A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Black Students In Criminal Justice Programs And Its Implications On Social Justice, Demetrius C. Dacres

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the experiences of Black students who graduated with degrees in criminal justice within the last five years, as well as professors serving criminal justice programs. In this study, Black students are defined as those who identify as Black or African American, and the research focused on a criminal justice higher education institution’s educational program in the Northeast. This qualitative phenomenological study drew on Lent’s Social Cognitive Career Theory and Tinto’s Student Integration Model to investigate how Black students experienced criminal justice programs and the resources and strategies they utilized to navigate and adapt. The study addressed a …

Understanding How Teachers Define And Employ Civics Education In Non-Elective Social Studies Classrooms, Joseph Kyle

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study explored the perceptions of civics and civic education held by secondary school teachers of non-elective social studies classes in four schools within the same school district. Using a qualitative approach, this study examined how veteran teachers understood and defined civics, the ways in which they employed civics education in their teaching methodology and daily lessons, and the challenges or obstacles they perceived, if any, incorporating lessons reflecting a progressive experimentalist methodology. The study was undertaken in response to popular and governmental rhetoric reflecting a lack of civil discourse and alleging a lack of civics in public education, as …

Student-College Match And Retention For Students With Disabilities, Robert Cohen

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Outcomes of the student-college matching process have been shown to influence important postsecondary outcomes, including persistence, retention, and degree attainment. However, limited research has examined how matching outcomes operate for students with disabilities. This dissertation investigates student-college matching patterns for students with disabilities and compares the results with matching quality for students without disabilities. This study also examines the relationship between matching outcomes (undermatch, equal match, and overmatch) and first-year retention. Particular attention is focused on the nature of these relationships and any differences by disability status. Data is used from the Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS:12-17), and filtered to …

The Role Of State Policy In Influencing Teacher Academic Expectations: A Quantitative Study, Jessica Varevice

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Standards-based reform has shaped American education for decades, yet the mechanisms through which state policy influences what teachers expect of students and how those expectations shape student outcomes remain understudied. This quantitative study investigates the relationship between state education policy, teacher academic expectations, and student achievement in elementary and middle schools within a single charter management organization (CMO) operating in both Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey. The study utilizes a unique natural experiment: twenty-four schools sharing a common curriculum, instructional model, salary schedule, and leadership structure, but operating under two distinct state accountability systems. This design allows state policy …

The Influence Of Remote Instruction On Middle School Ell Students' New Jersey State Learning Assessment English Ela And Math Achievement, Marie Chezuette Dort

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This correlational study explained the influence of remote instruction on English Language Learner (ELL) students' middle school grades on the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. This study focused on data collected in two separate school years and analyzed middle school grades with the ELL Subgroup. It indicated the correlation between remote instruction and ELL students' ELA and mathematical performance in the NJSLA Grades 6, 7, and 8. This study also included controlled variables, Grades 3, 4, and 5, from 2018-2019 and other student characteristics, the percentage of economically disadvantaged students and …

The Effect Of Small Class Size From Kindergarten Through Third Grade On Eighth-Grade Gender Reading Achievement, Christopher Harry

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the effect of small class size intervention on student outcomes using reading achievement scores as measured by the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS), a standardized, norm-referenced test, while controlling for independent variables inclusive of students' gender, race, socioeconomic status (SES), and environment. This study included students who participated in a randomized, long-term study, the Tennessee Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) experiment from 1985 through 1989. The STAR study took place in the Tennessee public school system, encompassing two groups of students: those who received treatment, small class intervention, 657 students, and students who did not, 5,689. …

Analyzing The Cognitive Complexity Of The Questions On The Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles Exam, Lauren Zirpoli

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This convergent parallel mixed methods study with qualitative and quantitative content analysis was conducted to analyze and describe the cognitive complexity of the publicly released Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles Exam questions compared to the language of higher-order thinking found in research literature. Hess’ Cognitive Rigor Matrix was used to determine the frequency and percentage of questions categorized as higher-order thinking within each cell of the matrix. The qualitative method consisted of content analysis of the language of each question analyzed, followed by deductive coding, and culminated with categorizing the depth and type of thinking required on Hess’ Cognitive Rigor …

Assessing Higher Order Thinking In The New Jersey Social Studies Standards For Grades K-8 By Using Artificial Intelligence (Ai), Connie Sanchez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

New Jersey consistently ranks as one of the top-performing states in the country when it comes to education. Most recently, it was ranked third in the nation. A look at the state standards in any subject shows the state works diligently to vertically align standards while also challenging students in order to better prepare them for the future and to be able to live in a global society. It is evident in looking at the New Jersey Department of Education’s standards that the planning they do is performed with an eye toward the future. The social studies standards are no …

