Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Preventing Students Who Are At Risk From Dropping Out Of School, Agustin Joseph Gonzalez

Senior Theses

Over the course I have spent at Dominican, I have experienced a shift in the way I think. The academic journey I have traveled has brought me a point of rediscovery of who I am. With my degree I will obtain in the near future, I plan on teaching at-risk students, regardless of their age or placement in school. This paper allows me to explore the overall theme of students whom are at risk of dropping out of school. Various topics throughout my paper are discussed: the correlation between poverty and the impact it has on students’ performance in school, …

Teacher Attitudes And Practices That Support Student Learning, Charles T. Sutton Mr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Generally in today’s classrooms educators have the responsibility to develop teaching practices that are best suited for a particular group of learners. Since the early days of 1-room schools, various teaching styles have been developed to accommodate a changing world. As the curriculum has broadened through the years, individual student needs have remained the focus as teachers have become more and more accountable for student learning.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate or identify how successful teachers manage their classrooms. It defines key student behavior issues that most teachers experience daily. The study further investigates the hypothesis …

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Response To Intervention And Teacher Support Team Effectiveness Within A Mississippi Gulf Coast School District, Shanta Dannette Rhodes

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of Response to Intervention (RTI) and Teacher Support Team (TST) within a Mississippi Gulf Coast school district. RTI models have gained popularity within the national education system. Schools are encouraged to implement RTI in efforts to improve the learning and achievement of all students, while meeting the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEIA). With the change of educational policy, the role and function of teachers have changed. Understanding perceptions teachers might …

Relationship Between Leadership Styles Of High School Teachers, Principals, And Assistant Principals And Their Attitudes Toward School Wide Positive Behavior And Support Implementation, Geneva Cosweller Lampton-Holmes

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if seventh through twelfth grade educators’ attitudes towards School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) are affected based on their gender, years of experience, school discipline policy, leadership style, and knowledge of SWPBS.

Through an online survey, an analysis of the leadership style and knowledge of SWPBS of Mississippi teachers and administrators was conducted. Other variables included the school discipline policy and participants’ gender and years of experience. The study found that knowledge of SWPBS and school discipline policy had a significant impact on the educators’ attitudes towards SWPBS. Leadership style, gender, and years …

The Academic Library And High-Impact Practices For Student Retention: Perspectives Of Library Deans, Adam L. Murray

Dissertations

Dramatic declines in state appropriations for postsecondary education, the rise of performance-based funding models, and limitations on tuition increases have resulted in a focus on student retention as a matter of importance to institutions of higher education. Concomitantly, academic libraries face changes in service models brought about by technology and the rising costs of providing access to an ever-expanding field of literature required by academic programs and faculty. The value proposition of the academic library is reduced in the face of budget interests that impact recruitment and retention. Many researchers and university leaders have called on academic libraries to develop …

Not Designed With Us In Mind: Exploring The Experiences And Needs Of Adult Learners At A Public Research University, Stephanie N. Meyer

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Adult learners are a rapidly expanding student population, constituting more than 40 percent of college students today (Stokes, 2006). Research on adult learners has historically focused on their experiences within adult-centered institutions where they make up the majority student population. Although older students challenge the status quo of higher education, traditional institutions continue to dismiss their needs in the development of policies and practices. The structure of higher education is historically designed to serve youth and assumptions are often made about students that often overlook the needs, availability, and interests of adult learners. For many adult learners who prefer the …

21st Century Workforce Readiness Skills: How Are Students Being Prepared, Peter B. Licata

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Throughout history, schools have strived to prepare students for future educational and workplace success. This is made evident through the many federal and state policies enacted. While the specific skills required for careers have changed, the goals of the educational system have not. The 21st Century international workplace requires a generation of skilled workers with specific attributes. To prepare students for gainful employment and to combat the high percentage of high school students who drop out of school unprepared for the workforce, school districts across the country have instituted Career and Technical Education and Industry Certification programs. These programs strive …

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Increasing The Accessibility Of Science For All Students, Samantha Langley - Turnbaugh, Glenn Wilson, Lynn Lovewell

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This paper evaluates the accessibility of selected field and laboratory high school science activities, and provides suggestions for increasing accessibility for students with disabilities. We focused on GLOBE (Global Learning Observations to Benefit the Environment) protocols, specifically the new Seasons and Biomes investigation currently being developed as part of the GLOBE program. Five university students with disabilities majoring in science or technology were recruited to test the GLOBE protocols, and 10 protocols were evaluated for accessibility. Based on our results, we make several suggestions with regards to instructions, equipment, safety, outcomes and activity significance that will increase the accessibility of …

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Gallatin County School District Readiness Assessment For Systemic Change, Peggy Angela White

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 Peggy Angela White on April 14, 2014.

