Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study Of Practicing Educators’ Personal And Collaborative Experiences Within A Climate Of High Stakes Individual Accountability, Kathy L. Stewart

Dissertations

With the national focus in education turning to increasing student achievement and closing achievement gaps between demographic groups, federal and state policy has extended responsibility and high stakes accountability for student growth and achievement. Overall, student achievement status and elimination of achievement gaps between demographically defined sub-groups of students remain cornerstones of accountability under ESEA and now ESSA. Under the Obama Administration, however, accountability for academic growth was extended to individual classroom teachers and school and district-level administrators through federal policy provisions tying student growth to performance evaluation. As a result, many states, including Michigan, enacted legislation to mandate high …

Shaping Leadership: Leadership Standards In The Organizational Language Of University Programs, R. Ben Meador Iv

Dissertations

According to institutional theory, organizations in complex fields like education seek legitimacy by aligning formal descriptions of their activities to institutional rules supported by regulators, professional groups and exemplar organizations. This study presents a new technique for measuring isomorphism and the strength of institutional forces within fields using quantitative content analysis of organizational language. This method is deployed to measure alignment between the formal descriptions of 321 university-based programs for educational leaders and themes from the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (i.e., technology, finance, research, and learning) and the influence of state licensure policy and professional affiliation in the University …

A Formative Evaluation Of A Program Providing Support To College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kourtney Kay Bakalyar

Dissertations

Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are attending institutions of higher education more than ever before (Smith, 2007). All college students with disabilities have the right to accommodations under the American with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA; P.L. 110-325); however, these accommodations frequently do not address barriers that prevent students with ASD from successfully completing their academic programs. The Autism Services Center at a public, four-year university provides services to its college students with ASD to address difficulties with communication and social skills, unique emotional and behavior characteristics, insufficient executive function, and difficulties with independent living skills. …

Three Empirical Investigations Into The Logic Of Evaluation And Valuing Practices, Satoshi Ozeki

Dissertations

This three-paper dissertation investigates the logic of evaluation proposed by Michael Scriven using two different methods of inquiry: content analysis and a survey method. Scriven’s logic of evaluation is one of the central concepts in evaluation, but has not been empirically investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this three-paper dissertation is to accumulate empirical knowledge on Scriven’s logic of evaluation to investigate the extent to which evaluators follow his logic and their perceptions of and familiarity with his logic. Furthermore, this dissertation aims to explore valuing practices in terms of Scriven’s logic of evaluation. Scriven’s logic of evaluation is important because …

Higher Education Perspectives: The Role Magic The Gathering Plays In Whole-Person, Academic, And Career Development, Bob Ellsworth Lynch

Dissertations

Games contribute to the whole-person, academic, and career development of collegeaged individuals (Alderman, 2015). However, many higher-education institutions do not sponsor gaming as a collegiate extracurricular activity, thereby possibly eliminating the opportunity of an all-inclusive environment (Alderman, 2015). To elucidate the problem, Astin and Antonio’s (2012) I-E-O model was engaged as conceptual framework for college-aged individuals’ perception of Magic the Gathering’s role in their whole-person, academic, and career development. The purpose of the study was to employ Magic the Gathering as the input; higher-education institutions as the environment; and wholeperson, academic, and career development as the outcome. Descriptive survey data …

Exploration Of Peer Learning In A Formal Cohort Healthcare Leadership Development Program, Melinda Marie Gruber

Dissertations

Many new and emerging leaders will move into leadership positions in healthcare as experienced leaders retire or move to other positions. These individuals need leadership development that supports them in becoming transformational change leaders. This study explored the topic of peer learning as a leadership development approach in a healthcare setting. The purpose was to better understand the role of peer learning in creating transformational leadership and healthcare change leaders.

This study utilized a qualitative case study approach to explore and understand how peer learning supports leadership development. The study focused on the key learning elements of an 18-month cohort-based …

Implementing Standards-Based Grading In A Suburban Middle School: A Change Leadership Plan, Cody Huisman

Dissertations

The purpose of the Change Leadership Plan was to describe a current issue facing a school district, creating a vision of change to end that obstacle. In the case of this particular change plan, the problem is the traditional grading system at a suburban middle school. The plan advocates for a change to a standards-based grading system. Several steps describing change are examined: describing the current situation, conducting research to support change, and designing a vision of what success will look like after standards-based grading is established. The research conducted was done through both surveys and group interviews. Research participants …

Advancing Evaluation In Community Colleges: A Mixed Methods Case Study Of Outcomes-Based Assessment Training In Student Affairs, Tammy L. Russell

