Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Superintendent Mobility, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

A study nearly 50 years ago categorized superintendents as being either career-bound or place-bound. The former consisted of administrators inclined to advance their career by relocating to a new school district or state. The latter group consisted of administrators who sought internal promotions over relocation.

Two findings from AASA:s latest decennial superintendents' study reveal virtually no change in mobility since 2000. This outcome is somewhat surprising in light of the increases in the number of post-retirement individuals continuing to serve in the superintendency by accepting a job covered by another state's pension system.

Teacher Induction Programs: How Key Components Influence Teacher Retention Rates In Rural School Districts, Samuel Rogers

Dissertations

Upon entrance to the educational arena, new teachers face many challenges, and rural school teachers face a unique series of challenges compared to teachers in urban and suburban school districts (Ingersoll, 2012). Rural school districts often have difficulty both recruiting and retaining teachers (Dadisman, Gravelle, Farmer, & Petrin, 2010). Teacher induction programs presented a possible solution to increase the teacher retention rates for rural school districts (National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, 2007). The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between the degree of implementation of teacher induction programs and the teacher retention rates for high-performing …

A Study Of Alternative Education Programs In The State Of Missouri, Ronald Joshua Ladd

Dissertations

The focus of this study was to examine the characteristics of alternative programs in the state of Missouri and to determine whether a statistical difference in the persistence to graduation rate existed between the two variations of programs. When identifying the characteristics, several commonalities emerged. These commonalities could be the focus of future studies to determine a list of best-practices among alternative programs. When focusing on the statistical element of this study, the two programs in question were revolving door and one-way programs. For the purpose of this study, a revolving door style program was defined as one that assesses …

Forgiveness Education And Bullying Prevention And Intervention: Benefits For Bullies, Victims And Schools, Amy Carlon, Suzanne Freedman, Nicole Skaar

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Over the past 50 years, attitudes toward incidences of bullying in the schools have shifted significantly. Previously, bullying was seen as an expected and normal part of a child's development and school experience. Some even believed bullying wasn't harmful, that it assisted in character-building, and was simply "part of growing up" (Smith & Brain, 2000, p. 3). In recent decades, however, the negative effects of bullying have been more widely recognized, and there is growing acceptance that experiences of bullying often lead to negative outcomes, such as poor physical and psychological health, for those who are victimized (Due et al., …

Best Practice Teacher Education Programs And Australia’S Own Programs, Lawrence Ingvarson, Kate Reid, Sarah Buckley, Elizabeth Kleinhenz, Geoff N. Masters, Glenn Rowley

Initial Teacher education

This report was prepared by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to support the work of the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG). ACER was requested to undertake evidence-based research and benchmarking of world’s best practice teacher education programs against Australia’s own programs, which included: (a) identifying best practice principles for the design, delivery and assessment of teacher education programs; and (b) articulating the features of teacher education programs that most effectively support successful transition to effective practice.

Thinking It Through: Australian Students’ Skills In Creative Problem Solving, Lisa De Bortoli, Greg Macaskill

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Australia

In every PISA survey, students from every participating country are assessed in the core domains of mathematics, science and reading literacy. In addition to assessing these literacy domains, the OECD proposes additional assessments in other domains. In PISA 2003, a paper-based assessment of cross- disciplinary problem solving was first assessed, when it was included as a core domain. In PISA 2012, problem solving was once again assessed, this time as an optional computer-based assessment.

The focus of the PISA 2012 assessment of problem solving was: Are today’s 15-year-old students acquiring the problem-solving skills that will prepare them to meet the …

Read 180: Is It An Effective Reading Intervention For English Language Learners?, Carissa Gober

Dissertations

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine if READ 180 is an effective reading intervention program for English Language Learners (ELLs). School districts nationwide are seeking effective programs to close the achievement gap between ELLs and the general population in order to fulfill federally established Title III requirements. This study examined the results of the 2011-2013 Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State (ACCESS), an English Language Proficiency assessment tool specifically designed for ELLs. At the time of this study, 35 states, including Missouri utilize the ACCESS test to measure proficiency levels of their ELLs in partial fulfillment …

The Effect Of An Integrated Music Curriculum On Reading Achievement Outcomes Of Kindergarten Students, Tracy St. Clair

