Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

The Future Of Natural Selection Knowledge Measurement: A Reply To Anderson Et Al. (2010), Ross Nehm, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

The development of rich, reliable, and robust measures of the composition, structure, and stability of student thinking about core scientific ideas (such as natural selection) remains a complex challenge facing science educators. In their recent article (Nehm & Schonfeld 2008), the authors explored the strengths, weaknesses, and insights provided by a detailed exploration of three commonly used measures of student thinking about natural selection in a large sample of underrepresented minority students. One of their core findings was that all of the tools they studied--including the CINS--have strengths and weaknesses that must be carefully taken into consideration by those …

Traumatic Brain Injury: Transition And Intervention, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act defines traumatic brain injury as an acquired in· jury to the brain caused by an external physical force. The injury results in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; langnage; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, …

An Examination Of The Effectiveness Of A Professional Development Program On Teacher Knowledge And Practice To Address Adolescent Health Issues, Narima Aliya Shahabudeen

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Sustained Employment Of Teachers In High Poverty Schools, Karen Jean Davis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: The researcher's purpose of this study was to understand from the lived experiences of teachers in high poverty schools the reasons they remained in these schools. A qualitative method was used to conduct the study, which involved interviews with eight teachers (4 elementary, 2 middle and 2 high), one principal and the Superintendent who responded to open-ended interview questions. The interview questions were designed to elicit responses to the research questions and interview questions. The researcher coded transcripts from the interviews for recurring themes and patterns. Field notes from before and after each interview, as well as district …

Predicting Systemic Confidence, Stephanie Inez Falke

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Using a mixed method approach, this study explored which educational factors predicted systemic confidence in master’s level marital and family therapy (MFT) students, and whether or not the impact of these factors was influenced by student beliefs and their perception of their supervisor’s beliefs about the value of systemic practice. One hundred and twenty graduate students in Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education-accredited (COAMFT) programs completed an online survey that assessed their training experiences, beliefs about systemic practice and perceptions of confidence. Quantitative findings revealed that students who reported greater research expectations in their program, obtained more …

Manipulatives In Mathematics Instruction, Jessica Strom

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This paper is a review of research pertaining to the use of manipulatives in middle and secondary school mathematics instruction. It covers the research on the rationale for using manipulatives, the psychology behind learning with manipulatives, the common mistakes when teaching with manipulatives, and the suggested process to follow when using manipulatives in the classroom. There is a large amount of research and information on manipulatives in the classroom. One of the most prevalent topics addresses that the concrete characteristics of manipulatives allow students to progress through a natural learning process on their way to an abstract understanding of mathematical …

Matching Time Of Day And Preference For Adolescent Achievement, Leisha Moree Parker

Dissertations

Research shows that adolescents enter a circadian-phase delay as they approach and enter high school. On or about age 14, teens become less of a morning learner due to biological factors. Researchers have determined consequences to the adolescent's circadian shift as related to learning; therefore, morning time may have a negative influence on the cognitive functioning of teens resulting in lower test scores. This study was an attempt to determine if time of day, gender, and learning preference using the Morningness/Eveningness Scale for Children (MESC) as proposed by Carskadon, Vieira, and Acebo (1993) would result in a statistical difference in …

The Development And Application Of A Checklist For Evaluating E-Learning In Organizations, Anne-Marie Guidy-Oulai

Dissertations

In the last two decades, organizations have increasingly used computer-based instruction as a method to deliver training to employees and instruction to students. The e-learning market reached $50 billion in 2005 and is expected to double by 2010. A number of different evaluation models can and have been used to measure effectiveness and worth of programs. However, the literature indicates the evaluation of e-learning may need to develop new models for evaluation.

The purpose of this study is to develop a framework to enhance the process of elearning evaluation in organizations. The E-Learning Evaluation Checklist (ELEC)— which was developed and …

Review Of 'Handbook Of Multicultural Assessment: Clinical, Psychological, And Educational Applications', Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The third edition of Suzuki and Ponterotto’s Handbook of Multicultural Assessment: Clinical, Psychological, and Educational Applications provides comprehensive reviews on a variety of topics related to culturally appropriate assessment. The text includes updated chapters from previous editions, along with several newly conceptualized chapters that reflect the most current research in the field. Some chapters from previous editions were consolidated, resulting in a streamlined volume which will be useful to professionals and trainees in psychology, education, and social service disciplines.

