Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Falling Short On The Promise To English Learners: A Report On Year One Lcaps, Elvira G. Armas Ed.D, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Laurie Olsen Ph.D.

Reports

California’s Local Control Funding Formula was signed into law in California in 2013 and allowed districts the flexibility to meet their student needs in locally appropriate manners. One year after its implementation, a panel of 26 reviewers, including educators, English Learner (EL) advocates, and legal services staff reviewed the Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) to understand how districts employ this flexibility to address the needs of ELs. The report uses the English Learner Research-Aligned LCAP Rubrics with 10 focus areas, and reviews sample LCAPs from 29 districts, including districts with the highest numbers/percentages of English Learners in the state, …

An Examination Of The Perception Of School Administrators On The Effectiveness Of Freshman Academies On The Academic Achievement Of African American Males, Willie Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

The significant impact of transitioning to ninth grade has necessitated the need to examine the effects of the secondary school structure on African American males. These students were often assumed to be capable of functioning and maintaining personal accountability within their new, less structured environment, as opposed to the structured setting they encountered in middle school (Ellerbrock & Kiefer, 2013). As a result, these adolescents encountered increased challenges often resulting in greater challenges and lack of motivation that does not cater to their learning and developmental needs (Ellerbrock & Kiefer).

Bethel (2012) indicated that environmental characteristics of the school setting …

Using Social Writing Instruction As A Means Of Building Community Among Diverse Gifted Students In A Transient, Pull-Out Program, Kimberly S. Lester

Theses and Dissertations

In this era of high-stakes testing and teacher accountability, teachers complain of a lack of time for authentic writing experiences that lead to deeper community development. Yet numerous researchers, including Vygotsky, argue the value of community development as a means of creating safe places where students feel valued, allowing them to make more relevant connections for life-long learning.

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore how writing builds community among diverse students in a short term, transient gifted program. The study incorporated ethnographic research techniques combined with basic descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The study focused on three …

Exploring Stakeholders' Perceptions Of The Evaluation Of Early Fieldwork Experience In An Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Program, Amber R. Peacock

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a qualitative meta-evaluation of the early field experience (EFE) program at a small, private, undergraduate teacher preparation program in Virginia focusing on the perceptions of preservice teachers, cooperating teachers and course instructors about the EFE evaluation objectives, evaluation experience, and resulting data usage. The EFE evaluation protocol at the study site is explored using a participatory-oriented evaluation model that solicited the perceptions of stakeholders. Analysis of EFE evaluation documents and semi-structured interviews with the stakeholders were conducted to explore the extent to which (1) official EFE objectives are congruent with the EFE evaluation, (2) the intended evaluation …

Investigating First Year Education Students’ Stress Level, Gretchen Geng, Richard Midford

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper investigated the stress levels of first-year education students who undertake teaching practicum and theory units during their first year of teacher education program. First, 139 first-year and 143 other years’ education students completed the PSS-10 scale, which measures perceived level of stress. Then, 147 first-year education students completed an online questionnaire to identify the particular stressors in their learning experience. The first-year education students had significantly higher stress levels than other years’ education students, (p < .01). Contributing stressors included academic work commitment; completing placement and related performance assessments in schools and at university; having a good understanding of the requirements of professional teaching, such as classroom management, and working with mentor teachers; and conflicting work and family commitments. These findings provide greater understanding about the stressors experienced by first-year education students and usefully inform ways to help this group achieve their study and career goals.

Teacher Allocation Policies And The Unbalanced Distribution Of Novice And Senior Teachers Across Regions In Turkey, Murat Ozoglu

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Policies toward fostering a more balanced distribution of teacher quality have garnered considerable attention from researchers and policymakers around the world. This attention has been motivated largely by the widely acknowledged educational goal of providing quality education for all children. Equipped with similar policy concerns, this study examines the initial assignment of novice teachers and voluntary transfer of senior teachers to determine whether there is any kind of sorting pattern in the allocation of novice and experienced teachers to schools across regions, particularly across provinces, in Turkey. Using the entire initial teacher assignment and voluntary teacher transfer data in between …

Does Financial Literacy Contribute To Food Security?, Katherine Grace Carman, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Food insecurity, not having consistent access to adequate food for active, healthy lives for all household members is most common among low income households. However, income alone is not sufficient to explain who experiences food insecurity. This study investigates the relationship between financial literacy and food security. We find that low income households who exhibit financial literacy are less likely to experience food insecurity.

