Secondary Schools, Alexander Bruce Carter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educational policy researchers have concluded that if U.S. schools transition from the traditional model of grading and reporting to a uniform standards-based grading and reporting model, students would benefit academically. However, very few middle and high schools in the United States have made the transition to standards-based grading. This qualitative research study was designed address the role of leadership in change by identifying a set of best leadership practices to guide school principals in leading such a transition. The conceptual framework was Kotter's change model. A national sample of 7 middle and 5 high school principals from 8 states who …

A Program Evaluation Of The Comprehensive School Reform Model Making Middle Grades Work, Wycondia West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A Program Evaluation of the Comprehensive School Reform Model Making Middle Grades Work

by

Wycondia S. West

MA, Spring Hill College, 2002

BS, Spring Hill College, 1998

Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

Walden University

August 2016

There is increasing concern in the United States about the academic challenges that middle grade students face. Middle schools are not meeting accountability standards, and as a result students are not being adequately prepared for high school. In response to these concerns, a state in the southeastern United States adopted a comprehensive school …

Fresh Fruits And Vegetables In A Rural Elementary School: A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation, Patricia Marie Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program is a federally funded program intended to increase public school students' fruit and vegetable consumption. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to evaluate the implementation of this program at a rural southwestern Title 1 elementary school to determine teacher perceptions of the program and whether the program met federal goals. Social ecological model and social cognitive theory grounded the investigation. The mixed method design included semi-structured interviews with 11 teachers accompanied by an anonymous web-based open response questionnaire and document reviews. Descriptive statistics were reported for Likert scale survey items and invoice documents …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Strategies For Choosing And Evaluating Alternative Assessments In Online Higher Education, Robert James Streff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have shown that not all students are assessed effectively using standard testing formats. However, it is unclear what alternative methodology would be useful to determine whether students have acquired the skills necessary for today's global market. This research study's purpose was to understand the processes instructors use when choosing and designing alternative assessments in higher education online courses to measure student performance. Using Gagné's conditions of learning and Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework to understand these processes, this qualitative case study examined 8 participants teaching online at Midwestern public universities. Interview data and course artifacts, including syllabi, rubrics, assessments, …

Persistence, Major, Vocational Technical Preparation, And Provisional Acceptance At A Private For-Profit Hospitality College, Joshua Luke Seery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a private for-profit hospitality college in Philadelphia, there are rising percentages of students not persisting to the sophomore year. The study was grounded by the theoretical framework of Tinto's model of student retention. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to examine the relationship between student persistence and the academic variables of major, vocational technical preparation, and provisional acceptance. The relationship was analyzed using a chi-square test of independence. The data collected for the study came from archival data based upon the sample of 162 full-time students enrolled during the August 2014 class start in the majors of …

Integration Of Place-Based Education Into Science Classes From Prekindergarten Through Grade 5, Terri Adele Wade-Lyles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a large urban district in Ohio, 29.2% of Grade 5, 28.7% of Grade 8, and 45.7% of Grade 10 students passed the state test in science. School district administrators formed a community partnership with local science institutions in order to provide students with hands-on place-based learning experiences intended to improve science academic achievement in PK-Grade 5. The purpose of this qualitative program evaluation was to determine the level of implementation of that place-based program by examining the efficacy of the teachers' embedded professional development and their experiences with the training components. Bruner's theory of cognitive development was used to …

Teacher Well-Being And Virginia Standards Of Learning, Matthew W. Mccarty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) were created by the Virginia Department of Education as a method to assess student learning. The SOLs were implemented in the mid-1990s and were used as end of grade and end of course assessments for grades 3-8 and secondary courses. The SOLs have taken on a foundational role within the Virginia public schools as they now count toward student graduation and teacher evaluation. Virginia now uses a teacher evaluation system that is in large part based upon student performance on the SOL assessments. This evaluation system is in place in all public school divisions …

Impact Of Single Gender Programs On Achievement, Attendance, Discipline, And Character: A Program Evaluation Project, Carla L. Sparks Dr.

