Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Gender And Cross-Cultural Invariance Of Attitudes Toward Statistics Among Non-Stem Undergraduate Students, Mihili Edirisooriya

Dissertations

Because of the wide usage of statistics in almost every field, many universities have incorporated statistics into their undergraduate and graduate curricula. Students taking statistics have often reported negative experiences and an aversion to statistics. Non-STEM students have often reported negative attitudes toward statistics (Chew & Dillon, 2014; Keeley et al., 2008). Researchers have used qualitative and quantitative approaches to measure attitudes toward statistics. The Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics-36 (SATS-36) scale has been the most widely accepted measure to investigate attitudes toward statistics. Any psychometrically sound measurement instrument requires invariance across groups in its usage. Otherwise, measurement biases could …

Asian International Students In U.S. Higher Education: A Secondary Data Analysis Of Satisfaction Levels And Willingness To Recommend Their Institution, Soongmin Chow

Dissertations

International students are integral to U.S. higher education. They bring talent and cultural diversity to U.S. campuses, contribute immensely to the U.S. economy, and create long-lasting political and academic links that aid public diplomacy in the long run (NAFSA, 2003). The U.S. has traditionally been the largest market for international students seeking quality higher education (Institute of International Education, 2018). However, reports show that the U.S. is slowly losing its market share of international students, and the number of new international students coming to the U.S. has been on the decline since 2016/17. Higher education institutions are most concerned over …

Vocational Education: Cna Students’ Perspectives Of Soft Skills In Training And The Workplace, Kimberly S. Mcclendon-Payton

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify CNAs’ perceptions about the most important soft skills used by CNAs in training and the workplace.

Methodology: This quantitative research study identified CNAs’ perceptions of the most important soft skills they used based on the composite model for soft skills. CNAs were selected based on purposeful sampling. Likert scores were collected from the survey responses.

Findings: Examination of the quantitative data from the 35 CNAs revealed that brainstorming is the most important collaboration soft skill in CNA training and the workplace.

Conclusions: Results based on the findings of this study …

Exploring Critical Media Literacy Skills Of Adults On Twitter During The Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic In The United States In The Spring And Summer Of 2020, Renee Thomas Woods

Dissertations

This study explores the self-directed learning behaviors of adult users of the social media vehicle, Twitter, through the lens of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States during the spring and summer of 2020. The objective was to identify Twitter usage patterns to determine adults’ awareness and use of media literacy and critical media literacy skills with social media content they consume. This study, informed by two focus groups and six individual interviews, is based on a qualitative research design using a constructivist approach. The central question is how do adults use critical media literacy on social media when gathering information …

An Evaluation Of One School's Reading Program To Support Struggling Readers Through The Use Of Data, Gabrielle Jones

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of one school’s reading intervention program, and its impact on struggling readers reading performance. Participants in this study included administrators, Grades 3 through 5instructional staff that directly impact student learning in reading through reading instruction. I collected survey data and analyzed it to determine teachers’ ability to instruct struggling readers with high expectations for student learning. As a result, this evaluation exhibit teachers require more quality planning time to prepare effective reading intervention lessons that includes strategies attained from strategically designed professional development structured to increase students’ reading ability. …

Leader Development Of The Health Information Management (Him) Professional, Theresa Jones

Dissertations

This study contributes to the body of knowledge in leader development by examining how higher education programs in a female dominated profession assist learners in developing person-related characteristics that support leader development. A ten-part online survey was sent to directors of health information management (HIM) programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM). Results suggest an opportunity for improvement in the curriculum for development of person-related characteristics critical for leadership positions. In the interest of the progression of women these results should be taken into consideration.

Are All These Elementary Assessments Necessary? Phenomenological Study Of Standardized Assessments In The Elementary School Setting, Cathy Wright

Dissertations

All children warrant a rich, meaningful public education that prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges that await them as contributing members of a democratic society and a global economy. Based on testing calendars, teacher testimonials, and applied research from other state and local mandated testing studies, this study found that the length of time students spend taking and preparing for the test is extensive. CBS News (2015) noted between 20-25 hours are spent by each student taking standardized assessments, according to a comprehensive report of 66 of the nation’s large-city school districts by the Council of the Great …

Institutional Changes In Western Michigan University For Incorporation Of Education For Sustainability, Saman Khan

Dissertations

Higher Education institutions (HEIs) have the potential to be significant contributors in the pursuit of a sustainable world through the incorporation of Education for Sustainability (EFS). However, HEIs are entrenched with structures and values that are often resistant to change. The literature reveals that instructors’ beliefs and institutional contexts are the two main factors that impact the implementation of institutional change for sustainability education. Western Michigan University (WMU) has created new required curriculum “WMU Essential Studies” (WES) for undergraduate students and they have targeted sustainability as an essential learning outcome, by integrating and applying it in content courses. Using a …

The Effects Of Mobile Devices & Maker Projects On Middle School African American Students’ Stem Knowledge Base & Interest, Allen L. Savage Sr.

