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Articles 661 - 690 of 759

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

Urban Middle School Teachers: Tenured Versus Non-Tenured Teachers And The Impact They Have On Academic Achievement, Rochelle Harris-Clark Aug 2010

Urban Middle School Teachers: Tenured Versus Non-Tenured Teachers And The Impact They Have On Academic Achievement, Rochelle Harris-Clark

Dissertations

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is used in the district of Study School No. 1 to give insight on student academic skill level in terms of years and months. Teacher strategies and expertise in the area of education is an integral part of the educational process. Tenure status, or the years of experience, is plagued with the idea that it promotes or has an impact on student achievement. Although there were a significant number of tenured special education and general education teachers at the study school during the 2005–2006, 2006–2007, and 2007–2008 school years, the school did not …

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Green Schools: Constructing And Renovating School Facilities With The Concept Of Sustainability, Jonathan W. Oetinger Aug 2010

Green Schools: Constructing And Renovating School Facilities With The Concept Of Sustainability, Jonathan W. Oetinger

Dissertations

The focus of this study was to examine the benefits of constructing and renovating school facilities with the concept of sustainability. The overarching questions were: What impact does the environment have on constructing and operating school facilities? What relationship exists between the learning environment and constructing and operating school facilities? The purpose of this study was to determine the value and benefits of implementing energy efficient and sustainable design features in constructing new and renovating existing school facilities. When viewed through the lens of global warming, or the increase of greenhouse gases through the increase in the temperature of the …

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Urban Middle School General Education: Tenured Versus Non-Tenured Teachers And The Impact On Academic Achievement, Trenese Nicole Dancy Aug 2010

Urban Middle School General Education: Tenured Versus Non-Tenured Teachers And The Impact On Academic Achievement, Trenese Nicole Dancy

Dissertations

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is used in the Cahokia Unit School District No. 187 to give insight on student academic skill level in terms of years and months. Teacher strategies and expertise in the area of education is an integral part of the educational process. Tenure status, or the years of experience, is plagued with the idea that it promotes or has an impact on student achievement. In this study the researchers wanted to determine if there was a significant relationship between teacher tenure status (independent variable) and student academic achievement (dependent variable). Preand post-ITBS reading and …

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Urban Middle School Instructional Special Education: Tenured Versus Non-Tenured Teachers And The Impact On Academic Achievement, Sheryl Marie Wilson Aug 2010

Urban Middle School Instructional Special Education: Tenured Versus Non-Tenured Teachers And The Impact On Academic Achievement, Sheryl Marie Wilson

Dissertations

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is used in the Cahokia Unit School District No. 187 to give insight on student academic skill level in terms of years and months. Teacher strategies and expertise in the area of education are an integral part of the educational process. Tenure status, or the years of teaching experience, is plagued with the idea that it promotes or has an impact on student achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine if students receiving instruction from non-tenured special education teachers demonstrate the same gains in the areas of reading and math as …

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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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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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Freshman Transition And Its Effectiveness On Student Success As Measured By Improved Attendance, Improved Grades, Decreased Discipline Referrals, And Decreased Dropout Rate, Jana Lea Thornsberry May 2010

Freshman Transition And Its Effectiveness On Student Success As Measured By Improved Attendance, Improved Grades, Decreased Discipline Referrals, And Decreased Dropout Rate, Jana Lea Thornsberry

Dissertations

Research on freshman transition programs suggests the need for a transition program that assists students as they enter high school. Many freshman transition programs consist of a visit from the high school counselors or a tour of the school. These programs do not help meet the needs of many students who will need constant support throughout the school year. The study school implemented a freshman transition program to help meet the needs of students academically and emotionally. The purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of a freshman transition program would make a difference in student success …

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A Summer Literacy Intervention For Struggling Readers At The Middle School Level Using Strategies In Comprehension, Fluency, Vocabulary, And Positive School Climate To Improve Reading Comprehension: An Evaluation Study, Jeffrey Joseph Haug May 2010

A Summer Literacy Intervention For Struggling Readers At The Middle School Level Using Strategies In Comprehension, Fluency, Vocabulary, And Positive School Climate To Improve Reading Comprehension: An Evaluation Study, Jeffrey Joseph Haug

Dissertations

A middle school created an intervention called the Summer Literacy Program to increase reading comprehension levels. The middle school believed that by exposing students to fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies in a positive school culture, reading comprehension levels would improve. The program was created due to a high number of students reading below grade level. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the four-week Summer Literacy Program designed to provide extra interventions for struggling readers. The study is significant because it demonstrated that a four-week summer program can improve reading comprehension levels. The statistical analysis for …

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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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Investigating Efforts To Change Educator Attitudes And Teaching Strategies Through Professional Development Focused On The Use Of Backward Design Curriculum And The Principles Of Efficacy: Student Behavior, Feedback And Assessments, Gwendolyn Grooms May 2010

Investigating Efforts To Change Educator Attitudes And Teaching Strategies Through Professional Development Focused On The Use Of Backward Design Curriculum And The Principles Of Efficacy: Student Behavior, Feedback And Assessments, Gwendolyn Grooms