Predicting Student Performance In Web-Based Distance Education Courses Based On Survey Instruments Measuring Individual Traits And Technical Skills, Michael Clyde Hall

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two common web-based surveys, "Is Online Learning Right for Me?' and "\Vb.at Technical Skills Do l Need~", were combined into a single survey instrument and given to 228 on-campus and 83 distance education students. The students were enrolled in four different classes (business, computer infonnation services, criminal justice, and early childhood development) on three different regional campuses of a mid-western community college. :Multiple regression equations were developed with the survey scores and the type of class to determine the extent to which the survey scores predicted final semester grade percentages. Although distance education students scored significantly higher on the survey …

Motivating Students: Identifying And Motivating Reluctant Learners To Reach Their Academic Potential, Kim Yeager

All Graduate Projects

Motivation plays an important role in determining how well a child will perform in school (Philips & Lindsay, 2006). Regardless of how intelligent or capable a student may be if the student is not motivated to do well then their academic performance will be less than it could have been with some motivation. Teachers need to understand why some students are motivated to try hard in school and why some students are not. This understanding will lead teachers to understand why their students are not reaching their academic potential. The purpose of this project was to design a guide that …

Evaluation Of An Adult Education Technology Program, Iwasan D. Kejawa

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the adult education technology program at a chartered alternative adult education center in Florida. The adult education center had a low rate of students passing the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). This study examined the impact of the use of computer technology in an effort to improve student learning in mathematics, reading, and science. Computers at the institution were used by all students for tutorials to prepare them for the FCAT and to obtain a high school diploma. The research questions for this study were as follows: 1. Is the education technology …

High-Stakes Testing And Special Populations, Gary H. Sherwin, Todd Jennings

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This opinion paper critically examines the use of high-stakes testing on special populations. Without appropriate accommodations, standardized exams are not valid for some students with special needs. Unfortunately, many classroom teachers who must initiate testing accommodations lack knowledge of appropriate accommodations and regularly fail to provide the necessary testing accommodations. The deficit understanding of testing accommodations makes comparisons between classrooms, schools, and districts invalid since some scores loose validity. Solutions specific to standardized testing and students with special needs are offered and a more encompassing solution to the problems incurred from these tests when used for high-stakes is suggested.

Gender Differences In Student Learning: A Review Of The Literature From The Neuroscience And Psychology Perspectives, Noreen Ann Clark

All Graduate Projects

Literature from the fields of psychology and neuroscience were examined to establish what scientifically based information was available regarding gender differences. Myths of the past, psychological and neuroscientific perspectives, gender specific differences for students with genetic and metabolic-based exceptionalities, gender specific changes in behavior through maturation, and the educational implications for gender differences were included. The results indicated that children show developmental differences in expression of emotion, metacognition, and cognition, and the developmental differences are influenced by gender. The implications for educational practices are that curriculum, instruction, and assessment can be aligned to meet the unique need of both male …

Psychological Versus Generic Critical Thinking As Predictors And Outcome Measures In A Large Undergraduate Human Development Course, Robert L. Williams, Renee Oliver, Susan Stockdale

Faculty Articles

This article compares the predictive and outcome status of a subject-specific versus a generic measure of critical thinking in a large undergraduate course. Specifically, the predictive potential of critical thinking was assessed with respect to test performance, both for tests requiring critical thinking and for those requiring only direct recall. This paper also examines the extent to which answering practice-exam questions with embedded psychological critical thinking issues produced improvement in critical thinking. The impact of the treatment on the critical thinking of students who performed well or poorly on the course tests requiring considerable application of critical thinking was assessed.

Motivating Students With Digital Portfolios, Rochelle Christine Duwa

Graduate Research Papers

As the drop out rates of high schools across the country reach 30 percent, the need for teachers to be able to motivate students becomes increasingly important. Alternative assessments (especially performance based) have become a popular trend in schools and have proven to give a more accurate display of students' skills and knowledge than standardized tests. This paper investigates the different kinds of digital or electronic portfolios, and the process of creating and implementing digital portfolios in order to help determine the role they could play as a method of alternative assessment as well as motivating students.