Dissertations

The nature of future employment is rooted in the sciences, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Educating the current and future workers will require the inclusion of STEM education, especially in the K-12 classrooms. African Americans run the risk of being left behind in future STEM jobs due to their poor STEM representation throughout institutional education. In general, African American students have a poor attitude towards and poor academic performance in STEM. This research was explored using ubiquitous smartphones and a unique form of student-centered learning called maker education to increase the attitude and STEM knowledge of African American middle schoolers. …

Ready To Engage? Urban Middle School Teachers’ Responsiveness To Targeted Engagement Interventions On Their Virtual Instructional Practices: An Action Research Study, Svetlana Nikic

Dissertations

Teachers’ effectiveness is associated with their instructional practices and is ultimately linked to students’ learning outcomes. In order to impact teachers’ effectiveness, schools focus substantial effort and resources on professional development led by an assumption that teachers’ classroom practices can be improved through targeted interventions. Even if this premise is correct, little information is available about how much a teacher’s practice may change through interventions, or which aspects of instructional practice are more receptive to improving teacher effectiveness (Garret et al., 2019).

This study took place at an urban middle school and examined teachers’ responsiveness to targeted engagement intervention in …

Career And Technical Education Teachers’ Attitudes Toward And Their Participation In Technology-Based Professional Development Training In Mississippi’S High School Districts, Natalie N. Hill

Dissertations

The use of technology has become an essential part of daily interaction in Career and Technical education learning environments. There is very little research regarding career and technical teachers’ attitudes and participation in professional development, although previous studies have been conducted referencing K-12 teachers’ attitudes. A qualitative research methodology was employed to investigated the insight of CTE teachers’ attitudes toward the professional developments that they had attended. This study also investigated whether training was appropriate to teachers’ learning needs in high school districts in MS. The population for this study included seven high school career and technical teachers in five …

Exploring The Relationship Between Student Online Discussion-Board Activity And Student Grades, Frank Robert Talbott

Dissertations

As students, instructors, and higher-education administrators delve further into cyberspace, scholarly literature and practice require further insights into the dynamics of online learning. This study examined the relationship between online student discussionboard activity and student grades and, consequently, addressed a dearth in the literature about this relationship. Student Involvement Theory provided the theoretical foundation of this research. This study’s sample consisted of 200 online undergraduate students in online business-analytics courses. Regression-analyses findings supported the relationship between student postings of certain mathematical-symbol references (e.g., for equalities, inequalities, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and student grades. Therefore, administrators, faculty, and course designers …

An Evaluation Of One School District Standards Assessment Program, Derrick King

Dissertations

This project focuses on how one school district uses quarterly assessments to identify standards students have not mastered. This project identifies how some schools utilize quarterly assessment data with varying results. One problem I have identified is a lack of a consistent expectation from district leadership, regarding the expectation for how schools should use the assessment program. In my research, I examine two schools that use the assessment program differently. The literature I present reveals how the program can help improve student achievement. The research reveals what is working well, and what is not. In closing, I recommend implementing a …

Cuban Immigrants’ Experience With Acculturation And How They Cope In The United States, Lourdes Araujo

Dissertations

Objective: This research examines how Cuban immigrants experience cope and adapt to the United States. Cuban immigration is associated with specific stressors related to the immigration experience and the necessary process of acculturation and assimilation. These major stressors can result in mental health concerns among Cuban immigrants; however, no studies have examined how acculturation may influence Cuban immigrants’ coping skills and resultant mental health concerns. This unique study is the first to examine the coping skills Cuban immigrants use during acculturation and the effects of these skills on Cuban immigrants’ mental health. Methods: Seventeen participants completed a semistructured interview and …

Teacher Perceptions Regarding The Purpose Of K-12 Education, Peter M. Grostic

Dissertations

This study explored the perceptions of teachers regarding the purposes of K-12 education and the influence of belief sources on their perceptions. Purposes of K-12 education and the ways in which they have changed over time are topics for which researchers are concerned (Carpenter, 2005; Labaree, 2013). Addressing this concern, there is existing literature focused on understanding purposes through K-12 school mission statements (Schafft & Biddle, 2014; Stemler & Bebell, 2012), and a multitude of reflections regarding what K-12 education purposes should be (Biesta, 2015; Macallister, 2016; Robinson & Aronica, 2014). Less is known regarding what frontline K-12 education practitioners …

A Mixed Methods Examination Of Generational Faculty Perceptions When Developing Online Courses, Jelena Fleming