Dissertations

Many student affairs departments struggle to contribute to an institution’s evidence base of student learning. In part, this results from student affairs personnel not having adequate training in how to assess learning outside the classroom. This is a particular challenge for small community colleges, in which individual units (e.g., admissions or financial aid) may have only one or two employees. Failure to assess co-curricular learning poses challenges to institutions in meeting accreditation standards, placing them at risk for increased scrutiny and loss of state funding under a performance-based system. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to use a …

The Relationships Between Clergy Attachment Style, Leadership Style, And Clergy Professional Longevity, Marc Nelesen

Dissertations

This study investigates a relatively new area of research, namely, the relationship between attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969, 1973, 1980, 1988) and leadership theory. Attachment theory posits that human beings unconsciously established mental models of how relationships work. Depending on the kind and quality of early relational experiences, humans can associate feelings of security, anxiety, or avoidance with relationships. According to attachment theory, these associations are transferable and inform future relationships. Much of leadership theory suggests that relationships are a key component of effective leadership and may very well be the most important factor (Gardner et al., 2005). Recent quantitative studies …

It’S On Us: A Case Study Of Academic Integrity In A Mid-Western Community College, Ceceilia Parnther

Dissertations

Academic ethics and integrity are necessary elements of a quality education. The need for academic integrity education on campuses has been well documented (Bertram Gallant, 2008, 2016; Bertram Gallant & Drinan, 2006; Liebler, 2009; McCabe, Butterfield, & Trevino, 2004). Academic integrity is a cornerstone of the learning process (Bretag et al., 2014; Harp & Taietz, 1966). Higher education institutions have the opportunity to promote academic integrity and prevent academic misconduct on campus by providing clear guidelines, equitable resolutions, and student and faculty engagement. While researchers have examined four-year institutions approaches to academic integrity education, differences exist that are unique to …

The Effects Of Extrinsic Motivation On High School Attendance, Eric Conrad Wilken

Dissertations

The Missouri School Improvement Plan’s fourth standard addresses the importance of attendance to the accreditation of school districts. Because of this standard many school districts are in need of a successful plan to increase attendance; therefore, this study was designed to determine the extrinsic motivators educators use to encourage attendance and the influence the motivators have on students. The population for this study included accredited public school districts in the west central and southwest regions of Missouri. A stratified sample consisting of 45 high schools was selected from public school districts with 400 or fewer students in grades K-12 during …

A Mixed Method Study On Schema-Based Instruction, Mathematical Problem Solving Skills, And Students With An Educational Disability, Bill Casner

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the student outcomes of implementing schema-based instruction on students in grades 3-8 identified with an educational disability and ascertain how students’ developed mathematical problem solving skills. After special education teachers in a metropolitan school district in the Midwest administered a pre-assessment, the researcher used the results to select 21 students with an educational disability to participate in the mixed-methods study. Special education teachers implemented Asha K. Jitendra’s (2007) educational program titled, Solving Math Word Problems: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities Using Schema-Based Instruction, during the 2013-2014 school year and taught participants using …

Fine Arts Coursework And Student Achievement Among African-American Students In A Midwest Setting, Douglas Erwin

Dissertations

The researcher designed this study to investigate a possible correlation between the number of years of fine arts coursework and achievement on the American College Test (ACT). The district studied was predominantly African American; therefore, similar schools may use the results to plan strategies to reduce the achievement gap. Results included a mild positive correlation between student ACT achievement and coursework in visual arts, and a moderate correlation between ACT achievement and performing arts. The more fine arts coursework a student received, the higher his or her ACT score. The researcher conducted a z-test for difference in means to compare …

Comparison Of Classroom Grades And Missouri End-Of-Course Exam Scores, Rodney Delmont

Dissertations

Educational leaders are tasked with finding the best practices for motivating students and accurately reporting progress (Popham, 2011). Additionally, the alignment of curriculum, assessment, and pedagogy can facilitate changes in education (Klenowski & Wyatt-Smith, 2014). Therefore, as districts align curriculum to assessment standards, students’ scores on assessments should increase (Squires, 2012). The purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists between Missouri English II end-of-course (EOC) exam scores and student grade-point averages (GPAs) earned in English II. Moreover, data were examined to determine if a correlation exists among student gender, Missouri English II EOC scores, and student …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of The Suspension/Expulsion And Graduation Rates Of Missouri Public High School Special Education Students, Matthew F. Glazer

Dissertations

The researcher conducted a study focused on the suspension/expulsion and graduation rates of Missouri public high school special education students. The goal was to determine if these areas of focus influenced one another. Analysis occurred through the use of secondary data from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education within the following school years: 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015. Additionally, public school personnel received online surveys via SurveyMonkey. The four hypotheses targeted the following: a difference between public high school special education students and graduation rates, the number of students with disabilities suspended/expelled, the graduation rates of non-suspended/expelled special education …

