Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

The Effect Of Enhanced Visualization Instruction On First Grade Students' Scores On The North Carolina Standard Course Assessment, Amber Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Visualization was once thought to be an important skill for professions only related to engineering, but due to the realization of concurrent design and the fast pace of technology, it is now desirable in other professions as well. The importance of learning basic knowledge of geometrical concepts has a greater impact than it did prior to the 21st century. This study's purpose was to test the effect of enhanced visualization instruction on the visualization skills measured by the North Carolina standard course test for first grade students. This quasi-experimental study was conducted using the non-randomized subjects, non-equivalent control group design. …

Digital Immigrant Teacher Perceptions Of Social Media As It Influences The Affective And Cognitive Development Of Students: A Phenomenological Study, Robert Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe how digital immigrant teachers perceive the influence of social media on the affective and cognitive development of students at three high schools in Alabama. As the prevalence of social technologies is increasing, educators must understand how it is affecting students in order to instruct students and utilize technologies in an effective manner. Thus, a phenomenological study should inform teacher practitioners on how to address concerns and issues associated with social media in order to positively influence the learning environment. Ten teachers were selected from one private and two public high …

Can Practice Calibrating By Test Topic Improve Public School Students' Calibration Accuracy And Performance On Tests?, Rose M. Riggs

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

The effect of a calibration strategy requiring students to predict their scores for each topic on a high stakes test was investigated. The utility of self-efficacy towards predicting achievement and calibration accuracy was also explored. One hundred and ten sixth grade math students enrolled in an urban middle school participated. Students were assigned to either a calibration practice group or a no practice condition. Students in the practice condition completed a self-efficacy scale specific to math at the beginning of the study. They also practiced making predictions for each topic on each of three tests over a three month period …

From The Margins To The Middle: Making Room For Visual Rhetoric In The Composition Classroom, Montyne H. Morris

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

This study examines the potential role of visuals in a first-year composition classroom. Essential theoretical questions include whether visual images have rhetorical power, and specifically, whether they can sustain an argument. If we suppose that visual images, like verbal texts, can be arranged to create or extend an argument, then the inclusion of visuals in a writing classroom becomes a question not of if but of how. Study findings and recommendations are relevant for first-year writing instructors, administrators, and others involved in the design and delivery of first-year writing programs.

What Value Does Service Learning Have On Introductory Engineering Students' Motivation And Abet Program Outcomes?, Carol Sevier, Seung Youn Chyung, Janet Callahan, Cheryl Schrader

Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

A quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of using a service learning (SL) method on influencing introductory engineering students' motivation and ABET program outcomes, compared to the effectiveness of using a conventional, non-service-learning (NSL) method. The sample used in the study was 214 students enrolled in an Introduction to Engineering course at a medium-size university in the northwestern region of the U.S. during the fall semester of 2009 and the spring semester of 2010. Sixty-nine students completed SL projects while 145 students completed NSL projects. Both SL and NSL projects were team-based. Using the ARCS model as a …

Comparing The Success And Experiences Of Developmental Algebra I Students, Christy Lowery-Carter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students enrolled during the spring 2011 and summer 2011 semesters taking developmental Algebra I were invited to participate in a study. Students were required to complete a researcher-made pretest prior to instruction, complete the course over the semester, and complete an identical posttest at the end of the course. The online students voluntarily completed a researcher-made survey. An ANCOVA analysis, using the pretest scores as a covariate, showed a significant difference between the online and seated students, as the online students scored significantly higher. The survey showed online students tended to utilize the captured lectures, with a larger percentage of …

The Effect Of Differentiated Instruction On Standardized Assessment Performance Of Students In The Middle School Mathematics Classroom, Kimberly Gail Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Changing demographics, student diversity, and increased accountability have compelled educators to challenge the uniform constraints of traditional instruction and create an environment focused on individual achievement. Differentiated instruction empowers teachers to target multiple learning styles through varied themes, adapted content delivery, and assessment options. This quantitative quasi-experimental research study examined the effects of differentiated instruction on seventh grade student performance on standardized mathematics assessments using a repeated-measures design. Two independent research trials, controlling for initial group differences with 2011 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) scores, provided inconclusive assessment results. Significant differences between students who received differentiated instruction compared …