At Issue: A Comprehensive Review And Synthesis Of The Literature On Late Registration, Patrick Tompkins, Mitchell Williams

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Using a literature review taxonomy described by Cooper and Hedges (2009), an analysis of 32 publicly available studies of late registrations was conducted to provide researchers and policymakers with an assessment of the extent, quality, and major findings of the studies. The reviewer asserted that few high-quality studies have been conducted on late registration, and the research does not provide strong evidence that late registration is associated with poor student outcomes. The review provided answers to the following questions: What does the body of research on late registration indicate about the advisability of retaining it as an option for students? …

Site Visitation: School Leaders' Perceptions Of A Diagnostic Tool For School Improvement, Mary Shannon C. Chiasson

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This case study explored the use of site-visitation as a diagnostic tool for school improvement. Nine charter schools in New Orleans were selected for the study. Based on qualitative research and systems theory, a within- and cross-case analysis of nine semi-structured interviews with school leaders were conducted. The school leaders’ experiences with the state-run site-visitation model and their use of the findings for school improvement was explored. The findings led to the development of a hybrid accountability model that encompasses the components school leaders believe will lead to school improvement. This study aims to assist educators, policy makers, and researchers …

The Influence Of Parent Portal Access On Student Efficacy And Parental Involvement, Shannon D. Dries

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the influence of Parent Portal access on student achievement and parental involvement defined as home-to-school communication. The population was students in sixth grade in a suburban district in New Jersey. Academic achievement was defined through GPA at the end of sixth grade and performance on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) in both Math and Language Arts Literacy in Grade 6. Attendance was measured using attendance rates. Parental involvement was measured by the number of parent logins to Parent Portal. Multiple regression analyses, backward entry method, were used to determine the influence of …

A Movement Tool Kit For The Divergent And Convergent Cps Guidelines: Instruction Cards And Activity Floor Mats, Adela Vangelisti

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

A Movement Tool Kit for the Divergent and Convergent CPS Guidelines:

Instruction Cards and Activity Floor Mats

Movement is as natural to humans as breathing is, and, yet, passivity starts early in schools. We are taught to sit still and in silence for long periods of time. By the time we reach adulthood and enter the workforce, we have almost forgotten our sense of embodiment. This lack of movement is counter-productive, not only to learning but to the development of creativity as well. For this project, I designed a tool to recapture the joy and playfulness of movement. Furthermore, the …

Read180 Computer Software By Gender And Ethnicity On Reading Achievement For Identified Special Education Students, Sherrie Bayles

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct an independent study to determine the effectiveness of the READ 180 reading intervention program when implemented with middle and junior high school students with disabilities. To address the first and third hypotheses, gender (male versus female) and change over time (fall, mid-year, and at the end of the school year) served as the independent variables for sixth/seventh and eighth/ninth grade students with disabilities, respectively. For the second and fourth hypotheses, ethnicity (White versus all non-White students) and change over time served as the independent variables for sixth/seventh and eighth/ninth grade students with …

Honors Program As A Predictor Of College Readiness Of Private School Students In Arkansas, Jonathan G. Jones

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to add to the research available related to college readiness. Each of the four hypotheses were constructed to determine the predictive effects of academic program type (honors or regular) over and above the predictive effects of gender, Plan test scores, number of times the ACT was taken by individuals, and longevity in years on mathematics, English, science, and reading performance measured by ACT scores for 12th grade students in a private Christian school in Arkansas. A review of the literature identified the various aspects of college readiness, the characteristics of effective programs for college …

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Implementation Of The Teacher Incentive Fund (Tif) Grant In Mississippi Pilot Schools, Albert William Carter

Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to assess administrators and teachers’ perceptions of the key components of the Mississippi Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant in Mississippi pilot schools. The study examines the difference in perceptions between administrators and teachers. The study also investigated if there was a relationship with the TIF grant and student achievement by comparing the percent of students who scored a minimum of proficient on the MCT2 in TIF schools before and after the grant. Achievement was also examined by comparing percent of proficiency of TIF schools with comparable, non-TIF Mississippi schools.