Martin County School District Turn-Around Initiative, Mark Andrew Blackburn

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 Mark Andrew Blackburn on April 10, 2014.

Paperless Debate: The Wave Of The Future, Michael B. Greenstein

Program Evaluation

This paper details a complete program evaluation of a high school debate team’s transition from debating with paper to paperless debate. The study examines if switching to debate without paper has improved the success of the debate team by focusing on the team’s winning percentage, the cost of debate travel and participation, as well as the debaters’ views of the ease of debating before and after the paperless transition. The paper concludes that the transition was indeed a success, because it increased the team’s win percentage (though not by a statistically significant margin), saved the team thousands of dollars, and …

Value Added Methods: Moving From Univariate To Multivariate Criteria, David Newman, Isadore Newman, Carolyn Ridenour, Jennifer Morales

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The authors describe five value-added methods (VAM) used in school assessment as the backdrop to their main thesis. Then they review the assumptions underlying measurement and evaluation, the foundation of all assessment systems, including value-added. They discuss the traditional criterion variable used in VAM: a standardized test score. Next, they challenge the univariate assumptions of VAMs, and argue that a multivariate paradigm of VAM is more advantageous for educators and stakeholders. Finally they describe a potential scenario whereby a multivariate VAM might be implemented.

Perceptions Of General Education Deans And Department Chairs Of Their Colleges As Learning Organizations, May Charmayne Mulligan

Dissertations

Higher education institutions are being pushed towards increased assessment practices because of rising costs, mass access, new delivery methods, and rising competition on the national and global scale. Academic deans and department heads are at the center of these assessment efforts, and assessment should guide changes within the organization for improvement. Learning organization theory provides a framework for creating an environment favorable to assessment and improvement. Six learning organization principles – learning, communication, measurement, problem-solving, structure, and vision – were used for this study.

An online questionnaire was used to capture the perceptions of deans and department heads as to …

Investigating Practices Of Research-Proven Multidimensional Teacher Evaluation Systems In Michigan Schools, George A. Aramath

Dissertations

Traditional teacher evaluation systems have little to no impact on changing teacher behavior or improving student achievement. Subsequently, studies and reports show the lack of and need for multidimensional teacher evaluation system. This deficiency and need is especially evident in Michigan due to the state's recent legislative mandate that their evaluation system must include multiple data as measures of educator effectiveness.

The purpose of this study is to investigate and describe how two Michigan public schools are attempting to build a multidimensional teacher evaluation system that includes the new Michigan mandate to incorporate evidence of student learning as a significant …

Future-Focused Leadership: Three Mega-Trends Influencing Distance Learning, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Faculty and Staff Publications

While many continue to question the skyrocketing costs and value of a college education, future-focused leaders are recreating learning experiences by blending technology with the human experience. What does the future of distance learning look like, taste like and feel like? It can be difficult to predict the future of education as the world continues to evolve at an increasingly rapid pace; however, distance learning administrators can use a future-focused leadership approach, which includes examining megatrends, to plan for the future. Megatrends are global shifts that influence society, the economy and the environment. The purpose of this paper is to …

Return On Investment: A Multisite Case Study Of Cost-Effective, High Achieving South Carolina School Districts, Timothy Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multisite case study was to understand and explain how a school district can be cost-efficient and sustain high student academic achievement. Based on a 2011 study, three school districts were selected because they had high ratios of student academic achievement to per pupil expenditures. The school districts differed in size, geographic location, student body demographics, and district organizational structure. Using a postpositivist perspective and a transformational leadership theoretical framework, 15 in-depth interviews with district leaders and school principals were conducted along with evaluation of district archives and South Carolina school report card data. A flexible, qualitative …