Academic Excellence In Action: A Case Study Of Effective Instructional Methodologies Of Middle Grades Math Teachers, Nancy Hutchison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to analyze highly effective math teachers in a middle school in Tennessee and describe the methodologies utilized in their middle grades classrooms. This case study was an instrumental single case study within a bounded system. Effective math teachers employ certain methodologies consistently in their classrooms that can be utilized by other teachers to help students achieve academic success. Tennessee's First to the Top Act (2010) requires using teacher effect data to comprise 35% of teachers' retention/dismissal evaluation scores and requires a concentrated focus on seventh grade mathematics instruction. Questionnaires, interviews with math teachers …

Collection Of Online Learning Objects For Research Success (Colors) Pilot Project, Andrea Falcone, Stephanie Wiegand

University Libraries Publications

The availability of library-related videos is growing; yet it is difficult to justify the impact of such time-consuming projects. In order to investigate the impact of such projects and a possible solution, the researchers asked students to create videos that appeal to their peers. The following research questions were posed:

• Will creation of media projects enable students to learn core research concepts and skills?
• Will a series of peer-created media engage students and help them acclimate to researching in an academic library?

By asking students to create videos, the researchers were able to observe how users interact with and perceive …

Ucla Faculty Survey Results 2001-2011, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment

Faculty survey institutional profile.

Collegiality In Teacher Design Teams: Experience From The Netherlands And Tanzania, Ayoub C. Kafyulilo

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Teachers’ collegiality is becoming an increasingly important component of teachers’ professional development programmes that are geared at improving students’ learning. Studies have shown that, through collaboration, teachers can learn from one another and develop professionally. This study investigates the extent to which true collegiality exists in teacher design teams in the Netherlands and in Tanzania. It specifically investigates the ways in which teachers establish collegiality in schools and the influence of education authorities (inspectorates, school management and policy makers) in teachers’ decision making in the design teams. It also investigates how varying interests, values and attitudes of teachers are accommodated …

Knowledge, Skills, And Dispositions Influencing Middle School Teachers' Decision Making In Planning Social Studies Instruction In A Hispanic Serving School, Angela Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The issue of highly qualified teachers as the key to improving the educational system in the United States has become a primary focus in education. The federal educational policy No Child Left Behind Act 2001, describes what it means to be a highly qualified teacher in core subject areas, and all states are required to use this criterion for defining what teachers should know, and be able to do. Accordingly, certified teachers in today’s public school classrooms must possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions so that all students, including those students who have been historically disadvantaged and those who are …

Getting Your Research Published, From Student To School: Third Annual Graduate Student Conference, 12 June, 2012, Learning, Teaching, Technology Centre, Roisin Donnelly

Graduate Student Conferences

Proceedings and abstracts of the 3rd. annual graduate student conference held in DIT, Aungier Street, 12 June, 2012.

Information Literacy At Johnson & Wales University 2011-2012, Ariela Mccaffrey, Lori Micho, Nicole Covone, Joe Eshleman

Library Staff Publications

This initial document details some ideas and thoughts related to the development of librarians who instruct at the four Johnson & Wales University campuses. A group of five librarians at the four campuses developed the document; Amanda Samland, Ariela McCaffrey, Nicole Covone, Lisa Spicola, and Joe Eshleman, Seven aspects of library instruction are addressed as well as ideas for the application of the guidelines. Finally, next steps towards application of the guidelines are listed.

The Maine Schools Study: Phase Ii Report On Improving Maine Schools Preliminary Analysis Of Maine High Schools, David L. Silvernail Phd, Erika K. Stump Phd

School Improvement

At the request of the state legislature, the Maine Education Policy Research Institute (MEPRI) at University of Southern Maine (USM) has been conducting a study of public schools that have been identified as: (1) more efficient; and (2) improving. Over the past two years, MEPRI has developed a set of metrics for identifying schools whose students are beating the odds by performing significantly better on state assessments than is predicted from student and community characteristics, and to use this same metric to identifying improving schools, school that have a record of improvement. The goal of the two-phase study has been …

A Preliminary Examination Of The Cost Savings And Learning Impacts Of Using Open Textbooks In High School Science Classes, David Wiley, John Levi Hilton Iii, Shelley Ellington, Tiffany Hall

