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Articles 361 - 390 of 408

Full-Text Articles in Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research

Perceived Effectiveness Of Special Reading Teacher’S Preparation Through The Reading Practicum Experience, Patricia C. Leitsch Jul 2010

Perceived Effectiveness Of Special Reading Teacher’S Preparation Through The Reading Practicum Experience, Patricia C. Leitsch

Dissertations

Special reading certification in the state of Missouri requires a candidate to complete coursework that involves two three hour practicum experiences. These experiences must entail working with students in kindergarten through grade 12. The practicum experiences are designed to provide significant instruction in the area of reading strategies for struggling readers. Since the advent of No Child Left Behind (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education [MODESE], 2009b) there has been an increased demand for special reading teachers. Many universities have experienced an increase in the number of students seeking special reading certification. This qualitative study focuses on the three …

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Can Experiential Education Strategies Improve Elementary Science Teachers’ Perceptions Of And Practices In Science Teaching?, Kasey D. Sindel Jul 2010

Can Experiential Education Strategies Improve Elementary Science Teachers’ Perceptions Of And Practices In Science Teaching?, Kasey D. Sindel

Dissertations

This study was prompted by the growing amount of research that is in support of science reform and from this researcher’s personal experience and concern that science instructions is no longer a top priority in elementary schools nor are young scientists given the opportunities to act as scientists in a real world setting. This study uses experiential education strategies in a workshop format to try and affect change in the attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions of elementary science teachers. Experiential education is not new, but the methods of teaching can span a wide range of topics. The main focus of the …

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An Adult Accelerated Degree Program: Student And Instructor Perspectives And Factors That Affect Retention, Cindy K. Manjounes May 2010

An Adult Accelerated Degree Program: Student And Instructor Perspectives And Factors That Affect Retention, Cindy K. Manjounes

Dissertations

This was a blended qualitative and quantitative study, which investigated adult student and instructor perspectives, motivators, factors and life events that have affected adult students as they pursue their degrees. This study also examined the environment, format, and course content of accelerated degree programs. This study focused solely on undergraduate degree programs. The null hypothesis of this study was that accelerated degree programs for adult students will not result in higher retention rates than traditional day programs. The null hypothesis was rejected. This study is significant because, as pointed out in Stephanie Armour’s June 12, 2003, USA Today article, adults …

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Effects Of At-Home Reading Activities And Parental Involvement On Classroom Reading Scores: Focus On The Middle School Level, Linetta Carter May 2010

Effects Of At-Home Reading Activities And Parental Involvement On Classroom Reading Scores: Focus On The Middle School Level, Linetta Carter

Dissertations

This dissertation was written collaboratively by Cynthia Warren, Linetta Carter, and George Edwards with the exception of chapter 4 which is the individual effort of the aforementioned researchers. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of athome reading activities and parental involvement on classroom reading scores with the focus on the middle school level. A total of 150 students from two inner city schools and one suburban school were chosen for the multi-method research. Students’ reading scores were evaluated and their parents were interviewed. A collaborative study involving three investigators was conducted to determine if there was …

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Virtual Teacher Talk: Blogging With And By Pre-Service Teachers, Melanie Bishop May 2010

Virtual Teacher Talk: Blogging With And By Pre-Service Teachers, Melanie Bishop

Dissertations

This action research study investigated the use of a blog in a pre-service teacher orientation foundational course in a mid-western college. The purpose of using the blog was to integrate face-to-face instruction and virtual interactive technology throughout the course, in particular while the students were away from class for five weeks to participate in a practicum. The face-to-face and virtual interactions were designed to provide mutual support. This study was conducted in a course entitled Orientation to Education, a foundational course required of all undergraduate pre-service education students. Of the 34 students, 24 were freshmen or sophomores. The median age …

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The Effects Of Teacher Mentoring On Teacher Retention, Camesha Nichole Hill-Carter May 2010

The Effects Of Teacher Mentoring On Teacher Retention, Camesha Nichole Hill-Carter

Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine if mentoring plays an important role on new teachers staying in the field of education at the school to which the original position was given. The targeted school is an inner-city charter school in St. Louis, Missouri, where teacher attrition is typically high. Since charter schools do not offer the same three year contracts as traditional public schools, teachers are challenged with the fire at-will clause that is in many charter school contracts. Many new teachers are not secure in the position in which they have attained and often leave the charter school for …

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Effects Of At-Home Reading Activities And Parental Involvement On Classroom Reading Scores: Focus On The Elementary School Level, Cynthia Warren May 2010