Dissertations

At the time of this study, school districts in the United States faced challenges relative to educational accountability, especially in the areas of language arts and mathematics. Research suggested that music held the potential to bolster student engagement and academic achievement to improve reading outcomes for students. An integrated music curriculum was designed and implemented by the researcher to support reading achievement in a Midwestern, suburban elementary school. The purpose of this counterbalanced research design was to examine the effect of an integrated music curriculum upon the reading achievement of kindergarten students. The lesson framework included brain-based and active listening …

Discrepancies In Discipline Of Middle School Students By Gender: A Comparison Of Principal Candidates’ Responses To Vignettes, And Teacher Perceptions, Jill Lukefahr-Farrar

Dissertations

Discipline in schools exists so that there are guidelines to ensure safety and learning. Administrators and teachers give students consequences based upon discipline guidelines made by the school districts’ board of education. The discipline administered can be subjective. In a suburban mid-western school district, alarming trends in the amount of discipline referrals of male students both in the primary investigator’s middle school and in the other middle schools within the researched district were recognized. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to analyze and understand if gender discrepancies exist in discipline for middle school students among aspiring administrators, practicing …

Exploring The Relationship Between Student Survey Results And Evaluator Observation Results In The Teacher Evaluation Process, Sandra Eileen Ford

Dissertations

Researchers and practitioners have indicated that current teacher evaluation systems do not distinguish differences between teachers. In an attempt to redesign the current system and create a more effective system, legislative mandates required the use of multiple measures in the teacher evaluation systems of states receiving federal money. As a result student perception surveys became one of the multiple measures being considered for use in the teacher evaluation process. In this study, student perception survey results and certified evaluator observation results were analyzed to determine if there was a significant linear relationship between students’ and evaluators’ perceptions of effective teaching. …

Deciding On Science: An Analysis Of Higher Education Science Student Major Choice Criteria, Stephen Wilson White

Dissertations

The number of college students choosing to major in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the United States affects the size and quality of the American workforce (Winters, 2009). The number of graduates in these academic fields has been on the decline in the United States since the 1960s, which, according to Lips and McNeil (2009), has resulted in a diminished ability of the United States to compete in science and engineering on the world stage. The purpose of this research was to learn why students chose a STEM major and determine what decision criteria influenced this decision. According …

Uno Aqip Status (Sept. 2014), Neal Topp

Accreditation

This document details the status of UNO’s progress in the current eight-year AQIP review cycle.

An Investigation Of Teacher Evaluation Systems And How They Can Be Transformed To Improve Teaching And Learning: A Change Leadership Plan, Kelly O'Brien

Dissertations

Numerous states have contributed to the overhaul of teacher evaluation systems by imposing mandatory guidelines for the development of new measures. The purpose of this Change Leadership plan was to build upon my research “Principal Perspectives on the Current State of the Art of Teacher Evaluations: A Program Evaluation” which revealed a need to investigate how teacher evaluation systems could be transformed by integrating technology to streamline the process and thus improve teaching and learning. Therefore, this Change Leadership plan aimed to address two important questions. How is technology being used within current teacher evaluation systems? Within current teacher evaluation …

The Role Of Empathy And Sympathy In Character Education, Radhi Al-Mabuk

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The purpose of this paper is to describe and highlight the role of empathy and sympathy in character education. More specifically, the bridging function of empathy and sympathy to civility and their role in promoting development in the context of forgiveness will be emphasized. The paper is organized in five major parts. The first one consists of an introduction and a brief historical overview of character education followed by a discussion of the aims of character education and the school’s role in nurturing it. In the second part, an argument is made for forgiveness as a means of promoting development …

Our Grades Were Broken: Overcoming Barriers And Challenges To Implementing Standards-Based Grading, Randal Peters, Tom Buckmiller

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The purpose of this study was to describe the barriers and challenges school leaders face as they implement a standards-based grading (SBG) system. The researchers used a multiple case study methodology to investigate how key school leaders described their implementation journey at three schools that differed in size, demographics, and location. Purposeful sampling was used to identify key administrators at three different schools who were in the process of implementing a SBG system. Data were collected primarily via semi-structured interviews. In the analysis, researchers used three phases: horizontalization, thematizing, and textural-structural synthesis. Each of the three schools had very different …

