Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Suggestions For The Design Of E-Learning Environments To Enhance Learner Self-Efficacy, Charles B. Hodges

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Shaping The Journey Of Emerging Adults: Life-Giving Rhythms For Spiritual Transformation, Jeff Strietzel

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Community College Presidents' Perspectives Of Dichotomous Events: The Consequences Of The Great Recession & Coincidental Increased Enrollment, Corey W. Carlson

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The community college, like all of higher education, has been significantly impacted by the Great Recession and coincidental increased enrollment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the decision making processes of community college presidents as related to resource allocation and the impact of these decisions on the comprehensive community college mission. Declining state funding and increased enrollments have greatly impacted how community college leaders make decisions with leaders incorporating shared governance and informed decision-making. Community college leaders have also been proactively seeking out alternative revenue streams in order to help offset decreased state funding. Findings of this …

Strategies Under Stress: How Senior Student Affairs Officers Are Managing In The Midst Of Institutional Retrenchment, Christopher Thuringer

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Higher education had been one of the highest funding priorities in most states, however, in recent years, governors and state legislators have focused their efforts in higher education on cutting budgets to deal with historic gaps in revenue. As a result, university administrators have been challenged to modify their institutions’ academic programs, administrative units, and student affairs operations to contain costs and increase revenue. This study examined the extent of financial challenges faced in student affairs divisions at four-year, state-supported institutions during the period between 2008 and 2012 and the strategies utilized by senior student affairs officers to manage them. …

Building Self-Directed Teachers: A Case Study Of Teachers' Perspectives Of The Effects Of Cognitive Coaching On Professional Practices, Kevin S. Bjerken

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This case study of a single school district aims to identify teachers' perceptions of how their professional practices have been affected after four years of receiving Cognitive Coaching. Cognitive Coaching was used in participants' professional development as a part of an Alternative Teacher Professional Pay System and included three observational cycles per year for four consecutive years with a certified Cognitive Coach. Through focus group interviews and surveys, Cognitive Coaching was found to have multiple positive effects on professional development, according to the perspectives of the sample group. Themes of an increase in reflective practice, increased awareness level, and greater …

Teacher Beliefs, Teacher Concerns, And School Leadership Support As Influences On School Readiness For Implementing A Research-Based Reform Model, Elizabeth Hoag Carhart

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Federal policy makers and school leaders increasingly recognize middle school math as a turning point in students' academic success. An i3 scale-up grant allowed grant partners to conduct a large-scale implementation of Power Teaching (PT), a research-based reform to increase student math achievement. In a mixed-methods study during the pilot phase of the project, eight schools' readiness for reform was explored. Teacher questionnaires; interviews with project managers, school leaders, and teachers; classroom observations; and school evaluation forms were used to describe school characteristics that affected variability in initial implementation of the PT model. A cluster analysis demonstrated the relative importance …

Program Evaluation In The Nonprofit Sector : An Exploratory Study Of Leaders' Perceptions, Gail A. Patin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to understand the role of and capacity for program evaluation from the perspectives of leaders in the Northeast Florida nonprofit sector. The study was a two-phased qualitative design and had three research questions related to the role of program evaluation, the capacity for program evaluation, and the influence of the relationship between providers and funders on these efforts. The first phase was a nominal group process using the Delphi survey method. The second phase involved in-depth interviews. Study participants were chosen based on specific criteria.

The Delphi phase had four rounds of surveys. Findings …

An Analysis Of The Factors That Influence Global Mindedness In First-Year College Students, Kristie Broadbent Guffey

Dissertations

This non-experimental, quantitative descriptive study was designed to determine what factors influence a first-year college students’ global mindedness and if any of those factors were predictors of the five subscales of global mindedness. Surveys were used to measure students’ global mindedness and their type of personality (N=424). Demographic questions were administered that included gender, county population, Pell grant eligibility, and first generation college student. Results indicated that first-year college students at a four-year public Master’s Large institution were moderately global minded. To predict global mindedness and its subscales, a regression model was developed using the Myers Briggs scores for extravert, …

A Study Of The Effects Of Charter Schools On Achievement, Attendance And Selected Mitigating Factors In A Midwestern State’S Small Urban School Districts, Frederick C. Clarke

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students attending urban charter schools did better, or worse, than students attending traditional public schools, over a five-year time period, in a Midwestern state. Thirty-one urban school districts affiliated with a Midwestern Urban Education Association, and corresponding charter schools, located within these Midwestern school districts, were selected to participate in this study.

