Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Funding The Future: Preparing University Leaders To Navigate The Coming Change, Jeff Strietzel

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Iranian Efl Teachers' Perceptions Of Dynamic Assessment: Exploring The Role Of Education And Length Of Service, Mohammad Nabi Karimi, Zahra Shafiee

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The present study reports on the thematic analysis of Iranian EFL teachers' perceptions of dynamic assessment in relation to their academic degree and length of service. To this end, 42 Iranian EFL teachers participated in the study. Of these teachers, 22 held BA and 20 held MA degrees in ELT-related subjects, with varying lengths of service. Semi-structured interviews were used to inquire into the teachers' perceptions of dynamic assessment. The four major themes which emerged from the content analysis of the audiotaped interviews revealed significant variations in participants' patterns of perceptions and concerns towards dynamic assessment. The major themes comprised …

Student Voices About The Role Feedback Plays In The Enhancement Of Their Learning, Christine Plank, Helen Dixon, Gillian Ward

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

If feedback is to be framed as purposeful dialogue then both students and teachers have significant roles to play. Students must be willing and able to provide feedback to teachers not only about their learning needs but also about the teaching they experience. In turn, teachers must create the conditions that support active student learning and disclosure. It is against this backdrop that the current interpretive, qualitative research was carried out. Set within the final year of secondary schooling in New Zealand (Year 13) this paper draws on data generated from two semi-structured, focus group interviews. It provides insights into …

Pre-Service Teachers’ Opinions About The Course On Scientific Research Methods And The Levels Of Knowledge And Skills They Gained In This Course, Cemal Tosun

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the basic knowledge and skills are attained within the scope of the course on Scientific Research Methods. In addition, the impact of the procedure, which is followed while implementing the course, on the students’ anxiety and attitude towards the course is examined. Besides, the study also tried to determine the pre-service teachers’ beliefs regarding their self-sufficiency in terms of doing a scientific research. The study was carried out the action research design as the basis. The sample of the study consisted of 27 pre-service teachers. They were in the third …

A Comparative Analysis Between The Assessment Criteria Used To Assess Graduating Teachers At Rustaq College (Oman) And Griffith University (Australia) During The Teaching Practicum, Moza Abdullah Al-Malki, Katie Weir

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article reports the findings from a study that compares the assessment criteria used to measure pre-service teachers’ professional competencies at Rustaq College of Applied Sciences in Oman, and at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. The study adopts a discourse analytic approach to deconstruct and critically compare the assessment criteria outlined in documents that report on graduating teachers’ classroom performance used at each teacher education institution. The results of the analysis reveal a different normative vision of graduating teachers in each country. The Omani graduate pre-service teachers are likely to be ‘a compliant student-trainee’, whereas Australian graduate pre-service teachers are …

Any Time, Any Place, Any Pace-Really? Examining Mobile Learning In A Virtual School Environment, Michael K. Barbour, Tamme Quinn Grzebyk, John Eye

Education Faculty Publications

Over the past decade, the number of K-12 students engaged in online learning has increased from between 40,000 and 50,000 to more than two million. Students have also gained increased access to mobile devices throughout recent years, and educators have actively looked for ways to capitalize on this trend.

A case study of students enrolled in an Advanced Placement European History course, offered by a statewide, supplemental virtual school in the Midwest. The students were studied over the course of four weeks, using Mobl21, an app that works on mobile devices, and offers an emulated version that runs on a …

K-12 Online Learning: A Worldwide Perspective, Michael K. Barbour, Kathryn Kennedy

Education Faculty Publications

K-12 online learning is often used as an umbrella term to describe all instances of kindergarten through 12th grade students' learning by using the Internet. This chapter will explore the state of K-12 online learning in North America and around the world. From correspondence education to complete online schools that are found in some school districts today, K-12 online learning is continuing to grow at seemingly exponential rates. Policies in various districts and countries, along with the individual needs of students and goals for the education system, have often dictated--or at least influenced--this development. In this chapter, we explore these …

Design Research Using Game Design As An Instructional Strategy, Jason Paul Siko, Michael Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

Game design as an instructional tool can be expensive and time-consuming, as new software requires not only capital outlay but also training for teachers and students. Therefore, researchers have looked at low-tech design platforms to accomplish the same educational goals. One such way is to use Microsoft PowerPoint as a game design tool. In the second iteration of a design study, we have changed the way a homemade PowerPoint game project is implemented in an environmental chemistry classroom by providing more structure and more opportunities for instruction and feedback on the elements of the game design. We compared the performance …

