Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Exploring Stem Kit Diagrams For Braille Readers In Inclusive Classrooms, Sariat A. Adelakun Dr

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Diagrams appears in many school subjects but more prominent in science and mathematics taught in schools. Accessing these diagrams in an inclusive classroom has been identified to be problematic for blind students partly due to the teaching resources available and personnel type, support and sufficiency. Diagrams are mostly omitted by teachers leaving the blind person out in such classroom to access portion of education received by their peers. In many instances, questions with diagrams are treated as bonus for blind students in some countries which is not fair to them. This study explored the efficacy of STEM Kit diagrams on …

Effects Of Participation In The Summit Learning Platform By Gender On Student Academic Achievement, Taryn Enjoli Echols

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the effects by gender of the Summit Learning Platform on student achievement in mathematics, English, reading, and Science measured by the ACT Aspire Summative Assessment for ninth-grade students in four schools in Arkansas. This study provides an in-depth study of mastery learning versus personalized learning through the Summit Learning Platform. The theoretical framework is centered on the comparisons of the mastery mode of learning. Schools A and D participated in the Summit Learning Platform for 2 years. Schools B and C did not participate in the personalized learning platform. Scores from 120 …

Evaluating An Evidenced Based Program: Ruling Our Experiences (Rox) For 9/10-Year-Old Girls In The Yough School District, Lisa Mumau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During elementary school years, girls experience social, emotional, and physical changes that affect their abilities to manage relationships and establish positive images of themselves. Given the aforementioned issues, girls need effective elementary school programming to support positive self-esteem and the development of girls’ Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Competencies. The purpose of this mixed-method study focused on evaluating the Ruling Our Experiences (ROX) program for 9/10-year-old girls. The methods used were designed to address the three research questions: Based on the implementation of the ROX program in Yough elementary schools, to what extent do participants exhibit a greater level of positive …

Quality In All Levels: A Model Defining And Measuring Quality In Bioethics Education, Ercan Avci

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the lack of academic studies in the quality assessment of bioethics education, this dissertation aimed to propose a normative model, Quality in All Levels (QAL), to define and measure quality in bioethics education. The QAL model described quality in bioethics education as conformance to the goals and determined these goals as (1) increasing ethical knowledge, (2) improving ethical skills to strengthen ethical sensitivity, awareness, and judgment, (3) developing ethicalbehavior, and (4) promoting cultural competence. The dissertation utilized Avedis Donabedian’s three approaches: structure, process, and outcome to formulate quality standards and indicators in bioethics education. In respect of …

Udl And Motivation: Student Perceptions Of The Impact Of Universal Design For Learning On Motivation Of First-Year Community College Students In Rural East Tennessee, Jennifer Mayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the perceptions of how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) impacts motivation in first-year community college students in rural East Tennessee. This study investigated the effects of UDL on motivation of first-year community college students in East Tennessee. This involved multiple sections of courses participating in a UDL pilot training program with the college’s Instructional Design department. Two of the courses were part of the UDL pilot, and two of the courses were teaching the Standard approved Master Curriculum. The study had a total of 109 participants, and 9 research questions were …

Case Study Of Special Educator's Pegagogical Practices Beyond Year One Of Teacher Residency., Ryan Derek Derousselle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 in conjunction with Teacher Quality Partnerships requires university-based teacher education programs to develop and sustain highquality teachers (United States Department of Education, 2017). Teaching is a science grounded in a body of literature supported by effective research-based techniques. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine co-teaching influences on the first-year teaching practices of special educators trained in a university-based teacher residency program. Specifically, this study investigated which co-teaching strategies, if any, did special education residents implement as the teacher of record. Through the lens of social development theory, this research …

Students’ Perceptions And Experiences: African American Students In Band And Orchestra Programs, Sharese Pearson-Bush

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore how African American students in a South Carolina metropolitan area perceived their experiences in band and orchestra at their middle school. Fifty-one sixth through eighth grade students responded to an inventory that measured students’ predisposition to music, pedagogical preferences, and cultural awareness. Furthermore, seven of the fifty-one students engaged in individual, semistructured interviews that measured students’ personal connection to musical experiences within their culture and communities. This study examined the minimal rate at which African American students participated in music programs through the conceptual lens of African-Centered Pedagogy and Culturally Responsive …

Who Is Riding The Bus And How Does It Impact Student Sleep, Attendance, Discipline, Mental Health, And Achievement?, Curtis Neil Hicks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to determine the relationship between morning transportation mode choice, sleep, and factors that impact achievement for students in grades 9-12 at Sleepy Valley High School. The study also examined the relationship between race and/or socioeconomic status and morning transportation mode choice to determine to what extent, if any, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and minority populations are disproportionally affected by the district’s pupil transportation system.

