Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Results Of The Accreditation Process To Guide Postsecondary Certificate-Granting Institution Improvement, Sherri E. Nash

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Research gaps exist in knowledge about postsecondary certificate-granting institutions, as well as results of accreditation processes. This qualitative study focuses on national accreditation results that can: 1) define strengths and improvement areas in these institutions; 2) determine why action is taken or not taken on accreditation recommendations; and 3) identify results, strengths, and challenges of accreditation. This research base can guide improvements in these institutions and the North Central Association – Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) process. The population was 125 accredited schools in ten states, representing 96% of all NCA CASI accredited public, postsecondary institutions. Methods …

Marginalized Students' Perspectives Of School Consolidation: A Case Study In Rural West Virginia, Betty A. Sias

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

While prior research provides evidence that school consolidation impacts student achievement, the economic efficiency at state and district levels, dropout rates, participation in extracurricular activities, curriculum offerings, and the length of bus rides, “little is known about what happens in consolidated schools to impact student learning,” (Blake, 2003, p. 21) and little attention has been given to studying students’ lived experiences of consolidation. This qualitative case study explored these issues by attempting to understand students’ transition to a consolidated high school, as well as their current experiences with and perceptions of consolidation in a rural community in West Virginia. The …

The Effect Of High-Fidelity Manikin-Based Human Patient Simulation On Educational Outcomes In Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Courses, David L. Rodgers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The use of high-fidelity manikin-based simulation has been studied in many healthcare education areas. However, the use of this education technology in the American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) course has not been well examined in the literature, despite this education program being one of the most widely taught standardized medical courses in the United States. This study examined high fidelity manikin-based simulation versus low-fidelity manikin-based simulation in the context of an actual ACLS course. Four outcomes were measured: learning outcomes as judged by an expert rater panel reviewing videos of subjects performing a simulated cardiac arrest event …

The Principalship: A Study Of The Principal's Time On Task From 1960 To The Twenty-First Century, Jacqueline A. Mcpeake

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine legislative and societal developments in the United States in relation to changes in educational administration and determine the existence of bifurcation points of change. The effects of legislative and societal changes on the tasks on which administrators focus their time were evaluated. The administrators were surveyed to determine if changes in time on task have occurred to meet the demands of current legislative priorities and if any demographic relationships existed. The study’s population consisted of 1950 (N=1950) administrators in public elementary, middle and high schools in the Southern Regional Educational Board 16 …

A Descriptive Analysis Of The Perceived Importance And Use Of Scientific Research-Based Instructional Strategies Among West Virginia Teachers, Cheryl D. Belcher

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study was designed to examine the perceived importance and extent of use of scientific research-based instructional strategies among West Virginia teachers. Specifically, the study investigated the extent to which perceived importance and frequency of use of scientific research-based instructional strategies differ between highly qualified teachers and non-highly qualified teachers. The core of the research was focused on ten scientific research-based instructional strategies identified by the MidContinental Regional Educational Laboratory. Participants were asked to complete a researcher-designed survey, the Instructional Strategies Inventory, to rate perceived importance and frequency of use for each of the ten strategies. The population for this …

Allocating For Graduation--A Correlation Analysis Of Institutional Education And General Expenditures And Six-Year Graduation Rates At All Public, Four-Year Or Above Degree-Granting Colleges And Universities, Danny R. Cantrell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study utilizes six-year graduation rates and E&G expenditures for the population of all public, four-year or more degree-granting institutions in the United States, as reported in the National Center for Educational Statistics’ IPEDS database, to examine the correlation between graduation rate and institutional expenditures expressed as percentages of total institutional E&G expenditure. Results of this study’s partial correlation analysis revealed there is not a strong correlation between graduation rate and levels of E&G expenditures. Further, the study showed that the proportions of E&G expenditures do not vary appreciably at institutions with the highest, lowest, or mid-level six-year graduation rates. …

Best Practices Of National Board Certified Teachers And Non-Board Certified Teachers In Grades One And Two, Sue Ellen Hollandsworth

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The education of children in America has been the cause of much debate and conflict. At the center of this debate is the need for quality teachers. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) was formed to advance the quality of teaching and learning by recognizing accomplished teaching. Teachers with this certification fit West Virginia’s definition of a highly qualified teacher under No Child Left Behind. If the National Board Certification (NBC) itself is reason for the highly qualified designation then the classroom practices of those teachers should differ from those who have not gone through the certification process. …

Thinking Style Differences Of Female College And University Presidents: A National Study, Melanie S. Jones

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to identify thinking style preferences of female college and university presidents and determine if differences in thinking style exist with regard to the independent variables of Carnegie classification, institutional control, highest academic degree earned, academic background/specialty, age, and total years of presidential experience. The Inquiry Mode Questionnaire (InQ) and a demographic data form were distributed to all 595 female presidents with institutions classified as Associate’s or higher by the Carnegie system. Responses were received from 369 (62.02%), with 328 (55.13%) utilized for data analysis. Descriptive statistics, MANOVA and ANOVA tests were used to address …