Preparing For And Thriving In K-12 Online/Blended Teaching Contexts, Leanna Archambault, Keryn Pratt, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

This panel will bring together leading experts to explore the research related to teaching roles in K-12 online and blended learning and the policies influencing teacher preparation for online environments. Currently, there is a dire need for teacher education programs to provide training in online pedagogy and instructional design so all teachers are prepared to teach in breakthrough learning environments. Keryn Pratt will present her work on OtagoNet: One region’s model for virtual schooling in New Zealand and the knowledge and skills teachers need to be successful in this environment. Michael Barbour will focus on roles of online and blended …

Evaluation And Approval Constructs For Online And Blended Courses And Providers, Michael K. Barbour, Tom Clark, Kristen Debruler, Justin Bruno

Education Faculty Publications

The report released by the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute™ at MVU examines existing policies and practices related to the evaluation and approval of online and blended learning in the 50 states as well as relevant international examples, such as those arising from Canada’s province-based K-12 education systems.

The Nature Of Online Charter Schools: Evolution And Emerging Concerns, Lisa Hasler-Waters, Michael K. Barbour, Michael P. Menchaca

Education Faculty Publications

Online charter schools are unique among K-12 online learning options for students. They are full-time, public schools that combine online learning with traditional and home schooling practices. They are often chartered by a state agency, supported in full or in part with state funds and most often managed by a private educational management company. Some extol the virtues of these schools as being able to reach unique student populations at a fraction of the cost borne by traditional public school education. Others are concerned over the lack of evidence supporting the effectiveness of these schools and the problems encountered by …

The Effects Of A Technology-Driven Science Application On Postsecondary Chemistry Student Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Darrell Byrum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to establish if distinction exists in both student achievement and self-efficacy through the application of technology-based instructional approach in the laboratory environment of undergraduate chemistry courses. The achievement of 52 college students in the southeastern region of the United States was measured through one posttest assessment. Following this assessment, students were examined through a self-efficacy scale to determine preexisting thoughts of working in an undergraduate chemistry laboratory environment, as well as peer interaction. Accordingly, three separate college chemistry I courses were used to generate data via a nonequivalent control group design. From the three …

The Difference In Act College Readiness Benchmarks Between Avid And Non-Avid Students, Stephany Eley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the difference in college readiness (as measured by the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks) between high school students who were enrolled in AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) for three or more years and students who were never enrolled in AVID. A causal comparative research design was employed to compare high school students from a Central Florida school district containing both AVID high schools and non-AVID high schools. AVID students were demographically matched to non-AVID students for race, gender, socio-economic status (as measured by free and reduced lunch status), Title 1 status, and grade level. Independent t tests …

Grade Retention Rates: Impact Of Standards-Based Grading As Compared To A Traditional Grading System In 3rd And 5th Grades, Mishea Dean

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student retention is a contentious issue that has spawned considerable debate among school leaders and policymakers. NCLB's accountability requirement has led to the development of a standards-based grading system to ensure students master content and so schools can meet AYP goals. This causal comparative study examined whether a change from a traditional grading system to a standards-based system affected the student retention frequency rate. Convenience sampling was used to collect retention data on third and fifth grade students who attended four Title 1 schools in northeast Georgia during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years when the grading system changed. A …

Articulation Agreements: Academic Success, Persistence And Graduation From Online And Face-To-Face Degree Completion Programs, Darnette Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study is to examine whether differences exist in the retention and persistence of articulation participants based on face-to-face or online degree completion. The study will determine the rate of completion of articulation participants who transfer from a North Carolina Community College to a state university in North Carolina and enroll in traditional face-to-face classes versus articulation participants who enroll in online degree completion. There is considerable literature on articulation from the perspective of student satisfaction and an administrator's perception. Substantial research on policies and procedures as well as comparison to native and transfer students. There …

Effects Of Information Delivery Type On Reading Comprehension And Reading Enjoyment Level In Male Seventh-Grade Disinterested Readers, Douglas Damon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this quantitative study, reading comprehension scores and reading enjoyment level of forty-two seventh-grade males (N = 42) from a Mid-Atlantic private school were examined to determine the effect of information delivery type. In this true-experimental posttest only control group design, forty-two participants self-identified as disinterested readers. The control group (n = 22) received a traditionally printed excerpt from a novel, while the treatment Group (n = 20) received the same excerpt enhanced with embedded digital links through QR (Quick Response) codes. Upon completion of the reading, participants took a reading comprehension test, and completed a reading enjoyment questionnaire. Data …

