Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

Teacher Education

A questionnaire was administered to school principals (N=88). The questionnaire data, along with student data, were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to investigate the relationships among leadership preparation practices, self rated leader behavior, the school learning environment, and student achievement. After controlling for demographic variables, the amount of variance explained was incremented a statistically significant degree between: preparation practices and leader behaviors (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and student achievement (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and leaders’ instructional knowledge (R2 = 6%); and leaders’ instructional knowledge and instructional practices in schools (R2 = 5%).

Training School Psychology Graduate Students To Address Regional Shortages: A Distance Learning Model, Susan C. Davies, Julie Q. Morrison, Sawyer Hunley

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

Addressing the shortages of school psychologists in underserved regions of the country is critical to the profession and the communities served by its members. This article describes a school psychology satellite training program using a hybrid approach combining distance learning technologies and face-to-face classroom meetings. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of sixteen graduate students in a rural, Appalachian region of Ohio as members of the first two cohorts enrolled in the school psychology satellite program.

Comparing Parent Ratings Of Referred Preschoolers On The Child Behavior Checklist And Behavior Assessment System For Children - Second Edition, Jennifer L. Bour

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

It is essential for school psychologists assessing children to use instruments that are reliable and valid. The focus of the current study is to determine whether or not the parent preschool versions of two popular behavior rating instruments, the Behavior Assessment System for Children – Second Edition (BASC-2; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000), are consistent measures of similarly-named behavioral constructs in preschool-aged children. Parents of 95 preschoolers referred to a nonprofit child evaluation clinic because of behavioral or developmental concerns completed both the BASC-2 and CBCL during an initial evaluation session.

The …

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 …

The Impact Of Service Learning On Moral Development And Moral Orientation, Matthew L. Bernacki Phd, Elizabeth A. Jaeger

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education Faculty Research

Research on Service-learning's (SL) impact on students' moral development has been "mixed." In this study, 46 students in SL and non-SL sections of comparable courses offered at a northeastern Catholic university completed the Defining Issues Test, the Moral Justification Scale, and the SL Outcome Scale at the beginning and end of a semester. Although scores on moral development and orientation did not change significantly, SL students reported becoming more compassionate and more sensitive, having a greater understanding of and ability to solve social problems, and possessing a greater efficacy to make the world better. While a single-semester exposure to SL …

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 …

Measuring Knowledge Of Natural Selection: A Comparison Of The C.I.N.S., An Open-Response Instrument, And An Oral Interview, Ross Nehm, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Growing recognition of the central importance of fostering an in-depth understanding of natural selection has, surprisingly, failed to stimulate work on the development and rigorous evaluation of instruments that measure knowledge of it. We used three different methodological tools, the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS), a modified version of Bishop and Anderson's (Bishop and Anderson [1990] Journal of Research in Science Teaching 27: 415-427) open-response test that we call the Open Response Instrument (ORI), and an oral interview derived from both instruments, to measure biology majors' understanding of and alternative conceptions about natural selection. We explored how these instruments …

Part-Time Work As A School Psychologist, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

U.S. News and World Report recently rated school psychology as one of the 25 best careers for 2007, highlighting a variety of factors converging to create a strong job market outlook for school psychologists. It emphasizes the generally positive working conditions experienced by those working in our field. One of the many perks to the profession of school psychology is the potential for flexibility in one’s work, such as through parttime positions. While numerous occupations do not lend themselves to part-time work, many school districts offer appealing parttime positions to school psychologists. This is not only a good option for …

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 …

School Cultures And Their Correlations With Student Achievement: An Analysis Of Schools That Have Improved, Christina A. Fraley

