Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Enhancing The Learning Experience: Learning For The Unknown Future, Barry Ryan

Conference papers

In this presentation the effects of an altered teaching methodology, in which the "student as producer" approach was adopted, are outlined. Currently, many students exist as knowledge consumers; however, Neary and Winn (2009) have suggested the positive effect on students learning through the inclusion of research-like activities at the core of the undergraduate curriculum; the students act as "producers" of knowledge.

Approximate Vs. Monte Carlo Critical Values For The Winsorized T-Test, Michael Lance

Wayne State University Dissertations

Historically, it has been accepted practice for critical values for the Winsorized t test for independent samples to be based on adjusted degrees of freedom depending on the number of total non-Winsorized (approximate) values. Recently, a new such table of Winsorized critical values has been developed via approximate randomization by Monte Carlo simulation.

Based on eight common data distributions estimated from Psychology and Education along with the normal and five Mathematical distributions, these two tables of values were compared with respect to robustness to types I and II errors through Monte Carlo simulations for one and 10% Winsorized values per …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Non-Normal Distributions On Tests Of Equivalence, Linda Ellington

Wayne State University Dissertations

Statistical theory and its application provide the foundation to modern systematic inquiry in the behavioral, physical and social sciences disciplines (Fisher, 1958; Wilcox, 1996). It provides the tools for scholars and researchers to operationalize constructs, describe populations, and measure and interpret the relations between populations and variables (Weinbach & Grinnell, 1997; Wilcox, 1996). Given that the majority of real data analysis in the behavioral and social sciences is comprised of non-normally distributed data, it is important that researchers be aware of the effects of non-normal distributions on the probability of detecting equivalence between populations.

The present study examined the effects …

Reliability Generalization: Lapsus Linguae, Julie Marilyn Smith

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study examines the proposed Reliability Generalization (RG) method for studying reliability. RG employs the application of meta-analytic techniques similar to those used in validity generalization studies to examine reliability coefficients. This study explains why RG does not provide a proper research method for the study of reliability, including describing how reliability is not a singular metric but a family of coefficients that are not interchangeable, along with other issues, such as sample and test administration. This research used Monte Carlo simulations designed to illustrate how the same instrument, administered repeatedly, can result in different reliability coefficients and to show …

Conteúdo, Intencionalidade E Prática Docente [Content, Intentionality And Teaching Practices], Karl M. Lorenz

Education Faculty Publications

O trabalho explora a relação entre a prática docente e as fontes de conteúdos acadêmicos e pedagógicos, especificamente o livro didático. Central a essa discussão é a premissa que os compêndios escolares do passado possam oferecer-nos uma ideia da atuação do professor em sala de aula. Através da analise do seus conteúdos pode-se inferir certos comportamentos pedagógicos do professor. Características dos livro escolares, tais como a natureza e organização dos conteúdos de saber; a presença e localização de quadros, tabelas, figuras, ilustrações, problemas e exercícios na obra; o estilo narrativo do texto, as representações sociais de ideias importantes, e as …

Game Design As An Educational Pedagogy, Michael K. Barbour, Kathy Clesson, Meghan Adams

Education Faculty Publications

In this paper, the researchers explored the use of homemade PowerPoint games as a pedagogy strategy. This quasi-experimental study examined whether there were performance differences between students in a class that utilized the teachers’ traditional methods of reviewing for a unit exam and students in a second class that utilized homemade PowerPoint games. The analysis of variance indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in the performance or the level of improvement between the two classes, which may have been due to the small sample size. These results are consistent with other studies of homemade PowerPoint games.