Dissertations

School districts continually face problems associated with student achievement. The 2001–2002 federal mandate contained in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act held schools accountable for success of all students in reading and mathematics. Standardized tests were employed to measure the success. The purpose of this study was to investigate efforts to change educator attitudes and teaching strategies through professional development focused on the use of backward design curriculum and the principles of efficacy. Participants completed a pre and post Likert survey. Three 45-minute professional development sessions were conducted incorporating discussions on the principles of efficacy and backward design curriculum. …

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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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Investigating Efforts To Change Educator Attitudes And Teaching Strategies Through Professional Development Focused On The Use Of Backward Design Curriculum And The Principles Of Efficacy: Educator Beliefs And Attitudes, Alice Marie Jordan Aldridge May 2010

Investigating Efforts To Change Educator Attitudes And Teaching Strategies Through Professional Development Focused On The Use Of Backward Design Curriculum And The Principles Of Efficacy: Educator Beliefs And Attitudes, Alice Marie Jordan Aldridge

Dissertations

School districts continually face problems associated with student achievement. The 2001–2002 federal mandate contained in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act held schools accountable for success of all students in reading and mathematics. Standardized tests were employed to measure the success. The purpose of this study was to investigate efforts to change educator attitudes and teaching strategies through professional development focused on the use of backward design curriculum and the principles of efficacy. Participants completed a pre and post Likert survey. Three 45-minute professional development sessions were conducted incorporating discussions on the principles of efficacy and backward design curriculum. …

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Exploring A High School Community Relations And Parent Involvement Program, Robert Corey Sink May 2010

Exploring A High School Community Relations And Parent Involvement Program, Robert Corey Sink

Dissertations

There are few issues in education that get as much attention as the need for improvement of parental and community involvement in and support for local schools. School faculties want to know how to improve the way they work with families and community members to better meet the needs of their students and parents want to find how to best communicate with the schools to help their children succeed. Even though there is extensive research and agreement about the importance of this topic, many schools continue to labor with these partnerships. This exploratory correlational research study employed a pre-test/post-test and …

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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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Act Scores As Predictors Of Success: A Correlation Study Between Act Scores And The Lindenwood University Business Capstone Course, Karolina Lapinska-Schneider Apr 2010

Act Scores As Predictors Of Success: A Correlation Study Between Act Scores And The Lindenwood University Business Capstone Course, Karolina Lapinska-Schneider

Dissertations

Business schools across the nation, to meet the accreditation standards of the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), must incorporate results of certain outcomes assessments for evaluation of programs efficacy and continuous improvement purposes. The Educational Testing Service Major Field Test in Business Administration (ETS MFT-B) helps business institutions to evaluate their programs and to make improvements through changes in the curriculum. This study examined if the ACT scores, Cumulative Grade Point Average, and Term Grade Point Average determined the performance on the ETS MFT-B. The sample consisted of 59 business students enrolled in the Management Policy course …

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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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Effects Of Professional Development On Teachers’ Cultural Awareness, Marion Wilson-Brooks Mar 2010

Effects Of Professional Development On Teachers’ Cultural Awareness, Marion Wilson-Brooks

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of professional development on educators’ cultural awareness. Twelve teachers and six administrators from two different school districts participated in eight weeks of professional development in an attempt to improve their relationships with minority students. During eight weeks of professional development, participants took part in dialogue designed to increase their cultural awareness. The content of these sessions included (a) reading the book, The Dream Keepers (Ladson-Billings, 1994), which is about culturally relevant teachers of African American students; (b) discussing the book’s content with peers; (c) discussing topics with guest speakers; (d) …

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Exploring The Use Of The Eight-Step Process In The Area Of Third Grade Communication Arts, Anthony J. Arnold Mar 2010

Exploring The Use Of The Eight-Step Process In The Area Of Third Grade Communication Arts, Anthony J. Arnold

Dissertations

The Eight-Step Process is a continuous improvement model that focuses on collaboration by disaggregating and analyzing data, developing a common instructional calendar, assessing mastery with common formative and summative assessments, building in time daily for interventions and enrichments for each student on the standards being taught, and monitoring of the process with learning logs and grade level meetings. Previous research demonstrates that this model is effective in raising student academic achievement on standardized tests in other states such as Texas and Florida. This study of four teachers in one elementary school examined their implementation of The Eight- Step Process as …

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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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Investigating A Summer Reading Program For Title I Students, Stephanie M. Mountain Feb 2010

Investigating A Summer Reading Program For Title I Students, Stephanie M. Mountain

Dissertations

Constant changes in legislation regarding monitoring student achievement levels have led schools to redevelop usage of instructional time in several core subjects. Legislation such as Missouri Senate Bill 319 specifically mandates that the school must intervene if a student is not reading at the appropriate level by grade four. Alternative measures to improve reading achievement levels, such as extending the school year into the summer, are being implemented within schools. The purpose of this action research study was to determine the effectiveness of the ABC School District’s Summer Reading Program in raising Title I students’ reading comprehension, fluency and vocabulary …

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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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