Effects Of At-Home Reading Activities And Parental Involvement On Classroom Reading Scores: Focus On The Elementary School Level, Cynthia Warren

Dissertations

This dissertation was written collaboratively by Cynthia Warren, Linetta Carter, and George Edwards with the exception of chapter 4 which is the individual effort of the aforementioned researchers. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of athome reading activities and parental involvement on classroom reading scores with a focus on the elementary level. A total of 150 students from two inner city schools and one suburban school were chosen for the multi-method research. Students’ reading scores were evaluated, and their parents were interviewed. A collaborative study involving three investigators was conducted to determine if there was a …

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Examining The Relationship Between Standard Tests, Experiential Learning Strategies, Student-Centered Teaching Attitudes, And Student Achievement In Communication Arts, Joann Clay May 2010

Examining The Relationship Between Standard Tests, Experiential Learning Strategies, Student-Centered Teaching Attitudes, And Student Achievement In Communication Arts, Joann Clay

Dissertations

The purpose of this collaborative research study was to examine the relationship between standard tests, experiential learning strategies, student-centered teaching attitudes, and student achievement in Communication Arts. Each researcher took primary responsibility for the quantitative data (survey responses based on a Likert Scale and Missouri Assessment Program [MAP] and the qualitative data [open-ended questions, responses, and classroom observations of teachers]). This study was based on a collaborative effort in identifying the existence of teaching factors which could increase student achievement on the MAP test. The MAP test is one of several educational reforms mandated by the No Child Left Behind …

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The Effect Of Guided Reading Instruction On Reading Achievement, Vanda Lea Underwood May 2010

The Effect Of Guided Reading Instruction On Reading Achievement, Vanda Lea Underwood

Dissertations

Although reading achievement correlates highly with a student’s ability to do well in school, not all children achieve in reading. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to investigate whether reading instruction provided in small groups at the child’s own reading level, known as guided reading instruction, would result in significant improvement in the reading achievement of fourth- and fifth-grade students. Teachers’ commitment to and perception of guided reading instruction were also examined in the study district. The hypothesis was: Have student reading scores improved on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) in 2007 and 2008, after implementing guided reading …

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Process Evaluation Of The Instant Word Notebook, Jeannie Ellen Roberts May 2010

Process Evaluation Of The Instant Word Notebook, Jeannie Ellen Roberts

Dissertations

This program evaluation of The Instant Word Notebook was conducted by two educators who created an instructional tool to teach and assess the most frequently occurring words in written text, commonly known as Instant Words. In an effort to increase the reading scores of first and second grade students, teachers were instructed to teach Instant Words. It was observed that teachers exposed students to Instant Words, but had no systematic process to teach and assess Instant Words for mastery. The purpose of The Instant Word Notebook was to teach and assess mastery of Instant Words to first and second grade …

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Effects Of At-Home Reading Activities And Parental Involvement On Classroom Communication Arts Assessments: Focus On The High School Level, George Edwards May 2010

Effects Of At-Home Reading Activities And Parental Involvement On Classroom Communication Arts Assessments: Focus On The High School Level, George Edwards

Dissertations

This dissertation was written collaboratively by Cynthia Warren, Linetta Carter, and George Edwards with the exception of chapter 4 which is the individual effort of the aforementioned researchers. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of athome reading activities and parental involvement on classroom communication arts assessments with a focus on the high school level. A total of 150 students from two inner city schools and one suburban middle school were chosen for the multi-method research. Students’ reading scores were evaluated and their parents were interviewed. A collaborative study involving three investigators was conducted to determine if …

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Parent Information Nights: An Elementary School Principal’S Search To Increase Parent Input And Affect The Learning-At-Home Environment, Stan Ponder Apr 2010

Parent Information Nights: An Elementary School Principal’S Search To Increase Parent Input And Affect The Learning-At-Home Environment, Stan Ponder

Dissertations

Although the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires schools to create initiatives to increase parental involvement, the development, implementation, and effectiveness of these initiatives are left to the individual schools and their leadership teams. This qualitative study focused on a program designed to increase parental involvement and education to affect the learning-at-home environment as it relates to student learning. By using an action research model, parents of students in a small, rural elementary school in the Midwestern United States attended two cycles of meetings designed to increase awareness of educational concerns. These meetings were conducted with the desire …

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Exploring Differences In Teacher Attitudes And Instructional Strategies Between Traditional And Block Schedule High Schools: A Comparison Of Two Small Schools, Timothy Leonard Reller Apr 2010