Teacher Perception Of Student Engagement In An Arts-Integrated Classroom, Staci J. Baker

Dissertations

Student engagement is a prominent indicator of a student’s academic success (Harbour, Evanovich, Sweigart, & Hughes, 2015). Leavy (2015) continued the engagement dialogue by stating the arts can be highly engaging and a high-yield strategy leading to academic success. Research has been conducted on arts integration, but little research specifically aligns arts integration with student engagement (Mason, Thormann, & Steedly, 2004). Further, there is a lack of depth within arts-integration research on all of the “arts” (including music, visual arts, drama, and dance) (Mason et al., 2004). In this qualitative study, student engagement was viewed from teachers’ perspectives within one …

The Effects Of One-To-One Technology On Students In Schools With A High Population Of Students From Low-Socioeconomic Households, Ryan J. Persinger

Dissertations

Low socioeconomic status is widespread throughout the United States (Makarewicz, 2013). Education is one factor to help people break the cycle of poverty (Payne, 2013). This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of one-to-one technology on equipping students from low-income families with the education needed to break the cycle of generational poverty. A rural school district in southwest Missouri was selected for the study. Students, parents, and educators were surveyed to gain their perspectives concerning the efficiency of one-to-one technology. Data were gathered to assess the statistical differences in English II end-of-course exam scores, attendance rates, graduation rates, and …

The Academic Impact Of Extracurricular Activities On Middle School Students, Lauren Jansen

Dissertations

This research study examined the academic impact of extracurricular activities on middle school students. This study investigated a possible relationship between the amount of hours that students spent participating in extracurricular activities and their academic achievement, as well as the amount of hours that students spent participating in in-school extracurricular activities and their academic achievement. This study used a combination of quantitative and qualitative data to reach its results. The quantitative data ultimately did not show a statistically significant correlation between the hours that students spent in extracurricular activities in general or in in-school activities and academic achievement. However, there …

The Perceptions Of Missouri High School Principals In Regard To The Missouri Learning Standards, Christopher Lee Kell

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to elicit the perceptions of high school principals regarding state education standards and whether or not increasing education standards has a positive impact on student achievement. Missouri adopted a new set of standards which placed academic focus on fewer topics per subject and required teachers to create lessons that increased critical thinking within the classroom (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education [MODESE], 2013b). To identify how the new standards might affect student achievement, four research questions were asked as part of this study. As a result of these questions, findings showed perceptions of …

An Exploration Of Informed Student Goal Setting On Achievement In A Midwest Middle School, Laura Conley

Dissertations

This dissertation is a mixed-methods study that critically looked at peer-reviewed articles and empirical research findings about goal setting for middle school students and the possible effects that goal setting had on achievement. This project synthesized the information from articles about goal setting in general and, more specifically, the student informed goal-setting processes. The study spawned from the literature review and critically assessed one teacher’s use of the informed goal setting process to affect the achievement of her Midwestern middle school students. Students in the treatment group completed pre and post-questionnaires that assessed their understanding of goal setting and achievement. …

An Examination Of The Long-Term Academic Impacts Of Students Who Participated In The Missouri Preschool Program In Rural Southwest Missouri, Clinton R. Hall

Dissertations

The focus of this mixed methods study was to examine the possible differences between students who participated in the Missouri Preschool Program (MPP) and peers who did not attend the program. Areas examined through quantitative data in the study included academic achievement in communication arts in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. The qualitative piece of the study included examination of areas such as social development, emotional development, and school readiness. Quantitative data were collected from one school district in rural southwest Missouri. These data came from Aimsweb assessments conducted at the district for the kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade levels …

The Role Of The Technology Coach In Middle School English Language Arts Classrooms, Brenda Christine Conyac

Dissertations

Technology should play an important role in K-12 education, according to most educators and policymakers (Hastings, 2009). However, despite numerous classroom technology initiatives, supplemental funding, increased availability, encouragement by stakeholders, and urgency to develop 21st-century skills needed for the technology age, students and teachers are not making use of technology effectively in classrooms (Hastings, 2009). In this qualitative study, the researcher detailed how perceptions of technology coaches and teachers in sixth- through eighth-grade southwest Missouri classrooms related to the best model for implementing a technology coach. The duties and qualifications perceived to be important for the position of technology coach …

Action Research Using Entomological Research To Promote Hands-On Science Inquiry In A High-Poverty, Midwest Urban High School, Dustin Stockmann