Entrepreneurship Faculty Research

Proponents of open educational resources claim that significant cost savings are possible when open textbooks displace traditional textbooks in the classroom. Over a period of two years, we worked with 20 middle and high school science teachers (collectively teaching approximately 3,900 students) who adopted open textbooks to understand the process and determine the overall cost of such an adoption. The teachers deployed open textbooks in multiple ways. Some of these methods cost more than traditional textbooks; however, we did identify and implement a successful model of open textbook adoption that reduces costs by over 50% compared to the cost of …

Identifying Knowledge, Skill And Competence For Nanoscience And Nanotechnology Research: A Study Of Postgraduate Researchers’ Experiences, Deepa Chari, Paul Irving, Robert Howard, Brian Bowe

Articles

Over the past few decades, scientific disciplines have changed significantly with the introduction of new and complex aspects of research, particularly in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology (N&N). Efforts to develop science education programmes in N&N area to adopt these complex changes are also evident from recent literature and educational reports. However, these attempts are focused towards identification and inclusion of contextual scientific knowledge in the curricula and very little is understood about the attributes knowledge, skill and competence necessary to successfully undertake N&N research. Identification of these attributes is important so that the contextual scientific knowledge can be …

Bctcblue+ Program: A Joint Enrollment/Joint Admissions Program Supporting Transfer Student Success At The University Of Kentucky, Randolph Hollingsworth

Undergraduate Education White Papers

This paper outlines the purpose and goals of the BCTCblue+ Program, its impact on student success and how it relates to the University of Kentucky’s mission. The findings from the review of the Program show that it supports a more intentional admissions and transfer process for incoming UK students. In addition, the Program addresses a critical role in transitioning UK’s reverse transfer population back into a baccalaureate degree program for successful graduation.

A Phenomenological Study Of Motivations, Experiences And Reflections As Related To Teacher Training And Development In Tanzania, Melinda Ingiaimo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In third world countries where education often takes a back seat to survival, teachers struggle to prepare themselves to shape the destiny and future of the upcoming generation. This study examined the phenomena of Tanzanian teacher preparation with special emphasis on the motivating factors, common experiences and reflections of participants concerning their preparation process for teaching in a government funded school. This study inquired into the immediate teaching environment and the ongoing teacher development processes. Fifteen Tanzanian teachers were purposefully chosen for this study and data was gathered utilizing a semi-structured interview, a survey and a focus group. The teacher …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Caregiver Education Level, Time Spent On School Actvities, And Mathematics Achievement, Ebony Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between caregiver education level and time spent with a caregiver on school activities with regard to how Georgia Middle School students (N = 465) achieved on the mathematics section of the yearly Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) in Georgia. Caregiver education level and time spent with the caregiver on school activities was also examined to determine if a cumulative effect between the two factors could be found in relation to mathematics achievement on the CRCT. A causal comparative design was used and the data was analyzed using the 2009 version 16 of SPSS. A generalized …

Urban Elementary School Prinicipals' Attitudes Toward The Inclusive Environment, Joseph A. Galano

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Parents As Teachers Program In Missouri And The Resulting Difference In Academic Effects For Fifth- And Sixth-Grade Students, Jill Arnold

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Due to No Child Left Behind legislation, state education officials are increasing programs and funding for early childhood interventions. Missouri's Parents as Teachers Program (PAT) is one such program that works to increase students' academic achievement in school and on standardized tests. This study explored one Missouri school district's academic achievement for current fifth- and sixth-grade students on the kindergarten entry screening, the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning Third Edition (DIAL-3), and the Missouri Assessment Program's (MAP) third and fourth grade Communication Arts test. The research employed a causal-comparative research design that matched 89 PAT participants with 89 …

The Manifestation Of Biblical Community Understanding In A Facebook Community: A Qualitative Study Among Christian College Students, Paul Perkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Applying theoretical studies of social capital, social presence, cognitive presence, and community helps researchers understand more fully the phenomenon of online social networks. The debate has moved from the positive and negative effects of online social networks to understanding how they fit into daily life. However, do biblical community beliefs transfer to Facebook? If Facebook is considered a community, does it exhibit the characteristics of a biblical community? Through a qualitative case study design, this research explored eight Christian college students, four men and four women, from two Midwest Christian colleges, investigating their understanding of biblical community and its application …