Authentic Assessment Of Reflection In An Eportfolio: How To Make Reflection More Real For Students, Pauline Roberts, Helen Farley, Sue Gregory

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In a doctoral study that focused on the enhancement of reflection through an ePortfolio-based learning environment, students’ indicated that they felt reflection was not real when it was used for assessment. This led to an examination of assessment practices linked to reflection and ways to make it authentic. The literature revealed that reflection is often a component of authentic assessment rather than being a focus of it. The practices associated with the assessment of reflection are examined in order to formulate 4 guiding principles. These principles aim to make the process of reflection more ‘real’ to students in higher education …

Ensuring The Development Of Digital Literacy In Higher Education Curricula, Mark T. Mcmahon

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Digital Literacy is widely considered to be an essential attribute for both academic and professional success. In an increasingly regulated and standards -based higher education environment, however, there is a lack of clear guidance as to what constitutes the nature of appropriate level of Digital Literacy that graduates need to demonstrate. This paper argues for the application of a Digital Literacy Taxonomy to articulate the dimensions inherent in it, which can then be applied to student activities and curricula. This process can be used to assist academics in identifying the literacy requirements of their courses, their own opportunities for professional …

Challenges Of Conducting Ethical Video-Based Classroom Research, Mark W. Hackling

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The advent of digital video technology has opened ‐ up a new paradigm of education research as it has the capacity to capture a permanent record of all the nuances of teaching and learning interactions in a form that allows the data to be scrutinised in great detail and shared with other teachers and researchers. The Capture of teaching on video is becoming widespread both for research and for teacher professional learning purposes. There are a number of research ethical principles and professional ethics that need to be considered when conducting this type of research if the rights of participants …

Diagnostically Assessing Western Australian Year 11 Students' Engagement With Theory In Visual Arts, Julia Morris, Geoffrey W. Lummis, Graeme J. Lock

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Theory linked to visual arts’ responding outcomes, is fundamental to the visual arts curriculum in facilitating visual literacy, or students’ ability to assemble meaning from, and construct new imagery. Without visual literacy, year 11 students are limited in understanding and fully participating in our technological, image-based society. Subsequently, a mixed methods doctoral study was undertaken to investigate students’ engagement in visual arts theory tasks, as increased engagement in theory was anticipated to improve students’ visual literacy outcomes. A diagnostic instrument was created to measure year 11 students’ prior learning in visual arts theory, as well as their cognitive and psychological …

Cohesion, Coherence And Connectedness: The 3c Model For Enabling-Course Design To Support Student Transition To University, Suzanne Sharp, John A. O'Rourke, Jeniffer M. Lane, Anne-Maree Hays

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Recent Australian government policy has focused on attracting students from under-represented and diverse groups to tertiary education with university enabling courses one pathway for these students. The trend towards broader participation has altered traditional perceptions of a typical university student and raised delivery challenges. The ability to engage these students as learners and improve their academic outcomes and confidence towards successful course completion, is increasingly important to universities because of attrition costs to governments, students and higher education institutions, and is increasingly reflected in academic literature. While strategic student support options have been examined in detail, less focus has been …

Students’ Perspectives On The Use Of Peer Feedback In An English As A Second Language Writing Class, Kavitha Sukumaran, Rozita Dass

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Peer assessment and peer feedback are considered alternatives to teacher-based feedback and their effects on writing have been substantially researched. This study aims to examine the perspectives of a group of university students, who are mainly second language learners, on peer feedback in an English writing class. Many of the studies conducted on the perspectives of students regarding peer feedback provided conflicting findings. While some found that peer feedback was viewed with doubt and encouraged little revision, others found it helped learners to recognise their strengths and flaws in writing. This study aims to better understand students’ perspectives regarding peer …

Impact Of College Counseling Within Private High Schools On First-Generation College-Bound Students' Enrollment In Four-Year Colleges: A Case Study, Ana Maria Soler

Doctoral Dissertations

First-generation college-bound students (FGCBS), students whose parents do not have a college degree, are at a disadvantage during the preparation for and enrollment in 4-year colleges, according to the literature. A majority of these students either never enter 4-year colleges, or enroll in 2-year colleges and never complete a bachelor's degree. With the demand in the work force for college degrees, much research has been conducted on understanding the experiences of these students. Previous research has focused on college counseling for FGCBS within public schools, traditionally low-resourced public schools, as this is where most FGCBS are enrolled.