Exploring Differences In Teacher Attitudes And Instructional Strategies Between Traditional And Block Schedule High Schools: A Comparison Of Two Small Schools, Timothy Leonard Reller

Dissertations

As high schools have struggled to increase the academic performance of their students to meet state and national guidelines, all aspects of the schools' operations have been reviewed. This includes the type of schedule, block or traditional, used by the school. This study was a comparison of teacher attitudes and teaching strategies between two high schools with a block schedule and two high schools with a traditional schedule. Traditional schedule classes meet every day for 45–55 minutes, while block schedule classes meet every other day for 80–100 minutes. In 2007 several local school districts switched from the block schedule back …

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Exploring Differences In Teacher Attitudes And Instructional Strategies Between Traditional And Block Schedule High Schools: A Comparison Of Two Large Schools, Jerry Randolph Raines Apr 2010

Exploring Differences In Teacher Attitudes And Instructional Strategies Between Traditional And Block Schedule High Schools: A Comparison Of Two Large Schools, Jerry Randolph Raines

Dissertations

As schools continue to strive to meet federal testing requirements, many schools have been looking at ways to improve. During the 1990’s many school districts thought they had found the method, tool, or program, with which to accomplish this goal: the block schedule. This study was a comparison of the teaching strategies and attitudes of teachers at two high schools with a block schedule and two high schools with a traditional schedule. The researchers began showing interest in this topic when several local schools decided to abandon the block schedule at their high schools, because of the increased cost associated …

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Teacher Perception Of The Alignment Of Enhancing Missouri’S Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies (Emints) With The National Staff Development Council (Nsdc) Standards, Diana L. Stanfill Mar 2010

Teacher Perception Of The Alignment Of Enhancing Missouri’S Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies (Emints) With The National Staff Development Council (Nsdc) Standards, Diana L. Stanfill

Dissertations

This study used the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) standards for staff development as a framework for measuring specific aspects of the enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies (eMINTS) educational technology professional development program, as perceived by eMINTS teachers. The Technology Integration Cycle supported the research design. The three-part cycle assumed a relationship existed between standards-based professional development, technology-rich classrooms, and students’ acquisition of technology skills. This study’s hypothesis, research questions, and sub-questions were designed to examine the underlying premise of standards-based, high-quality professional development. These questions sought to examine eMINTS teacher perceptions as they related to the degree in …

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Evaluation Of 6 + 1 Trait Writing And The Professional Development Training Used To Implement The Program, Bruce E. Werkmeister Mar 2010

Evaluation Of 6 + 1 Trait Writing And The Professional Development Training Used To Implement The Program, Bruce E. Werkmeister

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the 6 + 1 Trait Writing program on student achievement and to explore the teacher perceived effectiveness of the 6 + 1 Trait Writing program on student achievement. This study concentrated on student achievement, as determined by the Missouri Assessment Program test, and the teachers’ perception of the impact 6 + 1 Trait Writing had on the curriculum. The study also focused on the perceived effectiveness of the 6 + 1 Trait Writing professional development opportunities provided to teachers as determined by surveys and roundtable discussions. The 2007, …

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Course Design Based On The Kolb Learning Style As It Relates To Student Success In Online Classes, Edward John Perantoni Jan 2010

Course Design Based On The Kolb Learning Style As It Relates To Student Success In Online Classes, Edward John Perantoni

Dissertations

Educators are taught that differentiated instruction is important to ensuring that students are offered an opportunity to learn. As a result, student learning styles become important in the design of an online course. Certain students prefer group work, discussions, and brainstorming sessions all of which are part of the socialization process. Kolb related the ability of a student to learn through the socialization process to the accommodator and diverger learning styles. The researcher hypothesized that the development of a quality online course, as defined by NACOL, should include socialization techniques such as group work. Therefore, the purpose of this study …

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The Use Of Classroom Walk-Through Observations As A Strategy To Improve Teaching And Learning: An Administrative Perspective, Mark J. Weller Jan 2010

The Use Of Classroom Walk-Through Observations As A Strategy To Improve Teaching And Learning: An Administrative Perspective, Mark J. Weller

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the possible use of structured classroom walk-through observations as a strategy to improve teaching and learning. A wide variety of programs and initiatives have recently been implemented across the country to improve student achievement. One such initiative is classroom walk-through observations. Classroom walk-through observations are briefly performed by school administrators to gauge the effectiveness of instruction in each classroom. The walkthrough observation gives teachers and administrators a snapshot of teaching and learning aspects throughout the school over time. This research was done collaboratively with Leslie McEntire and Tom Sorensen. The research team …