The Effect Of The Private Classroom Blog On The Acquisition Of Formal Writing Proficiency With Spanish Iii High School Students, Olga Glymph

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of a private classroom blog implemented as an instructional technology on student writing proficiency in a world language with the focus on formal writing. The nonequivalent control-group, pre-posttest design was used to determine if the use of the private classroom blog in teaching world language formal writing affected student writing proficiency with the specific focus on task completion, comprehensibility, level of discourse, vocabulary, and language control. This research study used a convenience sample of sophomore, junior, and senior students in a Georgia public high school. Independent raters evaluated students' writings using the Fairfax County Public …

Global Technology Initiative At San Jose State University: Results Of Seven Years Of An International Experience For Students, Belle Wei, Patricia Backer, Wenchiang Chung, Andrew Wood

Faculty Publications

For XXX students to thrive in the highly competitive global economy, it is critical to develop international perspectives and knowledge. The $1 million Global Technology Initiative (GTI), established in 2004, provides SJSU students with an opportunity to gain a global perspective of the world by learning about technology and business developments in the Asia Pacific region. GTI donors are high-tech business leaders with strong business ties in Silicon Valley and the Asia Pacific region. Given the current trend of engineering globalization in the global economy, particularly the trend of outsourcing Silicon Valley manufacturing, development, and design work to foreign countries, …

The Meeting School: An Alternative Mode Of Education, Hallel Parsons

Capstone Collection

What role do spirituality, community, and farming play in contemporary US education? As a farm and faculty intern at a small, private, Quaker boarding high school in rural NH I gained an interesting perspective on this subject. Using Robert G. Hanvey’s working thesis: An Attainable Global Perspective: Education for a Global Perspective as a standard by which to measure my experience at The Meeting School, I explore the implications of an education founded upon the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, and equality (SPICE), within the context of an intentional community committed to organic farming as a means to …

Assessing The Unassessed: Incorporating Evaluation Into The North Carolina State University Curriculum Integration Program, Jamie B. Snow

Capstone Collection

Curriculum Integration (CI) is the incorporation of study abroad into existing academic curricula through faculty and staff collaboration. The North Carolina State University (NCSU) CI program was initiated in 2008. Currently the NCSU Study Abroad Office (SAO) is working to update, define, and enhance the direction of this program. NCSU recently updated its strategic plans to include goals regarding campus internationalization and global engagement. The NCSU CI program is viewed as a means to accomplish these goals. However, four years after its inception, there is still no evaluation of any of the CI program initiatives. Assessment and evaluation are important …

The Relationship Between Math Self-Efficacy And Completion Rates Of Developmental Math Students, Kendra Schroeder

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

An applied project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Education Specialist at Morehead State University by Kendra Schroeder on May 8, 2012.

Project Overview And Research Findings, Kimberly Cassidy, Jennifer L. Spohrer

Blended Learning in the Liberal Arts Conference

Provost Kim Cassidy and Jennifer Spohrer give an overview of the blended learning study funded by the Next Generation Learning Challenges Wave I grant. They explain the origins of the project, introduce some of the blended courses developed to date, and mechanisms for measuring their impact. They will also present preliminary findings from the research done on fall-semester courses and discuss opportunities and support available for faculty at partner institutions who want to develop and teach blended courses in AY2012-2013 as part of the project.

Optimizing The Pedagogical Efficacy Of Moodle, Michelle Li-Kuehne, Evan M. Lowder

Forum Lectures

Course Management Systems (CMS) such as Moodle, D2L, and Blackboard are often used as auxiliary resources for both traditional and online courses. As CSB/SJU faculty, many of us are developing and using creative CMS resources with the goal of positive pedagogical impact. How is the effectiveness of these resources assessed? Which resources are found most useful by students? How can faculty maximize the pedagogical value of CMS? This Thursday Forum presentation shows participants the results of a study directed toward answering these questions. During three introductory financial accounting courses conducted in 2009, 2010, and 2011, Camtasia videos, assignment solutions, notes, …