Parent Satisfaction With Marshall University’S Summer Enrichment Program: Year Three, Cristen C. Pulliam

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The current study sought to examine the level of parent satisfaction with an extended school year program, the Marshall University Graduate College Summer Enrichment Program, verses the level of parent satisfaction at students’ local schools. The study also replicated the findings in two previous studies (Lattimore, 2003; Wartenburg, 2005). Parent satisfaction data were collected using satisfaction surveys. A survey was mailed to parents at the end of the regular school year to assess level of parent satisfaction with local school (N= 105). Twenty surveys were returned by mail. Intercorrelations of the parent satisfaction survey questions for the local school were …

The Relationship Between Leadership Practices Of Principals And Student Achievement, Serena L. Starcher

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study sought to determine if a significant relationship existed between the leadership practices of school principals and student achievement in mathematics and reading. The leadership practices of principals were measured using Kouzes’and Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) which measures leadership practices in five distinct areas: modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging the heart. Student achievement in reading and mathematics was determined using the percentage of students proficient in reading and mathematics as measured by the state of West Virginia’s standardized exam, the West Virginia Educational Standards Test (WESTEST) for …

The Utilization Of Gender, Retention, Ses And Steep Scores To Predict Reading Mastery, Lisa Lee Adams

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between gender, retention, SES and STEEP scores to predict reading mastery. Second grade students’ records were reviewed to obtain demographic information. SAT 9 scores were used to measure students' reading mastery. SES was measured and defined by approved applications for free or reduced lunch for the 2004-2005 school year. Retention was defined as the number of students previously retained. Logistic regression was used to determine the predictive validity of gender, retention, SES and STEEP scores dependent on SAT 9 reading mastery. Gender, retention, SES and STEEP scores were entered as …

An Analysis Of Accelerated Christian Education And College Preparedness Based On Act Scores, Lisa J.L. Kelley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The current paper discusses Christian education in relation to college preparedness. The author focuses on Christian education and the use of Accelerated Christian Education, a prepackaged curriculum, specifically used in private fundamentalist Christian schools. Relevant research is reviewed regarding college preparedness and Christian education. The researcher obtained the ACT scores received by graduates of an ACE school over the past five years. These scores were analyzed using a t-test of comparative means (p<.05) to determine if there were a significant differences in ACT scores between students at the Accelerated Christian School and the students of a public high school in the same area with a graduate college application rate of 75-83%. Scores were analyzed and a significant difference was found between the public school graduatesí scores and the ACE graduatesí scores in all areas of the ACT (English, Math, Reading, and Composite Score), except the area of Science Reasoning. Overall, the ACT scores of the ACE graduates were consistently lower than those of the public school students.

Faculty And Program Predictors Of Pass Rates Of Graduates Of Nursing Programs In West Virginia On The National Council Licensure Examination For Registered Nurses 1991 To 2000, Lynda F. Skinner Turner

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mean student program scores on standardized pre-graduation nursing tests, program attendance policies, grading scales, policies on repeating nursing courses, faculty turnover, degree, teaching experience, clinical nursing experience, part-time faculty, national certification, and NCLEX-RN success in West Virginia nursing programs from 1991-2000. A causal comparative and correlational design was used to investigate the relationship between the dependent variable of NCLEX-RN pass rates and the independent variables. The population of this study consisted of 19 undergraduate nursing programs preparing graduates for entry into practice as registered nurses. Data collection tools utilized …

A Study Of The Importance And Implementation Of National Pre-Kindergarten Standards For Language And Literacy As Perceived By West Virginia Directors Of Early Childhood Centers, Judaea Hodge

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the difference between levels of importance and implementation for the National Pre-Kindergarten Standards for Language and Literacy (NPKSLL) in four-year-old programs as perceived by West Virginia licensed pre- kindergarten programs directors and the differences based on director’s education level, years of experience, years in present position, program type and size, and the number of four year olds in the program. To examine this relationship, The Early Childhood Language and Literacy Survey (ECELLS) was designed based on the NPKSLL five goals: listening (Goal 1), complex speech (Goal 2), print awareness (Goal 3), story structure (Goal 4) and beginning …

Reading Matters : A Case Study Of A Community Volunteer Tutoring Program, Leslie Clayberger Haynes

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The objective of this qualitative research was to study through a phenomenological approach Reading Matters, a community volunteer reading program to determine if students are demonstrating improvement, to uncover the characteristics of the program and the tutoring techniques used by volunteers, and to create a potential model by which administrators can design volunteer tutoring programs for other schools. One coordinator, one principal, eight classroom teachers, three volunteers, and five students participated in the study. Conclusions drawn indicate that the volunteer tutoring program was successful for the students not only for academic results but also for the mentoring relationship that the …