The Role Of Evidence-Based Practice In The Decision-Making Processes Of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists, James Farley

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) encourages speech- language pathologists (SLPs) to implement evidence-based practice (EBP) in clinical decision- making processes. Through the utilization of EBP, SLPs increase their ability to make informed decisions and recommendations for treatment. Despite ASHA’s position that EBP is necessary to ensure the provision of high-quality care, there is conflicting evidence as to how consistently SLPs in public middle schools implement it. The purpose of this study was to explore the degree to which middle school-based SLPs use EBP for determining student eligibility for speech- language services and in their decision-making processes. For this qualitative study, …

Exploring Nursing Faculty Perceived Individual And Organizational Readiness To Use Online Simulation As A Teaching Strategy, Luz-Patricia Torres

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Problem: Academic institutions have employed online simulations in nursing education to meet the needs of the growing nursing student population and demands for distance learning. While some nursing educators have been trained to use simulation learning experiences, few have specific training in applying online simulation as a teaching strategy. With a dearth of evidence in the literature specific to the use of online simulation in nursing education, exploring nursing faculty's perceived individual and organizational readiness to do so is warranted to optimize the use of this innovation.

Purpose: This study explored the nursing faculty's perceived individual and organizational readiness …

The Influence Of A Supplemental Mathematics Course To 9th Grade Algebra 1 Students In A Medium Suburban K-12 School District In New Jersey, Jacob Cavins

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Math performance became an increasing concern in the United States after the launch of Sputnik in 1957. This concern began with attempts to prescribe mathematical standards in the United States to improve student mathematics preparation. When the COVID pandemic began in 2020, policies on quarantining and remote learning were implemented, resulting in increased education gaps. The most contemporary NAEP report shows the first decline in math scores in the United States since the inception of the NAEP. Districts are looking for solutions. Districts are exploring intervention options, including Multi-Tiered Support Systems and Response to Intervention initiatives. They hope to reduce …

Are They Ready? Do Teacher Preparation Programs Adequately Prepare Students To Implement Culturally Responsive Teaching?, Frances A. Aboushi

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

A narrative study was used to examine the lived experiences of novice teachers and their knowledge base of culturally responsive pedagogy and its implementation in the classroom. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of 12 participants who completed a teacher preparation program. Through coding analysis, data was analyzed around the tenets of culturally responsive pedagogy and the impact of self-efficacy in its implementation. Although their knowledge about culturally responsive pedagogy varied, their responses illustrated the need for teacher preparation programs to provide a framework of uniformity and accountability.

The level of training obtained substantially impacted their self-efficacy in adopting CRP …

Testing Accommodations Decision-Making Policies And Procedures At New York Area Independent Schools: A Qualitative Study, Scott Wilson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to better understand educators’ perceptions of testing accommodations decision-making practices at New York area independent schools. Through the analysis and coding of questionnaires, interviews, and documents, this study explored perceptions and descriptions of testing accommodations decision-making procedures as reported by learning specialists, administrators and psychologists employed at 20 independent schools in the greater New York City area. Several significant findings emerged. The study’s interview participants, in contrast to their public-school counterparts included in previous research studies, feel like they have the training and support necessary to make or contribute to decisions. The study also …

An Analysis Of The Higher-Order Thinking Requirements Of An End-Of-Course Ela Assessment, Timothy J. Dowd

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Higher-order thinking has been promoted in the American classroom for several decades. Summative assessments have the dual role of ascertaining the student’s proficiency and also providing them with opportunities to employ various cognitive behaviors and to offer them with opportunities to demonstrate their ability to think in complex ways. The creators of one such summative assessment, the North Carolina End-of-Course English II Test, claim that their test provides up to 40% of its items at the higher-order of thinking. The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods study was to investigate how the language found in the released items on the North …

The Influence Of Teacher Absenteeism On Student Achievement In Grades 3-5 In Rural Public Schools In New Jersey, Lisa A. Hutcheson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

The purpose of this correlational, explanatory, cross-sectional quantitative research was to determine whether teacher absenteeism and student achievement are related in rural schools. This correlational study examines the predictor variable of teacher absenteeism on academic outcomes and also is inclusive of control variables teacher mobility, teacher experience, teacher level of education, students classified as special education, English language learners (ELL), chronic student absenteeism, and students eligible for free/reduced lunch. In the state of New Jersey, student achievement is measured by the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA). The NJSLA results for grades 3 through 5 in mathematics and English …