This study addresses …

Assessing Student Learning With Technology: A Descriptive Study Of Technology-Using Teacher Practice And Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack), Lara Elaine Ervin-Kassab

Doctoral Dissertations

In 2013, a majority of states in the US had adopted Common Core State Standards under the Race to the Top initiative. With this adoption came the opportunity to utilize computer-delivered and computer-adaptive testing. Although the computer-based assessments were intended to assist teachers in designing classroom assessments and using student data to inform instructional practice, teacher-reported data indicated that the areas in which teachers are most unprepared, lack confidence, or are in need of development were assessment (DeLuca, 2012; Wayman et al., 2007) and technology (Brush & Saye, 2009; Kramarski & Michalsky, 2010).

The Technology Assessment Practices Survey (TAPS) study …

The Development Of A Survey To Analyze If The Hpv Vaccine Is Appropriate For School Aged Girls, Tiffany Faith Davis

Wayne State University Theses

The Human Papilloma Virus also known as HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. This particular STD consists of genital warts and can lead to cervical cancer in women. A HPV vaccine, Gardisil has been developed to help prevent the transmission of this particular STD. The topic of this paper is to discuss whether the HPV vaccine should be required to administer among female girls and adolescents. Despite the fact that the HPV vaccine is a preventative method for contracting HPV, many parents are not eager to accept this as a required vaccine to be administered to their daughter. One of …

Bilingual Narrative Assessment: Evaluation Of The Kindergarten Language Benchmark Assessment In Native Spanish-Speaking Children, Rebecca Hunt

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Kindergarten Language Benchmark Assessment (KLBA) (Preschern & Konikoff, 2013) in identifying at risk narrative abilities in English Language Learners (ELLs) whose primary language is Spanish, as well as in monolingual English speakers. In addition, the study compared the effectiveness of the KLBA scoring system with the established measure of high point analysis for Spanish ELLs, and examined the performance of English monolinguals on the same assessment. The KLBA was administered in September, and again in January. The children's narratives were scored using the KLBA measure, transcribed, and …

Graduation Rates 2014-15, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

IPEDS Graduation Rate

IPEDS Graduation Rates annual report contains the following information:

• Numbers of students entering the institution as full-time, first-time, degree or certificate-seeking in a particular year (cohort), by race/ethnicity and gender
• Number completing within 150% of normal time to program completion
• Number transferred to other institutions
• Developed to help institutions comply with requirements of Student Right-to-know
• Worksheets are provided to calculate rates

Education Policy And Social Justice: Exploring Possibilities Within Education Policy Context Of Pakistan, Sajid Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

One of the major purposes of education policy is to ensure social justice in a society. The social justice needs to be thought of not only in conventional sense of ‘distributional’ justice, but also in the sense of ‘relational’ justice. Looking from this perspective the policies in Pakistan have historically focused only on distributional justice, albeit with dismal progress on this front. However, they have completely ignored the attainment of ‘relational’ justice as a policy objective. As a result power differentials not only exist but worsened through educational policies such as undermining of public schooling while encouraging privatization of education …

Spaces Of Nature: Producing Gilgit-Baltistan As The Eco-Body Of The Nation, Nosheen Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

A while ago, when I was studying in Grade 8 at an English-medium school in Lahore, our class was divided up in four groups for a Geography project on Pakistan. The group of which I was a part had to make a sculptural map of Pakistan, demonstrating the diverse physical and social qualities of its landscape. And so we had set about carving our country with materials like styro-foam, cotton, cloth, and cardboard. In the final map that we made, the region of Gilgit-Baltistan - then the “Northern Areas” – had remained unlabeled and unpeopled, marked only with mountains made …

Teacher Perceptions On Teacher Leadership And Shared Vision In Nc Schools: A Correlational Study Using The Nc Teacher Working Conditions Survey, Mary M. Hemphill

Dissertations

As the landscape of public education continues to evolve, so does the leadership and vision required to meet the needs of this ever-changing academic platform. No longer is academic research focusing solely on school leadership required to lead 21st century students and educators toward success, but rather it is focused on the plethora of factors that inform the development of thriving learning communities across our nation. While much of the educational discourse on leadership and vision speaks to the development of strategies, pedagogies, and leadership preparation for school leaders, there are deficiencies in the literature on teacher leadership and shared …