This study utilized a quasi-experimental research design and was supported by the earlier research of Dr. Gary Miron and Dr. Jerry Horn from Western Michigan University (Miron & Horn, 2000; Miron & Horn, 2002; Miron, 2005) and Dr. Scott …

Teacher Unions, The Right To Work, And Fair Share Agreements, Charles J. Russo, C. Daniel Raisch

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The status of collective bargaining in public education is in flux. As a result of a movement that began in the early 1960s, more than 30 states now have laws that allow teachers and other public school employees to form unions in order to bargain collectively with their school boards over the terms and conditions of their employment.

Further, three jurisdictions prohibit public-sector unions, and in an overlapping tapestry, 23 states—most recently Indiana— have enacted right-to-work laws that bar contracts that require workers to join unions as a condition of employment.

Aware that unions derive their operating revenues from member …

The Concept And Perception Of Peace Education In Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan: A Comparative Case Study, Abida Begum

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

In the geographically remote culture and context of Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan, this study explores the perceptions and practices of peace education by two secondary school head teachers (one in a relatively urban area and another in a rural area), as well as three additional teachers from each school. A qualitative, interview-based research approach is employed. The concept of peace education is related by the interviewed teachers to the inculcation and development of positive thinking and positive attitude among students. This positivity is seen as instrumental for the holistic development of the children, and ultimately, for the cultivation of a peaceful …

Concussions And Student Sports: A 'Silent Epidemic', Susan C. Davies, Charles J. Russo, Allan G. Osborne

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

An issue that has gained attention concerns concussions among student–athletes in elementary and secondary schools. In fact, in light of the “silent epidemic” of concussions among student–athletes, in the six month period ending in August of 2011, the number of states that enacted statutes on concussion management jumped from eleven to thirty–one and the list of jurisdictions with laws in place continues to grow.

Based on the significance of concussion management, the remainder of this article is divided into two sections. The first part of the article examines the background on concussions while the second offers recommendations for concussion management …

Induced Entry Into The Social Security Disability Program: Using Past Sga Changes As A Natural Experiment, Nicole Maestas, Kathleen J. Mullen, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

The number of American adults receiving benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program has increased dramatically over the past several decades. A proposed solution to rising program costs is to change program rules to encourage fully or partially recovered SSDI beneficiaries to return to work. One such option is a benefit offset policy, which would reduce SSDI benefits by $1 for every $2 of earned income. While a benefit offset could generate savings from increased labor supply and program exit among current beneficiaries, it could also generate unintended costs if the more generous work rules induce significant numbers …

Factors That May Have Predictive Effects On The American College Test, Beth Stewart

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if any predictive effects exist between lunch status, grade point average, Arkansas state mandated accountability exams, and academic achievement measured by the ACT. Although literature supported the predictive effects of grade point average and lunch status on ACT, there was inadequate data to determine which predictor played a more significant role.

A quantitative, regression strategy was used to analyze students’ academic achievement in four southwest Arkansas schools, all belonging to the same educational cooperative. All students in these districts who had taken the ACT during the school years of 2006-2010 and took …

Women In Leadership: Factors That Affect The Achievement Of Women In Higher Education Administration At Four-Year Public And Private Universities In Texas, Dawn Liguez

Theses & Dissertations

Women in Leadership: Factors that affect the Achievement of Women in Higher Education Administration At Four-Year Public and Private Universities in Texas

By: Dawn Marie Ramirez

Dissertation Chair, Absael Antelo, Ph.D.

University of the Incarnate Word, 2012

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the factors that affect women administrators in higher education at four-year public and private universities in Texas. By comparing private and public universities, the research provided an assessment of similarities and differences of the factors impacting achievement of women in higher education. This study surveyed (N = 288) female administrators in higher education, …

Negotiating In School Districts When Times Are Tough, David Alan Dolph

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

When the economy is depressed, resources are limited, mandates are overwhelming, and the organizational climate in the district is souring, education leaders and teachers union officials often brace themselves for contentious negotiations. Poor economic conditions affect the district’s ability to offer raises, maintain current benefit levels, and provide adequate instructional programs, supplies, and equipment. Some districts are forced to cut staff positions to balance their budgets.