The participants in the …

The Relationship Between The Growth Score And The Overall Team Observation Rating For Teachers In Tennessee, Joshua B. Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the TVAAS growth score given by the Tennessee Department of Education and the overall Tennessee Educator Assessment Model (TEAM) observation rating for teachers in grades 3 through 8. The participating county public school system for this study is located in Northeast Tennessee. Participants were teachers in the school system teaching Math, English/Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies in grades 3 through 8 in 10 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 2 K-8 schools. Specifically, this research examined the relationship between the TEAM observation scores and overall TVAAS growth score …

Middle Grade Academic Achievement And Socioeconomic Status On North Carolina State Report Cards, 2012 - 2013, Lauren Dotson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the era of accountability in our nation‘s public schools, high-stakes standardized testing is the primary methodology for determining academic achievement; results from end-of-grade standardized testing are published annually in state and national report cards that are used as an instrument for determining school and teacher quality. What standardized tests do not take into consideration, however, are external environmental factors that have an impact on academic achievement; this research project focuses upon the effects of socioeconomic status on academic achievement on the middle grade student in North Carolina in 2012 and 2013. These years were chosen to comparatively analyze student …

Each One, Teach One: A Blackprint For Mentoring Postsecondary “Twice Exceptional” Student Scholars In “Search Of Education, Elevation And Knowledge”, Selena T. Rodgers, Tiffany Cudjoe

Journal of Research Initiatives

Through the prism of a faculty-student mentoring relationship, this article highlights best practices to gain insight into resources for “twice exceptional” student scholars. Practical application stands at a position of intersecting domains—changing the tapestry of scholarly service and undergraduate research mentoring, and as an Each One, Teach One black-print model for mentoring. The article concludes with recommendations for best practices for post secondary mentors, educators, and counselors invested in developing student scholars in Search of Education, Elevation, and Knowledge.

Gaihe Survey Report Results, Andrew Gibson, Ellen Hazelkorn

Other resources

This conference presentation details the results of the survey from the Governance and Adaptation to Innovative Modes of Higher Education Provision (GAIHE) Project (funded by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) through the Lifelong Learning Programme), and discusses their implications.

Professional Qualifications And Gender, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Literature comparing male and female superintendents rather consistently has reported differences in professional qualifications. Most notably, females have higher levels of professional experience, especially as teachers, before becoming a superintendent. Logically, authors studying this topic conclude that females usually must have superior credentials to enter the position. Two findings in AASA's latest decennial study of superintendents, one pertaining to teaching experience and the other to age upon entering the position, suggest the conclusion remains valid. In 2010, 28 percent of males and 13 percent of females had fewer than 6 years of teaching experience. In 2000, those figures were 41 …

Two Languages Are Better Than One, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Bilingual education could improve education outcomes in one of the world’s poorest nations.

In one of the world’s poorest countries, a model of bilingual education is emerging that could have a substantial effect on the nation. Landlocked, subSaharan Burkina Faso has battled high illiteracy and high dropout rates since gaining independence from France in 1960. Scholars say the problem stems from the lack of culturally appropriate education, and some have suggested bilingual education as part of a solution. To that extent, the Burkinabe government and local nongovernmental organizations have started a program, Bilingual Indigenous Community Education, which aims to instruct …

In Search Of Relevance And Sustainability Of Educational Change : An International Conference At Aga Khan University Institute For Educational Development, Aga Khan University, Institute For Educational Development

Books

No abstract provided.

Using The School Improvement Plan For Program Advocacy, Richard E. Cleveland

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Presentations

This session will provide brief background and introductory information about school improvement plans (SIPs). It will also provide alignment between site/district SIPs and comprehensive school counseling programs such as the ASCA National Model. This program will outline how SIP involvement can create program advocacy. Participants will have working time to engage in brainstorming ideas for connecting with their site/district SIP and SIP goals.

The Flipped Classroom: Flop, Fiction, Fabulous Or Frightening?, Jennifer Banas, Dennis Beck, H. Lee Daniels, Bronne Dytoc, Lucy Santos Green, Ross Perkins, Drew Polly, Charles M. Reigeluth, Monica Sulecio De Alvarez

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Presentations

No abstract provided.