Dissertations

As technology continues to change rapidly, online learning altered higher education. As a result, instructional designers and instructional technologists became more critical in supporting faculty in online course design. Transitioning courses to the online environment created external barriers, such as no training and support, primarily for faculty who never taught online. Instructional designers and instructional technologists helped address external barriers among full-time and adjunct faculty and provided a positive online course development experience. Therefore, the researcher conducted a mixed-methods examination of generational faculty perceptions experienced during online course development at a small Midwestern institution. The researcher investigated a difference between …

A Quantitative Study Of Collaborative Theories Of Action, Teacher Collective Efficacy, And The Behaviors Of Student Self-Directedness, Melissa Ann Huff

Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted to investigate the relationships among teacher collective efficacy, espoused theories of collaboration, collaborative theories in use, the gap between these theories, and student self-directedness. Costa and Kallick (2014) and Tough (2016) suggested student success is more than just academic. Frey, Hattie, and Fisher (2018) indicated student success is achieved when students develop a self-directed disposition. Based on the historical work of Argyris, Putnam, and Smith (1987), establishing the difference between espoused theories and theories in use, espoused theories of collaboration, collaborative theories in use, and the gap between these theories of action were investigated. The …

Study Of The Incorporation Of Sustainability Topics Into The Accounting Curriculum At Missouri Four-Year Colleges And Universities, Kimberly Ulrich

Dissertations

Businesses around the world voluntarily utilize corporate sustainability reporting to display non-financial information along with their financial results to satisfy the curiosity of their stakeholders. The United Nations played a key role in the evolution of sustainability over time and development of reporting standards. Eventually governments may require thorough coverage of financial and non-financial information in one comprehensive integrated report. To meet this demand, the accounting curriculum must include sustainability reporting topics for accounting students. Leading research and this dissertation demonstrated a holistic approach was best. The most successful higher education institutions incorporated sustainability practices throughout their institutions in addition …

A Study To Determine The Relationship Between Classroom Teacher Attendance And Student Success, Meagan Stanley

Dissertations

Students that consistently have access to high-quality teachers and teaching strategies experience higher degrees of success (Frieberg, 2013). In the absence of high-quality, professional classroom teacher, students may not succeed at the rate they would otherwise. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between classroom teacher attendance and student success. Student success factors (attendance, behavior, and achievement) were examined in connection with classroom teacher attendance. The study included students in grades Kindergarten through Fifth grade who attended Kindergarten through Fifth grade buildings in a Midwestern school district. The literature reviewed for this study reiterated the importance of …

Noncognitive Characteristics And Family Income: The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Grit Levels And Mindset Types, Joshua A. Teeter

Dissertations

Noncognitive characteristics have been identified as essential predictors of academic success (Duckworth, 2016, 2019; Farrington et al., 2012). Grit and growth mindset are two noncognitive characteristics that predict academic success; therefore, this study was conducted to determine if there is a difference in grit level and mindset types among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds (Duckworth, 2019; Dweck, 2010b). Researchers and educators have focused heavily on identifying and implementing interventions to improve students’ cognitive factors, yet little attention has been given to finding ways to improve students’ noncognitive traits (Cooper, Krieg, & Brownell, 2018). High school students from a school district …

Instructional Coaching: Perceptions Of Midwest Building Principals And Instructional Coaches, Mary Jean Hall

Dissertations

Instructional coaching has gained popularity with school districts to improve teachers’ instructional strategies, and students’ academic performance. Current research supports the use of instructional coaching for schoolwide improvements; however, researchers suggest research is needed regarding the training and support of instructional coaches. Different coaching models are in use today and research into the best coaching framework for effective instructional coaching is needed. This study was conducted to investigate the perceptions of instructional coaches regarding their preparedness when entering the instructional coaching position, the professional development and support offered by school districts to coaches, and whether there is a need for …

Qualitative Study Investigating Elementary And Middle School Comprehensive School Counseling Programs And Secondary Schooling In Privately Funded And Publicly Funded Schools In Missouri, Natalie Rohlfing

Dissertations

The purpose of this proposed qualitative study was to explore whether the absence of Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (CSCP) in privately-funded elementary and middle school impacts student personal, social-emotional, and academic growth in secondary school. This researcher used surveys and focus groups to gather data. The information resulting from this study will provide private and public schools reliable data to be used to implement and/or improve school counseling programs in elementary and middle school. A Comprehensive School Counseling Program is able to address the needs of students by facilitating their academic, career, and social-emotional development as well as helping create …

Perceptions Of Elementary School Support Staff Of Their Role In Supporting The School Mission Statement, Matthew Dean

Dissertations

School district mission statements are intended to be unifying declarations that set a tone and direction for organizations and provide a unifying motivator for the individuals who serve those organizations (Rey, 2017). School district mission statements should be created and articulated in a manner that can be understood and followed by certified administrators and teachers, as well as classified personnel such as district support staff (Lynch, 2016). Without adequate articulation, school district mission statements can fall short of providing guidance and motivation to every employee in the district (Rey, 2017). This qualitative study was initiated to gain the perceptions of …