Amidst this turmoil in education and an already- heightened public awareness and concern about accountability and transparency, recent legislative attempts have attacked the rights of public workers to bargain collectively.

Assessment Of A University Faculty Development Program On Speaking And Writing Pedagogy Through Direct Measurement Of Student Learning Outcomes, Julie Gissendanner Howdeshell

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess a faculty development program through direct measurement of student learning outcomes through investigating the relationship between participation in a faculty development program on speaking and writing pedagogy and student learning outcomes in oral and written communication. Faculty and students enrolled in senior capstone courses in Spring 2011 were asked to participate as part of requirements for internal assessment and external accreditation. Of the 1,448 students enrolled in capstone courses that semester, 1,002 papers and 727 recordings were received, representing 69% and 50% of those enrolled respectively. A sample of 400 papers and …

Do At-Risk Students Benefit When Novanet Is Used For Credit Recovery?, Rebecca Lynn Volkerding

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if it is effective and appropriate to place all students needing credit recovery in computer-based classes regardless of age, risk ratio, and their previous failing grade. Driven by the NCLB mandate for schools to produce greater gains and graduate all students in 4.5 years, districts are now using online credit recovery programs to help at-risk students gain promotion and put students back on-track for graduation without placing these students back in the traditional classroom setting where they failed the class the first time. Although there is an adequate knowledge base about the …

The Relationship Between Student Achievement Of At-Risk Students And The Georgia Performance Standards In Mathematics, Loralee Ann Hill

Dissertations

Educational leaders continue to be challenged in terms of accountability measures for increased student achievement, as mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). In particular, schools must show adequate yearly progress (AYP) reaching 100 % proficiency levels for all students in the areas of English language arts and mathematics by 2014. In 2008, the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) in mathematics were implemented at the high school level. Coupled with this new curriculum, a newly developed Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) in mathematics was administered in March 2011. The purpose of this study was to add …

Closing The Achievement Gap: A Study Of Leadership Behaviors Of Principals At Title I Distinguished Schools, Liss Althea Maynard

Dissertations

Education, a fundamental privilege in America, has been deemed the great equalizer that should afford each individual access and opportunity (Hale, 2004). However, research has proven that for many students of color, the American dream is simply a nightmare. Many minority students have lagged behind academically, failing to graduate and failing to become productive, law abiding citizens. A huge educational disparity has evolved and closing the achievement gap has become crucial in today’s educational system. However, despite the many challenges, there are schools across this nation that experience noteworthy achievement for all students including high minority and high poverty schools. …

The Effects Of Increased Accountability Standards On Graduation Rates For Students With Disabilities, Mitzie Lee Moore

Dissertations

This research sought to determine if unintended effects of increased accountability standards on graduation rates for students with disabilities existed. Data from one southeastern state were utilized in order to determine if graduation rates were impacted as a result of higher accountability standards. In addition, administrator attitudes on views of NCLB, high-stakes testing of students with disabilities, strategies initiated to exclude students with disabilities from high-stakes tests, and inclusion of all students with disabilities in the growth model. Archival data from 2001 and 2010 were used to compare pre and post graduation rates for significant differences. Survey results were collected …

Administrators’ Perceptions Of Alternative School Characteristics And Their Relationship With Recidivism, Lori Elaine Burkett

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed between secondary and alternative school administrators’ reported perceptions on the importance and existence of 26 alternative school effectiveness characteristics and if the administrators’ perceptions were related to alternative school recidivism. The administrator groups were in agreement that 25 of the 26 characteristics were important; they also agreed that the characteristic student enrollment is by choice, not a mandate, was not important. Significant differences were identified between the administrator groups on reported existence of the characteristics; alternative administrators reported the existence of the characteristics to be significantly higher than the …

Perceived Impact Of Quality In A 21st Century Community Learning Center Out-Of-School Time Program: A Case Study, Patricia Ann Wright