Effects Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports On Middle School Student Achievement, Chad Knowles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Today's teachers face more frequent and more severe challenges than perhaps any generation of teachers that have come before them. Administrators attempt to support teaching in an environment of ever-increasing accountability and dwindling financial resources with new and innovative strategies. One such strategy employed by modern educators has been the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model for clear behavioral expectations and pyramids of intervention for targeted support for students. This study compared a middle school that employs PBIS with a middle school that does not, to determine if there was any statistical improvement realized on academic achievement. Two diverse …

A Comparative Study Of Academic Achievement And Participation In A High School Freshman Academy, Mark Seng

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The transition to high school can be problematic for many ninth graders. Researchers and administrators have sought ways to improve academic performance and promotion rates while reducing dropout rates. A quantitative causal-comparative (ex post facto) and correlation study using a two-group design compared two freshman classes at separate comprehensive high schools in suburban Georgia. The treatment group, the freshman class implementing the freshman academy model, was compared to the control group, a traditional high school freshman class with no freshman academy. This study provides new research findings on the relationship and possible cause and effect a freshman academy may have …

The Impact Of Standards-Based Report Cards On Reading Achievement In The Third Grade, Terri L. Wyrosdick

Theses and Dissertations

School districts across the nation are transitioning away from traditional A-F letter grade report cards in favor of standards-based report cards (SBRC). Previous studies have indicated that many parents were confused by SBRC. The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference exists between the reading achievement of third-grade students using traditional A-F letter grade report cards and those students using SBRC. Pre-existing CRCT data of the pass/fail percentage of third graders from five school districts and 118 schools in 2009 and 2010, the year prior to and the year of implementation of SBRC, were analyzed. A chi …

Staff In Australia’S Schools 2013: Main Report On The Survey, Phillip Mckenzie, Paul R. Weldon, Glenn Rowley, Martin Murphy, Julie Mcmillan

School and system improvement

This report provides an overview of the results obtained from the Staff in Australia’s Schools (SiAS) 2013 survey commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Education and conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The work was supported by an Advisory Committee of government and non-government school authorities and other stakeholder groups. The survey was intended to provide a detailed picture of the Australian teacher workforce, and to gather information to assist in future planning of the workforce. It was also designed to provide comparative and updated data following on from the previous SiAS surveys conducted in 2006-07 …

Role Of Superintendent In District Turnaround, James Evans Jr.

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 James Evans, Jr. on March 17, 2014.

An Investigation Of Teacher Candidate Perceptions: Using 21st Century Tools And Clinical Medical Model Practices To Teach Classroom Management Skills, Helen Rader, James Rader, David R. Riel

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 Helen J. Rader James P. Rader David R. Riel on March 13, 2014.

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Traumatic Brain Injury: The Efficacy Of A Half-Day Training For School Psychologists, Susan C. Davies, Ashlyn M. Ray

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The incidence rates of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are increasing, yet educators continue to be inadequately trained in assessing and serving students with TBIs. This study examined the efficacy of a half-day TBI training program for school psychologists designed to improve their knowledge and skills. Results of quantitative and qualitative survey analysis indicated there was little increase in knowledge and skills from pre-training to one-year follow-up, although participants did increase in confidence related to their decision-making abilities in working with students with TBI. The data indicate a need for future study of more effective training models.

The Leadership Practices Of Non-Traditional Students Pursuing A Bachelor's Degree: A Predictive Study, Michael Ammons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This non-experimental, regression study examined the relationship between leadership practices and academic achievement for a non-traditional student population. The study was conducted at a small, four-year private college in Eastern North Carolina. The sample consisted of N=146 (73 male, 73 female) non-traditional students enrolled in an accelerated bachelor's degree program. Volunteer participants completed the survey which consisted of the Leadership Practice Inventory-Self (LPI) (Kouzes & Posner, 1998) assessment and a demographic questionnaire. Kouzes and Posner's (2007) model of Transformational Leadership Theory is used to explain the leadership practices of non-traditional students. The results of the survey were analyzed using hierarchal …

A Primer On Charter Schools And The Law, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The charter school movement began in 1991, when Minnesota enacted the first law authorizing their creation. To date, 41 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico permit the creation of charter schools, according to the National Charter School Resource Center (n.d.).

Charter schools, public schools of choice, are usually operated as not-for-profit institutions independently or occasionally in conjunction with public organizations, such as colleges and universities. As such, they have generally survived challenges to their constitutionality.

This column provides a primer for education leaders on the legal basics associated with the operations of charter schools. It does not …