Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Taking The Right Path: A Two-Year Journey Through School Turnaround By Katherine O., Katherine O. Chambers

Dissertations

The researcher conducted a statistical examination of a two-year journey through school turnaround to identify factors that had a direct impact on student performance on state exams. Following 31 students through sixth and seventh grades, the researcher collected data in alignment with five target areas for school improvement defined by the state of Missouri: (1) student performance, (2) highly qualified staff, (3) facilities, support and instructional resources, (4) parent and community involvement, and (5) governance and leadership. Applying ANOVA and z-tests at a 95% confidence interval, the researcher analyzed the data to examine for statistically significant differences in scores on …

Structuring A Teacher Education Program For Faculty Collaboration And Second-Order Change, Tammy V. Abernathy, Shanon S. Taylor

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The purpose of this paper is to describe the structure and functions of an integrated elementary special education undergraduate teacher program (Integrated Elementary/Special Education Teacher Education Program, ITEP). By abandoning our old “enhancement model” of teacher education, we redesigned our program into a “merged model.” We examine this restructuring from the perspective of first- and second- order change, and we discuss the obstacles we found that prohibit meaningful second-order change. Finally, we briefly discuss how our experiences in designing ITEP and our state’s devastating fiscal crisis have affected our teacher-education programs and nudged us into more authentic second-order changes.

Plcs: Student Outcomes Evaluation In A Midwest High School, Kelly E. Dickinson

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This study was an evaluation of student outcomes following a five-year implementation of PLCs at Midwest High School in the U.S. Three research questions were addressed: (1) Has student achievement increased during the course of implementing PLCs? If so, is there evidence that this is a result of a contribution from PLC implementation from 2006-2011? (2) Have teacher attitudes toward curriculum rigor, public image, quality of education, and post-high school preparedness changed during the implementation of PLCs from 2006-2011? (3) Is the staff, in April 2011, a mature PLC? For research question one, eight hypotheses resulted in the evaluation of …

University Presidents' Perspectives Of The Knowledge And Competencies Needed In 21st Century Higher Education Leadership, Sydney Freeman Jr., Frances K. Kochan

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The purpose of this study was to identify the core knowledge and competencies needed for executive leadership in higher education administration as perceived by university presidents. Thirteen presidents shared the knowledge and competencies they perceived as being essential for an effective presidency. The respondents identified the important knowledge areas as: foundational; acquisition of cultural knowledge; and complex cognitive. They viewed personal attributes, management, and communications as the essential competency areas. The study found that presidents viewed themselves both as leaders and as managers.

Results of this study should be helpful to organizations seeking to develop and/or implement degree programs to …

Project Search: Work-Based Transition Program For Young Adults With Disabilities, Teresa D. Green

Dissertations

Historically people with significant disabilities were restricted to places such as adult activity centers, sheltered workshops, nursing homes, and institutions. Studies have shown the high school drop-out rate for this population is higher than those who are non-disabled. Policy makers concluded that these individuals needed to be better prepared for a successful adult life beyond high school. Individuals with developmental disabilities in the state of Missouri are over two times less likely to be employed than the national average. Laws have been passed to provide supports and services for individuals with disabilities to be as independent as possible. This paper …

Comparing The Effectiveness Of Two Models Of College Summit Programs In An Urban School Setting, Wanda Davis

Dissertations

The inclusion of college preparation programs promote and forecast academic success in postsecondary studies among individual at-risk, African American urban high school students. Past research has shown ongoing, college acceptance, performance, and graduation gaps between at-risk, African American urban high school students when compared to affluent, Caucasian suburban high school students. The College Summit program is designed to help close this gap. The study compared two models of the College Summit Program in one urban school setting. The study evaluated the effect that pre-college preparation activities had on these dependent variables: completion of postsecondary planning activities, end-of-year GPA, awards of …

A Content Analysis To Investigate The Evidence Of 21st Century Knowledge And Skills Within Elementary Teacher Education Programs In The United States, Mary Margaret Ruettgers

Dissertations

Are graduates of teacher preparation programs adequately prepared with the skills and knowledge to teach in the 21st century classroom? This study consisted of a quantitative content analysis to investigate the presence of 21st century knowledge and skills within a stratified random sample of teacher preparation programs in the United States as measured by the 21st Century Learning Framework. Based on the current literature, the researcher identified 21st century competencies: global awareness; digital competencies; critical thinking; collaboration; cross-cultural; communication; and problem solving. For null hypothesis numbers two through eight, the researcher determined how closely the institution’s mission statements, course descriptions, …

An Evaluation Of Physician-To-Patient Communication Training In Medical Schools Across The United States: A Status Report On The Nation’S Efforts To Promote Health Literacy By Adding Health Literacy Courses To Medical School Curriculum, Andrea P. Frazier