The Relationship Between Parcc Ela 8 Performance And Performance On Ap Exams, Michael G. Portas

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This quantitative study is primarily intended to examine whether district level performance results from Grade 8 ELA state assessments can help to predict future passing rates on AP exams. The participants for the study are all 218 K-12 school districts in New Jersey, all of which generated results across score levels and passing rates for PARCC testing in the academic years ending in 2015-2017. District level data were also examined for possible predictive validity on AP passing rates in 2019-2021 across categories including demographics, college entrance exams taken in high school, and participation rates in AP/IB coursework and exams, most …

Food Insecurity Among College Students: Perception Of College Administrators, Ibiyemi Adesanya

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

While food insecurity among college students has existed for decades, only in recent years has the focus on the impact of food insecurity on student success emerged. However, most of the research has been quantitative, conducted at public two-year and four-year colleges and focused on predictors, prevalence, and impact of food insecurity among college students. Although prior student-based research has been beneficial to understand the problem, there is inconsistency in how institutions and higher education professionals address this issue with their students.

A transcendental phenomenological single case study design was used in this study to explore the lived experience …

Understanding The Effects Of Test-Optional Policies On Structural Diversity In U.S. Selective Institutions: A Difference-In-Differences Approach, Li Kang

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Postsecondary institutions, especially selective ones, use standardized tests such as SAT and ACT as important indicators to measure applicants' academic abilities. However, many studies have found that the test scores correlate to applicants' racial/ethnic backgrounds. Selective institutions work hard to secure their diverse classes. Hence, more selective institutions expect to improve diversity by implementing the test-optional policy. Can this policy meet their expectations in terms of diversity? The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the effects of the test-optional policy on the structural diversity of selective postsecondary institutions. This dissertation uses quasi-experimental techniques to assess the relationship between test-optional …

The Intersection Of Student Engagement And Student Achievement: A Study To Determine The Strength Of The Relationship Between The Level Of Athletic Participation And Student Achievement, Matthew Kukoda

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between high school students’ athletics participation, mediated by engagement, and their academic achievement. The study sought to determine if increased athletics participation, and a self-reported increased sense of engagement at school, resulted in higher SAT test scores for high school students. In addition to this, predicators of race and gender were also incorporated into the statistical analysis of the relationship between sports participation and SAT scores. Using the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), this study analyzed the survey respondents scale of student engagement, participation in organized sports and …

Academic Advising, Academic Integration And First Year African American College Student Intention To Persist, Cassandra Graham

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The U.S. college persistence rate for African American students, remains lowest in comparison to other race/ethnicities. Academic advising and other forms of academic integration are emphasized in prior research as associated with positively influencing persistence outcomes. However, a gap exists in the literature regarding their impact for four-year African American students and success factors for persistence of these students. Existing academic advisement studies are primarily institutional with a small sample size, as opposed to a national sample, and very few are focused on quantitative data analysis.

Therefore, through the analysis of national data from the 2018 National Survey of Student …

Exploring Associations Between Self-Concept, Ideal Self, And Assessment Practices Of High School Science Teachers, Jeffrey Celebre

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Despite being faced with major barriers to overcome, local school districts and teachers must work to align their instructional practices in science and their assessment practices to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science (NJSLS-Science). As described in the literature, a three-dimensional approach to assessment design is one of the qualities considered the model for a true and authentic measurement of student aptitude in science. As teachers work to understand NGSS alignment and their ability to meet alignment standards as an assessor while designing and implementing NGSS-aligned assessments, they will undoubtedly encounter …

Three Paper Dissertation: Mooc Participation And Experiences Of Women Learners, Kinta Montilus

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Through three distinct investigations, this dissertation provides a unique approach to investigating the engagement of women in MOOCs. According to previous MOOC research, not only 10% of learners who enroll in the course complete it, but the majority of these students appear to be men (Christensen et al., 2013). Women's participation in MOOCs is generally low, but it varies greatly depending on whether the course is STEM or non-STEM (i.e., Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics courses—STEM). The first study examines gender participation patterns in STEM and non-STEM MOOCs using data from existing MOOC platforms. The second research study looked at …

Levels Of Influence: How Teacher Self-Efficacy Reflects Individual, School, And Country Level Variables, Rachel B. Goldberg

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study investigates relationships between teacher self-efficacy and associated factors not previously studied at an international level. This study used the data gathered through the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) assessment conducted in 2018, with an initial sample size of 107,367 participating teachers from 6,128 schools across 19 countries to gain a global perspective regarding the individual and environmental factors that impact teacher self-efficacy. A blocked hierarchical regression model was chosen to support the theoretical structure of the analysis by examining the relationships between three levels of independent variables and teacher self-efficacy. The model predicted over 30 percent of …