Dissertations

The instance of single gender education in American public schools has risen since the 2006 amendments to Title IX permitting public schools to separate boys and girls for academic purposes. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of single gender education to promote gains in student academic achievement, increase attendance levels, support character development, and decrease student discipline problems. The context of this inquiry is a large public school district that incorporates single gender education applications across the district. My study is focused on an all-girls middle school and an all-boys middle school, and it demonstrates outcomes …

Adaptive Change For An All Boys College Preparatory Public Middle School: A Change Leadership Project, Carla L. Sparks Dr.

Dissertations

As a result of district, state, and national attention on academic achievement, as measured by state assessment tests and end of course examinations, teacher and school leaders at the school identified for this Change Leadership Project (CLP) have worked diligently to raise student rigor and achievement. However, they have used largely instructional practices that rely heavily on the work of educators rather than emphasizing the engagement of students. This CLP provides the basis for a paradigm shift in instructional practice that promotes a full understanding of the value of authentic learning, project based learning, exhibitions of mastery, and capstone projects …

Deaf Children’S Science Content Learning In Direct Instruction Versus Interpreted Instruction, Kim B. Kurz, Brenda Schick, Peter C. Hauser

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This research study compared learning of 6-9th grade deaf students under two modes of educational delivery – interpreted vs. direct instruction using science lessons. Nineteen deaf students participated in the study in which they were taught six science lessons in American Sign Language. In one condition, the lessons were taught by a hearing teacher in English and were translated in ASL via a professional and certified interpreter. In the second condition, the lessons were taught to the students in ASL by a deaf teacher. All students saw three lessons delivered via an interpreter and three different lessons in direct ASL; …

What I Taught My Stem Instructor About Teaching: What A Deaf Student Hears That Others Cannot, Annemarie Ross, Randy K. Yerrick

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Overall, science teaching at the university level has remained in a relatively static state. There is much research and debate among university faculty regarding the most effective methods of teaching science. But it remains largely rhetoric. The traditional lecture model in STEM higher education is limping along in its march toward inclusion and equity. The NGSS and Common Core reform efforts do little to help university science teachers to change their orientation from largely lecture-driven practice with laboratory supplements. While it is impossible to address all diverse student groups, the need for accommodations tend to be overlooked. As a Deaf …

A Needs Analysis For Social Media At A Southern Postsecondary Campus, Sheri Burnett

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education At Morehead State University by Sheri Burnett on October 26, 2015.

A Mixed-Methods (Quantitative-Qualitative) Study To Identify The Perceived Level Of, Zeky Zardo

Dissertations

Different approaches to developing leaders have been established through various forms of self-assessment, action learning, and education and training activities (Smither et al., 2005). The existing body of research on the impact and success of college and university leadership development programs focuses heavily on undergraduate leadership programs and not graduate-level programs such as the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or the doctorate. The purpose of this mixed-methods (quantitative–qualitative) study was to identify the perceived level of transformational leadership skill development by students enrolled in a doctoral program in organizational leadership. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to …

The Role Of Mentor Teachers In The National College Of Education, Adaptive Cycles Of Teaching (Nce Act) And The Improvement Of The Nce Act, Ruth Freedman, Madi Phillips, Diane Salmon

NCE Research Residencies

This paper reports research on a practicebased curriculum, the Adaptive Cycles of Teaching (ACT), supported by a cloudbased technology that enables coaching and feedback to preservice teacher candidates as they engage in classroom instruction. Specifically, the research explored mentor teachers’ perspectives on the benefits and limitations of the ACT literacy model and if mentors’ own literacy instruction practices improved through their involvement with ACT. Ten mentor teachers (grades 16) were interviewed. Interviews were transcribed and thematically coded to address the research questions. Findings indicated that mentors had a positive view of the ACT literacy model, and saw an impact on …

Nefdc Exchange, Volume 28, Fall 2015, New England Faculty Development Consortium

New England Faculty Development Consortium Exchange

Contents

President’s Message: The Importance of Academic Technology - Dakin Burdick, Mlount Ida College

Snow Lessons from a New England Winter: Using Technology Tools to Empower Learning during Class Cancellations - Lori Rosenthal, Lasell College

Call for Proposals for the Spring 2016 Conference

Kairos: The Right Time for the Laboratory as Educational Model - Al DeCiccio, Labouré College

Save the Date: Spring Conference, Tuesday, May 24, 2016; theme: Inclusive Excellence: Teaching and Learning in an Increasingly Interconnected World; Tufts University; keynote speaker: L. Lee Knefelkamp, Columbia University and AAC&U