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The Impact Of The Instructional Practices Inventory At An Illinois Middle School, Karen Earhart Gauen Dec 2009

The Impact Of The Instructional Practices Inventory At An Illinois Middle School, Karen Earhart Gauen

Dissertations

This participatory action research study followed a middle school for two academic years to determine if incorporating the Instructional Practices Inventory (IPI) would increase classroom experiences that engaged students in learning and encouraged deeper, higher-order thinking skills. This study also used student standardized test scores, the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) and Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP), to determine if there was a relationship between the IPI process and improved test scores. I worked as the IPI coder, researcher, and facilitator for this study. During the research study, I kept field notes and observational data. Utilizing …

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Impact Of Missouri Reading Initiative On Student Achievement: An Administrative Perspective, Timothy E. Jamieson Dec 2009

Impact Of Missouri Reading Initiative On Student Achievement: An Administrative Perspective, Timothy E. Jamieson

Dissertations

Reading and critical thinking skills are a source of concern when analyzing student achievement relative to No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In Fort Zumwalt, middle school Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test scores in communication arts have not consistently met NCLB requirements. To address this concern, Fort Zumwalt implemented Missouri Reading Initiative (MRI) as a pilot at North Middle School during the 2007-08 school year. Collaborative researchers collected data derived from student test scores on the 2006-07 and 2007-08 communication arts MAP to assess MRI effectiveness. Quantitatively, this study examined the relationship between implementation of MRI and student achievement on the …

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The Effects Of Motivational Independent Reading Programs On Elementary At-Risk Students’ Reading Skills, Kathleeen J. Trueb Dec 2009

The Effects Of Motivational Independent Reading Programs On Elementary At-Risk Students’ Reading Skills, Kathleeen J. Trueb

Dissertations

Teaching literacy is a challenging process that incorporates the functional and structural aspects of language with the comprehension of its content. Educators are often unable to successfully identify the appropriate strategies that are best-suited to communicate these distinctive components of literacy to students. Students from backgrounds of low socio-economic status are more likely to face challenges in acquiring literacy due to the cultural exceptions attached to their community and to the lack of resources available to them in the home and in schools that have less funding. The research study seeks to investigate these issues through comparing and contrasting the …

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Impact Of Missouri Reading Initiative On Student Achievement, Teacher Attitudes, And Perceptions, Katherine R. Kimsey Dec 2009

Impact Of Missouri Reading Initiative On Student Achievement, Teacher Attitudes, And Perceptions, Katherine R. Kimsey

Dissertations

Reading and critical thinking skills are sources of concern when analyzing student achievement relative to No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In Fort Zumwalt, middle school Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test scores in communication arts have not consistently met NCLB requirements. To address this concern, Fort Zumwalt implemented Missouri Reading Initiative (MRI) as a pilot at North Middle School during the 2007-08 school year. Collaborative researchers collected data derived from student test scores on the 2006-07 and 2007-08 communication arts MAP to assess MRI effectiveness. Quantitatively, this study examined the relationship between implementation of MRI and student achievement on the communication …

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The Implementation Of Interventions And Strategies For Children Who Struggle With Reading Utilizing The Read 180 Program, Rebecca Josephine Haag Guyne Dec 2009

The Implementation Of Interventions And Strategies For Children Who Struggle With Reading Utilizing The Read 180 Program, Rebecca Josephine Haag Guyne

Dissertations

All children can learn if given the opportunity, correct assistance, and appropriate instruction. Finding the learning tools which will enhance and encourage learning is the ultimate way to make certain that all students can and will learn. Many teachers use their gut instinct to determine the interventions and strategies to present in their classroom. Improvement will only occur for teachers and students when best practice or research based interventions and strategies are not only accessible but utilized correctly on a daily basis. Children with reading disabilities find fluency and reading comprehension a challenge. The most effective method reported in the …

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The Use Of Classroom Walk-Through Observations As A Strategy For Improving Teaching And Learning: Teacher Perspective, Leslie Mcentire, Mark Weller, Thomas R. Sorensen Dec 2009

The Use Of Classroom Walk-Through Observations As A Strategy For Improving Teaching And Learning: Teacher Perspective, Leslie Mcentire, Mark Weller, Thomas R. Sorensen

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of classroom walk-through observations and their effect on Communication Arts and Mathematics Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores, summer school placement, discipline referrals, and retention. This study was conducted in three Midwestern Middle Schools. This study focused on classroom walk-through observations. If the principal increased the number of classroom walk-through observations, would it have an impact on Communication Arts and Mathematics MAP scores, summer school placement, discipline referrals and retention? This study will attempt to determine if classroom walk-through observations had an impact on Communication Arts MAP scores, Mathematics MAP scores, …