Dissertations

This research study employed a mixed method sequential approach and investigated the number of Schools of Medicine within the United States that offer health literacy as a component of their curriculum and a course of study within the academic setting. Data were gathered from medical school surveys and personal interviews. Curriculum content, learning objective, subject matter sequence, assessment, course schedule, and other relevant elements were evaluated as comparison components of the data collected from these two methods. This study focused solely on 71 of the 154 Schools of Medicine in the United States, inclusive of 126 of those awarding a …

Best Practice In Early Reading Intervention: Implementing A Reading Intervention Program To Reach Below Level Readers, Bridgett Niedringhaus

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a reading intervention program used with second and third grade students identified as not meeting grade level expectancy. Studies have indicated students who are not reading at grade level by the end of the third grade have an increasingly difficult time achieving at the rate of their same-age peers. In this mixed-methods case study, the researcher analyzed end of the year report card data for 30 students who received reading intervention using the Rigby Intervention By Design Program, conducted a Content Knowledge Survey with teachers, and performed Literacy Walkthroughs …

Teacher Training For "Response To Intervention" At A Midwest University, Ladonna Jean Barnett

Dissertations

The compelling force behind education is improving teacher quality. This research study was designed to find out how improving teacher quality in terms of RTI knowledge occurred at differing levels of instruction and how faculty perceived the changing role of general education teachers and administrators with regard to RTI. Participants in the study included 13 faculty instructors and 196 of their students. Instructors had experience ranging from three to 14 years and experience in public school settings varied from eight to 17 years teaching K-12 and from four to 20 years as administrators. The instrumentation and data collection consisted of …

A Quantitative Content Analysis Of The Common Core State Standards Compared To Missouri’S Grade-Level Expectations Using The Revised Bloom’S Taxonomy Framework, Toni Gallia

Dissertations

With the pressure in education to develop a 21st century learner with higher-level thinking skills, many educators connected previous state curriculum to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Missouri’s Department of Education experts paired the previous state’s curriculum known as the Missouri Grade Level Expectations (MO GLEs) with a corresponding CCSS based on Webb’s depth-of-knowledge model in a document commonly referred to as the Missouri Crosswalk. This quantitative content analysis study compared the MO GLEs and CCSS by quantifying the language using an adapted and revised Bloom’s taxonomy framework. This study tested for a cognitive difference in means and for …

Exploring Congruency Between John A. Henschke‘S Practice And Scholarship, Lori Risley

Dissertations

The study aimed to explore how John A. Henschke‘s practice mirrors the andragogical theory espoused in his scholarship. This study offered interpretations held by three groups of individuals: colleagues, students, and John, utilizing 10 data sets. Data sets include: a) Focus group-current students, b) Modified Instructors Perspectives Inventory for Students pre/ post course surveys, c) Section of the Instructors Perspectives Inventory, d) Course evaluations, e) Video recordings of John facilitating , f) Interviews; colleagues, students, and John, g) Observations, and h) Selection of scholarship. Each contained interpretations and perceptions that, when held up to the mirror of John‘s scholarship, reflected …

Quality Induction: The Effects Of Comprehensive Induction On New Teacher Retention And Job Satisfaction, Mary Therese Hendricks-Harris

Dissertations

This investigation examined the effect of a comprehensive new teacher induction program on teacher retention and job satisfaction in one suburban school district. New teachers are retained at low rates, and districts are spending resources in an attempt to decrease this number. New teacher induction includes supports for new teachers in their first years that may include orientation, professional development, and formal mentoring, and often has retention as a goal. The researcher collected retention data and compared it to the different induction components provided in various years throughout the study. In addition, six retained teachers were interviewed in order to …

Exploring The Experiences Of Former Alternative Education Participants: Case Studies, Shirley L. Washington-Cobb

Dissertations

Alternative education has become an integral program, in one form or another throughout most school districts in the United States. Alternative education is a very complex and controversial issue that is best understood through the stories of former alternative education students looking back on their lived experiences. Children in the alternative education program studied here were generally those who did not fit into a general education program due to behavior problems or lack of academic success. The purpose of the study was to investigate alternative education primarily through in-depth interviews and case studies of 18 previous alternative education students who …

Computer-Based Versus Paper-Pencil Modes Of Administration United States Government End Of Course Exams: Student Cumulative Grade Point Averages As Predictors Of Success, Barbara A. Ryan

Dissertations

Beginning with the No Child Left Behind federal legislation, states were required to use data to monitor and improve student achievement. For high schools, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education chose End of Course Exams (EOC) to demonstrate levels of student achievement. The policy changed from school choice of paper-pencil or computer-based testing to mandated computer-based testing. This study examined whether this decision best demonstrates the level of student mastery. Using high school EOC test scores for United States Government exams as the independent variable and high school cumulative grade point average (CGPA) as the dependent variable, the …