Education Reform And Potemkin Villages: Expanding Conceptions Of “Data”, Noah Asher Golden

Education Faculty Articles and Research

"I argue that much of the current education reform movement [uses] reductive notions of data to create the appearance of growth as opposed to authentic and sustainable growth in pedagogical practice and outcomes.

Data tell a story. How we select, manage, organize, and report those data influences the story in two ways: (1) it reveals our values and priorities and (2) it has the power to shape, highlight, and/or obscure the knowledge it purports to share. Software and information systems play a central role here as the logic they rely on to structure and use data saturates educational practice (Lynch)."

Leading The Way: Catholic School Leaders And Action Research, Anthony C. Holter, James M. Frabutt, Ronald J. Nuzzi

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

Recent research extols the value of problem-based learning strategies in exemplary school leadership preparation programs as one way to provide school leaders with the appropriate tools to systematically use data to make important decisions. The purpose of this study was to address the current gap between the noted importance of problem-based learning strategies in leadership preparation programs, and the demonstrated effect these strategies have on the knowledge, skills, behaviours, and values of school leaders. The study employed a longitudinal mixed-method research design to examine discrete action research skills, behaviours, and values of 44 candidates enrolled in a Master of Arts …

The Teacher Pay For Performance Phenomenon, Deborah Viscardi

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this dissertation research was to explore the link between teacher motivation and performance-based compensation. This topic has been a controversial issue over the last decade across the country. There is a critical need for more research on teacher pay-for- performance systems, especially as it relates to motivation, student achievement, and the profession of teaching. Qualitative in design, the intent of this research study was to make meaning of teachers’ perceptions about the influence of performance-based compensation on the profession and practice of teaching. This study extends the current understanding and adds to the discussion of compensation policy …

The Identification Of Variables And Factors Related To Preservice Teacher Candidates’ Passing A State Teacher Certification Examination At An Hbcu, Melanie Frizzell, Noran L. Moffett

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

This study sought to examine the outcome of teacher education candidates’ performance on a state content exam. Seventeen participants from the class of 2012 were identified for the study of which 12 participants fully participated in the study. This study utilized data collected from the participants through the Teacher Quality Enhancement Subcontract Grant Summer/Fall/Spring 2011-2012 Workshop Series held at the private HBCU. The research design used a QUAN- QUAL-QUAN to triangulate the data through three methods of data collection: GACE early childhood education (ECE) data, GACE ECE survey questionnaire and class of 2012 member interviews. The findings from the survey …

The Inclusion Of Cognitive Complexity: A Content Analysis Of New Jersey's Current And Past Intended Curriculum, Dario Sforza

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Policy makers and educators have stated that the internationally benchmarked standards will place greater emphasis on 21^st century skills including creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, presentation and demonstration, problem solving, research and inquiry, and career readiness. Many educators believe that if schools are “injected” with creativity, students will have a better chance at a prosperous and productive future. Are the current reform movements thwarting the opportunity for students to “find their own niche” and perhaps turning “them into disciples of ‘intellectual clones’ who will do ‘our thing’ rather their own?” (Sternberg, 2003, p. 335). In response to inquiry, this dissertation …

A Case Study Examining Teacher Responses To Principal Feedback Of Class Observations, Sean Kelly

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

Four teachers from each of the four major academic disciplines: Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and English Language from a suburban high school in the Southeastern United States participated in a study which examined teacher responses to principal feedback of class room observations. Each of the 16 teachers were observed on three occasions and provided feedback. Teachers were also interviewed using a semi-structured questioning format and asked to keep a journal during the study.

Findings of the study demonstrated that teachers who participated in the study most often responded to principal feedback of class observations by changing behaviors, considering changing behaviors, …

Google Glass And Education: The Wave Of The Future?, Charles J. Russo, Reece Newman, Chad Brown

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

In the evolving, fast-paced world of technology, a fairly recent development that has the potential to affect instruction, privacy, and cost for school boards is Google Glass, introduced to the public in April 2012 and named by Time magazine as one of 2012’s best inventions of the year. Google Glass devices are wearable headset computers with optical headmounted transparent display screens (640 x 360 pixels) that essentially bring Android and iPhone capacities to eyeglasses. They can be activated by voice or touch and can record video and audio or live-stream events observed by wearers (Miller 2013). They include, among other …