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concern for the safety, education and well-being of children during out-of-school time is helping to change the landscape and priorities of families, educators and policy-makers. Changes in family structure and society have presented the need for quality out-of-school time programs. The changing family structure caused by both parents working outside the home, the advent of the single-parent household, the necessity of federally mandated standardized testing for student achievement, certain criminal activities and the expanding population of children have contributed to the question of how to protect children and enrich their lives during out-of-school time hours. The purpose of this intrinsic …

Professional Learning Community Impacts On Student Achievement In Middle School Mathematics, Jessica Stuewe

Mathematics Graduate Theses

The development of professional learning communities in middle level education is a relatively new and trendy concept sweeping the nation. School professional development committees are training large numbers of teachers through conferences, book studies and online webinars on how to collaborate to improve student learning. This research will explore the impact of the first year of implementation of a departmental professional learning community (PLC) on student achievement at the middle school level in the content area of mathematics. Student standardized test scores from 2010 and 2011 will be compared as a measure of success of the PLC. Teacher surveys are …

Cultural Immersion Experience In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Susan C. Davies, Autumn La Riche

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

This past summer, the University of Dayton offered its first study abroad course for graduate students in the Department of Counselor Education and Human Services (EDC). Eight school psychology graduate students, three students from other EDC programs, and two faculty members spent two weeks in Buenos Aires, Argentina learning about their educational system and experiencing firsthand what it feels like to be immersed in another culture.

Evaluating The Impact Of The Beginning Teacher Induction Program On The Retention Rate Of Beginning Teachers, Adriane Lenette Watkins Mingo

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examined the Beginning Teacher Induction Program of a rural school system in North Carolina. The effects of mentoring, induction sessions, administrative support, ongoing staff development, and other support offered at the system level to beginning teachers were carefully analyzed.

The researcher used eight themes based on the objectives of the school system's Beginning Teacher Support Program: improving beginning teachers' skills and performance; supporting teacher morale; communications; collegiality; building a sense of professionalism and positive attitude; facilitating a smooth transition into the first and second years of teaching; putting theory into practice; preventing teacher isolation; building self-reflection; and retaining …

Impact Of Freshman Academy Experiences On Student Academic Intrinsic Motivation, Shirley C. Sealy

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to explore the transition of a group of ninth-grade students into a large rural upstate South Carolina high school. The primary focus was to ascertain the students' levels of academic intrinsic motivation toward English, math, science, history, and their general orientation toward school learning, and to explore those freshman academy experiences that the students felt most directly impacted these attributes. The freshman academy at this school was implemented in 2006 as a district initiative to strengthen the transition to high school and ultimately increase the graduation rate.

This was a mixed methods case study in which …

Relationships Between Initial California High School Exit Exam Performance And Academic Success Of High School Students, Jennifer Ellen Lucht

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) and 11th grade GPA and ACT scores as measures of academic success.

Job Satisfaction Of Female And Male Superintendents: The Influence Of Job Facets And Contextual Variables As Potential Predictors, Ila Phillip Young, Theodore J. Kowalski, Robert S. Mccord, George J. Petersen

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

A descriptive multiple regression approach was used to assess the job satisfaction of female and male public school superintendents taking part in a decennial survey conducted by AASA. Self-reported job satisfaction of public school superintendents was regressed on their affective reactions to specific job facets (supervision, co-workers, and compensation) and to contextual variables (type of school district, legislative mandates, and funding sources) purported to influence their job satisfaction. Results indicate that female and male superintendents were found to be similarly satisfied with their current job assignment but for different reasons as revealed by interaction terms addressed in the regression analyses.

An Exploratory Study Of The Impact Of College Student Leadership Programs Upon The Construct Of Mindfulness, Richard Lee Horowitz

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Mindfulness is a key skill that produces the greater psychological awareness identified by most leadership scholars as being essential to effective leadership. This study conducted an exploratory assessment of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cocurricular collegiate leadership programs through pre- and post-participation application of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS). The Social Change Model (SCM) of leadership development was used to represent mindfulness-based leadership programs due to an emphasis upon mindfulness and psychological self awareness. This quantitative study made use of a 2 x 2 mixed ANOVA and analyzed change in scores to identify the progress made towards the learning …