Alignment Of The Challenger Center Curriculum With The Washington State Essential Learning Requirements And The Use Of Multiple Intelligences, Shaila Donel Brookover

All Graduate Projects

The State ofWashington has recently adopted a set oflearning standards called the Essential Academic Learning Requirements. It is the intention of this Master's project to align the learning objectives of the Challenger Center curriculum with the Essential Academic Learning Requirements for Science, so that it may be used as a sixth and seventh grade enrichment opportunity. Itis also within the scope of this project to include Gardner's theory on multiple intelligence as an educational tool to improve student learning. It will be suggested that with the use of multiple intelligences and the integration of informal science learning experiences, students will …

Toward A More Functional Analysis Of Aggression, Robert A. Gable, Jo M. Hendrickson, Gary M. Sasso

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Given the substantial and oftentimes irreversible human loss resulting from aggressive acts, the need for systematic, treatment-linked assessment of aggression in school-aged children and youth cannot be overstated. Based upon recent research, the authors provide a broadly framed model for the functional analysis of aggression in school-age children and youth. Our model incorporates multi-modal data collection and data triangulation to generate credible hypotheses regarding the function(s) of aggression. Three primary data sources—record review and interviews, naturalistic observation, and analogue assessment—form the cornerstone of the model. Key features of our approach to the assessment of aggression include operational definition(s) of target …

The Development Of The Parent Effectiveness Test (Pet), Sharon S. Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Not Available.

The Relationship Between School Principals' Self-Perceived Brain Hemispheric Processing Modes And Their Self-Perceived Leadership Styles, Barbara Mcswain Kean

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study was designed to examine the relationship between the self-perceived preferred brain hemispheric processing of West Virginia public school principals and their self-perceived leadership styles. Seventy-five respondents completed the Herrmann Brain Dominance Profile, the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire, and a demographics sheet. Data were analyzed using the General Linear Model of the Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS). Chi Square analyses at the 0.05 alpha level were used to test two directional hypotheses that guided this study. Both hypotheses were confirmed.

Public school principals in West Virginia who perceived themselves as preferring mental processes that are predominantly left train hemispheric perceived …

The Effect Of A Learning Skills Course Including Group Counseling On Low Achievers In The Community College, Paul E. Borg

All Master's Theses

A Learning Skills course consisting of study skills, goal direction, and self-understanding was tested among volunteer community college low achievers. Treatment integrated didactic, group discussion, and affective experiences in 18 hour-long sessions. Nineteen subjects received treatment; 25 subjects formed a matched control group; and 41 non-volunteers formed two additional control groups. An apparent trend toward GPA improvement was noted for all groups, but all measurements on GPA and a study survey were non-significant.

Counseling For The Seventies: A Compendium Of Published Articles, Joseph Henry Koch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This article, which appeared in the January '72 edition of The School Counselor, talks about what counselors have done, doing, and what the author, a school counselor, thinks they should be doing. He discusses some factors operating to narrow the counselor's role: the student stereotype of counselors as "schedule-changers," the administrative view of counseling as a clerical function, the "psychiatric myth" which casts any person in a helping profession in the role of dream analyst and explorer of the dark unconscious. The writer sees counseling as the major pupil personnel service available on the school campus. Counseling should be concerned …

A Study Of The Retention Of Five Selected Mathematical Concepts Of Seventh Graders In The Coulee Dam Public School System As Based On The Inductive And Deductive Methods Of Teaching, James Prehm

All Master's Theses

The inductive and deductive methods of teaching for retention were compared in this study. It was also the purpose to determine whether there were significant sex differences in retention when the two methods were compared. Therefore, five hypotheses were tested.

An Investigation Of Group Procedures As A Method Of Involving The Parents In The Resolution Of Children's Educational Problems, Glen Deane Brotherton

Graduate Student Research Papers

A trend in education for the past sixty years has been the gradual development of a variety of procedures involving parents in the education of children. Research that indicates the interdependence of the home and the school in educating children has been the major influence in the development of these programs. Today there is general agreement among educators that the home and school must work cooperatively to resolve children's educational problems. Many successful procedures are now being used which involve parents, but more effective ways of working with them are being sought. In this paper group procedures are being considered …

A Study To Investigate The Need For An Air Conditioned Thermal Environment In Our Schools, Richard Edward Barich

Graduate Student Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to investigate our schools' need for a thermal environment provided by air conditioning.