Examining Effective Characteristics Of Professional Development In K-12 Education Since The Inception Of The No Child Left Behind Act Of 2002: A Meta-Analytic Investigation, Eugene M. Thomas, Karen H. Larwin

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

With the dire financial crisis facing our national and state economy, schools are forced to reduce budgets while simultaneously improve program delivery. Professional development is the mechanism that is generally used to facilitate improving educational delivery and subsequently student achievement results. This investigation examines the influence of professional development on student achievement since No Child Left Behind. Results indicate that professional development can have a moderate impact on student achievement. A number of moderators were found to have a positive significant impact on this effect including the level of students, the duration of the professional development, the discipline area focus …

The Power Of Care: An Exploration Of Emotion And Ethics In Male School Leadership Practice, Edward L. Myers

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Research findings from the past two decades have illuminated emotion’s role in organizational performance. Furthermore, studies associated with the ethic of care have revealed the significance of affect in leader/subordinate relationships. In order to augment the literature, this paper will reveal the intentions, decisions, and behaviors of a particular male high school principal who subscribed to a philosophy of care-based leadership. The intent is to further the understanding of how ethics, emotion, and power manifest in male school leadership behavior and to offer insights on the potentialities and structure of care-based educational leadership practice. The study’s findings offer a design …

Professional Development: The Use Of Nonverbal Communication During Class Lecture, Dustin York

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Teachers’ nonverbal communication has a vital role within the classroom environment. This literary review examined (1) a historical perspective of teachers’ nonverbal communication, (2) the relationship between students’ perceptions of their learning and teachers’ nonverbal communication, (3) the relationship between standardized measurements of student learning and teachers’ nonverbal communication, and (4) the relationship between students’ perceptions of teacher credibility based on the teachers’ nonverbal communication. Findings in the literary study suggest that teachers’ nonverbal communication is beneficial to students’ academic success. This review has outlined elements of nonverbal communication a teacher could use to benefit student learning. Using the findings …

Race-Based Preferences And The Supreme Court, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

So-called race-conscious remedies ensure that all citizens are considered fairly and equally for employment and education opportunities. The legal status of race-conscious remedies continues to present challenges for education leaders, policymakers, and lawmakers.

Using Psychosocial Development Theory And Personality Typology In Identifying At-Risk Characteristics Of College Honors Students, Dennis Lark Lancaster

Dissertations

While substantiating the effectiveness of honors programs to increase learning among the academically gifted, assessment and any associated outcomes should also be effectively used to understand the psychosocial development challenges of these students and, at the same time, increase their learning in and out of the honors environment. Robinson’s (1997) research showed that, saddled with the typical college student’s at-risk characteristics, e.g., first-generation status, low-income, financial limitations, etc., gifted students also face unique adjustment challenges in terms of their social development. These challenges include habits and attitudes associated with and/or resulting from not having to work at their studies in …

Passnote: A Feedback Tool For Improving Student Success Outcomes, Bethany A. Croton, James E. Willis Iii, Jason D. Fish

Teaching and Learning Technologies Publications

When Purdue University faculty asked for assistance in composing feedback messages to students, Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP) developed PassNote, a feedback tool that integrates good practice into the process of providing formative assessments. PassNote gives faculty customizable feedback prompts (snippets) and lets them connect students with information and links to services such as tutoring,Supplemental Instruction, library resources, technology tools, and workshops. PassNote "message starters" are often incomplete, allowing instructors to include course-specific information such as office hours and departmental resources.

Project-Based Learning As A Means For Meeting The Needs Of 21st Century Students In Common Core States, Scott Ragsdale

Dissertations

The call for the reform of public education in the United States of America has come from stakeholders of all kinds. This study compares two seemingly opposing approaches to the reform of public education. The bureaucratic approach is represented by the mass adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The grassroots approach is represented by the International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Students (ISTE Standards-S). It was important to identify and analyze an instructional practice with enough potential rigor to meet the demands of both the CCSS and the ISTE Standards-S. The study analyzed the potential ability …

A Grounded Theory Study Of The Experiences Of Early Childhood Educators Implementing Action Research As A Professional Development Method, Donna James

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this systematic grounded theory study was to gain insight through the experiences of early childhood educators and their perceptions as they implemented action research as a professional development method. This study focused on the process of implementing action research as a professional development method and strived to answer questions related to the possible future use of this model in other educational settings while describing educator experiences, perceptions and beliefs. Data collection included interviews, observations, and journals. Detailed procedures for analysis were employed during the study with three phases of coding: Open, Axial, and Selective. Data was analyzed …