Exploring Teachers’ Perceptions Of Assessment Literacy In A High Performing School District In New Jersey, Marlena Celebre-Baird

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

As teachers gain experience, their assessment knowledge base, personal beliefs, and the educational context come together to shape their identity as an assessor. Therefore, assessment literacy is not simply a stagnant knowledge base of skills but rather that takes shape over time, through reflective teaching continues to develop. This study sought to add to the body of research that highlights and describes, through the lens of the teacher, how beliefs and contextual factors influence a teachers’ assessment literacy in practice.

A qualitative case study methodology was selected for this study to explore how elementary K–5 teachers’ personal beliefs play a …

An Analysis Of Higher-Order Thinking Requirement Of The 2018 Psat/Nmsqt, Ryan Esdale

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

As educators and school leaders work towards building students’ capacity throughout a student's academic career, the goal is to facilitate opportunities for students to develop college and career readiness skills that can be applied to novel and challenging problems long after high school graduation. Hess’ Cognitive Rigor Matrix (HCRM) is a tool that objectively and effectively measures prompts, learning exercises, or test questions by blending the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge. Thus, a learning environment that cultivates higher-order thinking skills can be accurately examined and provide educators, researchers, and school leaders with data to make more informed …

Evaluation Of The New Jersey Resiliency Program For Law Enforcement, Frank Sutter

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Research has shown that police officers are exposed frequently to events throughout their careers that can negatively impact their mental health and are at a level that could reach five times greater than that of the general population for post-traumatic stress symptoms. To address law enforcement officers’ mental health issues, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal issued Directive NO. 2019-1, titled Promoting Law Enforcement Resiliency. New Jersey is the first state in the United States to take action and mandate mental health training for all law enforcement officers. On August 6, 2019, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office revealed that they …

A Study Of Elementary Teachers' Data Driven Decision-Making Practices And School Performance, Julianne K. Kotcho

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The notion of using data to inform educational decisions is not novel; in fact, teachers and school leaders have used data in various forms and for a variety of reasons for decades. However, challenges remain with the timely availability of data, accessibility to the data, and teachers’ understanding of how these data can be transformed into action that impacts instructional decisions. Without appropriate professional development, support, and leadership, teachers may struggle to use data to make sound decisions and take action in their classrooms.

This quantitative correlation study examined elementary school teachers’ levels of readiness regarding data-driven decision-making (DDDM) practices …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Student Factors And Middle School Student Achievement In Priority Schools Supported By Regional Achievement Centers, Krystal Lassiter

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this quantitative predictive analysis study was to identity what student characteristics such as subgroups’ gender, ELL, race/ethnicity, more specifically Black and Latino, are important in predicting student achievement in two Priority schools in their final year of Regional Achievement Center (RAC) delivery and support to these schools, as measured by Language Arts PARCC 2017–2018 for 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade scores. Regional Achievement Centers (RACs) were instituted as a reform method to support New Jersey’s efforts to improve low-performing schools. The New Jersey Department of Education defined these schools as Priority, with the lowest-performing student achievement and graduation …

Faculty Perceptions Of Dyadic Advising Relationships, Power, And Cultural Consciousness On College Student Learning Outcomes, Hind Albana

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Academic advising in institutions of higher education lack consistent assessment and evaluation of practices impairing the ability to define the role, objectives, and methods utilized. Over-reliance on student satisfaction surveys for evaluating advising reinforces this phenomenon. To break the cycle, this study used survey responses from a nationwide sample (N = 156) of faculty advisors from public and private 4-year colleges and universities to examine the relationship between and among the constructs of a working relationship, shared power, cultural consciousness, and student learning outcomes. The questionnaire instrument score produced a Cronbach's alpha of .927, illustrating substantially strong internal consistency. …

Understanding High School Assistant Principals’ Perspective Of Standardized Testing Policy For English Language Learners In Maryland, Jae Won Hwang

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Given federal and state mandates, school administrators in the United States are often held responsible for enacting standardized testing policies in their school settings. Standardized testing requirements apply for all students attending school including ELL (English Language Learner) students. However, a review of the literature finds that standardized testing for ELL students is problematic when schools interpret testing scores as some indication of content knowledge mastery. At the current time, content-area standardized testing policies and practices in public schools are not consistent with what we know about second language development. What is missing in the existing research is an examination …