Universal Design for Learning for 21st Century Success - Katie Novak, …

Exploring The Relationship Between Cultural Intelligence And Teacher Burnout In The Mississippi Delta, Lakeysha Hallmon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

School districts in the Mississippi Delta are located within one of the poorest regions in the United States (United States Census Bureau, 2012). These school districts face challenges such as low reading and math scores, high concentrations of students living in poverty, and a critical shortage of teachers. Researchers link the critical shortage to high turnover rates and the associated teacher burnout (Darling-Hammond, 2010). The problem of teacher burnout and the consequential attrition that persists in the Mississippi Delta may be ascribed to a cultural disconnect between teachers and students (Brown-Jeffy & Cooper, 2011). Thus, in this exploratory, correlational study, …

A Program For Persistent Integration Of Faith And Learning In A Christian University Online Environment, John Norris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia has expanded since 1971 to become the largest Christian university in the world. Liberty will be used in this paper as a contemporary example of a Christian university that has maintained its Christian commitment. Liberty will be contrasted with numerous Christian colleges and universities that had similar missions but have eventually lost their religious affiliations and their Christian-oriented focus. This paper will explore how and why other universities have drifted from their original religious affiliations and doctrines. The reasons and processes will be examined and used to develop a program for online Christian education that …

Exploring The Convergence Of Ministry, Tenure And Efficacy: A Phenomenological Study Of Long-Tenured Pastors, Joshua Strunk

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In recent years there has been an increased interest in understanding the cultivation of effective pastoral ministry. While much has been written on the dynamics of short-tenure, less attention has been devoted to the dynamics of long-tenure. Why do pastors stay and how do they perceive their efficacy is affected by this? In light of this gap, the purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of long-tenured senior pastors. Data was collected by a purposeful sampling of 10 participants and consisted of a combination of documentation, field notes and interviews. Data analysis utilized Moustakas’ methodology …

Translating Rich Learning Assessments Into Certified Results And University Selection Devices, Gabrielle Matters

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

There are challenges in designing a set of high-quality processes in senior assessment and tertiary entrance that meet the needs of future senior secondary school students and future users of the certified results of learning assessments. Assessment and selection arrangements should look to the future rather than backwards to arrangements that might have existed in the past or that presently operate, unexamined, in other places. Teachers need to be convinced that the richness of students’ learning assessments will not be lost or transmogrified in any new processes for grading or ranking. A set of principles should guide the design of …

Social Justice And Technocracy: Tracing The Narratives Of Inclusive Education In The United States, Scot Danforth

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Over the past two decades, the percentage of American students with disabilities educated in general classrooms with their nondisabled peers has risen by approximately fifty percent. This gradual but steady policy shift has been driven by two distinct narratives of organisational change. The social justice narrative espouses principles of equality and caring across human differences. The narrative of technocracy creates top-down, administrative pressure through hierarchical systems based on quantitative performance data. This article examines these two primary policy narratives of inclusive education in the United States, exploring the conceptual features of each and initiating an analysis of their application in …

Tennessee Per-Pupil Expenditures In Special Education And Academic Achievement, Melanie C. Davidson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Federal legislation known as the No Child Left Behind act has required states to close achievement gaps. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between special education spending by districts in the state of Tennessee and standardized achievement for students with disabilities.

Secondary data were obtained from the Tennessee Department of Education’s website (www.tn.gov/education). Data from each local education association were collected for the years of 2010-2014 in the areas of special education spending, special education population, and TCAP proficiency percentages in reading and math grades 3-8. Data from each local education association were collected …

Autism Spectrum Disorders: Available Public Education Programming And The Influence Of Professional Perceptions, Heather Wilmot

All Theses And Dissertations

A mixed-methods research study was conducted in a small, rural western Maine school department. The intent of this research was to reveal what kind of programming is available to students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and how the availability of programming is influenced by the perceptions of educators and leaders in a public school department. In addition, the research addressed how the background and professional development of the employees impacted the availability of programming for students with ASD. Forced survey questions included quality indicators for programming for students with ASD and pre-selected follow-up focus groups questions were used.