An Examination Of Government Policies For E-Learning In New Zealand’S Secondary Schools, Allison Powell, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

In 2006 the North American Council for Online Learning surveyed the activity and policy relating to primary and secondary e-learning, which they defined as online learning, in a selection of countries. They found most were embracing e-learning delivery of education as a central strategy for enabling reform, modernising schools, and increasing access to high-quality education. While North American countries appeared to be using the internet as a medium to provide distance education at the secondary level longer than most countries, the lack of a guiding vision has created uneven opportunities for students depending on which state or province they live …

The Effects Of Word Instruction During Classroom Read-Alouds On The Acquisition Of Vocabulary, Marla Renee Muncy

Online Theses and Dissertations

To focus on the need to improve literacy in rural Appalachia, this study investigates the use of Text Talk during read-aloud to increase the receptive vocabulary of participants. The investigator read six picturebooks to two groups of kindergarteners. Group A had 21 participants and Group B had 20 participants. Each group received instruction on two different sets of target vocabulary words, three in each book. The researcher administered a pre-test and post-test to each student patterned after the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. T-tests revealed that students made significant progress learning words when the reader used Text Talk during the lessons. …

A Mixed Methods Examination Of The Impact Of National Board Certified Teachers In Central Kentucky, Susan Michelle Boulden

Online Theses and Dissertations

The NBPTS was created in response to a call from A Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983) and A Nation Prepared (Carnegie Forum, 1986) to ensure improved student academic performance in the United States. The mission of NBPTS is to establish rigorous standards for what teachers should know and be able to do, develop a voluntary national system to assess and certify teachers who meet these standards, and improve student learning in schools across the United States of America (Rouse & Hollomon, 2005). The ultimate goal of this process is to place effective, highly qualified teachers …

The National Council Of Teachers Of English And Federal Education Policy, 1958-1966, Curtis Mason

Dissertations

Following the launching of Sputnik in 1957, Congress passed the National Defense Education Act of 1958 that primarily funded research for the teaching of science, foreign language, and math. English was omitted, but in 1961, due to persuading from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Congress funded a program that established institutes and centers for research for the teaching of English.

In my research I argue that in order to secure federal funding, the NCTE altered its formal mission to accommodate popular educational rhetoric. Ironically, after achieving federal funding for curricula research one outcome was a recommendation for …

The Influence Of Teacher Motivation In The Context Of Performance-Based Compensation, Jason E. Glass

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Influence Of Student And School Variables On Student Performance On The New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge In Grade 8, Maria A. Periera

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Grading And Reporting Purposes And Practices In Catholic Secondary Schools And Grades' Efficacy In Accurately Communicating Student Learning, Peter Imperial

Doctoral Dissertations

Few aspects of school are as controversial as the practice of grading, for grades affect students' educational opportunities. The purpose of this study was to identify the practices Catholic high-school teachers employed in determining students' grades. The study investigated the extent to which academic achievement comprised the grades teachers reported, and the extent to which teachers' practices are consistent with their expressed purposes for grading. The study also explored the extent to which Catholic teachers' grading practices are consistent with their schools' purpose for grading. Using random sampling, 486 Catholic secondary school teachers and 50 administrators from 33 high schools …

The Frequency Of Implementation Of Lasallian Pedagogy In Traditional College-Preparatory High Schools Sponsored By The De La Salle Christian Brothers In The United States, Kristopher White

Doctoral Dissertations

Since the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the De La Salle Christian Brothers have re-examined the charism of their founder, St. John Baptist De La Salle, and the meaning of their founding documents in light of modern circumstances. Only recently have Lasallian scholars (Campos & Sauvage, 1981, 1999; Lauraire, 2004, 2006; Poutet, 1997; Van Grieken, 1995, 1999) been bridging the gap between the spiritual awareness of the Lasallian charism and the implications for classroom practice.

This study established a baseline measurement for the frequency of implementation of Lasallian pedagogy according to the seven dimensions of Lasallian pedagogy, as defined by White …

An Exploration Of The Perceptions Of Elementary Principals On The Process And Benefits Of The Principal Evaluation, Shelly D. Viramontez

Doctoral Dissertations

An Exploration of the Perceptions of Elementary Principals on the Process and Benefits of the Principal Evaluation

This qualitative case study investigated the principal evaluation process as described and experienced by principals and principal evaluators and the feedback provided in the principal evaluation process. The conceptual framework, VAL-Ed was used because it is grounded in research literature and is based on leadership standards.

The participants were six elementary principals and three principal evaluators from each of the three participating districts. This study contradicted earlier research, in finding principal evaluations are aligned to professional standards and principals report their evaluation is …

Who Stole My Idea? Why Researchers Need To Look At Past Theses On Their Own And Associated Topics, Ken Gasmier

ECU Research Week

No abstract provided.