Strategies And Factors Influencing Public School District Referendums, Alan N. Stauffacher

Dissertations

Many school districts are in need of a successful plan of action for school district referendums. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the perceived effectiveness between factors and strategies surrounding referendums and the passage of those measures meant to improve school funding and facilities. The findings from Johnson and Ingle (2008) and Holt et al. (2006) were used to guide this study. Three questions were posed: What do superintendents identify as strategies to use as prescriptive plans for successful school referendums? What existing factors do superintendents identify that lead to success of school referendums? What existing factors …

An Evaluation Of The Student Service Expectations Of Freshmen At A Small, Midwestern Liberal Arts University, Jerry Michael Bladdick

Dissertations

Increasing freshmen student retention and ultimately increasing their graduation rates continues to be a critical matter for institutions of higher education. Therefore, colleges and universities are attempting to understand the student service expectations of freshmen students as a primary mechanism to enhance matriculation rates. University administrators must identify what students expect from their college experience if they are to positively affect institutional policy. Previous investigations have observed the relationship between student expectations and experiences, but limited data exist on the student service expectations of college freshmen. The purpose of this mixed method study is to determine the student service expectations …

The Relationship Between Multiplication Fact Speed-Recall And Fluency And Higher Level Mathematics Learning With Eighth Grade Middle School Students, Steven James Curry

Dissertations

This quantitative study investigated relationships between higher level mathematics learning and multiplication fact fluency, multiplication fact speed-recall, and reading grade equivalency of eighth grade students in Algebra I and Pre-Algebra. Higher level mathematics learning was indicated by an average score of 80% or higher on first and second semester mathematics assessments and proficient or advanced descriptor on the mathematics Missouri Assessment Program tests. Timed multiplication fact quizzes were administered to eighth grade students. Speed-recall scores were measured by the number of accurate answers in a 45-second time frame. Fluency was obtained by a student score of 35 accurate answers in …

Employment Of An Informal Educational Mathematical Facility To Lower Math Anxiety And Improve Teacher And Student Attitudes Towards Understanding Mathematics, Vicki Adams

Dissertations

Students do not pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) because of a lack of ability, but rather a lack of positive experiences with mathematics. Research has concluded that attitudes in math directly influence success in mathematics. As many as 75% of high school graduates in the United States suffer from mild to severe forms of math anxiety. The improvement of student achievement in mathematics in the United States lags behind that of many other nations in the world. Efforts to improve student achievement in mathematics have focused on developing effective teachers and teaching practices, creating state and …

Middle School Students’ Perceptions Of Their Interests In Reading As Defined By Engagement And Social Interaction When Using Sustained Silent Reading, Ssr, And Peer Interests Reading Strategies, Pirs, Regina J. Ware

Dissertations

Alarming statistics report that middle school students are not reading as much as they should be reading. This study is an examination of two interventions that were incorporated into the regular curriculum to determine if these two reading interventions would encourage this researcher’s students to read more. The “Nation’s Report Card” (NAEP, 2010) showed that eighth graders were reading less on the 2009 exam than indicated by the score they received in 2007. This data intensifies the importance of encouraging reading in middle school students. To help the students in Blue Sky Middle School improve their reading habits, this researcher …

The A+ Schools Program And School Improvement, Ashley Suzanne Moyer

Dissertations

This study examined Missouri’s A+ Schools Program and its impact on school improvement. Effective schools research combined with the mission learning for all provided a conceptual foundation for guiding research development. A mixed-method design allowing a triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data was applied using telephone interviews and Likert-scale surveys from A+ Coordinators having two or more years’ experience. Questions about the A+ Schools Program’s success centered on the following: graduation rate, curriculum and assessment, career preparation, rigorous coursework, and at-risk students. As a result, four themes emerged; the first of two were students realizing the importance to graduate and …

A Study Of The Effect Of Additional Reading Assistance On Student Achievement, Nicole A. Gillan-Sanderson

Dissertations

This study describes a procedure one school district used to increase students’ reading abilities through reviewing data and adjusting the instruction to give students intensive services, as needed. This school worked in a problem-solving team approach to develop a comprehensive team that followed the progression of student achievement. Professional development was utilized extensively to make adjustments for reading instruction to a data-driven approach. The targeted population consisted of third through fifth grade students in the Southern Illinois Area. The study school averaged student scores that dropped three years in a row between the years 2004-2008. With the demands of No …

The Relationship Of Servant Leadership On Teacher Satisfaction And Teacher Retention, Elizabeth F. Engelhart