Data related to morning transportation mode choice, factors that impact mode choice, student sleep, and mental health were collected through a 12 question Student Transportation Survey. Each survey …

Teen Stress And The High School Experience: Fostering The Adaptive Abilities To Survive And Advance, William P. Dewitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose if this study is to examine the stress experience of teenagers during their high school years. The study uses existing research to identify causes of stress and stress- management techniques and then gathers students’ perceptions through surveys and a group interview to provide student voice on the issue of stress.

Recent nation-wide efforts have been made in schools to provide more supports for the social and emotional well-being of students, but despite these efforts, stress levels of high school students remain elevated. Understanding the ways in which students identify stress and the adaptive abilities they use to manage …

Getting To Denver: Instructor Participation In The Design Of Writing Program Assessment Technologies, Soha Fransis Turfler

English Language and Literature ETDs

This dissertation presents a framework for writing instructor participation in the design of writing program assessment technologies. I base this framework on a case study into the participation of 16 non-tenure track (NTT) and graduate teaching assistant (GTA) writing instructors in the design of a final portfolio assignment prompt for the first-year composition (FYC) program at the University of New Mexico (UNM). I specifically question how Writing Program Administrators (WPAs) and assessment designers can address the needs, interests, and values of writing instructors in the design of writing program assessment technologies, including the important need for agency and professional autonomy. …

The Accessibility Of Mathematical Notation On The Web And Beyond, Jason White

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This paper serves two purposes. First, it offers an overview of the role of the Mathematical Markup Language (MathML) in representing mathematical notation on the Web, and its significance for accessibility. To orient the discussion, hypotheses are advanced regarding users’ needs in connection with the accessibility of mathematical notation. Second, current developments in the evolution of MathML are reviewed, noting their consequences for accessibility, and commenting on prospects for future improvement in the concrete experiences of users of assistive technologies. Recommendations are advanced for further research and development activities, emphasizing the cognitive aspects of user interface design.

The Potential Impact Of Online Learning On Economically Disadvantaged Students, Anthony M. Tartaglia

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Opportunity gaps have consistently been prevalent in the United States’ education system and that continues today. The struggle to provide economically disadvantaged students the equity necessary to ensure opportunities exist, similar to those present for students of economic advantage, remains a pervasive dilemma for which there are few solutions. As technology continually changes the global marketplace, it is doing the same to education. Educators have an enormous impact on the lives of their students, both in and out of the classroom and through their instruction, there are techniques available to ensure that students remain engaged. One such method is by …

The Relationship Between Academic Advising And Student Motivation On The Persistence Of Freshman Exploratory Studies Students, Marlene N. Fares

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Academic advising is associated with increased student retention and academic success. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate a relationship with the student-advisor relationship and locus of control as an essential variable to understand Exploratory Studies students’ success. This study investigated the influence of the advising relationship with Exploratory Studies students and their locus of control as it impacts their overall retention and persistence. Based on Kutztown University (KU) institutional data sources, over 9 percent of freshmen Exploratory Studies students fail at least one course in their first semester at KU. In addition to satisfaction with advising and …

Inclusive Classrooms: Elementary Regular Classroom Teachers’ Perceived Stressors And Supports Needed To Effectively Teach Students With Special Needs, Nichole W. Gainey

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the proportions of students with special needs in elementary classrooms and regular elementary teachers’ stressors and needs for professional development support. The conceptual framework for the study was derived from critical mass theory and tipping point theory. The design of this dissertation study was non-experimental survey research of a non-random, purposive sample of 52 regular elementary classroom teachers who taught students with special needs. The researcher used a broad definition of students with special needs to include those who were working on a RtI Tier 2 or Tier 3 …

Program Evaluation Of A District’S Elementary School Wellness Curriculum To Improve Undergraduate Training, Katie Boyer

Dissertations

This doctoral research project examined elementary teachers’ preparation to teach health content (Emotional, Relationships, Growth and Development, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Hygiene, Safety, Substance Use/Misuse, Diseases, Environmental/Consumer/Community Health) within the framework for a state’s certification and qualifications. The study used a mixed-methods approach in a Midwest school district to discover components of undergraduate certifications, current teaching methods, and potential modifications to the curriculum. While all surveyed elementary teachers were licensed to teach the health content, many were not formally qualified to teach the material due to content gaps in their teacher preparation programs. The study concluded that undergraduate institutions preparing teachers …