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The Effects Of Early Reading Interventions On Student Reading Levels And Achievement, Theresa F. Arnold Oct 2009

The Effects Of Early Reading Interventions On Student Reading Levels And Achievement, Theresa F. Arnold

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the academic impact of reading interventions provided to kindergarten through third grade students identified as at-risk for reading failure. Studies have indicated that educators become very concerned when the number of elementary students who struggle with reading increase. It is difficult for students to reach grade level reading expectation when they have a poor start at learning to read. The gap between these children and children who read well widens as they progress through the grade levels. The research questions included 1) What gains are seen in reading abilities for children who …

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The Impact Of The Data Team Structure On Collaborative Teams And Student Achievement, Brenda Catherine Rone Aug 2009

The Impact Of The Data Team Structure On Collaborative Teams And Student Achievement, Brenda Catherine Rone

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementing a specific collaborative structure would create effective teacher teams that in turn would lead to improved student achievement. An effective team can be viewed as one that uses collaboration to increase its knowledge and improve its practices. The structure that was implemented during this study was the Data Team Process. This process was implemented during the 2007-2008 school year in the Hazelwood School District in St. Louis, Missouri. Three measurement tools were used: the Five Dysfunctions of a Team Survey to assess grade level teacher collaboration, the Hazelwood School District …

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Effects Of The A+ Schools Program On Attendance, Dropout Rate, And Student Achievement, Jeffrey L. Hyatt Aug 2009

Effects Of The A+ Schools Program On Attendance, Dropout Rate, And Student Achievement, Jeffrey L. Hyatt

Dissertations

In this study, the results of Missouri Assessment Program student achievement and average daily attendance of schools designated A+ Schools by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MDESE) were examined to determine if student achievement and average daily attendance results are higher in eligible A+ Schools. Student Missouri Assessment Program achievement results, dropout rates, and average daily attendance percentages were obtained from randomly selected school district populations. This information was compared to a second subject group of the same population for schools not designated A+ Schools by MDESE. The reporting period data was compiled from the 2007-08 school …

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School Board Members’ Perception On Their Roles And Responsibilities In Developing Policy That Affects Student Achievement, James D. Hutsell May 2009

School Board Members’ Perception On Their Roles And Responsibilities In Developing Policy That Affects Student Achievement, James D. Hutsell

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how school board members perceive their individual roles with regard to individual student achievement. The study participants were public schools that have completed the fourth cycle Missouri School Improvement Program in Missouri. With the accountability movement that is facing every public school system, the school board’s involvement must be accounted for in that process of increasing student achievement. The traditional school board has taken a lesser role in the student learning process and has spent the majority of its time on management of policy and facilities. A clear understanding of the board’s …

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Middle School Grading Practices And The Ability To Predict Achievement On The Arkansas Benchmark Test, Philip Matthew Summers May 2009

Middle School Grading Practices And The Ability To Predict Achievement On The Arkansas Benchmark Test, Philip Matthew Summers

Dissertations

After the No Child Left Behind Act was legislated, it became necessary for states to target specific learning goals and then test those objectives. As part of this process, districts began to develop new curricula and evaluate grading practices. For this study, student samples were drawn from sixth, seventh, and eighth grade populations of a Northwest Arkansas Middle School. Samples were disaggregated by grade level for the 2005-2006, 2006- 2007, and 2007-2008 school years. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to test the strength of the independent variable, averaged semester grades, on the dependent variable, Arkansas Benchmark Test scores. A Pearson …

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Factors That Are Predictive Of Student Achievement Outcomes And An Analysis Of These Factors In High-Poverty Schools Versus Low-Poverty Schools, Cherita Ruth Graber May 2009

Factors That Are Predictive Of Student Achievement Outcomes And An Analysis Of These Factors In High-Poverty Schools Versus Low-Poverty Schools, Cherita Ruth Graber

Dissertations

This study was conducted to identify factors that are predictive of student achievement outcomes and to analyze these factors in high-poverty schools versus low-poverty schools. Because of accountability standards implemented with the passage of No Child Left Behind, it is critical that educators determine factors that will increase student achievement most significantly. Once the most significant and most predictive variables of student achievement can be identified, stakeholders can implement policies and procedures to address those areas. In addition, instructional strategies can be employed to improve student success. The dependent variable under study was student achievement, which was dissected into two …

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