Does Retirement Make You Happy? A Simultaneous Equations Approach, Raquel Fonseca, Arie Kapteyn, Jinkook Lee, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Continued improvements in life expectancy and fiscal insolvency of public pensions have led to an increase in pension entitlement ages in several countries, but its consequences for subjective well-being are largely unknown. Financial consequences of retirement complicate the estimation of effects of retirement on subjective well-being as financial circumstances may influence subjective well-being, and therefore, the effects of retirement are likely to be confounded by the change in income. At the same time, unobservable determinants of income are probably related with unobservable determinants of subjective wellbeing, making income possibly endogenous if used as control in subjective wellbeing regressions. To address …

Whispers Of Hope: Urban Christ-Centered Education, Kristy A. Brown

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the culture of an urban Christ-centered day school. the participants in the study included five administrators, fourteen teachers, five staff members, two board members, two donors, six parents, twelve students, and three alumni. The data collection process included 49 semi-structured interviews, 20 participant observations, and seven documents that were analyzed. By using a critical ethnographic lens, this study was able to identify how Freedom Academy integrated a Christian worldview, used the ethic of care, and implemented culturally relevant pedagogy into the curriculum. By combining these characteristics, Freedom Academy demonstrated their …

Validation Of The Scores Of The Instructional Pedagogical And Instructional Student Engagement Components Of Fidelity Of Implementation, Sandra F. Naoom

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students cannot benefit from what they do not experience. Multiple reasons exist for why an intervention may not be delivered as it was designed. In this era of educational accountability and limited dollars to go around, understanding how an intervention is delivered in the classroom is key to understanding program outcomes. In order to assess whether a program has been implemented as intended, an assessment of fidelity is needed. However assessing fidelity is complex given varying conceptual interpretations, which then fosters inconsistent application of methods to measure the construct. Additionally the methods for validating fidelity measures are still unclear. The …

Schools Of Innovation, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

Act 601, passed in April 2013, allows for schools to apply to become “schools of innovation.” Accepted schools receive flexibility from certain regulations in order to facilitate the use of innovative approaches to teaching and learning. In this policy brief, we discuss the history of Act 601, similar models in other states and their results, the application and approval process, the 2014-15 schools of innovation, and the role of the Office of Innovation for Education in supporting schools of innovation.

2013-14 Arkansas Test Results, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

In late July, the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) released the 2013- 14 test score results. The following brief highlights the results of these tests, compares achievement scores over time, and provides a glimpse of regional achievement results for the following exams:  Benchmark Exam (Grades 3-8)  End-of-Course Exam (Algebra I, Geometry, Biology, and Grade 11 Literacy).  Iowa Test of Basic Skills (Grades 1-9)

Resisting Pressure From Peers To Engage In Sexual Behavior: What Communication Strategies Do Early Adolescent Latino Girls Use?, Anne E. Norris, Jonathan Pettigrew, Michelle Miller-Day, Michael L. Hecht, Janet Hutchison, Kristi Campoe

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

A content analysis of early adolescent = 12.02 years) Latino girls’ (n = 44) responses to open-ended questions embedded in an electronic survey was conducted to explore strategies girls may use to resist peer pressure with respect to sexual behavior. Analysis yielded 341 codable response units, 74% of which were consistent with the REAL typology (i.e., refuse, explain, avoid, leave) previously identified in adolescent substance use research. However, strategies reflecting a lack of resistance (11%) and inconsistency with communication competence (e.g., aggression) were also noted (15%). Frequency of particular strategies varied depending on the situation described in the open-ended …

School Type And Structure As Predictors Of Perceived School Climate And Student Academic Achievement Among Middle School Students In Baltimore City Public Schools, Rhonda L. Richetta

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the impact of school type and school structure on perceived school climate and student achievement, for middle grades students in a large urban school district. The specific school types examined were charter schools, transformational schools, and traditional schools. For school structure, the grade configurations of K-8, 6-8, and 6-12 were examined. The total sample number for the first data set, the climate survey, was 12,258 students, and for the second data set, test scores, it was 17,472, and a total of 103 schools.

Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to measure the association among school types, school …