The Effectiveness Of Read 180 At A Cooperative High School In New England (Chsne), Michael E. Daboul

All Theses And Dissertations

Over the last decade, schools have employed a variety of intervention plans to assist below grade-level achieving students to quickly gain missing skills with the ultimate goal of allowing these students access to proper grade level curriculum. These intervention plans have been directly aligned with educational laws in the US such as the No Child Left Behind Act and the Every Student Achieves Act with very little success. There has been a great deal of research conducted on the most effective and efficient ways to properly diagnose, address, and implement these intervention plans; however there is a lack of literature …

Educator Perceptions Of Social-Emotional Learning Embedded In Academic Instruction To Improve Student Outcomes, Christopher T. Basta

All Theses And Dissertations

Society, parenting, and public education have changed drastically over the past several decades. As a result, public schools recognize the need to address student social and emotional learning (SEL) in addition to their academic growth. Although there is abundant research into the benefits of SEL and various methods for delivering SEL instruction, there is a dearth of research studying teacher perceptions and understandings of SEL embedded in academic instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher perceptions of social-emotional learning (SEL) during academic instruction. This phenomenological study’s research questions were (a) How do teachers’ past experiences and training …

Brain-Targeted Teaching As A Tool To Facilitate Implementing Mind Brain And Education Science Into Community College Pedagogy, Adrienne Seegers

All Theses And Dissertations

Applying findings from mind, brain, and education science (MBES) could improve teaching and learning yet, MBES is not consistently applied in higher education pedagogy. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of community college faculty of the Brain-Targeted Teaching (BTT) framework as a tool to facilitate implementing MBES into pedagogy. Two research questions guided the study: (1) How did community college faculty describe changes to their pedagogy after participating in professional development that presented and modeled the BTT framework? and (2) What was the perception of participants of the value of the BTT framework as a tool to facilitate implementing MBES …

Clinical Preparedness Amongst Recent Dental Hygiene Graduates: A Phenomenological Study, Daniela M. Taranto

All Theses And Dissertations

The focus of this phenomenological study is to evaluate the lived experiences of recent dental hygiene graduates’ as they relate to their curriculum preparation as clinicians. Individual interviews of ten newly graduated hygienists were conducted, consisting of seventeen open-ended questions related to their experience with feeling prepared to enter the workforce specific to their clinical skills, professionalism skills, and critical thinking skills. This study documented the experiences these participants had as they transitioned from master student, to novice clinician specific to their newly acquired skills. A positive perception of preparedness was found directly to their instrumentation, professionalism, and critical thinking …

Stop-Out Factors For Nontraditional Students In Online Competency-Based Education Programs, Henry T. James

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the phenomenon of nontraditional students in online competency-based education (CBE) degree programs taking enrollment breaks known as “stop-outs” between college semesters or terms. Online programs and CBE programs have grown at a pace commensurate with the increased enrollment of working adults or other nontraditional college students. At the same time, stop-out and attrition rates for online programs and nontraditional students have been significantly higher than for traditional postsecondary education models. A review of existing literature exposed a gap in understanding the factors related to stop-outs for nontraditional students in online CBE …

Assessment Of Working Relationships Between Athletic Training Program Faculty And Clinical Preceptors, Kathleen Williams

All Theses And Dissertations

Athletic training degree programs require both clinical and classroom educational content. The educational content of the 2020 Standards, adopted in 2018 by athletic training’s accrediting body, included a requirement for additional skills and a minimum level degree. However, clinical preceptors educated prior to 2018 working in athletic training programs are often not proficient or trained in the new techniques. The change in athletic training educational knowledge has led to a theory–practice gap between athletic training faculty and clinical preceptors working in the field. Athletic training faculty and clinical preceptors need good communication and interpersonal working relationships to bridge the gap …

Barriers And Opportunities For Provision Of Specialized Programming For Rural, Low-Incidence Students, Eric Mcgough

All Theses And Dissertations

The dichotomy between increasing accountability mandates and access to appropriate service provision is particularly evident in consideration of mandates pertaining to students represented in special education, Section 504, students who are English learners, migrant students, and homeless students. For the purposes of this study, these students are represented as the low-incidence student population. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that enhance or facilitate those factors that hinder efficient delivery of services to the low-incidence student populations in a very rural region in New England. Participants in this study were three district administrators, three school social workers, and …

The Lived Experiences Of First-Generation College Students Of Color Integrating Into The Institutional Culture Of A Predominantly White Institution, Talisha L. Adams, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