Addressing The Achievement Gap And Disproportionality Through The Use Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices, Angela Griner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Culturally responsive teaching practices in schools and classrooms have been shown to be an effective means of addressing the achievement gap, as well as the disproportionate representation of racially, culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students in programs serving students with special needs. While there has been a recent influx in research discussing these issues, teachers and school staff lack clear examples and tools for best practices that will aid them in addressing the achievement gap and disproportionality effectively within their schools. Conducted in three phases, this research provides a framework for developing, implementing, and evaluating a culturally responsive tool for …

Teaching Reading In The Secondary Content Area Classroom:Teacher Attitudes And Predictors, Sara L. Norton-Ejnik

Dissertations

Strategic teaching of reading occurs at the elementary level, and students are expected to "read to learn" once they enter high school. The majority of the nation's secondary students do not have all the requisite skills to read and learn from high school texts and materials, and even drop-out rates have been attributed to students' inability to keep pace with the literacy skills demanded by the secondary curriculum. No Child Left Behind legislation now mandates secondary school reading initiatives, from high stakes testing to remediation. Despite the national focus on secondary reading, teachers in America's secondary schools are not teaching …

Using Poll Everywhere To Encourage Active Participation In A University Setting, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Essential Elements Of Effective Practices For English Learners, Karen Cadiero Kaplan, Ph.D., Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

One of the most powerful variables for English Learner success is the quality of their teachers. This policy brief published by Californians Together (1) provides a synthesis of effective practices for instructing ELs; (2) presents four research-based essential elements critical for EL program implementation, teacher reflection, and monitoring of teacher effectiveness; and (3) concludes with program and policy recommendations. Three key areas for policy action are prioritized: (1) District and state level policies must require that local and state leadership support the implementation of these essential elements; (2) Alignment of fiscal and human resources must be targeted to ensure that …

Effects Of Animal-Assisted Therapy On Behavior And Reading In The Classroom, Ashley Elizabeth Booten

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Research has shown that the presence of a therapy dog in the classroom should elicit a calming effect, reduce stress, and promote positive interactions among peers and adults. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect a therapy dog has on behavior and reading in the classroom. Specifically, the study will be comparing behavior gradesand reading scores for two groups of students: one that received Animal Assisted Therapy and one that did not receive Animal Assisted Therapy. Data were collected from two fifth-grade classrooms. There were 17 fifth-grade students in the experimental groupand 15 in the control group. …

The Relationship Between Community Service Involvement And Student Outcomes In Mexican Higher Learning Institutions, Raul Lozano

Dissertations

Problem. Although Mexican Seventh-day Adventist higher learning institutions involve their students in diverse forms of community service, it is not clear whether involvement in service-related projects in these institutions is producing the desired prosocial, spiritual, and personal development in the students.

Method. A mixed methods design combining qualitative and quantitative research approaches was carried out to understand the way community service is implemented in Mexican Adventist higher education and its impact on students. In the qualitative stage, three cases were studied in which 18 people from three Seventh-day Adventist universities in Mexico participated in interviews and focus groups. Data were …

A Descriptive Case Study Of The Perceptions And Use Of Adventist Edge : An Initiative Developed In Response To The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists' Document, "Journey To Excellence", Pamela C. Forbes

Dissertations

Problem. The Southern Union started the Adventist EDGE initiative as an action plan in response to the North American Division's document, Journey to Excellence . The Adventist EDGE became a comprehensive educational reform initiative. However, there were different ideas on how the innovation should look when inaction in the schools, and these differences became obvious during the initial EDGE school validation visit, resulting in hurt feelings and confusion. Thus, the need for my study to clarify EDGE became critical for the survival of the initiative.