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The two purposes of this mixed-method study were to (1) conduct a quantitative study that would investigate the correlation of collaborative cultures relative to student achievement, by assessing the cultures of 100 schools and (2) to look at specific schools, using qualitative study methods to better understand insights toward improvements in their culture scores and/or IS TEP third, sixth, or tenth grade scores. One hundred public schools were invited to participate with 81 of the schools being those that participated in a similar project four years ago (Gruenert, 2005). From those who chose not to participate or did not respond, …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of The Success For All Whole-School Reform Model On The Elementary School Proficiency Assessment And The New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge In An Urban District, Winston D. Jackson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Development Of Legal Reasoning Skills In Law Students: An Empirical Study, Stefan H. Krieger

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

The Differences In Language Arts Performance Between Male And Female Students In American Public Schools, Kenneth E. Wallace

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to explore the phenomenon of girls outperforming boys in reading and writing in American public schools. Nine teachers from the suburban Chicago area were studied along with their schools to determine teacher knowledge of the phenomenon, school acknowledgement of the problem, and strategies being utilized or recommended to close the language arts performance gap between girls and boys. Six themes emerged: Schools don't typically focus on student achievement by gender; Teacher knowledge of standardized test performance by gender varies; Student empathy and tolerance is critical; Student reading and writing self-selection improves engagement; Differentiated, thematic teaching with …

Five Approaches To Literacy In Correctional Education, Thom Gehring, Gary H. Sherwin

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This article introduces literacy from a few “big picture” perspectives, and then reviews five paradigms that have shaped the teaching and learning of literacy in residential confinement institutions for juveniles and adults. The paradigms are specific to correctional education, but they will be familiar to all alternative teachers and advocates of literacy instruction.

Effects Of Extended Time Programs On The Academic Achievement And School Attendance Of African American Students And Students In Poverty In Title I Schools In The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation, Cathlin S. Gray

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study examined the effects of participation in after school programs and summer programs on the academic achievement and school attendance rates of students living in poverty and African American students who attended Title I schools in the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC) in Evansville, Indiana during the 2004 school year. The researcher examined data from the 2004 Indiana State-wide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP+) test for students in grades 3-9, school attendance rates and the number of days a student attended after school or summer programs. The results of this study indicate that there is a significant difference between …

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation: Application To The School-Based Treatment Of Anxiety Disorders, Elana R. Bernstein, Thomas R. Kratochwill, Kelly A. Feeney-Kettler

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

In the current paper we discuss the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders using a problem-solving consultation framework. The role of consultation as a service delivery model in a school setting is elaborated on, as well as the contribution that consultation has in the movement towards evidence-based practices in school psychology. Additionally, a description of the role of consultation specifically in the treatment of childhood anxiety is provided. The role of parents and teachers in treatment is further elucidated, and the separate influence each may have on traditional treatment outcomes is presented. Finally, we discuss the benefits of using a conjoint …

Attributing Success And Failure : Attribution Theory At Work, Ellen M. Shay

Graduate Research Papers

Attribution Theory demonstrates how people can appropriately attribute success and failure. Teachers must learn how to help students handle their successes and, perhaps more importantly, their failures. If teachers are not successful in this endeavor, the students will not succeed in a traditional school setting.

Methodological Challenges For Identifying And Coding Diverse Knowledge Elements In Interview Data, Victor R. Lee, Moshe Krakowski, Bruce Sherin, Megan Bang, Gregory Dam

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper, as part of a symposium on the analysis of clinical interview data and the development of a framework for analyzing students' intuitive science knowledge, identifies and discusses methodological challenges encountered when specifying the knowledge elements and resources are invoked dynamically during a clinical interview. Drawing from interviews with middle school students about the seasons and an analysis of knowledge in terms of 'nodes', two classes of problems are identified: those associated with identification of nodes and those associated with their application as codes to a transcript-based data corpus. We posit that these challenges are common ones associated with …

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.