As many colleges and universities continue to increase their enrollment and diversification of their student body, the number of first-generation college students of color will continue to rise. Colleges have been charged with the challenge of not only enrolling this student population but also ensuring that they are connected to the university and persist to graduation. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of first-generation college students of color at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). This study utilized individual in-depth interviews and a focus group to examine how first-generation students of color experienced college …

Teaching Cybersecurity To Students With Visual Impairments And Blindness, Jesse R. Hairston, Tania Williams, Derrick W. Smith Ed.D., Coms, William T. Sabados Ph.D., Steven Forney

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This work showcases specific adaptations used to make cybersecurity accessible to high school students with visual impairments and blindness (VIB). The rapidly growing field of cybersecurity demands a diverse workforce; however, barriers exist which can deter students with disabilities from studying cybersecurity, let alone pursuing a career in the field. To help overcome this challenge, we launched the first GenCyber camp specifically developed and instructed for high school students with VIB in summer 2019. We created a unique learning environment by combining interactive instructional aids, accessible development environments, and innovative instructional strategies. With intent to show cybersecurity as a viable …

Teacher Perceptions Of Digital Gaming And 21st-Century Skills In The Middle School Classroom, Elizabeth Omegna

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Teacher Perceptions of digital gaming and 21st-century skills in Middle School classrooms

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to capture teacher perceptions on the use of digital gaming in the learning environment of middle school classrooms. Additionally, to speak to perceptions on learning of 21st-century skills such as communication, collaboration and critical thinking.

This study of two middle schools in the same district in suburban New Jersey was utilized for capturing the ideas of teachers who employed a variety of digital games in the classroom as part of their learning objectives.

An interview protocol was utilized to direct questions …

The Influence And Predictability Of Socioeconomic Factors On The 2018 Parcc Middle School Ela Scores In New Jersey, Charlene Jones

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This quantitative study is nonexperimental, utilizing socioeconomic, community, and district data to determine what influence and level of accuracy of prediction is made on standardized testing in New Jersey. This study focuses on middle school students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 in New Jersey's traditional public schools. The study design is a quantitative correlational predictive study design. SES factors for each district were identified using both U.S. Census data and NJDOE district data. Independent variables include percentage of poverty, percentage of single-parent families, education level of parents, percentage of free and reduced price lunch. The dependent variables include: 2018 …

A Study Of The Impact Of Site-Based Mathematics Professional Development On Student Mathematics Achievement, Christine Attenhofer

Dissertations

Student achievement at one suburban elementary school under study dropped notably in mathematics in one school year, as measured by the state standards assessment. The purpose of this inquiry was to determine what impact ongoing, on-demand, job-embedded, site-based professional development opportunities provided by a full-time, site-base math content area specialist had on teachers' instructional practices and students' mathematics achievement. I implemented a mixed methods approach to this inquiry. I analyzed the end of the year state mathematics standards assessments for second through fifth grade students following the implementation of full-time, site-based professional development provided by a math content area specialist …

Promoting A Successful Transition To A Professional Career For Vocal Studies Graduates, David C. Strobbe

All Theses And Dissertations

A successful opera singer must complement their artistic talent with entrepreneurial and business skills (Daniel & Daniel, 2015; Storen, 2014). Therefore, educational institutions must teach their graduate vocal studies students to expand their talent and learn how to market themselves as a product. Little research has been conducted from the perspective of opera singers’ academic experiences in higher educational institutions and how well their institutions prepared them for the transition to the professional world. The purpose of the study was to determine if current core curricula are sufficient or should curriculum development focus on the entrepreneurial and business aspects in …

A Brain-Based Approach To Educational Pedagogy, Troy M. Kennett

All Theses And Dissertations

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are underperforming their peers on state assessments. The purpose of this practical action research study is to explore how professional development, focused on brain-based research, informs educators’ pedagogical design for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). By combining brain-based teaching components, background in the neurology of the brain, and various learning theories, educators were provided filters for making educational decisions. Research was conducted at a rural elementary school in New Hampshire that serves 258 students in grades 3–5, with 51 students served through special education services. The researcher provided teachers and paraprofessionals with preintervention …

Student Perceptions Of Mathematical Mindset Influences, Jaclyn S. Vitale

All Theses And Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the factors and experiences junior level (e.g., 11th grade) public high school students enrolled in a college-prep mathematics course perceived as influencing the development of their mindset associated with mathematics. Current research defines mindset as the set of attitudes and beliefs held by an individual (Dweck, 2008b) and a determining factor in student success (Mosley, 2017). With educators at the study site noticing an increase of fixed mathematical mindsets among students and a lack of student perspective contained within current literature, further investigation and understanding was needed. This study addressed research questions related to student …