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to examine to what extent entomological research can promote students’ hands-on learning in a high-poverty, urban, secondary setting. In reviewing the literature, the researcher was not able to find a specific study that investigated how entomological research could promote the hands-on learning of students. The researcher did find evidence that research on learning in a secondary setting was important to student growth. It should also be noted that support was established for the implementation of hands-on science inquiry in the classroom setting. The study’s purpose was to aid educators in their …

Special Education Students And Standardized Assessments, Deborah Taylor

Dissertations

Special education students with many different disabilities are taught in today’s classrooms, and since the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, they are required to take the same standardized assessments as their regular education peers (Resmovits, 2013). Within this study, data were analyzed to determine the perceptions of two groups, which included third-grade regular education teachers and special education teachers of special education students who took the same standardized assessments as their regular education peers. In addition, data were also examined to determine if there was a relationship between how teachers from the two groups responded …

Perceptions Of Southwest Missouri Superintendents In Regard To School Violence And Prevention, Ahlam Mohamed Krimid

Dissertations

This research involved examination of the causes of school violence, attitudes concerning violence, and preventative measures used by schools in the United States in relation to problems and solutions found in southwest Missouri schools. The goal of this dissertation was to study perceptions of school violence in the United States to form a better understanding of what schools are doing to combat violence and why these actions are seen as necessary for the safety of students, staff, and faculty within schools. To gather relevant information for the study, a literature review was conducted, followed by a written questionnaire administered to …

A Mixed-Method Investigation Of Common Assessments Within A Suburban Secondary School, Matthew Irvin

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method case study, on the continued implementation of common assessments developed within Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), was to investigate possible relationships between teacher collaboration, common assessments and End of Course (EOC) assessments. The researcher investigated the perceptions of teachers and administrators in a Midwest secondary setting on common assessment development and utilization on the culture of teaching and data-driven decision making. The information from this study will provide the researched school district as well as others with insights into their implementation of PLCs and specifically the development and utilization of common assessments. In order to …

An Action-Research Case Study Of Professional Development On Essential Questions In A K-8 Private Parochial School, Ronda K. Cypret-Mahach

Dissertations

The purpose of this action-research case study was the investigation of possible pedagogical transformations teachers experienced through participation in professional development training of Essential Questions and student learning; specifically student questioning, reading, and math achievement. The research in this study investigated two core focal points: the possible shift in a teacher’s transformational practices after participation in professional development on Essential Questions (McTighe & Wiggins, 2013) and whether the implemented transformational practices led to a possible difference in student questioning skills in grades two through eight on the Measure of Questioning Skills, student achievement in STAR Math, and STAR Reading in …

A Mixed-Methods Study On Student Achievement In Reading And Teacher Professional Development In A K-2 Urban Public School Setting, Michelle Chism

Dissertations

To determine if a relationship existed between teacher professional development and student reading achievement for grades K-2, the researcher conducted a mixedmethods study to examine reading achievement and teacher professional development in a Midwest urban school district. If the researcher was able to show a relationship between teacher professional development and student reading achievement, recommendations could be made on research-based professional development models proven to increase student academic achievement and improve instructional practices within an underachieving school district. To determine if a relationship existed between the above-mentioned variables, the researcher examined student standardized reading achievement scores and teacher survey responses …

The Evolution Of A High-Achieving School: Creating A Cultural Shift Through A Schedule Change, Interventions, And Imbedded Collaboration, Beth Rapoff

Dissertations

Many research studies exist regarding high school master schedules. However, not one study could identify which schedule was “best” for high schools to implement. The researcher reviewed a variety of schedule types—traditional, drop 1, trimester, 4x4 block, A/B block, and modified block. The researcher also investigated interventions at the high school level. She also researched change and innovation. Lastly, she researched teacher collaboration. This study investigated changes a high-achieving high school made. The focus was on a master schedule change, interventions scheduled during the school day, and teacher collaboration scheduled during the school day. The purpose of this study was …

Gatton Academy Study Abroad Program Effects On Perceptions Of Community Belongingness And Personal Growth And Development, Derick Brandon Strode

Dissertations

This dissertation’s focus is at the intersection of study abroad, impact assessment, and a population of gifted and talented students at a specialized, residential high school called The Gatton Academy. A summative impact evaluation was conducted to assess effects of Gatton Academy study abroad programs on student participants’ perceptions of peer belongingness, mentor belongingness, and personal growth and development, as well as to compare differences among three different program models being employed by the school. The three program models studied included a Non-Credit program, a Faculty-led Field-Study, and a Faculty-led Traditional program. The research was conducted amidst documented calls for …