Dissertations

High performing schools with exceptional leaders are needed today in America. School leaders are expected to come to the job equipped with the ability to address curriculum issues, face dire budget constraints, and turn around school culture and climate. Financially, schools are suffering from the cost of teacher turnover. Students are suffering academically from the revolving door of teachers moving in and out of classrooms. By investigating and addressing such issues, district administrators will be able to recognize which elementary school principals will be able to solve problems because they possess the necessary leadership skills. The purpose of this study …

A Multidimensional Perspective Of Faculty Mentoring And Job Satisfaction During The First Year Of Teaching At Lindenwood University, Carla Mueller

Dissertations

Higher education requires exemplary faculty to provide a high quality education to college-level students. When faculty is new to an institution, issues of transition can affect job satisfaction negatively. The literature concludes that job satisfaction can affect retention of quality personnel. As a result, college and university administrators have addressed this concern with the development of mentoring programs for faculty new to their institutions. One of the goals of mentoring programs is based on the assumption that mentoring can affect job satisfaction in a positive way; thus, involvement in such programs will ensure faculty members are more likely to be …

Factors Influencing The College Choice Of Music Majors Attending A Four Year Institution: A Comparative Study, Ryan Curtis

Dissertations

The purpose of this research sought to investigate and compare the factors influencing the college choice of music majors attending four-year private and four-year public universities. A comparison of college choice data among four universities was completed in the following areas: academic, institutional, financial, and personal/social. These influences leading to college choice are based on the study of real-life decision-making (Galotti, 1995) and the factors which influence the music majors choice of institution (Locke, 1982). The four main factors deemed important in college choice, surveyed through a 31 question survey and a follow up interview, focused on which of these …

Missouri Educator Perceptions On The Use Of Smartphones/Cell Phones In A Secondary School Setting: Their Relationship To Instruction, Christopher Birch

Dissertations

This mixed methods study evaluated the differences in the perceptions of educators in the state of Missouri on cell phone use in the classroom setting and its relationship to instruction. Specifically, this study analyzed the difference in perceptions and relationships that exist among educators (teachers and counselors) and administrators in Missouri public schools. Furthermore, this study also examined relationships between region (rural versus suburban), school setting (middle school versus high school), and education level (bachelors and masters/specialist/doctorate) and interest level in using cell phones as an instructional tool. In addition, this research investigated current instructional practices involving mobile technology. Through …

The Perceptual Difference In Roles And Responsibilities Of Special Education Paraprofessionals, Carmen Renee Harris

Dissertations

Based on the researcher's experience as a coordinator of special education, general and special education administrators are challenged with creating, implementing, and supervising special education services addressing the diverse needs of students with disabilities in the general education setting. The researcher has collaborated with principals to review programming options for students with disabilities participating in inclusive general education classrooms and found that often this inclusive programming involves the use of a special education paraprofessional. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine if there was a difference in perception between a student's team members (general education teacher, special …

Correlation Of Conditional Admittance And Student Achievement In An Undergraduate Higher Education Setting, Joe Parisi

Dissertations

This paper explores several research questions that identify differences between conditionally admitted students and regularly admitted students in terms of achievement results at one institution. The research provides specific variables as well as relationships including historical and comparative aggregate data from 2009 and 2010 that indicate evidence related to student achievement. This paper examined several research questions related to any possible differences between conditional admission and student achievement. This was a quantitative study that provided results indicating that the conditional admit population ended with a first-year overall institutional Grade Point Average in the 70th percentile and the regularly admitted population …

First-Year Superintendents‘ Perceptions Of Preparation And Practice, Brady D. Quirk

Dissertations

Through this qualitative study, the perceptions of first-year superintendents in Missouri were obtained regarding their graduate preparation program and the types of supports they sought in their new position. The superintendency is a complex role, requiring the school district leader to work within the often-conflicting framework of organizational manager versus instructional leader. The superintendents, both male and female from districts of varying sizes, were interviewed within this framework in order to make comparisons with the existing related literature. Certain themes emerged from the data, notably, a relationship between district size and the perception of the primary responsibilities of the superintendent. …

The Disconnection Between High School And College: A Study Of Retention Of Students Who Are At Risk Of Leaving College Before Completing A Degree, Peggy R. Sherwin

Dissertations

The number of students graduating high school and entering community colleges academically unprepared has increased. The problem is that they are at risk of leaving before degree completion. The community college in this study requires remedial no credit courses for unprepared students transitioning from high school based on an academic assessment test. There is no follow up once they are placed into the remedial courses. In contrast, non-traditional “returning learners” who test into remedial courses additionally receive follow-up in the form of an orientation workshop, a study skills course, and mentoring. The purpose of the study was to (a) review …