The Utility Of Dibels As A Curriculum Based Measurement In Relation To Reading Proficiency On High Stakes Tests, Rebecca Gayle Cook

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills or DIBELS reading measures and the Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition or SAT9 reading scores. The following research question was examined: What is the concurrent validity of the DIBELS reading measures in relation to students’ SAT9 reading scores? In this study, archival data from five firstgrade classrooms at a rural southeastern Ohio elementary school were collected. The results of the study indicated that there was a positive and significant correlation between DIBELS measures and SAT9 scores with the exception of …

Does The Intermediate Booklet Category Test Discriminate Between Ld And Non-Ld Children?, Jo Anna Scheidler

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Intermediate Booklet Category Test (IBCT) at identifying LD children between the ages of 9 and 14. Thirty children were involved in the study: 15 with a previous diagnosis of LD and 15 with no diagnosis. All subjects were expected to have an IQ no less than 80. The IBCT was administered to all thirty children and their error score calculated. The means of the scores of the diagnosed and control groups were found to be statistically significant at the .05 level. Also, statistical significance was found between IQ and IBCT scores. While neurological …

Self-Perceived Leader Behavior And Characteristics Of Black And White Chief Administrators Of Colleges And Universities: A Comparative Study, Gregory D. Epps

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study was designed to examine and compare self-perceived leader behavior and characteristics of black and white chief administrators of colleges and universities. The population for this study included chief administrators of the 538 four year colleges and universities, both public and private, within the 15 Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states. A randomly selected sample of 18 black and 12 white (total n=150) chief administrators was used for this study.

Data collected by the LBDQ-S focuses on two types of self-perceived leader behavior, initiating structure and consideration. The demographic questionnaire collected data which included respondents, race, gender, age, years …

Planning For Changes: A Study Of Satellite Distance Learning Administrative Policy Development In Higher Education, H. Keith Spears

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The problem investigated was the process by which policy is formulated for satellite distance learning systems in higher education. Effects of reporting levels, areas of origination, political pressure, discipline interest administrator characteristics, and type of positions were measured on the methods used by institutions create policies for satellite delivery of courses. The influences that other variables have on the decision makers were part of the study.

The population studied was made up of all administrators of higher education satellite distance learning systems in the United States. The population was the sample. The research instrument was a nominal survey developed by …

The Relationship Between School Principals' Self-Perceived Brain Hemispheric Processing Modes And Their Self-Perceived Leadership Styles, Barbara Mcswain Kean

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study was designed to examine the relationship between the self-perceived preferred brain hemispheric processing of West Virginia public school principals and their self-perceived leadership styles. Seventy-five respondents completed the Herrmann Brain Dominance Profile, the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire, and a demographics sheet. Data were analyzed using the General Linear Model of the Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS). Chi Square analyses at the 0.05 alpha level were used to test two directional hypotheses that guided this study. Both hypotheses were confirmed.

Public school principals in West Virginia who perceived themselves as preferring mental processes that are predominantly left train hemispheric perceived …

Perceptions Of Nursing Education Administrators And Nursing Service Administrators Regarding Associate Degree And Baccalaureate Nurses In Hospitals, Judith Pinson Sortet

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The problem investigated was the degree of incongruence between the perceptions of nursing education administrators and nursing service administrators in regard to the educational preparation and employment practices for technical and professional nurses which has contributed to discontent in the profession. The population studied was nursing education administrators in AD and BSN programs and nursing service administrators in general acute care hospitals in West Virginia. The research method was a descriptive survey using a mailed questionnaire developed by a researcher. Eighteen (100%) of the nursing education administrators and sixty (89.6%) of the nursing service administrators responded.

Seven perceptions were examined …

Participation In Decision Making And Its Effect On Job Satisfaction And Role Stress Of Staff In Child Development Agencies In The United States, Norma Seay Gray

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the relationship of staff participation and desire to participate in the decision-making process of an organization to perceived job satisfaction and role ambiguity and overload of teachers in child development agencies. The study also included an investigation of the methods of decision making most often used by child development agencies to determine if there was a significant relationship between the teachers’ level of satisfaction in participating in decision making and the mode of decision making used in their organizations.

Two hundred thirteen teachers from seventy-six child development programs completed questionnaires indicating how frequently they participated in each …

Regular-Classroom Teachers' Attitudes Toward Mainstreaming Handicapped Students: A Study Of The Stated Attitude And Its Relation To Selected Variables And Acceptance Behaviors, Alice Crayton Alexander

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study were to (1) investigate the attitude and acceptance behaviors of the regular-classroom teachers toward the present movement of educating handicapped students in the regular classroom, and (2) to investigate selected variables that may affect the attitude and acceptance behaviors, in order to have the findings of the study serve as one basis for future curriculum planning in teacher education programs as well as for in-service program development for local education systems.

The stated attitude data was collected from the responses of 187 regular-classroom teachers and student interns to the questionnaire, A Survey of Teachers’ Opinions …