Data analysis …

What Professional Development Practices Support The Successful Integration Of Technology Within A Standards-Based Educational (Sbe) System, Richard A. Green

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the relationship between K-12 teachers’ current technology skill level, their self-efficacy as teachers, and their attitude toward changes required to integrate 21st-century technologies into their classrooms. Twenty-five members of the teaching staff from a rural School Department in Maine participated. This study describes the following: (a) What is the relationship between teachers’ current skills/ability using technology and their attitude towards integrating 21st-century technologies in the classroom? (b) What is the relationship between teachers’ current self-efficacy towards using technology, and their capacity towards integrating 21st-century technologies in the classroom? and (c) What …

No Excuses Charter Schools: A Meta-Analysis Of The Experimental Evidence On Student Achievement, Albert Cheng, Collin Hitt, Brian Kisida, Jonathan N. Mills

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

While charter schools differ widely in philosophy and pedagogical views, the United States’s most famous urban charter schools typically use the No Excuses approach. Enrolling mainly poor and minority students, these schools feature high academic standards, strict disciplinary codes, extended instructional time, and targeted supports for low-performing students. The strenuous and regimented style is controversial amongst some scholars, but others contend that the No Excuses approach is needed to rapidly close the achievement gap. We conduct the first meta-analysis of the achievement impacts of No Excuses charter schools. Focusing on experimental studies, we find that No Excuses charter schools significantly …

Exploring The Use Of Teaching Strategies To Impact The Academic And Social Challenges Faced By First-Generation College Students, Susan Smierciak Lueders

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have shown that roughly one-third of the total students at four-year universities are the first in their families to attend college. These students are commonly referred to as first-generation college (FGC) students. The percent of total college students who are FGC students is expected to rise as the children of working-class, predominantly “blue collar” baby boomers, and the children of immigrants reach college age and enter the college arena. However, these students often enter college with unique academic and social challenges that result in an attrition rate of almost twice that of non- FGC students. While numerous studies …

A Study Of The Impact Of Mental Contrasting And Implementation Intentions On Academic Performance, Suzanne Velasquez-Sheehy

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the national high school graduation rate is 81% and only 59% of college enrolled students in 2006 obtained a college degree within ten years of entering 9th grade (U. S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2014). Studies conclude that high school grades predicted academic performance no matter what type of high school the students attended and that students who had good grades went on to graduate from college as a result of self-efficacy, motivation, and academic goals (Bowen, Chingos, & McPherson, 2011). Limited research suggests that using mental contrasting and implementation …

Australian Students In A Digital World, Sue Thomson

Policy Insights

This century has seen continued exponential growth in the use of digital technologies. In Australia, the proportion of students having access to a computer at home rose from about 91 per cent in 2000 to over 99 per cent in 2013, and access to the internet grew from 67 per cent in 2000 to 98 per cent in 2013. According to the 2013 report on the International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement’s (IEA) International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS), Australia had the highest percentage of students who used computers at school at least once a week (81%), …

Global Perspectives: Exploring School-Based Brazilian Librarianship Through Institutional Ethnography, M. Johnston, Lucy Santos Green

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Presentations

No abstract provided.

Non-Cognitive Abilities And Spanish Regional Differences In Student Performance In Pisa 2009, Ildefonso Mendez, Gema Zamarro, Jose G. Clavel, Collin Hitt

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

The goal of this paper is to analyze the role that non-cognitive skills and, in particular, regional differences in those skills, play on the observed differences in 15-year-old student’s academic performance, across Spanish regions, on PISA 2009. Previous research has shown the relevance of differences in student’s personal, family and school characteristics in accounting for academic differences across Spanish regions but it has also found that a sizeable part of the observed differences remained unexplained. We have found that differences in the distribution of certain non-cognitive skills associated to academic performance like focus, perseverance and resilience play a prominent role …

The Intergenerational Transmission Of Noncognitive Skills And Their Effect On Education And Employment Outcomes, Ildefonso Mendez, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

We use information on second-generation migrants to study the existence of a cultural component on the formation process of noncognitive skills and its effect on education and employment outcomes. Our measures of noncognitive skills include: personality traits that children are encouraged to learn and civic capital. Individuals whose cultural heritage places a lower value on child qualities positively associated to the conscientiousness personality factor report lower education, worse occupational status and lower wages on average. Individuals with a higher inherited civic capital declare a higher educational level, but we find no effect of civic capital on adult labor market outcomes.