A Narrative Case Study Of Transfer Students In Instrumental Music Education, Ashley Glenn

Dissertations

Transfer students in music fields face challenges that are different from other fields of study. Research has shown that transfer students in music are expected to acclimate and operate as upperclassmen with minimal onboarding while also potentially having to retake courses they received credit for at the community college level. This study examines the experiences of five transfer students in music education through the lens of Schlossberg’s transition theory and Dewey’s model of transaction. Building on existing transfer student research, it asks: what do transfer students experience in terms of acceptance and self-integration, and how do these experiences affect transfer …

A Comparative Study Of Student Achievement And Teacher Perceptions Between Differently Structured Special Education School Districts, Leigha Wetter

Dissertations

In order to provide recommendations for special education service organization practices, the researcher investigated student achievement and teacher perceptions of differently structured special education school districts that collaborated with a special school district to provide special education services and schools that provided their own special education services. Through evaluating the varying school districts, this study aimed to address possible best practices within the structuring of the organizations to increase student achievement for students with special needs. In order to evaluate the organization of the school districts, the researcher analyzed the student achievement of special education students at the elementary and …

A Qualitative Study Of The Preparedness Of Novice Teachers To Teach Effectively In A Blended Learning Environment, Rachelle R. Lafave

Dissertations

Proponents of the effective use of blended learning argue that without technologyenhanced instruction, students graduate from high school missing the digital skills they need to be successful competitors in the labor market (Dickinson, 2018). Yet, authors of supporting work have established technology-enhanced instruction can have a negative effect on student achievement (Newman & Dickinson, 2017). Examined in this qualitative study was the preparedness of novice teachers to provide effective instruction in a blended learning environment, as researchers have found teacher self-efficacy is the number one predictor of instructional quality (Belanger, 2018; Conant, 2016; Künsting, Neuber, & Lipowsky, 2016). Self-efficacy is, …

Personality Type, Self-Efficacy, And Learning Style Preference: A Quantitative Study Of Ninth-Grade Students In Missouri, Katie Lee Mock

Dissertations

Personality types, learning style preferences, and self-efficacy domains of ninth-grade students in southwest Missouri were explored in this study. The study was conducted to shed light on needs assessments used to identify learner differences due to the rise of mixed-ability classrooms. Five selected schools participated in the study during the 2019-2020 school year. The Big Five Personality survey was used to identify the dominant personality type of each participant: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, or neuroticism. The Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C) was used to identify the dominant self-efficacy domain for each participant: academic, social, or emotional. The Thinking and Learning …

Perceptual Differences Between Lighthouse Team Members And Non-Lighthouse Team Members Regarding School Attendance, Classroom Discipline, And School Climate In Leader In Me Schools, Nina J. Henson

Dissertations

The Leader in Me is a school approach with a focus on socioemotional education adopted by over 3,000 schools across the globe (Soutter, 2018, p.8). As culture continues to change with technology and new social aspects, character education programs must continue to adapt as well to support student needs within schools (Rocco, 2018). This quantitative study was designed to identify differences in perceptions of Lighthouse Team members and Non-Lighthouse Team members about how the Leader in Me impacts student attendance, classroom discipline, and school culture. Surveys were sent to educators in 22 schools in southern Missouri who had implemented the …

A Mixed-Method Study Analyzing The Impact Of Continuing Education On K-12 Educators, Jennifer Sue Edler

Dissertations

Teachers are consistently developing learners that independently seek to gain knowledge and skills throughout life (Blaschke, 2012). Educators must desire to learn new and improved skills to gain knowledge. The new regulations and qualifications, and standards surrounding a career in education require teachers to become continual learners. Professional development is the practice of teachers continuing to grow in their fields and varies depending on personal preference, personal interests, and professional history, as well as addresses issues present in their district or school (Day, 1999). Educational policies and laws outline the need for high-quality professional development for teachers. However, little evidence …

Study Of Preservice Teachers’ Preparation For Di: Investigating Data For Secondary Teacher Candidates In One Research University, Matthew Trp Dittrich

Dissertations

This dissertation, A Study of Preservice Teachers’ Preparation for DI: Investigating Data for Secondary Teacher Candidates in One Research University, was a mixed methods study of secondary data that analyzed the results of undergraduate and graduate teacher candidate scores on the three different instruments, which were used by a midwestern university in their teacher preparation program for state teacher certification. The purpose of this study was to examine if graduate preservice teacher candidates and undergraduate preservice teacher candidates were equally prepared in the area of differentiated instruction. The study also included an examination of preservice training among these teacher candidates. …