Purpose. The purpose of my study was to develop two operational definitions or …

Projects Of Identity Creation In English Languate Textbooks Aimed At Adult Immigrants: 1900 And 2000, Steven Herbert Fehr

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate the temporal parallels and differences between adult immigrant education and latent identity projects intertwined with the textbooks being used in the classrooms. By analyzing a sample of textbooks from both the turn of the 20th and 21st century I attempt to find both similarities and differences between these two time periods. These two periods are similar in that they are when the largest number of immigrants arrived in America, but in many ways (global context, technology, and political environment) they are also very different. How the American educational system responded to these …

Constructing A "Good" Colonial Society: Representations Of Philippine Colonial Education At The 1887 Philippine Exposition In Madrid And The 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, Erin Hardacker

Master's Theses

World's fairs and expositions were major social, political, economic, and cultural events in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These events were places where colonial states could display their achievements in their colonies, as well as produce knowledge and organize people as part of / in aid of the colonial project. It is a generally agreed fact among historians that the colonial exhibits at world's fairs and expositions were often idealized representations, or even deliberate misrepresentations, of colonies and colonial projects. Examining world's fairs and expositions should shed light on how colonial states developed and displayed their colonial education …

Meta-Analysis Of Single-Case Data: A Monte Carlo Investigation Of A Three Level Model, Corina M. Owens

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Numerous ways to meta-analyze single-case data have been proposed in the literature, however, consensus on the most appropriate method has not been reached. One method that has been proposed involves multilevel modeling. This study used Monte Carlo methods to examine the appropriateness of Van den Noortgate and Onghena's (2008) raw data multilevel modeling approach to the meta-analysis of single-case data. Specifically, the study examined the fixed effects (i.e., the overall average baseline level and the overall average treatment effect) and the variance components (e.g., the between person within study variance in the average baseline level, the between study variance in …

The Relationship Between Statistics Self-Efficacy, Statistics Anxiety, And Performance In An Introductory Graduate Statistics Course, William Ray Schneider

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between statistics self-efficacy, statistics anxiety, and performance in introductory graduate statistics courses. The study design compared two statistics self-efficacy measures developed by Finney and Schraw (2003), a statistics anxiety measure developed by Cruise and Wilkins (1980), and a course performance measure. To view self-efficacy from two perspectives, the Current Statistics Self-Efficacy (CSSE) assessed student confidence in their ability to complete specific statistics tasks in the present, whereas Self-Efficacy to Learn Statistics (SELS) assessed student confidence in their ability to learn statistics in the future. The performance measure was the combined …

Parent Involvement In Children's Schooling: An Investigation Of Measurement Equivalence Across Ethnic Groups, Heather Marie Scott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Epstein et al.'s Theory of Overlapping Spheres of Influence focuses on the interaction and communication, or partnerships, among families, schools, and the community to bring the three closer together. The theory works in conjunction with Epstein's typology of parental involvement, which focuses on six types of involvement that are instrumental to a child's development and his/her school and educational success. These serve as the framework for the study and support the construct of parent's involvement in children's schooling.

The purpose of the current study was to conduct further validation analyses of an inventory designed to measure the construct of parent …

Integrating Formative Feedback Into Individual And Group Assessments In A First Year Organic Chemistry Module, Barry Ryan, Julie Dunne

Conference papers

It is common for science undergraduates, particularly first year students, to remark that they do not receive appropriate support in their transition from second level to third level education; particularly in effective scientific laboratory report writing, new subject area preparedness and technical ‘know-how’ [1]. This is compounded by the insufficient, or inappropriate, feedback offered to students in these problem areas. The pedagogical emphasis often focuses on quantity rather than quality; both in report writing and content delivered. This publication describes an assessment methodology redesign to, firstly, incorporate on-line formative feedback and; secondly, to introduce one-to-one and one-to-group lab report feedback …

Investigating Peer Review As An Intentional Learning Strategy To Foster Collaborative Knowledge-Building In Students Of Instructional Design, Jennifer M. Brill, Charles B. Hodges

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

Peer review has been advocated for as an intentional strategy to support the knowledge and skill attainment of adult learners preparing for professional practice, including those students preparing for instructional design and technology practice. The purposes of this article are to discuss the practical application of peer review as an instructional strategy by articulating its use in both face-to-face and online Instructional Design courses and to formulate directions for future research on the use of peer review in instructional practice. Findings from a literature review of student-to-student peer review and the authors' experiences with the use of peer review in …