High-Stakes Testing And Assessment: One Is Not The Other, Enrique Murillo, Alayne Sullivan

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Since the institution of the common school and the advent of universal education, Americans have placed tremendous faith in public schools. Public education cultivates an informed citizenry, one of the pillars of a liberal democracy. But more importantly, schools are a repository for our common dreams of human potential and individual self-actualization. Because they so thoroughly shape the lives and life-chances of our youth, school issues are freighted with an emotional charge. Education remains the last fully public American institution, one in which millions of students cast their common lot daily and strive to become better readers, better citizens, better …

The Identification Of Factors That Threaten Self-Efficacy And Collegiate Success On The Part Of College Transfer Students, Mark A. Frederick

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to identify factors that could be used to quantify and measure levels of perceived self-efficacy on the part of college transfer students. Previous research on college student retention as well as data gathered from focus group meetings as part of this project provided background information from which items were derived for inclusion on an instrument designed to measure transfer student academic self-efficacy. Factor analysis of the instrument's 25 items, completed by 159 transfer students at a large Midwestern university yielded a four-factor structure which included Community Integration, General Support Structures, Social Supports, and Academic Skills. A …

A Comparison Of The Wj-Iii Test Of Cognitive Abilities And The Wais-Iii, Brittany Leigh Metz

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Since the birth of the intelligence test in the early 20th century, these instruments have gone through tremendous alterations. The revision of such instruments creates an obligation of those who utilize these tests to provide empirical evidence that supports concurrent validity with additional cognitive measures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the Woodcock-Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities, Third Edition and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Test, Third Edition. Both instruments were administered to 30 college students attending a Midwest university. The previously collected data was analyzed using a Pearson Product Moment Correlation as well as a …

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 …

Academic Effects Of Looping On Elementary Students, Debra Lynn Jones

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose With the No Child Left Behind legislation, schools are considering nontraditional ways of looking at teaching and learning to determine what is academically the most beneficial for all children. Looping is a two year placement of students with the same teacher. This classroom configuration offers an opportunity for teachers to build a community and develop a trusting long term relationship with students and parents. This study compared the academic achievement of third grade students in looping and non looping classrooms. Research Questions ( 1) Is there a difference in academic achievement as measured by IS TEP between looping and …

Teaching Mathematics In Multilingual Classrooms, Anjum Halai

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Correlates Of Depression In Young Adult Caregivers, Mark Gillen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research examined depression in young adult caregivers. It was hypothesized that levels of depression in 18 to 40 year olds who provided care to older adult family members would be similar to depression levels of middle age adult caregivers. This study also examined the relationship between depression, gender, employment, physical health, and relationships. Participants included 172 young adult caregivers that were employees of one of three mid-west universities or colleges. All employees in the young adult age range were contacted and provided with a survey packet. The survey included the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and predictor …

The Quality Of Learners' Knowledge About Teaching And Learning, Helen Askell-Williams

Shannon Research Press

The aim of this monograph is to report the development and application of a framework for identifying quality in teachers' and learners' knowledge about teaching and learning.

Sometimes, Practice Makes Imperfect: Overcoming The Automaticity Of Challenging Behavior By Linking Intervention To Thoughts, Feelings, And Action, Robert A. Gable, Richard Van Acker

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

In schools throughout the country, education personnel express concern over the aggressive and antisocial behavior of children and youth. The frequency and severity of these acts compel us to find more effective strategies for decreasing and eliminating these behaviors. In this article, we argue for a broader explanation of the nature and treatment of aggressive behavior, especially when it rises to what is essentially an automotive response level. We contend that both assessment and intervention must account for internal and external influences on behavior and that treatment should encompass cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of the problem. Finally, we discuss …

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.

Praise And Its Effects On Trust, Help-Seeking Behavior, And Self-Perception Of Students With Disabilities, Regina L. Rice

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this investigation was to examine praise and its effects on help-seeking behavior, trust, and self-perception as well as how different age groups respond to praise. the participants were 11 female students with disabilities and low achievers ranging in ages from 12-17 and up chosen through convenience sampling. Praise as a specific intervention was examined using a self-developed, Likert- type, 16 item questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Pearson 'r'. No significant relationship was found between praise and help-seeking (r=.36, P> .05) or praise and self-perception (r=36, p> .05). However, a significant relationship was found between praise and …